141012 Sunday Report

Anglican Orthodox Church

Worldwide Communion

Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity

Sunday Report

 

 

 

Today we celebrated the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.  Dru finally made it and joined Revs Jack and Hap Arnold on travel to the AOC Biennial Meeting.  This week was spent first in Enterprise, Alabama celebrating the first day of the week with Bishop and Mrs. Ogles at Saint Andrews Church, then off to Statesville for the Biennial Meeting, then back to Enterprise to worship with the Ogles again, then back on the road heading towards Descanso. 

 

Anglican Orthodox Church Biennial Meeting – Statesville, North Carolina

If you have followed the calendar, you know this past week we traveled to Statesville, North Carolina for the biennial meeting of the Anglican Orthodox Church (AOC), Worldwide at its home base or General Headquarters (GHQ).  Rev Hap has a hard time getting away from work and we have not been out of San Diego for more than four days since 2001.  But, this was an important trip.

 

 

 

Bishops Dennis Campbell – James Flanagan – Elias Mburuh – Jerry Ogles – Roy Morales-Kuhn

 

 

 

Revs Don Fulz – James Cavanah – Bishops Dennis Campbell – James Flanagan – Elias Mburuh – Jerry Ogles – Roy Morales-Kuhn – Rev Jack Arnold

 

Was the trip worth it?  Beyond a doubt!  The experience was incredible.  We met almost all the bishops, many ministers, their wives and some parish members from around this country and the world, not to mention the incredible organizational staff.  You may not be aware of the AOC history, but you should know a little about the organization.  The AOC is a Reformed Church in the finest protestant sense.  We are completely Bible centered; nothing can override Scripture.  At the same time, we have a clear dedication to the power of reason and a rich historical sense.

 

While we were there, Revs James Flanagan and Elias Mburuh were consecrated bishops in the church.  Bishop James is now the Bishop of the Diocese of the Northeast and Bishop Elias is the Bishop of the Anglican Orthodox Church of Africa, headquartered in Kenya.   These are big steps as we increase our regional presence to allow other likeminded congregations a place of refuge from the decline of the Episcopal and Anglican churches.  It must be understood by those who would join us that much as Jesus did, we can offer little in the way of worldly things, such as funding.  Our church has the understanding of Scripture, the power of Reason and the backing of Tradition, we do not have money.  That has always been the case with the AOC and will continue to be the case.  In the Continental United States (CONUS) we have three full time employees, all at the Worldwide office in Statesville, in the support role, with Betty Hoffman as the Executive Secretary and none of them even well paid, let alone overpaid.  A few of our ministers get reimbursed for expenses, most do not.  The AOC is truly about God and His Work.

 

Our own parish operates on a zero budget.   If you consider donating to the church, and this is really not begging, understand that everything you donate is used for God’s Work overseas.  The church is self-supporting and any additional funding goes to help spread The Word overseas.

 

All funds we take in go to AOC worldwide in Statesville.  That organization is totally self-supporting.  All the money they get goes overseas to the churches in the field.  They even cover the wire transfer fees.  There is absolutely zero overhead.

 

 

This is the simplest of churches.  It is people dedicated to God, doing their very best to do His Will and spread His Word.  We are going to try to get a little bit on one country each week and talk about what is going on there.  If you have a few dollars you would like to contribute, make the check out to the Anglican Orthodox Church and we will send it in.  The average charity organization spends 75 percent of its budget on overhead; this is ZERO OVERHEAD.  It does not get any better.  You can help.

 

We now have 10 parishes in CONUS and several thousand overseas.  The AOC provides them with spiritual grounding, direction and help.  Not much in the way of money.  Unlike the huge mainline churches, we cannot buy them.  But, unlike the huge mainline churches, we can give them God’s Word.

 

The AOC has churches in 22 countries around the world, from a very few in Cuba, to ten in Kenya to hundreds in the Philippines.  One of the most amazing is the Anglican Orthodox Church of India led by Reverend Doctor Joshua Raj, MD, DD, a Canadian Orthopedic Surgeon who spends a couple of months a year in India.  Bishop Ernest Jacob runs Faith Seminary, and oversees the Anglican Orthodox Church of Pakistan.  While the AOC in the United States operates on a shoestring budget, the overseas churches, each a national church on the Anglican model, operates on merely dust from the shoestrings.

 

More on the Meeting

So, what else did we do in Statesville?  We met bishops, ministers, wives and other parish members.  You would be surprised at the sense of humor that the bishops, the ministers and everybody else had! We met the headquarters staff who make things actually work; Betty, her daughter Cinder and Brittany, not to mention Cinder’s sister Cheryl, a professional photographer who took a million photographs.  Oh yes and Dave, Cinder’s husband, a superb Chef who made us lunch every day.  What people!

 

Bishop Jerry made everyone very welcome.  We are very fortunate to have him as the leader of the organization.  He is dedicated to God; knowledgeable; a leader, not a pointer; eloquent and beyond that, a true gentleman.

 

A few people deserve special recognition.   Actually, that is not true.  Every last person who attended deserves special recognition.  There was not one person there who we did not absolutely and totally enjoy.  The ladies and gentlemen of the GHQ were beyond words.  We wish each of you could have been in Statesville to meet everyone.

 

On Point

Someone asked, where do the quotes come from?  The answer is from the people who uttered them.  But, how did you find them?  Oh, that.  Some from Bishop Jerry, many from Rev Bryan Dabney, a few from other places, some from Rev Geordie Menzies-Grierson, but overall mostly from Bryan.  He always has some great ones to share.  On to the On Point quotes –

 

To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

Proverbs 21:3

 

Enter ye in at the strait gate…

St. Matthew 7:13

 

They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick…

St. Luke 5:31-32

 

The nature of true repentance is clearly and unmistakably laid down in Scripture. It begins with the knowledge of sin. It goes on to work sorrow for sin. It leads to confession of sin before God. It shows itself before man by a thorough breaking off from sin. It results in producing a habit of deep hatred for all sin. Above all, it is inseparably connected with lively faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance like this is the characteristic of all true Christians. The necessity of repentance to salvation will be evident to all who search the Scriptures and consider the nature of the subject. Without it there is no forgiveness of sins.

JC Ryle

19^th century Anglican bishop and author

 

The Holy Spirit makes men penitents long before he makes them divines; and he who believes what he knows, shall soon know more clearly what he believes.

Charles H. Spurgeon

19^th century English pastor and author

 

There is just one political party, and it is a government party. Any belief that there is any significant difference between Democrats and Republicans is pure fantasy. All supposed differences are merely Kabuki theater designed to keep the people distracted from the behind-the-scenes machinations of the elites. This is aided and abetted by a compliant mainstream media, which functions as a propaganda arm of the government and its parties.

Bob Livingston

20^th and 21^st century American conservative commentator

editor of the Personal Liberty Digest

Politicians are Actors in an absurd Theater, 11-11-13.

 

Propers

Each Sunday there are Propers: special prayers and readings from the Bible.  There is a Collect for the Day; that is a single thought prayer, most written either before the re-founding of the Church of England in the 1540s or written by Bishop Thomas Cranmer, the first Archbishop of Canterbury after the re-founding. 

 

The Collect for the Day is to be read on Sunday and during Morning and Evening Prayer until the next Sunday. The Epistle is normally a reading from one of the various Epistles, or letters, in the New Testament.  The Gospel is a reading from one of the Holy Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  The Collect is said by the minister as a prayer, the Epistle can be read by either a designated reader (as we do in our church) or by one of the ministers and the Holy Gospel, which during the service in our church is read by an ordained minister.

 

The propers are the same each year, except if a Red Letter Feast, that is one with propers in the prayerbook, falls on a Sunday, then those propers are to be read instead, except in a White Season, where it is put off.  Red Letter Feasts, so called because in the Altar Prayerbooks the titles are in red, are special days.  Most of the Red Letter Feasts are dedicated to early saints instrumental in the development of the church, others to special events.  Some days are particularly special and the Collect for that day is to be used for an octave (eight days) or an entire season, like Advent or Lent.

 

The Propers for today are found on Page 214-215, with the Collect first:

 

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

 

The Collect.

 

ORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

The Epistle for today came from the letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians beginning at the First Verse of the Fourth Chapter.  Once again, Paul calls us to a new life, different from our old life.  A life in which we act in a manner worthy of the better life to which we have been called by Christ and for which He gave His life.  Paul, of all people, knows the importance of setting aside your old life, as Saul did, so that as Paul he asks us to put God first in our lives, to put ourselves last.  He reminds us, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”  The key to a successful life is to put the important things at the top of your To Do List. And, notice it is a To Do List, not a To Think About or To Wait a While List.   What is more important than God?

 

 therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, for-bearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all^[1].

 

Today’s Holy Gospel came from the Fourteenth Chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke, beginning at the First Verse.  The Gospel starts out reminding us the Law was designed to be flexible.  The goal is to do God’s will, not to “follow the letter of the law” as the Pharisees were so keen on.  They brought before Him a man in need of healing as they sat to eat on the Sabbath Day.  They watched to see what He would do.  Putting the monkey on their back, He asked, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath Day?”  Wishing to  be in a position to criticize rather than answer, “they held their peace.”  He healed the man, then asked them, “Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath Day?”  They would not respond; for the answer was obvious.

 

Then “He put forth a parable to those” who had been invited to dine with him, after He had seen them joust for the seats of honor.  “When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest seat; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”  Do we put God first and let others raise us up, or do we put ourselves first and let others put us down?

 

t came came to pass, as Jesus went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; and answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day? And they could not answer him again to these things. And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief seats; saying unto them, When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest seat; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

 

Sermon – Reverend Jack Arnold – Time and Action

Church of the Faithful Centurion – Descanso, California

Today’s sermon tied the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and talked, as is oft the case, of the need for action, not simply diction.

 

Consider the words of the Collect, “… thy grace may always prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works …”

 

The first thing to consider when you look at today’s Collect is a word: prevent.  Prevent is a word that has many uses, and at least one has fallen out of general usage as time has gone on.  This is one of the.  In this case the word prevent means to go before.  Before you object to archaic words, consider this is a current word, it just has a use you may not have been aware of and now you are!  What a bonus for this week!

