In this edition of the newsletter, Tom Herrick writes about the principle of multiplication as it is practiced in the Anglican Church of Nigeria. Some may be tempted to read Tom’s account and say to themselves, “That may work in Nigeria, but it won’t work here.”

Many of your churches and groups are facing major transitions and changes either presently or in the near future. Don’t be too quick to write off church planting as something that doesn’t apply to your situation. I am convinced that the lessons learned in planting new churches can help any church grow and recapture a passion for mission and evangelism. We are blessed today to have access to vast network of resources and experienced people that could help you lead your churches through the challenges that lie ahead with a transformed sense of vision and purpose. No one in the country is better connected to this network than our own Tom Herrick, and he is available to help you. Bishop John has also made it possible for me to serve our convocation in the area church planting. Don’t hesitate to call me.

 

 

Faithfully,
George Beaven

 

Anglican Communion Network Website  

The Anglican Communion Network has updated their website.  You'll see a variety of changes, but the most obvious change will be the new graphic design. You will also notice immediately that they have moved the parish map to the homepage. This is the most popular feature, so it is now "featured." More significantly though, they have reorganized the site to better emphasize the mission of ACN: to build a biblical, missionary, and united Anglicanism in North America.

Be sure to take a look:  www.acn-us.org

While there, if you haven't signed up for the bi-weekly newsletter, you can do that here:

http://www.acn-us.org/get-involved/email-updates/

Ministry Focus
As the season of Advent approaches, ACN congregations share some of the ways they prepare for Christmas through ministry.

Out-Reach Sunday
St. Bartholomew's
Cherry Hill, NJ
http://www.stbartscherryhill.org
St. Bartholomew’s celebrates every Third Sunday of the month as Out-Reach Sunday. The Sunday School, instead of meeting in classrooms, gathers as a group in the parish hall to do out-reach projects. Every time two projects are done. First, 10 casseroles are made for a soup kitchen in Camden (a poor city down the road). Second, an art project is completed, usually cards or decorations for an upcoming holiday. This December they will be making Christmas decorations that will be mailed to shut-ins or will be personally delivered during a visit to a nursing home.


Caroling Around the Village
St. Stephen's Church
Heathsville, VA
http://www.ststephensva.org/

Each year for the past few years, the youth of St. Stephen’s Church, Anglican have invited the congregation of St. Stephen’s to join them for an afternoon of Christmas caroling around the Village of Heathsville, followed by supper in the parish hall. They serve a meal of homemade chili, bread, and an assortment of Christmas cookies prepared by the youth and/or their families. This year the event will take place on Sunday, December 23. They visit the houses in the neighborhood around St. Stephen’s and travel by car to visit a few of the more elderly or infirm members. St. Stephen’s shares that it is such joy to sing beloved Christmas carols with beloved friends, to “Go tell it in the Village that Jesus Christ is born!” and to share the excitement of Christmas and the love of God with all.

Un-Trim-A-Tree
All Saints’ Church
Woodbridge, VA
http://www.allsaintsdalecity.org/

Parishioners at All Saints’ Church “un-trim” a Christmas Tree each advent in order to provide Christmas gifts to children in the community. Christmas tags adorn a Christmas tree on display in the back of the sanctuary. Each tag contains a suggested gift for a child in need whose name appears on the tag.  Parishioners help un-trim the tree by selecting a tag and providing the gift. On December 9, the gifts are brought to the altar for a blessing during each service.

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Did You Know?

  

Anglican Communion Network

In the last newsletter, Rev. Herrick began discussing in detail the guiding principles of the vision under girding the amazing growth within the Church of Nigeria and how he saw it operating. In this newsletter, Rev. Herrick discusses the second of those four principles.

Principle Two: The DNA of Multiplication
 
The beauty of the Nigerian vision is their heart to reach a lost world with the love of Christ.  Similar to the Book of Acts, which records the Church growing exponentially, the Church in Nigeria has created a genetic code for multiplication, not addition. How have they done this? 

To make their vision accessible to the everyday Christian, they utilize two mottos: The first is “1-1-1” which means “Every Anglican will bring one person to Christ every year.”  The second is “1-1-3” which means “Every Anglican will disciple one person for a three year period.”  These simple sayings help each Christian understand that each person must be living out the principle of multiplication in his own life if he is truly going to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  The lesson was clear for us: in order to own this vision, every single person has to have a heart for the lost.  In fact, it was impressive to us how much this was the case.  Everywhere we went, people were asking the question: “How can I reach and serve others who don’t know Jesus Christ?”

This momentum builds from the level of individual believers bringing others into relationship with Christ to the level of congregations giving birth to new congregations.  The Nigerians have a well established process of multiplying their churches.  When their leaders gather together, instead of asking the question, “How much money can you give in the next year?” they ask the question “How many churches can you plant in the next year?”  It is not unheard of for their primate to receive their answer and, with characteristic good humor, increase the number for them, knowing that their assessment needs to be focused on souls and the money will follow.  Whole congregations then get in on the process of establishing the new mission churches, following a carefully laid out plan.  Lay evangelists move into an area to begin pre-evangelism, having been trained and certified in diocesan schools.  After a small group has begun to come to Christ, a weekend evangelism event is conducted by the mother church, culminating in a service inviting people to make a commitment to Christ.  In this weekend, the new congregation is “born.”  In the months that follow, the mother church continues to care for the mission church, helping them to buy land, build a sanctuary, build a school, provide clergy each Sunday, and assist the evangelist as he cares for the new congregation as it grows.  Each month, new events are held to stimulate growth and nurture until it becomes a full-fledged parish.

The DNA of multiplication continues to work itself out throughout the Nigerian model with deaneries (a collection of parishes) giving birth to new deaneries, arch-deaconries (a collection of deaneries) giving birth to new arch-deaconries and dioceses giving birth to new dioceses.  In 2007, the Church of Nigeria called for the creation of twenty new dioceses and began consecrating new bishops for those dioceses.  Rather than trying to start a new mission church every now and then or a new diocese every blue moon, the genetic code is one of constant reproduction.  Every resource is geared to new growth and nurture.  Once it is a part of the DNA, there is great energy and an expectation that takes over.  The whole system is focused on doing what it is intended to do: multiply – give growth – reproduce.  It becomes the mindset of all concerned.  It is simply what we do and who we are.  It is our DNA.

In the next newsletter, Rev. Herrick will continue by discussing the third guiding principle

Upcoming Events
 
Common Cause Leadership Council
December 18, 2007
Orlando, Florida

When the Common Cause Partnership Council meets on December 18 in Orlando, Florida, it will organize itself into a federation of all partners who have by that point ratified its Articles. The assembly will elect a Moderator, Secretary, and Treasurer. It will appoint standing committees and task forces. By the end of the day, it will have brought into existence the "separate ecclesiastical structure" in North America for which the Global South Primates have called.

Please keep this pivotal meeting in your prayers.

Sharing Our Faith
Anglican Communion Network
Calendar Year 2007
Throughout the country

“Sharing Our Faith” conferences include workshops to train in evangelism, as well as actual outreach gatherings.  Details are available at: http://www.anglican-evangelism.org.

February 8-9, 2008: Herndon, VA
April 2008; San Jose, CA

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 .