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Pastor Rob Patterson 653 A Street Galt, California (209) 745-4665
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Saturday,
October 29, 2005
I'm spending the entire day with a large group
of teenagers at Great America today. I hope
you'll join us tomorrow at
FBC Galt for Communion Service.
We're combining our two services:
Sunday School at 9:00 a.m.
Joint Worship Service at 10:00 a.m.
Don't
forget to turn your clocks back one
hour tonight.
Below
is an entry with far-reaching implications for
my friends, family, and co-laborers. I
encourage you to proactively play your part in
our own history-making endeavors. If you
spend some time
visiting the links and consider what all this
has to do with TODAY and TOMORROW,
then, perhaps, you'll find yourself in an
epicenter of creative application of your own
archives.
Friday,
October 28, 2005
On Thursday night I started 'googling'
the little I knew about my Grandma's mother
(Edith Taylor) and discovered something that has
really surprised me about her family's heritage.
My Grandma didn't know this story.
For Grandma, early history was limited to her
family-of-origin in Hazard, Kentucky. Her
mother, Edith (Taylor) Combs apparently
didn't know her heritage (and she died when my
Grandma was just a teenager). Grandma couldn't
tell us much beyond basic dates of birth,
marriage, and death.
In just a couple hours I was able to trace Grandma's lineage back twenty-two generations. Of particular interest is a life that took place sixteen generations ago:
My
great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grea
t-great-great-great-great
grandfather, Dr. Rowland
Taylor, was a pastor and faced
persecution for
his beliefs as a witness for Jesus Christ.
This monument
marks the spot where he was burned at the stake
during the time of Q
ueen
Mary I. He was the third Protestant martyred in
this way by order of 'Bloody Mary'. Rowland
Taylor died at the age of 45 (having outlived five
of his nine children).
The parish building
(St. Mary's built in the14th Century) where
Rowland Taylor preached, is
still standing.
My family is
descended from his son, Thomas Taylor.
The boy was
only six years old when his father was killed.
Click on any of these photographs
for a closer look.
Below is the
entry in Foxe's Book of Martyrs that
tells the story of Grandpa Taylor.
If you would like to read Foxe's entry, click below:
MARTYRDOM OF DR. ROWLAND TAYLOR
for more related
photographs:
Click here
Rowland Taylor
hyperlinks: click here
A most
interesting site:
www.rowlandtaylor.com
Thanks to the Internet and the power of search
engines, I have discovered this family story
that had been lost to our branch of the family.
Today, due to the internet-savvy of many
cyber-cousins, we have recovered some of our radical Christian roots.
Hard to believe?
To see my great-grandma's
pedigree already online
click here.
Scroll down half a page
and look on the left. She is listed as
Edie
Taylor. To the right you'll see her
forefathers (Andrew, William, Nimrod..etc.);
click back a few pages (by the arrows) and
you'll come to
Rowland Taylor
(b.1510 d. 1555).
If you have any names,
places, and/or dates
for any of your ancestors,
you might be similarly
surprised at what others have already done with
your family tree:
click here
Scroll down half a
page and enter your best info in the blanks
where it asks for surname, etc.;
don't sign up for the
ancestry.com advertisements ...and
don't bother with the 14
day free trial...this surname box is a freebie
and you might be able to find something with
that search engine.
I will pass the true story of Grandpa Rowland
Taylor on to my
children's children. Hopefully, this discovery
will inspire each of them to burn brightly as a
living sacrifice in their
generation.
Below is the Last Will and Testament
of
Rowland Taylor:
“I SAY to my wife and
children, the Lord hath given you unto me, and
the Lord hath taken us away from one another;
blessed be the name of the Lord. I believe them
blessed who die in the Lord. God careth for
sparrows and for the very hair of our heads. I
have ever found him more faithful and favorable
than any father or husband.
