THE Church in Wales doesn’t exist only to “sing hymns on a Sunday”, but to interact radically with the critical problems with a fragile world, the Archbishop of Wales, the Most Revd Andrew John, has said.
He was addressing the Governing Body firstly of its two-day meeting on the University of Wales, in Lampeter, on Wednesday.
His theme was “Better, together” — a maxim he applied to the environmental summit as a result of be hosted by the Church in Wales in November (News, 8 September 2023). More than 70 academics, environmentalists, and representatives from the farming community and water industry, and other interested groups within the UK, are expected to attend. The focus is on find out how to restore the water quality of polluted rivers.
It was a fancy issue, the Archbishop said. “There are competing demands which can require strong engagement and clear articulation if conversation is to each shape public opinion and grow to be policy or ambition within the political realm. Our intention is to create agreement in regards to the principles and direction of travel required, and commit to ongoing conversation where complete agreement is just not possible.”
The secretary-general of the Anglican Communion, the Rt Revd Anthony Poggo, is as a result of address the Governing Body this week. Archbishop John said: “Over the years, we now have built up partnerships and links with churches overseas, which have richly blessed us and developed a crucial international perspective to our ministry.”
Speaking about mission at home, he said that the Church in Wales “should feel the discomfort of a Church that’s trying recent things and breaking recent ground”.
Replacing the parish system with ministry areas, each with a leadership team of laypeople in addition to clergy, over the past decade (News, 11 March 2022), had enabled mission and ministry to be “offered otherwise, to deal with sharing resources and a typical commitment to a definite area, to construct teams which include the gift of all God’s people, to look outward because God loved the world a lot, and to be joyful bearers of fine news for each other in worship and fellowship”.
The Church Growth Fund, through which churches can bid for money for mission and ministry initiatives, needed, due to this fact, to be incarnational, he said, “to stand up from inside the vision, life, and story of what God is doing within the dioceses, slightly than be fitful bursts of energy which bear no relation to any direction of travel being set.
“Secondly, they need the underpinning of governance arrangements that ensure delivery and accountability. Throwing money at projects is not going to bring people to Christ necessarily: God does this. But we are able to invest well in those with the gifts and heart to make Christ known.”
Archbishop John had earlier reiterated the African proverb which, he suggested, had grow to be a form of motto for the Olympics in Paris: “If you wish to go fast, go alone. If you wish to go far, go together.”
Much of his presidential address was based on the story of Elijah, within the book of Kings. “I doubt for a second Elijah felt comfortable with the way in which God asked him to enter the wild places and grow to be dependent upon ravens for food. But that was the way in which during which blessing got here and lives were transformed.
“Sisters and brothers, the query stands, ‘What are you doing ? Like Elijah, will you heed His advice and go to it? Together, higher and with joyful confidence, attend to the work of God to make Christ known? The answer is in fact, Amen.”
Key areas for discussion and motion on the Governing Body meeting this week include proposed amendments to the clergy terms of service, which might give clergy additional rest days and holiday entitlement, to realize a greater work-life balance. The issue was raised in a Private Member’s Motion on the April meeting, and attracted keen debate (News, 26 April).
The persecution of Christians is one other key topic: the meeting will hear an update on the work of the charity Open Doors UK.
Among the listed questions is a call for the Bench of Bishops to “support a sturdy plan of action” on banning conversion therapy in all its forms.
