Covid-19 measures: week 3

The Central Committee is getting used to working from home, as all face-to-face meetings are cancelled until further notice. Do not hesitate to contact us during the crisis on: secretary@anglican.be.

Here is a message from Bishop Robert (Church of England), who also brings the greetings of Bishop Mark (The Episcopal Church): https://zoom.us/rec/play/75ckJuirqjk3GNCSsgSDBaV5W9Xvev2s0ykbrPpbyh28UHELMFX1ZucWNOJPXlVIi0RKRGqp5fgU1Mh0?continueMode=true&_x_zm_rtaid=1JJDgtvyQkm5_P_D9oe1Sw.1584879622329.43dfcd2797f200d635c1780b0a72ca8a&_x_zm_rhtaid=137

Here are some spiritual resources for the current self-isolation:

Diocese in Europe: https://europe.anglican.org/main/latest-news/post/1555-coronavirus-prayer-reflection

Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe: http://ecf450cdbeb67edb7b8c-db8c75cfc72b416e3c18df97c8a1dcaa.r54.cf2.rackcdn.com/uploaded/c/0e10005896_1584799739_convocationcompanion.pdf

Life during Covid-19: A Message from the Area Dean

More stringent measures bordering on a full lockdown are in effect in Belgium from 18th March noon until 5th April, and during that period congregations are learning new ways to be the Church. We are passing on a message from The Revd Stephen Murray, Chaplain in Ghent and Area Dean for Belgium and Luxembourg, as well as Vice-President of the Central Committee.

“Dear all,

It has been amazing to see such an outpouring of effective and creative ministry across the Deanery. This is truly a moment for us to shine God's light in ways we've never done before.

In Luxembourg, they were able to worship in a park. Hopefully, there was liturgical hand-washing as part of the service?

Tervuren made a slick YouTube video worship.

Liège has seen their bible study numbers increase dramatically by using Zoom, and also posting worship on YouTube.

Gent posted a 'Choose-Your-Own-Bits' worship on a Facebook & YouTube playlist.

MTS Antwerpen has been findings ways to make contact with sailors without visiting on the ships.

Holy Trinity Brussels is offering regular pray on Zoom.

Every weekday morning at 9AM https://zoom.us/j/687886770

And every weekday evening at 9PM, for compline https://zoom.us/j/114667614

They will be using the "Time to Pray" app from the Church of England. Or, you could also use the Church of England's prayer page: https://www.churchofengland.org/…/join-us-service-daily-pra…

Once this disease is finally behind us, we should have a Learning Lab to discuss everything that we've learned and how we might apply that learning in the future.

There is a lot of confusing information going around, but I just want to say thanks to each of you for your ministry in this difficult time.

If there are any new developments we will try to keep you posted. Likewise, please do be in touch if there is anything you need.

Peace & blessings,

Stephen

(go wash your hands!)”

Coronavirus pandemic - temporary closure of Anglican churches in Belgium

The National Security Council met on 12 March 2020 and its decisions are reproduced here:

French: https://www.premier.be/fr/Coronavirus-Phase-2-maintenue-passage-en-phase-federale-et-mesures-additionnelles

Dutch: https://www.premier.be/nl/coronavirus-fase-2-gehandhaafd-overgang-naar-de-federale-fase-en-bijkomende-maatregelen

In response, the Central Committee met digitally this morning, in consultation with Bishop Robert (Church of England) and Bishop Mark (The Episcopal Church). It made the decision to suspend all public worship and parish activities in Anglican and Episcopal churches in Belgium from 14 March until 3 April. This decision was made for the public good as part of the ongoing national and global attempts to limit the ill effects of the coronavirus pandemic. We will post further news when we have further information.

The Central Committee's letter to Anglican parishes is here.

Here is a letter from Bishop Robert.

Coronavirus: Bishops' letter

The Chaplain-President reproduces here with total approval a letter from Bishop Robert and Bishop David which gives advice to the parishes about aspects of the conduct of public worship during the current outbreak of coronavirus.

VILD meeting

On 2 March, the Chaplain-President, Vice-President and Secretary attended a full meeting of the Vlaamse Interlevensbeschouwelijke Dialoog (the official dialogue between the Flemish Government and the recognised faiths), hosted this time by the Protestants and Evangelicals. The main topics for discussion were the process for the official recognition of individual churches, synagogues, mosques and meeting-houses, and the summary of the formal statement on poverty in Flanders being prepared by the VILD for public distribution.

Research groups - FPTR Brussels

The Chaplain-President and the Secretary both attended the research group meeting at FPTR Brussel on 27 February. The Anglican Church in Belgium, with just 24 State stipends, is too small to make founding a separate Anglican theology faculty cost-effective, but we have excellent and close relations with the Catholic faculties in Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve and the Protestant faculties in Brussels and Heverlee.

Prisons chaplains in Belgium

Yesterday 26th February, the Secretary attended a meeting of the Advisory Commission with other representatives of the lifestances at the directorate-general of the penitentiary institutions. The status of prison chaplains changed in June 2019, and the practical implications and organisation of this change need to be discussed and put into practice. The next meeting is set for June 2020.

Dutch colonialism course at FPTR Brussel

The Chaplain-President is teaching a new bachelor's course at FPTR Brussel this semester, on Dutch colonialism and theology. The course examines the religious aspects of the Verenigde Oost-indische Compagnie and the painful relationship between Christian mission and European imperialism.

