170205 AoC Sunday Report

Anglican Orthodox Church

Worldwide Communion

Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

Sunday Report

Today was the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany.

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 a few great ones to share. On to the On Point quotes –

Space Time Continuum

Everyone who believes in God at all believes that He knows what you and I are going to do tomorrow. But if He knows I am going to do so-and-so, how can I be free to do otherwise? Well, here once again, the difficulty comes from thinking that God is progressing along the Timeline like us: the only difference being that He can see ahead and we cannot. Well, if that were true, if God foresaw our acts, it would be very hard to understand how we could be free not to do them. But suppose God is outside and above the Time-line. In that case, what we call ‘tomorrow’ is visible to Him in just the same way as what we call ‘today’. All the days are ‘Now’ for Him. He does not remember you doing things yesterday; He simply sees you doing them, because, though you have lost yesterday, He has not. He does not ‘foresee’ you doing things tomorrow; He simply sees you doing them: because, though tomorrow is not yet there for you, it is for Him. You never supposed that your actions at this moment were any less free because God knows what you are doing. Well, He knows your tomorrow’s actions in just the same way—because He is already in tomorrow and can simply watch you. In a sense, He does not know your action till you have done it: but then the moment at which you have done it is already ‘Now’ for Him.

Jack Lewis

Mere Christianity

Aslan

Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,

At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,

When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,

And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.

Jack Lewis

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Luke 6:36

I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

John 6:35

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

I Corinthians 6:20

Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair.

Blaise Pascal

17^th century French mathematician, philosopher and author

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

Thomas Jefferson

Founding father and third president of the United States

What’s the Constitution among friends?

L. Bryan Dabney, Sr.

20^th century American lawyer & bibliophile

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 or our Deacon Striker.

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 115-118, with the Collect first:

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany.

The Collect.

LORD, we beseech thee to keep thy Church and household continually in thy true religion; that they who do lean only upon the hope of thy heavenly grace may evermore be defended by thy mighty power; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle for today comes from the Third Chapter of Paul’s letter to the Colossians beginning at the Twelfth Verse:

UT on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

The Holy Gospel came from the Thirteenth Chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew beginning at the Twenty-Fourth Verse.

HE kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

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

Fifth Sunday after The Epiphany

5 February 2017, Anno Domini (in the Year of Our Lord)

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany.

The Collect.

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matt 13:36-43)

From the beginning there have been but three sources of spoken words; Those of God, those of man, and those of the Devil. Those Words of God are altogether words of righteousness.

Those words spoken by men are of a mixture of righteousness and wickedness. Those words spoken by the Devil are altogether wicked words. The words of men may be righteous insofar as they reflect the Words of God, but more often human words reflect the words of that old Serpent of the Garden at Eden. Weeds grow in wild and uncultivated fields, and these are the choice fields of Satan; however, that old devil loves most the planting of his seeds of discontent in the good soil among the Seed of promise. It is in this soil that they gain the greatest attention and regard. He fashions his words to bear a subtle resemblance to those of God but, in reality, they conjure up the opposite emotions and foster murderous intentions. They may so resemble, yet contradict the true Word, that their progeny may be almost indistinguishable from the true. The Word of God is all-powerful, and those of Satan possessed of great and evil influences, but the word of man is most often empty and impotent to achieve good. As Pope has said: “Words are like leaves; and where they most abound, Much fruit of sense beneath is rarely found.” Today’s text continues the narrative on Seed and seeds.

Today’s text is divided into two parts. The first presents us with the Parable of the Good Seed (Word) sown in the Sower’s field. The second part provides an explanation for the first part.

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field. The field is the Sowers field. There is one that is a usurper and trespasser and who sows in fields that are not his rightful ownership, but the Good Man of this Parable sows in His own Field. Who is the Sower and what does this field represent? He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world. God owns the Universe and every galaxy of suns therein, and the earth is His and all who live there upon. There truly are no fields but those which belong to the Lord. Wherever Satan sows, he is an intruder on stolen property. Many of the hearts of men are stolen property – taken by the wiles of the devil for his own from the Gentle Hand that made man. God knows His own from before the foundation of the world, but Satan is happy to take the dross. “The soil corresponds to the human heart, the seed to the divine element in the sowing. Now it is in the seed that the whole mystery of life on earth is enwrapped. This mystery modern science has intensified far beyond what men in the age of the parables could have imagined. We now know that the actually living part of such seeds is wonderfully smaller, and in fact, at first is to the unaided eye invisibly hid in the mass of apparent seed, for this consist mainly of a store of food for the true seed within when it shall begin to grow. It is, therefore, at a seed that all attempt materialistic explanations of life find themselves baffled. Every living thing, be it an oak or a whale, has to begin its individual existence as a unicellular organism, a microscopic speck. To the biologist, therefore, it is a much greater thing when it exists as a vanishing-point of matter, than when it has attained to the vast bulk of mature development, for by that time it has outgrown and spent many of the potencies which were in it at the beginning. In that small beginning not only every after-development is already determined to finality, but it also contained the stored-up inheritance of untold generations.” (Dr. W.H. Thomson, Parables and Their Home)

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. There is no negligence here in the fact that men slept, for they must. The one (Devil) who came in darkness, which is his natural time, and sowed tares among the wheat is not only the enemy of the Sower but also of the wheat (fruit of the good Seed).

But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? These tares appear right in the midst of the people of God – not where one would expect them. The servants of the householder (God’s ministers) are surprised to see these wicked among the righteous in the Church. Remember those fowl that stole away the Seed by the way side? These are those wicked fowl among the branches of the Church. We shall address this more in the Parable of the Mustard Tree. He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?” To open or close the door of the Ark of Salvation is the sole prerogative of the Lord. It may seem proper on the part of those charged with the oversight to dismiss completely those whose character falls short of that of a true Christian, but man cannot judge the heart. When there are those in our midst whose living seems far from that expected, we cannot boot them from the church short of grievous and public sin. “But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. As we have read in Revelations 20:9-10 how the Camp of the Saints was compassed about by the legions of the Devil, and God rained fire down from heaven on them and they were cast into the Lake of Fire. After this, comes the White Throne Judgment. So the tares will be taken up by the angels of God first and burned, then shall the harvest of wheat be gathered.

Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. Those who love God’s Word more than others are privileged to receive it more directly. Christ sends the multitude away and resorts to the house where His disciples inquire of the meaning of this last Parable. The best place to be is always alone with Christ and away from the multitude, or “Far from the Madding Crowd!”

