Third Sunday after Trinity, 2015

The sermon of Fr. Todd Bragg given on the Third Sunday after Trinity, Sunday, June 21,2015.

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

Join us for Mass on the Fourth Sunday after Trinity, June 28, 2015

Being a Christian is not an easy job by any stretch of the imagination.  Come to think of it, being a human being is not an easy thing either.  Having to make decisions that affect your own life.  Having to make decisions that affect others . . . . for example, if you are a parent or the owner of a company.  Having to do things that you would prefer not to do but have to be done . . .  cutting the grass comes to mind or paying bills.  Having to juggle various roles all at the same time . . .   going to work . . . taking care of your home . . .  being a parent . . .  being a child . . . . paying bills . . . doing chores . . .  etc. The point being is that life is busy . . . at least it is for me . . . and life is full of difficulties and challenges . . .  again, at least it is for me.  But as I look around on social media and in the news and listening to people's conversations, it seems that people must have a whole lot of free time that they don't know what to do with.  It used to be that if you held a different belief than me, I might not have agreed with you but it amounted to nothing more than that:  a difference of opinion.  Period.  End of story.  I might not like your choice or I might not like your belief but on the other hand you might not be too fond of something about me either.  But we just left it at that.  And, more importantly, we left it alone.  You had your belief.  I had my belief. Period.  Today, people get into all kinds of arguments and criticisms of one another if they do not agree and support the other person one hundred and twenty percent.

In St. Luke's Gospel, Our Lord said:  " BE ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful."  (St. Luke 6:36)  But then He goes on to say in the following verse:  "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven."   (v.37)  It is that last part that we should be most concerned with . . . ". .  . forgive, and ye shall be forgiven."   I have long said that we tend to be so focused on the wrong-doing in others lives, if for no other reason, it takes the focus off of our wrong doing.  If I focus on someone else and where they are wrong in their life, it means that I have less time to focus on what is wrong in my own life.    A few verses later, Our Lord states in Verse 41:  "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"  Why am I so concerned about the speck that I see in my brother's eye when I am totally oblivious to the plank in my own eye?!?  The bottom line is this:  Don't be too quick to criticize someone else because your backyard probably needs a little sprucing up as well.  You don't have to be in complete agreement with someone in order to be civil and loving to that person.  Our Lord stated that we need to "love one another"  He did not say that we need to "agree with one another."  And finally,  show a little mercy and compassion to those around you.  Do not be so quick to condemn someone who does not agree with you.  That person may not agree with you either on other subjects.  The bottom line is that each one of us needs to be concerned if we agree with God.   I should be LESS concerned about making MY own voice heard  . . . and be MORE concerned about making GOD'S voice heard in my life and the way in which I treat others around me.

You have two opportunities to join us for Mass this weekend:

St. Margaret Anglican 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 Anglican Church of the Holy Spirit meets every Sunday afternoon at 1:00 PM at the beautiful First Presbyterian Church, located at 116 W. South Street, at the corner of South and Pennsylvania 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.  Join us as we worship Our Heavenly Father as His family here on earth.  Come receive the Most Precious Body and Blood of Our Blessed Saviour at Communion time so that you can be nourished and fortified for the week ahead.

Second Sunday after Trinity, 2015

The sermon of Fr. Todd given on Sunday, June 14th, 2015, the Second Sunday after Trinity.

Please click on the following link to hear Fr. Todd's sermon:

Join us for Mass on the Third Sunday After Trinity, June 21, 2015

You have to wonder about people sometimes.  Quite frankly, you have to wonder about this old world sometimes.  You sometimes hear questions from people as to why evil goes on in the world.  These people  don't understand why "bad things happen to good people."  In a certain sense, this is a fair enough question.  Theologians along with great thinkers throughout history have been asking this same question basically since the world began.  Why do bad things happen at all?  And then many people start placing the blame on God at least indirectly when they ask:  why did God "allow" this to happen?  Why didn't He stop it?  Again, in times of tragedy, such as we witnessed as a nation this week in regards to the horrible church shooting in South Carolina this week, it is easy to question why evil was permitted to happen.  Or why did a one year old little girl die, in a totally separate incident, in a different state, due allegedly to neglect and/or abuse from her parents?  Or why would a young woman be diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and have to spend her time doing chemotherapy and fighting her cancer?  She should have been spending her time taking classes and enjoying time with friends and doing the things that young people typically do instead of going in and out of hospitals and doctors offices.  Instead, her family had to watch her suffer through a terrible disease which she did not choose to have in the first place.  Why did any of these examples, and a whole host of others that we could come up with, happen in the first place?  

