All photos are with thanks to Bart Feenstra. Any use or reproduction of these photos should give photo credit to Bart.
A recording of the service is available on the YouTube channel from Holy Trinity, Brussels via this link. Thank you to Oscar Chavez & Richard Peppiette for the audio and video.
Donations can be made to the work of Community Kitchen vzw/asbl here.
Op 24 november 2025 heeft de secretaris-generaal een overleg met minister Hilde Crevits en vertegenwoordigers van de erkende levensbeschouwing in Vlaanderen bijgewoond. Sinds het overleg vorig jaar heeft Minister Crevits haar beloften aan de levensbeschouwingen voltooid wat groot gewaardeerd is door iedereen. Het was een drukke agenda met o.a. punten over erkenningsdossiers, onderwijs, financiering, inburgering, en Single Permits. Wij zijn dankbaar voor deze constructieve gelegenheid tussen de levensbeschouwingen en de overheid.
On 23 November, the Chaplain-President was delighted to present one of his PhD students, Silvère Olongo, to Bishop Mark for reception into the Episcopal Church during a service of Confirmation at All Saints' Waterloo at which seven people were confirmed or received into the Anglican Communion by the bishop. The service was followed by a joyful parish lunch.
On 17 November, the Chaplain-President, acting as Bishop Robert's adviser for EU affairs, supported the Anglican speaker at the Article 17 High-Level Dialogue at the European Commission in Brussels, the Right Revd Martyn Snow, Bishop of Leicester. The dialogue, on polarisation in European society, between the European Commission and representatives of the Anglican, Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Churches, Judaism, Islam and Buddhism, was chaired for the first time by Magnus Brunner, the EU Commissioner responsible for internal affairs and migration. You can see the portion of the dialogue which was public here.
On 19 November, the entire Central Committee welcomed HM the King for a discussion, an evensong and a reception at Holy Trinity Brussels, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Central Committee. The King was met at the great gates by the Chaplain-President, who introduced him to Vice-President Eric Sibomana and Member Grace Adenekan. A discussion followed with Bishop Robert, Bishop Mark and Canon Arani Sen about matters pertinent to the Palace and the Anglican Church in Belgium. A festal service of evensong followed, with a speech by the Chaplain-President, a sermon by Bishop Robert, prayers of intercession by Bishop Mark and musical contributions a massed choir of both "European" and "African" tradition. The King then met Gayl Russell and her team from the Community Kitchen, a charity which provides 5,000 meals each week for those in most difficulty in Brussels. The King then toured tables of guests, including Anglican clergy in Belgium, governmental figures, lay readers and prison chaplains. Before saying farewell to the King, the Chaplain-President offered him gifts, including the new French liturgy of the Episcopal Church USA, framed press cuttings of the last royal visit to the Anglican church (by King Baudouin in 1953) and a stone Canterbury cross. The Central Committee is overjoyed by this visit, which marks the close relations which Belgian Anglicanism enjoys both with the monarchy and with Belgian public life. As the Chaplain-President put it at the end of his speech: "Vive le Roi et vive la Belgique !"
