St. Patrick's Church

2012-02-12T08:14:00.001-05:00

Ash Wednesday

Sunday: February 19 after church we will have a "Feast Before We Fast" pancake supper. This will take the place of our regular last Sunday of the month potluck.

Cost is $2.00 per person

A $3.00 per person donation to raise funds for Love Uganda 2012 bible project may be given, but is not required.

Ash Wednesday February 22: Evening service at church to begin Lent. Come and receive ashes, and begin a season of spiritual growth.

Love Uganda 2012

2012-02-11T14:40:00.003-05:00

MISSIO DEI: In late 2011, the Lord orchestrated a series of events much like the Macedonian call in the Book of Acts. Through Facebook, we met some of our CEC brethren in Uganda. They asked for nothing but prayer. God said do more. Developing a ministry overseas via distance in a developing nation presents many challenges.

The first challenge was verification. Corruption runs rampant in Africa. There are many who try to run financial scams, and secure payment gateways to provide funds are difficult to establish. In order to verify the authenticity of this church's existence, I got into contact with our Patriarch's office. We were given permission to form a sister church relationship.

God was pressing me in prayer and speaking to me "these are your brothers and sisters, help them."

Since I graduated from Central Bible College of the Assemblies of God and have many AG friends, we were able to contact an American Assemblies of God missionary in Uganda named Rob Shipley. He, in turn, referred me to a trustworthy national pastor named Jane Lakisa in the Kampala area.

After sharing our story with Jane, at her own cost she traveled by taxi from Kampala to Bugiri twice to verify that the people we have been talking to online did in fact have churches, and that they were our own ICCEC churches. Reports of CEC Bishop Lubogo being there to lay the church cornerstone, and a local layman translating for Archbishop Jones' lead us to believe after months of research, these are indeed ICCEC churches!

Pastor Jane Lakisa of Uganda Assemblies of God and
Victory City Church Kitintale
Visits All Saints Kiseitaka Church (ICCEC) on behalf of
Love Uganda 2012 and
Rev. Kevin Baker, Pastor St. Patrick's Church Buffalo, NY

As we move forward with Love Uganda 2012, our first projects are spiritual help and relief.

1. We are seeking to raise funds for 200 Bibles in the Luganda language. Rev. Lakisa will buy them there to save on shipping costs.

2. Our relief project is to provide insecticide treated mosquito nets to help our church families prevent malaria.

3. Long term, we are working to provide farming skills training through Cornell University.

Education to learn better farming practices and develop from subsistence to business farming.
Micro-lending through KIVA to fund a farm group of CEC families.
Donation of 25% of all capital repaid by Ugandans for an educational endowment for the children of All Saints to attend private school.

Left to Right as Reported to Us By Rev. Jane Lakisa who took the photo:

REV. NATHAN MUTUMBA - KISEITAKA CEC (St. Patrick's sister church)
PASTOR. MUGOYA DAVID - NAKINYAGWE CEC
REV. NATHAN NABUTI - KATALA CEC
PASTOR. GEORGE WILLIAM ADHISE - NAKIVAMBA CEC
PASTOR. FRANCIS MENYHA - LWANIKE CED
PASTOR. GEORGE WEKESA - BUGUNGA CEC

Prepare/Enrich Relationship Assessment

2012-02-11T10:16:00.002-05:00

Rev. Kevin and Kathie Baker are certified Prepare/Enrich facilitators. We have seen God work powerfully in the lives of couples before and after marriage. Learn about this powerful scientific relationship tool here, and let us know when you would like to make your relationship stronger.

Shirley Fortunato At Home With the Lord

2012-02-02T12:30:00.002-05:00

Early this morning, our much loved church member Shirley Fortunato went home to be with the Lord after her battle with cancer. Service Information:

Lombardo Funeral Home
885 Niagara Falls Blvd.
(near Eggert/Sheridan Dr.)
Tonawanda, NY 14226
716.837.7100

Visitation, Monday 4:00-8:00 p.m.
Service: Tuesday 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home

The Ministry of the Holy Spirit--The Gift That Keeps On Giving

2012-01-27T11:12:00.000-05:00

Over the past 25 years, Pentecostals and charismatics seem to have lost their distinctive--the experience known as the filling or baptism in the Holy Spirit. The seeker movement has caused many to think that the work of the Holy Spirit in the context of worship as outlined by The Apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 12 & 14 is embarrassing and alienating to pre-Christians (unbelievers) who come to visit a church. Is this correct?

The mission of the Church is to partner with the Holy Spirit to continue proclaiming Jesus' words, and doing his works until Jesus returns. The Holy Spirit is the source of power, and brings the presence of God into a church service. The best marketing efforts and planning of human beings that go into a church service will not produce what the hearts of men are seeking most--the tangible presence and experience of God.

Retired CEC Bishop Philip Weeks has assembled a lifetime of teaching on the Holy Spirit into a new book called "The Gift That Keeps on Giving." If you want to learn the basics about experiencing the empowerment ministry of the Holy Spirit described in the Scriptures, I highly recommend this book!

At St. Patrick's Church, the Holy Spirit is Lord, and we expect and welcome the presence of the Spirit and the gifts he brings for us in our worship. Contrary to Pentecostals abandoning the gifts in worship, we welcome you Holy Spirit! Come Holy Spirit, come!

Acts 1:8

⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

1 Cor. 12

⁴ There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. ⁵⁶ God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord.

⁷ A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. ⁸ To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice^[b]; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.^[c] ⁹ The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. ¹⁰ He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages,^[d] while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. ¹¹ It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

Convergence Worship

2012-01-22T18:02:00.000-05:00

Today in our parish council meeting, we were discussing what are the differentiators that make our church different in the local church landscape in Buffalo. One of our ministry leaders mentioned that her husband had searched on Google for "convergence worship" and we did not show up.

Convergence worship is why I left the Vineyard churches to launch this new adventure called St. Patrick's Church. In the weeks to come, we hope to share the passion we have for convergence worship which is what we do every Sunday!

A classic article by our friend Archbishop Wayne Boosahda "The Convergence Movement."

Why We Baptize Infants and Children

2012-01-21T09:35:00.001-05:00

Here is a great article that captures our theology of why we baptize the children of believers--"A Contemporary Reformed Defense of Infant Baptism."

Speaking at The Way Christian Community Postponed

2012-01-19T19:12:00.001-05:00

Fr. Kevin's teaching at The Way Christian Community in Buffalo tonight was postponed due to the lake effect snowstorm. Will be rescheduled.

David Barton--Wall Builders--Lies That My Teacher Told Me

2012-01-19T10:45:00.001-05:00

Douglas Gresham--C.S. Lewis and Narnia

2012-01-19T10:31:00.003-05:00

A great talk given at Liberty University convocation by Douglas Gresham. He is the stepson of C.S. Lewis, and the maker of the Narnia series of movies. Lots of great nuggets of truth in a very funny talk.

Facebook page

2012-01-19T10:28:00.002-05:00

For day to day items of interest, check out St. Patrick's Facebook page. See you there.

Catholic Losses Are Baptist Gains

2012-01-17T19:17:00.000-05:00

Catholic Losses Are Baptist Gains

This is a real eye opener!

Speaking at The Way Christian Community Thursday

2012-01-17T18:46:00.001-05:00

Fr. Kevin is speaking at The Way Christian Community, 65 Cherry Street in Buffalo, NY Thursday 1/19 at 7:00 p.m. I will be speaking on "The Bishop Our Shepherd."

N.T Wright and Stephen Colbert

2012-01-17T18:39:00.002-05:00

Colbert the theologian!

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

Feast of Our Lord The Giver of Life

2012-01-14T14:20:00.000-05:00

Check out what the leader of our communion of churches wants us to hear about BEING PRO-LIFE! On January 15, we take up our annual offering to support CEC For Life. Learn more here.

Church Membership 2012

2012-01-03T11:07:00.000-05:00

If you have been attending St. Patrick's, and are interested in learning about church membership, the basics are all who attend and receive communion each week are considered both baptized and communicant members. If you would like to serve as a ministry leader, or pursue holy orders we require that you be a confirmed member.

If you desire to be confirmed in your faith, or received as a confirmed member of the church, please contact Fr. Kevin. A membership certificate is given to all who are confirmed by a CEC Bishop at St. Patrick's or received into our communion.

From the canons of The International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church about membership:

III. Membership 3

A. A Baptized Member is one baptized in water in the name of the Trinity who maintains fellowship in a particular congregation and who is enrolled in the parish register.

B. A Communicant is a Baptized Member who regularly participates in the life of the congregation, including sharing in the sacraments.

C. A Confirmed Member is a Communicant who has been confirmed by the laying on of hands of a Bishop in the Charismatic Episcopal Church, or has been received by a Bishop of the Charismatic Episcopal Church, having been previously confirmed in a communion in apostolic succession. Only confirmed members may hold canonical offices.

D. Responsibilities of Members

1. Regular participation in the life of the Church;

2. Contributing tithes and offerings;

3. Submission to the vision of the leadership;

4. Serving through various gifts and ministries for the building up of the Church;

5. A commitment to the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.

Machine Gun Preacher

2011-12-31T17:53:00.000-05:00

My new year's day message illustrates the change from our old life to a new life in Christ by telling the story of "Machine Gun Preacher" Rev. Sam Childers.

CBN Interview Part 1 Part 2

Machine Gun Preacher: Real Life Sam Childers More Unbelievable (Christian Post).

New Beginnings

2011-12-31T08:46:00.000-05:00

2 Corinthians 5:17 If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation.
The old things have gone; everything is made new!

As we turn the page on the 2011 chapter of our lives, God is with us to help us forget about what is behind and press on to what is ahead.

Join us for New Year's Day worship! Come and learn why we:

1. Hold on to old things we have invested time and and energy into that are not working.
2. Why we keep thinking what does not work will maybe work tomorrow.
3. How God actually helps us let go of the old to receive the new opportunities, understandings, and blessings he has for us.

This is a life changing message that will take you beyond doing the same thing over and over expecting different results, to a place of being positioned for God to truly be your Lord.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T07:10:00.004-05:00

Join us for Christmas Day Worship 11:30 a.m.

May we all experience afresh today the in-breaking of heaven into our lives, the announcement of heavenly messengers that this day to us a Savior has been born, and may we all come to him like the shepherds did that first Christmas.

Jesus, the eternal God is with us. He became a man to save us from the penalty of sin which is eternal death. This Christmas gift of salvation is received when a person believes this good news by faith, and turns to God asking for their sins to be forgiven. Joy to the world, the Lord has come!

ICCEC Patriarch's 2011 Christmas Message

2011-12-20T18:51:00.000-05:00

Read it here.

Christmas Day Worship

2011-12-20T18:27:00.002-05:00

Just a reminder that since Christmas is on a Sunday, we will be having worship at our regular time Christmas Day!

What Does Immanuel Mean To You?

2011-12-20T18:21:00.003-05:00

What Does Immanuel Mean To You?

· As we close out this year’s season of Advent, Christmas is just abouthere.

· Today, we I want us to close out Advent focusing on the meaning ofImmanuel, the song we have been singing for 4 weeks now at the Adventcandle.

Matthew 1:23 “The virginwill conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (whichmeans “God with us”).

· Matthew isquoting a 700-year-old prophecy from the prophet Isaiah about a virgin-bornMessiah who would bring God to us.

· This virgin-bornMessiah would have as one of his names, Immanuel, which is Hebrew for “God withus.”

Immanuel = Godwith us

· Is there anyphrase in the entire world that can bring more hope and comfort from God thanthis little phrase, “God with us.” It is central to redemptive history—God withhis people

GOD WITH US WAS THE HOPE OF OLD TESTAMENT ISRAEL

· In the book ofJoshua, Joshua was facing this mammoth challenge that was too big for him.

· God had assignedhim the task of leading the children of Israel in taking possession of thePromised Land, a land that was filled with hostile tribes, many of whom hadweapons that were much superior to the weapons of Israel.

· But God gaveJoshua this promise in Joshua 1:5, No onewill be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was withMoses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

· And then in thebook of Isaiah, God speaks through the prophet Isaiah to a people who were incaptivity in Babylon.

· First theprophet lists all of the great attributes of God – how enormous God is; howwise he is; how competent he is; nothing and no one defeats God.

· And havingcommunicated who God is, God speaks to the people in captivity and says inIsaiah 41:10,

Isaiah 41:10 So do notfear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I willstrengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

· Do you recognizewho it is who is with you? If you do, you will see that you have no reason thisChristmas to be anxious, fearful, or hopeless about the future.

· God the amazingGod, who is very smart, who can figure out the solution to any problem, God whois incredibly generous, God the God who loves you and watches over you is withyou.

· And friend, itis a decision of faith to be able to believe that God is with you especiallywhen you are going through a dark time

· When you can’tfeel the presence of God and you wonder where his protection and provision hasgone.

· It is a decisionof faith to trust in the word of God and say, “I am not alone; God is with me.”

· King David madethat choice of faith in the most famous Psalm, Psalm 23, when he said,

Psalm 23:4 3 Even thoughI walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

· Are any of youthis evening walking through the valley of the shadow of death – facing a majoroperation, or cancer treatment, or unemployment;

· Or maybe this isyour first Christmas apart from a loved one who died this past year and this isyour first Christmas without them.

· Maybe thisChristmas is filled with family tensions or you are facing a mountain of debt.

· David said,“Even when I am walking in the darkest valley, I don’t have to be anxious,fearful, or hopeless about the future because you, God, are with me.”

· Jesus is Godwith us. Jesus is God for us. Jesus is God over us.

· In the economiccrisis – God is with us.

· In the war zonesof the world – God is with us.

· In the midst ofpoverty and abuse – God is with us.

· In all thetrials and tribulations, Immanuel – God is with us.

· And that is why Matthewcalls Jesus ‘Immanuel’ so that the whole world will be pointed towardshim as our Messiah as our Good News, as our Hope for the future…

Now some people ask, how can a baby Jesushelp me with all these things you are talking about? There is a funny scene from a funny parody ofNASCAR that draws attention to something we need to remember at Christmas. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVJSEEOybIw

· Ricky Bobby’swife was right. Baby Jesus did grow up.

· And if we wereto see Jesus today, we would not see him as a little baby lying in a manger inthe state of his humble coming into the world.

· Instead, wewould see Jesus as the prophet Isaiah saw him and as the apostle John saw him,enthroned in his glory as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

And so we come to the most important,question: What does ‘Immanuel’mean to you?

· If ‘Immanuel,’ TheResurrected Ascended King is the source of all Hope, I wonder what it is thatyou are hoping for this Christmas-time?

· For some of us,it may be security of employment. For some of us, it may be an easing offinancial worries. For some, reconciliation where a relationship has beenbroken.

· For others,physical or mental healing.

· What do you hopefor this Christmas time?

· Whatever it isthat we are hoping for, the good news is the same for us all. ‘Immanuel’ – Godis with us

· In yourdarkness, in your trials, in your anxieties: ‘Immanuel’ – God is with you.

· In your pain, inyour frailty, in your brokenness: ‘Immanuel’ – God is with you.

· In your fears,in your hurt, in your insecurities: ‘Immanuel’ – God is with you.

· The message ofChristmas is not a fairy tale for the children. It is a hard reality of Godbreaking into the brokenness of our world: ‘Immanuel’ – God is with us.

· That is the goodnews of Christmas

Christmas Day Worship

2011-12-17T16:10:00.000-05:00

As Christmas falls on Sunday this year, we will be holding services as normal on Sunday at 11:30 a.m.

New website!

2011-12-17T15:58:00.001-05:00

We are excited to be launching a new, simpler version of our web site.

Special Speaker Series Oct. 22-23 with Gary Demar

2010-10-03T08:55:00.000-04:00

Gary Demar, President of American Vision in Atlanta, Georgia, will be at St. Patrick's Special Speaker Series sharing on the topic "Does Christianity Have a Future in America?" The rise of Islam, lawmakers and ruling elite working to marginalize the Church. What does the future have in store and what can we do about it?

Friday October 22 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday October 23 at 9:30 a.m.
Cost: Free entry. An offering will be taken at each session. Suggested offering is $25.00 per person for this 2 day event.

Bishop Visit

2010-10-03T08:53:00.000-04:00

Bishop Greg Ortiz has been with us all weekend and will lead worship today at 11:30 a.m. In a meeting with the Parish Council, Bishop challenged the church leaders by saying the best pastor without a group of leaders who are willing to not only support him, but actually start and lead ministries of their own, cannot grow a church. He also challenged the leaders to pray more as a poll showed the leaders not quite praying as they should for the church and its growth.

SIGNS OF RENEWAL

2009-09-27T09:52:00.000-04:00

SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL RENEWAL

INTRO

· Today’s readings deal with spiritual renewal. In the Book of Numbers, we see the need for spiritual renewal among the people of God several times as they work out their salvation on the way to the land of promise.
· JI Packer in his book “Your Father Loves You” says:
Each revival movement has its own distinctive features, but the pattern is the same every time.

1. First God comes. On New Year's Eve 1739, John Wesley, George Whitefield, and some of their friends held a "love feast" which became a watch night of prayer to see the New Year in. At about 3 a.m., Wesley wrote, "the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground." Revival always begins with a restoration of the sense of the closeness of the Holy One.
2. Second, the gospel is loved as never before. The sense of God's nearness creates an overwhelming awareness of one's own sins and sinfulness, and so the power of the cleansing blood of Christ is greatly appreciated.
3. Then repentance deepens. In the Ulster revival in the 1920s shipyard workers brought back so many stolen tools that new sheds had to be built to house the recovered property! Repentance results in restitution.
4. Finally, the Spirit works fast: godliness multiplies, Christians mature, converts appear. Paul was at Thessalonica for less than three weeks, but God worked quickly and Paul left a virile church behind him.
· In summary, revival is the visitation of God which brings to life Christians who have been sleeping and restores a deep sense of God's near presence and holiness. Thence springs a vivid sense of sin and a profound exercise of heart in repentance, praise, and love, with an evangelistic outflow.
· Now let’s turn to Numbers 11 to hear what God wants to say to us today about spiritual renewal.

1 Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said. Then the Lord’s anger blazed against them. 4 Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. 5 “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. 6 But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!”

1. The FIRST signs of THE need for a spiritual renewal among God’s people is when a spirit of complaining, being unthankful, and boredom with God begins to spread among the people.

· In the journey through the desert on the way from Egypt to the promised land, God provided manna—a food sent from heaven that was like a spiced resin for them to use for baking and cooking, and met all their nutritional needs perfectly.
· In Numbers 11:4-6, we are told what about a serious spiritual problem that developed among God’s people.
· Among God’s people were a group the Bible calls RABBLE—a group who incited God’s people to sin.
· The rabble rousers had a problem with God—they didn’t like the food God provided. They were happier with the food they had in Egypt. They said “Why did we ever leave Egypt?” DISCONTENTS.
· If they were Christians today, they would be saying “I became a Christian and all it got me is things are worse than before I got saved. I am bored with God’s second rate provisions.
· I want to go back to my life of sin and fill the empty and boring life of being a Christian. I would have been better off staying lost in my sins than following Jesus Christ.
· So the complaint of a few disgruntled unthankful Jews begins to spread like wildfire.
· Pretty soon, all the people are complaining to Moses demanding meat, and fish, and the variety of food they had in Egypt. As JI Packer said, the people had fallen asleep spiritually. They were backslidden.
· Even though a visible sign of God’s presence was always with them—cloud/pillar, they acted as though they did not live in the presence of a holy God who is there and sees and hears them.
· What they were basically saying was, “God, you saved us, you delivered us through mighty miracles, but none of that matters, and the spiritual food you want us to have is not good enough.
· We want to go back to being slaves and living in bondage so we can be fulfilled and be happy again.
· Whenever God’s people complain about God, they need a spiritual renewal because they are already on the road back to Egypt; back to bondage to fulfill the desires of their flesh.

2. A second sign that God’s people need a spiritual renewal is leadership burnout.

10 Moses heard the people of every family wailing, each at the entrance to his tent. The LORD became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the LORD, "Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers? 13 Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, 'Give us meat to eat!' 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin

· Here is a sign of what happens when people have fallen away from God and are in need of revival and renewal—they make their leaders miserable.
· Moses was troubled. Having to lead disgruntled backslidden complainers was making his life miserable.
· What the people were sick of was routine and the same old same old. They were bored with God giving them what they needed. God’s will and wisdom were not good enough.
· It was like a big ugly town hall meeting where the people were telling Moses they didn’t want to go where he was leading them. So Moses goes to God.
· Lord, what did I do to deserve this? I can’t give these people what they want. The burden of leading these people has become too heavy for me. I need help or just take my life now.
· Today we would say Moses was burned out--constant stress had him feeling disillusioned and completely worn out.
· Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.
· It occurs when a person feels overwhelmed and unable to meet the constant demands placed on them.
· As the stress continues, you begin to lose the interest or motivation that led you to take on a certain role in the first place.
· Burnout reduces your productivity and saps your energy, leaving you feeling increasingly helpless, hopeless, cynical, and resentful. Eventually, you may feel like you have nothing more to give.
· This is the second sign of God’s people needing renewal—burned out leadership. A burned out leader is not good for the followers.

3. How God Brings Spiritual Renewal.

16 The LORD said to Moses: "Bring me seventy of Israel's elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone.

A. First, when leadership suffers burnout because God’s people have turned away from God, God sends them an outpouring of the Spirit to raise up new leaders to support the leader in the ministry.

· Knowing that help is on the way is usually enough to re-energize a leader and help them overcome burnout.
· So Moses gathered the elders at the Tabernacle, and poured out His Spirit on 70 elders to help Moses.
24 So Moses went out and told the people what the LORD had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the Tent. 25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took of the Spirit that was on him and put the Spirit on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do so again. [b]
· So sending the leader who is burned out new Spirit-filled leadership because God’s people have made him miserable is one of the signs that a spiritual renewal is beginning.