Trust in him,
believe in him, love, honor, and obey him, pray
to him; for he hath promised to help in every
time of need. I go, but do not consider me dead,
for I shall never die. I only go before you. I
go to the rest of my children, Susan, George,
Helen, Robert, and Zachary, and you shall, all
of you, in God's good time, follow after, where
we shall meet again with joy unspeakable and
full of glory. I have bequeathed you to him
whose goodness is infinite, and whose power is
equal to his goodness. Fear not. ,... .
“I say to my friends in Hadley, and all others who have
heard me preach, that I leave this world with a
quiet conscience with regard to the doctrines I
have taught them; for I have taught them these
lessons that I gathered from the unerring word
of God; and therefore, if an angel from heaven
should preach any other doctrine unto you, God's
great curse fall on that preacher.
Beware, for
God's sake, that ye deny not the Saviour, nor
decline from the truth of his gospel. For God's
sake beware of popery, for though it has the
appearance of unity, yet this same unity is
vanity and antichristianity, diametrically
opposed to the faith and verity that is in
Christ Jesus.
The Lord grant all men his good
and holy Spirit to increase their wisdom, to
show them the vanities of time, and give them a
relish for true holiness, and the enjoyment of
God and the heavenly company, through Jesus
Christ, our only Mediator, Advocate
righteousness, life, sanctification, and hope.
Amen, amen."
Learn more about him in Foxe's
Book of Martyrs:
MARTYRDOM OF DR. ROWLAND TAYLOR
Much more about
Rowland Taylor: click
www.rowlandtaylor.com
Francie Spinelli
wrote a story about the first
weekend of our lands
caping
project:
click here for
the story
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Mellisa informed me
that there are three more offers for millions of
dollars waiting in the INBOX. She wonders if
these potential donors had read my blog
yesterday.
Jim and I went to Manteca to visit an 89 year
old man who had been a vital member of our
church for several years. His name is Fred. He
has been in a nursing home due to having both
legs in casts.
He was hit by a car while riding around town on
his 'rascal.' This trauma has been very hard on
him. He was miserable when we first arrived but
soon perked up when we connected with his fine
memory for detailed stories.
That bedside scene humbles me. We talked about
our local church and of the important role he
has played in the lives of many individuals.
Through the years Fred has invested in the
growth of my son, Joe. He contributed to Joe's
first overseas trip to Estonia in 2000. He spoke
of encouraging Joe about his first trip to
Australia. The last time he saw Joe he didn't
immediately recognize him due to growth in
physical stature. Fred spoke affectionately of
priceless hugs and smiles invested in that
special, cross-generational friendship.
Below is a related entry that Joe wrote for his
'myspace' blog.
TRUE
FRIENDS by
Joe Patterson
(click on photo for a closer look)
I have been
thinking about the qualities that
make up a true friend. I have many friends all
over the world. Some that I may not have seen in
years, or possibly we have never even met face
to face. But they are people who are interested
in my life and I am interested in theirs.
On the other hand, there are people who I may
know and may even see quite regularly, but I
would not consider them my friends. We may have
much in common, but if we do not connect and
have meaningful communication, it is hard to be
sure that a friendship exists.
It does not take much communication, not much
frequency, but there has to be an interest on
both sides to stay connected with the other and
at least a small effort.
It is not a one-sided operation. You cannot be
friends with someone who does not want to be
your friend.
I remember doing a project in my sophomore
English class about the attributes of a true
friend and guess who I found as the prime
example of a friend? .... JESUS.
Yes, because he knows us, he is concerned about
us, he listens to us, and he never ignores us.
He has even given His life to redeem us. Now, if
I have such a great friend as Jesus, that makes
me want to be a better friend.
Joe's computer has had
some troubles so he hasn't been able to 'upload'
to his journal here for awhile. For now, I am
helping a bit.
click here
for Joe's plan to go to Liberia.
His page may load
slowly. Those problems will soon be remedied.
Oh...Al
Warren has a new entry:
click here.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Recently we've received
an unusually great number of letters from other
countries suggesting that there is a large sum
of money somewhere waiting to be given as a
donation to our ministry.
