Section 3: The DNA of the Diocese
Under Authority
The Diocese serves under Jesus Christ. We earnestly seek to be obedient to Holy Scripture and to the leadership of His Church. The Preamble of the Constitution of the Anglican Church in North America states, “We are Anglicans in North America united by our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the trustworthiness of the Holy Scriptures….” So, too, this Diocese yields to God’s Word made flesh and God’s Word written. We serve within the Province of the Anglican Church in North America and come under the governance of its Archbishop and the Provincial framework and governing formularies. The Constitution and the Canons of the Province and Diocese define the standards under which and boundaries within which we function.
A Part of the Whole
As a geographic division of the Anglican Church in North America, the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic holds the same vision and identity as that of the Province. We are the local expression of the Province, and we share a single mission. Thus, our logo is the Provincial logo alongside the name of the Diocese, and our goal is theirs: “Reaching North America with the transforming love of Jesus Christ.”
Prayer Paramount
In public and hidden ways, prayer infuses and surrounds the life and work of the Diocese: the ministries, the challenges, the joys, and the sorrows. The behind-the-scenes team of intercessors who plead before the throne of God on behalf of the Diocese and the Bishop are a prized treasure and an untold strength. Prayer for burden-bearing, strength, and healing is a standing offer at all Diocesan gatherings of clergy and lay members regardless of number. Sunday services resound with prayer through the Prayer Book tradition, and the individual lives of clergy and lay alike are formed through the Daily Office.
It’s about the Churches
The Provincial Constitution states, “The fundamental agency of mission in the Province is the local congregation” (Article IV). The Diocesan Constitution likewise emphasizes this in Article II: “The fundamental agency of mission in the Province and the Diocese is the local congregation. The Diocese exists to serve the local Congregations and Missions.”
This single ethic guides and governs much of the function and shape of the Diocese.
The constitutionally declared mission of the Anglican Church in North America and the Diocese is to be carried out as closely to the congregational level as possible. This means that the local churches are to do all that they can and should. The Diocese does what the local church cannot or should not do. And the Province does what the Diocese cannot or should not do. This principle is known as subsidiarity.
For example, the Diocese strongly emphasizes church planting by churches in partnership with the Diocese. The Diocese also offers pastoral care and support for clergy and their families, for the sake of both the individuals as well as the health of the churches. We provide policies and training in the prevention of misconduct but also close oversight in the rare case of allegations. And we seek to come alongside local church leaders and churches, particularly in providing guidance in times of transition or difficulties.
We emphasize networking among churches so that churches can offer to one another their resources and experience. We eagerly promote the programs and training offered in individual churches so that the whole diocese can take advantage of them.
This church-focused paradigm keeps the diocesan staff and budget smaller; thus, there are no staff for youth ministry, children’s ministry, adult discipleship, or men’s and women’s ministries as is common elsewhere. This keeps more resources at the local level for mission. We give 10% of the diocesan budget to the Province but currently ask churches to give just 4.1% of their annual operating budget to the Diocese. This plan has been strongly supported by the churches, and the Diocesan budget has been well funded throughout its history.
Church Planting
The Diocese prioritizes church planting as a core practice of Jesus’ call to advance His kingdom (Matthew 28:18-20). Led through the work of our full-time Canon for Church Planting, the Rev. Tuck Bartholomew, and the Great Commission Committee, we actively promote and undergird church planting and growth in the Diocese. The Vision for 50 initiative began in 2020 with the ambitious goal of 50 new churches by 2030, and the Diocese’s annual budget devotes significant funds in support of planting and growing new churches, and added funding is sought from individuals and churches. Faithful prayer by 170+ intercessors upholds new and existing church plants, and our heartbeat for church planting is reflected in the significant resources available on the Diocesan website.
Women’s Ordination
From its inception, the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic has strongly supported and encouraged the ordination of women to both the diaconate and priesthood. The language of Diocese’s Canons III.2 and III.5 reflects this position, and the ordination process has always welcomed both male and female applicants. While individuals in the Diocese may hold alternate views, the ethos of our corporate work and worship embraces both women and men in ministry as co-laborers in the Gospel.
Clergy Care
The Diocese attentively upholds its clergy through both individual and corporate care. Clergy greatly appreciate the regular individual phone calls of appreciation and prayer they receive from the bishop, as well as swift responses to their requests for help. Their spouses and families have also felt cared for through cards sent for special occasions and gifts for newborns. A biennial Clergy and Spouses Retreat was created and is largely funded by the Diocese to set aside time for refreshing, teaching, fellowship, and prayer. Guard Your Heart is a program developed partly through Diocese funding aimed at strengthening leaders, especially those in ministry, against moral failure.
Congregation Care
Yearly episcopal visitations are made to all churches to celebrate their ministry, offer counsel, and welcome new members. The Diocese funds part-time the Rev. Canon Mary Hays, Canon for Clergy and Congregational Care, to help churches facing leadership transitions, conflict, and other challenges. The twice-monthly Mid-Atlantic Messenger e-newsletter shares the stories of churches and individuals in the Diocese, helping to build bonds between churches. The Diocesan office provides guidance for those pursuing the ordination process, background checks for clergy, church financial reviews, as well as training, resources, gatherings for church treasurers, office administrators, church communicators, and wardens.
Protecting the Vulnerable
Special attention has been given to developing Protecting God’s Children, the Diocesan policy and training program for the prevention of and response to misconduct against children. The Diocese’s Protecting God’s Children has been used as a model for other dioceses and the Province. In addition, other resources are being developed for protection of and response to misconduct against adults. The Diocese has also played a leading role in the formation of yearly Anglicans for Life Summits, speakers and events which support the protection of human life from conception to natural death.
Graciousness
Existing in and around the Nation’s capital means that the Diocese shepherds members from across the political spectrum. We have sought to be “lovers of concord” and ministers of peace in the sometimes-troubled waters. Where differences exist among some clergy on ecclesiastical or theological matters, the Diocese, led by the Bishop, has maintained a steadfast commitment to unity in the centrality of the Gospel of Christ. This tone of graciousness has become a hallmark of our common life and worship.
Culturally Informed
The Diocese and its leaders prayerfully observe and faithfully minister within our ever-changing society. Synod keynote speakers and writers in the Mid-Atlantic Messenger frequently and cogently address the prevailing and trending winds of culture, seeking to equip clergy and lay members in biblical insight and wise counsel. While over half of the Diocese’s churches minister in urban and metro areas, the full range of geographic and social contexts are addressed through published articles, helpful links, and insights shared between churches. The recent pandemic was, by the grace of God, managed reasonably well by clergy and churches due in no small part to the collaboration and sharing of ideas and information via Zoom and other connections.
Global Engagement
The Diocese is involved within the greater Province as well as beyond, primarily in GAFCON (Global Anglican Futures Conference). Leaders of our Diocese have taken key roles in GAFCON conferences and other global events. Additionally, the theme of international mission flows through the work of the Diocese. Clergy and Congregations are encouraged to foster relationships across the globe, to take an active part in the Anglican Global Mission Partners (AGMP), the Anglican Relief and Development Fund (ARDF), the triennial New Wineskins Missionary Network conferences, and many mission organizations. Our Diocese does not maintain a companion diocese or mission partnership; instead our congregations form many mission partnerships. Combined, 85% of our churches report mission partnerships in 15 African, 10 Middle East/Muslim majority, 7 Asian, 7 Eastern and Western European, 6 Latin American, and island countries in Oceania and the Caribbean.