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Handle with prayer!
News – ANiC and AEN
Welcoming Hub!
A new ANiC project, called “Hub”, has been established in the Hintonburg area of Ottawa under the leadership of the Rev Jennifer Wickham who presented the vision for this innovative project at our 2009 synod. The group meets for biweekly meals and recently started weekly Sunday morning worship. Future plans include launching a Reading Buddies Club at the library to serve the neighbourhood and build friendships. The group meets biweekly on Fridays at 6pm and Sundays at 9:30am. Contact the Rev Jennifer Wickham at 613 851 3016 for details.
Special prayer requests
Please pray for the Rev Ray David, seven-year-old Matthew and the entire Glenn family – The St George’s (Burlington) website states, “Our dear Rhonda has gone to be with her Lord at one o’clock this afternoon [Wednesday, May 26]. Thank you all for your prayers and unwavering love and support… Please continue to uphold the Glenn family in prayer.”
The funeral was Saturday, May 29. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in support of Matthew's education. Cheques can be made payable to the Rhonda Lynn Glenn Trust Fund and sent to St George’s Anglican Church, c/o The Crossroads Centre, 1295 North Service Road, Burlington, Ontario, L7R 4M2. (Information is on the St George’s website.)
Rhonda was a long-time on-air host for 100 Huntley Street and other Crossroads Television System programs. You can see a tribute video prepared by 100 Huntley Street online as well as an earlier video featuring Rhonda and Ray David.
Please pray for Bishop Malcolm – For almost a year Bishop Malcolm has been suffering from depression and now has been hospitalized for a short period of time to receive treatment. Prayers for healing and peace will be appreciated.
Please pray for ANiC members attending the Anglican Church of Canada general synod in Halifax (June 3-11). They will be there to quietly observe, listen, pray, and encourage orthodox delegates who seek them out. The Rev George Sinclair and John Paterson, from St Alban’s (Ottawa) will be at general synod June 3-8 and the Rev Sharon Hayton (rector, Open Gate) and Louise Karlsson will attend from June 7-11. George also will be the guest preacher at the main service of Grace Church Halifax on Sunday, June 6. If you know someone at general synod who might like to contact George or Sharon, email them at george.stalban@gmail.com.
More legal attacks
The Diocese of Ottawa has commenced legal action against two ANiC parishes in Ottawa. Both St Alban's and St George's received notice on May 26, 2010, that the diocese is suing them for ownership of their church buildings so they can evict the faithful congregations that became members of ANiC in 2008.
ANiC year-end is June 30 and we need your help to meet our budget
ANiC treasurer Claus Lenk tells us that, while ANiC expenses for the 2009-2010 budget year are below budget, donations have fallen short as well, leaving us with a projected $90,000 budget shortfall. With our budget year-end coming on June 30, we have only a few weeks to balance the books. If you have been thinking about making a special gift to ANiC, please consider donating before the end of June. Also, parishes are asked to submit their tithes to ANiC as quickly as possible. Please make this a matter of prayer. Thanks!
ARDFC fundraising
Has you parish included ARDFC in your budget? Why not consider doing a fundraising project for ARDFC? Why not talk to your youth group, women’s group, men’s group, Sunday School or seniors’ group about developing a fundraiser for ARDFC?
Our current project is to raise $50,000 for malaria reduction in Kenya, working in partnership with the Diocese of Maseno. While malaria isn’t a threat in North America, it kills nearly 1 million people worldwide – especially children in Africa where a child dies every 30 seconds from the preventable – and curable – mosquito-borne disease.
Ordination in Ottawa
The Rev David Robinson will be ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Charlie Masters at St Albans in Ottawa on June 19 at 3pm. Dr Greg Bloomquist will preach at David's ordination.
