Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity

Today was the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday. Sunrise temperature on Mount Olympus was a comfortable 57°F under bright blue skies. By the time church started, we were at 74°F and when it ended, the mercury had climbed to 88°F. Kind of hot, but for Alpine at the start of September pretty darn pleasant. Even though we had a number of people on travel, we had 15 for the service.

The setup was a bit odd, the school left down the tables and benches, so we had about a 1/3 of our usual space. Interesting.

Gathering Songs

Today Father Ironhand and Jack Arnold played more gathering songs than usual. Father Acker is on “vacation” during August and September through Labor Day each year, thus there is no pre-service class. Some of the class time is taken with extra gathering songs. Today they played:

· The King of Love my shepherd is

· Just a closer walk with thee

· How great is our God

The gathering songs did their job once again; they started with 12 and ended up with 15!

Propers

Each Sunday there are Propers: special prayers and readings from the Bible. There is a Collect for the Day; that is a single thought prayer, most written either before the re-founding of the Church of England in the 1540s or written by Bishop Thomas Cranmer, the first Archbishop of Canterbury after the re-founding. The Collect for the Day is to be read on Sunday and during Morning and Evening Prayer until the next Sunday. If you have a hard time remembering, “Do I read the Collect from last Sunday or next Sunday during the week?” Remember Sunday is the first day of the week. There are also two Bible readings, the Epistle and the Gospel. While they are “lessons”, they are not the First Lesson and the Second Lesson, they are the Epistle and the Gospel. The Epistle is normally a reading from one of the various Epistles or letters in the New Testament. The Gospel is a reading from one of the Holy Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The Collect is said by the priest as a prayer, the Epistle can be read by either a designated reader (as we do in our church or by one of the priests) and the Holy Gospel, which during the service is read by an ordained priest.

The Collect for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity follows:

The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY and merciful God, of whose only gift it cometh that thy faithful people do unto thee true and laudable service; Grant, we beseech thee, that we may so faithfully serve thee in this life, that we fail not finally to attain thy heavenly promises; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Dru Arnold read the Epistle, which came from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, the Third Chapter beginning at the Sixteenth Verse. Paul reminds us, “To Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” The law, which came 430 years after this covenant, did not supercede the law. The law was “added because of transgressions, til the seed (Jesus) should come to whom the promise was made … Is the law then against the promises of God?” No. “… for is there had been a law given which could have given life, … righteousness should have been by the law.” For the wages of sin are death, all sin and only those whose sins are set aside by the sacrifice of Jesus are freed from their debt.

TO Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one,And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

The gradual hymn for today was God made me. We had no Warren, Cory, Phoebe or Sydney, but we managed. W had the right hymn for the slide; but no Ginger to keep us all straight!

Today’s Gospel started in the Tenth Chapter of the Gospel according to St. Luke, beginning at the Twenty-Third Verse. Jesus tells one of the New Testament’s most widely spread stories, that of the Good Samaritan[1]^,[2].

Jesus was talking to the people, “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” The lawyer was about to learn the first lesson of lawyering, “Never ask a question you don’t know the answer to.””As was often the case, Jesus let the man answer his own question in response to a question from Him, “What is written in the law? how readest thou?”

The man answered well, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”

Jesus confirmed his answer, “Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.”

But, the man wanted more and asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?”

Among the Jews, it was clear they were to “Love thy neighbor as thy self;” but their view of their neighborhood was not too wide. From Jesus’ story and question come a clear answer as to how big our neighborhood might be.

And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?

To this question, the man answered, “He that shewed mercy on him.”

Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

BLESSED are the eyes which see the things that ye see: for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he depar-ted, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Sermon – With Love, Rules aren’t enough!

Another very good sermon, with the Keynote presentation being extremely well done. If you were there you know it, if not you missed it.

Both the Epistle and Gospel come together today with one message, The Law is not the source of eternal life. As Paul said in his letter to the Galatians, “For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.” But, in fact, The Law does not give eternal life or even happiness here on earth. That comes from The Word, The Son, He of whom salvation and happiness are through.

When the young lawyer asked Jesus how he could have eternal life, he thought he knew the answer. When Jesus turned the question around, he responded with the accurate summary of The Law. The summary was the same we use every Sunday we celebrate Holy Communion, right there on Page 69 of the Book of Common Prayer:

¶ Then may the Priest say,

Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ saith.

