Read these guys if you think the church is more than a place for your funeral

Fr. Dan Martins is an Episcopal priest, in what was, until very recently, the denomination's mainstream (used to be called "Broad Church.")

While The Episcopal Church (TEC) has embraced extreme stuff that its own research and statistics show to be self-destructive, Dan has stayed faithful in his ministry. He will even be a Deputy at the General Convention this July.

From that vantage point, Dan is blogging informed reflections on the proposals (read: changes) that Gen Con will drop on the clergy and people. He is sober minded and even handed, and if you care about the church as more than a place to meet your private needs, you need to read Dan's reports.

Looking in from outside is David C. Trimble, who blogs as Still on Patrol. He's not joined a new church, but he's had it with the excesses of TEC. He has a good summary of the Gen Con agenda. You need to have a look at his analysis of the coming changes to "Disciplinary Canons." Looks like "Dog's Law - you'll know you broke it when you done been kicked", as a South Carolinian friend used to say. Again, if you care about the church beyond having a building for a ceremony now and then, you should read what Trimble has to say.

And do check in here in days ahead. I will be posting some of my own analysis of the Discipline Canon changes. Slow reading but my oh my...