Melanesian Church prepares for election: CEN 1.09.09 p 8.

The Church of the Province of Melanesia has set a date for the election of a new Archbishop and Primate for the Anglican Church in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

Drawn from the province’s 8 dioceses, the members of the Provincial Electoral Board will meet from March 3-5 at the convent of the Community of the Sisters of the Church on Guadalcanal to elect a successor to Archbishop Ellison Pogo KBE.

Archbishop Pogo stepped down from office on Dec 7 after 14 years of service as archbishop of the province upon reaching the age of mandatory retirement on his 61st birthday. Active in the affairs of the wider Anglican Communion, Archbishop Pogo served as chairman of the 2008 Lambeth Conference Design Group and in October was awarded the Cross of St Augustine by the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams for his service to the church.

Elected Bishop of Ysabel in 1981, Archbishop Pogo was translated to the Diocese of the Central Solomon Islands in 1994 when elected archbishop, and was made a Knight Commander of the British Empire in the 2000 honours list.

On Dec 7, Archbishop Pogo presided at his final service as primate of the province at St. Barnabas’ Cathedral in Honiara. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Derek Sikua lauded his accomplishments as leader of the 250,000 member church saying, “Sir Ellison has left a legacy of spiritual and trustworthy leadership that is full of respect”.

The new Archbishop of Melanesia will be consecrated on May 31 at St Barnabas Cathedral.