150809 AOC Sunday Report

Anglican Orthodox Church

Worldwide Communion

Tenth Sunday after Trinity

Sunday Report

 

 

 

Today we celebrated the Tenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday. 

 

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 –

 

On Jesus

TO EDWARD LOFSTROM: On what Lewis attempted in the Chronicles of Narnia; on the character of the man Jesus—his tenderness, ferocity, and even humor; and on the need to do one’s duty while having patience with God.

 

16 January 1959

 

1. I am afraid I don’t know the answer to your question about books of Christian instruction for children. Most of those I have seen—but I haven’t seen many—seem to me namby-pamby and ‘sissie’ and calculated to nauseate any child worth his salt. Of course I have tried to do what I can for children—in a mythical and fantastic form by my seven ‘Narnian’ fairy tales. They work well with some children but not with others. Sorry this looks like salesman- ship: but honestly if I knew anything else I’d mention it.

 

2. Of course. ‘Gentle Jesus’, my elbow! The most striking thing about Our Lord is the union of great ferocity with extreme tenderness. (Remember Pascal? ‘I do not admire the extreme of one virtue unless you show me at the same time the extreme of the opposite virtue. One shows one’s greatness not by being at an extremity but by being simultaneously at two extremities and filling all the space between.’)

 

Add to this that He is also a supreme ironist, dialectician, and (occasionally) humourist. So go on! You are on the right track now: getting to the real Man behind all the plaster dolls that have been substituted for Him. This is the appearance in Human form of the God who made the Tiger and the Lamb, the avalanche and the rose. He’ll frighten and puzzle you: but the real Christ can be loved and admired as the doll can’t.

 

3. ‘For him who is haunted by the smell of invisible roses the cure is work’ (MacDonald). If we feel we have talents that don’t find expression in our ordinary duties and recreations, I think we must just go on doing the ordinary things as well as we can. If God wants to use these suspected talents, He will: in His own time and way. At all costs one must keep clear of all the witchdoctors and their patent cures—as you say yourself.

Jack Lewis

The Collected Letters of CS Lewis, Volume III

 

 

On Goodness

Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of. An apparently trivial indulgence in lust or anger today is the loss of a ridge or railway line or bridgehead from which the enemy may launch an attack otherwise impossible.

Jack Lewis

Mere Christianity

 

The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create whatever the form of government, a real despotism.

George Washington

Commanding General

First President of the United States of America

Farewell Address, 1796

 

In politics, as in religion, it is equally absurd to aim at making proselytes by fire and sword. Heresies in either can rarely be cured by persecution.

Alexander Hamilton

Founding Father of the United States of America

Federalist No. 1 (1787)

 

I believe the promises of God enough to venture an eternity on them.

Isaac Watts

1674-1748

 

The foundations of our national policy will be laid in the pure and immutable principles of private morality, and the preeminence of free government be exemplified by all the attributes which can win the affections of its citizens, and command the respect of the world.

George Washington

Commanding General

First President of the United States of America

First Inaugural Address, 1789

 

Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands.

Psalm 66:1

 

To define one’s own theology is to divorce oneself from an unchanging measurable standard—the Word of God.

Dave Hunt

20th and 21st century American Christian author

 

The history of Israel of old is replete with accounts of God’s chosen people living in prosperity, enjoying the fleshly pleasures of worshiping foreign idols and gods, falling into captivity, pleading for His forgiveness and finally receiving deliverance to their national status. The same is true for America. If we want to escape the impending disaster we must turn back to God and seek our original foundation… Turning back to God is the only source of victory. Only time and God’s providence hold the secret of whether America will follow a long line of despotic powers or rise again.

Clyde F. Autio

20th and 21st Christian commentator

Retired General Officer of the United States Air Force

 

We are at present working discreetly with all our might to wrest this mysterious force called sovereignty out of the clutches of the local nation states of the world.

Arnold Toynbee

20th century English historian and globalist

 

The governments of the present day have to deal not merely with other governments, with emperors, kings and ministers, but also with the secret societies which have everywhere their unscrupulous agents, and can at the last moment upset all the governments’ plans.

Benjamin Disraeli

19th century British prime minister

 

The very word “secrecy” is repugnant in a free and open society; and we are as a people inherently and historically opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths and to secret proceedings. We decided long ago that the dangers of excessive and unwarranted concealment of pertinent facts far outweighed the dangers, which are cited to justify it.

John F. Kennedy

20th century American president

 

If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issuance of their currency, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.

Thomas Jefferson

American patriot and Third President

 

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 203-204, with the Collect first:

 

The Tenth Sunday after Trinity.

 

The Collect.

 

L

ET thy merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of thy humble servants; and, that they may obtain their petitions, make them to ask such things as shall please thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

The Epistle came from Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, the Twelfth Chapter beginning at the First Verse. Paul starts off by telling us that no man who “speaketh by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.”  He goes on to say, “Now there are diversities of gifts, but by the same Spirit.” “…it is the same God which worketh all in all.”  Every one is gifted in one manner or another by God, the question really is not do you have a gift from God, but will you use it?  Our gifts are so different in their character that we sometimes fail to recognize them for what they are, gifts from God, meant to be used, not ignored.

 

C

oncerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.  Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

 

Ttoday’s Holy Gospel started in the Nineteenth Chapter of the Gospel according to St. Luke, beginning at the Forty-First Verse.

 

The Gospel tell of Jesus’ time in the temple wherein he sees the people selling their wares having made the temple a den of thieves rather than a house of prayer and cast them out.  He also predicts the fall of the temple saying it shall be laid “even with the ground, … they shall not leave one stone upon another,” because the people of the temple had rejected Jesus.  The message to those who accept Jesus and his teaching is clear, their temple shall not fall.  The message to those who will not hear his message will never be heard, let alone clear, their first indication of a problem will be when their temple falls.

 

Often people take this Gospel to preclude jumble sales at church.  It does not preclude that.  It does literally preclude cheating people at those jumble sales!  You must understand that the “perfect” sacrificial offerings to God the temple hawkers were selling were perfectly defective “sacrificial lambs” which would be recycled over and over.  Those buying were likely for the most part honest in their attempt to offer unto God that due Him, yet their effort was being diverted and redirected by those “in charge”, the priests and hawkers.  In their very successful effort to make money they were defrauding the people and insulting God in His own House.  It should also be pointed out that a church should be a place of worship.  It may be a Prophet Center, but not a Profit Center[1].  If the building needs constant commercial enterprise, then perhaps the emphasis is on the wrong center.  A church should be funded for its needs by its members and its wants should come much later, if not in fact unheeded.  A church is about Him, not about IT.

 

 

A

nd when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves. And he taught daily in the temple.

 

Bishop Ogles’ Sermon

We are oft fortunate to get copies of Bishop Jerry’s sermon notes.  Today is one of those Sundays.  Today’s sermon starts off with the collect, and like always, it will give you a lot to consider in your heart.

 

Sermon Notes

Tenth Sunday in Trinity

9 August 2015, Anno Domini

St Andrews Anglican Orthodox Church

 

and I dwell in the House of the Lord Forever Ps 23:6b

 

A New Kind of King

37 And when He was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; 38. Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. 39. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto Him. Master, rebuke Thy disciples. 40. And He answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.41. And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it, 42. Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. 43. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 44. And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. 45. And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; 46. Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves. 47. And He taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy Him, 48. And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear Him. (Luke 19:37-48)

 

            On this occasion, we read that Jesus wept – just as he had wept without the tomb of Lazarus. Just as He was not weeping for Lazarus (for He knew He would raise him), He wept for the faithless of those who did not know Hios power over death. The same is true here of Jerusalem. He sees the future and the consequence of thsoe who proclaim Him King today, and in a few short days, call for His crucifixion.  

 

            This trip to Jerusalem is the last in the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, but, in spite of His knowing of His coming Crucifixion,  His will is steadfast and unflinching.  He “went on before His disciples. A good leader always leads his men and does not follow in the safety of the rear echelon.

 

            Luke 9:51 says, “And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem .” This is a rare form of courage that is beyond our understanding. In Luke’s account of this event, the emphasis is upon the Royalty and Kingship of Christ.

