231105 AOC Sunday Report

Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide Communion

Twenty-Second Sunday after Trinity Sunday Report

Today was the Twenty-Second Sunday after Trinity Sunday as the Endless Green Season marches on!

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 –

You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality.

Ayn Rand

What happens when you erase history and ignore facts and thus refuse to learn from same? You get to do it again, quite-probably with disastrous consequence.

Karl Denninger

20^th and 21^st century American entrepreneur and author

He who controls the past, controls the future; and he who controls the present, controls the past.

George Orwell

1984

Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of the assemblies, I cannot away with ; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.

Isaiah 1:13

When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name…

Luke 11:2

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1

All of God’s plans have the mark of the cross on them, and all his plans have death to self in them. All of God’s plans have crucifixion to the world in them. But men’s plans either ignore the offense of the cross or despise it. Men’s plans have no profound, stern, or sacrificial denial in them. Their gain is of the world. How many of these destructive elements does the Devil bring into the church, until all the holy aims and heavenly purposes of the church are retired and forgotten?

EM Bounds

19^th and 20^th century American Christian pastor and author

Guide to Spiritual Warfare, p. 52

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 Anglican Church, being founded on the principal of one nation, one church, holds patriotism and true love of country in great regard. It is quite interesting the majority of the Founding Fathers were members of the Church of England and transferred their national church identity to what became the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States. Like Henry VIII and Thomas Cranmer, they saw the need for a national church. Not a captive arm of the government, but a link to God for the people of the nation.

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 the minister or in the case of Morning or Evening Prayer without a minister by the senior member present.

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 the Twenty-Second Sunday after Trinity can be found on Page 220-222:

The Twenty-Second Sunday after Trinity

The Collect.

ORD we beseech thee to keep thy household the Church in continual godliness; that through thy protection it may be free from all adversities, and devoutly given to serve thee in good works, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle for today came from Saint Paul’s letter to the Philippians beginning at the Third Verse of the First Chapter. Writing to the church in Philippia, Paul sends his greetings letting them know he has been praying for them constantly. He tells them that the good work God has begun in them will surely continue until Christ returns to them. Paul tells them he prays that they will find more and more joy in following the will of God. Continually reminding people of the joy of being born a new person, Paul prays that their “love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”

THANK my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

The Holy Gospel came from the Eighteenth Chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew beginning at the Twenty-First Verse. On the subject of confession, repentance and forgiveness, knowing the rabbis had ordained forgiving one’s transgressors three times Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” Knowing Jesus as he did, Peter no doubt expected Jesus to say more times than three, but 490 may have been somewhat more than he expected. In one of the more important stories in the Bible concerning God’s forgiveness of us and our obligation to forgive others, Jesus went on to liken the kingdom of heaven to a king, who was balancing his accounts. He found a servant who owed him, in today’s terms, a million dollars. The man had no money, but promised to pay and begged for mercy rather than have himself and his family sold into slavery as the law allowed to repay the debt. The king forgave him the debt and set him free. Upon release, the man being reminded of his debts, began to attempt to collect from those who owed him. The first debtor he came across owed him $10.00 and had it not. The one who had been forgiven cast the $10.00 debtor into prison. The king found out and bye, bye.

The quote is – Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Not – Do unto others before they do unto you.

hen came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? ²² Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. ²³ Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. ²⁴ And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. ²⁶ The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. ²⁷ Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. ²⁸ But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. ²⁹ And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. ³⁰ And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. ³¹ So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. ³² Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: ³³ Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? ³⁴ And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. ³⁵ So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Sermon – Bishop Jack Arnold

Anglican Orthodox Church of the United States

Diocese of the West

Church of the Faithful Centurion – Descanso, California

Bp Jack brings the Propers together today and can be viewed on video HERE -> https://youtu.be/XNCRD98XD2Y

Today’s sermon tied the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and talked, as is oft the case, of the need for action, not simply diction and are all tied together. Today’s propers really put to lie the concept of the hermit Christian. When we talk about them, look how the Collect talks about the Household of God, what Bishop Cranmer styles as the Church, and how Paul speaks of the benefits of fellowship and joint prayer. If that were not enough, see how Jesus reminds us of the need for forgiveness and patience, things you only need if you interface with others.

Consider these words from the Collect:

… keep thy household the Church in continual godliness; that through thy protection it may be free from all adversities, and devoutly given to serve thee in good works, to the glory of thy Name …

In the Collect we ask the Lord to keep His household, (that would be the Church or us) in continual godliness (that is to keep Him as our leader and follow Him and the principles of Scripture), so that with His Help we can have as smooth a path as practical and serve Him in happiness. We have clearly seen what happens if we do not keep in continual godliness with the mainstream churches today allowing corruption and heretical teachings to seep in. In order to avoid this fate, we must ask God to help us keep the church in continual godliness. It also says through His protection we might be free from all adversities and to do good works for Him. It does not mean that we never run into adversities, for we surely will. It means that in times of adversity God might give us the guidance needed to soar through these adversities and do good for Him.

If the Church is not in continual godliness as many of the Churches are now then they will not have God’s guidance to get them through these adversities and thus they will stumble and fall. Another reason we should be following God constantly instead of the world. The world cannot give us the perfect guidance God can and their advice will only lead us to ruin. So let us turn to God and follow His Lead that we might be devoutly given to serve Him with good work.

Devoutly serving him with good works is only possible if we listen to the Scriptures and apply them with the help of the Holy Ghost. We cannot do good works for Him without the help of the Holy Ghost. And also without the help of the Holy Ghost, we cannot have His Protection and will not be able to keep on the straight and narrow uphill path towards heaven.

Saint Paul follows this same thought in his Epistle when he thanks the Philippians for their fellowship and talks about how their bond through Christ have strengthened his faith as a result which enabled him to continue doing good works for the Lord. He expresses his wishes for the Philippians to do the same and to keep growing in heart, soul and spirit, with their judgement and knowledge increasing as they allow the Holy Ghost in their hearts more and more.

Paul also wishes the Philippians would approve of godly things and their holiness would increase as they walk more and more with God. He is basically wishing for them to continually grow in wisdom through reading of the Holy Scriptures and then applying them in their day to day actions. It ties in nicely with the collect asking for God to keep the Church in continual godliness. Our Lord accomplishes this by having our bonds strong in the church, He keeps us in that continual godliness. The more we love the Lord, the more it will show through in our actions and our judgment. So, let us keep loving the Lord, so our actions and judgment will align His! Paul’s wishes not only are good for the Philippians but they are good for us to consider in our day to day lives as well, especially his wish that we might grow in wisdom through reading Holy Scriptures and applying them in our day to day lives. He also calls us to be sincere in all of our dealings and being kind to our fellow believers.

