Friday

Day One of spring 2013 House of Bishops.
  • Morning Prayer at our tables, with a retreat-style address from Laura Ahrens, Suffragan of Connecticut, in the spot where the homily would go. She integrated her experience in Sandy Hook on December 14 with the overall retreat theme of "godly leadership in a time of loss."
  • "Check in" with table groups (i.e. "This is what's going on in my life..."). Table groups are re-assigned at the meeting following General Convention every three years. This time I'm with the bishops of Western Michigan (about to retire), Western North Carolina, El Camino Real, and Missouri (not yet here). We then discussed some pre-assigned questions regarding godly leadership. This session broke up around 10:30, and we were unscheduled until lunch. 
  • After lunch, a group photo. With the 120 or so bishops who here, this is not an uncomplicated event. 
  • The afternoon session was devoted to the subject of gun violence. We heard from a guest, a head of Faiths United Against Gun Violence, then from a panel of bishops in response to the talk, then discussion in table groups. 
  • Eucharist, commemorating the trial use lesser feast of Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy. 
  • Time after dinner was unscheduled, leaving room for spontaneous conversations, catching up on email, and such like. 
  • During the morning, the Presiding Bishop's office released the text of the Title IV Accord I have been involved in.

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