Two Weeks out of Egypt

St. Andrew's Anglican Church has celebrated two Sundays now in our new meeting place. We are currently meeting at Memorial Park Baptist Church at 1013 Front Street in Vestal. The sense of relief that we are completely out of the Diocese of Central NY and pecusa was palpable. Our worship was energized by a new sense of freedom for proclaiming the Gospel. We are thankful for the welcome that we have received from the MPBC folks and the sense of common mission that we feel between their folks and ours.

In this second week out of Egypt, four from St. Andrew's participated in the inaugural council of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America. As a layperson, deacon and priest I have attended 17 diocesan conventions. Those conventions were held in five different dioceses. This year I attended no diocesan council; the CANA Council in Herndon, VA was an inspiring substitute. What a breath of fresh air!

In a time frame of Thursday morning to Saturday lunch, the business component of the meeting took less than two hours. The worship part was five hours, the teaching portion was twelve hours, and the fellowship and meals part was nearly ten hours. How different than the usual diocesan convention with hours upon hours of business.

Another difference was the focus on the Gospel. Not on Millenial Development Goals, mind you, which could never be more than a part of Gospel work. Hearing from bishops of rapidly expanding dioceses in Nigeria, church planters from different parts of the United States, and CANA bishops Minns and Bena was absolutely energizing. What a contrast to pecusa diocesan conventions.

The parish of St. Andrew's Anglican in Vestal has made a good start. For further information on the progress of the realignment, see the posts at Anglicanism in America.