Moline's Jann Carl Covered the Best about My Home Town - Moline, Illinois

Here is a post about Jann Carl.

Martin Luther College - WELS

Rogate 2015, The Fifth Sunday after Easter. 2015. John 16:23-30. Prayer.

Rogate 2015 - The Fifth Sunday after Easter. John 16:23-30
Prayer

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time


The Hymn # 202                         Welcome Happy Morning                           
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual 
The Gospel 
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #454              Prayer Is the Soul's Sincere Desire

Essentials of Prayer

The Communion Hymn # 207            Like the Golden Sun  
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #457                 What a Friend We Have in Jesus

KJV James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

KJV John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. 25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. 26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. 28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. 29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. 30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

Fifth Sunday After Easter
Lord God, heavenly Father, who through Thy Son didst promise us that whatsoever we ask in His name Thou wilt give us: We beseech Thee, keep us in Thy word, and grant us Thy Holy Spirit, that He may govern us according to Thy will; protect us from the power of the devil, from false doctrine and worship; also defend our lives against all danger; grant us Thy blessing and peace, that we may in all things perceive Thy merciful help, and both now and forever praise and glorify Thee as our gracious Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Essentials of Prayer

The Gospel of John is essential for understanding and appreciating the Christian Faith. There is no substitute for careful study of this Gospel. Pastors tend to neglect the Fourth Gospel, because they think they know all the familiar passages, which are quite plain and easy to grasp.

The most common problem people have is their view of God. Strangely, they separate God the Father from God the Son. They look favorably upon Jesus but imagine God the Father as the stern and condemning judge. 

The Gospel of John gives us a consistent portrait of the Father-Son relationship as being in complete harmony. If we want to know what God the Father is like, we only need to see how God the Son is presented in the Gospels. The unity of Father-Son work and will is constantly witnessed by God the Holy Spirit.

Jesus is the human face of God, and there we see God's gracious and merciful will.

KJV John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 

The first essential of prayer is God's Promise. Throughout the New Testament, all the commands to prayer are accompanied by God's Promise. Therefore, the urging to pray is given the motivation we need, because doubting hearts will neglect what God freely offers.

Luther commented, as we should realized, that the disciples heard many things from Christ that they did not fully comprehend until after the Resurrection and Ascension. The Holy Spirit brought those things back to them and helped them grasp what Jesus taught them at the time. Of course, the best interpretation for the public ministry of Christ is His atoning death and resurrection. so what we take for granted was not predicted but not fulfilled during His time with the Twelve.

That is why the final words of Jesus in John's Gospel are so significant. These are matters they must not forget and must always keep in mind in their future work.

Jesus' First Promise is the ultimate referral. In sales, in job-seeking, even in crime, the referral is everything. When someone says, "Your friend said I should contact you, the name of that friend opens doors and invites that meeting." When someone wants a job, sending a resume is almost useless today, since hundreds are sent for one job. But if a friend of the hiring person hands a resume over or says, "You should meet with this person," the job is much more likely. Likewise, in organized crime, relationships and friendships unite the history of such things as off-track betting, the numbers game, and political intrigue/elections.

The temptation is to say, "This will not do any good, to pray about this." But Jesus urges us saying, "The Father will hear any prayer spoken in My Name."

This must be important because the pan-religion people (Masonic Lodge, ecumenical liberals, etc) never want a prayer to end "In the Name of Christ." Unbelievers do not pray, they send positive thoughts to people - so assuring! That sounds like another form of witchcraft, since those people think their evil thoughts change the nature of the universe.

I post prayers on Facebook all the time, and I do the same in classrooms where they are requested.

Jesus not only refers us to His Father in His Name, but He promises that the prayer will be granted.

 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. 

In other words - never doubt or figure out the Promises of God. Tis funny, how so manyvideos feature people doing things that are obviously impossible, given the basic rules of gravity. They cannot leap high enough to make up for the distance and natural dropping speed. But off they go. But when urged to pray, people start figuring out what God can and would do. This is rationalistic behavior, which is always at war against faith in God. If you want to see this at work, attend a council meeting. Those deliberating sound more like atheists in the chorus of "It cannot be done." 

