180610 AOC Sunday Report

Anglican Orthodox Church

Worldwide Communion

Second Sunday after Trinity

Sunday Report

Today was The Second Sunday after Trinity, the second real Green Sunday and the beginning of the Endless Green Season.

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, but overall mostly from Bryan. He always has some great ones to share. On to the On Point quotes –

All get what they want; they do not always like it.

Jack Lewis

The Magician’s Nephew

A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot.

Robert A. Heinlein

20^th century American science fiction author

My Position

When my information changes, I alter my conclusions. What do you do, sir?

John Maynard Keynes

It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer…

Matthew 21:13

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

I Corinthians 10:23

To cure the British disease with socialism was like trying to cure leukaemia with leeches.

Margaret Thatcher

20^th century British Prime Minister

Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

George Santayana

19^th and 20^th century Spanish philosopher

Propers

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

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

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

The Propers for today are found on Page 191-192, with the Collect first:

Second Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

LORD, who never failest to help and govern those whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear[1] and love; Keep us, we beseech thee, under the protection of thy good providence, and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today’s Epistle came from St. John‘s First Epistle, the Third Chapter, beginning at the Thirteenth Verse.

ARVEL not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

John gave us God’s commandment: That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another. We are exhorted to love one another not in word only, but in deed and in truth. We are to carry out the word we have been given, not just to repeat the words.

Actions speak louder than words. If we are to lead people to Christ, we must be in front of them showing the way.

Today’s Holy Gospel came from the Gospel according to St. Luke, the Fourteenth Chapter, beginning at the Sixteenth Verse. This is another of Jesus’ stories. This one is of a rich man who made a great supper; a thing of great value in times of hunger.

CERTAIN man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

Are we like the busy people, are our lives so filled with important activities that we have no time to come to the Lord’s Supper? Think about that when you set your bedtime on Saturday, think about that when you schedule the outing for Sunday morning.

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

Second Sunday after Trinity

Saint Andrew’s Anglican Orthodox Church

10 June 2018, Anno Domini

Second Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

LORD, who never failest to help and govern those whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love; Keep us, we beseech thee, under the protection of thy good providence, and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sermon Notes 2^nd Sunday after Trinity, St Andrews Anglican Church, 10 June 2018 Anno Domini

hen said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. (Luke 14:16-24)

This is a parable about our Father in Heaven and His dearly beloved and only Begotten Son. He is the great King who has prepared a great banquet for us. He has paid a mighty price in time, sacrifice, and care to make the banquet possible. It will be the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. If those invited do not care enough, or respect the offer adequately, they will loose their place at the Table and be cast out. The Jews rejected Christ, so the offer is made to all who will accept and who are called by the servants of the Master.

Point 1: A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

Only a man of means, a great man, can provide such a supper.

That Supper is the Lord’s Supper which Christ instituted the night before His death and crucifixion.

1^st, The feast. This is the Gospel which God has provided for mankind, sinners. It is a feast (1) in respect of the excellence of the provision which it sets before us; (2) in respect of abundance, for the supply is inexhaustible; (3) in respect of fellowship; (4) in respect of joy. (try to visualize the great hurt caused to the Great Benefactor who has gone to the greatest extreme of offering up His own life for us to provide the Communion Supper that we may all freely enjoy with Him – my thoughts.)

2^nd – The invited guests. We have received the invitation. This, therefore, is not a mere matter of antiquarian interest, or of curious exegetical importance. It concerns our own spiritual and immortal welfare; for, though the invitation is given through the instrumentality of a servant,—the preacher,—it comes from the great God Himself, and on that account it is not to be trifled with or despised.

3^rd – The excuses given – Look at the reaction of those first invited to the call which had been addressed to them: “They all with one consent began to make excuse.” These excuses were all pretexts. Perhaps they deluded themselves into the belief that they were acting in good faith; but if they had gone deeper down into their hearts, they would have found that they were deceiving themselves, and putting forth as excuses things which, if they had been earnestly determined to go to the feast, would not have kept them for a moment.

18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things.

4^th – the persistence in declining – Those who persistently refuse to come to the feast shall be for ever excluded from its enjoyment. The rejecters of Christ are themselves eternally rejected of Christ.[2]

First two excuses involve preoccupation with property and the increase of wealth.

The third excuse relates to social amenities, and the joys and comforts of domestic life.

The problem lies in placing greater importance on selfish needs than in honoring our friends.

Lastly, finally, this parable reveals to us the fact, that, notwithstanding the rejection of this invitation by multitudes, God’s house shall be filled at last. Heaven shall be fully occupied with God’s redeemed people, and the saved shall not be few.

22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

(One of the primary duties of a preacher is to offer up the invitation – to deliver it to all who will listen – to those who will gratefully respond to their salvation, and to those who reject the Master of the Feast to their eternal damnation – my thoughts.)

