North Augusta Anglican

Holy Trinity at the Mere Anglicanism Conference

2012-02-14T02:16:00.000-08:00

In January a number of us attended the Mere Anglicanism Conference in Charleston. Along on this pilgrimage were Bill and Brenda Bargeloh, Twyla Tuten, Monte Steedley, Nancy Hartley and Fr. Rob. It took place at the beautiful and historic St. Phillips Church. Brenda Bargeloh said walking into St. Phillip’s was like walking into a wedding cake.

The speakers were from throughout the Anglican Communion: The Rt. Hon. Richard Chartres, Bishop of London; The Rev. Dr. Richard Turnbull, Principle, Wycliffe Hall, Oxford; Dr. John McCardell, Vice Chancellor, The University of the South (Fr. Dan’s Seminary); The Rt. Rev. Dr. Michael Nazir-Ali, retired bishop of Rochester, England; The Very Rev. Dr. Justyn Terry, Dean, Trinity School for Ministry (Rev. Nancy’s and Fr. Rob’s Seminary); the Most Rev Dr. Ben Kwashi, Archbishop of the Anglican Province of Nigeria; and, of course, The Rt. Rev. Mark Lawrence, Bishop of SC… a most impressive and fascinating lineup of speakers. Here are some memorable gleanings to share with you:

Dr. Turnbull

… Commenting on the Anglican inclination toward church structure, he says, "Church Order is to enhance proper doctrine. Order without doctrine [and by “doctrine” he is referring to our biblical and apostolic heritage] is not classic Anglicanism.”

Dr. Chartes

… The Book of Common Prayer has been at the center of the theological and spiritual identity of Anglicanism since it was first written during the Protestant Reformation. It is a mosaic of Scripture aimed at lifting the human heart up to God.

Bishop Nazir-Ali

… What do we as a church need to be doing today? …Zealously proclaiming the uniqueness of Christ which speaks to His universality in all times and to all people.

Bishop Lawrence

... Whatever else we know or say about the church and its current state, we know that Christ loves it and has purified it such that it is without “spot or blemish.”

Dr. Terry

… “We re-order our lives to conform to a distorted world, but the Church calls us to live right-side-up in an up-side-down world.

...Our mission as Anglicans is to turn the world right-side-up, beginning with the re-ordering of our own lives according to God.”

…Many people don’t perceive the binary systems in the Bible; Sheep and goats for example. There are no goatish sheep or sheepish goats. To see things in shades of gray is today considered indicative of one’s sophistication.

… “Our scientific thinking is describing a fallen world.”

… Quoting George MacDonald: “We want to be fed out of silos; God wants to feed us by hand.”

Archbishop Kwashi…

... Quoting Evelyn Underhill, “The man whose life is colored with prayer will win souls.”

…The three priorities in Bp Kwashi’s ministry are prayer, preaching (teaching), and mission (evangelism).

... Authentic teaching will lead to wholistic life-change.

...“We face the same devil as the apostles did: false teachers.”

…“We have left young people to the mercies of the world: video games, TV, etc.”

During the Conference we also immersed ourselves in inspiring worship… a Choral Evensong, The Daily Office each morning, and a Festal Eucharist at the conclusion of the conference.

This conference sent me home with a joyful heart and a renewed zeal to do my part in growing the Kingdom of God in this corner of our hugely challenging world. Fr. Rob

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper

2012-02-13T04:20:00.000-08:00

February 21,

5:30 pm to 8:00 pm

$3.00 per plate, children under 12 free

All proceeds and donations to go to the

Augusta Rescue Mission

Call 803-341-0075 for tickets and directions.

or visit www.holytrinityna.org

Many churches celebrate an annual event known as “Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper.” At Holy Trinity this year, Shrove Tuesday is going to be the venue for raising funds for the Augusta Rescue Mission.

The Augusta Rescue Mission, located on Walker Street in downtown Augusta, has been ministering to the homeless of the Augusta area since 1965. They address the cycle of homelessness among men by creating a healing environment and seeking to arm them with sound decision-making abilities and life skills.

Fr. Rob… “As a pastor who has regular contact with the homeless of our area, as many pastors do, I have a great appreciation for the work of the Augusta Rescue Mission. We would love to be a support to them in any way we can, and this is one way we can.”

Shrove Tuesday is a centuries-old tradition. The name Shrove has its root in an old English word meaning “to confess.” Shrove Tuesday was a time to confess sins and prepare for the penitential the Season of Lent. It was also a time to use up food items such as fats, eggs and milk that would be given up as part of an upcoming Lenten fast. The English tradition of eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday came about as a way to use up these food items. In France, the consumption of all fats and fatty foods on this day became known as "Fat Tuesday" or Mardi Gras.

Three Challenges for the New Year

2012-01-10T04:50:00.000-08:00

As we enter this New Year, I have three challenges to offer to The Church of the Holy Trinity, North Augusta:

1.      That all our activities and programs as a church family this year are intentional about bringing others into a life-changing relationship with Jesus and growing us all into a Christ-like character.

2.      That this church family continue to be a place where we (and others yet outside this fellowship) learn to fully submit to the good and perfect will of God for our lives. Until we lay before God the brokenness in our lives that has come upon us simply by living in this world… until we confess the weakness of our own flesh to cling to our brokenness and dysfunction… until we renounce the things in our lives that are clearly under the influence of the Evil One, our transformation into Christ-likeness and the appropriation of the Christian virtues is going to be hindered.

3.      That we live ever more fully into the blessings that are to be found in our communion with God and with each other.

Father Rob

Epiphany

2012-01-10T04:38:00.000-08:00

The church celebrates seven principle ‘feasts’ throughout the year. One of them occurs this month known as The Feast of the Epiphany (Jan. 6). Being part of a Church that is 2000 years old, we have inherited a lot of older language, such as the word ‘feast.’ Today we would perhaps use a word like ‘celebration,’ to designate these special and meaningful observances. The word ‘Epiphany’ means ‘manifestation’ or ‘appearance.’ Epiphany is celebrated at the close of the 12 days of Christmas and celebrates the arrival of the Magi (The Three Wise Men) at Bethlehem. Since it is a feast that normally does not occur on a Sunday, we tend to include the coming of the Magi in with our Christmas celebration.
The Feast of the Epiphany also ushers in The Season of Epiphany. This season provides us a bridge from the Advent-Christmas Season to the Lent-Easter Season. During Epiphany, we explore scripturally and liturgically the theme of Christ being made ‘manifest’ to the world.

Annual Parish Meeting

2012-01-09T19:29:00.000-08:00

Great meeting! May to God be the glory!

Annual Parish Meeting January 8

2011-12-29T04:01:00.000-08:00

Beginning with a Covered-dish luncheon after the Eucharist
The annual parish meeting is a gathering of all of us to celebrate what the Lord has done among us and for us this past year and to share a vision for the year to come. We will hear from the clergy and wardens, select new vestry members, and plan our outreach for the coming year, present a budget and talk about our stewardship and use of the time, talent, and resources God has given us. Paula Wahl is pulling together a comprehensive report (2012 Annual Parish Report). Ministry leaders need to be sure they have gotten their reports to Paula for inclusion.

Profile of the Virtues, Belief and Practices of Christian Community

2011-12-05T08:42:00.000-08:00

At Holy Trinity, transformation of our lives into the likeness of Christ is a priority for the community. We could hardly call ourselves Christians (little Christ) without this being so.

The Christian pilgrimage (corporately and individually) is one of moving ever more deeply into

Being like Christ… Knowing the Mind of Christ... Doing the work of the followers of Christ.

“Being” like Christ

(Christian virtues that define a mature Christian community)

· Joy John 5:11

· Peace Philippians 4:6-7

· Faithfulness to God Proverbs 3:3-4

· Self Control 1 Thess 5:6

· Love 1 John 4:10-12

· Patience Proverbs 14:29

· Kindness/Goodness 1 Thess 5:15

· Gentleness Philippians 4:5

· Compassion Psalm 82:3-4

· Generosity 1 Tim 6:18

· Humility Philippians 2:3-4

· Hope Hebrews 6:17-20

“Knowing” the Mind of Christ

(Christian beliefs that shape the community)

· The Trinity 2 Cor 13:14

· Salvation by Grace Eph 2:8-9

· Authority of Scripture 2 Tim 3:16-17

· A Personal, relational God Psalm 121

· Our “Identity” in Christ John 1:12-13

· The Church Eph 4:15-16

· Humanity and “The Fall” John3:16

· Eternity John 14:1-4

· Stewardship of All God Has Given Us 1 Tim 6:17-19

“Doing” the Work of the Followers of Christ

(Christian practices that are the mission and calling of the community)

· Worshipping Psalm 95:1-7

· Praying Psalm 66: 16-20

· Studying / Growing Heb 4:12

· Focusing on God’s Priorities for your Life Matt 6:33

· Fellowshipping Acts 2:42-47

· Using Spiritual Gifts 1 Cor 12:1-31

· Giving Your Time Col 3:17

· Giving Your Resources 2 Cor 8:7

· Sharing Your Faith Eph 6:19-20

· Giving Yourself to God’s Plan and Purposes Rom 12:1-2

Primary source: The Connecting Church: Beyond Small Groups to Authentic Community, Randy Frazee

The Season of Advent

2011-11-17T07:45:00.000-08:00

The Season of Pentecost is coming to an end the Season of Advent is about to begin. There are six liturgical seasons reflected on the Church calendar: Advent-Christmas; Epiphany,;Lent-Easter; and Pentecost.

The seasons of the church year have a long and rich history and have developed around themes emphasizing aspects of the Christian journey and experience. The Advent-Christmas cycle focuses on the Incarnation, God coming and dwelling among us. The Lent-Easter cycle is about The Lord’s Resurrection and God raising us to new life in the Risen Christ. Incarnation and Resurrection are the two anchors of the Christian year. These two great seasons of celebration are each preceded by a season of preparation (Lent, Advent). The Sunday readings assigned to these seasons reflect these themes.

There is also what is called Ordinary Time between these two great seasonal celebrations of Lent-Easter and Advent-Christmas. Ordinary Time are the Season of Epiphany and the Season of Pentecost.

With the arrival of Advent we begin a new church year. The word Advent means coming or arrival. Since it is the season before Christmas, it is logically about getting ready for Jesus’ First Coming, but if we listen to the readings that are assigned from the lectionary during Advent, we quickly realize that it is also about getting ready for Jesus’ Second Coming, which is the long-waited completion of Christ’s redemptive work in the world.

