In June 27-July 2, the 2007, Episcopal Asiamerica Ministry (EAM) was held at the Westin LAX Airport Hotel in Los Angeles. The theme for this years conference was Working Towards Being "Competent Leaders in a Diverse, Changing World" Part 2., a continuation from last year's theme conference. At this year's conference, I was quite taken with the attention to detail starting with the registration, meals, breakout sessions, hospitality/ entertainment, and professional presentations. The logistics moved like clockwork and no time was wasted. Additionally, with Fr. Eric Lau's "Respectful Communications Guidelines" (remember Fr. Eric Lau, he introduced to us the use and necessity of the "Respectful Communications Guidelines" as he led us in some discussions 2-3 years ago) reminding us to be mindful of our co-participants, made for shorter but meaningful and full of substance discussions.
The first day of the conference was full of excitement for me. What fun to reunite with friends who I have not seen for years, as well as the meeting and making of new acquaintances! After checking in at the hotel, I went to the registration room and was pleasantly surprised to see familiar faces. Faces whom I have not seen for quite sometime. Many hugs were exchanged and the all too familiar phrases of 'how are you', 'how do you do', 'nice seeing you again' were reminiscent of the bygone years. Each day that followed as I went to the different workshops and fellow (shipping) with the other delegates yet brought back flood of memories of years past when I was going to these consultations.
In the workshops that I attended I noticed the wisdom and desire of the presenters to impart the subject matter to the participants giving them the ability to expand their knowledge giving each the opportunity to share. The groups diversity because of ethnicity did not handicap the participants desire in the building of their capacity to work as a team enabling them make decision together. Thanks to the presenters guidance which led for a fruitful discussion/s. Again, the "Respectful Communication Guidelines" in tow.
Different from past consultations, I have been to, I had the pleasure at this consultation to attend for the first time the Women's Convocation. Organized in Fife, Washington in August 1997, the EAM Women's Convocation in part, reads "endeavors to nurture and support women of Asian and Pacific Island backgrounds to assist them in exercising full membership participation in the life of the Episcopal Church." This years theme was "Women Together, Transforming Lives" Attending this workshop, I learned of the Bejing Circle. Why Bejing Circle? Bejing Circle came about as a result. The Fourth World Conference for Women sponsored by the United Nations held in Bejing, China of 40,000 women attended. It was at this conference that "women's rights were understood as human rights", of which 12 areas of concern surfaced, and as a result came about the inevitably of the creation of the Bejing Platform for Action. There was much discussion regarding the Bejing Circle. Circle in the sense that Christ is always at the center with women making up the circle. In the study we took time for individual reflections, discussing our own learning which later on we shared our own impressions as a total group. A very interesting concept of a circle which has no beginning and no end. This whole day conference ended with the knowledge that we, as women can make a difference in our own churches when we create our own circle with achievable and acceptable results.
In our Filipino convocation, the general feeling was that of encouragement. Encouragement in active participation; in the planning, willingness to engage in discussions, as well as in problem solving. Additionally, our meeting together as a convocation was an invitation to participate in an open forum to share the story as it relates to the existing joys, struggles in each respective congregation. The process of this sharing network to understand others' availed each participant awareness to better connect to their own congregation as they clarify their roles as members thereby giving a true and meaningful sense of belonging.
As one of your delegates, (Fr. Rich Byrum was the other) thank you . Thank you for giving the opportunity to share. It's always enlightening to be around people who share the same (perhaps in different degrees) commitment, share the same values, share the same joys, share the same struggles/sorrows yet in the process of this sharing are fun to be with. Being with this group made me feel so much a part of such an energizing experience. All in all my attendance at the Episcopal Asia Ministry was relaxed, enjoyable and meaningful in the sense that not only was the experience very educational, it reinforced the effectiveness and necessity of positive on-going partners-in-mission within our congregation and how this strikes my sense of identification for a positive continued work at HTSB.
Now for an exciting news and something to think about - - - to give the congregation lead time, - - - next years/2008 conference will in Taiwan starting on June 6. I do not know whether there will be a side trip enabling participants/members of each convocation to visit their own native countries. Nonetheless, it will be a trip to remember considering the education combined with the fun of seeing yet another country for the first time. As such, I would like to propose to the vestry that HTSB send a delegate or two, all expenses paid if not at least in part. It seems a long time to next year but before you know it, it is here already. Think about it. Thank you!
Respectfully submitted,
Chris T. Dagan
click link below for conference web site
