Update on Abp. Duncan’s health – he’s still in hospital and had a second surgery

From the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh (via George Conger at Anglican Ink)

Dear Friends of the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh,

Please continue to pray for our Archbishop Robert Duncan. We received word from Nara this morning that he is to have a surgical procedure performed today at 6:00 p.m. Nairobi time – which is 11:00 a.m. here in Pittsburgh (EST). It is hoped that this will enable him to be well enough to return home on Saturday. His Grace will remain recuperating in the hospital until then.

As mentioned yesterday, please continue to pray for all of our friends in the Anglican community who are attending GAFCON, especially those from the Pittsburgh area. Our Diocesan delegates include: Archbishop Duncan, Bishop Frank Lyons, the Rev. Karen Stevenson, Heather Strong Moore and Shawn Reed. Other Pittsburghers attending are Nara Dewar Duncan, Shawnee Lyons, Canon Jack Lumanog, Brad Root, the Rev. Andrew Gross, Canon Nancy Norton, the Rev. Alan Hawkins, the Rev. Justyn Terry, the Rev. John Macdonald and the Rev. Stephen Noll.

We will keep everyone posted and will be on watch for official updates from Andrew Gross, ACNA’s Director of Communications. Again, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Heather Cronin, Director of Communications a

– See more at: http://www.anglicanink.com/article/archbishop-duncan-health-bulletin#sthash.u5awkb8J.dpuf

Why GAFCON 2013 matters – part 2: Praying for the “mini conference” sessions

Not all conferences are just TALK.  Some, through the creation of  effective working groups, lead to actions that change the world!  That’s my hypothesis for this series, and my prayer for GAFCON 2013!

GAFCON II is not all about rousing Plenary Sessions and worship, and fellowship, but it truly is a WORKING CONFERENCE.

You can find the schedule for the conference here.

Of note is that throughout the week (today – Friday) there are a number of “mini-conferences” taking place. The topics for these mini-conferences are:

• The Challenge of Islam  – led by Bishop Michael Nazir Ali
• The Work of the Holy Spirit  – led by Dr. Stephen Noll
• Marriage and Family   –  led by Dr. John & Ruth Senyonyi
• Children and Youths   –  Rev Zac Vernon
• Gospel and Culture   –  Dr. Alfred Olwa
• Being Women of God   –  Christine Perkin
• Aid and Development   –  Rev Dennis Tongoi
• Theological Education   –  Dr Andrew Shead
• Episcopal Ministry   –  Bishop Wallace Benn

These mini-conferences are a big part of why I believe GAFCON 2013 is important and an event we should uphold in much prayer.

Let me share a somewhat personal example* of what can come out of a conference and conference working groups.  Although I am too young to have atttended the first Congress on World Evangelization in Lausaane Switzerland in 1974, I have heard a lot about it from a number who were there.  John Stott is quoted as describing Lausanne’s Impact as follows:

 ‘Many a conference has resembled a fireworks display. It has made a loud noise and illuminated the night sky for a few brief brilliant seconds. What is exciting about Lausanne is that its fire continues to spark off other fires. ’ [from here]

THAT IS MY PRAYER FOR GAFCON 2013 – that it will spark many such fires in terms of effective partnerships and ministries that will lead to the growth of the worldwide Church – both in maturity, and in numbers!

At Lausanne 1 in 1974, one of the key “fires” that sparked other fires was a talk by Dr. Ralph Winter of the US Center for World Mission, presenting the huge unfinished task of reaching some 14,000+ unreached people groups without any indigenous form of Christian witness.  That presentation highlighted how little work was being done at the time to reach Muslims around the world with the Gospel of Christ.

At that time many were deeply stirred by what God was doing in their midst, but were moved to penitence by their flawed and limited commitment to the missionary task. At Lausanne they entered into solemn covenant with God and with each other to pray, to plan and to work together for the evangelization of the world. Their concern was: “Let the Earth Hear His Voice” and their focus was on “unreached people.” Of particular interest to many of the participants was the large bloc of unreached Muslims.  (from here)

This was more than mere talk or good intentions, it led to ACTIONS.  In 1978, a week-long consultation was convened at Glen Eyrie, Colorado, to explore the responsibilities of North American Christians toward the Muslim World.  As one of the participants writes:

At the opening session of the conference, this mood of expectancy was overshadowed by a painful reality. The keynote address raised the question: “Why is not the Muslim world better evangelized?” The probing went deeper. Related questions were asked: “Why is it that barely two percent of North American Protestant missionaries are involved in this work? Why their limited understanding of Islam and Islamic culture?”… It was inevitable that as the conference progressed workshops and discussion groups increasingly faced the future. When they did so, many issues surfaced that called for exploration and old questions arose that demanded new answers. In the process all of us became aware of the wide variety of tasks that will have to be undertaken if the Church seriously desires to evangelize the Muslim world.   […] Each specialty group was commissioned to ask itself: “What specific contribution can and should we make to further the Muslim evangelization?” On the first time around, more than thirty major and relevant tasks were defined as needing urgent attention. And the momentum kept increasing. [reference]

The results in the 35 years since the Glen Eyrie Consultation on reaching Muslims have been nothing short of extraordinary:

• New mission agencies birthed to focus exclusively on reaching the Muslim world,
• new training resources developed,
• multiple thousands of missionaries sent to Muslim people groups just from North America alone,
• a mobilization of prayer for Muslim peoples

But most exciting, God has poured out His Holy Spirit, and today there are large-scale people movements of Muslims turning to Christ in at least 17 different Muslim countries.  As one author has termed it, a new wind is blowing through the House of Islam.