It might seem strange to us that Advent, the first season of the Church year, is also about the very end of things. It makes the strong theological point, however, that the flow of history, including Salvation History, has purpose direction and destination. History is not a randomly stitched together series of events; rather, it is headed somewhere and God is in the driver’s seat. There is a divine destination for all of us, and the Season of Advent is about discovering the Way to that destination. The Way is, of course, Jesus. Therefore, whether we are talking about Jesus’ first coming as a baby lying in a feeding trough in a stable at Bethlehem 2000 years ago, or about Jesus coming in power and glory at the End Times, Advent is about God coming to us; thus we have the great cry of Advent, “Come, O Come, Emmanuel!”

Father Rob

New Wednesday Evening Bible Study Series

2011-11-17T07:11:00.000-08:00

The Story

Beginning the 1^st Wednesday of Advent (Nov. 30)

The Story explores the “Grand Narrative” of Scripture

from Genesis to Revelation in five movements:

The Beginning of the Story

The Story of the Israel

The Story of Jesus

The Story of the Church

The End of the Story

We will work our way through Scripture looking at how God’s story intersects with our story.

Material will be ordered for each of us: please sign up on the board in the parish hall.

Beauty from Ashes: A Personal Reflection on Our Church’s Inner Healing Ministry, by Laura Coppernoll

2011-11-17T07:07:00.000-08:00

What a pleasure it is to share with everyone some of the things God has done for me through the healing ministry. My experience has been none other than wonderful. So many times in our lives we have ups and downs. We say things like, “Oh this is too small for God to bother with, I can handle it,” I don’t want to burden Him with this, there are others who need help more than I do.” Or “ I could never tell anyone about that, it’s too bad and they wouldn’t understand.” Although these are thoughts and feelings that are normal to each of us, they are simply not true. They are lies the enemy tells us to keep us away from God’s great healing He has in store for us. The truth is, God DOES want us to come to Him about every little or big thing in our lives. He already knows about it anyway. He just wants us to talk to Him about it and open that door for Him to come in and do His wonderful work.

The thorns we carry are often so painful that the thought of speaking about them or touching them are almost unbearable to think. Some things may have been carried so long we think they are too old to even bother with. Fortunately for us we have a Father that never gives up on us and loves us way too much to leave us where we are. Matthew 11:28 says it very clearly, “Come to me ALL who labor and are heavy laden and I WILL give you rest.” He didn’t say only the ones who feel like it should come, He said all should come.

Isn’t that exciting to know we can come to Him with anything no matter how big or small. In my personal experience with inner healing, I bought into all the lies the enemy told me at first until I realized God did care about the things that had been buried for 20 years, or the things I thought were too embarrassing or painful to share with Him or anyone else. I had myself talked into failure before I ever gave God the chance to work. My first few times meeting with people from the healing team were pretty painful. It was hard with so much emotion and pain to see where God was working in the beginning, and pouring out my feelings to practical strangers was by far not fun. A friend once told me, “The battle is the hardest at the gate.” That statement is very true. I wanted to give up and go back to the place I thought was safe, where I had blocked all the memories from the past. That was another great lie from the enemy. He doesn’t want us to be healed and exchange our sorrows, pain and misery for forgiveness, acceptance and healing from our Father. Our secret safe places where we hide all these things are not safe at all. In fact, it is the opposite. The only safe place for all our burdens is with Jesus.

Meeting with the healing team to lay out all the mess I had buried away for so many years was a blessing that has changed my life forever. The Holy Spirit led these meetings and was very gentle as we revisited old memories. He transformed old, hidden, scary memories into beautiful treasures. Things that were so unbearable to think about are now something that I can talk to anyone about with joy. That is amazing! Only our loving Father could take something in which we see no hope or restoration and turn it into something beautiful,

So my brothers and sisters in Christ, I encourage you to embrace the healing ministry at Holy Trinity and use it. It is a gift God has given us to use. And always remember nothing is impossible with God.

Only God can turn… a mess into a message... a test into a testimony...a trial into a triumph... a victim into a victor

Parsih Teaching Weekend

2011-11-04T03:01:00.000-07:00

All in the broader community are invited to...

A weekend of

drawing closer to God

through

drawing closer to one another

November 11 and 12

(Fri. Night, Sat. Morning and Sat. Evening)

“Being Kingdom People”

"Being Kingdom People, An Outpost of the Kingdom of God."
Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday evening, November 11-12 we will explore what it means to be the Church. Perhaps you haven't noticed, but we don't always get "Being Church" right...

for details: 803-341-0075 or robhartley@comcast.net

Waiting on the Lord

2011-10-09T04:51:00.000-07:00

The Rev. Rick Barbare

Isaiah 40:29-31- [God] gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. [NKJV]

Why the wait? We often think a thing is denied if we ask God to intervene in our lives and nothing happens right away. We think, “I prayed, but God has denied my request!” The wife of a famous pastor in the early Twentieth Century was fond of saying to those who were impatient, “God’s delays are not necessarily God’s denials.”

We often expect God to act immediately when we pray. We say the right things, don’t we? We love everyone as we ought? Why then do we not have ___________. (Fill in the blank of that sentence with what you are asking of God and yet have not seen happen.) He has not said “no,” nor has he rejected the one praying.

We are not waiting because God wants us to merit his blessing through harder labors or more ardent sacrifices. I hope we are certain Christ has paid the full price for our forgiveness and blessing! The wait cannot be because we are not good enough yet, because we are already “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6).

Still there is waiting. Why? Bill Hybels in his book on prayer gives a memorable aphorism for us to use to examine ourselves to see why God may be delaying his answer to our prayers. Hybels suggests there are four possible answers to prayer when we are waiting for long periods for God to act.

· When the request is not right, God says, “No!” We are grateful later when we see his wisdom in not giving us what we ask for.

· The request may be right, but we may not be right with God concerning some other matter. At that point God says, “Grow!”

· At other times, the request may be right and we may be right with God on all other matters. However, the timing may not be right. Then, God says, “Slow!”

· But, when the request is right, we are right with God, and the timing is right; God says, “Go!”

Waiting, while praying for God to act, is not a futile action. It is meaningful if we are seeking God while we are seeking his blessing. William Jay, early nineteenth century preacher used to tell this story.

A sailing vessel sank in the Atlantic Ocean, but the crew was able to safely enter the lifeboat and escape. As the small lifeboat drew near a large ship, a crew member threw them a rope. Looking at the rescue no one would think the small boat is drawing the large ship closer to it. No. It is the other way around. The ship’s crew is pulling the small lifeboat to the large ship—to safety.

Jay would then make the application to prayer—

In prayer, Christians are not pulling God down to them to compel him to act on their behalf. In prayer, believers are drawing themselves and their needs closer to God so he can act in his way, for their best interest, and in his own time.

Prayer—waiting on God—is a relational matter. God draws us closer to himself as he prepares to act on our behalf. We see him at work in us and for us. We then go to others and speak first-handedly of the great things God has done for us. We were close to him when he acted, so we can speak with personal experience about it. Through our testimony, they are encouraged to trust him too! We ought not to despair of God’s ability and willingness to act for us if we are waiting long in prayer. Our wait is never wasted. God is at work through it all.

If we are at present going through a painful wait, C. H. Spurgeon’s words will be of great comfort—

Father, prepare us for the height of blessing to which you have called us. Help us to receive gratefully the painful preliminaries necessary to fully receive your highest good to us.

To his prayer, let us always add in faith, “Amen!”

The Spiritual Lives of America’s Young People

2011-10-09T04:37:00.000-07:00

By Fr. Rob

Two very interesting books have been the focus of my reading recently: Soul Searching by Christian Smith and Melinda Denton (about the spiritual lives of teenagers 13-17); and Souls in Transition (about the spiritual lives of young adults, 18-27) also by Christian Smith. These books are based on surveys done concerning the spiritual lives of young people. I found a few surprises and a number of affirmations. I will attempt to summarize them for you:

1. Young people with spiritual roots and church connections statistically do better in life. This includes such areas as social interaction, relationships, school, and general happiness. They tend to exhibit less guilt over behavior and past wrongs, are more future oriented, and are more effectively seek meaning, purpose and productive direction for their lives. It is clear from these studies that these life outcomes trend in the positive direction with deepening levels of faith commitment.

2. A common perception is that there are fewer teenagers and young adults than in previous generations seeking connection with God and His Church. These studies do not support this assumption. While religion is definitely not a priority for most teenagers, many today are remaining in the church, usually in the faith community of their parents, and the number doing so is not significantly different from teens 40 years ago.

3. It is true, however, that many struggle with articulating their faith, and many simply lapse into a form of “moralistic therapeutic deism” (a faith based on God expecting them to live right but who is otherwise detached and uninvolved… In other words, they are on their own). This displaces for many an authentic Christian experience based on a loving, growing relationship with God and neighbor, one that empowers, transforms, stabilizes life and provides purpose.

4. We all know that the teen years involve a growing independence and an absorption into peer groups. The message parents often get is “butt out,” and American parents are frequently willing to comply. This is particularly true on issues of spiritual growth. As a pastor, I have often heard as a pastor something like this: “My teenager doesn’t want to come to church or be part of the youth group, and I think he should make up his own mind.” The result is that many younger teenagers find themselves uncomfortably on their own with some of life’s toughest and most basic questions, such as their true identity and what is real, true, valuable and morally right. Studies show that most teenagers very badly want loving input (after all, it’s a scary world out there), but they want input and engagement on re-negotiated grounds that take into account their growing maturity and desired independence. This is when the art of parenting can be its most challenging, but also its most rewarding.

For us as a church family this means that we need to engage teens and young adults wherever and whenever we can. We need to help them bring faith issues out of the background of their lives and find a Faith that can positively shape their lives. We need to encourage young people to respect the faith of others but move beyond the modern cultural distortion that it is necessary to water down their own faith convictions in the process. Finally, knowing that parents are and have always been the key to the spiritual development of young people, we need to bring parents into our church fellowship and talk about the criticality of faith development along side physical and mental development in the life of their teens.

Holy Trinity: A Community of Grace

2011-10-09T04:32:00.000-07:00

Grace refers to the unearned favor of God showered upon our lives. It is God dealing with us not on our worthiness or merit, but on our needs, simply because we are the object of His unconditional love. This is the foundation upon which the “Kingdom of God” is being built. Holy Trinity, as an outpost of the Kingdom of God, is therefore called to become a “Community of Grace.”

