THE Anglican Church Of Melanesia’s (ACoM) Provincial Electoral Board members will elect a new Archbishop on 25th June this year.
The election will take place at the Melanesian Brotherhood Headquarters at Tabalia, a several miles West of Honiara.
Dr. Abraham Hauriasi, ACOM General Secretary In his letter dated 15th April 2019 to the Provincial Electoral Members said that the election will be preceded by a retreat on 24th June led by the Retired Archbishop, Bishop David Vunagi, who is now elected as the Governor General of Solomon Islands.
Dr. Abraham Hauriasi, in his letter also reminded all the electoral Board members on the process and requirements relating to the election of a new Archbishop as prescribed in the Constitution and Canons of the Church.
The Provincial Electoral Board consists of 34 members drawn as follows: eight (8) Diocesan Bishops, one (1) Clergy and one (1) lay person each from the eight Dioceses. Five (5) five clergy and five (5) lay persons from the Diocese of Central Melanesia (DOCM). DOCM has more representatives as the Archbishop is also their Diocesan Bishop.
All members of the Provincial Electoral Board are eligible to nominate candidates for this role at the time of the meeting. Candidates must be ordained persons and over 29 years old but under the age of 60 on the date of their consecration.
Voting is usually by secret ballot according to each of the three houses- bishops, clergy and laity. To elect a candidate, he must have a simple majority in all three (3) Houses.
The next head will be the 7th Archbishop of the church.
The previous Melanesian Archbishops were; – The Most Reverend Norman Palmer 1975 – 1987, The Most Rev. Amos Waiaru 1988 – 1993, The Most Rev. Sir Ellison Pogo 1994 – 2008, The Most Rev. David Vunagi 2009 – 2015 and the Most Rev. George Takeli 2016 – 2019.
The new Archbishop will be enthroned and installed at Saint Barnabas Provincial Cathedral on the 15th of September.
He succeeds the Most Revd George Angus Takeli, who retired on the 24th of March.
Church members are urged to pray for the Electoral Board Members and for the whole church as they prepare to choose the next head of the Church.
– ACoM Press
