Anglicans in the Americas Plan Gathering
Episcopal News Service. April 27, 1989 [89083]
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (DPS, Apr. 27) -- On April 7-8, the first planning meeting was held in San Jose, Costa Rica, for a worldwide Anglican Gathering of Women and Men to be held on March 8-13, 1992, sponsored by the Anglican Churches of the Americas. The Primates of the six provinces were invited to send one or two representatives. The gathering will be jointly planned, organized, and funded by the six provinces, with participation from the rest of the Communion.
Those attending this first planning meeting were the Rev. Nilda Anaya, Caribbean Anglican Women's Organization; Trinita Chollete, Anglican Church of Costa Rica; Betty Djerf, conference consultant; Diana Frade, Province IX; Joanna Gajardo, Episcopal Church USA; Dorothy Gregson, Anglican Church of Canada; Hilda de Monzon, Anglican Church of Costa Rica; Jean Rowles, Anglican Church of Canada; and Ann Smith, Episcopal Church USA.
Guests included the Rt. Rev. Cornelius Wilson, Bishop of Costa Rica; Bridget Buck, Anglican Church of Costa Rica; and Beatriz Ferrari, coordinator of the Women's Program for the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI).
The Anglican Gathering for Women and Men will be an integral part of Anglican participation in the Ecumenical Decade, Churches in Solidarity with Women 1988-1990 (ECUDEC), declared by the World Council of Churches as a response to the United Nations Women's Decade. The Anglican gathering will adopt the ECUDEC theme, "Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation."
The purpose of the Anglican gathering in 1992 is to:
- build a community between women and men in the struggle for the kingdom of God;
- provide a biblical reinterpretation from our different perspectives and realities;
- be involved in critical reevaluation of the patriarchal system;
- develop continuing communication networks;
- create support systems that sustain the vision of a transformed Church.
Preparations for, during, and after the gathering will challenge participants to affirm women's contributions to the Church of both content and style; to make known the history of women in our churches and in our countries; and to affirm women's commitment to diakonia, justice, and social work. The gathering will explore new ways of exercising power, giving equal place to women and men, and of affirming that we have all been "created in the image of God."