Which brings us to the point of the Gospel, in which Christ tells Peter about forgiveness and how we must be ever patient with our fellow humans, and if they are repentant, grant them that forgiveness, no matter how many times they might err and vex us. It doesn’t matter if we want to or not, if they are truly repentant then we must forgive them, regardless of how we want to do otherwise. This is important as if we hold the evil of non-forgiveness in our hearts, it is to our own detriment. We would not be following the words of the collect of staying in godliness if we were to not forgive. For as God forgives, so must we forgive those who are truly sorry.

Holding non-forgiveness in our hearts is as bad for us as holding a grudge against an individual. It acts as like cancer to our soul, eating away out our soul turning it from bright white to a dark black. We must not allow this to occur and if somebody is truly sorry for their misdeeds, we must forgive them. Else we will not only hurt them by not forgiving them but we will also hurt ourselves. It is best for both parties involved if we can forgive them. It is another one of the concepts that is easier to say then do, but it is a concept that we must embrace and do our best to do all the same.

We can only forgive those sins against us, for those that are against God, only God can forgive. Remember, we can forgive them for personal trespasses against us, but through God’s power, only He can grant absolution of our sins, not us. Nowhere in Scripture does Christ tell Peter humans have the power to forgive sins, as the Roman Catholics claim they have, but rather God must forgive sins, but we can tell others God has forgiven them.

The parable illustrates what happens to those who are forgiven, but yet turn around and do not forgive their neighbor (in this case, a debtee) for their sins and have thus abused their forgiveness from Our Lord. If we follow this person’s path, we will find ourselves in a poor spot in eternal life; not only the eternal life, but our temporary life here on earth would be made more miserable by our abusing of the forgiveness. Let us not be like that fellow, but let us forgive our neighbor, if he is truly sorry and willing to repent and re-start the friendship, and turning a new leaf so to speak.

If God has been so good to forgive us, why should we not inform others God can and will forgive them of any sins against Him or us for that matter? It would be truly selfish not to do so and to go against what He has commanded us to do, in spreading the Word to all nations. This is why the Gospel is called the Good News, because God has forgiven us for our sins and sent His Son to die for us, that we might have eternal life instead of eternal damnation. This is the ultimate forgiveness, accounting us as perfect, when we are anything but.

Today’s propers speak of the power of Our Lord in forgiveness and how we must remember our bond with our fellow Christians in Christ, especially in times of great sorrow or trouble and use that to strengthen us in our day to day lives. We must always remember there are others in our heavenly family who are struggling along with us. With the help of the Holy Ghost and our bond with Christ, we shall not fail.

The Collect’s prayer, Epistle and Gospel tie together, laying out, detailing and reinforcing the same message, ultimately. We have to be willing to forgive others, tell them about God’s forgiveness, and not turn around and commit the grave error of not forgiving others as God has forgiven us for our sins. We have to act more like God each day, though we are not and never will be perfect. If we try our utmost best, that is all we can do.

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 Midwest and the Epiphany, as well as Spain, Central and South America. He is also the Suffragan Bishop of the Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide.

Twenty-Second Sunday after Trinity

Days of Future Past

5 November 2023, AD

Philippians 1:3-11 • Matthew 18: 21-35

The Twenty-Second Sunday after Trinity

The Collect.

It is not only a civic duty to remember those who have served, but it seems St. Paul made a point of remember those in service of the Lord. At this time of the year as we approach Veteran’s Day, observed on the 11^th of November, we as a community try to remember those who are with us who in some way served in the defense of this nation. A long time observation, first being set aside to commemorate those who served in the military from 1917-1919. The day being set aside of course commemorating the cessation of hostilities in Europe with the signing of the Armistice in November 1918. The exact end of fighting was to be at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, 1100 11 November 1918. For years afterward this date was celebrated as Armistice Day in the United States. Eventually the commemoration would be renamed Veterans Day in order to remember those who served in the Second World War and the Korean Conflict. This would take effect in 1954. So here we have a day set aside to remember those who served and are serving in defense of this nation.

Saint Paul begun a similar concept with the early church.

He wrote to several of the churches that he either founded or helped in the edification/growth of the same throughout his travels in Asia Minor and Greece. In the opening chapter of his letter to the church at Philippi he outlines a wonderful joyful catalog of what the Philippians church was doing right. We always seem to understand Paul as a grumpy old guy calling out sin and error in various churches. His letter to the church at Corinth seems to chastise them for their sinful behavior.

Instead of that we read where Paul praises the church at Philippi for:

A happy remembrance, {because of joyful requests}
Wonderful fellowship from the first time they met Paul
Their confidence in the good of the gospel
The good work in Jesus Christ
He has such a high regard for them that even while he is in prison in Rome he can be thankful for their ‘defense and confirmation of the gospel’.

Then Paul continues with his great love for the Philippians because of how well they display the love of God through Christ to all those who come to Philippi.

For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

He prays they continue with this great love of the gospel and the desire to share it with the world until the end of time:

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

And then he finishes off with the most important concept, the praise of God in three parts and yet unified as one being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Do we as a people in Christ portray any of that which Paul wrote about in this first chapter in the letter to the church in Philippi? As he approached the end of his life on earth, he looked back at all that had transpired during his missionary journeys and was able to see there would be more people being saved because of the faithful witness he describes in this letter.

He could see ‘days of future passed’.

Are we able to reach out to those who are lost and share with them the saving gospel of Christ?

What are we able to do with our knowledge and understanding of God’s Word as far as sharing it with those who are lost?

It is sometimes the simplest things we do that make those who are perishing notice. Sometime just the small quiet things we do and say can spark a conversation that may lead to a time of sharing of the Word.

May God help us to be aware of our spiritual surroundings, may He give us the discernment to understand when is the time to speak and when is the time to just do the right things. We should never do what is right when everyone is watching, we must ever do the right things no matter is anyone is watching. God is watching. He neither sleeps nor slumbers.

Let us ever be mindful of who we represent to the world.

Let us pray:

LORD Jesus Christ, who hast ordained this holy sacrament to be a pledge of thy love, and a continual remembrance of thy passion: Grant that we, who partake thereof in faith, may grow up into thee in all things until we come to thy eternal joy, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen.

