Primates, bishops, lay people from the various regions of the Anglican Communion are meeting this week at the Anglican Communion Office and Lambeth Palace in London. Elected from within their respective bodies, the JSC are focussing attention on the forthcoming meetings of the Primates, in February in Alexandria, Egypt, the ACC in Jamaica, in May and ongoing business.
Those attending the meetings are:
Mrs Phillipa Amable, Ghana (West Africa)
Mrs Jolly Babirukamu, Uganda
Mr Robert Fordham, Australia
The Rt Revd Kumara Illangasinghe (Sir Lanka)
Prof George Koshy (India, Vice-Chair)
The Rt Revd John Paterson (Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, Chair)
The Lay Canon Elizabeth Paver (England)
The Rt Revd James Tengatenga (Southern Malawi)
Ms Nomfundo Walaza (Southern Africa)
The Most Revd Phillip Aspinall (Australia)
The Most Revd Barry Morgan (Wales)
The Most Revd Katharine Jefferts Schori (TEC/USA)
The Most Revd Rowan D Williams Archbishop of Canterbury
The Secretary General, the Revd Canon Kenneth Kearon and the Deputy Secretary the Revd Canon Gregory Cameron and the Lambeth Palace Chief of Staff, Chris Smith are in attendance as are other staff as required.
Two members of the Primates Meeting group are absent, Uganda: The Most Revd Henry Orombi and Jerusalem and the Middle East: The Most Revd Mouneer Anis (Egypt). A rumor is that the committee is considering the inhibition of the province of the Southern Cone for providing refuge for departing dioceses.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Have mercy upon the Anglican Communion, Lord, according to Your lovingkindness. According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out our transgressions.
We acknowledge our transgressions, and our sin is ever before us. Against You only have we sinned and done evil in Your sight.
You desire truth. Make Phillipa, Jolly, Robert, Kumara, George, John, Elizabeth, James, Nomfundo, Phillip, Barry, Katharine, Rowan, Kenneth, Gregory, and Chris to know wisdom. Create in our shepherds a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within them. Cast them not away from Your presence and take not Your Holy Spirit from them.
Help us as intercessors, Lord. We are sinful creatures, fallen. Yet we seek Your presence. Wash us with the blood of Your precious Son Jesus. Teach us how to pray.
We see through a glass darkly. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. How are we to pray, Lord? Take pity. We cannot even see our foes. Come to our aid! You are a mighty God! Your arm is not shortened. Reach down to this meeting in Lordon.
If there are spirits of Jezebel and Ahab, we bind them up in the name of Jesus.
If there are any generational curses at work, we bind them up in the name of Jesus.
If there are any spirits of idolatry, especially the worship of money, we bind them up in the name of Jesus.
If there are any spirits of witchcraft, be they of the earth, air, fire, water, ground, underground, and netherworld, that have been commissioned against this meeting, we bind them up in the name of Jesus and through His blood. We bind up all interaction, interplay, and communication of demonic spirits.
Surround Your children in this meeting with Your holy angels. We ask You to send the Archangel Michael to their defense.
Lastly, Lord, we pray for Archbishop Gregory Venables. You know his needs. Keep Your angels so closely around him that their wings are touching.
Bless them all, Lord. Enemies and friends–bless them all. Amen.
