Regular readers of this blog know I cannot pass a good church. When Steve and I came across Saint Andrew’s Anglican Cathedral, we had to check it out. And, what a good choice it was. As I walked in, I was met by a lay minister with a big smile who welcomed me and asked me where I was from, how long I was in Australia for and where else I was going. He greeted my travelling companion, Steve and then answered some questions about the cathedral and introduced us to a colleague who was also very helpful. Both gents checked in with us several times and pointed out more interesting features of the place to us. With my interest in the similarities and differences between the Anglican and Roman traditions as well as the many variations in Anglican modes of worship, I found these gentlemen’s availability great.
The cathedral’s stained-glass windows may look traditional, but they also speak of this community’s missionary efforts to people of the Pacific to bring the words of the Jesus to them. It has been interesting during this first week of my visit to this continent and this wonderful city of Sydney, so familiar, yet so different to the American and British places I know and love, to hear and read about the ways in which the First Nations of Australia and its neighbors have found peace, reconciliation and even joy in their own ways of knowing the Creator and finding that these in-comers were not bringing anything new to them, but simply using different words. I have had many wonderful discussions with dear Anglican friends about similar things when I try to understand how our traditions remain so close to reconciliation, yet our leaders seem so unable to bring us fully together. This visit certainly gave me plenty more “food for the journey” as a dear Catholic friend of mine might say.
I want to add a few more pictures of some relics donated to this Cathedral.
Finally, I would like to share this picture of the lovely organ in the Cathedral.
Mark In London 