On the 30 June, 26 delegates from the Diocese representing 10 different parishes and the Diocesan Youth Council left on a midnight flight to Manchester via Dubai. A big delegation from the Diocese of Lichfield was at Manchester Airport to welcome us. Many of our delegates were delayed at the immigration due to a slight miscommunication with the officers concerning the purpose of our visit. They have no clue as to what CrossTalk is all about. We praise God for the Anglican Chaplain of the Airport who was helpful and managed to get clearance for all of us easily.
The first week of our delegates were spent with their host parishes for some orientation and familiarization of the British way of life and culture. Everyone was sent to the parish that his own parish was linked with for the past two years. The second week began with the CrossTalk Conference in a retreat house in Swanwick. There were more than 200 people attending the conference. There were people from the Diocese of Qu’Appelle Canada, Matlosane South Africa, Meklenburg Germany, Kuching, Sabah, Lichfield and our Diocese. It was a conference of getting to know and learning to build relations with each other for mission. Bishop Gordon Mursell was the bible study speaker. There were lots of small groups sharing and discussions where everyone could participate. After the conference, again all the delegates returned to their host parishes where they were brought to schools, parish events, services and special functions. Everyone has opportunity to share their experiences and testimonies with their host family and churches. On the second Saturday evening over 300 people gathered at a church in Stafford for the CrossTalk Festival. All the different Dioceses presented their special items in national or cultural costumes. Our delegation presented a medley song and a sign language dance. The Festival concluded with a Chinese dinner nearby. The following evening saw an even larger crowd congregated at the Cathedral in Lichfield for the climax moment at a service for the signing of a new covenant of companion link for another 10 years. We saw that the Diocese of Singapore has also joined in the covenant of companion link with Lichfield for the first time. It was a grand occasion with a very beautiful and meaningful service. The next morning all of us were brought to Leicester to join the international youth gathering with many bishops from all over the world. There were 17 nations represented at the fantastic and wonderful gathering which was graced by the Archbishop of York, the Most Rev. John Sentamu. Unknowingly, when our bodies began to get accustomed and adjusted to the time and weather, it was time to pack and returned home on the 16 July. The youth was fortunate to stay on for another week for a Youth Conference. They have some extra programmes and finally they too have to leave Manchester on the 22 July.
It was a good programme. It has also strengthened our links with Lichfield Diocese and the parishes. I have invited our Lichfield counterpart to visit us in 2010 when we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of our Diocese. The parish to parish link that was started should continue and to play host in 2010. We will have special events for the senior citizens, women, youth and parish delegates which will be spread throughout the whole year. I wish to specially thank Lichfield Diocese, Bishop Jonathan Gledhill, all the other bishops, Archdeacons, the Cathedral members and all the parishes that took part in the CrossTalk. Of course we cannot forget Preb. Dr. Michael Sheard, the World Mission Officer.
..with Bishops of the Companion Dioceses
..with Bishop Jonathan Gledhill
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LAMBETH CONFERENCE 2008
After the Lichfield event, on the 16 July, Bishop Jonathan Gledhill and Jane took me with them to the University of Kent in Canterbury. The Lambeth Conference was held in the University campus and occupied the whole space which is quite large in area size. All of us have to walk a great deal for the whole 3 weeks because we were housed in one corner and the meeting places and eating places are in the opposite end which is separated about 10 to 15 minutes walk from each other. We have to walk many trips a day. The City of Canterbury is only 30 minutes walk away. Most of us initially complained and slowly accepted the fact after one week. The weather was good, a beautiful English summer. The Conference was translated in 8 languages with English as the main language. There were 670 bishops and 580 spouses, over 100 Ecumenical bishops and heads, over 200 stewards and helpers. The security was tight where strangers and the media were barred from entering the worship, eating, meeting and residential areas. At first we thought that it might be the English way of life where all of us have to queue for everything; for our meals, services, bus trips, registration etc. Later we found out that it was due to the lack of facility in the University to cater for such a large group of people.
