Onward and Upward Archives - Page 4 of 5

Back and Refreshed

Posted on Aug 3, 2017 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary;

his understanding is unsearchable.

He gives power to the faint,

and to him who has no might he increases strength.

Even youths shall faint and be weary,

and young men shall fall exhausted;

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:28-31

Dear Servants,

Not surprisingly, “how was your sabbatical?” is the most common question asked of me these days. I am humbled and grateful for all of those who prayed for me and graciously released me for that time away. Short answer, sabbatical was what I needed: the balance of alone time, time with my family, hiking, golf, kayaking, reading, prayer, and reflection time.

Most of all, I would say it was refreshing. I find myself with more energy not just for the exciting stuff like Camp Araminta and new facilities but even for the places of tension and problems that confront any congregation. Having spent lots of time listening to God over the sabbatical, I am ready to listen to individuals within the parish with new energy and compassion.

Big thanks to all the ministry leaders, lay and ordained, who picked up additional responsibilities in my absence. We are blessed to have such an incredible group of leaders at Servants and without them, my sabbatical could not have happened. I could leave for ten weeks, knowing that the parish was in competent hands.

Since my return on July 9th, my plan has been to catch up on all the goings on of the congregation and any pastoral issues that need attention. As most of you know, I took sabbatical early to return in time for our mission outreach at Camp Araminta for children and youth, 4^th-12^th

grades. While officially this is a diocesan summer camp, a disproportionate number of the adult staff comes from Servants of Christ. I am so grateful to John and Kim Harris, Jamey and Beth Kirby, David and Tracy LaCagnina, Leanne Manley, and Scott Stephenson who served sacrificially at camp this summer. In addition to our adults, some of our college and high school students gave sacrificially of their time: Clara Darr, Samantha and Charleigh Farmer, Kieran Kirby, Carter and Mallory Matthews, and Grace Schuppie.

The fruit of Araminta can only partially be measured at this time. As I said during the sermon Sunday, the Kingdom work of discipling our children and youth takes years to realize fully. I can tell you that we had 180 campers this year with 14 of them making first-time professions of faith in Jesus! Praise God. Overall, Camp Araminta grew by another 20% for which we give thanks to the Lord. We rejoice in what God has done through the ministry once again this summer.

So, what should you expect for the fall? In just over a week our children and teachers return to school, and shortly after, UF and Santa Fe students and faculty will return to class. The fall is fast upon us. The vestry has two objectives for this academic year. One is to promote and encourage members in their prayer life. You will recall last fall we focused on daily Bible reading. You can look forward to teaching and testimonies that seek to relate the “how to,” as well as the “why” of prayer in our daily life. Secondly, the vestry is moving forward with plans for the purchase of permanent facilities for our life together and worship. You will hear a lot more information about this at our Special Parish Meeting, Sunday, August 20th at 5pm. Dinner and childcare will be provided by some generous individual vestry members for this meeting, so RSVP to the Facebook event or call the church office at (352) 271-1188.

I thank the Lord for renewing my strength over the summer and know that God has prepared me to lead our congregation into this new season of growth. Please continue to pray for other leaders in the parish, as well as, myself as we move into the fall. I am praying for you.

Onward and Upward,

A Note on My Sabbatical

Posted on Apr 21, 2017 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

Dear Servants of Christ,

What an amazing Holy Week! Special thanks to our altar guild and music team who served us so faithfully all week. Also, thanks to Susan Staley and Ramona Chance for organizing our readers for the Passion narrative on Palm Sunday. Two of our college students who had never attended a Palm Sunday service commented to me on how this service in particular moved them to worship the Lord. For me, the highlights were: a special foot-washing on Maundy Thursday, Fr. James’s sermon during the Tenebrae Service on Good Friday, and declaring the Easter acclamation to a small group of faithful Christians at midnight of the Easter Vigil. I challenged you in my sermon on Palm Sunday to enter into the experience of our midweek services. I think those who were there will attest to the rich worship of those services. Look for a survey shortly that will ask you to give us feedback on how those midweek services can be tweaked to better serve the spiritual growth of the parish.

I am now just a little over a week from the start of my ten week sabbatical. Sunday I will preach my last sermon to the congregation before sabbatical. Five years ago, I took three weeks and even such a short time was fruitful in shaping me for the ministry God has called me to here in Gainesville. I am very excited to see what the Lord wants to show and teach me during ten weeks of time away. For those unfamiliar with a sabbatical, here’s a quote from our diocesan policy: “A sabbatical gets [a priest] off the treadmill and provides an opportunity for renewal of vision and hope. It can be a life and soul changing time – a time when perspective and the Holy Spirit can come together.” My leave will involve formal and informal study, travel, listening prayer, and writing, as well as a good bit of exercise, rest, and family time.

