ANDREW'S AFFIRMATION

Feast of St. Andrew’s The Collect of St. Andrew (BCP, p. 237) Almighty God, who gave such grace to your apostle Andrew that he readily obeyed the call of your Son Jesus Christ, and brought his brother with him: Give us, who are called by your Holy Word, grace to follow him without delay, and to bring those near to us into his gracious presence; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Matthew 4:18-22 As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Reflection on the reading: ...

  2022 STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN THEME: RISE UP & BUILD "And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king's words that he had spoken to me. So they said, 'Let us rise up and build.' Then they set their hands to this good work." - Nehemiah 2:18 (NKJV) On June 2, 2022 severe wind and rain caused damage to our church buildings. Since then, we have had to work hard to build back our church. We needed everyone to volunteer their time, talent and treasure towards the build back of our church. Rebuilding is never easy, and this time was no different. The dilapidated condition of our church buildings was hard for all of us to see but the deeper question was whether or not we saw spiritual distress of our people and those in our city. Just as the walls of Jerusalem were painstakingly rebuilt after the Babylonian exile, we have embarked on a rebuilding process as a church. This opportunity is not just a worldly endeavor to restore phys...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Malachi 1:1,6-14 In this passage, God declares his love for Israel but wonders why Israel does not respect him. God will expose and condemn the sacrifices that dishonor him but will show grace to those who repent and return to him. How have you dishonored God? In what ways have you corrupted the church or ruined fellowship with other believers? Describe how you have experienced God’s love and observed the wonders of his majesty. James 3:13-4:12 This passage raises the question of who is wise and understanding. Heavenly wisdom is not mere head knowledge. Rather, wisdom from heaven shows us how to do good works and is the demonstration of a living faith. Worldly wisdom, on the other hand, is often rooted in bitter envy, selfish ambition and lies. It causes disorder and breeds wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and produces good fruits without a trace of partiality or hyp...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Habakkuk 3:1-10[11-15]16-18 This passage is a prayer of the prophet Habakkuk. The traditional formula for the structure of prayer “ACTS” (“A”doration, “C”onfession, “T”hanksgiving and “S”upplication) can be seen. The prayer begins with adoration of the Lord ( stand in awe ), moves to a spirit of confession ( revive it ) followed by absolution from the Lord ( remember mercy ). The prayer then proceeds to give thanks to God ( earth was full of praise ) and concludes with a supplication ( you came forth to save your people, to save your anointed ). Ultimately, Habakkuk inspires us to trust in the Lord no matter how daunting the storms of life might be: “I wait quietly for the day of calamity to come upon the people who attack us. Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines; though the produce of the olive fails, and the fields yield no food; though the flock is cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls, yet I...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Habakkuk 2:1-4,9-20 In this passage, God justifies his judgment. The prophet Habakkuk stands at his watchpost, stationed himself on the rampart, and keeps watch to see what the Lord will say to him concerning his complaint. The Lord informs Habakkuk that there is still a vision for the people that is true, appropriate, and conclusive. The Lord also requests Habakkuk to share this personal experience with the larger community. The vision makes it clear that the spirit of the arrogant is consumed with idolatry and is not right with God but that the spirit of the humble is rooted in righteousness and faithfulness to God. The evil will be put to shame, they will labor in vain, they will be consumed by their own wrath, and they will forfeit their very life. The warning is given that all must drink from the Lord’s cup of judgment. Behold the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him! Is there a place in our home, workplace...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Joel 2:12-19 In this passage, the prophet Joel offers a promise of God’s help to the people of Judah if they repent. The people are invited to return to God with all their heart so that they might experience his grace and mercy. The prophet Joel reminds Judah that God’s love is unconditional and that God does not take joy in punishing them. The need to sanctify the congregation is clear and urgent. Therefore, the priests and ministers are encouraged to stand between the vestibule and the altar and weep for the community of faith. How have you asked for God’s help in  your life? Does God punish the unfaithful? Why do you feel this way? What might sanctifying your family and friend circle look like today? Do you feel that your priest/minister weeps/intercedes on behalf of the community of faith? Why or why not? Revelation 19:11-21 In this passage, we have the vision of Jesus returning to a hostile creation. He is accompanied by the armies of ...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Joel 1:15-2:2[3-11] In this passage, judgment comes upon Judah. Destruction and ruin abound. Seeds shriveled, grain withered, storehouses were depleted, barns were dilapidated, the land was devoured by fire, flames burned the trees of the field, waterscourses dried up, and even the animals groaned in misery. The only thing that Judah could do was to cry out to God. The people were powerless to solve the problems they faced. There was nowhere to turn for help except to God. An exhortation is made to blow the trumpet and sound the alarm for God’s judgment upon Judah would surely bring darkness and gloom to what was once a garden of Eden. We are left with only one question - “WHO CAN ENDURE IT?” What drastic consequences have you faced as a result of unhealthy choices you have made? How has one bad decision affected many areas of your life? When have we been left with no other option but to cry out to God? Have you ever felt powerless to solve the...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Joel 1:1-13 The passage is a lament over a great locust plague and a severe drought (1:1-2:17). The natural disaster has devastatingly affected agriculture, farmers, and the supply of agricultural offerings for the Temple in Jerusalem. There is no joy among the people. In the midst of such tragedy, there is a clear call to wake up from their spiritual drunkenness and lament their sin as a nation. What tragedy has caused us to lose our joy? We are all sinners and we are all called to repent and return to God. In what areas of our life are we spiritually drunk? What might the path to sobriety look like?  Are we willing to admit that we are struggling and that we need help beyond ourselves? Who in our friend circle can help guide us along the path to recovery - who can be our sponsor / accountability partner? Revelation 18:15-24 In this passage we see the fall of Babylon. The saints, apostles and prophets rejoice at God’s victory over Babylon....

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Ecclesiasticus 50:1,11-24 Note: The book of Sirach or Ecclesiasticus is considered to be the largest wisdom book from antiquity to have survived. It is accepted as part of the canon by Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and most Oriental Orthodox Christians. The Anglican tradition considers Sirach among the apocryphal books, and read them but do not yet apply them to establish any doctrine. In this passage we are told about Simon son of Onia who was a leader and a person of great worth. He repaired his own house and fortified the house of God. These are the things that bring a pleasing odor to the Most High. Such leadership inspires those around them to worship God in a deeper sense. We must be cognisant that the purpose behind our rituals is to help us live right before God and others. It is then, and only then, that the blessings of the Lord will be showered upon God’s people. This opens the door to us experiencing a gladness of heart, a peaceful s...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Ecclesiasticus 43:23-33 Note: The book of Sirach or Ecclesiasticus is considered to be the largest wisdom book from antiquity to have survived. It is accepted as part of the canon by Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and most Oriental Orthodox Christians. The Anglican tradition considers Sirach among the apocryphal books, and read them but do not yet apply them to establish any doctrine. By God’s plan the creation came into being. Those who interact with creation declare the mysteries of God revealed through creation. We marvel at God’s marvelous creation. The people of God succeed and are held together because of God. We could say more but we could never say enough to describe the glory of God’s creation. We are truly left speechless, and all that we can utter is: “He is the all.” Even to praise God, we must find enough strength. For God is greater than all his works. The Lord is awesome and great; his power is beyond our understanding. Therefore, ...