May, 2012 Exalt Educate Equip Evangelize Extend Issue #223

Le Communique. April 30/2012

Dear Friends in Christ,

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Clarity Of Focus

I have just returned from the Worldwide Leaders Meeting of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans held in

London. It was a marvelous experience and a broad expression of biblical Anglicanism. I am grateful that I

could attend as an ACNA Delegate, and to represent CANA West among the Fellowship. It was also an honor

for me to be one of the seminar teachers while there. I am also thankful that our good Lord has blessed me

with a safe journey, and delivered me back on terra firma in the United States--"the land of the free!"

The whole conference was marked by unity, trust, hope, vision, and above all, clarity of focus. That focus is on

the uniqueness and supremacy of Jesus Christ as the one and only savior and Lord. Throughout the meeting,

we were reminded of the importance of acknowledging Christ as savior and Lord in our personal lives, pro-

claiming him to the world, and guarding the faith in the church, at home, and in the public square. Also, as you

would have seen in the Statement and Commitment already sent to you, all orthodox Anglicans are invited to

commit themselves to be part of this movement and if possible, attend the conference in May 2013, in the Mid-

dle East.

The workshop that I gave on Christian leadership, went well. I felt your prayers, and it is my hope that the

Lord was pleased and those who participated were blessed. I am pleased to tell you that our seminar on Lead-

ership had the highest sustained attendance of all the seminars. Thank you for praying for me.

CANA Is A Part Of ACNA

While in London, I heard a rumor that I would be releasing some of our CANA West congregations in Texas

to a new Diocese forming in the state. Please be advised that this is not true, and I will not be releasing any

CANA parishes to a new jurisdiction of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). All parishes in

CANA are already in ACNA, so it is false and misleading to give the impression that one has to leave CANA

to join ACNA. Please be reminded that CANA is a founding member of ACNA and continues to be part of it.

Further, it is important for you to know that Archbishop Duncan nominated me to be on the ACNA Delegation

to this just concluded conference in London. So, if you hear this rumor, let people know that all CANA mem-

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bers are ACNA members as well.

Forming A Diocese

With respect to our CANA West District, we are in the process of designating it as a Diocese of CANA within

ACNA, pending the canonical and legal work needed to achieve this goal. This new CANA West Diocese will

formally be a CANA/ACNA Diocese. The process of forming the diocese is somewhat different from that of

an ACNA Diocese-in- Formation. Our process is based on the fact that our official connection with the See of

Canterbury and the Anglican Communion is through our recognition by the Church of Nigeria. This direction

has served us well in our formative years, and I continue to think it is a good thing for us all.

Our Connection To The See of Canterbury

Just recently, the importance of our connection to Canterbury and the Anglican Communion was highlighted

when the news media contacted me asking for my response to a statement made by a TEC bishop. This bishop

alleged that we were not part of the Anglican Communion and hence, pseudo-Anglicans. However, as a result

of our connection with the Church of Nigeria, I was able to respond to the media with integrity and all honesty:

Yes, we in CANA are indeed authentically Anglican through the Church of Nigeria and ultimately to the See

of Canterbury. This is no peripheral matter because it was very clear in our London FCA meetings that ortho-

dox Anglicans do not want to break from the See of Canterbury and the rest of the Anglican Communion. And

while ACNA is not yet recognized as a Province in the Anglican Communion, we remain hopeful that it will

be in the future. Until then, our canonical connection to authentic Communion status is through CANA. It is

critical, and beneficial, to be a part of CANA, so remain strong and do not be distracted as we pursue our fu-

ture together. Let us stay together, and pray together, in the proclamation of the gospel in an authentically An-

glican way, within the context of the Anglican Communion.

CANA West District

I have asked Candyce Milner of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church in Garland, Texas to join Love Nzeadu

in leading our District’s Women's Ministry. Candyce will take care of our non-Nigerian parishes. In my next

mailing I will provide all of you with the contact information for all our clergy, leaders, and parishes.