The area of study during my sabbatical will center around beginning a Doctoral program from Trinity School for Ministry. I believe this degree will give me more tools and preparation for leading Servants of Christ in the future. Between the stack of books I want to read on my own and assignments for the doctoral class, the Lord will have lots of material to speak into my heart and mind. I want to limit my social media time while I’m out but I will make available the things I’m reading and of course there will be lots of stories to share when I return.

In my absence, Fr. James Manley will be leading our staff and serving as the primary preacher and worship leader on Sundays. Fr. Michael La Cagnina will be leading pastoral care. Ethan Stonerook, our senior warden will lead our vestry and handle any employee issues. As always, contact Mary Langeland for prayer requests to the prayer chain.

During my time away, I ask for your prayers for both Jody and myself. Unfortunately, Jody will not be able to come away with me for most of the time because of her job, though she deserves a sabbatical too! Unfortunately, life gets in the way. There are some of you who also deserve a time out. I realize that and pray that God will grant you times of sabbath in your week. I am praying for you, especially that you will be blessed from my time away. I have been so blessed with how willing the congregation has been to releasing me, and I’m so grateful for the team I leave behind that is completely competent to lead faithfully.

As I said Easter Sunday, if you need to talk to me prior to my leave I am available by phone, text, or email next week, even while attending the American Anglican Council’s Rector’s Summit. This week in Colorado will serve as my transition week into sabbatical. After that, the phone, Facebook, and email go into hibernation. If I don’t see you before April 30, I will catch up with you in July.

In Christ,

Provision in the Wilderness

Posted on Mar 17, 2017 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ Exodus 14:1-3

Dear Servants,

I’m so blessed to be studying and teaching through the book of Exodus this Lent. While Genesis is the “Book of Beginnings,” Exodus is itself a book of firsts in so many ways. God makes His people a nation rather than just a family. He makes them to know Him as the great “I AM” not only as His name but experiencing Himself as “the one who delivers you from bondage.” In Exodus the children of Israel know God for the first time as Redeemer! If you’ve meant to attend this study and got distracted, you still have three weeks. We will take this coming week off (March 22) and meet again March 29 when we will examine chapters 12-18 looking at how Israel is led by Divine Rule. Important to us will be how does Israel learn to discern and follow God to the place and purpose He has ordained for them?

I find particularly helpful how God uses the imagery of the abyss in Exodus to teach me about God’s provision in the face of what appears to be a dead end. This word was especially important to me when I heard from Harvest Christian Church this last week. Their pastor called to tell me that after a long search, they had decided not to sell us their buildings but instead to put capital resources into improving them for a long-term stay. You may recall that we had presented Harvest with an offer that they had accepted, contingent on their finding a suitable space to move their congregation. They were unable to find a space, so once again we find ourselves with no viable prospect for a building to purchase despite a wonderful start to our building fund and favorable relationships with our banker and architect. How will God provide? Where is He calling us given the property market in Gainesville? I don’t know that answer, but I know the God in whom I’ve placed my trust. I know God through His previous faithfulness, so I know He will be faithful in the future. This is also the testimony of Scripture.

Up against the frustration of no progress on our acquisition of a building of our own, I want to relate the joy of a pastoral experience I’ve recently walked through. Two Wednesdays ago while I was visiting Gainesville Community Ministry, I had just announced to the director, Michael Wright that I couldn’t stay for my normal 1½ hour shift because of a pastoral emergency at Shands. As I started to leave, Ms. Ruby saw me and said, “Pastor Farmer, you always come on just the right days.” This is usually code for she has a difficult or needy client. Sure enough, I was introduced to an elderly lady who was stranded downtown. She needed a ride back across town to one of the rough apartments off of SW 20th Street just west of I-75. I told her I could give her a ride, but she would have to wait for me at Shands while I visited a patient. And so she did and I found myself crossing town with this very rough-looking elderly lady. It wasn’t two minutes before we were talking church and her testimony of coming to Christ.

