Today marks the 78th anniversary of V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day), May 8, 1945, in which the Allies celebrated the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany the day before. Take a moment today and thank God for bringing us victory over evil. Remember the brave men and women who fought against Nazism. If you know a veteran who is still alive, take time today and thank him (or her) for his service to our country. Ask that person to tell you his story and remember it so that you can pass it on to your children and others. Nazi Germany may be a thing of the past, but unspeakable evil certainly is not.
Category Archives: News
May 6, 2023: The Hindenburg Disaster 86 Years On
STATEMENT OF GLOBAL SOUTH FELLOWSHIP OF ANGLICAN CHURCHES PRIMATES ON THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND’S DECISION REGARDING THE BLESSING OF SAME SEX UNIONS
With great sorrow at the recent decision of the Church of England’s General Synod to legitimise and incorporate into the Church’s liturgy the blessing of same sex unions, ten Primates of the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA)[i] met virtually on 13 Feb 2023 under the chairmanship of Archbishop Justin Badi (Chairman of GSFA & Primate of South Sudan) to discuss our response.
The panel of Primates agreed on the following resolutions which it now commends to the orthodox[ii]provinces and dioceses who are part of her Fellowship for the respective Primate & Province to consider and deliberate on.
- As the Church of England has departed from the historic faith passed down from the Apostles by this innovation[iii] in the liturgies of the Church and her pastoral practice (contravening her own Canon A5[iv]), she has disqualified herself from leading the Communion as the historic “Mother” Church. Indeed, the Church of England has chosen to break communion with those provinces who remain faithful to the historic biblical faith expressed in the Anglican formularies (the 39 Articles, the Book of Common Prayer, the Ordinal and the Book of Homilies) and applied to the matter of marriage and sexuality in Lambeth Resolution 1.10[v] of the 1998 Lambeth Conference.
- As much as the GSFA Primates also want to keep the unity of the visible Church and the fabric of the Anglican Communion, our calling to be ‘a holy remnant’[vi] does not allow us be “in communion” with those provinces that have departed from the historic faith and taken the path of false teaching. This breaks our hearts and we pray for the revisionist provinces to return to ‘the faith once delivered’ (Jude 3) and to us.
- The GSFA is no longer able to recognise the present Archbishop of Canterbury, the Rt Hon & Most Revd Justin Welby, as the “first among equals” Leader of the global Communion. He has sadly led his House of Bishops to make the recommendations that undergirded the General Synod Motion on ‘Living in Love & Faith,’ knowing that they run contrary to the faith & order of the orthodox provinces in the Communion whose people constitute the majority in the global flock. We pray that our withdrawal of support for him to lead the whole Communion is received by him as an admonishment in love.
The worldwide Anglican Communion as we know it is dead, but it will be reconstituted and emerge stronger than ever. It is simultaneously heartbreaking and infuriating to see a majority group of bishops in the Church of England vote to violate their consecration vows and abandon the historic Faith once and for all time delivered to the saints, the Faith every bishop vows to defend and teach at his consecration. They are apostate and have chosen to drink the koolaid of the 21st century sexual agenda, an agenda that is utterly opposed to the Christian Faith, an agenda that is disordered and cannot bring about human flourishing as the gospel can, precisely because it is disordered. Humans in their foolishness, pride, and folly may kick at the pricks, but that will never produce real peace and flourishing. May God the Father have mercy on the sin-sick souls of these apostate bishops.
That’s the bad news. The Good News is that Jesus Christ is still Lord and in control of God’s good creation, despite appearances to the contrary. Our Lord himself promised that the gates of Hell will not prevail against his Church and so those of us who remain orthodox Anglican Christians continue to live in hope, even as the Church in the West is in a death spiral. I doubt this is much different from the days when the 4th-century heresy of Arianism seemed to prevail. But it didn’t. Neither will this latest enemy of the Faith prevail. And so we take courage, even in the darkest night. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
December 7, 2022: Remember, Remember the 7th of December
December 7, 1941, a date that will live in infamy, so said then President Franklin Roosevelt the next day as he asked Congress to declare war on Imperial Japan. It is the day Japan launched a treacherous sneak attack on the United States’ Pacific Fleet docked at Pearl Harbor, resulting in thousands of lives lost and the crippling of our fleet. It also ended our policy of isolationism and signaled the beginning of the end for the fascist and militarist movements in the Axis Powers, although few could see it at that time. Pearl Harbor reminds us we must remain vigilant against our nation’s enemies, both internal and external. Take some time today to remember the men and women who lost their lives that day and give thanks for the Greatest Generation who fought against the Axis Powers. Ask God’s protection on those who serve in the military in our day. Remember, remember the 7th of December, 1941, a date that will live in infamy, 81 years on today.