 

The narrative brings into prominence Christ’s part in originating the triumphal entry:

 

(vs. 30-34) He sent for the colt with the obvious intention of stimulating the people to just such a demonstration as followed. Notice the Lord’s own preparation and command of the events to follow:

 

30 Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. 31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him. 32 And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them. 33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? 34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him. 35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. 36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way(Luke 19:30-36)

 

            The nature of His dominion is as plainly taught by the humble pomp as is its reality.  A pauper King, who makes His public entrance into His city mounted on a borrowed ass, with His followers’ clothes for a saddle, attended by a shouting crowd of poor peasants, who for weapons or banners had but the branches plucked from other people’s trees, was a new kind of king.

 

            We do not need Matthew’s quote of the prophet’s vision of the meek King coming to Zion on an ass, to understand the contrast of this kingdom with such a dominion as that of Rome, or of such princes as the Herods. We see at the beginning of our text how the disciples and all the people began to praise Christ and welcome Him as King.

 

            We witness a contrast here in the crowds of people: The Disciples proclaiming Him to be King, and the background filled with hostile spies. This was unlike any of his actions before. He had previously downplayed his role as King of Kings, but now knows the time is near to proclaim it out of the mouths of babes and commoners.

 

Look at this humble procession:

 

            We have the humble procession with the shouting disciples and the background of hostile spies. The disciples eagerly caught at the meaning of bringing the colt, and threw themselves with alacrity into what seemed to them preparation for the public assertion of royalty, for which they had long been impatient.

 

            Luke tells us that they lifted Jesus on to the seat which they hurriedly prepared, while some spread their garments in the way — the usual homage to a king:

 

            How different the vision of the future in their minds and His! They dreamed of a throne; He knew it was a Cross. Round the southern shoulder of Olivet they came, and, as the long line of the Temple walls, glittering in the sunshine across the valley, burst on the view, and their approach could be seen from the city, they broke into loud acclamations, summoning, as it were, Jerusalem to welcome its King.

 

            Let’s examine verse 39: And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto Him. Master, rebuke Thy disciples. The Pharisees were not there to add anything to the celebration. They were there to undermine Christ. They still do so! The modern pulpits are filled with men who are willing to allow Christ to be mentioned, only, “please do not make so very much of Him.” They are always with us to deter us and prevent our full blossoming of Faith. Does the Gospel depend, in any respect, on the effort or presumptions of mere men?

 

Not at all. Whatsoever the Lord decrees, it shall come to pass.

 

             If no man speaks the Word of Truth, then the very Stones will cry out! 41. And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it, Why did Christ weep over Jerusalem? He saw the future of that city. Forty years later. He saw the massed Roman Armies under Titus coming to encircle and to suffocate the City, He saw trenches dug about its perimeter and battlements erected against its walls. He saw the starving children within her besieged walls, and the inhabitants eating their young for famine…..and ….He wept!

 

            At the moment of His triumphal entry, we see Him plunged into utter sorrow for the people of Jerusalem.

 

That sorrow is a sign of His real manhood, but it is also a part of His revelation of the very heart of God. The form is human, the substance divine.

 

            The man weeps because God pities. Christ’s sorrow does not hinder His judgments. The woes which wring His heart will nevertheless be inflicted by Him. Judgment is His ‘strange work,’ alien from His desires; but it is His work.

 

            The eyes which are as a flame of fire are filled with tears, but their glance burns up the evil. Note the yearning in the unfinished sentence, ‘If thou hadst known.’ Note the decisive closing of the time of repentance. Note the minute prophetic details of the siege, which, if ever they were spoken, are a distinct proof of His all-seeing eye. And from all let us fix in our hearts the conviction of the pity of the judge, and of the judgment by the pitying Christ. 45. And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; 46. Saying unto them, It is written, “My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

 

            I want each of you to imagine that this little church decided to abandon our policy of not conducting fund-raising enterprises. Suppose that we held a bake sale, or yard sale here in the yard of our church. Suppose many people were coming to buy our merchandise and we were looking at the hope of building a new edifice. “Except the Lord buildeth the house, they labor in vain that buildeth it.” Suppose a good man of the community (WHO OWNS A BAKERY) comes without warrant or warning and begins to turn our money tables over and chase us off the property with a cane.

 

            How would we react? But that is exactly what Christ does in the Temple. The Church is not our private property to raise ill-gotten money. It belongs to God! He will provide the resources for its building by the love of the people, not their merchandising.

 

            The Church is a House of Prayer and not merchandise. Let the other churches transgress His will, we shall not. If we remain poor in the treasures of the world, we will hold even more steadfastly to the treasures of Heaven! How was the reprimand of Christ received by the preachers of that community?

 

            Read for yourselves: “47. And He taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy Him,  48. And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.’

 

Let us trust in the Lord for all our provision and we shall be well.

 

Sermon – Reverend Jack Arnold – Time and Action

Church of the Faithful Centurion – Descanso, California

Today’s sermon tied the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together.

 

Consider the words from the Collect, wherein we ask God to give us … be open to the prayers of thy humble servants; and, that they may obtain their petitions, make them to ask such things as shall please thee …

 

Once again, this Collect is kind of a follow-on to last week’s Collect.  First, we ask God to hear our prayers, this is funny in that He always listens intently to us when we pray and we very seldom listen to Him when He answers.  It is an odd paradox, He listens but we never seem to listen.  It seems as if at times we should pray that we should listen not Him, as He always listens! Nonetheless, we ask His help to ask for those things we need, not those things we want and are bad for us.  We need to be humble when we ask.  What does that word mean?  According to the dictionary, to be HUMBLE means to be:

 

  • Modest

  • Respectful

  • Lowly

 

Modest – unassuming in attitude and behavior

Respectful – feeling or showing respect and deference toward other people

Lowly – relatively low in rank and without pretensions

 

We cannot change what is our station in life, but we can change our attitude towards God.  He is God, we are not.  We are His creatures, imperfect with free will.  We must recognize that when we ask for His Help.  We badly need the guidance from the Holy Ghost so we can ask for what we need, instead of what we want.  NEED and WANT are two four letter words that are used to oft interchangeably that do not mean the same thing. People often use these four letter words erroneously, thinking they mean the same thing. They do not and cannot. Needs are vital for our spiritual health as well as physical health. Wants are nice things to have, but they are not vital for us to survive. When we think we “NEED” something, we have to ask if it fits the above definition “Is this vital for our ministry/life here on earth, or is it something that is just nice to hav , but not a critical item?” We have to see if what we need is something we truly need, or just a want. Too many people do not perform this need analysis and as a result suffer for it physically and spiritually.

 

While our needs must be fulfilled, there is nothing wrong with wanting, just so long as you want things that are good for you.  Once again, we are asking God to help us to want the right things that will be good for us and help us develop in our Christian lives. Paul reminds us that though each believer is different, throughout all the believing peoples of the Church the same God, the same Spirit, the same Christ works all in all and through all His work is done and accomplished. When we are setting off to do work for the church, we have to keep in mind that those believers we serve and help believe in the same God we do, and they are filled with the same spirit.

 

Paul reminds us that we each have differing talents, but if we use them to the Glory of God, without concern for who gets the credit, all will be well. I can think of no finer example of this than the Marines serving on Peleliu with Eugene Sledge, in the 3rd Batallion/5th Marines. I was reading his memoir, With the Old Breed, when I realized in my reading, none of the Marines he served with cared a bit who got a credit, but all they cared about was helping their fellow Marines get the objective done. They didn’t do what they felt like, at least not the good ones. They did what was right without thought as to who would get the credit. Their main thoughts were to work as a team to defeat the Japanese. So too, must we work with our fellow Christians, as the Marines did on Peleliu, using each of our talents to further His work and to defeat the forces of Satan. There may be a lot of hardships to endure, just like the Marines endured, but if they could endure the hells of Peleliu, then surely we can endure whatever Satan can throw at us, if we just trust in Him and listen to Him. Do what you can, not what you feel like. Ignore what you feel like doing and do what God wants you to do. We will profit from doing what God wants more than if we did what we just felt like doing. What we feel like doing often does not align with what God wants for us, which can result in negative consequences for us. However, if we do what He wants for us, there will be positive consequences.

 

If you will but read the Bible, what God wants you to do will be clear.  If you do your best to do His Will all will be well with you.  Death is a pretty hollow threat if you do your duty.  The people of Jerusalem would not have been in the pickle they got in when 70AD came along, had they only done what God wanted.  But, it was too hard for them.  In 70AD, what had been so hard seemed pretty easy compared to the fix they were in, but by then it was too late.  By that time they were left with only “There are none so poor as cannot purchase a noble death.”  But, for most of them by that time they had no will.  It left when they failed to follow God’s will.

 

It is an object lesson for us, to do what we can in the here and now and not worry about tomorrow. And also we shouldn’t complain if it is too hard for us, because being on God’s side, nothing is too hard for us. We should ignore these thoughts and turn our attentions to what God wants for us. We must learn from the past mistakes of our spiritual forebears and resolve not to repeat those same mistakes. If we are ignorant of our spiritual past, we are doomed to make those very same mistakes.

 

When Luke wrote of the sales in the temple, he had a point.  The point was not to preclude jumble sales at church.  He was not abhorring the sales, but the cheating in the name of God.   This Gospel does literally preclude cheating people at those jumble sales!  You must understand the temple hawkers were selling perfect defective “sacrificial lambs” which would be recycled over and over[2].  In their very successful effort to make money they were defrauding the people and insulting God in His own House.  It should also be pointed out that a church should be a place of worship.  It may be a Prophet Center, but not a Profit Center.  If the building needs constant commercial enterprise, then perhaps the emphasis is on the wrong center. All of these churches that emphasize quantity over quality should be suspect. It does not matter the quantity, as long as you have a base of quality believers that serve the One Triune God.  A church should be funded for its needs by its members and its wants should come much later, if not in fact unheeded.  A church is about Him, not about IT. It should not be a self licking ice cream cone, but a center to help the believers walk in Christ, not focusing on the physical and material plant on earth, but on helping us on our own “Pilgrim’s Progress” towards heaven. If it focuses on anything but that, it is a stumbling block to believers. We are not called to be a stumbling block, but to be guides, to be lanterns shining in the darkness, to be as a light cloud amidst the darkness of this world.

 

Do what you are supposed to do when you are supposed to do it.  That is duty.  It does not matter how you “feel” about black or white.  Black is black; White is white.  Do your duty. Work as hard as you can, do the best you can, trust in the Lord.  By the way, cheat no one.  If you follow that, you won’t need to be told, “Particularly in God’s House.”

 

Action counts.  For by their actions ye shall know them. 

 

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

 

Bishop Dennis Campbell’s Sermon

Bishop Dennis is a brilliant speaker.  He is able to take biblical precepts and make them perfectly understandable, even to me.  Oft he provides the text of his sermons and I take the utmost pleasure in passing them on:

 

Will We Know Each Other in Heaven?

Tenth Sunday after Trinity

August 9, 2015

 

What is the highest, and most cherished hope of every Christian?  It is the hope of Heaven[3], of actually being in that land of eternal joy and peace, where the trials and sorrows of this world are but dim memories, and where we will see God with our own eyes.  We will have no more doubts or fears there.  We will know God  better than we know ourselves now.  We will know the fullness of His love, and we will finally love Him with all our hearts, all our strength, and all our mind, forever.  We cannot even begin to understand or  imagine what that is going to be like.  Our finite minds cannot grasp it now, but one day it will be the natural condition of our existence.  

 

Another of the Christian’s fondest hopes is that Heaven will be a great and glad reunion with friends and family who have gone to Heaven before us, and who will come after us. Many popular Gospel songs talk of this. People often talk about it at funerals, and around the bedsides of dying loved ones. Most of us think about it when we think of of those dear to us who have gone before us, and of those we will leave behind when we finally cross the river.  Beneath all of this is the belief that we will recognise one another in Heaven.  But this belief is not limited to “everyday Christians.” Great theologians have believed and cherished it too. Bishop, J.C. Ryle, believed it strongly. He wrote: “We shall once more see our beloved friends and relatives who fell asleep in Christ, and left us in sorrow and tears,-better, brighter, and more beautiful, more pleasant then ever we found them on earth” (Practical Religion, p. 436). Again, writing of our eternal happiness in Heaven, he wrote, we “are traveling on ‘towards an eternal weight of glory,’ towards a home that shall never be broken up, a meeting without parting, a family gathering without the separation” (Practical Religion, p. 476).

 

As you know, I would never commend the words of a theologian to you, if I did not believe they were in absolute accord with the teaching of Scripture. Therefore, I want to look at several passages of Scripture with you, and see if there is any support for this belief.

 

The first passages are in the Old Testament book of Genesis. All of them are about the passing of people out of this life, and all of them use a particular phrase.  Genesis 25:17, “and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people.” Genesis 35: 29, “And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people.” Genesis 49:33, speaking of Jacob, says he, “yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.” We find similar phrases throughout the Old Testament. I won’t multiply verses, but we see a common phrase in the verses just quoted, and that phrase is, “gathered unto his people.” The people in the Old Testament era did not have the complete Bible as we have. Consequently, there was much that they did not know about life after death. Many weren’t even sure there is life after death. Job was angry and depressed because he believed there is nothing after life, and life is a depressing trail of tears.  Therefore, he was angry at God, and tired of life. But we do see some kind of understanding of an afterlife in the verses I quoted, and however vague their understanding was, the Old Testament people believed in the continuance of the individual person, and that belief is expressed in these verses. They say the individual persons were gathered unto their people.  They were not gathered into an impersonal mass. They were gathered into the company of other individual persons, who are described as their people. They are people they know and will recognise. So the Old Testament appears to teach that we will both know and be known by others in Heaven.

 

The next passage is in the New Testament, from the Gospel of Luke, the 16th chapter beginning at the 19th verse. It is the story of the rich man and Lazarus.  I realise this story contains much symbolism, but I also believe our Lord does not distort truth for the sake of a story.  So there is a true view of the afterlife in this passage.  It is veiled, and we see it through a glass darkly, but it is also true.  The first thing I note in this story is that individuality and personhood continue in the afterlife (23).  Abraham is still Abraham.  The rich man is still the rich man.  Lazarus is still Lazarus.  They have not become non-persons.  They have not lost their identities.  They remain who and what the were on earth.  The second thing I note here is that they recognise each other.  The rich man recognises Abraham. He even calls him by name, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me” (24).  The rich man recognises Lazarus, he “seeth  Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”  Abraham recognises the rich man (25).  Abraham even knows the life-story of both men.  He tells the rich man he had his good things in life, while Lazarus received evil things.  Evil, here means sorrows and sufferings, not immoral or sinful things.  The point is that all three recognised and knew each other.  A third thing I note here is that they are able to communicate with each other.  The rich man is able to call out to Abraham, and Abraham is able to hear and reply to the rich man.  So, somehow, we will be able to communicate with one another in the afterlife.  I know there are many questions and issues about this passage that I don’t have time to deal with today.  I simply want to say, based on it, we will recognise one another in Heaven.

 

I want to look at, what to me is a very important passage on this topic.  It is Hebrews 12:1; “Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” I want to focus on that great cloud of witnesses. In their context, these words refer back to those heroes of the faith, named and unnamed, in Hebrews 11. Those people have run the race of faith. They have finished the course. Now they are presented as people in the stands of a sporting arena. They are watching runners on the track. They watch each generation rise and fall. They watch each person take his place at the starting line. They watch us as we run our races. They see us fall. They see our weaknesses. They see that some stop running. Some give up the race. Some never cross the finish line. They are watching us. The course is not the race of life, it is the life of faith in Christ Jesus. We are on that track now. We are running that course. Will we finish the race?  Will we be faithful to the end? Or will we give up because the race is long and difficult and we grow weary?