B. The next sign of spiritual renewal is God deals with the sin among His people.
18 "Tell the people: 'Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The LORD heard you when you wailed, "If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!" Now the LORD will give you meat, and you will eat it.
· Mmm… God hears everything we say. When we think we know better than God and reject him, he will often step aside and give us an opportunity to run things our own way. Meat you want, meat you’ll get.
· The principle here is when we want things God does not want for us, he will often give us exactly what we want till we are so sick of it we don’t want it anymore.
19 You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it—because you have rejected the LORD, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?" ' " 31 Now the Lord sent a wind that brought quail from the sea and let them fall all around the camp. For miles in every direction there were quail flying about three feet above the ground.[c] 32 So the people went out and caught quail all that day and throughout the night and all the next day, too. No one gathered less than fifty bushels[d]! They spread the quail all around the camp to dry. 33 But while they were gorging themselves on the meat—while it was still in their mouths—the anger of the Lord blazed against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. 34 So that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah (which means “graves of gluttony”) because there they buried the people who had craved meat from Egypt.
· Spiritual renewal happens when God has a people who want what he wants for them. He will not bless our sinful attitudes and actions. The materialistic gluttons who craved the meat of Egypt died in sin—they lost their faith by trading the spiritual for the material; their salvation for a bowl of Esau’s pottage.
· Packer: Revival is the sense of God's nearness that creates an overwhelming awareness of one's own sins and sinfulness, and so the power of the cleansing blood of Christ is greatly appreciated. Then repentance deepens. And is followed by an outbreak of evangelism and others converting to the faith.
· When sin is active among God’s people like it is in western Christianity, when we want to consume the same culture as Egypt, when we don’t like God’s ways and think we can improve God’s blueprints for His Church, God has to deal with sin so repentance can lead to a people renewed in their love of God.
· Only a people with a constantly renewed love for God evangelize others. Renewal à Revival.
· In the wilderness, God’s anger burned against the people and he struck them with a plague to remove the sin from among his people.
· At the cross, God’s anger burned against sin as Jesus was crucified and the plague of God’s wrath removed sin from God’s people.
· In today’s Gospel, we read 42"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. 43If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched-
· The rabble rousers caused God’s people to reject God and make Moses miserable. They were a stumbling block to God’s people.
· In our world today, there are people who promote sinful lifestyles, who tempt God’s people to reject God and be discontent with the Christian life. God says it would be better for them to get thrown into river with cement shoes than cause God’s children to fall into sin.
· So God’s Word today calls all of us to spiritual renewal. To not reject God’s provision. To not want to eat and drink what the world lives on; to not listen to the discontentment of rabble rousers, and to choose this day who you will serve—God or your own appetite to fill your empty life with sin.

2009-09-27T09:11:00.000-04:00

This week at St. Patrick’s

SERMON: SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL RENEWAL Numbers 11

In summary, revival is the visitation of God which brings to life Christians who have been sleeping and restores a deep sense of God's near presence and holiness. Thence springs a vivid sense of sin and a profound exercise of heart in repentance, praise, and love, with an evangelistic outflow.

1. The FIRST signs of THE need for a spiritual renewal among God’s people is when a
spirit of _____________________, being unthankful, and _______________with God begins to spread among the people.

2. A second sign that God’s people need a spiritual renewal is __________________ burnout.

3. How God Brings Spiritual Renewal.

A.
B.

LESSON FOR BUILDING A NEW CHURCH: One of the fundamental understandings needed in mission churches that are still getting established is that everything we do must be aiming at gathering the first 100 people as the foundation of the new church. Many new churches do not grow because they take on a posture of maintaining a church program like larger established churches.

A small church can only focus on doing one thing well--having a good Sunday service. This leads to a critical issue for St. Patrick's. If we are to be welcoming to visitors, we need to have a weekly attendance that does not leave an impression of emptiness on visitors. We simply will not be inviting to newcomers if they walk in and the church seems empty each week, and if they are coldly welcomed or not greeted at all. Always remember, every one of us at St. Patrick's is an ambassador of God's love to guests.

TODAY’S SONGS

1-Multiply Your love through us To the lost and the least Let us be Your healing hands Your instruments of peaceMay our single purpose be To imitate Your life Through our simple words and deeds Let love be multiplied
2-Multiply Your love through me To someone in need Help me Lord to freely give This grace that I've receivedLet my single purpose be To imitate Your life Through my simple words and deeds Let love be multiplied

Let us see Your kingdom come To the poor and broken ones Let us see a mighty flood Of justice and mercy, O JesusLet love be multiplied Let love be multiplied

3-Multiply Your church through us To the ends of the Earth Where there's only barrenness Let us see new birthUse us as Your laborers Working side by side Let us see your harvest come Let love be multiplied

We fall down, we lay our crown At the feet of Jesus The greatness of His mercy and love At the feet of Jesus
We cry Holy, Holy, Holy We cry Holy, Holy, Holy We cry Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lamb

NEWS:
We purchased 17 tickets for our October 10, 2009 Fall Foliage train ride outing on the Arcade and Attica Railroad. Please reimburse Fr. Kevin personally for your tickets. They are $12.00 each. We will all meet at the train station on Main St. in Arcade, and will head to lunch at the famous Earl's Drive in on Rt. 16 in Chaffee following the event.

Mike Adams, a businessman Greensboro, NC and missionary to central American countries will be preaching in October. Mike's missions trips include bringing much needed help to families such as providing shoes to children in conjunction with evangelistic church services held in local churches. Fr. Kevin is discussing the idea of leading daily business training intensive seminars for small businesses as part of these missions efforts.

We are looking for volunteers to visit or call shut-ins who cannot make it to church, and a person to oversee our church's foreign missions involvement. We currently sponsor children in Africa, and have several missionaries asking if we have someone they can correspond with to develop awareness of their work in places like India.

Complete information about the upcoming Holy Land Tour led by Archbishop Bates is available here: http://www.cechome.com/Israel/IsraelTrip.pdf

THIS WEEK 8/30/2009

2009-08-30T09:13:00.000-04:00

THIS WEEK AT ST. PATRICK'S--The weekly emailer of Fr. Kevin Baker

Rev. Kevin Baker invites you to be our guest 11:55 a.m. Worship/Holy Eucharist Amherst Community Church 77 Washington Highway (across from Daemen College off Main St.) Amherst, NY map here 15-20 minutes from everywhere! For more info visit our website at http://www.mybuffalochurch.org/

SERMON SERIES: I am pioneering new territory with a new series I have decided to re-title "12 Influence Strategies of Jesus." Throughout history, the message of Jesus Christ has influenced people of all nations, demographics, and eras of history. This series is built on the idea that it is the person of Jesus himself that causes people to consider the message of truth and life he delivered.

The application in our lives is that WHO WE ARE in life is key to whether people will listen to us, and to one degree or another, "buy into" what we are offering them. Last week, we covered the first three strategies: Openness, Humility, and Capability. This week and next week we will cover the remaining nine strategies.

THE VISION: Recently, I have been engaging in a discussion with a small group of fellow ministers who have known me for over ten years to help me evaluate my life and service to God. One of the issues I have asked their help with is clarifying my values and priorities as pastor of St. Patrick's Church. Here are some first results:

1. Through the years I am defining ministerial effectiveness less by numerical measures of success such as how many people attend or the assets we own, and more by faithfulness to God and the people He entrusts into my pastoral care. Whether God gives me 25 or 2500 lives to pastor, my goal is to see them know Jesus and be equipped to glorify him in their lives.

2. I value worship focused on God rather than man. This means, I see God as the Seeker who seeks people who will worship him in Spirit and Truth, as opposed to man as the seeker. This means our church is built more on what God requires and what He says mankind needs, than on what people think they need.

3. I value being an elder in a community of people who are seeking to gather together as God's people for a weekly rest from our labors for Christ in the world, in order to be strengthened by one another's gifts and communion, to then go back into the world and live out our faith in meaningful ways that make Christ known wherever his people live and work.

4. My priority is not on programs, the institution of the church and its programs, or professionalism and clericalism. This goes back to one the first sermons I ever preached called "The Field Is the World: Not the Christian Ghetto" from Matthew 13 37He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

5. My priority is oriented toward keeping the mission of Jesus central. I see the following Bible verses as key to this understanding:

Luke 4 18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."[e]

Romans 2 4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

2 Corinthians 5 And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

6. The following sayings and phrases I often use embody my own personal spiritual priorities as a Christian and pastor:

St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.”

Mother Teresa: "If you can't feed one hundred people, feed just one."

Love, acceptance, and forgiveness.

Next week: My teaching on covenant will return to this space.

See you Sunday,

Rev. Fr. Kevin BakerPastor, St. Patrick's Church (CEC)http://www.mybuffalochurch.org/
We should not grow weary of doing little things for the love of God,who considers not the greatness of the work,but the love with which it is performed.Brother Lawrence--4th ConversationThe Practice of the Presence

12 Influence Strategies of Jesus--Part 1

2009-08-30T09:12:00.000-04:00

The 12 Influence Strategies of Jesus

INTRO
· In studying the four Gospels, I have been making a spreadsheet of every person or group mentioned that knew Jesus, and categorizing them simply by whether they liked Jesus or not as measured by
o 1.) Whether they were drawn to him in some, and
o 2.) Whether they gave him a hearing. At least 95% of people who met Jesus responded positively to him or liked him.
· Statistically, it is probable that any person will be liked by 68% of the people they meet.
· So what made Jesus as a human being more liked, his message more heard, and his influence more impacting than the average person?
· I believe there are 12 INFLUENCE STRATEGIES of Jesus that caused people to like him. The more people liked Jesus the probability of their following him increased.
· As his followers, if we can increase our LIKEABILITY we can increase our impact on the world.
· Just look at how media tries to minimize Christianity--by trying to make people not like us!!!!!
· As we see in most political elections, LIKEABILITY is the door that gives people an opportunity for the world around us to listen to what we have to say, and possibly even support us.
· In the past election cycle some people liked President Obama and others Sara Palin and this increased the candidates influence.
· Decades ago Pres. Eisenhower ran on “I like Ike” and in 2004 people had a hard time liking John Kerry as a person which was a more powerful deterrent than their not liking Pres. Bush’s policy—the War in Iraq.
· When a person or a group of people listen to us, we can begin to have an influence that affects the world for the good in positive ways.
· This is the first time in 17 years of preaching I have studied the likeability of Jesus, and the correlation it has to the effectiveness and significance of his ministry.
· There is nothing wrong with people liking us unless we become driven for the approval of people and are willing to compromise our core convictions about life to be liked.
· In fact, if less people do not like you, that will be a problem for you as a Christian seeking to have a positive influence for Christ on the world.
· So my question is, do you want to have an influence on this world for Jesus? Do you want to see more people come to Christ? Do you want to see The Church grow, and then specifically our church increase?
· If yes, then if we look at the life of Jesus, we see two basic keys to accomplishing significant ministry in the world--Jesus aimed to reach large numbers of people, and 95% of those people liked him.
· They liked him, they liked his message, they liked receiving the grace of God, and many followed him.
· The more people we know, and the more people like us, the more likely they are to be positively influenced by us whether it is in the context of our faith, our work, or other causes and other organizations besides church and work we are involved in.
· There are many right things about learning to be a likeable person. Even people who do not agree with your ideals or message might like you and support your cause!
· Mother Teresa's impact on the world at large was not only on Catholics or Christians! Why? Many people liked and respected her positive impact on the world even when they disagreed with her religious convictions that motivated her service.
· I am aiming to make this mini-series of sermons fresh, life giving, and full of very practical action steps you can take increase your likeability, and in turn your effectiveness at influencing others.

1. Openness: People feel that you are friendly and approachable.

Matthew 11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' But wisdom is proved right by her actions."

· Jesus was friendly and all kinds of people felt they could connect with him. All kinds of people, especially those who needed God most were drawn to Jesus because he was friendly and approachable.
· Let’s put it in today’s terms. Who are people that need God most? Do they think you are friendly and approachable or stand-offish and closed off to them?
· How about this? Would the holier than thou crowd accuse you of being worldly hanging around with the wrong kind of people—the people who need to know God?
· Matthew said “Wisdom is proved right by her actions.” Jesus was wise because his choice to schedule his time and life toward those who needed God most yielded huge results compared to those who did not.

2. Humility: Even if you are in a position of power, you do not think you are better than anyone else and don’t demand special treatment.

Philippians 2:5-8: 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself

· Have you ever been around people who demand special treatment and think they are better than you?
· Did this make you want to know them more and support them? Of course not.
· Jesus did not communicate a pride or arrogance in his life. The opposite of pride and arrogance is being humble. His lifestyle of not thinking he was better than others and not expecting special treatment made people feel like he was one of them. People could relate to him.
· Since even God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble, don’t be surprised if people resist pride and arrogance when they see it in our lives. If we want to influence people, humility is necessary.
· People can tell right away whether you have an open heart and spirit toward them, or whether you are judgmental and repulsed by them.
· People don’t like others who look down on them, and people do not like high maintenance types who think they are entitled to special treatment.
· The Son of Man did not come seeking to be served, but to serve. If you make people feel like you are better than them, or that you deserve special treatment, you probably do not have many friends, and you definitely are not leading people to know Christ.

3. Capability: You have specialized knowledge, expertise and the ability to take positive action.

Matthew 7:28-29 28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

· Jesus didn’t just teach theory. He was able to demonstrate what he preached. His walk and talk agreed.
· Mother Teresa was the same. She didn’t just talk about ministry to the poor, she did it. She was capable.
· She had specialized knowledge, expertise, and ability in dealing with social problems in one of the world’s largest cities. So when she talked, even heads of state listened. She had authority and people liked her.
· People like it when people are authentic and capable of doing what they ask others to do.
· In life, people are drawn to want to learn from leaders who have a specialized knowledge or expertise and people are eventually repelled by those who just talk about doing.
· When people heard the Sermon on the Mount, they heard deep wisdom and truth that rang true because Jesus was practicing what he preached—his walk and talk were the same.
· The Pharisees were hypocrites and no one was listening to them. They lost their influence around Jesus.
· It is like the health care debate right now going on in our country. How many of the politicians are willing to eat their own cooking? I always suspicious of food that the cook doesn’t eat.
· I might think the politicians are capable of putting together a good health care plan for my family if their family will have access to only the same healthcare as my family!
· If a politician is not willing to have the same healthcare they try to sell to us, then my response is, “Oh. So you either think you are better than the average person and deserve special treatment, or you are a hypocrite.”
· Since I don’t like hypocrites, I don’t support them and I don’t vote for them.
· In our lives, developing a specialized knowledge and expertise about something we are passionate about will also draw people to listen to us, and make the way for us to have a significant impact on them.
· This is really what lay leadership is about in the church. When capable people in the pews start to take their knowledge and expertise and put it into practice, and we do it with an attitude of openness to people and in humility, ministries that will grow and impact others are birthed.
· Sequentially, the way mission churches grow is we do one thing well at first—Sunday—and then we begin building on the Sunday when people with capabilities start exercising their gifts—like a prayer ministry, more teachers teaching classes on Sunday or small groups during the week, women’s ministry, men’s, campus ministry, nursing home or prison ministry, ministry to shut ins, a food pantry, ministry to addictions, ministry to marriages, and the possibilities are endless.
· I have a Catch 22. Since I work full time to finance my ability to be a church planter I am limited just like you are. My prep for Sunday teachings and music alone takes a good 10-15 hours of study, writing, and prayer each week.
· So if all of us can do just a little, I think we people will get to know about our church and like it and we can get a lot done for the Kingdom of God.

CONCLUSION

1. Today we have covered 3 out of 12 INFLUENCE STRATEGIES of Jesus.
2. One of several key reasons why Jesus was able to have such a huge impact and influence was that people liked him, and likeability paved the way for people to give him a hearing, support him, and follow him.
3. In your life, in your family, in your work, in things you are involved in, do people like you? Are they willing to listen to what you have to say? Are they willing to support you and follow you?
4. If you find people resist you, and that you repel people, today God wants to give a new way of living.

· He wants you to start living like Jesus Christ.
· You can start out on the journey to being more likable and more influential by cultivating an attitude of openness to others, humility toward others, and demonstrating your capabilities in ways that will serve others and make their lives better.
· Finally this is how our church will grow. I want us to be a church people will like to come to. Since the people are the church, people liking our church will greatly hinge on people coming here and finding authentic Christianity and authentic Christians.

Let’s pray.

THIS WEEK 8/23 PART II

2009-08-22T14:53:00.000-04:00

TWO WEEK MINI-SERIES

In studying the four Gospels, I have been making a spreadsheet of every person or group mentioned that knew Jesus, and categorizing them simply by whether they liked Jesus or not as measured by 1.) Whether they were drawn to him in some, and 2.) Whether they gave him a hearing. At least 95% of people who met Jesus responded positively to him or liked him.

Statistically, it is probable that any person will be liked by 68% of the people they meet. So what made Jesus as a human being more liked, his message more heard, and his influence more impacting than the average person? Come to St. Patrick's the next two Sundays to find out.

As we prepare to go back to school, back to work after summer vacations, and as our church seeks to establish itself as a significant part of our community, I would like to share 12 attributes of the life of Jesus that caused people to like him. As his followers, if we can increase our LIKEABILITY we can increase our impact on the world. Just look at how media tries to minimize Christianity--by trying to make people not like us!!!!!

As we see in most political elections, LIKEABILITY is the door that gives people an opportunity for the world around us to listen to what we have to say, and possibly even support us. In the past election cycle people liked President Obama and Sara Palin and this increased their influence. When a person or a group of people listen to us, we can begin to have an influence that effects the world for the good in positive ways.

This is the first time in 17 years of preaching I have studied the likeability of Jesus, and the correlation it has to the effectiveness and significance of his ministry. There is nothing wrong with people liking us unless we become driven for the approval of people and are willing to compromise our core conviction about life to be liked. In fact, if less than 68% of people do not like you, that could be a problem as a Christian seeking to have a positive influence for Christ on the world.

There are many right things about learning to be a likeable person. Even people who do not agree with your ideals or message might like you and support your cause! Mother Teresa's impact on the world at large was not only on Catholics or Christians! Why? Many people liked and respected her positive impact on the world even when they disagreed with her religious convictions that motivated her service.

This sermon mini-series will be a fresh and life giving two weeks of practical steps you can take increase your likeability, and in turn your effectiveness at influencing others.

Rev. Fr. Kevin BakerPastor, St. Patrick's Church (CEC)www.mybuffalochurch.org
We should not grow weary of doing little things for the love of God,who considers not the greatness of the work,but the love with which it is performed.Brother Lawrence--4th ConversationThe Practice of the Presence

THIS WEEK 8/23

2009-08-22T14:51:00.000-04:00

THIS WEEK 8/23/2009 Proper 16

READY FOR HEAVEN: Since I did not receive any more questions about heaven, our series is complete.

TO PRAY:

Pray for Anita who continues to be in the hospital at Buffalo General.

Pray for your Pastor whose van broke down that it will be repaired quickly. We are jockeying a busy work, church, and life schedule with one old 1995 car so please bear with our temporary scheduling cancellations and slow down due to transportation limitations.

Pray for our aged members who you don't see in church. Absence generally means they are physically not well enough on a given week to be there...

Pray for the growth of the CEC and St. Patrick's. If our mission in Amherst is to stay alive for the long term, it is simply imperative that we see new members as our older members retire, move away, and move on. Prayer changes things, and church growth never will happens without a solid prayer foundation. Churches grow as prayer helps the leaders develop strategies to reach and disciple people for Christ. Also, churches grow by those who attend and/or belong at the church want to see their church grow by sharing their faith and church experience with others--Make a friend, Be a Friend, Invite a Friend!!!!

Pray for church finances as summer this year has seen fluctuation in giving and attendance.

Pray whether meeting at ACC at noon on Sunday should continue. We have trended down in attendance since leaving the Park School and trying a noon worship hour. Our church must begin to grow, so we are re-evaluating as we put together the church plan for the new school year.

Pray for a new deacon and more lay leaders as Dn. Henry and Sharon are now retired and will not be here for a good part of the year. I am asking the Bishop to be prepared to send other priests to cover for sickness and needed time off, and to encourage younger seminarians to consider moving to Buffalo to help with the work.

E-LEARNING WORD FOR THIS WEEK: Covenant Part II

LAST WEEK part one of this series of weekly email teachings introduced the concept of biblical covenant as the undergirding "constitution" that is the basis for our relationship with God as His people. The essence of our relationship God is covenant love, but the idea of a covenant also implies a formal relationship. The mutual commitment of a love relationship may be expressed in a legal form which makes the obligations of love explicit. A covenant is such a formal love commitment.

Again the analogy of the marriage is helpful. The fact that a wedding vow is a legal ceremony does not detract from the love which it expresses. Just the contrary. If a man professes love to a woman, but he refuses to assume legal obligations, the reality of his love is questionable at best. God's love for man is expressed in the legal form of a covenant in which God takes obligations upon Himself and calls man to be loyal to the covenant. The covenant, therefore, has a clear structure and may be expressed in formal legal language.

The book of Deuteronomy, the book of covenant love, provides us with our understanding of the covenant. The whole book is a covenantal document, structured in terms of a five-point outline which is used throughout the Bible to define the covenant. Ray Sutton explains the outline of Deuteronomy as follows:

Transcendence (Deut. 1:1-5). The covenant begins with an acknowledgment of God's absolute Lordship. He grants the covenant. He is the absolute King.

Hierarchy (Deut. 1:6-4:49). In this section of Deuteronomy, Moses describes the history of Israel in terms of God's leading and blessing. God gave Israel leaders, covenantal representatives. When Israel was faithful to God, she obeyed her leaders.

Ethics (Deut. 5-26). The central section of the covenant defines how God's people are to live so that they can be His holy nation. God's relationship with His people is an ethical relationship. They must be righteous to enjoy the blessings of the covenant.

Oath (Deut. 27-30). The covenant promises blessings for those who obey the law and curses for those who rebel. When God's people take the oath of the covenant, they call upon God to curse them if they disobey and to bless them if they obey.

Succession (Deut. 31-34). The final section of the covenant concerns the heirs of the covenantal blessings. God intends for the covenant to continue from generation to generation in godly families. Training children to follow God and working to pass the blessing on to the future is essential to true covenantal obedience.[1]

What is Covenant?

2009-08-15T20:05:00.000-04:00

THIS WEEK

Our Sunday sermons series "Questions and Answers About Heaven" continues on Sunday...

Our Sunday pre-service Pastor's Study on Ephesians will resume the first Sunday of September after a short summer break...

