Friday

It was a leisurely start to the morning at the Sheraton Chicago O'Hare, since many of the attendees at the provincial synod I'm here for were just driving in from various quarters today. I was a joy to have breakfast with my friend the Bishop of Northern Indiana and two of my clergy colleagues from my time in that diocese. The synod was called to order at 10:00, and, after some opening remarks by our (outgoing) president, the rest of the morning was devoted to table groups (we were assigned to tables, and not allowed to cluster with others from the our own diocese). We each took turns talking about our respective dioceses--what's going on that's exciting and encouraging, and what's going on that's concerning and challenging. We were then allowed to proceed to more free-ranging discussion about whatever organically came up--mission, ministry, liturgy, whatever. I had made the decision during breakfast to absent myself from the afternoon session (racism and diversity), since the Cubs are playing at home and their premium prospect was making his debut, and I was able to score a ticket online. So when there was a break in the action at 11:45, I slipped out, changed clothes, and caught a taxi to the Rosemont CTA station, then the Addison Street bus to Wrigley Field. For the sake of my mental health, it was the right decision. I arrived back at the hotel just in time for (an already-paid-for) dinner, and then an evening session devoted to theological education, at which the deans of Bexley-Seabury and Nashotah House (the two seminaries located within Province V) spoke. Dean Peay did a fine job representing the House. Afterward, he and I had drinks while we talked through some issues related to next month's trustees meeting.