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Handle with prayer!
News – ANiC and AEN
Easter message from Archbishop and bishops
Commending Archbishop Robert Duncan’s message to us, our moderator, Bishop Donald Harvey, says “We serve a risen Saviour. The tomb could not hold Him; He broke the chains of sin and rose victorious over death. “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8, 36 ESV) He is our hope; He is our victory; He is our life. Thanks be to God!” Archbishop Bob’s comments on Pilate’s futile orders to make Christ’s tomb secure and says, “For us as faithful Anglican Christians the efforts by others to "secure" our tombs have failed miserably, just as they did with the One we call on as Lord and Savior… As I look across the Anglican Church in North America this Easter – seeing its life, its vitality, its healing, its unity, its compassion, its forgiveness, its renewal, its multiplication and growth, its international partners, its clear sense of mission, its appreciation of the transforming love of Jesus Christ – I think I am understanding the mystery and the truth of Easter better than I ever have before…. With Jesus it is just not possible to "secure" any tomb.”
Announcing two new ANiC church plants
With the welcome addition to two new congregations – one on the east coast and one on the west coast – ANiC now comprises 36 parishes and church plants. Both new congregations officially launched on Easter Sunday, April 4
Vancouver Island – The Rev Dr Michael Pountney and the Rev Mark Davison lead a new church plant north of Victoria, BC with 50+ people. The new plant, temporarily named Peninsula Anglican Church, holds regular Sunday services at 11:30am in Friendship Community Church (Kratofil Hall), 7820 Central Saanich Rd, Saanichton. The Rev Davison is currently a DWS – Doctorate of Worship Studies – candidate at the Robert E Webber Institute for Worship Studies in Florida, while the Rev Dr Pountney is former principal of Wycliffe College in Toronto. The people in this new congregation have a long-standing mission connection to Uganda – especially through their support of the King's Daughters Ministry. Please pray for God’s rich blessing on this new congregation and their leaders during these busy days of getting established. You can also read about this church plant on the Anglican Planet website.
New Brunswick – The province of New Brunswick now has its first ANiC church with the formation of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church which meets each Sunday at 10:30am in Moncton Wesleyan Church building (2nd floor, Family Centre), 945 St George Blvd, Moncton. The Rev Don Hamilton relinquished his Anglican Church of Canada licence at the end of March and was given an ANiC licence by Bishop Donald Harvey. Although details are still being worked out, Christ the Redeemer is already planning to establish three satellite churches in or near Saint John, Sussex and Miramichi. See our announcement of ANiC’s first church in the Maritimes and the resulting article in the Moncton Times Transcript. Photos of their first service are on the ANiC website.
ANiC parish news
Christ the King (Victoria, BC) had outgrown its previous Sunday 10am service venue, so has now moved that service to University CanWest building, 950 Kings Rd (off Quadra St), Victoria.
Church of the Good Shepherd (Sioux Lookout, ON) is exploring opening a drop-in centre to minister to the transient population and those in need. Please pray for God’s clear leading and, should this be God’s leading, the provision of the needed funds.
Emmaus Anglican Church (Westmount, PQ) – The March/April 2010 Faith Today magazine has an article about the Open Door drop-in centre in downtown Montreal, a joint ministry of ANiC’s Emmaus Anglican Church and St Stephen’s, an Anglican Church of Canada parish. According to the article, the centre welcomes about 140 people each day, many homeless, and prepares 2000 meals each month. Among the services provided by the Open Door are “laundry facilities, new clothing, showers, free haircuts… and spiritual counseling.” In addition, “A registered nurse treats cuts and bruises…[and] Free workshops address gambling, tobacco, alcohol and drug use”. In addition, the centre provides employment training and assistance as well as community services.
St George’s (Ottawa, ON) officially launched its 125th Anniversary on Easter Sunday. The year of celebrations will culminate in early November when the congregation hosts Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali and the ANiC synod.
St John’s Sudanese (Surrey, BC) is planning a baptism and confirmation service on May 4th with Bishop Stephen Leung. All are welcome to this 2:30-5pm service.