Stop by church member Krissa Halter's restaurant booth at the Erie County Fair if you go... Chester's Restaurant

Check out this report on a new CEC mission--it reminded me of our church and they worship at 12:30!... http://www.cechome.com/?p=964#more-964

Pray for Josh and Jessica Baker to have a safe trip to visit her dad in Chalfont, PA, and then back on home to Virginia...

Check out news from a Christian perspective at http://www.crosswalk.com/news/

Every Tuesday night, our SMALL GROUPS are studying a video and Bible study series on sharing our faith with others by Bishop Bates.

Check out this debate between Dinesh D'Souza (Christian) and leading atheist Christopher Hitchens http://www.ygodinstitute.com/

THE WORD FOR THIS WEEK: Covenant Part 1

One of the central messages God has called me to teach to the Church is the message of covenant. Just as the American Constitution is the basic principles and laws that organize our nation, THE COVENANT IS THE CONSTITUTION OF GOD'S KINGDOM. For the next weeks in this space week I will share about the constitution of GOD'S HOLY NATION--THE COVENANT.

What is a covenant?

First, the covenant is more than a contract. Sometimes even Biblical scholars erroneously state that the covenant idea in the Bible is essentially the same as the idea of a contract. The covenant is not a contractual type of relationship that remains only so long as the two parties provide some sort of mutual benefit. Covenant includes the solemn binding promises of a contract, but is much more.

A contract, in distinction from a covenant, only lasts so long as both parties are enjoying the benefits of the relationship. It is binding upon the condition of being profitable for both parties. A covenant, on the other hand, is a commitment of love that establishes and bonds a relationship. God Himself in the fellowship of Trinitarian love is the ultimate kingdom and the relationship between the Persons of the Trinity is the true covenant.

This has profound significance for us to understand the Biblical history of our creation and redemption. God created the world as His kingdom to manifest His glory (cf. Ps. 8, 19). Since the three Persons of the Trinity constitute a covenantal kingdom of love, the created world, too, is a covenantal kingdom over which God set Adam and Eve to rule.

Their rule was to be based upon love for God and one another. They were to guard the created world and take care of it so that it would bear fruit for God's glory (Gn. 2:15). The fall of man was a rejection of God's love and a rejection of the way of love among men. The violence of the pre-flood world is the climax of the rebellion of the fall and the logical outcome of the rejection of God's love.

Redemption = Restoration to Covenant Love

Redemption means the restoration of the covenantal purpose of God. Man is restored to his original calling as God's image, which means man is called back into the fellowship of the covenantal love of the Father, Son, and Spirit. The created world, too, must be restored to its original purpose of revealing God's glory through the covenantal stewardship of God's image.

The kingdom of righteousness and love must come to historical realization in order that Satan's lie and the temptation in the Garden may be utterly defeated to the glory of God. Redemption finds its fulfillment in the kingdom of God. God has poured out His covenantal love upon us in Jesus Christ in order that through faith in Him we may be re-created as His children and brought into an everlasting fellowship of love.

The Bible is the story of God's covenantal kingdom -- its creation, its corruption by sin and folly, and God's gracious redemption of that kingdom to the praise of the glory of His grace. The central theme of the Bible, the covenantal kingdom of God, reveals the nature of the Triune God as a God of love who has called man into a fellowship of love with Himself.

See you Sunday!

Fr. Kevin Baker

The Feast of the Body of Christ

2009-06-14T07:48:00.000-04:00

THE FEAST OF THE BODY OF CHRIST

INTRO: Three pastors from the major Churches of the Christian faith are asked by a researcher how their churches decide what to pay their pastors after the offering is taken each week.

· Catholic and Orthodox priests---throw $ in air; what falls outside the circle belongs to the pastor
· Protestant evangelical pastor--what falls in the circle
· Then a CEC pastor is asked. What stays in the air belongs to God and what falls down to the ground the pastor takes home!
· I use this funny symbolic story to make a point about our message for Corpus Christi Sunday. What we are going to talk about today is something that all the major branches of the Christian Church believe in, but have radically different views about.
· There is a lot of love and respect among Christian denominations, and we can discuss these things with a spirit of love and respect. So what I present today is in that spirit, and what we in the CEC understand, knowing that our best human understanding of these mysteries is at best partial this side of heaven.

22And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 23Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.

1. HOW ARE WE SUPPSOED TO UNDERSTAND THESE WORDS OF OUR LORD?

· Are we take these words of Jesus literally or symbolically? Through the ages there have been times of great discussion and contention over these words, especially later in the middle ages during the Reformation.
· There is also confusion about terminology used to understand these words Jesus spoke. When we gather together what are we going to do every Sunday.
· Are we going to church, liturgy, mass, eucharist, worship, celebration, service? And why are we here?
· Where the CEC begins is by looking to the understanding of the early Church Fathers who lived very near to the times and places that Jesus and the Apostles lived.
· We generally form our doctrines and practices from the teachings of the Church before it divided in 1000 AD into the Western and Eastern Churches. There is no confusion among the Church Fathers about these sacred mysteries and the meaning of Jesus’ words.

Cyril of Jerusalem, 350 AD wrote: [Jesus Christ] by his own will once changed water into wine at Cana in Galilee. So why should we not believe that he can change wine into blood?. . . We should therefore have full assurance that we are sharing in the body and blood of Christ. For in the type of bread, his body is given to you, and in the type of wine, his blood is given to you, so that by partaking of the body and blood of Christ you may become of one body and one blood with him. - From Catechetical Lectures given to those preparing for Baptism

Augustine, 354-430 AD, wrote: That which you see is bread and the cup, which even your eyes declare to you; but as to that in which your faith demands instruction, the bread is the body of Christ, the cup is the blood of Christ… … these things are called sacraments for this reason, that in them one thing is seen, another thing is understood.” - Sermon, 272 AD

John of Damascus, 665 to 749, wrote: And now you ask how the bread becomes the body of Christ, and the wine and the water become the blood of Christ. I shall tell you. The Holy Spirit comes upon them, and achieves things which surpass every word and thought… Let it be enough for you to understand that this takes place by the Holy Spirit.

· So let’s begin by learning about the terms the early Fathers used to talk about the bread and wine, the body and blood.
EUCHARIST—From Greek word for giving thanks; euchariste.

· The eucharist is said to be an oblation—a solemn offering or presentation to God.
· Toward the end of worship we come and offer our lives to God--in the gifts of our tithes and offerings of bread and wine—then we present ourselves before him to personally give thanks .
· We lift up our hearts and the gifts to God in thanks for God giving us the life of his Son to save us.

WHAT ABOUT THE WORD LITURGY?

· Literally a public service. It is a public service dedicated to the Almighty God of heaven—all the hymns, songs, readings, prayers, and eucharist. It is the primary worship service of the Church.
· It includes the liturgy of the Word which is everything that takes place before the Peace. The Eucharist is everything that takes place after the peace. Done on Sunday since the days of the Apostles.
· What about the Word Mass? It is a Catholic word not usually heard in Protestant or Orthodox churches. From Latin MISSA for mass, which was formed from MISSUM meaning DISMISSAL; to send or dispatch.
· In the ancient Church, the catechumens, those new to the faith and not yet baptized, along with the unbelievers were dismissed before the liturgy of the eucharist began. So the eucharist started being called the mass.We usually call it the Eucharist in the CEC.
· As we go to a liturgy and partake of holy communion, what is it we are partaking of?

1. WE PARTAKE OF A MEAL OF BLESSING

· Meals for the Jews in the ancient world were more than an occasion for eating and drinking to give fuel to our bodies for more work: they were a sacred time, a time for thanksgiving to God.
· Original fellowship in Eden—eating from the tree of life in God’s presence.
· When Jesus came in his ministry, miracles of feeding the multitudes were meal with him where his blessings were poured out on them. He was scorned for eating and drinking with sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes
· His last supper before the crucifixion is where he instituted what we call the Eucharist as the New Covenant Meal that we are to continue to do in remembrance of Him in order to proclaim his death to the world until he comes again. The early Church made this meal the center of its life and fellowship.
· As we come to understand what we in the CEC believe, let us survey what others have understood.

ROMAN CATHOLIC VIEW: TRANSUBSTANTIATION

· A doctrine first presented in 1079 by Hilbert of Tours. Later the Council of Trent in the 16th century confirmed this teaching which to this day is the Catholic view. Early Fathers never used this term.
· Transubstantiation = The Holy Spirit is present to bring a complete physical change of the essential nature or substance of the outward appearance of bread and wine so while they still outwardly look like bread and wine their nature has become the literal body and blood so that Jesus is really present with us to bless us.

PROTESTANT REFORMATION VIEW: CONSUBSTANTIATION

· Another big word, so bear with me. Martin Luther did not think there was a physical change, yet believed Christ was really present in the Eucharist which was more than a symbol. His followers used this word to describe his belief; he did not use it himself.
· CON = WITH. He said there was a real presence of the Holy Spirit at the Eucharist, but that the bread and wine and the presence of Christ’s Body and Blood are in, under, and around the bread and wine (sort of like a wrapper) and they exist side by side during communion.
· The early Church Fathers did not understand the Eucharist this way.

THE RADICAL PROTESTANT UNDERSTANDING: MEMORIAL OR SYMBOLIC VIEW

· Communion service is a time to reflect on the cross, but has no real presence of Jesus, no blessings, and is not necessary for salvation. We do it because Jesus commanded it—an ordinance or command.

WHAT DO WE BELIEVE?

1. A SACRAMENT: A combining of two elements—one visible and one invisible. An outward visible symbol that can be perceived by the senses combined with invisible spiritual realities.

· We believe there is a mystical or sacramental transformation of the bread and wine, but we do not use the Roman dogma to describe this. In the Eucharist, we understand the following:
· There is an outward visible sign—consisting of physical; matter--bread and wine that is taken, broken, poured, and consumed—take eat this is my body; drink this all of you, this is my blood.
· The outer sign is a window or doorway to an inward and spiritual grace—the presence of Jesus in us by the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in John 6 that unless we eat and drink we have no life—so it is not ordinance.
· Jesus is not just the inward grace that comes to us as we partake of the sacrament in faith. He is also really present mystically in the signs themselves.
· Jesus said we are to do this in remembrance of Him. Remembrance = Anamnesis = Re-presenting, not the western concept of a mental memory, but the Jewish concept of experiencing something by re-enacting it. We weren’t there, but we can remember.
· So at the time the priest and people offer enter into re-enactment of the Last Supper in the liturgy of the Eucharist, Jesus is really present with us in the Bread/Body and Wine/Blood.

2. REAL PRESENCE

· When we say there is a real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, here is what we mean.
· MATERIALISTS limit what is real to what is physical—what has atomic and molecular structure. Matter in motion.
· IDEALISM and Spiritualism see reality as mind and spirit only; material world is unimportant.
· However, there are also non-physical realities—Is an IDEA real? Love? Good and evil? Do they have atomic properties or molecular structure? No. But they are real.
· So a SACRAMENTAL VIEW is both realms are important; the spiritual expresses itself in the physical.
· When we re-enact the Last Supper, even though we do not see the physical body of Jesus of Nazareth, the Holy Spirit makes present in the bread and wine the real presence of Jesus
· Jesus is mystically present with us by the Spirit in the Eucharist to bless us with all that his body and blood accomplished when the sacrificial lamb died at the cross to atone for the sins of the world.
· His once and for all sacrifice which happened in time and space 2000 years ago is made present in the holy moment of the Eucharist—if you look in the window and go through the door you will encounter Jesus.
· When you eat and drink the consecrated elements, Jesus is present in them to personally give you spiritual food and drink from heaven to bring you forgiveness of sin, healing from the effects of your sins on your mind, body, and soul; and to renew the New Covenant promises with you.
And now you ask how the bread becomes the body of Christ, and the wine and the water become the blood of Christ. I shall tell you. The Holy Spirit comes upon them, and achieves things which surpass every word and thought… Let it be enough for you to understand that this takes place by the Holy Spirit.

St. John of Damascus

Lent 2: Avoiding the Peter Problem

2009-03-14T21:06:00.000-04:00

Avoiding the Peter Problem
INTRO

Imagine, if you will, that you work for a company whose president found it necessary to travel out of the country and spend an extended period of time abroad. So he says to you and the other trusted employees, "Look, I'm going to leave. And while I'm gone, I want you to pay close attention to the business. You manage things while I'm away. I will write you regularly. When I do, I will instruct you in what you should do from now until I return from this trip." Everyone agrees.

He leaves and stays gone for a couple of years. During that time he writes often, communicating his desires and concerns. Finally he returns. He walks up to the front door of the company and immediately discovers everything is in a mess--weeds flourishing in the flower beds, windows broken across the front of the building, the gal at the front desk dozing, loud music roaring from several offices, two or three people engaged in horseplay in the back room. Instead of making a profit, the business has suffered a great loss. Without hesitation he calls everyone together and with a frown asks, "What happened? Didn't you get my letters?"
You say, "Oh, yeah, sure. We got all your letters. We've even bound them in a book. And some of us have memorized them. In fact, we have 'letter study' every Sunday. You know, those were really great letters." I think the president would then ask, "But what did you do about my instructions?" And, no doubt the employees would respond, "Do? Well, nothing. But we read every one!

• I wonder how many of you have had the Peter problem?
• During Lent, one of the issues we encounter is our relationship to God’s Word—the Scriptures. Will we read it? Will we hear it and become doers? Peter had a problem with the words of Jesus.
• Let’s take a closer look.

Mark 8:31-38

31And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.

1. THE PETER PROBLEM IS WHEN YOU DON’T LIKE WHAT GOD’S WORD SAYS

• For Peter—he heard the words Jesus was saying. Jesus was teaching that the cross and resurrection were the methods God had chosen to bring spiritual salvation to the world.
• The idea of a suffering savior offended… He thought Jesus should do it differently.
• Jesus is already rejected by the religious leaders--so Peter piles on rejecting the cross.
• Today--What words of God offend you? In our day—life, family, morality, intelligent design, some other doctrine or requirement to be a Christian.
• Peter rebukes God! Have you ever rebuked God? Why did you make it this way?
• Peter’s pride was saying he thought he knew better than God. The Peter problem is when your personal ego causes you to reject God’s Word and think you know better than God.

2. THE PETER PROBLEM IS WHEN YOU ALLOW THE WAYS OF THE WORLD TO TURN YOU AGAINST GOD’S WAYS

33But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

• Peter was thinking like the world which put him in league with Satan’s plan.
• In the wilderness temptations, Satan offered Jesus the Kingdoms of the world if he would turn away from God the Father’s plan for him to suffer as the sacrificial lamb to atone for sin.
• Now Peter is tempting him to do the same thing!
• God’s Word is usually simple and as to understand—don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t cheat on your spouse, all have sinned and the paycheck you get for working for sin is eternal death, you must be born again if you want to go to heaven. Straightforward…
• Jesus was giving the straight Gospel to his disciples—he will die in our place as an innocent victim to remove the guilt of sin from us, and then he will rise again 3 days later—Good Friday > Easter
• What was Peter’s response to the Gospel? No, that’s not the Gospel! I have a better plan.
• So many have a better plan. If we can just elect right people to government and take over…
• How about—forget about sin, let’s just all get along, sing kumbaya, make smores > universalism
• Then there are all kinds of other religious ideas, philosophies, etc> No sin, cross, resurrection.
• Jesus says those kinds of ideas are men’s ways and not God’s ways. God has one way.
• God came from heaven to earth, became fully a man while remaining fully God, loved us enough to teach us the way to eternal life >
o Only perfect obedience merits eternal life. Sin is rejecting God thinking you know better. Salvation occurs when the perfect life Jesus lived is credited to your account…
o Sin separates from God and each other and is the cause of all forms of death—physical, spiritual, relational, financial, political, etc. No sin can enter heaven.
o Only an innocent could offer to take the place of a guilty party and pay the debt of sin.
o Jesus did just that for us on Good Friday. He took the debt of sin we owed God, and paid it to clear our ledger before God. So the cross profited us eternal life.
o Peter was having none of this silliness.
• What do you think about the Gospel? Are you an accepter or rejecter?

3. THE PETER PROBLEM IS WILL YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT THE GOSPEL?

34When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” – NKJV

• Peter and the crowds are now told the Gospel in straight language. All men are like Peter so we all need it spelled out then we need to make a decision.
• If you want to be a Jesus follower > Deny self—stop living selfishly > Take up the cross in your life
o Join the fight against sin > Become part of restoring the world to what God intended…
• This is a call to stop thinking like the world > Stop acting like the world > Having worldly goals
• The world is out for itself, it wants power, riches, pleasure, success, ease
• Jesus says there is a higher goal in life—your soul.
• Being focused only on the world’s goals causes people to lose their own soul by exchanging the less important for the more important.
• What is your price? At what point will you trade in God for something selfish or a worldly payout?
• We think we’ve got the life when we get the houses, cars, portfolios, clothes, status, power, fame—
• Whatever we think is most important—but lose our marriage, our kids, or don’t have time for life the way God has it ordered.
o Begin your week in worship—thanking God for life. Life is more than work and play.
o Have friendships with God’s people who will support you in life and help you stay on the right path, a pastor a guide and doctor of the soul.
• So for all of us with the Peter problem, and we all have it—the message is this:
• Peter’s problem was he thought he knew more than God, he had a better plan, a better way.
• Today began with a story. God has given us instructions and written us letters to tell us what to do till he comes to take us to be with him in heaven.
• Start reading the letters. Then, don’t just read the letters, do what they say. In this season of Lent, let’s really start living the Christian life our The Gospel calls us to hear, read, obey, and do…
• Where in your life do think you know better than doing what God’s Word says?
• Where do you think you know better than God? Where do you think the Bible doesn’t apply to you but everyone else? Where you think you can be like Peter and tell Jesus how to run things?
• That is the place in your life where the Peter Problem is infecting you. As doctor of souls, my job is to get you spiritually healthy and keep you that way.
• When we have the Peter Problem, Jesus made the first diagnosis of its cause—we have our mind set on the things of the world and not on the things of God.
• The treatment plan is this—stop living selfishly in pride thinking you know better than God, start and knowing doing God’s Word, kill your sins, and follow the Jesus way of life.
• ON Good Friday this year, we can take up the cross and die to living selfishly. We can strop being part of the problem and start being part of the solution. Amen.

Lent 1: The Bible and Temptation

2009-03-14T21:05:00.000-04:00

Lent 1

INTRO

• The readings for today highlight two main themes: Baptism and temptation

Reading 1: Noah—Imagine God this today! Movie clip 1 Evan Almighty

• God baptized the world in judgment with 40 days and nights of rain—why?
o To cleanse the world that had become as it says in Gen. 6 “Only evil all the time.”
• Noah was a preacher calling people to repent before the judgment came. Did people believe him?
o He was mocked and people did not believe a judgment would come—till it came.
• When the judgment came, what protected Noah? What protects us?
o The ark of salvation protected Noah and his family because they believed and obeyed God to build the ark. Even though they went through the judgment they not judged.
• Baptism separates us from the world. Just as the eight souls aboard the Ark were saved through water, believing God’s Word and being baptized is what saves us from the coming judgment.
o After the baptism of the world, God gave Noah a new covenant and a new beginning.
o Noah was a type of new Adam. God gave the world a new beginning.
• Applications for us:

1. The word LENT = Anglo Saxon LENCTEN means spring—the time when days lengthen.
2. Think of Lent God’s spring cleaning of His house.
3. History shows us that since the times of the apostles, The Church has made the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday a time of fasting, training new converts for baptism, and renewing baptism especially for those who have fallen away from God and Church.
3. On Easter, after 40 days and nights of Lent, the Church still baptizes new converts at the Great Vigil of Easter, and renews the baptisms of the already converted.
• Lent is a time to join God in cleaning our spiritual house of sin and spiritual clutter.
• Lent is a time to reach out to others like Noah did with the message of salvation.
• Lent is a time for people who have never believed God to come into the ark of salvation.

READING #2: Jesus

12Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. 13And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him. 14Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

• This passage touches on several important things.

1. The Holy Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness desert for 40 days where he dealt with temptations from the Devil. Sometimes we think God is not with us in wilderness times. Most of the time, it is he who has taken us there.

Movie Clip: From Evan Almighty. Sometimes we miss how God is working through allowing us to be tempted.

• By driving Jesus into the wilderness, the Holy Spirit was giving Jesus the opportunity to show that no matter what temptations would come, he would be faithful and could be trusted.
Wilderness> Symbol of testing faithfulness to God > Desert, dry, barren, exposure to danger

• Every year, Lent is that 40 day period where the Holy Spirit pushes us to deal with our inner life.
• I have heard Christians say they had more difficulty with temptation after Christ than they had before Christ. Why is this?
• Before Christ you did what pleased you. After Christ you desire to be pleasing to the Lord.
• Temptations are Satan’s way of trying to get you to share in the world’s rebellion against God.
• Temptations are the Holy Spirit’s way of leading you to be faithful and showing you can be trusted.
• Jesus overcame evil with good. When tempted, he did good by being faithful and not sinning.
• The Holy Spirit pushed Jesus into the wilderness experience to undergo trial and temptation, and He will do the same in our lives for this reason:

In 1 John 2:12-17 St. John tells us, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides for ever.”

• The Holy Spirit wants us to become committed to doing the will of God so we can abide in God’s house forever.
• As it was in the days of Noah, it still, is today. We live in a world that loves evil and rejects God.
• St. John says the world and its lusts will pass away, but HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF GOD WILL LIVE FOREVER.

2. After overcoming temptations Jesus was ready to emerge from the wilderness and preach to others the Gospel of the Kingdom—repent and believe.

• In the wilderness, Jesus overcame the lusts and temptations the Devil offers in this world.
• That gave him power to share the Good News with others. What is the good news?
• You can be saved like Noah. God is offering everyone who will repent and believe a new life and a new beginning free from the dirt that makes us feel so dirty inside, so miserable, lonely, and empty in this life.
• During the 40 days of Lent, two main questions: Do I need to repent? Do I really believe?
• Repent = stop, take a look at your life to see if you are heading the right way, and turn around if you got going the wrong way.
o Are you being faithful to God or are you giving in to temptation?
o You can change you mind and come into the ark. If you have never believed in God you can get baptized and be saved from judgment.
o For believers--Are you in the ark or have you jumped overboard back into the sea of sin
o If yes—then change your mind now and turn back to God and renew your baptism.
• Believe = An act of trusting in God to guide your life.
o Noah had to build an ark. He trusted God’s Word that was guiding his life, and that is what saved him.
o Jesus trusted in God’s Word and overcame Satan by saying it is written every time he was tempted.

