[Anglican Communion News Service] A task group has been appointed to “maintain conversation” among the primates of the Anglican Communion as requested during the gathering of primates at Canterbury Cathedral in January.

The primates asked the Archbishop of Canterbury to establish the group as part of their commitment to “walk together” despite “deep differences.”

The primates requested the group “with the intention of restoration of relationship, the rebuilding of mutual trust, healing the legacy of hurt, recognising the extent of our commonality and exploring our deep differences, ensuring they are held between us in the love and grace of Christ,” they said in a communiqué issued at the end of the gathering.

Secretary general of the Anglican Communion Josiah Idowu-Fearon confirmed during the recent Anglican Consultative Council meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, that the group had been established. On May 10, the Anglican Communion Office confirmed the membership of the group.

It includes seven primates, a bishop suffragan, a provincial secretary and the former vice chair of the Anglican Consultative Council.

The group will meet together at least once each year; with additional meetings held electronically. Its terms of reference including working out “the modalities for the implementation of the requests from the Primates” and to provide regular briefings to the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The members of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s task group are:

Archbishop Richard Clarke, Church of Ireland;

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, U.S.-based Episcopal Church;

Bishop Govada Dyvasirvadam, moderator of Church of South India;

Archbishop Ian Ernest, Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean;

Archbishop Philip Freier, Anglican Church of Australia;

Archbishop Ng Moon Hing, Province of South East Asia;

Canon Rosemary Mbogo, provincial secretary of the Anglican Church of Kenya;

Toronto Bishop Suffragan Linda Nicholls, Anglican Church of Canada;

Canon Elizabeth Paver, former ACC vice chair from the Church of England; and

Bishop Paul Sarker, moderator of the Church of Bangladesh.

Idowu-Fearon will serve as secretary. No date has been set for the group’s first meeting.