“I’m HIV positive. I used to be a prostitute and crack addict,” she said. At which point I said, “Wow, I was just preaching about the woman who cleans Jesus’ feet with her tears and dries them with her hair. You must really love stories about how Jesus affected those most outcast in society.” She loved that story and continued to witness to her love for Jesus. Then we began to compare the folks she’s known. She talked about the HIV clinic and how they saved her life (we shared people we both know in that ministry). We shared about friends we both have in recovery groups, we talked about the work of Created Ministry to Vulnerable Women which got her very excited. We talked about people we both know who live in the poverty and violence of her neighborhood; I shared about the police sergeant from our church who patrols her area. As we got back to her apartment and she walked away thankful to be home, I was thankful to God for Servants of Christ. I praised God that I wasn’t just another white, middle-aged pastor with an isolated middle-class congregation, safely detached from people like this women. Sure, all pastors help such people but it dawned on me that everything we discussed related to members of my church family, and their testimonies as people transformed by the Gospel and engaged in their community.

Friends, we don’t have our own building, we have no sense of permanence in Gainesville. But we have God’s promise to go with us into the future, and we have a clear call to purpose – a church engaged with its community. I just left a clergy meeting where one of our speakers challenged us, “If the Church is absent from the community, the community will be absent from the Church.”

May Servants of Christ’s congregation always be present in our community. God bless you as you continue to walk through a Holy Lent.

Onward and Upward,

Alex +

Vision and Future

Posted on Feb 23, 2017 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

Dear Servants,

Sunday, February 12th, we had our Annual Meeting as our by-laws require. We selected new vestry members: Ann Shower, Cynthia Stehouwer, Bob Doak, and Justin Smith. Please pray for each of these amazing members of our body as they take on positions of leadership. In addition, we approved by-law updates to include language regarding our statement of faith as a parish and our core purpose statement. I encourage all of you to visit our website and read our statement of faith under the “About Us” section. We heard from our Treasurer, Adrienne Boada about the financial condition of the congregation (full financials were sent to members via email), an update on our Building Fund (which is now over $300,000) from Bernie Daquila, and discussed our hopes of future facilities.

During the sermon on the 12th, I shared my vision for the future of Servants of Christ and my plans for facilitating that future by taking the remainder of my sabbatical that I cut short five years ago. For those that weren’t around back then or who have forgotten, a sabbatical is “a healthy and effective means of preventing burnout and of renewing and enhancing a professional’s capabilities for dealing effectively with problems facing those who need help. […T]he overall goal is rest and renewal, not rigid adherence to a prescribed plan of action.” A sabbatical “might involve study, travel, writing or some combination of all three, blended with a good measure of relaxation and family time.” (source: Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh Clergy Compensation Guide)

I have discussed with the Vestry and have their support to take ten weeks starting after Easter for my sabbatical. In my absence, Fr. James Manley will be leading our staff and serving as the primary preacher. Fr. Michael La Cagnina will be leading pastoral care with Fr. James and Fr. Myron serving in support as available. Ethan Stonerook, our new senior warden, will lead our Vestry meetings.

During my sabbatical, I will begin a Doctoral program from Trinity School for Ministry. I believe this degree will give me more tools and preparation for leading Servants of Christ in the future.

Another part my vision for the future of Servants that I shared on the 12th is a goal to begin to look for and hire a second full-time priest to serve our parish. The reality is that while God has called me to remain in Gainesville for the foreseeable future, we should remember that “every pastor is an interim pastor” – a fact of which I was reminded in Next, a book Bishop Neil Lebhar had all the clergy read. (Next: Pastoral Success That Works, Vanderbloemen and Bird, Baker Books, 2014)

Because most churches do not spend time planning for this fact, they find themselves losing valuable momentum in the work God has called them to accomplish when a pastor leaves. For this reason, Bishop Neil has asked that every parish submit a succession plan to him by Easter. I am grateful for the accountability of reading this book. As I began to work with the Vestry on succession, I sensed a vision for cultivating a young priest who might one day succeed me as rector of Servants of Christ. This may be years down the road, but the reality is now is the time to think about it.

The timing of my sabbatical and mentioning succession might seem to some to be connected, but I assure you they are not. Some members of the congregation have asked me privately if I’m trying to tell the congregation I am planning to leave. No, that is not at all my plan. I do think the time has come to plan for the future of Servants of Christ, even while we are still waiting for our permanent facility. The plan our Vestry is developing would have provisions for sudden need for succession but anticipates a gradual process. Once the plan is finalized and approved by our Bishop, we will make the plan available to members.

Friends, God is establishing our congregation as a “city set on a hill” and a light in the darkness of our world. I am so thankful for each of you who make up the body of Servants of Christ. Enjoy the remainder of the season of Epiphany, Lent is coming!

