Summer Schedule for Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM,
Beginning September 8, Worship Services: 9:00 and 11:00 AM
Healing Service (1S5) First Saturday at 5:00 PM
Please mark events (at the end of the newsletter) on your personal calendars.
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Table of Contents
Article 1 by "Who is our Vestry and What do they do?"
by Pastor Clancy Nixon
Article 2 "
Our favorite 11 of the '27 Sure Signs You Grew up Evangelical'"
by Jessica Misener
Article 3
"The Incredible Race" (VBS) July 15-19
by Terry Johnson
Article 4 Camp Booyah Report b
y Sara Johnson
Article 5
Report on Creation Fest 2019
by Monica Whitmer
Article 6 "Meet Bishop Abraham from Sudan July 21"
by Pastor Dean Schultz
Article 7
Invitation to Our July 24 Ladies Event
from Amy Farley
Article 8 Healing Testimony
by Lauren Szilagyi
Article 9 "Five Tips for Parenting in a Digital Age"
by Josh Glaser
Article 10
Missions Minute: Coffee & New Wineskins by
Amy Farley
Article 11
"Did You Know? - Persecution News"
by Pastor John Nuzum
Article 12 "A Special Invitation - Holy Land Pilgrimage"
from
Pastor Dean and Glorianne Schultz
Upcoming Events
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"Who is our Vestry and What Do They Do?"
by Pastor Clancy Nixon
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In orienting our new Vestry recently at our annual retreat, I was asked some very good questions about our governance structure that should interest you. Governance in a business or church setting is something that people don’t tend to think much about until something goes pretty badly wrong. Good governance
ought
to happen in the background to KEEP bad things from happening.
By God’s grace, that is what your vestries (and earlier, leadership teams) have done for the 18 years of our life as a congregation. Men and women leaders who have a heart for God’s kingdom and for our church have served faithfully to ensure that our spending, policies and procedures are above board and beyond reproach. In all that time, we’ve missed our income targets in our budget only twice, and we managed a tumultuous transition from one denomination (The Episcopal Church) to another (Anglican Church in North American) – pretty well, I think. Your prayers helped to make that happen!
A Vestry is defined in the Constitution and Canons of our
denomination
and
diocese
as the elected body of lay members who govern the
temporal matters
of the church – meaning the finances and property. The Vestry functions as the board of directors of the non-profit corporation, Church of the Holy Spirit Anglican, Inc. Together, the Rector (that’s me) and the Vestry share in the leadership of the congregation. The Rector is responsible for all
spiritual matters
of congregational life – the worship, program, teaching, pastoral care, organizational structures, and staffing. The Vestry supports me in my work, and I report to them monthly at our meetings. By canon, I chair the meetings of the Vestry. The Vestry sets my salary, and can hire and fire the Rector, in consultation with the Bishop.
I’ve become quite good friends with many of those who have served on Vestry through the years. I deeply appreciate their counsel and support. When we vote on a matter, and we always do so prayerfully, I take it as the will of God. The vestry in 2009-10 took a confident step of faith in signing a lease for our current facility on Trailview Blvd. When we signed it, we could not afford to pay the rent ourselves! We believed that God would send sub-tenants to make up the difference. He did, and our church grew quite a lot from that godly decision. Each fall, your Vestry carefully and prayerfully weighs my proposal for a budget for the coming year. This year, I will propose a budget plan for the next 5 years – a first!
When we meet, we always pray for our church. We are holding one another accountable to invite at least one person to church every week. We make sure our church finances and program are on track.
If you have any concerns or questions, your vestry would be glad to talk with you. They represent you! If you want to know more about our finances, our books are open to you – just ask us.
Our current elected vestry is Mark McNickle, Senior Warden; Patricia Phillips, Junior Warden; Roger Eanes, Treasurer; Jorge Ocasio, Secretary; Claude Imbt and Chris Enloe, members.
Please pray for us, that we hear from God, and maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.+
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Our 2019 Vestry, left to right,: Roger Eanes, Claude Imbt, Patricia Phillips, Jorge Ocasio, Clancy Nixon, Chris Enloe, Mark McNickle
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"Our favorite 11 of the '27 Sure Signs You Grew up Evangelical'"
by Jessica Misener (Freelance writer)
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1. You lost your dad at the grocery store and panicked for a second that the rapture
happened.
