CONVENTION ADDRESS 2004

November 12-13, 2004

The Right Reverend Orris G. Walker, Jr.

7th Bishop of the Diocese of Long Island

In reviewing my past addresses to the convention, I see that they all begin with the same words of thanks.  And yes, I am going to begin the same way again this year. But let me, short of having a balloon and confetti drop to emphasize this moment, express my deepest appreciation to all who support me and in turn support you as we live out our common mission in The Dominion in the Sea.  The Archdeacons, the Chancellor, my deputies, all of the office staff, the grounds crew, our agency heads and the many volunteers who serve on diocesan boards and commissions –they all support the ministry that is mine and yours in this place.  So to all of you who assist and support me, thank you.

Let me express my deepest appreciation for the work of the Bishop Suffragan.  I Can See Clearly Now that if he was smart enough to know how to bring the Hills back alive to the sound of music, that naming him the Provost of the Cathedral with their outstanding music program would be a slam dunk.  In all seriousness, Bishop Michel, your additional service to this diocese by serving as Provost, is exemplary and models for all of us a way of being, a way of doing and a way of selflessness.  Thank you.

Thank you to my dear friend Bishop Sergio Carranza y Gomez for enduring the travails of air travel and coming across country from the Diocese of Los Angeles to be our Convention preacher.  More about him later.

While I gave a general word of thanks to my deputies, let me offer a special thanks and word of regret at the departure of The Rev.  Mark Clevenger.  He and Beth are a great team and a fine couple.  I know how the Bishop of Chicago felt when we lured Mark away from that Diocese to join us but know that you go to Upper South Carolina with all of our thanks and best wishes.

Let me, before I begin my formal address, bring you greetings from Bishop Martin.  Unless you live in Central Brooklyn, you are not apt to see much of Bishop Martin these days, so it is my joy to pass on a word of greeting from both him and Mrs. Martin. 

Last month, I participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Richard and Annelle Martin Houses, an 80 unit senior citizens complex sponsored by St. Mark’s in the East New York section of Brooklyn.  When it was time for Bishop Martin to speak, he arose slowly, started thoughtfully and ended up strong wowing the crowd as usual.  Even at 93, once a preacher always a preacher!

I am reminded of the story that he told that day.  Someone was receiving a recognition from Yale University and when he arose to give his address, he announced that he would speak on each letter – Y-A-L-E.  And so he did, he spoke for 15 minutes on each letter.  After he concluded, the master of ceremonies said “Thanks be to God that we aren’t the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.”  With that in mind, let me begin.

I recently rediscovered a volume of Dr Martin Luther King’s sermons.  The collection of sermons is in the book entitled A Knock at Midnight – also the title of one of his most famous sermons.  The text was from Luke 11:5-6. The situation is this:  one friend has awakened his neighbor at midnight because of the arrival of an unexpected visitor, he is in need of three loaves of bread.  At first his neighbor offered a protest but the persistence of his friend in need prevails and the request is fulfilled. 

As I re-read this sermon, I was struck by how timely Dr. King’s words and concerns were.  There were only a few references which would locate this sermon at a particular time in American history.  In the sermon, he compared the midnight of Luke’s parable to the midnight of our world and the deep darkness that prevents many from seeing which way to turn.   He talks about midnight reigning in the political order over the issue of civil rights, that which we now call human rights.  Dr. King saw the society of his day turn to science when confronted with the midnight in the social order.  He concluded that the science that had provided so many cures to our needs at other midnights was in its own midnight because world-wide nuclear destruction was imminent. 

He talked about darkness in the economic order in the struggle of poor people to receive a fair share of the riches of this nation.  And he also talked about the 11th commandment “thou shall not get caught.”  He posits “that according to the ethic of midnight, the cardinal sin is to be caught and the cardinal virtue is to get by.”  At midnight, it is OK to lie but one must lie with style and finesse.  Was he writing about Enron and Halliburton?

Now some 40 years later, upon examining our present situation, I find that there are far too many uncomfortable parallels which can be drawn.  The conflicts continue and the struggle for justice and peace persists.  The world still hopes for peace in troubled spots such as Northern Ireland, the Middle East, the Balkans, the Darfur Region in the Sudan and parts of Southeast Asia especially Myanmar.   

