Friday Fish Fry

This Friday, the ECW will host a fish fry at Christ Memorial with the proceeds going to help fund our mission trip to Peru.  Lunch will be served from 11:00 AM until the fish runs out.  Lunches are $8 per plate.

Come early, eat often!

Fr. Michael+

VBS Approaches

Remember, Vacation Bible School starts next Tuesday, June 21.  There's still time to register kids, and there's still time to volunteer.

Call Fr. Michael or Samantha to get more details.

(318) 872-1144
(318) 840-9196

Flowers to be Instituted

The Vestry and Parishioners of St. George's Episcopal Church cordially invite you to attend a Celebration of New Ministry and Institution of the Very Rev'd James Flowers (you might remember him) as Rector of St. George's Episcopal Church in Bossier City, Louisiana on June 23 at 7 PM.  A reception will follow.

St. George's is located at 1959 Airline Drive in Bossier City, Louisiana.

Jaime asked me to extend this invitation to all the folks at Christ Memorial, and I think it would be great if we could show up in force to support him in his new calling as Rector of St. George's.

Michael+

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

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+

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+

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+

Anglicanism 101 and Beyond

For the past several weeks, out Wednesday Night Bible Study hour has been devoted to a study of our Anglican heritage, traditions and beliefs.  We have studied out liturgy, the seven Sacraments, the Book of Common Prayer and, next week, we will finish the series with a discussion of the history of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America and the Anglican Communion.

During the discussion of the BCP last week, the class requested if it would be possible to celebrate Holy Eucharist according to the 1928 Prayer Book, a liturgy which some in the group remembered fondly and which others had never experienced.  After obtaining permission from Bishop MacPherson, last night, I celebrated the Mass according the '28 "Order for The Administration of the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion".  The chapel was nearly full, and during a discussion of the service during dinner, it was decided, again unanimously, that I would request permission from the Bishop to continue to use the '28 liturgy for our Wednesday night Eucharist.  Happily, the Bishop responded to me this morning granting me permission to do just that.

Therefore, beginning next Wednesday and for each Wednesday during Lent, we will worship according to the 1928 prayer book.  Because of the changes in the lectionary over the years, I will be using the readings from the Lesser Feasts and Fasts, but the service itself will be done according to the rubrics in the '28 book.

I also take this opportunity to remind and invite everyone to our Wednesday night program during Lent.  Amy will continue to provide our meals for us, but in keeping with the penitential nature of Lent, we will be scaling back slightly by serving a selection of soups and bread each Wednesday night.  We will also observe the Stations of the Cross each Wednesday following the Mass; therefore, the service will be held in the Church during Lent instead of in the Chapel.

For Bible Study during Lent, we will return to the Old Testament with a study of Exodus, the second book of the Pentateuch.  I hope that this will be a rich opportunity to reflect on God's redemption of His Chosen People from the bonds of slavery in Egypt in the light of His redemption of the whole world through His Son, Jesus Christ.

O Almighty Lord, and everlasting God, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to direct, sanctify, and govern, both our hearts and bodies, in the ways of thy laws, and in the works of thy commandments; that, through thy most mighty protection, both here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Fr. Michael+

The Weather is Beautiful

After an uninvited hiatus caused by the inclement weather last week, Wednesday night activities resume at Christ Memorial.  We will once again offer Mass at 6PM, followed by dinner which is being provided by Amy Garsee from the Hospital Cafeteria.  The class will focus on the development and use of the Book of Common Prayer.  There is no need to bring any covered dishes tonight, but we do ask that the adults make a donation to help defray the cost of the meal.

I look forward to seeing y'all there.

Fr. Millard+

Practical Stuff

As you, Dear Reader, are undoubtedly aware, the ongoing water project being undertaken by the City of Mansfield has resulted in some temporary patches of gravel in the driveway to the church parking lot and in the parking spaces at the front of the church on Washington Avenue.  The good news is that crews have already patched the spaces in front of the church and are now in the process of doing the same to the parking lot.  The bad news is that the parking lot will be out of commission for a few days while the concrete cures.  The prep work is going on this afternoon (Monday), and the concrete is scheduled to be poured tomorrow (Tuesday).  That means that it should be ready for normal use by Sunday, but will probably not be ready by Wednesday night.  Therefore, please plan on parking in the Big Star parking lot on Wednesday night.

Now we just need to see if we can get grass to grow in front of the rectory again.

Fr. Michael+

More Weather News - Update

The winter weather is apparently moving into the northern part of the state and will, according to the weather gurus, be upon us within the next few hours.  Therefore, after consulting with the Senior Warden, I have decided to cancel Wednesday Night Bible Study this week.  As previously reported, Gayle had canceled choir practice, so it makes sense to play it safe and keep everybody home and warm and dry this evening.

I will be celebrating the Mass at 6PM for anyone who wishes to attend, but there will be no dinner or Bible study tonight.  We will resume next week with a discussion of the origins and use of the Book of Common Prayer.

