Caught up with Rev Dr Sandy and Fay Yule from the UCA on the bus from the hotel to BEXCO and caught up on their experiences over the weekend including a visit to a Buddhist temple and a church in Busan. Great to know what others were doing on the weekend! Sandy and Fay were amongst the delegates who travelled on the 'peace train' from Berlin to Busan. Another great story!
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| Rev Dr Sandy Yule, participant in the Peace Train initiative |
In the daily newspaper of the WCC Assembly, there was a write up about the 500 people who went on a pilgrimage to a peace park north of Seoul. They offered prayers for the reunification of Korea. They also paused to remember and honour those who have died for the cause of justice and peace around the world. The ceremony of prayer and remembrance began with the ringing of a huge bell that stands before the huge iron fences serving as a military demarcation line. The bell tower, which was completed on 1 Jan, 2000, as a symbol of the new millennium. It also represents a renewed call for unity every time it rings. 'The bell echoes up to the end of North Korea and to the whole country, reminding us if our call for peace and reunification' (Rev Kim Jin Se, Anglican priest, and member of the Toward Peace in Korea movement).
Today, Monday, we gather together again, resuming the pattern of the day at WCC which begins with a time of prayer and singing, followed by Bible Study. Today's study focused on Acts 8:26-40. A favourite text since Rev Dr Lee Levett-Olson introduced a new way of reading the text with the religious visitor to Jerusalem from Ethiopia. The Bible Studies have a short written commentary, but the primary focus in the Bible Studies is small group discussions. A bit hit and miss therefore in terms of what I might learn in addition to the printed commentary. But good to be there to share in what is being presented and discussed.
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