Sunday, October 11, 2015

The Anglican Church is Broome was packed this morning with 60 people, 15 of them under the age of 12, many young parents and a smattering of seniors. This was the first Sunday for the third interim minister this congregation has had while they search for a permanent minister. The welcome was warm and I met a Canadian from Nova Scotia who is teaching in Broome. I was thankful that this was a communion service. When I told the woman who had welcomed me that most churches in the Diocese of Toronto would offer communion every Sunday she said, “Don’t people stay away on communion Sunday?” and “Would people sit at the back if they didn’t want communion?” I responded that people would more likely to stay away on the Sundays that there was no communion.

It has been an eye-opening experience to see just how informal worship is in this part of the world – no clerical collars, no vestments and very little liturgy, but a strong emphasis on evangelism particularly to southeast Asia. Clergy and lay missionaries have served in Jakarta, India and the islands north of Darwin. Bible study for all parishioners is strongly encouraged.

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