E MINDFUL, O Lord, of thy people bowed before thee, and of those who are absent through age, sickness, or infirmity. Care for the infants, guide the young, support the aged, encourage the faint-hearted, collect the scattered, and bring the wandering to thy fold. Travel with the voyagers; defend the widows; shield the orphans; deliver the captives; heal the sick. Succour all who are in tribulation, necessity, or distress. Remember the good all those who love us, and those who hate us, and those who have desired us, unworthy as we are, to pray for them. And those whom we have forgotten, do thou O Lord, remember. For thou art the helper of the helpless, the savior of the lost, the refuge of the wanderer, the healer of the sick. Thou, who knowest each man’s need, and hast heard his prayer, grant unto each according to thy merciful loving-kindness and eternal love, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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

✟

Rev Bryan Dabney of Saint John’s Sunday Sermon

The Steel Minister is back from his quadruple bypass surgery on 6 July 2023!

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.

Twenty-Second Sunday after Trinity

The great English pastor Charles H. Spurgeon once penned the following about the importance of the Body of Christ: “Is there a church in this house? Are parents, children, friends, servants, all members of it? or are some still unconverted? Let us pause here and let the question go round— Am I a member of the Church of this house? How would father’s heart leap for joy, and mother’s eyes fill with holy tears if from the eldest to the youngest all were saved! Let us pray for this great mercy until the Lord shall grant it to us… If there be such a Church in our house, let us order it well, and let all act as in the sight of God. Let us move in the common affairs of life with studied holiness, diligence, kindness, and integrity. More is expected of a Church than of an ordinary household; family worship must, in such a case, be more devout and hearty; internal love must be more warm and unbroken, and external conduct must be more sanctified and Christlike. We need not fear the smallness of our number will put us out of the list of Churches, for the Holy Spirit has here enrolled a family-church in the inspired book of remembrance. As a Church let us now draw nigh to the great head of the one Church universal, and let us beseech him to give us grace to shine before men to the glory of his name.”

Consider now our Lord’s description of a church when he said, For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20). So then the minimum number for what may properly constitute a church is two souls praying and worshiping the Lord together. And in the first century AD there was an ever-growing number of Christian churches stretching from Jerusalem to Asia Minor and beyond. The apostles had been given their marching orders in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and with joy they brought the gospel of our Lord to all the known world.

But unlike much of Christendom today, those newly formed church bodies did not construct church buildings. Early Christians often met in private homes to worship and pray. Later, as persecution by the Roman authorities became more wide spread, many would find other venues. Still, the house-church remained the most popular place where the faithful might gather to lift their voices to God’s throne of grace. The scriptures tell us that the family unit was the place where a godly faith was taught and put into practice. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob taught their families about the LORD their God, not in some temple or edifice, but in their homes. And ever after, home and hearth, family and faith all worked together to advance the message of God to the Jew first and then to the Gentile.

As the Christian faith achieved acceptance by the Roman emperors, church buildings became more prevalent. No longer was the home the center for worship, nevertheless, Christians were expected to keep alive in their homes those principles of the faith which they had been taught in their church gatherings. As time passed, church buildings supplanted the home as the chief venue for the tutoring of both young and old. With the collapse of civil government in the Western regions of the Roman Empire during the 6^th Century AD, literacy levels in those areas dropped significantly. Few could read the Bible in Latin and fewer still in Greek and the organized Church of the day encouraged their flocks not to do so. Besides, most people were lucky to live hand-to-mouth and were hardly interested in learning to read and write, neither were they afforded the opportunity to do so under the then developing feudal system of governance. So for over half a millennium, Christians had to trust their church leaders to tell them the truth about God’s word written. Nevertheless, change was in the wind.

By the time of the Renaissance in the 14^th century there were already present a host of cathedrals and lesser church buildings which captivated the minds and imaginations of Medieval worshipers. These structures inspired within their attendees a sense of awe and reverence. As a result of such, the hierarchy of the church exercised great influence over both noble and commoner alike regarding the things of Scripture without giving the laity any encouragement to read the Bible for themselves. Many churches had windows like picture books which added sight to the messages they heard from the Bible. The images and statuary, relics and monstrances were but additional visual aids that the people might look upon to support their faith. Still, as more and more people became literate, the book they wanted to read first and foremost was the Holy Bible. It should be understood that books of any kind were expensive as they were hand written. But with the coming of Johan Gutenberg’s moveable type printing press all that changed. With more scholars and ministers now able to publish their books and sermons for a wider audience, and with the growing list of bible scholars working on vernacular translations of holy writ, those who could read came to know more of what God expected of Christians. Armed with this knowledge, many began to question the authority and traditions of the established religious order. Persecution by the Medieval Church soon followed in a vain attempt to restrain this tide of biblical awareness. As a result, many Christians, like their counterparts of old, returned to worshipping in their homes. And once again, the followers of Christ could freely read and teach the truth of the Bible which God had so long ago proclaimed. And as a natural outgrowth, they formed new church bodies based on the words of the Bible and not on the words and whims of men.

Eventually, either through the good fortune of living within kingdoms or principalities which permitted new church bodies to form, or, via migration to places where such bodies could be established, the house church was restored at least in part. And for as long as these new churches adhered to the doctrines and teachings of the Bible— even if they had church buildings for worship— the Body of Christ grew and spread.

Sadly, this growth did not last and such is not at all surprising given the work of the Devil and his minions. With the capture of much of Christendom today by Modernists / Progressives, one of the few remaining safe places for the faithful Christian to learn and grow in the love of the Godhead is again found within the home. But even this change has not been without criticism as you will often hear from the spiteful: “Well, your house-church is not a real church.” Such people will level this charge because in their minds if you do not have a building then you do not have a church. My response is, Nonsense! Do you think you have a “church” if:

It does not teach the whole counsel of God as found in the Holy Bible;
It does not follow the prescribed character of a true church as found within the pages of Scripture;
Jesus Christ is on the outside (Revelation 3:20) precisely because his word has been rejected by those within?

Bishop John Charles Ryle noted, “The meanest room where a few penitent believers assemble in the name of Jesus is a consecrated and most holy place in the sight of God. They that worship God in spirit and truth never draw near to him in vain. Often they go home from such meetings warmed, cheered, stablished, strengthened, comforted, and refreshed. And what is the secret of their feelings? They have had with them the great Master of assemblies even Christ himself.”

Additionally, Bishop Ryle noted that, “It is fitting and right beyond doubt that buildings set apart for Christian worship should be worthy of the purpose for which they are used. Whatever is done for Christ ought to be well done. The house in which the gospel is preached, the Word of God read, and prayer offered up ought to lack nothing that can make it comely and substantial. But let it never be forgotten that the material part of a Christian church is by far the least important part of it. The fairest combinations of marble, stone, wood and painted glass are worthless in God’s sight unless there is truth in the pulpit and grace in the congregation. The dens and caves in which the early Christians used to meet were probably far more beautiful in the eyes of Christ than the noblest cathedral that was ever erected by man. The temple in which the Lord delights most is a broken and contrite heart renewed by the Holy Spirit. Without the truth in their pulpits, the most beautiful buildings are simply historical museums.”

