A New Year. One has to carefully date documents and checks with the new date: 2008. It may take just a little while to embrace writing a new date.
2008 promises to be an interesting year, but then, aren't they all? But for Anglicans seeking a unifying witness, this should be a particularly important year. The Global South primates have already announced that plans are forming for a gathering in Jerusalem. In many places around the world, new primates of provinces will be elected to serve the church and these global events all fuel the anticipation of what might be, while here in North America the Common Cause Partners have promised a constituting convention for a new ecclesiastic structure.
Yet, the Missionary Society of St John will be fulfilling its calling and sharing in the work of the Kingdom. We have had many new contacts from people seeking a closer relationship, new calls from clergy seeking affiliation, new people in countries in Africa seeking our assistance, and these new challenges can only be met through prayerful preparation. We have the Gospel to share and work to do, lives to live as disciples of Christ Jesus.
We must keep our eyes upon the work to which God has called us and we must keep our hands on the plow. We must pray while we work and work as we pray.
May the blessings of the Lord who is already in our future, be with us all.
One of the joys of the recent synod was getting to know one of our special guests, Bishop Richard Boyce, ordinary of the Diocese of the West, Anglican Province of America. We were blessed to have had +Richard stay after the synod and join the Missionaries of St John as they gathered in clericus. We discovered a very real, gentle and relaxed man of deep convictions and we count it a special joy to have made a new friend . Thank you Bishop Boyce for coming to share with us.
