MAC KIRK

Memorial Day 2018 - Psalm 121 Rev 7:9-17 Jn 11:21-27 or Jn 15:12-17 " I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills; from whence cometh my help? My help cometh even from the LORD, who hath made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved.. the LORD himself is thy keeper; the LORD is thy defence upon thy right hand." I began Chaplaincy in 1988 in the ND National Guard , and in 1989 entered active duty Army Chaplaincy. 20 years in the Army, 9 in the Naval Reserve ( Merchant Marine Academy , Kings point, ny). Two wars, Panama 1989 & Iraqi Freedom, 2003. 2 years in ROK. 20 years in the Army. Pastor, priest at ST Michael's Church in town, Anglican, and volunteer at Southern care hospice . What is a hero? Cambridge Dictionary a person admired for bravery, great achievements, or good qualities literature The hero is the main character of a story, play, or movie. So we are surrounded by many heroes. All gave some; Some gave all. ( a big thank you to...

Trinity Sunday 2018 There was an Irishman , monk and abbot who died in 597 who said something about journeys that goes like this, " Alone with none but thee, my God, I journey on my way. What need I fear, when thou art near O King of night and day? More safe am I within thy hand than if a host did round me stand." We are going to take a short journey this morning and recover a perspective about God and ourselves and others that will help us on our journeys in life. Perspective is an important word. How we look at things that may seem difficult or hard will be key in our attempts to get through the problems in our lives. Someone said when I asked them , " How are you today?" " I have some complaining to talk about, but it would not do any good." I told them I would hear anything for a nickel. I was writing an e mail the other day , and left out one letter and that one letter left out made the word completely wrong. One letter can make a dif...

Day of Pentecost Recently I have discovered an old truth that needs talking about. It is the truth that you should not always believe what others say. That sounds rather harsh, but it is one of the lies of the devil, that we are just not supposed to have or do certain things, because they do not fit the idea of what others may have for us or about us. A Chaplain friend of mine wrote me from Iraq. He was not happy because he had a Memorial Ceremony for a Soldier who had died , and apparently some including the Battalion Commander did not like what he said. It was not " politically correct" he was told. I wrote him back that he should go on saying what he feels is right, and the Soldiers need to hear. ...despite the consequences. I heard back from him, and he said that apparently it was not so much what he said, but what they were going through that was contributing to the tension. We do not live up to our lives in Christ despite so much He has given us, beca...

Rogation Sunday Again! Just finished watching a series on netflix, I could not stop watching about murders , assaults, the Scottish detective you could not understand, and his female assistant Miller as he called her, and of course the Church Vicar in " Broadchurch". The Vicar helped everyone. He was a listening ear, a good preacher, and got very disappointed as he got on so to speak.... The people in town took him for granted. They forgot that the parish needed them as well as him ,and at last he was leaving after several long years of ministry to the town and the people. The last Sunday he had a full Church because they knew it was time to come to church to see him off. He preached a wonderful sermon, but lamented they had not come earlier. O Vicar. But he had done so much although he did not know until the last Sunday! Today is Rogation from the latin rogare-to ask Sunday. The three days before Ascension day on Thursday of this Rogation Week , are Monday...

John 14:15-21 "Three Words---Helper, Not Orphans, Manifest Myself" ( rough notes....but the essentials of the faith in Three Words for those who know Him as the Way, the Truth and the Life) A Helper to get through the trials and difficulties of life. Here Jesus talks about the Holy Spirit as the paraklete. John refers to Jesus Himself using the same Greek word in I John 2:1, " an advocate ( paraklete) with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous..." In the KJV, Comforter in John 14:16. from " Bible Hub.com" HELPS Word-studies " paráklētos (from /pará, "from close-beside" and 2564 /kaléō, "make a call") – properly, a legal advocate who makes the right judgment-call because close enough to the situation. 3875 /paráklētos ("advocate, advisor-helper") is the regular term in NT times of an attorney (lawyer) – i.e. someone giving evidence that stands up in court. " Jesus prays that the Helper, Advocate will remain...

Good Shepherd Sunday John 10 Duties, privileges , responsibilities and joys of the offices in the Church Priests- This is the Gospel for Ordination John 10 " ...how great importance this Office is, whereunto ye are called...to be Messengers, Watchmen, and Stewards of the Lord; to teach, and to premonish ( to warn beforehand), to feed and provide for the Lord's family; to seek for Christ's sheep that are dispersed abroad...never cease your labour, your care and diligence, until ye have done all that lieth in you, according to your bounden duty to bring all...unto that agreement in the faith and knowledge of God...no place either for error in religion or for viciousness of life.... Consider how studious ye ought to be in readiness and learning the Scriptures...Will you reverently obey your Bishop, and other chief Ministers....following with a glad mind and will their godly admonishments and judgments... The Prayer before the ordination of a Bishop ," Most merc...

3rd S. of Easter Luke 24: 36.... “A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.” ― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity The message title is " A Risen Christ, A Real Christ, A Real Life" The reason that I start with the quote above is that it seems Jesus had to keep showing Himself to get the disciples to truly understand what had happened. I am not blaming them, but it does seem as though they were quite dull of heart. They did not think He was real. Was He a spirit? vs. 37 . They kept reasoning that it could not be real. They were troubled . He had told the disciples on the road to Emmaus in vs 25 that they were dull of heart not to believe what the prophets had already said. I like what the Celtic Prayers for Growing Spiritually by David Adam prays, " Risen Lord, come stand among us, Awaken us to your presence, Open to us ...