That is a parallel to Luther's rant about Medieval prayer processions, which the Lutherans ended. Little praying was done, and when they ended, there was no praying. Luther said, "It shows no one knew how to pray and no one prayed in the first place."

This is our constant challenge, because we normally figure out what will work and what will not work. We calculate costs, benefits, crop yields and bond yields. But God can set aside all the rules and often does.

If people tell Him how and when to act, He naturally does nothing, because those orders come from doubt and calculation, not from faith in Him.

25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. 26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

Doubting and calculating is really an attack on the nature of God. It is not to be a case of "It won't hurt to try." This is often the approach used in the media, lacking anything else to say. "The only thing left is to pray." That makes prayer the last rather than the first. Prayer comes from restful, peaceful hearts that trust in the grace and power of God. We know God has the gracious will and the power to do anything.

In 1985 an earthquake collapsed a hospital in Mexico. Newborns were in that nursery and shut off from all human contact, all water, all food - for 8 days. Almost all of them survived and were unharmed. They have been called the miracle babies. This shows what God can do among the weakest.

Likewise, He can topple the most powerful and the richest on earth, because no one can equal His power. Thus He can let us wait for years and answer our prayers in a moment.

My cousin was married 25 years before they had a baby. That was must as much a miracle for them as the healing of the Centurions's servant.

28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. 29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. 30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

Luther pointed out that our prayers cannot come from our worthiness, because if we wait to be worthy, we will never pray. We pray based on the righteousness of Christ. Because He gives us this relationship to His Father, we are encouraged to pray in trust.

The Father loves us because we love the Son. To doubt that means doubting the Gospel.

I routinely work with those who take Christianity classes and think only of the Law. They write, "God will not give us good things if we do not obey Him." I try to get them to see the folly of this kind of thinking, because it leads back to earning God's favor rather than believing in His gracious Promises. Earning God's favor can make us really good Pharisees at best.

Luther:
7. In the fifth place, one should so act in this confidence of prayer as not to limit God and specify the day or place, nor designate the way or measure of the prayer’s fulfillment; but leave all to his own will, wisdom and almighty power. Then confidently and cheerfully await the answer, not even wishing to know how and where, how soon, how long, and through whom. His divine wisdom will find far better ways and measures, time and place, than we can devise, even should we perform miracles. So, in the Old Testament, the children of Israel all trusted in God to deliver them while yet there was no possible way before their eyes, nor even in their thoughts; then the Red Sea parted and offered them a way through the waters, and suddenly drowned all their enemies. Exodus 14.

Life is much easier when lived in faith, because we have confidence in God rather than in ourselves. That does not eliminate the cross but invites it. In faith we see God fulfilling His Promises all the time, while others, lacking faith, do not see God's blessings at all.

The garden is a perfect place to see this. God reveals to us His Creation, His design, and His purpose. If we give Him a chance to work His wonders, instead of poisoning His world, He shows us how powerful His Spirit is.

I have been plotting how to nurture toads in the backyard ever since reading Sharon Lovejoy. Yesterday I checked a pan in the front yard, to see if the AC was working and dripping there. I moved the pan and specks swam all around. What's that? I had a toad pond develop in the front, on its own, while I was figuring out one (and failing so far) in the back.

So we are to pray in Jesus' Name, never doubting, never calculating. We are to pray with confidence in God's grace and power. And we are to pray without giving time, manner, and methods for answering those prayers. 

Luther's Sermon for Rogate Sunday. Five Requirements for Prayer

Chartres Cathredral Rose Window

Luther's Sermon for ROGATE  - FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER John 16:23-30
SECOND SERMON.


KJV John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and yeshall receive, that your joy may be full. 25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. 26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. 28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. 29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. 30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.


This sermon on prayer is in part a repetition of the preceding sermon.

German text: Erlangen Edition, 12:165; Walch Edition, 11:1251; St. Louis Walch, 11:927.

