180225 AOC Sunday Report

Anglican Orthodox Church
Worldwide Communion
Second Sunday in Lent

Sunday Report

Today was the Second Sunday in Lent.

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

On Lent
If a man will but fast from his sins, he may eat what he pleases.
Robert E. Lee
American General and Patriot

On Lent
The best way for most of us is to fast from our sins and to eat what is good for us.
Robert E. Lee
American General and Patriot

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
20th and 21st century American entrepreneur and author

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

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

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

The Propers for today are found on Page 127-128, with the Collect first:

The Second Sunday in Lent.
The Collect.

A
LMIGHTY God, who seest that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves; Keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

And due to the rubric, the Collect for the Day is followed by the Collect for Ash Wednesday, which is found on Page 124:

The first day of Lent, commonly called
Ash Wednesday.
The Collect.

A
LMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent; Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶ This Collect is to be said every day in Lent, after the Collect appointed for the day, until Palm Sunday.

The Epistle for today comes from Paul’s First letter to the Thessalonians, the Fourth Chapter, beginning at the First Verse. Apparently the Corinthians were not the only church founded in a Red Light District. In this letter Paul is telling the people to refrain from random sex and get married. Paul is starting into the beginning of his New Man concept. We are called to be as God wants us to be, not as we would be without His guidance and help. God does this, not that we would miss fun, but rather that we would enjoy happiness.
W
E beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit.

This morning’s Gospel comes from the Gospel of Saint Matthew, the Fifteenth Chapter, beginning at the Twenty-First Verse.

J
ESUS went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

This story surfaces again in the Book of Common Prayer in the Prayer of Humble Access, in the Book of Common Prayer, Page 82:

W
E do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy: Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.

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

Sermon Notes
Second Sunday in Lent – Saint Andrews Church
25 February 2018, Anno Domini (In the Year of our Lord)

The Second Sunday in Lent.
The Collect.

And due to the rubric, the Collect for the Day is followed by the Collect for Ash Wednesday, which is found on Page 124:

The first day of Lent, commonly called
Ash Wednesday.
The Collect.

¶ This Collect is to be said every day in Lent, after the Collect appointed for the day, until Palm Sunday.

One great acknowledgment stands out in today’s Collect for the Second Sunday in Lent: Since our father Adam partook of the ill-natured tree in the midst of the Garden, Man must still find himself constantly relying upon that OTHER Tree in the midst of the Garden at Eden which he rejected – the Tree of Life. Because of that rejection, we are full of sin and incapable of helping ourselves. We even return to, stop and listen to that unholy voice, and partake of the ill-fated fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It is only the Mercy and Grace offered by the Tree of Life that keeps us from constantly appealing to the serpent of the other tree. This Collect originates in the Gregorian Sacramentary. For a fuller study and brief meditation on the Collects, I recommend The Collects of Thomas Cranmer, by C. Frederick Barbee and Paul F.M. Zahl. (Erdmans, 1999)

Departing Israel proper, Jesus travels beyond her borders to Tyre/Sidon and there is confronted by a Canaanite woman whose need is very grievous. She knows more of the Lord’s identity than the pretentious priests and rulers of Israel. Because her need is great, so is her striving in seeking out the Lord. Her winning prayer to Christ is short and desperate – “Lord, help me!” Fancy words and length of expression are no gage for the efficacy of a prayer. Moreover, a casual search for the benefits of Heaven are not consistent with a strong faith. Jesus tells us, “Seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you.” In today’s text, we see the reward of the earnest seeker.

Jesus has just been confronted by the scribes and Pharisees (blind leaders of the blind) who have come to Him with a petty complaint involving hand-washing. These men ruled their charges by red-tape and the jot and tittle of the law, and not out of love. There is one cardinal principle is preaching that may be the most neglected, not only by the former Pharisees, but the contemporary ones as well. That principle is clearly elucidated in 1 Peter 5:2. Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3. Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. (1 Peter 5:2-4) So Jesus, wearied of the harassment from the mean fellows, resorts to the far reaching coastline of Tyre and Sidon (Phoenicia on the Mediterranean) for a time of peace and quiet. There is also a certain woman in His thoughts that needs to see Him and is awaiting His arrival there. This dear soul has no idea that the Son of David will travel to her distant home, but the Son of David knows, and He comes.

