Anglicans from across the Communion, together with ecumenical guests and members of the Church of Ireland, gathered in St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast, for Choral Eucharist. It was the closing service of the nineteenth meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC-19) which has met in Belfast from 28 June - 4 July.

The service marked the conclusion of a week of worship, Bible study, discussion and fellowship as bishops, clergy and lay people from across the Anglican Communion met to strengthen relationships and consider the Church's witness in today's world.

During the week, delegates reflected on a wide range of subjects including discipleship and evangelism, peace and reconciliation, science and faith, safeguarding, climate change, migration and Christian unity.

As part of the programme, delegates also went on a pilgrimage to Derry/Londonderry, where they learned more about the Church of Ireland's ministry in the city and joined in praying for peace and reconciliation throughout the world.

The celebrant at the Eucharist was the Most Revd Hosam Naoum, Archbishop in Jerusalem and Primate of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, who also serves as Vice-Chair of the ACC.

He was assisted by the Very Revd Stephen Forde, Dean of Belfast, and the Most Revd John McDowell, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.

Members of the Anglican Consultative Council read the lessons and led the intercessions.

The Choir of Belfast Cathedral sang a newly commissioned setting of the Missa Brevis by the contemporary composer Joanna Forbes L'Estrange, written especially for the closing Eucharist.

The sermon was given by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Archbishop Sarah Mullally preached on Amos 9:11–15, and Matthew 9:14–17.

Archbishop Sarah said: 

‘The theme that has gathered us –"Called To One Hope" – has been a challenging one. It was an invitation – despite our differences and disagreements – to trust the God who has called us together, and therefore hope in the future he is preparing for us.’

Quoting Amos, she spoke about hope in a broken world and God's promise to restore his people: ‘The days are coming, declares the Lord, New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills, and I will bring my people back from exile. They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant Vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit.’

Archbishop Sarah continued: ‘The prophet Amos tells us that God wants to rebuild lives and promises new hope. We have gathered here from our various ministries and Member Churches seeking to follow Christ. Just as those in exile heard the words of Amos, so it is for us - we hear this promise in a fractured world. And, we hear those words within a fractured church, which may make them more difficult to trust, but God has promised to do a new thing.’

Turning to the Gospel according to St Matthew, Archbishop Sarah highlighted Jesus' call to care for the Church with patience, love and humility.

‘People are far more important and precious than wine, and… the church is sometimes more fragile than wineskins. He calls us to care for one another with tenderness and to repent where we have caused harm.

‘We are called to treat the church with patience, with commitment to our relationships, which are sometimes strained. Care of the Church needs to be one of deep listening, with the study of Scripture, with attention to theological reflection and with prayer. None of this can be rushed. The Spirit is not asking us to choose between the old and the new, but to care for both, so that the wine of God’s mission is not wasted.’

As she concluded her sermon, Archbishop Sarah reflected on ACC-19, her first meeting of one of the Instruments of Communion since becoming the Archbishop of Canterbury.

‘Being with you this week has reminded me that what unites us is greater than what divides us. As Christians, as a Communion, we are a family who love God and earnestly seeks to follow our Lord Jesus Christ. This week, we have treated one another with respect and with dignity. We have spoken openly and honestly and we have acknowledged each other’s pain. Maybe this is the enduring fruit of this week - may it be a gift of grace and blessing to the whole church. In this way, we proclaim with confidence the hope we have found in Jesus Christ, as we become the body of Christ.

‘As we leave ACC-19, we may not have rebuilt all our cities, we may not yet have planted all the vineyards, but what we have seen is the fruit of the Spirit at work among us and the hope of God’s promise that He will raise up, He will repair and He will rebuild.’

The service concluded with the singing of the hymn Lord of the Church, we pray for our renewing to the tune Londonderry Air, the traditional Irish melody collected in Limavady, County Londonderry, by Jane Ross in 1851. The tune is known throughout the world as the melody of Danny Boy.

The words of St Matthew's Gospel were spoken to delegates, relaying Christ's commission: ‘Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’

The Archbishop of Canterbury blessed the congregation, sending those gathered out from the Cathedral.

Before ACC-19 concluded, members welcomed the announcement that the Church of North India (United) would host the twentieth meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in Kolkata.

More information

See the full sermon of the Archbishop of Canterbury at the closing service of ACC-19 at St Anne's Belfast. 

See the latest updates from the 19th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC-19) at anglicannews.org or Anglican Communion social media channels: Facebook, Instagram and X.