Anglican Communion News Service

[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.