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| Pastor & Mrs. Semel |
May God bless you both in your new season of life!
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| Pictures of VBS, etc. |
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| The program for the retirement party |
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Until we meet again
ROPC's Pastor and his wife of over 30 years have retired. We will miss them. Their faith, support, and love have been a great blessing.
Thank you both for all your work in service to Christ's church here in Morgantown. Your example of sacrifice and humility is a blessing to all of us.
May God bless you both in your new season of life!
And, as Pastor Semel reminded us: "This is not goodbye." Just: "Arrivederci!"
May God bless you both in your new season of life!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Just what is a Palisade?
After some schedule rearranging, Cindy and I made a plan to me to visit and work with her kids on History. Though nervous (and excited), I set off praying that my time with the kids would be a blessing to them, a blessing to Cindy, and (selfishly) a blessing to myself.
And the day went beautifully! History was a blast. The lunch conversation was delightful, and the games were fun (at least for me ;).
Noah, Maggie, and I discussed colonial etiquette: "Do not invite yourself to someone's house. Do not give your advice unless asked for, then be brief." Did grammar: Their, There, or They're... And read books.
Evangelia, Jude, and I played the "PEG"gy Back game. Which is now my favorite game.
All of us played Star Wars. But, perhaps not the tradition version. There was discussion of whether Dooku's name was Darwin. :P
And I learned that pretzels are brain food. :)
Vocab for next week:
Palisade - a fence of pales or stakes set firmly in the ground, as for enclosure or defense.
Trencher - a rectangular or circular flat piece of wood on which meat, or other food, is served or carved.
BBLS - DOES stand for barrels.
And what was that other word? Hopefully, the kids will remember.
I apologize for the poor picture quality. I forgot my camera. :(
And the day went beautifully! History was a blast. The lunch conversation was delightful, and the games were fun (at least for me ;).
Noah, Maggie, and I discussed colonial etiquette: "Do not invite yourself to someone's house. Do not give your advice unless asked for, then be brief." Did grammar: Their, There, or They're... And read books.
Evangelia, Jude, and I played the "PEG"gy Back game. Which is now my favorite game.
All of us played Star Wars. But, perhaps not the tradition version. There was discussion of whether Dooku's name was Darwin. :P
And I learned that pretzels are brain food. :)
Vocab for next week:
Palisade - a fence of pales or stakes set firmly in the ground, as for enclosure or defense.
Trencher - a rectangular or circular flat piece of wood on which meat, or other food, is served or carved.
BBLS - DOES stand for barrels.
And what was that other word? Hopefully, the kids will remember.
I apologize for the poor picture quality. I forgot my camera. :(
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Ohio Presbytery Youth Camp: Camp Views
Last year, I promised pictures and they never came... This year WILL be different.
Without further ado... Summer Camp!
Our sign is very important.... Putting it up (or taking it down) can be a very important moment.... And yes, we took lots of photos. :P
Isn't this area beautiful?!
The Nurse's station... and main cabin office
Some of the girls cabins... with clothes line. :)
The lake...
The Pool... etc.
I LOVE this photo! Kudos to Kathy for taking it!
More to come...
Without further ado... Summer Camp!
Our sign is very important.... Putting it up (or taking it down) can be a very important moment.... And yes, we took lots of photos. :P
Isn't this area beautiful?!
The Nurse's station... and main cabin office
Some of the girls cabins... with clothes line. :)
The lake...
The Pool... etc.I LOVE this photo! Kudos to Kathy for taking it!
More to come...
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Runs faster, Jumps higher, and Plays volleyball better
Kevin Swanson's thoughts on Courtship with his guest, Doug Wilson.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Easter
This is a little late, but as Jonathan reminded us on Sunday... Every Sunday is a day to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! So... Happy Easter, everyone!
It was a fabulous day. Breakfast with my church family, two encouraging, insightful sermons, and dinner with friends and family. We had the pleasure of hosting Bobby and Fisher. After dessert, we played Apples to Apples.
Praise God for His grace and kindness!
It was a fabulous day. Breakfast with my church family, two encouraging, insightful sermons, and dinner with friends and family. We had the pleasure of hosting Bobby and Fisher. After dessert, we played Apples to Apples.
Praise God for His grace and kindness!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
On this Sabbath Day
~Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face~
Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face;Here would I touch and handle things unseen,
Here grasp with firmer hand th'eternal grace,
And all my weariness upon thee lean.