Staff changes
To alleviate the load on ANiC’s National Director, Bishop Charlie Masters, John MacDonald has been appointed ANiC’s Executive Director and will assume increased responsibility for ANiC’s day-to-day operations. The change is effective April 1.
The Rev Keith Stodart, ANiC’s long-time membership chairman has retired. “We are very grateful to Keith for his faithful service through the years”, said Bishop Charlie Masters.
ANiC parish leads Parliament Hill ecumenical Easter sunrise service
At 7:15am on a beautiful Easter Sunday morning, as the sun rose over the Ottawa skyline, Bishop Don Harvey pronounced Easter blessings on our nation and our nation’s capital, calling on us to reclaim Canada for Jesus. Bishop Don was one of the invited National Church leaders at the event, which took place on the steps of the Peace Tower. Father David Crawley of ANiC’s St George’s (Ottawa) led the approximately 250 hardy souls in attendance in rousing Easter music while the Rev Paul Donison, also of St George’s, preached and provided a dramatization of the Easter Gospel found in John 20 – a presentation Bishop Don called “profoundly moving”. St George's Ottawa has led this ecumenical sunrise Easter service for many years. Photos are posted on the ANiC website. An Ottawa Sun article focuses on the Rev Donison’s dramatization.
Ordination video online
The March 7th ordination of the Rev Rhonda Cotton as a deacon at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Massachusetts, by Bishop Don Harvey is posted on YouTube.
Ottawa’s Anglican Gathering marks five years
Biblically faithful Anglicans in Ottawa have been gathering for fellowship and support since 2005 and their website, Anglican Gathering of Ottawa, provides information, resources and a rallying point of orthodoxy.
Calendar of upcoming events – for your interest and prayer support
Apr 7-9 – reFocus Canada, a preaching and theology conference, in Burnaby, BC
April 17-24 –Church of the Good Samaritan (St John’s, NL) mission to Guatemala
May 4, 2:30pm - St John Sudanese (Surrey, BC) baptism & conformation service
May 14, 7pm – Church of the Ascension (Langley) banquet celebrating parish’s 1st anniversary
June 3-11 – Anglican Church of Canada General Synod, Halifax, NS
June 7 - 11 – ACNA House of Bishops, Provincial Executive and Council meet in Amesbury, MA
Nov 3, 4-6 – Clergy day followed by ANiC synod, Ottawa, ON
News – Anglican Church in North America (ACNA)
ACNA job listing service
The ACNA website offers a free job listing service for ACNA parishes and mission organizations. ANiC churches are encouraged to use this service to advertise vacancies.
ACNA church takes a stand in the media
An ACNA church has taken a stand in the media. In an opinion piece in the Savannah Morning News, the Rev Marcus Robertson, rector of Christ Church (Savannah, Georgia) explains the origins of the term fundamentalism and counters the new TEC Bishop of Georgia Scott Benhase’s advocacy of a “different way of being Christian”. Rev Robertson says that a series of scholarly articles, called The Fundamentals, were written prior to WWI because of growing apostasy. “…foundational truths of the Historic Faith were considered to be eroding in American culture and The Fundamentals were written to reaffirm such essential truths in the face of a more eclectic religion posing as Christianity… From a cultural point of view, we are again at a crossroad where true faith in the fundamentals of Christianity is under fire. What Bishop Benhase claims as a "different way of being Christian" is not so different or new after all, with roots going back over a century. Such a "different" way may be alluring at first glance, but it is radically different from historic Christianity.”
The Rev Robertson’s church also took out a large, eye-catching advertisement in the newspaper inviting people to “Come stand with us”. While briefly explaining the law suit the diocese has launched against the church to seize the property, the ad focuses on the Gospel message, saying “Through almost three centuries, Christ Church members and its rectors have proclaimed the biblical truth that Jesus is the only way to personal salvation and that every person has an opportunity for everlasting life because of His atoning death for us… If you want to know the transforming love of Jesus Christ, we invite you to stand with us at Christ Church where John Wesley and George Whitefield preached and worshiped. Just as they considered The Holy Bible to be the inspired Word of God, so do we; just as they considered the historic creeds worthy and authoritative statements of Christian doctrine, so do we: and just as they welcomed all men and women to seek personal redemption through Jesus, so do we. All are welcome! Please come, stand with us, and join our growing congregation!”