The beauty and comfort of God’s providential care for us, even while we were yet strangers, knows no limits on time and distance. Perhaps, ere you came to Christ, you, too, were a great distance away among a people of Godless character; yet, Christ was aware of your plight and His Holy Spirit, swift as a Dove, came to you and answered your great need. He knew you LONG before you knew Him – even while you were yet in your mother’s womb where He MADE you! Such a wonderful visit of Christ the great Healer and Physician was beyond the realm of possibility in the imagination of the Syro-Phoenician woman. Yet, there was something in her heart that made her believe that God would provide. Already, she had more faith as a Gentile than the Jewish rulers had as the lost sheep of Israel. The reassuring thing about faith in God is this: We need not understand the ways and means of God’s answering our prayers, but only to know that He certainly WILL! The ear of faith, to, is very keen to hear every whispered detail of the Way of the Lord’s Coming whether it be on the road from Galilee, or from Jerusalem. The direction is not so important, but the fact that He will come after all. There is a parallel account of this event in the Gospel of St Mark 7:24-30.

We look in upon Jesus immediately after His confrontation over hand-washing with the Pharisees: 21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. Please do not argue that Christ knew not whom He would meet at His destination for I will not believe it. Christ always knew whom He would meet and whom He would heal in every case. He knew a woman of Samaria would come to Jacob’s Well at the noonday hour long before the woman experienced her thirst. So He waited there while the disciples went for bread. You may be the most incorrigible and egregious of sinners, judged so by infidel and Christian alike, but Christ may have already established a point in time when He will seek you out in a land far removed from the familiar people of God. This woman may not be an egregious sinner. In fact, I believe that she is a good and faithful mother to the treasure of her bosom, but she has not yet met Christ – and that meeting will make all the difference in her life. Now He is coming. The news is whispered about the villages and among travelers along the dusty roads. His fame has even reached the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, and the woman has heard with bated breath. HOPE is the dominant quality that informs her germinating faith in a Figure see has yet to meet. The Gospel of St Mark tells us that Jesus went into a house to rest near the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, but “could not be hid.” (7:24) No truer statement can be uttered about Jesus – He cannot be hidden from the searching eye, for all that seek Him shall fid Him. (Luke 11:9 et al) There is a Syro-Phoenican woman that is seeking, and she shall find Him at all costs. This is always the cause that brings us to Christ – NEED! Many need, but fail to satisfy that need in coming to Him.

22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David. There are three important points to be made in this one statement: 1) The woman did not casually call out for help as if her need, or her expectation, was minor. She CRIED out because her NEED, motivated by a mother’s love for a dear little girl, was GREAT! “my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil” . 2) She named no great need in her cry – only a request for mercy. If she has mercy from Christ, she has all else of her need. 3) She recognized Jesus as the Messiah. That is the meaning of her expression “O Lord, thou Son of David.” She did not call Him ‘a’ son of David, but the prophesied Son of David. When we go to Christ in prayer, do we fully realize He is? This woman KNEW before ever she met Christ. She knew out of NEED and FAITH. Perhaps feeling herself so much so unworthy as the publican who came with the Pharisee to the Temple that day and would not approach so near, she called from a distance unto Christ. Actually, our first call to Christ is always from a distance, for we call out of our bondage and need. It is just as the hymnist, William Sleeper, has written in the hymn:

Out of my bondage, sorrow, and night,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into Thy freedom, gladness, and light,
Jesus, I come to Thee;

Out of my sickness, into Thy health,
Out of my want and into Thy wealth,
Out of my sin and into Thyself,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

23 But he answered her not a word. Was Jesus being unkind to this precious mother? Of course he was not! Jesus showed nothing but the deepest compassion for others in need. Jesus does not answer for two reasons: 1) He desires to allow the woman’s faith to increase, by and by, through her persistence. If we pray ceaselessly and, yet, have not gotten an answer, do we cease to call upon the Lord? God would have us pray with persistence. As we pray continually, our eyes are opened more and more to the Mind of God – our prayers thereby become more and more in accord with His own Will to grant. Do you recall in our previous studies how those who are closest to Christ often prevent those who need Him most from coming? And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. Do we value our comfort and leisure so highly that we forbid others who have a great need from coming to the source of that comfort we have? Are we too cozy in our little buildings of stone walls and high spires? The salt that is not often shaken will harden so that it cannot be dispensed from the shaker.

24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Every Word of Christ is with power yet this is one of those ‘BUTS’ which deserve heeding. This woman is from the Canaanite race of Gentiles that the Jews despise. Christ is drawing out of a deep well, the refreshing waters of faith this woman has. He does it not only for her own benefit, but for the benefit of his Jewish disciples to learn of compassion. He is saying to the poor mother, “Look, I know you have a need, but I am not sent to any other than the lost sheep of Israel. If you become a child of the Promised Seed, you, too, shall be in the fold of Israel.” The statement of Jesus is looked upon with particular interest by His disciples. Jesus is slowly drawing the woman closer to Himself, and to His Love-Brimmed Heart. 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. Yes, we see that the Love of Jesus does draw her nearer, don’t we? She finally is not afraid to worship the Savior of her soul. She asked for the deepest desire of her heart, and that desire derives from a love that is inexpressible for her daughter.

