by Canon William Beasley
As Vicar General of the newly-forming Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest, I have had the privilege of an inside look at the birthing of a new diocese.
In the case of the Upper Midwest we began to view our situation like the early pioneering moments of the United States because we have a big chunk of land similar to the Northwest Territory. Our prayer and hope is that, in time, congregations will be planted and multiplied into all of the Northwest Territory.
Our newly-formed Constitution and Canons were written to provide a vision for church planting and multiplication in a revival of Word and Sacrament. We gave scope to three geographical deaneries—subdivisions within the diocese (with the hope of more to come)— in Chicago, Wisconsin and Minneapolis. Hopefully, these deaneries will grow into multiple dioceses. Greenhouse has congregations in each of these regions with the express purpose of serving the various regions and multiplying congregations.
Delegates from each congregation came together for worship and to affirm the Constitution and Canons of the newly-forming diocese in our Convening Convention. When you look at the picture of the various signatures, you might notice what a broad spectrum of contexts our congregations represent. Some speak English, and others speak Spanish during the worship service. Some congregations are in suburban areas, and others meet in city storefronts; and another meets in a rural barn. Some are in nursing homes, and others are in church buildings and others in homes.
In the current culture of church planting, potential leaders must first take assessments to see if they have the behavioral skill set to “succeed” in church planting. But what if the paradigm were to shift? (Now don’t get me wrong—there is a place for that model—but there is place for other models, also!) What if EVERYONE and EVERY gift were called forward to multiply the church into every nook and cranny of a region? What if we just assumed that EVERYONE is called to be part of church multiplication and planting? What if we helped everyone in the discernment of the gifts that the Lord has given them for the blessing of others?
What a blessing that Bishop Nathan Gasatura helped lead us at the Convening Convention! His leadership was born out of the East African revival—where the ministry of all of God’s people multiplies congregations. Greenhouse in the Upper Midwest has witnessed the very first fruits of this in multiplying from 4 to 18 congregations in the last 2-½ years in a model similar to the Global South Anglican church. The first fruit of this kind of multiplication is beginning to happen in various dioceses throughout North America.
What fuels this kind of church multiplication? A red-hot desire for those who are far from the Lord to come within his loving embrace! May we have a revival of Word and sacrament in the Upper Midwest and, indeed, in all of North America—that many more dioceses will be birthed with the vision to disciple North America, and the nations through multiplying congregations.
Next Steps for Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest
Spring 2013
1. Constitution and Canons sent from Convening Convention (April 29, 2013) to the Provincial Council for ratification.
2. Bishop Nomination’s Retreat (May 21-22, 2013 at Nashotah House in Wisconsin) with Steering Committee representing the Deaneries as spelled out in Constitution and Canons.
From the retreat a letter will be sent to the House of Bishops. Potential Candidates will be sent for the house of Bishops consideration.
3. Anglican Upper Midwest Diocese Application reviewed by Provincial Council for approval (June 18-19, 2013 at Nashotah House in Wisconsin).
4. If Anglican Upper Midwest Diocese is approved, the House of Bishops will meet to elect our bishop.
5. If the Anglican Upper Midwest Diocese is approved and bishop is elected, then there will be the consecration and instillation of our new bishop with the Archbishop presiding.
Please Keep This Process In Your Prayers!
I have been following the Midwest Anglican Unity meetings closely this spring and summer. As a long-time member and staff member at Church of the Resurrection, I started attending a couple of years after the break from The Episcopal Church and was there for the birth pangs of Common Cause, then The Anglican Mission in America. I was there when we sent Fr. Christian and Molly Ruch to plant Church of the Cross. I worked close (proximity-wise) to Fr. William and heard him continually espouse “we are all one!” even as the Greenhouse moved from AMIA to the Anglican Church in North America.
Story by Lisa Traylor. Visit her blog 
