| The Official eNewsletter of the Anglican Mission in the Americas
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 Here's your October Issue of Currents
Dear ,
Thanks for keeping current with Anglican Mission news from around the world. We hope you will prayerfully consider attending our annual Winter Conference in January. You can learn some of the highlights in the first two articles.
Why not forward Currents to an Anglican friend? Click the button below. Cynthia Brust
Director of Communications, Anglican Mission in the Americas
If you have an upcoming event, news item or story of interest send us an email.
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Register Now for Winter Conference 2009!
We hope you will make plans now to attend Winter Conference in beautiful Greensboro, North Carolina. Join us for a sacred time of connecting January 28 - 31, 2009.
Register for Winter Conference Early and Save!For fast, easy and secure registration online click here.
Early-bird Pricing
$165 per person, $295 per couple
$110 per student, $175 per student and spouse
After December 20, 2008
$195 per person, $375 per couple
$150 per student, $255 per student and spouse
To see photos and bios on all the Winter Conference 2009 Plenary
Speakers, click here.
WINTER CONFERENCE DETAILS
Group Registration
Do you have 25 or more who are coming from your church? Will you be able to register them all at once? If so, there is a group rate of $145 for single or $275 for double until 12/20/08. If you are interested, please contact Patti Angulo for more information.
Room Reservations
Room reservations should be made by contacting the Greensboro Sheraton reservations desk directly at: 800-242-6556 (toll-free). Be sure to request the special Anglican Mission Winter Conference group rate available through January 8, 2009.
New Event! Film Festival
Winter Conference 2009 will kick off with a night of celebration and fun. Under the leadership of Bishop TJ Johnston, the Anglican Mission will host a Film Festival entitled, Spotlight on Local Mission.
Click here for more Film Festival information, guidelines and entry form.
Pre-Conference Events
· Discovering the World of Church Planting
· One Church-Two Cultures: Uniting through Sister-to-Sister
Partnerships
· Avoiding the Millstone Training Course
Click here for full descriptions and pre-event registration information.
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Grow Out on a Limb...Volunteer for Winter Conference 2009
Each year, hundreds of individuals are needed as volunteers for Winter Conference, providing invaluable assistance with a number of key tasks. These individuals work with team captains under the direction of Winter Conference Volunteer Coordinators to work in the following areas:
· Registration
· Participant Packet Assembly
· Hospitality & Greeters
· Transportation
· Exhibits
· Anglican Mission Information Table
Volunteer Registration/Fee Information
In previous years, Winter Conference volunteers were assumed to be conference participants and paid full registration fees. This year, however, we want to demonstrate our appreciation for volunteers and have developed a sliding scale for registration fees based on the number of hours that these individuals work. Volunteers can take advantage of all conference sessions when they are not scheduled to work.
Individuals who volunteer 1-3 hours during Winter Conference will be asked to register at a reduced rate of $85 which includes a boxed lunch on Thursday and Friday.
Individuals who volunteer 4-6 hours during the Conference will be asked to register at a reduced rate of $45 which includes a boxed lunch on Thursday and Friday.
The conference registration fee is waived for individuals who volunteer 7+ hours during the Conference, and boxed lunches will be provided on Thursday and Friday.
If volunteers do not plan to attend conference sessions but would like
lunch on Thursday and/or Friday, boxed lunches are available for $14
each.
Volunteer Coordinators for Winter Conference 2009 are Jeff and Tami Allee. If you are interested in volunteering, register online--be sure to register as a volunteer. Click here.
For more information on volunteering, contact Jeff or Tami.
Look for Winter Conference brochures inside the October edition of The Wave or at your local fellowship! |
All Saints to Host NothingsGonnaStopIt!
 All Saints Church in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, is hosting a special event on Friday, November 7, 2008, and the church leadership hopes area churches will participate in NothingsGonnaStopIt!
What is Nothinsgonnastopit!
Nothinsgonnastopit! is a seven-hour seminar on the storyline of the Bible designed for anyone who wants to know what the Bible is all about. Whether you have been reading the Bible for years or are just getting started, hearing the story in a compressed time frame will give you the big picture. Never again will you pick up the Bible in quite the same way. No matter where on the timeline you dig in after the seminar, you will be able to locate the characters in their historical context and see with more accuracy what the Bible is trying to say.
Nothinsgonnastopit! is particularly helpful for those from another religion who might be interested in what the Bible teaches. Misunderstandings about the Bible are often cleared up when one understands events, assertions and commands within their original setting.
One God...One Story...One Message
Friday, November 7, 7-10 pm
Saturday, November 8, 8:30 am - 3 pm
All Saints Church
3560 Kings River Road
Pawleys Island, SC 29585
(843) 237-4223
Cost: $15 (includes materials, snacks and lunch)
For more information on the presentation and registration, visit the All Saints website.
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Family Camp Fosters Friendships
Last month, Holy Trinity Anglican in Pensacola, Florida hosted their third annual family camp with a full 63% of the parish attending! Held at Camp Baldwin in Elberta, Alabama, the weekend getaway was designed for all ages. Instead of teachings or typical church services, parishioners had the opportunity to build relationships through fun activities and spontaneous, casual conversation.
