July - August July - December 2010 The Good shepherd Newsletter Christ the good shepherd Episcopal church www.christthegoodshepherd.org Rev. Joseph Oloimooja Dear Christ the good shepherd Family, Merry Christmas to you all Christmas brings lots of excitement - friends and family coming over, trees and cookies to be decorated, lights and socks to be hung. On Sundays we gather together to worship Him who came. This is our season - Christ is the reason for all our celebration! As you celebrate His coming, I thought it would be exciting to be reminded of the good things God has done here at Christ the good shepherd this past six months that I have been with you. Here are some highlights: Christ the good shepherd Episcopal church 3303 W. Vernon Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90008 Tel. 323-295-4139 Fax. 323-295-4081 cccshepherd4041@sbcglobal.net Bible studies sessions...15 Baptisms...1 Home visits...12 Hospital visits...8 Parishioners counseled...9 Phone call visits...48 Memorial services...5
The Good shepherd Newsletter July - August Mission and Ministry of the church Introduction, So to begin with What is the purpose of the church? Acts 2:42 could be considered a purpose statement for the church: They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. According to this verse, the purposes/activities of the church should be 1) Teaching biblical doctrine, 2) Providing a place of fellowship for believers, 3) Observing the Lord s Supper, and 4) Praying. The church is God s hands, mouth, and feet in this world the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). We are to be doing the things that Jesus Christ would do if He were here physically on the earth. The church is to be Christian, Christ-like, and Christ-following. In the next following eight weeks I will be teaching a bout the mission and ministry of the local church and what it is that we as the church had been called to do. So let s get started; JULY July 4th, the mission of the church Matthew 28:18-202 Harvest is great but laborers are few The mission of the church is to go every town and place V.1 We are to go in pairs Teamwork V.1 We can never have enough laborers V.2 We are not to worry about finances for the ministry V.4 We are to expect opposition V.10 We have been given authority V.19 July 11th, who is my neighbor? Priest Levite Samaritan(Lay person) Lesson to take Home The one in need of help The one I do not know The one I might never see again July 17th, one thing is needful Luke 10:34-42 To receive instruction of life To receive fresh anointing for him To receive new energy for the journey and to receive new wisdom from Him What is the Beauty of sitting under His feet? It can never be taken away When God open no one can see No one can pluck us out of his hand Sitting under Jesus feet July 25th, Town Hall meeting
July - August Bishop Bruno Preach and celebrate AUGUST August 1st, How to take care of our spiritual life Run with perseverance V.2 By looking unto Jesus V.2 Accept discipline from the lord V.6 Pursue peace with all people V.14 If possible Rom 12:18 Pursue Holiness V.14 August 22nd, How to identify the continual presence of God in our lives Be your own guard- watch three type of greed 1. Monetary greed 2. Fame greed 3. Sexual greed Lesson to Take Home 1. Be ye contend with what you have 2. Humble yourself and God will lift you up 3. Present your bodies as living sacrifices to God Rom12:1 August 8th, How to live a life of no worry Psalm 46 1. He is very present V.1 2. He is in our midst 3. He is with us V.8 Now that you know that he is all of the above; what is required of you 1. V.11 Be still to know August 29th, The Evidence of Christian living Facing the unknown Future Do not be afraid Consider the ravens Consider the lilies Do not keep striving Do not keep worrying Instead strive for his kingdom Be dressed for action Have your lamps lit Be ready Hebrews 13:1-8 1. Mutual love within us 2. Hospitable people 3. Remember those in need of Help V.2 4. Honoring our marriages 5. Living a life free from the love of money 6. Respect authority(those above you in the lord) August 15th, Running the Christian race Hebrew 12:1-7 How to do it effectively Lay a side every weight V.1 Lay a side the sin that clings closely V.1
The Good shepherd Newsletter September - October Forgiveness as a way of Life UNFORGIVENESS hurts you, not the Person You Haven t Forgiven SEPTEMBER 5th September, what forgiveness is not You may have heard someone utter the words, I could never forgive him, or Why should I ever forgive you. What the person probably doesn t realize is that he or she is only hurting him or herself by refusing to forgive. Forgiveness is an important part of stress management and keeps a person focused on productive things. If you lack the ability to forgive, even for the smallest things, you may very well be killing yourself a little bit each day. The impact on your health could be as devastating as the impact of other slow killers such as obesity, smoking, or diabetes. Get a handle on your resentment toward others by truly forgiving others and do it for yourself. Improve your quality of life by freeing yourself of the thoughts that drain your resources. Chances are that if you feel drained everyday, you may feel better if you are able to forgive someone who you need to forgive, So Here are the reasons to forgive as well as a few tips of how to forgive. 1. It is not forgetting 2. It is not condoning/ ignoring bad behavior of your offender 3. It is choosing to let go and let God 12th September, who needs our forgiveness 1. Ourselves 2. Others in our lives 3. God 19th September, How to know if you have been forgiven 1. You will have peace of mind and peace of heart 2. The sin or offense will lost its appeal 3. You will have the willingness to forgive others 26th September, How to know if you have truly forgiven someone If you still spend time around the person, it is likely you will feel a sense of peace that you didn t have once you have fully forgiven someone. It will feel good, and your intentions toward that person will feel right. You might catch yourself saying something nice about the person after you say something negative.