We usually immediately delete these letters but
last night I decided to write a reply to
one--just to see what would happen next:
Rob Patterson
Well, a reply came
this morning. The widow assures me that this
is not a scam. After assuring me that she is
serving in the Name of the Lord, I was
directed what to do next:
Only
what i need from you to obtain the power of
attorney oath is your home address, driver
licenses or your international passport
number and phone and fax numbers, the power
of attorney is very important for you to
have it at hand and once i sign it and send
to you, You will now become the beneficiary
of my donation box and even if i die the
donation will still come to you because the
power of attorney will cover you and will
show that you are the new beneficiary of the
donation box for the security company to
agree for the shipment to your care.
As I said many similar letters come to churches regularly. I wonder how this would play out? However, I'm not going any further with this. I sure hope that we're not missing out on 3.7 million dollars.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Yesterday in my sermon
I mentioned an interesting film that Cathy and I
went to see. I think that most anybody could
benefit by seeing this movie, enjoying the
music, and listening for God to speak through
the plot.
Its currently playing at the
UA Laguna Village 12 Theatre Complex
8755 Center Parkway
Sacramento 95828
go to www.mapquest.com for a map
The Gospel
PG • 1 hr. 43 min.
11:00am 12:10 1:40 4:15
5:20
7:10 9:40 10:15
Joe was home for the
weekend. He went to the prayer meeting, helped
us landscape the church property, played drums,
and even served as Scripture reader during my
sermons. What a blessing he is to me!
Saturday, as we watched little Andrew Harrison
(4) work alongside his Daddy, I said, "Hey,
there's the next Joe Patterson."
Of our four children, Joe is the one who has
thus far volunteered the most to help in the
work of the church. However, each of the other
three (Jerry, Daniel , and Mary) have always
pleased me with their willingness to attend
church and help with various projects. I look
forward to seeing how God will reveal Himself to
each of them.
Loujean Lambson once told me
that her fervor for Christ came in her early
twenties. Before that she had been a Christian
but, since she was a good girl, didn't have a
clear picture of Sin. Her relationship with the
Lord grew immensely after she developed a
clearer understanding of God's forgiveness of
her sin.
Likewise, each of my kids accepted Jesus as their
Savior
at a young age. Sometimes, it takes a 'crisis'
to move a Christian to a radical commitment. I
hope that I will be mindful of God's sovereign
ways when crises come into the lives of my loved
ones. I don't want to miss God as He is at work
in their lives.
Last night, R.
B.
McCartney spoke about his adventure with
co-laborer, Pete Cowan, about their
recent mission trip on the Disaster Relief Team.
We viewed over 700 slides last night. Some of
those photos will be featured in the days to
come.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
I hope you'll join us in our worship service
this morning at 8:30 or 11:00 a.m.
Come to 653 A Street,
Galt, California 95632
for
a map from where you are to where we'll be:
www.mapquest.com
Pictured above is Sgt.
Andrew Meredith. He is a Black Hawk Crew Chief. His
wife and 2 young daughters attend our 11:00 a.m.
service. I hope and pray that this precious family
will be blessed by God with protection and provision
during these months of personal sacrifice.
Wednesday, Oct.
19, 2005
I have just had a pleasant conversation with R.B.
McCartney. He agreed to avail himself to speak about
the mission trip that he and Pete took to Texas to
help with people affected by Hurricane Rita (Sunday
night). I won't
tell any of it because I'd like you to come out to
hear for yourself. I hope we'll get into the
'behind-the-scenes' issues that can come up on a
mission trip. I'm calling Pete to ask if he will
also come and show slides of the Disaster Relief
Team in action.
Joe hopes to drive up from Riverside on Thursday and
hang out with us until after church Sunday. His plan
to go to Liberia for 80 days will involve much
preparation and the counting of costs.
There are a couple issues weighing on my
mind this week. It would not be proper to write
about them but I certainly could benefit from those
who would intercede on my behalf. I am praying for
wisdom and discernment.
Monday, Oct.
17, 2005
Last night, Cathy and I traveled to Tracy for the
annual meeting of our regional association.
