The Convergence Movement
Written in 1992 by Wayne Boosahda
and Randy Sly for the Complete Library
Therefore, every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."- Mat. 13:52.
This Scripture summarizes the insight and discovery which has led to a fresh stream of thought and renewal throughout the wider Body of Christ. Described as the Convergence Movement, or "Convergence of the Streams," this emerging movement appears to many, both observers and participants, to be another contemporary evidence of God's continuing activity in history to renew, replenish and unify His people in one heart and purpose in Christ. Arising out of a common desire and hunger to experience the fullness of Christian worship and spirituality, the Convergence Movement (also referred to in the remainder of this article as "CM") seeks to blend or merge the essential elements in the Christian faith represented historically in three major streams of thought and practice: the Charismatic, Evangelical/Reformed and Liturgical/Sacramental. An increasing number of local congregations and leaders from many backgrounds are finding "treasures old and new" in the spiritual heritage of the church universal.
The blending or converging of these traditions is seen by those involved as the work of God the Holy Spirit imparting a spiritual operation of grace best captured in the vision of Psalm 46:5,6: "There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the Holy Place where the Most High dwells." Thus, the "city of God" is seen as the Church, the "river" as the action and flow of God's Presence through His Church and the many "streams" as expressions of the one river's life that have developed or broken off from the main river through history, all of which are necessary to enrich and make glad the city with the fullness of God's life, power, purpose and Presence.
These tributaries now seem to be making their way back toward the main stream. Anglican minister David Watson once remarked that, "
This break with Rome (the Reformation), although probably inevitable due to the corruption of the time, unfortunately led to split after split within the Body of Christ, with the result that the mission of the Church is today seriously handicapped by the bewildering plethora of endless denominations ... a torn and divided Christianity is, nevertheless, a scandal for which all Christians need deeply to repent"
(David Watson, I Believe in the Church).
This call to be one undergirds the desire of many in CM to see the streams of the Church come together. Wayne Boosahda and Randy Sly of Hosanna Church of the King, one of the key churches in the Kansas City area reflecting the impact of the movement, have expressed the conviction that, "out of the days of the Reformation, we see God's heart now moving in a kind of 'reverse reformation' or restoration, of His One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church" (catholic, here being used to refer to the wider universal Church of Jesus Christ).
HISTORY OF EMERGENCE AND GROWTH
The convergence movement seems to have strong antecedents in two major areas of spiritual and worship renewal affecting the Church in this century: the contemporary Charismatic worship renewal and the Liturgical Renewal Movement, both Catholic and mainline Protestant. The Charismatic Renewal, began in the early 60's primarily within mainline denominations. Those in the Renewal saw a blending of Charismatic or Pentecostal elements, such as healing, prophecy and spontaneous worship and praise, with the more traditional elements of mainline (and, eventually, Roman Catholic) liturgical and reformed practices.
What some have called the "Third Wave" or "Signs and Wonders Movement" began about 1978 with the emergence of the ministry of John Wimber and the Vineyard Churches that arose through his influence. James Robinson, Jim Hylton, Ray Robinson and other Southern Baptist leaders witnessed a Third Wave explosion in the "Fullness Movement," primarily impacting the SBC. Peter Wagner and others from Fuller Theological Seminary formalized the movement through their writings and acted as a filter and focal point. The Third Wave has been described by some as an epilogue to the Charismatic Renewal, bringing together Charismatic elements of worship, experience and practice with the Evangelical tradition.
The other key influence upon CM has been the Liturgical Renewal Movement, which arose originally out of France in the Roman Catholic Church and the Oxford or Tractarian Movement in the Church of England in the 19th century. The Liturgical Renewal caused a resurgence of interest in recapturing the essence, spirit and shape of ancient Christian worship, as practiced and understood by the early Church of the first eight centuries. Particular focus was given to the apostolic and Ante-Nicene Fathers of the ancient, undivided Church up until about 390 A.D. The discoveries and enrichment of the theology and practice of worship and ministry from that fertile era overflowed into the mainline Protestant churches and began to have major impact upon them, as well, from the 1950's, on.
A common component in the current CM, which came from these earlier movements, is a strong sense of and concern for unity in the whole of Christ's Body, the Church. While not associated with the official Ecumenical Movement of the World Council of Churches, those involved in CM seem broadly gripped by the hunger and desire to learn from traditions of worship and spirituality other than their own and to integrate these discoveries into their own practice and experience in the journey of faith. Indeed, many leaders in the fledgling movement describe their experience as a compelling "journey" or"pilgrimage." Many times, in very unsought-after ways, "sovereign" events, relationships, books or insights gave rise to an understanding of the church that was quite different from their previous perspectives and backgrounds.
