Diocesan News

Upper Midwest News.

Hear how the Lord is on the move in the Upper Midwest.

Meet Our New Diocesan Chancellor

Brothers and sisters, I’d like to introduce you to Steve Olson, our new diocesan Chancellor. (Read more about our Standing Committee and their roles.) Steve, his wife Julie, and their two children (Evan, 21 and Jen, 18) have been part of Christ Church Madison since her pre-launch days at

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Meet a Member of Our Standing Committee: Alyssa Tennison

Brothers and Sisters, I’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Tennison, who serves as one of three laity on our Diocese’s Standing Committee. Alyssa and her husband, Justin, have faithfully served at Church of the Cross for over 16 years. She’s a woman of great faith, discernment, and

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Advent Day of Prayer & Fasting

Dear Upper Midwest Family, This Advent season, I am more aware than ever of the tension we live in between the darkness of our world and the hope of Christ’s return. While the enemy delights in forces of war and chaos around the globe, the

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Soccer Camp Sparks Kingdom Partnership

Neighborhood mission & Latino ministry at City of Light (Aurora, IL) By Bonnie McMaken If you were taking an evening walk in my diverse (mostly Latino) neighborhood in middle of August, you’d pass a park full of 80-100 kids, parents, and volunteers ministering the love of Jesus: most playing soccer,

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The Ministry of Beauty: Interview with Abigail Ebengsberger

Interview by Bonnie McMaken, Editor of Leaders’ Latest Hi Abigail! So you’re leading worship arts at Immanuel; that includes music, drama, liturgy, and visuals. Tell us about your creative background. I grew up in a musical family in Nashville–both of my parents are worship leaders

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Summer Ministry Adventures

Barn dances, mission trips, bird watching, picnics, & more creative ministry By Bonnie McMaken Summer may have been a slower pace for most churches, but it was also a great time for creative and fruitful ministry. Enjoy these snapshots from around the Diocese: Barn Dance

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Gospel unity and fun on Ascension Sunday

Humility and ease mark three churches’ collaborative planning By Bonnie McMaken The Feast of Ascension celebrates Jesus’ reign as our King of heaven and earth. And for three churches in Chicagoland—Immanuel Anglican, Trinity Anglican, and Cornerstone Portage Park—Ascension Sunday took on a unique significance as they enjoyed

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Meet Father Blair and Elizabeth Carlson

Brothers and Sisters, I’d like to introduce you to Father Blair Carlson and his wife, Elizabeth, who have spent many years encouraging and equipping evangelists around the globe. They’ve served in international Anglican churches in England, France, Ukraine, and more recently in Tunisia. Now they’re

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Holy Week ReCap

Leaders Share Stories and Highlights By Bonnie McMaken, editor Hope and renewed energy around the beauty of Jesus and his good news filled Holy Week 2023 throughout the Diocese of the Upper Midwest. Many diocesan churches tried something new this year or gratefully resumed beloved

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Building up the Next Generation

In February, Church of the Cross (MN) and Bishop Stewart confirmed 11 youth. Let’s take a closer look at a meaningful and creative formation process. By Bonnie McMaken It’s a Wednesday night in Church of the Cross’ “great hall.” A group of teenagers pause from

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Summer Fun with St. Michael’s Anglican

This summer’s Family Fun Nights at St. Michael’s Anglican Church was the culmination of years of dreaming. A few years ago, the church purchased six acres down the road from their church building in historic, downtown Delafield, WI. The COVID-19 pandemic hit, scuttling their plans

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Bishop’s Council Transition of Leadership

Dear Diocese of the Upper Midwest,  On April 30, Rev. Alex Cameron was elected as the next Bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Pending the consent of the Anglican Church in North America’s College of Bishops in June, Bishop-Elect Alex will be consecrated on Saturday, August

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Epiphany in the Fox Cities: Church of the Incarnation

Planting is best when God sends your launch team. A newborn congregation in the Fox Cities of Wisconsin, Church of the Incarnation hosted its first weekly service on Epiphany Sunday, January 9. Epiphany is a timely launch season for a church whose core team was

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As 2021 Draws to a Close…

Dear Upper Midwest Diocese,  As 2021 draws to a close, I am thankful for this year’s highlights from the Upper Midwest and our diocesan work. While we continue to wait on the provincial investigation, I praise God for these glimpses of grace, including: Six individuals

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Prayer, Revival, and a Restored Norwegian Barn

Shared Worship Bonds Three Wisconsin Churches as They Prepare for Harvest About a month ago in rural Christiana, Wisconsin two churches gathered for a joint All Saints service in a classic Norwegian-built barn. Christ Church Madison and Immanuel Whitewater share a bond of prayer and

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A Building for $1

Restoration at Restoration Anglican Fr. Rick and Molly Jo Stawarz planted Restoration Anglican in Minneapolis in 2017 as a daughter of Church of the Cross. After three-plus years as a nomadic church meeting indoors and out, God gave them a staggering gift. Early this year Restoration

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Q&A with Acting Bishop John Miller

Want to know more about what it means to have an Acting Bishop? Diocesan Assistant Alison Freeman Matta sat down for a chat with Bishop John to get to know him and better understand his partnership with the Upper Midwest. Q: Where do you call

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Celebrate GAFCON Sunday, June 27

On Sunday, June 27, we are celebrating GAFCON Sunday, 13 years of faithful Gospel ministry since the first Global Anglican Future Conference was held in Jerusalem. We invite you to celebrate GAFCON Sunday with your congregations by praising God for his faithfulness to our Anglican

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Lent Together

This Lent I believe the Lord is calling us from a refuge to readiness, for a great harvest. In my sermon this Sunday, I gave a message on doing “Lent Together” for our whole diocese. It’s based on Jesus’ call, “Follow me, and I will

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Bishop Stewart: The ACNA Sexuality and Identity Statement

Twelve months ago, Archbishop Foley Beach asked me to chair a taskforce to develop a pastoral statement on same sex attraction and identity, with a focus on the theological language that might be employed within our provincial ministries regarding this attraction.   The spiritual and

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A Call to Prayer for Kenosha

Dear Church of the Resurrection and Upper Midwest Family: Our hearts are grieving as we lament another shooting in an American city. On Sunday, August 23rd, a Kenosha, Wisconsin police officer shot Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, seven times. Many details about this shooting

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Update on Bp. Stewart’s Health

On November 5, Bp. Stewart and Fr. Matt traveled to Jos, Nigeria to preach and lead revival services with Archbishop Ben Kwashi and our other ministry partners there. After a week of incredible ministry, and following a 6-hour revival and confirmation service, Bp. Stewart experienced dehydration and

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Missives from Israel and GAFCON

From Bishop Stewart: “I am more convinced than ever that GAFCON is a true Anglican Revival movement.  It was a special joy to see Archbishops praying together with twenty-something leaders in small group time, to spend time with so many Africans who lived the East African

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Pastoral Letter: Caring for the Refugee and Immigrant

Click here to view this letter in Spanish. Dear brothers and sisters of the Diocese of the Upper Midwest, For over two decades, Church of the Resurrection has had a special outreach focus—our commitment to love and serve refugees. I still vividly remember driving my

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Diocesan Sabbatical Letter from Bishop Stewart

Dear Clergy and the People of God of the Upper Midwest, Greetings in the name of the Risen Lord! I am writing to you after just having returned from visiting the Minnesota Deanery this past weekend where two youth were confirmed and Pete Berg was

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A Holy Week Letter from Bp. Stewart Ruch III

“Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”—Mt. 13.52 Dear clergy, catechists, evangelists, and people of God of the Upper Midwest,

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