Truth-speaking, Reconciliation and Hope

The following response to "At the End of Thirty Four Months" comes from Lay Preacher Carroll Sheppard, Ph.D.:

"I wonder if the conversation might be advanced further, and our own work of truth-speaking, reconciliation, and hope might begin, if Saint Paul's Church were to offer itself as a neutral venue for the formation of a discussion process that begins where we are today?" (See my blog entry: "A missed opportunity for truth and reconciliation") Carroll continues:

"One possibility for the creation of this process is for our Assisting and Retired Bishops, with the aid of a Bishop Chairperson from the National Church (the Rt. Rev. Clifton Daniel,III Presiding Justice of the Court of Review, for instance) to meet and develop a mutually respectful process for our diocese to move forward.

"Another possibility would be for our Deans, who are elected by their deaneries, to play such a role.

"Yet another possibility would be to bring in an outside moderator (would that we could persuade Archbishop Desmond Tutu to help us!).

"In any case, such a process must be practical, Christian, mature and non-codependent. Its goal must be the health of our diocese and ultimately our church. I would be proud to have Saint Paul's Church (which welcomed in 1865 former clergy from both the Confederate and Union Armies to stand together in worship before God) be a setting for such a process. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be the venue for "one step forward" toward unity and peace."