One case-in-point is Richard Foster, a Quaker by background, whose personal pilgrimage led him to write the classic Celebration of Discipline, in which he unfolds an integrated practice of spiritual disciplines drawn from five basic traditions of spirituality in the Church through history. As a result of his developing focus, Foster convened a conference called "Renovare", which gathered in Wichita, KS. in 1988. The conference and intended renewal were direct precursors to the"Convergence of Streams" concept.
Basically unheralded or openly recognized until about 1985, many in the movement have discovered others on the "journey" from various church backgrounds who had similar or identical experiences and insights. One by one congregations and leaders have found one another, underlining the sense that God is doing something on a grass roots level similar to an underground river about to break to the surface.
Key contemporary pioneers shaping the awareness and thought of the movement are men like Dr. Robert Webber, author and professor of Theology at Wheaton College; Dr. Robert Stamps, former chaplain of Oral Roberts University; Peter Gillquist, former leader with Campus Crusade for Christ and now an Eastern Orthodox priest and evangelist; Thomas Howard from St. John's Seminary; Thomas Oden, theologian and author from Drew University, Howard Snyder, theologian, author and Christian educator, Stan White, former Assembly of God pastor, now an Episcopalian priest; and others, such as the late David DuPlessis, Pentecostal minister and key instigator of the Charismatic ecumenical dialogue between Roman Catholics and Pentecostals; the then Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey; the United Methodist liturgical Order of St. Luke and Peter Hocken, Roman Catholic theologian.
These individuals range in background from Fundamentalists and Evangelicals to Anglican/Episcopalian and mainline Protestants; and Classical Pentecostals and independent Charismatics to Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox. Although not all those named are involved directly in the CM, all have helped shape and influence the vision and thought and developing practice of those who are.
Robert Webber has written a number of key books on the history and practice of Christian worship, such as Worship Old and New, Worship Is A Verb and Signs of Wonder - The Phenomenon of Convergence in the Modern Liturgical and charismatic Churches, all of which have been highly influential on those involved in the movement. His book, Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail, describing a trend of Evangelical Christians moving toward liturgical churches and the reasons why, was one of the first discoveries for many who are now clearly operating in a convergence perspective.
Greater public awareness of the new movement came through Stan White, a young fourth generation Assembly of God pastor from Valdosta, Georgia, who caused a major stir when he took his entire independent Charismatic congregation into the Episcopal Church. The story was written up in Christianity Today in September of 1990 entitled "Why the Bishops Went to Valdosta" and Charisma Magazine, the major voice for the Charismatic movement, followed in April of 1991 with a similar article on White's remarkable journey toward a church that was fully Charismatic, fully Evangelical, and fully Liturgical and Sacramental.
Peter Giliquist, a former Campus Crusade for Christ leader in the 60's, left the campus movement with a number of other fellow leaders, searching for the real New Testament Church. Giliquist's book, Becoming Orthodox - A journey to The Ancient Christian Faith, chronicled their fascinating journey of over 15 years of seeking, studying, and researching the early church. Their discoveries led them into full reception and inclusion by the Antiochian Orthodox Church. Two thousand Evangelical/Charismatic believers from various backgrounds who made up the membership of the fifteen congregations they had founded were also received into the Antiochian branch of the Orthodox Church.
As news of these events and key materials began to circulate, others on the journey," as many began to identify it, caught wind and took heart that God was indeed at work. Various leaders and participants were, in fact, increasingly relieved to discover they were not the only ones thinking this way or being compelled by this vision. In a quite unexpected way God seemed to be confirming His call and initiation towards a vision of unity in the Body of Christ in conformity with the spirit of Jesus' prayer in John 17 and His statement in John 10:16, "I have many other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one Shepherd". It seemed to be a unity that would not only leap boundaries, but one that would lead to an enlargement and enrichment of the faith, vision, worship and practice of the fullness of Christ in the fullness of His Church.
Two key clusters of local congregations that represent and reflect the vision, values and developing practices of CM are found in the metropolitan Kansas City area, in the heart of the Midwest, and in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Hosanna Church of The King, founded in 1988 in the Kansas City area as an independent, Third wave/Charismatic congregation, was instrumental in stirring interest and building relationship, locally and translocally, based on the convergence of streams awakening. Planted by Wayne and Stephanie Boosahda , the church is now pastored by Randy and Sandy Sly , who have worked together with the Boosahda’s to foster awareness of this fresh-work of God's Spirit. Others in the K.C. area being influenced in the convergence direction represent Episcopal, independent Charismatic, Evangelical holiness and mainline Protestant congregations and leaders. Pastors Ron McCrary of Christ Episcopal and Randall Davey of Overland Park Church of the Nazarene represent two others in the metropolitan area impacted by convergence thought and practice.
