Bigger pictures

Methodist Conference rolls around again at the end of June and it's illuminating and formative, as ever, to be at the pre-Conference Consultation with leaders of Methodist and United Churches around the world. Represented are Zimbabwe, Kenya, Togo, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, Rwanda, Uruguay, Guayana, Ecuador, Cuba, Portugal, Germany, Korea, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Australia. Oh yes, and Fiji. I'm delighted to be meeting again after some years and picking the brains of the Revd Tevita Banivanua, General Secretary of the Methodist Church in Fiji. Among many other roles, he serves on the College Council at Pacific Theological College where I'll be based and is therefore filling me in a bit. We didn't nip over to Fiji for the photo, by the way. This is sunshine, fuchsia and palm fronds in the grounds of Wesley's Chapel, City Road, London. Although the Consultation is looking at and chewing over forthcoming Conference business and recognising the diverse perspectives we bring to it - same-sex marriage for example - there's time for tourism and exposure too. Baroness Kathleen Richardson,  the Methodist Church in Britain's first woman President of Conference (1992-93) who has a cross bench seat in the House of Lords kindly took us around and showed us the Parliamentary ropes. We listened in on speeches about the Scottish independence referendum and ogled at the plush and glinting splendour all around. Here we are on the steps of the Great Hall. Ah.. if we ruled the world...