From 9 June, following negotiation between the Ministry of Justice and the Recognised Religions and Laïcité/Vrijzinnigheid, in-person worship inside churches, synagogues, mosques and temples will become possible for up to 100 people masked and spaced 1.5m apart, with outside worship possible for up to 200 people masked and spaced 1.5m apart. The full details can be seen in the interfaith National Protocols (indoors, NL and FR, and outdoors, FR and NL). There is also an Explanatory Document from the Central Committee, which can be seen here. The Anglican parishes may now prepare new parish protocols to show how these rules would work in their own buildings. This is real progress along the road to an exit from the pandemic and we are grateful for it!
Vaccination campaign in the Brussels Region
Meeting of the Federale Interlevensbeschouwelijke Dialoog/Dialogue Interconvictionnel Fédéral
The Central Committee is a member of two official governmental dialogues: the Dialoograad/Conseil de Dialogue, which brings together the federal government (normally the Prime Minister and/or the Minister of Justice) and the Recognised Religions and Laïcité/Vrijzinnigheid, and the VILD (Vlaamse Interlevensbeschouwelijke Dialoog) which brings together the Flemish regional government and the Recognised Religions and Laïcité/Vrijzinnigheid. There is also an informal gathering called the FIDIF (Federale Interlevensbeschouwelijke Dialoog/Dialogue Interconvictionnel Fédéral), at which the Recognised Religions and Laïcité/Vrijzinnigheid meet with representatives from the Ministry of Justice to prepare projects of mutual interest. On 3rd June, the Chaplain-President and Secretary attended a treams meeting of the FIDIF to discuss several matters including the preparation of a major conference on the theme of reactions to the covid pandemic from the point of view of the lifestances.
Finalising the National Protocol for indoor worship
On 2nd June, the Chaplain-President and Secretary spent the afternoon and early evening in a zoom meeting with the Ministry of Justice and the other Recognised Religions discussing and putting the finishing touches to the new National Protocol for indoor worship, valid for all the Recognised Religions and Laïcité/Vrijzinnigheid after the expected partial relaxation of the emergency covid measures from 9 June. The Central Committee will be in touch with parishes very soon about the details of the National Protocol.
Recognised religions meet with cabinet Somers
On 2nd June the Recognised religions met members of the cabinet of Minister Somers to discuss the draft decree for recognition of congregations. As always, the meeting happened in a respectful and jovial atmosphere, though the Recognised religions did raise several concerns concerning the draft text. Ministers will be discussing the text this Friday.
Holy Trinity Francophone leadership discusses LLF
On 31 May, the Chaplain-President joined the French-speaking leadership of Holy Trinity Brussels (Reverends John Wilkinson, Jean-Bosco Turahirwa and Charles Kabera, Mrs Grace West and Mr Eric Sibomana) to discuss ways in which the Church of England report Living in Love and Faith ("LLF": Living in Love and Faith | The Church of England) could be discussed in the large Francophone African community in the parish.
Increased role for the Central Committee in managing State stipends
On 1st June, the Chaplain-President and Secretary attended the first in a series of weekly meetings and workshops at the Ministry of Justice to learn the skills required to use the new computer programme from later this year at the Ministry of Justice for the payment of traitements/wedden to ministers/officiants of the Recognised Religions and Laïcité/Vrijzinnigheid. The creation and supervision of the dossiers for each minister will be devolved to the Central Committee. Pay-levels will remain exactly as before!
VILD meeting
On 21st May the Interlife stance dialogue (VILD) met to discuss the present Covid-19 stituation, the new draft decree of the recoginition of faith communities in Flanders, and the position of LGBTQIA+ people within the recognised religions. Also, the mandates of the working groups for poverty and the spiritual caregivers were renewed.
Christian churches in Belgium meet
The Concertation of Christian Churchers in Belgium met on 5th May to discus news for the member churches, and to organise future ecumenical activities and services.
New Archdeacon
Sam Van Leer, the Associate Chaplain in Utrecht (The Netherlands) has been appointed as the new Archdeacon of Northwestern Europe. Sam was already the interim Archdeacon after the resignation of Paul Vrolijk in November. We wish Sam all the best in his role.
