Gafcon gives thanks for Sydney Synod formally welcoming the Abuja Affirmation
From Gafcon:
“Praise God that this week the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney, Australia passed a motion formally welcoming the Abuja Affirmation and giving thanks for the reordering of the Anglican Communion as the Global Anglican Communion.
We rejoice in the Synod’s recognition of Sydney’s ‘joyful partnership with the Global Anglican Communion’, flowing from its longstanding partnership with Gafcon since the lead-up to Jerusalem 2008, its commitment to the Jerusalem Declaration, and its practice of principled disengagement from the Canterbury Instruments of Communion.
Please pray for The Most Revd Kanishka Raffel, Archbishop of Sydney and Metropolitan of New South Wales, as he serves as a member of the Global Anglican Council. Pray for wisdom and faithfulness at this significant moment in the establishment of the Global Anglican Communion, strengthening faithful Anglicans and advancing the proclamation of Christ throughout the world.”
– Source. Photo: SydneyAnglicans.net.
Related: The Abuja Affirmation.
Dr Manasseh Gahima Elected Archbishop of Rwanda
Dr Laurent Mbanda, Chairman of the Global Anglican Council, writes:
“Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
On behalf of the Global Anglican Council, I am delighted to congratulate The Rt Revd Dr Manasseh Gahima, Bishop of Gahini, on his election as the next Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church of Rwanda.
It was my privilege to preside at his enthronement as Bishop of Gahini in 2019, and I know him to be a faithful servant of Jesus Christ, a man committed to the authority of God’s Word, with a heart for the mission of his Church.
Archbishop-elect Manasseh brings rich experience to this new responsibility. Before entering full-time church ministry, he served in education and local government, later taking up senior responsibilities within the Diocese of Gahini.
He was consecrated a bishop in 2017 and has served as Bishop of Gahini since 2019. Together with his wife, Rose, he has raised a family of eight children.
Many of you will already know Manasseh from his plenary addresses at G25 in Plano and G26 in Abuja, where he contributed to our thinking about the resources and structures needed to strengthen our shared life and mission.
As Archbishop and Primate, he will now represent Rwanda on the Global Anglican Council, sharing in the conciliar leadership of our Global Anglican Communion.
Rwanda has played an important role in Gafcon from its beginning, and I rejoice that this will continue under Manasseh’s leadership.
As I prepare to conclude my own service as Archbishop, I am deeply thankful to God that this responsibility will pass to a brother whom I know, love and trust.
I look forward to continuing to serve alongside Manasseh in our wider global family, as I continue as Chairman of the Global Anglican Council through to GAFCON V, our next Global Anglicans Assembly in Athens in April 2028.
Please join me and the members of the Global Anglican Council in congratulating Manasseh and in praying for him, for Rose and their family, and for the Anglican Church of Rwanda as we prepare for his installation as Archbishop and Primate on 25 October 2026.
When I enthroned Manasseh as Bishop of Gahini in 2019, I encouraged him with the Lord’s words to Joshua: “Be strong and courageous.” (Joshua 1:9) Today, I gladly say those words to my dear brother again.
Yours in Christ,
The Most Revd Dr Laurent Mbanda
Chairman of the Global Anglican Council
Friday 11th September 2026.”
– Source: Gafcon.
The Global Anglican Communion Fund
Do you know about Anglican Aid Sydney’s Global Anglican Communion Fund?
“We are the largest evangelical Anglican aid agency in the Anglican Communion.
Uniquely, as well as supporting emergency aid and long-term development projects, Anglican Aid strengthens the church through theological education. Currently we support 750 full time students studying at 38 colleges across 15 nations.
We prioritize long-term impact. By training orthodox leaders and committing to development projects for many years, we strengthen local dioceses and facilitate sustainable, long-term growth. Our long-term partnerships with churches also provide ready channels for emergency relief when needed, delivered with the hope of the gospel.
But there is so much more we can do together.
