wfn.org | ACNS3331 Hundreds join new Archbishop in Cathedral Eucharists

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3331     |     ENGLAND	|     2 MARCH 2003

Hundreds join new Archbishop in Cathedral Eucharists

The Cathedral community and the wider diocesan family welcomed Archbishop
Rowan Williams and his family for the first time in two separate
celebrations on Sunday 2 March. Archbishop Rowan was celebrant and preacher
at both services.

Over 2,000 people gathered in the historic Cathedral to join in the
afternoon celebration, filling every imaginable space, to hear the Bishop of
Dover, the Rt Revd Stephen Venner, lead the congregation in joyful applause
as the service began. The Cathedral choir was joined by a music group from
diocesan parishes, to provide the music for the service. The order of
service included one of the new Eucharistic prayers from Common Worship.
Young people of the diocese led the intercessions accompanied by a Taize
chant and the familiar Welsh hymn, the Ash Grove, was sung after communion.
Archbishop Rowan and the dean administered the sacrament to the hundreds
packed into the quire, while the other bishops, clergy and readers gave
communion at various stations throughout the nave. The diocesan secretary,
David Kemp, read the epistle and Jo Robertson, Deacon chaplain at Dover
College, read the Gospel.

Earlier in the day, the 11am Cathedral Eucharist included the singing of
Schubert's Mass in G and traditional hymns including, O Praise ye the Lord
and O Thou who camest from above. In attendance were the Lord Lieutenant,
the Lord Mayor of Canterbury and members of the city council. The Archbishop
of Armagh, the Most Revd Robin Eames, and the Bishop in Jerusalem, the Rt
Revd Riah Abu El-Assal, were present along with members of the Standing
Committee of the Anglican Consultative Council and staff members of the
Anglican Communion Office.

The Archbishop processed to the great west door after both services and
literally shook the hands of many hundreds of people as they left the
Cathedral. It was apparent by the smiles and warm greetings the Archbishop
exchanged, not only during the peace but also following each service, that
he was eager to learn from his diocesan family as well as serve as teacher
and pastor.

In the early days of this coming week Archbishop Rowan will be dealing with
Anglican Communion matters at a meeting in the International Study Centre.

Next Sunday the Archbishop will administer the sacrament of confirmation in
the Cathedral for the King's School, Canterbury, at 11am.

The text of both sermons is available from
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/.
See ACNS3332 for the morning sermon and ACNS3333 for the afternoon sermon.

___________________________________________________________________

For details about the Enthronement of the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury,
the Most Revd Rowan D Williams, visit http://www.anglicancommunion.org/

ACNSlist, the email edition of Anglican Communion News Service, is
published by the Anglican Communion Office, London. QUESTIONS or COMMENTS
may be sent to: acnslist@anglicancommunion.org

You may subscribe to acnslist or unsubscribe at:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/acnslist.html