Onward and Upward,

Alex +

When Persecution Arises

Posted on Feb 9, 2017 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

Dear Servants,

On Sunday, I preached on our Lord’s teaching about persecution and the challenge for us who live in the United States to identify with our sisters and brothers around the world who suffer so greatly for their faith in Jesus. We have to remember that our experience as 21st-century Western Christians is rather unique in terms of the treatment of Christians worldwide. It is estimated that 100 million believers live in countries where there is on-going persecution against Christians.

An excellent source of ongoing information about the persecuted church can be found at opendoorsusa.org. On Sunday I quoted from that site, “Christian persecution is any hostility experienced from the world as a result of one’s identification as a Christian. From verbal harassment to hostile feelings, attitudes and actions, Christians in areas with severe religious restrictions pay a heavy price for their faith. Beatings, physical torture, confinement, isolation, rape, severe punishment, imprisonment, slavery, discrimination in education and employment, and even death are just a few examples of the persecution they experience on a daily basis.” The U.S. Department of State says that “Christians in more than 60 countries face persecution from their governments or surrounding neighbors simply because of their belief in Jesus Christ.” Each month 322 Christians are killed for their faith, 214 churches or Christian properties are destroyed, and 772 Christians suffer from some form of violence other than death for their faith in Jesus. (reference)

Can I suggest that the least we, who face so little in the way of persecution, can do is to go to Open Doors or Voice of the Martyrs and sign up for email updates? At these websites, you will also find links to videos of Christians who have undergone persecution for their faith. We can pray for our brothers and sisters to be true to Christ in the face of all they have to suffer. This is how the persecuted church asks us to pray.

Jesus explains the parable of the seeds to His disciples, who like us, often don’t quite understand what Jesus means. With regard to the “rocky ground,” Jesus says there is no root so when persecution arises, they lose their faith. How do we put down deep roots? Discipleship! Continue to read Scripture, meet together to share your prayer needs and receive counsel in the Lord, and attend church as much as possible. These, along with our prayer life, are gifts for discipleship. There is no guarantee that trials, temptations, and even persecution will not come to our lives or the lives of our loved ones. We must all be rooted in Christ. This is also a wonderful prayer for those 100 million Christians who face the real possibility for persecution right now: that they, too, may put down deep roots.

God Bless you all,

Alex +

What Does Membership Mean?

Posted on Jan 29, 2017 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

Dear Servants,

Writing about the above passage, renowned teacher John Stott once wrote, “For we are ‘the temple of the living God’ ‘a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.’ When the members of the congregation are scattered during most of the week it is difficult to remain aware of this reality. But when we come together as the Church (Ekklesia ‘assembly’) of the living God, every aspect of our common life is enriched by the knowledge of his presence in our midst.” (The Message of 1 Timothy and Titus, p. 104.)

I begin with this quote from Stott because I think it puts into perspective what is at stake when we talk about the Church. We know that to be a Christian is to be a member of the Church (universal). But why should we be a member of a church (local)? As we approach our annual meeting of the congregation, it comes up because only members can vote on changes to our by-laws. Beyond the right to vote at annual meetings, membership is also necessary to be in a position of leadership in the parish. For instance, serving on the vestry or heading up a ministry of the church. Now, you may or may not care about these things, so why become a member?

My short answer is spiritual accountability. To join a church signals to others in the church community that you are entering into a mutually accountable relationship with others in the parish with regards to the fundamental acts of a Christian. Our Anglican Church in North America canons actually do a great job of stating those acts, so I’m going to quote them here:

To worship God, the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, every Lord’s Day in a Church unless reasonably prevented;
To engage regularly in the reading and study of Holy Scripture and the Doctrine of the Church as found in Article 1 of the Constitution of this Church;
To observe their baptismal vows, to lead an upright and sober life, and not give scandal to the Church;
To present their children and those they have led to the Lord for baptism and confirmation;
To give regular financial support to the Church, with the biblical tithe as the minimum standard of giving.
To practice forgiveness daily according to our Lord’s teaching;
To receive worthily the Sacrament of Holy Communion as often as reasonable;
To observe the feasts and fasts of the Church set forth in the Anglican formularies;
To continue his or her instruction in the Faith so as to remain an effective minister for the Lord Jesus Christ;
To devote themselves to the ministry of Christ among those who do not know Him, utilizing the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives them, for the effective extension of Christ’s Kingdom (The canons are taken from the Anglican Church in North America Constitution and Canons, Title 1, Canon 10, section 2, p. 22.)

