Anglican Communion News Service

After three days of quiet reflection during their retreat, the bishops of the Anglican Communion today joined in the full spectacle of the service of the Eucharist for the Lambeth Conference in Canterbury Cathedral.

A sense of quiet but buoyant expectation greeted the lengthy processions of church officials, dignitaries, ecumenical participants and guests, and then the bishops, who entered under the click and whirr of the press gathering outside the Cathedral’s Great West Door.

As the Archbishop of Canterbury entered, the congregation sang the entreaty in the opening hymn, “Come, living love, live in our hearts today”.

Although perhaps not quite comprised of a “thousand tongues to sing” as wished for in the final hymn, the international diversity of the gathering was strongly reflected through the liturgy. The New Testament and Gospel readings, as well as the intercessory and Eucharistic prayers, were said in languages from across the Communion, and many of the responses during the service were in languages other than English.

The music woven through the service further highlighted the cultural breadth of the Anglican Communion. The use of the Latin Mass setting Missa Luba, based on traditional Congolese songs, provided a vibrant aspect to the worship through its use of drum beats and other percussion instruments. The Melanesian Brothers and Sisters processed for the Gospel reading, singing and dancing with the Book of the Gospels, which was nestled in a ceremonial boat, to the lectern, while the Deacon followed with his own shaker moving in tempo. Following the reading, they sang and danced the Gospel back to the Archbishop, and the congregation clapped along.

While the Archbishop of Canterbury presided over the Eucharist, the Rt Revd Duleep de Chickera, Bishop of Colombo delivered the sermon.

Throughout the service, the technology installed meant that despite the presence of the rood screen between the nave and the quire, all of those gathered could watch the service on large LCD screens placed around the cathedral.

After the conclusion of the service, the bishops processed out, again under the scrutiny of the waiting media, and headed back to the University of Kent to continue the business of the conference.

The full order of service of the service is available here.

- staff writer