Please note thoughtfully the kind and loving response of Jesus to the woman: 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. At first glimpse, this may sound a bit harsh to such a loving mother, but it is laden with love. The word Jesus uses here to describe her relationship to the children of God (Israel) is not the term for the cursed and hated dog of the ghettos, but the Greek word, κυνάριον, pronounced ‘koo-nar’-ee-on’, meaning ‘puppy’ or ‘pet-dog.’ The puppy dog is a pet and is fed by the children by secretly dropping crumbs of food down to them. Perhaps we, as children of God, fail too often to drop these crumbs of the Bread of Life down to those who are starving for love and nourishment. Jesus, from eternity past, has loved this woman and her little daughter; but He needs to show her the manner in which she must come to Him. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. These words were evoked by Christ for the benefit of those standing nearby. He already knew these words were written in the red blood of love on the woman’s heart for her daughter. Had she not needed a healing for her daughter, she may never have sought Christ out.

28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. What has Jesus told the woman? He has told her (in other words): “Woman, you have known who I am. You have come seeking me out of a faith born of love. You have persisted in your prayers, so much so, that YOUR will is precisely the Will of God. It is by THAT latter Will that your faith has healed your daughter. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. God is Light, and His Finger travels with Light Speed. There was no lingering spirit-possession of the daughter – not at all. She was healed that very hour (moment).

So what valuable lessons have we learned from this most blessed mother of ancient Phoenicia?

1. Love will call us into a higher place – even to a seeking after God.
2. We must seek the Lord diligently even in places that are perceived unlikely such as the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
3. We must call out in earnest to Christ not holding back.
4. We must clearly state our need in prayer.
5. We must be persistent in prayer even if we only hear silence at first from the Throne of God.
6. We must not only petition, but listen for the Will of God to be
7. We must worship God even while we are pleading our cause as did the distraught mother.
8. We must give evidence of our Faith to both God and man.

Have we exercised this example in prayer? Put it to the test. God is faithful always to answer if our wills are consistent with His Own.

Sermon – Reverend Jack Arnold – Time and Action
Church of the Faithful Centurion
Descanso, California
Today’s sermon brought the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and is partly contained in the forewords above.

Consider these words from the Collect:

… we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves; Keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul …

In the Collect, we acknowledge to God that we cannot direct our own lives; if we listen to our own selves we are without guidance. Consider the airplane flying, it orders its movements according to Polaris, the Pole Star of True North. If a pilot flies guided by his “inner self” he soon knows only where he is: at the controls, and little else. Like the pilot who needs to know where the True North is so he can orient himself, we need God’s guidance to move towards our goal of eternal life with Him. I have been working towards my Private Pilots License for the past few months. In flying my aircraft, I have to maintain altitude, heading and airspeed all at the same time. I look outside and re-checked my instruments against what I am seeing to ensure that I am remaining on course. Looking back on these experiences, I thought about how these principles could be applied to being a Christian. The Holy Scriptures are our instruments and we re-check our progress in the world by the instruments of His Word to make sure we are on the right heading and not stagnating in our progress as pilgrims. God is also our infallible co-pilot, always making sure that we stay on course. If we are good pilots of our future, then we shall listen to God and His Holy Word so that we might be on course.

We, of course, need to rely on God and His Word to keep on course, as noted in the collect, we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves. If we had a power to help ourselves from within us, then Jesus would not have needed to come die for us, we could have just used this magical power to help ourselves. But the reality is, we do not have any such power and as such, are dependent on God to help us keep on course. We are dependent on His Guidance to steer us through life. We are also dependent on Him to as the collect says, keep us outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls. When we fail to listen to that guidance, our problems occur.

It should also be noted our life here will be a lot more pleasant if we stay on course. There may be temptations of a shortcut thrown in our path, but that shortcut will in the long run not be a shortcut at all. It will be a long cut. So, we must do our best to let God into our hearts and help us to tune out these temptations. Lent is one of the best times of the Christian year to help us to renew this focus. A while back, I read something which said at the end of our lives, the words will be “Thy will be done.” The question is will it be us saying it or God? We need to listen to God and do His Will. His guidance will bring us on a path to success in our lives, if we listen to His guidance. We have to initiate the contact/relationship with Him. He does not do it on His own. He waits for an opening into our hearts. He will not force His way in. He waits until He we are ready to receive Him willingly.

We have to let Him into our hearts in order to let Him guide us. If we do not do this, then how can we expect to have Him guide us, if we are not open and ready to receive Him and His Guidance? We have to be willing and ready in order to receive His Guidance, then we have to act upon the information His Guidance gives us.

