Sunday, June 20, 2010

Third Sunday after Trinity

Today was the Third Sunday after Trinity.  Sunrise brought clear skies and 43°F on Mount Olympus.  It was 73°F by the time church started and 76°F by the end of the service.  Pretty nice day!  You know summer is here when Father Acker has both his summer haircut and sandals!  The lovely weather brought out 19 people for church.

Gathering Songs
Nick Patton was off in Hockey Campland, so Father Ironhand and Jack Arnold played the usual gathering or welcome songs for the service. 

Holy is the Lord God
Abide with me
I'll fly away

We do the gathering songs for a number of reasons.  It allows people a chance to “drift in” without being late.  It gives us a bit of variety in our music.  We can have more contemporary music before the service and still have organ music in the service, thus having something for everyone.  It also a hit with our guitarists who love to play!

Once again, the gathering songs did their magic.  When they started playing we numbered 9, by the time the service ended, we had 19!

Pre-Service Class
Today’s pre-service class today continued the Book of Luke from the Twenty-Second Verse of the Second Chapter; the Presentation in the Temple: 

22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 

23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”),

24 and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

The customary sacrifice was a yearling lamb and a turtledove or pigeon.  If there was financial stress, another turtle dove or pigeon could be substituted for the lamb.  This seems to indicate that Joseph was not a wealthy man for the time.

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 in our church is read by an ordained minister.

The propers are the same each year, except if a Red Letter Feast, that is one with propers in the prayerbook, falls on a Sunday, then those propers are to be read instead, except in a White Season, where it is put off.  Red Letter Feast, so called because in the Altar Prayerbooks the titles are in red, are special days.  Most of the Red Letter Feasts are dedicated to early saints instrumental in the development of the church, others to special events.  Some days are particularly special and the Collect for that day is to be used for an octave (eight days) or an entire season, like Advent or Lent.  

The Propers for today are found on Page 192-193, with the Collect first:

Third Sunday after Trinity.
The Collect.
O LORD, we beseech thee mercifully to hear us; and grant that we, to whom thou hast given an hearty desire to pray, may, by thy mighty aid, be defended and comforted in all dangers and adversities; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.
Hap Arnold read the Epistle for Greg Chase who was unable to attend, which came from the Fifth Chapter of St. Peter‘s First Epistle, beginning at the Fifth Verse.  Peter asks us to cast our care on God, to let him carry our worries, to trust in him that we might do what needs to be done here on earth, rather than to worry.  He admonishes us to “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking who he may devour”.  A powerful visual to remind us to, Trust in God and dread naught.

ALL of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Today’s Gospel started in the Fifteenth Chapter of the Gospel according to St. Luke, beginning at the First Verse.  This is a story of Jesus, rather than one of his stories.  The Pharisees were appalled that those who were particularly sinners in their very qualified eyes were attracted to Jesus and even worse, he talked to them, even breaking bread with them.  To the Pharisees, Jesus told the story of the shepherd who loses a sheep and searches for it.  When he finds it he carries it back to the flock on his shoulders.  He goes on to tell the story of the woman who loses a piece of silver and turns her house inside out to find it.  That story ends in a very interesting word play in English, “Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece (peace) which I had lost.”  Jesus ends the story with, “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”  Having said that, there is also joy when we do not sin, but choose God’s way.  And we enjoy it more also.

THEN drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Sermon  - True Wisdom (Summer Vacation)
Father Acker provided a summary of today’s sermon so you can see what he was trying to get across: 

