Notes from the Albany Trip
Jane Corbett, a parishioner of Dromore Cathedral (pictured standing just behind Bishop Bill) writes about her recent trip to Albany.
"On my return from Maridi at the end of March, Bishop Harold asked me if I would go and give an update on the situation in Maridi at the Albany Convention. So on the 7th June I left Belfast for Newark with a group of six other members of the Diocese.
I was met at Newark by my hosts, the Stecklines, who have been friends now for over ten years, having met Kevin on my first trip to Maridi! I stayed with them for three nights, meeting people from their church and other churches in their area.
On Friday we set off for the Camp in the Woods where the Convention takes place. It
was a three hour drive, with time to attend other workshops before mine - last session of the afternoon at 4.30 and in the Wigwam! It had a good attendance with a lot of interest shown.
I was given the opportunity to address Conference on the Saturday morning and to read an e-mail from Bishop Justin thanking the Diocese for their generous support. It was wonderful for me to be able to share with them and they sent me home with another very generous cheque to give to Bishop Justin for the ongoing work of his
Diocese.
The Convention Conference is a mixture of the business of our Diocesan Synod and lots of social and worship times, as a Diocese. There are also many workshops, up to 11 at a time, on all manner of subjects, including Mission, Prayer and Hearing God.
Trying to get to as many as possible and attend worship, meant charging in an effort to be in the right place at the right time, along with 900 others! There was regular worship throughout the three days, with the bishop's address after Evening Prayer on the Friday finishing with a large Youth Service on the Sunday. Each act was an
unusual combination of High Anglican and Charismatic and a really wonderful experience - "Bells and smells" and modern lively worship all combined!
On the Sunday afternoon I travelled back to Albany and spent time with our group and our various hosts. On Monday morning train to New York down the Hudson Valley, a few hours only in New York and back to the airport for our flight home.
I would like to thank Bishop Harold for giving me the opportunity to attend Convention and to speak again about Maridi and South Sudan, my fellow travellers for their companionship and all my hosts in Albany."
Thank you to Dromore Cathedral's Parish Post where this article first appeared.