A047 Amend Title I regarding Local Ecumenical Partnerships
Resolved, the House of ________________ concurring,
That the 81st General Convention amend Title I of the Canons by adding the following Canon 21.
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Canon 21: Of Local Ecumenical Partnerships
Sec 1. Local Ecumenical Partnerships (LEPs) are ministries that may be formed between Episcopal dioceses and their parallels in other Christian denominations in order to provide shared pastoral leadership.
Sec. 2 LEPs may be formed with denominations:
a. Who are in a full communion relationship with this church, or
b. Whose apostolicity, ordained ministers and sacraments have been formally recognized by action of General Convention, or
c. Who are member judicatories of Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC) or its successor organization(s).
Sec. 3. LEPs may encompass congregations, chaplaincies, missions, or other ecclesial bodies.;
Sec. 4. LEPs are governed by formal, written agreements between the Ecclesiastical Authority of an Episcopal diocese and the equivalent authorities of other Christian Denominations as qualified in this canon. Such agreements should include provisions for, but are not limited to:
a. The process for calling ordained leadership
b. The terms of ordained leadership, including but not limited to:
1. Method of paying compensation, insurance, and other benefits.
2. Process for revocation of license and/or employment;
3. Handling of Ecclesiastical Discipline
c. The parameters of ecclesial function regarding worship, governance, sacraments, etc.
d. A time frame and process for regular review of the agreement
Sec. 5. A LEP may be served by clergy ordained in and in good standing of any denomination who are part of the formal agreement and approved of by the Ecclesiastical Authority.
Sec. 6. Ordained ministers of denominations who are not in full communion with this church are authorized to exercise ministry only within the LEP, and do not retain any credentials within this Church after leaving its ministry.
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Canon 21: Of Local Ecumenical Partnerships
Sec 1. Local Ecumenical Partnerships (LEPs) are ministries that may be formed between Episcopal dioceses and their parallels in other Christian denominations in order to provide shared pastoral leadership.
Sec. 2 LEPs may be formed with denominations:
a. Who are in a full communion relationship with this church, or
b. Whose apostolicity, ordained ministers and sacraments have been formally recognized by action of General Convention, or
c. Who are member judicatories of Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC) or its successor organization(s).
Sec. 3. LEPs may encompass congregations, chaplaincies, missions, or other ecclesial bodies.;
Sec. 4. LEPs are governed by formal, written agreements between the Ecclesiastical Authority of an Episcopal diocese and the equivalent authorities of other Christian Denominations as qualified in this canon. Such agreements should include provisions for, but are not limited to:
a. The process for calling ordained leadership
b. The terms of ordained leadership, including but not limited to:
1. Method of paying compensation, insurance, and other benefits.
2. Process for revocation of license and/or employment;
3. Handling of Ecclesiastical Discipline
c. The parameters of ecclesial function regarding worship, governance, sacraments, etc.
d. A time frame and process for regular review of the agreement
Sec. 5. A LEP may be served by clergy ordained in and in good standing of any denomination who are part of the formal agreement and approved of by the Ecclesiastical Authority.
Sec. 6. Ordained ministers of denominations who are not in full communion with this church are authorized to exercise ministry only within the LEP, and do not retain any credentials within this Church after leaving its ministry.
Explanation
Many dioceses throughout the Episcopal Church already contain combined ministries with other Christian denominations. The Church of England calls these “Local Ecumenical Partnerships” and shares them with various Christian denominations. In the Episcopal Church’s context, this is increasingly becoming a missional reality in rural communities and college chaplaincies. The Constitutions and Canons of the Episcopal Church have no explicit provision for these combined ministries to operate with ordained leadership other than Episcopal ministers or those in formal full-communion agreements. The Standing Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations believes this canon and a relevant change to Article VIII of the Constitution (also submitted to the 81st General Convention) would make that provision and lay out the limited circumstances under which such partnerships could be formed. The canon also makes clear that this only applies to denominations whom the Episcopal Church has affirmed their “apostolicity, ordained ministers and sacraments” by act of general convention or membership in organizations chartered to do so and that ordained ministers of these denominations are credentialed only within the bounds of the ministry of the Limited Ecumenical Partnership.