On 11 November, the Chaplain-President was honoured to represent the Anglican Church in Belgium at the National Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Burial of the Unknown Soldier at the Colonne du Congrès in Brussels, in the presence of HM the King.
The Central Committee in front of a screen...
The work of the Central Committee is diverse and varied, as this news page illustrates. But occasionally, like lots of people post-pandemic, we find ourselves stuck in front of a computer-screen all day! On 9 November, the Chaplain-President spent literally 9 hours in zooms, first on a training-day for Bishops' Reviewers (inspectors of Church of England theological colleges and courses), then at a meeting of the Collège des Professeurs at FUTP Bruxelles.
Discussion with British Embassy on Belgian Prison Policy
On 25 October, the Chaplain-President and Second Secretary met Mr Jonathan Mayers, a diplomat at the British Embassy in Brussels and an expert on political and religious radicalisation, to discuss Belgian prison policy, anti-radicalisation, and the role of prison chaplains in this important work. An excellent discussion was had, and we intend to invite Mr Mayers to our next Anglican Prison Chaplains' training-day at HTB.
African Political Theologies conference at KU Leuven
On 3 November, the Chaplain-President attended a conference at KU Leuven on African Political Theologies, accompanied by one of his PhD students, Nathan Ngoy, who is preparing a thesis on the cultural impact of European Protestant missions in Congo (African Political Theologies. Mapping and Constructing a Contested Field - Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies (kuleuven.be) ). This conference continued the work of the recent seminal conference of FUTP Bruxelles on Afropéanité, at which the Chaplain-President also participated (Afropéanité : retour sur un colloque fondateur à Bruxelles – Regards protestants ).
Visit to Lambeth Palace
On 4 November, the Chaplain-President visited Lambeth Palace, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury directly across the Thames from the Houses of Parliament in London, to meet Dr Malcolm Brown (director of Faith and Public Life, Church of England) and Dr Charles Reed (International Affairs adviser, Church of England) for discussion about the future of the UK's relationship with the EU, and the ways in which the Anglican Church can foster unity and friendship in that relationship.
Vlaams Interlevensbeschouwelijke dialoog
Op 28 oktober namen leden het Centraal Comité deel van de laatste vergadering van de Vlaams Interlevenbeschouwelijke Dialoog (VILD) onder de voorzitterschap van de orthodoxe kerk in België. In het bijzonder ging het over de beroepskwalificatie procedure voor spirituele- en levensbeschouwelijke-zorgverleners; een uitnodiging aan de onderzoekers van het Soligion project van UAntwerpen; stand van zaken over de VILD verklaring rond seksuele diversiteit; en de stand van zaken rond de erkenning van lokale levensbeschouwelijke gemeenschappen.
Prison Chaplains' Ecumenical Training
The Central Committee organises its own training, supervision and support for our Prison Chaplains team, but we were pleased to be invited to the Journée de formation nationale de l'Aumônerie protestante et évangélique des Etablissements fermés in Rhode-Saint-Genèse on 22 October. Mr Egbert van Groesen and Mrs Grace West were unable to attend, but the Chaplain-President, the Secretary-General, Mr Eric Sibomana and the Revd Charles Kabera were present to share with our Evangelical colleagues for the day.
The Chaplain-President and Secretary-General appointed to diocesan posts
The Central Committee's scope extends further than its office in Holy Trinity Brussels! Bishop Robert announced this week (New posts in Belgium will benefit diocese - Latest News (anglican.org) ) new part-time posts for the Chaplain-President (as Bishop Robert's Adviser for EU Affairs) and for the Secretary-General (as Diocesan Coordinator for Youth Networks). We rejoice at the confidence shown in the Central Committee by the Diocese in Europe through these appointments.
Conference on Afropéanité et Conditions Féminines
On 19 and 20 October, the Chaplain-President, who is Professor of History there, was privileged and delighted to participate in an international conference organised by FUTP Bruxelles on the life and witness of African-European women ( Colloque inaugural du CARES | FUTP ). The first day of the conference was held in the magnificent Hôtel de Ville in Brussels, the second day in the Senghor cultural centre in Etterbeek near the European Parliament. A particular and moving privilege was the conferral of honorary doctorates on the Franco-Cameroonian author Léonora Miano and the Congolese doctor and Nobel prize winner Denis Mukwege. This event was reported in the press here: Leonora Miano et Denis Mukwege honorés à Bruxelles – Regards protestants
Conference of European Churches
On 12 October, while the Secretary-General and the Second Secretary were at the first session of the Emouna course ( Emouna Be – Emouna Be Formation Sciences Po Paris Ministres du Culte ), the Chaplain-President was delighted to pay his respects to the staff of the Conference of European Churches in the European quarter of Brussels (CEC (ceceurope.org) ). He met the General Secretary (Dr Jorgen Sorensen) and the Executive Secretary (Ms Katerina Pekridou) to discuss matters of mutual concern and interest.
The Central Committee at the Benelux Archdeaconry Synod
From 29 September to 1 October, the Central Committee was present in its entirety at the archdeaconry synod held in the Oude Abdij Drongen. The Chaplain-President, the new Secretary-General, the Second Secretary and M. Eric Sibomana were all present throughout, as were the Prison Chaplains and the Inspector-Advisor for Religious Education, for whose work the Central Committee is responsible. The atmosphere was convivial and supportive, as a variety of pressing post-pandemic concerns were debated. The synod based itself around regular worship in the abbey chapel.
