In this blog, clergy and lay leaders share helpful resources, ideas, and reflections. The topics range from soul care, to effectiveness, to practical solutions for common issues we are facing. If you have something you would like to submit to be included, please email it to Jessica Jones. We hope these articles are a blessing to you in your ministry.
This is often the time of year that many churches have their Annual Parish Meetings, approve budgets, hold Vestry Retreats, and generally think about and cast vision for the church moving forward. As this is a good time of year to be reflecting on these matters, may I suggest that, as you do, part of your vision and goal setting include focusing on how to get and/or keep your church healthy? The church is the living body of Christ, and living things (if healthy) naturally grow as God designed them to. How can you focus on being healthy this year? By focusing on simply doing the things Jesus instructed the church to do. And, what did he tell the church to do? Although you can find the answers to that question throughout the Bible, like in the description of the first local church in Acts 2:42-47, Jesus was kind enough to summarize it for us in two key scriptures: The Great Commandment and The Great Commission....
Be the one. See the one. Share the ONE. The Gulf Atlantic Diocese, under the leadership of Bishop Alex, is poised to raise up and deploy missionaries to our neighborhoods and to the nations....
Tallahassee, FL (August 27, 2022) - Today at St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral in Tallahassee, FL, friends and members of the Gulf Atlantic Diocese of the Anglican Church in North America gathered to witness the consecration of the Rt. Rev. Alex Farmer as the second bishop of the Diocese....
The Gulf Atlantic Diocese held its 17th annual summer camp, Camp Araminta, in July. It was an incredible gathering of over 250 students and leaders at Lake Swan Camp in Melrose, FL. Camp Araminta was created to provide an intense discipleship experience in community. We welcome students from 4th-12th grade and focus our time on fellowship, outdoor activities, skits, games and crafts, worship, teaching, and healthy rhythms of discipleship such as morning prayer and compline....
After serving for six years at Grace Anglican in Fleming Island, FL, Dan and Carrie Wolf made a radical move to Portland, Maine, the second most post-Christian city in America, in order to plant Rise Church Anglican. The church plant has been a collaborative effort between the Gulf Atlantic Diocese and the Anglican Diocese of New England. Dan has said the question people ask in Portland is not “What church should I go to?” but “Why would I go to church?” Many people don’t know anything about the Bible or God....
Petra is a diocesan ministry founded and led by young adults to serve young adults. Built to meet the need for an organized ministry to connect young adults across the Gulf Atlantic, its centerpiece is the Petra retreat, an annual summer event incorporating Biblical teaching and corporate recreation. This year’s retreat, held from May 19 through 22, was based on Ephesians 6:13: “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” Scripture teaches that humanity is involved in a spiritual war of cosmic proportions in which every soul is at stake. To stand, Christians must arm themselves with the armament God has provided them in Christ....
On Monday, June 13, 2022, the College of Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America consented to the elections of the Rev. Alex Farmer, the Rev. Willy J. Hill Jr., and the Rev. Alex Cameron as bishops for the Gulf Atlantic Diocese, the Diocese of the Southeast (REC), and the Diocese of Pittsburgh respectively....
Volunteering with CMJ Israel may well be the most rewarding thing you have ever done - after all, you will become part of Israel's present and future with what you do and achieve! Volunteering may (at times) be hard work, but it will also be part of a wonderful adventure, filled with prayer and new experiences right in the heart of Israel - a place where God Himself has placed so much focus, and the very land where Jesus lived and walked....
Nick Audas spent ten years ministering on college campuses with CRU (Campus Crusade), and more recently, serving on staff at a church plant in New York City. Now he is embarking on a new mission—planting an Anglican church in the heart of Orlando with the Gulf Atlantic Diocese. Bishop Neil and I recently traveled to Orlando to meet and celebrate Holy Communion with about fifteen members of this budding church plant, called The Common Table Church, and the presence of the Lord was tangible in our midst....
Tallahassee, FL (May 14, 2022) - Today at St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral in Tallahassee, FL, delegates to a Special Synod of the Gulf Atlantic Diocese elected the Rev. Alex Farmer to be their second Bishop. Pending the consent of the Anglican Church in North America’s College of Bishops in June, Bishop-Elect Farmer will be consecrated at St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral on August 27....
Many throughout the diocese have asked how they might help with the dire situation in Ukraine. As you know, the season of Lent is a time for increased prayer and almsgiving, and we would appeal for the members of the diocese to be faithful to both in this current crisis....
This year is the centenary of the birth of John Stott whose books continue to influence thousands of Christians throughout the world. While several biographies have been written about him no one has undertaken to compile a balanced exposition of his thought and teaching. Since I retired from public ministry I decided to read all his published work and organize it into subjects to make it accessible for the benefit of those who labor in congregational ministry and others who wish to deepen their understanding of the Gospel. The result John Stott: A Summary of his Teaching......
