(Via email-KSH).

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I am sending my quarterly Provincial Letter a few weeks early as I have good news to report.

First, greetings from Christ Church Plano, where I am attending the G25 GAFCON Global Mini Conference, along with 120 Primates and Bishops from around the world. This gathering, organized by +Paul Donison, the General Secretary for GAFCON, is an endeavor to introduce our most recently elected Bishops to the history of, and our deep roots in, GAFCON.

As I have reported in previous updates, over the past several months we have been engaging in a restructuring process, which has included a review of our current provincial staff structure and functions, the audit and assessment of our current internal systems and platforms, the development of a new organizational chart, and the recruitment and screening of candidates for four new Director roles.

Before I introduce you to our four new Directors, I wanted to offer a few words of thanks. First, and most profoundly, I am grateful to and appreciate the work of Deborah Tepley. Her commitment to Jesus Christ and His church is deep, inspiring, and gives guidance to her life and work. Deborah has led our restructuring work these past several months with excellence and the whole of our Province is indebted to her.

Secondly, our Restructuring Committee, an ad hoc committee of the Executive Committee, has been meeting regularly since November and guiding this process for the Province. The work of this Committee, comprised of Dr. Joan Deeks, Sheryl Vittitoe, Bishop Ryan Reed, and Deborah Tepley, is now completed. I am incredibly grateful for the time, effort and expertise this Committee has contributed over these past months. I am also grateful for the support of those who made up our interview teams, which included Jonathan Millard+, +Steve Breedlove, Sheryl Vittitoe, Lee Hilts, and Jeff Weber+.

As a part of our overall structural changes, we are changing Deborah Tepley’s title from Chief Operating Officer to Executive Director, as this reflects the full extent of her role and is a title typical in a non-profit setting. 

Now, onto introductions. We have hired four Directors: Director of Outreach and Development, Director of Administration and Operations, Director of Safeguarding and Canonical Affairs, and Director of Finance (fractional). I am providing the names and bios of our four new hires below. Please join me in welcoming this incredibly talented and experienced group to the Provincial staff team. 

Kate Harris, our new Director of Outreach and Development, brings a diverse background in non-profit and ministry leadership, most recently serving as the founder and principal of Pulley Advising, a strategy firm helping mission-driven clients grow their impact. She began her career as a press officer for the Colorado State Senate and worked in strategic communications for U.S. Senate leadership. She later helped found and manage stakeholder relationships for Wedgwood Circle, supported business development for the University of Oxford Estates Division, and managed special projects for Oxford Analytica, a global consultancy. Subsequently, Kate served as Interim Executive Director of The Fellows Initiative and as Executive Director of The Washington Institute for Faith, Vocation, and Culture, where she authored Wonder Woman: Navigating the Challenges of Motherhood, Career, and Identity (Zondervan, 2014) and was Assistant Producer of ReFrame, a 10-week film-based course developed by Regent College to help Christians connect their faith with all areas of life. She has an MA in English Literature, was an Ingram scholar at Vanderbilt University, and graduated with a BS in Journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Kate and her family are active members of Restoration Anglican Church (Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic) in Arlington, Virginia, a church plant of The Falls Church Anglican, where she worshipped for more than 17 years after first arriving as a Falls Church Fellow in 2002. Kate is wife to a good man and mother to their four children. Kate says, “I am so grateful for Anglicanism’s faithful witness and practices that prioritize unity and shared hope in Christ. I am excited to learn from all of the amazing ministry leaders who have built the Church into what it is today, and I’m eager to help discern and contribute to its next season of mission and growth.”

Dr. Tiffany Butler, our new Director of Safeguarding and Canonical Affairs, possesses a rare blend of extensive religious and theological studies focused on practical theology, canon law, and ethics, practical experience supporting the canonical presence of the church in the world and in ecumenical dialogue, and approximately six years’ professional experience as an Ethics and Compliance Specialist focused on Safeguarding with World Concern, a Christian international transformational development organization. Dr. Butler holds a PhD in Ethics and Practical Theology from the University of Edinburgh’s School of Divinity. Her thesis examined the intersection of migration, ecclesiologies, and canon law. Dr. Butler also holds an MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary with an emphasis in Just Peacemaking and two BAs – one from Seattle Bible College in Practical Theology with a Global Outreach major and another from the University of Washington’s Jackson School of International Studies in the Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, Peace, and Security track. Dr. Butler is a competent, fluent, and sympathetic communicator, and she has over 20 years of experience working locally and internationally among faith-based organizations in Belize, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, and Kenya.

Dr. Butler has been a member of the ACNA and her local parish of Holy Trinity Edmonds (Diocese of Cascadia) in Washington State since 2018. She quickly became involved as a researcher for the Orthodox Church in America and the Anglican Church in North America (OCA/ACNA) Ecumenical Dialogue Task Force, particularly concerning rapprochement and canonical affairs. Dr. Butler also served as a lay member of the Cascadia Diocesan Council and a lay representative at GAFCON 2023.

