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QUICK LINKS 2016 COLLEGE OF BISHOPS ADNE Website ADNE News ACNA Website St. Aidan's Institute
Give to the mission! BISHOP'S CALENDAR
January 17 Grace Anglican Church Our own Bishop Bill addressing the College of Bishops in Melbourne, FL Newport, NH
January 20 - 22 March for Life The ACNA College of Bishops meeting occurred January 4th to the 8th, 2016, in Washington DC Melbourne, Florida. Our own Bishop William Murdoch attended and spoke at the
January 24 meeting. They focused their time and attention on ways to plant new churches, ARDF Event with Abp Beach strengthen marriages, form disciples through common prayer, and guard the biblical Gordon-Conwell faith of the Anglican Communion. The following report was originally published on Hamilton, MA the ACNA website:
INTRODUCTION PRAYER CORNER From January 4-8, 2016 we came together in Melbourne, Florida to join in prayer, discernment, and fellowship. The College of Bishops gives thanks for the collegial atmosphere of the gathering and the opportunity to lead the Church "Always Forward" in its Gospel mission. We give thanks that the Rev. Dr. Ronald Jackson has been elected the second bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Great Lakes. We also give thanks for the wonderful hospitality of Christ Church, Vero Beach, Florida.
During the teaching sessions we were blessed by Bishop Trevor Walters' presentations on identifying and addressing potential burnout in both ourselves and our clergy. With all of the stresses and strains that ministry places upon our ordained leaders, his wisdom was an important contribution to our goal of
building up healthy generations of leaders for the future of the Church. During Continue to pray for the our business sessions we heard ministry reports from across the Anglican ADNE and the resources we need Church in North America, but we focused our attention on ways to plant new to do the work God has given us to do. churches, strengthen marriages, form disciples through common prayer, and guard the biblical faith of the Anglican Communion. We are truly encouraged by Pray for Bishop Bill, for this fruitful season in which God has blessed us, and we pray that the resources protection and wisdom in all his work, that the Lord would fill him that we have had the privilege to work on this week will be a blessing for all with the Spirit of God, and that he orders of ministry in the Church. would find God's rest after this past season of Christmas. CHURCH PLANTING Pray for the Council of Canons: Canon Dan Alger shared with us the next stage of church planting in the Alex Cameron, Ross Kimball, province. Our provincial church planting initiative will now be known as Andrea Mueller, and Susan Skillen. "Always Forward." Just as "Anglican 1000" came from Archbishop Duncan's opening address to the Province, the key leaders of church planting in North Continue to pray for St. America encourage us to move "Always Forward" in mission and maturity, a Timothy's Anglican Mission (Burlington, VT) and Church of theme that was central to the sermon that Archbishop Beach preached the Good Shepherd (Forestdale, immediately following his election. Using the theme as its new name, Always MA) as they search for new Forward has just launched a new website with resources for dioceses and church rectors. planters. The first resource, a "Church Planter Assessment Manual" was shared As always, refer to the ADNE with us, and we commend it to the larger church. Also, there will be a provincial Cycle of Prayer each week. church planting conference, "Always Forward 2016" in Denver, CO on August 25-27 with registration opening on February 1. You can learn more about church EVENTS planting through Always Forward here: www.Always-Forward.com. MARRIAGE We give thanks for the continuing work of the Marriage, Family, and the Single Life Task Force. Working groups in theology, public policy, and pastoral and parish resources are developing tools to strengthen both the single and the married. Our time together this week focused primarily on the theology of marriage in an early draft liturgy of Holy Matrimony.
The Anglican Church in North America, along with other Gospel-centered churches, is living in considerable tension today in terms of how best to be salt and light in our wider society. Contemporary Western society has abandoned the traditional rhythms of marriage. The Anglican Church in North America is working to restore a healthy, biblical model of human identity as expressed in January 15-17 Women's Encounter Weekend marriage, family, singleness, and sexuality. Much of this work will be done at the Imago Dei, Bangor personal and pastoral level, but it will be supported by the church's canons and January 21-22 liturgies. March for Life Summit Washington D.C. We were reminded of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's words from prison: "Most people January 29-31 have forgotten nowadays what a home can mean, though some of us have come Men's Encounter Weekend to realize it as never before. It is a kingdom of its own in the midst of the world, Imago Dei, Bangor a stronghold amid life's storms and stresses, a refuge, even a sanctuary."
While the work of the Marriage, Family, and the Single Life Task Force is just JOB OPENINGS getting underway, we give thanks for the early fruit of their labor. You can expect marriage resources to be released later in 2016 and 2017.
