WebmasterTJ - EIGHTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT https://8thdistrictcme.com Christian Methodist Episcopal Church Sun, 25 Oct 2026 13:08:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 https://8thdistrictcme.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/8thlogo-1-100x100.webp WebmasterTJ - EIGHTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT https://8thdistrictcme.com 32 32 205857886 Virtual Fall Accounting Meeting https://8thdistrictcme.com/virtual-fall-accounting-meeting/ Tue, 20 Oct 2026 21:48:38 +0000 https://8thdistrictcme.com/?p=22756 Register Now Join Bishop Denise Anders-Modest and the Eighth Episcopal District for our upcoming Virtual Fall Accounting Meeting!  Dates: December 11–12, 2026  Registration Rates: Early Bird: $75 per person (through November 28, 2026) Regular: $100 per person (November 29 – December 12, 2026) Make sure to register early to secure the discounted rate! We look forward to gathering online for this informative time […]

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Register Now

Join Bishop Denise Anders-Modest and the Eighth Episcopal District for our upcoming Virtual Fall Accounting Meeting!

 Dates: December 11–12, 2026

 Registration Rates:

  • Early Bird: $75 per person (through November 28, 2026)

  • Regular: $100 per person (November 29 – December 12, 2026)

Make sure to register early to secure the discounted rate! We look forward to gathering online for this informative time together.

  • We will wear our (And He Will) t-shirts on Saturday, order them here✨
  • Once your registration is paid and confirmed, you will receive your unique Zoom meeting link via email.

 WAYS TO PAY YOUR REGISTER

1-REGISTER ONLINE  here 

2-MAIL REGISTRATION TO:  Eighth Episcopal District – P. O. Box 398017 – Dallas, Texas  75339;

DO NOT MAIL AFTER NOVEMBER 17, 2026:  after that date, pay online.

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From The Desk of Bishop Anders-Modest https://8thdistrictcme.com/from-the-desk-of-bishop-anders-modest/ Wed, 19 Aug 2026 16:43:39 +0000 https://8thdistrictcme.com/?p=21167 EIGHTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT 1616 E. Illinois Ave ~ Dallas, Texas 75216-2838 (214) 372-9073 Office | (214) 372-2082 Fax Bishop Denise Anders-Modest, Presiding Prelate August 18, 2026 Grace and Greetings! As we move forward together in this new season of ministry, I am excited to call the Eighth Episcopal District together for our Bishop’s Vision Casting […]

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EIGHTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT

1616 E. Illinois Ave ~ Dallas, Texas 75216-2838
(214) 372-9073 Office | (214) 372-2082 Fax
Bishop Denise Anders-Modest, Presiding Prelate

August 18, 2026

Grace and Greetings!

As we move forward together in this new season of ministry, I am excited to call the Eighth Episcopal District together for our Bishop’s Vision Casting Meeting on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at Christian Chapel Temple of Faith, 14120 Noel Road, Dallas, Texas 75254. The Rev. Freeman McKindra II is the host pastor.

This meeting is an important opportunity for us to gather as one Episcopal District, hear the vision for the work before us, strengthen our connection, and prepare ourselves to serve faithfully and effectively. Rev. Kaylan Walker, Episcopal Director of Spiritual Formation/Leadership Development, will serve as one of our presenters.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN

I am asking everyone who plans to attend to register in advance. There is no registration fee. Registration is being requested so that we can properly prepare for your arrival and ensure that our planning reflects the number of clergy and laity who will be in attendance. Please do not wait—register today and make plans to be present.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
Hyatt Place Dallas-North/by the Galleria
5229 Spring Valley Road, Dallas, Texas 75254

Please make your hotel reservation as soon as possible. Reservations made after the deadline may not receive the group accommodations or rate.

I am encouraging every pastor, minister, lay leader, ministry leader, and member of the Eighth Episcopal District to make every effort to attend. Vision is strengthened when the people who will carry it are in the room. We want to begin this season together—praying together, listening together, imagining together, and preparing together for the work God has placed before us.

