I'm writing from Camp Allen, the Episcopal Camp & Conference Center near Houston, Texas, where the House of Bishops has convened for our annual spring meeting. I arrived on Wednesday in time for a preliminary meeting of the coalition known as Bishops Working for a Just Society, of which I am a member. Over the following two days, we received the gift of a jam packed program coordinated by the national Church's Office for Government Relations (OGR) out of Washington, DC. It was first rate.

Part of it was a "Communications Training" for the 25 or so bishops in attendance. It included some plenary and small group work, and also about 90 minutes of one-on-one training with a highly skilled and dynamic political campaign media expert, who helped us think through our relationships with the local (and national) press. She also put us on camera and helped us become more self-aware of how we come off, so we might become better advocates and spokespeople for the Church and the mission we share. It was humbling and encouraging, both at the same time. I don't know how often I'll use it, but I do feel better equipped, in case the need or opportunity arises again.

The rest of the program, as I've said, was organized and presented by the Office for Government Relations. This extremely capable team takes the official positions of our Church, as established by General Convention and Executive Council, and connects them with actual legislation and policy development in Washington, DC. This is the same group who sends out the notices many of us receive, as members of the Episcopal Policy Network (the green cards which are sent to us on line).

• Health Care System crisis
• The Millennium Development Goals
• the proposed Federal Budget (about which there are numerous concerns)
• drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (in Alaska)
• Minimum Wage/Living Wage
• Energy & Climate Change
• Immigration
• Medicaid/Medicare
• Social Security
• Federal Marriage Amendment
• Middle East
• International Debt Relief
• world-wide AIDS pandemic
• Sudan
• Cuba
• nuclear proliferation
• other Environmental Issues
• Housing
• Education
• Youth at Risk
• Capital Punishment
• Prison Reform

As you might guess, we were pretty pooped by the end of it, but we certainly felt our time well spent.

On Friday afternoon, the full House of Bishops convened. It began (after the usual formalities and housekeeping) with a running narrative by Frank Griswold about his experience at the recent Primates Meeting in Ireland. It was clearly a strenuous time for him and many others, but there were positive aspects as well as those which were challenging.

We are now engaged in long and significant conversations, both in plenary and in our small groups. It's premature to try to summarize or draw any conclusions at this time. I'll try to keep you informed. In the meantime, please keep us in your prayers.