Anglican Leadership Institute
September 2023
“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
Psalm 133:1 (NIV)
Grace, Mercy, and Peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ to our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ around the world. Greetings from the Anglican Leadership Institute (A.L.I. #11) on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, U.S.A. Representing 12 countries and 10 Anglican Provinces from around the world, Anglican leaders gathered from September 6th to September 27th of 2023 for an intentional time set apart for teaching, fellowship, breaking of the bread, and prayers (Acts 2:42). We wish to give great thanks for the ministry and vision of the Right Reverend Mark Lawrence, founder and interim director. We also warmly welcome the Reverend Dr. Frog Orr-Ewing as the new director. With one voice and many tongues, we wish to acknowledge the countless blessings of our time together. We give thanks for the faithful generosity of all those who made this global conference possible, and we celebrate the new friendships and partnerships.
For three weeks, we were blessed to share life in Christian community. We studied, worshiped, prayed, and played together. The Lord revealed to our hearts what we previously only knew in our minds; we are all part of a global body of believers. We learned about the importance of the heart of the leader. The Lord provided an opportunity to reflect as church leaders on our calling. We were challenged by the reading and sharing of St. Paul’s 2nd Epistle to Timothy. We were encouraged to remain faithful to our relationship with God, who is the foundation of our ministry and the source of all that we are. We were encouraged to be disciplined in living out spiritual practices, to maintain family dignity, and to finish our ministries well. We learned about the skills of a leader, and we were challenged to be better leaders of the flocks committed to our charge. By listening to and caring for our people, we will help to promote healthier relationships within the church. By God’s grace, we seek to guard ourselves from going astray from the truth of the gospel. Additionally, we acquired improved listening skills, helping us to provide opportunities for people to discover their own spiritual gifts and use them in the service of God’s kingdom. We were reminded about our role in reaching the entire world with the good news of Jesus Christ. Embracing the great commission to cross cultural and geographic boundaries, our job, as the body of Christ, continues to be making disciples who make disciples.
As ALI #11 participants and alumni, we are committed to one another and to strengthening our friendships. Moving forward, we plan to hold regular times of fellowship and to host exchange programs at the regional and the global level. By God’s grace, we will continue to serve as co-laborers in the vineyard for the expansion of His kingdom. Strengthened and encouraged by our newfound friendships, we re-commit ourselves to the Lord, to our families, and to the various ministries to which we are called.
Specifically, we recognize the importance of:
Setting aside time daily for prayer and the reading of Holy Scripture.
Joining hands together as Anglicans to uphold the faith inherited from the Apostles
Shared relationships and resources for global mission and ministry.
Teaching the word, committing to evangelism and discipleship, and intentionally collaborating and forming partnerships with orthodox Anglicans
Theological education where training and mentorship focus on formation rather than information
Biblical accountability at all levels of leadership within the Anglican Communion
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)
As the body of Christ, we believe that our marching orders remain unchanged. As the early disciples were called to go out and share the good news of the gospel, so we, too, are commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. We recognize the world is ever-changing. We believe that God’s desire is that all would hear the Gospel. Under the authority of Holy Scripture and the power of the Holy Spirit, we believe orthodox Anglicanism is, and will continue to be, a sacred vessel our Lord will use to bring people to Himself and to redeem His world.
Faithfully submitted,
The Ven. Ebenezer Adewole (Nigeria)
The Rt. Rev. Michael Deng Bol (South Sudan)
Mr. Amos Erdenenyam (Mongolia)
The Rev. Dr. Paul Kakooza (Uganda)
The Rev. John Sebalugga Kalimi (Uganda)
The Rt. Rev. Aime Joseph Kamararungu (Burundi)
Mrs. Anthea Kotlan (United States of America)
The Rt. Rev Godfrey Loum (Uganda)
The Rt. Rev. Francis Mboya Matui (Kenya)
The Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Mukeshimana (Rwanda)
The Rt Rev Jackson Sosthenes (Tanzania)
The Rev. Can. Getachew Teshome (Ethiopia)
The Rev. Can. Ken Weldon (United States of America)
The Most Rev. Brian Williams (Province of South America, Argentina)
The Rev. Geison Vasconcellos (Brazil)
Anglican Leadership Institute February 2023:
South Carolina Statement
By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
2 Timothy 1:14
Praise be to the Lord, Mukamwe asiimwe, Mukama yebazibwe, Khudawand ka shukar ho, Louvado seja Deus, Bwana asifiwe, Imana ihabewe icubarahiro, Rutooro Runyanbkore Rukiga, Yenyi Nyame aye, Leec Ku Nhialic, Alabado sea Dios.
