I cannot say for certain, but I suspect today may have been
typical of many days to come here at Convention. I began ascending Mt. Sinai, but then I found
myself wandering in the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Finally I rested on the shores of Galilee
with my friends.

But then there was the descent. It is not easy to actually “build the road,”
I quickly realized as I began to observe the work of two committees. One was fretting over the placement of the
word “any” to insure the most clarity in a particular canon. A second committee was listening to testimony
regarding resolutions regarding what the response of The Episcopal Church
should be to the presence of Israel in land claimed by Palestine. Many first-hand stories of the real hardships
faced by individuals there made my own feelings about the situation
clouded. Pleas for continued attempts at
reconciliation and for patience were met by cries of frustration and anger and
calls for more punitive responses in hopes of achieving justice.
Left a bit bewildered, I eagerly anticipated joining the
deputation in the Juniper Room at the end of the day. Over crackers, cheese, and water, we shared
our stories of the day. Bishops, clergy,
laity and some other visitors from Connecticut joined us. There were some tales of woe, some tales of
victory, some tales of insight. This was
a time of some commiseration, some laughter, and some sharing of joy. I felt
reassured and restored. It was all going
to be all right. Jesus was among us in
our relationships as we rested on the shores of Galilee.
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