MMUK Trustee Reports on Visit to Solomon Islands

Picture: Revd Jacky Wise with The Most Revd Leonard Dawea

MMUK Trustee, Revd Jacky Wise, visited ACoM in 2023. Read more about her visit here:

At the end of last year, I was invited to go to the Solomon Islands to do two things. Firstly, to represent MMUK at the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACoM), and also to deliver clergy training on the island of Ysabel.

Before the flight over to Ysabel, I had one day to acclimatise and, completely by chance, it was the day of celebrations at Tabalia, for the welcome ceremony of the Novices into the Melanesian Brotherhood. The day was amazing, with long services, beautiful singing and liturgy in the chapel, followed by feasting and cultural dancing.

Working with Bishop Ellison, the most senior Bishop in ACoM, we decided to focus on Leading and Preaching at Occasional Offices (weddings, baptisms and funerals); Marriage Preparation, and also a morning’s retreat on Peace and Reconciliation. The latter was particularly valuable, as the Anglican Church on Ysabel is planning a special service of reconciliation with the Catholic Church in a couple of years.

The following day, after the small plane arrived on the grass strip in Ysabel, I transferred to Buela by outboard motor and was reunited with Bishop Ellison and his wife Jessie, both of whom I had taken to Bath after the Lambeth Conference in 2022. The Bishop had recently arranged the building of two little houses, overlooking the sea, and I was blessed with the small retreat house for the week, two days of which were my training days. Being that ACoM is still not yet ordaining women I was slightly cautious as to how I would be welcomed, but I need not have worried. The clergy were all keen to learn and embraced all the material I offered. In fact, the response to the training was deeply humbling, welcomed with tremendous grace and appreciation. I enjoyed the days very much, both of which were punctuated by lovely hospitality, with my lunchtimes being ‘in community’ and so I had many opportunities to meet and chat to various people.

I missed the first morning of the General Synod due to flooding on Ysabel, where the grass runway was inaccessible for some time. The week, spent living with Sister Veronica (Provincial Sister of the Sisters of the Church) in her lovely little home at TNK, was an absolute joy. Living simply, with the pattern of Morning Prayer at 5.30am, Holy Communion at 6am and the business of the day starting at 8am, the whole week was doused in prayer and worship.

There were two items of specific interest to me at the General Synod. The first was a motion that would allow the ordination of women. The motion, carefully worded, would allow – but not impose – legislation that would allow for the ordination of any ‘person’. The other was regarding a proposed reduction in the number of Mother’s Union representatives on Synod. This exercised me somewhat, because the large part of discipleship and mission is carried out by the MU. In some dioceses over 60% of the church is made up on members of the MU. Both of these issues are to be discussed further within each Diocese, and will be brought back to Synod in three years.

Leaving TNK, in order to catch my flight to Brisbane, was looking doubtful, as the plantation was totally flooded. It was the first time in its 50-year history that the plantation had been flooded like this. This event, and the rains on Ysabel, are unusual climatic events, and quite clearly the Global Climate Crisis is having devastating effects on the region.

I was shocked at how severe the rains were, but more significantly, those living in the area also note how the rainy season is changing dramatically. This is why it is so important for MMUK to advocate on this issue, and also share the important data we have been collecting at the Environment Observatories.

Revd Jacky Wise, Archbishop’s Appointed MMUK Trustee