Anne did post, but it was on facebook, not here. Sorry there haven't been more blogs.
Yesterday was made entertaining by many things. We didn't really leave Codrington except to take a small walk. In the morning while Anne talked to Ian about follow-up from the workshop and trying to get me more work,I wandered down to the duck and lily-pond and figured out the number of down feathers the Goose GIrl would have needed to make her dress for the Prince's ball. 7200 or more, for those of you who are interested.
We said good-bye to Isaiah and Oswald at noon and after supper respectively.
We went for a small walk after supper, stopping to talk to Junior, who was painting the roof of a cottage for rent ($800 a month). He was a very articulate man. Anne took pictures of practically everything but we couldn't get close enough to the goats to get good pictures of them.
When we got back to the flat Anne had to stop and take pictures of the crapauds (poisonous toads) which I'm sure ruined their night vision for life. Then we had a bat that thought our light was interesting, but while looking for a dark corner hid behind Anne on the couch. Then it got under the couch where Anne could take pictures of it. We finally got the poor traumatized thing swept out the door, and of course it immediately came back in the window. So we repeated the whole performance.
It is Wednesday and we are leaving this afternoon for Miami. Tomorrow we fly to L.A. and have a mutual admiration society meeting.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
A Day of Worship and Fellowship
We started today (Sunday) with worship at the Church of the Holy Trinity, Ruby, St Philip, Barbados (www.anglican.bb/holytrinity). Father Michael Maxwell is the rector there. He was also one of the Total Ministry Workshop attendees. (He brought us his projector when the bulbs burned out in both the college's projectors; thank you, Michael!) Michael picked up Delia (that would be Mother Delia) and myself, Father Oswald from Guyana, and Father Isaiah from St Kitts. Isaiah (pronounced eye-z-eye-uh) was assigned to Holy Trinity while he was in seminary at Codrington College. Isaiah celebrated mass today.
Inside Holy Trinity. The church is wired! See the video screens at the front above the choir section. There are also video screens facing both directions at the crossing. The words of hymns and prayers are displayed to be sung or read.
Inside Holy Trinity. The church is wired! See the video screens at the front above the choir section. There are also video screens facing both directions at the crossing. The words of hymns and prayers are displayed to be sung or read.
Lovely stained glass behind Holy Trinity altar. Fish and flowers are dominant features of this beautiful island. In the lower part of the center pane can be seen the church and its community.
August is youth month. Also during August, the choir is on vacation. Some of the young people led the singing at worship.
Today was Holy Trinity's parish picnic to which we were graciously invited. They had chartered buses to take everyone up to the east coast to Barclay Park.
August is youth month. Also during August, the choir is on vacation. Some of the young people led the singing at worship.
Today was Holy Trinity's parish picnic to which we were graciously invited. They had chartered buses to take everyone up to the east coast to Barclay Park.
There were four chartered coaches total. These were some of the people riding with us.
We passed the Emancipation Statue. It is a powerful image! The picture is fuzzy because it was shot through the bus window.
A good time was had by all at the picnic... children playing...
the men playing....
the youth group hanging out together....
It was a wonderful day! We ate local food (great lamb stew over rice), talked with parishioners, and generally absorbed the Bajan (Barbadian) feel of the day.
We passed the Emancipation Statue. It is a powerful image! The picture is fuzzy because it was shot through the bus window.
A good time was had by all at the picnic... children playing...
the men playing....
the youth group hanging out together....
It was a wonderful day! We ate local food (great lamb stew over rice), talked with parishioners, and generally absorbed the Bajan (Barbadian) feel of the day.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
in the rainy season you get rain
So it is a beautiful day today, if you are a duck or if you like rain. It keeps the temperature down and is actually very pretty. And we do have ducks here at Codrington College.
Tomorrow we are off to Church at 7:15 a.m., with a picnic on the ocean side afterwards (bring clothes to change into, but not swim wear.) It is always fun to listen to people talk island politics; it is like listening to Colusa people talk politics, as there are about as many people on each island, more or less. Barbados, of course, being so big, has a lot more people.
The water out of the tap here in Barbados is potable, except on the southeastern stretch of the island during the rainy season. Guess where Codrington is... Anne very carefully makes sure we have potable water in the flat.
