Response to COVID-19

Posted on Mar 6, 2020 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

 
Update as of March 17, 2020: Our 8:00am Sunday service has been cancelled until further notice. Our 9:30am Sunday service will be live streamed and only essential personnel will be present. Wednesdays @ Servants classes will live streamed when they take place. Check our Facebook and other social media pages for announcements and links to live streams. If you have a prayer need, visit servantsanglican.org/prayer to send your need directly to our prayer team leader, Mary Langeland.
 
Dear Servants,
 
On Sunday I shared with the congregation that I would be meeting with a small group of our members who have expertise/experience dealing with virus infection and prevention to address the COVID-19 (the coronavirus). Wednesday Emily Wilson, Dr. Jim Moulthrop, and Daryl Johnston met with me in an extensive planning meeting. The good news is that Servants already has an emergency plan in place and I can report that plan has now been updated. These individuals have made themselves available for any questions you might have for them.
 
The first action we have taken is regarding Communion. I have asked the altar guild to use only the silver chalices for communion until further notice. As many of you know silver is a deterrent to the spread of germs. Furthermore, Father James and I will be explaining at the Peace about the options each of you have regarding the chalice. First, you may refrain from receiving the wine altogether. It is perfectly acceptable to only receive the wafer as a full participant in the Sacrament of Communion. Secondly, you may intinct the wafer in the chalice; intinct is a fancy word for dip. If you choose this method, please take care not to allow your finger to touch the wine. Third, you may continue to receive the chalice to your mouth as is our standard practice. This is the method I will continue to use, unless I get a cold, of course. We are prepared to alter our Communion practice should the time come.
 
We will also be providing information from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) regarding how individuals may best prevent the spread of germs. There will be printed material on the welcome table and also some posters up on Sunday. The CDC is our best source of information and we encourage you to visit their website for the most update information. Our team will be implementing the CDC’s recommendations as they are available. As an example, we will be making hand sanitizer available at the first pew and also in the narthex and children’s area for your use when entering or exiting the church building.
 
Additionally, Father James and I will be encouraging a modified sharing of the Peace on Sunday mornings. Again, you have freedom to share the peace in any way you desire but please respect that others may not want to hug or shake hands during this period of time. Let’s extend grace to one another and respect each others boundaries. Fist pumps, waves, or elbow touches are appropriate ways to express the Peace.
 
Now, having laid out some the work of our team, let me address COVID-19 from a pastoral standpoint. First, let me say this is not a time to be fearful, nor is it a time to avoid facing the potential danger. Both fear and avoidance are unwise responses from the people of God. As Christians, we have peace because this virus is not catching our God by surprise. He is Lord of heaven and earth and will continue to walk with us in the days ahead.
 
Second, let me remind you that times of crisis create opportunities for us to speak to unbelieving friends and family about the peace we have in Jesus. Yes, we desire to live a long healthy life, yes we want to be diligent to protect ourselves against this and all other illness however, as Paul makes clear, “to live is Christ, to die is gain!” Don’t miss the opportunity to demonstrate and speak faith in your response to this virus. Here is a story of how Christians are responding to the virus inside China.
 
Third, let me encourage you to not pull away from the Body of Christ during this time. Sure, we can isolate and avoid human relationship but at what cost? Obviously immune-compromised members will need to limit their contact. Also, if you are sick with any symptoms that could be caused by the coronavirus, or by the flu for that matter, you should stay home. We are blessed to already have Facebook Live available as a way of watching the service from your home should that need arise. Please see below for more on how to access our live service. But for those who are well and who have healthy immune systems, remember the benefits of participation in the Body and stay present. As Mary Coryell is fond of saying, “I don’t know how people go through a personal crisis without a Church body like this.” Amen! We are better together and together we will serve God to His glory in this broken world. If you do become ill, remember that we have a prayer team at Servants of Christ. Call or email Mary Langeland at (352) 371-2939 or marylang704@gmail.com.
 
Be assured that the rest of our clergy and I will remain active in pastoring this congregation through this emergency. If you need pastoral assistance, call me any time at (352) 870-4424.
 
I am praying for all of you and am available for your questions and comments as always.
 
Onward and Upward,
 
 
 
 
 

How to access us Live on Sundays:

1) First, if you haven’t already, create a Facebook account at facebook.com.
2) Once your account is created, visit facebook.com/servantsanglican and Like our page and be sure to select “Following” so you’ll get notifications when we go live. Wait for Sunday and then proceed to one of the options below!
 