I met C at a cafe in town. He played for Tormenta, the local USL2 Professional Soccer team, and happened to be roommates with another contact of mine. He had begun dating a Christian girl and was full of questions, so when I invited him to join our discussion group, he jumped in....
The song, "Burning Hearts" was written by five artists at the United Adoration songwriting retreat held at Trinity Anglican Church in Thomasville Ga. Within the group there were experienced songwriters paired with budding songwriters. At Synod, we talked about the importance of discipleship and raising up others. This songwriting group is a great example of that principle. With encouragement and critique, these artists created the beautiful song in this video....
Editor's note: Funmi Ojetayo is currently serving at Incarnation Tallahassee as a part of the diocesan Antioch Residency program. He is the first such resident in our diocese. Funmi OjetayoMy participation in the Antioch Residency is primarily a work of God’s providential guidance, and the magnanimity of the Rector at Incarnation Tallahassee, the Rev. Canon Taylor Bodoh. I initially did a pastoral summer internship at Incarnation in 2019, after which I went back to my home Baptist church. I was privileged to have gotten to know Taylor and Jon and be mentored by them over the summer, and to serve the church through teaching and preaching. Yet, I was still finishing up my seminary degree, working full-time as an attorney, and serving my wife and children and my local church. An Antioch Residency or Fellowship was not on my radar......
The Table Mesa is a bilingual ACNA congregation based in Jacksonville, FL that meets on Zoom with additional members joining from across states and continents. They live out their mission to disciple others by offering places for people to grow in their gifts, namely songwriting and teaching. This is their story of adapting to the restraints of COVID-19 and how God has grown them as they have extended hospitality across language barriers....
Why plant new churches? Because our King commissioned us to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…” (Mt 28:19-20). Studies have shown that new churches reach unbelievers and unchurched people at a rate of 6-8 times that of established churches of the same size. While we believe it's important for every Christian to practice evangelism, we also believe a vibrant church planting culture is essential to faithfully fulfilling Jesus’ commission!...
The first poem I ever wrote didn’t rhyme. In fact, I didn’t even write it down. One day, when I was about three years old, my mom was pushing me on a swing and I said to her: When I swing, my shadow plays tag with me. Apparently she thought that was a very profound thing for me to say at that age, because she has told me that story several times since I became an adult. I’m looking back at that scene now and thinking to myself, That makes perfect sense; that’s absolutely something I would say....
The world says that success is found in writing chart-topping songs, selling paintings for tens of thousands of dollars, working for large churches, achieving a generous salary, or directing a large choir. The life of Christ says something different. Jesus lived in the wilderness with a small group of close friends. He didn’t raise up an army like many thought he would. He spent time with his Father and this union directed his path....
My church hired me as a "worship leader / artist-in-residence" in 2014. The artist-in-residence part of my job was very loosely defined, and we were basically making it up as we went along. But one of the first ideas that stuck was when my pastor asked me to write some form of psalm refrain every week, following the lectionary...I had a previous interest in writing psalm settings, so I took my pastor's request as an opportunity to begin composing short choruses that summarized what I thought was the core idea, response, or emotion of the psalm....
My years in ocean freight transportation were an exciting time in an expanding industry that produced many “firsts.” The concept of just-in-time logistics, or “J.I.T.” as it came to be known, was one of them. It was all about having a better plan for bringing the right thing to the right place at the right time. “J.I.T.” is a good characterization for my late-in-life introduction to painting. Painting certainly was the right thing at the right time as I adapted to retirement, but it also came with a still-unfolding array of new connections and interactions that have since crossed borders and oceans, figuratively and literally. All of that from someone with no prior art training or experience. Who would have thought?...
The word that comes to mind while conversing with comic book artist Daniel Hooker about art and faith is perseverance. Daniel describes his own personality as “obnoxiously persistent.” He remarks that the Lord has given him an immense amount of patience that lets him wait and persevere indefinitely, sometimes even to a fault. But in Daniel’s practice as an artist and in his chosen medium of storytelling through comic books, patience and perseverance have served him well....
The New Testament sometimes speaks of ministry as being like an architectural project. In particular, the Apostle Paul speaks of building God’s temple, with some laying the foundation and others building; but either way, faithfulness requires that “each one should build with care” (1 Corinthians 3:10). The analogy works well for both evangelism and discipleship; for planting and pastoring. It is also a good way of describing the shift that’s taking place right now in our shared mission of church planting in the Gulf Atlantic Diocese, as we move from establishing the requisite foundation to a kind of multi-faceted building project....
Choreographer Dana Standridge said she can’t imagine a time in her life when she didn’t dance. “This is how God has wired me,” she said. “I feel the best when I’ve put on music and move to it. A good waltz or three-four beat and I’m happy as can be.” Dancing is associated with joy in the Bible: Miriam danced and sang after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, and David danced before the Lord. Four years ago, Dana’s mother was murdered in her childhood home by a stranger. “In the face of trauma, the world seems hideous,” said Dana. Joy evaporated, and for about two years she stopped dancing....
