Anglican World Issue 132 by Anglican Communion Office

Anglican

World Magazine of the Anglican Communion • issue 132 August 2013

The ‘frozen chosen’ rock and shock Virtually saved Is cyberspace the new mission field?

The busy trap How managing time is a spiritual matter

anglican world issue 132 august 2013

e d i to r i a l

Innovation and tradition

ONE OF THE biggest dangers for any faith community is for it to ossify; for a family of believers to convince itself that things can’t get any better than they are and so oppose change. This edition of Anglican World magazine clearly demonstrates that Anglicans and Episcopalians do not think this way. Rather, building on a solid foundation of faith, tradition and reason, our Anglican Communion welcomes the new and different and seeks to engage it in its mission to do God’s work. Take the article on the impact of African martyr Bernard Mizeki. It clearly shows how the history of one man’s sacrifice continues to inspire generations of Christians to sacrificially Being Christian means never live and even die for others. The gathering of stone masons in Lincoln was a celebration of a traditional skill-set that has accepting the status quo when it goes gifted us with many beautiful cathedrals around the world. is tradition more esteemed than in seminaries against God’s plan for humanity. andNowhere yet, at one of the Anglican Communion’s oldest, Christian rock music was invited in, to make people review what they think they know about America’s Episcopalians. Being Christian means never accepting the status quo when it goes against God’s plan for humanity. Anglicans in Japan are challenging the authorities to tell the truth about nuclear fallout, and in Wales the church is telling people that violence against children is unacceptable in any form. Both viewpoints are new ways of looking at old problems. Smashing stereotypes is another way of making something new. In Egypt, young people are working with the church to sweep away prejudice against people with hearing impairments. In Rome the Archbishop of Canterbury and Pope Francis speak of closer collaboration. Korean Anglicans talk about promoting peace while under the threat of war. In Canada Anglicans and Lutherans make history by sharing an Assembly, giving flesh to the scripture “…that they may be one as we are one”. Of course technology is the most obvious way of embracing the new. Whether it is powering cathedrals via solar panels, baptismal services across Skype, or sharing best practice via the Internet, there is little doubt that members of this Anglican Communion revel in ‘making all things new’ to tell the old, old story of the Gospel.

Canon Kenneth Kearon Secretary General of the Anglican Communion

anglican world issue 132 august 2013

contents

Anglican

world Inside this issue issue 132 August 2013

Produced by The Anglican Communion Office St Andrew’s House 16 Tavistock Crescent London W11 1AP United Kingdom Registered Charity 7311767 Tel +44 (0)20 7313 3900 Fax +44 (0)20 7313 3999 E-mail aco@anglicancommunion.org Web www.anglicancommunion.org Serving The Instruments of Communion: The Lambeth Conference The Anglican Consultative Council The Primates’ Meeting And approximately 85 million Anglicans and Episcopalians in more than 165 countries President The Archbishop of Canterbury Secretary General The Revd Canon Kenneth Kearon Editor Jan Butter Any comments, questions or contributions should be sent to The Editor at news@anglicancommunion.org Advertising Michael Ade Tel +44 (0)20 7313 3915 Fax +44 (0)20 7313 3999 Subscriptions: E-mail aw.subscriptions@ anglicancommunion.org UK £2.50 / US$4 / €3.50 for one issue. UK £10 / US$16 / €14 for four issues. See the subscription form at the back of this issue or visit www.anglicancommunion.org/ aw/subscription.cfm Design and Layout Marcus Thomas e-mail info@marcusthomas.co.nz Printed by CPO, Garcia Estate, Canterbury Road, Worthing, W. Sussex BN13 1BW All original material may be reproduced by Member Churches without further permission of the Anglican Consultative Council. Acknowledgement and a copy of the publications are requested. Permission to reproduce copyrighted work should be sought from the owner.

¢ Editorial

Canon Kearon on the Communion’s mix of innovation and tradition 2

Anglican

WORLD MAGAZINE OF THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION • ISSUE 132 AUGUST 2013

¢ Communion News

The latest from around the Anglican world 4

The frozen chosen rock to shock A 39th province? Cyberspace does church

The busy trap How managing time is a spiritual matter

¢ Feature

Could the Internet be a Communion province? 6 ¢ youth

anglican world issue 132 august 2013

When a disability isn’t disabling 9

Cover photo

12 Feature

Joel Joa entertains at a most unexpected rock concert. Credit: VTS

¢ World View

The Communion at a glance 10 ¢ past, present and future

¢ FEATURE

Sold by her relatives

An unexpected pilgrimage 17 Sun-powered cathedrals 20 Peace in a time of war 21

¢ COVER FEATURE

Rocking with the frozen chosen 13 ¢ FEATURE

Being wiser about time

¢ The last word

Method in this bishop’s ‘madness’ 22

Sign of the changing times In Old Cairo the Church for the Deaf is growing

ANGLICAN WORLD IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION OFFICE

anglican world issue 132 august 2013

communion news

wa l e s

Church campaigns to end smacking of children The Church in Wales is working with Welsh children’s societies to outlaw the smacking of children. In April, Brecon Cathedral hosted a two-day roadshow to spread the message Children Are Unbeatable! and to advise parents and carers on how to manage children’s behaviour in positive ways. The roadshow was followed by an open vigil service, where candles were lit to remember children who have suffered violence, and children had their feet washed as a sign of respect. Dean of Brecon Cathedral, Geoffrey Marshall said, “Every parent and carer knows that disciplining children is not easy… However, resorting to violence