September - October These are good signs that you have at least begun to forgive someone. Once you feel this feeling, it will be easier to forgive the next time with the next person you need to forgive. Like anything you will get better with practice. So keep practicing forgiveness. When you reach the following four points you have truly forgiven 1. When you start loving again John 3:16 2. If you stop Judging/ criticizing that person John 8:10-11 3. If you stopped thinking/ talking about the past hurts from the one who hurt you 4. If you live what you says Matthew 5:37, James 1:22 4. We will not be forgiven if we don t forgive others 5. It can damage your health and your relationships with others and God 6. It definitely wastes your time and your energy 7. It allows other people to control you Resentment is a long lasting ill-willed attitude you hold toward someone. Usually people feel resentment due to something they think is unfair or due to being hurt by another person. Resentment is more that a flash of anger. Resentment hangs on and gnaws at your insides. It makes you feel sick. It makes you mean and nasty. October 3rd October, How to thrive at forgiving yourself and others 1. Express yourself 2. Look for the positive 3. Cultivate Empathy 4. Protect yourself and move on 5. Get professional help if you need it. 10th October, Home coming in Kenya 17th October, why must we forgive others even when we don t feel like forgiving 1. So our prayers don t have to be hindered 2. Because we have a need for forgiveness ourselves Matthew 6:14-16 3. Because we are in obedience to God s word 24th October, How to Forgive and Stop Resentment Forgiveness is a difficult thing to do because it goes against human nature. Initially you want to retaliate, get even, and be angry when someone hurts you. If those strong feelings don t go away quickly, then you are resentful and will have to learn a strategy for forgiveness. Some people might be able to use logic to forgive, while others will use their personal beliefs to help them. If you are still angry, it is not likely that you will be able to rationalize your resentment away. If you remember how you have been forgiven in the past by others and god it may help you get started. Try these five points and see what happens 1. Admit that you yourself have needed forgiveness before 2. Tell yourself that forgiving others is good for you 3. Decide how much you can forgive today ( I ll forgive 10% today )
The Good shepherd Newsletter 4. Find something productive to do with your energy 5. Forgive a little more each day With this plan, you will gradually take a healthier outlook. You will find that forgiving someone a little at the beginning will be the most difficult and it will get easier. 31st October, What if You Need to Forgive Yourself Sometimes we are resentful toward ourselves due to bad choices we made or lack of self control in an area. Forgiveness will free you to focus your resources productively instead of putting yourself down constantly. Realize that you are likely more critical of yourself than others, and you should remind yourself that you deserve second chances. Know that God loves you, someone else probably loves you somewhere, and you can change. You will find forgiveness for yourself when you accept that you don t need to be perfect, but that you are willing to work to get better IN REALITY Ever wonder what life would be like if our family and friends never forgave us for the mistakes we made? Take a moment to reflect on your own life. Think hard about it. What images do you see more often? Do you see yourself apologizing more or waiting for an apology All of us, at one point or another in our lives have had an experience that frustrated us, made us upset, resentful, or angry. The sources of difficulty might have been, among so many