5-20-2011
What a day! My flight from Charlotte arrived at 7:30 AM
this morning, and it was go, go, go from there.
I met Ruth (Bloomsbury’s minister) at Victoria Station after getting
through customs and all of the rigmarole of airport security. I am staying with Ruth and her husband (Ian)
at their flat for the first month I’m here.
After settling in at the flat, we headed over to see Bloomsbury. What a place!
It is right in the middle of London, just several blocks from the
British Museum, and about a twenty-five minute walk from where I am staying.
The city is bustling with energy. It’s
hard to concentrate on just walking around because there are so many people,
sounds, and sights to take in. I got to
tour the church and meet several of the staff and volunteers. The sanctuary has been modified -- where most
churches have a narthex, this one has a fish-bowl type room that is used for an
open tea. It is kind of like the Today
Show because you can see what’s happening on the sidewalks. If one were walking
down the street they could peer right inside.
We made a house visit this afternoon to two ladies who are members of
Bloomsbury. About 4:00 I headed home (I
walked the same way we came) and took in a little bit more of the city. I then proceeded to crash for about five
hours. I ended the night with a walk around
the neighborhood and a nightcap of Guinness and ice cream. Not a bad start! More to come…
5-21-2011
Finally rested…My head hit
the pillow about eleven o’clock and I’m not sure I even rolled over until nine
or so this morning. I got to spend a
couple of hours with Ian (and was pleased to learn he’s an NFL fan -- perhaps
another Panther in the making!) We visited for most of the morning and then
headed over to Bloomsbury for lunch with Ruth.
I spent some time catching up on emails and skypes and then headed over
to the British Museum. Sensory
overload! I made a pointed decision to tackle the museum on
multiple days, so I bought a museum guide with ten mini-tours. Today was Ancient Egypt, Greece, and
Rome. It is pretty remarkable to see the
Rosetta stone. Much like the Liberty
Bell and the Mona Lisa, it is kind of anti-climactic to see because there are
tons of people around it, and it is all cased-up in glass. Still, it is amazing to be so close to such
an important tool for understanding ancient cultures. The Assyrian displays were
graphically violent, but fascinating, especially after reading about them in
Old Testament this semester. The
Parthenon art is a must see too. And of
course, the mummies!!! Can’t wait to
see tour number two. After the museum I
browsed through a few souvenir shops -- I am hoping I can find plenty of
obnoxious trinkets to pass on to John and Todd and Harry, and another grilling
apron for the collection. I think the
David Statue needs another buddy. And
then I just walked around some more. The
weather has been very sunny and cloudless, and I would guess in the high
fifties or low sixties. It feels a lot
like Boone in the early fall or late spring.
I saw some dude in an Atlanta Braves hat today too -- I am pretty sure
he has no idea who they are though. He
appeared to have an “A theme” going on, and I’m guessing he found the hat
useful in that endeavor. I also found
out that the Queen musical We Will Rock You is playing at one of the
venues close to Bloomsbury. There’s a
giant golden statue of Freddie Mercury out front. Picture to follow soon on that one. I’m also reminded of North Carolina
everywhere I go. One of the streets we
walk on the way to Bloomsbury is Guilford Place, and it intersects with
Mecklenburgh (assuming Charlotte dropped the H back in the day). All I need to see now is a little Sir Walter
Raleigh and the big three DMAs will be covered.
(Harry, I’ll be sure to stick a Camel in his fingers if there’s not one
already in his statue). Tomorrow is the first Sunday with Bloomsbury, followed
by a Christian Aid Walk that should allow me to see a great deal of the city. I
ended the day with a dinner and great conversation at the flat. All for now.
5-22-2011
Another very full, but very
fun day. We headed off to Bloomsbury
about eight-thirty this morning. We stopped at Costa Coffee for a few moments
of quiet before the Sunday services.
When I got to church, I helped Ian set the tables in the fellowship hall
for the Sunday Lunch -- Bloomsbury feeds about ninety folks each Sunday, and
twenty-five of those meals are for homeless folks. The hall also serves as a gathering place for
church members and visitors alike for tea before and after services. I had the chance to visit with many of the
church members before and after the service.
The congregation is diverse, friendly, and enthusiastic. The services are well-planned,
thought-provoking, and full of joy. It
was also great to hear Ruth preach this morning. She challenged us to really think about how
we view John’s “way, truth, and light.” After the morning service, I joined the
Bloomsbury youth on a three-mile Christian Aid walk. It brought back memories of CROP Walk, but it
was much more elaborate. The walk took
you through many of the historic churches in London -- we stopped at one where
William Penn had been baptized and John Quincy Adams had been married. Each church had games, face-painting, balloon
animals, and other entertainment the kids could enjoy, and of course plenty of
cakes and cookies. We walked through the
financial district, and down through around the Tower of London, stopping at
about twelve churches from various centuries.
I think the monument for the Great Fire of London was the most
impressive thing we passed along the way.
It was also really fun to get to know the youth and youth leaders a little
better, and to hear some unique perspectives on the city. We got back to the church around five-thirty
in time for evening services. Closed the
evening with another nice dinner at the flat with Ruth and Ian. It’s only been a few days, but I can already
tell I have a lot to learn about British Baptist life. I can’t wait to soak up what Bloomsbury has
to offer.
5-23-2011
I started the day with a walk
into Bloomsbury mixed with some wandering…some of it was intentional, some of
it not so much. The street names change
like Providence Road and Queens Road in Charlotte. Instead of using Harris Teeters as landmarks
you have to use Costa Coffee and Italian Caffe Nero stores. Either way, I still managed to arrive on
time. I sat with Libby at the front desk
this morning. It was cool to just watch
all the comings and goings along the London Sidewalk (Shaftesbury Avenue). There weren’t too many visitors for coffee
today, but lots of kids. The church
rents out rooms during the week, and many of the theater groups do performances
here. Today was Oliver Twist. Lots of ten-year olds hoping to make it big I
guess. The folks that work in the
downstairs office got to hear the same chorus line about fifty times. It will be hard to get that out of their heads
I bet! About two-thirty, I headed out to
do some exploring. I walked down
Kingsway to the Waterloo Bridge, and had lunch in a pub that looked out over
the neighborhood. Then I went to the
Transportation Museum. It is
awesome! They have all kinds of old
buses and trains and carriages and taxis.
My nephews would have been very impressed. After the museum, I wandered through Soho and
Piccadilly Circus and the theater district and made my way back to
Bloomsbury. Lots of interesting shops,
plenty of people-watching, and all sorts of restaurants. I am getting better at crossing the street,
but my head still feels like its on a swivel.
Those big ole’ double-decker busses come rumbling past you and it makes
you really, really wanna wait for the walk signal. But y’all know me too well -- I would wait
anyway. I met Ian at six-thirty, and we
went to a house meeting. It was great to
meet more new faces. We spent the time
telling stories, and also planning an evening worship service that this group
will lead in July. I ended the night
with my first trip on the Tube, and what Ian tells me is the longest, tallest
escalator in the London Underground. It
was steep, and I am glad I didn’t have to climb it. More to come.
Day
Five
5-24-2011
Day five already?? Tuesday is a big day at Bloomsbury. I started the day with a traditional English breakfast at a little diner across from the church -- Eggs over-easy, bacon, sausage, toast, baked beans, mushrooms, coffee, and orange juice. It was money!!! I also perused a USA Today with plenty of outdated box scores. It is a helpful tool for the weather though because you don't have to do a temperature conversion. I got to church about 10:00. There are a group of folks who gather each Tuesday morning for tea and boardgames, followed by a lunch program, followed by more tea and boardgames. The boardgames are not for the faint of heart. I played with some very serious domino-players (Richard, Joan, Dorothy, and Michael). I will enjoy getting to know them! The lunch-speaker was a man who performed 1930s British show tunes -- He was entertaining. It was a good afternoon. I finished up with checking emails and finally getting around to downloading some pictures from my camera. Freddie Mercury, and some pics of the British Museum and Transportation Museum are now up on blogs for days two and four. More pics soon I hope.
Day five already?? Tuesday is a big day at Bloomsbury. I started the day with a traditional English breakfast at a little diner across from the church -- Eggs over-easy, bacon, sausage, toast, baked beans, mushrooms, coffee, and orange juice. It was money!!! I also perused a USA Today with plenty of outdated box scores. It is a helpful tool for the weather though because you don't have to do a temperature conversion. I got to church about 10:00. There are a group of folks who gather each Tuesday morning for tea and boardgames, followed by a lunch program, followed by more tea and boardgames. The boardgames are not for the faint of heart. I played with some very serious domino-players (Richard, Joan, Dorothy, and Michael). I will enjoy getting to know them! The lunch-speaker was a man who performed 1930s British show tunes -- He was entertaining. It was a good afternoon. I finished up with checking emails and finally getting around to downloading some pictures from my camera. Freddie Mercury, and some pics of the British Museum and Transportation Museum are now up on blogs for days two and four. More pics soon I hope.
Day Six
5-25-2011
I realize that Winston-Salem,
North Carolina will never be considered one of the world’s biggest cities --
For that matter, neither will Greenville or Charlotte or Atlanta, the other
places I’ve lived. Still, I like to
think I’ve seen busy places. Football
games, shopping malls, and office buildings all have their hustle and bustle,
but they are nothing compared to the London Underground. I took the train to my first appointment on
Wednesday. I went down the escalator
that Ian told me was London’s tallest, and I certainly believe him. The steepness was impressive, but the amount
of people was more impressive. If I’d
have had my ipod in, I would have shuffled to find Dave Matthews Ants
Marching. There were so many people,
all heading off to their respective places for the morning. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt so small, and yet
so big at the same time. And then there
was the actual tube itself! I jumped on
a train to London Bridge station. The
train was packed! I think I finally
understand the life of a canned sardine.
The experience is akin to the whole town of Winston-Salem jumping in the
back of three or four U-Haul trucks and barreling down Silas Creek Parkway at
warp speed, stopping every few moments to load and unload passengers. A great experience to be sure!
At 10:07 (those London trains
run on time) I met Andrea (one of the Bloomsbury gang) to go visit Harold and
Barbara (two Bloomsbury members). We had
a nice visit. Afterwards, we headed back
to Bloomsbury, where I got to sit in on my first staff meeting. I also spent some time visiting with other
Bloomsbury folk within the building, and worked on a few smaller projects and
emails. At about six o’clock, Ruth and I
went to a meeting for an Interfaith council of Camden (the section of London to
which Bloomsbury belongs). The meeting
centered around how houses of faith can respond to emergency situations. Most churches, synagogues, temples, and
mosques are equipped for crisis because their buildings are multi-functional,
and they have plenty of folks who can provide pastoral care. This group is working to have a coordinated
response in the event of a city-wide flood or fire or other catastrophe. After that meeting, I headed back to
Bloomsbury about eight o’clock to catch the tail end of an Exchange meeting,
Bloomsbury’s weekly Bible Study. It was
good to meet more new faces, and to ponder Acts Chapters 18-19. After the meetings, we headed across the
street for a few pints at a fair-trade pub (who knew?) Overall, a very good day.
And Katie, Reagan and Debbie
-- Just in case you were wondering…No Pippa sightings yet. I do, however, have great confidence than
when word begins spreading about a handsome, young, aspiring, American minister
spending the summer in London, she’ll pop up.
Call it a hunch.
Day Seven
5-26-2011
Can’t believe I’ve been over
here for a week. Time is flying by. Today was a day for pastoral visits. I started the morning with a long walk to
work and some postcard-writing over a very strong cup of coffee. After a few emails and some catching up, I
joined Ruth to visit two women who live several blocks away. We helped them pack a few boxes of books and
visited for a few moments. Then we
helped them load the boxes into a storage unit.
On our walk back to the church, we were greeted by my first real London
shower. These were some big ‘ole rain
drops! We returned soggy, but no worse
for the wear! I did a little makeshift
drying off with some of the hand-dryers in the bathroom. I get to preach on Sunday night, so I spent a
little time preparing. At about three o’clock,
Andrea and I went to visit another long-time Bloomsbury couple to the south of
the city. We had a long chat. It was fun to hear about several decades of
Bloomsbury history, and to compare Prime Ministers and Presidents. After some pints and dinner, I headed back to
the flat. This city is certainly a
different place from where we live. And
there are obvious subtleties between British and American Baptists. Still, it is great to do visits like this
because you are reminded how similar church communities are. We’re reminded of the universal power of
listening, of caring, of sharing, and of simply being in community.
Day Eight
5-27-2011
One week ago I was flying
into London, groggy and weary, and wondering what in the world I was getting
myself into. A week later, I walked into
work this morning, navigating my turns with ease. As a matter fact, two people even stopped to
ask me for directions. One I was able to
help, and the other not a chance. But
hey, fifty percent is not too shabby. On
the way to work, I stopped in for a Café Mocha -- it was good. Not as sweet as what we drink in America, and
it added a little pep to my step. I
spent about an hour and half talking with Bill (he was running the Open Doors
for the church this morning -- the welcome area that opens to Shaftesbury
Avenue) and Lloyd (one of the Tuesday gang who always stops by to have some tea
and chat with whoever is up front). I
enjoyed our conversation very much.