We who are tainted with the ways of this world find that being a grace-filled community doesn’t come naturally; however (thanks be to God!), it does come supernaturally through the inner working of the Spirit of God in us and in our community. It is God who makes us a “Community of Grace.” We are the recipient of God’s grace and therefore called to be an instrument through which that grace is extended to others. We are therefore a community who is becoming…

Ø A place of unconditional love that is a sanctuary for the sinner, the broken- hearted and the wounded.

Ø The workplace of the Holy Spirit and a crucible for transformation and healing.

Ø A community from which God’s Truth is shared with the world.

Ø A place where people can be invited in just as they are, but knowing that God loves them too much to leave them where they are.

Ø A people learning to be loving and gracious because we ourselves have been treated with love and grace.

We are also a fellowship that is moving day-by-day toward holiness of life, not by our own works or merits, but by the grace of God’s activity within the community. Holiness is within our grasp because God has “graced” us with His Holy Spirit. The Church calls this “Sanctifying Grace.” Through God’s Sanctifying Grace, God has given us access to the marks of holiness, which are the “Fruit of the Spirit,”- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Jesus showed what grace-filled life living looks like:

Ø He treated all people as having great value , (Luke 7:36-50)

Ø Regarded each person as a beloved child of the Father, (Matthew 18:10-14)

Ø Hung out with the least desirable and the marginalized, (Matthew 9:9-13)

Ø Conveyed to God’s people unambiguous and un-compromised Truth, (Matthew 5:17-20)

Ø Taught that only God is to judge, (Matthew 13:24-30)

Ø Demonstrated that we are not to judge, but to forgive (John 8:1-11)

Ø Cared enough to listen and be the instrument of change for the stranger (John 4:4-30)

Ø Provided redemption and salvation to those who were lost to God., (Luke 19:1-10)

Ø Conveyed a hope and a purpose for this life. (Matthew 6:25-32)

So, how are we to be a Community of Grace? By…

Ø By not condemning, but helping others become aligned to God’s call on their lives

Ø understanding that others are a work in progress, just as you are (Matthew 7:3-5)

Ø unconditionally loving the unlovely, even when they are unable to love us back.

Ø caring for the stranger. (The Good Samaritan- Luke 10:25-37)

In other words, extending grace to others the way Jesus extends grace to you.

A Day with Moses

2011-10-09T04:07:00.000-07:00

Exodus 3:1-5

¹ Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian…
Maybe it’s not working for your father-in-law, but perhaps for you it is just another day like any other day.

and (Moses) led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

Many of us can describe the landscape of our lives as “desert.” Your desert, your wilderness wonderings through this life, may be arid, lacking vision and hope, bearing no fruit. For you, it may be living day after day with the affects of past trauma. It may be pain, disappoint… anxiety about the future… guilt about the past… broken relationships. There are a lot of things that can take a life and turn it into desert. Is there a far side to your wilderness? You hope there is! Perhaps you feel beyond hope… There seems to be no far side to your wilderness.

For Moses, his wilderness is framed by an abandonment of identity… Is he a prince of Egypt and master all things worldly, or is he just a shepherd who knows how to get by? Moses’ real identity, it turns out and He is soon to re-discover, is as a Hebrew, counted among the people of God, with a home in the very presence of God?

Moses’ wilderness is also framed by a loss of purpose and destiny. Does not God have something more for Moses? …for you? Jesus says that He came not just to bring life, but to bring it in abundance? Where is the abundance in the middle of your wilderness? What does God have for you on the far side of your wilderness wonderings?

² There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. ³ So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

God was on the far side of Moses’ wilderness just waiting for him to draw near. When he does, he gets a glimpse of the divine. How about you? Are you there yet?

⁴ When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”

In a tone of submission, obedience and awe, Moses says, “Here I am, Lord.” Like Moses, is this your day to submit to the Almighty? There is an alternative: You can turn around and head back out into the desert.

⁵ “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

God is inviting you into His holy presence, onto “Holy Ground.” Does God intend to sanctify your life and make it holy? That is obviously His plan for Moses. That is, for sure, God’s plan for you. Will you allow it? Will you today, perhaps a bit more than yesterday, open yourself to the sanctifying work of God’s Holy Spirit in you? This is the only way is you will be able to eternally remain in His presence and on this “Holy Ground.” The Church has long understood Christianity to be God’s invitation into the very presence of God, but first He asks us to “take off your sandals” that are so covered with the filth of our not-so-holy wilderness wonderings.

The story is far from over for Moses. God sets him on a grand adventure punctuated with power and purpose. What does God have in store for you as you move forward from this day?

Father Rob

Take Courage; Give Encouragement.

2011-08-21T03:06:00.001-07:00

by Father Rob

When I graduated from college in 1970, I had a brand new engineering degree and a matching job in Charlotte. The job came complete with what seemed to a 22 year-old young man to be a huge array of responsibilities and job expectations. Like many young people who find themselves freshly out of the somewhat sheltered environment of the college setting, I did not have a great deal of confidence in my ability to meet the challenge.

My first night in town was spent at my uncle’s home, and I’ll never forget what he told me over breakfast the next morning. “Soon enough you will be running that company,” he said. These brief words of encouragement became indelibly burned into my memory. Just when my confidence seemed to be lacking, he came alongside me and was confident for me. His efforts to supplement my waning belief in my abilities became pivotal in bolstering my courage for the challenging and rewarding profession that awaited me.

I retired from that company 31 years later. I was not exactly running the company as he had prophesied, but I had become a successful part of its management team. Would it have been different without my uncle’s gift of encouragement that morning many years ago? It is hard to know for sure, but I believe it would have.

Today in my totally new job as a priest, I often find myself a steady dispenser of encouragement. I come alongside folks in life’s hard and arid places, and I encourage them to press on to the far side of their dilemmas. The encouragement needed comes in many forms, and it may involve nothing more than instilling confidence that there is indeed a far side. It is important in any array of difficult circumstances for the person in need to know that neither God nor I have left them. Sometimes, my supportive presence is enough aid for them to begin the problem solving process independently. Confidence is also found by many in the “Comfortable Words,” as our liturgy phrases it; or the situation may require that I roll up my sleeves and help share the burden in whatever way I can. Courage is not only found in what I do, but in what I do not do, which includes withholding or delaying criticism even when warranted.

Our words have great power, particularly for those for whom we are a significant other. What is said when one is in need of the courage to begin new career, overcome obstacles great or small, or embark on any of life’s journeys has the power to determine the direction they may take. We can pronounce blessings or curses, encouragement or condemnation. Our words give the permission and the courage for that person to live into and actualize our words of encouragement. We can all be ministers of encouragement…. Are you?

Father Rob Hartley is the rector (pastor) of Holy Trinity Anglican Church in North Augusta. You can reach his blog, “North Augusta Anglican,” at http://holytrinityna.blogspot.com/

Sermon Notes from Sunday, August 7- 1Kings 19: 9-18- Elijah’s Cave

2011-08-16T12:02:00.000-07:00

The Story… At a big showdown on Mount Carmel, Elijah (and God, of course) dramatically defeats the prophets of Baal. Malevolent Queen Jezebel is not happy and vows to kill Elijah. Amazingly, even after being such a powerful instrument in the Lord’s hands, Elijah succumbs to a spirit of fear and depression by Jezebel’s threat. He flees south from Mt. Carmel and holes up in a cave deep in the Sinai desert on Mount Horeb.

The story at one level is about allowing “The World” to steal from us the promise, provision, protection and purpose God has for us. (“I am alone in all this, and they are seeking my life to take it away,” Elijah says.)

We can all become distracted by the “Jezebels” in our lives where we can longer hear the “still small voice” of God speaking truth, assurance, peace, direction and power for living into our lives. We can be consumed and blinded by problems, fear, bitterness, trauma, etc.

It is interesting that Elijah retreats to the “Mountain of God.” Mount Horeb, also known as Mount Sinai, is a place where God has the reputation for showing up. Whether by God’s design or Elijah’s intention, Elijah ends up where he was sure to encounter the Living God…and he does. And God asks Elijah, “What are you doing here?”

When the Jezebels in your life close in on you, do you put yourself in places where God has a reputation for showing up? Do you seek a place where you can hear the “still, small voice” of God speaking truth, assurance, peace and direction into your life? Is Holy Trinity that kind of place for you? Equally important… Are we making Holy Trinity that kind of place for others?

Fr. Rob

Stump the Priest Question #12- What is the difference between Episcopalians and Anglicans?

2011-07-30T04:56:00.001-07:00

The question is about the difference between “The Episcopal Church” and “The Anglican Church in North America,” both churches in the Anglican Tradition. Let me start by explaining a bit about Anglicanism.

Anglicanism has its roots in the 1900 year history of Christianity in the British Isles. Today there are approximately 80 million Anglicans worldwide. Anglicans see themselves as one expression of God’s One, Holy, Catholic (meaning “universal”) and Apostolic Church and is characterized by an emphasis on liturgical and sacramental worship, Protestant beliefs and a love of the great traditions of the Church. Anglicans are bound together by a “common worship,” which is expressed and propagated in the “Book of Common Prayer” first drafted in 1549 during the Protestant Reformation in England. Anglican churches are also largely bound together in what is known as the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The Episcopal Church was formed after the American Revolution as an ongoing expression of Anglicanism in the United States. In recent decades, however, the Episcopal Church has progressively taken on a revised view of Anglicanism and of the Apostolic Faith, what is known as Modernism and Modernist Theology. The Episcopal Church today, particularly among many of its clergy, understands the Faith in some ways inconsistently with the Faith of the Apostles as recorded in Scripture and the Faith of much of the Anglican Communion throughout the world.

Two salient issues differentiating Apostolic Christianity (classic Anglicanism) from Modernism (The Episcopal Church) are the authority of Scripture and the uniqueness Christ. This is far too limited a venue to fully explain, but in modernist thought the revelation of God in Scripture in many of its facets is seen as outdated and overridden by modern experience and human intellect. Similarly, the uniqueness of what God has done in Christ has given way to an openness and inclusivity that trumps the apostolic understanding and eyewitness experience of the person and work of Jesus.