 

So, we ask God that His Grace, His Love, His Power, His Help may go before and after us to protect us and guide us that we might desire to do what He wants us to do.  Pretty much a re-wording of a lot of the Collects.  Why would that be?  Pretty simple, our biggest failing is we are wont to do what we want!  This is a very common theme in the collects and lessons in the lectionary, for a very good reason. It is is our sinful nature that we have that causes us to want to do what we want. As we are creatures that have free will and are not wont to exercise it for God or good. That is a very dangerous combination, as my father says often.  That is not the same as doing what will provide us with the best result. If we follow our natural inclination, we will not like the end result,that is eternal separation from God.  We are like disobedient children, and God is the ever patient Father. But, from time to time, we will make mischief and or trouble, some of us more than others. God has to gently warn us and allow us to experience the consequences of our inclination to sin, in order to learn not to do it. This is His form of discipline in a way. Through consequences of our sinful actions, we know that we shouldn’t do it again. We know, often very clearly, what we want. For example, one morning I started to lead the Order of Morning Prayer. My first inclination was to do it without looking at the rubrics. But after thinking a moment, I realized that this was a mistake, as the rubrics are there to guide the minister in leading the service. Like the rubrics, God knows, always very clearly, what we need. But we do not often know what God wants for us, so we have to first pray to Him to find out what He wants, then the most critical step of the communications is that we have to listen to What he says.  He is there, like the rubrics to guide us along our paths in our daily life.  So, we need to ask God every day, every time, for help to do our duty.

 

So, what does Paul tell us in his letter to us? Once again, he calls us to a new life, different from our old life.  We shed our old clothes, as it were, like reptiles shedding their old skin and put on the brand new armor of light, new helmet, new boots and new everything. A life in which we act in a manner worthy of the better life to which we have been called by Christ and for which He gave His life. We are to act in accordance with the new way in which life, to desist from sinning and to do good things for people and for Him. The part about cease and desisting from sin is one of the most difficult aspects of putting aside ones old life. But it can be done. Paul, formerly Saul did it, and went on to become one of the greatest apostles that served the Lord. So if he can do it, so can we. And it is made possible by the Holy Ghost, who is our lifeline to God our Father. Paul, of all people, knows the importance of setting aside your old life, as Saul did, so that as Paul he asks us to put God first in our lives, to put ourselves last.  He even changed his name to reflect his state as a new man under Our Lord’s leadership. He reminds us, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”  The key to a successful life is to put the important things at the top of your To Do List. And, notice it is a To Do List, not a To Think About or To Wait a While List.  It is not a I’ll Get a Round To It List, or What I Don’t Want to Do List.  What is more important than God? It is all about prioritization, putting God ahead of your wants and desires. We have to make it so that serving God is our want and desire, then and only then are our desires aligned with His. We have to accept the Holy Ghost into our lives to do this, then when we truly have faith, it will show in our actions. Action and not diction is what truly counts in the end. It is a phase that shows up in the sermons a lot, but that is only because it is very true.

 

When Luke relates the parable of the feast, it is more than just a sitting diagram. I liken it to the tale of the publican and the Pharisee. When Christ talks about the man who exalts himself and sits too high at the wedding and thus must be abased. That would be the Pharisee. When Christ then talks about the man who sits low, and is raised to the higher station, I think of the publican, who smote his breast and would not even look up his eyes to heaven. We have to be the publican in our dealings with God, rather than our natural tendency of being the Pharisee. We should not be one of those selfish individuals who always causes grief for others because he is blind to his own faults and only thinks of himself. Again as with the ceasing from sin, this is one of the hardest things we have to do. But it must be done, no matter how we feel about it. So let us turn to our Lord to help with it, because He alone can help us. No other expert can help us, no “theologian” or prosperity preacher can truly provide for our needs better than Our Lord. If we do what God asks, we will not become like those people. If we put God’s will before ours, the welfare of those we encounter before ours, if we hold open the door as gentlepersons are wont to do for others, we will find we are doing what God would have us do and enjoying it.

 

It is very possible to do the good deeds and have fun doing them. The week we spent in worship with the other ministers and their wives at the AOC Convention proves this. Doing good things for other people and being with other believers gives me some of the greatest happiness I have ever felt. This comes from the Holy Ghost, from being inspired by Him, around other believers. Wherever two or three or gathered, Christ is there also. It is a wonderful feeling wherever He is.

 

Heaven is at the end of an uphill trail.  The easy downhill trail does not lead to the summit.

 

The time is now, not tomorrow.  The time has come, indeed.  How will you ACT?

 

It is by our actions we are known.

 

Be of God – Live of God – Act of God

 

Roy Morales-Kuhn, Bishop and Pastor – St. Paul’s Anglican Church – Anglican Orthodox Church

Bishop Roy is pastor of the biggest AOC parish West of the Mississippi and is in charge of the Diocese of the Epiphany. 

 

Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity

12 October 2014

Ephesians 4:1-6                            Luke 14:1-11

 

 

ORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

nd it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.

2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?

4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;

5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?

6 And they could not answer him again to these things.

7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them.

8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;

9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.

10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

 

In today’s Gospel reading we find two very distinct lessons.

 

The first lesson deals with the pervasive nature of stubborn sin.  The most esteemed members of Jewish society, the Pharisee, are gathered at the home of one of the more important Pharisee of the area. Jesus has been invited to eat a Sabbath meal with this very important man and his associates.  All eyes are upon Jesus.  Not in admiration, but like spies or those who are looking to find a way to trip Jesus up on some point of the law.  And soon the opportunity comes for them to try to catch Jesus breaking the law.

 

  A sick man with dropsy is presented to Christ for healing. Dropsy could be described as a form of cardio/pulmonary problem which caused great swelling in the limbs and abdomen of the person.  The condition was ascribed to bad habits or sinful behavior. Ironic when we see what the lawyers and Pharisee do after Jesus heals this man.   They say nothing.  Jesus gently points out that they would help a person or a draft animal out of a ditch.   Again no one says a word.    Not a thing is learned by those eating with Jesus.  They are not moved by the evidence of God’s power.   Even after warning about judgment and its consequences, God graciously still gives evidence of his presence.  His grace still reveals itself, but closed eyes can never see the evidence of God’s power.   The division between Jesus and what we can call religiosity remains, and so does the question of which way we will choose if we want to know God. 

 

These men, by their stubborn behavior, have placed themselves in grave danger.  They refuse to see that by not budging on what is right behavior, Jesus healing on the Sabbath, they cling to the law with no regard to grace, to compassion, to helping their fellow human.  In their desire to be religious they completely fail when it comes to their understanding of God and his great gift, which of course will eventually be the Son crucified in their stead, taking their sins upon his sinless body and giving them the gift of eternal life.

 

The second lesson again uses the pride and social status of the Pharisee as a stumbling block and eventual destruction of their spiritual health.

 

As Jesus’ disciples we should be marked with humility.  Both in how we operate socially and in our work a day lives.  Humility means ignoring rank or class.  Friends can be made anywhere.  This lesson is a hard one, but Jesus’ parable (v.7) shows that he regards this attitude as fundamental to discipleship.  As Jesus teaches this issue of discipleship he is in reality rebuking many at the dinner table. 

 

Luke notes how the guests picked the places of honor.  Those closest to the host, either on the right or left of him, were considered guests of honor.   Now for some humility.   Jesus notes that there is a danger in pursuing seats of honor.  He goes on to tell a story of a wedding where some one quickly grabs the high seat of honor.  But then a person more prestigious enters the room and the host asks the one holding the seat of honor to move. The replaced person must go to the end of the table or the lowest place on the table, totally humiliated.  That person takes the least important seat in the banquet hall, each step towards that seat must have hurt.

 

Instead of taking the most honored position, Jesus counsels us to take the least important place of honor.  Then the host will tell the humble one to move up to a higher seat, honoring him before everyone. “for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he how humbles himself will be exalted.”

 

Let us go into a little more detail on this concept Jesus is teaching the Pharisee and for that matter his disciples (including us)

 

Jesus’ point is not that we should connive to receive greater honor. Rather, he is saying that honor is not to be seized; it is awarded. Jesus is not against giving honor to one who deserves it, but he is against the use of power and prestige for self-aggrandizement. God honors the humble, and the highway of humility leads to the gate of heaven. Those who are truly humble persons recognize their desperate need for God, not any right to blessing.

 

Jesus expands the picture of humility by exhorting his audience to invite to their dinner table the needy and those who cannot repay such kindness. Hospitality should be open to all. So whether at the early meal (ariston) or the main evening meal (deipnon), hospitality should be shown not to the rich and famous nor to family members, but to those who cannot repay the favor. In ancient culture, the one who hosted a festive meal would be placed on the invitation list for future meals at the guests’ homes. Jesus argues that such “payback” hospitality has no merit. The best hospitality is given, not merely exchanged in a kind of unspoken social contract. If God reaches out to all, then those who seek to honor him should reach out also. So the poor, crippled, the lame, the blind should be invited. (This list looks much like the list of Luke 7:22, with a few differences; it is repeated in Luke 14:21.) The poor and the powerless should be welcome. For such hospitality and humility, God promises blessing at the resurrection of the dead. Jesus allows no class mentality.”{Intervarsity Press New Testament Commentary Series}

 

This brings us back to the collect for today, let us reflect on what it says:

 

 

ORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Let us always strive to do the right thing when it comes to praising the Lord, reading and inwardly digesting his Word, applying the lessons of the Scripture to our daily lives and most especially doing all of this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Let us pray:

 

LMIGHTY and everlasting God, in whom we live and move and have our being; We, thy needy creatures, render thee our humble praises, for thy preservation of us from the beginning of our lives to this day, and especially for having delivered us from the dangers of the past night. To thy watchful providence we owe it,

no disturbance hath come nigh us or our dwelling, but that we are brought in safety to the beginning of this day.) For these thy mercies we bless and magnify thy glorious Name; humbly beseeching thee to accept this our morning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; for his sake who lay down in the grave, and rose again for us, the Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

ND, since it is of thy mercy, O gracious Father, that another day is added to our lives; We here dedicate both our souls and our bodies to thee and thy service, in a sober, righteous, and godly life: in which resolution, do thou, O merciful God, confirm and strengthen us; that, as we grow in age, we may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

LMIGHTY God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests; Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth. and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen. 2 Cor. xiii. 14

 

HE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

 

✟

Rev Bryan Dabney of Saint John’s Sunday Sermon

We are fortunate to have Bryan’s Sunday Sermon.  If you want people to come to The Truth, you have to speak the truth, expouse the truth and live the truth.    This is really a good piece and I commend it to your careful reading.

