Thursday, July 19, 2007

Some Closing Thoughts

Sitting in the lobby of the Hilton with my bags in a friend's room, I sit here and reflect upon the convention. One the one hand, I found it fascinating to watch - and from what many people say it was indeed more cordial than many. Of course, in terms of votes - I tended to be on the losing side more often than not. I schmoozed and chatted with lots of people, from Kieschnick to Wohlrabe, from Fort Wayne profs to Jesus Firsters, indeed, after finishing a good 5 minute conversation with my two best buds from the Sem and David Benke, I turned around and started talking with Matt Harrison. I enjoyed the, by in large, friendly tenor.

It looks like we all will be back together in 2009 for a Constitutional Convetion to redo the by-laws and constituion of Synod. I'm volunteering to be on whatever committees will have me. But in reality, I know that I will not make that much of a difference. This is being run and there is an agenda that is being advanced -- the exact extent I am not privy to, because I only am seeing the initial posturing now - so there can be "reasonable" retreat to an idea that would have seen horrid if merely introduced. Very skilled, and the sons of Light should learn to be so shrewd.

I saw many folks that I like and respect - I saw many with concern for what might happen to the Synod - I saw some. . . simply waiting. And over the course of it all, I remembered Luther's Hymn - "And take they our life, goods, fame, child, and wife, though these all be gone, they yet have nothing won, the kingdom ours remaineth."

I'm still alive. My reputation is as good as it was. I'm still getting hitched in 16 days. Even the threats I have been trained to expect and endure since my youth haven't come. I guess it was a pretty good convention.

No comments: