Love

Job 26:7b (NKJV)
He hangs the earth on nothing.

Acts 10:39-40 (KJV)
And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

O Father,
The earth; Your Son’s life, death, and resurrection–it is love filling all dimensions seen and unseen, all imagination past and future, all faith, all hope, all glory in this world and the next. Love! Love! Love! We thank You. Amen.

Acts 10:42-44

“And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is he who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.” (Acts 10:42)
      Holy Spirit, help us in our day to preach and speak of the good news of Jesus’ resurrection and victory over sin and death and that he has been ordained by the Father to be judge of the living and the dead.

“To him all the prophets witness that, through his name, whoever believes in him will receive remission of sins.” (Acts 10:43)
      Holy Spirit, please help us join with all the prophets in their witness that through Jesus’ name whoever believes in him will receive remission of sin.

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. (Acts 10:44)
      Holy Spirit, help us hear the good news of Jesus’ resurrection and fall on us as you did Cornelius and his household. Thank you.

A word received: Pray that my people will desire me more than anything else.

Easter Day: 148, 149, 150; *; 113, 114, or 118; Exod. 12:1-14**; –;; John 1:1-18**; Isa. 51:9-11***; Luke 24:13-35, or John 20:19-23***
Easter Day
The Great Vigil: See pages 288-291.
Early Service      Use one of the Old Testament Lessons from the Vigil with 114; Romans 6:3-11; Matthew 28:1-10
Principal Service: 118:14-29 or 118:14-17,22-24; Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 51:9-11; Colossians 3:1-4 or Acts 10:34-43; Luke 24:1-10
Evening Service: 114 or 136 or 118:14-17,22-24; Acts 5:29a,30-32 or Daniel 12:1-3; 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8 or Acts 5:29a,30-32; Luke 24:13-35Holy Saturday; 95** & 88; *; 27: Job 19:21-27a; Heb. 4:1-16**; Rom. 8:1-11***
Monday: 93, 98; *; 66; Jonah 2:1-9; Acts 2:14,22-32*; John 14:1-14
Monday in Easter Week: 16:8-11 or 118:19-24; Acts 2:14,22b-32; Matthew 28:9-15

Albany Intercessor

Christ Church Schenectady Prayer Table Report

Christ Church Schenectady Prayer Table Report, Saturday, Saturday, March 30, 2013, 9:15 – 10:30 a.m. Torre Bissell from Christ Church Schenectady, Jonathan Bissell from the The Bridge Church in New York City, and Mark Pasko from St. Michael’s Colonie. The weather was lovely, but there was a quality of “life in the raw” to many of the prayer requests.

+–indicates received a wooden cross made by Dennis Adams of North Carolina
a–indicates was anointed with Holy Water

State St.

Mahendra (teenage boy, regular) — He asked prayer for his family.

+a Ocya (19 year olf woman living in a shelter, her mother is a crackhead, her aunt is dead) — “No one cares about me.” (We were really touched by her.)

a Debra (regular) — We prayed a blessing on her prayers and for her daughter Latina to repent of her abuse of Debra.

+John — He wants a “nice prayer.”

+Onika (woman) — “For everything.”

a Jason (regular) — He asked prayer for Lisa and for her sister who is sick in the hospital.

+Alima — She asked prayer for health and a job.

Lisa (she came across the street following a cell-phone call from Jason) — We prayed for a release from her alcoholism (she said she could only go 15 to 30 minutes without a drink). She started cursing at people who wouldn’t stop for prayer (it was quite a scene).

+Ed — He asked prayer for health and for his family.

+Mike (regular) — He asked prayer to shake a cold.

Connie — She asked prayer for her daughter Christina who has given her baby up for adoption. She said Christina tried to overdose.

+a John — He asked prayer for his son Paul (age 17) who has chosen bad friends.

+Joe — He asked prayer for liver problems (cirrhosis).

+James — He asked prayer for his family and how to be God’s man. Torre asked him if he had ever given his life to Jesus. He said once but had backslidden. Torre led him in recommitting his life to Jesus and accepting forgiveness of his sins.

+Thomas — “My street name is ‘Magic’.” He wanted prayer for a job. “My heart is with Jesus.”

Dan — We prayed for his wife Louise and for his sons Matt and Joe.

Steve — We prayed for a blessing on his business.

+Bill (man carrying a heavy box on his shoulder) — We prayed that he would only carry a “day’s share” of problems.

++a Paula (regular) — We prayed for the various members of her family, especially for Tremel her son that he would marry the girl he has gotten pregnant, for Ikay and Tiffany and their daughter Bella, and for Paula’s husband John that he would not trip or fall.

+Sabrina — Her mother, Ruth, had heart surgery and her cousin’s friend’s brother just died.. We prayed for assurance and hope of the resurrection this Easter.

Job 14:7-10

“For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender shoots will not cease. Though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud And bring forth branches like a plant.” (Job 14:7-9)
      Lord Jesus, we live in the hope that you will bring new life to us and to your church.

“But man dies and is laid away; indeed he breathes his last and where is he?” (Job 14:10)
      “I know that my redeemer lives, and he shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25-27)

A word received: Keep turning to me; keep turning to the cross.

Holy Saturday; 95** & 88; *; 27: Job 19:21-27a; Heb. 4:1-16**; Rom. 8:1-11***
Holy Saturday: 130 31:1-5; Job 14:1-1; 1 Peter 4:1-8; Matthew 27:57-66 or John 19:38-42
      * For the Invitatory; ** Intended for use in the morning; ***; Intended for use in the evening
Easter Day: 148, 149, 150; *; 113, 114, or 118; Exod. 12:1-14**; –;; John 1:1-18**; Isa. 51:9-11***; Luke 24:13-35, or John 20:19-23***
Easter Day
The Great Vigil: See pages 288-291.
Early Service      Use one of the Old Testament Lessons from the Vigil with 114; Romans 6:3-11; Matthew 28:1-10
Principal Service: 118:14-29 or 118:14-17,22-24; Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 51:9-11; Colossians 3:1-4 or Acts 10:34-43; Luke 24:1-10
Evening Service: 114 or 136 or 118:14-17,22-24; Acts 5:29a,30-32 or Daniel 12:1-3; 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8 or Acts 5:29a,30-32; Luke 24:13-35Holy Saturday; 95** & 88; *; 27: Job 19:21-27a; Heb. 4:1-16**; Rom. 8:1-11***

      Notes from the Front Line

*****
From: joann E ferris
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2013
Subject: Prayer Table report–Zion , Colton, Cold Brook Drive , south Colton 10am to 11:30 am, Joann E. Ferris, low 40’s, cloudy,some sprinkles, some sun –birds are singing in tree tops.

Louise—no thank you

Mary — no thanks –just stopped to see if I was OK.

Neighbor boy—in the Marines –running —that the Lord would protect him as he serves his country.

Our rural delivery man –safety as he delivers mail.

A man who drove by waving and smiling—protection as he goes about his daily routine.

Albany Intercessor

Isaiah 53:3-6

He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from him; he was despised, and we did not esteem him. (Isaiah 53:3)
      Holy Spirit, bring all of us in the Episcopal Church to repentance — to the place where we will truly honor and esteem Jesus.

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. (Isaiah 53:4)
      Jesus, thank you for bearing our griefs and sorrows. Thank you for standing with us in our hour of need.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
      Father, it was your love for us that sent Jesus to suffer and die for us. Thank you.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)
      Jesus, you are the shepherd of our souls, bring all who have wandered off back into your flock. Thank you.

A word received: I AM your help — keep looking to me.

