Saturday, December 19, 2015

Join us for the Fourth Sunday in Advent, 2015

It just seems to make common sense that you have to have all the parts in order to make something complete. For example, if a bike is missing the wheels . . . . it is incomplete. How frustrating would it be to work on a 5,000 piece puzzle and discover some of the pieces were missing? Or if you are in the kitchen, how are you going to prepare something if you do not have all of the ingredients? I might have it in my mind to bake a cherry pie but what if I do not have any cherries for my cherry pie? Again, it only makes sense that we must have all the parts or all the ingredients on hand if we are going to make something. In essence, St. Paul is saying this to the Philippians in the fourth chapter of that epistle when he writes: " . . . . but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know unto God." (Philippians 4:6) When it comes to prayer, very often we are missing some of the elements. Many people only pray when they need something. Many of us only go to God when we are in need of a favor from Him. And it is fine to go to God when you are in need of something . .. or in trouble . . . or in need of mercy . . . . after all, God is our loving Father and He wants to be there for His children. But, that being said, we should not ONLY approach God solely when we need something. That would be the equivalent of a neighbor who won't give you the time of day but will only come to you when they need something. Or having a relative that never contacts you except when they need to borrow some money. We need to go to God in prayer not only when we need something from Him. This is what St. Paul is saying. We need to also praise Him when we pray. And we certainly need to pray in Thanksgiving when we pray. In other words, we need to thank Him for the many blessings He bestows upon us during our lifetime. "Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; and make a joyful noise to Him with psalms." (Psalm 94:2) Christmas is the season of giving. Let each of us focus on giving more time to God. Let us dedicate more prayer time to God. Do not let the fast pace of the world and all the being busy in life keep us from approaching God. Let us take time each day from our busy lives in order to dedicate that time solely to God.

Two opportunities to join us for Mass on Sunday, December 20th, 2015:

St. Margaret Church meets every Sunday morning at 9:30 AM. We celebrate Mass at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Holy Spirit Church meets every Sunday at 1:00 PM. We celebrate Mass at the beautiful, historic First Presbyterian Church which is located at 116 W. South Street, at the corner of Pennsylvania and South Streets, in Greenfield, Indiana.

Join us as we listen to the Word of God found in the King James Version of the Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. Listen to what God has to say to you through the liturgy and the Bible-based preaching. Worship God in traditional worship and receive Holy Communion so that you can be nourished and strengthened.

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Join us for Gaudete Sunday, December 13, 2015

Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday),
Sunday, December 13th, 2015

Have you ever been overjoyed by something and before you knew it, the joy had worn off? Or the joy that you had experienced had certainly lessened. As children, especially at Christmas time, we are overjoyed at what Santa Claus will bring us. We anxiously look forward to all the presents under the tree and try to figure out what is wrapped inside. Or it could be the case as you had gotten older and you decided that you just had to have the latest electronic doo-dad or perhaps it is some clothing item such as a new dress or a fancy pair of boots. And so you save your money and finally go and make your purchase and you are overjoyed at what you have obtained. But then after a while your joy lessens because after a while your attention is turned toward the next "item" that you have set your sights on acquiring. Let's be honest, whether as children or adults, . . . whether it is a gift given to us or something we have purchased ourselves .. . . whether it is an actual physical product or whether it is simply a good meal that we look forward to devouring . . . . the point is the same: things of this world do indeed bring us joy for a time but then the joy eventually fades. Even if you look at it from the perspective of someone who turns to drink or drugs to find their "happiness," . . . . what happens when the effect of either drink or drug wears off? That person goes back to feeling like they did before. The "high" feeling . . . the "drunk" feeling only lasts so long. Things of the world . . . whether they be electronics . . . or food . . . . or clothing . . . or positions of honour . . . . or titles at our jobs . . . or booze . . . . or drugs . . . all these things only bring temporary fulfillment. They do satisfy, yes, but only for a time. The joy we find in them is only temporary, never lasting.

For the Christian, on the other hand, the joy that is everlasting is our relationship with God. "Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, for it becometh well the just to be thankful." (Psalm 33) Our personal relationship with Our Blessed Saviour will never disappoint. Our personal relationship with Our Lord and Saviour is one that will last an eternity. While other things in this earthly life will fade away . . . or be consumed . . . or rust away . .. or go out of fashion . . . . the relationship that God offers to us is forever. God will always be faithful to His people. "Gaudete in Domino semper" ("Rejoice in the Lord always") (Philippians 4:4-5) Rejoice in the fact that God loves you! Rejoice in the fact that God sent His only Son to die for you! Rejoice in the fact that God offers you the possibility of eternal life! Give your heart to the One that offered His Heart to you! Give your life to Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and rejoice in the Lord always!

The Third Sunday of Advent is referred to as "Gaudete Sunday." And this is because "Gaudete" is the Latin word for rejoice, which comes from the first word of the introit, "Rejoice .. . . " As such, the Church is past the midway point of the season of Advent, and we use this opportunity to take a breather, so to speak. Remember, the season of Advent is supposed to be somewhat somber in nature . . . this is why the liturgical colour during this season is violet or purple as it is in Lent. But today the Church lightens its' mood just a bit and rose coloured vestments can be worn instead of violet for today.

Two opportunities to join us on Sunday, December 13th, 2015:

Please join St. Margaret of Scotland Church on Sunday, December 13th, 2015 at 9:30 AM as we celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent. We celebrate Mass at the beautiful Chapel of Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road, on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Join Holy Spirit church on Sunday, December 13th, 2015 as we celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, at 1:00 PM. We celebrate Mass in the beautiful, historic First Presbyterian Church, located at 116 W. South Street near downtown Greenfield, Indiana.

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Come Join Us for the Second Sunday of Advent, 2015

Second Sunday of Advent, Sunday, December 6th, 2015

It seems as though one week can not pass for me without someone pointing to all the tragic events happening in the world and making some sort of comment about how we are close to the end of the world.  Certainly, when you think of the past tragic events such as the killings in Paris and now the killings in California; when you think about events such as plane crashes, earthquakes, floods, etc. that you hear about in the news.  When you hear about things such as mentioned above, it is certainly understandable that people would think about Our Lord's words:  "AND there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity . . . "  (St. Luke, Chapter 21)  Now, in all fairness, there have been tragic events in ALL the eras of human history.  There have been earthquakes . ..  . famines . . .  death  . . . . sickness . . . . wars . . .  etc.  throughout all of history at one point or another.  And the fact that there have always been tragedies, both global and personal, makes it obvious that we should always be prepared for the Second Coming of Our Blessed Saviour.  