I want to encourage you to send in your parish news to Deacon Sherry Graham for our District Newsletter. The

content should be informative, only. I will soon begin a different forum to serve as a channel for sharing theo-

logical articles under the leadership of our Canon Theologian, Canon Don Armstrong.

The Rev. Marc Wilson, our District Communications Officer, has written a number of excellent Bible Studies

that I highly recommend to you. Please use them as you see fit. My goal is to ensure that we build and grow on

the strong and eternal foundation of God's Word. This is pleasing to the Lord!

Finally, effective May 1, all enquiries and applications for entering the vocational process must be sent to my

El Paso office rather than to the CANA office in Virginia. Similarly, congregations in western USA wanting to

join CANA should also address their application to my office here in El Paso. This is part of the process of de-

centralization and establishing ourselves as a Diocese of CANA/ACNA. Again, I would like all rectors to

email me the names and contact information of everyone currently in the vocations process.

With much love, I pray that grace and peace be with you in Christ Jesus, now and forever. Amen.

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Kind regards,

The Rt. Rev'd Dr. Felix Orji

Bishop

St. Francis Anglican Church (CANA/ACNA)

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Lay Pastor David: David Basch

What is twisted cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted. (Ecclesiastes 1:15, NIV)

When Solomon wrote these words 3,000 years ago, he understood that life is messed up. He knew that what-

ever we attempt to do "under the sun," meaning apart from God, is futile-"a chasing after the wind." The more

we try to make sense of this world by human wisdom and from a worldly perspective, the more lost we find

ourselves.

Solomon summarized his thoughts with this idea that not only is the world messed up, but we as individuals

are messed up too. He hammered this home throughout the book of Ecclesiastes:

There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins. (7:20)

God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes. (7:29)

The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their

hearts while they live, and afterwards they join the dead. (9:3)

It is amazing how consistent the Bible really is. The apostle Paul came on the scene more than 1,000 years

later and writes almost the exact same thing:

There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no who seeks God... for all have

sinned and fall short of the glory of God... and the wages of sin is death. (Romans 3:10-11, 3:23, 6:23)

The bottom line is that we are messed-up! However, the great message of the Gospel is that Jesus Christ died

for messed-up people! It wasn't when we cleaned our life up and started living the way God desired us to live

that He died for us. It wasn't when He saw the potential for who we could be that He decided to die for us. It

was when we were helpless and unable to save ourselves, it was when we were continually slapping God in the

face as his enemies, it was when we were twisted and unable to straighten ourselves out, that God chose to

demonstrate His great love for us by dying in our place and bringing us back into a right relationship with

Himself (Romans 5:6-11).

Solomon looked forward to that day and Paul looked back to that day that Jesus took our place. May we re-

spond in gratitude and lay down our lives as an act of worship as we serve our God daily!

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Lay Pastor Mike:

Matthew 4:18-25. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

As we read about Jesus calling his disciples, our attention is naturally drawn to the dynamic between the caller

and the respondents. But take a moment and cast an eye on Zebedee, the father of James and John, who was left

in a boat full of unmended nets. We love stories of people being called to various ministries, and we gain much

from those who are faithful to their vocations, the literal meaning of “calling.” But for every disciple who

marches off to serve, there is a Zebedee taking up the slack that their faithfulness left undone. Zebedee must

have said something like “Go ahead boys, I’ll take care of the boat,” which made the story and sainthood of

James and John possible.

Give thanks today for the Zebedees of life—the spouses, parents, children, co-workers, supporters, friends,

prayer partners, and teachers—who have made the discipleship of others possible. Give consideration to the fact

that their supportive roles are no less a ministry than the work of those who play the more visible roles. As the

song says, they are the wind beneath the wings of those who soar across life’s story.

From: Forward Day By Day, Saturday, April 28, 2012.