 

Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity

New Apostolic Reformation (NAR)

Light shed on a happy heresy

 

In today’s epistle the apostle Paul warned the Ephesian elders to, Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears (Acts 20:28-31).

 

Sadly, not a generation later the heresy of Gnosticism appeared in Asia Minor and deceived many within the Church just as the apostle Paul had warned. Dr. Jesse Hurlbut noted that, “The Gnostics… arose in Asia Minor… and were a grafting of Christianity upon paganism.” A key feature of Gnosticism was that it permitted the interpreting of the Bible in such a manner that the written word of God could be taken to mean whatever the reader desired. It therefore discounted the fundamental truths of the Christian faith in favor of allegory and presumption. Truly it qualified as one of those doctrines of devils (I St. Timothy 4:1) and destructive heresies (II St. Peter 2:1) which the apostles warned were coming to deceive many.

 

Dr. Merrill Unger observed that, “In the fixed ecclesiastical sense… the term ‘heresy’ indicates not only any doctrinal distortion, but an open espousal of fundamental error with respect to the central truths of Christianity, in the face of all better instruction, [and is] often combined with [an] aggressive assault upon the common faith of the Church, and its defenders. However, its strictly New Testament usage… [is] not… primarily false doctrine… but [is] first and foremost… sectarian disharmony, and factional division… a deadly and damnable satanic device, utterly destructive of Christian oneness.”

 

When we look about us today, there seems to be an ever-increasing number of church movements and cults that are indeed drawing away people from traditionally orthodox Christian bodies into their new and glitzy worship arenas. One of these is the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). Researcher Holly Pevic at Apologetics Index has posted a description of what the NAR and its followers believe. She describes it as “A heterodox movement in Protestant Christianity,” which means it embraces doctrines that are contrary to the established principles of the Christian faith. NAR leaders and followers believe “God intended for [the Church] to be always governed by living apostles and prophets.” They also believe “God began restoring the office of prophet… in the 1980’s and the office of apostle in the 1990’s.” They accept the testimony of C. Peter Wagner who— as an apostle— proclaimed the “Second Apostolic Age” began in 2001 with the return of church governance under the authority and leadership of living apostles and prophets. They further believe that “under the leadership of living apostles and prophets, [the church] can complete its primary task of [taking] dominion, or sociopolitical control, of the earth.” With these things in mind, let us now examine Wagner’s claim to apostleship and then examine the movement’s other major tenets.

 

What then is the basis for Wagner’s claim to be an apostle? First, let us define the term “apostle” as used by the NAR movement. According to Holly Pivec, “The primary role of the apostles… is to govern the church… Like the prophets… apostles can give new divine revelation… determine its proper application in the church, and instruct their followers on how to properly respond to the new revelation.”And what justification did Wagner give for assuming such a role?

 

According to the Apologetics Coordination Team in their “Unsound Bytes Series,” Wagner said that his initial calling came from a prophetic announcement by Cindy Jacobs— a self-appointed prophet— who in 1995 said that Wagner was “an apostle of prayer.” Then in 1998, he was told by Charles Doolittle during a church conference that, “Even from this day forward, even from this national conference there shall be a release on your spirit, whether you want to say ‘apostle’ or not is of no effect says God. The title shall rest. The anointing shall rest. Men will give it to you. It is not something you have sought for your own. Men will place it upon your back and upon your spirit and they will draw the apostolic from you…”

 

Compare now the words of St. Paul in Galatians 1:1 with those that were used to proclaim Wagner as an apostle. PAUL, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead). Wagner’s calling is clearly in no way comparable to the calling of St. Paul who received his directly from our Lord and not through a self-appointed go-between.

 

Now consider the callings of the other apostles and you will see that they were called of our Lord Jesus Christ, or in the case of Matthias, the disciples prayed for holy guidance and the lot fell to him (Acts 1:15-26). St. Paul’s calling came as a result of his experience on the road to Damascus. He later communed with our Lord in Arabia where he received instruction regarding his ministry and doctrine. The apostle Paul confirms this in his first epistle to the Corinthians wherein he wrote, Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord (9:1)? And in his epistle to the Galatians he stated clearly that, …I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ (1:11-12).

 

Scripture tells us that the office of apostle was limited to those men who were called directly by our Lord. If the office was to have continued in perpetuity, then the Holy Ghost would have supplied the authors of the New Testament with the criteria for filling the offices of apostle as well as prophet. But such was not the case. The only offices set forth in Scripture are for elders of two kinds represented by the Greek words “episcopos” and “presbyteros”, and deacons. According to Jesse Hurlbut, “While the original apostles were living, the universal reverence for them as the chosen companions of Christ… made them the unquestioned leaders of the church… the titles “bishops” and “elders” (presbyters) were applied freely to the same officials. But sixty years later… we find that bishops were everywhere ruling over the church, each commanding his own diocese, with presbyters and deacons under his authority.” W. H. Griffith Thomas noted that the title of “priest” in the Anglican tradition is not a “sacerdotus”— one who tends an altar and performs a sacrifice— but a “presbyterus”— one who oversees or directs worship (re: Article XXIII).

 

As to the NAR movement’s assertion that the office of prophet has been re- established, researcher Holly Pivec stated that NAR leaders believe that “The primary role of prophets… is to receive new revelation… Though prophets are often viewed as second in authority to apostles, it should be noted that some… NAR leaders… see prophets and apostles as equal partners… [as] together they fill the two highest offices in church government… [they] alone receive and implement new divine revelation. Pastors, teachers and evangelists— in contrast— do not… Their roles are limited to teaching the new revelation that has been received by the NAR apostles and prophets and the older revelation contained in the Bible. NAR prophets are not expected to be 100 percent accurate in their predictions. Thus they still can be considered legitimate… even when they make errors… the majority of prophecies given by NAR prophets… are worded so vaguely that it would be difficult to determine whether or not they were ever fulfilled.”

Examine the words which Moses communicated regarding those who would prophesy in the name of the LORD as found in Deuteronomy 18:20-22. But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously… While the church may have within its membership those who have been empowered to prophesy, there is no office of prophet within the body of Christ. It is a spiritual gift— like speaking in tongues— which is regulated by the provisions of I Corinthians 14.

 

The NAR movement also says that there are two gospels. According to Holly Pivec, these are the “gospel of salvation” and the “Gospel of the Kingdom”… The former “addresses the good news that God, through Christ… has provided a means of salvation from sin. But [according to them] this is an incomplete gospel…” The latter however “is a more complete gospel, which not only address God’s provision for salvation from sin, but also his provision for taking dominion.” Part and parcel of this dominionist theology is the notion of “transforming society.” They believe that such teaching includes the notion “that the end-time church will cleanse the earth of evil… under the leadership of apostles and prophets… who will say ‘prophetic’ prayers that will release the Great Tribulation judgments on the kingdom of the Antichrist.”

 

Does the Bible err as much as has been described? Did the Holy Ghost fail to fully inform the apostles Paul, James, Peter, Jude and John about the need to maintain the offices of apostle and prophet within the church? In the words of our Lord, I trow not (St. Luke 17:9).  The Holy Ghost guides us into all truth and away from error. If he did not instruct the apostles to write about them, then we ought not accept such error into our theology.

 

The NAR leadership also claims that there will be a great revival before Christ comes. This too is without scriptural support. Our Lord himself confirmed that when he asked, Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth (St. Luke 18:8)? The apostle Paul warned the Thessalonians in his second epistle to be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed… (2:2-3). St. Paul also described the last days as perilous times (II St. Timothy 3:1). None— no not one— of the apostles who wrote epistles and books made mention of a great revival toward the end of the world. St. John was given to see a vast number of souls coming to Christ before and during the Tribulation; but that in no way conforms to the NAR leadership’s understanding of a “majority” that might be used to “transform” society, government and the church. Many of those who will accept Jesus Christ will be martyred for their faith. Much as we might hope for a true revival today, the Bible teaches otherwise. Perhaps the NAR leadership is talking about that great spiritual revival of evil men and seducers waxing worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived (II St. Timothy 3:13).

 

Part and parcel of their coming great revival is their dominionist theology which says that the NAR apostles and prophets will take over the reins of government. As Holly Pevic noted, they believe that “God will transfer control of the world’s wealth from the hands of the wicked to the hands of the NAR apostles. The purpose of this… transfer is so that the church will have the financial resource it will need to establish God’s earthly kingdom.” They further believe that they “will develop vast supernatural powers and will perform miracles that will surpass those performed by the biblical apostles and prophets and even those performed by Jesus during his earthly ministry.” In addition, they teach that those “who continue to receive the new revelation given by NAR apostles and prophets will gain more and more supernatural powers until they eventually become ‘manifest’ or unveiled as ‘sons of God..’ These… will overcome sickness and death and execute God’s judgments on earth.”

 

Think of the power and authority that these so-called apostles and prophets now wield over those deluded souls who have accepted their beliefs and teachings. Our Lord warned us of a great deception in the last days which included great signs and wonders; insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect (St. Matthew 24:24) and the New Apostolic Reformation Movement is clearly extra-biblical and occultic in nature and practice. The lesson here is simple enough. Those who follow the charlatans of the NAR movement are likened unto blind souls following blind souls, and the ditch of perdition is close at hand. It is an apostate movement, and they are in denial about their so-called Christian faith.

 

Those who truly love the Lord understand that the Bible is the rule and guide of our faith and practice. And if such is the case then why should any believer embrace those persons or groups which have made revisions— both redactions and extensions— to Holy Writ? Does not Scripture expressly forbid such? Matthew Henry noted that Revelation 22:18-19 is “A most solemn sanction, condemning and cursing all should dare to corrupt or change the word of God… [It] is a flaming sword, to guard the canon of Scripture from profane hands. Such a fence as this God set about the law (Deuteronomy 4:2) and the whole Old Testament (Malachi 4:4), and now in the most solemn manner about the whole Bible, assuring us that it is a book of the most sacred nature, divine authority, and of lasting importance.”

