SACRED ANTACIDS By Justin McRoberts A young man came to his priest. "I feel like something is terribly wrong in my spirit. Please help me." The priest replied, "Can you describe the feeling?" "It happens every night," the young man said. "I lie down and begin thinking over my day when a terrible feeling comes over me; a burning in my heart, like the burning the disciples felt when meeting Jesus on the road to Emmaus. But when I feel it, it feels like something is wrong. It's more like a pain. It's as if God is trying to tell me something. Please, help me. What does it mean?"

HE ALSO MADE THE STARS Why do we spend a good bit of time on Sunday mornings praising God? It's not just a sing along, or as in some churches, a concert, but it's a time of praise. We can express that in different ways, but ultimately it is our offering to our God, and it's what we are created to do. Jesus said it is what God has ordained us to do on earth and in heaven: "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, " 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?" And he added, if we don't the stones will: "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." SO DON'T MISS IT! Don't' miss it! -- This video by Louis Giglio is 8 minutes plus. But includes the recording of the sounds of stars, and whales. He wraps it together with, "How Great is Our God." How Great is our God Don't miss it! -- How can we not join in the praise of all creation? Yes, he also made the stars and they sing constant praises. Don't miss an opportunity to join in the hymn of the universe on any given Sunday at New Covenant. It is a bit beyond our imaginings, but then it's about God. Psa. 148:1 Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above. 2Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts. 3Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars. 4Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Blessings to You All,

What do you do with the fifth goat? Between the Services Sunday:

Fruit or Fire? Cut Off or Cut Back? John 15.1-8

Dear Friends at New Covenant, Like some horrific losses, and some beatific moments that transcend even our imaginations, the events of Good Friday and Easter are vastly beyond words. Sometimes a poet captures something words put otherwise cannot. Shortly after WW1, the Great War to end all war, when its memories and pains were still fresh, a book was published. Near the beginning is the text from John, "He showed them his hands and his side." And this poem follows. JESUS OF THE SCARS by Edward Shillito If we have never sought, we seek Thee now; Thine eyes burn through the dark, our only stars; We must have sight of thorn-pricks on Thy brow, We must have Thee, O Jesus of the Scars. The heavens frighten us; they are too calm; In all the universe we have no place. Our wounds are hurting us; where is the balm? Lord Jesus, by Thy Scars, we claim Thy grace. If, when the doors are shut, Thou drawest near, Only reveal those hands, that side of Thine; We know to-day what wounds are, have no fear, Show us Thy Scars, we know the countersign. The other gods were strong; but Thou wast weak; They rode, but Thou didst stumble to a throne; But to our wounds only God's wounds can speak, And not a god has wounds, but Thou alone. A comment on the poem by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, William Temple: " Only a God in whose perfect being pain has its place can win and hold our worship; for otherwise the creature (with his pains) would in fortitude surpass the Creator." Blessings to You All,

Good Friday The Service for Good Friday leads us through the last hours of our Lord Jesus' life on the day we commemorate his holy death. Beginning with Isaiah's prophecy of the suffering servant through Hebrews' description of the New Covenant, we finally listen to John's narration of Christ's trial and then rise to witness him cruelly crucified at Golgotha.

"Click" Snapshots of God's Servants "Democratic Republic of the Congo bishop warns violence could spiral into genocide." This was the lead story in the ChurchTimes.co.uk. The Rt. Rev. Mugenyi William Bahemuka is the bishop. Pray for him. He is coming to Florida soon and then on to India with Canon Christopher. "Where I am, so my servant is also..." -Click- Video "They left the Congo because of the killing... " So began Fr. Gabriel's homily for 8 year old Jephte Babakissa last Friday who was run down by a distracted driver in Conway. His mother, next to the bongos is singing. Earlier she was wailing at the open grave. -Click- People, reaching out, caring for one another, praying for one another. Sharing God's love is why we gather. We are His body. We are His servants. He is with us then. Jesus' first public sermon (John 3) was to the Jews about new life. His last public sermon (John 12) is to the Greeks about life from death. Hellenism espoused the effort to realize the ideal human life consisting in enjoyment and escaping sacrifice, the fullness of personal life. It's all about me . On the other hand, Jesus' teaching, "The person who is in love with one's own self ruins it, but the person who hates one's this-worldly self preserves one's true self thereby into deep, lasting Life." "He who loves his life loses it..." -Click- The Rt. Rev. Peter Johs, bishop of the diocese of Malek in South Sudan; 42,000 Anglicans; provincial secretary. He lives in a village with no running water or electricity and visits his people via bicycle because to have a car would distance him too much from his poor and starving people. Meet him here at New Covenant Good Friday. "but if it dies it bears much fruit..." -Click- Sometimes, from time to time, whether far away, as with the men above, or here at home in our local community, we get to linger with and rub elbows with God's servants, even on Sundays!

Dear Friends,

TEMPLE CLEANING This past Wednesday morning as I was getting things together for the Lenten noonday service, I noticed that our decanter of Holy Water was almost empty. So, after filling it, I said the prayers below over the water making the sign of the cross where indicated. Sunday morning during communion and prayer ministry, I gave someone a small bottle of Holy Water and said, "This should solve the problem." Over the years I have seen Holy Water cleanse rooms, attics, garages, entryways etc. (Ask Canon Christopher). It beats 409. The prayers below come from an old MANUAL FOR PRIESTS. They are, indeed, a recipe for Holy Water. We use them, along with prayers for the exorcism and blessing of salt, when we do a house blessing. It's not the only thing used for cleaning a temple, and physical space temples are not the only temples in need of cleaning, but it is a good place to begin. Let us pray. (Exorcism of the water) I adjure thee, O creature of water, in the Name of God the Father + Almighty, in the Name of Jesus + Christ, his Son, our Lord, and by the power of the Holy + Ghost, that thou become water exorcised for putting to flight all the power of the enemy, and do thou avail to cast out and send hence that same enemy, with all his apostate angels: through the power of the Same our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall come to judge the quick and the dead, and the world by fire. Amen. Let us pray. (Blessing of the water) O God, Who for the salvation of mankind hast ordained that the substance of water should be used in one of thy chiefest Sacraments: favourably regard us who call upon thee, and pour the power of thy bene+diction upon this element, made ready by careful cleansing; that this thy creature, meet for thy mysteries, may receive the effect of divine grace, and so cast out devils, and put sickness to flight, that whosoever in the dwellings of thy faithful people shall be sprinkled with this water, may be made free from all uncleanness and delivered from all manner of hurt; there let no spirit of pestilence abide, nor any corrupting air: thence let all the wiles of the hidden enemy depart; and if there be aught that layeth snares against the peace or safety of them that dwell in the house, let it fly before the sprinkling of this water, so that the health which they seek through calling upon thy holy Name may be protected against all things that threaten it. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Blessings to You All,