Men have changed in no respect from the moment of this parable of Christ. It may be that we are even more callous and ungrateful of the courtesies offered by those who wish to lift us up.

The Seal of God and the Mark of anti-Christ:

Rev 7 (the Seal) –

1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

This mark is the witness of the Holy Ghost, printed in the hearts of believers. And the Lord would not suffer his people to be afflicted before they were marked, that they might be prepared against all conflicts. And, observe, of those who are thus sealed by the Spirit, the seal must be on the forehead, plainly to be seen alike by friends and foes, but not by the believer himself, except as he looks stedfastly in the glass of God’s word.—Matthew Henry Concise

This is one of the rare moments I disagree with Matthew Henry – a Bible scholar whose life and testimony place him far above my own understanding and witness, however, MH was writing during a different period during which the Gospel was advancing on every front.

There is a difference in a Seal and a mark –

A seal denotes acceptance and approval. A seal of approval is an official acknowledgement on a certificate to certify that the document is officially sanctioned by an authority. The Seal of God is His stamp of approval upon the imputed righteousness we have received by our Redemption in Christ.

A mark may be used as a verb to mean to consider an issue, but, when used as a noun, is a representation of disapproval and a set-aside for rejection. Timbers are marked by the woodsmen for being cut from the living stand. Academic papers are marked down for errors. Cain received a mark to designate his sin of murder of his own brother – Genesis 4:15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

Revelation 13 (the Mark)

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Christ has a chosen remnant, redeemed by his blood, recorded in his book, sealed by his Spirit; and though the devil and antichrist may overcome the body, and take away the natural life, they cannot conquer the soul, nor prevail with true believers to forsake their Saviour, and join his enemies. Perseverance in the faith of the gospel and true worship of God, in this great hour of trial and temptation, which would deceive all but the elect, is the character of those registered in the book of life.—Matthew Henry Concise

Now note the subtle wording of the references of Scripture to the Mark and the Seal:

Most all modern and erroneous versions of the Bible change the wording to mean ‘on the forehead and not ‘in’ the forehead. This slight change of meaning has resulted in a peculiar blindness of God’s elect.

No mark imposed upon our foreheads by force of arms or threat of death can cause us to lose our identity in Christ. No external symbol can cause us to lose our security in Christ. The new versions would have you believe otherwise.

The source of all judgment and reason resides in our brain – but specifically the frontal lobe of our brain. It is in this part of the brain that we make value judgments, the part of the organ in which we decide our friendships, our loves, our important choices in life, the kind of music we prefer, the kind of speech we will abide, etc.

It is in our foreheads – not on our foreheads that these decisions are made. It is here that we make our decisions to accept the supper invitation of the Lamb, or to reject it. It is this organic section of our brain that we make choices to follow Christ, to love Him, and to reject evil.

Our decisions, made in our foreheads, will either seal our future security with God, or Mark us among those who will suffer damnation in the company that we keep, and the actions and values that we produce in our persons.

Which do you have today – a mark of rejection, or a Seal of approval of the Lord our God?

Will you accept the invitation without excuse?

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:

… who never failest to help and govern those whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love; Keep us, we beseech thee, under the protection of thy good providence, and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name…

We must fully understand and acknowledge God will help and lead us, but only if we will look to Him for that help and leadership. The spiritually blind (us) cannot lead the blind (also us). We are spiritually blind without God’s help. We need His Help, in the form of the Holy Ghost, to direct our hearts, minds and souls to look to Him for that Help in our time of need. Thus, we continually ask God, through the offices of the Holy Ghost, to help us understand we actually need help and be open to accepting it.

Speaking of time of need; when do we need God? Pretty much whenever we are not perfect, which would be all the time.

The Epistle is a great illustration of why we need guidance from the Holy Ghost all the time. The world is not a nice place and at times it gets depressing to be in. John says we should not be surprised that the world hates us. For the World does not know of God and His Word so they fear that which they do not understand, namely the Word. We should not worry though because even in the times of darkness, we do have an ally. That ally is the one person that is always there for us, regardless of how dreary and awful it gets. And that is God, and He has a way to comfort us in these times, through His Love and the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is here to help us spread that love, and to help us figure out what we need to do, to make our corner of the world a better place. But how do we get His Love? If we want God’s love, we have to love those around us. That is pretty easy. It is easy to love people. It is harder to put that actual love into practice. The problem is we actually have to act on that claim of love, not just say we love them. We have to give of our time and effort to help those around us who have problems. Loving our neighbor as ourselves is harder than it sounds. John tell us “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”

So how far do we have to go to fulfill our obligation to love our fellow beings? We have a leader, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is not only the Propitiation for our sins[3], but who set the standard for our performance. As John reminds us, “He laid down his life for us.” So, too much work or I don’t have time are probably not valid excuses. There is no excuse for not doing as Christ did and loving our fellow beings even unto death. There is no excuse adequate to get us out of this job. So, we must perform this task with great cheer. There is no true love without cheerfulness and a giving heart. We may be serious at times, but we can still be cheerful in that we have the love of God within our hearts and we can spread that to others. Don’t forget the little reminder from GK Chesterton:

The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because generally they are the same people.