Afterwards, I spoke with three men from different
churches and asked them to consider partnering with
us in sharing some aspect of the P.E.A.C.E. Plan in
Liberia.
Our firstborn son, Joe, is planning to live in Liberia for an 80 Day Spiritual Adventure. He will be leaving California on January 11th and will return on the last day of March. He plans to be a student through CBU during those months--his work load will be related to issues involving his time invested in Liberia.
We pray for each of our four children to discover their identity in Christ and to seek His Face for their lives.
Friday, Oct.
14, 2005
I've appreciated the calls received from Ruth (in
Kansas) and Angela (in Michigan) inquiring about my
seat belt habit. Charlotte from Galt has called
daily. I've heard the beeper about four times since
Sunday but there has been no 'singing along.'
Cathy and I had planned to visit Darla and Debbie's
Dad for a time of hospice hymn-singing last night. I
had asked prayer for this family at Wednesday's
Bible Study. Rick passed away about 8 hours later.
The passage we had been reading was connected with
my understanding of Rick's situation. Rick had
prepared himself to die. I have this vivid image
frozen in my memory:
We were singing old hymns together. His eyes were
turned toward heaven as he smiled and sang each
word. Both arms were lifted; he was waving his
hands. After one of the songs he asked us to listen
as he shared his testimony. His whispered sentences
caused me to lean in toward him as he told of his
conversation with God.
Joe wrote to me last night. He continues to work
toward his plan of going to Liberia for his second
semester. Below is a slideshow from the BBC with
current shots of life in Liberia:
In
picturesWednesday, Oct.
12, 2005
The BBC recommends this page for those interested in
current issues relating to Liberia. Since Joe is
making plans to go, I thought some of you might want
to read a few of these articles:
www.liberianews.com
Tonight, at 7:00 p.m., I will be leading a Bible
Study for the dynamic home group that meets at Glenn
and Renee's:
23599 North Kennefick Rd. Acampo 95220
go to:
www.mapquest.com
for a map
We would enjoy your presence there.
I spoke on the phone with Joe
before he left for work today. He has been making
plans to go to Liberia in January as an
international student during his second semester. I
am happy that he is considering the challenge of
living in Liberia for 2-3 months. He would study
different aspects of that nation's history and
culture.
I've also had some contact with a number of
significant people in the last 24 hours. I received
a nice email from the Kessins in Kansas, Ruth Wesley (16) in Liberia, and
Katie in
Nebraska. I saw R.B. McCartney in person (he dropped
by the worksite this morning) and spoke with Iona,
Pete, and Polly on the phone.
Charlotte Giddens called me on my
cellphone yesterday--just to check if I had been
putting on my seat belt. During Sunday's sermon, I
had made reference to the bad habit I had developed
of waiting for the beeper. Wow! She just called as I
was writing this very paragraph. She asked me, "Are
you driving?"
After I told her about the coincidence, she told me
that she would be calling me every single day this
week. That might be called 'accountability.' We'll
see if the habit gets broken!
Monday, October 10, 2005
I am impressed by the spirit
of cooperation which has taken place to help our
landscapers realize their vision. If you're anywhere
near Galt, stop by and see the work in progress:
Everyone feels better about working at the church
when they can smell food cooking. It is good to
always have something simmering on the burner.
Our new sermon series will again take us to precepts
taught by Henry Blackaby in his classic study: Experiencing God. It begins with this
observation:
"God is always at work around us."
With that in mind, I want to acknowledge the
uniqueness of our public gatherings yesterday.
Although our numbers were down, I was told that the
amount of the offering was great. That reminds me
that different people 'count' differently. Which
'numbers' are the most important to count? I'm
interested in hearing the numbers and certainly take
note of those who interpret numbers. My desire,
however, is to count every single individual with
dignity and appreciation.
Thanks to
Steve
Harrison, pointing
out James 1:2, we're reminded to count 'joy'
. . . to count it all...joy).
During the second service, we were visited by a
sweet couple from Larned, Kansas yesterday.