From a computer:
On Sundays, login to your Facebook account and head over to facebook.com/pg/servantsanglican/videos. Once we go live (usually around 9:20am), our video will be the first you see when you scroll down the page slightly. You’ll know you have the right video because there will be a red “Live” button at the top left of the video. If you don’t see the live video after 9:30am, message us using the button at the top of our Facebook page for help.
 
From a phone:
On Sundays, visit linktr.ee/servantsanglican and tap “Find us Live on Sundays.” The link will take you to our Facebook page; you may need to login before proceeding. Once logged in, scroll down until you see the live video (look for the red “Live” button at the top left corner of the video). If you don’t see the live video after 9:30am, message us through Messenger for help.
 
If you need any help setting up your account, contact communications@servantsanglican.org.

Ways to Help the Bahamas

Posted on Sep 9, 2019 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

 
“Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.”
Proverbs 21:13
 
Dear Servants,
 
I shared during my sermon Sunday that I was convicted by Proverbs 21:13 early that morning. I know that you are praying and looking for ways to help Bahamians and so I want to share with you the information I have received today. I was invited to a conference call this morning to share information and resources as the Church looks for ways to aid our sisters and brothers in great need.
 
First, pray for first responders and relief workers who are still overwhelmed with the number of bodies to be recovered and buried in a humane way. Also, pray for families in the Bahamas and in the U.S. who do not know if family members are alive or dead.
 
Second, here are some ways you can tangibly assist the people of the Bahamas:
  1. You can donate to World Central Kitchen, a NGO whose mission is “A hot plate of food when it’s needed most.” Their disaster relief team is already up and running in the Bahamas to serve hot meals. Learn more and donate at wck.org.
  2. You send or take gift cards to Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church Gainesville. These cards will be sent to refugees in Miami who have evacuated from the Bahamas.
  3. You can give financial contributions through the Alachua County Christian Pastors Association at Givelify (select “Other” and note “Bahamas Hurricane Relief Effort” as the memo). The ACCPA is working with Pastor Gerard Duncan of Prayer by Faith Ministries of Gainesville (Pastor Gerard is from the Bahamas) and with the local Kiwanis Club in the Bahamas to get supplies to where they are needed. The first bulk order of supplies will be shipped on September 11.
  4. You can volunteer or make donations to help with refugees in Old Town, Florida at Camp Anderson which has received refugees from the Bahamas.
 
God is definitely mobilizing His Church for this crisis. If the parish staff can assist with collecting funds or supplying follow up information please let us know. The need is urgent so I wanted to get this information out to all of you as soon as possible.
 
Peace be with you all,
 

Looking Forward to Fall

Posted on Aug 1, 2019 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

 
Dear Servants,
 
I hope your summer has been filled with experiences that take you out of your routine, giving you perspective, and especially moments where God has spoken into your life with His plan for you this fall. For me, the rhythm of my annual hiking on the Appalachian Trail, Independence Day reunion with family, and of course Camp Araminta give me opportunity to reflect on the academic year past and the one about to begin.
 
Despite the slowdown of summer, Servants has been continuing to meet weekly for congregational worship and to minister to the community around us. In June, Kim Harris and a team of adult and youth volunteers held Kids’ Creation Station (a new VBS-type program for children) on Thursday mornings. As many as 21 children participated over the four weeks for this fun and formative time.
 
Also this summer, our Come and See service (an Evening Prayer service geared towards those spiritually seeking but not ready for Sunday morning) moved out to Grace Marketplace. For several years, Servants has provided food for 150-200 residents of Grace and Dignity Village. Now we can offer spiritual food to the residents who wish to attend after dinner. Mike and Jeannie Bey and Emily Wilson worked with me to create this service and now we feel confident Grace is the right place to offer it.
 
Lastly, just two weeks ago many of us attended the 14th annual Camp Araminta, our diocesan summer camp. This year 163 campers attended, along with 51 high school leaders in training, 27 college-aged counselors, and 26 adults. Servants of Christ was significantly involved: twelve of the adults leaders came from our church. This was one of our smoothest camps ever and I’m excited to report eleven campers made first time decisions to follow Christ as Lord! Additionally, four of our counselors are exploring a call to ministry. Please pray for all the Araminta family but especially new believers and counselors-in-discernment.
 