Church in Wales

The Church believes all children deserve respect

and smacking is not effective and should no longer be seen as acceptable behaviour or reasonable punishment. Ending violence against children is a religious imperative and the

Church has a responsibility to work with others to do so.” Last year Christian leaders across the province called for legislation to remove the defence of “reasonable punishment”.

ja pa n

Anglicans in Japan speak truth on power The Anglican Church in Japan, Nippon Sei Ko Kai (NSKK), has decided to take a stand for truth in a country that is even now reeling from the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in 2011. Believing that not everyone is telling the whole truth about the scale of the radioactive fallout from the meltdown of the nuclear plant in Fukushima NSKK has decided to find out the facts. As well as building on its post-

disaster relief and development project Isshoni Aruko (Let Us Walk Together) NSKK will now also do its own research on the effect of the fallout on communities. It plans to share that information with other organisations, and hold symposia, lectures and study tours so as many people as possible should know the truth. Kay Ikezumi has been chosen as the new director to lead this next phase of the project.

NSKK

Kay Ikezumi

pa p ua n e w g u i n e a / m e x i c o

Two new Primates elected

(L to R) Bishops Moreno and Igara

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The Anglican Communion has two new primates—in the Americas and Oceania. The Rt Revd Francisco Manuel Moreno, bishop of the Diocese of Northern Mexico, was elected Primate of Anglican Church of Mexico on June 14 during the Church’s seventh General Synod. He takes over from the Most Revd Carlos Touche-Porter. On the same day, Bishop Clyde Igara from Dogura Diocese was elected as the new archbishop of the Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea. He takes over from Archbishop Joe Kopapa who retired late last year.

england

Staff changes at Lambeth Palace Over the past few months, the Archbishop of Canterbury has announced several major changes at his London home and office, Lambeth Palace. As well as appointing the new Canon for Reconcilitation, David Porter (see last issue), other new staff include the Revd Canon Chris Russell as his new Advisor for Evangelism and Witness at Lambeth Palace, and the Revd Dr Jo Wells as the Archbishop’s Chaplain. Christopher Smith, who has been Chief of Staff for more

than a decade is moving on to pursue other interests. Kay Brock, currently the Archbishop’s Secretary for Public Affairs, will move into that role in October.

A new role, that of Director of Communications, has been advertised though no appointment had been made as Anglican World went to press.

canada

Anglicans, Lutherans hold historic Joint Assembly At the end of the first-ever Joint Assembly between Canada’s Anglicans and Lutherans a new diocese had been formed, committees were abolished, and resolutions were agreed on Palestine-Israel, homelessness, resource extraction, and the selection of indigenous bishops. Around 500 delegates from both Christian traditions met over five days in Ottawa, Canada, for a positive time of fellowship, sharing

and co-operation. Members of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) met, ate and worshipped together, only separating into the Anglican General Synod and the ELCIC National Convention for matters that required votes by each legal body. In a final feedback session, there were a range of opinions about ways the assembly could

Anglican Church of Canada

Leaders Susan Johnson and Fred Hiltz

have been improved, but there was no doubt it had been an historic event. The next official large-scale Anglican/Lutheran meet-up in Canada will be in 2014 at the Anglican-Lutheran National Worship Conference in Edmonton.

global

Anglican news service gets a new home The Anglican Communion News Service, which has been operating since the 1990s, has a new purpose-built website AnglicanNews.org The website has been built as a one-stop shop where people can go for not only news, but also feature articles, comment pieces, videos, podcasts and photos from Anglican communities around the world. Launching the site in June, Director for Communications at the Anglican Communion Office, Jan Butter, said this kind

Lambeth Palace

Archbishop Welby visits the new site

of site — made possible through funding from the Compass Rose Society and the Church Missions

Publishing Company — had been long overdue. “We are proud to have provided Anglican World magazine and now AnglicanNews.org — two places where Anglicans and Episcopalians can get a better picture of the life and mission in Anglican provinces around the world.” One of the first Comment articles was by Archbishop Justin Welby who wrote that “Communicating is part of the gift of being the Anglican Communion”.

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Dr. Patricia Lyons

Kyle Oliver and Lisa Kimbell have taken VTS resources and expertise to where church leaders are: online.

Sharing Christ in a digital land Billions now shop, socialise and learn online. Is the Internet the new mission field? b y ja n b u t t e r

In a small building on the edge of a campus in Alexandria, Virginia, Dr Lisa Kimbell is on a mission. She and her colleagues Kyle Oliver and Dorothy Linthicum are finding out how best to connect congregations, dioceses, and schools with highquality resources, tools, research, and best practices for lifelong faith formation. As Director of Virginia Theological Seminary’s Center for the Ministry of Teaching, Dr Kimbell is tasked with considering how the seminary could best support the Church with Christian formation, resource development and

anglican world issue 132 august 2013

exchange, mentoring, and training. It used to be that people travelled to VTS to access resources on these topics, but nowadays people prefer to browse the Internet instead. Dr Kimbell’s response was to appoint the Revd Kyle Oliver as Digital Missioner to set up and run an effective and accessible place online for finding quality Christian resources. “Our value-added is either as content creators or interpreters of content,” Dr Kimball explained. “We [VTS staff] are trusted as people who understand the formation of faith of all ages. In a world that’s increasingly saturated with resources what people need is something other than Google

search to find resources.” The online community that has built up around the sharing of such resources, both inside and outside the Episcopal Church has proved to be more creative and collaborative than the team could have imagined. What’s more, the online site gave VTS a fresh way to reconnect with parishes around the country and beyond. Mr Oliver has seen this firsthand in his roles as parish priest and digital missioner; church members are growing in faith thanks to quality resources online. He added that his dual identity also embodies the new reality of many Christians: churchgoers in the physical world who also shop,

Æ socialise, work and live out their faith online. “If the church has a reconciling mission, then we are called to live undivided lives,” he said. “We’re always trying to correct [the error] that the virtual world at its best is not an additional world; it’s an integrated part of our world. I’m just as likely to post a picture of the picnic I’m at on Saturday as I am the procession at church on Sunday.” He explained that speaking about his experience of faith and church via Social Media empowers his witness because online there’s an absence of “the sense of coercion people might feel in person.”

