Bible Challenge 03/31 - 04/06

Greetings All!

This week we finish up our reading of Leviticus as we deal with the section on Holiness Code meant to govern not just the life of the priests but the whole of the people.

Then we turn our attention to the book of Numbers. Why is it called that? It's a reference to the two times of census, or the numbering of the people, that are recorded within this book. The first ten chapters of Numbers deal with the numbering of the people at Mount Sinai and also preparations for resuming their march through through the wilderness. Chapters 11-19 in this week's reading talk about the journey of the Israelites from Sinai to Moab, the sending out of the spies and the report they brought back, and the murmurings of the people at the hardships along the way and the subsequent exile into the wilderness for 40 years.

I want to encourage each of you to stay strong through these readings. Look for things that maybe you have not noticed before. Look for God and how his love is being poured out through these chapters. I am always amazed at the new insights that can come from the most familiar of places.


Here is the schedule:

A view from atop Mount Sinai.

Sunday, 31: Leviticus 7-10

Monday, 01: Leviticus 11-14

Tuesday, 02: Leviticus 15-18

Wednesday, 03: Leviticus 19-22

Thursday, 04: Leviticus 23-26

Friday, 05: Leviticus 27 - Numbers 3

Saturday: 06: Numbers 4-7

May God add His richest blessings to the reading, the hearing, the understanding and most importantly the living out of His holy word. Amen.

Friday Fives

1. Preaching Series - This Sunday as we celebrate Easter Sunday, we are continuing our preaching series entitled, Ashes to Fire, which we are doing in conjunction with Belleview UMC. Ashes to Fire is an intentional journey with Jesus from Ash Wednesday through Holy Week and Easter and on to Pentecost Sunday - from penitence to praise to power. This Sunday we will seek to understand the mystery that is Easter and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray this time of reflection will be one that will draw you deeper into your faith journey as we look to the life of Christ and example of love that he modeled for us. I encourage you to invite a friend and I hope to see you there!






2. Easter Tableau - Tonight is the last night of our Easter Tableau. Last night we had 91 cars with 210 people coming to witness our portrayal of those last hours of Christ's life. I am always amazed and so incredibly moved at how this gift touches people. As I stood in the Communion Tent there were stories that were shared with me and lives that were changed because of what these people felt as they witnessed the Easter Tableau. This event helps a great many people begin their Easter celebration in such a meaningful way. I want to encourage all of you to come through tonight and bring a friend with you. This is something you will not want to miss and a wonderful way to mark Good Friday!






3. Easter Morning - This Sunday on Easter Morning we will continue two of our traditions, the Easter Bells and the Flower Cross, and we need your help. We are asking you to bring two things. One, please bring bells to worship so we can ring them together in celebration of our Risen Savior. They can be any type of bell, any size, and any sound. The other thing we are asking you bring are flowers, fresh or artificial, to decorate the cross in front of the Sanctuary. Thank you in advance for helping to make this Easter a truly wonderful worship experience!






4. Church Directory - We are in the process of updating our church directory. If you are not in the currentdirectory and would like to be in this one, or if any of your information has changed since the last directory, please fill out a form so we can include you. The forms can be found in your April Newsletter or in the Narthex of the Sanctuary. We are asking these forms be turned into the church office, or dropped in the offering plate, by April 14th. We need you to make our directory complete!

5. Moving Forward - Losing a loved one is never easy and always incredibly difficult. Linda Hughes and Doris Pitts are beginning a new ministry at Druid Hills for all of our widows called, Moving Forward. This Monday, April 1st at 10 A.M., in the Fellowship Hall, there will an informal “coffee chat” to talk about the nature and beginning of this group. Their purpose is to be a group of ladies to hold each other’s hand for support, love, friendship and Christian faith on a social level. I want to invite all ladies in our church that have lost their spouses to come and be a part of this group. This is a great place to find community, love, and support, from people that understand how you feel. I pray you will take advantage of this opportunity.


Have a great weekend and I will see you all on Easter!

Midweek Moment

Holy Week. The segment of time that captures some of the most captivating events in all of human history. We have ascribed names to several of these days to show importance and significance to the events that happened on that day; Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday.

Churches around the world will host events to commemorate these days. Some congregations will have actors portray the Last Supper, complete with Holy Communion and some will even engage in the act of foot washing. Others will observe Good Friday with a Tenebrae Service, where they meet in a darkened space and meditate on the seven last words of Christ. Holy Saturday is observed in other places with various liturgical services to commemorate the day between Christ’s death and resurrection. And all Christian churches celebrate Easter Sunday as we join in the victory that is ours with Christ’s resurrection and victory over death.

