Here is a big holiday, one that makes me think about how our faith relates to our citizenship as Americans.  There is much to be weighed about our nations’ beginning and how we have lived out the Christian faith for over 300 years.

Frankly, if we lived in 1776 it would be difficult to decide our allegiances.  As Anglicans with a duty to obey the King, ours would be a mixed response to the violent overthrow of the government.  Over 30,000 Anglicans fled the colonies to live in Canada.  Of course, there were faithful ones who chose to remain here and fight.  Many of the patriot leaders were Anglican Christians.

Today, we find ourselves desiring to be faithful to Christ and His teachings and to be loyally committed as citizens of our country.  We love our nation and its heritage.  Yet, we also find disagreement about public policies and we know how very imperfect our government is.  If it can be said we are , or were, a Christian nation, it must also be said with humility that we are not what we were meant to be.

I think this fact leads us to see the need to pray.  We look at the way things are and we cry out to God to have mercy upon us.  We see all of the advantages our nation possesses and we see our need to be faithful stewards of what God has given to us.  In prayer, we remember our faithful forbearers who have dearly loved liberty and pain its price, even with their lives, and we thank God as we ask for help to serve others.

Americans are flawed like all people,  but we are also a blessed people who have a history of service to the nations of the world.

The Collect from the Book of Common Prayer for July 4^th helps us pray:

“Lord God Almighty, in whose Name the founders of this country won liberty for themselves and for us and lit the torch of freedom for nations then unborn:  Grant that we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain our liberties in righteousness and peace;  through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.”

Christopher

The Rev. Christopher P. Leighton

Rector

On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry

Announces that the Lord is nigh

Awake and hearken, for He brings

Glad tidings of the King of kings.

Then cleansed be every heart from sin

Make straight the way of God within;

Oh, let us all our hearts prepare

For Christ to come and enter there.

In this ancient Advent carol from 1690, we sing the word hearken. We don’t use words like hearken anymore, but look at the word and you see within it “hear”. Hear the announcement of John the Baptist that the Lord is near. Hear him as he calls us to prepare for the Lord’s coming. Hear him as he tells us how to prepare: Cleanse your heart! Align your life with God! Repent! Remove the hindrances…the things in your life that would set up a roadblock. The Christ wants to come to YOU!

Hear the psalmist also as he exhorts us to praise and prepare: “Sing to God, sing praises to His name; cast up a highway for Him who rides through the desert; His name is the LORD, exult before Him!” Psalm 68:3-4. Praise builds the highway for the King to come to us! Let’s sing our hearts out to Him this season, looking for deeper meaning for our lives in the sometimes too-familiar words of the carols. They hold glad tidings for each of us! Come to think of it…we don’t use words like tidings anymore either.

With anticipation,

Roberta

The Rev. Roberta Schneider

Deacon

The church that is not evangelizing is fossilizing.  To evangelize means to share the good news.  While sharing the good news might include showing people that we care for them – in fact that is the best beginning – sharing the good news also means that we care so much for them that we tell them about Jesus.  It is as though we have found the source of water in the desert and it would be criminal NOT to tell others.  Have you ever thought about your faith that way?  People are lost without Jesus;  they really need Him.

In addition a church whose members do not share their faith is a church that is dying and is under the judgment of God.  God expects us to tell others.  How else will they know about His wonderful Son?

In December, we are being given the opportunity to share our faith in a number of ways.  On Saturday, December 12, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Dan Mohler (www.neckministries.com) will be teaching us new ways to share the timeless gospel of Jesus with others.  And we will go out on mission and then return to tell of what God has done. 

On Sunday, December 13, after the 10:30 service we will go caroling in Darien to stores and restaurants and on street corners.  Each year, this is gladly received by our community.

Another way you might consider sharing your faith is by inviting a friend, acquaintance or family member to church.  Did you know that the time most people begin going to church, or return to church, is the holiday season.  The people around you need God!

And the church needs to evangelize or it will die and fossilize!

Yours in Christ,

Christopher

The Rev. Christopher P. Leighton

Rector

Situation Normal for the Christian is to be all filled up. The normal life is a Spirit-filled life of the believer. Our rule and our trends, our standard and our typical experience, is fullness, abundance, and outpouring. The usual and natural happenings, the common and general occurrences are saturated with Holy Spirit presence and power. Right?

Well, actually, the often repeated saying is “situation normal: all fouled up!” We operate frequently out of weakness and paucity, emptiness and dryness. Or it may even be worse: we function out of the flesh – our fallen sinful nature. Right?

What can we do; who will we be? Jesus described the reality of the believer with his promise in Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses.”

We need fresh in-filling; let’s receive the Holy Spirit anew. We will walk in grace and move in power. Our situation will be normal: filled up!

Your brother,

Christopher

The Rev. Christopher P. Leighton

Rector

It was frightening news to hear about a young boy adrift in a balloon. I prayed for him, didn’t you? Of course, we now know that his launch was a hoax, but I can’t help wondering if little Falcon will always bear the name “Balloon Boy”.

Hebrews has taken us on a lofty journey, even into the eternal Tabernacle, the Holy of Holies, where Jesus opened a way for us into the presence of the living God. But now in Chapter 10, the author gets very practical and tells us how to avoid drift.

Hold fast without wavering the hope we confess and our acknowledgement of it…the Creed we confess every Sunday.

Give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up to love and helpful deeds and noble activities [The Amplified Bible on Hebrews 10:24]. Hmm. What do noble activities look like?

Retain the habit of assembling together as believers, for worship, and for encouraging and warning one another…and all the more faithfully as you see the Day approaching.

Confident in Christ,

Roberta

The Rev. Roberta Schneider

Deacon