Wondrous!

Waking this morning, long before the sun was up, and the world outside was still covered in a brine of frost ( one of the last of the season) I couldn't help but be profoundly grateful to be alive to see the last few days in our Communion.

Of course, what I'm most specificaly referring to is the outcome of the Episcopal Bishop's retreat, but there's so much more too. (May our Canadian Synod have the courage to act with the same grace and courage, this summer in Winnipeg).

Lent though it be- thankfully Christ is not bound to the liturgical calendar of His church; because the active presence of the Holy Spirit in themeetingin Texas was so evident- and I'm not just simplisticaly referring to the outcome.

More than one of the Bishops present has since written of the great peace and confraternal unity which was present with the Bishop's: of the absence of recrimination: of the passionate commitment to discerning the call of the Holy Spirit in their meeting and to their new appreciation for the gifts of the Presiding Bishop (The Great ++Katherine in our house). The communiques which were released from their meeting equally bears witness to the presence of these gifts of the Spirit.

But even as I sat on the side of my bed this morning, my sweet daschund lovingly curled up against my back, I was once again joyously reminded of the great chorus of voices which have become engaged in the current life of our Communion, because of Tanzania, because of Windsor and Lambeth.

For me personally as a gay-blessed man, it is perhaps the voices of my LGBT brothers and sisters in faith which causes me the greatest joyous hope, and which resonate most deeply; but what an incredible engagement & exchange of Anglican voice we're witnessing in our time.
To cite but one example; has the internet ever been so Anglican before?

Which brings me back to that 'bigger picture'.

With all the joyous thankfulness over the outcome of the Bishop's recent retreat, I think it's essential to remember that none of this might have happened if not for the outcome of Tanzania. I.e. it's in the process & dialogue the Church is going through, that Christ is finding us.
Not that I believe that same process and dialogue is as yet as transparent as it needs to be. None of the Primates have found the courage to speak out publicaly against Archbishop Akinola's involvement in the Nigerian campaign to legalize homopobia, or his other recent actions clearly in contempt of the Tanzania communique. And due to the public nature of his actions, and equally due to their leadership responsibilities within the communion, I believe this cannot be avoided by the Primates.

But in the meantime we have the wonderful example of the Episcopal Bishop's communiques which avoided name-calling, which equally avoided divisive or escalatory language and which asked for their own meeting with Cantebury.

And of course Texas is not the end- of anything thankfully.

The Bishops back in their individual dioocese now will be engaged in some of the most vital and interesting discussions of their lives with their fellow Anglicans. They and us, ++Katherine and her fellow primates, and Anglicans all over the world will pray and listen, study scripture and dialogue with their brothers and sisters. All over the world brother and sister Anglicans are actively listening for the urgings of the Holy Spirit in this present moment.

And how can that be anything short of wondrous?

And in that sacred listening we can all be growing into a larger more unconditional engagement with our vocations as sons and daughters of the true and living God, healing of our fears, and connecting in communion.

No right or wrong- we're all learning, growing & healing.

No 'us' and 'them'- we're all called by that same Love 'beyond our wildest imagining.'

And this morning, here in Montreal, on a very early Spring morning I give thanks for each and every one of you- my sisters and brothers in faith. Amen.