News had reached me of two of Dibley's folk who have died this week.

R was just a few years older than me, a generous, warm-hearted person who would help anyone, snatched away by a particularly aggressive and rare cancer.

C was in his nineties, a slightly crusty Gideon with a rare twinkle in his eye, and a heart of gold, who had evidently felt a little unwell the last few days.

Heaven is a brighter place/entity now, but 'my' fragile little former flock a little more fragile.  So tonight I weep with them.

A sad day for the Church of England.  Sad in my opinion because of the decision reached on women bishops, and sad because it strains yet further the already fragile Anglican communion.

I have tried to type all sorts of stuff here, and deleted it.  What I admire about the Church of England is its diversity, somehow held together across theological and cultural spectra.  What saddens me is that the flip side of this strength is days like this.  Today just feels sad, there is no sense of anyone 'winning' let alone of God's will being done.  My heart aches for my sisters in the Anglican clergy who are almost certainly weeping tonight.

Words... they just fail me.  It's a sad day. 

Father, forgive us, we have no idea what it is we are doing...