He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. No better explanation of the Parable than this that Jesus gives is possible. Let me make one point about the tares in any man’s field. My wife, who is a dedicated gardener, told me during our morning walk how important it was not to simply pull the weeds out from the soil of the garden, but the roots must be removed as well else those same weeds will grow again in the next season. This is true of personal sins as well. Not only must the consummating act be eliminated, but the sinful urge that motivates the sin, too. We are incapable of that elimination, but there is One on whom we can call to take away that motivating urge. If we allow our hearts to be so greatly filled with the Good Seed of God, there will be no space found for the tares to be planted.

Truly, the tares appear much like the good until they are ready to produce fruit. The tares are the children of the wicked one, who are filled with his Spirit, live according to his principles, and are under his control. They are not a degenerate form of virtue, but as distinct as virtue and vice. They often resemble the good till the fruit begins to appear, but they are as different as wheat and tares, as thistles and roses.

The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. To the horror and dismay of those limp-wristed moderns who deny Christ will ever treat sinners with harshness, Christ will have all who work iniquity gathered and burned at the Last Day. It is likely that these wonders of limp-wristed theology shall populate the same fires. Do you hear and read the words of Christ? Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Sermon – Reverend Jack Arnold – Time and Action

Church of the Faithful Centurion

Descanso, California

Today’s sermon brought the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and is partly contained in the forewords above.

Consider these words from the Collect:

… keep thy Church and household continually in thy true religion; that they who do lean only upon the hope of thy heavenly grace may evermore be defended by thy mighty power …

In the Collect, we are asking God to keep His People (that is US) in line with His Wishes, not our own, so that we might be defended by Him. We of course need the Holy Ghost to help keep us in line with His Wishes, to enable us to be defended by Him. We need to be acting in accordance with His Will before He can defend us. We cannot expect Him to defend us from the slings and arrows of this world if we will not line up behind Him. This is a pretty simple concept, but one that escapes so many. We find God being blamed by people who do what they want, not what He wants them to do.

Our problems are not caused by God or by following Him, they are caused by us and not following His will and guidance. We find that if we follow God and do what He asks, our problems will be more easily solvable than if we do not. However, on the flip side, if we do not follow God and His Word, then we find that our problems are never solved and it makes our life here on Earth much harder than if we turn to Him.

The truth of the matter is that it is not God we should blame; the blame rather lies with us. We are the cause of all our problems due to our inherent nature of pride, vanity, and other aspects of our sinful fallen nature. We need His help to cure us of this dreadful sickness known as Sin. It is not a surprise a lot of Jesus’s miracles were healing of various long suffering people with sickness. In a way, they are of themselves allegorical, He heals us of our sins, as He healed them of their physical sickness.

Sin is of course a sickness, a spiritual one, and it is like cancer in that there is really no cure for it without God’s intervention. God’s intervention is of course the Holy Ghost, who will not come in unless invited. So, in order to be healed of our sins, we need to recognize we have the sickness and refer to the appropriate physicians, the Holy Ghost and God, for treatment.

The treatment He prescribes is to accept the guidance of the Holy Ghost and the reading and digesting of Holy Scripture. This multi-step process will be one constantly repeating through ought our entire lifetime until we are called Home to be with Him. While we will never be able to fully stop sinning while we are here on Earth, He expects us to limit the sinning to the best of our abilities.

When we do fall out of step from time to time with the great physician’s instructions, we are called to return to Him, repent and do our very very best to go forth and sin no more. This means we have to renew our efforts continually to not walk in sin and darkness and to follow the narrow, uphill lighted path towards Heaven.

Paul reminds us that God wants us to treat others as we would be treated; having “a heart of compassion, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another…” Jesus forgave us, stood in our place, accounted us (who are guilty of capital crimes) as perfect. We are no more worthy than the next human being to get into heaven on our merits alone. Our merits do not outweigh our multitude grave offences we have committed by the virtue simple fact we are sinners. Yet, we want to hold a grudge against someone for leaving us alone a few minutes too long. How is that right?

In addition to being forgiving, we are to be sharing of His Word and joyful while doing it! Let us think about Psalm 100, the Jubilate Deo:

BE joyful in the Lord, all ye lands: * serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with a song.

vBe ye sure that the Lord he is God; it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; * we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; * be thankful unto him, and speak good of his Name.

For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting; * and his truth endureth from generation to generation.

Does this psalm not give a lot of insight into how we are to live our lives?

So, what if we choose not to live our lives God’s Way, but rather our way? Did you ever notice weeds normally flourish far above the crop plants? While they oft succeed in growing taller and quicker, they are not useful. They bear no benefit to a farmer’s harvest and they contribute absolutely nothing to the nature around them. A wise farmer will let them abide in the field and separate them out at the harvest. God is that wise farmer, who will sift us out before His judgment seat. So, while we still have time, let us repent and turn back to Him and give thanks for His mercy! Jesus reminds us our lives here on earth can be that way. Those who follow the Prince of this World oft soar in earthly riches far above us; when their time here is done, their destination is not the same as ours. In the end, we shall be soaring high above them in Heaven, while they will be in the Pit.

Follow God’s will and you will do well enough in earthly riches, which are transient in nature, but we will have for “…ourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.” (St. Matt. vi. 19, 20)

It is our actions here that count, what we do in response to the eternal life Jesus has given us. Will we throw it away or use it wisely?

Error is error, wrong is not right. But, a person’s final destination is up to God, not us. We might think certain individuals may be beyond redemption, but their eternal fate is beyond our speculation and is ultimately up to God. During the journey of life down that time space continuum we need to do our best to keep us moving towards God and not away from Him. We also need to keep others around us moving towards Him as well, by the example that we set here. We need to be sure we are setting a good example and not a bad one. The direction is always clear, sometimes we just do not want to read the signs. So, let us trust and turn to God, He is our infallible navigator, if we will but listen to Him and act upon his instructions we shall navigate through every storm and trial in our lives with the least pain.

If we understand we are less than perfect, actually far less than imperfect, we have a good start. We know we need God in our lives to give us direction. We need His guidance to direct our ACTION.

Read the Bible, find out what He wants you to do, then Do It. What can you do today to carry out His Will? There are a multitude of things you can DO to carry out His Will, but the question is, “Will you?”

There is but one way to heaven.

That easy to find, easy to follow, easy to hike path does not lead to the summit where eternal life in the real world awaits. Open your heart to the Holy Ghost, use His Power to follow our Lord to God who awaits in heaven.

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

It is by our actions we are known.

