Profile on Diocesan Church Planters: Justin Clemente

By Pamela Meeks

Whenever you spend time with Justin Clemente, the founder of New Creation Church, you recognize a couple of features right away. Here is a person who has a passion for his neighborhood and community of Hagerstown, Maryland. He and his family sank roots into the community after they bought a house in 2007. Justin testifies that the church plant was birthed out of a desire to love their neighbors and to see Anglican worship in his community.

Although Justin worked part time as a member of a church’s worship team, he realized that he hardly knew his neighbors and had very few deep relationships within the community. Borne out of a conviction that this fact needed to change, Justin and Brooke continued to walk forward in faith. Since beginning the church, New Creation has made it a practice to be present at a number of local fairs, ready to share the Gospel and pray with people.  

Through graduate level work with the Institute for Worship Studies, Justin was first exposed to Anglican worship that was fresh, vibrant, evangelical, and yet rooted in historical worship. Though he had been on the “Canterbury Trail” for some time, something resonated inside to confirm the growing conviction that he needed, and people needed, Anglican theology and practice. It wasn’t until much later that the path became clearer; "I immediately knew that I wanted to be a part of whatever God was doing in the Anglican Church." Finishing up his course work in 2010, the calling to begin to plant an Anglican church in Hagerstown, MD began to take shape. Justin points to a pivotal meeting with a friend, the Rev. Sam Horowitz formerly of Christ Our Lord in Woodbridge. Sam recruited Justin and helped get him in touch with Bishop John and our diocese where he began the process of ordination. 

In November, 2012,New Creation began meeting in their home with 15 others who formed the backbone of the community. This was well before Justin’s ordination to the priesthood in June, 2016. Justin’s strength of communication, organization, leadership and vision casting has given him what he needs to recruit the right people. It is obvious to anyone who knows Justin that truly transformational discipleship is a part of why New Creation is seeing the kind of fruit it is seeing now. Justin demonstrates faithfulness to church planting as he has stayed with the slow, incremental growth these six and a half years. I feel certain we will surely see this faithfulness play out as the church completes this transition from a small space on the outskirts to the center of downtown Hagerstown. New Creation is sharing space in a beautiful, historic Presbyterian church and plans to have a public launch on September 8. Justin is also in the process of looking for financial partners so that he can leave his secular job and devote his full attention to the growing church. We at the Great Commission Committee are encouraged to support and encourage the folks in Hagerstown to pursue the founding of a strong Anglican church. 

The Rev. Pamela Meeks is Associate Rector Church of the Epiphany, Chantilly, and a member of the Great Commission Committee.

Church of the Epiphany holds Handbell Ringers Concert

By Peter Frank

Sunday, June 9 at 4:00pm, Church of the Epiphany in Chantilly will be hosting the Handbell Choir from historic Christ Church Anglican in Savannah, Georgia where John Wesley was the Rector. This bell choir is made up of high school and college students. The choir has performed concerts in several dioceses throughout the United States. The concert is free. Why not bring a friend for an enjoyable time of bell music?

Church of the Epiphany is located at 3863 Centerview Dr. in Chantilly, VA 20151.  Epiphany’s website with directions is www.epiphanyanglican.net.

Peter Frank is rector of Church of the Epiphany in Chantilly, ,VA.

Course offered this summer on history of Anglicanism

By Gregory Strong

Mon to Fri 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
July 8 - July 12

In this course we will examine the history of Anglicanism, starting with the introduction of Christianity in the 100s or 200s A.D. to what was then Roman Britain.

We will follow this history to explore how Christianity in the British Isles developed over the next 1800 years from one among other systems of religious belief in those lands into a small national church and then into an international communion of regional churches, a communion which, along with Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism, is now one of the largest Christian traditions in the world. We will mark key people, ideas, moments, structures, movements, and dynamics which have shaped and continue to shape Anglicanism.

Our journey through this history will give us a richer understanding of what Anglicanism has been, what it is, and where it might be going. This course will be held at The Falls Church Anglican, 6565 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church VA 22042.

For information and to register, call The Falls Church Anglican at 571-282-0100.

