For my brief comments, I simply would like the talk about the “we” and the “bee.” But before I do that, I want publicly to express gratitude for the people I’ve been privileged to work with this past year, those who have given leadership to our efforts as a Mission Strategy Network.

As a spider web has a center and a wheel has a hub, so has our MSN been blessed with our Coordinating Team of Jim Huber, Marianne Budde, Kevin Bullock, Mariellen Jacobson, Anne Miner-Pearson, Karen Olson and Craig Van Gelder, plus the 15 Team Leaders of the Four Goals. And then more widely in the web, farther out in the wheel, there are the 30 Team Members and the nearly 50 persons in the congregational network. Of course, as heirs so to speak of the BCMS, we acknowledge that the original idea for the whole project came from Bishop Jelinek who has given his support all along the way.

Now back to the “we” and the “bee.” One of the long-standing questions I have had as a priest in this diocese for nearly 40 years, is “How do we need each other?” Given the formal structure of the diocese which ultimately rests on the unity of Christ and the Church, “we” — you and I — are in fact one. We are a part of one body with Christ at the head; and, as Hymn 529 has it, “In Christ there is no East or West, in him no South or North, but one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth.” Moreover, not only as Christians but simply as humans — now to use the words of our theological position paper on mission — we “humans are created in the image of God to reflect God’s interdependent, creative life of freedom and love and to live in right relationship with all creation.” And visually, as we gaze at Rublev’s icon, we are spiritually drawn into this divine life.

But the fact of our unity as “diocese” can be different from the experience of our unity. In the document we passed at last year’s convention, “Rethinking, Reframing and Reclaiming Our Identity, Purpose and Mission,” we stated our identity as follows: “We, the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota, are a communion of Christian congregations and other ministries, rooted in the breadth of the Anglican tradition, called by God and empowered by the Holy Spirit to share in Christ’s ministry of reconciliation.” Surely, this is a statement of fact. But is it our experience to be a “communion?” Frankly, I hear talk of “silos.” I hear, “Frankly, we don’t care that much about the diocese.” In light of such comments, being in communion, feeling that we belong to each other suggests more about what might be than about what is. In brief, are we a “we?”

The answer to this question of our unity — our sense of belonging — resides not only in fact and in theological necessity and in our vision, but also in how we need each other. As leaders of the MSN, it has been our prayer, our hope, and our work to increase our sense of belonging to one another as Episcopalians in the Diocese of Minnesota. As leaders we have experienced our need for one another in order to renew our common life and strengthen our congregations. We have created new networks and have grown in appreciation of how many networks already exist —some 31 at last count. Although not everyone may regard the work of some networks as “positive,” positively-speaking people are coming together in care and concern for our health and our future as an Episcopal diocese. In her extensive conversations with contact persons in congregations, Anne Miner-Pearson has heard expressions of eagerness to work together and of raised hopes of belonging. In short, we see growing signs of becoming “we” — “we,” God’s people; “we,” members one of another; “we,” having a sense of joy in coming together; “we,” eager to share our gifts in order to participate more fully in God’s mission.

Now what about the bee? For centuries it has been known that honey bees gather in large swarms — some 10 to 20 thousand — and move from place to place. What has not been known is how this happens. Recently, however, Professor Thomas Seely of Cornell University has been able to conduct an experiment in order to discover how honeybees, instead of just endlessly swarming in place, move forward to a new location and take hold of new life. According to the good professor, about 5% of the swarm mysteriously know roughly where they are going. These “scouts” streak through the top of the swarm, and as others look up they follow. But it’s a little messy and inefficient. Remember there’s not just one leader but many — the 5%. Moreover, as they get the swarm moving forward they somehow keep circling back to ensure that all the bees get the message about a new direction. And as the scouts find possible locations for the swarm to land, they have to compete with one another about which of them has found the best place, with the winner doing a strong dance. When all bees make the right moves and they finally find a new place — well, it’s sweet.

The Rev. Daniel V. Pearson, Co-Chair, MSN: October 25, 2008