The Joy of Meeting/s

Today at AFC we are holding three meetings.  They will, for a time, be the last ones at which we sit down and talk face to face as from Thursday we'll fall back to Zooming.

I never thought I would speak with such appreciation of the prospect of attending, for example, a Finance and Property Committee!  Yet, the truth is, it's often what goes on 'in the room' that's so important; the atmosphere, the facial expressions, the moment of shared laughter or sighing; all these form the dynamics upon which we base our decision making and, for all its positives, these crucial elements are sometimes missing when meetings are held remotely.

Today our friends in the United States of America elect their next President.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to them on this tremendously important day for them, and us.

I was struck hearing the North American author of the Gilead novels (one of which we are currently reading in the AFC Book Group), Marilynne Robinson, being interviewed on the BBC recently.  She described herself as a very committed Congregational Christian.  That is, her style of faith (one inspired by that which was practised by The Mayflower settlers from Britian) is that which is expressed not through episcopal authority (top down) but in congregational church meetings (bottom up).

Robinson made the profound point that the essence of government in the United States is based on that Congregational principle embodied in the traditions and disciplines brought over by the Pilgrim Fathers.

Well, we could spend all day debating the health of 'bottom up' democracy in today's world, but on a day such as this - as I attend three meetings at church, all based on the congregational principle, and later on watch the results coming in from the election being held on the other side of the 'Pond', I still get a shiver up my back when I recall the opening line of the US Declaration of Independence....We the people...

May you know God's blessing and joy in all you do today.