Alpha Begins in January
September 27, 2009
Alpha explores the basics of the Christian faith and the relevance of Christianity in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
We encourage you to bring friends who are investigating Christianity or those wanting to deepen their faith.
The kick-off dinner will be December 8th, and the course will begin the first week of January 2010.
If you are interested in attending or if you would like to volunteer to assist the facilitators, please contact the parish office at 344-1920 or e-mail alpha@allsaintsanglican.net.
Salt & Light Course begins Oct. 2
September 27, 2009
The Salt & Light Course, also known as Anglicanism 101, begins Friday, October 2.
We highly encourage every parishioner—especially newcomers and anyone else seeking the spiritual “whys” of our ancient, catholic, and reformed Christian practice—to attend, even if you think you know what it’s all about. And, if you’ve taken the class before, please consider taking it again. Most of our folks learn something new and edifying each time they attend.
This course will also prepare teens for their confirmation/communion.
Classes will begin with dinner (provided) at 6:30 PM each Friday evening, followed by class 7:00 – 8:00 PM.
Please contact the parish office (344-1920) or e-mail admin@allsaintsanglican.net to register.
Liturgy Lesson for St. Michael & All Angels: Heavenly Warrior
September 26, 2009
We celebrate St. Michael the Archangel, along with all God’s angels today, not for their own sake, but for the ministry among us for God. Created on a higher order than unresurrected man, these celestial beings have intelligence and will and are personal, immortal creatures. Although the word angel means messenger, they have a variety of Biblical roles and ranks: angels, archangels, cherubim, seraphim, thrones, choirs, dominions, principalities, and powers. Interestingly, Scripture never describes winged angels visiting humans. In fact, in several passages, people visited by angels don’t even realize they aren’t ordinary men until it is revealed. St. Michael, one of Scripture’s seven archangels, is mentioned twice in Daniel—as Chosen People’s helper, once in Jude—disputing with Satan over Moses’ body, and once in Revelation—defeating the Dragon, Satan. A Heavenly warrior, he has been seen of as a protector of individual Christians against the Devil, especially at the hour of death, when his ministry is associated with conveying the Faithful Departed to God. His feast originated in the sixth century and was known in England, as “Michaelmas,” for “Michael’s Mass,” in honor of the day’s festive Eucharist. St. Michael, (whose name means Who is like God? in Hebrew) is the armored commander of the angelic host who will engage and conquer Satan and his demon armies and is considered the Church’s defender, and is, then, represented in art more often than any other angel. He is an excellent reminder of St. Paul’s reminders in Ephesians 6 and 2 Corinthians 10 that our battles in this life are spiritual and not fleshly—and that our God is the Lord of Victory for all who wear His mark.
God Loves Volunteers and So Do We by Charles Miller & Rob Goodman
September 24, 2009
All Saints is a growing Church and our growth means we have increased our ministries, services, and activities. This growth requires an increase in volunteers to assist current volunteers who have reached their capacity to respond to the many needs of All Saints. In the past, volunteers stepped forward to assume roles and establish procedures to ensure coverage for ministries, services, and activities. Examples are the Altar Guild, Flower Guild, and Layreaders. These ministries have volunteers responsible for recruiting and scheduling individuals to ensure the ministries are covered.
The growth of our parish has created a need to expand our volunteers to other activities, such as help with special events, food preparation, clean up days of Church grounds, and the clean up of Ballard Hall after Wednesday Supper Club, to name just a few. We need volunteer leaders to assume responsibility for the recruiting and scheduling of volunteers so these new ministries can be handled as efficiently as our more long-standing ones. Volunteer coordinators would work with Vestry members acting as resource to the Vestry to ensure there is a list of volunteers assigned to various duties.
The Vestry is very thankful to all those who respond to the call for assistance. We also understand that as we grow, the ability of the Vestry to cover the recruitment and scheduling of volunteers is becoming more difficult. We love our Church and understand we need to keep all our ministries operating smoothly for the benefit of the parishioners.
If you are like us, you have probably noticed that there is less room in the pews these days. That’s great news for our parish and serves as affirmation of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit at All Saints. Some of our ministry activities may seem full because, by the grace of God, the right people are always there at the right time, and things just get done.
The Holy Spirit provides us with gifts so they can be used. Do you sing? Do you cook? Can you clean? Are you handy with a hammer? There is always room for YOU!
