Always Forward

08/31/2026

It isn't everyday that we get to celebrate the planting of a NEW DIOCESE! Congratulations to the new Diocese of the Mid-South, launched out of the Anglican Diocese of the South (ADOTS) this summer!

We talk a lot about "daughter church planting", when a mother church sacrificially sends out a planter and 25-80 members of their congregation to plant a church in a neighboring town. Well, the Anglican Diocese of the South is a MOTHER DIOCESE!

Praise God for the sacrificial leadership of Archbishop Foley and the whole ADOTS family. To send off so many parishes and friends to start a new diocese is act of great sacrifice and courage. They did this for the sake of those in the Mid-South region who are not yet in the Church. DMS, we pray for you. May God establish you with His Holy Spirit!

08/21/2026

New Podcast Episode!🎙️
“We are the family. That’s an ontological reality... and the family goes out on mission.” 🌿 In this episode of the Always Forward Podcast, Molly talks with Canon Mark Ball about moving from missional burnout to the deep joy of being the family of God. From planting Missio Dei in Houston to navigating crisis, Sunday morning transitions, fresh cinnamon rolls, and nursing home ministry, Mark shares powerful insights on patience, leadership, and “ironic discipleship”. Tune in to hear how asking “Who is the other?” can transform your parish’s missional heartbeat! 🎧✨
Listen at always-forward.com/podcast

ACNA

08/12/2026

We're encouraged by all the efforts within the province to cultivate and support church planting. Here's a video from the Reformed Episcopal Church (including our Always Forward Lead, Fr. Tony Melton) about REC 100, their vision and progress in planting new churches across the country.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

07/30/2026

We're so encouraged to hear about The Diocese of C4SO surpassing its fundraising goal for its Forward Fund! This fund is to support church planting, developing new leaders and caring well for their clergy. Through the giving of every church in their diocese, they have raised more than 1 million dollars. What a testament to C4SO’s heart for mission. You all are truly living up to your name as Churches for the Sake of Others. We can’t wait to see all the great work that will come from this!

07/24/2026

Canon Tony Melton was glad to join Canon Mark Eldredge recently on The Vital Podcast, a project of the Anglican Revitalization Ministries. They talked about church planting and church revitalization and the vision of every church as a mother church; vitalized and planting daughter churches.
Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1882813/episodes/19367924 (link is in our bio)

07/22/2026

We’re a few weeks now past July 1st—Canada Day!—but we’ve been reflecting with deep gratitude on our Canadian family in the Anglican Diocese of Canada Anglican Diocese of Canada.
As our largest geographical diocese and one of our larger numerically within the Anglican Church in North America, their congregations span from coast to coast and continue to grow. We are especially inspired by their growing dedication to church planting in cities and communities across the country—including active plants in places like Vancouver, Winnipeg, and PEI. It’s our joy to work with their church planting team and planters in these wonderful opportunities for the gospel.
We praise God for the unity we share across borders in our common mission: to plant churches and proclaim the hope of Christ across our entire continent. What a privilege it is to band together and labour in this amazing work.

07/21/2026

The Final CPTI of 2026 is heading to Jacksonville!
Are you a church planter or a prospective planter? Then join us in Jacksonville, FL, from November 9–12, 2026, for our final Church Plant Training Intensive (CPTI) of the year! Led by Rev. Cn. Tony Melton (Always Forward Lead) and Cn. Molly Ruch, we will dive deep into our foundational trellis framework—covering the 4 Cs (Conviction, Culture, Collaboration, Constructs) and 7 local and diocesan systems. And we have newly updated material to help planters navigate the initial phase from Day One to Launch Day with practical, step-by-step strategies. Don’t miss this final opportunity of 2026 to equip your ministry and connect with planters from across North America!
👉 Secure your spot today and register at always-forward.com

07/20/2026

🎧New Podcast Episode: ‘Sharing the Weight of Planting’
Can church planting move away from being a lonely, isolated endeavor and become a communal movement? 🎙️ In this episode, host Molly Ruch connects with Michelle Herbst and Fr. Lenny Conduits from the Gulf Atlantic Diocese to discuss how they are restructuring diocesan systems to set planters up for massive success. They dive into the game-changing shift of centralizing administration to free up mother churches, the power of communal discernment over rigid judgment in assessments, and the pure necessity of maintaining a “band of brotherhood and sisterhood” in the trenches of ministry. If you need a reminder of why we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously while doing the Lord’s work, this episode is for you!
Listen at always-forward.com/podcast or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud and more.

07/16/2026

Listen to our Lead, Fr. Tony Melton, share at Provincial Council about our vision for planting 500 churches in the next 10 years. Join us in this exciting mission!
You can watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/X7CKO2VlRCw or from the link in our bio

07/06/2026

New Podcast Episode!
From a secure life in academia to the frontlines of church planting—meet Fr. Chad and Kirstin Magnuson! 🎙️ In this episode, host Molly Ruch chats with the co-planters of Church of the Incarnation about their extraordinary, 18-month journey of leaving behind their “American Dream” to answer a radical call from the Lord. If you’re currently in a slow season of discernment, fundraising, or feeling stripped of your old identity, this episode is a powerful reminder of what happens when we step out in faith. Tune in to discover the spiritual necessity of “the work in the waiting”.

🎧Listen at always-forward.com/podcast or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud and more.