Fall 2012 MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT DEAR FRIENDS, I have just returned to Canada after a wonderful series of meetings with the Compass Rose Society at Canterbury in the UK - my last as your president. Elsewhere in these pages, you will receive a full report of a rich and diverse meeting. Therefore, I propose to simply offer some snaps shots of our time on the grounds of Christ Church Cathedral, the mother church of the Anglican Communion. Hospitality at Canterbury Under the leadership of Dean Robert Willis, the staff at Canterbury offered us a radical brand of Christian hospitality, welcoming us warmly BISHOP JUSTIN WELBY into their lives. Dean Willis has a well-earned ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY DESIGNATE reputation for modeling a culture of “yes”, there- by offering pilgrims from around the world, a rich Editor’s Note: On November 9, CRS President Philip Poole sent this announcement an experience as possible. A couple of examples: in an email to the membership. It’s reprinted here in case you were not able to view it • If you ask Canterbury staff for directions… then. Above, Bishop Welby and his wife Caroline at Lambeth Palace. instead of simply pointing the way, they ac- company you to your destination; As many of you may know by now, the announcement of the • When the central photocopier broke down selection of the new Archbishop of Canterbury has been made in London preparing all the documents needed for our today. The Right Reverend Justin Welby, currently Bishop of Durham, AGM… instead of throwing up their hands in has been appointed by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II to serve the despair and sending us to a local commercial Anglican Communion as its senior bishop, with the titles of Primate of outlet, the staff took our documents to other offices in the Cathedral Close to have them All England and Bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. reproduced - all with a smile; After the 2011 Annual General Meeting, members of the Compass • Saturday night prior to the liturgies of Sunday (a Rose Society were fortunate to meet Justin Welby (story here http://bit. time when most clergy seek some down time) ly/bpwelbyinterview) and his wife, Caroline when we visited Liverpool …Dean Willis graciously Cathedral. The Welbys were extremely gracious and informative hosts. led us on a candlelight Please go to http://bit.ly/Ur3I5v to access our Fall 2011 Communicator pilgrimage of the Cathedral newsletter, where we featured this visit, including some pictures of beginning at 8:30 p.m.! He Liverpool Cathedral and a picture of then Dean Welby celebrating a began by welcoming all of Eucharist for his Compass Rose Society visitors. us to “your” Cathedral. We look forward to continuing to support the Archbishop of It takes a lot of effort to Canterbury’s outreach ministries around this worldwide Anglican develop a culture of“yes” in a Communion and wish our new archbishop and his family every Continued on page 7 blessing as he begins his new ministry. 1 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2012 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING By The Rev. Terry Noble The 2012 Annual General Meeting of the Compass Rose The emotional highlight of the meetings came that evening Society began on the afternoon of Friday, October 5th with an as members sat in Canterbury Cathedral during Evensong on address by Bishop Philip Poole, who steps down this year as Friday evening, awaiting an anthem commissioned to honour Society president. Bishop Poole thanked the Society for the Archbishop Williams. When Society board member, Marshal opportunity to experience so much of the Anglican Commu- McReal first approached composer Peter Hallock to write nion during his tenure. He noted that as a child of an Anglican music to honor the archbishop, Hallock was uncertain of the rector, he never imagined that such an opportunity would be task but agreed to read some of Dr. Williams’ poetry. McReal his. Bishop Poole told members that Dr.Williams had asked for checked in with Hallock some time later to see if the “muse no personal gifts to be given as he ends his term as Archbishop had struck”. Dr. Hallock responded that “the Muse was with of Canterbury. Instead, a scholarship has been set up to fund the archbishop when he wrote Advent Calendar” and said that those who otherwise could not go on Communion visits that he was beginning to hear a French horn as music started to the Society makes annually. come to him. Bishop Poole addresses the Society Secretary General the Rev. Canon Archbishop Williams answered The Rev. Canon Nicholas Wheeler for the final time as its president Kenneth Kearon discussed questions from the membership addressed the meeting and described the state of the Communion his work in the City