Reawakening 2025 Conference
It seems our expression of the church is in a bit of disarray, of flux, of sorting itself out. As I write this, the Anglican Church in North America (the denomination in which Sean and I are ordained) is looking into allegations of misconduct by its ArchBishop. We have joined with our Anglican brothers and sisters around the globe to re-form a Global Anglican Communion (family of churches) because we cannot submit to a leadership that does not preach Jesus Christ as the only way for suffering people to find forgiveness and mercy. It wouldn’t be the first time things are messy in the wider history of the church. The Lord is quite able to shepherd his sheep. We shall grow in humility and in the strength of the Gospel for we do not preach ourselves, but our redeeming God. Thankfully, the Word of God is not tangled. It is not bound. The Gospel is the power of God to save.
“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David (a very tangled leader who knew the power of God’s forgiveness and looked for the True King to come), as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!” (2 Timothy 2:8,9)
The Apostle Paul encouraged his protégé, Timothy, with this truth. The Gospel is the power of God to forgive and redeem our failures to magnify his grace through his Son, Jesus Christ, the friend of sinners, the Savior of the world.
sharing the Gospel with kids at Reawakening
the full worship team
The Rewawakening Conference last weekend was testimony to the unbound Gospel. We need it. We continue to.
Gospel. We gathered over 37 churches together last weekend for the annual Reawakening Conference hosted by the Anglican Diocese of New England. We were entirely focused on sharing the Power of God’s Promise to save and redeem through the grace of Jesus Christ. Bishop Drew has invited Dandelion Ministries to lead this Conference in content and shape. Under his oversight, we have a good team, with room to grow.
The Rev. Ethan Magness from Grace Anglican Church, Grove City, PA
We invited church planter and gifted preacher, The Rev. Ethan Magness from Grace Anglican in Grove City, PA to return. He exposited the book of Galatians catching hearts of teens and elders alike. He had us all laughing and crying. He focused on what made the Apostle Paul “lose his mind” in Galatians 3; it was not a moral failure of leadership, or a bully priest, or a lack of strategic planning, but the fact that “good people,” were not sure that Jesus’ forgiveness was enough to secure their good standing with God… they wanted to “just make sure” by adding one more thing to it. That “one more thing” destroyed the faith. Ethan told story after story underscoring the fact that no matter who you are, we are all welcomed into our Heavenly Father’s arms only “because the man on the middle cross told me I could come.” It tore down the self-righteousness in us. The tore down the shame we nurse from the past and present. We each met Jesus again in our place of need. The Scriptures lit up with the power of God’s promise of grace. He finished with the work of the Spirit, which integrates the grace of Jesus into your daily life through putting to death the old walk of sin and blossoming new life from the love He’s shown you.
close up of Dan Miller’s, “Tidepools,” the conference art for the Reawakening Conference
Art. We incorporated art in a new way. As an expression of your right brain function, art and creativity are how you digest what you deeply believe. It is beyond what your logic thinks. We see art as a form of intercession; it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit in you interceding with “groans too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). Art is a gift from the Lord, whether we recognize the Gift Giver or not. Through art and creativity we groan for redemption, process the pain of the present, and long for what we do not yet see.
It was a pleasure to raise up other artists in their gifts! We host an online artist collective to encourage makers. Here are many of these artists! Our “Promise: Group Art Show” featured Dan Miller’s Tidepools, the conference art piece. We wove poetry throughout the conference. Our New England poets, Gayle Heaslip and Dennis Ericson, awakened our senses. We held a night of Art-and-Intercession on Friday. Solos from Piper Loveless on the harp, Sarah Hoskins on cello, (our very own) Sean Norris with an original on guitar were surrounded by worship led by Dave Edwards and the contemporary choir from One Church. We had paintings and drawings rotating on the screens behind them to aid prayer from New England artists, Dan Miller, Andrew Loy, Gayle Heaslip, and me. The range was from A to Z. The honesty was palpable. The Spirit breathed life through it all, culminating in praying for the youth in our midst. Our own daughters were truly blessed (and they are my toughest critics ;).