Now that we are on vacation for real, we have to pay for the flat. But it includes 3 meals a day, which is a wonderful addition. And the food is not geared towards Americans, but is real island food for island people. Some of it we don't like so well, and some of it is wonderful (cheesy breadfriut). I am getting served fish at least once a day, but since it is usually Tobago flying fish, I am a happy camper. The flying fish is a small fish, cut in half (gutted and de-headed), and fried up.
The Atlantic is a grey stormy mass right now, but it has a beauty all its own. BTW, for anyone who cares, we are 2825 miles from Senegal, Africa. This is the big reason that there is little swimming on the east side of the island. The undertow and strength of the waves coming all the way from Africa can be amazingly horrific.
Tomorrow we are off to Church at 7:15 a.m., with a picnic on the ocean side afterwards (bring clothes to change into, but not swim wear.) It is always fun to listen to people talk island politics; it is like listening to Colusa people talk politics, as there are about as many people on each island, more or less. Barbados, of course, being so big, has a lot more people.
The water out of the tap here in Barbados is potable, except on the southeastern stretch of the island during the rainy season. Guess where Codrington is... Anne very carefully makes sure we have potable water in the flat.
Now that we are on vacation for real, we have to pay for the flat. But it includes 3 meals a day, which is a wonderful addition. And the food is not geared towards Americans, but is real island food for island people. Some of it we don't like so well, and some of it is wonderful (cheesy breadfriut). I am getting served fish at least once a day, but since it is usually Tobago flying fish, I am a happy camper. The flying fish is a small fish, cut in half (gutted and de-headed), and fried up.
The Atlantic is a grey stormy mass right now, but it has a beauty all its own. BTW, for anyone who cares, we are 2825 miles from Senegal, Africa. This is the big reason that there is little swimming on the east side of the island. The undertow and strength of the waves coming all the way from Africa can be amazingly horrific.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Made to feel at home
Friday night; this is great! Although we are all done, everyone (who is still here, and that is about 10 of us) is still very jazzed about Total Ministry. The Archbishop came this morning and and said Mass with us and had breakfast with us. He had to leave at that point, but it was good of him to come. We have had a few "faux pas"s with culture issues, but not very badly.
We naturally expect that everyone here will go home and implement Total Ministry, but of course, each person was here for many different reasons. Grace was sent by the diocese of Jamaica to find out as much as possible and report back. Phillip had come because he is in charge of 13 congregations in Tobago.
If you want to know where I get my sense of humour from, come to the Caribbean. Anne & I have been made to feel right at home and given as much teasing and silliness as everyone else. Naturally, we give as good as we get. It is very nice to be "part of the gang".
On Sunday we have been invited to Church, a church picnic, and a day at the beach (which you can't swim at). That is going to be exciting. It is also possible that Isaiah will be able to help us get to the western beaches and places we might want to go, like the beach. Isaiah is pronounced "Eye-z-eye-ah." As opposed to an ear.
Everyone from the Archbishop and Bishop Thompson to Wendy our chief cook and Joyce our chief bottle washer have been so very wonderful to us. Now that we are not "in session" we have changed out of our collars and skirts and slacks and into shorts and t-shirts.
If it were not tonight, when Anne & I are so very tired, we would be going to Oisin, a town on the south side of the island. Friday nights in Oisin are Fish & Drink nights. Dancing, live music, good food, good drink... I wish it were happening on Monday night, not today.
Anne spent this afternoon taking pictures; we should get some new ones up soon.
We have tentative invitations to come back to Jamaica & Trinidad. As usual with the Church, money is an issue. But that's always an issue.
We naturally expect that everyone here will go home and implement Total Ministry, but of course, each person was here for many different reasons. Grace was sent by the diocese of Jamaica to find out as much as possible and report back. Phillip had come because he is in charge of 13 congregations in Tobago.
If you want to know where I get my sense of humour from, come to the Caribbean. Anne & I have been made to feel right at home and given as much teasing and silliness as everyone else. Naturally, we give as good as we get. It is very nice to be "part of the gang".
