Robin Gailey, Kathleen, Norma Jesus, Jonathan, Mike, Erik, and Peter Gailey. Photo by Amy Krupka.

While they are away concentrating on their studies, it is important for students to know that they have a church home that cares about them. The boxes were overflowing with snacks and homemade treats, as well as personal notes from Jonathan Hunnicutt (Adult Discipleship Minister), the Youth staff and their parents.

The Goods!

It’s a classic “I Love Lucy” – Lucy and Ethel stomping grapes in a vineyard. That particular episode came to mind last week as I was reading from Oswald Chambers’ devotion book, My Utmost for his Highest. Chambers speaks of the disciples of Jesus as being broken bread and poured out wine in the hands of God.

There likely are moments when we feel there’s no wine to squeeze out of the “grape” that is our life. Who among us has not experienced times where we were “hard pressed?” And yet as I look back on some of those times in my own life I see that God has given strength, courage, faith and hope to persevere. No way would I have chosen those hard-pressed seasons! Nevertheless, God has used it all; nothing has been wasted. All is redeemed. When we are abiding in the vine – remaining in Christ – we can have hope, we can be set free from fear and be at peace and we can rest in the all-sufficient grace of God.

Jesus speaks to his disciples in John 16:33 – I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. Jesus has overcome the grave and he has overcome all the things that are “death” in our lives – broken relationships, lost jobs, crisis, serious illness and injury, impossible circumstances. No matter what you are facing, Jesus willingly gives all we need to overcome so that his life may be revealed in us.

If you are experiencing trials and hardships, I encourage you to be firmly rooted in Christ. Spend time in scripture and in prayer. Be in community – connect with a small group, reach out to your TLC minister and/or our Christ Church clergy.

May we be broken bread and poured out wine – for Jesus’ sake. May Christ be revealed in every one of us and in his body that is Christ Church Plano.

Paul talks about clothing, but from a totally different standpoint. I’ve been working to memorize the first 17 verses of Colossians 3 and a few of the verses have grabbed hold of me and taken root.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

I recently attended a spiritual formation conference in San Antonio. As I listened to one of the main speakers and as I ran into him briefly in the conference hotel lobby, God put flesh on this idea of a different kind of clothing. There was nothing physically impressive about the guy—late 60s, slightly hunched over, a little bit of a shuffle in his walk. But what an impact he made! He was a living example of what being “clothed with Christ” look like (Romans 13:14.) He’s a very famous guy—author, teacher, speaker, pastor. But I encountered a man clothed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and love. There are faces that flash before me of people in our Christ Church congregation who are like this: a woman clothed with gentleness, a man who wears humility as he looks to the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4), another who seems continually clothed with compassion. As I think back to my high school friend, Kim, I recognize that it was not his counter-cultural wardrobe that endeared him to me; it was the character with which he was clothed. He, too, wore compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. They were not things he took on and off; they were part of his character, part of his identity in Christ.

The Holy Spirit empowers us to live as Christ, to be clothed with his character, his virtues, and to put on love. I pray that we would all receive the fullness of the gift of God’s grace and that the “clothing” we wear each day would include compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and love.

“One need not be an Anglican very long to learn that most Americans, even Christians, are clueless about what the Anglican Church is or what it means to be an Anglican.  In my travels about Anglican Mission, I find that even Anglicans are confused; this can prove particularly distressing when I’m about to confirm someone who cannot articulate what an Anglican is.  Therefore, I am delighted to discover Confirmed Anglicanism, an invaluable teaching tool that clearly describes the highlights of Anglicanism, showcasing the riches of our spiritual heritage.  The teachings by Roseberry and Kerley, punctuated by wit and vivid word-pictures, are concise, informative and edifying.  I commend this series to all Anglicans, especially those teaching a class on confirmation and those preparing to be confirmed.”
The Rt. Rev. E. John Miller, III
The Anglican Mission in the Americas
Prince of Peace Church, Melbourne, FL

What is Anglicanism? What does it mean to be confirmed in the Anglican Way?

Fr. David Roseberry and Fr. Clint Kerley address these and other questions in this four-part, two-disc DVD video, Confirmed Anglicanism.

Explore the richness of Anglican heritage and learn more about the Anglican stream of Christianity.

Disc 1

• Overview / One Globe [27:23]
• Two Lenses [28:26]

Disc 2

• Three Sources / Four Sides [37:23]
• Five Keys [29:41]

Visit The Bookstore to pick up your copy of this informative video, or contact Access Video Audio at 214-291-5032.

Cost: $20 (plus shipping & tax if applicable)
Credit cards are accepted in The Bookstore, but not for mail orders. Please send check for mail orders.
Make payable to: Christ Church Plano
Mail to: Access Video Audio, c/o Christ Church Plano, 4550 Legacy Drive, Plano, TX 75024

Thank you.

Related…

The Rev. Jed Roseberry

Ordained in 2005, Fr. Jed Roseberry served as curate at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Dallas and in 2007 joined the staff of Christ Church Plano as a parish minister with the goal of eventually planting a new church. Fr. David Roseberry, rector of Christ Church Plano, said, “This is a proud and blessed day for us all…for Jed and his wife, Stacy, for the Anglican family of churches, and most importantly for the kingdom of God. I look forward to seeing where the Lord leads his ministry and am thankful that he will have the benefit of Fr. Ron McCrary’s rich experience as he takes his first steps.”

Fr. Ron McCrary, the former longtime rector of Christ Church-Overland Park, Kansas, added, “Our Anglican witness in North America is dependent upon young, visionary church planters like Fr. Jed who are bold and faithful to God’s call on their lives. I am thankful for the tremendous opportunity to work with Fr. Jed as he begins to discern the mission and path for his new church.”

Fr. Jed grew up in and around Christ Church Plano. He said, “Christ Church has taught me over the years what it takes to build a passionate, Christ-centered, Biblically orthodox, mission-hearted church body that can be mobilized to change the lives of others around them. This church plant is an opportunity to extend the values that have shaped Christ Church to reach out and meet a need in the Dallas area.”

Partnering with AIM Church Planting, Fr. Jed will begin this June assembling a launch team and holding some information meetings and worship gatherings around the Addison/North Dallas area.

In 24 years of ministry, Christ Church Plano has planted two other churches in the suburbs of Dallas: Faith Church in Plano and St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Frisco. Fr. Jed’s new venture will be the second Texas church plant assist by AIM Church Planting, the first being Hope Mission Church in Austin.