Beloved in the Lord,

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I know how anxiously you await communication, so I am writing this short progress report. Be assured that during this unsettled time my thoughts and prayers remain with you and all our missionary efforts across the Diocese.

Monday was a difficult day, the day of the Windsor Report's release. While it contained many important pieces of analysis, the report lacked both teeth and timetable as to the means of resolving the deep crisis that has come upon our communion. These deficiencies were extraordinarily concerning.

Tuesday and Wednesday were more hopeful. Meeting with many of our British, Canadian and Latin partners, including Archbishops Venables and Gomez, it became clearer that the determinative moment is not the report, but the Primates meeting for which the report was commissioned. The Primates meeting (February) may well go far beyond the report itself in addressing the future of the Communion. Indeed, there was recognition that the Primates meeting must go far beyond the Windsor report if the medicine is to prove adequate to the disorder. Pray for this.

As I write this, I am on my way to Gatwick Airport for a flight tomorrow morning. After spending the next two days with you in Pittsburgh and visiting Grace Church in Mount Washington on Sunday, I fly that evening - as an invited guest - to the All Africa Bishop's Conference at Lagos, Nigeria. There I will be present with all of Africa's Primates as preparation for the February meeting is further shaped. While, responding to the Windsor Report is one aspect of this meeting, it is Africa's crises: HIV-AIDS, oppressive debt, hunger, educational needs and refugee resettlement that will form the bulk of their agenda. Please pray for this first-of-a-kind all Africa meeting, for advancement of God's work among these wonderful partners (some 200 bishops representing well over half of the world's Anglicans), and for my role in addressing the conference when called upon.

This communication comes with my prayers for all of you, my gratitude for your tireless support and intercession and my affection in Christ Jesus.

Faithfully, your bishop.
+Bob Pittsburgh

20 October A.D. 2004 Oxford, England