CONTENTS:

THE FIVE REQUISITES OF TRUE PRAYER.
I. THE FIRST REQUISITE —THE PROMISE OF GOD TO MAN 1.

II.THE SECOND REQUISITE —FAITH IN GOD’ S PROMISE 2.

III. THE THIRD REQUISITE-FAITH THAT OUR PRAYER WILL BE HEARD

* He who doubts that he will be heard commits a double sin 3-4.

IV. THE FORTH REQUISITE — ASENSE OF OUR UNWORTHINESS 5-6.

V. THE FIFTH REQUISITE -THAT WE DO NOT LIMIT GOD IN ANY WAY

A SERMON ON PRAYER.

1. First we note that in order for a prayer to be really right and to be heard five things are required. The first is, that we have from God his promise or his permission to speak to him, and that we remember the same before we pray and remind God of it, thereby encouraging ourselves to pray in a calm and confident frame of mind. Had God not told us to pray, and pledged himself to hear us, none of his creatures could ever, with all their prayers, obtain so much as a grain of corn. From this, then, there follows that no one receives anything from God by virtue of his own merit or that of his prayer. His answer comes by virtue of the divine goodness alone, which precedes every prayer and desire, which moves us, through his gracious promise and call, to pray and to desire, in order that we may learn how much he cares for us, and how he is more ready to give than we are to receive. He would have us seek to become bold, to pray in a calm and confident spirit, since he offers all, and even more, than we are able to ask.

2. In the second place, it is necessary that we never doubt the pledge and promise of the true and faithful God. For even to this end did God pledge himself to hear, yea, commanded us to pray, in order that we may always have a sure and firm faith that we will be heard; as Jesus says in Matthew 21:22: “All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Christ says in Luke 11:9-13: “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. And of which of you that is a father shall his son ask a loaf, and he give him a stone? or a fish, and he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” With this and like promises and commands we must consolingly exercise ourselves and pray in true confidence.

3. In the third place, if one prays doubting that God will hear him, and only offers his prayers as a venture, whether it be granted or not granted, he is guilty of two wicked deeds. The first is, that he, himself, makes his prayer unavailing and he labors in vain. For Jesus says: “Whoever will ask of God, let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” James 1:6-7. He means that the heart of such a man does not continue stable, therefore God can give it nothing; but faith keeps the heart calm and stable and makes it receptive for the divine gifts.

4. The other wicked deed is, that he regards his most true and faithful God as a liar and an unstable and doubtful being; as one who can not or will not keep his promise; and thus through his doubt he robs God of his honor and of his name of truth and faithfulness. In this, such a grievous sin is committed that by this sin a Christian becomes a heathen, denying and losing his own God, and thus he remains in his sin, and must be condemned forever, without comfort. Moreover, if he receives that for which he prays, it will be given, not for his salvation, but for his punishment in time and eternity and it is not for the sake of the prayers, but because of his wrath that God rewards the good words which were spoken in sin, unbelief and divine dishonor.

5. In the fourth place, some say: Yes, I would gladly trust that my prayer would be heard, if I were only worthy and prayed aright. My answer is: If you do not pray until you know and experience that you are fit, then you will never need to pray. As I have said before, our prayers must not be founded nor rest upon ourselves or their own merits, but upon the unshakable truth of the divine promise. Where they are founded upon anything else, they are false, and deceive us, even though the heart break in the midst of its great devotions and we weep drops of blood. The very reason we do pray is because of our unworthiness; and just through the fact that we believe we are unworthy and confidently venture upon God’s faithfulness to his Word do we become worthy to pray and to be heard. Be you as unworthy as you may, only look to it, and with all earnestness accept it as true, that a thousandfold more depends upon this, that you know God’s truth and not change his faithful promise into a lie by your doubting. Your worthiness does not help you, but your unworthiness is no barrier. Disbelief condemns you, and trust makes you worthy and sustains you.

