Next year in Jerusalem...

This day was full. We had our opening Eucharist at which our Presiding Bishop preached. Prior to this, both Houses (Deputies and Bishops) met for our first official legislative sessions. My role is to assist as the Vice-Chair of Dispatch of Business. In this capacity, I have the opportunity to assist the Presiding Bishop and other officers of the House of Bishops in the day in and day out running of the legislative flow of resolutions to be considered before our House. There are three of us on Dispatch. We rotate through each day with one of us serving as the Chair of Dispatch for the day. That will fall to me tomorrow, but I sat today as Bishop Wayne Wright's, Dispatch Chair, as his assistant. Bishop Dan Daniel will assist me in this capacity tomorrow, and the next day, Bishop Daniel will be the Chairperson. While we are just beginning to roll out the legislative responses for the work we have before us, we are finally officially underway.

Following the morning and evening legislative sessions, I attended an open session regarding the economic and environmental issues of the world-wide economy. At this meeting, Bishop Greg Rickels introduced the Presiding Bishop who set the context for the conversation. In turn, she introduced the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, who presented a thirty minute presentation on the topic of the need for the Church to tell the truth about the economy in which we are both an observer and a participant. He offered specific recommendations as to the ways in which the Episcopal Church could be faithful in responding to the economic crisis we are all facing. Following his presentation, we heard from three young adults who work for the Church Center Staff. Respectively, their work centered on indigenous people, economic justice and the environment, and on the malaria fighting project, Nets for Life. Coverage in more depth about these various and important issues can be found by checking on our web site for reports related to these topics.

Finally, Jeannie and I were invited by the Rt. Rev. Jon Bruno and his wife, Mary, to join a group supportive of the work of the Friends of Jerusalem. The bishop of Jerusalem and his wife, with whom Jeannie and I had visited two years ago on our pilgrimage to the Holy Land, were present and spoke to the group of one hundred or so people who support the efforts of the Church in that challenging area. We reconnected with many of the friends with whom we had made our pilgrimage, and we are exploring joining a return trip in 2010 to see and learn even more of this most holy area where our Lord walked, healed, taught and was crucified and resurrected.

It was a long and fruitful day. We are ready to call it an evening. I hope you day went well, and Jeannie and I look forward to being in touch tomorrow. Until then, God's blessings, +Don