If you are able to assist with the growth of the Volunteer Ministries, please contact one of the Vestry members listed on the Vestry page.
Heresy and Truth
September 20, 2009
Bible Reading: 1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons– 1 St. Timothy 4:1
Bonus Reading: 12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about[a] by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. — Jude 1:12-13
We’ve all see the news reports. Once stalwart, historical, Biblically-faithful and, even courageous Christian churches somehow gone terribly wrong—calling personal salvation a “heresy” while endorsing and actively promoting spiritually-dangerous and immoral lifestyles—even ordaining to leadership those who openly practice these deceptive lifestyles. Their leaders seem unable to see the Truth. Consider the words of the Rev Jack Hayford, noted Christian minister and thinker from his book, Anatomy of a Seduction:
The Greek word translated as “deceptive” in [today's Key Bible verse] is planos, the word from which our English word “planet” is derived. The ancient Greeks called those bright orbs deceivers. Why?
In ancient times, the navigators of ships knew that they could, with reliability, sight in on most stars to accurately determine their location and thereby sail the right course to their destination. They also learned that the “deceivers” (planoi)—the wandering stars—would only lead them to confusion or destruction if they tried to determine their position by them. They, of course, didn’t know that those “stars” were actually planets that revolved around the sun.
It isn’t difficult to see why the Holy Spirit stirred the apostle Paul to use this word to warn us about the demonic enterprises of these last days. We dare not take our directions from the no-such-thing-as-absolute-truth relativism of our culture’s attitudes toward almost everything. And we would be wise to see the profound analogy between the erratic movement of a non-light-producing planet and the deceiving spirits of this world.
Have we been there? Unwittingly reshaping the Gospel to suit our own purposes—making if a bit more comfortable for our own “pet sins?” If we’re really honest, we can all probably say this fits us. But, if shown it clearly, most of us would repent. We just need leaders to set the pace for us…take us in God’s direction—by His Word and Spirit.
But still, these deceived leaders are lulling thousands into a false sense of security. We chant the ancient call for God’s mercy in the Kyrie and feel like Alice, just waking in Wonderland.
Or do we?
St. Paul wrote to the fledgling minister, St Timothy, about the latter days—saying some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. These are, indeed, signs of the times…but not everything is black.
We believe God’s Word. Although not everything we want to know, what it does provide is inerrant, given by the Holy Spirit and a sovereign, mighty God in exactly the form He desires us to have. His Word spells out the Godly life…and what’s not. That’s why it’s so important we know what it says.
Scripture tells us plainly in today’s key reading—in the latter days, some would depart from the Faith, listening instead to deceiving spirits and doctrines (teachings) of demons. Since this amazing and historic departure from what—according to Scripture and Church tradition has “always and everywhere been taught”—is endorsed by the leaders of some once-reliable Christian churches as a kind of “new canon,” then for the Bible-believing, Spirit-led Christian, we can say one simple prayer: “Maranatha…come quickly, Lord.” But why?
Simply put, family in Christ, this world is not our home, and this is a signal of the latter days, before Christ’s return. We’re just renters…passing through. That’s why the Word describes our lives as “vapors” and “withered grass.” This is the warm-up for the real thing with our Heavenly Father, so when we see this signal, we can take heart…His return is imminent. That’s the silver lining. Thy Kingdom come!!
But what else should we do in response to this?
The old Benedictine adage is a great guideline: “Work and pray.” So we should.
First, let’s be in fervent, heartfelt prayer for those in the churches that are deceived by the God of the World—our old adversary, Satan—the Father of Lies. Let’s all agree in asking God to remove the veil from their eyes, and let the Truth air. We can stand against the lying spirits deceiving these once-great churches, and loose God’s Word and His angels instead. We can pray that if they will not turn, then God would lead those trusting Him to real, Spirit-led, Gospel-preaching churches. Then we can go to work.
As God’s Spirit leads us, we can talk to those we know who are still in those churches—and urge them to find other places where the Scripture is still honored and taught and where those guiding the faithful are not blind. Of course, these folks are welcome here, but, in the end, it doesn’t matter where they go…it just needs to be faithful…Scriptural…Spirit-led…focused on our Lord and His Mission. All the while, we pray, “Maranatha,” though, because we want Him to come quickly in our lives, in the lives of those suffering under blind leadership and to end this World and establish His Kingdom. What could better than a world where Jesus is the King?
