Returning to Winnie-the-Pooh and his honeypot, as all good stories must: this building is on top of us when we serve it, and becomes the servant of the people of God when it points to Jesus Christ, and where confronted by that mystery and love we fall in worship, find ourselves reorientated through the liturgy, are captivated by God’s holiness and sent out to do His will.
‘To the glory of God’ may future generations burn with fire in this new chapel, just as they did in the former one ”“ many of you here ”“ to follow the words of Jesus in that chapel and on the arch opposite me here, and ‘go ye into all the world and preach the gospel’. Amen.
When the Pope was in the US a couple of weeks ago I quipped to my wife that if Justin Welby came to America know one would know and most wouldn’t care. It turns out I was prophetic.
Virginia Theological Seminary was a fitting place for ++Welby to preach. Birds of a feather…