This theological drift in the Episcopal Church and all its ramifications has caused a fragmentation in the Anglican Communion. Presently the Episcopal Church finds itself in what has been termed “impaired communion” with much of the Anglican Communion. North American Anglicans who could not go where the Episcopal Church is theologically headed and who wanted to stay with the broader Anglican Communion appealed to other provinces of the Anglican Communion to take them under their wing, at least in some interim fashion. This congregation, The Church of the Holy Trinity, is a good example. Holy Trinity was a church plant under the authority of the archbishop of Nigeria. The foreign archbishops subsequently have encouraged the formation of a new Anglican province under which orthodox Anglicanism could re-gather in North America. The Anglican Church in North America thus came into being. An Archbishop of this new province was consecrated, and dioceses have formed.

We thus have two expressions of Anglicanism in North America, one modernist, the other traditionally orthodox. We should note that there are many orthodox believers still in the Episcopal Church, particularly among the laity. There are also whole dioceses still in The Episcopal Church that are orthodox, such as the Diocese of SC (lower part of the state). But the Episcopal Church leadership and clergy have a strategy to redefine Episcopalianism. That process is essentially complete.

Sermon: 7th Sunday of Pentecost(Year A), July 31, 2011- Genesis 22:1-14, "Abraham", The Rev. Nancy Kenney

2011-07-27T02:54:00.000-07:00

God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you." So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you." Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, "Father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together.

When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place "The LORD will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided."

PRAY

One day, a Pastor was making a wooden trellis to support a climbing vine. As he was pounding away, he noticed that a little boy was watching him. The youngster didn't say a word, so the preacher kept on working, thinking the boy would leave. But he didn't. Pleased at the thought that his work was being admired, the pastor finally said, "Well, son, trying to pick up some pointers on gardening?"

"No," he replied. "I'm just waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer."

That boy was testing the Pastor….checking to see what he would do.

In today’s OT reading, Abraham is facing a TEST, too.

When I was in college, I went to the University of Tennessee. The first day of one of my classes, the Professor told the class that 1 in three of us would be back the next year. He said to look to your left at the person next to you and then look to the right to see that person. Only 1 of you will be back for your sophomore year. I was shocked! So when I had a TEST, I had the impression that they were trying to flunk me out of school and were looking for me to FAIL.

Later I went to Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA. It is a Christian school and the atmosphere was different. I was very anxious about my tests there, because this was Graduate School and I had been out of school for a number of years. When I came into the classroom for my first TEST in more than 20 years, I was surprised when the Professor opened with prayer and prayed for our success. He wanted us to pass the test and do well!

God has a TEST for Abraham in today’s OT reading. Do you think God wanted him to FAIL or SUCCEED?

PAUSE

Ok, let’s look at today’s reading again and put things into context.

First of all, it is important to remember some background about Abraham.

By faith, Abraham obeyed God and left his own family and country to go where God would show him. God made a covenant with Abraham, promising descendants, land and blessings. He and his wife had been promised a child even though they were in their old age, beyond childbearing years. They did not see the fulfillment of the promise soon enough, so they took things into their own hands and Abraham fathered a child by Sarah’s servant. After that, Sarah conceived a child…..their only child….Isaac….the child of God’s promise.

NOW we look at TODAY’S reading when Isaac is older.

God tested Abraham. He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you."

God said to take his son…..his ONLY son…..the one God knew he LOVED…….

And do WHAT? Offer him as a BURNT OFFERING!!

BURNT offering? You know what is left of a BURNT offering? NOTHING! ASHES! So give him up completely??

This seems ABSURD! UNREASONABLE at best!

God had promised Abraham that he would have many descendants and become a great nation! HOW can that happen when he will have NO children? In fact, God changed his name from Abram to Abraham which means “Father of a multitude”. How can that happen when Isaac is a pile of ashes?

Gordon Wenham, a biblical commentator, says that what God is calling Abraham to do is to relinquish the FUTURE by offering Isaac as a sacrifice. (Wenham pg 283 (World Biblical Commentary) That must have been confusing to Abraham,……. how God could have made these promises about the future and still be asking for Isaac’s life. BUT

BIGGER than that was that Abraham LOVED Isaac; nothing was more precious to him than the son of his old age, whom God had promised to him.

God was requiring Abraham to give to God the most precious offering he could give.

SOOO the TEST was to see if Abraham, who loves Isaac, loves God even more.

The question for each of us is…….what would we have done if we were Abraham?

WHAT is most precious to us? Not that God is going to ask us for our children. This was the test for Abraham for a particular purpose….but WHAT do WE hold most precious?

PAUSE

And….WHAT would our response be if God asked us to give it up?

PAUSE

1) Would it be….Ok, but let me do it my own way and when I am ready?

a. After all, don’t I know what would be best? OR

2) Would it be…..Will there be any PAIN involved?

a. Because if there is I am OUT! No way am I going through any PAIN! OR

3) Would it be……I don’t UNDERSTAND this!

a. And until I do, I am NOT doing this! Explain it to me and then I’ll let You know! OR

4) Would it be…..Is this going to COST me any MONEY?

a. It seems people are always asking me for money, especially the church….You know how that is! I am OUT if it costs me money!

But if we were a people who had FAITH in God, would we remember that He created the universe, can heal our pain, has thoughts that are higher than ours, and that all that we have belongs to Him?

One response, we put our trust in OURSELVES and the other we put our trust in GOD!

PAUSE

I had a friend who was going to be ordained as a minister. The week before her ordination, she told God that if there was anything in her life that she loved more than Him, for Him to remove it. She wanted to love Him above all else.

She had a very close friend at that time that she knew was not good for her. She knew that God did not want her to continue that relationship, but she really liked this person. Soon after this prayer to God, she noticed that that friend had found another friend that she was close to and no longer seemed interested in her friendship anymore. God removed that relationship and honored my friend’s prayer. My friend truly loved God above all else and put her trust in Him. It was painful to lose such a friend, but it has been for good in her life and she thanks Him now.

PAUSE

Are there things in YOUR LIFE that God wants you to give up to Him? Things that keep you from loving Him above all else?

The point in Abraham’s story is not what might have happened to Isaac, for he was never in danger, but what was Abraham’s response to God?

The rest of our passage today tells us that Abraham responded by getting up early the next morning and taking Isaac and his servants to head for the mountain that God would show them. It was a THREE day journey….plenty of time for Abraham to think about what he was going to do….to reflect on his memories of life with Isaac…and to change his mind. But he did not. He had Isaac carry the wood for the sacrifice and he had the knife and fire, as they climbed the mountain, just the 2 of them. He prepared the altar and wood for the sacrifice; placed Isaac on the wood; lifted his knife to kill Isaac…………………”But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."

Abraham did not COMPLAIN, HESITATE, ARGUE or BEG FOR ANOTHER PLAN.

He did NOT ask if PAIN was involved or if it COSTS MONEY or for an EXPLANATION! He TRUSTED God….had FAITH in God….and GOD PROVIDED ALL THAT HE NEEDED!

As Abraham lifted his eyes, he saw a ram caught in the thicket and Abraham sacrificed him, after he released Isaac, at the angels’ command. And Abraham called that place “Yahweh will provide”.

Hebrews 11:19 tells us that Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

AND…. Abraham PASSED THE TEST!! He had failed his first test from God, but passed the second one!

Now he showed God that He loved him more than the most precious thing in his life!

HE loved God over ALLLLLL else!! And he had FAITH in Him and His word!

The question for each of us is:

Do WE trust God…..do we have FAITH in Him when we don’t understand what is happening in our lives; when our lives take an unexpected turn; when someone we love turns against us; when pain enters our life; when God asks us to do things that don’t make sense?

The REAL question is this:

Do we trust in OURSELVES?......OR……in GOD?

Do we trust in what SCRIPTURE says or in what WE think?

A test will surely come in our lives where we have the chance to choose.

God wants us to pass the test, like my Professor at Regent University. Jesus is even interceding for us so that we will pass!

The question is……WHO will we choose to rely on…….OURSELVES or GOD?

Stump the Priest: Question #10- Why are some denominations against female priests? Is this backed up scripturally? Is it mans law or Gods law?

2011-07-10T04:58:00.001-07:00

This is a good question to ask because it is undoubtedly the single largest issue facing our new Anglican Province (the ACNA) as we move forward into the future. Let me preface a discussion on this by saying that there is integrity in the convictions expressed on both sides of the argument, and there are no villains in this discussion.

Viewing it simply in terms of the health and well-being of the Church, I have seen women’s ordination in the contemporary church as very positive. Beyond of the more radical feminism infecting the liberal branches of the Church, I have experienced effective and healthy pastorates among the orthodox women priests I have worked with. They have been allowed in our post-patriarchal culture to become effective priests and pastors alongside men, and I discern that the Holy Spirit is indeed teaching us something new in this regard (The Rev. Nancy Kenney’s ministry is a case in point). But that is not good enough. As a biblically anchored Christian, we must support such a position scripturally.

Let me first say that I am not helped by arguments around the fact that Jesus was male, or the 12 apostles were male, or that there were no instances of women’s ordinations (anointing for ministry by the laying on of hands) in Scripture. I view this as cultural context more so than New Covenant mandate. As an Anglican I am led to argue from what Scripture explicitly upholds (such as the calling of men to ordained ministry) and do not conclude that it prohibits that on which it is explicitly silent (the calling of men to ordained ministry). Scripture does not explicitly say that women should or should not be ordained.

Nonetheless, Scripture implicitly says a great deal about women in leadership (eldership) in the Church, and we need to look at the broad sense of Scripture on this… how Jesus saw women… the teachings of Paul… the actions and makeup of the New Testament Church. On this basis, I am led to take Galatians 3:28 as a primary text. It permeates the New Covenant Scriptural ethos and washes over the social norms reflected there. This new reality brought to us in Christ is…

There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

Paul’s words here are consistent Jesus’ treatment and view of women in the Gospels. This is particularly clear in John’s Gospel. (A good book to check out on this is The Community of the Beloved Disciple, by Raymond E. Brown, particularly Appendix 2, “Roles of Women in the Fourth Gospel”)². A case in point is the Samaritan Woman at the Well. Jesus overrode social barriers, taught her, and perhaps most significantly for this discussion, allowed her to take on the “apostolic” ministry of proclaiming the Good News to her village.

Again, looking at the New Testament broadly, it talks about women congregational leaders such as Lydia (Acts 11), Priscilla (1 Cor. 16, Rom 16), Phoebe (Rom 16). In fact, Romans 16 list twenty-six church leaders, 8 of whom are women. The Book of Acts mentions prophets (speaking for God) 11 times, 4 of whom are women.¹ All of this points to an equality of call and leadership of women and men, and it is consistent with what Paul is expressing in my selected text, Galatians 3:28.

