Diocese of San Diego convention starts Friday

So tomorrow I'm off to the diocesan convention for San Diego, this year to be held at St. Margaret's, Palm Desert. I'm an alternate delegate, but will play a "real" one tomorrow evening for the first ballot since some of our delegation won't be able to make it until Saturday morning.

The convention agenda is as follows:

Friday, February 8th

Noon - 5:00 p.m. Registration
3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Workshops and Hearings: Session I
4:15 - 5:30 p.m. Convention Convenes: Business and First Ballot
5:00 - 9:00 p.m. Move to the Esmerelda for Reception, Dinner and Keynote Address by Bishop Curry (Diocese of North Carolina)

Saturday, February 9th

8:00 - 8:45 a.m. Registration
9:00 - 10:30 a.m. Convention Eucharist
10:30 - 10:45 a.m. Break
10:45 - 11:15 a.m. Convention Re-Convenes - Business and Second Ballot
11:15 - 12:15 p.m. Workshops & Hearings - Session II
12:15 - 1:15 p.m. Lunch
1:15 - 4:30 p.m. Convention Business Session - Third Ballot & Bishop's Address

I will be presenting information during the both workshop sessions (Friday and Saturday) on Resolution 08-07, Resolution Regarding The Episcopal Church and The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, which reads as follows:

WHEREAS the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church by official action on January 12, 2006, formally affirmed the affiliation of the Episcopal Church in the United States with the “Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice,” formerly known as the “Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights,” which is an organization which actively promotes abortion on demand for any reason for all nine months of pregnancy and

WHEREAS we believe the goals and principles of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) as stated on their Website conflict with biblical theology related to the sanctity of human life, and

WHEREAS the 75th General Convention of 2006 was denied the opportunity to make any vote concerning the continued membership of The Episcopal Church in the RCRC

therefore be it

RESOLVED that the 2008 Convention of the Diocese of San Diego (34th Annual Diocesan Convention) dissociates our Diocese from that action of the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church which affirmed the affiliation of the Episcopal Church with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and from any participation in or support of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.

EXPLANATION OF RESOLUTION:

In January, 2006, the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church formally affiliated with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. The Episcopal Church as a whole has never had the opportunity to vote on this affiliation. At our February 2006 convention, the Diocese of San Diego passed a resolution requesting that this affiliation be voted on at General Convention 2006 since membership in an organization which supports abortion affects TEC as a whole and each member by association.

All resolutions relating to RCRC membership died in committee and none were presented to General Convention for vote. In light of this, as well as published statements by the RCRC which contradict the Book of Common Prayer and General Convention resolutions regarding abortion, we would request that the Diocese of San Diego disassociate itself from the decision of the Executive Council to affiliate with the RCRC and also not participate in or support, financially or otherwise, the RCRC.

I would appreciate any and all prayers since I have no idea what types of questions and/or concerns people may have on this.