Thus, when Paul tell us to keep our bodies under control of our minds and our minds to be guided by God only, He helps move us on course. This ties in very well with the collects request for God to keep is outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls. It links the theme of both spiritual and physical moderation extremely well. We are to be true and honest in all our dealings, both physical and fiscal and to live our faith. His Epistle ties in well with the theme of the collect to keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls. This is keeping us within the faith of Christ, by the help of the Holy Spirit, may we remain in faith of Him in our hearts, souls and minds. It means we need the help of the Holy Spirit to stay on track on this life, so we may stay the course and fight the good fight and make it to see our beloved Lord in heaven. Living the faith requires us to restrain our bodies and our minds from doing foolish/evil actions which hinder our walk towards heaven. This is a very difficult task and one we will slip up from time to time on, but as long as we repent and return back to the course God has set, all will be well.

Being honest with others and especially ourselves is one of the most important things we can do. If we are not honest with ourselves to start, how can we be honest with others? For only by living our faith can we demonstrate that we in fact have faith. For professed faith with no actions when you are able to act is not real. You must actualize what you claim to believe. One must convert their stated beliefs into their actions, in order for their belief/faith to have any reasonable meaning. Without action, the faith that one believes is not truly real. If you claim to believe one way and act another, you are by definition a hypocrite. We are called to be as God wants us to be, not as we would be without His guidance and help. God does this, not that we would miss fun, but rather that we would enjoy true happiness.

Keeping evil thoughts under control can be a difficult task, but we do not have to face it alone, we have the Holy Ghost in our lives and other Christians and friends that support us and guide us, that can help us battle evil thoughts. We have to remain in control of our good sides. We are in a sense like the character Gollum from Lord of the Rings, who had a good personality and a bad one. Unfortunately for him, he let the evil side possess him and it won out. Unlike him, we need to make sure our good side is winning.

We need to be willing to talk to our good friends within the Church about our problems and evil thoughts and listen to their advice, and more importantly to the Holy Ghost’s advice to combat these evil thoughts and drive away the temptations of the devil. As we have discussed before, Christianity is not a hermitic religion, but a social one. Christianity did not flourish because its followers were hermits, it flourished because its followers evangelized the religion throughout the known world. It requires believers to support each other to help spread the Word and also to help fellow believers stay within the guidelines that God has set for us. To do that we must turn to God and the Holy Ghost and Christ for help. All of them will help us win our battles, but we first have to listen to what They say. We must truly be guided by the faith in our Lord.

Matthew gives us a fine example of faith that demonstrates how we must be guided by faith in our Lord. The woman who cries unto Jesus is a Gentile, just like us. Just like us she longs for His Mercy. In her case, she asks only for the mercy rejected by others, the crumbs of the Master’s Table . This is the essence of our faith, we are not worthy to dine at His Table, no more than dogs are meet to dine at our table. Yet, what is left over is more than enough for us. And we are content with that, knowing what miserable creatures we are. And, even more important, even knowing what miserable creatures we are, Jesus offers to share His Table with us. He is not content for us to grovel for His crumbs. If He offers His love for us, should we not love Him back, by acting upon our faith? If we do not act for Him, then we do not truly believe in Him. If you truly believe, you are compelled to act upon the faith you have. Action is the key principle, the cornerstone of the faith of Christians. Christ set this example for us by doing, that is action. This is seen throughout Scripture, but nowhere is it as clear as His Action of sacrificing Himself for our sins on the Cross. This is the prime example of action not just diction. Action is far more important than diction only. Diction is nice, but it needs to be paired with Action in order for it to have any sort of meaning.

It is also important to understand if one loves God, He still has the exact same amount of love available for any other person or group. His love is infinite, even if it wasn’t, love multiplies in use!

Recognize how poorly you do with your own guidance, accept His Guidance, stay on course and accept the fruits of that action.

There is but one way to heaven.

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

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

It is by our actions we are known.

Be of God – Live of God – Act of God
Roy Morales-Kuhn, Bishop and Pastor – St. Paul’s Anglican Church – Anglican Orthodox Church
Bishop Roy is pastor of the biggest AOC parish West of the Mississippi and is in charge of the Diocese of the Epiphany, as well as South America.

Second Sunday in Lent
Understanding Forgiveness
25 February 2018, Anno Domini
Psalm 32 • 1 Kings 8:37-43 • Colossians 3:12-17

The Second Sunday in Lent.
The Collect.

And due to the rubric, the Collect for the Day is followed by the Collect for Ash Wednesday, which is found on Page 124:

The first day of Lent, commonly called
Ash Wednesday.
The Collect.

¶ This Collect is to be said every day in Lent, after the Collect appointed for the day, until Palm Sunday.

In this brief passage from St. Paul’s letter to the church at Colosse, we are instructed about the way of peace. Now mind you, this is not the peace that the world gives, this is the “Peace that passes understanding”.

