Praying for GAFCON Friday October 25th

I haven’t had much time to blog in the past 36 hours or so. I’ll keep this post short.

GAFCON II is winding down… this afternoon the delegates are working in groups to give feedback and recommendations about the Draft Communique.

I’ve learned from Twitter that The Rev. John Guernsey (ACNA Bishop of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic) is chair of the Communique drafting team. Please pray for him by name, and pray that the Communique that is released by GAFCON II will become a helpful rallying point and action plan for orthodox Anglican believers around the world.

As GAFCON II has so clearly addressed (particularly in the talk by Bishop Nazir-Ali, but also by others), the challenge for us is no longer just about the crisis in the Anglican Communion or how to reshape Anglican structures. No, it’s bigger: how do we in the Church deal with agressive secularism both in the West and elsewhere. How do we respond to Islam. How do we recognize and avoid syncretism (compromise with the culture), be it in the West, or in Africa. It’s not just Anglicans facing these problems, it’s the whole Body of Christ.

I pray that in His mercy, God would use GAFCON II and the Communique that comes out of it to help sound a clear call forward as to how the Church should face these challenges in our generation: with unity, love and great joy and boldness in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Ezra 3:10-13 and Jude 24-25

When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the ordinance of David king of Israel. (Ezra 3:10)
      Holy Father, help us keep in mind as we rebuild your church into a temple of praise and worship that there can be no other foundation which we can lay than Jesus Christ (see 1 Corinthians 3:10).

And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD: “For he is good, for his mercy endures forever toward Israel.” Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. (Ezra 3:11)
      Holy Spirit, give us this same passion to praise Jesus, for he is good and his mercy endures forever towards his people.

But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off. (Ezra 3:12-13)
      Move our hearts to contrition and sorrow, Jesus, as we recall how far the Episcopal Church has fallen from the faith once for all delivered to the saints (see Jude 3).

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to God our savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)
      Amen.

A word received: Hear me, listen to me, be guided by me.

A word received: Leave your worries in my care.

Friday: 31 * 35; Ezra 3:1-13; 1 Cor. 16:10-24; Matt. 12:22-32
Saturday: 30, 32 * 42, 43; Ezra 4:7,11-24; Philemon 1-25; Matt. 12:33-42
Sunday: 63:1-8(9-11),98 * 103; Haggai 1:1-2:9; Acts 18:24-19:7; Luke 10:25-37
Proper 25 Closest to October 26: 84 or 84:1-6; Jeremiah 14:(1-6)7-10,19-22; 2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18; Luke 18:9-14

      Notes from the Front Line

***** A Titanic Wish: http://www.thedockchurch.org/ Pray for our brothers and sisters in Northern Ireland as they seek to share the gospel of peace.

Schenectady City Mission Prayer Table Report, Thursday, October 24, 2013, 5:15 – 6:10 p.m.. Torre and Jean Bissell, Mark and Darlene Chesnut, and Chuck Rinaldo doing volunteer work serving the meal 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 Erika (woman) — She asked prayer for her boyfriend Ricardo and her daughter Aaliyah: there are lots of arguments and little peace between Erika and Ricardo.

+a Cody (young man) — He was raised Roman Catholic but stopped going to church when a Deacon fell dead from a heart attack right in front of him when he was younger. He recommitted his life to Jesus and accepted him as Lord and Savior and the forgiveness of his sins.

+a Julie (woman) — She asked for more hours at work and better pay.

+a Josh (young man, regular) — He said that he had stayed clean this week. We prayed for his protection and blessing.

Ted (volunteer) — His granddaughter Camille is still undergoing treatment and daily injections because of lyme disease. They are appealing the insurance company’s refusal to pay for the treatments.

+a Sabrina (young woman) — She is struggling with depression. Her father has been diagnosed with leukemia.

+a Samantha (young woman) — She is struggling with great confusion.

+Dian and +Julian (young son) — She wants to get off welfare and get a job where there are Christian co-workers. Her car needs repair.

+a Ricos (young man) — He asked for prayer for his famly, that he wouldn’t worry, and to stay humble.

+Jerry (regular) — “I’m OK, but my grandson Jarret (14) in Florida is in the hospital with a blood disorder. He has zero white blood cells. His condition is called Cyclic neutropenia and makes him very vulnerable to infection. Jerry rejoiced that it has now been 3 years since his brain cancer was curred.

+a Kobe (4) and +a Chuck (father) (regulars) — We prayed for a safe place for them to live and daily bread.

Gary — He asked prayer for Chris Richmond who has advanced cancer, for Pastor Jay’s mom, and for a friend named John.

Albany Intercessor