Coming soon ... to a site near you, it's "Conversations at the Crossroads," the latest series of visitations by leaders of the national church to leaders of the dioceses. If this sounds familiar, it should. The visits will mark the second time in three years that members of the national Executive Council and the "linkage person" from the Episcopal Center visit each diocese for consultation and dialogue. In 1993, similar visits took place in all but one of the domestic dioceses.

I claim to be one of the few persons in captivity to have read "A Compilation of the Reports of the Executive Council's Diocesan Visitations 1993," a 745-page document (plus appendix) which summarizes in detail the visits made and in some cases includes a transcript of the conversations. With all that available to church leaders, why go through the expense of sending council members and linkage persons to the dioceses only three years later?

This round has the potential to be different. For one thing, it may allow for more voices to be heard. In the 1993 visits, in most cases the diocesan representatives consisted of persons invited by the bishop. Diocesan leaders, for the most part. In this round, grassroots representatives may be heard.

"People interested in having their voices heard during these consultations should be in touch with their diocesan offices and indicate their interest in being part of the roundtable discussions that will take place," said Bernice Mulzac, linkage program coordinator at the church center.

The diocesan visits already have begun, with the American Churches in Europe as the first, and a sizable number of dioceses being visited in March. All but four dioceses will be visited, and only one of those four (Rio Grande) has indicated it does not wish the visit because of concern for the direction in which the national church seems headed.

Will Be Used in Budget Planning

Information gained from the visits will be used in the development of the national church budget for 1997, and the triennial budget to be presented to the 1997 General Convention in Philadelphia.

"I think those visitations are going to make a difference," Presiding Bishop Edmond L. Browning said at the meeting of Executive Council last month. "We really have something to share. I think the church is going to be blessed by the visitations."

So for those of you who are concerned over policies of the national church, legislation to come before General Convention, the relationship between your parish and the national church, or where "your money goes," call your diocesan office and make arrangements to be present. After all, how often do you get an invitation like this?

David Kalvelage, editor