The Zebra Church

I have been wrestling with what to do with this pic and finally decided it should stand here. Several years back when Bishop Clarice Fluitt first began visiting our church, she reported back to hers that our church could be known as the "Zebra Church." It's complicated, perhaps a long story, so I won't jump into the reasoning, but one more particular observation you might note is the Menorah. I'd say this pretty much sums up our church at the moment, for even yesterday in our Sunday service we lit the candles for the first day/night of Hanukkah.

Newark Schools Christmas Outreach

It has begun, the Newark schools Christmas outreach, and though the Mission is not involved directly with this school (Hawthorn Ave.), every year I am sent here to fetch dozens and dozens of cupcakes that we will distribute. Therefore, in my mind this is always the beginning of Christmas festivities, the jolliest time of year. Blessing!

Newark 2

Hello she whispers, I want to play. Newark wants to play but the ground is upset by the violence. Say not a bad word about the Brick City, I can hear someone saying, but if we are honest, we can hear the pain of innocence targeted. Who shall speak for the voiceless? I shall, for their voice cries out for justice and I can not be silent. I will not be silent. I shall speak for the voiceless, they whom violence has silenced. They want to be heard—there is hope though, and it is found in Jesus. He died so we could live. Justice can be found by all who embrace the King of kings: He will respond.

Newark

Wild, crazy, a city on edge:

This is the city I know.

Dancing, singing, ignoring the ledge;

Go, low, foe, they all rhyme with know,

But to force a rhyme

Stymies the flow.

Not In Our Town

For service today we watched this documentary that came out of Billings, Montana:

Where did we come up with this and why? Well on Tuesday for Sitting at the Feet of Jesus, Pastor Tilly read The Christmas Menorahs: How a Town Fought Hate and afterward realizing it was based on a true story, someone dug deeper and found the above video. There is power in unity, strength, and even a blessing:

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. Psalm 133

Blessings, blessings, blessings!!!

Beautiful Sunset

I am not sure this is the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen, after all I don't live in the most scenic environment to complement, but I can tell you when I looked up from reading the other evening to another glorious sight of God's creation, my soul danced within me:

ISIS and Fear

Honesty I don't even know how my fingers are typing these words since I am so tired. So tired! Feeling creative though, so you better watch out! Watch out! :)

ISIS is so evil! They create an atmosphere of fear that can be smelt all the way from Paris. I can smell them from here and they have the smell of death. So I am being serious compared to the beginning of this post and you might be wondering why. Why the shift? :) Well reading a headline about ISIS already entering our southern border got me thinking and wantin to write a bit. The question remains, was the headline fear mongering on the author's part? Even if it wasn't the author's intent to scare us into some sort of social resistance, there seems to be a prevalent aroma of fear being produced by ISIS affecting ordinary American citizens. Is ISIS really a threat to the United States? Could they really influence a terrorist attack here in the United States just like they did in Paris?

To be honest I think one would have to be naive to think this impossible, but at the same time, as Christians has God called us to fear?

Trust ye the Lord! That is the Bible in a nutshell. Obviously the salvation we find in Jesus is what it is all about, but in our day to day living, Jesus does not want us to fear or worry.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 1 Timothy 1:17

Blessings all! And goodnight, the Lord be with you!