Fr. Terry Gensemer to Visit Church of the Messiah

Fr. Terry Gensemer will be visiting Church of the Messiah during the last weekend in March.  Fr. Gensemer is the International Director of CEC for Life, the Pro-Life outreach ministry of the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church, and a long-time friend of Church of the Messiah.  In addition to leading CEC for Life, Fr. Gensemer has a long list of credentials including serving as the Pastoral Director for the Society of Centurions, an organization which hosts healing retreats for those who have left the abortion industry, years of parish ministry, and even, most recently, starring in a Pro-Life film.  Fr. Terry and his wife Patti have been married for over 50 years and together have two daughters and seven grandchildren!

Fr. Gensemer’s visit to Church of the Messiah begins on Saturday morning, February 26th, at 9 o’clock, when he will lead us in praying the Liturgy for the Pre-Born in front of A Woman’s Choice of Jacksonville (Click HERE for a map).   Fr. Gensemer originally compiled the Liturgy for the Pre-Born as a combination of Last Rites for those children who would be dying in abortion and prayers to end abortion in America and the world.  Then, on Sunday morning, Fr. Gensemer will be preaching and celebrating the Holy Eucharist beginning at 10 o’clock.  Both the Liturgy for the Pre-Born and our Sunday morning service will be streamed on Church of the Messiah’s Facebook page.  It is going to be an incredible weekend with an anointed Man of God.  Be sure to make plans to attend and to invite your friends to join us.

Church of the Messiah at the March for Life St. Augustine

Click image for details.

This Saturday morning, January 15th, Church of the Messiah will join churches from across Florida and Georgia as we take a stand for Life together in participate in the March for Life St. Augustine.  The March for Life St. Augustine began in 2007 as an alternative for those who were unable to travel to Washington, DC, for the March for Life located there, and has grown from 700 attendees at its first event to over 3,000 in 2019.  Pro-Life advocates from as far south as Miami and as far north as Savannah gather in the Oldest City to take a stand for life and make their voices hear each year.  This year, Fr. Scott Looker has been invited to give the closing prayer and blessing at the March.

For a full schedule of events, either click the image on the left or visit the March for Life St. Augustine website.  We invite everyone to join us at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche this Saturday morning and join us as we take a stand for Life and the Pre-Born.  Also remember that this Sunday, January 16, is the Feast of the Lord the Giver of Life.  To read the Patriarch’s message about this important upcoming feast, you can click HERE.  We invite everyone to join us this weekend, as we loudly proclaim that All Life Is Sacred.

Patriarch’s Message on the Feast of Our Lord the Giver of Life

In November of this year, I tested positive for COVID-19. It happened, even though I was double vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine. I ended up very sick for several days, and continued for a significant time not feeling well and being weak and tired. But I survived and, for this, I am grateful.
As you know, COVID-19 is a respiratory disease like the common cold, the influenza, or pneumonia. I have had all of them several times. None of them are pleasant, particularly pneumonia. The concern with COVID-19 and its variants is that it is highly contagious and can lead to death, particularly with the elderly or those who have immune difficulties and other factors such as obesity, diabetes, or respiratory issues. The primary issue with respiratory ailments is that they affect your breathing. Very simply, you are short of breath and, at times, feel like you are not going to be able to breathe.
In the case of COVID-19, if your breathing gets worse, it means you end up in the hospital, either on oxygen or on a ventilator. There are now some therapeutics that help, like the monoclonal antibody infusion.
While sick, I discovered a gadget called a “pulse oximeter” that measures the oxygen level in your blood. You need to remain above 90. If I got below 90 then I had to go to the hospital. I became somewhat obsessed with the gadget and Cathy had to take it away from me. Obviously, my blood oxygen level was okay and still is.
During my time with COVID-19, and my 14 days of quarantine, the Holy Spirit reminded me, once again, not only that all life is sacred, but the life which is given to us is a grace from Him. He is the giver of life. In fact, He is life. Life is a person named Jesus. Every time we take a breath, which we do usually without any awareness, we participate in the life of God. We participate in the life of Jesus. God is as close as the next breath.
Abortion is the taking of human life. It is not a reproductive procedure. It is the exact opposite. Abortion is an attack on the reproduction and creation of human life. It is an attack on the image of God. God desires for the reproduction of human life to take place. It is the law of creation and nature that we reproduce life. Abortion is anti-creation, anti-nature, and anti-God.
Once again this year, our communion will celebrate worldwide the Feast of Our Lord the Giver of Life. On that Sunday — January 16 this year — we take up a special offering, to the glory of God, that will be given to CEC for Life for its work in the Pro-Life Movement. All churches and clergy are asked to submit their memberships to CEC for Life at this time. And, hopefully, the vast majority of CEC members will join CEC for Life through their special offerings.
Life will always be victorious in every circumstance and on all levels. Death has been defeated by the Lord, the Giver of Life. The cross reminds us that death is not the final word, but rather that death on the cross is the beginning of life. Breathe on us, O breath of God.
Under His mercy,
The Most Rev. Craig W. Bates
Patriarch, ICCEC

Updates for Services in the New Year

Church of the Messiah will hold in person live service again on January 2nd, 2022, to celebrate the Second Sunday after Christmas.  After having some member of the parish test positive for COVID-19 the week before Christmas, Fr. Looker, in consensus with the Rector’s Council made the decision to hold all of Church of the Messiah’s services for the following weekend in a “virtual only” format and streamed them on Church of the Messiah’s Facebook page.  Thanks be to God, all who were ill are recovering. Now Fr. Looker has made the decision, again in consensus with the Rector’s Council, to return to live in person services for the upcoming weekend.

Of course, the situation with COVID remains uncertain so we ask the following:

  • Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 quarantine for the appropriate amount of time;
  • Anyone who feels ill or has any cough or cold symptoms remains home;
  • Anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has either tested positive for COVID or been ill remain home;
  • That those who remain home continue to worship with us online via our live stream on our Facebook page.

Our guiding Scripture from March 2019 throughout this entire season has remained 2 Timothy 1:7, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and a sound mind.”  That verse continues to govern us today.  Members of the congregation will most certainly not agree with each other entirely in the matter.  Some will decide to stay home; others will come to church in person.  Of those who come in person, some will decide to wear masks in the congregation; others will choose not to wear masks.  We will, in all cases, respond in love to those make decisions differently than our own and not judge others.  We will remember, of course, that God calls us to love everyone and not just those whose decisions match ours exactly.

We trust that, as so many blights have over the ages, COVID-19 too shall pass and some time sooner rather than later we will be able to move beyond all of this.  Until then, we are grateful for everyone’s charity and flexibility in continuing to bear with each other and worship with one other.

Church of the Messiah’s in person service for the Second Sunday after Christmas will begin at 10 o’clock on Sunday, January 2nd, at 3754 University Club Blvd. and will be live streamed on Church of the Messiah’s Facebook Page.

Important update for Christmas Services

Due to an unexpected number of cases of COVID-19 within the congregation, Fr. Looker, in concensus with the Rector’s Council, has made the decision to hold all of our services this weekend in a “virtual only” format. This means that our Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Sunday services will not be open to the public, but rather will be lead by a small team who will ensure that people are able to worship together through our live stream on Church of the Messiah’s Facebook page.  We know that this is disappointing for so many who have rich traditions of worshipping together in this season, but as pastors and shepherds of souls, the safety of the congregation is our utmost concern. We will continue to pray for those who are affected.  Until we can safely come together and worship once again in person, we hope that you will join us online at Facebook.com/MessiahCEC. Thank you for your prayers and faithfulness.

