Bobbye
Ballard and the Rev. Joe Ballard, rector of St. James, Knoxville, await
the start of the Sunday Convention Eucharist. At least 5,000 deputies,
bishops, convention visitors and parishioners from around Minneapolis
gathered for the worship service, which began with bell choirs, ended
with a Sousa march and included music from a 200-strong choir, projected
artwork from across the church, responses in other languages and a sermon
by Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon of Nigeria.
The
Rev. Susanna Metz, associate at St. John the Baptist in Battle Creek,
Tenn., dons her hat as director of the Center for Ministry in Small
Churches as she staffs a booth in the exhibit hall. More than 200 exhibitors
filled a hall to share conversation, sell goods and discuss issues.
Inez
Harris of Yankton,S.D., tidies the stock at the Episcopal Church Women
booth in the exhibit hall. The table display includes needlework, suncatchers
and other uses of the new logo adopted by the group at their Triennial
Meeting, which ran concurrently with General Convention.
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The
graceful movements of the women who signed worship services for the hearing-impaired
took on the quality of a dance and received many admiring comments about
their contribution.
From
right, Canon Alice Clayton, chair of the East Tennessee deputation, and
deputies Lynn Schmissrauter and the Rev. Joe Ballard discuss business
during the meeting of Province IV at the General Convention. The Diocese
of East Tennessee is one of 20 dioceses that make up Province IV.
Some
of the area volunteers, in blue aprons, gather to receive instructions
about allowing visitors to enter the House of Bishops. At rear, members
of the media form a line to await entry. During the time the bishops were
considering consent to the election of an openly gay bishop, media representation
included most major broadcast and print organizations. The visitors' gallery
also was increased to hold more than 200 visitors during this time.
The Rt. Rev. William Smalley of Kansas, right, rises to speak in the
House of Bishops. Bishops are seated in the same table groups each time
they meet. Bishop vonRosenberg of East Tennessee has said this enables
them to build relationships with one another over time. Presiding Bishop
Frank T. Griswold and other officials are seated on a dais at the front
of the room.
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