Be of God Live of God Act of God

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

Bishop Roy is pastor of the biggest AOC parish West of the Mississippi and is in charge of the Diocese of the Epiphany, as well as South America.

Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

The Lord, He is God

5 February 2017, Anno Domini

Psalm 112 • Habukuk 1:12-2:4, 9-14 • Luke 12:35-48

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany.

The Collect.

Psalm 112. Beatus vir.

LESSED is the man that feareth the Lord; * he hath great delight in his commandments.

2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth; * the generation of the faithful shall be blessed.

3 Riches and plenteousness shall be in his house; * and his righteousness endureth for ever.

4 Unto the godly there ariseth up light in the dark- ness; * he is merciful, loving, and righteous.

5 A good man is merciful, and lendeth; * and will guide his words with discretion.

6 For he shall never be moved: * and the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.

7 He will not be afraid of any evil tidings; * for his heart standeth fast, and believeth in the Lord.

8 His heart is stablished, and will not shrink, * until he see his desire upon his enemies.

9 He hath dispersed abroad, and given to the poor. * and his righteousness remaineth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

10 The ungodly shall see it, and it shall grieve him; * he shall gnash with his teeth, and consume away; the de- sire of the ungodly shall perish.

The psalmist wrote about the man who would be blessed. What type of blessings would he have? What things did he do to receive these blessings? Why was important to know about these blessings and from whence they came?

We don’t naturally do good. We tend to take care of self or self-interest first, sometimes just to the point of nothing else. Why should we help others? What have they don’t for us that they should deserve some type of goodness or help?

The first thing that the psalmist tells us, the one who honors or has respect for the Lord and seeks the goodness of the Lord’s commands, he shall be blessed.

There will be blessings for being upright and honest. Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. In other words, he who is upright, kind and generous, who is honest and just in all things concerning daily life, he will have good come to him. And how about a legacy. Surely….a righteous man will be remembered forever.

The next verse gives us hope in an unsettled time. “His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.” Nothing will add terror to his heart, he can look at the future and not fear it.

The man who has been blessed is to share with those less fortunate and in doing so will bring honor on his name. We don’t give to the poor to call attention to ourselves, we do it because we have been blessed.

9 He hath dispersed abroad, and given to the poor. * and his righteousness remaineth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

The psalms cover praising God, remembering his glorious majesty, looking to a future of hope and peace, asking for guidance and wisdom. There are so many life dealing object lessons in the psalms, I recommend a daily reading of one or two of the psalms a day. In many of these songs (psalms) that David wrote the form is very familiar. There is a part that may deal with the sadness or distress that is invading David’s soul. Then there is the joy and redemption that is revealed or longed for in the Lord. David will point out that many follow their own way, to their destruction, but he will follow the Lord.

Try reading through the Psalter each month. The psalter for each day is listed as day one, two, etc. Psalm 149 & 150 are on Day 31. If you alternate morning and evening readings, just once a day you can read all 150 in a two month period. Each time you read a psalm you will find something different. Each time you include the psalm in your daily reading you enrich your devotion time with the Lord.

They are so meditative, being written mostly by David, who spent hours watching sheep and being on guard for predators. He sat for hours watching the natural wonders of the heavens. He noticed the patterns in the stars, he noticed the waxing and waning of the moon, the yearly parade of stars that would appear like clockwork over his head. David wrote of these greater and lesser lights {sun, moon, and stars) in a number of his psalms. The natural order spoke to him of a supernatural order, the Master, Creator, Almighty God the Father of the Universe.

If you read the first three chapters of the letter to the Romans, you will see a similar use of the natural world being used to point to the supernatural wonder; God the Father, Jesus his Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The pagan, the non-believer has no excuse to not know God. His Universe, His Creation speaks of Him, every precise creation. Let us look at the butterfly. The butterfly, from egg, to larva (an eating machine) to cocoon to a completely transformed creature, a flying insect of great wonder, that drinks its meals, not destroying it as it did as a larva; this all speaks of a divine creator. How can a butterfly be chance, or an evolving mistake? It takes some faith to believe in a science that as of yet has the answers to creation or at least origin of this natural world.

Psalm 119:105 ff “Thy word is a lantern unto my feet, and a light unto my paths. I have sworn, and am steadfastly purposed, to keep thy righteous judgments.”

If we reflect on this verse we don’t necessarily see so much significance to it. We have grown up in a world of artificial light. We have street lights, lamps in our homes, our vehicles have headlights, small powerful flashlights, we are pretty much able to conquer the darkness. Now read the verses with the idea of NO artificial light. There are still places on this earth where darkness is still a real danger.

When David was writing this he was pointing to the ever illuminating Word of God, that lamp, that light which would help him in the darkest of nights to find the way. Yes we are talking spiritual, but it was well illustrated by the deep black darkness that occurs even to this day, where there is no artificial light. Now we can sing that chorus with a deeper understanding: ….”your word is a lamp to my feet that I might not sin against thee, that I might not sin, that I might not sin, that I might not sin against thee.”

Let us pray:

lmighty God and heavenly Father; Open thou our eyes that we may see ourselves to be sinners in they sight, partakers of a fallen nature, and actual transgressors against thee. Enable us to realize our continual need, both of thy pardoning mercy and of thy quickening grace, and to receive Jesus Christ as the only Savior of our souls. May we trust in his atonement, and rely on his intercession, as our only hope. Rejoicing in thy free salvation, and renouncing our own righteousness, may we walk in the way of thy commandments, serving thee faithfully, and striving against every sin; through the grace that is in Christ Jesus our Lord 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, espouse the truth and live the truth. This is really a good piece and I commend it to your careful reading.

Fifth Sunday after The Epiphany

Amos 5:14-27

EEK good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. 15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph. 16 Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing. 17 And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the Lord. 18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. 19 As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. 20 Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? 21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. 22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. 23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. 24 But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. 25 Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? 26 But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves. 27 Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the Lord, whose name is The God of hosts.

The Book of Amos presents an apt example of the warning: “Be careful what you ask for because you just might get it.” That expression has been used in times past to provide a dose of reality regarding any choices we might have before us. Some of you may remember the old sixties’ song “Take Time To Know Her” which detailed the sad result of not thinking through the issue of marriage. It is a song about a one-sided love affair that turned into a nightmare and all because the young man entered into that union “unadvisedly, or lightly” (1928 BCP, p.300). He got what he wished for, but it was more than he bargained for.