LITURGY Very significant progress has been made toward a Book of Common Prayer 2019. The creation of sub-committees on Calendar, Collects and Lectionaries, on Psalter and Music, on Episcopal Services, on Pastoral Services and on Offices of the Hours and Liturgies for Special Days has resulted in a greatly increased volume of work coming before the College. The present plan is to produce all the "working texts" of a new prayer book by mid-2017, and then to use the following 18 to 24 months to finalize the texts of a Book of Common Prayer 2019, based on both website feedback and general experience.
Rector We commended for use in the Church a third Eucharistic rite, the 3-Year Sunday St. Timothy Anglican Church Lectionary, the Daily Office Lectionary, Collects for the Christian Year, and the Burlington, VT More Information minor Offices for Midday, Compline and Family Prayer. These resources will be released by the end of February. We also began consideration of the Holy Music Ministry Leader Matrimony liturgy, with hopes to have a rite ready for use in the Church by the Church of the Redeemer Franklin, MA end of June. More Information We give thanks for both the quality and extent of the work that has been Vicar received and we give thanks for Archbishop Duncan's leadership on this project. Church of the Good Shepherd Forestdale, MA More Information HOLY ORDERS The Theological Task Force on Holy Orders is in phase three of their process. In Be sure to pass this on to anyone willing and qualified in search of a this phase, they are focusing on the manner in which ecclesiology relates to job! ordination and holy orders. The Task Force continues to identify those For more information, email ad- perspectives on ordination which lead to divergent understandings within our [email protected]. tradition about the nature of holy orders.
IN CASE YOU Three papers are in the process of composition, which will present the manner MISSED IT in which ecclesiology is understood from the three primary perspectives that comprise our Province: Anglo-Catholic, Charismatic, and Evangelical/Reformed. They anticipate that Phase Three will be complete by the next meeting of the bishops in June 2016. A webpage is going to be developed early in the Spring of 2016 to provide the resources developed by the Task Force.
GLOBAL ANGLICANISM We expressed our deep gratitude to and profound affection for the clergy and laity of La Province de l'Eglise Anglicane au Rwanda, and most particularly to the Archbishop and Bishops of the Province, for their trust, generosity, and partnership in commending the bishops, clergy, and congregations of PEARUSA to be fully incorporated in the Anglican Church in North America. They were among our rescuers in an hour of great need. Now, at another critical moment, they bless us toward ecclesial maturity in Christ. The ADNE Year in Review In our times of prayer and intercession, we have been mindful and keenly aware 2015 was an exciting and busy year for the ADNE as we pushed of the upcoming gathering of Primates in Canterbury next week. While we are into God's plan for us in New grateful that our Primate, Archbishop Foley Beach, has been invited to attend, England and experienced His we recognize the magnitude of the challenge to restore Biblical faith and order to transforming love in and among our brothers and sisters. Check the Communion. out the list of highlights from throughout the year and to see In light of the depth of the divisions in the Anglican Communion, we are deeply The Year in Review video, a photo compilation: <
We will continue to pray for the upcoming meeting, but, regardless of the outcome, we take joy in the knowledge of the future we share with those who remain committed to historic, Biblical faith.
CONCLUSION Many of our brothers and sisters live in the midst of terrible persecution. Living in the midst of issues and challenges of great measure, one could easily become overwhelmed, yet because of our position in Christ we have great hope. We Reflections on the East African have hope in our future, because we share a godly fellowship that has faith in Revival Christ and the power of the Gospel to bring change. In the words of St. Paul, "In I stood there with my wife, all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I Sandra, in 2004 and whispered to myself: here is where God began am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor to save the Anglican Communion. things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all We were visiting Kabare in the creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our central western part of Uganda. Lord" (Romans 8:37-39). We were there to take a look at an Anglican theological seminary, and visit the grave of Bishop Festo Kivengere a remarkable EPISCOPAL VISITS African leader whom I had slightly known. There, near the seminary in a grove of trees lies a natural amphitheater. On its curved hillside hundreds gathered in 1935 to hear an African layman preach powerfully about his conversion to Jesus Christ, his repentance from sin, his breakthrough to victory over recurrent wrong behavior, and his overflowing love for other believers regardless of denomination.
This event, continuously recalled in recurrent festivals right up to this day, sparked a revival that has left an indelible imprint on the worldwide Anglican Communion and continues to bear fruit today... <
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13 - Bishop Bill was able to join All Nations Christian Church for Christmas celebrations. On Saturday evening, All Nations Christian Academy put on their Christmas show, "Peace to the Nations". After a welcome from The Rev. Geoffrey Little, guests were treated to a parade of nations, the children of the academy dressed in the clothing of the various countries they represented. They then performed worship songs, together and at times individually, and a couple told stories, narrating the birth of Jesus from differing perspectives.