Theology, art, the origins of banking holidays, education…we tackled
them all. Bloomsbury folk are just fun
to talk to. I spent a little more time
planning out the Sunday night service.
It all seems to be in working order.
I’m looking forward to leading it.
I’m sure I’ll find a quiet place to practice my sermon a time or two
before Sunday. About four o’clock I got
a wild hair and decided I would go see a show tonight. I purchased a ticket to The Thirty-Nine
Steps, a Hitchcock remake at the Criterion Theatre, right in the middle of
Piccadilly Circus. (By the way, as of
yet, I have not seen any Piccadilly Cafeterias in the PC yet, but you know I’d
stop for some fried chicken and mashed potatoes if they did have one). I ended up getting my ticket about five, but
the show doesn’t start till eight. For a
moment, I was wondering what I’d do with myself for three hours. I didn’t have to wonder very long. I walked to Trafalgar Square and St. James
Park…I remember why they captured my attention the last time I was here. So as I type this blog entry, I am watching
the hustle and bustle of Trafalgar at 6PM.
Also, when you turn the corner and look down the national mall -- the
arch on one side, the palace on the other -- it is indescribable. If only “wow!” were a big enough word. The stern looks and stances of the Palace
Guard are very cool, not to mention the ivy along the buildings. And just when you think there couldn’t be
anything more to see, you come to Whitehall.
There’s just soooooo much history and soooooo many people and soooooo
many things to see!!! If only I had
three hours to kill more often! Okay, so
off to treat myself to a steak dinner and a pint or two. I’ll let you know tomorrow what I think of
the show.
Eleven o’clock…No steak
dinner tonight -- the restaurants were too crowded. I had spaghetti and glass of merlot at a little
café near the theatre. It wasn’t bad,
and it was a nice place to sit and people-watch. It was only once I had been inside the
Criterion that I realized Harry and I had been there thirteen years ago (can’t
be that long!) for a matinee when we visited London. The stage sits well below the street, and the
front door is right across from the famous SANYO billboard. The play was fantastic. It’s a four-person performance where two of
the men play multiple characters. The
actors were so energetic and physical and funny. And the stage props were really, really
clever. I would recommend the show to
anyone. It was also fun to walk home on
a busy Friday night. It will be more fun
to going to bed with a whole new set of memories and with anticipation for another
set tomorrow. And while I’m thinking
about it, how about a sweep of those BoSox this weekend in Atlanta?
Day Nine
5-28-2011
Well let me start by saying
that I read the box scores too carelessly yesterday. A sweep of the Reds (Not the Red Sox) would have been nice, but a 12-inning victory
and game-winner by Chipper last night was nice to read about this morning. Now if only those Phillies will lose! It’s funny -- I skyped home yesterday, and
face-booked a few friends…Everyone wanted to tell me what was wrong with
Atlanta’s hitting, and everyone’s got a different theory. But enough about baseball. Saturday was nice and relaxing. I had breakfast with Ruth and Ian, and had a
really, really good almond-filled croissant, and nice strong cup of
coffee. We came into the church about
ten. There’s a baptism today, so I
helped Colin (another of the Bloomsbury gang) with moving furniture and other
preparations. We had a nice chat. I am enjoying getting to hear about how all
these different people came to Bloomsbury, why they came, and what the church
means to them. It is obvious in even
short conversations that this place has been very special for them. It’s really a privilege to get to hear their
stories. I did a little bit more
worship-planning for tonight’s service, and then headed back to Ruth and Ian’s. We had dinner and watched the Manchester
United/Barcelona soccer game. I don’t
know a whole lot about soccer, but it looked like Barcelona was a far better
team -- They kind of looked liked those annoying Carolina teams that would go
into the Four Corners offense at the end of games. Their coach did not have a fake tan and “aw
shucks” persona like ole Roy though.
That’s pretty refreshing. I also
like Manchester’s coach. That guy looks
like he can have a pretty good come-to-Jesus with his players. Back here at the church this morning visiting
with a few folks and getting myself together for the services. Oh and I had an apricot (I think it was
apricot) scone with jam and cream this morning for breakfast. Apparently, that is the thing to eat when
having tea. It was good -- I could
definitely have housed three or four more.
All for now.
Day Ten
5-29-2011
Sunday was a good day. After “housing” my scone, I headed off to
Bloomsbury. I got to visit with a bunch
of folks prior to service…some were church members, some just visitors. There was a baptism on Sunday morning. It was interesting to see how that
worked. Ruth talked about three elements
of a community of believers -- people who belong, behave, and believe (those
things happen in no particular order…think of them as a circle). I enjoyed lunch afterwards in the fellowship
hall, and then spent most of my afternoon preparing for the Sunday night
service and visiting with other folks.
Sunday night went well, and then I headed home with Ruth and Ian for
bacon sandwiches. Bacon is always a good
way to end a day. In reading, you may
think that Saturday and Sunday sound a little reserved. But I don’t think that tells the whole
story. I think I learned all kinds of
new things about London this weekend, and I didn’t even have to walk outside of
Bloomsbury’s doors to do so.
Day Eleven
5-30-2011
I slept well on Sunday
night. That was a good thing because
today was jam-packed. I left the house
about 9:30 and headed downtown. Today
was a bank holiday, so the streets were pretty quiet. I decided to stop and have a big English breakfast because I
knew I’d be walking a bunch. It was
delicious. Then I met up with several
members of the Exchange group and we headed over to Richmond Hill, a park near
London. There were ten of us, and we had
six countries represented: America, South Africa, Czech Republic, Slovakia,
Iran, and Lithuania. Not sure you’d have
that kind of diversity anywhere other than London. There are plenty of great views and gardens
and lakes. There was even a country
estate. We had a picnic, and probably
walked about ten miles over the course of the afternoon. Our walk took us through plenty of trails,
and eventually through Wimbledon Park. I
felt a little tennis fever. At about
six, we headed to Jean’s house and had a cook out. The weather forced us indoors, but it was
still fun. I left full on grilled
sausages, with tired legs, and several new friends. Check out these pics.
Day Twelve
5-31-2011
On Tuesday morning, I was pretty tired. All of our walking kind of caught up to me. I got into Bloomsbury about nine-thirty and it was my first time to work Open Doors. Open Doors is the term for sitting at the desk in the front of Bloomsbury and welcoming everyone who passes through. Some are there for business meetings, some have rented out the rooms for hire, some just want to see the sanctuary, and some just want to pop in for tea and chat. The members of Bloomsbury take turns working different shifts -- they consider this part of their outreach ministry. The church is almost always open during the week. The doors are open to the public 10-4 each day, and then there are plenty of other things in the evenings. It really is a collaborative effort. I had a nice conversation with several of the regular tea-sippers, as well as several folks who had arrived early for various meetings. And of course various Bloomsbury members and staff are in and out too. The London Baptist Association (a local denominational body) and a Swiss Church also have offices in the building. It's pretty much a revolving door of people in and out. Not to mention that the church is right, smack-dab in the middle of a global city. I am also noticing that I am getting to know the regulars a little better. It is nice to be a bit more familiar with everything. I had an afternoon staff meeting with Simon and Andrea, and then spent the better part of the evening doing laundry. I watched some TV show called the Four Rooms (I think) about these everyday people who try their hand at selling unusual art to cutthroat art-dealers. And I peaked in on Britain's Got Talent too. The "Hoff" had his mug everywhere. And Ian, just in case you are reading, I did eat something last night at the flat -- several cheese sandwiches and some blueberries. I even made myself some tea. It was all delicious!
On Tuesday morning, I was pretty tired. All of our walking kind of caught up to me. I got into Bloomsbury about nine-thirty and it was my first time to work Open Doors. Open Doors is the term for sitting at the desk in the front of Bloomsbury and welcoming everyone who passes through. Some are there for business meetings, some have rented out the rooms for hire, some just want to see the sanctuary, and some just want to pop in for tea and chat. The members of Bloomsbury take turns working different shifts -- they consider this part of their outreach ministry. The church is almost always open during the week. The doors are open to the public 10-4 each day, and then there are plenty of other things in the evenings. It really is a collaborative effort. I had a nice conversation with several of the regular tea-sippers, as well as several folks who had arrived early for various meetings. And of course various Bloomsbury members and staff are in and out too. The London Baptist Association (a local denominational body) and a Swiss Church also have offices in the building. It's pretty much a revolving door of people in and out. Not to mention that the church is right, smack-dab in the middle of a global city. I am also noticing that I am getting to know the regulars a little better. It is nice to be a bit more familiar with everything. I had an afternoon staff meeting with Simon and Andrea, and then spent the better part of the evening doing laundry. I watched some TV show called the Four Rooms (I think) about these everyday people who try their hand at selling unusual art to cutthroat art-dealers. And I peaked in on Britain's Got Talent too. The "Hoff" had his mug everywhere. And Ian, just in case you are reading, I did eat something last night at the flat -- several cheese sandwiches and some blueberries. I even made myself some tea. It was all delicious!
Day Thirteen
6-1-2011
June already!?! Today was another full day, even though I started it tardy (sorry Vilem!)
One of the things I'll be doing this summer is filling in and assisting the staff of Bloomsbury where necessary. Vilem, the church manager, gave me a walk-through of his duties yesterday morning and afternoon. You may not know it, but it takes a lot of planning and thinking to make a place like this run smoothly. There are meeting rooms to setup (everyone has their own unique request), proper supplies to keep on hand, and a whole multitude of "dos and don'ts" to keep a 150-year old building in good shape. I spent most of the morning learning how to set up AV equipment, where to find the important stuff (from tea to biscuits to light bulbs), and seeing the ins and outs of the building. I'm hoping I'll be an adequate fill-in when needed. Some differences over here...switches turn on by pushing down rather than up, devices have a stand-by button that you hit twice to turn off, rather than one power button, and most of the doors are push rather than pull. I fear that I'm going to be up-side-down rather than right-side-up for a few more weeks, but I am sure I'll get there sooner than later. I am managing to get a little more daring in crossing the street, but not too much so.
The X-Change Group (I think I spelled it Exhange on the last blog entry -- it's the same) met last night as well. There are usually 8-10 people from all over London who meet for supper and an hour-or-so discussion about some passage. Last night was Acts 19 -- some healings and the whole business of Christians cutting into the idol-selling business. It was a good discussion. We had kind of a makeshift feast (Simon and I were in charge of dinner) of frozen pizzas, grapes, Pringles, cookies, and salad. Who wouldn't enjoy that, right?
It was just another good day of meeting and enjoying lots of interesting people.
June already!?! Today was another full day, even though I started it tardy (sorry Vilem!)
One of the things I'll be doing this summer is filling in and assisting the staff of Bloomsbury where necessary. Vilem, the church manager, gave me a walk-through of his duties yesterday morning and afternoon. You may not know it, but it takes a lot of planning and thinking to make a place like this run smoothly. There are meeting rooms to setup (everyone has their own unique request), proper supplies to keep on hand, and a whole multitude of "dos and don'ts" to keep a 150-year old building in good shape. I spent most of the morning learning how to set up AV equipment, where to find the important stuff (from tea to biscuits to light bulbs), and seeing the ins and outs of the building. I'm hoping I'll be an adequate fill-in when needed. Some differences over here...switches turn on by pushing down rather than up, devices have a stand-by button that you hit twice to turn off, rather than one power button, and most of the doors are push rather than pull. I fear that I'm going to be up-side-down rather than right-side-up for a few more weeks, but I am sure I'll get there sooner than later. I am managing to get a little more daring in crossing the street, but not too much so.
The X-Change Group (I think I spelled it Exhange on the last blog entry -- it's the same) met last night as well. There are usually 8-10 people from all over London who meet for supper and an hour-or-so discussion about some passage. Last night was Acts 19 -- some healings and the whole business of Christians cutting into the idol-selling business. It was a good discussion. We had kind of a makeshift feast (Simon and I were in charge of dinner) of frozen pizzas, grapes, Pringles, cookies, and salad. Who wouldn't enjoy that, right?
It was just another good day of meeting and enjoying lots of interesting people.
Day Fourteen
6-2-2011
Time is flying by. It is hard to believe I’ve been here for two
weeks. I spent most of Thursday seeking
to relearn all of the things that Vilem taught me on Wednesday. I pretty-much tinkered around the building
all day setting up various AV equipment and locking and unlocking doors. Here’s another thing that’s throwing me. Almost all of the important doors in my life
in North Carolina (house, school, church) have the handles and locks on the
left side of the door. So I always
remember to turn the locks the opposite way of how you’d turn a screwdriver
(lefty-loosey, righty-tighty). Here,
many of the doors have the locks on the right side of the door, so you actually
can go lefty-loosey, righty-tighty. I
say all of this, because I must look like a very awkward American -- somebody
who can’t perform simple tasks like crossing the street or opening locks, and
who keeps using the word “y’all.” Oh
well, it takes all kinds of folks I suppose.
At the very least, I ought to be giving these Brits a good laugh. I had a very nice dinner with Ruth and Ian,
and Ruth’s father and stepmother to close the day. We had pizzas (not the frozen kind, but the
really good Italian kind!) and a fun conversation about all these crazy, global
Baptists. Each day, I am being made to
feel welcomed and at home by warm and wonderful people.
