Synod 2015 – One Lord, One Mission

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Givetothemission!
BISHOP'S
CALENDAR
December 6
Faith Anglican Church
Lowell, MA
December 13
All Nations Church
New Haven, CT
January 3-9
College of Bishops
Melbourne, FL
PRAYER CORNER
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2015 - This past Saturday the Anglican
Diocese in New England held its 8th annual diocesan synod. It was a time of
worship, prayer, recognition, fellowship, and council. The diocesan clergy,
delegates, and guests took part in a Festival Eucharist with Bishop Bill
preaching and presiding; all clergy who were able to vested and then
proceeded into the church, celebrating their work together in embracing the
mission that Jesus Christ gave the Church in New England. Bishop Bill
preached on the challenges we faced in building a diocese and the point we're
at in the building process: maintaining the work we've accomplished,
regrouping as a united front, and pushing forward to continue the mission.
He used his own sabbatical experience of building a new house on the
foundation of his old one, illustrating the need for vision, perseverance, and
teamwork to complete any difficult and significant task, especially those for
the Kingdom of God.
The worship music moved us into the truth of that vision: the worship and
love of God. It included hymns on the organ and contemporary acoustic
worship led by Fr. Nathan Baxter of All Saints' Anglican Church, Amesbury.
The excitement and unity in the room was palpable; hands were raised in
praise and the sound of Christians from around the region singing to the Lord
filled the sanctuary.
Our collective worship continued after Eucharist, when a number of
presenters testified to the work God had done through the various ministries
in our diocese over the past year:
Continue to pray for the
ADNE and the resources we
need to do the work God has
given us to do.
Pray for Bishop Bill, for
protection and wisdom in all his
work, that the Lord would fill him
with the Spirit of God, and that he
would find God's rest in this
season of Advent.
Pray for the Council of Canons:
Alex Cameron, Ross Kimball,
Andrea Mueller, and Susan
Skillen; especially this week for
Canon Alex Cameron as he takes
on the role as President of the
Isaiah 40 Foundation.
St. Aidan's House, Canon Susan Skillen
The Outreach, Josh Burns
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Mthr. Piper Runnion-Bareford and Fr.
Jordan Easley
Young Life, represented by presenters from various areas of Young Life
ministry across New England
The Franklin Mission Event, Fr. Dan Sylvia
We were especially encouraged by a team from St. Paul's Kenyan Church,
Lawrence, who came to celebrate the payment of their church's mortgage, the
first congregation in our diocese to do so. We heard from The Ven. Peter
Gachathi on the process they took by faith to work through their finances
to meet their goals, and the team from St. Paul's sang a Swahili song of praise.
Continue to pray for St.
Timothy's Anglican Mission
(Burlington, VT) and Church of
the Good Shepherd (Forestdale,
MA) as they search for new
rectors.
As always, refer to the ADNE
Cycle of Prayer each week.
EVENTS
After lunch and a presentation by Fr. Malcolm Reid on the state of
the Anglican Relief and Development Fund, the synod continued with a
special guest presentation by The Rt. Rev. David Hicks, bishop of the Diocese
of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic of the Reformed Episcopal Church (REC).
He introduced the REC and its history, along with its journey of faith since the
1800s. He also presented the REC's vision for the future and their desire to
continue partnering with us as founding members of the Anglican Church in
North America. It was a warm and welcome celebration of our unity in the
faith, and we are grateful for his visit (read Bishop Hicks' bio here).
The Synod 2015 business meeting followed, with a busy but relatively brief
agenda, the main points of which are as follows:
January 15-17
Women's Encounter Weekend
Imago Dei, Bangor
January 21-22
March for Life Summit
Washington D.C.
