Stations of the Cross

Dia Martinez and I took a journey through the Stations of the Cross at The Peoples Church on Good Friday afternoon.  Join us as we travel the Via Dolorosa, or Way of Suffering:

Dia and I look at the rooster that crowed three times, reminding Peter that he had denied Christ three times

We sat by the charcoal fire in the courtyard, just like Peter stood beside when he denied Christ. Boy was is smokey!

Dia inspects the sharp, long thorn on this crown, woven from a vine that grows in Palestine. It makes rose thorns seem soft by comparison!

Dia walks barefoot on the rough, sharp gravel of the Dia Dolorosa, or Way of the Suffering, where Christ walked, carrying his heavy cross. Imagine collapsing under the weight of a heavy cross on such sharp gravel!

This heavy cross made the young man standing behind it turn red in the face when we asked him to lift it.

As we meditated on Simon of Cyrene, who carried Jesus' heavy cross for him, and the women who ministered to Jesus, we were asked to write a prayer request on a Prayer Wall and to walk along the wall, praying for others who had left their requests there.

More prayers

We wrote our names on scarlet pieces of fabric and nailed them to the cross, symbolizing Jesus' dying for our personal sins

Dia lifts a sponge soaked in white vinegar to her nose

As we reflected on Jesus' willingness to forgive the criminals hanging on crosses beside him, we were asked to write a personal sin on a plywood wall, knowing Jesus has forgiven that sin

Dia and I inspect the tomb before we end our journey with prayer and anointing with olive oil by a pastor from The Peoples Church

--Posted by Mama O.

Brenna Mason carries Teagan Frame while Abby Mason and Kayla Dellamaggiore look on

Our youth and several leaders are living out a "Spring Break Experiment" on Thursday and Friday of Holy Week. They are experiencing a little of the world that the homeless population of Fresno lives in all the time.  They started their adventure with a tour of Fresno Rescue Mission on Thursday morning.  Then, they served the sandwiches and stew they had prepared to the homeless people at Santa Clara and F Streets in downtown Fresno.  The young people were so generous, they gave their own lunch away.  Youth ministers Aaron Scott and Doug Baker concocted a quick "Plan B" and took the group to Taco Bell, where the orders were "3 items from the dollar menu and only water to drink!"  The students spent the afternoon experiencing one-on-one time with patients at various long-term health-care facilities in the city and ended the afternoon with a door-step baby shower for a young woman who is a patient at the Crisis Pregnancy Center.  They came back to the church to spend the night in the discomfort of sleeping on the concrete with no padding.   A little ice thrown on the girls' sleeping bags from the boys added to the discomfort, as ice turns into water (ask Kelly Gresham about this).  The girls were resourceful, using towels from the baptismal to soak up what they could of the melting ice.  Youth minister Aaron Scott found it interesting that, although each student was given their own cardboard box, both the boys and the girls decided to pool their resources and create cardboard dormitories rather than single-person bedrooms with the boxes.  The young people are off for some more adventures within our city today, interacting with people they would not normally talk to, taking forms of transportation they may not be accustomed to, eating with people who are not like themselves.... God's richest blessings to all who participate in this experiment!
"For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in...Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me." Matthew 25:35,40 (New American Standard Version)
--Posted by Mama O.

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me

The sign on the front desk

Entrance to "Rescue The Children"

I love the sign on the front desk of "Rescue The Children": "The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me." Psalm 138:8. I walk through that door at least two times a week, and I never cease to be amazed at the transformation that is taking place, in the women and children who live there, in the physical plant, which is constantly being improved, in the lives of the staff and in my own life.  I have grown to know the women and many of their children during the time I teach classes there. I am privileged to spend time with some beautiful, wonderful ladies who are doing the "deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom" (James 3:13).  I am amazed at the wisdom that comes from the Holy Spirit within this group of women as we discuss some very complicated issues in life.  The Lord has purpose for each of His children   He will lead us to find our purpose and to bless others as we pursue His wisdom.
--Posted by Mama O. 

Unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground...

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.  But if it dies, it produces many seeds." John 12:24 (New International Version)

This is one of the two "raised-bed" gardens Phillip built in our backyard as a Christmas gift to us this past year

"But someone will ask, 'How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come/'  How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.  When you sow, you do not plant the  body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or something else.  But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body So will it be with the resurrection of the dead.  The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory, it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." 1 Corinthians 15:35-38,42-43

"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed---in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.  For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.  When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true:'Death has been swallowed up in victory.'

'Where ,O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?'

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ   Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."  1 Corinthians 15:51-58

Enjoy a blessed Resurrection Week, my brothers and sisters!
--Posted by Mama O.