If we turn to the First Epistle of St. Peter, we hear the following:  "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: . .   " (I St. Peter 5:5 ff)  Let's be clear.  The devil is indeed prowling throughout the world causing as much mischief as he can.  The devil does certainly plant seeds in our minds, hearts and souls with evil intent.  He misleads us and he lies to us. He plants foundations of confusion in our minds so that we will not see the truth but see things how he wants us to see them.  But we need to take St. Peter's advice and be "vigilant" and be "sober" . . . . in other words, pay attention! . . . be on guard! . . . . the devil wants to devour us . . . the world wants to devour us . . . . .  . evil wants to devour us!  All the more reason to stay close to God.  Get to know God on a personal level.  Make Him your best friend.  Make Him your personal adviser.  Let God be your instructor in life.  You see, so many people today let Satan instruct them and they don't even realize it.  What happens when there is a void?  Typically, something comes in to fill up that void.  This is what happens when we do not have God in our life.  We have a void when we do not have God in our life and that void is filled with all kinds of things:  evil thoughts and misinformation and hatred and jealousy  .  . .  . . Fill your hearts with God and there will be no room for hatred!  Fill your mind with things of God and there will be no opportunity for the devil to fill it with thoughts of mischief.  Fill your soul with Christ and you will never go wrong.   Give your heart to God and the devil will never have the opportunity to take it!

Two opportunities to join us for Mass this weekend:

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

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

Come worship with us and spend a quality hour in worship of God, set apart from the busyness of the world.  Listen to the Word of God found in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer and the King James Version of the Bible.  Receive the Precious Body and Blood at Communion time.  And then after Mass, stick around for some delicious goodies at our coffee hour.

Corpus Christi, 2015

The sermon of Fr. Todd Bragg given on June 7th, 2015, the Feast of Corpus Christi (transferred).  Please click on the following link to hear the sermon:  

Trinity Sunday, 2015

The sermon of Fr. Todd given on May 31st, 2015,  Trinity Sunday.  Please click on following link to hear the sermon:

Whitsunday, (Pentecost) 2015

The sermon of Fr. Todd given on May 24th, 2015, Whitsunday (Pentecost).  Please click on the following link to hear the sermon:

Sunday after Ascension, 2015

The sermon of Fr. Todd given on Sunday, May 17th, 2015, the Sunday after Ascension.  Please click on the following link to hear the sermon:

Sermon for Fifth Sunday after Easter, 2015

Sermon of Fr. Todd given on May 10th, 2015, the Fifth Sunday after Easter.  Please click on the following link to hear the sermon:

Join us for Second Sunday after Trinity, June 14th, 2015

Have you ever met a person that believed so strongly in a brand name, that they used that brand name and nothing else? Maybe a person you know will only drink one brand of beer, for example. Or perhaps another person will only use one brand of toilet paper. Or will only purchase one make of automobile. Or one brand of tool. The list goes on and on. Maybe we are that person when it comes to certain items. In the society in which we live, so many people "believe" in products, and brand names, and celebrities, and sports figures, and politicians, and agendas . . . . Again, the list goes on and on as to what people "believe" in. In the First Epistle of St. John, we are reminded of the commandment: "That we should believe on the Name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment." (I St. John 3:23) St. John reminds us that we are commanded to believe on the Name of Our Blessed Saviour. So many things that we "believe" on will ultimately fail us: whether they be consumer products that we buy. Or politicians that make endless promises that they can never keep. Even people that we know and love will disappoint us every now and then. But when it comes to Our Blessed Saviour, He will never disappoint us. . . . He will never fail us . . . He will never leave us. And out of this belief will come love. I have heard it said that the more you hang around with someone the more you will become like that person. I believe this is true for the most part. Don't children learn from their parents? Thus, children pick up traits and habits of their parents? To a certain degree, don't we become like our spouse? Picking up habits or expressions or likes and dislikes? The same is true for Our Blessed Saviour. The more time we spend with Him, the more we will become just like Him. And if you had to pick just one word to describe Our Blessed Saviour, I am sure the perfect word would be: L-O-V-E.