For me personally, it is a deeply dark midnight in Iraq notwithstanding the prevailing majority red state election outcome.  I do not see joy coming any time soon in the morning.  What is the midnight knock on that door that will extricate us from this abysmal mess?  I will not be happy until the last of our young men and women are safely out of harm’s way. 

To some it’s midnight because of unemployment; to others it’s midnight because of the lack of proper health care; to still others it’s midnight because of prejudice and discrimination; still to some it’s midnight because of war and famine.  How will the faithfulness of the lesser among us be rewarded as they continue to knock on our doors at midnight?  We must remember that we serve the Prince of Peace, the one who lived out righteousness and justice.  As followers of Jesus we have no choice but to follow in his way, the way that leads to life, indeed, eventually to eternal life.  We must answer the persistent knock on these doors.

Why should we as Christians be involved in all of this?  This is the question that is often asked especially by those who feel that the Church should only be concerned about spiritual matters.  “Stay out of politics,” “mind your own affairs” is too often the counsel given.  Dr. King, however, would often remind us that the church is the conscience of the state. 

In the very heart of our religious tradition is the Collect for Social Justice in our Prayer Book which challenges us to “contend against evil and to make no peace with oppression.”  This has been a challenging admonition to me and at times, it has also frightened me with the consequences that often follow when Christians act on this prayer.  I believe this phrase calls on us all to direct our energies to join with God in the inauguration of the reign of God in this world—the Kingdom of God.  By our baptism, we are linked to the process of reconciliation initiated by God in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Over the entire span of the 36 years of my ordained ministry, our church has been threatened with division even annihilation because of its involvement with the struggles of the world. 

In the 1960s there was the struggle for civil rights for African Americans in our country.  This was followed closely by antiwar protests and peace movements around our involvement in Southeast Asia-namely Viet Nam.  Along with this came world-wide calls for nuclear disarmament.  The quest for world-wide supremacy was on the minds of political leaders of the super powers and the cold war occupied our attention.   As a result, the developing countries found themselves deep in debt to the rich countries of the West - a debt that continues to this day.  We were deeply divided as a church and as a society over the issue of divestment in South Africa and today, we now savor the fruits of that struggle.

            Another area of controversy was our Prayer Book.   As the church attempted to fulfill its mission in the world, we were compelled to take a serious look at ourselves.  As Anglican Christians, we defined ourselves as a worshipping, serving community seeking to fulfill the will of Christ.  That is, one way of defining ourselves is to look at how we celebrated liturgies. With that view of ourselves, the adequacy of our former 1928 prayer book was called into question. 

Within the ecumenical community, scholars from all traditions began developing new texts for worship that more appropriately suited the times.  In this movement, the involvement of the laity at weekly Sunday worship services was encouraged. Back then, those changes seemed revolutionary.  Revolutionary, I even remember back in Detroit the first girls who were permitted to serve at the altar.  

In 1976, the General Convention passed, on its first constitutional reading, the new proposed Book of Common Prayer.  At that same convention, legislation was offered to permit the ordination of women to the priesthood and the episcopate.  This latter action sent shock waves through the Anglican Communion.  Opponents of this action claimed that it was a radical departure from tradition.  But thanks be to God, the picture is quite different today. I believe that this is due to the outstanding ministry of women serving the church in all three orders. 

             Today there are other cries for justice and fairness. “Should the equal rights that traditional married couples enjoy be extended to same-sex couples? ”  “Should a gay person living in a committed relationship be allowed to seek ordination or indeed consecration as a bishop in the Church of God?”  

            As you know from the all the media, there is a heated debate going on in the Church regarding issues of human sexuality.  Some have expressed surprise that the Church would dare make such decisions in this area even after thoughtful studies and undertaking a comprehensive decision-making process. 

