House Church Newsletter

This last Saturday we were in the public Square at the Strawberry Faire on the campus of Randolph Macon College in Ashland Virginia

The Church needs to get its message out from inside the walls of the Church in order to invite them into the sacred space of the Church.

Below are photos of the preparation for our Strawberry Faire booth. Every member of the congregation worked to prepare the tracts and brochures. In the photo down below on the right Daryl is making the banner displaying the Seven Sacraments of the Church on display over our tent at the Faire.

We made most of the tracts, and brochures given away to people at our table under the little tent. In the photo to the left you see the finished tracts and brochures in their holders ready for our opportunity on Saturday to present the case for the Gospel along with the Anglican Way of being a Christian. Down below is our table with the tent set up at the Faire.

With our banners up displaying who we are as Saint Athanasius Anglican Mission we were ready at the opening of the Strawberry Faire at 10 a.m. Beginning with the first couple on the right, John pictured here and I who took the photo gave out plenty of tracts and brochures to many people. Members of our congregation came to participate in our efforts and give us breaks during the Faire which lasted until 5 p.m. We got some contact information to do follow up on the people who were interested in learning more about us. The next event for our table and tent is the Glen Allen Fair in September.

On Trinity Sunday morning we celebrated the Holy Eucharist with the Reverend Robert Placer officiating at the Mass. We recited the words of the Athanasian Creed affirming the Holy Trinity and the Two Natures of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour at 10:30.

Our apt teacher and lay reader John Dixon teaches Adult Christian Education beginning Sunday morning at 09:30 in the fellowship hall next to the chapel nave and chancel.

Christian Education is an in depth study of the Prayer Book Lectionary Collect and Lessons for the day. From the beginning we are continuing the practice of the early church of catechesis for baptism if needed and certainly for Confirmation from the bishop before the new member of the Church receives the consecrated elements of bread and wine of the Holy Eucharist. We adhere to closed Holy Communion, hence when I am in residence visitors and members will attend Mattins first in the chapel at 09:00 followed by Christian Education at 09:30. I shall explain to visitors and seekers of truth why we require them to become Confirmed members of the Church before eating the bread and drinking the wine of the Holy Communion at Saint Athanasius Anglican Church. Membership in the Church requires Holy Baptism with water in the Name of the Holy Trinity and Confirmation from a Bishop in Apostolic Succession.

“Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers”

Proverbs 17:6

Studies have shown how powerful is the spiritual influence of fathers on their families even though secular popular culture denigrates manhood and fatherhood. When Dad comes to Christ 93% of families will follow. On the secular Father’s Day we in the Church should know that our Evangelism and Discipleship should seek out men whether married or single because men become husbands and fathers to families. Our presentation of Jesus Christ and the Gospel when correctly preached should appeal to men and be a call for men to their God ordained vocations as Fathers, husbands, and leaders in the Church and in some cases called to the ministerial priesthood or to the vocational diaconate. The statistic not mentioned here is that 40% of households are headed by women or mothers, and this reality calls the men of our congregation to be spiritual fathers to all children especially to children in our congregation when there is no earthly father in the lives of these children either because of death, divorce, or abandonment.

The incense burning from the censer is symbolic of our prayers rising up to God as a sweet smelling savour.

O LORD Jesus Christ, thou great Physician: Look with thy gracious favour upon this thy servant Tom; give wisdom and discretion to those who minister to him in his sickness; bless all the means used for his recovery; stretch forth thy right hand and, according to thy will, restore him to health and strength, that he may live to praise thee for thy goodness and thy grace, to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.

Forty years is a biblical generation, so we give thanks and praise unto God the Holy Ghost for the Gospel witness and Discipleship of Saint Barnabas Anglican Church under the ministry of the Right Reverend Chandler Holder Jones, Rector and Suffragan Bishop.

Diocese of the Eastern United States, Mid-Atlantic Deanery

Let us pray for God the Holy Ghost to select for our diocese a bishop coadjutor to lead our clergy and laity forth as a shepherd for the increase of His Kingdom.