It’s Homecoming Week!

This Sunday, July 4th, at our 10 o’clock service, Church of the Messiah will return to our home sanctuary for the first time on a Sunday morning since the beginning of the Pandemic!  In March of 2020, when the pandemic began, Church of the Messiah adapted and streamed our services while providing Holy Communion to those who joined us in the parking lot of our church.  Beginning in July of 2020, however, we were blessed to be able to worship in the sanctuary of Ft. Caroline Presbyterian Church.  Pastor David Imhoff and the leadership of FCPC were gracious and allowed us to use their sanctuary while they began to worship in their parking lot.  Now, after a wonderfully blessed year, we are happy to be returning to our own home sanctuary in our building.   We have been preparing for this change for quite a while and getting everything ready all week long.  Be sure to join us this Sunday morning to see what has changed and what still remains the same.  You can join us in person or you can still join us on-line as we stream on our Facebook page via Facebook Live.

We are so grateful to The Lord and Ft. Caroline Presbyterian Church for the providence and hospitality that has allowed us to worship together over the last year.  We are also thankful and excited for the opportunity to worship together in our own home sanctuary once again.  Join us this Sunday and we can worship The Lord and give thanks together!

Abp. Craig Bates and Cn. Terry Gensemer to Lead Liturgy for the Pre-Born

This Saturday, June 26th, Archbishop Craig Bates and Canon Terry Gensemer will lead the Liturgy for the Pre-Born in front of A Woman’s Choice of Jacksonville.  Abp. Bates is the Patriarch of the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church (ICCEC) and an ardent pro-life advocate who has prayed on the front lines of the culture wars for  decades.  Canon Terry Gensemer is the founder and director of CEC for Life, the pro-life advocacy arm of the Charismatic Epicopal Church, which this year will celebrate its 20th anniversary.  Both men are tremendous advocates for the pre-born and we are blessed to have them lead the Liturgy for the Pre-Born in Jacksonville.  The Liturgy for the Pre-Born is a prayer service that is a combination of last rites for those who are condemned to die in abortion, prayers for repentance, and prayers for the end of the abortion holocaust throughout America and the world.

We invite you to join with Abp. Bates, Cn. Gensemer and Church of the Messiah this Saturday morning beginning at 9 o’clock.  Through the graciousness of Family for Life  we are able to pray directly across from A Woman’s Choice of Jacksonville (click HERE for a map).  For those who are unable to attend in person, Church of the Messiah will live stream the event on their Facebook page via Facebook Live.  Please join Church of the Messiah and these mighty men of God as we pray for the day that abortion becomes not only illegal but unthinkable!

 

Read the Patriarch’s Foundation Day Message

The challenge to the Church in every age is both evangelism, assimilation, and leaving a legacy.  The Bishops are actively seeking the Lord, even during this pandemic, and listening to His voice regarding all these areas of mission and ministry.  And, on all levels, things are happening to give glory to God.  There is not a Church in the CEC that isn’t about doing all we can to lead people to the phenomenal, awesome, and glorious savior named Jesus.

I want to address legacy for a moment.  This June, we once again have what is called “Foundation Day.”  On this day, each Church in the CEC is to take up a special offering.  It is suggested that each person give ten dollars.  When collected, the money will go to a fund where 1/3 will be given out in loans, 1/3 will be given out in grants, and 1/3 will be invested for the future.  For what purpose?  To build the Church through the building, purchasing, or repairing of Church facilities.  It will also be used for programs that can advance the growth of the Church.   It is building a legacy.

My children grew up in convergence worship and the Charismatic Episcopal Church.   They now have children (my grandchildren and inheritance from the Lord).  It is possible, in my case, that in the not so far away future the children of my children could have children.  (Not the near future as they are still young, but time goes by fast).  We will be a fourth-generation CEC family.  (Some have already reached that point in their families and their church families.)

I would encourage you to give generously to the foundation offering.  We are still under the mandate to build places of prayer, worship, and unity.  We are called to be part of the three streams of evangelical, charismatic, and sacramental/liturgical worship that makes visible the ancient and historic faith in Jesus.  We are small, but our call is not about size but faithfulness to the mission.  We are called to be faithful to build a legacy for the next generation to continue this very holy and worthy mission.

The pandemic is coming to an end, and we can now get together face to face.  We soon can return to receiving communion in both kinds from a common cup.  We can once again greet one another with a sign of God’s peace that might involve a hug.  It is a good day that is in front of us.  Let us rejoice and be glad.