Notice how Paul asks the Colossians {and us} to “put on” the layers of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and long-suffering, forbearing one another, forgiving one another…”. This is akin to putting on clothing or a sweater or jacket, something to be done by believers to and for other believers. This requires action by those being instructed. Something that they must do in order to promote peace and fellowship amongst believers.

Notice this behavior/action is focused on fellow believers not unbelievers. In our “feel good” society today, this is a very negative message. You are excluding everyone, you are just focusing on a select {elect of God) few. How hateful, that just isn’t “fair”. As a fellow pastor in the AOC likes to point out; ‘….find FAIR [as defined by modern Americans] anywhere in the Bible…”. Fair describes how one looks or appears to others ie. Good looking or nice to look at, not equal or supposed equal in treatment. Why? Because the American concept of fair does not exist in the Bible. It is a modern construct based on an ancient idea of man being equal with God. Not so beloved, we are the creatures, CREATED by our Creator. Mankind from the beginning has been trying to strike a bargain with God the Creator, to share equally in the management of our day to day lives. This behavior came about as a direct result of disobedience, when Adam ate of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. Yes, his wife Eve gave him the fruit, but he knew that God had told them both to not eat of that tree. So he willingly disobeyed God and the results were the Fall. This began the age old struggle between man and God as to who was in charge.

So as to what is “fair or not”, this is not in our preview to ask. We being created cannot ask our Creator why did you do this? The very act is disobedience.

Now, back to the lesson of forgiveness and the peace that follows.

As we continue to read the rest of the select passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, we see the results of forgiveness and all the ancillary acts of mercy and kindness.

Do you ever wonder why we get so tied up in knots about revenge and pay back, with the accompanying levels of anger, pain, and confusion ? We tend to repeat bad behavior, even when we know that it will result in suffering and chaos for the local church.

To do otherwise is a sign of spiritual growth. If we think about the future, asking ourselves the question; “will it matter 1 year from now, 5 years from now, a century from now?”. Most generally we can answer no, it won’t matter. So why do we do it? Because we are sin filled.

This goes back to Paul’s original teaching. “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels [deepest thoughts and actions] of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering…etc.” Why? “…even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye..”.

Because to do so is Christ-like behavior. It is what Christ Jesus wants us to do to and for the family of God.

1. Put on charity {love} which is above all these things, in the same sense that God commended His love towards us in that He sent His Son to be a sacrifice for our sins. This love is the bond of perfectness.

2. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, because we are in this journey together, we are called together as one body, and we are to be thankful.

3. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching, and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Here we see that Paul is telling us how important singing is to our corporate worship as well as individual worship. Psalms, which are poems that were set to music originally, by David and other psalmist. Combining them with hymns and spiritual songs being sung with grace in your hearts to the Lord. I do not think that Paul was ever referencing what passes off today as spiritual songs or hymn-ditties, no he was writing of songs and hymns that carried a message or were based on Bible concepts or the very Word itself. Vapid feel-good songs do not edify, they are like “ear-candy”, sweet empty calorie sugar bombs that don’t do anything to help one in their spiritual journey.

Finally, in conclusion, let us look at the last verse in our New Testament reading. “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

This very instruction ties up the whole package. We are to do anything and everything in word or deed, doing it in the name of the Lord Jesus. And in doing this we are to give thanks to God and the Father by doing this in Jesus name. Think about it. It is one of the purest forms of worship we can participate in, we are helping each other in the family of God and by doing so are worshiping the very Creator of that family. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Amen and amen.

Let us pray:

O
GOD, merciful Father, who despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart, nor the desire of such as are sorrowful; Mercifully assist our prayers which we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities, whensoever they oppress us; and graciously hear us, that those evils which the craft and subtilty of the devil or man worketh against us, may, by thy good providence, be brought to nought; that we thy servants, being hurt by no persecutions, may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

W
E humbly beseech thee, O Father, mercifully to look upon our infirmities; and, for the glory of thy Name, turn from us all those evils that we most justly have deserved; and grant, that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy, and evermore serve thee in holiness and pureness of living, to thy honour and glory; through our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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

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

Second Sunday in Lent

In today’s gospel ,our Lord was approached by a Syrophenician woman whose daughter was possessed of an evil spirit. Her faith in him was such that even when told by our Lord that he was come to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and cast it to the dogs, she persisted with the comment: Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Our Lord’s response was clear: O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And the apostle then noted, And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

In an earlier chapter of today’s gospel (9:20-22), our Lord healed a woman who had an issue of blood. He recognized her faith when he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole (v.22). The woman truly believed that by merely grasping his clothing she would be healed of her infirmity, and she was.

