Resurrection Sunday and Baptisms!

I placed my green "He is Risen!" paper cross that I'd crafted on the outside of my apartment door then I raced to make it to church. I was late due to detours along Hollywood (commemorating the Armenian genocide) but I finally made it.

I entered the church in extremely high spirits as today was my first Resurrection Sunday (Easter) service at Ecclesia church and what beautiful service it was! The wooden cross was back in its place near the rafters and Pastor Joseph finished up the Tougher Love series by read various scriptures. He also gave his personal testimony about his struggles and his coming to faith or as he said it “coming from death and bondage in to life”. He invited all of us to choose to do the same.

He made the lovely analogy that Baptism is a public statement that you have chosen to follow Christ almost like a wedding ring shows to all that the person is married. Pastor then called for anyone wanting to be baptised to join the others lining up for baptism and/or prayer. Pastor Joseph also joked that so many people were baptised in the earlier service that he was now soaking wet.

They had a new baptismal tank draped in black and surrounded by a line of potted white lilies of the valley flowersin pots which were wrapped with a deep magenta colored metallic paper. The base of the stage and the foyer also had matching potted flowers.

Greg and the praise team lead us in singing wonderful praise and worship songs and the baptisms began. The were 5 initially scheduled then another 5-6 more made the choice to be baptised just that morning. So at least 11 people came to Christ! Some were new to Christ while others were long time Christians who were baptised as infants but all are welcomed to the body of Christ. As usual, I could not contain myself and I stood and clapped, whooped, cried and yelled “Hallelujah!” for everyone single one.

So many people were queueing up for baptism that Pastor Joseph asked the praise band to play more music for us to sing to as the pre-baptised changed into their baptism clothed. Pastor eventually had to ask us to sit because we had been standing so long during the baptisms. It was so beyond lovely and a blessing
to be there to see these baptisms and the Holy Spirit was definitely present there.

Christ is Lord and He is Risen!

Holy Week In Hollywood 2011

Mon 4-18-11 Passover

I spent Passover reading about the First Passover with Moses, the Israelites and the blood of the Passover Lamb in the Book of Exodus . I also spent some time reviewing Jewish Passover (Pasach) traditions (bitter herbs etc.) and how they are related to the First Passover.

4-21-11 Good Thursday

I spent Good Thursday reading the accounts of the Last Supper and Christ's Crucifixion in the books of the Gospels. I found many gospel programs on TV that were also reviewing the scriptures so it was a good study. I looked up the meaning of Maundy Thursday (another name for Holy Thursday) and fell in love with some of the Medieval traditions associated with it.

As a result, I couldn't resist watching to see if Queen Elizabeth of England would keep with tradition and hand out gifts to the poor or washing their feet. She did meet with some of her lesser (commoner) subjects but there was no gift giving or foot washing done. As it was the Queen's birthday, too I decided to let her slide (plus , she is planning a Royal Wedding-lol).

I also started my 3 day pulse fast and did more soul searching and praying. I had already given up chips and salty snacks for the entire season of Lent but it seemed right to avoid all meat and dairy for those 3 days that Christ was on The Cross.


4-22-11 Good Friday

Tonight's Good Friday service was amazing! Ecclesia's The large wooden cross that usually hangs high in the ceiling of the theater was now on the floor and leaning against the foot of the stage. The stage lights were down and the cross was back lit with floor lights and lighted candles were placed on a small table in front of it.

Pastor Joseph, the elders and the prayer team read from the scriptures about Christ's Crucifixion. The Gospels of Luke, John, Mark and Matthew were all read. Psalm 22 and Isaiah Chap 53 (by his stripes we are healed) were read also and one candle was put out after each reading. In between the readings, we confessed that we are sinners and not worthy but that Christ is our only hope.

Soon all the candles were extinguished and the room was dark. As an elder, Kevin, read the scripture and said "Crucify him! Crucify him!" with a booming voice I actually felt chills (boy does the theater have wonderful acoustics and Ecclesia has a wonderful production staff). A female from the prayer team read the scriptures describing how Christ's body was broken on The Cross and I again
felt physically affected.

I was already holding back tears when Pastor Joseph announced that we should consider that we are at a funeral then 4 men picked up the cross like if it was a casket. They placed the cross on their shoulders and bore it outside like if they were mourning pallbearers.

