The 213th Annual Council - Diocese of Virginia

Proceedings
mission. A new Christian is rarely satisfied to be an observer. A new Christian is usually
motivated to engage in significant mission.
I am concerned, however, that our numerical growth is not keeping pace with general
population growth in Virginia, especially in rapidly growing or changing areas. Our
missionary outreach too often neglects our call to evangelize. In addition to our call to
love our neighbor, we are called to “Teach All Nations.” We cannot ignore our closest
neighbors who may not be part of a faith community. In fact, in terms of the population
growth of the Commonwealth, we are shrinking.
The call to evangelize is before us. We need to think with harvest eyes – with our eyes
wide open for opportunities to bring more and more people to a saving knowledge of
Jesus Christ.
All of us need to be thinking about opportunities to grow the church, especially through
existing congregations. We are to “teach all nations” and we are to love our neighbor.
Expectations have changed in recent years for new congregations. The task of establishing
a new congregation has become much more difficult for the church planter. It is not
uncommon today for a potential new member to ask about the program: “What do you
have for children What do you have for teenagers Do you have a program for seniors”
A new congregation needs to offer a broad based ministry on its opening day if it is to
gain traction and grow. Our culture expects a new business to be completely up and
running on day one. And similar expectations are held for the Church. If we expect
a new congregation to thrive, it will need a full staff on opening day. That will only be
possible if the new congregation has the active support of its neighboring congregations.
It will require a major shift of priority in our parish budgets to give the work we do
together as a diocese a reasonable chance to succeed. Our efforts must reflect the shifting
demographics within the Commonwealth. They must be multicultural, multi-racial
and broad.
Another area of my assigned responsibility is the oversight of mission congregations.
The Commission on Congregational Missions is very grateful for the support of our
mission congregations in our annual budget and in regional budgets. We are especially
grateful to the congregations that provide a home for diocesan missions and we are very
grateful for the active support of the Diocesan Missionary Society.
As we prepare for a transition in the episcopate, we need to revisit our commitment to
the work that we share in common. The opportunities for growing the ministry of the
Episcopal Church in Virginia are too great. The stakes are too high for us to neglect
our common mission. The work that we do together on college campuses, in summer
camps, in our Parish Youth Ministry program, in congregational development, in world
mission, in stewardship, and in our new congregations needs our generous support and
participation.
It is time, during 2008, for each of our congregations to revisit financial commitments to
the work that we share. We cannot hand the leadership of our diocese to Bishop Johnston
and then expect him to perform miracles without an adequate budget. He will need all of
us – all of our congregations united in a common mission given to us by the Risen Lord.
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The Diocese of Virginia t Journal of the the 213 th Annual Council