It has been a tradition in our house for many years to watch the movie musical "1776" on the Fourth of July. This year I missed that tradition, but I've been having my own 1776 experiences here in Indianapolis. General Convention is amazing and exhausting and an absolute wild ride!
Because I am here as a representative of the Associated Parishes for Liturgy and Mission (visit us online at http://www.associatedparishes.org/), most of my time during the working sessions has been at our booth in the exhibition hall of the Indianapolis Convention Center. The pace of visitors coming to the booth has been slow and steady, with bursts of frantic activity when the Bishops and Deputies have breaks from their seemingly-endless committee meetings and hearings.
I sat in the food court area of the convention center one day as the lunch hour was finishing up, observing bishops, deputies, alternates, expert witnesses, vendors, all moving through the corridors on their way to the afternoon's work. It seemed as if they were going in all directions at once!
There is much good work being done here, most of which will never be mentioned in the popular press. There are thousands of people gathered here who love God, love Jesus, love their church, and want to see it prosper and flourish and be as lively and life-giving as possible.
So please do us a favor--help spread that word, you who read these words at home in Georgia or Texas or wherever you are. In spite of the nonsense that may be getting published in the news about us, what I see here is a beautiful, energetic, vibrant Church. We may not be of a single mind about what to do with that beauty and energy--and maybe we don't have to be. Maybe there's enough beauty and energy to go in all directions at once, as the disciples moved out in all directions from Jerusalem after the coming of the Holy Spirit. Maybe God has a use for each and all of us, to move in and through the world, to carry the Good News in all directions at once.
On Saturday I had the honor of helping serve communion at the morning Eucharist. The readings and collect of the day commemorated Harriet Beecher Stowe, whose work and writing in the 19th century contributed to the call for the emancipation of slaves in the United States. Bishop Michael Curry was our preacher (listen to his amazing sermon at http://vimeo.com/45364734) and Bishop Catherine Waynick of Indianapolis was our celebrant.
At the Peace, those of us who were to help serve communion came to the front of the room, and stood on pre-marked spots facing the assembly, where we would later receive baskets of bread and cups of wine from the deacons. As Bp. Waynick recited the Eucharistic Prayer, I found myself looking out over the enormous crowd that had gathered there for "the breaking of the bread, and...the prayers" of the church. I felt completely surrounded by "that great cloud of witnesses" who have preceded us in the life of faith, and who continue to "cheer us on" in our own earthly journeys. Fortunately I had a handkerchief in my pocket, because at that point I definitely needed it. It was one of the highest high points of the Convention for me--at least so far!
Please continue to pray for the Convention and the Church, its Bishops, deputies and leaders. Pray for wisdom and guidance for them. Pray for a vision, for all of us, of what God longs for us to be and to do in our world, in our time. Pray for understanding and respect, that the love of Christ which unites us will sustain us and hold us in love and forbearance and mutual affection for one another.
Grace and peace be with you all, my brothers and sisters.
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