#GC43: Day Five (Wednesday July 25, 2018)

Who knew that you could sum up for your feelings in the names of the brews in a flight from a local brewery… it can be done.  See below!

The routine Rasta and I have developed continued this morning.  A little game of ‘chuck it’ interspersed with watering the trees and … well, you know the other! This is followed by breakfast for him in the room and then a walk to building where breakfast is served to the commissioners.  Five days in… I miss my strawberries and yogurt at home.

Following worship at which  Dr. Isabel Apawo Phiri, Deputy General Secretary of the World Council of Churches preached we entered into our third Decision Session and joyously and overwhelming voted to enter into full communion with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  But, the joy was short lived and it soon became clear that the regionalization of the church is upon us.

Proposal M&O 01 requested “that one or two seats on the Denominational Council Executive be reserved for representatives of French ministries and that the names of candidates will be submitted to the nominating committee by the French Ministries Table.”  The Facilitation team recommended that no action be taken on this and then there was an amendment, ““La Table des Ministères en francais be empowered to propose names to the Nominating Committee for inclusion in the various Councils and Committees of the Church.”  Sorry, while I heard the debate, there was no need for this.  Any individual or group can propose a name or group of names to the Nominations Committee.  Such amendments are rooted in our fear and lack of trust…

After lunch we were free for the rest of the day.  I had initially planned to meet up with my cousin and his wife but his work got in the way of that.  So, after a short nap I headed to the Canadian Auto Museum and enjoyed about an hour looking at the displays.  No, Rasta did not mark the tires!

Filled with the scent of oil and leather and my imagination pondering the stories those cars could tell, I headed to

5 Paddle Brewing Company but lo, what do I see right across from my destination but a Soft Moc Warehouse Store!  Now, I live with four females and shoes… well, lets say I trip over the many pairs of shoes that gather near the door (mine included)… but I also know that they’d say there is always room for one more pair.  So, Rasta and I went shoe shopping!  In the end, the ‘Jesus Sandals’ as the girls came to call mine were ‘gaudy’ according to Grace and the size selections were so limited we did not find anything…

Beer.  Finally.   What to have?  Going by the description of the taste of each beer I selected three in the following order: A Reason, Home Sweet Home, and Home Away from Home… and before I knew it I’d captured pretty much how I was feeling in that moment: lonely missing those I love and somewhat overwhelmed by the magnitude of what is before the Church.

Following supper at Mandarin I returned to the relative comfort of my room and settled in for the night, reading a bit of a novel I’d brought along, playing with Rasta and watching a movie… otherwise resting as I now that Thursday and Friday will be full – very full!

Til tomorrow,

Lloyd