Finding Good News in 2020: A Year-in-Review
In his devotional for January 1, Bishop Andrew Williams began 2020 by quoting poet Minnie Louise Haskins, “‘And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied: ‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.’”
When we passed through that gate into a new year of mission and ministry, we could not have foreseen the many circumstances and challenges that would face us, but as we look back over the last 12 months, we can see the truth: the Hand of God did lead us, protect us, comfort us, and unite us and our family of churches throughout the Northeast. In the frustration of ongoing limitations and the weariness of frequent adaptations, we might be surprised at just how much we have to celebrate, but that is why the Scriptures call us, again and again, to stop and remember and let gratitude lift our hearts. In New England we can say with confidence “he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 107:1).
BETTER TOGETHER: PARTNERING IN PRAYER, WORSHIP & MISSION
Everything changed in late winter as the outbreak of Covid-19 in our nation prevented us from working, gathering, ministering, and worshiping in ways that were familiar. Bishop Andrew exhorted the diocese to remember who we are and the grace available to us: “as Jesus’ agents of His peace, hope, love, and healing we have the gift to re-shape troubled and harried hearts. In the outbreak of sickness, we can be the carriers of the greater outbreak of Jesus’ love… let us take such action, that we might recall with godly pride (where we celebrate the glory of God in each other’s lives) that, by His grace, this was our finest hour!” We are proud of how our churches and leaders responded to this challenge in courage, creativity, and perseverance in the days and months that followed.
Submitted photos of ADNE families celebrating Easter in 2020.
Prayer & Worship
Demelza R. praying compline with the ADNE
On March 20, diocesan leaders began leading the daily office prayers each day via zoom. Canons Ross Kimball, Susie Skillen, and others covered Morning Prayer and Midday Prayer from the cathedral. Rev. Len Cowan of the Abbey of the Way offered a family-focused liturgy of Evening Prayer, and Bishop Andrew and Elena Williams led a faithful assembly in Compline. Many commented on how powerful and grounding this daily rhythm was in the months that spanned such a tumultuous time.
We also immediately launched a 24/7 Prayer Initiative and had an overwhelming response: every hour between March 23 and 29 was covered, and most hours had multiple people committing to pray.
An online vigil following the death of George Floyd
In late April, we rallied again to pray for Ven. Alex Kasirye-Musoke, Archdeacon to our Ugandan churches, when he contracted Covid-19 and spent over a week hospitalized. The call we put out to intercede for his recovery was shared around the globe, with an audience of over 65,000 people. We praise God that Ven. Alex recovered and returned to ministry.
When our nation responded in shock at the death of George Floyd, Rev. Amos Kimera of St. Peter’s Belmont organized an online vigil led by Bishop Andrew and Elena Williams with prayers offered by many of our Kenyan and Ugandan clergy and youth. Over 500 joined the zoom vigil to pray that night. Following these events, a number of our churches engaged in discussions of racial justice and what it means to live in the truth that we are all made in the image of God.
One of the biggest logistical challenges the diocese faced this spring was how our churches could observe Holy Week and Easter Sunday celebrations. In a monumental undertaking, we compiled and streamed a diocesan-wide Easter service that sought to include representatives from every ADNE congregation. Covering 72,000 square miles of virtual canvas, it gave a sense of shared mission and unity most members of our diocese hadn’t had the opportunity to encounter. One church family member commented, “…it opened up for me a window on our diocese that I didn't realize was there. So many different churches were represented.” Sharing the same sentiment, another commented, “As we watched the combined service this morning, my heart was filled with the beauty of our diocese and the breadth of the work the Lord is doing among us.” Leading up to Easter, the diocese streamed a Palm Sunday service from Anglican Church of the Redeemer, Franklin, the Abbey of the Way provided three evening services via zoom, and a Maundy Thursday home liturgy and Good Friday Stations of the Cross were also made available.
Next, an amazing amount of musical and technological talent was combined in producing The New England Blessing, a virtual choir cover version of the 2020 worship song The Blessing written by Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, and Elevation Worship. Over 100 versions have been created this year, declaring God’s blessings over cities, countries, and whole continents. The ADNE conceived the idea of creating the New England Blessing in concert with churches from several denominations around New England. It was produced by Berea, a ministry that oversees Christian camps and retreats across New England, and over a dozen vocalists from ADNE churches contributed to this beautiful mosaic of worshipers singing the favor and promises of God over our region.
