Avoiding the Bitter Root: Choosing to Bless Instead
Recently a friend commented he was hearing his parenting parroted back to him from his kids, in the way his young children talk to their dolls and animals. Apparently it was not a blessing. I wrote my friend the next day to encourage him. I said to him some people go their entire lives without realizing the unwavering biblical principle – we reap what we sow. Others of us are blessed to discover it early on. How blessed by such a rude awakening? Because we can alter course! There is time for change.
Parents do you ever wonder what the end will be? Ever concerned about what you are sowing in the children entrusted to our care? Want to bless and not curse? Join Pastor John in a four week conversation about The Blessing. In it find the biblical principles for sowing the abundant life rather than the bitter root, principles relevant to any relationship you want to prosper. The series begins November 2.
A headline caught my eye recently. “Put your marriage before your kids: It’s the key to raising a healthy family.” Immediately I was reminded of all the members (over 40 couples between 25 and 50 most of whom are raising young children) of our community of faith that have struggled, are struggling, or will likely struggle to keep marriage first while raising their kids. Immediately that raised a question. How do we at St. Peter’s band together as the Body of Christ to ensure healthy marriages that we might have healthy families?
One solution is to promote marriage through fellowship, teaching and making marriage-enriching great dates possible! Our second of Ten Great Dates takes place Friday, November 7, 2008. All of those married and raising kids, those married and headed toward parenting, those about to be married, and those who simply want to renew their marriage are invited to join us as we continue Ten Great Dates. We will gather at 6:30 for an hour which will include a social time in the courtyard of St. Peter’s and a short presentation on making marriage and dates great. Then each couple (on your own, no double dating) will take off for a fun filled and marriage building night at the restaurant of your choice. To make it all happen with the greatest of ease, we will provide the childcare for the entire evening, from 6:15 to 9:45.
Listen to comments about the first of Ten Great Dates from those who participated:
“We thoroughly enjoyed the first of ten great dates. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it was a great way to give each other full attention for a few hours. The kick-off at St. Peter’s with many of our friends was a great way to start the date in a Christ-centered way. We appreciate St. Peter’s investing in our marriage, and look forward to dates 2-10.” -
Ed & Aubree Sledge
Have plans already? Change them! Good marriages have been strengthened, average marriages have been renewed and rocky marriages have been saved through Ten Great Dates (coupled of course with a strong dose of the grace of God). If you missed the first great date, you can still join us for this second one. However, this will be the last chance to enter this particular series of ten and receive all the blessings it is meant to provide.
Lastly, invite friends. As Christians we have an investment in marriage and consequently marriages. Identify your friends who will be blessed by some time alone remembering fondly the wonder of the love through which God called them into marriage.
RSVP only if you are planning to make use of the provided childcare.
PS Mark your calendar for the next event: Christmas Party Friday, December 5, 2008, 6:30 to 9:30.
provided childcare.
Jesus said come to Him everyone who is burdened. We seem to be pretty good at burdening ourselves. We take on more tasks than we should, extend our credit as much as possible, we budget our time because it will get away from us if we don’t - basically we are very good at living up to the limit. Reading the Bible, I wonder if that was the way God intended it. Wasn’t there a time for everything? Even rest? If you are already overburdened this season, come lay yours down and make some time to be in the restoring presence of our Lord.
Unburdened “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” Matt. 11:28:
A special prayer and praise service with singing, teaching, prayer time, and a community ritual of release! The Worship time is 6:30 following a 5:45 dinner (Homemade Barbeque and fixins!) This is instead of the regular Wednesday night programs and there is Nursery available through 2nd grade.
All are welcome. Don’t miss out.
What a wonder to behold this last Sunday was. God placed a call upon His people here at St. Peter’s. We answered in spades.
A new service was launched with only minor glitches. These were related to the particular timing of the new regime. Most will be easily overcome in time and a very few never eliminated as there always exceptions to the rule in life.