"When you are building a church, you have to build relationships first," explains the Rev. Lisa Browning, Administrative Pastor. "We find that our members feel comfortable inviting family members and friends to family camp that do not normally attend church because it is a non-threatening and welcoming environment."
Participants enjoyed the zip line, swimming, canoeing, volleyball, board games and the only planned activity of the weekend, the Anglican Idol Variety Show. Acts ranged from ballet and Irish step dancers to a lip-synched rock-n-roll tune by three teens.
"It is not unusual for us to see a once-disconnected family member attending Holy Trinity after their family camp experience," reports Lisa. "We offer scholarships to new families in the church, making it easy for them to attend and get acclimated."
This year Holy Trinity had the privilege of sponsoring three families to go to the camp.
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As We Forgive Those Documentary Promotes Conversation Around US
Anglican Mission churches around the country are hosting private screenings of Laura Waters Hinson's documentary, As We Forgive Those, drawing diverse audiences and creating a platform for life-changing conversations about forgiveness and reconciliation.
Christ the Redeemer in Norfolk, Virginia hosted two screenings on September 19 and 20 in partnership with the Director of Women's Studies at Old Dominion University who spent four summers in Rwanda working on the issues of women and reconciliation. Almost 200 students viewed the movie on campus Friday evening, and another 175 watched it at a local movie theater.
Bishop Alexis Bilindabagabo attended the weekend event to participate in a panel discussion following each screening and also preached at Christ the Redeemer on Sunday.
"We discovered some new connections with a wide variety of folks who are interested in issues of forgiveness and reconciliation," remarks Brian Campbell, Rector. "The upshot of it all is that we were able to speak from the unique perspective of the Gospel through the personal testimonies of Laura and Bishop Alexis and multiple discussions after the event, in ways that made an impact."
"Our church attendance was up after the events, and now we are busy trying to follow-up on these relationships, hoping to extend the discussion in multiple ways," continues Campbell.
"I typically talk about the faith element during the question and answer time, about how forgiveness is at the core of Christian theology," explains award-winning documentarian Laura Waters Hinson. "Some people question how it is really possible and need time to process what they have experienced after watching the documentary."
This month, Christ Church, High Point, North Carolina co-sponsored a screening with High Point University at a local fine arts theatre, drawing a wide cross-section of 350 people in the community. Some in the audience were refugees from Darfur and Palestine themselves and stood up to share their own experiences, communicating a desire to show the movie in their communities.
"This is a story that needs to be told," said Elijah Lovejoy, Christ Church Rector. "We feel it is transformational. It made such an impact that now one of the political science professors at High Point University is making the movie part of his ongoing classroom curriculum."
To purchase the movie, learn more about scheduling private screenings or to host one in your community go to www.asweforgivethose.com.
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Roof Dog Run Raises $23,000
Christ Church, Plano, Texas held their third annual "Roof Dog Run" on September 27, 2008, raising $23,000 to benefit Casas Hogares Children's Homes in Arequipa, Peru. The community event, the largest and best-attended since its inception in 2006, included 451 registrants from as far as Austin and San Antonio for the one mile and 5K walk/run. The funds raised were up 44% over the previous year.
"Our past two runs were mostly attended by Christ Church members, but this year, one quarter of those participating were not from our church," explains Susan Kerr, Director of Mission and Outreach. "We took the opportunity to introduce ourselves and invite people to church. We even had a proclamation from the Mayor naming the day, Roof Dog Run Day."
 In Peru, "roof dogs" are family pets that live on the rooftops of homes for protection. At Christ Church, "roof dogs" are church members, many of whom have served on short-term mission trips to Peru over the past ten years, investing in children that are abandoned, abused and some sold into servitude.
Proceeds from the run will provide food, clothing, shelter, education and other daily necessities for children, ages 3 to 14, who live at the Casas Hogares, a place of rescue and hope.
Shortly after the Roof Dog Run takes place, the children living at Casas Hogares have their own run in Peru at a local park complete with ice cream, prizes and a hand-made American flag to honor their "aunts and uncles" from Christ Church. To find out more about Christ Church's missions endeavors click here.
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 Recommended Reading:
Googling God
The Reverends Ed Hird and Ken Bell, both clergy in the Anglican Coalition in Canada (ACiC), recommend Googling God, a new book by the Rev. John Cox who serves as pastor of Jericho Road Church in Port Alberni, British Columbia.
"Googling God examines not so much what we believe, but rather why we believe it. John also offers a valuable critique of the church and why we are often ineffective at reaching the current generation by making our story compelling and provocative. This is a very helpful book for anyone who wants to get a better grip on understanding why we believe what we believe about God and why it is significant."--The Rev. Ken Bell
"John shares openly about a time when he turned his back on God, and how he rediscovered God's love. Interestingly John comments that 'doubt left unattended will never make a decision.' Googling God is a helpful book for people who want to think and reflect again...for people willing to go on a journey and risk that they may end up meeting their Maker." --The Rev. Ed Hird
More information is available at www.googleforgod.com.
