It is 8 a.m. and I will have breakfast and then leave for the train into London. I will spend the day with an English friend, Carl -- who I studied with at the University of Sussex for a year (my junior year abroad) and then head to Heathrow for an 8:30 p.m. flight home. I am torn -- part of me is ready to come home and part of me wishes I was staying!
I feel that I accomplished so much here. But first, let me pick up where I left off Friday night. Saturday, as I said, was the Eucharist with the Australians presiding -- the homilist was Bishop George Browning, chair of the Anglican Environmental Network, who I know quite well. (I have been the provincial representative from The Episcopal Church on this network.) He issued the challenge for the bishops to go back to their dioceses and take action -- we have the moral authority to do so. The rest of the day was very low-key. First, the photos. I was in the first one -- 10 a.m. -- with the staff. The staff consists of the stewards (Michael Sniffen from our diocese being one), the secretariat, the media, the translators, the scribes from the indaba groups, etc. etc. The Archbishop and his wife, Jane, sat right in front. We had quite a lot of laughs as they tried to assemble the 250 of us on bleachers they had set up for the occasion. Fortunately, it was a lovely day (hot, though!) and a beautiful setting (the campus sits on a hill overlooking the Cathedral and the city of Canterbury). I think we were the test case for the two photos to come. At 11:00 was the spouses -- how beautiful to see so many in their national dress. Then 2:00 was the photo of the bishops. Quite a lot of laughs -- and songs -- during it all.
I then went into Canterbury for a few hours and walked the lovely streets, did some shopping and just enjoyed the break. I walked back UP the hill (and I mean up!) to the campus in time for the Evensong -- led by our church, The Episcopal Church. Bishop Cathy Roskam (NY) and Bishop Michael Curry (NC) read the Genesis 1 lesson together (Michael played the voice of God...I'll have to ask how they chose the parts). The Bishops and Spouses chorus -- apparently one that is at every House of Bishops meeting -- were marvelous. And the 5 minute DVD on our province (a tradition of every evensong) was fabulous -- Bishop Catharine's installation, work in New Orleans, Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen in NYC, EYE, missionaries in Africa,, etc.
After the evensong I went to the Inclusive Church (www.inclusivechurch.net) Eucharist and so many Newark folks and alumni -- Mark, Jon Richardson, Michael Sniffen, Cynthia Black and maybe more (Elizabeth Kaeton was away at another town to celebrate and preach today). Fortunately, there were many more people then they expected -- they ran out of programs, just about ran out of bread and wine (I couldn't help but think of the feeding of the 5000 -- they made it go to the last person), and food and drink at the reception was gone immediately. I was very glad for it all -- they have really worked for a long time (years?) to have the presence they needed to have at this Conference. Every day they put out a newsletter -- they are on line -- and I have copies of each to bring home. Afterwards, drinks with some colleagues and friends, home to pack, and then finally bed!
I need to stop now so as to make my train on time. I WILL write when I get home to give final reflections...
Martha
BE the pig...
1 week ago
