Bishop's Writings 

Bishop's Letter   June 2008  

Pilgrimage to Canterbury: Journey to Lambeth

The Sesqui year of Pilgrimage takes another turn on the road as Dwyllis and I prepare to go to the Lambeth Conference, held every 10 years at Canterbury in England.  The Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams invites bishops and spouses from the Anglican Communion to what will be a three week conference which for the bishops commences with a four day retreat in the Cathedral itself.  The conference is held on the campus of Kent University overlooking the town.

The Bishop in Canterbury, the Bishop of Dover Stephen Venner explains, “This year it will differ in some respects from previous gatherings.  The Archbishop has asked that more time is provided for bishops to be fed in their role as leaders in God’s mission, and less devoted to making formal resolutions”.

But as Archbishop Rowan has observed in his Pentecost letter to the bishops, we shall be engaging one another openly and honestly about our commonalities and differences, about being in a Covenant, and doing God’s mission.  So it’s not as if we shall be avoiding the big issues. And there will be some things the same as at previous Lambeth Conferences – the great and moving opening service for the conference in Canterbury Cathedral which will be attended by about 2000 people.  And again there will also be the London Day when bishops and spouses travel to Lambeth Palace in London for lunch and then onto Buckingham Palace as guests of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

And we hope, there will also be time for Dwyllis and me to spend a quiet stroll through the ancient town of Canterbury.  We commence though not in Canterbury, but in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury-Ipswich where we, along with Bishop Aaron and Kavena from Kagera, are guests at a Mission Celebration Weekend. Indeed all the bishops will be going all over Britain to host Dioceses July 12-14 – then on to Canterbury.

Some thought Lambeth would suffer by bishops staying away.  However of the 880 bishops in the Anglican Communion about 740 will be there. A shame the others chose not to attend and be a part of the historic dialogue.

Dwyllis and I have been deeply affected by the pilgrimages we have undertaken around the Diocese with so many people, and now we feel like medieval pilgrims setting off from our Diocese as representatives to journey to Canterbury, the symbolic centre of the Anglican Communion and a place of pilgrimage in memory of the Saint and former Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Beckett.  Thank you for your prayers and goodwill, we are proud to go for this Diocese and we shall take with us your greetings and good wishes to those we meet.

+Tom Brown

Bishop of Wellington

Bishop's Letter June 08 Pdf version

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No reira waiho ko te aroha o Te Matua Kaha Rawa hei korowai mou.
May the love of Almighty God enfold you!