Another example of our Lord’s healing power was when he heard a group of ten lepers calling out to him for mercy (Luke 17:11-19). He did not touch them and said nothing more than to Go shew yourselves unto the priests (v.14a). Of the ten, only one returned to give thanks and he was a Samaritan. To this man he said, Arise and go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole (v.19). These events in our Lord’s earthly ministry continue to provide a message of hope for all true believers as they set forth the power of God to do good to all who hold a true and abiding faith in Jesus Christ.

Throughout the history of mankind, the devil and his servants have worked indefatigably against those who held a godly faith. Lucifer has sought to keep as many as he can from reaching out to God through Christ. How many others who were standing nearby that hemorrhaging woman, or the Syrophenician woman, or the ten lepers, could have been healed but were not because they had not faith enough to reach out for him?

And such remains true today. There are actually persons who claim to be Christians all the while possessing no real faith in Jesus Christ as God’s only begotten Son. They may look upon him as a good teacher, or they may refer to him as “a son of God,” but not the only begotten Son of the Father. It seems so strange that such persons would even seek membership within a church. They refuse to accept the truth about Jesus of Nazareth as being the Christ, the Saviour, the King of kings and Lord of lords. They cannot envision him as such because they have been blinded by the affairs of this world, the carnal desires of the flesh, and most assuredly by the crafts and assaults of the devil. Satan has taken the word out of their hearts leaving them with naught but an empty space wherein he has dumped a horrendous amount of skepticism and doubt concerning the things of God.
But there was no skepticism or doubt on the part of those aforementioned persons. The woman with the issue of blood had reached the end of the line with the medical practices of her day, and it was only through the power of the Holy Ghost that she at last came to touch the garment of Christ and be healed. Our Lord knew the moment she touched his clothing for he asked Who touched me? of his disciples. They were puzzled by his question because of the crowd. The woman’s faith in the person of our Lord was enough to heal her of her malady. She came forward and confessed all before him and he comforted her and sent her away in peace (St. Luke 8:43-48). And so it was for the Samaritan leper. His faith in our Lord had made him whole as well. And the Syrophenician woman who turned to him was also touched of the Spirit to come and seek our Lord’s mercy for her daughter.

God’s word has made it plain what he desires of us: that we too would come forward and confess our sins to him in the name of Jesus Christ, and be healed so that we can go on with our lives, freed from their ill effects. You see sin— just like the disease which caused that poor woman to suffer for twelve years— makes us ill spiritually and may even affect us physically. We know that when we are physically ill we ought to seek some sort of prompt relief. We will try all the conventional remedies available to us; but if they do not work, then we may even have to call on a physician for more advanced treatments.
With sin sickness, we need to go to the throne of God’s grace. Frederick W. Faber once penned these lines in a hymn (#304, 1940 Hymnal):

There is no place where earth’s sorrows, are more felt than up in heav’n; there is no place where earth’s failings have such kindly judgment giv’n. There is plentiful redemption in the blood that has been shed; there is joy for all the members in the sorrows of the Head.

God loves his own and is ready to forgive and forget our sins and trespasses if we would but confess them in the name of our Lord and Saviour. And we ought to lay before him our petitions and trust in him to answer them as he sees fit. God knows what we truly need. As regenerated persons, we should understand that there is a reason behind everything that God does, and does not, do. We ought to pray for understanding concerning God’s plans and purposes for each of us.

The woman with the issue of blood trusted in our Lord’s power to heal her if she but touched his garment. How often do we pray, O if I could but touch thy garment O Lord and be healed of my sins, my illnesses, my failings and faults? O wouldest thou forgive me and cleanse me, O God, in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?

As we have seen in our gospel lesson, the Holy Ghost moved the woman whose daughter was possessed by a devil to approach our Lord on account of her extremity. I have often heard it said, “that when we are at our wit’s end, that is where the regenerate person will find God waiting.” He is patiently waiting for us to come to him when all other options in our chest of knowledge have failed us. And when he delivers us, if we have any courage at all, we will confess to him our foolishness of not coming to him in the first place.

So, the moral of our lesson today is this: Go to God with your cares and concerns, with your triumphs and your tragedies, with your sorrows and sufferings, and surely, with your praises and thanksgivings for all that he has done for you in Christ Jesus. Therefore go and seek him as if you wished to touch his garment, trusting that in that moment he will do for you more than you could ever possibly imagine. And then be sure to give him the glory and praise with heart-felt thanks.

Let us pray,

F
ATHER, we call upon thee to fill us with thy most holy Spirit; that under his influence we would seek thee daily via our prayers and praises, and that you would, in turn, touch our lives and make of us fit servants of thy kingdom; and this we beg in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Have a blessed week, Bryan+

People in our Prayers – http://faithfulcenturionprayerteam.blogspot.com/
Why? Prayer is an extremely important activity.
It is not that God knows not our needs, for He surely does. Yet, Jesus commanded us to ask God for those same needs. In addition to the obvious of asking God for help, offering thanksgiving and the like, prayer helps us focus our thoughts on how we might do God’s work.