Lastly, Synod 2020: The Upward Call challenged us to recenter on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to press into its mission for the reawakening of New England. On September 26, a grassy, sloping lawn on the campus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary was transformed into a beautiful outdoor cathedral as lay and clergy attendees worshiped from lawn chairs and picnic blankets. Bishop Andrew praised the clergy and leaders of the diocese, saying, 2020 has been a battle and it is not over. But we know that our faith is built in the dark, in the valleys, and during the back-breaking battles of life - and in the darkness, in the valleys and in the battle, you have been so very faithful. The pessimist complains about the wind and the rain. The optimist expects it all to change in an instant. The greatest leader adjusts the sails and lets the Spirit of God propel them forward. You are that leader. God has asked you to go where there has been no path and no trail. But you have sought His vision. You have led from the frontline… and today is not about waiting for the storm to pass but about dancing in the reign of His Lordship.
He then went on to share the simple values upon which the Lord’s leaders will march forward in victory: “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God,” preaching on each of those three values listed by the prophet Micah. He charged the diocese to fall in love with the mercy of God all over again, extending this gospel to as many as possible in humility, and to engage in both rectifying justice and primary justice as we take our place in God’s great restoration movement. As clergy renewed their vows and attendees received socially distanced prayer ministry, the Spirit gave what was needed to move forward in our mission.
Mission
Reset Conferences
At the end of May, Bishop Andrew gave the ADNE the following challenge: “rather than waiting for things to ‘get back to normal,’ we can ask, ‘How might the Holy Spirit be guiding us into a new and deeper life of prayer, of discipleship, and of loving witness and service to our local communities?’” All diocesan clergy were required to gather for our regional RESET conferences, at which clergy brainstormed together and developed plans for how their church would recalibrate their ministry around the Gospel, engaging mission and outreach to their communities. Some churches ran Alpha Online, other churches developed their plans for new missional communities, many are undergoing more long-term shifts in their church’s structure and culture. Here are just a few of the many missional practices that we’ve seen emerge:
Many of our churches, including Church of the Resurrection, Brewster, served their communities by providing meals for food-insecure children
St. John’s Sutton ran a virtual VBS that brought together 72 children (not counting family members who helped with the technology). It was such a success the children’s parents have asked St. John’s to run it four times a year!
Imago Dei distributed 29 backpacks filled with essential items to the homeless population in Bangor, Maine on Thanksgiving Day. A highlight was when one member heard in prayer that a specific backpack was for a man named “Timothy.” She found Timothy on the street within an hour and the group was able to pray God’s blessing over him.
All Saints Amesbury provided 40-55 nutritious “grab and go” breakfasts every Saturday morning in downtown Amesbury. In addition, a group of women, including some outside the church, sewed face masks for frontline workers. By the end of March they had already made over 800 masks.
Christ the Redeemer Danvers collaborated with North Shore Gospel Partnership to donated PPE and other critical supplies to frontline workers.
(This list is by no means comprehensive - if your church had missional successes, we want to hear about them too!)
The Street Church
The Street Church captured the attention of the diocese in mid-March with this article featuring the 200+ member congregation that meets on the steps of the city hall in downtown Hartford, CT. When Covid-19 forced many of their homeless members out of warm shelters into the cold, the diocese responded, donating over 30 sleeping bags and pads to our brothers and sisters. When gathering as a church was restricted, Rev. Bryan Bywater sought out his sheep where they were, leaving prayers and scripture passages taped to lampposts with supplies on the ground below. As they navigated new procedures and found they were able to begin meeting again, they regathered at city hall to worship God, to celebrate new blessings like a new job, getting an apartment, and finding sobriety, and to pray for the ongoing needs of their family and city.
As Rev. Bryan testified, “226+ folks gave over 1,400 hours to meet the personal physical and spiritual needs of over 3,000 dispersed homeless in downtown Hartford. God is not impressed by numbers, but I am impressed by God.”
In addition, Rev. Bryan visits three assisted living facilities weekly - he either visits through residents’ windows or is “carried” room to room on an ipad by facility staff. Last week, he wrote a testimony not atypical of his experience there of a new woman receiving communion. “After she received, she crossed both her arms across her chest and wept...looking up to the woman who ‘carries’ me around she said ‘I love you. Thank you. I love you for what you brought me. Thank you,’ and she continued to weep in the presence of Jesus. She had been confined to her room since December 2nd because of Covid.”
Rev. Bryan was awarded the Bishop’s Building for the Kingdom Award at Synod for his faithful ministry to those often considered least, last, and lost.
LEADERS: NEW ROLES & NEW MINISTRIES
Rev. Amos Kimera instituted as rector on March 1
As someone remarked earlier this year, it’s unmistakable that the Lord is positioning faithful and competent leaders in exactly the right place to be ready for reawakening in New England.