God's Ticker Tape Parade

The view from my back yard (see white blossoms in yard behind ours)

This time of year, blossoms are falling off trees and building up in small mounds on sidewalks, in gutters, on front lawns.  Little piles of blossom petals blow across the street in the wind, swirling around in white and pink shapes, like those old Spirograph designs we used to draw as kids (those of us old enough to remember non-computer-assisted-drawing tools!)  Those falling, blowing, piling, shaping petals always remind me of a ticker tape parade in New York City, meant to celebrate returning war heroes.  Although I never attended one personally, I have watched them depicted in the movies.  It was always so grand to watch those bits of paper floating down from the windows of high-rise buildings, onto the heroes coming up the street below.

Well, one day the Holy Spirit gave me the connection: those petals we see flying all over the place always come in the spring, right near Easter, when Jesus rose from the dead, the ultimate war hero, the defeater of man's greatest enemy: death!  All those blossoms blowing across the street, piling up on lawns, in gutters, under parked cars, those are God's ticker tape parade, celebrating His Son's ultimate war victory over death!  So, my friends, while it lasts this season, enjoy God's ticker tape parade!

"But thanks be to God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.  Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God."  2 Corinthians 2:14-15a (New Living Translation)

"But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.  For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. " 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 (New International Version)

"Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of fristfruits of all he created."  James 1:16-18 (New International Version)
--Posted by Mama O.

Leadership Defined

What do godly leaders do?

1.  They cheer us on.
2.  They strengthen by grace, not by rules.
3.  They suffer willingly, as an example to those who will come after them.

These are some of the lessons we learned from Hebrews 13:7-17 on Sunday morning, when our preacher, Dr. Jason Locke, shared about "Finding God in Dark Places".

Although few people look at suffering as a good or desirable thing, the Bible shows a different side of suffering: suffering teaches discipleship.  Jesus, our great and perfect leader, suffered.  We are called to follow him!  And that means we will bear abuse.  Jesus died to let us know that suffering is not the end, however.  Death is not the end.  Death has been defeated!  We will celebrate that on Easter morning.

Godly leaders will show grace to those who are living in darkness and fear, apart from God.  Rather than being the "enforcers" of rules, godly leaders will be vessels of God's grace, mercy and forgiveness.

Although suffering may not be a desirable thing, it is a "shaping" and "refining" tool, meant to break us of pride and selfishness and arrogance and to make us into people who know how to love one another as God loves us. And that makes it all worthwhile!

--Posted by Mama O.

"Mama Grace" Pendleton lights the candles at the beginning of the Passover Seder meal

Steve Ocheltree leads the group in dipping the bitter herbs in salt water (the tears of the Hebrew slaves)

Gary Pendleton (background) pours the "wine" (Welch's grape juice) before the recitation of the 10 plagues God brought against Egypt

"Next year in Jerusalem"--the prayer at the end of every Passover Seder meal, anticipating the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple

Passover begins tomorrow.  The Ocheltree Group observed a modified Seder meal during class today, discussing the elements of this traditional meal and their significance to both Jews and Christians.  We have been studying Exodus over the last several weeks and had reached the story of Passover at this very time!  How often does that happen?  Steve Ocheltree led us through a modified Seder meal, where we had the oldest woman in the group light the candles (a woman brought the Messiah, the light of the world, into the world), we dipped bitter herbs (parsley) in very salty water, representing the bitter slavery of the Hebrew people and the tears they shed.  We dipped matzoh crackers in horseradish, also meant to bring tears to the eyes, in memory of the bitter slavery of the Hebrew people.  We enjoyed a delicious apple, cinnamon, walnut and date dish known as charoset, which represents the mortar the Hebrew slaves put between the bricks they laid for the Pharaoh.  We made sandwiches with matzoh crackers, charoset and Romaine lettuce, also considered a "bitter herb" to represent the cruel and bitter slavery of the Jews.  We drank one of the four glasses of "wine" shared at a traditional Passover Seder meal, the second cup, where we all dipped our finger in the cup ten times, each time reciting the name of one of the plagues God brought on the Egyptians, shaking the "wine" off our fingers as we spoke.  We ate boiled eggs, representing new life as the Hebrews escaped from slavery and headed toward the Promised Land. Hebrew families play a game at Passover.  The father breaks one of three pieces of matzoh bread in half.  He hides half of that piece, called the Afikomen, for the children to find at the end of the Seder dinner.  The child who finds the Afikomen receives a prize.  Christians believe this broken bread represents Jesus' body, broken for us, and the hiding is like a burial, and the finding is like a resurrection.  The prize, Christians believe, is eternal life with Christ Jesus.
Our Passover Seder meal was a fitting way to close our study of Exodus for the next three months.  We will be joining a church-wide study of the life of Paul during April, May and June.  Our study of Paul's life will doubtless be richer because of the understanding we have gained of Old Testament history during our time in Exodus!
--Posted by Mama O. 

Mama Duck and her ducklings

Josephine Bryan, Brody, Jasmine and Logan

Aren't they adorable?  The mother duck Josephine Bryan, leads her ducklings to Wednesday night preschool class every week.  She ties the rope to the stroller handle and she and baby Brody lead the youngsters down the long hallway.
Thank you, Josephine, for making midweek church so much fun for our preschool crowd!  You are a blessing to all of us!

