Today we celebrated the centennial of the organization of the "Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene" in 1908. I felt like in some ways it was just another Sunday and in other ways like we were caught up in something bigger than ourselves that only comes once in a lifetime. We were instructed that it would be best to celebrate it in our local church rather than face the nightmare and logistics of trying to gather together in one location. It was cool to hear what other churches did to observe the occasion.
Dr. Terry Read spoke for us. He is a former missionary, seminary professor and a multitude of other things. He & Joan have circled the globe and have connections to many in our church's congregations having lived in their homeland or been exposed to their culture. I've seen his picture many times in the past. It was good to meet face-to-face.
As one who is privileged to have documents, letters, books, photos, news articles, etc. pass through my hands on a regular basis, some 100+ years old, pertaining to our history, I was in seventh heaven. You can't help but think what it will be like in another 100 years when the church is 200 years old, D.V.
[The church used this D.V. in the early writings a lot - latin deo volente - "God willing". Essentially, in this case, if the Lord doesn't come back before that.]
When we sang "Tis' a glorious church without spot or wrinkle, washed in the blood of the Lamb", my mind went to the scandals of the church I've read about. Those make for interesting reading, if enough time has passed and they've been de-classified :). I guess you can't help but be 100 years old and not have a scandal or two or .... The song seems to say there's forgiveness for those too. I am glad to be a part of a 100 year old church. Still, my heart goes out to friends that are no longer with the Church of the Nazarene who've been burned, let down, disenfranchized, disallusioned, etc. Lord help us!
3 comments:
hola espero ,se encuentre bien no tengo palabras para descibir tan interesantes imagenes y ala vez sentirme parte de el pasado y el presente de la iglesia ver estas fotografias me hacen sentir que soy parte de una cadena de amor a DIOS que a prevalecido por un siglo me honra ser parte de este circulo de amor de union y fuerza el cual espero prevalesca hasta la venida gloriosa de nuestro Sr jesus cristo el que vive y reyna por los siglos de los siglos (AMEN) ......
Your score is 100,000,000000 with the pictures,congratulationes for your amazing material, and the important documentacion.
I hope to sing in the next century
for the nazarene church.
(MANDE)bye bye
Was great to see these photos of the "Old Glory Barn" Los Angeles First Church Of The Nazarene. I was searching for something on Phineas Bressee and came across your blog. Then what a delight to see the photos. I happen to have one of those original chairs from the Glory Barn that was a gift from Dick Willis (L.A. First) to my grandfather Rev. J.R. Erp of McAllen TX. Our good friend Dick Willis created an archive at LA First Church and he presented one of those old chairs to my grandfather. I often look at that chair and wonder what great stories it could tell.
Thanks for your comment. I have benefited greatly from the friendship of and legacy left by Dick Willis. I have had the opportunity to look at the Archives there a number of times and his collection at PLNU. Great stuff. Hope you found what you were looking for. Let me know if I can help with any info.
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