So back to business after the excitements of yesterday.
Our Bible Study Group continues to enthrall. We talked a bit about why bishops seem to suffer so much. I suspect that the clergy would find that a strange thing to be talking about. Like other Indaba Groups, we decided that the time had come to suggest that we needed a new working method. So we’re now in negotiation with ourselves – more time to deal with things in depth and less of the Youth Conference mentality.
Other things .. we don’t seem to be able to contact each other here. We have no access to each other’s mobile numbers or e mail addresses. It’s all very well to say that this is because of Data Protection – a simple consent at registration would have dealt with it. I spend ages waiting for people to come down to the waterhole at sunset.
I spent a bit of time in the worship this morning pondering the spiritualities of all this. Archbishop Rowan started us off with a tour de force of retreat addresses. The message was .. ‘get to know one another and pray together .. that’s the foundation for dealing with what we have to deal with.’ I just wish the prayers in worship could grow a bit – different people and nationalities, some pictures and, above all, some silence. It looks as if a decision was made to allow provinces in turn to lead the morning eucharist – so we lose the possibility of worship which would have a real sense of integration while still expressing that diversity of input.
And finally, you might be amused by Dave Walker’s cartoon on the Windsor Report
Ah yes, more space for silence in the liturgy! I’m very much in support of that. Any hope of Lambeth taking up work on it anytime soon? I’d even settle for a strict enforcement of the idea of being quiet in church before worship and talking with God then and with each other afterwards. There is too much noise in this modern/post-modern world and quiet spaces in which to hear the still small voice of the Spirit would be very good.
— change of topic —
Also, a suggestion on the finding each other thing – I remember at camp how you could put up a note on a board that everyone checked and in the note you could say that you were wanting to talk to so and so. I’m surprised they don’t have such a low tech inexpensive message exchange place at Lambeth.
Yes, it has made interesting reading so far and the opportunity to feel a little included is appreciated.
Other people have commented on the style of coverage of Lambeth on your blog, but it bears repeating. We’re all in your debt for the measured and spiritual focus of your reports.