Down To Work

We are getting to the place where the House of Deputies is organized, the committees are perfecting or discharging legislation and the daily legislative calendar is getting behind. We will generally be behind from now until the end of the convention. It will be a constant refrain.

President Anderson will become increasingly strict about tightening procedure. Nerve may begin to fray. That is when we begin to be productive as a legislature. Early on there is too little to do and we get lazy. You know things have changed when "I move the previous question" begins to appear frequently.

Yesterday, some 30 Deputies spoke during a rarely used "Committee of the Whole" session.

Mike Russell and I were selected spoke from our deputation. The speakers were chosen the previous evening when we drew numbers from 8 paper bags. The topic was the controversial resolution, B-033 from the last General Convention. We told our stories about how this legislation had affected us, our communities of faith, and what we hoped for the future. We each had 2 minutes. The speakers included a variety of perspectives and did not speak in the usual legislative style. Despite much anticipation, I found the experience helpful, and is was a peaceful time. I was honored to speak from a pastoral perspective about how this legislation had the effect of putting an un-welcome mat out for our church. From the back of the House, our deputation could oly see us on the big screens at the front.