THOU shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

This was accurate, yet while a complete summary of The Law, it was incomplete without the understanding of its meaning. Thus, the lawyer wanted clarification, when he asked, “So, who is my neighbor?” This is when he got a surprise, he was not ready for the answer. As a leading young Pharisee, he was used to neat answers he could use to bend The Law to his needs, his desires, his will. What he got was God’s answer. It was far easier act according to man’s interpretation of 613 separate and mostly meaningless laws than it was to follow God’s single two part rule. Love, God and your fellow man.

What do you mean? I should act according to God’s will? What about all my learning? What about all the ways I have been able to devise to do what I want while “complying with the letter of The Law?”

So, moving on to how we do this, on Page 34 in The Book of Common Prayer, at the end of Evening Prayer, we find:

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom.

ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests; Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.

There is a reason God calls us to worship together. When two or three gather together, they can build on each other’s strengths, cover each other’s weaknesses. Like the Three Musketeers, All for One and One for All. In this case, we are talking about the Big One, the Three in One, us for Him and Him for us.

New Nametags

We had no new nametags today.

Birthdays and Anniversaries

No reported anniversaries or birthdays today.

After Church Hospitality

Alice Acker brought snacks today, a great honking box of dog nuts and a superb quiche! The quiche was so good your Beadle did not use any hot sauce on it. The dog nuts were of the local variety and very good. Sadly, due to his low carbohydrate restriction, your Beadle can only report they looked great and disappeared quickly.

Command Master Chief Brewer Macauley had the duty today, coffee was great! Father Acker made his low carb lemonade. The lemonade was great and gone!

After church goodies providers as currently signed up:

Date Name

13 September 2009 Bishop Boyce will be joining us for a BBQ!

20 September 2009 Betsy and Marianne Lane

27 September 2009 Jan Macualey

4 October 2009 Playgirls

11 October 2009 Diane Chase

18 October 2009 Alice Acker

25 October 2009 Holly Lizak

People in our Prayers - http://www.blessedtrinityprayerteam.blogspot.com/

Prayer is an extremely important activity.

It is not that God knows not our needs, for He surely does. Yet, Jesus commanded us to ask God for those same needs. In addition to the obvious of asking God for help, offering thanksgiving and the like, prayer helps us focus our thoughts on how we might do God's work.

The Prayer Team of the Alpine Anglican Church of the Blessed Trinity was established to help our members and fellow Christians pray for those in need and to give thanks as well for the blessings we have been granted.

Who can be on the list?

Do I have to be a member of the Blessed Trinity Church to be prayed for? No! The only qualification to be on the list is that you want our prayer team to pray for you. We are Christians and are happy to pray for you, no matter who you are. If you want help from God, you are our kind of people.

What is the commitment from the prayer team?

Each member of the team will pray for the desired outcome at least once per day.

How do I get myself or someone else on the prayer list?

You can email one of the prayer team leaders: Greg - gnchase@cox.net or Dru - dru@descansorodents.com, or call the church office at (619) 722-1772 or fill out a prayer card at church.

What should I ask for?

Depends on what you want. Some people merely want God to be asked to heal their ills and be mentioned by their first name, others want a specific outcome and / or have more of their personal information known to the team. Ask for what you want. It is your desire and need for prayer the team is attempting to meet. For typical examples, see the list below.

Updating the Team

If you are on our prayer list, or if you have submitted a person that you have asked us to pray for, please update one of the team members or Father Acker in person, by telephone or email. It helps to be able to pray specifically for these individuals including their specific needs; plus if they get better, it is nice to give thanks!

Please note on the yellow (maybe green or orange, if you get an old one) cards at church, you can ask that those to be prayed for have their names disseminated to the "prayer team". Those names will be said in church and appear here. Or, you can ask their names and purpose be kept confidential, then only Father Acker will pray for them.

Travel

Don, Sandy and Nick are on travel this week.

Aaron, Traci and Warren are on travel this week.

Chris, Stephanie, Andrew and Alex are on travel this week.

Jan is on travel this week to be with Danielle after her surgery.

