As a former member of the Anglican Consultative Council and of its standing committee, I am astounded to learn the standing committee actually voted on whether or not to dismiss The Episcopal Church from the Anglican Communion. I wonder where it imagines it has the authority to do this.The Anglican Consultative Council, and obviously its standing committee, does not have legislative authority. It is, by definition, consultative, as is the Lambeth Conference and the meeting of Primates. That is the nature of the church. We do not have a central supreme authority; we do not have a Curia. We have disagreements, but what binds us together is greater than things that could drive us apart. We do not always get our own way in debate; not everyone agrees with everyone else. We are not that kind of church. What we do have is a community held together not by laws and government, but by those “bonds of affection” that have always been the basis of Anglicanism.Archbishop Douglas Hambidge
Delta, B.C.
The Anglican church is out of touch with reality. The era of passing the goblet round the table is long gone. Most Canadians do not want to be exposed to communicable diseases, including H1N1 or common flu. For special private occasions, teeny glasses are available wholesale for only 25 cents.J. Neilson
Petawawa, Ont.
As the diocese of Toronto prepares for another Back to Church Sunday, I suggest we ask ourselves why we go to church. The question is not why we ought to attend but why we do. The answer will be a personal one and should help in motivating others to return or to try it for the first time. Of course, there is a risk that the answer will prove insufficient and the shape of Sunday mornings will change for those who inquire.Eva Webster
Peterborough, Ont.