Dr. Butler enjoys worshiping with her local church family at Holy Trinity Edmonds, and she is excited to serve the wider ACNA Province as the Director of Safeguarding and Canonical Affairs. She says, “I am passionate about the Church being a safe place for all, particularly for vulnerable individuals. My vocational means of serving Christ’s Church is through relationships expressed in the living canons. Alexander Schmemann defined the quality of canonicity as that which serves to ‘assure, express, defend, and fulfill the Church as Divinely given Unity.’ My heart is to work diligently by the grace of God in Christ Jesus to ensure that our actions as a Province meet this high calling for the good of the whole in love.”

Dan Hassler, our new Director of Administration and Operations, brings a significant breadth of experience from his 14 years of service at The Moody Bible Institute. As Director of Change Management, Dan led projects and initiatives spanning every aspect of the Institute, including Education, Publishing, Finance, HR, Operations, IT, and Advancement. In his most recent position, Dan has served as the Manager of Business Analysis for the Information Technology Services department at Moody. In this role, he has been instrumental in implementing new software, meeting complex needs with efficient solutions, and developing and shepherding a team of IT experts. His greatest professional joy is identifying organizational needs and crafting meaningful solutions. Dan holds a BA degree from The Master’s College.

Dan and his family are active members of Cornerstone Anglican Church (Diocese of the Upper Midwest) in the Portage Park neighborhood of Chicago, IL, where Dan serves on the Vestry as the Treasurer. He is married to Desirée, his beloved wife of 26 years and father to four amazing kids. They live in Oak Park, IL, a Chicago suburb. In his free time, Dan enjoys reading (extensively) and playing bluegrass banjo (poorly). Dan says, “The Anglican Church has played a pivotal role in my spiritual growth in recent years and I am honored to have this opportunity to use my giftings to ensure that the ACNA flourishes for years to come.”

Keith Moore, our interim fractional Director of Finance, came to Christ at 21 and has been a serial small-business entrepreneur since graduating from Covenant College in 1976. In 2000, he decided to take his business experience and use it on behalf of churches and faith-based nonprofits. He worked with numerous nonprofits such as Mission to the World, World Hope International and International Justice Mission on enterprise software projects and served as Project Director for a multi-mission back-office support group. He served as the Director of Finance Manager at Grace DC, a PCA network of churches in Washington, DC, where he resides and also is a member. In 2014 he began working on the concept of remote business support for churches which led to founding Auxilio in 2019 which today supports over 150 churches and nonprofits in 33 states.

Keith is married to Patty (50 years this June) and they are blessed with four children and 15 grandchildren. Keith says, “I am very excited to be part of this journey that God has the ACNA on and to help the Provincial office and staff become an even more strategic, missional and helpful support to the dioceses, congregations and congregants.”

We are currently hiring for a Content and Media Relations Manager, who will support Kate Harris, as well as an Events Manager, who will report to Dan Hassler.

Last but not least, we are preparing for Provincial Council, which will be held at Trinity Anglican Seminary’s new Trophimus Center on June 18-20. This will be a smaller event for Bishops and diocesan delegates.

Please know that this letter comes with my gratitude for our shared ministry and my continued prayers.

Yours in Christ, 

Archbishop Steve Wood

Provincial Letter from Archbishop Steve Wood. https://t.co/15IogndvSx

— ACNA (@The_ACNA) March 11, 2025

The former site of a 24 Hour Fitness gym soon will become a spiritual home for hundreds of Anglican Christians in southwest Fort Worth.

Members of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church gathered on Feb. 2 for a ceremonial groundbreaking for the congregation’s new place of worship at 5001 Overton Ridge Blvd.

With hard hats, plastic shovels for kids and a disco ball, the ceremony marked the culmination of a 17-year search for a permanent location for the church plant to call home, said the Very Rev. Chris Culpepper, rector of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church and canon for church planting for the Anglican Diocese of Fort Worth.

“I just told everybody, ‘Bring a shovel because we’re all in this together,’” Culpepper said.

Tony Rutigliano was one of over 200 people who attended the groundbreaking ceremony. He grew up nondenominational and Baptist while his wife grew up in the Western rite Orthodox faith. When searching for a place for the family to worship together, Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church offered a “happy medium,” Rutigliano said.

Read it all.

Melissa Greene, reporter for the Ft. Worth Report, wrote an article about Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church finding a new permanent home. Read it here: https://t.co/OtWbug9eRQ

— ACNA (@The_ACNA) February 19, 2025

Bell then comments:

‘Such a vision of unity is surely what must lie at the heart of any theological vision for the Anglican Communion. The gift of unity, intertwined with truth and holiness, empowered and initiated through and by love, flowing from its Trinitarian source, and finding its visibility not only in our structures and institutions but in our relationships and lives of Christian service, witness mission. Unity as gift and imperative sits above our disagreements requiring us not to contort ourselves into pseudo- agreement, but instead to recognise that metaphysical unity precedes our disagreements and will be revealed in different visible ways as we journey on together.’ (p.191)

What conservative Anglicans would want to say in response to these paragraphs is that Archbishop Rowan is right to say that the unity that all true Christians possess is the ‘pure gift’ of  ‘being summoned and drawn into the same place before the Father’s throne.’ However, they would want to add that this pure gift also includes a summons to ‘bear much fruit’ (John 15:8) or in other words to begin to live a new life enabled by the Holy Spirit which fulfils God’s intentions for his human creatures. In addition they would want to say that according to the witness of Scripture, and the uniform tradition of the Christian Church based on Scripture, living this new life involves living as the men and women God created us to be and observing a strict sexual ethic involving sexual faithfulness within (heterosexual) marriage and sexual abstinence outside it.  