CONCLUSION

1. Today we have heard that Lent is a 40 day time of spring cleaning. It is a time to get our spiritual lives cleaned up and in order.

2. We have heard that Lent is a time when the Holy Spirit give us the opportunity to choose that we will be faithful to God even when we are presented with temptations.

3. Faithfulness is found in two words: Repent = change you mind and turn your life in a new direction, and believe = trust God to guide your life.

4. Those who repent and believe get baptized in water. Baptism cleanses away the inner dirt and guilt of evil in our lives and makes us feel clean. We get a new beginning and a new life.

5. Overcoming gives you power to share the Good News with others.

Prayer

• My prayer is like Jesus came out of the wilderness in power to share the Gospel with others
• I pray God will lead you through the 40 day Lent wilderness and you will show yourself faithful and emerge in power with a message that God wants

Jesus Wants to Baptize You With The Holy Spirit

2009-01-25T09:16:00.000-05:00

JESUS WANTS TO BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

· Today, our Gospel reading is the account of the baptism of our Lord from Mark’s Gospel.
· Mark was the nephew of St. Peter, and most believe Mark was in fact the scribe of Peter, and that this Gospel of action written to people who did not grow up in the Church of the Old Testament. >>> How many here had no church background as a kid?
· While some of the Gospels start off with the Christmas story telling us about how Jesus humbled himself to leave heaven be born as a baby to a poor Jewish family in the manger, Mark begins when Jesus humbles himself again as he appears at 30 years old to begin his ministry.
· Mark gets right to the point—let’s get right to the whole purpose why Jesus was born at Christmas.
· Jesus came to baptize people not with water like John, but with the Holy Spirit.
· In Acts, Luke tells us that baptism was the doorway to enter into a ministry of preaching, doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the Devil after the Spirit descended on him.

SO WHY DID JESUS NEED TO BE BAPTIZED?

· Like John the Baptist, as Christians, we are sent by God to go out and prepare the way for Jesus to come into people’s lives. This new baptism was not a sacrament of the Temple—it was a new move of God outside the control of the leaders of the OT Church.
· As the sinless Son of God, Jesus was the perfect man. He had no sin, and no need for baptism to wash away his sins. Yet he came to be baptized—why? For us.
· Jesus humbled himself in baptism to be one of us, to set an example that all of us would need to humble ourselves and be baptized by another for the remission of our sins.
· And, Jesus needed to be baptized so that the Father would anoint him with the Spirit and power for the ministry God called him to.
· Jesus needed to be baptized with the Holy Spirit to release him into his life purpose and into the ministry of preaching; healing; performing signs, wonders and miracles.
· Before I go further here, I want to also point out that when Jesus humbled himself to be baptized, John also humbled himself to be the baptizer.
Mark 1:7-11 7And he preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.
· In fact, John thought he needed to be baptized by Jesus and was not worth to be the baptizer.
· The attitude of John the Baptist as the Forerunner preparing the way for Jesus is humility.
· Who am I to be worthy of serving the most important person in the universe? I am not worthy to even tie and untie his shoes.
· That should be our attitude! Mercy Me sings about humility--Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth, should care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt? Humility.
8I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
· So John the Baptist, like pastors, was called to baptize people with water so Jesus could baptize them with the Holy Spirit. So now we turn to the Spirit baptism.
9It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. 11Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
· As soon as Jesus came up out of the water of baptism, the Holy Spirit descended on him.
· When he became man, he chose to not rely on his divine power while on earth, but as a human being relying totally on God the Father to work through him.
· When Jesus obeyed the Father’s plan to be the humble Savior and totally depend on him, God publically declared Jesus as His Son and He was So Proud of Him!
· At the very moment Jesus was baptized and the Father declared him His One and Only Son, the Holy Spirit descended upon him.
· He was empowered to enter into his ministry of preaching, miracles, and good works of healing the sick, releasing the oppressed, binding up the brokenhearted, and eventually totally forgiving the sin of the world.

HOW DOES ALL RELATE TO US?

· You might be thinking, I did not come here for a theology lesson! I came here today hoping to hear God speak to me. What does all this stuff have to do with me?
1. God wants all of us to know that we are his beloved children and he is well pleased with us when we obey him. Sometimes our earthly parents never give us this blessing of approval, but God does! We can please God and make him proud be being humble and submitting to his plan.

2. Both Jesus and John teach us how important it is to be humble in order for God to use us. If we surrender our lives to Jesus, God can use us to do great things like John and Jesus. How many would like to have God use for great things? ***Lay it all down—agendas, plans—thy will be done.

3. The lesson of Jesus’ baptism is that humility and obedience to do what God asks us are what release the power of the Holy Spirit on us to energize God’s purposes in and through us.

· All of us have a purpose in God. When we humble ourselves to enter into God’s will, and say “Jesus use me however you want. I submit. I humble myself. I will obey whatever you want,” God releases Holy Spirit power into His purposes for His glory.
· This is how Jesus ministered on earth. He did not minister out of the power of his divine nature. He ministered as a human being filled with the Spirit.
· This is how God wants to bless you as your fulfill his purposes in your life.
· Whether his will is for you to be a stay at home Mom, a teacher, a business person, or to suffer a cross like Joni Erickson Tada living a disabled life, accepting God’s will results in the Holy Spirit’s ministry of power flowing through you.
· The same power that created the world starts creating through you. The same power that parted the Red Sea when God’s enemies attacked Israel begins working to give you victory over the enemies that come to thwart God’s will in your life.
· The same Spirit that came on Jesus at his baptism, and that descended on the disciples in the upper room on the day of Pentecost descends on you and gives you power to accomplish God’s good works in your life.
· Today, where do you need Jesus to immerse you with the power of the Holy Spirit?
o Where do you feel most powerless and out of control today? This is where you need the power of the Spirit to fill you most.
o When you feel empty, you have two choices:

1.) Try can take control of your life and fill that emptiness with the means of your own power—this results in people usually filling it with sin, or

2.) You can do what I have taught you today—Humble yourself and submit to God’s plan, and at that moment Jesus will send the Spirit to fill you with power from on high.

· I would like to close with a testimony of a regular person like us named Paula Panttaja who attends a church in Santa Ana California shares about her experience of yielding control to Jesus at her point of weakness, and how Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to fill her with power for living a victorious Christian life:
I was raised in and out of church. My dad owned a business and was also a gospel singer. The only thing I really remember about church was that Dad sang and we went on Wednesday and Saturday night, Sunday morning and Sunday night.
I was never a happy person. I remember having stomach aches when I was a child, stomach aches that I now know were anxiety attacks. The last ten years of my life was nothing but a roller coaster ride with radical mood swings to match. I smoked, drank, and continued in a downward spiral of depression in spite of the anti-depression drugs that I was also taking.That led me to try seeing a psychiatrist on a weekly basis. His answer was Prozac and between him and the Prozac -- and no health insurance -- it was costing me $200.00 a week!
Then a friend told me how she had instantly been delivered from marijuana and then she invited me to a Bible study that was being taught by a pastor who had prayed for her deliverance. I accepted her invitation and met the pastor. He reminded me of a compassionate grandfather and I immediately bonded with his beautiful spirit. I had so much baggage that I had been carrying around all my life -- confusion, anger, even hatred. It wasn't hurting anybody but myself, and it was destroying me.
When the pastor first prayed for me I still felt a heaviness, but we didn't give up. He continued to pray with me and it finally lifted. Praise God! I felt free as a bird and clean, like I had taken a shower on the inside, in my heart. Later, I realized that I had been instantly delivered from all the chains that had bound me for so long. Pastor gave all the glory to God, and so do I, knowing that the Lord used him as an instrument of my deliverance.
How does a person change after receiving Baptism in the Holy Spirit?The Holy Spirit is here to help us grow spiritually. Some of the common fruits you will develop are:• a new hunger and thirst for prayer• a hunger to study the Scripture• a new sense of Jesus’ love, a sense of God as our Loving Father who loves us and wants what is best for us• a greater power over temptation and sin. Many of our chains with sin are broken when we received the Baptism in the Spirit.• a strong desire to detach from things of the world and a greater joy of the things of the Spirit, eg, prayer, fellowship and Christian reading etc.• A new appreciation of the Church’s sacraments and devotions• A deeper understanding of worship and a longing for the Eucharist
o I wonder how many of you today are willing to be humble like John and Jesus.
o I wonder how many are willing to surrender to God’s will and purposes for you, and ask Jesus to come and fill you at the points in your life where you feel weakest and most empty.
o I wonder how many of you would like to receive a fresh outpouring of the Spirit’s power for living so you can have victory over sin, and experience the joy of the Lord your strength?

2009-01-06T07:01:00.001-05:00

THE VISION 2009

INTRO

· Shortly before or after January 1 each year, letters from friends scattered around the world… What is God doing in your church?
· This year, my answer has been simple:

Pray more; Preach well; Pastor the people as shepherd to the sheep; Proclaim to as many as will listen

· I say that because that just about summarizes what Jesus and the Apostles did that spread our faith across the Roman Empire in one generation. Only addition—death…
· Today, I want to share in more depth than the 4P’s every church should be doing, why I think God is doing something awesome in our midst.
· The most important thing about Christian leadership is knowing what God is doing, and then making sure you are doing that too.
· In John 5, it says this: Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
· This is the key to leadership. Ask God what he is doing in prayer, and do that until he shows you the next thing to do.
· That has been the first few years of this church. He said worship on Sunday and gather people. God’s way> As many churches as kinds of people > Each one a tribe
· So what makes the CEC and our local church different from others?

1. What differentiates our church from others the most is we bring together dynamics of worship and Christian life from the ancient Church, the Reformed Church, and modern evangelical Spirit-filled Church. In the CEC we call this convergence.

· What sets us apart from most other mainline Protestant, evangelical, and Pentecostal/charismatic churches is convergence.
· Think of the Protestant church like a broken windshield on a car. There are thousands of Protestant denominations, communions, movements, and independent churches all divided over minor differences and emphases.
· Convergence is the reunion of the divided church back into a church that is one.

2. We are a mission church. This means we are in our first decade of life so please do not expect us to be what a 25, 50, or 100 year-old church is.

· All churches had a beginning and were young once. Churches often grow most when they are young, and it is exciting to be part of God's work in this stage of life.
· With over 300,000 people in the Buffalo area not affiliated with a church, and many more marginally affiliated (inactive), there is still need for missions work here.
· We believe starting new churches is the most effective means of fulfilling the Great Commission. I know some churches that don’t get 30 new people every five years!!!

3. Let's talk about size.

· A young church is not as large as a mature church.
· To use an analogy, as a young church this means we are not a big box supercenter style church offering a little of everything in an impersonal environment.
· Instead, we are a specialty-style church offering higher value and specialized personal services. Our specialties are:

A Our church is a spiritual family.

· Building strong Christian families is a core pillar of St. Patrick's Church.
· However, families that do not pray together because they cannot stay together suffer.
· New York State has the largest net loss of population of all states. I think this has deep spiritual, familial, emotional, sociological, and economic consequences.
· Biggest loss: Families not staying together is breaking the core bonds of family, church, and community life.
· Loneliness, emptiness, feeling vulnerable, fear, loss of helping each other all gone.
· As a pastor and non-profit leader I am concerned about the negative effects that New York State Government policy is having on families, individuals, and businesses in western New York.
· A shrinking population combined with a high number of colleges and universities per capita from bygone days of prosperity compound the problems here.
· There are simply too many educated people with no job possibilities! So people are leaving. Let me share a verse that is important to us as a community:
Jeremiah 31:17 So there is hope for your future," declares the LORD. "Your children will return to their own land.
· Having had numerous church families move out of state for jobs over the past 13 years in two different churches here, including my own oldest son, I believe God is saying part of our role as a church is Jeremiah 31:17.
· I am going to pray this verse all year as intercessors before God’s throne and extend hope to families. Reach out to the lonely separated from family. Students. New to area.

B. I think God has given us a specialty in family ministry… Another specialty is really a subset of that-- our children's ministry. Our two children's leaders each have over 15 years of experience in ministry to children. Pray for God to help us find more…

C. We provide personal pastoral care to all members. You have quick access to the pastor and leaders. Just call me. Email me. I am here…
D. Another specialty is we provide is teaching that is biblical, spiritual, and life-changing.

· A central aim in our church is for discipleship that focused on Bible immersion and formation of a total Christian worldview.
· Our clergy knows what it is like to have a family and work every day. We preach Christ-centered messages after spending time in study and prayer that we will have God’s word for you each week. Pray for us.

E. We also offer participatory worship focused on God.

· To tell you what makes our church different than others we need to compare and contrast with the way other churches operate. I will do one contrast…
· Some churches today have replaced worship focused on God with marketing innovations and entertainment-driven programs to gather large crowds of passive spectators. These are known as "seeker-focused" churches.
· The market-driven church strategy of the seeker churches is to find out what people want, and give it to them designing Sunday gatherings that entice new people to come and gradually get used to church.
· Later, you will be told what God really requires--repentance, conversion, and a commitment to Jesus Christ.
· While we support efforts to make Jesus known to those outside the Church, we do not think these activities constitute worship.
· We believe God is the Seeker--He is seeking people who will worship Him in Spirit and Truth (John 4). The focus of worship is God, not man. This is what will bless us most.
· At our church, we clearly teach what Jesus requires to have your sins forgiven and go to heaven every week during communion. We even have a real altar… not steps, rail.
· If you were to die today, we don't want your soul caught in a marketing nexus--we want you in heaven!
· Also, big buildings and salaries require big crowds every weekend. That effects the way a church does things. In contrast, we share a building with another church to keep overhead low so we can invest more into ministry to people. Budget… $ Saved…
· Instead of services designed using marketing principles, our worship uses the blueprint God provides in the Bible and Church history. Synogogue + Temple in Christ.
· Worship is an entrance into the inner courts of God's real presence to give Him praise. Liturgy is the pattern of worship in heaven done on earth. It is spiritual!
· Living in the Abbey 40+ hours… Praying past few months for direction as leader of this church. God gave me a few concrete words… Please let me share them as we close.

Mark 14:37Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
· God is asking us this year to pray for our church, our community, our State and for souls to be saved and our children’s ministry and outreaches to bring growth.
· He also gave me two scriptures in Revelation--which always concerns me. I don’t want to go negative or critical. So these passages I see as God’s grace extended to us.
Rev. 2 Church in Ephesus 2I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

· I believe God is extending grace and seeking the lost sheep—A YEAR OF OUTREACH.
· I asked God how does that apply to us? It is first love. Remember when you first met Jesus how real he was, how committed you were to fellowship, worship, prayer. Some of us need to be like that again.
· Also be aware of prompting God gives.. Never know the people in your life who were once close to God and in church but have fallen away. These are lost sheep; strays.

Rev. 3: 14"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

· This is what the old time revival preachers call backsliding. The slippery slope of losing your first love drags you down into the prodigal son pigpen.
· What God is saying is we need to be careful to not let the things of this world cause us to become blind to seeing how our love of Jesus has gotten stale. The answer--change.
· This prophecy ends with—if the shoe fits wear it. Do some altar time.

CONCLUSION

To summarize, what God is doing in us this year in 2009:
Calling us to celebrate the stage of life we are at as a church. It’s ok to be 6 years old and in first grade. If we are 15 or 30 years and in first grade… that will be another story.
He is calling us to realize New York is in bad shape and Jesus is in the Garden of Gethesemane asking us if we can pray with him for one hour each week to bring hope salvation and hope to our region so our kids can come home.
Evangelism and worship are two different things. John 4—God is seeking those who will worship him in Spirit and truth. I think we need seeker and revival services too, but Sundays are when Christians worship. All are welcome to worship always!
He is calling for repentance from all who have lost their first love and slipped into being lukewarm in our faith because you have let things of the world get in the way of Jesus being first in your life. Like the Laodiceans, when this happens we are blind to it so Jesus has to come and offer us true riches in exchange for the cubic zirconium the devil tricks us into buying.

Pray

The Second Christmas Birth

2009-01-06T06:58:00.000-05:00

THE SECOND CHRISTMAS BIRTH

A little boy asked his mother where he came from, and also where she had come from as a baby. His mother gave him a tall tale about a beautiful white-feathered bird. The boy asked his grandmother the same question and received a variation on the bird story. Outside to his playmate he said, "You know, there hasn't been a normal birth in our family for three generations."

INTRO: Outline on the back page of the bulletin

· As we heard on Christmas Eve, Christmas focuses on Jesus the Son of God being born as a human being to be our Savior.
· On this first Sunday of the Christmas season, we learn that Jesus was actually born so we could also experience a new kind of birth in our lives. We can call this the Second Christmas Birth.

11He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
· This greatest miracle of all is described in our word for today from the Word of God in John 1:12.
· It can help you understand exactly how spiritual birth really works.
· Speaking of Jesus Christ, God says, "To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."
· Sometimes you'll hear people say, "We're all God's children." Well, that’s really not true according to the Bible.
· The Bible tells us we're all God's creation. Here in John 1, John tells us there is a difference between our flesh and blood physical birth and a spiritual birth from God.
· When we are physically born, we become a child of our father and mother—not the stork--going back to the story I started with, what a weird thing—telling kids a bird dropped us off…
· To be God’s child, the Bible says we must be born spiritually.
· In fact, Jesus said, "No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again" (John 3:3).
· That's actually where the words "born again" originated - with Jesus Himself.
· So being physically born is our first birth, but being born of God as John says is the second birth.
· So how does being born of God, or being born again a second time happen?
· Well let’s remember that John 1 is about Christmas. Jesus came into the world in the incarnation.
· His birth becomes the seed the conceives the second birth.
· As a result of Christmas, we all need to make a decision about the baby born in Bethlehem.
· Will we believe that he is the God the King of Heaven with us in human flesh to save his people from their sins like Joseph, Mary, the shepherds, and wise men did?
· Or will we reject him like King Herod who tried to destroy Jesus?
· John 1:12 tells us that you experience the second birth and become a child of God when you "receive Christ" and when you "believe in His name."
· Receiving Jesus as Savior means consciously welcoming Jesus Christ into your life, realizing who He is; realizing why He came.
· John also says we also need to believe in his name.
· Jesus, this name you have to believe in to become children of God, means "Jehovah saves."
· Just as there is a first and second birth, there is a first and second death.
· The first death is when our physical life ends. The second death is eternal conscious separation from God for eternity.
· So when you "believe in His name," you're telling Jesus that you acknowledge as truth that only he can be your personal Rescuer.
· Only he can save you from the second death penalty for your sins because He's the only One who died for them.
· Which brings us to the eternal life-or-death question: has there been a time when you've done that?
· If not, do you want there to be? Would you like to go to bed tonight being able to say, "I belong to Jesus. I am a child of God. I've been born into God's family.
· On the basis of the promise of God’s word I know I'm going to heaven when I die. I know I am."
· Then tell Jesus today that He's welcome to come in, that you're pinning all your hopes for heaven on Him.
· You've had one birthday obviously; that's why you're here. Today can be the day of your birth into the family of God. And that is why you'll be in heaven.
In the 1800s Scottish preacher Horatius Bonar asked 253 Christian friends at what ages they were converted. Here's what he discovered:

At What Age Were You Converted to Christ?

Total Population Surveyed
253

Age Converted

0-19 138 54.55%
20-30 85 33.60%
31-40 22 8.70%
41-50 4 1.58%
51-60 3 1.19%
61-69 1 0.40%
70 and up 0 0.00%

· In 2004, George Barna conducted a larger sample with the following data concerning the Probability of accepting Christ, segmented by age
Nearly half (43%) of all Americans who accept Jesus Christ as their savior do so before reaching the age of 13 (2004) ABOUT THE SAME AS THE 19TH CENTURY
Two out of three born again Christians (64%) accept Jesus Christ as their savior before their 18th birthday. (2004) UP FROM THE 19TH CENTURY
One out of eight born again people (13%) made their profession of faith while 18 to 21 years old. (2004)
Conclusions:
1. 88% of all Christians have been evangelized and converted by the time they are 30 years old.
2. Our evangelism efforts should focus on reaching children, youth, and younger adults in their twenties. This also means that reaching young families should be the target of our evangelistic efforts.
3. By age 40, 96% of those who will believe the Gospel have already done so.

Altar call--don't become a statistic later in life

Christmas Message 2008

2008-12-24T21:47:00.000-05:00

This sermon was delivered on Christmas Eve 2008 at St. Patrick's Church in Amherst, NY by Rev. Kevin L. Baker

Why I Love Christmas Lights

INTRO

· Merry Christmas, everyone. This is a beautiful time of the year. It is a time to celebrate family and friends, it is a time of warmth, a time of peace, and a time to enjoy Christmas lights.
· As a priest and ambassador of heaven, today I would like to help us pull off all the paper, bows, and ribbons that decorate the true gift of Christmas and simply behold the simple gift that started it all.
· After cutting through all the hype, marketing, and the commercial Christmas, inside all the trimmings is the actual Christmas gift.
· Here is the gift. Jesus left heaven and came to earth as told by St. John the Apostle in the first words of His Gospel. God himself lived in the womb of Mary, blessed among all women.
· Then, in the dark of night on a Judean hillside near Bethlehem, a bright star and angelic lights of heaven filled the sky announcing that God himself had been born as a human being.
· He came to the earth he created to live among us; to make himself known to us so we would never have to doubt that he exists or that he cares about us.
· At the core of John chapter 1, the Christmas Gospel, is a story about Christmas Light. Like most of you, I have been enjoying my ride home at night looking at Christmas lights at the darkest time of the year.
· Although many people are trying to eliminate the religious significance of Christmas, the very existence of all the lights points to Jesus Christ.
· St. John says about Jesus being born at Christmas , 9That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
· In God’s world, Light represents God’s glorious presence of inapproachable light, Light is His love shining out from his heart. Light is everything good—love, the source of life, and ethical truth.
· Darkness is the antithesis of life. It is evil, wickedness, sin, death, and the absence of God’s Light.
· St. John’s Gospel begins by telling us that John the Baptist was chosen by God to tell the world that into the darkness of this world, the Light of Heaven had arrived to shine and bring a new day.
· Isaiah had prophesied this day 700 years earlier in Isaiah 9:2 "The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them."
· How do we personally experience the dark? Author Joyce Rupp says darkness manifests as:
1. A time in which the energy and focus of life is almost completely funneled into physical, emotional, or psychic pain.
2. An experience of being buried in deep sorrow and grief.
3. A discouraging and empty inner sojourn when nothing seems valuable or worthwhile.
4. A stage of spiritual desolation in which there is no sense of God's presence and little or no desire for things of the spirit.
5. A battle of indecision and struggle, when the unknowns and fears of the future press painfully on decision to be made.
6. A fog-like state when life is confusing, unclear, and seemingly impenetrable.
7. A situation with evil and atrocity which threaten to overpower or annihilate.
8. An excruciating time of helplessness in which one feels paralyzed or powerless to alleviate the pain of another.
9. An on-going negativity which brings with it a constant state of frustration, irritation, and dissatisfaction.

