It has been quite a while since our last update. But that doesn't mean stuff hasn't been happening. In this issue, we will look back at some of the highlights of the past three months, and we will look ahead to see what is on the horizon. Enjoy.
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Prayer for a Friend
Earlier in the year, I invoked a moment of personal privilege in church to ask our congregation to sign a get well card for a close personal friend. I have known Mike since my early days in commodity training, and he has been like a big brother/mentor to me at key times in my life. After receiving our card following surgery, he wrote the following letter to share with you. I regret to say that he is not a follower of Christ...yet. The card provided an opportunity for conversation that remains open. If you find it in your heart, it would mean a lot to me if you would pray for my friend Mike right now...that he would come to know Jesus. Thank you.
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Foreign Missions
This summer, we had two foreign mission trips. One was to Cambodia and involved several people from Grace Anglican. The other was a trip to Myanmar by Katie Kerbow, whose group was led by the same folks who led our Cambodia trip.
Cambodia
Above is the entire team from our Cambodia mission trip. It was made up of people across the United States, including seven from Grace Anglican. We have already reported fully on the results - professions of faith by 180 adults and 125 children. We have also reported on the signs and wonders that God did during the trip. Now that I have had time to reflect, below are a few thoughts and observations.
- God is all about seeking and saving the lost. That is not breaking news. Jesus said that 2000 years ago. Nevertheless, his Holy Spirit was at work in extraordinary ways in this frontier mission work.
- God moves through regular people. Again, old news. But many of the team members were college kids, not full-time ministers or missionaries. And God did amazing things with and through them.
- God builds faith through his work. Karen and I have been at ministry a long time. And we are people with strong faith. Even so, much to our amazement, our faith was bolstered by this work.
- Prayer is mandatory to do the work of God. Prior to the trip, the team had 40 days of prayer and several days of fasting. In addition, each team member had a group of people committed to praying for them before and during the trip. If we want to see more of God's power, we should pray more.
- Karen and I were the oldest members of the team. And it was physically strenuous work. However, by the grace of God, we never got too tired. Hot, yes. Tired, no. I consider that to be a Holy Spirit thing.
- When I compare the poverty of the Cambodian villagers with our prosperity, it gives me pause. Every day, I thank God for his many material blessings.
These are but a few observations. There are many more. The most important observation is this - if you are physically able to make a trip like this, and you have a heart for the lost, you should pray about doing a similar mission trip. It is a big investment of time and money (e3 Partners teaches you how to fundraise). But this is one of the most significant things I have ever done. We made an eternal difference in many lives, and, God willing, have begun a movement that will continue on throughout the country. When we have information about the the next trip, we will let everyone know.
Myanmar
Myanmar was formerly known as Burma. Like Cambodia, it is predominately Buddhist (88% of the population), followed by Christianity (6%) and Islam (4%). Unlike Cambodia, evangelism is strictly controlled. Katie and her team were permitted by the local authorities to be in specific homes from 9 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit is at work in missions there. Katie reports that there were 115 professions of faith and that 50 people were healed. It is amazing how the power of God is so present at the cutting edge of his kingdom.
Youth Mission Trip
From July 17- 23, our youth group participated in Soul in the City with other churches in our diocese. The work sites on the trip ranged from helping with food pantries, to helping run a dance camp, to restoring old homes, and serving the homeless. On top of serving, the youth got to create bonds with other youth in our diocese. The most important part of the week is that they got to learn how to be like Christ and reignite their faith. This aligned with our theme for the week, "Faith Reignited," where we studied the book of James. We focused on James 1:12 as our theme verse,
"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12 ESV).
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Escape House
Guys just want to escape from the rigors of life from time to time. So, in July, this team of sleuths went to the Houston Escape Room where they were placed in Agent Mo's safe room. There they learned that Agent Mo had been captured and that they had to find a special artifact hidden somewhere inside the room. Working as a team, they had to solve puzzles to discover the artifact, as well as escape the room. It had to be done in an hour, otherwise they would be rendered unconscious by Agent Mo's security system. What happened? You will have to ask one of the sleuths to find out.
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The Next Step Update
It all began last August when we identified a potential new location. That was followed by extensive negotiations with the developer and legal reviews of a potential lease. Then we asked the community to join together to take the next step and make financial pledges. Then came in-depth, long-term financial planning. Then came tedious, detailed work with the architect (believe it or not, bathroom desi
gn took forever!). And now, at long last, a year after we started...the walls are going up. The Financial Stewardship Group has worked long and hard to bring us this far. Many thanks to Drew Cunningham, Tom Righter, Bill Russell, and Lori Shafer. Currently, the developer says he HOPES to get us in by Christmas. How cool would that be? Very cool.
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Wednesday Morning Women's Bible Study - August 31
Could Jesus be the CEO of Christianity having come to start a new religion? Can Jesus' mission be condensed to a fire rescue, for which His recipients escape the fiery furnace of hell only to trade their freedom in this life for chains of religious rules and rituals that bind them until the eternal party in heaven? Should those who believe and receive Jesus expect a life of ease and prosperity from the ultimate Santa Claus? Perhaps He really is for everyone and everything, and we should all just get along. Or maybe, just maybe, Jesus - the real Jesus - is infinitely more than we ever imagined.
The Women's Wednesday morning Bible study resumes on
August 31 for 12 weeks through November 16. We will be doing "The Search for the Real Jesus Book 3" by Monica Napoli Warren. We meet at Grace Place, on Wednesday mornings, at 10 a.m. For more information, contact Shelly Sorem,
[email protected].
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Tuesday Evening Women's Bible Study - September 6
How confident do you feel in talking about matters of faith? Do you wish you could express your beliefs with more effectiveness? Join Mary Jo in a practical seven-session study and gain understanding and skill to share Jesus effectively with others, and you'll better understand your own faith. Answer your doubts, build your confidence, and start changing lives. Join us at Grace Place beginning on Tuesday, September 6, from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. For more information, contact Karen Henson,
[email protected]
.
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Day of Service - September 10
"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" (1 John 3:17). All at Grace Anglican are invited to join Daughters of the Holy Cross at the Houston Food Bank on Saturday,
September 10 from 8 a.m.-noon. Children over the age of 14 are welcome also. Space is limited to 20 people, so please sign up at the Information Table on Sunday. For additional information, contact Sharon High,
[email protected].
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Men's Saturday Morning Bible Study - September 10
After a summer break, the Saturday Men's Bible Study resumes on Saturday,
Se
ptember 10
. We will pick up with the apostle Paul as he seeks to introduce the world to the savior of the world. Spoiler alert: it is a wild adventure to rival any movie thriller - except that it is real. Coffee's on at 7:30 a.m.; breakfast at 8:00 a.m.; study at 8:30 a.m. (or so); we're done by 9:30 a.m. For more information, contact Bill Russell,
[email protected]
.
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Adult Forum - Sunday, September 11
Following Jesus is challenging. But guess what - it's always been that way! The Gospel according to Mark was written to Christians like us who struggled to follow Jesus through a world that considered them to be odd and out of step. Beginning
September 11, all of you odd Jesus followers are invited to learn more about our savior and how to live his way. Adult Forum is held in the hallway near the nursery area from 9:30 a.m. 10:15 a.m. BYOB - Bring Your Own Bible. For more information, contact Bill Russell,
[email protected].
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Children's First Communion Class - September 11
This Bread and This Cup is a first communion training program for children ages 5 years and older. Children will learn about the sacrament of communion while they're having fun! From the hands-on time with the elements of communion to unique activities, children will thoroughly enjoy these experiences designed to help them to join more fully with their church community and the larger communion of saints. At least one parent must attend with their child and the child must be baptized. The course
begins Sunday,
September 11 and will be held in the children's area, in the hallway, just past the restrooms. Class begins at 9:30 a.m. sharp and ends at 10:15 a.m. For additional information, contact Karen Henson, [email protected].
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Exploring Grace - September 25
Do not come to church on Sunday,
September 25...unless you want to have a great time! That is the date for our annual Exploring Grace. Come join us as we have one of our great community pot-luck lunches, a ministry fair and some fun giveaways. For those unfamiliar with a ministry fair, it is a way to investigate opportunities to serve at Grace Anglican. One of the cool things about our community is how we all pull together to do God's work. In addition to the ministry fair, some of the artists from Grace Anglican will also have their designs on display for purchase. It will be great fun and a great time to invite a friend.
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Confirmation Classes - October 2
Confirmation is an ancient ceremony in which the bishop lays hands on someone and invites the Holy Spirit to fill them. For participants, confirmation is a mature, public affirmation of faith. It is for those baptized as infants who now wish to confirm they believe. Most often, these are teens. Adults who would like to reaffirm their faith are also invited to participate in the confirmation service. Classes are held to prepare all candidates and begin on
October 2 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:15 am. It will be a 6-week course with the last week being the actual confirmation. If you or your child are interested in confirmation, contact Henry Covert,
[email protected]. The service of Confirmation will be led by our bishop, The Rt. Rev. Clark Lowenfield on
November 13.
