Mid-Atlantic Convocation September 2006 Newsletter
Dear Friends,
My thanks to those who prayed for my wife, Meg, and me during our around the world mission trip in August. We went first to New Zealand for SOMA (Sharing of Ministries Abroad). We were blessed to be able to come alongside and encourage a number of key clergy and lay leaders who are standing for biblical faith in a Province that might well choose to follow ECUSA in walking apart from the Anglican Communion. From there we flew to Uganda to participate in a glorious celebration of the 25th anniversary of our parish’s partner diocese, North Kigezi. It was an intense trip (I preached or taught 31 times), with some amazingly long airplane flights, but it was a wonderful experience for Meg and me to enjoy together.
On Sunday September 3, I had the privilege and joy of celebrating the Eucharist and preaching at a special dedication service for a new Network congregation, The Anglican Mission of Southern Maryland. Over 45 people attended this celebration. Please continue to keep this group in their prayers as they grow and develop. Information about AMOSC is available on their web site:
http://www.amosm.info.
A new congregation has started in Roanoke, VA.The following is an excerpt from a report to George Beaven, Church Plant Director for the Mid-Atlantic Convocation from Mr. Mel Evans, one of the MAC church plant coaches. St. Peter's will be featured in more detail in next month's newsletter. Praise be to God!
"It is with much pleasure and thanksgiving that I submit to you this report of progress in the establishment in the Roanoke Valley of the traditional, orthodox Anglican church under the authority of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Anglican Communion, the Anglican Communion Network and the Mid-Atlantic Convocation. It is important to note and should be an example to all who find themselves in like circumstances that throughout this process the love of Christ and optimism have constantly prevailed over anger and despair experienced by many in like circumstances. Prayerful discernment has put all activities and decisions in to hands of God. The speed is remarkable at which God has propelled the advent and fruition of this ministry. God has blessed this group with the call of the Rev. Philip Bottomly as a full time priest and church planter. Another major blessings has been, through prayerful negotiation, an alliance with St. Paul's Lutheran Church, whereby a united church has been formed on a trial basis."
More and more parishes are meeting to decide how to respond to General Convention’s failure to comply with the Windsor Report. Several churches in the Virginia Coalition have begun a 40-day Period of Discernment that includes directed Bible study, prayer, and fasting. Under the leadership of Truro and The Falls Church, a superb guidebook for these 40 days has been developed. Information on this program is available at
http://www.40daysofdiscernment.org. I highly recommend this as a resource.
Each parish will need to decide for itself what course to follow. I have often said that the Network will not tell you what to do, but we will support your decision and help in any way we can. One of the strengths of the Network is that we can embrace those churches which believe God is leading them to an overseas jurisdiction, as well as those which believe they have a calling to remain as a faithful witness in the Episcopal Church.
Sadly, all too many Episcopalians are uniformed about the widespread false teaching in their Church and about the nature and extent of the crisis which has resulted from it. I would commend to you the program, Episcopal Witness, pioneered by Bill Boniface. The goal of this lay-led program is to reach out to the laity in congregations where relevant information and resources are being institutionally restricted or stifled. For more information on this program, please contact Bill at
episcopalwitness@comcast.net.
As I write this, we await reports from the meeting of the Global South Primates in Rwanda and the Windsor bishops meeting in Texas. However, I am also reminded of the biblical truth that our hope is in the Lord, not people, not meetings, not statements. Let us not lose our focus in the Lord, but continue to trust in Him daily.
"Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:4-5
Faithfully yours in Christ,
John A. M. Guernsey
Dean
In Memoriam:
T he Rev. J. Wesley Vanaman passed away Monday, September 11, 2006.
Fr. Vanaman was interim priest at Christ Episcopal Church in Millville, New Jersey. His parish joined the Anglican Communion Network in June 2005. Fr. Vanaman became an Episcopal minister in 1962, serving in Salem, Gladstone, Helmetta and Millville. He is survived by his wife, Helen, of 54 years; three sons and their families including five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Memorial contributions in memory of Father Vanaman may be made to Christ Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 357, Millville, NJ 08332.
We extend our sympathy and prayers for God's comfort to Helen and the Vanaman family.
St. Matthew's Church
The Rev. Chuck Alley
The Rev. Mario Gonzalez del Solar
Fairfax, VA
Marriage preparation at St. Matthew’s...is done by a team of lay people who have been trained by First Things First of Richmond (http://www.firstthingsrichmond.org/). The mentoring process centers on a 131-question inventory of attitudes on a wide variety of issues affecting marriage—spiritual and religious issues; family experiences, money, sex, communication, compatibility, etc. Addenda to the inventory are provided for couples who are cohabiting or in which one or both have been previously married. The engaged couple complete the inventory, which is then mailed out to be scored. The two couples then meet 5-6 times, using the results of the inventory as a basis of discussion. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers—the inventory simply measures agreement or agreement on a particular question or issue, and often the couple’s disagreement simply reflects the fact that they have not discussed that particular issue as of yet. Each mentoring session covers a particular aspect of the couples’ relationship, and mentor couples are provided extensive materials for enabling discussion of those specific topics, in addition to the eight hours of training provided by First Things First. Mentor couples are also trained in using several communication techniques, which they in turn teach to the engaged couples. A clergy person always meets with the couple before they are assigned to a mentor couple.