English Church Liège

Four of our parishes (Liège, Leuven, Ieper and Tervuren) are currently vacant, although we expect to announce the name of the new chaplain in Tervuren very soon. Liège has had a vacancy since the sad and untimely death last year of its beloved long-term chaplain, Paul Yiend. The Chaplain-President was delighted to lead the service there on Sunday 23 February. Ruth Nivelle, the parish lay-reader-in-training, preached the sermon.

Platforme interconvictionnelle/Interconvictioneel Platform

On Thursday 20 February, the Chaplain-President and the Secretary attended the Interconfessional Platform (the meetings of the heads of the recognised religions which organise public conferences) at the Catholic headquarters in Brussels to prepare for the next public conference organised by the recognised religions. Holy Trinity Brussels will host the next meeting of the platform on 2 June.

EMOUNA BE at Holy Trinity Brussels: Religion and Art

It was a great joy for the Chaplain-President and the Secretary to welcome the Emouna Belgique students at Holy Trinity Brussels on Wednesday 19 February for a study-day on "Religion et art". After a tour of the church by John Wilkinson, there were presentations by Marie-Elizabeth van Rijckevorsel, Mohamed Adiouane, Carlo Luyckx and Dalia de Macar on Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish theories of representation in art. The afternoon session was spent in a workshop led by Une Certaine Beauté in which the students painted multiple pictures in mixed-faith groups, amid some hilarity! The day was much appreciated by all.

EMOUNA BE board meeting

On 17 February, the Chaplain-President attended a meeting of the Collège des Fondateurs of Emouna Belgique at the Tibetan Temple in Brussels to discuss progress so far this year in the Emouna interfaith training course.

Ecumenical conference on Synodality

During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, The Venerable Dr Paul Vrolijk, Archdeacon for Northwest Europe en Member of the Central Committee, joined his colleagues from other denominations to discuss the topic of Synodality in the Church. Please click on the link to read the article on the jesuits.eu website.

CAGO

Meanwhile, the Committee for Anglican Religious Education (Comité Anglicaans GodsdienstOnderwijs, CAGO) met in Holy Trinity Brussels to discuss topics like Safeguarding, the website, the inspector-advisor’s report, etc. The next meeting will be the AGM on 29th April.

Malines conversations

On 12 February, the Chaplain-President attended a meeting chaired by Cardinal Josef De Kesel at the Archbishop's Palace Mechelen of the group preparing the centenary celebrations of the Malines Conversations between the Catholic and Anglican Churches.

Anglican Theology course in KU Leuven

On Tuesday 11 February, the Chaplain-President began teaching this year's masters course on Anglican theology at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at KU Leuven. Students from Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Britain, the USA, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, the Philippines, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Angola will spend the semester learning more about the English Reformation, Anglican approaches to ecumenical and interfaith dialogue, African Anglicanism and Anglican social theology.

Confirmation at Holy Trinity Brussels

The Chaplain-President participated in a Confirmation service at Holy Trinity Brussels on Sunday 9 February, hosted by the mainly Rwandan Anglican community which organises the 14:00 Sunday service there each week. The service was led by Dr Robert Innes, Anglican Bishop in Europe. In the Anglican tradition, Confirmation is the service when Christians confirm personally in public the vows made by their parents and godparents at baptism. Jack had prepared six of the candidates for Confirmation, three from the Anglicaanse kerk Sint Martha en Sint Maria te Leuven and three from the Eglise anglicane à Liège. Congratulations to all concerned!

Church in Wales

This evening on 5th February, the Chaplain-President welcomed two visitors at Holy Trinity Brussels to discuss the future of Welsh-Belgian church relations after Brexit. Canon Carol Wardman, Bishops' Adviser for Church and Society in the Church in Wales (the Anglican province in that country) and the Revd Gethin Rhys, Policy Officer for the Churches Together in Wales, were able to have a free, honest and optimistic discussion about maintaining cross-Channel contact and initiatives.

Emouna Belgique

Today 5th February, the Chaplain-President, accompanied by the Secretary, chaired a whole-day meeting of Emouna Belgique, the new interfaith leaders' training course set up by the Recognised Religions in Belgium. This took place at the Vicariat catholique de Bruxelles. After a warm welcome by Mgr Jean Kockerols, the Catholic bishop for the Brussels Region, the morning was devoted to the theme of "La révélation et la raison" with a paper by Bernard Pottier SJ and with focus-groups discussing contemporary conflicts between reason and revealed religion. Lunch was followed by an afternoon on "La place de la femme dans les religions", with papers by Martine Henao (Catholic), Lydia Lehmann (Evangelical) and Lama Rinchen Palmo (Buddhist). The day was searching, frank and enjoyable. The next Emouna day will take place at Holy Trinity Brussels on 19 February on the theme of "Arts et religion".

Sant'Egidio Interfaith Breakfast

The Chaplain-President accompanied Dr Robert Innes, Anglican Bishop in Europe, to this year's Interfaith Harmony Breakfast, organised at Brussels Airport today by the Community of Sant'Egidio. Interfaith leaders from the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant Christian traditions, and from Judaism, Islam and Buddhism, took part. The topic for discussion was the 2019 Document sur la fraternité humaine, pour la paix mondiale et la coexistence commune issued by Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, Rector of Al-Azhar University Cairo (the Muslim equivalent of Oxford and Cambridge universities for Anglicans or KU Leuven for Catholics). Those present recommitted themselves to active interfaith dialogue and action.