Take time out of your busy schedule to spend time with God. Dedicate one hour to be with Him. We dedicate time out of every day to: sleeping; eating; working; relaxation. Let us take one hour out of a busy week and dedicate it solely to God. Join us for Mass as we hear the Word of God found in the King James Version of the Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. Join us as we worship Our Blessed Saviour as God's family in traditional worship. Join us as we receive the Precious Body and Blood at Communion time so that we can be nourished and sustained for the week ahead.

There are two opportunities to join us for Mass on Sunday, June 14th, 2015:

St. Margaret of Scotland Anglican Church worships at the 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 on Sunday morning.

The Anglican Church of the Holy Spirit worships at the beautiful, historic First Presbyterian Church, which is located at the corner of South and Pennsylvania Streets in Greenfield, Indiana. Mass begins at 1:00 PM on Sunday afternoon.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus!

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

I want to see Jesus, I want to be with Jesus

I want to see Jesus, I want to be with Jesus

Join us on June 7 for the Feast of Corpus Christi . . .

Corpus Christi (Transferred), Sunday, June 7, 2015

In the First Epistle to the Corinthians 11:23, we hear:  "I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you . . . .  ."  Maybe you have done a "Pay It Forward" or at least have heard of it.  This is where someone who has been blessed and wants to "share" their blessing blesses someone else.  For example, in "Paying It Forward," you may have someone at the drive-through window not only pay for their food but will tell the cashier that they want to to pay for the car behind them as well.  The idea is to bless others as you have been blessed.  It makes me think of the quote from today's epistle to the Corinthians:  " I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you. . . . . "  God has blessed each and everyone of us.  In fact, God has blessed us in ways that we are not even aware of.  He has blessed us with life, first and foremost.  He has blessed us with health.  He has blessed us with knowledge and know-how.  He has blessed us with a roof over our head and food on our table.  Sure, there are "road-bumps" which all of us hit every now and then.  But that is what we call "life."  But the point is that God has provided for us.  God has watched over us.  And even in the times where we seemed to be at our lowest, God was there with us.  Being a Christian is acknowledging this fact.  Being a Christian is facing the fact that we can not go it alone.  We need God.  We have done nothing to earn His love for us.  And, yet, He loves us freely and gives to us freely.  

The best parents are not the ones that buy the most expensive "toys" or "trinkets" for their children.  The best parents are the ones that are there for their children, in the good times and bad.  The best parents are the ones that share of themselves with their children . . . . they share time with their children . . . . these parents do not rely solely on sharing "objects" or "things" with their children . . .  . they share of themselves.  This is what God does with us.  He shares of Himself.  This is especially true each and every time we gather for Mass.  God shares His Most Precious Body and Blood . . . . He gives us of Himself to nourish us . . . to strengthen us ..  . . to fortify us.  And this is the lesson He teaches us how to act with others:  to give unto others what has been given unto us.  

Come celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi with us on Sunday, June 7, 2015.  

St. Margaret of Scotland Anglican Church gathers for Mass every Sunday morning at 9:30 AM.  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.

Join us as we listen to the Word of God found in the beautiful King James Version of the Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Come worship God in a beautiful, traditional worship where not only does God feed you through His Word but He also feeds you at Communion time through His Most Precious Body and Blood.  Take an hour out of your week and dedicate that hour solely to God.  God, Who has given you so much, certainly deserves at least an hour out of your week, doesn't He?