The Man from the Heartland, and His Important Story for Our Church

Last night a man walked over to introduce himself as I sat down to a sandwich for dinner.

I was easy to spot because I had taken my convention materials to read at a restaurant near the state capitol. All deputies and alternates receive an enormous white three-ring binder to tote the resolutions and other information around between the hotel and convention center. The binders and our name badges serve as a sure sign of being in town for convention. And, people seem to be more friendly now that we've been here for a while.

So the man (whom I'll call "'Jim") from what's typically known as the "heartland of America" said hello and we talked for a moment about clergy from his Diocese whom we both knew.

Then Jim kind of blurted, "I hope our Church will be alright."

He voiced a heartfelt concern that lies behind most of our conversations, from the Presiding Bishop's opening homily to the careful and polite placement of booths in the Exhibit Hall. For all our hope and energy for mission, the longer we're in Columbus, the larger the topic looms.

Tonight was a particular flash point. There's a special committee of the convention tasked with legislation responding to the Windsor Report. The report is the creation of a global commission responding to the furor over the consecration of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire. Among other things, it requests that the Episcopal Church express regret over the hurt it caused to partners in the Anglican Communion by approving an openly gay bishop.

The 7:30 PM hearing was designated as the marquis event for the special committee. The discussion was moved to the Hyatt's main ballroom. Extra press credentials were issued. Even though there were 1,500 seats, the hall was standing-room only and a line waiting to be seated snaked through the lobby.

The assembly reminded me of a scene from “Cinderella Man,” the Russell Crowe movie about underdog boxer Jim Braddock during the Great Depression. Braddock is fighting for the heavyweight title and his entire New Jersey town turns out to the neighborhood church to listen to a radio broadcast of the event. The crowd is packed closely together in the pews and listening anxiously.

Continued on page 2: A dramatic pairing worthy of the big screen.... »