Published Monthly September 2017 Volume 39, Issue 9 the Magdalene that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered (ESV) From the Desk of Fr. Neil There are some key words in those verses. Make known. Tell. Seek. Remember. All of those words are a call to the people of God to take action, to be aware of just who God is and all that He has done for us, and to tell others about Him. The Psalm goes on to give an account of the many ways in which God rescued His people when they were slaves in Egypt. It talks about the plagues God sent, the deliverance from slavery and the ways in which God fed and sustained the people in the wilderness all very important things for the Israelites to remember, to talk about and to pass along. The message of Christianity is just as important if not more so because it includes us as well. We are now participants in God s saving work. We are now part of this plan of redemption from sin and death. WHAT TRULY SHOULD EXCITE US? As I was zealously and excitedly telling a friend the other day about a television show my wife and I enjoy watching, I suddenly came to a realization. I thought to myself, How often do I get this excited about the Christian faith, or Christ, or the Gospel? How often is what I believe and stake my eternal existence on, this exciting to me that I talk about it? The Christian faith is much more important than television, isn t it? It seems it should be. This made me think of what the Psalmist had in mind when he wrote the 105th Psalm. Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence The day that I had my realization, I began to take stock of my priorities. I began to think about why we spend so much energy on evangelizing people on matters of entertainment, favorite restaurants to go to, exercise routines others should try and many other things. We make recommendations. We get excited. We are very passionate, and we work hard to get those listening to partake of what we have found to be so exciting, fun, delicious, rewarding or entertaining. St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church 205 So. Glassell Street Old Town Orange, CA 92866 www.stmarymagdaleneacc.org Rev. Fr. Neil Edlin, Rector Now to be clear, there is nothing inherently wrong with entertainment, movies, restaurants, exercise, or watching a television program, as long as these things do not hinder our Christian walk. It is just fascinating how much excitement Sunday Services: 8am Mass 10am Choral Mass & Children s Sunday School Wednesday Service & Anointing of the Sick: 9am continually! Remember the wondrous works 1
we can generate over temporal, worldly things that benefit us perhaps - short term, but for the most part do not help us to grow spiritually and closer to God especially while we are reminded in scripture repeatedly that we are to seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and those things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. (Matthew 16:33; Colossians 3:1, ESV) A good movie can generate a good theological discussion. Good food is a gift of God and has historically always been an avenue for fellowship. Jesus used dining opportunities to spend time with common people, tell parables and talk about the Kingdom of God. Eating at a good restaurant and telling others about it is fine. Paul says, however, that, All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be dominated by anything. Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food and God will destroy both one and the other. (1 Corinthians 6:12-13a, ESV) Eating well and exercising should be a priority for all Christians. However, Paul writes to Timothy, for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:8, ESV) All of these things can be enjoyed. Many can even be exciting. But what truly should be the source of the Christian s excitement? There are other things that can legitimately excite us besides the Christian faith. God created the world for us to enjoy. Maybe, however, we might prioritize our lives differently and let the good news of the Gospel fill our minds, our conversations and our lives more than the other. the pursuit of holiness, or loving God, or following and imitating Christ. We are reminded also, Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, and serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope... (Romans 12:11-12a, ESV) All of these commands are aimed at exciting the Christian to holiness and good works. Jesus tells us that even love for family members must come after our love for Him. (Matthew 10:37) So what is the solution to getting our priorities straight concerning what excites us? The solution is to be immersed in what the scriptures tell us about God and our relationship with him. The Gospel is a message of good news that promises good things to sinners like us. It promises things to us that are worth getting excited about. We must remind ourselves over and over of the promises of God found in scripture. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1, ESV) neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39, ESV) And there are many others that contain exciting news for us both now and in the world to come. We don't need to make every conversation about the Christian faith, but we surely can do more to prioritize our conversations so that what we should be most excited about shows forth to others. If we contemplate the promises God made to us in scripture, we will inevitably become more excited about that. We are told many times in the New Testament to be zealous, striving, standing firm, ready, earnest and eager. But these are all attached to 2
