The Listeners started early this morning, but we were sharp with our computers and soon had the document ready to go to press for the first Hearing. The Eucharist at 7:15am was excellent. It was led by the Church of Kenya with their liturgy with has some wonderful symbolic actions and the following opening to the Eucharistic Prayer.
“Is the Father with us? He is!
Is Christ among us? He is!
Is the Spirit here? The Spirit is here!
This is our God. Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We are God’s people. We are redeemed.
Lift up your hearts……..”
You will probably see the rest at some point in a service when I get home.
The Bible Study focus was John 18:1-18, “For whom are you looking? I am…I am…I am…” One question was “What does it mean for you that the last ‘I am’ is spoken in this scene?” We heard stories of priests quietly and with self control stepping forward to say ‘I am the pastor’ as they were arrested, knowing they were going to their death, but believing that the Christ walked beside them. Arrest and torture for priests as the known leader in the village, unheard of in our country, is a fact of life for some of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Please remember them in your prayers and remember that the Risen Christ also walks with you in the trials of your life. The second question was “What might the kind of leadership that Jesus shows in the garden mean for your own ministry?” There was an analysis of the 1998 Lambeth conference by a bishop who was there, as people fighting over Jesus who is calmly standing in the middle saying, “I am” and waiting for His voice to be heard. That spirit of fighting is not in this meeting and it seems that many times we have heard the voice of God in the voices of our fellow bishops and their stories. It will be difficult to leave this group behind tomorrow when we have our last session.
The Indaba Group continued on with the discussion of the Covenant and the Continuation Group’s proposals. There is a request from them that there be a moratorium on ordinations of bishops in same gendered partnership, the blessings of same sex unions and cross Provincial interventions by uninvited bishops. The big issue is ordination. I have learned a lot about the perceptions around the world of what happened in New Hampshire. There is clearly a different standard of behaviour expected of clergy and bishops in particular. I have learned that in the eyes of most of our Anglican brothers and sisters, homosexual activity is clearly understood as sin. So it makes no sense to them that a ‘sinful’ person could be ordained to be a leader whose life is supposed to model that of Jesus. I have learned that their treatment of polygamy is to call it a sin, and to bar those, who for reasons of continuing to care for their wives (who would be destitute if they were divorced), have continued in polygamy, from being church layleaders or clergy and in some places they can not receive communion. They do not understand why we do not do the same.
The Listeners met and wrote beginning with lunch in order to have the next version of the Reflections document for the hearing at 5 pm. This is a different Lambeth from the past, where resolutions were passed, highly polished texts (prepared ahead of time and voted on, were taken home as “Law”. The anxiety about having a Reflections document to take home with them is beginning to come out especially among a small group. The Hearing was quite lively and I remembered the analysis from the Bible Study as I listened. I am very glad that this Lambeth was not using resolutions!
The Church of Ireland led Evening Worship with their wonderful rolling “r’s”! We had a break for supper and I actually caught up with some of the Canadian bishops. I had a glimpse of our Suffragan Bishop across the campus as I returned to the Listening Group.
We have finished as much as we can of our Reflection document.
Tomorrow we will hear from ++Rowan once more and begin to pack our bags for home.
Have wonderful Sunday services. I am looking forward to celebrating in Canadian when I get home! +Sue
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
The Right Reverend Sue Moxley
Observations from the 2009 Anglican Consultative Council in Jamaica
The Right Reverend Sue Moxley
Backgrounder
- Bishop Sue
- Halifax, NS, Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, Canada
- Elected Suffragan Bishop, November 2003 and ordained bishop on March 25, 2004. Sue was elected Diocesan Bishop October 20, 2007, and installed to that office on November 23, 2007. In episcopal ministry, Sue particularly enjoys the work with youth and with folks discerning a different call from God for their lives. She values the opportunity to meet with parishioners on Sunday parish visits. She pursues her passion for social justice through participation in a number of ecumenical justice coalitions and opportunities to speak publicly on issues of concern. She is committed to stewardship education, better communication between the Synod Office and the parishes and to the reorganization of diocesan structures.
No comments:
Post a Comment