Remnant Mission
Remnant Mission is an approach for Anglican parish renewal developed by Bp. Stephen Scarlett and the Diocese of the Holy Trinity over the last decade. It is built around a personal life of prayer, forming a parish Remnant, ongoing spiritual direction, and reaching out to others through an intentional process of Biblical hospitality.
This approach builds upon Martin Thornton’s concept of the Remnant, as articulated in his classic Pastoral Theology: A Reorientation. It particularly borrows from Thorton’s concepts of a Rule of life maintained by a faithful Remnant that provides spiritual energy both for the congregation and the surrounding community (i.e. the English “parish”).
However, Remnant Mission updates Thornton’s model from the 1950s English village to 21st century America in two important ways. First, it is informed by and builds upon a specific approach to spiritual formation and direction implemented in the DHT during the past decade, including personalized spiritual direction and a three-year program of spiritual formation.
Second, society’s default attitude towards church has changed dramatically in the past 70 years. As Bp. Scarlett wrote in 2016:
Our mission field no longer consists of people who are trying to determine where they will “go to church.” We will have to show how faith impacts all of life. If faith doesn’t touch everything it isn’t worthy of a full commitment, and it won’t get the average person away from football, shopping, youth sports, or more sleep on Sunday.
The Four Pillars of Remnant Mission
At the 2024 Remnant Mission retreat, Bp. Scarlett articulated how the Remnant Mission vision builds on four core ideas:
Praying for Mission
Forming the Remnant
Spiritual Direction as a Framework for Ministry
Hospitality as the Central Mode of Mission
The retreat web page includes abridged versions of his keynote talks on these four topics, as well as the discussion questions used for small group breakout sessions at the retreat.
Pastoral Ministry Program
A central part of the DHT’s Remnant Formation approach is a series of three one-year adult education courses on pastoral ministry and spiritual discipline, known respectively as PM 101, PM 201 and PM 301. Every fall, committed members of parishes inside (or outside) the diocese are invited to join the next class of PM 101 students. These Pastoral Ministry courses meet twice a month the first year, and monthly for the two remaining years. In any given year, there are usually multiple in person or online sections for each of these three courses.
After completing the three-year PM program, graduates are installed into the Order of the Holy Trinity, and join an OHT chapter. Each chapter meets monthly, either in-person or virtually. Current OHT members are from not only parishes within the Diocese of the Holy Trinity, but also six other Anglican dioceses outside the DHT.
The course materials and delivery of the online sections is facilitated by the Remnant Formation website. For several years we have worked with clergy and laity from other Anglican dioceses to evaluate the PM program by enrolling in a virtual section of PM 101, and then adapt materials for use in their own context. To discuss possible options, please contact Lisa Marion, Remnant Mission Coordinator, at lisa@thedht.org.
OTHER RESOURCES
Below are additional resources related to the Remnant Mission approach:
Video of Bp. Scarlett’s Nov. 2024 Remnant Mission webinar hosted by Continuing Forward
The October 2022 Sacramentalist interview of Bp. Scarlett and Fr. Hayden Butler entitled“Sacramentalists go Missional”
Our web page summarizing the September 2022 Mission retreat, as well as a blog summary at Continuing Forward
Bp. Scarlett’s July 2022 white paper “A Primer on the Remnant”
Also listed are other DHT resources related to evangelism and mission:
Video of Bp. Scarlett’s October 2023 Anglican Joint Synod speech “Creating Evangelism Today,” as well as the DHT’s efforts to promote mission and evangelism at the 2023 AJS.
Bp. Scarlett’s January 2020 Anglican Joint Synod speech on mission
His 2016 white paper “The Idea of a Mission Community”
The DHT Litany for Church and Evangelism
Want to join our virtual community?
To join the Remnant Mission virtual community, a person must commit to a weekly practice of praying and fasting for the mission of the church as part of a larger commitment to live a life of prayer by the Rule and the Book of Common Prayer. This commitment to the life of prayer and prayer for mission should be embraced in community with others as part of a local mission effort.
To apply to join this community, please fill out the signup form below. For more information or any questions, please contact our Remnant Mission Coordinator, Lisa Marion, at lisa@thedht.org.