So then, any house regardless of size and appointments can be a house of worship to our good and gracious God. Let us therefore cheerfully and with reverence come into the LORD’s presence with thanksgiving and praise. It does not matter the locale if our hearts, prayers and confessions are raised there to him. So do not let the unlearned or the unfaithful convince you that your fellowship “is not really a church” because you do not have a building, or if “you are part of some breakaway faith.” Be where you need to be to please God and leave the rest to themselves.

Let us pray,

HOLY and gracious God, we thank you for our house of worship, our home and hearth; that it may ever be a place of true faith where sound doctrine is preached, taught and lived; for this we ask in the name of our Saviour even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Have a blessed week,

Bryan+

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. When he provides the text of his sermons I take the utmost pleasure in passing them on:

Twenty-second Sunday after Trinity

Anno Domine 2023

The Just Shall Live by Faith

Romans 1:17

Does God exist? That is the most important question that can be posed to man, for everything depends on the answer. The second most important question is, if God does exist, what is He like? The third question, then, is naturally, how can I know the answer to the first two questions?

Let us pass over the various answers to these questions given through the ages. Let us, on the basis of the Bible, say we know God exists, and we know what He is like, because He has revealed His existence to us, and told us about Himself. He, “at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in times past unto the fathers” and, “hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son… the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person” (Heb. 1:1-3). Let us also agree that we know a rupture exists in the Divine-human relationship. We know the reason for the rupture, and we know the God-given means by which it is repaired.

There was a time when the general teaching of the Church was that the Divine-human rupture could be repaired by human actions. Confessing sins to a priest, receiving absolution from that priest, saying “Hail Marys,” doing good things for others, going to “Mass,” being baptized, and, especially, giving money, appeased God, and restored the right relationship between a person and God.

But that was not the original understanding of repairing the Divine-human relationship. It developed slowly, but gradually replaced the Church’s original, Biblical understanding of repairing the relationship. There were always people who maintained the original, Biblical faith. They were useful voices calling the Church back to the Bible. But they were usually ignored by the larger Church, and often, they were persecuted and killed.

One of those people lived in Germany in the 1500s. He was monk, and a university professor, having earned a doctoral degree in a time when only the very brightest and most diligent students were allowed to pursue and earn that title. He was not the first to question the prevailing ideas about repairing the relationship by human actions. Other men of equal intelligence and academic achievement had preceded Him. I am sure you know of John Wycliffe, and John Huss. But Martin Luther was the one God used to bring a return to Biblical understanding to the forefront. His Ninety-five thesis, nailed to the door of the Church in Wittenberg, Germany became the talking points of an examination of the teachings of the Church, in light of the Bible, that rapidly spread across Africa, Europe, and most of the Middle East.

Martin Luther was particularly troubled by the burning question, if I have to repair my relationship with God, and I can do so by doing certain things, how can I know when I have done enough? Or, in words more akin to the verse I read at the opening of the sermon, how much do I have to do to make myself just, or, righteous, before God?

We can easily see his dilemma. Suppose the priest at confession says, “because your sins are minor, you need to fast twenty-four hours, say fifty “Hail Marys,” and give $10 extra to the Church. Do these things, and your sins will be forgiven, and God will consider you just.” But Luther wondered, how does the priest know that will justify me? What if I really needed to say 51 Hail Marys? Maybe I needed to fast twenty-five hours. Maybe I needed to give $11 to the Church. Maybe I’ll go to purgatory, or, hell, because I gave one dollar less than was needed.

This was an important question in Luther’s time because the Roman pope was trying to raise money by selling forgiveness. If you gave money toward his building project he would grant a special sin exemption, called an indulgence, by which you could buy yourself, or someone you loved a shorter sentence in purgatory, which, they believed, was a sort of temporary hell where you went to be purged from your sins so you could go to Heaven. The more money you gave, the shorter your sentence, even to the point of skipping purgatory and going straight to Heaven. The question then was, how much do I have to give? Another question was, why do the rich get to buy themselves out of purgatory, but the poor can’t afford it? And, of course, if the pope has the power to forgive sins, why does he sell it? Why not just forgive the sins of all people?

But Luther came up with another question. On what authority does the pope grant indulgences, and on what authority does the doctrine of purgatory rest? Where does the Church’s authority lie? Is it in the pope, or is it in the Bible? Is the pope, and, therefore the Church above the Bible, or is the Bible above them? So Luther went back to the Bible, and He noted that Jesus constantly referred to the Bible, which at that time was the Old Testament, as His authority. The Apostles did the same, though it was gradually realized that the Apostolic letters were inspired explanations of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, and came to be understood as being equal to the books of the Old Testament in Biblical authority.

Realising Christ considered the Old Testament to have authority above the ideas of men, even over the high priests and the body of religious doctrines and rules written by them, Luther concluded that the authority for the Church, and the individual Christian was, is, and shall be until the Lord comes back, the Bible. And he found no doctrine of purgatory in its pages. And he found no teaching that a person can make himself right with God by his own actions. Instead he found these words, “the just shall live by faith.”

Yes, Luther found, there was a time when man and God lived in perfect harmony. Yes, that harmony was destroyed by human disobedience, sin. Yes, there is a way back to God, a way of peace with God. But, no, it cannot be earned by us, or given by any man. It is the free gift of God, based on the sacrifice of Christ, and received by faith.

Thus, the question becomes, how can I get that free gift of peace with God? Well, as Luther discovered, “the just shall live by faith.” Let’s go back for a moment to that ruptured relationship between God and man. That relationship was ruptured by a willful, intentional action that chose self will and self direction over God. It was like telling God, “I will decide for myself what I will do and be, and believe. I will no longer take Your word for these things. I will be my own god. In that action, man rejected God and enthroned himself in God’s place. That is the essence of sin. That is what sin is. And that has been the plight and situation of all people ever since. And God is angry at us.

God told Adam and Eve if they disobeyed His commandment, they would die. He also said, through the Apostle Paul, in Romans 6:23, the wages, the earnings of our sins, is death. The ultimate death is eternal separation from God, who is the light and the life of men. It is to exist in eternal sorrow under the wrath and curse of God in hell. The Bible calls this, the second death.