Then we sang praise and worsip songs about the Cross like Jesus Paid It All with heartbreaking lyrics “sin has left a crimson stain but He washed me white as snow” www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix7LNWzfFKU and Oh, the Wonderful Cross with lyrics “Oh, the wonderful cross! Bids me come and die, And find that I may truly live” www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sKcw9_PQYA

Pastor Joseph prayed over us then he encouraged us to spend Saturday in seclusion, as the Disciples did after the cruxifiction. Seclusion not out of fear as they did but out of sacrifice like secluding yourself from Facebook etc. Pastor Joseph also asked us to exit mindful of the solemness of the night.

We exited the room solemnly, some like myself, in tears. We passed vases of flowers at the entrance (almost like sympathy flowers), just as someone attending a funeral would. There was great grief at our loss, with reflection of the life of our passed loved one and with the hope and confidence of us meeting again. It was all wonderful and soul inspiring!

To God be the glory that He gave His only begotten Son for us on The Cross and may Ecclesia and its leadership and members always be blessed for the amazing job they did tonight!

Sat 4-23-11

I Spent Saturday mostly in seclusion as I continued my praying and fasting. I was also commercial TV free and almost Facebook free but I'm not that into Facebook so that wasn't that hard :D

Lent Begins In Hollywood

A season of hope begins as Lent begins in Holly-wood:







The build up to Easter, Holy Week, Passover, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and, most importantly, Resurrection Sunday(Easter) began last Wednesday. I attended Ash Wednesday service at Ecclesia at 7 pm at night and the church was filled with young believers in their 20s and 30s and we all declared that "we are sinners and dead(dust) but for Christ!" and that we repent and that we are dead to sin, thus received the sign of a cross of ashes(dust) on our forehead.

Instead of fasting for Lent, Ecclesia is encouraging us to do 1 in 40 (1/40)or 40 days of prayer and service for 1 person in need. First ASK: So from March 6th-19th we are to pray and ASK God for the name of the person He wants us to help. Then SEEK: From March 20th - April 2nd, we are to pray and SEEK God for the specific needs for this person and connect with them. Finally, KNOCK: From April 3rd - April 24th, we are to KNOCK to open a way or door so we can help them meet their needs as God leads us.

Update: 3/21/11
I found my 1 in 40s and they sure are knocking so I am continually seeking the Lord for guidance.


First Sunday of Lent:
Pastor Joseph did a wonderful sermon on Marriage, Singleness and Divorce from I Corinthians Chap 7, 8. Guys, this is a must listen so download it at itunes or from www.ChurchInHollywood.com


Second Sunday of Lent:
Another great sermon from 1 Corinthians, this time the Man as head of the family, why it is scriptural correct and how it applies to us in these modern times.

Resurrection Sunday!

I am preparing for this Resurrection Sunday by declaring that Christ's work on the cross was not in vain! I claim my victory through Christ and I leave behind all the pain and negativity of my life, as they are nailed to the cross(Colossians 2:12 15)!

Hallelujah!

It's Holy Week!

It's Holy Week and my church has a schedule of events that will bring the week before Our Lord's Crucifixion sharply into focus for us.

Palm Sunday 3-28
Instead of palms, this year we returned our "Rose of Sharon" to the altar. These roses stayed in our respective homes for one entire week symbolizing how God works in our lives to defy negative things, spiritual darkness or evil.

Monday 3-29Drink the milk and honey

Tuesday 3-3-Anointing with oil

Biblical reference: The woman with the alabaster box of oil who anointed the Lord before He was crucified and the book of James says that all who are sick should be anointed with oil and prayed over by the church elders. I was first in line!

Wednesday 3-31 Washing of feet

Biblical reference: Christ washed the disciples feet as a sign of how we should be humble.

Holy Thursday 4-1 Blessing the bread

Christ sent the disciples ahead to prepare the upper room for the Passover meal where he broke bread and drank wine as a covenant with them. This year I baked my own unleavened bread for 18 minutes and then had to leave in a hurry to get to church.

Good Friday 4-2 Receive the cross
The Living Faith Church in Israel sent us lots of wooden crosses made out of olive tree wood. This is going to be a life changing event! I will not miss it!

Saturday 4-03 Anointing with perfume
Both Pastor Daniel and his wife, Angela, will anoint worshipers with perfumed oil and pray for our romantic and family lives. Again, I will be first in line(lol)!

Resurrection Sunday! 4-4
He is Risen!!!!!!