possibilities, the words or actions of a family member or friend, or the words or actions of a stranger. One of the greatest challenges to human nature is the issue of forgiveness. Those who can t forgive themselves are filled with guilt and despair, and those who won t forgive others are filled with anger and bitterness. The most miserable people are the people who never let go of their bitterness. Have you ever met an old bitter man or woman? They can t enjoy life and those who love them can t enjoy them. Bitterness builds a barrier that keeps them caged in and the rest of the world closed out. The bitter person will cling to a hurt from the past and will never let go of it even though they know it is destroying them. To various degrees, we all struggle with bitterness. When we cling to anger, we punish those that hurt us, and we destroy ourselves. We throw a pity party that only we can attend. We may be able to hurt others by our bitterness, but we also become isolated and lonely Obstacles to Being Forgiving: What is it about forgiving others that is so difficult? If you think about it, you can identify family members and friends you know who have found it almost impossible to be forgiving. We all might have family members who allowed an argument, over something trivial, to escalate to the point of no return. Rather than restraining anger, restraining the tongue, and restraining the hands and legs, we sometimes become vulnerable and lose control of ourselves. As a result, an uncle might not be talking to your father, or a mother might be shunning her own daughter or son. The desire not to forgive is not something unnatural. What is unnatural, with sometimes dire consequences to one s mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health, is the savoring of, the sulking in,
September - October and as gory as it sounds, the enjoyment of, the feelings of resentment and anger towards a person. As you can tell by now, you and I are responsible for how we manage our feelings, especially when it comes to being forgiving of one another. As much as we would like to blame our inability to forgive on other people, claiming that we do not forgive because the other person or persons are so bad, so unworthy of forgiveness, the reality is that not forgiving others is more a reflection about who we are, and about our souls more than it is about other people. Learning to Be Forgiving: One clear obstacle to being forgiving is our tendency to want to hold a grudge against people. As I said earlier, sometimes holding a grudge ends up being years spent apart from a family member or a friend. The question to ask then is: What do we gain by holding a grudge and not wanting to forgive? What could be so painful to us that we are unwilling to give the person who hurt us a second chance? Final Thoughts: One way to think about forgiveness is that in addition to living our lives according to the teachings of the bible, we have to aspire to internalize the daily practice of being compassionate, loving, merciful, and forgiving people, for example. Are you ready to incorporate forgiveness as a way in which you do your life? Who will be the first person you e-mail or call to tell them that he or she is forgiven? Who will you walk up to and say, Listen, I m sorry for holding a grudge against you for so long. Imagine how relieved you will feel knowing that you are no longer carrying around with you the burden of anger and frustration! Knowing that you have released all of that negative energy from your body will be refreshing and make it easier for you to be forgiving of others and to be forgivable by others. Indeed God is the Forgiving one and he forgives us on the basis in which we forgive others. Forgive us our sins because we have already forgiven those who have sinned against us. Whom have you forgiven lately?
