Creating a Church Planting Diocese

There are many cities and towns without a Continuing church. Some dioceses are doing better than others in encouraging the formation of new missions and stand-alone parishes. But how can an Anglican diocese become a church-planting diocese? This is the subject of our latest webinar.

Our newest webinar features two G-3 (G-2) bishops, who discuss their own experience and perspective on this important issue:

• Bp. William Bower is bishop of Diocese of the Eastern United States in the Anglican Church in America. A graduate of UCLA and Oxford, he is a former member of the Atlanta Boy Choir, Army Reserve officer and Orthodox priest, and was consecrated a bishop in the ACA in 2021.

• Bp. Paul Hewett has been bishop of the Diocese of the Holy Cross since 2002, leading the DHC to join the Anglican Catholic Church in 2021. A graduate of Temple and Episcopal Theological School, he is the author of The Day-spring from on High (2017) and A Mighty Salvation (2021), and a co-founder of Continuing Forward.

Both are members of the Societas Sanctae Crucis (Society of the Holy Cross).

They were interviewed by Fr. Matthew Mirabile, another Continuing Forward co-founder. After the panelists introduced themselves, Fr. Mirabile explained the session’s goals.

“The reason we wanted to have a conversation with bishops is [that] we often focus on the role of the priest in church planting and mission,” Fr. Mirabile said. “At the end of the day, it’s under the jurisdiction, the oversight, the enthusiasm, the encouragement, [and] the vision of the local bishop.” A key goal was to hear “how bishops can encourage missions and a culture of church planting.”

Bp. Hewett said that one approach he likes to use is to think of a single church plant as the nucleus for an entire deanery of future (daughter) parishes. The key is to plant the seed with the parishioners, and encourage them to set up another small group perhaps 15-30 miles away. If the groups practice hospitality by inviting visitors to join them, the proximity of the two efforts can spark greater energy in both.

Bp. Hewett said has tried to instill a “kingdom” mentality through his diocese, emphasizing it every time that clergy or the entire diocese meets.

Because the Continuing church is a “missionary endeavor,” Bp. Bower believes that with the appropriate vision, the bishop can — and should — be a catalyst for change. In his own diocese, he has increased congregations from 6 to 11 and postulants from 1 to 11.

Bp. Bower — and the other panelists — sees an opportunity for Anglo-Catholic with young people (especially men) who are seeking churches that offer a faith anchored in a historic tradition.

At the same time, Bp. Bower said that after offering newcomers the knowledge and hoope of salvation, it’s equally important to disciple them and form them deeply in the faith. Both agreed on the importance of anchoring the congregation in its life of prayer.

Both men emphasized the importance of reaching young families. Bp. Bower emphasized the importance of program that reach parishioners ages 25-45, which will also attract members from other demographics. In turn, Bp. Hewett advocated creating parish schools to strengthen ties to young families, something the APA and REC have been particularly successful with. (At Bp. Hewett’s cathedral, the dean has instead launched a homeschool coop to strengthen ties to local families).

Bp. Hewett also recounted the success he had with home visits — both existing parishioners and prospective ones.

Some of the same principles could be applied to growing existing parishes that are struggling. However, Bp. Bower said, some congregations want to keep their small parish just as it is. “It becomes after a while less of a church, and more of a religious burial society,” he said. Instead, the parish needs to both seek (and be comfortable with) drawing in new members who are not like them, and may need to be formed in the faith.

The entire 49-minute video has been posted on our YouTube channel.