On 26th November, the Central Committee hosted the Vlaamse Interlevensbeschouwelijke Dialoog (the official contact between the Flemish government and the recognised faiths), but because of the ongoing pandemic this was done online. The Chaplain-President chaired the meeting. On the agenda were several important dossiers for the various lifestances.
New Corona measures
Following further increases in infections, hospitalisations and deaths, the Concertation Committee of the governments in Belgium which met on 17th November has handed down new instructions about necessary sanitary measures in places of worship, starting on 20th November. The Central Committee's Explanatory Document 5 is here, which contains a link to the relevant Royal Decree. We continue to face the pandemic with resolve, encouraging universal take-up of the Covid vaccination and continuing our parish life in faith and hope.
Group from Cameroun discusses the situation for LGBTQIA+ people
On 16th November, the Chaplain-President (in his capacity as Professor in the French-speaking Protestant Faculty) participated in a round-table led by four representatives of HFC+, an assocation offering help and advice about HIV/Aids and seeking to defend the rights of vulnerable groups in Cameroun. The Chaplain-President is the LLF advocate for the Diocese in Europe where the Anglican conversation about identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage can risk neglecting non-English-speaking voices. It was therefore important for him to hear first-hand accounts of experiences of persecution and exclusion in a French-speaking African context. Our picture shows the Chaplain-President with M. Jean-Paul Enama and his team from HFC+.
Koningsdag/La Fête du Roi
On 15th November, the Chaplain-President represented the Anglican community in Belgium at the celebration of King's Day in the presence of T.M. King Albert II and Queen Paola, first at the Te Deum in the Roman Catholic cathedral in Brussels, presided by Mgr Jean Kockerols, then at an Academic Session of Parliament, chaired by Eliane Tillieux (President of the Chamber of Representatives) and Stephanie D'Hose (President of the Senate). The session concerned the role of women in Belgian public life, so it was a special pleasure that for the first time the Presidents of the Chamber of Representatives and of the Senate are both women.
New Corona Measures
On 29th October and on 1st November new stricter Corona measures became law for the whole of Belgium. There are however still some regional differences which are explained in our ED4.
Masks are back for the duration of the service (minus a few exceptions) and the Corona Safe Ticket should be used for events and larger get-togethers.
All Saints' Waterloo
On 30th October, the Chaplain-President met for the first time - because of the Covid pandemic - Mgr Mark Edington, Bishop of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe (http://www.tec-europe.org/convocation/who-we-are/our-bishop-the-rt-rev-mark-dw-edington/).
There are 41 independent provinces in the global Anglican Communion (https://www.anglicancommunion.org/structures/member-churches.aspx) and two of them, the Church of England and The Episcopal Church, are represented in Belgium. It is the Central Committee's pleasure to work together with Bishop Robert of the CofE and Bishop Mark of TEC. Our photo shows (left to right): the Revd Sunny Hallanan (Rector of All Saints' Waterloo), Bishop Mark and the Chaplain-President.
COP-26 letters
From 31st October-12th November the UN will hold its COP-26 Climate conference in Glasgow (Scotland). To encourage the Belgian delegates attending the conference to support drastic measures to combat climate change, the Anglican, Evangelical and Protestant churches and the secular humanists have jointly sent a letter to the Federal Minister of Justice, Vincent Van Quickenborne, and the Flemish Minister for Environment, Zuhal Demir. The initiative for these letters came from a climate working group at HTB.
Conseil de Dialogue / Dialoograad
On 25th October, the formal dialogue between the Federal Government and the Recognised Religions and Laïcité/Vrijzinnigheid met by Zoom, chaired by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and with Minister of Justice Vincent Van Quickenborne in attendance. The Chaplain-President represented the Central Committee. Among other subjects, the ongoing Covid pandemic was discussed.
New Bible Translation in NL
On 23rd October, the Vice-President and Secretary travelled to picturesque Mechelen, to the stunning Begijnhofkerk (beguinage), for the official presentation of the revision of the new Bible translation in NL (NBV21): a translation for and of the 21st century. It concludes a 30-year project which is inter-faith, inter-disciplinary and spans both Flanders and the Netherlands.
More information can be found at Het Nederlands-Vlaams Bijbelgenootschap - De Bijbel voor iedereen
Prison chaplains' training day
Our Anglican prison chaplains team is delighted to participate in the training sessions organised by our friends the Protestants and Evangelicals. On 23rd October, the whole team met at the Christian Center in Sint-Genesius-Rode for a day-training which began with sessions of mutual sharing and continued after lunch with discussion of the psychology of imprisonment. Our photo shows the stipendiary team: (left to right) Eric Sibomana, Egbert van Groesen, Grace West, the Revd Charles Kabera and the Chaplain-President.
