Looking toward the Epiphany

I read something I had to laugh at the other day…If you could overhear the wise men while they were on their journey what statements would you have heard them saying …Perhaps…

1. Man, I'm starting to get a rush from this frankincense!.. By the way…Many of us in the clergy can identify with at one.
2. You guys ever eat camel meat? I hear it tastes like chicken.
3. What would possess your parents to name you Balthazar anyhow?
4. Okay, whose camel just spit on me?
5. We’re going to have to pull over. All this staring at a star while riding a camel is making me sick at my stomach.

At Christmas time we celebrate God’s coming into the world. God came to us in the form of a human being…A little infant. Not very likely, if you think about it. God coming to us as a baby…Tiny…Fragile… Humble….In our modern and secular thinking we have to ask, Why not an angel ablaze with glory holding a gleaming sword of fire? Why not in the form of a wise and caring philosopher that respects everyone and their individual points of view?

No…. That’s not how it happened. In that unlikely place, at that unlikely time, in a very unlikely way, God’s light came into the world.

We are coming up toward the feast that marks the end of the Christmas season this week. This week we celebrate the light of Christ coming to us personally: our own moment of enlightenment when we come to know, each of us, that Christmas, that God’s light,is meant for us. This week the Church calendar ushers in the Epiphany.

Epiphany is a huge celebration in certain parts of the world. Almost as big as Christmas itself. Why? Because, it is the celebration of Jesus being introduced to all mankind. In Epiphany Jesus is just not introduced to the Jewish world…He is introduced to the whole world. For God and His love has been revealed to us.

According to the very earliest texts the earliest celebration of Epiphany in the Church was prior to the year 194. Earlier even than the Nicene Creed. When we think of Epiphany we think of the wise men….The Magi. The wise men came from the East, possibly from Persia. They were most certainly astrologers. We traditionally number them as being three because three gifts are specifically named in the Gospel of Matthew. Scripture never states the specific number of wise men.

The Magi…The Wise Men take part in a journey that would seem foolish by today‘s standards. The Magi followed their hearts not knowing their exact destination.
They took part in an arduous journey through the desert to find the location of a newborn king. The journey of the Magi is symbolic of our journey in life. Just as the magi search for Jesus, our lives can be seen as a journey…With the goal of our lives finding salvation.

Anglican Bishop JC Ryle wrote about the wise men, “Let us walk in the steps of their faith. Let us not be ashamed to believe in Jesus and confess Him, though all around us remain careless and unbelieving. Have we not a thousand-fold more evidence than the wise men had, to make us believe that Jesus is the Christ? Beyond doubt we have. Yet where is our faith?”

Bishop Ryle asks a good question, “Where is our faith?’…“Where is our faith?”

The wise men followed their faith… They didn’t give up their knowledge of the stars or their learning…However, they trusted in something more important than themselves.
They sought to be obedient to God and His will.

In our modern world and in so many denominations out there you find people acting as if “personal opinion” were somehow equal to God and His teachings. It’s where you get clergy and seminaries teaching things like “abortion is a blessing”…Yes, a head of a famous seminary said that recently. It’s where people get the idea that the “Bible is a collection of historical documents”, instead of being the Word of God. It’s where you get a leader of a national church that says, “To say Jesus is the only way is to put God in a very small box.”

Many in our modern world could learn a lot from the wise men. The Magi sought God and His direction in their lives.
Our lives are a journey to Christ in that each day we are called to search for God just as the wise men did. We find Christ in our lives in many ways. We find Christ in our lives through prayer and the reading of scripture. We find Him in our interaction with those around us. We are called to encounter Christ in the service that we do for the least of our brothers and sisters.

We are called to Christ through attending church, taking part in the sacraments and worshipping together. We are called to Christ by being brave enough to step out of our comfort zone and standing up for what is right. I invite you to insert yourselves into the story of the wise men. We are not only to seek Christ in our lives but we are to bring Christ to others. We are to seek His will. We are to bring the truth of Jesus’ message to others in the world.

