2007 - Second Sunday after Easter

Today was the Second Sunday after Easter, often referred to as Good Shepherd Sunday, perhaps because both the Epistle and Gospel reference Christ as the Good Shepherd.

The weather in Alpine was more like winter than the late spring it is supposed to be; temperatures were in the low 60s and it was overcast. Even though the weather was less than perfect for Southern California, 25 of our members managed to make the service.

Father Acker’s Confirmation Reception classes were put on hold today because of a visit by Ernie Fisher of The Gideons International. Ernie told us about the society behind the millions of Bibles distributed worldwide, starting with hotel rooms, then throughout the military and medical fields, anywhere they can to spread the Word of God. The society has only 65 paid staff members, primarily clerical and the like, so they manage to do a lot with what is given them.

Have the Gideons helped you? Father Acker still uses the Bible given to him by the Gideons in college. Your Beadle has the Gideon New Testament he received on joining the Navy forty years ago. It has been around the world many times.

About the Gideons
Open the nightstand drawer in almost any hotel room in the world and you will find a Bible placed there by the Gideon’s International. The oldest Christian business and professional men’s association in the United States, the Gideons have been around for more than 100 years, and have been placing Bibles in hotel rooms for almost that long.

Their mission statement tells who they are:

The Gideons International serves as an extended missionary arm of the church: Our sole purpose is to win men, women, boys and girls to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ through association for service, personal testimony, and distributing the Bible in the human traffic lanes and streams of everyday life.

Their effective actions are worldwide, members of The Gideons International place and distribute scriptures in 181 countries in 82 languages, focusing on five primary areas:

¬ Hotels and Motels
¬ Hospitals, Nursing Homes, and Domestic Violence Shelters
¬ Schools, Colleges, and Universities
¬ The Military, Law Enforcement Personnel, Firefighters, and EMTs
¬ Prisons and Jails

The demand for Scriptures in these areas far exceeds the supplies that the Gideons are able to purchase through the donations they receive. Much more could be done - if funds were available. However, the Gideons are placing and distributing more than 1 million copies of the Word of God, at no cost, every 7 days in these areas.

How did the Gideons start?
The Association began in a hotel room on September 14, 1898, in Boscobel, Wisconsin. The manager of the Central Hotel there asked traveling salesmen John H. Nicholson of Janesville, Wis., and Samuel E. Hill of Beloit, Wis., to share a room in a crowded hotel, which was hosting a lumbermen’s convention. In Room 19, above the saloon, the men discovered that they were both Christians. They prayed and read the Bible together before settling down for the night. They talked about starting a Christian traveling men’s association but parted ways the next morning without any definite plans. A chance meeting the following May rekindled the idea, and on July 1, 1899, the two salesmen, joined by a third, William J. Knights, met in Janesville and founded the Gideons. The name comes from the Old Testament book of Judges, and refers to a man who was willing to do whatever God asked of him. Today, the Boscobel Hotel, where the two founders met, is listed on the National Historical Register, and Room 19, where the idea of the Gideons was conceived, is marked with a special plaque.

The Gideons primary purpose has always been personal evangelization conducted by Christian business and professional men. As early as 1900, the organization considered putting Bibles at the front desk of the hotels its members stayed in, but it was not until 1908 that the association voted to place Bibles in all hotel rooms. Within 20 years of the first placement of a Gideon Bible in a hotel room, the association distributed one million Bibles. Because the Gideons so quickly became associated with hotel room Bibles, the association has, at times, had to remind its members that the Bibles are but a means to an end, not an end in themselves. The sole purpose of the group is to win men, women, boys and girls to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ through personal witnessing and the distribution of Bibles and New Testaments.

Today, the association counts more than 140,000 members in 175 countries. The Gideons (http://www.gideons.org/)distribute more that 56 million Bibles and New Testaments every year. This averages out to be one million books every seven days, or 107 per minute. Evangelical churches of many denominations financially support the Gideons’ work of distributing Bibles, not only to hotels and motels, but also to hospitals and doctors’ offices, jails and prisons, elementary and high schools, colleges and universities, and military bases.

A 1997 Fodor’s survey of American travelers found that 23 percent of those surveyed read the Gideons Bible in their hotel rooms. When the Bibles are taken or become too worn, the local camp of the Gideons will replace them at no charge. Often, when a new hotel opens, a representative of the local Gideons camp will present a Bible to the hotel’s general manager in a solemn ceremony. Then, Bibles for the entire property are given to the housekeeping department which places one in each room. Some properties have begun offering other religious books in their hotel rooms, such as The Book of Mormon in Marriott properties or Buddhist religious texts in Nikko properties. But, for the majority of travelers, the Gideon Bible is the book they’ll find when they settle into their hotel rooms for the night.

Alex Boyd read this morning’s Epistle from the First Epistle of St. Peter, beginning at the Nineteenth Verse of the Second Chapter: “This is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto right-eousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”

The Epistle reminds us that Christ, who was completely without sin or guile, not only died for our sins, but suffered humiliation and torture without complaint for us. Thus, if we because we believe in God and our Lord Jesus are subjected to unfavorable comment, criticism or even persecution, we should bear this gladly, as our Lord gave us his example. We are as sheep going astray who have been returned to the flock by our Lord, the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls.