The Good shepherd Newsletter November -December How to Get Along with People Introduction Why is there constant war and bloodshed on the earth? Why are so many people unable to get along with others? Psychologists have written books to explain the reasons, but fail to examine the Bible for the answers. The fundamental cause is, of course, human nature. Contrary to liberal ideology, human nature it is not plastic and changing, with an unlimited capacity to do good. Human nature is just the opposite. The threat of thermonuclear war constantly threatens. We live in a world where differing national interests, ideas, backgrounds, and cultures play an important role. For example, when we think of national interests, we should realize that the origin of war begins with theft. Men simply are unable to live in peace. The Bible candidly states:... The way of peace have they not known (Rom. 3:17). While there is little most of us can do about the world in general, we can be at peace with people around us and with the people we know. That is the purpose of these eight weeks sermons The Bible instructs: If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men (Rom. 12:18). While we cannot control the thoughts and actions of others, we can do our part in living peaceably. That is why it states, if it be possible. There is much in the Bible about the need to be at peace. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God (Matt. 5:9). There are several principles, if understood and applied, which will help us to get along with others. NOVEMBER November 7th, Loving God Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. If you love me keep my commandment. John 14:15-21 What does it mean to love Him 1. That we give our life and service to Him 2. That we love and care about His people 3. That we follow and obey him all the days of our life. November 14th, the benefits of communicating to one another in love 1. They that knows the Lord spoke to one another 2. The Lord remembers them 3. The Lord will spare them
November -December 4. The sun of righteousness will rise upon them November 21st, recognize the value of peace in all relationships 1. They that love thy law loves they peace 2. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord (Heb. 12:14 3. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it (Ps. 34:14). 4. Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them (Ps. 119:165 often do we give thanks for absolutely EVERY- THING in our lives, even the situations that we deem negative or bad? I am entering into this Thanksgiving with an attitude of gratitude not only for my successes, my friendships, my relationships, my health and the things in my life, but with thanks for those difficulties, those challenges that ended up being opportunities for new growth. Members shared their thanksgiving with one another in the form of testimonies November 28th, We must have a desire to get along with others 1. We must desire to dwell together in unity! (Ps. 133:1 2 rather than arguing with others, we are told to be gentle unto all men.... (Phil. 4:5). 3. Refuse the urge to be right in everything 4. Refuse the urge to win all the time 5. Refuse the urge to be even November 25th, Thanksgiving service Giving thanks in everything Thanksgiving is here: a time when we give thanks for food, friends, family and health. Have you noticed that we normally only give thanks for all the things that are going right in our lives? But, how DECEMBER December 5th, How important is the issue at hand? 1. do not let your emotions get in the situation your are dealing with 2. Learn to admit that your thinking could be wrong There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death (Prov.14:12). There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness (Prov. 30:12 3 Have a proper look of the entire situation {what is the context} 4. Evaluate if you cant live without the issue at hand
The Good shepherd Newsletter December 12th, Learn to assume at least half the responsibility in any issue 1. Be willing to compromise without sinning 2. Be willing to meet the other in the middle 3. Allow God to be the judge All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the spirits (Prov. 16:2 NKJV December 19th, Emotional control is a key to getting along 1. Uncontrolled emotions can be a major factor in disagreements, 2. Do not be hasty to be angry. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools (Eccl. 7:9). What should those who constantly argue realize? For one thing, they will be labeled a fool and possibly hated by others? He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked [intentions] is hated (Prov. 14:17). This is why we are admonished: He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly (v. 29). A fool has many characteristics, and one of them is the inability to control emotions. We are told: A fool s wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covered shame (Prov. 12:16). It is a shame, therefore, when one is unable to control his thoughts and allows his emotions to run wild. 25:28). An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression (Prov. 29:22). Such a person is usually unable to control his or her tongue. A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards (v. 11). December 26th, learn to be forgiving and not to hold grudges 1. One of the reasons people hold grudges is because of what others say about them behind their backs. 2. One who holds a grudge and is unable to forget the past is the one who is really harmed. Such negative feelings deprive him or her of the happiness and joy one should be experiencing in life. In the long run what is reaped from holding a grudge is not worth the effort. This only plays into the hands of Satan who is the real accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10). 2. Aside from the gospels, other New Testament passages emphasize the importance of putting hard feelings behind and not holding a grudge. The Apostle Paul wrote: Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye (Col. 3:12-13). With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love (Eph. 4:2). 3. Practice self control. He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls (Prov. 10
November -December As we come together with loved ones for Christmas - and as you are thinking about end of year contributions, I urge you to join me in making a contribution to Christ the good shepherd. Your gift of any amount will be greatly appreciated and it will make a tremendous difference in the life of others. In the tradition of our Lord of miracles join me in creating another miracle: the miracle of a strong good shepherd community in the Leimert Park- the soul of Los Angeles for generations to come. Thank you for having me in your midst as your priest and thank you for your support. May the Christmas light bring warmth and strength to you and your loved ones in the coming days. Yours servant and His, Fr. Joseph Oloimooja P.S. Why not right now begin to think and pray about whom you could invite to our Christmas Eve Service, from 10:30 Mid night On December 24th,? 11
Christ the good shepherd Episcopal church 3303 W. Vernon Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90008 Tel. 323-295-4139 Fax. 323-295-4081 cccshepherd4041@sbcglobal.net