Day Fifteen
6-3-2011
Friday was a quiet, but
productive day at Bloomsbury. I strolled
in about nine or so. The weather here
has been very pleasant by my standards, but I am told pretty hot by British
ones. It has been sunny, and I would
guess low-mid seventies. It is a hard
thing to figure out though. It’s hot
when you are in the sun, but when you turn the corner behind a big building, or
the wind picks up, it can get kind of chilly.
I haven’t figured out the best technique yet. The days I decide to wear a jacket it seems
too hot, and the days, I decide to not wear one, it seems too cold. So I have a
windbreaker and an umbrella in my backpack at all times. Anyway, it has been awesome to walk to
work. It takes between twenty-thirty
minutes depending on the lights and the number of people on the sidewalk. It’s a great way to see the city, and I am
getting more adventurous about straying from my normal route. I am making a list of all the Fish ’n Chips
joints I need to check out. There also
seem to be countless park squares and green spaces that appear around every
corner as you wander the streets. And
each place has its own unique story.
Anyway, I kept tinkering with
things at Bloomsbury today. In the
morning it was printing various documents and forms, and ordering
supplies. In the afternoon, I worked
Open Doors from 1-4. I had several
conversations with a variety of folks -- one a homeless man stopping by for tea
on his route back across town, another man who was waiting for a cab, and
another who needed a safe, quiet place to sit and reflect. To give you an idea of the variety of folk
who come through the doors, there were two building bookings for Friday
evening. In the sanctuary, the London
Ballet was holding a talk where a dancer was telling her story in a panel-style
discussion. Downstairs in the lounge,
there was a weekly NA meeting. And this
was kind of a slow night! I also set up
the AV for the sanctuary on Friday night.
Disclaimer: It was all working
fine when I left at 7:15 or so! (Garianna and JWT peeps, if you are reading, it
brings back memories of meeting setups at the Renaissance in Charlotte! Who knew that all those meeting setups would
pay off?) I ended the night at the Town
Tavern, the same place I had dinner my first night here. Tonight I had a burger. The burger was excellent, the chips, not so
much. And two weeks in, the Guinness
still tastes better here than in NC. I thought I was going to have room for
dessert, but I’ll give the chips credit, they were at least filling. Oh and also, the mustard was awesome. It had a kick to it that you aren’t gonna
find in plain ’ole yellow French’s Mustard.
Oh and I got to see a little bit of the French Open. I’m hoping I can sneak away and catch a
little bit of the Final on Sunday. It
would have been fun to see Murray play, but it’s hard not to like a
Nadal-Federer final. And besides, Murray can have Wimbledon.
Day Sixteen
6-4-20111
So before I forget…Thanks for
all the nice comments about the blog -- Double thanks to Amanda, Sheila, Jed,
and Ryan. I walked today…a lot! London may be a big place, but the world is
getting smaller. Today, I had lunch with
John, who is my cousin’s brother-in-law, and on a work assignment in London for
six months. He’s a good ole’ North
Carolina boy too -- it was great to hear North Carolina pronounced without the O
and with a hard emphasis on the I. We
are staying on diagonal ends of Central London.
I’m in the Northeast (I think!) and he’s on the Southwest (I
think!) I could have it all turned
upside-down, but you get the picture I hope.
We decided to meet in the middle.
I was pumped because it was a chance to actually go somewhere and see if
I could navigate on my own. We decided
to meet up in the Marylebone neighborhood.
I was doing great. I headed down Holborn, knowing that I needed
to turn on New Oxford and proceed to Oxford Circus, and on to our meet-up point
from there. All was well, and then
Holborn had the audacity to turn into High Holborn (insert expletive here) in a
very Queens/Providence manner, and send me three blocks out of the way. I finally righted myself, and found John, but
twenty minutes late. We ended up eating
at a neat little tavern with big bay windows, pretty good ales, and a good
bangers n’ mash. I enjoyed getting to
hear John’s story, and sharing laughs about our challenges in crossing the
streets and unlocking doors. I’m hoping he’ll let me treat him to lunch
soon. Also good to know that he’s a
movie buff too. We’re also going to
compare notes on cricket once we figure out the rules.
So after a very filling
lunch, I decided to explore Oxford Street.
It is a huge retail strip. There
is every store you can imagine, and the sidewalks are packed five-wide the
whole way. But the weather was great -
75 and sunny (I’ll take that heat wave any day of the year) and it was fun to
linger in and out of the shops. Great
people watching too. I followed Oxford
to the Marble Arch, and then circled Hyde Park.
There are some pics attached.
There were people everywhere, all taking advantage of the sunshine in
their own way. There are acres and acres
of pristine lawns, and big shady trees that line the walks. Imagine if Furman’s mall was five times as
long and wide. (Insert my prejudice here…Furman
still has the prettiest mall in the whole wide world). After circling Hyde Park, I proceeded to St.
James Park, taking in Buckingham Palace and the National Mall along the
way. I also saw Wellington’s Arch and a
few War Monuments. More pics
attached. The mall is an awesome
walk. There are Union Jacks all up and
down the sides of the road, and each flagpole has a crown adorned its top. Add in the big, leafy trees, the cars
whizzing past, the people walking the sidewalks, and iron gates, and it is a
very interesting thing to see. Along the
way, I passed another gate -- I don’t think it was anything major, but there
were two Palace guardsmen. It was a
quarter-past-five, and so they were doing a little ceremony. There motions were so mechanical, and their
expressions were so stern they didn’t seem real. It was like watching robots. Of course, the machine guns, mounted with
bayonets looked extremely real! And as
they marched about, a boy was playing bagpipes on the other side of the
gate. (See pics). It was all very serendipitous for Saturday
entertainment.
I left St. James, and proceeded
through Trafalgar Square and onward to Piccadilly Circus. By this point, my dogs were barkin’ pretty
loud, so I decided to stop and see a movie.
I wanted something really cultured and sophisticated, so I chose the
Hangover II. A solid, but predictable
movie, but perfect for a tired body. I
think my favorite part of watching it was that many of the American references
were lost on the London crowd. I found
myself laughing out loud alone a few times, and that just made laugh all the
more. Also, just a note to British
movie-goers: 1) please show up on time 2) we don’t all have to sit in the same
four rows of a three-hundred seat theater 3) popcorn needs butter and 4)
Coca-Cola is to be had with ice. Feeling
sufficiently sophomoric after the movie, I headed back to the flat about ten o’clock
and crashed. Thanks for a great day
London. Looking forward to 73 more.
Pictures to follow on Monday…
Day Seventeen
6-5-2011
Today was my third Sunday at
Bloomsbury. I've picked some good ones to be here. Last week there was a
baptism, and this week the church welcomed a new member and celebrated
communion -- I think those three things may top the list of understanding a
church's sense of worship and community. One thing I really like about
Bloomsbury's sanctuary are its rounded pews. This setup allows you see at least
two thirds of the folks you worship with. In a city like London, where all
kinds of places and faces are represented, you really do participate in a
global communion. It's funny, our churches in the US always participate in
World Communion Sunday. We have bread from another country, perhaps sing songs
in another language, or have a doxology from Africa or South America. Still,
I'm not sure it ever feels all that worldly to me. Today was different. If I
had to guess, there were at least ten to fifteen different nationalities
represented. Very moving...
After worship, I went to the
Bloomsbury Sunday Lunch in the Friendship Centre (their fellowship hall). There
was lamb and potatoes and vegetables, and it was good! I enjoyed the folks at
my table, and circling the room and visiting with other people too. After
lunch, I had coffee with Barbara, a woman who served first as a deaconess (not
a demon deaconess I don't think) and then in other ministerial capacities at
Bloomsbury for fifty years. She also worked as a hospital chaplain. It was
great to hear her story, and share observations about church life here and in
the US. I'm really glad we had the chance to visit. I came back for the evening
worship at 5:30, and got to lead the prayer of intercession. It was also good
to hear Simon preach for the first time. I really enjoy the historical
background he provides, and the fact that he (and Ruth too) leaves you
thinking. From what I can tell, Bloomsbury is not a place to be complacent or
comfortable, but rather, it is a place to be challenged and curious. I think
that's a really good thing.
It was pouring down rain on
the way home. I made it home, and decided I would go pick up some dinner. And
then it really started raining. I ducked in an Italian place called
Strada...apparently it is a chain. At the risk of sounding like a hillbilly,
I'll tell you it was really, pretty good. I had some garlic and rosemary bread,
Rigatoni Speck, a nice glass of Merlot, and some pistachio ice cream. The rain
finally stopped, and I headed home full in several ways. Next up, Day Eighteen.
Day Eighteen
6-6-2011
A quick aside for John
Stillerman, Harry Stillerman, Scott Looney, and Chas Crawford…Well done Super
Cuts! I wasn’t sure it was possible to
find a haircutting franchise with consistent inconsistencies on two continents,
but you’ve done it! All of your stylists
ignored me when I came to the counter, your hairdresser attempted to cut my
hair as fast as possible with as little precision as possible, all the while
making no effort at social interaction.
It reminded me of home and it was great!!! I’ll enjoy seeing how long it
takes my hair to right itself, but I’ll give you credit, it is at least a
little shorter. Besides, straight lines are hard!
Today was another good day
(and Chas if you are reading, no I didn’t have to use my AK) I spent most of it doing some organizing of
emails and calendars, and visiting with a number of Bloomsbury members who had
come to the church to do some spring-cleaning and other errands. We did a little research on where we could
donate old books that are laying around, and have begun getting some of them
sorted and donated. The space will be
nice to have. Overall, things were
pretty calm. There was lots of rain, and
coupled with few Monday bookings, the church was quiet. Things will pick up quite a bit tomorrow as
Tuesdays at Bloomsbury resumes. I need
to get my game face on for dominoes. All
for now.
Days Nineteen and Twenty
6-7-2011 - 6-8-2011
Tuesdays at Bloomsbury
resumed today. Each Tuesday a collection of older adults and assorted
Bloomsbury community members gather for board games, tea, lunch, a speaker,
more tea, more board games, and still more tea. It is a really fun day. I
played a word game, something akin to Word Boggle, with Lloyd and Helen and
Gordon. John, a member at Bloomsbury, showed pictures from a recent trip to
South Africa for our talk. I spent the afternoon visiting with different folks,
and getting to know the Tuesday regulars I hadn't yet met. Here's a picture
from yesterday...
After the afternoon program,
I managed to deliver a few more boxes of books to Oxfam, a thrift/book shop
near the church, and then caught up on emails and room setups for Wednesday. On
Tuesday night, I had dinner with Faith, Brian, and Richard (Bloomsbury
members). They treated me to a great dinner last night and breakfast this
morning, and Richard and I played a few epic games of pool.
This morning, I came back into London via Waterloo Station. It was fun to walk across the Waterloo Bridge for the first time (all my oher times have been via bus). You can see the London Eye and Parliament and lots of other things. One of my favorite things is the gigantic fox on top of one of the performance halls and the over-sized couches beside the National Theatre. Here are some pics...
Tonight is another Xchange group meeting and dinner. Looking forward to seeing what's in store. More to come.
This morning, I came back into London via Waterloo Station. It was fun to walk across the Waterloo Bridge for the first time (all my oher times have been via bus). You can see the London Eye and Parliament and lots of other things. One of my favorite things is the gigantic fox on top of one of the performance halls and the over-sized couches beside the National Theatre. Here are some pics...
Tonight is another Xchange group meeting and dinner. Looking forward to seeing what's in store. More to come.
Day Twenty-One
6-9-2011
During the last few years of his life, I used to visit my Granddaddy on Sunday nights about once a month or so. We'd usually go for a spaghetti dinner or order in and just catch up in his apartment. He hated it when I responded to his questions with one-word answers. For instance, he'd ask me how my job was going, and I'd tell him that work was going well. "What does that mean?" he'd say. And I'd have to explain to him the difference between a good week and a bad week. One time he asked me if advertising was really a necessity for business plans or just a luxury. "Yes, it's a necessity I told him." And then I think I had to give a three-point answer on why that was so.
As I was walking home last night, I wondered what I might tell my grandfather if he asked me how my summer in London was going. I reread my blog, and it looks like I've used adjectives like fun and interesting and meaningful, but I'm not sure I've really provided any layered details. Most of my Thursday has been spent running errands, and preparing rooms for meetings at the church tonight -- I don't think these are bloggable things to write about. Instead, I thought I could tell you some things to this point that have made my trip fun, interesting, and meaningful.
Fun:
1. In North Carolina, we rarely have to hustle to make a train or a bus or even to cross a busy street. In London, I get to do all three on an almost daily basis. I'm sure at some point the novelty wears off, but it is really fun to ride on these high-speed trains, and to walk around these old stations that send millions of people in all kinds of directions week in and week out. There are all these platforms and pigeons and cool brick buildings and whistles and busy people and tunnels and signs. You wonder how it all stays put together. For the Atlanta readers out there, it is like using the escalator in the Buckhead Target that you can attach your shopping cart to. You shouldn't really be that excited about it, but you just are.
2. Cookies (biscuits) are acceptable to eat at anytime of the day.
3. If you sit on the first row of the second floor of a double-decker bus, it feels like you are driving the bus. And you can see all kinds of things you'd never see at street level.
