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AISLE-SITTING
From the Worship Committee and other observers: Please, if you are first to arrive in your pew, try either to sit by the inside wall-end or, if you choose to sit on the aisle-end, get up to let others into the pew. Several people have observed how intimidating it looks, especially to visitors, to see the aisle lined with people, but the inside places empty. Sometimes people actually have to climb over the aisle-sitters in order to get a seat. Remember our ministry of hospitality!!
LAMBETH CONFERENCE BEGINS
In just a few days, the once-every-ten-years gathering of bishops from the worldwide Anglican Communion will meet in England at the invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.
Bishops have been meeting like this since the mid-19th century for "brotherly counsel and encouragement," as an early Archbishop of Canterbury put it. In the early days, various bishops would present position papers on matters concerning the church. Resolutions were passed, but at no time have Lambeth resolutions ever been binding on any part of the Anglican Communion.
The focus of this Lambeth Conference is to engage in deep and meaningful conversation across differences, with Bible study and frequent worship, and with prayer enveloping the entire nearly three weeks together. Unlike earlier conferences, there will be no plenary sessions with debate and parliamentary voting but instead an effort to strengthen mutual responsibility and inter-dependence in the service of God's mission. I did notice one thing, though, that has not changed over the years: the very first thing on the agenda on July 16 when the bishops arrive is tea!!
We at Christ Church will join in our corporate prayer for all the bishops, their spouses and guests at Lambeth, especially our own bishops, Chilton and Steve. I ask you to fold them into your own personal prayers as well. And don't forget, we have all nine of the bulletin inserts giving the history and stories of Lambeth in our Church Office. If your set isn't complete, come to pick up the missing ones---or a new, complete set. You can follow Lambeth by Googling: episcopalchurch.org, episcope, lambethconference, or anglicans online.
Anne Stanley
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