Quinceanera for Lynda Palacios at Shiloh UMC

On July the 7th, I had the priviledge of officiating the Quinceanera for Lynda Palacios. Lynda's mother, Minnie May, works with me at the doctor's office and had asked me to do this over a year ago. I have been blessed to be able to serve in a pastoral role prior to this and have worked with Minnie in ministry.

http://mountairyjournal.blogspot.com/2008/07/i-needed-day-like-that.html

http://mountairyjournal.blogspot.com/2009/09/st-andrews-umc-first-bilingual-service.html

To say that I didn't know much about it would be a vast understatement. And, just in case you aren't too familiar with a Quinceanera, let me share some information with you. (The bold print is some of the liturgy from the service.)

The exact origin of the 15th birthday celebration/QUINCEANERA is unknown but it probably goes back more than 400 years and has its roots in the pre-Columbian rites of passage of some native tribes in Mexico, specifically the Maya, Aztec, and Toltec Tribes.

When a young man reached his 15thbirthday, he was given a shield and sword and he became a warrior. Consequently, he was considered a full member of the society. A young woman, as well, upon reaching her 15th birthday, was ready for adulthood and was presented to the community as a vital part of society. In her capacity for motherhood, she could provide the community with warriors. The ceremony for the young lady included thanksgiving for the future wife and mother, and her commitment to carry out her responsibilities in the community.

The missionaries eventually put the rite for the young woman into a Christian context, at which time she could reaffirm and consecrate her life to the service of the church and the community. This rite for the young woman has remained in our Christian worship and increasingly continues to be celebrated in Hispanic congregations.

 For youth who have been baptized, this may be an occasion of gratitude and remembrance of the covenant of water and the word declared at an earlier time.

Traditionally, several symbols are used in this celebration. Some of these include the candle and the Bible.

The Candle – The lighted candle is a symbol of Christ’s presence, the Light of the world, and who invites us so to shine as to be light for others.

The Bible – The Bible represents the primary norm of Christian conduct for the believer. At the same time, it reminds us of the centrality of the Word of God for our lives.

The service as a whole seeks to praise God with a genuine spirit of thanks giving for the special gift of life for the young woman.

The Flower Girl and Escort, Azelyah Hernandez and Charles May (Lynda's brother).

Lynda escorted by her two Dads; Jaime A. Palacios Sr. and Brian D. May.

 God calls us to celebrate life. We gather today as followers of Jesus Christ to celebrate fifteen years in the life of Lynda Palacios.  As we offer thanks to God for Lynda, we join with her in this act of dedication to discipleship in Jesus Christ and service to his kingdom. Welcome! Let us celebrate and praise joyfully.

 O Creator, God of the universe, we praise your holy name for the life of Lynda Palacios. We rejoice that she has come to that time in her life when she assumes new and greater responsibilities.  We affirm Lynda at this time of joy and celebration. This is a time of thanksgiving for the past and visions and challenges for the future.  We acknowledge that this is a time of commitment, not only to the highest ideals of life but also to the saving grace and sovereignty of Christ in her life. Accept her life in true commitment and fill her heart with joy, and grant that your peace may come to abide in her heart for ever, through Jesus Christ, our Sovereign and Savior.  Amen.

Receive the light of Christ, since Christ said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never  walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 1:8-12)

I give you thanks, O God, for this special celebration. I offer you my youth so that you might use it. Guide my thoughts, my heart, my lips and my feet that, in the future, I may always do your will, and not my own.  In the powerful name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Celebrating Holy Communion

Gracious God, grant your guidance, strength and protection to Lynda Palacios.  Confirm by your Holy Spirit, her desire to grow in faith, in hope, and in love. Let her life be an able instrument to serve her neighbor, that your name may be praised. Along with Lynda, help us to love and serve you more faithfully each day until your kingdom comes and your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.  Through Jesus, your Son and our Savior, we pray. Amen.

Family Pictures

The folks from F. Read Hopkins Pediatrics.

Signing the Guest Book

Lynda with her brother, Jaime A Palacios Jr.

A Quinceanera tradition is the removing of the shoes of childhood and putting on the shoes of adulthood. The honor was performed by her two Dads.

