Patrick Comerford
The Anglican mission agency USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel) has announced details of this year’s annual residential conference , which takes place from Tuesday 1 July to Thursday 3 July at the Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, in Derbyshire.
The theme for this year’s three-day residential conference is: ‘We Believe, We Belong?’ The programme includes guest speakers from across the Anglican Communion, Bible studies and workshops, as well as time for discussion and worship.
This year (2025) marks the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed, a key summary of the common faith of the Christian Church agreed at the Council of Nicaea in the year 325, a turning point in Christian history.
The conference in Swanwick is reflecting on how we deepen fellowship and commitment to each other across the diversity of cultures, contexts and languages within the Anglican Communion. It is exploring how core truths unite us, but is also critically examining whether all people feel like they belong within the Church, especially when it comes to the key areas of championing justice – gender, economic, environmental and race.
The speakers this year include:
• The Right Revd Dr Vicentia Kgabe, Bishop of Lesotho, Anglican Church of Southern Africa: she is one of the ‘Africa Six’ female bishops. She is a former rector of the College of the Transfiguration and became Bishop of Lesotho in 2021.
• The Right Revd Phillip Wright, Bishop of Belize, the Church in the Province of the West Indies: he is also the World Council of Churches Regional President for the Caribbean and Latin America.
• Father Wadie Far, Canon Pastor to the Arabic-speaking congregation at Saint George’s Cathedral, Jerusalem, and Vicar of Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Jerusalem; he will be leading the Bible Studies at the conference.
USPG expects to announce more speakers in the coming weeks.
Each year, the USPG conference brings together friends, volunteers, supporters and speakers from the Anglican Communion. It features keynote speakers, workshops, and times of worship, focusing on global issues such as social justice, environmental stewardship and racial reconciliation.
This is the first time since 2016 that the conference has taken place in Swanwick. It was due to take place in Swanwick in 2020, immediately before the Lambeth Conference, but both conferences were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I have been at three USPG conferences in Swanwick, in 2008, 2010 and 2016, and it is almost 50 years since I was first at a conference in Swanwick, back in 1976.
The Nicene Creed is also the theme of USPG’s Lent study guide this year, We Believe, with an invitation to explore the creed and to discover how it still shapes the Church today. This study guide invites you to explore the Nicene Creed, a statement of belief which has united Christians worldwide for centuries.
Contributors to the Lenten study guide, from the Philippines to the Middle East, track key elements of the creed, including the nature of Jesus, his resurrection and the power of the Holy Spirit. Their questions and prayers encourage discussions about unity, diversity and how to live out Christ’s message of love and justice today.
The USPG Lenten appeal this year, ‘Bring Care In Crisis’, is focussing on delivering urgent medical support to Gaza and the West Bank, where communities are facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Hospitals and clinics, overwhelmed by demand and severely under-resourced, are struggling to provide life-saving care.
Through the Lent appeal, USPG is partnering with the Diocese of Jerusalem to support healthcare services that are a lifeline for people in desperate need. Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza, despite being damaged by conflict, continues to provide essential treatment – including specialised burn care and services for people with disabilities – at no cost to patients, placing a heavy financial burden on the Church.
Beyond Gaza, the support extends to hospitals and clinics in the West Bank, including Saint Luke’s Hospital and the Penman Clinic, ensuring that critical medical services remain accessible to vulnerable communities. These facilities provide emergency care, maternal and child health services, and vital education on hygiene and disease prevention.
Last week, USPG held a special online service for peace and reconciliation in the Holy Land. The service was broadcast live and recorded in Saint George’s Cathedral, Jerusalem, and was led by Father Wadie. Archbishop Hosam Naoum, Archbishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, preached.
Online bookings for the USPG conference in Swanwick are now open HERE.
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