SHORT STUDY For years, the month of September marked the beginning of the new school year. Teachers busied themselves with new projects and fresh new ideas for the autumn semester. For our Sunday School teachers, September marks the half way point in the Trinity season. Trinity is the time where children are taught, among other things, the Old Testament. In it we find stories of survival, stories of battles and victories, stories of heroes just not the kind of hero we are used to thinking of. So how do we define a hero to our children? Is it his helmet and shield? Is it his gallantry or courage? Is it his stature or physical appearance? God reveals to us many heroes in the Old Testament such as Noah, a hero that walked with God; Abraham, a hero that God made a covenant with; and Jacob, a hero who wrestles with God. When I think of these heroes, it brings to mind that each one is a human being. Most are of no significant wealth, prestige, education or even physical appearance that we know of. So what made these men heroes? We can safely conclude that our Bible heroes are not defined by possessions or looks but by their actions. God does provide us with insight on how He selected his heroes. Each one that God chose, heard His call, struggled but obeyed, and became devoted to God. Over time they all became faithful servants. God tells us that, We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. He directs us to, Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. (Romans 15:1-2) Having obeyed God s commands, our Bible heroes must have had these traits. Today, the word hero is used in a number of ways, but most of the time, the godly character of the individual is not mentioned. The Bible doesn't use the word hero and those who we see as such are first and foremost, God s faithful servants. Paul says, We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For the Christian to be considered a hero, he must first become a servant to all. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15: 5-7) ORDO CALENDAR ACTIVITIES St. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL St. Michael the Archangel is an angel of God. He is the leader of all angels of the army of God. This is what the title "Archangel" means. It means that he is above all of the other angels in rank. Very little is known about Michael the Archangel other than what we read about him in the scriptures, which themselves are sparse. In the Book of Daniel, Michael is mentioned twice (chapters 10 and 12). The first time as one who helped Daniel, and the second time he is mentioned with regard to the end times when he will stand for the "children of thy people." He is next mentioned in the Epistle of St. Jude, where Michael is said to have contended with the devil disputing about the body of Moses. The final mention of Michael the Archangel is in The Book of Revelation, where Michael and his angels, led the army of angels who cast Satan 3
and the rebellious angels into Hell; and at the end of time, he will wield the sword of justice to separate the righteous from the evil. We can surmise from scripture and tradition that Michael will to continue to wage battle against Satan; to work as God s agent in saving the souls of the faithful from the power of Satan especially at the hour of death; to protect the people of God; and to lead the souls of the departed from this life and present them to our Lord for judgment. We commemorate Michael the Archangel for showing us how much God loves us during times of temptation and the special care He provides for us at the time of our departure. LABOR DAY WEEKEND FUNDRAISER Starting on Friday, September 1 st through the 3 rd, St. Mary Magdalene Church Parking Lot becomes a Concession Parking Lot where we sell parking spaces for $10.00 per car. We need EVERYONE to help us work the lot so please sign up in the Narthex for just 3 hours. It s truly lots of fun. You can enjoy the Orange Int l Food Fair music right from our own front door. If you don t feel like fair food, entice the group working with you into a mini-potluck, a singalong or a game of checkers. All the money raised goes towards repaving the parking lot that is badly needed. GUILDS, GROUPS & EVENTS BROWN BAG LECTURE II EXTERNAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER Come join us as we explore with Fr. Paul Castellano, some unique facts about the Book of Common Prayer on September 24 th beginning at 11:30am in the Parish Hall. History has taught us that the Book of Common Prayer is the product of the diligent labors and genius of Abp. Thomas Cranmer. What many don t know however, is he had assistance; not only from within England but from elsewhere. We will be discussing one of the most significant influences on Abp. Cranmer as he labored to produce one of the greatest pieces of literature - either secular or religious - history has seen. The Guild will be selling brown bag sandwich lunches for $5.00. All proceeds will go to our Outreach Mission program abroad. BIBLE STUDY BEGINS ON THE PARABLES The Wednesday Morning Bible Study starting on September 13 th at 10:00 AM will begin a new topic. We will be looking at the Parables of Jesus. Come to find out the reason Jesus taught in parables, what they are and what they were designed to convey. Meet us in the Parish Hall. A Bible will be provided if you do not have one. This study is for all levels and backgrounds. Fell free to bring a coffee treat to share. PATRIOT S DAY SERVICE TO HONOR OUR MILITARY Come celebrate our military service men and women by prayer and thanksgiving for their sacrifice to keep America Free. Show your support by wearing red, white and blue on September 10 th at 10am service. During mass, we will be honoring our military personnel with a roll call. Please post the service members in your family either present or deceased on the roll call sheet in the Narthex. 4
