An Oblation of Self

Here is the prayer that Fr. Looker mentioned in his sermon this morning.  It has been ascribed to St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Teach me, Good Lord, to serve You and You deserve;
To give and not count the cost;
To fight and not heed the wounds;
To toil and not seek for rest;
To labor and not ask for any reward
Save that of knowing that I do Thy will.  Amen.

An Invitation to a Jericho March

Pastor Ed Martin, the Jacksonville director of the 40 Days for Life campaign, has issued this invitation to participate in the upcoming Jericho March around two of Jacksonville’s most notorious abortion clinics.  Finally, you may download a flyer below.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

ABORTION WILL END WHEN THE CHURCH SAYS IT WILL END AND NOT ONE DAY SOONER!

After thirty years of ministering on the streets in front of abortion mills, I can honestly say without a doubt that I know how to end abortion in Jacksonville. What I don’t know is how to get the Christians to do it.

On Saturday October 22, we will hold our Fall Jericho March. We will meet at Prince of Peace Church parking lot, 6320 University Blvd. S., at 7:30 a.m. and march to A Woman’s Choice of Jacksonville, 4131 University Blvd. S. (across the street from Hewell Funeral Home). 

After the first Jericho March 2 ½ years ago, Planned Parenthood stopped doing abortions. The day of the second Jericho March, 5 babies were saved. After we do a Jericho March, we have seen a dramatic drop in abortions.

We will march back and forth between two death camps six times in prayer and praise to God Almighty, pleading for an end to abortion in Jacksonville. On the seventh time we will shout with the victory that God is answering our prayers.

We will start the March with an 8-ft Cross of the Unborn, the Ten Commandments, the American Flag and the Christian Flag. This will be followed by the Pastors and church leaders from all different denominations.

It is not the marching that will move the hand of God; it is our faith that God will answer our prayers, as he did for Joshua. Abortion, like the city of Jericho, is a seemly impregnable fortress. We have legislature.  We have prayed and fasted.  And still the abortion fortress stands. It is time to take our prayers, our fasting and, most of all, our faith to the place where children are being sacrificed to the satanic forces.

Did you fail in a day of adversity,
did your strength fall short?
Did you fail to rescue those who were being dragged off to death,
those tottering, those near death,
because you said, “We didn’t know about it”?
Surely, the Searcher of hearts knows
and will repay all according to their deeds.  (Proverbs 24:10-12)

Love for LIFE,
Pastor Ed Martin
Campaign Director
40 Days for Life/Jacksonville

 

 

WE NOW POSSESS THE LAND!

In the fourth chapter of Deuteronomy, Moses proclaimed to Israel, “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you.”  We now possess the land which the LORD  God of our fathers has given us!  As of 10:45 this morning, Fr. David, acting in  consensus with his Rector’s Council, purchases 4.95 acres of property on St. John’s Bluff Road North.

While praying about whether to buy an already established building or undeveloped land, the word of the LORD came to one of the members of the Rector’s Council who said,”The LORD wants to do a new things with us.  He is tired of us always having someone else’s leftovers.  This is a new thing.”  In fact, the land is so new that it has never been assigned a street address!  The land is on St. Johns Bluff Road North in between Oak Crest Drive and Craig Drive and opposite Craig Municipal Airport.

Having possessed the land, we know turn our attention to occupying the land.  We are beginning the process of clearing the land so that we may gather on the property and worship their together.  Our Parish Council will also begin to serve as a Buildings Committee to begin the development of our property.  Of course, this also means that we address our building fund in earnest.

We thank all of those who have prayed, fasted, and interceded for Church of the Messiah in this process.  Please continue to pray for the growth and development of the Church of the Messiah.  We are not quite out of the Cave of Adullam (I Samuel 22:1-2) just yet, but we now know where David is leading his mighty men.

 

Pray for Our People

This Friday and Saturday many of our people will be traveling down to the Chapel of Divine Mercy to participate in the first of two training sessions for the upcoming Tres Arroyos weekends.  This time around Kevin Paysinger is the Rector of the Men’s Weekend and Cathie Shimp is the Rectora for the Women’s Weekend.  We have a lot of people who are involved as team members and several who will be going as candidates.  Please keep Kevin, Cathie, all of the team members, and the candidates in your prayers.

Rest in Peace–Father Morgan Speer

With deepest regret, Bishop Simpson announced this morning that Fr. Morgan Speer departed this life around eleven o’clock Sunday night.  Father Morgan was a member of the Bishop’s Council, the Diocesan Chancellor, a long-time friend of Church of the Messiah, a husband and father of two young sons.  No further arrangements have been made public at this time.  Please pray for the family during their time of grief.

Give to the departed eternal rest, O Father.

May light perpetual shine upon him.

 

Dead-Lines Approaching for Women’s Retreat

Time is growing short to reserve your spot at the 2011 Church of the Messiah Women’s Retreat.  The deadline to sign up is THIS SUNDAY, September 4 (Labor Day weekend), and payment is due in full by the following Sunday, September 11.  There will be sign up in the back of church each Sunday.  Click here to view the Flyer for the 2011 Women’s Retreat.  Don’t miss out on what promises to be an incredible event!

COM Founders’ Day Celebration

Saturday August 27th, from 11am –4pm at the Woods Community Club house. The church will provide the BBQ, drinks, paper products. Please bring side dishes or dessert to share. The Woods Community is located near Atlantic Blvd and Hodges Blvd.
From Atlantic: Turn onto The Woods Dr. stop at the gate and give your name, go through gate, continue straight to dead end, turn left, clubhouse is on the left.
From Hodges: turn onto The Woods Park Drive, stop and give you name, go through gate, continue straight to dead end, turn right onto The Woods Drive E., follow around curve, clubhouse is down further on the right side.

End of Summer Party and Ministry Opportunity

Thursday, August 18, Church of the Messiah will sponsor an End of Summer/Back to School Bash.  Rather than doing “yet another” pool party, we will be having two hours of fun at Pump It Up, Jacksonville’s “Inflatable Party Zone.”  The party runs from 7pm til 9pm and refreshments will be provided.  Please contact Lizz Looker to RSVP or if you have any questions.

Additionally, once again we have an opportunity to bless students in our local community who do not have the resources to begin the school year successfully.  We are stuffing backpacks for Arlington Middle School and helping to ensure that student are equipped to succeed this school year.  You may either make a cash donation (write “Arlington Middle School” in the memo line of your check) or you may purchase supplies.  This year the students need:

  • 1” binder
  • Spiral notebook
  • Notebook paper
  • Pens
  • Pencils
  • Glue stick
  • Crayons
  • Highlighters(set)
  • Ruler
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Ear buds

Please make sure to get your donation of either cash or supplies in to Church of the Messiah no later than August 21!  This is the day before school gets back in session and will also be the day that we pray for our teachers, students, and the coming school year.