Diocese of the WGC

The Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast, led by Bishop Clark WP Lowenfield, is committed to Jesus Christ as Lord and a common faithfulness to God's Word written.

[GAFCON @gafconference]

At the GAFCON IV Conference, new leadership was elected and is now in effect.

Archbishop Laurent Mbanda was elected as the new Gafcon Chairman

Two Archbishops were elected to fill the two Gafcon Vice Chair positions. They are Archbishop Kanishka Raffel and Archbishop Miguel Uchoa.

Please continue to pray for Archbishop Mbanda and his family who lost their son Edwin unexpectedly earlier this week.

#gafcon23

[GAFCON @gafconference]

GAFCON IV - THE KIGALI COMMITMENT

INTRODUCTION [Download the entire commitment using the link below]

[Christ] is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. Colossians 1:18

Greetings from Kigali, Rwanda, where the fourth Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) met from 17-21 April 2023, bringing together 1,302 delegates from 52 countries, including 315 bishops, 456 other clergy and 531 laity.

We were grateful for the extraordinary hospitality extended by Archbishop Laurent Mbanda and the Anglican Church of Rwanda. We were deeply saddened to hear the news of the loss of Laurent and Chantal’s son Edwin, and we continue to offer our prayers of comfort for the Mbanda family.

We were also privileged to be welcomed and addressed by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Rwanda, the Right Honourable Edouard Ngirente who spoke of the significance of our gathering.

Our conference theme for 2023 ‘To Whom Shall We Go?’ (John 6:68), along with our Bible studies in the Letter to the Colossians, focused our attention on Jesus, the one in whom all the fullness of God dwells in bodily form, the Lord of all creation and the head of his body, the church (Colossians 1:15-19; 2:9).

Our Chairman in his opening address encouraged us to be a repenting church, a reconciling church, a reproducing church and a relentlessly compassionate church. This is the church we want to be.

We were reminded that the purpose and mission of the church is to make known to a lost world the glorious riches of the gospel by proclaiming Christ crucified and risen, and living faithfully together as his disciples.

CONTENTS OF THE KIGALI COMMITMENT:
Our Fellowship Together
The Authority of God’s Word
The Current Crisis in the Anglican Communion
The Failure of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Other Instruments of Communion
Call for Repentance
Support for Faithful Anglicans
Appropriate Pastoral Care
Resetting the Communion
Our Future Together

THE KIGALI COMMITMENT is available for download in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Swahili (coming soon) here:

https://t.co/viPPhPoC0U

#gafcon23

[GAFCON @gafconference]

THE BLESSING

“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.” 

(Numbers 6:24-26)

#gafcon23 has officially concluded, and a new season for the global Anglican communion has begun!

Dozens of videos clips can be found at: https://t.co/jfZK39XtC6

Keep an eye on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for a few more photos and highlight reels in the coming days.

We pray for travel mercies, and as you return home, let's share how the Lord has stirred our hearts for Christ's mission in this world.

[Anglican Compass @AnglicanCompass]

"We are not and cannot be the Church as we have known it. We must be a living Body engaged with the people around us." —Archbishop @FoleyBeach

@gafconference #gafcon23

https://t.co/lyXyBBAdGN

[Jeff Walton @jeffreyhwalton]

Calvin Robinson offering an update to #gafcon23 on the Free Church of England, the equivalent of the Reformed Episcopal Church in the United Kingdom: “We seek to shape our lives around the scriptures, rather than the scriptures around our lives.”

[Diocese of the WGC @DioceseWGC]

Please pray for the Mbanda family as they mourn and travel to the States

[GAFCON @gafconference]

From Archbishop Foley Beach, Chairman of Gafcon:

It is with great sadness that I share with you the tragic news that Archbishop Laurent Mbanda’s son, Edwin (Eddie) Mbanda, has unexpectedly passed away in his sleep in the United States. Edwin was 31 years old.

[GAFCON @gafconference]

Our prayers are with those in Sudan at the moment - please join us in praying for those in the midst of that tragedy, and for an end to the conflict. A number of delegates for GAFCON IV have been delayed or rerouted due to it - pray for God to sustain them too! #gafcon23

[ARDF @anglicanaid]

Isaac lost everything. "I would say to anybody, whatever happens we have to face it with faith." @DioceseWGC https://t.co/yLsRpDe3zh

[Diocese of the WGC @DioceseWGC]

Bp. @CWPLowenfield gave the closing prayer at #HopeStands with @RickWarren #Hope4Houston #Anglican #Texas https://t.co/HaZQiqs080

[Diocese of the WGC @DioceseWGC]

"This disaster will give us the opportunity for boldness in our faith."-@ChristineShook #HopeStands #Hope4Houston

[Diocese of the WGC @DioceseWGC]

"In every crisis are the seeds of change to make a switch." -@RickWarren #HopeStands #Hope4Houston

[Diocese of the WGC @DioceseWGC]

"People are more likely to come to Christ when they are under tension or in transition"- @RickWarren #HopeStands #Hope4Houston

[Diocese of the WGC @DioceseWGC]

bishop @CWPLowenfield (participating in prayer before the event. #hopestands https://t.co/4qlIFL5aeN

[PD Church @PD_Church]

"We are praying that Harvey would bring Harvest." -@GreggMatte (Senior Pastor, @HoustonsFirst) #Hope4Houston #HopeStands #PDChurch

[PD Church @PD_Church]

"I fundamentally believe that churches are the best equipped to mobilize the fastest." -@RickWarren #HopeStands #PDChurch #Hope4Houston

[PD Church @PD_Church]

"This could be the church’s finest hour." -@RickWarren, to nearly 350 #Houston pastors uniting for #HopeStands. #Hope4Houston #PDChurch

[Diocese of the WGC @DioceseWGC]

"A storm does not change God's plan for your life. Your security is in eternity." @RickWarren encouraging HOU pastors with @CWPLowenfield

[nancy-page @nancy_page]

Designed some tshirts, 100% of profits will go to Harvey relief thru @DioceseWGC https://t.co/MEujzAxiQX #texasstrong #Harvey2017 #Houston

[ARDF @anglicanaid]

https://t.co/KgvBFX0l3Q Thank you to all our donors! ARDF has collected nearly $25,000 in relief funds for @DioceseWGC to distribute.

[Diocese of the WGC @DioceseWGC]

Wednesdays with the Bishop: Reproducible Discipleship https://t.co/VdTcUf3b8r

[Diocese of the WGC @DioceseWGC]

The Diocese is glad to officially welcome David Cumbie as the new Senior Pastor of Church of the Apostles- Houston! @COTAHOUSTON