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Three Orthodox Anglican Bishops Call for a Summit on Church Growth & Planting
Lawsuits will not hinder churches' mission to grow the church
By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
November 17, 2010
Even as the Anglican District of Virginia (ADV) faces the possibility of losing nine properties in a fierce legal church battle with the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, three orthodox Anglican bishops have called for a summit to stimulate church growth and new church plants.
Bishops Martyn Minns, (Nigeria) Dave Bena (Nigeria) and John Guernsey (Uganda), buoyed by ACNA Archbishop Robert Duncan's call last June to plant 1000 new Anglican churches by 2015, are launching a new initiative to reach the lost in their communities and to plant new worshiping communities within the ADV.
They are asking people to meet November 20 at the Church of the Epiphany, Herndon, for "The Bishops' Summit on Church Growth and Church Planting." Featured speakers include rectors David Roseberry, who planted and leads the growth of Christ Church, Plano; John Yates, who leads the growth and steady planting of The Falls Church; and William Beasley of Redeemer Anglican Church, a newer plant now meeting on several campuses in the Chicago area.
The theme of the Summit will be: "Growing Our Churches, Multiplying Our Impact." "Our dual foci will be to help each congregation and leader in the ADV to reach the lost in their communities with the love of Christ and grow their churches; and to show how even small congregations can help plant worshiping communities on a shoestring, say the bishops in a joint news release.
"We'll have workshops on Evangelism for Cowards, Growing Your Church, Lay Planters Like Me, and more. You will hear about the exciting work of Anglican 1000, led by Dave Roseberry in response to Archbishop Duncan's call to plant 1000 Anglican churches by 2015." You can read this here: (http://anglican1000.org/)
As a sign that all is well and that growth is already taking place, the bishops report that Celebration Church, a plant in Fredericksburg, VA, has grown from 25 to over 150 in the past year; that the Church of the Good Shepherd, which was planted this past year on the Outer Banks by Church of the Redeemer, Camden, NC, is growing; that the Church of the Word, Gainesville, FL, is beginning a new campus in Manassas; and New Anglican Fellowships are now forming in Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. Finally, the Church of the Holy Spirit, Ashburn, VA, which has experimented with a new campus in Purcellville is preparing to move into their first 24/7 facility in Leesburg.
"Our work together over the past 4 years is bearing fruit in wonderful ways and is encouraging us to dream big dreams for the coming years," say the bishops. "God has more in store for us than we could ask or imagine."
Former liberal Virginian bishop Peter James Lee discouraged new church plants fearing they might tread on the toes of existing parishes in the area. The ADV churches have no such constraints. They are planting and growing churches, refusing to sit on their hands or to let inertia set in by ongoing church lawsuits.
At the present time, there are nine churches in litigation. Two of the original 11 reached a settlement in September of 2008. One of the nine remaining churches (Church of Our Saviour at Oatlands) may have its own trial.
"The Anglican District of Virginia now numbers 33 member congregations and 8 mission fellowships. The litigation, while an unfortunate distraction, certainly hasn't hindered our growth," said Jim Oakes, chairman of the District.
On Nov. 12, a judge asked ADV attorneys for more briefs about how the trial should take place. Those will be filed over the next three weeks. There will be another hearing on December 17.
The ADV is also seeking full recognition from the Anglican Church of North America. The Anglican District of Virginia is moving to become a diocese within the ACNA and has scheduled a Constitutional Convention for May 20-21, 2011. Following that event, the ADV will petition ACNA to become a full diocese.
The following are a list of the original churches involved in litigation:
Truro Church
Church of the Epiphany
Church of the Apostles
The Falls Church
St. Margaret's Church
St. Paul's Church
St. Stephen's Church
Church of the Word, Virginia
Church of Our Saviour at Oatlands
Christ the Redeemer
Church Potomac Falls Church
Churches that reached a settlement in September 2008: Christ the Redeemer Church
Potomac Falls Church
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