The Patriarch’s Christmas Message

Christmas message 2

For me, the real proclamation of Christmas is “His name will be called Emmanuel,” that is, “God with us.”  This is not, of course, the first time the Scriptures record the presence of God among His people.  God appeared to Adam in the garden, making it clear from the beginning of the story that God wants to be among us.  He appears to Abraham in an angelic visitation as the Trinity.  Then again, He appears to Moses and invites all the Hebrew people to come and dwell with Him as He dwells with them.  The Tent of Meeting, which eventually becomes the Temple in Jerusalem, is about God being with us.  Then why is the story of the Nativity so important?  It is because Emmanuel is now a human embryo, a human infant, a human child, a human young adult in the Temple, a human teacher, a human healer, a human who, ultimately, not only enters into our life but into our death and conquers death to bring about eternity with God in His Kingdom.  It is about God who sits upon the throne as a human.  Jesus takes humanity not only into the throne room but sits upon the throne.   Jesus is the human and divine God – One God.  And a human is coming back to judge the living and the dead.  Humanity and Divinity are one in Jesus, so that we, who are human, can share/participate in His Divinity.

Christmas Message

I understand that I need to remind people of the dangers of materialism and consumerism that are so obvious during the holiday season in the Western World.  At the same time, I am reminded that after years of giving people a reminder, along with those in the highest levels of religious leadership, including the Pope, it has done little to impact people’s behavior during this season.  Starting sometime in November, or even late October, folks in the West have decorated their homes with lights, put up the traditional tree, begun preparing for various Christmas parties, and above all have pulled out credit cards or saved cash and spend, spend, spend, on gifts for spouse, children, and grandchildren.  Service people look to the Christmas Season to receive “tips” or “gratuities” from their clients with which they will often meet end-of-the-year expenses or pay for their own Christmas feasts.  Billions of dollars will be spent.  And those billions not only supply gifts but employ people in retail, manufacturing, shipping, the hospitality industry, and the travel industry.  Most of their profits will be made between late November and December 25.  (In the Philippines, this starts sometime in August.  It is amazing.)

Of course, most of the Christian world will not take part in this rampant materialism and consumerism.  Poverty and survival will be the same issue on Christmas morning as on Christmas Eve and will be on the day after Christmas.  Over 689 million people live on less than $1.90 a day.  Though this figure since the 1990s has decreased, the pandemic has caused an increase of 97 million.  This is what we know as extreme poverty.  But there are also millions of those who live near the poverty line or just above the poverty line with no water, electricity, inadequate medical care, sewage, and education.  Even in the United States, there are 34 million people who live below the poverty line, many of whom are single mothers and children (the poorest of those in America) or the elderly.

I have heard it repeatedly said that Jesus came to the poor.  Yes, he did, but he also came to the rich and everyone in between.  He came among the poor as He came among the Jews, but He also came to bring redemption to every person.  He came to redeem and restore His father’s creation.  He came to be God with all of us.

I think it is important that Jesus came among the poor.  It emphasizes the message of grace as a freely given gift, which is something we all need to hear and receive.  I think it is important that we understand the humility and obedience revealed to us in Jesus.  That God conquers sin, evil, and death in a power far greater than any weapon ever formed or will be formed. The victory is in the humble obedience of the cross.  This is love revealed forever.  This is the love that will conquer evil, violence, and hatred.  It is this love that will expose the horrors of racism, abortion, child sex traffic, slave labor, and all that robs humanity of its dignity.  It is this humble and obedient love that will meet with us in our suffering but also transform us out of our sin, our addictions, or mental/emotional struggles and give us new life with purpose and meaning.  This is Jesus.

It is also this love that is born and comes to us, again and again, in the Holy Eucharist and the sacramental life of the Church.  The Holy Spirit manifests Himself in the gifts that operate among us to move forward His Kingdom, but also to make known to us the real presence of Jesus under the elements of Bread and Wine.  It is here that we proclaim His death until He returns, but also that we meet Him over and over again.  We meet the One of the Cross who holds the Universe together and makes sense of everything through His love.

Have a blessed Christmas season.  In all the glitz and glitter, the music, the parties, and the festivities may you find time to spend with Jesus in prayer, in Scripture, and in the Eucharist.

Under His Mercy,
+Craig W. Bates
The Patriarch’s Christmas Message was originally published in Sursum Corda, 2021 #2,  For for information on Archbishop Bates, visit his website at by clicking HERE.

