I am glad to read sanity in your pages regarding the Episcopal Church's relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The relationship seems nothing more than smoke and mirrors. The article by David Veal [TLC, Nov. 11] makes very good points and should be posted on the front doors of "815" in the example of Martin Luther himself. Truly the ELCA does not seek a relationship of mutual respect and cooperation with the Episcopal Church or it would not continue revising the covenant document Called to Common Mission without at least inviting us into the process.

How can it be that a church (ELCA) already in full communion with non-catholic bodies, denominations that reject the tenets of apostolic succession and holy orders, would choose to break faith in those relationships in order to embrace the catholic faith with Episcopalians? Why are we, as Episcopalians, willing to suspend faith and practice for so tentative a relationship?

Perhaps this COCU-esque scheme is really calculated to take our minds from our failure in the realm of evangelism by pretending to bring together large bodies of Christians and thereby seem, at least, to be taken seriously by some group anyway. One would think it enough to acknowledge and love each other as Christians without trying to be one another. Perhaps we, as Episcopalians, have lost the sense of our uniqueness, or just want to meld into the scenery as a "polite" way to end our mission and purpose, that of maintaining the Anglican witness in this country, and proclaiming the faith of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The relationship between the Episcopal Church and the ELCA is embarrassing, but I suppose we have become accustomed to such buffoonery. It is as though our leadership has placed us in the position of an unwanted suitor that the Lutherans are trying to let down gently. However, as our forays into feminist and sexuality studies should have taught us, we must be careful, or the ELCA may file "church-harassment" charges against us with the NCC, or worse yet accuse us of stalking them.

(The Rev.) Walter V. Windsor

St. John's Church

Monroeville, Ala.