Today's Message: True Wisdom (Summer Vacation)
Summer vacation has started. It should be a journey and an adventure. It should be about learning and discovery. It may be a stay-cation; It may be summer school; It may be working all summer; But as Christians it should be about enjoying the adventure and journey with God. Like the Lost Sheep or the Lost Coin we should be looking for God this summer.
To help us on our Summer Vacation, I want to take a look at Proverbs. I don’t think I’ve preached about it in 25 years so it’s about time. King Solomon wrote Proverbs as advise to his high school son who was just learning to drive. Actually, we don’t know how old he was or if it was manual or automatic. We do know Solomon didn’t want his son to make all the mistakes he had made.
One of the places not likely to be on your summer vacation stops is Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Tour tickets are very hard to come by. But in the Lobby the CIA motto is on the wall:
“You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”
They aren’t the words of the first CIA spy, but you might recognize them from John 8.
If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
--Jesus (John 8.31-32)
Our summer vacation should be about learning and discovery and as Christians we should want more than just the best of human wisdom. We should want the wisdom of God. We should want the best that God has to offer; that is the journey and adventure that God wants for us.
You might want to post to your Summer Vacation on Facebook: what I’ve learned and discovered--the journey and the adventure. So to start what does Solomon write to his son? What words of wisdom does he want to pass on?
For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
Proverbs 2.6
Wisdom comes from God. God tells us. It is God’s gift to us. 
Isn’t that how Solomon got wisdom? When he was about to become king, God said, What do you want? What can I give you? Solomon, about ready to lead his people, asks God for wisdom. “I want wisdom. I want to make good choices.” Why did Solomon ask for wisdom? He had seen the result of bad choices perhaps; in his own life; in the life of his father, King David. We’ve all been on the wrong end of bad choices. Wisdom sounds pretty good after a bad choice.
What was God’s response? God says, I’ll give you wisdom and because you didn’t ask a bunch of things for yourself, I’ll also give you all the stuff as well: wealth, long-life, and people will come from all over just to meet you. We do know that things work out better when we make good choices. Investments are usually better when we make good choices. Relationships are usually better when we make good choices.
So where do we start on a summer of wisdom, of knowledge and understanding from God?
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. 
Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.
Proverbs 4.7-8
The first thing about wisdom--It is about your taking action.
1. Get it. Get wisdom. Take action. Hit the road.
2. Get insight. Look for wisdom.
3. Prize it. Give it a proper place in your life.
4. Embrace it. Grab hold and take it into your life.
You’ve learned all there is--Summer vacation in a nutshell.

Of course, there is more to it.

Blessed Is the One Who Finds Wisdom
13 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
and the one who gets understanding,
14 for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
and her profit better than gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called blessed.

So do whatever you can do to get it. And isn’t that what we want for our children? For our loved ones? It should be what we pray for the people we love. Why, we know that not all problems are things that just happen to us. Lots of our problems could have been avoid, if we only had had wisdom.
In Proverbs Solomon is saying to his son, “I’ve been down all these roads. I don’t want you to waste your life. You don’t have to run into a brick wall to learn that it doesn’t feel good. You don’t need to end up in a ditch or go over the cliff.” Proverbs is saying to us: Learn wisdom. God’s love is speaking to us: You don’t need to learn the hard way--Learn my way.
So here is the first Big Summer Discovery: 
True wisdom comes from God.
I think everyone here want to live life making good decisions. Are any of you saying: “I can’t wait to ruin my life!”; “My goal is to be an idiot!”?
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
Proverbs 14.12
Human wisdom seems right, but it leads to death. It is the Short cuts, Tricks, and Quick fixes. But if it isn’t in-line with God’s wisdom, it will lead to destruction. What we need is the true wisdom that comes from God. The wisdom of God isn’t a best guess. We should want more than “I think I’ll do ok if I take this path.” God wants us to know what path to take.

What are you doing for your Summer Vacation?
It doesn’t matter what has happened during the past 9 months. Now is the time to seek after the “True wisdom” that comes from God; To follow the path that leads to life; To receive what our Lord wants to give and share with you.

New Nametags
We had no new nametags today. 

Birthdays and Anniversaries
There were no reported birthdays today.  We did get to celebrate Karen and Tom Collins’ 38th anniversary with them today.

After Church Hospitality
Jan Macauley brought the snacks today.  The bad news is she did not bring deviled eggs.  The good new she did bring another favorite that no one knew about until today!  While there are no bad snacks, Jan’s are truly exceptional and today’s were no exception to the exceptional rule!  First, Jan brought a cheese ball.  So what you ask?  This cheese ball was an exception to the rule that cheese balls never rule.  This was a nut covered, pineapple and cayenne pepper flavored cheese.  It tasted for all the world like the pimento Velveeta cheese that the Beadle’s father used to make, except somehow better.  With the cheese ball, there were the usual square and round fancy crackers, but with an onion-cracked pepper white cracker added to the mix.  As you can tell from the description singled out for them, those crackers were great!  Plus, there were chocolate snickerdoodles, and sugar free peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips and almonds and cherries.  If you did not find something you liked, you were not there.  Lovely job, Jan!

