The focus of our conference on this opening day is Hope. In the Scriptures, hope is not some vague wishful thinking, as in, "I hope things work out for our Church, but they probably won't." No, hope is a sure expectation, a confident looking to the future because of the victory won on the cross by Jesus, who is called our Hope.

Our readings tonight point us to three vital insights into the hope to which we are called.

Griswold has sought at best to ignore the Network and at worst to destroy the Network through Via Media. Griswold does not want the rank and file delegates of ECUSA's next General Convention to be reminded of the Network or the "unscriptural innovations" that he led General Convention 2003 to approve. Being in South Korea and Taiwan helps Griswold to shift attention away from the Cairo gathering and escalating domestic troubles.

The battles have been over different issues but the underlying CAUSE is always the same. It's a matter - not only of belief - but revelation and truth. If many had not seen it before, all it took was an announcement by Charles Bennison, Bishop of Pennsylvania stating: "The Church wrote the Bible, so the Church can RE-WRITE the Bible." The first half of that statement is partially true.

I did not leave because I was unhappy with the Episcopal Church, or didn't like the people, or because I felt "led," as if the Holy Spirit were leading me apart from Scripture. Subjective feelings like these are not God's revelation and they can lead you anywhere.