 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| Handle with prayer! |
|
ANiC news
ANiC and ACNA events calendar
Feb 19 – ACNA World Missions Sunday
March 2 – GAFCon information meeting in Burlington (information to come)
March 7 – GAFCon information meeting in Vancouver (information to come)
March 7-9 – Silent retreat for Ontario clergy
May 6 – Ontario women's retreat, Celebration Church, Barrie ON (more information to come)
May 7 – Canadian Sanctity of Life Sunday
May 11 – March for Life, Ottawa
May 15-18 – ANiC clergy and spouse retreat, Malibu, BC
May 18-20 – ACNA Intersection Conference in Costa Mesa, CA on impacting culture
May 26 - June 3 – Mission trip to Cuba to visit ACNA church plants
June 26 – ACNA College of Bishops meeting, Wheaton, IL
June 27 – ACNA Provincial Council, Wheaton, IL
June 28-30 – ACNA Provincial Assembly, Wheaton, IL
Oct 24 – Clergy Day, Ottawa
Oct 25-27 – Synod 2017, Ottawa
Welcome St James Fellowship (Trenton, ON)!
We are thrilled to welcome St James Fellowship in Trenton, Ontario! St James held its first worship service January 15 at which Bishop Charlie gave the Rev Steve Timpson his ANiC licence. The congregation has already secured excellent meeting facilities and already has a website: www.stjamesfellowship.ca.
Bishop Charlie Masters writes, "The small church was packed at St James Fellowship, Trenton. I heard there were well over 100 attending - many from the local ministerial and from Trenton Baptist who kindly hosted the service, six [visiting] ANiC clergy and twenty members of Living Waters ANiC church in Kingston, as well as a large core group forming St James Fellowship. There was much excitement and I believe it was a glorious first service. So praise the Lord!"
You can read about St James first service here. Beginning in February, St James anticipates moving to a 10am Sunday morning service time. They have been meeting at 5pm on Sundays, starting with a simple soup supper followed by a 6pm communion service.
Oliver, BC group forming
A group is forming in Oliver, BC with the hope that it will grow into a church plant. If you know of anyone in the south Okanagan who might be interested, please have them contact the Ven Bruce Chamberlayne at 250-860-9561. And please pray for this fledgling ministry.
GAFCon information meetings planned for March
Leaders from GAFCon – the coalition of Biblically faithful Provinces which represent the vast majority of global Anglicans – will be holding information meetings around North America this spring, including March 2 at St George's Burlington and March 7 hosted by St John's Vancouver. Archbishop Peter Jensen (retired, Diocese of Sydney, Australia), Archbishop Peter Akinola (retired primate, Nigeria) and Bishop Julian Dobbs (ACNA) will discuss the state of global Anglicanism and GAFCon's plans and activities. Mark your calendar, plan to attend, and watch for more details.
Job postings
Rector, Church of Our Lord, Victoria, BC – With the impending retirement of their rector, this historic parish, in the heart of downtown Victoria, is looking for qualified applicants for this full-time position. Application deadline is April 24. See the ANiC jobs page for details.
Rector, Faith Anglican, Limoges, ON – This parish invites expressions of interest in this part-time position. Applications should be submitted by February 15. See the ANiC jobs page for details.
ACNA World Missions Sunday, February 19
ACNA's annual World Missions Sunday is February 19 this year. All ANiC churches are asked to participate. Learn how you can make this special day spiritually challenging, prayerfully engaging, and practically motivating! Resources are posted on the ACNA website.
Please consider taking a special collection for ARDFC and our current project: purchasing a van for the use of ACNA's growing church plants in Cuba. Learn more about this project on the ARDFC website.
Toronto congregations combine strengths; ministry flourishes
On January 29, Bishop Charlie and Dean Emeritus Archie Pell (AMMiC) participated in a special service of thanksgiving at a tea shop in the heart of Toronto. The congregations of Christ The King (Toronto) and Christ the Redeemer (Multi-cultural) have been worshiping together at Crimson Teas for several months and soon the ministries melded together. The January 29th service celebrated this new reality with, among other things, the Rev John McIllmurray, formerly of Christ the Redeemer, receiving his license to serve with the Rev Keith Ganzer, rector of Christ The King.
