Bishop Harold reflects on his most recent visit to Albany
Bishop Harold writes...
Once in a while I have the opportunity to visit Albany Diocese, not so much for a specific event like the Convention, but rather to travel around and spend some time with the Bishop. This September provided me with the chance to make such a visit. Bishop Bill and I spent a good time chatting about the link and looking at the importance of it for both our dioceses. Like ourselves, Albany chose to extend the link for another 3 years last June and this is a great opportunity, under our new Albany Link Co-ordinator, Canon Roderic West, to look at ways of improvng it.
But for now, some 'glimpses' of Albany Diocese. First of all, I was aware again of the warmth of our relationship. I spent time with Bishop Bill and his wife Karen in their cabin in the Adirondacks. Then I spent time with Bishop Dan and Carol at their home. They are both firmly back in the Episcopal Church and very happy to be so - Dan is functioning as a retired but active assistant to Bill. I also met up with Bishop David Bena and his wife Mary Ellen. Bishop David is a bishop with CANA.
The first weekend was spent in a parish with Archdeacon Christopher Brown and his wife Starr at Trinity Church, Potsdam, in the north of the diocese not far from Ottowa. I preached there on the Sunday to a very enthusiastic congregation of all ages - even on Labour Day weekend! But what impressed me most of all was an Adult Bible Study conducted by Chris every Sunday morning for an hour before the service at 9am. I was amazed at the depth of teaching and the commitment to the Word of God.
A sign of American hospitality was an invitation to a 'cook out' being arranged by Canon Bob Haskell and his wife Margaret. Bob is very involved in managing the link at their end and I met up with many different people - some old friends, some new! I also discovered quite a bit about the to-ing and fro-ing between our dioceses which seems to be much more self-starting than it was.
I promised to visit the Sisters of St Mary at their Convent and did so three times during the week. A particularly poignant moment was presiding at the eucharist on The Feast of St Constance and Her Companions - of which I had never heard. These nuns were also called 'The Martyrs of Memphis' and are the predecessors of the sisters in Albany. They stayed in Memphis in the 19th Century during a time of plague to care for the people and several of them died because of their committment. A model of ministry to be admired! The convent has six nuns at present.
The 'keystone' event of my visit was to lead the Retreat for Postulants and Candidates for the Ordained Ministry. In Albany there is a deacons' track and and a priests' track. The deacons who are vocational ie, lifelong, are trained in the diocese and the priests whom I met were in Yale, Nashotah House and Trinity Seminary, Pittsburgh. They were a great bunch and very committed. We looked together at Elijah from 1 Kings - simply expounding and applying the text of scripture. It was a joy.
On the Saturday night Nigel Mumford returned from England to The Spiritual Life Centre and led a healing service. He is a good deal better but needs continued prayer. The ministry of healing, and not least the time and energy-consuming ministry of 'soaking prayer', continues to go well.
On Sunday morning I preached at the Eucharist at the Spiritual Life Centre. I also had time for personal reflection and retreat there and it really is 'heaven on earth'.
Click here to view some images of Albany and the Convention.