Good Friday: 95* & 22; *; 40:1-14(15-19),54; Wisdom 1:16-2:1;12-22; 1 Peter 1:10-20; John 13:36-38**; or Gen. 22:1-14; John 19:38-42***
Good Friday: 22:1-21 or 22:1-11 or 40:1-14 or 69:1-23; Isaiah 52:13-53:12 or Genesis 22:1-18 or Wisdom 2:1,12-24; Hebrews 10:1-25; John (18:1-40) 19:1-37
Holy Saturday; 95** & 88; *; 27: Job 19:21-27a; Heb. 4:1-16**; Rom. 8:1-11***
Holy Saturday: 130 31:1-5; Job 14:1-1; 1 Peter 4:1-8; Matthew 27:57-66 or John 19:38-42
      * For the Invitatory; ** Intended for use in the morning; ***; Intended for use in the evening

      Notes from the Front Line

***** Lisa Longe: Please keep all people involved in making school budget decisions in prayer.

***** From: Nigel Mumford
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2013
Subject: GOOD FRIDAY
Every morning I look at my face in the mirror to shave.
Every morning I see the tracheotomy scar on my throat.
Every morning I think, “Wow, I am alive.”
Every morning I thank God for answered prayer.
This morning, Good Friday, I look at HIS scars…
And thank Jesus that He died for me…FOR ME.
~Fr. Nigel Mumford+

***** Schenectady City Mission Prayer Table Report, Thursday, March 28, 2013, 5:00 – 6:15 p.m.. Torre and Jean Bissell from Christ Church Schenectady. This took place during the evening meal at the City Mission.

+–indicates received a wooden cross made by Dennis Adams of North Carolina
a–indicates anointed with Holy Water

a Peter — We rejoiced with him for the soon expected child to be born to him and Connie and we prayed for his brother George to be guided into the life and ministry the Holy Spirit has for him.

Dan — We prayed with Dan for his three daughters and their situations.

Ron (regular) — He gave thanks that he is now having weekly visits with his daughter Isabella.

+Anthony — We prayed for him as he ministers at the Schenectady City Mission.

+a Mark (June’s son) — We prayed for the family reunion he is organizing (first in 20 years). It will be on the 5th anniversary of his wedding where he and his wife will renew their wedding vows..

Albany Intercessor

WA Criswell: He is dead… He is dead… He is dead. Then, then then…

He was raised between the heaven and the earth, as though both rejected Him, despised by men and refused by God.

And as though abuse were not vile enough, they covered Him with spittle.

And as though spittle were not contemptuous enough, they plucked out His beard.

And as though plucking out His beard was not brutal enough, they drove in great nails.

And as though the nails did not pierce deeply enough, He was crowned with thorns.

And as though the thorns were not agonizing enough, He was pierced through with a Roman spear.

It was earth’s saddest hour, and it was humanity’s deepest, darkest day.

At three o’clock in the afternoon it was all over. The Lord of life bowed His head and the light of the world flickered out.

Tread softly around the cross, for Jesus is dead. Repeat the refrain in hushed and softened tones: the Lord of life is dead.

The lips that spoke forth Lazarus from the grave are now stilled in the silence of death, and the head that was anointed by Mary of Bethany is bowed with its crown of thorns.

The eyes that wept over Jerusalem are glazed in death, and the hands that blessed little children are nailed to a tree.

And the feet that walked on the waters of blue Galilee are fastened to a cross, and the heart that went out in compassionate love and sympathy for the poor and the lost of the world is now broken; He is dead.

The infuriated mob that cried for His crucifixion gradually disperses; He is dead.

And the passersby who stop just to see Him go on their way; He is dead.

The Pharisees, rubbing their hands in self-congratulation, go back to the city; He is dead. 

And the Sadducees, breathing sighs of relief, return to their coffers in the temple; He is dead.

The centurion assigned the task of executing Him makes his official report to the Roman procurator, “He is dead.” 

And the four, the quaternion of soldiers sent to dispatch the victims, seeing the Man on the center cross was certainly dead, brake not His bones, but pierce Him through with a spear; He is dead.

And Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus of the Sanhedrin go personally to Pontius Pilate and beg of the Roman governor His body, because He is dead. 

Mary His mother and the women with her are bowed in sobs and in tears; He is dead.  

And the eleven apostles, like frightened sheep, crawl into eleven shadows to hide from the pointing finger of Jerusalem and they cry, “He is dead!” 

Wherever His disciples met, in an upper room, or on a lonely road, or behind closed doors, or in hiding places, the same refrain is sadly heard, “He is dead. He is in a tomb; they have sealed the grave and set a guard; He is dead.”

It would be almost impossible for us to enter into the depths of despair that gripped their hearts.

Simon Peter, the rock, is a rock no longer.

And James and John, the sons of Boanerges, are sons of thunder no longer.

And Simon the Zealot is a zealot no longer.

He is dead, and the hope of the world has perished with Him.

Then, then, then…

– W.A. Criswell (1909 – 2002)

via Trevin Wax

A Holy Week and Good Friday Reflection – St. Augustine

Man’s maker was made man . . . that the Bread might hunger, the Fountain thirst, the Light sleep, the Way be tired on its journey, that Truth might be accused of false witness, the Teacher be beaten with whips, the Foundation be suspended on wood; that Strength might grow weak; that the Healer might be wounded; that Life might die.

St. Augustine, Sermons 191.1

H/T All Saints Church, Chapel Hill

Another Maundy Thursday quote and prayer – He Has Drunk the Cup Already

From today’s devotional entry at the Trinity School for Ministry website. Today’s entry at TSM is by the Rev. Dr. Martha Giltinan

There is no sorrow, no loss, no betrayal or fear that Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, has not endured on our behalf. He has drunk the cup already to the last bitter dregs. Now the cup we are offered has been sweetened by what He has accomplished, the gall of death has been removed. We could never have borne that bitter cup, one sip would have destroyed us. He, who condescended in love to take upon Himself the helpless reality of our humanity, has taken up the bitter cup and drunk it to the last. He has taken within himself the rancid and deadly consequence of our rebellion. By doing so, He has neutralized its power for all time over those who cling to Him.

Jesus has consecrated himself in suffering and death precisely for this very purpose; “that [we] also may be sanctified in truth” (John 17:19). That  through His blood, we might live the life that is Life indeed.

Savior, thank you that You have not left me to fend for myself, let me hide myself in Your side, trusting in the work that You have accomplished and continue to extend on my behalf. I take the bread, Your body, I drink the cup, Your blood, and I give You thanks that You have vanquished my enemy and lift me up as Your own, in victory and love.

The full entry is here.

A quote for Maundy Thursday – Christ washes our hearts, not just our feet

From today’s prayer by Scotty Smith at his blog, Heavenward, these beautiful words about Maundy Thursday:

Your disrobing to wash their feet was with a full view to your being stripped naked to wash their hearts, and our hearts as well. What wondrous love is this indeed! How wide, long, high, and deep, is your love for the ill-deserving.

“Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). This is the new and never-ending mandate we’re now under as your disciples. Grace doesn’t free us from this command, but for this command. Don’t let me ever forget that the measure of your love is not just the basin and towel of the upper room, but your cross and your death at Calvary. There simply is no greater love to be found—none.

The full post is here.

TEC–Condoning the shedding of innocent blood

I originally posted this August 21, 2009. I thought it appropriate for the penitential theme of Holy Week and am reposting it with minor alterations.–JW

Unknown dates (?1980’s) The Episcopal Women’s Caucus and the Episcopal Urban Caucus join the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

Prior to Jan 1994 Contrary to the established policy of PECUSA on the subject, Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning signed the Statement sponsored by the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice calling for the U. S. Congress to include abortion funding in any health-care plan. (Copied from A Catalog of Concerns, produced by AWAKE, an association of concerned Episcopalians to inform and awaken our church. The reference is “United Voice,” pp. 1-5, January 1994.)
Have mercy on us, Lord.