Advent reminds us of that fact.  Advent provides us a time to remember and to prepare our hearts.  Advent is the season of preparation . . . . it is the season of waiting . . .  it is the season of hope.  The "spirit of Christmas" has sort of taken over Advent.  In other words, we spend the weeks before Christmas going to "Black Friday" sales and buying the latest doo-dads.  We "shop til' we drop" and focus all our energy on getting the best deals.  All the while we fight traffic, fight the crowds, fight the other shoppers, fight the sales-clerks to use coupons for our purchases.  We run from one place to the next place and try to fit in errands in between.  We wrap presents and put the tree up and decorate the tree.   Now, don't get me wrong, all of what I just mentioned is wonderful . . .  all except fighting the traffic, that is . . . . but as Christians we are always called to put everything into perspective and for us, God always takes priority.  He is the true reason for the season.  And the reason for the season of Advent is to await the coming of the Christ-Child into the world on Christmas morning.   Anything that takes our attention away from focusing on God needs to take "second place."  God should always take the top priority in our life.  

Let us spend the next three weeks placing special emphasis on our relationship with God.    Let us spend the next three weeks waiting for the Christ-Child.  Let us spend the next three weeks preparing a special place in our hearts for the Divine Child Jesus.  Let us try to focus less on the shopping and the wrapping and the Christmas parties these next few weeks.  Let us focus more on awaiting the Coming of the Saviour into the world.  Let us prepare our hearts for His arrival.  

Two opportunities to celebrate Mass on Sunday, December 6th, 2015:

At St. Margaret of Scotland, Mass is celebrated each Sunday at 9:30 AM at the beautiful chapel located at Marquette Manor, 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

At Holy Spirit Church, Mass is celebrated each and every Sunday at 1:00 PM.  We celebrate Mass at the beautiful, historic First Presbyterian Church, located at 116 W. South Street, at the corner of South and Pennsylvania Streets, in Greenfield, Indiana.

Come join us as we hear the Word of God found in the King James Version of the Bible and the the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Worship Our Heavenly Father with us as we receive the Most Precious Body and Blood of Christ at Communion time.  And after Mass is over, please stay for some delicious refreshments at our coffee hour.

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Join us for the First Sunday in Advent, 2015

First Sunday of Advent, Sunday, November 29th, 2015

Let me preface what I write to say that I lost my dear mother this week.  She passed away from this life on Thanksgiving morning.  Thus, Thanksgiving 2015 has been a very emotional day for me, to say the least.  The fact that I lost my beloved mother on Thanksgiving itself did encourage me to give thanks for her life and the life that she gave to me.  But more important than the actual life she gave me, I am thankful for the love that she showed me all of my  . . . ahem . . .  39 years here on this earth.  You see, I can only speak from my own point of view . . .  I can only speak on behalf of myself . . .  I can only tell you things from my perspective . . .  but in my case, my mother always showed me love; always supported me; and she loved me unconditionally.  My mother was to me what a parent should be:  someone who loved; encouraged; and supported.  She was there for me my whole life.  We hear so many stories, whether they be in the news-media or from people that we know, about parents who do not show love as they should.  But my mother was certainly not one of those.  She showed love to me my entire life.  And in that last sentence, I emphasize the "showed" part.  Why do I say that?  Why do I emphasize that?  Because my mother was very quiet when it came to her emotions.  My mother was very soft-spoken when it came to voicing her opinion or her emotions for that matter, but she showed her love for me through her actions.  She showed me that she loved me by being there for me.  I never had any doubt as to whether or not she loved me.  I knew that she did.  She proved her love not by what she bought me but how she was there for me.  I always knew that my mother loved me by the quiet support she always showed for me, no matter what.  I knew that my mother loved me by the way in which she loved me day in and day out.  

St. Paul says in the thirteenth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans:  " . . . .  for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law"  (Romans 13:8) Our Blessed Saviour gave clear direction that we should love one another:  "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (St. John 13:34)   It is certainly not easy to show love at times.  It is difficult to show love in the face of disrespect, for example.  It is certainly not easy to show love when there is disappointment.  It is difficult, to say the least, to show love when we faced with burdens and obstacles: whether these be physical; emotional; or mental.  And yet love can overcome any burden.  Love can overcome any obstacle.  Love is what a parent does and what a parent shows.  Love is what we show to one another in times of difficulty or emotional distress.  Love is not defined by what we give to a person.  Rather, love is defined by how we treat a person.  My mother and my father, for that matter, defined love by giving of themselves to me and not what they bought for me.  God also calls us to love, . . .  to give of ourselves . . .  to love one another  . . .  as He has loved us.

Two opportunities to join us for Mass on Sunday, November 29th, 2015:

St. Margaret meets every Sunday morning at 9:30 AM at the beautiful Chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Holy Spirit Church meets every Sunday at 1:00 PM at the historic First Presbyterian Church, located at 116 W. South Street in Greenfield, Indiana.

Join us for Mass as we listen to the Word of God found in the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Join us as we hear God speaking to each one of us in His Precious Word.  Come receive nourishment and strength as Our Lord fortifies you with His Precious Body and Blood at Communion time.  Come dedicate an hour out of your week to God alone.  Give Him that hour and dedicate that time to Him.  He has given so much to you . . . . can you not dedicate one hour to Him?

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Join Us For The Sunday Next Before Advent on Sunday, November 22, 2015

Sunday Next Before Advent, Sunday, November 22nd, 2015

The Gospel for today's Mass is taken from the Sixth Chapter of St. John's Gospel.  In the passage chosen for today's Mass, we hear St. John's version of the feeding of the Five-Thousand.  Now, keep in mind that Our Lord asked Philip where they could  get so much food to feed all of those people.  In essence, St. Philip protested that it would be impossible to feed so many people.  St. Andrew stepped in and reported that a "lad had five barley loaves and two small fishes."  But even St. Andrew himself immediately responded:  ". . . . but what are they among so many?"   Have you ever had the experience where you took evaluation of the situation and talked yourself out of doing it even before you gave it a try?  In other words, you convinced yourself that it would never work and so you refused to even try it.  You defeated yourself even before you started.  That's why I say so often in my sermons that we are our own worst enemies.  We stop ourselves from even giving it a try because, in our own mind, we are convinced that there is no way in the world it will work.  And so we stop even before we begin.  In today's passage, St. Philip immediately protests that they can't feed that many people and he only came up with  a protest.  St. Andrew at least made an attempt but even he second guessed his efforts and questioned how little food that was compared to how many people were present.  

As evidenced in all the miracles we read in the Gospels, Our Blessed Lord shows time and time again how He changes the "ordinary" into the "extraordinary."  Our Lord demonstrates that He can accomplish anything He sets His mind on.  As Christians, we are called to place our trust in God.  This is not always easy, is it?  As human beings, we want to do things our way.  As human beings, we have doubt if something is going to work or not.  As human beings, we lack confidence, or knowledge, or know-how.  It could be any number of reasons or combination of reasons.  But the fact remains that as Christians we are called to place all our trust in God.  "Let go and let God," as the old saying goes.  Give your life to God.  Place your life in His hands.  Let God be the Lord and Master of your life.  And turn your cares, and your burdens, and your troubles over to Him.  This is not to say that you will not have cares and burdens and troubles in your life.  But when you do, . . . . you will have God with you . . . . to guide you, to lead you, to be next to you.  If Our Blessed Saviour fed the five thousand with just a few fish and loaves, I am convinced that He can perform multiple miracles in your life as well.  

There are two opportunities to hear Mass on Sunday, November 22nd, 2015:

Join St. Margaret Church on Sunday, November 22nd, 2015 at 9:30 AM as we celebrate the Sunday Next Before Advent.  Mass is celebrated at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.  Marquette Manor is located directly across the street from the St. Vincent Women's Hospital on Township Line Road.

Join Holy Spirit Church on Sunday, November 22nd, 2015 as we celebrate the Sunday Next Before Advent.  Mass begins at 1:00 PM.  We celebrate Mass at the beautiful, historic First Presbyterian Church located at 116 W. South Street in Greenfield, Indiana.  The church is located at the corner of South and Pennsylvania streets near downtown Greenfield.

If you have not done so lately, invite someone to church with you.  Invite a family member, a dear friend, a neighbor, a coworker.  Invite someone to come to church with you.  Let them experience the blessings of hearing the Word of God.  Allow them to experience the blessing of being in fellowship with fellow-Christians gathering together as God's family.  Let them experience the blessing of receiving the Precious Body and Blood at Communion time.  Invite someone to church with you. 


Saturday, November 14, 2015

Sermon for 23rd Sunday after Trinity, 2015

The sermon of Fr. Todd given on Sunday, November 8th, 2015 for the 23rd Sunday after Trinity.

To hear Fr. Todd's sermon, please click on the following link:


Feast of All Saints Day, 2015

The sermon of Fr. Todd given on the Feast of All Saints, Sunday, November 1st, 2015.

To hear Fr. Todd's sermon, click on the following link:


Sermon from Feast of Christ the King, 2015

Sermon of Fr. Todd on the Feast of Christ the King given on Sunday, November 25th, 2015.

Listen to Fr. Todd's Sermon by clicking on the following link:


Sermon from 19th Sunday after Trinity, 2015

Fr. Todd's sermon from the 19th Sunday after Trinity which was given on Sunday, October 11th, 2015.

Click on following link to hear Fr. Todd's sermon:


Join us on Sunday, November 15th, 2015 . . .

Feast of St. Margaret of Scotland (Transferred) / Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Trinity,
Sunday, November 15th, 2015


So often in life instead of focusing on what we actually have . . . . we focus on obtaining the things that we do not have. We get fixated and focused on obtaining things that we want to have or desire to have. While growing up, I remember that I wanted a specific bicycle and I remember clearly thinking in my mind that if I got that certain bike, I would be totally happy and everything would be perfect. Well, to make a long story short, I did get that bike and it wasn't too awfully long until my mind shifted to the "next item" that would make my life "complete!" As adults we still do the same thing, don't we? If it's a certain pair of boots or jeans; If it's the latest electronic gadget or video game; if it's the latest innovation that we have seen advertised on TV; whatever it is, don't we think our life will be somehow "complete" if we just obtain this one item that we are focused on at that particular time in our life?

In the Ninth Chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel, we hear the story of the ruler whose daughter has died approaching Our Lord to seek the healing of his daughter. But on the way to this ruler's house, a woman also seeking healing touched the hem of Our Lord's garment which He was wearing. In so doing, she was completely healed of her condition. After finding our who touched His hem, Our Lord responds to her: " . . . thy faith hath made thee whole. ." (St. Matthew 9:17 ff) Wonderful items such as electronics . . . . or clothing . .. .. or boots or shoes . . . . or a job which we want. .. or whatever you can think of will not make us complete. They will not make us whole. These things bring happiness and contentment for a certain period of time but this happiness soon wears off until we move to the "next" item that we "just have to have." Our faith in God is something totally different, though. Our faith in God truly does make us whole . . . it makes us complete . . . it brings us true, lasting happiness. Our relationship with Christ is one that we should focus on obtaining. Giving our heart to the One Who gave His heart to us should be where we concentrate our efforts on. It is understandable that as human beings we focus on obtaining material things. This is what human beings do. But as Christians we are called to put things in a proper perspective and place God first in our life. Just like Our Lord told the woman that touched the hem of His garment, " . . . . thy faith hath made thee whole. . .. .," we also know that in our lives, the love of God and following Him is what makes us whole.

Two opportunities to join us on Sunday, November 15th, 2015:

St. Margaret of Scotland Church will celebrate the transferred Feast of St. Margaret of Scotland, our patroness, on Sunday, November 15th, 2015. St. Margaret Church worships at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis. Mass begins at 9:30 AM.

