Costly Grace and Walking on Water

Here is the link to a sermon I wrote recently called Costly Grace and Walking on Water.

http://www.box.net/shared/vyj88crd3l

New Sunday Evening Bible Study!

Lent is fast approaching!! I have decided that for the Lenten season, as we celebrate the days preceding Holy Week (the week of the Last Supper, Christ's passion, death, and ending with his resurrection), we will have a special Bible Study. 

What is Lent?

Lent is a time in which we come face to face with our own mortality and look into our hearts. We are preparing ourselves for the death and resurrection of Christ. We are preparing to die to ourselves with Christ and to be raised up on Easter with Jesus as new creations. We are called to die to ourselves and our own desires and to take up our cross and follow Christ. Christian lives are shaped by this dying to our own selfishness and being raised up with Christ to be imitators of Him. We no longer look at Jesus and ask "how can Jesus serve me" because Jesus has already served us beyond measure in His dying for us. His great love for us leads us to approach God and the Church not as things that serve us but as the truest authority and most deserving of our service. Ephesians 5 teaches us that the church is the body of Christ and Jesus is the head. Jesus loved us so greatly that we can do nothing but respond as the tools of Christ, as Paul teaches us many times in the Epistles. We must ask ourselves, "how can we serve God? How can we be best used by Christ?"


The Study
In this spirit, we are starting a study on the Ten Commandments. This study will last until the Sunday before Easter. It will be a opportunity to consider who we are in Christ and the holiness of God. We will gather for a meal at 6:30pm, followed by a short Compline service from the Book of Common Prayer, and end with a presentation and discussion on different elements of the Ten Commandments. I invite everyone to enter into this Lenten study as we prepare our hearts for Christ's crucifixion on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday. For this study, we will meet in my home. This is not a church service nor a commitment to our church, and it is open to everyone.
 
What do the Ten Commandments have to do with Lent?
Come find out!
Email adventpastor@gmail.com for directions or any questions.

The Iona Vision and Why It Matters To Us

Island of Iona, Scotland

History


In the year 563, a priest and monk named Columcille (later called St. Columba) and 12 companions left the comfort of Christian Ireland and set off for northern Britain.  Their purpose: to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the Picts.  The Picts were a people in bondage, not necessarily economic or political bondage, but spiritual bondage.  They had heard of Christianity, but they were immersed in a despairing pagan darkness.  Even the Picts who thought of themselves as Christian were bound to cultural legalisms and fundamental misunderstandings of the Gospel.


While Columcille and his group were on their way to Britain, a storm arose suddenly and blew their tiny boat ashore on  a small island called Iona.  Taking this unexpected event as a sign from God, they chose to base their evangelism from this unusual place and founded an abbey.  The abbey was, literally, an island of safety where the community could fast, pray, worship, and be discipled.  It was also a place where they could bring both the converted and the searching in order to show them what the beloved family of God looked like when gathered.


But Iona was not just a place of retreat.  Far from it.  It was primarily a staging ground for the assault of the Kingdom of God against the kingdoms of darkness.  From this base, Columcille and the members of his growing community went forth into the lands of the Picts.  After a while, they began to establish daughter communities on the mainland. They also sent their missionaries far and wide, even into the impenetrable darkness of Germany.  All the while, the community maintained its connection to the Church in Ireland, submitting to the leadership of the broader Body of Christ.  As the years progressed, Iona became a place of major influence in Northern England and Scotland and the center of Christianity for generations.

Celtic Christianity


Celtic Christianity is the form of our faith practiced by Columcille, and it is the historical basis of the Christianity of England and of Anglicanism.  It is marked by a variety of traits, some of which are:
* Evangelistic fervor: they were devoted to freeing those in spiritual darkness.
* Orthodox faith: they were true to the Scriptures and the traditional faith.
* Outwardly focused: they laid their lives down for those beyond their borders.
* Personal relationship: they were personal disciples of Jesus Christ.
* Experience with God: they were people of prayer and vision who encountered God.
* Repentant hearts: while believing in the goodness of their remade hearts, they also sought repentance and amendment of life in their sinfulness.
* Communal life: they were devoted to one another, and they welcomed and incorporated newcomers and new believers.
* Liturgical worship: they worshiped God in holiness.
* Charismatic power: they called on the Lord and saw Him move.
* Flexible wills: they were willing to change and grow as the Lord moved them.
* Creative spirits: they respected God’s creation, and they generated arts and music which brought Him glory.
* Balanced existence: they sought a life of freedom through balance.                   