Prior to Jan 1994 Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning pushed “a new vision statement [for the Presidng Bishop’s Fund for World Relief], saying he wished to do away with the ‘crisis mentality’ of the Fund and reorganize it to raise money for ‘new mission initiative,’” e. g. authorizing monies of the Presiding Bishop’s Fund for World Relief to grant $55,000.00 to the pro-abortion Planned Parenthood of Northern New England. (Copied from A Catalog of Concerns, produced by AWAKE, an association of concerned Episcopalians to inform and awaken our church. The reference is “United Voice,” pp. 1-5, January 1994.)
Have mercy on us, Lord.

Jan 2006 The Executive Council of TEC joined the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

Aug 2006 Former Iranian President Khatami, who advocates the annihilation of Israel and the execution of homosexual persons, was invited as a special speaker at Washington National Cathedral.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

Oct 2008 Rev. Brian Thom, former board member of Planned Parenthood of Idaho, was consecrated bishop of Idaho.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

Mar 2009 Rev. Katherine Ragsdale, who once said, “Abortion is a blessing,” was appointed the dean of Episcopal Divinity School.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

June 2009 Rev Katherine Ragsdale deemed slain late term abortionist Dr. George Tiller a martyr and a saint.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

June 2009 Rev. Elizabeth Kaeton, President of the Episcopal Women’s Caucus, assured us that Dr. Tiller was in the eternal embrace of Jesus.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

June 2009 The Anglican Consultative Council accepted a grant of $1.5 million from the Satcher Institute’s Center for Excellence in Sexual Health, which advocates, among other things, abortion as an option. This is, to my knowledge, the first time that the Anglican Communion has accepted money from a secular pro-choice organization.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

July 2009 Vida Dutton Scudder, a member of the Socialist Party, who delighted in the vast Russian experiment called Communism and was untroubled by their atheism, was commemorated in the liturgical calendar and will be included in Holy Women, Holy Men. The vast Russian experiment murdered an estimated 60 million people.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

July 2009 The House of Bishops also voted to include Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Marshall endorsed Roe v. Wade, which has led to the abortion of 55 million.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

O God,
Our brothers’ blood is crying out to You from the ground, like a voice calling for revenge. What destruction awaits us?
King David’s heart was full of praise. He wrote psalms to God while fleeing the persecution of Saul. When moving the ark to Jerusalem, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf every six steps. Yet, You would not let him build the temple because he had shed blood.
What have we done, dear Lord? What have we done? We have institutionalized sin and blessed murder.
Lord, have mercy upon the Episcopal Church.
Christ, have mercy upon the Episcopal Church.
Lord, have mercy upon the Episcopal Church. Amen.
Genesis 4:10, 2 Kings 21:16, 24:4, Ezekiel 24:7-8, 2 Samuel 21:1, 2 Samuel 7:1-17, 2 Chronicles 22:8

Compiled by Jill Woodliff

Luke 22:17-22

Then he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” (Luke 22:17-18 )
      Jesus, thank you for pouring out your life-blood for me. Wash me and make me clean by your blood and Holy Spirit. Thank you.

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19)
      Jesus, thank you for breaking into my life. Thank you for being broken for me on the cross.

Likewise he also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you. (Luke 22:20)
      Holy Spirit, please help me daily enter into that new covenant life with Jesus.

But behold, the hand of my betrayer is with me on the table. And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” (Luke 22:21-22)
      Father, even today there are many in the church who sit at table with Jesus and betray him by their words and deeds. Have mercy on us and cleanse the church with the fire of your Holy Spirit. Thank you.

A word received: I AM your rest and your strength.

