Mid-Atlantic Convocation February 2008 Newsletter
Ministry Focus | Did You Know? | Upcoming Events
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And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying,'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.'" Luke 22:19
For many of us, partaking of Holy Communion, though a weekly activity in most of our Christian walks, is particularly meaningful, and perhaps poignant, during this season of Lent. May the following words by Martin Luther help us prepare ourselves to enter more purposefully into the Holy Sacrament each week during the season of Lent:
“Let me say now in conclusion in regard to the Lord's Supper that when we have received it we ought to give heed to love, and in this way assure ourselves that we have received the sacrament profitably, and at the same time furnish evidence to others; so that we may not always come and still continue unchanged. Therefore, as I said, we must turn from our devotions and thoughts to our conduct toward our neighbor, and examine ourselves in this mirror with all seriousness. The sacrament is to act upon us so that we may be transformed and become different people. For God's word and work do not intend to be idle, but are bound to produce great things, to wit, set us free from sin, death, and the devil, and every kind of fear, and make us servants even of the least among men on earth, and this without the slightest complaint on our part, rejoicing rather to find someone in need of our help, and fearing only lest after receiving so much we may not apply it all.” 1
God bless you and strengthen you as fast and pray and seek more of Him during the remainder of Lent.
1From: “A Sermon on Confession and the Lord’s Supper.” A sermon by Martin Luther published in eight editions in 1524-1525.
Ministry Focus
St. Stephen’s Anglican Church
Heathsville, VA
http://www.ststephensva.org/
Lenten Series 2008
This year, St Stephen’s Lenten Series is a weekly Soup Supper and lecture. Their topic is "The Language of Christianity: Words that have Unique Meaning." It is a five-part series on five different words that have theological depth that they lack in common parlance. Those words are: Righteousness, Repentance, Atonement, Grace, and Hope.
Church of the Messiah
Chesapeake, VA
A Very Special Worship Service
Ruth Fazal, worship leader, violinist, singer/songwriter, will be at Messiah leading a very special worship service. Her deepest desire is to see the body of Christ enter into a truly intimate relationship with Jesus.
The Vestry at All Saints’ Church is prayerfully dedicated to ensuring continuous Prayer Room coverage beginning 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 21 (Good Friday) through 7:00 a.m. Sunday, March 23 (Easter morning). The congregation has been invited to “step-out” with the Vestry and ensure this unbroken 40 hour coverage.
(The Ministry Focus for March will be ministries and programs fulfilling our call to serving the poor.)
Church Planting; Fifth and Final in a Series
The Rev. Tom Herrick
Director for Church PlantingAnglican Communion Network
In the last newsletter, Rev. Herrick began discussing in detail the importance of "Training of Leaders" under girding the amazing growth within the Church of Nigeria and how he saw it operating. In this newsletter, Rev. Herrick discusses the fourth and final principle.
Principle Four: New Structures
A final principle that stood out in our visit was the willingness of the church to implement new structures to facilitate their growth and development. In Mark 2:22 Jesus says, “And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins.” (NIV) We witnessed a young church that was continually asking itself how it could reach people with the Gospel – what would it take to connect with its target audience – then going about the business of doing that. In some cases it meant building physical structures like bridges to open up remote rural areas. In other cases it meant building processing plants for corn and flour. Sometimes it meant building and staffing a hospital. Other times it involved building and operating a guest house with a restaurant for visitors, like the ones we stayed in. Often it involved building and staffing elementary or secondary schools that were far superior to the schools run by the government. Always it means building a sanctuary for worship and Bible study.
When the new wineskin involved building and running a radio station to broadcast religious programs, funding became an issue. The cost of the antenna alone was exorbitant. Rather than abandon the project, Archbishop Akinola sold his personal residence and donated the proceeds from the sale of his home to provide the necessary funding. When the station manager told me this, I asked him how much pressure he felt to make sure the station succeeded. He told me with no hesitation, “We knew we would not fail. Everyone was behind us. We had everything we needed. We are now on schedule to open a second station in Lagos next year.”
Somehow this story didn’t make into the Op Ed article in the Washington Post written by a local bishop who felt the need to criticize the Primate for his own purposes. But, whatever criticisms might be leveled, lack of imagination and fear of taking risks cannot be named among them. The new wineskins are everywhere we went during our stay. When it comes to thinking outside the box, the Nigerian Church has redefined the box and we can do well to learn from them. They begin with the all-important question: “What will it take to reach our target audience with the Gospel?” Then they begin to draw. The structures do not define the functions. It is the other way around. And, they will do whatever it takes.
A People Unleashed
The power of vision is unleashed when everybody is on God’s page, offers themselves to God’s purpose, and is willing to sacrifice to bring that vision into being. They are so healthy that they are reproducing themselves on a regular basis. Their passion for the lost is so strong that new leaders are catching that vision, coming forward to be trained and beginning to serve. They are so productive that they are able to morph and change in order to create new structures to carry out their work. None of this happens when a church is at war with itself, divided by court battles and a flood of words poured out on internet blogs and op-ed articles. It happens when a church is mobilized through faith and obedience tested in the fire. When this is the case, the fruit is abundant. For the five of us, tasting this fruit from the powerful vision of godly leaders was a true taste of heaven.
Did You Know?
The Origin of the Name “Lent”
In the English language, Lent was formerly referred to by the Latin term quadragesima (translation of the original Greek tessarakoste, the "fortieth day" before Easter). This nomenclature is preserved in Romance, Slavic and Celtic languages (for example, Spanish cuaresma, Portuguese quaresma, French carême, Italian quaresima). In the late Middle Ages, as sermons began to be given in the vernacular instead of Latin, the English word lent was adopted. This word initially simply meant spring and derives from the Germanic root for spring (specifically Old English lencten; also the Anglo-Saxon name for March—lenct—as the main part of Lent, before Easter, usually occurred in March). In modern Dutch, the word for "spring" is still "lente", while the 40-days fasting period is called "vasten". The use of this particular term to describe the period at this point is unique to English.
Mini-Retreat with Bishop John Guernsey
March 1, 2008
1:00 – 6:00 pm
Hosted by Church of the Holy Spirit
Located at Calvary Baptist Church
Ashburn, VA
http://www.holyspiritanglican.org/Come experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit as Bishop Guernsey teaches about the things of the Spirit. There will be activities for children. Bring money for pizza lunch from 12:00 to 1:00pm.
Ruth Fazal, worship leader, violinist, singer/songwriter, will be at Messiah leading a very special worship service. Her deepest desire is to see the body of Christ enter into a truly intimate relationship with Jesus.
"Compelled by Christ: The Whole Church for the Whole World," is a conference designed to help lay people to become involved in mission work. The conference, co-sponsored by Truro Church, will take place at All Saints Church on Saturday, April 19, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and will feature exciting and motivating plenary speakers.
Sharing Our Faith
Anglican Communion Network
Calendar Year 2008
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.
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 .
Feel free to forward this newsletter to members of your congregation.
Hold a true lent in your souls, while you sorrow over your hardness of heart.
Do not stop at sorrow! Remember where you first received salvation.
Go at once to the cross ... this will bring back to us our first love;
this will restore the simplicity of our faith, and the tenderness of our heart.
- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
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 22193-3455
Tel: 703-670-0093www.acn-mac.org
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