Less talking. More doing.

Today was the official first day of General Convention (yup all the work that we’ve done thus far and #GC78 hadn’t even started yet).  Today was a day filled with legislative sessions, committee meetings and hearings, worship, scheming, and finding a pretty great sushi lunch.  But the bulk of my day was spent in legislative hearings for the ten resolutions the have been assigned to my legislative committee (Environmental Stewardship and Care of Creation  aka Committee 16).  In the morning we heard legislation about the creation of a task force concerning climate change, in the afternoon we heard legislation regarding divestment from fossil fuels, and in the evening we heard the final divestment resolution and the two resolutions on food.

As we were looking at the resolution for the task force and the food resolutions I had a thought – seriously another task force and another resolution commending a particular ministry?!  SERIOUSLY?!

As originally written it seemed that we were just considering the creation of a task force to study pastoral responses to communities facing climate change, and we had a resolution around feeding ministry where the first five resolves were just saying, look how great x ministry is.  My small group even wanted to write another resolution commending the Pope’s recent encyclical – as I said to the group, “What’s the point of that?  What are we hoping to achieve with this other than another resolution saying puppies are cute?”  The bottom line is that I found myself getting frustrated with working on resolution that just say stuff without doing anything.

Resolutions encouraging us to study things ad nauseam or saying “he nice job” or something obvious like “puppies are cute” are not doing us any favors.  Frankly, it wastes time and energy for the General Convention – something we cannot afford to waste. If we want to keep studying or congratulating others – or ourselves – for doing something these resolutions have to include some action items.  We need a both/and requirement for these resolutions.

We need to create a Task Force that does more than jus study, is supports and lifts up the work of actual Episcopalians around the country.  We can’t spend all of our money to pay for travel and meetings, we’ve got to send some back to parishes and diocese to do the work we’ve said is so important.  We can’t just say, “Wait to go Pope Francis,” we need to also say to our House of Bishops, “where is your statement? What pastoral/theological/scientific offering do you have for the Church and the world around us?”  We need to stop talking about the importance of feeding ministries, and just start feeding people.

We can say climate change is bad, people need food, we must care for creation until we are blue in the face, but it will be meaningless if we do not put our money where our collective mouths are.  We can say we think feeding people is important, but that sentiment will be worthless unless we are out in our communities feeding people.

As General Convention continues, I hope and pray we do a little less talking and a little more doing.  Let’s take our theological understanding of the Gospels and the person of Jesus and create structures, initiatives, pass resolutions that show the word we are more than just a social service agency – we are a Church, we are on a mission, we are following in the footsteps of Jesus.

Pray that God may give us the grace and courage to do what we say is so important.

Time to Meet the Nominees

Today was a pretty epic day for General Convention, while the gavels have not gone down to begin legislative sessions a whole lot happened.

My legislative committee decided not to meet this morning so I received the gift of getting to sleep in until 7AM (seriously that is huge for General Convention)!  After breakfast I made my way to the House of Deputies for a Joint gathering of the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops to hear opening remarks form the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies.  After the opening remarks the Bishops were dismissed and we began our orientation session.

This was basically a two hour tour of our iPad and the virtual binder.  I knew it was going to be a long session when the question was asked, “How many of you have figured out how to open the iPad case and turn the iPad on?”  For some of my fellow deputies I’m sure the session felt like they had been cast out where to the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.  At times it was rather painful, but it is important that everyone knows how to use our materials to be able to conduct the business of the house.  The other new technological advance for the House of Deputies.  Our voting devices have been updated and every deputy gets their own voting card.  The card goes into the voting device and it knows exactly who you are.  I’m sure confusion of these devices will ensue as the kinks get worked out over the next couple of sessions.

After concluding this session and lunch, it was time for the presentation of the nominees for Presiding Bishop.  I’ve had the honor and privilege to serve as the lay representative from Province One (New England) on the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop.  We are the committee that produced the slate of nominees.  The presentation was a pretty historic event.  Never before had anything ever been done like this, a “walk about” in a joint session of the House of Bishops and House of Deputies.  Each nominee was asked to produce an introduction video.  Those were played before each nominee came onto the stage.  They made opening statements, responded to a committee crafted question based on their vision statements.  Then we turned to questions submitted from people form across The Episcopal Church.  The four Bishops picks cards out of a bowl called out the color and number and were given their question.  It was a great session and presented the nominees in a way unlike any other.  This session definitely shifted my order of nominees and who I would vote for if I were in the House of Bishops.  It was most interesting to hear what others in the House of Deputies had to say.

