ACOM TO HOST OCEANIA ANGLICAN FONO

The Oceania group of Anglican Primates and their General Secretaries will come together to discuss pressing issues affecting the Mission and Ministries of Anglican Churches in the Pacific region.

This annual regional meeting known as ‘Oceania Anglican Fono’ is being hosted by the Anglican Church of Melanesia and will run from 19th to 21st May at Honiara Hotel in Honiara.

This meeting will bring together Archbishops of Aotearoa New Zealand; the Most Rev. Donald Tamihere (Tikanaga Maori), Archbishop of New Zealand the Most Rev. Philip Richardson (Tikanga Pakeha), Archbishop of Polynesia (Tikanga Pasifika) Fiji, Tonga, Samoa) The Most Rev. Sione Uluilakepa, Archbishop of Australia, The Most Rev. Geoffrey Smith, Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Melanesia The Most Rev. Leonard Dawea, and Archbishop (Acting) of Papua New Guinea Bishop Nathan Ingen.

The General Secretaries includes; Revd Michael Hughes of Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia; Ms Anne Hywood, of Anglican Church Australia, Dr. Abraham Hauriasi from the ACOM and Mr. Dennis Kabekabe of Anglican Church PNG.

The topics to be discussed in this year’s fellowship include; Intentional Discipleship, Theological Training, Climate Change & Disaster preparedness & response and Pacific Seasonal Workers Scheme.

Overall, the Oceania Anglican FONO tone is a vibrant and engaging event that highlights the important role of the Church in promoting justice and peace in the world. It emphasizes the need for Christians to be active and engaged disciples of Christ, and provided a platform for sharing best practices and innovative approaches to ministry. The insights gained from the conference will be invaluable in strengthening the Church’s impact in Oceania and beyond.

Mr. Fe’iloakitau Kaho Tevi from the Diocese of Polynesia will be the main facilitator in this Fono.

Archbishop Phillip Richardson of the Anglican Church in New Zealand will preach at the Sunday 21 May Eucharist service at the Saint Barnabas Provincial Cathedral in Honiara.

Theme for this years’ Fono is ‘Fellowship and Growth in Regional Anglican Diversity’.

‘FONO’ in the Polynesian language is meeting or council.

Another important meeting for ACOM that will take place also at Honiara Hotel few days before FONO is the (ORAC) ‘Oceania Regional Advisory Committee’.

The Oceania Regional Advisory Committee (ORAC) of the Anglican Alliance is a group of development staff from the four Anglican Provinces in the Pacific. The committee meets regularly to discuss development issues in the region and provide advice to the Anglican Alliance on how best to support the work of the church in Oceania.