by Herb Gunn

An analog reception has been used to provide television viewers with remarkable images—fairly clear and subsequently in color—since Philo Farnsworth invented the device 80 years ago. During 2009, however, consumers are required to make the leap to digital, and the result will be even clearer images in High Definition.

Not a bad analogy for the current state of the Episcopal Church. The images of the Church passed to us by previous generations are not wrong, but they are aging. In many cases, they are fuzzy, out of sharp focus, and in many cases, still in black and white.

I did a little Wikipedia research on analog televisions and found this description on the disadvantages of analog reception:

“The primary disadvantage of analog signaling is that any system has noise – i.e., random unwanted variation. As the signal is copied and re-copied, or transmitted over long distances, these random variations become dominant. ... The effects of noise create signal loss and distortion. This is impossible to recover, since amplifying the signal to recover attenuated parts of the signal amplifies the noise (distortion/interference) as well. Even if the resolution of an analog signal is higher than a comparable digital signal, in many cases, the difference is overshadowed by the noise in the signal.”

Sure enough—that’s the Episcopal Church with random unwanted variations, distortions, and lots of noise. And the more we amplify the signal, the less clear the picture. One has to ask, it is really impossible to recover?

This is an important year for the Episcopal Church. The Diocese of Michigan and every individual congregation that comprises the diocese will wrestle with its broadcast—or how people see the Church respond to challenging times. (I’d direct readers to a conversation about this HERE, and invite your Comments HERE.)

Additionally, the Episcopal Church General Convention, which convenes in July, will (perhaps in subtle ways) address its reception across the Anglican Communion. What kind of picture are we to transmit? Have our “random variations become dominant” or are we ready to send a true signal about our identity, our commitment to a world in need, and who we really are beneath the noise and interference?

In all our Diocese of Michigan ministries and in how the larger Episcopal Church transmits its authentic self, it’s time to send a clearer signal that this is a Church that cares about people who are hurting­—not the loudest but “the least of these'.” Will the Episcopal Church step up rather than hide out during the challenging economic—and spiritual—times that confront us?

Now is the time to leap to High Definition.

Your COMMENTS (150 words or less)?

Your LETTER to the editor (50-350 words)

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