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Church Life Home	Last Updated: Jan 5th, 2009 - 17:35:59

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Church Events
Church Calendar January 2009

Anchorage Moravian Church Calendar

Our Mission - Outreac h

Note:  CLICK ON THE ONLINE CALENDAR, above, for more information.  You will be surprised what you can find.  For example you can invite your friends to church events by clicking on the SPECIFIC event on the calendar THEN sending them a special invite email.     Also please note the summer speaking schedule is on the calendar   - The pastor

Pastor's Corner
Why are Some Christians Rebellious?

An Email Question from a Pastor and brother in the Phillipines who closely follows our Church bulletin board:

Brother William Nicholson good day to you! May I know from you what is the evidence of being filled by the Holy Spirit?  Because many christian now claim that they are HOLY SPIRIT FILLED but I wonder because they are so very rebellious or not submissive  to their leaders or to their pastors.  Can you tell me about this situation..

Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you or pray about.

In Christ,
_________ and family

Announcements
Former Moravian Children Home Teacher Passed Away Peacefully

Betty-Marine Jean Huffmon

Betty-Marie Jean Huffman, former Moravian Children's Home teacher, passed away peacefully on December 5, 2008 in Bellevue, Washington. 

Over the course of her eventful life Betty married Clyde E. Huffmon who served as a rural Postmaster and raised four children - Paula, Lynda, Laura, and Joel.    She received a Master's in Education and a Teaching Certificate as Yup'ik Language Expert.  With her giftedness she served as a teacher most of her life.  In 1977-1983 she was the Bilingual/Bicultural Director at Lower Kuskokwim School District in Bethel, Alaska.  She co-authored the children's books entitled "Eye of the Needle and Berry Magic.

Betty-Marie is survived by her three children: Joel Huffmon - Dillingham Moravian Church Elder, Laura, and Paula. She was preceded in death by her husband Clyde who died in June 1985 and daughter Lynda who died in July 2008. 

Foral arrangements gladly are accepted or donations to Goodnews Bay Moravian Church, Goodnews Bay, Alaska 99589. 

Final funeral service and internment will be at Goodnews Bay, Alaska.  Service will be held at Goodnews Bay Moravian Church on December 13, 2008, at 1 PM.

Pastor's Corner
Renewal, Spiritual Gifts, and Danger of Pride

There are a lot of questions out there on the part of individual Moravians on what new thing God is doing in our midst.  Is renewal happening?  As a result of the Spiritual Feast is renewal happening now?  I will try to share my thoughts on renewal as I understand it.

As a believer I feel that we must be concerned about renewal.  As one of the pastors of the Alaska Moravian Church I should be concerned about renewal for my own Church.  Renewal is scriptural.  Renewal is certainly part of our religious heritage. 

According to or any good Moravian historian, the Moravian Church arose out of a “Pentecost experience” which brought renewal to individual Christians and led to a great missions expansion of the Church.   Renewal is in the heart of God.  Over the centuries it seems God is always at work trying to bring renewal to open people in accordance to His sovereign Will. 

As a believer within the Moravian Church in Alaska, I know that God wants to bring renewal to our church to win people and grow our Church.  We must not loose our biggest and most important mission; this is to bring glory to Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  He is our hope of glory! He is our hope for meaningful living now and our hope for eternal destiny in Glory land.

There is a bit of confusion, fear and misunderstand around us.  That’s why I am driven to draft a spiritual commentary or two for the Anchorage Moravian Church website.  I don’t think everyone understands that there has been an outpouring of God’s Spirit impacting us.  It sounds like it is happening in a couple of villages.  I observed one such event in Manokotak November 2008.  From my observations, I don’t think that this outpouring it is the work of anyone man.  It is a sovereign move of God and it is happening as a result of a big spiritual hunger on the part of many of God’s people, young and old alike.

But in my mind it seems there are some red flags flying.  As an Army Chaplain on the firing range I have seen something very prominent.  It is usually a big red flag flying in the breeze.  When this flag is presented, I know Uncle Sam’s soldiers are on the firing line.  There everyone is instructed to be very careful with use of their weaponry as they aim down range.  Some concern needs to be addressed as to how to respond to a move of God when it happens!  I do know one thing is that we cannot be passive.  We will either inquire further about it and appropriate it in some fashion or resist it. 

