Kanuga Renewal Conference: Bishop Mike Hill

This past week a group from Holy Triniity attended  the Renewal Conference at Kanuga Conference Center, Hendersonville, NC.  We learned much from the keynoter, the Rt. Rev. Mike Hill, Bishop of Bristol, England. The worship and music were also a wonderful part of this conference.  Here are some nuggets from Bishop Hill’s teachings:

TRANSFORMATION

The Christian life is predicated on transformation.  Christian growth and transformation involves movement in both wholeness [physical, emotional and spiritual healing] and holiness [sanctification and growth into Christ-likeness)].  Growth is the normal condition for all followers of Christ.

But not all transformation and change is good.  In that light, three questions…

What do you desire to become?

What does God desire that you become?

What are you actually becoming?

A problem is that many of us get stuck in this process of Christian transformation.  Life can become hopelessly full of brokenness, dysfunction, sinfulness or inappropriate behavior.  We can get caught up in such things as un-forgiveness, self-absorption, selfishness, just to name three big ones.

AN OBSTACLE TO TRANSFORMATION- NOT KNOWING TRUTH

(Not knowing what God desires that we become)

To make progress in the spiritual life requires that we know what is right and good from God’s perspective.  God’s Grace is at the center of the Christian Life, but so is Truth.  Without Truth we baptize (declare holy) anything in the name of God’s grace and call it God’s good and perfect will for what He wants us to be or do.

AN OBSTACLE TO TRANFORMATION- UN-FORGIVENESS

We can find ourselves caught up in what seems like permanent un-forgiveness.  For anyone who is stuck in the past and in un-forgiveness, you know how this can impede spiritual growth.  If we allow it, we can be the permanent victim of trauma, wounded memories, abuse, and broken relationships.  What sanctification (growth) offers is the possibility of becoming victors rather than victims.  Nelson Mandela said, "Un-forgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping that the other person gets sick."  We settle for life as it is rather than life in abundance as God offers it. 

AN OBSTACLE TO TRANSFORMATION- COMPLACENCY

The world’s agenda makes it easy for the devil to dictate what is important to us.  Growth may not even be on your agenda.  Without intentionality toward “sanctification” spiritual health and wholeness does not happen, nor does the abundant life God promises.  None of us set out to be spiritually mediocre or luke-warm followers of Christ.  We need to have as a goal allowing God to recalibrate our lives such that what is important to God is important to us: corporate worship, study of Scripture, service, being in Christian fellowship and service.

There are more nuggets yet to be mined from our time with Bishop Hill.   Stayed tuned.

"Unattached" Christians

The Barna Research Group, a Christian polling organization, identifies a small segment of the Christian population they call the “unattached.”  The unattached consider themselves to be Christian but without any personal interaction with a regularly-convened, mutually supportive faith community.   According to Barna, many of the unattached revel in their independence from church families and ecclesial structures.  
 
I am sure the reasons for being among the unattached varies, but probably a popular sentiment among them is, “Church wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for all those other Christians.”  Some of you reading this right now may hold this sentiment.
 
Let us look at this, however, from God’s perspective.  Consider why God created us in the first place.  In short, is to be in a loving relationship with Him and, by extension, in a loving relationship with each other.   We were created out of love to be the objects of God’s love.  Additionally we were created “in His image” and therefore called to love with that same unbounded, sacrificial, unconditional, divine love with which God first loved us (1 John4:19).  From this it would seem that stepping away from intentional fellowship of God’s people is not a very Godly option.  God did not create us to be Lone Ranger Christians.
 

To better understand this, look at where all of Scripture and Salvation History is pointing; that is, the destination or telos of redeemed humanity, to use the biblical Greek word for it.  Our destiny as God’s people is to be gathered into the full presence of,not only God, but each other... into what we call the Communion of Saints.   The Church here on Earth (what the Church Fathers called the Church Militant) is the embryo of the Communion of Saints in Heaven (the Church Triumphant).  In Christian community God is teaching us to love others as he first loved us.  In a way, to shun community now is to miss the dress rehearsal for that great gathering with the Communion of Saints

In what sense is America a Christan Nation?

Source unknown… my apologies

          In what sense can America not be called a Christian nation?

·         Not in the sense that Christianity is the established religion or that the people are in any manner compelled to support it.  On the contrary, the Constitution specifically provides that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

·         Neither are we a Christian nation in the sense that all its citizens are Christians.

On the contrary, all religions have free scope within our borders.