Or how about the desire of a person to purchase an automobile— especially one that has an appealing color, appointments, and image— with little consideration for the cost. And “cost” entails more than just the sticker price. As a rule, there are the usual accompanying costs of maintenance, insurance and taxes. If one thought about those things for a moment beforehand, such a reflection might save that person a good deal of anxiety later. No doubt you have heard the sentiment, “When the new wears off, all you are left with is payments.” Sad to say, many will heed the illusion of their desires without fully counting the cost. Our Lord once advised, For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it. Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish (Luke 14:28-30).

The English pastor, Matthew Henry, once noted that, “When we take upon us a profession of Christianity, we are like a man that undertakes to build a tower… Let [him] consider that it will cost [him] the mortifying of [his] sins, even the most beloved lusts. It will cost [him] a life of self-denial and watchfulness, and a constant course of holy duties. It may cost [him his] reputation among men… Nothing is more shameful than for those that have begun well in religion to break off.”

God wants us to temper our desires with the reality of their true worth. Consider Verse 14 of our lesson in Amos wherein the LORD said, Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live. We have been called to gauge our behaviors and acquisitions via his righteous laws, and to therefore judge them as being either acceptable or unacceptable in his sight and not simply our own.

Verse 15 of chapter 5 amplifies the above when the prophet proclaimed, Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph. God reminded the people that they must extend their judiciousness to all aspects of their daily lives— individual as well as corporate— and that if they would do so, he would have mercy upon those who would live accordingly. As Christians, we have been admonished in Scripture to self-judge and to confess to God our sins and trespasses. The apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians in his first epistle, For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged (11:31). And this goes hand in hand with his admonishment of the Galatians when he wrote, that those who belong to Christ, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lust (5:24).

In Verses 16-17 of Chapter 5 of the Book of Amos we find the LORD’s approaching judgment for Israel would cause many to wail and cry. Some of them would reason that it was the end of all things (I St. Peter 4:7). And on account of the promises God had given their forefathers, they falsely expected him to rescue them from their enemies in spite of their godless lifestyles. Not so! The LORD gave the prophet the following message in verses 18-20 which would shatter that illusion when he said, Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? The plague of captivity was coming and God would not lift his finger to protect them from it because they had broken his laws and were not sorry that they had done so. Also, the false prophets of their day had convinced the people that peace and safety were before them and that what the LORD’s prophets had said would not come to pass (see Jeremiah 23:13, 16-18, 21-22, 31-32; Ezekiel 13:1-3, 10-11, 15-23).

Even today, careless sinners would rather listen to false teachers and ministers whose speech is smooth and soothing as it comforts them in their sinfulness rather than prompting them to have those sins expunged by our Lord. However, there is grave danger for those who choose to remain under the influence and sway of false professors. The early 20th century Bible teacher, Arthur Pink, once observed that, “The time of the sinner’s opportunity for fleeing from God’s wrath is exceedingly brief and limited. The sad and tragic thing is that so few realize it. The sinner sees little cause for alarm and fails to apprehend his imperative need of promptly accepting Christ as his Saviour. He imagines himself secure. He goes on in his sin, and because judgment against an evil work is not executed speedily he increases in his boldness against God. But God’s ways are different [than] ours. There is no need for God to be in a hurry— all eternity is at His disposal. When one man robs another, instantly the cry is raised, “Stop thief!” lest he should soon be out of reach… But it is different with God. He is in no haste to execute judgment because He knows the sinner cannot escape Him. It is impossible to flee out of His dominions! In due time every transgression and disobedience shall receive a just recompense of reward (Hebrews 2:2). Because there is wrath, beware lest He take thee away with His stroke (Job 36:18). The immediate reference is to death— the removal of the sinner from this earth to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire… “

The final verses of Amos Chapter 5 (vv. 21-27) express how God felt about the people’s worship of him. The law provided the Israelites with the details for wholesome and reverent worship of the LORD. In every instance, the people were supposed to bring their hearts to worship and honor God and not just their bodies. Yet they came before him in arrogance thinking he did not see them as they truly were. Their offerings, their songs of praise and their religious duties involved will- worship and self-aggrandizement. It was all about them and for them and not the very LORD and God who had provided them with all that they possessed.

Clearly, the Israelites had by and large deserted the LORD their God: who had brought them out of bondage in Egypt and into the land of promise. It is likely that many simply went through the motions of godly worship while afterwards they went to some high place or grove and worshipped the so-called “hosts of heaven”. So when the true prophets of God told them that they were in error and needed to repent and change, some were persecuted and some were killed by the very people they had been sent of God to warn. As the prophet Amos so noted the words of God, Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? And given the state of their souls, his return at that point in time would have been disastrous for them even more so than the coming of any earthly enemy.

And what of people today? Haven’t some called upon God to return and “make the world safe for democracy”, or grant them “freedom from fear”, or “a full dinner pail” or “a great society”? Are those not the very things that the superficial Christian, the Christian in name only, or the progressive Christian desire? When indeed our Lord returns to judge this world it will be a day of terror for the unregenerate like nothing that has ever been seen before and never will be again. But we who have been born again of the Holy Ghost have not been called to face God’s wrath. And others need not face such if they will come clean by making their confession before the Father of their sins and trespasses in the name of his only begotten Son. In that vein, we ought to encourage all who have not done so to seek our Lord’s cleansing power. Strive to enter in via the strait gate and narrow way which leads to everlasting life. Only by being born again in Christ Jesus can one be saved, so come before his throne of grace and ask for his pardon. If we should ask for anything that would be it. It is not too late. Accept the free gift of salvation in Jesus Christ and live.

Let us pray,

ather assist us by means of thy good Spirit to pray for what you would have us do in thy service; and keep us also on the path of life eternal; all of which we ask in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 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 our happy duty 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!

Immediate Prayer Please

Ronnie lost his son Scott on 22 January 2017. His heart is very troubled and he needs the peace of mind and soul that only God can give him. Please pray for Ronnie to let the Lord carry his sorrow, worry and sadness so he can do what needs to be done here on earth. Pray also for his good friend Richard who is trying to help Ronnie find peace and for his family and friends who want to help.

Madisun Hanks (14) she is hospitalized at Children’s Hospital New Orleans to treat a series of problems piling up. These are various very high risk treatments which provide some relief. None of them are close and none are easy. Madisun is truly one of the most inspiring young ladies we have ever come across, her attitude and actions are almost unbelievable. No one should have to go through what she does, but she makes it through and performs incredibly when others just get by. Please pray for Madisun, her mom Hilda who guides her through all this and those treating her.

Chris Hill (close friend of Jon Weston) suffered a brain aneurysm and needs your prayers. He recovered from a coma he had been in since the week before Christmas. Pray for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating him to pay attention, to be open to God’s guidance and do their very best. Pray for trust in our Lord and peace of mind for Chris and his family.

