Sunday Evening 11.17.24 
The senior youth have headed home. Our church bell has quieted. The moon is nearly full and makes it possible to see comfortably outside tonight. 
I am filled with gratitude for the energy and enthusiasm of our high school students. We had 6 high school students for tonight’s gathering. They enjoyed exploring our bell tower, and seeing how many rooms we have at St. Andrew’s. They thought it looked much smaller from the outside......we ate delicious Thai Food, and enjoyed laughter and fantastic sweet treats for dessert. 
This is a shared ministry with St. Stephen’s Cohasset, which is going to host the very first fundraiser for this group’s future travel. More info to follow when I have it. I (....enthusiastically!!) invited this group to join us for December’s Cookie Sale. I made it sound ok, but group member Taylor Clemons REALLY sold it as being super fun. Fingers crossed for some high school representation.
At 7:30 pm this group headed out to attend to what sounds like LOADS of homework. God Bless our young people and all who take great care of them. Amen+ 

​I have decided to unplug and forgo my favorite podcasts and late-night shows. I am eschewing talking heads of every sort – those who agree, disagree and anyone who is trying to explain this week’s electoral outcome. Six months from now, I’ll read some fact based reporting or explanation of Tuesday’s vote. And rather than reading the Globe and NYT with intensity each morning, I’ll skim headlines and read lifestyle silliness or cooking tips. In place of all the news I was consuming, I’m redoubling my reading time, both religious and non. Somehow the act of picking up a book and immersing myself in an author’s world is comforting. 

​Rev. Amy+

The last 14 hours are a bit of a blur. Arrived at the Accra airport after midnight local time and took just 15 minutes to clear customs. The passport service folks were very efficient, and I imagine, tired. 

Luggage was more of an adventure because I had checked a bag as a last minute simplification measure, and it turns out my bag got to Ghana hours before my plane, so that was eventually terrific. Got to the hotel and to bed around 2am local time, and set an alarm to make a 10 am church service in Jonestown (about 15 minutes by car from the hotel). 

I rolled into St. ANDREW’S ACCRA at 9:58 am and was Beyond Surprised to see someone wearing a Bishop’s Mitre at the end of the procession that was forming in the courtyard. He scowled at me, which seemed premature, and the next thing I knew a man was saying “follow me – this way Miss” very warmly and walking very quickly. So I followed him. Eventually we were scooting into the Sacristy/Robing Room.....my guide’s next sentence cleared quite a lot of the confusion up: “you can get dressed in here”......to which after trying to sort out what was expected, I demurred and explained that I’d not brought my alb or any vestments. This confused my kind crucifer greatly, so I tried to explain that I was looking forward to ATTENDING church, at which he scurried through another door, and planted me in a close pew, while the procession had begun and was about mid-center aisle! 

I tried to settle in as inauspiciously as possible, which turned out to be absolutely IMPOSSIBLE, because I was in the front row, and the people behind me patted me a welcome on the shoulder, and the woman next to me was equally kind, all while the procession was making its joyful way up the aisle. 

Turns out October 20th was a super exciting service at St. Andrew’s Accra – confirmation of THIRTY young people and the reception of 2 quite senior adults (80+). It was an enormous and joy filled, music buoyed, marathon service!  

More about the mechanics of the service later, for now, I am very grateful to be outside in Ghanaian air making my best guesses about which of the hotel guest are and are not Echoing Green conference participants. 

Grateful to be part of this organization and to each of you who are staying connected while I’m in Africa! 

​Rev. Amy+ 
 

HELLO from the Istanbul Airport where I am enjoying a leisurely 3 hour layover. Not quite enough time to leave the airport to explore, yet plenty of time to stroll around the international terminal and enjoy the varied faces and dress of humanity who share today’s travel schedule in common. My flight was easy, and not full so stretched out sleep was possible.  

This airport is bustling, and seems to have a well thought out kids play area, sleeping stations near various gates, and a steady stream of very loud announcements in Turkish and French. I’m excited to make this last travel leg to Accra and finally arrive for the Echoing Green All Fellows Conference 2024!