Fr. Michael+

Mission Trip to Peru

As I announced in Church last week, Christ Memorial will be sponsoring a mission trip to the Anglican Diocese of Peru this September.  The plan is to take 10-15 people for a 7 day trip to Lima and/or other areas in Peru to work with the women and children of the diocese as teachers and helpers.  While we don't know exactly what we will be doing yet, we will probably be teaching bible studies or maybe even a Vacation Bible School.  We will work with the Peruvian women's groups to provide instruction and support.  We may be assisting with after school care for young people or helping to teach skills to women in job training programs.  Whatever we end up doing, we will be sharing in the Love of Christ with them and they with us, and we will come home with a greater appreciation of how His Grace touches and moves people around the world.

We will be have our first team meeting on Tuesday, February 15 at 6:30PM in the Parlor.  Anyone who is interested should come to this meeting so that we can make our plans for raising the necessary funds and working toward our departure in September.

If you have any questions about the trip or would like to discuss it prior to the meeting on the 15th, please call me, and I'll be happy to help.

Fr. Michael+

Another Great Wednesday Night at CMEC

How can you have anything but a great time when you have choir rehearsal, Mass, dinner and Bible Study?  We finished our study of the Book of Acts last night with a rousing discussion of Paul's last days, the ongoing mission of the Church and the words of the Prophet Isaiah which Paul spoke to the Jews in Rome (see Acts 28: 23ff).  These words from God which the prophet had spoken to the Hebrew people should resonate with us today, I think.  "You shall indeed hear but not understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive."

There are times when those words apply to us today just as much as they did when Isaiah first spoke them.  Can we honestly say that we hear what God speaks to us through Holy Scripture, or that we see Him in our neighbors as we should?  Do we read His Word as we should, or do we seek to live out His Commandments as we ought?  Do we turn to our Father every day when we rise and do we commit ourselves to conform ourselves to His Will?

The Book of Acts ends with Paul "preaching the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ quite openly and unhindered."  To be disciples of Jesus of Christ we must spend time learning and living the Word delivered to us through his Apostles to his Church.  We must spend time with Christ in Holy Scripture.  We must put into practice what we learn and make ours a Christian life well lived in love and service to God.  In this, we find that we may show the way to others and may support others as they strive to live a life dedicated to the Word of God.

In other business last night, we decided that beginning next week, January 26, we will begin a study of the Church which I am calling Anglicanism 101.  It is a refresher course in things Anglican and is meant to give folks on opportunity to learn or re-learn many basic principles and facts about our Church.  The syllabus for this class looks something like this:
          January 26:  Liturgy - A tour of the Church with discussion of our tradition and liturgy
          February 2:  Sacraments - The seven Sacraments of the Church
          February 9:  The Book of Common Prayer - Cranmer's Legacy
          February 16:  The Seasons, Fasts and Feasts of the Church - What do all those colors mean?
          February 23:  The Episcopal Church of the United States of America - Why we are who we are
          March 2:  Wrapping up loose ends and general discussion

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on March 9, so there will be no dinner or Bible Study that night.  There will be Mass with the Imposition of Ashes in the Church at 7:00PM.  Beginning on March 16, we will begin a study of Exodus which will run through the season of Lent.  We will continue to have choir practice, Mass, dinner and Bible Study according to our normal schedule during Lent, but the meals will be very simple, consisting of soup and bread.  Looking even further into the future, our study for the season of Easter will be "Jesus of Nazareth" by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI).

I would like to encourage everyone to come and join us on Wednesday night.  Coming together to worship, to share a meal and to study the Word of God are important ways that we grow in our relationship with the Father and make ourselves disciples to our Savior Jesus Christ.

Everyone is welcome.  Please, bring a friend.

Fr. Michael+

Report on Operation Christmas Child

In November, the parishioners of Christ Memorial participated in a wonderful evangelism and outreach effort called Operation Christmas Child which is sponsored by Samaritan's Purse each year.  The idea of the project is to pack and deliver a shoe box full of fun and useful items to a needy child somewhere in world.  This is a gift, given in love and in the name of Jesus Christ, with no strings attached.  According to the literature, for every eight boxes delivered, a child comes to faith in Christ.  This year, the collection station at First Baptist, Mansfield collected 3,407 shoe boxes, an increase of almost 5% over last year.  In turn, the collection center in Bossier City took in over 21,000 boxes which were then trucked to the regional receiving center in Hurst, TX, which received 413,248 boxes from Texas and Louisiana (88,314).  Nationally, Operation Christmas Child was able to collect and deliver over 5.5 million boxes in 2010.  Praise God!

It is not too early to start thinking about OCC for next year.  One easy way to help is to keep a watchful eye when you go to the store.  If you see plastic shoe boxes on sale, pick up a few.  If you see toys or toiletries that we can put in the boxes, pick them up and stash them away.  Make it a habit to pick up a little something here and there; and then when box packing time rolls around again, we'll be ready to make it happen.

