Morning on the Last Day of Lambeth Conference

It is the last day of the Lambeth Conference and the subject for the bishops today is:

Preparing to Go Home:
The bishop as a leader in God’s mission

I note, as I pray my way into this good day in thankgsiving for all God's many blessings over these last challenging weeks in Canterbury, that our bishops are being asked to frame their "going home" reflections in the context of being leaders in God's misison.


Not preservers of the institutional unity of the Anglican Communion.

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Not sacrificers of some of the baptized in response to the demands of others.

"Leaders in God's mission." And who better to remind us what the mission is that the One who calls us to follow him in bringing that kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven?
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Hear again His words in the Fourth Chapter of the Gospel According to Luke:
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Jesus stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
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'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
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And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
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Let's pray for our bishops that they continue to find the courage and witness to speak truth to the powers that would replace God's mission with their own ... and that as the dust from Lambeth Conference 2008 settles, we get back to work on making the "year of the Lord's favor" not just a proclamation but a realization for ALL people.