Speaking of time, many times people put off church for other “more important” things, do you? Like the certain man who made a great supper, the Lord sets aside a time every week for us to worship with Him. Actually, His time is pretty flexible. The Lord’s worship can be done at times other than 1000 on Sunday morning if you really do have to work, you have weekend duty, you are on alert or something you really cannot get out of. But, where are your priorities? Is a football game, a fishing trip or just plain sleeping in the “reason” for your failing to show for the great supper? When you fail to plan ahead, you plan to fail. So always plan ahead and plan for success, that way you will never fail to show for the great supper. That is one of the big lessons of Jesus’ parable in the Gospel today. All the men in the story that made excuses were showing where their priorities truly lay and that was with mammon and not God.

The Gospel is about more than just going to church, it is about priorities. We need to put the things that are really important in the list of things to do above the things that are not really important. We need to think about what is important to us and to God. Sometimes they are different. Then, we need the Holy Ghost to get our priorities in order.

People do what is important to them. When they feel guilty they come up with excuses, but in reality, they please themselves.

So, what we need to do is ask the Holy Ghost for help to make God’s agenda ours; thus when we please God, we please ourselves. A win – win situation. And it will make us far happier people as a result, which is what God’s plan is for us all along. Whenever He tells us not to do something, it is to make us happy not sad. He never wants us to be sad, to the contrary, He wants us to be happy. But unlike us, He really does know what will make us happy, and that is to follow His Will. But until we get that thought into our hearts, souls and minds, we will never be truly happy.

If we do not make time for God, how do we expect Him to make time for us? If we will not diligently study the lessons He has left for us, how can we expect to know what He wants us to do?

Do you recall more sage words from GK Chesterton?

Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.

We need to come to church and read the Bible so we can find out what God wants. But, the idea is not to find out what He wants so we can work around it or live with it, but rather to live it. Once we find out what God wants for us, we need to live that reality He has planned for us, not the one that we want for ourselves. This means putting into practice in our day to day lives, wherever we may be, the principles of Scriptures. Think about the 613 Mosaic laws and the Pharisees who made a good living telling people how to comply with them to the letter and still do just as they wanted.

If we find out what God wants and decide to actually do it instead of avoid it, we are still faced with an often huge problem of where do we get the strength to accomplish this task. However, the answer is simple, it comes from God, the Holy Ghost. He never asks us to do anything we cannot do good enough for Him if we rely on Him. Never.

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

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

It is by our actions we are known.

Be of God – Live of God – Act of God

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

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

Second Sunday after Trinity

10 June 2018

Psalm 19 • Deuteronmy 20:1-9 • Luke 9:57-62

The Wonder of God’s Creation

Second Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

Psalm 19

Cæli enarrant

HE heavens declare the glory of God; * and the firmament showeth his handy-work.

One day telleth another; * and one night certifieth another.

3 There is neither speech nor language; * but their voices are heard among them.

4 Their sound is gone out into all lands; * and their words into the ends of the world.

5 In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun; * which cometh forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a giant to run his course.

6 It goeth forth from the uttermost part of the heaven, and runneth about unto the end of it again; * and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

7 The law of the Lord is an undefiled law, converting the soul; * the testimony of the Lord is sure, and giveth wisdom unto the simple.

8 The statutes of the Lord are right, and rejoice the heart; * the commandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth light unto the eyes.

9 The fear of the Lord is clean, and endureth for ever; * the judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; * sweeter also than honey, and the honey- comb.

11 Moreover, by them is thy servant taught; * and in keeping of them there is great reward.

12 Who can tell how oft he offendeth? * O cleanse thou me from my secret faults.

13 Keep thy servant also from presumptuous sins, lest they get the dominion over me; * so shall I be undefiled, and innocent from the great offence.

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be alway acceptable in thy sight, * O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

Now that the nights are warmer, when we do not have a rain storm, you can go outside and see the very night sky that David gazed upon so many years ago. He wrote of this wonder, the night sky and the day time sky; in it all he tells us that God=s glory is declared by the very handy work of the Creator. This psalm can be divided into at least two parts, creation and the law of God, with a subscript about how to use said law.

The Book of the Creatures, in which we may easily read the power and godhead of the Creator, (Psalm 19:1-6)

Just the very existence of the creation, especially the heavens, the sun, the moon and all the lesser lights speaks to something or someone who created it all. We find a similar reasoning in the book of Romans the first three chapters. Paul writes that those without Christ really have no excuse to not seek Him, because everything around them speaks of creation. This creation language is uttered around the world, there is no place that cannot see the handy work of God. The heat of the sun as it transverses the sky, nothing is hid from that heat; today it may be hard to see that unless you have no air conditioning at your place of work or home. Ask the gardener about the heat of the sun in full summer when we have had no rain for weeks! Yes, the heavens declare the glory of God.

