I know it's been awhile and yes, the Lambeth Conference is far from over and I am safely back in Los Angeles, trying to catch up on summer course work and comfortably living in a friend's home for a month while I find a new apartment.
I would really like to give my concluding remarks about Lambeth, but honestly, I am still in the processing phase, thinking over everything that I saw, the good and the bad, and how I might communicate it. I promise that I will have some sure thoughts closer to the end of September.
As well, there is an opportunity to hear more about my experiences at Lambeth and hopefully see some pictures at St. John's Cathedral, Sept 14th at 9 am. It's going to be fun. I hope to see you there.
Wednesday 3 September 2008
Wednesday 13 August 2008
Edinburgh - Oban - Mull - IONA!
Hello everyone!
I don't have much time since I am in an internet cafe and my time is running out!
I have made it safely through Edinburgh and spent all day today in Iona. It was beautiful! Tomorrow I will be heading back to Edinburgh and then taking a bus to London to spend my last day there. I will try to write more soon.
I miss everyone!
I don't have much time since I am in an internet cafe and my time is running out!
I have made it safely through Edinburgh and spent all day today in Iona. It was beautiful! Tomorrow I will be heading back to Edinburgh and then taking a bus to London to spend my last day there. I will try to write more soon.
I miss everyone!
Saturday 9 August 2008
YORK
I arrived in York yesterday afternoon after spending an hour or so looking for B&Bs to stay at. Everything was so expensive (around 100 a night) until my friend Gordon drove me to the outskirts of York and I found a lovely B&B for just 60 a night (yes, I've found that this is cheap in England). Thankfully, my room includes a nice queen size bed and a bath all to myself! Last night I've never slept better.
I spent all day in York...or shall we say, in the York Minster. It was raining all day so I purchased a ticket for the Minster that allowed me to explore anywhere. In between exploring the grounds and the crypt, I attended a Holy Communion service as well as an Evensong later in the day. The Holy Communion was interesting because as we were celebrating in the nave, tourists were still roaming around and even stopped to watch us. I felt like I was on display.... but if the Minster was going to have a great ministry, Holy Communion during midday is it. What better way to minister to people than by observing the Eucharist while people wander around treating the beautiful building as nothing but a historical landmark. The services allow the building to come alive and make people realize, who otherwise would not, that people still find God there today.
Thrilled to see the Minster, I will be heading to Edinburgh tomorrow.
I spent all day in York...or shall we say, in the York Minster. It was raining all day so I purchased a ticket for the Minster that allowed me to explore anywhere. In between exploring the grounds and the crypt, I attended a Holy Communion service as well as an Evensong later in the day. The Holy Communion was interesting because as we were celebrating in the nave, tourists were still roaming around and even stopped to watch us. I felt like I was on display.... but if the Minster was going to have a great ministry, Holy Communion during midday is it. What better way to minister to people than by observing the Eucharist while people wander around treating the beautiful building as nothing but a historical landmark. The services allow the building to come alive and make people realize, who otherwise would not, that people still find God there today.
Thrilled to see the Minster, I will be heading to Edinburgh tomorrow.
Friday 8 August 2008
My Return Date
Hello everyone-
My official return date is August 16th. Due to my needing to find an apartment as well as finish up course work, I thought it would be best to return earlier than I planned. It still allows room for me to travel to York, Edinburgh, Iona and London. Today, I will be taking off on a road trip towards York and stay a couple of nights there. I plan to attend the Sunday Eucharist at the Westminster. I hope everyone is doing well and I will see everyone very soon!
My official return date is August 16th. Due to my needing to find an apartment as well as finish up course work, I thought it would be best to return earlier than I planned. It still allows room for me to travel to York, Edinburgh, Iona and London. Today, I will be taking off on a road trip towards York and stay a couple of nights there. I plan to attend the Sunday Eucharist at the Westminster. I hope everyone is doing well and I will see everyone very soon!
Tuesday 5 August 2008
Photos
Bishops, Spouses and Stewards in front of Doddington Palace
Hurray for Stewards!
The Steward Choir Singing at a Morning Eucharist
Hurray for Stewards!
The Steward Choir Singing at a Morning Eucharist
Youth Conference
Now that the Lambeth Conference is over (all the bishops left yesterday morning), there is another conference for just the stewards that started today and will end on Friday morning. I will plan to keep writing until I return home (the date is questionable...I might be returning home September 1st and I might be returning a little earlier to take care of some course work for Fuller). Whatever the date, I hope to update you about the Youth Conference and also about my travels...wherever that might be.