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Bob Tipton: Scholar in Residence

Once long ago and far away six blind men examined an elephant. Each one happened upon a different part

of the beast and drew his conclusions from his own experience. They went away debating the nature of the

elephant. The poet concludes that, like theologians, each was partly right but all were wrong. Doctrines

classes in seminaries likewise examine selected topics, then tend either to “establish orthodoxy” or become a

debate with each disputant citing his “proof texts.” But this essay is not a note on theological debate, but an

examination of an often ignored doctrine, namely that our salvation depends on the reality of our being united

with Christ. This union is not a theoretical, philosophical construct nor is it an invitation to debate, but a sober

declaration of a fact.

In the gospels we find Jesus promising, If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love

him, and we will come to him and make our home with him (John 14.23). Jesus again emphasized the reality

of His being in us in His parable of the vine and the branches. He said, Remain in me, and I will remain in

you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you re-

main in me (John 15.4). It is clear that Jesus spoke of a real relationship, a real indwelling in the faithful.

Throughout Acts we find the work of the Spirit of God. On Pentecost Peter told the believers, Repent, and

be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you shall receive

the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom

the Lord our God will call (Acts 2.38-39). At several critical moments in Acts we have further evidence of the

presence of the Holy Spirit in the faithful.

All this sounds mysterious, even spooky, to us, perhaps because we are hardly prepared as individuals or as

a church to accept His presence. Nevertheless the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is treated in Scrip-

ture as an important fact. Paul declared that salvation had been hidden until it was defined in the gospel which

he declared to be the glorious riches of this mystery (secret), which is Christ in you the hope of glory

(Colossians 1.26-27). That Christ is in us is the essence of the gospel! The Colossian Christians, poor, strug-

gling, and despised, had the secret which saves the world. The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of

everyone who believes. (Romans 1.16) It is this gospel in which the Philippians were to continue to work out

your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good

purpose (Philippians 2.12-13). As Christians we are controlled not by the sinful nature, but by the Spirit, if

the Spirit of God lives in you (Romans 8.9).

Our worship is also dependent on the presence of His Spirit. Our body itself is a temple of the Holy Spirit,

who is in you, whom you have received from God. In short, you are not your own, you were bought at a price.

Therefore honor God with your body (1st Corinthians 6.19-20). In all our lives we are to be filled with the

Holy Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in

your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus

Christ (Ephesians 5.18-20). Even in our prayers the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we

ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express (Romans

8.26).

Finally, all we need and want in life—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentle-

ness, and self-control—are the fruits of the Holy Spirit in us. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step

with the Spirit (Galatians 5.22 and 25).

This is only a sample from a large number of references. But someone asks, “Is this real? Do we have any

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evidence that the Spirit of God actually works in and through us?”

Many people have told me, “I don’t know why, but . . . .” Then they tell of a sudden urge to visit a person,

or take a different route home, or speak to a person and this leads to unforeseen opportunities to serve others or

say something for Jesus that proved important. I have had many moments in which I said or did something

that seemed later to have been prompted from outside myself. One clear example was my offering to go to

Chile. Although Patricia and I had talked of “doing something,” it was a vague possibility. While driving

from Albuquerque to Phoenix with Bishop Tito Zavala, we talked of the work in Chile—and I simply asked,

“Could you use Patricia and me?” Simple and spontaneous. Possibly prompted by the Spirit. You may also

recall experiences that may well have been the prompting of the Spirit within.

Let me share two unusual cases which seem to be the Spirit Himself working in and through humans. In

both cases, people who heard what was said came to Christ as a consequence.

Shortly before her death, a retired teacher in Austin recounted her experience. She had taught in the same

school for several years with a number of teachers who rejected God and Christ. One day in the teachers’

lounge, she was asked why she believed in Jesus. She told me that she mentally asked the Lord to give her an

answer, and started talking. Thirty minutes later she heard herself saying, “So that’s why I believe that Jesus is

the Son of God.” The other teachers quietly got up and left. She turned to a Christian aide, who had been

working in the lounge, and asked, “What did I just say?” The aide answered, “I don’t know; I was too busy

praying.”

The other is personal. When I was studying Hebrew with a group of Jewish students, our professor was a

devout Jew. He continually used the Scriptures to illustrate the meaning of words and grammatical structures.

