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ABBA MINISTRIES OF CANADAOPEN LETTER FROM BISHOP EMERITUS MALACHY
- NEW YEAR 2012 |
May God's everlasting love surround you and your families as we start the year anew!
By-and-large I locked my quill pen in the bottom drawer well over a year ago now; in order to attend to my children's education and thus left the burden of just about everything else at Abba Ministries of Canada upon the shoulders of Bishop Josephine.
Looking back over the last decade, opposing a grand system that I still see as corrupt and self-serving had few rewards during my period of tenure as Abba Ministries of Canada's National Pastor; however, that does not mean that progress was not achieved. I passed control of a strong growing church to my successor: a far cry from the situation extant in 2003.
Abba Ministries is today an independent volunteer church and her mission is vibrant and clear: to serve God through the teachings of Jesus Christ free from the taint of Mammon; free from the accusations of abuse and corrupt practice and free from the crippling political hegemony of the church/state alliance. Easy to say; easy to write, but what is involved in achieving that goal? Lots of hard and mostly unpaid work at National Office and the same effort from our local pastors and chaplains across the country; in addition, because we are a self-supporting volunteer organization, money for administrative and legal work is always in short supply. This in turn tends to be a ball and chain attached to our need to expand provincial recognition.
The fine province of Alberta is an excellent example. The legislation there, as it is in a majority of provinces, is archaic and, to tell the absolute truth unconstitutional. Created by the megachurch/provincial alliances of the nineteenth century, it remains a wearisome and doctrinaire process, and although Abba Ministries of Canada now has pastors 'on the ground'; a registered office and a good number of adherents that process grinds on.
Yet we persevere with God's help. We have to. The poor state of the big church's model of service was highlighted at the Church of England's 2010 General Synod where panicked bishops for the first time predicted the end of their church by 2030 and had no better inspiration for survival than to suggest that, "People need to be taught to tithe..." Money, money, money... where is Lisa Minnelli when the Anglican Communion needs her?
Yes, we persevere with God's help because keeping Christianity alive just has to be about more than filthy lucre!
At home in Canada, I notice no visible improvement in megachurch charity; however, the Anglican Church of Canada does have a new website [Google: Truth and Reconciliation - Anglican Church of Canada] which pays thin lip service to its aboriginal victims, while sadly the issues of "cultural genocide" and "ethnocide" within the Indian Residential School system which attempted the destruction of Aboriginal languages, religions, and cultures in Canada remain unsettled. For the record, this initiative is funded by you the taxpayer through the government of Canada and not the ACC who have never faced their actions four square, nor dug into their coffers, which despite the cries of "Poor Me" still contains millions of dollars!
I may have misread the signs; I have certainly been wrong before, but I have also been predicatively right. I believe that the world that we live in is headed for a monumental crisis within the next year or so. There exists an incredible amount of media hype based on 'millennial and apocalyptical thinking' attached to the coming year; this is augmented by real world events of a more tangible nature which are building up a fine head of steam as I write. Let us examine some of the latter first.
The Euro Crisis: Greece, Portugal and Eire have had their bond status reduced to 'junk' by the Egon Ronays and Michelin Good Food Guide equivalents of the financial world and even the USA has lost its AAA rating. And, yes... the USA is part of the problem: America and its alter ego Great Britain both have huge deficits and major financial problems, and both have made great issue of events in the euro zone in order to deflect attention from their own considerable problems.
Lest we forget, 2012 is an election year in the USA, and President Obama, whose sole moment of glory in his first term as president was in Stockholm picking up a Nobel peace prize, while his country continued to be embroiled in bloody wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Obama has demonstrated that he has about the same understanding of foreign affairs as the average grade five student; his domestic policies have to some extent appeased the American people who are happy with 'quantitative easing' (printing even more fiat currency) and cheap petroleum, but cannot see the dark cloud of Ahmadinjad's Iran on the horizon. Obama appeared to be quite happy with Iran's threat to wipe Israel off the map, and with Hilary Clinton's able assistance, left the only stable US ally in the Middle East vulnerable and alone. Iran's recent threat to close the Straits of Hormuz may or may not be a grand bluff, but it has spooked the complacent Obama, and even Stephen Harper, who has dispatched HMCS Charlottetown to the Middle East. [Rumours have the Ayatollahs trembling at the approach of the Royal Canadian Navy.] Meanwhile back at the ranch, Obama knows full well that the United States consumes over 25% of world oil and produces a quarter of the world's carbon emissions; above all he understands that if he is to be re-elected US voters need to continue their unreasonable and greedy consumption of world resources. Or perhaps he is just working on another peace prize?
Great Britain stayed out of the European single currency zone allowing Germany and her 'Germania' allies (Netherlands, Belgium et al) to manipulate a very favourable industrial and economic position from the start. At the start of 2012, Greece, Portugal and Eire are in desperate straights, while Spain and Italy are in the austerity mode fighting 'contagion'. In parallel France, as usual, does not quite know which course of action might be best. Germany holds the key to interim stability but wants her cake as well as eating it, i.e. cheap market goods and resources, and to the devil with Eire and Club Med who can make do with devalued punts, drachmas, escudos, lira, and pesetas.. It would be best for all concerned if Germany was the country to exit the European Union at this time: certainly Club Med would be able to eat Germany's lunch for a few years while recovering from the current financial crisis. Lance the carbuncle and recovery is normally quite rapid.