The Book of the Scriptures, which makes known to us the will of God concerning our duty. (Psalm 19:7-11)

These next five verses outline the will of God in six parts.

The law of the Lord is perfect, when we understand it, it converts the soul. {turning us from wickedness to life}.

The Lord=s testimony is sure, it is unwavering, secure; it makes the simple wise.

III.. The statutes of the Lord are right, that makes one’s heart rejoice. There is no question that His statues are correct, thus the heart is at peace.

The Lord’s commandment is pure. That is a simple concept and being as such will enlighten the eyes of the reader, in fact will continue to enlighten them.

The respect and worshipful position the reader takes toward the Lord is cleansing. That clean is forever.

And finally, the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous. We know that when the Lord judges his own, he will be just and in that judgement we know that he will only be righteous.

It is of great peace that we should know that the Lord judges us, not we ourselves.

We finish out this section of the psalm with eternal aspect of following the Lord. These precepts are to be more desired than gold or sweet honey; in fact they are so important to the Lord=s own David writes this last verse. …moreover by them {the six concepts in these verses} is thy servant warned: and in keeping them there is great reward. He implies this great reward is Salvation. Nothing else matters, honey can be spoiled, gold can be stolen, but your Salvation is a gift from God, no one can take that from you.

III. He shows the excellency and usefulness of that book and then teaches us how to improve it, (Psalm 19:12-14)

In the final three verses we find David petitioning the Lord to keep him from all sin, to not let the sin dominate his life, to cleanse him from secret faults, to make him innocent from the great transgression. That being the sin that separates us from God. David understood the sin of Adam, he understood that because of Adam, he, David was also separated from the Lord.

In one of the great ascriptions of the prayer book, David pens the following: ALet the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.@ When David finishes this psalm in that manner, he signals to us that the Lord is our strength. The Lord is our redeemer. We too should ask the Lord to accept the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart. As followers of His Son Jesus, we too should be open to his Word, open to his correction, open to his Way. Amen.

Let us pray:

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

LMIGHTY and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech thee, of thy great goodness, to restrain those immoderate rains, wherewith, for our sins, thou hast afflicted us. And we pray thee to send us such seasonable weather, that the earth may, in due time, yield her increase for our use and benefit. And give us grace, that we may learn by thy punishments to amend our lives, and for thy clemency to give thee thanks and praise; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

GOD, whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive; Receive our humble petitions; and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins, yet let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose us; for the honour of Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

HE Lord bless us, and keep us. The Lord make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us. The Lord lift up his countenance upon us, and give us peace, both now and evermore. Amen.

✟

Bishop Dennis Campbell’s Sermon

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

Psalm 53

Second Sunday after Trinity

June 10, 2018

Lord willing, I intend to spend the summer in the Psalms, as we have done a few times in the past. I intend to preach them as they are directed in the Prayer Book. Thus, today is the tenth of June, and we see the Psalms for The Tenth Day beginning on page 401. The Psalms for Morning Prayer are Psalms 50-52. 53-55 are designated for Evening Prayer. The Psalms are divided this way so those following it will read most of the book of Psalms every month. So, if you want to prepare for the worship on a given Sunday, check its date on the calendar, then go to the Psalms designated for that date. I will probably attempt to expound one of those Psalms.

Not long ago, people memorised the book of Psalms. They learned it by singing the Psalms, both in the services of the Church, and in their daily lives, much as people sing pop tunes today, or hear them in their heads. We have all had songs get stuck in our heads, wouldn’t it be good if those songs were the Psalms from the word of God? The fact that people memorised the Psalms was not due to the tunes, it was due to the importance they attributed to the Psalms. They were considered worthy of memorisation. Therefore, even young children were taught the Psalms. Often people also memorised the Gospels and Romans.

Today we are looking at Psalm 53. I know it is designated for Evening Prayer, but I think it is important, and want to talk about it today. It is a song of victory, praising God for delivering Israel from the recent attack of an invading army. The Psalm celebrates the deliverance. We do not know who the enemy was, or why it attacked Israel. It may have wanted to extend the boundaries of its empire. It may have just loved war, killing and oppressing other people. It may have wanted the land and wealth of Israel, and the people of Israel for slaves. It may have been one of the small nations around Israel during the time of David, when Israel ruled the middle east, and, like the heathens in Psalm 2, it wanted to break the bands and cast away the cords of Hebrew domination.

Whoever the enemy was, and whatever its motives may have been, it proceeded on the presumption stated in the first line of the Psalm, “There is no God.” The enemy believed the God of Israel will not protect her, because He does not exist. Therefore, they planned to eat up Gods’ people, Israel, “as if they would eat bread” (5). Those words make me think the enemy’s motive is plunder. They want to kill or enslave the Israelites, and steal their land and goods.