Peaceful Transition

Hal Cochran, a good friend of Al Ryan, is nearing the end of his time here on earth. A long time smoker, there is nothing more that can be done for his cancer. Please pray for a peaceful transition for Al from this world to that of our Lord. His wife Lorraine passed away five years ago from diabetes complications. His two sons Tom and Paul are taking their father’s impending departure very hard. Please pray for Tom, Paul and the rest of Hal’s family and friends who remain behind.

Repose of the Soul

Nettie, sister of Evelyn Hunt, passed away the week of 31 August 2009.

Uni, Fran Dexter’s aunt, passed away the morning of 3 September 2009. Please give thanks for her peaceful passing and pray for the repose of her soul and for her family left here on earth.

Julie Fish, a 30 year old daughter of a friend of Melanie Zimmers, passed the afternoon of 23 August 2009. She leaves behind a husband and 3 children aged 2-5. When Julie was pregnant with their last child, she was diagnosed with this unusual cancer that normally runs in men aged 50 and older. It is a rapid growing one that takes the pancreas and liver, so it is very painful and brutal. Please pray for the repose of her soul and for comfort for her husband and family who remain behind.

Pauline Gray passed away the morning of 23 August 2009 due to double pneumonia in Pensacola, Florida. She is the mother of Commander Obra Gray for whom we prayed while he was deployed to Iraq and on various carrier deployments. Pray for the repose of her soul and for comfort for her husband and family who remain behind. Give thanks Obra was able to be with her when she left for home.

Healing


 Salvador (cancer), Marge, Karl, Christian, Wanda, Lois, Jennette (Alzheimer’s), Ruth, Connie, Tom, Crystal, Thomas, Hadley, Diane, Norm, Gregory, Nancy, Bill (infection), Ernie, Ray, Hazel, Bruce (heart attack), Susanne, Paul (stroke), Ralph+ (prostate cancer), Allison (kidney), Bill (ETOH poisoning and gout), Kai, Jay, Tim, Diane, Amy (Thyroid cancer), Evelyn, Debbie, Joanna (stroke) [granddaughter of Father Holland a diocesan priest], June (cancer surgery), Susan, Jeff, David (leg injury), Judy, who suffers from mental illness, is undergoing tests for cancer, Greg, June (cancer), David (leg sprain), Cheri, David, Ben, Michael (heart valve replacement), Walter (skin cancer), Gabriella (surgery), Curtis, Doyle, Martha, Muriel, Richard, Ralph+, Jeffrey, Rod, Gary, Mark, Jeffery, Charles (restricted artery to brain and broken arm), Amy (staph infection), Jennifer, Curtis, Steve (cancer), Paula, Ashton, Marjorie, Mike G, Uni (congestive heart failure, infection), Dave (knee surgery), Karl (shoulder surgery), Jeffrey (testing), Gary (sepsis; diabetic), Jim (stomach cancer), Eunice, Jeanette (Alzheimer’s)

Danielle’s neck surgery to remove lymph nodes and damaged tissue was successful. She will recover for four to six weeks prior to the start of radiation. Please give thanks for a successful surgery and pray for a rapid recovery and successful radiation treatment. Pray also for peace of mind for Danielle and her family.

Jacquie is recovering from successful abdominal surgery on Monday 24 August 2009. Please give thanks for the successful surgery pray for her rapid and full recovery. Most importantly, pray that she might open her heart to God and accept His Love and Grace.

Jackie was involved in a rollover car accident, her passenger was not injured, but she sustained a serious head injury. She has regained consciousness. Pray for the medical team treating her that they might do their best. Pray for her and her family who are very worried about her.

Bashir Ahmed, father of Shamim Gray, father in law of Commander Obra Gray for whom we prayed while he was deployed to Iraq and on various carrier deployments, is gravely ill. Bashir lives in London. He was in the hospital for some time. They have been able to do little for him and have sent him home. It should be good for him to be home. His wife will be able to rest now and he may well do better being at home Please pray God will deliver a miraculous recovery for Bashir; if that not be God’s will, a departure in peace to His world for him. Please pray God will extend His Grace to Bashir and his family and that they will accept. Shamim keeps her faith in the Lord. Above all, please pray also for his family to open their hearts to accept all God’s love will bring them.

Tom S, recovering from brain surgery and continuing radiation treatment.