Archdeaconry Synod NW Europe
From 7th to 9th October, the members and observers of the Central Committee attended in person or by Zoom the annual synod of the Church of England archdeaconry in Benelux, held in Drongen (Gent). The principal items for discussion and debate were the ongoing and accelerating global climate crisis and the ongoing problem in the Anglican Church of overt and covert racism.
FIDIF - Federal and inter-lifestances
On 6th October, the Chaplain-President and M. Eric Sibomana represented the Anglican Church at a meeting of the Federale Interlevensbeschouwelijke Dialoog/Dialogue Interconvictionnel Fédéral, the informal group of representatives of the recognised religions and vrijzinnigheid/laïcité , which prepares for the formal Dialoograad/Conseil de Dialogue with the Federal Government. On the agenda were plans for organising a major conference on the ways in which Belgians have survived and responded to the ongoing Covid pandemic on 23rd November at the Senate.
Comité Anglicaanse GodsdienstOnderwijs - CAGO
On 6th October, the Comité Anglicaans Godsdienstonderwijs met by Zoom to discuss relevant matters about the teaching of Anglican religious education in State schools in Flanders and Brussels. We are in the process of recruiting new stipendiary RE teachers: if this possibility interests you, please email our inspecteur-adviseur, Mevr Birte Day, on education@anglican.be
New Covid regulations for Anglican churches
On 1st October, the Secretary wrote to the Anglican parishes with new instructions for public worship, following both decisions of the Concertation Committee of the various Belgian governments and new diocesan guidance from Bishop Robert and Bishop David. The Central Committee's instructions have had to become complex again, being dependent on the location of the Anglican parish.
In the Brussels Capital Region, our ED1 and ED2 of 27th June remain in force unchanged.
In Flanders, our ED3 of 1st September remains in force but with the end of the obligation to wear facemasks in church and the end of any restrictions on hospitality.
In Wallonia, ED3 remains in force unchanged, except in the province of Liège where ED3 remains in force but with the added obligation for all present in church to wear facemasks at all times.
This compexity of guidance, complicated as it seems, in fact points towards a steady relaxation of the covid emergency measures in our land, and we are grateful that the whole country is slowly and steadily emerging from the crisis.
VILD
On 1st October, the entire Central Committee was present at a meeting of the Vlaamse Interlevensbeschouwelijke Dialoog (the formal permanent dialogue between the recognised religions and vrijzinnigheid and the Flemish government) held in the cabinet of Vice-Minister-President Bart Somers. This full attendance was a means of introducing Eric Sibomana to this part of the Central Committee's work. The VILD next meets in November at Holy Trinity Brussels, hosted by the Central Committee.
Central Committee meeting
On 23rd September, the Central Committee met online to discuss a full agenda of relevant items, for example the single permit, residency cards for non-EU citizens, etc.
Saint Boniface
The Chaplain-President led the main Sunday service at St Boniface Antwerp (St Boniface Antwerp, an Anglican - Episcopalian Church, welcomes you ) on 26th September, during the holidays of the chaplain, Canon Andrew Wagstaff. The origins of this parish lie in the appointment of the Revd John Nicholson as English chaplain in Antwerp in 1530 - four years before Henry VIII removed the Church of England from communion with Rome. It is now a thriving multicultural parish with a special mission towards seafarers, in association with the Anglican missionary society the Mission to Seafarers (The Mission to Seafarers | Working In Over 200 Ports Worldwide ).
20th Anniversary of the Chapel for Europe, Brussels
On 22nd September, the Chaplain-President co-presided a service to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Chapel for Europe in Brussels: https://chapelforeurope.eu/ The chapel is run by the Jesuits and has always had a strong ecumenical mission. The service was led by Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant clergy as well as Anglican. Canon Dr Paul Vrolijk and the Revd Sarah-Jane King were present representing our parishes in Brussels and Leuven - Sarah-Jane is also the Anglican Associate on the Chapel's staff team. A letter of support from Cardinal De Kesel was read, and Count Herman Van Rompuy, formerly president of the European Council and honorary president of the Chapel, made a speech.
Inaugural lecture at FPTR Brussels
The opening of the academic year at FPTR Brussel (https://www.fptr.be/index-nl.aspx) was marked by the Chaplain-President, who is professor of church history there, giving a lecture on the relationship between Anglicanism and the Atlantic Slave Trade. The Secretary also teaches at FPTR, and this relationship between the Central Committee and the Protestant Faculty in Brussels is an ongoing sign of practical Anglican-Protestant ecumenism in our land.
Recognised religions and Flemish government discuss support
On Friday 17th September the recognised religions and the Flemish government met online to discuss the possible practical and/or financial support for the religions in order to carry the administrative weight the new Flemish draft decree for the local communities will entail. The concerns for all religions are human resources and the supplies for a well-organised office that can handle all administration required by any future change in the law.