Here would I feed upon the bread of God,
Here drink with thee the royal wine of heav'n;
Here would I lay aside each earthly load,
Here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiven.
This is the hour of banquet and of song;
This is the heav'nly table spread for me:
Here let me feast, and, feasting, still prolong
The brief, bright hour of fellowship with thee.
I have no help but thine, nor do I need
Another arm save thine to lean upon:
It is enough, my Lord, enough indeed;
My strength is in thy might, thy might alone.
Mine is the sin, but thine the righteousness;
Mine is the guilt, but thine the cleansing blood;
Here is my robe, my refuge, and my peace,
Thy blood, thy righteousness, O Lord my God.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Friday, December 11, 2009
An Important Message
Several weeks ago, Pastor Comin came to fill our pulpit. With him, he brought the word of God. The message was convicting.
Take a few minutes out of your day.... Listen to the sermon below.
Repent or Perish
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Camp Runamucka
Just kidding!
I have shamelessly neglected this blog of late. Part of the problem was being gone at church camp for a whole week. As soon as I get the "official photos, I'll be sure to share more. :)
It is my goal to start updating y'all on what has been going on around here ASAP.
I have shamelessly neglected this blog of late. Part of the problem was being gone at church camp for a whole week. As soon as I get the "official photos, I'll be sure to share more. :)
It is my goal to start updating y'all on what has been going on around here ASAP.
Friday, July 10, 2009
John Calvin's 500 years
Ever since I can remember, I have been named by Christ. I am a christian. Among the many branches of the Christian church, I have grown up in the OPC. I have learned from the time I was a child the doctrines that John Calvin put forth. And I identify myself as a Calvinist.
Happy Birthday, John Calvin. God continues to use your legacy and vision to bless many lives.
"All these things will be easily understood after we have given a clearer definition of faith, so as to enable the readers to apprehend its nature and power. Here it is of importance to call to mind what was formerly taught, first, That since God by his Law prescribes what we ought to do, failure in any one respect subjects us to the dreadful judgment of eternal death, which it denounces. Secondly, Because it is not only difficult, but altogether beyond our strength and ability, to fulfill the demands of the Law, if we look only to ourselves and consider what is due to our merits, no ground of hope remains, but we lie forsaken of God under eternal death.
Thirdly, That there is only one method of deliverance which can rescue us from this miserable calamity—viz. when Christ the Redeemer appears, by whose hand our heavenly Father, out of his infinite goodness and mercy, has been pleased to succor us, if we with true faith embrace this mercy, and with firm hope rest in it. It is now proper to consider the nature of this faith, by means of which, those who are adopted into the family of God obtain possession of the heavenly kingdom. For the accomplishment of so great an end, it is obvious that no mere opinion or persuasion is adequate. And the greater care and diligence is necessary in discussing the true nature of faith, from the pernicious delusions which many, in the present day, labour under with regard to it...
Although we have already in some measure shown how faith possesses Christ, and gives us the enjoyment of his benefits, the subject would still be obscure were we not to add an exposition of the effects resulting from it. The sum of the Gospel is, not without good reason, made to consist in repentance and forgiveness of sins; and, therefore, where these two heads are omitted, any discussion concerning faith will be meager and defective, and indeed almost useless. Now, since Christ confers upon us, and we obtain by faith, both free reconciliation and newness of life, reason and order require that I should here begin to treat of both. The shortest transition, however, will be from faith to repentance; for repentance being properly understood it will better appear how a man is justified freely by faith alone, and yet that holiness of life, real holiness, as it is called, is inseparable from the free imputation of righteousness.
That repentance not only always follows faith, but is produced by it, ought to be without controversy (see Calvin in Joann. 1:13). For since pardon and forgiveness are offered by the preaching of the Gospel, in order that the sinner, delivered from the tyranny of Satan, the yoke of sin, and the miserable bondage of iniquity, may pass into the kingdom of God, it is certain that no man can embrace the grace of the Gospel without retaking himself from the errors of his former life into the right path, and making it his whole study to practice repentance. Those who think that repentance precedes faith instead of flowing from, or being produced by it, as the fruit by the tree, have never understood its nature, and are moved to adopt that view on very insufficient grounds."
