Are any among you tired?

borrowed from DestinationGod.com,
a ministry of Tim Johnson (yes, he's my boy!)
McDonnough GA

GIVE US YOUR TIRED...

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, with conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand a mighty woman with a torch, whose flameis the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame, "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she with silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

(Emma Lazarus)

For the uninformed, these words greet every visitor to the shores of the United States of America. Countless millions of immigrants passed by them on their way into America. These words are at the base of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

These are the words of the Declaration of Independence. This document stated the intention of Great Britain’s American colonies to self-govern. Roughly 14% of the 56 men who signed the Declaration had immigrated to America at some point in their life.

In fourteen hundred ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.

Columbus. An Italian who made his way to the Americas by way of Spain.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Abraham Lincoln penned these words as a speech to dedicate a military cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. At the time, our country was embroiled in a great conflict over, among other things, the status of certain immigrants (so to speak).

This land is your land This land is my landFrom California to the New York island; From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream waters This land was made for you and Me.

In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people, By the relief office I seen my people; As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking Is this land made for you and me?

Somewhere between the opening chorus and closing verse of Woody Guthrie’s great anthem is where we are now as a society. Between the statement, “this land was made for you and me”, and the question, “is this land made for you and me?”

Some would argue that the changes to “the land made for you and me” threaten the very nature of the land. Others want to know whom the “you and me” refers to?

Our country is currently consumed with a debate regarding immigration. Now, in order to not sound like a despicable racist, some try to say it is only about illegal immigration. But, that does sound very much like a ruse to me. And we should not stoop to the “illegals take American jobs”, “illegals only take jobs Americans don’t want”, or “Americans would want the jobs if illegals didn’t lower the market” arguments. None of that is the real issue.

The real issue is can be seen in these facts from World Vision’s Faith In Action Study Bible.

• In some countries of the world over 94% of school age girls are not in school, while over 99% of girls in America are
• The average student-teacher ratio in some areas can be as high as 250 to 1, while in America the ratio is 17 to 1
• Over 90% of American adults are literate, while in developing countries the literacy rate is less than 10%
• Outside of America 5 children die of preventable illness every 15 seconds
• 1 in 7 people in developing countries go hungry, while Americans spend $20 billion a year on ice cream (enough money to feed 83 million children for a year)
• Nearly 3 billion people live on less than $2 a day
• More than 1 billion live on less than $1 a day
• But on a list of the 22 most affluent countries, America ranks last in providing foreign aid to the developing world

Is there any doubt as to why, in the words of Emma Lazarus, “the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse, the homeless, the tempest-tost” are literally dying in an effort to get to America and possibly make a better life for their family? Can we blame them? Would we not do the same if the situation was reversed, and it was our kid going to bed hungry, without an education or a hope for the future? And would we stop to consider immigration law if our family’s life was at stake?

What would God have to say on this topic? Look in Leviticus 19:33-34. Don't mistreat any foreigners who live in your land. Instead, treat them as well as you treat citizens and love them as much as you love yourself. Remember, (your ancestors) were once foreigners in the land (too).

Yes, in this era of terrorism, we need to better secure our borders. But many of those who are here illegally are honest, hard-working people. If they have committed no other crime than to be here illegally, we need to practice some civility. Give them a helping hand in their quest to provide the life for the future generations of their family that many of our ancestors provided for us. Remember, it wasn’t too long ago in our country that these statements would have possibly impacted our grandparents and great-grandparents:

• Irish need not apply
• No Chinese
• Catholics not welcome
• Jews not welcome
• Coloreds not served

Keep in mind these words of Scripture from Revelation 7:9, 21:4. After this, I saw a large crowd with more people than could be counted. They were from every race, tribe, nation, and language, and they stood before the throne and before the Lamb. They wore white robes and held palm branches in their hands, He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever.

This land was made for you and me, whoever you and me are, wherever you and me are originally from.

A Passover Message

Borrowed from Fr. Tom Johnson, Anglican Church of the Resurrection, AMiA, Casper

From a Jews for Jesus newsletter, "Moishe's Musings". Moishe Rosen is the Jews for Jesus founder. Jews for Jesus is a Jewish organization dedicated to helping Jews discover Jesus as the Messiah.

Christianity comes out of Judaism, so the two religions have an affinity with each other. Even our celebrations have much in common.

THE MISSING INGREDIENT

The elements that make a thing to be what it is can't be compromised. Bread without yeast becomes matzoh. Oceans without water become very long, very dry valleys of sand. Marriages without love become a version of Hell.

A church with a missing ingredient becomes a social club. The ingredients of the church may not be exactly what you think. You can have a church without pews, without a pulpit, without a preacher, without a doctrinal creed. But all too often, what's really essential is left out. You can't have a church without people--and you can't have a real church without Jesus.