Le 19 novembre, le Comité central a accueilli Sa Majesté le Roi pour un entretien, pour les vêpres et pour une réception à Holy Trinity de Bruxelles, à l'occasion du 150e anniversaire de la fondation du Comité central par le roi Léopold II. Le Roi a été accueilli à la grande porte par le chapelain-président, qui l'a présenté au vice-président Eric Sibomana et au membre Grace Adenekan. S'en est suivi un entretien avec Mgr Innes, Mgr Edington et le chanoine Arani Sen sur des sujets qui intéressent le Palais et l'Eglise anglicane en Belgique. Un office des vêpres solennel a ensuite été célébré, avec une allocution du chapelain-président, une prédication de Mgr Innes, des prières d'intercession de Mgr Edington et des prestations musicales splendides des chœurs « européen » et « africain » . Le Roi a ensuite rencontré Mme Gayl Russell et son équipe de la Community Kitchen, une association caritative qui distribue 5.000 repas par semaine aux personnes les plus démunies de Bruxelles. Le Roi a ensuite fait le tour des tables des invités, parmi lesquels des membres du clergé anglican de Belgique, des personnalités politiques, des lay-readers et des aumôniers de prison. Avant de prendre congé du Roi, le chapelain-président lui a offert des cadeaux, dont la nouvelle liturgie française de l'Eglise épiscopale aux Etats-Unis, des coupures de presse encadrées relatant la dernière visite royale à l’église anglicane (celle du roi Baudouin en 1953) et une petite croix de Cantorbéry en pierre. Le Comité central se réjouit de cette visite, qui témoigne des liens étroits que l'anglicanisme belge entretient avec la monarchie et avec la vie publique belge. Comme l'a conclu le chapelain-président : « Vive le Roi et vive la Belgique ! »
Op 19 november verwelkomde het volledige Centraal Comité Zijne Majesteit de Koning voor een gesprek, een evensong en een receptie bij Holy Trinity anglicaans kerk te Brussel, ter gelegenheid van de 150e verjaardag van de rekenning van het Centraal Comité. De Koning werd bij de grote poort van Holy Trinity ontvangen door de kapelaan-voorzitter die hem voorstelde aan vicevoorzitter Eric Sibomana en lid Grace Adenekan. Daarna volgde een gesprek met bisschop Robert, bisschop Mark en kanunnik Arani Sen over zaken die betrekking hebben op het paleis en de Anglicaanse Kerk in België. Daarna volgde een feestelijke dienst van Avondgebeden (Evensong) met een toespraak van de kapelaan-voorzitter, een preek van bisschop Robert, voorbeden door bisschop Mark en muzikale bijdragen van het “Europese” en “Afrikaanse” koor van Holy Trinity. Vervolgens ontmoette de koning Gayl Russell en haar team van de Community Kitchen, een vzw die elke week 5.000 maaltijden verstrekt aan de meest kwetsbare mensen in Brussel. De koning bezocht vervolgens de tafels van de gasten, waaronder anglicaanse voorgangers in België, regeringsfunctionarissen, lekenleiders en gevangenispastors. Voordat hij afscheid nam van de koning, overhandigde de kapelaan-voorzitter hem enkele geschenken, waaronder de nieuwe Franse liturgie van de Episcopale Kerk van de Verenigde Staten, ingelijste krantenknipsels van het laatste koninklijke bezoek aan de anglicaanse kerk door koning Boudewijn in 1953 en een stenen Canterbury-kruis. Het Centraal Comité is zeer verheugd over dit bezoek dat de nauwe banden onderstreept die het Belgische anglicanisme onderhoudt met zowel de monarchie als het Belgische openbare leven. Zoals de kapelaan-voorzitter aan het einde van zijn toespraak zei: “Lang leve de koning en lang leve België!”
Reflections by Bishop Mark Edington of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe
Article on the Diocese in Europe website
Article from the Roman Catholic Church in Belgium
From vorsten.nl
On 15 November, the Chaplain-President was honoured to represent the Anglicans of Belgium at the annual King's Day celebrations, first with the other chefs de cultes at the Te Deum in the Catholic cathedral in Brussels, then at the special session of the Belgian House of Representatives and Senate, which this year had the theme of Diplomacy. Speeches from the President of the House of Representatives, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister and the President of the Senate were complemented by a simulation by the students of MUN Society Belgium of a United Nations debate on the radicalisation of young people by extremist groups.
On 11 November, the Chaplain-President represented the Anglicans of Belgium at the national commemoration of the Armistice which ended the First World War 107 years ago, at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Brussels, led by HM the King.
On 9 November, Remembrance Sunday in the United Kingdom and in the Church of England, the Chaplain-President was invited to preach at Choral Evensong in Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge. This was an occasion to share with Fellows and students in Cambridge some Belgian and Rwandan perspectives on modern war, on its casualties and its survivors, especially those attached to the Anglican parishes in Belgium, and to pray for a genuine and just peace in the multiple armed conflicts which currently ravage and terrorise hundreds of millions of people across the world.