 

These are the questions raised in Hebrews 12:1. But I want to focus on the people in the stands. Again I say  the witnesses are, first, the people in chapter 11. But I think, in a secondary sense, they are all who have finished the course. They are all who, as Paul wrote, have fought the good fight, finished the course, kept the faith, and received the crown of righteousness which the Lord gives to all who love His appearing (2 Tim 4:6-8). And one thing I think I see in this passage is that the people in the stands are still the same people they were when they lived on earth. They keep their personhood. Their individuality goes with them into Heaven.  Abel is still Abel.  Sarah is still Sarah.  Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are still Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

 

The next passage is 1 John 1:1-3, where John says “we” meaning the Apostles and the voice of the One, Holy, and Apostolic Church, declare to you what we have seen and heard and handled concerning the Word of life, meaning Jesus Christ and His Gospel.  Verse 3 is the one I want to focus on because it tells us why they declare these things to us.  They declare them unto us that we may have fellowship with them, and their fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.  Fellowship refers to a great and deep sharing together, and being part of, the blessings of God given to us through the ministry of Jesus Christ.  We who are in Christ have a fellowship that is beyond anything else this world has to offer.  We are members of Christ.  We are members of His Body.  We are members of one another. You are part of me, and I am part of you. This membership, this fellowship begins now, on earth, but is only partial here.  We do not enjoy it it in its fullest sense, as we will in Heaven.  But notice this; we do not lose our identity in this fellowship.  We continue to be ourselves.  We are still the same person.  We are different from the way we were before we became Christians. But we are still us.  I do not see any place in the Bible that teaches us that our individuality will cease when we leave this world and enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  Our fellowship will be fuller.  Our fellowship will be complete in the sense that it cannot be improved or added unto.  But it will not end.  Fellowship, by definition, is a bond and relationship between two or more rational, identifiable persons, who recognise and intentionally form a bond and relationship.  Rocks are not rational, identifiable persons.  Rocks don’t have fellowship, not even with other rocks.

 

Finally, I want to look at verses in the book of Revelation.  First is Rev. 5:9 & 10.  Here we see an untold number of people from every kindred and tongue and people and nation.  Notice what happens to them.  They are made kings and priests.  They are not made into one king or one priest.  They remain individuals.  In 5:5, one of the elders meets John in Heaven and speaks to him, so someone in Heaven recognises and communicates with John

 

Let me conclude now by restating some of the conclusions I have drawn from the Scripture passages:

 

  1. We retain our individuality in Heaven.

 

  1. There is communication in Heaven.  Abraham spoke to the rich man.  The elder spoke to John.

 

  1. People recognise each other in Heaven.  Abraham recognised Lazarus.  The elder recognised John.

 

So, will we know each other in Heaven?  Yes.  Will Heaven really be a glad reunion with loved ones who have died in Christ?  Yes.  It will be the greatest, happiest reunion we could ever imagine.  We will see ancestors we never knew.  We will see descendants yet unborn.  We will see parents and spouses and children and aunts and uncles and cousins, and friends, as well as all the great heroes of the faith from the beginning to the very last day of earth.  And this reunion will never end.  No one ever has to leave the reunion to return to work.  No one has to leave the family circle to start his own home and family.  No one ever has to say good bye.  And no one is ever taken away in death.  Yes, we will know one another in Heaven.  And, yes, the reunion will be glorious.

+Dennis Campbell

Bishop, Anglican Orthodox Church Diocese of Virginia

Rector, Holy Trinity Anglican Orthodox Church

Powhatan, Virginia

www.HolyTrinityAnglicanOrthodoxChurch.org

www.lifeinthescriptures.blogspot.com

 

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. 

 

Tenth Sunday after Trinity

9 August 2015, Anno Domini

Psalm 15, 46 • Isaiah 44:1-8, 21-23 • Romans 12:1-9

 

 

The Tenth Sunday after Trinity.

 

The Collect.

 

L

ET thy merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of thy humble servants; and, that they may obtain their petitions, make them to ask such things as shall please thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

 

Psalm 15

L

ord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.

4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoreth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

 

Holiness

The overarching theme of our scripture is holiness.  Who can live with the Lord?   Why is the Lord so strong and is so holy?   Why be holy?

 

Early church Fathers understood, especially from the writings of Leviticus and Deuteronomy that man had a severe flaw, he was filled with sin and needed outside help to overcome that sin.

 

In fact he was born into sin, because of Adam.

 

The psalmist wrote many times about the good man who avoided or fled evil (sin) and in this way they were worshiping the Lord.  Many passages of both Old and Newtestament writings speak of the overall sinfulness of man.  So how do we get out of this ?

 

The simple outline found in Psalm 15 guides us to seek holiness, to seek the Lord, to live at peace with our neighbors, and in doing these things he will not be shaken.

 

  1. Be blameless and do what is right.  Walk according to the precepts we learn from the Ten Commandments.  By reading and understanding how the Lord worked amongst a wicked people gives us the examples of how we should conduct ourselves in our daily lives.

 

  1. Speak the truth and do not slander others. That sounds like one of the Ten Commandments doesn’t it?  You don’t have to say anything about someone else, their behavior will reveal what character flaws and possible evil that they may exhibit. You don’t have to report, their lives will do all the talking.  That is what is implied by this passage, in that if you speak the truth and do not slander others, you will reveal your Lord in your actions.

 

  1. Now you may despise a vile man, one who purposely seeks out evil and does evil to others, but this despising is to keep you away from that influence, not to drag you down to his level.  And at the same time as you despise one who is vile, you should also honor won who fears or has great respect for the Lord God Almighty.   This one who fears and honors the Lord, keeping his oath even if it hurts, they are the one to look up to, because they are doing the right thing.

 

  1. Interesting, this instruction is all about money, or funds.  The person, who fears the Lord, lends his money without usury.  Usury, a misunderstood word.  It means that you can lend money without charging too much interest, not interest free.  In the middle ages the interpretation was that no interest could be changed for lending money, if you were a Christian.  So monarchs and the church went to the Jewish population and borrowed money, because the Jews could charge interest.  But we are getting off track here, back to the outline.   The other side of this good man, one who feared the Lord, did not do usury and even more importantly, did not take bribes to “bear false witness against the innocent”.  

  2.  

What is the benefit of doing all this that David wrote in Psalm 15? 

 

He who does these things will never be shaken.    The very sure foundation of our Lord God, our creator, our help, our sure way in the wilderness, He will keep us from being shaken.

 

Bridges falling down, mine disasters, drought, floods, terror threats on a daily basis, all these things can shake an ordinary person.  But a person at peace, a person who is in love and concord with his neighbor, a person who is honest, a person who is kind, a person who stays away from evil and yet does what is right, he will not be shaken.   All these terrible things can happen, they will continue until Jesus comes again in His Glory to claim his Kingdom, but in the meantime, we can stand up and not be shaken if we follow the simple outline of Psalm 15.

 

I leave you with a quote from our other Psalter reading, Ps 46:10 

 

Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations.

I will be exalted in the earth.”

 

Let us pray:

O

 God, who knowest the weakness and corruption of our nature, and the manifold temptations which we daily meet with; We humbly beseech thee to have compassion on our infirmities, and to give us the constant assistance of thy Holy Spirit; that we may be effectually restrained from sin, and excited to our duty. Imprint upon our hearts such a dread of thy judgments, and such a grateful sense of thy goodness to us, as may make us both afraid and ashamed to offend thee. And, above all, keep in. our minds a lively remembrance of that great day, in, which we must give a. strict account of our thoughts, words, and actions; and according to the works done in the body, be eternally rewarded or punished, by him whom thou hast appointed the Judge of quick and dead, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

O

 Lord, we join our unfeigned thanks for all thy mercies; for our being, our reason, and all other endowments and faculties of soul and body; for our health, friends, food, and raiment, and all the other comforts and conveniences of life. Above all, we adore thy mercy in sending thy only Son into the world, to redeem us from sin and eternal death, and in giving us the knowledge and sense of our duty towards thee. We bless thee for thy patience with us, notwithstanding our many and great provocations; for all the directions, assistance, and comforts of thy Holy Spirit; for thy continual care watchful providence over us through the whole course of our lives, and particularly for the mercies and benefits of the past day: beseeching thee to continue these thy blessings to us; and to give us grace to show our thankfulness in a sincere obedience to his laws, through whose merits and intercession we received them all, thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ. 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.

