The Diocese of Western Newfoundland Labrador Straits is in the midst of an exciting discipleship campaign. Following a two year diocesan commission, studying every congregation and community in our diocese, we found that we have lots of Anglicans, but too few who are fully involved, we developed a strategic plan of discipleship. The aim is to reach every Anglican of our diocese, and to encourage active belonging to the Body of Christ, the Church, and a deepening of our following of Jesus.
The Discipleship Campaign is being conducted from 2022 to 2026. A peak highlight of our campaign has been the recent visit of The Most Reverend Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, who led a weekend of discipleship training for our diocese. This was followed immediately by our diocesan synod, and nearly a whole day of discipleship training led by The Right Rev’d Mariann Budde, Bishop of the Diocese of Washington D.C.
The spiritual energy and excitement brought by these two enthusiastic disciples have been enormously uplifting and encouraging to all who gathered at the Civic Centre and our Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Corner Brook.
In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus made it perfectly clear that his followers are to Be Disciples and to Make Disciples.
We are called to be students of Jesus, helping others to be students of Jesus, and learning how to be like him at home, at work, in the Church, in the community, and in the world. Why? Because in the person of Jesus are the highest and best qualities of being human. Moreover, in Jesus we find God and discover how deeply and wonderfully God loves each one of us. Shaped and transformed by God’s love we also grow in love—for God, for self, for others, and for creation. Imagine more love at home, at work, in the Church, in the community, and in the world! Imagine more love between Russians and Ukrainians, and more love between Israelis and Palestinians!
The aim of Jesus is to bring compassion to our world and to give each person abundant life. He does not want us to be religious fantastics or joyless people. Jesus wants our best, which means we are to be loving human beings, joyfully alive, making the world a better place. Jesus also wants us to know that in him life does not time out. He has restored life in all its fullness and that includes life beyond this life.
When we truly catch hold of who Jesus is and what Jesus is about, we realize in him there is everything we seek and need.