I was the only student who knew the Scriptures well enough to understand his points. Finally, he lost his tem-

per with the Jewish students because a goy (gentile) knew and understood the Scriptures better than they. Sev-

eral days later, we were studying together and one of the students asked: “You know the Tanach (Old Testa-

ment), you understand the Tanach, and you believe the Tanach, so how can you be a Christian?” I remember

that I replied, “Because I know, understand and believe the Tanach, I must be a Christian.” Almost an hour

later, I said, “That’s why I am a Christian.” During that time, I remember only those two sentences.

Neither my friend nor I can tell you what we said, but we both believe that we were not the speaker in

those moments. We both attribute all we said to the Holy Spirit using us to bring others to Christ. These are

rare moments, but they confirm the statement: For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to

his good purpose.

The Spirit of God is in us, and we are in Him; this is the Christian way ever since Pentecost.

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FROM THE EDITOR:

"All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother." -- Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

"God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers." -- Jewish proverb

"Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother." -- Lin Yutang

"The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness." -- Honore' de

Balzac (1799-1850)

"My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success

in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her." -- George Washington (1732-

1799)

"By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have regular time off. They are the

great vacationless class." -- Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1907- )

"The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom." -- Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)

"Youth fades; love droops, the leaves of friendship fall; A mother's secret hope outlives them all." -- Oliver

Wendell Holmes (1809-1894)

"I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life." --

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

"The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." --Author Unknown

A grandmother is a babysitter who watches the kids instead of the television. --Author Unknown

Becoming a grandmother is wonderful. One moment you're just a mother. The next you are all-wise and pre-

historic. --Pam Brown

Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day and now the day was complete. --

Marcy DeMaree

Grandmas never run out of hugs or cookies. --Author unknown

Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever. --Author Unknown

If becoming a grandmother was only a matter of choice, I should advise every one of you straight away to be-

come one. There is no fun for old people like it! --Hannah Whithall Smith

Grandmother - a wonderful mother with lots of practice. --Author Unknown

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MAKING A DIFFERENCE! Would you like to make a difference in a child’s life? Then join the St

Francis Anglican Church’s Mentoring Program. We will be mentoring 4th grade students at LBJ Elementary

School in our new neighborhood. All that is required is 45 minutes of your time once a month and the cost of a

school lunch. The program will work like this --- Once a month you will have lunch with either one or two 4th

graders. Women will mentor girls and men the boys. These are children that the counselors have determined

are at risk of dropping out of school when they reach Middle School. Your job is to be a friend to them, talk to

them during lunch and get to know them. Find out what they are interested in and encourage them to stay in

school.

We will have a training session for mentors on March 21st. Those of you who are interested will fill out a vol-

unteer form so that EPISD can do a background check on each participant. We should be able to follow these

same students next school year and help prepare them so that they will be successful in Middle School and be-

yond. Just think, only 45 minutes of your time once a month can make a BIG difference to a child.

The Lord has blessed St Francis Anglican Church so let’s pass those blessings on to our new neighbors and

make a difference in a child’s life!!!

Respond to this e-mail at sudyt@hotmail or call me at 584-1978 if you are interested in helping a young per-

son. Sudy Todd Laverde

PASTORAL CARE: Please pray for Ed Azar, Ann May, Ann Peterson, Joe Fries, Mary Frances Keis-

ling, Heather Stevens, Nancy Calvin, Midge McReynolds, Kay Lassiter, Ainsley Hines, Teacher Lin, Bill Bihn,

Rob Elder, Mike Stowe, Mike Wicks, Jim Berg, Alberto Mena, Arne Stevenson, Wyatt Laverde, Stephanie

Smith, Mike Pomeroy, Aubrey Pomeroy, Diane Wildemann, Andrew Balsiger, Hazedl and Bishop Terence

Kelshaw and Clay Gibson.