Holy Spirit Church will celebrate the Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Trinity on Sunday, November 15th, 2015. We worship in the beautiful, historic First Presbyterian Church, which is located at the corner of South and Pennsylvania Streets in Greenfield, Indiana. Mass begins every Sunday at 1:00 PM.

Come join us as we hear the Word of God found in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer and the King James Version of the Bible. Listen to the Word of God preached to you and hear what God has to say to you. Receive the Most Precious Body and Blood at Communion time. And then join us after Mass for our coffee hour where you can enjoy many delicious treats and wonderful fellowship.

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Join us for the Feast of Christ the King, 2015

Reign of Christ the King, Sunday, October 25th, 2015

There are a lot of different kinds of rulers in the world.  In our own country, we have at the national level, we have a president, and we also have senators and representatives.  At the state level, we have a governor for each state plus each state has their own state senators and representatives.  Plus, there are mayors, and city council members, board of education, etc.  The list goes on and on.  In our country, we seem to have a whole lot of people who rule over our lives to one degree or another but we don't have a king in this country.  We have politicians who think they are the king . . . .  but that is a different sermon.  

On the last Sunday in October, the Church celebrates the Solemn Feast of the Reign of Christ the King.  This is an important feast for Christians to ponder because it raises an important question:  Who is your king?  We all have bosses of one sort or another.  If it is at work, our boss may be a manager or a supervisor.  If it is at home, our boss may even be our spouse.  For a priest, the boss is the bishop . . . . and the vestry . . .  and the altar guild . . . and the music committee . .  . . and the people in the pews!  You see, priests have a LOT of bosses!  Well, all of us have a lot of bosses: whether it be politicians or supervisors or bishops or spouses.  But to a certain degree, quite frankly, our bosses are the ones we choose to be bosses.  In other words, if push comes to shove we can always quit and find another job if we truly do not like our supervisor.  In the case of politicians, if you don't like the job they are doing, vote them out of office.  You get the idea.  To a large part, we pick those who are in charge of us.  

Keeping this in mind, we also choose who is our king in the spiritual sense.  We know what God has done for us but it is always good to be reminded:  "He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son"  (Colossians 1:12 ff)  God has sent His Only Begotten Son into the world to save us from our sins.  God has redeemed us by the Sacrifice on the Cross.  God deserves to be our King.  And yet only we can make Him our king.  Our Blessed Saviour is, first and foremost, a gentleman.  He never forces Himself on anyone.  He waits for us to approach Him.  It is up to us to make Him the King of our life.  It is up to us to make the decision.  It is up to us to live in His Kingdom.  In St. John's 18th Chapter, we hear the dialog between Pilate and Our Blessed Lord:  "Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then?"  Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king"  (St. John 18:33 ff)  We too are called to say that Jesus is our King.  After careful consideration, each one of us should address Our Blessed Saviour as He truly deserves to be addressed:  Christ Our King!  Each one of us has the power to choose who our leader is.  As faithful Christians, we should always make the point to acknowledge Christ as the King of our life!

Two opportunities for Mass on Sunday, October 25th, 2015:

St. Margaret Church celebrates Mass each and every Sunday at 9:30 AM.  Mass is celebrated at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located as 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

The Church of the Holy Spirit meets every Sunday afternoon at 1:00 PM.  We worship at the beautiful and historic First Presbyterian Church near downtown Greenfield, Indiana, located at the corner of South and Pennsylvania Streets in Greenfield.

Join us for Mass as we listen to the Word of God found in the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Join us as we hear God speaking to us in His Word.  Our Lord also offers to each one of us His Most Precious Body and Blood at Communion time.  Receive the Precious Body and Blood to strengthen and nourish you for your daily journey.  And afterward, please join us for our Coffee Hour to have some delicious goodies and good fellowship.


Saturday, October 10, 2015

Sermon from Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity, 2015

The sermon of Fr. Todd given on Sunday, September 27th, 2015, the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.  Please click on the following link to hear Fr. Todd's sermon:


Join us for the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity, October 11th, 2015

In the epistle designated for the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity, we hear from St. Paul's fourth chapter of his Letter to the Ephesians. In the beginning of this chapter, St. Paul writes: "I therefore . . . beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called." (Ephesians 4:1) Those who are called to be Christians are called to be something truly noble. That may sound very lofty but it is true. This is because we are called to imitate "light" in a world of "darkness." This is not very easy at times. In fact, it's a pretty tall order if you ask me. But that being said, St. Paul goes on to give some pretty sound advice in this fourth chapter of Ephesians. In verse 31 of this chapter he writes: "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice." (Ephesians 4:31) Probably, I would dare say, this is the best advice of the whole chapter for us to keep in mind. I say this because we live in a fast paced world. I would say this is true for all of us. Whether we are working or retired; whether we live in cities or in towns; whether we are young or old. Just about everybody I know . . . . myself included . . . is constantly busy at doing this or doing that. Going to work. Going to doctor's appointments. Going shopping. Cleaning the house. Fixing the house. Doing yardwork. Picking up the kids. Going to games. The list goes on and on. And, unfortunately, for many of us . . . . again, myself included . . . . busy schedules oftentimes lead to stressful living. And stressful living can lead to short tempers and lack of patience with those around us. We get angry with the idiots that cut us off in traffic and almost cause a wreck. We get irritated with the people in front of us at the store who are holding up the checkout line by trying to use coupons that have been expired for five months. We get mad at people who may have a different opinion than we do. The list goes on and on. And while these things may seem insignificant in and of themselves, added all together these things have the potential to make our lives very stressful.

God does not mean for our lives to be filled with stress and anger and irritation. Quite frankly, when we get irritated with someone or something . . . . even if we are correct to be irritated . . . this irritation does not harm the other person; it harms us. The other person probably doesn't even know of our irritation and probably wouldn't care anyway even if they would know. The irritation and the anger and the bitterness is what builds up inside of us and harms us. Period. St. Paul is warning the church at Ephesus just like he is warning us two-thousand years later: be filled with things of God instead of things of the world. Fill yourself with the love of God so that you will not be filled with the anger and bitterness offered by the world. In a certain sense, we are similar to a pitcher or a glass or a box. If the container is filled with whatever objects we can think of and the contained is filled to the brim, we can not fit anything else in. Thus, remove the items from the container so that we can fill the other items in there. Thus, in that sense, how can we expect to fill ourselves with the love of God if we are already filled with anger and bitterness and hate? Conversely, how can anger and bitterness and hate fill us if we are already filled with the love of God?

