Last evening I sent out a very brief note about the outcome of the vote on the Human Sexuality Document. there was much discussion around a long list of amendments to suggestions made by an Ad Hoc committee who attempted to take into consideration all of the memorials from Synods. The work of that committee was meant to bring a better document to the table. Well...after various attempts to change verb tenses someone finally came to the microphone and stated the case for accepting all the suggestions by the Ad Hoc Committee. That passed and that then brought the Human Sexuality document itself onto the floor to be considered and then brought to a vote.
As you might expect, the discussion was intense and filled with images attempting to make the argument for and against. I thought one argument against the document had an interesting backfire. A member of the Southern Ohio Synod tried to make the point that if the Assembly voted in favor of the document, we would put our worldwide ecumenical relationships in jeopardy. This person asked if some of our ecumenical officers could offer information on communications they have already received. After a pause to find that information, the officers said that there were only two letters sent from church leaders (and it was note...they were not even about this document -but rather the proposed Ministry changes) and that other church bodies were not voicing strong disfavor with what might happen.
It seemed at that point the vote came quickly. Bishop Hanson took the voting members through their usual voting procedure on their electronic voting machines and there was a bit of a silence before the results were projected for the whole Assembly to see. The Bishop looked down at the results - paused - seemed to take a breath and then asked for the results to be shown. Now...when they show results, it is in the form of a bar graph with the actual numbers and the percentage at the top of each bar. I think the whole Assembly stuttered for a moment. But there were the numbers:
66.67% For the the Human Sexuality Document - 33.33% Against. How could that be? When a vote needs 2/3rds, it needs only that amount not one vote more (as in a regular majority vote). I think part of all the stuttering was that many of us didn't know what this meant. That must have been the reason for Bishop Hanson's slight pause before he asked for us to see the results and to announce that the document passed. Later we heard that it actually passed by seven votes - which recorded as the exact 2/3rds.
Last evening I noted that i saw a group of CORE members (against the sexuality study and ministry recommendations) clustering around one of their "leading" voices - after the vote it was an interesting dynamic. I also must say that there was activity around the Good Soil group (for the changes) and their "leading" spokesperson. We are talking about two very faithful, and very political organizing groups at the Assembly.
Another dimension to last night's votes was all the discussion about what would happen if the Social Statement was defeated and the Proposed Ministry changes passed. Or...what impact would a defeated Social Statement have on the votes around the Ministry changes. Well, now we are left with a strong statement on the document that will lead us into today's Quasi Committee of the Whole for the conversations on the Ministry Proposals. The votes on these proposals are scheduled for tomorrow.
One note about the Eucharist that was held at Central Lutheran Church. Good Soil organized this event without knowing what would take place earlier that day. This is after the tornado touch down right outside the convention site and damage Central Lutheran's steeple. It was noted that the Spirit war REALLY blowing during the discussions and vote (we were restricted to the meeting room - no potty breaks....stay in the room). And then...when the vote was over and we were released from the room - there was calm outside and the sun was shining. Interesting.
The gospel for that liturgy was the story of Jesus in the boat sleeping and the winds and the waves terrified the disciples so that they didn't know what to do because they were afraid and did not believe. Wow. Talk about a text being picked way ahead of time that fit the tenor of the day and the actual weather at hand.
I will write more later. Christ's peace!
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