The synergistic relationship between Jesus and His people is what produces a church. Don't confuse the product with the producer. Buildings with steeples, with or without musical instruments, with pews, even with people are not what God wants for a church unless Jesus is the Main Ingredient.

The main ingredient for life is not good health and a strong body. It is not a good education, a good personality, or good connections. Human nature by itself corrupts and corrodes anything about us that is good. The main ingredient has to be the antidote to human nature. That is why the main ingredient is Jesus. He prepares, promotes, and preserves us. He promises us eternal life.

Nowadays, polite society wants to erase the Name of Jesus as though His name were some kind of public obscenity. But they'll never erase Jesus because He is our ground of being, our basis of reality, and the One who gives life--not only that, He's the One who gives our life meaning.

Wisdom from the past

Borrowed from a friend, Fr. Gene Packwood, of St. Barnabas Anglican Parish, Medicine Hat, Alberta --

"Something for a spring day from William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1942-1944, from the opening sermon to the Lambeth Conference:

While we deliberate, He reigns;
When we decide wisely, He reigns;
When we decide foolishly, He reigns;
When we serve Him in humble loyalty, He reigns;
When we serve Him self assertively, He reigns;
When we rebel and seek to withhold our service, He reigns
- the Alpha and the Omega which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. Amen."

What a powerful idea, He reigns!

Of course, this is NOT NEWS.

We know it, we have known it for ages; but, isn't it great to be reminded from time to time, "He reigns!"

He reigns in every area of our lives, personal, professional, and liturgical.
He reigns!

He reigns in our private and personal prayer, in home Bible study, in mission meetings, in parish vestries, in diocesan council, in synodial conventions, in provincial convocations, He reigns!

Whether or not we want Him to, He reigns!
When it is convenient for us, He reigns; if it works against our own pet desires, He reigns!

When we truly seek Him in our lives, He reigns!
When we are on the run from Him, He reigns!

Child of God or child of satan, He reigns!
So give it up, let Him reign supreme in you!


Pax Christi †

Br Chip+, cj

Tuesday of 1 Lent, 2006

Grant to thy people, Lord, grace to withstand the temptations of he world, the flesh and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee, the only true God; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Eucharistic lectionary
Psalm 34.15-22
Isaiah 55.6-11
Matthew 6.7-15


Today we face the largest and most diverse sort of temptations ever seen or conceived by man. Late last night, the governor of South Dakota signed into law a sweeping 'new' anti-abortion law; a law which makes no provision for the sins of incest and rape,with exception only in case of the life threat to the mother.

The greatest sin propounded by this 'fine example of modern legislation' is the inclusion of language which guarantees the 'father' of a rape or incest product full parental rights, if he so chooses. He is given unlimited visitation rights, has the right to determine where and how the child is to be raised, and all totally without any concern or regard for the mother's rights or feelings. This is tacked on possibly to insure his full participation in the fiscal support of the child, but I don't see that as a real plus in this law.

South Dakota has been offered the rare opportunity and priviledge by her governor to spend countless millions of dollars of tax payer monies and endless hours of appellate process, all the way to the Supreme Court, to perhaps, in the end, to lose and have this law rescinded and abrogated by the court systems of this nation.

Child of God, would it not be so much simpler and less expensive to merely let God have his sovereign way in our lives; for our nuclear and extended families and the Church to take back their responsibilities to properly raise children in the 'fear and admonition of God'.

The innocence of youth is no more, and it is solely because we, as adults, have diminished it. Our children must seek elsewhere, the love and affection they need for proper physical, social, and emotional development, care that they should be finding every day, at home or at church; not on the street corners at night, as I observed from my living room window last night, or at school, loosely supervised.

Moms, dads, brothers, sisters, aunties, uncles, grandparents take back your children and their raising NOW before we lose all controls over the direction our precious children are directed in their early lives! The schools have operated for years 'in loco parentis', in the place of parents, because we and generations before us have allowed it. We have been 'too busy', 'too involved elsewhere', making a living, following a career, to be the parents God has called you to be.

Being a parent is the singularly greatest vocation and avocation in the world, but we have abandoned parenthood, and our children, for too long. What will you do about it? Because it is a question of 'will' not 'can'.

YOU must make a choice to purpose, to 'will', to decide, what you will do with, for and in regard to your children.

So, what do you will? Amen.

"House Churches" - Time Magazine feature 3/6/06

This is one model for our plan of growth in the Dakotas, from T19,

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/
0,9171,1167737,00.html

Our purpose is to meet small and develop people, and to reach former clusters who are presently unchurched through closure by ecclesiastical authorities for any reason, including 'small size'.

Come, be a part of a new Anglican wave in the upper midwest!

Is This Your Church?

A minister was approached by a man who wanted to join the church. “But,” the man said, “I have a very busy schedule. I can’t be called on for any service, such as committee work, teaching, or singing in the choir. I just won’t be available for special projects or to help with setting up chairs or things like that. And I’m afraid I’ll never be bale to go on visitation, as my evenings are all tied up.”