We here at Druid Hills combine all those celebrations into one glorious occasion that takes place on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, the Easter Tableau. We have been hosting this gift to the community for 45 years! We give the public the opportunity to drive or walk through six scenes depicting those last moments in Christ’s life prior to his death. They will see live actors eating the Last Supper, they see Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, they see Simon of Cyrene carrying Jesus’ Cross, they witness the crucifixion, the tomb where Jesus’ body was laid, and the open tomb he left. A tremendous amount of hard work is put into this production so we can share with this community the power of Christ, the love of God, and the witness of the Holy Spirit. If you are not already a part of this drama, I encourage you to come by at least one night and experience it. This will definitely move your soul as you are taken back to this time to see how much you are loved by our Triune God.

Holy Week is a time that conjures up a whole myriad of emotions in believers. You may experience joy at the gift of salvation that we have been given, grief at the pain and death experienced by Jesus, hope that this life is not the end, gratitude for all God has done for us, thanksgiving for Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, and the list can go on and on.

I encourage you make yourself vulnerable to this Holy Week. I invite you to open yourself up the power of the Holy Spirit as you find ways to mark this week in your faith journey. God came to us, met us where we were, and expressed to us his love and devotion in the deepest way possible. So this year, bathe in the love of God, bask in the care that is being poured out for you, and draw closer to the one the loved you first!

Happy Easter and I will see you all on Sunday!

Bible Challenge 03/24 - 03/30

Greetings All!

This week we finish up the book of Exodus and move through the book of Leviticus. The last ten chapters of Exodus in particular are very interesting. In chapter 31, we find out information about the craftsmen charged with making the tabernacle items and a reminder about the Sabbath. Chapters 32-34 deal with the golden calf, God's response, the second set of tablets and a radiant Moses. That's followed up in chapter 35-38 as the Israelites collect gifts to make the tabernacle and its furnishings and then the tabernacle is setup and filled in chapters 38-40.

After that we will begin our reading of Leviticus. In Leviticus, sometimes the laws and rituals described can seem dry and confusing as you read through them. It helps to remember that the big picture of Leviticus is working out God's covenant with Israel, the consequences of entering into a special relationship with God as well as the special community relationships and behavior. Leviticus can really be divided into two parts: 1) the Priestly Code (chapters 1-16 and 27) and 2) the Holiness Code (chapter 17-26). Our focus this week is primarily on the Priestly Code, instructions to the priests regarding rituals of cleanliness, sin-offerings and the observance of holidays. Hopefully having a framework to help guide your reading will help Leviticus seem less dry and more relevant.

Here is the schedule:

24, Sunday: Exodus 19-22

25, Monday: Exodus 23-26

26, Tuesday: Exodus 27-30

27, Wednesday: Exodus 31-34

28, Thursday: Exodus 35-38

29, Friday: Exodus 39 - Leviticus 2

30, Saturday: Leviticus 3-6

May God add His richest blessings to the reading, the hearing, the understanding and most importantly the living out of His holy word. Amen.

Friday Fives

1. Preaching Series - This Sunday as we celebrate Palm Sunday, we are continuing our preaching series entitled, Ashes to Fire, which we are doing in conjunction with Belleview UMC. Ashes to Fire is an intentional journey with Jesus from Ash Wednesday through Holy Week and Easter and on to Pentecost Sunday - from penitence to praise to power. This Sunday we will seek to understand the relationship we should strive for with our Lord, Jesus Christ. I pray this time of reflection will be one that will draw you deeper into your faith journey as we look to the life of Christ and example of love that he modeled for us. I encourage you to invite a friend and I hope to see you there!





2. Easter Tableau - Our Annual Easter Tableau, our gift to this community, is right around the corner. On Thursday, March 28 and Friday, March 29, we will give the people of Ocala the opportunity to witness and relive for themselves the last week of Christ's life here on Earth. In order to make this a reality, we need your help. There are sign-up sheets on the Connection Station for you to volunteer in a myriad of ways. You can volunteer for things such as portraying a character in one of the scenes, to scene set-up, costumes, make-up, sound, or lighting. We still have many places for willing hands and we need yours! Please be in prayer for a successful 2013 Easter Tableau. If you have any questions, please contact Eunice Reid. Thank You!





