To: St. Mark's, Geneva Body
From: Bruce Jones, John Reynertson (Vestry Members)
Subject: Diocesan "Town Meeting" 9/13/03
 
Ten St. Markers attended a Diocesan-sponsored "Town Meeting" at St. Andrew's, Downers Grove on Saturday 9/13/03, to discuss the two controversial resolutions that were passed at The Episcopal Church's 74th General Convention in August (the election of a non-celibate homosexual man as a Bishop and the blessing of same sex unions). There were 200-plus representatives from various parishes throughout the Chicago Diocese in attendance at the meeting. Bishop Persell, Bishop of Chicago, and Bishop Scantelbury, Assistant Bishop of Chicago, facilitated the meeting. Many of the Chicago Deputies to the convention were also in attendance.

Bishop Persell opened the meeting with prayer, made remarks and then facilitated a meeting format where individuals wanting to speak in disagreement with the actions of General Convention alternated with those supporting the actions. Three St. Markers spoke against the actions of the convention. Their comments were well-prepared and represented St. Mark's in a professional manner. Many of the speakers asked very specific and direct questions of Bishop Persell that forced him to respond to how he personally arrived at his decision to support the two resolutions. He responded that during his earlier years of his ministry of counseling to homosexuals he became sensitized to their personal pain and the Holy Spirit has lead him to a position that they need to be included in all areas of ministry within the Church's body. He admitted that he is not a Biblical scholar but that his study of the scriptures has lead him to an interpretation that the scriptures are not clear on the topic of homosexual behavior.

Bishop Persell committed that either he, a convention deputy, or one of his staff members would be available to attend parish level meetings to answer concerns and to explain his decision to support the actions of the General Convention.

The meeting lasted approximately two and a half hours and concluded with prayer.

Prayerfully submitted,

Bruce Jones and John Reynertson, Vestry members