Under His mercy,

Craig W. Bates,

Patriarch

To give to the Foundation Day offering through Church of the Messiah, click HERE.  For more information on Foundation Day, including the history of the offering and financial accountability, click HERE to visit the Foundation Day page on the web-site of the Charismatic Episcopal Church of North America.  

WE NOW POSSESS THE LAND!

In the fourth chapter of Deuteronomy, Moses proclaimed to Israel, “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you.”  We now possess the land which the LORD  God of our fathers has given us!  As of 10:45 this morning, Fr. David, acting in  consensus with his Rector’s Council, purchases 4.95 acres of property on St. John’s Bluff Road North.

While praying about whether to buy an already established building or undeveloped land, the word of the LORD came to one of the members of the Rector’s Council who said,”The LORD wants to do a new things with us.  He is tired of us always having someone else’s leftovers.  This is a new thing.”  In fact, the land is so new that it has never been assigned a street address!  The land is on St. Johns Bluff Road North in between Oak Crest Drive and Craig Drive and opposite Craig Municipal Airport.

Having possessed the land, we know turn our attention to occupying the land.  We are beginning the process of clearing the land so that we may gather on the property and worship their together.  Our Parish Council will also begin to serve as a Buildings Committee to begin the development of our property.  Of course, this also means that we address our building fund in earnest.

We thank all of those who have prayed, fasted, and interceded for Church of the Messiah in this process.  Please continue to pray for the growth and development of the Church of the Messiah.  We are not quite out of the Cave of Adullam (I Samuel 22:1-2) just yet, but we now know where David is leading his mighty men.

 

Pray for Our People

This Friday and Saturday many of our people will be traveling down to the Chapel of Divine Mercy to participate in the first of two training sessions for the upcoming Tres Arroyos weekends.  This time around Kevin Paysinger is the Rector of the Men’s Weekend and Cathie Shimp is the Rectora for the Women’s Weekend.  We have a lot of people who are involved as team members and several who will be going as candidates.  Please keep Kevin, Cathie, all of the team members, and the candidates in your prayers.

Call for Photos

Fr. Looker wants to send an article to the Diocese of Florida web-page regarding this Sunday’s Confirmations.  In order to do so, he needs some photos.  If you were taking photos of the Confirmands this weekend, please send your photos to Fr. Looker.  Thanks!

Rest in Peace–Father Morgan Speer

With deepest regret, Bishop Simpson announced this morning that Fr. Morgan Speer departed this life around eleven o’clock Sunday night.  Father Morgan was a member of the Bishop’s Council, the Diocesan Chancellor, a long-time friend of Church of the Messiah, a husband and father of two young sons.  No further arrangements have been made public at this time.  Please pray for the family during their time of grief.

Give to the departed eternal rest, O Father.

May light perpetual shine upon him.

 

Dead-Lines Approaching for Women’s Retreat

Time is growing short to reserve your spot at the 2011 Church of the Messiah Women’s Retreat.  The deadline to sign up is THIS SUNDAY, September 4 (Labor Day weekend), and payment is due in full by the following Sunday, September 11.  There will be sign up in the back of church each Sunday.  Click here to view the Flyer for the 2011 Women’s Retreat.  Don’t miss out on what promises to be an incredible event!

New Bible Study (and coffee) Begins Tomorrow!

After wrapping up our Summer hiatus, we will start our Sunday morning Bible Studies again.  This series will be “The Lives of the Saints in the New Testament.”  We will discuss each of the Apostles, St. Paul and his missionary companions, and those men and women in the Bible who became pillars of the earliest Church.  Join with us as we investigate what Scripture has to say about this part of that “great cloud of witnesses.”We will meet in the Student Building at 9:15 and finish by 10 to head back to the Sam R. Marks Chapel where will will once again be having coffee and refreshments prior to service.   Everyone is welcome.

Don’t Forget the Founders’ Day Celebration

Come together with the people of Church of the Messiah this Saturday, August 27, from 11am to 4pm, as we celebrate the anniversary of the founding of our parish.  The Church will provide barbeque so you just need to bring a side dish and a dessert to share.  The party will be in the Woods Community Clubhouse (Here’s a map!).  Just give your name at the gate and they will let you in.  It’s going to be a great time of celebration and fellowship, so be sure to bring your whole family and celebrate our Church Family.