We want to help share resources so all Anglican dioceses can go forward in our collective mission to preach Christ faithfully to the nations and care for those in need. …”
G27 Recife: Kindling Global Prayer
From Archbishop Dr Miguel Uchôa Cavalcanti, Vice Chairman of the Global Anglican Council –
“Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is a great joy for me, together with the Most Revd Dr Laurent Mbanda, Chairman of the Global Anglican Council, and my fellow Council members, to invite our Global Anglican family to join us in prayer for G27 Recife, here in Brazil from 20–23 April 2027.
The vision of G27 is simple, but deeply important for this moment in the life of our Communion: to kindle a movement of prayer among Anglicans across the nations.
We want to bring together a few hundred lay men and women from around the world who love the Lord Jesus, believe his Word, and have a heart for prayer.
We will come not primarily for another conference, but to seek the face of God together: to listen to his Word, pray for one another and our nations, and ask the Holy Spirit to renew his Church and empower us for mission.
But G27 must be about much more than four days in Recife.
We want those who come to return home with a renewed passion for prayer, ready to gather others to seek God and pray for the renewal and mission of the Church.
What God kindles in Recife must not remain in Recife.
It will be a particular joy to welcome you to my home city and to the Catedral Anglicana do Espírito Santo. Our Church is preparing to receive our Global Anglican family with the warmth, joy and hospitality that are so much a part of who we are as Brazilians.
Our evenings will have something particularly Brazilian about them. Together with Brazilian church leaders and the wider Church, we will share nights of worship, prayer and revival, seeking the presence of God and praying for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Above everything else, I want us to come to Recife with one desire: to seek God.
We will come on our knees, hungry for his Word, open to the work of his Spirit, asking him to do among us what programmes, structures and human effort alone can never accomplish.
And yes, we will pray for revival.
We will ask the Lord to pour out his Spirit, renew our first love for Jesus Christ, deepen our confidence in his Word, and kindle a fresh passion for prayer, holiness and mission.
We long to see a praying Church becoming again a missionary Church, proclaiming Christ faithfully and courageously to the nations.
G27 will be limited to a few hundred lay participants, with invitations coming through the provinces, dioceses and branches of the Global Anglican Communion. Further information will be shared in the coming weeks.
But G27 does not need to begin in April 2027. It can begin now, with prayer.
Please pray with us: that God will call the people he wants to Recife and prepare us to hear his Word and seek his face.
Above all, pray that what begins in Recife will become part of a growing movement of prayer, renewal and mission throughout our Communion and among the nations.
We look forward to welcoming you. Esperamos vocês em Recife!
In Christ, our Lord and Saviour,
The Most Revd Dr Miguel Uchôa Cavalcanti
Vice Chairman of the Global Anglican Council
Thursday 3rd September 2026.”
– Source: Gafcon.
A Home for the Global Anglican Communion
A Communique from Archbishop Dr Laurent Mbanda, Chairman of the Global Anglican Council –
“Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I am delighted to announce that the Global Anglican Council has agreed that the headquarters of the Global Anglican Communion will be established in Abuja, Nigeria.
This decision was made at our meeting in Recife, Brazil, on Saturday 22 August 2026, as we considered how best to strengthen and support the future life and ministry of our global fellowship.
Abuja already holds a significant place in our history — it was there at G26 earlier this year that the Abuja Affirmation declared that Gafcon has reordered the Anglican Communion into a truly Global Church.
As the Global Anglican Communion, it is fitting that the city where this new chapter was so clearly articulated should also become a physical home from which we serve Global Anglicans throughout the world.
While modern technology enables us to work together across nations and continents, we believe there is great value in a physical home and administrative hub for our shared life and mission.
In time, we hope this may become more than that — a place for gathering, training, and equipping leaders as together we seek the proclamation of the gospel and the building up of Christ’s Church.
Much work remains in shaping this new home, and we are grateful for the enthusiasm of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) as we begin exploring these possibilities together.
We pray that from Abuja we may serve Anglicans in every part of the world, giving thanks for the remarkable ways God is growing and strengthening his Church across the nations.
We ask for your prayers as we seek his wisdom for all that lies ahead.