Two opportunities to join us for Mass on Sunday, October 11th, 2015:

St. Margaret Church meets every Sunday morning at 9:30 AM at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

The Church of the Holy Spirit meets every Sunday afternoon at 1:00 PM. We worship at the beautiful and historic First Presbyterian Church near downtown Greenfield, Indiana, located at the corner of South and Pennsylvania Streets in Greenfield.

Join us as we listen to Holy Scripture, hear the Word of God preached, and receive Our Precious Lord in Holy Communion. A Coffee Hour follows Mass.



Monday, September 28, 2015

I Am The Bread of Life . . . . .

From all media reports, it seems that the first visit of Pope Francis to the United States seems to have been a huge success.  Everywhere you looked, Pope Francis was on television or in the newspapers or on social media.  People were talking about what the pope did and what he said and where he visited.  Now, full disclosure here:  I have seen Pope John Paul II multiple times, not only here in the United States but also at the Vatican.  In fact, I was blessed when I was a young seminarian in my first year of seminary . . . back in 1988, I believe .. . .  to actually attend Mass in the pope's private chapel in the Vatican with Pope John Paul II celebrating the Mass.  After Mass, all those attending had the opportunity to meet the pope.  So, that being said, I know very well the excitement of seeing the pope in person.  It is indeed very exciting and for most people throughout the world they will never get to experience the excitement first hand.  And, truth be known, probably most people who do get the chance to see the pope, for them it is a once in a lifetime experience.  So, I understand fully the excitement when you get the opportunity to see the pope in person and even up-close and personal.

Now, what really drove this home for me was the Mass in Philadelphia at the Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul when the pope celebrated Mass there.  I have been there many times myself and it is a beautiful, beautiful church.  What caused a little bit of commotion, so to speak, at this particular Mass, was a picture that was circulating on social media.  The picture showed Pope Francis at the altar, during the Mass, and on the other side where priests vested in their albs and chasubles concelebrating the Mass (in the Sanctuary) taking pictures of Pope Francis at the altar.  I will hesitate to criticize the priests who were taking the pictures while they were in the sanctuary during Mass.  Quite frankly, would I have done the same thing?  Honestly, I don't think that I would have but who knows?   Personally, I don't think snapping pictures on cameras or cell phones  was appropriate while they were in the sanctuary during the Mass but it is understandable, given the circumstances.

Now as stated above it is exciting to see or even meet someone famous such as the pope.  People go crazy over meeting all kinds of celebrities from movie stars to sports figures to important people.  I understand the feeling and I am sure it is part of our human condition.  But where all of this led me to thinking about something even more important.  If those priests . . . the ones pictured in the sanctuary . . . during Mass . ..  fully vested and concelebrating . . . if they found themselves so excited to be in the presence of Pope Francis as the main celebrant . . . . how must these same priests feel each time they celebrate Mass and are in the Presence of Our Blessed Saviour?  I mean, when you think about it, if we truly believe the words Our Lord stated:  "This is My Body . . . This is My Blood"  . . .  then we must always remember that we are in the Presence of Our Blessed Saviour each time we attend Mass.  Again, if you look at it that way, should we not all get excited to be the in Presence of Our Blessed Saviour each and every time we attend Mass?

Again, I am not condemning the priests mentioned above taking pictures . . . . unfortunately, it is a by-product of the age in which we live where everybody takes pictures of everything . . . . including "selfies."  But that being said, while it is exciting to be in the presence of a pope, isn't it exciting to be in the Presence of Our Blessed Saviour?  We are in His Presence every time we attend Mass.  We are in His Presence every time we pray to Him.  We are in His Presence every time we read Holy Scripture.  It seems to me we should put everything in perspective and realize that we are indeed in His Presence each time we do of the things mentioned above.  And if we do realize that we are in the Presence of God, it should cause us to be in awe and wonder that Our Blessed Saviour would be in our presence.  We have such a loving God that He comes to meet us but also waits for us to call on Him.  Let us get excited over our relationship with God and to praise His Holy Name for the gift of salvation He offers freely to each one of us.


Sunday, September 20, 2015

16th Sunday after Trinity, 2015

Listen to Fr. Todd's sermon for the 16th Sunday after Trinity given September 20th, 2015.

To hear the sermon, click on the following link:


Saturday, September 19, 2015

Join us for the 16th Sunday after Trinity, 2015

Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, Sunday, September 20th, 2015

I am sure that each one of us has had the occasion in our lifetime where we were overjoyed that someone dear to us made the point to visit us.  Perhaps out of the blue, someone quite dear to us made a unexpected visit to our home.  Maybe it was a family member who lives far away or an old classmate from school.  Maybe it was someone who you had know years and years ago but through time, unfortunately, you had lost contact.  I personally have had the good fortune of being contacted  and surprised via email by friends that were so dear to me but through time we had lost contact.  It was so wonderful to hear from them and to catch up on old times.  Of course, as a result it brings back many wonderful memories perhaps long forgotten.  So whether it is in person, via telephone or via email, when someone dear to us makes a point to visit us, it helps us to reflect on how special that person is that visited us but also how much we mean to that person as well.  Obviously, the person that contacted us would not have made the extra effort to contact us if they did not want to.  It makes us feel appreciated and loved, when someone makes a point to visit us or contact us.

