243/365 Picture Today Post

243/365 | Sunday, August 31, 2025 | #365PictureToday

Off Prompt

Looking forward to church even on this Labor Day weekend. "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." ~Proverbs 27:17

  

68/365 Picture Today Post

68/365 | March 9, 2025 | #365PictureToday

Purple | Picture Color

Ready to head to church this morning.

 

40/365 Picture Today Post

40/365 | Sunday, February 9, 2025 | #365PictureToday

Pink

I found some Valentine's Day crafts at church today.  The words on each page say, "I love you from the bottom of my heart to the tips of my toes."

36/365 Picture Today Post

36/365 | Wednesday, February 5, 2025 | #365PictureToday

Love

I'm loving the combination of devotional materials that I am currently using.  I'm re-reading Fresh From the Word which was originally published for the 2008 300th anniversary of the Brethren.  To read the Bible passages I am using the newly published Anabaptist Community Bible, which includes commentary from Anabaptist scholars and historical notes.  Lastly I've been reading a compilation of Wendy McFadden's publisher's messages from Messenger magazine.

5/365 Picture Today Post

5/365 | Sunday, January 5, 2025 | #365PictureToday

Off Prompt

Today at church I presented a blanket to a member of our school board who is retiring after serving on the board continuously for 14 years.  This is a picture of the blanket which has a picture of the school's administrative building called simply The Stone House that I took a couple of months ago.

355/366 Picture Today Post

355/366 | Friday, December 20, 2024 | #365PictureToday

Holiday Shapes

The poinsettias got moved to encircle the Chrismon tree.  What a lovely composition!

 

350/366 Picture Today Post

350/366 | Sunday, December 15, 2024 | #365PictureToday

December Vibes

Poinsettias and the Chrismon tree always give December vibes at church.

341/366 Picture Today Post

341/366 | Friday, December 6, 2024 | #365PictureToday

Colors of Christmas

Every year my mom and my aunt put wreaths on the headstones of our extended family members who are buried in our church cemetery.

AppleFest 2024

A few pictures from AppleFest at Midland Church of the Brethren this fall.

91/366 Picture Today Post

91/366 | Sunday, March 31, 2024 | #365PictureToday

Easter

¡La tumba esta vacia!  The tomb is empty.  Happy Easter!

 

84/366 Picture Today Post

84/366 | Sunday, March 24, 2024 | #365PictureToday

New Growth

Lent can be a time of new growth.  Today I brought the children's message at church and briefly mentioned that some people use palm slips to make crosses.  Well, a couple of people found a video online and were making some after the service.

77/366 Picture Today Post

77/366 | Sunday, March 17, 2024 | #365PictureToday

A Plant

Some lovely flowers I found at church.  In honor of St. Patrick's Day, an Irish blessing: "May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day."

42/366 Picture Today Post

42/366 | Sunday, February 11, 2024 | #365PictureToday

Touch

I always hold the hymnal to sing at church even if the words are on the screen.  If I don't know the song well, it helps for me to have the musical notation as a guide.

40/366 Picture Today Post

40/366 | Friday, February 9, 2024 | #365PictureToday

Slide

The first thing I thought of when I saw this prompt was an afternoon after church a few years ago (2017) when my friend and I tested out the new playground equipment.  We had to make sure it was safe for the young children, you know.

 

21/366 Picture Today Post

21/366 | Sunday, January 21, 2024 | #365PictureToday

Dried Flowers

I was happy to discover that there were flowers on the worship center today.

 

20/366 Picture Today Post

20/366 | Saturday, January 20, 2024 | #365PictureToday

Mirror

I noticed this mirror at church.  The image on it isn't a reflection though.

365/365 Picture Today Post

365/365 | Sunday, December 31, 2023 | #365PictureToday

Deja-vu

Picture Life | Memories

My mom and her sister put wreaths on the graves of their extended family members for Christmas every year.  I thought it would be nice to get a picture of the tradition.  I have many fond memories of the people honored here.

 

 

 

358/365 Picture Today Post

358/365 | Sunday, December 24, 2023 | #365PictureToday

Meaningful

Picture Style | Indoor

It's meaningful to me to attend church on Christmas Eve.  This year we have the opportunity to attend twice: once for Sunday morning service and later for a candlelight service. "But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.' " ~Luke 2:10-11 NIV

 

 

 

344/365 Picture Today Post

344/365 | Sunday, December 10, 2023 | #365PictureToday

Prizewinning

Picture Basic | Patterns

The church Chrismon tree is prizewinning in my book.  I did the Children's Story today and used Luke 3:1-6 (NIRV) as the Bible verse to illustrate.  "Tiberius Caesar had been ruling for 15 years. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod was the ruler of Galilee. His brother Philip was the ruler of Iturea and Traconitis. Lysanias was ruler of Abilene. Annas and Caiaphas were high priests. At that time God’s word came to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert. He went into all the countryside around the Jordan River. There he preached that people should be baptized and turn away from their sins. Then God would forgive them. Here is what is written in the book of Isaiah the prophet. It says,

“A messenger is calling out in the desert,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord.
Make straight paths for him.
5 Every valley will be filled in.
Every mountain and hill will be made level.
The crooked roads will become straight.
The rough ways will become smooth.
6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’ ” (Isaiah 40:3–5)

 

 

 

323/365 Picture Today Post

323/365 | Sunday, November 19, 2023 | #365PictureToday

Paradise

Picture Color | Cream

Today our church celebrated Founder's Day.  While our denomination began in 1708 in Schwarzenau, Germany, our local church was founded in November 1883, making this our 240th anniversary.  To celebrate we had a special visitor.  Alexander Mack, Sr. was one of the founding eight members of the denomination, and a gentleman from Harrisonburg portrays him for a variety of events.   One of the things he mentioned was that the founders didn't consider their group a kirche, the German word for church, but rather gemeinshaft, a community based on close personal and family ties.  I liked that Mr. Mack's shirt is cream in color.  “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?" ~Luke 14:28