Maureen had two heart valves successfully replaced and is now home. She sounds great, but has quite a few weeks of recovery from the extended illness and surgery. Maureen and her family really appreciate the prayers and are thankful for God's healing.

Peter H is in Kaiser with a less than good prognosis of prostate cancer. Please offer prayers of healing. His wife Susan understands we have prayer warriors in other countries including England. She is confident Peter will appreciate that as he is English.

Tom Garcia is now hospitalized Saint Bernadine’s Hospital after a “mild” heart attack and installation of a stent due to total blockage on the right side of his heart. He is doing well and might come home Friday if everything goes well. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

Vera Zimmers had successful surgery last Monday for early stage two colon cancer. That is the end of the treatment, no chemotherapy. Please pray for a complete recovery.

Madelynn Calvert born Sunday 7 June 2009 to Sarah at 24 weeks and one pound seven ounces. She is doing well and at her second month weighs is 3 pounds 1oz. She is having surgery this weekend to put her abdomen back together, no more colostomy bag. She is doing good, but not eating; surgery will be now instead of at 8 pounds. Good news, her brain bleed has resolved on its own and both eye exams came back great! Please give thanks for all the good to date and continue to pray for her continued growth and improvement.

Mark Wilson underwent skin cancer surgery on his face 21 May 2009. He just completed four weeks of radiation treatment. He is concerned about the effect this will have on his business. Please pray for his peace of mind and well as remission of the cancer.

Hy cannot put much weight on her leg. She does not know why and so far the doctors have not been able to diagnose a problem. But, things are much better and she is getting around on using a cane. She asks you pray for her healing and guidance for those treating her.

Mary Garcia fell and broke her hip on 18 April 2009. She had successful surgery and made it home. She is having problems with diet and her diabetes. Please pray for Mary to accept God’s help with her various difficulties and also for Gil to have strength to care for her.

Lise, originally diagnosed with "peritoneal cancer", has undergone multiple surgeries and chemotherapy. Lise's doctors hope she is in remission, but are uncertain and do not know if she will be with us for more than a year. Her friend requests that you please pray for continued healing and full remission for Lise; and, and please pray that God might give wisdom and guidance to all of her medical providers. Lise appreciates your support and prayers.

Jan has just recovered from her fifth cancer surgery. The medical prognosis is good. Her friend asks you pray for Jan's continued healing and complete remission; and, please pray God might give wisdom and guidance to all of her medical providers.

Lauralee underwent a lumpectomy on Friday after Thanksgiving. Another anomaly has been discovered and she is back into preventative radiation treatment. Please pray for a complete remission of the cancer. Pray also Lauralee will maintain her great attitude and trust in God.

Tim, brother of Lauralee, had a stroke and extremely high blood pressure and is now recovering. Pray for a full recovery.

Mary Parker is home. Please give thanks for her great recovery and continued progress.

Evelyn Hunt is still experiencing discomfort in her head problems with her leg. She welcomes the phone calls as she is no longer driving. Many of you know her son, Gary, passed away earlier in the summer and her last sister passed away this past week (Nettie).

Miney Farrell is thankful for her recovery from pneumonia. She is enjoying having her son and daughter in law back from a month trip around the Pacific.

Lorraine Winkles is still dealing with shingles (now over 34 months). The level of discomfort varies but the condition is persisting. She is in amazing spirits and sends her love to all.

Kay Denton (Mrs. Kay) is still home and doing pretty well considering the bones in her neck and hands are degenerating as a side effect of her kidney failure. Mrs. Kay asks that everyone who is praying for her know how grateful she is for their prayers. As always, she retains her trust in the Lord and her positive attitude. 



Nicole Ethridge - age 28, mother of two - has a form of liver disease FSCS, which was causing her liver to shut down. The disease has apparently gone into semi-remission. She is doing very well and coming off medications. Please pray for her continued remission and her continued faith and good spirits, as well as strength to take care of her children.

Caroline (age 11, leukemia recurrence) is doing very well following her bone marrow transplant 17 July 2008. Please keep praying as Caroline has a 40% chance of recurrence of her leukemia.

Natalie (age 10, leukemia recurrence) has not responded to any treatment since her relapse. She is nearing the end of her time here on earth unless there is a God given miraculous remission of the cancer. Her family knows Natalie is in God's hands and they are praying for a miracle. Help them with their faith, let them understand God does not always give what we want, but what we need. As she apparently nears the end of her time here on earth please pray for her transition to home and for her family who will be, of necessity, left behind.

