Celebrate Every Day As Earth Day!





 



 WEDNESDAY  CHURCH

on the Internet

 

(This is your mid-week Christian power

surge with Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.)

 

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Easter Season, Week Four

Earth Day Celebration

 

 



Welcome, brothers and sisters of the Earth!  Back in 1970, conservation minded people began an eco-stewardship movement.  They designated April 22nd as Earth Day to remind people that our planet supports a fragile environment worthy of respect and better care.  I maintain that every day should be Earth Day!  Today's Wednesday Church on the Internet celebrates our privilege to honor the Earth through better care of the environment.  Thank you for joining me in a post-April 22nd worship time thanking God for honoring our better care of this planet.

Pastor Mike

WORSHIP SERVICE

Opening Thoughts ...

O beautiful for spacious skies,

for amber waves of grain;

For purple mountains majesty,

Above the fruited plain.

America, America,

God shed his grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea.

-- Katherine Lee Bates

    America, the Beautiful Lyrics

 



The Gathering ...

 



Come, people of the earth.

Come, people of the earth, to praise God.

Come, people of the earth, to praise God for life itself.

Come, people of the earth, to praise God for life itself and the

     privilege of working with the Almighty.

Come, people of the earth, to praise God for life itself and the

     privilege of working with the Almighty to keep our planet 

     wholesome.

Come, people of the earth, to  worship our God!

 

-- Pastor Mike

We confess our sins and are forgiven ...

Merciful God, please grant us pardon, forgiveness,

and cleansing from all sins through Jesus Christ,

our Lord.  Thank You, amen.

 

 

Today's Scripture ...          Genesis 1:27-28 (NIV)

²⁷ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.  ²⁸ God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.  Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”


Message ... "Caring for the Earth Means Caring for Ourselves"
                                                                                                                                                                                                          
How we treat the Earth becomes how we treat ourselves.  This poem by Chief Seattle challenges us to accept the fact that everything in God's creation is connected.  Read the poem and see if you agree with this reality.   
 

                    Teach your children

                    what we have taught our children --


                    that the earth is our mother.

                    Whatever befalls the earth

                    befalls the sons and daughters of the earth.

                    If men spit upon the ground,

                    they spit upon themselves.

                    This we know.

                    The earth does not belong to us;

                    we belong to the earth.

                    This we know.

                    All things are connected

                    like the blood which unites one family.

                    All things are connected.

                    Whatever befalls the earth

                    befalls the sons and daughters of the earth.

                    We did not weave the web of life;

                    We are merely a strand in it.

                    Whatever we do to the web,

                    we do to ourselves.

                    -- Chief Seattle 

                        Chief of the Duwamish and Allied Tribes

                        1780 - 1866

Chief Seattle's point is that how we care for the Earth reflects upon our lives as well.  Practicing good eco-stewardship, as commanded by Genesis 1:27-28, is good self-care.  Don't you agree?

 

(1864 Picture of Chief Seattle)

 

 Dedication Prayer ...

 

O God, be with me in my joys.

O God, be with me in my trials.

O God, be with me in my service to the Earth.

Amen.

 

Benediction ...

 

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with us all.  Amen.

 

(Resurrection Fern) 

 

 

Sacred Miscellany 

 

 

1.  Let me introduce the Resurrection Fern.  This plant can survive a drought where it loses 97% of its water content.  It shrivels up into a grayish-brown mass of leaves.  Once rain comes, it quickly revives and looks green, hale, and hearty.  This supposed "resurrection" (the plant never really dies) gives the plant its name.

 

2.  Frank Lloyd Wright once remarked, " I believe in God, only I spell it Nature."

 

3.  Old-time naturalist John Muir taught, "When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world."

 

4.  Wendell Berry said, "The earth is what we have in common."

 

5.  Psalm 8:3-4 declares:

                           When I consider your heavens,

                            the work of your fingers,

                            the moon and the stars,

                            which you have set in place.

