A Bench of Bishops

Posted By: The Rev. Canon Matthew Stockard

Sitting with Nancy Broadwell as we both visited the House of Bishops on Friday morning, I was struck by a strange sight on the platform. The Presiding Bishop sat in the middle of a table of folks, presiding over this House of The General Convention. This PB is a she and that was different, but she’s someone we choose as a church in 2006 and she’s a friend as well – I knew where she’d be…so that wasn’t my surprise. My surprise was a couple of faces seated just behind the PB…two former PB’s….Bishops Griswold and Browning. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for these two gentle men, who each provided decisive and faithful leadership for this church during some difficult times. The norm at General Conventions is to sort of let such leaders fade into the distance. But these folks weren’t fading. Both looked great, healthy and happy.

The ABC and the MDG’s

Posted By: The Rev. John Pollock

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Rowan Williams has been with us for a part of convention.  On Wednesday evening he spoke as part of a panel on Christian Faithfulness and the global economic crisis.  The ABC is a remarkably deep thinker and clear speaker.  His basic message was that the current economic crisis has been a crisis in “truth telling.”   He said that there has been breakdown in trustworthiness, that we have not been truthful to ourselves as to our relationship to creation and our relationship with one another in the human family.

Packing for the family reunion

Posted By: Canon Stockard

Some years ago, at a dinner party with a mix of old and new friends, a young gentleman seated directly across from me found himself speaking of his unease with organized religion. “I am a Christian,” he announced, “I just think organized religion is a bit stale – too fraught with institutional difficulties.” A pause came and my new friend looked up, ready for a new topic. “Matt, what do you do?” It didn’t take me a second to reply, “I organize religion.”

My Day for Departure is Near!

Posted by: The Ven. Sonny Browne

June 29th, 2009 seemed like a long way away when I was elected to be a deputy, and now the day for my departure is very near!  I am leaving a couple of days early to see the Pacific Ocean and California for the first time, and I am thankful to have Virginia Seminary classmates in the Diocese of Los Angeles to show me around and put me up for a while.  I also hope to see the mountains and desert, the Getty Museum, Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral Church, and The Cathedral Church of Saint John and Saint Paul, among other LA area sites.