Reaching the e-unreached This suggestion that online evangelism might, for some, be more impactful than the face-toface kind isn’t so left field when you consider what Julie Anne Lytle says about ‘seekers’ in her book Faith Formation 4.0: “Many seekers’ claim to be ‘spiritual, not religious’ is “actually a shorthand for saying they are distancing themselves from institutional structures. “In a culture that increasingly recognises diverse contexts, multiple learning styles, and personal customisation, faith traditions that emphasise multi-sensory, experiential, and sacramental forms of storykeeping and story-sharing are more alluring to seekers than those that are dogmatically based.” Diocese of Southern Ohio Director of Communications David Dreisbach suggests in a recent edition of the diocese’s newspaper Interchange, that the traditional role of the church as the place people come at key times of joy or trouble is past. “We now live in a world created by Steve Jobs, Jack Dorsey and Mark Zuckerberg. We live in a world where, in times of triumph and in times of struggle, the first places people turn to are Twitter, Facebook and multitude of other online resources.” He stressed this does not negate the need for authentic, loving communities. Rather, “Our friends, neighbors and acquaintances aren’t engaging

Dr. Patricia Lyons

There will always be some things you just can’t do online

in social media to look for the nearest Episcopal Church. They are looking for conversation, answers to questions , and ultimately to become part of a larger community. These are conversations that the church needs to be involved in. And the only way we can join those conversations is if we can tap into all of the chatter that is happening in places other than our churches on Sunday morning.”

Priesthood of all (online) believers Roman Catholic Social Media expert Elaine Menardi writes in her e-book Theology of Social Media, Æ

Our friends, neighbors and acquaintances aren’t engaging in social media to look for the nearest Episcopal Church. They are looking for conversation, answers to questions , and ultimately to become part of a larger community

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The Diocese of New Westminster

The Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast

Software such as Skype is allowing Church to take place beyond the physical

“We can make a great case that the essential moment in play now is… ‘missionary activity directed toward those who live in religious indifference.’ “When we help people connect, they evangelise each other. Our goal is to provide the means to connect in the first place. This goes against the grain for people in ministry because we think that we are the primary evangelisers… that we hold the keys to knowing and understanding God and God’s work in our lives. But really we don’t. We’re just mostly preparing the soil.”

It has been said the Anglican Communion, like Social Media, is based on relationships and meeting, on conversation and sharing things in common. How then how are we equipping the church to meaningfully connect with others online? In the US, VTS’s E-formation course and General Theological Seminary’s Digital Formation programme offer church leaders a chance to learn how to better use digital technology in their ministries. The Church of England

anglican world issue 131 132 april august 2013 2013

also offers training in online communications. However, much of the rest of the Anglican Communion is yet to grapple with the massive societal change that is happening around the world; the Internet has grown 566.4% over the past decade with presently around 2.4 billion users. Certainly provinces and dioceses around the globe are using Social Media, but too often in the same way they would use a 1.0 website— to deliver information in one direction. Posting the Daily Prayer or Thought for the Day is less likely to bring seekers along on their faith journey than a thoughtful dialogue between that seeker and a faithful congregant.

A mission to Earth’s newest country A recent communications review by Australia’s Melbourne Diocese acknowledged that it “is not adequately equipped to meet the challenges of the new age of diverse and instant communications, and is consequently letting slip crucial opportunities for promoting the relevance of the Good News in our community.” The new communications director it has decided to hire will have to, among other things, “develop a programme to enable parishes to raise their own profiles within their own communities”. This is a courageous step to take.

In the style of the missionaries of old, they are faithfully venturing to a new land with the Gospel. If Facebook were a country it would be the world’s third largest with 1 billion members. Douban is a Chinese social media site with 46 million members. Habbo is an online hangout for teenagers with 230 million users. Each site is a land in which committed Christfollowers could be present. It has been said the Anglican Communion, like Social Media, is based on relationships and meeting, on conversation and sharing things in common. We are blessed to have a spirit-filled community of believers—both in the physical and digital world. This has got a few of us digital communicators around the Communion wondering whether the Internet could ever be a digital province of the Anglican Communion. Of course there are all sorts of theological, ecclesialogical and sacramental challenges with the idea. Nevertheless, why couldn’t there be a missionary province— complete with bishops, priests and laity—where seekers are invited to meet with Christ online through his people, and where Christians could come to be properly equipped for their own online ministry? After all, it would really only be an extension of what’s going on in that small building on the campus in Virginia.

a n g l i c a n yo u t h

Sign of the changing times Diocese of Egypt

by bellah zulu and rosie fyfe.