As members of the body of Christ our lives are a testimony to others. Where we stand…And who we stand with honors our Father in Heaven. I ask you to think about something for a minute….The story of the Magi calls us to be manifestations of Christ to the people we come into contact with.

Just as the infant Jesus was a manifestation of God’s love so our lives are to be a manifestation of Christ. Yes, our lives are to be Epiphanies to all those whom we come into contact with. Just as the Magi undertook a dangerous journey in the distant past God calls those who believe in Him to take a journey today. By believing in God’s word. By standing up for what is right. By refusing to put a wall around ourselves and saying, “Those people out there can be heretics but I’m safe within the confines of my own individual church…As long as we hold the line right here.”

By being brave enough to take a journey those of us in the Anglican Church in North America and the Reformed Episcopal Church are now walking in the steps of the Magi. Each of the wise men had to make a personal decision to leave their home, their family and friends to come to worship Christ.

The Magi were probably inconvenienced along the way. But their focus was on God. Many who are part of the Anglican Church in North America had to walk away from a lot. Clergy have walked away from pensions and laity from beautiful buildings that their families had had worshipped in for generations. But they gained so much more…For they now walk with Christ. They…Now follow God’s will.

We are on an ancient journey which started long ago.

You and I are walking the path of the wise men this very day. For we seek His will… And not our own. We live in a world that is sorely in need of Jesus Christ. We know the truth… All the fancy philosophy in the world. All the pretty buildings and stained glass…They won’t help someone when they are on their death bed one bit… Only the truth revealed in scripture can do that.

In the Epiphany season we celebrate how Christ was first revealed to all the nations of the world. This time reminds us that the salvation of Jesus Christ is a salvation for all people. This season reminds us that the Epiphany of Christ did not end in Bethlehem but instead continues to this very day. Let us continue on our journey…The journey the Magi started. A journey to discover His will for us.

Holy Innocents

St. Matthew ii. 13.
THE angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.


Christmas… A time of happiness?

Yes… And… No.

I learned a valuable lesson at five years old. My parents took me to a Christmas tree farm out in the country and we picked out a beautiful spruce tree and actually watched the owner of the farm cut it down with a chain saw.

We took the tree home and decorated it. Being the early 1970’s we put the rather large old fashioned type of Christmas tree lights on it. You know…The old fashioned kind of lights that you really only see used outside now days.After decorating the tree we sat back and drank some hot chocolate and talked and we marveled at the beauty of three. It had some very fragile glass ornaments on it and literally several pounds of the silver looking string tinsel you also don’t see very often anymore on indoor trees.

I woke up the next morning and realized that the lights on the Christmas tree had been left on all night when I walked past the living room. And… Those large old fashioned lights were known for getting pretty hot. Even at five years old I realized that to leave the lights on the tree plugged in all night was a fire hazard.
I quickly ran up and looked at the tree. And… Suddenly, I saw hundreds… Literally, many hundreds of baby spiders crawling everywhere.

Some of the spiders had crawled onto the lights and had burned to death and shriveled up. However, almost all of them were very much alive. The spiders were dropping onto the presents. They covered the ornaments. Again… The spiders were literally everywhere. It looked like the whole tree was squirming and moving.Obviously, baby spiders had hatched out during the night as we had slept. There must have been an egg case in the branches of the tree that we simply didn’t see when we decorated it.

I was filled with fear and anguish. I ran and hurriedly woke my parents up. My father cursed and went to the spare bedroom and hurriedly wrapped a sheet around the tree. He pulled the plug to the Christmas lights out of the wall so hard sparks literally flew everywhere. My Dad then pulled the tree…Ornaments and all and threw it on the edge of the street for the garbage man to pick-up.My mother was despondent and simply cried inconsolably.

Christmas was pretty much ruined that year.

