The Global South Fellowship of Anglicans (GSFA) achieved their third objective of Assembly 2024: the election of godly leaders among the Primates Council, the Council of Bishops, and the Assembly. The Assembly must have a standing committee, or board (Section 3.3). Like most dioceses and provinces, the Global South Assembly meets at a regular time every three to four years, but between its meetings it must have a group of people elected by them to carry on its work. If you go to the Cairo Covenant, you can see all the things the board must do in Section 3.3.3. Last night the lay delegates, clergy delegates, and bishop delegates of the Assembly elected representatives: three bishops, seven clergy, and seven laity. From North America, Bishop Alex Farmer was one of the three bishops elected to the board; from the clergy, myself and Venerable Daryl Critch; from the laity, Ms. Rachel Thebeau was elected and was unanimously voted Secretary of the Board. The board then met at noon today and received the GSFA marching orders on how we will carry the work of this Assembly moving forward. Please keep the Board in your prayers.

Secondly, the Council of Bishops had to elect a Faith and Order Commission (FOC) as explained in Section 3.4.4. As I have written elsewhere, the FOC is a critical component of the GSFA covenantal structures. The FOC is the operational means for guarding the faith and order of the GSFA. It can be called at any time to meet with the Primates Council. It may also be directed by the primates to meet separately to address matters of faith, order, and discipline. Normally the FOC is the first body that receives a question or proposed innovation with regards to the faith and order of the whole body. It is the FOC which makes recommendations to the bishops council and to the primates on what to do. It also has the authority to enlist the help of proficient members, lay and clergy, to assist it in the subject under study. In the election for the FOC, the bishops chose from North America, the Rt. Rev. Alex Farmer, and from Uganda, the Rt. Rev. Alfred Olwa.

The highest body within the GSFA is the Primates Council. Once the board and the bishops were elected, the primates gathered alone to pray and discuss among themselves who would be the Chair, the Deputy Chair, the Treasurer, and the Secretary. It should be noted that the Secretary will be the member of the Primates Council to whom the Secretariat or Administration will report. Last night, after praying and discussing, the primates elected Abp. Justin Badi of S. Sudan as Chair, Abp Samy Shahata of Alexandria as Deputy Chair, Abp Stephen Kaziimba of Uganda as Treasurer, and Abp Titus Chung of SE Asia as the Secretary. In addition, the primates elected three other primates for a Steering Committee: Abp Titre Ande, of Congo; Abp Miguel Uchoa, of Brazil; and Abp. Stephen Than, of Myanmar.

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Canon Phil shares about what happened to start building the structures of the GSFA Council and Assembly: How does it work and what's the plan? https://t.co/x6uUCVk7Vd

— American Anglican (@AnglicanCouncil) June 15, 2024

So, what’s the way out?

Step forward, Revd Sam Ferguson, the Rector of The Falls Church Anglican in Virginia, USA, who also addressed the GSFA gathering.  

Revd Ferguson does not see the current controversies as a threat, or something to be managed, or put to one side – instead he explained that the controversy was a gift and an opportunity.  “If you look at the history of the Church”, he said, “Christian doctrine is typically produced in the pressure of heresy and controversy, not in a vacuum.”

He described the LGBTQ movement as, “a flower on a tree, that is a completely a new way of understanding what it means to be human – so underlying the whole LGBTQ movement are a whole different set of assumptions about being human.” 

His thesis was that to address these assumptions, which affect us all, the Church needs to discover an ever more compelling vision of biblical anthropology, which will then shape our response with compassion and clarity.  Compassion for individuals who experience pain. Clarity because the truth is not subjective.

Living up to the challenge, in less than an hour, he set out three of the unarticulated assumptions which shape the world in which we live and are seen in the LGBT movement.  He then offered a glorious, biblical alternative to each one. 

1. I am a self-made individual, answerable to no-one
2. My sense of self is located in my feelings rather than any objective reality
3. I find my hope in happiness (and sex) and my healing in transition

As he travelled from creation to the new creation, Ferguson showed compassion for the fallen world and pointed to the resurrection hope for hurting people.  He challenged those present that the church needed to offer “a thick enough ecclesia, Christian community, to come around people who are hurting – but it is a Spirit-shaped community and a Spirit-shaped transformation.”

