Sing Praises to His Name

We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
He chastens and hastens His will to make known.
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to His Name; He forgets not His own.

Remember that hymn? (See previous post.) Just listening to the tune translates me back to my grade-school auditorium and its accompanying holiday program.

Initially, We Gather Together was a folk song written during the time the Dutch were engaged in a war of national liberation against Spain. Notice the first few words of the song—we gather together. Seemingly innocuous, these three words expressed potent dissent and protest; they resonated in the ears of King Phillip II of Spain who forbad the Dutch Protestants to gather for worship. Thankfully, the Dutch brought this song with them to the New World and this hymn of praise has become an American favorite especially during the Thanksgiving holiday.
I have heard that Thanksgiving is the most traveled weekend of the year. From near and far, we gather together with friends and family, around an abundant feast, offering thanks to God for his many blessings.

When I was growing up, we gathered with my father’s side of the family for the Thanksgiving holiday. With six children in his family, their respective spouses, and over a dozen grandchildren, the brood became too large for my grandparent’s home. Therefore, my grandfather made reservations at a local restaurant. We had our own private dining area and we still ate turkey and the normal fare. I enjoyed our different style of Thanksgiving and still have fond memories of sharing a table with my cousins at The Royal Footman Restaurant because it’s not about where you eat, it is about who you are with.

Thanksgiving is not a holiday in Jamaica, but all the missionaries gather at a central location to celebrate it regardless. We are still Americans after all! The turkey costs twice as much, fried onions are hard to come by, and the only pumpkin in Jamaica is green, but we make do because it’s not about what you eat, it’s about who you are giving thanks to.

And there are many things to be thankful for. We are thankful for the call of God on our lives. We are thankful for the children he has placed in our care. We are thankful for family, friends, and co- workers. We are thankful for God’s abundant provision. Lastly, we are thankful for our supporters and sponsors who help make what we do possible.

We are blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We Gather Together

We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;

He chastens and hastens His will to make known.
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.

Sing praises to His Name; He forgets not His own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,

Ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine;

So from the beginning the fight we were winning;

Thou, Lord, were at our side, all glory be Thine!

We all do extol Thee, Thou Leader triumphant,

And pray that Thou still our Defender will be.

Let Thy congregation escape tribulation;

Thy Name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

A Surprise Guest

Squirrels have been loping all around our yard in recent weeks storing their winter provision of food. This one enjoyed a feast of birdseeds in a pumpkin tureen.

Romans 13:1

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Please visit the Assemblies of God website to view a Post Election Statement, from our General Superintendent, Dr. George O. Wood. http://www.ag.org/

Missionettes Jamaica Night

Stuart and I enjoyed Jamaica night with the First Assembly of God Missionettes in Fort Wayne, recently. The girls just finished their Latin America/Caribbean studies and invited us to join them to celebrate. The night began with dominoes—a national past time and then we feasted on Jamaican jerk-barbeque chicken, fruit salad, and bread pudding. Stuart and I fielded some insightful questions and the evening ended with a rousing game of limbo. Thanks Missionettes, for a night of Jamaican fun.

For more pictures see the photo album links in the righthand column.

The Wittenberg Door

The following piece was written by Rev. J. Thomas Shelley, STS. The full article appears here: http://www.missionstclare.com/english/people/oct31.html

On the Eve of All Saints' Day, October 31, 1517, Doctor Martin Luther, professor of Scripture at the University of Wittenberg, Germany posted an invitation to debate on the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral. The invitation to debate contained ninety-five points, or theses, concerning the sale of indulgences.

Luther chose this date for posting his theses because the coming holy day would bring many of the community to services, ensuring that his statements would receive wide exposure.

In the preceding months Albert, Archbishop of Mainz had authorized Dominican Friar Johann Tetzel to sell indulgences (a paper declaring that the deceased person for whom it had been purchased had received total forgiveness of sins and therefore a release from Purgatory) in order to finance the construction of St. Peter's basilica. Tetzel is alleged to have declared "as soon as the coin in the coffer clings, the soul from Purgatory springs."