That incident taught me at a very early age bad things happen at Christmas. I recall a few years back I that had a newly ordained member of the clergy call me and ask about, “all the negativity on the Church Calendar right after Christmas.” This individual was talking about the Martyrdom of St. Stephen on the 26th of December, The Feast of the Holy Innocents celebrated on the 28th of December that commemorates all the innocent male children that died by King Herod’s order when he was trying to kill the infant Jesus and the Martyrdom of St. Thomas Beckett on the 29th of December.

Holy Innocents has always been a special day at our house. Not only do we like it as a feast day...But both my wife and dog have birthdays on December 28th. My wife, Sabrina, is always happy when it falls close enough to Sunday to be celebrated during a regular service. No such luck this year.

Although, the world has already moved on to the next holiday on the Hallmark calendar…We in the church get to keep singing Christmas songs, celebrating, and hanging on to that warm and wonderful Christmas feeling….Right?…Well… No…Not really…. Our reading for the Holy Innocents hits us in the face like one of those giant inch and a half thick candy canes (which I loved as kid) across the bridge of our nose…With the terrible story about the slaughter of innocent babies….

Herod, that evil king, in his desire to preserve his power, had a whole village of children under two years old murdered. Just to make sure he would have no competition for his throne. He had heard, through the wise men from the East, that a king had been born. But the wise men had fled back home without telling Herod exactly who this “new“ king was.

Into our season of Christmas joy our lectionary reading destroys our all our holiday cheer with the thought of babies dying, innocent children, at the hands of a tyrant….Let’s look at it like this…The Gospels are not only concerned with spreading the joy of Jesus Christ (which I assure you they are). They are also given to us to explain the truth….You and I all know that the truth is not always a pretty thing. Matthew is not worried about our holiday spirit as much as he is about showing us truth.

The whole point of Christmas is to give hope to tragedies like the Holy Innocents…..I’m going to say that again…. The whole point of Christmas is to give hope to tragedies like this. To say to those suffering, in pain, “fear not, for I bring you tidings of great joy – a Savior is born!” When we start thinking in these terms it makes sense that we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Innocents in the Christmas Season. For we no longer have NO hope…We have a Savior. We have Jesus Christ…We now have hope! We now have nothing to fear!

The world is a hard place…. and like Herod it will try to silence the Good News of Jesus Christ. The harshness of this world will try to distract us and make us doubt. The world will bring each of us trouble and heartache. Each one of us carry heartache….Our own burdens. Our own anguish in our hearts….But now…We can “fear not”.

But rather than letting the harshness of this world turn us away from Jesus, let us rely on Christ as the Savior from all our suffering…A savior from our brokeness and heartbreak. For the promise of his birth, now fulfilled, shows God's faithfulness in all His promises of forgiveness and the paradise that waits for all those who just believe.

Whatever tragedy you face, whatever cause for weeping and mourning, whatever great sadness or guilt or pain you bring here today…Or, will face tomorrow – find hope in Christ. Find forgiveness and blessing. Look forward in faith and trust in a God who always keeps his promises… “Fear not”.

The Holy Innocents…Were among the first martyrs of the Church. They were some of the first to give their lives for Christ. The Holy Innocents helped God save his Son, and kept Jesus from the slaughter, only to give him over to a horrible and cruel death, later to a different Herod. Why? Because Jesus had a mission. We have to realize that if one separates the Incarnation from the Crucifixion, one doesn’t fully get Christmas…Or, Christianity for that matter.

Our greatest present this season does not come from under a tree but HE did die on one. Christ’s resurrection from suffering and death becomes our resurrection from the cold dark grave of despair… Jesus was delivered, and so are we.

May your Christmas heartache give way to Christmas joy, as you find hope and comfort in the Christ who was born for you. Who died for you…And…Who is a present for you……………Merry Christmas!

Today

Today we begin to celebrate Christmas. All the shopping and wrapping, all the decorating and preparing, all the card-writing and frantic running around like chickens with our heads cut off (as my grandma would have said) has led up to today. In the church, all the Advent hymns, and our Advent wreath, all our focus on the spiritual and our preaching about growing closer to God during the Advent season has been leading up to today. Our celebration of Christ's birth.

Today and tomorrow Christmas is here. It's the day we've all been waiting for…Today… Yesterday is history…Today is a gift….Today we can choose to let go of sin and follow Christ. The word, “today” is a key word in one of my favorite passages in scripture. It's the word the angels used to announce the good news to the shepherds in Luke.

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”

Thus the birth of God's long-awaited redeemer was introduced to a darkened, weary, and exhausted world. I learned recently that the words "Fear not" appear in the Bible exactly 365 times. Did you ever wonder why? Did you ever wonder why we are not to fear? The reason is that a Savior has been presented -- a Deliverer, a rescuer, one who is adequate to free us from any threat and danger in any situation….Including…DEATH.

Today and tomorrow are the ending of our journey which has been Advent. God's salvation from sin and death isn't sometime, it isn’t somewhere out there, somehow undefined and some sort of strange abstract thought. In Christ… in Bethlehem… in the mangers… in swaddling clothes… today, HE is born, said the angels. This is as real as it gets folks. This isn’t just some other far out philosophy to live by…One of many competing ways to the truth….This is God made flesh! This is new life and we are all part of it! Jesus is like no other, for he is fully human and fully divine-at the same time. Nothing about His humanity could detract from His Godliness; nothing about His Godliness could detract from His humanity. Because of this Jesus is the only one who can truly reconcile the Father in heaven with His children on earth. Jesus is of both worlds…He is the bridge by which God comes to earth and the only bridge by which people come to heaven.

Christmas marks that one day, the day in which God's many promises to send a savior came true. He remembered. God came through for us….For you and I… For each of us!…. Christ the Savior is born……God is no longer that which we cannot understand. He is now that which we know.

Today, death and sin has met its match in the form of a baby born to die. For as Christmas is a special day, it also points to another day…. a Friday…. A Good Friday, when the heavens were "torn in two". That day Jesus died for our sins. The one who did not deserve to die became the perfect sacrifice for all those who did…And… still do.

There’s one more “today” worth mentioning… That is Easter…The Easter that brings not only Jesus’ resurrection from suffering and death but our own resurrection from suffering and death. Easter is never far from Christmas. It may be separated by the calendar, but it’s part and parcel of the same. Its all about redemption....It's all about new life.

"Today" is our gift...Today is our new life.

Trinity X

Father Magee

Trinity X

The Gospel. St. Luke xix. 41.
AND when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves. And he taught daily in the temple.

In our Gospel today it says…"He beheld the city, and wept over it".

Why should Christ have been so suddenly gripped in that way? This was the very last week of His earthly life and ministry. In another six days or so, He was to be crucified so this was His last visit to Jerusalem. Our Lord broke out with violent weeping and He tells us why. It is because of the things He knew. Jesus was aware of the horrible things that were soon to happen to Jerusalem and it’s people. So He burst forth with weeping. The thing that moved our Lord was the plight of these poor people who did not believe in Him. Jesus knew very well what would happen to Him. He knew about the scourging that would come, He knew about the crown of thorns that would be soon placed upon His head…He also knew about the cross, the mockery, the jeering and the hatred that was in His future. He saw it all by His divine eye, but He did not weep for Himself. No, Jesus wept for others. He knew what would happen to Him in Jerusalem and still yet He went to serve.

To be a Christian is to be Christ like. It is literally to emulate Jesus Christ and His actions upon this earth. This Gospel passage has always reminded me of one of my personal heroes…Who of course…Just happened to be an Anglican Priest… named, Fr. John Magee. Don’t know who he is? Don’t be surprised. I have yet to meet laymen or another priest who knows his story. Yet, he is an example of an American Anglican Saint.

John Magee was from a wealthy Pittsburgh family. He went to the finest schools. He had access to wealth and business connections. He could have been a wealthy industrialist, a politician, a man of power…Or, even a playboy with nothing to do but enjoy life. However, Father John Magee chose to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. After graduating seminary he chose to go and serve in China as a missionary. He met and fell in love with a young English woman who had also come to China to save souls in Jesus’ name.

Father Magee started doing missionary work in Nanking, China and was at the same time the chairman of Nanking Committee of the International Red Cross Organization. On December 13, 1937, the Imperial Japanese Army stormed the Chinese city of Nanking. There was one area that offered some protection from the Japanese. It was the so-called “International Zone” where almost all the foreigners lived, including Father Magee. During the following six weeks, the Japanese Army murdered and tortured countless civilians whose only crime was being Chinese. Over 300,000 people were killed and over 20,000 women were brutally raped. Some estimate the numbers to be much higher - 340,000 and 80,000 respectively. During this dark period when hundreds of thousands of defenseless Chinese were ruthlessly slaughtered by the Japanese army, Father Magee, who was appalled by the atrocities he witnessed, ran out of the Nanking International Safety Zone, without regard for his own safety and took part in rescuing over 100, 000 Chinese solders and civilians who were facing certain death by making sure they found safety from the Japanese. Father Magee shot several hundred minutes of film with a 16mm movie camera. These films recorded men being beheaded by the Japanese army, women being violated, and babies who lost parents with corpses lying all over in villages. Father Magee gathered the world’s most complete photo evidence of the Massacre of Nanking.

Even though Father Magee knew that at anytime the Japanese were likely to learn of his chronicling their atrocities and that they would most certainly kill him for it… he still continued to go back into Japanese held areas of Nanking over and over again and rescue Chinese nationals and gather more proof of Japanese war crimes. Like Jesus did in today’s Gospel, Father Magee wept for others but he did not worry for himself. He knew his death was likely imminent but he continued to do God’s work anyway. It is very likely that the world would have never learned about what was later to be called “the Rape of Nanking” if it were not for the actions of Father Magee. It is certain thousands would have died without his help.

Why do so few know of Father Magee today? Because Father McGee didn’t care if you knew about him or not. Because that was not the reason he served. He never wanted to be a bishop. He never wanted a “plum church” or a high paying job. He never wanted to “sell” his story. He never wanted fame of any kind. All he wanted to do was be a priest and to serve others. Father Magee wanted to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.

We should ask ourselves: Are we attempting to walk with Jesus Christ? Are we? Are we attempting to be Christ like in our lives? Do we weep and complain for ourselves or, do we weep for others? Not all of us can be a Father Magee. But you know what? We don’t have to be. All we have to do is to want to be like Jesus. To love others. To cry for others rather than cry for ourselves. If we do not walk Jesus's path Christ pities our souls. He weeps for us. Jesus says, "Repent and believe in me and I will forgive all your sins and wickedness, whatever it has been. All you have to desire is to walk my path.”

Orphaned

John 14: 18-20 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you."

My mother passed away recently. She had been very ill since having a heart attack in January and had three surgeries between January and June. She was scheduled for a fourth surgery but died suddenly from a fatal heart attack while waiting on this last surgery.

My mother was my last living parent. After she passed away I had the thought...."So, this is what being an orphan feels like." Now...I know at 40+ years old I am not exactly an "orphan." However, there is still that sense of lose... That sense of "being alone."

The Gospel of John tells how Jesus explains to His Disciples that after His Ascension they will not see him anymore. We all know that even though the Disciples didn't see Jesus anymore He was still with them. Jesus was still very much part of their lives.... I cannot help but think that in so many ways there are parallels between Jesus' Ascension and our parents leaving us.

In addition to my mother dying recently I also lost a good friend. He was one of the key founders of Trinity Church. I was very honored to preside at his funeral. As a clergyman funerals are very tough for me. I always feel like I’ve left a little part of myself behind when I preside at a funeral. It was difficult for me to participate in both the funeral of my friend and mother.

Let me assure you… It is not difficult for me to participate in funerals because I am usually concerned about the person who has passed away. It’s because of the bitter pain that the family and loved ones feel at their loss. The grief and loss that surrounds the situation is hard to bear. It is especially hard to bear when those closest to you are suffering.