January 29-31
Men's Encounter Weekend
Imago Dei, Bangor
JOB OPENINGS
Rector
St. Timothy Anglican Church
Burlington, VT
More Information
Music Ministry Leader
Church of the Redeemer
Franklin, MA
More Information
Vicar
Church of the Good Shepherd
Forestdale, MA
More Information
Administration and
Reports on the changes and statuses of churches and missions
Elections to the ADNE Standing Committee and Ecclesiastical Court
Budget presentations, discussion, and vote. Major topics for discussion
this year were the development of a Church Planting Task Force and
added financial support to church plants, a Church Growth Task Force,
and the ADNE Cathedral Initiative for 2016. The following summaries
on each topic were presented:
Church Planting Task Force: "In 2016 we, the Bishop and Standing
Committee of the ADNE, in response to the call of God and our
Mission as a diocese commit ourselves afresh to the tasks of Church
Planting and will add a task force of leaders to assist the bishop in
this enterprise. Further we will add 6% of our annual tithes and
donation to fund the ongoing work. We will appoint Canon Alex
Cameron and Rev Justin Howard to head up this task force and
design the final approach to the work through the year 2016."
Church Growth Task Force: "In 2016, we, the Bishop and Standing
Committee of the ADNE, recognize the new season we are in as a
missionary diocese. We will assist our Bishop in his work by adding a
task force of leaders to assist him growing our parishes to be
healthier, stronger places of Anglican Mission and Ministry. We
recognize this effort to be of the first order of importance to reach a
level of sustainability as a diocese. The Bishop and this task force will
direct their time according to this mission initiative. " (See ADNE
Canon VIII)
ADNE Cathedral 2016: "The Vestry of the Pro-Cathedral of All Saints'
Anglican Church Amesbury asked the Standing Committee, that we,
the ADNE, consider formally naming All Saints' "The Cathedral of
the Anglican Diocese in New England". Further they have asked that
this request be considered this year and ratified by vote of the 2016
Synod of the ADNE. After much discussion, we the Standing
Committee, Bishop, Rector and the Vestry of All Saints' agree that this
request, which is such a source of joy for us all, needs further
reflection by the whole ADNE. So when we do vote, we will have
arrived at that place of understanding and peace that always
precedes a decision which is one of clarity and joy.
Communication Coordinator
All Saints' Pro-Cathedral
Amesbury, MA
More Information
Be sure to pass this on to anyone
willing and qualified in search of a
job!
For more information, email [email protected].
IN CASE YOU
MISSED IT
"Therefore, we the ADNE, are entering a year of education around
this request. We see this year of education as a process that is more
about shared ownership of a mission initiative than the naming of a
building. We see our Cathedral as an organic agency of mission, not
just an institutional monument.
"We will provide the clergy and lay leaders of the ADNE
opportunities for reading and reflecting on the changes and benefits
we see in the final and formal naming of All Saints' Anglican Church
as our Cathedral. The natural opportunities for theseeducation events
seem to be the Clergy Retreat, large area-wide confirmation events,
and the new "Clericus" meetings being held this year. Both Fr. Nathan
Baxter and BishopMurdoch will take the lead in thiseducation
initiative, producing materials and leading discussions throughout
this year."
ReadanddownloadimportantdocumentsdistributedatSynodand
checkoutthephotogalleryhere!
An Advent Call to Prayer
Embracing the Call of Isaiah 40
Dear Brothers and Sisters in
Jesus Christ:
As we travel the season of
Advent, preparing for our Lord's
return, I am writing to ask you to
pray daily for God to intervene in
the horrific persecution and
refugee crisis facing the world.
Nearly 12 million people have lost
their homes, possessions, jobs,
and sense of belonging as they
desperately migrate for safety;
7.6 million are displaced within
Syria; and 4 million are in
neighboring countries.
Please pray for these refugees
daily and in your corporate
worship on Sundays. Please pray
for the leaders of our nations as
they seek to do the right thing in
the right way. Please pray for
their persecutors - that they would
be stopped, and that they would
encounter our risen Lord Jesus . .
. <<<Continue Reading>>>
Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord's hand
double for all her sins.
-Isaiah 40:1-2
It is this verse that begins a passage in
Reflections on Advent
Taken from What They're Saying
about Advent, by Fr. David
Rosebery on AnglicanPastor.com.
A collected series of quotes from
saints, writers, philosophers on
the meaning of Advent and the
coming of Christ . . .
<<<Continue Reading>>>
Not Against Flesh and Blood
In the Archbishop of Canterbury's
short and moving statement in
response to the Paris attacks, the
terrorists, their beliefs and actions
are described as "evil", "wicked"
and a "demonic curse" which
Christians are called to oppose.