Le 4 novembre, a participé le chapelain-président à une réunion du Cares, le groupe de recherche de la FUTP Bruxelles dédié à l'afropéanité, qui inclut deux de ses doctorants, Silvère Olongo et Nathan Ngoy. A l'ordre du jour : la publication des actes du récent colloque international organisé par le Cares sur l'afropéanité et la féminité.
On 4 November, the Chaplain-President, in his capacity as Bishop Robert's EU adviser, met Ruth Watson, ACT Alliance's adviser on humanitarian policy in Brussels (ACT Alliance is a large NGO acting for many Christian humanitarian organisations, including Christian Aid, Anglican Alliance and Kerk in Actie) to discuss the recent visit to Brussels of a Catholic delegation from Sudan. The civil war in Sudan, currently the world's bloodiest is creating a humanitarian calamity of gigantic proportions, while the world looks on with limited interest. Local Sudanese, both Muslim and Christian, are working for peace and for the protection of the vulnerable, and Archbishop-elect Sarah's permanent representation in Brussels is committed to working with them. We give thanks particularly for the courage and action of our Anglican sisters and brothers in the Episcopal Church of Sudan. Province of Episcopal Church of Sudan
Op 29 oktober 2025, heeft het Centraal Comité de vertegenwoordigers van de VILD verwelkomd bij Holy Trinity anglicaanse kerk te Brussel. Wegens gebrek aan verwarming in de conferentiezaal moest de vergadering in een andere ruimte plaatsvinden.
Deze keer hebben de anglicanen de voorzitterschap. De kapelaan-president en secretaris-generaal hebben dat samen gedaan. Onder andere hebben wij gehoord voor de positieve vooruitgang van een aantal erkenningsdossiers van lokale geloofsgemeenschappen door de Vlaamse overheid. Er werd ook discussie rond opvolging van het onderzoek van de eredienstendecreet van 2004. Er kwam een verslag over levensbeschouwelijk onderwijs en een hoorzitting bij het Vlaams parlement een aantal weken geleden. Wij hebben ook kennis gemaakt met vertegenwoordigers van het Vlaams Mensenrechteninstituut VMRI en prestatie gehad over mensenrechten wat vrijheid van geloof betreft.
On 23 October, Charles III, King of the United Kingdom and Supreme Governor of the Church of England, made a State visit to Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican. For the first time, a British monarch did not just underscore warm diplomatic relations between the UK and the Vatican (as the late Queen Elizabeth II did several times), but participated in shared prayer - a sung service in the Sistine Chapel involving three major Anglican and Catholic choirs, concelebrated by the Pope and the Archbishop of York, and with Bishop Robert attending. The Central Committee rejoices at this public sign of reconciliation between the Catholic and Anglican Churches. The Chaplain-President was interviewed by VRT News on this visit.
King Charles and Queen Camilla land in Rome. © PA Wire/PA Images
On 20 October, the Chaplain-President was delighted to be one of the speakers at a Zoom evening for 36 enquirers interested in becoming Anglican clergy in Europe, organised by Canon William Gulliford, the diocese's Director of Ordinands. After a Bible-study led by Canon Clare Amos, there were contributions from experts on the synodical structures of the Church of England and on the dangers of narcissism in the clergy and how to identify and deal with that. Jack's contribution reprised his work from 2020-2022 as the diocese's LLF (Living in Love and Faith) advocate, encouraging parishes to debate and study the Church of England's latest report on equality for LGBT+ people.
From Wednesday 15th to Saturday 18th, the Second Secretary had the pleasure of attending and speaking at the Episcopal Church in Europe’s annual Convention and the Festival of Gathering 2025 .
The event took place at the Willem Kempf Haus in Wiesbaden, Germany and was attended by delegates from all of the churches and missions of the Episcopal Church in Europe. Members from partner organisations and churches were also present.
After a day of business sessions, the Festival of Gathering 2025 began, with the theme of becoming good stewards of God’s creation. A time of study, reflection, prayer, and connection, it was wonderful to hear from excellent speakers, including the Reverend Claes Hedström, Priest and Change Leader in Environment and Climate for the Church of Sweden, the Reverend Canon Dr. Rachel Mash, Environmental Coordinator, Anglican Church of Southern Africa, and the Reverend Lester Mackenzie, Chief of Mission Program in the Office of the Presiding Bishop and member of the Episciopal Church Delegation to COP 28. In the afternoons, participants could take part in workshops, including the one by the Second Secretary on ministry in multicultural teams.