Nat who was rushed to the hospital with acute appendix and bowel involvement and will be in surgery in a few hours. Please pray for safe travel for his family who are driving a distance to be with him.

Ben has had a stroke and lives far from his family. Please pray for trust in the Lord, strength and courage for Ben and guidance for those treating him.

Jessica and her unborn baby are having neo-natal and diabetic issues brought on by her pregnancy. Jessica and her husband have three other children under eight. The doctors think they will soon be putting her to bed; pleaser pray all will go well for Jessica and her new unborn baby.

Victor Knowles had a massive heart attack the morning of 7 August 2016, he made it to the hospital alive and is undergoing treatment. Pray for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating him to pay attention, to be open to God’s guidance and do their very be Pray for trust in our Lord and peace of mind for Victor and his family.

Travel

No known travel this week.

Move

The Thomas Family are now in Virginia on a headquarters tour. Please pray for their new assignment to go well for Kurt and for Mary and the kids to make new friends.

Birthdays

Dru Arnold celebrated her 62^nd birthday on 2 February 2017. For the record, she did not see her shadow, thus we are faced with six more weeks of winter. On the other hand, we live in Descanso, California, so it really does not matter.

Departed

Michael Gunlock (brother in law of Steve and Leslie Coker) passed away 17 January 2017, after his body rejected a double lung transplant 56 days before. Please give thanks for his time here on earth and pray for his family, in particular his wife Sandra and two daughters Patricia and Abigail, and friends who of necessity remain behind.

Debbie Speech left for home after a battle with cancer on 14 January 2017. Please give thanks for her time here on earth and pray for her family and friends who of necessity remain behind.

Nearing the end of their time here on earth

Danny E. a good friend of Bishop Roy, is nearing the end of his time here on earth, his nervous system is being attacked by a non-Parkinson disease which is causing his body to slowly decline. Since March 2016, he is no longer able to walk, his speech is very difficult to understand, he is under full-time care by his wife Linda who is a Registered Nurse. Danny and Linda would much appreciate your prayer for trust in the Lord and strength for Danny to pass from this world to home in a Christian manner and to enjoy what time he has here on earth.

Neal has heart problems and is very weak, he also has COPD, kidney problems, his potassium is too high, he came back from the point of death. He is now home and permanently on oxygen. He is doing well, for that he and his family are grateful and ask your thanksgiving prayers. More importantly, please pray Neal will accept salvation through our Lord and Savior.

Paul is in hospice and ready to meet His Lord. Please pray for Paul as he prepares to go home to be with his family who have gone before him. Pray for the faith of his family to build and the transition to be good.

Dot is an elderly woman with liver cancer. Please pray for Dot 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.

Mrs. Tiffany (90) has chosen to refuse extraordinary care as it will not gain much earthly time. The Tiffanys have been together for a long, long, long time. Pray for Mrs. Tiffany and her husband as together they begin this Journey to be with their Lord.

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

Krysti is off life support and able to talk, please give thanks for the good news. She is still unable to feel her legs. When that comes back she will go to a rehabilitation facility. Krysti has used drugs, has high blood pressure, is diabetic and has organ failure. Her families are with her and will appreciate your prayers.

Pat has metastaticosteosarcoma; there is little that can be done. Please pray for a miraculous remission; that Pat’s remaining time here on earth might be good. Help Pat and family put their trust in the Lord and let Him carry their sadness, fear, worry and terror.

Amy has been diagnosed with metastatic melanoma and has cancer all over her body, and in one of her kidneys which are no longer functioning. Amy and her family have asked for prayer to stop the growth and to aid the family financially with the medical bills. At present she has to have surgery every two months to place stents. Pray Jesus will be close to all.

Gemma Dillinger has been treating for breast cancer for over a year now, after surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy, she is reaching the limit of her tolerance with no end in sight. Please pray for her to gain strength and ground on the cancer. Help her to continue with her faith in our Lord, she is not afraid to go home, but wants to make sure it is time. Pray she will be encouraged to not give up until it is her time to go and that her time here on earth with her family will be good.

Janet has had a blood borne cancer for several years. Her faith in the Lord is great and she 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 liPlease 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 re 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.

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 two aggressive malignant brain tumors. We have been praying for a miraculous remission; one shrank and the other disappeared; now the shrinking one has started to grow agian. Please pray for a miraculous remission; that Cindy’s remaining time here on earth might be good. Help Cindy and and her family will continue to 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 had to move to an Assisted Living Home and has found the adjustment very difficult. Please pray she will come to terms with the situation and that her Lord Jesus will be close to her. She recently lost 30 pounds and her eyesight is deteriorating. Pray her appetite will improve and her eyesight will return to normal. Most of all, please pray our Lord Jesus Christ will be close to her at this difficult time.

Larry H has general weakness as the result of extreme fatigue, he has reached a point where he cannot walk without assistance and is fairly naturally somewhat depressed. Please pray for help for Larry to put his trust in the Lord, relax and build strength and give Pastor Roy guidance on helping him.

Laurel Bessessen (95)has begun to lose her mental abilities to recall people, places and things around her. Her family is no longer able to care for her at home and she is in a skilled care facility. She is the last of that family’s generation. Please pray for the mental degradation to stop or for her to leave for home. Pray for her family who do their best to care for her, visiting every day; for her children Cookie, John and Bill, as well as the other members of the family.

Judith Clingwall is afflicted with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). She is currently in Laurel Place, an extended care facility in Surrey, British Columbia. Please pray for 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.

John has Alzheimer’s, pray he will call on God to help him as he deals with this.

Steve, brother in law of Paul Martin, appears to have early onset dementia. Steve had teenage children and is very concerned for them. Please pray for the disease to stall or abate and for peace of mind for Steve and his family.

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

Maria Carla is going to the hospital for corrective surgery. Pray our Lord Jesus Christ will be close to her as she has this operation. Pray for her father who will be taking her a long distance for the operation.

Bob Apple is having surgery for a squamous cell carcinoma. Pray the surgical team will be open to guidance, pay close attention and do their very be Pray for peace of mind and trust in God for Bob and his family.

Marcia has had a biopsy 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 be 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.

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

Chloe Mayo, granddaughter of Justice Roy and Kayla Moore, good friends of Bishop Jerry, suffered a serious kidney attack possibly resulting from strep. Pray her family and friends the physicians treating her will be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for continued trust in the Lord for Chloe, her family and friends in this worrisome time.

