Saints Alive!
Spring has sprung — at least in the Northern Hemisphere. The hills have turned green and lush and blossom has appeared on fruit trees bringing with it the promise of a future harvest. Green is also in abundance, at least in North America with the approach of St. Patricks’ Day.
I feel compelled to correct the record about the eponymous saint, however. Although he is the patron saint of Ireland he was born in the hamlet of Kilpatrick in Scotland in 387 A.D. He was kidnapped as a teenager and sold into slavery in Ireland as a shepherd before being freed and entering a monastery. He attributed his ability to persevere through those trying times to his steadfast faith in God. It is unlikely that green was his favorite color since all the earliest depictions of him show him wearing dark blue clothing. And, by the way, the legend that he drove snakes out of Ireland cannot be true, because there have never been snakes in Ireland! What is true, however, was that he used the lowly shamrock with its three leaves on one stem to illustrate the unity and mystery of the Trinity.
So why do we celebrate the life of a man we know little about and lived nineteen centuries ago?
The same question can be asked of any number of saints whose names literally litter our landscape. In the UK you can find St. Andrews and St. Ives; St. Mirren and St. Anne’s; St. David’s and St. Albans. France has 8,963 municipalities named after saints, Spain 4,444, Italy 2,638, and the U.K. is far down the list with a meager 327. In California place, names honoring male and female saints are ubiquitous from San Francisco in the north to San Diego in the south and including Santa Anna, Santa Clara, San Jose, San Juan, and San Luis to name just a few.
What was it about the people that caused us to memorialize their names? What made them stand out as being worthy of praise and emulation? In each case, they were very ordinary people who lived in extraordinary ways that drew attention to the Glory of God in their everyday living. They stood out from the crowd for all the right reasons and that made them noteworthy. They heard the words of Jesus and believed them, lived them, and shared them.
Paul’s letter to the church in Rome gives us an insight into who qualifies to be a saint.
“To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ” Romans 1:7, KJV [emphasis mine].
The tenth doctrine of The Salvation Army states it plainly: “We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [emphasis mine]
It is obvious that the expectation of every Christ-follower is that they will live ordinary lives which are noticeably different than the world around them. To be a saint is to be sanctified. To be sanctified is to be reserved for use in a special purpose. As Paul continued to instruct the church in Rome:
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2 NIV
To be a Jesus-follower is to have a new, different mindset whose purpose is to follow God’s perfect will exclusively. Every new creation in Christ is designated a saint! Unfortunately, Satan has convinced many that they are not good enough, or the standards are impossibly high. But like everything Satan endorses, that is a lie! If you are a believer in Christ’s redeeming power, you are a saint, you don’t have to work to become one! Be all that God envisaged you to be and folks will definitely notice!
In addition to the saints’ names for places, there are other names for communities that begin with the prefix “kil -“. This designates the old Celtic name for a house and can be found in names such as Kilkenny, Kilmarnock, Kilwinning and basically means “a saint lived here”.
I doubt if Google or Apple Maps will have to be updated with the information, but it is important for the world to know that a saint lives at your address!
Listen to the words of Jesus: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” Matthew 5:16, NIV.
Let’s all be "Saints Alive", indeed!
Blessings on you and yours,
Jim Black
This Week's Schedule
SUNDAY:
- 10:15 AM - Prayer Meeting - Prayer Room
- 11:00 AM - In-Person Worship Service - Streaming on Concord Corps Family FB Page
TUESDAY:
- 6:00 PM - Men's Bible Study - Fireside Room
- 6:00 PM - Women's Bible Study - Zoom
- 7:00 PM - Songster Practice - Chapel
- 8:00 PM - Musicians' Devotions & Prayer - Chapel
- 8:15 PM - Senior Band Practice - Chapel
WEDNESDAY:
- 10:00 AM - CAMEO: Thrift Store Blitz (Outing)
SATURDAY:
- 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM - Del Oro Brass & Chorus Rehearsal - Kroc
NEXT SUNDAY: March 27th
- 9:00 AM - Jr. Praise Team Rehearsal
- 10:00 AM - Sunday School - Classroom
- 10:00 AM - Corps Cadets - Library
- 10:15 AM - Prayer Meeting - Prayer Room
- 11:00 AM - In-Person Worship Service
- 12:15 PM - Singing Company Rehearsal - Chapel
- 1:15 PM - Lunch Break - Fireside Room
- 1:30 PM - Jr. Band Rehearsal - Chapel
- 3:00 PM - DYR Delegates Arrive from Camp Del Oro
International Prayer Focus
DENMARK AND GREENLAND TERRITORY
Territorial Leaders: Lt. Colonels Jan and Kjersti Risan
Prayer requests:
- We pray that the vision "Hope and Life in Jesus" permeates the entire territory, and that this is done both by the power and renewal of the Spirit, and that we learn from all the good examples of life transformation that take place in our corps and programs.
- We pray for the unity of the territory: that everyone, officers, soldiers, adherents, volunteers, employees, guests, donors feel included in the mission.
- We pray that the good implementation of the new leadership model and principles (governance) continues and contributes to increased participation, accountability, and openness through The Salvation Army.
- We pray that we prioritize right and that we are able to innovate and be relevant in our time in our society.
- Pray that we as a church may be relevant to the young generation in our community and attract more children, youths, and families.
- We give thanks for the good work done for the socially disadvantages in Greenland over the last 9 years and the opportunities we now see for growth.
- We give thanks for an improved financial situation, but we continue to pray for increased sustainability, especially for our corps.
New Way to Support Ukraine Relief
Fundraising Options:
Fundraise for good has added a Ukraine option. Click “become a fundraiser” via the link below and you can set up your own fundraiser or create a team to fundraise. That way you can track how much you and your friends have raised. The money will go directly to Ukraine relief.
https://www.classy.org/campaign/help-in-ukraine/c394184.
Donate/read the latest on our response at salarmy.us/Ukraine (donation page at salarmy.us/UkraineCrisis)
Text UKRAINE to 52000 to make a $10 donation
***All monies given in the above ways go directly to our Ukraine crisis response!
Del Oro Women's Retreat
Dates: May 13-15, 2022
Location: William Jessup University
Cost: $75 which includes housing, food, materials, and a t-shirt
There will be workshops, fun activities, inspirational worship, and fellowship. They are even putting on a Prom! So start getting your outfit together!
Registration is due April 13th.
See Major AnnMarguerite Jones or Major Willdonna Rich if you would like to attend.
The Salvation Army Concord Corps
Email: annmarguerite.jones@usw.salvationarmy.org
Website: https://www.salvationarmyconcordca.org
Location: 3950 Clayton Road, Concord, CA, USA
Phone: (925) 676-6180
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tsaconcord