After church goodies providers as currently signed up:

            Date Name
27 June 2010 Alice Acker
4 July 2010 Alice Acker and Dru Arnold
11 July 2010 Mary Lou Ruiz
18 July 2010 Opportunity Available
25 July 2010 Opportunity Available
1 August 2010 Opportunity Available
8 August 2010 Greg Chase

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.

Prayer List Notice – If you have someone on the prayer list and their needs have changed, please let us know.  We are loathe to just stop praying, yet some of the entries are a bit long in the tooth.  We don’t mind praying, at all.  We just want to be praying for what is needed!
Anniversary
Karen and Tom Collins celebrated their 38th anniversary this week.

Birthday
Tom Collins celebrated his 66th birthday week before last.

Moving
Alan, and his son Kenny, Parker are moving to Mississippi this week for Alan’s job.  Please pray they will make a good place for themselves there and adapt to their new surroundings in a positive manner.

Travel
Jan is on travel this week.
Tim is on travel this week.
Chris, Stephanie, Alex and Andrew are on travel this week.
Traci and Warren are on travel for the next few weeks.
Ryan is on travel throughout Southeast Asia until May 2010.  He is in India (dot, not feather), heading to Kuala Lumpur and is keeping his parents updated.

Departed
Charlotte 13 June 2010
Victor 13 June 2010
Lilly, Steve Carpenter’s aunt, passed away the morning of 23 May 2010, after a protracted battle with cancer.  Please pray for the repose of her soul and comfort for the family which she left behind.

Peaceful Transition
Beatrice
Ruth is in home hospice care.

Healing 
Marge, Karl, Christian, Lois, Jennette (Alzheimer’s), Ruth, Connie, Tom, Crystal, Thomas, Hadley, Diane, Norm, Gregory, Nancy, Bill (infection), Ernie, Ray, Hazel, Bruce (gall bladder surgery this month; waiting for heart transplant), Susanne, Ralph+ (prostate cancer; the doctors are at a loss on the decreasing cancer cell count except prayer; please add your thanksgiving to the prayers for healing.), Allison (kidney), Bill (ETOH poisoning and gout), Kai, Jay, Tim, Diane, Amy (Thyroid cancer), Evelyn, Debbie, Lona (shoulders), Paul (stroke), Doris, Charles, Marie (sprained ankle), 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, Ben, Walter (skin cancer), Gabriella (surgery), Curtis, Doyle, Martha, Richard, Ralph+, Jeffrey, Rod, Gary, Mark, Jeffery, Jennifer, Curtis, Steve (cancer), Ashton, Marjorie, Mike G, Dave (knee surgery), Karl (shoulder surgery), Jeffrey (testing), Gary (sepsis; diabetic), Jim (stomach cancer), Jeanette (Alzheimer’s), Kathleen (breast cancer), Mrs. Alvord, Angie, Madge, Betty (Healing from cancer. Betty has completed her chemotherapy after her surgery), Jeannie (testing for breast cancer), Ed, Betty, Karl (Healing of his shoulder injury, but not having surgery), Phil (Thanksgiving for his having received a pacemaker. Phil is suffering from renal failure and other complications), Dave (We had been praying for healing from a tumor. It now may require surgery), Jacque (Healing of her rare form of cancer. It is her second recurrence), Jeannie (cancer tests), Sarah, Stephen, Curtis; Angie, Madge, Veronica, Carmen, Alice, Dave (surgery recovery), Ed S (liver failure), Greg D (leg injury. Greg is making good progress still using a knee brace; Thanksgiving for the progress and requests continued healing), Martin, Pauline, Pat A (Alzheimer’s: things are stable); Charles A (Alzheimer’s: slight improvement in general awareness that he is disappointed not being allowed to drive), Maurice (in ICU with a congenital disease), Susan, George (reoccurrence of cancer, undergoing chemotherapy), Lillian, Rob, Ken, Marlene, Emma W (Brain tumor), Vivian, Kelly (undergoing test unexpectedly), Veronica, Irith, Shirley, TP, David, Mark, Doris, Mary, Ken, Rick, Mike, Don, Sandy, Fern is recovering from a fall which broke her arm and pelvis, Louis, Alan P (Stress test for chest pain), Lydia

Luca, 5 years old, from our church family in Perth, Western Australia, who has just been diagnosed with leukemia. And for his Mum and Dad and extended family.

