A Special Day and an Unique Event

Early in the morning the entire Lambeth Conference, Bishops and spouses – about 1200 of us - boarded 38 buses for the two hour trip from Canterbury into the heart of downtown London. Bishops were attired in cassock, and female spouses wore lovely dresses and hats since we were having lunch at Lambeth Palace followed by a Garden Party hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

Our first stop was the Embankment on the Thames where we gathered for a march in support of the Millennium Development Goals and especially the goal of halving poverty in the world by 2015. It is quite a sight to see 1000 bishops and spouses setting off to march in the heart of British government in witness to our Lord’s command to feed the poor, to love mercy and to do justice. As I read later, it was the largest assembly of religious leaders in the history of London. And we witnessed to our Lord’s command to serve him in the person of our neighbor.

The march was about a mile in length. We marched along carrying placards and singing songs as we passed Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and crossed the Lambeth Bridge. At the foot of the bridge was Lambeth Palace, and in we went, about an hour or so after we began the march. Lambeth Palace is the residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. As we proceeded into the inner courtyard of the palace, we were offered cool bottles of water, eagerly accepted. On one side of the courtyard were two large banners, one proclaiming “Love Mercy” and the other saying “Do Justice”, quotations from the book of the Prophet Micah. Under the banners was a large stage and podium. While we waited for the program to begin, I stepped into the Library where a display of books relating to the life of the Anglican Communion was set out. Imagine my amazement as I was looking at a large book made in the early 1600s open to a hand-drawn and colored map which was lovely, and which I slowly realized was a map of what is now the northeastern part of the Diocese of East Carolina. There it all was, drawn and labeled as clear as day: the Chowan River, Chowan County, the Albemarle Sound, the Pamlico Sound, Alligator River, Roanoke Island, and Cape Hatteras. We in East Carolina have a rich heritage which, God willing, serves as a good foundation for the mission challenges we face today. (Come and celebrate that heritage as we gather as a diocesan family to commemorate the baptism of Manteo and Virginia Dare on August 17 at 3PM at the Waterfront Theater in Manteo!)

As I went back out into the courtyard, the Archbishop approached the podium, gave a brief speech of welcome and in support of the Millennium Development Goals and then introduced Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister then proceeded – without notes or teleprompters – to deliver himself of an impassioned speech about the need for the Millennium Development Goals, quoting statistics in detail, and naming specific ways in which we can make an impact on the life of the world. A powerful speech. A moving speech. A passionate speech.

After the Prime Minister finished to a mighty roar from the crowd that did not stop for a long time, we were ushered through the courtyard and into the beautiful gardens behind the Palace. A large tent, beautifully appointed, had been set up for lunch for 1500 guests. Our menu was cold breast of chicken, fresh asparagus, new potatoes – a wonderfully cool lunch on a hot day. Dessert was the best part: a dark chocolate and raspberry tart with raspberry ice cream.

After a leisurely lunch and time to explore the garden and visit with other guests, it was time to board the buses for the short trip to Buckingham Palace. We entered the Palace through the front gates, passing into the inner court, entering through the front door, through the entrance hall and Music Room out onto the terrace and the lawn and gardens beyond. It is rather a stunning sight to step out of the building onto a wide terrace and look up to see nothing but a lovely and vast expanse of lawn and trees with a lake in the distance. It is hard not to believe that you are somewhere in the English countryside rather than in the heart of metropolitan London. To the right is one of two military orchestras playing gathering music. To the left are large and beautifully appointed tents from which tea and finger foods are served during the Garden Party. The Queen, I am told, hosts five or six such parties each summer, usually with 2500-4000 guests at each. The Lambeth Conference Garden Party is the smallest, with only 1500 guests. After having 45 minutes or so for all the guests to arrive, a cadre of 12 “Beefeaters” dressed in brilliant scarlet and gold 16^th century livery and long pikes come out of the palace and “stake out” an open space in front of the terrace steps and a wide corridor down the lawn. Without encouragement, the guests move close to the area staked out by the Beefeaters and everything becomes very quiet. You notice a small group of people coming out of the palace and suddenly there is the Queen, standing alone at the top of the terrace steps. Her husband Prince Philip stands two steps behind, and behind him stands the Queen’s Lady in Waiting, two Gentlemen in Waiting and two rather sturdy looking security men dressed in top hat, cutaway coats and striped trousers. Everything is still for a moment and the band plays “God Save the Queen.” As soon as that is finished, Her Majesty smiles broadly and steps down to greet her guests. She is greeted first by Archbishop Rowan who escorts her down the long corridor. She does not greet every guest but moves from side to side in a seemingly random way to stop and greet and chat briefly with her guests. (At the 1998 Garden Party, my wife Anne was one of the guests honored in this way, and had a charming few minutes in conversation with the Queen. Anne said later that the Queen creates a bubble around so that it seems it is just the two of you speaking to one another.) Alas, no cameras allowed.

After the Queen passes where you are standing, you move to the refreshment tents for tea or a cool drink and finger sandwiches and sweets. After that, a stroll in the gardens and after a while, the Queen departs with a wave from the terrace steps, and it is time for the guests to depart. Back onto the buses, and we arrive in Canterbury around 9:30. It was a special day indeed.

The unique event alluded to in the title of this blog took place on Saturday, July 27, and it is one of the oldest traditions of the Lambeth Conference: the Conference photo of all the bishops present. The first Lambeth Conference in 1867 only had 60 or so bishops present and they are shown gathered in front of the gates of Lambeth Palace. For this conference photo, there are nearly 700 bishops, vested in rochet and chimere, standing on bleachers 30 feet high and very, very long. It is a hot day, the vestments are woolen, and we are packed close together on the bleachers for what seems like a very long time. It also took a long time to get everyone onto the bleachers. And it was fun. I took my camera and took pictures of the photographers getting the bishops assembled and ready for the photo. I believe the pictures will speak better than any description of mine.

We are now in the final week of the conference, and the work we have been doing will begin to emerge in the form of reports and statements. If this Lambeth Conference is anything like the last one in 1998, this last week will be somewhat tense and intense. Let me urge each of you to several things: first, the tone of this Lambeth Conference, though not free of tension, has been positive, friendly and optimistic. Despite various statements and posturing, let me assure you that the life of this Communion is more complex and tightly interwoven through personal relationships than you might be led to believe by reading press reports. Second, let me urge you not to rely on the secular press as your main source of information and interpretation. Go to Episcopal News Service (http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife/) for accurate information; most everything else in the media will be speculation. Third, I am more proud than ever to be a member of The Episcopal Church and even more honored to be a Bishop of our church. With a few exceptions, our Bishops have been excellent representatives and ambassadors here at Lambeth, and good witnesses to the Gospel of Jesus. Lastly, I am ever more convinced that our Episcopal Church is exactly where God is calling us to be at this moment in time and pursuing the ministries of justice and compassion and reaching out to the poor, the hungry and suffering of this world which God has laid before us.

From this point, my blog will turn more toward interpretation of what is occurring as events unfold. As always, please keep the Bishops gathered here in Canterbury in your prayers, along with our Church, the Anglican Communion and those in this world in need to whom we are called to serve in Jesus’ name.