Archbishop’s State of the Church Address: Provincial Council 2011 (excerpts)

Two years ago we were 706 congregations.  The annual parochial and diocesan reports for 2010 – the first year for which we have a system of statistical reporting in place (another provincial milestone) – identify 952 congregations as part of the dioceses of the Anglican Church in North America and its ministry partners.  Statistically this represents a 34 percent growth in congregations at the end of the first 18 months of Church life.

We focus on the centrality of local congregations as the “chief agency” of our mission in the Anglican Church in North America.[Article IV of the Constitution]  If we are to “reach North America with the transforming love of Jesus Christ” the principal way we will do this is through the local congregation. We say that every Anglican Church congregation is “accountable to the Holy Scriptures, accountable to the Tradition, and accountable for the transformation of society.” 


We understand that congregations are where disciples are formed and that it is through congregations that surrounding environments are changed.  We have a clarity about all of this – about the absolute centrality of congregations – that allows us to focus as a Province. Bishops, archbishops, dioceses, structures, programs all exist in order to make the local congregation strong. 

PHOTOS of the Installation of Bishop Roger Ames

CLICK the TITLE to go to: Photos of Anglican Diocese of the Great Lakes (ACNA) | Facebook

Moving into a NEW DIOCESE!

All Saints is moving into a new diocese within the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). As the Diocese of the Holy Spirit moves toward closure in June, as expected, its parishes and priests are seeking new dioceses for their home jurisdiction. This diocese was a transition diocese for the parishes that were received into the Church of Uganda as the Anglican Reformation began in the U.S. All Saints has explored building a relationship with the Anglican Diocese of the Great Lakes (ADGL). As our Rector contacted the bishop of the ADGL, Rt. Rev. Roger Ames, we found a very warm welcome and an invitation to join their diocese. Our Vestry agreed to accept this invitation. Our bishop, the Rt. Rev. John Guernsey, was pleased to transfer All Saints and Fr. David to our new diocese. Plans for Bishop Ames to be Installed as the bishop of the ADGL are set for Saturday, April 29th. Bishop Ames invited our Rector to participate in the Installation. Fr. David accepted the invitation with great joy and expectation for all that this new relationship offers our parish. Growing the Church with New Life is the emerging theme of parish life and ministries for 2011. This new diocesan relationship holds great promise for our living into this venture. It is with deepest thankfulness that we move from our diocesan relationship with Bishop John Guernsey who has offered our parish and our Rector exemplary Christian love and wisdom through the years we have shared together.
A link with the Anglican Diocese of the Great Lakes can be found here: http://anglicandiocesegrlakes.org/index.shtml

Lenten Focus: Worship and becoming spiritually alive!

   For the first five Sundays in Lent we will be using the 1928 Prayer Book for our Services of Holy Communion. This temporary change is to help us observe our Anglican heritage with the Service that is most commonly accepted throughout our Anglican Church in North America. We will return to our regular Service Booklets on Palm Sunday.      

   We will be using the Sharing Times after the Service to reflect upon Worship, traditions including those of the early church, Services of Holy Communion, and we’ll study what Holy Scripture tells us about worshiping God.

    During our times of Worship, Biblical Preaching throughout Lent will be focused upon becoming spiritually alive. The sermon series is as follows:

  March 20     2 Lent        Being Born of the Spirit     John 3:1-17

  March 27     3 Lent        GOD IS SPIRIT   John 4: 5-42

  April  3         4 Lent        Really Seeing Spiritually what is Real 

                                                           John 9:1-41

 April  10      5 Lent        Spiritually Alive!     John 11:1-45 

 April  17   Palm Sunday   Our Spiritual Journey with Jesus    

                                                         Matthew 26:36—27:66

  April 21    Maundy Thursday   Chapel at 7 PM    

                                         Holy Eucharist and the Last Supper   

  April 22    Good Friday  Tenebrae Service at 7:30 PM 

    Joint Service at Holy Cross Anglican Church in Webster

  April 24    Easter Day     Emergence of New Life     John 20:1-18

  May  1     1 Easter         Morning Prayer 1928 Prayer Book

                                                    Tom Stone-Lay Preacher

  May  8     2 Easter       Known in the Breaking of the Bread   

                                                           Luke 24:13-35

JOIN US as we share in observing a Holy Lent that is spiritually encouraging!