Third Meeting of ACC to be Held in Trinidad-- For the Press
Diocesan Press Service. December 5, 1975 [75425]
LONDON, England -- The third meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) whose 60 members drawn from the churches of the world wide Anglican Communion represent more than fifty million Anglicans round the world, will meet at the Chaguaramas Convention Centre, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, between the 23rd March - 2nd April, 1976, with all plenary sessions open to the press, radio and TV from Tuesday, 30th March to Friday, 2nd April inclusive. A BACKGROUND NOTE ON THE COUNCIL IS ATTACHED.
AGENDA
As in the case of the meetings at Limuru, Kenya (1971) and Dublin (1973) background papers in preparation for the meeting are now being studied by members and discussed locally. These papers have been specially written by people in various parts of the world and include two World Council of Churches study documents. Room will be made available on the agenda for late up to the minute items from Anglican churches and for matters arising from the WCC Fifth Assembly in Nairobi (November-December 1975). The full working papers will be made available to all correspondents attending the Council meeting. Members of the Council will discuss the background papers in committee under four section headings and produce reports for the plenary sessions which are circulated to the whole Council and to the press prior to the plenary concerned. The Sections are as follows:
SECTION I: Unity and Ecumenical Affairs
The role of the Anglican Communion in the Ecumenical Movement.
SECTION II: Church and Society
Violence, non-violence, justice, greed; The Purpose of the Church.
SECTION III: Ministry
Lay, part-time, and full-time ministry; The priesthood of women.
SECTION IV: Mission and Evangelism
NEWS INTEREST
Discussion in full plenary session on the priesthood of women (at both Limuru and Dublin) has reflected theological opinion in different parts of the Anglican Communion and the debate continues. The controversial attitude of the WCC toward the support of nationalist groups in Africa will no doubt be debated in the plenary under Section 2 and the WCC paper 'Violence, non-violence and the struggle for social justice' (a statement commended by the Central Committee of the WCC August 1973) is one of the study documents.
LAMBETH CONFERENCE
The Council will also discuss the desirability, form and location of another Lambeth Conference and submit advice to the Archbishop of Canterbury.
PRESS FACILITIES
The conference opens on the 23rd March, 1976, but at this meeting to facilitate the press attending and to save time all the committees (which are not open to the press) will take place before the first plenary session at 4:15 p. m. (local time) on Tuesday, 30th March. Plenary sessions open to the press will then follow on successive days starting at 9:00 a.m. and finishing at 6:45 p.m. until the 2nd April. The plenary on the next Lambeth Conference will take place on Tuesday, 30th March. All proceedings at plenary sessions can be reported direct. A daily press conference will be held if required to interview principal speakers. A press room will be established at the conference centre with cable and banking facilities.
ACCOMMODATION
The centre is six miles from Port-of-Spain. The nearest hotel is the Chacacabana which is three miles west of the centre (nine miles from Port-of-Spain). In Port-of- Spain itself there are a number of hotels, the principal ones being the Hilton, Holiday Inn and Queens Park. Prices vary from $29 for a single room (no meals) to a considerably lesser sum for smaller hotels. The Chacacabana is a chalet style hotel overlooking the sea in the middle price range. Correspondents wishing to book accommodation should write to: Mr. Hugh C.S. Walke, Texaco (Trinidad) Ltd., Colonial Life Building, 29 St. Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.
TRANSPORT AND CATERING
For correspondents staying either in Port-of-Spain or at the Chacacabana Hotel, transport will be needed and car hire is approximately 4 pounds sterling per day. It is hoped that transport pools may be organized to reduce costs. It is also hoped that arrangements for lunch and other meals may be made at a nearby catering school to avoid the necessity of correspondents returning to their hotels during the day. There is no restaurant in the centre itself.
TRAVEL
Correspondents are expected to make their own arrangements.
ACCREDITATION
It is essential to seek accreditation for access to the plenary sessions and only accredited correspondents of recognized publications will be permitted in the press gallery. For accreditation please complete the attached form and return as soon as possible but accreditation will be accepted up to 23rd March 1976.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Correspondents wishing to write an advance or to seek further information can contact the ACC public relations consultant for assistance if required by 'phoning or writing to the Council in London, England.