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Mission and Evangelism

2ACNS 1892 · 20 September 1999 · Dundee [ACC-11/28]
ACC receives the MISSIO Report - and affirms Anglican commitment to Mission
and Evangelism
In a unanimous vote, members of the Anglican Consultative Council, meeting
in Dundee, Scotland, received Anglicans in Mission: A Transforming Journey,
the report from MISSIO, the Mission Commission of the Anglican Communion.
In the ensuing discussion which largely centred on the Decade of Evangelism
it became clear that experiences varied widely. Some talked with enthusiasm
of the initiatives and achievements of their Province. Others felt that
there was not enough leadership and commitment to the Decade 'from the top.'
One group commented 'there is always a need for episcopal interest and drive
and energy' and that 'the bishop needs to model mission in his own style and
ministry.' Others affirmed the role and abilities of youth in mission and
evangelism and said 'they should not just be evangelised, but they should
also be evangelists.'
MISSIO, chaired by Bishop Datuk Yong Ping Chung of the Diocese of Sabah,
Malaysia, was established by ACC-9 in Cape Town in 1993. With members
appointed for five years, MISSIO met four times from 1993 to 1999, each time
in different places in the Anglican Communion. In presenting the report to
ACC-11, Mrs Maureen Sithole from Southern Africa said that meeting in
different places meant that MISSIO members were able to experience the life
and witness of local churches in their own context, and thereby be informed
of mission and evangelistic initiatives across the Communion.
The report contained some far reaching proposals. These included suggestions
of a meeting of synodical, provincial and voluntary mission agencies in the
year 2001; a review of leadership training and clergy formation; a review of
the lessons learnt across the Communion during the Decade of Evangelism; the
appointment of a Mission and Evangelism Officer and also the reappointment
of another Commission on Mission under a more accessible name.
The tasks of the new commission would be to facilitate Companion Diocese and
other companionship links throughout the Communion; to work with existing
Anglican networks for mission and evangelism; to facilitate the sharing of
resources, both human and financial throughout the Communion; and to link
and critique experiences for capacity-building for mission and evangelism.
Another important function would be engagement in theological reflection on
mission.
The proposed Staff Person would have the tasks of offering leadership and
suggesting new initiatives for the work of mission and evangelism; liaising
with Anglican networks, provincial and synod officers and mission boards;
ensuring the sharing of information on mission and evangelism around the
Communion; and overseeing the developments of Companion links around the
Diocese.
After the report's presentation, the ACC discussed the issues in small
groups and then shared their responses to the proposals prior to voting on
the motion. They stressed that the Anglican world comprises many different
cultures and therefore mission and evangelism initiatives must always be
sensitive to the surrounding culture. They also believed that the relational
terms of 'partnership' and 'companionship' required understanding and
redefinition in the light of the contempory experience of relationships
between provinces.
While the proposed review of leadership training received strong
endorsement, members made a strong call for recognition of the expansion of
lay leadership in many places, and the essential need for increased
attention to lay training and spiritual formation and nurture. In affirming
a review of clergy training, one group said that the clergy should be seen
as interpretator of Scripture both to the Church and the world; animator of
the people of God in their mission; and celebrant of the mysteries of God in
the world. This resonated with Dr Carey, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who
was in the chair for the session, and he added to their summary the clergy
as change agent, a term he said he owed to Archbishop Brian Davis, the late
former Primate of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.
They endorsed the proposal for a Staff Officer for mission and evangelism to
work from the Anglican Communion Secretariat, though one group did query
whether a more immediate priority would be a staff officer to promote
concerns and action for the cancellation of the unpayable debt of the
world's poorest nations. The ACC finally voted that a Staff Officer should
be appointed, 'when the funds are available.'
Issues relating to the group NAME, formed after the Lambeth Conference, were
deferred for later consideration.
The text of the MISSIO Resolution agreed by the ACC on 20 September, 1999 is
as follows:
MISSIO
This ACC
Receives the report of MISSIO to ACC-11, Anglicans in Mission: A
Transforming Journey;
Notes the positive experience of MISSIO in holding each of its meetings in a
different part of the Communion, thereby experiencing the life and witness
of the local church in its own context, and encourages this way of working
to the future Commission, and to other bodies of the Communion, as
appropriate.
Endorses the MISSIO proposal to hold a meeting of Synodical, Provincial and
Voluntary Mission Agencies in the year 2001, to reflect on the roles and
responsibilities of the mission agencies, as well as promote networking and
mutual understanding among the older agencies and newer expressions of
mission structures, and.
Asks the Joint Standing Committee to consider the MISSIO suggestion to
initiate a review within the Communion of leadership training and clergy
formation to identify trends, needs and problems, and how they might be
addressed.
Encourages
The provinces and dioceses of the Communion to evaluate the lessons learnt
during the Decade of Evangelism, with a view to continue and build on the
momentum the Decade has achieved and to keep evangelism as a high profile in
the church's mission; and
Provinces, dioceses and parishes to develop and expand appropriate training
to equip individuals and congregations for effective work in mission and
evangelism.
Recommends the continuation of a Standing Commission on Mission which would
be called the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Mission and which would
have functions and membership as detailed on pp 58-59 of the MISSIO report
Anglicans in Mission: A Transforming Journey,
Asks the Joint Standing Committee in consultation with the Inter Anglican
Finance Committee to consider the appointment of a senior-level Mission &
Evangelism Staff Officer to the Anglican Communion Office, to be responsible
for the functions listed on p. 60 of the MISSIO report Anglicans in Mission:
A Transforming Journey, when the funds are available.
Communications Team
ACC-11
Ian Douglas, Margaret Rodgers, Jim Rosenthal, Manasseh Zindo