PORIRUA ANGLICANS

CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME OUT OF RUSSIA?

23/9/2022

Hot on the heals of the global battle to overcome COVID-19 and, recent impacts of Global Warming through floods, landslips and horrifying fires has come Putin’s/Russia’s war against Ukraine. Some of us begin to feel quite overwhelmed as members of the human family. And on top of it, Queen Elizabeth II has died and our national service of remembrance takes place tomorrow, Mon 26th Sept.

Wars and rumours of war have plagued humankind from the beginning of the race. It seems that human inhumanity to other humans knows no bounds as the vivid images being beamed around the globe confront us with horrific carnage and the wanton destruction of human life, let alone of the creation on which we are so dependent.

Today’s Gospel reading from John (17:1-8) invites us to pray like Jesus to the Father. He prayed with confidence that His disciples got it and believed that He was the Messiah to be followed. Now we pray with Jesus as modern day disciples, that the war between east and west, Russia and NATO, with their allies including New Zealand, can be won in the heavenlies. Certainly it cannot be won by human warfare.

Perhaps our prayer to the Father needs to be that diplomacy wins with peace the outcome. God knows how to achieve this; may we know heavenly wisdom to pray and believe that. As God was the victor in the life of Russia’s patron Saint Sergius in the 14th Century; so in the 21st Century may Russia draw similar strength to eschew war for peace. And may the western allies work/pray hard to move in a spirit other than warfare, & win the victory we all desire: peace.

I believe our P.M. moves in this other spirit as she ensures the Russian Ambassador, Georgii Zuev, remains in NZ. Let’s pray for him, and for her, as the communication channels remain open: that meaningful dialogue happens here and there!

Terry Alve

SERGIUS RADONEZH
Sergius, born about 1314, was a simple man of the people, whose life of devotion and prayer led him to establish monasteries all over Russia and to teach ordinary people the ways of godly living. He and his brother Stephen rebuilt the monastery of the Holy Trinity near Moscow, and Sergius became its abbot. He died in 1392 and is the patron saint of the Russian people.
SAINTS DAY: 25 SEPTEMBER

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God Loves you Tour - Wellington Stopover 16 November

31/8/2022

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It has been nearly three years since Covid-19 arrived in New Zealand and around the world. As the incidence of infection has declined recently and the prospect of a new normal arriving, what does this mean for Porirua Anglicans?

I would like to suggest that as a community we get behind the God Loves You Tour being brought to Wellington by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and led by Billy's son Franklin Graham. The Wellington event will be:
"God Loves You Tour"
TSB Arena
Wednesday 16th November
7pm
Join Franklin Graham as he shares a personal message of hope and enjoy an exciting evening of live music.
This event is free of charge. Bring your friends and family!

CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE INFO

You are invited to a Christian Life & Witness Course
This free, easy three-hour session is based on principles from nearly 70 years of ministry and will equip you to tell others about Jesus Christ and strengthen your own faith. Mark your calendars and invite others to join you!

Please note that you only need to attend one of the classes offered. Booking is not required to attend.

Monday, 12 September, 6:00PM @ Hosanna Baptist Church, 2 Driver Crescent, Cannons Creek.
There is another scheduled for Porirua on the following evening... ask if you would prefer to attend then:
027 944 4996

As a Church we plan to follow up the Tour Event (16 November) with FIVE group sessions for those who respond at the Event and others who are interested.
These will be in Te Whare Karakia, 49A Mungavin Avenue, Ranui on Wednesdays
23, 30 November and 7, 14, 21 December

Terry Alve
Priest in Charge

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Prayer with Laying on Hands and Anointing with Oil

7/7/2022

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The Christian Church from its inception has encouraged healing prayer with laying on hands and anointing with oil as a way of ministering to people who have sickness. Over the centuries this ministry has ebbed and flowed for various reasons. The Anglican Church worldwide encourages the practice with safeguards designed to protect those being prayed for and to ensure that the ministry is offered safely and professionally. Normally this means that ordained clergy and licensed lay people oversee the ministry.

The Church takes as its mandate to offer healing prayer ministry from the Bible, especially the New Testament.

A key text about healing ministry is in the letter of St. James chapter 5 verses 13-16 which talks about the prayer of faith,

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

When Jesus Sent Out Seventy-Two of his disciples to minister - the Gospel of Luke chapter 10 verses 8,9 - he said,

When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

Jesus Sent Out the Twelve Disciples - the Gospel of Matthew chapter 10 verse 1 says,

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

In the Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verses 15 and 16 we read that the Apostles of Jesus healed the sick,

As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.

This healing ministry described in the New Testament, and offered by Jesus' early discples and apostles, finds its root in the Lord Jesus Christ's own ministry. This provides many instances where Jesus prayed for and healed the sick. For instance, here in the Gospel of St. Luke chapter 5 we read about how Jesus heals a man with leprosy,

While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

I recommend that you read the New Testament Gospel of St. Luke who was a physician/doctor as well as being a follower of Jesus and one who prayed for the sick. THE GOSPEL OF ST. LUKE