It's many decades since the Anglican Church world-wide met together for a representative meeting of the 44 member churches.

We're used to hearing about the Primates getting together and airing their differences but in the next few days in Johannesburg there is a conference where the breadth of the Anglican family has been invited to attend.

Having been part of the planning group for the event I now go to Southern Africa as leader of the Church of England delegation.

The Archbishop of Canterbury gives an address on the first day clarifying for us the mission of the whole church and what it means for an Anglican to participate in God's purposes. An opening eucharist will take place in a township parish. The final Eucharist will be celebrated by the new Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States and its 15 other countries.

In between, the programme includes days looking at our desire to eradicate extreme poverty, to provide universal education and good health, environmental sustainability, and the promotion of gender equality as women are so often the key to development in the most vulnerable communities.

Although there will be opportunities to experience our local context visiting townships and parish churches, the Church of the Province of Southern Africa is very clear that this is an event which they are hosting but which belongs to the whole body of our church.

Amidst the Cathedral's strategic goals we have said that we wish to champion social justice and promote reconciliation'.

Asking how the Church of England and our fellow Anglicans can better think globally and act locally' is an important part of our aspirations in Salisbury and I'm very grateful to you all for the time I will be away to take part in Towards Effective Anglican Mission'.

From the Very Revd June Osborne, Salisbury UK