This article originally appeared in the American Anglican Council’s November 4 e-newsletter.
Registration is now open for the 2026 Rehydrate Conference, a provincial renewal gathering set to take place February 19–21, 2026, at Christ Church Anglican in Savannah, Georgia. The conference, jointly sponsored by the American Anglican Council (AAC) and Sharing of Ministries Abroad (SOMA), will invite clergy and laity from across the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) to seek a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit for renewal and mission.
Rehydrate 2026 serves as a call to spiritual refreshing and recommitment to the mission of the Church in a time when many believers are feeling spiritually weary. The three-day gathering will include teaching, worship, prayer, and times of ministry, featuring speakers Bishop Thad Barnum, Bishop Darryl Fitzwater, and Bishop Marcio Meira, along with other leaders who have long championed renewal and revival within the Anglican tradition.
The Rev. Canon Mark Eldredge, Director of Anglican Revitalization Ministries—the AAC’s ministry division that oversees Renew and congregational health initiatives—believes the timing of Rehydrate could not be more critical. “We are living in a season when many in the Church are running on empty, like they are spiritually dehydrated,” Eldredge said. “Rehydrate is about coming back to the source, the Living Water Jesus offers us. It’s not another program or conference designed to fix our problems. It’s a time to stop, listen, worship, and be filled again with the power of the Holy Spirit so that we can return to our congregations and communities renewed and ready for the mission of Jesus.”
The collaboration between the American Anglican Council and SOMA is a natural one, born of a shared history in the renewal movement that helped shape global Anglicanism over the past half century. SOMA, which stands for Sharing of Ministries Abroad, was founded in 1978 as a mission agency devoted to sending short-term teams of clergy and lay ministers to support local churches through renewal conferences and Holy Spirit–centered ministry. Over the decades, SOMA has facilitated mission trips and renewal gatherings in more than 70 countries, helping to strengthen the spiritual life of the Anglican Communion through prayer, teaching, and the equipping of leaders.
The American Anglican Council, founded in 1996, has been a leading advocate for renewal, reform, and mission within the Anglican Church in North America and beyond. Through its various ministry arms, including Anglican Revitalization Ministries and the Clergy Care Group initiatives, the AAC has worked to support clergy, empower laity, and uphold biblical faith and order within the Anglican tradition. The Renew ministry, launched as part of this vision and directed by The Rev. Clancy Nixon, focuses specifically on fostering spiritual renewal in congregations by helping churches move from maintenance to mission through prayer, discipleship, and empowerment by the Holy Spirit.
“Renew is about helping Anglicans discover or rediscover the fullness of what it means to be a Spirit-filled, mission-shaped people,” said Rev. Clancy. “Through events like Rehydrate, healing training by Zoom, and personalized coaching, we help churches and leaders to plug into the power of the Holy Spirit, and reignite their passion to see God’s Kingdom come. This upcoming conference is an opportunity for everyone in the Province to experience that and more.”
Organizers hope that Rehydrate will draw not only clergy but also lay leaders, vestry members, and parishioners who long to see God move in their congregations and communities. The conference will combine times of extended worship with scriptural teaching and ministry. Attendees can expect a mix of plenary sessions, small group gatherings, and opportunities for personal prayer and renewal.
Bishop Thad Barnum, one of the featured speakers, has long been associated with renewal and pastoral care in the Anglican Church. As a bishop in the Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas and leader of Call2Disciple Ministries, Barnum has dedicated much of his ministry to strengthening clergy and helping them live out of the overflow of their relationship with Christ. His teaching at Rehydrate will focus on the inner life of the leader and the work of the Holy Spirit in sustaining faithful ministry.
The inclusion of Bishop Darryl Fitzwater and Bishop Marcio Meira, both known for their work in renewal and mission, underscores the conference’s emphasis on unity and cross-cultural ministry through the Holy Spirit. Bishop Fitzwater, who serves in the Missionary Diocese of All Saints, brings a heart for evangelism and revitalization, while Bishop Meira, serving in the Anglican Diocese of Recife, represents the vibrant witness of the Global South, a reminder that renewal often begins at the margins and flows outward to the wider Church.
The Rehydrate Conference continues a growing movement within the ACNA to emphasize spiritual renewal and revival as essential to the life of the Church. “The truth is, we cannot pour out what we have not received,” said Canon Mark. “If our churches are to be healthy and fruitful, our leaders and members must first be filled again with the life of God. That’s what this conference is about: coming together as one Body, seeking the face of the Lord, and allowing His Spirit to refresh and empower us for the work ahead.”
The conference will be hosted at Christ Church Anglican, one of the oldest and most historic parishes in Georgia, located in the heart of Savannah’s downtown. The venue offers a fitting backdrop for renewal, combining centuries of Anglican heritage with a thriving contemporary ministry.
Registrations, lodging details, and additional information are now available on the registration page. Early registration is encouraged as space is limited and expected to fill quickly.
We, at the AAC and SOMA, believe that our province is going through a time of refining. In the midst of that is a promise from God to cleanse us and fill us again with His Spirit. Rehydrate is an invitation to come thirsty, to drink deeply, and to return home renewed.
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