2. You can still name all of the guys in Veggie Tales.
3. You had only "one book" listed in your Facebook profile's "Favorite Books" section.
4. Every time someone prayed out loud, it was mostly variations of "We just want to thank
you, Father God," over and over.
5. Your mom listened to James Dobson's talk radio show (Focus on the Family)
6. And you listened to
Adventures in Odyssey
in the car on family road trips.
7. You know ALL about Psalty.
8. You can sing the books of the Bible song.
9. You used made-up swear words like "dagnabbit."
10.You went on mission trips for spring break.
11. You became fluent in all the ways to signify you were *really* praise-and-worshipping. (See diagram below of Official Worship Signals.)
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VBS – Vacation Bible School
by Terry Johnson
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VBS - Vacation Bible School - Ughhhh! They should change the name…no more school!
OK, it’s a half-day camp! It's NOT SCHOOL! You will learn some cool stuff and have loads of fun!
This year we are going on an Incredible Race AND celebrating that we are the Incredible Race!
Yes, like The Amazing Race TV program, we are racing to destinations around the world. There will be fun challenges along the way as we move on to the next point in the race. We will experience national cultures, foods, and fun!
Because WE ARE the Incredible Race, we will celebrate with great science demonstrations and craft projects as part of our daily events.
You are invited to join us. You must be a
1st - 6th grader
and like to have fun.
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Dates
are Monday through Friday,
July 15-19
.
We offer two locations: Mornings in
Sterling
at 46525 Hampshire Drive and afternoons in
Ashburn
at 43990 Urban Crest Court.
Times
:
9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
OR
4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Call the church office to register your child, grandchild or neighbor. 703-726-0777.
There’s no charge. It’s FREE!
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Camp Booyah Report
by Sara Johnson
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Michael Cypher and I had the privilege of taking nine of our teens to Camp Booyah from June 16-21. It was an amazing week! We joined together with 18 other Anglican churches from Virginia and North Carolina at the beautiful Camp Watermarks outside of Charlottesville. We began each day with liturgical worship and prayer. The 300 campers were divided into 24 teams - so we had a wonderful opportunity to get to know kids and adults from other churches. We set out in our teams after worship to do service projects in the community and to do team building activities like mud tug of war (yuck!), a high ropes course and a team obstacle course. Our afternoons were filled with play - at the lake, zipline, river tubing, paintball, basketball, gaga ball... so much fun! We spent our evenings in passionate worship and study. We learned about the anointing of David and studied 6 stories about the life of David. You would have been so proud of the way our youth dove in to worship God and listen attentively to the teaching. We were all changed and encouraged. The entire camp memorized Psalm 23, and I was blessed to be able to anoint each of our youth with oil at the end of the week and pray Psalm 23 over them.
Thank you, Church of the Holy Spirit, for all you did to allow us to attend this camp! Your generosity in funding, your prayers and encouragement were all felt and appreciated. We are grateful to have made connections with our Anglican brothers and sisters in Christ, and will definitely be joining them in the future to help grow our kids in the knowledge and love of our Lord Jesus Christ!
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Report from Creation Festival Northeast 2019
by Monica Whitmer
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On the evening of June 26th, 2019, Creation Festival started for this year. Creation Fest is a week-long festival with Christian music, Christian speakers and lots of prayer. Everyone camps out on the grounds in RVs or tents. I attended and volunteered for this year with high expectations. I had seen many things happen in the three previous years that I had attended, but my expectations were met and exceeded with God’s glory. On the first day of the festival, there was an altar call, and out of all those people 468 came running to the prayer center for prayer. Out of those 336 were re-dedications to Christ and 132 were first-time salvations. And this is how Creation started this year.
