We had six excellent speakers , each talking for a short time and then answering some questions from the audience . The Moderator Alessandra Trotta spoke about what the Waldensian Church had been doing during the pandemic supporting the community ; The Reverend and Right Honourable The Lord Griffiths , our Patron , spoke of his new role in the Council of Europe ; Rev . Dr Tim Macquiban talked of meeting Pope Francis whilst being the Minister of the Methodist Church in Rome ; Rev . Claudio Pasquet , twice the guest of the Waldensian Mission , remembered his tours as a visiting pastor ; Rev . Peter Ciaccio spoke of his nine years as a minister in Palermo , and the joy of succeeding in having a street named after Pastor Pietro Valdo Panascia ; and Dr Sara Rivoira explained the future projects of the Archives of Tavola Valdese .
If you missed the day , you can catch up via the website and join over 60 people who watched the day on YouTube or listened to the podcast .
It was a great day , but nothing beats meeting in person and we are hoping to run a day in the autumn , with the plan to make it available on the website after the event .
Some news from the Italian Churches
Mike Thomason
Lockdown after lockdown , danger levels up and down and up again ..., mask-free , compulsory mask-wearing , singing , no singing : also in Italy , as everywhere else , the churches have been struggling with presence , no presence , online meetings , streaming Catechism teaching , Sunday School , Sunday worship , Committees and much much more !
What is reassuring is that the restrictions and the pressures seem to have made people understand the importance of human contact , of Church attendance in person and of personal involvement . Everything everyone used to take for granted is now valued as a special gift , which is also a good way to lead everyone to thankfulness for whatever we used to think we were entitled to , and which is not so .
In this context the Confirmations — which in the Waldensian Valleys take place on Palm Sunday — are a great collective achievement and a further reason to be grateful to everyone who has played a part , but above all to God . The preparation lasts for four years of weekly sessions studying both the Old and the New Testament , plus analysis and discussions on various modern topics and issues .
It is with great joy , therefore , that I share these happy photographs by Pietro Romeo from Riforma of Confirmations in various parts of the Waldensian Valleys , including one in Rome .
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