Day 2 of the 4th Anglican Global South-to-South Encounter was a time for all present to listen, meditate and share on the richness of the covenantal idea. As Archbishop John Chew reminded us, to allow the covenant effected by Jesus to “challenge and engage us”¦ to reflect it in our lives.”
The day started off with the Holy Communion, led be participants from Asia, with the Archbishop of Melanesia, David Vanugi serving as the celebrant. Then the morning Bible Study followed, led by the Bishop Rennis Ponniah, the Assistant Bishop of Singapore. Sharing from Isaiah 6: 1-13, he exhorted us to be like the contrite prophet who was “undone by the stunning holiness of God, amazed by the sheer grace of God, and captivated by the salvation purpose of God.” It was a call to repentance and humility, that God cannot use us as His servants unless we are totally broken before Him.
I’m glad +Mark Lawrence was invited to lead evensong and preach a brief homily. And yes, Bp Rennis Ponniah, a famous Bible teacher in Asia, is right in stressing that, “[i]Goid cannot use us as His servants unless we are totally broken before Him.[/i]” Uncomfortable, but true. That is, our pride and self-centeredness must be broken, and we must become as aware of our sinfulness in the presence of an utterly holy God as Isaiah of Jerusalem became through his life-transforming experience described in Isa. 6.
David Handy+