TWO NEW CHURCHES BEING PLANTED FROM HOLY APOSTLES

1. The Church of Christ the Savior has been established in the West Jackson area. Father Art and a number of local African nationals have banded together to found and incorporate this new congregation. As they minister to the Africans working and studying in the Jackson area, they are also ministering with and to the African-American population of West Jackson.

2. The Rev. Rip and Susan Hoxie have established Siloam Ministries in Vicksburg. The Hoxies "new" 150-year-old home near downtown Vicksburg is home base to this ministry for healing. A chapter of the Order of St. Luke is being formed by them to facilitate this work.

To put it simply, ordination is a call to death. In the Old Testament, worshipers laid a hand on an animal just before they slaughtered it for sacrifice. Israel laid hands on the Levites to stand in the place of the people around the tabernacle, and in that capacity they served as a boundary between the Holy God enthroned in the tabernacle and the sinful people in the camp. Ordination puts you in danger; ordination is always a call to death.

[...] You are called to die by giving your life and time and energies to serving the people of the congregation you are called to. Every Christian is called to die to himself, but ordination is a specification of baptism that calls you in a particular way to follow Jesus the Good Shepherd in laying down your life for the sheep. Ordination confers authority and privilege; but that privilege and authority are cruciform or they are nothing.

The goal is to have all the members of each parish to develop a sense of responsibility for all who live within the bounds of the parish—seeing all the members of the community/neighborhood as under the oversight of the church. Those who are members of other churches are our brothers and we will seek to assist them as there is need and opportunity. But even those who are unbelievers should be viewed as "sojourners" in our midst and we are to have compassion and concern for them....

Our care for the members of the parish who are not members of our particular church could consist of neighborly evangelism, Bible studies, including them in our public celebrations, providing other services as needed, joining in community service projects as well as initiating various ministries in the community.

I have a dream that one day, right down in Georgia and Mississippi and Alabama, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to live together as brothers. I have a dream this afternoon that one day, [applause] one day little white children and little Negro children will be able to join hands as brothers and sisters. [...] Yes, I have a dream this afternoon that one day in this land the words of Amos will become real and "justice will roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."

At Gibeon, Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask what I should give you." And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now, O Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?" It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you. If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life." Then Solomon awoke; it had been a dream. He came to Jerusalem where he stood before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. He offered up burnt offerings and offerings of well-being, and provided a feast for all his servants.