The Eighth Episcopal is Open for God’s Business through Courageous Faith!

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T Shirts Fundraiser https://8thdistrictcme.com/t-shirts-fundraiser/ Mon, 17 Aug 2026 13:21:39 +0000 https://8thdistrictcme.com/?p=21041 Get Your Apparel Today! 🛍️✨
Choose between two powerful shirt designs or grab both!

👕 Style 1: Lord, Have Mercy, And He Will
✝️ Style 2: And He Will with Yellow Cross

💵 Cost: $20 per shirt

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Support the Vision!

Show your support for the Eighth Episcopal District of the Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church by purchasing an official fundraiser T-shirt.

Fundraiser T-Shirt Designs

How to Purchase
Select your preferred style below and click the Order Now! button below the design description to place your order. Your purchase directly helps fund and sustain the regional ministries, programs, and mission work across the district.

Style One

Features the quote “Lord, have mercy. And He Will.” along with a golden circle accent.  ~ Bishop Denise Anders-Modest. 

Style Two

Features “AND HE WILL” in bold white letters, paired with the uplifting quote: “When God makes a promise, He always keeps His Word” alongside Bishop Denise Anders-Modest signature. 

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Quadrennial and Retirement Celebration  https://8thdistrictcme.com/quadrennial-and-retirement-celebration/ Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:56:26 +0000 https://8thdistrictcme.com/?p=18837 2026 Spring Convocation in Dallas Greetings in the name of Jesus, the Christ! You are invited to participate in the Quadrennial and Retirement Celebration of Senior Bishop Reddick and Lady Wynde Jones Reddick, with details on hotel accommodations, banquet, and the Spring Convocation. The dates of the Quadrennial Celebration are: April 24-25, 2026. BOOK HOTEL […]

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2026 Spring Convocation in Dallas

Greetings in the name of Jesus, the Christ!

You are invited to participate in the Quadrennial and Retirement Celebration of Senior Bishop Reddick and Lady Wynde Jones Reddick, with details on hotel accommodations, banquet, and the Spring Convocation. The dates of the Quadrennial Celebration are: April 24-25, 2026.

The celebration will be held at “Double Tree by Hilton Dallas (Near the Galleria).


DoubleTree by Hilton
(near the Galleria)
4099 Valley View
Dallas, TX 75244
(972) 385-9000

Group Name: CME Spring Convocation
Rate: $129/night
Cut-Off Date: March 17, 2026

The Quadrennial Banquet will be held on Friday, April 24, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. Donations for attending the banquet is $100 per person. Please make checks or money orders payable to: Presiding Elder Gift Fund. Send Banquet Ticket Money to your Presiding Elder. The cutoff date for purchasing tickets is March 17, 2026.

On Saturday, April 25, 2026, starting at 9:00 a.m. the Spring Convocation will take place and the Presiding Elder Financial Reports will be given.

A Souvenir Booklet will also be prepared to commemorate this great occasion. Please see the attached information from Presiding Elder Diana Casteel, the Souvenir Book Committee Chair, that provides the required information and cost of each ad. The cutoff date for sending in ads is March 07, 2026. Elder Casteel’s number is 903-748-2795, email address: dianadougl@aol.com.   

We solicit your prayers that the Quadrennial and Retirement Celebration for Sr. Bishop L.L. Reddick III and Lady Wynde Jones Reddick will be a great success.        

Quadrennial Committee 

You are invited to participate in the Quadrennial and Retirement Celebration of Senior Bishop Reddick and Lady Wynde Jones Reddick, with details on hotel accommodations, banquet, and the Spring Convocation. The dates of the Quadrennial Celebration are: April 24-25, 2026.

