There is joy and blessedness in being permitted to witness in an age of doubt and unbelief to that precious faith committed unto us. 
The Rt Rev'd H.B. Whipple, Founder of The Church of the Good Shepherd, Maitland, Florida, 1881

Dearly Beloved in Christ,
Paul's letters to the Corinthians indicate that Christian communities have never been completely free from internal strife, even in the apostolic age.

Paul's First letter to the Corinthians addresses quarrels that have arisen, not apparently because of doctrinal issues, but because within the Christian community in Corinth cliques have formed around well-known personalities in the early church.  And you can hear the pain that this strife has caused Paul. 

He begins by reminding them that they are brothers and sisters, to him and to each other in Christ.  And Christ cannot be parceled out.  Christ cannot be divided up.  Later in the same letter the apostle will say: "Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread."  The cliques have arisen because they have taken their eyes off the only one on whom their eyes should remain focused: Christ, and him crucified.

At the foot of the cross we are all equal - there is none that is good, none that is worthy - not one.  We are all equally sinful, all equally in need of saving, all equally in need of healing.  The cross is the centerpoint of reconciliation, it is the place where God's mission of reconciliation with his creation is accomplished. In the light of such a great gift how can we not seek reconciliation with our brothers and sisters?

May we keep our eyes fixed on Christ and his cross for it is the place where we receive the power to go out not as harbingers of strife but as ministers of reconciliation.

In His Peace, Grace, and Love,
Rev'd Sarah+

Healing Ministry and Prayer Ministry News

The Combined Prayer Ministries have been meeting on a regular basis (every other Sunday after the 10:30 am service) for several months now.  All members of the group have signed the Confidentiality Covenant which requires the maintaining of absolute confidentiality regarding any prayer requests that are made.  If a prayer request is called in to the office, or sent via the internet, the person making the request is asked if they would like the name of the person for whom the request is being made placed in the prayer list in the bulletin.

Some members of the Combined Prayer Ministries will be inducted into the Order of St Luke the Physician as associate members this coming Sunday, January 30, during the 10:30 am service by The Reverend Al Durrance, who was rector at Good Shepherd about forty years ago.  It was under Father Al's rectorship that Good Shepherd became a center for the Christian healing ministry.


After their installation OSL members will start to participate more actively in the laying on of hands, anointing with oil, and prayers for healing during the services of Holy Communion.  At the 10:30 am service rather than inviting people to come up for prayers for healing after everyone has received Communion those people who would like to receive prayers for healing will be invited to stay kneeling after having received Communion and will be ministered to by the OSL members.  The section of the altar rail by the choir, to the left of the altar, will be set aside for this purpose.

The Combined Prayer Ministries will continue to meet after the 10:30 am service twice a month in the Library as follows:
February 6 and 20, March 6 and 20, April 3 and 17, May 8 and 22.
If you are feeling called to the important ministry of prayer please contact Henry Spang at 407-637-5499

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CHILI COOKOFF AND DESSERT AUCTION

 

February 12, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Join us for wonderful food, great fellowship, and a little good-natured competition!
Enter your favorite chili recipe or bring along a dessert for the auction or just come for the food and fun!

 National Register of Historic Places

 

On Thursday Bob Jones made a wonderful presentation about Good Shepherd Chapel to the Florida National Register Review Board in Tallahassee.  Charlotte Everbach and I participated via conference call.  At the end of Bob's very laudatory presentation the Board voted unanimously to send their recommendation to Washington that the Good Shepherd Chapel be included in the National Register of Historic Places.  We are truly blessed to have been given the stewardship of this wonderful place, not just because of its historical importance architecturally and aesthetically but because it is such a great witness to the power of God to bring healing and wholeness to his people.