2022: A Prayer for the Anniversary of 9/11
For those who perished on September 11th at the World Trade Center, at the Pentagon, and in the fields of Pennsylvania:
that they experience eternal life with God in heaven and the new creation, we pray:
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For those who grieve:
for wives and husbands, parents, family and friends, that hearts saddened by the loss of loved ones might be strengthened with courage, and come to know the promise of Christ’s Resurrection and new life, we pray:
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For the children:
for those left without a parent, and for the children who witnessed the attacks: that they might flourish in the embrace of loving hearts, and the promise of life well lived, we pray:
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For all those who helped:
for firefighters, police personnel, emergency service workers, for medics and counselors, for all who volunteered, that they experience the reward of generous service in atime of peril, we pray:
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For the grace to forgive:
that our hearts be large enough to forgive those who struck our nation in such dreadful ways, we pray, even as we ask you to turn their hearts:
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For world leaders and the governments of nations:
that they will put aside all petty concerns and work together, ensuring justice and peace for all, we pray:
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For a future of freedom and peace:
for courage, wisdom and strength of heart to live every day in hope for a peaceful world, grounded in the knowledge of God’s love and care for each of us and the hope of Resurrection, we pray:
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Today we remember 9/11. The memories haunt us, the sounds echo in our ears, and the images fill our eyes,
O Christ, lead us home.
When we are hopeless and sad,
O Christ, lead us home.
When we are angry and vengeful,
O Christ, lead us home.
When tears become our only food,
O Christ, lead us home.
When we grieve and despair,
O Christ, lead us home.
When we are fearful and faithless,
O Christ, lead us home.
When in grief, anger, negligence, or ignorance we have turned against you and against one another,
Merciful God, forgive and heal us.
When we speak unjustly against others, when we blame unfairly, when we withdraw or lash out,
Merciful God, forgive and heal us.
When we seek revenge rather than reconciliation and peace,
Merciful God, forgive and heal us.
Give us the will and courage to love and forgive our enemies.
Merciful God, forgive and heal us.
Lead them and us from prejudice to truth,
Merciful God, forgive and heal us.
Deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge.
Merciful God, forgive and heal us.
Enable us all to stand reconciled before you.
Merciful God, forgive and heal us.
For men and women who have given their strength, their wisdom, and their lives for this country,
We thank you, Lord.
For firefighters, police officers, first responders, and all those who were injured or died so that others might be rescued, cared for, and protected,
We thank you, Lord.
For the brave and courageous who were patient in suffering, faithful in adversity, and selfless in sacrifice,
We thank you, Lord.
For all who participate in interfaith dialogue, relationships, and reconciliation,
We thank you, Lord.
For all that is gracious in the lives of men and women, revealing the image of Christ,
We thank you, Lord.
Collect at the Prayers
O God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Shield of the fearful, Source of hope, as we mourn the sudden violence and the deaths of our brothers and sisters, show us the immense power of your goodness and strengthen our faith. Come swiftly to our aid, and have mercy on all who call on you. Comfort those who mourn this day and gather the dead in your mercy. Bring to us at last the peace you promise in Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Canon J John: The Passing of the Queen
Amen. Well done, good and faithful servant. May you rest in peace and RISE IN GLORY, Your Majesty.
‘The Queen has died.’ We have always known that someday we would hear those words, but that certainty has not robbed them of either their sadness or their solemnity. In the sea of tributes now overwhelming us, how should we react?
Our first reaction should surely be appreciation. We need to reflect with gratitude on all that the Queen achieved for the nation and the Commonwealth. The reign of Queen Elizabeth II was certainly long, yet length of reign – like length of life – is no measure of greatness. The Queen’s accomplishment was not simply to reign for a long time, but to reign well.
It is an achievement made even greater because she ruled in difficult times. She has been compared to both the first Queen Elizabeth and to Queen Victoria yet, unlike them, it was not her lot to rule at a time of either national glory or imperial splendour.