As camp was ending, I received the word from our junior warden, Bill McCrea, “Today is great day for SOC Anglican Church! With the completion of this drain pipe for our roof drainage system I believe we can say our so called ‘critical’ building infrastructure needs are finally done. As of today our building is secure. All HVAC units are functioning properly, our roof and drain system is as well. No new leaks anywhere today at all! So our roof is functioning as it should and our new flooring will be done by end of the day. Hallelujah!”
 
I am certain you join Bill in saying hallelujah! This has been a long process, grinding on since last summer. Great thanks to our facility team, especially Daryl Johnston, Ken Langeland, and Bill McCrea for their tireless efforts to keep us moving forward, as well as a host of other folks who have participated in the process.
 
All of this sets us up for exciting ministry this fall. Already we are starting to see new faces in the service as new people move into Gainesville seeking a church home. Our Community Groups (medium-sized, multi-generational groups that meet monthly around the city) are a great way to meet new people at Servants. If you’re already involved in a Community Group, invite someone new; if you’ve never attended a Community Group, visit our page to learn more and find a group.
 
Enjoy the remainder of your summer, but please begin to pray for all that God wants to accomplish through our congregation this fall.
 
Onward and Upward,
 

Moving Forward in Ministry

Posted on Mar 26, 2019 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

Dear Servants,
 
Winter has passed and spring is here. I mentioned in my Ash Wednesday sermon, it is a bit odd that even as we are fasting and solemn during the Lenten season, we see new life springing up around us. The days get longer and the flowers of spring forth. We have now reached the halfway mark in Lent. Congratulations! For me so far, the highlight of Lent has been the combined service at Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church last Wednesday. I love seeing our congregation step out of our comfort zone. For those who could not attend we had wonderful fellowship between the two congregations with about eighty in attendance. Our meal was followed by an evening service lead by Pastor Karl Smith. Pastor Smith graciously allowed me the privilege of preaching to both congregations.
 
If you missed this service, I promise you will be blessed this Wednesday – tomorrow – as we reciprocate by hosting Great Bethel in our building this week. Dinner will be provided at 6 pm followed by a Eucharistic celebration. Pastor Smith will be our preacher. These shared services are an answer to prayer for our congregation as we have sought to create a sister parish relationship with a church on the eastside of Gainesville.
 
Months ago, when we moved into our new space, I said on several occasions that the purchase of our own buildings must not become an end in of themselves but a means for our congregation to do ministry. Too often the end of a building program leaves a congregation exhausted and ready to coast. It is so exciting to see the work of our mission team in leading a new season of ministry partnership. Hopefully you caught some of their mission spotlights during Epiphany. Already our men’s ministry is planning a short mission trip to Panama City (Bay County) to do relief work. Please pray for this team as we prepare to serve those still affected by Hurricane Michael last October. In addition, we will be participating in a city-wide worship service at Bo Diddley Plaza on Good Friday, April 19, at 7pm, as we come together in unity across Gainesville. David La Cagnina is helping coordinate various worship teams that will assemble and I am blessed to be one of the speakers for this event.
 
All this to say, I am overjoyed to see Servants engaged in ministry from our new space, even as we continue to work to make our buildings an attractive place for worship and ministry training. Our roof is nearing completion, and we have a remodeled Triangle Room ready for children’s ministry. In May we wrap up our three-year capital campaign and we are already beginning to plan a time of celebration for God’s faithfulness to us in this journey. Look for information shortly about this event.
 
We have so much to be thankful for, friends. God has rooted us along 8th Avenue and given us new and diverse opportunities for ministry. I look forward to the end of Lent and the glorious celebration of Christ’s resurrection Sunday April 21st. We will baptize, proclaim the gospel, worship in Spirit and Truth and recommit ourselves to the work of ministry in Jesus’s name.
 
May God continue to bless your Lenten practices as we journey towards Holy Week and that blessed Easter morning.
 
 
Onward and Upward,

Lessons & Carols: Exercises in Simple Worship

Posted on Dec 20, 2018 in Blog, Guest Blogger |

 
In the Anglican tradition, we have inherited many pieces of liturgy over the last two thousand years. So, it may be a bit surprisingly to learn that the service of Nine Lessons and Carols is a fairly recent invention, celebrating its one-hundredth birthday only this year.
 