After the presentation of the nominees it was time for dinner with some folks from the deputation and it was off to my committee meeting.

We discussed out resolutions, a statement given to us on divestment from Executive Council, and spilt into small groups to discuss resolutions and begin to discern out work with each piece of legislation submitted.  The Food subcommittee had interesting conversation on supporting and encouraging food ministries and very interesting conversation on GMOs.  I’m learning so much and have only begun to realize how much more I have to learn about this area of ministry.   I wonder how many of you have hear of environmental racism before?  I do not think I have ever heard the phrase until today and I’m not totally sure I understand what it means.  Tomorrow we will have hearings on all of our resolutions, I’m really looking forward to being on the other side of the table at a legislative hearing.

Tomorrow we have our opening Eucharist and first legislative session in the House of Deputies.  Tomorrow things get really interesting.

The Calm Before the Storm

This is my fourth General Convention and one thing has remained consistent over the last nine years – this day always feels a little weird.  It’s the day where things begin, the day that slowly begins to build before this become really busy.  Here’s how today went:

After getting ready and having breakfast here at the hotel, I went with a couple other RI deputies to register.  This process involved waiting in three different lines to be certified, registered, and get my iPad for our virtual binders (I have a feeling I’ll be writing a lot about this little devices throughout the duration).  After waiting in the first two lines, myself and two other deputies took a break from line waiting to walk around the exhibit hall.  It was great to run into friends from around the Church and catch up on which vendors have the best stuff.  After walking around a bit, we got back in line and got our iPads.  A brief stop in the House of Deputies and it was back to the hotel.  A group of us met up for lunch and then it was back to the Convention Center to help another deputy get set up, back to the hotel for a deputation meeting, back to the convention center for legislative committees, and finally out to dinner with a couple of Rhode Islanders.

All things considered, it was a really easy day.  Didn’t need to do a lot, and just got to hang out, walk around, and catch up with folks.  But it all felt weird.  Here we were walking around hanging out, knowing all the work that needs to get done, and we are waiting to start it all.  I think it feels weird because of the anticipation of the days ahead (as obvious as that might be).  The next week and a half will be crazy.  Early mornings, late nights, legislative maneuvering, worship, meetings, and electing a new Presiding Bishop.  It is exciting, energizing, and a little bit nerve-racking.

Today I also got to do something new.  For the first time I am serving on a legislative committee (Environmental Stewardship and Care of Creation – Legislative Committee 16).  We are a brand new committee with some wonderful people with amazing experience and passion of this area of ministry.  This area is new to me, and something I haven’t paid particular attention to.  I’m really excited to be working with such amazing people, I can’t begin to imagine how much I will learn from them.  As part of my work for this committee I’ll be serving on the Food subcommittee (so far dealing with two resolutions: A091 – Affirm Work for Food Ministries and Food Security and B006 – Support the Potential of Genetically Engineered Foods in the Care for Creation).  They are two really interesting resolutions, and I’m not just saying that because my Bishop proposed one of them.  I’m looking forward to digging into these resolutions and seeing what’s a work in them.  What do you think about the resolutions, dear reader?

Tomorrow is a pretty big day – presentations by the Presiding Bishop and President of the House of Deputies, deputy orientation, presentation of the nominees for Presiding Bishop, and rounding out the day with the second meeting of my legislative committee.  I am positive there will be much to reflect on tomorrow, but for now I am enjoying a quiet evening after a rather easy day.  I’m soaking up the excitement of General Convention and hoping it will help carry me through these insane next ten days.

Pray for us!

Ready, Set, General Convention!

Once again I’ve found myself at General Convention – as one friend put it recently “my happy place.”  It’s the place I get to combine my love of politics and my love of The Episcopal Church all in one joyous, frustrating, exciting  and exhausting place.  Over the next twelve days, I’m going to be posting daily reflections on what is going on here in Salt Lake City mainly as a way to keep my sponsoring parish, The Church of the Redeemer, and my internship parish for the fall, Trinity Church, in the loop about what’s going on, but also as a way to add another voice to the chorus of General Convention voices.  If there is something in particular you dear reader want to know about, let me know – I’ll see what I can dig up for you.  

