If you were with us on Ash Wednesday, you heard this said to you as Fr. Ed McNeill and I imposed ashes upon your forehead. If you missed it—sorry! You missed a powerful time of worship and encouragement.  The season of Lent begins with a stark reminder of our mortality, and therefore our cause to reflect over the manner and priorities of our lives. This theme is balanced by the theme of God’s triumphant Grace.  This season is a gift. We willingly choose to allow more time and space for the Holy Spirit in our lives. We ask Him to examine our hearts, reveal changes that should be made, express real sorrow over sin and real resolve to move forward in the changes God convinces us to employ.

Lent is a time to grow in Christ and to grow more Christ-like. I invite you to embrace this time for your soul. Set aside more time to read the Bible, pray, read devotional materials (which we have for you), and serve others. Get the most from this season by choosing what to remove from your schedule. Avoid simply adding more to your daily routine; instead, stop doing some things in order to have quality time for your reflections and prayers and reading.

I am encouraged by today’s devotional by Henri Nouwen, From Fear to Love, Fr. Henri writes, “God is not sitting there laughing that you couldn’t do it on your own and you finally had to confess that you needed a parent’s love. That’s not the God we are talking about. Our Loving Creator is so much more caring. Our God awaits us with compassion and tenderness.” Go to the God who waits for you. He doesn’t force your coming or your return, but welcomes you. Make time to be with Him.

Pray with me:  Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth: Grant that this season and “these ashes” may be to us a sign of our mortality and penitence, that we may remember that it is only by your gracious gift that we are given everlasting life; help us; grant us courage to obey our convictions and discipline to seek you in prayer, fasting, giving, and serving; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

One significant message I came away with came from Archbishop Kolini.  He ended his sermon during the opening worship service and also a tribute session for him hosted by the Mission, with this question, “Will you obey the Lord?” He speaks from personal experience and the personal experiences of many Rwandan and other African priests and bishops. They have been shot at, threatened and some killed in service to Christ and his Church. “Will you obey the Lord?” is no simple question. Instead, will we obey when we lose a building, see a program fail, lose members or gain others? Will we obey in the face of opposition? Will we obey as the Lord guides, for it is His church into which we are called and given roles to play?  This is what ++Emmanual Kolini asks. Will you sacrifice your finances, time, convenience, and priorities—whatever it may be—to obey the Lord?

Much sacrifice has gone into the formation of the AM. It isn’t perfect, but it is working. It has been hard work. It is work with a long view to end goals and it takes willingness to obey as God leads-even through change and sacrifice. ++Kolini will retire at the end of this year. This is the charge to the Anglican Mission for the journey ahead. Will you obey the Lord? Let us answer, “Yes,” with conviction.

Inspiring Worship
To capture a sense of what it feels like to experience worship with over 1,400 excited Anglican Mission members challenges me. But this comes to mind: in Revelation 5 and 7, John describes hearing thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand upon ten thousand all declaring in one voice the glory of God. The opening worship service gives me insight into the power of worship in heaven, which our way of worship attempts to replicate for us now through liturgy and inspired, skilled musicianship. When the people are louder than the band as they shout out praise to God, that is powerful!

O, how the Anglican Mission has grown! From 11 churches 10 years ago to 158 today. It took 10 minutes just for the clergy to process into the service! Really, this was moving, grand-scale, and praise-worthy time. I have bought video of the opening service to share with you. I hope you get a glimpse into the joy of the evening.

Impacting Change
Believe that a small number of people  -just like us-  can impact their community and the world. God is with us, and the Holy Spirit guides us into a powerful tomorrow to impact the Bay Area and even Africa. Last week I learned of real events which happened in Greensboro 50 years ago. It’s inspiring and a great illustration of what just a few people rightly motivated can accomplish. From my post on Facebook… Our country is different because of what happened 50 years ago today in this city. Four courageous young black men sat down at the lunch counter at downtown Greensboro’s F.W. Woolworth’s five-and-dime on South Elm St. and asked to be served four cups of coffee. They sat at the “whites-only” counter for eight hours and left without being served. Thus began the civil rights sit-in movement of the early 1960s. Today, Feb 1, 2010, the International Civil Rights Center opens in the same FW Woolworth building.

