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Via Media Rio Grande
January 2004

Via Media Rio Grande
P.O. BOX 44305
Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4305

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Initial gatherings a real success

On January 10 and 11, Via Media Rio Grande met in El Paso and Rio Rancho for our first public meetings in the diocese. 43 people attended the one in El Paso, and 240 came to the one in Rio Rancho. The mood was very positive at each, with many expressing relief and gratitude for the opportunity to air our thoughts and feelings about life in our diocese in an open and supportive atmosphere. It was a grass-roots experience of members of the Body of Christ finding unity underneath whatever differences we may have about the issues that currently divide our church.

Our process of dialogue

For the most part, we spent our time at these gatherings in small groups, using as a foundation for discussion our mission and goals:
The mission of Via Media Rio Grande is to pray and work towards a healthy, balanced, and reconciling Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande.
Our current goals are:
1. To continue in full communion with and under the canonical authority of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.
2. To advocate respectful consideration of the variety of views in our diocese as we make decisions affecting our life together.
3. To promote a fair and open process leading to the election of our next bishop.

We asked each group to describe what this mission and these goals would actually look like if they were fulfilled in the Diocese of the Rio Grande. We asked people to summarize their discussion by writing down their fears, questions and hopes about life in our church today. Certain ground rules were laid down, creating an atmosphere where all could be heard and respected without any attempt to convince one another or arrive at a group consensus.

After an hour of small group discussion, a reporter from each group shared with the whole gathering what their members expressed in terms of fears, questions and hopes for our church.

What we heard from one another

While many different perceptions and suggestions were recorded, certain patterns emerged that were consistent throughout.
- Participants discovered that while they didn’t necessarily agree with one another about controversial issues facing the church, they valued listening to and respecting one another’s points of view. For some, it was the first time they felt safe in doing so.
- No one wanted a split in our Episcopal Church, all valued the richness that comes from living together creatively with our diversity, and many feared the possibility of fights over authority and property.
- There was broad agreement on a felt need for an ongoing process of open and honest dialogue and reconciliation in our diocese, even beyond the election of a new bishop.
- Strong support was voiced for an interim bishop rather than rushing into an election of a coadjutor bishop, so that we might engage in a 2-3 year period of reconciliation, and also allow the dust to settle regarding Episcopal and Anglican authority and structural issues.
- If a search and election process goes forward regardless, we agreed that we wanted candidates for bishop and the new bishop to take seriously the divided nature of our diocese, and the desire by many for a movement towards reconciliation.
- We strongly urge that the Search Committee engage in town-hall facilitated meetings around the diocese, bringing together people from various congregations and enabling the kind of communication we experienced in our gathering. This process would help shape an eventual profile of our diocese and better inform our candidates for bishop.
- Concern was repeatedly expressed about how we might engage the diocesan leadership and others in positive dialogue, given our atmosphere of conflict.

Where we go from here

Keeping others informed
The Steering Committee of Via Media Rio Grande met and pulled together this information from the meetings, deciding to share it with those on our mail and email lists, the Standing Committee of our diocese, all congregations (clergy, wardens, and Vestry), other Standing Committees and bishops of the Episcopal Church (since they must approve our election process and results), the Presiding Bishop and members of his staff, Executive Council of the Episcopal Church, other local email discussion groups, and other Via Media groups around the nation.

Communicating with our diocesan leadership
We will also be requesting that in the upcoming search and profile process, our Standing and Search Committees consider adopting a process of dialogue similar to the one we employed, since we found it to be such a positive and informative experience.

Future meetings
The Steering Committee is exploring various options in terms of ongoing regional meetings for Via Media in the months ahead.

Joining with other Via Media groups
We are currently in the process of establishing ongoing contact between representatives of all the Via Media-type groups in the nation. Most, if not all, of the dioceses that are actively involved in the emerging Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes in the Episcopal Church also have within their diocese a group similar to ours. We will be sharing our experience, keeping abreast of developments, coordinating press releases, and seeking advice and support from the Presiding Bishop and Executive Council when needed. We are also working towards a national gathering of Via Media groups as soon as it is feasible.

Attending a conference in February
Two of our Steering Committee, Don Noack (who co-facilitated our recent gatheirngs) and The Rev. Brian Taylor will be attending a national conference sponsored by The Episcopal Foundation. It will take place in Birmingham on February 5-6, and its title is Reconstructing Anglican Comprehensiveness. Drawing on the insight from a number of widely divergent scholars, the conference will “examine and provide strengthening intelligence for the church about the transformational power of faithful disagreement,” so that we might be a better sign of Christ’s reconciling peace in today’s world.

Organizational developments
- Via Media continues to be guided by a Steering Committee, and is seeking additional leaders who would undertake areas of responsibility with others in subcommittees.
- We are exploring the possibility of a subset of Via Media in the southern part of the diocese.
- We now have a post office box - see address at the head of this newsletter.
- We have established a bank account and deposited all of the funds which we have received as contributions to date, approximately $4,000. From this point on, donations should be made out directly to Via Media Rio Grande and sent to our new address.
- We are working towards establishing non-profit status with the state of New Mexico.
- We are developing a website, including a bulletin board where members may choose to enter into discussion with others, or read articles posted there. This will prevent all members automatically receiving messages from others on the email list every time there is an entry.

How you can help

Get the word out
Ask your clergy to post this newsletter or to make available copies of it to members of your congregation. If you have received it via email, send it to others. Talk to one another about the issues discussed in our initial gatherings. Write to diocesan leadership about your views.

Offer to serve on a subcommittee
Contact one of our Steering Committee and make your time available for service on one of our emerging subcommittees.
Diane Butler 505-247-2515 tierradiane@msn.com
The Rev. Gary Meade 505-247-1581 gmeade@stjohnsabq.com
The Rev. Carole McGowan 247-2515 mcgowan@saintthomascanterbury.net
Don Noack Libbynoack@msn.com
Dr. Don Partridge dpartridge@salud.unm.edu
Patricia Riggins priggins@comcast.net
The Rev. Brian Taylor 505-345-8147 briant@all-angels.com
Dr. James Tryon jamesrtryon@aol.com

Establish a Via Media group in your parish
Consider with your priest and Vestry whether it would be helpful to engage with others in your parish in open dialogue around the issues affecting our church today, hearing one another’s concerns, questions, and hopes. Stay in touch with Via Media leadership so that our efforts and methods for dialogue can be coordinated.

Contact us with your ideas
Call or email one of our Steering Committee members with your ideas for how we can best fulfill our mission and goals in our diocese.

Pray for our church
Pray in your own personal way, and/or with this traditional collect from our prayer book:

O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior, the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and one mouth glorify you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.