Most days I was in the Prayer Center from 9 a.m. to 10:30 or 11 p.m. praying for people. Hundreds of people walked through the door for prayer everyday. We saw the Lord heal and deliver - inner healing and physical healing. God worked in amazing ways. We saw things such as herniated discs being healed, knees and joints being healed, people forgiving others they thought it would take years more to offer to the Lord. We saw people accept Christ for the first time in tears, as they gave their lives over. We saw God break chains of addiction, and tormenting demons flee. The Lord was so strong, He seemed to be changing lives moment by moment right in front of our eyes. As a young lady said to me on the last day “This is what Creation Festival is all about. Coming in hearing the music, being with one another, and it changing who we are.”
One of the most impactful things that I saw this week was when the storm came through, and the people's reactions after. This storm came out of nowhere, destroying campsites, tearing through the arena, and twisting structures. People were hiding in buildings as we tried to comfort them as a team and keep them safe. But God's grace and mercy was there, not a single person was badly wounded the most serious things were concussions and bruises. An entire campsite was destroyed, except for a single tent that had a baby inside of it, which did not get touched. That campsite stood in the middle of the destruction, with the people in that single tent standing and raising their hands, singing praise songs.
Seeing how people pitched in to help one another to rebuild their campsites, to put the arena put back together, and to help one another clear things away. Where most would have packed up and just left after the traumatic storm, these people banded together to restore everything so that we could go on with the musicians and speakers. Less than an hour and a half after the storm had torn through, all gathered down at the water to baptize around a hundred people, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
There was even a romantic part of the week. Were a young couple walk the prayer walk to the top of the mountain, where the cross is and he got on his knees and proposed to her. He was radiant as he came back and told us that she had said yes.
What a testimony to God's people! Their resilience is amazing, their faith truly inspiring, and their love beyond words.
God is so amazingly good, so powerful and deserves all the glory!
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Meet Bishop Abraham from the Sudan July 21
by Pastor Dean Schultz
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As many in our church family at CHS are aware, It’s been my privilege to serve as the priest in charge for Christ the Redeemer Church which meets Sunday afternoons at 4 pm. in Fairfax, VA at the Shepherd’s Heart Chapel located at 10185 Main Street, Fairfax, VA. On Sunday, July 21, CTR will be hosting Bishop Abraham, one of the "Lost Boys of South Sudan," who walked more than a thousand miles when fleeing war in South Sudan. His story has been featured on
60 Minutes
as well as in the movie,
The Good Lie
, starring Reese Witherspoon.
"I have been called a lost boy. But I'm not lost from God. I'm lost from my parents. . . God kept us alive to be witnesses of what took place in Sudan. That is the only thing. It's not because we were more important than the others, than our mothers, our fathers and brothers who have died. But it is simply so that we will be witnesses."
Bishop Abraham will serve as the preacher and celebrant for this special service which will be followed by a reception. If you would like to attend this service and reception please R.S.V.P. to
DSchultz@ctranglican.church
ASAP to help with our planning for this event. +
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Invitation to Ladies Event July 24
from Amy Farley
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Attention CHS Ladies and Friends! Mark your calendars for Wednesday, July 24, 2019, at 6:30 PM.
Our Holy Spirit Women's Ministry is featuring a book discussion on
Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life
by Tish Harrison Warren. Barbara Kelley has graciously agreed to host us at her home. Joanne Milrod will be leading an informal discussion of the book which is available in audio, Kindle or standard formats. Amy recommends the audio version because it is read by the author and is very funny. There will be a few copies at church.
Please R.S.V.P. to Amy Farley at
awritefarley@gmail.com
or 571-499-3773 so that we can have a head count for snacks and plan to join us at 39584 Charles Henry Place, Waterford, VA 20197.
Enjoy the book!
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Healing Ministry Testimony
by Lauren Szilagyi
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I’ve been attending the Healing Prayer training for a couple years, and I’ve seen many ministry demonstrations. But when I volunteered to be the subject of a deliverance session recently, I never expected what I experienced. During the teaching on breaking the power of curses, I thought, “Raise your hand right now before you lose your courage.” Once my hand shot up, I knew there was no turning back. Up to the front and under the spotlight I sat, nervous about exposing my issues. I answered the interview questions as honestly and simply as I could.
Curses had been spoken to me by a step-mother. One in particular lingered in my mind. I was told that “something horrible” was going to happen to me. I’ve believed this for years. It was also brought to my attention that calling this woman my “evil stepmother” was cursing her back and keeping me spiritually bound to her. I had never thought of it this way before. I wanted to be free of the fear of “something horrible.”
