Press Release
June 23, 2007
For Immediate Release

On June 20-21, 2007 in Toledo, OH, parish leaders from the Anglican Mission in the Americas’ Heart of North America Network in Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, Ontario, and Quebec came together for the second annual conference of the pan-jurisdictional Great Lakes Anglican Network.. Joining with these leaders in the two-day event were representative clergy and seminarians from The Anglican Episcopal Church of Bolivia, The Charismatic Episcopal Church, The Apostles Anglican Church, The Great Lakes Fellowship, The Anglican Church of Kenya, The Anglican Coalition in Canada, The Episcopal Church of Rwanda, The United Methodist Church, The International Communion of Charismatic Episcopal Churches, Trinity School for Ministry, and other Great Lakes area regional ministries. Nearly 40 churches were represented at this church planting and discipleship training event.

Carrying forward the event’s church planting theme, two plenary teachings introduced African and organic church planting styles. The revealing sessions were directed by InJesus co-founder and AMiA Winter Conference presenter David Moore and his colleague, the President of InJesus Global Missions, The Rev. Dr. Clark Miller. Their teachings brought into sharp focus the desperate need to plant churches and to effectively disciple those whom God gives us not only in Africa where InJesus ministers, but especially in this country. InJesus is currently developing discipleship training schools in over 20 countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe

Additional church planting teaching came from Chicagoan Mike Niebauer, who presented an enthusiastic witness to his work as a Lay Catechist planting a mission on the campus of Illinois’ Northwestern University. In addition to a detailed review of his work, this young man, a part of the AMiA’s Church of the Redeemer Family of Churches in Chicago, spotlighted the need for campus ministry and the role of the Lay Catechist as church planter.

Conference moderator Joe Boysel kept the question and answer periods spirited and on-topic and later Wednesday evening at a service celebrated by The Rev. Roger Ames, Boysel was ordained to the Diaconate by the Rt. Rev. Thaddeus Barnum of the AMiA to serve Chillicothe Anglican Fellowship in Ohio. At the same service, The Rev. Ken Bieber was received as Presbyter in the AMiA serving as Associate at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Hudson, OH. The Holy Spirit was indeed present as Bishop Barnum brought the Word of God with special authority and power in a message of confession for our sin of division.

Event co-chairs The Revs. Roger Ames, of St Luke’s Church Akron (Bolivia) and Doc Loomis of Holy Trinity Hudson (AMiA) were very pleased with the turn-out at this year’s conference. Loomis was especially encouraged with the denominational diversity and the number of new relationships being formed over the two days. The re-emerging church in America must be a healthy, growing church dedicated to the Gospel, committed to the lost, and willing to put long-held divisions behind us for the sake of this greater purpose. That is what God is asking us to do, and we are making ourselves ready for the harvest by pulling our boats alongside one another and putting our hands to the nets, summarized Loomis. We are excited to pull together in our ministry to the lost.

The Great Lakes Anglican Network is an affinity based family of churches who want to respond to God's call to win the lost and to feed His sheep. The Network exists for the purposes of fellowship, instruction, and the mutual support of diverse yet likeminded congregations from emerging Anglican families as well as from non-aligned sacramental churches and individuals seeking to do God's work. This work is accomplished through regular regional networking meetings, and by providing assistance in church-planting, leadership development, and legal resourcing. More information about GLAN is available at http://www.hudsonanglican.com/hoan/HOAN.html.

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