Yours in Christ,
The Most Revd Dr Laurent Mbanda
Chairman of the Global Anglican Council
Saturday, 29th August, 2026.”
– Source: Gafcon.
God’s Faithfulness in Brazil — Gafcon Communique
From Archbishop Dr Laurent Mbanda, Chairman of the Global Anglican Council –
“Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Greetings in the name of our risen Lord Jesus Christ.
It has been a great joy to gather this weekend in Recife, Brazil, with leaders of the Global Anglican Communion to celebrate the installation of the Very Revd Gabriel Moreira Uchoa Cavalcanti as Dean of the Catedral Anglicana do Espírito Santo.
The service was filled with joy and hope as Archbishop Miguel Uchoa Cavalcanti passed the mantle of leadership of the Cathedral to his son, Gabriel.
This celebration also marked 30 years since Archbishop Miguel planted the church in 1996 with just 30 or so people.
We give thanks to God for all that has grown from those humble beginnings, as churches have been planted, leaders raised up, dioceses multiplied, and the Anglican Church in Brazil established as a faithful and growing province.
Yet amidst the joy of our celebrations was a recognition that these 30 years also tell a story of hope through significant trials. …”
Gafcon photo.
Gafcon Prayer Update: GFCA Trustees
Gafcon Prayer Update from a couple of days ago –
“Please give thanks to God for the faithful ministry of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GFCA) Trustees, whose governance and oversight provide the practical foundation that supports the life and work of the Global Anglican Communion. Give thanks for Bishop John Guernsey, the Trustees Chair, and Dr Laurie Scandrett, the Honorary Treasurer, as they provide wise and faithful leadership.
Pray for the Trustees serving from Australia, Canada, Nigeria, Rwanda, the United Kingdom and the United States. Pray that God will grant them wisdom, integrity and unity as they steward the resources entrusted to this global movement and exercise careful oversight of its ministry.
Please pray especially for the Trustees as preparations continue for GAFCON V in Athens in April 2028. Ask God to give them wisdom and discernment as they oversee the many financial and governance decisions already being made, provide every resource that is needed, and establish this significant gathering for the strengthening of his Church and the advance of the gospel.”
– A reminder that Gafcon Prayer updates can be found on their website – and if you use the free PrayerMate app on your phone, you can subscribe to their prayer feed.
Photo: Gafcon.
In Defense of the Abuja Affirmation
Writing in Covenant, the online journal of the American publication The Living Church, Bishop Glenn Davies responds to an article by the Rev. Dr. Matthew Olver about the Abuja Affirmation –
“I am grateful for the irenic article that the Rev. Dr. Matthew Olver published on Covenant on April 13, 2026, where he engages theologically with the Abuja Affirmation.
As a participant in the G26 Assembly in Abuja in March, I have a good idea of what was achieved in that extraordinary gathering, which was a celebration of the Global Anglican Communion launched by the Gafcon primates on October 16, 2025.
The heart of the issue that Gafcon has been addressing since its 2008 inaugural assembly in Jerusalem is the authority of Scripture in its plain, canonical sense. …”
– Glenn’s response is an important setting out of why Gafcon / The Global Anglican Communion is needed.
It is worthy of careful study.
________________
Related: (each will open in a new window)
The Kuala Lumpur Statement, 1997.
GAFCON Final Statement and the Jerusalem Declaration – 29 June 2008.
The Jerusalem Declaration – as a PDF file – formatted to two A4 pages.
The Abuja Affirmation – 2026.
Diocese of Tasmania recognises the Global Anglican Communion in recent Synod
We missed this news from Gafcon Australia when it came out last month –
“We are delighted by the motion recently passed by the synod of the Diocese of Tasmania. The following was moved by the Venerable Jennifer Hercott:
‘That this Synod:
1. Notes that this Diocese has previously affirmed and assented to the Jerusalem Declaration as a faithful expression of Anglican doctrine and identity;
2. Acknowledges its continued constitutional relationship with the Church of England in England as presently established;
3. Recognises the Global Anglican Communion as a genuine expression of Anglican fellowship, grounded in historic orthodoxy and shared commitment to the authority of Scripture;
4. Declares that this Diocese considers itself to be in fellowship with those Provinces and Dioceses within the Global Anglican Communion that uphold the doctrine and teaching reflected in the Jerusalem Declaration;
5. Encourages the strengthening of relationships, prayer, and mutual support with these Anglican bodies for the sake of the gospel and the unity of Christ’s Church. …’ ”
– Read more at Gafcon Australia, where the question is posed, “Could your diocese propose a similar motion? Or your local church begin by adopting the Jerusalem Declaration?”