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PRESIDING ELDER JAMES OAKRY https://8thdistrictcme.com/presiding-elder-james-oakry/ Thu, 07 Nov 2024 13:40:22 +0000 https://8thdistrictcme.com/?p=15869 Contact revjoakry@yahoo.com 9106 Millwood Drive Rowlett, Texas 75088 469-734-9334   Reverend James Guy Oakry Jr. was born on August 26, 1960. He was raised and educated in the Plano public school system, graduating from Plano Senior High School in 1978. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Texas College in 2017 […]

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Contact

revjoakry@yahoo.com

9106 Millwood Drive

Rowlett, Texas 75088

469-734-9334

 

Reverend James Guy Oakry Jr. was born on August 26, 1960. He was raised and educated in the Plano public school system, graduating from Plano Senior High School in 1978. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Texas College in 2017 and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Applied Criminology at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Additionally, he holds a Certificate in Theology from the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC).

Ordained as a Deacon in 1997 and elevated to Elder in 1999, Reverend Oakry is actively involved in ministry and recently married Reverend Vernice Fowler. He is a proud father of three children and a grandfather to two beautiful granddaughters. In his leisure time, he enjoys golfing and fishing.

Currently, Reverend Oakry serves as the newly appointed Presiding Elder of the Tyler District within the Central Texas Region. His previous pastoral roles include leadership at Friendship CME Church, Holsey Chapel CME Church, and Mt. Zion CME Church in Ben Wheeler. After retiring from the City of Plano, where he served for 24 years, he has been driving a school bus for Garland Independent School District for the past 15 years.

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PRESIDING ELDER JONATHAN L JONES SR https://8thdistrictcme.com/presiding-elder-jonathan-l-jones-sr/ Wed, 06 Nov 2024 14:46:15 +0000 https://8thdistrictcme.com/?p=15840 Website: www.houstondistrictcme P.O. Box 1433 Hurst Texas 76053 817-812-9298 jonathansr303@gmail.com Presiding Elder Jonathan L Jones Sr was born October 22, 1966.  He is a native of Los Angeles, California. Elder Jones earned a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance in 1988 from the University of Texas at Arlington. In 1986, he joined […]

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Website: www.houstondistrictcme

P.O. Box 1433

Hurst Texas 76053

817-812-9298

jonathansr303@gmail.com

Presiding Elder Jonathan L Jones Sr was born October 22, 1966.  He is a native of Los Angeles, California. Elder Jones earned a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance in 1988 from the University of Texas at Arlington.

In 1986, he joined McIntosh CME church in Grand Prairie, TX under the Pastoral leadership of Rev James L. Smith. He served in many capacities at McIntosh.  He sang in the young adult choir, served as Sunday School Superintendent, taught the adult Sunday school class, and led Wednesday night prayer meeting. While attending McIntosh CME church he answered his call into the ministry and received his license to preach in October 1992 under the leadership of Rev James L Smith.

In 1995, he moved his membership to Christian Chapel CME church in Dallas, TX under the leadership of the late Rev. Dr. Jerome E McNeil Jr. At Christian Chapel he was the worship leader for the 8:00 am worship service. He also taught new membership classes, participated in monthly prayer vigils, and visited and served communion to the sick and shut in.  He was ordained as an Elder in June 2007 under Bishop Ronald M. Cunningham.

In June 2007, he was assigned to Morning Chapel CME church as an associate minister Bishop Cunningham. He served under numerous pastors at Morning Chapel. He served in numerous teaching capacities while at Morning Chapel. He taught the adult Sunday school class; he taught various classes during Vacation Bible School and The Rock Respect Academy as well as Wednesday night Bible study. He also visited and served communion to members that were sick or hospitalized.

He served as pastor of New Bethel CME church in Stephenville, TX under the appointment of Bishop LL Reddick III during the 2014 Dallas-Fort Worth Annual Conference. He pastored New Bethel from July 2014 to July 2017.