In St. Luke's Seventh Chapter, the people from the city of Nain must have felt in awe of the visit that Our Blessed Saviour made to their city.  Upon entering the city, Our Lord witnessed the funeral procession of a young man being buried by a widow.   As St. Luke reminds us, Our Lord was moved with compassion and brought the young man back to life.  The people who witnessed this were certainly astounded, as we would all be, to witness such a miracle.  "And there came a fear on all:  . . . .  That God hath visited his people" (St. Luke 7:16)  The people of Nain . . . certainly the young man which was brought back to life and his mother, first of all . . .  were astounded as the miraculous sights they saw that day.  They were wise enough to realize that God had indeed visited their town that very day.  Similar to the people of Nain, we need to be able to recognize the miracles that God has done in our life.  We need to recognize the miracles that God has done for each one of us as well.   And once we recognize the fact that God has touched our lives in a whole host of ways, I am sure that we will be similarly astounded that "God hath visited His people."  God has visited us.  He has blessed us in ways that we never even imagined.  But it is the time to realize the many wonderful things that God has done in our life.  It is the time to realize that God has blessed us and to acknowledge the blessings and to acknowledge that God has visited His people and continues to visit His people.

St. Margaret Church celebrates Mass each and every Sunday at 9:30 AM.  Mass is celebrated at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located as 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Join us for Mass as we listen to the Word of God found in the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Join us as we hear God speaking to us in His Word.  Our Lord also offers to each one of us His Most Precious Body and Blood at Communion time.  Receive the Precious Body and Blood to strengthen and nourish you for your daily journey.  And afterward, please join us for our Coffee Hour to have some delicious goodies and good fellowship.


Sunday, September 13, 2015

Sermon from 15th Sunday after Trinity, 2015

The sermon of Fr. Todd given on Sunday, September 13, 2015, the 15th Sunday after Trinity.  Click on the following link to hear Fr. Todd's sermon:


Sermon from 14th Sunday after Trinity, 2015

The sermon of Fr. Todd Bragg given on Sunday, September 6th, 2015, the 14th Sunday after Trinity.  Click on the following link to hear Fr. Todd's sermon:


Friday, September 11, 2015

Join us on 15th Sunday after Trinity, 2015

Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity, Sunday, September 13th, 2015

It just so happens that I am writing this on the September 11th anniversary.  To look at the various pictures, to hear the sound bites, and to read about what happened on that fateful day fourteen years ago still affects me and brings back vivid memories of a tragic day that can never be erased by time or distance.  Surely, those in New York City; Washington, D.C.; and Pennsylvania were affected in a horrific way, but whether you were in California . . . or Texas . . . or Minnesota . . . or anywhere else for that matter, you were affected that day as well.  I can only speak for myself but I remember that tragic day like it was yesterday.  As events unfolded, I did not know the magnitude of the events as they were happening.  So many questions . . .  so few answers . . .  so many emotions . . . so many tears . . . September 11th, 2001 touched not only our nation, but the world quite frankly.    We truly were witness to the acts that evil men can accomplish to satisfy their hatred and anger.  The whole world was witness to pure evil on September 11th.   And as tragic as that fateful day was, in the days that followed we witnessed the heroism, courage, bravery, and fortitude of those affected.  We heard the stories of determination in the face of pure evil.  We heard the stories of bravery and courage in some of the darkest hours our country has ever seen.  And we also heard the stories of compassion coming from those who wanted to do their part to bring about healing to those were were hurt physically and hurting emotionally.

I can not help but also reflect on the lives of all those poor souls who died on that fearful day and the fact that for them September 11th was no different than any other day:  September 10th . ..  September 9th . ..  etc.   For the thousands and thousands that made their way to work that morning, I am sure that each and every one of them went through the same, exact motions that they had went through on a thousand days just like it:  wake up; take a shower; get dressed; get some breakfast; get some coffee; fight traffic; listen to the morning news; etc.  And yet despite the fact that the usual morning routine had been accomplished just like it had been thousands of mornings before this . . .. despite this fact, 9/11 would turn out to be a day like no other.  For some, sadly, it would be their last day.

  Our Blessed Saviour spoke the following words:  "Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on."  (St. Matthew 6:25).  I am sure that so many who died on that horrible day fourteen years ago were anxious about many things:  getting up on time; getting ready; finding the right outfit to wear; anxious about the morning rush hour; getting to work on time; getting the reports ready that needed to be accomplished; etc.  And so many of us today are still anxious about so many of these same things.  We get anxious about life in general.  And yet Our Blessed Saviour is telling us to not be anxious about what we shall eat . . . or what we shall drink . . . or what we shall wear . . .  or life in general.  None of us knows when our time is up.  None of us know what tomorrow brings.  None of us knows.  And so we need to live our life today.  Live life today.  So many of us are so worried about tomorrow, we miss out on today.  Don't let this be the case with your spiritual life.  Don't plan on having a spiritual life down the road or sometime in the future.  Have a relationship with God today.  Don't worry about your anxieties in regards to tomorrow.  Enjoy your blessings today.  "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself."  (St. Matthew 6:33-34)

Please join St. Margaret and Holy Spirit Churches on Sunday, September 13th, 2015.  Please note that there will be only one Mass celebrated on this day.  The members of Holy Spirit Parish in Greenfield will join the members of St. Margaret Church on Sunday, September 13th at 9:30 AM.  Mass is celebrated in the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Come join us as we worship Our Heavenly Father and listen to His Word found in the King James Version of the Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Join us as we gather together as God's family to dedicate this time to Him.  And, finally, gather with us as we receive the Most Precious Body and Blood of Jesus at Communion time to strengthen and nourish us.  


Monday, September 7, 2015

Christ, My Lord and My Saviour, and My Hope

I rarely watch television any longer.  One thing I refuse to watch, quite frankly, is the news.  Whether it is the local news or the network news, I have gotten out of the habit of watching the news for quite a while now.  Why is this, you might ask?  It is because I get depressed watching the news.  The local news is filled with shootings and crime and accidents and it is just depressing to see all of this negative stuff.  The network news is again filled with depressing things as stated above but the network news is even worse because it is agenda-driven and the media only shows you news items they want you to watch.  Or they slant stories a certain way in which they show the point they want you to see.  It is the same with the radio . . . . or the internet . . . or even with Facebook.  Everywhere you look, there is the potential to be flooded with negativity and negative stories.

Now, why do I point all of this out?  I do it because I think people do look at all of the negativity being thrown at them all the time and it does have an impact on people.  Look, I know just as well as anyone else how easy it is to be all caught up in negative stories and doom and gloom predictions that seem to come from every corner.  But the bottom line is that constantly reading all of this, . . .  constantly listening to all of this (either on the TV or on the radio),   . . . .  constantly looking at controversy after controversy on Facebook or other social media . . . . all of this barrage of negativity takes a toll on people eventually.