Another legal setback
Another ACNA congregation, St James (Newport Beach, CA), has received a legal setback, with the California Court of Appeal issuing a two-to-one split decision in favour of TEC’s claims to the property. The St James website summarizes this decision in its marathon litigation that began in 2005: “…[T]wo justices of the California Court of Appeal ruled that St James did not have the right to defend itself in court, conduct discovery or even have a trial, and that the Episcopal allegations alone were enough for St. James to lose its property.” The congregation is considering an appeal.
The Anglican Curmudgeon, aka lawyer AC Haley, considers the decision an outrage. He says, “The Court of Appeal reaches this result via a complete sleight of hand, and in total disregard of California law… [It] violates due process, and shows an utter contempt for the normal way that cases proceed to trial and judgment. Its reasoning (such as it is) is specious and disingenuous, and is deployed solely toward the outcome it has decided it wants, which is that St. James loses everything it owns --without being able to have a trial to show what were the actual facts, as opposed to what ECUSA and the diocese alleges were the facts in their complaints.”
ACNA in the news
FrontPageMag.com – Mar 30 2010 – Homeless in Binghamton This article chronicles how TEC, after winning Church of the Good Shepherd’s property in a New York law suit, and refusing to sell the property to the original congregation after it became s a member of ACNA, has now sold the building to a Muslim group to become an Islamic Awareness Center. Interestingly, the Diocese refused an offer from the ACNA congregation that was three times more than the amount it received from the sale of the building to the Muslim.
News shorts – Canada
Anglican Communion Alliance tour
The Anglican Communion Alliance (formerly known as the Anglican Essentials Federation) is planning a cross-Canada speaking tour for Canon George Kovoor, principal of Trinity College (Bristol, UK) and chaplain to the Queen. Speaking engagements begin in Victoria on May 21 and end in Halifax with a two-day June 2 & 3 – immediately prior to the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) general synod in Halifax. Professor Ephraim Radner will speak on June 3. A full schedule is available on the ACA’s new website. ACA plans to have a presence at general synod in much the same way that Anglican Essentials did at previous synods. The ACA website contains more information on their plans for synod.
Diocese of Montreal developing liturgy for same-sex blessings
The AEC blog reports that the Diocese of Montreal is in the process of drafting a liturgy for the blessing of civil marriages, including same-sex marriages. Blog commenters further report that the Diocese of British Columbia, at its recent synod, approved a motion authorizing the bishop to allow clergy to bless same-sex marriages. The news release issued following synod does not mention such a resolution, however.
Priest spearheading “dialogue” with African dioceses honoured in Tanzania
The Anglican Journal reports that “The Rev Isaac Kawuki Mukasa has been seated as a canon in St Alban’s Cathedral in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania… He was instrumental in establishing a correspondence project that encouraged several African and Canadian dioceses to share views and approaches to the issue of human sexuality and the blessing of same-sex unions.”
Parishioners rally to save church slated for closure
The Vancouver Sun has a lengthy article on St Stephen’s Anglican church – one of the many churches the ACoC Diocese of BC (on Vancouver Island) is proposing to close. After detailing the historic importance of the church and its sentimental value to parishioners, the article reveals that parishioners have formed the “St Stephen’s Trust Society” which aims to “…save our Church and its property from being sold or leased now or at some future time at the whim of the Bishop…”
Canadian news
Vancouver Sun – Mar 29 2010 – Final service held at St Saviour’s
News shorts – United States
Cathedral hosts pagan group
The Asheville Citizen-Times reports that TEC’s Cathedral of All Souls in Biltmore Village, western North Carolina, was hosting the Mother Grove Goddess Temple’s ritual celebration of the spring equinox. The group includes Wiccan members.