Interesting:
1. Two fun facts about Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church. Martin Luther King, Jr. addressed this church in the sanctuary while on a visit to London. At one point, there were two spires atop the church. They were taken down after WWII.
2. To date (and by rough count) I've had at least a ten-minute conversation with at least seventy-five people that has covered a variety of subjects from politics to religion to things to do in London to best global Rock Bands.
Meaningful:
1. I've had a chance to see a variety of pastoral counseling contexts that have ranged from house visits to church activities to random interactions. It is very helpful to see how these opportunities develop both organically and intentionally.
2. I am meeting people who share a different to slightly different (but no less sincere, and perhaps more sincere) view of scripture, Christology, politics, community, etc than I do. I am enjoying their perspectives and constantly wondering how these new perspectives will shape me in the months to come.
All for now. Off to create some blog-worthy experiences. And maybe, in honor of my Granddaddy, I'll have some spaghetti tonight.
During the last few years of his life, I used to visit my Granddaddy on Sunday nights about once a month or so. We'd usually go for a spaghetti dinner or order in and just catch up in his apartment. He hated it when I responded to his questions with one-word answers. For instance, he'd ask me how my job was going, and I'd tell him that work was going well. "What does that mean?" he'd say. And I'd have to explain to him the difference between a good week and a bad week. One time he asked me if advertising was really a necessity for business plans or just a luxury. "Yes, it's a necessity I told him." And then I think I had to give a three-point answer on why that was so.
As I was walking home last night, I wondered what I might tell my grandfather if he asked me how my summer in London was going. I reread my blog, and it looks like I've used adjectives like fun and interesting and meaningful, but I'm not sure I've really provided any layered details. Most of my Thursday has been spent running errands, and preparing rooms for meetings at the church tonight -- I don't think these are bloggable things to write about. Instead, I thought I could tell you some things to this point that have made my trip fun, interesting, and meaningful.
Fun:
1. In North Carolina, we rarely have to hustle to make a train or a bus or even to cross a busy street. In London, I get to do all three on an almost daily basis. I'm sure at some point the novelty wears off, but it is really fun to ride on these high-speed trains, and to walk around these old stations that send millions of people in all kinds of directions week in and week out. There are all these platforms and pigeons and cool brick buildings and whistles and busy people and tunnels and signs. You wonder how it all stays put together. For the Atlanta readers out there, it is like using the escalator in the Buckhead Target that you can attach your shopping cart to. You shouldn't really be that excited about it, but you just are.
2. Cookies (biscuits) are acceptable to eat at anytime of the day.
3. If you sit on the first row of the second floor of a double-decker bus, it feels like you are driving the bus. And you can see all kinds of things you'd never see at street level.
Interesting:
1. Two fun facts about Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church. Martin Luther King, Jr. addressed this church in the sanctuary while on a visit to London. At one point, there were two spires atop the church. They were taken down after WWII.
2. To date (and by rough count) I've had at least a ten-minute conversation with at least seventy-five people that has covered a variety of subjects from politics to religion to things to do in London to best global Rock Bands.
Meaningful:
1. I've had a chance to see a variety of pastoral counseling contexts that have ranged from house visits to church activities to random interactions. It is very helpful to see how these opportunities develop both organically and intentionally.
2. I am meeting people who share a different to slightly different (but no less sincere, and perhaps more sincere) view of scripture, Christology, politics, community, etc than I do. I am enjoying their perspectives and constantly wondering how these new perspectives will shape me in the months to come.
All for now. Off to create some blog-worthy experiences. And maybe, in honor of my Granddaddy, I'll have some spaghetti tonight.
Day Twenty-Two
6-10-2011
I like to laugh. I love it, when I get to laugh a lot. Friday, I laughed. A lot!
The workday was pretty slow. We
didn’t have any room-lettings at the church, so I spent most of the days
refilling supplies, visiting with people working Open Doors, and getting the
last boxes of donated books over to Oxfam.
And then the laughing began. I
went with Andrea and Katarina to Margaret and Maurice’s house for dinner. We
took the train to Bexley from Charring Cross station. Katarina and Andrea are two of my favorite
people at Bloomsbury (just like all of the Bloomsbury folk they are great) and
they have a great rapport with one another.
We laughed the whole train ride down and the whole train ride back. Margaret and Maurice fed us like kings and
queens. We feasted on good conversation
too. I am humbled by all of these
wonderful families at Bloomsbury who keep making feel welcomed warmly in a
place so far from home. I’m grateful for
the new friends I am making here in London, and if they ever come to North
Carolina, I hope I can repay then with the same kindness and hospitality. I was tired when I got home. I don’t think I even rolled over last
night.
6-11-2011
Day Twenty-Three
“Oh the places you’ll go,”
said Dr. Seuss. Boy was he right!!! And oh the things that you’ll see! When I woke up this morning, I sure as hell
didn’t think I’d see a thousand naked bicyclers riding through the streets of
London, but I’ll be damned if that isn’t exactly what I saw at five-thirty this afternoon. But let me start at the beginning of the
day…
I was motivated this
morning. I got up around eight o’clock
and decided it was time to start running again.
I took a forty-minute jog around the neighborhood, mostly going down
Holborn. There are wide sidewalks and
plenty of long stretches where you don’t have to cross intersections. The sun was shining, and the streets were
pretty empty. It was a great way to
start the day.
By about ten o’clock, I had
myself together and decided I would venture over to the Tate Modern and take a
stab at a matinee show at the Globe. I
was doing great. I jumped on the Angel
line and made it to Bank station in no time.
My plans were derailed when I found out that several of the connecting
lines were not running from the station because of weekend maintenance and
repairs. I tried to reroute a few times,
but it seemed a lost cause. Instead, I
decided to catch the Piccadilly line to Leicester Square and see if I could
find a good matinee show. I did
well. I got a matinee ticket for
Terrence Rattigan’s Flare Path, a
play set in WWII revolving around the lives of several airmen and their
spouses. There were some pretty big
names in it. Sienna Miller played
Patricia and James Purefoy (He was Marc Antony in HBO’s Rome -- I thought one
of the best characters on that series) played
Peter. It is a pretty intense
script -- you feel pretty torn for some of the characters, but there are also
some very funny moments. The Theatre
Royale Haymarket is a really cool old building, and my seats were about two
rows from the top. Kind of like watching
a play from atop the Dean Dome. And I
didn’t realize it, but today was the last day of the production. Good timing on my part. And I feel like I am
two-for-two in picking good shows to see. And another aside -- Mom booked
tickets for Richard III at the Old Vic for when she comes in August. Kevin Spacey is the lead. Should be awesome.
The show ended about
five-thirty, and I thought it would be fun to walk back through Leicester and
Piccadilly and just take in the crowds.
I turned the corner to see way too many dudes’ junk hanging off of
bicycles seats. WTF?!? To be fair, it
was an equal opportunity junk-fest.
Plenty of female junk on display too.
For my Charlottean-friends, imagine if the Dowd YMCA Men’s Locker Room
teamed up with the Twenty-Four Hours of Booty Bike Marathon. Just way too many exhibitionists in my
opinion. I’ll give them credit, it was
kind of funny, but you really only need to see about one heat of the
riders. It was bizarre though. There were thousands of people on the
sidewalks just taking it all in and having a grand old time. These riders even had police escorts. All I can say is I hope they have plenty of
hand sanitizer for all of those bikes when the day is over. Call me old-fashioned, call me a prude, call
me whatever you want, but I’m just not a fan of pants-free sporting
events. Hopefully Wimbledon will restore
some fashion order next week.
I’m back at the flat now (and
yes still wearing pants). I think I’ll
stir up some dinner and call it a night.
I do hope Pentecost has its pants on tomorrow too.
Days 24, 25, 26, 27
Day Twenty-Eight
6-16-2011
What does one say about a
Thursday? Well for starters, this one
was wet from start to finish. Okay,
maybe not the whole day, but most of it.
Every time I thought the rain had let up and would take a chance at
going outside, back it came. I hope I
don’t have a stormy cloud following me.
Today was a full day, but pretty uneventful. We had several bookings at the church, and we’ve
got a few more tomorrow, so I spent a good portion of the day just getting
things ready for Friday. I also spent
some time pulling together pictures of North Carolina places -- I get to tell
the Tuesday group all about how we’re the best state in the Union for the lunch
talk next week. And I just continued to visit with folks as they came through
the church -- I think that’s the most important thing I’m doing here in
London. Church ministry is a pretty
organic thing, and that makes it both incredibly wonderful and incredibly
frustrating at times. You don’t get to
plan a person’s hour of need, or a person’s hour of interest in discussing
faith, or a person’s ideal time for social interactions. It all just kinda happens whether your
schedule likes it that way or not. At the same time, you are awarded the
flexibility to re-prioritize as necessary.
That means that when people really need your attention, the “TPS reports”
can wait a little while longer. The old
advertising account executive in me hates this part, but the emerging minister
in me rather enjoys it.
Day Twenty-Nine
6-17-2011
Today was really
bizarre. On the fourth floor, Call
The Midwife, a BBC TV production has been renting a room for
rehearsals. Unknowingly, I’ve been
exchanging hellos with some pretty famous British actors and actresses (Jenny
Haggerton and Miranda Hart). Google the show to see them. I did get a kick out of one of the ladies
this morning. She was not happy with her
agent and was giving that person an earful on her cell phone. I could tell she was a little uncomfortable
doing it in a church lobby so she kept
almost coming in the door, and then backing away at the last
moment. She did not return my “good
morning.” I don’t think the show comes
out until January, but if there is a really mean and nasty character, it is
probably her.
Downstairs, in the basement, We Will Rock You the musical was holding
auditions for its ensemble. I would
guess that about fifty or so people came to sing. The singers got to choose their own rock
anthem to perform for their tryouts. For
the entire day, you could hear people singing totally random songs. I heard Joplin, No Doubt, Journey, Kelly
Clarkson, and all kinds of other things.
There were several really bad renditions of Livin’ On A Prayer -- some poor guy could not hit
the high notes. The best two songs I
heard were Pinball Wizard and Walking in Memphis. Somebody actually
decided to sing Sister Christian.
I really can’t believe they were serious. And of course we got to hear plenty of
Queen. It was like having American
Idol right next door. The Simon and
Paula were pretty harsh. Frank, who was
working open doors kept asking the people who were coming in the door, “Are you
a midwife or a rocker?” That question
got funnier every time I heard it.
Yesterday, I was writing
about how church ministry just kind of happens whether you wanna plan it or
not. In the afternoon, I had two visits
with folks who came in from the street, but one was particularly
memorable. I won’t go into details, but
I was given a glimpse into how hard it is to be homeless in this city. It’s even harder to declare yourself homeless
so that you can receive assistance. I’m
not sure I was able to offer much tangible assistance to this man. I was able to offer ears to listen. I wish I could have given more, or done more,
or had some magic wand to make everything better for him. But maybe, just maybe,
he left Bloomsbury today knowing that somebody was thinking about him, and
pulling for him, and praying that his situation will find sound
resolution. But at least for that hour
and change, I got to make him my priority. There were no deadlines or phone
calls or reports to finish. There was
only an urgency to listen. And that was
pretty cool.
Day Thirty
6-18-2011
Day Thirty??? Wow, I am officially a third-of-the-way into
the trip.
The first thing I thought of
this morning was that twenty-five years ago today my parents moved our family
to Winston-Salem. Twenty-Five great
years in the very same house we started in.
My brothers and I may live in many other places in our lifetime, but
1147 Strathmore will always be home.
Thanks for making it so Mom and Dad.
And as I type, I think the rest of the family is on their way to the
beach -- hope you get great weather.
Send my greetings to Causeway Café, eat some South Beach fried pickles,
house an Angler’s platter at the Oceanic, and have a hot dog at Trolley Stop
for me.
Today, Ian introduced me to
Rugby Union and Rugby League. The best
way I can explain it is to think about the AFL and the NFL or the NBA and the
ABA if they still co-existed. First, we
went to Twickenham Stadium, an 82,000 seat venue where England’s Rugby Union
team plays. We toured the locker rooms,
sat in the Royal Suites where Hank and Will and Chuck and Big E watch the game
if they come, and we even got stand on the pitch (that’s field in American
sports). There was a museum to tour afterwards.
At about two-o’clock we
headed across the street to see the Harlequins play at Twickenham Stoop, a
15,000 seat Rugby Super League Venue.
The crowd was comparable to a minor league baseball game. Tons of Jock-Jams playing before, during, and
after was greatly appreciated. It’s a
pretty interesting game to watch, but it takes a while to get the hang of. To be honest, I kept waiting for somebody to
drop back and throw and fifty-yard bomb down the field. But just when you think nothing is going to
happen, a player squirts free, and sprints down the field. There is pretty graceful movement, and the
players really knock each other around.
The hits don’t sound as loud because you don’t hear helmets knockin’,
but they are getting’ after it. Add in
some great heckling by the fans in terminology that makes no sense to the
novice fan, and it really is a good time.
It was an enjoyable day, and something I’d definitely go see again. Thanks for the introduction Ian.
Days Thirty-One, Thirty-Two, and Thirty-Three
6/19/2011 - 6/21/2011
The days are kind of flying by -- I am finding less and less time to write about them. Sunday was pretty busy. It was a full day that included two services, lunch at church, and dinner and drinks afterwards. I suppose the highlight was just getting to visit with folks all day long.