Because they would want to say this, they would also want to say that unity is broken not only when Christians are not ‘able to see in each other the same kind of conviction of being called by authoritative voice into a place where none of us has an automatic right to stand,’ but also when they are not able to see in each other a recognition of God’s call to bear fruit in the ways just described. They would also add that this is what is currently the case in the Anglican Communion and in the Church of England.

In response to Bell’s comments conservative Anglicans  would agree that unity is both a gift and an imperative and would also agree that it is ‘revealed in different visible ways.’ However, they would say that these ways have to include Christians living as the men and women God created them to be and observing the Christian sexual ethic as outlined above.

Read it all.

We may subjectively dislike what God has said, but true Christian humility lies in accepting what God has said and acting upon it anyway' Martin Davie https://t.co/EUCULJ0Bk1 #anglican #marriage #theology #sexualethics #anthropology #scripture #religion #uk pic.twitter.com/WyjgnobT0k

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) February 10, 2023

The College of Bishops convened in Melbourne, Florida, from January 13 to 17, 2025, for their annual January meeting. This gathering provided a valuable opportunity for fellowship, worship, and strategic planning for the Anglican Church in North America.

Each morning commenced with a solemn celebration of Holy Communion, enriched by a profound exploration of Scripture led by the Rev. Canon David Short of Vancouver, Canada. Each day’s work was concluded with Evening Prayer during which personal testimonies were shared. The communal worship set a deeply reverent tone for the meeting and reinforced the bishops’ shared commitment to their gospel mission. Many of the bishops’ wives also were present and shared in the worship and teaching.

As this was Archbishop Steve Wood’s inaugural meeting as chair of the College of Bishops, he articulated his vision for our shared life and work together. He emphasized the urgent need to reach the 130 million people across North America who do not recognize Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. With insight from Chief Operating Officer, Deborah Tepley, Archbishop Wood updated the College on changes within the provincial staff team and highlighted significant progress made toward achieving his initial provincial goals.

In addition to reviewing various reports from ministries and initiatives throughout the Province, the bishops consented to the elections of several bishops-elect: Jason Grote (Bishop Ordinary, REC Mid-America), Phil Ashey (Bishop Ordinary, Western Anglicans), Jay Cayangyang and Marshall MacClellan (Bishops Suffragan, JFAC). Bishop Paul Donison was also admitted to the College of Bishops.

Several bishops presented reports, including a very good ecumenical update from Bishop Ray Sutton. Bishop Steve Breedlove facilitated small group discussions aimed at reorganizing the College of Bishops around geographic regions. This initiative aims to enhance mission, collaboration, and support across dioceses.

Bishop Julian Dobbs delivered a comprehensive update on the newly established International Relations and Global Missions Task Force, emphasizing the critical responsibility of the College of Bishops to diligently and faithfully proclaim the message of Christ to the nations. His remarks served as a powerful reminder of the Church’s mission to reach beyond borders and foster a global witness to the transformative power of the Gospel.

Additionally, Bishop Alan Hawkins presented an overview of the Lily Foundation grant awarded to the Anglican Church in North America, which focuses on clergy financial planning and health, highlighting the commitment to the well-being of church leaders.

The bishops received comprehensive updates regarding the disciplinary canons from both the Bishops Task Force on Title IV review and the Governance Task Force. This presentation included an examination of the strengths and weaknesses of the current Title IV canons as well as a review of proposed amendments and enhancements aimed at improving the structures and processes related to disciplinary matters within the Church.

In conclusion, this meeting reaffirmed the bishops’ shared mission and highlighted the ongoing commitment of the Anglican Church in North America to fulfill its calling to proclaim the gospel and make disciples of all nations.

Bishops-elect were consented to by the College of Bishops. https://t.co/VnZ7tKiWFe

— ACNA (@The_ACNA) January 16, 2025

Katherine Lee Bates’ poem, “America The Beautiful,” is best known for being set to music and popularly performed at public sporting events in the United States. In it, she celebrates the grandeur of American geography and resources: “And crownthy good with brotherhood / From sea to shining sea.”

Two church parishes in the Anglican Church in North America, located in port cities on opposite coasts, richly blessed with the bounty of natural resources like salmon and lobster, have received unexpected blessings this past year in the form of church buildings and property.

Anglican churches in Portland, Oregon and Portland, Maine, 3200 miles apart on each coast of the United States, have both received, in the same year, church buildings and property of significant value! Of course, the physical properties God has blessed these two parishes with are the fruits of God at work
in unexpected ways in their respective communities.

Read it all (page 10 ff.).

