A Grueling Start & a Little Nut

Okay, the start was not exactly grueling. We began yesterday with a very nice service of Holy Communion. But the start to the legislative session was grueling. We did very little real business with a number of people wanting to chime in making small changes to every little thing. This would be frustrating enough in a legislative body with over 800 voting members, but was made more so by the fact that the items considered had spent considerable time being worked on by committee and the suggestions were not adequately considered to warrant the time. None of the ammendments passed and we moved on. I do remember from the last General Convention three years ago that the start then was similar. Perhaps it is usual for a large legislative body getting under way.

One bright spot was the address by England's #2 cleric, Dr. John Sentamu, the current Archbishop of York (brief bio here). As Sentamu noted, he has come a long way from the little village boy he was born to be in Uganda in 1949. In fact, he was not expected to live long past birth and was baptized that first day as his fragile body barely clung to life. He said that he has been nourished and sustained by Christ throughout his life which has made his long journey possible. He said,

If this little village boy could be sustained by the grace of God to become the Archbishop of York, then Christ can and will sustain you in all you face.

Archbishop Sentamu also noted that a great tree was once a little nut placed in the ground. It was that which sustained it that made it great.

On a day with a slow, grueling pace and little to show for the effort, I can appreciate being recalled to the knowledge that it is Christ who sustains us and Christ who is responsible for the growth. We are simply called to drink in that nourishment of God's presence (through Word and Sacraments) and to be faithful in our response.

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor + King of Peace Episcopal Church

PS: Photos of various churches around the Episcopal Church were projected during a break within the House of Deputies and two of the several dozen photos were of worship in progress at King of Peace taken from our web page of panoramic photos: http://www.kingofpeace.org/180-degreeview.htm.