TEC’s diocese provides godly example in relationship with departing parishes
Having begun an appeal of a legal decision which favoured its counterpart ACNA congregation, a Diocese of South Carolina congregation is ending its long-standing litigation. The ACNA and TEC church vestries negotiated a settlement which will see the Episcopal congregation relinquish all claim to the property. In exchange, the ACNA congregation will help the TEC congregation financially so it can get established in alternative facilities.
Shortly after this news came the news that the largest parish in the Diocese of South Carolina, St Andrew’s in Mt Pleasant, SC had voted nearly unanimously to realign with the Anglican Church in North America. On his blog, the Rev Steve Woods reports that, of 722 ballots cast, 703 were in favour of separating from TEC and joining ACNA. He then says, “The Vestry and I have made arrangements for St. Andrew’s to affiliate with The Diocese of The Holy Spirit, a diocese within the Anglican Church in North America. This affiliation will be effective upon the certification of our vote by the CPA firm at 3.00 pm, 2 April, at the latest. Our Bishop will be The Rt. Rev’d John Guernsey… our difficulty lay with the spiritual headship of the National Church… and not with the Bishop of South Carolina. And so, I must say “thank you” to Bishop Lawrence… I have found in Bishop Lawrence a friend and co-laborer in the ministry of the Gospel. We share a mutual desire to maintain our fraternal relationship and have committed to one another that St. Andrew’s and the Diocese of South Carolina will continue to partner in Gospel ministry as opportunity and circumstance permit. Please remember to pray for the Diocese of South Carolina as we desire nothing less than God’s best for them.”
Bishop Mark Lawrence, who is one of the few remaining orthodox bishops in TEC, wrote to the diocese, “Although I am not surprised by this decision, I am saddened by it…By God’s grace we will keep St. Andrew’s in our prayers and work with them to find ways to cooperate in gospel mission and ministry that honors Jesus Christ and his Kingdom.” It is generally expected that Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori may attempt punitive action against Bishop Lawrence if he does not sue the departing parish for the property. Please pray for this godly bishop who is daring to take a bold and meaningful stand within TEC.
The Diocese of South Carolina just concluded its convention (synod) in which it passed a number of resolutions asserting its autonomy from TEC leadership – in accordance with TEC’s 200-year-old polity, constitution and canons. The Anglican Communion Institution website has posted a statement supporting the Diocese’s stand, signed by several bishops and leading clergy members, including the Rt Rev Tony Burton, former ACoC bishop.
TEC theologians’ panel address same-sex marriage
A panel of eight theologians – four “conservative” and four “liberal” – has produced a study document on the issue of same-sex marriage. Two of the theologians presented this document to TEC’s House of Bishops meeting in March. According to the Trinity School for Ministry website, following presentations summarizing both the “liberal” and “conservative” positions, “Gene Robinson, Bishop of New Hampshire, who expressed dissatisfaction with both papers and stated that it was time to move beyond speaking simply of "GLBT" (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered) orientations: "there are so many other letters in the alphabet," he said; "there are so many other sexualities to be explored." He did not elaborate as to what those other sexualities and other letters of the alphabet might be.” The papers are also available on the Trinity website.