· Jesus came into a world filled with darkness. But when Jesus comes the darkness hides.
· John tells us that Jesus is the Word that was in the beginning in Genesis. The Word that said “Let there be Light and there was Light” now came into the world as a person.
· The sad words of the Gospel this evening tell us 5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
· So many living in dark times don’t realize Jesus is the Christmas Light .
· He wants to shine the light of heaven into your dark world. My prayer is tonight you will see the Christmas Lights and understand why Jesus came on that first Christmas.
· For many, Christmas is a time of more intense darkness. Some of us have lost loved ones and miss them intensely during the holidays stricken with grief.
· For some Christmas is a time of deep sadness because their lives have not followed the plan they set out for themselves and their children. Dreams have died.
· Marriages have failed. Careers have been disrupted by sickness or sudden unemployment.
· Families have been wounded by addictions, and good people have suffered wrongs.
· Remember John’s Christmas message about the baby Jesus , 9That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. John says Jesus is the Light for each of our lives.
· Christmas means that Jesus is here in the dark to bring light. He cares. He loves. He gives hope.
· The real cool thing is Jesus wants to make each of us Christmas Lights too. Once the Light of Jesus shines in our hearts, we become Light bearers; the Light of the World
· The Church is really one big string of Lights that Jesus is hanging all over the world.
· Peter says God’s Church is a group of people God called out of darkness into His wonderful Light.
· Daniel the prophet said3 Those who are wise [a] will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.
· Tonight, may we live in a dark world of recession, uncertainty, loss, worry, depression, poverty, pain, sickness, hunger, war, suffering, and sadness.
· Jesus has been stringing his lights--the people of God--all over the world and the power of the Holy Spirit is the switch that turns on the Lights.
· Singer Lauren Christy wrote, The truth is here, So come on hold me tight 'Cause I was not a child afraid of darkness But an Adult Afraid Of The Light.
· Tonight if you are afraid of the light, of becoming a Christian, hear the message of Christmas, "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings...which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10,11).
· Did you hear what the Christmas Angel said? FEAR NOT. FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY A SAVIOR. Do you know what Christmas means?
· Jesus came to this world for YOU. He came to be YOUR Savior. Don’t be afraid to come to the child in the manger and bow before him. Come like the Shepherds and Wise Men and worship Jesus.
· At Christmas, Jesus comes to all living under the power of darkness; to those who are weary.
· He is reaching out. He is giving us the opportunity to come of out of darkness and live in Light.
· Are you worried and afraid in this recession? Come to Jesus and tell him and Light will come.
· Are you living in depression, suffering, and sadness? Ask Jesus to come into your life.
· I want to close by reaching out to anyone here who has trouble believing that Christmas could really be all about Jesus Christ.

There was once a man who didn't believe in God, and he didn't hesitate to let others know how he felt about religion and religious holidays. His wife, however, did believe, and she raised their children to also have faith in God and Jesus, despite his disparaging comments. One snowy eve, his wife was taking their children to a service in the farm community in which they lived. They were to talk about Jesus' birth. She asked him to come, but he refused. "That story is nonsense!" he said. "Why would God lower Himself to come to Earth as a man? That's ridiculous!" So she and the children left, and he stayed home. A while later, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blizzard. As the man looked out the window, all he saw was a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening.

Then he heard a loud thump. Something had hit the window. He looked out, but couldn't see more than a few feet. When the snow let up a little, he ventured outside to see what could have been beating on his window. In the field near his house he saw a flock of wild geese. Apparently they had been flying south for the winter when they got caught in the snowstorm and couldn't go on. They were lost and stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter. They just flapped their wings and flew around the field in low circles, blindly and aimlessly. A couple of them had flown into his window, it seemed. The man felt sorry for the geese and wanted to help them.
The barn would be a great place for them to stay, he thought. It's warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he walked over to the barn and opened the doors wide, then watched and waited, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. But the geese just fluttered around aimlessly and didn't seem to notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them.

The man tried to get their attention, but that just seemed to scare them, and they moved further away. He went into the house and came with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread crumb trail leading to the barn. They still didn't catch on. Now he was getting frustrated.

He got behind them and tried to shoo them toward the barn, but they only got more scared and scattered in every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where they would be warm and safe. "Why don't they follow me?!" he exclaimed. "Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm?"He thought for a moment and realized that they just wouldn't follow a human. "If only I were a goose, then I could save them," he said out loud. Then he had an idea.

He went into barn, got one of his own geese, and carried it in his arms as he circled around behind the flock of wild geese. He then released it. His goose flew through the flock and straight into the barn--and one-by-one, the other geese followed it to safety.

He stood silently for a moment as the words he had spoken a few minutes earlier replayed in his mind: "If only I were a goose, then I could save them!" Then he thought about what he had said to his wife earlier. "Why would God want to be like us? That's ridiculous!" Suddenly it all made sense.

That is what God had done. We were like the geese--blind, lost, perishing. God had His Son become like us so He could show us the way and save us.As the winds and blinding snow died down, his soul became quiet and pondered this wonderful thought. Suddenly he understood why Christ had come. Years of doubt and disbelief vanished with the passing storm. He fell to his knees in the snow, and prayed his first prayer: "Thank You, God, for coming in human form to get me out of the storm.

LET US PRAY

Look Ahead to 2009

2008-12-19T17:54:00.000-05:00

Dear Ones,

Every year as we begin the new church year in Advent, I send out a message that summarizes the year spiritually, and looks forward to the coming year. This is not a state of the church address for our local church, but a more general note as a pastor to the larger audience of whoever reads this in the blogosphere or on the web. An expanded version is sent to friends and family and anyone who asks for it.

WHAT ABOUT THE RECESSION?

I think it will be a few years before we sing "Happy Days Are Here Again." I believe church prophetic voices and economic forecasters are converging to say the same thing these days--we are going to come out of this recession, but it is going to get worse before it gets better. I believe, along with others, that Obamanomics will fall short. As a student of economics, this means Austrian economics is part of our hope http://www.mises.org/, not Keynesian government command economics which is what the new President is planning. We need to pray for President Obama daily. Socially and spiritually, I believe America will be refined in 2009. Spiritually, Isaiah 48:10, Joel 2, and Daniel 3 are important scriptures for Christians. For awhile, I think we will shake our heads in the midst of our country and say "Lord have mercy."

FEAR NOT

In all the days ahead, God does not want us to fear, but like Joseph, our call is to understand the times and know what to do in both plenty and famine. For those who are retired and have suffered significant contraction of life savings, I think Joseph is part of God's word of hope. Thrown into a pit by the actions of his brothers, what at first looked like evil God turned around for good because Joseph kept the faith and eventually his family was healed. Draw close to both your earthly and spiritual families in this recession. Band together, pool resources, and love each other selflessly. God is in control of this recession. Put your faith in the sure foundation of hope that is our Rock of Salvation. Make a daily time of prayer, Bible reading, and meditation part of your life and you will do much better for the next few years.

ABOUT OFFERING FORECASTS

Having stepped into the waters of sounding the alarm on possible threats to our society in the past, I want to offer the disclaimer that all forecasters whether economic, prophetic, or weathermen must admit--due to our limited human knowledge, we only see in part and know in part. We can only offer possible outcomes in our forecasts, and as the events grow closer clarify them. So, when a hurricane is forming forecasters can only say there are several possible outcomes with varying degrees of probability of which one is most likely to occur.

Which outcome actually happens--whether a hurricane makes landfall and affects your life or turns out to sea and does not effect you is in God's hands. Similarly, the current recession is worsening--this is for certain. What comes to pass and how each of us are affected in this season of refining depends on God.
I am sending this to you for your own prayerful consideration.

PASTOR WITH AN MBA

In addition to being a priest, I have an MBA degree and am a CFO for a non-profit in western New York. For the past six months I have been studying every analysis I can find on recessions and the Great Depression. I have been to a recent local economic summit where I heard a Federal Reserve President (Charles Plosser) and JP Morgan Chief Economist (James Glassman) give mixed forecasts for the economy. I regularly scan the economic and financial environment reviewing hundreds of analyses and forecasts of economists from a wide variety of perspectives. I am do business on Wall Street and have several friends working for major investment banks there that provide me with insight to the Street. I also monitor government and market activity, and what the prophetic voice of God through the Church is saying. I also pray. This is my watch of the Lord.

A few months ago, as a result of this lifestyle of watching, I called our church to get their financial houses in order, live under your means, save money, pay down debt, be faithful to God, and get in a good cash position and invest only in value--no speculative gambling trusting greedy thieves, but only real stewardship investing. I agree with Rick Joyner FROM Morningstar Ministries and the economists who say we will recover. I believe the data forecasts a deeper recession and longer gradual return to stability than we would hope for. I agree with Rick Joyner--God is calling us to know his hope, and be ambassadors of hope.

PASTORAL TRAVAIL

In closing, I must confess that my shepherd's heart has ached for those whose faith in Jesus Christ is growing cold. Since 1992 when I was ordained, I have noticed that during hard times people either draw close to God or they fall away from God and pursue pleasure to numb the pain of life.

This year, I have seen many who do not even realize how far they have fallen away from God. A few weeks ago I was sharing songs I loved as a new believer with my daughter Stephanie. I got on You Tube and we found two Dallas Holm songs that were close to my heart as a baby Christian in 1984 "Rise Again" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GofHDhByXNg and "I Saw the Lord" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgVzd7L_Mp4&feature=related

These songs are my prayer for those who have fallen away from God their first love; drawn away by materialism, pleasure, cares of this world, pride, or emotional and spiritual pain. I pray they would know that God sees them, and they would see a fresh vision of God in their lives and rise again to faith. These words of Jesus, are for those who are backsliding from Revelation 2-3:

Rev. 2:4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.

Rev. 3: 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

I agree with a word the prophet Bob Jones has recently spoken and I would like to share a portion of it. This is for all pastors, leaders, and believers whose hearts ache having seen Christians they love growing cold in their faith, drunk on the things of the world, and blind in the midst of even global calamity:

And this year the walk shall be hard to begin with. We shall walk through the sewers of man and begin to discern what is God and what is of man. Then we shall put our shoes on and follow God the rest of the year. Offended, The Holy Spirit offends the mind to reveal the heart. If you are offended, the Holy Spirit will not be able to reveal the truth which will set you free. He will not violate your free will. So repent from your sins and seek Jesus and you’ll find Him. This will be a very, very hard year but the righteous will be given a little help when they look to their Lord.

Joel 2:13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. 17 Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?' "

Rick Joyner http://www.morningstarministries.org/Articles/1000041409/MorningStar_Ministries/Media/Word_for_the/2008/Discerning_the_Times.aspx

http://www.lewrockwell.com/podcast/?p=episode&name=2008-12-07_079_jim_rogers_on_the_crash_of_08.mp3 Wisdom from Jim Rogers from whom I learned how to buy and sell commodities futures for the Abbey.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/rozeff/rozeff247.html Buffalo area academic on the economy

IHS,

Kevin Baker+
Priest St. Patrick’s Church, Amherst, NY
CFO Abbey of the Genesee, Piffard, NY

Advent 2008

Conspire--A Word That Can Change Christmas

2008-12-07T09:44:00.000-05:00

4 WORDS THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR CHRISTMAS—CONSPIRE

INTRO

• I wonder how many of you as kids or parents have had the talk—Christmas isn’t going to be as big this year. These words of small Christmas are spoken when a person has a consumer mentality of Christmas.
• Today as we enter week two of our Advent Conspiracy, I want to show you how to make Christmas big every year for the rest of your life. How to accumulate things that really matter and not junk.
• Back to Genesis to make Xmas big. God created the world and all in it, and said it was all good.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
• God made us to be like him, and gave us everything we needed in this world, and made man and woman King and Queen to rule together over God’s world. Then Satan came with a lie.
• The temptation and fall for men and women is for us to become discontent with God’s blessing and want the KINGDOM OF MORE instead of the KINGDOM OF GOD.
• What caused Adam and Eve to fall, and what causes God’s people ever since to fall away from God into sin is to become obsessed with getting what God has not given us.
• That was the story of God’s people leaving Egypt as well. Delivered from slavery and oppression and on the way to the promise of a land of their own.
• There God would give them a land where they could be free people to worship God, land filled with plenty, they became obsessed with what God had not given them on their journey.
• Even though everyday, bread from heaven would just show up supernaturally to give them all the food they needed on their journey to the promised land, they became obsessed with what they did not have.
• They wanted meat, and throw in a little garlic and some vegetable salad too God.
• Americans are like this. We have so much, but what a re we concerned about? The STUFF we do not have.
• In the KINGDOM OF MORE, we are told a lie too. If you can just get the stuff you don’t have, the stuff that the Jones’s next door have, then you will have that life you always wanted.
• Right now, commercials; emails; texts ads are all coming at you with lies from the same source that Adam and Eve were tempted.
• OK. STOP. Right there, some of you are going to think, wow—Fr. Kevin is going Scrooge. I see where this is going. He is going to go activist and give us preacher rant about not letting the commercial consumer Christmas steal the truth that Jesus is the reason for the season, etc.
• Now, let me tell you right up front, I like getting gifts, especially things I needed or wanted, and especially when they are the right size, color, or brand I wanted 
• I do confess, there are some gifts that make me want to rant. Have you ever noticed how much junk shows up in stores—especially dollar stores—this time of year? If I can rant, please don’t rationalize giving people useless stuff they will only throw away saying “Self, feel good about giving the dollar store your money for junk people are going to throw away after getting it because it’s the thought that counts! They’ll appreciate and like you because of the thought.”
• That leads me now to the WORD FOR TODAY THAT COULD CHANGE YOUR CHRISTMAS.
• It is the word driving this whole Advent series—CONSPIRE. 2: to act in harmony toward a common end circumstances conspired to defeat his efforts
• The second Sunday of Advent is the Sunday of PEACE/SHALOM. At Christmas, Jesus came to bring peace on earth and good news for mankind.
• When Jesus was born, the Romans were in power. This is the background to Advent. They were the Empire that dominated the world like America has been since WWII.

Luke 2:1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.

• A little background to the Jesus story. Octavian, the adopted son of Julius Caesar was in power at the time Advent angels started appearing to Joseph and Mary from 27BC to AD 14.
• Octavian said that since his father was a god, he was the son of God. There were prophesies that the son of god would bring peace to the whole earth, so Octavian changed his name to Augustus.
• This was a religious title of divinity meaning the illustrious one. He saw his divine mission to bring peace to the world as the son of God.
• If you look at Roman coins form the time of Augustus Caesar, they say things like:
o Salvation is found in none other save Augustus.
o There is no other name given to men by which they can be saved.
o Caesar is Lord.
• So into that world, Jesus was born to bring real peace. The world will always offer one type of peace, and then Jesus comes offering us a peace that is sourced in heaven—the realm of God not of this world.
• The early Church all acted in harmony together toward a common purpose of saying that the only name and true salvation that could bring peace was that Jesus is Lord, not Caesar.
• Shalom or peace is a state of being where everything it put right. It results in a sense of wellness.
• Christians since the beginning say real peace only comes when Jesus, not Caesar is Lord of your life.
• So the Advent Conspiracy, and our word for today, CONSPIRE—A DECISION WE CAN MAKE AS BELIEVERS TO ACT IN HARMONY TOGETHER TOWARD A COMMON PURPOSE OR END.
• I am not proposing we become Scrooge. I am proposing we conspire together to change how juts our family does Christmas. Maybe it will catch on like church did in the Roman Empire.
• The world’s merchants tell us hyper-spending and consuming is the altar of worship where you will find happiness. Spend your cash and all your credit cards the banks were readily supplying for the cause—notice—were past tense.
• The message of the KINGDOM OF MORE—getting stuff is going to make you happy. Foreclosed?
• In America we think buying things will cure everything. Lose a boyfriend or job, shopping is the cure. Getting new things is what will make you feel new. It doesn’t last though.
• In fact, even a Skymall on planes to sell you junk at 600% markup to cure you!
• Get beauty, sex, fame, education, money, bigger better houses and you will be somebody, you will have influence, you will be happy.
• Nothing wrong with any of these when received from God used as he intends. HOWEVER…
• When we get obsessed with wanting these things or suing them in ways God does not want for us, and we arrange our whole life thinking these things will satisfy us—God is going to destroy these false gods and altars of worship to set people free from the lie of THE KINGDOM OF MORE.
• A shocker—in a deep recession, a housing and credit crisis—the KINGDOM OF MORE IS IMPLOSING… Guess how much money economists forecast will be spent on THE KINGDOM OF MORE in 2008? $475 Billion. 50% of people still paying off last year’s Xmas credit cards!
• A couple passages and I am going to end.

Isa. 55:2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

Luke 10:1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. 5"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.'

• Let me pull this all together now. Adam and Eve conspired with Satan to invade the Kingdom of God with the Kingdom of More.
• When Jesus was born, the Kingdom of God invaded the Kingdom of More and challenged the false gods of this world like Caesar who promised a false kind of peace.
• When Jesus came, look how he told his foot soldiers of peace to invade the Kingdom of more.
• Go to every town and place with the message of real peace. AND TAKE NO PURSE, OR BAG, OR SANDALS.
• He was saying, it is not going to take a lot of money, or expensive luggage or shoes, you don’t need $3000 suits to do it.
• In fact, the way the Kingdom of God will invade the Kingdom of More is not by being obsessed with accumulating the stuff the world has that doesn’t matter, but getting less of that and accumulating things that really matter. He called those things treasure in heaven.
• SELAH. STOP AND THINK NOW. LISTEN TO YOUR HEART. What thoughts are coming to your mind? What is Jesus saying in there?
• Here is the CONSPIRACY. Pray. If you are a family, start having a conversation about what God is saying to us. As a church—if you can’t feed 1000 people feed just one—that’s our prophecy.
• The Empire of More is calling out. They are obsessed with getting things to make them feel new and happy. Jesus says “NO, you don’t need more. You need less.” Not $17B in makeup. Not $10B in perfume. Let’s talk about WWJB. It is the new thing. Not just WWJD.
• Morgan Spurlock who made the McDonald’s expose “Super Size Me” has a new message “What would Jesus buy.” Rev. Billy is warning everyone in Times Square about the Shop-ocalypse yelling STOP SHOPPING. The Shop-Ocalypse happened in September and October.
• Here is the Advent Conspiracy message. Less is more. I am not saying don’t have Christmas or buy gifts. I am saying don’t get sucked into buying useless things and think that will make you feel new or make you or someone else feel happy giving or receiving those kinds of things.
• $10B would give clean water to the whole world. $19B would feed all the world’s hungry. Our nation wants to spend $34 billion on automakers and $700B on banks to prop up the Kingdom of more. It’s time we focus not on CNBA but on the pulpit on Sunday for useful things.
• CONSPIRACY: WHAT HARMONY CAN YOUR FAMILY FIND TO ACT OTGETHER WITH A PURPOSE TO INVADE TH EKINGDOM OF MORE WITH REAL PEACE?
• Story—parents with 2 kids. Son makes it real big and has everything. Your daughter did not do well. Doesn’t have enough food. No good schools. Poor roads out where she lives. You as the father or mother as your son to help but he won’t.
• As Xmas, God the Father looks on us and asks us to sacrifice to help those in need.
• St. Francis heard the call and gave everything including the clothes off his back. Not what I ask.
• I ask, think about an Angel Tree Kid. Sponsor a child from Compassion International. Give to Helping Hands. How about giving each other gifts of time together? How about we conspire to not buy useless junk at dollar stores…Help one family in need; or one child without clean water, or a school, or roads where they live.
• God’s Kingdom will fill you with peace, joy, love, and, hope when you accumulate less of the Kingdom of more and give away the Kingdom of God.

Worship--A Word That Can Change Christmas

2008-12-07T09:42:00.000-05:00

WORSHIP: A WORD THAT CAN CHANGE CHRISTMAS

INTRO

• Advent is the season where we look forward to Jesus coming at Christmas, and at his second coming at the end of time. This year, I am asking us all to join together in what we are calling the Advent Conspiracy.
• Conspire = 2: to act in harmony toward a common end. The end this year is transforming the consumer Christmas back into the real Christmas gift.
• In traditional Advent services, each Sunday of Advent focuses on a different theme—hope, peace, joy, and love.
• I think God’s Spirit fills the air with the presence of these blessings each December in America because we are still a nation where many, if not a majority, are Christians.
• As we begin the new Christian year today, our Advent celebration will combine the traditional Advent themes with 4 important words that can change our Christmas.
• Every year, I think most of us ask the question, “How can I recalibrate my heart and soul to capture the real spirit of Christmas? That’s where we want to begin of preparation for Xmas this year.
• Each week, I want to share just one important word to think about.