In verse 3, God looks down from heaven upon the children of men. That means He examines the people who intend to attack Israel. He is looking to see if anyone in that nation understands or seeks after Him. What He finds is dismal wickedness. “[T]hey are all gone out of the way, they are together become abominable; there is also none that doeth good, no not one” (4).

Romans three applies these very words to all people as it works toward the conclusion in Romans 3:23, “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Man, in his natural state does not seek God or righteousness. He may be religious. He may have very orthodox views about the Bible and about God. He may be a wonderful person, by human standards. But he is still a sinner who does not measure up to God’s perfect righteousness. If we could look into his soul, as God does, we would see that he wants God on his own terms, not on God’s terms. He wants to make the rules, make the decisions, and be in charge of his relationship with God. He may not overtly state this. He may not even realise it himself. But it is the way he lives his life and faith.

Verse 6 applies to Israel as the people see the enemy approaching. “They were afraid were no fear was.” They were afraid when they had no reason to fear, for God was with them. They should have had more faith. I think here of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the book of Daniel. The king of Babylon was going to throw them into the fiery furnace to burn to death, but he offered them one more chance to obey his law and worship the golden image. Their answer was, “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Dan. 3:17, 18). They are saying they have confidence in God. He is able to deliver them. But, even if He does not, even if He allows them to die in the fire, they will not disobey Him by worshiping other Gods. They will be faithful unto death.

That is the kind of faith Isreal should have had, but sorely lacked in Psalm 53. Isn’t that the kind of faith we should have? Shouldn’t we, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, be ready to leave this life, and even lose this life in the service of God? If we are, we will have no fear. No enemy can really harm us. We are the victors, through Christ, whether we live or die.

In verse 7 David is looking forward to two important and decisive events in world history. First he is looking toward that day when Christ give up His life on the cross to deliver His people out of our captivity to sin. Romans 6:17 says, “ye were the servants of sin.” That is the condition of every person who is not in Christ. Sin rules them. It makes a slave of them. But Christ died to free us from sin. It “shall not have dominion over you,” says Romans 6:14. “Being made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Rom. 6:18). This was accomplished through the death of Christ on the cross. “He died for us (Rom. 5:8), and we have peace with God through Him (Rom. 5:1). That is the salvation that comes from Sion, that delivers Israel out of captivity.

Second, David, and all who are Christ’s looks forward to that day when the Lord returns. On that Day, He will end the wickedness and injustice that now grips this world. He will stop the wars and the hunger, and the sickness and the death. For He will reign in truth and justice. He will defeat all His enemies and cast them into the lake of fire. And His people will dwell with Him in Paradise forever. Our captivity will be over. Our salvation will come out of Sion, that is, out of Christ, and Israel, which is the people of God in both theOld and New Testament eras, will be right glad.

So, the Fifty-Third Psalm is not just about an ancient Hebrew victory. It is a symbol and a herald of God’s final and complete victory over all evil. It is not just about the deliverance of ancient Israel or Jerusalem. It is a symbol and a herald of the deliverance of all God’s people, accomplished through Christ on the cross, and completed at His return. Therefore, we. like the ancient Judeans who first heard this Psalm, rejoice in our sure and certain deliverance. With them, we also “should be right glad.”

—

+Dennis Campbell

Bishop, Anglican Orthodox Church Diocese of Virginia

Rector, Holy Trinity Anglican Orthodox Church

Powhatan, Virginia

www.HolyTrinityAnglicanOrthodoxChurch.org

www.lifeinthescriptures.blogspot.com

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.

Second Sunday after Trinity

1 Corinthians 13

hough I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

In I Corinthians 13:1-13, Paul uses the word charity several times. The word was derived from the Latin word for “dear” which is “carus “ and refers to “a dear person”, a “spiritual benevolence toward another”, or simply “brotherly love”. It appears 27 times in the Authorized Version where it was translated from the Greek word “agape”. Thus benevolent, caring, good intentioned love is what we may fairly understand charity to mean. It is precisely this type of love which God has extended to us through the atoning work of his only begotten Son. It is also this same type of love which we are expected to extend toward our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Paul warned without charity, all our works are meaningless in the eyes of God as we have been commanded to, love one another, as I have loved you (John 15:12). The apostle John confirmed the same in his first epistle when he noted that, He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him (2:10). And further on in that epistle he noted that, Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren (3:16). And in the following chapter he wrote, beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love (4:7-8). Matthew Henry once noted that, “Christian love must possess our souls when we go to God in prayer. To this end we must remember that God expects each of us 1) to forgive those who have offended us, and 2) to seek reconciliation with those whom we have offended. As good will toward men was proclaimed in heaven, so good will towards men— particularly to the brethren— must be carried in the hearts of those who go God.”