Over the next few days Bishops, clergy, and lay people will descend upon Salt Lake City, Utah for the triennial governing body of The Episcopal Church – General Convention. For those of your not immersed in Episcopal geekery, General Convention is a bicameral legislature that functions like Congress, but hopefully in a kinder, gentler, more gracious spirit. The House of Deputies is comprised of four lay deputies and four clerical deputies from every Diocese.  This is my fourth General Convention, third as a Deputy, and I am as excited about this gathering as I was for the first time I went in 2006.  The other day I was asked what I was looking forward to most about General Convention, so I came up with this top five list of things I’m excited and nervous about that you might find interesting as well.  I’m pretty sure this list will change greatly over the next two weeks but for now here it is:

1) The 27th Presiding Bishop.
At this General Convention we will elect – more specificity the Bishops will elect and the Deputies will confirm – the 27th Presiding Bishop for The Episcopal Church. Having served as the lay representative from Province 1 (New England), I’ve had the inside track throughout the whole process but only God knows what will happen next and who will be elected. Each of the four nominees are gifted and faithful Bishops who will lead The Episcopal Church to the best of his abilities using their particular gifts.

2) Same-Sex Blessings
At the last General Convention (2012) a liturgy for blessings same-sex couples was authorized for provisional use. This time around, the Standing Committee on Liturgy and Music is inviting us to consider revised versions of the liturgy authorized in 2012 and a revised, gender-neutral version of the marriage liturgy in the Book of Common Prayer. This won’t change anything for many places, same-sex blessings will continue to happen, but it may change what liturgy we use to bless those relationships.

3) The Calendar of Saints
If you’ve been to a Wednesday night Eucharist or Morning Prayer in Lent you’ve experienced some of the breath and depth of the calendar of saints for the Church. For the last few General Conventions this calendar has been expanded and in trial use under the name “Holy Women, Holy Men.” (The Current Official Calendar is known as Lesser Feasts and Fasts). This project seeks to expand the calendar to include a very wide array of commemorations, and has come under a lot of fire for how this has been done. Depending on what happens at this General Convention you may start to hear some new names being commemorated during the Wednesday Eucharist or even find that some of your favorite commemorations have been moved around.

4) Looking to the Future
Much of the work of General Convention is around budgets and keeping things going, but we also spend time doing some visioning and imaging where God is leading us next.   The interim bodies of a General Convention have been looking at our governing structure to see what systems need to be in place on the national level, and the diocese level to support the work of the Church. There have been conversations on how we train clergy – do we use part time, one weekend a month programs or full time residential seminaries? Conversations around fundraising, how we manage our financial resources, and what things we should and should not be investing in. As an example, one conversation my legislative committee (Environmental Stewardship and Care of Creation) will spend a lot of time having involves a call to divest from fossil fuels. And there have been conversations on how to get small congregations the resources they need to grow and thrive to continue there mission. Conversations to see how the wider Church can support places like the Redeemer live into their vocation to carry out the Gospel mandates.

5) Stories
One of the best parts of General Convention is a part that never gets any press. Part of our time in Salt Lake City is about reconnecting with friends and colleagues around the Church while also meeting new people. It is about worshipping together and receiving the Sacrament of Bread and Wine side by side with those who we fight it out with during legislative committee meetings and debate sessions on the floor of the respective Houses. It is about hearing stories from around the world about how our brothers and sisters in Christ are doing amazing things in the name of Jesus. It is about learning from one another that we all might be inspired and energized in new ways to carry out our own ministries.

Most importantly I ask for your prayers.  Please pray for all the Bishops, Deputies, Alternates, ECW members, Volunteers, Vendors, and everyone else who makes this gathering possible.  May we carry out the duties entrusted to use by The Church with faithfulness, gentleness, humility, and the right amount of humor.

The lighter side of #GC77

Things have been rather silent on this blog since the day I arrived in Indianapolis for General Convention. Things got a little too crazy, and a little too hectic to write anything here.  So over the next few days, it is my goal to write some reflections and responses to General Convention.  Since there has been a lot of serious things going around, I thought I would start with the lighter side of General Convention.