 

The imaginations of wicked should not be accepted by the body of Christ. We ought to heed the warning which our Lord gave us in the Olivet Discourse, Take heed that no man deceive you (St. Matthew 24:4). That’s our challenge and it is a rather large one given the various cults and apostate versions of the Christian faith today that are out there seeking to devour every soul they can ensnare. So when someone tells you that the Bible is unsound or incomplete, and that there is a new and better revelation awaiting you if only you were willing to come under the authority of some new apostle or prophet, watch out. The wolves in sheep’s clothing are at the door ready to draw you away as their disciples.

 

Let us pray,

 

 LORD, whose word is truth and sufficient unto every good word and work; guide us by means of the Holy Ghost to fully accept and trust the Scriptures alone as they are the words of life unto salvation in Christ Jesus; for it is in his most blessed name that we ask these things of thee. Amen.

 

Have a blessed week, Bryan+

 

After Church Hospitality

 

 

Saint Andrews – Snacks and a Birthday Party – Top this!

 

People in our Prayers – http://faithfulcenturionprayerteam.blogspot.com/

Why? Prayer is an extremely important activity.

It is not that God knows not our needs, for He surely does. Yet, Jesus commanded us to ask God for those same needs. In addition to the obvious of asking God for help, offering thanksgiving and the like, prayer helps us focus our thoughts on how we might do God’s work.

 

The Prayer Team of the Church of the Faithful Centurion was established to help our members and fellow Christians pray for those in need and to give thanks as well for the blessings we have been granted.

 

Who can be on the list? Do I have to be a member of the Church of the Faithful Centurion to be prayed for?

No! The only qualification to be on the list is that you want our prayer team to pray for you. We are Christians and are happy to pray for you, no matter who you are. If you want help from God, you are our kind of people.

 

What is the commitment from the prayer team?

Each member of the team will pray for the desired outcome at last once per day.

 

How do I get myself or someone else on the prayer list?

You can email one of the prayer team leaders: Jack – jack@faithfulcenturion.org or Dru – dru@ faithfulcenturion.org, or call the church office at (619) 659-3608 or fill out a prayer card at church.

 

What should I ask for?

Depends on what you want. Some people merely want God to be asked to heal their ills and be mentioned by their first name, others want a specific outcome and / or have more of their personal information known to the team. Ask for what you want. It is your desire and need for prayer the team is attempting to meet. For typical examples, see the list below.

 

Updating the Team

If you are on our prayer list, or if you have submitted a person that you have asked us to pray for, please update one of the team members or Hap in person, by telephone or email. It helps to be able to pray specifically for these individuals including their specific needs; plus if they get better, it is nice to give thanks!

 

Please note that on the yellow (maybe green or orange if you get an old one) cards at church, you can ask that those to be prayed for have their names disseminated to the prayer team. Those names will be said in church and appear here. Or, you can ask that their names and purpose be kept confidential, then only Hap will know to pray for them.

 

Prayer List Notice – If you have someone on the prayer list and their needs have changed, please let us know.  We’d like to update our prayers to reflect the need and most important to give thanks!

 

Travel

Jerry, Dru, Jack and Hap, as well as many members of the AOC are on travel this week to the Biennial Meeting in Statesville, NC.

Whitney Cruz is on travel through the beginning of November to the United Kingdom and Europe.  Pray for safe and enjoyable travels for her and peace of mind for her mom as she waits for Whitney’s return.

 

Birthday

Mrs. Kay, that is Kay Denton, celebrated her 70^th birthday on 2 October 2014.

 

Move

The Thomas Family is now in Okinawa for a second short tour.  Please pray for this new assignment to go well for Kurt and for Mary and the kids to make new friends.  In particular pray that Kristyna and Mitchell will develop good friends and schoolmates there so as to further their development as both Christians and citizens.  Give thanks the safe move and ask for continued good developments.

 

Departed

Jeffrey, Jennifer’s Father, passed away from complications of diabetes and kidney failure on 25 September 2014.  Please give thanks for Jeffrey’s time here on earth and pray for trust in the Lord, comfort and peace of mind for Jennifer and her family who of necessity remain behind.

 

Dennis Ogles, Jr. Uncle, Friend and Compatriot of Bishop Jerry Ogles, passed away 29 August 2014.  The Ogles family is very close and wonderful followers of our Lord.  Please join them in giving thanks for Dennis’ time here on earth and family and friends he left behind.  You are known for what you do and his family tells the real story of his life. Please pray for his family who of necessity remain behind, that they might put their sorrow at the temporary separation on God’s back, while they look forward, not back.

 

Nearing the end of their time here on earth

Maggie is nearing the end of her time here on earth. Please pray for Maggie and her husband Dub  as she prepares to go home to be with her family who have gone before her.  Pray for the faith of her family to build and the transition to be good.

 

Alan is a victim of metastasized colon cancer already destroying his liver. His youngest sister has put aside her hard-earned career to care for her brother in these days on earth. Please pray for him as he prepares to go home to be with his family who have gone before him. Please pray for comfort, understanding, strength and guidance for Alan and his family who will of necessity remain behind.

 

Saundra is in ICU with congestive heart failure after a heart operation.  She is aged and frail.  Saundra is near the end of her time here on earth.  Please pray for comfort, understanding, strength and guidance for Saundra and her family who will of necessity remain behind.  Pray for the love of God to stay foremost in their hearts.

 

Polly is in hospice care with dementia and spinal stenosis.  Please pray for her as she prepares to go home to be with her family who have gone before her.  Pray for the faith of her family to build and the transition to be good. 

 

Homebound or Infirm

Mary is an elderly woman who has fallen four times in the last couple of days. Please pray the doctors find a reason for her falling and that God will stabilize, comfort and heal her.

 

 Lily is the caregiver of her elderly husband Harold; she fell down the stairs and has a break that will take six weeks before she can be on her feet again. Please pray for rapid healing for Lily and for a plan to form that will make things tolerable for both of them.

 

Martha and Irene both have Alzheimer’s Disease. Pray that their hearts will stay close to Jesus.

 

Walter has many health issues and is growing weaker and weaker. Pray Walter will learn to be able to swallow correctly.

 

Joan has had serious medical problems that have kept her confined.  On 26 September 2013, she took a fall. Please pray that in the weeks ahead her health will remain stable.

 

Lou has aspiration pneumonia.  Please pray for the infection to be knocked down and for her continued recovery.

 

Norma, Sara’s mother is in a state of deteriorating health, both physically and mentally, with both dementia and Alzheimer’s.  She is slowly drifting away, though she still recognizes Sara and prayer gives her a sense of peace.  Please pray for both Sara and her mother to put their cares and worries on God’s shoulders so they can deal with the many problems involved.

 

In need of a miracle or understanding of God’s Plan

Lloyds’ mother is in the hospital because of heart failure. Please pray for a miraculous remission of the heart failure; that his mother’s remaining time here on earth might be good.  Help Lloyd and his mother and their family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their worry.

 

Sarah, wife of Rev Geordie (AOC – UK), has been treating for ovarian cancer.  The treatment has not worked and she has been advised her time here on earth is short.  Please pray for a miraculous remission; that Sarah’s remaining time here on earth might be good.  Help Sarah, Geordie and their family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their worry.

 

Leon McKay suffered a stroke a few weeks back that has left him unable to speak and while undergoing evaluation the doctors also found he has a very aggressive cancer. Please pray for a miraculous remission; that Leon’s remaining time here on earth might be good.  Help Leon and his family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their worry.

 

Rev. Thomas Brooks is not improving and being kept alive by artificial machines. Please pray for a miraculous recovery and if that not be God’s Will, a rapid passing to home. Help Thomas’ family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their worry

 

Ronnie has kidney cancer that has spread and the surgeons are very concerned. Please pray the medical team to formulate a successful treatment plan and for a miraculous remission; that Ronnie’s remaining time here on earth might be good.  Help Ronnie and family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their worry.

 

Levi was cancer free for 4 years and just discovered he has kidney cancer. Levi has a great deal of faith and said whether he is healed or God takes him home he will be fine. Please pray for the medical team to pay attention and to their best and for a good outcome.  Pray also that Levi and family will be able to put their worry on God’s shoulders.  In particular, please pray for pain relief; Levi is 22 years old.

 

Ray Daley is a member of the Royal Canadian Legion and served his country during the Korean War era. Ray is taking chemotherapy treatments for cancer. Meanwhile his son Trevor is in the hospital in a coma and seems to have lost the will to live.

 

Pat has been under treatment for colon cancer for sometime.  He has had major complications the last few days and your prayers will be appreciated by family and friends.

 

Dorothy had pneumonia, on checking her lungs they found tumors which permeated the lung area.  Further investigation found a primary site in the colon, with the lung being secondary.  It would appear there is no viable treatment at this time.  Please pray for a miraculous remission; that her remaining time here on earth might be good.  Help Dorothy and her family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their worry.

 

Scott, one of our Lord’s ministers who collapsed a week ago and is in the ICU of a Medical Center since he had a pulmonary embolism, with a concurrent infection of several bacterial agents. He has stopped breathing on several occasions, and may have undergone brain damage. He currently is on DNR. Please pray for recovery so that he will continue to do his Lord’s calling.

 

Becky has fourth stage metastasized lung cancer and is not doing well with chemotherapy treatments.  Please pray for Becky and her husband as they are together during this difficult time in their lives.

 

Jane has fourth stage cancer and is not doing well.  Please pray for Jane and her family as they are together during this difficult time in their lives.

 

Larry Howes suffered a fairly severe stroke. 4 December 2012, doctors replaced a valve in a shunt that had been put in about two weeks before, and Larry responded very well.  He was able to go home.

 

Pray also for confidence in our Lord for Larry and his family.  Larry needs a miracle, pray for one.  Please.

 

Colleen has been battling pancreatic cancer over the last year and it has now spread to one of her lungs.  Please keep her and her family in your prayers.

 

Christine has cancer of the colon, which spread to her liver; she is receiving chemotherapy and is having difficulty eating.  Please pray for the medical team treating her to pay attention and do their very best; pray also for confidence in our Lord for Christine and her family.

 

Todd and Kenny have both been fighting osteocarcinoma for over five years and have been told their time here on earth is nearing its end, absent a miracle from God.  Both are ready to go home and leave the pain, but would like to stay.  Please pray for them and their families.