OFFICES NOW AT EAGLE DRIVE!: Phone: (915) 584-5967, Email: ssfac470@aol.com Website: stfrancisanglicanchurch.org

WHILE YOU SPRING CLEAN: Save any items you are willing to part with for the Thrift Sale on

St. Francis Day, Oct. 6th. If you can’t store it, call Pat Tipton at 575-618-7133 and she will keep it in her

casita. Clothes (especially children’s clothes) will be accepted this year.

LAVERDE CASA GROUP: Meets on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month at 6:00pm Pot

luck supper and bible study. We will begin studying the book of James on May 20th. Call

Mike for more information: 490-5402.

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Youth Group Bible Studies and Activities: Wed. evenings from 6 to 8 pm. Call Trey for

information as to location: 497-5195 or email at holyremnant7@gmail.com

INTERCESSORY PRAYER: Jim and Martha Williams will be leading the Intercessory Prayer minis-

try at St. Francis. Intercessory prayer will be offered in the library at 9:30am every Sunday morning. You are

welcome to join. It’s a time to pray for God’s power and blessing on our Sunday service. I asked them to

lead this ministry and highly recommend it to you. -Canon Felix

MEN’S BIBLE STUDY: Now Studying COLLOSSIANS. Meets Wed. at 7:00 am (after

6:30 worship) at our new church, 470 Eagle Drive. Breakfast included! All men are invited.

LETS TALK! If you have any suggestions or

comments please call me at 581-1292 or 222-1729.

Jim Uphoff, Editor

LAY EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS & CHALICE BEARERS NEEDED: Please prayer-

fully consider if God is calling you to this important ministry. Contact Bob Hamilton at

581-2869.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH - for May we will be accepting rice, beans or cereal for the Community

Basket. There will be a collection basket in the west end entrance to the church. Next time you are in the

grocery store pick up an extra box of rice or beans and bring it to the church. Sudy Todd

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JUST FOR FUN ETC….

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Inside this issue:

EVERY WEEK AT ST. FRANCIS…

Sunday

8:00 am Worship Service

10:00 am Worship Service

10:00 am Children’s Sunday School

Monday

7:00 pm Choir Practice

Wednesday

6:30 am Morning Prayer & Bible Study

weekly at the church.

7:00 pm Bible Study; Parish Prayer Meeting—

1st Wed. of the month

6:00—8:00pm Youth Bible Study

CLERGY AND STAFF

BISHOP FELIX C. ORJI, Rector

THE REV. DAPHNE ORGERON, Deacon

THE REV. Dr. MYLES CALVIN, Asst. Priest

THE REV. CINDY ANDERSON, Asst. Priest

DAVID BASCH, Lay Pastor

THE REV. H. EUGENE MYRICK, Rector Emeritus

MIKE LAVERDE, Lay Pastor (Pastoral Care)

PAUL COLEMAN, Lay Pastor (Bible Study and

Discipleship)

STEVE ANDERSON, Lay Pastor (Evangelism and

Missions)

RANDALL CROSSLAND, Chair of Buildings and

Grounds

Dr. BOB TIPTON, Scholar in Residence

LEA MAGRUDER, Director of Music, Church

Secretary

JOANN CASPER, Parish Administrator

SONIA LOPEZ, Sunday School Director

LEA MAGRUDER, Secretary

VESTRY

Bill Burton, Sr. Warden

Bill Stevens, Jr. Warden

Mark Musgrave, Treasurer

Justin Benedict, Sonny Brown, Bill Burton, Jason

Chapman, Elvia Crossland, Sonia Lopez, David

Moody, Bernard Moye, Ron Munden, Kirk

Rosenlund, Pam Slusher, Melinda Skillern, Bill

Stevens, Kevin Coleman (Youth rep.)

* * * * FRANCISCAN : Editor; Jim Uphoff Staff; Neva

Uphoff, Loy Doty

From The Bishop Page 1

Lay Pastor David Page 4

Lay Pastor Mike Page 5

Bob Tipton Page 6

From the Editor Page 8

St Francis Happenings Page 9

Just For Fun Page 11

Child care is provided