The Anglican Mission is making impact across the country. Small churches and large alike are doing the work of the church and people’s lives are being changed.

Building Relationships
I met for three hours over breakfast with our Bishop, Sandy Greene. We had a great time simply getting to know each other more. We’re both licensed pilots! Big surprise… we both wish we could fly more, too! (and I don’t mean letting someone else do the driving…) He sends his greetings. He holds us dear in his heart and in prayer. Know your bishop truly cares for our well-being and asks about us in some detail.

While meeting with a group of leaders from the Western states, we began to develop ideas about how to better link our churches to each other via technology and travel in order to share best practices, exchange strategic ideas, and build relational bonds. We realize that in only a short time we feel greater friendship and affinity, and we want to help foster our sense of team effort. This meeting led to a few action items: We determined to meet once each year in addition to Winter Conference-likely in California or Arizona. I have been asked to be the “cluster” leader for Anglican Mission churches in northern CA and Nevada. This is an informal role and it means being the point-of-contact for Canon Missioner Keith Andrews and +Sandy with regard to ministry in our three area churches: Campbell, Modesto and Reno. I was able to act on this quickly by having a long leisurely dinner with Fr. Michael from Wellspring Modesto. The parish’s youth and children’s director, Kristy, joined us and I have a better sense of their needs and how to pray for them.

I renewed my friendship with Andy and Judy Piercy, and we began forming plans to host another worship training event in San Jose, which could include more worship leaders from the Western area.

The team of folks from Arizona, especially Fr. Keith and Fr. Shane Copeland, and I spent a lot of time together, too. What a great group of people. Lots of exciting ministry happening there, including two new church plants.

Lastly, I enjoyed getting to know Archbishop Tay and his wife, Cynthia. They are very warm, encouraging and humble people. I also spent 30 minutes visiting with ++Kolini and his wife, Freda. He always asks about CTK Anglican with sincere interest. We had a great time telling stories and laughing about shared friendships we have.

As I write this blog entry, I sit at my hotel desk in Greensboro, North Carolina. I was here one year ago for the Anglican Mission Winter Conference, and much has changed in the last year! Good progress was made and many goals achieved. I look forward to another fruitful year—- working to enhance men’s ministries, developing leaders, and adding newcomers to our community.  I think we’ll have an exciting year!

We have had several new and “newsy” things occur already. First, we have had great news for Tracy Edwards’ family. Tracy was my assistant for the last half of 2009. She was offered more hours and medical benefits by her other part-time employer, so our loss is her gain. We rejoice with Tracy and her family for God’s provision for them. We were blessed by her time with us in many ways! Tracy created the layout for our new bulletin and eNewsletter, and she helped with the new website project, among more noticeable efforts. She also helped bring better organization to my workflow and to the office procedures. We will miss her and thank God for her time with us.

This change also brings a new face to the office. Let me introduce Terri Renfro to you! I have previously worked with Terri and she has many years of experience working with churches—she and her husband, Barry, have recently launched a new church called Missio Dei. They have four kids, the youngest in middle school. We work well together and enjoy each other’s company, and even better, she already knows how to use all the software programs and new procedures that Tracy introduced to us.

In more good and exciting news, our landlord agreed to lower our monthly office lease payment by $1,000. The change will take effect beginning April 1 (no kidding!). If we remain in the office all year, the church will save $9,000 over our existing lease. Praise to God!