Our Queen Elizabeth came to power in a Britain still recovering from war. Her reign witnessed the end of the British Empire and the emergence of a new, confused Britain, increasingly adrift from its traditional values. During her reign fashions in culture, art and manners came and went; kings, emperors, presidents and regimes flourished only to be swept away by time.
Yet if the winds of change blew strongly, the Queen seemed unaffected by them. Whatever happened to the nation – economic turmoil, terrorist atrocity or political uncertainty – the Queen was there and the nation found comfort in that. In an age of uncertainty and confusion she came to embody what Britain stood for. For that solidity and stability in turbulent times we are grateful.
It is salutary to read the words of the Queen’s coronation service and see all that, so long ago, she promised to defend for the nation and the church. At the end of that long life, we can say with appreciation that she fulfilled her vows and did what she promised. She kept the faith. We are doubtless called to lesser things, but may we keep our promises as well as she did hers.
A good reflection. Read it all.
June 6, 2022: Jack Carr: Remember D-Day as if Were Yesterday, Everyday
Amen.
In the United States, June 6, 1944 will receive passing mention on news programs and social channels. There are few, if any, parades or official remembrances. Even those veterans who fought across the beaches and on to Berlin will receive scant recognition for what they did to liberate a continent and preserve the blessings of freedom for those who would follow.
In Normandy, they have not forgotten. They have not forgotten the Nazi occupation nor those who came ashore and dropped from the heavens 78 years ago. There are parades, remembrances, reenactments, parachute drops, and fireworks. The entire region, thousands of people, come out to welcome these heroes of the WW II generation, hug them, kiss them, ask them for photographs and autographs, and listen to their stories, stories they remember as if D-Day were yesterday.
But D-Day was not yesterday. It was 78 years ago. Those who fought there are creeping up on a century of life; some have passed that milestone. Soon they will walk among us no longer, their legacy honored by some, unappreciated by others, forgotten by too many.
The people of Normandy remember what it was like to be invaded and oppressed. And they remember what it was like to be liberated. They pass along the stories and the appreciation. What these men did on June 6, 1944, and in the months that followed will not be forgotten here. It is a privilege to spend time with them on the beaches, fields, and towns in which they fought.
As I push Walter Stowe through the Brittany American Cemetery in his wheelchair, he reminds me that in life we will touch a great many people. The question, he says, is will the people whose lives we touch be the better for it? Wise words.
Remember these citizen soldiers today and every day. Spend time with them at every opportunity. Listen to their stories. Embrace their wisdom. And when the last of them walks among us no longer, honor their sacrifice by standing strong for the freedoms for which they fought.
Remember them.
Read it all and watch President Reagan’s speech from 1984.
V-E Day 2022
Today marks the 77th anniversary of V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day), May 8, 1945, in which the Allies celebrated the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany the day before. Take a moment today and thank God for bringing us victory over evil. Remember the brave men and women who fought against Nazism. If you know a veteran who is still alive, take time today and thank him (or her) for his service to our country. Ask that person to tell you his story and remember it so that you can pass it on to your children and others. Nazi Germany may be a thing of the past, but unspeakable evil certainly is not. #VEDay77
V-E Day 2021
Today marks the 76th anniversary of V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day), May 8, 1945, in which the Allies celebrated the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany the day before. Take a moment today and thank God for bringing us victory over evil. Remember the brave men and women who fought against Nazism. If you know a veteran who is still alive, take time today and thank him (or her) for his service to our country. Ask that person to tell you his story and remember it so that you can pass it on to your children and others. Nazi Germany may be a thing of the past, but unspeakable evil certainly is not. #VEDay76
This Day in History: May 6, 1937
St. Augustine’s Anglican Church has a New Home!
I am happy to announce that we closed on our new building this afternoon. Junior Warden Christopher S. signed on behalf of the parish. Our new address will be 120 N. Otterbein Ave, Westerville, OH 43081. We are currently awaiting an occupancy permit and hope to hold our first worship service there on Sunday, September 13, 2020. Below are some pictures from today’s closing.
Closing on our building at the title company 
L-R: Curt C. our treasurer, bank rep Michelle, Junior Warden Christopher S., and realtor Jim W. 
Junior Warden Christopher S. signs closing docs on behalf of the parish
Dr. Voddie Baucham: Racial Reconciliation—Ephesians 2.10-11
Dr. Baucham is the Dean of Theological Education, African Christian University. I can’t recommend strongly enough that you watch this video.
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