Monday was full of setting up meeting rooms and breaking them down again. I also got to see my cousins Chip and Adam who were visiting London for a week. I met them near their hotel, and we headed off to grab a bite. It was really nice to catch up, and to see very familiar faces. It was pretty wet walking to dinner. At one point, I thought we might have to use our oars.
I spent most of Tuesday at the church, as I was working evening reception. The day was full of setting up rooms for meetings, visiting with some of the regulars, and doing a little writing as well. It turned into a pretty long day, and I don't think I rolled over once I hit the pillow.
The days are kind of flying by -- I am finding less and less time to write about them. Sunday was pretty busy. It was a full day that included two services, lunch at church, and dinner and drinks afterwards. I suppose the highlight was just getting to visit with folks all day long.
Monday was full of setting up meeting rooms and breaking them down again. I also got to see my cousins Chip and Adam who were visiting London for a week. I met them near their hotel, and we headed off to grab a bite. It was really nice to catch up, and to see very familiar faces. It was pretty wet walking to dinner. At one point, I thought we might have to use our oars.
I spent most of Tuesday at the church, as I was working evening reception. The day was full of setting up rooms for meetings, visiting with some of the regulars, and doing a little writing as well. It turned into a pretty long day, and I don't think I rolled over once I hit the pillow.
Day Thirty-Four
6-22-2011
Wimble-done! When I was little, we used to spend some long weeks in the summer with my grandparents. Usually those weeks coincided with NBC's Breakfast at Wimbledon. My grandparents cooked us cowboy eggs or pancakes, and we all listened to Dick Enburg and Bud Collins and Billy Jean King (I think) call the matches. I never imagined I'd ever get to see a match there in person, but yesterday I did just that.
I left the flat at 6:00 AM, jumped on the tube, and was queuing for tickets by 7:30 AM. It took nearly three hours to get from the queue point all the way to the ticket office, but I made it. I was able to get tickets on Court Number One, and I watched Andy Murray win in straight sets. He's kind of a hot-head, and he lost his concentration an awful lot. I think he's got some work to do if he wants to knock of Federer or Nadal, homecourt or not. It was fun to listen to the cheers and jeers from the English crowd. I had some strawberries and cream, and I enjoyed watching how serious the ballboy and ballgals were. It is also unbelievable how much movement from side-to-side these players can place on the ball. And they are fast and big and graceful all at the same time. Wimbledon is a great venue. I would put it below a World Series game or an ACC Tournament Friday, but not by much. You definitely feel like you are on hallowed grounds. And I suppose you are!
Wimble-done! When I was little, we used to spend some long weeks in the summer with my grandparents. Usually those weeks coincided with NBC's Breakfast at Wimbledon. My grandparents cooked us cowboy eggs or pancakes, and we all listened to Dick Enburg and Bud Collins and Billy Jean King (I think) call the matches. I never imagined I'd ever get to see a match there in person, but yesterday I did just that.
I left the flat at 6:00 AM, jumped on the tube, and was queuing for tickets by 7:30 AM. It took nearly three hours to get from the queue point all the way to the ticket office, but I made it. I was able to get tickets on Court Number One, and I watched Andy Murray win in straight sets. He's kind of a hot-head, and he lost his concentration an awful lot. I think he's got some work to do if he wants to knock of Federer or Nadal, homecourt or not. It was fun to listen to the cheers and jeers from the English crowd. I had some strawberries and cream, and I enjoyed watching how serious the ballboy and ballgals were. It is also unbelievable how much movement from side-to-side these players can place on the ball. And they are fast and big and graceful all at the same time. Wimbledon is a great venue. I would put it below a World Series game or an ACC Tournament Friday, but not by much. You definitely feel like you are on hallowed grounds. And I suppose you are!
Days Thirty-Five and Thirty-Six
6-23-2011 and 6-24-2011
Thursday Morning started with a pleasant surprise. I got a call from my cousin Chip, who was with Shelli, Bennett, and Adam, and they were on their way to the British Museum. They stopped by to see Bloomsbury. I think we have a pretty good pic of it. I'll post when I have it. I spent the morning printing out some posters and bulletins for upcoming events, and making sure everything was in place for the daily rentals. In the afternoon, I went with Andrea and Louise to visit Bob and Margaret, two Bloomsbury folks. In the evening, I caught the train back toward Kennsington, and met the Charlotte Stillermans and John for dinner. We ate at a place (the name escapes me) where Charles Dickens supposedly frequented. Best Banger n' Mash I've had yet. It was great to see all the cousins in one place. It's crazy how we have to go half-way around the world to catch up!
Today has been pleasant, but pretty quiet. We have to bookings at church today (the Rockers are back, but it's all Queen today). The weather is supposed to stay sunny all weekend, so I am hoping to do some exploring. I think I've got a low-key night ahead of me. I want to be nice and fresh for tomorrow, so I can hit the ground running (literally) early and take in as much as possible. There's a church picnic on Sunday -- looking forward to seeing what's the same for food fare and what's different. Should be fun. All for now.
Thursday Morning started with a pleasant surprise. I got a call from my cousin Chip, who was with Shelli, Bennett, and Adam, and they were on their way to the British Museum. They stopped by to see Bloomsbury. I think we have a pretty good pic of it. I'll post when I have it. I spent the morning printing out some posters and bulletins for upcoming events, and making sure everything was in place for the daily rentals. In the afternoon, I went with Andrea and Louise to visit Bob and Margaret, two Bloomsbury folks. In the evening, I caught the train back toward Kennsington, and met the Charlotte Stillermans and John for dinner. We ate at a place (the name escapes me) where Charles Dickens supposedly frequented. Best Banger n' Mash I've had yet. It was great to see all the cousins in one place. It's crazy how we have to go half-way around the world to catch up!
Today has been pleasant, but pretty quiet. We have to bookings at church today (the Rockers are back, but it's all Queen today). The weather is supposed to stay sunny all weekend, so I am hoping to do some exploring. I think I've got a low-key night ahead of me. I want to be nice and fresh for tomorrow, so I can hit the ground running (literally) early and take in as much as possible. There's a church picnic on Sunday -- looking forward to seeing what's the same for food fare and what's different. Should be fun. All for now.
Day Thirty-Seven
6-25-2011
I managed to leave out an
important tidbit from Friday. I got to
pick Barbara’s brain about pastoral care for about an hour or so. She may not know it, but she gave me some
very valuable insight to think about as I prepare to do CPE next year. Anyway, thanks for that Barbara…
Saturday was a good day. And it was hot. Finally.
I met up with John, and we went to explore Greenwich and Notting
Hill. I’m not sure we gave Greenwich a
long-enough look. We thought there was a
significant fair going on, but it wasn’t really thumping on Saturday
afternoon. I will need to go back at
some point and have a better look. So
after Greenwich we headed to Notting Hill and walked around the Portobello
Market -- It is an up and coming area with block after block of shops, pubs,
restaurants, and tent sales. We had a
dinner at a really good Indian Place.
Unfortunately, I’ve forgotten the name, but that’s not a reflection on
the quality of the food. More than
anything, it was nice to walk around, get some sun, and see new parts of the
city. I know one thing for certain, we
saw at least a quarter of the London Underground.
Day Thirty-Eight
6-26-2011
Sunday was Sun-day. It was hot, and I loved it. I would guess it was in the mid-eighties, and
there was not a cloud in the sky. Before
church, I managed a quick run, a load of laundry, some ironing, and a stop-off at
Costa, and still got to the service on time.
The Sunday service focused on hospitality, so it was only natural that
we had a picnic in Regents Park afterwards.
About sixty folks or so made it out.
Lawn chairs, cold cuts, things dipped in barbeque sauce, brownies, cold
water, shady spots, and laughter are enjoyed on both continents. The games were a little different -- Rounders
(Tim described it as “baseball, only better) and Soccer were the recreation of
choice. Rounders is fun, but I did
remind Tim that NOTHING is better than baseball, so he might have to find a
better definition. Soccer was exhausting
and it ended in a draw. If only we could
use our hands. Oh and zero
mosquitoes. That was money. I think the highlight of my afternoon was
seeing Richard B. sport a Wake Forest Tie-Dye -- Good to know that England
supports the Deacs too. Ended the night
with Bacon sandwiches and Top Gear at Ruth and Ian’s. That’s a strong finish to any day.
Day Thirty-Nine
6-27-2011
Moving Day. Today I moved across town to Margaret and
Keith’s flat, where I’ll be staying for the rest of the trip. They live near the Tower, so I am looking
forward to discovering a new part of the city.
My bag seemed a little heavier than I remember it being last month. I suppose the heat and the stairs had
something to with that. In addition to
moving, it was also a Home Group Meeting.
Our group is planning the Sunday service, so we spent most of the
session divvying up roles and responsibilities.
Should be a nice worship experience.
After the meeting, I got to spend some time getting know Margaret and
Keith -- I like them and know the next
month will be full of good company.
Day Forty
6-28-2011
What is it with the number
forty and rain? The sun went away this
morning and was replaced by much cooler temperatures and dark clouds, and
plenty of the wet stuff. I managed to
find my way in to church okay from a new direction. Most of the day involved helping John with
the annual report, setup for meeting rooms, and helping out a bit with Tuesdays
at Bloom. The highlight of the day would
be a trip to Gwenda and Dafydd’s for dinner.
Wonderful food and conversation.
True to Bloomsbury form, they made me feel welcomed from start to
finish, left me with a full belly, and with another fine memory of London.
Day Forty-One
6-29-2011
When blue skies appear in
this city, they do it right. I decided
to walk to work this morning. I wanted
to see the new sights on the walk from Great Tower Street to Shaftesbury
Avenue. London has a way of just
reminding you of how many wonderful things it has to offer. I turned the corner onto New Change to see
St. Paul’s -- this perfect dome just sitting against a blue-backdrop. Maybe this sounds conceded, but this picture
just appeared out of nowhere, almost like it was just waiting for me to walk
by. Of course, there were other cool
sights too. I saw a half-a-dozen “old”
churches along the way. Each of them had
massive frames. There were strong,
square buildings that gave way to rising steeples and spires. And once more, the blue sky framed them just
right. I couldn’t help but wonder what
the stories behind these ancient, but not-so-famous places would tell. What were the men and women like who built
them? What events have these buildings
seen? Did these spires flinch during the
bombing of WWII? Were they the originals
or had they been rebuilt? I also saw
gargoyles and goddesses and shrapnel marks and Corinthian columns and bridges
and great wooden doors and brass doorknobs and new shop windows and so many
other things. I am pretty sure my new
morning walk will have lots to tell if I’ll only listen. My ears are open and my running shoes are
nice and broken in. It should be a good
story.
Day Forty-Two
6-30-2011
Thirty-Four today. Happy 3-4 Big H and Happy number three
Jack. It was a good birthday. Just to prove I can still do things, I
decided to go for a run. No
stretching. No warming up. Didn’t even have any Advil for the
knees. It was awful and wonderful at the
same time. The awful part was that I
just am not in good enough shape to run for an hour anymore. The wonderful part is that I saw some really
cool stuff along the way. I ran down the
Riverwalk, which is the embankment of the Thames. I ran over London Bridge and Tower Bridge and
the Millennium Bridge and past the Globe
and the Tate Modern and the Tower of London.
The enthusiasm for the historic sites balanced out the wheezing and the
heavy breathing. The knees felt awful,
the shins too. But hey, at least I don’t
have to run like that for another year, and I’m sure Harry will join me
then.
After a run, and a ride into
work, I skyped three-quarters of the family.
Henry sang me as much of the Happy Birthday song as he could remember,
and then provided H and Reagan with a great assist of the Bennigan’s
version. It was also fun to sort through
a bunch of facebook wishes. Mom and Dad
sent me balloons. That was pretty cool
too. After work, Alena, Andrea, and Katarina took me to a French restaurant for
dinner near the church. Steak was
solid. Wine was strong. Company was even better. Thanks for a great start to year thirty-four
London.
Day Forty-Three
7-1-2011
H-E-C-T-I-C from start to
finish. Oversaw a tub being installed,
moved tables, fiddled with Wimbledon on a big screen, visited with all sorts of
folks, printed posters and reports, took the stairs and the elevator a bunch,
walked about six miles between work-walk and other travels, and caught up on
the Lo Charles news.
An aside on Lorenzo. Between his “dunk,” playing for the Hawks
with Spud Webb, and being an All-ACCer in the golden days, he was one of my
favorites. Reading all those articles
was like reading a summary of all those childhood weekends spent watching basketball
on Raycom/JP. RIP Lo Charles…the
Stillerman family will miss you.
Ended the day with a nice
dinner at Keith and Margaret’s. It was
actually my first chance to have an extended conversation with them. The food was awesome -- love me some
vegetables. It was a good end to another
good week.
Day Forty-Four
7-2-2011
We will, we will ROCK YOU…Went
with more of the Bloomsbury gang to see the We Will Rock You musical. Thanks Andrea and Katarina for a great Bday
present. It is a well-done show. It is entertaining, action-packed, and
well-written. The script is clever with
lots of classic rock references, and the performers have some pretty good
voices. The dude that does the creepy
voice on 95.7 The Ride would have loved it.
