Thank you for sharing your blessings …

The words of a Tanzanian delegate at the Lambeth conference – we bought a belt in the colours of their flag from a group of women selling craft goods. Sharing our blessings – many of the Bishops and their spouses are experiencing their first trip outside of their home Country – and for so many what we have here is undreamt of luxury – from disposable income, quantities of food, TV, cars – you name it.

So, sharing blessings – we paid for the belt, and hope that the money will be a blessing for their community when they get home.

Jan is at the Conference (which is at the University of Kent, Canterbury – Lambeth Palace is no longer big enough or flexible enough to meet the needs of a major conference) as a musician. There’s a small team helping to lead the worship at the morning (7:15 am) and evening (5:45 pm) services. Today saw the official photos being taken – of staff, spouses and Bishops. Spouses, of course, included a handful of men – a number of lady bishops attended the conference.

Lady Bishops

Whilst the Church of England is only slowly moving to accept women Bishops, a number of Provinces of the Anglican Communion have had them for some time – indeed we met one from New Zealand just prior to the last Conference in 1998.

The staff team is almost 300 strong – admin staff, translators, musicians, “techies” – you name it – the skills needed to help make the conference a success – and here they are …

Jan - waiting for everyone else

Staff Team

For the Bishops, of course, this is a working conference – yes, they may have had tea with the Queen on Thursday, but its a time to meet, for prayer, bible study and taking the Anglican Communion forward. But at the same time there’s a spouses conference – they also have a call to mission – its not possible to be married to any priest and not be involved. There was also a photo call for them -

Bishops' Spouses

It took some time – on a warm (for us) day – of course, for many it was only just not being cold. So, what did they do? Well they sang – and in harmony as well …. we all wondered whether the Bishops would do the same! And harmony?

The media has been making much of the possible schism in the Anglican Communion – the decision of the Church of England to plan to take women Bishops, and the issue of homosexual priests, “marriages” and Bishops have been blown up as major problems. The Bishops, though, clearly think there are other major problems – they wouldn’t have all walked through London on Thursday to reinforce the message about world poverty if not!

To see them all talking, meeting in small groups (and not just from the same Province), and good heartedly waiting for their group photo – that’s not an image of a group of people who don’t want to work out a solution.

Bishops

What was also a very clear message was the tremendous welcome and applause for Rowan Williams and also his wife Jane when they joined the group photos – a very real message of support for them both.

And yes, they did sing – and whilst they may be in harmony, they didn’t quite manage the male voice choir harmony!