GARDENS OF THE BIBLE

Did you know there are four, very significant gardens in the Bible? The four gardens include the Garden of Eden, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Garden of Golgotha, and the Garden of God.

Each garden is distinct in of itself and yet each one describes your position with Christ. Each garden also serves a particular role in God’s eternal plan for mankind. Let’s look at these four gardens and consider where we stand with our Lord.

Eden – The Garden of Sin

Before sin entered the world, God’s creation was good. Genesis 3:8 tell us that the first man, Adam, walked with God “in the cool of the day.” We don’t know how long this fellowship took place. But it must have been sweet. There is something very special about walking with someone you love. It’s a peaceful way to share your heart and to get perspective on the life that’s happening around you. Imagine walking with God in His creation, naming animals and living in paradise. Once man sinned, however, the relationship with God was broken. What a heartbreak it must have been for the LORD when He could no longer associate with His creation in this special way. From that point on, mankind was separated from God by our sins. But God made a way to come back to Him through His Son.

Gethsemane – The Garden of Suffering

For anyone who travels for business or pleasure, it can be a bittersweet time. There’s usually the excitement of the events ahead, but we also have the hassle of getting there. There’s also the trauma of leaving loved ones behind. This is especially true when you don’t know when you will be able to see them again. Parents go through a very difficult time when their kids go away to college. It’s the end of a season and tough to deal with. Father God and the Lord Jesus experienced a type of separation anxiety in the Garden of Gethsemane. Here we find our Lord Jesus agonizing. His tears are caused by the separation from the Father that He will soon experience at the cross. His suffering is so intense that He is sweating great drops of blood. While the disciples are sleeping, Jesus is praying to the Father, “…Not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39) Jesus chose this location,

(continued)

A G N U S D E I June 2018

Reaching Individuals and Families of the Concho Valley with the Transforming Love of Jesus Christ!

3355 W. Beauregard

San Angelo, Texas 76904

(325) 949-6260

www.anglicancgs.com

Send articles, announcements

and feedback to

secretary.acgs

@suddenlinkmail.com

“Then the man

and his wife

heard the sound

of the LORD God

as he was

walking in the

garden in the

cool of the day,

and they hid

from the LORD God

among the trees

of the garden.”

Genesis 3:8

NIV

a garden, to be with the Father and His friends before He suffered. It’s likely that this garden was a common place for Jesus to meet with His disciples. For anyone who loves to garden, you know the peace that comes with planting, watering, and watching beautiful things grow and mature.

There’s something peaceful about gardening. Jesus very well may have loved this place. It could be imagined that Jesus walked with His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, in the cool of the day. Jesus came to Earth, to reconcile man back to God. This was His focus and His passion. Nothing would deter Him from going to the cross because it was prophesied in His Word that the Messiah would be crucified and would rise again on the third day. Here’s another way to look at it. God’s agape (unconditional) love could not stand for man to be sep-arated from Him because of sin. God had to make a way of reconciliation. Gethsemane means “olive press.” Here our Lord would pray to the Father one more time before He would take on the judgment for all mankind. Christ alone paid the price for sin. He had the weight of the world pressed down upon Him. Matthew 26:56 correctly points out, “But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Here in Gethsemane, Jesus is facing judgment, torture, and death for our sins. His focus is on the fulfillment of the Scrip-tures. One great blessing of knowing Jesus is that He is true to His word “…For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Matt. 5:18

Golgotha – The Garden of Victory

John 19:41 says, “Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.” It’s so fitting that our Lord Jesus would be laid to rest in a garden. He is our rest. Matthew 11:29 says, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” How quiet and unassuming Jesus is at this moment. Our victorious King has just conquered sin and Satan at the cross. He’s victorious over death by His resurrection. Then Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb, finds the stone rolled away with two angels standing by, and she pro-ceeds to mistake the risen Christ for the gardener. But Jesus is alive, and death is conquered through Him! 1 Corinthians 15:55 says, “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” To know Jesus and His word is to know victory. So let’s take that victory and serve others. Share the Good News of God’s salvation with the people God puts in your daily life. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. (Romans 8:37)

Paradise – The Garden of Eternal Life

Now we come full circle from the garden of creation and sin, to the garden of suffering, to the garden of victory, and finally to the eternal garden. Revelation 2:7 says, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’ The word “paradise” also means the garden of delight. The Paradise of God is where there are no more tears and the city streets are paved with gold, like transparent glass. (Rev. 21:4, 21) Now the curse of the fall is forgiven, and all true believers can walk with Christ through all eternity.