Rise Church in Portland, Maine is an Anglican church drawn from three congregations: what was formerly the Church of the Holy Spirit, a Sudanese church, and the newer, Rise Church. Watch a short video here: https://t.co/9k86nfr7bW Read more about it here: https://t.co/luttGJvO7L

— ACNA (@The_ACNA) December 12, 2024

The sermon starts at about 1:39 and you are encouraged to listen to it all.

The Rev. Rt. Jack Iker, also known as the “lion of Fort Worth,” died Oct. 5 at the age of 75. 

Iker is survived by his wife, Donna Iker, their three daughters and four grandchildren. 

Born Aug. 31, 1949, Iker was a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. He served as a Rector of the church of the Redeemer in Florida before being consecrated as bishop coadjutor, someone who assists a diocesan bishop, for the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth on April 24, 1993. 

Iker became the third bishop to serve the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth on Jan. 1, 1995. 

Read it all.

"Many of the men who served under [Anglican Bishop Jack] Iker in Texas praised him for his faithfulness in the face of sustained opposition. The word they used most often was steadfast," writes @danielsilliman. https://t.co/fLzwpks6gK

— Jeff Walton (@jeffreyhwalton) October 15, 2024

God of all comfort and hope, who in Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, proclaimed good news to the poor, bound up the broken-hearted, and set the captives free: We remember before You this day all who are affected by the violence of October 7, and we ask You to heal the wounded, comfort those who mourn, and bring justice and peace to the land of Israel. Look with mercy upon the peoples of the Middle East, that, in Your great compassion, the light of Christ may shine in the darkness and bring hope to every nation. As Simeon rejoiced to see Your salvation, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel, so we pray that Jesus, the Messiah, would be known as the true hope for all the earth. May Your Kingdom come, and may Your peace reign in every heart, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.”

Read it all.

A prayer on the anniversary of the October 7th attack in Israel:https://t.co/0tlzzCnNay pic.twitter.com/orSPT44Pl7

— ACNA (@The_ACNA) October 7, 2024

I want to address the third and fourth “existential crises” Warren Cole Smith suggested we address in his public letter to the ACNA on “Why the Anglican Church faces existential challenges.”. Under the challenge of “Theological Education,” he writes:

“Because ACNA has so many refugees from other denominations, it is tempting to call it a ‘melting pot.’ But the current reality is less a melting pot than a salad bowl.

That is a glib way of saying that a lot of Anglicans are not … well … truly formed in the Anglican faith. They have retained the spiritual formation of the tradition from which they came — everything from Calvary Chapel and Vineyard to high church Episcopalians and Catholics. Again, that diversity can be a strength, but it is a diversity that must be more intentionally integrated into Anglican theology and polity.”

He goes on to note that many nationally recognized seminaries offer a course or two that allow them to claim they have an “Anglican Track” but that these courses are minimal at best. And so, he concludes that this lack of Anglican formation in the clergy presents a vulnerability to leaders at odds with the history and fundamental doctrines of the ACNA. He then goes on in his fourth crisis to cite the recent problem with the Luminous Church in the ACNA diocese of C4SO as Exhibit A, a congregation whose clergy and website affirmed LGBTQ Pride events and played “fast and loose” with fundamental Anglican doctrines of baptism—among other things.

Read it all.

A wonderful end to a great week of @The_ACNA Provincial Council and Assembly! Praying for God's continued guidance for Abp Wood and the province moving forward. pic.twitter.com/LNQQF5u5ot

— American Anglican (@AnglicanCouncil) June 28, 2024

From Archbishop Steve Wood:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In the midst of this time of uncertainty, social tensions, and violence, please join Jacqui and me as we pray for peace in the United States tonight: pic.twitter.com/cLxBRg7sgE

— ACNA (@The_ACNA) July 14, 2024

‘On this episode of the Stand Firm podcast, Matt, Jady, and Nick talk about some current events in the church: Bishop Todd Hunter (C4SO) announces his retirement, news breaks about the possibility of “full communion” with Rome, and Archbishop Wood preaches at Provincial Assembly.’

Listen to it all.

(Via email–KSH).

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Last week, lay and ordained leaders from around our province and throughout the world gathered in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, at St. Vincent’s College for the ACNA’s Provincial Council and Assembly meetings. The event began with the Conclave of the College of Bishops which resulted in the Right Reverend Steve Wood, bishop of the Diocese of the Carolinas, being unanimously elected as the next Archbishop and Primate of the ACNA. Thank you for your faithful prayers over the past months!

Next followed a week filled with teaching, worship, fellowship, prayer, and business meetings. Each day we were led in a study of 2 Timothy by the Right Reverend Rennis Ponniah (Retired Bishop, Singapore). I was so grateful for the large turnout of leaders from our Diocese with more than 50 participating.