Doreen Wolf, mother of Melanie Zimmers, had very successful reconstructive orthopedic surgery on her foot the morning of Thursday 27 May 2010, to correct damage from previous surgeries, which have caused her foot to be almost perpendicular to the desired position.  She gets her stitches out on 14 June 2010, what a way to celebrate Flag Day.  But, she cannot put weight on the foot for another five weeks!  Please pray a prayer of thanksgiving for the successful surgery and that Doreen will be a good patient, hard for a nurse we all know, during her recovery.  Finally pray for a good result that Doreen might live a long and healthy life the glory of God. 

Greg Chase asks that you pray for his family:
Diane, Greg’s wife, to see some positive physical signs for the ongoing treatment of her ulcerative colitis.
Phyllis, Greg’s mom, to gain physical strength to overcome her frailties after her recent "small" stroke.
Ed, Greg’s cousin, after a long history of heart issues (two open heart surgeries) to gain physical strength that continues to decline due to a series of other debilitating health issues.
Billy Zoe, Greg’s cousin, was admitted to the hospital Friday 30 April 2010, for a probable ruptured colon.
Sunny, Greg’s sister, to continue her recovery from a broken ankle.

Carl, Susanne Barrett’s dad had chest pains while visiting Hawaii.  He underwent a successful double by-pass surgery.  Please give thanks for the successful surgery and for a full and rapid recovery. Pray for peace of mind for Carl and his wife Judy.  Carl believes he is self-made man who thinks he has always been able to do everything himself. Perhaps even more important, please pray for Carl to see the Hand of God in his life.

Michelle Cannariato (a former student of Susanne Barrett) had a stroke on her wedding night as the result of a benign tumor in her heart.  She underwent what seems to have been very successful surgery for tumor removal on 20 May 2010, at Scripps-La Jolla.  The surgery took several hours less than expected, the tumor is out, all the damage has been repaired and the mitral valve was not involved.  Thanks be to God!  Give prayers of thanksgiving for God’s gift of grace and the skill and attention of the surgeons and their team.

Please pray for peace of mind for Michelle and her husband Nick, as well as a full and rapid recovery for Michelle. 

Karl is in ICU with a ruptured colon.

Carol and Rick, Muriel Pappin’s daughter and son-in-law, were in a motorcycle accident. They were banged up, but are now both home and healing. Please pray for their continued recovery and also give prayers of thanks that they were not more seriously injured.
Emma Langstaff thought she had a kidney stone, which might interfere with her upcoming trip to the UK with her family.  Turns out that she did not have one; but three, two in one kidney, one in the other! Two of the three passed, she is back home after a volcanically successful trip.  Please pray this one too shall pass for a total of three.

Muriel Pappin’s back has really been causing her a lot of pain and limiting her mobility; it seems to be getting better.  Please pray a prayer of thanksgiving for the initial horrible pain is over and pray for her continued improvement.

Rede Acker, Father Acker’s mom, is recovering from her broken leg, just above where she had a knee replacement.  Rede has made great progress; she is walking with her walker unassisted.  This is huge progress, please pray a prayer of thanksgiving.  In Rede’s position, attitude is 100 percent of the game, pray for continued positive attitude.  The whole family appreciates your prayers, thank you.

Wanda M is still out work due to her Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis.  Please pray for her complete and rapid recovery, as well as her to keep her spirits up while she gets better.

Vince (age 13), reoccurrence of cancer, recent testing found a nickel sized tumor in his lungs.  The doctors are consulting with a specialist in Houston.  Please pray for guidance for the medical team and for peace of mind for Vince and his family.

Matt Alcantara, age 15, has Osteosarcoma (bone cancer), a very rare and often lethal form of cancer with limited treatment options.