Based on this alone, one would conclude that God would not and does not withhold callings and gifts for ministry based on any of these differentiators (ethnicity, gender or social status). But Scripture has much to say that seemingly contradicts itself on this. That needs to be reconciled. We cannot look at it all in this short dissertation, but we can look at a two of the big ones.

The two passages (both Pauline) are 1 Cor. 14:34-36 (traditionally translated, “Women are not to speak in worship”) and Ephesians 5:22-24 (“Wives submit to your husbands”). I understand the 1 Cor. Passage as not being about woman leadership roles, but about women (presumably certain women in the Corinthian church) being disruptive. I think Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase in The Message captures this idea well:

Wives must not disrupt worship, talking when they should be listening, asking questions that could more appropriately be asked of their husbands at home. God's Book of the law guides our manners and customs here. Wives have no license to use the time of worship for unwarranted speaking. Do you—both women and men—imagine that you're a sacred oracle determining what's right and wrong? Do you think everything revolves around you?

I, for one, sincerely hope this passage does not mean that women are generally barred from speaking in church. This would mean that Larry, presently our only male choir member, would be singing by himself). The original Greek can perhaps better be translated “clamor” or “tumult,” rather than normal proceeding of worship.

Concerning the Ephesians 5:22-24 passage (“wives submit to your husbands”), John Bristow’s book, What Paul Really Said About Women, is helpful in dealing with the inconsistencies this passage seems to impose. He makes the point that the usual translations out of the Greek of “be subservient to” can perhaps better be rendered “be supportive of.” I can’t make Bristows arguments for him in this short document, but I found them convincing in reconciling this text with Paul’s understanding of the Kingdom of God. For your own study, I recommend Bistrow’s book.

We are, however, a long way from consensus on this in the Anglican Communion, much less in the universal church. To be in communion means not acting in disregard for our brothers in sisters in Christ, and this is a huge factor in the stance our diocese and the ACNA has taken. As Paul said, “If eating meat sacrificed to idols causes your brother to sin, then refrain from it” (even if it is not an issue for you). We find ourselves in this position as The Diocese of the South. We as a diocese do not ordain women, but duly ordained women in apostolic orders may be licensed to function as presbyters (priests) at the discretion of the bishop. Nancy Kenney is being licensed by Bishop Foley to function as a priest at Holy Trinity. Thanks be to God for that, and for her ministry.

¹ What Paul really Said About Women, John T. Bristow (Harper Collins, 1991).
²The Community of the Beloved Disciple, Raymond E. Brown (Paulist Press, 1979)

Stump the Priest Question #7- How about Pilot’s question, “What is Truth?”

2011-07-04T12:06:00.000-07:00

This quote is from John 18:38 where Jesus is being tried before Pilot the governor. Note that John’s Gospel talks a lot about Truth:

· John 1:14 John says that Jesus was “full of grace and truth.”.

· John 8:32 “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”

· John 14:6 Jesus says he is the way, the truth and the life.

· John 14:17 Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Truth.

Jesus is “Truth” not simply because He tells the truth, but because He is Truth. Jesus is Truth because he embodies the supreme revelation of God, the author of all truth.

This is a good question because post-modern thinking of our time has moved away from the belief in objective truth. It has a name, “relativism.” This is clearly a sign of our movement as a culture away from the one true God who embodies Truth, and toward the Enemy who is the father of lies.

So where was Pilot going to find the answer to his question, “What is Truth?” His answer was standing right in front of him on that Good Friday.

Stump The Priest Question #6- Was Abraham a henotheist rather than a monotheist before his encounter with Melchizedek?

2011-07-04T11:59:00.000-07:00

---Yes

Stump The Priest: Question #12- What is the difference between Episcopalians and Anglicans?

2011-06-25T04:14:00.000-07:00

The question is about the difference between “The Episcopal Church” and “The Anglican Church in North America,” both churches in the Anglican Tradition in North America. Let me start by explaining a bit about Anglicanism.

Anglicanism has its roots in the 1900 year history of Christianity in the British Isles. Today there are approximately 80 million Anglicans worldwide. Anglicans see themselves as one expression of God’s One, Holy, Catholic (meaning"universal") and Apostolic Church and is characterized by an emphasis on liturgical and sacramental worship, Protestant beliefs and a love of the great traditions of the Church. Anglicans are bound together by a “common worship,” which is expressed and propagated in the “Book of Common Prayer” first drafted in 1549 during the Protestant Reformation in England. Anglican churches are also largely bound together ecclesiastically (organizationally) in what is known as the worldwide "Anglican Communion."

The Episcopal Church was formed after the American Revolution as an ongoing expression of Anglicanism in the United States. In recent decades, however, the Episcopal Church has progressively taken on a revised view of Anglicanism and of the Apostolic Faith, what is known as Modernism and Modernist Theology. The Episcopal Church today, particularly among its clergy, understands the Faith in some ways inconsistently with the Faith of the Apostles as recorded in Scripture and the Faith of much of the rest of the Anglican Communion throughout the world.

Two salient issues differentiating Apostolic Christianity (classic Anglicanism) from Modernism (The Episcopal Church) are understandings of the authority of Scripture and the uniqueness Christ. This is far too limited a venue to fully explain, but in modernist thought the revelation of God in Scripture in many of its facets is seen as outdated and overridden by modern experience and human intellect. Similarly, the uniqueness of what God has done in Christ has given way to an openness and inclusivity that trumps the apostolic understanding and eyeswitness experience of the uniqueness of the person and work of Jesus.

This theological drift in the Episcopal Church and all its ramifications has caused a fragmentation in the Anglican Communion. Presently the Episcopal Church finds itself in what has been termed “impaired communion” with much of the Anglican Communion. North American Anglicans who could not go where the Episcopal Church is theologically headed and who wanted to stay with the broader Anglican Communion appealed to other provinces of the Anglican Communion to take them under their wing, at least in some interim fashion. This congregation, The Church of the Holy Trinity, is a good example. Holy Trinity was a church plant under the authority of the archbishop of Nigeria. The foreign archbishops subsequently have encouraged the formation of a new Anglican province under which orthodox Anglicanism could re-gather in North America. The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) thus came into being. An Archbishop of this new province was consecrated, and dioceses have formed.

Stump the Priest: Question 5- Why do we pray for the dead?

2011-06-16T04:28:00.000-07:00

First, let us note that this question is about praying for the dead, not praying to the dead or praying through the dead, both of which are totally un-Anglican and un-scriptural. The question is asking if it is efficacious and right that we should continue to commend our loved-ones in prayer to God after their death.

This question has a history going back to the earliest Christians. It was a huge point of contention during the Protestant Reformation over reaction to the doctrines of Purgatory, Indulgences and Masses for the dead. Prayers for the dead logically require belief in an intermediate state between death and judgment at the Last Day, which sounds too much like purgatory to many Protestants. Most Protestants today therefore believe prayers for the dead are a waste of time- It is either of no use to those destined for hell; or completely unnecessary for those destined for heaven.

One problem is that we Anglicans have been all over the board on this question. Article 22 of the thirty-Nine Articles of Religion formulated during the Reformation condemns prayers for the dead as “vainly conceived.” But it was in the 1549 Prayer Book, removed in the 1552 book, absent in the 1662 Book, and reintroduced in Prayer Books of the later part of the 19^th C. In the most recent American Prayer Book the issue comes up in two places, the prayers at funerals, and the Prayers of the People in the Eucharist.

But what is really needed to explore this question is a clear theology (understanding) of death, heaven, hell and something called “The Communion of Saints.” (The Communion of Saints refers to Christians throughout time gathered in Heaven as the Church Triumphant). One of the problems the Church has had over the centuries (Anglicanism being chief among them, as demonstrated in the paragraph above) is a muddled and inconsistent belief on these matters. This has happened because we have such limited scriptural details about what lies beyond the veil of death. We can, however, start by looking at what scripture does tell us. Here are scriptures related to what lies beyond death.

Luke 16:22-23 The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side.

Luke 23:43 ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’

2 Cor. 5:10 For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.

1 Peter 3:19 ¹⁹By which also he (Jesus) went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

Rev. 6:9-11 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given; ¹⁰they cried out with a loud voice, ‘Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?’ ¹¹They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow-servants and of their brothers and sisters, who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed.

From some of these passages can we conclude that there is an intermittent period after death and before judgment during which sanctification (growth toward God) can possibly continue, and therefore prayers for the departed would be effective. The Luke passages suggest not; I Peter and Revelation suggest yes. The Luke passages suggest people who die are immediately judged; the 1 Peter and Revelation passages suggest there is an intermediate place, what Scripture calls Sheol. The 1 Peter passage says Jesus actually went to such a place to preach to the souls departed.

How do we decide? How do we know? Paul is definitely right in 1 Cor 13:12…For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.

But what is perfectly clear in Scripture is that those who are “in Christ” will be raised up with Christ at the Last Day to new life in which all creation will be made new and at which time we will be eternally present with God, enjoying Him forever. Otherwise, it may be necessary for us Anglicans to tolerate a bit of un-knowing and mystery in this matter. CS Lewis never steers us wrongly; so, perhaps while we are still only “seeing through a glass dimly,” we can go where he has gone on this question:

“Of course I pray for the dead. The action is so spontaneous, so all but inevitable, that only the most compulsive theological case against it would deter me. And I hardly know how the rest of my prayers would survive if those for the dead were forbidden… At our age the majority of those we love best are dead. What sort of intercourse with God could I have if what I love best is unmentionable to Him? Even in Heaven some perpetual increase of beatitude (sanctification), reached by a continually more ecstatic self-surrender, without the possibility of failure but not perhaps without its own ardors and exertions…might be supposed.” (CS Lewis, Letters to Malcom, pp. 107-109 ).

Stump the Priest: Question 4- Why would God object to two people having sex if they love and care for one another?

2011-06-14T11:32:00.000-07:00

1. As Christians we understand that marriage is the only appropriate context for human sexuality, but why has God willed this to be so, and why has He so consistently articulated it in Scripture?

We can start by acknowledging that God who created human sexuality should certainly have something to say about how it is to function among His people. If we understand the mind of God on this, then we will have the answer to the question posed as to why from God’s perspective simple emotional and physical attraction, or a sense of being “in love,” is not enough for sexual intimacy.