A short video and prayer for Gafcon Sunday
If your church observes Gafcon Sunday tomorrow, this video and the notes below from Gafcon might be of use –
“Around the world, biblically faithful Anglicans like you are praying and giving to support the ministry and mission of the Global Anglican Communion. We invite you to join our General Secretary, Bishop Paul Donison, in praying the GAFCON collect today.
Around the world today, parishes like yours will be ministering in Word and Sacrament, and GAFCON Sunday is a great time for us to reflect on what the Lord is doing in His global Church.
Thank you for standing with us! Thank you for praying for the work of the Global Anglican Communion, and for your partnership with GAFCON. None of this would be possible without the faithful stewardship of generous partners like you.
So today, please
Pray — Lift the Global Anglican Communion before the Lord. Pray for our archbishops, bishops, clergy, and lay leaders — especially those in hostile and dangerous contexts who pay a real price for their faithfulness.
Share — Mention GAFCON Sunday from the pulpit or in your small group. Post about it. The breadth of this fellowship is its strength.
Give — Make a generous gift today. As Paul writes, “God loves a cheerful giver” — and there is much reason for joy in what your gift makes possible (2 Corinthians 9:7).
We are grateful for every prayer offered and every gift given.”
This Sunday is Gafcon Sunday
Archbishop Miguel Uchoa, Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church of Brazil and Vice-Chairman of the Global Anglican Council, shares why GAFCON Sunday matters and why you should partner with us in prayer and with your most generous gift today.
From Gafcon:
“What began as a conference became a movement, and, by God’s grace, is now the home for biblically faithful Anglicans around the world.
The Global Anglican Communion announced at G26 in Abuja early this year is not a new communion, but the same Anglican Communion now reordered with leadership that is both biblically faithful and truly global.
And GAFCON Sunday is your opportunity to give generously to this work that is impacting millions around the world.
You are supporting our work in:
Theological education for the next generation of orthodox clergy and bishops, many in contexts where sound training is scarce or actively opposed.
Frontline mission among the unreached — including partnerships across the world, including in the Middle East region, and the re-evangelization of Europe.
Relational infrastructure that holds together our provinces across cultural, linguistic, and national divides — bound not by institutional power but by a shared confession of the Jerusalem Declaration.
Global Gatherings like our upcoming G27 prayer conference for laity in Brazil, and our next major assembly in Athens in 2028 for GAFCON V.
None of this happens without faithful, generous partners like you.
Three Ways to Participate on 28 June 2026
Pray — Lift the Global Anglican Communion before the Lord. Pray for our archbishops, bishops, clergy, and lay leaders — especially those in hostile and dangerous contexts who pay a real price for their faithfulness.
Share — Forward this email. Mention GAFCON Sunday from the pulpit or in your small group. Post about it. The breadth of this fellowship is its strength.
Give — Make a generous gift before or on June 28. As Paul writes, “God loves a cheerful giver” — and there is much reason for joy in what your gift makes possible (2 Corinthians 9:7).
We are grateful for every prayer offered and every gift given. You are not a donor at a distance — you are a participant in something the Lord is doing across the earth. Thank you for your partnership.”
Links:
GAFCON Sunday – 28 June 2026
News from Gafcon –
“At Abuja this past March, 347 Anglican bishops, 121 lay and clerical leaders from 27 provinces gathered under the Word of God — to confer, to celebrate, and to reaffirm that the Global Anglican Communion is founded on the person and work of Jesus Christ and the authority of his word.