For the record, The Episcopal Church has been dealing with this subject for at least 30 of my 36 years in the ordained ministry.  The medical and psychological communities have been seriously considering this issue for the past 50 years.  The church from time to time has invited its membership to engage in healthy discussions of these matters, challenging us not only to deal with the issue but more importantly, to deal with the people who are involved.  Many in the church have done this and have arrived at new insights.  So it should be no surprise that the General Convention acted the way it did on Gene Robinson and the decision on same-sex blessings.

As you are well aware, because of our decisions at last year’s General Convention, there was strong reaction on the part of some members of the Anglican Communion.  In response, the Archbishop of Canterbury was asked to establish a commission to look at our situation.  After almost a year’s work the commission submitted its report which was endorsed by all of the participants.  The report attempts to describe those elements which hold us together as a communion and to define what “mutual responsibility and inter-dependence” means in the life of the Anglican Church. 

Underneath all of this discussion however lies a basic disagreement on the use and authority of Scripture in the life of the Church.  Historically, Anglicans have based their decisions using the traditional formula of Scripture, Reason and Tradition.  More recently Experience has been added as a category of consideration.  Each of these disciplines has an influence on the final decision as the Church makes decisions on controversial matters.  However, there are those within the Anglican Church who hold to a fundamentalist understanding of the use of Scripture as the Word of God. 

I believe that Scriptures serve as the testimony and witness of early Christians to the mystery of the death and resurrection of Jesus.  In order to understand the meaning of Scripture, one must understand the author’s intention, the values and experiences of the particular faith community of which the author was a member and how that community understood the Gospel to be the proclamation of a new creation in Jesus Christ.  That is, how that particular faith community saw itself as a new spirit led people who had a unique relationship with God.

In many church battles the disputing parties make selected use of Scripture to support their cause.  It should be remembered as part of our history that the English bishops serving in the House of Lords during the debate to end slavery in the British Empire, supported slavery because they could justify it from Scripture.  Those who wish to limit the role of women often point to Paul’s admonition that women should be silent in Church and further, women should submit and be obedient to their husbands.  It is my contention that the Gospel proclamation is about liberating us from those human conditions that seek to inhibit life and oppress us.  Remember Jesus said that I have come so that you might have life and life in its fullness. 

The recommendations of the Windsor Report need to be thoughtfully considered by the Church as we move forward.  But it must also be said as Bishop Paul Marshall has put it so well that “in total disregard of 30 years of public discourse and more than 50 years of academic writing … the Commission’s report states that insufficient formal theological work has occurred on the issue of human sexuality.”

              He goes on the say “it fails even to acknowledge the existence of the multi-part formal theological presentation made to the General Convention of 2000…” 

            I personally find some of the recommendations of the Report problematic. I personally am troubled by the seeming “marginalization” of the Bishop of New Hampshire by the Report.  The reality is that Gene Robinson is a bishop in the Church of God, elected and affirmed by his diocese and the General Convention of the Church. 

Some in the Church have very short memories.  They have forgotten that black bishops and female bishops had been excluded in the past only to have the Church repent for this unjust action.  As one who is compelled to live on the margins of this society because of the color of my skin, I know well the pain of marginalization.  As a bishop in the Church, I do not find this acceptable in the community of faith.  We are called to be one in Christ and one with each other.  We are involved in a sacred relationship established by God in the reconciling work of Jesus Christ.  We have all been made worthy to stand before God – everyone of us—all sorts and conditions.  All of the above being said, I will reserve my further judgment until after our House of Bishops meeting the first of the year to craft a response to this report.

Now let us turn our attention closer to home.  We have gathered in this place to assess our ministries, to plan for the future and commit ourselves to a course of action that will enable us to accomplish our goals. 

In light of this, it gives me great pleasure to welcome my good friend Bishop Sergio Carranza y Gomez who will be the preacher at the convention Eucharist.  Bishop and I met in the early 1960s when we were both seminarians.  Our friendship started when a student friend from the University of Maryland called me at General Seminary to ask if I could put up a seminarian from Virginia Seminary who was traveling to Holy Cross Monastery for a retreat.  I was intrigued that a student from “low church” Virginia Seminary was going to visit a monastery.  Thus began our 32-year relationship.   That was a fortuitous midnight knock on the door.

