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[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@wfn.org>]

Anglican, United church dialogue goes one step further

Belleville, Ont. September 16, 1999

Talks between the Anglican and United churches in Canada -- the first formal
dialogue since the collapse of a proposed Plan of Union in 1975 -- are
progressing slowly, but enough to warrant two meetings this month.
A recent gathering of church representatives in eastern Ontario showed
there is "significant interest" in carrying on the discussions and
furthering the relationship, organizers say.

The first meeting was held last April in Regina (see press release about that
meeting at
<http://www.anglican.ca/news/ans/ans.html?ansItem=1999-05-03_a.ans>). It
was the Anglican Church of Canada's faith, worship and ministry committee
which issued the invitation to the United Church to begin discussions about
relations between the two churches, which already co-operate in many shared
ministries across the country and in inter-church coalitions.

The churches have identified several issues which will be on the agenda in
future talks, including:
* theological issues and perceptions;
* a desire to learn from both churches' recent histories, especially the 1975
   Plan of Union and the experience of amalgamating congregations;
* shared ministry possibilities;
* mutual recognition of ministries, the episcopate and lay presidency (the
    use of lay people to preside at the eucharist);
* common vision for the future.

The group has proposed two or three similar meetings for the future, to be
held in other parts of the country. Belleville, Ont., was chosen for the 
Sept. 9
meeting because of the number of rural parishes in the area and because of a
long history of co-operation between the churches.

The next focus group will be in Vancouver later this month. Another meeting
is scheduled for March, 2000, in Kingston, Ont.

For further information on the Belleville meeting, please contact Bob Hales
(ecumenical officer for the Anglican Diocese of Ontario) or Harold Alston,
member of the United Church Inter-Church Inter-Faith Committee; staff for the
conversations are Peter Wyatt (United Church) and Alyson Barnett-Cowan
(Anglican).

The Ven. Bob Hales
St. James Anglican Church
10 Union St. W.
Kingston, ON
K7L 3W3
(613) 548-7254

Rev'd Harold J. Alston
Princess Street United Church
484 Albert St.
Kingston, ON K7L 3W3
(613) 542-6112

Rev'd Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan
Director, Faith Worship and Ministry
Anglican Church of Canada
600 Jarvis St.
Toronto, ON M4Y 2J6
(416) 924-9199 x 281
abarnettcowan@national.anglican.ca

Rev'd Dr. Peter Wyatt
General Secretary, Theology Faith & Ecumenism
United Church of Canada
3250 Bloor St. W.
Toronto, ON M8X 2Y4
(416) 231-5931
pwyatt@uccan.org

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Leanne Larmondin * Website Manager
*Anglican Church of Canada*
600 Jarvis St., Toronto ON M4Y 2J6
416 924 9199 ext. 307 * ll@anglican.ca
http://www.anglican.ca
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