I don’t think I have to say anything else. I think that’s the best praise I can give it.
After the show, I headed over
to Hazel and John’s for dinner. Another
great evening with terrific food and wine, and even better company. Lots and lots of laughing. A solid Saturday for sure.
Day Forty-Five
7-3-2011
On Sunday, I visited the
Swiss Church of London. Their ministry
team uses some office space at Bloomsbury.
The church is several blocks away -- the building is about 150 years old,
but the church will soon celebrate its 300th anniversary. The service was done in bits of German,
French, and English. There was a
communion, and a community lunch followed the service. London offers an incredible variety of
worship experiences, and I’ve enjoyed getting to see different styles, and
visit with different communities. I think being a visitor for a summer will
provide valuable insight into understanding how visitors feel coming to Grace
Baptist (my church in Statesville).
I came back to Bloomsbury for
the afternoon services -- my home group provided the leadership for the
service. After the service, I met up
with some friends for dinner. (And just
an FYI for anyone meeting at London Bridge Underground Station -- there are
multiple entrances with Starbucks and a view of the bridge. But hey, all that walking just made my pizza
taste better.
Day Forty-Six
7-4-2011
GBA and Happy 2-3-5 USA. Sunny day, check. A Budweiser with a view of Parliament in the
background, check. A hotdog (or at least
a variation of a hotdog) in Trafalgar Square, check. A Coke with shaved ice, check. Missing: Fireworks, Charlie Daniels Band
music, watermelon, homemade ice cream, and baseball. But hey, four out of nine ain’t bad.
My day included sleeping
late, walking up and down the Embankment for a few hours, and a visit to the
National Portrait Gallery. I saw some
Monets, and the Sunflowers, but you can read about those elsewhere. The two things that caught my attention were
a gigantic portrait of Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg and one of Banastre
Tarleton. Charlotte, for whom the Q-City
is named, kind of looks like Elvira. Of
more interest to me was the Tarleton blurb.
There was no mention of Tarleton’s Quarter, just that he was a brave
general. Details, details, details…but I
digress. Thanks to all those backwoods,
regulator, hornet’s-nestin’ North Carolinians who made Kings Mountain
famous.
Margaret and Keith had a late
meeting, so I cooked last night. And
what sort of meal would best celebrate our independence? Fajitas.
Insert Lee Greenwood or Alabama here.
Day Forty-Seven
7-5-2011
ID4 plus one. Wake Forest Divinity School is taking over
the city of London. Dean O’Day and Dr.
Frank were in town for a conference and met me for breakfast this morning. Baked beans, familiar faces, and strong
coffee made for a good breakfast. I
tried (with Andrea’s assistance) to give them the abbreviated tour and summary
of Bloomsbury. It was a Cliff’s
notes-ish attempt, but I hope I gave them some sense of the day-to-day. More
visiting with folks today, plenty of emails, and hopefully an early night. Apparently there is mores soccer to be played
in Regents Park tomorrow night -- I am going to need a good night’s sleep for
that. All for now.
Days Forty-Eight through
Fifty-Three
July 6-July 11, 2011
Wow, I’m out of blogging
shape. Six days and not one word. It has been a good week, but to be honest, I
can’t remember any sort of order to how it all went. Today’s entry is really a potpourri of the
previous week’s events. Here goes…
I made Mexican food twice --
Chili and Fajitas, Guacamole, and a little Pico too. I played soccer again in Regents Park. That’s twice this summer -- twice more than
the last fifteen years combined. I ran
the embankment on Saturday morning, and walked it on both sides on Monday. I’ve tubed.
I’ve bussed. I’ve over
ground-trained. And this weekend I’ll
ferry.
I’ve spent more time in
Bloomsbury homes; this week with Howard and Libby and Andrea and Katarina. And true to Bloomsbury form, I’ve found
everyone warm and inviting, and left with a full stomach, and a sore stomach
from all of the laughing. People here
tell really good stories.
I sat in on the annual
meeting for Bloomsbury on Sunday, helped celebrate an anniversary (happy 162
BCBS!), and listened to two very good sermons.
Pat talked about harvests and the dualism of parables. Louise reminded us that Jesus’ concept of
love, and kingdom-living are quite creative.
There was cake too. Margaret B
makes some serious Chocolate cake, And
just in case you are wondering, the principle of diminishing returns does not
apply to this kind of cake. My third
slice was just as good (if not better) than my third.
More than anything, this has
been a week of conversations. London and
Winston-Salem are separated by a great big ocean. We pronounce words like
tomatoes and trespasses in a different way.
People walk faster and wider on the sidewalks here. Our countries have been shaped by different
stories, historical events, novels, poems, gadgets, customs, foods, machines,
and a whole number of other things. But
when you get down to it, we all like to laugh and tell stories and break bread
together. There have been quite a number
of times when I’ve thought that if you just added some mosquitoes, a little
twang on some accents, and some iced tea, you’d be sitting in a backyard in
Winston-Salem. I think I was reminded of
this the most in conversations with folks from the Xchange group. I remember thinking how great it was to find
people in Charlotte (Genesis and Theology on Tap) and Statesville (The Glutton’s
gang) and Wake Forest (all of our lounge talks) who really were concerned about
what was happening in the world, and were seeking to discover where faith and
church fit into that discussion. It’s
pretty cool to find another pocket of folks in London doing the same
thing.
Now that Vilem is back, I
plan to do a little more exploring. On
Tuesday, the Tuesdays at Bloomsbury group is touring the Foundling Museum. On Wednesday, I’m going to shadow Martin on
his hospital chaplaincy rounds. And then
on Thursday through Saturday, I am heading off to the Isle of Wight to see some
of the English coastline. I’m told the
coast is very diverse with everything from sandy beaches to rising cliffs. I’m excited to see some terrain that looks
different from our beaches back home. I
am also getting super-pumped about eating some seafood, finally tackling a book
that I’ve been reading two pages at a time, bronzin’, and napping.
Here’s hoping the next few blog entries will be full of interesting
stories.
Day Fifty-Four
July 12, 2011
Already a busy week. Last night, I met my friend Liz (a
Winston-Salemite who lives in Belgium, but is in London for the week -- we grew
up together at FBC W-S) and we strolled around Covent Garden and Drury Lane,
stopping into a few places for pints and appetizers. It was fun to catch up. This morning, I went with the Tuesday gang to
the Foundling Museum. The museum is on the spot of where the Foundling Hospital
was in the eighteenth century. Nearly
30,000 orphans were taken to this hospital over two centuries. The life of these children reminded me of the
stories you hear about the textile workers of the Carolinas. The foundlings were not running machinery,
but they too lived a kind of “stationed-life.”
The museum tells their story, but also houses a very impressive
collection of artwork, as well as a Handel exhibit. The exhibit has a working copy of The
Messiah that Handel donated in his will.
In the evening, I headed over to the Southern Home Group. Jean showed us a DVD of the
Israeli-Palestinian border dispute over East Jerusalem. She’ll be going over as
an observer this fall, and it was fascinating to hear about her preparation for
the trip. We also had dates, olives, and
humus.
Day Fifty Five
July 13, 2011
On Wednesday, I went to
shadow Martin at St. George’s Hospital.
Martin works as a chaplain there and also heads up the Tuesdays at Bloomsbury
program. I got a chance to visit with
several of the other chaplains and get a sense of their roles in patient-care
at the hospital. Claire (one of the
other chaplains) let me go with her on a few patient visits, and she showed me
several of the hospital wings. This was
really helpful. If you can’t be in Dr.
Jensen’s pastoral care class at WFU (my three credit hours have been
completed), the next best place to be is picking the brains of those who’ve
done it for years. The summer has
exposed me to two handfuls of men and women who are really skilled in making
pastoral visits. Some do it in homes,
others in churches, others in hospitals, others on the streets, and others
wherever the need arises. Each one of
them has a different style, but they make those styles work so well. They make those around them feel comforted
and secure and listened to. I’m hoping
some of that will rub off on me too.
Day Fifty-Six, Fifty-Seven,
and Fifty-Eight
July 14-July 16, 2011
This weekend, I took off for
the beach to a place called Sandown on the Isle of Wight. To get there, you take the ferry from
Portsmouth Harbor, and then you ride an old Underground train (and I mean old)
about twenty minutes into Sandown. The
town is an old Victorian resort. It sits
on the sea. There are sandy beaches and
rocky cliffs, and it looks nothing like the coastline of North Carolina. The island has a coastal path that allows you
to walk along the coastline. On Thursday I walked a few miles to the South, and
on Friday, I walked a few miles (actually more like a hike, and more like ten
miles) to the North and into Bembridge.
The path was steep and narrow, but it offers cliff-top views of Ryde,
Portsmouth, and a big, blue sea. You
also get to walk through cow pastures (they don’t even bother to look at you as
you pass), small towns, and rolling hills and fields. Pictures to follow soon. I also found some time to relax on the beach,
have several helpings of fish n’ chips, and keep an eye on the British
Open. I got back this afternoon, and
have enjoyed a quiet day of errands, skyping, bare-footedness, and a little
laundry.
Days Fifty-Nine-Sixty-Six
July 17-July 24, 2011
Ugh! I’ve managed to do it again. I’ve gone eight days without writing anything
in my blog. Days are running together,
so this won’t be in any particular order.
The majority of my week was
spent planning an evening worship service for Sunday evening. Everything went great. We talked about Psalm 121, had a soup dinner,
and had a nice musical variety. Bulletin
and sermon are attached if you are interested in reading more about it. The Bloomsbury gang did a great job of giving
it their own personal spin, and it was really fun to visit with everyone
afterwards.
The weather has been really
nice this week too. With all of the
sunshine, I’ve walked in and back from work almost every day this week, and I’ve
gone for a run too. I’ve enjoyed a few
lunches from sidewalk tables, and as well as some coffees and pints.
I got back to the theater on
Friday afternoon. I saw Betrayal. It is a one-act play about a man and woman
who have ended an affair. The woman
tells the man that her husband (conveniently his best friend) now knows about
their affair. She doesn’t tell the man
that her husband has known for years.
The play reveals scenes over a ten-year period, where the three
characters interact in different situations.
Kristin Scott Thomas was the lead.
She was very good. I was sitting
close enough to see her facial expressions, and she captured the awkwardness of
the whole situation. It was an afternoon
well spent.
I played more board games
with the Tuesday crowd, got to visit with/garden-assist for several Bloomsbury members,
and hung around the Bloomsbury foyer.
Kim and Suan had me over for dinner (such good food!), and I also got to
spend time with the extended Bevis crowd.
Margaret and Keith continue to show me great hospitality and fill me
with all sorts of wonderful food. They
also clobbered me in Scrabble last night!
Mom and Dad and I had a nice
long chat on Saturday afternoon. She and
Harry’s trip schedule is coming together.
Dad asked me if I was ready to come home. “Yes, but not before I finish doing all of
this fun stuff, and not before Mom and Harry get here!”
It is starting to hit me that
the summer is almost over. It has been
flying by. I’m trying to soak up as much
of London and Bloomsbury as I can. I
think I get a little more ambitious about what to see and do each day that
passes by. Canterbury, St. Alban’s, and
Wesley’s Chapel are all on my radar this week.
More to come soon.
Days Sixty-Seven and
Sixty-Eight
July 25-26, 2011
Monday was an administrative
day. I caught up on blogging, postcards,
bills, phone calls, etc. I also walked
to and from work (it’s a little over two miles). I usually only walk one way, but I walked
both ways on Monday. I lingered through
some areas I hadn’t spent much time looking at in depth. The gardens outside St. Paul’s took up most
of my attention. Margaret and Keith
continue to show me wonderful hospitality.
I keep telling Margaret that if she’s not careful, Rick Steve is going
to list her flat as one of the best places to stay and eat in London!
Tuesday was awesome! We took
the Tuesdays at Bloom crew to Canterbury for the day. We rode on a super-fast train out of St.
Pancras station -- we got to Canterbury by mid-morning. We had a nice lunch in the town, and the sun
cooperated for us. The weather was just
right, and we sat outside and enjoyed a warm lunch and good tea and great
company. I had quiche, French fries, and
salad, the meal of every pilgrim to Canterbury right? Once inside the cathedral, Simon gave us some
very helpful details about its history.
My favorite part about Canterbury is looking at the massive stones that
were carved with primitive (by today’s standards) tools. Their sheer size is astounding. And then you see intricate carvings and
archways and paintings too. And its been
there for nearly a thousand years. Very
cool place. After the tour, we hit the
town and looked at is shops, and of course, there was more tea to be had. And once the weary pilgrim returned to
London, he was treated to another excellent meal by his generous hosts. I could get used to days like this! Here are
some pics of the trip.
Day Sixty-Nine
July 27, 2011
So many cathedrals to see…so
little time. Priscilla, a regular helper
at Tuesdays at Bloom, and a longtime friend of the church, invited me for a
visit to St. Albans cathedral. We met up
at Harrow on the Hill Baptist Church.
She and Norman and Pat (two other Harrow members) treated me to coffee
and cake, and a quick tour of Harrow.
Then we headed off to St Albans.
