November 11, 2011

The Anglican-Old Catholic International Co-ordinating Council (AOCICC) met in York, England from 4 to 8 November 2011.

In its most important piece of work the Council finalized the text of a joint statement on ecclesiology and mission Belonging Together in Europe. An earlier version of the text was the major focus of the International Old Catholic and Anglican Theological Conference held in Neustadt, Germany from August 29 to September 2, 2011.

The joint declaration fulfils two points of the Council's mandate in offering a joint reflection on the ecclesiological and missiological implications of the Bonn agreement and the relationship between our churches. It is intended to provide a platform on which our two churches might make further progress to full visible unity. The Council will submit this to our parent bodies.

The members received reports of developments in the Anglican Communion and in the Old Catholic churches of the Union of Utrecht, and reviewed present ecumenical dialogues in which our churches are engaged.

The Council participated in the annual meeting of the Society of St Willibrord. The Bishop of Lichfield presided at the festival eucharist in York Minster, and the Bishop of Haarlem preached. Bishop David Hamid presented a paper From anomaly to opportunity: diaspora and national churches with a common mission.

This was the final meeting under the Council's current mandate. The Council's report to the archbishops of Canterbury and Utrecht includes recommendations to be considered in a new mandate.

For further information, please contact the Revd Professor Dr Angela Berlis, tel +41 (0)31 631 4193, email angela.berlis@theol.unibe.ch, or Canon Dr Alyson Barnett-Cowan at the Anglican Communion Office, tel +44 (0)20 7313 3930, email alyson.barnett-cowan@anglicancommunion.org.

Websites: http://www.utrechterunion.org/, and http://www.anglicancommunion.org/.

Present at the meeting

Anglicans – The Rt Revd Jonathan Gledhill, Co-chair; The Rt Revd David Hamid; Mrs Maryon Jägers; The Revd Dr Jeremy Morris; The Revd Carola von Wrangel, Consultant; Canon Dr Alyson Barnett-Cowan, Co-secretary; Mr Neil Vigers, Anglican Communion Office.

Old Catholic – The Rt Revd Joachim Vobbe, Co-chair; The Revd Professor Dr David R Holeton; The Rt Revd Dr Dirk Jan Schoon; The Revd Professor Dr Angela Berlis, Co-secretary; The Revd Lars Simpson, Administrative Support and Interpreter; The Revd Henriette Crüwell (not able to be present at this meeting).

Episcopal News Service
Anglican Communion News Service, London