Obeying Jesus’ Final Command: The January 2025 Communiqué

Merry Christmas and Happy Epiphany Gulf Atlantic Diocese,

The life of the Church is never truly calm, but my prayer for all of you during this season (when even our culture slows down and takes a break) is that you and your local congregation can find time to rest and to reflect on all of God’s rich blessings towards us in 2024. My prayers are particularly for those facing the loss of loved ones or illness during this season. "Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted." I am also always comforted by our Lord’s words in John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

As we look to 2025, it seemed appropriate to the Diocesan staff that we would focus this issue of the Communique on the same Mark of Flourishing that we built Synod around last October: Evangelistic Mission. What better time than the beginning of the Season of Epiphany to stir up one another to love in good deeds towards those outside the community of Faith?

Each congregation is called to prayerfully seek a vision for those God is calling you to intentionally reach out to (in word and deed) to bring truth of the Gospel. It is my firm conviction that God has placed each parish in a location to uniquely reach people for the gospel in that particular place. Of course, the doors of our churches are open to all, and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13). Yet, God is honored when, by prayerfully consideration, we seek to know specifically whom we as a congregation are called to reach.

This specificity brings focus and strategy to our outreach efforts. When I was in parish ministry, it became clear over time that young professional families, particularly those seeking graduate training, were to be our focus. By God’s grace, we did reach some within this demographic, and in the process it gave focus to decisions we as a parish made. Where should we look for a permanent home? What ministries should we focus on developing? What should our study and home group format look like? Who should be stepping into leadership and how should we prepare for leadership transitions? These and many other questions flowed from the vision to reach a particular group of people. Strategic focus comes from a prayerful vision from the Lord.

Some of you are located in areas where large groups of retirees are moving. Others are living near military bases, or near college campuses. Who is the Lord calling you to work with intentionality to reach? Some of us may struggle when our particular demographic is not the focus. Let me be clear: the Church needs every age and every demographic. I believe over time a flourishing church will seek to reach those of all ages, ethnicities, and economic levels. However, it is likely that God will call you to start with a particular group and build from there.

College-age and single adults are two of the hardest groups to reach, which is why we as a Diocese are so committed to helping our churches develop ministry to those demographics. Failing to reach the next generation will have long-lasting effects for decades to come, and so we must work together to labor for that harvest. I am thankful for Canon Christopher Jones and collegiate partnerships in Savannah (with Drew Ibach) and Gainesville (with Dcn. Megan Trautman), who are making inroads for ministry among this age group. 

In the rest of this issue, the Diocesan staff will offer insights for practical next steps for evangelistic mission, but let me add just a few practical points myself. First, this work must begin with much prayer. Lots and lots of prayer. Second, there will need to be lots of conversation as a parish. Third, your Rector probably has some sense of direction. Are you as a parish ready to hear that vision? Finally, once you have identified your focus, I urge you to reach out to the Diocese to find other parishes who have a similar calling and see what resources or insight might be present. The evangelism and outreach network led by Canon Bill Krizner will be a valuable resource in this process. 

While you seek to identify the group you are called to reach intentionally, two groups should always be a part of every parish vision for evangelistic mission. First, the poor. Having just come through the celebration of the Incarnation, I am struck once again by the humility of the Holy Family entrusted with the care for Christ Our Lord. Mary’s Magnificat proclaims God’s priority and care for the poor and powerless. The poor are near the heart of God. You may not be called to be a church among the poor but you are surely called to be a church that ministers to the poor. Second, the ends of the earth. I would be remiss if I did not remind you that the Great Commission calls each believer to care not just for their local needs and the lost among them, but also for the tongues, tribes, and peoples that have never heard the gospel or are without churches or a bible in their native language. These least reached peoples must remain a focus if we are to be fully-formed disciples of Jesus. How are you as a congregation strategically seeking to bring the nations to a living faith in Jesus? 

New Wineskins Global Mission conference (September 17-20, 2025) would be an excellent opportunity to take a team from your church to jumpstart Mission and Outreach. 

Wow, that’s a lot. Be not afraid, God who is faithful will equip you and your congregation for every good work He has prepared for you to walk in. May God continue to bless and lead you step by step as you seek to obediently follow where Our Lord calls us. 

I am praying for you as we walk into this new year together. 

+Alex 

Header/Featured Photo Credit

Ave Calvar on Unsplash

“Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south to the road - the desert road - that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch…”

As I read this familiar passage from Acts 8 last month, the four words “so he started out” jumped from the page into my heart. As I prayed over these words, the Lord reminded me of two truths about working to share the Good News of The Gospel within our communities. First, noting the word so, we see that Philip chooses to act in response to the prompting of the Lord’s messenger. In other words, when deciding how to pursue evangelism, Philip actively looks to the Lord for guidance and direction. In doing so, the Lord gladly offers him the specific directional course to take, which led him directly to the Ethiopian eunuch, a soul who was already in the process of asking questions about the Faith.

What else can we learn? What can we do in response?

Bishop Alex has called our diocese into strategic prayer for four unreached geographic areas in our diocese: (1) Southeast Florida, (2) Southwest Florida, (3) Volusia County, Florida, and (4) Southern Georgia/Alabama. Click here to read more about these unreached areas.

Well over 11 million people live in these target areas, and they include some of the fastest growing counties in the US. By 2050, projections indicate that the number of Christians in the US will drop by 20%-25%, and the number of people who do not affiliate with any religion will increase to about 30% of the population (Pinetops Foundation, “The Great Opportunity Report,” 2020, pp. 18-19). While these trends may seem scary, they provide incredible opportunities for the Gospel to go forth in power! God is the King of his Kingdom!

There are not any Anglican expressions of Gospel witness in these target areas, and we believe God is calling us to spread his Gospel by planting new churches.