He was appointed Pastor of St. James CME church in Gainesville, TX by Bishop LL Reddick III during the 2017 Dallas-Fort Worth Annual Conference. His focus in his first two years at St. James was to lead the church in completing important renovations that would allow the members to return to the church building to worship.

He was appointed Pastor of Stewart Chapel in Fort Worth, TX by Bishop LL Reddick III during the 2021 Dallas-Fort Worth/Northwest Texas Annual Conference. He currently serves as an Episcopal Leader over the Economic Ventures. In this role he is tasked with seeking financial opportunities that would benefit churches in the Eighth Episcopal District. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Brite Divinity School on the campus of Texas Christian University in December 2022.

He was appointed Presiding Elder of the Houston District in the 2022-2023 Southeast Texas Region Annual Conference by Senior Bishop LL Reddick III.

Rev. Jones is married to Mrs. Tina Jones. Together they have a total of seven children.

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Apparel https://8thdistrictcme.com/apparel/ Wed, 22 May 2024 23:31:28 +0000 https://8thdistrictcme.com/?p=15047 Eighth Episcopal District T-Shirt and Polo order perfect for retreats conferences region events church groups

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Apparel

If you prefer to pay via CashApp or Check, please submit your request directly to Charlene Hendrickson at tshirtsnbeyond@gmail.com.

Please mail check payments to:
Charlene Hendrickson
c/o Cedar Crest Cathedral
1616 E. Illinois Avenue
Dallas, TX 75216-2538

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Health Ministry In The Eighth Episcopal District (VOL11) https://8thdistrictcme.com/health-ministry-in-the-eighth-episcopal-district-vol-11/ Mon, 07 Nov 2022 19:52:19 +0000 https://8thdistrictcme.com/?p=10605  EIGHTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT  HEALTH MINISTRY (VOL 11) PART I. NATIONAL HEALTH OBSERVANCES FOR NOVEMBER A. National Bladder Health Awareness Month. Source American Urology Association, Urology Care Foundation. https://www.Urologyhealth.org FACTS: “Bladder cancer is the 6th most common cancer in U.S. Nearly 84,000 people were diagnosed in 2021. It is more common in males. Three times more […]

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 EIGHTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT 

HEALTH MINISTRY (VOL 11)

Picture of Dr. Patricia D. McKenzie

Dr. Patricia D. McKenzie

Episcopal Coordinator for Health Ministries

PART I.
NATIONAL HEALTH OBSERVANCES FOR NOVEMBER

FACTS:

  1. “Bladder cancer is the 6th most common cancer in U.S. Nearly 84,000 people were diagnosed in 2021. It is more common in males. Three times more men get the disease. Incidence is higher in the age group 75-84.  More Caucasians than any other ethnicities. However, there are more African Americans who do not survive the disease.  Bladder cancer may spread to lymph nodes nearby and it may reach the bones and the lungs. Talk to your Dr. if you notice the following:  blood in your urine and often there is no pain, frequent and urgent urination, pain in lower abdomen and back.  May get this cancer when you come into contact with tobacco, as smoking or breathing in tobacco smoke. Smoking is a big risk factor.   In the workplace, exposure to chemicals used to make plastics, paint and textiles. Your Dr. may refer you to a Urologist for the needed tests. Your options for treatment will depend on how much the cancer has grown. You should expect to return to your Dr. for re evaluation and further test even after surgery. You may even need to be referred to a certified sex therapist/counselor. Some patients have participated in peer support groups to help them deal with Erectile Dysfunction.  After treatment and surgery, healthy living will include recommendations for diet changes, a fitness plan and other lifestyle changes.”

B. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness Month.