Dr. Gregory Strong is a member of The Falls Church Anglican. The course is through the Anglican Studies Program at Reformed Theological Seminary.

How to trust God in the midst of transition

By Susan Yates

Do you feel like your life is constantly changing?  (It probably is!)  Life’s transitions are unending and can spark anxiety and fear. How do we trust God in the midst of transition?  I recently had the chance to speak on this topic and I’m excited to share these talks with you.

My life has had lots of transitions–from being a single career girl, to marriage, to 5 kids in 7 years including twins, to almost 5 teenagers at once, to 4 weddings in 3 summers, to the empty nest, and then one bounced back for a season, to 21 grandchildren. 

All along the way I kept waiting for life to calm down. HA!

Life doesn’t calm down; it only gets more complicated. I kept waiting for stability expecting it to be the norm. But instead I discovered:

Transition is the norm; stability is the rare exception.

Now John and I are getting ready for another transition as he retires this week and steps down from being rector of our church, a position he’s held for forty years.

Transition comes in different packages:

• Biological seasons: from parenting toddlers, to parenting teens. 
• Difficult transitions: a move, a new boss, a new job, elderly parents moving in with you, the loss of a dream. 
• Joyful transitions: marriage, the birth of a child, pursuing a dream.
• Tragic transitions: a death, illness, loss of a child, a financial crisis.

Transition is a constant and is by nature awkward. The questions is: how will we handle life’s transitions?

Will it be with fear and depression, or with a sense of adventure and a tender heart towards God?

Where will we run in transition?

Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe.”

It’s helpful to ask, Where am I running?

It’s so easy to run to other places for comfort and some may not be safe: a non-believing friend, alcohol, a man not our husband, busyness, over-commitment, the internet, shopping, food.

Whatever transition we are experiencing, God wants us to run to Him for guidance, for comfort, for purpose, and for understanding.

Susan Yates is the author of thirteen books and speaks both nationally and internationally on the subjects of marriage, parenting, and women’s issues. Her books include Raising Kids with Character That Lasts, co-authored with her husband, the Rev. Dr. John Yates. Be sure to read her blog here. 

A day in the life of Jesus

By Wade Ballou

“It’s just one of those days.” How often do you hear that? How often do we say that ourselves.

Let’s consider a day in the life of Jesus using Matthew 14. His day would begin the evening before, with sundown. Bedtime would typically be early. So, it’s not surprising that Jesus would be up early in the morning to pray (Mark 1:35).

Soon after, the news arrives from Jerusalem that John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus, was beheaded by order of Herod. (verses 1-12) Jesus withdraws by boat by himself to a desolate place. I can only imagine his broken heart as he personally experiences the evil happening around him.

But, there is no time to mourn as the crowds follow him. When Jesus comes ashore, he saw them. The word is from the Greek horao (ὁράω), meaning to perceive or to experience. This is much more than seeing with the eyes. After all, it’s a little hard to miss seeing a crowd with one’s eyes. And as he saw, he was moved with compassion on them. This is a seeing with the eyes of God through the eyes of man and then the heart of God loving in the same way.

So he healed their sick. Here’s a man with a broken heart, ministering to others. At evening, the disciples urge Jesus to send the crowds away to feed themselves. But no, Jesus feeds them out of what they have, after 1) looking to heaven and 2) blessing what they had. All were satisfied. There is food left over. Needs now met, Jesus sends everyone on their way and once again returns to the mountain to pray. Now he can mourn his cousin. But the day is not done. By this time the disciples are in trouble on the sea. It is the 4th watch, between 3am and 6am. It appears that Jesus had been up all night, walking across the sea. He addresses the disciples’ fear, and Peter walks on the water too. They come to the other side and the daylight hours begin. Once again people come for healing. I suspect Jesus gets no sleep. We see Jesus moving in and out from contemplation to kingdom action.

