AOC Two

Bishop Jerry shares this excellent article written by a good friend in Birmingham, Alabama - Bucky Wood: "I present the following thoughts, not as a trite and inept attempt at a sermon, but as an example of the benefits of faith, the beauty of a belief in God, and the consequences of that belief. Even most non-believers recognize that a culture of faith and belief in God adds value to society. Kids are (perhaps) raised better, people in general understand better the differences between good and bad behaviors, and those in such an environment see that "doing for others" leads to a happier life. It nurtures a fellowship also, and that adds value to one's life. Shouldn't the primary reason to believe in God, and a risen Christ as His Son, is that   it is the truth?   Shouldn't that fact, alone, be sufficient as a motivation for our faith? While it is an engaging prospect that such a belief allows for, and entitles us to, an everlasting life, that benefit should

    Happy Easter Sunday!  The Day of the Resurrection!  Not bunnies, eggs, flowers and chocolates.   The AOC Sunday report can be downloaded  RIGHT HERE .   We have excellent sermons today from Bishops Jerry, Roy, Yves and Jack, as well as Rev Bryan.  Given Easter is the central event of the Christian year, you might expect a little more attention given to the sermons today. You would be right. Each of them is a bit longer than usual and in line with the importance of the subject probably even better than usual. They are all very easy reads, each is well worth your time.   Jack’ s sermon is below the propers and can be viewed on video   HERE  ->   https://youtu.be/aZmK8kjCpPc   T his really is one of Bishop Jack ’s very best sermons.  It looks at the unifying message of the Collect, Epistle and Gospel and examine the  unifying message of the Collect, Epistle and Gospel and examine how they share a common message of action as we celebrate Jesus’ delivery of the promise of life eterna

Bishop Jack’ s sermon is below the propers and can be viewed on video   HERE  -> https://youtu.be/aZmK8kjCpPc   This really is one of Bishop  Jack’s very best sermons.  It looks at the unifying message of the Collect, Epistle and Gospel and examine the unifying  me ssage of the Collect, Epistle and Gospel and examine how they share a common message of action as we celebrate Jesus’ delivery of the promise of life eternal with Him in our life to come.     This Day of the Resurrection is when the promise of eternal life is delivered.     Those who condemned him on the Friday morning now left on the ash heap of history. There was a reason God set Easter, as well as the Passover, in the springtime.     It is important to think about Jesus’ example before we do what we want to do.     We must remember His Example when times get harder and more difficult as it becomes closer to the end of this world and the beginning of our eternity with God.   Action, not diction is what counts. It all co

Jerry Ogles -  Presiding Bishop -  Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide We are oft fortunate to get copies of Bishop Jerry ’ s sermon notes.  Today is one of those Sundays.  Today ’ s sermon starts off with the collect, and like always, it will give you a lot to consider in your heart. Also, from time to time, Bishop Jerry records short devotionals and passes them on, in this one he talks about the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus and also explains just what is a Parable.   https://youtu.be/7bYEhgvIyYA   Easter Sunday But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide 31 March 2024, Anno Domini (In the Year of our Lord)   Easter Sunday. The Collect.   A LMIGHTY  God, who through thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life; We humbly beseech thee that, as by thy special grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual hel

  F OR   even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.  (1 Corinthians 5:7)            According to Juliet in Shakespeare’s play, Romeo & Juliet, What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet.  (Act 2, Scene 2)   I disagree with Shakespeare at least insofar as Easter is concerned. Names are important in their allusions to things of great import. Christ is the Lamb of God sacrificed from before the foundation of the world. As such, He became our Passover by means of His sacrifice at Calvary. The Scriptures clearly point to that sacrifice as our Passover, and I prefer that term to any made-up term we find in Bible translations – even the King James Version.    The word ‘Easter’ only occurs once in the King James Bible [1]   (Acts 12:4) . The Greek term from which the word is translated is clearly Passover (Pesach) and is so translated in every other place it appears in Scripture. The Geneva Bible does translate the word properly as Passover.

  Good Friday The Collect A LMIGHTY  God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end.  Amen .   F OR   the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.   2   For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.   3   But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year .   4   For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.   5   Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:   6   In

  I  AM  the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing .   (John 15:5)               A great Indian missionary from the Punjab (1889-1929), Sadhu Sundar Singh, once wrote,  The little chicken in its shell lives in a very circumscribed and narrow world of its own. It is receiving its mother's warmth and care all the time, but it is unconscious of them because it cannot see or know her. It has wings, but they are closely folded and it cannot use them. So, it is with us until God calls us out into His abundant life .               The same describes the lost sinner before he comes to know the risen Savior. He can do nothing to save himself. He is helpless without the calling Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ drawing him out of his shell of sin and depravity into newness of life – life changed as surely as the cocoon who undergoes the metamorphosis of the butterfly is gifted with new wings of freedo