The DOMINION ONLINE

September 2008
"The Canon's Corner" Feature Column
Canon Diane M. Porter, Deputy for Episcopal Administration

I am pleased to welcome Mrs. Lillian Ottley, wife of Bishop James Ottley,
as a guest columnist this month.

Spanish/English Translantion by Mary Hessel

THE SPOUSES PROGRAMME at the
LAMBETH CONFERENCE OF BISHOPS

As a delegate to the Spouses Programme at the Lambeth Conference of Bishops held at the University of Kent, Canterbury, England, I will briefly tell you of my experience at this magnificent forum. The conference was held simultaneously with the Lambeth Conference from July 16 to August 3, 2008.

Our program was planned under the direction of Dr. Jane Williams, wife of the Archbishop of Canterbury, with a group of representatives from the Provinces of the Anglican Communion. The planning was so well done that it allowed us to be able to attend some events accompanied by our spouses, as well as having our meals and religious services together with them.

The conference was filled with enthusiasm and included not only religious activities but also recreational activities and hands-on workshops about computers, drama, music, and trips to different towns and cities in the area that allowed us to see historic sites, picturesque gardens and to visit other congregations, or groups of women, like the visits to Rochester, Clifftonville, Seasalter and Tonbridge.

In the majority of these trips, we had the opportunity to interact with the members of these congregations, to share information, and to drink a toast to the women.
One of the outstanding moments of the Conference was when we visited the city of London, beginning with the Walk to emphasize The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The march was made to underscore the necessity of the Church and the Government to fully participate in solving the current problems of poverty, sickness, education, destruction of the environment and violence that affects the majority of people in the world.

After the Walk, we were invited to lunch at Lambeth Palace with the Archbishop and Mrs. Jane Williams, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch and a beautiful view.
Before lunch, the Prime Minister of England, Gordon Brown, gave a talk highlighting the Millennium Development Goals and took the opportunity to acknowledge the Bishops of the Anglican Communion and other Churches for giving importance to the fundamental challenges of this millennium.

After the visit to Lambeth Palace, we were invited by Queen Elizabeth II to Buckingham Palace, where we were feted in the beautiful gardens of the Palace. It was a very special afternoon because we had the opportunity to share a moment with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Our mornings at the University of Kent, Canterbury, where the Conference was held and the majority of the Delegates were housed, began with Morning Prayer followed by a plenary session where themes like the following were presented:

- Sharing our history and listening to others
- Married Life
- My Life and my Vocation, Part 1 and Part 2
- Caretakers of God: The Environment
- We are Equals in the eyes of God
- Abuse of Power and Violence

This last theme merits an additional explanation – it was presented as a stage drama using the Bible text of Samuel 2, 13:1-22. This session was held jointly with the bishops and was impressive because it highlighted the abuse of power and violence, especially against women.

I believe that it’s important to point out that in these plenary sessions (at which we were seated at individual tables of five and six people) we met people from different parts of the world where more than one language was spoken, and on occasion we understood each other using hand gestures and signs. Words were not necessary because we felt united, as if we were a family.

This experience was shared not only by me, but also by my companions. A camaraderie existed and a mutual love between us was in the air in our moments of laughter as well as in our moments of anguish, pain and weeping on hearing the stories of some of our companions.

After our sessions were over we spent time in Bible study directed by a leader. These Bible studies were as inspiring as our sessions. In the planning of these biblical studies, they always tried to have a total of five or six persons per room, which contributed to the closeness and confidence between us for three weeks, and which we hope will last for many years. In these biblical studies we studied the book of St. John the Evangelist.

Personally, it made me reflect on the unity that exists between God and Christ, the Messiah. St. John emphasizes Christ the Messiah who acted and acts with compassion and love, and whose life and ministry was not confined to one place, custom or specific time. In our biblical studies we also shared situations and concerns of our daily lives.

I can say with much happiness and satisfaction that the knowledge acquired from the three Lambeth conferences that I have had the privilege of attending have helped me to grow in my knowledge of the Anglican Communion, to understand the diversity that exists between us and the love that unites us, no matter how different we are or the distance that separates us.

Lillian Ottley
August 8, 2008