When we face days which don’t go at all as we expect, and in which many unexpected challenges arise, we have choices for our response.  Some that come to mind are:

1. We can go to a dark place. I’m reminded of the song from Hee Haw in the 1970s:
   Gloom, Despair, and Agony on Me 
   deep dark depression, excessive misery
   If it weren’t for bad luck I’d have no luck at all,
   Gloom, despair, and agony on me
2. We can look to our idols or crutch of choice for help. But, these don’t speak, strengthen, or give life. They take and destroy.
   OR
3. We can live our lives as new creations, citizens of the Kingdom of God, and empowered like Jesus. How did Jesus do this? One, he kept returning to prayer in solitude. This prayer put him in touch with the power of the Father. He also lived in continuous prayer with the Father. I imagine Jesus listening to the Father and his self talk, not of personal condemnation like many of us, but of blessedn connectedness with the Father. In fact, so much so, that he knows it’s absence on the Cross. Jesus had food they knew not of (John 4: 32-34) — to do the will of the Father. Jesus seeks to please the Father because whatever the Father does the Son does (Jn 5:19).

As Christians, we are to image Jesus in the world and do what Jesus would do, which is what the Father would do. Jesus gifted his followers with the Holy Spirit to call upon in times of unexpected challenge. When we are weak, then we are strong. (2 Cor. 12:10). We too have food from heaven. Just as Jesus seeks to rest and rise and pray in the morning, so too can we. Just as Jesus enters into the world with compassion, so too can we. Just as Jesus heals, sets the prisoners free, and brings good news to the poor, so can we. We too can recognize people by name. We can offer encouragement. We can pray with those we encounter. We can provide for physical needs. In short, we can love our neighbor. Whatever life throws at us, we can contemplate at each moment of our day how we can act for the Kingdom of God.

See Life Without Lack: Living in the Fullness of the 23rd Psalm, by Dallas Willard

Wade Ballou is the Coracle Community Minister for Northern Virginia.

AFM presents New Wineskins Pre-Conference

By Chris Royer

Join us on Thursday, September 26, 2019, at the Ridgecrest Conference Center in Ridgecrest, NC

Led by Anglican Frontier Mission (AFM) missionaries with real on-the-ground experience evangelizing and discipling Muslims, we will share an overview of how the Spirit is moving throughout the Islamic world like never before in world history!  We’ll also share the basics of Islamic theology and history, and provide practical steps for reaching out to Muslims, both here in the U.S. and overseas.

Come Discover…

• The historically unprecedented ways the Spirit is being poured out upon Muslim peoples through dreams and visions
• The challenges and the joys of sharing Jesus and discipling Muslims
• Opportunities to get involved in reaching out to Muslims, both short- and long-term, both local and global
• How God might be calling you to use your passions, gifts, and experiences
• Practical action steps

Speakers include:

• The Rev. Chris Royer, AFM Executive Director
• The Rev. Tad de Bordenave, AFM Founder

Chris Royer is Executive Director of Anglican Frontier Mission. 

New Wineskins hosts its ninth triennial mission conference

By Jenny Noyes

New Wineskins Missionary Network, the first Anglican mission society in North America, is setting the stage for their ninth global mission conference, scheduled for Sept. 26-29 at Ridgecrest Conference Center near Black Mountain, NC.  The New Wineskins Conference is the largest Anglican missions conference in North America, and serves as a homecoming for missionaries serving on the field and an equipping experience for laity and clergy alike from parishes around the US and abroad.  With programs for children, youth and adults of every age, organizers anticipate over 1,500 attendees from around the world to come to the conference to worship, learn, reconnect, and pray together.

For 25 years, the New Wineskins Global Mission Conference has drawn attendees from more than 50 countries.  The event features four days full of plenary sessions, networking opportunities, Mission Awareness Presentations (MAP Talks), and prayer and worship services.  Participants come to hear what God is doing around the world, to be equipped for mission through teaching and instruction, and to reconnect with old friends and make new ones.  With this year’s theme of Better Together, the conference will celebrate partnership and collaboration.  All of this takes place on the campus of Ridgecrest Conference Center with the beautiful backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

A new feature this year is the addition of more than 16 pre-conferences. Attendees are encouraged to come early to go deeper in an area of mission about which they are passionate. Topics like Business as Mission, the Persecuted Church, International Student Ministry, and more are on offer. Of particular note is Always Forward, the ACNA’s Church Planting Initiative, hosting its fall conference as a pre-conference in alignment with the Better Together theme! 

