From Steve Keplinger - a note he originally sent to his congregation

Greetings all from Anaheim and the 76th General Convention of The Episcopal Church. This is day two of Convention and I wanted to pass on some of the highlights from our experience here thus far and my own initial reactions to the goings on here.

First, let me say that these are long, long days! Legislative committees, where much of the action of Convention really happen, start in the early AM. Tomorrow's gathering for me was pushed back from 7 AM to 7:30. Legislative sessions in The House of Deputies and House of Bishops run for couple hour sessions, twice a day. Then we have group gatherings like Eucharist and other learning sessions like one we are doing called Public Narrative. In addition, we have presentations by church leaders. Today, I heard not only The Right Rev. Gene Robinson speak in the hall, but thousands of us gathered to hear both the Presiding Bishop and The Archbishop of Canterbury speak. Legislative committee sessions follow this, ending around 9 PM. Then each day, the Utah delegation meets to orient ourselves and assign responsibilities for the next day. Somehow, we are supposed to eat in the midst of all this, but I have not figured out how to do that yet, missing lots of meals.

The theme of the Convention is Ubuntu. Ubuntu is an African word that probably best translates, "I am because we are." Some of you may remember that I mentioned it in a sermon a few weeks ago. The Rev. Michael Battle says that Ubuntu is the opposite of Descartes' notion, "I think, therefore I am." It is the idea that we are all interconnected, and that our very essence only exists in community and is enhanced by community. I was very moved by Bishop Katherine's speech in our opening session when she suggested that the idea that we can be saved individually is "The Great Western heresy" and is really a form of idolatry. She said that we were not gathered here to create a self interested church, meaning a church made in our image, but that she was calling us to create a supernatural church.

Today, I heard another priest whose name has escaped me talk about how difficult the idea of Ubuntu was for him and for many of us formed in western culture. He said he thought he almost had it when he left for Convention and then landed in John Wayne airport. The character that John Wayne played is about as "un-ubuntu as possible", he said. "John Wayne is to ubuntu," he said, "as Darth Vader is to the 23rd Psalm."

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams is here for the first time at General Convention. That in itself says much. He was graciously and warmly welcomed with a standing ovation this evening. He spoke to us about "Christian faithfulness in the global economic crisis." His speech centered on truthfulness on many levels and our role as Anglicans in teaching the world another way through transparency, an understanding that Creation must be part of how we make ALL economic decisions in the future and about moving from an individualistic approach to economy to the common good. He also spoke about redefining wealth for the world as a state of well being and teaching the world about a new way of living that recognizes the earth's limitations.

Our own Presiding Bishop made similar connections to Creation and our interconnection to it in all three of her main talks. I have to tell you I was nearly moved to tears hearing both of them speak so eloquently about something all of you have heard me preach about for years. It made me very proud to be here and to be a part of a church that sees creating dignity for every human being and every part of Creation as a major goal.

One last comment about how I am feeling about all this. In today's first legislative session, as I sat in The House of Deputies, I could not help but think that what we are doing here has to be exactly what the Fathers of this country had in mind when they wrote the Constitution. Of course it was, after they set up the Episcopal Church system, they went on to model the US governmental system after it. But I don't just mean that. I mean that we are here debating issues and disagreeing. But under that disagreement is this sense of togetherness, a feeling that God is with us in these deliberations. This creates a sense of respect and love for one another in the midst of the debate. It is beautiful to experience and I wish the US Congress was here to see how this is supposed to work. It will not be all strawberries and cream, of course, but there is a genuine sense that the Holy Spirit is alive and well and with us in this place. I love the feeling and have never been more proud to be an Episcopalian.

Check out Toni Sutliff's blog that Jody sent you the link to, for more specific info and for a picture of your Sunday School teacher having another of her regular dinners. (Editor's note - the picture is reproduced at the beginning of this post.)

We miss you all and trust you are all well. Jean and many others here including the Utah Delegation, Anne Bailey, Dan Webster+ and many more all say a special hi.
Blessings,
Steve+