Some Christians fail to realize their true potential because they have not “agape” or charity in their hearts. Their fruitlessness is problematic for them because as the apostle warned that without charity our works are without merit. Consider the account of our Lord’s healing of a blind man as found in Luke’s gospel (18:31-43). Here we find this man calling out to our Lord for his mercy. Isn’t interesting that even in his state of physical blindness that the man recognized our Lord as the son of David, that is to say, the Messiah. And what was our Lord’s response? He called the blind man to him and asked him what he could do for him. The man then replied, Lord, that I may receive my sight, to which our Lord responded, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. What a gracious act of loving kindness. This same benevolent love is requisite of each and every person who bears the name of Christ. We are to love the brethren and our neighbor; but more especially the brethren. We should be willing to do for them as we can because we can. Seeking to do good should not be a chore for us anymore than we would expect God to consider helping us a chore.

In today’s Gospel (Luke 14:16-24), our Lord communicated his expectation for all who would come him seeking his gifts and blessings. He will not say to his elect, “Oh, you are too much trouble”, or, “I don’t have time for you”, or “Your requests are too burdensome”, or, “Ever thought about helping yourself for a change?” No, you will not hear such from our Lord and God.

If we are truly born again of the Holy Ghost, we will understand that God loves us and seeks our good. And, as we have experienced his love, we are also expected to show the same to those around us. Our Lord has given each of us various gifts and talents which are to be used in his service. Still, we know as his children that his greatest gift came when he offered up his only begotten Son for the sins of the world. We memorialize the giving of that gift every time we partake of the Lord’s Supper.

Unworthy sinners who have come to Christ know their condition and are humbled by our Lord’s calling. His blood makes the unworthy sinner worthy. His blood covers a multitude of sins. His grace is all sufficient. No other name has been given to us for salvation. We must believe and accept him and then turn from our sins and be healed. Outside of a sin against the Holy Ghost, no person possesses a sin that is too big, too ugly, or too burdensome which Christ cannot lift from them and expunge from their record. But in order to receive such a pardon, one must first accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour and seek forgiveness of the Father in his name.

And so the table of our Lord is set. The meal has been prepared. All we need do is come and receive of him in thanksgiving remembering that he loved us enough to die for us. Will any of you not come when bidden to so great a great supper as this? Only those who have a heart for God— who are seeking to have their eyes opened upon hearing the words of our Saviour— will come rejoicing for having received such an invitation.

God has plans for each and every believer in the various avenues of service to which he has called them. But all our duties and responsibilities must be predicated on obedience to his word written. We are not take upon ourselves duties and offices to which we have not been called to carry out. Sadly, there are those whom I have witnessed within many church denominations who decided of their own accord to become ministers of the word. Just as Jeroboam took it upon himself to appoint men priests who had no business being in the service of God, so these modern-day Jeroboams have determined to replace God’s standards with their own. There are even churches that have substituted their commentary on the Scriptures in place of the Scriptures. This is what the Bible calls the way of Cain, and it is nothing more than “will worship”, or the offering to God that which he does not want in place of that which he requires (Jude, 11). If God did not call you, do you really expect the Lord to bless your life and ministry?

Every true and faithful Christian ought to love the Lord our God, who gave himself for us that we might have eternal life in his coming kingdom. And, again, loving God, means being obedient to his will and walking in his ways. If he loved us who knew him not as LORD, should we not also tell of his love to others that they too might come unto him as we were called? Indeed, we should.

Our success as witnesses for Christ will not be measured solely in mere numbers, but in our obedience. If we are following the truth of God’s word written, then we will not do or act without seeking his guidance, and we will conform to the standards set forth in his word written. Obedience is the first step in having fellowship with the Godhead. Therefore be humbly accepting of his word, and lean not on your own understanding. That you, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God (Ephesians 3:18-19).

Let us pray,

ather, help us daily to keep thy commandments; that those who hear our witness and see our works will give glory unto thee and love thee as their Lord and God; for this we ask in the name of him who now sits at thy right hand ever making intercession for thine elect, even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Have a blessed week, Bryan+

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!

Travel

No known travel this week.

Birthdays

Bishop Jerry celebrated his 75^th birthday on 3 June 2018.

Bob Reisor celebrated his 72^nd birthday on 3 June 2018.

Immediate Prayer Please

LTC Jay Houston a very confident Christian, particular friend and one of Hap’s favorite WSOs had a biopsy the morning of 9 May 2018 for an apparently major lung issue that has been going on for some time. The biopsy was successful and Jay is awaiting the results. Please give thanks for the surgical team paying attention. Pray also for peace of mind for Jay and his family, as well as a favorable result.

