reveric'stuff

Anne's Birthday

We had a nice, quiet day for Anne's 10th Birthday.  Veronica made her favorite - homemade macaroni and cheese - for dinner.  We opened a few presents.  Then while she played her new video game, Jed, Sam and their new friend Grant went over to the park.  It was a fun day!

I'm Back

I've been away for a good, long time. Our world has radically changed. God still reigns sovereign on his throne, but from our vantage point, a good amount is different. Honestly, though, I'm finding that the biggest reason I have not been posting is that this has become a greatly visual medium for me, and I didn't have a camera - until today. Late this afternoon, I picked up a Nikon D40 - an entry level digital SLR - and I already love it. I ran outside to the beach in front of Beacon Bay in Newport for the last light of the day and caught a few things. These are the first pictures. Let me see if this Picasaweb slideshow can embed here

Day after tomorrow, we're going to Disneyland! I'll have plenty more. And, I'll report on what is going on with us!

Big News

This is it.  We're moving! 

We came to Buffalo in January of 1995.  God has transformed a congregation, brought us three miraculous children, grown us up, and surrounded us with a whole new family.  He's given us a testimony of His faithfulness. 

Now He's calling us to Sacramento, California.  We're excited to go "home" to a world I know (California).  We're excited for the adventure of moving the family.  We're excited for the ministry I'm going to at Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church.  But mostly we're excited because God is doing this.

Lots is happening at both Bethlehem and Knox.  Bethlehem is thriving by surprise.  We've joined forces with Grace Community Church pastored by Cap Farrow, and Saturday nights are growing.  We're having over 70 folks for dinner at 5:30 and worship at 6:30.  Peace of the City ministries started in the building in the fall, and they're thriving.  Every weekday, they are ministering to the community.  They have all sorts of after-school things going on.  The neighborhood is coming in the doors.  It's what we envisioned from the beginning.   

At the same time, the funds are running out for Bethlehem.  It's time to formally close Bethlehem and hand off to Grace.  We're having a congregational meeting tomorrow to ask the Presbytery to dissolve the congregation.  They'll set up a commission and do that work. 

Knox is about to have its Pastoral Nominating Committee get to work.  They'll do the heavy lifting of identifying the next generation of pastoral leadership. 

So, ...it's time for us to go. 

Maybe I'll start writing again.  I lost my camera in the fall (stolen?).  That's uninspired me to blog.  But there's just too much happening now.   

Summer Schedule

The Worship Team at Bethlehem has been excited to be creative in its worship planning.  You never know what will happen when you come on Saturday night at 6:00pm.  And as we look at Summer, we want to be even more creative and include you in our planning.  We have many creative ideas, an we are looking for more and for when to schedule these ideas. 

Lena Sweet has put together the information.  Take a look at some on the next page, or look at the attachments so you might be able to fill out more ideas and scheduling thoughts and get them to us.  Or just write a reply. 

Download ideas_for_future_gatherings_at_bethlehem.doc

It's going to be a fun Summer!

Holy Week Plans

I'm busy putting Holy Week plans together.  Here's the schedule:

• Good Friday: Service of the Way of the Cross (Stations) 6:00 at Bethlehem; look a couple posts down for information on how to participate in this - read the comments.
• Saturday Night: Prayer Gathering 6:00 at Bethlehem  Not a service, but an informal time of prayer
• Easter Sunday Morning: Sunrise Service 6:30 am at Deleware Park near the Casino (by the water) - (if raining, then at Bethlehem)

Sermon: "Complete Joy"

I've never done this before: posted a complete sermon.  I rarely write out sermons anymore, but sometimes they just flow out in preparation.  And I'm even more certain I've never posted one before the fact.  It's only a few hours away, but here's one on "complete joy" from John 15:1-17.  This is less a teaching sermon, and more just expository preaching - building the world of the text around the listener.  I'd love to hear what you think.  And, maybe I'll figure out the podcasting stuff on this blogstuff and post the recording!

Way of the Cross Service

We are looking at having a special service this Resurrection season. The service would either be Good Friday or Easter Saturday night vigil. We'd like to do a "Way of the Cross" service - also known as "Stations of the Cross". We're asking people to prepare a station. They can be simple or extravagant - straightforward or creative. We'd set them up around the church and in the tower room. We'd ask that they be something people could interact with individually. We won't be doing the stations all together. So they can't be a group experience like a song or unified liturgy. But they can be anything that people could experience in ones or twos. They can be anything from a piece of art spurring prayer or reflection, a poem, a question, a repeating video short on a tv screen, …let the imaginations go. So pick a station, and let me know. You can dream in the comments below or email me, and the ideas may flow. We'll let you know when we're going to do the service.

 

Here are the traditional "Stations"

1. Jesus is condemned to death: John 19:1-3, 5
2. Jesus takes up his cross: John 19:15-17
3. Jesus Falls the first time: Philippians 1:5-11
4. Jesus meets his afflicted mother: Luke 1:46-55
5. The Cross is Laid on Simon of Cyrene: Luke 23:26; Matthew 11:28-30
6. A woman wipes the face of Jesus: Isaiah 53:1-3
7. Jesus Falls a Second Time: Isaiah 53:4-6
8. Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem: Luke 23:27-28
9. Jesus Falls a Third Time: Isaiah 53:7-9
10. Jesus is Stripped of His Garment: Luke 23:32-38
11. Jesus is Nailed to the Cross: Isaiah 53:10-12
12. Jesus Dies on the Cross: Luke 23:44-46
13. The Body of Jesus is Placed in the Arms of His Mother: Isaiah 54:4-6
14. Jesus is Laid in the Tomb: Luke 23:50-56

Sam's Self Portraits

My boy Sam is the best.  He is all first grade boy.  His hero is Calvin.  ...They are much alike.  Yesterday (Jed's Birthday), Sam was playing with 'his' camera - an old one megapixel camera handed down to him.  He was taking pictures of himself.  The first one inspired him to do a happy face (with tongue) and a sad face. 

The boy is always thinking, dreaming.  There's unexplored worlds in his head.   And I love him a whole bunch. 

Friends Over

It is always good to have friends over.  The Weaver family has been a big part of our family's life for a long time.  Our kids are best friends.  We've known it's been coming for a long time, but now everyone knows that the Weavers are moving on.  They're around for a little while longer.   The kids all know, but they play today like today is the only day that is.  Here, Sarah & Isatu  are showing us how to eat mango (not quite ripe enough, but good anyway).  It's good to be together. 

Tonight, Sam and I have the Blue and Gold Banquet for Cub Scouts.  That should be fun. 

Pictures

I put up a new little picture book on the side here.  Check out the winter 2006 pictures.  We went to Indiana, to Veronica's parents for a couple days during the school break last week.  It was great. 

People are starting to blog.  Check out these two.   Lena's Blog  and John Paget's Blog.  Also, Veronica started one as well: Veronica's Blog.  Check them out.  Clearly, new energy for blogging and a great new level of discussion is coming.