This question is particularly appropriate in our time. Our post-Christian American culture has almost entirely moved away the God-given boundaries around human sexuality. What has developed in its place is “companionate sexual relationships,” even "companionate marriages," in which open relationships exist for which there are no real expectations of life-long intimacy or expectation of sacrificial, unconditional love. All that is required is mutual consent at the moment… no commitment, no binding mutual responsibility, always a back door to the relationship. Whether we like it of not, it is not what God willed for human sexuality and the family charged with procreationand and nurture of children.

God has in mind something much more grand than this for the marvel of human sexuality. Matrimony and the Marriage Bed offer a possibility for the most fulfilling of all human-to-human relationships. It offers the possibility for two people becoming “One Flesh,” blending their lives together and being more complete, healthy and whole than either of their lives separately could be. The union of a man and a woman is also intended by God for the procreation and nurture of children, and it is this stable family environment of unconditional, sacrificial love that is the God-intended setting for the raising of children. This in a nutshell was God’s intent in Creation (Genesis 2:4‑9, 15‑24). The marriage liturgy puts it this way: “The union of husband and wife in heart, body, and mind is intended by God for their mutual joy; for the help and comfort given one another in prosperity and adversity; and, when it is God’s will, for the procreation of children and their nurture in the knowledge and love of the Lord.”

Humans are made in the image of God and are therefore both physical and spiritual beings, and the mating of two people has physical and spiritual consequences. Human intercourse is a spiritual act. The spiritual consequence can be what psychologist call bonding or Peter Harobin in his teachings calls Soul Ties. These soul ties stay with us in life. Multiple ties have their affect on that one eventual life-long Soul Tie, denigrating it and interfering with it. God’s boundaries around sexuality, therefore, are there for a reason, a divine reason.

Stump the Priest: Question 2: Since Jesus is fully God, why did He submit Himself to the Father?

2011-06-13T17:56:00.000-07:00

The Incarnation (God becoming man [Jesus] and dwelling among us… “God Emmanuel”) is one of the wonder-filled mysteries of God’s Revelation of Himself to us. It is a mystery because in our limited human understanding we are not able to fully comprehend it. The Trinity (One God revealed in three Persons) is another such mystery, and again, in our limited humanness, we cannot comprehend how one person of the Trinity will interact with another person of the Trinity. It is here that this question leads us.

The answer lies in the fact that Jesus was not only fully God, he was at the same time fully human. In fact, Jesus was perfectly human, the new model for a new humanity, the New Adam as Paul says, a new humanity perfectly submitted to the Creator Father. In short, Jesus in his perfect humanity was perfectly submitted to God.

Stump The Priest: Question 1: Where in the Bible does it say I can be a policeman or in the military?

2011-06-12T04:39:00.000-07:00

1. The first observation to be made is that we Christians understand Scripture as both prescriptive (God telling us what is in His will) and prohibitive (what is outside His will). Sometimes, however, Scripture is explicitly neither; that is, it is silent in terms of overtly prescribing or prohibiting something. Being a policeman or in the military perhaps falls into this category. But, implicitly, there is plenty Scripture has to say about pacifism and avoiding violence, even in terms of the righteous use of force. What, then, can we infer from the warp and woof of Scripture concerning this?

This avoidance of violence and force for any reason is known as Christian Pacifism, which has a long history in the life of the Church. Some of core scriptures for this movement in Christianity are…

‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” ³⁹But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; ⁴⁰and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; ⁴¹and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. (Matt 5:38-41) (Sim… Lk 2:27-29)

‘You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbour and hate your enemy”. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous’ (Matthew 5:43-45).

Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. ⁵³Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? (Matt 26:52-53)

Bless those who persecute you…. (Rom 12:14)

Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. ¹⁸If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. ¹⁹Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God;^* for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ ²⁰No, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.’ ²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Rom 12:17-21)

The Christian Pacifist movement has over the life of the Church taken these passages seriously, and taken to heart the call to model our lives on Christ and to understand the Church to be under the Lordship of the “Prince of Peace.” The Church it its early centuries was in many quarters therefore in opposition to military service.

But does this mean that we Christians living in this world should not resist evil with all our might when called upon to do so? One would think resisting evil to be a primary Christian duty. Scripture says our battle is with “principalities and powers in the spiritual realm.” This spiritual realm all too often operates through real flesh and blood. We sometimes have to put on the “whole armor of God,” in very real and worldly ways in our defense against these things. History has even shown the necessity of killing our enemy while ostensibly loving them at the same time. And, of course, there are issues of justice, defense of the helpless, maintenance of order, and the preservation of the common good to be considered.

We should also note that the police and military are extensions of governing authorities, which according to Scripture are ordained by God. Romans 13:4-5 says,

For it (the governing authority) is God’s servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. ⁵Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience.

Here is an interesting paraphrase of this passage from Peterson’s The Message:

The police aren't there just to be admired in their uniforms. God also has an interest in keeping order, and he uses them to do it. That's why you must live responsibly—not just to avoid punishment but also because it's the right way to live.

We live in a real world with a real devil prowling about. The Christian tradition has generally been very practical about his reality.

"Stump the Priest" questions for the July 10 covered-dish

2011-06-10T13:47:00.000-07:00

The usual 2nd Sunday covered-dish supper in July (July 10 at 5:30 pm) will be "Stump the Priest' night. Below are the questions received so far. They are excellent questions, Some of them are complex and deep. We could easily spend many hours on some of these topics.

So, what we are going to do, using this blog, is answer some of the questions in advance of the big night. This gives you the chance to do two things: First, it allows you to digest the question and answer in advance of our discussion; and secondly, it allows you to provide input in the form of comments or perhaps additional quaestions. After all, why should your clergy have all the fun? Answers will be coming in separate blog postings, but here is the list of questions we have been asked to address:

1. Where in the Bible does it say I can be a policeman or in the military?

2. Since Jesus is fully God, why did He submit Himself to the Father?

3. I’m not sure I hear God speaking to me. How do I listen for God’s voice?

4. Why would God object to two people having sex if they really love each other?

5. Why do we pray for the dead in our liturgy?

6. Was Abraham a henotheist rather than a monotheist before his encounter with Melchizedek? (Wouldn’t you like to know who asked this question?)

7. How about Pilot’s question, “What is Truth?”

8. If someone commits suicide, are they going to hell?

9. (These two questions belong together)

o The Bible says to turn the other cheek and to forgive 70x7; so, if you are in a abusive relationship, how many times do you turn the other cheek before you do something about it?

o I had a therapist tell me the best thing I could do for myself is stay away from someone who was not a good influence in my life. I love that person but avoid involving them in my life because I know it would cause problems for me. How does God feel about this?

10. Why are some denominations against female priests? Is this backed up scripturally? Is it mans law or Gods law?

11. Questions about the End Times:

o The Bible says the dead will rise at the 2^nd coming of Christ. So why do so many people on their death bed see “The other side” or a loved one come to meet them, etc?

o Are the battles talked about in the End Times real physical battles?

12. What is the difference between Episcopalians and Anglicans?

13. Why do we make the sign of the Croos and when? Additionally, why do we bow to the Cross?

On Being Anglican, Wed. night teaching, June 1, 2011

2011-06-02T02:29:00.000-07:00

Caveat

This discussion is on classic, orthodox Anglicanism. Like some other mainline denominations, Anglicanism in some circles is redefining itself around modernist thought. Modernist theology sees truth as relative and considers the Apostolic witness to Truth as revealed in Scripture as potentially outmoded, depending on modern experience and knowledge. The central feature of the modernist faith is “comprehensiveness” and “inclusiveness,” with theological barriers discounted or removed altogether. This is very different from orthodox Anglicanism and the great majority of worldwide Anglicanism. This is very different from what is believed and expressed at the Church of the Holy Trinity.

Anglicanism is susceptible to a modernist re-interpretation of the faith because of its history of comprehensiveness dating to the Protestant Reformation. This, however, requires a redefinition of what we know of as Anglican Comprehensiveness. Dr. J.I. Packer and The Rev. John Stott, Anglicanism’s foremost contemporary theologians, have distinguished between two kinds of comprehensiveness. Dr. Packer refers to Principled Comprehensiveness and Unprincipled Comprehensiveness. Classic Anglicanism is based on Principled Comprehensiveness, which insists on agreement and unity in the biblical fundamentals of the faith while allowing liberty on issues of secondary doctrine and practice. This is what Post-Reformation theologian Richard Hooker, in helping forging a “Via Media” between Puritan and Catholic factions in England, described as “Adiaphoa,” (Greek meaning “things indifferent”,) by which he meant those things beyond what is attested to in Scripture and open to choice and preference.

Anglican Calling and Destiny

Our calling and destiny as Anglican Christians is not distinguishable from that of all Apostolic Christians everywhere and throughout time:

· Our calling is to be formed into the Image of Christ through the Holy Spirit working in us.

o 2 Corinthians 1:2022 For in him every one of God’s promises is a ‘Yes.’ For this reason it is through him that we say the ‘Amen’, to the glory of God. ²¹But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us, ²²by putting his seal on us and giving us his Spirit in our hearts as a first installment.

· To become a New Creation in union with the God who created us for that purpose

o Ephesians 1:10-14 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, ¹²so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. ¹³In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; ¹⁴this is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

· To know ourselves as a people redeemed by the blood of Christ.

o Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

· Submitted to the Lordship of Christ

o Philippians 2:10-11 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

· We are called to share the Good News of Christ

o Matthew 28:19 …make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

· To carry out the continuing work of Christ in the world

o Ephesians 3:10-12 …so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. ¹¹This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹²in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.

· To be in the fellowship of believers and part of the Body of Christ

Acts 2:42-47 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Life among the Believers
Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. ⁴⁴All who believed were together and had all things in common; ⁴⁵they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous^* hearts, ⁴⁷praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

· And finally, to be counted among the eternal Communion of the Saints of God.

o Ephesians 2:19-20 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, ²⁰built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.

Anglican Identity

· We are part of the one, holy, catholic (universal), and apostolic Church

o One: Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

§ We see ourselves as one tradition among many in the Body of Christ

o Holy: 2 Peter 2:5,9 …let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ… you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people…

§ Sanctified by the presence of the Spirit of Christ… called to be holy in the presence of a holy God.

o Universal: Mark 16:15 And Jesus said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.

o Apostolic: Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

§ Committed to receiving and passing on to future generations the Faith once delivered to the Apostles.