A big thank you to the whole team of organisers and to Bishop Mark Eddington for the invitation. I was a wonderful opportunity to connect with people from across the Anglican Communion, and especially from the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe.
De secretaris-generaal en inspecteur-adviseur van anglicaans godsdienstonderwijs hebben deelgenomen op 16 oktober 2025 van een delegatie van de EI&V om verslag te brengen in het Vlaams parlement over levensbeschouwelijke vakken in het onderwijs. EI&V vertegenwoordigers hebben hun rapport gedaan in de aanwezigheid van minister van onderwijs Demir en politici van andere partijen. De voorzitter van de commissie heeft vragen en opmerkingen van de partijen verzameld en gaf wat tijd aan EI&V om antwoord te geven. Wat niet mogelijk was om te bespreken, zal schriftelijk worden opgevolgd. De EI&V heeft de uitnodiging gewaardeerd en de gedachtewisseling met de overheid en leden van het parlement. Hier is een link van de EI&V aan de leerkracht LBV over de hoorzitting.
On 12 October, the 110th anniversary to the day of the martyrdom of Edith Cavell in Brussels, the Chaplain-President was honoured to preach at a festal evensong in Norwich Cathedral, where Edith is buried. A very full congregation participated in a beautiful evensong, at the end of which everyone processed outside to Edith's grave to sing a hymn and receive the dean's blessing. Jack presented the cathedral with an Edith Cavell Award, one of six issued this year by the Central Committee to mark its 150th anniversary by recognising people and institutions distinguished by public service and sacrifice. The event was a fine tribute to the warm relations which exist between Belgium and Britain, and to the nobility of the sacrifice which Edith Cavell made, alongside her rejection of all jingoism and nationalism in favour of Christian forgiveness and love of neighbour.
On 11 October, the Chaplain-President and the Second Secretary attended the annual archdeaconry synod, comprising delegates from all the Anglican parishes in Benelux, traditionally held at the Oude Abdij in Drongen, near Gent. During the synod, a separate meeting for the parishes in Belgium and Luxembourg was held, during which the Central Committee presented its annual report to the parishes in video and printed forms. You can read the report here and watch the video here
Le 10 octobre, le chapelain-président était ravi de participer à la remise des diplômes de la FUTP Bruxelles dont il est professeur titulaire d'histoire moderne. Ce fut une soirée de triomphe pour les étudiants, notamment celles et ceux d'Afrique francophone, qui - ayant bravé des soucis administratifs et financiers pour étudier à Bruxelles - avaient finalement couronné leurs efforts de succès. L'ambiance dans la salle comble était à la liesse lors de la remise des diplômes aux étudiants en licence, en master et en divers certificats. Le Comité central est particulièrement heureux de voir sœur Julian (inspectrice des cours de religion anglicane en Flandre) et Balthazar Nahimana (aumônier de prison anglican) recevoir leurs certificats universitaires, dans le cas de Balthazar dans le cadre de sa formation pastorale au sein de l'Eglise épiscopale aux Etats-Unis.
The new year at Emouna Belgique / Emoena België began on 8 October with an introductory session at KU Leuven led by our friend Dr Wouter Biesbrouck. This year's group of interfaith students includes two Anglicans: the Revd Sarah-Jane King of St Martha and St Mary Leuven and Billie-Hanne Cretskens of Holy Trinity Brussels. The Central Committee and the Anglican Institute support to the maximum this important shared training initiative for leaders in the Catholic, Anglican, Protestant and Orthodox Churches, in Judaism, Islam and Buddhism and in the Vrijzinnigheid.
On Sunday 5 October 2025, the Chancellor of Holy Trinity Brussels helped to lead an ecumenical prayer service for the Climate in the House of Compassion. The Secretary-General was in attendance and joined the Christian Climate Action group on the march through Brussels. Archbishop Luc Terlinden and Bishop Lode Aerts were also in attendance.
What do we want? Climate justice!
When do we want it? Now!
