Tag: Anglican

The Invitation of Lent

Posted on by Leave a comment

Lent is upon us. Beginning with Ash Wednesday, we enter a season of preparation and intentionality. That’s what Lent is about – putting away fruitless distractions and empty habits to receive from the abundance of the Lord. We fast that we might recognize a deeper hunger, which the Lord alone is able to satisfy (Matthew 5:6). And we ask the Lord to reorder our thoughts, emotions, and practices that we would know His power and presence more and more each day.

“Great! So what’s that look like?” Good question. Most people think of Lent as a time of “giving up.” And that is part of it, but this is also a time to add some regular practice to encourage us to press on the know the Lord. You might consider creating some distance from your devices first thing in the morning in order to have more time set aside for prayer. Or you might fast from one meal during the week and let your hunger pangs serve as an invitation to turn your thoughts to the Lord. 

One other helpful note. Lent is 40 days long beginning with Ash Wednesday, but Sundays are feast days where there is a reprieve from the fast to celebrate and worship. 

This passage (Hebrews 10:19-25) is a fitting exhortation for Lent:

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

New Wineskins Conference 2025 Report

Posted on by Leave a comment

By Andrea Ledford

In September, I had the privilege of representing the Gathering at the New Wineskins
Conference in Black Mountain. The week was absolutely amazing. For me, it felt like coming
home. New Wineskins is a missionary network of the worldwide Anglican Church. The
conference is held every three years and has between 2000-2500 people from around the world
in attendance. There are a few take-aways I would like to share with the congregation.
First and foremost, it is amazing to see the networks of the Anglican Church and how far it
stretches around the world. Whatever ministry, mission, etc. we are undertaking, there are other
Anglicans in SC, the US, and the world on the same journey. We should tap into those resources
wherever possible.


Secondly, Archbishop Wood emphasized that missions should be a true collaboration with
another cross-culture group in the Great Commission. This means that we would learn from each
other, help each other, and work together. Not just go to an underprivileged area, do a project,
and leave.


I think our church has a good framework. We have relationships with missionaries in Haiti and
Albania as well as partnerships with the Diocese of Accra and Tema in Ghana. With the past mission
trip, we have deepened the relationship in Ghana and have ideas for ways the congregation
can get involved. On November 9th, Rev Selwyn Okai from Ghana will be at our church to share
the Word and meet all of you. More to come in that area.


I met some people at lunch from a church plant in Durham. They loved the conference, but we
were discussing how difficult it is for a church plant without connections to build those as they
have so many things to do. They are going to try to visit the Gathering in November when
Selwyn is here to establish those relationships as well.


Another theme was that the way to reach the next generation is through the arts. Everyone
spoke very positively of the upcoming generation, which you do not always hear. There seems to
be a renaissance of arts coming up through the church. This was also reaffirming as this is what
we are doing with the kids’ drama. Where I think we could grow is making sure we are open to
other gifts and how we can use them, such as visual arts. Are there individuals who do some
type of art that we could incorporate in a sermon series? If not, no need to worry about it, just be
open if it comes. My second take away on this is seeing if others have gifts we could use for the kids’
drama program and grow that program. Please let me know if this is calling you.


The last main point I will discuss is one that I am not as familiar with, which is the persecuted
church around the world. Friday night was spent on this and was very emotional for many
people. They identified 9 countries as the most persecuted:
● Iran
● Iraq
● Sudan
● Turkey
● Saudi Arabia
● China
● Pakistan
● Mali
● Nigeria


We heard speakers from some of these countries. Some were on video as they were not
allowed to leave the country. Another speaker came to speak at New Wineskins in 2019 as well.
What he said was heard by a high official in his country, so he cannot return as he will be
arrested if he does so.


I met a man at lunch from Nigeria and we started talking. We were discussing the differences
between Ghana and Nigeria. The Muslims in northern Nigeria are Boko Haram which come from
the Isis branch and are very violent. Not the case in Ghana. We discussed our families, his
church, and how I got involved with Ghana. He gave me a message for our team:

The power of a drop of water is not the drop itself, but in the ripples it creates. Tell your team they are creating a lot of ripples.