Source: American Lung Association https://www.lung.org/

FACTS:

: “COPD is referred to as chronic bronchitis emphysema. This disease affects millions of Americans and is the leading cause of long-term disability and early death in U.S. It is often preventable and treatable, and there is no cure. The main cause is smoking, but nonsmokers can get the disease too. About 85-90% of cases are caused by smoking. Other causes include long term exposure to air pollution, secondhand smoke, dust fumes and chemicals which are often work related. Five steps to risk your risk: 1. Stop smoking 2. Don’t start smoking 3. Avoid exposure to secondhand smoke 4. Protect yourself from chemicals, dust and fumes in your home and at work 5. Fight for clean air in your community. Be alert to these symptoms and discuss with your Dr. Theses include chronic cough, shortness of breath while doing ever day activities, frequent respiratory infections, blueness of lips or fingernails, fatigue, wheezing, and producing a lot of mucus. Early detection is key to successful treatment. Your Dr. will ask you about your symptoms, write them down and share the list, and if family members have had COPD. You must understand your medical plan. Taking your medication at the right time can help you breathe better, do more of the things you enjoy, and have fewer flare ups or exacerbation of symptoms. A pulmonary rehabilitation program will include education, exercise training, nutrition advice and counseling. All are designed to help you rebuild strength and enjoy a fuller more active life. Also, getting emotional support is important and those professionals can help you handle feelings of fear, anxiety, depression or stress. To talk to experts, call the American Lung Helpline and Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) TTY for hearing impaired is 1-800-501-1068”.

National Diabetes Month. Source: American Diabetes Association,

FACTS:

“There is a short Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test. T A1C test is used to identify prediabetes. The goal for most adults is a reading of less than 7%. The higher the percentage, the higher the blood sugar level. Before you develop Type 2 diabetes, almost all persons will have prediabetes. There are no clear symptoms of prediabetes, so you may have it and not know it. The following symptoms are typical of diabetes-urinating often, feeling very thirsty, feeling very hungry even though you are eating, extreme fatigue, blurry vision, cuts/bruises that are slow to heal, weight loss even tough you are eating more, tingling pain or numbness in the hands/feet. Some people have symptoms so mild that they go unnoticed. Early detection and treatment can decrease the risk of complications. Healthy living includes nutrition and diet changes, physical fitness, can’t be overweight, keep extra weight off with a balance of exercise, healthy food and portion control. No fad diets! Practice positive self-talk and set realistic goals to help you succeed (For example: say I’m glad I decided to get out for a walk. Some exercise is better than nothing.) Always check your glucose level before exercising; the range is about 100to180mg/dl. Confirm your level with your Dr. Know that your emotions can influence you’re eating habits. You can assess your physical hunger using their Hunger-Satiety-Rating Scale. Alternatives to eating may include: drinking a glass of water or another zero-calorie beverage, take a walk to change scenery, read a book or magazine, work on a hobby. If you feel an emotional strain, always seek a professional for mental help. There are ways to lighten your mental load. For example, try telemedicine instead of routine appointments, stay organized, simplify the mealtime, and plan ahead and not at the last minute. You can manage Type 2 Diabetes, but changes are required.”

November 17 “Great American Smoke out.

Plan:

Plan to adopt a friend/ family member and help them start their journey toward a smoke-free life. This day is important because almost 34 million American adults still smoke and smoking is the single largest preventable cause of death. Smoking causes about 480,000 deaths every year, or about 1 in 5 deaths. Those who smoke include people in lower socioeconomic level, those without a college degree and African American/Black communities. No matter how long the person has been smoking, quitting improves health outcomes.”

American Lung Association “E-Cigarettes and Vaping. Know the Risks Visit smokefree.gov or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW. Reference: E-Cigarettes.SurgeonGeneral.gov Slogan: QUIT Don’t SWITCH.” 

Other Health Topics for This Month:

1. “Pancreatic Cancer: Source-Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, https://pancan.org/

Facing pancreatic cancer call (877-272-6226 and talk to a Case Manager at Pan Can Patient Services. You may also join their patient registry for assistance.” 

2. “ Epilepsy Awareness: Source-Epilepsy Foundation, https://www.epilepsy.com.”

