By the Rev’d Hilary Willett

Season: ANGLICAN COMMUNION SUNDAY

Today is the 5th Sunday of the Month, a time when we invite panellists to share their stories and testimonies.
But this week is also “Anglican Communion Sunday,” a time when we remember our connections to the Anglican Church throughout the world.
Remembering our communion can also be a time to remember our connections to the broader Church:
• Local (churches in Aotearoa)
• Global (churches throughout the world)
• Cosmic (the Church throughout time)

To introduce us to thinking in this way, we are going to watch a video from the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams.
In this, he discusses what he believes are the major issues facing the church today.
Link: to clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nASPZd2LkTs

“The biggest challenge [for churches today]… is some kind of fidelity to the notion of what a church is. That it’s not simply a human institution but exists in relation to the promise of God.”
(Rowan Wiliams)

“At a moment when, in the world at large, it seems we desperately need something of a coherent voice of hope in the churches, the churches are turning away from the world… [and] towards one another in a kind of angry shouting match.”
(Rowan Wiliams)

“Persuasion is about understanding the other* to such an extent that you can make sense to them…
We live by persuasion. We live by finding things we can just about cope with in one another.”
(Rowan Wiliams)

Thought for Anglican Communion Sunday:
How do we be in communion with each other?

“The awkward fact is, the person who doesn’t agree with me is still going to be there tomorrow morning.
What am I going to do about that?”
(Rowan Wiliams)