Now, having listed these items I realize that for some Christians it seems a bit scary to think about “spiritual accountability.” One of the principles Servants has felt called to as a congregation is to be a redemptive experience of Church (universal) for people that have been burned in the past by a church (local). This is why we are outspoken about the fact that you don’t have to be a member of Servants to be a part of us. For instance, our Fellowship Directory includes members, former members, and long-term visitors. However, having said that, I would say with complete peace, it should be the goal of every disciple to join a local church community. There are some members at SOC that never thought they would be a part of a church community, but God changed their hearts and minds about membership.

Still others, I imagine, would say: I’m already in accountable relationships with other Christians at Servants, why do I need to formalize that commitment? Can I suggest that it is because we need outward, visible signs of things we decide in our mind? I’m not suggesting that membership in the church is on par with Baptism and Communion as sacraments, but we are more committed when we make an outward sign, whether it is a marriage certificate, financial pledge, or volunteer commitment. By virtue of our Baptism we are made members of the Church (universal) of Jesus Christ, and yet Scripture commends to us the need to gather regularly with a church (local) community. And the apostle Paul reminds us that as we live out our lives together in community the living God dwells with us.

Living with each of you my sisters and brothers in Christ,

Alex +

A City and a Light

Posted on Jan 12, 2017 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

Dear Servants of Christ,

Welcome to the Season of Epiphany! Let me once again say how blessed we have been to read all the Advent/Christmas devotionals that members of Servants have offered to the parish. If you missed any of them, you can find them on our website here.

Having considered Jesus’ return during Advent, and worshipped at the wonder of His Incarnation during Christmas, we are now ready to share the message of Jesus in the New Year! Jesus reminds us that we are the light; our work is to make Jesus known. The key I believe is to let the light of Jesus reflect off us towards others. This is another reason why the vestry has placed so much emphasis on encouraging you to find a daily plan for reading Scripture with prayer.

During Epiphany I want to do a couple of things to assist you in your own renewed commitment to making Jesus known. First, I want to offer a teaching on Tuesday, January 24 on how we can effectively share our faith in Jesus with others. There is some material I learned about in preparation for last November’s Synod that I think you will find helpful.

Second, I want to offer sermons during Epiphany that will remind us of our core purpose as a parish to assist in our obedience to make Jesus known. These sermons will examine the “Sermon on the Mount” from Matthew 5 and will build towards our Annual Meeting on February 12.

Third, I’m excited to let you know that Bishop Martyn Minns and his lovely family will be with us once again to share this time on: “How are Christian leaders to respond in times like these?” This will be a one-day retreat on Saturday, February 18 starting at 9:00 am. I hope all of you will attend. Bishop Minns will also be our preacher on Sunday, February 19.

Friends, my prayer is that God make Servants of Christ like a city on a hill in our city, and that as He continues to transform us into the likeness of His Son Jesus we might see many others glorifying God in 2017.

Onward and Upward,

Alex +

The Centrality of the Word In Our Lives

Posted on Nov 22, 2016 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Dear Servants,

We have just shared the celebration of Christ the King Sunday, and we are only a week away from the start of the Season of Advent. Advent is a time of preparation, not only for the celebration of our Lord’s birth but also preparing ourselves for the Lord’s victorious return. None of us know when Jesus will come again, but it is clear that one of the best ways we can prepare is by taking the Scriptures seriously. Over the past two Wednesday nights, Dr. Andrew Hanson has been sharing the primacy of Scripture in our Anglican heritage and mainly teaching us on the history of our Bible (canon) from its Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic roots. We hope to have that teaching available online soon if you missed out.

The importance of regular Bible reading cannot be overstated when it comes to spiritual growth in the life of a believer, as our two passages above point out. Your vestry takes these verses seriously, and after a day of retreat and conversation back on September 3rd, agreed that God was calling us to emphasize this to the parish. An electronic survey of our parish recently revealed that over half of those polled, read Scripture daily. Praise God! The vestry’s hope is to encourage many others to join in this worthy pursuit.

As we discussed possible strategies, it seemed helpful to devote the season of Advent to compile a devotional of writings by members of our congregation. Twenty eight members of our body have written devotions that will be available through our website, email, or in printed form starting next Sunday. Thanks to all those who have contributed. The hope is that as we read these devotionals together, day by day, we may find our hearts and minds prompted by the Lord to recommit ourselves daily to the spiritual discipline of Scripture reading. At the end of Advent, we will have an opportunity to commit to one of several daily reading plans for 2017. More information about various plans will be forthcoming.

