AGM
Every year the Society holds
an Annual General Meeting. So far these have been in London but
have been attended by members from all over Europe and from the
USA .
The meetings themselves are very
short. The usual reports are given and officers and committee
members are elected. The rest of the time is given over to consideration
of a special topic or theme.
The most recent was on Saturday
8th March, 2008 at St Matthew's Church, Westminster
The business meeting was quite
brief.
The new constitution was adopted.
The Co-Moderators reported that
the Society has continued to flourish in 2007. The website has
become established and receives frequent visits, and The Window,
which was published four times, has kept members in touch with
our own activities and events in the wider Anglican and Lutheran
worlds.
The Treasurer's report revealed
a surplus for the year of £1,454.
The Officers and Executive Committee
members were elected as follows:
Co-Moderators: The Rt Rev Rupert
Hoare (Anglican) and The Rev Tom Bruch (Lutheran)
Secretary: The Rev Roy Long
(Lutheran)
Treasurer: The Rev Canon Guy
Smith (Anglican)
Committee: Mrs Valerie Phillips
(Lutheran), Mrs Helen Harding (Anglican), The Rev Siggi Arnarson
(Lutheran), Canon Dick Lewis (Anglican), The Rev Jochen Dallas
(Lutheran), The Rev Patrick Irwin (Anglican)
Observer: Fr Phillip Swingler
(Roman Catholic)
The topic for the rest of the
day was a celebration of the Icelandic priest-poet, Hallgrimur
Petursson (1614-1674). His 'Passion Hymns', telling the story
of the passion of Christ, have provided Icelanders with spiritual
support during the most difficult times in their national and
personal history. They are read, all fifty of them, on Icelandic
State Radio during the season of Lent. The largest church in Reykjavik,
Hallgrimskirkja, is named in his honour.
The Icelandic Ambassador in
London, His Excellency Mr Sverrir Gunnlaugsson, under whose
patronage this part of the event took place, welcomed the large
audience.
Dr Einar Sigurbjornsson from
the University of Iceland described Hallgrimur's theology, his
place within the Lutheran tradition, and the spiritual importance
of the 'Passion Hymns'.
Dr Margret Eggertsdottir of
the Arni Magnusson Institute in Reykjavik spoke of his place
within the literary heritage both of Iceland and of Western
Europe as a whole.
The Rev Berhardur Gudmundsson
of the National Church of Iceland described the place and significance
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland among all the
other Churches of the world.
All three papers can be found
on our 'Papers and Publications' page. Just click here.
The day ended with a celebration of the Lord's
Supper according to the Icelandic Rite.
The 2007 AGM took place
on Saturday 10th March at the Finnish
Church, 33 Albion Street, Rotherhithe, London SE16 7HZ.
After reports from the officers
thanks were expressed to the Rt Rev Erik Vikström, Bishop
of Porvoo (Borga), Finland, who, after serving for 11 years,
had resigned as Co-President of the Society. In appreciation
of his enormous contribution he was made a Life Member of the
Anglican Lutheran Society,
a distinction he shares with Ronald Englund, a former Lutheran
Co-Moderator.
The meeting was delighted to
learn that the Rt Rev Jürgen Johannesdotter, Bishop of
Shaumburg-Lippe in Germany, had been invited to succeed Bishop
Erik, and his appointment was received with acclamation.
A full report of the meeting
appeared in the May 2007 issue of The Window.
The theme for the day was 'Touching
the Fringe', a consideration of some of the ways in which Anglican
and Lutheran congregations are trying to draw people on the edges
of the Church into a deeper relationship with Christ.
Bishop Erik in an excellent
paper reminded members that it is in the fringe areas, where
life is uncertain and risky, that the Holy Spirit seems to prefer
to work. Then, after lunch, the Rev Ian Mobsby, Priest Missioner
to the Moot Community and Associate Missioner to the Archbishops'
'Fresh
Expressions' team, described a number of ways in which Christian
congregations in England are engaging in mission by encouraging
new and different expressions of church life.
The day ended with a celebration
of the Finnish 'Thomas
Mass' at which members of the Society were joined by a group
of young people from Sweden
who had come to England with their Pastor, herself a member,
to find out about church life here.
In 2006, in Southwark Cathedral,
our meeting focused on the question, ‘Must ethical issues necessarily
be Church dividing?' The papers read by Kenneth
G. Appold of the Institute for Ecumenical Research, Strasbourg
and Jeremy Morris of Trinity Hall, Cambridge can be found
by clicking here .
In 2005, in the Swedish Church,
the life and achievements of Danish theologian, educationalist
and hymn writer Nicolai Grundtvig were introduced
and evaluated by Canon Donald Allchin and Professor Sid Bradley.
We also enjoyed singing a number of Grundtvig's hymns during our
worship together.
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