how slow can it go?

One of the first things we have learned at GC2006 is that it takes a while to do anything. We spend more time figuring out how we are going to vote (paper or electronically) and hearing ammendments to the various legislation upon which we are deciding. We have hearings on all of the legislation and then come together again to discuss it as a body. It then involves another round of ammendments and then we spend more time on the voting of those ammendments. It is amazing how long everything takes. It took an incredible amount of time to realize that very few people know how to vote electronically. I am having an incredible amount of fun watching this whole process. We are already a day behind on our schedule and no one seems to be fazed by that reality. In fact, I am finding out that this is a regular occurence in the House of Deputies. It makes me wonder how our government functions if they work in a similar way.

At times it is like some surreal experience in which we live in a constant state of ammendments and motions.

Perhaps the most important thing that we do is interact with each other in and out of session. We gather and realize how fantastic the Anglican Communion is in action. We get to know the whole of who we are by what we do out of session. One of the most amazing things is how the exhibit hall is laid out. We have a catholic exhibit right across from integrity. Where else can we find a group of disparate beliefs gathering in the same room.

While this is a rather strange post, it describes what is happening here. We are coming together as a church that has so much to offer, and so much to figure out together. We are going to make some statements about who we are, and who we want to be. Some of them are contentious and others are not. It sounds confusing and it is, but it is a great reflection of who we are, we are a people of faith who have conflicting beliefs in the application of that faith and come together to celebrate that conflict.

Grant