GAFCON latest: The dual challenges of an aggressive secular world and increasingly worldly established church

There is nothing in Anglicanism like GAFCON. The Lambeth Conferences have all the bishops and their wives; the Anglican Consultative Council has a few representatives from each province. The Third Divine Commonwealth Conference in Nigeria from November 18-22 with 5000 people is largely composed of members of the Church of Nigeria.

GAFCON2013 is made up of bishops, clergy and lay people drawn from 38 countries numbering over 1300 people.

The Archdeacon of Cardigan, the Venerable Will Strange, describes the worship, led by a choir and a drummer as fantastic. The morning bible expositions of the Book of Ephesians have been spectacular and models of their kind.

Mini-conferences which include topics such as Gospel and Culture, Being Women of God and Episcopal Ministry have continued. There is an extraordinary energy in the Cathedral precincts where coffee, tea and meals are served as people are eagerly engaged in conversation. A lot of the energy according to a member of the Conference Secretariat has been generated by the 43 exhibitors – including the Anglican Relief and Development Fund from North America, SOMA, Five Talents Micro-Enterprise, Christian Concern and Barnabas Fund. Keep reading

Photo: Andrew Gross, ACNA