We, the participants of the tenth Anglican Leadership Institute (ALI #10) are privileged to be the first Institute with full representation of all Orders of ministry and the laity. We are 16 delegates including 1 archbishop, 4 bishops, 1 bishop-elect, 8 priests/presbyters, 1 vocational deacon and 2 lay persons from 10 countries (N. Ireland, United States, Brazil, Burundi, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Pakistan and Paraguay). We are deeply indebted to the vision of the Rt. Rev. Mark Lawrence and the late Very Rev. Dr. Peter Moore, former director of ALI and to the motherly care of Sandra, Peter’s wife. We wish to express deep gratitude for the dedication and hard work of the ALI team including Rev. Bob and Mrs. Lynn Lawrence, Allison Lawrence, Paige Tanenbaum, Brenda and Derek Cruz and all of the volunteers, chaplains and speakers who so graciously poured into our lives. We will always remember and give thanks for our special time at the Isle of Palms.
Introduction
We met during a Kairos moment for the Anglican Communion when the Church of England’s General Synod decision fractured the fragile fabric of unity in the Anglican communion. This caused the Global South to declare impaired communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Consultative Council and to reset the communion on its Biblical foundation. How good it was to be reminded of the testimony of our Lord, to be challenged to suffer for the gospel and that each of us has a holy calling given to us in the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 1:8-9). We believe God has brought us together for this moment to grow in Christ, to strengthen our global Anglican fellowship and to be sent out as leaders to proclaim Christ faithfully to the nations.
Lessons Learned
By pulling away from our families and ministries to a quiet place, which makes ALI unique from other leadership trainings, we were able to focus on:
· what it takes to be a godly leader
· how to maintain healthy leadership
· the importance of discipling other leaders
· spirit filled local and global Anglican ministries
· the importance to finishing the task well
Our Commitments
Being mindful of Paul’s sermon to the Ephesian elders to watch over ourselves (Acts 20:28) we covenant to:
· encourage each other in prayer for us as leaders, our families and our ministries
· hold one another accountable through prayer partnerships.
· meet virtually as a group, at least every 3 months.
· attempt to visit one another, when possible.
Conclusion
As we leave the Isle of Palms, we commit to be leaders who honor Christ, who love His bride, the church, be people who sit under the authority of God’s Word and to be disciples making disciples in our Anglican communion.
Our great commitment through ALI is to multiply what we have received, (John 6:10-15) and to be part of discipling a new generation of Anglican Leaders to the glory of God.
February 22, 2023 - ALI #10 FELLOWS
The Most Rev. Miguel Uchoa Cavalcanti, Brazil
The Rt. Rev. Marcio Jose de Sousa Simones, Brazil
The Rt. Rev. Evariste Nijimbere, Burundi
The Rt. Rev. David IKiir Mayath Agok, South Sudan
The Rt. Rev. Joseph Mamer Manot, South Sudan
The Rev. Onesimus Asiimwe, Uganda
The Rev. Canon Bryan Robert Martin, N. Ireland
The Rev. Canon Amon Jackson Kabyesiza, Tanzania
The Rev. Ronald Irene, Paraguay
The Rev. Akua Buabema Ofori-Boateng, Ghana
The Rev. Juliane Castro Fonseca Uchoa Cavalcanti, Brazil
The Rev. Elysee Nkezabahizi, Burundi
The Rev. Alex Mhunda, Tanzania
The Rev. Shelly Sorem, USA
Mr. Peter Kitayimbwa, Uganda
Mr. Max Graham, Pakistan
January 2017:
A Month to Remember
Our Third Anglican Leadership Institute is now history. Sixteen marvelous Anglican leaders have now rejoined their families and resumed their ministries.
And what a great group they were. They spanned the full Anglican spectrum:
** from the Rector of a comfortable downtown parish in a mid-sized Australian city to the General Secretary of the Anglican Church of Burundi where tribal strife looms on the horizon;
** from a Rector in Brunei where Sharia Law prevents him from even having a Christmas tree outside the Church to a leader of young adults in a large Brazilian church who rides the waves and surfs in his spare time;
** from a bishop in northern Nigeria where the custom is that unless a man "steals" another man's wife his own wife might accuse him of "not really being a man" to the assistant Rector of a booming Northern Ireland church where evangelism brings reconciliation between Protestants and Catholics;
** from a former "Lost Boy" of South Sudan who runs a diocese that cannot afford him any salary and whose family must live in exile to an Australian who is Administrative Assistant to the former President of GAFCON...
