Bishop David Epps’ sermon, A God Moment in a New York Airport, is now available at the Mid-South Diocese Media Center. To listen to or download sermon, go to www.midsouthdiocese.org.
From time to time, we will introduce to you the members of the clergy and other leaders from around the Diocese of the Mid-South. It is our pleasure to introduce you to The Rev’d Deacon Kerry Wells, who serves at St. Andrew’s Church in Covington, Georgia.
Raised in nearby Mansfield Georgia where, as a youth, Deacon Kerry attended Mansfield Baptist Church. It was at Mansfield Baptist Church that he was born again at age 13. At age 20, Deacon Kerry was called into the ministry. He enrolled at Evangel Bible College in Spartanburg, South Carolina and was also accepted into The Master’s Commission Program. Master’s Commission proved to be a very practical, hands-on, servanthood ministry program that offered Deacon Kerry a wide range of ministry experience. In 1991, Deacon Kerry graduated from Evangel Bible College. After graduation Deacon Kerry served in various capacities at his home church, New Covenant Community Church in Covington, Georgia. In 2000, when his pastor, Archdeacon Randall Allen, and congregation felt led to enter the Charismatic Episcopal Church, Deacon Kerry worked diligently to support his pastor and help the congregation make the transition. In January of 2003, Deacon Kerry was ordained to the diaconate where he has served as Archdeacon Randall’s right-hand man ever since.
In addition to being an excellent preacher with a very pastoral heart, Deacon Kerry is also active in his local community. For the last sixteen years, he has served as part of the Jail Ministry which ministers to the inmates of the Newton County Detention Center. Vocationally, Deacon Kerry is employed at Clarion Metals Corporation.
Pastors get some of the most interesting questions from people they meet and people in their congregations. Here are questions that I’ve gotten over the years and for this column.
DEAR FATHER PAUL: Can gay people be Christians? Bob
DEAR BOB: This is a huge issue in our culture and in the church in 2009. Several entire denominations have either split apart over this issue or are now in the process of splitting apart. How sad. Over my years of ministry I have tried to base my answer to any question I might receive as a pastor NOT on “what I might think,” but on what God’s word, the Bible says. The answer to practically any question we might have about how to live good lives is found in the Bible. The Bible is the “standard…the rule of faith,” for Christians, and the Bible clearly and unmistakably condemns homosexual acts as sin against God in over a dozen places in both the Old and New Testaments.
Article by Bishop David Epps
In some parts of the Church world, the “saints” are those men and women whose lives are so exemplary and in whom such love and grace was manifest that, after their death, they were declared to be “saints,” worthy of veneration and imitation. In the Scriptures, however, the “saints” are all of those who have been reconciled to God through His Son, Jesus Christ. As one eastern Tennessee church member said to me long ago, “You either are or you either ain’t a saint. There ain’t no in-between.”
On November 1, or the Sunday nearest to that date, our congregation commemorates All Saint’s Day, but, in our services, it has a unique flavor. We are a relatively new congregation, just thirteen years old. When we experienced a death in our church for the first time, it had an impact. Over the years, we have lost people to illness, the aging process, tragic circumstances, and accidents. We have lost people in their 90’s all the way down to newborns and most ages in between.
Bishop David Epps and Denise Landon
Denise Landon, Senoia, GA, was recently recognized by the congregation of the Cathedral of Christ the King in Sharpsburg, GA. Ms Landon recently graduated from Penn Foster High School. The daughter of Army Chaplain Major Jonathan and Rebeka Landon, Denise intends to continue her education at West Georgia Technical College and become a dental hygienist. While attending Penn Foster, Ms. Landon worked in the family embroidery business and in the deli-bakery section of a major supermarket. She is a member of the worship ministry at The Cathedral. Bishop David Epps presented a graduation gift of a leather bound edition of the Book of Common Prayer.
- Bishop John Holloway, Christmas 2008
Article by Jacob Holloway originally posted at www.hollowayfamily.wordpress.com.
As many of you know, our home was foreclosed on almost two weeks ago. After much prayer and counsel, it was decided that saving the home was not a viable long-term solution and that we should begin looking for alternative housing. The sale date for the property is presently set at December 1, 2009. We have about 4 weeks, give or take, to find another house and move. We have attempted to negotiate a later sell date with the lender and have thus far been unsuccessful. (Note: Canon Paul Massey also attempted to renegotiate the date and was unsuccessful– + David Epps)
Asking the question, “Does God show up when you pray?,” the Diocese of the Mid-South conducted an “Authority in Prayer” seminar attracting people from several churches in the diocese and drawing from the surrounding community. Judy Massey, who received her Doctor of Ministry from Regent University served as the instructor and facilitator. Dr Massey said, “God wants us to pray with power and purpose so we can make His Kingdom visible on earth. In order to do that we have to pray authoritatively.” Topics included Levels of Spiritual Authority, Kinds of Intercessors, Prophetic Prayer Actions, and also featured times of praise and worship, intercession, small group prayer, and prophetic ministry. The “Authority in Prayer Workshop” was an offering of the Mid-South Diocese’s Division of Diocesan Ministry Development which seeks to equip the Ministry of the Laity in the local church and in the Diocese.
The seminar was held at The Cathedral of Christ the King in Sharpsburg, GA. Additional photos of the workshop are available by clicking Authority in Prayer Workshop.
