Dear St. Peter’s Family,
I’m writing mid-sabbatical to share a brief update on our family and some significant news in the wider Anglican world.
First, Kim, our boys, and I are deeply grateful for the time and space you’ve given us. Sometimes you don’t realize how tired you are until you finally stop to rest. This has been a rich season of renewal with each other and with the Lord. As I write, Kim and I are making final preparations to begin two weeks on the Camino de Santiago in Portugal and Spain. We feel a bit of apprehension about the physical challenge but much more excitement to walk with the Lord at the pace of His earthly ministry.
Second, this week brought major news from the international fellowship of Anglicans known as GAFCON (Global Anglican Futures Conference). The Primates (Archbishops) of the GAFCON provinces—including our own Archbishop Steve Wood—announced as “reset” for the Anglican family. This reset takes the form of the newly formed Global Anglican Communion. Every biblically faithful Anglican province in the world has been invited to join the majority of Anglican worldwide in this restoration of our historic and biblical foundations and to no longer participate in the Canterbury-led Anglican Communion.
For us at St. Peter’s, this changes nothing—and yet it changes everything. We, our diocese, and our province have never been part of the Canterbury-led structure, nor in communion with those who have turned from biblical truth. From our founding we have belonged to GAFCON. Still, this is a momentous event. In many ways, it marks the day faithful, orthodox Anglicans around the world have said together, “no more.” No longer will Anglican identity be defined by allegiance to corrupted institutions, but by shared commitment to the gospel, the Scriptures, and the historic faith of the Reformation.
I commend to you three excellent resources for further reading:
An article by Bishop Paul Donison, General Secretary of GAFCON and a friend of St. Peter’s
Finally, I ask your prayers—for the hard work ahead and for God’s blessing on this new day for Anglicanism. Know that Kim and I are praying for you and for our wider church as we seek Jesus on the way.
May God bless St. Peter’s, the Gulf Atlantic Diocese, and the Global Anglican Communion.
Yours in Christ Jesus,
+Marcus