Ken Harris lost his wife Carol in December after many many years of happy marriage and is really lost and unable to regain his place here on earth. Please pray that he will be able to adjust to her passing and concentrate on those things which he needs to do in order to be an effective and useful member of society here and now. He has much left to do here and right now, he just cannot see his way clear to doing those things. Please pray he will look to God for solace and help at this time of need.

Evelyn, an 88 year young woman recently experienced a TIA affecting her sight, speech and walking. Please pray for God to guide those treating her and for her to let God carry her worry.

Tricia broke her left arm and it seems to be recovering slowly. Please pray God will enter in to her, help her to regain range of motion in her arm so that she will not require surgery. She would appreciate your prayers for healing and patience.

Chelsea Brown has need of God’s strength and guidance for her, her daughter Lauren and those around her. Her life has been in turmoil for the past two years. Chelsea was in an accident which left her without the use of her right arm for almost two years, though after two surgeries it is back, her daughter has had three sets of lung blood clots, dropped out of college and lost her job and car due to another accident. Things are very bad for them, they need housing as they are about to be evicted from their current apartment. Please pray that God will give them the direction and strength they need and that the government officials in Raleigh will see clear to provide housing.

Ron Cole Klages is a patriotic former Marine who has debilitating blood clots pursuant to cancerous growths on his liver and unknown other places. Please pray for the medical team treating Ron that they might pay attention, do their very best and be open to God’s guidance.

Jill was on life support; her family members traveled a great distance to see her and returned home safely. Jill’s condition improved to critical, but needs your prayers to continue her recovery.

Samson Hendrik has prostate cancer and his kidneys are not working. Pray our Lord Jesus Christ will be close to him and his family of friends during this illness.

Departed

Brent, brother Tommy groundskeeper for the AOC National office, left for home on 24 April 2018. Please give thanks for a safe passage to his real home in Heaven and for trust in our Lord and comfort for his family and friends who of necessity remain behind, in particular his three children.

Claudia Jean Ryan left for home early the morning of 23 March 2018, after a short and hard battle with cancer which began on 2 January 2018. Claudia and her husband Al, an Anglican Deacon, have great faith, strong will and trust in the Lord. They ask you give thanks for her time here on earth and a safe passage from the Shadowlands to home. Pray for comfort and strength for her family who of necessity remain behind.

Nearing the end of their time here on earth

Amos Dweh the Bishop of Liberia is critically ill. He is a long standing minister of the Anglican Orthodox Church and preparing to meet the Lord. Please pray for comfort for his family and especially his son Benjamin. This picture was taken when he was in Statesville at St. Peter’s Anglican Church the church of the AOC National office after he was consecrated as a Bishop.

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

Doug Lambert has been battling sepsis of unknown origin. For twelve weeks they have not been able to find the source of the problem. He is very weak and concerned that no one can find the reason for the infection. He asks that you pray for the medical team treating him to do their best, to be open to God’s guidance and for him to keep his trust in the Lord and not worry.

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.

Ron had a Heart Attack, at the hospital he found out he also has Kidney Cancer. He is a man of faith and is in need of prayer for his health and that the Lord will provide strength for his family.

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

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 metastatic osteosarcoma; 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 list. Please remember him in prayer in the days and weeks ahead. Pray he will put his worry on God’s shoulders so he might be at peace and rest. Pray for those treating him that they might pay attention and do their best.

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

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 hon 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.

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 some time. 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.

Homebound or Infirm

Loretta Walker is aging and losing some of her mental acuity, and thus independence, she is also plagued by diabetes and loves sweets. She is understandably vexed with this. She and her family ask you to pray God will help keep her mind and body together and that she not be mean or bait those who care most for her.

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. Larry is now up and about, walking without assistance. The depression is still a part of his life. Due to several chronic illnesses, he will never be able to live on his own. On the other hand, he has been transferred to a facility near his former home so he will be nearer his friends. Larry has difficulty with the lack of what he considers fairness in the Word. 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.

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

Bryan Alford (~40) has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma and seeking treatment.

April and her husband ask you prayers for the Lord to guide them and lead them both to the correct medical care; and that the family may receive comfort in the process.

Michael Moriarty has been diagnosed with upper duodenal cancer which is the upper section of the small intestine. It is fairly rare and they have not decided how to treat him. Pray with Michael, his family and friends that the medical insurance people will fulfill their obligations and 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 Michael, his family and friends in this worrisome time.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 her sole caregiver that he will be comforted and strengthened in his time of need.

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

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

Hang So Ryu has cancer. Please pray for medical team contemplating and evaluating the treatment that they might be guided to the correct choice and do their very best. Pray also for peace of mind and trust in God for him and his family, as well as physical strength.

Olivia, age 7, has been diagnosed with Stage 3 Lymphoma. The prognosis is good at this time, please pray for medical team contemplating and evaluating the treatment that they might be guided to the correct choice and do their very best. Pray also for peace of mind and trust in God for Olivia and her family, as well as physical strength.