Anyone who thinks disability necessarily limits a person’s passion, drive and enthusiasm for life or Christian witness, they should look to Egypt and think again. In Old Cairo, the Church for the Deaf is growing. In May this year the Primate of the Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, Bishop Mouneer Anis, confirmed ten young people. That confirmation service added them to the growing number of young people taking an active lead in the life of this church. The Revd Faraj Hanna, Priestin-Charge of the Church said, “All of the youth have a great vision for the future. Not only are they active in the church services, but they participate in a Deaf Club and have stepped up to organise outings for

the Deaf Church.” The Church in Egypt has also embarked on a project to translate the Bible into Sign Language using videography to minister effectively to the deaf community. “The deaf community must have the gospel through their own language which is Sign Language,” said Mr Hanna. Around 10% of the population of Cairo are thought to be hearing impaired. In response to this need Mr Hanna and Clair Malik also run a Deaf Unit where they teach basic school subjects including reading in Arabic and English, and offer speech therapy to the children. Egyptian Sign Language is a big part of the curriculum, as is Christian religious education. People travel from all over Egypt to attend the unit. Mr Hanna sees it as a chance, not only to help the children practically, but also spiritually. “Deaf children come and stay with us and…we can involve them with the church programmes,” said Mr Hanna. “Through the deaf unit we can reach the unreached children from all over Egypt. It’s [also] a good opportunity

for children from all faiths to be together,” he said. “We are looking to a fruitful future where everyone can live in peace.” The Deaf Unit, which currently has more than 70 children, targets families who cannot find or afford services in Egypt, and aims to provide them with new opportunities both economically and socially. The Church in Egypt has been operating the Deaf Unit since 1982 and since then it has branched out to include teacher training programs, the Deaf Club, two new community-based rehabilitation programs in Upper Egypt and the beginnings of an audiology clinic. It also offers a range of courses including Egyptian Sign Language classes, and marriage and family counselling sessions, all of which help carers better understand and communicate with the children, and strengthen families. “[Our] classes and workshops teach parents how to respect their children,” said Mr Hanna, “and break down cultural misconceptions about the deaf not being as smart or capable as the hearing.”

Diocese of Egypt

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world view

The Communion at a glance Cathedral hosts stonemason festival More than 100 stonemasons from across the world gathered around Lincoln Cathedral for the European Stone Festival, in May— only the second time in a decade

Steve Smailes/The Lincolnite

Historic ecumenical meeting in Latin America

The Episcopal Church of Brazil

The Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, appointed by the two Communions to engage in theological dialogue, has held the third meeting of its new phase at the Mosteiro de Sao Bento, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 29 April and 7 May — the first time in its forty year history ARCIC has met in Latin America.

IAHN

Anglicans host major health conference In April almost 200 people from countries including Norway, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Australia attended a major conference on the relationship between Faith, Health and Healing in England. The conference, organised by the Anglican Health Network, saw 60 different sessions take place. It was followed by the Network’s Provincial Representatives’ Meeting.

anglican world issue 132 august 2013

First meeting of Archbishop Welby and Pope Francis In their first meeting on 14 June in Rome, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Pope Francis both spoke of the bonds of friendship and love between the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. The two leaders agreed that the fruits of this dialogue and relationship have the potential to empower Christians around the world to demonstrate the love of Christ.

the festival was hosted in the UK. This year’s main theme for carving competition was food and farming, to match the county’s heritage.

Bangladeshi women vote for a better world

Church of Bangaldesh

The Church of Bangladesh has translated the UN’s MY World survey into Bangla and distributed paper copies to local villagers. By March 2013, more than 500 women had voted on their priorities for a better world. The initiative will be continued throughout the year to reach as many people as possible in grassroots communities.

Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands

Jamaica hosts 40th healing conference Brainchild of retired Bishop Harold Daniel, the 40th Healing Conference in Jamaica took place in May/June. It is an intense weekend of prayer, worship, reflection, discussion and sharing about the causes of violences and Christian responses to it. The conference was attended not only by Christians across the Province but also people of other religions.

Anglican Church of Melanesia

Capacity-build programme launched in Honiara The Anglican Alliance’s biggest capacity-building programme Agents of Change was launched in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands in July. The Church’s Melanesian Board of Mission’s Secretary, Fr George Elo, helped to launch the study programme with the Anglican Alliance Pacific Facilitator, Tagolyn Kabekabe.

More funds needed for Cathedral repairs Worshippers at Antigua’s St John the Divine Cathedral are facing years of waiting and major fundraising efforts before they can return to their church. Phase one—the restoration of the cathedral’s interior and roof— will cost seven to eight million East Caribbean dollars. There are still three more phases to go.

Darcy Norman

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Children of the skin trade Getty Images

Child trafficking and prostitution is a problem in every country worldwide, but it is one that the churches of the Anglican Communion—such as the Church of North India — are working to end. by tulu murmu

Seventeen-year-old Nayomi Soren* of Betahar village in South Dinajpur District went missing on 17 April. Close relatives of the girl, Mando and Nitya Sarkar, had used their own daughter to invite Nayomi to visit the market at Kaliagunj with her. Instead, the teenager was taken to meet Rakesh Singh, a man from Dhankail village in Kaliagunj. He was waiting for her already dressed in his groom’s attire.