Christ The King – which now enfolds the combined congregations – will continue to meet at Crimson Teas for their worship service, and, in fact, will soon move to two services each Sunday morning.
The owner of the tea shop, Phillip Chan, opened the business only one year ago, but when he did so, he had a vision that a group would use it on Sundays for worship. At the time, Christ the Redeemer (CTR) was meeting nearby and Christ The King (CTK) was eager to find a way to have a downtown presence near the University of Toronto. Keith+ says, "The Lord made all the right connections and the leaders of CTR and CTK decided to begin walking together. CTK continued its afternoon service in the north area of Toronto until Advent 2016 when we began worshipping all together in the morning at Crimson Teas. Steven Xu, the evangelist at CTR, has continued his ministry of outreach to internationals as an evangelist at CTK. It was truly a combining of the strengths of the two congregations, I think, for unified gospel mission in the downtown / U of T context."
The all-ANiC clergy & spouse retreat is May 15-18
Clergy and their spouses from across ANiC are invited to this year's clergy retreat at Malibu Camp on the rugged coast of BC, May 15-18. The setting is spectacular, the speakers are top notch, and the outdoor activities are virtually endless. This year, the Rev Canon David Short (rector, St John's Vancouver) and the Rev Simon Manchester (rector, St Thomas Anglican Church, North Sydney, Australia), will teach from 2 Corinthians – strength in weakness. Join Bishop's Trevor and Charlie and many of your fellow clergy for this annual highlight. Some subsidies are available for those who would otherwise not be able to afford to attend. Please see the flyer for full details, then block off your calendar, and start packing!
Ordination
Congratulations to the Rev Creighton Friedrich who was ordained a deacon by Bishop Charlie Masters at St Peter and St Paul's (Ottawa, ON) on January 19. For the next three years he will be on loan from ANIC to serve with Canon Paul Donison at Christ Church, Plano, TX.
Does your church need funding for children and/or youth initiatives?
The Bishop Don and Trudy Harvey Legacy Fund was created to fund creative, sustainable ministry initiatives in ANiC which nurture and disciple children and young people. If your church has an initiative that you feel qualifies, you can download an application form from the ANiC website.
Room for more at Ontario clergy silent retreat
The Rev Dawn McDonald is leading a silent retreat in southern Ontario, March 7-9. Plan to join in this time of physical and spiritual refreshing. See the flyer and information sheet for complete details. Register ASAP please! There is still space for 10.
East Asia Pilgrimage, March 9-23
The Rev Shihoko and Ken Warren are leading a pilgrimage to East Asia, especially Japan, to discover the area's rich Christian history of suffering and martyrdom. The tour, which is now fully subscribed, will visit churches in Japan as well as sites of historic and current interest.
Toronto information meeting (January 5) attracted more than 30
The information meeting Bishop Charlie led in Toronto on January 5 for clergy and laity concerned about their future in the Anglican Church of Canada attracted 30 including some from ANiC. The Rev Keith Ganzer emceed the evening and the Rev Chris and Kathy Doering spoke about their struggle and the decision to join ANiC.
Wounded Healers Ministry is looking for opportunities to speak to ANiC parishes
Archdeacon Ron Corcoran's Wounded Healers Ministry is up and running and accepting speaking invitations. Please contact Archdeacon Ron directly at rgcorcoran1@shaw.ca. The first conference took place at Church of Our Lord (Victoria) last week. For more information on the ministry, see an interview from the Church of Our Lord's newspaper, The Anchor.
Cuba update – Mission trip planned; Partners needed
Another mission trip is planned, May 26 – June 5, to visit and encourage ACNA church planters and churches in Cuba.
More ANiC churches are needed to partner with/sponsor four Cuban church planters. In addition, we are raising funds for two extraordinary needs: 1) repairing damage to a pastor's home caused by a recent hurricane ($2500 US); and 2) purchasing a ministry centre in Florida/Camaguey, Cuba ($10,000 US). If your parish could help, or if you are interested in joining the mission trip, please contact the Rev Barclay Mayo at 604-815-8309 or by email.
Also, ARDFC is currently raising funds to purchase a van which will be well used to meet church needs, as well as to generate income and reduce the churches' dependence on outside funding.
LiveWord Vancouver Women's Conference, March 4, Vancouver
This annual one-day women's conference is March 4 (Saturday) at Broadway Church in Vancouver.