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

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.

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

Jim Simmons’ Hodgkin’s disease has returned after 24 years. He hopes to get through this as he did before. Jim would appreciate your prayers for the medical team treating him; please 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 Jim and his family.

Kurt Thomas asks for your continued prayer that his body not reject his transplanted heart parts Pray also for Kurt to accept what he cannot do at present and concentrate on what he can do. This is a very foreign situation for this Christian warrior. He needs God’s help to adapt and prosper.

Vladia had a right knee replacement which went well, but since the operation she is experiencing very painful side effects from medicine, very low hemoglobin and also back problems. She has been transferred back to the hospital to help correct these problems. Please pray the doctors will seek God’s Wisdom and come up with a plan to help her get back on her feet and have some normalcy in her life.

Madisun Hanks (14) has Tourette’s Syndrome and suffers from horrible migraine headaches. There 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.

Linda has a melanoma just forming and she needs to have it removed. She has had severe medical problems the last 15 years and needs help coping. Pray for all of her family at this time as new problems have come to light.

Chris Hill (close friend of Jon Weston) suffered a brain aneurysm and needs your prayers. He came out of a coma he had been in since the week before Christmas 2016. He is now in a stepdown facility. Every day is a new day to him; his memory seems to have been damaged to a point where it is not recovering so far. 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.

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.

Jon has Stage 4 mantle cell lymphoma. There is good news in that he is in remission; however the chemotherapy is producing neuropathy in his legs so 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.

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 choose 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.

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.

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, she is 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.

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 event 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

Bruce Arnold was hospitalized with Atrial Fibrillation and an enlarged heart. He has had his heart stopped and re-started twice, as well as a temporary boost pump installed and removed. He made it through all that and is now home and doing amazingly well. Please give thanksgiving for that. There is still more to go. Please pray for guidance for the medical team treating him that they might find a complete solution to his heart problems. Pray for peace of mind for Bruce, his wife Milly and his children Megan, Kikki and Bruce, Jr.

Shamu underwent surgery at John Hopkins hospital 19 March 2018, where they found a stricture in her lower intestine and relieved it. Please pray this will be effectual in relieving her suffering. She is also having trouble retaining nourishment and hydration, pray a solution will be developed for this problem also. Please pray particularly she will retain her trust in God and her family will follow suit.

Chief Mike Wysocki finally had heart valve surgery June 2017. He was back in the hospital with a bleeding ulcer, but made it home. Please give thanks for that and pray for the medical team treating Mike that they might pay attention, do their very best and be open to God’s guidance. Pray a complete recovery and peace of mind and trust in God for Mike, his lovely wife Wendy and his family.

John Young had three way heart bypass surgery on Thursday, 23 March 2017, in Alabama, which was apparently successful, then had a stroke in October while undergoing testing for his FAA medical. He has lost his right side peripheral vision. Please for a recovery of John’s vision.

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. And as of 22 June 2017, they have shrunk further. 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 12 May 2017, her seventeenth, to reconstruct the damage done her by Walter Reed Medical Center. She now has a bacterial infection which is laying her low. 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.

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.

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).

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 and heart problems were causing huge issues for her. They seem to have gotten her stabilized and she is home. 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 45 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 gidan ce in considering all aspects of her potential work.

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.

God’s Strength and Peace of Soul

Roger is the caretaker for his ailing father who has been in the hospital for a week and his wife who had been declining emotionally, cognitively and in bodily health. He asks you pray for strength and peace for him and help for those he cares for.

Charlie McCormack 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. 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.

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

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

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

Madagascar

Please pray for the people in Madagascar, in particular for the members of the Anglican Orthodox Church there, who are being subjected to terrible flooding and unceasing rain.

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.

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 – Schofield Barracks, HI), Airman Donny Patton (USAF – Hulbert Field, Florida), Jordan Brown (USMC – Recruiter – Iowa City, Iowa), Trevor Jennings (USAF – KC-10 Boom Operator – McGuire AFB, NJ), 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

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.

Jim and Mary Lou’s grandson Pearce, who is entered college 22 August 2107.

A good, happy and productive year for our Jim and Mary Lou’s grandson Colin who is completing his Junior Year in High School.

Jim and Mary Lou’s granddaughter Lucy, who is in second grade for gifted children. Pray it will be the challenge she needs and she will also mature socially.

The near future, as well as Next Sunday

17 June 2018 – Third Sunday after Trinity – Morning Prayer – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

[1] fear is not used with the meaning of dread or terror, but rather the ultimate form of respect, admiration and awe.

[2] Taken from Homiletic Quarterly, vol i., p. 201; Ibid., vol. ix., p. 270; Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. ii., p. 341; H. Calderwood, The Parables, p. 98; A. B. Bruce, Parabolic Teaching of Christ, p. 325

[3] Book of Common Prayer, the Comfortable Words, Page 76

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