word cloud of the Christmas Eve communion meditation

please click on it to see a bigger image. I'll preach this tonight at 9, come join us.

Choir

mid-high Christmas party

Julia Guerra's address

If you'd like to Contact Julia please write her at:

4417 Merida Way
Sebring, FL 32875

Mary Alison Cates' thoughts on Advent and pregnancy

In Sunday's sermon (Dec. 21) I quote from Mary Alison Cates' blog. Here is a link. From there you may click on her title and see all her blog entries. Enjoy her thoughtful reflections and good theology.

Prayer Group

The Uplifters Prayer Group meets every Tuesday at 9:30 in the church library to pray for the congregation.

Word cloud of last Sunday's sermon

title="Wordle: Sunday's sermon on John 1">

Click on the box above to enlarge the word-cloud. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. This was the sermon preached at 8:30.

Christmas At Dogwood

Here are a few pictures of Christmas at Dogwood Acres -- our presbytery's camp in Vernon, FL. It continues tonight from 5:30 to 9. It is far more than any living nativity scene.

Mid High service project

Northminster's mid-high kids helped "Fill the Mayflower" to gather canned goods and food for Manna Food Bank.

progress at Gautier

Hurricane Katrina did terriable things to the Gautier Presbyterian Church in Mississippi. They are on the mend and have a new sanctuary under construction.

Click here to see pictures -- better ones than the one at the top of this page.

Remember to vote

Early voting is available in Florida until Sunday and election day is Tuesday the 4th.

Saying Goodbye to Carroll Clark

With the family's permission I post these two pictures from Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola.

Word clouds

Psalm 103


Amos 5


Sunday's sermon before a final edit

Presbyterian Habitat House dedication

Here is the whole group: members of various churches and the family receiving the home. (I should have uploaded a bigger photo -- maybe soon.) Below are pictures of the dedication and the landscaping.

Youth

The youth of the church talked about their experience at the Montreat youth conference. Thanks guys, you did a great job. The youth are pictured above with Jeannie and Chris Kimberl, youth advisors.

You can learn more about Montreat at this link.

About Shannon Jung, who wrote on Food and Fasting

You may listen to a conversation with Dr. Jung here.

Dr. Jung is now on the faculty of the St. Paul School of Theology. He used to be a The Center for Theology and Land.

I had great fun last night with Carol and Allison at the Pels game.

Bound for Montreat

Our youth and adults left with First Presbyterian, bound for the Montreat Youth Conference IV in Montreat, NC. Please pray for them while they are gone. The first pic is of the whole group, then our group, and some of the packing, etc.

Remembering John

Of the pictures shown in John's funeral yesterday, this was my favorite. Well, some of him in the Air Force were great too. I miss John.

Relay for Life Fundraiser at Jerry's Cajun Cafe July 9

Click the box below and it gets much bigger

Siyaya

This high-energy group from South Africa will be at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Pensacola on Friday, July 18 at 7:00 p.m. and St John Devine Missionary Baptist Church in Pensacola July 19. Make plans now to attend. For more info contact:

Rev. Nan Adams or Debbie Hauck, Trinity PC, Pensacola, 850-432-3505

Sheila Green, St. John Devine Missionary Baptist Church, Pensacola, 850-291-0870

Paul Caro, Presbytery of Florida, 850-932-4939

Occasional Sightings of the Gospel

I'm not even sure how, but I came across another pastor's blog and was moved by his essay linked here.

You can click on the heading of that page or click here to see his whole blog. I have not read all of it, but his post on making people feel welcome in our homes and churches is also a good read.

home

Well, I'm home after a wonderful week out west to visit the Rotary International convention, see my sister and her family, and see a day of the Presbyterian Church's General Assembly in San Jose, Ca.

I've seen John Tomaio this morning and am worried about him; please pray. I'll blog some about the Assembly when I have had a chance to think about it.

from our General Assembly

I'm having a wonderful trip out west, visiting family, going to a Rotary International convention, and the Presbyterian General Assembly. I'll try to repost the long note i put on the church's prayer chain.

It is a great experience to be with 3,000 Presbyterians from around the world. I talked to a number of people who have challenged my thinking and made me wonder about several things. I talked to people for and against the inclusion of gays and lesbians. I talked to people strongly opposed to Israel's occupation of the West Bank. It was in several conversations today with people thinking about Israel and the Palestinians that really made me think. Since my trip to Israel in 2006, even before, I have been interested in the Middle East.

More later...

a song from Fun in Faith

Fun in Faith

Fun in Faith (our VBS) is underway! Check back later for more pictures of the weekend. I'm indebted to Laura McKey for these pics of participants.