...her kidnappers had threatened to kill her if she revealed their names and location. The adults forced Nayomi into a ‘marriage’ merely by the symbolic act of applying vermilion on her head. Thus began an episode of mental and physical torture for Nayomi. The morning following

anglican world issue 132 august 2013

her ‘wedding night’ she was forcibly sent to stay in a brothel in Hentabad. Here she was put under the training of one of the women who worked there. Back at home Nayomi’s family had searched desperately for her everywhere without success. The staff of the Diocese of Durgapur’s Anti Human Trafficking Project eventually convinced her parents to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) at the Kushmandi police station. Once this official report had been lodged it didn’t take long for police to locate Nayomi and rescue her from Dhankail village in a nighttime raid. After questioning Nayomi they learned that her kidnappers had threatened to kill her if she revealed their names and location. The next morning police took her to Dhankail village where she was able to identify Rakesh Singh on the streets. He was immediately arrested. During interrogation, Singh revealed he had already been ‘married’ six times before. So it became clear the man was in the business of marrying and trafficking

young girls. After his arrest, both Nayomi and Rakesh were take to Gangarampur Kaldighi Hospital to undergo medical examinations. On 23 April, only a week after Nayomi’s disappearance, her case was taken to the Buniyadpur Court. Here she was asked where she would like to go: home to her parents, or home with Rakesh Singh. She stated clearly that she wished to return to her parents’ house, so the court handed Nayomi back to her parents and gave the order to jail Singh at Balurghat Prison. Staff of the diocese’s Anti Human Trafficking project have remained beside Nayomi and her parents during this difficult phase of their lives and are now counselling the family and helping them to lead a normal life again. This article was first published in The Light newsletter of the Diocese of Durgapur, Church of North India *Her name has been changed to protect her identity

c ov e r f e at u r e

VTS

Christian band The Letter Black performed at the VTS Rocks concert

Virginia seminary rocks out by kyle oliver

In April, Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) did something it has never done in its nearly 200-year history: it put on a rock concert. In so doing, the Episcopal seminary in Alexandria, VA, hoped to put itself on the ecumenical map in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S.; to bring visitors to campus; and to witness to the importance of youth and young adults in The Episcopal Church. The Very Revd Ian S. Markham, Dean and President at VTS reflected before the concert about the risks and opportunities of hosting such an event. “When we reach out to the stranger, we never know how our invitation will be received,” he wrote. “When we try something

When we try something new, we never know how it will turn out, how it will change us. new, we never know how it will turn out, how it will change us. God calls us beyond our comfort zones, beyond our ability to control results… One thing we can be sure of is that the diversity of belief, of practice, of culture will challenge each person in attendance.” Adding to the list of new experiences for VTS was the day’s kickoff event: a quidditch tournament. Quidditch is the game

played in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Dr Patricia Lyons, an ethics teacher at a nearby Episcopal high school and an adjunct instructor at VTS, described the purpose of the tournament: “We found the story inspiring,” she said. “So we decided to link up a quidditch event with the rock concert here at VTS because we knew so many youth and young adults were going to be here. This is a story that most people not only know, but it sort of tugs at their imagination. That’s what the seminary’s always trying to do and what the church is called to do.” The message of the quidditch tournament, Lyons said, was to be a seeker of the resurrection everywhere. It so happens that “seeker” is the quidditch position Harry Potter plays in the books

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The day started with a game of quidditch before VTS rocked.

and films, and the role leads him—spoiler alert—to find the “resurrection stone” in the series’s final installment. Other seekers who found themselves on campus had a place to go as well. VTS student Weston Mathews helped organise a group that staffed an Episcopal evangelism tent throughout the day. “Having a tent for evangelism was a wonderful way to practice the kind of holy listening necessary for identifying invitations from our guests to enter into mutual conversation about the spiritual core of our lives and relationships,” Mathews said. “The concert was one more reminder for me that by virtue of our Baptism and as members of the Episcopal Church, we are all missionaries and evangelists.” By midday the quidditch tournament winners had been announced (a team of youth from a nearby diocese in Maryland took cup), the evangelism tent was up and running, and the bands took center stage. Approximately 1200 concert-

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goers eventually arrived, most to see the recently reunited headlining act, Five Iron Frenzy. Other performers included The Letter Black, Fran McKendree, Sloan River Project, Joel Joa, CrashChord, and Paradox. VTS student Kenn Katona was instrumental in finding all those bands and bringing them to campus. But it turns out that the experience that shaped his role was having been onstage himself. “I remember when Dean Markham first spoke with me about the idea for the concert,” he said. “I mentioned that I used to be a local musician in Pittsburgh, and he asked if I’d be willing to take on one of the co-ordinating/promoting roles. I have to say I was a bit taken aback. I had never done anything like this before, but perhaps Dean Markham saw something in me that led to his wanting me to be involved.” Katona’s backstage acumen gave the seminary a leg up in hosting the musicians, who signed autographs at fan meet-and-greet events and who seemed genuinely surprised by the warm welcome they received at the school. “Episcopalians… who knew?” repeated Five Iron Frenzy lead singer

“Episcopalians… who knew?” repeated Five Iron Frenzy lead singer Reese Roper throughout the night.

Reese Roper throughout the night. Whether he was just working the crowd or genuinely surprised by the character of the Anglican spiritual community he encountered at VTS is anybody’s guess. Roper and his wife did worship in Episcopal churches the following day and made plans to visit another parish the following week. What’s more certain is that members of the VTS community were asking themselves versions of Roper’s question: Can an old seminary learn new tricks? Can the ‘frozen chosen’ learn to rock out? Apparently so.

f e at u r e

Facing up to church’s Busy Crisis by stephen cherry

There is one four-letter word you can almost guarantee to hear at any gathering of clergy. It is the word ‘busy’. It is meant as a good word – busy is understood as the new good; the new caring, you might say. Except that busy is not good. Nor is it caring. Writing in The New York Times, Tim Kreider calls it a trap, The ‘Busy’ Trap. Kreider, like some other recent commentators in North America and Western Europe, has noticed that the word ‘busy’ doesn’t only describe how many things we have to do, it is a word which we use, perhaps unwittingly, to say how

important we think we are. As he puts it, to say you are ‘so busy’ is ‘a boast described as a complaint’. We also use the word as a way of flattering others and showing deference. People no longer say “I know you are too important to consider the likes me”. Rather we say, ‘I know you are busy’. And every pastor knows to their shame the feeling they get when someone says, ‘I thought you were too busy to ask’ when looking back on a time help or care was really needed.