The next day Bishop Bill presided over and taught at the All Nations Every 500 Years Sunday service, where worship was conducted in both Spanish and English. In addition, three confirmands were welcomed into the Church and the Anglican After the Crucifixion and Communion: Yarisbeth Cotto, Luis Perez, and Isabel Rivera. Resurrection of Jesus, the Gospel spread throughout the world, usually as a result of persecution, Check out the gallery of great photos here! or at least accompanied by it. The first few centuries saw amazing expansion of Gospel belief. It was And below is a short video from Sunday morning worship at All Nations Church! a time during which the Church had to figure out what had happened through Jesus Christ. The Council of Nicaea in 325 was one of those amazing points in time in which the church produced the Creed which addresses who Jesus is and who the members of the Trinity are. Not too many years later, around 500 AD, Benedict wrote his Rule, which dramatically advanced monastic religious life.
About 500 years later, in 1054 AD, the Church experienced the final separation between Eastern and Western Christians.
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses (Die 95 Thesen) to the chapel door of Wittenberg Castle, which was one of the key factors provoking the Reformation.
Now, about 500 years after that, the world and the Church have undergone a huge assault... <
IN OTHER NEWS Sexuality and Humanity
"Paul this is all irrelevant. I could never be a Christian. What would I say to my gay friends?"
The resurrection may or may not be true, Jesus may or may not have died for her sins, but to Sarah it didn't really matter. What mattered was "What would I say to my gay friends?"
In some ways I could understand her point: how would I feel if my gay friends thought that they could tell me that I shouldn't be with my wife? Sarah, along with most of our generation, find the historic Christian teaching about sexuality at best strange and at worst positively offensive. Nevertheless, I find I cannot bring A Letter from Archbishop Beach on the Primates Gathering myself around to that way of thinking. You see the disagreement Sarah and I have is The following letter was written by Abp. Foley Beach on the eve of his arrival at not just about people's sex lives, rather we are disagreeing about Canterbury for the primates gathering that is still going on. It is a call to prayer for him the whole Christian teaching and the other archbishops of the Communion as they deal with the deep divides that are about what it means to be tearing the fabric of the worldwide Church. The meeting continues behind closed doors. human...<<
Grace and peace to you in the incredible Name of our Messiah and Lord, Jesus Christ!!
As most of you know, I have been invited to attend a gathering called by the Archbishop of Canterbury next week in Canterbury, England. The reasons he has not been able to call a meeting of the Primates of the Communion until this time is because the actions of The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada have deeply torn the fabric of trust and fellowship in the Communion. In 2007 the Primates met in Dar es Salaam and unanimously agreed on a course of action to restore the godly fellowship of the Communion by asking these two provinces to repent and return to the Biblical teaching and practice of the Anglican Communion. When they did not repent, the previous Archbishop of Canterbury acted against the consensus of the Primates and ignored the consequences which were imposed. This has made the breach even wider. Since that time, the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) has met in Jerusalem (2008) and in Nairobi (2013), and through GAFCON, the Anglican Church in North America was birthed in 2009. Since that time our Province in North America has been recognized and is in full communion with the provinces represented by GAFCON and the Global South of the Anglican Communion. These provinces represent the vast majority of the Anglicans in the world and have been our partners in spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ and discipling people in Anglican Christianity.
I have been asked many times why I am going. Firstly, as a group the GAFCON Primates all decided together that we would attend in good faith and see if there is a possibility of restoring order to the structures of the Anglican Communion. Secondly, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, invited me in good faith, and like my brother Primates, I am going in good faith. Thirdly, the Anglican Church in North America is now a Partner Province of the Global South who are also planning to attend. Fourthly, to not attempt to bring godly order and unity to the Church would be a sin against the Lord and His bride.
I am writing to ask for your prayers, even fasting, as the Lord leads you. I travel to the UK this weekend for the meetings which begin on Monday morning at Canterbury Cathedral. I see no easy answers without repentance and Gospel Truth. Pray for wisdom. Pray for confidence in the Truth of God. Pray for boldness. Pray for humility. Pray for repentance. Pray for healing. What is at stake? It is really not about me or about the Anglican Church in North America. It is the reputation of Jesus Christ. It is the souls of millions of people who are being taught a false Gospel and are being led into spiritual and sexual bondage under the pretense of the Christian Faith. It is about the third largest expression of the Christian Faith being able to unite and bring Christian hope and godliness in the face of violent opposition all around the globe.
Personally, I believe this will be an extremely challenging meeting for all involved, but I believe in a big and powerful God!!
Thank you in advance for your prayers. "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than we can ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations" (Ephesians 3:20f, ESV)
Your brother in Christ,
The Most Rev. Dr. Foley Beach Archbishop and Primate Anglican Church in North America
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Gallery: Christmas in the ADNE
This Christmas season some of our congregations sent in photos from around the diocese of various Advent and Christmas celebrations. Click the photo above to see some of what went on this season around New England to celebrate the birth of Christ!