GAFCON Sunday, 28 June 2026, is an opportunity to stand with us — to pray and give generously as we work to keep the Bible at the heart of a truly Global Anglican Communion.
Bishop John Guernsey, Chair of the GAFCON Trustees, shares a word about this moment and what your participation means.
More voices are coming soon — including messages from our Global Anglican Council Chairman, Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, our General Secretary Bishop Paul Donison, and others.
Three Ways to Participate on 28 June 2026:
Pray — Join believers around the world in lifting up the Global Anglican Communion. Pray for our Archbishops, Bishops, clergy, congregations, especially those in hostile contexts.
Share — Tell your diocese, congregation, small group, and network about GAFCON Sunday. The strength of this movement is the breadth of its fellowship.
Give — Make a generous gift to support the ministry of GAFCON. Every dollar given sustains faithful Anglican witness — in theological education, frontline mission, and the next generation of orthodox leaders.
There is much work to do as we support the tens of millions of biblically faithful Anglicans around the world. We need your help. So please give, give generously, and give cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7).”
The Dawn has broken
Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
There is an African Proverb that says, “However, long the night, the dawn will break.”
On this glorious day, Christians across every tongue, tribe, and nation gather together to proclaim the most world-changing truth in all of human history: the tomb is empty, death is defeated, and Jesus Christ reigns as Lord.
Easter is not just a symbol or a season. It is a fact — the bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the first-fruits of a new creation.
Because He lives, we live. Because He has conquered sin and death, there is no corner of this earth, no depth of suffering, no weight of grief that stands beyond the reach of His resurrection power and endless love.
To our brothers and sisters around the world — in seasons of joy and in seasons of persecution — we say with one voice: Hold fast in the hope of the resurrection. The risen Christ holds you, He sees you, and He hears your prayers.
He who walked out of the grave on the third day is the same Lord who walks with you today. And as we joyfully proclaim every week in our services, Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again.
This Easter, may the living hope of the resurrection fill your hearts, strengthen your faith, and send you out as witnesses to the world that Jesus Christ is alive — and that His Kingdom shall have no end.
Let us pray together:
Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord’s resurrection, may, by your life-giving Spirit, be delivered from sin and raised from death; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Grace and peace,
The Most Revd Dr Laurent Mbanda
Chairman of the Global Anglican Council
Easter Day, 5th April, 2026
Global Anglican Council official list
From John Sandeman at The Other Cheek –
“The official list of the Global Anglican Council, set up to lead in a reset Anglican Communion, was released by the Gafcon General Secretary, Paul Donison, overnight. It differs from the list published by The Other Cheek recently – which included people who are likely to join the council but have not yet. The Other Cheek apologises for this error.
It includes …”
Photo: Image: In the livestream from the Advent Cable Network Nigeria, Gafcon General Secretary Paul Denison announces the Global Anglican Council.
MISSING: Twelve Primates – The Real Story of the Installation
From Anglican Futures –
“The Anglican Communion is made up of forty-two autonomous provinces who are meant to work together. They are aided in this by four ‘Instruments of Communion’, of which the Archbishop of Canterbury is one. It is no secret that for decades the Anglican Communion has been riven with disagreement over the authority of the Scriptures and the inability of the Instruments of Communion to maintain discipline and uphold Anglican doctrine.
Today, at the Installation of the Most Revd Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, the extent and seriousness of that division was laid bare. All the pomp and ceremony could not hide the fact that the leaders of twelve of those forty-two provinces had refused to attend the service.
More importantly, those twelve provinces represented the leadership of the vast majority of Gafcon and the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans (GSFA) and by any reckoning the majority of the world’s Anglicans. Those who stayed away were…”
– Anglican Futures points out that most of the world’s Anglicans were not represented. Indeed, many of the world’s Anglicans may be unaware of the increasingly irrelevant event in Canterbury.
Related:
All Gafcon and at least most GSFA Primates passed the test of staying away from Archbishop of Canterbury consecration – John Sandeman at The Other Cheek.
Photo: Neil Turner / Lambeth Palace.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…