Lambeth Blog 8

Friday 25th July. End of week one!

I feel like the White Rabbit in 'Alice'.........racing from place to place. A more modern allusion might be 'Confused.com'. Having a day off in London has just added to the panic!

Archbishop and Prime Minister

So: LONDON DAY during the Lambeth Conference, one of the highlights especially for those from overseas and those with special outfits and HATS! Breakfast was at 6.00 and the queue for coaches was already long when I joined it at 6.45. But...hey....the sun shone I had on my comfortable shoes and a comfortable hat I have worn many times before and throughout the day there was always someone really interesting to talk to.....and photograph.

Through out this week I have enjoyed the waiting just as much as anything else. I found my friend Zac with Catherine his wife as we carried our Banners (mine said:KEEP THE PROMISE) in the March of Witness and support for the Millennium Development Goals. He's now a bishop in Kenya and so excited and thrilled to be here. They stayed in my house once. MU in Scotland might remember them coming to a St Andrews Council I think on a cold November day!

Bishop Zac and Catherine from Kenya

The Vine

Gordon Brown spoke with real passion in the grounds of Lambeth Palace. As we all listened and clapped I remembered the times I have heard him before and prayed that he remembers to speak with equal passion to the heads of government who will meet at the UN in September. Maybe we should all go there to keep him on target! One who will certainly is Helen Wangusa the Anglican Communion's Representative at the UN. She thanked Gordon very graciously but left him understanding the real urgency of this Micah Challenge especially for women and children. Bravo Helen. The AB of C also spoke with commitment to the cause as he welcomed everyone to his humble abode for lunch! I sneaked off over Lambeth Bridge to Mary Sumner House to see my mates at the MU.

Then it was Buck House to have tea with the Queen. A most perfect English afternoon, in a lovely English garden, with cucumber sandwiches, tea and iced coffee, strawberries and icecream, a military band. The Africans sat in the shade whilst us from northern climes wandered round the lawns and flowers in the sun.   Some special people were introduced, among them at least two couples I know well from Burundi and Myanmar (Clavera and Elizabeth). For everyone I think it was a very memorable day which came to an end with an evening picnic back on Campus about 8.30.

Work-wise we have moved on to "My place in God's world" and "The Environment". As stewards of God's world there is much to think about these days and all worship today is reflecting that. The Plenary Session had Professor Rapley from the Science Museum. He has a whole page of degrees etc after his name being an authority among other things on CLIMATE CHANGE. I was sitting next to Lynne Hiltz the wife of the Primate of Canada. She has the icy wastes of northern Canada under her care so had much to share about melting glaciers.

So this afternoon I would really like to go on the outing to the seaside, or a session on silk painting perhaps BUT I am facilitating the group "Mission Challenges posed by Eastern Spiritualities." Will anyone come do you think?!

I'm coming home for some of the weekend to check on my tomatoes and beans (My daughter-in-law says she can't find the beans and last night I dreamt the tomatoes had withered and died!!). God Bless xx