In the past few weeks at St. Paul’s, we have talked a lot about reaching the world for Christ, about actively telling others about Jesus, about sharing the good news – in short, we’ve been learning about the Great Commission.  Of course, it can be a scary and intimidating thing to talk to your neighbor about the weather, much less about Jesus.  Yet, whenever I lose my nerve to share the good news, God often reminds me of something C. S. Lewis once said:

“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare.  All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations.

“It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics.  There are no ‘ordinary’ people.  You have never talked to a mere mortal.  Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat.  But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.”

Jordan

The Rev. Jordan Easley

Assistant

On the Mark June 26

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download

I’m celebrating Father’s Day by concentrating on the relationship between God the Father and His Son our Lord Jesus Christ.  What a relationship it is!  I don’t recall Trinity Sunday ever falling on the third Sunday in June (everything in the church calendar is so late this year due to the lateness of the full moon and the spring equinox – phew!).  But the Trinity ultimately focuses on God the Father.

The Father and the Son are so close and they are inseparable.  Over and over Jesus makes reference to God as being His Father and our Father as well.  What a family we are part of – a forever family.  As you reflect upon your own earthly father, and on the role of fathers in your life, it is good to honor the Father in heaven by inviting Him into every aspect of your life.  He is a gentleman and He comes only when He is called upon.

Paul urges the Corinthians and us to “praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” [II Corinthians 1:3-4].

Happy Father’s Day!

Christopher

The Rev. Christopher P. Leighton

Rector

On the Mark June 19th

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In Acts chapter I, Luke writes of one post-resurrection meal which Jesus shared with His disciples, at which He promised them two things:  “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;  and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  

 Last Sunday, the bishop laid hands on thirteen people (and received three others) and prayers were said for them to receive the Holy Spirit.  Here are some of His witnesses in Darien, and in Connecticut, and to the ends of the earth:

 “Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.  He protects me from harm’s way and keeps me safe.  I know that he created me and the world around me.”  Sabrina Rivers

 “Before my life with Christ started, I seemed to get frustrated a lot.  I would sometimes find myself being mad or frustrated about something.  Before when I felt frustrated or mad I wouldn’t ask God to help me…I usually would start reading a book or just try to feel sorry for myself.  Now that my life with Christ has started, I feel more in control and I can always go to him for help.”  Bella Miserocchi

 “When I think of my relationship with Jesus I think of a friend who is always there for me, but also a warrior to keep me out of harm’s way and to help me fight my battles when I am in trouble.  He is also like a lover, someone who will never leave me alone, always watching, waiting, for me to be with him and to be closer to him.  In Romans 3:23 it says, ‘For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’.  That means that your sins have caused a separation between you and God and if you don’t fix that, you, without Jesus, would not make it to heaven.  Because of Jesus, we can make it to heaven and not fall short.  Since I have started to take classes, going to youth group, and participate fully in church, my life has changed for the better and I really understand Jesus’ mission and all the pain and suffering he went through to complete that mission.”  Matthew Briggs

 “I found the Lord through an amazing program called Awana…Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed, which is part of II Timothy 2:15, ‘Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.’ …The goal is to get you to learn your scripture.  It was a fantastic program and one night when our leaders talked to us about accepting Jesus into our hearts, we could go with one of them and pray with them to accept Jesus into our heart.  One of the women came downstairs when we were at Games and asked again who would like to ask Jesus into their heart.  Not many people like missing Gametime, but I really wanted to ask the Lord to come into my heart.  So I went up to a small comfy room  with a smiling leader for the Lord and she prayed with me.  I really wish I could remember her prayer clearly but her words are now vague.  But I remember the prayer being so powerful.  I could feel the Lord flow throughout me and fill me with his mercy and love.  I came down from that room with the most refreshed feeling in my life – I was now a believer in Jesus Christ…

He rescued me and now I’m his child.  I feel his presence when I’m at peace.  I have to admit that I don’t have a really strong relationship, because at times I slip at things, just like everyone else does, but I still call myself a Christian.  One thing I will never deny is loving the Lord with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  By his grace I will follow him as my Savior and Lord.  Cheyenne de la Rivera

 “Before I met Jesus I was in a world of ignorance, now I have been able to experience the power of faith.  Jesus is my savior and with his help I will be able to renounce evil spirits and share the gifts of the Spirit with others.  Amina Thomas

On the Mark June 12th

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First, thank you all for your prayers, support, and generosity to me as I was ordained priest two weeks ago.  Leah and I are so grateful for you our church family.  We love you, and we are excited to labor alongside you and watch what God is doing here at St. Paul’s.  It is hard to believe that five months have passed since I came on staff as your pastor.  God is on the move, and He’s just getting started.  My constant prayer for us is that we will keep in step with His Holy Spirit.

Over 150 years ago, two men were walking over the hills of Ireland, and one turned to the other and said, “The world has yet to see what God can do with a person who is fully consecrated to Him.”  His companion replied, “By the Holy Spirit, I will be that man.”  That man was D. L. Moody.

At the time he said this, Moody was already a great pastor.  He was already an effective preacher.  Because he was a Christian, the Holy Spirit already lived inside him and used him.  This was not enough. In his own words, “I thought I had power.  I had the largest congregation in Chicago and there were many conversions.  But there came a great hunger in my soul.  I did not know what it was and I began to cry out to God as never before.  I felt I did not want to live if I could not have this power for service.

“Well, one day – oh, what a day! – I cannot describe it.  I seldom refer to it;  it is almost too sacred an experience to name…I can only say that God revealed Himself to me, and I had such an experience of His love that I had to ask Him to stay His hand.  I went to preaching again.  The sermons were not different.  I did not present any new truths, and yet hundreds were converted.  I would not now be placed back where I was before that blessed experience if you should give me all the world.”

This experience is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and it is available to every Christian who asks for it. This is what happened to Jesus’ disciples – people who already knew Jesus and the experience of his Spirit – on the Day of Pentecost.  They were clothed with POWER from on high.  Next Sunday is Pentecost Sunday.  Are you ready?  Do you want God to do more in your life?  Are you desperate?  Whether it be the first time or the five hundredth time, ask the Holy Spirit to baptize you in His power!  Whether it be dramatic or quiet, HE WILL DO IT.

Jordan

The Rev. Jordan Easley

Assistant

On the Mark June 5th