ANiC parish and project news
Church of the Resurrection (Hope, BC) – The local Hope Standard newspaper carried a photo of the Rev Doug Beattie’s ordination with a caption that said “The church was filled nearly to capacity by members of two churches that Doug will serve, and also with well-wishers from the greater Hope community. Doug had assisted Archie Pell in the first few years of the Church of the Resurrection (established in 2006). The newly-minted Deacon will serve the Church of the Resurrection (Hope) and Holy Cross (Abbotsford).”
Church of the Ascension (Langley, BC) now has a website. Congratulations!
St Stephen the Martyr (St John’s, NL) members prepared a banner which parishioners Tolson and Ruby Chapman presented to Christ Church Jerusalem on their recent visit to the Holy Land. ANiC members Erica and the Rev Jess Cantelon are currently working in Jerusalem with Christ Church. See photos here.
Calendar of upcoming events – for your interest and prayer support
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
June 14-18 – St Luke’s (Pembroke, ON) – "Wholeness through Christ" inner healing week
June 19, 3pm – St Alban’s (Ottawa, ON) – The Rev David Robinson ordained to the priesthood
June 20 – St John’s Vancouver confirmation service – Venue to be announced
June 12-22 – St Matthias & St Luke pilgrimage to the Holy Land
July 23 – Holy Trinity (Marlborough, MA) – Ordination to priesthood of the Rev Michael Bickford
Sept 13-16 – BC Court of Appeal hearing in Vancouver
Sept 17-19 – St Luke’s – Spiritual renewal with Bishop Malcolm & Archdeacon Paul Crossland
Sept 18 – St George's Ottawa, Day of Prayer in preparation for the ANiC synod
Nov 3 – Clergy day, Ottawa, ON
Nov 4-6 – ANiC synod with Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, Ottawa, ON
News shorts – Anglican Church in North America (ACNA)
ACNA and theAM (former known as AMiA) forge new relationship
In response to the announced changes in the status of the Anglican Mission in the Americas within the Anglican Church in North America, ANiC issued a statement explaining what the change means to us and our province. The statement said that theAM, which is a missionary outreach of the Church of Rwanda, has changed its relationship with ACNA to that of “ministry partner.” Previously, TheAM was integrated into ACNA and formed nine dioceses. The change was necessitated by the jurisdictional confusion created for the Church of Rwanda by theAM’s “dual citizenship” in both the forming province of ACNA and the province of Rwanda
Clergy swap: Friendship between ACNA and Church of England (CoE)
To deepen the bonds of unity, ACNA clergy and orthodox Church of England clergy are invited to participate in a clergy exchange. Christian Today reports that “Participating clergy will be matched to churches with similar preaching and ministry styles and serve the pulpit for a period of three to four weeks in January and July or August next year.” It says that leaders of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans in the UK and Ireland are inviting clergy to participate, saying it would be of “mutual benefit”. They add, “Institutionally the CofE seems to be sitting on the fence. The Archbishop of Canterbury has said that the consecration of Mary Glasspool in TEC is 'regrettable'; yet the CofE has not fully embraced ACNA… An important contribution at this stage will be for parishes and clergy to express solidarity and friendship with clergy and parishes in ACNA.”
ANiC clergy interested in participating should discuss the matter with their respective area bishop before making any other contact.
Forward in Faith assembly open invitation
Forward in Faith North America is extending an open invitation to their first annual assembly, June 16-18, at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, Belleville, Illinois. The theme is “Renewing the Spirit of the Oxford Movement” and more information is available on their website. Forward in Faith is a ministry partner of ACNA.
Anglican 4th Day international gathering
Calling all those formerly involved in Cursillo. The first annual Anglican 4th Day Ultreya is planned for August 12-15 in Bedford, Texas. See the ANiC website for details. (Scroll down the page).
News shorts – Canada
AEC blogger to provide daily reports from ACoC synod
The AEC blog has announced that it is sending a blogger, David Jenkins, to the Anglican Church of Canada’s (ACoC) general synod in Halifax, June 3-11, to provide its loyal followers with up-to-the minute reports from the synod. The AEC blog was formed in 2007 specifically to live-blog the ACoC general synod and had up to 50,000 hits per day during that event. David will also be submitting articles to Eternity magazine (Australia) and other publications.