Lynda received her last doll, her Quinceanera doll.

The Quinceanera Cake

Cutting the Cake

A great day of Friends and Family

Welcome Gifts

This was our first welcome gift at Shiloh UMC, a Communion chalice and plate. It was handmade by a local artisan.The card read:

"Hope you will enjoy this gift. I know you have been wanting one for a long time.

Love you and Joanne,

The redneck side of your family, Charlene, Codey and Cheyanne; Mary Beth, Greg, Zach, and Emily; Laurie, Lacy, Chelsea, and Katie."

We used the set the first Sunday in July to serve Communion.

Our next gift was this set of bookends, from the Birgbauers. Yes, that's Mickey and Minnie "Jim Shore" bookends for my church office. You can imagine the direction my office decor is heading.  

Shiloh UMC and the Power Outage

On the last Friday in June, we had a storm come through that knocked out power to 10's of thousands of people in Lynchburg and surrounding counties. Trees were snapped off and had fallen on power lines, homes and cars. The word was that power would not be completely restored to homes and businesses for over a week.  The problem of the loss of electricity and AC was compounded by the daytime temperatures reaching over the 100 degree point.

Shiloh UMC was one of the churches fortunate enough to keep its power and air conditioning. So the folks who made it to church on Sunday decided to get cold cuts, cheese, lettuce, tomato, bread and have sandwiches together in the fellowship hall after the morning service.

The lunch worked so well that we decided to come back for dinner. No one really wanted to sit out the afternoon and evening with the heat in the homes. So, Charlene Gallaher worked through the afternoon making several pans of lasagna, trays of garlic bread, and bowls of salad.

During the afternoon, people came in and out of the church to cool down. Some brought their dogs in to let them chill from the heat. Everyone was well behaved, people and pets.

We had quite a few people joining us for diner, even some non-members. It was a good place to come, relax, cool down, enjoy a meal that you couldn't prepare at home, and have a good time.

After dinner we went up into the sanctuary and watched a movie, Ratatouille. It was about 9:30 Sunday night before we finally left the church. The outside temperature had cooled down to the mid 80's.

Thoughout the coming week, people would continue to use the church as a resource and cooling station. Some slept at the church, some got ice from the ice machine for themselves and others, some cooled their pets, and a week later some still are.

Shiloh UMC Ministers at Parkview Mission

Again Shiloh UMC was minstering at Parkview Mission. Charlene Gallaher played piano, while Glen Garrison, Rev. Phil Showers, the pastor at Parkview Mission, Harry Spruce, and Fran Keeler led folks in a Gospel sing-a-long. 

The food is prepared and everyone is waiting in the kitchen to start serving after the devotions and prayer.

Fianally, time to start serving, the best part of the evening. I take my usual place serving deviled eggs. We had a very big croud for dinner. Dinner was served, seconds were provided, and take home boxes were supplied. There was not a morsel left.

This is ministry.

VAUMC Annual Conference 2012

Well, its June, must be time for the Virginia United methodist Annual Conference. It was in Roanoke, VA again this year. Joanne and I took our usual seats at the far end of the Civic Center. The biggest complaint this year was how cold the place was. It seemed like most of the heavy issues were dealt with at the General Conference that had been in Tampa a few months earlier, so we were spared having to listen a lot of the arguments one way or the other this year.

We always enjoy being at Annual Conference for the Licensing and Ordination service. Below is the Licensing of the Local Pastors.

We were joined by our friends George and Kathy Schaeffer. We try and get together during Conference, since it seems its one of the few times our schedules can work.

We had several firends being ordained this year. Above is Jacob Sahms and below is Craig Newman.

This year was shorter than most years and it ran on different days than normal. The year our Bishop Charlene Kammerer retired, this would be her last Annual Conference. We should find out sometime in July about our new Bishop.

Annual Conference can be a nuisance, at its worst tense and frustrating. But there are things that I wouldn't want to miss; Licensing and Ordination, Recogition of Retiring Pastors, the Memorial Service for Deceased Pators and Pastor's Spouses, and of course, seeing friends that you get to see all too infrequently. See you next year in Hampton VA.