READ LUKE 2:22-38

• What we notice here in Luke’s Gospel is the Old Jewish ritual of a woman who had a baby was to present herself in the Temple for ritual cleansing, and on the eighth day after birth, the male child was to be circumcised which was the sign of being in covenant with God.
• One thing to make note of was the offering of turtledoves was that of a poor family who could not afford the more elaborate offerings.
• In v. 25, we meet Simeon. A faithful believer who had it revealed to him by Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Christ come.
• He waited all of his life for the coming of the Lord on the scene to make all things right—to ransom captive Israel.
• So this older faithful believer is led by the Holy Spirit to go hang out in the Temple courts at the same time Joseph and Mary have come with Jesus to present him to God.
• To make a long story short, Simeon ends up meeting the Holy Family. He who had held the promise in his heart, now holds the realization of the promise in his arms.
• Now, here is the one word for this week that I am going to ask you to hold on to through the Advent and Christmas seasons—WORSHIP. Notice Luke 2:28

28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God,

• The word used by Luke for praised here is eulegeo—we get the word eulogy from it. To eulogize is not only something you can do when someone dies, but when some one lives.
• In Greek, eulogy meant to bless and celebrate with praises. This is what Simeon did when he caught on to what the birth of Jesus really meant for him and the whole world.
• WORSHIP is a word we want to cultivate in our lives the next 3 weeks. We will talk about it, read about it, learn about it, and do it.
• Now don’t be afraid of this word. For some early in your spiritual journey worship might seem strange. I remember being real self-conscious about singing in church… Let me share more…
1. Worship is the reason God made us.

• We all sense deep in our soul that we live for a reason bigger than paying bills.
• Worship means we were all meant to look for wonder, and awe in our lives. We have a longing to find that something that seems to be missing in our lives.
• Worship happens when we find what we were missing. It happens when like Simeon, we find that dream we have been hoping for. This is what happens when Jesus comes into our lives.
• Let’s lay a foundation for understanding worship from Leviticus 23:

1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.

• Back when God was first guiding the spiritual leaders of his people in how to lead worship, God had Moses put in place a series of feasts and festivals. We get our word festive from feast and festival—it means a time of joy!
• What God built into the calendar of worship 3450 years ago, was a time for his people to relax, celebrate, and focus on who God is. This would be a time of joy—a party! Weekly, seasonally, and annually. That’s what holy days were—days set apart from all others for God.
• God was saying to them and to us today, that holidays are times where God wants us to realize life is not just about GO, GO, GO and wearing ourselves out.
• Life will find focus when worship is in the center of it. Festive joyful celebration of who God is.
• If you want to have a new kind of Christmas filled with hope, here are some reasons to celebrate:

WORSHIP BEGINS BY NOTICING THE GIFTS GOD HAS GIVEN YOU AND THANKING HIM FOR THEM

• In my life, I remember one time at Christmas, in the midst of our kids excitement on Christmas, in all the noise, paper, empty boxes, and playing, I looked at them and said God—thank you for my kids. Now they are all grown up and Kathie and I have hearts that ache for that…
• Then, for married people—have you ever looked at that person God gave you as a spouse, and thank God for them? I was watching a movie “Family Man” and in the midst of problems and her husband’s apparent mid-life crisis, she says “No matter what happens, I choose us.”

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT WORSHIP. Pastor Gene Appel. Most recently a teaching pastor at Willow Creek Church, and recently back on his own as senior pastor of a local church.

• Church in Vegas growing, new building, dedication >>> Wife leaves him that night a guy at work.
• Decision made by leaders that he should stay as pastor. First Christmas> After Xmas Eve service
• Alone in a mostly empty casino lounge eating the blue plate special while other lonely people pull slots.
• Goes home to empty house, did laundry, packed for next day, and went to his empty bed.
• Heart aching, sings Jesus love me this I know to fall asleep.
• What Gene Appel teaches us is sometimes we worship not because we feel like it, because we have to. All he had at that most empty moment on Xmas eve was the love of Jesus.
• The only thing that makes sense sometimes when the world and life is spinning out of control is to worship.

Walter Brueggemann: Worship is a bold refusal to let the trouble that surrounds us be bigger than the God who comes to meet us there.

• Sometimes a song is what helps us put words on what our heart is trying to say to God in worship.
• This is why music and poets are so powerful. They tap into releasing the emotion of our hearts.
• This song is by Chris Tomlin and we sing it here. I know it helps me worship…

The splendor of a King, Clothed in majesty Let all the earth rejoice, All the earth rejoice
He wraps himself in light, And darkness tries to hide And trembles at his voice, And trembles at his voice
CHORUS(1): How great is our God, sing with me How great is our God, and all will see How great, How great Is our God

• And this is one of those Christmas hymns that taps into my heart and helps me express something I might not otherwise be articulate:
1-What Child is this who, laid to rest On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet, While shepherds watch are keeping?
Ch: This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing; Haste, haste, to bring Him laud, The Babe, the Son of Mary.
3-Why lies He in such mean estate, Where ox and ass are feeding? Good Christians, fear, for sinners here The silent Word is pleading.
4- So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh, Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings, Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
• Advent and Christmas mean that just as Jesus once appeared in this world, he is about to appear in your life this Christmas.
• Jesus appears when the magic fills the air—people treat each other differently, a spirit of giving fills the land, festivities and parties start.
• I wonder what would happen if all of us started reacting to Jesus like Simeon. What if we looked for Jesus in the sea of people that we meet during the holidays?
• What if we reacted like the shepherds who were working the midnight shift when Jesus appeared in this world.
• Today is the Advent Sunday of Hope. Hope has a name—JESUS.
• This year, HOPE and WORSHIP mean that God intends to appear to you like he did to Simeon. The Spirit says “You will not die till you the Lord’s Christ appear in your life.”
• What would happen this year if you found the real joy and the source of all the festivities and holy-days we are experiencing once again in the month of December.
• Remember, God commanded his people to set apart special days as feasts, festivals, and holy days.
• Since Jesus came the first time, the Church has set apart the weekly day of the Lord, as well as seasonal days like Advent and annual holy days like Christmas.
• Worship are the appointments God has written into your Outlook or Daytimer for you to rest, celebrate, and rediscover that God made us to experience the awe of his presence, and praise him and thank him for his goodness.
• So as we begin this awe filled season of Advent, let us conspire together. Let us act in harmony toward the common goal of transforming the consumer Christmas.
• Look for Jesus in the children; in the people you meet; in the love you realize God has given you in your family; and see him in the needs of the poor.
Come next week and I will give you another word that can change your Christmas.

Two Dimensional Love

2008-10-28T07:03:00.000-04:00

"The Two Dimensions of Love"
Rev. Kevin L. Baker
October 26, 2008 Proper 25

On the whole, God's love for us is a much safer subject to think about than our love for Him. C.S. Lewis.

• Today, our Gospel reading calls us to think about our love for God and being like God by loving other people in life. There is a vertical dimension of love—toward God. There is a horizontal dimension—if you really love God you will love people like Jesus loves them.
• As CS Lewis said, it is always a nicer thing to think of God’s love for us than of our love for God.
• Why? Because all of us struggle with being unloving. We prefer to do what we want rather than what God wants—especially on Sundays.
• One of the greatest ways to keep us from God, or at least of weakening our faith, is to convince us—little by little—to trade REAL love for a counterfeit. The world offers many counterfeits.
• I hope to tell us about real love today so we can always recognize counterfeit love when we see it.
• "Teacher," they ask, "which commandment in the law is the greatest?" There were 613 of them in Hebrew Scripture. Which was the most important?
• Jesus responded to the lawyer’s question with two quotations from the Torah. The first quotation came from the Sacred Jewish Prayer called the Shema Israel. Shema = LISTEN
• This was a prayer contained in the sixth chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy 6:5 and recited by pious Jews every morning and evening, "Hear this, O Israel, Shema Israel, Listen up—this is huge.
• This is the most important thing—The Lord our God; The Lord is one. You shall love your God with your whole heart, your whole soul and your whole mind."
• The second quotation came from the Book of Leviticus, 19:18, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
• We can't just love God part time, we have to love Him with ALL—with everything we have. We can't just be good to our neighbor sometimes, we have to treat our neighbors with the same concern we have for ourselves.
• We hear these words repeated to us every week as we begin to worship. The summary of the Law as it is called, is right before the confession of sin. It is designed to cause us to ask ourselves—did I love God with my all and love my neighbor as myself since the last time I was in church?
• Since the answer is always no—we then move right into confessing our sins.
• I think the main reason we can never give perfect love back to God as he gives it to us is we still do not know what love really is.
• Let’s take the words Jesus says to us in what is known as his Great Commandment, the one commandment that summarizes all the commandments, this morning and look at them carefully.

1. YOU SHALL

37Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and great commandment.

• The question was “What is the Greatest Commandment of all God’s laws?” Jesus said “If you love me, you SHALL keep my commandments. If we don’t, we fall short of loving God.
• Jesus directs his answer to all of us like he did to Peter after the resurrection. Do you love me?
• Jesus says the Greatest of all God’s laws—you shall love me. This is personal. Do we really love God?

2. LOVE

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and great commandment

• Well if we are to love God, we need to know what love is. What is love? Can you define it?
• Where we learn about love is from God. Love is God’s very nature. Humanity by nature is selfish and unloving. Everyone of us are unloving on a regular basis.
• We don’t love God and we don’t love others. We think love is a good feeling of pleasure. We think love is how we feel when people give to us. Some think love is sex or gifts.
• In reality, love is a willful decision to make a commitment to totally give all our focus and energy in life for the good of someone else other than ourselves even when we are wronged in the process.
• Since we are unloving by nature, God came to change our nature—to give us a new heart, a new will, and new miracle power to change the way we think and live from being about us to being about others.
• Love is a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5. It is the number one character trait God wants to produce in us when we become followers of Jesus and he comes to live in our hearts and lives by faith.
• Greater love has no man than this—than he that will lay down his life for his friends. There is no love greater than the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus left comfort and got involved totally to help us.
• That is why the ancient Church made sure every time worship takes place, that the love story of Jesus for sinful man is front and center at the altar as we offer up our thanksgiving for Jesus.
• Worship is about coming to love God in words, in actions, and in renewing our vows to him. I will always love you Jesus. I thank you for loving me. I give myself to you. Worship is loving God.
• It is not about being entertained, or technologically awed, or emotionally moved so we feel good, or about how good some ministry is or is not.
• Worship is about giving ourselves to God and loving him because he first loved us.
• The ISBE defines love this way: Love, whether used of God or man, is an earnest and anxious desire for and, an active and beneficent interest in, the well-being of the one loved
• That means when someone loves another person, it is serious concern; it is that longing and anxious desire to make sure the person we love is going to be okay.
• Love is the expression of this concern to the point of total sacrifice that we would give all we have including our very life without condition, and take nothing so the person we love is okay.
• We see this in real love stories—in marriages; in parents love for their children; in real friendships; and in people who give up their lives to the cause of taking the Gospel to the world.
• In 1 Cor. 13 St. Paul defines this kind of love, a love the Greeks called AGAPE, unconditional love. Total giving of ourselves without reservation for someone else.

3. WHO ARE WE TO LOVE? THE LORD.

• The question today is do we really love the Lord? Do we give him our hearts—what we are committed to? Do we give him our soul—our emotions and will? Do with give him our mind—how we think about everything? Or, do we have idols—things that are more important than God.
• Notice Jesus says the word ALL. We are to love the lord with ALL our heart. ALL our soul. ALL our mind. ALL OR NOTHING.
• Funny, the Greek word there όλη (whole-ay), translated "all" really means "ALL", as in whole, complete, total, ALL. It means everything!
• Are we really most concerned to seriously give our whole life to God so that we really care about what God is concerned about? God is passionate about driving hate, sin, and death from the earth.
• Loving God is a question--are we willing to really commit ourselves without condition to seeing the Good News of God’s love reach every nook and cranny of this planet so love overcomes sin?
• If you are willing to try, then learn to love God as he defines it, and learn to love your neighbor.
• Now, do any of us actually achieve this kind of love, probably not. But we're moving toward it.
• And in order for me to love God with my WHOLE heart, I have to first let go of the piece of my heart devoted to ME! And it's a BIG piece.
• "Love the Lord" means to give up our own sense of lordship. This vertical love means that God is in charge, not us. Alright. That's the first part, the vertical love relationship. Love God.

Part two. This is the horizontal love relationship. Love your neighbor at least as well as you love yourself.

• The first and greatest commandment is to love God taken from Deuteronomy 6.
• The second greatest commandment, Mr. Lawyer, even though you only asked for the greatest let me also tell you the second greatest is Leviticus 19:18.
• Mr. Lawyer, if you really love God, the evidence is in how you love your neighbor.
• The way you love God most is by loving people like Jesus did. Love your neighbor.
• Not just your family and people who are nice to you, but the person next to you—on your street, at work, at the store, on the side of the road, in the hospital, the one who just lost their job or a loved one—those people. Do to them as you would have people care about you.
• Jesus is quoting everybody's favorite book of the Bible, Leviticus. Yes, there is some really good stuff in there. It's not just that all the talk of priestly duties and proper sacrifice techniques.
• Chapter 19 is pure genius. If you have a Bible turn there and look at it. If you only read one chapter of Leviticus, let it be that because God tells us how to love our neighbor here.
• Here is a quick summary of the first 17 verses of Leviticus 19--Be holy. Share what you have with others. Don’t steal from people, cheat people, or lie to people.
• Don’t make fun of people—especially the disabled. Don’t show favoritism. Don’t slander people.
• Don’t hold grudges and bitterness toward others or plot revenge but speak frankly about problems.
• I might also add from our first reading in Exodus today—caring about widows and fatherless kids, and lending money to the poor. This is what it means to love your neighbor as yourself.
• Last night God showed me a glimpse of LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR in Joe Drachhio as his mother died his main concern was not for himself but for his family. Tell the story… In his own pain, he was giving so others could be okay.
• I wonder if today we can step back and really look at what the focus of our lives is all about.
• Is loving God really at the center of your life every day? Are you really concerned about what God is concerned about? Look at the cross—what does it say?
• It says I care enough to leave the comforts of heaven to get directly involved in the lives of others.
• It means I care enough to commit myself, without conditions, to the point of self-denial and self-sacrifice to help remove the pain and hurt that sin has caused in them so they can be okay.
• 1 Cor. 13 AGAPE Love means I am seeking God to make me like him—to be patient and kind to people. To not envy people, to not boast which makes other people feel bad.
• To not be prideful and arrogant, to not be rude to people, to not be easily angered, to not keep a record of wrongs when people in my life screw up and hurt me.
• Loving God means I am learning to hate what evil does in this world, and instead to love The Truth—thy Word is truth; Jesus is the Truth.
• Love means I am learning to always trust God and people, to protect God and others, to always be hopeful even when things look bad, and to persevere in my relationships with the people God puts in my life.
• This is the Great Commandment. Two dimensional love. Vertical toward God, and horizontal toward others. Let us pray.

What is Life Like In A Monastery--Part One

2008-10-17T18:53:00.000-04:00

What It Is Like to Work in A Trappist Monastery—Part One
By Rev. Kevin L. Baker

When people think of monks and monastic life, I am sure images of beautiful settings, paradise, Gregorian chants, peace and quiet, contemplation, and silent other-worldly monks fill the imagination. Yet, there is more. I am often asked what a monastery is really like. I pray this very short article will give a glimpse into monastic life while protecting the privacy of the community in which I live and work.

Two years ago, God gave me a blessing that ranks among the most significant opportunities of my life. I was hired to work in a Roman Catholic monastery as a Controller. My job has since developed into more of a Director of Finance and Marketing. The monastery where I work is a chapter of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. You can learn more about them by clicking the links at the conclusion of this article.

Cistercians, or Trappists as they are also commonly called, live under a Benedictine Rule. The Cistercian way of life is one of living by the work of one’s hands and prayer. The center of work life at the Abbey of the Genesee is primarily a bakery called Monks’ Bread. Since 1953, our products have been a regionally popular line of breads and cakes. It is a large industry and needed an MBA to look after the business in an increasingly complex and competitive marketplace. In addition to the bakery, there are three retreat houses with a capacity of 47 beds, a farm, forestry industry, bookstore, online store, and the Abbey Church.

As a priest, I am no stranger to the spiritual life, liturgy, or prayer. Yet, a monastery is completely different than the life of a local church pastor. A monastic community, on one level, can be compared to life in the military. The armed forces protect their nation from enemies. Monasteries protect the God's holy nation from spiritual enemies (1 Peter 2:9-10) with spiritual weapons of warfare that are mighty unto God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). My experience is that the monks are the special forces of God.

Life in a monastery feels like you are on a military base and in a church at the same time. The community life is very institutional. The life is one of rank, order, obedience, self denial, hard work, prayer, striving for perfection (be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect), and discipleship. Much like life in the local church, the monks are working out their salvation in the context of a group of imperfect people. Humanity is definitely part of monastic community life. People are people.

The very human side of the monastery also reveals the presence of the Divine. In the midst of the order of the Benedictine Rule, the discipline of the liturgy of the hours, the work of the hands as counter-balance to the intense focus on the interior life, and lectio divina (spiritual reading), the monastery is also a conduit of God’s presence, power, and glory. There are many times while I am working that I experience a sense that heaven and earth have truly become intermingled.

Keep watch for Part Two of This Article Soon.

About the Trappists

Abbey of the Genesee

Become a Better You In The Hard Times of Life

2008-10-12T07:51:00.000-04:00

HOW TO BECOME A BETTER YOU IN THE HARD TIMES OF LIFE
INTRO

When I hear my friends say they hope their children don't have to experience the hardships they went through--I don't agree. Those hardships made us what we are. You can be disadvantaged in many ways, and one way may be not having had to struggle.

• That quote reminds me of my grandmother. Born in 1912 to immigrant parents, she knew what the word struggle meant.
• After her mother died in childbirth, she lived in an orphanage, after her father remarried she was neglected and abused by her stepmother, so as a teen she moved out into a rented room on her own just as stock market crashed in 1929 and Great Depression set in.
• 50 years later, in her own small modest home, my grandmother would exhort me with words similar to what we heard in our opening quote. She would tell me one day I would appreciate the struggle and hardships. They would make me better.
• At a time in my life when I was struggling through those hard teen years, my grandmother coached me about the need to work hard in life; the need to learn to not complain about things you cannot control; and how to focus on what was really important.
• Today, 30 years later, we are living in tough times. We are living through a stock market crash and banking failure with recession coming on. The Baby Buster and Millennial Generations have never really tasted hardship. This message is for them, and for all going through trials and struggles.
• The Apostle Paul speaks to us again this week from a Roman prison where he was unjustly jailed for preaching the Gospel.
• Our reading from Paul’s letter to the Church at Philippi outlines four Christian attitudes that can make you a better person in the midst of hardships and struggles.

1. TO BECOME A BETTER YOU IN TIMES OF HARDSHIP AND STRUGGLE, DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE OF REJOICING

4Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

• To rejoice is to express joy, gladness, and happiness. Joy in the general sense is an emotional response to any pleasurable state or event.
• For a Christian, joy is a wellspring of gladness and happiness that results from fellowship with God.
• It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Spiritual fruitfulness is who and what we are—our quality of character and the essence of who we are as a person resulting from the indwelling Holy Spirit.
• The Fruit of the Spirit are nine qualities of godliness that God produces in a person when he comes into our lives to transform us so we become like him in who we are and how we live.
• When Paul tells the Church to REJOICE IN THE LORD AWAYS he is teaching us how to have a basic outlook in life that says no matter what goes on around me, nothing can take away what God has given me.
o He has given me forgiveness from all the guilt and sin in my life. He has given me a purpose, direction, a reason to live, a new beginning, eternal life beyond the grave, and he is my ever-present encourager, comforter, and friend.
• No matter what we are going through, at all times, and in all circumstances, God is always with us, so whether we are in prison like Paul was, in a struggling church like the Philippians were, or living through a stock market crash and hard times, we can have an inner happiness.
• Once Paul tells us to rejoice always, he repeats it a second time!! Again, I say rejoice. I think we need to hear this over and over. By nature, human beings are focused on themselves. We whine, complain, and want the world to revolve around us.
• The spiritual person focuses on God, and is able to say “At the cross at the cross where I first saw light, and the burden of my heart rolled away. It was there by faith I received my sight and now I am happy all the day.

2. TO BECOME A BETTER YOU IN TIMES OF HARDSHIP AND STRUGGLE, DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE OF GENTLENESS TO OTHERS

5Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

• Hard times of struggle test our character, especially in our relationships with others.
• In hard times, the worst of people will often come out under stress and pressure. People will throw you under the bus, steal from you, blame you, neglect you, and abuse you to survive hard times.
• Yet, Paul says, for the Christian, God wants to bring out the best in us in hard times.
• He wants us to remember when people do terrible things, He is at hand, He is always present to bring justice and take care of our enemies—his part. Our part is to let the fruit of gentleness be evident in us.
• Again, gentleness is a spiritual fruit of the Holy Spirit. Gentleness is a true humility that does not consider itself too good or too exalted for humble tasks. Opposite of pride or snootiness.
• “Meekness, a synonym for gentleness, is enduring injury with patience and without resentment.”
• Gentleness is never self-important but is considerate, courteous, and modest. In hard times when people are stressed, hurting, fearful, or angry, gentleness makes us leaders of the fearful.
The story is told of a corporal at Valley Forge who was directing three men as they tried to lift a log into place. It was too heavy, but the corporal commanded again and again, “All right, men, one, two, three, lift!” A man in an overcoat came by and said to the corporal, ‘Why don’t you help them?” The corporal pulled himself up to full height and replied, “Sir, I am a corporal.” Without a word the man stepped over and with his help the log went easily into place. The man was General George Washington.

3. TO BECOME A BETTER YOU IN TIMES OF HARDSHIP AND STRUGGLE, DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE OF PRAYERFULNESS.

• So often in life, when hard times come, we let the hard times set the agenda. When we face hard times we can easily become worried, stressed, and become full of anxiety. What if I lose my job? What if the money I lost in my 401k doesn’t recover? What if this illness doesn’t get better?
• Paul tells us the key to getting through hard times without anxiety:

but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

• Prayer is one of the main keys to overcoming anxiety during the struggles of life. Prayer means God wants us to talk to him. So, we cannot approach God with sin in our lives, so prayer always means we must first confess our sins, so we can stand in the presence of a Holy God.
• When our spirits are burdened, only prayer can ease our mind.
• As we come into God’s presence in prayer we say “Lord, I thank you that you gave me life, my family, and all I have. Now, I want to bring to you my struggles. I need your help and your direction for all these things that are troubling me.”
• Paul says, that when we make prayer and thanksgiving our response to the hardships and struggles we face, that another fruit of the Spirit forms in us—peace.
• Peace is calmness and quietness in the deepest level of our being. In our lives as Christians it is paradoxical. It surpasses understanding.
• God is in control. So while I don’t understand how all this will work out, I know that God is going to work it out so I can rest and not have stress. God is guarding my heart and mind now. I can calm down.