         ·       Nor are we a Christian nation in the sense that a profession of Christianity is a condition for holding office. In fact, the government as a legal organization is independent of all religions.

but, America is a Christian nation in the sense that Christian principles are enshrined in the founding documents of the nation.   

Do we have a Godless Constitution?

The founding documents (Constitution, Bill of Rights and other Amendments) heavily quote other documents as sources of our founding principles and ideals.  34% of these quotes are Scripture. 
 

What are some of the ideals of our nation as expressed in its Founding Documents?

·         Humble recognition of God’s blessings and providence.
·         Constitutional limits to Government.
·         Government under the consent of the governed.
·         Separation of powers.
·         Established rights of the governed that government constitutionally cannot breach.
·         A Republican form of government.
 

What is Historical Revisionism?

It is the attempt to alter the way people view their own history and traditions for the purpose of persuading them to accept a change in public policy or in societal values and norms.

 What is Pluralism?

Healthy pluralism is tolerating the expression of any and all religious beliefs in either the private or public arena.  This is a founding principle of our nation and is reflected in the founding documents of this country.  Dysfunctional pluralism is the prevention of such expression in the public square.  Today, because of a revisionist interpretation of the 1^st amendment, the only beliefs allowed to be expressed in the public arena are cultural are secular beliefs.  The secularization of American society is in a very real sense making secular beliefs the established religion.

What is Progressivism?

One facet of modern the Progressive Movement is that it is intimately tied to modern liberalism and the politics of the welfare state and the re-distribution of wealth.  Progressivism holds that this transformation of society can only be achieved by a centralized government that has sufficient power to remake society and our economic system.  This necessitates revisionism and/or the remaking of the founding principles of the nation (such as limited government, self-determination, and free markets, and the economic rights and the initiative of the individual).

In what ways should churches be involved in politics?

Churches may not:

1. Endorse or oppose a particular candidate.

2. Contribute to or raise money for a candidate.

Churches may:

1.    Speak up for the Christian principles on which this country was founded.

2.    Register their members as voters.

3.    Pass out Voter’s Guides.

4.    Invite all the candidates to speak.

5.    Speak directly about specific issues and legislation (abortion, marriage, etc.)

We're Having a 'Faith Alive' Weekend!

Where?

The Church of the Holy Trinity

Sweetwater Center, 160 Merovan Drive

North Augusta, South Carolina 29860

When?

May 11-12

Friday evening, beginning with supper at 6:00 pm

Saturday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Saturday evening, beginning with supper at 6:00 pm

What?

It is a weekend in which approximately 16 visitors (including children and teenagers) will be coming into our parish to spend this time with us.  They are fellow Anglicans who are offering to tell us something of their faith journey and encourage us in ours.

There will be a strong emphasis on youth and teens, and we are all encouraged to invite quests, young and old, to come be a part of this weekend.

Why?

Faith Alive is an opportunity for us to grow together, find answers to Faith questions together, renew our Faith commitment to God together, and support each other in our mutual Faith journeys.  One of our parishioners here at Holy Trinity wrote this to me about Faith Alive:

As a new returnee to church after a period of more than 20, I was offered the opportunity to attend a Faith Alive weekend.  To be honest, it was the best weekend spent in a long, long time.  I recommend it no matter where you are in your Faith or  relationship with God.  It will change not only the way you understand your Faith, but also show you that Christians know how to have fun, laugh, learn, grow and become strong in their faith together.

How?

Sign up by calling or emailing Paula Wahl at 803-341-0512 or pawahl@mac.com, or by putting your name on the sign-up sheet on the table in the parish hall.  This weekend promises to be a significant milestone in teh life of this yet very young church family.  Guests are very welcome. This will be a good time to see, hear and experience what the Lord is doing among the folks of Holy Trinity.

Teen Suicide Prevention / Bullying Awareness

The North Augusta Hartzog Center of the Department of Mental Health will be sponsoring a Community forum on the “Silent Epidemic” of youth suicide.  The presentation will touch on related topics such as building coping skills among young people in the often challenging social environment in our schools, teen suicide awareness and prevention, bullying, peer pressure, anger management, self-esteem issues and other related behavioral topics.

The forum will be Wednesday, April 4,  11:00 am to 1:00 pm at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Sweetwater Center, 160 Merovan Drive, North Augusta, 29860 (Merovan Dr. is O.6 miles north of I-20 exit 5 on Edgefield Rd [Hwy 25] on the right).  A map is available at www.holytrinityna.org.  For further information you can call Ms. Karen Johnson at (803) 278-0880.

