Due to a hacker incursion, our site has moved. Come pray!

18 For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!),
who formed the earth and made it
(he established it; he did not create it a chaos, he formed it to be inhabited!):
I am the LORD, and there is no other.
19 I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness;
I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, “Seek me in chaos.”
I the LORD speak the truth, I declare what is right.

Let us give thanks that the cold snap did not seem to do substantial damage to the Florida citrus crop.

Let us pray for California, as several large storm fronts arrive. Pray especially for protection from mudslides, which tend to happen during heavy rains in areas recently ravaged by wildfires.

Let us give thanks that winter weather did not get in the way of high turnouts for the Iowa Caucases.

Let us pray for safe travel for Primary voters in New Hampshire.

January 3, 2008

Dear Kenyan Friends and Friends of Kenya,

You may have heard that there is a terrible outbreak of violence in Kenya in the wake of the most closely contested election in Kenya’s history. So far probably 300 have been killed. In Eldoret, about fifty were burned to death when an Assembly of God church containing people seeking refuge was set on fire.

I was able to speak with the Archbishop. He and Mama Alice were in good spirits despite the fact that they were unable to leave the house because the streets are so dangerous. He has also been battling malaria, but is feeling better today.

Bishop Murdoch and I are asking that you please re-double your prayers for the Archbishop and for Kenya that peace would prevail. ABp Nzimbi confirmed that the overwhelming majority of Kenyans want peace.

31st December, 2007

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Bill Atwood

Suffragan Bishop for International Affairs

All Saints Cathedral Diocese, Nairobi

Anglican Church of Kenya

Just a quick blog admin note… I did try to change the blog settings to get out of Pentecost and into Advent and then Christmas, but the file permissions were locked in the process of restoring the blog from the hacking problems, and I cannot get into the admin controls to change the blog header, sidebar, etc.

My apologies for the confusion, and apparent neglect. It makes me think we’ll need to make the switch to our backup blog on a permanent basis, and I need to get to work on setting that up. Prayers for ability to fit that into my busy schedule in the next few days would be appreciated.

May these last few days of the Christmas season continue to be days of wonder and joy for all our readers.

Karen B.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease;
’tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’tis life, and health, and peace.

Charles Wesley

It’s wonderful to see Lent & Beyond’s original site back online after several weeks of down time following the destruction of our site and other Classical Anglican Net blogs by hackers in mid-late November. Unfortunately, it looks like all posts from early July - November may have been lost.

Now that we’re back online, in the next 24 hours or so, I’ll see what I can do to switch the site to an Advent theme.

Although on one hand I’ve missed blogging during Advent this year, the time away from the computer has freed me up for a number of special Advent & Christmas projects and I’ve been enjoying that. I hope and pray that this Advent has been a time of joyful expectation and spiritual encouragement for all our readers!

–Karen

Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. (Acts 8:26)
      Jesus, so bless us with the guidance of your Holy Spirit that we will heed every prompting and message that comes from you, even if it means going into the desert.

So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. (Acts 8:27-28)
      Holy Spirit, you arranged this meeting. Please work in our lives so that we make the connections you want us to have.

Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” (Acts 8:29)
      Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8) LORD, pour out your anointing on the mission team to Bolivia and on all who say to you, “Here am I! Send me.”

Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass. (Psalm 37:5)
      Father, please help us commit our way to you, trusting you that all things work together for good to those who love you, to those who are called according to your purpose. (From Romans 8:28)

***** Readings for Thursday: Psalms 131, 132, 133; 1 Samuel 13:5-18; Acts 8:26-40; Luke 23:13-25

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A word received: Keep listening to my Spirit so that you will know how to pray.

We are sometimes surprised that men who call themselves the servants of Christ appear to be wholly unmoved by the command of Christ to preach the Gospel to all nations. The command is clear; it is repeated again and again. Christians do not question its authority; they do not doubt that Christ gave it; they do not doubt His right to give it; they simply disobey it. The command does not come home to them. It does not appear to have any binding force. This seems strange. We think that the mere repetition of the command should be enough. (From Missionary Principles by Roland Allen, Chapter 1, The Impulse) [Note: this is the beginning of a book we need to heed throughout this diocese. Torre]

Albany Intercessor