After graduation from seminary, Bishop Sergio returned to Mexico and unfortunately we lost contact with one another.  But as fate would have it, in 1976 we were both assigned to the Prayer Book and Liturgy Committee of the House of Deputies at the General Convention.  At that convention it was our privilege to present the implementing resolution that presented the Prayer Book and Liturgy Committee’s recommendations to the House of Deputies leading to the adoption of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. 

As an aside, it is interesting to note that the late Dean Harold Lemoine of our Cathedral was chair of that committee. Long Island was again represented by the late Father Leo Malania who was Coordinator of the Revision of the Prayer Book.  (So if you have any complaints or compliments about the present prayer book -- you now know who some of the principal players were.) 

During his tenure as the Bishop of Mexico, the diocese that surrounds Mexico City, many mission congregations moved to parish status.  He was also responsible for the continued development of theological education at the seminary in Mexico City.  Bishop Carranza was an ecumenical leader in Mexico as well as a leader in the movement to establish the Anglican Province of the Church in Mexico.  At present he serves as Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Los Angeles where he shares in the pastoral oversight of this multicultural community of faith. 

            Several years ago I, along with other American Bishops, had the privilege of attending a conference on Hispanic ministry held in his diocese.  This was one of the most informative and helpful church conferences I’ve had the privilege to attend in my 36 years of ministry…believe me I’ve had my share.

            I’m grateful that he not only has consented to be our preacher but has agreed to confer with our Commission on Hispanic Ministry.  You should know that it was partly from his wise counsel over the years, I became convinced of the need to develop grass root leadership for our Hispanic Ministry on Long Island.  You also should know that we have one of the largest concentrations of Spanish speaking persons in this nation in this diocese.  There is a great opportunity for us! 

Under the leadership of Canon Juan Oliver and our Hispanic Commission we are making significant strides in this work.  And I am pleased to report that Bishop Michel and I are very encouraged by our visits to the Hispanic congregations in this diocese.

            We are also indebted to Father Juan Quevedo-Bosch, rector of Redeemer, Astoria and our diocesan Examining Chaplain, who not only has an exciting ministry going on at Redeemer but has also provided leadership for a new senior housing project at St George’s, Astoria. 55 units of new affordable senior citizen apartments will be rising this coming spring.  At present, a partnership is being developed between the diocese and St. George’s that will oversee this project.  In consultation with the vestry I have just recently appointed Father Quevedo-Bosch Priest-in-Charge of St. George’s, Astoria.

In my opening, I mentioned the ground breaking of the Richard and Annelle Martin Senior Housing Project in Brooklyn.  What a fitting tribute to this fine Christian couple. Congratulations to the rector and people of St. Mark’s Church, Brooklyn.  

            Also congratulations should be extended to the Rector and people of St. George’s Church, Brooklyn, for the completion of the renovation of an apartment complex on Gates Avenue.  This project had been on the drawing board for several years and I am pleased it has reached its fruition.

            Each of these housing development projects has employed a different financing model and development model.  It is my hope that similar projects can be duplicated in other parts of the diocese and I have tasked Canon Porter with this responsibility.

            While on the subject of housing, let me salute the Hunger and Outreach Committee of St. John’s Cold Spring Harbor for their absolute tenacity in helping to bring affordable housing to Long Island especially the Huntington area.  Let me also encourage other congregations in the area to join them in this important work.

            All of you who are working on the provision of lower cost housing have heard the knock at midnight and are providing the bread of hope.

            Let me share certain other changes in the life of the diocese. 

Our Cathedral.  As Provost, Bishop Michel is overseeing the day to day running of our Cathedral Church.  The Cathedral is presently framed on the front and the tower by scaffolding that indicates that work is on the way.  It is my hope that we will remodel the ancient and inadequate public restrooms in the very near future.  Also, the addition of an elevator will improve access to all levels of the Cathedral. We are reassessing the capital campaign that was the subject of a major presentation at last year’s convention and we are hoping for a decision from the Village of Garden City regarding our application to construct an assisted living development on the site of the current Cathedral House.