The children to the parish will also join in the procession carrying American Flags. Each year Our Choir Director, Andrew selects the most beautiful music for the occasion and the choir is absolutely stunning so invite your friends and family. After the service, there will be a special celebration with raffle prizes. KID S CORNER CHILDREN S PATRIOT DAY PROCESSION Parents, please have your children arrive at the church on Patriot s Day Mass, September 10th in patriotic colors so they can process in front of the choir. Childcare leaders Jeannie and Mattie will orchestrate the procession line. Parents who desire to have their infants in the procession must be held. Please let Jeannie or Mattie know so they can make arrangements for that day. No-Flash pictures are permitted on this day during the mass. LATE SERVICE SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR TODDLERS Yes we are filling up both rooms with such joy and laughter. Our toddler program, when all children are in attendance, is very busy. We love to have Moms and Dads with their children but the rooms just are not big enough to hold everyone so we are asking if you your child is 2yrs or older, and you plan on staying with your child, please let Jeannie know that you will be staying upstairs so she can plan for you to participate as a teacher. Starting in October, Jeannie will be holding a table top read and color session for 3-4yr olds. Parents with toddlers 3 4 yrs old must be dropped off in Room 1 (the first door on your left). Parents with children under 3 yrs of age, please drop your child off at the nursery door down the hall. Anyone with a child older than 4yrs, please notify Sharon to come up stairs to teach Sunday School. Watch for announcements on school activities in the Narthex. PROVINCIAL SYNOD Provincial Synod is rapidly approaching. On the first week of October, ACC clergy and delegates of the parishes will meet in Dunwoody, Georgia at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia to hold the Annual Business meeting. It s all about the business with each of the Dioceses presenting their financial and parochial reports for the year. In addition, the leaders of four Continuing Anglican Churches have announced plans to meet in Atlanta, Georgia. At the conclusion of the week it is the intention of the Churches to sign an agreement establishing full communion among the four bodies. Each Church Communion will hold its own separate mandatory business meetings and Synods, but will join together for common worship and social occasions. Fr. Neil will give a recap of the Synod during announcements on the following Sunday. 5
THE AUTUMN POTLUCK IS ALMOST HERE Mark your calendars!! The Autumn In-House Potluck Brunch will be held on October 22 nd following the 10:00am service. Be prepared for visitors. Watch for announcements in the Narthex. THE NEWS REPORT. OUR PAC-A-SAC TEAM HITS AN ALL-TIME RECORD! Fr. Neil and the Outreach Committee thank all those who supported the last Pac-A-Sac event by coming out and making sack lunches for the homeless at Mary s Kitchen. Over 250 lunches were made and not one was wasted. 40 cases of water were donated. If you are interested in helping Mary s Kitchen during the week, Gloria has a couple of service projects she needs help with. We need at least three people including at least one man. Please contact Violet if you are willing and able. THE SCONES WERE A HIT! Our special thanks to Karen Carlson for her demonstration scones making. Eight bakers had an incredible time making their own batch of scones while being instructed. Lou and the other men brought and made delicious teas to pair with the scones. The Parish Hall was all a buss. At one point there was so much laughter and gaiety that you could hardly hear a word. Next up, Fr. Neil will hold a Tasting of Dark Chocolates from around the world. RALPH S COMMUNITY PARTNERS PROGRAM Thank you so much for your ongoing support of Ralph s Community Contributions Program. Our church receives up to 2 percent of your grocery purchases when you shop at Ralph s. The new program year begins on September 1, 2017. Participants can start registering for the new term on September 1 st 2017. To ensure SMM church continues to receive the benefits of the program, you will need to register and/or re-register as quickly as possible on or after that date at www.ralphs.com. Participants are required to register for the new term online at www.ralphs.com or by calling them at 800-443-4438 starting September 1, 2017. Even if you registered as recently as June, July or August 2017, you are required to register again beginning September 1 st. For your convenience, step-by-step website registration instructions can be found at www.ralphs.com, click on Community, click on Community Contributions, click on Enroll Now. If you don t have computer access, please call us at 1-800-443-4438 for assistance. INTER-VARSITY ORIENTATION WEEK PROGRAM Our special thanks to the men who supported Inter-Varsity s Orientation Program for Chapman students during the first week of school by supplying coolers, ice and drinks. What a great way to kick off this new community outreach program with the men leading us. Watch for announcements on ways you can support this program during the year or contact Fr. Neil or Sharon if you have a special interest. 6