Prison chaplains meet
For the first time since last summer, the full Anglican prison chaplains team (Prisons — Central Committee Anglican Church Belgium (centralanglican.be)) was able to meet with the Chaplain-President and Secretary on 27 May at Holy Trinity Brussels, observing all distancing and hygiene measures. In a full agenda, we had Bible study on the Ascension, followed by a full tour de table from the chaplains, speaking of their experiences in the prisons during the pandemic, then some points of administration before closing prayer.
New faces on the Central Committee
We are delighted to announce the appointment by the Minister of Justice of Mr Eric Sibomana as a Member of the Central Committee. Eric is the first member of the Central Committee to be born in Rwanda, and he brings a deep experience of Francophone Anglicanism into our counsels. He works as one of our wonderful team of stipendiary Anglican prison chaplains in Belgium. We also welcome as Observers on the Central Committee, appointed by the Chaplain-President, the Revd Sunny Hallanan and the Revd Augustine Nwaekwe. Sunny is the rector of All Saints' Waterloo (as well as of Mons, Charleroi and Namur) and Augustine the chaplain of the English Church Ostend (as well as of Knokke, Bruges and Kortrijk). They bring their vast experience of American and Nigerian Anglicanism to our deliberations. Chaplain-President Jack, Vice-President Stephen and Secretary Jo Jan welcome them with great pleasure and look forward to our first meeting in person soon.
#IDAHOBIT2021
On 17th May, International Day Against Homo- Bi- and Transphobia, the Chaplain-President and the Secretary joined the other heads of the recognised life stances and Buddhism and representatives of all Flemish political parties except one at the Flemish Parliament for the official signing of a charter (NL) calling for an end to discrimination and of homophobic harrasment and violence. The life stances commit to being a “safe haven” for all.
Meeting with Minister Somers
On Monday 10th May, the heads of the recognised religions met online with Mr Bart Somers, Flemish Minister of internal affairs, societal cohesion, and equal opportunities. This meeting was part of the regular contacts between the reconised religions and Mr Somers and his cabinet. On the agenda were the draft decree on recognitions, the fight against homophobia, and the current Covid-crisis.
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
New rules for outdoor worship
Following the national Covid vaccination campaign, the Recognised Religions and the Ministry of Justice have been discussing a new protocol to allow outdoor worship in Belgium. Mr Van Quickenborne, the Minister of Justice, desired that all the Recognised Religions and the Vrijzinnigheid/Laïcité should produce a common text - and this has given us all a great opportunity to welcome Mr Carlo Luyckx, president of the Buddhist Union of Belgium, to our deliberations, since Buddhism is now very close to achieving full legal recognition: https://justitie.belgium.be/nl/themas_en_dossiers/erediensten_en_vrijzinnigheid/erediensten_en_georganiseerde_vrijzinnigheid We therefore have two protocols for worship. The NAP#11 for indoor worship (the full text will be published next week) and the NP#1 for outdoor worship (the FR and NL texts are here). We hope to announce further relaxations to the indoor protocol in June.
Covid-19: Calendar for future steps discussed
On Friday 23rd April representatives of the recognised life stances met with representatives of the Ministry of Justice to discuss future steps in the Corona-pandemic. The meeting was chaired by Mr Abderrazak EL-Omari, aid to the Minister of Justice for the religions and humanism. Draft plans were discussed for in- and outdoor worship in the coming months.
Recognised religions and Flemish Parliament meet
On Thursday 22nd April the representatives of the reconised life stances were invited by MR Lorin Parys, MFP, to discuss a joint stance against homophobia. It was a cross-party meeting and representatives from the Walloon and Brussels Capital Region were present as well. A joint statement will be prepared condemning discrimination and violence against LGBTQIA+ people in time for the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia on 17th May.
In Memoriam
On 30th March 2021, our friend and colleague Brian Millson passed away. For many years Brian was the assistant-priest at St Boniface Antwerp and the chaplain for the Mission to Seaferers. We hold Brian’s family and loved ones in our prayers. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.
In Memoriam
Zalig Pasen - Joyeuses Pâques - Frohes Ostern - Happy Easter
The Central Committee wishes everyone, Anglican and non-Anglican, a very joyful Easter Season. The season runs until Pentecost on 23rd May.