After Pastor Clancy stated the obvious, that the issue was with female authority, he asked a woman to lead the prayer. The lovely Monica prayed for me, got down on her knees, and spoke kindness and truth to me a way a good mother would. Her words and posture penetrated my heart and everyone’s watching. They were like healing rain, washing all the dark curses off of me. I was led in a prayer to renounce this and other curses, and cancel their effects. I received a mother’s blessing from a woman who wasn’t my mother, but was used by God to bless me. I felt affirmation and love replace the fear. Something broke and I was free!
We were covering curses and I was asked if I ever called my monthly period a curse. I mentioned that I had gone through menopause, and that felt like one! Pastor made a quick correction by telling us the natural phases of life are good. Well, menopause may not be from the pit of hell, but hot flashes come close!
I’m learning that even in the midst of pain, Jesus is for us and with us. As I walk through my pain, I’m asking God to show more of Himself to me and to open my eyes to the unseen spiritual world.
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Five Tips for Parenting in a Digital Age
by Josh Glaser
Article from May 8, 2019 Regeneration
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When I was a kid, we imagined life in the 21
st
century would include huge upgrades in technology like space travel, jet packs, laser guns, and robot servants.
We imagined a coming space age, but the 21
st
century our kids are actually growing up in isn’t so much a space age, it’s a digital age. Life didn’t so much move to the stars as it did to our screens.
Don’t get me wrong, the digital age is astounding. Our kids carry computers in their pockets that are smarter than computers that used to fill entire rooms, and they use these little devices for anything from video chatting, to taking classes, to shooting photos or videos in higher definition than professionals could twenty years ago.
But then of course, our kids can also watch all manner of porn, meet and exchange personal information with virtual strangers, stay “connected” to peers 24-7, and learn how to circumvent parental controls with a simple Google search.
The digital age has many parents concerned, and understandably so. I’m one of them. What can parents do? And what can non-tech-savvy parents do?
Here are
five tips for parents raising kids in a digital age
:
1.
Accept that the on-line world is a part of your kids’ world.
As parents, it’s our job to equip our kids to live in the day and age in which they’re living. You most likely don’t have to teach your kids how to hollow out their own canoe, but you should teach them to navigate the grocery store, highway traffic, finances, and…the digital world. You could insist your kids stay off-line, but in my opinion, you want your kids learning about this aspect of life from you while they are still at home where you can teach them the skills they’ll need, set up age-appropriate boundaries, have conversations, and be with them as they go. I want my kids to hear my cheers as they make good choices and to feel my grace and support when they make bad choices.
AIM TO BE YOUR KIDS’ BIGGEST SUPPORTS, CHEERLEADERS, AND ALLIES IN THEIR ONLINE ACTIVITY JUST AS YOU ARE OFFLINE.
2.
Be an ask-able parent.
From an early age, treat every topic like a welcome topic. Make “I’m glad you asked me” and “I’m so glad you brought that up” two parenting mantras. If your kids feel like there are topics that are off-limits with Mom or Dad, they’ll take their questions elsewhere, and the #1 embarrassment-free, always-available, never-shaming go-to in the digital age is the Internet. Better your kids ask you than go there.
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3.
Be curious about your kids’ on-line lives.
We wonder how our kid’s Algebra exam went, how soccer’s going, and whose house they’re spending the night at on Friday. We should be just as curious and just as involved in the who, what, where, and how of their on-line activity. I’m not primarily talking about
policing
their online activity as I am about being a
part
of their online activity. Think about something your kid loves to do and imagine how they’d respond if you only criticized or nagged them about that area of their life. Eventually, they’d learn to stop inviting you to their games, showing you their poetry, or telling you about their latest crush. The same principle is true online. Aim to be your kids’ biggest supports, cheerleaders, and allies in their online activity just as you are offline.
4.
Teach your kids how to regulate their emotions.
What does this have to do with technology? First, we’re living in a culture that teaches us to take difficult emotions to our devices instead of feeling and dealing with them in healthy ways. Second, a growing body of research links tech use with growing rates of anxiety and depression. Teaching your kids how to regulate human emotion will pay huge dividends throughout their lives.
5.
Make the goal of your instruction love.
There are Jesus-loving, kid-passionate parents who fall across a wide spectrum as far as the specific tools, rules, boundaries, and strategies they employ with their kids. But the best of these have one thing in common: They’re not parenting out of fear but out of love. What’s more, they’re not teaching their kids to fear but to love. The online world isn’t going away. Whatever you do, make “the goal of [your] instruction love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Peter 1:5).
We’d love to hear from you!
Which of the above tips do you want to do more of in your parenting? What additional tips would you include on this list?
With you,
Josh
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Missions Minute
by Amy Farley
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Coffee lovers, or those who love them. We have a new opportunity to support SHADE ministry which provides refuge to children with albinism in Tanzania. Mike and Claire Fedele have partnered with REFIRE Coffee to provide a wonderful way to start your morning and raise funds. I purchased the Tanzanian Gold medium, dark roast beans and enjoyed the smooth, flavorful coffee and found it an easy way to remind myself, not only to support SHADE financially, but to pray for them regularly. REFIRE can be found at
refirecoffee.com
.
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Please consider signing up to join the group from CHS who will be
attending "Better Together," the New Wineskins Conference in Ridgecrest, NC, September 26 - 29. This is the main missions network of the Anglican Church in North America and evangelicals in the Episcopal Church. Their purpose is to bring together mission-minded clergy and workers for education, networking, encouragement and refreshment. Along with Mike Flynn, Pastor Clancy will be leading a plenary session on spiritual empowerment for mission. In addition, they will both teach at the pre-conference on Wednesday, September 25, on "Healing as Mission." If you would like o go, or ride with others from CHS in the church van, call the church office, and let Clancy know.
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Did You Know? News of Christians Persecuted around the World
by Pastor John Nuzum
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In India, Christian pastors are faced with public beatings, sexual assault of their wives and daughters, as well as poisoning of the drinking water used by Christians. They suffer from the destruction of church buildings, Bibles being burned, and the assassination of church leaders. Recently three Indian believers were charged with murder for praying for a church member who later died.
In the Jharkhand state of India, at least seven Christian families were forced to flee from their homes this month after receiving threats and facing harassment from a Hindu mob.
According to
Christian Solidarity Worldwide
(CSW), which advocates for religious freedom in over 20 countries, the seven families were forced from Masiya Mahuwatoli village on June 12th after a mob of about 200 villagers was riled up by the activist group Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM). HJM is a group affiliated with the
Vishva Hindu Parishad
, a right-wing Hindu nationalist organization. Sources told CSW that the displaced families include one pregnant woman and the families are reportedly seeking shelter in neighboring villages. Three other families that were targeted reportedly forcefully converted to Hinduism.
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The sources explained that the representatives of the HJM made a list of Christian families in the village who would be instructed to recant their faith or face potential consequences. When the families refused the demands to convert, the villagers became violent. The villagers reportedly threatened the Christian families with excommunication, a ban from using the village road, a ban from accessing community water, as well as exclusion from all government rations. Additionally, about 12 kids were said to have been banned from going to the local school. (The Christian Post, 6-25-19).
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In Burkina Faso, Africa, violence against Christians is by Islamists from neighboring Mali. Within weeks of each other, several churches and a village came under attack. A pastor and five church members of an Assemblies of God congregation were killed in April. In May a Catholic church came under attack; a priest and five congregates were killed. Several days later gunmen opened fire on a parade; four people were killed. In June armed jihadis killed 19 people in a small town. The government of Burkina Faso reported 60 people dead from violence on April 3rd according the New York Times. (VOM)
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Once in a great while, the US media mentions the turmoil in the Sudan. In April of this year, the Sudanese military ousted President Omar al-Bashir, perhaps ending the 30 years of terror he reigned on those who weren’t ethnically Arab and Muslim. Persecution has been a way of life for Christians in the Sudan. Many believers have endured incredible hardships. Instead of leaving, they stay to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with their Muslim neighbors.
