wfn.org | ACNS3681 Scottish Episcopalians celebrate Anglican Communion

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

ACNS 3681     |     SCOTLAND	 |     21 NOVEMBER 2003 

Scottish Episcopalians celebrate Anglican Communion origins

by Matthew Davies

The Anglican Communion is often described as a worldwide family of churches
owing its origins to the Church of England; but for many Scottish
Episcopalians the story of the genesis of the Communion is distinctively
different.

In 1784, Samuel Seabury, elected to be Bishop of Connecticut, USA, travelled
to Scotland to be consecrated, as England gave a clear "no" to such action
from the new world. His consecration took place in Aberdeen on 14 November
1784. 

The Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church asked "that Bishop Seabury would
endeavour all he can" to make the Scottish form of the Communion liturgy the
norm in the United States. To this Bishop Seabury agreed and the birth of the
Anglican Communion ensued, with a Scottish tone to this very day.

On 14 November 2003 - the 219th anniversary of the consecration of Samuel
Seabury - the present Bishop of Aberdeen and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal
Church, the Most Reverend Bruce Cameron, visited Peterhead and laid a wreath
on the grave of Bishop Kilgour, Bishop of Aberdeen and Primus at the time
when Samuel Seabury was consecrated.

The Dean of Aberdeen, the Very Reverend Gerald Stranraer-Mull, who is also
priest in Peterhead, Ellon and Cruden Bay, explained, "The consecration of
Bishop Seabury in Aberdeen by three Scottish Bishops was the beginning of the
worldwide Anglican Communion. The chief consecrating Bishop was the Primus,
Bishop Robert Kilgour, and this year's service, for the first time, honours
him."

During a Eucharist, the Dean read a message of greeting from the Rt Revd Jim
Curry, Suffragan Bishop of the Diocese of Connecticut, and the prayers of the
people were led by Bishop Kilgour's name-sake, Provost Richard Kilgour of
Saint Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen.

At a reception following the Eucharist the Primus launched his Lent Appeal
for 2004 which seeks to raise #10,000 to fund a priest's house at Misty Mount
in Aberdeen's companion diocese of Saint John's, South Africa.

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