 

Surgery

Jenniffer was set for surgery for breast cancer on 17 September 2014.  It was postponed again due to a death in the family of the surgeon and is now set for 15 October 2014.  Pray for guidance for the medical people treating her that they might pay attention, do their very best and for a good outcome.  Pray for help for Jenniffer to keep her trust in the Lord and let Him carry her worry, particularly as she waits.  Please pray also for strength and courage for her family as they wait with her.

 

Albert had a pacemaker installed recently. He will require surgery soon for a leaking heart valve and has just been told he has esophageal cancer. Pray he will turn to God and come to know Him on a more personal basis as the days go by.

 

Jane underwent heart valve repair surgery on 3 July 2014. Please pray for full recovery.  Pray also Jane and her family to put their worry on God’s shoulders.

 

Mario has early-diagnosed prostate cancer and had surgery. Pray for complete remission and that Mario and his family will be able to put their worry on God’s shoulders.

 

Eddie has upcoming bladder surgery.  Please pray for the surgical team to pay attention and to their best and for a good outcome.  Pray also that Eddie and family will be able to put their worry on God’s shoulders.

 

Testing and Treatment

Maverick, a newborn little boy, has congenital adrenal hyperplasia. This is an inherited genetic defect that limits production of one of the many enzymes the adrenal glands use to make cortisol.

 

Most of the problems caused by classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia are related to a lack of cortisol, which plays an important role in regulating your blood pressure, maintaining blood sugar and energy levels, and protecting your body against stress.

 

This condition has no cure, but can be managed. Prayers are requested for Maverick, and his parents Kellie and Robert, as they adjust their lives to deal with Maverick’s condition.

 

James the 27 year old son of a friend of Dwayne Cowles has been diagnosed with cancer, and his future is uncertain.  Pray for medical team contemplating and evaluating the treatment that they might be guided to the correct choice and do their very best. Pray also for peace of mind and trust in God for James, his family and friends.

 

Garth Neel is undergoing chemotherapy for lymphomacancer.  He had to postpone last week’s chemotherapy due to low white blood cell count.  Please pray his numbers will get in line so that the treatment can continue.  Pray for medical team contemplating and evaluating the treatment that they might be guided to the correct choice and do their very best. Pray also for peace of mind and trust in God for Garth and his family.

 

Garth is the AOC Bishop of Canada with oversight of South America and a really both good and nice fellow. 

 

From Garth – I was able to have my second chemo therapy treatment yesterday and all went well. I am feeling okay today and seem to tolerating the drugs without many side effects. There are three more treatments scheduled at three week intervals. We  are giving thanks to God for all who pray for us.  (23 September 2014)

 

Jennifer has some lumps on the right side of her neck; they have grown and multiplied. In the last few months she has been having problems swallowing. Jennifer has an appointment with specialist in several weeks to try and discover what it is. She is having a great deal of anxiety as she waits for her Doctors appointment and will appreciate your prayer for anxiety and health.

 

Rick has heart problems.  Please pray for guidance for the medical people treating him that they might pay attention, do their very best and make the right recommendations regarding treatment.  Pray for help for Rick and his wife Wanda to keep their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their worry.

 

Clay has melanoma.  Please pray for guidance for the medical people treating him that they might pay attention, do their very best and make the right recommendations regarding treatment.  Pray for help for Rick and his wife Pam to keep their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their worry.

 

Tom is battling cancer.  Please pray for guidance for the medical people treating him that they might pay attention, do their very best and make the right recommendations regarding treatment.  Pray for help for Tom to keep his trust in the Lord and let Him carry his worry.

 

Atina has been diagnosed with skin cancer.  Pray for guidance for the medical people treating her that they might pay attention, do their very best and make the right recommendations regarding treatment.  Pray for help for Atina to keep her trust in the Lord and let Him carry her worry.

 

Evelyn has been diagnosed with bone cancer.  Pray for guidance for the medical people treating her that they might pay attention, do their very best and make the right recommendations regarding treatment.  Pray for help for Evelyn to keep her trust in the Lord and let Him carry her worry.

 

Stacy has Multiple Sclerosis and was hospitalized for what turned out to be food poisoning.  Pray for trust in God for Stacy and Chris as they deal with Stacy’s illness.

 

Dick Gray had developed a Merkle Cell carcinoma just under his sternum carcinoma which is considered a stage four carcinoma since it has ‘metastasized’.  He traveled to Seattle, Washington where he was examined and considered for a new type of treatment.  That treatment will not begin for at least three months, so they referred him to the Rutgers University Cancer Institute, New Brunswick, New Jersey.  They have accepted him into the evaluation process, which will begin on Monday 11 August 2014.  Rutgers started with monkeys and had good results, so now they are working with humans, Dick is hopeful as he has oft been referred to as an “Old Monkey.”  Please pray for peace of mind and safe travel for Dick and his lovely wife Jennifer as they travel to New Jersey this weekend.   Pray for those contemplating the treatment that they might be guided to the correct choice and do their very best.  Pray also for peace of mind and trust in God for Dick and his wife Jennifer.   Dick is the Treasurer and a Vestryman at Saint Paul’s AOC in Missouri.

 

Janet Jessup had a stroke on 3 July 2014.  She has made some progress and is now out of the stroke unit and in the General Surgery and Care Unit.  Please pray for those treating her to find the appropriate treatment and for trust in God and peace of mind for Name and her family, in particular her husband of 43 years, Rev Roger Jessup, minister of Saint Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Orthodox Church.

 

Dennis had a stroke on 30 May 2014. Pray for his wife and family during this time of recovery Pray for strength, courage and understanding for Dennis and his family, most particularly his wife; as well as for God’s guidance for the neurologists and other medical people treating him they might find the best course of treatment and allow Dennis to heal completely.

 

Liz Strauch had a pineal cyst, which in the end responded well to a surgical draining last year.  Since November 2013, similar symptoms have returned.  A CT Scan turned up what is thought to be either a new cyst or an enlarged pineal gland.  More testing, including an EEG is in the works.  She can no longer work. Pray for strength, courage and understanding for Liz and her family, in particular her husband Ken and sons Caleb and Nathan; as well as for God’s guidance for the medical people treating her that they might find the best course of treatment and allow Liz to heal completely.

 

Steve fell from a roof Saturday, 5 April 2014. His injuries were multiple, extensive, severe, and life threatening.  He is slowly making improvements. He still has a long road to travel and is still in great need of prayers. Yours are very much appreciated.  Pray for strength, courage and understanding for Steve and his family; as well as for God’s guidance for the medical people treating him that they might find the best course of treatment and allow Steve to heal completely.

 

Faye is in the hospital because she is weak has been receiving blood transfusions. Pray for strength, courage and understanding for Faye and her family; as well as for God’s guidance for the medical people treating her that they might find the best course of treatment and allow Faye to heal completely.

 

Tom has heart and kidney problems. Pray for strength, courage and understanding for Tom and his family; as well as for God’s guidance for the medical people treating him that they might find the best course of treatment and allow Tom to heal completely.

 

Harold has had a severe stroke.   He is now home, but his family is looking for a rehabilitation facility to help him recuperate.  Pray for strength, courage and understanding for Harold and his family; as well as for God’s guidance for the medical people caring for him that they might find the best treatment facility to allow Harold to heal completely.

 

Joe has had a preliminary ALS diagnosis. Pray the final diagnosis will something that will allow him to continue taking care of his devoted young family.  Pray for strength, courage and understanding for Joe and his family; as well as for God’s guidance for the medical people treating him that they might find the best course of treatment.

 

Mark hadswelling and fluid buildup in his lungs.  It appears things may be getting under control.  He needs to use a Bi-Pap mask to breathe until his lungs clear and he hates it.  Pray that he will be able to adapt so his lungs can clear.  Please pray for peace of mind and trust in the Lord for Mark, as well as for his family, and for God’s guidance for the medical people treating him that they might find the best course of treatment.

 

Preston is reacting poorly to recent neck surgery and now has problems with his liver count; Physicians feel that dialysis will help. There may be a blockage in the bowel and an operation might be necessary.  Please pray for the medical team to pay attention and to their best to determine how to help Preston and for a good outcome.  Pray also that Preston and family will be able to put their worry on God’s shoulders while Preston does his best to facilitate a return to good health.

 

Marianne is hospitalized with a perforated colon. Please pray for peace of mind and trust in the Lord for Marianne, as well as for her family, and for God’s guidance for the medical people treating her that they might find the best course of treatment.

 

Erica has a non-malignant Brain Tumor which cannot be surgically removed due to the size and location.  They are going to attempt chemotherapy. Please pray for peace of mind and trust in the Lord for Erica, as well as for her family, and for God’s guidance for the medical people treating her that they might find the best course of treatment.

 

Brenda is in the hospital because of bleeding on her brain. Please pray for peace of mind and trust in the Lord for Brenda, as well as for her family, and for God’s guidance for the medical people treating her that they might find the best course of treatment.

 

Mackenzie is a young girl with leukemia. Please pray for peace of mind and trust in the Lord for Mackenzie, as well as for her family, and for God’s guidance for the medical people treating her that they might find the best course of treatment.

 

Mack has had diabetes most of his adult life. Circulation in his legs is very bad and doctors are considering amputation. Please pray his medication will help and he will not face amputation. Please pray for peace of mind and trust in the Lord for Mack and for God’s guidance for the medical people treating him that they might find the best course of treatment.

 

Michael has been diagnosed with lung cancer recently after making it through gastro intestinal cancer last year. Please pray for peace of mind and trust in the Lord for Michael and his wife Gayle; as well as for God’s guidance for the medical people treating him that they might find the best course of treatment.

 

Ken Strauch has been tired and is anemic, he had a colonoscopy which found a pair of polyps which were removed and are being tested.  Just for good measure they found he has a hiatal hernia with ulcers, basically part of his stomach is pushed up into his esophagus and is bleeding from there.  Sounds like there may be surgery involved. Please pray for peace of mind and trust in the Lord for Ken and for God’s guidance for the medical people treating him that they might find the best course of treatment.

 

Adriano is in the hospital due to high sugar and high blood pressure. He is very weak and will appreciate your prayers.

 

Heather recently found out she has cancer.  Please pray for peace of mind for her and for the medical team treating her will be guided to the right solution.

 

Jim has had an aneurism and blood clots. Pray that healing will come.

