Church of the Messiah

Tag: All Saints’ Day

  • Collecting the All Saints’ Mission Offering this Sunday

    Collecting the All Saints’ Mission Offering this Sunday

    Every year on the Sunday closest to All Saints’ Day, the Charismatic Episcopal Church of North America takes of a special offering to help our brothers and sisters in the developing world.  Please read this letter from Abp. Craig Bates, the Patriarch of the ICCEC, and prayerfully consider giving to support this offering this Sunday.

    To the Bishops, Clergy and People of God in the Charismatic Episcopal Church of North America,

    The year 2020 has been an interesting year and it is not yet over. We are still in a pandemic. We are not sure of the future regarding that pandemic. Is there going to be a vaccine by the end of the year or early next year? Are we going to have a second wave? Are we to believe, as some have suggested, that the darkest days are ahead of us, or that we are on the verge of a breakthrough in treatment and prevention?

    We are also experiencing economic recovery, though I hear that is slowing down. Some businesses are still shut down. Many are facing the loss of income and it has put them in hard times. It seems that congress has stalled, and they are caught up in partisan politics and plays for power rather than finding ways to assist so many hurting people.

    We are in an election cycle that has become more divisive than I can remember. I know of people who have lost long-standing friendships over politics. I know people who are afraid to express their opinions for fear of retaliation. I am uncertain what is going to happen no matter who wins the election. Could we be in for a more divisive atmosphere?

    Someone said to me that they normally don’t stay up on New Year’s Eve, but this year they will make sure they are wide awake at midnight. Not so much to welcome in the New Year but to make sure 2020 leaves.

    The life of the Church has gone on during all of this and will continue to go on after it is all over and we face the next thing. The life of the Church and her mission is not determined by the course of world events or circumstances, but it is determined by the Holy Spirit. Our mission is still focused on the King and the Kingdom. In this pandemic and this election cycle, the Word continues to be preached and the sacraments are being administered. While we are forced to embrace the virtual world, we have discovered so many means of not surviving but increasing our outreach and our ability to preach the Good News.

    I remember hearing a sermon on giving when I was a young pastor. It was a sermon that changed my perspective on giving to the Lord and His work. It led me to believe that life is meant to be a life of giving and not taking. In other words, the quality of life is determined not by what we get out of life, but what we put into life from our time, our talents, and our treasures.
    The preacher was talking about what to do in time of lacking finances and resources. The sermon was given in the late seventies when the nation was in the midst of run-away inflation, interest rates were at 18%, unemployment was extremely high, and we were lacking oil and gas. The shortages forced many Americans to stand in gas lines (if there was gas). I remember as a pastor having meeting after meeting about how we were going to heat the Church and if we were going to meet our small budget at the end of the year.

    When I saw this teaching called “attack your lack” on a cassette tape (remember those) I immediately picked it up and listened to it. The central point of the message is that lack is not an obstacle but an opportunity to move by faith. He said it made no sense but the victory over lack is to give more away. If you are in need then you need to give at the point of your need. He said we are called to put our treasure where we want our heart to go and our heart should be going more and more into the direction of trusting God.

    I know many are facing lack in the CEC. But God has a plan, and it is giving of our time, talent, and treasure into the work of the Kingdom. God’s resources are unlimited, and He is ready to provide for us and it might be miraculously. I have found this teaching to be true over the 40 years I have served as a pastor and have tried to follow Jesus. So the Mission offering gives me and you a means of releasing our faith into the work of God in East Africa.

    So much has been accomplished through your generosity. We have schools, a seminary, churches, orphanages, water projects, and a host of other ministries. One hundred percent of the offering gathered on Mission Sunday goes to developing projects that generate money to increase the work of the Lord. There is a short video on CEC-NA or can be made available to you to watch and show you people. I hope every Cathedral shows the video and you can join them and watch it yourself.

    We need to attack our lack. It is time to trust more and more in God’s provision for us, because He is trustworthy, and His promises are true. It is not a time to worry. It is time to step up and step out with the message of Jesus. As we release our faith in Christ, we will find that even in our desperation He will hear and answer our prayer. We will give generously and then expect God to release blessings in abundance because He is a generous God.

    Under His mercy,

    The Most Rev. Craig W. Bates,
    Patriarch

  • The Patriarch’s All Saints’ Mission Offering Letter

    Every year the churches throughout the CEC take up an offering on All Saints’ Day to support International Missions.  This year, Church of the Messiah will collect the All Saints’ Mission Offering on Sunday, November 3rd.  Please read the following message from our Patriarch Archbishop Craig Bates.

    Since the early days of the Charismatic Episcopal Church, we have taken an annual offering to support international missions.  Over the years, this money has supported numerous projects and missions, including equipping the church in developing nations in becoming the three streams.  After several years, we have been led to assist the church in Africa in becoming self-sufficient.  This led us to develop micro-businesses in various regions and financially support a multitude of projects.

    The generous offerings from people throughout the North American Church have built and supported cathedrals, churches, a seminary, schools, orphanages, and ministry to poor children.  This is in addition to the phenomenal work already done by our Diocese in Africa.  Not only does the work continue to be self-supported, but there will be additional projects that I will be able to see in my 2020 visit.

    Perhaps the most exciting thing in the life of our communion is that I will install the first Kenyan CEC Archbishop in Kenya.  The Most Rev. Joshua Koyo will be installed during my visit in August 2020.  Bishop Koyo was one of the first CEC Bishops in Africa.  He is a holy man of God who has a heart not only for convergence but for bringing the Gospel to the least, lost and the lonely.  He is a man highly respected by his brother bishops, by area clergy, and by secular leaders.

    Africa continues to have many difficulties.  There are civil wars, corruption, disease, lack of medical services, hunger, HIV/AIDS, child soldiers, and the ever-present danger of terrorism or war.  Our bishops and clergy are in the center of this.  They are where the conflicts and struggles are the most evident.  Many are struggling to spread their message without transportation, materials, adequate housing, and in some cases, food for their families.  Yet, they never complain.  They look to the Lord for Him to provide and rejoice in their relationship with the CEC.

    These men are our brothers!

    I pray that we can even be more generous than we have been in the past, If we can purchase some more fields for growing crops, more rice culling machines, pigs, cattle, and buildings to store the crops.  If we can expand our present micro-business, we will see a people who trust in God being able to feed their children physically and spiritually.

    Join Cathy and me in giving the most generous amount you can imagine.  Every penny will go to ministry.  No money goes to administration or travel.  It goes directly to the ministry.

    Be assured of my prayers.

    Under His mercy,

    +Craig W. Bates,Patriarch, ICCEC

     

    For more information on the All Saints Mission and Development Offering, including how funds are spent and how much money has been received, visit the ICCEC Missions website by clicking HERE.  To watch a video on the All Saints Mission and Development Offering, click below.