I believe with all my heart that "Jesus built a bridge to Heaven using two pieces of wood and three nails." As Christians we are part of the Communion of Saints. Am I crushed emotionally about the death of my mother and friend? Of course...However, I know that my mother and friend can now celebrate because they are now in the presence of God. They and other saints also remain present with us at the liturgy. They have joined with the saints and all holy Christians who have gone before them. To be a Christian is to be part of the Communion of Saints… No earthly body required! As for my mom and friend… We are not separated, but remain connected in a very special way.

Just as He told you

C.S. Lewis wrote, “"Reality, in fact, is always something you couldn't have guessed. That's one of the reasons I believe Christianity. It's a religion you couldn't have guessed." It's a fact that a lot of people have trouble wrapping their heads around the miracle of Jesus and what he did for us,

Anglican Bishop J.C. Ryle once said, “The resurrection of Christ is one of the foundation-stones of Christianity. It was the seal of the great work that He came on earth to do. It was the crowning proof that the ransom He paid for sinners was accepted, the atonement for sin accomplished, the head of him who had the power of death bruised, and the victory won.”

Are we surprised by Easter? By the miracle of Easter? Well, we shouldn’t be. For this Jesus told us He would die. He told us He would rise on the third day. And soon His disciples would see Him in Galilee. So this Easter, we focus on these words of the angel: “just as He told you.”

Easter tells us – what we have to look forward to. For as Jesus rose from the dead, we will rise from the dead. Jesus is the first-fruits, the first-born of the dead. Which means there will be others. And so will be fulfilled his promise. As Jesus says in John Chapter 11, verse 25: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.”

We’re not talking about our spirit simply being with God. Let me assure you...That does happen when we die. But...That’s not the end of our faith! The final, the fullest, the completion of his promises happens when we rise again on the last day, and live forever – incorruptible soul and imperishable BODY - with Jesus our Lord. This is the hope of Easter! This is the promise of Christ. Then too, it will be, “just as he told you”.

What does this mean for us????

It means Jesus isn’t the only one with something to tell.

The angels spoke the message, and then commissioned the women to “go and tell” the men. The men would be charged to “go and tell” the world. And all of us Christians carry that same message, all of us are to “go and tell”.

I don’t mean some canned goofy and shallow one liners. We have good news! We have the Gospel of Jesus Christ! We can tell people what Jesus, has said, what he has done, and how it is always, “just as he told you”. People can tell by our kindness to others. People can tell by a comforting word when the opportunity arises. We can go and also invite others to come and hear more.

What does this mean for the believer…It means… Be in God’s house. Come to hear his word. Not because you must, but because it’s here that we hear the good news in this world. We hear good news in a world of bad news.

It’s here we find the truth in a world full of lies. It’s in here we find someone reliable in this world of unreliable people. It’s in here that we touch his presence in the sacrament of bread and wine.

Here…In the Church…Is the message of Jesus… The message that is the only real and lasting hope for struggling through this life of sorrow.

“Just as he told you.”

Mary and the other women went and told what they had heard and seen. We can all do the same. Forgiveness, Life, For as he has told us, so it is. Just as he said.

CHRIST IS RISEN! (HE IS RISEN INDEED!) ALLELUIA! AMEN.

Revolution

Here is a story I have always found interesting and I thought the rest of you might as well.

In January of 1990 Romanian Television was interviewing the philosopher Petre Sutea. They asked what he thought about the revolution that had just released his country from the grip of Communism.

“What revolution?” the philosopher replied. Thinking that Dr. Sutea was having some difficulty hearing because of advanced age the reporter recounted the events of the revolution when Sutea replied, “That was not revolution! There has been only one revolution in the history of mankind, the Incarnation of our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ!”

To believe that Jesus is Lord is to confess that He is God. To believe anything else is to believe something less and if Jesus is less than God no salvation is possible. Prophets may predict, rabbis may teach,but only God can save. Our belief that Jesus saves means precisely that He is God. Jesus did not come to merely forgive our sins, He came to open up for us a new relationship with God our Father. Where can we come to most fully develop this new relationship with God?

In HIS Church.