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+

March Newsletter

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

Lent provides us an opportunity to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection on Easter.    We are called to repent of our sins and to amend our lives, asking God to give us the strength to avoid those things which serve to separate us from Him.

We do this through prayer, both as a part of the Body of Christ in our corporate worship and as part of our private prayers and devotions.  It is through prayer that we talk to God, and, through the contemplation of our words to Him and His Word to us, we listen for the small, still voice that moves our heart and shapes our will. 

We also deny ourselves some of things that have become ordinary features in our lives.  This fasting, in the form of denial of certain types of food or maybe an activity, re-focuses our

attention away from the things of this world and onto the things of the Kingdom of God.  This fasting is especially appropriate on Ash Wednesday, Fridays during Lent and on Good Friday.  It is also important to remember that Sundays during Lent are still considered feast days, so fasting is suspended on Sunday.

Finally, by reading and meditating on Holy Scripture and on other spiritual writings, we further educate and open ourselves to the working of God’s Will upon our own.  Set aside a portion of each day to read and contemplate and pray, and it won’t be long before a Lenten discipline becomes a life discipline.

Have a blessed Lent.

Fr. Michael+

Ash Wednesday Schedule at Christ Memorial

March 9, 2011 - Ash Wednesday

  

12:00 Noon in the Chapel of St. Anne

Mass according to Rite II including the Imposition of Ashes

7:00 PM in the Church

Imposition of Ashes and the Mass according to the '28 BCP

There will be no dinner served or Bible Study on Ash Wednesday.  Both will resume on March 16 with dinners of soup and bread and a study of Exodus.  The Stations of the Cross will also be observed beginning on March 16 following the 6 PM Mass.

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+

The Bishop was Here!

We had a great Sunday with the Rt. Rev'd D. Bruce MacPherson present for the 10 AM Mass and a wonderful luncheon afterwards.  The church was full, as was the Parish Hall, which was no surprise since Jerry prepared the roast beef and a whole host of side dishes prepared by our talented parishioners filled three serving tables.  (Yes, I agree, Dear Reader, that the banana pudding was indeed the finest example of such dessert to be found anywhere on the planet!)

My thanks to Bishop MacPherson and to Susan for their visit.  May God continue to bless their ministries to the people of the Diocese of Western Louisiana.  

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+

Weather News

Because of the possibility of inclement weather tomorrow, Gayle has decided to cancel choir tomorrow, and I concur.  I will be watching the weather tonight and plan to make a decision about Wednesday Bible Study in the morning.  I will post any news here and on Facebook.

Fr. Michael+

Women's Bible Study

The women met for their first class in a ten week study of the Book of Esther tonight.  It was a good crowd, and an important decision was made by those gathered.  Starting next week, the class will meet on Thursday night from 6-8PM in the Parish Hall.  This change was made in the hope that more women would be able to come on Thursday rather than Monday.  Workbooks are still available at the church office.

Fr. Michael+