This ministry abounds in blessings: the lay couple cover issues specific to the engaged couple in a depth that a single clergy person simply cannot; and mentor couples find their own marriages and communication strengthened. The congregation benefits as well as couples new to the congregation develop a strong relationship with the mentor couple, and become part of the church. We’ve had several folks become Christians through the mentoring process.
Training typically involves four 2-hour sessions. For more information, email Bob Ruthazer at First Things First of Richmond at Bob@FirstThingsRichmond.org or call him at 804-2883431 x11.
All Saints' ChurchThe Rev. John Guernsey
The Rev. Valarie Whitcomb
The Rev. Mark Brown
Woodbridge, VA
Foot-Washing Ministry...In the fall of 2003, All Saints’ began a twice monthly outreach to the homeless of the community, those who live in the woods, cars and abandoned homes. For the homeless and poor, the primary mode of transportation is often walking, whether to work, to the Drop-In Center for a warm meal, or to their campsite in the woods. Obviously, this takes a toll on their feet. Furthermore, many of these same individuals have medical conditions, such as diabetes, which affects the circulation to their feet. Parishioners learned the uncomplicated task of washing someone’s feet, undertaken in conjunction with professional medical care, can achieve many benefits. It provides the opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ in a meaningful way. This ministry is a blessing to those giving as well as to those receiving. One of the ministry volunteers recently wrote; “We had an awesome, breakthrough kind of night at the shelter last night. I mean unbelievable opening up to us and pouring hearts out like never before.” For more information, contact Jonathan Watson at 703-670-0093 .
Over the course of the year, we will be contacting all parishes requesting information about any ministry you would like highlighted in the MAC newsletter. However, if you have a time-sensitive ministry you would like for us to include in an upcoming newsletter, please contact Heather Adams at hadams@acn-mac.org .
Did You Know?
The Anglican Communion uses the
compass rose as its symbol, signifying its worldwide reach and decentralized nature. It is surmounted, like ecclesiastical coats of arms, by a bishop's mitre; in the center is a cross of St. George recalling the communion's origins in the Church of England. The Greek motto, λ?θεια λευθερ?σει μς ("The truth will set you free") is a quotation from John 8:32. It was designed by Edward Nason West, Canon of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City.
The Anglican Communion Network has also incorporated the compass rose into its logo.
The Anglican Relief and Development Fund
The Anglican Relief and Development Fund recently approved a community center project in the amount of $44,740 for the Episcopal Diocese of Egypt. The project, Center Serves Needy Egyptians, will help to e 
quip a new community center that will allow the diocese to expand programs in adult literacy, childhood education, after school tutoring, health awareness, and healthcare provisions. The community center is located just outside Alexandria on Egypt’s Mediterranean cost in the suburb of Ras El Souda that is experiencing unprecendented growth. While construction is booming, many residents remain mired in poverty. Intervening now can help steer this rapidly growing, but impoverished, community toward positive development that benefits all residents. By teaching literacy to parents, as well as young children, the Episcopal Diocese of Egypt helps create home environments where education is valued and encouraged. Combining health education with affordable medical care enables vulnerable people to protect themselves from easily preventable diseases and malnutrition. 1,934 people will be impacted, some in multiple ways. Information on ARDF and a list of all current projects can be found at www.anglicanaid.net. Contributions for the project should be sent to: ARDF, 535 Smithfield St., Ste. 910, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.
Your Turn! 
We would like to have feedback from all our readers in order to compile a list of books, tried and true. What would your answer be to the following question:
The First Children's Ministry Summit
"What is Angliclan Children's Ministry?"
November 12 - 13, 2006
Trinity School for Ministry
Ambridge, PA 15003
If your church is having an event, we would be happy to publish it, not only so that interested people might attend, but so that we can be praying for you. Send information to newsletter@acn-mac.org .
Feel free to forward this newsletter to members of your congregation. Past and current issues will be available on the MAC website.
We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties. ~Oswald Chambers
John Guernsey, Dean | George Beaven, Church Planting Director | Heather Adams, Executive Assistant | Heidi Reichert, Administrative Assistant
Mid-Atlantic Convocation | Anglican Network Communion
c/o All Saints' Church | 5290 Saratoga Lane
Woodbridge, Virginia 22026
Tel: 703-670-0093www.acn-mac.org
If you have received this newsletter in error, visit this link to unsubscribe: unsubscribelink1
To change your subscription information or update your email address, visit this link unsubscribelink3
New fall Alpha program
September 19, 2006
All Saints' Church
Woodbridge, VA
Avoiding Church Planting Pitfalls ConferenceOctober 13-14, 2007
Sponsored by the ACN and the Diocese of Pittsburgh
Church planting will take center stage at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Sewickley on October 13-14. The conference, sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, is entitled “Avoiding Planting Pitfalls,” said Jenni Bartling, congregational developer for church plants.
Fees for the two-day conference are $25 for members of the diocese and seminarians, $50 for others. On October 13, Nebel will speak on the “Landmines and Booby Traps” of church planting from 9 am to 4 pm. Bartling will speaking on “Coaching 101” from from 6:30 to 9:30 pm on October 13 and 9 am to 4 pm on October 14. Fees include session materials and snacks.
To register and for more information, visit:
If you were going to be exiled to a desert island and could take only two books, the Bible and one other book, what book would you choose? We will share the titles in upcoming newsletters. You might learn of a new book, or be reminded of an old favorite.