Anglican Communion News Service

The Standing Committee Daily Bulletin - Day 3

Posted On : July 28, 2010 7:19 PM | Posted By : Webmaster
ACNS: ACNS4718
Related Categories: ACC ACC - SCAC ACO

Day 3 of 4: Monday 26 June, 2010

In brief

• Call for Anglicans involved with evangelism and church growth to share their successes.
• Anglican relief and development alliance all about "sharing experience, knowledge and best practice".
• More than 80 Anglican Communion women attend UN meeting in New York.

Evangelism and Church Growth Initiative

Building on the report to the Standing Committee, ACO staff Stuart Buchanan and Revd John Kafwanka presented on the ACC and Lambeth Conference-mandated project the Evangelism and Church Growth Initiative (ECGI). The initiative aims to promote evangelism and church growth work throughout the Communion and to facilitate the sharing of news, stories experiences and strategies of various evangelism and church growth initiatives.

They explained that this is not a mission commission or a network, but something that is quite different for example focusing on equipping churches to reach the unreached. Mr Buchanan said Anglicans who register with the Initiative receive the regular newsletter in which they would find stories of impactful evangelism and church growth activities.

Anglican Relief and Development Alliance

Revd John Kafwanka reported that the Alliance had progressed in two key areas since the last report to the Standing Committee: 1) the public consultation that had concluded in February that sought opinions and information from individuals, provinces, dioceses and mission/development agencies and 2) the fact that significant funding had been secured that would help support the core activities of the Alliance for at least the initial three years.

He then gave a review of the recent Alliance consultation meeting at Lambeth Palace, postponed from April, that saw delegates visiting from countries including Melanesia, the Philippines, Australia, North India, Uruguay, the USA, the DRC and South Africa. The purpose of the consultation was to review the responses from the public consultation and plan together and agree on the shape of structures and membership, and look at priority areas and action points to be taken forward for short and long term and how these might differ from region to region.

After feedback from the Committee, Mr Kafwanka stressed that the Alliance was meant to be a forum and opportunity to learn from one another and from other's experience. "It is about sharing experience, knowledge and best practice," said Mr Kafwanka. "It is about seeing gaps and then building capacity where it's lacking to allow Anglicans to be much more effective in what they do."

Networks

Presenting on the work of the Networks, Revd Terrie Robinson said some significant challenges facing them included funding, communications, and promoting the work that they do. However, the Standing Committee also heard about the many good things the Networks had achieved in particular the Anglican Health Network's fundraising efforts that have enabled it to hire a full time co-ordinator. It also came in for praise for its soon to be launched health micro-insurance programme that will pilot in Tanzania.

In March this year the Anglican Peace and Justice Network marked its 25th anniversary in Geneva; the International Anglican Family Network continues to produce its celebrated newsletters showcasing work from around the Communion—most recently on the issue of trafficking. The International Anglican Women's Network was heavily involved with the United Nations' Commission on the Status of Women and more than 80 women from across the Communion attended the meeting in New York. More information about the Networks can be found on the ACO website (http://www.anglicancommunion.org/networks/index.cfm)

Network for Interfaith Concerns

Mrs Clare Amos, Director of Theological Studies and Co-ordinator of NIFCON, was joined by the Revd Canon Guy Wilkinson, National Inter Faith Relations Adviser for the Church of England and Secretary for Inter Faith Relations to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Revd Rana Khan, Administrator for Inter Religious Dialogue.

Mrs Amos gave a presentation on Christian Zionism as an introduction to a Standing Committee-mandated report on the subject due to be presented the next ACC. She then shared a first draft of set of principles of advocacy for the NIFCON group to better enable the Network to speak out on behalf of those suffering persecution.

Department for Unity, Faith and Order

The Director of Unity, Faith and Order, the Revd Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan presented her report to the Standing Committee. The IASCUFO group working on the Instruments of Communion hoped to have a discussion paper ready for the next meeting of IASCUFO.

Progress of the Covenant

Canon Barnett-Cowan reported that the Anglican Church of Mexico was the first Province to adopt the Covenant. Other Provinces had reported on the process they had adopted and there was much appreciation for the depth of seriousness with which the Covenant was being considered.

There was a further discussion about the role of the Standing Committee with respect to the Covenant which noted that the decision-making bodies with respect to the Covenant were the Instruments of the Communion.

Legal advice on the Covenant

Following a request from the Province of Aotearoa, New Zealand & Polynesia the Committee received legal advice from the ACC's legal adviser Revd Canon John Rees on the scope of Clause 4.2.8 of the Covenant and then requested that it be sent to the General Secretary of The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand & Polynesia.