As St Andrew's Day is celebrated, plans are being drawn up for St Andrew's House in Westbourne Park, London, to become the new home of the Secretariat of the Anglican Communion Office (ACO). The staff of the ACO has been based at Partnership House on Waterloo Road for the past 14 years. Their move to St Andrew's House was announced by the Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative Council, Canon John L. Peterson, at the Council's meeting in Hong Kong in September. The move is expected to take place by the end of 2003.

St Andrew's House was built by the Community of St Andrew in 1974 as an extension to the original Mother House. A small group of sisters has now moved to a more convenient location in Chiswick, London. Their offer of a lease at a peppercorn rent has come at a time when the future of the Anglican Communion Office's lease at Partnership House has been under review.

In the knowledge that the Community were preparing for a move and were unsure about the future of St Andrew's House, the Bishop of London, the Rt Revd Richard Chartres, felt that it was partly his duty to find a suitable tenant. On hearing that the Anglican Communion Office were looking for a new home, he was delighted to suggest St Andrew's House as a possibility.

The Community of St Andrew dates back to 1861 when Elizabeth Ferrard, the first deaconess in the Anglican Communion, and three other women began living together in King's Cross. Although the sisters have worked in a number of locations since, the Community has always maintained three main divisions of work: pastoral, teaching and nursing.

In a newsletter dated 4 February 2002 Mother Lillian, Mother Superior of the Community, wrote, "Though our minds have been on the future, we have tried to maintain the ministry and hospitality of St Andrew's House. Our various groups and visitors, regular and occasional, continued to come here until the late autumn, and our offering of prayer and regular celebration of the Eucharist remain central to the Community life." More recently she expressed the Community's delight that their former home will continue to be used by the Anglican Communion Office for the mission of the Church, for hospitality, and most especially that work in the Chapel will remain at the heart of all that is done to support the ministry of the Church throughout the world.

As the Secretariat of the Anglican Communion Office has gradually expanded over the years, it has now become necessary to seek alternative accommodation. The accommodation at St Andrew's House - currently consisting of 28 bedrooms, a spacious dining area and kitchen, a chapel, a library and much other usable space - has enormous potential for an office that will serve the worldwide Anglican Communion. The planning committee, which has met on several occasions with the original architect, Derek Potter, is in the process of discussing the renovation and refurbishment of the building. It is planned that, as well as providing the best possible office space for the Anglican Communion Office, there will be room to accommodate international visitors overnight and to provide facilities for day conferences and some of the smaller meetings of the Communion. The move will also offer more space for archives and a library.

Canon Peterson says, "Please pray for the sisters in their new venture and for the Anglican Communion Office during this time of transition."