Posted on 06/06/2005 8:51:18 AM PDT by MeanWestTexan
Though the sanctuary of Christ Church Midland may have been void Sunday of plush pews, elaborate paintings and other features, what was present were the sounds and spirit of worship. The estimated 324-member congregation gathered for its first worship service at Midland Classical Academy after the church split over dissention of Biblical teachings, including -- but not limited to -- same-sex marriage blessings and the denomination's appointing an openly gay bishop.
(Excerpt) Read more at mywesttexas.com ...
Please contact our priests and give them words of encouragement.
christchurchmidland.org
Father Stasney: onefisher@christchurchmidland.org Father John: jhartzer@christchurchmidland.org
Congratulations on getting out of that denomination. They have not only left their first love, they scoff at Him with their actions.
Good read, by the way
http://www.answersingenesis.org/radio/pdf/gay_marriage.pdf
BTW, sionnsar, I attended another ECUSA christening at Trinity Episcopal in Woodbridge, NJ (not Manhattan Trinity) and I was strongarmed by an usher there.
The priest said "Every baptized person of any faith is welcome to the Lord's table today, I urge all of you to come to Communion."
When the usher came to my pew to lead people up, I sat there.
She said: "You should go up."
I said: "No, thank you.".
She said: "Why not?"
I said "Thank you, but I'm a Roman Catholic."
She said, huffily: "So? I go to Communion at my daughter's Catholic church all the time! You need to go!"
At that point I just ignored her non sequitur, rather than saying something uncharitable.
I know this woman was not indicative of regular ECUSA communicant, especially not an orthodox one, but it was weird.
It seemed like she saw her job as requiring her to wheedle and cajole everyone in the building to the altar.
Don't Episcopal Christians themselves ever decline Communion on the grounds that they feel they are not spiritually prepared to receive, that they do not want to receive unworthily?
Just an oddly uncomfortable situation.
yes, but I think this is not a strong teaching in ECUSA these days.
PRAISE our LORD and SAVIOUR,(JESUS CHRIST).
It's just that this is the first I've ever seen an usher in either the Episcopal or Catholic Church behave like that - I felt like mentioning it to the priest, but I didn't feel it was my place.
And, BTW, the sermon was (a) quite orthodox and (b) was actually preached on the day's Scriptural readings. And the service itself was very reverent and in punctilious conformity with the Prayer Book.
I was especially sensitive to visiting children who I knew were RC's. When we brought such children to visit, we were very careful to understand their parents wishes because its taught by RC's that they should not receive communion in our church.
From the catechism
Q. What is required of us when we come to the Eucharist?
A. It is required that we should examine our lives, repent
of our sins, and be in love and charity with all people.
During my last weeks at our ECUSA, my wife and I didn't receive communion because we did not feel love and charity to the leaders of our church. We were angry with them.
May God richly bless this church and all involve in it.
Almighty Father, Who established the Church on Pentecost; we ask that you strengthen this new congregation in its wilderness journey; that you give its priests and deacons Your Holy Spirit; that you enable them to have a new building soon, but one founded in You. As Abraham moved in faith, and his faith was counted in righteousness, so move us in faith towards Your Son, our Savior, and to act in love towards one another. We pray in the name of Christ Jesus, Who reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Good for you!
St. David's here in Denton has replaced the old familiar blue and white Episcopal church sign on the corner with a simple black and white one identifying it as an Anglican church.
Seems odd to see that, but nowhere near as odd as having a queer bishop in the organization.
Did the Bishop bus in some folks to beef up the crowd at his newly acquired building, or did they just run a service with a handful of folks there?
I was at Christ Church, so I don't know. I read that they had a lot of people from around the nation and from a couple of local liberal groups come in for that one Sunday.
After this, they are down to the 31, I suppose.
Many of those who stayed are not heretics, but staltworts refusing to give up their church to apostates --- an effort in futility, IMHO.
On the other hand, certain of the lay people who stayed are extreme liberals who voted for the gay bishop and are very much worshipers "GeneralConventianity" (to quote the God-fearing Bishop of Ft. Worth who saw us off), rather than people who read and believe the Bible.
Nam Vet
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