wfn.org | ACNS3469 Archbishop of Kaduna speaks at Albany Diocesan

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3469     |     USA     |	  11 JUNE 2003

Archbishop of Kaduna speaks at Albany Diocesan Convention

[ACNS source: Diocese of Albany] "In your life, is the Holy Spirit resident
or president?" asked Archbishop Josiah Fearon to over a thousand gathered
for the 135th Convention of the Diocese of Albany. The Archbishop of Kaduna
in Nigeria held out the Spirit-filled life as the one which enables
Christians to live converted lives, lives that are distinctively changed and
bear much fruit for Christ. His sermon at Morning Prayer on Saturday
electrified the assembly, which burst out in applause at his conclusion.

Over 1200 people filled the Camp-of-the-Woods and surrounding motels in the
Adirondacks for this 5th three-day residential convention. Fifty workshops
were offered throughout the weekend. The Diocesan Assembly of the Daughters
of the King was inaugurated on Friday evening. That same evening delegates
saw the first architectural drafts for the new Spiritual Life Center, being
built on 600+ acres, including a new motherhouse for the Sisters of St Mary,
now in Peekskill.

In the afternoon of Saturday, the Rt Revd Harold Miller, Bishop of Down and
Dromore, Church of Ireland, preached to the convention, including sixty
adult confirmands along with their families and sponsors. Calling up the
words of Ezekial, 'can these bones live again?' he pointed to the churches
that once held great wealth and power and prestige and are now fading away.
His clear answer is that the bones can live if the Holy Spirit comes upon
them. Bishop Miller referenced Archbishop Josiah and noted that on an
ordinary Sunday more Anglicans are in church in Nigeria than in the US,
Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia
combined.

Following the confirmations, the Bishop of Albany, the Rt Revd Dan Herzog,
extended an invitation for those who desired the renewing power of the Holy
Spirit to come forward. Over a thousand responded, streaming to the four
bishops who laid their hands on them in prayer. Two hours and twenty minutes
later the Eucharist resumed. The vast auditorium was filled with song and
praise during the whole ministry time.

On Saturday evening hundreds of people took part in a Service of Healing led
by Nigel Mumford of the Oratory of the Little Way in Connecticut. At the
same time, a Christian concert was produced by a combination of musicians in
the diocese.

Parallel with the Convention was a Youth Rally whose participants led the
Pentecost Youth Mass on Sunday with over a thousand in attendance. Preceding
the liturgy of the word, the weekend's younger kids staged an enactment of
the Ascension-Pentecost story, which grew out of their VBS weekend. The
youth held their own healing service on Saturday night with Bishop David
Bena, suffragan Bishop of Albany.

Also on Saturday, Alan Blanchard of the Church Pension Fund, spoke on
carrying out ministry as clergy and laity, and the importance of the
collaborative work they can do together. He praised the Albany diocese for
its vision and leadership, the obvious joy and enthusiasm of the convention
participants, the number and quality of the workshops, and the long-term
support for retired clergy. He and Canon Keith Brown spoke of coming from
the business world to serve Christ in the church.

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