3. Lung Cancer Awareness: Source-American Lung Association,  https://www.lungs.org/.”  

PART II.
HEALING AIDS FROM THE BALM IN GILEAD

PART III.
CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION

“COVID-19 County Check.

FACTS:

”Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines Including Boosters-A. What You Need to Know: 1. Updated (bivalent) boosters became available September 2,2022. 2. CDC recommends everyone stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines for their age group. Children and teens ages 6 months to 17 years and adults ages 18 years and older. 3. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine after you recover from infection provides added protection against COVID-19. 4. If you recently had COVID-19 you may consider delaying your next vaccine dose (primary dose or booster) by 3 months from when your symptoms started or if you had no symptoms, when you first received a positive test. 5. People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised have different recommendations forCOVID-19 vaccines. Note: COVID-19 vaccine and booster recommendations may be updated as CDC continues to monitor the latest COVID-19 data. B. Updated Boosters Are Recommended for Some People: CDC recommends that people ages 5 years and older receive one updated (bivalent) booster if it has been 2 months since their last COVID-19 vaccine dose, whether that was-1. Their final primary series dose or 2. An original (monovalent) booster. People who have gotten more than one original (monovalent) booster are also recommended to get an updated (bivalent) booster. (Note: Posted 11/6/2022) CDC facts are intended to help you make decisions about getting COVID-19 vaccinations. See your Dr. for diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19.
A helpful tool provided by CDC is the COVID-19 Community Level Report. You may check your county and find out the level. There are three levels High, Medium and Low with recommendations for safety protocols for each level. The numbers are tabulated and the Levels are updated every Thursday by 8pm ET. When you are traveling and gathering, check the County Level and protect yourself and others.

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Don’t Rush Past Holy Saturday. https://8thdistrictcme.com/dont-rush-past-holy-saturday/ Sun, 17 Apr 2022 03:02:10 +0000 https://8thdistrictcme.com/?p=8018 Today is called “Holy Saturday” in some seldom used liturgical calendars – that day between Friday night at the end of the crucifixion and the dawning of Sunday morning when the women were astonished that “the stone [had been] rolled away.”

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Don’t Rush Past Holy Saturday.
Feel, Endure, and Hallow this Day

Dear CME Family:

            Today is called “Holy Saturday” in some seldom used liturgical calendars – that day between Friday night at the end of the crucifixion and the dawning of Sunday morning when the women were astonished that “the stone [had been] rolled away.”

            In some of the old liturgical calendars, Good Friday and Holy Saturday carry the liturgical color of black, symbolizing death.

            Yet, like people who go under anesthesia in order not to feel the pains of a physical operation, many if not most of us run past emotional pains and uncomfortable, agonizing memories all the time.  So, we generally do nothing on this day between Good Friday and Easter.  We do nothing.  We see nothing.  We feel nothing (at least, not liturgically).

            But what did the disciples do … see … feel on the day after the crucifixion?  Surely they could not escape this day’s agony!  

We may learn some lessons by pausing, reflecting, wondering … what could they have felt?  What might have been the hollow hole in their hearts caused by their grief – on the day after the crucifixion?  (Anybody carrying a hollow hole left from the death of a love one?)  And there may be lessons to this day that can help us walk through the overwhelming nature of our own pains and sufferings – pains and sufferings that may touch us before we die … and from which we would rather be anesthetized, but may not be.

There is a picture in my mind from visiting the hospital room of a dying patient about 30 years ago, who – about a week before she succumbed – kept breathing loud enough for every breath to sound like a groan (audibly not anesthetized), and, with each breath, had to face as well an accompanying physical pain.  Some of us will, of necessity, go through some agony.  Could reflecting today on what the disciples and Mary had to feel on this holy Saturday help us endure when our times of great trial come?

