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Was it coincidence or the work of the Holy Spirit?
A party from the diocese of Oxford asked that question when they discovered, over a year after deciding on the dates for a pilgrimage to their partner diocese of Växjö in Sweden, that the week-end when they would be in Växjö was the very week-end that the diocese had chosen to say "goodbye" to Bishop Anders Wejryd before his translation to Uppsala as Archbishop in succession to Karl Gustav Hamar.
When this coincidence became known in Sweden, the party, which was led by Canon Peter Ball and Canon Tony Dickinson, was invited to take part in the events marking Bishop Anders's farewell.
Tony Dickinson, who is the European Officer for Oxford Diocese and very much involved in the Oxford-Växjö link, was asked to share in the Bishop's last ordination at the Cathedral on the morning of Sunday, 27th August, while another pilgrim, Penny Keens, the Lay Chair of the Oxford Diocesan Synod, made a presentation to Bishop Anders on behalf of the diocese at the farewell celebration at Kronoberg in the afternoon.
Bishop Anders spoke warmly of what had been achieved through the link, which was first discussed, largely on his initiative, in 1999 and was formally recognised by the two dioceses five years later, and expressed the hope that it would continue to flourish.
Background:
The Diocese of Oxford is linked to the Diocese of Växjö under the Porvoo Agreement. A Covenant between the two dioceses was signed by Bishop Anders and Bishop Richard Harries in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford on 2nd April 2003 and in Sweden nine months later. There have been regular exchanges between the two dioceses since and from September 2006 to May 2007 representatives from each will be participating in a course on mission and development issues, culminating in a week-end seminar at the Växjö diocesan conference centre on the Baltic island of Öland.
At the ordination in Växjö Cathedral on 27th August, Canon Dickinson shared in the laying on of hands at the ordination of three deacons (Church of Sweden practice differs here from that of the Anglican Churches, which reserve the laying on of hands at the ordination of deacons to the bishop alone).
The pilgrimage, which was organised by Pax Travel, followed the footsteps of two saints of the Swedish Church, the 11th-century English missionary bishop, Sigfrid, and the 14th-century visionary and reformer, Birgitta.
Further information from:
The Revd Canon Tony Dickinson (European Contact for the Diocese of Oxford)
St Francis Vicarage,
Terriers,
High Wycombe HP13 5AB
e-mail:
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el. 01494 520676