While there had been services of alternating scripture readings and carols going back to the mid-1800s, the service as we know it today was constructed out of the grief and horror of the First World War, which had ended only 6 weeks before Christmas Eve, 1918.
 
The author of the service was The Rev. Eric Milner-White, a graduate of King’s College who was appointed chaplain at the college in 1912, four years after his ordination as a priest. When the war broke out in 1914, he volunteered as a military chaplain and witnessed the horrors of trench warfare on the Western front.  “Most of life is at night,” he wrote in a letter back home, “and the nights are filled with prolonged terror—a horrid, weird, furtive existence. … Battle is indescribable, unimaginable. A continuous firework of light balls goes up from the German trenches. But most awesome is the noise. We feel powerless against those splitting cracks and roars, and dream of the metal tearing its way into the bodies of poor men.”
 
Decorated for courage under fire in combat, he was released after what he called “a battle of special horror” in early 1918 and returned to King’s College, where he was appointed Dean. After the end of the war on November 11, he set out to create a special Christmastide service “as a gift to the city of Cambridge” that would serve two purposes.
 
First, he wanted to grieve the loss of young men from the city, and especially from his own college. Twenty-three percent of the members of King’s College had died during the war, including Milner-White’s roommate. Today in the chapel of King’s College is a list of the names of the dead on an engraved plaque; a much later dean of King’s College noted that this list was assembled long after the first Lessons and Carols service. This is because on Christmas Eve, 1918, it was not even known exactly who among the members was alive or dead.
 
Second, Milner-White wanted to reform liturgical practices so that the simple beauty of Christian worship would shine through and attract those who had lost their faith in the horrors of the war, whether serving in it or watching it take place. There is intellectual depth to the service; in Milner-White’s own words, “the main theme is the development of the loving purposes of God” as viewed “through the windows and the words of the Bible.” Yet he aimed at simplicity rather than complex explication of God’s purposes in human history; rather than a lecture, he wanted the focus of the service to be on “colour, warmth, and delight.”
 
Milner-White devoted the remainder of his life to the theme that the simple beauty of Christianity offered hope to an increasingly secular culture without hope. He sparked a new interest in stained glass windows as a means of expressing simple Christian truth in beautiful form. He wrote several simple prayers, one of which made its way into the forthcoming Prayer Book of the ACNA as the first Prayer for Mission in Evening Prayer:

O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you, and men, women and children everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

As you listen and worship during Lessons and Carols, occasionally contemplate that the simple service offers an expression of hope that despite the mess that humans have made of our world, God has a plan of redemption for it.

 

For more reading pleasure, an interview with William Edwards, author of The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (Rizzoli, 2004), can be found here.

 

Fr. James Manley is an assisting priest here at Servants. He has recently discovered the joy of cooking on cast iron over a 200,000 BTU propane flame (and still has his eyebrows!)

 
 

Sustaining Our Mission

Posted on Dec 13, 2018 in Blog, Guest Blogger |

 
Servants of Christ Anglican Church is an amazing community—full of kind, caring, faithful people who see a need and jump right into action. Fr. Alex and the other clergy are exemplars of servant-leadership who inspire, instruct, and model authentic lives full of grace and truth. I often describe this church as: “we see a need, and we meet it.” This is a high praise for the character of Servants! We love because God first loved us. Fr. Alex leads us so well to serve Christ and reach others through prayer, praise, service, and community. I was thrilled to be invited by Fr. Alex to explore and recommend options for how Servants of Christ can improve internal systems for fulfilling, expanding, and sustaining our mission together.

We already know “what to do,” but as we grow, we need to become more intentional about “HOW we do what we do”; what are the criteria by which we make decisions? What are the essential values that guide our decision-making? How do we maintain focused and healthy ministry? How do we communicate well between various areas of the church? And importantly, how do we as clergy and staff—equip, train, support, and resource lay leadership in ways that help you accomplish the tasks, for which God has called you?

My calling for the past four decades has been in non-profit organizational leadership and strategic, missional thinking, I have learned over the years that Christ calls us to build both impactful AND sustainable ministry in a hurting world. This requires not only “doing ministry” but developing structures for “HOW we best can sustain ministry.” Good structures allow for growth with integrity. Good systems helps us maintain who and whose we are. We are part of the Body of Christ, called to worship and serve, in this place… at this time… and in ways that allow us to grow and thrive.

