In 1969, the Episcopal Church held a special General Convention in South Bend, Ind. It was a time of racial tension throughout the nation, and in response to that along, with the anticipated need to react to the Lambeth Conference of 1968, the General Convention of 1967 decided to hold a Special General Convention. It was the second time a Special General Convention had been called (the first was in 1821), and it was held at Notre Dame University. It is time for another Special General Convention to take place.

In view of the fact that the Episcopal Church is sharply divided following the New Hampshire consecration, and that its future and that of the entire Anglican Communion are problematic at best, we propose that a Special General Convention be called for 2005. Unlike Special General Convention II, which handled routine business along with addressing the racial issue, this could be a one-issue gathering, held for three or four days in a centrally located city that is a hub for a major airline. St. Louis, Chicago and Cincinnati come to mind, with Denver, Dallas and Charlotte other possibilities. That one issue would be the crisis in the Episcopal Church.

The time is right for such a convention to take place. Without it, an “official” response from the Church to the Windsor Report [TLC, Nov. 7] will not be made until at least June 2006, when the 75th General Convention takes place in Columbus, Ohio. In the meantime, not a day goes by that we don’t hear about individuals, groups, or even sizable portions of congregations leaving the Episcopal Church. By the time we get to June 2006, thousands may have left the Church and the realignment of the Anglican Communion could be underway. The Executive Council, the Church’s main legislative body between sessions of General Convention, meets in February in Austin, Texas. The House of Bishops is scheduled to gather in January in Salt Lake City following regional meetings of bishops in the provinces. The meeting of Anglican primates, potentially a gathering that could chart the future course of the Anglican Communion, will take place in February in Northern Ireland. Most likely the primates will do something that requires a response from the Episcopal Church.

Unlike regular General Conventions, a special gathering could be put together economically — no exhibit hall, no meetings of most commissions, no gatherings of various church-related organizations. There would be no need for entertainment arranged by the local diocese, no outside speakers or ecumenical guests, no need for elaborate dinners or luncheons with noted speakers.

Most dioceses that have held conventions this fall have elected deputies to the 2006 General Convention, and others with winter conventions have elections scheduled. Those deputies could represent their dioceses at a special convention. Dioceses that have not elected could send the deputies who represented them in 2003. Unlike regular General Conventions, a special order of business could be adopted to enable people from all over the Church who are not deputies to have their voices heard during hearings or a “town-meeting” type of forum. Many Episcopalians have claimed their voices aren’t being heard, and this would give them an opportunity to express themselves.

The Episcopal Church is in crisis, and something needs to be done about it. Leaders of the Church need to spend some time looking to the future, especially if it has been decided not to adhere to the recommendations of the Windsor Report. We can involve ourselves in hours of small-group discussions and conversations about the state of the Church, but an official response is called for. Only a General Convention is able to provide that. We realize the chances of a special convention taking place in 2005 are slim, but the matter needs to be considered. A Special General Convention should be called — before it’s too late.