It is a lovely cathedral town, and not nearly as crowded or well-known
as Canterbury. The cathedral was built
from bricks taken from Roman walls/building nearby. It is smaller and newer, but it is very
intricate. The red brick is very
distinctive, and the stained-glass is stunning.
We had lunch in the cathedral (more quiche for me), and then we walked
around the town. There is a great park
with a lake, ducks, Roman ruins, and a swimming area for kids. We walked around the park, and also toured
the museum which has lots of Roman artifacts.
There are also several complete mosaics on display. We had tea and Kit-Kats in the café, and then
headed back to London. Priscilla, Pat,
and Norman are great people, fun to talk to, with lots of good stories, and
plenty of Baptist insight. I am glad to
have met them! And I had another great
dinner with Margaret and Keith -- well done on the salmon Margaret! Pics of the day are below.
Day Seventy and Seventy-One
July 28-29, 2011
Tonight, Maurice and Margaret
took me to see a village called Shoreham in Kent. We drove around the countryside, and then
walked along the river path, seeing vineyards and fields and little brew
houses. I haven’t gotten those pictures
downloaded yet, but I’ll put them up when I do.
I did manage to get some of the Isle of Wight downloaded though - you
can see those below. After we walked
through Shoreham, we had a nice dinner in the local pub, and then we went back
to M&Ms for a nightcap of coffee. I’ve
enjoyed getting to know them, but unfortunately, I won’t see them again before
I leave. So I guess tonight was one of
the first of many goodbyes in the weeks to follow. I will miss a lot of things about the summer,
not the least of which are the many new friends I’ve found in England.
Nothing too big to report
about Friday. It was a day of long
conversation, a variety of topics, and some pretty spectacular Spaghetti
Bolognese for dinner. Oh and how can I
forget. On Thursday, Vilem, Katarina,
Andrea, and I went to Nordic Bar for hotdogs at lunch. I had a Swedish dog topped with mashed
potatoes -- money!!! And really, really
filling.
Days Seventy-Two,
Seventy-Three, Seventy-Four, and Seventy-Five
July 30-August 2, 2011
Seventy-One days, especially
in the summer, is a lengthy time period for a man to go without a proper
cookout. Many thanks to Clive and
Rowland for ending that streak. Those
fellas know how to work a grill! We had
sausages and chicken and fish and ribs and burgers. I woke up with the meat sweats in the middle
of the night and it was totally worth it!
But let me back up. Clive and
Rowland are Bloomsbury folk who do a semi-annual BBQ every August. We spent the afternoon filling ourselves on
great food, and there were some very competitive games of foosball and
cherry-pit-spitting. Good news America,
we spit better than the UK. And big ups
to Gwenda for earning Wales a silver medal!
In foosball arena, Alena and Vilem brought home the gold for Czech
Republic. I have a hard time believing
that the London Olympics of 2012 will top this weekend’s high drama. We’ll have to stay tuned. Pre-BBQ, I went for a run along the Thames
and then had a nice breakfast with Keith and Margaret. A solid Saturday for sure.
On Sunday, I went with Duncan,
Doris, Justin, Robert, Mahdi, Mojgan, and Dmitri to see an Iranian film called Separation.
Great film, and intense! I also managed to work in two Sunday services, and a
nice visit to the Crown (I should emphasize it was a short one!) with the Bloom
crowd.
Monday was a pretty slow day
at the church, so I did a little more walking/exploring around Trafalgar and
Leicester, and a some excellent ice cream with Yvette. Today was another good day, but too many
goodbyes (boo!). We had Tuesdays at
Bloom, so there were plenty of word games and tea-biscuits and soup and a
top-notch movies quiz. But this is my
last Tuesday, so I won’t see a bunch of people again. I’ve enjoyed getting to know this group, and
I’ll look forward to hearing what they get into in the weeks and months to
come.
Days Seventy-Six and
Seventy-Seven
August 3-4, 2011
Wednesday and Thursday were
kind of my last official workdays at Bloomsbury. Unfortunately, there were several deaths in
the Bloomsbury family this past week. As
a result, the staff was busy making preparations for additional services. I just tried to help out where I could. I spent a little time on Open Doors, and just
a lot of this and that. And more
goodbyes…insert sad face.
On
Wednesday night, Keith and Margaret and I had dinner at their flat. It was a great chance to spend one more meal
together in London. I will miss our
chats, and the wonderful food and wine and bread and oranges! (Hope you are reading this Rick Steve!)
On
Thursday night, I hit up Pizza Express with Justin and Andrea for a quick bite
and more sendoff/goodbyes. As always,
the American Pizza hit the spot. I spent
most of the rest of the night packing and consolidating my belongings for the
touring leg of my trip.
Day Seventy Eight
August 5, 2011
The Stillerman Invasion
begins! Mom and Harry came to “collect”
me today, but not before we leave our mark on the UK. Their flight got in at about 7:30AM and they
arrived at Victoria Train Station about 9:30.
We hit the ground running! I introduced
Harry and Mom to the Underground (I think they would have been more impressed
without their bags!) We checked in the
hotel, dropped off bags, and freshened up. The hotel is on Bloomsbury Street,
just a block from the church, so it has been the perfect location. Mom napped for a little bit, and Harry and I
went for a quick walk to get all of my belongings. We came back to collect Mom, and then went to
lunch at the Forum Café. The meal was
good, but our waiter lost the check! “What did y’all order again?” he asked
us. Stupid Americans…we told him the
truth! After lunch, we went over to the
British Museum where we spent a bunch of time in the Enlightenment Wing. Mom
and Harry have no comment on the Enlightenment exhibit (I’ll have to get it
from them later…we are on a train back from Edinburgh, and their memory is a
bit foggy). I really enjoyed the
fossils, and the old books from the King’s library. I also found the early scientific instruments
to be very intriguing. These were the
tools that begin to explore fighting disease.
We also saw the Rosetta Stone (Harry and Mom do remember that being a
highlight!). Harry left us mid-tour (his
jetlag began to sink in) and Mom and I went on to the North American
exhibit. My favorite part of that exhibit
were the artifacts from the Southeastern Native American tribes, especially the
Cherokee. The beadwork and stitching on
their garments and bracelets is so intricate.
We left the North American exhibit and moved onto Australia. The best part of that exhibit are the
Aboriginal baskets…So skillful!
Post-museum, Mom and I went
to find a memory card for her camera, I gave her a quick tour of the church,
and then we had cappuccinos across the street at Costa. We came back to the
hotel, awoke Harry from his slumber, and headed out again for some
walking. We walked down to Trafalgar
Square -- I still think it is the best thing to see in London on a Friday
night. People are buzzing about, the
fountains are pitter-pattering, the sun is setting on a big ole’ city, and
these massive statues are just begging for you to hear their stories. There are street performers and live music
too. My favorite view is standing in the
front of the National Portrait Gallery (atop the stairs and looking toward
Nelson’s Statue). If you position
yourself just so, you can see Parliament between the cracks of other buildings,
and you can’t help but think, “This is the coolest city in the world!”
We left Trafalgar and headed
over to Piccadilly Circus, which was abuzz with the crowds. We went into the M&Ms store, which is
happiness in a box. The whole place
smells like milk chocolate. I felt like
I was in something out of a Roald Dahl novel (you would only have to change the
logos to Wonka! And instead of Umpa
Loompas there are M&M people.) A
must see for any visit to London! We
headed back toward Bloomsbury through Leicester Square and Covent Garden. We closed our night at Savior Faire, a cool
little French bistro near the hotel and church.
Lamb, filet, and steak for the three of us, and it was awesome. Day one
as a tourist was a total success.
Mom:
“I liked how busy everything
in Trafalgar was, and how much energy was there. We were going to a place that people have
been going to for centuries, and discovering it for the first time, just like
us!”
Harry:
“I enjoyed just walking
around and seeing where Bob was living and seeing Bloomsbury. I can’t say I had a favorite part of Friday,
I just enjoyed getting to drink it all in.”
Day Seventy-Nine
August 6, 2011
Day Two may have been the
busiest, most “funnest” day ever! I am
dizzy just thinking about it. So…we
started with a walk around about 8:30AM. I wanted Harry and Mom to see Covent
Garden and some of Bloomsbury before the masses of crowds filled them up. We walked around the Royal Opera House, and
through the network of cobblestones and shops.
After walking for about an hour, we headed down toward the
Embankment. We had breakfast in the
Victoria Embankment Gardens, and it was perfect. The weather felt like a nice crisp October
day, a welcome relief for Harry and Mom who left one-hundred degree weather in
North Carolina. The Embankment garden is
full of pristine green lawns, fun statues (Robert Burns and the inventor of
Sunday Schools), ping-pong tables, and a wonderful variety of plants and
flowers. The café sits in the middle,
offering a view of the gardens and the Thames.
Another Bob Stillerman recommendation, free of charge.
After our breakfast, we
walked along The Strand, down the Embankment, and south toward the City of
London. We stopped at St. Paul’s
Cathedral, and walked around its gardens.
Next, we walked over the Millennium Bridge to the Globe Theatre. We proceed down the Thames Path to London
Bridge, across the bridge, and down though the city until we got to the Tower
Bridge. We stopped and had sandwiches at
the coffee shop outside of the Tower of London.
We found a nice park bench, and just watched the crowds, and the Tower
bridge, and the Tower itself. It was a
long, but really fun walk. We headed back to the hotel, and spent the afternoon
resting.
One of the really nice things
the folks at Bloomsbury did for me this summer was to give me a little spending
money that Howard and John instructed me to “enjoy London” with! I decided to take their advice, and so I got
tickets for Journeys End, a play about the trench-life of WWI. Andrea
and Katarina joined Harry and Mom and me, and we headed off to the Duke of York
theatre. We had great seats -- it felt
like we were in the trenches with the soldiers.
The play is gripping and powerful and intense. It was also very funny at times. And there were really, really sad moments.
The play gives you a glimpse of the soldier’s life. You see what it must have felt like for
soldiers who knew their orders were taking them off to their certain
death. The curtain call becomes a living
war memorial, and you see just one strip of the thousands upon thousands of
names of the soldiers lost.
The somberness of the play
required a little wine at dinner afterwards!
And it was good wine, and even better food. We hit another French restaurant, not the
same one. Steak, duck, lamb, fish, and
lots of other good dishes. I think we
ended our day full in every way imaginable -- stomachs, culture, activity, laughs,
etc.
Mom:
“I thought the play was
stunning and moving. The walk was a
great overview of London, a feel for where everything was, and I loved seeing
the Tower of London and the Globe. Being
on foot is a great way to see everything.”
Harry:
“Mom pretty much covered
it! Walking over London Bridge was a
pretty cool thing to do too.”
Day Eighty
Sunday August 7, 2011
My last day at Bloomsbury…What
a great place to spend the summer! I am
hopeful that this is the first of many visits with this community of faith, and
the beginning of many long friendships.
It was surreal to sit in the sanctuary one last Sunday, and reflect on
all the people I’ve met and all the places I’ve gone. I was really excited that Mom and Harry got
to meet the majority of my new summer friends, but it was also really hard to
have to say goodbye to so many people.
Internships and summer visits are kind of strange. You spend twelve weeks getting to know folks,
and finally getting to the point where you get to say more than “hello,” or
have some chat about the weather. And
then as soon you get there, you have to say “goodbye.” Well, I’d rather just say, “Goodbye for now.” It was also very fitting that my last Sunday
would be a communion Sunday and that my first one back at Grace will be a
communion Sunday too. I think this will
be a great bridge to remind me of my connections to two communities separated
an ocean, but connected in other ways.
And while I am sad to leave Bloomsbury, I am excited to tell my friends
in North Carolina about this special place.
(And the orchestra is playing so that means I need to stop…)
Sometimes your best-laid
plans don’t work out. Harry and Mom and
me are silly Americans. We thought we’d
just catch the bus to Oxford on Sunday afternoon. There is a twenty-four hour service…if you
can actually get to the station! There
were some street closings that blocked the pickup points at Victoria and Marble
Arch. Add in a torrential downpour, and
it made Oxford not so attractive. We
regrouped, and decided we’d go to the British Library and rest up for our
Edinburgh trip. There is something
magnificent about seeing the Magna Carta, a Guttenberg Bible, and a King James
Bible. One can only imagine the hands
that have touched these documents, and all the sets of eyes that have seen
them. Add the Stillermans to that list!
We spent the evening at the hotel watching movies, and we ordered in some
pizza. We felt rested and relaxed for
our upcoming trip to Edinburgh, and pleased that we’d conquered one half of our
London sights list. I’d call it an
action-packed three-day weekend!
Mom:
“It was absolutely wonderful
to go to Bloomsbury, and to meet some of the people I’d been hearing
about. It gave me the feel of being at
Pullen (a church in Raleigh). I really
liked that I felt at home and welcomed.
I felt like I could be a member at that church.”
Harry:
“I enjoyed getting to see
Bloomsbury and put names with faces. I
thought the church was lovely. I was
also glad to see the British Library and all of the historical documents. And I really enjoyed just relaxing on Sunday
evening!”