Organized by a group of interdenominational Bible-believing women, this year's conference will take a deeper look at the church's oldest prayer book: The Psalms. For more information and to register, see the website: www.livewordvancouver.com.
Is your church's prayer rota up-to-date?
Archbishop Greg Venables was reelected last November as Primate of the Anglican Church of South America, succeeding Archbishop Hector Zavala whose term had ended. So if you pray for the Primate of South America (formerly the Southern Cone), please pray for Archbishop Greg.
Lenten study
Is your church looking for a Lenten study? Consider the highly regarded Project Life Program from Anglicans for Life Canada (AFLC). The 8-week, DVD-based adult education series provides a comprehensive snapshot of the Gospel of Life and the Culture of Death. See the AFLC website for information on ordering. (Scroll down to the November 10 post.)
ANiC parish and regional news
Holy Cross (Abbotsford, BC) welcomed a new rector. The Rev Barclay Mayo was inducted last Sunday.
St John's Vancouver is offering, on January 16 at 7pm, a seminar on mental illness entitled "The Person, the Pastor, and the Psychiatrist'. You can register here.
St John's Richmond celebrates its 10th anniversary on January 22. St John's Richmond was one of two churches which were part of ANiC from the time we launched in November 2007.
Ascension (Langley, BC) - Bishop Ron Ferris has announced he is stepping down as rector effective March 5. Bishop Ron and Jan came to Langley as church planters. Eight years later, Ascension is a thriving congregation.
St Chad's (Toronto, ON) is celebrating its anniversary, February 19, at 4:30pm, followed by a parish potluck. They'd love to have all their friends join them for the service. Bishop Charlie will celebrate, while the Rev Dr Stan Fowler is preaching. To facilitate planning, please email or call (416) 889-8248 ahead to let Barbara+ know you will join the celebration.
Anglican Church in North America (ACNA)
ACNA News in brief
A prayer conference is scheduled for March 10-11 in Loganville, Georgia.
ACNA's Bishop Derek Jones was unanimously elected chair-elect of an organization representing the 190 faith groups which provide chaplains to the US Military and Department of Defense.
Bishop Ray Sutton has been appointed Presiding Bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church (REC) following the death of Presiding Bishop Royal Grote. The REC is comprised of four dioceses and is a sub-jurisdiction within the ACNA.
Archbishop Foley Beach issued a call to prayer for immigrants, refugees and government leaders on January 30, in the midst of the controversy surrounding US President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily barring entry to the US of citizens of seven countries. He commends the ACNA's Anglican Immigrant Initiative, calls us to prayer and to reach out with compassion to refugees and new immigrants in our communities. Finally, he asks us to pray for those in positions of power who are entrusted with governing, setting policy and enacting laws. For those interested, Joe Carter, editor of The Gospel Coalition, has posted a non-partisan analysis of this executive order, cutting through some of the misinformation and hysteria and offering context.
ACNA College of Bishops communique
In early January, the ACNA College of Bishops met and issued a communique summarizing their work. Some of the highlights include:
Telos Collective – A new task force, led by Bishop Todd Hunter, will focus on how best to reach North American culture for Christ. A conference is planned for May 18-20 in Costa Mesa, California. Are you interested? Learn more here.
Holy orders – The ACNA task force charged with examining holy orders, including women's ordination, presented a report on their work. This document – while not representing the position of the ACNA College of Bishops as their formal discussion on the topic have not yet begun – will now be sent to the GAFCon Primates and to ACNA's ecumenical partners for comments. In late February, the material will be released to all of ACNA. The bishops will begin formal discussions on this highly charged subject at their next two meetings, in June and September of this year. Please pray for wisdom, grace and humility to prevail.
Liturgy – This task force presented most of the remaining texts for a proposed Book of Common Prayer 2019. These texts, after discussion and amendment, were adopted as "working texts," to be published on the ACNA website very soon. It is hoped all liturgical texts will be finalization by 2019.
Exorcism – A day of the College of Bishops meeting was devoted to training and teaching related to the ministry of deliverance and exorcism.
