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Friends,

In three days' time, the pilgrimage of life, known as baptism, will bring us to an intersectional moment in the world and church as we mark the opening of the fifteenth Lambeth Conference on July 26. This conference, whose theme is “God’s Church for God’s World- walking, listening, and witnessing together” opens July 26 and runs until August 8th. As we approach this intersection in our church, in our universal family to which we all belong, we are asked to pray for the work of the conference and of our Bishops, who represent us.

This intersection is a moment to pause and reflect on the needs of the world and the call of God, through the church, to respond in love, compassion, and active service. Much in the world, however, has changed since the last Lambeth conference 14 years ago. Many of our Bishops have changed since then, we’ve had a new province of the communion created, and more. The world has been changed by the pandemic, it continues to be scarred by the sin of war, famine, injustice, poverty, and the yearning for freedom from people in every region who experience racism, sexism, dislocation, exclusion, phobia and more- simply because of who God made them to be. 

These, and many more subjects, are on the agenda of the Lambeth Conference. While it is the Bishops who attend on our behalf, this is not a free trip for them or an event that doesn’t affect us. Bishops are elected by us, and operate within synodical systems, meaning they are a part of us- rather than over us. Lambeth, then, is more than just a meeting of some disconnected bishops; it is the meeting of a family, a family to which we belong, whose mission is to wrestle with the reality of the Holy Spirit within the bonds of affection that keep us united through the Love of Christ. A love, a family, whose very anchor is prayer. Prayer which we are asked again today to hold our worldwide family in over the next 14 days.

I invite you to join me in prayer for our church using the Lambeth Conference Prayer Guide. Journey with me as we hold on our heart the ministry, charism, and challenges of our universal Anglican family, that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we may be refreshed for ministry in God’s world as God's church together.

May God bless this, our Anglican Family, with the riches of his Grace.

Blessings,

Alex+

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