Meeting of the St Anne's Network on 22 October 2007

Present; Hugh Dawes (PCN), Mary Robbins (I/C), Ruth McCurry (GRAS), Giles Goddard (I/C), Colin Coward (CA), Brenda Harrison (I/C), Clare Herbert (I/C) Chair, Christian Rees (WATCH), Jeremy Marks (Courage), Savi Hensman (LGCM), Tina Beardsley (Clergy Consultation).

Apologies: Paul Collier, Chris Newlands, Barry Norris, Richard Jenkins.

Hopes for Lambeth

Claire invited all present to offer their hopes for the work of IC at the Lambeth Conference.

• Communicate God's inclusivity - by LIVING it there

• Be taken seriously so that people have to explain why they may NOT be inclusive

• Clear communication about why JUSTICE matters theologically

• To include transgendered from all continents

• All is not `given' - encourage those participants who agree that the Christian faith is in process; remember that some will be PLEASED that we are there!

• Express the commonality of the theology behind the issues that we are presenting

• Managing our differences - wide range of groups present means differences can be sharply felt

• Building relationships across difference, including the radically different

• To have a brilliant stall

Fears for Lambeth

• That we do not sufficiently model inclusion (eg women, ethnicity, disability)

• That we be seen as the subverting the actual agenda of the Conference itself

• That we forget to be broad church, not truly allowing others to have their own agenda

• That our presence becomes a smokescreen used by the hierarchy to look inclusive of difference, when the real pain of exclusion is glossed over by them

• Divisions among us about the dilemmas of being `tamed', promised rewards for `good behaviour' versus rebellious and "untamed”

• How to raise enough money

• Women won't register on the agenda, fear that competition between us will win out over support

• How we will hang together as a network

• That people won't be with us on our large stall

• Fragmentation, which we feel in our very bodies and minds.

• That we won't achieve our task - is it too big?

2. Matters arising

Giles will bring terms of reference to the next meeting

3 Meeting with Integrity on 16 October

Notes had been circulated in advance.

Identified need for a strapline and logo. After some discussion, suggestion of `Proclaiming God's Unity, Living God's Love'. Christina suggested a logo as an example of unity in diversity;

Action. The text of this strapline to be circulated to all groups for comments. Brenda

Some groups which have their own stalls - and there are now many, MCU, WATCH and GRAS, PCN, LGCM, AFF CATH and SCP,should also perhaps think about having not only literature but also personnel and funding - even nominal - for the IC stall. While accepting the painful reality that autonomous organisations wanted to work in an autonomous way while also supporting the IC stall and fringe it felt important that we start to put some flesh on what the "both/and” position might look like in practice. If we don't flesh that out or it might be very hard or impossible for IC to act and look inclusive and fall by default into a "gay agenda” stall. We thought it particularly important that

- organisations take very seriously sending someone to speak at each St Anne's network meeting so that there is less chance of working in s divided way

- having a joint logo and very strong visuals so that a commonality of belonging stretch across all stalls (possibly windmill idea - liaise with Christina)

- IC work for those smaller groups which may need more support from us to witness well at Lambeth

- we share supporting the stall, info re fringe events , media centre , newspaper, liturgies and some funding.

4 Urgent Decisions

Fringe meetings - Clare reported from a meeting with David Craig, that 24 July will now be the Bishops' London Day, so programme listed for 24-29 July will be rescheduled a day later.(At least that is the idea at this stage in the planning) Fringe events will be free of charge in parts of the campus booked for the conference (though all hospitality, technology etc of course will need paying for). Sites off campus - like the Franciscan centre and International Centre - still need to go through David if they are to be part of the official fringe (and therefore advertised in the main conference booklet. It would be helpful to know to know as soon as possible what fringe events member groups hope to put on and David Craig will be glad to know by the end of the year (though he expects bookings to come in after that time too), and to book rooms.

Brenda to circulate a spreadsheet to make this easier.

Media Centre - Colin reported that a CA member has offered to set up the broadband connections at the Communications/Media Centre. We hope that all groups might want to use this centre for daily briefings, meetings and perhaps shared prayer and support?

Accommodation - We still have the option of extra accommodation for our participants in addition to the 30 bed-spaces booked. Please would partner groups let Brenda know by the end of November which of these spaces they would like to fill?. Brenda will maintain list of requests.

Action Brenda & Partner Groups

Budget - A preliminary budget had been circulated previously created at the meeting with Integrity. If we do not need to pay so much for hire of fringe event rooms, we will save a significant amount on the budget. As several groups have now booked their own stalls, the cost of the I/C stall falls more heavily on those directly using it with perhaps some help from partners. Expect that groups using the Media Centre will share in the cost of running it.

Giles, Clare and Brenda to bring a new suggested budget and costs to the next meeting

5 Other decisions

At the meeting with Integrity we had discussed our aims for Lambeth which were in this meeting amended to

Aims of Inclusive Church working through the St Anne's Network for Lambeth 2008

1) To offer a presence which bears witness to the equal value of all people, and which works towards their inclusion in all areas of ministry in the Anglican Communion, regardless of ethnicity, caste, gender and sexual orientation

2) To demonstrate being inclusive with one another where we may have differences which divide us

Must encourage people to look at the website for regular updates; press release about the new site can be issued to coincide with Drenched in Grace.

Giles to prepare and send to Christina for comment.

Tina was pleased to be at this meeting but cannot speak for the Clergy Consultation itself. She will take information back for discussion.

Adrian (PCN) is working on booklet as discussed previously. Jeremy hopes to write an article (or chapter in the book?) from an evangelical perspective. Jeremy asked us to take very seriously the claim which would be made by conservative evangelicals that the Gospel offers an exclusive and not an inclusive message and that we ought to equip ourselves to be able to make a serious response to this challenge.

Colin urged the groups to proactively consider who they might bring from other provinces, so that we model inclusivity across the Communion and hear other voices.

Meeting rooms to be booked at St Anne's for 2008, on the third Monday of each month where possible.

Action Clare

Next meetings: 19 November

17 December