Sine Die

From Thursday evening to mid-day on Saturday, I have been in the company of fellow Episcopalians from the Diocese of Virginia. We were gathered for our annual Council meeting to share ideas, successes, challenges and hopes. We presented resolutions, a budget, and reports from various committees. We elected representatives to diocesan governance and to the national convention. We mixed and mingled while visiting informational displays, vendors' tables and coffee stations. We spread out through the local restaurants for lunches and dinner. We discussed issues before the Council, the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion.

We are not all of one mind. We struggle with the questions of biblical literalism and its role in the full inclusion of all people in the church, with the treatment of undocumented people in our midst, with prioritizing budget items in a year of scant resources. But, you know, we recognized the gift of opportunity to voice our opinions face-to-face in a setting of mutual respect - an example of what it means to be Anglican.

Together we sang, together we listened, together we worshiped, together we partook of the Eucharist. And when it was over, we gathered our notes, straightened our chairs and prepared to leave to council. We were satisfied with good work and we were energized to work some more.

Our bishop banged the gavel and adjourned the 213th Annual Council - sine die - until we meet again.

si•ne di•e
Pronunciation: (sī'nē dī'ē, sin'ā-dē'ā; Lat. si'ne dē'e), without fixing a day for future action or meeting: The assembly adjourned sine die.