We’ve continued our work at the Summer Collegium, but we also continue to have opportunities to do other things.  We were expected to be at an Arts Festival on campus Saturday (and Anne displayed some of her work).  And then we had time off.  We went to the Roosevelt Memorial in DC and had dinner at Bilbo Baggins Restaurant in old town Alexandria — which took us from 2 PM to 8:30 PM using public transportation.  Sunday we were bused (literally) to the National Cathedral.

I almost didn’t go.  I’m enough of an introvert that I simply wanted time alone.  And my only other experience at the National Cathedral ranks as the second worst worship experience I’ve ever had.  But I’m glad I went.  This time we went to a service in the nave (rather than to the more contemporary service, at least theoretically, that they hide in their basement).  It was good to be at a service that was well done and where provision was made for visitors.  I probably would not like this truly grand style of service as a steady diet.  But it was wonderfully done, with some truly fine music and great (guest) preaching.  It was DC day (they have a Sunday to recognize each of the 50 states, and one for DC) and they were highlighting their relationship with, I believe, Covenant Baptist Church — so their senior pastor was the preacher.  He even managed to hold his sermon to roughly 10 minutes!

They had a nice invitation to all, I believe the words were “seeking a closer relationship with Christ,” to participate in Holy Communion.  And I thought some of the prayers (and even some of the music) would be possible at St. George’s.

After the service, we moved from the hotel to the dorm on campus.  The clergy had a session on congregational studies (both a lecture and a review of the work we’d done before arrival in small groups).  And then all the programs at the VTS campus this summer had dinner at, I believe, an associate dean’s house.

Anyway, it’s Monday.  I’ve had breakfast.  Soon I’ll be leaving for a small group Bible Study followed by our community Prayer Service (we had a “Moravian Love Feast” for our community worship Friday, before most of the spouses left — a sacramental event, rather than a Sacrament, so that folks from all the participating traditions could participate).