Called to Wait, Watch And Listen

I have a friend in another diocese who was a delegate to General Convention 2006. We do not have many opportunities to spend time together, but we keep in touch through email. One of the joys of being at General Convention last summer was that she and I were able to have some brief moments of time together while we were there. One of the longer moments took place in the airport as we waited for delayed flights home. We listened to each other as we poured out our grief over the passage of B033.

Recently, I wrote to her to find out her thoughts and feelings about the Primates' Communique:

Hi, _____,

You have been much on my mind these past few days, in the wake of the ultimatum out of Dar es Salaam (well, to me it feels like an ultimatum). I remember especially our pain-filled conversation in the Columbus airport waiting for our flights home.

So, we bought her a place at the table with B033. Are we now being asked to be the price of staying in the Communion?

I know that much remains to be seen and played out over the next few months (and years), but I now find myself for the first time seriously wondering if I can remain a part of this church.

Anyway, I wanted to know what your take on all of this is, because I trust your observations and opinions. No rush. And I promise not to cast in concrete anything you observe at this point . After all, tomorrow I could get hit by a bus...oh, wait, I can't say that. I have been hit by a bus (literally a number of years ago) and survived!

Hope all is well with you and your family. Your last email sounded as if everything was going great for _____ and _____. I keep you all in my prayers.

Love,
Jeffri

I heard from her a few days later:

Dear Jeffri,

I have waited so long to respond because I wanted to see the PB's webcast on Wednesday, and now I've watched it three times. I am quite heartened by her words. The joy is that I truly believe we will not go backwards. The pain is that it is clear she is asking us to pause. I heard very clearly a call to listen most closely to those with whom I most vehemently disagree. That is very hard for me. I think she is willing, as am I, to suffer the sanctions of the communion. I think she is unwilling to compromise the integrity of the diversity of our church. But she calls us to non-violence and listening. Over and over she tells us not to react with fear, but with faith.

Jeffri, if you leave, we will be forever bereft. The same goes for me. What I want to say is that by your leaving, or my leaving "they" win. But I won't say it because that is using a violent metaphor that Katharine is calling us away from. God is in the midst of this, the spirit is moving in ways that call us to amazing patience. I for one have no patience, I am called to watch, wait, and listen.

Please, please, please keep in touch.

Patience and listening seem to be in short supply around the Anglican Communion these days. Without them, watching and waiting often feel pointless. Yet waiting, watching, and listening are as necessary as taking action in order to move forward.

And so my friend has been called to watch, wait, and listen while I have been called to action. May we all keep sight of the goal, remembering Whose we are.

Peace,
Jeffri