Josh has two little children and just discovered he has a rare form of Cancer. Please keep him and his family in your prayers in the days ahead.

Ross an elderly gentleman has been diagnosed with Leukemia. Ross has had good health until now, your prayers at this time will be appreciated by his family and friends.

Carman was just diagnosed with breast cancer. Pray for her family as they continue to help her get the proper care. Pray with Carman, her family and friends that the physicians treating her will be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for continued trust in the Lord for Carman, her family and friends in this worrisome time.

Jesus Valenzuela was diagnosed with Stage Four lung cancer. Please pray for him to benefit from the upcoming chemotherapy and to tolerate it well. Pray with Jesus, his family, in particular his son Alfonso and friends that the physicians treating him will be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for continued trust in the Lord for Jesus, his family and friends in this worrisome time.

Kathie Lynn Holter sister of Rev Phil Ternahan, was just diagnosed with Stage Four lung cancer (never smoked) which spread to the brain. She was operated on 26 June 2016. Please pray with Kathie, her family and friends that the physicians treating her will be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for continued trust in the Lord for Kathie, her family and friends in this worrisome time.

Tina just found out she has cancer on her left kidney. Please pray for guidance for the people treating her and for trust in our Lord for Tina and her family.

Martha is now home after testing and she does not have cancer, but she does have bad kidneys and is adjusting and getting ideas to work with that. Please pray for guidance for the people treating her and for trust in our Lord for her.

Spencer has been diagnosed with Autism. Please pray for guidance for the people treating him and for trust in our Lord for him and his mother Lorna.

Patrice Li is in the early stages of Congestive Heart Failure. Please pray with Patrice, her husband William, family and friends the physicians treating her will be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to health and for trust in the Lord for Patrice, her husband William, family and friends in this worrisome time.

Jane has Multiple Myeloma and is set for back surgery on Monday 9 May2016. Please pray with Jane, her family and friends the physicians treating her will be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for continued trust in the Lord for Jane, her family and friends in this worrisome time.

Michael has cancer of the blood and is starting chemotherapy. Please pray for the physicians treating him to be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for trust in the Lord for Michael.

Clay has a large gallstone; he is in poor health and not currently a surgical candidate. Please pray for the physicians treating him to be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for trust in the Lord for Clay.

Jim Sevier has been in the hospital for heart related troubles. Please pray with Jim and his family the physicians treating him will be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for trust in the Lord for Jim and his family in this worrisome time.

Claude has been falling and he does not know why. Pray doctors will discover what the problem is and he can continue without any more difficulties.

Gretchen has been diagnosed with severe osteoporosis and is now being treated with exercise, nutrition and vitamins. Please pray with Gretchen and her family the physicians treating her will be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for trust in the Lord for Gretchen and her family in this worrisome time.

Pete has not been well and is back in the hospital with another stroke. Please pray for the physicians treating him to be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for trust in the Lord for Pete and his family in this worrisome time.

Kamil has heart problems and they are trying to stabilize his medication, now he been admitted to the hospital because of breathing problems. Please pray for the physicians treating him to be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for trust in the Lord for Kamil and his family in this worrisome time.

Mary Lee has bleeding into her stomach and they cannot find the sources. Mary Lee is in CCU and her husband Maurice is not eating until she returns home for is so upset. Please pray for the physicians treating her to be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for trust in the Lord for her, Maurice, as well as the rest of the family in this worrisome time.

Glenn Porter, MAJ USMC Retired, has Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis, which causes him to be unable to get enough oxygen into his system without supplemental oxygen all the time. The only real treatment is a lung transplant, without a transplant he has between two to five years here on earth. Please pray for him to continue in his faith and for a set of lungs to become available.

Kathy Cardin appears to have macular telangiectasia, a degenerative eye condition which ultimately results in blindness for which there is no apparent cure. Please pray for the physicians treating her to be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for no loss of vision and trust in the Lord for her, her husband Ron, as well as the rest of the family in this worrisome time.

Pat has an aneurism of the brain, Pray she will make the right decision on how to treat this problem and it will be healed.

Gwen Savarese (Sandy Patton’s mom) had what was thought to be a min-stroke this week, when they looked at her carefully, they found a large mass, thought to be a tumor. At this point, it appears it can stay. Please pray for continued guidance for the medical team treating Gwen and patience and trust in God for Gwen, her husband and family. Pray also for a full recovery for Gwen.

Dan is very sick with cancer and is starting an experimental treatment. This treatment will take Dan away from their family business and put even more stress on him and his family. Please pray for Dan’s wife who is meeting with Steve who plans to keep the family business going while Dan is ill. Pray for Steve as he has many new responsibilities.

Timothy has brain cancer. He had surgery and is waiting for the pathology report to find out what kind of chemo he will need. Please pray for continued guidance for the medical team treating Timothy and patience and trust in God for Timothy and his family. Pray also for a full recovery for Timothy.

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.

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 is bedridden after a fall which left her with two paralyzed limbs. She continues to experience pain in the effected limbs and will be totally bed bound for the remainder of her life. Your continuing prayers for her are appreciated and are great comfort to her. 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 miraculous full and rapid recovery. Also, please continue to pray for her husband Bob who is taking care of her that he be comforted and strengthened in this time of stress.

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 bePray 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 bePray 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.

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.

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.

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 is having surgery on 30 September 2016 to repair a hole in his aorta bleeding into the abdomen which caused stroke like symptoms.

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.

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.

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

Walt Aardsma’s mother (92) is recovering from a pacemaker implant and squamous cell carcinoma removal. Please give thanks for the successful surgery and pray for a complete and rapid recovery.

Kathy Cox Merritt has been receiving Chemo and 12 November 2016, had bowel resection surgery and was given a very bad prognosis. Kathy just retired as an RN in Orthopedics at a local hospital; sometimes a little medical knowledge can be dangerous to the patient but she remains positive. PLEASE pray for Kathy’s healing and peace and comfort for her and her family, both spiritually and physical

Jim Thornell (Jet) recovered from the five stomach ulcers, then found to have bowel cancer, that was removed and he is doing pretty well all things considered. He started on a bi-weekly three month course of chemotherapy at the City of Hope on the same schedule as his wife Mary; he is still dealing with blocked coronary arteries and taking care of Mary. Jim is doing considerably better with the side effects of the chemotherapy. Please pray for remission of the cancer, for tolerance of the chemotherapy and give thanks for the strength, guidance and peace of mind our Lord gives Jet and his wife Mary, as well as daughter Janice and son Jimmy, through these difficult times.

