Looking To The Future Of Saint Michael’s Seminary!

Seminary Meeting 11/3/25

On November 3rd and 4th, 2025, The Cathedral Church of Reconciliation hosted an important meeting about the future and vision for Saint Micheal’s Seminary in Forest Hill Maryland. Last year, The Cathedral Church Of Reconciliation began carrying the torch of the seminary from its former roots in San Clemente, California. Bishop Rob Northwood held a meeting with many other clergy including our new primate, Arch-Bishop Chuck Jones. Those who were interested in the future of the Charismatic Episcopal Church’s Saint Micheal’s Seminary were invited, bringing in many clergy from many states, some being: California, Virginia, Georgia and New York.

The first day started with worship led by Father Jim Ball and a word from Bishop Rob about the main topics that were of utmost importance, all leading up to Holy Eucharist. From there, they had their first meeting and began discussing what should be done in the first semester back from the seminary’s recent sabbatical. All who were there shared and gave their ideas and visions for what the seminary should look like going forward from here. It was a balance of reaching for the new while still holding onto the traditional ways of the seminary.

They came together in worship and unity and by the end of the last meeting on November 4th, they came to a consensus through much prayer in and through the Holy Spirit. Many of the clergy left the meeting feeling encouraged and refreshed with new focus and determination. Thank God for our amazing leaders and followers of His Spirit! It truly is a wonderful and comforting thing to know we have clergy who are passionate about the future generations of ministers and leaders in the CEC. All glory to God!

A rough draft of Saint Michael’s Seminary’s new logo created by Avery Northwood!

Reconciliation – 25 Years in One Mighty River

THIS POST WRITTEN MARCH 2023 – DELAYED RELEASE

Avery Northwood
March 7, 2023

25 Years in One Mighty River

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of The Church of Reconciliation in Bel Air, Md., now the Cathedral Church of the Diocese of the Mid Atlantic. The congregation was honored to welcome Archbishop Craig Bates and his wife Cathy to help celebrate the occasion.

This is the Silver Anniversary of a parish birthed and formed entirely within the ICCEC. In 1995 Bishop Rob Northwood, then a deacon serving and helping to establish Christ the King Church in Towson, MD, received a prophetic word that he would plant a church in Bel Air, MD just 15 miles North of his current assignment. This was received with excitement even though he was currently studying at seminary, selling cars full time, fathering the first of many children, and was newly married. In February of 1996 he was ordained a priest and one week later was hosting the church’s first service in his home’s basement.

The church’s inaugural communion wine was very bitter, it’s first tabernacle was handmade, simple, and wooden, and it’s first service was marked by a sense of purpose and unity. The memories warmly recalled by many parishioners still present after all these years included recollections of Sarah Northwood, the Bishop’s wife, self-teaching guitar for praise, the home’s modest kitchen being used for coffee and fellowship, the living room being used for mid-week Bible study, the dining room a Sunday school classroom, the laundry room for the vesting clergy.

This reminiscence serves a greater purpose than nostalgia, it serves to illustrate the nature of a humble initiative serving a divine vocation. The recurring theme of each member’s recollection was the presence and hand of God through the years that would follow, His guidance in times of confusion, His blessing in times of want, His protection in times of turmoil, His love poured out to those who came seeking.

The question kept presenting itself all through the celebrations and testimonies and memories spoken: “Who would attend a church in a nondescript residential basement?” The answer of course; those who came thirsting for something real, something new, something touchedby God. Each trailblazing member was there for something intangible and beyond a youth group, nursery, outreac

h program, preaching, or praise. Each was there only to experience the Holy Spirit’s move, the written truth spoken, the Body and Blood of Christ, the community of a sincere church family.

These elements have flourished in the church today. The latest generation of seekers has found something that they describe in all the same terms. They have found a home, a family, something old and something new, something rich, something they can be a part of.

Looking ahead we see a vista, bright days, further stories of God’s greatness, stories so grand the coming generations will pass them on and anticipate God’s power in their lives. Looking ahead we see souls flocking to the church, the three streams integrated in worship. We see weddings, funerals, birthdays, baptisms, celebrations, and many, many more anniversaries. This year, The Church of Reconciliation’s 25th year, will be a mountaintop year. A year of long sight. A year of approaching horizons.

 

To God Be the Glory!

The Cathedral Church of Reconciliation

A Young Priest in the Mid-Atlantic Diocese

A Young Priest in the Mid-Atlantic Diocese

Our growing diocese has been yet again richly blessed. The Cathedral Church of Reconciliation is proud to announce the upcoming ordination of Deacon Samuel Foss to the office of Priest in the Spring of 2022. Following years of seminary work and prayerful dedication to his calling, Deacon Foss (26) will honor Christ’s Church with his service as priest. Deacon Samuel was raised in the Methodist Church and received a calling to ministry in high school. He attended college at Towson University and after attending a semester of Saint Stephen’s Certificate Program through the Cathedral church, discerned a calling to the CEC and to ordained ministry therein. He has been a faithful servant to the church since his ordination in 2020 and looks forward to what God has in mind for the coming days. Please be in prayer for our brother as he readies his heart for the next step in his journey.

This is My Body…

This is My Body…

Christ the Redeemer Mission, located in Pigtown, Baltimore, will soon celebrate the installation of a tabernacle in their worship space. To this point Mass has been celebrated and no reserve sacrament has been kept in the facility, but now, on this unassuming and often deadly street in Baltimore, the real presence of Christ will reside day and night. This represents for those with a sacramental understanding or even those with a sacramental imagination, a shift in the atmosphere of this little church and it’s neighborhood.

Where the living presence of Christ is, there is change. When one steps into a space already inhabited by the consecrated host, there is a warmth and peace that emanates from the tabernacle. As prayers rise from Christ the Redeemer for the street, neighborhood, and city, please join them in asking God for His Kingdom to come in that place.