What does he mean by these
words, and how are Christians
practically to engage in this
opposition? Taken in isolation, the
text of Archbishop Welby's
statement doesn't tell us. But
given his background as a
charismatic Bible-believing
Christian, it's legitimate to
interpret this as seeing unseen
supernatural forces behind
jihadist philosophy and the
random brutal violence it has
spawned, and calling Christians
to spiritual warfare . . .
<<<Continue Reading>>>
AVAILABLE NOW!
ANewReleasebyDr.
MichaelBickford!
Canon Alex Cameron, new president of
Isaiah 40
Isaiah that serves as a spiritual reminder for
the vision of Isaiah 40 Foundation: to bring
comfort, forgiveness, and healing to those in
the Church who are in need. Formed in 1991
by the late Vina Sweetman, it has been a
spiritual home for many who have come
out of broken sexual and emotional lives to
find their true identity in Jesus Christ
and seeks to recognize and affirm the
presence of Christ as a continual source of
healing in the Church today.
Because of this legacy, the ADNE is honored
and thankful to announce that our own Canon Alex Cameron, who has
worked extensively with Isaiah 40, has been made its new president at the
passing of its well-beloved founder. The annual general meeting of Isaiah 40
occurred in Montreal, Quebec at the Friendly Home, their headquarters and
retreat center, on Saturday, November 28th, 2015. Canon Alex welcomed all
who were there before the commencement of the business meeting, which
included an address by Bishop Bill in support of our canon at this important
moment in his life and in the work of Vina Sweetman's continuing legacy.
The next day, Bishop Bill attended Emmaus Anglican Church on the first
Sunday of Advent and preached at its service, an important moment to
express support for our Canadian brothers and sisters in the Anglican
Network in Canada, partners in the faith and work of Jesus Christ in North
America. This service, together with the Isaiah 40 meeting, was significant not
just for Canon Alex but also for the ADNE, as we celebrate together with him
the continuing life and work of Isaiah 40.
One of the hymns sung at the Isaiah 40 annual meeting was Come, Thou
Long-expected Jesus, and its words fit with the call of Isaiah 40 as it moves
forward into a new chapter of ministry:
Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
IN OTHER NEWS
The Church of Sudan Breaks with TEC and Recognizes the ACNA
The Very Rev. Michael Bickford,
Dean of St. Aidan's Institute, has
recently published a book on the
spiritual
disciplines. Everyone Dies, But
Not Everyone Lives guides the
reader through the process of
developing a personal "Rule for
Life," a set of named values,
disciplines, and practices that
provide the structure for Christian
spiritual growth that most people
lack in the midst of a secular and
fast paced culture. A great small
group resource, Dean Bickford
would be happy to give a talk at
your parish and can be reached
at [email protected].
Everyone Dies, But Not Everyone
Lives is available at all online
bookstores and in both Kindle
and Nook versions.
ORDER TODAY!
A press release from the Anglican Church in North America:
Following their November 25-28, 2015 meeting, the House of Bishops of the
Anglican Province of South Sudan and the Sudan announced that they have
formally recognized the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). They also
recommended that the Most Rev. Dr. Daniel Deng Bul, Archbishop of the
Church of South Sudan and the Sudan, forge a closer relationship with the
Anglican Church in North America.
The decision to recognize the Anglican Church in North America was made in
conjunction with a decision to end formal ties with The Episcopal Church
(TEC). In a letter published following their meeting, the Sudanese House of
Bishops pointed in particular to two resolutions passed by The Episcopal
Church this past summer that redefine marriage. "In our view such innovations
are not in conformity with the Scriptures," the bishops wrote.
The Sudanese House of Bishops recommended that their Provincial Synod
sever their relationship with The Episcopal Church and any other province or
diocese that approves liturgies for the blessing of same sex relationships. In
addition, the bishops noted that there are Sudanese "diaspora congregations"
that are originally from the Church of South Sudan and the Sudan, but are
currently under TEC dioceses and parishes that support same-sex blessings and
marriages. The Sudanese House of Bishops encouraged these congregations to
join the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) wherever possible.
Archbishop Foley Beach commended the Sudanese House of Bishops, "Despite
the ravages of war and the suffering of their people, they are courageously
committed to standing on the historic teachings of the Bible and Anglican
Church. I look forward to deepening our partnership for the cause of Jesus
Christ."
*****