Thought for the Day from Bishop Philip Poole

(ACNS) Incredible Hospitality

The laughs and sighs of the many bishops and spouses gathering to register for the Lambeth Conference gave us all a chance to simply relax and be patient, realising God may have some great revelations for us all in the days ahead, starting with the traditional English queue. Old friends embraced, people shook hands and greeted new people with a warmth and sense of solidarity as the queue moved inch by inch. Spouses compared notes, hat boxes were seen in abundance and some just took the opportunity to sit on the grass and wait!

We are here, Lambeth has begun and from the smiles and energy shown yesterday indicates we are ready to pray and work. The opening session was truly a call to prayer.

The experience of being in a diocese here in the UK was an incredible opportunity as well. The days we spent in Southwark were incredible. The greatest joy was in meeting the people, and in particular one 75 year old lay worker who through all the changes and chances of life, is faithful in her worship and service in a parish that has had to make many adjustments over the years.

We come actually more refreshed, after worshipping and learning what our fellow Anglicans are doing in the name of the Lord. I found great similarities as well many challenging ideas to take home with me and with my work with the Compass Rose Society (come see our display in Keynes College.

I sensed a true common experience, even though culture and experiences were different, and a common pledge to be Christ’s presence whether in the Mothers’ Union or ministries with kids on an estate in busy London.

I look forward to the retreat and the fays ahead with much hope.

Bishop Philip Poole
Canada, President Compass Rose Society

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, Lambeth 2008

7 comments on “Thought for the Day from Bishop Philip Poole

  1. Dan Crawford says:

    Wow. Ready to pray and work and receive those eagerly anticipated “new revelations”. I can’t wait until we can all see those new revelations in print.

  2. Dan Crawford says:

    What are the “fays”?

  3. stevenanderson says:

    This man truly IS vulnerable to chicken dinners. Hello Mudder, Hello Fadder, Here I am in Camp Lambeth. Ideas in common; a few differences among us. Time to refresh and to listen. Doesn’t he know that as a Canadian he isn’t eligible for ABC? A paragraph on his visit to Southwark uses “incredible” twice. I’ll use the same word here only once, but I mean it. This man is incredible.

  4. Marion R. says:

    NounSingular
    fay
    Plural
    fays

    fay (plural fays)

    A fairy; an elf
    Retrieved from “http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fay”

    I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

  5. The_Elves says:

    LOL, who knows, there may well be “fays” at Lambeth, but I do imagine the good bishop meant to type DAYS. (The d and f are next to one another on the keyboard…) 😉

  6. Larry Morse says:

    See my comment below about Lambeth being artificial fertilizer on a barren ground. Something will grow here, but the soil is sterile and exhausted. This is hydroponic religion; the tomatoes are bright red, but they tasteless; standard hothouse culture. LM

  7. Jill C. says:

    LOL! I knew the definition of fay without looking it up because of the song “Pollly Wolly Doodle All Day,” which in part goes . . . “oh I went down South for to see my gal, singing polly wolly doodle all day . . .” and the refrain: “fare thee well, fare thee well, fare thee well my fairy fay.”

    😉