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

ACNS 3137 - ACC12 MEDIA RELEASE NO 5 - 18 September 2002

The Anglican Communion: "focussed on mission"

18th September 2002

The Chairman's Address to ACC-12 with the Secretary General's Report to the
12th Meeting of the ACC
Canon John L Peterson, Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative
Council, presented to the twelfth meeting of the ACC a wide-ranging and
comprehensive report on the activities of the ACC, its networks and staff
since its last meeting in Dundee in 1999. Later in the day, Bishop Simon
Chiwanga gave his farewell address to the ACC.

Canon Peterson commenced his address with a warm tribute to the hospitality
and generosity of the Anglican Communions newest Province, the Hong Kong
Sheng Kung Hui which is hosting this recent ACC meeting.

The Secretary General also paid tribute to a former Secretary General,
Bishop John Howe and two Archbishops of Canterbury, Archbishop Donald Coggan
and Archbishop Robert Runcie, who have all died since ACC-11 met in Dundee.

HIV/AIDS
Prominent in the Secretary Generals report were his comments on
developments regarding to the Archbishop of Cape Towns challenge to the
2001 Primates Meeting. The Primates responded by making HIV/AIDS a top
priority for the Communion.

A consequential meeting held in Johannesburg in August 2001 "changed the
face of our Communion with regard to HIV/AIDS," Canon Peterson said. "One
thing I must say, however, is that I am bitterly disappointed how slowly
this process has unfolded." A recent grant from the Parthenon Trust has
enabled funds to be available to resource grants to Provinces so that they
can have an effective programme to combat AIDS.

"In Africa, AIDS will not be defeated by Governments, but by the Church,"
Canon Peterson predicted with certainty.

A New Anglican Communion Centre
The successful conclusion of a series of conversations over three years with
the Sisters of St Andrew and the Tavistock Trust enabled the Secretary
General to announce that the Anglican Communion Secretariat will soon move
to St Andrews House in Westbourne Park, London. This property will provide
the Anglican Communion with a Centre that will include sufficient office
space for the Secretariat's needs, accommodation for temporary staff members
as well rooms for visitors from around the Communion.

[A detailed report on this development will be posted on ACNS in the near
future]

Endowment Fund - Compass Rose Society
The Archbishop of Canterbury had earlier announced to ACC-12 that the
Secretary Generals contract of employment had been extended until 31st
December 2004. This will allow Canon Peterson to focus, in co-operation with
the Compass Rose Society, on the raising of a $20,000,000 Endowment for the
Anglican Communion.

"The interest from this Endowment will enable the Communion to be
financially viable in relation to new initiatives and special projects," the
Secretary General said. This additional focus will require further staff
assistance to Canon Peterson who will be involved in intensive negotiations
and travel across the Communion as he builds this endowment.

Consequently another grant from the Parthenon Trust will allow the
appointment to the Secretary Generals office of a recently retired former
British Ambassador to the Holy See, Mark Pellew. He will assist Canon
Peterson in his work on international issues in the Anglican Communion, and
will work closely with his Executive Assistant, Deirdre Martin particularly
in the Secretary Generals absence in the running of the office. This
appointment is funded by a two-year grant.

"I am most enthusiastic about this appointment. We believe it work well in
the service of the Anglican Communion," Canon Peterson said.

The Visits in the Anglican Communion
Canon Peterson reported on his many visits to Anglican Provinces, singling
out in particular, Cuba, Jerusalem, Australia and Kenya.

"Soon there will be very few Christians remaining in Jerusalem, in Palestine
and in Israel," Canon Peterson said. "Jerusalem must be one of our concerns.
We need to support the Christian community in Jerusalem and this must be a
priority."

Inter Anglican Finance Committee
Pressure in the finances of the Communion received careful attention in this
address. Canon Peterson noted the economic problems many Provinces face,
unfavourable exchange rates, as well as the difficult reality of one
Australian diocese, Sydney, not paying a portion of their budget, all result
in a significant shortfall in finances available to the ACC Secretariat.

"These shortfalls have a devastating effect on the ministry of the Communion
and our inter-relatedness to each other," Canon Peterson said.

ACC Staff changes
The appointment of Canon David Hamid, Anglican Communion Ecumenical Affairs
and Studies Officer, as Suffragan Bishop in the Diocese of Europe, means a
vacancy in that staff position. Canon Peterson announced that Bishop John
Baycroft, retired Bishop of Ottawa, and until recently Director of the
Anglican Centre in Rome, has accepted an appointment as Interim Director of
Ecumenical Affairs and Studies until June 2003.

Bishop Simon Chiwanga - The ACC Chairmans Address
ACC-12 sees the stepping down of the Rt Rev Simon Chiwanga, Bishop of
Mpwapwa, Tanzania, as Chairman of the ACC. Bishop Chiwanga has served for 18
years on the ACC, first as a representative from the Province of Tanzania,
then as Vice Chairman and finally as ACC Chairman.

In response to a request from the ACC Standing Committee, Bishop Chiwanga
presented an overview of the ACC successive meetings he had attended, while
noting the change in emphases that had occurred over those years.

"The one thing of which I have been most proud is the general orientation of
the ACC toward mission, constantly reminding the Church to be a Church
turned inside-out: outwardly-focussed, transformative, prophetic," he said.
"The world is longing for the redemption of Christ, and only such a
mission-focussed Church can bring that message to the world."

Tributes to Archbishop George and Mrs Eileen Carey
Both Canon Peterson and Bishop Chiwanga paid generous tributes to the
contribution and witness of retiring Archbishop George Carey and Mrs Eileen
Carey to the ACC and the world-wide Communion.

"As I travel round the Anglican Communion today there is a far greater
awareness of our independence and that we are a family. During your eleven
years as Archbishop you have travelled endlessly throughout the Communion
sharing our stories," Canon Peterson said. You had prophetic courage when
you were in the Sudan, you grieved with the people of Rwanda as you
witnessed the horrors of the genocide, you cried with the victims of the
twin towers in New York, you rejoiced with the people of Hong Kong when they
became a new Province. You have been the voice of the voiceless."

[The complete text of the Addresses of the Secretary General and the ACC
Chairman will be posted on ACNS]

(From the ACC-12 News Team: Dan England, Margaret Rodgers, James Rosenthal)

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