Sunday, July 12

Today started with the Eucharist for all the people involved with this convention. I would guess at 5,000 or so. It was a mass (pardon the pun) of bishops, priests, deacons and lay folk all praising God and sharing the moment with each other.

I can't put my finger on why this happened, but at the entrance and exit hymns, my eyes filled and I had to choke back sobs. The sound. the visuals. The power of people coming together to worship God through His Son. I noticed a lot of wet cheeks.

I don't know if the local press have gotten a hold of this yet, but the first of the resolutions dealing with how we continue to live in relationship with the broader Anglican Communion came to the House of Deputies today. It passed in our house, so now it goes to the bishops.

I don't want to try to explain the resolution we did pass. It is very long and detailed. It is available in an edited version at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79425_ENG_HTM.htm What ends up coming from the bishops may not look anything like what we passed.

Let me say that it was more an explanation of what the reality is on the ground now. It expresses our fervent desire to remain in relationship with the Anglican Communion while staying true to our structure and way of deciding difficult things.

Please, please don't believe everything you read (even this). What it means for our parishes is not yet clear. And remember, we are only half way through the convention.

Tomorrow, I won't be on the floor of the convention. Each of the elected deputies has agreed to give up two legislative sessions to allow our alternates to experience being a voting deputy. it's not a complete day off. I still have committee meetings, but I do get 6 hours to nap and read.

Now that we have passed the mid-point, coming home is just visible on the horizon. Thanks be to God.