QUICK UPDATE

Yesterday I met someone from church in Santa Cruz who is keeping tabs on the situation in Malaysia where 8 churches have been burned and/or vandalized. Its nice to chat with folk who are interested in South East Asia.  I´m up to my ears in reading assignments as part of work on a thesis; there is no time for anything  else. Elijah attended a 5 day youth camp in the city of Tarija. He came back tired. The bus journey was loooonggg - 15 hours!. We took a family fotograph and then went to a local restaurant where I ate the the best Philadelphia sandwich in my life. This is an important time for us; Elijah´s impending departure for Singapore (he leaves in 20 days) will leave a void in our lives. Pray for grace to cope.   

Michelle is getting into some of her projects. A couple of weeks ago I attended a very long diocesan standing committee meeting. Everyone was glad to see us back. Bishop Lyons is busy as ever. We've been here for a month and are settling down. The cost of living in Santa Cruz has sky rocketed; everything is very expensive. The growth of the churches in Santa Cruz although encouraging is uneven and vulnerable. Some basic building blocks need to be in place for the work to grow substantially - sounds like 1st world Singaporean talk - ha! ha! ha!

Bolivia go to the polls again to elect governors and mayors in April 2010. The president and a new legislative assembly was elected last month. The feature of  Evo Morales's inauguration as president next week will be his participation in ancient pagan rites. Pray for Bolivia, friends!   

Christ is the Head of the church and Lord of the nations!

BACK IN THE SADDLE! 

PREACHING PRAYING AND LISTENING!

No, its not about riding a horse but getting back into the ministry in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

I preach in Spanish once again and have begun to do some prayer ministry. Its a bit of a struggle to find the right words to convey thoughts in a language I've not used for 3 and a half years but I find a greater spontaniety as opportunities for ministry increase.    

This afternoon I prayed for a young man who was involved in a serious road accident; his friend died immediately. The truck hit a boulder and spun in mid air for a couple of times before it crashed heavily, stumbling and tumbling along on the road. It was like a scene from the movie,  Transformers. The young man´s right leg is fractured in more than one area, the head and body are covered with abrasions, scratches, deep gashes, and a few ribs are broken. They punctured a small hole on the side of his chest to drain the blood and fluid which were beginniing to flood his body. His survival from the crash and quick recovery is credited to the Lord´s intervention and the prayers of many people.

On Christmas day, a young lady shared with me a hair raising account of how she managed to escape from a relative´s attempts at trying to get her involved in satanic rituals and witchcraft. And like cherry on top of a cake, a young man related his account of overcoming drunkenness and his growth as a christian leader in the church.

Praise the Lord! Its great to be back in the saddle...in the ministry that is!

¡SIN PELOS EN LA LENGUA!

El obispo John Rodgers (ACNA) responde a las declaraciones del Arzobispo Rowan Williams con relación al proceso se llama la Alianza Anglicana – La supuesta solución a la ruptura en la Comunión Anglicana debido a la consagración del obispo homosexual por la iglesia episcopal en los estados unidos.

19 diciembre, 2009 Anunciado en Noticias


La cita siguiente es del Arzobispo de diciembre de Cantórbery en su charla en el año 2008 sobre su comprensión de la naturaleza de la Alianza Anglicana propuesta de la Comunión y su función.

"No será una constitución, y ciertamente no será un código penal para castigar a personas que no obedecen," él dijo. "Pero lo que representa es esto: en los últimos años en la familia anglicana, nosotros hemos descubierto que nuestras relaciones uno con el otro como las iglesias locales a menudo han sido esforzadas, que nosotros no hemos aprendido a fiarse del uno al otro como quizás debemos, que debemos realmente construir las relaciones, y nosotros debemos tener un sentido que somos responsables uno al otro y responsable de uno al otro. Es decir, lo que necesitamos es algo que ayudará nosotros sabe donde nosotros nos paramos junto, y nos ayudamos también intensificamos nuestra confraternidad y nuestra confianza".

Mientras concuerdo con el Arzobispo que anglicanos deben aprender a fiarse de y para ser responsable uno al otro, yo tengo la convicción de que esta perspectiva de la Alianza es demasiado débil para unir la Comunión Anglicana. La fe cristiana surge de la Palabra autoritaria de Dios en Jesucristo y en las Escrituras Santas que nos conservó por el Espíritu Santo. Las Escrituras declaran verdaderamente el Evangelio o no y el contenido de la Fe Apostólica y los Sacramentos del Evangelio celebra el mismo o no. Anglicanos han comprendido correctamente y cree en el Señor que es revelado en y por ese Evangelio y la Fe Apostólica o no y no hay un lugar neutral con respeto a la Fe o el Evangelio. Este asunto fundamental necesita ser declarado decisivamente sin ambigüedades.