Walking through Your Personal Wilderness

Wilderness is a very prominent theme found throughout the Bible.  For God’s people, times of wandering in arid, desert places are times of transition and preparation.  The “far side” of wilderness brings new life, new purpose, new calling.

The Exodus, of course, is the archetypal wilderness experience in Scripture.  The Children of Israel are led from slavery to freedom, from hopelessness to hopefulness, but the journey involves 40 years in the wilderness.  Their 40 years in the Sinai wilderness was a time of purification, preparation and submission to God’s will, plan and purposes. 

There are many other Old Testament examples of wilderness experiences.  We all know the story of Moses discovering his destiny and calling in the Wilderness of Midian.  Moses hits a rough patch with Pharaoh, is exiled, and settles for tending his father-in-laws sheep in his own literal and figurative, self-prescribed wilderness.  One day, however, on the “far side” of his wilderness, as Scripture tells us, Moses encounters an insistent God with a better plan.

One of my favorite wilderness stories is Elijah at Mt. Horeb because it is descriptive of the wildernesses in which so many of us are stuck.  Life brings its traumas (for Elijah it was no small thing … Jezebel wanting to kill him).  His wilderness involves fear, anxiety, rejection, self-piety and hopelessness.  He hides in a cave on the same mountain from which God spoke to Moses (not a good choice of a place to hide from God).  In what St. John of the Cross would call Elijah’s “dark night of the soul,” God comes to him and whispers, “Elijah, what are you doing here.”  Again, God has a better plan, a better life and abetter use for the life He has given Elijah.

Even Jesus spends 40 days in the wilderness.  He is driven into the Judean wilderness by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus’ wilderness experience is one of wrestling with questions of his identity, calling and fidelity to the Father.  But Jesus emerges on the far side of His wilderness resolutely aligned to God’s will, thus representing, as St. Paul puts it, the “New Adam,”  a model for a new humanity who is tempted, but unlike the old Adam, does not sin.  Jesus’ wilderness wandering set the stage for the transformation of the whole of humanity and our relationship with God.

The problem with wilderness experiences is that they can be uncomfortable, stretching, painful; it was even that for Jesus.  Wilderness times may also be full of fear and confusion, or riddled with anxiety and uncertainty.  Wilderness wanderings are often triggered by trauma, rejection, loss, un-forgiveness, poor health, clinical depression … you name it.  As we all know, wildernesses are spiritually arid places. 

The good news is that God changes us through our wilderness experiences.  Life is full arid places that turn out to be opportunities to be changed and transformed.  Scripture is full of wilderness stories because God is in the transformation business.  Our wilderness experiences, however we encounter them, whether large or small, God can use to take us out of the old and lead us into the new.  After all, that’s what God does.  We meet Him in the wilderness: Moses did; the Children of Israel did; Elijah did; Jesus did.

What, then, does all of this tell us? 

• First, it tells us that we can expect to spend time in the wilderness.  That’s life.
• Secondly, we can expect to grow and be transformed because of these times.  We do not exit our wilderness in the same place we went in.  Change should be what wilderness time is all about. 
• Lastly, we should expect to be more aligned with God’s will for our lives when we emerge on the “far side.”  

What about your wilderness?  Is it a place of challenge and change, or are you stuck there?  Is it a place of transition, or is it where you live?  Is the far side of your wilderness not in sight, or have you quit looking?  

Lent

What does it mean to have a HOLY Lent?  The word “holy” means ‘set apart’.  So how will this season of Lent be ‘set apart’ by you?
 

I just read The Sword, the Anglican Diocese of the South’s Newsletter.  Bishop Foley is asking us to fast each Tuesday night at 6pm until Wednesday night at 6pm.  He has written an excellent article about it that I commend to you.  In it, he said something that really struck my heart:

 

“During your fast, read your Bible and pray about the issues in your personal life, your church, your community, and our nation. Ask God to reveal to you your sin. Ask God to grant you His wisdom.  Ask God to pour out His power on specific situations.  Let us use Lent to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

I was struck by, “Ask God to reveal to you your sin.”  This is what we want during Lent, to see our sin. We can be blind to those things we have seen in distorted ways and used to rationalize our behavior all year.  We want to be ‘right’ or do not want to have to forgive others, etc.  But during Lent, we are encouraged to address those

things that are out of line with God’s ways.  We need Him to open our eyes and to give us the courage to address them.

 

Will you ask God to reveal to you your sin?

Then I let it all out;
I said, "I'll make a clean breast

of my failures to God."

Suddenly the pressure was gone—
my guilt dissolved,
my sin disappeared.  

(Psalm 32:5 The Message Bible)

Pastor Nancy