Matt has just made one year since his initial operation, something few get to with this disease.  Further thanksgiving is due as his scans are completely clean to date.  All looks good for now.  Thanks be to God. His attitude is great, he and his family faith is great.  Pray they continue to put their trust in God as the time passes.  The stress is great and His help sufficient.

His family asks for your prayers for Matt and we ask you to pray also for his family in this time of great stress. You can look at http://www.mattalcantara.com for information.  If you want to follow Matt's progress, look at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mattalcantara.

Danielle’s neck surgery to remove her lymph nodes and damaged tissue was successful.  A recent CT Scan, blood work and examination have given her a clean bill of health so far.  Danielle will be following up monthly. Please pray a good outcome and peace of mind for Danielle and her family.

Lee Thomas is in assisted living after a stroke.  Please pray for Lee, his family, and the care staff.  Please pray for Lee, Sandy and their children to maintain their trust in God and to look towards Him for guidance.  Pray also for the medical team treating Lee that God might guide and direct their assessment and treatment.

Vicky developed a brain aneurysm, which ruptured the morning of 28 October 2009.  She has moved to a rehabilitation facility specializing in brain injury patients and seems to be making progress.  

Please pray for Vicky’s recovery and for peace of mind for her family, that they might keep their trust in the Lord.

Obra Obra continues to take day by day, despite still mourning the loss of his beloved wife, Pauline.  Please continue to keep Obra in your prayers, and give him the strength of knowing the Lord is with him and will never forsake him.   Please God give Obra the peace in his heart he needs, and pray for him to believe the almighty Lord will hold onto him, and not let go until he is in the Lord's arms.  Obra needs security of what lies ahead of him, and only the Lord can grant the solace to answer his prayer.

Cerrus, daughter in law of Hy, has had a relapse of her cancer.  Please pray for a successful treatment and remission.

David is suffering from shingles and asks that we pray for a remission of the symptoms and a return to normalcy.

Jimmy had a stroke along with triple bypass heart surgery.  Miney Farrell asks you pray for his recovery and positive frame of mind during his recovery.

Annie S has experienced some return of her hearing. She was unable to take one of the medications, so the recovery is slow. She continues receiving dialysis as she awaits a kidney transplant. She has been added to the kidney transplant wait list. Please pray for healing of her diabetic condition causing complications.

Jackie was involved in a rollover car accident, her passenger was not injured, but she sustained a serious head injury.  She has regained consciousness and is up and walking.  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, and father in law of Commander Gray for whom we prayed for while he was deployed in Iraq, and on various carrier deployments, has been blessed with the Lord's breath of life to stay on this earth for the time being.  Please keep Bashir and his loving wife, who cares for him in your prayers.   Above all, pray for his entire family to open their hearts to accept all God’s love will bring them. 

Mary Parker is doing pretty well. "I'm going to surprise everyone one of these Sundays," Mary said, by making it to our Sunday morning service.

Evelyn Hunt is still having difficulty with her medication. She was back in the hospital for a week. She's at home now.  Please pray that the doctor might find the right medication and doses for her treatment. Please pray for God's peace and goodness to surround her.

Miney Farrell had a couple more falls, but nothing as dramatic as a few weeks ago. Being sore and hurting has just slightly dampened her enjoying life on ninety-plus. One of the big pluses are her two doxies and the good folks at the board and care.

Lorraine Winkles is doing pretty well considering the arthritis and all the other things, "I'm not doing too bad," said Lorraine.

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.  Her thumbs are not particularly useful any more.  Mrs. Kay asks 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.

Natalie (age 10, leukemia recurrence) has not responded to any treatment since her relapse.  Please pray for God’s grace for Natalie and her family to give them peace of heart, soul and mind.