I can now brag that the stewards have spent more time with the ABC than the bishops who came here for the conference. This morning the ABC spent 3 hours talking with us in a seminar room here. The first half of the morning he spent listening to our reflections about the conference. The second half we listened to him reflect on the conference and then we had time for Q & A. The questions ranged from "What is your favorite color?" (he answered dark green) to questions about his vocation and the ways in which he deals with the conflict in the WWAC. He encouraged us to speak from the center and to listen to each other...and be hesitant about being too reactionary. I enjoyed the time with him because we haven't had time to process everything quite yet. The conference went pretty fast and each day brought a new issue to the front. The time we spent with the ABC was reflective and informal...and created space for the stewards to process the things we saw and the ideas we heard. The campus is strange without the bishops being here, but in a sense, creates another reflective space for the stewards. We were here before the bishops arrived and we remain after they departed. A campus that once was filled with the color of purple and the loud sounds of praise every morning (since my room is right next to the Big Top), my mornings are filled with the easy sounds of the wind and the subtle conversation of students that walk just below my window. I have to say I do miss the bishops, despite the fact that sometimes they ordered us around...or even treated us less than human beings. I miss most the conversation and the friendships that I formed as I walked from place to place or as we talked in the Rutherford Bar late at night when all the activities subsided.
It's interesting how this is all working out...how I am moving from the bustle of the conference to a very quiet place in Iona later next week and a time of deep reflection and prayer as I prepare to start another busy year in seminary.
I can now brag that the stewards have spent more time with the ABC than the bishops who came here for the conference. This morning the ABC spent 3 hours talking with us in a seminar room here. The first half of the morning he spent listening to our reflections about the conference. The second half we listened to him reflect on the conference and then we had time for Q & A. The questions ranged from "What is your favorite color?" (he answered dark green) to questions about his vocation and the ways in which he deals with the conflict in the WWAC. He encouraged us to speak from the center and to listen to each other...and be hesitant about being too reactionary. I enjoyed the time with him because we haven't had time to process everything quite yet. The conference went pretty fast and each day brought a new issue to the front. The time we spent with the ABC was reflective and informal...and created space for the stewards to process the things we saw and the ideas we heard. The campus is strange without the bishops being here, but in a sense, creates another reflective space for the stewards. We were here before the bishops arrived and we remain after they departed. A campus that once was filled with the color of purple and the loud sounds of praise every morning (since my room is right next to the Big Top), my mornings are filled with the easy sounds of the wind and the subtle conversation of students that walk just below my window. I have to say I do miss the bishops, despite the fact that sometimes they ordered us around...or even treated us less than human beings. I miss most the conversation and the friendships that I formed as I walked from place to place or as we talked in the Rutherford Bar late at night when all the activities subsided.
It's interesting how this is all working out...how I am moving from the bustle of the conference to a very quiet place in Iona later next week and a time of deep reflection and prayer as I prepare to start another busy year in seminary.
Sunday 3 August 2008
Reflections Upon the Lambeth Conference 2008
Here is the fourth draft/ summary from yesterday's Indaba group discussions.
An Indaba are a group of bishops (usually consisting of 3-4 Bible study groups). They meet almost everyday to talk about a specific issue in the church. For August 2nd, it was a combination of homosexuality and the Windsor Continuation Process, which is a group (chaired by Bishop Clive Handford) that will address the remaining questions around the Windsor Report, a report that was published back in 2004 and are the results of commission that studied the various challenges to the unity of the Anglican Communion (one being the issue of homosexuality). Use the link below to read the reflections.
http://www.lambethconference.org/vault/Reflections_Document_080802.pdf
An Indaba are a group of bishops (usually consisting of 3-4 Bible study groups). They meet almost everyday to talk about a specific issue in the church. For August 2nd, it was a combination of homosexuality and the Windsor Continuation Process, which is a group (chaired by Bishop Clive Handford) that will address the remaining questions around the Windsor Report, a report that was published back in 2004 and are the results of commission that studied the various challenges to the unity of the Anglican Communion (one being the issue of homosexuality). Use the link below to read the reflections.
http://www.lambethconference.org/vault/Reflections_Document_080802.pdf
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