New Church Blessing Saturday, March 26

New Building at 149 Magellan Circle

Highland Meadows Church is happy to announce the blessing of our new church building at 149 Magellan Circle.

The service shall be Saturday, March 26 at 2:30 PM, with Bishop Paul Duff of the Houston Presbytery conducting the service with Pastor Werner Stadlater.

A cook out at White Rock Lake Pavilion Big Thicket (#11) will follow.  See map below and #11 is Big Thicket Pavilion that we have reserved.

For information call (214) 340-4045

USA Synod Chapter Directives

After the USA Synod chapter meeting in Plymouth, MA; there are to be some changes.  We shall end our 501 (c) 3 status and simply become an independent organization.  The non-profit status of churches is being manipulated by the government to force churches to practice ungodly and unholy practices that are contrary to the gospel.  As a church we must refuse to offer insurance that includes abortion on demand.  We must also deny and refuse to incorporate homosexuals onto our church boards in the name of "tolerance".  This is why the 510 (c) 3 charters of the Congregational Episcopal Churches are being directed to be abolished and the churches run as simple independent organizations.

Donations must be made in the name of our pastor, Rev. Werner Stradlater.  Pastor will then distribute the donations as needed in Highland Meadows Church, and pay taxes on the full as income.  The church property will be incorporated between Pastor and the USA Synod with property taxes being paid.  This will take effect May 18, 2014 when our nonprofit status expires.

Again, this is the only true solution to ending proposed governmental meddling in the affairs of churches.

Our former pastor, Bishop Daniel Rea is having success with the mission in Nagoya, Japan.  Please keep Bishop Rea and his wife, Deacon Itsuko Rea, in your prayers.

Highland Meadows Church 

Meet Our New Pastor

New Pastor, Rev. Werner Stradlater

Hello folks I am the new pastor for Highland Meadows Church and Miyazaki Ministries.  My name is Werner Stradlater and I have been the associate pastor here since September 2011 when Rev. Daniel founded the church and ministry.  We shall still minister to the Japanese Christians and the homeless here in Dallas.

I am originally from Birmingham, Alabama.  I graduated from Southeastern Baptist Seminary and then studied Japanese and Japanese Religions at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan.  My wife Chieko and I welcome you and hope to see you all soon.  Please come, rest, and heal at our church.

Presbyter Daniel and Deacon Itsuko shall have a farewell service with a reception to follow December 29 at 5 pm.  The service will be in Japanese with communion.  Hope to see you all there as we say farewell and wish Presbyter and his wife the best with their new mission in Nagoya, Japan.

Presbyter Daniel and Deacon Itsuko leave DFW for Nagoya on January 7 at 11 am.  We shall have a final blessing for them at 7 am at Highland Meadows Church as they leave.  

Important Announcements

Dear brothers and sisters:

Our ministry here in Dallas is about to come to full bloom.  With this comes bearing fruit and after that it is time to graft from this fruit bearing tree to a new soil.  After the New Year I shall be going to Japan to found a mission of the Puritan Church there.  While our time here was short we accomplished much.  We have a church that shall be led by a very competent pastor of your choosing.  We have ministered to battered women and their children.  We have reached out to the homeless and to the lonely.  We shall continue to do so.  I shall do so in Japan and you shall continue here.

Itsuko is progressing in hear deacon studies.  She read the gospel this morning and is almost ready to assist at the Table of the Lord, and to preach her first sermon.  Itsuko has the heart of a true humble servant of the Lord.

The Missions Office in Washington DC is drafting the mission charter for Japan.  The preliminary working name is The Protestant Christian Church of Japan (日本プロテスタントクリスチャン教会).  I shall be consecrated Presbyter November 9 and shall be fully responsible for the mission in Japan as it begins to grow.  Itsuko shall be more than able to assist in our ministry to both the Japanese and expat communities in Nagoya.

We shall not be without helpers in the vineyard.  Rev. Takeshi Amazawa of Tokyo Baptist Church shall be advising on church planting in Japan.  In all there shall be challenges and unexpected problems but how they are handled shall be the difference.  So long as Itsuko and I stay faithful to the Lord, help one another, and be of comfort to those in need then all shall work out to the greater glory of God.

As our Puritan forefathers braved ocean, New World, and famine they clung to the phrase Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam - All for the greater glory of God.

Easter Blessings

A very blessed Easter.  May the risen Lord bless you today and always.

Urgent Need

Dear Children of God,

The shelter in Richardson I am the chaplain at needs to replace a wood fence.  As you can imagine this places River of Life Homes in a very tight spot financially.  I ask that you please go to the River of Life website and make note of the address and mail a Home Depot gift card.  In doing so you would be making a huge donation to a huge need.

This Sunday at Highland Meadow Church we will be having a second collection for this need.  Please be as generous as you can possibly be.

May the Lord be with you,
Rev. Daniel J. Rea

247th Chapter Meeting

The history of the Congregational Church began in reform.  As the Anglican Church began reverting to Roman Catholic practices and doctrines, congregations in England began to cling to the original Cramner Book of Common Worship which was the original Book of Worship based largely on the Lutheran Book of Worship (Buch um Anbeten).   As the monarchs of England gained more power than the bishops on matters of faith and doctrine the congregations demanding reform then moved to Plymouth, England when uniting with the Anglicans became impossible.

As the New World was settled by these "Puritans" communities in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey were built around their churches.  Among them Boston, Barnstable, Philadelphia, Trenton, Montpelier, and Dover.  Over time congregations grew into what is now the Congregational Churches.  In the coming annual chapter meeting planned for February 18 to 21 in Carrollton, TX, there is a need in the Episcopal Church USA for reform and these congregations are looking to the Congregational Churches for unity.

The main cause of separation for many Episcopalians today is the ordination of openly homosexual people to not only the ministry but also to consecration as bishops.  While the Congregational Church will not preach to the hierarchy of any denomination on how their confession should be run, the Congregational Church is open to unity with ministers, laity, and bishops who wish to unite with us in our call to minister, preach, and celebrate faith in Jesus Christ.

This means some exciting changes may lay ahead for us.  Our congregations are considering uniting under the new titles Independent Episcopal Church or Reformed Anglican Confession or Plenary Episcopal (Anglican) Church.  All terms carry important identity for our churches.  All of us are episcopal as we have bishops who support local clergy.  All churches are Anglican in that England is the birth place of our confessions.  All of our churches are plenary in that we are united and we are completely franchised to run our individual churches by laity consent with their pastors.

As we enter Lent and as we face uniting with congregations that seek reconciliation to the gospel of Christ we must all pray for the changes ahead.  I shall be attending the meetings with a spirit of prayer and discernment.

I wish to thank all who donated to our Sunday collection for River of Life Homes for Battered Women.  We collected $120 and we also donated a new laptop computer to them.  Thank all of you so very much.  Be assured of my prayers for you all and I ask your prayers for myself, Itsuko, and Monica.  May the Lord continue to bless us all.

Sunday February 3 Service

This Sunday shall be the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.  We are 11 days away from the Lenten Season.  This Sunday we have been able to arrange an out door service at White Rock Lake.  One of the covered areas has become available and we have been able to reserve it for our service Sunday.  If you come at 1PM then you and your family can have fun at the adjacent play ground before we begin the service at 2PM.  We will be finished at 4PM promptly.

Please remember we shall also have a second collection for River of Life Homes.  Again, we ask for you to be generous with this collection as River of Life does such great work for battered women and children in our local community.

The readings for this Sunday are:
Jeremiah 29:4-14
Philippians 3:1-14
Luke 9:51-62

The homily message shall be Letting Go of the Past.

Thank you and God be with you all.  See you Sunday at White Rock Lake.

Special Collection Sunday February 3

This Sunday at Resurrection Church we shall be collecting a special collection for River of Life Homes.  River of Life Homes provides 24-hour hotline crisis, emergency shelter and transitional housing for women and children who are victims of family violence. The agency provides emergency shelter for up to three months, average of 30 days. Upon admittance to the emergency shelter, the client is met by a volunteer and provided with a shelter and program orientation. River of Life Homes provide counseling, personal support services, life planning and education on the cycle of domestic violence and the types of domestic violence. The agency provides transitional housing for up to one year, 6 months average. Transitional housing services are available to women, and their children, who have completed emergency shelter program and need further time to complete their life plan or job training. Transitional housing selection is based on application and qualification requirements, regardless of race, creed, color, religion, national origin or economic status. 

If you have any electronics, tools, or furnishing to donate please call River of Life at:
(214)886-3563.  Contact at River of life is Lovina Iheke.  The website for River of Life can be found here.

River of Life also has a Guide Star review which shows their total collections and their total expenses for the last available tax years.  This is a legitimate charity and has need as you can see.

We ask that you be as generous as you possibly can.  This ministry provides a blessed need for the women and children in our local community.  It also provides our small congregation with an opportunity to minister in ways the Holy Spirit will direct if we are open to His call of service and love.  We ask that you pray for Pastor Rea as he discerns God's call in ministry to the poor and homeless in our area.

In all, may the will of God be done and may we be continually directed in our ministry.