There is also a family reunion aspect to this Lambeth Conference. While most of the Episcopal Church bishops have not attended the Lambeth Conference before, we are connecting with others, including many bishops from around the world who we know in other contexts. In my case, I am connecting with people I met in Spain last summer, including those who are not facing the issues as I am, and I am delighted. There is joy in the reunion.
We then had the retreat in the Canterbury Cathedral. I don’t think the Lambeth Conference has ever been started with a retreat. There are two aspects:
We begin in prayer and that gets spiritual priorities straight. Episcopal ministry ought to be grounded in prayer.
The second important thing is that it draws on the Archbishop of Canterbury’s greatest strength, which is spirituality.