Dylan Klein, 10, grand-nephew of Chet O’Brien, lost his 41 year old father last April, there was no insurance; his grandmother died in December with brain cancer. Dylan is the middle boy of Chet’s niece, Erin. On 18 January 2016, Dylan was found to have a brain tumor; an operation on 25 January 2016, appears to have been successful in removing all of the tumor. The biopsy showed it was cancerous. Dylan is still going back and forth to Mass. General Hospital for chemo and blood transfusions. He gets healthy and eats well, and then there is a relapse. The doctors do not give a firm positive or negative indication of his prognosis. His mother is a saint. The doctors at Mass General are fantastic. Dylan is almost always upbeat. (He hates the blood transfusions). Please pray for healing and for trust in the Lord and peace of mind for Dylan, Erin and the rest of the family.

Mark Wilson is still dealing with all of problems connected with COPD; he had cataract surgery, which went well; but one eye got infected and he cannot see properly out of that eye. Due to reduced vision, he lost his job. Please pray the medical people treating him will find a reasonable way to deal with the COPD and allow him a lung transplant if that is best for him; pray also his vision might return. Give Mark trust in the Lord and strength to deal with all his health and other problems.

Rev Bill had a stroke. Pray he will stay comfortable and Jesus will be close by, please pray for a full and rapid recovery.

Dennis will begin chemotherapy for an active cancer spot on his spine on 17 September 2015. Please pray for a good result and tolerance of the treatment for him.

Vickie has been bothered with Migraines and all that go with the headaches. Please pray for relief from the pain for Vickie.

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.

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.

Cindy is 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

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.

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.

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

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.

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 issues giving her severe problems. Pray that the Doctor will discover why it continues and find a cure.

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.

Kay Denton (Mrs. Kay) was able to get a hip replacement in spite of her heart and kidney problems and is recovering remarkably! Please give thanks for this great evet and result! 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.

Healing and Patience

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

Bill had surgery November 2016 for a kidney tumor; he is one kidney short, but recovering very well for the present. It appears the cancer has spread to another spot. Please pray for Bill as he undergoes chemotherapy and perhaps other treatment. Pray Bill and his family will stay strong in their faith and draw the strength they need from our Lord.

Anita had surgery on 4 November 2016 to remove what they thought were five tumors in her right lung, but turned out to be eight. They removed all eight. In addition, her lung was folded from her previous coil embolization. They removed the coils, unfolding her lower right lobe and oversewed the area. In reality she may come away with increased lung capacity. Anita, her husband Michael and family express for the power of your continued prayers and expressions of love. Please join them in giving thanks for God’s Grace and pray for her continued healing.

Bob Reisor had surgery on 19 September 2016 for a kidney tumor; he is one kidney short, but recovering very well for the present. The cancer has spread to his lung and another spot. Five years ago there was no treatment, but now it appears there is an oral medication that has shown great effectiveness on this particular cancer. As of 12 January 2017, the main spot shrank from 3.3 cm (1 1/3 inch) to 2.2 cm (7/8 inch) and the spots on his lungs have receded even more. Please give thanks to the Lord for such wonderful progress. Please pray for Bob as he undergoes chemotherapy and perhaps other treatment. Pray he and his family will be drawn closer to our Lord.

Shamu had surgery on 5 January 2017, her fifteenth, to reconstruct the damage done her by Walter Reed Medical Center. The surgery apparently went well and we ask you give thanks for that. Please pray she will now have a chance to recover. She needs to gain strength and raise her blood pressure. She gives thanks for the treatment at John Hopkins. She is home now. Please pray for strength; physical, mental and spiritual for her. Pray for guidance for the new medical team treating her and for her to know how to proceed with regard to the damage done her by Walter Reed Medical Center. Pray also for her to continue her trust in our Lord as she goes through this difficult time.

Jan Jessup is recovering reasonably well from surgery to place a new knee joint in her right leg. Pray for her family to be able to properly care for her as she returns home and for Jan and her husband Roger to be able to put their worry on God’s shoulders.

Ashiei had surgery on Tuesday 1 December 2015, to remove a tumor from her chest; complications ensued. Please continue Ashiei in your prayers and pray for the medical team to be open to God’s guidance on further treatment, to their best and for a good outcome. Pray also Ashiei and her family will be able to put their worry on God’s shoulders.

Atina has skin cancer, which is now in remission. Please give thanks for the remission, pray for continued remission of the cancer; pray also for continued faith for Atina and her family.

Clay has melanoma which is now in remission. Please give thanks for the remission, pray for continued remission of the cancer; pray also for continued faith for Clay and his family.

Cindy (81) had an operation to remove a cancerous growth in her stomach which was successful. She is now home, but in a bit of pain. Please give thanks for the good result, pray for full and complete healing and remission of the cancer, as well as cessation of the pain; pray also for continued faith for Cindy and her husband Les (91).

Jim Flanagan, Bishop of Pennsylvania (AOC) had a Lumbar Laminectomy and fusion on Tuesday 7 June 2016, to help with pain in his L3, L4 & L5 areas. The surgery appears to have been successful, but he had difficulty recovering from the anesthetic, which has now resolved Please give thanks for the successful surgery, recovery from the anesthetic and the start of healing. Please pray for strength, physical, mental and spiritual for Jim and his lovely wife Mary Lou. Pray for guidance for the medical team treating him, that they will pay attention and do their very be Pray also for Jim and Mary Lou to continue their trust in our Lord as they goes through this difficult time, letting Him carry their worry.

Brett Gregr had surgery on Tuesday, 22 March 2016, to remove a bleeding brain lesion. The surgery, which had potential to end his life, was apparently completely successful. Please give thanks for the great outcome and great work by the surgeons and medical team and please pray for Brett’s peace of mind, as well as that of his wife Karin and the rest of his family during his recovery.

Linda had successful dental surgery on 15 December 2015, she is also on a course of chemotherapy and this type of surgery was not recommended for people while they are taking chemotherapy. But, it was an emergency and had to be done. Please give thanks all went well and pray for continued healing and for peace of mind and trust in God for Linda and her family.

Ruby broke her hip on 10 December 2015, surgery was successful. Please give thanks for the successful surgery and pray for her full and rapid recovery.

Terry was undergoing radiation treatment for cancer, which he had to stop to amputate his leg below the knee due to diabetes. The surgery was successful, he has been fitted with a prosthetic leg and foot. He is in good spirits and positive about the remainder of his treatment. Please join Terry and his family in giving thanks for the successful surgery and continue to pray for his return to radiation treatment and then to chemotherapy, ask God to give Terry, his wife and seven year old son trust in him for peace of mind and heart, as well.