Zacchaeus Fellowship writes synod members
In a letter to all Anglican Church of Canada General Synod members, Zacchaeus Fellowship – “a fellowship of men and women who hold to the church's historic view on sexuality in the face of former or present struggles with same-sex attractions” – announces their presence at synod as a resource and invite interaction. They say, “General Synod 2007 left the members of the Zacchaeus Fellowship shell-shocked by the fact that the church we love has now become an unsafe place for individuals who experience same sex attractions and adhere to the biblical and traditional teaching concerning sexuality… Many of our members have found it difficult to remain in the Anglican Church of Canada with its trend to affirm homosexual relationships and have moved on to the Anglican Church in North America and other denominations. But those of us who remain in the Anglican Church of Canada remain because of our love for the church… We are here for the silent sufferers in your midst, to be their support… and to offer ourselves as resources for parishes and dioceses. We long to share with you the great transformative work the Lord is doing in our lives.”
Anglican Communion Alliance tour
The Anglican Communion Alliance (formerly the Anglican Essentials Federation) is concluding a cross-Canada speaking tour with Canon George Kovoor, principal of Trinity College (Bristol, UK) and chaplain to the Queen. Speaking engagements began in Victoria on May 21 and end in Halifax with a two-day meeting, June 2 & 3, immediately prior to the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) general synod in Halifax. ACA will be working at general synod much as Anglican Essentials did at previous synods. The ACA website contains more information on their plans for synod. ACA requests prayer that God would use these meetings for His glory and to bring about a change of heart in the ACoC.
Anglican Communion Alliance leaders quoted in media
In a story on the upcoming Anglican church of Canada (ACoC) general synod, The Record, a Kitchener newspaper, quotes both the chair and vice-chair of the Anglican Communion Alliance (ACA) – formerly the Anglican Essentials Federation. Commenting on the loss of trust within the ACoC, the Rev Murray Henderson, ACA vice-chair, says both liberal and conservative Anglicans have broken trust, the liberals by going ahead with same-sex blessings and the conservatives by not respecting other bishops’ jurisdictions in offering oversight to disaffected Anglicans. The Rev Dr Brett Cane, chair of ACA, welcomes synod’s small group discussion format and sees the Covenant as key to the whole global Church discerning Scriptural counsel and the Holy Spirit’s leading.
Dying churches
A series of articles in the Long Free Press examines the epidemic of church closures in Canada across a number of denominations, including the Anglican Church of Canada, and the rapid growth in the number of Canadians reporting adherence to “no religion”. Part two in the series offers hope, reporting that “…40% of young people who are now not active in religious groups still indicated they're not closed to the idea of greater participation.” Part three discusses some innovative options various denominations are using and reports, “The reality for the Christian church in Canada is that it exists in a post-Christian society. The churches that aren't growing are those that can't accept that change…”
Demonizing evangelicals
The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) has responded to a new book by Marci McDonald called “The Armageddon Factor”, the theme of which is that Canadians need to understand and respond to the threat of Evangelical Christians’ influence in government and society. McDonald says, “…non-believers — atheists, non-Christians and even Christian secularists — have no place, and those in violation of biblical law, notably homosexuals and adulterers, would merit severe punishment and the sort of shunning that once characterized a society where suspected witches were burned.”
The EFC counters that this charge flies in the fact of the track record of evangelicals in Canada. They say, “…journalists and writers, including Paul Wells with Maclean's [and Charles Lewis in the National Post], have pointed out a variety of problems in the leaps in logic that McDonald makes as she seeks to prove the existence of a take-over conspiracy on the part of Evangelicals. For our part, we regret McDonald's failure to acknowledge the possibility that Evangelicals can be motivated to participate in public life from a belief in God's purposes for a just society that cares for the vulnerable and respects human dignity, while respecting the democratic principles that welcome difference of opinion. Indeed, the EFC promotes the importance of a plurality of views in the public square and celebrates the positive benefits that emerge from the contribution of many voices. By… advising Canadians to shun us and our contribution to Canadian society, McDonald undermines the same democratic values she claims to espouse.”