At the turn of the year, we celebrated the ordinations of Rev. Gayle Heaslip, priest at Emmaus Anglican Church, (Falmouth, MA) and Rev. Skip Downing, deacon at Grace Anglican Church (Newport, NH). In addition, Rev. Chuck Bradshaw, former missionary to Uganda was licensed as assistant priest at Imago Dei Anglican Church. Several of our clergy took on new ministry roles within the diocese.
Revs Bill and Cinnamon Blomquist became priests-in-charge at Andover Community Church (Andover, NH), filling the role formerly held by Rev. John Wagner who retired in January after years in pastoral ministry.
A historic day for St. Peter’s Belmont was celebrated as Venerable Alex Kasirye-Musoke passed the baton as Rector to Reverend Amos Kimera, “an outstanding Christian leader who now takes up the noble task of leading this great and growing army of Jesus’ love deeper out into the community.” Rev. Amos has an ambitious vision for St. Peter’s, a vibrant powerhouse of mission in our region.
Top left to right: Rev. Brian Barry, Rev. Chuck Bradshaw, Rev. Lucy Albert, Frank Albert. Bottom left to right: Rev. Gayle Heaslip, Rev. John Wagner, Rev. Skip Downing, Rev. Bill Blomquist.
Reverend Canon Justin Howard, Rev. Amy Howard & family
Rev. Canon Justin Howard was installed as the Rector of All Saints Church (Amesbury, MA), and his wife, Rev Amy Howard, joined the staff as Associate Rector. They hit the ground running and, in spite of the pandemic, ran The Alpha Course followed by Youth Alpha, in which several students gave their lives to Jesus and now attend a brand new youth group at All Saints.
Lastly, Rev. Brian Barry was commissioned by Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church (Danvers, MA) to begin a new work in Brookline, NH.
Remarkably, four ministry couples moved to New England in 2020 to either lead existing ministries or plant new churches. Rev. Lucy and Frank Albert moved from North Carolina to serve at All Saints Amesbury after years of connection to the ADNE through Encounter Ministries. Rev. Lucy now serves as Pastor of Connections and Frank is Pastor of Music.
For years Rev. Dan and Carrie Wolf were burdened for Portland, Maine, the 2nd most post-Christian city in America. This year, they were able to move from dream to action and together with their two young children, moved from Florida to plant Rise Church in Portland. They’ve wasted no time; after finding a home, they began Bible studies with unchurched neighbors, are preparing to run an online Alpha marriage course in February and launch a Missional Community this spring, and then host two mission teams to run outreach sports camps for families that will form more relationships for an Alpha launch in the Fall.
The Wolf family
The Norris family
Rev. Steve & Sarah Hoskins at the Institution of a New Rector
Revs. Sean and Kate Norris, artist missionaries, moved last summer to Long Island to establish Dandelion Ministries, a missional arts community transformed by the good news of God’s grace, that regularly worships together, provides a place of retreat, sabbatical, recovery, and serves as an incubator of new ministries and missional communities. Songs are flowing out of this new ministry.
Rev. Steve Hoskins of Colorado answered a call to serve as rector of Imago Dei Anglican Church in early 2020. He arrived in June with his wife Sarah, their five children, and his father-in-law, and immediately began implementing a different model of running a parish he first encountered in the Province of Rwanda. Under his leadership, Imago Dei has gone from one large worship service to four satellite chapels largely run by lay leaders, united in common vision, values, and preaching, but with individual styles and missional imagination. Imago Dei leaders have begun collaborating with leaders from St. Timothy Anglican Church in Burlington, VT, where Rev. Micah Thompson is overseeing a similar expression for his congregation.
MINISTRIES OF THE ADNE
Praxis
Boston Fellows Class of 2021
Over the last six months, 15 emerging leaders participated in Journey 1 of Praxis, facilitated by Rev. Canon Justin Howard. This group, comprised of some within our diocese and others coming into the ADNE, is evidence that the Lord is raising up leaders for reawakening. Rev. Cn. Justin explains, "Praxis is all about 'practicing' missional competency and developing deeper intimate communion with God. Growth in communion and competency - to be like Jesus and do the works of Jesus - is what is at the heart of Christian leadership. Journey 1 of Praxis has been a rewarding time, welcoming new partners into our life on mission as a family of churches up and down New England. The leaders and potential leaders who have engaged Praxis this year are the real deal! This moment demands a strategic and unified missional DNA that focuses our efforts in raising up leaders who will reach the next generation of disciples." Rev. Cn. Brian Bethke will begin leading Journey 2 of Praxis in early 2021.
Boston Fellows
Director Rev. Kelly Madden shared, “at midyear, the Boston Fellows program has its largest class ever—22 Fellows (pictured right). Born in half a dozen countries, they now live and work in Boston. Pray for them as they learn to serve God and neighbor in professions such as operating underwater drones, to user interface design, to teaching music and math, to designing home security systems. Above all, pray for them to learn to listen to the Lord's leading.” As a lesser-known service organization of the ADNE, Boston Fellows has capitalized on the increased accessibility of online gatherings to invite a wider audience to participate in the monthly seminars they host with leading experts in various fields. Seminars offered in 2020 included: “Faith, Art & Symbolism,” “Why Black Lives Matter", “How to get to Feeling Good! about your finances without drugs or lawyers”, and “Is U.S. capitalism compatible with a Christian vision of human flourishing?” If you would like to be notified about upcoming events, sign up here.
Encounter Ministries
Scott DeLong leading a weekend in February
In 2014, Rev. Amy Howard and Rev. Cn. Justin Howard ran the first Encounter God Weekends associated with the ADNE. Since then, hundreds of women and men have encountered the love of God and found healing and lasting freedom at this transformative weekend. When the Howards moved to Massachusetts, the formerly Maine-based ministry continued, with lay leaders Kathryn Miller and Scott DeLong of Imago Dei leading the weekends in January and February. With the Covid-19 restrictions placed on gatherings, plans for a weekend retreat were complicated, but the team now based out of All Saints Amesbury found a facility that could safely accommodate 34 at the women’s weekend and 20 at the men’s weekend in the fall. Here are some testimonies from participants:
"In the best way possible, I feel like my heart might explode with joy (or it's adrenaline-infused excitement, probably both!) … God is on the move. I'm attempting to wait on the Holy Spirit to lead me to the people I want to invite to February's Encounter, but all I want to yell is "I'm TRANSFORMED, GOD IS SO GOOD, I HAVE SO MUCH FREEDOM IN JESUS!" I've been a Christian since I was in the fourth grade maybe. I was baptized in May… This weekend there was a heart change. Thank you to you and your ministry team for the unbelievable work you are doing, God is so good." - an attendee at the women’s weekend
"I have been a Christian for 20 years and have attended many weekends away. Encounter Weekend was by far the most powerful experience I have had of God's love and power. It created a safe space to be vulnerable and broken and receive the healing, encouragement, and power that I craved. If you are looking to grow in your relationship with Jesus, I couldn't recommend Encounter more. I'm inviting all my friends and family to the next one." - a member of our clergy that attended the men’s weekend.
The next Encounter God Weekends will take place in April/May 2021.
Watchwords & Faros
This year brought new and enriching developments to Bishop Andrew’s Watchwords, the daily devotional that reaches hundreds of subscribers in and beyond the diocese each morning. Isaiah Sylvia of Anglican Church of the Redeemer, Franklin, began helping Bishop Andrew provide a quality audio narration that accompanies each day’s devotional. It has been incredibly well-received.
Most recently, Bishop Andrew and Michael Pritzl of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church Danvers have so far released two editions of The Faros, a video series and podcast that includes four messages from Bishop Andrew followed by short conversations with different church leaders from throughout New England and in particular the ADNE. You can check them here if you haven’t already.
One other development was replacing our old website with a new site that is built around our diocesan priorities: church planting, leadership training, regional unifying celebration and inspiration, and resourcing.
Finances
At the beginning of 2020, we knew that it would be a challenge to raise new funds sufficient to meet our budget. The advent of Covid raised the bar even further. We prayed regularly and fervently that the Lord would meet our needs, and He, of course, exceeded our expectations. Through the generous giving of many supporters, we received not only enough to meet the 2020 budget, but also a modest surplus to usher us into 2021 as we continue to invest in areas like prayer, church planting, and leadership development/clergy care. We have been mightily blessed!
When we think back on 2020, it’s unmistakable that the kingdom of God is advancing, and that seeds that were planted this year will bear the fruit of reawakening. As we enter a new year with its own troubles ahead, we take heart and remember our Lord’s declaration that he has overcome this world. And as Bishop Andrew charged us in September, “our call is to be a people who serve out of the supreme confidence we have in His victory, [so] never give in! Never, never, never, never – in nothing, great or small, large or trivial – never give in, except to the leading and conviction of the Holy Spirit. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. With humility, mercy and in the pursuit of His justice, let us do it all with thanks to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”
If your church or ministry has exciting news or a story for our diocese to celebrate in 2021, please email Scott DeLong at: communications@adne.org