4. TO BECOME A BETTER YOU IN TIMES OF HARDSHIP AND STRUGGLE, DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE OF THINKING HOW GOD THINKS

• Truth is whatever God thinks about something since he is truth. Have you ever wondered how God thinks? In this letter to the Church at Philippi, Paul tells us.

8Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things.

• In life, you can either focus on the good or the bad. You can have, as they say, stinkin` thinkin` that is negative and focused in ways that will tear you down, or you can learn to think optimistically and positively which will help you to not get dragged down into the pit of despair.
• When facing struggles and hard times, Paul says to think about the things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of a good report; things that are virtuous.
• Don’t think and act like the cable news or radio talk show hosts. Don’t become morose and focus on all the bad in the world. It will ruin you. Turn off the TV. Read, get out in nature.
• Learn to think of goodness; think and meditate on God, and on all the good that God brings into the world himself and through his people.
• Learn to take time to smell the roses; enjoy the leaves changing; smell the fresh air; live life like a child experiencing the wonder of this world as if it the first time you have ever seen it.
• The result of rejoicing and being gentle to others, of praying, and thinking about life like God--you will learn to be content in whatever life brings your way.
• Paul says, content people, no matter if we are lacking or abounding materially, we will have learned the attitudes that no matter what hardship or trial we face, we will say like he did,

I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME.
TODAY, YOU CAN DO IT! JESUS IS HERE TO STRENGTHEN US. WE BECOME STRONG TO FACE THE HARD TIMES AND STRUGGLES OF LIFE WHEN WE REJOICE ALWAYS! WHEN WE ARE GENTLE AND MEEK TO OTHERS, WHEN WE PRAY, AND WHEN WE THINK POSITIVELY IN GOD.

Voter Consideration Liberal and Conservative

2008-10-09T18:05:00.001-04:00

I found this note posted by my friend Steve Smallwood on his Facebook page excellent. I re-post it here. Steve was the Pastor of New Life Assembly in Nixa, Missouri where I did my ministerial internship prior to graduating from seminary --Fr. Kevin

“Roger E. Olson (PhD, Rice University) is professor of theology at George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University in Waco, Texas and author of the recent book, How to be Evangelical without being Conservative.
With the presidential election just around the corner I asked Dr. Olson to give us some "food for thought" before we vote:

5 Questions to consider before voting Republican:

1) What will happen to the poor in a Republican administration?
2) Will a Republican administration pursue world peace?
3) How will a Republican administration promote mercy, compassion and justice for all?
4) Is a Republican administration likely to be unduly influenced by large corporations?
5) Can a Republican administration show respect for every human person's dignity and rights?

5 Questions to consider before voting Democratic:

1) What will happen to the not-yet-born in a Democratic administration?
2) Will a Democratic administration keep America and others safe from terrorism?
3) How will a Democratic administration promote security and safety for Americans and others?
4) Is a Democratic administration likely to be unduly influenced by liberal special interest groups?
5) Can a Democratic administration show respect for traditional family values?

Sunday Sermon 10/5/2008 How to Keep Moving Forward When Life Wants to Hold You Back

2008-10-09T17:57:00.000-04:00

HOW TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD WHEN LIFE WANTS TO HOLD YOU BACK
Sunday October 5, 2008
Fr. Kevin Baker

INTRO
• Postage stamps are getting more expensive, but at least they have one attribute that most of us could emulate: they stick to one thing until they get there.
• Today, my message is about how to stick with your faith and make it to heaven. It is a message about how to keep moving forward when life wants to hold you back.
• Our lesson is taught by one of the greatest teachers and encouragers whose message has never been forgotten—St. Paul the Apostle.
• Our lesson is found in a letter St. Paul wrote to a small discouraged church in W. Macedonia while he was a prisoner in Roman chains for preaching the Gospel.
• This church had small beginnings and took many years for it to grow. The people in this church were faithful to the call, yet they sacrificed much facing many obstacles that caused them to become discouraged at times.
• Paul’s message in his letter, which theologians call the Epistle of Joy--keep your eyes on the prize; keep pressing on toward your goals even when it seems they are so far from ever being attained.
• This discouraged in this church eventually flourished because they listened to Paul’s encouragement. Your life can also flourish if you will practice Paul’s lesson of persevering faith!
• I wonder this morning how many of you are going through tough times in your life?
• Paul was in jail for preaching the Gospel when he wrote this letter—tough times.
• The Church at Philippi believed in Jesus Christ and were struggling to establish a church in a part of the world where people hated what they stood for as Christians—tough times.
• We all face tough times in our lives. Paul’s message to us when we are down and discouraged is:

1. WHEN THINGS GET HARD IN LIFE, PRESS ON TOWARD YOUR GOALS.

14I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

• St. Paul—wow! Imprisoned for preaching the Gospel, encouraging a small new church, Paul’s message is press on toward the goal. Keep perspective! This is an attitude of Christian maturity.
• Paul says in hard times, remember the ultimate goal-- our upward call. We are a heaven bound people. Heaven puts things in perspective. The hope of heaven motivates us to persevere.
• We will live in heaven for a lot longer than we live on earth. The tough times and hard things we are experiencing here will only be a faint memory when we have been with God in heaven for 10,000 years!
• The lesson here is when you face tough times, setbacks, losses, disappointments, and heartbreaks keep pressing on toward your goals. God is with you. He loves you. He supports you.
• Maybe you didn’t get the job promotion you hoped for. Maybe you didn’t get accepted to the college you always dreamed to attend. Maybe a relationship ended or a painful loss took you into a period of deep darkness. Maybe your hopes and dreams have been shattered.
• Paul says Keep pressing on toward the goal. Don’t give up.
• God will take a life that you have lived for Him with His priorities and work all things together for good.

2. THE SECOND GUIDING PRINCIPLE TO REMEMBER IN TOUGH TIMES IS WALK OUT YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF PAUL AND OTHERS WHO KEEP THE FAITH DURING TOUGH TIMES

15Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; 17Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.

• St. Paul calls our life in Christ a "spiritual walk." In the midst of hardships, He calls us to maturity by making his walk with the Lord an example for us to follow
• He also exhorts us to take note of those who also have walked out their faith following Paul’s model —her saints or heroes of faith--they are our pattern; our example.
• Did you know some of the Church’s saints suffered from mental illness? Were alcoholics? Contemplated suicide? Were betrayed by friends? Yet they pressed on and overcame?
• I want to recommend that everyone read Ordinary Suffering of Extraordinary Saints by Vincent O’Malley.

Paul instructed us to NOTE THOSE WHO FOLLOWED HIS EXAMPLE.

• The saints through the ages have faced many tough times doing the will of God in their lives, but they pressed on toward the goals God gave them and are now a pattern for us to walk out our faith.
• Now Lets’ learn about walking out our faith.
• By definition--To walk is to advance by steps toward a destination.
• St. Paul is encouraging all of us that when we face tough times, keep walking.
• Step by step, keep advancing toward your goals and toward your destination. Keep trusting in Jesus. Keep believing. Keep following. Keep serving.
• Don’t trade in your born again birthright of heaven for a bowl of earthly pottage.
• As Christians, we often say we need to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. We can say we love God, trust God, praise God—but what about when the going gets tough? Will our faith stand?
• Many of us will come to points in life where the tough challenges and trials of life can trip us up.
• Illness, grief, divorce, disability, unemployment, loneliness, poverty, and discrimination. All experiences that can trip us up in our spiritual walk.
• When we get tripped up, that is when we can stumble and fall—turn away from God in anger, disappointment, discouragement, and shattered dreams.
• Now let’s go back to St. Paul. Called by God to preach, he was constantly opposed and rejected.
• He could have looked at being in jail as unfair, why did this happened when I have done everything you asked? Why God? Where are you God?
• In his letter to the Philippians, from jail, Paul tells this church things like “Rejoice in the Lord always!” “Work our your salvation without complaining,” and forget the things that are behind and keep pressing on. Keep walking. Keep advancing step by step. Don’t let life get you down.
• Where did Paul and other overcomers get the strength to press on? From God’s Word.
• A promise I encourage all of to hold on to in tough times is found in

Psalm 37:3:
23 If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; 24 though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

CONCLUSION
• No matter what hardship, temptation, grief, or trial you face today that could trip up your spiritual walk, remember God calls us to keep walking; to press on toward the goal.
• His promise is if we will choose to keep the faith, he uphold us when we stumble so we will not fall.
I want to conclude with a record of perseverance from the diary of the great Anglican priest John Wesley. . .

Sunday, A.M., May 5 Preached in St. Anne's. Was asked not to come back anymore.
Sunday, P.M., May 5 Preached in St. John's. Deacons said "Get out and stay out."
Sunday, A.M., May 12 Preached in St. Jude's. Can't go back there, either.
Sunday, A.M., May 19 Preached in St. Somebody Else's. Deacons called special meeting and said I couldn't return.
Sunday, P.M., May 19 Preached on street. Kicked off street.
Sunday, A.M., May 26 Preached in meadow. Chased out of meadow as bull was turned loose during service.
Sunday, A.M., June 2 Preached out at the edge of town. Kicked off the highway.
Sunday, P.M., June 2 Afternoon, preached in a pasture. Ten thousand people came out to hear me.

• John Wesley kept pressing on toward his goal of reaching the world for Christ. He learned to persevere and keep advancing forward step by step.
• Behind the scenes, God was upholding him with his hand helping Wesley to not stumble or fall.
• Today, God is here to help you keep moving forward in faith even when life wants to hold you back. Call out to him. Bow your head and ask for strength to go on, and he will give it. Amen.

Does Anyone Read This Blog?

2008-10-07T16:55:00.000-04:00

After the Labor Day holiday I stopped blogging here to see if anyone actually reads this. If you are a reader of the blog, would you please leave a comment. If there is no substantial audience, I will most likely discontinue regular blogging here and concentrate on our Facebook presence.

Thank you.

Fr. Kevin

September 1, 2008

2008-09-01T11:32:00.000-04:00

Today is Labor Day. One day of rest per year as a civil holiday for American workers. I am glad God in His wisdom and love for man tells us that we need a weekly day of rest from our labors!

I want to thank Sharon Pittman for spearheading our "Back To School Backpacks" outreach in partnership with Prison Fellowship. The people of St. Patrick's have shown their ministry of mercy and giving to bless many inner city families this school year. The reactions of the kids to their backpacks full of supplies and the families receiving a $25.00 gift card have brought much glory to God! In their faces we have seen and ministered to Jesus (Matthew 25).

Let us continue to hear what the Spirit of God has said to us through the saying of Mother ATeresa of Calcutta "If you cannot feed a hundred people then feed just one."

End of Summer News

2008-08-26T12:01:00.001-04:00

Dear Church Family and Friends,

It was priceless from what I hear. A little girl going into the second grade whose mom is incarcerated had her face light up last Sunday at St. Patrick's after church. It was as though she was opening gifts on Christmas morning. "Cool! Awesome!" and big smiles as she got a pink backpack full of everything she needs for school. Then, it was grandmother's turn as she received a $25.00 gift card.

This is the fruit of our "Back to School Backpack" outreach this year. Real people from our community are being blessed because you cared enough to give. Thank you!

Fr. Kevin

From Orlando Convocation 1

2008-07-31T16:30:00.000-04:00

Hi All!

We arrived safely in Orlando late Sunday night. We met up with Josh, Jessi, and Stephanie who arrived a few hours before us. Monday was a personal day of rest and relaxation. Tuesday I had a business meeting for Monks' Bread at St. Armand's Baking Company in Bradenton which is our franchise bakery here.

Wednesday evening was the kickoff of the convocation where Abp. Bates was enthroned as our Patriarch. It was along service lasting from 7:00-10:00 p.m. Our Music Director, Christine Clerc, and Ronna Bulera (temporarily residing in Louisiana) sang in the choir--awesome choir! Sharon Pittman, Josh Baker, Jessi Baker, and Kathie Baker ministered to a class of over 60 elementary school age kids during the homily. They made convocation t-shrits and hats and the kids were having a blast!

Podcasts of all speakers and photos are available at http://www.cechome.com/ Dr. Simon Chan's plenary sessions are items I highly encourage all to listen to, especially if you are new to the CEC. He is explaining convergence worship which is at the very heart of our identity as a communion.

One point he made today is that the old mainline churches had as an underpinning of their worship a desire to make the Gospel acceptable to the culture. This approach to worship proposed by Frederick Schleiermacher, the father of modernist liberal theology, actually removed Trinitarian worship from the Church, and changed the Gospel. Acceptable Gospel = social message of peace and justice. Unacceptable = preaching the evangelical message of the creation, fall/sin, incarnation, life, suffering, death, ascension, sending of the Spirit, and coming again of Jesus.

There is an obvious connection here. This liberal church approach has been accepted by the evangelical seeker movement, and expanded in the emerging church movement! However, the liberalization of the evangelical church is also being countered by the conservative resurgence of convergence worship!

Off to the evening services!

Fr. Kevin

Monday Afterglow 7/21/2008

2008-07-21T22:21:00.000-04:00

Our Gospel yesterday was the Parable of The Wheat and Tares. The sermon yesterday calls us to contemplate the truth that good and evil are both being planted and growing in the world till the end-time harvest. The planting of seeds of good and seeds of evil has been taking place since Eden. The beautiful garden planted by God quickly had the seed of the Evil One planted within it.

The truth of the parable calls us to think about our own lives. Good and evil are planted within us as well. God is working to make the garden of our heart a fruitful and beautiful reflection of his love and goodness. Yet, even though God's grace and life has been planted within us when we received the Seed of the Woman, Jesus Christ, into our hearts by faith, why do we still allow evil to be planted within us?

Why do we, like Adam, allow the Evil One to enter the garden? Why do we allow temptations and sin to be planted in us? Why do we sow tares into the wheat? Lead us not into temptation, and deliver us from evil. Amen.

MEDITATION

Why is God silent? Why does he withdraw? Why is it that just the opposite of what I wanted is happening? This distance between what Jesus promised and what we experience in our own lives makes you think, every time - it has that effect in each generation, for each single person, and even for me.

Each one of us has to struggle to work out an answer for himself, so that in the end he comes to understand why God has spoken to him precisely like that. Augustine and other great Christians say that God gives us what is best for us - even when we do not recognize this at first.

Often, we think that exactly the opposite of what he does would really be best for us. We have to learn to accept this path, which, on the basis of our experience and our suffering, is difficult for us, and to see it as the way in which God is guiding us. God's way is often a path that enormously reshapes and remolds our life, a path in which we are truly changed and straightened out.

To that extent, we have to say that this "Ask, and you will receive" certainly cannot mean that I can call God in as a handyman who will make my life easy ever time I want something. Or who will take away suffering and questioning. On the contrary, it means that God definitely hears me and what he grants me is, in the way known only to him, what is right for me. --God And The World, Pope Benedict XVI

My prayers are with you this week. Each hour of prayer at the Abbey this week will be a calling upon God help us drive away the Evil One from the garden of our hearts.

Fr. Kevin

Southtowns Small Group?

2008-06-24T13:23:00.000-04:00

If anyone who lives in the south towns of Buffalo is interested in forming a Bible study group, fellowship group, or some other kind of gathering for that area, please let me know. Our church strategy is to be a metro church meaning people from all over come. In order to then facilitate support and relationship building, we need to form small groups in every area where we have families.

This group could meet weekly, every other week, or even monthly in the beginning. Let me know if God speaks to your creative heart to pioneer a new group!

Fr. Kevin

6/23/2008 Monday Afterglow

2008-06-24T13:11:00.001-04:00

I don't know about you, but I have been blessed in our recent church services. There has been what I think is a very gentle presence of the Holy Spirit in our Sunday school and worship services as of late. Ever since beginning worship at the new building, as pastor I sense less spiritual warfare and a growing sense that the Holy Spirit is coming in our services to touch each of us, or better yet, pour into our hearts how much God loves us and cares about us.

Sunday's Gospel from Matthew 10:16-33 told us that as we go into the world to live and speak for Jesus Christ, that we will face opposition of various kinds from mild to severe. When those times come, God wants us to know he sees us. His eye is on the sparrow and since we are of much more value to our Heavenly Father, his eyes are on us too. He knows how many hairs are on our head, so he certainly sees the more important things such as when when we need His protection and strength when undergoing trials and troubles for his sake.

God sees and he cares.

This week, please pray that God heals the various healing needs in our church, especially Kathy Bucierka after foot surgery, and for Fr. John Denurger--Abbott at the Abbey of the Genesee--who had knee surgery Tuesday.

Please pray for God to add to our numbers, and for God's leadership on how to best let the neighborhoods surrounding the Church that we are there to love and serve them in Jesus' name.

Peace,

Fr. Kevin

Church and Politics: Election Year Discussions

2008-06-21T08:32:00.000-04:00

I read an article today about a church that is challenging the IRS code that prohibits churches from endorsing candidates and getting directly involved in political activity. The quote that caught my eye was from an 1863 sermon by Henry Ward Beecher, he said, "It is sometimes said that ministers must not preach politics. … They would have to toe hop, and skip and jump through two thirds of the Bible if they did not, for the there is not another book on the face of God's earth that is so full of commerce and business and government, and the relations between the governing and the governed, as this same Bible."

In 1954, the IRS arbitrarily passed code that forbids churches , "from directly or indirectly participating or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office." Churches today are allowed to teach what the Bible says about politics, foreign and domestic policy, and church and state, but cannot endorse or be actively involved in supporting a campaign.

My questions today in this presidential election year are:

1.) Why do you see so many churches, mostly in certain segments of society, hosting political speakers primarily from one party and this is not considered a violation of the tax code?

2.) Does this law only apply to churches? What about Islamic mosques where political endorsements are made regularly? I simply do not know--has anyone looked into this?

3.) In the Bible, the prophets from Moses to John the Baptist regularly not only spoke about politics, but actively participated in calling kings and queens into account to God. The Church has continued this prophetic task of declaring God's heavenly position on earthly matters. What do you think the Church's responsibility is before God as it pertains to its relationship to the State/Caesar?

Let the discourse begin.

Monday Afterglow 6/16/2008

2008-06-17T13:18:00.000-04:00

Here at the Abbey of the Genesee where I work by day, I look out at 1200 acres of farmland. Bros. Alberic and James work dilligently as our "farm brothers" to plant, care for, and harvest peas, sweet corn, and other crops that are a vital part of the community well being. Without farming, a significant source of revenue and the ability of the Abbey to survive would be threatened. When harvest time comes, the farm is buzzing with activity to bring in all the fruit of the labors that have preceded the harvest.

This past Sunday, our Gospel took us to the portion of Matthew where Jesus tells his disciples that the harvest is plentiful and ready, but there are too few laborers to go and bring in all that God has made ready in the land of the earth. It is a convicting message. Jesus is basically saying that he has made ready the harvest by doing his part. He has done the work of salvation at the cross. He has sent the Holy Spirit to prepare the hearts of men. People are ready to believe and be saved.

The problem is, we do not want to work the fields. Illegal immigration in America has taught us that Americans think they are below doing many manual labor jobs like picking the harvest on farms or cleaning hotel rooms. My thought today is, "Has this attitude infiltrated the church to the point that we are not willing to do the harvest work of the Church?"

American churches are more built on entertainment models than agricultural models. Do you think this has any correlation to the ability of the American churches to harvest what God has prepared?

Peace,

Fr. Kevin

Hello from Phoenix, Arizona

2008-06-11T19:27:00.000-04:00

Greetings from beautiful sunny Phoenix! The Abbey sent me here to a training conference. Kathie was able to come along with me, so we are taking in the sights.

Getting here was no joy. When we got on the Northwest flight out of Buffalo heading for Minneapolis, the air conditioning was broken on the plane. We were scheduled for a 6:55 p.m. departure. We sat on the ground for almost an hour with a cabin temp over 90 degrees. With babies crying and hot irritated people surprisingly "keeping their cool," we finally got on our way. We were scheduled to land in Minneapolis to connect with our flight to Phoenix at 9:15 p.m. We got to the gate at 8:45 p.m. and had to make a run for it from H terminal to G terminal. We were one of the last to board, but made it just in time--Praise the Lord!

A little over three hours later we were on the ground in Arizona where it was 95 degrees at 10:40 P.M. I got on the rental car shuttle and could not believe how far the rental car center is from SkyHarbor Airport!!! After picking Kathie up at Terminal 3 we headed off to Tempe Mission Palms Hotel where we are staying. It was 3:00 a.m. Buffalo time when we got into the room. The hotel is adjacent to Arizona State University and I can see the Sun Devils Stadium from my window.

On Wednesday we went to mass at St. Mary's Basilica. Then we visited Heard Museum. If you are ever in the area, it is a real neat place to visit and not too expensive at $10.00 each for adults.

Here are some local web cams right here in the South Mill area near ASU where we are staying. If anyone needs anything, feel free to call the church phone 716-548-4785. If you need personal care, Dn. Pittman is covering for me while we are away. We return Saturday and look forward to Sunday when we will be meeting Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew where he talks about having compassion on his people and looking at fields white unto harvest asking us to pray for laborers.

Peace,

Fr. kEVIN

Monday Morning Afterglow 6/9/2008

2008-06-10T09:27:00.000-04:00

OK--I was finally asked "What is an afterglow?" In Exodus 33, we discover the prayer of Moses for God to show Him his glory. Many years later, Moses and Elijah, along with Peter, James, and John would see the glory God in the Transfiguration. 1450 years BC, Moses got a "sneek peek" at the revelation of glory. What Moses was privileged to see was the afterglow of the glory of God passing by. He could not see the direct glory of God and live.

18 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory." 19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."

SUNDAY IN REVIEW

This past Sunday was an unseasonably hot day for early June in western New York with temps in the mid-90s. Praise God the weather did not hinder the people of God from coming to worship. The Gospel for the day was from Matthew where Jesus was challenged by the Pharisees for keeping company with tax collectors and sinners after calling Matthew to follow him. It is the sick that need the physician; the righteous do not need to be called for repentance but the sinner.