Are You Walking as a Citizen of Heaven? Do you live life knowing your destination is Heaven? Philippians 3:20 says, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” The best part of heaven is that we will be with Jesus forever. Walking in the four gardens is a picture of our walk through this life. We go from being born into sin, to being redeemed by Christ, to walking in victory, and finally walking in heaven with Jesus. It is comforting to know we have a garden of delight awaiting us who believe on Him. What better season to contemplate the gardens of the bible than summer.

Have a blessed and safe summer.

Your Sister in Christ,

Anngie McWilliams

FOURTH OF JULY

CELEBRATION Hello, well it's time to start thinking about summer activities. We have in the past had a July 4th get together at the church to watch fireworks and eat hot

dogs and ice cream. All American past times. We are thinking of having another such event. If you have an interest in participating, helping, suggestions, please call me. 325-651-6457. At this time we are thinking Hot Dogs, chips, cookies and tea, and lemonade. Maybe a nice watermelon too. June will breeze by before we know it so I am trying to have a plan in place for the fourth. Thanks for participating, Anngie

is scheduled for Saturday, June 9th at 9am. Please join us if

you are interested in helping with general clean up and fix up

projects around the church, inside and out.

Gennell woke in the middle of the night with a splitting headache. A little voice, a premonition, alarmed her. Thinking she was having a TIA, she asked her son to drive her to the ER. The CT scan showed arthritis in her neck, a good reason for sharp pain. It also showed 1 nodule in each lung. That was March 8. In the following weeks she received appointments and referrals to specialists and a surgeon in El Paso. A biopsy was performed April 3. On April 6, a pulmonologis told her it was malignant, adeno-squamous carcinoma, aggressive and serious. Gennell played phone tag with receptionists in the oncologist’s and surgeon’s offices before dialing the 1-800 number for MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX. Her first appointment was April 23.

Gennell drove to her daughter’s house in San Antonio April 20. The two of them stayed at a niece’s house in the Woodlands, 40 miles from MD Anderson during 4 weeks of testing, evaluation, and radiation treatments. Gennell was diagnosed with stage 1 of a very common cancer, nonsquamous, in one lung only. Half the data she was given in El Paso was refuted at MD Anderson. Her follow-up appointments will be every 3 months for a few years. She drove herself home on May 20.

Gennell is my baby sister. I was there in El Paso for her biopsy procedure. I was with her in the pulmonologist’s office to hear him say it was cancer. A smoker for 50+ years, she knew it. I was the one in shock, asking a million questions of the doctor, then raging in anger at her for continuing to smoke. We lost our older sister to lung disease in 2011. Memories of that trauma still haunt me. I did not want to lose my last and only sibling to that terrible demise. It took me days to regain my composure, days of depression, sorrow, tears and prayer. I was felling sorry for myself, not Gennell.

Depression does not scare me because as a counselor I know it can serve a good purpose. For me, it was a time to reevaluate priorities, assess my relationships, come to terms with reality, and seek God in a new humility made possible by the present circumstances. I prayed for a miracle along with many others. Our God is a God of miracles, as bold and profound as the resurrection of Christ, as astounding as the birth of a child, and as simple as the faith of a mustard seed. In faith, I placed Gennell in his hands. And He took care of all the rest. He provided the miracle, as you can see from the above time line. All things worked for Gennell’s good, according to His design, not mine. Ask and it shall be given. Here is my prayer:

Holy One, Your Word is faithful and true. I praise you, God of unending power and authority. I worship You, God of unfailing of love and compassion. I adore You, God of mercy and grace. I delight in You, God of my hope and salvation. I bow to Your will, and thank You for miracles. To You belongs the honor and glory for all good things. I pray to You without ceasing, in the name of love, in the name of Jesus. amen

Jean Stinnett

June 2018 ~ Ministry Schedule

Duty June 3

First Sunday After Trinity

June 10 Second Sunday

After Trinity

June 17 Third Sunday After Trinity

June 24 Fourth Sunday

After Trinity

8:00 am

Vestry In Charge

Teddye Read Bob Schneeman Anngie McWilliams David Harrison

Tellers Billie Smithwick Bob Masterson

Kathi Johnson Billie Smithwick

David Harrison Mark Brown

Sharon Weber Charles Westbrook

Nursery Workers

Leann/Sarah Leann/Sarah Leann/Sarah Leann/Sarah

Altar Guild Johnson/Springer Robken/Weber Yarbrough/Baker Anaya/Read

Usher Charles Westbrook Kathi Johnson Charles Westbrook Jean Stinnett

Crucifer Billie Ruth Hodges Bob Keeling Jeannette Anaya Rosemary Holm

Lector Jo Millican Deuteronomy 5:6-21

Jeannette Anaya Genesis 3:1-21

Jean Stinnett Ezekiel 31:1-14

Mark McLaughlin Job 38:1-18

Eucharistic Minister

Billie Ruth Hodges Psalm 81:1-17

2 Corinthians 4:1-12

Bob Keeling Psalm 130

2 Corinthians 4:12-18

Jeannette Anaya Psalm 92

2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Rosemary Holm Psalm 107:1-3; 23-32 2 Corinthians 5:14-21

