Deacons for Justice

Three years ago, in April 2004, bishops from thirty dioceses formed a coalition called "Bishops Working for a Just Society." The group has grown to about fifty, and they now meet twice a year, once a few days before the spring meeting of the House of Bishops, and once in October in Washington. At the October meeting, bishops go to Capitol Hill and meet with their respective Congressional representatives and senators. The main thrust is preparing to address current priorities, as identified by the church's Office for Government Relations in Washington. They base their priorities on those created by resolution at General Convention or Executive Council.

Although the priorities reflect the interests of deacons, right now the group consists only of bishops. Their work would be strengthened by collaboration with deacons and others throughout the church. I wonder why we deacons don't start a parallel coalition, Deacons for Justice (anyone suggest a jazzier title?), with the task of putting forward issues for the bishops to address. To do this, we could draft a paper on each topic.

By order and inclination, deacons are in the right place to whisper about justice in their bishop's ear. If anyone would like to talk about this some more, please let me know.

Dusty work

This blog is called "Through the Dust" because the phrase reflects the ancient folk etymology of diakonia, diakonos, and the like, which come from two Greek words meaning "through" and "dust." When you perform diakonia, perhaps as a diakonos, you do work that gets you dusty. Dust, in this sense, does not imply dirty or menial work (although it sometimes involves such work). Instead, it is the consequence of travel on unpaved roads. When Christ sends out disciples to proclaim the kingdom and heal the sick, and they come to places where people don't welcome them, they are to shake the dust from their feet. In a related, modern metaphor, a woman in the musical South Pacific swears to "wash that man right out of my hair." The dusty work of diakonia involves speed and urgency, not getting delayed by nay-sayers but moving right on to the goal, and it is the central missionary work of the church.

The dusty work of this blog will include talking about social justice and liturgy. These topics are my main interests, and I see them as closely related, like hunger and bread. What does the liturgy of the church have to do with the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world? If it has little or nothing to do with them, as is often the case, then we are merely playing church. In your comments, though, you may talk about anything you want.

Dance hall

At my new church, Trinity in New Orleans, the staff is larger than the Sunday congregation at my old church, Grace. Every Tuesday we have a staff meeting, which starts with morning prayer, at which a different person is assigned to preach each week.

Yesterday the preacher was Albinas Prizgintas, the minister of music. He started by saying, "Everybody follow me upstairs to the church. Don't be surprised. Just do as you're told." So we dutifully followed him up the stairs to the nave, where the altar had been pulled back, leaving a large space. When we had gathered, a tall woman stepped into the middle and said, "I'm going to teach you to dance the tango." And she did.

This experience reminded me that North America is full of great dance halls, which unfortunately are cluttered with pews.

Deacons in the Dust

This week I am sponsoring 18 deacons and others as visitors in New Orleans, under the title "Deacons in the Dust." They are gutting houses and giving out supplies in Chalmette and Meraux, in St. Bernard Parish down the river from the city. They are:

Aileen Aidnik, deacon in Northern California
Ken Brooks, deacon in Huron (Ontario, Canada)
Jan Cazden, deacon in California
Betty Divine, deacon in Texas
Paul Haggland, candidate in Olympia (Seattle area)
Phyllis Hartman, postulant in Texas
Chuck Lane, deacon in Iowa
Martha Lang, deacon in Iowa
Linda Mansfield, postulant in Iowa
Victoria Anne Mason, deacon in Texas
John Miers, lay in Washington
Russell Oechsel, deacon in Texas
Joanne O’Neill, deacon in Newark
Marj Oughton, postulant in Oregon
Vermell Stevens, deacon in Huron (Ontario, Canada)
Gary Thomas, lay in Louisiana
Nancy Wall, lay in Cherokee Park United Church (Minnesota)
Lynn Werdal, deacon in New York

MDGs resolution

We got the following resolution passed by diocesan convention last Saturday (3 March 2007). Resolutions Committee B inserted "be urged to" in the second resolve, and that's the way it passed. (The committee also deleted "and determine the level of diocesan giving for the current year" at the end of the fourth resolve.) I understand the caution behind the insertion, but I prefer the original for its boldness and immediacy. General Convention did not ask us to urge ourselves to do something, it asked us to do something. We should be ashamed for our timidity:

Resolution # R1

From: Executive Committee of Community of Deacons (Archdeacon Charles N. deGravelles and Deacons Margaret G. Dawson, Michael G. Hackett, Ormonde Plater, Reese H. Wiggins)

Purpose: Endorse Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

Resolved, that the Diocese of Louisiana endorse the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals that pledge to:

1. eradicate extreme poverty and hunger;
2. achieve universal primary education;
3. promote gender equality and empower women;
4. reduce child mortality;
5. improve maternal health;
6. combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases;
7. ensure environmental stability; and
8. develop a global partnership for development; and be it further

Resolved, that the Diocese of Louisiana annually, beginning in 2008, [be urged to] contribute at least 0.7% of its total income to agencies or ministries that seek to achieve the Millennium Development Goals; and be it further

Resolved, that the Executive Board decide on appropriate beneficiaries and the amounts of contributions they are to receive; and be it further

Resolved, that diocesan convention each year receive a report from the Executive Board on the previous year’s diocesan giving for the Millennium Development Goals; and be it further

Resolved, that the Diocese of Louisiana establish a Global Reconciliation Commission or similar body, appointed by the Bishop, dedicated to mobilizing the congregations and people of the diocese for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, and to advising the Executive Board on beneficiaries and amounts of contributions; and be it further

Resolved, that the Diocese of Louisiana encourage its congregations to contribute at least 0.7% of their income for the accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goals.