Episcopoly: The Game

At Shrinemont, they sell copies of a faux-Monopoly game called "Episcopoly." Silliness, a fun thing to play while off on vestry retreats and such.

We seem to be in the midst of our own version of it, life-sized, with all the commentary flying through the blogosphere re the Archbishop of Canterbury's response to the actions of General Convention (see yesterday's post)..perhaps, though, it should be called Angliclue, since much gnashing of teeth is going on predicting the demise of the Anglican Communion (Colonel Williams in the cathedral with a candlestick? Mrs. Schori in the convention center with a pipe?).

Enough. God moves as God chooses to move. I like what GC did this year and will be interested in seeing how it plays out in terms of real actions, rather than words, in the various dioceses around the country. I would suspect many folks could tell me right now how that will develop in their diocese.

In the meantime, whether there are covenants or communions or blessings or bonds of questionable affection, the work of Christ calls us.

A group of adults and teens from Saint Middle School spent a very hot and sweaty week in West Virginia, working on homes that needed much work in a community with great need and not much money.

That's the work to which we are called.

Another group of folks from our mother church are headed to Africa in a few weeks to work on, and at, an elementary school. They are packing great big boxes of supplies for the children there as I type this.

That's the work to which we are called.

Yet another group of friends from another church are headed out to work on Habitat for Humanity on an Indian reservation. Hot work, in August.

That's the work to which we are called.

Meanwhile, Christian Ed teams everywhere are starting to think about the programs for Sunday School for the coming autumn, and preachers are planning sermons, and folks are making lunch for homeless people, and other folks are advocating for health insurance for those without it...

That's the work to which we are called. Perhaps it is time to turn away from the hand-wringing about the Powers That Be (and yes, I do love being part of the Anglican Communion whether we all agree or not) and let the Spirit sort it out. Conflict is built into the DNA of Christianity. It will not all be sorted out into Who's Right and Who's Wrong in this life.

I think I'd much rather love my neighbors and do the work. The real work.