On the 3rd and 5th August, the second round of Lambeth Conference Bishop’s Conversations will begin. Meeting online, in groups of around 20 bishops from different provinces, the sessions incorporate time for prayer, Bible study and discussion.

The second session is called ‘Called to Hope and Holiness’ and will focus on ‘Proclaiming Good News’.

Bishops from around the Anglican Communion will be encouraged to share what Proclaiming the Gospel looks like in their setting.

Some bishops from around the world have shared some of their reflections in a short film or article that accompanies the session.

Bishop Pradeep Samantaroy shares how during the Pandemic, proclaiming the good news involved rooftop services, so that his community could meet for worship together, but socially distanced on the safety of their own rooftop.

‘We were cut off from each other, which had a tremendous emotional impact on people. And so we began looking for the ways and means to reach out to people. We thought, “if we are not able to go to the church, could we bring the church to the people?”’

‘As people were free to use the space in their own homes and most of the Indian houses in Punjab had flat roofs, the idea of rooftop services was born.’

Bishop Shehata from Egypt shares how the church in Cathedrals in Cairo and Alexandria have developed cultural centres where Muslims and Christians can gather to dialogue, learn from and listen to one another.

Bishop Mary Gibson from Montreal shares how the pandemic has shown the church new ways of working and opened people’s eyes to those in need right outside their doors.

Archbishop Kay shared that the work of reconciliation with the indigenous people of Australia and how to reach out to the next generation with the gospel are important priorities in her area.

As the bishops gather for the August 2021 conversations – one of the discussion questions will be: What does it mean to proclaim the good news in word and action in your setting?

Find out more about the August theme

To view all of the articles and film for August visit our Bishops’ Conversations journey page here.

With thanks to our contributors:
Bishop Mary Irwin Gibson, Diocese of Montreal, Canada; Bishop Pradeep Samantaroy, Diocese of Amritsar, North India; Archbishop Kay Goldsworthy, Perth, Australia; Archbishop Samy Fawzy Shehata, Archbishop of the Episcopal / Anglican Province of Alexandria and Diocesan Bishop of Egypt; Samson Ram, Former Diocesan Youth Secretary and President, Amritsar, North India.