US news
Post and Courier – Mar 31 2010 – St Andrew’s cuts ties
Union Democrat – Mar 23 2010 – Episcopalians file suits to regain property
Christian Post – Mar 27 2010 – SC Diocese Engages in ‘Battle’ with Episcopal Church
Institute on Religion & Democracy – Mar 29 2010 – Gene Robinson to take new Washington-based policy role
News shorts – International
Growing call for Archbishop of Canterbury to respond decisively to TEC defiance
Fulcrum, an evangelical centrist think tank, has joined the call for action from the Archbishop of Canterbury in response to the latest defiant action by the Episcopal Church in the US. By giving consent to the election as bishop of Mary Glasspool, a partnered homosexual, Fulcrum says TEC is confirming its determination to “ignore all the repeated appeals of the wider Communion and… ‘walk apart’”… We are now indisputably in a radically new situation. TEC as a body has determinedly, perhaps irrevocably, chosen autonomy over “communion with autonomy and accountability”. The consequences, Fulcrum says, includes:
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“TEC as a body has revealed it is incapable of signing the Anglican covenant” because it is “incapable of making meaningful or credible commitments”. |
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The Archbishop of Canterbury should distance the Communion from TEC. “…the situation is now such that it may be better for the Archbishop simply to state – as one of the Instruments and a focus and means of unity - that TEC as a body has rejected the Communion’s repeated appeals for restraint, made false promises, and confirmed its direction is away from Communion teaching and accountability. It has thereby rendered itself incapable of covenanting with other churches and made it unclear what it means when it claims to be in communion with the see of Canterbury and a constituent member of the Anglican Communion.” |
The Rev John Richardson (aka the Ugley Vicar) lauds Fulcrums statement, but wonders why it took Fulcrum members so long to come to this realization and what they will do to mend fences with evangelicals who came to this realization years ago and whom Fulcrum has opposed. He also raises the question of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). “Will Fulcrum, then, follow the logic of its own conclusion and now respond more positively to those who have already stepped away from TEC? If, as the statement asserts, the Communion “must now proceed in its common life without TEC”, will it be encouraged to do so with ACNA?”
Canterbury weighs in on Roman Catholic church sex abuse scandal
The Times reports that, in uncharacteristic blunt language, the Archbishop of Canterbury has declared in an interview with the BBC “…that the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland has lost all credibility because of the child abuse scandal”. Ruth Gledhill, Times religion correspondent, adds, “Dr Williams also made plain his anger over the Pope’s plans for a new ordinariate to tempt dissatisfied Anglicans over to Rome, pointedly refusing to give his blessing to Anglicans who seek to take up the Pope’s offer to help them convert…[He said] “I can only say fine, God bless them. I don’t….”” Shortly after his remarks were made public, causing a furor, Dr Williams apologized. According to the Telegraph , Dr Williams remarks elicited criticism from Anglican as well as Catholic leaders. “…the Most Revd Richard Clarke, Bishop of Meath and Kildare, said Dr Williams' remarks were "careless and reckless" and "deeply hurtful".”
As horrendous as the priests’ abuse of children in the Roman Catholic Church is, LifeSiteNews reports that a 2004 US Department of Education study found that "the physical sexual abuse of students in schools is likely more than 100 times the abuse by priests…. According to the 2004 study “the most accurate data available at this time” indicates that “nearly 9.6 percent of students are targets of educator sexual misconduct sometime during their school career”.”
Another article in LifeSiteNews, points out the “elephant in the room”: the “overwhelming preponderance of male victims”. “In a 2002 study conducted by USA Today, it was determined that of the 234 priests that have been accused of sexual abuse of a minor while serving in the nation's ten largest dioceses, 91 percent of the allegations involved male victims. The Boston Globe reported similar findings in 2003 saying, "Of the clergy sex abuse cases referred to prosecutors in Eastern Massachusetts, more than 90 percent involve male victims, and the most prominent Boston lawyers for alleged victims of clergy sexual abuse have said that about 95 percent of their clients are male."
Respected National Post columnist, Father Raymond de Souza, responded to a New York Times article attacking the Roman Catholic Church in regard to a particular abusing priest. He not only points out the falsehoods in the article but exposes what appeared to be a coordinated media campaign against the Roman Catholic Church and specifically the pope. In a second article, Father de Souza outlines the pope’s role in leading the charge to remove “filth” from the priesthood.
Dr Williams focuses on persecution abroad; diminishes threat at home
In a veiled rebuke to bishops in his church who recently spoke up opposing political changes in Britain which they said were designed to persecute Christians, the Archbishop of Canterbury diminished the threat in England in comparison to persecution suffered by Christians abroad. Peter Hitchens, writing in the Daily Mail, responded in a stinging column, “Do we have to wait until the hate-filled mobs storm into Canterbury Cathedral and drag him from the pulpit before the Archbishop of Canterbury grasps that Christianity is in danger in this country?... Dr Rowan Williams chose this Easter week not to protect his Church, but to rebuke several bishops who had rightly warned of the swelling rage against the Church.”