I would also ask your prayers for all those who do so much to bring the Light of Christ to the nations of the Earth.  Pray for those who have heard and received the Gift of Christ, that they may be strong and joyful in their faith.  Pray for those who have yet to hear the Word, that God will touch them with His infinite Goodness and Mercy.

Fr. Michael+

Mission of Hope 2011

Next Tuesday, a team of eleven people from Pennsylvania, Louisiana and New Mexico will be leaving for a 17 day mission trip to Hoima, Uganda.  They will spend the majority of their time ministering at the Mustard Seed Babies' Home and will provide medical services, Bible School and education, and anything else that they can do to help this Christian orphans home.  Two of my very close friends will be going on this trip, Tom and Matthew Dalton.  I have lost track of how many mission trips Tom has made since I have known him (he is the chairman of the Diocesan Missions Committee), and this will be the first time in the mission field for his son, Matthew.  I traveled with Tom to the Dominican Republic almost 5 years ago, and I am looking forward to going back with him this year in July.

I post this because I think it is important to remember the work that is being done by missionaries around the world.  In addition to these short term mission trips, there are folks who have dedicated their lives to teaching the Gospel and bringing the Love of Jesus Christ to all the people of the world, just as Christ instructed us to do.  I have been on two mission trips, one to the D.R. and one to Peru, and both experiences effected me deeply.

While this team is in Uganda, I would ask that everyone who reads this blog take a minute and say a prayer for their safety and for their success in bringing the Word of God to those in Uganda who need to hear it.  I also ask that you pray that their hearts and minds are open so that they can learn and grow from their experience with those who live the Christian life in Uganda.  One of the blessings of going on a mission trip like this is to experience life in a country where the Gospel is not just something that is read on Sunday; it is the Word that effects every aspect of their lives.  The people in Uganda may seem poor by our standards, but, believe me, they are richer beyond our wildest dreams when it comes to their faith in the Risen Christ.

Two Prayers for Missions

Everliving God, whose will it is that all should come to thee through thy Son Jesus Christ: Inspire our witness to him, that all may know the power of his forgiveness and the hope of his resurrection; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Almighty God, who hast given unto thy Son Jesus Christ the Name which is above every name, and hast taught us that there is salvation in none other: Mercifully grant that as thy faithful people have comfort and peace in his name, they may ever labor to publish it unto all nations; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Fr. Michael+

MEA CULPA:  My recollection was faulty.  This is not Matthew's first trip to Uganda; he went with his dad on last year's trip to Hoima.

Feast of the Epiphany

No, don't worry.  It's not Epiphany, yet.  Please mark your calendars, however, for Thursday, January 6 at 6PM for our celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany.  Epiphany marks the arrival of the Magi at the home of the Jesus and his family in Bethlehem.  The arrival of these gentiles from the East also reinforces the universality of God's plan for the salvation of His Creation.  The Messiah has not come just for the Hebrew people, but for all the people of the world, and since the Gospel is not yet ready to be carried to the world, the world will instead come to the Gospel.

Also on Thursday evening, we will observe an old tradition of the Church by blessing chalk.  This chalk is then used to inscribe a blessing on the door post of one's home as an acknowledgement of God's blessing upon us for the new year.  The chalk will be blessed prior to the conclusion of the Mass.

Finally, we plan on having a King Cake Thursday evening, so plan to hang around to enjoy is traditional treat of Epiphany (at least in Louisiana).

See you Thursday!

Fr. Michael+

The Nativity Pageant and Other Things

Yesterday evening, the youth of Christ Memorial rang in the last week of Advent with a wonderful Nativity Pageant.  Lessons were read, carols were sung and the wee little animals all stayed in their places and looked cute in their costumes.  My thanks go out to all the people who helped make the Pageant such a success, especially to my amazing wife, Samantha.  Good job, everyone!

The Parish Christmas Party following the Pageant was a resounding success and great fun was had by all.  To everyone who brought food: thank you.  To everyone who decorated and organized the food: thank you.  To Jolly Old St. Nick (you know who you are) who showed up to the surprise and glee of all the children: thank you.  And a special thanks go out to Bill and Karen Calvert for all the work and thought and love that went into making last night such a happy and joyous time.

Derrick Hunter is scheduled to arrive at Fort Humbug in Shreveport around Noon today.  Kay is understandably excited to have her son home from Iraq, as are we all.  If you would like to come by the Fort and meet the buses as they arrive, you are welcomed and encouraged to do so.  These men and women have been overseas for quite a long time, and it would be great to be able to welcome them home and give them our thanks for their service.

I hope that y'all are having a blessed Advent.

Fr. Michael+

Acts of the Apostles Tonight

A reminder that we will be having Wednesday Night Dinner and Bible Study tonight.  We begin a study of the Acts of the Apostles this evening.  It all begins with choir practice at 5PM and Mass at 6PM.  I look forward to seeing you here.

Fr. Michael+