Here are several highlights from the week:

• On Wednesday, we had a beautiful Eucharistic service in the Basilica, with a processional of almost 200 vested clergy including deacons, priests, bishops and archbishops!
• We approved a new Provincial Misconduct Policy for Children and Adults that will soon be available to our Dioceses and will serve as a minimum template for diocesan policy. Of note, it puts the onus on the bishops to ensure the policies are enacted. Thankfully DOMA already has a strong foundation in the protection of her people. 
• A Spanish-language Book of Common Prayer will soon be available.
• Our ACNA Catechism is being adopted by Anglican churches throughout the world and will soon be available as a downloadable app. 
• Attendance at ACNA churches has rebounded to pre-Covid levels. About 85,000 are now attending Sunday services with a total ACNA membership of more than 128,000. We’ve added 36 new congregations in 2023.
• ACNA now has 265 military chaplains serving our U.S. military.
• At the closing Eucharistic service, Bishop Wood received the Provincial Cross and the transfer of spiritual authority to take up his office. +Steve will be installed at a provincial service later this fall. 

You may also enjoy this video interview from Provincial Assembly of Archbishop Steve and his wife, Jacqui (interview at 1:41:00). Please continue to pray for Archbishop Steve and his family during this time of transition into his new role as archbishop.

Blessings,

(The Rt. Rev) Chris Warner is Bishop of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic

A wonderful end to a great week of @The_ACNA Provincial Council and Assembly! Praying for God's continued guidance for Abp Wood and the province moving forward. pic.twitter.com/LNQQF5u5ot

— American Anglican (@AnglicanCouncil) June 28, 2024

I found myself staying up late with my fellow attendees each night of the assembly—on the first night, getting pizza with other clergy, ministry leaders, and lay representatives from my diocese; on the rest, spending time with new friends from throughout our province and observing the camaraderie that quickly developed. What hath Kentucky (my home) to do with California, Louisiana, Alabama, or Hawaii? The love of Christ and his Church. The mission carried forward. It’s a beautiful thing.

Ultimately, we expressed this unity as the Body of Christ by coming together and receiving the Body and Blood of Christ in our two Eucharist services, one on Wednesday and one on Friday. The opening Eucharist service (in which many of the assembled clergy sweated through our vestments) featured a powerful message by the Rev. Vaughn Roberts of St. Ebbs Church, Oxford. The British clergyman’s presence, along with that of numerous Anglicans from around the globe, reminded us of the unity of orthodox Anglicans worldwide. After the consecration of the Sacrament by Archbishop Beach, we all processed forward to receive Christ: to be united in the one to whom we belong.

Read it all.

It was wonderful to have the opportunity to meet so many of you at Provincial Assembly last week! Our editor, Jacob Davis, saw one beautiful aspect that he wanted to reflect on: our unity. https://t.co/ZAxoffSJtY

— Anglican Compass (@AnglicanCompass) July 3, 2024

As Vice-Chair of the GTF and a Trustee for the American Anglican Council, I’ve been honored to be part of the work we did to improve our canons over the last five years. I’m particularly thankful for the now-ratified canon that places a canonical duty upon our diocesan bishops to ensure that protection plans are in place to prevent abuse to both children and adults within our churches and ministries. Sample protection plans are available through the Executive Committee of the ACNA to aid bishops in developing protection plans that fit their diocesan contexts. Perhaps even more “province-changing” are the now-ratified canons requiring diocesan bishops to develop clear processes and procedures to report misconduct by priests, deacons, and even laity. These new canons seek to improve consistency and fairness to both accusers and the accused across the province, providing easy on-ramps and off-ramps for accusations of misconduct and increasing the transparency with which such allegations are handled.

Additional changes to our disciplinary canons were ratified as well and, by God’s grace, will act to increase the tools available to our province to protect the flock of Christ from abuse and misconduct. Importantly, these changes include granting the archbishop (with the consent of a panel of senior bishops) power to give a godly admonition or inhibit a wayward bishop. They also grant the dean of the province the same power towards any wayward archbishop. God forbid such powers will need to be exercised, but discipline for every level of the Church leads to greater discipleship, as we all seek to glorify God in his Church.

Please pray for Archbishop-elect Steve Wood as he takes the provincial crozier tomorrow and carries on the good legacy of leadership begun by Archbishop Duncan and Archbishop Beach. Pray for the Governance Task Force as we continue to work on further revisions to the disciplinary canons of the ACNA. And pray for the ACNA in general, that we might continue to proclaim the Good News of Christ with boldness and vigor. What an honor it is to see God’s Spirit on the move in this branch of his body, as we seek to express the English Reformation in a way that is orthodox, evangelical, catholic, and, with the help of good canons, disciplined in all our doings.

Read it all.

Canon Andrew Rowell of the ACNA Governance Taskforce breaks down the developments in the new canons affirmed at Provincial Assembly, the difference between Assembly and Council, and what it all means moving forward: https://t.co/ZaaTTSIwe7

— American Anglican (@AnglicanCouncil) June 27, 2024

The Vatican is taking historic strides towards achieving “full communion” with Anglicans who do not ordain female priests. It is doing so by recognizing Anglican holy orders and churches, but not requiring them to merge with or convert to Roman Catholicism.

“We are scheduled to begin our talks at the Vatican this coming September 26-27,” Bishop Ray Sutton, presiding bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church in the U.S., announced in an Ecumenical Relations Task Force Report of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) College of Bishops.

