London Journal #1

For the past three or four years Eglan Brooks, the Personal Ministries Director of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the United Kingdom has been inviting me to come and make a series of presentation to the saints in the seat of the old glorious British Empire. I has finally worked out that I’m able to accept his invitation. As always, I arrange my teaching schedule so that my students are not robbed at all. I simply have to turn down many such invitations (especially the last minute ones) because my priority is to my classroom interaction.

I’m here for a week participating in an annual convention whose theme is “The Core of Adventism.” I’ll be making about 8 presentations. There are 2 major issues that I’ll be dealing with during the day seminars for the pastors and church leaders: 1) “Adventist Theological Wars: Weapons of Mass Destruction Destroying the Mission;” 2) Adventist Worship Wars: To Drum or Not to Drum.” A couple evenings I will be doing some general presentations from the Epistle of James in a local church.
It is a long way from Walla Walla to London! – Drove from WW to Portland; flew 10 hours, all night to Amsterdam; then to London! My host, the British Union of SDA has treated me well. The Holiday Inn is lovely and very splendocious, with a great window view. I arrived mid-afternoon, and determined not to sleep so as to overcome the jet-lag. So I visited the large Brent Cross shopping mall across from the hotel (as well as a smaller one next to the hotel (with a T.K. Maxx!), and otherwise keeping busy to not only stay awake but to get my 10,000 pedometer steps.
My cellphone # is 011447503613721; on skype you can get me at maynped; and you can see the photos daily at: http://www.wallawalla.edu/campus-life/spiritual-life/gallery/london_trip_2008.