Reawakening 2026 Recap

On October 23–24, over 400 people from across the Northeast gathered in Lexington, MA for the sixth annual Reawakening Conference. By every measure, it was our biggest, richest, and most profound Reawakening yet! 

Friday: Eucharist, Testimony, and the Arts

Bishop Andrew Williams opened the gathering with an impassioned charge that cut straight to the heart of the weekend: “So often, the church has operated like a spiritual sweatshop—a performance-driven deal where God is treated like a celestial bureaucrat running a performance review, demanding we work harder on the factory floor of religion to buy our way into His good graces. In the name of Jesus, we are closing down the sweatshop! Hear the Good News: I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes!” 

Holy Communion 

With that liberating declaration, he launched us into worship. Our opening Holy Communion service celebrated the vibrant diversity of our diocese. The Venerable Michael Kafeero, Archdeacon of our ADNE Ugandan congregations, concelebrated alongside Bishop Andrew. Assisted by Bishops Bill Murdoch and Trevor Walters, Ven. Michael and Bishop Andrew alternated leading their liturgy in their native tongues - English and Luganda - which brought a striking, holy new profundity to the liturgy. 

When Ven. Michael prayed the Prayer of Consecration in Luganda, Bishop Andrew invited the congregation to pray the Lord’s Prayer simultaneously in our own native languages. At least seven distinct tongues blended in unison, reciting the very words Jesus taught us, providing a tangible glimpse of the promise of Revelation 7:9: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb…”

In his sermon,  Bishop Andrew established the conference theme, “The Freedom of Forgiveness,” guiding us through Ezekiel 8 and 47. He deftly revealed how the Lord exposes our idolatrous hearts not to condemn us, but to bring true healing…nothing short of resurrected life.  

All of this was amplified by the worship team, masterfully led by Dave Edwards and joined by the Ugandan Archdeaconry choir that filled the room with palpable Holy Spirit power. It truly was a service worthy of the name “Reawakening,” establishing a spirit of expectation for the entire weekend.

Afternoon Plenary Sessions

That afternoon,  Old Testament scholar Chad Bird delivered his first talk,  “Unloving Our Ex-Sins.” Completely disarming from the outset, Chad shared his journey from prominent seminary professor to driving eighteen-wheelers hauling wastewater in the Texas Panhandle. His vulnerability leveled the playing field for all of us.  Following Bishop Andrew’s lead, Chad gave us all permission to be the needy people we are.  Coming to grips with our sin, he reminded us, is as much a work of the Holy Spirit as being raised to new life.

We were also thrilled to welcome Erick Sorensen from 1517.org Erick joined Chad and Bishop Andrew for an illuminating Gospel Integration Panel Discussion centered on Genesis 38, the scandalous story of Judah and Tamar. Unpacking one of Scripture’s most scandalous and puzzling narratives, the panel highlighted how it highlights how relentlessly God advanced His redemptive plan, bringing Jesus through Judah’s broken line.  This panel was a preview of ADNE’s new Gospel Integration Webinar series, which applies the healing lens of the Gospel to the most complex issues of our time. We are excited that Erick will return as our keynote speaker for Reawakening 2027!

Fellowship Dinners 

This year introduced several new elements designed to foster community across our geographically dispersed diocese. We hosted catered fellowship dinners specifically for young adults and diocesan deacons, both of which were well attended and provided meaningful space for peer connection. Meanwhile, Kate Norris and an energetic crew of volunteers hosted our teen pizza night, packing the room with laughter, games, and fellowship.

An Evening Celebrating Art and Beauty 

Friday evening offered an inspiring blend of contemplation and celebration, opening with a desert reception and beautiful art exhibition curated by Kate Norris. The gallery showcased original works by artists from parishes across New England, all meditating on the theme of forgiveness. This served as a natural prelude to Dr. Winfield Bevins’s address on the renaissance of the arts in the church. Winfield challenged us to become “missionaries of beauty,” demonstrating how aesthetic wonder prepares hearts to receive the Gospel. Hearing the proclamation of Christ’s forgiveness always bears the fruit of outward mission, and Winfield laid out a compelling, practical vision for living that out. Following his talk, Dave Edwards and the One Church gospel choir led us in passionate praise, and Winfield prayed over creatives and leaders eager to walk as ambassadors of beauty.

Saturday: Radical Forgiveness, Workshops, and Spirit-led Worship

Day two kept that same momentum. Bishop Andrew interviewed Kate Harris, a strategist and friend of ADNE, who helped us step back to see the broader landscape of what God has been cultivating across New England. Her insights were encouraging and gave clear voice to the strategic vision taking shape within ADNE leadership. 

Morning Plenary Session

Chad Bird then returned for his second address, “Being Repented,” unpacking the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Deepening his first message, Chad clarified that repentance is far more than moral reform, it is receiving faith to believe in the Father’s unmerited grace. Biblical repentance happens to us when our exhausting attempts at self-justification are interrupted and silenced by the Father’s pursuing mercy.

Workshops 

Saturday between plenary sessions we offered nine distinct workshops led by bishops, canons, diocesan leaders, and outside practitioners. Each track explored the practical implications of forgiveness, spanning topics from deliverance ministry to the complexities of immigration law, providing a rich experience for all participants. 

Final Plenary Session 

Our final session opened with a joyous diocesan tradition: the blessing of our youth whose artwork glowed brightly under black lights. It allowed all attendees to celebrate the parallel conference happening down the hall, where nearly eighty children and students gathered for special programming organized by Kate Norris and her team. As one parish rector shared: “Please extend my thanks to Kate and her team. My kids look forward every year to reconnecting with friends from across the diocese and by all reports the kids had a blast!”

To close our time, Chad delivered his final address, “Stewarding Our Scars”, walking through Jacob’s midnight wrestling match with God. Chad showed how the places where we have wrestled with God and suffered the wounds of sin become our most enduring testimonies. Our scars carry the story of Jesus bringing life out of death. Just as with Jacob, Christ willingly chose to lose so that we could win; He took our death so we might share His life. Chad grounded this in our concrete hope of physical resurrection, a promise he and his wife, Stacy, anchor themselves to following the loss of their son, and a promise we all cling to in the face of death and grief. 

A Powerful Encounter with God’s Love 

We closed our time in worship and invited participants to come forward and be anointed, asking God to seal the work of the Holy Spirit that was so evident throughout the conference and strengthen us to share the hope, love, and mercy of God with others across our region. 

Without a doubt, Reawakening 2026 was our most impactful conference yet. The powerful movement of the Holy Spirit through Word, Sacrament, worship, and fellowship, was undeniable. As Chad reflected afterward: “The weekend made an indelible impact upon me. Person after person stopped to encourage us, pray for us, and leave me notes. Worship was simply heaven on earth. Bishop Drew and his wife Elena could not have been more welcoming, as were the entire crew.” His colleagues Erick and Erica Sorensen, described the experience as “supernatural.” We left Lexington renewed, reminded that our forgiveness is real, the sweatshop is closed, and the Gospel remains the power of God for us all.

Testimony: 

“This Reawakening was a gift I won’t soon forget. More than 400 people from across the Northeast gathered to worship, and I saw the Holy Spirit move in powerful ways. When seven languages rose together in the Lord’s Prayer, I glimpsed the great multitude of Revelation 7. Our children, young adults, deacons and artists are all signs that God is reawakening this region. I have never been more hopeful for our diocese.”

— The Rt. Rev. Andrew “Drew” Williams, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese in New England

“This year’s conference was so well put together, well thought out, well planned. The speaker and workshops were excellent and relevant to ministry and life considerations. My kids also appreciate being able to connect with other kids from around the diocese; they have people they look forward to seeing every year.”

— Rev. Christian Huebner, Rector, Brownsville Community Church (Brownsville, VT)

“I don't think I will ever forget this past weekend at the Reawakening Conference. What happened made an indelible impact upon me: they had been praying for us for months prior to the event. Person after person stopped to encourage us and pray for us. Worship was simply heaven on earth. Thanks be to God for his people and his church.”

— Chad Bird, Plenary Speaker, Scholar in Residence at 1517.org

“This really felt like a reawakening or a revival of some kind. It was so good to be reminded of the centrality of the gospel, and its power to really nourish and sustain us. This weekend gave me I hope again, and I really needed that.” 

— Member of One Church, Tappan, NY