- John Calvin in Institutes of the Christian Religion
Happy Birthday, John Calvin. God continues to use your legacy and vision to bless many lives.
"All these things will be easily understood after we have given a clearer definition of faith, so as to enable the readers to apprehend its nature and power. Here it is of importance to call to mind what was formerly taught, first, That since God by his Law prescribes what we ought to do, failure in any one respect subjects us to the dreadful judgment of eternal death, which it denounces. Secondly, Because it is not only difficult, but altogether beyond our strength and ability, to fulfill the demands of the Law, if we look only to ourselves and consider what is due to our merits, no ground of hope remains, but we lie forsaken of God under eternal death.
Thirdly, That there is only one method of deliverance which can rescue us from this miserable calamity—viz. when Christ the Redeemer appears, by whose hand our heavenly Father, out of his infinite goodness and mercy, has been pleased to succor us, if we with true faith embrace this mercy, and with firm hope rest in it. It is now proper to consider the nature of this faith, by means of which, those who are adopted into the family of God obtain possession of the heavenly kingdom. For the accomplishment of so great an end, it is obvious that no mere opinion or persuasion is adequate. And the greater care and diligence is necessary in discussing the true nature of faith, from the pernicious delusions which many, in the present day, labour under with regard to it...
Although we have already in some measure shown how faith possesses Christ, and gives us the enjoyment of his benefits, the subject would still be obscure were we not to add an exposition of the effects resulting from it. The sum of the Gospel is, not without good reason, made to consist in repentance and forgiveness of sins; and, therefore, where these two heads are omitted, any discussion concerning faith will be meager and defective, and indeed almost useless. Now, since Christ confers upon us, and we obtain by faith, both free reconciliation and newness of life, reason and order require that I should here begin to treat of both. The shortest transition, however, will be from faith to repentance; for repentance being properly understood it will better appear how a man is justified freely by faith alone, and yet that holiness of life, real holiness, as it is called, is inseparable from the free imputation of righteousness.
That repentance not only always follows faith, but is produced by it, ought to be without controversy (see Calvin in Joann. 1:13). For since pardon and forgiveness are offered by the preaching of the Gospel, in order that the sinner, delivered from the tyranny of Satan, the yoke of sin, and the miserable bondage of iniquity, may pass into the kingdom of God, it is certain that no man can embrace the grace of the Gospel without retaking himself from the errors of his former life into the right path, and making it his whole study to practice repentance. Those who think that repentance precedes faith instead of flowing from, or being produced by it, as the fruit by the tree, have never understood its nature, and are moved to adopt that view on very insufficient grounds."
- John Calvin in Institutes of the Christian Religion
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
July 4th Weekend
Lord, with glowing heart I'd praise thee
For the bliss thy love bestows,
For the pard'ning grace that saves me,
And the peace that from it flows;
Help, O God, my weak endeavor;
This dull soul to rapture raise;
Thou must light the flame, or never
Can my love be warmed to praise.
Praise, my soul, the God that sought thee,
Wretched wand'rer far astray;
Found thee lost, and kindly brought thee
From the paths of death away;
Praise, with love's devoutest feeling,
Him who saw thy guilt-born fear,
And, the light of hope revealing,
Bade the blood-stained cross appear.
Praise thy Saviour God that drew thee
To that cross, new life to give,
Held a blood-sealed pardon to thee,
Bade thee look to him and live;
Praise the grace whose threats alarmed thee,
Roused thee from thy fatal ease,
Praise the grace whose promise warmed thee,
Praise the grace that whispered peace.
Lord, this bosom's ardent feeling
Vainly would my lips express;
Low before thy footstool kneeling,
Deign thy suppliant's prayer to bless:
Let thy love, my soul's chief treasure,
Love's pure flame within me raise,
And, since words can never measure,
Let my life show forth thy praise.
- Francis Scott Key, 1817
How wonderful to sing a hymn written by a man who wrote our national anthem... on July 4th weekend! F.S. Key certainly had a proper patriotism, but even more glorious, he loved the Lord. Praise God for a godly history!
For the bliss thy love bestows,
For the pard'ning grace that saves me,
And the peace that from it flows;
Help, O God, my weak endeavor;
This dull soul to rapture raise;
Thou must light the flame, or never
Can my love be warmed to praise.
