World-Wide Anglican Assembly to meet in Scotland

13 August 1999 • Persistent link: iarccum.org/?p=3762

The Scottish Episcopal Church will host the 11th Meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) 14-25 September 1999. The gathering of the international groups of bishops, clergy and laity will meet in the Diocese of Brechin, Dundee, at the West Park Centre.

A full and timely agenda awaits the ACC members coming from the 38 Provinces of the Anglican Communion. Much of the business will stem from resolutions of the Lambeth Conference 1998 that have been referred to the ACC for possible action.

The chairman of the ACC is the Rt Revd Simon Chiwanga, Diocese of Mpwapwa, Tanzania, and the Vice-Chairman and chair of the ACC-11 Planning Group is the Most Revd John Paterson, Presiding Bishop of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The Most Revd and Rt Hon George L Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury, is the President, and will be present for the entire meeting, give an address, and preside at the opening service.

The Opening Eucharist will be held in historic Aberdeen Cathedral on 14 September at 6pm, with the Primus of the Scottish Church, the Most Revd Richard Holloway preaching. It was in Aberdeen that the first bishop for another part of the Anglican world was consecrated in the person of Samuel Seabury for the United States. This is viewed as the true beginning of what is now the Anglican Communion of Churches in over 160 countries around the world.

The Secretary General of the ACC, Canon John L. Peterson, is looking forward to the meeting. He said, “The depth of spirituality that is linked with the Celtic Church should truly enhance our time together in Scotland. Such spirituality is foundational to Anglicanism as we experience it today.” He also said, “The mission and outreach programme of the Scottish Episcopal Church is a significant model. I know it will have an impact on our members.”

In welcoming the ACC to his province, Bishop Holloway spoke of his hopes for the ACC. Speaking from Edinburgh he said, “It is a great joy to welcome the ACC to Scotland. The visit will present the opportunity for the Anglican Communion both to honour particular Scottish elements of its past and to look forward to the future. In looking forward to the future, and addressing the many issues which confront the Church and society today, I hope that the ACC will be enriched by their experience of Scotland and of the Scottish Episcopal Church. Likewise, I know that we here in Scotland will benefit from the ACC’s visit.”

On Sunday 19 September the ACC will attend the Eucharist at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh. In Edinburgh the ACC will participate in a Hearing on Human Sexuality led by the Primus and local Christians.

Agenda topics include Urbanisation, Scripture, International Debt and Technology and Ethics. There will also be a presentation of the new ARCIC (Anglican/Roman Catholic dialogue) document, “The Gift of Authority”.

A few of the events will be open to the public and the press. Closer to the date we will issue fax, phone and email addresses to contact the staff during the meeting. Press releases will be issued, as at the Lambeth Conference, on a regular basis. There will be photographic opportunities in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow (details to be announced).

The ACC is one of the Instruments of Unity of the Anglican Communion along with the Primates Meeting, the Lambeth Conference and the Archbishop of Canterbury, as President of the Communion. It meets every 2 to 3 years in a different part of the Communion. The last meeting was held in Panama and the next is likely to be in Hong Kong.