 

Tenth Sunday after Trinity

 

In today’s Gospel, our Lord wept over Jerusalem and its people. How much he wept we are not told, but his words concerning what was to come upon that city must have been heart-rending indeed. This was not a warning so much as it was a lament. There would be no remedy similar to that found in II Chronicles 36:15-16 wherein it was written, And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. God then permitted Nebuchadnezzar to come and destroy the city and carry off the majority of its surviving inhabitants into exile in Babylonia for some 70 years. We are told in Ezekiel 10:18-19 that, the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house [the Temple], and stood over the cherubims. And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight… God removed his presence from the Temple much as in life, God removes his hand from a recalcitrant people so that evil will then be permitted to come and work its woes upon them.

 

Returning to our gospel lesson, our Lord prophesied concerning the coming destruction of Jerusalem and its people (St. Luke 19:42-44). Notice there is no room left for mercy or repentance. A debt had been incurred and the payment had to be made. Consider verse 42. If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. Given all that had transpired during his earthly ministry, they should have known that he was the Christ and such would have been to their credit. How often did he reveal to them his divine nature via signs and wonders? Did he not heal the sick, raise the dead and teach what was true? Did he not heal a man born blind and cause the palsied to walk? How often had he proclaimed the truth of God to them and their hearts did not receive it?

 

And so, on account of their unbelief, they forfeited God’s peace. When people reject Christ they are refusing God’s offering of salvation— which costs them nothing but is of inestimable value. They will also forfeit his deliverance from the power of the evil one. When people reject Christ, they have no place in God’s eternal kingdom. They have turned away from the great love and care which the Father has extended to us in his name. When people reject Christ, they remain in their sins and trespasses and are fit only to be cast into perdition by a just and holy God. When a people reject Christ, God will hide his blessings from them and their foolish hearts will be darkened. Our Lord then went on to explain the particulars of what would happen to the city and its people on account of their rejection of him as their Messiah. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side (v. 43). The coming siege of Jerusalem was as described. Titus and his legions came and invested the city so that no one could enter or leave. The Romans were a methodical people and especially in warfare. They were well-versed in the mechanics of capturing a well-fortified city, and their soldiers were well-trained in just what to do once the walls were breached.

 

And they shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation (v. 44). In St. Matthew’s gospel (23:38), our Lord said, Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. And in St. Mark’s (13:2) he reminded his disciples of Jerusalem’s coming destruction when he said, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. St. Luke also includes these words in a later chapter (21:6) which like St. Matthew’s gospel (24:2) are referred to as the Olivet Discourse.

 

What our Lord presents to us is judgment. Without his divine hand, destruction will come. When the children of Israel turned away from God to worship the false gods of the Canaanites, God took away his hand of protection and their enemies dominated them. When their kings did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, he removed his hedge of protection and they were plundered and carried away into exile. Why then would the people’s rejection of their Christ result in an outcome different from those in their past?

 

Many of you know St. John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. These are wonderful and comforting words which have sustained many a Christian. But the three verses that follow are often overlooked. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

 

Condemnation follows unbelief and rejection. God is the Creator of all things. God’s laws govern every aspect of the creation. God’s will cannot be hindered, neither can his ways be found out apart from his impartation of such information to man via the prophets of old, or that of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the work of the apostles under the guidance of the Holy Ghost. If men will not hear Moses and the prophets; if they will not hear the words of our Lord in the gospels; if they will not hear the instructions of the apostles in their epistles, then nothing but condemnation awaits such persons. The darkness of a life filled with sin and its enjoyment resists the light of truth that calls to the sinner, come out from among them and be thou separate (II Corinthians 6:17). God has called out to all humanity via Moses and the prophets, our Lord and the apostles. If we will accept his calling to turn unto him and be saved then the blessings of God will shower upon us. But if we reject him, then we will suffer the consequences.

 

Today, God is calling all persons to himself. It does not matter what you have done in your past. It does not matter if you have been recalcitrant in your Christianity. What matters is that you turn from your wickedness and live. Embrace the Lord Jesus as your Saviour and accept his free gift of grace. Renounce the devil and all his works and turn from them seeking God’s forgiveness in the name of his only begotten Son, and then accept his healing and guiding hand via the Holy Ghost. The majority of the people in Judea and Jerusalem refused God’s offer of grace and perished because of that choice. God does not bless the behavior of the unregenerate. God’s peace is for them who love him and who are in Christ Jesus and walk not according to the flesh. Purpose in your heart today to come and be forgiven of God and redeemed for his kingdom and be not like those of our Lord’s day who did not recognize the time of their visitation and were destroyed.

 

Let us pray,

 

G

racious Father, pour into our hearts the desire to please thee in all our doings; that having accepted your free gift, we might ever live as a people redeemed from sin and death, and regenerated to a new life by the power of thy most holy Spirit; and these things we ask in the name of him who is the author and finisher of our faith, even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Have a blessed week, Bryan+

After Church Hospitality

We would like some pictures of your after service gatherings.  Come on! Help out!

 

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 Anglican Orthodox Church 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 Anglican Orthodox Church 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 office at (619) 659-3608 or fill out a prayer card at your 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

Bishop Jerry and Debbie are on travel this week to and from Atlanta for church services there.

 

Birthday

Siri celebrated her very FIRST birthday on 20 May 2015.  She is a member of our church in India and her Grandfather and family will appreciate your prayers.

 

Anniversary

Dru and Hap Arnold celebrated their 28th anniversary on 21 February 2015, a testimony to the work of God.

 

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.

 

Departed

Susan Morley passed away the evening of 1 August 2015, after three weeks in a coma due to an aneurism, then a recovery, then after about ten days she gave up the ghost. Please give thanks for her time here on earth, for a safe passing and for comfort and strength for her family, in particular her husband Charles[4], as they adjust to the temporary separation that they might let God carry their sadness, fear and worry.

 

Harold McCormack (Charlie’s father) passed away the morning of 7 July 2015 of pancreatic cancer. Please give thanks for his time here on earth, for a safe passing and for comfort and strength for his family, in particular his son Charlie, as they adjust to the temporary separation that they might let God carry their sadness, fear and worry.

 

Bill Williams passed away the weekend of 21 June 2015, after a hard fight with cancer; please keep his wife, Pam, and their children in your prayers as they adjust to the loss of their husband and father.

 

Barbara Para (69) passed away during surgery as the result of an aircraft mishap in Siler City, North Carolina.  Her husband Freddy was also onboard and was seriously injured.  Please give thanks for her time here on earth and pray for Freddy to place his trust in our Lord as he recovers from his injuries and deals with the loss of his wife.  Pray for comfort and strength for Freddy and also for Ken Harris, Barbara’s brother.

 

Nearing the end of their time here on earth

Charles has tonsil cancer; his treatment was stopped in June 2015.  The tumor was too large and prevented surgery. Charles is unable to ingest nutrition and he is in a great deal of pain 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 Phil and his family who will of necessity remain behind.

 

Phil was taken off life support on 2 April 2015. 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 Phil and his family who will of necessity remain behind.

 

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. 

 

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

Janet has had a blood born cancer for several years.  Her faith in the Lord is great and he is ready to be with Him.  Pray she will be encouraged to not give up until it is her time to go.

 

Holly has had Colon Cancer, Breast Cancer and now it is in her spine. Please pray for guidance for the medical personnel treating Holly, for a miraculous remission; that Holly’s remaining time here on earth might be good.  Help Holly and her family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their sadness, fear, worry and terror.  Pray for strength and courage for Holly.

 

Tim was on a kidney transplant list and started dialysis and was taken off the transplant list for a heart problem that required stents, while putting in stents a leaking valve was found. A port was put in and something happened and it has to be redone. In several days he will have a valve replaced, after heart surgery and recover he will go back on the transplant list. Please remember him in prayer in the days and weeks ahead.  Pray he will put his worry on God’s shoulders so he might be at peace and rest.  Pray for those treating him that they might pay attention and do their best.

 

Marilyn has been diagnosed with non-operable pancreatic cancer. Please pray for a miraculous remission; that Marilyn’s remaining time here on earth might be good.  Help Marilyn and her family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their sadness, fear, worry and terror.