Day Eighty-One
Monday August 8, 2011
Hello Scotland, meet the
Stillermans! So we are generally pretty stingy with our dollars, but not this
week! Mom decided she couldn’t say grace
over cramming herself on an airplane for eight hours and then turning right
back around and getting on a cramped train for another five hours. Goodbye coach class, hello first class! Best investment of the summer! I know there are starving children in Africa,
but my knees and my back are so very grateful!
So we really enjoyed the scenery as we munched on breakfast and cookies
and coffees and teas and all kinds of other goodies. The scenery was amazing. Mom described the sheep as “looking like
little cotton balls in the grass.” Harry
liked the falling cliffs along the seaside.
I liked those things too, but I really liked the free Wi-Fi and the
extra legroom!
Scotland greeted us with
sunshine -- sunshine that lasted for two days. Once in Edinburgh, we made our
way to the Princes Street Suites, our apartment for the three-day stay. It was awesome! We had a nice three bedroom apartment, complete
with a roof-top view, and it was right off the Royal Mile. We had plenty of kitchen space so we picked
up plenty of coffee and cheeses and snacks.
Once we settled in, we went for a stroll along Hume’s Walk and Calton
Hill. This provides you with an
excellent view of the city, and a chance to see the National Monument (a great
columned structure), the Observatory, and Nelson’s Monument. There are rising rocky peaks, plenty of
lovely green lawns, and a city full of stone buildings and fascinating stories.
After walking for several hours, we went back to the apartment for a quick
nap.
For dinner, we went to Howie’s. We had great service and really good
food. I had a pork chop, Harry had smoked Salmon, and Mom
had the fish of the day. We really,
really enjoyed ourselves. About eleven o’clock we headed back home to rest up
for a day of sight-seeing.
Mom:
“The rooftop view, Hume’s
walk, and seeing the Firth of Forth -- I had always read about it and wondered
just what it was. I also liked the
footpaths. They allowed you to climb or
to walk with ease.”
Harry:
“I liked discovering our
rooftop terrace. Mostly because it
pointed us to Hume’s Walk, and gave us the initiative to go out and see
it. It lets you see very clearly how the
new city was laid out.”
Day Eighty-Two
Tuesday August 9, 2011
Royal Miled…The Stillerman
saw every inch of the Royal Mile. Mom
pre-booked tickets to the Edinburgh Castle.
And thank you Rick Steve -- we owe you a beer if you ever come to review
Winston-Salem. Because of your awesome
advice, we were the first ones in the castle.
No, not one of the first, but the very first ones. We straight “Clark Grizwalded” it. The castle has absolutely stunning views of
Edinburgh. It takes you up turns and
nooks and steps and bends, all the way providing glimpses of the varied
terrains. And there is green
everywhere. We saw the Scottish Jewels,
toured the P.O.W. museum (it had lots of history of American Revolutionary
POWs), saw the Scottish War Monuments, enjoyed scones and coffees on a rooftop
ridge, and saw the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots.
Having seen the castle, we
headed down the mile about midday. We
meandered through the High Street. We
especially enjoyed all of the characters about for the Fringe (Edinburgh’s
Festival). It is a combination of New
Year’s Day and Halloween outfits all rolled into one, and there are
performances and musicians and improvisational acts all going on at once. We stopped in at a bakery and got sandwiches
to go. We passed the New Scottish
Parliament building, a really cool, contemporary structure. I think the coolest part is a wall with all
of these famous quotes from Scottish characters. Off to the side of it is a great park with
lots of benches and fountains -- think Centennial Park in Atlanta. In the
background is a view of Arthur’s Seat.
We munched our sandwiches and just enjoyed the warm sun in our faces,
and the massive amount of green. There
was glorious green everywhere!
After lunch, we toured the
Holyrood Palace, a residence of the Royal family. It has the same kind of ornate beauty you find
at Versailles, just on a smaller scale.
You can see the bed chambers of kings and queens past, and a whole wall
of wonderful portraits of famous Scots.
The gardens are magnificent, and there are also ruins from an abbey, and
ancient gravestones. The coolest part is
the formal dining room (still used by the queen), as well as a ceremonial room
-- the place where Sean Connery was knighted.
After a quick nap, we headed
to Montieth’s for dinner. It was an
excellent meal again. I had salmon,
Harry sea bass, and Mom a steak. Good
Scottish beer too. Post dinner, we
explored the Mile some more, and watched some of the Fringe acts. And then we headed up to the top of the Mile
to see the Royal Military Tattoo. It was
AWESOME!!! They had military bands from
all of the world - UK, Brazil, Holland, South Africa, and Bavaria. The Bavarian played huge horns, the band from
Holland played on bicycles for one act, and the Scottish drummers straight
brought it! Afterwards, Mom said, “I
think I might like to be Scottish!”
There were plenty of fireworks too.
The weather was pretty chilly, and it had the feel of a high school
football game. Harry and I almost let
out a “One we are the Spartans, Two, a little bit louder, Three, I still can’t
hear you, Four, more more, more…” Another great night in Scooterland.
Mom:
“I loved the view from the
castle. The POW tour of the Americans was pretty awesome, and the jewels. I loved the street scenes of the fringe, and
the Holyrood Palace, and of course the Military Tattoo -- The marines were best
band because the coordination was very impressive.”
Harry:
“The castle was amazing. I loved seeing the crown jewels. The views from the castle were stunning. The dungeon was extremely creepy. Holyrood Palace was interesting because of
its history and the size of its rooms. I
also didn’t expect the floors to be wooden.
And of course the fact that the Queen is there. The Fringe was fascinating, especially the
way each set of performers was promoting their shows. My favorite part of the
day were the Dutch and Bavarian
bands. Loved the chopping wood
and the bicycles. And the overall
precision of all the bands -- it just takes such coordination. And the fact that someone can play a tuba
while riding a bicycle…Amazing!!! Oh,
and I don’t care to ever hold hands with everyone at the end again, even if it
is Auld Lang Sine.”
Day Eighty-Three
Wednesday August 10,
2011
One day left in Scotland…why
not see three-hundred fifty miles of it!
Today we took a tour with Heart of Scotland tours to see Loch Ness and
the Highlands. Thanks again to Rick
Steve for the recommendation and the 10-pound discount. We boarded a bus with ten enthusiastic, but
agitating and tardy partners at 8:00 AM.
Our tour guide Colin knew him some Scotland. And of course he wore a kilt, just as Sir
Walter Scott would require. We drove
through some of the most beautiful country-side I have ever seen. The wet weather set in, but it still didn’t
spoil the scenery. In fact, it was raining
so hard that you could see waterfalls and raging rivers -- each of which Colin
said weren’t there the day before. Our
tour was twelve hours, and it included a lot of bus time, but it was well worth
it. We got to see Glen Cove, a beautiful
three-mountain set, and other highland ranges.
We stopped in Loch Ness for about an hour, where we saw the great lake,
walked around the town, and enjoyed a much needed warm cup of coffee. We saw
some “Hairy Coos,” named Hamish and Honey and Heffer, and also a few Victorian
towns. More than anything, it was great
to get a history of the region in a light-hearted way, and to rest our weary
legs from all the walking of the past two days.
We got back to Edinburgh around 7:00 PM, rested a bit at the hotel, and
then had a nice Italian dinner. I also
introduced Harry and Mom to sticky toffee pudding. It was a great end to a great trip!
Mom:
“I loved our tour guide
Colin. He told great stories with a good
sense of humor. I loved Glen Cove -- it
was my favorite. Seeing Loch Ness was
interesting, but really dreary because of the weather. I also learned that Braveheart’s William
Wallace would not have worn a kilt because he was a lowlander!”
Harry:
“The trip gave me a glimpse
of the subtle nuances about Scotland. Colin
talked about his home the same way we talk about North Carolina. I enjoyed
hearing all of the stories and places and characters that makes Scotland a
special place for him.”
Day Eighty-Four
Thursday August 11, 2011
We picked a good day for a travel
day. We left Edinburgh on a nine-thirty
train in the midst of very heavy rains.
The rain didn’t let up our entire trip.
There were a few delays because of flooding on the tracks, but we were
back in London by two-thirty or so.
We checked into our hotel in
Kensington, relaxed a little bit, and then headed to the Old Vic Theatre to see
Kevin Spacey in Richard III.
Amazing, amazing, amazing. Spacey
put on a very physical performance. At
the end of the show, as Richmond is making his speech, Spacey (who plays
Richard III) falls dead, and then is suspended by his feet from a rope. Spacey just hangs upside down for over a
minute as the speech continues. During
the curtain call he looks completely exhausted -- It is almost like he just
wants to get the applause over as soon as possible so he can go back to his
dressing room. Best show I have seen
this summer by a mile, and I have seen nothing by good shows!
Day Eighty-Five
Friday August 12, 2011
Harry’s last stand
(Boo!) Since H had to fly out on
Saturday, we knew we had to pack a bunch in.
Harry and I went for a run/walk/sprinty-thing/back-to-walking outing in
Kensington Gardens and then all three of us had breakfast in the hotel. We took the Underground to St. James Park
where we walked through/past Buckingham Palace, down along Whitehall, Downing
Street, past the Cabinet War Rooms, and around Parliament and Westminster
Abbey. Afterwards, we had lunch near the
hotel and then explored the gift shops of the Natural History Museum and the
V&A. We had dinner at a nice Italian
Restaurant, and then Harry and I met up with some friends.
Day Eighty-Six
Saturday August 13, 2011
Today, Mom and I went to
Stratford-Upon-Avon. We arrived about
one-thirty after a pretty long train trip and stop-off in Birmingham. We walked from the station into S-U-A’s town
center, and down along to the theatre and River Avon. We took in the swans and the boats and the
crowds, and then met Keith and Margaret for lunch at Carluccio’s, an Italian restaurant. We had a great lunch (spinach ravioli for
me!), and I was really glad that Mom got to meet them, and vice-versa. After lunch, Mom and I walked along the River
Avon and explored Shakespeare’s church.
He and his family are buried there, and the church also has the records
of his baptism, marriage, and death.
After seeing the church, we explored the shops in the business district,
and then got back on a five-thirty train to London. Along the way, we were greeted by thousands
of Cricket fans who were thrilled to see England beat India. Mom especially enjoyed the two men sitting
next to us on the train ride. One was
dressed as Elvis and the other as Poncho Villa.
Batman was in our carriage as well.
I think they enjoyed their afternoon!
Days Eighty-Seven,
Eighty-Eight, and Eighty-Nine
August 14-16, 2011
I’m leaving on a jet plane,
and I don’t know when I’ll be back again.
Well actually, I am on the plane right now, a few hours from
Charlotte. The seat in front of me is in
my lap, I can’t feel my knees or rear-end, my ears hurt from the headphones,
and I’m tired of watching movies…why not blog a little more?
I don’t have a bunch of
battery power, so here are the highlights of my last three days:
Sunday -
Mom and I visited Kensington
Gardens and Palace. The palace was built
by William and Mary in the seventeenth century, and has been transformed into
an “enchanted palace.” The rooms are
designed to tell the stories of seven princesses (Diana, Charlotte, Caroline,
Victoria, Elizabeth, Margaret, and Anne) in a way that combines the actual
stories of the inhabitants of the palace mixed with some fairy-tale and fantasy
elements. If only my niece Mattie had
been there! In the afternoon, we had hamburgers in Trafalgar Square and then
toured the National Gallery, paying close attention to the Monet works. On Sunday evening, we met my friend John at
Bumpkin for a nice traditional English meal.
I hadn’t seen John in a month or so, and it was fun to see how his
perceptions of London have changed after being here a few months (we both
arrived at the beginning of summer as transplanted Americans).
Monday -
Mom and I did some light
packing, before heading out in search of the John Bunyan (author of Pilgrims
Progress) statue in Holborn. It sits on the second story of the old
Baptist Union building at Holborn and Calton.
There is also a marker for the cornerstone of the now abandoned Baptist
Union Building, and the first stanza of the book. Having found our pilgrim, we headed over to
Bloomsbury to return a few things.
Afterwards, we headed over to the British Museum, perusing the gift
shops, the Parthenon exhibit and some more of the Assyrians. At four o’clock, Katarina, Vilem, and
Julianna met us for tea in the gardens.
It was a great way to say goodbye to good friends on a sunny London
Day. On Monday night, we headed toward
Gatwick and stayed at a hotel to make the morning flight more manageable. We did watch a movie called Getting Low
with Robert Duvall and Bill Murray that is excellent. Queue it up on Netflix and you won’t be
disappointed.
Tuesday -
And that brings me to
today. I think we are approaching the
American coastline, or at least we better be!
I am trying to pause and take in an unforgettable summer. Look for a final summery sometime this
week.
Epilogue
12-30-2011
On June 30th, my
birthday, I ran along the embankment of the River Thames. I saw the grandeur of the Tower Bridge,
London Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the Globe Theatre. As my feet pounded the pavement of the old
cobblestones that line the Thames, I couldn’t help but think of the all the
history that has lived along those waters -- the Thames holds the roots of my nation and of my
denomination. The Thames tells my story.
And now six months later, I am embarking
on another journey. I am traveling with
a group of WFU students to Israel for a two-week tour of Haifa, Tiberias, and
Jerusalem. I am really not sure what to
expect, but I want to invite you to follow my journey at a new blog site: http://www.aDemonDeaconinIsrael.blogspot.com
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