The New Busy The word ‘busy’ has changed its meaning in recent years. It used to mean, “goodness me, I am currently facing an interesting and diverse set

of challenges and I will be glad to get back to normal when this slightly exciting episode is over”. But today, there is a new busy which is a way of life in which people are driven by unmanageable and unreasonable

It is when people believe there is not really enough time that they become busybusy, chronically busy, and get caught in the busy trap. anglican world issue 132 august 2013

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Æ demands and expectations. The new busy is life out of control.

A Global Issue Increased pace of life, increased busyness, is becoming a global issue. It is driven along by processes of development, which are often also the processes of secularization. And it is based on the fundamental but deeply flawed idea of western economics that everything that matters is a limited resource. It is when people believe there is not really enough time that they become busy-busy, chronically busy, and get caught in the busy trap. I’d suggest that the church and its pastors and leaders are increasingly ensnared in the new busy. That there is plenty of time to do all that needs to be done must be a principle of faithful Christian living. We cannot believe that when creating time God did not make enough.

Not Busy Last Lent I ran a campaign called ‘I’M NOT BUSY’ to encourage people to give up busyness for Lent (www.notbusy.co.uk). One of the strongest bits of feedback was that this was a really difficult challenge, much more testing than the normal Lenten exercises in restraint. The other was that it was transformative; that monitoring and then seeking to avoid busyness made a big difference to the lives of people who joined in. Naturally I took the challenge of not being busy on myself and it was tough. By and large I kept a steady pace. Despite facing a long ‘to do’ list each day, I did not skimp on rest or time for prayer or spirituality. I found that, surprise, surprise, everything that needed to be done was done.

The Acceleration Trap Organisations can fall into the Busy Trap too. A Harvard Business Review article from 2010 described ‘The Acceleration Trap’. A place stuck in this trap is one in

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a relentless and unreflective cycle of doing more and more. It is one where we have forgotten how to say ‘no’. It is one where leaders are expected to be super-humans who need little sleep and who sacrifice family life, cultural interests and leisure pursuits to the demands of a 24/7 work schedule. Does this sound familiar?

Time wisdom One flawed response to the often self inflicted Busy Crisis in the church is to teach its leaders ‘time management’. Trying to implement this can make people feel even busier! My approach is called ‘time wisdom’ which acknowledges time’s spiritual dimension. The Busy Crisis needs to be dealt with through a combination of spiritual growth and practical wisdom. We become time wise not by simply writing a

list and organising our diary better, but by understanding ourselves as temporal beings; by appreciating that time is part of God’s good creation, that there is plenty of it, and that we are not its managers but its stewards. The pace at which we live, our attitude to the spending the minutes the hours and the days, is fundamental to the way we live our faith. The way in which we inhabit time is part of our practical spirituality. The world is speeding up; the pace of life is accelerating. This cannot go on indefinitely. The witness of the church must involve daring to slow down and say ‘no, I’m, not busy’. Life is too short to waste on busyness, it is for living at God’s pace. Beyond Busyness: Time Wisdom for Ministry by Stephen Cherry is available in paperback and e-book

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Bellah Zulu/ACNS

People prayed for healing at this sacred site

A great reward for those who risk everything ACNS Africa Correspondent Bellah Zulu joined pilgrims on a journey to celebrate one of Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest Christian heroes. by kyle oliver

I shall never forget my visit to Zimbabwe this past June. What started out as a work assignment became a personal pilgrimage to celebrate African evangelist and martyr Bernard Mizeki. Preparing for the trip I did my research to better understand the man who, more than hundred years after his death, is still remembered and adored by African Anglicans. What was it about Bernard Mizeki that made him a role model for many African Christians today? In 1861, like too many Africans,

the Mozambican was born into poverty. He lost his father at an early age and when his mother left to live elsewhere, 12-year-old Bernard and three of his relatives bravely left home to seek their fortune in Cape Town, South Africa. Baptised into the Christian faith in 1886, he went to train at Zonnebloem College as a catechist. Five years later, he accompanied the new missionary bishop of Mashonaland, George Wyndham Knight-Bruce, as a lay catechist among the Shona people in Southern Rhodesia [Zimbabwe]. Ten years after his baptism,

during a war between the British South Africa Company and the Ndebel people, Bernard refused to leave the Marandellas (Marondera) district with other missionary workers. His decision

Ă&#x2020;

...Bernard refused to leave the Marandellas (Marondera) district with other missionary workers. His decision cost him his life. anglican world issue 132 august 2013

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Bellah Zulu/ACNS

Praying at Mizeki’s shrine

Æ cost him his life. He was dragged from his home and murdered. Bishop of Harare Chad Gandiya, who knows something of persecution himself, told me Bernrad Mizeki was an example for all Christians: “He could have saved his own life because he was forewarned, but instead chose to take care of others. That is commitment. That is a challenge to all of us. How much are we willing to suffer for the Gospel?” Certainly the people I joined on the road between Lusaka and Harare were willing to take a risk for this pilgrimage. I had never travelled this hilly, twisting road with its steep escarpments before, but its notorious reputation was reinforced by the burned out shells of trucks and buses. Throughout the journey I remembered the words of Central Africa’s primate Archbishop Albert Chama about the life of faith: “[African] Christians should know that the route they have chosen is not without challenges or hurdles. Christianity is about actions, some of which can lead to death. All

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pilgrims should remember that death in Christ is in fact a gain.”