First, some diocesan humor.  At each deputation table there is a post with the name of the Diocese on it.  There is a custom to decorate these posts with symbols for your diocese.  I enjoyed what the Diocese of Central New York did. The deputies told me that it had nothing to do with the Yankees and that’s why none of the four hats they used were the classic navy blue.  But, I could still pretend.

The chair of our deputation (RI) got a little more creative.  What follows are three images of our post – each depicting the level or creativity (or boredom depending how you look at it) of those of us form the Ocean State.

Here is what our pole looked like for most of the convention.  Here is Mr. Potato Head riding in a boat enjoying some twizzlers.  A side note about the twizzlers.  Deputy Scott Gunn (RI Clergy Deputy and E.D. of Forward Movement) bought a 4lbs box of Twizzlers and shared them with those of us in RI and the surrounding deputations.  I think I saw something on  his Facebook this morning that makes me think he is now sponsored by the delicious candy.    Back to the task at hand!  Here is why RI had Mr. Potato Head in a boat: 1) A boat because we are the ocean state, and; 2) Mr. Potato Head is made Hasboro Toys which is located in Pawtucket, RI.    The second photo is on Mr. Potato Head on “Dress like Gregory Straub Day.”  Mr. Potato Head got into the spirit and put on his nicest bowtie.  Finally on the last legislative day, Mr. Potato Head was ordained and became Fr. Potato Head.  You may also notice that he is holding a sign that says, “Jesus!”  That’s because he won House of Deputies Bingo!

     

What is HoD Bingo you ask, it is the a fabulous game created by Committee 99 (Committee on Entertainment and Sanity) Vice Chair and RI Deputy Melody Shobe.  She created a bingo game using the popular words and phrases from the House of Deputies to create a Bingo game.  The rules were simple.  Every time you heard a word or phrase you put a tile down, just like in regular bingo.  There were penalties however, if said they wanted to “amend the amendment” you lost a tile, if some was ruled out of order you had to stop playing for two minutes, and if someone called to divide the question you had to clear your card.  To signify that you got a bingo you had to yell, “JESUS!” in the HoD.  Let me tell you, if you said “Jesus” too loud people got a little upset.  According to one tweeter proclaim Jesus in HoD is a breach of decorum.

The final thing, I’ll share with you is Bonnie Ball.  Bonnie Ball is a play by play game where you get points for various things done in the HoD.  For example play #2, which seemed to be a favorite amongst deputies, is to wear something on your head while speaking.  Play #19 would score you the most points – 15 – and all you had to do was mention Bonnie-Ball while addressing the Chair.  The innagural game of Bonnie Ball was won by Deputy Lowell Grisham Arkansas with 71 points!  Congrats Deputy Grishman, desiringthekingdom wishes you the best of luck in defending your title in Game Two Salt Lake City 2015.

That’s all for now on the lighter side of #GC77.  Looking for more fun and games, go search the backlogs of twitter for #GC77.  Now there was a good time.

Crazy Christians

Every deputy from the Diocese of RI has been asked to write a reflection on their experience at General Convention. You can read those reflections here. Below is what I have submitted to be published tomorrow.

A few days ago we heard a fabulous sermon by Bishop Michael Curry on being Crazy Christians. This sermon has shaped much of my thoughts and prayers as we progress through this General Convention. Much of what we have been doing in the House of Deputies seems a bit crazy, but not in the spirit filled way that Bishop Curry called us to. I find myself asking myself, “If we adopt this resolution will it help us be Crazy Christians”? Most often that answer is no.

At times I find myself frustrated with what are we doing when it is hard to tell how it will proclaim the Gospel in the world in which we live. I often wonder why we spend so much time on the “apple pie” or “puppies and chocolate” resolutions. Do we really need to spend all this time making ourselves feel better? Yesterday – I think it was yesterday as time seems to have stopped here in Indianapolis – the House of Deputies (HoD) voted against making September Lay Ministry Month. That wasn’t because the HoD hates lay people, but rather because lay people – and clergy – got up and said that lay ministry is important all year long, not just in September. We also voted down a resolution that would, “encourage that in the great fifty days of Easter the people of The Episcopal Church make a commitment to practice the holy habits of weekly worship, prayer, scripture study, tithing, and honing the Sabbath as part of the renewal of baptismal vows”. Again we did not vote this down because we don’t think prayer and other holy habits aren’t important during Eastertide, but rather because we think these things are important during every season of the Church Year. The votes of these resolutions are signs of hope for me. The testimonies of deputies talked about the importance of the ministry of all the baptized and the importance of the holy habits of living at all times. These are the things that Crazy Christians do.

