This past Sunday, I was overjoyed to be able to join in the groundbreaking for the new Church of the Apostles Anglican building in Fairfax. What a joyous day, with perfect weather provided by the Lord. 

The Rev. Joe Acanfora and the Apostles team did a great job in planning the day. The contractor cleared and leveled an area for a large tent, with the altar for Sunday placed on the spot where it will be in the new building. The focus was on reaching the next generations, the ones who will be served by this facility. And so the ceremonial groundbreaking was done by children, who were all given spades and invited to dig in the dirt, which they did with gusto.

I hope that you have seen reports on the amazing Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) held in Jerusalem in late June, centering on the mission-focused theme, “Proclaiming Christ Faithfully to the Nations.” With 2,000 delegates from across the Anglican Communion, including a strong delegation from our diocese, this third GAFCON (after 2008 and 2013) was a rich and rewarding experience. Please check out this page for the final conference statement, this page and this page for short highlight videos, this page for videos of all the conference plenary sessions and addresses and a wide range of interviews, and this page for the first of many pages of outstanding photos, like this one on the Southern Steps of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the site of Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost:

And this of all the bishops:


 

And this one of the amazing choir from the Church of Nigeria which led so gloriously in praise:

During the conference, Archbishop Ben Kwashi of Nigeria, a great friend of the ACNA and known to many in our Diocese, was elected to be the new General Secretary of GAFCON, and ACNA Archbishop Foley Beach was elected as the new Chairman of GAFCON to lead the Primates’ Council and guide the movement. 

My heart is full of thankfulness for all that the Lord is doing across the globe and here in our Diocese.