Church Events
1st Advent Communion Service & Potluck
On Sunday November 30 we celebrate the 1st Sunday of Advent.  Please be invited to attend Communion and a Potluck together.  The worship service begins at 3 PM, at the Turnagain United Methodist Church.
Nov 28, 2008, 17:59

Pastor's Corner
Spiritual Feast & Believer Priests: A Commentary

A Spiritual Feast will be held at the Denaina Center in Anchorage, Alaska, on November 28 and 29, 2008 at 6:30 PM. I have been told this is not a Moravian Church sponsored event.  My understanding is that it is being put on by Manokotak Young People leaders who simply want to share Christ and glorify His name and win souls for the kingdom and bring revival to young people wherever God leads them.  While the concept of the Spiritual feast is a new one, I understand it truly to be a great worship opportunity lead by “Believer Priests” who are entirely Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-led, and who give God the praise honor and glory.  I will share the concept of the Believer Priest which is an old doctrine and the idea of an Open Worship opportunity, which is also an old idea resurrected in this time and age as the Spiritual Feast.

I am writing about the Spiritual Feast as an outsider, but one who is beginning to understand it because I have spoken to the Manokotak Young People one-to-one about it.  Their minds are pure and unselfish and extremely Christ centered.  I will try to explain what I understand about it.  I will attempt to explain the Spiritual Feast from the stand point of scripture.  At this point I am supporting it because of its fruits and its basis from Holy Scripture.  Again, this is just a commentary and attempt to understand what God is doing in our midst.  I am open to other interpretations if there are any.

Because the Spiritual Feast concept is new, there may be people opposing it.  They may opposing it because of false information or because they do not understand what it really is about.  I have heard that there are some that say this is the work of Anti-Christ.  I would like to share my thoughts as a result of having attended two of the Spiritual feasts.  The fruits are enormous as souls are being won for the kingdom wholesale and many more are recommitting their lives to the Lord Jesus.  This appears to be a new work of the Holy Spirit in these end times.

Announcements
Anchorage Spiritual Feast - This Weekend!!!

From the Manokotak Young People Leadership:  Praise God, we're inviting everyone to our Spiritual Feast in Anchorage,Alaska.  The schedule is exactly how we had it in Manokotak just letting the Holy Spirit lead.  God is in control of everything and only through him all things are possible.
     Matt 26:26-28
     Psalm 95:1-3
     John 4:23-24
     Psalm 85:6-9                             

Manokotak Spiritual Feast III Pic - Sam Alexie

 

To God be the Glory! 
 
You are invited to: Anchorage Spiritual Feast

To be held:
     November 28th & 29th, 2008
     At Dena’ina Convention Center
     Both nights starting @ 6:30 pm and Led by:
     Manokotak Young People Leaders
     Of Manokotak Moravian Church

Testimonies to include
          Abraham George,
          Michael Nicholai,
          Louie Alakayak & Many more…

          Contact:
               Panta Paul 289-2141
               Melvin Andrew 289-1079
               Teresa Ayojiak 289-1208
               Louise Gloko 289-2017
               Grace Smith 696-7512

Church Events
Moravian Thanksgiving Lovefeast

The Thanksgiving holiday season is quickly approaching!  We invite you to celebrate a Thanksgiving lovefeast service on November 23, 2008, 3 PM, at TUMC.  The Confirmation class and youth will serve the lovefeast.  Needed are Moravian lovefeast buns.  We are praying that at least five individuals will be able to bake at least 50 buns each for this worship opportunity.  Moravian lovefeast bun recipes are included here; click on the title above and you will find two recipes.  If you are interested in helping the Church by baking Moravian buns for the worship celebration, please contact Pastor Nicholson at 646-7630.

Pastor's Corner : Sermons Online
Sorrow for the Lost

Bishop Nicholson Message

Romans Chapter 9

The Word of God declares in Romans 1: 18 that God’s righteous judgment is already upon the wicked!  Romans has been a very interesting book to study.  I hope you are reading it along with me. 

Did you know in Romans, Paul does not talk of the cross until Romans Chapter 3?  In Romans 6:23 Paul speaks of the results of sin.  Here it says, "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  And it's interesting that Paul does not mention God’s love until Romans Chapter 8, a chapter which we looked at last Sunday.  In Romans 8 we find a key to living the abundant Christian life and that is by living in the Spirit, not living according to the flesh.

A word of encouragement from Paul.  He says, in verse 1 of Romans Chapter 8:  “There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”  Chapter 8 is one of the most important passages for the Christian.  In Chapter 8 its teachings cannot be overemphasized, because the power of God’s Spirit in the life of the believer is what help us to overcome and to live in God’s will.  This Chapter speaks of the Spirit 20 times.  It's all about allowing the Holy Spirit to influence us daily.  Having the Holy Spirit fill us daily is a key to living in freedom and power.

Today we take a look at Chapter 9.  Let’s read Romans 9:1-3 - “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.  For I wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh."  Here we see an emotional side of Paul.  What made Paul sad and in anquish?