The ACNA bishops, who oversee 128,000 Anglicans in more than 1,000 congregations across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, met during a provincial council from June 20-25 at St. Vincent’s College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

Read it all.

Rome Takes Historic Step Towards ‘Full Communion’ with Conservative Anglicanshttps://t.co/hmvfEApmxH

— The Stream (@Streamdotorg) July 2, 2024

The following links can direct you to videos of Archbishop Steve Wood from Assembly.

• A conversation with Archbishop Stephen Wood and his wife, Jacqueline, at the 2024 Provincial Assembly here.
• Archbishop Wood’s sermon at the closing Eucharist where authority was passed to him here.
• Passing of authority to Archbishop Wood here.

IRD's @jeffreyhwalton chats with @anglicantv about new Archbishop Steve Wood, the direction of the growing church, and conversations taking place alongside last week's Assembly. #Anglican https://t.co/coTq91bsHr

— IRD (@TheIRD) July 1, 2024

 …we face an extraordinarily challenging mission field. Our Bible teacher this morning, Bishop Rennis Ponniah of Singapore, gave us a teaching on 2 Timothy, which addressed the question of how we spread the Gospel in a culture like Timothy faced, where the forces of darkness were unleashed on the Church, externally through persecution and internally through false teaching. It’s a context not unlike what we face today.

Bishop Rennis reminded us that, like Timothy, it’s easy to become timid and to have our spiritual fire burning low in our own communities. The answer is to stir up the gifts and the power God already gave us through the Holy Spirit. Bishop Rennis reminded us that there are three dimensions to the power of the Spirit: first, the accomplishing power that abolishes death, annihilation, and judgment, and gives to us eternal life through Jesus Christ (2 Tim 1:9-10); second, the safe-keeping power that guards both the integrity of the Gospel and its messenger, so that we finish well and keep both the message and the messenger flourishing (2 Tim 1:11-12); and finally, there is the enabling power of God, the power of the Holy Spirit that enables us to follow the pattern of the sound Word we received through the Scriptures (2 Tim 1:13-14). For those of us facing challenges in missional contexts, it was an inspiring and hopeful message.

When I left off yesterday in my video on Provincial Council, we were in the middle of robust fellowship on new canonical amendments that place the burden of safe-guarding, both children and adults, on the bishop and the diocese. There was language in the canonical amendment (Title 1; Canon 5; New Sections 8 and 9) that said it is the duty of the bishop “and not the province” to bear this burden. An eloquent objection was raised that it is both morally and spiritually wrong for the Church, and the Province in particular, to avoid responsibility for legal reasons. Another delegate moved to table the motion over lunch so that drafters and objectors could meet together and hammer out a compromise. When we returned after lunch, a new preface was added to both Sections 8 and 9 that stated it is the “moral responsibility of the Church (the province, the diocese, the congregation, and ministries) to care for the flock of Christ and protect them from abuse and misconduct.” At the same time, it was noted that where this takes place most effectively was “in the diocese rather than the province”. This compromise seemed to satisfy Provincial Council, which represents the whole Church. It was passed unanimously and stands as an excellent example of how the synod engages governance in a conciliar way and without wordsmithing from the floor.

Read it all.

Abp.@FoleyBeach gives thanks for his years of service, and expresses his gratitude for those who served alongside him in @The_ACNA. pic.twitter.com/BzxjfEjfh2

— American Anglican (@AnglicanCouncil) June 27, 2024

The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) has been one of the success stories in recent American church history. Most denominations in the U.S. are in decline, but ACNA, founded just 15 years ago, has grown to more than 1,000 congregations and a membership of 120,000.

It began as a movement of conservative Episcopalians frustrated with the liberal drift of that denomination. Today, though, most members of ACNA are not former Episcopalians. They (we, as I am a member) are new converts or — in many cases — refugees from other mainline and evangelical denominations nourished by ACNA’s combination of Reformed theology and adherence to biblical authority, its evangelical vibrancy, and the beauty of its ancient, incarnational liturgy. As I have written elsewhere, Anglicanism has the potential to breathe new life into the evangelical movement.

But the denomination is experiencing growing pains. Its growth has flattened, and there is growing discontent in the denomination about its inability (or unwillingness) to address head-on some vital issues.

The denomination holds a national conference every five years, and the next one is…[finishing up today] in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and the delegates to the conference face some important issues that need action.

Read it all.

(ANALYSIS/@WarrenColeSmith) The Anglican Church in North America has been one of the success stories in recent American church history. But its growth has flattened, and there is growing discontent about its inability to address some vital issues.https://t.co/kkEXLJf7iM

— Religion Unplugged (@ReligionMag) June 21, 2024

[Darryl] Fitzwater was originally ordained in a Pentecostal denomination and served there from 2002–2013. After being ordained as an Anglican priest in 2017, he planted Church of the Ascension in Charles Town, West Virginia in 2018. He will continue to serve there. Ascension will transfer dioceses and become the cathedral for the Missionary Diocese of All Saints.

When asked about the process that led to his election, Fitzwater shared that he did not intend to consider the position but felt a strong conviction that he should let the Lord make that decision instead of himself saying no. Regarding the election, he said, “I know it happened, but I don’t believe it,” noting the act of faith he has taken. As a bishop, Fitzwater passionately said he is most excited about “sharing Jesus.”

Archbishop Foley Beach commented, “I am encouraged by Darryl’s election and the youth he brings to the leadership of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints. He will be a great addition to the College, and I look forward to seeing how the Lord uses him in episcopal ministry.”

Read it all.

On June 24, 2024, the College of Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America consented to the election of the Rev. Darryl Fitzwater to serve as the bishop of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints.

Read more here: https://t.co/Wpmp8uSM7S pic.twitter.com/RQm3Spx1eI

— ACNA (@The_ACNA) June 27, 2024

In early 2020, Wood was one of the first publicly known figures to contract COVID-19. In the hospital, he was placed on ventilation for 10 days.

After relying on scripture, his family, the faith and perseverance of his congregants and the diligent efforts of hospital staff, Wood made a recovery. 

Now he’s slated to take on the prestigious role of archbishop, which means accepting the responsibility of several leadership duties. Wood will serve a five-year term with the possibility of one reelection.

Current archbishop Beach said he is looking forward to the future of the Province, the press release states. “Bishop Wood is an incredible leader and the ACNA is going to be blessed in this next season of our life together.”

Read it all.

Let’s pray for Steve Wood, the new archbishop of the ACNA.

St. Andrews Church reverend elected archbishop of the Anglican Church https://t.co/BGBGEx60dw via @postandcourier

— Timothy Tennent (@TimTennent) June 23, 2024

(Via email; KSH).

June 22, 2024 

Brothers and sisters, 

Grace and peace to you in the name of our precious Savior, Jesus Christ.

Bishop Bill Love, Bishop Dave Bena, and I have been sequestered within a conclave in Latrobe, PA since Thursday with our brother bishops to pray and seek guidance from the Holy Spirit in selecting the third archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America. Many of you have been praying and fasting for a significant season in the weeks leading up to this important decision.

I am pleased to inform you that our prayers have been answered, and Bishop Steve Wood, the Diocesan Bishop of the Carolinas has been chosen as our next archbishop. I have had the immense privilege to serve beside Archbishop-elect Wood for many years and know him to be a faithful man of God, a passionate defender and proclaimer of the Gospel of our Lord, and an effective and caring pastor and leader. It is my firm conviction that the Lord will continue to cause the ACNA to grow and flourish underneath Archbishop Wood’s leadership as our next Primate.

I know this email comes late on a Saturday evening, but I come to you asking once more for prayer in this momentous season of change in the life of our beloved Province. As we continue to pray for our current Archbishop Foley Beach in tomorrow’s Prayers of the People, I also request that you add Archbishop-elect Steve Wood to your petitions.

Additionally, the important mission of the Anglican Church in North America continues this week. We have numerous delegates and attendees from across the Anglican Diocese of the Living Word travelling to Latrobe to participate in the ACNA’s Provincial Council and Assembly. Please pray for all those involved in these important meetings and services of worship. 

“O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”

Diocesan Bishop Julian M. Dobbs

Anglican Diocese of the Living Word

Tonight ⁦@The_ADLW⁩ bishop the right reverend Julian Dobbs addresses congregants of Holy Trinity Anglican and First Presbyterian Hillsdale on “Calvin, Cranmer, and CS Lewis’ That Hideous Strength.” pic.twitter.com/EzUp90lESE

— Miles Smith IV (@IVMiles) September 8, 2023

Make sure to listen all the way to the end, where Steve talks about his experience of having Covid19 and recovering from it and what it taught him theologically.

Latrobe, Pennsylvania – The College of Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America has elected its next archbishop, the Rt. Rev. Steve Wood, bishop of the Diocese of the Carolinas. The College met in conclave in the crypt of St. Vincent’s Basilica at St. Vincent’s College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania from Thursday, June 20 through Saturday, June 22, 2024.

Bishop Wood will serve as the third archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America which was founded in 2009 and now has over 128,000 members in over 1,000 congregations across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

The archbishop convenes the meetings of the Provincial Assembly, Provincial Council and College of Bishops, represents the Province in the Councils of the Church, serves as chairman of the Executive Committee (board) of the Church, serves as the President of the Anglican Relief and Development Fund, and undertakes other duties as prescribed by the Canons of the Church. He serves a five-year term and can serve a maximum of two terms.

The Most Rev. Dr. Foley Beach is completing his second term and tenth year as archbishop, after having been elected by the College in 2014 at St. Vincent’s College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. After transferring authority to Archbishop-elect Wood, Beach will take a sabbatical before continuing as bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the South.

Read it all.

Steve Wood Elected Third Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North Americahttps://t.co/weSyf8dAXL

— ACNA (@The_ACNA) June 22, 2024

Beginning August 18, the people of Holy Trinity, Windemere will begin worshipping with the community of St. John’s Chapel on Hanover Street. The Revd David Dubay will lead the united congregations in discerning a new future together that will include outreach to the Hispanic community in downtown Charleston. The Bishop and Standing Committee have worked with all parties to discern a path forward that it is believed will lead to renewed and fruitful ministry for all.  Please keep them in your prayers as they begin this next season of life together.

