GAFCON2018

The Global Anglican Future Conference

I am so grateful for the opportunity to attend GAFCON last week.

I took my vows of ordination to the priesthood over ten years ago under the leadership of a missionary bishop from the Church of Nigeria.  I declared my trust in the Scriptures, my commitment to the preaching of the Gospel, and my calling to nourish God’s people in the community of the church.  I was delighted and humbled to join a multi-ethnic, world-wide fellowship.  I was grateful to be fed at the Lord’s Table each week.

At GAFCON, I was reminded of why I wholeheartedly pursued Anglican ordination.  I gave thanks to God for clear, faithful leaders.  I rejoiced in the conversations I had with men and women from around the world who love Jesus and love His church.

The Anglican Communion needs our fervent prayers as we continue to move through turbulent waters.  But there is hope.  There is a way forward.  There is fellowship and partnership for churches like Restoration.  Thanks be to God.

Want to know what it was like?  Here are links that will take you through the story.  You can go as deep as you want, but don’t miss the 90 second video.  It’s just 90 seconds.

GAFCON 2018 in 90 seconds from Sydneyanglicans.net on Vimeo.

GAFCON produced a statement called the ‘Letter to the Churches’.   It is excellent.  It takes about 5 minutes to read and by the end you will have a better sense of where we have been over the last 20 years and where we are going in the next 5 or so.  If you pair this with the video, you are well on your way to GAFCON COGNIZANCE.  Letter to the Churches

If the ‘Letter to the Churches’ left you with some questions…  Or if you are wondering how the rest of the Anglican Communion might react to the document, let me recommend Andrew Symes’ piece.  (And if you are asking these kinds of questions and reading this far, you are quickly advancing to ‘Synod of Whitby’ status.  It comes with free drinks on long-haul flights.)

Back to the realm of familiarity.  Sometimes YOU want to know what people you KNOW… KNOW.  I got to attend GAFCON with 3 other beloved Restoration/Incarnation folk:  Liz Gray, Jeff Walton, and Amy Rowe.  Here are Liz Gray’s reflections on GAFCON via ‘6 Loves’.  And here is Jeff Walton’s excellent reporting from early in the week of GAFCON.

Finally, if you want the keys to the whole house…  here is the GAFCON website which has a wealth of excellent information about the movement, including how to donate and the appointment of our Archbishop, Foley Beach, as the new GAFCON Chairman.

We give thanks to God for His faithful leadership of an imperfect and beautiful church.  May we persevere until the end and may Christ come quickly.  Amen.