More links on celebrating Easter as a season

Some other bloggers are writing about their desire to truly celebrate and LIVE Easter as a season, not just as a single day or a week.

I’ll probably post several of these blog entries in more detail as stand-alone entries tomorrow, but for now, here are some links:

Splendor in the Ordinary:  Practice Resurrection

Story Formed:  So I Ate Cake

Grace and Peace:  Real Christians SHOULD Dance

Beauty from Chaos:  If You Were Not Risen (by Br. Roger of Taize)

Pray for the GAFCON Primates Meeting in London

Unfortunately, I’ve been offline much of the past 2 days, and have limited internet access today so am not sure if one of my L&B colleagues has already posted a prayer request for the GAFCON Primates meeting in London that started yesterday.  The Living Church reports:

Eight archbishops are meeting in closed-door session at a London hotel this week to review plans for the creation of a new Anglican Communion province to be known as the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).

Seven primates: Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi of Kenya, Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria, Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini of Rwanda, Presiding Bishop Gregory Venables of the Southern Cone, Archbishop Valentino Mokiwa of Tanzania, Archbishop Henry Orombi of Uganda, Archbishop Justice Akrofi of West Africa; along with the Most Rev. Peter Jensen, Archbishop of Sydney (Australia) began talks on April 14 at hotel near Heathrow airport.

The whole story is here.

Please uphold the meeting and all named in your prayers!

Anglican Consultative Council

The roster of the ACC can be found here and of the Anglican Communion Office here.

O Jesus,

You taught us that You are the gate.  John saw the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem, each one carved from a single pearl.  O precious Lord, O Beautiful Gate, are You the pearl of great price?

We lift up the members of the Anglican Consultative Conference and the Anglican Communion Office.  May each one seek You, find You, and forsake all for You.  Amen.

Previous prayers–here and here.

Collects for Tuesday & Wednesday of Easter Week

Apologies for not being able to post the Easter Tuesday collect yesterday.

The collect for Easter Tuesday:

O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light: Grant that we, who have been raised with him, may abide in his presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be dominion and praise for ever and ever. Amen.

The collect for Easter Wednesday:

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Easter Quotes: St. John Chrysostom – Hell was in an uproar because it is mocked

I find myself struck afresh very powerfully by St. John Chrysostom’s Easter Sermon this year.  I am rereading it every day this week and will be daily posting excerpts that have encouraged and blessed me.

Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free. He has destroyed it by enduring it.  He destroyed Hell when He descended into it. He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh.

Isaiah foretold this when he said,
“You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below.”
Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with.
It was in an uproar because it is mocked.
It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed.
It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated.
It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive.

– St. John Chrysostom Easter sermon (c. 400 AD)

The April 13th St. John Chrysostom quote is here
The April 14th St. John Chrysostom quote is here

(I’d hoped to include music with this post, but am having internet troubles today.  Sorry!)

John 15:1-8

“I am the true vine, and my father is the vinedresser.” (John 15:1)
      Father, thank you for grafting us into your son Jesus.

“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away; and every branch that bears fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:2)
      Father, prune us so that we can bear good fruit for you.

“You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.” (John 15:3)
      Jesus, please let your words be a cleansing fire in our hearts and souls and bodies.

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” (John 15:4)
      Jesus, there are so many fruitless branches in the Episcopal Church, please graft them back into the vine and let your Holy Spirit flow through them.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
      Jesus, help us abide in you each day, keep us from stumbling or trying “to do it on our own.”

“If anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” (John 15:6)
      Jesus, prune away the withered parts of our lives so that we may bear fruit for you.

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:7)
      Holy Spirit, please help us daily abide in Jesus, and let his words abide in us. Help us to desire and pray as we ought.

“By this my father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples.” (John 15:8 )
      Father, we want to be fruitful disciples of Jesus and bring you glory. Anoint us for this day’s service. Thank you.

      A word received: Wait, wait on me for my word. Look to me for guidance in adversity. Look to me for help in the storm. Keep your eyes fixed on me; let me guide you. I AM the true shepherd of the flock.

Wednesday: 97, 99; Micah 7:7-15; Acts 3:1-10; John 15:1-11
Thursday: 146, 147; Ezekiel 37:1-14; Acts 3:11-26; John 15:12-27

      Notes from the Front Line

Pray for the ministry to the youth at the Diocesan Convention.

Albany Intercessor

Easter Quotes: George Eldon Ladd – Our Conqueror has been Conquered

But the good news is this: death has been defeated; our conqueror has been conquered. In the face of the power of the kingdom of God in Christ, death was helpless. It could not hold him, death has been defeated; life and immortality have been brought to life.

George Eldon Ladd, The Gospel of the Kingdom

Go read the full quote at Kingdom People blog