RSS

Author Archives: MaryO

About MaryO

Cushing's and kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma) patient, founder, owner and webmaster of Cushing's Help and Support, web designer, piano teacher and mom. I am a Cushing's patient who has dealt with Cushing's symptoms since 1983 (or earlier) and the aftereffects of pituitary surgery since 1987. Because I had very little support for my symptoms, diagnosis and surgery, I decided to try to make things a little better for other patients and started a support site called Cushing's Help and Support in 2000. The site has grown to astronomical numbers. This disease isn't as rare as doctors have told us! In 2006, I was also diagnosed with kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma). My left kidney and adrenal gland were removed. Having an adrenal gland removed complicates my post-Cushing's symptoms. I am not planning to have any more rare and unusual diseases. My entire bio to date can be found here: http://www.cushings-help.com/maryos_story.htm But, enough of that - it's not always about Cushing's, or even Cancer. This one is about Life!

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday

23 Mar

Step into a journey of faith and reflection this Palm/Passion Sunday, March 24, 2024, as we gather for a special combined service at 10:00 am, led by Pastor Bruce Johnson. Experience the pivotal moments of Jesus Christ’s journey, from His triumphant entry into Jerusalem to the profound depths of His passion, through the powerful narratives of Mark 11:1-11, Isaiah 50:4-9a, and Philippians 2:5-11, culminating in the stirring Proclamation of the Passion from Mark 15:1-39.

This service is more than a traditional sermon; it’s an invitation to discipleship, offering each of us a chance to delve deeper into our faith and understand the true essence of following Christ. We’ll journey together through the scriptures, immersing ourselves in the story that stands at the heart of our faith, engaging with the events that have shaped our spiritual foundation.

Prepare your heart and soul for a profound experience, filled with moments of reflection, devotion, and a call to walk the path of discipleship. Whether you’re with us in person or joining from afar, this service promises to be a deeply moving and transformative experience, setting the tone for Holy Week.

Don’t miss this unique and meaningful observance of Palm/Passion Sunday. Join us in commemorating the journey, the sacrifice, and the undying love of Jesus Christ.

Read the Bulletin for more information.

All of Pender’s services are streamed live and in person.

Join us live at Pender UMC
12401 Alder Woods Drive, Fairfax, VA US 22033

Do you need Closed Captioning/Subtitles?
You do not need to be a Facebook member to watch the Combined Service here.

Sunday Palm/Passion Sunday. One combined service at 10:00 am March 24, 2024

This is the day that the Lord has made. For us. Because of us. It could be argued that out of all these high and holy days, this one is the most … human. “Well, of course,” you might think. This week is a divine and human encounter; in fact, we might argue it is THE divine and human encounter. This is true; but hear me out. This day, this slash day, this Palm/Passion Day is the most human day of this whole event.

John Wesley supposedly said as his last words, “God is with us.” Amen. Yet there are times and seasons that seem even more holy. There are moments that reverberate with the living presence of the living God, and our only proper response is to fall to our knees in awe of grace. These eight days are one of those times. Some argue they are the preeminent days when history, our history, and our understanding of self and God and life itself all changed. From Palm Sunday through Easter, the world is remade, a new creation, and we are blessed to be a part of it, blessed to receive a gift beyond words, which is nothing less than eternity itself.

We look forward to seeing you!

All of Pender’s services are streamed live and in person. Masks are currently optional.

Join us live at Pender UMC
12401 Alder Woods Drive, Fairfax, VA US 22033

The days leading up to Easter often have an understandably somber feel to them, particularly as we contemplate Jesus’ arrest, trial, and execution. It’s easy to forget that the week begins with a joyful event: the Triumphal Entry!

Sunday, March 24, 2024, is Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week. On Palm Sunday, we commemorate Jesus’ celebrated entry into Jerusalem just a few days before his arrest, trial, and crucifixion.

The “palm” in Palm Sunday refers to the palm branches waved by the adoring Jerusalem crowds who welcomed Jesus and proclaimed him King. The event is commonly referred to as the Triumphal Entry. Here’s the account from Matthew 21:1-11:

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Leave a comment

Posted by MaryO on March 23, 2024 in Books of The Bible, Holidays, Palm Sunday, Pender UMC, Posts of Interest, The Holy Bible, Videos

Tags: discipleship, Isaiah 50:4-9a, Jesus, Mark 11:1-11, Mark 15:1-39, Matthew 21:1-11, palm branch, Palm Sunday, Pastor Bruce, Pastor Bruce Johnson, Philippians 2:5-11, video

Don’t Forget to Change Your Clocks Tonight

09 Mar

(Unless your cellphone takes care of it!)

Leave a comment

Posted by MaryO on March 9, 2024 in Holidays, Posts of Interest

Tags: Daylight saving time, song

Today in History: John Wesley chartered the first Methodist Church in U.S.

28 Feb

On February 28, 1784, John Wesley chartered the first Methodist Church in the United States. Despite the fact that he was an Anglican, Wesley saw the need to provide church structure for his followers after the Anglican Church abandoned its American believers during the American Revolution.

Wesley first brought his evangelical brand of methodical Anglicanism to colonial Georgia from 1735 to 1737 in the company of his brother Charles, with whom he had founded the ascetic Holy Club at Oxford University. This first venture onto American soil was not a great success. Wesley became embittered from a failed love affair and was unable to win adherents to his studious practices. However, while in Georgia, he became acquainted with the German Moravians, who hoped to establish a settlement in the colony. The meeting proved momentous, as it was at a Moravian meeting upon his return to London that Wesley felt he had a true experience of God’s grace.

While closely allied to the Moravians, Wesley began taking the advice of fellow Oxford graduate George Whitfield and preaching in the open air when banned from Anglican churches for his unorthodox evangelical methods. By 1739, Wesley had separated himself from the Moravians and attracted his own group of adherents, known as Methodists, who were held in disdain by the orthodox Anglican clerical and civic hierarchy. By 1744, the Methodists had become a large enough group to require their own conference of ministers, which expanded to create an internal hierarchy, replicating some of the Anglican Church’s ecclesiastical order.

Wesley, however, remained within the Anglican fold and insisted that only ministers who had received the apostolic succession—the laying on of hands by an Anglican bishop to consecrate a new priest—could administer the sacraments. The refusal of the Anglican church to ordain Dr. Thomas Coke to preach to Americans newly independent from the British State Church, finally forced Wesley to ordain within his own Methodist conference in the absence of a proper Anglican bishop. He performed the laying on of hands and not only ordained Coke as the superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America but also commissioned him to ordain Francis Asbury as his co-superintendent.

Adapted from https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-wesley-charters-first-methodist-church-in-u-s

Leave a comment

Posted by MaryO on February 28, 2024 in Posts of Interest

Tags: American Revolution, Anglican, Charles Wesley, Georgia, John Wesley, Methodist, United States

Hymn History: “El Shaddai”

23 Feb

Sunday, February 4, 2024 the Pender Sanctuary Choir sang El Shaddai as arranged by Amy Grant and further arranged by Pender’s Director of Music Ministry, Patrick King.

During the Traditional Service on February 4, 2024, Pender’s sanctuary was imbued with the spiritual tapestry of song as the Sanctuary Choir, under the masterful direction of Patrick King, lifted their voices in a moving rendition of “El Shaddai.” This particular arrangement, a harmonious blend of Amy Grant’s touch and King’s unique vision, filled the sacred space with an aura of reverence and awe.

“El Shaddai,” a melody that draws its powerful lyrics from the scriptural portrayal of God, was first brought to life by Michael Card and John Thompson in the early ’80s. Michael Card, a profound scholar and artist, has woven his faith into over three decades of music, crafting hit after hit, with “El Shaddai” being one of his most renowned works. This song, in its essence, is a quest to capture the enigmatic nature of the divine through the ancient Hebrew names of God, each name a key to the unfathomable relationship between the Creator and His creation.

The Pender Sanctuary Choir’s performance was not just an offertory but a profound homage to the timeless quest of hymn writers throughout the ages—a quest to give voice to the voiceless wonder of the divine. As the choir sang, the congregation was transported through the annals of biblical history, from the covenant with Abraham and Isaac to the deliverance at the Red Sea, and finally to the Messianic prophecies fulfilled in Christ.

Michael Card, whose journey from the halls of Western Kentucky University to the honor of a doctorate from Philadelphia Biblical University, has always emphasized the importance of community and relationships in Christian growth. His storied career, marked by accolades such as the Dove Awards and millions of albums sold, is a testament to his commitment to exploring and expressing faith through music and writing.

As the last notes of “El Shaddai” resonated within the church walls, the profound and enduring impact of this piece, awarded the Dove Song of the Year in 1983, was felt by all present. It was a moment that transcended time, linking the congregation with the faithful of the past and the powerful biblical narratives that continue to inspire and guide. The day was a reminder that through music, the spirit of worship and the stories of sacred texts are ever alive, ever stirring the souls of those who seek to encounter the Almighty, the “El Shaddai.”

Biblical scholar J. Hampton Keathley III has described the context of the song:

“El Shaddai: God Almighty. The derivation is uncertain. Some think it stresses God’s loving supply and comfort; others His power as the Almighty one standing on a mountain and who corrects and chastens (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; Exodus 6:31; Psalm 91:1, 2).

“El Elyon: The Most High God. Stresses God’s strength, sovereignty and supremacy (Genesis 14:19; Psalm. 9:2; Daniel 7:18, 22, 25).

“El Olam: The Everlasting God. Emphasizes God’s unchangeableness and is connected with His inexhaustibleness (Genesis 16:13).

“Yahweh (YHWH): Comes from a verb which means “to exist, be.” This, plus its usage, shows that this name stresses God as the independent and self-existent God of revelation and redemption (Genesis 4:3; Exodus 6:3 (cf. 3:14); 3:12).

The UM Hymnal contains only the refrain for the sake of space. The stanzas discuss God’s faithful acts as told in the biblical witness, including Abraham and Isaac, the parting of the waters during the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt (stanza one) and the prophecies of the coming of the Messiah and the fulfillment of Christ’s mission (stanza two).

Leave a comment

Posted by MaryO on February 23, 2024 in Posts of Interest

Tags: Abraham, Amy Grant, Director of Music Ministry, Dove Song of the Year, El Elyon, El Olam, El Shaddai, God Almighty., Hymn History, Isaac, John Thompson, Messiah, Michael Card, offertory, Patrick King, Sanctuary Choir, UM Hymnal, video, Yahweh (YHWH)

Abraham Lincoln on Methodists

20 Feb

In response to your address, allow me to attest the accuracy of it’s historical statements; indorse the sentiments it expresses; and thank you, in the nation’s name, for the sure promise it gives.

Nobly sustained as the government has been by all the churches, I would utter nothing which might, in the least, appear invidious against any. Yet, without this, it may fairly be said that the Methodist Episcopal Church, not less devoted than the best, is, by it’s greater numbers, the most important of all. It is no fault in others that the Methodist Church sends more soldiers to the field, more nurse to the hospital, and more prayers to Heaven than any. God bless the Methodist Church—bless all the churches—and blessed be God, Who, in this our great trial, giveth us the churches.

May 18, 1864 A. LINCOLN

From Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 7.Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865.