3. Easter Morning - This year on Easter Sunday Morning we will continue two of our traditions, the Easter Bells and the Flower Cross, and we need your help. We are asking you to bring bells to worship so we can ring them together in celebration of our Risen Savior and we are asking you to bring flowers, fresh or artificial, to decorate the cross in front of the Sanctuary. Thank you in advance for helping to make this Easter a truly wonderful worship experience!





4. Church Directory - We are in the process of updating our church directory. In both this Sunday's bulletin and in our church newsletter, you will find a form that we are asking you to fill out, if you are not in the current directory and would like to be in this one, or if any of your information has changed since the last directory. We are asking these forms be turned into the church office, or dropped in the offering plate, by April 14th. We need you to make our directory complete!





5. Community Event - This Sunday, March 24, Little Chapel UMC is hosting their annual Women's Day Celebration. At 4:00 P.M. on their campus, 2371 SE 73rd St, Melissa Gardner from Shores Baptist Worship Center will come and share with those gathered. This event is open to the public.





Have a great weekend and I will see you Sunday!

Midweek Moment

This past Sunday I was blessed to spend the evening with the members of the Sisterhood/Brotherhood Outreach Ministry as they hosted an Appreciation Service for Pastor Alice Faison. Not only were the members of Sisterhood/Brotherhood in attendance, there were also members of the Eighth Street Church of God and a handful of us from Druid Hills.

We met on their campus at 4 P.M. for the service, which was being coordinated by the congregation of the Eighth Street Church of God, where Alice served for many years. This service, which contained many different elements, was one that was very touching and one that moved me greatly.

We began as several women lead the congregation in a few very uplifting spiritual songs. During this time people were clapping, standing, waving their hands, and singing so passionately. At times I just watched and soaked in the atmosphere, watching as people were simply overwhelmed by the movement of the Holy Spirit. But what made this even more moving was the fact it was all done acappella.

From there we moved to a time where certain people were asked to say a few words about Pastor Alice. I was given the honor of being one of those asked to share my feelings about this devoted disciple. We transitioned then to the message, that brought to us by Isaiah Johnson, Bishop/Overseer at Eight Street Church of God. We then concluded the service as Bishop Johnson began to pray over the Sisterhood/Brotherhood prayer scroll. This was a rolled up piece of fabric that the congregation had written numerous prayer requests upon. He asked that Debbie and I join him in laying hands on this scroll as he prayed. We then prayed over a poster board with pictures of their loved ones that were facing difficult life situations.

That evening, as I was reflecting upon that entire experience, there was one phrase from Bishop Johnson that really resonated with me. Just before he started to preach he said, “Sometimes you just have to wait on the Holy Spirit.” The more I think about it, the more convinced I am he is right. How often do we insert our own time line into God’s plan? How often do we determine we know what is best, more than God? How convinced are we that our timeline is superior to God’s timeline?

Folks, this service was very moving and I am so glad I was there. But more importantly, this service was not dictated by a clock or a preconceived plan. It was guided by the Holy Spirit. I encourage us to follow their lead and for all of us to live a life listening for God’s prompting, Jesus’ calling, and the Holy Spirit’s leading.

Have a great week and I will see you Sunday!

And the Frangrance Filled the RoomIsaiah 43:16-21 and Luke 12:1-8

Bible Challenge 03/17 - 03/23

Greetings All!

Time to finish Genesis and move into Egypt. The first thirteen chapters of the Exodus deal with the problems of the Israelites in Egypt, the calling of Moses, and the plagues against Egypt. After that, chapters 13-20 deal with the journey of the Israelites through the wilderness to Sinai. And the final chapters of this week's reading deal with God's law and instructions on the tabernacle and priests.

I added in a few pictures of our trip to Egypt in 2009. The first was a stop at the supposed well of Marah detailed in Exodus 15:22-26, followed by a picture of Elim, detailed in Exodus 15:27. Next is a picture of the hill where Moses raised his hands so the Israelites could defeat the Amalekites in Exodus 17:8-16. Finally there are a couple of pictures taken from the top of Mount Sinai at sunrise. I hope they help you envision what's being talked about in the pages of the Word as you read this week.

Here is the schedule:

17, Sunday: Genesis 41-44

18, Monday: Genesis 45-48

19, Tuesday: Genesis 49 - Exodus 2

20, Wednesday: Exodus 3-6

21, Thursday: Exodus 7-10

22, Friday: Exodus11-14

23, Saturday: Exodus15-18

May God add His richest blessings to the reading, the hearing, the understanding and most importantly the living out of His holy word. Amen.