Paul reminds us in Colossians 1:18a that “Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body.” In Romans, Paul expands upon the importance of each member of the body being able to express the gifts provided by the Holy Spirit, for the unity and mission of the church:

“Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” Romans 12:4-8

So for a body to function, it requires several internal systems to work well, especially during times of growth or rigorous exercise. At Servants, God has given us a new building and instilled in us a continuing commitment of “making disciples, learning to do all that Jesus said.” During this time of transition, I have been able to communicate with several people in our fellowship to learn more about structure and individual roles (remember, Kathy and I are still relatively new). Fr. Alex has tracked my progress closely and we meet weekly to process any suggestions. Our intention is to have new organizational processes in place by the annual meeting in January. We will continue to prayerfully improve upon these structures over time and modify them as needed.

This brings us back to our opening scripture from Proverbs: “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” We are trusting God to determine our steps that allows us to grow and reach many new people who are currently without a church home—while carefully maintaining a healthy community of believers who love each other and the mission before us. Pray for Godly wisdom in each step as we make our plans. God is working… in our church, and through our members, for the sake of others. What an exciting time to be part of Servants of Christ Anglican Church!

Dcn Bob Ayres

 

A lover of great coffee, Bob especially enjoys sharing a cup with his wife, Kathy. They have been married over forty years and have five grown children and ten amazing grandchildren. Bob and Kathy are the founders of Deaf Teen Quest, a national ministry of Youth for Christ USA where Bob is still on staff. Bob has a Doctorate of Ministry and two masters degrees and was recently ordained to the diaconate in the Anglican Church. His undergraduate degree is in education from the University of Florida. But most importantly, Bob loves Jesus because Jesus loved him first.


Intro to Advent

Posted on Nov 30, 2018 in Blog, Guest Blogger |

 
On Sunday, December 2, 2018, we will enter the first season of the liturgical year, Advent. For many, there may be three phrases or words that may be unfamiliar or strange in that introductory sentence. The first is “the first season,” next is “the liturgical year,” and last is, “Advent.”
 
Just as our secular calendar has seasons – winter, spring, summer, fall – so too does our Christian calendar. However, instead of four seasons, the Christian calendar or, “liturgical year,” has six. The seasons of our “liturgical year,” begin with Advent (the “first season” and continue through Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. In each of these seasons our worship has its focus on the different aspects of our walk with Jesus, our risen Lord and Messiah.
 
Advent” is the beginning of our liturgical year and carries with it a dual meaning.  As you may read in the article below, the word Advent comes from the Latin, adventum, which means “to come.” So, in this season we are looking forward to what is to come. We are looking forward to the coming of our Lord as the Baby Jesus, AND we are looking forward to the coming of our Lord Jesus when He returns to take His Church to reign with Him in His heavenly Kingdom.
 
-Fr. Michael La Cagnina
 
 
 
 
The following article was originally published at anglicanpastor.com on November 18, 2018 by Joshua Steele.
 
 

What is Advent?

Advent is the first season of the Church year. It lasts for four weeks leading up to Christmas Day on December 25: (To learn more about what the Church year is and how it’s different than the civil calendar, click here.)

Why is it called “Advent”?

“Advent” comes from the Latin adventus, meaning “coming or arrival.” Used by the Church, the word refers to:

  1. The “arrival” of Jesus Christ when he was born on the original Christmas Day
  2. The upcoming “arrival” of Jesus Christ when, as Christians believe, he will return to judge the living and the dead.

So, the season of Advent is a season of preparation and waiting:

  1. first for Christ’s second coming to judge the living and the dead (2 Pet 3:11-14; 1 John 3:2-3), but also
  2. to celebrate Christ’s first arrival at Christmas.

Just as the Israelites awaited a Messiah to fulfill God’s promises from Genesis 3:15 to Jeremiah 31:31-34 and beyond, so Christians await the return of Jesus the Messiah make all things new (Revelation 21).

What are some common practices during Advent?

What’s the difference between Advent music and Christmas music?

Perhaps the classic piece of Advent music is “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” because it reflects Advent’s emphasis on waiting and expectation. Christmas music, on the other hand, emphasizes the joyful celebration of Christ’s arrival at the Incarnation. “Joy to the World” comes to mind, but if you read the lyrics to that song closely, you’ll notice that they’re actually about the second coming of Jesus, not his birth. So, maybe think of “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” as a paradigmatic Christmas song.

