July 17, 2008

It has been a wonderful day!

We began with Eucharist at 7:30am in the Big Top – doesn’t that sound odd? The celebrant was Bishop Winston Halapua from Polynesia. The person in charge of the logistics must be really good. We all (about 1400) received Communion in an orderly but not rushed manner is about 15 minutes.

Our Bible Study group is just indicative of the diversity here. We have 3 Burmese bishops and a translator, one French speaking bishop and another translator, an Australian, a bishop from Egypt, one from the US and myself! Today we were studying the opening of John’s Gospel. Memories of hearing this read aloud were beautiful. Like wise our stories of how this passage has been important in our ministry were far ranging. This group will meet each morning throughout Lambeth.

We then queued up for buses to take us to Canterbury Cathedral. Standing in line gives time to meet and talk with those around me. On the way I met bishops from North India. One knew that there had been a student from Canada with them. I also met up with Bishop Francis Quashie. Some of you will remember him from his time at AST. At the Cathedral I found Bishop Sebastian Bakare who visited our diocese when he was Bishop of Manicaland. He is now Bishop of Harare. The bishop we had in Nova Scotia last Fall, Ellson Jakazi, is no longer bishop of Manicaland. They are waiting for a new one to be named. Please pray for the people of Zimbabwe. Life is very difficult there.

Archbishop Rowan led us in two meditations today. The first focused on Galatians 1:16, “…when God was pleased to reveal his Son in me…” and challenged us to consider how Jesus is revealed through us as bishops. He insisted that we start with prayers of thanksgiving- giving thanks for one another and those not here, for the bishops who confirmed us and ordained us. He raised the question, “How is Jesus’ healing, forgiveness, challenge, promise made known as we celebrate the Eucharist?”

The second began with the mission of the bishop to gather the scattered children of God. The Scripture focus was 2 Corinthians 11:28-29. Archbishop Rowan called us to remember that we are gathered together around Christ, to bear one another’s burdens, to experience the failures and weaknesses of one another, in order to allow God to be at work among us changing us into what God wants. He went to Philippians 3:12 to remind us that we belong to Christ and we need to continually let Christ take hold of us if we are to minister in His name.

There are many little spaces in the Cathedral, in the crypt and outside to sit in God’s presence and pray. There are many Anglican nuns and monks here to sit with us to pray if we wish. There are chaplains to talk with and to hear confessions.


Ron and I finally met up with each other! We had thought that he was the most newly ordained bishop, but someone was ordained July 6!

Evensong was held in the Cathedral and the men and boys’ choir chanted the canticles to Orlando Gibbons settings. Then we queued up again to get the buses home. Supper was a little less crazy than last night. People seemed to have found the second dining room. The campus staff and the conference staff are really excellent at getting us where we need to be.

The evening event tonight was a book launch of Jane Williams’ book, “Marriage, Miters and being Myself”. I am bringing a copy home for Bruce! The University of Kent is a Fair trade Campus, so we enjoyed Fairly-traded red and white wine and wonderful chocolate, while Jane Williams signed books.

It’s an early night for us all. Tomorrow is another Bible Study and Retreat Day.