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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
When the ACNA was established, we believed that the Lord was calling us to “reach North America with the transforming love of Jesus Christ.” For fifteen years, by the grace of God, we have matured and discovered that our mission and ministry were significantly enhanced by the development of key ministry initiatives.
We have given ourselves to church planting, international missions, caring for the vulnerable and under-resourced, collaborating with brothers and sisters from all nations to advance the Kingdom of God. This is the work of our initiatives.
Through the work of people like Jenny Noyes, Christine Warner, Molly Ruch, and Rev. Aaron Buttery, they have mobilized thousands into mission and ministry. I am humbled to be called to serve, support, and pray for them. Their hard work and leadership on behalf of our Province are deserving of your support.
This Giving Tuesday, December 3, 2024, you have an opportunity to directly support our ministry initiatives in their work. However well-intentioned we may be, unless we actually give, mission languishes. Our ministry effectiveness is not being restricted by a lack of organization but by a lack of funding. When you give, 100% of the money will be given to our ministry initiatives. 100% percent.
You can give, because every gift makes a significant difference in our ability to hold forth the gospel message entrusted to us. You can contribute by:
- Mailing a check: Please make your check payable to the ACNA and note “Giving Tuesday” on the memo line (send to: Anglican Church in North America, P.O. Box 447, Ambridge PA 15003).
With heartfelt gratitude for our shared ministry and my continued prayers, I am,
Yours in Christ,
++Steve Wood
Archbishop and Primate, Anglican Church in North America
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Antioch: Dec. 17 - In Church as it is in Heaven - Book discussion
Family: Advent resources for churches and households
Rectors: Updates about what to expect in 2025
Students: Join the SLN in person this February!
Women: Connection First and Lay Connect Joint Event Dec. 3
Access: Blue Christmas - email Kathy for info!
Monthly Prayer: For the Peace of the World
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TIME ZONES FOR MEETINGS:
Please note that all meeting times are now listed in CT (Central Time) moving forward. We want to make it easier for you to know what time things are happening! You can refer to this guide to find planned meeting times in your own time zone:
12pm CT = 8am HAT (Hawaii-Aleutian) (-4 hours)
12pm CT = 9am AT (Alaska) (-3 hours)
12pm CT = 10am PT (Pacific) (-2 hours)
12pm CT = 11am MT (Mountain) (-1 hour)
12pm CT = 12pm CT (Central)
12pm CT = 1pm ET (Eastern) (+1 hour)
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Book Discussion: In Church As It Is In Heaven
Tuesday, December 17th | 7:00pm CT
The Antioch Leadership Network meets for Zoom training on the 3rd Tuesday of the Month, December 17th, at 7 p.m. CT. This month, we will continue to look at the book "In Church As It Is In Heaven".
We are talking about chapter 3 and using the offering portion of our liturgy as a metaphor for giving up cultural comfort for the sake of others. What some might see as a culture clash can be an opportunity to learn about others and the gifts they bring that are different from our own. Join us for teaching and practical resource sharing. Register here
| For more information, contact Antioch Director Rev. Taylor Ishii. | | | |
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Upcoming FLN Gatherings
3rd Wednesdays at 10am (CT)
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January 15, 2025 | 10am CT
Connected Families: A Framework for Equipping Parents and Volunteers with Cindy Wilson, PhD
Connected Families is a non-profit ministry that supports Christ-centered transformation in families by stewarding a growing worldwide community of parents, parent coaches, and ministry partners equipped with a biblical framework for parenting.
This presentation will provide an overview of the Connected Families Framework that is biblically-based, infused by God’s grace and truth, and includes a solid science-based and trauma-informed approach. Dr. Cindy Wilson will share how this Framework and the many resources by Connected Families can be used to support and equip parents and volunteers in your ministry.
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Advent Resources
Find these, and many other resources for Advent here.
Practicing Advent Every Year - from the Anglican Network in Canada
This book is designed for family discipleship around the table. Families move a candle ahead each day on the accompanying Advent Calendar and then read the daily Scripture and engage in the additional activities. A Spotify playlist with songs in the devotional is included.
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The Liturgical Home - Liturgical Calendar - Ashley Tumlin Wallace
The calendar is created as a visual guide through the seasons of the Christian year, showcasing feast days, liturgical colors, and holy season.
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Join Us
The FLN Slack Workspace is a place to join a conversation, ask a question, find or share a resource. If you are serving kids and families in the ACNA, we welcome your voice in our growing network.