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

Who can be on the list? Do I have to be a member of the Anglican Orthodox Church to be prayed for?
No! The only qualification to be on the list is that you want our prayer team to pray for you. We are Christians and are happy to pray for you, no matter who you are. If you want help from God, you are our kind of people.

What is the commitment from the prayer team?
Each member of the team will pray for the desired outcome at last once per day.

How do I get myself or someone else on the prayer list?
You can email one of the prayer team leaders: Jack – jack@faithfulcenturion.org or Dru – dru@ faithfulcenturion.org, or call the office at (619) 659-3608 or fill out a prayer card at your church.

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

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

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

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

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

Tricia broke her left arm and it seems to be healing slowly. Please pray God will enter in to her, help her to immobilize her arm and knit the bones together so that she will not require surgery. She would appreciate your prayers for healing and patience.

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

Dakota had to be life flighted from Enterprise to Birmingham, Alabama. He is having seizures. Please pray for peace of mind and soul for Dakota and his family and for inspiration and understanding for the medical team treating him that they might find a solution to the seizures.

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

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

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

Travel
Tricia and Skyler are on travel to the British Virgin Islands for work. Pray they have a safe travel and a productive time there.

Birthday
Dru Arnold celebrated her 63rd birthday on 2 February 2018; she saw her shadow, thus six more weeks of winter. But, in Southern California, that is not so bad.

Anniversary
Hap and Dru Arnold celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary 21 February 2018.

Debbie and Jerry Ogles celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary 12 February 2018.

Remembrance of those who have gone before us
Kenneth Wayne Ogles was killed in action on 16 February 1967, in the Ia Drang Valley, in the Binh Dinh Province, South Vietnam, with the First Platoon of C Company, the First Battalion of the 8th Cavalry, First Cavalry Division at the age of 19. Kenneth joined the National Guard at age 17 and immediately transferred to the active Army’s First Cavalry Division. He wanted to make a difference, to do his duty to God and Country and protect the innocent people of South Vietnam. He gave all that we might be free. Please join us in remembering his service and sacrifice, as well as the hurt that it cost the entire Ogles family, the sacrifice and pain is no less 51 years later. Remember Kenneth the next time someone wants you to give a little freedom for the promise of safety or comfort.

Departed
Herb McCormick (86) left earth for home on 12 February 2018. His faith was great, his will strong. Please give thanks for his time here on earth and pray for comfort and strength for his family, in particular his stepdaughters Jieun and Sungeun, and his friends, in particular Jerry.

Move
The Thomas Family are now in Virginia on what was to be a headquarters tour. Pray for peace of mind for Kurt and for Mary and the kids.

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

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

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

Dot is an elderly woman with liver cancer. Please pray for Dot as she prepares to go home to be with her family who have gone before her. Pray for the faith of her family to build and the transition to be good.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Homebound or Infirm
Sarah had to move to an Assisted Living Home and has found the adjustment very difficult. Please pray she will come to terms with the situation and that her Lord Jesus will be close to her. She recently lost 30 pounds and her eyesight is deteriorating. Pray her appetite will improve and her eyesight will return to normal. Most of all, please pray our Lord Jesus Christ will be close to her at this difficult time.

Larry H has general weakness as the result of extreme fatigue. Larry is now up and about, walking without assistance. The depression is still a part of his life. Due to several chronic illnesses, he will never be able to live on his own. On the other hand, he has been transferred to a facility near his former home so he will be nearer his friends. Larry has difficulty with the lack of what he considers fairness in the Word. Please pray for help for Larry to put his trust in the Lord, relax and build strength and give Pastor Roy guidance on helping him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Testing and Treatment
Dru Arnold has a ruptured tendon in her left ankle. She asks that she be guided to the right treatment and the medical team treating her will be open to God’s guidance, pay attention and do their very best.

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

Michael Moriarty has been diagnosed with upper duodenal cancer which is the upper section of the small intestine. It is fairly rare and they have not decided how to treat him. Pray with Michael, his family and friends that the medical insurance people will fulfill their obligations and the physicians treating him will be guided in their assessment and treatment plan, for a full and speedy recovery to good health and for continued trust in the Lord for Michael, his family and friends in this worrisome time.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Barbara Apple is bedridden after a fall which left her with two paralyzed limbs. She continues to experience pain in the effected limbs and will be totally bed bound for the remainder of her life. Your continuing prayers for her are appreciated and are great comfort to her. Please pray for Barbara to put her trust in the Lord, look to Him for strength and for her to gain energy so she does not lose the mobility she has; pray for a miraculous full and rapid recovery. Also, please continue to pray for her husband Bob who is her sole caregiver that he will be comforted and strengthened in his time of need.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Madisun Hanks (14) has Tourette’s Syndrome and suffers from horrible migraine headaches. There are various very high risk treatments which provide some relief. None of them are close and none are easy. Madisun is truly one of the most inspiring young ladies we have ever come across, her attitude and actions are almost unbelievable. No one should have to go through what she does, but she makes it through and performs incredibly when others just get by. Please pray for Madisun, her mom Hilda who guides her through all this and those treating her.

