An Invitation to Rehydrate
by Clancy Nixon
If you’ve ever run a long-distance race, you know it’s important to rehydrate at regular intervals along the way. Your body needs steady infusions of water, and you can’t expect to finish well without them. St. Paul told us to run our race so that we may obtain the prize (1 Cor. 9:24), and he showed us what that looks like at the end of his life: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim. 4:7)
Brothers and sisters, the stamina we need in this hour won’t come from effort alone. It comes as we drink again and again of the living water Jesus gives. We need more of him. Our province needs more of him too. We’re in desperate need of the hope he provides in this difficult season.
Advent is a season of hope. Christian hope isn’t wishful thinking and it isn’t vague optimism. It’s grounded in God’s declared promises, and we can be certain those promises will come to pass. Our province needs hope that he hasn’t abandoned us, that he’s still guiding us, and that he’ll continue to lead us so we can finish our race well.
When I was a young adult who came into renewal by reading Dennis and Rita Bennett’s book The Holy Spirit and You and praying alone in my prayer closet, I quickly realized my need for the wider body of Christ. I needed to see what the Spirit-filled life actually looked like. In the 1990s, conferences sponsored by Episcopal Renewal Ministries, later rebranded as Acts 29, became more than a watering station for me. They were places where God imparted supernatural power, godly vision, and abundant life.
I remember going to several ERM conferences. I looked forward to them for months, and afterward I devoured the books the speakers recommended. It was a season of accelerated equipping, deep encouragement, and real encounter with the Holy Spirit. One conference that remains vivid in my memory is the North American Congress on the Holy Spirit and World Evangelization in Indianapolis in 1990. Thousands of believers from many traditions gathered. ERM had a strong presence. We heard plenary speakers like John Wimber and then ERM leaders like the Rev. Jose Poch and layman Lee Buck. It was there that I first learned to trust the still small voice in words of knowledge for healing. That conference was a time of concentrated learning and soaking in the presence of the Holy Spirit. It was also a great place to meet like-minded Anglican believers, because we all need encouragement on this journey.
Later on, I loved attending the AMiA winter conferences, even though I wasn’t part of that jurisdiction. Several people have recently told me how important those conferences were for them. They offered clear vision for church planting as well as extended time set aside to encounter the Holy Spirit, especially on Saturday evenings.
It’s now been five years since Acts 29 last held a renewal conference for the province. We believe it’s time for us to gather again. On February 19 to 21, the American Anglican Council and Sharing of Ministries Abroad will cosponsor a provincial renewal conference called Rehydrate at Christ Church Anglican in Savannah, Georgia. Our featured speakers will be Bishops Thad Barnum, Darryl Fitzwater, and Marcio Meira.
At this gathering, we’ll sit under inspired preaching of God’s Word. We’ll call on him for his empowering gifts. We’ll repent in humility for the sins of our movement. We’ll seek his face with diligence. And we’ll go forth with renewed vision in the power of the Holy Spirit. Workshops will address topics such as the Holy Spirit and the next generation, evangelizing in the Spirit’s power, and how to invite the Holy Spirit to move in Sunday worship without creating distraction or confusion.
Make plans to come to this conference, the first of what we hope will be many more. Where the Holy Spirit is welcomed and made manifest, there’s always hope. No matter how dark the season may seem, God shines his light on all who sincerely seek him. Come for refreshing, refilling, and empowering.
We hope to see you there!
We invite you to register for the Rehydrate Conference,
February 19–21, 2026, at Christ Church Anglican
in beautiful Savannah, Georgia!
Hosted by the American Anglican Council and Sharing of Ministries Abroad (SOMA), Rehydrate is designed to refill what ministry often drains. Through life-giving teaching, vibrant worship, prayer ministry, and warm fellowship, you’ll have room to step back from the pace of ministry and receive fresh strength from the Holy Spirit. This Christmas, consider investing in your own renewal. Come to Savannah and allow the Lord to refresh your heart, restore your joy, and prepare you for the year ahead!
Sponsored by the American Anglican Council and Sharing of Ministries Abroad
The Rev. Clancy Nixon is the Director of Renew, Anglican Revitalization Ministries for the American Anglican Council