We were about equally split between the two services in terms of adult attendance. Both services enjoyed what some call the critical mass necessary for corporate worship. Attendance was up considerably when you combine the numbers. Our expectation is that attendance will rise considerably again this Sunday as those squeezing that last bit of sun and fun out of Summer return to the seasons of work and school that govern most of us. Special kudos go forth to those six families that attended both services. There was a sense of excitement and enthusiasm in the air about navigating our way into the course the Holy Spirit has laid before us.
Noteworthy was the warm and intense fellowship enjoyed from 10:00 to 10:30. Intentionally we created this time in the Ark to overcome any loss of intimacy or relationships when some migrate to a new service. Objective achieved. There was not a space in the Ark that was not filled with encouraging and edifying conversation. During this designated Fellowship time Bob McCuistion will be operating ”Pete’s Picks.” You may find a good book. At very least you will be able to engage a missionary with sixteen years of experience in the foreign missions field.
Noteworthy as well was the success of David Hudspeth’s new class, Between Two Worlds. This new offering beginning at 10:30 was a necessary component to make it possible for every person to be engaged in Christian Education regardless of the service the person chooses to attend. David got underway with 13 and more are expected in the weeks ahead. David said the Holy Spirit orchestrated a service and sermon that became a perfect segue for this study of Acts.
For the weeks ahead? First, simply come. It is a joy for me, as it is for all of us I am sure, to be in the company of saints being sanctified. It is only in gathering that we can do life together and continue to assemble as the Word exhorts us. Second, come early or stay late but be hear from 10:00 to 10:30. Before God adds a single person to His fold here, we are the Body of Christ. Conversation make us aware of each others’ struggles and each others’ joys, things to be met or celebrated through the body of believers.
Today I give God the glory and I thank Him in my every remembrance of you.
I just wanted to write an update for those who missed it Sunday morning. Several of our youth attended the first AMIA national mission trip this last week in Orlando, FL. We joined seven other chruches in serving the people of Orlando and were blessed in our participation in God’s kingdom plan of redemption. Our specific project, mong the many others, was in bringing hope and joy to Carver Middle School, an inner city school in the South West corner of Orlando. By painting and cleaning we brought so much excitement to the the staff, that many teachers came in just to see their new classrooms and to thank us for our efforts. Underneath all the paint, there were literally paryers and words of God. Each classroom we painted had prayers and scriptures written underneath the paint. The real work, though, was the work of the Holy Spirit bringing hope where there was dispair, bringing joy where there was anger. Thank God, His plan is always better than ours.
Thank you for your support and prayers for the youth of this church.
July 16, 2008
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,
May this find you well and flourishing in the mind of Christ Jesus.
Since Pentecost we have been intentionally engaging the world and declaring the wonders of God. Celebration Sunday exceeded our very high expectations. Vacation Bible School at Loveman’s Village took us to places we had not been both literally and spiritually. People’s lives were touched and some children devoted their lives to Christ for the very first time. What a joy it was to take the Gospel to the streets and see our parents, youth and children revved for mission. Simply put, it was awesome.
We will not rest in what He has already shown. We continue striking out with a longing to see even more of God’s glory. You have probably seen the banner announcing our new service of worship at 9:00 beginning August 10, 2008. In this letter, I will say more about the services and the very first thing you can do to insure the Lord’s will is fulfilled.
Core to our conviction is a blending of Ancient and Future. We want to embrace the forms and practices, both Ancient and Future that advance the Kingdom of God by facilitating a deeper and more abiding walk with His son Jesus and the praise of His holy name. The new service, to be offered at 9:00, will emphasize the Ancient while retaining the Future. We are moving to what a generation after my own might call “unplugged.” This service will exclude drums, electric guitar, and video projection. We will include a printed order of service. Like our present service, it will include Spirit-filled preaching and Holy Communion. The expression of music will lean more in a classic direction, making greater use of hymns (and perhaps even ancient chant).
