Thoughts on the Opening Eucharist by Neff Powell

This morning was the opening eucharist at Canterbury Cathedral.  The weather was cool and clear and breezy.  I have been in and about Canterbury Cathedral three times now, including the 1998 Lambeth Conference.  Yet, the cathedral continues to profoundly move me emotionally and spiritually.

Memorable moments for me began on the walk between the bus and the cathedral grounds.  Lining the streets were a good number of protesters carrying hand lettered signs or reading to us from the Bible.  The general message was damnation for differing views of scripture and current social issues.  One sign that I actually found humorous said, "Woe to you who are at ease in Lambeth."  This is a play on the biblical passage "Woe to you who are at ease in Zion."  And yet, am I "at ease in Zion?"  That is always a good question.

While we were waiting to process in, another American bishop and I had the opportunity to talk to three English bishops.  They were keen to hear our views on our presidential election.  "Will Obama win" was the exact question.  That question led to a good discussion.  Next we moved on to Prime Minister Gordon Brown.  Apparently the Prime Minister is having a tough time following Prime Minister Tony Blair.  I asked what the implications on the recent vote in General Synod on Woman bishops meant.  They said that the bishops voted two to one in favor of women bishops so that the direction is now set.  There will be women bishops in the Church of England.  Personally, I wish this change could move a bit faster.  It will be a number of years before the first woman bishop can be ordained and consecrated. 

One of the most moving parts of the service was when we processed into the cathedral.  Hundreds of Anglican bishops from all over the world marching into this ancient site.  I believe that Canterbury Cathedral is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the world.  How many pilgrims like us have walked through these doors and  into these aisles?  How many pilgrims like us have prayed, studied and listened to sermons here.  How many have knelt at these altars and meditated on these windows?

In the service I was seated very near to a monitor which was a lucky break.  Otherwise I would not have been able to see any of the action.  Interestingly, what I noticed in watching the plasma screen was that the image on the screen actually looked better than cold reality.  The picture made the cathedral less gray, more bright and clean.  The people looked brighter, too.  I thought, "Is God saying something to me?"  Perhaps it is to look more for the good and inner brightness in all God's people.

The sermon was powerful and I will leave it to others on this Lambeth Journal site to dwell on it. 

The music was outstanding, as we expected.  But even though I was expecting it, the music lifted and moved me, sometimes almost to tears.  One of the hymns,  "Jesus the Lord said, I am the Bread"  I will try to bring back to the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia.  It is an Indian hymn of unknown origin set to an Urdu melody.  The words and melody worked together to touch my soul.

I will finish now with the words from another hymn familiar to the English bishops but new to me:

Let us build a house where love can dwell
and all can safely live,
a place where saints and children
tell how hearts learn to forgive;
built of hopes and dreams and visions,
rock of faith and vault of grace;
here the love of Christ shall end divisions:
     All are welcome,
     all are welcome,
     all are welcome in this place.

Grace and Peace from Lambeth,

Neff Powell
Southwestern Virginia