On Sunday we have been invited to Church, a church picnic, and a day at the beach (which you can't swim at). That is going to be exciting. It is also possible that Isaiah will be able to help us get to the western beaches and places we might want to go, like the beach. Isaiah is pronounced "Eye-z-eye-ah." As opposed to an ear.
Everyone from the Archbishop and Bishop Thompson to Wendy our chief cook and Joyce our chief bottle washer have been so very wonderful to us. Now that we are not "in session" we have changed out of our collars and skirts and slacks and into shorts and t-shirts.
If it were not tonight, when Anne & I are so very tired, we would be going to Oisin, a town on the south side of the island. Friday nights in Oisin are Fish & Drink nights. Dancing, live music, good food, good drink... I wish it were happening on Monday night, not today.
Anne spent this afternoon taking pictures; we should get some new ones up soon.
We have tentative invitations to come back to Jamaica & Trinidad. As usual with the Church, money is an issue. But that's always an issue.
It's FRIDAY already???
It seems incredible that it's Friday, but here we are at the last day of the conference. I'm not doing really well with the blogging but am trying to do my best. This conference is really exhausting, but I don't know how to cut it down.
We have people here from 6 out of the 8 dioceses of the Province of the West Indies, which I think is really good. Only one Bishop, and that is Bishop Thompson, who introduced the concept of total ministry to the Province. Everyone is so nice here, and we feel very at home (we are getting the same amount of teasing as everyone else here, as well as dishing it out.)
We have covered almost all our topics except Tradition and Reason: Ecclesiology, methodology, trust issues, servant leadership, you name it... we have probably at least touched on it.
Anne is now known as "the one who doesn't sleep" and I am "the one who does sleep". It's the difference between introvert and extrovert.
We have people here from 6 out of the 8 dioceses of the Province of the West Indies, which I think is really good. Only one Bishop, and that is Bishop Thompson, who introduced the concept of total ministry to the Province. Everyone is so nice here, and we feel very at home (we are getting the same amount of teasing as everyone else here, as well as dishing it out.)
We have covered almost all our topics except Tradition and Reason: Ecclesiology, methodology, trust issues, servant leadership, you name it... we have probably at least touched on it.
Anne is now known as "the one who doesn't sleep" and I am "the one who does sleep". It's the difference between introvert and extrovert.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Workshop so far (with photos)
Delia and Anne looking all official and ready to go on Tuesday, 10 Aug 2010. Delia presented most of Tuesday: Introduction to Total Ministry, Total Ministry - What and Why, and Total Ministry and Scripture. Anne picked up Tuesday evening and continued through most of Wednesday with The Baptismal Covenant, Total Ministry Process, and Ministry Team Model (OSHEAP). Wednesday evening we had a lively and fun brainstorming session on what could be done to "soften the ground" before starting the Total Ministry process in a diocese or with a congregation. Thursday was Delia's day with some of the heavier topics: Ecclesiology, Total Ministry and Hierarchy, Power Issues, and Trust Issues.
Here are many of the attendees of the Total Ministry Workshop at Codrington College.
Front row (l to r): Ian Rock, Junior Ballantyne, Anderson Maxwell, Antoinette Wright, Raymond Coxall, Miguelle Christopher, Evan Semple.
Back row (l to r): Philip Isaac, Robert Thompson, Winston Mulcare, Grace Jervis, Clive Thomas, Delia Fay, Isaiah Phillip, Oswald Barnes, Anne Fay.
Not shown: Alric Francis, Beverly Sealy-Knight, Michael Maxwell, Pam Greaves, Peter Boxill, Reginald Knight, Reid Simon, Robert McLean.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Total Ministry Seminar starts tomorrow!
Total Ministry Seminar starts tomorrow! The folders are all ready for the participants, the room has been arranged, nametags and placetags are ready. Matins and mass are at 7 am tomorrow and then we are off running.
Today was a pretty laid back day. It started with breakfast in the refectory, progressing to meeting Codrington College Principal Dr Ian Rock; working out the final details of the seminar; getting an historical tour of the college; and generally being ready for the big day tomorrow. This afternoon was spent napping and reading.
This evening we had the pleasure of meeting some of the workshop participants who flew in from various other islands. We spoke with Bishop Robert Thompson who introduced the idea for Total Ministry as an option for the Anglican Province of the West Indies to explore. We have met participants from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and one of the other dioceses.
