ABC @ WCC

Here is the video of the Archbishop Justin Welby (who is also the Patron of CMS) addressing the WCC assembly at Pusan/Busan. I wasn't there, I missed it. I was in South Korea earlier.....

"When we are not at peace with God through Jesus Christ we cannot be peacemakers in the world," Archbishop Welby told the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches. "God calls us to be reconciled reconcilers, reconciled ourselves to God and to each other."

Play Time in Seoul - Happy Armed Force's Day!

I was passing by the shops in the Bukchon Hanok Village area of Seoul,  when I was grabbed by an image in a window, and discovered an exhibition  ......

Play Time-Dana Ramon Kapelian Exhibition, 1-13 Oct 2013, Jongno-gu

The visual artist, a French-Israeli photographer, who studied in San Franscisco, was present and happily signed a card with the soldier image. I commented that it was an appropriate image for Korea's Armed Forces Day. (celebrated every 1st October, to mark the 38th parrallel being taken in the Korean War)  She hadn't made the connection ....

The image made me think of the thin line between play and reality, and how even great empires play at war. The war between the North and South Korea is still being played out, under an fragile truce.  Yesterday's parade was all about a show of strength (see BBC news) another type of exhibition. But it is a more costly game, and countless lives are lost. As the old protest song goes: 'when will they ever learn, when will they ever learn?' 

The exhibition is entitled PLAY TIME  and her other images are previewed here
It is currently on at Gallery Gahoedong 60, presenting the solo exhibition of the Israeli artist, Dana Ramon Kapelian.   She writes about the exhibition: 

The images are about the boundary between a child's imagination and an adults fantasies and actions. It is all in the seer's mind.Things can be interpreted as innocent or devious, playful or full of temptation.

and the text that inspired her .....

In many shamanic societies, if you came to a shaman or medicine person
complaining of being disheartened, dispirited, or depressed, they would ask one of four questions.
When did you stop dancing?
When did you stop singing?
When did you stop being enchanted by stories?
When did you stop finding comfort in the sweet territory of silence?
Where we have stopped dancing, singing, being enchanted by stories, or finding
comfort in silence is where we have experienced the loss of soul.
Dancing, singing, storytelling, and silence are the four universal healing salves.
by Angeles Arrien Ph.D.
(the author of The Four-Fold Way: Walking the Paths of the Warrior, Healer, Teacher and Visionary)

Singing, dancing, stories and silence... I like that.   There is something about becoming like a little child in order to enter the Kingdom of God ....


I'm staying at the Doo Guesthouse.  It's a traditional Hanok style of Guest house. Very Korean.  
I'm taking the opportunity to catch up with some blogging. (I'm surprised to discover its been nearly 3 months - I'll try to fill in some of the gaps with some retro blogging - a new word I've just made up!)  

Not quite what you would call a typical day at the office  but #someonehastodoit. It's just a part of the life on the road, wandering for the love of God

Angel in us - Jeju Island - between heaven and Earth

'Angel in us'  is the name of a global brand of coffee, from I've no idea where,  but I have only encountered it in Korea. It claims to be the best coffee in the world, but I've tasted better. I like the name though, but what on earth it has to do with coffee, again I've no idea..... (maybe someone can enlighten me)
   

Jeju Island 

 

Jeju Island is a famous Tourist resort off the coast of South Korea, loads of Chinese tourists and very few westerners. Many take the trail up to the extinct volcanoe Seonggsan llchulbong or Sunrise Peak, a world heritage site. 

  

I was visiting Jeju island with Bishop Jospeh.  He was preaching at All Souls Anglican Church, Episcopal Church of Korea. It was on the feast of St Michael and All Angels.

St Michaels and All Angels 

The church was a  simple,converted store, unadorned, unpretentious, seating about 100 or so. It was extablished a few years ago.  It has a corrugated roof. Loud when it pours.   It had been raining but fortunately not during the sermon.  Bishop Joseph is a softly spoken man of great integrity. He has a bit of an angel in him... 

He spoke on the supremacy of preaching good news to the poor, over just doing good works or justice. The church in Korea is famous for its House of Sharing programme, which is good but not first priority. Nor are demonstration against government, even though they about justice and peace, they are not priority one. The most important and basic responsibility of the church is to make people know what Jesus, who taught us of God's desire to save humanity.
An angel is fundamentally a messenger of God and a message of hope is what the world so sorely needs. 
 

Mind you the sermon was in Korean and I had no interpreter.  I did have a copy of the service in English to follow the structure.  And also the Bible Readings: 

• Genesis 28:10-17. Stairway to heaven 
• Psalm 103 
• Rev 12:7-12.  War in Heaven 
• John 1:47-51  Angels descending and ascending on Son of Man 

I found myself thinking about the Revelation passage and 'War in heaven' and a sermon I had preached (many times) on the War on Drugs and how to overcome addiction (Rev 12:11&12a) 

• Work of Christ on Calvary (blood of the lamb)- salvation and deliverance
• Word of confession (the word of their testimony)
• Way of cross   (they loved not their lives, even unto death) A call to serve (Green Martyrdom)
• Worship of church.  (rejoice O heavens and you who dwell in them)

Entertaining angels unawares 

The Kindness of Strangers is a book by Kate Aide. She like many of us, has been on the receiving end of overwhelmingly gracious hospitality. It is very humbling.   Barnabas and his wife picking us up and taking us for a meal as we arrived on Jeju Island. An 'angel' from Seoul who let us use her house during our stay.  The Priest, Jeoug Sung driving us to sites of around Jeju Island on the Sunday afternoon and Monday.  Paul and his wife Sarah (he runs and English academy) hosting meals......    One thing I have learned is the great missionary principle (Luke 10:8) : Eat what is set before you.......   #someonehastdoit  :-) 


 

Where heaven and earth meet

 

The Cheonjiyeon Falls  The 'Pond of the heavenly Emperor' is  a22 metre waterfall, where heaven meets earth.  Bishop Joseph and I are not quite angels, but the scene is heavenly  It is one of what the Celts called thin places.   
Angels are also meant to be creatures that ascend and descend between heaven and earth like of Jacobs ladder. 





 

We also went to visit Oedolgae Rock , with its Column apparanetly looking like a huge general looking out to sea who frightened off Mongolian invaders.   Leaving Jeju, as we broke though the clouds, entering the heavenly realms, flying Asiana bound for Gimpo airport, I was left reflecting....................  

........on the lousy airline instant coffee... hardly heavenly and certainly no angels in sight.