The Network meeting has ended...some of the delegates headed straight to the airport after our closing dinner. I have a few days of holiday here in Hong Kong before the journey home.
So what are my reflections on the meeting?
Firstly, I note how important relationships are. Naysayers would have us believe that the Anglican Communion is in meltdown, and on some levels that may even be true, but here this week I've worked with people of different cultures, nationalities, churchmanship and theological perspectives. And it has been a sublime pleasure. The bonds are important not just because the conference has meant a great deal to me personally in terms of friends made, but because these relationships bring to life those words which say 'one church, one faith, one baptism'.
Secondly, you would not believe the sheer volume of work that we got done. In four full working days (after we'd received reports and had our Sunday together in fellowship) we worked through the business of the network - electing regional reps to the steering committee, drafting resolutions for the Anglican Consultative Council meeting next year, framing a rationale for the whole network (not that one didn't previously exist, but rather we freshened it) and working on some supplementary material for a wonderful resource entitled 'Ending Violence Against Young Women and Girls'. We then produced a series of articles that will form the next edition of Buenos Nuevos, the IAYN Journal. Furthermore, we heard moving stories of human trafficking problems in Africa and of the response to the Japanese Earthquake - and these stories spurred us to action as a Network.
I've been overseas with the church a lot. I've been to lots of conferences. But ti's been a while since I've felt a part of something this significant...this week has been truly life changing. And tomorrow I visit the Space Museum!!
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