Back to Newsletter
We have two new churches on the rise in the Gulf Atlantic Diocese, and to visit them is to witness the Holy Spirit tangibly at work. I recently did just that, visiting Adoration Church in Orlando, FL, for their Advent Lessons & Carols service in mid-December, and then joining The Table St. Johns (north of St. Augustine, FL) for Sunday worship in March. And… wow! Not only have both church plants been growing up fast – with about 50 members at Adoration and over 70 present for worship at The Table (including lots of kids) – but they both embody a beautiful fusion of missional and charismatic Anglicanism. Click the videos and take a peak for yourself!
Adoration is led by the Rev. Cameron MacMillan in close partnership with a lay catechist and experienced planter named Nick Audas (learn more on our Meet Our Church Planters page). Their separate core teams combined forces into a single church a few months ago and the result has been electric. Meeting in homes and in a free space provided by a non-denom church, they have established a growing multigenerational community in downtown Orlando that is passionate about worship, rooted in the Book of Common Prayer, empowered in healing and prophetic ministry, and learning to follow Jesus into mission. Cameron and Nick are both evangelists, but the majority of this season has been about creating a culture of discipleship and starting up things like children’s ministry and small groups. The purpose of my visit was to strengthen their core team toward a full-scale launch in the Fall. If you know anyone in the Orlando area that is looking for a vibrant Anglican church, send them to Adoration.
The Table, led by Lenny and Caly Konschewitz, got off a fast start in 2020 before being repeatedly dogged by the COVID-19 pandemic. By God’s grace, they have now rebounded in a big way! Lenny and Caly are former European missionaries, and their church plant bears that mark. While I was standing in their driveway, Lenny could point to three or four different houses in their neighborhood that have all recently begun attending the The Table, including their next-door neighbor who they baptized last year. They have also adopted a strategy of meeting every-other-Sunday for Eucharist under a free pavilion in their neighborhood, and spending alternate Sundays in four distinct home groups. The partnership of Grace Anglican has been critical the whole way through, but by now the majority of their members are entirely new to Anglicanism.
Needless to say, these church plants are really maturing and taking on a vibrant, missional shape. I believe they will both become important parishes for the future of our diocese.