Free Oxford!

Don't worry, Oxford has not been taken captive, it does not need to be free but does have a lot of things that are free - and being my father's daughter my favorite four letter word is "free." So, Monday was spent taking in the free things - the University Park and museums, the Natural History and Pitt Rivers Museums and the Museum of Oxford City. The University Parks are huge and I really only explored one but I enjoyed it as if it were two! Then I walked to the Natural History Museum and was pleased to find fossils from Lyme Regis like the ones I read about in Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier. Fun to see them and I was really quite surprised at the amazing amount of prehistoric life that abounded here in the Oxford area. I have to say though that the skeleton that amazed me most was the actual building of the museum. It has huge metalwork pillars and a large glass and metal roof that creates a wonderful and well lit space for the exhibits. Every surface, each pillar, each support beam, each wall is covered with natural history detail. The upper pillars are each of a different kind of stone and the capitals are carved with flora and fauna. Everywhere you look there is something to learn. The Pitt Rivers Museum is directly behind the Natural History Museum and is filled, and I mean filled with stuff from around the world. It started as an eccentric collection and is now quite amazing with display after display and drawer after drawer of stuff - shrunken heads, dolls, swords, jewelry, tattoo patterns, model boats, fabric, fans, toys.... you name it it is there. It would be an amazing place for a scavenger hunt on a rainy day. I also visited the City of Oxford Museum and saw the history of the city from Prehistoric times through current day. It was nice and I have to say I did not linger over the displays so will go back to be sure I get my money's worth.


Tuesday I joined a local clergy group for lunch and discussion and I was pleased and saddened to hear the same kind of conversations about small churches and the need to consider restructuring how to do church. It is an issue and I want to believe that these small congregations with the faithful few have the gifts already in place to have a faith-filled and transformational ministry. I will be working for the rest of my life to help realize that potential.

I spent this morning (the 9th) at Asylum Welcome, a refugee and asylum seekers support and resource center in Oxford. This organization is funded through a variety of sources and seeks to provide advice (non-legal), friendship, a warm place with a hot cup of tea, education resources and some food and clothing to people who are here going through the tedious process of registering and seeking asylum. I spoke to one man from Sudan who has been here 8 years going through the process. He cannot work, go to school or receive social services so life, needless to say is a struggle. There was another man from Russia who has been in the process for 14 years and now comes to Aslyum Welcome each day to use the kitchen. I don't know how he manages to keep his spirits up but I believe the folks and services of Aslyum Welcome are a big part of that. In one short morning there were people from around the globe, young and old, seeking support and providing support. It was a great way to spend the morning and challenges me to learn how the proces works in Milwaukee and what support or recourses are available to people. My country of birth was not in my control, how I use this situation is.

Tonight I can add "International Rose Judge!" to my resume. I went to a WI meeting (no it doesn't stand for Wisconsin) which is an organization that began in Canada to support rural women in their lives with information and intellectual stimulation. A member of the Cumnor URC was the speaker tonight so I went to her home and then to the meeting in North Moreton. It was there, at the end of the meeting, after Brioney's stimulating presentation that I was asked to judge the rose competition for the evening. I have to say I was as fair as possible selecting the best smelling rose, a rose photo and a rose needlepoint coaster so that there was something from different categories. I am so pleased to be able to add this to my resume! Sounds quite impressive I know. (The rose photo here is from the University Park not the women's meeting.)