of God neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Canon Society members heard that French horn sound with distant Kenneth Kearon, explained to members that he believes the immediacy in the immense space of the Canterbury quire as Communion has moved from being simply divided in two parts the choristers of the Cathedral, under the direction of Dr. David to having a broad middle, with extremes on both sides. Canon Flood, began to sing Archbishop Williams’ poem set to Dr. Kearon described those in the broad middle as being a very Hallock’s music. The words and music combined to create a diverse group whose common attribute is the ability to powerful sense of the expectant nature of Advent. The words acknowledge that those with whom they disagree are also of a Welsh poet, set to American music and sung by an English fellow Christians of integrity. choir, provided a fitting tribute to the service Archbishop Members heard that the Board of Directors has elected the Williams has given to our worldwide Communion. Rev. Canon John Peterson to succeed Bishop Poole as president Members reassembled on Saturday morning and heard of the Society, effective January 1, 2013 (article below.). Canon Fr. Nicholas Wheeler speak of his ministry in the City of God Peterson was instrumental in establishing the Society while he district of Rio de Janeiro. Members of the Society traveled to was Secretary General. Brazil in April 2011 and saw first-hand the results of Fr. Wheeler’s Archbishop Rowan Williams joined the meeting to take part focus on Missio Dei in this troubled yet vibrant community. Fr. in his annual question and answer session with members. He Wheeler’s address was an opportunity for a larger number of spoke with particular candor in answering questions that covered members to hear how the Anglican Church has created space topics such as: his proudest accomplishment; most difficult crisis; for both worship and a number of important community initiatives, the viability of requiring the Archbishop to fulfill multiple roles including a health project, psychotherapy, music education simultaneously; and what he is most looking forward to in his and a women’s group dedicated to peace initiatives. future. Archbishop Williams’ own pain was evident when he The meetings were concluded on Saturday evening with the spoke of the cost to others of some of the decisions that were spiritually-rich experience of a candlelight pilgrimage through made during his tenure. Canterbury Cathedral, led by Dean Robert Willis. Members 2 started at the front doors and moved through the cathedral while being led through the prayers of Compline. At the Chair of St. Augustine, Dean Willis explained that during the service which marks the retirement of each Archbishop Advent Calendar of Canterbury, the Archbishop’s pastoral staff is returned to him to be passed to He will come like last fall’s leaf fall. the incoming Archbishop. One night when the November wind Dean Willis noted that some archbishops hand the staff over with some has flayed the trees to the bone, reluctance, whereas others seem quite prepared to relinquish it. We members and earth wakes choking on the mould, of the Society left Canterbury with some reluctance, but encouraged by our the soft shroud’s folding. time spent together there. He will come like frost. One morning when the shrinking earth opens on mist, to find itself arrested in the net of alien, sword-set beauty. He will come like dark. One evening when the bursting red December sun draws up the sheet and penny-masks its eye to yield the star-snowed fields of sky. He will come, will come, will come like crying in the night, like blood, like breaking, as the earth writhes to toss him free. He will come like child. © Rowan Williams Evensong at Canterbury Cathedral featured the premier of Peter Hallock’s anthem “Advent Calendar,” a gift from the Society to Archbishop Williams. NOTES FROM ASIAPAC Before Today, Beyond Tomorrow By Alice Wu When I first heard about an academic conference, held just once been perhaps the largest diocese in the world” became the this past summer, was in the works from The Rev. Professor Philip smallest, and only on the periphery of a “New China.” L. Wickeri, Professor of Church History at the Hong Kong Sheng We are talking about the last Chinese century still suffering Kung Hui Ming Hua Theological College (Ming Hua) and Advisor from the aftermath of the Opium Wars, the First Sino-Japanese to the Archbishop Dr. Paul Kwong (a Compass Rose Society War, and Boxer Rebellion; began with the end of Imperial China member) on Theological and Historical Studies, I was “surprised.” with Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s 1911 Revolution, and spanned over the I was “surprised” because what the organizers— Hong Kong chaos of a self-proclaimed Emperor and Dr.