That's a long way to travel. I'm not certain how
they learned of us...but I assured Tim and
Shelley that I wouldn't forget them. I'm hoping
that I will receive an email from them today....or
you:
pastorob@gmail.com
Saturday, October 8, 2005
There were four men at the
6:00 a.m. prayer meeting. As always I put my
confidence around the power of God working in and
through regular times of corporate prayer. One of
our leaders, Loren Lepp, came through before
all the other workers were supposed to show up.
Although we weren't scheduled to do start the
Extreme Landscaping Makeover until 8:00, there were
several people at work much earlier.
Everyone here is excited at the number of people
working with pick axes, shovels, wheelbarrows--even
a jackhammer.
Last night, as the only parent
in town, I chose the movie, THE INTERPRETER,
for Jerry, Daniel, and Mary to
watch with me. It is about a United Nations
interpreter who was grew up in a volatile African
nation. I recommend it to anyone who would choose to
pray about Joe's planned trip to Liberia. Two
other films (these based on some real events) which
deal with African issues: Tears of the Sun
and Hotel Rwanda. These films could cause the
viewer to fear becoming involved with troubled
people groups. However, I think they might be
helpful to someone who wants to learn about the
unique challenges faced by people who have endured
the inhumanity suffered in certain African nations
since the 80's.
I'm excited about revisiting some of the precepts
taught by Henry Blackaby. Tomorrow morning,
I'll introduce the first sermon in a new series. At
night, we will have a report from some who went on a
mission trip to Macedonia last spring.
CLICK HERE for more information.
Friday, October 7, 2005
I haven't taken the time to
sit down and write. So, this is serving as a quick
catch-up for the sake of those who just gotta know!
Living life alongside the needs of four teenagers is
tiring.
(our daughter, her guy, clothes,
school's internal issues, phone privileges,
attitude; the firstborn's speeding ticket in
far-away Pasadena,
proof-of-insurance, a missing license plate; the
drummer/laborer who is daily trying to recover from a bum deal on
his flashy, red car; the wrestler and his first Judo
tournament that I will have to miss because its on
Sunday)...
I've also continually checked
the lines I cast out last week to discover who will
join us in our PEACE-type ministries in Liberia.
Joe (19) has been developing his plan (his hope) to
go Liberia while satisfying the requirements for his
second semester at California Baptist University. I
mentioned it to Pastor Wesley when he called last
Sunday. He was excited by the prospect of hosting
Joe for an extended time. I am excited about others
who have demonstrated a similar interest in the
people of that needy country.
The week has involved special pastoral visits to one of our church members who faced a major surgery. I also experienced a hymn-oriented mini-church service around the life of a man who has been told by the doctor that he has 1-2 months to live. Cathy has accompanied me on these visits. We are both humbled by the invitation that God extends to us to come alongside precious families at significant times (kairos).
It is a blessing for us to
watch the members of extended families support each
other. It is ironic that our calling has separated
us from our families by thousands of miles. Earlier in our history, our ministry
setting was a short drive away from my siblings,
parents, and grandparents. Since I have been in Galt
(into the 9th year), death has taken both of my
Grandmas, a nephew, and a sister-in-law. Yeah,
distance is not the only barrier that that keeps us
from 'seeing' our loved ones.
I was up really late last night working on my
internet hobby: Time Travel. 'Similarly- focused cousins around the country (and throughout
history) have left treasures for me to discover. Due to their work of preserving family
records (and the last ten years of uploading these
to the internet), I have been empowered to pass
along a genealogy that would have pleased my
Grandma. The furthest back she had was basic stats
on her great-great-grandparents. A few late nights
have allowed me to travel further back (to different
ships sailing to the new world from towns in the
Netherlands and Germany: early 1600's).
click here
to meet my Grandma
and to see
my late night
discoveries
Again, I realize that this is a boring subject to
most people. I remember yawning as Grandma tried to
talk with me about ancestors I had never met. I
really didn't care much...but she kept it up through the
years. I started to pay more attention after I was
married and started having children.
