The third Anglo-Catholic Hui is encouraging Anglicans looking for spiritual sustenance to join their meeting this August 12-14 as they once again turn to the resources of the catholic tradition of Anglicanism as a positive force for mission in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia.
In 2021, the Anglo-Catholic Hui will meet at St Michael and All Angels’ Anglican Church in central Christchurch to focus on spiritual nourishment for the Christian journey.
Four addresses on the theme will be presented in video by Rev Canon Richard Peers from his base in Oxford UK, where he serves as Sub-Dean at Christ Church Cathedral Oxford.
Having worked for most of his ministry with teenagers in Church of England schools, Fr Richard’s sessions will explore contemplative spiritual practices as a form of mission.
Like his 19th century predecessor at Christ Church Oxford, (Fr Richard Meux Benson who founded the Society of St John the Evangelist) Fr Richard has helped to found a new religious community of Anglican priests. Today he serves as superior of that society, the Sodality of Mary, Mother of Priests which has sixty members around the world. Fr Richard will also speak from his experience as a spiritual director and draw on his lifelong interest in new religious communities, especially those arising from charismatic renewal.
As in the first two Anglo-Catholic Hui in Dunedin and Wellington, this year’s gathering will harness the Anglo-Catholic riches of finely crafted liturgy, heartfelt sacramental worship, serious biblical and theological scholarship and personal growth in spiritual disciplines.
In true Anglo-Catholic tradition, these approaches set out to not only to deepen communion with God and one another, but to empower service and solidarity with people living in poverty, and those facing hardship or disadvantage.
Workshops on Anglo-Catholic themes from Aotearoa-based presenters will complement the Hui’s primary aim of gathering to worship and socialise, encourage one another, learn from and challenge each other and have a great time together.
Hui participants can register for up to four in-person workshops offered by Aotearoa New Zealand-based presenters, including:
A perspective on the role of Anglo-Catholicism in the Solomon Islands
St John’s Theological College doctoral student Fr Robert Santa Fakafu will unpack the role of the Anglo-Catholic charism in the Anglican Church of Melanesia’s Solomon Islands context.
Anglo Catholic Women, Invisible Faithbearers
Hui organiser Johnann Williams will look at how Anglo-Catholic lay women have nurtured the faith and introduce notable Pākehā Anglo-Catholic lay women from Canterbury and Hui host church St Michael and All Angels, including Isla Hunter, Principal of Hukarere Girls’ College from 1948-64.
Defrosting Christmas: Inculturation of the liturgical year in the southern seasons
Rev Canon Michael Wallace will present insights from his doctoral research on relocating the Church’s year in Aotearoa New Zealand, using the festival of Matariki as an example of the opportunities for inculturation.
Nurturing the child within: The Child at Mass
Helen Peters will explore ways to make shared time together as the family-whānau of God possible for everyone.
Contemplative prayer and meditation
Dr Margaret Maclagan will help participants explore ways of entering into silence as a way of approaching God in prayer.
Ancient desert disciplines for fullness of life in the wilderness of our contemporary context
Rev Bosco Peters will present reflections on rhythms of the Spirit for the deserts of in our lives, looking at prayer through the Church’s year, lectio divina, hospitality and monasticism.
Writing hymns for mass
Ōtautahi-Christchurch based contemporary Anglican hymnwriter Marnie Barrell will present a workshop on liturgical hymn writing.
Worshipping as the Body of Christ
Rev Peter Williams will discuss the ‘gathered’ community of believers as a primary Christian symbol and how this is expressed in the place and conduct of the liturgy of the church.
Out of Conflict – Development
Rev Hugh Bowron will look at how the Oxford movement changed in its understanding of Eucharistic theology, how clashes over Eucharistic doctrine affected the Church and investigate the sacrificial Eucharistic theology of Charles Gore, Austin Farrer, Michael Ramsey and Rowan Williams.
Each day the Hui will celebrate mass together at St Michael and All Angels’ Church and daily Bible studies will be led by the Very Rev Dr Tony Curtis, New Testament scholar and Dean of Dunedin.
The Anglo-Catholic Hui 2021 commences with a pōwhiri and opening mass at 5.30pm on Friday 12 August.
For more details and the Anglo-Catholic Hui timetable, go to Anglo-Catholic Hui 2021
To register for all or part of the hui, go to Anglo-Catholic Hui registration
