The 39th Provincial Synod of the Church of the Province of the West Indies is meeting this week in Barbados

The 39th Provincial Synod of the Church of the Province of the West Indies is meeting this week in Barbados. Fifty-six clergy and lay representatives along with the bishops of the province’s eight dioceses are scheduled to be joined by the Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative Council, Dr. Josiah Idowu-Fearon and the leaders of the US and other church affiliated NGOs at the Divi Southwinds Beach Resort. At a press conference held before the state of the 15-20 Nov 2015 meeting, the Most Rev. John Holder, Archbishop of the West Indies and Bishop of Barbados said: “Our meeting is to take a look at some of the issues that we are facing as a Church in this region, in this area, and we will try, during our time here together, to reflect on these issues and hopefully come up at the end, with a kind of programme that would help us to address in a more urgent way the issues that we are facing.­ We are all aware of the wave of violence that is spreading throughout this region and we think as a Church it is our bounden duty to address this issue; not only address the issue but offer some ways forward in helping this region cope with what for many persons are frightening experiences.” The theme of the meeting, the Suffragan Bishop of Kingston, the Rt. Rev. Robert Thompson told the press conference was “Anglicans: The Gifts We Bring to Mission and Ministry in the World.” The synod opened with worship at St Michael’s Cathedral in Bridgetown and will conduct its work in cluster groups address the social and spiritual needs facing the Caribbean.