2012 Winter Conference Wrap-Up
Winter Conference Follow Up Reports
Read the Winter Conference Wrap-Up below.
Read the Communique issued at the conclusion of Winter Conference.
View Photos from Winter Conference 2012.
View the mission video previewed at WC and Plenary Addresses here.
TheAM’s 12th annual Winter Conference welcomed close to 700 attendees January 11-14 at the Hilton Americas in Houston, Texas, for a challenging and enlightening three-and-a-half days of worship, prayer, Bible study, teaching and fellowship. The gathering explored the much-anticipated theme “The Holy Spirit: Power for Mission,” but leaders revamped the traditional schedule to accommodate a second purpose—seeking the Lord’s direction for theAM’s future.
Over the last couple of months, the Anglican Mission has been in the midst of events that have unfolded at a rapid-fire pace, resulting in both uncertainty and confusion for many across the Anglican Mission as the Mission withdrew its voluntary submission to Rwanda’s oversight and canons. The conference included designated times for attendees to process, pray and vision cast both corporately and in more intimate settings. Despite meeting during a challenging time, the group of laity, clergy, bishops, archbishops and guests powerfully experienced the Holy Spirit’s anointing on their time together.
The conference kicked off Wednesday night with an opening celebration service featuring addresses from the three founding Archbishops Emmanuel Kolini, Moses Tay and Yong Ping Chung. They responded cemented their continued support of theAM and affirmation of its accomplishments to date. The Archbishops mutually asserted that God’s calling on theAM is not finished yet and suggested an enlarged vision for a global mission beyond North America.
At the first plenary session on Thursday, Bishop Chuck Murphy delivered the Chairman’s Address, affirming theAM’s remarkable history, acknowledging his and others’ personal pain and asserting that good leaders can sharply disagree in their sense of calling without becoming enemies. Following his address, seven bishops led breakout discussion groups allowing attendees to voice their questions and concerns about what comes next. Bishops led group discussions, then compiled their feedback and reported it corporately the following day. In their comments, attendees expressed varying degrees of hope, sadness, desire for better internal communication within theAM, questions about future structure and oversight.
Five other plenary speakers imparted valuable insights and encouragement to conference goers. Dr. Reggie McNeal discussed how the missional church must leave behind a church-centric approach focused on form, organization and structure for an organic way of being in and serving the world; Dr. Jack Deere illustrated how we can never plan the turning points of our lives but can choose to enter into a deeper friendship with God; the Rev. Cynthia P. Brust highlighted some of the ways the Holy Spirit is moving through theAM congregations; Bishop TJ Johnston explained how God often uses the wilderness to shape, transform, empower and free his people; and Bishop Philip Jones concluded by exhorting attendees to remain committed to theAM’s mission and values, leaving the conference dependent, humble, open to God’s mercy and grace and filled with the Holy Spirit.
For the 12th consecutive year, a worship team headed by Andy Piercy led powerful worship. A daily Bible study by the Rev. Bill Jackson also took attendees deeper into the Word, many received soaking prayer on Thursday evening and the Friday night healing Service led by Bishop Murphy brought prophetic words, comfort, and spiritual, emotional and physical healing to many.
On Friday, 27 practical workshops engaged attendees with topics like “Teaching and Preaching With an Anglican Imagination,” “Shepherding Families Through the Holy Spirit,” “Hearing God’s Voice” and “Leading a Prophetic Church.” Two special workshops, “Sister-to-Sister Partnerships” and “Alpha and the Missional Church,” met during lunch on Thursday and Friday.
As the conference concluded, a leadership team assembled a Communiqué to be issued both nationally and internationally, detailing the Spirit’s guidance received at the conference and addressing observers’ concerns about recent events. The Communiqué highlighted three specific themes: reconciliation, celebration and direction for the future, and ended with a charge to pray and fast for theAM as it seeks to hear God’s voice and obey His will.
