Professor George Koshy, a lay representative from the Church of South India on the Anglican Consultative Council was today elected Vice-Chairman of the ACC during the second week of its Hong Kong meeting.

Professor Koshy who has wide experience in leadership and ministry of the laity within his own church, as well as extensive ecumenical experience in Asia and the World Council of Churches, joins the newly elected Chairman, Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia in the leadership of the ACC.

They will share this leadership in the next two meetings of the Anglican Consultative Council, the thirteenth and fourteenth meetings in 2005 and 2008.

The balloting for the position of Vice-Chairman took place over a period of time since four ballots were needed before the election was completed. Four lay persons were nominated for the position of Vice Chairman. They were Professor Koshy (Church of South India, Dr Judith Conley (ECUSA), Ms Sylvia Scarfe (Church of Wales) and Canon Dr Maureen Sithole (Church of the Province of Southern Africa).

At the conclusion of the election, ACC Chairman, Bishop Simon Chiwanga of Mpwapwa Diocese, Tanzania, asked the Bishop of Ballarat in Australia, the Rt Rev David Silk to lead the meeting prayer. Bishop Silk asked for God’s blessing upon Professor Koshy in his new role, and thanked God for the courage and commitment of all candidates who had allowed their names to go forward in the election.

Article from: the ACC News Team - Dan England, Margaret Rodgers, James Rosenthal