In his Easter letter, Dr Williams cites “…the terrible communal violence afflicting parts of Nigeria… the butchery and intimidation of Christians in Mosul in recent weeks… the attacks on the Coptic faithful in Egypt…[and] the continuing harassment of Anglican congregations in Zimbabwe.” He then draws a comparison to conditions in the west: “We who live in more comfortable environments need to bear two things in mind. One is that fellow-Christians under pressure, living daily with threats and murders, need our prayers and tangible support – by personal contact, by continually reminding our governments and media of these things. To a Christian experiencing these threats, it matters more than most of us could imagine simply to know that they are not alone and not forgotten. But the second point to remember is that we need to keep our own fears in perspective. It is all too easy, even in comfortable and relatively peaceful societies, for us to become consumed with anxiety about the future of Church and society. We need to witness boldly and clearly but not with anger and fear; we need to show that we believe what we say about the Lordship of the Risen Christ and his faithfulness to the world he came to redeem. The world will not be saved by fear, but by hope and joy. The miracle of the joy shown by martyrs and confessors of the faith is one of the most compelling testimonies to the gospel of Jesus.”
News in brief from around the world and the Communion
Nigeria – VirtueOnline reports that the acting president of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, attended the installation of the new Primate of Nigeria, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh. In addition to addressing the political and economic crises in the country, Dr Jonathan said, "When I was coming here, I pondered whether Okoh, because of his gentle look, will be able to step into Akinola's shoes but when I listened to him [preach], I bowed". In his sermon, Archbishop Okoh said his priorities were: spread of the gospel by preaching, education for church leadership and making disciples through teaching
Sudan – The BBC reports that, in a blow to the credibility of the 11-12 April elections, “Most of Sudan's main opposition parties have said they will boycott presidential, parliamentary and municipal elections this month… over fraud and security fears.” These were to have been historic elections in the lead up to next year’s referendum on independence for the mainly Christian south. The BBC concludes, “Some 1.5 million people died in the conflict between the mainly Muslim North and the South, where most people are Christian or follow traditional beliefs.” Please pray for the peace and welfare of the Sudan and especially pray for Archbishop Deng Bul and his Sudanese Episcopal Church as they provide godly leadership in that war-ravaged country.
India – The Church of England reports that the bishop of the Diocese of Coimbatore is being investigated by police for the alleged embezzlement of £335,000 from the diocese’s coffers. A former secretary of the diocese has been arrested, charged with diverting pension funds. The article reports, “…the Moderator of the Church of South India (CSI), Bishop William Gladstone… said the CSI synod’s executive committee would await the results of the investigation before it took action.” This is the second scandal to rock the Church of South India in less than a year. Last October, the former general secretary of the province was arrested, accused of stealing almost £1 million in tsunami relief funds.
Ethiopia – A YouTube video offers insight into the small but growing Anglican Church in Ethiopia under the leadership of the Rev Andrew Proud.
Egypt – The US Copts Association reports that “An Anglican Church pastor and his wife were assaulted by Security agents in Luxor [Egypt] on March 18, 2010, in order to evacuate them by force from their home and demolish Church property… In an effort to save the buildings from demolition, the Pastor sat on the fence of the Church compound, to prevent the demolition work, but was beaten and dragged away… The Anglican Church in Egypt, which has a congregation of nearly 750,000 issued a statement on March 19, condemning the behavior of the Luxor authorities for demolishing Church property without adequate negotiations. It also condemned the assault on the pastor, his wife and the threats made to harm their child, which it characterized as a flagrant violation of human rights and the sanctity of churches as places of worship.”