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Women's Event: Painting with a Twist - October 6
Join us for our next women's event on Thursday,
October 6
from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. for an evening of painting and fellowship at Painting with a Twist, located at 2020 South Fry Road. Cost is $35 per person. Open to all women, 18 years or older. Sign up at the Information Table on Sunday. For additional information, contact Sharon High, [email protected]
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Adult Mission Trip - October 21-22
Can you read the writing on the wall in the photo above? It says "Grace Anglican at Work." Last October, a group of us traveled to Galveston, grabbed tools, and went to work. In partnership with Galveston Urban Mission, we contributed to the restoration of old, decaying buildings in an economically disadvantaged part of town. Our hearts were touched by their mission of community development, as well as by their solid leadership team. And so, we are going again. This year's trip will be
October 21-22. Come join us. The cost is $25 per person, which covers drinks, snacks, lunch and a T-shirt. You will be responsible for supper and one night at a motel. Serving the poor is what Christians do. You will leave a lot dirtier and a lot more tired than when you came. But you will also return home with the special satisfaction and joy that comes when we serve others. We will have a sign-up sheet in church soon.
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All Saints Day at Grace Anglican - October 30
The Apostles Creed is the earliest Christian Creed and is used at baptisms. Included in the creed is this statement: "We believe in the communion of saints." This is the belief that there is a mystical bond uniting Christians, both living and dead. That is, whether we are dead or alive, we are united in a living faith in Jesus. This union is observed on All Saints Day, which is November 1. On Sunday,
October 30 during the Prayers of the People, we will remember, by name, loved ones who have died in the past twelve months. If you have a name, please get it to Dan Ennis,
[email protected], by Wednesday,
October 26.
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Save the Date: Women's Retreat - November 18-20
Mark your calendars for our 4th annual Women's Retreat at Camp Lone Star on Friday, November 18 through Sunday, November 20.
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Israel Tour - March 2017
Many people find that a tour of Israel brings the Bible to life and builds faith. For some, it is a life-changing event. From
March 22-30, 2017
, Ker & Downey, a USA-based, award-winning international tour operator, is offering just such a tour. The tour will be led by The Rev. Bill Blomquist, a priest in the Anglican Church in North America. More information can be found at
https://www.blomquistian.com/Israel-2017.php
.
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Helping Flood Victims in Louisiana
Recent flooding in Louisiana has been disastrous for countless people, including some of our Anglican brethren. Follow this link
http://ardf.org/relief-flooding-la/ to learn more on how you can help flood victims through Anglican Relief and Development.
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From the Treasurer
As summer, with its vacations and activities, comes to a close, you may want to review your giving toward your annual pledge, especially if you give by check on Sundays. Up-to-date statements can easily be emailed - just request one and provide your email address to Bill Russell at
[email protected]. However, your bank's automated bill pay feature remains the easiest way to insure you don't fall behind. Quite a few people use this simple way to give and stay on pace toward their annual pledge. Contact Bill for more information on how to set it up.
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Travel Notes
After all these months, the new place is now becoming a reality. I hate to get too excited because we still have a ways to go before occupancy. And with construction, a million different things can and often do go wrong to cause delays. Even so, it is fun watching the walls go up. A couple of weeks ago when there was just a slab, I walked the space and prayed. I asked God to bless the work and that he would be present and welcome us into the new space. I also prayed for the people who would come through our doors in years to come. And you know what? I sensed that this will be a holy space, a space set apart for God and his Holy Spirit to work, a space where Jesus is made known and will be glorified. It felt really good. As you drive in the area of our new place, please join me in prayer. I think it will make you feel good too.
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| Grace to you, Bob The Rev. Robert H. Henson Rector Grace Anglican Community 713-557-8684 www.graceanglicankaty.com |
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Music Notes
"And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives."
"For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying,
'I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.'"
~Hebrews 2:10-12
Greetings Brothers & Sisters in Christ!
Worship is faith expressed. Communal worship, or singing together to connect with God, is not a new concept. In the reading from Matthew above, we see Jesus and the disciples gathering together and singing a hymn. There are references to singing all throughout the New and Old Testament, appearing 69 times in Psalms alone. Corporate singing, when done with a spirit-filled, God-centered focus can be an extension of prayer, amplify the effect of the Word on our hearts, or multiply the spiritual energy of the church. There is something to be said about private worship and private prayer time, but coming together as a community to sing God's praises is special. Much like how two individuals can sing a single note apart from one another, but when combined, can blend together as a harmony to create something greater than the sum of its parts, our coming together to worship as a community can have the same magnifying effect.
Blessings,
Dan
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