Praise, my soul, the God that sought thee,
Wretched wand'rer far astray;
Found thee lost, and kindly brought thee
From the paths of death away;
Praise, with love's devoutest feeling,
Him who saw thy guilt-born fear,
And, the light of hope revealing,
Bade the blood-stained cross appear.
Praise thy Saviour God that drew thee
To that cross, new life to give,
Held a blood-sealed pardon to thee,
Bade thee look to him and live;
Praise the grace whose threats alarmed thee,
Roused thee from thy fatal ease,
Praise the grace whose promise warmed thee,
Praise the grace that whispered peace.
Lord, this bosom's ardent feeling
Vainly would my lips express;
Low before thy footstool kneeling,
Deign thy suppliant's prayer to bless:
Let thy love, my soul's chief treasure,
Love's pure flame within me raise,
And, since words can never measure,
Let my life show forth thy praise.
- Francis Scott Key, 1817
How wonderful to sing a hymn written by a man who wrote our national anthem... on July 4th weekend! F.S. Key certainly had a proper patriotism, but even more glorious, he loved the Lord. Praise God for a godly history!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
VBS 2009
The Powell Family hosted VBS again this year. What a blessing to be able to serve our church in this capacity. =)
The theme of Bible School
Craft Barn (Er... Garage?)
Classes Outside...
When the weather was nice
Crafts with Melissa and Andrea
Recreation with Jamie
Singing for Opening Exercises
A full week of cleaning, preparing, and hosting makes for some very tired Powell's. But, by God's grace, we made it through another year.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
My First Sunday School Class
He said to the sons of Israel, "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What are these stones?' Then you shall inform your children, saying, 'Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.' Joshua 4:21,22
Just as in the Bible, believers today are to raise the children in the covenant and educate them in the ways of the Lord. What a blessing for me to have an opportunity to shape young hearts and minds before I have children of my own! My prayer is that I will be clear and help my young 3-5 memorize and understand God's word.
Just as in the Bible, believers today are to raise the children in the covenant and educate them in the ways of the Lord. What a blessing for me to have an opportunity to shape young hearts and minds before I have children of my own! My prayer is that I will be clear and help my young 3-5 memorize and understand God's word.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Children are a Blessing from the Lord
God is so good to my home church. We have so many little ones; it is such a great gift to be able to watch over them.
*The bonus of watching Daniel wrestle with them is too fun!
*The bonus of watching Daniel wrestle with them is too fun!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Christmas Eve Hymn
Behold, a Branch is growing
Of loveliest form and grace,
As prophets sung, foreknowing;
It springs from Jesse's race
And bears one little Flow'r
In midst of coldest winter,
At deepest midnight hour.
O Saviour, Child of Mary,
Who felt our human woe;
O Saviour, King of Glory,
Who dost our weakness know,
Bring us at length, we pray,
To the bright courts of heaven
And to the endless day.
Of loveliest form and grace,
As prophets sung, foreknowing;
It springs from Jesse's race
And bears one little Flow'r
In midst of coldest winter,
At deepest midnight hour.
O Saviour, Child of Mary,
Who felt our human woe;
O Saviour, King of Glory,
Who dost our weakness know,
Bring us at length, we pray,
To the bright courts of heaven
And to the endless day.
Monday, December 8, 2008
I celebrate the day...
And with this Christmas wish is missed
The point I could convey
If only I could find the words to say to let You know
how much You've touched my life
Because here is where You're finding me,
in the exact same place as New Year's eve
And from a lack of my persistency
We're less than half as close as I want to be
And the first time
That You opened Your eyes
did You realize that You would be my Savior
And the first breath that left Your lips
Did You know that it would change this world forever
And so this Christmas I'll compare the things I felt in prior years
To what this midnight made so clear
That You have come to meet me here
To look back and think that
This baby would one day save me
In the hope that what You did
That you were born so I might really live
To look back and think that
This baby would one day save me
And the first time
That You opened Your eyes
did You realize that You would be my Savior
And the first breath that left Your lips
Did You know that it would change this world forever
And I, I celebrate the day
That You were born to die
So I could one day [Thank you Lord you saved] my life
-RelientK
The point I could convey
If only I could find the words to say to let You know
how much You've touched my life
Because here is where You're finding me,
in the exact same place as New Year's eve
And from a lack of my persistency
We're less than half as close as I want to be
And the first time
That You opened Your eyes
did You realize that You would be my Savior
And the first breath that left Your lips
Did You know that it would change this world forever
And so this Christmas I'll compare the things I felt in prior years
To what this midnight made so clear
That You have come to meet me here
To look back and think that
This baby would one day save me
In the hope that what You did
That you were born so I might really live
To look back and think that
This baby would one day save me
And the first time
That You opened Your eyes
did You realize that You would be my Savior
And the first breath that left Your lips
Did You know that it would change this world forever
And I, I celebrate the day
That You were born to die
So I could one day [Thank you Lord you saved] my life
-RelientK
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Servitude: "Living in the fish bowl"
Kids were screaming and running everywhere. Absolute delight filled their little voices. They ran from place to place often with no adult supervision. Yet no one was concerned…. The children never even realized the fence that enclosed the yard to keep them safe. The very same fence that kept them in was the fence that allowed them to run without Mommy or Daddy to hold their hands.