 

Georgia has liver and pancreatic cancer. The doctors are evaluating whether to do surgery and how to tackle the disease. Georgia is a faithful Christian and appreciates your prayers. Pray for God’s guidance for the medical people treating her that they might find out the source of the problem and best course of treatment.  Pray also for peace of mind and trust in God for Georgia and her family.

 

Lana’s doctor found something on her lymph nodes and ovaries. Pray for God’s guidance for the medical people treating her that they might find out the source of the problem and best course of treatment.  Pray also for peace of mind and trust in God for Lana and her family.

 

 

Healing

Liz had a massive stroke at age thirty-seven. The prognosis is good but she has a long road ahead. .  Please pray for guidance for those treating her, for trust in our Lord for Liz and her family, for healing.

 

 

Ebick is suffering from a severe ulcer but the Doctors cannot give her the proper dosage of the medicine due to her six month pregnancy.  Please pray doctors will find an alternative avenue for treatment or that God will provide.

 

Stan is going through chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer. He is elderly and the treatments are tiring him.  Please pray for his wife Marvelene as they do this together.

 

Casey has strep throat along with her mother Deanna and Grandmother Virginia. Please pray that the other members of the family may stay healthy while those with strep throat recover quickly and rapidly.

 

Meg recently found out she had heart problems causing low blood oxygen levels, loss of focus resulting in an emergency room crisis. As a result of the symptoms she made errors on the job that caused her to lose her job. She is grateful for the excellent medical care she has received and optimistic, feeling with God’s intervention in her life her health may be reversed and a new job will become available.

 

Donald is in the hospital and had his leg amputated on 14 April 2014. Pray he will adjust and healing will begin.

 

Dallmus has lost 40 to 50 percent of his sight. Pray he will learn to cope with the situation and that he will trust in God to heal as He will.

 

Lucius Dabney (father of Rev Bryan Dabney) is now at home recovering from an infection.  Please pray for a complete healing of the infection and return to health.

 

David has many concussions and unable to go to school, read books, watch TV and has headaches and migraines. He has trouble sleeping and his family will appreciate your prayers for this 10 year old young man.

 

Barbara Apple fell the week of 11 January 2014, in her home, breaking her right humerus (the large upper arm bone) in a spiral fracture, which cannot be set.  Movement is very painful and due to a total lack of energy, she is more or less bedridden.  Healing does not seem to be going well at this point.  Pray for inspiration for those caring for her that they might find the appropriate treatment.  Please pray for Barbara to put her trust in the Lord, look to Him for strength and for her to gain energy so she does not lose the mobility she has; pray for a full and rapid recovery.  Please pray also for her husband Bob who is taking care of her that he might be comforted and strengthened in this time of stress.

 

Gladys has breast cancer and has had a lumpectomy. She needs to take a year off of her work to have chemo treatments.

 

Alwin Jack has had a stroke and recently has had a relapse.  Please pray for those who treat Alwin that they might chose the best possible treatment and pray for peace of mind for Alwin during the recovery phase.

 

Carolyn has Multiple Sclerosis with complications. Pray Carolyn and her children will be close to our Lord Jesus Christ as they and family members help to ease the problems.

 

Jeong was in an auto accident and sustained a serious back injury.  Please pray for a full and rapid recovery.

 

Dale was hospitalized Sunday 25 August 2013, after a heart attack. Please pray for guidance for the medical team treating him and for peace of mind for Dale and his family.

 

Gil Garcia developed a bed sore which precludes sitting and is now confined to his bed.  Gil has very smooth and delicate skin, please pray for a rapid healing of the sore so he can get out of bed and move around in his chair.  Gil spent almost a year in the hospital the last time this happened.  His faith and his attitude are almost beyond belief, he is an example to us all.  But, we pray this time he will heal quickly.  Pray also for his lovely wife Mary who takes care of him.  Pray for both of them also for strength to deal with the loss of their son Bernie.

 

Bill had malignant growth removed from a lip last month and seems to be experiencing a re-growth of the cancer.  He asks your prayer for the medical team treating him and for peace of mind for himself.

 

Hank has osteoporosis, which has caused him a great deal of pain and inconvenience in the past few years. Pray for his healing and that his medical bills will be met.

 

Evelyn is an elderly woman who has had problems with her eyes and is now blind. It appears some sight will return shortly, pray for that to happen!

 

Joanne has begun kidney dialysis as a result of kidney failure due to extensive chemotherapy. Additionally she cares for an adopted drug addicted baby who is now nine years old.  Please pray for her to keep her faith, to let the Lord carry her worry and concern and to give her strength.  Pray also for those treating her that they might pay attention and do their best.

 

Mr. N. Anand is in the hospital and is seriously ill. He is being encouraged to pray for repentance of his sins and to depend upon our dependable God for a cure and recovery of his health. Pray that he will be a strong witness for Christ.

 

Jacob has been going through some dental procedures and has some pain and aggravation with the numbness. Please pray for comfort and strength for him, as well as for guidance for the medical team treating him that they might pay attention and do their best.

 

Jean fell and broke her ankle in three places.  She will be in the hospital for rehabilitation for the next 6 weeks.  Please pray for comfort and strength for her, as well as for guidance for the medical team treating her that they might pay attention and do their best.

 

Bud and his wife for their continued welfare and enthusiasm.  Bud has been advised of an aneurism in his heart of a size not mandating immediate surgery.  This comes at a time when he has sole care of his wife who recently broke two vertebrae and thereafter sustained pneumonia.

 

Virginia has Sinus and Allergy problems giving her severe problems.  Pray that the Doctor will discover why it continues and find a cure.

 

Steve Thornell had a brain aneurysm, which was found before it burst.  He is home from the hospital and working hard on recovery. He lacks energy from seven days in the hospital.  His doctor told him he has to make serious life changes. One of the two main arteries in the back of the head is now completely closed.  He must take blood thinners, he has thick blood and recent chemotherapy made it worse.  Steve has always operated at 110 percent, he needs help to slow down.   Please pray for trust in the Lord and a full and rapid recovery.  Pray for peace of mind for Steve and his family.

 

Arlen is receiving treatment for lung cancer and recently experienced a ruptured colon during treatment. She is alone in Oregon but does have a friend who has traveled a great distance to be at her side. Please pray for guidance for the medical team treating her and for strength and trust for Arlen.

 

Oscar discovered some time ago he had blood clots in his leg and lung.  He has been treated for them and has not been cured. He now will be facing surgery.  Please keep him in your prayers.

 

Angela had an ischemic stroke (clot).Please pray for guidance for the medical team treating her and for strength and trust for Angela. Please pray also that she and her family might put their worries on our Lord’s back so she can work hard towards recovery.

 

Nora had a stroke mid February 2013. Please pray for guidance for the medical team treating her and for strength and trust for Nora. Please pray also that she and her family might put their worries on our Lord’s back so she can work hard towards recovery.

 

Linda has been hospitalized for several days with a gastrointestinal problem.  Please pray for guidance for the medical team treating her and for strength and trust for Linda.

 

Dester is suffering from unknown skin and diseases.  Please guide the medical team treating him to find out what the problem is and cure it.  Pray also for Dester to trust in the Lord.

 

Lee has Arterial Fibrillation; the medical people are not sure how to help her.  Please pray for guidance for the team treating her and for Lee and her family to make the right decisions regarding treatment..

 

Nell recently adopted two children and has just been diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

 

Mary Lou has been suffering with seizures. She was in the hospital with a 24 hour monitor and is being sent home from the hospital with two medications and orders to return in 2 months for another MRI to review whatever is going on in her brain.  Please pray for guidance for the medical people treating her, as well as peace of mind and trust in God for her and her family.

 

Kathleen has spent the last two weeks in the hospital.  She has been diagnosed with colitis, shingles and possibly colon cancer. Pray she will be comfortable and begin to heal.

 

Rachel has Mitochondrial Myopathy.  This is a hereditary disease of the muscles and they do not have a cure for it. Part of her pain is her family does not believe she is indeed ill, as she appears to be just fine. Please pray her family will learn the truth and be supportive of her; pray also the medical people treating her will find the right measures to minimize the disease.  Most particularly pray for Rachel’s trust in God.

 

Nicolas is in the hospital with serious symptoms of a heart disorder. Please pray for peace of mind for him and guidance for the medical team looking for the cause and cure.

 

Mrs. Baek an elderly women fell and injured her spine.  Doctors cannot repair the spinal injury due to her age. She fell again the morning of 12 December 2012, breaking her collar bone which is also untreatable. Mrs. Baek is in severe pain and will appreciate your prayers.

 

Juanita is a young girl who was in a coma because of a blood disease.  She has not come out and is gaining strength. They are awaiting results from blood samples.  Her family thanks you for your prayers and asks that you continue.

 

Barbara had an accident while cooking and the pressure cooker blew up in her face, causing second and third degree burns over her face and upper body. Because of this she has incurred kidney problems and may need a transplant.

 

George had foot surgery.  Please give thanks for the surgery and pray for a full and rapid recovery.

 

Nellie is in the emergency room of a hospital in a great deal of pain.  Please pray for peace of mind for her and guidance for the medical team looking for the cause and cure.

 

Lauralee Meade underwent a lumpectomy on Friday after Thanksgiving.  A further anomaly has been discovered and she had additional preventative radiation treatment.  Please pray for a complete remission of the cancer.  Pray also Lauralee will maintain her great attitude and trust in God.

 

Bill, Sara’s husband, had a third abdominal surgery on 22 November 2011, to remove a tumor.  Bill is doing better keeping the doctor’s instructions, for which we are all grateful, including taking chemotherapy once a day for one more year.  He has decreased the consumption of alcohol and eating at least mostly properly.  Please pray for help for him to continue do all this.  Please pray also that Bill might turn his heart outward to help those around him, as well as live a long and healthy life to the honor and glory of God.  Pray also for peace of mind for Bill and his wife Sara.

 

Kay Denton (Mrs. Kay) has had a chest infection, perhaps viral, but seems to be getting better.  Please pray for continued peace of mind for Mrs. Kay and her family.  Give thanks for her trust in the Lord and her positive attitude.

 

Matt Alcantara, age 16, came back with ZERO SCANS again in August 2014!  Matt has Osteosarcoma (bone cancer), a very rare and often lethal form of cancer with limited treatment options.  This is a disease that is about 90 percent fatal in a couple of years.  He has no hip joint on one side, but he walks and swims!  Courage?  Guts? You bet! Please also give thanks for the great faith of Matt and his entire family.  Their faith and trust is a wonderful example for each and every one of us.  But, now is not the time to stop praying.  Actually, it never is the time to stop praying!