 

Kathy, Don Patton’s sister, has reoccurring abdominal cancer which has not responded to treatment so far, they are nearing the end of the know treatments, with one course left to try. Please pray for guidance for the medical personnel treating Cathy, for a miraculous remission; that Cathy might put all her sadness, fear, worry and terror on God’s back so that her remaining time here on earth might be good.  Help Cathy, Don and their family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their worry.  Give thanks for the great courage and trust in God made manifest in Cathy.

 

June found she has a recurrence of colon cancer, which is now Stage Four, that is it has spread.  Please pray for a miraculous remission; that June’s remaining time here on earth might be good.  Help June and her family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their sadness, fear, worry and terror.

 

Cindy has been diagnosed with an aggressive malignant brain tumor. Please pray for a miraculous remission; that Cindy’s remaining time here on earth might be good.  Help Cindy and her family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their sadness, fear, worry and terror.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Homebound or Infirm

Sarah is an elderly women in declining health who not able to do all that she would like to do. Sarah is content with what she can do and will appreciate your prayers.

 

James is on oxygen all the time, this is bothersome to him and terrifying as well.  Please pray for James to put his worry, his bother and his terror on the Lord.  Pray for strength and guidance for James and his family.  They suggest this verse, “I am thine, save me, for I have sought thy precepts.”

 

Joan has had serious medical problems that have kept her confined. Please pray her health will remain stable.

 

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.

 

Surgery

Shamu had successful surgery on 7 July 2015, for a disruptive colon.  The colon has been removed, she gives thank for the surgical team being open to guidance, paying close attention and doing their very best.  She is back in the hospital for an additional surgery to to a site infection.  She is in great need of God’s Help for healing. Pray the surgical team will be open to guidance, pay close attention and do their very best.  Please pray now for Shamu to trust in God, let Him carry her worry.  Pray she will recover to the point her internals may be rebuilt.

 

Marcia has had a biospy of a mass in her breast which indicated a tumor that must be removed. Pray the surgical team will be open to guidance, pay close attention and do their very best.  Pray for peace of mind and trust in God for Marcia and her family.

 

Edware is having his fourth back surgery (in the last four years) Please pray for the medical team to pay attention and to their best and for a good outcome.  Pray also that Edware and his family will be able to put their worry on God’s shoulders.

 

Jeff has been undergoing surgery, chemo and radiation since October for pancreatitis and Pancreatic cancer. Please pray for the medical team to pay attention and to their best and for a good outcome.  Pray also that Jeff, his wife and family will be able to put their worry on God’s shoulders.

 

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

Melanie Zimmers is having an angiogram on 10 August 2015. At the beginning of July 2015, she found out her heart’s left branch is blocked and she has only a 20% ejection fraction, with no symptoms.  They hope medications can get the fraction to above 45 percent or mechanical changes will have to be made.  Please pray for continued guidance for the medical team and patience and trust in God for Melanie and her family, particularly her husband Mike.  Pray also for a full recovery for her.

 

Helen was admitted from her doctor’s office 15 July 2015, as the result of a blood test, to the University of Pennsylvania Hospital with an extremely high white blood count. She and her husband are very active in the ministry of their church and are asking for believers to pray for them and their family, as they are facing  very serious problems in the days to come.  Please pray for guidance for the medical team and patience and trust in God for Helen and her family.  Pray also for a full recovery for her.

 

Cynthia Olufson (Melanie Zimmer’s sister) had an infection in the Harrington rods put in her back 25 years ago.   It appears antibiotics are doing the job, she is still concerned about the rods needing to come out.  Please pray for continued guidance for the medical team and patience and trust in God for Cynthia and her family, particularly Melanie.  Pray also for a full recovery for her.

 

Gulnura is having continual swelling in her feet. Pray the medical team treating her will find out the problem and bring it to an end.

 

Vickie has been falling and passing out and hurt herself. Pray the medical team treating her will find out the problem and bring it to an end.

 

John Thornell, Colonel, USMC Retired Pilot is recovering from a heart related event which began on Tuesday 19 May 2015, when he noted some chest pain while playing golf.  He skipped lunch and went home for a nap.  About 0100 the next day, fully recognizable chest pain developed, four aspirin, one EMT battle (in which the losers apparently got the rights to bring John to the wrong place), one full on back from zero paddle battle,  two surgeries and three stents later, John is in ICU wanting out, but because his blood pressure is so low (he is a runner, turns out it is just like it was a month ago) they don’t want to let him out.  Please give thanks for all this coming together so John is still with his family here on earth.  Pray for continued guidance for the medical team and patience and trust in God for John, his wife Linda and kids Skyler and Remi.  Pray also for a full recovery for him.

 

Steve Thornell is undergoing cancer treatment at University of California Irvine, please pray for continued guidance for the medical team and patience and trust in God for Steve and his family.  Pray also for a full recovery for him.

 

Red Thornell has mass in his neck, which appears likely to be cancerous.  He has had a biopsy on 22 May 2015 and expects the results after a PET scan on Tuesday 26 May 2015.  While there is an infection, his temperature is now normal; he is not for he sleeps 19-20 hours a day.  Please pray for trust in our Lord for Red and his wonderful wife Vickie as they try to get through this nightmare.

 

Elma has been suffering with headaches for a long time.  Doctors have not been able to discover the reason for them. Pray for strength, courage and understanding for Elma and her family; as well as for God’s guidance for the medical people caring for her that they might find the best treatment method to banish the headaches completely.

 

Corissa has been diagnosed with a blockage.  As soon as the Physicians determine the exact problems they expect Major Surgery will proceed.

 

Barbara Apple was more or less bedridden after a fall.  She was hospitalized in great pain and had been transferred to a skilled nursing facility where they hope to be able to control the pain level.  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.

 

Bob Apple was at the hospital picking up his wife Barbara to bring her to the skilled nursing facility when he experienced chest pain.  Barbara’s release from the hospital was delayed until Bob underwent an angiogram and had his medication adjusted.   Please pray for comfort and strength for Bob and his continued healing.

 

Deborah has had a stroke, she is doing much better and out of the hospital. She has a problem with anemia and is taking supplements for that. Pray our Lord will be close to her and her family. Pray for strength, courage and understanding for Deborah and her family; as well as for God’s guidance for the medical people caring for her that they might find the best treatment method to allow her to heal completely.

 

Rev. Steve Boardman has been diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. Pray that Jesus will be close and comfort his family and members of his congregation.

 

Hang So Ryu has cancer. Please 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 him and his family, as well as physical strength.

 

Olivia, age7, has been diagnosed with Stage 3 Lymphoma. The prognosis is good at this time, please 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 Olivia and her family, as well as physical strength.

 

Paul has been hospitalized recently several times because of persistent high fevers. He is being tested and checked by physicians and seems to have a slight scoliosis, a node and Schuermann’s disease.  Please pray it will be discovered how to treat these problems and healing will begin so he will be inspired to continue his education.

 

Carol Anne needs God’s comfort and healthy test results as she is anxiously undergoing tests related to previous hysterectomy and experiencing symptoms in the surrounding area.

 

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.

 

Atina has been diagnosed with skin cancer, which turned out to be a melanoma. A routine CT scan found a 9mm (3/8 inch) lesion in her left lung.  The melanoma appears to be spreading; they need to remove the offending tissue and test the sample.  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.   Atina’s faith is being tested, she has difficulty in praying and accepting the outcome, she wants what she wants and is perplexed about her faith in Jesus.  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.

 

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.

 

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 method 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 Wilson’s breathing seems to be under control at present, he is getting oxygen, which is a huge blessing for which he is grateful.  Pray for God’s guidance for the doctors and medical people treating him that they might figure out a way to treat him that will work and not adversely affect other parts of his body, particularly his oxygenation levels, kidney and liver function.  Please pray for peace of mind and trust in the Lord for Mark, as well as for his family.

 

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.

