Blue Book Blues

Question: What is 807 pages, weighs 5 pounds and is burgundy?

Answer: The Blue Book otherwise known as the Report to the 76th General Convention.

807 pages you say!

347 of the pages represent the report of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music.

The report is so overwhelming that it is difficult to truly value and appreciate the content and the work of the group during the past triennium. And – if one line is changed, the document becomes obsolete. But this is not about Holy Men, Holy Women: Celebrating the Saints and filling every possible day on the calendar, this is about common sense.

My regular readers know that I am one step removed from being a Luddite and when even I know that there has to be a better way, there has to be a better way. Can’t the General Convention forego the printing and mailing and expense of sending a few thousand of these 800 page tomes around the country and send everyone a flash drive or whatever is au courant? Look at the money that could be put toward mission and ministry if we didn’t print the Blue Book and assorted addenda.

Then there are the free standing resolutions – paper, upon paper, upon paper – and we are the denomination that prides itself on being ecologically and environmentally sensitive and savvy. Each resolution is printed, distributed, amended or revised, reprinted, redistributed, discussed, adopted or not and if adopted sent to the other House for a repeat performance. Yikes!

If I can think of ways to live better and more responsibly through technology, I am certain there are others more technologically gifted and connected than I that can update the way we’ve always done business since William White gaveled open the first General Convention in 1785.

So in the meantime, I’ll just keep singing the Blue Book Blues in a minor key until I can get others to join the chorus. If we get a strong enough chorus, who knows someday we might be riffing on Jobim’s bossa nova masterpiece – Chega de Saudade – No More Blues!