Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Bear in the Wekiva Presbyterian Church Memorial Garden!



Yesterday, a Florida Black Bear came to visit our church. Bears are often spotted in our neighborhoods around the church but this is the first on-property sighting we have had in many years. The last time we saw a bear here, it was near the dumpster, which makes sense since Yogi and his friends like to find people food, wherever they can.

But yesterday’s visitor was in the Memorial and Mediation Garden. Not only IN the garden but all of the way into the garden, walking under the covered walkway, right outside the nursery and toddler rooms, heading toward the side sanctuary doors.

This appears to be a juvenile bear, not a cub and not full grown. People have wondered aloud why the bear might have visited us, and so closely, around 3:30 in the afternoon. Maybe it came to have a drink or even a dip in the fountain – it was so hot yesterday it felt like 101 degrees. Of course, to the question, "What is that bear doing at church?" the correct answer is, "Anything it wants to do."

It may or may not be a coincidence that our Old Testament lesson for my sermon this past Sunday included this verse: David said, “The LORD, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.” (I Samuel 17:37)

Friday, June 22, 2018

Wekiva Presbyterian Church and the Glory to God Hymnals

We are getting to know the new Presbyterian Church USA) hymnals which the congregation dedicated the first Sunday in May. Now, two months into singing from them, they feel as if we have had them much longer. They function beautifully in worship, whether we are singing someting old or something new.

We served as a test congregation for the hymnal, so many of the new songs that found their way into the book were first sung here at Wekiva Presbyterian Church when they were being considered by the editorial committee. Three members of the congregation were asked to provide detailed responses to how the worshipers responded to each of the hymns.

On the Sunday we dedicated the new hymnals, I told the congregation that if we were to sing three hymns each Sunday without repeating any of them, it would take is a full five years to sing them all. So, we've only just begun! Come and sing some of them with us!

A New Sign

Wekiva Presbyterian Church has a new sign. It has digital capabilites as well as the name of the church. The sign was installed last week, and has been brought up to running condition as of today.

We are pleased that we will be able to share what's happening here with the larger community, with just a few strokes of the keyboard. And we plan to share words of inspiration and humor as well. All this will be happening in the next several weeks. The possibilities are great.

This is the fourth sign for the church. The first announced that our then-empty lot was the future site of a Presbyterian Church. True. That was in the mid-1970's. A second sign consisted of a V shaped pair of horizontal elements stating: Wekiva Presbyterian Church. That sign was in use until the end of the 1990's, when it was replaced by a sign that looked like a smaller version of the church's bell tower. Two weeks ago, that sign came down, and the new sign was built on the same foundation.

We hope this sign will serve on into the next several decades and well beyond, to welcome, inform, and inspire the Longwood-Wekiva area.

North Star Boys Choir Concert at Wekiva Presbyterian Church

North Star Boys Choir Concert at Wekiva Presbyterian Church

On Wednesday evening the congregation of Wekiva Presbyterian Church and guests were treated to a remarkably wonderful musical evening. We hosted the North Star Boys Choir of the Twin Cities in a program that ranged from the sacred and spiritual to blues and barbershop quartet. The choir came to be with us because the grandson of a snowbird couple, who make Wekiva their winter church, sings in the North Star Boys Choir. We were glad of this connection, and especially so, when we were so fortunate to hear them. What a delightful evening it was! The photos can give you some sense of the event; and those who were here are still buzzing about what a great performance we all experienced.

The choir says they "may" return! We certainly hope so!

Cuba Partnership Lunch - June 22, 2018

Cuba Partnership Lunch - June 22, 2018

Today members of Wekiva Presbyterian Church gathered in fellowship with representtives of the El Centro Presbytery of Cuba, to contine our parnership relationship. Left to Right:

Ken and Lillian Lasseter, Becky Perry, Tom Roberts, Jacqueline Valdes, music director at Sancti Spiritus Church, Marlon I. Irrarragorrí, pastor of Cabaiguan Church and Treasurer of El Centro Presbytery, J, John Dalles, Kim Kim Harshman, Jim Brown, Dan and Betsy Bone.

Presbyterian History of Engagement
1890 – Cuba’s first Presbyterian Church established in Havana
1892 – Remedios Mission organized by missionary John Walton, an evangelical Presbyterian minister
1899 – Cardenas Mission founded by Evaristo Collazo and John Hall. Later renamed Juan G Hall Reformed Presbyterian
1946 – Evangelical Theological Seminary (SET) established in Matanzas
2017 – Wekiva Presbyterian Church forms a partnership with the Presbyterian Church in Remedios