Over these last few days at General Convention we will look at important questions around budget and structure. It is my prayer, and I hope you will join me, that this General Convention can remember that we are called to be Crazy Christians and act from a place of hope, joy, and resurrection.

Earlier today, the Pesident of the House of Deputies called for us to pause our business to sing. The song leader came up and led us in singing Hymn 488 – Be thou my vision

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
be all else but naught to me, save that thou art;
be thou my best thought in the day and the night,
both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word,
be thou ever with me, and I with thee Lord;
be thou my great Father, and I thy true son;
be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
High King of heaven, thou heaven’s bright sun,
O grant me its joys after victory is won;
great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all.

May those of us gathered in Indianapolis have the vision, wisdom, and joy to do the work we are called to do – to live into our call to be Crazy Christians.

Pray Without Ceasing

There will be hundreds of resolutions that will come to this General Convention. Some these resolutions will be good resolutions and conversations for GC to have. Others, not so much. There are lots of “puppies and chocolate” resolutions. Then there are some resolutions that speak to – what I think – are the problems of are Church.

As a Church, we are first and foremost a worshiping body. We are called to live out our Baptismal Covenant. We are to pray without ceasing, and reach the Gospel at all times. There is a resolution coming out of Committee 17 – Stewardship and Development titled A089 – Holy Habits and Renewal of Baptismal Vows.

The resolution reads as follows:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 77th General Convention encourage that in the great fifty days of Easter the people of The Episcopal Church make a commitment to practice the holy habits of weekly worship, prayer, scripture study, tithing, and honing the Sabbath as part of the renewal of baptismal vows; and be it further
Resolved, That the Office of Stewardship, The Episcopal Network for Stewardship, and the Standing Commission on Music and Liturgy develop a readily available liturgical resource that prayerfully invites Episcopalians to embrace the practice of holy habits to nourish and strengthen their vows in living out their baptismal covenant.

This is ridiculous. We should not need to be reminded by a General Convention resolution to pray during Eastertide – we shouldn’t need a reminder to prayer period. What makes us different from country clubs and other social organizations is that we prayer.

Forget the fact that we don’t need the SCLM to take on more work – we have perfectly usable resources in our Prayer Book and by organizations such as Forward Movement.

We are called to continue in the apostles teaching, fellowship, breaking of the bread, and in the prayers.

Lets us remember to pray without ceasing always, in Advent, Lent, Easter, Ordinary Time and every other season of the year.

Please pray for the Church that we may remember our true calling – to live into the Gospel, and continually praise our Lord and Savior.

UPDATE – Resolution A089 fails

Standing up for others

At this General Convention I am not on a committee. While I’d love to serve the convention in this way, there is a great deal of freedom that comes along with not being on a committee. Not being on a committee means that I can travel from committee to committee to listen to hearings and testify to various resolutions. This afternoon I attended the hearing for committee 10 – Social and Urban Affairs. One of the resolutions that was heard was resolution D022 (Churchwide Responce to Bullying). I’ve spent lots of time talking and learning about bullying. In my elementary and middle school days I was bullied and in elementary school I bullied others. What follows is one of the best testimonies that I’ve heard around the importance of the role of the Church in standing up for bullying.

This is a picture of David testifying in the House of Deputies on the importance of restoring the funding of the Episcopal Youth Event.

Hello. My name is David Karpf and I am a member of the official youth presence and from the Diocese of Connecticut. It comes to no surprise to anyone here that I am gay. I am 16. My freshman year was one of the worst years of my life. I got death threats. People threw rotten fruit at me. Can you imagine walking to spanish class and having someone throw a rotten apple core at you? I tried to kill myself twice. I used to cut. But, church was a safe place. There I could be me. And that’s why D022 is so important. I still fear for my life. I walk down the street and hear insults yelled at me through dark, tinted windows of big SUVs. I am afraid for my life. But, the Church is my home, my safe space. D022 gives others the opportunity to find a safe, welcoming home.

To what David so eloquently said, let the Church say “Amen.”