At last year’s carnival, Mom’s and Dad’s anxiously followed their child’s every move careful to make sure they didn’t run into a busy street. There was no safety net to protect the children. The children may have looked freer because there was no fence, but in reality there were more restrained.
– Mrs. Jackson’s explanation of the VBS Carnival at the Powell home... And the year before on the street oustide the church
Today in Sunday school, the adult class was talking about Liberation Theology. Having not heard the term before, I was intrigued at the meaning. Liberation Theology is the idea that the Bible’s message is to free us from all –isms. Such as racism, sexism, elitism, etc. After man is freed, he is now given autonomy. This notion of the gospel was propagated by men such as Martin Luther King. But this idea of scripture doesn’t understand the true nature of man. Man is a creature. God does not set man free from something and give him autonomy. There is no such thing.
Man is set free from the slavery of sin to become a slave of the King. God defeated Pharaoh and freed Israel from servitude in Egypt. But, he didn’t then release them to their own devices. Bringing them to Sinai, he there gave them the commands on how to serve Him. Just as when Christ saves us from our slavery to sin, he doesn’t just let us loose. Paul tells us that Christ has saved us, and now we are to live like it. We are now in his service…
My pastor often gives the illustration of the fish in the bowl. A man walked up to the fish bowl. “How sad!” The man thought. “This poor fish is so constrained by his environment. I will set him free.” The man then plucked the fish from his watery haven and put him on the living room floor. The fish then died.
This may seem like a silly example, but God place boundaries around us to keep us safe. The dead fish isn’t very free is he? Man wasn’t meant to run amuck by his own devices. We are creatures meant by God to be His servants. And now in a world affected by sin, man is either a slave of sin, or a bondslave of Christ.
At last year’s carnival, Mom’s and Dad’s anxiously followed their child’s every move careful to make sure they didn’t run into a busy street. There was no safety net to protect the children. The children may have looked freer because there was no fence, but in reality there were more restrained.
– Mrs. Jackson’s explanation of the VBS Carnival at the Powell home... And the year before on the street oustide the church
Today in Sunday school, the adult class was talking about Liberation Theology. Having not heard the term before, I was intrigued at the meaning. Liberation Theology is the idea that the Bible’s message is to free us from all –isms. Such as racism, sexism, elitism, etc. After man is freed, he is now given autonomy. This notion of the gospel was propagated by men such as Martin Luther King. But this idea of scripture doesn’t understand the true nature of man. Man is a creature. God does not set man free from something and give him autonomy. There is no such thing.
Man is set free from the slavery of sin to become a slave of the King. God defeated Pharaoh and freed Israel from servitude in Egypt. But, he didn’t then release them to their own devices. Bringing them to Sinai, he there gave them the commands on how to serve Him. Just as when Christ saves us from our slavery to sin, he doesn’t just let us loose. Paul tells us that Christ has saved us, and now we are to live like it. We are now in his service…
My pastor often gives the illustration of the fish in the bowl. A man walked up to the fish bowl. “How sad!” The man thought. “This poor fish is so constrained by his environment. I will set him free.” The man then plucked the fish from his watery haven and put him on the living room floor. The fish then died.
This may seem like a silly example, but God place boundaries around us to keep us safe. The dead fish isn’t very free is he? Man wasn’t meant to run amuck by his own devices. We are creatures meant by God to be His servants. And now in a world affected by sin, man is either a slave of sin, or a bondslave of Christ.
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