Death and war and crime and controversy have been with us basically as long as the world has been around.  And it will continue to exist in this old world of ours.  But for the dedicated, committed Christian, we are reminded that God is bigger than all the negativity that the world has to offer.  In the Old Testament Book of Deuteronomy, we hear the following:  "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord Thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." (Deuteronomy 31:6)  And then two verses later:  "And the Lord, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." (Deuteronomy 31:8)  Now, more than ever, Christians should plant these words of Scripture in their hearts, in their minds, in their souls.  Christ will be victorious and His Kingdom will prevail.  Christians are called to be hopeful and their mission is to spread this hope throughout the world.  The Church does this by giving testimony of Christ.  We can all give our testimony on what Christ means to us.  Christ is my Lord and Saviour.  He is the One Who died for me on the Cross.  He continues to be with me in my everyday struggles . . . . to guide me . . . to strengthen me . . . to lead me.   I need to let those around me know this fact and I can let people know by the words that come out of my mouth, by the actions I take on a daily basis, and the love I show towards others around me.

It is so easy to look at everything that is happening today and get depressed by the senseless murder, the hatred, the anger, etc.  And yet Christ is bigger than any of these things.  Christ endured hardship during His time on earth.  Christ endured the hatred and envy of others while He walked among us.  Christ endured grief, sorrow, pain, and death.  As human beings, we will endure all of these things as well during our lifetime.  But Christ overcame all of these things and rose to a new life!  He overcame death.  He overcame the world.  He overcame the bitterness and hatred of those who sought to destroy Him.  And with Our Lord's help, through His dying on the Cross, we will overcome all of these things as well one day.  This is what we should be focusing on rather than focusing on the latest controversy or evil that the world has to offer.   Our Lord's words have more meaning for our present age than ever before: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I given unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your hear be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (St. John 14:27)  Let Christ be your guiding light.  Let Him rule your life.  Do not conform to the dictates of the world.  Follow Our Blessed Saviour and always look towards Him in hope.


Saturday, September 5, 2015

Join us for Mass on Sunday, September 6th, 2015

Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, Sunday, September 6th, 2015

Giving Proper Thanks . . . .

In a strange, ironic twist the term "Thank You" is simultaneously one of the "most used" and "least used" terms we have.   On the one hand, think about how many times you say "Thank you" on a daily basis.  When you go to the store and buy something, for example,  you probably say "Thank you" to the cashier or clerk.  If you sneeze and if someone says "God bless you," I bet you respond "Thank you."  At your job, if a coworker and/or a customer gives you something that you ask for, I am sure you respond "Thank you."  I am sure that if we were to try to count how many times in a given day that we used the term "Thank you," I am pretty sure that we would utterly amazed how often we say that specific term:  "Thank you."  On the other hand, how often do we say "Thank you" for the things that we really ought to say "Thank you" for?  The prime example, of course is expressing proper thanks when we are given a gift.  Some people are incredible when it comes to sending out "Thank you" cards, for example, when they receive a gift.  Others, myself included, are not so good at this practice.  Whenever we receive something from someone, whether the item be great or small, we should always be in the practice to say two simple words:  "Thank you."  

As an aside, I am continually amazed when I am out in the public and I do not see someone put the practice of saying "Thank you" into use.  For example, have you ever gone into or perhaps come out of a store and you took the time to hold a door open for someone, and the person did not say "Thank you" or acknowledge you at all.  Even in traffic, have you ever let someone ahead of you that wanted to get over into your lane.  Often, the person will wave or acknowledge your kindness as a way to say "Thank you."  I notice big semi truck drivers will blink their flasher lights on and off as a way to say "Thank you."   What happens if someone does not "wave" or acknowledge your letting them ahead of you?  If you are anything like me, you mumble to yourself sarcastically, "You're welcome!"   The bottom line is we like to be thanked for what we do for people.  We like for people to acknowledge what we have done for them.  Whether it be a simple act of holding open a door or giving a gift to a loved one, it is only right to receive thanks for what we did.  

In the Seventeenth Chapter of St. Luke's Gospel, we hear the story of Our Blessed Lord  heal a group of ten lepers.  Now keep in mind that all ten men were healed but only one of them made the point to come back and properly thank God and acknowledge the healing that he had received.  "And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks" (St. Luke 17:11 ff)  But Our Lord pointed out that while this man did give proper thanks and acknowledgment for the healing that he had received, He went on to question where were the other nine???  You see, God likes to be acknowledged as well for the blessings that He bestows on His children.  Our Lord was happy to bestow blessings as we saw in today's passage with the healing of the ten lepers.  But on the other hand He showed disappointment when only one out of the ten came back to given proper thanks.  We should always make a point to give proper thanks to God for the blessings He has bestowed on each of us.  Very often, we do not take the time to thank God and acknowledge His blessings because we are too busy concentrating on what is wrong in our life.   

Two opportunities to hear Mass on Sunday, September 6th, 2015:

Join St. Margaret Anglican Church on Sunday, September 6th, 2015 at 9:30 AM as we celebrate Mass in the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Join the Anglican Church of the Holy Spirit on Sunday, September 6th, 2015 at 1:00 PM as we celebrate the 14th Sunday after Trinity.  Mass is celebrated at the beautiful, historic First Presbyterian Church in Greenfield, which is located at the corner of South and Pennsylvania streets near downtown Greenfield.  

Join us as we listen to the Word of God found in the King James Version of the Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Listen as God speaks to you directly.  Worship God by taking one hour out of your busy week and dedicate this hour to God.  Let God reward you by giving you His Precious Body and Blood at Communion time.  


