Our family has come together for another reunion of worship, fellowship, shared Eucharist, talk of politics and religion, disagreements on lots of things and shared love of the Lord. Our Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori, reminded us we are not a "national church," but a province of the Anglican Communion made up of members from 14 countries, speaking seven languages. We are a richly diverse community of disciples of Jesus.
Using Ezekiel 36:25-26 "A new heart I will give you," the PB eminded us that God's spirit changes hearts (individuals' and churches') and also changes minds. The changed heart comes first. "The heart of this body (The Episcopal Church) is mission..."
I am a member of the Church Pension Fund Legislative Committee where we took up several resolutions relating to lay pensions and clergy widow benefits. The CPF staff made presentations to the committee, we heard from different deputies, bishops and visitors at a hearing for particular resolutions. We will send these resolutions to the House of Bishops for discussion and vote. Our committee will have open hearings on a canonical change on lay pensions and universal health coverage for clergy and full time lay employees later this week.
Every afternoon our Texas delegation gathers to check in, talk about what went on that day and what is coming up next day. One of the great joys for me as I return to my 11th General Convention is to be reunited with this rich and diverse family. The worship is varied in spite of being in a large convension hall that holds several thousand Episcopalinas, the participants are passionate about their church, their Lord, their issues and their mission. There is lots of talk and debate, and thank God we all don't agree on everything.
In this 10-day period of convention, I am able to step out of my own diocese to see and experience the beauty and variety of our larger Episcopal Church and to see, at times, new and rich possibilities for our Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion.
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