AOC Two

  B UT   if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.  22  All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.  23  Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?   (Ezekiel 18:21-23)               This missionary hymn is the composition of Mrs. Mary Ann Thomson (1834-1923). In her own words,  I wrote the greater part of the hymn,  O Zion, haste  in the year 1868. I had written many hymns before, and one night, while I was sitting up with one of my children who was ill of typhoid fever, I thought I should like to write a missionary hymn.   The tune is an old Welsh piece entitled, ‘Tidings.’   O Zion, haste, Thy mission high fulfilling   O Christians, haste, your mission high fulfilling, to tell

Happy Fourth Sunday after Easter!  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 .  Each of them is really good, interesting and different. They are all very easy reads, each is well worth your time.   Bishop Jack’ s sermon can be viewed on video   HERE  ->   https://youtu.be/u7NkDUUz1pE   Bishop Jack ’s sermon looks at the unifying message of the Collect, Epistle and Gospel and examine how they share a common message of action as we continue to celebrate Jesus’ delivery of the promise of life eternal with Him in our life to come.   We want to follow our own hearts, that is the  unruly wills and affections of sinful men , which will lead us not to heaven but to hell if left unchecked. These unruly wills and affections of ours are what have caused the problems in the world . God is a Triune God; Father, Son, H

  The Fourth Sunday after Easter . The Collect.   O  ALMIGHTY   God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord.    Amen.   J ESUS   cried and said,  He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me .  45  And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me .  46  I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness .  47  And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.   48  He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day .  49  For I have not spoken of myself; bu

    The Fourth Sunday after Easter . The Collect.   O  ALMIGHTY  God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.   The Collect             The upheavals attending the government of Great Britain under Oliver Cromwell’s Commonwealth resulted in a change of opening words of this Collect. The Prayer Book and Episcopacy of the Church of England were viewed with an unfriendly eye by the new regime. The wording of the Gelasian Sacramentary, and that of all previous Books of Common Prayer, had begun:  O Almighty God, which dost make the minds of all faithful people to be of one will… . The near-dictatorial government under Oliver Cromwell, designated Lord Protector for Life, was unfrie

Bishop Jack’ s sermon is below the propers and can be viewed on video   HERE  -> https://youtu.be/u7NkDUUz1pE   Bishop Jack ’s sermon looks at the unifying message of the Collect, Epistle and Gospel and examine how they share a common message of action as we continue to celebrate Jesus’ delivery of the promise of life eternal with Him in our life to come.   We want to follow our own hearts, that is the  unruly wills and affections of sinful men , which will lead us not to heaven but to hell if left unchecked. These unruly wills and affections of ours are what have caused the problems in the world . God is a Triune God; Father, Son, Holy Ghost. One of the Holy Ghost’s jobs is to open our souls, hearts and minds to God’s Will. One of His main functions to help us see where we are in error and how to fix those errors.   We are God’s creatures, first among all His Creation with all the privileges (which we like) and all the responsibility (which we are not so keen on) which come with th

  T HE  LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  2  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  3  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.     (23 rd   Psalm verses 1-3)                 Our Lord has led His people from the very beginning of days. He both led, and followed, the Children of Israel through the Red Sea waters and on through the Wilderness for forty years. His leading did not stop at Jordan Banks, but continued through the inspired text of His Holy Word, by Law and Prophets, until His personal coming as a Babe in Bethlehem. He is our constantly vigilant Shepherd to keep us from the dangers of the mountain trails and valleys of death’s shadow as long as we hear His Voice and follow on.                   The author of this hymn is FM Davis (1839-1896).who is also the composer of the musical score for the hymn. He published the hymn in 1882.       Savior Lead Me, Lest I Stray   Savior, lead m

Happy Third Sunday after Easter!  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 and a Second Sunday after Easter sermon from Rev Stephen Cooper.  Each of them is really good, interesting and different. They are all very easy reads, each is well worth your time.   Bishop Jack’ s sermon can be viewed on video   HERE  ->   https://youtu.be/VT11O0NmgQA   Bishop Jack ’s sermon looks at the unifying message of the Collect, Epistle and Gospel and examine how they share a common message of action as we continue to celebrate Jesus’ delivery of the promise of life eternal with Him in our life to come.  God is a Triune God; Father, Son, Holy Ghost. One of the Holy Ghost’s jobs is to open our souls, hearts and minds to God’s Will. One of His main functions to help us see where we are in error and how to fix those errors.