In one last item to mention, if you have been in worship services with us in December and January, then you have heard me state a new change with regard to worship leaders. We are blessed to have Steve Kritzer and Chris Welkley join us as worship leaders. Steve will be with us twice each month (1st and 3rd Sundays), and Chris will lead on the 4th Sunday monthly and other dates, too. Our team is excited to have them and I know you will love to have them with us. Please welcome them and keep them in your prayers! They come to not serve you so much as to serve God, and that puts them in a spiritual battle. Our parish is on the move again, and I feel the battle in the spiritual realms all the time. They have stepped into that battle, too. Thank you for your fervent prayers.

Until next time, to God be glory and honor and majesty! Amen.

At last Christmas is here! How remarkable it is that God “comes to us.” For love, Jesus was born so all the world could know God and be free from the way the bonds of sin alter our identity and purpose in life. Instead, God has love, grace, and purpose for us to experience as we follow the Lord in faith. What a better life we are offered!

I am always inspired by the shepherds’ response to the angel Gabriel’s announcement that a Savior had been born “to them,” who is “Christ, the Lord.”
Had you been one of those shepherds, would you likewise, “go and see” what the angel had told you? I hope so! I would!
Isn’t that the invitation to us again this year– and every Christmas? God bids us, “Come and see. Come, and see the life I have held in promise for you that I will fulfill if you say, ‘yes,’ to me.” Amen!

Joyeux Noël!
Feliz Navidad!
Merry Christmas!

Joy in Christ to you all,
Mark

The season of Advent, the four-week period prior to Christmas, causes Christians to reflect over the coming of Jesus to the world. In readings and prayers, we are reminded not only of the Incarnation, but of Jesus coming again in the future. I wonder what it means for you to prepare your heart to receive Jesus afresh in faith?

As a church family, we have studied, discussed and practiced the ideas of “Sabbath-keeping.” Whether you can better reflect over Jesus’ Incarnation or over his Second Coming, no reflection happens without making time to think and to pray about these things and how your Advent and Christmas will be influenced. Maybe you will buy and shop less and give more? Maybe you will have more time with dear friends and family? Whatever your choices, I encourage you to act in ways that cause you to “remember your first love.” (Rev. 2: 4)

I think about the church in Ephesus to which the Lord said, “You have forsaken your first love.” Ouch. That must have been hard to hear. How like that city is our area: international, cosmopolitan, an economic force, pluralistic, and so on. It’s easy to get caught up in one’s own life and one’s own culture. The Ephesus church lost sight of the Jesus’ at the center of their lives. But let us resolve in this season today to keep the Love and Lordship of Jesus at the center of our focus this season. Let us joyfully follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Let us joyfully set aside time to reflect over the meaning of God’s grace and love found in Christ Jesus. Let us allow God to shape our hearts all the more this year!

- 4:30 p.m. Family service with pageant at Camden Community Center
- 8:15 p.m. candlelight service at Christ the King

There will also be a Christmas Day service at Deacon Carole Anderson’s home at 10 a.m. Please contact Dn. Carole at carole@ctkanglican.com.

What a Sunday we had on Nov 15! Many thanks go to those of you, family and friends, who made the trek to Modesto. I am grateful for your encouragement and support for my ordination as a presbyter (priest) in the AMiA. I also want to express my gratitude to Bishop Sandy Greene and his wife, Gigi, as well as Canon Missioner Keith Andrews, leader of our Network, for their willingness to travel from out of state to continue to build the Anglican Mission’s presence in Northern California. What a set of anniversaries we can now celebrate– the same week in November marks my ordination as priest, the week my family joined the church, and our parish’s anniversary (15 years and counting as “Christ the King”).

Now we begin to press in all the more toward the mission goal we have: make disciples, reach the lost, worship God. There’s so much to do, but we need not do everything all at once. One step at a time, steady and sure, one after the other, and before long we shall find ourselves in new territory! I feel no pressure to address “everything” at the same time. It’s just not realistic. But what is realistic is to look at opportunities God would open for us to expand our ministry and to pursue those things. I want to urge you to think big, expansively, a “taking ground” sort of thinking. Dream for more than simply rebuilding our numbers on a Sunday. Pray earnestly and frequently for God’s blessing upon us. Pray for a hunger in your soul to grow into a steady, unquenchable yearning for God’s glory and Kingdom to expand all around us– and to draw in many who need to know the Lord Jesus as devoted disciples.

