My Most Favorite Day Part 2

This day was weird. I woke up just in time to make it to the Big Top by 6:45a.m. to prepare for the morning Eucharist. I was sooo tired- more tired than most days and my spirit was torn between being really appreciative about being there- and wanting to just climb in bed and sleep for another couple of hours.

After working the Eucharist and one of the Indaba Groups, I decided to take my break and walk to the heart of Canterbury from the university. Taking the stroll down hill from the university is quite nice since most of the trail is covered with a thick brush (something we don't see very often in California). The part I like most about the trail is the part when it becomes flat and it overlooks a very large green field. During my walk this afternoon it was especially quiet and a quiet breeze brushed across the tall green grass covering the field. My quiet walk abruptly ended when I entered the main street of Canterbury filled with stores and busy people trying to get to Wednesday's afternoon market. Looking around, I found some things I needed at the various shops for our next morning's visit to the queen in the Buckingham Palace as well as the Lambeth Palace. After a couple of hours, I rushed back up hill to the university to direct bishops to their self-select sessions. Amazingly, though I walked a long way, I felt energized and ready to tackle the rest of the day.

And tackle the rest of the day I did. As I mentioned earlier this afternoon, I was going to work the +Robinson event with a couple of other Stewards. When we arrived, we found out that the event was actually closed...meaning that ONLY bishops and their spouses could attend....meaning that even the stewards couldn't come in, even the ones who were working the event...nor the volunteers, the staff...NO ONE ELSE! Since I really wanted to attend the event, I started to work my steward magical powers and began to speak with Bishop Jim Curry (Bishop of Connecticut) about letting the stewards come in...and I kept implying that we wanted to come in until the start of the event (I hope I wasn't a nuisance....at the end some the bishops thanked us for our good work). As I checked identification and let people into the event, one of the bishops said that the stewards could come in! Hurray! I radioed all the stewards to tell them that they could attend the event and they happily took their seats in the first row. I sat near the door to continue to check for passes. There were a couple of times when I had to stand up to people...one was to the one of the chaplains of the queen...who had no identification! All bishops have to wear purple lanyards around their necks with an identification with their picture on it at all times. Without one, we can't let them in. Another was a person who wasn't supposed to be there and she complained until I had to ask her for a third time to leave. Eventually, she did. It's been very interesting dealing with people....especially with ones who are of a higher status than I (which makes for a majority of them). It was great to be apart of the event- especially since it was only to bishops and spouses. It was also good to make some connections- especially with some of the bishops from the States.

I would like to go into the topic matter of the event, but I am too tired. It's close to midnight and we have to wake up pretty early tomorrow to get on the buses to go to London.

One more thing, there was a report made by one of the stewards that one of the groups in the marketplace approached one of the female workers at the coffee shop in the marketplace and told her, "We can heal you of your gayness." I won't mention the group's name, but some of us stewards are taking action to make sure this discrimination doesn't happen again. The worst thing about it is that they made a judgment call on her sexuality based on her looks- not even with talking her with beforehand. I guess this is something that can be expected at the Lambeth Conference- but it still should not be tolerated. There's a couple of these groups in the marketplace.

O.k. Good night! I get to see the queen tomorrow!