A conference like this can occasionally produce quite hilarious fun. A few evenings ago Maggie and I were sitting at supper with a bunch of Australians, including the McCalls who stayed in the diocese a fortnight ago and Stephen Pickard and his wife who some will remember from their Durham days, when a large nearby tableful of New Zealanders, including a dozen or so Maoris, began celebrating someone’s birthday by singing several national songs. When the Aussies caught on they responded with ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and other bits and pieces, to which the Kiwis responded again, and so on. By this time a good many people in the dining room, a massive hall seating about 350, were looking in our direction, whereupon the Kiwis played their trump card, with the entire group of Maori bishops coming over to our table to perform the Haka at us. Even the Aussies have no answer for that. A good moment. New and old friendships, in worship or round a bottle of wine at the end of a long hot day, are the very stuff of Communion life.
That's from Bishop Tom Wright's mid-conference letter to his diocese. The whole is worth reading, but Anglican Down Under is keen to bring news of 'down under' Anglican influence at Lambeth. Beside, having lost the rugby last night, we Kiwis can bask in winning the 'Big Sing' at Lambeth.
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