I very much appreciate that my passport and VISA arrived at 10 am Friday, and I was re-re-ticketed and traveling to Logan by 4pm. 

Rev.  Amy+

I am beyond grateful and excited that I have both my passport and my VISA to Ghana IN HAND! There are some very kind people in the Hull post office - notably Tom and Sam - who tracked and called and were dogged in their pursuit of this package. New NEW flights are: 
Fri, 18 Oct

• Turkish Airlines TK82 Economy
• 9:50pm Boston (BOS)
• 2:30pm (Sat, 19 Oct) Istanbul (IST)

Sat, 19 Oct

• Turkish Airlines TK649 Economy
• 6:30pm Istanbul (IST)
• 10:45pm Accra (ACC)

TONIGHT!!
I am hoping to take the Commuter boat at 4:55pm and land at Logan at 5:50pm for a very leisurely stroll to the Turkish Airlines boarding area. Lots to do and clear up between now and then. I hope you are enjoying this glorious, crisp fall day. Its a great day to head to West Africa, or to take long, restorative breaths outdoors.
With Relief,
​Rev. Amy+

Hellooooo from Hull, my siblings in Christ. I am looking at stormy waves on Nantasket beach, rather than - well, whatever I might have seen in Amsterdam. My passport and VISA are somewhere other than in my hand, which means I am grounded until they arrive. An unintended benefit of this delay is that I can remove some of the clothes that I packed which makes room for more blessed baby blankets!
Rather than bemoaning my forced change of plans, I wanted to say THANK YOU! Thank you for your prayers and commission to send me to Africa. Thank you for the beautiful music that echoed throughout our buildings yesterday. Thank you for the wonderfully joyful children's voices in the sanctuary and parish hall. Thank you for the new bellringers in the Narthex - well done! Yesterday's service was brilliant, joyful and the perfect antidote to the grey weather and the traveling unknowns.
We have Keith and Joan MacLoud's birthdays to celebrate as well as their SEVENTY-FIRST wedding anniversary this weekend. (Please correct me if I heard that wrong - I should have asked Keith whether he and Joan required their parent's permission to marry - they must have been children!). What an astonishing accomplishment, and how blessed we are to have them in our community. Thank you to the wonderful kitchen crew under Janet Keene's direction, and WOW and Thank you to the members of the Vestry for the surprise donation to my discretionary fund. I am full of gratitude, and awareness of the blessings we share.
I'll write again when I know I'm wheels up. Between now and then, I pray that you know that you are loved and that someone in your life is making kindness loud!
PS: Here is the e-mail to which I alluded in my sermon - from St. Andrew's Canton, North Carolina, Reverend Karen:
St Andrews Canton<st[email protected]>

To:​

Amy Whitcomb Slemmer​
Thu 10/10/2024 1:19 PM
Hi Amy,

Thank you so much for reaching out!  We would be grateful for prayers for all in our area who have been affected and prayers for strength and renewal for all the first responders and work crews.  ERD is a great place to send resources for help.  I am overwhelmed at how many folks just jumped right in and started helping rebuild small bridges that were washed out, cleared roads of downed trees, delivered meals and oxygen tanks to folks stranded.  It really is the community reaching out to each other as well as folks from government sources as well as individuals from all over the country coming in to help.  Our church sustained minor water/wind damage, so we are grateful.  Most of our folks have all or almost all utilities up and running.  It is heart-warming to have a sister church reach out.  Thank you.  And keep praying...and for all the folks in Florida impacted by Milton.  We are all one Body.

In Christ,
Karen+

It is late Thursday afternoon, and I am still awaiting the arrival of my Ghanaian Visa, and the return of my passport. I requested expedited service, but have not been able to reach anyone in person. This afternoon, I dispatched my blessed brother-in-law, who left his office in time to get to the Embassy this afternoon, only to be told that the Visa has not yet been issued. So, prayers requested. Senator Markey's office has sent a note, but if you have other ideas, let me know! 
​See you Sunday.