What I did not know is that he was the closing speaker on Friday night. He is Venerable Justice
Onyeka Okoronkeo. There is a mountain border that serves as the “frontline” of the
Christian/Islamic border. If this is lost, they believe the extremists will take over very quickly as
they will kill many of the Christians. He lives just south of border. He told stories of getting calls
from parishioners saying they were under fire. One of these times, he immediately went, but by the
time he arrived, the Boko Haram had shot 25 children with an AK-47. Three children survived as
they were covered by the dead bodies of the others, so he rushed them to the hospital. The
church prayed all night. The three sustained critical injuries, but all survived. Two want to be
pastors. This was one of many stories.


I’m not sure how we can help, but this did speak to my heart and there is a lot more information
online. I am open to ideas as I am discerning how we can assist with this area. The main way is
prayer. Please pray for all of those persecuted for their faith.


That’s all for now. Let me know if anyone would like more information or would just like to
discuss.


God Bless,
Andrea

Hear Their Hurt

Posted on by Leave a comment

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

James 1:19-20

If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.

Proverbs 18:13

It happened often early in our marriage. My wife would share with me how she was feeling about a certain situation, but as she shared her feelings, I only heard my failures. She said, “I’m feel…” I heard, “You don’t do…” And in response some switch in me flipped. My heart rate spiked. Blood rushed to my head. The anger built. We were going to war.

No one ever won those battles. My defensiveness erupted as anger, and I could no longer hear anything. I just wanted to be right. My anger triggered her anger. Then neither of us could admit we were wrong. We could only walk away in a huff. I said things that were hurtful, things I didn’t even mean, and spent the next few days trying to get out from under my words. She felt betrayed and didn’t know if she could trust me with her feelings. It was painful and exhausting.

Then, in a group with men who have been married longer than me, who are wiser and more experienced, I learned a phrase that changed our marriage: “Shut up. Listen. Do not defend. Hear her hurt.” I eventually learned to recognize when I felt “accused” of something to just be quiet or to simply say, “I’m feeling defensive, but I want to hear what you’re saying.” And when I was quiet enough to listen, to hear what she was truly feeling, to hear her hurt, my defensiveness and anger quickly dissolved into empathy and compassion. I could suddenly see the ways I had hurt her and own my part in her hurt without feeling threatened. She felt heard and loved. I felt empowered. Unity, grace, forgiveness, and peace came in abundance.

Unfortunately, it feels like our society is stuck in a mode of anger, defensiveness, and self-righteousness. Pain is often expressed in accusation. We cannot hear one another’s pain because we are operating out of defensiveness to real or perceived, just or unjust accusation. We want to justify ourselves more than we care to hear another person’s suffering. And painfully, this seems to be equally true of those representing Christ. But as James says, “human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”

Throughout his life, Jesus stood before many accusers, but he was never defensive. Rather than defending his life, he laid it down of his own accord (John 10:18). He lived for and received the Father’s approval. He epitomized humility. He came to serve. He saw the hurt of the people before him. He responded with compassion. His life was never in the hands of those who sought to kill him. Neither was it in the hands of those who sought to make him king. His life was lived unto the Father. He did not need to defend himself before men, because the one who willingly laid down his life also had the authority to take it up again. He knew he had the Father’s love, so he did not need the approval of men.

When we know that we truly have been justified by faith and truly have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1-5), we are free to listen. We no longer need to be defensive, because we are those who know that the shed blood of Jesus was necessary for us. Because of our sin. We begin in faith by readily acknowledging our wrongdoing. We don’t now need to act as if we are incapable of wrong. And we don’t need the approval of people, because through Christ we have the Father’s approval. And we don’t need to minimize our sin because grace has already been given in abundance. In Christ there is no reason to be defensive. So, we can be those who listen and hear the pain of others even when the expression of that pain feels like accusation. Let us walk in the footsteps of Jesus, setting aside our defensiveness to hear one another’s hurt.