A working group from across the worldwide Anglican Communion met at Lambeth Palace between 12 and 14 July to plan how to turn the proposed Anglican Alliance on relief, development and advocacy into a reality.
The forthcoming Standing Committee meeting will welcome two new members from Asia and Africa: Bp Paul Sarker (Moderator of the Church of Bangladesh and Bishop of Dhaka) and Revd Canon Janet Trisk of South Africa (Rector of the Parish of St David, Prestbury in Pietermaritzburg, in the Diocese of Natal).
Most of you will have read the recent letter of the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Anglican Communion on the subject of Pentecost. Part of that letter addresses the current and ongoing tensions in the Anglican Communion – these tensions cluster around the three moratoria referred to in the Windsor Report.
The Anglican Communion Office (ACO) has today launched its online shop where visitors can buy books, CDs and other products that support and reflect the work of the Instruments of Communion.
We, the delegates to the triennial meeting of the Anglican Peace and Justice Network in Geneva, Switzerland, have spent the week of 14-20 March 2010, exploring issues of human rights and examining the role of the United Nations, the World Council of Churches (WCC), and other faith-based and humanitarian organisations in upholding the rights of individuals and communities throughout the world.
Secretary General of the Anglican Communion Revd Canon Kenneth Kearon is pleased to announce the appointment of Jan Butter as the Communion’s new Director for Communications.
The Anglican Communion needs to be actively involved in helping the rebuilding and healing of Haiti, working with the Église Épiscopale d’Haïti (the Anglican/Episcopal Diocese of Haiti) and its bishop the Rt Revd Zaché Duracin. This was the message that Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa wanted to share with the wider Communion after a visit to Haiti 4-7 March 2010.
Christians throughout the world should be aware that the date of Easter as calculated by both Eastern and Western traditions in Christianity will fall on the same day in both 2010 and 2011.
Representatives of Anglican Churches in Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and the United States together with Anglican Church-backed non-governmental organisations conducted a fruitful discussion to design the plans and future operations of the Anglican Refugee and Migrant Network (ARMN) at the Consultation on ARMN held from 11 to 14 January 2010 at St. John’s Cathedral in Hong Kong.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has given a message of support to the people of Haiti affected by the devastation caused by Tuesday's earthquake..."I am profoundly shocked and concerned to hear about the devastating earthquake in Haiti. As the news comes through, we are learning more about the tragic loss of life, injury suffered and terrible damage to the country.
The following resolution was passed by the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion meeting in London on 15-18 December, and approved for public distribution.
The election of Mary Glasspool by the Diocese of Los Angeles as suffragan bishop elect raises very serious questions not just for the Episcopal Church and its place in the Anglican Communion, but for the Communion as a whole.
A recent review of communications in the Anglican Communion emphasised the need for effective mechanisms to enable the current life of the Anglican Communion to be communicated internally within the Communion, to the wider Christian Community and to society in general. This includes engagement with communicators in the Provinces of the Anglican Communion as well as collaboration with colleagues at the Anglican Communion Office and elsewhere. The Secretary General intends to appoint a Director for Communications to implement this vision.
Following the meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, at the Vatican on 21 November 2009, at which they reaffirmed their desire to strengthen ecumenical relations between Anglicans and Roman Catholics, a preparatory committee met on 23 November 2009 to prepare the third phase of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC).
People on very low incomes in the developing world may soon be able to access health insurance thanks to the Anglican Health Network (AHN). Based in Geneva, AHN announced 6 October that it will establish a new pilot project to test the concept of providing a ‘micro health insurance plan’ in an African setting.
In preparation for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference Of Parties (COP) Meetings to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark in December, the Anglican Communion Environmental Network (ACEN) has issued a statement to Anglicans Worldwide, to COP Delegates, Faith Community Representatives, Observer Organizations, and Friends of Creation.
On the evening of Friday 18th September 2009, former Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan and Bishop of Juba, Dr. Joseph Marona, passed away at a relative's home in Khartoum, Sudan.
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has elected Nicholas Orogodo Okoh as its fourth Primate in succession to the Most Revd Peter Akinola. The announcement was made on 15 September.
The Bible Studies used at the 2008 Lambeth Conference of bishops and spouses, which explored the ‘I am’ sayings of the Gospel of John, have now been published by SPCK. The book of Bible Studies, given the title In the Beginning was the Word, also includes a set of seven Studies on the ‘Signs’ in the Gospel.
The Secretary General, Canon Kenneth Kearon, has announced the appointment of Canon Dr Alyson Barnett-Cowan as Director for Unity, Faith and Order at the Anglican Communion Office. The post is a new one in the Communion, and arose after some restructuring following the election of Canon Gregory Cameron, formally Director of Ecumenical Affairs and Deputy Secretary General, as Bishop of St Asaph in the Church in Wales.
Anglicans around the world are expressing concern for, and solidarity with, fellow-Christians in Pakistan, particularly in view of the recent violence in the area of the Diocese of Faisalbad. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, issued a statement on August 4 2009.
The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion have announced the membership of an important new commission, following extensive consultation with the Provinces of the Communion around the world. The Chair is the Most Revd Bernard Ntahoturi, Primate of the Anglican Church of Burundi.
The text of the Ridley Cambridge Draft of the Covenant received strong support at the recent ACC meeting in Jamaica. However concern was expressed that Section 4 had not received the same degree of Provincial consideration that Sections 1-3 had. ACC-14 proposed that Provinces be given time to consider Section 4, that a small Working Group be set up to consider adjustment to Section 4...
Canon Kenneth Kearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion has announced that the ACO is seeking to appoint a Director for Unity Faith and Order. The Inter Anglican Standing Commission for Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO) was mandated by the Joint Standing Committee last November and will absorb the work undertaken by the previous Theological and Doctrinal Commission and The Inter Anglican Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams reminds Christians that belief in God is about living in the reality of faith and the unselfish life, and not about opinions or philosophical proofs. In his Easter sermon delivered at Canterbury Cathedral, Dr Williams identifies St Paul as an early example of someone living the brave reality of faith, putting his life at risk for the sake of his belief and witness to the resurrection:
The Covenant Design Group (CDG) met under the chairmanship of the Most Revd Drexel Gomez, former Primate of the Church in the Province of the West Indies, between 29th March and 2nd April, 2009, in Ridley Hall, Cambridge, at the invitation of the Principal, the Revd Canon Andrew Norman, former Representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Covenant Design Group. We are grateful for the warm welcome received.
Following the Report of the Windsor Continuation Group to the Archbishop of Canterbury (which was published at the Primates Meeting in Alexandria, Egypt, in February 2009) the initial group of Pastoral Visitors called for by the Windsor Continuation Group in their Report and commended by the Primates Meeting in their Communiqué (para 15) met for a briefing session at Virginia Theological Seminary from 25-28 February.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams and The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, have launched a joint appeal to help counter the humanitarian crisis and deteriorating political situation in Zimbabwe. The Archbishops’ appeal for Zimbabwe highlights the support needed by churches, which are struggling to feed the hungry and heal the sick, and are suffering alongside their communities.
The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion Canon Kenneth Kearon writes: ‘I want to bring to your attention the request of the Primates and Moderators of the Anglican Communion, at their recent meeting in Alexandria, Egypt, that Anglican Churches world-wide observe 25th February, Ash Wednesday, as a day of prayer and solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe.
The Archbishop of Canterbury yesterday awarded Deirdre Martin and Canon James Rosenthal the Cross of St Augustine at a reception at Lambeth Palace. This award has historically been awarded to clergy and lay people of foreign churches who have contributed conspicuously to advancing friendly relations with the churches of the Anglican Communion.