In Oklahoma City, pastors Mike and Beth Owen of Church of the Holy Spirit, originally a"Third Wave" Vineyard Christian Fellowship, and Dr. Robert Wise and wife Marguerite of Community Church of the Redeemer have, along with their congregations, made a formative impact on the OKC area, as they have shared their journeys with other congregations and leaders, especially within liturgical and Charismatic circles. They have developed strong ties with those in Kansas City, formalizing the national and transdenominational focus on the movement's essential vision and values. These churches and leaders, together with a number of others across the wider Church of Jesus Christ are convinced they are involved in something of historic significance and promise for the"One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church" of Jesus Christ in our time.
COMMON ELEMENTS OF CONVERGENCE CHURCHES
Those who are being drawn by the Lord into this convergence of streams are characterized by several common elements. While these are not exhaustive or in any order of importance, they seem to form the basis for the focus and direction of the Convergence Movement.
1. A restored commitment to the sacraments, especially The Lord's Table.
Those from the Evangelical and Charismatic streams of the church have not really emphasized the sacramental dimension of the church. In fact, for some churches, Holy Baptism and Holy Communion have been seen more as ordinances than sacraments - commands by the Lord that must be undertaken by the church, but for no other purpose than that of obedience.
From a more sacramental view, these two expressions of church life are seen as holy and sacred unto the Lord, a symbol with true spiritual meaning used as a point of contact between man and God. The Lord's presence and power is released in these acts as the worshiper encounters Him through the elements.
2. An increased appetite to know more about the early church.
For many Christians, a vacuum has existed between the pages of the New Testament and the contemporary church. This has left a disconnected Body with no historic heritage. Like a boat adrift, the church can no longer explain who she is, where she came from, or why she exists. A recent shift in perspective has sent her searching for her roots, in order to find a common connection to the greater whole in God's Kingdom.
Studying the early church has given many an opportunity to see New Testament church principles being applied by those who were discipled by the Twelve, and their subsequent followers. These writings provide a window into an earlier time, explaining how the early church approached faith and practice, how they worshipped, and how they gave leadership to a growing movement. The bloodline of the Body of Christ can be traced through succeeding generations - seeing both the successes and failure in faith.
3. A love and embrace for the whole church, and a desire to see the church as one.
The various expressions of Christianity have remained very distinct for many years through sectarianism and denominational separatism. Convergence churches are looking beyond these artificial barriers to encourage, appreciate, and learn more about the uniquenesses found in the various bodies of faith. Jesus' prayer in John 17 was for the church to become one... one as the Body of Christ, not through compromise of doctrine and dogma, but unity under the person of Jesus Christ - unity among our diversity. This sense of oneness does not require any church to dismiss their unique expression as Christ's Body, but calls them to appreciate and embrace the variety and beauty of the church worldwide and throughout history.
Convergence churches seem to appreciate the investment that the various streams of the Church provide. The call of CM churches is "be one," move together in portraying a people united under Christ to reach a hurting world.
4. The blending in the practices of all three streams is evident, yet each church approaches convergence from different bases of emphasis.
A church does not necessarily have to change its identity when it becomes a part of a convergence movement. Most convergence churches have a dominant base -- one particular expression of' the church that regulates the others. They can still look very Episcopalian, Orthodox, Baptist, Nazarene, independent Charismatic, etc. while expressing additional elements of worship and ministry from other streams.
With each church having a primary base, three different types of convergence churches seem to be most common today: blended churches, inclusion churches, and network churches. Blended churches have maintained their original identity, denominational connection and distinctives theologically. From this base they then are adding elements from the other two streams in their worship and ministry practices. While most common among Liturgical/Sacramental churches, blended churches are found in Evangelical and Charismatic streams as well. Overland Park Church of the Nazarene, in the Kansas City metroplex, is distinctly involved in convergence yet remains strongly identified with its denominational heritage.
Inclusion churches are those that have gone through a metamorphosis in ecoming
involved in the convergence. Primarily from Charismatic or Evangelical backgrounds, these churches have found themselves so closely identifying with another stream of the Church that they have re-aligned themselves and many have even become a part of Liturgical/Sacramental denominations. Church of the King, Valdosta, GA whom we mentioned earlier in the article, is probably the best known inclusion church in recent years.
Networked churches are independent churches who have become a part of the CM and have left their former associations but have chosen to remain independent. Their connections are based on strong relationships with other like-minded churches. Most of those who are networked churches have come out of the Charismatic stream.
