General Convention - Day 3

I'm sorry that I'm behind in my daily updates, but the last two days have actually been really good. On Friday I got up way later than I'd planned which was humorous in the end. While getting ready, I did everything I had to do behind closed doors behind closed doors - and everything else on the way. I was testifying about continued conversations on slavery/racism. I put my tie on while walking across the street. I put my belt on in the elevator. I put lapel pins in walking on the sidewalk. I tied my shoes on the escalator in the Hilton. I put my contacts on in the meeting room. But I got there on time and got signed up!

I testified and I thought it went great. After the official hearing ended, the subcommittee invited some of us to participate in their discussion on resolutions and to make specific suggestions about certain things. I got to talk to a subcommittee and ask them to highlight something from a previous resolution! I also made some great contacts. After that I went to the exhibit hall for just a minute (it's kind of a default since we have our booth there) and then went to the House of Deputies Committee of the Whole to hear B033 discussion. It was all really respectful with one bizarre comment that seemed from off in left field. Other than that it was really good. And then we sang "The Church's One Foundation" which REALLY spoke to me. I'm going to go back and put emphasis on the lyrics that really hit me as we were singing.

From there I went to Eucharist where I met a friend that I've known on Facebook for a year and I got a picture with Fr. Matthew (of Fr. Matthew Presents). The sermon was given by the President of the House of Deputies on the topic "Unity" about which ++Rowan spoke as well. "The Church's One Foundation" was a perfect prelude into the Eucharist, I thought. Again I was a Eucharistic minister. (I won't be today, but that's because I didn't sign up earlier in the week.) All this preaching and singing about unity inspired yesterday's collect and made me think of a sermon I preached a little over a year ago (in a very similar kind if situation!) that I'll post in another entry (although you can read it here in the interim: "The Dance Goes On").

After Eucharist I crashed the Young Adult Festival luncheon (at their invitation), which was very good, although I had to miss the lunchtime speaker from The Consultation. Don't remember what happened but I eventually wound up at a our daily YAP meeting. After that I went to the hotel and changed shirts before I went to the IntegrityUSA Eucharist, which was AMAZING. I took a lot of pictures throughout the days and will put those up (well, a link) later today. I haven't uploaded them yet. Bishop Harris was AMAZING in her sermon, which is available on demand from the General Convention Media Hub). I got some really great pictures.

After that we all got frozen yogurt! I went to bed and then slept in. I'm off to Eucharist now, but will write about how great yesterday was this afternoon.