Maundy Thursday; 102; *; 142, 143; Jer. 20:7-11; 1 Cor. 10:14-17; 11:27-32; John 17:1-11(12-26)
Maundy Thursday: 78:14-20,23-25; Exodus 12:1-14a; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26(27-32); John 13:1-15 or Luke 22:14-30
Good Friday: 95* & 22; *; 40:1-14(15-19),54; Wisdom 1:16-2:1;12-22; 1 Peter 1:10-20; John 13:36-38**; or Gen. 22:1-14; John 19:38-42***
      * For the Invitatory; ** Intended for use in the morning; ***; Intended for use in the evening
Good Friday: 22:1-21 or 22:1-11 or 40:1-14 or 69:1-23; Isaiah 52:13-53:12 or Genesis 22:1-18 or Wisdom 2:1,12-24; Hebrews 10:1-25; John (18:1-40) 19:1-37

Albany Intercessor

A Prayer for Wednesday in Holy Week

From Pastor Scotty Smith and his Heavenward prayer blog, comes this great prayer for Wednesday in Holy Week – a confession of who Christ is, and an admission of how much yet we have to understand about His love and His salvation:

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, “What do you think about the Christ?” Matt. 22:41-42

Dear Lord Jesus, just a few days after riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, you confronted the Pharisees, with the same question you still put before us: “What do you think about the Christ?”

There’s no more important question with which to wrestle, at any season in life or in any state of faith. For what we think about you affects everything about us. Please continue to free us from all wrong notions we have about you—those generated in our fallen hearts; the ones that come to us from the father of lies, Satan; others which simply reveal our complete absence of knowledge, or the wrong and incomplete teaching we have received through the years.

But what do I think about you today, Lord Jesus? What do I believe in my heart? You are everlasting God, and I am a mere man. I would despair if you were anything less, and I am weary of trying to be more. You are the Creator, Sustainer, and Restorer of all things. You don’t just care about my soul; you care about everything you have made and you are making all things new.

Lord Jesus, I affirm you to be the second Adam—our substitute in life and in death. You lived a life of perfect obedience for us, and you exhausted God’s judgment that stood against us. You are the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world; the Lord of Lords, who is working in all things for our good and your glory; and the Light of the New Jerusalem, whose glory will illumine the new heaven and new earth forever.

By you, we have been completely forgiven; and in you, we have received your perfect righteousness. I humbly stake my life and my death upon what you’ve done for us. Lord Jesus, you are all this and so much more. Eternity will be an endless revelation of your glory and grace.

But this Holy Week, what stuns me the most is to realize you are always thinking about us. We are in your heart and on your mind all the time. You are always praying for us and advocating for us before the Father. You’re the One who knows us the best and loves us the most. You love us as only a perfect Bridegroom would and could. With fresh gratitude and awe, we worship you. So very Amen we pray, in your gracious name and for your everlasting glory.

The sins upon the land–fornication

I’ve reflected on verse 5 and wondered if there is a conditional element–to the extent that the young men of the land marry their virgin brides, so is the land married. JW

Isaiah 62:4-5 (MSG)
No more will anyone call you Rejected,
and your country will no more be called Ruined.
You’ll be called Hephzibah (My Delight),
and your land Beulah (Married),
Because God delights in you
and your land will be like a wedding celebration.
For as a young man marries his virgin bride,
so your builder marries you,
And as a bridegroom is happy in his bride,
so your God is happy with you

Our Father in heaven,
We who claim to be the bride of Christ have violated Your godly principles and dismissed the chastity of the bride and groom as unimportant. Our brides and grooms are not virgins, and the church is defiled.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy upon my county and state, for we have sinned. We yearn for Your kingdom to come, Your will to be done in _______________ as it is in heaven. We cry out for godly courtships and marriages. Teach us how to pray for them. Teach us how to honor You in our dating customs. Teach us how to protect the courtships and marriages in our land.
Forgive my state and county for its past sins of fornication. Forgive me of my attitudes that are not in alignment with Your principles of godly courtship and marriage. We cry out for the Blood of Jesus over the land and declare blessings upon it. Bless my state and county. Bless the courtships and marriages, and bless the land. Amen.