 *Beatific Vision: they wanted to live in Christ and pursued that life on progressively deeper and deeper levels through their common life.
* Christ as King: above all else, they adored Jesus as their Lord.


In other words, the Ionan community represented the very best of the Christian life. And they call us forward, as part of the “great cloud of witnesses,” to a faith in God which is both ancient in its roots and progressive in its implementation.

How Our Church Will Proceed

The Anglican Church is deeply rooted in the Celtic church and the Benedictine order.  Our vision is shaped by primarily Scripture, but the Iona narrative is what has inspired the vision of this church. While we do not believe that Iona was (or that there ever has been) a golden age of the church, we desire to learn from this story and be shaped by the wisdom of the Ionan church.  Our vision is an Ionan vision. 

            Church of the Advent seeks to bring the redemptive power of Jesus Christ to the dark places of Columbia.  Our vision is shaped by the same values that were central to the life of the Celtic Church, those listed above.  Church of the Advent is developing into a missional staging ground to grow strong communities of discipleship and service out of downtown Columbia.  Our community will be self giving in the way that Christ gave himself for us.  We will put the gospel and the spiritual well being of Columbia before our own comfort or desires. This means that we are committed to prayer, service, and discipleship based in Columbia.  The church will grow through dicipleship groups that eat, pray, and study together.  We will also grow through service to this community and especially those in this community who are in need. 

            Church of the Advent will also be a community that welcomes everybody, wherever they are with God.  It is not our goal to pressure or judge people, but to call them into a community of love, reconciliation, and relationship with Jesus Christ. The Ionan vision guides us to be an open, honest, and transformational community, and by following that vision, we can show people the life-giving light of Christ.

ANNOUNCEMENT: New Dinner/Study group on Sundays 6:30--8:30pm

We are starting a new dinner/study group!!!  On Sunday nights from 6:30--8:30pm, we will eat some delicious food, have Compline worship service, and study the spiritual disciplines.  We will look at what the disciplines are, why we should do them, and what the Bible and Christian tradition has to say about them.  This Sunday is the first meeting, so come join us for some food, prayer, and study! Email adventpastor@gmail.com for directions.

An Evening with Rev. Ernest Mahoro--recap

"The church has the power to tell people who are desperate that there is a chance to live again." 

Rev. Justin Hogg and Rev. Ernest Mahoro

Rev. Ernest Mahoro presented Columbians with a rare opportunity on the evening of Tuesday, August 31st. It was a chance to listen to the story of a man from the other side of the world, someone who has seen the devastation of genocide, the blight of poverty, and the instability of a weak government. The event was called “Rwanda: AIDS, Genocide, and the Church, an evening with Rev. Ernest Mahoro.” In the Friendship Room at Daniel Boone Public Library, a group of fifty people gathered to hear his story and ask questions.

The presentation began with Rev. Mahoro explaining that he is present in Columbia as part of a trip to visit his friends in Fulton, namely members of the Rwanda Community Partnership. He is currently residing in Ambridge, PA, while he attends Trinity School for Ministry to receive a Masters of Arts in Religion. He is married and has four children. Rev. Mahoro hopes that his visits will help form HIV/AIDS associations that can positively influence Rwanda.

Rev. Mahoro continued his presentation by addressing the church’s role in Rwanda’s social services. He said that in Rwanda “the church deals with life holistically, not just the spiritual but the physical.” Mahoro asserted that the reason that the church must take care of people’s physical needs is to follow the example of Jesus. “Jesus fed the hungry, healed the sick, and visited the poor. He gave his whole life to the people of his time,” Mahoro continued. “Our community is poor, and people need food, clothes, and shelter. The church helps people meet those needs.”