                            What is mankind that you are mindful of them,

                            human beings that you care for them.

 

6.  Part of the natural human spirit is a sense of humor.  Test your sense of humor with these laughers.

 

Q.  What did the tree wear to the pool party?

 

A.  Swimming trunks!

 

 

Q.  How can you tell that the ocean is friendly?

 

A.  It waves! 

 

 

Thank you for worshipping with this week's gathering of Wednesday Church on the Internet.  Come by again next week when new material will be publshed by Wednesday, May 5th at 5 a.m.  Remember, this social media congregation is your mid-week Christian power surge.  If you like this church and feel that it has been a blessing, please tell your friends about the

blog.  Better still, worship with them on the Internet next week.  Please help this site grow and spread the Christian spirit.  If you have constructive suggestions, please share them with me.

 

 

Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.

mefonfara@gmail.com

 

 

(Avocado Shadow)  

 

 

  

  



The Cross Means Victory!

 

 

 

 

(Google Image)

 

 

 

WEDNESDAY  CHURCH

 

on  the  Internet

 

 

(This is your mid-week Christian power

 surge with Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.)

 

 

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Easter Season, Week Three

 

 



G'day, Christian mates!

 

How many crosses do you have?  It's likely that you have more than a dozen per household in jewelry, church certificates, wall pictures, greeting cards, and wall crosses.  I do.  The cross is our universal and sacred symbol for the resurrected Savior! 

 

As the symbol of the resurrected Jesus, the cross means victory.  It reminds us of Jesus' terrible, sacrificial death and resulting resurrection.  It was a divine a victory over death, Satan's evil, and human weakness.  It reminds us that we, too, can live victoriously over all of life's experiences as the Holy Spirit guides us.

 

Today's Wednesday Church weaves Christ's cross into our worship service, prayers, pictures, and sacred miscellany.  Thank you for joining our Internet mid-week congregation for a great Christian power surge.

 

Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.

mefonfara@gmail.com

 

 

Worship Service


Opening Thoughts ...

"Come, Thou Almighty King,  Help us Thy name to sing,



        Help us to praise: Father, all glorious, O'er all victorious,
        Come, and reign over us, Ancient of days."

[Verse one of the hymn "Come, Thou Almighty King" as found in hymn #139 of The Presbyterian Hymnal (1990)]


The Gathering ...

 

Let us come to God with hearts thankful for divine mercies.
Let us come to God gleefully naming our joys.
Let come to God crying our sorrows.
Let us come to God declaring our faith.
Let us come to God praising our loving Creator.
Let us worship God!   

 

We confess our sins and are forgiven ... 

Merciful God: The light of Jesus shines in our lives.  Our intentions are to live with goodness, justice, and the Christian way.  We know that we fall short of the faithful path that our

hearts profess.  Please forgive us for wayward lives and our sins.  Restore us to the fulness of your love and Jesus' Lordship.  Thank You for your mercy.  Amen.

 

Today's Scripture ...          1 Corinthians 15:57 (NIV)

⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the

victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Message ...    "What Type of Savior are You Advertising?"

Product advertising is big business.  The corporations spend billions of dollars each year to get the consumer to believe that people should "Let their fingers do the waking." (Yellow Pages), buy KFC food because it's "Finger lickin' good." (Kentucky Fred Chicken), and use Halmark Cards "When you care enough to send the very best."  Company income and growth rely upon corporate and product  advertisement that is honest, good, and represents a great buy for the price.   

Christianity relies on its insitituional and product images to thrive.  The institution is the Church.  The product is individual Christians.  Yes, believers advertise Christianity every hour of every day of their lives?  The world's population judges Jesus by the way Christians live.  As Paul wrote, you and I are ambassadors for the Lord.

Here is something to think about.  As you go about your daily business of living, what image of your faith are you projecting?  Easter reminds us to project a caring, evil rejecting, and victorious image of the Savior.  Will you do it?

 

Dedication Prayer ...