 

Judith Clingwall, is afflicted with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).  She is currently in Laurel Place, an extended care facility in Surrey, British Columbia.  Judith’s condition has worsened recently. Please pray for her to take an active part in her own life, for her strength, peace of mind, trust in God and remission of the disease so she might return home to her family.  Pray also for strength for her husband Martin as he deals with all the problems and stress of Judith’s situation.

 

Vince (age 15), reoccurrence of Osteosarcoma, recent testing found a nickel sized tumor in his lungs.  The doctors are consulting with a specialist in Houston.  Please pray for guidance for the medical team and for peace of mind for Vince and his family.

 

Thanksgiving and Continued Healing

DiAnne Thornton had back surgery 23 September 2014, with apparently good result.  Please give thanks for the good result and pray the L5 decompression will allow her walking abilities and balance to be restored.

 

Alice had a mastectomy on 17 September 2014, that apparently went very well with a good result.  Please give thanks for the good outcome and pray for full healing and complete remission.

 

Mary had successful hip replacement on 10 September 2014.  Please give thanks for the successful surgery and ask for God’s help in her recovery.

 

Kathy had what seems to be very successful surgery on Wednesday, 3 September 2014, for cancer that returned somewhat unexpectedly.  Please give thanks for the good results of the surgery and pray that the cancer will be held at bay by this action.  Pray also for Kathy and her family to let God carry their worry, concern and terror so that Kathy can recover fully and quickly, so as to gain the best result.  Help their entire family to keep their full trust in God.

 

Peggy had very successful knee replacement surgery 26 August 2104. She is going home on 29 August 2014 with no pain!  Please give thanks for a great result.

 

Nathan had successful surgery on 4 August 2014, to remove a tumor near his heart; he is home from the hospital.  They think they got it all but he will continue on chemotherapy for a little while. Nathan and his family thank you for your prayers.

 

John Evetts had successful extensive heart surgery; he is still in the hospital and recovering.  He is in good spirits.  John and his family thank God for the answer to many prayers on his behalf.  John is a minister in the Anglican Episcopal Church which as a relationship with the AOC.  We look forward to his return to his ministerial duties at St. George’s Anglican Church in Ventura in the near future.

 

John Evetts entered the ministry after a lifetime of work in industry and business as well as service in the Armed Forces in Vietnam. Like the Apostles, he came to the ministry from the secular world of work. Rev. Evetts is married and has two daughters and two grandchildren.

 

We thank the Rev. Evetts for his service to our country and his continuing service to God and His people.

 

Mary Thornell had surgery on 30 October 2013, at the Riverside Community Hospital to remove a huge mass along with about ½ her colon and part of her lower bowel.  Mary finished chemotherapy 17 June 2014.  Tests the week of 2 June 2014 showed totally clear scans.  For now, treatment is done after the last chemotherapy session.  Please give thanks for the great result and also for the strength, guidance and peace of mind our Lord gave Mary and her husband Jim, as well as daughter Janice and son Jimmy, she underwent treatment.  Please pray she will stay free of the cancer in the future.

 

Eli a two month baby is back home after going to the ER the night of 28 May 2014, not able to breathe.  Please give thanks for her recovery and pray for strength, courage and understanding for Eli’s family; as well as for God’s guidance for the neurologists and other medical people treating Eli they might find the best course of treatment and allow Eli to heal completely, as well as for strength and understanding for the parents.

 

Jim has been hospitalized and had several operations for cancer the last few years.  The physicians discovered a number of spots; but his exam was better than expected-prayer changes things and he thanks you for your prayers. Please continue him in prayer for he will have another scan in April.

 

Al had an abscess found on his liver for which he was hospitalized, it turned out to be benign and will not require surgery, he has been released from the hospital.  Please give thanks for this good result and pray for continued healing.

 

Elma is suffering from cancer.  She was taken home from the hospital on the advice of her Doctor.  We were asked to pray that Elma’s remaining time here on earth might be good and that Elma and family might put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their worry.   Since then, Elma’s Bishop told us a great Miracle of the Lord is working over Elma.  Doctors sent her home to die, but now she seems to be doing all right.  On behalf of her, thank you for all of your prayers. Please continue praying for her complete healing.

 

Dennis has heart problems; now the medical people treating him discovered a large mass on his liver which turned out to be a cyst!  Please give thanks for this great development and pray for peace of mind and trust in the Lord for Dennis and for God’s guidance for the medical people treating him that the contemplated surgery might go well.

 

Dwight had major oral surgery, for which he gives thanks.  He is recovering slowly and asks your prayers to speed the process.

 

Mike is a veteran who has served his country when she called. Please pray he will open his heart to God so He can make Mike’s crooked road straight and pull him towards the summit rather than to the pit.

 

Dick’s left arm was amputated after treating for Merkel Cell carcinoma over a year ago.  He is now believed to be cancer free and is waiting to be fitted with an artificial arm. Please join Dick and his family in giving thanks to Our Lord Jesus Christ for his recovery as well as for their trust in God.

 

Bob Smouse had shoulder surgery on 28 November 2012. While the surgery went well, he is still in pain and would also appreciate prayers for continued healing and the pain to subside.  He promises to work very hard on recovery therapy.

 

Carol Stone, the sweet wife of Mike Stone, recovered far better than expected from a severe brain bleed, but fell recently and broke her hip.  She still requires 24 hour care, which Mike provides with little help.

Business

Mark’s business is in difficulty.  He works in a shrinking field, of which he is one of the country’s true masters, but there is little work available.  He asks that you pray that he can find a way to survive in his industry, which he loves and needs his talents.  Pray he can find new sources of business and new ways of doing things, perhaps someone to partner with to better use his talents.  Pray also for those who work for and with him that they might do their best to help.

 

Financial Guidance and Employment

Caleb David has finished law school and will appreciate your prayers as he seeks employment as an attorney.

 

Charlie is coming along in his need of both spiritual and financial.  Please pray God will continue to fill his heart with the Holy Ghost for guidance.  In addition, Charlie needs God’s guidance as to how to handle his life from this point forward.  After many years in the aerospace industry, he is looking for a place to employ his talents to the mutual benefit of a company.  He asks that you pray for God to guide him.

 

Carmine is looking for employment. Pray God will guide her and she will accept his guidance; something she has not always done, so your prayers will be especially appreciated.

 

Doug recently became unemployed from his job of 18 years. He has been applying for jobs, but unable to get one at this time.  His wife is working; this is not enough for the family. Please pray he will find employment with a firm that will be able to use his considerable skill and hard work to benefit both the firm and the family.

 

Catherine and Lewis are at a low ebb due to a struggle for employment. Your fervent prayers will be appreciated.

 

Lori is considering a potential change in her employment.  Please pray for God’s guidance in considering all aspect of her potential work.

 

Sarah is concerned about the future with her company.  She would appreciate prayers for her continued employment and that her firm might find more and better ways to use her considerable skills.

 

Financial Guidance and Healing

Clark is in need of salvation; for God’s Will to be done in his life. Pray his family will be blessed with the financial miracles that come from doing His Will.

 

Timothy and Sharon had their home foreclosed the morning of 15 April 2014.  They are experiencing spiritual, emotional and financial crisis at the current time. Please pray for God’s guidance as to how they might handle the financial difficulties in which they have found themselves and more importantly have them draw closer to God and each other.

 

Linda, Rick, Christian and Sawyer are a family experiencing spiritual, emotional and financial crisis at the current time. Please pray for God’s guidance as to how they might handle the financial difficulties in which they have found themselves and more importantly have them draw closer to God and each other.

 

David and Lorna are having financial problems.  They are trying to find a smaller home which may be more affordable.  Lorna has had an ongoing battle with brain cancer, her trips back and forth to the hospital have drained their finances to the point they sometimes struggle to have enough food in the house.  Pleaser pray for Lorna’s healing and guidance on how they might handle the financial difficulties in which they have found themselves.

 

Guidance


Flora is in remission with cancer, but has high blood pressure and fatigue. Flora’s Mother recently died and this has caused added stress.  Please pray that she will be able to let God carry her worry and sorrow so she can do the things she needs to do.

 

Elizabeth and Gunner need your prayers for their general well being.   Pray that they might see the Light of the Lord and let Him guide their lives.  Pray they might open their hearts not only to the Lord, but to each other to become one in Him and happiness.

 

Eric and Betty need your prayers for their general well being.   Pray that they might see the Light of the Lord and let Him guide their lives.  Pray they might open their hearts not only to the Lord, but to each other to become one in Him and happiness.

 

Eli has lost his way both spiritually and mentally, please pray for him and his parents Ed and Barb, who are having great struggles seeing their son, go through these afflictions having brought up in a Christian home.  Please pray his parents can find a way to help Eli.

 

Marie has suffered the loss of her husband, her job and her pet all in a short period of time. Please pray for peace of mind for Marie, as well as for trust in the Lord for her and those around her that she might adjust to the changes in her life and move forward to the honor and glory of our Lord with His Help.  (140607)

 

Mitten has a Christian talking to him about Christ. Mitten does not believe and does not seem to care.  Please pray Mitten will see the light.

 

Kristen, Rickey and their two children ask you to pray for grace, wisdom and understanding as they attempt to cope with infidelity, separation and possibly divorce as a result of backsliding from the Lord into the World.

 

Aaron has a problem seeing is where his life should be leading him.  Please pray that he can listen to his father Paul and those around him who want him to work hard and obtain a real education now rather than just coast towards oblivion.

 

Danielle has accepted Christ as her Saviour. Pray she will read the Bible and meditate on His Word so she can grow in him.

 

Helene and her family ask your prayers for them as they deal with the loss of Alan, husband and father.

 

Stephanie seems to be very deeply into post partum depression after her baby was born prematurely.  Please pray for her Mother in Law who is going a great distance to help Stephanie and her new Grandson.  Pray that Stephanie will be able to direct her attention outward, rather than inward.

 

William is an elderly man living with his Son and Daughter in-law. William is causing trouble in the family because of his demanding ways and continually using bad language. The family is at wit’s end to know how to handle him and will appreciate your guidance and prayers.

