Thoughts After 10,000

The sitemeter tells me that the 10,000th visitor to this blog peeked in at 10:40 p.m. yesterday. I am amazed and grateful. It never occurred to me that so many people would find this wee blog. And I have found and made friends with some who have visited here. I have received much, much more than I have given. This milestone is a good point at which to say a sincere and humble "thank you." And I do.

Some of you have been visitors from the early days. You will recall that I began writing here in late July, when I was hurt and angry in the wake of our General Convention's vote on resolution B033. Not to re-open old wounds, but (for those of you who weren't plugged-in then) that's the resolution where our Church voted to "exercise restraint by not consecrating any bishop whose manner of life poses a challenge to the church and would lead to further strains on communion."

Much water has gone under the bridge since then. We've not elected any openly gay person to the episcopate – though two dioceses had such candidates. We've approved the consecration of a conservative bishop who has been divorced several times. And now we are watching and waiting to see whether Mark Lawrence – a man who has declared his disdain for the Episcopal Church – will gain the necessary consents to be bishop of South Carolina

While our Church labored mightily in General Convention to respond with integrity to the Windsor Report, we have watched the schismatics and their allies violate other points of that report. We have seen the Primate of Nigeria consecrate as bishop a rector in Virginia. We have witnessed secessions by parishes and a threatened one by the Diocese of San Joaquin.

In the midst of it all, I became involved with The Episcopal Majority. Those folks have been an incalculable blessing to me. It's amazing that one can forge such friendships on the basis of passion and commitment, without ever having had the opportunity to visit face-to-face.

Much virtual ink has been spilled in these months. And still we are no closer to a resolution. A few parishes and dioceses are being whipped into a frenzy by their rectors or bishops. But it seems to me that most of us ordinary Episcopalians have returned to our ordinary business of worshipping our God, ministering to our local and global communities, and caring for one another. The grand battles are probably coming, but they will be waged "upon a darkling plain," as Matthew Arnold wrote. Meanwhile, it seems to me, most of us average pew-sitters have brought our focus back to where it belongs: upon carrying out the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ in our local parishes.

When I began writing here, I was in a state of some agitation – to put it mildly. It took my sister and a couple of friends to point out that I was too much in "warrior mode" here; I let my anger dominate too often. I hope I have moderated in the past few weeks. Without a doubt, I will continue to be "political" and polemical from time to time, as I observe the goings-on in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. But I hope I can better use this blog to find my own voice, to articulate other issues and concerns, and to share my journey with others who are making their own pilgrimage.

To those who have challenged me and those who have supported me: Please accept my most humble thanks.