Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Daniel Houghton's avatar

I’ve been wrestling with as well, Mark. I’m in a Continuing Anglican Church (not ACNA), and of course, as an Anglo-Catholic Rome is always at least on the outskirts of our consciousness. I wrestle with the “smallness” of our church—not that we should despise the day of small things, but how we seem isolated, self-defeating, and ever fracturing more (the history of the Continuum is rife with splits, with someone always running of to be Charismatic Anglican Pentecostal Archbishop and Poobah of America in their basement). There has to be both safeguarding the good deposit entrusted to us, but also recognizing we are called to communion with other believers. I don’t have an answer, I just don’t always like where we are.

Expand full comment
Randal Birkey's avatar

Mark,

I am a relatively new reader/followers of yours. Not even sure how or where I found you. So, I don't know you very well yet through your writing, but I'm getting there. I think we share a lot in common.

I live in the Madison, WI area, having moved here from the Chicago area when I retired. I moved here to help start a new ACNA church which is now called Christ Church Madison (christchurchmadison.com), in our 7th year. We were sent by Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, IL. Our bishop, Stewart Ruch III, leads the Diocese of the Upper Midwest, and is a firm believer in church planting. I think we were #12 or #13 in that vision. Christ Church Madison has grown to be the largest ACNA church in Wisconsin. We average 230 for Sunday Worship.

The ACNA allows each Bishop and diocese to decide if it will ordain women priests, deacons, etc. In our case, we ordain men as priests only, and allow women and men to be ordained as deacons. I am comfortable with this, and believe it to be biblical.

Because of the history of the ACNA, and how it came to be, we have this odd arrangement where there is quite a bit of diversity from diocese to diocese. It has some healthy aspects, but also some not so good. I personally hope and pray that the ACNA refines and defines these issues over time so that the entire Province is on the same, biblical page. We have a new Archbishop who I am waiting to see how he will lead.

At Christ Church Madison, and the other churches in our diocese, we welcome all believers to participate in the Eucharist. The caveat is that the participant be baptized and committed to following Jesus. We provide other options if that is not the case. I believe this is a healthy, good way to manage the issue. It maintains proper exclusivity, while extending fellowship to believers of other traditions.

Our community is healthy, thriving, joyful, generous, and growing in the Lord. I am privileged to be a part of it. It saddens me to hear of others experience, as you described it, where no real gospel-preaching church can be found within a practical distance. That would be really tough for me also.

Please consider visiting and worshipping with us if you are ever in the Madison area!

Expand full comment
11 more comments...

No posts