Sermon from Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2015

Fr. Todd's sermon from the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity given on Sunday, August 30, 2015:


Saturday, August 29, 2015

Join us for Mass on Sunday, August 30, 2015

Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity, Sunday, August 30th, 2015

Everyone loves to get presents, don't they?  But have you ever noticed that it is even nicer to give a present to someone we love?  It might be for a special event such as a birthday or a graduation.  Or it might be for no reason at all.  The fun is in giving the item to our loved one and see the joy in their face as they open their gift.  I have had occasions where I have seen something that made me think of the other person and I just HAD to buy it for that other person.  And then I can't wait to give it to them because I just knew how much they would love it.  You can tell when someone loves their gift, can't you?  You can see it in their expression, in their face, you can hear it in their words, you can feel their excitement.

In the Tenth Chapter of St. Luke's Gospel, St. Luke reminds us that Our Lord is speaking privately to His disciples when He tells them:  "BLESSED are the eyes which see the things that ye see: for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them" (St. Luke 10:23)  In essence, Our Blessed Saviour is telling the disciples of the wonderful gift that has bestowed on them:  that they have seen the long awaited Messiah with their own eyes.  As Our Lord stated, prophets, kings, people from all stations of life have been praying for the day in which they see the Messiah but they now see Him with their own eyes.  "Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see!"   Our Lord could be saying that very statement to us as well.  Our eyes are blessed to have seen what we have seen.  You see, we have witnessed God at work in our own lives.  We have seen the blessings He has bestowed on us throughout our entire life.  We have been witness to God's love being bestowed on us on a daily basis.

Sometimes we don't appreciate what we have.  That old saying goes something like:  "You don't appreciate what you have until you lose it" or something along those lines.  Sometimes we have been given a gift that we don't fully appreciate.  When it comes to things of God, I don't think it is the case that we do not appreciate the blessings.  In my opinion, I think it would be more accurate to say that our attention is focused on other worldly things such as possessions and material things.  We get distracted by the things of the world, in other words.   We get too caught up in our ways of the world and leave God behind.  It's almost as if we leave God wrapped up in a nice box and keep Him up on the shelf just in case we need Him.  But Jesus is telling the disciples and He is reminding us as well:  "Blessed are the eyes which see those things that ye see!"  Make a point to see the ways in which God has worked in your life.  Make a point to search for God.  Make a point to consider carefully all the ways in which God has blessed you throughout your life.  We have been blessed by God in more ways than we will ever know.  But until we make a point to acknowledge those blessings, those blessings that God has given us will continue to be unnoticed and/or unappreciated.

Please consider joining us for Mass.  Come hear the Word of God found in the King James Version of the Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Consider setting aside an hour of your week where you can dedicate that time solely to God.  Come hear the Word of God.  Listen to God speaking to you directly and hear what He has to say for YOU!  Receive the Precious Body and Blood at Communion time to be strengthened and nourished for your journey!

Two opportunities to hear Mass on Sunday, August 30th, 2015:

St. Margaret of Scotland Anglican Church worships each and every Sunday at 9:30 AM.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

The Anglican Church of the Holy Spirit worships every Sunday at 1:00 PM.  We worship in the beautiful, historic First Presbyterian Church, located at 116 W. South Street, at the corner of South and Pennsylvania, in Greenfield, Indiana.


Saturday, August 22, 2015

Sermon for Assumption, 2015



The sermon of Fr. Todd given on the Feast of the Assumption (Transferred), delivered on Sunday, August 16th, 2015

Sermon for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity, 2015


The sermon of Fr. Todd delivered on Sunday, August 9th, 2015, the Tenth Sunday after Trinity.

Join us for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity

Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, Sunday, August 23rd, 2015

Humility is a very good thing.  I have learned that lesson (and re-learned it!) the hard way.  Very often it seems that when my head gets too big  . .  .  and I get full of myself . . .  . without fail, it seems at that point that I do something stupid and I get knocked back down to earth.  Perhaps that has happened to you a time or two.  And at that point, we just stand there and shake our head and say to ourselves:  "why in the world did I do that?"  There is nothing wrong with being confidant in ourselves or in our ability.  There is nothing wrong with even being proud of what we have done or what we have accomplished in life.  But as with everything, even this must be done with moderation, number one, and for the Christian, an understanding where our strength comes from.  St. Paul wrote in the Second Letter to the Corinthians:  "not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves"  And then he goes on to emphasize the point:  " . .. . but our sufficiency is of God. . . ." (2 Corinthians 3:4)   St. Paul wanted to remind the Church at Corinth that if we have riches, it is because God provided those riches;  if we have abilities or strengths or skills, it is only because God has provided each one of us with what we are good at; if we have a roof over our head and food on our table every day, it is because God provides.  Our Heavenly Father provides for all of His children.  Those who are practicing, committed Christians acknowledge this fact.  But, quite frankly,  sometimes we forget or over look that fact.  You see, it's difficult sometimes for us to always acknowledge God as we should because, quite frankly, we get all caught up in our busy schedules, our busy life styles.  This is why I always emphasize that relationships take effort.  You have to work at a relationship.  In a relationship, we have to make time for our loved ones.  In a relationship, we have to make time for those we love.  We have to make a point to show love to those whom we love.  This is true of our relationship with God as well.  We have to make a point to acknowledge the gifts that God have bestowed upon us; we have to show God and tell God how much we love Him; and, finally, we have to spend time with God every day.  Many of us have the tendency to only go to God when we need help with something.  Make a point to go to God every day.  Speak to God every day.  Tell God how much you love Him every day.  And, finally, take a lesson from St. Paul and never forget that our sufficiency is of God.  Acknowledge the fact that everything we have:  our life; our knowledge; our strengths; our health; our possessions . . . .  everything we have is made possible by our Heavenly Father.  Give Him thanks and show Him love on a daily basis.

There are two opportunities to hear Mass on Sunday, August 23rd, 2015:

St. Margaret of Scotland Anglican Church meets every Sunday morning at 9:30 AM. We celebrate Mass at the beautiful Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

The Anglican Church of the Holy Spirit meets every Sunday  at 1:00 PM.  We celebrate Mass at the beautiful, historic First Presbyterian Church, which is located at 116 South Street, the corner of Pennsylvania and South Streets in Greenfield, Indiana.  

Join us for Mass as we gather together to worship Our Heavenly Father.  Join us as we listen to the Word of God found in the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Join us as we hear God speaking to each one of us.  And, finally, join us as we receive the Precious Body and Blood of Christ at Communion time.