Celebrate Advent and Christmas with Church of the Messiah

Church of the Messiah invites you to celebrate the entire holiday season with us as we wrap up 2021!  Sunday, November 28th, begins the season of Advent that is the four Sundays immediately before Christmas.  Advent is a time of special prayer and preparation as we anticipate Our Lord’s ultimate return as well as remember when He was born in Bethlehem almost two thousand years ago!  As we finish the season of Advent, we begin to celebrate the season of Christmas!  Our Christmas celebrations begin on Friday evening, December 24th, with our Christmas Eve Family Service.  We will have special presentations from our children and youth, an exciting children’s sermon, as well as Christmas Carols by candlelight that evening.  Our Christmas worship continues on Saturday, morning, December 25th, when we celebrate our Christmas Day Mass.  Join us for this special service celebrating the birth of Christ on the morning of His birth.  This is a brief, said Mass and is the perfect was to “keep Christ is Christmas.”  At Church of the Messiah, the celebration of Christmas does not end the day after Christmas; we celebrate Christmas for the entire Twelve Days of Christmas!  We will be having Christmas services on Sunday morning, December 26th and January 2nd!  We would love for you to join us any time throughout the Advent or Christmas seasons.  If you are unable to join us in person, we invite to worship with us virtually via our live stream Church of the Messiah’s Facebook page.  We are so excited to celebrate the coming of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and we hope the you will join us!

CEC For Life Co-Hosts Prayer Rally at the Supreme Court

On Saturday, October 2nd, CEC For Life invites you to join the Purple Sash Revolution for a powerful prayer rally at the Supreme Court to end abortion and dismantle Roe!

When the Supreme Court agreed to hear Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, they agreed to hear the most important abortion case since Roe vs. Wade in 1973.   A victory in Dobbs v. Jackson would be a major step in dismantling Roe and bringing an end to abortion violence.  It is critical that we not be indifferent and silent regarding Dobbs as many were when Roe was decided. If we do not engage, it could add DECADES in our fight to end abortion violence.  Join Purple Sash Revolution for a powerful prayer and worship rally at the Supreme Court on Saturday, October 2, from 2 – 4 p.m. This is just two days before the Supreme Court begins their new session in which the justices will hear Dobbs v. Jackson.
We invite you to boldly stand with national pro-life and Christian leaders against the evil of abortion in an attitude of prayer and praise. Through prayer we can see God shape history and end abortion.  Click the link to RSVP on Facebook or click HERE  for additional information.

The Patriarch Launches a New Website

This week, Archbishop Craig Bates, the Patriarch of the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church (ICCEC) officially launched a brand new website.  BishopBatesCEC.org is the new address for Abp. Bates’ blog and media home.  During the pandemic lockdown, hundreds of people throughout the world followed Abp. Bates as he reflected on the daily Gospel readings.  As circumstances evolved, the Archbishop felt led to take a hiatus from those daily meditations and evaluated how to continue that ministry most effectively.  With the launch of BishopBatesCEC.org, the Patriarch is excited to be able to resume reaching out and ministering to a broader, online community.  The design team is working to develop more content and looks forward to adding more content on a regular basis as they build this exciting new platform.  Be sure to visit the Patriarch’s new website, watch all of his videos, and then subscribe so that you never miss the Archbishop’s new videos.

Memorial Arrangements for Shirley Ann Garvey

Early Monday morning, August 16th, Shirley Ann Garvey, the mother of Diane Looker and grandmother of Fr. Scott Looker, entered into glory and ended her time of battling with illness here on earth.  She died peacefully in her home, with her family around her.  The family is extremely grateful of the outpouring of love and support which they have received in the days since Mrs. Garvey’s passing.  A memorial Mass will be celebrated on Saturday morning, August 28th, beginning at 10 o’clock, at Church of the Messiah (Click HERE for a map).  For those unable to attend the memorial Mass in person, Church of the Messiah will live stream the service on their Facebook page.  The family thanks you for your continued love and prayers.

Rest eternal grant to Shirley Ann, O Lord;
And let light perpetual shine upon her.

May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed,
Through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen.