Update from 2025 DHT Synod
On June 20, dozens of clergy and lay delegates from throughout the diocese gathered for the XLIXth (49th) annual Synod of the Diocese of the Holy Trinity. As in recent year, the Synod was held at St. Matthew’s Church in Newport Beach. It was preceded with a June 19 dinner for clergy and spouses.
While many of the agenda items were familiar, unique this year's Synod was a vote to endorse the planned merger of the Anglican Catholic Church with the Anglican Church in American.
However, the main emphasis of the day was the diocese’s ongoing commitment to Bp. Stephen Scarlett’s Remnant Mission vision.
Sermon: Becoming a Missionary Diocese
The day begin with the celebration of a Mass for Missions. At the Mass, Bp. Scarlett delivered a sermon emphasizing the importance of the diocese orienting itself towards being missionaries to our mission field.
He called the diocese and its members to become a missionary diocese, and articulated some of the changes in orientation and actions necessary to achieve this goal.
To fulfill our mission vocation we must have a heart for the lost and wounded who are not now a part of our communities. Our focus must not be merely on church growth. We must have real love for people. It is not the job of the lost sheep to help the church maintain itself. It is the vocation of the church to offer the lost sheep a safe and healing home.
A reorientation towards mission requires a new attitude that takes an interest in people as people, not just as potential members. Churches focused on self-preservation tell seekers and visitors about what the church believes and does. Missionary churches ask seekers and visitors about what is going on in their lives: “How can we pray for you and serve you?”
The complete sermon can be found online.
Spiritual Formation
After lunch, Bp. Scarlett kicked off the annual business meeting. He shared an update on the spiritual formation efforts the DHT has been pursuing for the past decade.
A central pillar is the Pastoral Ministry program, begun in fall 2015.
The Pastoral Ministry program will graduate 25 members in July into the Order of the Holy Trinity, swelling the OHT’s membership to more than 100.
This fall, the DHT will enroll a new cohort of members into the three-year PM program, with classes both online and in person, with participation from California, Colorado, and elsewhere in the U.S.
Together the two programs have members from all three G-3 jurisdictions, the APCK, the ACNA and the Anglican Church of Canada.
Because the diocese needs more ordained and lay spiritual directors, the existing spiritual director training program will add new students in the fall.
In presenting the report of the Commission on Ministry, Bp. Scarlett also highlighted the progress of men in the discernment process. Two men from St. Matthew’s are completing their canonical exams for possible ordination to the diaconate this fall. Two others — one each from St. Matt’s and the Colorado Mission Community — have become aspirants towards future diaconal ordination.
Planting Domestic Missions
In addition to reports from other committees, the attendees heard the first-ever report from its Domestic Missions Committee. During its first year of existence, it worked with Bp. Scarlett to define its major activities
Advise and assist mission communities to grow into self-supporting parishes;
Identify and advise faithful remnants that have the potential to become mission communities; and
Help identify and develop missionary priests to lead these missions and mission communities.
In its first actions towards the final point, the DHT posted an advertisement for a Missionary Priest to join the diocese and lead the Colorado Mission Community.
Conclusion
After the completion of the business meeting, the attendees adjourned to observe Evening Prayer and a fellowship dinner.