So… that’s a small case study of what can happen from a conference.  Words, leading to conviction and repentance, translated into action, and very importantly MUCH PRAYER, and then God working to reveal His glory as His people offered themselves and their efforts to His service.

May that be what is said happened at GAFCON 2013.  May there be a testimony of many fires sparked around the world from this gathering as people met and listened and prayed and strategized together in each of the mini-conference sessions!

—-

[*Although I did not attend Lausanne 1 in Switzerland, I had the joy of attending Lausanne 3 in Capetown, and so I have studied the Lausanne Movement history.  Also, I am working overseas as a direct result of the recruiting efforts, encouragement and training of those who were at Lausanne 1 and the Glen Eyrie Consultation.]

Matthew 12 and Psalm 38

Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. (Matthew 12:6)
      Holy Spirit, help us recognize and honor the authority of Jesus by our words and deeds.

But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. (Matthew 12:7)
      Holy Spirit, work on our desires so that we desire what Jesus desires: mercy and righteousness.

For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:8 )
      Jesus, come and be Lord of our Sabbaths. Help us enter into true worship of our Father in heaven and worship of you.

Now when he had departed from there, he went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”–that they might accuse him. Then he said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. (Matthew 12:9-13)
      Father, let our Sunday services become true service to you where healing is ministered and received. Thank you.

Do not forsake me, O LORD; O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation! (Psalm 38:21-22)
      Amen.

Wednesday: 38 * 119:25-48; Lam. 2:8-15; 1 Cor. 15:51-58; Matt. 12:1-14
Thursday: 37:1-18 * 37:19-42; Ezra 1:1-11; 1 Cor. 16:1-9; Matt. 12:15-21

      Notes from the Front Line

***** PRAYER TABLE REPORT ST. ANN’S OF AMSTERDAM (Monday, Oct. 21, 2013; 10-11 a.m. Cool but sunny morning. Lots of people out and about! Deacon Alan Hart presiding at His table today.)

a– anointed with Holy Oil.
t — received wooden cross made by Dennis Adams of North Carolina.

Note: For the last 3 weeks we have begun offering free winter hats, gloves, socks and scarves to our neighbors who need them. The response has been heavy. There is a need in our neighborhood, and the cold weather is at our doorstep. We are thankful to be able to help our neighborhood folks in this way.

[If you would like to contribute towards gloves and hats for those in need, send a check to St. Ann’s Episcopal Church’ 37 Division St, Amsterdam, NY 12010-4398 and mark the memo line “Clothes for the poor”. Torre]

t — ED — Asked for prayer for his mother SHARON, who had quadruple bypass recently and is not bouncing back as was hoped or expected.

t,t — SHERRY — This woman has suffered with spinal pain since early this summer and is seeking relief from the pain. She has a doctor appointment on November 5th and is both looking forward to it and scared at the same time. We prayed for her to be healed and to be freed from both pain and anxiety about it.

t — BIANCA — She asked for protection from demons. She is convinced that evil spirits are “after her” all the time.

REBECCA — This is a young woman who has problems with her knees. She walks with a cane up and down the hills of the city. Until recently she was getting helpful physical therapy, but her health coverage didn’t allow her to continue past a certain number of visits. She is now experiencing back pain as well. We prayed for healing for her.

a, t — MARIA — This woman is a distance runner who has run past His table each of the past few weeks without stopping. (She would always wave and say “God bless you!” as she passed us.) This time, she finished her run and came back to seek prayer. She asked for prayer for her and her husband to be safe and well.

t — THERESA — She wanted prayer for her grandson JOHN’s health and well-being, and for “peace all over the world.”

MOTHER AND SON (no names) — They gratefully took winter clothing but politely declined prayer. “We’re good!” she exclaimed. We prayed at a distance anyway that they would draw closer to Him.

t — ANGELA — First she asked for prayer for her grandsons (no names) to be safe from harm. As she was leaving she mentioned that she is battling cancer, so we called her back and prayed for healing for her.

DAVID — Sought prayer for his Native American friend, a blind woman named DAKOTA. David took two walking canes we were offering for free that were left over from a recent ECW rummage sale. David said Dakota would gratefully use them.

Albany Intercessor