Assembly 2017– Every three years our Province holds a large-scale gathering. This year we will gather in Wheaton, Illinois, June 28-30. The theme is Mission on Our Doorstep. The Assembly is open to everyone, and will feature speakers and guests from around the world. In addition to the plenary speakers and workshops, there will be specific tracks such as church planting, youth, Caminemos Juntos (Hispanic ministry), Anglican Multi-Ethnic Ministries (AMEN), and chaplaincy. Registration will open in the next couple weeks.
International news in brief
GAFCon news in brief
GAFCon 2016 report – GAFCon issued a two-page summary of its 2016 activities which included: equipping new bishops in its GAFCon Bishops Training Institute held near Nairobi last September; becoming a force for orthodoxy in the Anglican Communion, first participating in the meeting of Primates called by Archbishop Justin Welby in January 2016, then supporting the founding of GAFCon UK to confront growing "revisionism" in the Church of England; planning GAFCon 2018 in Jerusalem; and more.
Archbishop Peter Jensen responded to Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon's in which he was contemptuous of African Primates and tried to discredit GAFCon by claiming it was not a movement of the Holy Spirit.
Financial support – GAFCon is seeking those who will commit to supporting its work. Is this something God would have you do?
Anglican Communion news in brief
Primates' gathering – Archbishop Justin Welby has written all the Primates in the Communion – excluding Archbishop Foley Beach (ACNA) – announcing the next Primates meeting, 2-6 October 2017. George Conger analyzes the letter in which Archbishop Welby seems to be appealing for no boycott of Lambeth 2020 (the gathering of all bishops in the Anglican Communion), advocating for unity and asserting that the established Anglican Communion institutions comprise the only true Church and "only there do we find the presence of Jesus". The Anglican Unscripted hosts provide further commentary. And Anglican Communion News Services belatedly issues its version.
Archbishops Justin Welby (Canterbury) and John Sentamu (York) issued a puzzling joint statement in mid-January which reflected on the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and lament the division in Christendom that resulted.
Canada
The Bishop of BC (Vancouver Island) has announced that his diocese is joining the list of Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) dioceses that will not wait for General Synod to authorize same-sex marriage rites, but would allow same-sex weddings in churches in the diocese immediately. This contempt for the synodical process is becoming quite fashionable among ACoC bishops. Anglican Ink notes that "The bishops of Niagara, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Huron, and Rupert's Land have said they too will ignore synod and move forward with same-sex weddings."
The (ACoC) Diocese of Montreal has now overridden the decision by one of its "inclusive" parishes to rent space in its rectory to pagan witches. The Anglican Samizdat has the whole story.
Bishop George Sumner (TEC bishop of Dallas) has conferred the title of Canon on two Wycliffe College professors: Ephraim Radner and Annette Brownlee. Bishop Sumner is past principal of Wycliffe. Radner and Brownlee are a married couple.
England
Bishop of London – With the retirement of Bishop Richard Chartres at the end of February, speculation abounds on who will be appointed to this third most senior position in the Church of England. The Guardian puts forward the view that the successful candidate will be a female. While Christian Today suggests the leading candidate is Bishop Stephen Cottrell (Chelmsford).
The Rev Dr Mike Ovey, Principal of Oak Hill College and a leading evangelical thinker and author, died suddenly on January 7. You can learn more about his life and legacy here.
Canon Gavin Ashenden resigned his position as a Queen's Chaplain after getting heat for becoming increasingly outspoken about growing apostasy in the Church of England. Most recently, he spoke out against the reading of a passage in the Koran at a service in St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow, which denied the deity of Jesus Christ. Christian Today suggests he might not stay in the Church of England. He is quoted saying, "I want to remain a faithful Anglican, but increasingly it looks like that is only possible outside the C of E." Canon Ashenden further explains his position on Anglican TV.
GAFCon UK also spoke out about the Koran reading in the Scottish Episcopal Church and chastise Archbishop Welby for his silence on the controversy.
The Bishops of the Church of England have issued a statement to General Synod maintaining the status quo on same-sex marriage, saying there seems to be little appetite for a change in the marriage canon. However they also declare that the Church's "law and guidance on marriage should be interpreted to provide "maximum freedom" for gay and lesbian people without changing the Church's doctrine of marriage itself, bishops are recommending…. [and] a "fresh tone and culture of welcome and support" for gay and lesbian and same-sex attracted individuals. The statement also calls for a scaling back of questions ordinands are asked about their sexual conduct. The statement comes after an excruciating two-year process of "shared conversations" on the subject of sexuality. General Synod will discuss this statement when it meets in a two weeks.