Other Canada news
Anglican Journal – May 19 2010 – Bishop Lawrence Robertson elected to the diocese of Yukon
Anglican Journal – May 17 2010 – Punishment without the requisite crime
The Church of England Newspaper – May 21 2010 – Montreal diocese opposes government plans to ban the veil
News shorts – United States
TEC Communion ties stronger than ever, says Presiding Bishop
In an interview with the Greenville News, the Episcopal Church’s (TEC) Presiding Bishop said TEC now has stronger relationships with other provinces in the Anglican Communion than it did prior to consecrating homosexual bishops and that reaction to the 2003 consecration of Bishop Gene Robinson seems to have died down. She added, “There are certainly parts of the Anglican Communion that continue to be unhappy with the Episcopal Church and the church in Canada, but we continue to build relationships across the communion, mission partnerships, and I think those are probably stronger than they were 10 years ago, and there are more of them.”
Video of recent TEC consecration service shows syncretistic ceremony
StandFirm in Faith provides a video of the recent consecration of two bishops in Los Angeles, one of whom was Mary Glasspool who is in a same-sex relationship. The ceremony begins with a North American Indian smudging ceremony which is said to help cleanse both physically and spiritually. The Church of England Newspaper said it was, “a colorful three-hour ceremony that incorporated traditional Episcopal symbols and liturgy with shamanism and a mosaic of ethnic and cultural motifs”.
Utah elects new bishop
The Living Church News Service reports that the Diocese of Utah elected the Rev Canon Scott B Hayashi as its next bishop, rejecting the candidate in an opening same-sex relationship.
Other US news
St Petersburg Times – May 16 2010 – Episcopal holy war highlighted at one church
Living Church – May 17 2010 – Lambeth silent after Glasspool consecration
Florida Times-Union – May 20 2010 – Displaced Anglican church finds new home
VirtueOnline – May 18 2010 – The end of the Anglican Communion as we know it
News shorts – International
Canterbury responds (finally) to TEC’s defiance of the Anglican Communion
Although TEC announced months ago that it would proceed with the consecration of a second bishop in a same-sex relationship, the Archbishop of Canterbury waited until May 28 to respond. In his Pentecost letter to the Communion, he announces plans to sanction ALL provinces in violation of any of the three moratoria: consecrating bishops in same-sex relationships, blessing same-sex relationships, and cross-border interventions.
According to the Telegraph, that sanction “…will involve [the offending provinces] being asked to step down from formal ecumenical dialogues such as those with Orthodox Churches or the Roman Catholic Church, and being denied decision-making powers in the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order that handles questions of church doctrine and authority. The heads of all the national Anglican churches, known as the Primates, will discuss the Archbishop’s plan at their next scheduled meeting in January.”
As with previous communications from Canterbury, this letter is open to a range of interpretations. Some orthodox commentators are responding favourably saying that Dr Williams is suggesting he might disinvite offending primates from future Primate’s Meetings, and perhaps even encourage the suspension from Communion bodies of representatives from offending provinces. Others commentators are more skeptical. The Rev Edward Tomlinson provides a critique of the letter on his St Barnabas’ blog in which he addresses the theology of the letter as well as the proposed sanctions. His assessment is that the letter comprises a “…vapid response with a punishment that will do precisely nothing to address the problems in hand…” He continues, “I have no doubt that Rowan Williams is a kind man who genuinely wants to keep everyone on board…. But the more I read this mealy mouthed letter the more certain I am that Rowan Williams embraces a liberal agenda on the quiet or answers to powers that demand it of him.”