The 1994 genocide left Rwanda’s population impoverished and the government unstable. Loss and depravity were widespread, and though the people have come a long way since then, there is still much to be done to improve Rwandans’ quality of life. Mahoro addressed this topic, speaking about the need for education, HIV/AIDS awareness, and responsible family planning. Mahoro said, “If the church works properly, it is helping the poor. The church is a healer.” He stressed the importance for care of widows and orphans. Because of the post-genocide devastation, many orphans grow up to be prostitutes if they are girls or they take to the streets if they are boys. This only enhances the HIV/AIDS crisis. Mahoro noted that while the government’s response of educating people about condoms was helpful, the church also has a responsibility to teach people about living a sexually moral life and refraining from sexual intercourse until marriage.

Mahoro also addressed the need for responsible family planning in Rwanda. He said that in Rwanda, “poor people have lots of kids because they don’t work. Food, medicine, and shelter are a problem because these people cannot afford to take care of a big family. The church is encouraging people to think responsibly about their family size.”

Vocational training is lacking for most Rwandans, and only 25% of the population go to high school while the rest return home and do not work. Much of Rwanda’s social and vocational education is the work of the church. The lack of education contributes to the continuing poverty in much of Rwanda, and Mahoro encouraged people to come to Rwanda and work as teachers.

Rev. Mahoro also asserted that the role of the church is not purely physical either, and the church has an important place in the spiritual lives of Rwandans as well. Due to the social problems resulting from the genocide and the AIDS crisis, many Rwandans feel helpless, hopeless, and lost. The suicide rate is high, and many people live in a state of chaos. Mahoro said, “The church has the power to tell people who are desperate that there is a chance to live again. People come to church, and they dance, they sing, they cry, and they receive hope.”

Reconciliation is one of the priorities of the church in Rwanda. Many people live among neighbors who killed their family in the genocide, and the work of the church is to help people forgive and reconcile with their neighbors. Mahoro said, “The church brings people together to talk, share problems, and pray. Peace and reconciliation are keys to unity in Rwanda. People must learn to trust each other and forgive each other in order for them to live at peace with each other. The church helps them do this.”

Rev. Mahoro concluded his presentation by asking for help. He said, “God has blessed America. You have more than you need. As brothers and sisters created in God’s image, we need to help communities outside of America.” He stressed the need for teachers and medical workers, and he noted that the government encourages communities to work with churches and pastors. Rev. Mahoro finished his speech with the exhortation to “do good—in all places, at all times, to all the people you can.”

If you have questions about how you can help, or if you have questions regarding Rev. Mahoro's visit, please contact adventpastor@gmail.com.

Rev. Ernest Mahoro to Visit Columbia!

Anglican Church of the Advent presents:

Rwanda: Genocide, AIDS, and the Church

An Evening with Rev. Ernest Mahoro

Daniel Boone Library

Tuesday, August 31st, 6:30pm

Join us for an exciting opportunity to meet Rev. Ernest Mahoro from Kibungo, Rwanda. An Anglican pastor and a Development Officer overseeing 110,00 parishioners, Rev. Mahoro has traveled the Rwandan countryside offering encouragement and training. He will share many valuable insights into Rwanda’s past and present as he discusses how his country, and specifically his church, has faced a severe AIDs crisis and the 1994 genocide. Rev. Mahoro will also invite questions after his presentation. Come and hear his story!

This event is open to the public.  Light refreshments will be served after the presentation.

Scripture to Consider: Communion

Matthew 26: 26-27 “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to His disciples saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’”



In the Church, we come together most through the Lord’s Supper (also called “Communion” and “Eucharist”). This is where we truly feed on Christ, and we become one. At the Communion table, we get a short glimspe of what it will be like when Christ returns and sets up His heavenly kingdom here on earth. This is a gift from God that gives us grace and stength to live life in this fallen world. It is through Communion that we are regularly reminded of the need to repent of our sin and of God’s grace offered through Christ. We receive that grace anew anytime we partake of His body and blood.