A second Gafcon conference [in the past year] was held in the Middle East at the end of February that brought a current witness of ministry among war, suffering and persecution.<\/p>\n
The G19 Conference director Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali told the The Church of England Newspaper that \u201ca good number of faithful Anglicans could not attend Gafcon in Jerusalem last year, so a conference was arranged at a place accessible to them.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore than 100 leaders from 12 nations attended (in all 4 primates, 31 bishops and \u2018internal provincial\u2019 archbishops, 44 clergy and 59 lay leaders) from the Middle East, South Asia, and East and West Africa.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that these were fellow Christians that \u2018we must not isolate\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome churches who were able to attend Gafcon last year sent leaders to encourage but also to learn from the main participants, who bring the dimension of suffering to Gafcon \u2013correcting any temptation to triumphalism.<\/p>\n
\u201cParticipants said the conference exceeded their expectations \u2013 for fellowship, teaching, and engagement. All delegates were involved in prayer groups, discussion groups, and developing the conference statement which will be available on the Gafcon website.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was a gathering of the suffering and restricted church, but they were hungry for bible teaching, and exuberant in worship. Their witness should be central to the life and work of the Anglican Communion.\u201d<\/p>\n