10:25 am

Bell Ringer 10:25 USHER 10:25 USHER 10:25 USHER 10:25 USHER

Greeters and Ushers

Bob Masterson Linda Wilson

Barbara Robken Erlene Springer

Kathi Johnson Teddye Read

Katie Harrison Charles Westbrook

Crucifer Mark Brown Mark Brown Larry Weber Mark Brown

Torch Bearer Alex Woolard Amber Woolard

Alex Woolard Amber Woolard

Alex Woolard Amber Woolard

Alex Woolard Amber Woolard

Lector Nan Holloway Deuteronomy 5:6-21

Ruth Ann Wallace Genesis 3:1-21

Bob Masterson Ezekiel 31:1-14

Jean Yarbrough Job 38:1-18

Eucharistic Minister

Anngie McWilliams Psalm 81:1-17

2 Corinthians 4:1-12

Rudy Wallace Psalm 130

2 Corinthians 4:12-18

Sharon Weber Psalm 92

2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Mark Findlay Psalm 107:1-3; 23-32 2 Corinthians 5:14-21

Gospel of the Day

Mark 2:23-28 Mark 3:20-35 Mark 4:26-34 Mark 4:35-5:20

June 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

10:00 AM

Intercessory

Prayer in the

Chapel

No Wednesday

Evening

Services in June

or July

1 2

3 8:00 AM - HE

9:15 AM Christian

Formation Classes

10:30 AM – HE

D.H.C. meet at Jo Millican’s

House after the 10:30

Service

4

5

6

10:00 AM

Intercessory

Prayer in the

Chapel

7

6:30 PM

Music Rehearsal

8 9

9:00 AM

Church Work

Day

10 8:00 AM - HE

9:15 AM Christian

Formation Classes

10:30 AM – HE

11 12

13

10:00 AM

Intercessory

Prayer in the

Chapel

14

6:30 PM

Music Rehearsal

15

16

17 8:00 AM - HE

9:15 AM Christian

Formation Classes

10:30 AM – HE

18

19

20

10:00 AM

Intercessory

Prayer in the

Chapel

21

6:30 PM

Music Rehearsal

22 23

24 8:00 AM - HE

9:15 AM Christian

Formation Classes

10:30 AM – HE

25

6:00 PM

Vestry Meeting

in the Conference

Room

26

27

10:00 AM

Intercessory

Prayer in the

Chapel

28

6:30 PM

Music Rehearsal

29 30

THE VESTRY

MEETING

The regular monthly Vestry

meeting is Monday,

June 25, at 6:00 PM

in the conference room.

Meet Sunday, June 3rd

at Jo Millican’s house after the

10:30am service.

The Prayer Movement 2018 1st Thursday of every Month

6:30 Worship 7:00 Prayer

Date Location Person Overseeing

June 7, 2018 Martin Luther King Park Rev. Theodore Boone 2121 MLK TMASA - RAM July 5, 2018 Glenmore Park Pastor Brandon Clark 85 Paint Rock Rd Celebration Church August 2, 2018 Mary Lee Park 2160 Mary E Lee Rd

Recycle! Reuse! We collect plastic bags to donate to Project Dignidad.

These are used to make sleeping mats for individuals in need, to weather

the elements... all by using plastic yarn (plarn) made from plastic bags.

The deadline to place an announcement in the weekly bulletin is

Wednesdays at Noon and the deadline for the Parish Newsletter is the

third Friday of the month. Submissions should be sent to Jenny at the

church office, secrtary.acgs@suddenlinkmail.com or drop it off at the

church office Monday-Friday, 9-11:30AM or Noon-2:00PM. Thank you.

Reaching Individuals and Families of the Concho Valley with the Transforming Love of Jesus Christ!

Copyright: No portion of this publication may be copied or stored electronically without prior written permission of the Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd.

P.O. Box 61698

San Angelo, Texas 76901-1698

(325) 949-6260

www.anglicancgs.com

6/11 Cohan Hennings

6/17

Stephen Reisdorfer

6/18 Fr. Hal Scott

6/28

Rolly Dunteman

June Bible Readings