Het Centraal Comité met volle kracht
Vanaf 1 oktober 2022 heeft het Centraal Comité een nieuwe lid. Kanunnik Stephen Murray wordt Secretaris-Generaal als opvolger van EH Jo Jan Vandenheede die in juli heeft gestopt. Stephen brengt administratieve en pastorale ervaring door 11 jaar als kapelaan van de anglicaanse parochie te Gent en als regio deken van België en Luxembourg. Hartelijk welkom! Het bureau van het Centraal Comité is nu volledig met kapelaan-voorzitter Jack McDonald, secretaris-generaal Stephen Murray, en 2de secretaris Charles Melebeek.
Le Comité Central à plein régime !
Depuis le 1er octobre 2022, le Comité Central compte un nouveau membre : le Rév. Chanoine Stephen Murray occupe désormais le poste de Secrétaire-Général en lieu et place de Jo Jan Vandenheede qui a quitté ses fonctions en juillet de cette année. Stephen fera profiter le Comité Central de ses grandes compétences pastorales et administratives développées durant onze ans en la paroisse anglicane de Gand et en tant que Doyen de Secteur (Area Dean). Bienvenue à lui ! Dorénavant, le Comité Central fonctionne donc à pleine capacité avec Jack McDonald en tant que Chapelain-Président ; Stephen Murray comme Secrétaire-Général et Charles Melebeck au poste de Deuxième-Secrétaire.
The Central Committee at full strength
From 1 October 2022, the Central Committee welcomed a new member: the Revd Canon Stephen Murray is the new Secretary-General, succeeding the Revd Jo Jan Vandenheede, who left us in July. Stephen will benefit the Central Committee with the pastoral and administrative skills he developed over 11 years as Chaplain of St John's Gent and as Area Dean for Belgium and Luxembourg. We welcome him warmly! The Central Committee Secretariat is now at full strength, with Jack McDonald as Chaplain-President, Stephen Murray as Secretary-General and Charles Melebeck as Second Secretary.
Le Christianisme dialogue avec le Judaïsme
Sur invitation de l’O.C.J.B. (Organe de Consultation entre Chrétiens et Juifs de Belgique), le Chapelain-Président et le Deuxième Secrétaire se sont réunis en la Grande Synagogue de Bruxelles avec les chefs des cultes chrétiens reconnus en Belgique, invités par Me Philippe Markiewicz, le chef du culte israélite, autour d’une conférence donnée par le Professeur Didier Pollefeyt (KU Leuven) qui a brillamment présenté son ouvrage "Ethics and Theology After the Holocaust". Celle-ci fut suivie d’un dîner.
Opening academiejaar ETF Leuven
On 26 September, the Chaplain-President represented the Anglican Church at the new academic year ceremonies of ETF Leuven, Belgium's Evangelical theological faculty. Prof Jelle Creemers gave a fascinating lecture on the origins of the existence of two parallel Protestant-Evangelical organes représentatifs, the EPUB and the Synode Fédéral. The Anglican Church has since 1870 been separate in Belgian law from the Protestant-Evangelical Churches and its organe représentatif, the Comité Central Anglican, is similarly distinct and separate. The ceremony was followed by a fine reception.
Fête de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles
On 27 September, the Chaplain-President was honoured to attend the fête de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles held in the Hôtel de Ville in Brussels. In addition to three remarkable speeches from Philippe Close, Rudy Demotte and Pierre-Yves Jeholet - which acknowledged the economic difficulties facing Belgium today, as well as the need to counteract the rise of neofascist populism - the Chaplain-President was especially pleased to speak at length to the Ukrainian chargée d'affaires, Dr Natalia Anoshyna.
Fidif at Holy Trinity
On 22 September, the Anglicans hosted a meeting of the Fidif (Federale Interlevensbeschouwelijke Dialoog-Dialogue Interconvictionnel Fédéral), the informal meeting of the chefs de culte which prepares for the formal Dialoograad-Conseil de Dialogue between the Belgian Government and the Recognised Convictions.
LN24
On 19 September, before he attended the special event at the British Embassy (see news-item on 20 September below), the Chaplain-President was honoured to represent the Anglican Church on the popular Belgian TV channel LN24. He first took part in a round table to discuss the differences between Anglicanism and Catholicism; he was then part of a team which commentated the funeral of Queen Elizabeth.
Saint-Esprit, Mons
On 18 September, the Chaplain-President was delighted to preach at the Episcopal Church of Saint-Esprit, Mons, which is a daughter mission of All Saints' Waterloo. Saint-Esprit offers a particular welcome to the large Burundian community in Mons, and the mission is exclusively French-speaking. The service, presided by the Revd Sunny Hallanan, was followed by a delicious Burundian-cuisine meal.
Réception de rentrée du parti Ecolo
Le 14 septembre, le Deuxième Secrétaire a pris part à la réception de rentrée du parti Ecolo qui se déroulait dans les locaux du Parlement de la Région Bruxelles-Capitale. L’événement fut l’occasion de nouer des contacts avec les responsables politiques et d’échanger au sujet de l’actualité environnementale et ses liens avec la religion chrétienne.
Memorial Service for HM Queen Elizabeth II
On 17 September, Holy Trinity Brussels organized a choral service to pay tribute to the life of dedication and service of Queen Elizabeth. This service was led by Bishop Robert and was honoured by the presence of the ambassadors of the United Kingdom, Canada and Jamaica, the consul-general of Australia, representatives of the Belgian Ministry of Justice, as well as of the presidents of Belgian Judaism and Buddhism. Bishop Robert's sermon may be read here: Memorial Service for Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - Latest News (anglican.org) At the end of the service, God save the King and the Brabançonne were both sung.