 

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

Amelia Perez had a small stroke on 11 July 2015 and drove herself to the emergency room, she was admitted for three days, had her carotid artery opened up and is recovering.  Amelia’s faith and spirit are strong.  Please give thanks for the progress so far, for her continued and full recovery and her faith to continue to support her.  Pray also for her family who are still quite worried for her.

 

Eleasa has broken toe of her left foot. She was taken to hospital where the doctor examined and after x-ray report they found out that she fractured her left toe. Now she has plaster on her left foot and with two weeks bed rest.  Please keep her in your prayers.

 

Jon has Stage 4 mantle cell lymphoma  There is good news in that he is in remission; however the chemotherapyis producing neuropathy in  his legs so that it is a challenge for him to get around. Please pray that he will be as comfortable as possible; he has been a Marathoner runner so this is especially difficult.

 

Margaret, from California, fell and broke her on 7 July 2015, while visiting her daughter in Arizona. She will stay in Arizona for the rehabilitation and return to her home when able. Furthermore, Margaret is in good spirits; however she will be away from her church family which is important to her for an extended period of time.

 

Ashley broke her wrist. Pray for full and complete healing of her wrist and patience and trust in God while it heals.

 

Cindyis very ill, she is young and has children, she and her family need your prayers that they might stay close to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as she heals.

 

Diana, age 15, broke her leg while in school and now has a cast on. Pray she will adjust and be healed soon

 

Bernie Coogan had a stroke near Christmas time.  He is undergoing physical and speech therapy at a rehab facility where his wife works.  Bernie is doing pretty well, his speech is a bit slurred, but his mind is clear.  He is still Bernie.  Bernie, his wife JoAnn and their family would appreciate your prayers for a full and rapid recovery as they maintain full trust in the Lord.

 

Amy has melanoma in her lungs, liver and kidneys; they have found a treatment for her that has a high success rate however the side effects are debilitating. Please pray she will be able to tolerate the side effects and the treatment is successful.  Amy has full trust in the Lord, but would still appreciate your prayers.

 

Debbie is just beginning chemotherapy for cancer of the lymph nodes.  Prayer she will be able to tolerate the therapy acceptably and remain strong as she remembers the Lord is with her at all times.

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Gil Garcia is back in the Long Beach VA Hospital.  It is quite a trip for Mary, so please pray that he will recover fully and quickly.  Pray for strength for Gil and his wife Mary as they deal with the stresses of Gil’s paraplegia and the general aging process.

 

Mary Garcia had surgery, she is home, but not healing as well as she hoped.  Please pray for her continued healing.

 

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.

 

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, sheis doing much better and she and her family thank you for your prayers. Her pain level is high and some medications have bad side effects. Please continue her in Prayer in the weeks ahead as she heals.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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 another chest infection, perhaps viral, this one is pretty bad.  Please pray for her full and rapid recovery and for her ability to breathe to return quickly.  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.

 

Healing and Patience

Diane spent a month in the hospital because of an inability to breath., due to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) apparently from chronic bronchitis. She is home, still very weak and learning to live with this progressive disease. Pray she will let the Lord help her be calm in her new circumstances and that healing will come.

 

Kym (43) has various hip problems which seems to be related to osteoarthritis.  And, her mother Ruth is in the early stages of dementia.  Pray for guidance for those treating both of them, as well as patience and trust in the Lord for both of them.

 

Christopher has had problems with his leg for some time.  Now he has to have it casted and it will stay that way for what to him seems an interminable time.  Pray for patience and peace of mind for this young man who has much he wants to do.

 

James for the Lord’s healing of health issues and give a remedy for many personal challenges at the moment

 

Thanksgiving and Continued Healing

Ducky is a little boy born April 2015. He has been diagnosed with Degenerative Glaucoma, he had his first operation on 6 July 2015 and the second on 15 July 2015 when it was discovered both eyes are affected. The surgeries were apparently successful and it is hoped he may be able to see soon. Please give thanks for the progress so far and pray for Ducky and for his Family as they care for him.

 

Mary had a cataract operation early the morning of Tuesday 16 June 2015, which went well.  Please give thanks for the surgical team being open to guidance, paying close attention and doing their very best; give thanks for the great result and pray for continued healing.

 

Sandy Patton had an ovarian cyst removed on 9 June 2015.  Surgery went well, on pathological testing there was no sign of cancer.  After a day, she went home and is resting and recovering! Please give thanks for the great result and for the surgical team being open to guidance, paying close attention and doing their very best.  Pray for continued recovery and peace of mind and trust in God for Sandy and her family.

 

Herb McCormick (1st Sergeant, USA Retired and dear friend of Bishop Jerry) had throat cancer surgery on 12 May 2015 at Emory Hospital, Atlanta.  At 86, it was major surgery with little hope of survival.  Herb survived the surgery, which went very very well and is now gaining strength rapidly, having gained 15 needed pounds since the surgery.  Please give thanks for good outcome and pray for a full recovery.

 

Peggy had very successful surgery for a torn Rotator Cuff on 30 April 2015.  Please give thanks for the medical team paying attention and doing their best and for a good outcome.  Pray also that Peggy and her family will be able to let God help them as she recovers. Peggy and her family thank you for your prayers.

 

Carolyn, (Charlie McCormack’s mom) was hospitalized with a blood clot in her arm, she is back home and doing well.  Please pray the clot will continue to abate without damage to her system.  Give her trust in the Lord and peace of mind for her and Charlie, too.

 

Daisy Lee is recovering from necrotizing fasciitis, which manifested on 30 January 2015, causing the loss of her right arm and her left hand, as well as parts of both feet. This is very very hard, but Daisy has kept her faith.  As she becomes more well, less in people’s thoughts and prayers it will be a lot tougher for her.  Please pray for strength for her and her family and friends as time moves on.  Her family is thankful for all the support they have received during these past couple weeks and hopes all will continue to pray for Daisy’s speedy recovery.

 

Pray for peace of mind and trust in God for Daisy’s family, her husband and children Tiffany and Chris. 

 

Michael Lenahan known to all as Bullet was hospitalized on 18 March 2015, and had a stent placed in a cardio artery.   All went well and he is recovering nicely.  Please give thanks for the great result and pray for a complete and rapid recovery for Bullet.

 

Janet Jessup had a stroke on 3 July 2014 and heart problems that were causing huge issues for her.  They seem to have gotten her stabilized and she is going home from the hospital.  Please join the entire family in giving thanks for this wonderful development. Please pray for those treating her to find the appropriate treatment and for trust in God and peace of mind for Janet and her family, in particular her husband of 43 years, Rev Roger Jessup, retired minister of Saint Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Orthodox Church.

 

Arch Crittenden has Multiple Myeloma (cancer cells in bone marrow); without this treatment life expectancy is one to two years.  The treatment has apparently been effective.  Arch and his lovely wife Kathy ask that you pray for their trust in God to remain strong and for a good outcome.

 

Dick Gray has a Merkle Cell carcinoma just under his sternum carcinoma which is considered a stage four carcinoma since it has ‘metastasized’.  After much treatment and hospitalization the main site is less than half the size and there are no new tumors.  He continues the fight. Please give thanks for the good results so far!  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.

 

Sam had surgery on his entire large intestine that had become infected. At the time of the operation he was just hours away from a complete organ shutdown. He had had turmoil in his life over the years. Sam is now in the ICU and his Minister visited him and explained to him God had given him another chance for him to make things right with his Lord. Pray for his good health and his spiritual life with Jesus.

 

Marv Rogge had successful heart valve replacement surgery on or about 20 December 2014.  Other than a desire to chew his food way too much, Marv is doing great, up and about.   Please join Marv, his lovely wife Marian and the rest of the family in giving thanks to God for the great result.  Pray for a full and complete recovery.

 

Ian had surgery to remove excess skin rendered a nuisance by controlled lost of 200 pounds.  Please give thanks for the successful result and for those treating him to have paid attention and done their very best on the lengthy surgery, taking the best possible care of him.  Please pray for his continued recovery and strength for his Mother who will be in charge of his after care.

