Delegates to the 2013 Joint Assembly in Ottawa this summer can expect to meet and receive greetings from some very special guests and speakers.

Christopher Duraisingh
Faculty emeritus, Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, MA

Rev. Dr. Christopher Duraisingh brings a global background in ecumenical and Third World theologies. As Otis Charles visiting professor in applied theology, Duraisingh has focused on faith within cultural context, and the nature of a mission-shaped church. He recently published For the Life of the World, a congregational study guide on mission. As keynote speaker, Duraisingh will bring Anglicans and Lutherans into a conversation about Christian mission that is taking place around the world today.

For more about Episcopal Divinity School and Duraisingh’s work, visit eds.edu.

Mark Hanson

Presiding Bishop, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Elected in 2001 and re-elected in 2007, Bishop Hanson was simultaneously president of The Lutheran World Federation from 2003 to 2010. Hanson is a persuasive voice on an international stage for ecumenical and inter-religious relationships, and for ministries of justice and reconciliation. He plans to bring greetings to the Joint Assembly from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s (ELCA) almost 4.5 million members and clergy.

For more about the ELCA, visit elca.org.

Kenneth Kearon
Secretary General, Anglican Communion

Appointed in 2004, the Rev. Canon Kenneth Kearon oversees the Anglican Communion which brings together a worldwide family of national and regional Anglican Churches. With an estimated membership of around 85 million members worldwide, the Anglican Communion is the third largest Christian communion in the world. Keron is schedule to bring greetings from Anglicans and Episcopalians in over 165 countries served by the Anglican Communion.

For more about The Anglican Communion, visit anglicancommunion.org.

Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop, The Episcopal Church

Bishop Jefferts Schori is chief pastor and Primate to The Episcopal Church, U.S.A., and the first female Primate in the Anglican communion. A former oceanographer, Jefferts Schori has a passion for issues related to poverty, climate change, and care for the earth. She is scheduled to bring greetings to the Joint Assembly from her church’s more than 2 million members and priests.

For more about The Episcopal Church, visit episcopalchurch.org.

Olav Fykse Tveit
General Secretary, World Council of Churches

Rev. Dr. Tveit is an ordained pastor in the Church of Norway and a former general secretary of that church’s council on ecumenical and international relations (2002–09). Prior to becoming general secretary, Tveit served the World Council of Churches (WCC) as co-chair of the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum. He hopes to bring greetings to the Joint Assembly from the WCC’s 349 member churches around the globe.

For more about the WCC, visit oikoumene.org.

Alyson Barnett-Cowan
Director for Unity, Faith, and Order, The Anglican Communion

Canon Barnett-Cowan serves Anglicans around the world, providing leadership in matters related to Anglican unity faith and order, and to ecumenical relationships. As a priest in an international communion, Barnett- Cowan is based in London, but serves Anglicans and Episcopalians in more than 165 countries. She is scheduled to bring greetings to the Joint Assembly from the 85 million people she serves.

For more about The Anglican Communion, visit anglicancommunion.org.