The editorial on the report of the Standing Commission on the Structure of the Church [TLC, July 21] states two things which, while true, do not fit together. One is that "many have accused the national church of being too much of a bureaucracy and out of touch with 'the people in the pews'." The other is that "The commission has recommended that several commissions be discontinued, that others be combined or reduced ..."

Overall, the number of commissions, councils, and of people participating in the ongoing planning, decision making, oversight and review of the church's life, will be reduced. In some very important areas, such as that of ordained ministry, such reductions will be most substantial.

This sounds, at first, like a good thing. Less is more these days. However, I suspect that the most important consequence of these proposed reductions will be that not as many people will be involved in this important work. The "people in the pews" throughout the church would have fewer opportunities to participate in the life of the larger church. Decisions affecting the whole church would be made by a much smaller, and less representative, group (which would often have much larger areas of responsibility.) I am not convinced that this is the wisest course.

(The Rev.) James E. Liggett, Jr.

St. Mary the Virgin Church

Big Spring, Texas