Friday, April 2, 2010

Inspired

Every Good Friday
our community has an ecumenical service.
It involves all the churches in our village and surrounding area.
They take turns hosting the service.
This year it was held at Altamont Reformed Church.

Today was Glorious.
 ~

I n s p i r e d,

We walked
...to where we worshiped a Shepherd...

 ~ A Good Shepherd ~


Who laid down his life
for his lambs.

After singing,
Psalm 22 was read.
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Years ago,
Rev. Luidens explained that it was customary
for the beginning words of a psalm to be spoken aloud,
then the rest to be remembered silently.
His lesson that day was a gift of teaching I will always remember.
Please read all of Psalm 22.

It will amaze you.

Whereas most of the time only the first sentence,
that dreadful question,
is heard on Good Friday...
why is it that we rarely hear about the rest?

It proclaims the fulfillment of His purpose.

". . . Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord,
and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
saying that
he has done it."

After the service,

we carried the beams.

Ev told stories of

f o r g i v e n e s s

and

r e j e c t i o n.

The beams of the crosses were originally roof rafters
from a pioneer home in our area.
During renovation, these beams were rejected.
Ev saw them along the road and knew they still had purpose.
For over twenty years, 
they have been used for Good Friday...
and are carried to St. John's Lutheran Church, where they remain standing for several days after Easter.


I  will  never  stop  loving
Y O U


~Easter Blessings to you and yours~
love,
and Chris


Thank You Dianne @
{Everything Else Thrown In}
for inspiring me to post about two of my local churches.
Dianne creates amazing posts that take her readers
on
beautiful visits to churches.
. . . Weekend Worship at . . .

19 comments:

  1. What a nice thing to do today on Good Friday. I think out Savior would be pleased and feel happy that so many, in their own true hearted way are thinking on him this weekend. I read a lot on Jesus today and the resurrection...I have had such a sweet peace with me all day. Have a good Sunday too...come say hi :D

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  2. Oh, Maria, what a lovely post, thanks such a lot, merci beaucoup pour tout! Thanks for leaving messages on my blog, you are too kind. And may God's blessings, His peace and love fill your heart this Easter weekend, give you joy to last all year through! Christ est resuscité! Christ is risen! Jesus ha resucitado! May the world acknowledge this sacrifice! Love, Lori xxx

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  3. Maria, I just stopped by to thank you for your lovely comment and to see your latest post... and in the process I have been deeply blessed! Praise God for your wonderful post and for sharing this touching Good Friday tradition. It was especially meaningful to me that the rejected beams were used- "the stone that the builder's rejected...He came to His own, but His own knew Him not".

    It also reminds me that even if the world reject us, God NEVER does and He has purposed us for great and wonderful things!
    Much blessings and love to you this Easter!
    Yvonne

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  4. Dearest Maria, the church is incredibly beautiful and I am so glad you shared it. But more than that, the beautiful service, the lambs carrying the cross, the beams that were rejected.........

    You have such a wonderful way of inviting us all into your world. And we will never stop loving you either.

    I can never thank you enough for the sidebar feature. I would love to have some of your dear friends and readers drop by. It would be my honor.

    Blessings straight from heaven to you and yours,
    Dianne

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  5. Maria...what a lovely Good Friday...may we never forget His suffering...and rejoice in His Grace. Hugs to you for a blessed Easter Sunday sweet one. xoxoxo

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  6. Hi Maria, you have had a wonderful Good Friday. Have a most wonderful Easter Sunday with your lovely family. Hope there will be a lot of sunshine and happiness, oh and of course chocolate eggs, lots of chocolate eggs but don't eat too many ;o)
    Much love,
    Saskia
    xo

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  7. Maria,
    As I read different posts about Easter week celebrations, I am so inspired and blessed
    This is especially moving. What a beautiful way to remember what the Savior has done for us.
    Thank you so much for sharing this.
    Have a blessed Easter dear one - filled with all the joy, love and hope of the resurrection!

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  8. Wonderful post! And truly inspiring.
    Thank you for sharing Maria.
    A blessed Easter to you and your family.


    xo Regina

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  9. I can read and see your Faith, Maria. Enjoy this blessed weekend with your Family.

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  10. How moving. There is nothing like visual...I love it. God bless you..
    I remember one year, many years back..we brought a donkey to the church yard...and played out the Palm Sunday story. My children still talk about it.
    We need to keep telling our children the stories.
    I just read Ps. 22
    How powerful and the last verse..what a promise.

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  11. Happy Easter to you and your family! Thank you for a beautiful post, Marcia

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  12. Have a Joyful Easter with your family, Maria.

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  13. What an experience! Amazing post! Thanks for sharing with us. Happy Easter.

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  14. Hi Maria,

    I'm so honored to have inspired you for the upcoming wedding. Hope you all have had a wonderful Saturday planning lovely Rachael's wedding shower! Of course you may share the picture, I'm honored again ;)
    Love love the theme of the wedding! Sounds some kind of a magical! It will most definitely be a marvelous day to never ever forget.

    Have a most wonderful Easter with Chris and tout la famile.

    Much love,
    Saskia
    xoxo

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  15. Lovely images to celebrate all that is special about Easter. Hope it is a lovely weekend for you and the family.

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  16. happy Easter! lovely images you got here!

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  17. This is simply a beautiful post !! Lovely shots and nice architecture !! I loved the work they do !! Simply amazing on their part !!Unseen Rajasthan

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  18. Oh Maria!
    What a wonderful way to celebrate...
    to give honor...
    to remember...our Jesus in this authentic way.
    What a special community you live in.
    Thanks for sharing your special day.
    Very inspiring.
    I can ONLY imagine how sweet and precious your daughters wedding is going to be.
    You did say she is getting married...right?
    Love to you sweet dear "calming" Maria.
    xxooxx
    I am blessed to know you and to be welcome in your world.
    xxooxx

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Thank you for stopping by! Your comments add sunshine to my day~