Anglican Communion secretary general visits Church of Southern Africa

[Anglican Communion News Service] The secretary general of the Anglican Communion, the Rt. Rev. Anthony Poggo, visited the Anglican Church of Southern Africa as a guest at meetings of their Synod of Bishops and their Provincial Synod. The meetings took place Sept. 3-27, hosted by the Diocese of the Highveld.

Topics discussed by the Synod of Bishops included theological education, pastoral ministry, worship and ministry, governance, episcopal leadership, the Anglican Communion, ecumenical and interfaith relations and the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Addressing the bishops, Poggo urged Anglicans in the province to consider forming a local arm of the Compass Rose Society, a voluntary organization that raises funds to supplement the provincial assessments that finance the work of the Anglican Consultative Council.

The Synod of Bishops also heard a report on the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa from Namibia Bishop Patrick Djuulume and welcomed the Ven. Kofi deGraft-Johnson, general secretary of council.

Bishop Vicentia Kgabe and Bishop Dalcy Dlamini of Eswatini also updated the synod on meetings of Africa’s six women bishops that have begun, the first of which took place recently in Kenya.

The full communique from the Synod of Bishops can be read here.

Themed “Flourishing like a Garden: Listening, Reconciling, and Celebrating God’s New Creation,” the Anglican Church of Southern Africa Provincial Synod followed the Synod of Bishops.

Poggo gave a homily at the Morning Eucharist on Sept. 26. The celebrant was the Rev. Seipati Ngcobo of the Diocese of Natal. Later that day, Poggo addressed the synod and gave an update on the Anglican Communion Office.

He urged Anglicans in the province also to consider forming a local arm of the Compass Rose Society.

The Provincial Synod coincided with the end of the Season of Creation, and bishops discussed environmental action and creation care, hearing from Rachel Mash and other members of the Green Anglicans movement.

Poggo blessed a tree to be planted in the Diocese of the Highveld. Many Anglicans around the world are planting trees, as part of a reforestation initiative called the Communion Forest, that was launched at the Lambeth Conference in 2022.

The synods were also joined by other Communion partners, including the Rev. Phillip Jackson of Trinity Wall Street in New York City (virtually), Archbishop Hosam Naoum of Jerusalem (virtually), the Rev. Duncan Dormor and Fran Mate of United Society Partners in the Gospel, and Archdeacon Kofi deGraft-Johnson of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa.

Speaking of his visit to the ACSA, Poggo said, “It has been a joy to spend time with Archbishop Thabo Magoba and the Synod of Bishops and Provincial Synod. The Anglican Church of Southern Africa are valued sisters and brothers in our global Anglican family ,and I thank God for their ministry.”

Southern Africa Archbishop Thabo Magoba said, “Bishop Anthony touched our hearts in a very special way. He embodied the ‘oil’ of the Instruments of Communion, with his presence, preaching and teaching. We are all the better for having shared our time with him. We loved having him at both synods, and we wish him strength as he helps glue the Communion’s fabric together for mission.”

The full communique from the Anglican Church of Southern Africa’s Synod of Bishops can be read here.