Anglicanos no son y nunca han sido una mera asociación "natural" de la familia Cristiana donde el único punto de referencia es de fiarse del uno al otro sin tomar en consideración la Fe Cristiana. Más bien hemos sido desde el comienzo y somos una familia que confiesa unido en el Evangelio y la Fe Apostólica como el conjunto encontrado en las Escrituras en la misma manera como enseñaron los antiguos Padres de la iglesia, y de los Concilios Ecuménicos antiguos Este Evangelio Apostólico y Fe.

Comprendemos y celebramos como Anglicanos el evangelio apostólico y la Fe que son expuestos en los Credos católicos, los 39 Artículos de Religión, y de la 1662 Liturgia de la Iglesia Anglicana y el Ordinal. Si nosotros no podemos confesar que el Evangelio y la Fe juntos, nosotros no tenemos una unidad genuina para confesar ni profundizar.

Tenemos una constitución en el Evangelio y Fe Apostólica como nosotros los Anglicanos lo hemos recibido, y cualquier Alianza de la Comunión Anglicana debe celebrar y lo debe confesar autoritariamente, claramente y agradecidamente. Nada hará menos.

Que Tenga una Navidad maravillosa

+ John H. Rodgers Jr.

El Obispo en la Iglesia Anglicana de Norteamérica

(AMIA)

TRUTH TELLING

Bishop John Rodgers (ACNA) responds to Archbishop Williams’ understanding of the Communion Covenant
December 19th, 2009

The following quote is from the Archbishop of Canterbury’s December 18th video talk and describes His understanding of the nature of the proposed Anglican Communion Covenant and its function.

"It's not going to be a constitution, and it's certainly not going to be a penal code for punishing people who don't comply," he said. "But what it does represent is this: in recent years in the Anglican family, we've discovered that our relations with each other as local churches have often been strained, that we haven't learned to trust one another as perhaps we should, that we really need to build relationships, and we need to have a sense that we are responsible to one another and responsible for each other. In other words, what we need is something that will help us know where we stand together, and help us also intensify our fellowship and our trust."

While I agree with the Archbishop that Anglicans do need to learn to trust and to be responsible to one another, I am convinced that this view is far too weak to serve a Communion as a unifying Covenant. Christian faith arises from God’s authoritative Word in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Scriptures as sealed in us by the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures either declare the Gospel and the contents of the Apostolic Faith and the Sacraments of the Gospel celebrate the same or they do not. Anglicans have either rightly understood and believe in the Lord who is revealed in and through that Gospel and Apostolic Faith or we have not and do not. This fundamental matter needs to be decisively addressed and declared unambiguously.

Anglicans are not and never have been a “natural” family learning to trust one another irrespective of our Faith. Rather we have been from the beginning and are a confessing family united in the Gospel and the Apostolic Faith as set forth in the Scriptures, and as taught by such teachings of the ancient Fathers, and the early Ecumenical Councils as are agreeable to the same Scriptures. This Apostolic Gospel and Faith, as Anglicans understand them and celebrate them, are set forth in the Catholic Creeds, the 39 Articles of Religion, and the 1662 Book of Common Prayer and Ordinal. If we cannot confess that Gospel and Faith together, we have no unity to confess and intensify.

We do have a constitution in the Gospel and Apostolic Faith as we Anglicans have received it, and any Communion Covenant should celebrate and confess it authoritatively, clearly and thankfully. Nothing less will do.

Have a wonderful Christmas and Christmastide,

+John H. Rodgers Jr.

Bishop in the Anglican Church of North America

(AMIA)

¡ADIOS CHRIST CHURCH!

Regresamos a Singapur en Junio 2007 para acompañar nuestro hijo, Elijah, mientras él hizo su servicio militar por 2 años. Durante este tiempo la diocesis de Singapur pidió que yo pastoreara una parroquia se llama CHRIST CHURCH. Lo hize con la gracia del Señor pero despues de 2 años llegó el momento para regresar a Bolivia. Entonces deje mis responsabilidades en la iglesia donde trabajaba y alistamos nuestras maletas para el viaje a Bolivia. Pero dejar una iglesia donde uno pastorea no es nada facil.

Los Pastores experimentan sentimientos mixtos a medida que ellos se van de la Parroquia donde ellos han servido. El alivio de haber dejado las responsabilidades del liderazgo esta entrelazado con la pena de dejar amistades forjadas en las trincheras del ministerio.