Guidance


Tom, Mary, Lloyd & Jennifer to be guided to a church

Breyana, Vie, Asha, Cory, Heather, Holly, Ken, Maruja, William, Phil, Sandy, Larraine, Brad, Brian, Jennifer, Margie, Rick, Susan, Curtis, Donny, Chris, Eric (job), Andrew, Keith (job decision), Sara (God's grace and His patience), Mark, Alexandra, Perlita, Lewis, Sam, Susie, Dru, Jack, Tina, William, Christina, Tuck, Lorraine (death of husband), Jeff, Christiana (God’s grace), Tara (divorce), Patricia & her family, Errin, Elizabeth, Brandon, Steven, Nelson, Ashley, Virginia, Betty who is considering moving into an assisted living home, Nick, Pat, Caroline, Stephen, Greg (vocation guidance and training for the diaconate), Stephanie, Richard, Daniel, Boo (death of her husband), Sheryl, Edward, Madeleine B, Caroline B, Jeannie, Rachel

Noriene for God's comfort as she mourns her mother and for her turning to God for His healing.

Paul S suffers from severe schizophrenia remains stable with his medication, but needs God’s guidance. He gives thanks for improvement in his housing situation.

Linda is embarking on a new venture to bring music therapy to developmentally challenged young people from a Christian perspective. She is investigating the potential need and environment south of the American border. She asks that you pray for her that she might discern God’s will, her abilities and the need; grant her safe travel.

Hap asks you to pray that he might be able to trust God will help him make the right decisions at the right time and not to worry uselessly.

Guidance and Protection

Christina, Sarah

Economic Guidance and Assistance

Keith has been unable to find any full-time work since his custom home drafting business of 25 years really dropped off last year. He is working as a handyman, doing tile work, painting, home repairs, etc. Their family has a great deal of debt from Susanne’s medical needs. Pray also for God's peace to comfort them and for His leading and wisdom to be very evident to them.

Mark’s business is very very slow, he asks that God point him to new markets and give him guidance in following God’s will that his business might survive and his employees not lose their livelihood.

Please give thanks for Kevin in the UK who has found a job. Please continue to pray he will find a position that will maintain his family and where he can use his talents to make a positive impact on the world. Please pray also for his family, in particular his wife Beverley, that they might open their hearts and minds to God’s guidance.

To Find Employment

Peter, Russell, Kris, Eric, Keith, Kevin and Eric each to find a job that will allow them to use their skill and talent to make their new employer more successful.

Shawna’s father lost his job in March 2009. After 33 years of working, he has been unable to find work. Please pray that he will find a job that will allow him to use his talents to make his new employer more successful. Pray also that he might put his trust in the Lord and look outward; that he might turn his heart away from depression and towards God. Pray also for his family in this very stressful time. Shawna ask that we pray for all those out of work that they might find gainful employment. There is little worse for a person than no work to turn to and no way to support their family.



Homebound/Aged and Infirm


Mary, Donna, Betty, Noko, Adelaide, Evelyn, Lorraine, Ellie

Armed Forces & Contractors


Tillman, Justin, Evan, RJ, Matt, Phillip, Julian, John Kelly (USN - USS Ronald Reagan), Evan (USMC-Afghanistan), Eric (USN-Afghanistan), Stuart (USMC-Afghanistan), Airman Donny Patton is attending Technical Training School in the electronics field in Wichita Falls, TX, Eric (USN-Afghanistan through May 2010),

Thanksgiving

Sonny Discar gives thanks for a full recovery from the Swine Flu (H1H1 virus.

Ryan Wyckoff (15), son of Kevin and Lisa Wyckoff friends of the Arnold family from Wasilla, Alaska, is being treated for Wilson’s Disease, a treatable failure of the liver to throw off copper. He has recently been responding to medication and is making objective progress. Please pray a prayer of thanksgiving for this wonderful turn. The Wyckoffs’ faith is broad, as well as deep. Pray they continue to pull with together with God in all this, accepting all the help He gives them.

Naomi gives thanksgiving for delivery of her child. Please pray for her child’s continued growth.

Aaron gives thanks for being selected to Lieutenant Commander.