6. Therefore, be on your guard all through life that you may never think yourself worthy or fit to pray or to receive; unless it be that you discover yourself to be a freebold character risking all upon the faithful and sure promises of your gracious God, who thus wishes to reveal to you his mercy and goodness. Just as he, out of pure grace, has promised you, being so unworthy, an unmerited and unasked hearing, so will he also hear you, an unworthy beggar, out of pure grace, to the praise of his truth and promise. This he does in order that you may thank, not your worthiness, but his truth, by which he fulfils his promise, and that you thank his mercy that gave the promise, that the saying in Psalm 25:8-10 may stand: “Good and upright is Jehovah: Therefore will he instruct sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in justice; and the meek will he teach his way.

All the paths of Jehovah are loving kindness and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.” Loving-kindness or mercy in the promise; faithfulness and truth in the fulfilling or hearing of the promises.

And in another Psalm he says: “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Psalm 85:10. That is, they come together in every work and gift we receive from God through prayer.

7. In the fifth place, one should so act in this confidence of prayer as not to limit God and specify the day or place, nor designate the way or measure of the prayer’s fulfillment; but leave all to his own will, wisdom and almighty power. Then confidently and cheerfully await the answer, not even wishing to know how and where, how soon, how long, and through whom. His divine wisdom will find far better ways and measures, time and place, than we can devise, even should we perform miracles. So, in the Old Testament, the children of Israel all trusted in God to deliver them while yet there was no possible way before their eyes, nor even in their thoughts; then the Red Sea parted and offered them a way through the waters, and suddenly drowned all their enemies. Exodus 14.

8. Thus Judith, the holy woman, did when she heard that the citizens of Bethulia wished to deliver the city to their enemies within five days if God, in the meantime, did not help. She reproved them and said, Now who are ye, that have tempted God? They are not designs by which one acquires grace; but they awaken more disgrace. Do you wish to set a time for God to show you mercy, and specify a day according to your own pleasure?

Judith 8:10-12. Then the Lord helped her in a wonderful manner, in that she cut off the head of the great Holofernes and dispersed the enemies.

9. In like manner, St. Paul says that God’s ability is thus proved, in that he does exceeding abundantly above and better than we ask or think. Ephesians 3:20. Therefore, we should know that we are too finite to be able to name, picture or designate the time, place, way, measure and other circumstances for that which we ask of God. Let us leave that entirely to him, and immovably and steadfastly believe that he will hear us.

SpenerQuest Is Back, Bringing You the Finest in Pietistic Rationalism - Plus Plagiarized Romanism from McCain. Did McCain or Cascione Ever Apologize for the Roman Catholic Drivel?

Luther Quest Webmaster (Lqwebmaster) Member Username: Lqwebmaster Post Number: 146 Registered: 11-2001

Posted on Friday, May 01, 2015 - 6:09 pm:       Thank you for your patience through our outage the last 24 hours. The site had some file corruption so the hosting company closed it as a precaution. That's fine, better safe than sorry. We came up within the last hour. If Luther were alive today, he'd use the Internet.

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Avoid the Monoculture - God Will Bless the Mess with Predators for the Pests

"Isotoma Habitus" by U. Burkhardt -  Springtail...
as many as 100,000 per square meter of ground.

The trouble with pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides is their overall killing effect - indiscriminate. To wipe out one pest, which is unlikely anyway, one must kill all the beneficial creatures (like spiders) while removing the food from their mouths. Why would beneficial creatures move into one's garden when their food is gone?

The Mole
An interesting case is the mole. The short answer is - there is no solution short of killing all the life in the soil, which will defiitely drive the moles away. The lawn poison advises on the package - "Do not let your children play in the grass afterwards."

Moles do make the soil uneven - scandal! - but they do so while eating lots of insect grubs and mixing the soil. They eat earthworms too, but the earthworm population will fix itself - based on the food and water made available. Moles cannot eat all the earthworms but man can kill all the earthworms temporarily while getting rid of moles.

Let's say you have killed all the moles - temporarily - they always come back. What will the robins eat? I always see them eating earthworms. One hid behind a rose bush and peeked out, because he wanted to keep foraging. Another was gathering dead grass for the nest and looked at me - his beak packed with the material -  as if to say,"What concern is this of yours?"