While grateful that the marriage canon is safe from change at present, GAFCon UK responded to the Bishops' statement saying, "…we do not have confidence that this document will guarantee the maintenance of orthodoxy within the Church of England for the future. We need to express our serious reservations about the many ambiguities in the text relating to how we as Anglicans understand truth and goodness, sin and salvation, and how we should carry out pastoral and liturgical practice."
Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali is also troubled by the attempt in the statement to hold together two opposing positions and the absence of theological rigor.
In a BBC report, Susie Leafe of evangelical Anglican group Reform says, "In adopting a framework which seeks to take a middle path between biblical truth and cultural sensitivities, the bishops have ensured theological incoherence and hypocrisy will prevail for the foreseeable future, with all the hurt and confusion that will cause. In so doing they have failed in their primary pastoral duty to teach truth and drive away error."
Another writer expresses astonishment at the largely positive response from naive evangelicals in the CoE. He calls the report "…a sugar coated pill which in the long term is poison."
Andrew Symes of Anglican Mainstream provides an interesting analysis of the report in light of CoE politics and especially the mixed reaction from theological 'conservatives' in the CoE. Church Society, for example has warmly welcomed the report. Some have read the headline and are breathing a sigh of relief. Others are analyzing the report for the underlying understanding it conveys of biblical authority, the role of the Church in relation to culture, and even whether truth can be known. He concludes, "There will be no change to doctrines and liturgies, not because it is theologically right, but because it would be too difficult at the moment…. another reason given for 'no change' is in fact the commitment to unity…The primary value given to unity has proved a double edged sword: it has led to endorsement of pluralism and loss of confidence in affirming biblical truth, but it has also, for the moment, prevented rank departure from apostolicity."
And Canon Phil Ashey of the American Anglican Council looks at all the big picture and suggests that Biblical clarity and authority continues to be sacrificed to maintain institutional unity. He concludes that the CoE is simply following the same well-worn path the US Episcopal (and the Anglican Church of Canada) have trod.
Scotland
When the provost of the Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow allowed a Muslim to read, during the Epiphany service, a passage of the Koran which denied the deity of Christ, he demonstrated woeful ignorance of the Muslim faith and betrayed Christians around the world persecuted in Islam-dominated countries, says Canon Gavin Ashendon. In his article Canon Ashendon offers insight into the Islam-informed worldview and understanding of God. His discuss with the host of Anglican TV also offers a good primer on Islam and why moderate Muslims are not more vocal.
A number of individuals and organizations have called for the discipline of the Scottish Episcopal Church over this, including GAFCon UK, Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali and outraged members of St Mary's Cathedral where the incident occurred. While Archbishop Justin Welby has been resolutely silent, the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church issued a non-apology saying, "Scottish Episcopal Church is deeply distressed at the widespread offence which has been caused. We also deeply regret the widespread abuse which has been received by the Cathedral community."
Australia
A terrorist attack on Melbourne's St Paul's Cathedral planned for Christmas Day was foiled by police and security agencies.
New Zealand
Archbishop Brown Turei, one of the leaders of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia, has died.
Iraq
The Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East reported in mid-January that "According to a UN… the battle for Mosul has made 148,000 people homeless, with 12,500 people forced to flee their homes in the past week alone. The statement also says that the fighting continues to inflict high civilian casualties…"
Iran
The Gospel Coalition reports very encouraging news of a rapidly growing church in Iran – said to be the fastest growing evangelical church in the world. They write: "…more Iranians have become Christians in the last 20 years than in the previous 13 centuries put together since Islam came to Iran. In 1979, there were an estimated 500 Christians from a Muslim background in Iran. Today, there are hundreds of thousands—some say more than 1 million." According to Operation World, the second-fastest growing church is in Afghanistan—and Afghans are being reached in part by Iranians! Read amazing testimonies of Iranians who left Islam to embrace Christ.
Egypt
Archbishop Mouneer Anis and his Anglican congregations in Egypt are in a legal battle with the government over whether the Anglican churches should be considered "an approved foreign church" or an independent domestic church. At issue is control of the churches' property and independence. Unfortunately, other Christian denominations in Egypt are actively working against the Anglicans in this matter.