But, I often hear people say, “No! I am not in that condition. I have lived a good life, been a good person, generous, kind, a good Samaritan.” If you are reading this sermon, and if you would say that about yourself, I ask you, have you been perfect? Have there been no lapses, no failures to live 100% according to the righteous law of God, not even one wicked thought? Would you claim to be as morally good as Jesus Christ? None of us can honestly make that claim. But the Bible honestly says, “all have sinned.” That includes Bishop Campbell, Dr. Billy Graham, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, better known as Pope Francis, and you. “All, everyone of us have sinned.” And we cannot make up for our sins by being good, or giving money, or feeling sorry for our sins. These things cannot repair the breach, or re-make the harmony which once existed between God and man way back so long ago in Eden. Only God can do that.

God does it by making sinners righteous. Righteousness, which we cannot create in ourselves, or earn from God, is a gift. It come to us like this. First, in Jesus Christ, God became a man and lived a completely righteous and holy life. Second, He took our sins upon Himself. Third, He suffered and died for our sins on the cross. Fourth, He gives His righteousness to us. Think of this as something like a spiritual bank transaction. The debt of your sin was placed in His account, and He paid it with His life. His righteousness is placed in your account. Therefore, God no longer sees you as having a debt of sin to pay. Or, we could say Jesus served your sentence, so when God looks at your sin rap sheet, from which every crime has been cleaned, He decrees you to be righteous. These are only illustrations of a wonderful, Heavenly transaction that probably cannot be fully expressed in human language. One of the best expressions of it, in my mind, is found in First John 3:16, “Hereby we perceive the love of God, because He laid down His life for us.” Jesus laid down His life for us on the cross. But the seriousness of this verse does not come out well in the English versions, for John wrote it in Greek, which more literally says, “He laid his soul over us.” On the cross, He put His soul, His essence, His being, His whole self, between us and the anger and wrath God. As God poured out His wrath, which would have fallen on us, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, laid His soul over us, and all of God’s wrath fell upon Him. We could say, He dressed in our sin and died for it there. And He dresses us in His righteousness, and in His righteousness we are accounted as righteous, or, just, by God.

We receive the righteousness of Christ by faith. That means we trust God to forgive us because we are dressed in Christ’s righteousness. Thus, rather than die the second death for our sins, we receive eternal life through His gift. We enjoy the favor and blessings of God, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, a new way of thinking and living here and now, and forever in Heaven.

I close with these words from what is still probably the best known verse of the Bible, John 3:16.

God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Believe in Him. Believe He will dress you in His righteousness. Believe He will present you pure and faultless before God because you are dressed in His righteousness. Accept His righteousness as His gift to you, and have eternal life. That is what faith does, and “the just shall live by faith.”

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!

Corona Virus

Laurie, daughter of Jim and Mary Lou Flanagan has post-Covid lung damage, dizziness, falling, blacking out and loss of time relation. Please pray that they find a cure for these problems for Laurie.

Sandra (63) and her two grandchildren. Sandra and her daughter live in New York and recently got Covid requiring hospitalization and ventilators in ICU. Sandra’s daughter died in ICU and Sandra pulled through and is now home. She is coping with traumatic grief, as she did not get to see or get to be near her daughter in her time of need, confusion on how to proceed on providing for and protecting her and her grandchildren who are teenagers. Please pray for the Lord’s comfort in

Bill Hall is still having difficulty breathing and with his ability to move about.

Donald and his family. Donald has Covid, is medically sedated, and has been on a ventilator for a number of days. He makes a little progress and then experiences a setback. This had been a rollercoaster pattern now for a while. Please pray that our Heavenly Father will restore him to health and that He will meet the emotional and financial needs of the family at this time. Donald has a wife and four children.

Travel

No known travel this week.

Birthdays

Jerry Ogles celebrated his 80^th birthday on 3 June 2023.

Anniversary

Dru and Hap Arnold celebrated their 36^th wedding anniversary on 21 February 2023.

Departed

Elizabeth Pressey, of St. George’s. passed away on 15 October 2023. Elizabeth was an amazing and good Christian woman. Please pray for her husband of 68 years, Bishop David Pressey and their son, Edward Pressey. The family thanks you for your prayers over the years.

Debbie of Mooresville, NC, passed away on 9 August 2023, after a long hard fought battle with breast cancer and a short hospital stay. Please give thanks for her time here on earth. Pray for comfort and strength for her husband Charles and daughters Mackenzie and Macrae as they adjust to her temporary separation. May they allow God to carry their sorrow until they meet again.

Immediate Prayer Please

Myanmar (Burma) We solicit your prayers for the Church and people of Myanmar (Burma). The Rev. Titus has sent this note:

We face a big flood in Bago where I am living now. It has been 2 days and many people in my area moved to another area where the water cannot reach. We are safe by grace` but some houses of my members are going to sink very soon if the rain is not stopped. In the pictures` the houses are in the midst of water damage and there is a house of my member in this place. They cannot go to anywhere to purchase their foods. So dear Bishop and friends` you all are kindly requested to pray for me and my Church members in Myanmar. Thank you all

Billie Broome a stroke survivor who has had femur, knee and hip surgery, spent a month in the hospital, now she has blood clots and severe swelling in her foot which became infected. She is improving slightly and asks that you give thanks for the improvement and pray for complete recovery. Please pray for peace of mind for Billie, her husband Richard and family. They are all strong Christians, but somewhat prone to worry.

Mr. Kim, father of Minki, one of Bishop Jerry’s congregation members, has been diagnosed with Colorectal cancer. He is i beginning radiation/chemo treatment prior to surgery. Please pray for peace of mind for him and his family and for guidance for the medical team treating him.

Mark George has been diagnosed with cancer of the throat and will be at Kirkland Clinic in Birmingham, Alabama, to determine further treatment on 27 July 2023.

Viera Djurcik, mother of Bishop Igor Djurcik from Serbia, had her left leg amputated above the knee as the result of gangrene. The surgery was successful, but she has a long road ahead for recovery. Please give thank for successful surgery and pray for complete and rapid recovery for Viera and for peace of mind for her and her family.

Tricia Marie underwent abdominal surgery on 28 June 2023; she gives thanks it was apparently successful and asks you to pray with here for a full and rapid recovery, for peace of mind for her and her family. She gives thanks for an apparently successful coil surgery to seal off an aneurysm at the base of her skull on 12 January 2023. She has seemingly recovered from the stroke of December 2021. She still headaches which had been bothering her for months since she got the Moderna vaccine. She has had almost no real sleep or rest for months. She fell on stairs and while apparently broke nothing, is very sore and scared herself. She has gotten some relief from the headache from a Botox injection series, may that continue. Please give thanks for the successful surgery and pray for relief from the headache, nausea and pain and rest for her, for guidance for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating her and a full and rapid recovery, for peace of mind for her and her family.