We were asked the question, who is this man Jesus? We answered, he is the Son of God; are we following him? In this Epistle again, we are admonished to follow our Lord.

Today’s Gospel started in the Tenth chapter of the Gospel according to St. John beginning at the eleventh verse. Using the words that give this Sunday its name, Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” He goes on to say He is not a hireling, but the shepherd himself, He knows each of His sheep and they know Him, even as He knows His Father and His Father knows Him. Because we are His sheep, He willingly laid down His life that we might live. Jesus also points out He is not here to shepherd only the Jews, but all men, “And there are other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one flock, and one shepherd.”

Sermon
Father Acker’s sermon for the day centered on the force of scripture in our life. Our lives are, or at least should be, centered or grounded in Holy Scripture. In Article Six of the Articles of Religion, we find:

VI. Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation.
Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.

The Archbishop of Canterbury in one of his more lucid moments said, “Before Scripture is read in private, it is heard in public.” While reading it alone is helpful at some levels, the Word of God is meant to be taken in the context of the Church and Fellowship.

In that Fellowship God’s Word acts upon us revealing God’s will, our being regenerated, made new by Jesus’ death & resurrection. Rightly and fundamentally, for communication, Scripture needs “to be heard and answered.”

Scripture is not just information, not just instruction; it is about conversion, redemption, the putting off of the old nature of sin; it is the Word of God. Unless you allow the Holy Ghost to enter into your heart and soul, you cannot, as Paul says, put on the New Man while putting away the old.

The Word of God is written for YOU, it was not written just for someone two or three thousand years ago. It is timeless and placeless, like God Himself. Most importantly, it is revelation, God speaks to us individually. The words on Mount Sinai were spoke not to Moses, but to YOU. While we see time as 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, we are listening to a God who is I AM. Now is the same as then.

God does not change, but He wants us to change. This is what God is communicating in scripture for your life, our life together as the community of God—what change is God wanting for you.

A parable, like the Good Shepherd, is God speaking to bring to bear the Cross of Christ upon your situation, your life.

“There shall be one flock, and one shepherd.”

Jesus is the shepherd, and the flock belongs to God. The question is who is directing, leading, guiding, protecting your life? If the answer is Jesus, you are on the right track.

There are many denominations of Christians, but only one Christian religion. To be part of the flock is to believe and do your best to follow that believed by all Christians, in all times, in all places.

Holy Scripture is God talking to us. The question is are you listening? If you are, are you acting on what you are being told, or is it just noise in the background.

Each of us is dying here on earth, with every breath we take we are one step closer to the grave. Yet, for those who follow our Lord, we are one step closer to home when our time here on earth is over.

So God loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, to the end that all that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16—Book of Common Prayer p.76

Free Teen Guitar Class Kids
With our beloved organist and keyboarder Marianne Lane out today, Father Acker’s Free Teen Guitar Class kids provided guitar music for us today. Today’s guitarists consisted of the Alexes (or Alexi), Jack and Father Acker: Alex Springer, Alex Boyd, Jack Arnold and Father Acker

Birthdays and Anniversaries
If it had not been for Alex Boyd’s birthday, the Lizaks would have had a lock on both birthdays and anniversaries today. This Sunday we celebrated Alex Boyd’s twelfth and Holly Lizak’s sixty-first birthdays. Today was also the Lizak’s sixth anniversary.

New Name Tags on Sunday
We were pleased to have two new nametags today Jordan Tucker and Kristina Hauser

After Church Hospitality
Martha Stevens brought the goodies today. There were four kinds of cookies, your Beadle did not get beyond the white chocolate macadamias, though the others looked lovely; a strawberry cheesecake and wonderful red seedless grapes. The Deputy Beadle reports the cheesecake was super.

Tim Macauley was back in charge of coffee furnished by Tim’s House of Coffee and Father Acker made his customary homemade low carb lemonade.

Travel
Ashley is on travel.

Sick or in need of healing
Betty Cook
Muriel Pappin
Betsy Lane
Diane Chase – Chest pain for reasons currently unknown.
Ken Abbiss is recovering nicely from surgery for skin cancer on his nose and the bandages should be almost gone by now.

Lona Walsh (Wanda Michaelis' mother) surgery had been put off.

Miney Farrell is doing well. She asks your prayers for Bertha Rose’s balance problems are compounded by her blindness.

Barbara Emrich was enjoying the warm day on Friday of this last week and hearing about the Easter service.

Evelyn Hunt is recovering from being in the hospital for severe back pain. She is at home, but not able to drive to see Gene who said, “No use complaining.”

Lorraine Winkles thinks she is having some improvement. She’s been down with this very painful version of chicken pox since Christmas.

Donna Dingwall is doing quite a bit better. She had a great time on the cruise with her family. Perhaps she will be able to make it to church in the near future, please keep her and her family in your prayers.

Back Door Lending Library
The Back Door Lending Library is happy to announce the availability of Amazing Grace books of several flavors, in addition, there are still several sets of the Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, as well as some background books on the series. There are plenty of sets, so don’t be shy.

