Day Ten

Looking ahead at the Convention Schedule I see large blocks of time set aside for legislative sessions, and a slot reserved for (Horrors!) an evening session. The restaurants and bars won’t be happy if that comes about.

If you’ve been following my blog you’ll have noticed an absence of photographs. I’ve taken many, but I’ll have to wait until I return home to post them properly.

Reflecting on the past 10 days, I recall periods of intense focus, periods of boredom, and periods of elation compressed into two weeks. Seems like daily life on a high dose of steroids!

The legislative sessions seem to be getting more intense, perhaps reflecting some sense of weariness(we’ve been at this for quite a while), a sense of urgency (we’ve haven’t much time left) and because we are, for the most part, past all the procedural and housekeeping matters, so most everything we are considering is substantive and worthy of debate. For a newcomer it is somewhat bewildering. There are constitutional and canonical issues that are on second reading, meaning they were approved at the last convention but must be approved at two consecutive sessions in order to take effect. Without having background experience sometimes I wonder what the fuss is about. The offline conversations at the evening events can and do go a long way toward filling in the blanks. Long-time deputies have learned how to make their way through the thicket of material, and their perspectives and practical advice are very helpful.

In the evening of the 10^th day Province II held a caucus and then a social event. Province II consists of New York and New Jersey. The Province includes the Dioceses of Western New York, Central New York, Rochester, Albany, New York, Long Island, Newark and New Jersey. (I think I have them all!)The deputations from all the dioceses in the province and most of the Bishops attended, as the purpose of the caucus was nominating two lay and two clerical deputies for election to the Committee to Nominate a Presiding Bishop. As Katherine Jefferts Schori, the current Presiding Bishop has six more years left in her term, it is unlikely this committee will meet between now and the next convention. Nevertheless this committee must be constituted, should the need arise. Valerie Crosdale, who heads the Long Island deputation, was nominated.

After the caucus we all gathered for food, fellowship and libations. Appropriately, everyone paid their own way. Bar Louie, where we gathered, is definitely not a church, unless of course you worship the fruit of the vine.