Bryan Dabney, AOC Minister, had quadruple bypass surgery on 6 July 2023. He is home and seems to be doing well. He is beginning physical therapy and cardiac rehabilitation. Please give thanks for the apparently successful surgery and pray for a full and complete recovery. Continue to comfort Brian, his wife Lisa, and son Thomas as they deal with his recovery.

Natalie Oslin Lohrenz is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, she is about 1/3 of the way through the regimen. She is tolerating the poison pretty well, but asks your prayers for it to work and the toleration to continue.

Josh Morley, son of Bishop Charles Morley, has had another grand mal seizure and is back in the hospital. Joshua and Bishop Morley are distraught, as they cannot determine the cause for his seizure. They are hoping to change doctors and find a cause and cure for Joshua. Bishop Morley says Joshua is healthy in every way but for having these seizures.

John May had a heart attack on 13 May 2023, he received a single stent. After three days he was released from the hospital to recover at home. Please pray for peace of mind for John, his wife Jenny and children Joshua and Cayenne, as well as the rest of her family. Pray also for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating him that they might pay attention and do their very best; and for a good outcome.

David McMillan recently suffered a stroke. Please pray for guidance for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating him and for peace of mind for David and his family.

Alicia, her husband, Andrew, and their two young daughters. Alicia has Susac’s Disease and narcolepsy. She has not been able to work and is having a difficult time even functioning. Please pray for her, her family, and those that attend her. May heavenly wisdom fill the doctors that they may treat Alicia and serve as God’s instruments to restore her to health.

Harry Brooks, Major USMC – GA ANG Retired – just finished a round of chemotherapy, which he barely survived and had his cancerous bladder in March 2023. Please pray for guidance for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating him and for peace of mind for Harry and his family and for a good result.

Major Tom Connell, a good friend of Hap Arnold, had surgery on 25 February 2022, for abdominal cancer to remove a tumor. Spots have now appeared on his liver and he is restarting chemotherapy in January 2023. Tom asks you join him in praying for him to tolerate the treatment. Tom is a good guy and a faithful Christian; he is grateful for weathering this storm to date and the comfort God provided to him and his family.

Bob Apple just found out he has cancer and is beginning treatment. Please pray for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating him that they might pay attention, do their very best and be open to God’s guidance; pray also for peace of mind for Bob.

Deanna Sampson started to treat for cataracts and found she had an irregular heartbeat, then breast cancer with precluded the operation. She had apparently successful surgery for the cancer and has undergone radiation treatment, she is waiting to see what comes next. A strong Christian with an incredible attitude, she could nonetheless use your prayers.

Henry Johnson (age 3) suffers from a rare form of epilepsy. Please join his parents in praying a treatment regimen can be found to treat his condition.

Tricia Marie gives thanks for an apparently successful coil surgery to seal off an aneurysm at the base of her skull on 12 January 2023. She has seemingly recovered from the stroke of December 2021. She still headaches which had been bothering her for months since she got the Moderna vaccine. She has had almost no real sleep or rest for months. She fell on stairs and while apparently broke nothing, is very sore and scared herself. She has gotten some relief from the headache from a Botox injection series, may that continue. Please give thanks for the successful surgery and pray for relief from the headache, nausea and pain and rest for her, for guidance for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating her and a full and rapid recovery, for peace of mind for her and her family.

Shamu is totally exhausted, but in relatively good spirits. Shamu has a terrible headache, is in a lot of pain; feels like she has been stabbed, totally exhausted and weak, but her faith is incredibly strong. They have found a mass in her upper abdomen which must be investigated. She asks you pray for guidance for the medical people helping her. After 36 surgeries, she is quite very weak, but strong in her trust in our Lord as she goes through this difficult time. She needs your prayer. Please.

Tommy Cook is beset by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Congestive Heart failure. It seems there is little that can be done except fight a delaying action against the aggressive pair. At present it seems like the only avenue open is a heart lung transplant and little chance of that. He asks you pray for guidance for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating him and the miracle of a full and rapid recovery, for peace of mind for him and his family. He is a very strong Christian and has no concern for himself, but for his wife, children and mother.

Johnie Ratcliff is having breathing issues.

Brady on the way to enter the armed forces in Virginia Beach, got in a horrible tragic car accident that required surgery to restructure his foot, and back surgery to relieve pressure on his spine and repair the breaks. Please pray for his parents, and that he, unsure of what his future will hold, will understand the Lord Jesus Christ holds his future and He will not fail nor forsake him.

David Connis has Stage Four colon cancer, he can no longer do chemotherapy and has switched to immunotherapy in the hope of surviving to participate in an experimental program in December. Please pray for strength and guidance for him and his nine year old daughter, as well as what we consider a good outcome.

John Crawford, of Tennessee, is in ICU for treatment of pancreatitis. Please pray for guidance for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating him and for peace of mind for John and his family and for a good result.

Lori Barnett had a large mass in her abdomen surgically removed which turned out to be cancerous. She has begun chemotherapy. Please pray for the cessation of pain and discomfort for her and for her to tolerate the chemotherapy.

George Johnson, MD, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma[1]. From Dr. George Hardin Johnson, I need all my friends and prayer warriors to pray for me, that the new chemo pill (meds) that the doctor ordered will be use mightily by the Lord Jesus to heal my body. Pray that there will be no side effects and my body can handle the meds. Thanks and God bless you all for your prayers in the mighty name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. We know God is in full control and we are trusting in Him to give George a complete healing!

Margie Johnson (wife of Dr. George Johnson) is very ill and need of healing. Please pray for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating her that they might pay attention, do their very best and be open to God’s guidance. Pray also for comfort and strength for her and her husband George.

Greg was in an explosive work accident leading to burns over 65% of his body. He is in the hospital and will be for months. Also pray for his mother, who recently lost her husband and now is overseeing her son’s care; she is disabled and in a wheel chair.

Lauralee Meade has tested positive for Covid 19; she is only moderately concerned as she has no symptoms. She asks you pray she stay that way and test negative so she can visit her mother. Please pray also for a complete remission of her cancer. Pray also Lauralee will maintain her great attitude and trust in God.

Inga, the wife of Tore, requests prayer for her husband in Norway. He is awaiting surgery for a heart valve and kidney transplants. He is nearing surgery. Please pray for trust in the Lord for her, her husband and family and friends who are so very worried about him. Pray also for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating him that they might be open to God’s guidance for treatment, pay attention and do their very best to help him. Pray for a good outcome.