It was one of the largest gatherings I had ever attended and the positive energy emanating from it was enough to keep people worshipping, preaching, praying and singing day and night. In Marondera, the Zimbabwean town closest to the martyr’s shrine, a few local Anglicans got on our bus, their faces shining with excitement. This was the first time in over five years they would be praying at the actual shrine. Previously, an excommunicated former bishop had seized most church properties including the shrine and had barred

them from worshipping there. “This place [the shrine] is sacred,” Bishop Gandiya said. “Believe you me, miracles have happened in this place. We are only grateful to God that, as an Anglican Church in Africa, we have produced a martyr who will forever be a challenge to our people.” The sight when we finally got to the shrine later in the night only confirmed what the bishop had said. Over 20,000 Christians had gathered from around Southern Africa and beyond. People spoke and sang in different languages: Shona, Chewa, Portuguese, English and many others. Yet they all seemed to be united by one thing: the love of God and the legacy of commitment and love left behind by Bernard Mizeki. The arena was huge and fenced off by barbed wire. Smoke and dust billowed from the many fires flickering away. Countless camping tents and blankets to beat the biting cold littered the area. Most of the pilgrims never slept at all. Many sat around large fires keeping warm and getting acquainted with one

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Bellah Zulu/ACNS

Left to right: (l to r) Bishops of Harare in Zimbabwe and Niassa in Mozambique; The chance to visit the shrine was an emotional moment; Tens of thousands visited the shrine

another while others went on to join in the singing and dancing. The smell of smoke clung to our clothes but we did not mind because for many pilgrims attending the event for the first time, every discomfort was as much a part of this experience as the joys. It was one of the largest gatherings I had ever attended and the positive energy emanating from it was enough to keep people worshipping, preaching, praying and singing day and night. Visitors from Mozambique seemed particularly pleased to be part of the event. “We are proud [Bernard Mizeki] was Mozambican,” said Bishop of Niassa Diocese in northern Mozambique, Mark Van Koevering. “So we also come… to give thanks for his life and also to be inspired by it so that future generations can do the same.” While Bernard Mizeki is widely

commemorated on the date when he is believed to have died, some have made Mizeki’s birthplace a site of pilgrimage too. This is point of pride for Mozambican Anglicans living there. The commitment and example of Bernard Mizeki has found relevance among the Mothers’ Union in Southern Africa. I spoke to Karen Mpofu, a member of the Mothers’ Union from Zimbabwe. She said, “The life of Bernard Mizeki encourages especially us women to stand firm in the Lord. He was such a devout Christian.” Similarly, the life of the martyr has inspired African men to live a devout life. Christians in Zimbabwe have formed a men’s organisation called the Bernard Mizeki Guild. One of the members I sat with around the fire explained to me what it feels like and means to belong to this organisation.

Pilgrims of all ages attended the celebrations

“When I am out there, people respect me,” he said with a smile. “As a member, I am supposed to be a non-drinker and non-smoker. I am a role model and I have to lead by example. This has helped me be a better Christian because every day I challenge myself to be a better person, knowing very well that there are a lot of people looking up to me for guidance.” The martyr means a lot to young Anglicans such as Lloyd Dishe. “All young people should emulate the life of Bernard Mizeki,” he said. Youths should move with the same faith that he had and stand firm in their faith.” As the celebrations came to a close, I had learned more than I ever expected to about Bernard Mizeki and what he means to Anglicans in Africa. In conclusion I will reiterate what the Revd Dr Archford Masodza from Zimbabwe once wrote about the African martyr. “When the contribution of Bernard Mizeki is considered in the process of indigenization in the Anglican Church, one cannot help but appreciate his gallant attitude in the midst of a group of people, some of whom were totally anti-Christian.” “He sowed the seeds of the Gospel amongst the people of Mangwende in Zimbabwe and the same seed later spread to the entire country. He taught the gospel and lived it. He showed the people of Mangwende the life of service and also showed that the African people were equally good as missionaries to their own people in their own right.”

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Let there be (sun)light A Cathedral church in the Episcopal Church of Sudan’s diocese of Kajo Keji has had 16 solar panels and batteries installed providing power for lights and electrical equipment. This has revolutionised members’ ability to undertake ministry and outreach. Here Jaap Haasnoot, a mission partner with GZB, speaks about why and how this work has been done. AW: Why did you go for solar power? JH: Solar equipment is more expensive to buy (compared to a generator) but in the long run it is cheaper and low maintenance. Diesel for generators can be expensive and is not always available. Solar power is also environmentally friendly: there is no noise, no diesel fumes and you don’t need to replace the oil. You have to watch your power usage with a solar system but there are more pros than cons. At the college and at the Bishop’s house we have solar systems that have run for several years now without any problems.