Sarah Hoskins on cello, The Rev. Piper Loveless on harp
praying for youth at the Intercession-and-Art Friday night
Teens. As part of our work as Directors of Gospel Formation for Every Generation in the Anglican Diocese of New England, Sean is more in charge of the Reawakening Conference than I (though I help a lot). And I am a bit more in charge of Youth Events (though he helps a lot). This role is an open door for the Gospel-focused art ministry of Dandelion and we get to partner with all these churches. Bottom line: we’d love to see a Gospel move of the Spirit in young people to plant the grace of Jesus Christ in the midst of their laughter and tears and everything in between. We are just a tiny non-profit on Long Island but we will keep bugging the Lord about it until he builds the teams and call the kids. I have a hunch he will use paint and singing to get his message through. I was very encouraged that there were almost as many volunteers as kids at the Reawakening Teen dinner. Folks who love to play, click with kids, and know there is power in Jesus’ name. (That was my personal highlight! It’s been a year of seeking such volunteers… now for the next phase!) We cast a vision for our May Youth Retreat, a July Vermont Mission Trip and an August Uganda-Kenya Mission Trip. I will also be forming an online Teen Bible study for kids in leadership. And then there were games, games, and more games!
Children. On Saturday, I teamed up with founders and directors of St. Nicholas House and Farm (yes, as in Santa Clause!), The Rev. Brian and Jackie Barry, and mother-hen, Tyreen Perry, to delight kids with the Gospel (so that their parents could enjoy adulting). We used three different methods: acting out the story, telling it with props, and using a collaborative art project to bring the meaning to life. The message mirrored the Galatians talks upstairs. Our message to the kids:
God promised Abraham and Sarah that their offspring would bless all the nations! God’s love for you is stronger than the mistakes you make. He transformed Abraham and Sarah’s sad, doubtful laughter into happy laughter. God waited until they were too old to give them a child so we would know his grace is a gift. The miracle child, Isaac, which means laughter, is a sign of his grace for them.
That promised child was born … his name is Jesus. He is the Good Shepherd who laid his life down to save his sheep. He alone has power to lay his life down and to take it up again. Jesus is your Good Shepherd; he knows your name; he will never lose you.
Jesus has a place for you in heaven. He finds you when you are lost and brings you home. God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is with you now because he loves you. His Spirit gives you faith to believe this is true. He makes Jesus light up your darkest times. He makes his home in you.
The space was perfect for this event: the gym, the playground, the tables, the meeting room, the bathroom. We used every inch.
Rev. Christian Huebner sees lives transformed in the everyday ministry in rural VT
The workshops worked!
Missions with youth in East Africa with Audrey Patra
Christ and cows – ministry in rural Vermont with Rev. Christian Huebner;
after-school reading programs and the power of prayer in Bridgeport, CT with Rev. Gabrielle Beam;
joy over the long haul through multi-cultural ministry in New Haven, CT with Rev. Geoff and Blanca Little;
creating as you ponder your Creator by painting a textured surface with Dan Miller and Rev. Dan Sylvia;
the gift of healing prayer with Bp. Bill Love;
how to prevent and help folks who are burnt-out with Bp. Trevor Walters;
hope for youth with anxiety and depression with Counselor and Isaiah 40 Director, Amanda McGann.
East Africa Mission director and Love Unveiled Ministry Founder, Audrey Patra called up the Ugandan choir to help “set the tone” for her talk on ADNE development projects.
We are so grateful to these faithful ministers, using their gifts and testimonies to bless others! Thank you! Bless you! This is good, Holy Spirit fruit - and much needed in our time.
The Word of God is not bound! There was a real sense of love in this gathering. When the Gospel of the grace of Christ is preached (thank you again Ethan!) is gives energy, love, life, vision, and releases folks in their gifts. The Spirit at work!
“You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:1)
… and if you read the context (especially the Prisca and Aquilla bit at the end), you’ll agree that it’s fair to say “entrust to faithful women” too ;)
join us next year!
October 23-24 with Theologian Chad Bird!
Grace Chapel, Lexington MA
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