Fun In Faith

Sunday School Lesson

by Carl Merrill

While Moses was on the mountain God told Moses to tell the Israelites to make an offering to me, each one as his heart desires of gold, silver, and bronze, blue and purple yarn and fine linen, goat hair and ram skins dyed red and wood. Olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the incense; onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. He gave him the plans for the Tabernacle and its furnishings including the Ark of the Covenant.

God told Moses to set Aaron and his sons apart so they may serve me as priests. Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor. They are to make an ephod, a robe, a breastpiece, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash.

Moses came down the mountain and gave the plans to men of wisdom to build and design what God had required.

Aaron presented with Robe. Ephod, Breastpiece fastened to ephod, turban. Describe each item as it is placed. Ex 28:1-43

Linen undergarments were made for Aaron and other priests along with sashes, tunics and headbands Ex 28:42-43

Robe: Tassles with bells and pomegranate seeds so other priests would know that Hight priest is still alive in the Holy of Holies. Ex 28:24-35

Ephod: 2 stones,. 1 on each shoulder each representing 6 tribes of Israel. Ex 28:6-14

Breastpiece:12 gems representing the 12 tribes. The Urim and Thummin for divining God's will. Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord. Ex 28:15-30

Turban: Inscribed on a plate attached to the turban is “Holy to the LORD” Ex 28:36-38

Consecration: In silence as Moses puts garments on Aaron and anoints him with oil

1. Tabernacle Exodus 26:31-34, Ex 27:9-19

1. Size of half a football field

2. Horned altar was in outer part with basin

3. Inside Holy place were the table of show bread, lampstand and altar of incense Ex 40:3-5

4. Holy Of Holies contained the Ark of the Covenant

2. Other Artifacts

1. Basin of water outside Holy place to wash hands Ex 2\30:17-21

2. Horned altar for burnt offerings – outside of Holy place in center of court. Ex 27:1-8

3. Manorah had 7 lights this design eventually led to what the 9 candled one used in Chaunakah. - Lit morning and evening Ex 25:31-40

4. Table of Show bread – would have bread on the table continuously replaced every Sabbath day Ex 25:23-30, Lev 24:5-12

5. Altar of incense – burn incense twice a day (once in morning and once in evening). Once a year blood is put on the the horns of the altar (day of atonement) before entering Holy of Holies Ex 30:1-9

3. Ark Of Covenant Ex 25:10-22

1. The following items were eventually placed in the Ark also refer erred to as the Ark of Testimony

1. Tablets of Law Ex 25:21:22

2. Aaron's Staff Num 17:1-11

3. Omer of manna Ex 16:32-34

4. Sacrifices Lev 1:1-

1. Sin offering – Mandatory atonement for specific sin and forgiveness of sin Lev 4:1-5:13

2. Burnt Offering – Voluntary act of worship for as atonement for unintentional sin in general and expression of devotion and commitment to God Lev 1:1-17

3. Grain Offering – Voluntary act of worship which recognizes God's goodness and provision Lev 2:1-16

4. Fellowship Offering – Voluntary act of worship thanksgiving and fellowship Lev 3:1-17

5. Guilt offering – Mandatory atonement for unintentional sin requiring restitution Lev 5:14-6:7

5. Isolation and Separation of Worship

1. Only High priest would go once into holy of holies (Day of Atonement)

1. Day Of Atonement Lev 16:1-3, Lev 16:3-19

1. Washes hands

2. Blood of sin offering of bull

3. Two goats are brought forward and one is chosen to sacrifice the other is the scapegoat.

4. Aaron makes his own sin offering.

5. Burn incense on the altar making so much smoke that the atonement cover of ark is covered.

6. He then enters Holy of Holies and sprinkles blood on the atonement cover and in front of it

7. He will come out and place the blood on the horns of the altar.

8. After he is done he will bring forward the live goat and lay both hands on the head and confess over it all the wickedness and sin of the Israelites. The goat is then sent out into the desert carrying all their sins.

9. Aaron than takes off the Holy garments and washes once more putting on his regular priestly garments.

2. Death came to those that improperly worshiped

1. Improper burning of incense Lev 10:1-7

2. Possibility of high priest dying and need for bells and seeds on robe

3. Later cases of improper touching of Ark (Ark is captured and returned 1 Sam 5:1-7:1) (Ark is touched 2 Sam 6:6-7)

4. Separation of women from inner court at sometime in history of Israel

6. Veil torn at Christ's Death

1. Mat, Mark, Luke mentioned each gospel at Christ's death Mat 27:50-51. Mark 15:37-38, Luke 23:44-46

7. Entering God's Presence

1. Hebrews 10:19-22 – No longer need continued cleansing by blood and water but just the blood of the Lamb

1. Why did God set up the sacrificial system?
2. What does it mean to enter God's Presence?
3. How does it make you feel to know that you can enter His presence at anytime?
4. What stops you from entering? (Silent reflection)

Fun in Faith