And on it goes. 16 marvelous people -- all Anglicans from 12 enormously different socio-economic situations living in cultures vastly different from each other. Yet they were united in Jesus Christ and experiencing the joy of becoming a family. Our closing dinner was a time of deep prayer followed by hugs all around. Those Africans love to hug.
We spent nearly four weeks learning, laughing and listening to one another's experiences. Afternoon trips to Goodwill where bags of clothing would be purchased for just a few dollars, to meeting with the Mayor of Charleston, and hearing a Medal of Honor winner share his view of leadership. Each day involved study, prayer, discussion and eating. And, yes, eating Western food (including oysters that took some coaxing) that they devoured thanks in large part to our gifted hostess/cook.
We visited several local churches and most participants either spoke or preached in them. We had a fascinating open lecture for the Charleston community where our British theologian reflected on the meaning of BREXIT and the US Presidential election and the challenges they bring to our Christian discipleship. His talk was well-received, though it received some push back.
Our week-long teachers came from Vancouver, Philadelphia and London and Charleston. Each shared their expertise on Post-Modernism, Biblical counseling, historical leaders who brought renewal to the church through the ages, and the spirituality and family life of a leader. Their lectures will soon be on our website. Visits from accomplished business C.E.O’s. and input from bishops including our own Mark Lawrence all rounded out a month that was rich in content but left time for great fun together.
We held a morning on biblical counseling for diocesan clergy that was very well attended and sparked some great Q & A from the floor.
Each weekday morning a local priest arrived to become our "chaplain-of-the-day". He or she led in worship and shared thoughts from the daily lectionary. They were then interviewed about the distinctives of their ministries. Visitors learned a lot about us as we shared what God was doing in this diocese.
Our trustees and local friends put on a Low Country "Boil", an Oyster Roast, a Saturday tour of downtown Charleston followed by an 18th. Century luncheon, and a Sunday afternoon English Tea. Sandra provided participants with warm coats, sweaters and scarves to insulate them against our January breezes.
There was so much more. Three churches provided full funding for one participant, and other churches contributed what they could. Many individuals made donations also enabling us to offer our sixteen visitors a first-class experience led by the Holy Spirit. Our next A.L.I. will be September, 2017 and then again next January -- 2018.
Epiphany is a season when we reflect on the global mission of the Church. What a great way to spend it – in the company of men and women from all over the globe who love our Lord Jesus Christ, and are spreading his word in places some of us have just heard of. To God be the glory.
Peter C. Moore, D.D.
Director, A.L.I.
Inaugural Anglican Leadership Institute January 2016:
South Carolina Statement
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
-NIV Romand 12:6 - 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we, the participants of the inaugural Anglican Leadership Institute (ALI) - 14 delegates, including 5 bishops, and 9 clergy from 11 countries, we give special thanks to the Rt. Rev. Mark Joseph Lawrence, the Bishop of the diocese of South Carolina for his insightful vision that gave birth to the Anglican Leadership Institute and his commitment to train emerging youth Anglican leaders.
We are deeply grateful to the Very Rev. Dr. Peter Moore, the Director of Anglican Leadership Institute, and Sandra his wife. We are thankful for his indefatigable hard work in implementing the vision alongside his local and international boards. With much satisfaction and gratitude we equally extend our appreciation to the faculty and chaplains of ALI and all the Rectors and Laity of the different churches that have blessed us with warm hospitality. We appreciate the hard work of Jay and Laura Crouse, Pauge Tanenbaum and the Ambassadors. And, a special thanks to our chief, Mr. Clint McCotter.
We take home rich memories of our time during the Institute at Sullivan's Island.
Introduction
We met with great joy in the Sullivan's Island, South Carolina from 3rd to 31st January 2016. We gathered each day for prayer and Bible Devotion, studied several selected reformation figures, studied the subject of preaching and leadership, studied the book of Prophet Malachi, engaged with the subject of religious freedom, shared in the insights of godly retired CEOs of government and private corporations, reflected on our ecclesiastical heritage, and examined a variety of case studies of leadership within the communion.