Songs for Advent

Here are some of the better-known songs from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship’s helpful list of Songs for Advent:

  • Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus – Charles Wesley
  • Hark, the Glad Sound! The Savior Comes – Philip Doddridge
  • Imagine – Keith and Kristyn Getty
  • Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence – Gerard Moultrie
  • Love Divine, All Loves Excelling – Charles Wesley
  • My Soul Cries Out with a Joyful Shout – Rory Cooney
  • O Come, O Come, Emmanuel – ancient hymn
  • Of the Father’s Love Begotten – Aurelius Clemens Prudentius
  • Savior of the Nations, Come – Ambrose, 4th century; Martin Luther
  • Soon and Very Soon – Andraé Crouch

Check out the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship’s list of Songs for Christmas as well. I also highly recommend the following:

Advent Collects and Collect Reflections

In the Anglican tradition, each week of the Church year has a special prayer, called a “collect,” used during Sunday worship and then for the following week. Here are the collects for Advent. If you click on the titles, it will take you to the Anglican Pastor Collect Reflection for that week—a short blog post to help you reflect on the collect!

The First Sunday in Advent

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Second Sunday of Advent

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and the comfort of your holy Word we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Third Sunday of Advent

O Lord Jesus Christ, you sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise make ready your way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient toward the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world, we may be found a people acceptable in your sight; for with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Advent; Annunciation

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and as we are sorely hindered by our sins from running the race that is set before us, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Other Advent posts at Anglican Pastor

If you’d like to learn more about Advent, check out the following posts at Anglican Pastor:

Other Advent resources

Check out the following resources to learn more about Advent and how to celebrate it:

 
 
 
 
Fr. Michael is an assistant clergy at Servants. He is a retired rector of a congregation in High Springs, FL and still lives there with his wife, Joyce. You can most often find Fr. Michael volunteering to help when he is able and offering solutions for various conundrums that arise in ministry work. 

Assisting the Cities of Bay County, Florida

Posted on Oct 29, 2018 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

 
And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Matthew 25:40
 
For those in church Sunday the 21st, I promised you information on how you can help the victims of Hurricane Michael particularly in Bay County (Panama City). I have spoken with Father John Wallace twice and can update you on the need in the area. Fr. John is the rector of Apostles By-the-Sea, a parish in our own Gulf Atlantic Diocese, located in Bay County’s Rosemary Beach. His parish was west of most of the devastation but is working with those in the county most affected. Below, taken from their website, is a list of the items they are looking for to provide to the residents.
 
The congregation is working out of Parker United Methodist Church to provide needed items for residents primarily in the communities of Parker and Callaway. These two Bay County communities were economically challenged prior to the hurricane and now Fr. John tells me, “many residents are living in homes without roofs and in some cases even walls.” Food and water are plentiful but other items such as tarps, baby wipes, adult size diapers, sleeping bags, blankets, larger size tents (6-8 persons) and other household items are simply not available and desperately needed. Many stores have been closed and so even if residents can afford items there is nowhere to purchase them.
 
I am seeking to collect supplies to be carried over to Bay County in the next week if possible. Again, please see the list below to find out what is needed. I am looking for volunteers to collect and transport collected supplies to Panama City. If you are interested in making this trip or helping to organize supplies, please contact the Church Office at (352) 271-1188 or admin@servantsanglican.org. You may drop off collected goods to the church at any time; they can be left outside by the glass doors.
 
Please consider purchasing supplies and assisting these fellow Floridians in their time of need. Donating money is not helpful because the supplies are simply not available in Bay County. In addition, please keep residents of Parker and Callaway in your prayers as Tyndall Air Force Base, the largest employer in the area, is slated to be closed in 1-2 years due to hurricane damage. This means people who worked at Tyndall or who worked for contractors working with Tyndall will no longer have jobs. Many will have to leave the area to find new employment.
 
I will keep you updated as to when our delivery will be made and to additional ways we can support this relief effort.
 
