Diocesan Convention

Today was the first day of the two day convention of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut (a.k.a. ECCT), It is being held in Mystic. If you aren't familiar with CT, Mystic is near the ocean--as far east as the state goes--and only a few miles from the Rhode Island boarder--as far north as the state goes. Nice centralized location!!! I drove over and hour to get there and people from Fairfield county--down near New York City must have driven 2 1/2 or 3 hours. And CT is a little state!

I think they plan conventions in such places so people will stay overnight in the hotels where the conventions are. But I haven't spent the night since I retired from full-time ministry. Honestly, if I could get a doctor's note every last weekend of October, I would. I personally don''t think retired clergy should be able to vote. We had our chances, now leave it to the younger crowd.

I used to sit near a microphone so I could talk a lot. Now I sit as far back in the room as I can, near a door.

Conventions are tedious to me now--not, as they used to be, a time to do battle for every left-wing thing I could!

Regarding tediousness--on a Resolution about Justice and against racism, someone made an amendment--fooling with the language somebody spent a long time coming up with. Before we could vote on the amendment, someone 'amended' the amendment. And before we could vote on that, someone amended the amendment to the amendment.

I used to do stuff like that--amend the amendment to the amendment. But no more.

We voted on the amendment to the amended amendment. It failed.

We voted on the amendment to the amendment. It failed.


I laughed and the woman at the table beside me asked me why I laughed. "Because this is all so pointless," I told her. She applauded me. "That's what I'd hoped you say," she told me.

We voted on the amendment. It failed.

About 20 people spoke during all that and 45 minutes passed!

I left about then.

I'll go back tomorrow out of some weird sense of loyalty.

But won't be happy doing it.

I do enjoy seeing people I haven't seen in ages and sit near the door so we can go outside the room and share life updates....