One of the Trinidadian attendees connected our names with a physics professor he had years ago when he was a student at the University of the West Indies (UWI). That was my dad, Louis Fay. He taught Physics at UWI, St. Augustine from 1968 to 1973. The gentleman knew of my mother, Dr Alice Fay, a professor over in chemistry, but had never taken a class from her. It is a small and wonderful world.
Pictures to follow when I get the opportunity to download them.
Please keep us in your prayers.
Today was a pretty laid back day. It started with breakfast in the refectory, progressing to meeting Codrington College Principal Dr Ian Rock; working out the final details of the seminar; getting an historical tour of the college; and generally being ready for the big day tomorrow. This afternoon was spent napping and reading.
This evening we had the pleasure of meeting some of the workshop participants who flew in from various other islands. We spoke with Bishop Robert Thompson who introduced the idea for Total Ministry as an option for the Anglican Province of the West Indies to explore. We have met participants from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and one of the other dioceses.
One of the Trinidadian attendees connected our names with a physics professor he had years ago when he was a student at the University of the West Indies (UWI). That was my dad, Louis Fay. He taught Physics at UWI, St. Augustine from 1968 to 1973. The gentleman knew of my mother, Dr Alice Fay, a professor over in chemistry, but had never taken a class from her. It is a small and wonderful world.
Pictures to follow when I get the opportunity to download them.
Please keep us in your prayers.
Anne and I have arrived in Barbados! What a lovely place, and Codrington College absolutely reeks of history. I think some of the buildings and woodwork (inside) date back to the 1600s.
We have met with Dr. Ian Rock, our host, and he is a wonder. He is coordinating this whole thing for us. We will start very early tomorrow. Anne has set up the room we will be in and so we are all ready to go. There are name tags for everyone and they all have assigned seating. Even me. BTW, Ian has a book coming out about the Book of Romans, and it promises to be great!
The Island is wonderful, and we can see the Atlantic ocean out of our apartment window. It is about a mile down to the beach, but Ian doesn' know how to get down there.
Well, play time is over. It's time for work!
We have met with Dr. Ian Rock, our host, and he is a wonder. He is coordinating this whole thing for us. We will start very early tomorrow. Anne has set up the room we will be in and so we are all ready to go. There are name tags for everyone and they all have assigned seating. Even me. BTW, Ian has a book coming out about the Book of Romans, and it promises to be great!
The Island is wonderful, and we can see the Atlantic ocean out of our apartment window. It is about a mile down to the beach, but Ian doesn' know how to get down there.
Well, play time is over. It's time for work!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
फ़क्तिओद फिन्दिंग मिस्सिओं फॉर बारबाडोस.
Here's a look at Barbados:
Pople who live in Barbados call themselves "Bajans".
The Island is about 20 miles by 10 miles in the shape of a teardrop, North to South.
The eastern shore is the Atlantic Ocean, and while you can wade in tidal pools and swim in sheltered beaches, it is best to just admire the view. The waves come all the way from Africa.
The western shore is very touristy, and there are many fine beaches and snorkelling and that sort of thing.
Yes, there really is a "St. Swithin's Church" in Barbados. St. Swithin is the patron saint of rain and is usually known in the United States in things like "St. Swithin's in the Swamp". We will send pictures.
The economy is based on tourism.
Barbados is considered 98% Anglican.
ANNE: WHY IS MY TITLE LINE IN HINDI???
Pople who live in Barbados call themselves "Bajans".
The Island is about 20 miles by 10 miles in the shape of a teardrop, North to South.
The eastern shore is the Atlantic Ocean, and while you can wade in tidal pools and swim in sheltered beaches, it is best to just admire the view. The waves come all the way from Africa.
The western shore is very touristy, and there are many fine beaches and snorkelling and that sort of thing.
Yes, there really is a "St. Swithin's Church" in Barbados. St. Swithin is the patron saint of rain and is usually known in the United States in things like "St. Swithin's in the Swamp". We will send pictures.
The economy is based on tourism.
Barbados is considered 98% Anglican.
ANNE: WHY IS MY TITLE LINE IN HINDI???
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