111th Convention of the Diocese of Los Angeles

Los Angeles Celebrates Ten New Deacons!

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A highlight of convention this year was the ordination of ten new vocational deacons -- pictured above. Of course, that wasn't the part that was in the local paper. If all you knew about the 111th Convention of the Diocese of Los Angeles was what you read in the Riverside Press-Enterprise you'd think all we did was voice protest against a discriminatory resolution passed last June at General Convention.

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Which we did.

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But we also adopted a budget for 2007, elected new members to the Standing Committee, Commission on Ministry and Corporation of the Diocese (among others).

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We marked World AIDS Day with prayers and a presentation by the Diocesan AIDS Ministry (note Quilt squares in backdrop on photo above), took up offerings for Episcopal Relief and Development and distributed "Lights of Hope" Anglican Rosaries with prayers for a just peace in Israel and Palestine.

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We celebrated our youth volunteers and prayed the necrology, celebrating those we loved and see no more. We greeted old friends and colleagues, prayed the Daily Office and sang songs and prayed at a candlelight vigil for those living with HIV/AIDS.

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We listened to Phyllis Tickle -- author, lecturer and sociologist of religion -- who offered us historical and sociological context for the challenges and opportunities facing the church in the 21st century.

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We approved resolutions on the Living Wage and Global Warming. We did some Christmas shopping in the Exhibit Hall and some networking in the hotel bar.

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We ordained ten new deacons: men and women, black and white, Anglo and Latino, gay and straight ... all committing themselves to be set apart for a ministry of servanthood -- to take the Good News of God in Christ Jesus out into the world.

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And, oh yes, we passed -- by an overwhelming margin -- a resolution voicing our protest and disagreement with B033.

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And now onto Advent -- the start of a new church year with new opportunities and new challenges: and ten brand new deacons ready to rock and roll for Jesus.

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Thanks be to God. Alleluia. Amen!