Chaplain Larry Witherspoon is returning to work after a stroke before Christmas. With God’s strength holding him up, he made incredible progress. Please give thanks on behalf of Larry, his wife Sheila and his family.

Tieko received a kidney transplant and appears to be doing well. Please give thanks for the successful surgery and pray there will be no rejection.

Vince (12 yrs) has bone cancer (a teammate of Andrew B). Please give thanks for his completion of chemotherapy and doing well in follow-up. Please pray non-recurrence of the cancer, as well as that he and his family might put their trust in God and accept His comfort and encouragement in this difficult time.

Jesse gives thanks for a successful a mission trip to Costa Rica.

Erika gives thanks for a successful a mission trip to Panama.

Students

Please pray for all of our students and teachers as they begin another school year that it may be productive in education in the truth and for developing good citizens for our country.

Persecuted

Around the world, Christians are under attack, not only in the Muslim world, but from Hindus and others in India. Also, they are under continual attack in the western world as it becomes actively atheist or pro-devil buddy. Please pray for God’s guidance and protection for all persecuted Christians and those around them.

Free Teen Guitar Class

Please join us in praying that the Free Teen Guitar Class will be an opportunity for God to work in the lives of the kids and their families. Help us to let the love of our Lord shine through us into their lives, putting Him first, so that He might enter in to their hearts and lives.

Cherokee Legend – Courtesy of Bob Balslev of Texas

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indians rite of passage? The father takes his son into the woods, blindfolds him and leaves him all alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!

Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm. We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, Sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.

Moral of the story: Just because you can't see God, doesn't mean He is not there. 'For we walk by faith, not by sight.

*Exercise Daily, Walk with God*

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 continuing education 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.

I’d like to get a different point across or announce something

If you have a different point of view, I would be happy to give you room to get your point across. While this publication is my perspective on events, I recognize not everyone may agree and that some people would like to express their own opinion. If you want to write something, please forward your item to the Beadle (with a note as to whether or not you would like editing help) to: thebeadle@mac.com.

New Style of Bishop by Bishop Win Mott

Bishop Mott envisions Pastoral Bishops instead of CEOs for ACNA

Archbishop Robert Duncan of the newly formed Anglican Church in North America has commented that the current Epicsopal Church reflects a dysfunctional model of episcopacy, among other Issues. He has announced his determination to avoid repeating the same pattern in the new Anglican Province. The Episcopal model appears to see bishops as princes of the church, with ample budges and often endowments, who adminster the diocese as a CEO would operate a corporation. It is the impression of many that this is frequently done with a heavy hand and "JC Dithers" style of management.

The new ACNA model will be different, If not by desire than bv reality. To begin with. it will not have the same budget, resources and endowments. It will not have the same legal access to all property and real estate generally claimed by Episcopal dioceses. The size of the average Anglican diocese is smaller than the Episcopal Church, Much of this is not by choice. No diocese, to my knowledge, has said, "Please do not endow us nor give us more than a pittance, please make sure we are small in number," There has already been some comment, in fact, that there are too many bishops and that dioceses are too small and that something needs to be done about that.

The Pastoral Model

However, it could be that instead, an opportunity is being thrust upon us. A return to large dioceses, with CEO¬style bishops ensconced in headquarters remote from the Faithful, would be a return to the dysfunctional pattern of unfortunate former days. As all things start fresh with the new Province, this also can be a new model. Better said, it can be a return to a much older model, of the episcopate of the early Church. This was a pastoral model, not a corporate one. The bishop, presiding from his cathedra, was accessible to his flock. While there were often satellite congregations, they were not far away and were able to be in close touch, as the bishop operated as a senior pastor to the various presbyters, including those who served satellite locations. He would have been surprised to hear of bishops who were not pastors, who served no congregation but who sat in an office somewhere and administered things. A minimum canonical size has been established for a diocese in ACNA of twelve parishes and a thousand faithful weekly participants on average. At that size, a dutiful bishop could be present frequently in the parishes, unless he was the sole pastor of one of them and could certainly know a significant number of the faithful personally. But should the diocese be more than four or five times the minimum canonical size, all but the most overwhelming bishops begin to be unable to be complete pastors to the diocese. The temptation is often to see more budget potential in larger diocese, to think of the staff who could be employed centrally, the resources that could be gathered.