The majority of financial institutions and financial experts see the euro zone situation deteriorating further this year; with the chance of a euro zone break up in 2012 approaching frightening odds of 50/50. If this happens please understand that Europe will not be the only block affected, nor will the world economy be able to shrug off the repercussions of a euro zone collapse. Experts share a gloomy world view ranging from a Great Stagnation to a second Great Depression which will make 1929 look like a Disneyland picnic. And, by the way, China's massive economic machine has been contracting throughout 2011 and will continue that trend into 2012.
Well, if all that is not worrisome enough there is always Apocalypse 2012; here is just a tiny selection of the not totally bizarre events guaranteed to make nail biting reading or render unpleasant dreams.
The Book of Revelation has long been subject to apocalyptical interpretation; however, until now, the prophets have gloomily trudged down from the mountain top to recalculate their final date.
(Revelation 8:7) And the first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Is this the Asteroid 433 Eros, the first discovered Near-Earth Asteroid, smashing through our atmosphere? Eros is one of the few NEAs with a maximum diameter greater than 10 km. Impact with Earth would result in an explosion equivalent to 100 million tons of TNT. Eros is believed to be larger than the impactor that created Chicxulub Crater in the Yucatan, which has been linked to the extinction of the dinosaurs.
On January 31, 2012, Eros will be flying closely by, and hopefully it will keep on going, but with gravity causing orbital degeneration, I suppose you just never know...
Millennia before NASA, the Mayans were keen stargazers. The ancient Maya were familiar with the astrological cycle we call the Precession of the Equinoxes. This is close to a 26,000 year cycle in which Earth passes through each of the 12 signs of the zodiac for 2000-2152 years each. Each of these astrological ages represents one month of the Cosmic Year.
The Mayans were known worldwide for their architectural, artistic, mathematical and scientific achievements. With great attention to detail they constructed stone monuments and pyramids with precise computations. Built with purpose, these dates were left to ensure that future generations would be alerted to the end point of this great 26,000 year cycle, a cycle which corresponds also to a 26,000 year relationship of our Sun orbiting the central star of the Seven Sisters Pleiades Constellation. According to the Maya, the "future" which lies beyond this end date (December 21, 2012 AD) is literally a new world age - a new creation - an Apocalypse.
Food for thought is it not? Will we go the way of Tyrannosaurus Rex, or will we simply go broke? Is there still time to avert events and create some world stability? It does not matter, in the end the important thing is that we as God's servants take responsibility for the administration of Jesus of Nazareth's simple program: Love God with all our heart and our neighbour as ourselves.
That should not be too difficult...
Remember, in Christ we are all created anew!
To Abba's pastors I send my love and I know you will fight the good fight; to other visitors to our web site I urge you to 'gird your loins; slap the dust off your sandals' and join us as we walk with the Master.
In Christ,
Malachy
Bishop Emeritus
ABBA MINISTRIES OF CANADA
OPEN LETTER FROM THE NATIONAL PASTOR
- SPRING 2011
It has been a while since I updated these pages and I can offer no excuse beyond the usual claim that as a volunteer many other things call upon my time and attention; not least three children under ten years. Josephine and I have devoted the last decade to Aodhan [5], Cailiosa [nearly 7] and Li Po [10 in August]; with all our other commitments and the need to work and put bread on the table. To say that this has not been easy is no exaggeration. We have no fall back position for support, and Satan and his eager disciples upon this Earth have been relentless in their attacks on our family.
I draw strength from the fact that when these satanic attacks are extant they indicate that our personal efforts on God's behalf are displeasing to the Prince of Hell. I also know that many, many other Christians; in particular Abba Ministries Priests and Chaplains experience the same level of harassment and difficulty; often from quarters where support may rightfully be expected.
With that bleak thought in mind, I am proud to offer a grateful welcome to the following newly or recently ordained Abba Ministers; who fear not the devil and his treachery, but place their faith and hope in God and Jesus Christ.
Rev. Brent Elgie of Full Throttle Ministries in Chatham, Ontario
Rev. Carmen Agius Spearing of Song of Praise Ministries in Simcoe / Lake County, Ontario
Chaplain Maureen Dwyer of Pond Side Ministries in London, Ontario
Rev. Michele Gayle of The Michele Gayle's Ministries in Oshawa, Ontario
Chaplain Melody Hauser of Abba Dawson Creek Christian Ministries in British Columbia
Rev. Bonnie Mullen of Milestone Celebrant Services in Guelph, Ontario
Rev. Yvonne Power of The Ebenezer Stone Ministry in Guelph, Ontario
Rev. Terry Weller of Interfaith Unity Ministries in Aurora, Ontario
Rev. Roger Craig Whitson of Abba Rutven Christian Ministry in Rutven, Ontario
Rev. Gail Zurba and Rev. Paul Zurba of Abba Faith Ministry
While my health is reasonably good, my auto-immune system is somewhat weakened by the buckets of pills that I take and, in truth, I can no longer climb mountains or jump raging creeks! I have been plagued by a series of colds that the kids bring home in abundance and generously pass on: the children have them for the usual three or four days, but it takes me three weeks to recover.