I want to say a bit about David. I first met David last summer at the Episcopal Youth Event. He and I attended a workshop together, in the conversation during that workshop I was blown away by David’s witness, passion, and articulation. He is a wonderful example of the importance of the ministry of youth in the Church. David has found his voice and I hope all of us will listen to his powerful message.

For many of us the Church is our safe haven. Resolution D022 helps aid those working with youth, young adults, and all people tools they need to minister to those who bully and those who have been bullied.

Let the fun begin

I’ve been here in Indianapolis since the afternoon of July 3rd. It’s hard to image, with all that happened yesterday, today is the first official day of General Convention. The day kicks off with a legislative session from 8-9am with mostly organization stuff going on.

Yesterday was a crazy day. Seeing old friends and making new ones. Attending meetings, orientations, hearings, and a screening of Out of the Box and Love Free or Die. Yesterday I was most grateful for fellow RI deputies who went out to dinner and brought me some for after the Double Feature screening.

It’s an awe inspiring thing to be part of this Convention, and part of the Out of the Box project. What a privilege to share my story with so many and to work with such amazing folks.

Thanks Susan Russell for the photo.

I’m so thankful for this important work and all my colleagues. But I find myself struggling with a balance of the expectations of others and what I feel called to be doing. My God be with us all as we discern how call is calling us to serve the Church.

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before your for all members of you holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Pray for us as the fun begins!

Thoughts from the Air

The day has finally come. I’ve boarded my flight – along with most of the RI deputation – and am headed to General Convention. As I sit here and thing of what’s to come I can’t help but think of the choir anthem I sang on Sunday. My parish choir made a special summer appearance for our former choir director’s first Mass (he was ordained a priest on Saturday). For our anthem we sang Draw us in the Spirit’s Tether music by Harold Friedell words by Percy Deamer:

Draw us in the Spirit’s tether; for when humbly, in thy name, two or three are met together, thou art in the midst of them: Alleluya! Alleluya! Touch we now thy garment’s hem. As the faithful used to gather in the name of Christ to sup, then with thanks to God the Father break the bread and bless the cup, Alleluya! Alleluya! So knit thou our friendship up. All our meals and all our living make as sacraments of thee, that by caring, helping, giving, we may true disciples be. Alleluya! Alleluya! We will serve thee faithfully.

It’s one of my favorite anthems. I think it’s the perfect anthem as deputies, bishops, volunteers, staff, and visitors from around The Episcopal Church gather together for this triennial body.

There are many contentious things coming before the two houses at General Convention. The is great tension and anxiety about the budget. Concerns over political resolutions and the work of the Standing Committee of Liturgy and Music. There have been times on the HoB/D (House of Bishops/Deputies) list serve where those actively posting have not been the most Christian – on all sides of every argument. I remember the last General Convention had moments of great prayer and discernment and moments where I thought we were on Capital Hill. I know I am guilty of being a little too snarky and not a forgiving as I could be. The first line of this anthem, ” Draw us in the Spirit’s tether; for when humbly, in thy name, two or three are met together, thou art in the midst of them: Alleluya! Alleluya!” is a wonderful line to hold in prayer as we gather. No matter how difficult and challenging things get on the floor of the house we have been called into the presence of God, and the Holy Spirit is clearly working amongst us. How else could this convention function if it weren’t for the Spirit.

Deamer’s word also remind us that we are knit together in fellowship and friendship. “So knit thou our friendship up.” Over the years, I’ve heard many folks talk about the big family reunion that is General Convention. I know there are certainly folks I’m looking forward to seeing whom I haven’t seen for three years. This also speaks, at least for me, that we are all on the same team. We are all trying to discern what is best for the Church we love so much. That there shouldn’t be winners and losers. We’ll see how well I listen to my own advice over the next 10+ days.

Finally we are called to be the Church. We are not a governmental body know matter how much governance and politicing we actually do. “All our meals and all our living makes as sacraments of thee, that by caring, helping, giving we may true disciples be. Alleluya! Alleluya! We will serve thee faithfully.” Those of us gathered in Indianapolis have a remarkable opportunity to be the Church in the world. The way we treat one another, the way we treat the employees of the restaurants, hotels, and the convention center where we will gather. Everything we do – “all our meals and all are living” – are outward examples of the God we serve.

It is my hope and prayer that we embark on this 77th General Convention of The Episcopal Church remembering that we are living sacraments of God. May all we do honor God and one another both as we gather and as we go forth. Pray for us!