We will host our annual Thanksgiving service this year, and we’re inviting St. James to join us at Orchard. During our service, extended time will be given for you to share your testimonies and remembrances of Thanksgiving to God. I look forward to this service!

Foundations work in a similar way in our spiritual lives. This is why at our Fall Retreat I addressed two key concepts: 1) Sabbath and 2) the Bible’s context of Covenant and Kingdom. Both are foundations for life and for church community. If we build these things well, we will enjoy better rest and clearer focus in God’s call upon our lives. We will stand strong against the forces that would batter us.

Two weekends have passed since retreat and more of you tried observing a day of Sabbath rest. What do you think? It’s very, well, restful, yes? Are you surprised by how restored you are in body and mind by spending a day, or even just an evening, doing no work or other form of task accomplishment? Likely, you found setting aside the time challenging, too? For “some reason…” your lives were simply busy and issues of work or other needs would intrude into your planned time of rest, blah, blah, blah. O! How we all know that routine well! Be encouraged! Until the pattern of rest and your intention to follow-through is more strongly formed in you, this will keep happening. Take heart and don’t give up-the end result of a regular day of rest will be well worth it to your heart, mind, soul, as well as family & friendships.

Remember, just start with something. Do not be intimidated by the idea of one day of no work. Start with just an evening. I suggest a Friday or Saturday evening (better if you will participate in worship on Sunday). Let that evening be uninterrupted by work. Do things that you enjoy as restful-a meal, playing a game with family or friends, singing, prayer and reading. Go to be earlier than usual. Remember that Genesis 1 reveals a created pattern in which the day begins with evening. Yes! The day begins at sunset– with rest, not with rising for work at sunrise. “Hmm?” you say? Read it. “There was evening and morning, the first day,” and so on. So, here is a phrase I want you to remember: Work from rest, don’t rest from work. “Huh?” you ask?

When we begin the day with the quieting activities of evening and sleep-we rise from that rest ready, refreshed and able to work. We “work from rest,” meaning, work comes from a physical and spiritual place of “restedness” (forgive me if I just made up a word). If, on the other hand we consider that our day begins when we rise, we easily fall prey to the pattern of robbing the beginning of our day (the evening!) by staying up later to get more things done. We squeeze more work into life’s day, and then try to catch up somehow with less sleep! In just a few days, we rise tired each day. If that pattern takes hold, our evenings and sleep become attempts to recover (rest) from work. This ‘recovery time’ comes at the “end” of our day, which is how we think of evening. This is how we live culturally. Me, you, and nearly everyone I know fall into this trap.

We can change it. We need a perspective shift. We just need to obey the command, “Keep the Sabbath Day.”

I’m excited about our time together. The weather looks promising and I trust that God will use this time in a powerful way for us. I want to ask you something of deep importance. First let me explain something. I have noticed since I joined the church that whenever we begin to press forward into activities which will clarify and impact our mission, all kinds of problems arise. From serious injuries and illnesses, to conflicts, to family difficulty, to delays, to sudden travel or absenteeism, any number of things seemingly go wrong.

This is my request: please pray each day for our church and for those going to the upcoming retreat. We must not make the error that we have no opposition. Jesus promises that he will build his church “and the gates of hell will not overcome it.” We do have an active enemy, so this is my “call to action” based upon yesterday’s sermon: actively resist the devil. Pray boldly for our church, for yourself, for your own children and the children of the church. Pray that people will stay well and not fall ill. Pray that people will be encouraged to come rather than discouraged and change plans. Pray for wisdom! Know that your week could suddenly be filled with tension, difficulty, “fires” to put out, or whatever the reason that may make you regret or reconsider participating at retreat.

Thanks for your prayers!