 
 

The Future of Our Churches

Posted on Oct 19, 2018 in Blog, Guest Blogger |

 
At the beginning of this month I was blessed to attend the Young Anglican Project and Rooted Conferences in Nashville, Tennessee. The Young Anglican Project is a group designed to help Anglican Youth Programs throughout the United States. The first day of the gathering we were fortunate enough to spend the day with Archbishop Foley Beach. Foley Beach++ spoke to us about the future of the ACNA. He said that future is our students. His desire is that the local Anglican Church will long for the youth of today. He told us to get out there and build relationships. Programming will only get you so far. You have to know your students. His exact words were, “Students spell love: T-I-M-E.” Listening to him speak about his childhood and getting to know him on a more personal level, reminded me why I love youth ministry. Our students just want someone to be real with them, and for us to know who they truly are. I don’t have to pull a rabbit out of my hat and entertain them. I just have to listen.
 
Later that day Foley Beach++ asked us what struggles we have in our ministries. Some spoke of parent involvement, community involvement, how do we instill a life of prayer in our students, and the fact that we have a small number of students in our youth groups. Others spoke of suicide, depression, gender confusion, and same-sex attraction. These are all problems that we are facing in some shape or form within our own groups. We also brought up areas where we were seeing success. Some of those areas where: students leading small groups, students having a heart for missions, and multi-generational relationships.
 
Then he asked, “How does your youth ministry fit into the overall ministry of the Church?” I sat with this question for a while. Then I looked at our service from the pew on a Sunday morning. I see some of our students serving in different rolls, for example music team and acolytes. Then I asked myself, is that enough? How do we instill a desire for our youth to not be an audience member, but an active participant on Sundays and beyond? The next question he asked was who are the people in your church that are being discerned to work with the youth? Who and what do these people that help us run our youth groups look like? Is our help multi-generational? What does support look like from the church? Foley Beach++ told us not to answer these questions ourselves, but to get support from our parish.
 
Youth ministry is a long road. It’s spending time in real conversation with our students. It’s meeting them where they are, not just expecting that they will always come to us. It’s answering the hard questions that we may not be ready for, but the Holy Spirit is. It’s honestly looking at how our youth ministry fits into the overall ministry of our church. It’s taking the time to show and teach them what it means to be Anglican. They are not just the kids in that other building who you see every so often. How can we achieve the goal that Foley Beach++ stated: that youth are the future of our churches? Can we have a multi-generational support system for our youth and Servants? I pray that we can. I pray we all desire to know our youth on a personal level and find them where they are.
 
 
Kim Harris
 
 
Kim has been a member of Servants for four years and is the Director for Children & Families. With her husband John she has three children: Jack, Kaycee, and Katelynne.

The Call to Engage

Posted on Oct 12, 2018 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

 
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Romans 13:1-2,7-10
 
In a strange twist, the apostle Paul begins chapter 13 of Romans talking about submitting to government authorities and then connects this Christian civil responsibility to the second portion of Jesus’ summary of the Law, namely to “love one another.” Just to remind us all, St. Paul is talking about the Roman government! Thanks be to God, we live not under Roman rule but the rule of law with the rights of a constitution which, among other things, guarantees our right to vote.
 
Even as I am writing this blog, I’m aware of my own frustration with the state of politics in our country. It is easy to ignore what is happening around us and simply go about our individual lives. Yet, if I take Paul’s admonition seriously, how I engage or refuse to engage in society is really a response to the command to love my neighbor. Furthermore, our Lord Jesus calls us to be salt and light in our city, county, and state. Part of this calling is lived out as we engage with issues that affect our community and speak out from a Christ-centered perspective.
 
You may be thinking, “Why is Alex all the sudden talking about politics?” I write this blog today in light of our upcoming general election on November 6th. You may not be aware yet, but locally “this year’s November ballot will be the longest voters have seen in at least 20 years.” In addition to many state and local officials to be elected, the ballot will contain twelve proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution, two Alachua county referenda, and two city of Gainesville referenda. The Supervisor of Elections anticipates completing a ballot may take up to 30 minutes. My fear is that for some, this will become overwhelming and they will simply give up in the process. I do not believe this is an option for Christians who take seriously Paul’s words in Romans 13.
 
To this end, I would encourage each of you to seriously review the proposed amendments and referenda, along with candidates and prayerful consider how you should vote. Sample ballots are mailed out but you can also obtain one at voteAlachua.com. In addition, I am personally working through the amendments and referenda and would be willing to lead a non-partisan discussion with members of the congregation in order to seek greater clarification. Please contact me personally if you are interested.
 
I will close this with a quote by the late John Stott, “if we truly love our neighbors, and want to serve them, our service may oblige us to take (or solicit) political action on their behalf.”
 
May God guide you in all these things,

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