The following are excerpts from Dr Williams’ letter:
“Our Anglican fellowship continues to experience painful division, and the events of recent months have not brought us nearer to full reconciliation. There are still things being done that the representative bodies of the Communion have repeatedly pleaded should not be done; and this leads to recrimination, confusion and bitterness all round. It is clear that the official bodies of The Episcopal Church have felt in conscience that they cannot go along with what has been asked of them by others, and the consecration of Canon Mary Glasspool on May 15 has been a clear sign of this. And despite attempts to clarify the situation, activity across provincial boundaries still continues – equally dictated by what people have felt they must in conscience do. Some provinces have within them dioceses that are committed to policies that neither the province as a whole nor the Communion has sanctioned. In several places, not only in North America, Anglicans have not hesitated to involve the law courts in settling disputes, often at great expense and at the cost of the Church’s good name.
“…we are constantly reminded that the priorities of mission are experienced differently in different places, and that trying to communicate the Gospel in the diverse tongues of human beings can itself lead to misunderstandings and failures of communication between Christians. The sobering truth is that often our attempts to share the Gospel effectively in our own setting can create problems for those in other settings.
“…I am therefore proposing that, while these tensions remain unresolved, members of… provinces that have formally, through their Synod or House of Bishops, adopted policies that breach any of the moratoria requested by the Instruments of Communion and recently reaffirmed by the Standing Committee and the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO) – should not be participants in the ecumenical dialogues in which the Communion is formally engaged. I am further proposing that members of such provinces serving on IASCUFO should for the time being have the status only of consultants rather than full members.
“…Some complain that we are condemned to endless meetings that achieve nothing. I believe that in fact we have too few meetings that allow proper mutual exploration.”
England House of Bishops counsel no delay on women-bishops legislation
The Church of England House of Bishops has issued a statement on the proposed legislation to allow female bishops in the Church. They urge no further delay, saying most bishops believe, "it is crucial to keep faith with the present process. They see no grounds for believing that the issues with which the Church is grappling will become significantly easier to resolve with the passage of time.” While acknowledging that the House of Bishops is as divided on the matter as the rest of the Church, the statement said a majority of bishops “strongly support the admission of women to the episcopate”, however, “there remains a strong commitment on the part of the House to preserve an honoured place within the Church of England for those unable to receive this development.” The bishops also say that the next meeting of Synod in July “has the potential to be one of the most demanding meetings of the Synod for many years”.
Orthodox Anglicans in England concerned about growing threat
In the wake of the consecration of a second openly gay bishop by the Episcopal Church (US) and with the Church of England’s (CoE) upcoming contentious debate over the consecration of female bishops, an article in SPREAD urges orthodox Anglicans in England to move quickly to take legal action to protect themselves and their church properties. The Rev Charles Raven writes, “…given the revisionist trajectory along which the Church of England seems set to travel, the need for parallel structures based on the formation of charitable trusts which give an independent legal identity in law seems to be an essential precaution to safeguard continued Anglican gospel witness. A large parish church which is financially and socially strong might consider taking such a step unnecessary, but a recent change in the law governing charities in England and Wales has helped to expose how weak the legal position of a parish church really is.”
Correction
In the last newsletter, Bishop Tom Wright was erroneously said to be the Bishop of Southwark. Bishop Tom Butler is the retire Bishop of Southward, while Bishop Wright is Bishop of Durham.
News in brief from around the world and the Communion
Iran – The Christian Broadcasting Network reports that the two Christian women who were arrested in March 2009 for their faith have finally been acquitted and freed. CBN said: “They endured eight months of repeated interrogations and solitary confinement in Tehran's notorious Evin prison. They refused to recant their faith in Christ, even though it meant they could have gone free.” Compass Direct News reports the women “… were warned that any future Christian activity in Iran will be seriously dealt with.”
Egypt – The appalling saga of an Egyptian Christian and his family legally prevented from changing their stated religion from Muslim to Christian on their government-issued identity cards and forced into hiding, shows how even purportedly moderate Muslim countries have become radicalized and how little freedom and how much persecution Christians endure. Under Islamic Sharia law, Christians who convert from Islam are considered apostate and could be killed.