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.

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.

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.

Elma is suffering from cancer. She was taken home from the hospital on the advice of her Doctor. We were asked to pray Elma’s remaining time here on earth might be good and 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.

Business

James and Sarah who have recently moved to a new area and have new positions in employment. They are finding much stress in the new surroundings and will appreciate your prayers as they adjust.

Financial Guidance and Employment

Kona is applying for a job in the hospital. Pray our Lord will find the right position for her and she will glorify Him in the work.

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

Hyo Son Pak, a high school student, suffers from depression and anxiety. He cannot say why; on the one hand knowing rationally things are okay and on the other hand feeling what he knows to be irrationally that doom is impending. He asks your prayer the Holy Ghost might fill his heart with light and drive the darkness far away.

Thomas Schopp is currently in the Lemon Creek Correctional Center, Juneau, Alaska. He asks that you pray for guidance for him and for him to open his heart fully to the Holy Ghost that he might be guided to be a force of good in this world and be able to be a productive member of our society. He adds that he much appreciates your prayer on his behalf as he is confident the Lord listens.

Adrian Heywood (17) (friend of Thomas Schopp) is living with an abusive alcoholic stepfather, while his mother looks the other way, seemingly because she needs the stepfather’s money. Thomas asks you pray for guidance for Adrian, that he might be helped to open his heart fully to the Holy Ghost to be guided to be a force of good in this world and be able to be a productive member of our society. Thomas adds he much appreciates your prayer on Adrian’s behalf as he is confident the Lord listens.

Krysti has issues stemming from habitual drug abuse. Pray she will take help from God through Christians trying to lead her to our Lord.

Charlie McCormack is really feeling down again. He cannot say why; on the one hand knowing rationally things are pretty darn good and on the other hand feeling what he knows to be irrationally that doom is impending. He asks your prayer the Holy Ghost might fill his heart with light and drive the darkness far away.

Guidance

Zachary is having huge problems growing up. He has let the wrong people guide his life and thinks he is the smartest person in the world. He cannot or will not see the destructive power of drugs and lies in his life. Pray his parents Lee and Shamu will come to see what course of action that they can take to help Zachary and safeguard his brother and sister. Please pray for God’s guidance for all of them and in particular for Zachary to open his heart to God and his parents help.

Judy seemingly does not want to allow the Holy Ghost into her heart so she might come to know our Lord and Savior, despite the efforts of her family. Please pray for her to open her heat and for her family to be at peace with their efforts.

Barbara has been recovering from cancer for the last three years. Pray for her husband Bill who has come down with a mental illness that may have been caused by much stress the last few years. Barbara and Bill will appreciate your prayers.

Larry is very weak and has periods of confusion and depression. Larry has been in the hospital and recently moved to a rehab. Please keep him in prayer as he begins to gain strength in the days ahead.

Thomas recently learned as the result of a parole violation he will not be allowed to return to society for the remainder of his life. He is despairing and fearful of his inability to cope with this new news and God’s plan for his life. Please pray he will be able to work with God to live with the choices he has made and go forward.

Cam has gotten into some of the issues being with the wrong crowds, too much dinking and making the wrong decisions. Pray he will ask God to send the Holy Ghost in to straighten things out and he will listen when He speaks to him.

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 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.

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 she will be able to let God carry her worry and sorrow so she can do the things she must do.

Elizabeth needs your prayers for her general well being. Pray she might see the Light of the Lord and let Him guide her life.

Gunner need your prayers for his general well being. Pray he might see the Light of the Lord and let Him guide his life.

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 ChriMitten 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.

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.

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.

Sam and her two children 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.

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.

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.

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.

School Challenges

Destiny, Blake and Janet

Anglican Orthodox Church

Indonesia

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

Pakistan

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

Ernest Jacob

Presiding Bishop Pakistan

Congo

Jimmy is a missionary in the Congo. There has been violent unrest in this country and also a water shortage. Please pray people will find water to drink and Jimmy will be a means of helping others to find the Lord.

Serbia

Bishop Igor Djurcik asks us to pray for peace between Serbia and the country of Kosovo which broke away from them in 2008. Kosovo is a muslim country and seems to be willing to provoke conflict; Serbia is a primarily Christian country which seems to be ready to return the conflict. Pray Serbia will look for the long term best interests of its people.

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.

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 (USAF – Stateside), Kristyna and Luis Aviles (Army – Fort Lewis, Washington), Airman Donny Patton (USAF – Hulbert Field, Florida), Jordan Brown (USMC – Recruiter – Iowa City, Iowa), Trevor Jennings (USAF – KC-10 Boom Operator – New Jersey), Trevor Di Marco (USN – Whidbey Island, EF-18 Pilot), Kurt Thomas (USN – Virginia), 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) 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.

Education

Aaron is in need of God’s guidance to see what he needs to do to fulfill his potential and live his life in a manner which will bring true happiness to him.

Thomas Dabney is attending Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, to finish his Bachelor’s Degree. Please pray for Thomas to focus on education and do his very best at school.

Thanksgiving

Robert Horsman (very good friend of Bill Scrivner) had a stroke the morning of 14 January 2017, he has now been discharge to home with physical therapy and recovering well. Please join him, his family and friends in giving thanks.

Alejandra Jasso (Ines Witherspoon’s mom and Doug Witherspoon’s mother in law) had a kidney transplant; the surgery was a success and the kidney is working, please give thanks for that. She has continued healing and not rejected the transplant, please give thanks for that also. Everyone continues to pray and hope for the kidney to stay accepted, please pray for that also.

The near future, as well as Next Sunday

12 February 2017 – Septuagesima – 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

19 February 2017 – Sexagesima – Holy Communion – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

26 February 2017 – Quinquagesima – 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 March 2017 – Ash Wednesday – Evening Prayer – Service start time 1800 (6:00 pm); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

5 March 2017 – First Sunday in Lent – 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

12 March 2017 – Second Sunday in Lent – 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

19 March 2017 – Third Sunday in Lent – Holy Communion – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

26 March 2017 – Fourth Sunday in Lent – Morning Prayer – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

2 April2017 – Passion Sunday – Fifth Sunday in Lent – 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

9 April 2017 – Palm Sunday – 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

13 April 2017 – Maunday Thursday – Evening Prayer – Service start time 1800 (6:00 pm); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

14 April 2017 – Good Friday – Evening Prayer – Service start time 1800 (6:00 pm); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

16 April 2017 – Easter Sunday – 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

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