God is stirring me up again after a lengthy
lack of inspiration over my doctoral work.
Seriously, it took God to do it. I have been
avoiding the next step I need to take.
I have a conviction that just won't go away. I have
personally experienced the power of the internet to
connect people who would otherwise never meet each
other. That potential power has been used for EVIL:
In the early days of the internet, a significant marriage in our local church was 'put asunder' (due in part to a 'chat room' romance/affair).
Today's morning news is reporting about those who have been studying 'internet chatter' about multiple suicide bombers with backpacks and babystrollers on New York subways.
Then, of course, is the
pornography problem on the roman roads of the 21st
century. I thank the Lord for Wednesday Night's
Bible Study at the Greene's. We considered Paul's
second letter to Timothy.
God has not given us a spirit of fear . . .
He offers the same tools to innovative believers to
fulfill their calling. We should transfer our
God-given knowledge and certain principles we have
learned to advance the Kingdom of the God.
...Give the Prince of Peace a chance. In this
moment, I hear the reverberating echoes of a select
few..."what are you
waiting for, Rob?"
This morning
Cathy is leaving for a mother-daughter
retreat. Mary isn't going with her this year. Cathy
is hoping to help with one of our moms who will be
taking her three young daughters. GO MOM!
So, I'll be Mr. Mom until Sunday afternoon. I have
'invited' Jerry, Daniel, and Mar to the church at 8
a.m. on Saturday morning for the great landscaping
adventure. I'm sure that they will be thrilled at
the prospect!
Wednesday, October 5, 2005
Yesterday, we went to
Royal Oaks (a seniors' convalescence center). As
usual, I was touched to watch these precious people
move their lips to the memory verses and to sing
along with us. Our oldest-living church members
reside there. Its so good to see them actively
involved, singing along, and listening to the Word
of God. Jim Fugate is a master storyteller and
always delivers an interesting message.
Last night the guys were sitting around in our
livingroom with a friend. I joined them, turned on
my laptop (two others were already online...) when
my son, Jerry, asked:
"Hey Dad, what's up with Horizon? They've got a big
sign up that says PORN..."
I told the boys what I know: this Sunday another
local church is hosting an event called "National
Porn Sunday" using materials from an internet
site called xxxchurch.com.
Months ago, I learned of that site while reading an
article about these guys who are trying to help
people overcome addiction to pornography (while also
reaching out to those involved with the pornography
business through having a booth at their trade
shows).
I chose not to go to their site in case of pop-ups
(or misunderstandings). Personally, I have managed
to steer clear of porn on the internet all these
years. I'm sure that saying 'no' to those
randomly-timed curiosities has kept this cat alive.
However, the statisticians (Barna maybe?) are saying
that over 50% of Christian men admit to having a
problem with porn in their homes.
I've written
about the issue:
click here.
I know that internet pornography
must pose a problem because of its addictive power
over those who are trying to fill a void. I've tried
to talk to my boys about steering clear of that and
have always tried to stay attuned to their computer
habits. Our kids socialize rather than isolate with
their computers.
My third son was so interested in the church's
bulletin board that he searched out their site to
locate the 'Christian Porn Site.' The teens were
laughing at whatever it was they were finding on the
'Christian Porn' site. I looked over their shoulder
and saw a T-Shirt that used some edgy slogan to
spread a humorous 'anti-porn' message.
My wife, Cathy, just heard me
read aloud the last paragraph. Her reply:
"Christian Porn? WHAT?!"
Yeah, that's the gimmick. Controversy. It works...to
get people talking...who knows if someone will be
upset that I even mention it here.
No wonder that it was brought up for prayer last
Saturday. There is the possibility of someone
somewhere making a mistake and going to the wrong
site....or just the 'troublemaker' using it to stir
up trouble. In Sunday School, Jim spoke up about the
normal TV fare, the vulgar language and lifestyle
portrayed in our movies. This is a complex and
trying society in which to raise our children. I
felt convicted to address certain accommodations I
have made to the culture around me. There aren't any
really 'easy' answers to where we have pitched our
tent. American Christians will continue to face
peculiar challenges if they try to be 'in the world'
... but not 'of the world'.