The minister thought for a moment, then replied, “I believe you are at the wrong church. The church you are looking for is three blocks down the street, on the right.”



The man followed the preacher’s directions and soon came to an abandoned, boarded up, closed church building. It was a dead church – gone out of business.

-borrowed from Christ Community Church, Winter Haven aplacetobelong-dot-com

Friday after Ash Wednesday, 2006

Support us, O Lord, with thy gracious favor through the fast we have begun; that as we observe it by bodily self-denial, so we may fulfill it with inner sincerity of heart; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Eucharistic Lectionary:
Psalm 51.1-10
Isaiah 58.1-9a
Matthew 9.10-17

Is 51.1 "Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest." KJV


Lent has begun. We are fully involved. It is so very easy at the beginning of this penitential season to be resolute, to maintain our fasting and extra intentions in prayer.

But, God requires much more than a good beginning. If we are to fully access his Divine Mercy, we must be consistent in keeping a good Lent. Our prayers must be more intentional, less scattered. Oh, I know how easy it is to let ourselves be distracted from prayer and merciful works; but think of the joy that can be ours as we come to the end of Lent, to the Great Vigil and know that we, like Paul, have kept the faith, we have run a good race, we have finished the course.

Look to the Psalmist, in verse 10 and 11, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy holy presence: and take not thy holy spirit from me."
Eternal God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, hear us today, draw us close to you, inspire us to keep our vows for Lent, help us to remember our the true reason for keeping this holy penitential season; draw us ever closer to you and to your Christ, and give us your Peace in Him. Amen.

Lenten Studies at St. Francis Mission

St Francis Mission, of the Anglican Mission to South Dakota, announces a Lenten Study Series, to be held at the Mission, meeting at 346 South Chicago Street, Hot Springs SD, twice each Sunday, at the 11:00 am and 6:30 pm services.

The series will begin the First Sunday of Lent, March 5, 2006,and continue through the Sunday of the Passion (Palm Sunday), April 9, 2006, and will address in detail the 39 Articles of Religion of the Anglican Church; and the three historic Creeds of the Church, the Apostle's, Nicene, and Athanasian, according to the Rev. Charles Johnson+, cj, missioner for the Anglican Mission to South Dakota.

For further information: respond on this blogsite, e-mail sdanglican@gwtc.net, or phone Br Chip+ at 605+745-5586.

Welcome to The South Dakota Anglican

We serve in the southern Black Hills of South Dakota to restore a 're-emergent' traditional Anglican presence, with a 'twist', among the disenfranchised Episcopal, Anglican, Catholic, and Lutheran peoples of South Dakota, who are interested in a return to the old liturgy, with a serious thrust of biblical preaching..

As ordained clergy in the Anglican Province of Christ the Good Shepherd, and the Diocese of St. Paul the Apostle, and as a professed Third Order Franciscan, of the Company of Jesus, we are committed to the simple life, serving those who are hurting in any way, working in the hospitals and jail, and with the truly disenfranchised and homeless, to bring them spiritual and physical comfort in this life by clothing and feeding them, and a hope for the future by 'preaching as Francis preached...sometimes using words'.


The Anglican Mission to South Dakota seeks no more than "to reach and to teach in the Name of Jesus Christ" through the use the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, the 1979 Prayer Book, either rite, or the Anglican Service Book. Scripture may be the Authorized (King James) Version, the New King James, the Revised Standard or the New Revised Standard.

We presently operate 'house-churches' in several communities in western South Dakota, but are comitted to receiving congregations into fellowship as missions or parishes, and re-opening or otherwise providing sacramental coverage for congregations closed and abandoned by their ecclesial authority from the Nebraska panhandle into North Dakota.

All real and personal properties of each mission or congregation is held by that mission, none devolves to any higher authority, and all clergy in the Province are 'non-stipendary', which simply means, we support our selves by our outside labors, and all offerings and receipts are used for the support of the mission of Christ.

We are tithers; ten percent of individual family income goes to the congregation for mission and operating expenses; and of that, ten percent of the tithe goes to the diocesan office in Dallas for travel and mission expenses, leaving each congregation ninety percent of their collections to be use for the spread of the Gospel in each locale.

We are also strongly mission oriented. Each mission or congregation is encouraged to be proactive in their own greater community, and for each member to have a lay apostolate in the Name of Jesus, to truly reach and to mediate the needs of our neighbors (Mt 22.37-40) as we pattern our lives after St. Francis of Assisi.

We welcome any inquiries, referals, or comments, as we seek to serve our Lord, Jesus Christ.

News articles are solicited, please, no copywrited material without the author's permission.

Pax Christi †,
Charles Johnson+, cj
Missioner

sdanglican@gwtc.net