Honoring One Of Our Own

DeSoto Parish Association of Principals

Invite you to a Retirement Reception

Honoring

Nancy Middlebrooks

Thursday, June 2, 2011

5:15 - 6:00pm

DeSoto Parish School Board Media Center

523 Oxford Road - Mansfield, Louisiana

This Is Funny

Celebration of a New Ministry Invitation

The Wardens, Vestry and Parishioners of 

Christ Memorial Episcopal Church

401 Washington Avenue

Mansfield, LA  71052

Request your prayers and presence

for the 

Celebration of a New Ministry

and Institution of

The Reverend Michael Wayne Millard

as Rector of Christ Memorial

on Thursday, May 26, 2011

seven o'clock in the evening

The Right Reverend D. Bruce MacPherson

Bishop of Western Louisiana, presiding

Clergy: Cassock, surplice, white stole

Reception to follow

--

YBIC,
Fr. Michael+

Rector-elect

Christ Memorial Episcopal Church

318 872-1144 (Church)

318 840-9196 (Cell)

Alabama Relief Effort

The following message was sent to me by Fr. Flowers this morning, and it is something that I think is worth doing.

Dear Colleagues,

 

I want to share with you some exciting news about a project that you may want to be a part of.  As it happens, my Sr. Warden, Lynn Togersen, is an over the road driver for UPS.  At the behest of our Outreach Committee, Lynn has been able to secure a truck at no charge to us for the purpose of taking relief supplies to Alabama.

 

I spoke with the folks at the Diocese of Alabama, and they put me in touch with Fr. Bill King, who is helping to coordinate relief efforts in the diocese.  Fr. King put me in touch with folks in Cullman, Alabama, which was badly hit by the storms, who run a relief warehouse on behalf of the diocese.  They receive and distribute needed items.

 

Here's the plan.  For the next three weeks, we will receive needed items here at St. George's on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays between 9-Noon, and by appointment.  On Saturday June 11 we will load the truck, which will then be locked and driven to UPS where it will stay until the following Saturday June 18 when Lynn will drive it to Cullman.

 

Here is the list of needed items that I received from the folks in Cullman

 

Non-perishable food, canned goods and other non-perishables

Personal hygiene items, soap, deodorant, toothpaste etc.

Cleaning supplies, Windex, Fantastic, sponges, mops etc.

Paper towels

t-shirts, all sizes

work gloves

underwear

socks

 

What they don't need:  bottled water, second hand clothes

 

 

I hope that you will be as excited about this effort as are we here at St. George's, and that you will disseminate this list to your parishioners.  If you have any questions please give me a call.  Thanks so much!

 

Blessings,

 

Jaime+

Samantha Update

Sam is doing great.  Thank you for all your prayers.  I am trying to make sure that everyone knows about her status.  There have been e-mails, updates on FB, phone calls and texts.  Sam feels really good, and she thinks that this procedure might just and done the trick.  I will update more later.

God is very good!

Michael+

PandaMania: Where God is Wild about You!

Dear Reader, please take note of the picture of the happy panda on the right of your screen.  He is the mascot for this year's VBS program at Christ Memorial, which will run from June 21 through June 25.  From Tuesday through Friday, the times are from 1:00 to 4:15 PM.  On Saturday, we will meet at 10:00, and then all the parents, children and helpers will celebrate with a picnic at Noon.

We are now accepting registrations for children from age 4 up through 5th grade.  If you are interested, please contact the church office at 318 872-1144 or click on the panda and fill out a registration at our VBS website.

We are also looking for adult and teenaged volunteers to help with setup, VBS activities and clean up.  If you would like more information about volunteering, please contact Samantha Millard at 318 872-1237.

There is no charge to attend VBS, so bring your children, grandchildren, neighbors and their children to a great week of learning, playing and singing about God's love.

Fr. Michael+

May Newsletter Article

No Other Name Under Heaven

Alleluia.  Christ has risen.

Sometimes writing these articles is hard, Dear Reader.  It is easy to get caught between the desire to write an amazingly poignant reflection on scripture and a deeply theological comment on the state of the Church, the world or on God, Himself.  Some may call it writer’s block, but I tend to think of it as gray-matter overload or the problem of over-thinking something and making it far more complicated that it really should be.  Therefore, the solution is usually to keep it simple.

With that in mind:  Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  Jesus Christ was the son of a woman named Mary and the Holy Spirit.  Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesies; He was the Messiah.  Jesus Christ died on the Cross for our sins.  Jesus Christ walked out of the tomb, bodily resurrected as proof of the love and power of God.  Jesus Christ is the New Covenant through which we are made right with God, and thereafter live in the promise of everlasting life.

As Peter said, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

We are Easter people.  This is our Eastertide, the Season when the resurrected Jesus walked, talked and ate with His people; live according to that notion. 

Rejoice in the presence of Christ with us; join with us in worshiping God and in participating in His sacrifice and resurrection through the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist. 

Proclaim to friends and family the joy of knowing that Christ has broken the bonds of sin and death not only by word but in the happiness and peace that can come only from our relationship to God.

May the knowledge and love of Him who is our Savior and Redeemer reside always in our hearts.

The Lord has risen, indeed.  Alleluia.