O God, I know Jesus lives!  I dedicate my life to advertising the image of a victorious Jesus into the world.  Through the Holy Spirit's power, equip me for this "Christstyle" of living.  Amen.

 

Benediction ...

May God walk with us at all times

   until we gather together in Heaven.
 

 

  

(This is Pastor Mike's photo of Haifa, Israel's St. Peter's Monastery

showing Jesus' light being advertised at night.) 

 

 

 

SACRED  MISCELLANY 

 

 

Signs of a Victorius Christian

 



A Christian practicing victory living would display some of these characteristics and perhaps more individualized characteristics:

 

-  Have a basic knowledge of the Bible.

-  Practice a vigorous prayer life.

-  Be a positive thinker.

-  Be a regular participant in a Christian church.

-  B e pure at heart.

-  Be willing to work hard for discerned Christian causes.

-  Practice justice.

-  Practice stewardship of time, talent, and fiknances.

-  Strengthen family, church, and other relationships using sincere listening and communication skills.

-  Be slow to judge others.

-  Be trustworthy.

 

Could you add more to this list?  Please let me know.  Email me at mefonfara@gmail.com.

 

 

Thanks again for worshipping today at Wednesday Church on the Internet.  Come by again next week when new material will be posted by Wednesday, April 24th @ 5 a.m.  Remember, this social media congregation is your mid-week Christian power surge source.  If you like this church and feel it has been a blessing, please tell your friends about the blog.  Better still, worship with them on the Internet next week.  Please help this site grow and spread the victorious Christian spirit.  If you have constructive suggestions, please share them with me.  Thank you!

 

 

Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.

mefonfara@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

(This is Pastor Mike's photo of kitchen African Violets.)

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

    

 

   





Spring Fever Awakens the Soul to God's Gift of New Life!

(Google Image)

 

WEDNESDAY CHURCH

 

on the Internet

 

(This is your mid-week Christian power

 

surge with Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.)

 

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Easter Season, Week Two



 

 

Dear April Christians,

 

Have you caught it yet?  Spring fever spreads like wild fire in many communities.  Because of this magnificent malady, people are doing crazy things like replacing winter clothing with more colorful light-weight garb, looking in seed catalogues for this year's garden supplies, going on a diet to lose weight in hopes of shopping for a new swimsuit, and other antics of cheerful living caused by April's rainy days, return of the robins, and colorful seasonal flowers.  People are coming alive after a hard winter!

 

Spring fever affects our faith, too.  Congregations are happier, singing is peppier, and there's a rumor going around that the pastor got spring fever and preached a shorter sermon (well, maybe)!  There's no doubt about it.  Springtime is definitely God's blessing of spirited living!  Don't you agree?

 

This Wednesday Church blog thanks God for divine love shown to us during this season.  Also, thank you for becoming a part of the congregation for this week.

 

Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.

Your Internet Pastor

mefonfara@gmail.com

 

WORSHIP

 

Opening Thoughts ... 

 

We join with the Earth

and with each other

to bring new life to the land,

to recreate the human community,

to provide justice and peace,

to remembher our children,

to remember who we are ...

We join together

as many and diverse expressions

of one loving mystery,

for the healing of the Earth

and the renewal of all life.

 

- Pat Cane

(found in Elizabeth Roberts and Ellias Amidon's

Life Prayers: from around the world (New York: HarperOne, 1996.)

 

The Gathering ...

 

"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. 

Praise the Lord."

(Psalm 150:6  NIV)

 

Let us worship God!

 

 

We confess our sins and are forgiven ...

 

Out of the history of great prayers comes this confession by St. Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 354-430), who was the Bishop of Hippo Regius (in today's Algeria).

 

O Lord, the house of my soul is narrow;

enlarge it, that you may enter in.

It is in ruins, please repair it.

It is displeasing to you; I know and acknowledge it.

But to whom can I call for help, to clear and repair it, but you?

