England Diary, Entry 1

Twyla and I arrived safely to London-Gatwick airport! Thank you for your prayers.

Photographs and description of day 1 in England follow below for my paid subscribers:

The flight was uneventful, which was wonderful. British Airways does a good job. The use of “biometric verification” to board the plane in Orlando was a new one for us. Our faces were scanned at the gate, let we could walk on board — kinda creepy, I must admit!

The first half of the flight, about four hours, I was able to read from one of the S. Maximos the Confessor texts I brought: On Difficulties in Sacred Scripture, the Responses to Thalassios.

Then the lights went out to encourage the passengers to sleep. Twyla and I both, despite efforts, were unable to sleep on the flight. So we agreed to give up and watch an in-flight movie: the first Lord of the Rings. We watched the whole of it. We agreed it was enjoyable, but not really our style of film: too much fighting and killing! Nonetheless, on the flight back after our trip, we agreed that we very well just might watch the second and third installments of the trilogy. Seems to work for airplane viewing.

As we approached London, we peered out the window of the plane and saw a most stunning vista to the north, something unlike I have ever seen:

That's the moon, which in person was more bulbous and close-feeling. What an array of color from the clouds, illumined by the sun to the north (I think): almost a rainbow. Just out of the shot was Polaris (the North Star) shining clearly and quite brightly.

Upon landing, we made our way through baggage and customs. Baggae took a bit, but the big surprise was — where's customs?!? All we did was scan our passport and again with the biometric face scanning. Is this the way of the world now? But after that … nothing! No customs agent to speak with; which meant no one to ask us what we were doing in the UK in that sceptical, challenging sort of way that makes you feel inferior and insecure. But I have to admit, we missed that experience.

We were picked up in the international concourse by Fr Ian Edgar, a colleague and friend of mine. He drove us back to their house in Lancing, which is along the English channel all the way to the south. Him and his wife Jocelyn, along with their sons Luke and Kieran, live in the parish vicarage. We will be staying with them into Sunday, when we travel north to Shropshire for Twyla's icon workshop.

After catching up with Fr Edgar and Jocelyn, and having several cups of Scottish tea, it was time to head to their church for a service. Twyla and I were somewhat delirious from lack of sleep, but we happily attended Mass, celebrated by Fr Edgar, at his parish church: S. James the Less. Fr Edgar preached on the significance of S. John Chrysostom (whose feast was being observed).

After that, we returned to the Edgar's for a much-needed nap. I snoozed for 90 minutes, despite telling Twyla it would be only for 30. She needled me about that when I woke up — perhaps because she would have perferred to nap longer herself!

Upon waking, more tea. Then we accompanied Fr Edgar to the church for said Evensong. He gave us a tour of the church vesting room and choir room, both of which had plenty of old books and things which have vern part of the church for decades. (The church itself is nine hundred years old, dating from the 12th century!) We sat in the chancel for Evening Prayer, and Fr Edgar invited me to read the Second Lesson. It is a great honor to do so for Matins and Evensong: I never decline such invitations!

Afterwards to was back to the vicarage for dinner. Jocelyn made chucken fajitas, and English beers were cracked open. It was lovely to eat and conversate.

After dinner, Fr Edgar suggested mamy of us take a hike the local hill area, called generically “Downs,” and specifically called “Lancing Ring.” About this the internet says:

Lancing Ring is a wooded reserve located north of Lancing, within the South Downs National Park. The reserve is composed of patches of shrubs, woodland, wildflower meadows, and a dew pond.

All of which is to say — IT WAS AMAZING — and a soothing balm to our souls. We saw sheep as we hiked winding paths through woods and open areas of hillsides. We could see Bristol in the distance, as well as the English Channel. We stopped at a local convenience store (called here a “shop”) for ice cream, which we shared with Jocelyn back at the house. Then it was off to bed.

Below are photographs of S. James. In the next diary, I should be able to share some of the photographs of our hike of Lancing Ring, which Twyla took with her phone.