Zimbabwe – An article in the Zimbabwe Daily News provides fascinating background to the current conflict in the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe, where a bishop who was excommunicated by the Province of Central Africa in 2008, Nolbert Kunonga, has successfully used his political connection to the dictator, President Robert Mugabe, to keep the majority of Anglicans in the country out of their church buildings. According to the article, the 2001 election of Kunonga as bishop was engineered by Mugabe to silence past criticism of his government by the church and bring it under his indirect control.
Subsequently, Kunonga divided the church on racial lines, pushing out Caucasians and purged clerical ranks of any seen to be disloyal to Mugabe. In 2003, Mugabe gave Kunonga a large farm and huge house confiscated from a white farmer. Although the Province elected a new bishop in 2009, it is reported that Kunonga continues to use his political connections to control the police and keep parishioners, clergy and the new legitimate bishop from the church buildings. The article says, that, “…in 2007 Kunonga called Mugabe “a prophet of God who was sent to deliver the people of Zimbabwe from bondage”. He was put on the United States and European Union sanctions lists, together with Mugabe and his cronies.”
Zambia – The Church of England Newspaper reports that Zambian church leaders are opposing pressure from western countries and aid agencies intent on removing all Christian references from the country’s constitution and promoting secularization and acceptance of homosexuality. The article reports, “Bishop Robert Mumbi of Luapulu stated the homosexual lifestyle that was being promoted by the West violated Christian beliefs and African values… However, God’s truth was unchanging and the integrity of the Anglican Church in Zambia was not for sale. The church would not take Western cash to support its development projects if required to endorse the campaign to mainstream homosexuality, the bishop said.”
India – A “religious cleansing” rally is being organized in Madhya Pradesh state that is designed to re-convert Christians back to the Hindu religion. Rallies like this one, called a kumbh, were originally gatherings of ‘holy men’ to discuss Hinduism, but have evolved into anti-Christian rallies propagating violence. According to Compass Direct News, escalation in armed mob intimidation, death threats and police-assisted harassment has resulted from past rallies. Organizers intend to “rid Mandla district of all Christian influence” and hope for two million participants in the rally.
England – A campaign is mounting to remove Church of England bishops from the House of Lords – an institution roughly equivalent to the Canadian Senate. Speaking to the Times Online, the Right Rev Lord Harries of Pentregarth says, “…it is worth keeping the bishops because they act as a kind of symbol of the Queen in Parliament under God. We say prayer to indicate that Parliament is accountable not only to the electorate but to God.” The article also quotes the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, as having told his peers, “Ours is a sacred trust: to remind your lordships’ House of the common law of this nation in which true religion and virtue, morals and law are intermingled.”
International media coverage
The Church of England Newspaper – May 24 2010 – The Communion waits upon Dr Williams to speak about Mary Glasspool
The Church of England Newspaper – May 14 2010 – Corruption charges brought against the Moderator of the CSI [Church of South India]
The Church of England Newspaper – May 14 2010 – Bishop Dorai arrested [Church of South India]
Soul food
God’s created order marred by sin
Homosexuality and marriage – A Christianity Today article entitled “Same sex, different marriage” addresses the argument that same sex marriage has no impact on traditional marriage. The author writes, “In testimony before the US Congress, a “New York University professor Judith Stacey… said changing the [US] law to allow same-sex partners to marry would help "supplant the destructive sanctity of the family" and help it assume "varied, creative, and adaptive contours," including "small group marriages."” The article also notes a San Francisco study of homosexual couples which found that “…approximately two-thirds of long-term male couples who have been together for five years or more are honestly non-monogamous.” This San Francisco study lead the New York Times to speculate that the increased prevalence of same-sex relationships could “rewrite the traditional rules of matrimony” and increase the acceptance on non-monogamous marriages – which the Times saw as a potentially positive development.