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FLN Leadership Team
Zach Barton (ADOSC), Louise Brooks (DOMA), Mady Long (DRM), Amy Stewart (GAD), Liz Stewart (ADOP), Terrice Tinsley (DWGC)
For more information on the Family Leadership Network, contact Rev. Liz Stewart.
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Rectors Leadership Network: A place to connect and collaborate with Rectors across the Province around this shared calling to lead and shepherd God’s people. | |
The Rector’s Leadership Network launched in Summer 2024 after some experimental cohorts in the past couple of years. This Fall, we have connected with Rectors from all over the Province in our Learning Labs and Leadership Cohort.
Our monthly Learning Lab kicked off in September are being guided by Rev. Dr. Bryan Sims and Rev. Andrew Petta. Rectors from coast to coast have joined for these Zoom calls, which meets monthly on the third Thursdays from 11am-12:30pm CT. As a Laboratory environment, we invite each Rector to share a pressing ministry challenge and collaborate together to help each Rector discern some practical next steps utilizing an adaptive leadership process. So often, leaders don’t have the time nor space to step back and assess what is going on. Yet, doing so together leads to insights and observations that assist in finding the next step forward for each of them.
Additionally, our fall Leadership Cohort focused on the topic of church finances and stewardship with Canon David Roseberry. The topic, as will be the case with all of these cohorts, was one identified by Rectors as a growth edge for further learning. Canon David brings a wealth of expertise to this conversation as the retired Rector of Christ Church Plano, coach, and author. He engaged Rectors in planning for stewardship drives, staffing, budgeting, and strategic conversations to help them move forward in mission. We received feedback from the participating Rectors that the training and conversations were practical and helpful. We are deeply grateful for his time and engagement over the course of the month.
| Looking ahead, we are praying and planning for our next Leadership Cohort after the first of the year. Based on feedback from Rectors, one of the topics we will likely cover in one of our 2025 cohorts is spiritual discernment in strategic planning. Our plan is to host 3-4 cohorts in the coming year. We likewise stand ready to connect with Rectors around their needs and challenges monthly in our Learning Labs as we continue to find ways to resource them. | We are here for you any way we can be to resource, connect, and collaborate with you as you lead your parish! | | | |
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Join the SLN in person this February!
Registration is now open for our 2025 in-person Anglican Student Ministry Gathering! Join us February 26-28, 2025, right outside of Nashville, TN for a time of shared learning and connection with other people in the ACNA who are sharing in similar work.
We will be focused on the question "How are we helping students say yes to Jesus?" with time to share ideas with other participants and think about what it means in your own local context.
| Questions? Contact Coordinator Anna Burden. Visit the Student Leadership Network page. | | | |
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Connection First and Lay Connect Joint Event
Tuesday, Dec. 3rd at 12:30pm CT
Clergy and lay leaders, men and women from across the ACNA are invited to hear speaker and author, Kadi Cole, share from her book “Developing Female Leaders: Navigate the Minefield and Release the Gifts of Women in your Church.” We will have a time for Q&A at the end. Register here and invite others to join in this important and needed conversation.
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WLN Chaplain Support Group
Thursday, Dec. 12th at 6pm CT
Female Chaplains meet virtually on the second Thursday of the month for fellowship, support and encouragement. If you’re a chaplain who wants to connect with others in a similar call, you would be most welcome!
Contact Rev. Shelly Sorem to be included in the monthly gatherings.
| For more information on the Women’s Leadership Network, contact Rev. Virginia Musselman or click here to subscribe to the monthly newsletter. Visit the Women's Leadership Network page. | | | |
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Caring for ourselves and others. | A “Blue Christmas” worship service can be especially meaningful for people who have a sense of disconnection from the festivities around them. A time to come together in Christian community, trusting God as he walks with us through each season of life. For a sample service email Kathy Ayres. | We will not have a virtual gathering in December. May you have a blessed Advent season and a Joyous Christmas! | |
We would be delighted to connect with you!
To schedule a virtual meeting with a small group from AcLN, email Kathy Ayres, Director Access Leadership Network.
Join the text based Access ACNA group on the Slack platform share resources and network with others.
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See you again Monday, January 27th in the season of Epiphany.
Jody Farmer will offer insights for initiating relationships with people in your church and community with disabilities: Learning to engage with the person.
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For the Peace of the World
Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace; to whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever.
Amen.
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