Yet the trade off is alarming. Extra staff and budget can in no way replace the bishop as pastor. Coming from a church with significant financial resources to a church with scant money around will no doubt be a shock to many. It is not simply a different take on theology happening here; it is the organizing of a different culture, a liberation from the view that clergy are a paid professional group who run the church and speak for it, working full time to do not only their own ordained functions, but often many jobs equally able to be performed by laity. It will mean for many a need to be bi-vocational, to function in life the same as the senior warden or choir director, making a living while serving the church instead of making a living from the church. Some will be upset by this. Orthodoxy, as any good thing, is the paradox of being priceless yet having a price to be paid. The bishop also may find no secure salary and need to deal with economic realities in his own life.

Bishops without Salaries

Having served as a bishop without salary and with responsibility for a parish, working for a diocesan who serves also without salary, I know the model works. There are clearly dioceses which can afford a paid bishop and even some staff to assist him. But that is not the essence of a diocese. A diocese is the gathering of the faithful in a particular place or for a particular mission. The bishop is chosen to be a pastor to those faithful. He can do that better if there are not too many of them. If the diocese grows a lot, it can become two dioceses, but it can never afford to be a diocese without a pastor, regardless of how effective a CEO the bishop may be. Bishops, priests and deacons are not created as the result of career choices. They are vocations ordained to serve functions within the community of God. If they can be paid and that makes them more effective, that is a good thing. If they cannot, they still can function capably while supporting themselves elsewhere. What we cannot afford is a Church of hired help, for "the hireling fleeth because he is an an hireling and careth not for the sheep" (St. John 10).

New Models for a New Province

Thus, as we develop the models which will serve us in the new Province and cast away the old, models, I would plead for a church of small served diocese by bishops who see themselves as pastors who want to know their flocks. Through the grave disorders of the Episcopal Church, which have sent so many to seek another vehicle, a Spirit filled fresh opportunity has presented itself to among us, new wine in new wineskins.

Free Teen Guitar Class (FTGC – www.freeteenguitarclass.com)

The FTGC is now meeting Wednesdays at SCAIR Center in Alpine, (2218 Alpine Boulevard - across from Alpine Inn), the facility courtesy of Wanda Michaelis and Lona Walsh.

The previous Class Schedule remains in effect:

FTGC New Class Schedule:

Advanced 5:25-6:00pm

Continuing 3:20-4:00pm (Beginners shift to Intermediate having learned all 6 strings and get to move on to chords)

Beginning 4:00-4:50pm (A new class & those redoing the material; it’s okay to do both Intermediate and Beginner classes)

For anyone wanting to start again this is the time!

Epistle Readers

We post the list of Epistle Readers in the Beadle’s Report each week so you can either plan your attendance or your pre-reading as the spirit so moves you.

Date Reader

13 September 2009 Hap Arnold

20 September 2009 Sandy Patton

27 September 2009 Don Patton

The near future, as well as Next Sunday

Next Sunday is the Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity. Quite a busy time! In addition to it being Free Teen Guitar Sunday, Bishop Boyce and his lovely wife Cathie are making their annual visit. After the service, we will have our Fourth Annual Beadle’s Party with the Boyces as the guests of honor. The party is a BBQ and will be held at the Arnolds’ home in Descanso right after church. If the 0830 church service is too early for you on Sunday, don’t miss the BBQ which will start at 1030.

Nothing much during the upcoming week. Sunday will be fun, though. Worth the wait.

See you next week on Sunday!

Alternate Sources of The Beadle’s Report

An alternative version of the Beadle’s Report a single photograph and simple text is available at:

http://thebeadle.blogspot.com/

or with one photograph per issue and colorful text at

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

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

thebeadle@mac.com

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[1] Samaritan - Of or pertaining to Samaria, in Palestine. -- n. A native or inhabitant of Samaria; also, the language of Samaria. [1913 Webster]

Samaritans were descendants of those who had stayed behind during the Captivity and had been separated for many years from the body of Judaism. They had not developed, nor did they subscribe to them, all the rules the Jews managed to invent during their separation. The main body of Jews viewed them as lesser peoples, not really Jews.

[2] Good Samaritan n : a person who voluntarily offers help or sympathy in times of trouble [syn: {Samaritan}]