As we announced on Sunday, four members of our parish attended last week the Convocation and Synod of our new diocese, Christ Our Hope. Fr Steve, Dcn Josh, Vicky Gunning and Cooper Mickle served as our official delegates. Below are two personal reflections on their respective experiences at synod by Vicky and Dcn Josh.
Before we turn to them: If you would like to know more about our diocese, here is the Christ Our Hope identity, history, mission and vision. (If you are wondering, what on earth is a diocese? Anglican Secret Decoder Ring Activated! Here is one definition. I sometimes liken a parish to a town, city or county; a diocese to one of the 50 states; and a province to the nation. Our province, then, is the Anglican Church in North America.)
Now, back to the COH Convocation and Synod reflections!
Vicky Gunning Reflections
My lasting impression from the honor of attending the 2024 DCOH Convocation and Synod was hope. We have a bright future at Church of the Resurrection in being a part of this diocese for this season. Bishop Alan’s remarks after being invested as the Bishop Ordinary to the Synod emphasized that the future is the local church. That we are “at the heart of the Gospel” and the “heartbeat” of this diocese is the “agenda of the local church.” That the local church is the best place for decisions to be made and for mission. I was comforted by the hospitality of the people of the diocese and the support they are showing for us in Flower Mound.
Bp. Alan is a builder and what a joy it is to be part of a diocese that is engaging in the defiant and hopeful act of planting so many new churches to reach the lost. If we care about those who don’t know Jesus, we should care deeply about church planting. It is a beautiful holy and effective way to revive existing churches who are senders, and according to research, the most effective method of evangelism in a city to reach the unchurched, younger people, new people groups and new residents. Can you see us supporting a new church plant? I can see our generosity and humility to do so! Bp. Alan said that the long-term vision is not only more church plants but planting new dioceses. So there is hope as well for a geographic diocese for Church of the Resurrection someday, God willing, in the Great Plains Mission Network area of North Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas, and Missouri.
Finally, the beauty and awe of the mystery of God in the Investiture service of Bp. Alan was incredible. I think Michael (my husband) and I counted 9 bishops, 1 archbishop (the Archbishop of Rwanda The Most Reverend Laurent Mbanda who gave the sermon), and 100’s of mostly young priests and deacons, and laity all assembled to worship. There were clergy and congregations that came from many nations, including Sudan, Rwanda, and Kenya all within this diocese. It was truly a rainbow of diverse cultures worshiping God in unity. What an incredible experience. God is good!
Deacon Josh Heavin Reflections
In The Culture of Theology, Anglican theologian John Webster wrote that “Christian astonishment is the amazed realization that all human life and thought is undertaken in the presence of Easter, for Jesus the living one makes himself into our contemporary, startling us with the fact that he simply is.” It was an honor and privilege to represent our church at the 2024 Synod and Convocation of our diocese, Christ our Hope, and it reminded me again of the stunning reality that Jesus is the living one, and that he is at work in and through our lives for the reconciliation of the lost and the edification of the church, unto the glory of God.
Three highlights stood out for me.
First, this was a tremendously encouraging gathering, whether hearing Bp. Paul Donison teach on the book of Philemon, listening to testimonies of God’s work in and through our founding Bp. Steven Breedlove, and praying for our new Bp. Ordinary Alan Hawkins. I am deeply grateful the institutional leadership of our church’s new diocese has processes, policies, and infrastructure (such as the Childcare Safety Training that Canon Sergio Sapunar led at our church in September) for cultivating healthy churches.
Second, I have gotten to know many other clergy and leaders in our diocese over the last few years, and it was wonderful to reconnect with them and make new friendships with others, especially fellow deacons serving in very different ministry contexts. Exciting things are happening in the churches and church plants of our diocese!
Third, as we worshipped alongside brothers and sisters from around the world (there were several African bishops present, and many clergy representing ethnically and culturally diverse churches in our diocese), we did so under a giant banner that read “WORTHY IS THE LAMB,” a small glimpse of what we find in Revelation, that we hope to one day join with people from every tribe and tongue and nation to worship Jesus.
Comments