Mike's musings

ECC 2006 - day 2

Didn't feel too bad this morning, thankfully...

The day started off with more problems from our friendly customer. Again, I worked out what the problem was, with a bit of help from Eugene, the dev. manager (I'm rather chuffed about this, partly because it suggests that I'm really getting into one of our products), and this has fixed things for them. They now can't pretend it's our fault, and they seem very pleased with the help that we've delivered to them.

Some great sessions today: particularly one by Michael Epstein, of Philips, on the DPCP protocol, and by Don Boneh (something of a guru, it seems) on IBE - Identity-Based Encryption systems.

During the lunch break, I went to communion at The Church of the Redeemer, just round the corner from the hotel. I'd popped in yesterday, and noticed that they had a service today. I really, really liked how the church expresses its mission, which is very much towards diversity. From the site:

Welcome to TheRedeemer.ca. This little slice of cyberspace will introduce you to the unique and dynamic Christian community that gathers for worship and ministry at the corner of Avenue Road and Bloor Street in downtown Toronto.

We celebrate diversity: singles, married couples, gays and lesbians, children, the elderly, and diverse cultural backgrounds all call Redeemer home. While half our members have been cradled in the Anglican tradition, half have been nurtured through United Church, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Christian Reformed, Mennonite, and Baptist communities. More and more, people with little or no church experience are walking through our doors and finding a community of new friends and fellow seekers. All are welcome here!

We come from hither and yon. The downtown core is home to many of our members, but some travel from as far away as Dundas, Oakville, Mississauga, Aurora, Ottawa - and now from cyberspace.

We are educated, wealthy, poor, homeless, and hungry. We are an Anglican community striving to wear the mantle of God's peace, love, and compassion in all that we do.

Just 6 of us at the service, including the celebrant, but a lovely service, very emotional for me - I know not why - and just what I needed for a bit of spiritual refreshment, particularly as I hadn't got to communion last week (I was playing the organ for the Remembrance Sunday service). The celebrant - Andrew - preached on Luke 17:12-19, the story of the ten lepers. Concise, moving, and excellent. The point that got to me most was something that a mentor of his had once said to him: "you've never truly received a gift until you've said thankyou for it". This resonated very well with the reading, obviously.

Popped to the Roots shop. Full of lovely things I'd love to buy, but have so far kept myself to a beautiful little red dress for Jo and some nice warm baby booties for the upcoming baby.