The word “curate,” in its original sense, was a synonym for the word priest. It stems from the idea that parish clergy are charged with the “cure” (or care) of souls. In recent years the term has been applied more specifically to newly ordained priests serving as assistants to an experienced rector. Curacies provide experience and on-the-job practical training to equip the curates for their future ministries. In an effort to raise up more missional leaders, the Gulf Atlantic Diocese is partnering with congregations to develop three types of curacies: Church Planting Curates, Antioch Curates, and Missional Curates....
Crafting songs for worship is a process of inspiration, collaboration, and cultivation as the songwriter edits their ideas in community. But sometimes, an artist may be moved by the Holy Spirit to bring a prophetic word of encouragement to build up the Church. When the words come to a songwriter, they can come out as sung rhymes. Kim Allen first discovered her gift as she improvised on the piano after a prayer, her sermon notes sitting against the music stand....
If you follow Jesus, you have a story to share! Back in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic, the Lord put it on my heart to collect stories from my fellow church members to learn more about each other, and also to see more widely who God is. Testimonies have the power to show that God is not only real but is always active in this world, even when we cannot see it. Where I attend, at Incarnation Tallahassee, the project was well-received, bringing great encouragement and a deeper connection between the members. I now want to make a wider call to the diocese for stories of what God has done in your life....
Would you pray for “vocations,” that is, pray that God would call people to ordination and so work in them and their communities so that they become ordained missional leaders? Also, I would ask our churches to do so, regularly and publicly, and especially during the four Ember Day weeks. This week happens to be one of those weeks....
My journey into Anglicanism was a complete accident. Knowing my background as a classically trained musician, my friends told me to visit St. Peter’s Cathedral in Tallahassee, at least once, to hear the music. My first Sunday, I was struck by the crystal clear tones of the choir, their luscious sound washing over me singing the Psalms. The beauty of the music affected me so much that I started to come every week with anticipation....
The need for the part of our diocesan mission, “Strengthening Existing Churches and Ministries,” has never been as important it will be in 2021. Last year had its set of challenges, to say the least. Much of the year was spent adjusting to new circumstances. Now is the time to get back to being proactive or, to use sports terminology, switch from defense to offense....
10 Considerations for Building Online Church Communities When the pandemic closed Sunday services, churches quickly (and adeptly!) moved online. Everyone I know has been immensely grateful for the work that pastors and church leadership teams have completed, enabling the people to be part of their worshiping community while safe at home. But how has this pandemic changed...
Keep Reading A Message To You In Troubled Times The year 2020, to say the least, is a troubled year. My daughter asked me last week how long I thought it might be before the term "2020" starts to be used as a profanity. Like when someone hits their hand with a hammer they will cry out, "2020" instead of some other more common term! Given the way this year has gone so far, I could see ...
Keep Reading A Message To You In Troubled Times The year 2020, to say the least, is a troubled year. My daughter asked me last week how long I thought it might be before the term "2020" starts to be used as a profanity. Like when someone hits their hand with a hammer they will cry out, "2020" instead of some other more common term! Given the way this year has gone so far, I could see ...
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One of the concerns many churches faced mid-March when the global pandemic shut our doors, was how to keep connected to those who do not utilize technology on a regular basis. This concern continued as families sought to be discipled without their children being exposed to unprotected technology, as well. As a result, here are a few ideas to help keep your households conne...
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Those of you considering hybrid ministry following re-entry, consider how your plans might help to build an online community, rather than just offer online programming. For more about this distinction, read here. 10 IDEAS FOR HYBRID MINISTRY Here are 10 specific programming ideas for hybrid ministry, aimed at building an online community: Regarding live-streamed event...
Keep Reading One of the concerns many churches faced mid-March when the global pandemic shut our doors, was how to keep connected to those who do not utilize technology on a regular basis. This concern continued as families sought to be discipled without their children being exposed to unprotected technology, as well. As a result, here are a few ideas to help keep your households conne...
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by Rebecca McCallister These are dark times, aren't they? Most of us haven't experienced anything like this coronavirus and the complete upheaval it's causing in our lifetimes. And beyond the inconveniences of sheltering in place or not finding toilet paper, there is serious fear and uncertainty, real suffering, devastation, loss, and death. There are many things we coul...
Keep ReadingVery few people adapt to change easily. For most of us, change is uncomfortable and "doing things the way we've always done them" is easier. This pandemic has caused all of us to change and it hasn't been easy. But with change, comes the opportunity for innovation and improvement. Sometimes change brings surprising blessings, as well. We wanted to encourage you by sharing ...
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by Rev. Dr. Jessica H. Jones This season in ministry has forced churches everywhere to move to an online environment, exploring video conferencing, live streaming, pre-recording and video editing segments for their website, and trying to navigate pastoral care for those not connected, as well as those already saturated with online content. Someone joked last week on our c...
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byRev. Mark Eldredge, Canon for Congregational Health When the first ever church was formed in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost the believers basically did five things. We can read about this in Acts 2:42-47: They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and...
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