The Diocese’s five-year strategic plan launched by Bishop Alex at Synod 2023 included a call for 50 Flourishing Churches in 5 years. One of the six markers Bishop Alex has identified for flourishing churches is Evangelistic Mission: a flourishing church values evangelistic mission and approaches all it does with an outward focus. For it to become true of our churches, it must become true in the lives of the individual believers in them. We are all called to have an outward focus as well.

That call comes from Jesus himself in his final commandment to us, the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:16-20.

"Whoever wants the next generation the most will get them." That’s the tagline from the movie The Forge, and it is a sobering reminder of the cultural battle for the hearts and minds of our young people. The call to reach everyone with the transforming love of Jesus includes university-aged students. College campuses are critical mission fields and need to minister to students, staff, and faculty on campuses has never been more urgent.

According to Gallup, only 36% of millennials belong to a church, and 31% report no religious affiliation (a sharp increase from 22% a decade ago). Similarly, 33% of Generation Z adults claim no religious preference. These numbers are stark, but they also highlight an incredible opportunity for ministry. Churches members, people like me and you, in congregations all across our diocese have the incredible opportunity to step into this mission field and demonstrate the love of Christ to those searching for truth and meaning.

How can churches reach young adults?

I spent most of my life in ministry contexts that didn’t have formal ordination processes. To be honest, I didn’t even know what “apostolic succession” meant until my wife, Caly, and I decided to move to Florida to partner with Grace Anglican Church in planting a new church. Since then, I have learned and grown a lot, and I have come to appreciate this more sacramental understanding of the “laying on of hands” for ordination. Now, in the early days of my ministry as a priest, I couldn’t be more excited!

As someone who didn’t grow up in a traditional denomination, I have to say that I am both thankful for and impressed by the quality and thoroughness of our diocesan ordination process. It is a process that sharpens one’s sense of calling, reveals areas of growth for greater levels of fruitfulness, and creates room for God to strengthen key ministry foundations. One of these foundations is something Bishop Alex mentioned in his sermon during my ordination to the diaconate: once a deacon, always a deacon! Or: once a servant, always a servant! This resonated deeply with me, and it has repeatedly come to mind ever since. Every time I put my sash on I thought of Jesus wrapping a towel around his waist to wash his disciples’ feet. As a servant of Christ at his table, this has been, and will always be, my role. I am the first to go on my knees to serve others. This is what ordination is all about.

By Jen Crews. Bishop Neil Lebhar presided over the Dedication and Consecration service for Church of Our Savior’s new building in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, marking a sacred milestone in the church’s history. Surrounded by clergy, parishioners, and guests instrumental in the building construction, Bishop Lebhar joined Senior Pastor David Ball in leading the congregation in worship, prayer, and the official consecration of the holy space. The service was a profound moment of spiritual significance, celebrating both the completion of the new building and the beginning of a new chapter in the church’s ministry.

The new sanctuary seats about 50% more than the old space which adjoins. The former sanctuary will now function as a Parish Hall and overflow seating for large services.

Photo Credits

COOS-2024-02 • Jen Crews, Church of Our Savior
COOS-2024-03 • Jen Crews, Church of Our Savior
COOS-2024-01 • Jen Crews, Church of Our Savior

You can view all upcoming diocesan events on our Events page.

Prince of Peace Anglican Church to offer Perspectives Class

We are pleased to announce that Prince of Peace Anglican Church in Melbourne Florida will be hosting its first Perspectives class in spring 2025. While there have been several other Perspectives classes offered in Brevard County, this is the first one in many years that will be centrally located, and we are very grateful to Rev. Cameron Scalera, to the staff, and to the  congregation of Prince of Peace for their continued support.

Perspectives is a 15 lesson, semester-long class that focuses on what has been and continues to be God’s purpose: to make His name known and reconciling a people to Himself, and we look at His divine purpose from Biblical, historical, cultural and strategic perspectives. Classes will be held on Sunday afternoons at 2:00pm beginning on January 12th at Prince of Peace Church located at 6895 Murrell Road Melbourne FL. If you have any questions about Perspectives in general or this class in particular, please contact Becky Locuson by email or by phone at 321-537-1060. Or you can visit our class website at Perspectives.org/courses/melbourneFL-S25.

The Re-Formation Conference: Rediscovering and Proclaiming the 5 Solas Today

Not everyone has the opportunity to travel to the birthplace of the Protestant Reformation in Europe to study the works of Martin Luther and others. Therefore, the Wittenberg Center for Reformation Studies (Wittenberg, Germany), in partnership with Paramount Church (Jacksonville, Florida) is pleased to offer The Re-Formation Conference: Rediscovering and Proclaiming the 5 Solas Today in Jacksonville, January 17-19, 2025. Talks on the five Reformation “solas” will be given by five internationally esteemed experts including the Rev. Dr. Ashley Null.

Did you know Fr. John Commins had decades of experience as a radio host before his ordination as a priest? For Christian hit songs from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s that preach the Gospel, join him for "Contemporary Christian Gold" every Sunday afternoon from 1 to 3 p.m. and Wednesday Night from 8 to 10 p.m. Listen on the website for 101.9 FM The Rocket.

To Be A Christian, the official Catechism app of the Anglican Church in North America, is now available in both the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store today. It stays true to the timeless theological truths found in the printed text of our Catechism, while simultaneously adding beauty in the form of images pairing with each of the 368 questions. One of the most useful features in the app is the ability to tap on the Scripture references associated with a given question and see all of those references lined up in one easy to read screen. "I also love how when viewing a question, only the question is presented first with no answer allowing the reader to ponder what the answer is before revealing it. The thought and care that went into the development of this App is astounding, and I believe it will be instrumental in discipleship journeys all over the world," writes Archbishop Steve Wood. Download it today!