By Norma Boeckler

Robins eat -

1. Chokecherries, 
2. Grapes, 
3. Cherries, 
4. Blueberries, 
5. Poison Ivy, 
6. Hawthorn fruits, 
7. Grasshoppers, 
8. Earthworms, 
9. Beetle grubs, 
10. Caterpillars, 
11. Cutworms, 
12. Small snakes, 
13. Mollusks, 
14. Fish fry (baby fish), and various insects.

I see a lot of creatures no one likes in the garden. I do have grasshopper damage, but that is always short-lived and minor. The grasshoppers attract grasshopper eaters, and soon the damage stops.

The sunny garden is packed with decomposing straw, leaves, and shredded wood. Birds always eat there, all day long.

Insecticides are very effective against bees, so do not use them outside.

My Guide for Beneficial Insects Says - 

You may have noticed that I mentioned cutting down and cleaning up the border each spring. This is something most folks tend to do in the fall, but it’s far better for your bugs to hold off on this duty until late the following spring. Remember, an insectary border doesn’t serve just as a nutritional source for beneficials; it also provides greatly needed overwintering habitat. When we cover our yards with a monoculture of grass and just a smattering of evergreens and flowering shrubs, and collect every fallen leaf and twig, we essentially eliminate the sheltered sites that insects of all sorts rely on to see themselves safely through the winter months.

Maintaining your insectary garden requires as much, or as little, work as you desire. Just don’t cut down your insectary plantings in the fall, as they provide much-needed overwintering habitat to many beneficials. Though I probably can’t convince you to return your yard to its prehuman native state (nor do I think it’s even feasible), I do encourage you to allow your insectary border to stand as is through the winter. The leaves and dead stems collected there serve as critical good bug habitat. In my opinion, they also add texture and interest to what may otherwise be a very bland winter landscape.

Walliser, Jessica (2014-02-26). Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden: A Natural Approach to Pest Control (Kindle Locations 3238-3243). Timber Press. Kindle Edition. 

Honeysuckle vine - it draws insects that hummingbirds love.
Hummingbirds eat more than cola from plastic feeders.
They love insects and need insects to live.

Tree Branches Left a Mess in the Front Yard
The pruned branches left a mess in the front yard - dried leaves and twigs. We will rake the debris under the front yard maple tree to feed the tree, flowers, and garlic.

Jessica Walliser and Sharon Lovejoy are saying, "Let the insects do their work, and give them all the food, water, and shelter possible."

I simply keep all organic matter in the yard, in place wherever possible.

• The lawnmower mulches grass and weeds into the soil to add food rather than take it away.
• Weeds grow as groundcover and shoot up as mineral miners. At their worst, they are trimmed to be mulch. Many tall weeds are handy as insect havens and food for the compost (comfrey, pigweed) or food for me (goosefoot). Insects like Queen Ann's Lace (wild carrot).
• Leaves remain to decompose into the soil and harbor such beneficial creatures as rove beetles.
• A tangle of branches is left near the Jackson Bird Spa to help birds feel at home, a safe perch close to their food, but also a place where food can be found in the bark.
• Extensive mulching is the best bird feeder of all, large, varied, and full of life below.
• No pesticides - but almost no pests). 
• No herbicides - but no weed problem. Crabgrass (a grain that escaped) is an opportunity for mulching into fertilizer, not a plant to hate and destroy with chemical warfare.
• No fungicides - but a fungal jungle, fed by wood products and left to serve its Creator's purpose in decomposing organics and delivering food to the roots of plants.
• A compost pile awaits its distribution this year, so the chicken wire can receive new batches or organic material to improve the soil. If you doubt the power of decomposition, create a pile and watch it shrink while building up an army group of earthworms. Our blue jay in Midland sat on the chicken wire waiting for his next meal to wiggle near the top of the compost.

A garden spider is a beautiful site.

Handsome guy - does anyone wonder how he spots his food?
His legs feel the motion and his eyes are more effective than a mother's.

When I put down mulch I see spider webs appear at once.
Dinner is served, and my problems are digested.
Aphid spray is very effective against spiders.
I have no spray and no aphids.

Bishop Cook Resigns as Priest and Bishop, Due To Fatal DUI Charges. She Posted Bail. What about Ski's Bond in Milwaukee?

This is the hilarity pose favored by the Left and by Church Shrinkers:
Bishosp Tweedle-Dee, Tweedle-Dumb, and Tweedle-Dumpster -
for putting the entire Episcopal Church in the dumpster.

Episcopal bishop accused in drunken-driving death resigns

1 of 1© Juliet Linderman/AP Photo

Episcopal Bishop Heather Cook leaves Baltimore City Circuit Court after her arraignmrny Thursday, April 2, 2015 in Baltimore. Cook faces vehicular manslaughter, drunken driving and distracted driving charges stemming from a Dec. 27 accident when she fatally struck 41-year-old Tom Palermo on his bicycle. Cook entered a not-guilty plea, and a June 4th trial date has been set.

The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland announced Friday that it accepted the resignation of Heather Cook, who was bishop suffragan. Separately, the Episcopal Church announced it has revoked Cook's clergy credentials, under an agreement with Cook. She is now considered a layperson.

BALTIMORE — A Maryland bishop accused of fatally striking a bicyclist while driving drunk in Baltimore has resigned, and her credentials have been revoked, according to officials with the Episcopal Church.

The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland announced Friday that it accepted the resignation of Heather Cook, who was bishop suffragan. Separately, the Episcopal Church announced it has revoked Cook's clergy credentials, under an agreement with Cook. She is now considered a layperson.

Cook had been the second-highest ranking Episcopal leader in Maryland. The revocation of her credentials resolves any disciplinary matters with the church, officials said.

Cook faces charges of vehicular manslaughter, drunken driving and distracted driving stemming from a Dec. 27 accident. Prosecutors say Cook was drunk and texting when she fatally struck 41-year-old Tom Palermo on his bicycle. Cook is free on a $2.5 million bail.

A June 4 trial date has been set in the case. Cook pleaded not guilty during her arraignment in April.

Cook's attorney David Irwin confirmed that Cook had resigned.

"She will no longer function as an ordained person in the Episcopal Church," Irwin said. "More importantly on behalf of Ms. Cook, we continue to express our deepest sympathy and regret to the Palermo family for their tragic loss."

WELS District President DUI? - No problem.
WELS Worship Professor DUI - No problem.
WELS Shrinker DUI - Give him a fake church to play and drink in.
Fat, drunk, and stupid is a positive role model in WELS.

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Dual actions end Heather Cook’s ordained ministry, employment

By ENS staff | May 1, 2015 4 Comments |

[Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori announced May 1 that she and Episcopal Diocese of Maryland Bishop Suffragan Heather Cook have reached an agreement that deprives her of her status as an ordained person in The Episcopal Church; moreover, that announcement came on the same day that Cook resigned her diocesan post.

Cook is scheduled to go on trial in June for allegedly causing the Dec. 27 car-bicycle accident in Baltimore that killed bicyclist Thomas Palermo. The simultaneous May 1 announcements do not involve the legal proceedings against Cook, but they do end all ecclesiastical disciplinary matters pending against her.

Maryland Bishop Eugene Taylor Sutton had placed Cook on administrative leave shortly after the accident. Jefferts Schori restricted her ministry on Feb. 10

The statement from the Office of the Presiding Bishop is here and below.

“Pursuant to Title IV of the Canons of The Episcopal Church, the Presiding Bishop and Bishop Cook have reached an Accord. Under the terms of the Accord, Bishop Cook will receive a Sentence of Deposition, pursuant to which she shall be ‘deprived of the right to exercise the gifts and spiritual authority of God’s word and sacraments conferred at ordination.’

“As such, Cook will no longer function as an ordained person in The Episcopal Church.

“The Accord resolves all ecclesiastical disciplinary matters involving Cook.

“This Accord is separate from any resolution of employment matters involving Cook and the Diocese of Maryland as well as from criminal matters pending in the secular courts.”