 

Jenniffer had surgery for breast cancer on 15 October 2014, which seemingly went well; please give thanks for that.  She has had other complications which preclude her from making a full recovery in particular, the reconstructive surgery seems to have gravely affected her back muscles and nerves, resulting in both very limited mobility and extreme pain,  the drugs are making her terribly sick; please pray those will be overcome.  Pray for help for Jenniffer to keep her trust in the Lord and let Him carry her worry and concern as she recovers.  Please pray also for strength and courage for her family as they try their best to help her.

 

Mary Thornell has been battling colon cancer for three years now, she is currently treating at the City of Hope.  Things seem to be going well, the numbers seem headed in the right direction. Please pray for guidance for those treating her, as well as strength, guidance and peace of mind for Mary and her husband Jim, as well as daughter Janice and son Jimmy, as she undergoes treatment. 

 

Jim Thornell (Jet) seems to have recovered from the five stomach ulcers and now is dealing with blocked coronary arteries and taking care of Mary. Please give thanks for the great result and also for the strength, guidance and peace of mind our Lord gave Jet and his wife Mary, as well as daughter Janice and son Jimmy, as he underwent treatment.

 

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 has met with the oncologist’s and reviewed the CAT scan. Good News! The tumor has been reduced in size—it was down to one half the size that it was in September and there was no indication of a new tumor in the chest area. Dick wanted the Prayer Partners to know and join him in thankfulness to our Lord. 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.

 

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

Anne is unemployed and just interviewed for a position.  Please pray she will be employed, if not at this position then that this interview will lead to better prospects.  Pray for her ot be encouraged and strengthened by the Holy Ghost.

 

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.

 

Sara 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.

 

God’s Strength and Peace of Soul

Tommy Dunning is facing his first Christmas following the death of his only son to cancer.  Please pray he can concentrate his heart on what he had and will have in his son through God.

 

Guidance

Paul recently had his large toe amputated due to diabetes and is having a difficult recovery filled with fear about dying. He recently accepted Jesus as his savior and his family Rosie and Brenda are very grateful. Pray for strength for both Rosie and Brenda who are staying by his side through it all encouraging him on. 

 

Steve is addicted to alcohol, pain pills and gambling. Pray for wisdom, courage and strength to stick with treatment and follow God’s plan for his life

 

Eli has some mental issues and has lost his way.  He was admitted to the hospital for psychological evaluation to get a proper diagnosis and medications and has been discharged.  He has yet to come to grips with the demons chasing him.  Pray he will return to the Lord and his family.  Eli’s brother Carl has gotten little to no support from the family, he being the one to get Eli into treatment.  Daughter Katie seems to be the least helpful.  Pray they will ask God to send the Holy Ghost in to straighten things out and they will listen when He speaks to them.  The family has been open to the Prince of Darkness and needs help.

 

Debbie has family problems that must be dealt with and she asks God’s guidance in making the correct decisions and how to stand.

 

Edward (45) had the opportunity to meet with a Christian during the conversation she discovered Edward had some background about God but thought He was not relevant to this day.  Edward asked many questions about the Bible and was surprised at the answers and continued to ask questions. They both went their separate ways and the Christian told Edward that she would pray for him. Will you join in prayer for Edward, please?

 

Michael and his Family ask your prayers for wisdom as they are under trial and affliction to follow the law of the land and yet honor God in so doing.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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 so that His Light can penetrate into the far corners of his heart and eradicate the darkness lingering there.

 

School Challenges

Destiny, Blake and Janet

 

Anglican Orthodox Church

Kenya

The Anglican Orthodox Church is making plans for establishment of a presence in Kissi, Kenya.  There are six parishes, a total of 161 members, 68 adults, 93 children with two ministers:

 

  • ·         Raphael Ondara
  • ·         Johnson  Otara
  • ·            

Please pray for the church there and guidance for the people involved.

 

India

Nepal has experienced a 8.3 earth quake and it has reached India where we have members of The Anglican Orthodox Church. Please pray now and continue your prayers as they experience the many problems

 

Indonesia

Please pray for the Lord’s will regarding the establishment of an AOC church in Indonesia.

 

Pakistan

The forces of evil are strong in Pakistan.  The force of God stronger.  Pray for our Christian family there.

 

Pakistan is affected by heavy rains and flood.  Some of our members who live near canals or creeks also affected. Last Saturday flood water came into the St. Paul Anglican Orthodox Church building located at Jamrud in Khyber Agency called tribal area. Jamrud is 15 miles away from my home town Peshawar. The church building was filled with water and damaged the carpet. We do not have benches in this church and people sit on the floor during church service.  Last year we replaced old carpet with new one and this year flood damaged the new carpet again. Due to this incident the Sunday Service could not be held.  Please pray for our priest Rev. Razzaq and members who are working hard to clean up the church building and let it dry so that they can have service on Sunday. Some houses located near this building also damaged due to rains.  Please pray for these dear members who are facing this hardship.

In Christ’s alone,

Bishop Ernest Jacob

The Anglican Orthodox Church of Pakistan

 

Serbia

Rev. Igor Djurcik leader of Anglican Orthodox Church in Serbia asks us to pray for his students. He has excellent young people in Belgrade who are having services and classes on the Bible.

 

Philippines

Please pray a Minister will be found who would like to serve in Tabuk, in the Philippine Islands.  The Anglican Orthodox Church has an established Church there and in the surrounding areas and need a Shepherd to lead the flock.

 

Diocese of the Epiphany

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.

 

Atlanta

Bishop Jerry was in Atlanta, preaching at a church who has in attendance many members of another church founded in 1887 that has closed.  Many of those are older, in their late 70s and early 80s.  Please pray they will see this is a parish where they can be one with other believers.  Please pray the Holy Ghost might enter more fully into their hearts so that they might see their way to come together.

 

Diocese of Virginia

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, had to retire as he was so pressed by the duties of a primary care giver, in addition to all the worries of this world.  Pray for trust in God for each member of the parish and for them to find economic relief.

 

Armed Forces & Contractors


Dustin (Middle East)., Kristyna Thomas (Army – Camp Walker – Taegu / Daegu, ROK), Airman Donny Patton (USAF – Hulbert Field, Florida), Jordan Brown (USMC – Fleet Marine Force – Pacific), Trevor Jennings (USAF – KC-10 Boom Operator – New Jersey), Trevor Di Marco (USN – Whidbey Island, EF-18 Pilot), Kurt Thomas (USN – Camp Foster, Okinawa), Ethan (US Army Airborne – Southwest Asia)

 

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 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

The Islamist group (ISIS) just took over Quaragosh, the biggest Christian city in Iraq; 164 men, women and children were beheaded.  People ask where is God?  The real question is where are the people to enforce God’s will.  Pray the people of the world will see Allah for who he is, the Devil.  Pray for those who remain behind that they might find a way to safety.

 

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.

 

Various Special Requests

Nicholas will enter the Georgia Police Academy on Monday 29 June 2015, to begin his training and certification process as a Police Officer.  Pray for strength, courage and persistence for him.

 

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.

 

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!

 

Thanksgiving

Aleyda had surgery on 7 August 2015 for difficult and painful kidney stones.  All went well and she is home.  Please join her in thanking God for the great result.

 

The near future, as well as Next Sunday

 

16 August 2015 – Eleventh 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 August 2015 – Twelfth 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

 

30 August 2015 – Thirteenth 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

 

6 September 2015 – Fourteenth 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

 

13 September 2015 – Fifteenth 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

 



[1]A fine set of very apropos terms I first heard from Bishop Dennis Campbell in 2011.

[2]The concept of being truthful in the efforts we make to spread The Word is not a separate subject by any means, but would take more time to talk about than we have time for here.  Suffice it to say that we must take every care to spread The Truth and not what our audience, whoever that may be, would like to hear.  When we bring our “sacrifice” to the “temple” we needs make certain it is in fact as perfect as we can make it.  This is so hard that one of the recurring themes of the Collects is asking for guidance to ask for the right things.

[3]The only thing we know for sure of Heaven is we won’t be disappointed, no matter what there is it will be what we need to make us whole and right. 

[4]Charles is an AOC Bishop and has been a constant companion and caregiver for Susan.

By |2015-08-10T15:38:08+00:00August 10th, 2015|AOC Sunday Report|Comments Off on 150809 AOC Sunday Report

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