            We seem to want to rush through difficult times.  We see in the Gospels a rush to get Jesus buried on Friday before sundown.  We see Joseph of Arimathea (“a disciple but secretly”) begging Pilate for the body of Jesus.  We see Jesus quickly buried in a borrowed tomb, while the “anointing of the body”

awaits the passing of the Sabbath – which, in the Jewish world, begins Friday at sundown, and ends Saturday at sundown.

            But, following the rush, what might they have had to deal with inwardly … emotionally … prayerfully … agonizingly … for what were probably about 30-plus hours before the dawning of the day on Sunday and before the word of what you and I now know became “good news”?

            Several years ago when our son Jon was in elementary school, a Jewish family of one of his classmates invited Jon and me to their home for the Passover seder meal.  (There is nothing like learning about a faith from one of the faith’s adherents, rather than its critics.)  There I learned from their perspective the sacredness of “remembering,” of “the wormwood and the gall,” of the patience of a teaching ritual of re-enacting in order to put ourselves where “they” were (“they” being those Israelites who fled Egypt hastily in escape from Pharoah and oppression).

            I particularly remember that experience today as today is not only holy Saturday in our Christian calendar, but today is also (as of “sundown” last night and until sundown tonight) the first day of the Jewish Passover.  That family would have eaten that meal last night.

            And thinking of that meal with them, I also thought of Jews who have fled Ukraine who probably are celebrating Passover with a more nuanced “remembrance” … because it is more than a ritual of “remembrance”; this time it is present reality.  (And they cannot escape their thoughts.)

            I am wearing all black today.  The last time I wore all black was the Sunday of mourning and identifying after the death of Michael Brown of Ferguson.  As I prepared to dress, I remembered the Latino evangelical leader who embraced wearing black on that same Sunday and pressed his church to do so.  He wanted to identify and emphatize with us.  And so I wear black today to identify with those walking in anguish and pains and sorrows they cannot escape, but must endure today … and endure without anesthesia.

            Stop long enough today to feel … to wonder … to imagine … what the earliest disciples of Jesus must have thought and felt and wondered as they faced “holy Saturday.”

 

Senior Bishop Lawrence Reddick

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TECHNOLOGY MINISTRY https://8thdistrictcme.com/technology-ministry/ Sat, 29 Jan 2022 19:59:17 +0000 https://8thdistrictcme.com/?p=6969 Eighth Episcopal District Technology Ministry WHAT TECH DOES? By Tina Jones Our churches  depend on technology to communicate  both live and online. Our Technical Ministry team is crucial in making that happen! The Team will also continue to utilize the Zoom platform so that all members will be able to access the church services.  We […]

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Eighth Episcopal District Technology Ministry

WHAT TECH DOES?

By Tina Jones

Our churches  depend on technology to communicate  both live and online. Our Technical Ministry team is crucial in making that happen!

The Team will also continue to utilize the Zoom platform so that all members will be able to access the church services.  We are referring to this service as a hybrid  service.

Serving in a church ministry requires a boatload of grace and more patience than many people have left at the end of a busy week. In some churches, it means working with difficult people every weekend.

The tech support team depend on each other’s gifts to be at full capacity at every service. 

The  tech support team need to be in unity before, during and after the event. Being on the same page, spiritually, is the key ingredient to this recipe.

One principle I’ve relied on over the years is that anyone involved in tech support ministry needs to be F.A.T.— faithful, available, and teachable, in that order. Once they’ve joined the tech support team, these people must also be faithful to be there when they’ve promised to be there.

Some volunteers have professional tech training and willingly bring their skills to the 8th Episcopal District team, but many others had an interest and have been trained by the staff.

The team is giving the website an updated look and enabling easier navigation throughout the site. This will also enable us to embed the streaming source into the website, so that anyone accessing the website can easily find your services. We want to make the website more informative and more representative.

Tina Jones

Director of Technology
Text: 972-998-4574
Email: tjthecomputerlady@gmail.com

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