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AW: How much of a difference has solar power made to the diocese? JH: A big difference. The choir can now practice in the Cathedral in the evening and others can meet there at night too. We can now use the sound system for services and meetings in the Cathedral. The youth in the Cathedral are particularly happy with the new power source; they can use the keyboard for worship and can watch Christian movies. The Jesus Film is regularly shown in the Cathedral. Just after the solar equipment was installed, the diocese had a strategic planning workshop lasting several days and were able to use a projector for presentations without any problems. We also replaced the smaller solar system in the diocesan office with a larger one. Now there is is plenty of power to run computers and to print documents. Also, it is difficult to prepare classes at night without power. The staff in this block of three apartments have light now and can run their laptops and a fan when necessary. AW: You are planning to also power a diocesan radio station? JH: Yes. We are still waiting for the equipment to be shipped from Nairobi. The radio station will be

...there is no noise, no diesel fumes and you don’t need to replace the oil. located in one of the rooms of the Cathedral and will use the power there. We want the radio station to reflect the holistic mission of the church: teaching (and discussion) about the Bible, health care, nutrition, HIV/Aids, hygiene, agriculture, local culture and education. But the station will also broadcast music and news. AW: How did the diocese afford this technology? We had a range of donors including parishes and dioceses in the Church of England, the Church of Nigeria, the Episcopal Church of Sudan itself, and the Government of Sudan. AW: Who did the job of fitting the solar power systems? JH: Mr Kees Barendse, Chief engineer with MAF Uganda, volunteered for the third time to install solar systems for the diocese. We are very grateful for his hard work. We also thank MAF Uganda for their support.

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Promoting peace in Korea, East Asia and the Pacific by mike woods, us

Many issues were discussed at the Second Worldwide Anglican Peace Conference, held in Okinawa, Japan, but the threat of military escalation was understandably high on the agenda. As North Korea’s government seemingly prepared for war, a total of 80 delegates from Anglican/ Episcopal Churches in Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Australia, Canada, the United States, the UK and Ireland discussed how the Church might instead promote peace. As an example that such an ideal is possible, the conference commended an initiative of the Anglican Church of Korea Towards Peace in Korea (TOPIK) which is promoting a peace dialogue in the region and providing humanitarian assistance to North Koreans. Rachel Parry, Us Programme Manager for Asia, said the fact the conference was jointly hosted by the Anglican Churches of Korea and Japan was itself another powerful demonstration of the regional Anglican commitment to reconciliation, trust-building and hope.

She said, “The joint hosting of this peace conference by these two churches puts into perspective how far these churches have come in terms of trust and relationship building, and in terms of their desire to share their learning and aims for peace with other countries in Asia, and indeed the world. The witness of this reconciling ministry and its implications and consequences beyond these borders is important for the Anglican Communion to understand.” Hosting the conference in Okinawa was similarly significant, given the trials the island has faced over the last decades – first colonisation by Japan in the nineteenth century, then the traumas of the Pacific War, and the occupation of land by the United States’ military bases. Rachel said, “The situation in Okinawa presents us with a critical example of the power dynamics and realities in the north-east Asia region. Getting at the heart of why there continues to be United States’ military bases on Asian islands has been a fundamental part of the conference.”

Conference issues call to action The conference concluded with the agreement of a seven-point ‘call to action’ for addressing peace issues in the Pacific region, including advocacy on behalf of those whose voices are rarely heard, especially women and children.

Getting at the heart of why there continues to be United States’ military bases on Asian islands has been a fundamental part of the conference. The Most Revd Paul Keun Sang Kim, Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Church of Korea, said, “A hard journey toward peace lies before us. Today, as we face this long and hard journey, Jesus is telling us, ‘It is time to go.’ Now we must respond.”

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the last word

Chrys Tremththanmor

War and peace in Asia “You’re mad!” was one of the more polite responses as I and four colleagues set off just after Easter to visit our companion diocese of Seoul in South Korea. The previous weeks had seen a serious escalation of regional tension, with increasingly violent threats from the new North Korean leader. Just before we arrived, Kim Jong-un advised all foreigners to leave and announced a missile test launch. As we drove into Seoul, people were carrying on their lives as usual, but anxiously checking the news. We visited islands close to the border, where the Anglican Church

in Korea first started, and the heavily-fortified De-Militarized Zone which felt peacefully surreal given the war-like rhetoric. My abiding memory is of Christians whose deepest fear was not war but that the longed-for reunification felt further away. They dream and pray for the restoration of that relationship. Our purpose in travelling was to strengthen our new partnership with Seoul diocese. Companion relationships such as this and our continuing links with Bungoma diocese in Kenya, bring membership of the worldwide Anglican communion alive. This visit, amidst the international tension, was seen as demonstrating the depth of our communion. The link has its roots in a connection made some 50 years ago between the Mothers’ Union groups in the two dioceses. However, it was in 2011 that the relationship was more formally recognised in a document signed by Bishops Donald and Paul. On this visit we explored opportunities for our clergy to take sabbatical study in Seoul

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and delivered sample lay training sessions for key clergy and lay leaders at the Cathedral. We also witnessed a remarkable variety of ministries helping migrant workers, the homeless, groups with physical and mental disabilities, TB sufferers, slum dwellers and the elderly. What most impressed me was the natural way glorious worship led to practical Christ-like service. Towards the end of our visit, I was asked to represent Archbishop Justin at the Okinawa conference, aimed at encouraging peace across the region and especially healing the historic enmities between Japan and Korea. There were moments of great depth as people apologised, asked for and received each other’s forgiveness and made peace. This too was rooted in worship leading naturally to practical Christ-like response, changing relationships and changing the world. I went to the East in fear of war. I caught a beautiful glimpse of Christians making peace. +John Holbrook Bishop of Brixworth

PHOTO Competition Many thanks to those who sent in photos for our first ever Anglican World photo competition. It was wonderful seeing the images from around the globe. Sadly there were insufficient entries this time around, so we have decided to send every entrant a small prize to say thank you for entering.

We will, however, keep the competition file open and the winning image each quarter will appear somewhere in the magazine. You can see that this edition’s winner by Flickr member zinkjuggler illustrates the challenges of episcopal ministry for bishops of the Episcopal Church of Sudan.

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