A Neat Day

It's been a really neat day. Listened to a sermon from Summit Church in Orlando this morning as I got ready for church. I went to Summit back in the summer of 2004 and loved it - so it was a great way to start the day.

Then off to church where I got to sick (sit actually, but Paul was sick) next to Paul Hutchinson who helps lead worship at Fisherwick and is just a solid guy. On top of that, I got to experience my first child baptist today. Still not crazy about it, but does at least give me an idea of it and a theological framework for understanding how others understand it.

After church, Derek invited me to lunch with him and the interns. I always feel a little bit like a third wheel - like I'm taking away from their time together. But, I actually really enjoyed it and Spencer mentioned being really glad I was there - making the comment that it was the first time "all six of the interns had been together in a long time" - I'm the "6th" unofficial intern. They make me feel loved which always feels good.

This afternoon I was able to rewrite my research proposal (the last piece to my PhD apps) and it turned out a lot stronger than the first version.

Around dinner time, Derek came and picked me up and I was Fisherwick's participant (led the antiphonal reading confession of sin) in the ecumenical church service as part of the Worldwide Church Unity week. It was a really good experience, in a beautiful Church of Ireland restored church. The homily was given by the new Catholic Bishop of County Down and Connor. He did an okay job - not great, but pretty good. Overall, the entire service was very Christo-centric, so i was very encouraged there. As well, in a small world way, I sat next to a couple where the wife had grown up in Kenya and her dad had been a colonial administrator during Mau Mau. What a small world!

Now I'm back home with Jude, Megan, Melissa, and John and we're watching the NFC playoff game between Eagles and Cardinals. Megan's broadcasting it from her Slingbox back in Arizona - I'm really impressed with it. Anyways, it's a lot of fun to be sitting around with a bunch of Americans, eating hamburgers, and watching football. :-)

Well, it's been a great day! Tomorrow I leave for London and it'll be a crazy week experiencing working in an archive three straight days all day. Woohoo!