Hail

We had a hail storm Saturday night and dodged fallen trees when driving to church.–JW

Palm Sunday 2013

Enshrouded by a gray mist,
Uprooted by the hail storm,
Oak trees cast their branches on the road
In homage to the King of kings.
The bell cuts through the air,
Palm fronds billowing in its wake.
Tulips stand at attention.
Hail Thee, Redeemer King!
Hosanna does creation sing.

Matthew 26:1-5 and Jude 3-4

Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that he said to his disciples, “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill him. But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.” (Matthew 26:1-5)
      Jesus, we pray that by the power of your resurrection and Holy Spirit that all those who seek to silence the living gospel in the Episcopal Church will be defeated in their purposes.

      Holy Spirit, protect and guide all those bishops, priests, deacons, and lay leaders who faithfully proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (Jude 1:3)
      Father, help all of us heed the exhortation to contend earnestly for the apostolic faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 1:4)
      Holy Trinity, One God, defeat the purposes of all those who turn the grace you shower on us into lewdness and promiscuity. Thank you.

A word received: Look to me.

Wednesday: 55; *; 74; Jer. 17:5-10, 14-17; Phil. 4:1-13; John 12:27-26
Wednesday in Holy Week: 69:7-15,22-23; Isaiah 50:4-9a; Hebrews 9:11-15,24-28; John 13:21-35 or Matthew 26:1-5,14-25
Maundy Thursday; 102; *; 142, 143; Jer. 20:7-11; 1 Cor. 10:14-17; 11:27-32; John 17:1-11(12-26)
Maundy Thursday: 78:14-20,23-25; Exodus 12:1-14a; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26(27-32); John 13:1-15 or Luke 22:14-30

      Notes from the Front Line

***** From: Carol MacNaughton
Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Subject: Prayer table report! Mark Pasko has been wanting to do a lunch time prayer table for a long time. So today we did it! Unfortunately we had no crosses.. Mark Pasko and Carol MacNaughton State St. 11:50AM – 1 PM

Lota (woman) and Leone (daughter) – prayed for the family

Carol – her health and her family

Lalita (woman), Chelsie (daughter), and Alex (son) – for a good life

Clarence – was driving by, honked, then backed up to park on the road. We walked up to his van. He encouraged us to keep praying. That it is making a difference in the neighborhood. We blessed him.

Ray-ray (woman) – healing of a cold which will not go away

Chris (man) – pulled his car over, jumped out and ran over for prayer. He asked for a new direction in his life. (He also asked if we had any crosses but unfortunately we did not)

Lae-poh-sing (woman) – pryaer for the healing of pain in her feet, her diabetes

Mae-ping – prayer for her diabetes, pain in stomach, joints, and toes. (She wants to know what days we would be there with the prayer table. So we told her Saturday and trying to set a noontime date for next week)

Kianna (woman) and her 2 month old baby girl (Syrria) -she asked prayer for her marriage and for the health of the baby. They are concerned the baby may have lupus which Kianna’s mother died from

Bill – for a wife who loved God as he did; for his daughters Judy and Jenny – that they would have a Godly life

Tooki – general blessing

Tasha – prayer for her son Jael to keep him safe

Torisha – her family and a job for her

Paunchita – health and the Lord’s help with her many problems that He knows

Joseph – prayer for his children, their neighborhood. and safety. He added a prayer for himself and his wife for the Lord to sustain them.

Timothy and Dayshaun (his young son) – they are homeless and need shelter

Wally – for clean successful surgery on his mouth next week and quick healing

Tessy – asked prayer for both her and Wally for help with their finances

[Note from Torre: a new shipment of crosses should have come in from Dennis Adams in North Carolina this week. I will get them to Carol and Mark. Last year we handed out 2,200 crosses!]

Albany Intercessor