Oh What a Nite!

Oh What a Night! Of the things that I have been looking forward to at this General Convention, last night's reception for Ed and Patti Browning was at the top of the list. I was fortunate to receive one of the coveted invitations to a reception in their honor to celebrate the launch of a book honoring the XXIVth Presiding Bishop. It was wonderful. XXIV, XXV. and XXVI were all in attendance in one place but this was XXIV's night.

Staff colleagues from my days at the Church Center, activists from back in the day and a bunch of bishops who were associated with Bishop Browning's time as Presiding Bishop were all in one place. It was old school at its best. Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook took a leave of absence to write the book and Brian Grieves, David Perry and Peggy Beers are overseeing the project that will be published by Forward Movement Publications in time for Christmas. All involved with the project speak of it as a labor of love and love was in the room. A lot of air kisses and fake hugs are flung around during the eleven days of Convention but last night every hug and every kiss was genuine for both the giver and to the receiver. It was the Episcopal Church that I love.

Oregon has been very good to Ed and Patti because they looked marvelous after all these years and when he said "I hoped that you would come" my heart skipped several beats.

It was quite a night.