ACC meeting is vital for Anglican family – NZ Maori archdeacon

The upcoming meeting of Anglicans from around the world is important not only for those attending but also for the person in the pew, according to one of New Zealand’s Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) members.

The Ven. Turi Hollis, an archdeacon from the Maori Anglican diocese of Te Waipounamu, said the whanau or Anglican family could hardly exist without meeting together on occasion.

“In the New Zealand Prayer Book/He Karakia Mihinare one of the Eucharist services begins with the words: E te Whanau a te Karaiti, ko tatou nei tana tinana e mahi nei i te ao. (We are the family of Christ; we are his body at work in this world.) For me, then, the Anglican Consultative Council is a gathering of my Anglican brothers and sisters, and friends, from across the world. How can a whanau exist if it does not get together when it can?

“We live in a big world and it is not possible for all Anglicans to hui (gather, meet, conference) but the man and woman in the pews should not be forgotten. After all, they are also members of te Whanau a te Karaiti (the family of Christ) just as we are who have the privilege of being on the ACC. This is why, despite all the diverse theological, biblical and political views that can be found in any whanau, the ACC needs to maintain and sustain the bonds that tie our Anglican whanau together.”

Archdeacon Hollis is one of more than 80 ordained and lay delegates who are sent to the meeting by the 38 Provinces of the Anglican Communion. Along with the Lambeth Conference and Primates’ Meeting, the ACC is one of the Instruments of Communion. It convenes every two or three years as a key moment of reflection and fellowship for the Anglican Communion. It is an opportunity for representatives of all the member churches to reflect on the life and mission of the Anglican Communion, and consider future priorities and activities.

This year’s meeting is being held at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Auckland, New Zealand between Oct. 27 and Nov. 7. It has an agenda anchored around daily worship and bible study. Topics for consideration include the progress of the Anglican Communion Covenant; mission across the Anglican Communion; and an update on the work of its official Networks including the Safe Churches Consultation. There will also be presentations on the Communion’s global ecumenical relationships; the state of Communications across the Communion; and reports on such projects as The Bible in the Life of Church and Continuing Indaba.

There will also be three public presentations at the Cathedral chaired by the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams on such issues as gender-based violence, the environment and Christian witness.

From Oct. 27, people will be able to get the latest information on and from ACC-15 via the Anglican Communion website www.anglicancommunion.org . Here you will find Twitter (#acc15) and Facebook feeds, podcasts, photos from the meeting, and the latest ACC news from the Anglican Communion News Service.