I love the AMiA

I decided to change the look because the cute green background was getting a little hard to see.

With that said, we had an incredible, fun, holy and wholly time at the AMiA winter conference. It wasn't like the feeling you get in high school when you are on senior high retreat, but it was just very encouraging and exciting to see the growth of the movement of which we are a part. Since last year we missed most of everything because of our flight delays, it was extra special to see the "opening ceremony" this year. And especially because HubPriestPastor Jack is ordained and could participate. All the clergy processed in to "Immortal, Invisible God Only Wise" and it was very powerful. I really enjoyed that because I love the tradition of robes and stoles and colors and vestments.

Here are a few highlights from the past week:

1. We arrived in Greensboro a day and a half early, so we had some time to hang out. We drove to Winston-Salem to hang out with my campus minister from college, Kevin Teasley. It's been several years since I've seen him, and Jack had never met him, so it was great to see him. I felt like we could've hung out with him all day.

2. The opening worship service and seeing all the priests and bishops from all over the world. Well, Africa and Southeast Asia.

3. Eating lunch with some sweet women; I found out later they were bishops' and archbishops' wives. One woman in particular was so friendly and told me how much she loved sandwiches. Later, I found out her husband had started the movement that is now the Anglican Mission. Yeah, she likes turkey.

4. Margaret Feinberg. She is inadvertently helping me figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

5. Being with people from our church family while out of town. Most of the staff from church went, along with another clergy wife and another couple. There is something about sharing meals and seeing each other in a giant meeting room in another town that brings you closer in your own town.

6. My name tag at the conference. It said name, town, blah blah, but mine was special. It had a bright pink attached to it that said "CLERGY SPOUSE." At first I was embarrassed by it, but after a few hours, I realized I was growing rather attached. Once people saw the bright pink tag, they would give me knowing looks, or sympathetic looks, or would come up to me to talk because THEY had a bright pink tag as well. It also got me into the special hospitality room for spouses. We had a huge fruit tray, couches, servants waving fans, goblets of refreshing beverages. Oh wait. We did have fruit trays and couches, along with fresh flowers and African archbishops wives. It was such a nice thing the AMiA had done. A nice way to feel appreciated.

7. The clergy wives luncheon. It happens every Friday at the conference. I loved it this year because I sat at a great table and my new friend from lunch the previous day, Cynthia Tay, spoke. Her talk was so moving and encouraging that I teared up several times and ended up getting the recording of it.

8. Hanging out with Cousin Patrick. He is so funny.

9. As We Forgive. Sadly, it was in the worst time slot of the week. It was AMAZING. Filmmaker Laura Waters Hinson has made a documentary on reconciliation in Rwanda. It's about life after the genocide, focusing on two significant stories. I woke up at 2:30 this morning, or, as Chris Cairns says, "I slammed back into my body," thinking of ways I could get this message out to my own little world. If you want to talk about the amazing-ness of this documentary, please talk to me!

There were some speakers that really rocked Jack, Patrick, and Chris' worlds, and I am really glad for that. Mark Russell, to name one.

I think that is all. The Office after the Super Bowl has finally come on, so duty calls.