It was very touching that our meeting took place at the same time when the Primates of the Anglican Communion met in Canterbury, England. Our hearts were grateful for the statement they issued regarding the Episcopal Church. In meeting here we have been able to express publicly that ALI is one of the avenues of bringing the much desired leadership that transforms society. Our hope is that ALI may bring to our suffering and broken world the kind of leadership that will effect true and lasting transformation.
In our conference, we covenant to be committed to bringing transformation of the Anglican Church through our Anglican leadership in our respective regions and we commit to praying for each other. We appreciate the fact that Bishop Mark Lawrence came to us at the Institute, welcomed us, and articulated his vision: the diocesan vision for ALI; and, that he shared his heart with us as he spoke on Spirit-filled Leadership. We believe that ALI, championed by the diocese of South Carolina, will serve as an important and effective instrument of bringing leadership transformation in the community now and in the years to come.
ALI & Its Future
As the first participants in the Institute, we have enjoyed a distinguished curriculum. It is different from all other kinds of leadership Institutes offered around the world by the fact that it is at its heart Anglican Leadership. For this reason it has a particular character: Anglican.
There is much we can learn from ALI arising out of its commitment to equip young Anglican leaders to bring about the much-desired transformation. Out of the inaugural ALI three significant features of great relevance to our Anglican context have emerged. These are:
a) We receive critical lessons from the selected reformation figures on how they led the church against all odds, by standing on the truth of the Word of God at great cost to their lives.
b) We gain confidence that servant and gospel-centered leadership has the power both to save the lost and to transform the church, in contrast to the church being conformed to the world.
c) We gain much insight from moments of one-on-one interactions and sharing of contextual leadership experiences.
Strengthening the ALI
We are committed to the future of the ALI and to that end we have decided to take some humble steps to strengthen our Anglican Leadership skills.
We have resolved to be more than a network of Anglican leaders. By the grace of God we are an effective expression of young Anglican leadership and therefore, recognizing our place and responsibilities, we must organize the leadership constituencies in our respective institutions in a way that demonstrates the seriousness of the objectives of ALI. These are threefold:
1. Living what we have learnt at ALI.
2. Constantly building our leadership skills.
3. Deliberately raising young Anglican leaders.
Our Priorities
Our Lord's command is 'to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you' (Matthew 28:19-20). We believe therefore that our first priority must be to Anglican leaders who make disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. This means that our Anglican leadership must be committed to:
a) Preaching and Leadership. It is with its preaching that we lead. Providing Anglican leadership in areas of our world where clear gospel witness has become obscured or lost, our leadership through good biblical preaching should bring the gospel to unreached peoples. Much of our energy must be devoted to leadership that brings gospel to children and young people in the Anglican Institutions we lead; and developing the Anglican leaders of the future.
b) Providing genuine gospel leadership initiatives, recognizing that there are times when the maintenance of structures can constrain leadership devoted to the proclamation of the gospel.
c) Constantly guarding against obstacles to gospel-centered leadership. We shall continue wisely to expose any false leadership that is not consistent with apostolic leadership; and, clearly to articulate the gospel-centered leadership in the church and in the world.
Conclusion
We are committed to providing leadership that honors Jesus Christ as the head of the Church, the authority of his Word and the power of his gospel.
Therefore, in the power of the Holy Spirit -
1. We covenant ourselves to pray for each other and to establish a network that will allow us to continue in communion to support each other.
2. We covenant ourselves to give greater priority to lead as Anglicans in the way Jesus did: servant leadership.
3. We covenant ourselves to transform our societies through the Anglican institutions and churches in which we serve.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21 New Living Translation)
29th January 2016
INAUGURAL ALI JANUARY 2016 FELLOWS
1. The Rt. Rev. Sadock Y. Makaya, Tanzania
2. The Rt. Rev. Joseph Mutungi, Kenya
3. The Rt. Rev. Jacob W. Kwashi, Nigeria
4. The Rt. Rev. Cyril Kobina Ben Smith, Ghana
5. The Rt. Rev. Stanley Hotay Tsaxra, Tanzania
6. The Venerable Sammy Morrison, Chile
7. The Rev. Canon Samuel Kauhma, Uganda
8. The Rev. Michael Yemba, South Sudan
9. The Very Rev. Dr. Samy Shehata, Egypt
10. The Rev. Canon Dr. Alred Olwa, Uganda
11. The Rev. Canon Dr. Rebecca Margaret Nyegenye, Uganda
12. The Rev. Dr. Paul Htinya, Myanmar
13. The Rev. David Booman, USA
14. The Rev. Deacon Sandipan Sinha, India