Reunion Time!

Hello Everyone.

Well, let's get together, shall we? We have reserved the recreation room at Lawrence Welk Resort for Friday, April 18 at 7:00 PM. Let's have a REUNION!

Watch the blog for further details, but for now, be ready to bring your scrapbooks, coffee table books, DVD slideshows, or what-have-you. I'll bring a laptop and projector so we can watch pictures all night. Who needs sleep anyway?

We'll have some kind of refreshments there. FILAFEL  anyone?!!!

See you there.

Rick

Mustard Seed

Hello Everyone.

Last Wednesday we were in our study of Luke's gospel, chapter 13. We got down to verse 19 where Jesus asked what He should liken the kingdom to. He then gave two examples. One was leaven and the other a MUSTARD SEED.

I remembered being at the Jordan River and after our devotion there, I saw Stacey standing out in a field of MUSTARD. Jesus said the kingdom grows like that mustard seed, from very small to very large. And it has on many levels.

Saturday was also a special day. Jillian Shierts came up to Julian with my son's family. After touring the town we enjoyed some pizza and, of course, world famous Julian Apple Pie! We also spent a significant amount of time looking at pics of Israel.  Go figure! Jillian, it was good to see you again.

Shalom.

Rick

Go to YouTube

Darvis playing his Irish whistle in St. Anne's Church

Blessed Resurrection Day to you all.

I got an email from Darvis. His whistle playing is on YouTube. Check it out. Cut and paste the following address into your browser and see him play "How Great Thou Art" in St. Anne's Church!

http//youtube.com/watch?v=PFtN3wIC_PO

Shalom:

Rick

Good Friday

"It's 3:00 in the afternoon. Jesus called for water. A soldier fixed a sponge on a spear and held it up to his lips. It was terribly bitter but it was enough. He strained to lift himself up to grasp for air. Somehow he accomplished it and raised his head toward heaven. "It is finished," he cried, and then he gave up his spirit in death."

This is how I will start my Good Friday sermon at Hillside today. As I have been preparing for this I was, once again, reminded of our time in Israel. So I selected some random shots of our visit to Golgotha, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the Garden Tomb. 

Today, we are reminded of what Jesus went through to secure our eternal salvation. "It is finished." Our salvation is complete. Nothing more need be done. God's wrath against sin is satisfied. He died for our salvation, the Bible says. And in just three days, He will rise for our justification!

I say "Hallelujah!" What do you say?

Pastor Rick

Resurrection 2008

Mt. of Olives

From atop the Mt. of Olives looking down towards Gethsemani

Walking to Gethsemani (passed by Dominus Flevit)

Carving of Jesus at prayer

Gethsemani

Golgotha

An empty tomb

Inside the tomb

Good Morning Everyone.

Even as I was preparing some final notes for my Resurrection Day sermon, I was once again reminded of the Holy Land. I put together a few pics of the journey from the Mt. of Olives to the tomb as a reminder for you. 

If you are like me (and I pray you are not - there needs to be only one of me!), this trip has brought to life the Passion of our Lord, Jesus the Christ.

As you read the Resurrection Story this week and as you prepare your heart for worship and celebration, do so with the memory of being in the Land where it happened. By the way, I started reading the Resurrection story many months ago not only to prepare for this trip but also to prepare my Resurrection sermon. I'm going to give you a preview of it.

I am using the John 11 passage, "I am the Resurrection and the Life." My goal is to answer two very basic questions: 

Question - Is there life after death?

Answer - Yes, because of the Resurrection

Question - Is there life before death?

Answer - Yes, because of the Resurrection

Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly!" (John 10:10)

I hope you all have a most blessed Holy Week. I'll be contacting you soon about a REUNION!

Rick

Name That Place

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to name the places of these pictures. Did you get them all?

Shalom.

Rick

Do You Remember Where?

Do you remember where in Israel this site is located? You have 5 chances. If you don't get it by the 5th picture you had to be in a serious state of "jet-lag!"  (scroll down)

This will make it easier. Remember where? (scroll down)

Surely you have it by now! (scroll down)

This is a dead-give-away! DON'T MAKE ME SHOW YOU THE LAST ONE! (scroll down)

I'm sure you all got it, right?

Well, do you have your "land-legs" yet? I've heard second hand that some of you were a little tired upon our return. Go figure!

It was a joy to have all of you on the trip. I'll be contacting you shortly about a reunion. 

Blessings to you all.

Rick

Jerusalem Panorama

Church of Mary Magdalene at the Garden of Gethsemane

Eastern Gate (Golden Gate) from Gethsemane

Southeastern corner of Jerusalem and ancient Zion (to the left)

 

Eastern Gate from Gethsemane

Our devotion on the Mt. of Olives

Speaks for itself

Southeastern corner of Jerusalem with view of the Dome of the Rock

Panorama from the Mt. of Olives

Panorama with the Dome of the Rock and the Eastern Gate

The view of Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives is spectacular, especially seeing it in person for the first time. On our 2008 trip we had 33 first time visitors to Israel. A typical comment was, "I have seen this view of Jerusalem many times, but seeing it in person is breathtaking." From some of the younger visitors, "This is awesome."

