Inspiring Retreat Addresses in the Cathedral

Today the day started well, I have managed to meet up with almost all of the ACSA bishops and some of their spouses. Both bishops and spouses began the day with worship. After Bible study, the bishops were bused to Canterbury Cathedral for their retreat, lunch and evening prayer.

Members of the cathedral choir always make great melody with their voices and the sung evensong was uplifting. The Archbishop of Canterbury's retreat addresses - two of them today - were inspiring, reflecting on ideas and messages from Paul’s letters and how they define the bishop as a centre of unity and the imperative for social justice concerns, healing and hope.

Lungi is attending the launch of Jane Williams' book, "Marriage, Mitres and Being Myself" tonight and I am writing these reflections.

Although it was a grey day today, it is still light outside and the time is 8.45pm.

The campus is full of media and after our retreat we had one protester outside the cathedral gates, with a vulgar poster. So far so good. My thanks to Rob Rogerson, who has made our journey smooth.

Our first day at Lambeth

It's warm in Kent, the opening session starts today. We had our briefing session yesterday and I addressed the group briefly on the essence of Indaba, the concept of which has been built into our deliberations at Lambeth.

Today we met to do a “voice check” on the PA system. The local newspaper, The Guardian, on Monday covered a brief story on the conference but more about Gene Robinson and the resistance he had before preaching here in the UK on Sunday. I have not read the Times but it had good coverage, +Peter Lee told me yesterday.

I have also had my first "internal" media interview by the TV team from the Trinity Church, Wall Street.

On Sunday, as part of the opening, I will give a little input to the whole conference on what Indaba means.

Do keep the bishops, their spouses and all of us involved in the Conference, in your prayers.

God bless you all,

++Thabo

A Visit to the Holy Land

My Dear People,

I thought I should drop you this line on my recent trip to the Holy Land, squeezed into my schedule just before Lungi and I left for the Lambeth Conference.

The trip was made at the invitation of a diverse group of South Africans concerned with justice in Israel and the Occupied Territories. They have a website, and you can see the Mission Statement of the visit here:

http://www.humanrightsdelegation.org/statements.asp

Also on the website is other information, such as the names of those who travelled with me, and press clippings of coverage while we were there:

http://www.humanrightsdelegation.org/statements.asp

As I write this, there is so much raw data in my mind and soul that I need more space and time to reflect on and process my experiences. The issues raised by the situation in the Middle East are sensitive, and maintaining a balance in our approach is crucial.

Nevertheless, as a preliminary reflection, what is uppermost in my mind can be categorised into three sections.

First, the physical and superficial - the topography of the Holy Land, the separation walls and fence which set people apart from one another, the separate roads on the West Bank on which only Israeli settlers are allowed to travel, the robust and solid settlements the settlers have established, and the old and new Jerusalem, clearly divided into Jewish and Palestinian areas.

Second and at a slightly deeper level, I was struck by the people, their pain and their longing for peace and for the Holy Basin to be whole again.

At a third level are my personal and spiritual responses: my wrestling with God and God's invitation in Mark's Gospel, to come and let us cross to the other side. Crossing to the other side is a missional invitation that needs courage and humility and rootedness in the sure hope of a call.

Following this short visit, I am humbled and encouraged by those who build peace - and feel moved to invite others to be peace builders. It is obviously costly but we cannot but be stirred by suffering, separation, brokenness and God's sure message of hope.

God bless you,

++Thabo

Blogging from Bishopscourt - And the Road

My Dear People,

As part of my sharing with you, I have taken advantage of some of the new technology available on the internet to create this blog.

On it, both from Bishopscourt and as I travel, I plan to share with you more informally than in my regular letters "Ad Laos." I will also include links to each Ad Laos - beginning below with those already sent - and when I come across something particularly useful or interesting on the web, I will include a link here.

I hope you find it useful, and that it will help to focus your prayers that I should fulfill God's will for me from day to day.

Every blessing,

Archbishop Thabo

Ad Laos for July 2008

My Ad Laos for July, sent as Lungi and I left, after returning from the Holy Land, to the Lambeth Conference.

Ad Laos for June 2008

Click on the title above to see my Ad Laos for June, in which I reflected on my visit to see our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe, the debate over human sexuality and the Lambeth Conference.