· We are Trinitarian.

o John 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. ¹⁷This is the Spirit of truth…

· We are Biblical.

o Romans 10:8 …The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart…

§ As Anglicans we see Scripture as…

· Clear

· Sufficient

· Supreme

· Transformative

· We are Sacramental.

o Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…

o Luke 22:19 Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’

· We are Creedal.

o Credo, meaning “I believe…The creeds are an ancient summary of our basic biblical beliefs:

§ The Nicene Creed is the creed of the universal Church and is used at the Eucharist.

§ The Apostles’ Creed is the ancient creed of Baptism; it is used in the Church’s daily worship to recall our Baptismal Covenant.

· We are Liturgical and in the Prayer Book Tradition (The Book of Common Prayer)

· And finally, Anglicanism is Comprehensive

o Reformed (Evangelical)

§ Reformation heritage- roots in the English Reformation

§ Look to the authority of Scripture

§ Know the priesthood of all believers.

§ See ourselves as Justified before God (saved) by grace through faith in Christ.

o Catholic (Anglo-Catholicism)

§ Continuity with the Ancient Church

§ The efficacy of traditions not contrary to Scripture

§ Sacramental grace

§ An expression the “Patristic” and “Creedal” Faith of the universal Church.

§ Apostolicity expressed in the doctrine of Apostolic Succession and Historic Episcopate.

o Charismatic

§ The process of sanctification through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

Expecting God to act among his people.
Emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit
Emphasis on God’s immanence

Sermon: 6th Sunday of Easter (Year A)- John 14:15-2, The Advocate

2011-05-29T05:16:00.000-07:00

Since the early centuries of Christianity, understanding God as Trinity has been a hallmark of the orthodox faith. By orthodox I am referring to the faith once received by the Apostles, handed down through the generations, inspirationally written down (codified) in Scripture, and consistently interpreted and used by God’s people, the Church, down through the generations. The Orthodox Faith has a distinctively Trinitarian shape to it. This is why the great creeds of the Church have a Trinitarian form. This church family here on Merovan Drive was named Holy Trinity because there was a deep desire to remind ourselves that we are to faithfully reflect the Trinitarian faith that was once received by the Apostles.

The Gospel this morning is a wonderful expression of this Trinitarian Faith: “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth…” Jesus comforts his disciples by telling them that the Father will send the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, which here he calls the Advocate or Counselor. The word in the original Greek translated here in the NRSV as “Advocate” is Paracletos, or in English, “Paraclete.” Jesus goes on to talk about the Holy Spirit four more times in this his farewell discourse to His disciples (John 14:25-26, John 15:26-27, John 16:5-11 and John 16:12-15).

The King James Version of the Bible translates Paracletos as “Comforter.” Although this meant something a bit different when this translation was rendered 400 years ago, to the modern ear this sounds like the Holy Spirit’s job is one of just being a patient, tender and compassionate companion. God’s indwelling presence is definitely these things to the believer, but those of you who have been intentional about walking the Christian walk know that the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives goes far beyond this. The Holy Spirit also comes to prod and poke us out of our spiritual lethargy, to rally us forward, change us, give us new heart, to empower us to be the “new creation.” God meets us where we are not to mollycoddle us but to call us forward into something better. He has a plan to heal us, perfect us, and give us a purpose and a mission.

I have seen the Holy Spirit do this healing, growing and transforming work in many of your lives. But it is also true that some of you have grown little. This is the way it is in all fellowships, but how do we explain the difference? One can say that church is not a priority in one’s life, or that he or she is in a different place spiritually, but for the Christian it comes down to yieldedness to the Holy Spirit. We all posses the Holy Spirit by virtue of our faith and baptism; so our growing in Christ (or not growing in Christ) is a not a function of how much of the Holy Spirit we have, but a function of how much the Holy Spirit has of us.

In this passage today, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Truth. Sometimes we are guilty of not submitting to the Truth the Holy Spirit brings. We are guilty of replacing God’s truth with our own version of truth. Many of us in this world believe what we want to believe rather than what the Lord reveals to us as truth. Take the huge issue of sexuality today. The church teaches biblical boundaries around human sexuality. Why? On what authority? To what end? Until we seek to form our minds around the mind of God and submit to the Truth of God born witness to by the Holy Spirit, we will not see life from God’s perspective nor know the answers to these questions. Again, it is a matter of being yielded to the Holy Spirit and obedient to Christ as Lord of our life.

The ministry of the Holy Spirit as we have talked about it here should saturate every aspect of the life of this church family. For instance, you should expect my ministry as your priest to take on the same character as of the Holy Spirit’s ministry. Like the Holy Spirit, I should meet you right where you are in life. I am to come alongside you and walk with you in whatever pain, trauma, dysfunction, addiction, habitual sin, or woundedness this world has thrown your way, but mine would not be a Spirit-directed priesthood if I didn’t inspire you to move beyond that and open yourself the Holy Spirit’s healing, growing and transforming work in your life. Again, I would be failing you as your priest if I did not have the expectation that you submit to the tutelage of the Holy Spirit. This is why Christian formation and spiritual growth are an expectation of each person in this parish. Come hear Michael and Keith teach Scripture at the adult forum after Eucharist on Sunday, or listen to Wayne share his faith journey with you on Wednesday evening, or let Julie lead you through Scripture on Saturday morning, or allow Nancy Kenney to instruct you on the healing power of God at the 1^st Friday Evening healing services. These are Spirit inspired and directed ministries of spiritual growth. Are you yielded to Holy Spirit's call to grow in Christ?

So, the Gospel reading this morning is about the Father sending the Holy Spirit, but the question God is asking us this morning is, are we open to receiving Him?

Rob Hartley, May 29, 2011

Finding Freedom [Augusta Chronicle, Apr 23, 2011]

2011-04-25T02:23:00.000-07:00

In today’s world we are quick to say, “I am in charge of my life! That is what makes me free.” Christians, however, still say, “God is in charge of my life! That is what makes me free.” Who is right?

It may not be immediately obvious how submission to God brings freedom, but it helps if we understand that from which we humans need to be freed. Scripture suggests that we need freedom from three things: the World, the Flesh and the Devil.

The World is this place where God has planted us, but it is often harsh, hard and unforgiving. From the world we seek love, peace and joy. Often we find just the opposite because of other people’s sins and dysfunctions. We need freedom from this worldly onslaught.

The Flesh represents our own wrong choices, weaknesses, negative emotions, bad behaviors, sinful cravings and propensity to capitulate to temptation; in short, we need freedom from the frail, fallen and unredeemed part of our human nature.

The Devil represents the spiritual forces of darkness bent on preventing us from finding the love, joy, peace and the relationship with God for which we were created. We find a very real devil in this very real world. We moderns often feel that we are… well, too modern to believe in Satan and his minions. Of course, Satan would love for us to think he does not exist nor exerts control over our lives, but Scriptures warns, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8). We are not just flesh, we are spirit, and we need freedom from the negative spiritual influences that bind us.

So, back to the original question… where do we find freedom? It should be immediately obvious that finding freedom through our individual power and direction from this unholy triad of world, flesh and devil is problematic. The problem is that we have no real control over these things, not even our own fleshly desires. This means we need help in our struggle to gain mastery over our lives. That is why the Psalmist writes, Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me. (Psalm 40:13) and St. Paul is always writing about his having found freedom in Christ. A fundamental dynamic of the Christian Pilgrimage is calling on God to save us from those things from which we cannot save ourselves, for as St. Paul puts it, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground…” (Ephesians 6:12-13)

The Rev. Rob Hartley

Spiritual Blindness: A reflection on John 9:1-41

2011-04-07T04:15:00.000-07:00

“One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

This is a story of Jesus and a man born blind. It is also a story of the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees. The blind man was seeing Jesus pretty clearly; the Pharisees were totally blinded to who Jesus is. Who is really the more significantly blind in this story?

What causes spiritual blindness? Let me give you a description, albeit extreme, of a life lived in darkness and spiritual blindness:

It is of an angry person; bitter at life’s mishandling of him; crusted over and walled off from others, with all meaningful relationships either tattered or shattered. No peace… the joy of life gone. He does not see that he is largely living the consequences of significantly bad decisions at crucial junctures in his life, and thus lashes out at others, often in subtle but hurtful ways, never seeing that the people around him are also broken, hurting and struggling. He demonstrates little compassion and concern for others, only feeding his own self-absorption and growing narcissism. Although a life-long churchman, he remains blind to the goodness and love of God. His religion is an outward badge not an interior means of transformation, not a reservoir of answers to life. In spite of being surrounded by a loving church family, he is like a pauper in a goldmine. He does not respond in love, but remains emotionally detached and uninvolved in other people’s lives.

Although this description of spiritual blindness seems extreme, the truth is that we all live our lives somewhere on a continuum between this sort of darkness and a life illumined by the Light of Christ. The Christian pilgrimage is thus a journey of sight improvement. Through Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit, our eyes are progressively opened to new and grand vistas of joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. How is your eyesight?

Where are you on this continuum between darkness and light, blindness and sight?

Are you stuck in some significant way in a dark place in your world?

Are you seeking to be illumined by the Light of Christ?

In what way were you once blind and now see?

On being Born Again- A reflection on John 3:1-5

2011-03-18T03:15:00.000-07:00

Being born (again) from above John 3.3

‘…no one can see the kingdom of God without being born (again) from above.’

Jesus says the Kingdom comes when there is spiritual rebirth.

This spiritual rebirth happens when God’s Holy Spirit descends upon us and fills us, making us a new creation empowered for Kingdom Living.

Jesus’ teaching has roots in the Old Testament expectations of the Messianic Age

(the age in which we now live):

Joel 2:28-29 spoke of the pouring out of the Spirit on all flesh.
Isaiah 32:15-20 looks forward to a time when the Spirit will be poured out from above.
Ezekiel 36:25-29 speaks of God sprinkling Israel with clean water and putting a new spirit within them.

Entering the Kingdom John 3.5

‘…no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

To enter the Kingdom of God is to enter into a new relationship with the Father characterized by submission and obedience to His sovereignty. When this relationship exists, the Kingdom (Rule) of God is present.

The Kingdom of God is a society in which God’s will is perfectly done “on earth as it is in heaven.”

For the Spirit-filled believer, the Kingdom is not just a future hope but a present reality.

“Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.”

By Water and the Spirit John 3:5

Entering the Kingdom (being Born Again) happens through water (cleansing) and Spirit (the power of God).

