Resolved, the House of _______ concurring, That the 76th General Convention direct the Standing Commission on Domestic Mission and Evangelism to convene a convocation on mainline mission and evangelism in the U.S.; and be it further

Resolved, That this convocation consist of three conversations, comprising no more than a total of twenty members of corresponding Commissions, Committees or Boards from other denominations (including but not limited to our covenant partners the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Methodist Church, as well as the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the United Church of Christ); and be it further

Resolved, That the Standing Commission on Domestic Mission and Evangelism report on the outcome of these conversations to the 77th General Convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention request the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance to consider a budget allocation of $20,000 for the implementation of this Resolution.

EXPLANATION

The Executive Council has listed "Claiming our identity" as one of The Episcopal Church's budget priorities for the next triennium, including articulating what it means to be Christian and Christ-centered. Many bishops learned through the Lambeth Indaba process that conversation is action, not merely a preliminary to action. Episcopalians cannot articulate what it means to be Christian and Christ-centered alone. Our mainline brothers and sisters are a resource for this work of discernment, not competitors. The proposed convocation's purpose is to respond to persistent numeric decline in our denominations by trusting in God's unfolding work in our midst and remaining grounded in faith and hope. The proposed series of collaborative, structured conversations will generate new images of being God's missional church and lift up missional opportunities for faithful service that will attract people. Costs are to be shared among participants.