Time for a break!

May 28, 2013

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Due to a computer malfunction, I could not post tomorrow's Wednesday Church on the Internet.  I am very upset about this situation.  Still, I am grateful for your blog visits and emails of encouragement.  Thank you so much for joining me these past weeks as the Wednesday Church family!  May God bless all of you.

Shalom,

Pastor Mike Fonfara

Hurray for the Holy Spirit!

(Google Images)

 

WEDNESDAY CHURCH

on the Internet

 

 

(This is your mid-week Christian power

surge with Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.)

 

 

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Pentecost Season, Week 1

 

 

Welcome, spiritual friends!

 

The church seasons move on. Last Sunday, Pentecost arrived celebrating the fact that Jesus released the Holy Spirit's presence and power into the lives of faithful people the world over. This means that you and I host the Holy Spirit every day for all day. Let us celebrate this fact in today's Wednesday Church on the Internet. Hurray for the Holy Spirit!

 

Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.

mefonfara@gmail.com

OPENING THOUGHT ...

“God loves to pour out His Spirit with power on those who will dare to align radically their purposes with His.”
― Steve Childers

WORSHIP SERVICE ...

THE GATHERING

"Show me your ways, O Lord,

teach me your paths;

guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are my God my savior,

and my hope is in you all day long."

-- Psalm 25:4-5  NIV

 

Let us worship God!

WE CONFESS OUR SINS AND ARE FORGIVEN

Lord God, examen our souls to see the good intentions of faith.

Lord God, look into our hearts to see love for You and others.

Lord God, search our lifestyles to see our Christian missions.

Lord God, we sin inspite of our strong faith.

Lord God, please forgive our sins in the name of Jesus.

Lord God, thank You for forgiving and redeeming us.  Amen.



(Google Images)

 

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE       John 14:15-17 (NIV)   

¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be  in you.

MESSAGE                 "He Did Not Come Alone"

Dr. A. J. Gordon tells of a Welsh preacher who, having been scheduled to preach one night, asked to be allowed to withdraw for a time before the service. He remained in seclusion so long that the good man of the house sent his servant to request him to come and meet the waiting congregation. As she came near the room she heard what seemed to be an indication of conversation between two parties, and though in subdued tone of voice, she caught the words, "I will not go unless You go with me." Without interfering, she returned and reported, "He will come all right, and the Other will come, too." And sure enough, when he came, the Other One came along, and with such power that it proved a wonderful service in which many found newness of life. It is both our privilege and duty thus to allow the Holy Spirit to work along with us as we endeavor to teach others about the Lord Jesus Christ.—Christian Union Herald.

Do you invitew the Holy Spirit to accompany you during your daily activities?

PRAYER OF COMMITMENT

With haste I will run the race for the high calling of God. I will put my whole heart into the task of serving the Lord and hold back nothing. I will serve the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul, spirit and strength. With great zeal will I labor in the vineyard of the Lord's fields of harvest. I will feed His Lambs willingly and with great delight. I will not let the financial cost nor any persecution or suffering that I may endure prevent me from running the race of winning the souls of men for God. This is my reasonable service to my Master and Lord, whom I will love with all my heart, soul, spirit, mind and strength. I will praise the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, all the days of my life. Amen.
©11/28/2001 Jim Welch

BENEDICTION

May God the Holy Spirit enrich your life 

as sure as the sun lights the day. Amen.

 

SACRED MISCELLANY ...

1. Here is a definition of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity.  He is fully God.  He is eternal, omniscient and omnipresent, has a will, and can speak. He is alive. He is a person. He is not particularly visible in the Bible because His ministry is to bear witness of Jesus (John 15:26).

The truth is that the Holy Spirit is a person the same as the Father and the Son are within the Trinity.

- Matt Slick

 

2. Here are some thoughts about the Holy Spirit. 

- The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth (John 16:13).

- The Holy Spirit gives us new life (John 3:5-8).

-The Holy Spirit shows us the eternal dimensions of our faith (John 16:14-15).

- The Holy Spirit reminds us of God’s promises (Luke 24:49).

 -  The Holy Spirit teaches the faithful how to pray (Rom. 8:26-27).

6. The Holy Spirit anoints us for Christian duties (Luke 4:18).

7. The Holy Spirit reveals God’s truths to us (1 Cor. 2:10).

8. The Holy Spirit transforms us into the likeness of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).

9. The Holy Spirit strengthens our human resolve to live faithfully (Eph. 3:16).

10. The Holy Spirit rewards our commitment with joy (1 Thessalonians 1:6).

Thank you for joining this week’s gathering of Wednesday Church on the Internet. Please return next week when new material will be published by Wednesday, May 29th at 5 a.m.  Remember, this social media congregation is your mid-week Christian power surge. Tell your friends about it at www.wednesdaychurch.blogspot.com.  Perhaps you could share to Facebook.  Let’s grow this ministry together. Thanks again!

 

Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.

mefonfara@gmail.com

 

(Pastor Mike's Photo of Egyptian Sphinx and Pyramid)

 

 



Laughter is God's gift to us. So, get your giggle on!

(Laughing Animal - Goople Search Inage)

 

 

 

WEDNESDAY CHURCH

 

on the Internet

 

(This is your mid-week Christian power

surge with Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.)

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Easter Season, Week 7

 

 

 

Welcome, everyone! Today's Wednesday Church on the Internet agrees with poet e.e. cummings that "The most wasted of days is one without laughter."  A day with some laughter takes stress off the mind, aerates the body, and enables the soul to connect with God's joy. So, let's "get our giggle on" and thank God for a good laugh.  Thank you for joining me in such joyful adoration.

 

Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.

mefonfara@gmail.com

 

 

OPENING THOUGHT ...

 

Our mouths were filled with laughter,

our tongues with songs of joy.

Then it was said among the nations,

"The Lord has done great things for them."

(Psalm 126:2)

 

Think about this. If Christians laughed more,

more might want to be Christians!

 

 

 WORSHIP ...

 

 AN INVITATION TO JOIN IN THE WORSHIP

 

Come, the Holy Spirit calls us to praise God.

Let us put a smile on our face and worship

God with open hearts willing to feel divine joy.

 

 

OUR PRAYER FOR HAPPY DAYS

 

Creator God,

 

Create in us a good humor so that we can rejoice in the wonders of this day, the kindness of others, and the marvels produced by the Holy Spirit working in as well as through us.  Let every day be a good day filled with the divine laughter of angels lifting the worries from our souls. 

 

Amen.

 

(Happy Jesus with Local Children -

Google Search Image)

 



SCRIPTURE                   Proverbs 17:22

 

   A cheerful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

 

MESSAGE                 "The Clown's Prayer"

 

Clowns and comedians use this prayer to find inspiration as well as encouragement to fulfill their Christian missions of laughter.

 

Dear God,

 

As I stumble through this life,
help me to create more laughter than tears,
dispense more cheer than gloom,
and spread more cheer than despair.

Never let me become so indifferent,
that I will fail to see the wonders in the eyes of a child,
or the twinkle in the eyes of the aged.

Never let me forget that my total effort is to cheer people,
make them happy, and forget momentarily,
all the unpleasantness in their lives.

And in my final moment,
may I hear You whisper:
"When you made My people smile,
you made Me smile."

Amen.

 

-Anonymous-

 

How do you react to this prayer?
 

 

PRAYER OF COMMITMENT

 O God,

Life consists of choices. I choose to accept your gifts of laughter, happiness, and soul deep joy for my life. I dedicate my life to glorifying you in all that I do and enjoying you forever.

Amen.

BENEDICTION

 

Let's go forth with a smile on our

faces and laughter in our souls.

These are God's gifts for our days!

 

 

(Laughing Cat - Google Search Image)

 

 

SACRED MISCELLANY ...

 

 1. These puns were seen on church signs. 

  

If you don't choose the Bread of Life, you're toast!

 

Life stinks. We have a pew for you.

 

God answers knee mail.

 

Lent ... not just for bellybuttons.

 

 This church service is souled out!

 

Beat the heat. Our church is prayer conditioned.

 

2. A church treasurer's lament ...

 

           "Money talks.  That I'll not deny. I heard it once.

It said, "Goodbye!"

 

3. A prayer for all church leaders ...

Good God,
Bless our church's leadership with enough humor to see the humanity of the congregation, enough faith to stay strong in the face of challenge, and enough courage to proclaim Christ's victory without any apologies.
Amen.

CLOSING WORDS FROM PASTOR MIKE...

Thank you for joining this week’s gathering of Wednesday Church on the Internet. Return next week when new material will be published by 5 a.m. on Wednesday, May22nd. Please tell your friends about Wednesday Church. The site address is www.wednesdaychurch.blogspot.com. Let's grow this ministry together.  See you next week.

 

Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.

mefonfara@gmail.com 

 

(Smiling Owl - Google Search Image)

 

 

 

 





 

 

 

 

 



 



Jesus Christ Ascended - with a promise to return!

 

(The Ascension - Google Search Image)

 

 

WEDNESDAY  CHURCH

 

on the Internet

 

 

(This is your mid-week Christian power

surge with Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.)

 

 

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Easter Season, Week 6

Ascension Day

 

 

Welcome, faithful sisters and brothers! Today is Ascension Day. Christ's earthly ministry was put on hold until He comes again. This Wednesday Church on the Internet gathering follows the Holy Spirit in praising God for gifts of hope and salvtion. Thank you for being a part of today's Wednesday Church family!

 

Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.

mefonfara@gmail.com

 

 

OPENING THOUGHT ...

 

Jesus went away not only to prepare a place for us, so that it will be ready for us as one by one we go home, but to prepare us for the place, to fit us for heavenly enjoyments and heavenly service.

 

-- Frances Nathan Peloubet (1831-1920)

 

 

WORSHIP SERVICE ...

 

WE GATHER TOGETHER

 

Come and worship, people of God!

Put down what you are doing.

Let’s spend time praising the Almighty.

Let’s energize our faith with the Holy Spirit’s power.

Come and worship, people of God!

 

FOCUS PRAYER

 

Creative God,
Please open our hearts right now.
See how thankful we are for the ascended Savior.
See how eager we are to confess our sins in the Savior's name.

See how humble we are to know that our sins are forgiven.
See how resolved we are to practice righteous living.

See how privileged we are to give You honor and glory.

Thank You for opening our hearts right now, O God.

Amen.

 

 

 

(The Word's Power - Google Search Image)

 

 

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE ...         Acts 1:6-8 (NIV)

⁶ Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
 ⁷ He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”    

MESSAGE ...  

 "To embrace the Ascension is to heave a sigh of relief, to give up the struggle to be God (and with it the inevitable despair at our constant failure), and to enjoy our status as creatures: image-bearing creatures, but creatures nonetheless."

—N. T. Wright, Bishop of Durham (Church of England) and writer (1948—)

 

The incarnate Jesus is gone - at least for now. His Spirit sits at the right hand of God. Still, we should never forget that the Savior's Spirit is still in charge of the Church and our lives. He is active in our lives every day, good or bad. 

 

Search your hearts today and see how your can help Jesus further the Christian 2013 cause. Let's dedicate our plans to God and get busy!

COMMITMENT PRAYER ...

 

O God, we know that Christ ascended into heaven and rules from your right hand side. He rules our lives. Plant in our minds new and lasting ministries that we can do to bring your kingdom here upon the earth. In all things, O God, we are your people. Amen.

BENEDICTION ...

Let us give three cheers for our duty to be Christ's

faithful workers on this earth until He returns!

 

 

 

 



SACRED MISCELLANY ...

 

1.                      
                            Christ has no body now on earth but yours;

                   yours are the only hands with which he

                       can do his work,

                   yours are the only feet with which he can

                       can go about the world,

                   yours are the only eyes through which his

                       compassion can shine forth upon a troubled

                       world.

                   Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
                                    -- St. Theresa of Avila
 

2.

 He is gone; a cloud of light

Has received Him from our sight;

High in heaven, where eye of men

Follows not, nor angels' ken;

    Through the veils of time and space,

Passed in to the holiest place;

All the toil, the sorrow done,

 All the battle fought and won.

-- Dean Stanley

 



3.

 

Christ “ascended,” not to depart from earth, but to take thethrone of His Kingdom on earth. “He sat down at the right hand of God.” God’s reign does not consist in sitting upon a distant throne! It consists in omnipresent power and authority. To sit at His right hand means to share His Authority and Omnipresence.

 

-- Talmadge Root
 

PASTOR MIKE THANKS YOU ...

 

Thank you for worshipping with me during this week’s gathering of Wednesday Church on Internet. Come by again next week when new material will be published by Wednesday, May 15^th at 5 a.m. Remember, this social media congregation is your mid-week Christian power surge. If you like this approach to mid-week worship and feel that it has been a blessing to you, please tell your friends about it at www.wednesdaychurch.blogspot.com. Perhaps you could share to facebook. Let’s spread the Christian spirit together! If you have positive suggestions, please share them with me.

 

Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.

mefonfara@gmail.com

 

 

   

                                                                                         

 

 

 

 

 

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Aging Means More Experience in the Art of Living

(Google Image)

 

 

WEDNESDAY  CHURCH

 

on the Internet

 

 

(This is your mid-week Christian power

surge with Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.)

 

 

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Easter Season, Week Five

Older Adult Week

 

 

Good day, Wednesday friends! We get one day older every day.  No one can stop the process. Rejoice on your aging! Getting older brings on many benefits, such as wisdom, appreciation for the lasting joys, seeing your family mature, and memories. Most older adult worry less and play more because they learn what really counts in life.

 

In honor of of the older adults in our midst, Wednesday Church on the Internet joins with the faithful around the world - especially the Presbyterian Church (USA) - in celebrating Older Adult Week.

 

We are getting older. Let's thank God for the gift of years!

 

Pastor Mike Fonfara 

mefonfara@gmail.com

 

 

OPENING THOUGHT ...

 

It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they

grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.

-- Gabriel Garcia Marquez

 

 

WORSHIP SERVICE

 

The Gathering ...

 

Once, we were a people without light.

Once, we were a people without vision.

Once, we were a people without a Savior.

Now, we are a people with salvation.

Let us worship God for divine mercies.

Amen. 



 

We Confess Sins with the Assurance of Pardon ...

 

Gracious God: Search our souls and see our desires for authentic Christian lives. We try hard, but temptations often win over our resolve. When we fail as your faithful family, please pick us up.  Dust us off and encourage us to start once again. In the name of Jesus, forgive our sins. Grant us pardon for other chances to glorify your Holy Name. Thank You! Amen.

 

It is the truth that God forgives our sin and restores us to total wholeness once again. Our sins are forgiven in Christ's name!  Amen.

 

Today's Scripture ...         Deuteronomy 5:33 (NIV)

 



Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has

commanded you, so that you may live and prosper

and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

 

 Message ...                          Growing Old Gracefully

                                                     by

                                               Dina Liles  

My first experience as a Geriatric nurse consisted of watching one of God’s saints take her last breath of life. Although she had fought a battle with Cancer, she left this world with a smile on her face.

With tears in my eyes I stared at her lifeless body and wandered why we waste so much time accumulating material possessions, only to have them devoured by others. The best part of ourselves that we can leave behind is memories and this saint left many good memories in her community and the nursing home.

“You’ll get hardened to it,” said my co-worker as we walked out of the room and down the hall.

“I hope I never do,” I replied.

I am retired from nursing now, but thank God that in the nineteen years of my nursing ministry with its frustrations and burn outs I didn’t become as she put it, “Hardened.” In my older age I’ve come to terms with my own death, and material things have become less important, because I realize that I’m getting closer to my Heavenly home. I have precious memories of these folks in their golden years, and some have gone on, but all their hugs, “Thank you,” and “I love you,” made my work worthwhile. I’ve watched the old grow older and the elderly fade away, and it is then that I understand the words, “Life is only a vapor.”

My neighbor’s husband said these words to her on his dying bed. “We’ve been together many years; yet it seems like a passing dream.”

There are so many things that I could have done different and I know that I can’t turn back the hands of time, but I can enjoy life as it is given to me now, one day at a time. There are so many things in life that we can enjoy without cost; such as sitting on the lakeside, or walking through the park watching the Master’s creation, and we can also thank God for every day of life, but most of all we can thank Him for the little things in life that bring us joy and happiness. Become a carefree child for a day and take time just to smell the flowers. When we can see the beauty in all of God’s creation we will enjoy life to its fullest. This is the joy and wisdom of growing old gracefully, and leaving many good memories

behind.

 

(www.faithwriters.com, accessed 4-29-2013)

 

Prayer of Dedication ...

 

God of All That Is: Aging is a gift! Help us to clear

our minds of all that happens in life that causes us

to forget this truth. We dedicate our lives to

serving You with the gifts given. 

Amen.

 

Benediction ...  

 

May God shower us with 
heavenly graces as we age. 
Amen.

 

(Pastor Mike's Michindoh Sunset)



 

SACRED MISCELLANY ...

1. Here is an opinion from the government about older adults' future demographics.

"According to the projections, the population age 65 and older is expected to more than double between 2012 and 2060, from 43.1 million to 92.0 million. The older population would represent just over one in five U.S. residents by the end of the period, up from one in seven today. The increase in the number of the “oldest old” would be even more dramatic — those 85 and older are projected to more than triple from 5.9 million to 18.2 million, reaching 4.3 percent of the total population."
 

(www.census.gov/newsroom/releases - accessed 4/30/2013)

2.  The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission presents these biblical thoughts on aging.

"Attitudes toward aging in general and toward elderly people in particular are especially important for Christians. The Bible teaches that old age is the blessing of God.

A. Old age may be the fruition of a moral life and an indication of God’s favor.
 

“Follow the whole instruction the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live, prosper, and have a long life in the land you will possess” (Deuteronomy 5:33).

B. Old age is a general part of God’s purpose for a normal life.

“He took his last breath and died at a ripe old age, old and contented, and he was gathered to his people” (Genesis 25:8).

“David son of Jesse… died at a good old age, full of days, riches, and honor…” (1 Chronicles 29:26, 28).

“Then Job died, old and full of days” (Job 42:17).

C. Old age may be one reward of those who honor their parents.
 

“Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12).
 

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, because this is right. Honor your father and mother—which is the first commandment with a promise—that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land” (Ephesians 6:1).

“If you walk in My ways and keep My statutes and commandments just as your father David did, I will give you a long life” (1 Kings 3:14).

“Gray hair is a glorious crown; it is found in the way of righteousness” (Proverbs 16:31).

(www.ercl.com/article/the-bible-speaks-on-aging - accessed 4/30/2013)


 3. I'm Aging Gracefully..... But, I Can’t Remember How!

I'm smiling all the time because I can't hear a word you're saying.

I'm wrinkled, saggy, lumpy, and that's just my right leg.

I'm having trouble remembering simple words like ....??....

I’m in my metalic years with silver in my hair, gold in my teeth, and lead in my pants.

I’m in my initial years of life.  Check out these initials - SS, CDs, IRAs, Form 1040-EZ, and AARP.

Still, life is good!!!

(Pastor Mike)


Pastor Mike Thanks You ...

Thank you for worshipping with me during this week’s gathering of Wednesday Church on the Internet.  Come by again next week when new material will be published by Wednesday, May 8^th at 5 a.m.  Remember, this social media congregation is your mid-week Christian power surge.  If you like this approach to weekly worship and feel that it has been a blessing to you, please tell your friends about it at www.wednesdaychurch.blogspot.com.  Perhaps you could share to facebook.  Let’s spread the Christian spirit together!  If you have positive suggestions, please share them with me.

Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.

mefonfara@gmail.com

(Old and Still Smiling - Google Images)