One of the most helpful things the past several days have been the lunches that the deputation from Rio Grande have been sharing together. After the daily Eucharist, around 12:30 or so, we gather in our hospitality room on the 12th floor for lunch and conversation about what has been happening at the Convention. It is very useful to hear from the deputies that have been following legislation from certain committees. For example, Fr. Scott Ruthven has been following the Prayer Book and Liturgy Committee. There are many resolutions arising there that deal with trial liturgies for everything from the loss of a pet, a possible revision of the Hymnal, to a re-write of Eucharistic Prayer C in the Book of Common Prayer. There is also a resolution to add the Rev. Ted Howden, from our diocese, to the commemorations in Lesser Feasts and Fasts, the Episcopal Church’s book of saints and noteworthy individuals. However, there are also some pretty controversial resolutions dealing with blessings of same-gender unions and revision of marriage liturgies to remove gender-specific language. It was to these sorts of resolutions that the Archbishop of Canterbury, in the prelude to his sermon on Thursday, referred, saying that he had “some anxiety” that the General Convention would pass legislation that would cause further division in the Communion. Many of us here from Rio Grande share that anxiety.