Contemplative Prayer: “Holy Spirit, show me if I’m really ready to pray ‘Maranatha’ or if I’m still unsure or deceived.”
Pray about it: “We are oftener deceived by being told some truth than none.” —Fulke Greville (English courtier)
All love in the Beloved,
Chip+
Liturgy Lesson for St. Matthew: Examples of the Saints
September 18, 2009
The Church has set aside saints’ days, (such as St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist we commemorate today) in honor of the first martyrs, and those mentioned in the Gospel as most nearly connected with our Blessed Lord in the work of establishing His Church, and in honor of all those who have given their lives for cause of the true Faith of the Church. They’ve been established for us to study and emulate their virtues and thank God for their examples. It is important to note—we don’t pray to the saints, or address them directly in devotion, but, rather, we may ask our Heavenly Father for our share of their prayers in Heaven. The first record we have of a saints’ day comes from the second century, although it probably existed far earlier. The practice grew from ancient Christians meeting at martyrs’ graves on the anniversaries of their deaths for the Faith Eternal to celebrate their Godly virtues and bless God for their pure lives and heroic examples. The great truth for us in observance of saints’ days is that the saints on earth are fellow-citizens with the saints in paradise, and all, whether living or dead, are members of one great Heavenly parokia, or parish—the family of God—the Communion of Saints. Like Christians we meet, our spirits can “bear witness” with the saints, because we resonate on Christ’s spiritual frequency—one Faith and one Baptism for the remission of sin. We are all rewired to our Lord’s specification. And, we can take joy in that we are empowered, just as St. Matthew was—to preach the Gospel, regardless of the cost. And, like him, we have a great company with us to God’s purpose in our lives. For the Kingdom!
Video Shoot, Sunday, September 20
September 13, 2009
[Jesus said] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. ~Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
Today we can “go” virtually as well as physically, and at All Saints we reach out in a variety of ways, one of which is cable TV.
A TV crew will be here on Sunday, September 20, shooting video for an ad. People looking for an orthodox church filled with the Holy Spirit need to know about All Saints. We encourage you to be at the 9 AM service on September 20 so the crew can capture a chapel full of Spirit-filled Christians worshipping the Lord in spirit and truth.
Liturgy Lesson for the Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity: Catechism
September 12, 2009
The Offices of Instruction, found in our prayer book on pp 283-295 and 571-576 are there to teach candidates for Baptism and Confirmation the most basic aspects of the Christian life. They are also there to remind us all of the need to renew and edify ourselves in the Christian life through a method called “catechism,” a term taken from the Greek katecheo, meaning to sound towards, sound down upon, resound, to charm with resounding sound, to fascinate; to teach orally, to instruct; to inform by word of mouth; to be orally informed. Taken in context with how it’s used, it paints a picture of how the Church has always trained its members—by oral instruction. The interactive method here emphasizes the need for both initial and continuing Christian development. No wonder St Paul, writing to St. Timothy, taught him to “study to show thyself approved.” The word “study” means to exert one’s self, endeavor, give diligence and is taken from a root word that means to “foot,” or place ourselves at the teacher’s feet. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 amplifies it: You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. The love of the Lord and His Word in our hearts implies fascination with and discussion of His commandments to us via Scripture. Unfortunately, some think we have all we need when we’ve grasped the rudiments found in the Offices. Not so. The truth is the catechism is the first in a lifelong corporate learning process needed to grow in the Lord—and something we offer to all our members in Sunday School, Koinonia, Bible Study, and other ministries. If you’re not part of the corporate learning process—pray about joining!
9/11 Remembrance
September 11, 2009
9/11 Memorial Service, Friday, Sept. 11, 9 AM
September 10, 2009
All Saints Anglican Church of San Antonio, 11122 Link Drive will host our part in the Archdiocese of San Antonio’s city-wide ecumenical remembrance of 9/11…remembering those who died with a special memorial service, from 9-9:45 AM tomorrow, September 11th. Directions to the parish are available at on the contact page or by phone at 210-344-1920.
Join us for Morning Prayer at 9 AM on September 11 in prayer and remembrance of the terrible tragedy, that day eight years ago.
If you are unable to attend the service, please stop what you’re doing at 9 AM on 9/11 and join us in prayer for this special event.
Details of the larger event can be found at found at Keeping Faith, Keeping Freedom.