Before you assume that this is an elaborate soliloquy about 'poor me' let me come to the point. The actions of an elite band of satanic sympathizers have impacted my employment situation in a very negative manner and although I am technically retired the pittance from the Canadian government does not feed three children. Josephine has therefore picked up the baton here and I have devoted my time to the education; welfare and upbringing of the children.
Josephine has also devoted much of her free time to Abba Ministries of Canada; and as you all know she does a terrific job! It is with great pleasure and pride that I am announcing that the board of directors has confirmed the decision to consecrate her as bishop and that at the commencement of Holy Week 2011 she will take over the duties of National Pastor.
I will continue as board chair and continue to take an active roll in our church: perhaps like retired Anglican Bishop, Rt. Rev. John Shelby Spong [the one theist that the atheist bloc can actually support] I will continue in my own way to observe; report upon and critique the actions of the megachurches. Unlike Spong, I will not enjoy the luxuries and benefits of a retired Anglican bishop, yet there again, here nobody can point a finger and call me a hypocrite!
The tragedy in Japan has provoked the usual range of reaction across the Christian leadership spectrum; however it can pretty much be boiled down to an excellent opportunity to take to the pulpit and pontificate. Canadian Primate Archbishop Fred Hiltz can be read in that dubious fundraising rag The Anglican Journal of March 29, 2011 demonstrating his amazing ability to talk the talk while avoiding walking the walk. For Fred this means not parting with money: the ACC, like so many of the megachurches have wasted so many millions of charitable dollars on internal politics [e.g. Gay Blessings] that there is not much left for even Anglican charity. My scribblings on the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund and its voodoo accounting are well known. Archbishop Fred was appointed Primate of the ACC for his fundraising ability and for precious little else: fundraising that is totally engulfed in the last gasp attempt for Anglican Church survival. Sadly, a similar situation prevails in the other first world megachurches.
A distressing analogy for the death throws of megachurchism can be found in the worldwide approach to global warming. The rank and file believe that it will never affect them despite a 0.8 degree Celsius raise in temperature in just a few years. The doomsday merchants [include here the rabid Christian right who are 'forcing the rapture' or predicting the apocalypse] insist that it is too late to reverse the situation, which translates to 'why bother'? The environmental lobby [which exists on a continuum of TV nut bar environmentalist and phony sensation seekers to serious and well qualified dedicated scientists] tends to cancel itself out. The politicians posture and seek advantage while denying responsibility. Rumours have it that Ignatieff recently invited Harper to watch a screening of National Geographic 'docudrama' "Six Degrees" in which Canada fairs much better than most countries as disaster approaches and coast to coast becomes a fertile sub tropical paradise. After the movie, over fine wines and a dinner including chateaubriand and all the trimmings, Harper [presumably working on a mouth full of rare tenderloin] nudges Ignatieff in the ribs and says, "See, I told you we'd be alright!" Meanwhile, global warming refugees roam the other three quarters of the planet in search of clean water and food.
Much closer to home Statistics Canada [that wellspring of fatuous information and nepotistic employment] estimate that over three-quarter of Canadians have yet to change to lower energy light bulbs, while the average Canadian family has the same carbon footprint as a large African village.
Linked to global warming is the tectonic plate activity that we have witnessed: anybody who saw the chilling video footage that came out of Japan can surely not doubt the awesome power of nature. Over the centuries these things have been dubbed 'Acts of God' and the list of terrifying atrocities that have been left at God's door are endless: the Crusades; the evils of the auto de fe; wars, the Great War, WWII; famine; genocides; cruelty and abuse… Please let me tell you again that God had nothing to do with these things. God gave us free will, and if we choose to build our house within the blast zone of an active volcano [Pompeii] or on a floodplain [Richmond, BC] or on reclaimed land [Holland; Singapore] that is our free will, and perhaps stupidity, at work.
If we choose to follow Hitler, Milosevic or Pol Pot that is our free will and perhaps our brutal and violent nature leading us astray, and if we mindlessly donate money to charities [religious or lay] without determining how that money is being spent that is also our free will and irresponsibility, with a bonus that it is a salve to our conscience allowing us to convince ourselves that we are doing the 'right thing', when in fact we are crossing the road with the Pharisees...
God created the perfect ecosystem and He created us with love and hope: sadly - by and large - we have let Him down!
Have a blessed Easter and revisit the thoughts, actions and words of Jesus: His program is as valid today as it was two millennia ago. You have free will: you can choose to be part of the solution.
In Christ,
+Malachy
National Pastor and Bishop
Abba Ministries of Canada