Mi experiencia en CHRIST CHURCH fue dura pero también gratificante. Las personas fueron desafiadas a evangelizar a los no alcanzados, un equipo pastoral fue nombrado; una nueva congregación dio sus inicios pasos; la obra de los jóvenes comenzó de nuevo. Había cosas que no podía hacer. Cristo utiliza otros para llegar a ésos quien nosotros nunca podríamos ministrar. Hay que decir también que la única forma de reunir todas las necesidades de la iglesia es tener un equipo bien capacitado para ministrar a los demás.

CHRIST CHURCH es una Parroquia tradicional con muchos niveles de liderazgo. Los Vicarios tendrán que buscar al Señor para la sabiduría Salomónica para unir los varios pedazos del liderazgo. Alineando el concilio de la Iglesia, el equipo pastoral, la gente de trayectoria y los grupos ministeriales de liderazgo requieren visión y trabajo dedicado.

Deseo que pueda haber hecho más para la parroquia pero el tiempo para adelantarme y irme a Bolivia no me dio el tiempo para quedarme más en CHRIST CHURCH. La Iglesia Boliviana, ante grandes desafíos, también hizo una solicitud para mí regresar a Bolivia.

Las amistades fueron hechas y la partida a CHRIST CHURCH fue nunca fácil pero sé que mi salida va a beneficiarles en el largo plazo. De nuevo aprendí que el Señor ama su iglesia, su novia, cómo ninguno otro. Somos sus siervos que él usa para su gloria.

Continúo orar para ellos y desear verles crecen y cumplen su llamando a Cristo.

GOODBYE CHRIST CHURCH!

- THE LORD IS WITH CHRIST CHURCH IN WAYS BEYOND HUMAN UNDERSTANDING-

We returned to Singapore in June 2007 to be with our son Elijah; he had finished high school in Bolivia and had to, by law, do a 2 year national service stint with the Singapore armed forces. During this period I was asked to pastor CHRIST CHURCH, a parish in the diocese of Singapore. By God's grace I finished my stint in Singapore at the parish and made plans to return to Bolivia.

Vicars wrestle with mixed feelings as they leave Parishes under their charge. Relief from the pressures of leading God's people is intertwined with the pain of leaving new found friends . In Latin America its impossible to serve in a church and not make friends. Some of this spilled over into my work at CHRIST CHURCH.

My experience in the parish was tough but also rewarding. People were challenged to evangelise the lost, a full time pastoral team was put in place; a small congregation dedicated to outreach was started; working with the young people was fulfilling. Not meeting all the needs of the parish was a humbling experience. Christ uses others to reach out to those whom we could never connect with. Maybe its also sobering to remind ourselves that Clergy cannot meet everyone's needs. Only a well trained pastoral team can come close to fully meet the challenges of modern day city-based parishes with diverse needs.

CHRIST CHURCH, a traditional Parish, has many levels of leadership. Anyone called to serve as Vicar will have to seek the Lord for Solomonic wisdom as he puts together the various pieces of the leadership puzzle. Uniting the work of the Church council, the pastoral team and the ministerial leadership without trampling on the sucesses of the past requires vision and hard work.

I wish I could have done more for the parish but it was time for me to move on. The Bolivian church, in the face of great challenges, also made an appeal to the Bishops of Singapore for me to return to Bolivia.

Friendships were made and leaving Christ Church was never easy.

I continue to pray for them to mature in Christ as they reach out to various the groupings within a growing and vibrant Tamil community in Singapore.

CURRY KILLS CANCER CELLS

LONDON - A MOLECULE found in a curry ingredient can kill oesophageal cancer cells in the laboratory, suggesting it might be developed as an anti-cancer treatment, scientists said on Wednesday.

Researchers at the Cork Cancer Research Centre in Ireland treated oesophageal cancer cells with curcumin - a chemical found in the spice turmeric, which gives curries a distinctive yellow colour - and found it started to kill cancer cells within 24 hours. The cells also began to digest themselves, they said in a study published in the British Journal of Cancer.

Previous scientific studies have suggested curcumin can suppress tumours and that people who eat lots of curry may be less prone to the disease, although curcumin loses its anti-cancer attributes quickly when ingested. But Sharon McKenna, lead author of the Irish study, said her study suggested a potential for scientists to develop curcumin as an anti-cancer drug to treat oesophageal cancer.

Cancers of the oesophagus kill more than 500,000 people across the world each year. The tumours are especially deadly, with five-year survival rates of just 12 to 31 per cent. Ms McKenna said the study showed curcumin caused the cancer cells to die 'using an unexpected system of cell messages'.

Normally, faulty cells die by committing programmed suicide, or apoptosis, which occurs when proteins called caspases are 'switched on' in cells, the researchers said.