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Changing Lives for Good in Jacksonville, Florida
Christ Church, Jacksonville, Florida formed only two years ago as a merger of the congregations of Epiphany Episcopal Church and Christ the King. Now the congregation is "planting" permanently in the Sunshine State.
During the last two years, temporary facilities included leased office and fellowship space as well as rental of the chapel and cafeteria at Bishop John Snyder Catholic High School. While these facilities and the church's portable equipment met their immediate needs, a permanent location remained a strong desire. In fact, having their own church within five years was determined to be a top priority for 92% of members, with the majority stating they would participate in a capital campaign.
In January 2008, a facility team was formed and evaluated every possible option within the targeted area that met the criteria of high accessibility, high visibility and room for growth. The team identified a 13.5 acre property right in the heart of the targeted area that met all of the requirements-with a price significantly below market value due to five types of zoning for the property. Early research of the property showed that the only type of use that would not require lengthy and expensive re-zoning was for a church. It also turned out that this property was the first one identified at the team's initial meeting!
The Christ Church family dedicating their new property.After agreeing on the property location, a contract was accepted and
the due diligence period began. Action items included developing a site
plan, building plans and budget as well as establishing a capital
campaign within a 90-day timeline.
Christ Church launched a
capital campaign, and on "Pledge Sunday," faithful parishioners
submitted pledges totaling $1 million. These pledges, in addition to a
grant from the Land, Leadership and Legacy Fund of the Anglican
Mission, allowed for closing on the property on September 30, 2008,
exactly nine months from the congregation's first meeting.
"This
property was formerly a drive-in movie theatre that had a history of
showing X-rated films," said the Rev. Mark Eldredge, rector of Christ
Church. "We are excited to be restoring righteousness to both lost
people and property in Jacksonville."
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SouthPoint Church in the News
Karin Janick Charlotte ObserverOctober 5, 2008  Most people go to the Gold Hill YMCA to work their bodies. At 10a.m. on Sunday mornings, SouthPoint Church also works on people's spirit.
SouthPoint began as a mission of the Anglican Mission in the Americas. In February 2005, the Rev. Jonathan Riddle, his wife, Lisa, and their three children moved back home to the Charlotte [North Carolina] area from Florida to "plant" a church in Fort Mill. What began as a service for six in Riddle's Fort Mill home has now turned into an average Sunday attendance of 80 at the Gold Hill YMCA, 1785 Gold Hill Road. And you'll be surprised how much 80 people can do, both here and abroad. Destination UnknownPete and Lesley Burroughs of Fort Mill head SouthPoint's youth group. Destination Unknown meets once a month on a Friday evening, and as you would expect, the destination is truly unknown. Kids ages 8 and up gather at the YMCA and everything after that is a surprise. "Once they were asked to come with detergent, and I know they thought they were going to have to do laundry," said Pete Burroughs. Instead they were off on an adventure at Windjammer Park in Tega Cay, where they swam and watched fellow SouthPoint member Seth Frase ski on Lake Wylie. Frase, a freshman at Fort Mill High School, holds two world championship titles in barefoot endurance skiing. What's the detergent for? It was on the needs list at the Children's Attention Home in Rock Hill, a place the youth group likes to support.
"The kids think it's cool to help other kids," said Burroughs. "We pray, have fun and keep the ministry God-based."
MissionsThe youth group recently wrote letters to a SouthPoint member doing missionary work with AIDS patients in Peru. This helping spirit permeates SouthPoint; the church's vision is to impact lives both locally and beyond. Members point to Riddle as a driving force behind the mission work. "Jonathan is a special spirit, and we are blessed to have him," said Burroughs. "We need to live out the gospel in our community, but also the world," said Riddle. Locally, SouthPoint works with a prison ministry and an interfaith fellowship with the homeless. Globally, they partner with SIM, Serving In Mission, an international Christian mission organization, whose office is headquartered in Fort Mill. SouthPoint's missionaries are doing work across the globe but also in our own backyard. Mark and Dedria Tidwell are an example of a unique ministry going on right here in Fort Mill. It's call MKStay. They provide missionary kids, "MK's," ages 16 to 23 a place to stay while their missionary parents are serving overseas. "That's God's work - to serve people," said Riddle, "and we want to help." Read more about MKStay, or visit the SouthPoint website. |
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Winter Conference Hotel
Book your room early and save!
Held in beautiful Greensboro, North Carolina, this year's Winter Conference host hotel is the 1000-room Sheraton Greensboro, the largest hotel and convention center between Washington, DC and Atlanta, Georgia.
Room reservations should be made by contacting the Greensboro Sheraton reservations desk directly at: 866-242-6556 (toll-free)
Be sure to request the special Anglican Mission Winter Conference group rate available through January 8, 2009.
Hotel website
Winter Conference webpage
Online Conference Registration
Greensboro info
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in the Spotlight!
Award-Winning Anglican
The 2008 Student Academy Awards ceremony honored the student filmmakers for their achievements in the alternative, animation, documentary, narrative and honorary foreign film categories.
Anglican Laura Waters Hinson won the Gold Medal for her documentary following the struggle of two Rwandan women to forgive the men who killed their families during the 1994 genocide.
Click here to view a clip from As We Forgive Those.
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