St. Andrew' Messenger Week of Easter II
In the aftermath of the most recent conflict in the Middle East, the Most Rev'd Dr. Foley Beach has issued the following call to prayer:
Easter greetings in the Name of Christ Jesus our Risen Lord!
By now, we have all seen the news of the strike on Israel by Islamist forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The crisis in the Middle East is complicated by the sectarian reality that this ultimately is a battle of good versus evil that has been waged against Israel and its supporters in the West. As Christians, we must remember that the whole of the Middle East is home to the Christian faith. Throughout the Bible we see God’s chosen people and the Church dwelling in modern day Israel, Judea, Samaria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Lebanon.
Areas such as Gaza and the West Bank have been home to Christian communities for hundreds of years before Islam was created. Today, we hear that Iran is home to one of the fastest growing Christian Churches in the world.
I ask all faithful Christians to join me in prayer today.
Pray for lasting peace and a cessation of all hostilities in the region.
Pray that our Lord Jesus Christ would reveal himself to all the people of the Middle East so that they would come to know the Prince of Peace as their Lord and Savior.
Pray for healing and recovery for the injured and traumatized on all sides, rest for the weary, and wisdom for those in authority.
Pray for our US service members across the region who are in harm’s way and our ACNA Chaplains who minister to them.
Amazing things happen when God’s people pray!!
BCP2019 – Collect 33. FOR OUR ENEMIES
O God, the Creator of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth; deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you in Jesus Christ; in whose Name we pray. Amen.
Sincerely in Christ,
Archbishop Foley Beach
P.S. If you would like to support the ongoing relief efforts in the region directly, I encourage you to give to the work at Christ Church Jerusalem at https://christchurchjerusalem.org/donate/
I commend the following prayer to you:
In Time of War and Tumults
O LORD God of infinite mercy, we humbly beseech thee
to look down with pity upon the nations now engaged
in war. Reckon not against thy people their many iniquities,
for from the lusts of our own hearts come wars and fightings
amongst us. Look in compassion on those immediately
exposed to peril, conflict, sickness, and death; comfort the
prisoners, relieve the sufferings of the wounded, and show
mercy to the dying. Tenderly regard those who abide at
home in fear, privation, and sorrow. Remove in thy good
providence all causes and occasions of war; and of thy great
goodness restore peace among the nations; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen. -- The Book of Common Prayer,
of the Reformed Episcopal Church (2005)
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This week in the Reformed Episcopal Board of Foreign Missions Cycle of Prayer we pray for:
• ST GEORGE’S CHURCH Mill Hill, Blackburn
• Clergy, leaders, and finances for fresh church planting efforts in The Free Church of England
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The Men's Lunch will meet this Tuesday, 16 April, at 11:30am at SunnysideUp, 800 E de Renne Avenue.
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The Vestry will meet following worship on Sunday, 21 April.
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In June the Provincial Assembly of the Anglican Church in North America will gather at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Most prominent among the items of business will be the election of a new Archbishop to replace the Most Rev'd Dr, Foley Beach, whose second five-year term (the Archbishop is limited to two terms in office) is drawing to a close and whom I imagine is looking forward to going back to being "just" the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the South. In preparation for that election Archbishop Beach has issued this call to prayer asking for all members of the ACNA to to pray (and if led to do so to fast) on Wednesday and Friday each week from Easter until 20 June. This past Sunday I included the following prayer and will be doing so during this time and commend it to your consideration in keeping with the Archbishop's request:
ALMIGHTY God, the giver of all good gifts: Grant thy blessing, we humbly beseech thee,to the bishops about to assemble for the election of an Archbishop; and give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, that a chief Pastor may be chosen who shall minister before thee to the glory of thy Name, the good government of the flock committed to his charge, and the welfare of thy holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. --Adapted from the Book of Common Prayer of the Anglican Church of Canada (1962)
(The Rev'd) Drew Collins, Rector