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Closer to home in Canada, a Christian pastor named David Lynn was arrested and charged with disturbing the peace with “derogatory comments." He was preaching the Word of God, on a street corner in Toronto, on June 4th 2019 in a LGBT community. He was handcuffed and removed from the area because preaching about sexual sin was considered a criminal violation. (Big League Politics).
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In California,
a group of state legislators are pushing a resolution that would pressure clergy in the state to promote homosexuality and other LGBT behaviors as normal. According to the California Family Council (CFC), State Assemblyman Evan Low and three dozen other liberal lawmakers are pushing Assembly Concurrent Resolution 99 (ACR 99), which calls on “counselors, pastors, religious workers, educators” and institutions with “great moral influence” to cease from preaching and teaching that there is anything wrong with individuals identifying as LGBT or participating in homosexual behavior.
As reported by CFC, “ACR 99 also condemns attempts to change unwanted same-sex attraction or gender confusion as ‘unethical,’ ‘harmful,’ and leading to high rates of suicide.” (New American).
“Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
(2 Tim. 3:12)
“God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.”
(Revelation 14:12)
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A Special Invitation
from Pastor Dean and Glorianne Schultz
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SHALOM! If you have desired to visit the Holy Land but were waiting for the right opportunity, I would like to invite you to join Glorianne and me along with our Faith Pilgrimages Team for our 11 Day Pilgrimage to the land of the Bible, January 20th-30th, 2020. This pilgrimage is designed to help make the Bible “come alive” through insights shared by our experienced Israeli-based guides; life-transforming biblical teaching; state of the art multimedia presentations at various sites; delicious meals and first-class accommodations!
The following is a testimony from one of our CHS Pilgrims
:
“I did not know what to expect before making this pilgrimage since I had heard so many differing experiences from others who have gone to the Holy Land. So, I went with no expectations and prayed that God would meet me in a new way! And He did just that. I can honestly say that I am changed because of having made this pilgrimage. Being in the places of the Bible and seeing what Jesus saw, walking where He walked and standing at the exact places where He performed miracles has opened the eyes of my understanding of His Word. He has given me a new hunger and thirst to rush to Him first thing in the morning. His word has come alive for me! Going to the Holy Land has deepened my relationship with Christ, and I am forever thankful.” – Marilyn Heigl
This will give you an idea of our itinerary:
Day 1 - Monday, January 20: Depart U.S.A.
Our Faith Pilgrimages Group gathers for our flight to Israel. Once settled on the plane, sit back, relax, enjoy the on-board meals and entertainment as you prepare for the pilgrimage of a lifetime- walking where Jesus walked.
Day 2 - Tuesday, January 21:
Upon arrival in Tel Aviv, we will connect with our guide, who will lead us through customs. We’ll then board our comfortable Wi-Fi equipped motor coach and head to our hotel overlooking the Sea of Galilee to get settled, enjoy a delicious welcome dinner and relaxing night’s rest.
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Day 3 - Wednesday, January 22:
After enjoying a delicious buffet breakfast we head for a visit to Caesarea Maritima on the Mediterranean Sea where Peter baptized the first Gentile, a Roman Centurion. Then on to Mt. Carmel, where Elijah prayed, and God defeated 450 prophets of Baal with fire from heaven, the Mount of Transfiguration and Magdala, the home of Mary Magdalene, from whom Jesus cast out seven demons. Then back to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 4 - Thursday, January 23:
After enjoying a beautiful
sunrise, we’ll embarkon a sailing adventure on the Sea of Galilee and visit the Jesus Boat Museum. Then on to Capernaum which served as a headquarters for Jesus’ ministry and the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered the
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Sermon on the Mount! If time permits, we will stop to have a St. Peter’s fish lunch. We’ll then ascend to the majestic Golan Heights to visit Caesarea Philippi where Jesus traveled with his disciples. It was at this ancient city where the pagan god Pan was worshiped and where Peter made his declaration about Jesus “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God”. Then back to the Sea of Galilee for dinner and overnight.