The presentation was steeped in his own American culture, yet his biblical exegesis landed with those from all nations.  The Q&A just kept going and when time was eventually called, he was surrounded by delegates from all over the world. There was no ‘deep listening’ – but those listening wanted more. 

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The CofE bishops are stuck because they cannot agree on the answer to a simple question – “Is same-sex sex sinful?” Can the GSFA Assembly help? https://t.co/JKE1AgzVya

— Anglican Futures (@AnglicanFutures) June 14, 2024

Since February, Kathy Xiang and her entire family have been under siege.

Her 12-year-old daughter has had whooping cough, rhinovirus and parainfluenza: She’s missed more than five weeks of school in total. Xiang, a software developer in Shanghai, caught all three too. Her elderly parents, who were helping care for her 10-month-old, tested positive for Covid-19 in early March, and her father got shingles.

Then the baby caught parainfluenza and pneumonia, necessitating five days on an IV drip. “I was literally numb after the baby boy got sick despite all our efforts to protect him,” Xiang said. “I was physically and mentally exhausted.”

Around the world, a post-Covid reality is beginning to sink in: Everyone, everywhere, really is sick a lot more often.

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Bloomberg: “Yes, Everyone Really Is Sick a Lot More Often After Covid”

“The state of constant illness already is taking a toll on businesses and the economy”https://t.co/nMY7N8fvUG

— Billy Hanlon (@bhanlon15) June 14, 2024

On the ninth anniversary of the Emanuel AME Church shooting, congregants and community members are honoring the nine victims and five survivors while looking to the future to ensure their story isn’t forgotten.

A self-avowed white supremacist joined a Bible study the night of June 17, 2015, at the historic Calhoun Street church. He opened fire in the fellowship hall, murdering a group of Black parishioners.

Family members appeared at the killer’s bond hearing two days later. Several stood up to speak as a magistrate called out the names of their loved ones. Some told the gunman they forgave him.

Their words reverberated across the globe, transforming an act of pure evil into a story of grace, resistance and strength.

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On the 9th anniversary of the Charleston Emanuel AME Church mass shooting, congregants & community members are honoring the 9 victims & 5 survivors while looking to the future to ensure their story isn’t forgotten. #EmanuelAME https://t.co/Q67zu0VQuf

— Flo McAfee (@soukieg) June 17, 2024

Global defence companies are recruiting workers at the fastest rate since the end of the cold war as the industry seeks to deliver on order books that are near record highs.

A Financial Times survey of the hiring plans of 20 large and medium-sized US and European defence and aerospace companies found they are looking to recruit tens of thousands of people this year. Three of the largest US contractors — Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics — have close to 6,000 job openings they need to fill, while 10 companies surveyed are seeking to increase positions by almost 37,000 in total, or almost 10 per cent of their aggregate workforce.

“Since the end of the cold war, this is the most intense period for the defence sector with the highest increase in order volume in a rather short period of time,” said Jan Pie, secretary-general of ASD, the European aerospace and defence trade association. 

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An FT survey of 20 industry groups has found that they are looking to recruit tens of thousands of people this year, as order books near record highs. https://t.co/ZCOnyOaJCK pic.twitter.com/in7XIqZByA

— Financial Times (@FT) June 17, 2024

O Lord, from whom all good proceeds: Grant us the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may always think those things that are good, and by your merciful guidance may accomplish the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

This is what summer is all about!

Snacks by the river, stunning light and shadows, soaking up the warmth of the rocks warmed by the sun!

Last night on Kinder Scout #PeakDistrict pic.twitter.com/7yhVcBIq6N

— Sarah Lister (@ABTheAdventure) June 17, 2024

aul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and designated Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord…

–Romans 1:1-4

I think we might be at peak poppy at Hampton Court Palace! Glowing red in the morning sunshine they really are quite beautiful 😍 pic.twitter.com/421Pl3dLQ1

— Tom O'Leary (@TomOleary72) June 17, 2024