1 post tagged “lambeth conference begins”
Wednesday/Thursday, July 16/17, 2008
We arrived at the University of Kent in Canterbury – where the Lambeth Conference is actually housed – about mid-afternoon. The University is situated on the brow of a ridge about 2 miles from the town of Canterbury. From the University’s perch on the hill, there is a magnificent view down into the town, and in the middle – like a great ship under full sail – is the great Canterbury Cathedral, seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the mother church of both the Church of England and the Anglican Communion. It is quite a dramatic and moving sight. After registration and being shown to our rooms, all 700 or so bishops, many spouses and various staff members – about 1200 in all – gathered in a very large blue tent set up for the duration of the Conference as a worship and meeting space large enough to hold us all. (Please, no circus jokes…I’ve heard them all…) We were then greeted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams; given a brief orientation and about 10 pounds of Conference materials. Supper in the dining hall came none too early and the dining hall boasts a quite spectacular view of the Cathedral through the main window. Since the University is spread out over a large area, walking distances are substantial, so bedtime came none too soon for those gathering for the beginning of the Conference tomorrow morning. On the morning of July 17 we are loaded onto buses and taken down the hill to the Cathedral for the start of a three day retreat led by Archbishop Rowan as the opening segment of the Conference. Today and tomorrow, the Cathedral will be closed off to all but the bishops for prayer, conversations and reflections. Archbishop Rowan’s two addresses today had to do with the work and ministry of a bishop and strengthening each bishop present in that ministry. A few notes from the presentations follow: Each bishop – and each believer in Christ – is a place where God’s Son is revealed. “Success” in apostolic ministry does not arise from removing oneself from the weaknesses and failures of others. We are called to bear one another’s burdens and to make room for the other. The bishop, said the Archbishop, is the sign of who we all are called to be: the new humanity in Christ. Just as there is no such thing as an individual Christian, so there is no such thing as an individual bishop. The Oneness and unity of the Church is about the quality of our life together, not just institutional oneness. After the first day’s retreat ended about, the Cathedral was opened to visitors for Evensong at 6:30. What a treat it was to see the choir of St. Paul’s, Greenville, process into the Quire and sing a magnificent Evensong as they had done for the past four days. They did themselves, their parish and their diocese proud. It was truly a joy to be present for this great moment, and afterwards, for a wonderful dinner on their last night in England.
