16 September 2002

ACC-12, meeting in Hong Kong was launched yesterday with worship, feasting, and celebration in true Hong Kong style, while not ignoring careful explanation of meeting procedures to be followed over the next ten days.

Over all the variety of first day? activities was a tinge of sorrow. For with the Roll Call at the beginning of the first session, conducted by Secretary-General Canon John L. Peterson, the absence of representatives of the Anglican Church of the Congo was immediately noticed.

Canon Peterson explained that the Rev Basimaki Byabasaija, from the Diocese of Boga in the Congo, was killed by belligerents while attempting to cross the border to travel to Hong Kong to represent his church at ACC-12. His fellow representative, lay representative Miss Joyce Muhindo Tsongo is assumed to be in hiding, though her whereabouts are unknown.

In a letter to Canon Peterson, the Archbishop of the Congo wrote "People are scattered all over the region seeking safety. Almost all the population from Boga, including myself, have fled and are currently in Ugandan territory."

Canon Peterson arranged for a black stole to be draped over the banner from the Congo in the Opening Service for ACC-12 in the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist.

Responding to the Archbishop of the Congo's request, Canon Peterson also said that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, the Archbishop of Hong Kong, the Most Rev Peter Kwong, and the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the ACC had decided to send the offering received at the Opening Service to the Archbishop. This finance is to be applied to assist with the education of the Rev Basimaki Byabasaija's son. Members were delighted to receive news that the offertory monies at the service raised a substantial sum for that purpose.

"What are we here for?" asked Archbishop Peter Kwong in his sermon. He urged ACC members to put aside their own affairs and to be, like Jesus, busy with God's affairs. He said that in his own participation at various international conferences he had noted that people arrived with their own agendas and were preoccupied with their own vested interests.

Archbishop Kwong reminded his hearers that they were to talk, to listen, to discuss and to debate, and then to decide. "In the process of these, it is very easy for us to substitute our own interest for God's interest without even knowing about it. If we insist on our own deliberations, we might be in danger of overshadowing the will of God. Therefore it is important that we cannot loose sight of the fact that, like Jesus, we should be busy with our father's affairs and not ours. Our Father's will and his concerns should be the focus and the only focus of all our doings in the meeting and nothing else.

"We should not let any thing to side track our attention leading the negligence of God's affairs. Our achievements mean nothing if it is only to deal with our affairs and not God's affairs," Archbishop Kwong said.

After the liturgy participants proceeded to the Hong Kong Convention Centre, site of both the 1997 handover ceremony of Hong Kong to China, and also of the Province of Hong Kong celebrations in 1998.

The Archbishop, bishops, clergy and people of the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui then welcomed ACC members in a lavish celebration dinner and entertainment, where Archbishop Kwong gave a welcome speech that was replied to by Bishop Simon Chiwanga, Chairman of the ACC.

Archbishop Kwong led dinner guests in a tribute to Archbishop George and Mrs Eileen Carey.

"Archbishop Carey has been a much-loved leader whose wisdom, judgement, courage and foresight have been exemplary and admired by all," Archbishop Kwong said. "We in Hong Kong certainly owe him a great debt of gratitude for the very significant part he played in the establishment of the Province."

ACC Chairman Bishop Simon Chiwanga thanked the Province of Hong Kong for their welcome, the worship in St John's Cathedral, and also for the unforgettable welcome dinner and entertainment. He congratulated the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui for the depth of its ministry through its diocesan schools.

"There is a new definition for the term 'vibrant church'," Bishop Chiwanga said. "It is a church that celebrates its faith." He commended the Province of Hong Kong for being a celebrating church.

All ACC-12 members from across the Communion greatly appreciated the impressive entertainment offered by students from many of the diocesan schools and kindergartens of the Hong Kong Sheng Hui.

Article from: the ACC-12 News team - Dan England, Margaret Rodgers and James Rosenthal