Read it all.

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ Jesus,

In this season of the Holy Spirit,  I am writing to remind you to pray for the College of Bishops as we prepare to select the new Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in North America. In exactly one month from today, on June 20, our bishops will gather in Conclave and in prayer in LaTrobe, PA, to seek the Lord for our leader for the coming five years.

Please join me on Wednesdays or Fridays setting aside specific times of prayer (and fasting) asking for God’s discernment, wisdom, and guidance.  Also, please include this request in your Sunday prayers.

Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of the bishops of our Church who shall choose a new Archbishop for this Province, that we may receive a faithful pastor who will preach the Gospel, care for your people, equip us for ministry, and lead us forth in fulfillment of the Great Commission; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (adapted from BCP 2019, for Selection of Bishop or Other Minister)

Faithfully yours in Christ Jesus,

The Most Rev’d Dr. Foley Beach
Archbishop and Primate, Anglican Church in North America

Archbishop Foley Beach reminds to pray for College of Bishops as they prepare to select the new Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in North America. https://t.co/zgmSBO1hXn pic.twitter.com/qs6Auxu8DA

— ACNA (@The_ACNA) May 20, 2024

We threw a few questions Chris’s way:

Chris, a 2030 Hymnal?  Six years seems like such a long time. Why will it take that long?

Six years is a long time, yes, absolutely! I think several things are important to keep in mind about the process of creating a hymnal, which is not unlike the process undertaken to compile the 2019 Book of Common Prayer, which took a similar amount of time. Projects like this one are the production of a committee of people, representing different areas of focus in the worship life of the Church. Gathering people together, most of whom are musicians and clergy already engaged in full-time ministry in a parish setting, takes plenty of time!

There are 12 people on the Commission. How will the work be organized?

Our work will be divided among four sub-committees:

• Hymns of the Anglican patrimony (think hymns distinctive of the English Cathedral tradition, that which composes the repertoire of our latest hymnals of 1940, 1982, and the REC’s Book of Common Praise, 2017)
• Hymns of ecumenical/global significance
• Hymns, choruses, & spiritual songs of the last half-century
• Service music for BCP 2019, both ordinary and traditional language texts

Read it all.

Bishop Edgar And Chris Walchesky Named To ACNA Hymnal Commission https://t.co/SQXLAIlisJ [Saint Philip's, Charleston, SC; Molly Hare] #anglican #music #hymnal #parishministry #southcarolina pic.twitter.com/beO1XELXDt

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) October 24, 2023

Herewith the letter David wrote to the parish he serves in Houston-KSH.

Dear Apostles Family,

I am writing to share that I have accepted the Lord’s call to be the next Rector of Holy Cross Anglican Church in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. We are so sad that our time at Apostles is coming to an end.

It has been an unexpected journey for us that began when we were contacted by Bishop Chip Edgar of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina who asked us to consider this call. We brought this ministry opportunity to the Lord and asked Him to reveal His will. In our process of discernment, the Lord has given us a deep peace and confirmed His call through his Word, wise counsel, and circumstances.

We love you, our Apostles family, and serving as your shepherd the past six years has been a joy and privilege. Leaving is heart-wrenching for us. We can’t begin to express how grateful we are for you. We have been through so much together — from Harvey to COVID, joyful celebrations and times of deep grief, growing in number and maturity in the Lord. We have witnessed and shared the love of Christ together.

Based on the counsel of our Bishop, we believe it would be most caring to Apostles for our departure to be within the month. I know this feels short, but we believe this will provide enough time for us to effectively hand-off responsibilities and say our goodbyes. It will also free Apostles to enter fully into an important time of transition and discernment. Therefore, my last day as Rector will be Sunday, November 5th.

I know there will be many questions as a result of this news. Bishop Lowenfield will help shepherd Apostles through this transition and work closely in support of our Leadership Council in the months ahead. Our Senior Lay Leader, Scott Phillips, and Junior Lay Leader, Mike Foderetti, will be sharing more information about the transition and I will be working with the staff team to help prepare them for this interim period.

Even as our time here ends, I take great comfort in knowing that Apostles will continue to thrive and bear witness to Jesus Christ, our True Shepherd. In his first letter to the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” It has been a blessing to help water what others planted and God has grown. Apostles is blossoming into a beautiful, Gospel-centered, disciple-making community and we can’t wait to hear stories of God’s continued faithfulness.

Thank you for praying for our family and know that we are praying for you. Pray for one another and trust that God is faithful. He loves His church. All glory to Him.

Blessings in Christ,

(The Rev.) David Cumbie
Lead Pastor
Church of the Apostles

David Cumbie of Church of the Apostles, Houston, called to be new rector of Holy Cross, Sullivan's Island #SouthCarolina https://t.co/0ylo4poNBE #parishministry #lowcountrylife #anglican #religion #faith #transition #leadership #marriage #family #children #texas #acna pic.twitter.com/oAsFYduwBZ

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) October 18, 2023

Watch it all.