I suppose that I ought to pray more seriously that
God will use Horizon's emphasis to set captives
free. I ought to pray that whoever shows up at our
church Sunday will also find deliverance, healing,
and hope in whatever trials they face.
My internet habits are much
less controversial.
Call it a hobby. I
doubt that Barna will be concerned about my use of
the internet.
so.....everything
below is probably 'too boring' for you
to read. There's certainly not going to be a crowd
gathered on Sunday to hear about it.
I've learned from Ecclesiastes that 'everything
(almost) is
vanity...vanity
of
vanities.'
Still, I have had fun applying this 21st century
technology to discovering my family roots. It
revives memories associated with my sweet Grandma.
Years before she died, my Grandma, Angelia, had told
me a number of stories about her own grandmother
Mary Angelia. So when I found her
great-grandfather's obituary, I published it online
as a way of preserving the testimony of James
Wheeler and his Christian witness. A couple days
ago, I received a note from a man who was searching
for his Wheeler ancestor and wrote to me.
Since I enjoy doing
'detective' work that is possible with 'google', I
started 'searching'. I discovered a pedigree that
allowed me to go several generations back....to
the 1600's. I found four of my great, great,
great, great, great, great, great, great
grandfathers.
Since there is an online connection, I suppose that
I will regularly have cousins (or could-be cousins)
follow their own google search to this page.
Just 'happening upon' someone else's hard work is a
great feeling. A person named
scott
taylor had organized and
uploaded this data. My family didn't have most of
it. Wow.
Click here
to take a look.
I have chosen to use only the free features of the
genealogy roots site. I cannot endorse that site
because I've only used the freebies. I didn't
even sign up for the 2-week free trial. I think it
could be very confusing.
If you're interested in that as a hobby, write me a
note and let me know. For some reason I'm interested
in it. Of course, my Grandma was as well. She's not
around anymore but I called her daughter and told
her about my discovery. My Aunt Sally has always
been a Methodist and can point to her immediate
Methodist-influenced ancestry. Now, we have to deal
with the fact that we have Lutherans in the mix (way
back...).
Monday, October 3,
2005
This
morning I was pleased to have an email from a
precious family we met during our years living at
seminary. Bob and Debbie look like they are having a
good time serving the Lord in Germany. Debbie
writes:
Bob was called to a small
church in northern Germany that had a big vision to
start an English-language church in a large city
nearby, and so he has continued to pastor the first
church, while starting two more churches. So,
he is currently pastor of two churches.
You can take a look at the larger one here:
www.hannoveribc.com
Debbie orchestrates their website. Its great. If
you're ever in Germany, stop by....or stop by right
now:
www.hannoveribc.com
Sunday, October 2,
2005
Today, I
will have the wonderful opportunity to preach from
God's Word: the Bible. As well, I have purposed in
prayer with Cathy to seek God's face among His
people in our local church. I hope you each will
celebrate this day in a similar way.
By the way, MacDonald Wreh passed his written test
this week. He is now a Certified Nurse's Assistant.
Thank you, everyone, who has shown him any level of
support since coming to America from Liberia last
year.
Saturday, October
1, 2005
This is a
photo
of
Abigail and Priscilla Wesley in front
of the
first well that was attempted back in February. I
wanted to introduce them to my readers
because several people who read this article will
one day meet these girls.
Robin McCall was telling me that each day the girls
made trips back and forth to a well 1/4 mile away to
get water for the Children's Home.
I'm planning to mention these young ladies during an
illustrative point for Sunday's sermon.
\My good friend,
Paul Kim, called me on Friday night. 1.5
years ago, he moved from San Jose to Louisville,
Kentucky to become the senior pastor for a
Korean-speaking church. The church he planted in San
Jose involved some tough seasons for him. Paul
reports that everything is going well for him back
in Kentucky. His church has many young people. See
for yourself:
click here
You may not understand everything...its in Korean.