The present service will move from 10:00 to 10:30. It will continue to emphasize the Future while retaining the Ancient. Music will lean even more toward the contemporary. Room will also be made for more spontaneity such as testimonies.
At both hours, there will be Christian Education for all ages. For those who use Sunday to deepen their walk with Christ through study, you can attend worship and then Sunday School or vice versa. More choice will enhance our program as will a new emphasis upon information leading to transformation. More specifics will come to you via another letter.
We envision that the time in between services, from 10:00 to 10:30, will be used to meet new brothers and sisters in Christ and further the wonderful relationships we all have. Toward that end we will be enhancing our sweets and the quantity and quality of our coffee.
You might be wondering what part you can play in bringing about the Lord’s will in this new expression of St. Peter’s. First and foremost, pray. Pray for a hedge of protection around our efforts and that fruit will be borne to the glory of God.
Next, you can worship with us regularly. The people of God are meant to assemble at least weekly. We do so to offer thanks and praise to God and as a witness to the world. While others are worshipping the pillow, we assemble to give praise to God for His greatness. While others are worshipping the greens, we assemble to give thanks to God for the blessings we receive during the week or for the strength made available to us to sustain us in a time of trial. Because of our deep relationship with God we order our lives differently than those without faith. Our weekly gathering boldly declares the difference in our priorities and says so to the world in a very public way.
Of course given the freedom in Christ we enjoy, we are able to travel and thus we at times necessarily assemble elsewhere and with other Christians for worship. To God be the Glory wherever we are. Yet, I urge you to exercise your freedom by altering your schedules to worship here at St. Peter’s for a season even ten to twelve straight weeks. In doing so, both services will be quite full and those drawn to us will experience all the zeal among the wonderful people God has knit together here at St. Peter’s. Our contagious faith will be an instrument of God to advance His work in this particular vineyard.
It has been said that a person’s check register says much about a person’s values. In an age where TIME is money, I wonder if our calendars do not say as much or more. Please give prayerful consideration to making adjustments in your plans for late August and throughout the Fall. Let your time reflect God’s desire to build up the local church that He might use it to His glory!
Under His Mercy,
John D. Richardson
Our approach to worship is rooted in traditions of the earliest Christian churches but often is colored with contemporary and fresh expressions that engage the senses, connecting with people’s hearts and minds. This unique blend of the ancient and future provides a means of capturing the imagination of a society immersed in images of the media and Internet. Our churches offer a wide variety and diversity in worship expressions while upholding the Biblical and historic essentials of Christian faith.
The core to our conviction is a blending of Ancient and Future. We want to embrace the forms and practices of both the Ancient and the Future. Our goal in this is to advance the Kingdom of God by facilitating a deeper and more abiding walk with His son Jesus through the praise of His holy name. The new service, to be offered at 9:00, will emphasize the Ancient while retaining the Future. We are moving to what a generation after my own might call “unplugged.” This service will exclude drums, electric guitar, and video projection. We will include a printed order of service, and like our present service, it will include Spirit-filled preaching and Holy Communion. The expression of music will lean more in a classic direction.
The present service will move from 10:00 to 10:30, and will continue to emphasize the Future while retaining the Ancient. There will fewer organ sounds and more guitar led pieces of praise music. Room will also be made for more spontaneity, such as, testimonies.
At both hours, there will be Christian Education for all ages. For those who use Sunday to deepen their walk with Christ through study, there will be the opportunity attend worship and a time of study at both hours.
It is our hope that the time in between services, from 10:00 to 10:30, will be used to meet new brothers and sisters in Christ and further the wonderful relationships we already have. Toward that end, we will be enhancing the quantity and quality of our coffee.
This is the new site. There are many of the old features that were here before and some new things to come. I hope that you enjoy the site and are able to get to know St. Peter’s Anglican Church through this web portal. If you have any questions about the site or about St. Peter’s, please contact us at the contact page.
