ACC-19 - the 19th in-person meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council - will meet in Belfast from 27 June to 5 July 2026. Hosted by the Church of Ireland, and facilitated by the Anglican Communion Office, it will bring together Anglican representatives from around the world for worship, prayer, discussion and shared discernment.
Every Member Church of the Anglican Communion is invited to send up to three representatives (bishop, clergy and lay) to participate in these vital discussions, ensuring a rich diversity of voices from across the Communion.
The theme of ACC-19 is 'Called to One Hope' inspired by Ephesians 4:4-6. Bible Studies at the event will also look at the Book of Acts.
Anglican News spoke to some of the ACC Members attending about the local churches and communities they represent and their hopes for ACC-19.
Canon Louise Bougourd is Honorary Lay Canon of Saint Christopher’s, Bahrain, in the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf, part of the Province of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East. She also serves as Lay Gulf representative on the Diocesan Standing and Finance Committee and sits on the Bishop’s Task Force and Constitutional Reform Committee.
Looking ahead to ACC-19, she is excited by the prospect of ‘meeting Christians from diverse backgrounds and experiences of witnessing Christ’, and especially to ‘experiencing different types of services and worship.’
For Canon Louise, the call to hope is felt intensely because of the conflict in the region. ‘Since 28 February, when the hostilities commenced in the Gulf, I have been hoping for a swift and fair resolution and peace to return to our region,’ she says.
She adds: ‘Key issues for me right now centre on the injustice of war, refugees and loss of livelihoods. What can we do as Christians to ensure an end to war and the injustices?’
The Revd Canon Katharine Poulton, from the Church of Ireland, said she is looking forward to the conversations that will take place during ACC-19. Ordained since 1987, she was the first woman to be ordained deacon in the Church of Ireland. She has served in parishes in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and is currently Rector of a parish on the east coast of Ireland and Archdeacon of Meath and Kildare.
Speaking about her parish, she says: ‘My local church has a small but committed congregation and everyone enjoys gathering for worship and for fellowship with a cup of tea following the Sunday service. The local community is vibrant with many community groups playing their part in caring for the area and for one another.’
Canon Katharine says she is looking forward to ‘meeting new people at ACC 19 and to renewing acquaintances’, as well as to ‘the conversations, both formal and informal, which will help us to understand more about the situations in which we live and the Anglican Communion in all its diversity.’
Considering the theme of hope, Canon Katharine reflects upon the history of Ireland. ‘Ireland had many years of conflict but we have experienced peace for decades,’ she said. ‘Being Called to One Hope means looking ahead with optimism for a future not just here, but worldwide, where peace and justice will prevail.’
The Revd Helen Van Koevering, Chair of the International Anglican Women’s Network, describes her own story as one shaped by many parts of the Communion, ‘I was born and raised in England, confirmed in Durham, married in Mozambique, a missionary in Zimbabwe, ordained a priest in Wales, served for 25 years the church in northern Mozambique, and, now, the Episcopal Church for 10 years.’
Revd Helen hopes that ACC-19 will be a moment of shared discernment. ‘I am excited to sit with our global church at a momentous time of discerning God’s mission with us going forward!’ she said. ‘It feels like being invited to the kitchen, not just the table.’
She also wants ACC-19 to give attention to ‘Truly uplifting the voice and lived experiences of women, even as women leaders have courageously “broken the glass ceiling”, yet millions remain unrecognized at the grassroots.’
Jeroham Meléndez, of the Hispanophone Network and lay member of ACC, is originally from Costa Rica and now lives in Canada, where he serves within his local church community in Montréal.
He describes his church as ‘a vibrant church plant in Montréal, filled with young people and a strong sense of family.’ He adds that members regularly gather around one another in important life moments and that there is ‘a deep generosity in how people offer their gifts to shape our worship and liturgy in a way that feels Spirit-led and authentic.’
For Jeroham, prayer will be central to the gathering. ‘I am most looking forward to prayer, being grounded together in God’s presence,’ he says. ‘I also hope for openness to listen, learn and grow in empathy for one another’s contexts, so that our conversations may be shaped by discernment and a shared desire to follow where God is leading.’
Reflecting on Ephesians, he said the letter speaks into ‘deep divisions shaped by power, identity and ethnicity, and calls us toward unity in Christ.’ He adds: ‘For me, being called to hope means choosing practical steps toward that unity.’
The Revd Canon Reid B. O. Simon, from Antigua, works on Anguilla, one of the twelve islands of the Diocese of the North Eastern Caribbean and Aruba, in the Church in the Province of the West Indies. He is a parish priest, Director of Christian Education within the Diocese and Chair of the Anglican Peace and Justice Network.
He describes his church as being situated in ‘a small close-knit community where the Christian witness remains entrenched.’ He added that many people remain committed to the faith and supportive of the Church and its mission, and that the community ‘is welcoming and reflects much warmth and hospitality.’
For Canon Reid, ACC is ‘an arena where there are differing voices, but where they must also be heard,’ he said. ‘I am hoping that we can walk together on an empathetic road as [we] listen to each other.’
Reflecting on the theme, he said: ‘Christians are called to live as a people of hope. Within our community, this means that even amid differences and challenges, everything must point to Jesus and the life of discipleship to which He has called us.’
Canon Reid hopes ACC-19 will engage with the dignity and worth of every person, peace and reconciliation and care for God’s creation. ‘There must be some attention to the affirmation of the dignity and worth of each person in [a] world where so many are seen as “less than” and being marginalised along varying lines,’ he said.
As members prepare to gather in Belfast under the theme ‘Called to One Hope’, many of the reflections shared a common emphasis on listening carefully, praying deeply and returning home strengthened for mission. These voices offer a glimpse of the prayer, expectation and shared commitment that members will bring to ACC-19.
For more information, visit the web page for ACC-19