At the same time, Luther had been engaged in intensive study of the scriptures in search of his own spiritual peace. He found tremendous relief in the just shall live by faith. This principle of justification by faith became the positive argument underlying the ninety-five theses.

Because the theses were a direct challenge to the Papacy the reaction was swift and severe. The Pope initiated proceedings to have Luther tried for heresy; proceedings that very likely would have led to his execution. Luther, with the support of the Wittenberg faculty, appealed to elector Frederick III of Saxony for protection.

Although Luther did not intend to begin a separate Church, such was the unavoidable consequence of his challenge. By 1530 Germany was divided between communities loyal to the Pope and those following the reforms initiated by Luther.

[However] on Reformation Day 1999, the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification between the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church was publicly signed in Wittenberg. Together we declare: by faith alone is the centerpiece of this expression of ecumenical convergence.

The appointed lessons for the day point not only to the historical situation but also to the Church's constant need for ongoing renewal. Jeremiah 31:31-34 tells of the coming New Covenant where God will write His law on every human heart. Romans 3:19-28 declares the central tenet of the Reformation we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. John 8:31-36 enjoins us to be constant in the Word in order to be freed by the One who is Truth.

And since the law is not yet perfectly inscribed on every heart and all are not yet fully devoted to the Word, the task of Reformation is not yet complete.

Ecclesia semper Reformata--the Church is always reforming.

A translation of Luther's 95 theses:

http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/web/ninetyfive.html

It Ain't the Sistine Chapel

But face painting is still an art form. Olivia had fun volunteering at Fort Wayne First Assembly's Harvest Party this past weekend with over 1500 kids enjoying our autumn alternative. That is a lot of faces to paint!

For an insightful article by Kenneth Samples on The Tricky Topic of Halloween, please follow this link: http://www.reasons.org/resources/fff/2002issue11/index.shtml#the_tricky_topic_of_halloween

Peaceful Dwellings

The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. -Isaiah 32:17

Quietness is a virtue I can appreciate -especially when surrounded by 25+ kids. However quietness is more than just the absence of sound, it is a state of being. Isaiah speaks of a time when a king will reign and his righteousness will ripple through his kingdom emanating calm assurance or peaceful trust upon all the people.

When praying for the children at New Vision City of Refuge I often pray for God to quiet their souls. Many of our children grapple with abandonment issues, loneliness, doubt, and learning disabilities. This at times leads to undesirable behavior even they do not always understand. In other words, their souls are restless and troubled.

But the Lord says, My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest. -Isaiah 32:18

We strive at New Vision City of Refuge to give our children a sense of security, peace, and worth. We protect, provide, and prepare them through devoted caregivers, wholesome food, pleasant surroundings, and solid academic and spiritual training. However, quietness and confidence will only come when they allow the righteous King to reign in the kingdoms of their hearts.

Please pray for our faithful staff at New Vision City of Refuge to nurture these children effectively. Pray for our wonderful missionary team, the Bushhorns and the Yoders as they sacrificially fill in the gap during our absence. And of course, pray for our children to know the quietness and confidence of God’s eternal presence.

Thank you for your continued support.

Out With the Old

Thanks to the Caring Connection crew from Fort Wayne First Assembly who came and tore down our rickety shed today. We love all the wonderful people at our church who bless us continually with their generosity and love.

If you are ever in our area, come and visit the best church in the midwest! http://www.firstassemblyfw.org/

Hooray!

Just last week I requested a day for prayer and fasting for our missionary associates Paul and Dulcie Bushhorn (center). They have been waiting for weeks for their work permits to go through. Well, praise the Lord we just got word it finally arrived! This is a wonderful answer to prayer. The permit will be Fed-exed to them tomorrow, then they will go to Chicago to get their visas stamped in their passport.

Thanks so much for appealing to the Lord on their behalf. This is a great relief to everyone at New Vision City of Refuge Children’s Home.