Class 456 just returned from their first ever Spring Retreat, at Gray
Rocks Lodge. A wonderful time was had by all! We spent time doing farm
activities, playing games, roasting marshmallows, and most importantly
learning about how much God loves us. Look for a presentation and more
pictures coming up during the Worship Service on Sunday!
Wednesday Night Discipleship
Wind - all sails need wind to operate. Without wind, they are just
really big pieces of cloth, with no real function at all. Kind of like
our lives without the things we need. We need air, we need food, we need
shelter, etc. But what if those aren’t really enough for us? What if we
were actually created for something more than just breathing and eating
and sleeping. What if there is something we were actually created to do
that is beyond the everyday grind. What would a life like that be like?
The Bible tells us that we are exactly that. We were created for a
purpose. Not just some vague notion of God’s glory, but specifically for
a place in the kingdom. Most people know this without being told. In
fact, they long for it. But without something that lifts us, something
that expands our perspective and blows across our sense of who we are,
we are much like lifeless sails.
If you feel like this, we have a place for you. Wednesday nights are
designed to help you find that wind. We want everyone to experience for
themselves the power of the Holy Spirit. Specifically, we want you to be
a part of our discipleship process.
Please join us for Wednesday Night Discipleship. Every Wednesday night
from 5:45 -7:30 PM we have programs designed to help you experience the
life giving, life sustaining power of God’s wind.
Bob McQuistion and John Richardson - /The Fight/ by John White
Glandion Carney - The Dust of the Rabbi - Ray Vander Laan
Julie Davis - James (Women’s Study)
Paul Martin - Mythbusters (Youth Study)
Children’s Program - More Than A Movie
There is also a nursery for Infants and Pre-schoolers
More…
November 26, 2007
Thanksgiving Holiday Office Schedule
November 25th
November 5, 2007
Beach Retreat
The Beach Retreat is well under way. We have all arrived safe and
sound and have begun, along with a lot of fun, to be challenged and
encouraged in the Spirit. Our first message this morning asks the
necessary question in life - why are we here? God asnwers this in a big
way all through the Bible, but we will be focusing on two pieces of
scripture regarding our purpose in life.
But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my
power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
- Exodus 9:16
The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to
give life in all its fullness.
- John 10:10
These two passages point to something more than a frenzied, dis-oriented
life. There is indeed more to life than there seems. The rest of our
weekend will be processing whatthis looks like and how we strive for
that life.
New Church Plant: Coming Soon
Several years ago, as St. Peter’s was just getting started, we
prayerfully concluded that we were to both *grow *and *multiply,*
sending others out to plant with the principles grounding us, to be
Christ centered and mission minded.
Lyle and Mary Dorsett will soon be planting a new Anglican Mission
church in the Birmingham area! Plans are still developing, but Lyle and
John Richardson have been in prayer about this for months, Lyle and Mary
even longer. What we know for now is that the church will be Christ the
King Anglican and will begin services as early as November,
temporarily meeting in Hodges Chapel at the Beeson Divinity School of
Samford University.
From the Pastor
Hey Family and Friends,
I am witness to some powerful things ongoing in the name of Jesus.
CFCI (Christ for Children International) is being used by God to break
generational patterns that the sins of the fathers might no longer be
visited upon the third and fourth generations. As you can imagine, the
work among the children and youth is not easy. It happens most often
without support from parents and at times in the face of opposition and
ongoing abuse. Through CFCI, God is providing a close second to His
unconditional love, that thing necessary to full and abundant lives.
Paul Martin - New Youth Pastor
Dear People of St. Peter’s:
What a great joy it is to announce that Paul Martin has joined our staff
as youth pastor. He and his wife Cathy and girls, Jane (3) and Elizabeth
(2), began their life with us June 1, 2007. Paul has a youth ministry
history with tangible results. In his wake are many relationships, some
of which have been sustained to this day, through which the Gospel has
been advanced in the life of youth.