During my Bible reading plan early this year, I was reminded of 2 Kings 22. In the process of restoring the place of worship (the Temple), King Josiah’s leaders rediscovered the Book of the Law in the Temple. As our parish seeks our permanent worship space, we are reminded that God’s Word must remain central to our pursuit of facilities. Josiah says in verse 13, “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

With this in mind, I do want to update you concerning our offer on the Harvest Christian Church property at 4820 NW 34th Street. The Harvest’s board feels our offer is fair, and they desire to sell the property to us, but they first need to discern where God is calling them to move as a congregation. We are not currently under contract but continue to pray for God to direct Harvest Christian Church and also to sustain and direct us as we seek His Word to guide our path.

May God bless you during the Thanksgiving holiday, and may we be truly thankful for all God has done in the life of our parish over the last year.

Onward and Upward,

Alex +

Comfort and a Challenge

Posted on Nov 11, 2016 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-7

Dear Servants,

If you were in Church last Sunday, you heard me preach on Luke 20:19-26. Verse twenty five of that passage should guide us as followers of Jesus in our politics. Jesus says, “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” As I prepared and shared that sermon, I was anticipating the need to comfort the losers and challenge the winners to be humble after the election. Yesterday, I found myself still in that position, I just had the anticipated groups reversed. But the message to respond to our political enemies with the love of Christ remains the same, regardless of who you voted for among all the candidates.

Perhaps the results were not what you expected; maybe what happened was exactly what you expected. Either way, please keep in mind a couple of things that Paul says in 1 Timothy 2. First, we must acknowledge that morally-conscious Christians came to many different decisions politically about how to vote. Now is the time to pray for one another and Paul calls us to pray for “all people.” Second, just as we have been called by Paul to pray for “Kings and all who are in high position” weekly over the last eight years, so now we must pray for our President-elect, Congress, and Courts. Paul’s words make prayers for those in authority a non-negotiable for followers of Jesus, regardless of who holds office. Third, as Jesus calls us to give ourselves in Luke 20 to God (bearing God’s image), we must always see our allegiance to Jesus above politics, economics, and even country. Paul makes this clear in 1 Timothy 2 when he says, the end purpose of our prayers is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ might be heard and received by all people. Paul knew well the racial and political divides of his society: Jews vs. Gentiles, Hellenistic (Greek) culture vs. traditional Jewish culture. But as a Jewish follower of Jesus, Paul understood that the Gospel must precede all other allegiances. Jesus gave himself as a ransom for all. We speak this message not only with our words but also with our actions.

I encourage you to join with your brothers and sisters in Christ this weekend at Servants of Christ. Please pray for me and ten guys who will be with me in the mountains of North Georgia on our annual Men’s Hiking Trip. Many thanks to Fr. James, Fr. Michael, and Sean and Caline McDermott, who will lead in our absence.

In Christ Alone,

Alex +

A Blog for All Saints Day: What is the Goal of Worship?

Posted on Nov 1, 2016 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.” -Ephesians 1:16-19

Dear Servants,

Happy All Saints Day! Right before I preach each Sunday, my custom is to invite the Holy Spirit to be at work in our hearts and minds. I usually say, “Come, Holy Spirit,” and then continue, “fill the hearts and minds of your people, and may the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be always acceptable to you, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer.” This comes from Psalm 19:14.

I was recently encouraged to put the Ephesians passage above to memory and let it be my prayer for each of you (and myself) as we prepare to hear the Gospel on Sunday. As your pastor, and as one of the celebrants in our worship together, it is my privilege to pray for you.

Have you ever considered that our worship is essentially prayer? Our prayers to God and God’s response to us, and our intercessions for one another and others outside our fellowship. Please keep me in prayer as I try to memorize this passage and then pray it over our service together.

Speaking of Scripture, I’m excited to tell you that the vestry is busy working on an Advent devotional collection from members of the parish. The intent will be to encourage each of us to consider the value of Scripture study in our daily life. The devotional will be ready by Sunday, November 27, which is the first day of Advent.

Finally, just a quick acknowledgement of how enriched our worship together already seems to be as we learn to take five minutes before the service to quiet our spirit before the Lord. As David declares in Psalm 62:1, “For God alone my soul waits in silence…”

As we prepare to worship each Sunday, may our prayer be, “Lord, may you give us the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of who You are, having the eyes of our hearts enlightened, that we may know what is the hope to which You have called us, what are the riches of Your glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of Your power toward us who believe.”

Onward and Upward,

Alex +