In with the New Year, back to work.

Preludium friends - those who read and more or less agree and those who find much of Preludium really too much - all are part of a much wider internet linkage of blogs that in some way begin to be a community. Someone has suggested that it would be wonderful if perhaps we looked at the Anglican Communion as a community of that sort.

In my book, The Challenge of Change, The Anglican Communion in the Post Modern Era I argue for an Anglican Vocation for the Anglican Communion in which the AC in its structure, is a community of mutuality, in its envisioning theology incarnational and in its engagement with the world a compassionate communion.

The blogsphere, in its better moments, gives us a sense of a community of mutuality and certainly an incarnational and compassionate people. The response of readers to my request for prayers is a wonderfully heartening new years gift and a sign that at our best Anglican bloggers across the spectrum are capable of compassion, mutuality and able to incarnate in the world of bits and bites real flesh and blood embrace. Thank  you all.

Anne is through surgery and seems to be doing well. We're not out of the woods yet, but the bears don't seem as hungry.  The picture is of her resting just before being sent off to surgery.Shortly after this picture was taken, as Anne was being wheeled out she fully woke up and lifted an arm and waved a "Windsor compliant" royal wave (with just the right twist of the hand). Nice touch.

At about that time I received a picture of great promise and joy, a sign of a New Year that lifted my spirits considerably. Lily Anne, granddaughter, in Germany on New Year's Eve, with sparklers. A wonder sign at just the right time.

While I've been off to the hospital and generally worried about the sainted Mother, others in blogland have been up to some notable things:

Simon Mein posted his Christmas Morning Sermon, preached to a small but blessed crowd. Simon does not post often on SimonSurmises but when he does it is worth the read.

Thinking Anglicans has been running a series of fine essays along with its excellent usual run of links to things Anglican. The latest is "Count Your Blessings." Episcopal Cafe continues its tradition of musings and reflections in its series Speaking to the Soul but often there are wonderful meaty essays in the series, The Daily Episcopalian.  The latest of these is "Good Riddance Day."

Over on Santos Woodcarving Popsicles and on BabyBlueOnline (not exactly in the same sphere of networking) we are linked to this, a New Year's meditation by The Archbishop of Canterbury. Here it is:

Over at Stand Firm, which those of us on the left of Anglican Land's internet house of representatives find difficult but necessary to consult, they have unearthed a bit of goofy video on the joys of working with koine Greek. I was terrible at Greek and Hebrew, but really good at looking things up and speaking in English.  Good for a smile remembering  the terror of those days of taking Greek.

Meanwhile, with prayers and praise and meditation on the year past and year to come, it's time to get back to work. 

In this past year we have seen what looks like a new set of blogs from the broad and reasonable middle - such blogs as Santos Woodcarving Popsicles and Three Rivers Episcopal. They are done with polish, good humor and considerable blog making expertise. 

My sense is the quality of Anglican Land materials is improving as more voices are heard and we all have to deal with oneanother.  It should be a year rich in material for those of use concerned with Anglican and Episcopal affairs. Hopefully it will be one filled with some grace and forbearance. We shall see.

Back to work.