The statement from the Diocese of Maryland is here and below.

“The Rt. Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton and the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland today announced the acceptance of the resignation of Heather E. Cook as bishop suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. This means that Cook is no longer employed by the diocese. The acceptance of Cook’s resignation is independent of any Title IV disciplinary action taken by the Episcopal Church.”

In late January, the Maryland Standing Committee and Sutton asked Cook to resign as an employee of the diocese.

A Baltimore grand jury indicted Cook Feb. 4 on 13 counts for allegedly causing the Dec. 27 car-bicycle accident.

Five of the charges listed in the indictment by a Baltimore City grand jury come in addition to those Cook has faced since being charged Jan. 9 with four criminal offenses and four traffic violations.

The grand jury had added charges of driving while under the influence of alcohol per se (a “per se” DUI charge involves drivers whose blood alcohol limit is above the .08% legal limit and can be charged with drunk driving even if their ability to drive does not appear to be impaired), driving under the impairment of alcohol, texting while driving, reckless driving and negligent driving.

The original Jan. 9 criminal charges included manslaughter by vehicle, criminal negligent manslaughter by vehicle, homicide by driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol per se and homicide by driving a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol.

The traffic charges filed on Jan. 9 included failing to remain at an accident resulting in death, failing to remain at the scene of an accident resulting in serious bodily injury, using a text messaging device while driving causing an accident with death or serious injury, and driving under the influence of alcohol. The grand jury added to the two failure-to-stop offenses a charge of failure to stop the vehicle as close as possible to the scene of an accident.

The failing to remain at an accident resulting in serious bodily injury and the failing to remain at an accident resulting in death are both felony charges.

Cook appeared in court on the charges for the first time April 2 during an arraignment in Baltimore Circuit Court, according to court records. Because she accepted a trial date (June 4) “there’s an inferential plea of not guilty to all the charges,” David Irwin, one of Cook’s attorneys,told reporters outside the courthouse after the arraignment.

Irwin told Episcopal News Service on May 1 that there was been no resolution to the legal charges against Cook. “We hope to make progress in resolving the case, but we’re still involved in the discovery process and in the evaluation process,” he said, referring to the pre-trial process

Diocese of Maryland Bishop Suffragan Heather Cook, who remains on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into her involvement in a fatal accident, has been as by the diocesan standing committee to resign. Photo: Diocese of Maryland

in which both sides exchange information about the witnesses and evidence they’ll present at trial.

Cook faces a combined maximum penalty of at least 39 years in prison and a $39,000 fine, depending on whether her 2010 arrest and subsequent “probation before judgment” sentence is considered a first offense for any sentence she might receive if she were convicted of the charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or driving while under the influence of alcohol per se.

Cook, who is free on $2.5 million bail, “is still in treatment,” according to Irwin. She has been living in a drug and alcohol treatment facility since shortly after the accident.

Mountain of Brush Cleared - Sweet Corn Planted

Red KnockOut Roses are joining their white rose siblings in blooming.

Springdale sent the truck to pick up our brush, but I had enough to fill the entire truck bed, so they stopped in front of the house. I went out to talk to them, anxious to have the jumbled mountain of limbs taken away. They laughed and said, "We will be back today when we are empty."

Sassy and I watched later as the claw truck came back and began loading. When I thought they were almost done, they made five more grabs with the claw. They raked up debris and took every last branch away. I walked outside and thanked them. They grinned and said, "We are proud of our work."

The red KnockOut roses began opening up, and most new roses are leafing out well. Tomorrow will be another round from the Intensive Creation Unit - barrel water and pruning shears.

I saw some ugly weeds growing in the back. Several were Queen Ann's Lace that I inserted by leaving seedheads in the back area. Once I recognized their carroty nature, I was happy to see them. Another ugly one had a reddish bottom part. Red root pigweed? I like that one too. I would like more goosefoot, which is wild spinach, good to eat.

Earlier I planted "spinach strawberries," a type of goosefoot that grows berries enjoyed by birds.