Guidance
Adam, Tom, Mary, Lloyd & Jennifer to be guided to a church
Breyana, Vie, Asha, Cory, Heather, Holly, William, Phil, Rick, Susan, Curtis, Donny, Chris, Keith (job decision), Sara (God's grace and His patience), Mark, Alexandra, Perlita, Lewis, Susie, Dru, Jack, Tina, William, Christina, Tuck, Jeff, Christiana (God’s grace), Tara (divorce), Errin, Elizabeth, Brandon, Steven, Nelson, Ashley, 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, Sheryl, Edward, Jeannie, Rachel, Mikaela, Patrick, Mary (adoption); Ashley (job); Curt; Angelina & Ron C; Steven (strength); Vanessa H (trust), Jackie (God's grace), Sandy (Relief from stress; Her husband has severe medical problems), Jennifer, Margie, Phyllis, Sam (guidance on direction of his business), Tara (divorce), Virginia, Darin & Brian (mom’s health issues), Jeanie (upset over her husband's cancer problems),  Curt (Still providing care for his wife, Jacque, who is undergoing chemotherapy), Alex, Emilie, Stephen, Daniel S, Jan, Tamera (her house is being taken by eminent domain and is in settlement phase; pray for a fair settlement), Rachel, Stephen, Paul, Seth C, Alan P (to control his feelings), Cris, Louis R (re-set court date), Sean, Lesa, Kenny, Carmen, Jeff, Jane (Bereavement of Caroline's death), Elizabeth B (Graduation from High School; preparation for Point Loma Nazarene), Kenny P (Graduation from High School), John

Louis is in need of God's guidance and direction.  Please pray that Louis might see God’s outstretched hand to him and guide him in all he does.

Mark Thomans is in need of God's guidance and direction.  Please pray that Mark might take note God’s outstretched hand to him and accept his guidance in all he does.

Nick, age 90, grandfather of Dominique Mimnagh, friends of our Langstaff family members in Perth, is a UK citizen who suffers from various health issues, including what appears to be the onset of dementia. He has lived with his daughter Tina for 45 years.  A year ago he moved to Perth with Tina, who is a permanent resident, on a temporary visa to be with his family.  Immigration officials have refused to renew the temporary visa.  Nick is faced with being forced to return to the UK, where he has no home and little family. Your prayers are so appreciated. This is a really troublesome time for the family.  Tina has contacted a solicitor in Sydney who specializes in immigration law. Supposedly there is a "AGE DEPENDENT VISA' you can apply for. However it is not normal for UK citizens to be granted this visa, as the state provides a pension. If it can be proved Nick’s income is below the poverty line he stands a chance of getting this visa.  Tina has yearned to be with her sister (who has lived in Perth for 10 years) who she is very close to. If Nick has to return to the UK, Tina will go back as well and that will break her sisters heart and Dominique’s too.  Please pray the immigration authorities will reconsider their refusal to renew the visa or that the family will come upon a solution that will be in the best interests of all concerned.  Pray also for peace of mind and trust in God for Nick, Tina, Dominique and the rest of their family.

Sandra asks that you pray she will be able to concentrate her efforts at her job to do the tasks at hand, not to put off anything that can be done today, regardless of how easy it might be to justify putting it off and to do a little each day to reduce her backlog.  Most importantly, for her to maintain a good attitude during her adjustment to the new process and to look to God for guidance and not her inner self.

Joan had just started her recovery from two back operations when she was given bad news, which she was unable to deal with on top of her physical problems.  Things are looking up now.  She is home and happy to be there.  She has a new granddaughter, Eli, for whom she is grateful.  Please pray Joan will look to God for the help He can give her, to help her accept those things she cannot change and change those things she can.  Pray also for her husband Bob, that he might keep his mind clear to help Joan.

Ali is searching for spiritual meaning; may the Holy Ghost guide those around her to help her in coming to Christ.

Jacquie to open her heart to God and accept His Love and Grace.

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

Paul S asked everyone to give thanks that his doctor is adjusting his medication for severe schizophrenia.

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 and that he will open his heart to the Holy Ghost.

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
Father Keith is looking for additional employment to supplement his part-time stipend at Blessed Trinity.  Keith believes his expertise lies in web site development and guitar teaching, both of which he is clearly good at.  Please pray the Holy Ghost will enter into his heart and give him inspiration and guidance to lead him to a job which will use his considerable skills to support his family, bless the company he joins and further God’s Work, all together. 
Obra, known to us as Commander O, has retired from the Navy after 20 years and now must find employment to support his family.  Please pray for him to find a position which will use the skills he has and the training he got from the Navy to support his family and make his new employer more successful.
Jack has been laid off from his job as a construction manager in East San Diego County; due to the economy jobs in the field are hard to find.  Please pray that Jack will find a job, not necessarily in the construction, that will allow him to use his considerable skills and talents to make his new employer more successful; guide him and his family is this difficult time.
Stephen, Brad, Brian, Russell, Kris, Keith and Kevin each to find a job that will allow them to use their skill and talent to make their new employer more successful.

