Festive Service Closes ACC-14

From Anglican Communion News Service-

The Archbishop of Canterbury was the celebrant at a closing Eucharist for the Anglican Consultative Meeting (ACC-14) in Kingston Jamaica.

The Eucharist was held at The Cathedral of St. James in Spanish Town- the oldest Cathedral in the British Caribbean. The first Anglican Church building was destroyed by hurricane in 1712 and rebuilt in 1714. The Cathedral is a mixture of many architectural styles with the tower (added in 1817) having one of the few steeples found in the Caribbean.

During the closing service the members of the Standing committee including Bishop James Tengatenga (chair) Mrs Elizabeth Paver (vice chair) and the newly elected member of the Standing Committee were commissioned in a colourful service. The music was sung with joy and enthusiasm and included everything from the setting of Psalm 121 by Walford Davies through to Three Little Birds of Bob Marley.

The preacher was the Bishop John Paterson, the Bishop of Auckland New Zealand and the retiring chair who finished his long and distinguished ministry with the Consultative Council with this service.

In his homily he reflected on his years of service and spoke directly about ACC-14, “ Our meeting has been characterized by some rigorous debates, but with respect and even affection across the floor of the house. As your outgoing Chair, I have been deeply grateful for that. And that surely is one of the many gifts that we can return home with, knowing that the ACC has met well, and the renewed confidence we can have in the strength and the life of the Anglican Communion.”

He also had the privilege of announcing that the next ACC meeting (ACC-15) will be held in his home province of The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.
A gala dinner concluded the evening with a heartfelt expression of thanks from The Council to the Bishops clergy and people of the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands for their warmth generosity and gracious hospitality.

http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/news.cfm/2009/5/12/ACNS4631