In late October I was greatly blessed to attend the annual meeting of the Compass Rose Society in London. The Compass Rose Society exists to support the ministry of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Consultative Council, and it does so in three particular ways: by raising funds, by supporting mission projects, and by building community. While at the CRS meeting, I began to envision the hope that I believe the Anglican Communion represents: a hope for a world in which vastly diverse groups of people can come together and find a place of fellowship and communion in Jesus Christ, through the work of the Holy Spirit.
At CRS, I was able to meet people whose work and witness embody the spirit of fellowship and communion. To name just a few of them: Bishop Daniel Gutiérrez, President of the Society; Bishop Anthony Poggo, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion; Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell; and the Archbishop of Canterbury designate, Dame Sarah Mullally. In addition to these were so many others who blessed me with their friendship, wisdom, laughter, and prayers; I am grateful to each and every one of them. In a world deeply divided, to come together in fellowship with sibling co-workers in Christ from across the globe is a powerful witness of the Gospel in action. Our witness came alive during a particularly compelling moment, when all in attendance came together to lay hands upon Bishop Poggo, to pray for him and for his very difficult and vital work in the Anglican Communion Office. It reminded me of how important it is that we pray for one another always, and support one another in our work in Christ.
Attending the CRS meeting was a reminder to me that in our Anglican tradition, we do not work or walk alone. We are to be always in fellowship, even—and perhaps especially—when that fellowship is complicated by difference. While I walked the halls of Lambeth Palace with some of these new friends, I was moved to see rows of portraits of former Archbishops of Canterbury. Surely these, too, labored and struggled with what it means to be in communion, and surely their prayers continue on our behalf today. I am deeply grateful to Dean Ian Markham and to the Center for Anglican Communion Studies (CACS) for sending me as the VTS student representative to the Compass Rose Society. I returned to VTS inspired, and with my heart gladdened by the work of the CRS and the witness of the Anglican Communion today.