This is the city Jesus wept over. The Psalmist asked for prayer for this city. Listen to his request in Psalm 122: 

     Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: may they prosper who love you. Peace be within 

     your walls, prosperity within your palaces. For the sake of my brethren and companions, 

     I will now say Peace be within you.

Pastor Rick

We're Home - Safe and Sound

Church of Announciation in Nazareth

Temple Mount from the south

Singing in St. Anne's Church in Jerusalem

Communion Service at the Garden Tomb

We've made it home - safe and sound, and very sleepy!

I'll continue to add pictures of our trip to the blog every few days. In the meantime, I'll learn how to add your comments to it. So, if you'd like to respond to the blog, go ahead and do so. As soon as I learn how to post them I will. 

Pastor Rick

We're back in Israel

Roman ruins in Jerash, Jordan

Stacey Peyakov dipping water from the Spring of Moses

Ernie Liebmann and John Coates' cart ride at Petra 

(Ernie waving - John holding on for dear life!)

Monument at Mt. Nebo

Singing Amazing Grace on Mt. Nebo (Darvis McCoy playing the Irish whistle)

Group dancing Hava Nagila with Mickey Nicholaev (Israeli guide) on return to Israel

It's our last night in Israel. We will be leaving our hotel for the return flight at 3:00 AM! I wanted to keep the blog up daily but I did not always have internet access. I hope you have enjoyed the trip with us as we have been able to make it available.

We left Israel and spent two days in Jordan. We saw spectacular ruins in Jerash then went to Amman, Jordan's capital city. I know you will find this hard to believe but it rained in Amman and was very cold - in the 40's. 

We spent an entire day in the "Red Rock City of Petra." If you have been there or seen pictures of Petra, you will know why it was voted one of the "New 7 Wonders of the World."

On our way back to Israel we stopped in Medeba and saw a 5th century mosaic of the Middle East. Our final stop was on Mt. Nebo. This is the place where God took Moses to show him the Promised Land. As you know, Moses died there and was buried by God.

Then we headed back to Jerusalem. Upon meeting our Israeli guide, Mickey, our group surrounded him, and only with "duh, duh's" (because we didn't know the Hebrew words) we sang and danced to the tune of Hava Nagila. 

Well, that's it! Tomorrow we head for home with a life time of memories.

Pastor Rick 

Our Journey Continues

Fred Slaughter exiting the Garden Tomb

Beautiful doors on St. Peter Gallicantu Church (an older traditional spot 

where Peter denied the Lord)

Pastor Rick Malec gave a devotional at the Crusaders' Church marking the Upper Room

Group photo at the Garden of Gethsemane Grotto

Temple Mount from the South

Eastern Gate from the Mount of Olives

Greetings once again from the Holy Land. I started blogging this morning about 4:00 AM because we took a walk to the Western Wall and through the Rabbinical Tunnels last evening at 10:00 PM. My roomie was asleep when we returned (go figure!) and I didn't want to disturb him. So I thought I'd wake him up this morning instead. (I'm so thoughtful, don't you think?)

Our day began on the Mt. of Olives with a picturesque view of Jerusalem. We descended down the "Triumphal Entry" road to the Garden of Gethsemane reminding ourselves of the Savior who gave His life a ransom for us all.

Among our stops today, a Crusaders' church marking the spot of the Upper Room. We paused there to read Scripture and be challenged by Pastor Rick Malec. 

Another stop was St. Peter Gallicantu church. This is a beautiful church located on old Mt. Zion and in past times thought to be the place where Peter denied the Lord on the evening before His crucifixion.

Just to the south of this church is a place thought to be Potter's Field where Judas hanged himself.

Without a doubt the highlight of the day was our time at Golgotha and Gordon's Garden Tomb. After listening to an orientation of the site we took time to go into the tomb (one of two major sites thought to be the burial place of Jesus.)  

Then we gathered in the garden area, sang some songs, and listened to the testimony of Mickey, our guide. He told us how he came to know Jesus as his Messiah after coming to Israel as a Russian Jewish immigrant. 

Then we shared communion in the Garden. I will not speak for anyone else but it was a deeply meaningful time for me. I think it was for many others as well because after we sang He Is Lord, possibly in the place where He rose, many eyes were filled with tears of rejoicing. 

About a dozen of us went to the Western Wall and walked the Rabbinical Tunnels to end our day. We arrived back to our hotel around 11:30 or so and dropped right to sleep. That's why you didn't have anything on the blog until now.

Today, we are leaving Israel and going to Jordan. Please keep praying for the health of our group. Several people have flu like symptoms and have stayed in the hotel to try to recover. Your prayers are appreciated.

Pastor Rick