Homebound/Aged and Infirm
Mary, Donna, Betty, Noko, Adelaide, Evelyn, Lorraine, Ellie, Ray (Alzheimer’s Disease)

Armed Forces & Contractors
Tillman, Justin, Evan, RJ, Matt, Phillip, Julian, John Kelly (USN - USS Ronald Reagan), Evan (USMC-Afghanistan), Stuart (USMC-Afghanistan), Airman Donny Patton (RAF Mildenhall, UK), Bob (USCG), Josh (USCG), Rachel Ziegler (USAF – Deployed to Southwest Asia), Aaron Huber (USNMC – Deployed to Southwest Asia with USMC), Julian (USMC: Russia until 1 July 2010)

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 name of “Separation of Church and State” 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.

Thanksgiving
Logan DeLong, grandson of our Ralph and Hope DeLong, born two months early to Ashleigh and Jarrod DeLong 16 May 2010, came home on 3 June 2010.  Logan is doing well; eating and growing.  Please join us in a prayer of thanksgiving for this great beginning to Logan’s life.

Various Special Requests
Sid Barnes, a missionary with Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, California, to West Africa, is “missing” -- possibly in Ghana.  He has not been heard of since he was due to arrive in Accra, the capital city, on a British Airways flight from London, on Thursday, 18 March 2010.  Please pray for his return to family, friends and safety.

We ask that you pray, please ask God that the Holy Ghost might give you insight into how you might make the lives of your friends and family better.  Remember helping others is not just those who you don’t know!

Please join us in praying for God to fill us with the Holy Ghost, even if (or maybe particularly if) we need Him shoved down our throats, to provide inspiration to grow our little church to the glory of God.  Our numbers are static, we need God’s inspiration to figure out the next step.  Please pray that we will open our heart to the gentle prodding of the Holy Ghost; and not do what we have always done expecting a different result.

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.  Please ask God to guide the class to new opportunities to make Him known to others.  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.

National Prayer Time - If Christians really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless. During WWII an advisor to Churchill organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace?  

This thought has been taken up here and now, if you would like to participate, pray every day at:

9:00 pm 8:00 pm 7:00 pm 6:00 pm
Eastern Time Central Time Mountain Time Pacific Time

Stop what you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens and for a return to a Godly nation.  It won’t work unless you participate.  Encourage others to join us.

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.

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 

27 June 2010 Ben Lizak


The near future, as well as Next Sunday
You can go on line here and see our church calendar.  There is also a link to subscribe.  If you have problems finding this page, due to the typing requirement, go to the Beadle’s Blog or email the Beadle at thebeadle@mac.com for an emailed link.

Calendar Location - http://go.to/alpineanglicancalendar
Also, if we can get just five more members on our church Facebook Group page, we can have a name instead of a number.  Help us get a name for go here and sign up for free:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=316981576902
http://www.groups.to/alpineanglicanchurch
Or, email the Beadle at thebeadle@mac.com for an emailed link.

Friday
25 June 2010 – Free Teen Guitar Class Jam Session at Albertsons / Starbucks in Alpine, CA Food afterwards, no doubt - Time 1830 (6:30 pm); Location – Alpine Albertsons - 2955 Alpine Boulevard, Alpine, CA

Sunday
27 June 2010 – Fourth Sunday after Trinity - Come learn about the Green Season - Service start time 1000 (10:00 am); welcome or gathering songs before the service starting about 0945 (9:45 am).  Time 1000 (10:00 am); Location – Alpine Elementary School Auditorium – 1850 Alpine Boulevard, Alpine, CA

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
29 June 2010 – 1 July 2010 – Diocesan Synod or Meeting will be held at Mesilla, New Mexico, at the Holy Cross Retreat Center.  The actual location is almost downtown Las Cruces, New Mexico.  Representatives for each parish in the entire diocese get together to talk. It may be worthwhile if you have time.  The Beadle has been to one, it was unique.  If you would like more details, please contact the Beadle offline.

See you next week on Sunday!

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