There are also Annotated Holy Communion Books. These books have the Prayer Book Holy Communion service on the left page and an explanation on the right page. They are a great way to learn about the service. Pick one up when you come in and use it for the service, if you like.

The Lending Library is a resource you need to use. Most of the books are short, understandable, but very powerful. Also, if you have any books you would like share, please bring them in.

Personal 1928 Books of Common Prayer
While not strictly part of the Front Door Lending Library, we have some personal 1928 Prayer Books. A church in Florida disposed of a nice quantity of personal hardback 1928 BCPs in excellent to new condition, which we were lucky enough to acquire. There are some on the Front Table. We have plenty, although we only put out a half dozen at a time. They are yours to take home as your very own. The only thing the parish asks is that if you ever go to the dark side, please return it. Otherwise, it is yours forever.

Thought for the Day
Jesus gave us the Summary of the Law boiled down into two commandments:
¬ Love God
¬ Love your neighbor

And one commission:
¬ Go forth in the name of God and spread His Word.

And two warnings:
¬ There are none so blind as those who will not see, and
¬ There are none so deaf as those who will not hear.

And three rules:
¬ Do not cast your pearls before swine;
¬ Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s
¬ And unto God that which is God’s.

The Lord’s Word is incredibly valuable, it contains the secret to eternal life, happiness here on earth and even earthly prosperity. Like love, His Word increases the richness of those who share it freely.

God calls on us to act. Prayer is good, but prayer must be combined with action. You can talk the talk, but it only talk if you do not act the act. Remember the book in the Bible is not the Talks of the Apostles. Each of us is called to spread the Word of God in our daily lives, to share the Love of our Lord and Savior with others; that they also might be saved.

There are other religions claiming to worship “The One True God.” They have been commanded by their “god” to force others to worship him, to kill them if they will not. Their god wishes to be the civil authority, to keep others from worshipping as they are called. He must do this because he fears the truth. He is not our God. God fears not truth, for He is the Light, He is the Truth. Nothing He says or does will conflict with the truth, for He made the universe and all that is therein.

We are to make God’s Word available to all and to force it on none. God walks with each of us and wants us to want to walk with Him. He has no desire for forced “believers.” His Word is not to be forced on others. Our God is great. His Word is invaluable. We are commanded to share the Word, but never to force it. We are always to remember His Kingdom is not of this world, but one must pass through this world to get to it.

Question that only you can ask
What would you like to know about our history, what we believe, what we do or how we operate? Father Acker is looking for material for the Catechism class and the Beadle is looking for Thought for the Day material. Help us help you. Please send your question to the Beadle so we all can get an answer. Just because you don’t know the answer to your question doesn’t mean you are the only one who doesn’t know. But, if you don’t ask, no one will know.

Bumper or Window Stickers
The church’s stickers are finally in. You can get them from the front door table or the Lending Library table, or ask Father Acker or the Beadle. If you are a long distance reader, you can request one from Father Acker or the Beadle.

Church Patches
The parish patches are in. They are embroidered, four inch and round. They are available either Velcro backed or plain. The plain are designed to be sewn on, the Velcro backed are designed to be stuck to furry Velcro patches sewn to the garment or whatever.

Coming Up later this year – Bishops Visit and Second Annual Beadle’s Party
Bishop and Mrs. Boyce will be with us on 20 May 2007 for both Confirmation and Reception. Afterwards, they will be joining us for the Second Annual Beadle’s Barbeque at the Arnolds’. Confirmation is a very significant milestone in our spiritual lives, as is the Reception into the Church, for those confirmed. We are expecting a big turnout as those who are confirmed bring family and friends.

As those who attended the First Annual Beadle’s Barbeque can attest to, the Beadle’s Barbeque is not an event to be missed. So far, it looks like it may be a Chuck Wagon BBQ, but who knows what the day will bring. All members are not only invited, but really encouraged, to come. Please bring your families and guests who might be interested in getting to know our Church.

A Beadle’s Party (in this case really a Chuck Wagon BBQ) is traditionally held to allow church members to better get to know one another to help us work together to spread the Word of our Lord. These are very informal events, but always a lot of fun.

We would like you to join us after Church, but if you are going to miss Church for one reason or another, we would still like you to join us! The normal attire for a Beadle’s party is Church Casual, or what we normally wear to our Sunday Service.

Next Sunday
Next Sunday is the Third Sunday after Easter. It seems likely the sermon trend will continue on centering our life on the Risen Lord, in one form or another, likely tying into the pre-service class. Speaking of that, will the pre-service class be back? Is there more to learn? Unless you come to the service, you will have to wait until you read the Beadle’s Report to find out.

See you next week on Sunday!

Father Acker posts a .pdf version of the current Beadle’s Report on the church website:

http://www.alpineanglican.com/Beadle/beadle.pdf

An alternative version of the Beadle’s Report without photographs is available at:

http://web.mac.com/thebeadle/iWeb/BeadleBlog/Blog/Blog.html

All back issues of the Beadle’s Reports are available on request from:

thebeadle@mac.com