Equipping Leaders for Flourishing Churches: The Charles Simeon Institute

By Jennifer Webster. Some of you may have heard of the wonderful servant leader Charles Simeon, but how many of heard of the Institute that bears his name? Or, having heard of the Charles Simeon Institute, how many of you actually know what its mission is? Consider this article an invitation for you to learn about who CSI is and how we are hoping to partner with you in the future!

CSI has a mission to see parishes flourish in our diocese by equipping future clergy and lay leaders for Anglican ministry in the Gulf Atlantic Diocese. Over many years we have pursued this mission by hosting a summer internship for seminary students. In 2001, the predecessor of the Institute entered into a partnership with Duke University Divinity School to provide summer internships for seminary students. This program has matured into the Charles Simeon Fellows Program and fellowships have been awarded to students from Duke Divinity School, Trinity Anglican Seminary, Nashotah House Theological Seminary, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, and Asbury Theological Seminary. Our graduates are spread across the Anglican Church in North America, but several of priests of the Gulf Atlantic Diocese graduated as summer fellows from CSI. They include: the Rev’d Christopher Jones, Canon for Next Generation Ministries; the Rev’d Canon Andrew Rowell, Rector of Christchurch Montgomery; the Rev’d Ben Jeffries, recently-departed Rector of The Good Shepherd Anglican Church (Opelika, AL); and the Rev’d Morgan Clark, Rector of Trinity Anglican Church, Thomasville, GA.

In 2014 the Charles Simeon Institute was formally established for the purpose of raising up the next generation of leaders in the ACNA and for raising the necessary financial resources for this effort. This included offering curacy appointments designed to support those who feel called to ordained ministry. The Pastoral Curacy Program was established in 2015 and the Carol Long Missional Curacy Program was established in 2021. The Rev’d Bryan Biba, Assistant Rector at Christ Church Savannah and the new Canon for Leadership, was our first curate.

We have also pursued our mission of raising up leaders by focusing on equipping the laity of the Diocese in two ways. First, the Charles Simeon Lay School of Theology offers free high quality in-person continuing education opportunities to lay people, to prepare them for positions of leadership in Anglican ministry. Many of our classes are on our website (and Youtube) and are free for anyone to access. Our 2025 Eastertide semester will feature “St. Thomas Aquinas and the Christian Life” by the Rev’d Canon Michael Petty and “John Calvin and the Christian Life” by the Rev’d Jeff Trostle.

Through a partnership with the Diocese, we are also training lay leaders for Anglican ministry by producing the annual Equipping the Saints Conference. ETS is held every spring, and consists of workshops that address the six Marks of Flourishing and often address areas parishes have self-identified as needing support. Last weekend’s conference is featured in a dedicated article in this month’s issue of the Communiqué.

I want to formally express my gratitude to the many parishes and individuals (lay and ordained) who have contributed to the flourishing of our programs. In just the few years I have been a part of CSI I have seen the possibilities of diocesan-wide participation in the formation of the ACNA’s future leaders and I am eager to see what the Lord will continually do through these focused endeavors.

In preparation for expansion, we are updating our strategic plan which renews our focus on serving the diocese. We are still prayerfully considering the details, but on a high-level we are hoping to expand our summer internship program to other parishes, build up curacy programs across the diocese and offer educational opportunities for both laity, ordinands and clergy. This is a big vision that will not come to fruition without diocesan-wide involvement. As we continue to plan for the future, I ask that each of you would pray for CSI and consider the role you or your parish could play to serve in this mission. CSI is nothing without its many supporters who sacrificially live into the faith, hope and love of the call of Christ! Once the Lord answers your prayer, please reach out to me. There is a place for your passion, gifts and talents here as the Lord leads.