And, speaking of Wednesday night church blessings, thank you to Tami Cowger and Veronica Sue for making the delicious lasagna dinner last Wednesday night!  It was a big hit with the crowd, both meat and vegetarian lasagna, salad, bread and homemade brownies from Veronica Sue, Judy Mason and Andrew Ocheltree.  Thanks to Jonathan Waltiere and Dia Martinez for helping serve and to Steve Ocheltree and Judy Mason for cleaning up!  And, thank you College Group for making sure we had very few leftovers!!

--Posted by Mama O.

Teachers Needed!

Denise Jessie shares about teaching in Uptown

Doug Baker shows off the new storage room for Uptown

Denise Jessie encouraged members of our Shepherding Group last week to participate in the amazing Bible teaching that is taking place each Sunday morning in Uptown, our childrens' ministry at College Church of Christ.  Denise shared her own story, of attending church regularly as a child, but not attending Sunday School.  She missed out on all those great Bible stories, and did not learn them until she became an adult Sunday School teacher.  Now, she realizes, those stories "are the foundation of our faith."  She encouraged all of us to set aside a two-month period to join the teaching team in one of four fun and learning-filled rooms: crafts, games, geography and history or drama and storytelling.  "The kids don't even know they are learning," Denise told us. "They are having fun!"  Uptown is using a 5-year Bible curriculum, in which students will go all the way through the entire Bible.  They are currently in the stories of the kings of Israel and Judah found in 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles of the Old Testament.

Our physical plant it changing for the better in Uptown, as well.  All the preschool children's classrooms have been moved into the Uptown area, along with all the supplies and storage for children's ministry.  Imagine the convenience of having everyone and everything in one place!  And, it makes a secure area for all our children.

Thanks to LaLaine Garoutte from our Shepherding Group, who is currently teaching in Uptown!  May your tribe increase!

--Posted by Mama O.

Brother Talk

Now that all four of my sons are more or less adults, I can't tell their voices apart.  I will be in the back of the house and will hear men talking in the front room and can't tell who is talking, they sound so much alike.

I think Mary, the mother of Jesus and of James, his half brother, may have experienced the same thing.

I took on the challenge of memorizing the entire book of James (Chapters 1-5) during our study of James this year.  Today, I recited it to the guests at our potluck luncheon.  Next week, we move into the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5:1-7:29.  I decided to begin memorizing this passage, now that I have so much free time on my hands.  As I was typing out Matthew 5, I felt like I was listening to two brothers talking in the other room.  I couldn't tell which one was talking, they sound so much alike!

ON KEEPING THE LAW

James 2:10: "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it."

Jesus: (Matthew 5:19) "Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

James 1:22,25: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves,  Do what it says.  But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does."

ON SLANDER

Jesus: (Matthew 5:22) "I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.  Again anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin.  But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell."

James 4:11,12;5:9 "Brothers, do no slander one another.  Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it.  When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.  There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who able to save and destroy.  But you--who are you to judge your neighbor?  Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged.  The Judge is standing at the door."

ON TAKING VOWS

Jesus: (Matthew 5:34-37) "But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne, or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your had, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.  Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."

James 5:12: "Above all, my brothers, do not swear--not by heaven or by earth or by anything else.  Let your 'Yes' be yes, and your 'no' no, or you will be condemned."

I'm sure there will be more, as I continue memorizing The Sermon on the Mount.  But, that's what I overheard in this "conversation between brothers."

All Scripture quoted from the New International Version of the Bible.

--Posted by Mama O.

Prayer Partners

Carolyn Ocheltree and Margie Prout: Prayer Partners

This is me and my prayer partner of many, many years, Margie Prout. We meet on Friday mornings at 6:30 at La Boulangerie in Fig Garden Village.  This is us in the early morning light of March 1, 2013.  Margie and I got acquainted when we sang in a small group called "Jubilate" together.  Her son, Matt, now 28, and my son, Phil, now 27, were toddlers at the time.  I used to bring the playpen so Little Phillip could safely watch our singing group practice and drink his juice from his bottle.  The Bible tells us to "pray for one another, so that you may be healed."  (James 5:16) There are so many reasons why that is true.  It is encouraging and uplifting to know that someone is "in your corner", loves you unconditionally, is committed to praying for you, will hold you accountable and needs your love and support as well.  This Friday, we were celebrating together: Margie just accepted a new position at The Fresno Rescue Mission as Director of The Mission at The Mission, a newly formed retreat center on the campus of The Fresno Rescue Mission.  She was rejoicing with me because I finished memorizing all of the book of James, a challenge I took on last fall, when I started teaching a Bible study on James at our church.  Of course, with this many years together, you can guess that other mornings have been spent in tears, in intercession for one another, in laughter, in sharing insights from God's Word, in giving and receiving helpful advice...the list goes on. Thank you, Margie, for taking this journey of life alongside me! I am better off for living life with you!!

--Posted by Mama O.