|
SUNDAY READINGS
Deuteronomy 15:7-11
Psalm 113
2 Corinthians 8:1-9,13-15
Mark 6: 1-13
|
July 3, 2009
From the Rector's Desk
I have to say that it is great to be back, and I greet you in the joy of the Lord! We had a tremendous team visit to Rwanda—a time that was very rich and full and one that I will be processing in my thoughts and prayers for some time. I hope you have checked in on our blog, as it's a way to look into some of what we experienced there. Thank you for your prayers.
This Sunday we will share more about the trip, so I encourage you to be with us for worship if you are not traveling over the holiday weekend. Our connections there are extremely important, for both us and our Rwandan brothers and sisters, so I hope you will be able to join us Sunday.
In the meantime there has been much happening at Redeemer, with our family outreach in Highwood and the ACNA Provincial Assembly in Texas (read about both below). Be encouraged that the Lord is blessing our community and continuing to pour His life into us as a people. Although things slow down a bit in the summer, they don't take a break, and there is much we can be learning in the Lord as we walk together.
One lesson from Rwanda that will stay with me has to do with relationship. It's the nature of our lives that we often move from place to place, pursuing jobs or family or some elusive sense of purpose and meaning. It's normal to the American way—it has certainly shaped much of my life. But as I met daily with Rwandan church leaders over coffee and meals, I saw that they work hard to maintain these ties over a lifetime, even when geography is against them, and they're perplexed that we often do not. This is a challenge for me, and it has made me think a lot about the values at work in a healthy community. It has also shown me that it's important for us to go back to Rwanda, and for others in the congregation to begin going as well. This holds lessons for us here, too, and the promise keeping of community and commitment that binds us in joyful opportunity and holy obligation. We often don't think that way, but I'm learning that it's vital to the life we are called to as God's people.
I'm grateful for your place here, and mine, and I long for our worship together this Sunday. Blessings and joy to you,
Jay
The Rev. Jay L. Greener, Rector
Church of the Redeemer
frjay@redeemernorthshore.org
Party in the Park
A very big thank you to all of you who joined Redeemer Kids for the Party in the Park and to those of you who worked so hard to make it a success. What a wonderful day we had fellowshipping together, supporting our children, and serving the community of Highwood!
New Anglican Province
— Amanda Holm
Last week, over 800 Anglicans gathered at St. Vincent's Cathedral in Bedford, Texas for the inaugural Provincial Assembly of the newly formed Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). ACNA brings together approximately 100,000 Anglicans from the U.S. and Canada—some of whom were already part of other Anglican bodies, some of whom have recently left the Episcopal Church—into a "province-in-formation" in the global Anglican Communion, governed by its own Constitution and Canons and led by its own archbishop.
As one of 234 voting delegates, it was my privilege to represent the Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA) and Church of the Redeemer at the Provincial Assembly. Those of us who were delegates considered and ratified the Constitution and Canons of ACNA. We participated in beautiful times of worship together. We celebrated what God is doing in mission through the Anglican Church around the world. We sat under the teaching of leaders such as Pastor Rick Warren and AMiA Bishop-elect Todd Hunter. And, in a grand Eucharist service at Christ Church, Plano, Bishop Robert Duncan was installed as the archbishop and primate of the ACNA.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Texas and took the Assembly as an opportunity to listen, observe, and learn about the ACNA and about the other Anglican groups represented at the Assembly. After attending the conference and having a chance to process everything I saw and heard in Bedford, allow me to offer my reflection on the formation of this new group.
How does AMiA (and Redeemer) relate to the ACNA?
AMiA is officially part of the ACNA, but as AMiA Chairman Bishop Chuck Murphy explains, "we remain a missionary outreach of the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda under the authority of Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini." AMiA will continue to stay focused on mission and church planting in North America, and Church of the Redeemer will continue as a congregation of the Anglican Mission. In other words, AMiA churches like Redeemer will have a sort of "dual citizenship." I encourage each of you to read the Special Report that Bishop Murphy wrote about the ACNA conference (http://www.theamia.org/newsitem/178), because he does an excellent job of answering this question. As Archbishop Kolini has stated on numerous occasions, this is a process, and it will take time for the relationships within and identity of the new group to be clear, so open and honest communication is needed even as we link arms to work together. The work of unity is often difficult, but we give thanks that God is reconciling the church to itself, even as Jesus prayed in John 17.
Let us be in prayer in the following ways:
- For the leaders involved in building this new entity, especially Archbishop Duncan
- That healthy dialogue might occur in a manner that glorifies God
- That the leaders and churches of ACNA might be filled with the Spirit with passion for mission, even as they are concerned with building a church structure
- For protection of those in the ACNA from strife, anger, and all the other things that can divide God's people so quickly
- For AMiA leaders and churches, that we might have wisdom to know how best to support and work alongside our new partners in the ACNA
If you have further questions about the Assembly itself, please feel free to pull me aside at church or check out the ACNA Assembly website: http://www.acnaassembly.org/index2.php. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to represent Church of the Redeemer at the Provincial Assembly. It was truly a blessing!
Summer Transitions
You are probably aware that we are in the midst of some staff transition over the next few months. We have now posted the job description for the Children's Pastor opportunity at Redeemer, and encourage you to have any potential candidates contact our office for complete information. Please pray for this search, and for the leadership among our youth, that God would identify and raise up the leaders that are being called.
COR@9 — Continuing this Week
Please join us during the 9 o'clock hour as we continue our study on the Theology of Money. Even if you haven't made it to the previous weeks, we still invite you to jump right in this coming Sunday and participate!
When we hear talk of money in the church, it usually has to do with the topic of tithing, yet for most of us this accounts for only a small percentage of our money and possessions. It also only accounts for a small percentage of what scripture says about money. God is as concerned about how we use the money that we keep as he is with the money that we give to the church. As Richard Halverson stated "Jesus Christ said more about money than about any other single thing because, when it comes to a man's real nature, money is of first importance. Money is an exact index to a man's true character. All through Scripture there is an intimate correlation between the development of a man's character and how he handles his money."
We are using Randy Alcorn's book Money, Possessions and Eternity as a guide in an examination of what God has said about our stewardship of the money and possessions in our care, and the impact of our use of them from the perspective of eternity. There is no requirement to read the book, only a desire to learn more about God's perspective on this important topic.
For more information, visit: http://www.epm.org/books/money_possessions_and_eternityDetail.php
Christian Theatre — Little Women
 Danielle Miller has been involved with Acacia Theatre Company (a Christian Theatre Company based in Milwaukee) for many years. She is currently the prayer coordinator for the upcoming broadway musical version of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women.
The show opens next weekend and runs July 10-19. Please consider attending a performance with others from Redeemer. For more information visit acaciatheatre.com or contact Danielle Miller at (847) 612-5555.
Stewardship at Redeemer
Thank you for your faithfulness in giving that has made it possible for us to be on track with our budget as we enter the summer. Thanks be to God! As people travel over the next few months we often see a drop in tithes and offerings, so thank you for continuing to follow God's direction in your stewardship of what God has given. If you know you will be away you can always mail your offering to Church of the Redeemer, 1713 Green Bay Rd, Highland Park, IL 60035.
Offering last week: $14,030
Offering needed each week: $6,600
Please pray for . . .
- The mission and vision of Church of the Redeemer
- our growth in prayer, discipleship and outreach
- Our commitment and devotion to the Lord and to each other
- Those who need healing, employment and other provision
- For safety in travel this holiday weekend
- For Pastor Agnes, Pastor Emile, Sonrise School and the church at St. Michael's Rwanda
|