5. An interest in integrating more structure with spontaneity in worship.
As God's Spirit continues to move powerfully in the world, new wineskins (or structure) are required to contain the power and potential of His new wine. While most Christian futurists expected these new wineskins to be composed of more open and spontaneous churches with a de-emphasized structure, the spirit of independence present, especially in North American Christians, underlines the impression that this would be like pouring wine into a fish net. God's holy fire is now being kindled in furnaces of faith where structures such as liturgical forms are allowing power to be imparted in churches without the fear of moving into error. Liturgies are being reintroduced into the church in order to bring a balance in worship among all the elements Scripture reveals as necessary for worshipping God in spirit and truth. The word "liturgy" literally means the "work of the people." Through the implementation of liturgical elements, worship becomes the work of the body in praise, repentance, the hearing of the Word, and the celebration of Christ's death and resurrection. Within these forms room can always be found for spontaneous moves of the Spirit. The historic creeds of the church - the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, etc. - are once again giving the Body of Christ the foundational roots of orthodoxy. The Book of Common Prayer and other liturgical resources are also being blended with spontaneous praise and worship in convergence churches. The Lord's table is being celebrated with a greater understanding of the sacredness of the event, and churches are following the Christian year and church calendar more consistently as a means of taking their people on an annual journey of faith. All of these expressions give local fellowships a greater sense of connection with the church worldwide and the church through history.
5. A greater involvement of sign and symbol in worship through banners, crosses, Christian art and clerical vestments.
The contemporary church has begun to reclaim the arts for Christ. In this move, the use of sign and symbol serves as a representative of a greater truth. While banners and pageantry have found a new place in the church, other symbols are showing up as well, as contact points for bringing together two realities: the outward sign or symbol and the inward or spiritual reality. Crosses and candles now adorn processionals in some churches that for years had felt pageantry would be a signature of the death of vital faith. Some pastors are now wearing clerical collars and vestments in various services, worship settings and celebrations of the church. The collar serves as a sign of spiritual reality in being yoked with Christ, identifying with and speaking to the church as a whole, prophetically saying, "Be one!"
6. A continuing commitment to personal salvation, Biblical teaching, and to the
work and ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Some who watch this "new direction" from the Evangelical or Charismatic sidelines are still skeptical. They are concerned that convergence churches are abandoning their heritage, and that the value of Biblical infallibility and personal conversion will be lost or compromised in the pursuit of the liturgical/sacramental side of the church. Often, this concern arises out of negative prior personal experiences with certain expressions of the church or an inaccurate stereotype. Those watching from the liturgical / sacramental side are usually as concerned about their churches embracing more conservative or fundamental expressions of faith and practice. This movement is definitely not the abandonment of a stream but a convergence. The work of God is inclusive not exclusive, bringing forth from each tributary those things which He has authenticated. Such issues as evangelism, missions, and the work of ministry by the power of the Spirit remain intact in this journey. His power continues to be released in marvelous ways in people's lives, bringing about conversion, healing, release from bondages, and life change. The Church's rich and vital Biblical heritage in the power and primacy of the Word has been more completely undergirded as churches give more time in worship to the corporate reading of the Bible. This fulfills Paul's admonition to Timothy to "devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching, and teaching." Ironically, on Sunday mornings more Scripture is usually read in a traditional liturgical service than most Evangelical or Charismatic gatherings.
CONCLUSION
The future of the church will be greatly impacted by the convergence movement. The walls between groups and denominations are already becoming veils which can be torn open, giving those from other branches greater opportunity to experience another’s faith and practice.
As the convergence movement grows, mainline denominations will find their numbers reinforced and their churches refreshed. The huge influx of people, with various levels of contact in these churches, will bring a vitality for the ancient faith that is vibrant and strong. Their intense devotion for ancient forms will be contagious, caught by those who have lost their enthusiasm.
Formal and informal educational tracks in the various streams can become much broader in scope, addressing issues that may be found in other sections of the church, such as sacramental theology and practices, rites of initiation, the work of the Holy Spirit, etc.
The Convergence Movement will also open up greater opportunities for shared facilities and ministry since the architecture and layout of churches will be conducive to the more common worship elements of the different churches. Approaches to ministry will also become more similar, allowing a greater variety of churches to work together for evangelism, discipleship, social action, and Body life.
The final verses of the Old Testament close with a promise that the spirit of Elijah will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers. While these verses have been used in recent days to characterize the need to return to family values, the hope also exists that a new spirit in the church will turn the hearts of this generation of believers back toward the apostolic fathers and others who formed and fashioned vital faith in the centuries following Christ's ascension. They had envisioned and worked for a Christianity that was orthodox and durable, generation upon generation, operating in strict adherence to the revelation of Christ for His church. The church of the twentieth century is now eagerly looking back to these fathers of faith and discovering new life in the forms and structures God built in their midst.
History and Growth of the CEEC
Archbishop Robert L. Wise, Ph.D.
Province of St. Joseph of Aramathea.
Province of St. Joseph of Aramathea.
This short history of the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches focuses on our initial history and growth. It is provided so that you, the reader, may relate clearly and properly to our roots in God's purposes as a part of His One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
The Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches (referred to as the CEEC) was birthed as a result of a more general work of the Holy Spirit among the Christian churches which has become known as the "Convergence Movement", and sometimes referred to as the "Convergence of the Streams" renewal. This is the spiritual vision, rooted in the New Testament revelation and the experience of the early Christians, that saw the Church as one Body with many diverse and contributing parts. Or, to put it another way: one river with many streams. In the 1940's, the well-known mission pioneer of the union Church of South India, Bishop Leslie Newbigin, wrote a seminal work called "The Household Of God", examining the spiritual and functional nature of the Lord's one Church from a missions perspective. His prophetic observation at one point in the book was that the revelation of Scripture in Ephesians 4 is that there is one Body, one Faith, one Lord, one Spirit, one Baptism, one hope of our calling, one God and Father of us all. However, through history this one Body of Christ has been fragmented into separated and often competing groups, camps, or streams, all having been originally a part of the one river of God's saving grace poured out into the world through the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Newbigin goes on to make a startling statement for his time; that is, that the one Church of Jesus Christ, which has been so fractured by human sin and political/cultural circumstance through history, is by its nature threefold in the spiritual essence of its historical and existential makeup. This threefold nature he describes as being Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox/Pentecostal or Charismatic. In describing this threefold reality, he goes on to remark that these three streams represent emphases that are all necessary for the wholeness and fullness of the Church on earth as God has decreed it in Christ and revealed it in the apostolic tradition of Holy Scripture. The Catholic he relates to the emphases of "incarnation and creation"; the Protestant to "biblical proclamation and conversion"; and the Orthodox/Pentecostal to "the mystical and the Spirit".
At this point in the 20th century, Bishop Newbigin was a lone voice crying out for a holistic understanding of the nature of the Church of Jesus Christ that was born out of an apostolic missionary activity in the nation of India. This vision eventually led to the formation of the Church of South India, made up of 5 different denominations, receiving apostolic succession through the Anglican tradition from Anglican bishops in India. In turn, this united expression of the Lord's one Church, made up of those from differing streams, was recognized by the Anglican Communion and brought into inter-communion with them.
Not until the 1970's did this vision begin to gain a wider hearing. It was through the fruits of the ecumenical movement, the charismatic renewal of the mainline Churches, and the Liturgical Renewal movement that was trans-denominational in its scope (and included the historic Vatican II Council of the Roman Catholic Church) that this understanding of the Church as one river made up of many streams, all necessary for the fullness of the river and the gladness of God's people, began to gain impetus. Dr. Robert Webber, professor of Theology and Bible at Wheaton College in Illinois, began to publicly give voice to this concept in his efforts at ecumenical and evangelical renewal of the unity and fullness of the Church, tied to its ancient roots. His 1978 book, "Common Roots", looked at foundational elements of the Church's life, worship, witness, and spirituality that had roots in the second century experience of Christianity. In this work, he urged leaders across the evangelical spectrum of the Church to take serious notice of the models presented in the second century Church for renewal of these aspects of the Church's life today.
This was followed in the 1980's by his landmark book, "Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail: Why Evangelical Christians Are Attracted to the Liturgical Church". He chronicled his own personal spiritual journey from a fundamentalist evangelical background into the Anglican tradition and the six reasons for this attraction. In the epilogue to this work he quotes his pastor at that time who stated that he believed the future of the Church of Jesus Christ might very well lie in the "convergence of the catholic and evangelical" streams or traditions of the Church. Many pastors since have identified and resonated with this vision. Soon thereafter, it was realized that the one stream or tradition missing was the Charismatic/Pentecostal; not realizing that Bishop Newbigin had made the same prophetic observation some 40 years earlier.
GRASSROOTS JOURNEYS TOWARD FULLNESS AND CONVERGENCE
It was soon apparent that many of our early church leaders in the Convergence Movement were independently discovering Robert Webber's books on this topic, unbeknownst to each other reading and discovering the same vision. Other authors began to share their experiences and searching in this direction, pointing everyone back to the writings of the early Church Fathers, the key leaders and theologians of the early Church's life. Pastors and leaders from a variety of backgrounds began to discover one another in a multitude of settings where they were able to share with each other the common search and journey they were on. All alike were expressing not only common elements of emerging understanding about this "convergence of the streams" of Christianity, but were also hungry to experience this as a lived reality.
Soon, a common body of Scripture passages began to come to the fore among these leaders, giving scriptural language and confirmation to these discoveries and common hungers. Passages such as Matthew 13:52, Jeremiah 6:16, Malachi 4:5,6, and Job 8:8-10, in addition to our Lord's prayer for the unity of His people in John 17, were key prophetic indicators that God was indeed speaking to many at a grassroots level about His desire to restore the fullness of the river by bringing the separated streams or strands back together (Psalm 46:4,5). By a movement of God, these church leaders began to network and seek together.
FORMATION OF THE CEEC
Two major events occurred that initiated the formation of the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches.
First, in late 1989 conversations between Michael Owen, Wayne Boosahda, and Robert Wise began to develop concerning the need to go beyond the Charismatic renewal and incorporate aspects of the historic church into worship. For a number of years Robert Wise had worked in liturgical renewal when he served as the Moderator of the Reformed Church in America. Both Beth Owen and Stephanie Boosahda served as integral parts were parts of these formal discussions. To our knowledge Wayne Boosahda was the first person to use the term convergence and that began a concentrated effort to blend charismatic experience, biblical renewal, liturgical renewal, and sacramental worship.
Out of this segment of spiritual questing came a conference held in Oklahoma City, Ok. in the summer of 1993 called "Treasures Old and New: The Convergence of the Streams of Christianity", sponsored by the newly formed and nascent Fellowship of St. Barnabas the Encourager which was overseen by then Fr. Wayne Boosahda. The fellowship was an ecumenical group of pastors and leaders having found themselves on this common "journey" or "pilgrimage" and wanting to come together to share their discoveries, experiences, and ideas. About 75 leaders gathered that summer at the Church of the Holy Spirit, pastored by then Fr. Michael Owen and Rev. Beth Owen, who had also formerly been Vineyard pastors. Present at that small but historic event were the founders of the newly formed Charismatic Episcopal Church, Fr. Peter Gillquist of the Antiochian Orthodox Church (formerly an evangelist with Campus Crusade for Christ), Professor Thomas Howard (author of "Evangelical Is Not Enough" and other books on his own journey toward catholicity from a fundamentalist evangelical background), The Rev. Bob Stamps (former chaplain of Oral Roberts University and pioneer of this concept on the ORU campus in the early 70's), Dr. Thomas Oden (professor of patristics at Drew University school of divinity and a United Methodist), and Dr. Robert Webber himself. In addition to this many leaders who would ultimately pioneer convergence works and movements representing many portions of the church also participated in the conference.
Secondly, early 1994 a handful of members from a charismatic renewal parish in the Episcopal Church USA (John Reed being the first president of the corporation), together with their rector, began to conceptualize a vision identical to the one being discussed and considered in the '93 conference. Prayerful efforts began to be put on paper, as well as strategic organization concerning the foundation and vision of a new communion of churches that would be tied to the historic Anglican spiritual tradition that would allow for the coming together of churches and leaders from all backgrounds who had a hunger toward experiencing and practicing this apostolic and prophetic vision of the convergence of the streams of the Church. Simultaneously Dr. Russ McClanahan was overseeing a network of ministries that had been growing in it's understanding of convergence and a number of leaders from this network would ultimately became bishops and archbishops in the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches. During this time Dr. McClanahan and the network he oversaw linked arms with this group of renewal leaders. Dr. Russ McClanahan was, therefore, unanimously elected by the founding leadership of the Evangelical Episcopal Church to be it's first Bishop in historic Apostolic Succession.
Through a series of divinely orchestrated events, then Bishop Michael Owen was contacted and asked if he would be open to participating in the inaugural service and serving as the chief consecrator for the first two bishops of the newly formed Evangelical Episcopal Church.
And so it was, that in October of 1995, in Fredericksburg, Virginia, approximately 300 people gathered, representing a wide variety of denominational backgrounds and 25 independent congregations who had come into relationship with the new group. Bishop Owen, and two other bishops in apostolic succession from Orthodox and Old Catholic jurisdictions passed on the historic apostolic succession to the newly formed group. Archdeacon Beth Owen and Fr. Wayne Boosahda were present to help as Master of Ceremonies and Chaplain in the consecrating of the first two bishops and the ordination of 25 pastors and 7 deacons for the Evangelical Episcopal Church. The first two bishops consecrated included one of our current Archbishops, the Most Reverend Russell McClanahan of the CEEC Province of St. Peter, who was one of the initial leaders brought into the formation process of the fledgling EEC and The Right Reverend Vincent McCall. Initially, five congregations fully affiliated with the new communion. All involved sensed a connection that had been looked for in each individual journey; many having been trained and ordained in differing branches of the Continuing Anglican Churches.
In November of 1995, Bishop Owen was asked unanimously by the founding leadership and new bishops of the Evangelical Episcopal Church to serve as the first Presiding Bishop of the new communion. As Bishop Owen accepted the call, those clergy and churches under his oversight joined with the infant communion and began its movement forward. Two small ads had been placed in Christianity Today magazine, one in 1994 and one in mid 1995, which brought in an overwhelming response of interest across the U.S. from leaders of differing backgrounds showing interest in the vision of the convergence of the streams in this new communion. The total number of responses neared 1600 and literally inundated the new and unprepared communion. As growth began to take place through pastors and congregations affiliating, international interest began to emerge, and by the fall of 1996 interest from 5 other nations besides the USA was being seriously expressed. New missionary bishops were consecrated and new missionary dioceses here and abroad began to be strategized.
DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH SINCE 1997
Through the fall of 1996 and into January of 1997 international interest and expansion continued to develop. The House of Bishops of the EEC, 5 as of January 1st, 1997, began to realize the Lord was moving in a way not completely prepared for in the founding documents of the communion and met in synod at the end of January 1997. By this time, one of our current Archbishops, Robert L. Wise, had been consecrated as a new missionary bishop with a focus on the United Kingdom, Europe and Canada. Five of the six bishops making up the House at this time voted to reconstitute and reincorporate the Evangelical Episcopal Church as "The Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches" to reflect the international growth and the needs for eventual provincial structuring. Six nations were now represented in affiliation and strong interest was being shown by others.
Archbishop Wayne Boosahda was elected at this point to serve as the second Presiding Bishop for the worldwide CEEC and served for 6 years, helping to facilitate and establish the provincial structure of the communion, the development of the international canons and the founding of the CEEC Province of the USA .
Archbishop Robert Wise's ministry expanded into Eastern Europe and also includes congregations & ministries in the Philippines, Canada, U.S.A., England, Austria, Italy, and Holland. In addition, Archbishop Wise leads one of the five provinces of the Communion, the Province of St. Joseph of Aeamathea, and serves as the Ecumenical Officer for the CEEC Council of Archbishops. He has been invited to participate in key ecumenical meetings in Rome, Assisi, and Bari with prominent Roman Catholic ecclesiastical & lay leadership of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement and the Catholic Fraternity of Covenanted Communities Worldwide. During the mid-1980's, Dr. Robert Wise worked behind the Iron Curtain in Hungary and Romania which laid the ground work for his early work for the CEEC in these countries. During this time, he became acquainted with many important Christian leaders who led the fight against Communism and struggled to regain freedom and the right for public worship to be released from state control. Through his Province of St. Joseph of Aramathea he ministers Pastoral & Patriarchal oversight to the European Diocese of St. Columba which serves several works and ministries in Europe. He also provides oversight to The Ark Community, an ecumenical emerging church Community under the leadership of Canon Tony Palmer. Canon Palmer also serves the ecumenical department of the CEEC. Archbishop Wise holds retreats each year in Europe on the Isle of Capri and in England. In England a new ministry, Street Ministers, has begun through Fr. George Booty in Milton Keynes. Fr. Booty oversees a chaplaincy to the "poorest of the poor" through the interdenominational Street Ministers Ministry. They provide night time street ministry, care of the vulnerable and the homeless, and diverse ministries of mercy to all in need.. The CEEC is serving the "least of these", on the streets of this city.
In July of 2003 Archbishop McClanahan was unanimously elected as the third Presiding Bishop for the CEEC around the world by the CEEC International College of Archbishops. Archbishop Russell McClanahan served through 2006 in this capacity contributing many new initiatives that have led to significant International growth of the CEEC. Archbishop McClanahan has seen the hand of God give substantial new expansion and growth to the Province of St. Peter around the world since 2003. Including churches and ministries in the United States, Australia, the West Indies, Haiti, Mexico. Guyana, portions of Africa, Pakistan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Korea, Japan, China and Brazil. The churches and ministries represented number in the Province of St. Peter are well over 2,000 churches worldwide including The Archdiocese of Brazil under the leadership of The Most Reverend (Dr) Ricardo Lorite de Lima. The Province of St. Peter now has 16 Bishops and 14 Diocese. In addition, through long time friendships and educational connections, he has helped to facilitate the Logos Christian College and Graduate School as an official educational institution for the CEEC with President and now CEEC Bishop Dr. Charles Travis.
The Rev. Duraisingh James, a priest and church planter with the Church of South India for 17 years at that time and long-time head of Christian Education for the Church Union of South India, traveled to meet with the USA founding House of Bishops and indicated his desire to affiliate with the CEEC, together with the 30 churches under his oversight. Shortly thereafter, Fr. Duraisingh was consecrated as Missionary Bishop for India , and later as Archbishop for the CEEC Province of India. His ministry and the number of churches in India have continued to flourish. In 1999 Archbishop James was awarded the Billy Graham Foundation international scholarship grant to finish his doctorate in theology at one of the prestigious universities in South Korea . Since that time he has founded a new seminary in India with a flourishing number of students eager to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout India . Since 1999 six new bishops have been consecrated or received into the Province of India with now six flourishing dioceses numbering 1,000 congregations and missions and the flourishing seminary founded by Archbishop James called "Antioch College and Seminary". In addition, in 2004 Archbishop James was trained and certified as the national coordinator for the Alpha Course in India , which is spreading across that nation. In the April 2008 the CEEC International House of Bishops synod was held in Canada , Archbishop James was unanimously elected as the fourth Presiding Bishop of the CEEC following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Archbishop Russell McClanahan. This new step strengthens the international apostolic thrust of the CEEC in proclaiming Christ and His redeeming love and kingdom to the nations and peoples of the world.
Archbishop Wayne Boosahda now serves as the Primate Emeritus of the Communion of Convergence Churches USA and founding Archbishop of the Archdiocese of the Incarnation with 11 bishops and 8 dioceses/missionary dioceses in its jurisdictional family based in the USA , with apostolic missions in India , Africa, Spain and the Middle East .
The Communion of Convergence Churches USA is a sister communion of the CEEC in the geographic USA formed by the merger in 2005 of the previous CEEC Province USA overseen by Archbishop Boosahda and the International Communion of Christian Churches, a convergence communion of churches founded by Archbishop Daniel Williams of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Since that initial merger, the CCC-USA was commissioned and blessed by the CEEC Archbishops in a public commissioning event with the celebration of the Eucharist and the laying on of hands in the fall of 2006 to be sent out as a sister communion in its own right tied closely with the CEEC in an ongoing co-communion relationship. The CEEC in its unfolding history has, by the sovereign and gracious working of Almighty God, been able to give encouragement and support to a number of other Communions of Churches involved in the convergence renewal journey through extending Apostolic Succession of Bishops, advice and consultation and signed inter-communion or co-communion relationships. Archbishop Boosahda serves in both communion’s House of Bishops and has founded the Society of St. Patrick and St. Aidan as an apostolic missionary society personal prelature jurisdiction which functions ecumenically in fostering new church planting, leadership training and mentoring, and the development of new jurisdictions. The Society is a jurisdiction of the CEEC but functions ecumenically.
Archbishop Michael Owen, the first Presiding Bishop of the CEEC, and the one who laid many of the essential foundations for its growth, now serves as the Chaplain to the International College of Archbishops, while overseeing the development of new congregations in various parts of the communion. He also continues to serve as a bridge and networking figure for many other bishops and jurisdictions involved in both convergence renewal and in the autocephalous Anglican, Old Catholic, Eastern and Independent Catholic movements.
The International House of Bishops of the CEEC has been extended to include multiple Bishops with International ministries around the world. The CEEC Archbishops/Patriarch's Council now numbers 5, together with 36 diocesan and missionary bishops, representing 4 provincial families, missionary districts and new archdioceses that circle the globe. The history of the CEEC is one of attempting to follow the leading and footsteps of the Lord and Savior of the Church into every culture, through divinely appointed relationships, connections and opportunities, as He continually unfolds to us the eternal purpose of His heart to reconcile and redeem His creation and to make His people one again.
CEEC - Rivers of Living Water
Peace of heart that is won by refusing to bear the common yoke of human sympathy is a peace unworthy of a Christian. To seek tranquility by stopping our ears to the cries of human pain is to make ourselves not Christian but a kind of degenerate stoic having no relation either to stoicism or Christianity.
- A. W. Tozer -
The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.
- G. K. Chesterson -
Christianity has been buried inside the walls of churches and secured with the shackles of dogmatism. Let it be liberated to come into the midst of us and teach us freedom, equality and love.
- Minna Canth -
I have one life and one chance to make it count for something . . . I'm free to choose what that something is, and the something I've chosen is my faith. Now, my faith goes beyond theology and religion and requires considerable work and effort. My faith demands -- this is not optional -- my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.
- Jimmy Carter -
We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way. - Viktor Frankl -
A religious man is a person who holds God and man in one thought at one time, at all times, who suffers harm done to others, whose greatest passion is compassion, whose greatest strength is love and defiance of despair. -Abraham Joshua Heschel -
A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.
- Albert Einstein -
When you begin to touch your heart or let your heart be touched, you begin to discover that it's bottomless, that it doesn't have any resolution, that this heart is huge, vast, and limitless. You begin to discover how much warmth and gentleness is there, as well as how much space. - Pema Chodron -
A Religionless Christianity
Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Letters and Papers from Prison
“Our church, which has been fighting in these years only for its self-preservation, as though that were an end in itself, is incapable of taking the word of reconciliation and redemption to mankind and the world. Our earlier words are therefore bound to lose their force and cease, and our being Christians today will be limited to two things; prayer and righteous action among men. All Christian thinking, speaking, and organizing must be born anew out of this prayer and action…It is not for us to prophesy the day (although the day will come) when men will once more be called so to utter the word of God that the world will be changed and renewed by it. It will be a new language, perhaps quite non-religious, but liberating and redeeming – as was Jesus’ language; it will shock people and yet overcome them by its power; it will be the language of a new righteousness and truth, proclaiming God’s peace with men and the coming of his kingdom…Till then the Christian cause will be a silent and hidden affair, but there will be those who pray and do right and wait for God’s own time.”
"In the true, original, catholic, evangelical religion of Jesus Christ, and in this alone, all the divided religions of Christendom find their union, their repose, their support. Find out His mind, His character, His will; and in His greatness we shall rise above our littleness; in His strength we shall lose our weakness; in His peace we shall forget our discord." - Dean Arthur Penrhyn Stanley -
