By the barest of majorities, the triennial meeting of the international Anglican Consultative Council, which ended yesterday in Nottingham, England, has effectively banished the Americans and Canadians over their support of same-sex unions and gay clergy. Ironically, the harsh decision was only possible because the North Americans had voluntarily removed themselves from the vote.

While noting the concern about conservatives not being politically savvy or involved, may I humbly suggest that many of us need to begin looking to the future rather than fighting rearguard actions. Conservatives inside the Episcopal Church need to be tough in upcoming political and legal battles, but honestly there is no point in further theological "dialogue."

This week it will be of the greatest importance that we remember to ask, whenever we say anything, whether we are doing more than talking to ourselves - and to ask what will be heard in what we say here and how far it helps or hinders the communicating of the gospel of Jesus.

When General Synod passed the motion to "affirm the integrity and sanctity of committed adult same sex relationships" it, thereby, clearly, extended to all those who did not, and could not, agree with that motion to do one of two things namely: (1) to accept the motion as a true expression of the will of the church, and to support it in putting into effect both the letter and the spirit of the motion, or (2) those who could not support the motion were invited to live with it within the church