The Reverend Joseph Pae came to the Cathedral as assistant priest in September.  Father Pae just finished a post-ordination program sponsored by the Lilly Endowment at Christ Church, Alexandria, Virginia.  As a result of his involvement in this program, and with my permission, he was ordered to the priesthood by the Most Rev Desmond Tutu.  Already the son of a Bishop (The Right Reverend Mark A. Pae of Korea, retired) Joseph makes a wonderful addition to our diocesan Cathedral staff.  So I can report to you that we have three legitimate S-O-B’s in the diocese! I’m pleased to report that the entire Cathedral staff is busy accomplishing the work of this unique situation of ministry.  Please pray for the Cathedral and its mission in the coming days!

FCS.     During the past 24 months I have been in discussion with the leadership of Family Consultation Services about their relationship to the diocese.  Over the years there has been close association and cooperation.  However, I felt that FCS ought to be a true diocesan agency that was responsible to this convention and the Bishop of Long Island.  I am pleased to report that a re-organization of the governance has occurred with the Bishop as President of the Board.  I want to publicly thank the leadership of FCS for their cooperation and I also wish to recognize the fine work of this agency

Maycroft.  In 1921, the Diocese of Long Island received a gift of a summer estate known as Maycroft.  The property was approximately 42 acres located on the waterfront in Sag Harbor.  Mrs. May Gertrude Edson Aldrich donated this property for the benefit of the diocese.  Over the years this property has been used by the Girls Friendly Society and as a school and convent. 

In 1952, the Trustees of the Diocese deeded this property to the Order of the Teachers of the Children of God to be used as their Mother House and the Tuller School.  The understanding was that if the Order no longer used Maycroft as the Mother House or there was no school in operation at that location, the property would revert to the Diocese. 

During my early days in the diocese I noticed an advertisement in The Living Church Magazine for a K – 12 School in Sag Harbor which was located at the Maycroft property.  In the early 1990s I made a visit to this property only to discover that there was no such school. Only a community pre-school was in operation with one nun in residence and an aged chaplain.  I was informed that the Mother House had moved to Arizona and that the Mother Superior wished to meet me when she next planned to visit Maycroft.  The chaplain of the order gave me an extended tour and showed me the general state of disrepair of the facilities.  I attempted to find out more information about this agreement and see how we could resolve this manner in a friendly way.  However, other forces came into play and soon I found myself, along with the Trustees, being sued for an exorbitant amount of money.  Negotiations proceeded over several years.

Recently a decision was made to sell this property and divide the proceeds between the order of nuns and the diocese.  The result is that the diocese has received $11million as its share in the sale of this property.  It is my hope that the Trustees will support the use these funds in the development of new ministry opportunities in the diocese.  To this end, I have submitted several projects for their consideration.  Please keep these projects in your prayers as we seek God’s will in this matter.

On another matter close to the diocese, I just recently learned that Deacon Gail Kirkland will be leaving.  She will be joining her husband in Schenectady, New York.  Deacon Kirkland has been a wonderful addition to the community of deacons. Coming from the Diocese of California, she brought new experiences and concerns about diaconal formation.  Her blessing to us is that she has lived out those concerns in our midst and we have all grown into a new awareness of the dimensions of this order of ministry.  We wish her well as she moves to the North Country of Albany.  I thank God for her ministry with us.

I am extremely proud of the fact that we are supporting a missionary, Dr. Jenny Coley in West Africa.  At present she is assisting that Province with its HIV/AIDS Education Program.  I ask that you remember her and her medical mission of hope and compassion in your prayers.

While I am being prideful, let me thank all of you for the response to the Hurricane Relief Pastoral Directive.  With money forwarded to Episcopal Relief and Development from my office, direct donations to ERD and to the affected dioceses, Long Islanders have contributed $110,604 to date.  Our Convention offering will also be directed toward Hurricane Relief so please be generous.

