ACC in Jamaica

Anglican Consultative Council - ACC 14 - Programme

Location:Kingston, Jamaica

Dates: 1st - 13th May 2009

Friday 1st May

Arrivals

Saturday 2nd May

Morning

Quiet Morning led by the Archbishop of Canterbury

Afternoon

Orientation to the ACC in Deliberation Groups Welcome Plenary, including a provincial and diocesan welcome. Followed by dinner

Evening

Unscheduled

Sunday 3rd May

Morning

Diocesan service

Afternoon

"Mission in the Anglican Communion" An opportunity to see the big picture of the work of the Anglican Communion Networks and other mission initiatives, also organisations and projects sponsored by the diocese.

Evening

Meeting of the Laity of the ACC and Meeting of the Clergy of the ACC

Monday 4th May

Morning

Bible Study Information Plenary � An Anglican Covenant Discernment Groups � An Anglican Covenant

Afternoon

Network Groups

Evening

Unscheduled

Tuesday 5th May

Morning

Bible Study Information Plenary � Windsor Continuation Group Discernment Groups � Windsor Continuation Group

Afternoon

Network Groups Plenary - Report & Resolutions relating to/from Networks

Evening

Unscheduled

Wednesday 6th May

Morning

Bible Study Discernment Groups � Covenant & Windsor Continuation Group

Afternoon

Information Plenary: Commissions & ACO work (i) Business Agenda Session (i)

Evening

Cultural Evening hosted by the Governor-General and the Diocese of Jamaica at the residence of the Governor-General.

Thursday 7th May

Morning

Bible Study Information Plenary � Ecumenical Matters Ecumenical Streams (i)

Afternoon

Choice of island tour or free time

Evening

Unscheduled

Friday 8th May

Morning

Bible Study Decision-making Plenary � Covenant & Windsor Continuation Group matters

Afternoon

Ecumenical Stream (ii) Information Plenary - Commissions & ACO work (ii)

Evening

Diocesan Reception at Bishop's Lodge

Saturday 9th May

Morning

Bible Study Decision-making Plenary � Ecumenical Matters Business Agenda Session (ii)

Afternoon

Briefing for Mission Encounters (on Sunday) Travel (for some) to more distant parishes

Evening

In parishes

Sunday 10th May

Morning

Parish Visits - Worship and Conversation

Afternoon

Travel back to the hotel

Evening

TBA

Monday 11th May

Morning

Bible Study Mission Encounters - what was seen and heard ; how we as a Communion might respond. These sessions will include engagement with the work at the UN Anglican Observer's Office; the proposed new Evangelism and Church Growth Initiative; and the proposed Relief and Development Alliance.

Afternoon

Mission Encounters cont'd Presidential Address (following Evening Prayer)

Evening

Unscheduled

Tuesday 12th May

Morning

Bible Study Discernment Groups - what are we taking back to our Provinces? Final Plenary

Afternoon

Closing Service at the Cathedral in Spanish Town

Wednesday 13th May

Departures

Ruth Gledhill comments: "Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams leads discussions about Anglican unity in Jamaica, heavyweight theologians are battling it out over the internet. Is the Anglican Covenant an instrument to castrate conservatives, or a stick to beat liberals? The third, Ridley draft of the Covenant is one of the main items under debate.   The future unity of the Communion depends on this instrument, to which all provinces that want to be in full communion with each other will have to sign up, and which contains the germs of a disciplinary process to penalise those who go against its fundamentally Biblical norms on doctrine and practice. In other words, it implies that no province that wishes in future to consecrate gay bishops or bless gay marriages with an authorised liturgy, will be able to do so. This is why, understandably, liberals in The Episcopal Church in the US are extremely wary. Ultimately, a lot will depend on what happens at The Episcopal Church's General Convention in July. Although the Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has ruled out discussion of the covenant for another three years, giving dioceses and parishes time to debate it properly. Rumours of attempts in July to overturn or eclipse the GenCon06's Canon BO33, which in the name of the international unity so desperately courted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, imposed a moratorium on the move to equal rights for homosexuals in the Church, will not go away. If that happens, the Covenant process will be finished. But if liberals could be persuaded that the Covenant was aimed at keeping the Gafcon conservatives in, rather than casting them out, they might be persuaded to bide their time."