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

Chris Hill (close friend of Jon Weston) suffered a brain aneurysm and needs your prayers. He came out of a coma he had been in since the week before Christmas 2016. He is now in a stepdown facility. Every day is a new day to him; his memory seems to have been damaged to a point where it is not recovering so far. Pray for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating him to pay attention, to be open to God’s guidance and do their very best. Pray for trust in our Lord and peace of mind for Chris and his family.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kay Denton (Mrs. Kay) was able to get a hip replacement in spite of her heart and kidney problems and is recovering remarkably! Please give thanks for this great event and result! Please pray for continued peace of mind for Mrs. Kay and her family. Give thanks for her trust in the Lord and her positive attitude.

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

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

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

Thanksgiving and Continued Healing
Shamu underwent exploratory surgery at John Hopkins hospital 19 February 2018, where they found a stricture in her lower intestine and relieved it. Please pray this will be effectual in relieving her suffering.

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

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

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

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

Bob Reisor had surgery on 19 September 2016 for a kidney tumor; he is one kidney short, but recovering very well for the present. The cancer has spread to his lung and another spot. Five years ago there was no treatment, but now it appears there is an oral medication that has shown great effectiveness on this particular cancer. As of 12 January 2017, the main spot shrank from 3.3 cm (1 1/3 inch) to 2.2 cm (7/8 inch) and the spots on his lungs have receded even more. And as of 22 June 2017, they have shrunk further. Please give thanks to the Lord for such wonderful progress. Please pray for Bob as he undergoes chemotherapy and perhaps other treatment. Pray he and his family will be drawn closer to our Lord.

Shamu had surgery on 12 May 2017, her seventeenth, to reconstruct the damage done her by Walter Reed Medical Center. She now has a bacterial infection which is laying her low. Please pray for strength; physical, mental and spiritual for her. Pray for guidance for the new medical team treating her and for her to know how to proceed with regard to the damage done her by Walter Reed Medical Center. Pray also for her to continue her trust in our Lord as she goes through this difficult time.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Janet Jessup had a stroke and heart problems were causing huge issues for her. They seem to have gotten her stabilized and she is home. Please pray for those treating her to find the appropriate treatment and for trust in God and peace of mind for Janet and her family, in particular her husband of 45 years, Rev Roger Jessup, retired minister of Saint Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Orthodox Church.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lori is considering a potential change in her employment. Please pray for God’s gidan ce in considering all aspects of her potential work.

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

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

Charlie McCormack asks your prayer the Holy Ghost might fill his heart with light and drive the darkness far away.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eli has some mental issues and has lost his way. He has yet to come to grips with the demons chasing him. Pray he will return to the Lord and his family. Pray they will ask God to send the Holy Ghost in to straighten things out and they will listen when He speaks to them. The family has been open to the Prince of Darkness and needs help.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

School Challenges
Destiny, Blake and Janet

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

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

Pakistan
General and Ongoing – The forces of evil are strong in Pakistan. The force of God stronger. Pray for our Christian family there.
Ernest Jacob
Presiding Bishop Pakistan
Congo
Jimmy is a missionary in the Congo. There has been violent unrest in this country and also a water shortage. Please pray people will find water to drink and Jimmy will be a means of helping others to find the Lord.

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

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

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

Diocese of Virginia
Saint Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Orthodox Church is under a lot of stress. We all are, but they need even more prayer. Rev Roger Jessup, their wonderful minister, had to retire as he was so pressed by the duties of a primary care giver, in addition to all the worries of this world. Pray for trust in God for each member of the parish and for them to find economic relief.

Armed Forces & Contractors
Dustin (USAF – Stateside), Kristyna and Luis Aviles (Army – Fort Lewis, Washington), Airman Donny Patton (USAF – Hulbert Field, Florida), Jordan Brown (USMC – Recruiter – Iowa City, Iowa), Trevor Jennings (USAF – KC-10 Boom Operator – McGuire AFB, NJ), Trevor Di Marco (USN – Whidbey Island, EF-18 Pilot), Kurt Thomas (USN – Virginia), Ethan (US Army Airborne – Southwest Asia)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanksgiving
Marc gives thanks for safe travel British Virgin Islands for work.

The near future, as well as Next Sunday

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

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