The New Wineskins Conference is unlike any other mission conference.  “The preaching of the Gospel, the power of the Holy Spirit, the witness of the worldwide church, and the freedom of worship that you experience at New Wineskins is like a supernatural engine that brings the missionary zeal to life,” said Rev. Chris Culpepper, the Rector of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church in the Diocese of Ft. Worth, TX.  Jenny Noyes, Executive Director of New Wineskins Missionary Network, states, “We have such an excited anticipation of how God will use our time together in September to bring breakthrough, healing, repentance, missional calling and boldness by the power of His Holy Spirit that we urge you not to miss this opportunity for yourself and your parish!”

The mission of the New Wineskins Missionary Network is to empower and equip Anglicans for local and global cross-cultural mission.  Founded in 1974, New Wineskins is dedicated to praying for missionaries, raising awareness, providing resources and being a network of networks to further the cause of Anglican missions worldwide.  The New Wineskins Conference will be a celebration of God’s work among us. 

Registration and more information can be found at newwineskinsconference.org.

Jenny Noyes is Executive Director of New Wineskins.

Life Summit 2019 Talks online

Alveda King addresses the Life Summit.

Here are links to the videos of the talks at Life Summit 2019:

• Rev. Georgette Forney, President, Anglicans for Life
• Ryan T. Anderson, Senior Researcher Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, Founder of Public Discourse
• Alveda King, Director of Civil Rights for the Unborn, Priests for Life and Founder of Alveda King Ministries
• Rev. Rick Bergh, Thanatologist, Author, Counselor, Speaker
• Austin Ruse, President, Center for Family and Human Rights
• Rev. Cathie Young, Founder of Cancer with Compassion, Author, Speaker
• Sammie Franks, AFL Coordinator of Ministry Outreach
• Steven Tighe (with Sammie Franks), Provincial Youth Canon for ACNA
• Tom Glessner, Founder and President of National Institute of Family and Advocates
• Sheila Harper, President and Founder of SaveOne
• David Bereit, Pro-Life Advocate and Former CEO of 40 Days for Life

You can also watch them as a list here.

Assembly 2019 (June 17-19) registration open!

This month, the Anglican Church in North America celebrates its 10th Anniversary with Assembly 2019: Renewing Our Call to the Great Commission, an assembly centered on discipleship and moving forward into our next 10 years as a province.

Assembly will be held in Plano, Texas, June 17-19, 2019 and hosted by Christ Church Plano, the site of Archbishop Bob Duncan’s installation as the inaugural archbishop in 2009. 

Keynote speakers Archbishop Foley Beach, Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, James Bryan Smith, Russell Moore, and Ravi Zacharias will join us as we celebrate and help us go deeper into discipleship.

Visit disciple2019.com now for more information and to register.

DOMACAST: Talks and Reports from Synod 2018

The Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic brings insightful podcasts featuring a cross section of speakers from all walks of our Christian life.  Listen on the diocesan website and subscribe to DOMACAST here.

Now available: Talks and reports from Synod 2018
Click here for a full list.

You may also find featured talks in the DOMACAST podcast available for free in the iTunes Store here.  You may listen to episodes online, download to your device, or subscribe.

Check out the Jobs Board

One of the top hits on the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic website is our Jobs Board that advertises employment in our churches and related organizations in the diocese.

Click here to see the latest employment openings. To request that a position be posted, please send an email to Mary Ailes with the position title, a brief description of the position, a website link to further information if available, the deadline for applications if appropriate, and the email address of a point of contact.  

Get the message out and pass the word

It's easy to subscribe to receive the Mid-Atlantic Messenger. All are encouraged to sign up to receive the official newsletter of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic. You may post the link on your Facebook page, tweet it or run the information in your weekly service leaflet.

To receive the Mid-Atlantic Messenger just click here and fill out the simple form online. After you finish completing the form, be sure to click on the link sent to you in your confirmation email and you are all set!  Questions?  Contact Mary Ailes at mary.ailes@anglicandoma.org.

The Mid-Atlantic Messenger