England – Modeled on the Manhattan Declaration (in the US), British Christian leaders have issued the Westminster 2010 Declaration of Christian Conscience – a Christian Manifesto in an increasingly anti-Christian society. Among the signatories are Lord Carey (former Archbishop of Canterbury), Michael Nazir-Ali, and Baroness Cox. The Declaration is a “rallying call to UK Christian voters and urges Christians of all denominations to vote with their conscience, guided by their faith”. It “sets out a broad range of policies that unite churches in the UK, including support for marriage, freedom for those of faith to live their lives according to their beliefs and opposition to assisted suicide and euthanasia. It also calls for Christians to support, protect, and be advocates for children born and unborn, and all those who are sick, disabled, addicted, elderly, poor, exploited, trafficked or exploited by unjust trade, aid or debt policies. The timing of the launch of Westminster 2010 ahead of the call of the General election is designed to send a clear message to all parliamentary candidates that Christians will be supporting those who will both promote policies that protect vulnerable people and also respect the right of Christians to hold, express and live according to Christian beliefs. The call comes in the wake of an increase in reports of Christians facing discrimination in all walks of life, including the widely reported cases of discrimination against Christian[s].”
In a video, Bishop Nazir-Ali appeals to Christians to get involved and take a stand in the upcoming elections. BBC anticipates the election will be called for May 6.
Soul food
God’s created order marred by sin
Sanctity of life – An article by Margaret Somerville of McGill University, discusses the slippery slope of legalizing any form of euthanasia or assisted suicide. She says, “…although the need for euthanasia to relieve pain and suffering is the justification given, and the one the public accepts in supporting its legalization, research shows that dying people request euthanasia far more frequently because of fear of social isolation and of being a burden on others, than pain. So, should avoiding loneliness or being a burden count as a sufficient justification?” She concludes, “Legalizing euthanasia causes death and dying to lose the moral context within which they must be viewed. Maintaining that moral context is crucial in light of an ageing population and scarce and increasingly expensive health-care resources, which will present us with increasingly difficult ethical decisions.”
Thought
If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got.
Just for fun
A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six-year-olds.
After explaining the commandment to “honor thy father and thy mother”, she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?"
Without missing a beat, one little boy answered, "Thou shall not kill."
Courtesy of www.mikeysFunnies.com
Please pray...
For funding of the Kenya Malaria Prevention Project, a project of the Anglican Relief & Development Fund Canada – as well as funds for Chile earthquake relief.
For ANiC projects, church plants and parishes, especially as they seek to proclaim the Good News to those in their communities who desperately need new life in Christ.
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For the Peninsula (Saanichton, BC) church plant as it launches. |
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For Church of the Redeemer (Moncton, NB) as it launches and seeks to develop satellite congregations in other New Brunswick communities. |
For the Church of the Good Samaritan (St John’s, NL) mission to Guatemala, April 17-24
For our bishops and clergy and their families.
For legal cases and disputes
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For the Vancouver-area parishes which are appealing the earlier court decision and for their legal counsel, Geoff Cowper and Stanley Martin as they prepare the appeal. |
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For all the congregations involved in court proceedings and disputes. Pray for a continued focus on, and blessing upon, their ministry in the midst of this turmoil. Pray for peace for the wardens and trustees who are on the front lines and bear the burden of risk and responsibility. |
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For the leaders and parishioners of the dioceses pursuing eviction of and damages against ANiC congregations and wardens in court. |
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That God will be glorified in all court proceedings. |
For the work of the Anglican Communion Alliance (ACA) at the ACoC’s General Synod in June and for the pre-synod ACA-sponsored cross-Canada speaking tour of Canon George Kovoor.
For orthodox TEC Bishop Mark Lawrence and the Diocese of South Carolina.
For peace in the Sudan, and for Archbishop Deng Bul and the Sudanese Episcopal Church as they provide godly leadership.
For Christians facing violence and persecution in Nigeria and other Muslim and Hindu lands.
For those devastated by natural disasters in Chile and Haiti.
For our nation, Canada, for a return to God and His moral principles.
And now a word from our sponsor
Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord!
Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord!
May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth!
Psalm 134
He is risen! Hallelujah!
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