Fr. Michael+

A Reflection

A Moment with C. S. Lewis

“Men are mirrors, or ‘carriers’ of Christ to other men.  Sometimes unconscious carriers.  This ‘good infection’ can be carried by those who have not got it themselves.  People who were not Christians themselves helped me to Christianity.  But usually it is those who know Him that bring him to others.  That is why the Church, the whole body of Christians showing Him to one another, is so important.  You might say that when two Christians are following Christ together there is not twice as much Christianity as when they are apart, but sixteen times as much.”

-from Mere Christianity

Where have you been?

Dear Reader, I did not intend to give up blogging for Lent, it just happened that way.  I prefer to think that God had other plans for my time and talents this last month, therefore, it has been a while since I have updated the blog.

There will be new posts arriving shortly, I promise.

Fr. Michael+

Not Because of Your Righteousness

Know therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness; for you are a stubborn people. Dt 9: 6

This, Dear Reader, is a straight-forward admonition from God, through Moses, to the Hebrew people.  Do not think that I am giving you this land, the land which I promised to your forefather Abraham, because you have somehow earned it.  YOU HAVEN'T!  Don't think that you are somehow entitled to this land because of all the great things you have done or the excellent way that you have kept my laws.  YOU HAVEN'T!

God is saying to His People that despite the way they have acted; despite the things that they have done, and left undone; despite their failures to uphold God's commandments and laws; He is delivering them into the land which He had promised to them.  He is giving them a home.  He is providing for them.  He is saving them from the wilderness.

God continues to do that for us everyday of our lives, through Jesus Christ.  We did nothing to deserve Jesus' ministry and teaching.  We did nothing to rate His love.  We, in fact, did everything possible to earn His everlasting condemnation.  Yet, God is a just and loving God, and in Jesus He proves it to us in the most magnificent way.

Jesus Christ died on the cross because that was the sacrifice necessary to wash His stubborn people clean of their sin and wickedness.  By His death, we no longer fear the icy grip of the grave.  We no longer must labor under the weight of sin or be separated from Our Father by anything or anyone.  In Christ, God again tells us that we, stubborn as we are, are worth saving.

Fr. Michael+

Tomorrow is Wednesday!

Everyone remember that our Lenten routine on Wednesday night begins tomorrow.  We will have Mass (according to the 1928 BCP) at 6PM in the Church (not St. Anne's Chapel as we normally do), followed by the Stations of the Cross, and then our Lenten meal of soup and bread.  Then we will kick off our Bible Study of Exodus.

Remember the Anglican Axiom:  "All may; none must; some should!"

See you tomorrow night.

Fr. Michael+

Lent is Here!

The Mardi Gras party last night was awesome!  The food was great: Thank you, Jerry and all the folks who prepared and served the food.  I was particularly impressed by the stunning array of beads and even the headgear worn by at least one prominent member of the community.  We definitely let the Good Times Roll.

Now, we turn our attention to the observance of a holy Lent.  Mass with Imposition of Ashes will be offered today at Noon and at 7 PM.  If you cannot come to church today, please give me a call, and I will either bring the ashes to you, or come and visit tomorrow with Communion and a word about this Lenten season.

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word.  BCP pg. 265

Fr. Michael+

Mardi Gras Party

Don't forget the Mardi Gras party at Christ Memorial tonight starting at 6 PM.  The food and the company will be great.

Ash Wednesday is tomorrow (and that is a traditional day of fasting), and we will have Mass with Imposition of Ashes at Noon and 7 PM.

Lent is a time of penitential preparation in anticipation of Easter.  Now is the time to decide on what you will give up and what you will take on during this season.  Many choose to give up a type of food or an activity during Lent, and that is a great way to refocus our attention on God.  But it is also very important to take on something that will bring us closer to Him.  Maybe that is a daily reading of Scripture.  Maybe it is reading a book by C.S. Lewis or G.K. Chesterton or St. Augustine or N.T. Wright.  Personally, I am going to sit down with C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity.

Lent is also a time of reflection, examination and repentance.  We take this opportunity to consider and to confess all that which has separated us from the God and turn away from those things, setting ourselves, with God's unbounded Grace and Love, on a new path towards Him.

I am available to hear Confessions, by appointment.  Please call me at 318-840-9196.

Fr. Michael+

What Do I Do If I Need to Talk to the Priest?

Dear Reader, the simple answer is to pick up the phone and give me a call.  Part of my vocation, a large part of my vocation, is to be available to those who need me.  That is my desire, to be available and responsive to anyone who may have a simple question and to someone who may need help with a crisis.  If either of those, or any number of other issues, is the case, then please don't hesitate to call me.

My numbers are:  840-9196 (cell)
                            872-1144 (church office)
                            872-1237 (rectory)

My scheduled office hours during the week are:
                    Monday:  9-12
                    Tuesday:  10-12
                    Wednesday:  9-5
                    Thursday:  9-12
                    Friday:  By appointment

I am setting aside on my schedule Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons to make scheduled pastoral visits to parishioners at home or in hospital.  Additionally, I am available on Friday by appointment.

If you, or someone you know needs a visit or to have Communion brought to them at home, please let me know so I can schedule a recurring visitation schedule with them.

Please also know that in the case of an emergency, I am available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  My door is always open and my cell phone is always on.

Fr. Michael+