The key lesson we all need to learn is that the fellowship we enjoy as God's people should not cause us to lose contact with those who need to know Jesus. Jesus met Matthew in the business world, and took people from church (disciples) to hang out with Matthew and his friends who were not yet believers.

This week, think about how you can find people like Matthew and his friends to hang out with. Jesus calls us to go into all the world with the Gospel. The best way to do this is to be the good news yourself! People need good news--they need you.

Peace+

Fr. Kevin

Monday Morning Afterglow 6/2/2008

2008-06-04T21:25:00.000-04:00

Our Sunday services on 6/1/08 definitely were filled with the Lord's presence. While attendance went from a weekly high since Easter to a weekly low since Easter in the space of one week, there was a special sense of family Sunday, especially in the fellowship coffee time after church.

My sermon was on the Gospel reading for the day in Matthew 7--Not all who say to me Lord, lord... and building life on the rock or the sand. I spoke about being ready to weather life's storms, and carefully presented Jesus' teaching on building the foundation of our life on the Rock or the Sand. Life in 2008 is pretty stormy, so I made sure I preached a clear message of salvation and presented four kinds of faith relationships to Jesus that can end up with one being numbered among those who say "Lord, lord" and then hear "Depart from me I never knew you." If you would like a text copy of the message, email me.

On another note, we may have to curtail our Sunday school class before church due to ACC needs for us to not be in the building while their church is letting out. I am awating word from the Pastor, and this item is on our next parish council meeting agenda as well. I will keep everyone posted. We could do the class immediately after church till 2:00.

Peace,

Fr. Kevin

Monday Afterglow 5/26/2008

2008-05-26T11:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was Corpus Christi (Body of Christ) Sunday in the Charismatic Episcopal Church. We had a blessed day together and a great attendance--highest since Easter when we had 63 gather for worship. Everyone gave me my Happy Birthday blessing yesterday and we feasted on some great cake after I could not blow out all the candles--a sure sign of aging :)

In previous Memorial Day weekend Sundays, St. Patrick's became somewhat of a ghost town, so I think the high gas prices kept most of us in town and I am glad we all used that opportunity to praise God together.

Corpus Christi is a day set aside to pay special attention to the Eucharist. Communion, the Eucharist (thanksgiving) , Mass (Latin for table), the Lord's Supper, Lord's Table--all names for the same celebration--is supposed to be the unity of the Church but often is what divides. This Wikipedia article does a pretty good job of describing all the different views the Church has on this subject. It is worth the read.

Our CEC view in the above article would be the High Church Anglo-Catholic mystery view of real presence. My personal view is best expressed in the poem by John Donne mentioned in the Wiki article:

He was the Word that spake it;
He took the bread and brake it;

and what that Word did make it;
I do believe and take it.

Yesterday I left my normal emphasis on spiritual formation and life-application sermons to simply try and teach the plain sense of the readings from Deut. 8, John 6, and 1 Cor. 10 to address Corpus Christi on a purely biblical level. I dealt with manna and the sustaining of temporal life by God in the wilderness, how Jesus is the true Manna come down from heaven to give eternal life, and Paul's appeal to a divided Corinthian Church about being united using the pictures of being God's bread and body for the life of the world.

ACC Bookstore and Parking, Prayer

Everyone should visit the Amherst Community Church bookstore when you get a chance for some neat items for sale there! Also, pop in early sometime and worship with ACC! Lastly, Pastor Thomas has asked us to avoid parking in the gated section of the lot closest to Main St. as he would like to lock that up when he leaves while we are still in worship.

Please pray this week for Amanda whose boyfriend Dylan passed away last week at the age of 32.
Pray for Sharon Pittman to be cancer free.
Pray for te upcoming CEC International Convocation in Orlando.
Pray for Fr. Kevin's business trip to Phoenix the second week of June to go well.
Pray for the businesses and organizations where our church family are employed to be blessed by God during this economic contraction.
Pray for God to be glorified through our church and for Jesus to build his Church in our midst.

Fr. Kevin

Monday Morning Afterglow 5/19/2008

2008-05-20T08:56:00.000-04:00

Dear Ones,

Monday morning reflection on the previous day's worship at St. Patrick's... Trinity Sunday 2008 led me to think about the readings for the day in light of creation and new creation. The long account of how God created the world in Genesis gives way to the Great Commission in Matthew 28 where God's plan to re-create the world is revealed.

My homily focused on how God made everything in the world--from people, to animals, to plants-- with seed within it in order for his creation to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth. That is what the Great Commission is all about. Within every Christian is the Seed of the woman and Seed of Abraham--Jesus Christ--and God is planting us in the world to share Jesus with others. The thrust of the message was once again on evangelism.

The downside to yesterday was it was a cold wet day and attendance was down. In a smaller mission church, each week we have to try and have critical mass. Critical mass is a sociodynamic term to describe the existence of sufficient momentum in a social system such that the momentum becomes self-sustaining and fuels further growth.

If we do not have enough people in church on Sunday, the service lacks the energy and momentum to fuel growth.

In every church, and in every church I have served as pastor, there are circles of commitment. Pastor Rick Warren taught me this 13 years ago when I first read "The Purpose Driven Church." Warren teaches that in every church, the same dynamic Jesus experienced is re-experienced:

In a sense, every church has five different people groups related to the church:

Community: Those living around our church who never, or occasionally, attend.
Crowd: Those who attend our church regularly but are not members.
Congregation: Those who are committed to both Christ and membership in our church family.
Committed: Those members who are serious about growing to spiritual maturity.
Core: Those members who actively serve in ministry and mission in your church.

Each group has unique needs, motives, challenges, and POTENTIAL! Our goal is to turn an audience into a work force for God. Which circle are you in at St. Patrick's? Churches gain momentum when the committed and the core circles increase.

The minimum commitment needed for a mission church to grow is CROWD. I invite you to make a deeper commitment to God as we all work together to sustain the critical mass that fuels the growth of our church!

Fr. Kevin

What's Up?

2008-02-03T21:49:00.000-05:00

What’s Up?

A few people have written and aked me what is up lately. Good question.

As part of a 2008 strategy to make significant advances in our progress as a church, we are seeking a new home for our church. Our goal for a meeting location is to seek: 1. ) A more sacred space for worship in proximity to where we meet now, 2.) A space that will be more friendly to us to become visible in the community through signage and advertising, and 3.) A place where we can host a variety of gathering events throughout the year such as special services, speakers, seminars, concerts, etc.

Today we visted Amherst Community Church. We ask for the prayers of anyone reading this blog for God to guide us into His will and and provision for worship space.

On the work front, I have been working hard in my role as Director of Finance and Marketing for Monks' Bread and the Abbey of the Genesee. I am currently developing the 2008 marketing plan. Kathie also does a great deal of volunteer work in this regard for the Abbey. Our "free bread giveaway" promotional events we do in the five main markets for Monks' Bread (Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, Erie, Binghamton) have resulted in good growth for the product. Our latest promo was at the Dome Center in Rochester at a Motorpsort Exposition on 2/1-2.

It is a joy and privilege to work every day in the midst of a good sized Trappist monastery. Each day, the liturgy of the hours is the hub for the Abbey's work of making Monks' Bread, and running a 2000 acre farm, retreat houses, bookstore, forestry business, online store, and the monastery itself.

I am reading a couple books right now. "The Diary of a Country Priest" is an old classic novel with deep insights into the parish work of a priest. I read this book in quiet contemplation. Narrated in the voice of the idealistic priest it explores his struggle to overcome the lethargy of the people in his parish. As the priest, whose name is never spoken, tells the story of his daily work, his parish becomes a microcosm for the universal struggles, griefs and triumphs of humankind.

I am also reading Kouzes and Posner's classic "The Leadership Challenge." I am ever challenged as a missionary priest to not only grow as a leader, but to train other leaders as the basic infrastructure for further growth of St. Patrick's.

On the personal level, Josh was up from Virginia to take Stephanie to a play for her birthday. They went to see "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" at the Rochester Auditorium. Kathie traveled to Chicago in December and New York City (Manhattan) in January to help a couple in the church with their business, and came home with the flu and is still recovering.

Last, please pray as I work on a writing project I am calling "The Things I Have Learned So Far." These are a collection of short essays I am writing that summarize the most important lessons I have learned about life and business in my 43 years. This project began when I was thinking about things I have learned in life that I wished my parents and mentors would have told me early on. I decided I wanted to write for my kids, and thus began the project...

Be at peace.

Kevin

The Grief of Dying to Self

2008-01-27T13:23:00.000-05:00

Recent events in my life brought me to meditate on a concept I wanted to share with you--the grief that accompanies the spiritual process of death to self.

In the Church, we often use the term "die to self" to describe the decisions and processes we go through to say "yes" to God and His will, and "no" to desires that are contrary to God's will for our lives. In the 24 years since coming to know Christ personally, and in 16 years of ordained ministry, I have never heard a teaching or sermon on the grief that comes with dying to self.

When we say yes to God's will for our lives, there is often a loss involved.

There is much literature written in the realm of social science dealing with the emotions of dying and grief. The Kubler-Ross stages--denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance are all emotions I have experienced in dying to self. Dr. Roberta Temes in her book "Living With an Empty Chair" describes three particular types of behavior exhibited by those suffering from grief and loss. They are:

Numbness (mechanical functioning and social insulation)
Disorganization (intensely painful feelings of loss)
Reorganization (re-entry into a more 'normal' social life.)

It is my prayer that my thoughts in this blog will help someone who has been experiencing these emotions within the context of dying to self. Maybe a new Christian who has experienced the joy of salvation is also feeling the loss of old friends and lifestyle. Maybe a mother has become convinced it is God's will to forgo her career and stay at home and raise children and this decision while right has resulted in feelings of grief and loss. Maybe there is a seminarian who is preparing for ministry and under the surface emotions of loss are making you question your call. Maybe someone has left a a large church to become part of a CEC mission and while you know God wants you serving in your church, there are emotions of loss and grief following the changes that come with leaving a church to serve in a new context.

In all of these situations and many more, it is normal to feel the emotions of dying and grief. I encourage you to talk to your pastor and close Christian friends about your grief, and begin grieving the very real losses that death to self brings. The message of our faith is that out of death comes life. May the resurrection power and hope of God bring us to new places of faith as we learn to grieve our way to the death of self.

Peace and good things,

Fr. Kevin

Golden Compass, Dog, No Child Left Behind

2007-11-04T18:59:00.000-05:00

Okay--Here's my analysis from a Christian worldview.

Movies: The Golden Compass seems to have raised the ire of conservative Christians for promoting atheism and denigrating Christianity. The media picked up the battle in news pieces like this. Personally, I think it takes as much faith to believe in atheism as Christianity. In America, proponents of worldviews, ideas, and religions are free to express them and people are free to oppose them, accept them, reject them, or care less! Movies like "Narnia" can be sold to one market and "The Golden Compass" to another.

So here's my rub as one of those conservative Christians. Why do Christian activist groups react to some movies and not others? Why one of the ten commandments over another (atheism violates the first commandment, but what about movies that promote theft, killing sexual promiscuity, etc.?)

Why is there such a reaction to an atheistic movie but not to atheism in other forums such as educational institutions? Personally, I think proactive efforts are far more impacting than reactive efforts anyhow.

TV: Dog the Bounty Hunter used the "N" word and the Arts and Entertainment Network dropped his show before The Rev. Al Sharpton's crusade could hurt them with lost advertisers. Dog, begged mercy at the Good Reverend's feet, yada yada, yada. He likes his paycheck and fame. God bless him.If Al Sharpton reaps what he sows, eventually a white crusader will show up to give the Rev. and his cohort a taste of their own medicine. Watch out African Americans in the media, entertainment, and public places. With what measurement you judge, you will be judged. Dog like Imus will be back...

Politics and Education: Is "No Child Left Behind" effective? Educators are on the minds of the 2008 Presidential hopefuls as they debate "No Child Left Behind." I love school teachers. There are four in our church and my son and daughter-in-law are teachers in the public schools. All of these great people are highly trained and capable of educating children, yet "No Child Left Behind" is tying their hands. State programs will not fix why children are having trouble learning. What has gone wrong is a major cultural and social phenomena--broken families and homes--something the government cannot fix by legislation.

While this may sound simple, teachers being surrogate parents and having to socialize children, then have the added burden of "No Child Left Behind" testing is not a solution to our children's educational woes. Education must focus on learning, not babysitting. Families staying together, living responsible lives, parents learning parenting skills, and teachers being free to educate in reading, writing, math, and science will be more effective than "No Child Left Behind.

Parents--you are ruining America when you don't provide a stable home with good solid values and morals at the center. Here is where non-profits, charities, and faith can do a better job than the government.

Kevin Baker

Those Who Walk In Darkness Will See Light

2007-11-01T09:55:00.000-04:00

As the fires in California rage on, I am reading a book about darkness and personal growth. For me, 2007 has been a year of darkness with little pieces of light breaking through the dark clouds now and then. Today I am thinking about all those in California walking in darkness.

At Christmas we hear the quote from the biblical Book of Isaiah 9:2 which says, "The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them." Welcome words when we are in the dark.

What is darkness? Author Joyce Rupp says darkness might be any or all of the following:

1. A time in which the energy and focus of life is almost completely funneled into physical, emotional, or psychic pain.

2. An experience of being buried in deep sorrow and grief.

3. A discouraging and empty inner sojourn when nothing seems valuable or worthwhile.

4. A stage of spiritual desolation in which there is no sense of God's presence and little or no desire for things of the spirit.

5. A battle of indecision and struggle, when the unknowns and fears of the future press painfully on decision to be made.

6. A fog-like state when life is confusing, unclear, and seemingly impenetrable.

7. A situation with evil and atrocity which threaten to overpower or annihilate.

8. An excruciating time of helplessness in which one feels paralyzed or powerless to alleviate the pain of another.

9. An on-going negativity which brings with it a constant state of frustration, irritation, and dissatisfaction.

For me, darkness brings anger, grief, and fear. Yet, dark times come whether we want them or not. Darkness has taught me that it can be an opportunity for growth--to become bitter or better. The other truth is that eventually the dark night ends and the light of hope, a future, and better days does begin to shine on us again.

For all in California and for their loved ones around the nation impacted by the fires, our hearts, thoughts, and prayers are with you in this time of darkness. Let us all give to help those who are hurting.

Kevin+

CEC Websites of Interest

2007-10-20T13:14:00.001-04:00

Hi all!

Here are a bunch of CEC websites I think are interesting in order of "interesting-ness" IMHO :-)

International Development Agency/aka CEC Missions

CEC Worship

Cathedral Church of the Intercessor: Bishop Bates

1-2-3 Witness

A Heavenly Stitch *For those making vestments, banners, paraments...

International Website of the CEC

Ministry Opportunity: Angel Tree Leader

2007-10-20T13:07:00.000-04:00

Dear Church Family and Friends,

For many years our church participated in the Angel Tree Christmas outreach. For the past few years we have had no one to lead and oversee this ministry so it was discontinued. With Christmas being only 66 days away, I am asking if anyone would be interested in spearheading this project for 2007.

Angel Tree Christmas gives churches an opportunity to share Christ's love by helping to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the families of prisoners. Angel Tree Christmas works by connecting parents in prison with their children through the delivery of Christmas gifts. In most cases, local church volunteers purchase and deliver gifts and the gospel to children in the name of their prisoner-parent.

For more information click the link below:

http://www.angeltree.org/contentindex.asp?ID=83

If after prayerful consideration God guides you to become involved in this project or to pioneer some other holiday outreach, please let me know and I will provide you with the needed pastoral support. We will make this announcement at church for those who do not have access to email.

Peace,

Fr. Kevin

St. Patrick's Church

Patriarch Retirement

2007-10-20T13:01:00.000-04:00

Press Release: October 15th, 2007
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Patriarch’s Council of the International Communion of the
Charismatic Episcopal Church, meeting in Orlando, FL, October 15, 2007, accepted the Most Reverend Randolph Adler’s retirement as Primate and Patriarch of the ICCEC.

We wish to express our gratitude and appreciation for his founding of and many years of service to our church and we express our deepest love and affection for him and his wife, Betty, and our best wishes for their future.

Why Do College Campuses Lean to the Left?

2006-09-10T16:49:00.000-04:00

Dear Church,

The title of this blog is a link to an important article. Go there now, click, read, and see you back here in 5 minutes :) Here it is for anyone having problems finding it

Campuses Largely Lean Left ... But Why?
Insights From a Christian Philosophy Professor

Not only have we 'lost the culture,' but we continue losing even our own children. It's a familiar but tragic story that devout young people, raised in Christian homes, head off to college and abandon their faith. Why is this pattern so common?

Those words from Christian philosopher Nancy Pearcey are chilling. At the beginning of the summer, I encouraged everyone to study what Christian worldview is http://www.northave.org/MGManual/intro/tablec1.htm.

It is my belief that discipleship in the postmodern world must be worldview discipleship!

This article is part of my motive. As a graduate student, pastor, and hopefully soon to be a part-time Christian educator in the field of business, I am very concerned about the covenant promises being for us and our children, and all our children afar off being at risk if we do not teach ourselves and then our children and grandchildren to think like Christians. This is loving the Lord with all our mind and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. The alternative is what Pearce says--we lose our children to the world and that has a profound impact on the future of the Church and our country.

Thanks for reading this important article! Please tell us what you think on this blog.

Fr. Kevin

News

2006-07-11T18:09:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone... Just letting you know that our Faith at Work meeting is every first Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at Higher Grounds Coffee House corner of Sheridan and Millersport. Also, our church has started a new Christianity and Culture ministry led by Ronna Bulera. It will be keeping us abreast of developing cultural issues in light of a Christian worldview through bulletin inserts and here on this blog--enjoy!

Web sites to Visit

2005-11-05T12:44:00.000-05:00

You can visit the church web site at www.mybuffalochurch.org

How To Post Comments

2005-11-03T22:56:00.000-05:00

To post, all you have to do is click on comments and then when done hit log on and publish. You will not have to log on as anyone can comment.

Winds of Change in American Politics and Culture

2005-11-01T10:47:00.000-05:00

Ronna sent me an interesting link about atheists admitting they are losing ground to faith in the postmodern culture. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3933-1847654,00.html

Also, what do you think about the Harriet Miers nomination and the new nomination of Sam Ilito? What really happened? Do you think this is a new battle in the culture war?

Your thoughts and prayers on the hurricane disaster

2005-09-03T12:19:00.000-04:00

Please share your thoughts and prayers about the disaster in Lousiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. How can Christians help? See our website for opportunities to give to disaster relief www.stpatrickscec.org

Hurricane Katrina

2005-08-28T17:36:00.000-04:00

Please pray for our CEC Church in New Orleans:

Lamb of God (mission) | Website

The Rev. Fr. Mark McNary | Email

Worship address
At: Felicity United Methodist Church
1816 Chestnut St.
New Orleans, LA 70130

Phone: 504-324-0057

Time of service is 10:00 AM Sunday

Also, pray for friend of mine, Andrew Waites who is in Hattiesburg, MS and is a Regent alumni and business associate.

Have faith,

Fr. Kevin

Brother Roger of Taize Community Murdered in Worship

2005-08-18T12:36:00.000-04:00

I am going to post one of the saddest stories I have seen in awhile here. Brother Roger, the 90 year old founder of the Taize Community http://www.taize.fr/ was murdered by a crazed Romanian woman during evening prayer.

When things like this happen, once we pray and entrust our emotional sorrow and concern to God, these events raise what we philosophers and theologians call "the problem of evil." David Hume, the skeptic philosopher, set the challenge as he said about God and evil: "Is He willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then He is impotent. Is He able, but not willing? Then He is malevolent. Is He both able and willing? Whence then is evil?"

When we are challenged by this kind of thinking, first of all remember that we as Christians present the faith presuppositionally. That is, we ask "What are the presuppositions that this person who is challenging God holds?" Then, also realize that everyone has a worldview, and as you discuss things with others, DO NOT EVER ALLOW THEM TO USE OUR CHRISTIAN INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL AGAINST US. Example: A person who says they do not believe in God turns around and says something (like the crusades) is evil or wrong. Ask them, on what basis to they claim that something is good or evil? In our Christian worldview, we can explain good and evil. But, in your evolutionary atheism, is there good and evil; morality? In the evolutionary scheme, if a stronger fitter man rapes your wife and kills your children and takes everything from you, that is just survival of the fittest--not good or evil. Challenge people to be consistent with their own presuppositions.

Back to the "problem" of evil. Dr. Greg Bahnsen, whom I studied philosophy under, provides a great answer to the problem. I encourage everyone to read it, and post back your thoughts.

http://www.cmfnow.com/articles/pa105.htm

On Reaching Out--Our Apostolate

2005-08-17T17:18:00.000-04:00

The Church has often referred to the work of being sent out into the world by Jesus Christ as our apostolic work--sent ones going forth. Each one of us are sent ones according to the Great Commission Matthew. 28 and Acts 1:1-8. In a spirit of sincerity, love, and deep personal conviction we go forth into the world as individuals and as the Church to make others aware of the love and truth of God in Christ.

The four means of our apostolate are:

1. Speech
2. Action
3. Prayer
4. Example.

How can our church make others aware of the blessings God has given us in order to share them with a searching and hungry world?

Kinship Picnic Week

2005-08-17T17:14:00.000-04:00

This week, all of our kinships are having a cookout as the summer seasons ends. I just wanted to say Tuesday night's Clarence cookout was a blessing! It was great time of fellowship, and our ladies can really cook! The desserts were out of this world--heavenly. Better than any restaurant are St. Patrick's potlucks and cookouts! Looking forward to Thursday night's Batavia picnic and our annual church picnic August 28.

Fr. Kevin

Welcome

2005-08-15T23:13:00.000-04:00

This is a place in God's space to share from the heart and mind the things God is doing in and through St. Patrick's Charismatic Episcopal Church. We are a multi-campus church with locations in Amherst and Batavia, NY. We worship at the Park Scool Theatre, 4625 Harlem Rd. In Amherst between Main and Sheridan at 10:00 a.m. Sunday. See you! Our website is www.stpatrickscec.org