Angela Walker has Covid and has been hospitalized and currently is in the ICU doing poorly. Please pray for trust in the Lord for her, her husband, two young children and family and friends who are so very worried about her. Pray also for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating her that they might be open to God’s guidance for treatment, pay attention and do their very best to help her. Pray for a good outcome.

Rhonda, a close friend of Angie Colgrove, has Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer[2]. Please pray for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating her that they might be open to God’s guidance, pay attention and do their very be Please pray for peace of mind and trust in God for Rhonda and her family.

Elizabeth Pressey, wife of AOC Bishop Dave Pressey, is seriously ill. Please pray for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating her that they might be open to God’s guidance, pay attention and do their very be Please pray for peace of mind and trust in God for Elisabeth, Dave, their son Eddie and family.

Zephaniah Leguman – the Iron Bishop of the Pacific – has been diagnosed with a serious eye affliction that could lead to blindness. It presently stop deteriorating and seems to be improving. Please give thanks for this positive movement and pray the condition will continue to abate.

Gary Anderson of Enterprise has been hospitalized with unknown illness. He requests prayer for diagnosis and healing.

Corrie Marsh, daughter of Ida Benson, is facing serious medical procedures in coming days. Please pray for trust in God for Corrie and her family and for the doctors, nurses and technicians to pay attention and do their very best, as well as to be open to God’s guidance.

Cyrus has blood cancer and is very very ill. Please pray the doctors treating him will pay attention and do their very best. Pray also for comfort and peace for Cyrus and his family; pray that if it not be that he will recover that he past restfully to home.

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.

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

Sandy has be diagnosed with malignant lung cancer. She has COPD and therefore not a candidate for surgery. Her only medical option is for Chemo and Radiation according to her Drs.: Sandy is a Christian who believes in the healing power of prayer. Sandy has been a friend of Mary Lou Flanagan since high school as well as going to college together.

John Thomas, of Malaysia, a long time friend of Bishop Jerry, a persevering servant of the Lord for many years. His health has begun to fade in his present age of 79. Please pray the Lord will extend a merciful hand to John, and his devoted wife Gina, in working out His perfect will for both.

Joey Angelica is a recovering addict with liver cancer and diabetes, he lost his job during the plandemic, then found out he has liver cancer. He is a very strong Christian, he and his friend Vicki ask that you pray for his recovery and continued trust in God.

Michael Baran – End stage congestive heart failure. 20 March 20 at 10:56 AM To all my friends and family I had to go to the hospital in Rochester NY where I had my implant mechanical heart assist pump placed in my abdomen. I have end stage heart failure. On Wednesday I had to go to the hospital I was in need of a wheelchair I was very weak and I needed to have someone push me because I got short of breath, and I was so weak, I needed assistance to get up out of the wheelchair. I had to do a walk test and I had to have help to stand up my blood pressure was so low. I fell back In to the wheel chair. I tried to walk after they got me up and was able to use the hand rail and walk about a hundred feet there were two aids behind me I had to stop and nearly collapsed. They kept me from going down. After all the tests were done the Nurse practitioner reviewed over the results. I had one valve replaced about 6 months ago. But now the other 3 are leaking, there is not much they can do for me.

Yesterday I prayed that if God didn’t need me here. to take me home. I long to be free of this old body and to see my Lord, my family and friends that have gone on to their rewards, to be with them evermore. I told the Lord if he needs me here then he needs to renew my strength so that I can walk.

I woke up this morning and felt good. I got up to go to the bathroom and to my surprise I did not struggle to stand up!!! I actually walked to the bathroom without a walker. I am back in bed crying as I write this to you as the Holy Spirit brought to my mind Isaiah 40:31 ..Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength and shall soar on wings like eagles they will run and not grow weary they shall walk and not faint.

I have been unable to walk more than 100 ft or so, for the last six months in the last two weeks my oxygen saturation was as low as 74 and unable to walk without a walker. have a lift chair-recliner in the TV room. I am now able to get up without it.!!!

My God is an awesome God he has heard my prayers and has indeed strengthened me.!!!

Janine Alvarado’s daughter has what appears to be terminal cancer, she is in much pain, in and out of the hospital. She asks that you pray for a miraculous recovery for her daughter and if that not be God’s will, a safe passing home. She asks you pray also for peace of mind and strength for both of them.

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.

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 li 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 re Pray for those treating him that they might pay attention and do their best.

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

June found she has a recurrence of colon cancer, which is now Stage Four, that is it has spread. Please pray for a miraculous remission; that June’s remaining time here 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.

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

Jim and Pam Lanno – After Jim was recovering from a heart attack, he noticed something was off. Soon came the diagnosis of ALS along with dementia. He is in his early 60s. Pam is learning the role of care taker and overwhelmed and fearful at times. Both are good Christians and love the Lord with all their hearts. Pray for God’s Comfort and Guidance for both and all caretakers who assist.

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.

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

Surgery

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.

Testing and Treatment

Melissa Morgan, a young woman in her thirties just found out she has ovarian cancer. Pray with Melissa, 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 Melissa, her family and friends in this worrisome time.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 be 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 be 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.

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

Sandra Zimmerman was diagnosed with triple positive Stage 2 breast cancer. She had a mammogram done last year at 40 years old and it was clear. This July they found two suspicious lumps, there was follow up with another mammogram, ultrasound, biopsy, bloodwork, MRI, more bloodwork, and PET scan. Sandra’s most pressing concern is how she will take care of her baby Sophie as she goes through chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation along with a cocktail of pills. It’s going to be a year long journey, she asks your prayer to stay strong and fight this battle!

Madisun Hanks (20) 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.

Hilda Hanks has developed diabetes, which resulted in the need for eye surgery and has difficulty with the added stress in her life. Pray for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating her 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 Hilda and Madisun.

Linda recently had a basal cell carcinoma removed and she is doing well, 15 years with Multiple Myeloma is doing great. She is continuing bimonthly chemo and this keeps her going strong, she is grateful for all prayers.

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 be 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.

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 Marathon 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.

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 has lost her site completely, broke her tibia and has returned home for family care following hospitalization and rehab. Please pray that the family learn how to care for her at home as with blindness she is too frightened being in a Long term care facility. Evelyn is 96 years old.

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.

Healing and Patience

Angie Colgrove has various problems and challenges, physical, mental, and spiritual. She asks you pray for guidance for her and those treating her, as well as for her family.

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.