Cleanse me from my secret faults, O Lord,

and spare your servant.  (Amen.)

 

Here, take time to confess your sins to God.

 

These words from Romans 8:1,4b provide comfort for the faithful.

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the spirit."

 

Today's Scripture ...        Philippians 2:5 (NIV)

 

"Your attitude should be the same as  that of Jesus Christ."

 

Message ...          "Christians Have Two Citizenships"

 

Many years ago, I noticed a visitor at my church's Sunday worship service.  After worship, I had an occasion to welcome him.  I inquired as to his home town.  He replied , "Heaven."  Wow!  I had to question this.  So, I said, "Wait a minute.  You're from Heaven?"  "That's right.  I spend a lot of time at my house in Pittsburgh, but my home is Heaven where my Lord resides."  I began to get the picture.  My new friend based his life on Jesus Christ.  Everything else was just mission work.  He passed mission time on this Earth, but his eternal home is in Heaven.  

 

Where is your home?

 

(Pastor Mike Fonfara)

 

Dedication Prayer ...

 

Almighty God,

 

Wherever I am, You are there as well.  I declare that my eternal home is Heaven.  I will serve You here in this world, but I claim my place in your Kingdom in Christ's name.  Amen.

 

Benediction ...

 

"Get ready.  Get set.  Grow in Christ!"

 

 

 

(Pastor Mike's Photo of Camp Kirkmont's Cross) 

 

 

SACRED MISCELLANY ...

 

These quotes about faith can start you thinking with a new springtime faith perspective.

 

1. “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
― C.S. Lewis

2. "Do not think that love in order to be genuine has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”
― Mother Teresa

3. “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
― Corrie ten Boom

 

4.  “Sometimes God allows what he hates to accomplish what he loves.”
― Joni Eareckson Tada, The God I Love

 

5.  “The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”
― Søren Kierkegaard

 

6.  “Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right.”
― Max Lucado, He Still Moves Stones

 

 

Thanks again for worshipping today at Wednesday Church on the Internet.  Your presence is greatly appreciated.  Come by again next week when new material will be posted by 5a.m. on Wednesday, April 17th.  Remember, this site is your mid-week Christian power surge!  If you have benefitted from today's Wednesday Church, please tell a friend about it or share the link to Facebook.  Help this church grow!  If you have constructive suggestions, go ahead and share them with me.  Peace.

 

 

Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.

mefonfara@gmail.com 

 

 

 

(Pastor Mike's Best Cat Friend, Cheerios)

 

 

 

   

 

           

 



 

       

 

 

 



 

For the beauty of the earth, we thank You, O God!

 (Google Image)

 

 

WEDNESDAY  CHURCH 

on the Internet

(This is your mid-week Christian power

surge with Rev. Mike Fonfara, D.Min.)

Wednesday, April 3, 2013 

Easter Season, Week One 

 

Welcome, springtime saints!  The Easter holy days are over.  This year, Holy Week and Easter Sunday were special days with wonderful church music, happy children, lively worship services (though it was a little cold), and great resurrection spirit abounding.  God has blessed us in full measure! 

 

The Easter Season of the Church Year exists from Easter Sunday until the Ascension Day, which is Thursday, May 9th this year.  This Season gives all Christians time to reflect on the meaning of Christ's resurrection in their lives and time to share the saving graces of Jesus with non-Christians.   

 

What's next?  It is time to get ready for the Creator's springtime delights.  Yes, wonderful springtime weather - Sunny days, April showers, May flowers, et al. - will be here soon.  This Wednesday Church on the Internet thanks God for Mother Earth's emerging beauty.

Thank you for joining this week's Wednesday Church!

Rev. Mike Fonfara, D.Min.

mefonfara@gmail.com

WORSHIP

Opening Prayer ... 

Be praised, my God, by butterfly and dragonfly wings exercising for their first flight.

Be praised by lightning and thunder causing spring showers.

Be praised by the silent voice of grass growing and trees budding.

Be praised by all the colorful flower trumpets of spring.

Be praised by the downy fewathers dried on newly hatched ducklings and chicks.

Be paised by the songs of birds, crickets and frogs.

Be praised, my God, by all your creation which tells of new life.

- Mary Goergen, O.S.F.

The Gathering ...

Heavenly bells ring and trumpets sound. 

It is time for Wednesday Church to start. 

Let us begin.

 

We Confess Our Sins ... 

 

 Almighty God: Look deep within our souls and see our faith.  We have good intentions to live good lives. Yet, we fall short of rightousness.  Forgive our sins, O God, in the name of Jesus Christ.  Help us to live with the Holy Spirit's help in such ways that give You honor in all things and furthers the ministries of the

Church.  Amen.

 

Today's Scripture ...            2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

 

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come.  The old has gone, the new is here!"

 

Message ...       "New Life Shows-Up in Strange Places"

Back in 1970, I served as a chaplain at a summer-long Boy Scout camp.  Since the boys and their leaders were there for two weeks, many troops chose to do a service project to improve their sites.

One troop decided to make a little cross from tree limbs close to the fire pit.  With the approval and help from the camp ranger, the boys trimmed a tree of a few limbs big enough for a reasonable cross.  They cleaned the chosen limbs of small twigs and leaves.  Once the horizontal limb was lashed to the verticle trunk, the boys burried the cross' stump about eighteen inches deep.  Their idea worked.  The cross looked really good when reflecting the fire's flames.

In 1971, I returned to the summer Boy Scout camp again as a chaplain.  While visiting the campsite with the now year-old cross, I noticed that the lashed together limbs were sprouting leaves!  Evidently, the boys had not done anything to seal the places of removed twigs.  The cross was still alive and growing.  What a fitting image for Christians following a risen Savior.

New life with Jesus Christ shows-up in strange places!  We had better keep our eyes open.

(Rev. Mike)

Prayer of Dedication ...

Good God: 
Strengthen me to live with a single purpose, which is to do your will.
Train me to live with a single sight, which is to see humankind's needs for Christian service.
Encourage me to live with the resolve to strive for an authentic faith, which is to love You with my whole heart and my neighbor as myself.
To such things as those above, I dedicate my life.
Amen.

Benediction ...

Grow in God's grace as fast as the 

grass grows after April's showers!
 

 

("A Foggy Springtime Florida Morning "- Pastor Mike's Photo)

 

 SACRED MISCELLANY

1. Jesus never stopped ministering following the resurrection.  He continued to teach and encourage the Disciples and other believers until the Ascension happened a little less than fifty days after the empty tomb.  He prepared them for the spiritual work ahead.

One early appearance that Christ made was to the Apostle Thomas (John 20:26-29) in order to prove His victory .  Here are some interesting facts about the Apostle following the "touching" encounter. 
 

A. He was one of Jesus' Twelve Apostles.
B. Thomas' nickname was the Twin (Didymus).
C. He stars in the biblical story of "Doubting Thomas."
D. He went to India as an architect in order to build a great palace for King Gondoforus.
E. While in the East, Thomas preached in Persia and India.
F. He died around A.D.72 of multiple stab wounds by those who opposed his Christian teachings.
G. Apostle Thomas is represented in Christian art with a builder's square.
H. In Catholicism, he is the Patron Saint of architects, builders, and the nation of India.

 

Thanks again for worshipping today at the Wednesday Church on the Internet.  Your participation is greatly appreciated.  Come by again next week when new material will be posted by Wednesday, April 10th at 5 a.m.  Remember, this is your new mid-week Christian power surge.  If you have benefitted from Wednesday Church, please tell your friends about the blog.  Please help this blog grow.  If you have constructive suggestions, please share them with me.  Thank you! 

 

 

Rev. Mike Fonfara, D.Min. 

mefonfara@gmail.com   

 



("Ducks Love the Spring" - Pastor Mike's Photo"