Them Daylight Saving Blues

I came within a hair of forgetting to change the clocks last night. It had been a rather momentous and fraught kind of day -- especially in anticipation. ELECTORAL SYNOD (drum roll, thunder off...)...

In the upshot, however, we needed only three ballots, we were all done by three o'clock including a Eucharist and a very nice lunch break.

And I think we made the best choice among the eight candidates, the woman who is at present Rector and Dean of the Cathedral. She led both houses (clergy and laity) on the first ballot and increased her lead on the subsequent ones.

The Archbishop, who was presiding, preached well and helpfully at the Eucharist. And he quoted one of his long-ago mentors. "Anyone who WANTS the office of a Bishop -- DESERVES it." As a line, it got an excellent delayed laugh... And I think it reassured those of us who feel, anachronistically, that Profound Reluctance is a positive sign of "call." I have trouble with the "visibly ambitious."

Because we were obliged to sit in alphabetical order in our separate houses, I was cheek-by-jowl with some clergy I don't often get the chance to chat with, and that was very collegial and pleasant also.

Another happy aspect of the whole day was reflecting on the very appropriate hymn choices, during our worship AND as signals to reconvene before each ballot. Rather fun to consider what mischievous choices might have been made too! The punch line to the music came when we reconvened after the third ballot: the Archbishop invited us to stand and sing "three-ninety-nine" -- you could hear the murmur run around the congregation as people realized it was "Now Thank We All Our God" -- the musical equivalent of "white smoke"!!!

And the time change meant that I left home this morning in the lovely pearly pre-dawn, just before the street lights go out...

But I foresee Major Nappage this afternoon!