Thanksgiving and Continued Healing

Jennifer, wife of Bishop Jose Antonio Rios, had surgery 27 May 2023 and appears to be recovering well. Please give thank and pray for a full return to health.

Don Fultz fell in response to a house on fire across the street and broke his hip. He is had surgery and spent time in the Cardiac Care Unit in response to a heart arrythmia apparently due to the anesthesia. That was resolved and Don returned home to complete his recovery and is doing well. He and his family thank you for your prayers. Please continue praying for a complete recovery.

Barbara (Paulette Ratcliff’s) sister, has battled stomach cancer through removal of tumor and chemotherapy but the tumor returned at 7 centimeters. She had apparently successful surgery on Friday 24 June 2022. Please give thanks for the successful surgery and for a full and rapid recovery and for full remission of the cancer. Pray also for peace of mind for Barbara, her children, her sisters and brothers.

Deborah Drucilla, sister of Bishop Jerry, was hospitalized with a number of issues including blood clot in her liver. She is now home. Please give thanks for a good result so far and a full and rapid recovery, for peace of mind for her and her family.

Wendy Hinman, one of Hap Arnold’s backseaters from the Air Force and a great Christian of much faith, had successful double bypass surgery on 14 March 2022 to replace two stents which failed. He ended up with a lung blood clot and back in the hospital. He is back home again. Please give thanks for the successful surgery and for continued healing and for peace of mind. He is depressed and beset by thoughts he does not want to confront.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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

Guidance

Zachary is seems to be on his way away from the darkside; please pray he will continue towards our Lord and good citizenship.

Linda is slowly converting her children through her great loving attitude and Love of the Lord.

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 heart 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. He has returned to his family living in a cottage on his parents’ property in Hawaii so that they can keep him on his meds. He is doing much better, but he still needs prayer to follow his medication schedule. His parents are so thankful for all of the prayers as they have felt the Holy Spirit’s power in handling Eli during his dark periods.

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.

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.

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 life. Pray 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 to keep up with the needs of her 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

Solomon Islands

Please pray for Bishop Zephaniah, the AOC and all the peoples of the Solomon Islands who are experiencing civil unrest as a result of the government switching their alliance from Taiwan to Communist China.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/solomon-islands-leader-blames-foreign-powers-unrest-australian-forces-arrive-n1284619

Diocese of Central and South America

Rev Miguel Madera was received into the Anglican Orthodox Church on 13 August 2018, with the AOC mission of San Augustin de Canterbury, La Plata, Argentina.

Indonesia

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

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

We are generally doing good, except that all boundary checkpoint out were tightened again due to the DELTA VARIANT entered the city. On the other side, our members in Tulodan are now experiencing famine due to the effect of the recent continues heavy rains during the month of July to early August which completely destroyed their vegetable plantation.

Bishop Anthony Pangsiw

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.

Columbiq

I am writing to request your prayers for Colombia, my country. At this moment frightful things are happening, a great diabolical shadow is cast over this nation.

The Constitutional Court in a tyrannical way has decriminalized the crime of abortion in Colombia, even up to six months. This is an illegitimate process, the court is legislating, something that is not within the competence of the judges, on the other hand the issue of abortion was a cause judged in 2006, which is why it should not be judged again in 2022. But socialist groups, international elites, social engineers and feminist groups have not given up on the issue. They want to traffic in death.

The candidate of the extreme left Gustavo Petro is close to become the president of Colombia, this is a man who in his youth was a guerrilla criminal, a vile and despicable man who has always served the interests of drug trafficking, he was an advisor to Chavez who implanted Communism in Venezuela, his second home is Communist Cuba.

The same court approved the movement of Gustavo Petro called: la Colombia Humana, it gave him the status of a political party, with this, he has the possibility of getting to introduce at least 15 congressmen, basically he is close to kidnapping all the powers, he already has the judicial power in his pocket, he only lacks the executive and the legislative. We are close to the precipice, we trust in a miracle of God.

We hope you support us with your prayers, I will ask the brothers to pray unceasingly so that in his mercy we will be saved from these perverse men. God bless you and keep you in all things.

Your servant in Christ,

Bishop José Antonio Rios

Armed Forces & Contractors

Dustin (USAF – Stateside), SGT 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 – Headquarters, Virginia), Ethan (US Army Airborne – Southwest Asia) Sarah Schumacher (US Army Kuwait), Lourie DeBoer (NTPS Patuxent River, Maryland)

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.

Thanksgiving

David Barnes, husband of our headquarters church accountant (Joyce) had successful heart ablation surgery Wednesday, 18 October 2023. Please give thanks for the good result and pray for a full and rapid recovery.

Kai Mandella gives thanks for his recovery from Covid.

Hap gives thanks for his recovery from Covid.

Tricia gives thanks for her recovery from Covid.

Shamu gives thanks for recovery from Covid.

Rev Yves Mera and his wife give thanks for recovery from Covid.

Rev Eddie Pressey from St. George’s Anglican Church of Ventura gives thanks for recovery from Covid.

Bishop David Pressey from St. George’s Anglican Church of Ventura gives thanks for recovery from Covid.

Lynn and Katie Hall give thanks for recovery from Covid.

Amy Jamieson gives thanks for recovery from Covid.

Hope and Ralph DeLong give thanks for recovery from Covid.

Coming Up – The near future, as well as Next Sunday

12 November 2023 – Twenty-Third Sunday after Trinity Sunday – Morning Prayer – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

19 November 2023 – Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Trinity Sunday – Morning Prayer – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

26 November 2023 – Sunday Next Before Advent – Morning Prayer – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

3 December 2023 – First Sunday in Advent– Morning Prayer – Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service at 0945 (9:45 am); Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – 10603 Burrell Way, Descanso, CA

[1] Multiple myeloma is a cancer that forms in a type of white blood cell called a plasma cell. Healthy plasma cells help you fight infections by making antibodies that recognize and attack germs. In multiple myeloma, cancerous plasma cells accumulate in the bone marrow and crowd out healthy blood cells. While there is no cure for multiple myeloma, the cancer can be managed successfully in many patients for years; the average life expectancy is 4 years. However, some people beat the odds and live 10 to 20 years or more. The most common cause of death related to multiple myeloma is infection, with pneumonia being the most common fatal infection. Other common causes of death are bleeding (from low platelet counts), complications of bone fractures, kidney failure, and blood clots in the lungs.

[2] The average 5-year survival rate for women with non-metastatic invasive breast cancer is 91%. The average 10-year survival rate for women with invasive breast cancer is 84%. If the invasive cancer is located only in the breast, the 5-year survival rate of women with breast cancer is 99%

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