Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Last week, lay and ordained leaders from around our province and throughout the world gathered in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, at St. Vincent’s College for the ACNA’s Provincial Council and Assembly meetings. The event began with the Conclave of the College of Bishops which resulted in the Right Reverend Steve Wood, bishop of the Diocese of the Carolinas, being unanimously elected as the next Archbishop and Primate of the ACNA. Thank you for your faithful prayers over the past months!
Next followed a week filled with teaching, worship, fellowship, prayer, and business meetings. Each day we were led in a study of 2 Timothy by the Right Reverend Rennis Ponniah (Retired Bishop, Singapore). I was so grateful for the large turnout of leaders from our Diocese with more than 50 participating.
Here are several highlights from the week:
- On Wednesday, we had a beautiful Eucharistic service in the Basilica, with a processional of almost 200 vested clergy including deacons, priests, bishops and archbishops!
- We approved a new Provincial Misconduct Policy for Children and Adults that will soon be available to our Dioceses and will serve as a minimum template for diocesan policy. Of note, it puts the onus on the bishops to ensure the policies are enacted. Thankfully DOMA already has a strong foundation in the protection of her people.
- A Spanish-language Book of Common Prayer will soon be available.
- Our ACNA Catechism is being adopted by Anglican churches throughout the world and will soon be available as a downloadable app.
- Attendance at ACNA churches has rebounded to pre-Covid levels. About 85,000 are now attending Sunday services with a total ACNA membership of more than 128,000. We’ve added 36 new congregations in 2023.
- ACNA now has 265 military chaplains serving our U.S. military.
- At the closing Eucharistic service, Bishop Wood received the Provincial Cross and the transfer of spiritual authority to take up his office. +Steve will be installed at a provincial service later this fall.
You may also enjoy this video interview from Provincial Assembly of Archbishop Steve and his wife, Jacqui (interview at 1:41:00). Please continue to pray for Archbishop Steve and his family during this time of transition into his new role as archbishop.
Blessings,