The first three days were devoted for a Conference Retreat and it was conducted in Canterbury Cathedral. Archbishop Rowan Williams was the retreat speaker. The fourth day signaled the beginning of the Conference proper. There was a daily morning prayer at 6.30am, Eucharist at 7.15am, Breakfast at 8.30am, bible study at 9.15am, Indaba at 11.00am, Lunch at 1.00pm, Hearings at 2.00pm, Self Select Sessions at 4.00pm, Evening Worship at 5.45pm, Dinner at 7.00pm, and Plenary at 8.00pm. The Spouses Conference has a different programme. The Bible study was on the Gospel of John on the theme: “Jesus says, I AM…..” in a group of 8. The Indaba (which was a Zulu word for communal discussion and hearing in conflict resolution) topics were focused on the role and identity of the Bishop, such as the Bishop and Mission, Social Justice, Scripture, Theological Education, Millennium Development Goals, Sexuality, Windsor Report, Anglican Covenant, Global Warming etc. 5 Bible study groups together formed one Indaba group. A reporteur was appointed as the scribe and reporter for each Indaba group. Each day he recorded all the discussions and summarized it and reproduced to the group the next morning for confirmation. Having confirmed it, he submitted it to the Hearing group for collation. Every group did the same so each day there was 16 reports. The collation group collated them together and re-presented it back to the group at the after Hearing Sessions where all the bishops congregated together and openly discussed or commented. This went on for all the sessions until there was a collective understanding and consensus of the final outcome which was now uploaded in the Lambeth Conference official website. The final outcome of the Indaba findings was a reaffirmation of the Lambeth 1998 Resolution 1:10 and the Tanzania Appeal for Moratoria of the same sex blessing, ordination of gay and homosexual, and cross border incursions. Of course, the sexuality issue is only one of the many issues decided. There was consensus on the issues on Reducing Poverty, Enhancing the Reduction of Green House Gases, Mission to the Unreached and Unchurched, Reconciliation and Restoration of Rights to the Displaced, Marginalised, Migrant Workers, Multi-Faith Dialogues, Ecumenical Dialogues, Social Justice, Church Growth and New Expressions, etc. There were lots of honest discussions and sharing. It was an eye-opener for me to know that there were still many American bishops who are not in agreement with the Episcopal Church General Convention but remain in the Episcopal Church. As usual most of those who spoke at the Hearings were the Americans, the British and the Africans. The Asian voice was largely unheard but they contributed at the Indaba and Bible Study groups. The Plenery sessions were appropriate and good. We have almost every night a different speaker. Brian McLaren spoke on the ‘The Relevance of the Church in the Changing Times’. The other speakers were Cardinal Dias, Jewish Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and others. There was one afternoon in the second week, where about 17 Primates and 150 bishops from all over the world including those from the Global South, some English, some American and some Ecumenical bishops, gathered for a solidarity meeting for biblical orthodoxy. The Statement from this group was uploaded in the Global South official website.
On the 24 July, it was the London Day where 50 buses ferried all of us to London for the Walk Of Witness and to Buckingham Palace. Very early in the morning all the bishops were in purple cassocks and the spouses in national costumes went to Whitehall in London getting ready for the Walk Of Witness. This was deliberately done to remind and pressure the First World of the United Nation Millennium Development Goal Resolution in 2000 to put more efforts for the realization of reducing poverty in the world to half by 2015. From Whitehall we walked pass Downing Street, Westminster Abbey, Westminster, Big Ben, Lambeth Bridge until we reached Lambeth Palace. At Lambeth Palace, the Anglican Observer to United Nation, Archbishop Rowan Williams and the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown took turns to speak of the need to speed up the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal. Lunch followed at the Lambeth Palace. After lunch, we were brought to Buckingham Palace at the invitation of HM Queen Elizabeth II. The security was very tight and no media were allowed except the Lambeth Conference official photographer. To my greatest surprise, I was chosen by the Archbishop of Canterbury as one of the 10 bishops to greet the Queen in the Green. The 10 bishops and spouses were briefed on the manner we should have while greeting the Queen. On the dot of 4pm, the Queen and the royal family came out of the Palace and walk to the green to greet us. Archbishop Rowan Williams accompanied the Queen and introduced us one by one to her. Archbishop John Sentamu accompanied the Duke of Edinburgh and introduced us to him. After this event, the Queen went to the crowd and greeted the rest. We have tea at the Palace Ground. It was a long day and everyone was exhausted at the end of the day.
Meeting Queen Elizabeth at the Garden Party at Buckingham Palace during the Lambeth Conference 2008.
This Lambeth Conference was a worthwhile experience for me though I was reluctant to attend initially. I was really humbled by the enormous organizational preparation led by the chairperson, an Australian in the person of Ms. Sue Parks. I was privileged to know many bishops with whom many of them are living in a better condition than me, and also many in a much worst condition than us in Malaysia. The most remarkable fact was when I learnt from my fellow bishop from Papua New Guinea that in 2003 he has found a complete new tribe in one of the mountains who are still living in a very primitive style, without clothing and without human contact before. This is really the lost tribe. There are five more mountains to be uncovered. He has to walk 4 days to get to this new tribe. All those in my Bible study group have been so closed that we agreed to stay in contact and pray for one another. In my group were an American, two Japanese, two South Africans, one Congolese, one English man and me. It was as though a good Bishop’s Retreat for me. The Conference Retreat was very relevant and good to us. The Canterbury Cathedral was just excellent for silence and contemplative prayers. Its crypt was so huge and serene and is like a ‘prayer mountain’. It can contain 20 large churches of Malaysian size. The Opening and Closing Eucharist were held in the Cathedral. The procession of the bishops itself takes more than half an hour.
I wish to thank all of you for praying for me and the Conference. I also wish to give thanks to God Almighty for reigning sovereignly over the Communion and each of the bishops and us all.
Bishop Moon Hing
Diocesan Synod 2008
28 August 2008
