Who needs Whom? Or, Are We Looking At This Correctly?

Let us reflect for a few moments on those diocese that will shortly be receive both property and people.  Now, many people would have us believe that through some form of magic we will bring everyone back into the fold by being open and loving and caring.  The fact of the matter is that we did not move anywhere nor were we ever not open and loving and caring.  In fact, those that are left in these diocese, at least San Joaquin, are the ones that have always been willing to sit down, listen, talk, agree to disagree, work problems through, and pass the peace and receive the Eucharist with one and all.  If memory serves me correctly (at least) two main types of people left TECUSA.  The first were those stubborn, angry, frustrated and unwilling listen and discuss what needs to be discussed.  The second, those who left because their vested interest in the buildings and grounds was "larger" than their vested interest in the Episcopal Church.  

I suggest the following.  Those who return must submit to the following two conditions.  First, our baseline has now become full inclusion of ALL persons in All aspects of the Episcopal Church.  No studying the issues, no discussing the degrees to which one may participate, no dallying with issues of sex (gender) or sexuality (LGBT).   Second, voting rights for those who have left the Episcopal Church will be suspended for a minimum of 5 years.  That is correct, 5 years!  If you want to come back you may participate fully and completely in all aspects of the liturgy and the rites and privileges of the Church -- BUT you may not participate in any aspect of the governance of the body politic for 5 years.  Harsh, maybe so but if you are really interested in returning to the Episcopal Church and you left for the Church of the Conealoneialists where you had no say in what went on anyway what's 5 years between friends? 

Why, one may ask?  Simply put, it will take 5 years to recover from this fiasco created solely by  those that left and there is a strong need/desire to make sure that some other technique such as that suggested by the RCDC version of the Covenant be used to further exacerbate the already fragile nature of the diocese that have been put into this position.  It is a small price to pay for the Episcopal Church to move on.