But these cells showed no evidence of suicide, and the addition of a molecule that inhibits caspases and stops this 'switch being flicked' made no difference to the number of cells that died, suggesting curcumin attacked the cancer cells using an alternative cell signalling system. -- REUTERS

LA IGLESIA ROMANA "ROBA" A LAS OVEJAS ANGLICANAS?

Detras las sonrisas y reuniones ecumenicas, la Iglesia Romana no escondio su intencion de llevar a los Anglicanos a su redil.

El Papa Benedicto XVI en una accion rara esta semana proporcionó una estructura eclesiástica especial para los Anglicanos descontentos a unirse a la Iglesia Romana.

Segun el documento, los Anglicanos pueden mantenerse algunos de sus distintivos y ser católicos. Será interesante ver los detalles de esta nueva iniciativa.

Hay muchos anglicanos descontentos en estos días debido en gran parte a la falta de Rowan Williams, el arzobispo de Canterbury, y sus facilitadores para disciplinar a los dirigentes de la Iglesia Episcopal de EEUU haber consagrado un homosexual practicante! Rowan William, de acuerdo a sus acciones, están en el lado del lobby gay. Hay gente de conciencia que no puede reconocer Rowan como líder espiritual de la Comunión Anglicana. Entonces no era una sorpresa que muchos obispos ortodoxos boicotearon el Lambeth Conference del año pasado.

En medio de este desorden el Santo Padre vio la oportunidad de invitar y recibir anglicanos, especialmente a aquellos tradicionalistas en Bretania y Estados Unidos que quieren salir de la Anglicana. Acaso esto no es robo de ovejas? Ninguno de los Primados Anglicanos, de las regiones que se verán afectados por este último mover de la Iglesia Romana, no ha dicho nada en contra de la accion de la Romana.

Ni uno de los Primados de la Comunión Anglicana ha respondido a este desafío mediante la exposición de la confusión doctrinal en Roma a la luz de la verdad bíblica. La Comunión Anglicana después de haber no disciplinado el liderazgo de la provincia que consagró un homosexual practicante como obispo, no tiene ahora la base moral para refutar los errores de Roma y proporcionar un refugio para los católicos que luchan con cuestiones de fe y de conciencia. Esperamos que algunos de nuestros Arzobispos ortodoxos, Akinola, Jensen y el obispo Nazir Ali, respondan con claridad al desafio Romano.

Hay que admirar la Iglesia Romana, especialmente el Papa, por su audacia. Planificaron bien su mover con su gente y cuando llegó el momento propicio, lo hicieron sin renuencia. El Papa Benedicto XVI, como una águila, vio a su presa desde lejos y simplemente se abalanzo para recoger el premio: ovejas Anglicanos!

ROMAN CHURCH STEAL ANGLICAN SHEEP!

Behind the ecumenical smiles, handshakes and documents, Rome has never hid its intentions of wanting Anglicans back to the fold...their fold!

Pope Benedict in an earth shaking move this week provided a special ecclesiastical structure for disaffected Anglicans to join the Roman Church. Yup, Anglicans can now hold on to some of their distinctives and be Roman Catholics. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds as the Pope's plan is implemented.

There are many disaffected Anglicans these days due in large part to the failure of Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury and his enablers to discipline the leadership of the American Episcopal Church for having consecrated a practising homosexual! Rowan William's sympathies, judging by his actions, are clearly on the side of the gay lobby. Is it any wonder that many Anglican bishops boycotted last year's Lambeth Conference?

In the midst of this disarray, the Holy Father saw an opportunity to draw Anglicans, especially from the Anglo Catholic mould. And he seized it! Isnt this sheep stealing? None of the Anglican primates, from regions which will be impacted by this latest move from the Roman Church, seem to think so.

Not one...yes, not one Primate from the Anglican Communion has responded to this challenge by exposing Roman doctrinal confusion in the light of Biblical truth. And the reason is simple: the worldwide Anglican Communion in NOT disciplining a province which consecrated a practising homosexual as Bishop, does not have the moral standing to refute Rome's errors and provide a shelter for Roman Catholics struggling with matters of faith and conscience. Hopefully some of our top guns, Arcbishop Akinola, Jensen and Bishop Nazir Ali, will rise to the Roman challenge.

You gotta give Rome an A for audacity. They planned the move and struck when the time was right. Pope Benedict, like an eagle, saw his prey from afar and simply swooped in to gather the prize: Anglican sheep!

So is this sheep stealing?

Bible believing Anglicans of the more reformed variety with roots in the 39 articles will view this Roman intiative as interference and sheep stealing. Some might welcome it as an opportunity to rid the church of Roman fifth columnists. Traditional Anglican sacramentalists in liberal Anglican Provinces however will welcome this as a lifeline and an indirect rebuke to their ecclesiastical leaders.