Last night, in his presidential address to the fourth Global Anglican Futures Conference (GAFCON), the leader of the GAFCON Primates Council, Archbishop Foley Beach, called on the Archbishop of Canterbury to repent.

"Sadly, with broken hearts, we must say that unless the Archbishop of Canterbury repents, we can no longer recognise him as the 'first among equals' and the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion," he said. 

The fourth Global Anglican Futures Conference (GAFCON) is taking place in Kigali, Rwanda, this week.

Continuing his presidential address, Archbishop Beach also called on the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Church in Wales, the Episcopal Church of Brazil, the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, The Anglican Church of Canada and The Episcopal Church USA to repent and, "Return to the teaching of the word of God."

This was not said in a vacuum. Archbishop Foley was talking about the need for a modern Anglican Church to be, amongst other things, a "repenting church" – throwing ourselves on the mercy of the Lord.

"He's constantly showing me my sin, and unless I repent, I quench the Holy Spirit in my life and ministry," he said. 

Those gathered were also called on to repent, "Some of us need to repent of our sins, our provincial sin, our church's sin, our personal sins - sexual sins are not the only sins in the Bible."

Archbishop Beach used the rest of his address to paint a fuller picture of what was needed in a modern Anglican church – a repenting church, a reconciling church, a reproducing church and a relentlessly compassionate church.

If those attending can catch this vision of church and live it out as they return to their villages, neighbourhoods and families, it may have an even greater impact than any structural changes to the Anglican Communion that are likely to be discussed later in the week.

Susie Leafe is director of Anglican Futures, which supports orthodox Anglicans in the UK.