Chuck Colson has also written an excellent commentary on the long-term societal consequences of redefining marriage.
Worth reading
In a powerful Christian Post article, Pastor Tullian Tchizidjian, the new pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale and evangelist Billy Graham’s grandson, addresses the tension Christians face being “in the world” but not “of the world”. He says, “Becoming “all things to all people” does not mean fitting in with the fallen patterns of this world so that there is no distinguishable difference between Christians and non-Christians…The ideas, values, and passions of the kingdom of God will always collide with the ideas, values, and passions of the kingdom of this world. And where this collision happens, we need to stand our ground…. [I]nstead of being culturally removed on the one hand or culturally relaxed on the other, we should seek to be culturally resistant.… We must not fear being different. If we do, we’ll never make a difference. It’s only as we faithfully refuse to “fit in” that we unleash God’s renewing power in this world. So, in our attempt to make contact, we must always beware of leaning over so far that we fall in.”
Inspirational quote
When You fill my soul I have an even greater hunger, and I grow more famished for Your light. I desire above all to see You, the true Light, as You really are. - St Catherine of Siena
Just for fun
How many church-goers does it take to change a light bulb?
Charismatic – Only 1. Hands are already in the air.
Pentecostal – 10. One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.
Presbyterians – None. Lights will go on and off at predestined times.
Roman Catholic – None. Only candles allowed.
Southern Baptists – At least 15. One to change the light bulb, plus three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad and fried chicken.
Anglicans/Episcopalians – 3. One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks, and one to talk about how much better the old one was.
Methodists – Undetermined. “Whether your light is bright, dull or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb or tulip bulb. Bring a bulb of your choice to the Sunday lighting service and a covered dish to share.”
Nazarene – 6. One woman to replace the bulb while five men review church lighting policy.
Lutherans – None. Lutherans don't believe in change.
Mormons – 5. One man to change the bulb and four wives to tell him how to do it.
Unitarians – None. “We choose not to make a statement either in favour of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you, you are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your light bulb for the next Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, three-way, long-life and tinted – all of which are equally valid paths to illumination.”
Amish – What's a light bulb?
www.mikeysFunnies.com
Please pray...
For the Glenn family and the people of St George’s who are grieving the loss of Rhonda Glenn. Pray also for others in ANiC who are grieving.
For those who will be ordained to the priesthood:
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The Rev David Robinson on June 19, 3pm at St Alban’s (Ottawa, ON) |
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The Rev Michael Bickford at Holy Trinity (Marlborough, MA) on July 23 |
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.
For donations to ANiC to help meet the current budget shortfall.
For our bishops and clergy and their families. Especially Bishop Malcolm Harding.
For the Rev Ronda Nychka and son Adam and their ministry at the Yonge Street Mission in downtown Toronto to those living in economic, spiritual, and social poverty.
For funding of the Anglican Relief & Development Fund Canada’s Kenya Malaria Prevention Project. Funds are urgently needed to begin this life-saving and life-changing project.
For adequate funding of the legal cases and disputes involving ANiC congregations:
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For the Vancouver-area parishes appealing the earlier court decision, and for their legal counsel Geoff Cowper & Stanley Martin as they prepare for the appeal to be heard Sept 13-16. |
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For the Ottawa congregations newly embroiled in legal action. |
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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 legal damages against ANiC congregations and wardens. |
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That God will be glorified by our conduct 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 those in positions of leadership and influence in the Anglican Communion, that they would seek to honour and obey God above all else.
For Christians facing violence and persecution in Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, India, and other Muslim and Hindu countries.
For the Rev Jess & Erica Cantelon, commissioned by ANiC to minister in Israel where Jess serves as curate of Christ Church Jerusalem and as chaplain of the Anglican International School.
That our nation would return to God and His moral principles.
And now a word from our sponsor
One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving...
Ps 62:11-12a NIV
To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us.
Psalm 123:1-2 ESV
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