Nigeria
Anglican Communion News Service reports that "The Nigerian air force has mistakenly attacked a refugee camp in northeast Nigeria which was providing refuge to Christians displaced by Boko Haram fighters. The international medical humanitarian organisation, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), says 52 people were killed and at least 120 wounded. A local official has been quoted as saying more than 100 died. The incident, in Rann, near the border with Cameroon, happened as Nigerian aircraft took park in a mission against Boko Haram extremists… Boko Haram has killed more than twenty thousand people and forced more than two-and-a-half million from their homes in a campaign of violence over the past seven years." Please pray for these who are ignored by the world.
Kenya
The Daily Nation reports that Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, retired Anglican Church of Kenya primate, has been appointed chairman of the country's Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). With corruption endemic, he knows he is walking into a "dangerous institution where corruption fights back, and where six other chairmen have left without making a mark in ending the vice." Many Anglican Church leaders in Africa have courageously confronted corruption saying it is perhaps the key reason their country has not prospered. Please pray for Archbishop Wabukala.
Tanzania
The Primate of Tanzania has deposed the Bishop of Dar es Salaam, and former Primate, Valentino Mokiwa. However, Bishop Mokiwa, who is suspected of financial mismanagement and fraud, has refused to comply.
Myanmar
Fighting between northern tribes and the government troops continues in northern Myanmar (Burma). The Myanmar Times reports that recently, at least 4000 refugees tried unsuccessfully to cross the border into China. A seven-minute video documents the impact of the fighting, damage caused by landmines, and wide-spread illness. More than 100 refugee camps house 72,000 internally displaced Kachin people and thousands more are in refugee camps in China. Other tribes have suffered similar fates. It is very difficult for international relief agencies to assist these desperate people with food and medical aid. There are many Christians among these northern tribes as a result of missionary work in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Persecution
Christian Today reports that, according to estimates by the Center for Studies on New Religions, "Christians are… the most persecuted religious group in the world, with over 90,000 adherents killed in 2016, which is equivalent to one being killed every six minutes..." This is down from the 105,000 killed in 2015. "…70 percent of the 90,000 were killed in tribal conflicts in Africa…"
Resources for ministry
Youth ministry
Youth ministry training, sponsored by the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada is coming to Calgary, March 3-4.
Retaining youth – Learn the three common traits of youth who don't leave the church.
If your church has, or wants to have, a youth ministry you need to get connected to the ACNA's Young Anglicans Project and get on their distribution list.
Worship
The Gospel Coalition carries a powerful, but short, discussion on churches seeking to create worship "experiences" to attract people and help them experience God.
Preaching and teaching the Word
Simeon Trust workshops to equip preachers and Bible teachers are planned for May 3-5 in Toronto and May 17-19 in Calgary
Resources for Christian Living
The 39 Articles – Canon Phil Ashey continues his series of short videos on the 39 Articles. Since our last newsletter, the following videos have been released:
Article XXXIII "Of excommunicate persons" - Part 1, Part 2, & Part 3
Article XXXIV: "Of the Traditions of the Church" - Part 1 & Part 2
Soul food
Just for fun
The priest said, "Sister, this is a silent monastery. You are welcome here as long as you like, but you may not speak until directed to do so."
Sister Mary lived in the monastery for 5 years before the priest said to her, 'Sister Mary, you have been here for 5 years. You may speak two words." Sister Mary said, "Hard bed."
"I'm sorry to hear that," the priest said. "We will get you a better bed."
After another 5 years, Sister Mary was summoned by the priest: "You may say another two words, Sister Mary." "Cold food," said Sister Mary, and the priest assured her that the food would be better in the future.
On her 15th anniversary at the monastery, the priest again called Sister Mary in to his office. "You may say two words today." "I quit," said Sister Mary. "It's probably best," said the priest, "You've done nothing but complain since you got here."
www.mikeysFunnies.com
Thoughts
Sin is what you do when your heart is not satisfied with God. ~ John Piper
Those who experience the grace of God in justification want to experience His grace in sanctification too. ~Sinclair Ferguson
And now a Word from our Sponsor
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, "This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household… Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.
"Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD's Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.
Exodus 12:1-13 ESV
... back to "Newsletters" main page
|
|
|
 |