            As we continue to examine our life together as a diocesan family, we can celebrate many more accomplishments.  I am particularly proud of the way the Commission on Clergy Salaries has moved this diocese from being near the bottom of the scale in clergy compensation to one of the leaders in the Episcopal Church.  We are now in a better position to attract the best clergy for work in this diocese. Before you get too excited, please remember that clergy earn approximately 70% of what other professionals, especially those with two degrees, earn nationally.  Said in another way, clergy are earning 70 cents of the professional person’s dollar.

I am also proud of our diocesan institutions that serve in healthcare, nursing homes, camping and social services.  Our hospitals and nursing homes certainly present a range of challenges, but they are challenges that we are called to accept.  Those in need continue to knock on our door and we must remain steadfast and provide the bread of God’s healing power.  Through all of your efforts, the healing message of the Gospel is felt in the lives of thousands here on Long Island.

I am proud of the way that congregations on the East End and throughout Nassau and Suffolk have assisted the work and ministry of the Eastern Farm Worker’s Association.  Visit them in the hallway, learn about their ministry and more importantly learn about the challenges facing undocumented farm workers right here in our front and back yard.

            Before I close, there is one area we need to address in a serious way.  For some it’s our diocesan secret –and that is the tragic state of our financial stewardship in support of the work of the diocese.  In a recent report, Long Island was just above the Missionary Diocese of Navajoland in the giving of parishes in the diocese.  The average assessment of a congregation to the diocese in the Episcopal Church nationwide is 15 to 20%.  Long Island’s tithe 10% with the asking at just 13%.  The asking figure is where every congregation should be in order to do their fair share and meet their responsibility.  We would be at a very different place if all 148 units were on target.  I have seen a report that indicates that the giving to the diocese has been at a level of 7% for practically 10 years.  When I began as bishop the percentage was 11%.  We owe it to our successors to be in a better position when the torch is passed.

My request is this:  that Churches that are giving below 10% commit themselves to at the least a 1% increase each year until they reach the goal.  Churches that are giving 10% begin to move 1% or better each year until they reach the asking figure.  It can be done!  Before Father Clevenger leaves town, talk with him about gratitude management and Louise Baietto is always available to assist with your understanding of the fog of numbers.  Just know, if help is needed with your stewardship program, we can provide the help.

            Our stewardship reflects our understanding, our appreciation and our response to what God has given and continues to give us.  In thanksgiving and out of gratitude, the Christian gives.  In giving we attempt to model our lives on the pattern of God’s gracious giving of God’s self to us in Jesus Christ.

You, as the leaders of this diocese, have been asked by the General Convention to pledge yourselves to holy habits.  The habit of tithing or conscientiously working towards the tithe, the habit of daily personal prayer and study, the habit of observing Sabbath time – Sabbath rest and the habit of weekly corporate worship.  These habits are essential to develop and maintain if we are to grow into mature followers of Jesus.  Scripture calls us “to seek his Kingdom and his righteousness.”  And the promise is God will respond with an outpouring of His graciousness towards us.  To give is to learn the ways of God.  As leaders we are challenged to invite those we minister to and with to join us in affirming these holy habits.

            At the last General Convention the Bishops and Deputies passed a resolution very much like the one you will vote on at this convention.  I hope that we will not only pass this resolution, but we commit ourselves to make this a reality in our corporate life.  The resolution calls for publishing the names of all who commit to make Holy Habits a part of their rule of life so I hope to see the name of every person in attendance in next year’s Journal.

If Bishop Michel runs true to form, in addition to inspiring the Convention, I know that he will amuse with a pun and educate with some background on the Priest Charles Simeon who we remember today on the church calendar.  Let me close with the words of Simeon. 

Charles Simeon on his deathbed said “Do you know the text that greatly comforts me just now?”  Those gathered around urged the answer.  He replied, “I find infinite consolation in the fact that in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth!”  They were surprised at the choice of Scripture until he explained “Why, if, out of nothing God can bring all the wonder of the world, He may yet make something out of me!”

Like Charles Simeon, I believe that God is yet working on me, working through me and working with me in order that I may always be in a position to respond to my neighbor should there come a knock at midnight of someone needing the bread that I have to share.

The Right Reverend Orris G. Walker, Jr.
Bishop of Long Island