The waters of baptism wash away our soiled past…. Jesus as Savior.
The Spirit empowers us to obediently live our future... Jesus as Lord.

When the Spirit takes possession of you, the defeated life of human nature becomes a victorious life in Christ.

This Born Again experience of entering the Kingdom of God can therefore be characterized as a Sprit-filled life in which you are wholly “In Christ” and Christ is wholly in you.

So, How Do You Become “Spirit-filled?”

The good news is that the Holy Spirit has already taken up residence in you by virtue of your faith as expressed in baptism. Your spirit has been regenerated and made eternally alive in Christ by His Holy Spirit.

The bad news is that your body and soul (that is, your mind, will and emotions) are still very much subject to this world and your old nature.

And the reality is that you cannot leave behind that old nature though the power of your own will. It is only by the power of God working in you that you can leave behind the kingdom of this world and enter the Kingdom of God.

Therefore, something needs to happen…

You need to invite the Holy Spirit, who has already taken up residence in your spirit, to come and saturate (baptize) your body and soul also. (Baptize means to saturate).
You need to present your bodies as a living sacrifice to be consecrated to God (Romans 12:1)

This is when, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Gifts of the Spirit (see I Cor. 12:4-11) and the Fruit of the Spirit (see Gal. 5:22-23) will come to characterize your life.

Thus, being Born Again and Baptized in the Holy Spirit are not about how much of the Holy Spirit you have; it is about how much the Holy Spirit has of you.

1 John 5.4: “…for whatever is born of God conquers the world.”

A Prayer

High King of Heaven, send your life-giving Spirit to fall afresh upon this your servant. Fill my body and soul totally and to overflowing with your transforming presence. Increase in me the Gifts of your Holy Spirit, and empower me for a Christ-centered life totally consecrated to You. Amen.

Sources: Dennis Bennett, The Holy Spirit and You; William Barclay, Commentary on the Gospel of John.

How Do We Respond to Others in Depression?

2011-02-22T03:55:00.000-08:00

Ø The message to the depressed is, ‘You are not alone.’

Ø Understand, accept, affirm and love... Romans 8:1

Ø Help the person think and perceive accurately.

Ø Be with, listen and empathize “Suffering is not a journey to be taken alone.”

Ø Be a source of strength, faith, trust and hope to others when they are unable to be this for themselves.

Ø Cushion the depressed person with ‘persevering love’ (Depression, A Stubborn Darkness, Edward T. Welsh), loving and caring even when someone is unable to love and care in return. Plan to love regardless.

Ø Partner with the person in their healing and to persevere in that partnership.

Ø Affirm them in their identity as a beloved child of God.

Ø Challenge self-defeating interpretations of reality about themselves, others and God.

Ø Be an instrument for instilling structure and meaning in his or her life.

Ø Affirm that they are valued and needed. Affirm their gifts and competencies.

Ø Foster thankfulness and joy.

Ø Assure them that God’s grace has the last word in everything, including their struggle with depression.

Good reads are Edward T. Welsh referenced above and Neil T. Anderson, Overcoming Depression

I invite your insights. If you are willing, share your experience as a person struggling with depression or as one who has come alongside another who is dealing with depression.

Is it important to take the Bible literally in its entirety to gain its message?

2011-02-20T03:54:00.001-08:00

As a matter of faith to the Christian, we understand that it is God’s intention in Scripture to convey Truth to us about Himself. It is also obvious to the Christian that God is revealing in Scripture His call on our lives and His plan to bring us back into an unencumbered, loving relationship with Him. Since Scripture is inspired by God we can therefore conclude that it is truthful and trustworthy for these purposes for which it is given to us.

But does this mean that we need to understand or interpret the Bible “literally” in order for God’s Truth to come to us, to permeate our souls and to transform our lives? It may be helpful to consider what being literal means. As an extreme example, consider Jesus saying “feed my sheep.” Does this mean we all need a herd of sheep in our back yard to tend to? Obviously that is not the message God intended to convey. It is obviously meant metaphorically, not literally. But when Jesus says “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life,” is that not a literal reality spoken by God into the lives of His People that is true and trustworthy? Yes it is.

To properly interpret Scripture, we need to recognize the literary forms used by its various writers: sometimes metaphor, sometimes parable, sometimes historical narrative, and sometimes oral fireside story embodying profound divine truths. The Bible is also a mix of prose, poetry, allegory and visionary utterances. This diversity makes it one of the greatest works of literature ever known, and its divine origin makes it the most life-transforming book ever written.

The problem with a totally literal interpretation of Scripture is that its writers were subject to the limitations of the times in which they penned it. We do not see God revealing any great knowledge of science or history to the writer, nor should we expect God to have done so. The Lord who inspired Scripture or the saints who penned may not have been intending to teach science, history, or the like.

Finally, to ask if the Scriptures should be taken literally may simply be the wrong question. The more appropriate question to be asked is, “How is God speaking to you thorough Scripture, and how authoritative are those words in your life?”

Loving Your Enemies Matthew 5:43-48

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What? Matthew 5:43-44 “I say to you, love your enemies” (Unconditional love)

· The Mosaic Law commanded that we love our neighbors (Leviticus 19:18).

· But it raises the question… who is our neighbor?

o What does Jesus say? Luke 10:25-42 The Parable of the Good Samaritan.

o All people are our neighbors, even our enemies.

· Does Jesus say we will not have enemies?

· In the Kingdom of God, is our love conditional on others loving us in return?

· Does Jesus expect our enemies will return love with love?

· In telling us to love our enemy, is Jesus saying we should condone and not confront evil?

The Greek word that is used in v.43 is agapeo (noun- agape)… as opposed to other words translated out of Greek as “love,” such as: storge- family love; eros- sexual love:; or philia-love of a friend (brotherly love). Agape is an unconditional, benevolent, selfless love.

· “No matter what that person does to us, no matter how he treats us, no matter if he insults us or grieves us, we will never allow any bitterness against him to invade our hearts…” (Agape Love-William Barclay).

Why? Matthew 5:45 “…so that you may be children of your Father in heaven,”

· In other words, this mirrors God’s love toward us.

o Do you treat God appropriately? Does He not love you anyway?

o Do you insult God through your behavior? Does He not love you anyway?

o Do you grieve God with your disobedience? Does He not love you anyway?

o Are you too often the enemy of God, rebelliously opposing his sovereignty in the world?

· In loving unconditionally, we are imitating God, who loves unconditionally.

o Who “sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous alike.”

· The ultimate mark of Kingdom Living… The imitation Christ.

o We know that we are People of the Kingdom when our words and actions reflect Christ…

§ In this case… Christ’s unconditional, benevolent, selfless love.

How? Matthew 5:48 “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect,”

· But how? There is only one man who has lived perfectly: Jesus Christ.

o What about the rest of us? Does this bar us from Kingdom Living?

· These words from Jesus reveal God’s ultimate standard, and we must take them to heart, but they also make clear that we need a righteousness apart from the Law, a righteous imparted to us that we cannot reach on our own… (Romans 3:21-22).

· We also need God working in our lives to set our feet on the path to perfection.

o This is called Sanctification… the journey into holiness.

o The perfecting presence of God among His people is the Holy Spirit.

· The answer to how, therefore, is two fold:

o Accept Jesus’ offer to cover us with grace through faith. Come, Lord Jesus, come!

o Relinquish our lives to the perfecting work of the Holy Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit, come!

Matthew 5:31-32 The Sanctity of Marriage

2011-02-13T12:54:00.001-08:00

Holy Trinity's First Friday Community Healing Service

2011-02-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

I think this is a great new tradition we have begun at Holy Trinity and a wonderful offering to those in the community who want prayers for the healing of whatever afflicts them bodily, emotionally or spiritually. Although Nancy and I missed this very first community healing service because of a death in the family, we understand that there were about 30 people present with a nice smattering of visitors. Our thanks go to all who helped make it happen.

I am interested in your reflections on this service, particularly from those who were in attendance. I also invite your general thoughts on the topic of the healing ministry in the church today. ... Rob Hartley

North Augusta Anglican

Holy Trinity at the Mere Anglicanism Conference

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper

Three Challenges for the New Year

Epiphany

Annual Parish Meeting

Annual Parish Meeting January 8

Profile of the Virtues, Belief and Practices of Christian Community

The Season of Advent

New Wednesday Evening Bible Study Series

Beauty from Ashes: A Personal Reflection on Our Church’s Inner Healing Ministry, by Laura Coppernoll

Parsih Teaching Weekend

Waiting on the Lord

The Spiritual Lives of America’s Young People

Holy Trinity: A Community of Grace

A Day with Moses

Take Courage; Give Encouragement.

Sermon Notes from Sunday, August 7- 1Kings 19: 9-18- Elijah’s Cave

Stump the Priest Question #12- What is the difference between Episcopalians and Anglicans?

Sermon: 7th Sunday of Pentecost(Year A), July 31, 2011- Genesis 22:1-14, "Abraham", The Rev. Nancy Kenney

Stump the Priest: Question #10- Why are some denominations against female priests? Is this backed up scripturally? Is it mans law or Gods law?

Stump the Priest Question #7- How about Pilot’s question, “What is Truth?”

Stump The Priest Question #6- Was Abraham a henotheist rather than a monotheist before his encounter with Melchizedek?

Stump The Priest: Question #12- What is the difference between Episcopalians and Anglicans?

Stump the Priest: Question 5- Why do we pray for the dead?

1 Peter 3:19 19By which also he (Jesus) went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

Stump the Priest: Question 4- Why would God object to two people having sex if they love and care for one another?

Stump the Priest: Question 2: Since Jesus is fully God, why did He submit Himself to the Father?

Stump The Priest: Question 1: Where in the Bible does it say I can be a policeman or in the military?

"Stump the Priest" questions for the July 10 covered-dish

On Being Anglican, Wed. night teaching, June 1, 2011

Sermon: 6th Sunday of Easter (Year A)- John 14:15-2, The Advocate

Finding Freedom [Augusta Chronicle, Apr 23, 2011]

Spiritual Blindness: A reflection on John 9:1-41

On being Born Again- A reflection on John 3:1-5

How Do We Respond to Others in Depression?

Is it important to take the Bible literally in its entirety to gain its message?

Loving Your Enemies Matthew 5:43-48

Matthew 5:31-32 The Sanctity of Marriage

Holy Trinity's First Friday Community Healing Service

1 Peter 3:19 ¹⁹By which also he (Jesus) went and preached unto the spirits in prison;