Bishop Thad Barnum knows this history well, and he can connect it to his own journey. He met his wife Erilynne over 25 years ago through their work with St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Darien, Connecticut, a congregation known around the world for its Rector, the Rev. Terry Fullam, and the work that God was doing in their midst. Thad attended nearby Yale Divinity School and ministered in the region. His family tree includes the noted showman P.T. of Bridgeport, who once quipped that 'more persons, on the whole, are humbugged by believing in nothing than by believing in too much'. Bishop Barnum might be seen to be in agreement with his famous ancestor as he is now back home, working to plant a new congregation in Connecticut and establish a missionary network in the North East associated with the Anglican Mission in America.

"There is a powerful culture in this part of the country-one of distrust, busy-ness and apathy," observed Bishop Barnum. "Yet there is a real spiritual hunger. One of our great challenges is to penetrate the culture here." The Church of the Apostles in Fairfield appears to be making those connections, if a recent Sunday morning is any indicator. Over two hundred worshipers gathered in a new school auditorium to hear the scriptures powerfully preached, to receive communion, and to celebrate the confirmation of a dozen young people into Christian maturity. "The Lord is doin g this," affirmed Barnum. "He's calling us to a deeper commitment to worship, word and mission. We're seeing a lot of broken people respond-those looking for a healthy environment of word and sacrament offered in the power of the Holy Spirit." Even as Church of the Apostles reaches out to its community, its members know it hasn't been easy plowing hard ground.

Planting churches is hard work, in any part of the country. Most of them fail. "We had the first meeting in our living room in January of 2002," recalls Keith Guinta. "There were four families wondering what we would do if God raised up a new congregation in Fairfield. So we began to meet weekly." They shared encouragement from the scriptures, sang together, sometimes they just prayed, looking for others to join their embryonic group. As time passed, however, there was little response. "By summer of 2003 nothing seemed to be happening-we had an underlying feeling of discouragement, and we thought we were done, as no new people had joined," reflects Guinta. The group had been in regular conversation with Bishop Barnum, who was living in South Carolina at the time, and they expressed their concerns that it was over. Keith remembers vividly the next chapter: "Thad said, 'before you close it, rent a public hall, I'll come and preach, and we'll see what happens." 65 people came to that meeting in August of 2003 and it was the defining moment for the forward launch of the church. Since then the growth has been slow but steady, and is now beginning to build real momentum as the church offers more ministries, such as educational opportunities and youth groups, and is reaching out beyond into the community. And other changes have come about, as well. Keith Guinta left his job as a software consultant to become the church's Executive Pastor, and the Barnums relocated to Connecticut two years ago to provide leadership to the fledgling congregation.

The people now joining Church of the Apostles are coming from a wide region that tracks generally along the heavily-traveled I-95 corridor; some from as far as an hour away. Alan and his family drive from Norwalk. "We had been in church, but our hearts had drifted. One Sunday when I was away my wife visited Apostles, and was moved to tears. She experienced the presence of the Lord," he recounts. "I then came, and over time have really grown. We've become sort of 'hardcore'-not in an offensive way, but we're more serious in our faith. It's been a place of real healing where God's Word got through my mind to my heart." Others sense this healing presence of the Holy Spirit, tied to the proclamation of the scriptures and the receiving of the sacraments. "I'm so grateful for this church," beamed a visitor attending the recent confirmations, "that my children and grandchildren have a place like this in their lives."

Bishop Barnum is hoping that man y more will experience the transforming power of life in Christ, as Church of the Apostles grows into a strong place from which to launch other churches in New England. Six families are already meeting together with monthly worship in Danbury, about 45 minutes to the north, and fellowship dinners are being held in Stamford, New Haven, and other Connecticut towns. Church of the Apostles is also part of an emerging network of Anglican Mission churches in the North East, led by the Bishop, with churches in Pennsylvania, New York, Washington DC, Massachusetts and Maine. "We're joining people whose heart has been to see vibrant, healthy, strong congregations that lift up the name of Jesus Christ," asserted Bishop Barnum. "We're looking at places like Boston, Providence, and New York City."

Bishop Thad and those ministering with him are passionate about the call of the Gospel on their lives. Their desire is to see many churches planted across the North East and sub sequently for many people to find faith. They're digging old wells that have long been dry. It's perhaps too soon to call it another awakening, but it is the unfolding of spirit-led mission work to call the region to its roots-a work that seems to be infused with the blessing of God-and what Jonathan Edwards might have called a 'special grace'.

--Jay Greener is Director of Communications for the Anglican Mission in America