Convention

This weekend was our annual diocesan convention, held over in Butte this year. There was much that was good about it-- primarily the renewing of connections with people across this far-flung diocese, and making new ones. I wasn't brand new this year, and I enjoyed seeing familiar faces, and catching up with what is happening around our corner of the world.

Another Good Thing: Organizers had developed a wide variety of projects for Christian outreach, and we had our choice of opportunities for work and witness. (Yes, our House of Bishops did something similar in New Orleans-- but we were not emulating them; this has been planned for many months. You might say they were following our example!) Saturday morning the delegates were dispersed around the conference center, and out into the community. I was part of a crew that made some "energy efficiency" improvements in low-income homes. We installed weatherstripping around doors, caulked around windows, wrapped hot water heaters and pipes, added insulation to outside wall outlets, installed low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators, etc. Another delegate (Tommy, from Libby) and I spent about 2 hours in one house, and hopefully left it better than when we found it.

Of course, there were also some Not-So-Good things. The church is made up of human beings, and so there was some of the inevitable attempts at petty politicking (fortunately, kept at a minimum, I think). Organization of the event left a LOT to be desired. And worship... well, let's just say that, if my liturgics professor had been in attendance, I'm thinking her head might have exploded (Example, for Episco-liturgy geeks: a sung Rite I sursum corda offered with Eucharistic Prayer B. No, I am not making this up).

But it ended, and we drove home through God's country. We don't have snow here, yet-- but most of the western side of the state does. We stopped and took this picture just east of Bozeman.