 

Caitlin is in the grip of the Prince of Darkness; she thinks there is escape from reality in drugs.  The saddest part is that reality is not as she sees it.  Her family is despairing as they can do nothing to help her and ask that you pray for the Holy Ghost to enter into heart and show her the need for change before it is too late.

 

Nathaniel is in spiritual turmoil.  His family and friends will appreciate it if you will keep him in your prayers for him to find the root of his trouble and accept God’s help to heal his heart.

 

Sam and her two children that have been living in a shelter and are to lose their place there.  Please pray a place will be found they can stay in and recover.

 

Please pray Darlene will surrender her life to Christ.

 

Norrie is facing daily exams in the weeks ahead.  Pray for calmness and concentration and to do the best possible.

 

Jonathan is addicted to drugs.  He is now in jail awaiting trial. His parents and friends will appreciate it if you will keep him in your prayers for him to find the root of his trouble and accept God’s help to heal addiction.

 

Beth is suffering from ungodly treatment in her marriage.  Please pray God will guide her in her behavior, actions and thoughts that she might be able to lead her husband to God so her marriage might prosper to the benefit of them.

 

Brandon a young man from a Christian family who married a year ago and almost immediately became estranged from him family. As a result he has had a serious problem with keeping the civil law. Please pray for Brandon that he will return to the Lord and the many problems will be eventually settled. Pray the hurt he has caused so many will be helped with our Lord’s care and love.

 

Dennis has some decisions to make and will appreciate our Lord’s guidance.

 

Earl to read and understand Scriptures he has been given.

 

Jeanette has had many members of her family die from diabetes and several are near death now. Jeanette does not know the Lord and is despondent and perplexed about her family and herself.  Please pray she can open her heart to allow the Holy Ghost in to bring her knowledge and understanding.

 

Dr. Elizabeth Raj is teaching a biblical approach to the psychological problems facing many in our society today. She is battling against the growing influence of worldly psychology adopted by the churches themselves. Elizabeth constantly stresses answers are found between the covers of that precious Book, the Holy Bible.  Please pray for encouragement, strength, fortitude and courage for her.

 

Abigail is a teenager who has behavior problems.  She feels she is in an area of mental darkness.  Please pray that she might look to God for help and not within herself.

 

Sara asks that you pray for guidance for her as she deals with the stresses of her family and life.  Pray that she can separate those things which she can affect from those things which she cannot and give her grace to accept that she cannot do everything and can only change those things within her control.  She asks for God’s help for her business so that she might remain gainfully employed while keeping up with the needs of her mother and husband and healing her own problems.

 

Jacquie to open her heart to God and accept His Love and Grace.

 

Hap asks you to pray he might be able to trust God will help him make the right decisions at the right time and not to worry uselessly, to change those things he can change, accept those things he cannot change, sleep well to be able to do the correct things with a clear head and that he will open his heart to the Holy Ghost.

 

School Challenges

Destiny, Blake and Janet

 

Anglican Orthodox Church

Kenneth Gill of Lahore, Pakistan, who is filling the large shoes of his father, the Rev. Younis Gill, who ministered to the church in Lahore. Kenneth is serving the members of Lahore and is taking theological courses from our seminary in Pakistan.  Rev Younis Gill went to sleep in God on 4 December of 2013.  This is a huge undertaking and only with God is it possible, even then it is hard!  Give Kenneth the perseverance required.

 

From Bishop John Nakka of our Church Family in South India. We must know, but by the grace of God, we could, and may, experience the same in our own land:

 

Dear ALL,

 

I am so painfully writing this mail as we are very very suffering a lot politically and also due to separation of our State. No power for around 10 to 12 hours in the cities and more than 12 hours  in the villages. No enough drinking water, very hot summer…. Politically we are now really afraid as the sectarian hindu religious background parties took over the Union and State Governments. We are a religious minority in India and now our hearts started beating fast and do not know what happened  for us in the near future. WE ARE REALLY UNFORTUNATE. We may live like a second grade citizens and we need to face a very hard persecution as was the Hebrews in Egypt. The persecution was already started and around 05 issues were reported for abuse, warnings and stopping the conventions etc., during this week alone i.e., just within a week after Mr.Modi took over the charge.

 

PLEASE PRAY FOR CHRISTIANS IN INDIA.

 

yours fraternally in Christ,

 

+John.

 

The Anglican Orthodox Church in Narowal, Pakistan had its wall boundary collapse due to heavy rain on 5 July 2014.  Water from the street is entering into the church compound which may damage the church building. Please pray for our priest and his wife as they try to reconstruct the wall boundary as soon as possible in order to prevent further damage.

 

Christians in the Central African Republic are experiencing the ravages of a war between the Muslim and Christians. We have both ministers and members of the Anglican Orthodox Church in Central African Republic. Please pray for God’s guidance and protection for all persecuted Christians and those around them.

 

Saint Paul’s, Moberly, Missouri would like your prayers that the Holy Ghost might enter more fully into their hearts so that they might be more effective in spreading the Word of God.

 

Saint Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Orthodox Church is under a lot of stress.  We all are, but they need even more prayer.  Rev Roger Jessup, their wonderful minister, is pressed by the duties of a primary care giver, in addition to all the worries of this world.  They have one of their family’s primary breadwinners who will be soon unemployed, absent His intervention.  As Rev Roger said so eloquently, “We must pray for those who mean us harm and deprive us of our property are our enemies: Our LORD has so commanded us.”  We must pray they will see light and cleave to it while turning their backs on the Prince of this World.  Equally important, we must pray that the Lord will raise up a political leader from among us as He has done in the past.  Pray also for trust in God for each member of the parish and for them to find economic relief.

 

Armed Forces & Contractors


Airman Donny Patton (Hulbert Field, Florida), Jordan (USMC – Fleet Marine Force – Pacific), Trevor (USAF – KC-10 Boom Operator – New Jersey), Trevor (USN – Whidbey Island, EF-18 Pilot), Kurt Thomas (USN – Camp Foster, Okinawa)

 

For Our Country

Our country has lost its way.  Over half the people that vote, voted for a government that promises them things it cannot deliver in return for their souls which it can, will and does take.  Our foreign policy backs the rise of Islam, we turn our backs on those who would follow God and arm those who murder them.  Pray that God will raise up a leader from among the people who can turn the country’s course 180° and attempt to come back to God.  Pray the people will recognize that they are headed down a smooth wide road into the pit, a road that will get smoother and smoother, steeper and steeper until the only possible way is down.  Down, into the depths of the pit.  Pray people will recognize there is:

 

• ·         One True and Triune God who is goodness in and of Himself
• ·         All religions are not equal
• ·         All ways of life are not equal;
• ·         The Bible holds the Key to Life;
• ·         All rights come from God, not the State;
• ·         Good;
• ·         Bad;
• ·         Evil;
• ·         Right;
• ·         Wrong;
• ·         Allah is the Devil;
• ·         Abortion is no more than sacrifice of children to Baal.

 

Pray this recognition will not come too late.  Pray we will, each of us, do our duty to God, Country and Family, putting His Honor above all.

 

Persecuted

Around the world, Christians are under attack, not only in the Muslim world, but from Hindus and others in India.  Also, they are under continual attack in the name of “Separation of Church and State” in the western world, as it becomes actively atheist or pro-devil buddy.  Please pray for God’s guidance and protection for all persecuted Christians and those around them.

 

Thanksgiving

Mel, Hap, Jack, Tricia and Hope give thanks for safe travel this week to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as well as giving thanks for all the members of the Organization of Flying Adjusters who joined them there.  They all give thanks for the wonderful hospitality of the Cook Family.

 

Various Special Requests

Liberia is experiencing an outbreak of the Ebola Virus; causing sickness and many deaths.  Please pray for people of Liberia and for their Health Providers.

 

The Anglican Orthodox Church in Peshawar, Pakistan sustained damage to their building as the result of heavy rains. At present the roof is being rebuilt and they have not been able to hold services.  Pray it will be fixed very soon and a new place might be found until the church is restored.

 

Nathalie is teaching English in a small western Ukrainian town where they are having so many problems. Pray for Nathalie and others around the world who are standing up for Christian principles in their countries.

 

This is a horrible time for the people of India, Christians in particular; they are having problems with Hunger, Bank Closings, Transportation and Schools not functioning.  Pray for the Leaders and Members of our Church in Eluru Andhra Pradesh. Pray their basic needs will be met and God will be close to them in this time of need.

 

Please pray for all the people of Egypt; Bishop Mouneer Anis of Egypt is asking your prayer as the supporters of the deposed Mursi government, with the support of the United States government, have been attacking Christian churches–Anglican, Catholic and Orthodox.  They destroyed the car of Anglican priest Rev. Ehab Ayoub.  The people of Egypt, the people of the United States need our prayers, even more so the people of the Muslim Brotherhood that they might repent of their evil and know God so the rest of the people may live in peace.

 

We ask that you pray, please ask God that the Holy Ghost might give you insight into how you might make the lives of your friends and family better.  Remember helping others is not just those who you don’t know!

 

Please join us in praying that the Free Teen Guitar Class will be continue to be an opportunity for God to work in the lives of the kids and their families.  Please ask God to guide the class to new opportunities to make Him known to others.  Help us to let the love of our Lord shine through us into their lives, putting Him first, so that He might enter in to their hearts and lives.

 

The near future, as well as Next Sunday

19 October 2014 – Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity – Holy Communion – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

 

26 October 2014 – Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity – Morning Prayer – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

 

2 November 2014 – Twentieth Sunday after Trinity – Morning Prayer – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA – END OF DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME – BACK TO STANDARD TIME

 

9 November 2014 – Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity – AOC Established 1963 – 51 years old – Morning Prayer – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

 

16 November 2014 – Twenty-Second Sunday after Trinity – Holy Communion – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

 

23 November 2014 – Sunday Next before Advent – Morning Prayer – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

 

27 November 2014 – Thanksgiving Day – Morning Prayer – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

 

30 November 2014 – First Sunday in Advent – Morning Prayer – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

 

7 December 2014 – Second Sunday in Advent – Morning Prayer – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

 

14 December 2014 – Third Sunday in Advent – Morning Prayer – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

 

21 December 2014 – Fourth Sunday in Advent – Holy Communion – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

 

25 December 2014 – Christmas Day – Holy Communion – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

 

28 December 2014 – Holy Innocents – Morning Prayer – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA