EChurch@Wartburg – 5.29.16

Welcome to a Gathering of EChurch@Wartburg

Taken by DebFlags Flying at Normandy (Taken by Deb)

Here is our Order of Worship

Memorial Day Prayer (link)

On this Memorial Day, I am thankful for the sacrifice so many throughout our history have made, for the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice and for their families who had to carry on without them.

It is a sacrifice that is easy to forget. For those who have it, freedom is like oxygen. It’s something we just have. Many will not understand just how precious either is until they are at risk of being taken away. There are encroachments being made on our freedoms right now by those who think they know better. This is a conversation for another time.

Today I remember a sacrifice made and a debt I cannot repay. Today I pray for the God of heaven to bless the families of those who have lost loved ones while serving our great nation. I pray for Him to bless and comfort the walking wounded who are still with us, and bless their families as well.

It is also my prayer that we remember their sacrifice and the precious gift of freedom every day, not just once a year or when they are in danger of being taken away.

"Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light."

Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)

Scripture Reading:  Luke 11:27-32 (NASB Bible Gateway)

 While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.”  But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

The Sign of Jonah

 As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.  The Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation at the judgment and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.  The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

The Lord bless you, and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance on you,

And give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

Grave of Theodore Roosevelt Jr. - Gravestone at Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial

Comments

EChurch@Wartburg – 5.29.16 — 14 Comments

  1. Beautiful photograph at the beginning, Deb.

    One of my sons is a Veteran (Marine Corps) and he went to Normandy. Seeing your photo made me go back and look at the pictures he took while visiting the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, where 9,387 Americans are buried, including three Medal of Honor recipients. Seeing the rows and rows and rows of grave markers was very moving. My son said the cemetery was very heavy, yet beautiful and peaceful. The statue of ‘The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves’ was beautifully symbolic, facing West towards the United States, their homeland, as are all the grave markers.

    I appreciated the prayer you included, too.

    The message was very encouraging. “Have the obedience of faith and you will be blessed.” Amen!

    Happy Memorial Day. God Bless America!

  2. Prayer requests for those reading here today for – strength, encouragement, provision, rest, anxiety-levels to decrease.

    *Jeannette Altes, a long-time TWW reader. She lost her job, has had health problems (a tumor) and treatment, is looking for work, and needs $520 for her upcoming June rent.
    https://www.gofundme.com/ljahelp

    *Shauna and Billy, mother and son. They were terribly abused by their TX church when Billy was sexually abused by a church member. Shauna cleans houses and takes care of horses to provide for herself and her son. The church members cancelled house cleaning jobs that Shauna had. Shauna is a single mom and needs: rent money, car insurance, utility bills, food, medical assistance/therapy for Billy, food at school for Billy, clothing for Billy [Catholic Gate-Crasher kindly offered to get clothing through her job for some of these folks in need], and other necessities. (Dee has covered this grievous story.)
    https://www.gofundme.com/pxs5dk

  3.  @ Paula Rice:

    Thanks! I was there in 2009 when I chaperoned a choir from Raleigh. We visited quite a few places in northern France including the American Cemetery in Normandy.

    My daughter was a member of this choir, which did an impromptu performance at the memorial. She is on the top row, second from the right (w/ sunglasses) in this video.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9LxLfssvNw

  4. @ Deb:

    The choir sounded great. I spotted your daughter. She’s lovely! I’m sure it was a fun girls trip! It’s nice you had good weather, with many of the girls needing to wear sunglasses, too! Perfect. What a special place to sing American the Beautiful. Vive la France!

    O beautiful for heroes proved
    In liberating strife.
    Who more than self their country loved
    And mercy more than life!
    America! America!
    May God thy gold refine
    Till all success be nobleness
    And every gain divine!

  5. @ Deb:
    I forgot to mention I noticed your daughter’s choir singing with the ‘The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves’ in the background. I was struck the beauty and symbolism of the statue when I saw it in some my son’s photographs, and went looking for some more pictures of it today on the internet. I found this blog post honoring Memorial Day from a year ago that contains some nice photos and good shots of the statue. It gives additional information on the cemetery, too. It’s always good to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

    http://clearedready.blogspot.com/2015/05/memorial-day-look-back-at-american.html

    “I have been to countless number of churches and cathedrals overseas, untold number of museums, and many cemeteries, and of all these, I would have to say The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, overlooking Omaha Beach has to be one of the most solemn places I’ve ever been. I’ve walked the majority of these 172 acres and I can’t remember hearing a single bird singing. Even the couple hundred visitors there each time I’ve been to the Cemetery spoke in whispers. It truly is a place of honor and respect.”

  6. @ Velour:

    You are so kind. My younger daughter was 16 when we traveled to France. She is more beautiful both inside and out seven years later.

    Here is the choir performing at a church in Caen.  Video quality is poor, but the audio is O.K.  The gal behind the camera (not me!) got a little carried away…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxbJVqlP9rY

    They sang in a few other churches (e.g. the American Church in Paris) while there.

  7. @ Paula Rice:

    Walking through the American Cemetery in Normandy was a life-changing experience for me. It is located high atop the cliffs of Normandy, and it's heart-wrenching to think of the countless soldiers who died on D-Day and in its aftermath. It is noteworthy that Teddy Roosevelt's son is buried there.

    Here is an interesting tidbit on him (from Wikipedia):

    "Roosevelt was the only general on D-Day to land by sea with the first wave of troops. At 56, he was the oldest man in the invasion"

    The article goes on to state that he died of a heart attack on July 12, 1944, a little over a month after D-Day. I have added a picture of his grave marker I took while visiting the cemetery at the bottom of the EChurch post.

  8. My father flew a B-17 in the air war over Germany in the summer of 1944. More men were lost in the air war over Germany than Sailors and Marines in the Pacific war against the Japanese. I can remember growing up as a kid, that whenever it was brought up, Dad would politely change the subject. We knew better than to pursue it. I honor my father and all the others on this Memorial Day. As Tom Brokaw wrote, they truly were The Greatest Generation.

  9. @ Muff Potter:

    My dad's stepfather was a bombardier on the B29 (I think that's the right plane) that Jimmy Stewart piloted. My BIL's father was a radio operator on a B17 out of Scotland. They flew a lot of missions over Germany. Lot of family that have served (and some died) in the wars our nation has fought from the Revolutionary War to Desert Storm. I'm very proud of them all.

  10. @ Muff Potter:
    They saw hell on earth yet they rarely talked about it. the majority who survived came home and became quite productive citizens. We could never get my uncles to talk about it.