I just got back from my second ordination of the week. There were a lot of the same characters that were there at the first: the same bishop, many of the same priests, and lay leaders. I'm starting to get a sense of the Anglican community on the Island. Supposedly Anglicanism is the second largest organized Christian denomination in the Bahamas due to all the British loyalists fleeing here after the Revolutionary War. There seems like there might be a couple dozen Anglican churches scattered around the island.
Kari's girlfriend came with us...unfortunately I can't remember her name--something like Sharivince. She was quite a character-- classically trained in 5 instruments with an easy laugh. Since Kari was in the service tonight we sat together and enjoyed the service as guests. She pointed out the fancy moves that the incense girl was doing as she walked down the aisle in the procession. It was like she was jump roping with the incenser in big figure eight loops! I've seen some crazy incense moves in the Orthodox church, but this was something else all together!
The service was less majestic than the first, but had a more local and almost neighborhood feel. The sermon was given by the priest I met last week at my new little church, Fr. Mutree. He did a great job preaching and commissioning. I could tell he's a bit of a local celebrity. He teased me about whether I rode my bike to the service.
The reception afterward was a full meal complete with meatballs, tuna salad, beets, and wine (truth be told it was rather a strange meal). Kari introduced me to the bishop and a few other notable Anglican figures in the community. Overall, it was a great evening.
Today also marked the end of my first week of teaching! There will be several things to keep working on, but I think we are off to a marvelous start.
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