WCC Assembly underway

I never did get the temperature down in the room, so it wasn't the best of nights but good enough. Finding the breakfast place wasn't straightforward, but had a decent-ish fusion breakfast when I got there. My first real encounter with Assembly people, but sat on my own until hearing someone about my own age introducing himself to someone else as being from Wales. Turned out he was originally from the other end of Cheshire, Wirral, but was now a  Presbyterian minister in Llandudno, and incoming moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Wales. Nice person to meet, and we spent a lot of the day together, he also at his first such event. Shuttle bus to the BEXCO Centre which was pretty swish, not big by Kirchentag standards, but a very convenient set-up with plenty of facilities and also cheaper eating nearby. Got registered, and after an uninspiring orientation session, the event got going properly with a big bang on an Asian gong and straight into the worship for the opening prayer session which was very impressive all round, with all continents represented and concerns shared - great Korean musicians and singers too. Met Suk In Lee, a Korean minister I know from Kingston, as you do! After lunch in a Homeplus (possibly Tesco!) Food Court with Presbyterian Neil, it was the first main session of greetings and a presentation by young people conveying the history of Korea and it's relationship with Christianity, done in music, dance from ballet to Korean masked dancing in which they whisk streamers around from their hats (among other things), grippingly and powerfully presented. You forget, if you knew, how much misery some people have gone through. Found I was sitting next to Loretta Minghella Director of Christian Aid for this one, and that she immediately Tweeted something I said. Next but one to her was the Christian Aid person who was keeping up a regular record of what was happening, which I was getting as I Follow Christian Aid! Then to a business session which was interesting enough but rather long reports of what the WCC has been up to since the last Assembly in Brasil in 2006. I decided to cut at 6.30 and got back for another round of battered fish bits on the beach, before heading in to set about cooling the room and reading papers etc for tomorrow (rather than attend another business meeting). Very nice warm weather, and a very good opening day.