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D
ay 5 – Friday, January 24:
Our day begins on the shore of the Primacy of Peter where the resurrected Christ invited Peter and the disciples for breakfast. We’ll then visit the ancient site of Tabgha, where the multiplication of the fishes and loaves took place and Cana where Jesus performed his first miracle at a wedding reception (couples are invited to celebrate their marriage vows). Then on to Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth, where we’ll experience what it was like to live in a first century community and enjoy a special meal (included) like those eaten in Bible times.
Day 6 - Saturday, January 25:
Our day begins with traveling south through the Jordan Valley to Beit She‘an, to visit one of the best-preserved archaeological sites ever discovered in Israel. Then we continue to Nablus (Samaria) to visit Jacob’s Well at St. Photini Church where Jesus met the Samaritan woman. We then ascend to the majestic city of Jerusalem to check into our hotel located near the Old City and enjoy dinner.
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Day 7 –
Sunday, January 26:
Our day begins with a Panoramic view of the Mount of Olives followed by a time of reflection in the Garden of Gethsemene where Jesus prayed and sweat drops of blood before his betrayal by Judas. We’ll follow the path where the Triumphal Entry took place marking our celebration of Palm Sunday. We then visit Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Shepherd’s Field and Chapel of the Holy Innocents, believed to be the burial place of infants killed by King Herod in his attempt to eliminate the newborn “King of the Jews”. We then return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.
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Day 8 - Monday, January 27:
Our first stop is a visit to the Jordan River where John baptized Jesus and the Israelites crossed the Jordan following the Ark of the Covenant. We then head to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered and Masada, the fortress built by King Herod. Then on to a relaxing Spa on the Dead Sea for a delicious buffet lunch (included) and take advantage of relaxing in an indoor heated salt pool, fresh water pool and jacuzzi and additional spa services like massages (not included). We then return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.
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Day 9 - Tuesday, January 28:
Our day begins with a visit to the Western Wall and Temple Mount which once included the 35-acre area purchased by King David. On this site now stands the ElAksa mosque and the Dome of the Rock (the third holiest shrine in all of Islam); then on to the Pool of Bethesda, St. Anne’s Church, the Via Dolorosa (Stations of the Cross) and the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the most visited historic site in all Israel.
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Day 10 - Wednesday, January 29:
Our day begins with a visit to Emmaus where the disciples’ hearts burned within them as they walked with Jesus and recognized him in the breaking of bread. We continue to Kiryat Ye’arim, where the Ark of the Covenant from the time of Samuel rested until David brought it to Jerusalem. Then on to the House of Caiaphas where Jesus spent the night in a dungeon before his crucifixion. We’ll proceed to Shrine of the Book, home of the Great Isaiah Scroll and Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum that uses state-of-theart exhibits to explore the history of the Holocaust. We’ll then gather for our farewell dinner celebration.
Day 11 - Thursday, January 30:
Arrive in U.S.A. We arrive back in the U.S.A. after enjoying the pilgrimage of a lifetime and hopefully a greater understanding of our ancient Christian faith that will help to make the Bible keep “coming alive” in the years to come!
If you would like to join our 2020 Faith Pilgrimage Group, it’s important that you reserve your place as soon as possible by going to
https://registernow.ittworld.com
and completing your registration form. Enter DSchultz20 for our code. Feel free to invite family and friends to join us for this unique adventure that cannot be described - but must be experienced! Glorianne and I look forward to sharing this adventure with you!
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Schedule of Upcoming Events
July 6, Healing Service (1S5) with Rev Herb McMullan
July 7 - Sept. 1,
One combined service for summer at 10:00 AM
July 14 - Aug 18, Network Class during adult Sunday School hour at 9:00 AM
July 15 - 19, Vacation Bible School (VBS)
July 23 - 28, Loudoun County Fair Outreach
August 11, Bishop John "Vision for 50." 10:00 AM
August 25, "Invite a Friend to Church," CHS 10:00 AM
August 25, Annual Church Picnic, Foxridge Park,
525 Catoctin Circle, SW, Leesburg.
Sept. 8, Resume regular Sunday schedule, two services, CHS 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM.
Sept. 15, Family Fun Fest, 1 PM - 4 PM Balls Bluff Elementary,
821 Battlefield Pkwy NE,
Leesburg 20176.
Sept. 26-29, New Wineskins Missionary Network, Ridgecrest Conference Center, NC
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