The anti-change minority wants to reclaim a world that no longer exists.

They want to seize property that doesn’t belong to them. Archbishop, you are being used.

If it’s any consolation, Archbishop, I don’t like some of the changes in my church, either. I think we have rewarded institutional tinkering and stopped dreaming. We depend on style and not substance. We worry about inherited property and not about the world outside our doors. We fuss about who is ordained when we should be nurturing healthy congregations.

Fear abounds. Fear of offending longtime members and deep-pocket givers. Fear of speaking freely and dreaming grandly. Fear of trying hard and maybe failing. Fear of preaching a Gospel more radical than anything we’ve said.

But many are determined to get beyond fear — by taking one brave step at a time, learning to be nimble and to listen, learning from our failures, taking risks.

The dilemma facing Episcopalians is that “soon, and very soon we are going to see the King.” Our buildings may crumble, our endowments may tumble, and all we have left is each other and our faith.

Will we have any song to sing when the great pipe organs are stilled? Will we have any prayer to say when comfortable pews are gone?

Will we sit in circles of love when nice parlors are sold? Will we love our neighbors when we cannot hire staff to do it for us?

I think we will have that faith. I think we already have it. It’s just hard to see when so much energy goes into institutionalism and fighting.