January 28, 2005

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica - The Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations (IASCER) met in Montego Bay, Jamaica from Sunday, 4th to 10th December 2004. The Most Revd Drexel Gomez, Primate of the West Indies, welcomed the commission on behalf of his province and the Bishop of the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.

IASCER continued with its work reviewing the present international ecumenical dialogues involving Anglicans, and provincial and regional initiatives towards unity with other Christians. The commission addressed relations with the Oriental Churches as a matter of particular concern. The commission also considered the Windsor Report and its ecumenical implications as part of the process of consultation and reflection requested by the Primates' Standing Committee through the work of the Reception Reference Group under the chairmanship of the Most Revd Peter Kwong, Archbishop of Hong Kong. The response prepared by IASCER will be submitted to the Reception Reference Group.

The Commission received reports on the work of the Inter-Anglican Theological and Doctrinal Commission (IATDC), the International Anglican Liturgical Consultation (IALC), and the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches, especially its recent plenary meeting in Kuala Lumpur, and discussed the process in hand for the reconfiguration of the ecumenical movement in the twenty-first century, composing a statement concerning the future work of the World Council of Churches. It also drew up guidelines to be commended to the Communion concerning ecumenical participation in ordinations.

The Commission thanks the Right Revd Alfred Reid, the Bishop of Jamaica and his staff and colleagues, especially his secretary, Ms Meg McGibbon, for the warmth of their welcome and the hospitality received. Members of the commission joined local Anglican congregations for worship on the Sunday.

IASCER consists of representatives from each international dialogue involving Anglicans, including the multilateral dialogue of Faith and Order, and of certain other commissions and networks, and consultants who bring particular regional or theological expertise.

Present at the meeting in Jamaica were: the Revd Prebendary Dr Paul Avis, the Revd Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan, the Revd Canon Gregory K Cameron (Secretary), the Revd Dr William Crockett, the Rt Revd Christopher Epting, the Revd Dr John Gibaut, the Rt Revd Dr John Gladstone, the Most Revd Drexel W Gomez (Chair), the Revd Canon Jonathan Gough, the Rt Revd John Hind, the Revd Jane Namugenyi, the Revd Canon Luke Pato, the Rt Revd Dr Geoffrey Rowell, the Revd Sarah Rowland Jones and the Revd Canon Professor J Robert Wright. Mrs Christine Codner and the Revd Terrie Robinson of the Anglican Communion Office provided administrative assistance for the meeting.

The next meeting of IASCER is scheduled for December 2005. Visit online at http://www.aco.org/ecumenical/commissions/iascer/index.cfm.

Anglican Communion News Service, London