Parsley seems to be growing in the vegetable garden, although I remembered planting it early in the corn patch. Everything in the corn patch failed - it was too early during a volatile snow and sun spring.

Three Sisters Garden

I hope this guy is happy with his birdfood and does not covet my sweet corn seeds.

Sweet Corn
Sweet corn is the star of the Three Sisters Garden, and Silver Queen is the regent of all classic sweet corn. Some claim better versions with more sweetness.

Corn demands:

1. Warm soil, so early planting is foolish. Treat sweet corn like tomatoes.
2. Full sun. Six hours of sun is needed, so the sunniest patch is best for corn.
3. Rich soil. Corn is a heavy feeder.
4. Water. Corn grows fast and is thirsty.
5. Nitrogen. Nitrogen is green, growth compound.
6. Close quarters for wind pollination.

Seed sellers disagree about how far apart to plant the corn. The plants can be 6 to 12 inches apart. The rows can be close, 12 inches apart, or several feet across. The answer is - closer is better. I work on 12 inches for both, but I plant rapidly and somewhat haphazardly.

I bought 400 seeds and dropped in two seeds to a hole. Some gardeners put in three seeds. The idea is that the corn plants support each other, or gardener can thin them out later. 

Paul did say, "Sow abundantly, reap abundantly." I cannot tell which seeds will survive the squirrels, the crows, the weather, and my own mistakes in planting them too deep or two shallow. I do know they are almost 100% alive and ready to grow.

God's Word is not almost 100% alive, but completely alive, powerful, and effective. No one who looks across the landscape can figure out how God's Word will take root. I have seen many clergy blinded, hardened, and deafened by God's Word. They are like the hollow geodes that float in water, surrounded by water, with no water penetrating the inside.

That does not argue against the efficacy of the Word. Just the opposite is true. When people scorn the plain meaning of the Word and solemnly declare their sect has all the answers, they are hardening and blinding and deafening themselves by playing games with the Almighty God and His Word.

When thieves break into a power station and melt themselves by trying to steal live, thick powerlines because of the copper, they are doing that to themselves, no matter how clever, strong, and daring they imagine themselves to be. Electricity is powerful, far more than copper thieves realize, but God's Word is even more powerful, able even to "save souls." 

When I am planting seed, the doubts arise, and yet what I see around me chases the doubts away. Some great plans, like the Creature Convention Center, lasted a few hours at first. But the overall effect of applying the principles of Creation is impressive. I am doing very little work, a bit each day, to allow God's creatures to do the work for me. 

The corn patch, as a lawn area, was difficult to dig, so we covered it with newspapers and shredded cyprus. When we had too much mulch, we begged for more newspapers. When we had too many newspapers, I bought more mulch. For seven months the creatures worked on the grass and weeds that died under the shade of Jackson Mulch.

My wife said, "I thought you just were going to sow the corn, toss it on the ground." I answered calmly, "That is called - Feeding the birds."

The soil was soft and easy to dig with the small trowel. Assuming the corn germinates and rises above the mulch, there are almost no weeds to face. Worst case - I have an area for pumpkins and beans. In all that time, almost no weeds had grown in the entire corn patch, more than 120 square feet.

Some gourds are already planted.
Pumpkins are good for covering the floor of the Three Sisters garden.

LutherQuest (sic) Has Been Down for Several Days. No Te Deum Masses, Please. LQ Is a Clever Satire of the Synodical Conference

Reclaiming Walther is a better name for the franchise,
because the websty has nothing to do with Luther, except rejecting his doctrine.

Someone else noticed that the entire LutherQuest website has been down for several days. I needed some laughs, so I looked it up a few days ago. I thought it was just routine maintenance, but that is usually for part of a day.

Here is a ringing endorsement -

I always enjoy looking at LutherQuest -- simply because no one has any inhibitions about making the craziest comments under the sun (e.g., to vote Democrat is to sin).  But for the past few days the site has been down.  I haven't a clue as to why and know no one whom I could contact.  Thought you should know.

 Update - I did not check before, but today I saw that other parts were functioning. The discussion area is still down as of May 2, 8 AM Central Daylight Time.