Holy Week Worship Services at PCO

 

That should read “April 18th for Good Friday”! Need directions to church services? Check out the church website at http://www.churchinoman.com

Resurrection Day 5:30am Service, Ghala, April 4th, 2010

What a GLORIOUS morning!  Happy Easter to one and all!!!  5:25am-before the sunrise Easter Sunday service at Ghala Church, Oman!  The Protestant Church has a tradition of each family placing flowers on the cross (or at the foot of the cross when full) on Easter Sunday.  Pastor Michael Peppin gave a moving sermon, titled “So Send I You“, on the foundation of the Resurrection of Jesus to the Christian faith.  Today’s passage was from John 20, verses 19 to 31.  I videotaped the 24-minute sermon in 3 parts.  Here is the 1st part (10 mins) ,  the 2nd part of the video (10 mins) and finally the 3rd of 3 parts (almost 5 mins).    On Easter, the worship leader says: “Alleluia! Christ is risen! ” and the congregation replies, “He is risen indeed! Alleluia!”  Pastors Michael Peppin and Jack Buteyn and the communion stewards.  Pastor Michael Peppin, his wife, Vinoo, and his daughter, Deepa  Don and Dotty Harper  Andy, Che and Gershom Brown.  Our little Gershom was so well behaved!

Great is the Mystery of Faith.  Dying, You destroyed our death.  Rising, You restored our life.  Lord Jesus, come in glory!

A HAPPY & BLESSED EASTER TO EVERYONE!!!

HAPPY “PALM SUNDAY”!!!

  This is now my 3rd Palm Sunday in Oman.  It was great fellowshipping with fellow believers tonight and hearing the Word of God as we celebrated the beginning of “Passion Week”.  If you don’t know what “Palm Sunday” is, educate yourself by checking out this link.  God bless!!!  “Palm Sunday is a prelude to the cross.” (Reverend Michael Peppin, March 28th, 2010)  A beautiful “Hosanna banner” from the PCO banner team! (“Hosanna” is Hebrew for “save now” –  הושיעה נא ) “On the next day a great multitude that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet Him, and cried, “Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the LORD.” (quoting from Psalm 118:25-26) And Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat thereon; as it is written, “Fear not, Daughter of Zion: Behold, Thy King cometh, sitting on a donkey’s colt.” (fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9)  These things understood not His disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered thy that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto Him.” (John 12:12-16)  Children of the Protestant Church in Oman singing “Hosanna” and waving palm branches as part of a special presentation.  “But everyone who lined the streets had a different reason for waving those palms. Some were political activists; they’d heard Jesus had supernatural power, and they wanted him to use it to free Israel from Roman rule. Others had loved ones who were sick or dying. They waved branches, hoping for physical healing. Some were onlookers merely looking for something to do, while others were genuine followers who wished Jesus would establish himself as an earthly king. Jesus was the only one in the parade who knew why he was going to Jerusalem – to die. He had a mission, while everyone else had an agenda.” (Billy Hybels)  Pastor Jack spoke a sermon comparing David being in the eye of the storm in 1 Samuel 17:40-50 and Jesus in Luke 19:36-42 on the way to the cross.  Part of the sermon that stuck with me was his comparison of Martin Luther King’s last public words known as “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop Speech” and Jesus’ last words on the cross.  Martin Luther, the night before he was assassinated said these words, “Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” (See the video here.)  Jesus’ last words on the cross were, “It is finished” (atonement for sin).  Like Pastor Jack said, “For us, it is only the beginning”!  Pastors Michael Peppin and Jack Buteyn on Palm Sunday, 2010!  There are many things going on this week at the Protestant Church in Oman!  If you’re an expat in Muscat who hasn’t been to church in a while (or at all!), why not join us?!

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Easter in Oman…

…IF Easter is only about rabbits, eggs and chocolates to you that is…

“Amazing Love”

  Another wonderful Easter concert with The Muscat Christian Harmony and The Muscat Men’s Chorus  Carina Krough   Vanial Hruaia playing “Amazing Grace” on the violin   The music director, Dr. Dev Ebenezer, doing what he does best  Pastor Jack Buteyn doing a solo-“The Agony” (From Stainer’s Crucifixion)  I SERVE A RISEN SAVIOUR    “I serve a risen Saviour, He’s in the world todayI know that He is living whatever men may say, I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer And just the time I need Him, He’s always near… He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way He lives, He lives, Salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.  Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, lift up your voice and sing; Eternal Hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King; The hope of all who seek Him, The help of all who find, None other is so loving, so good and kind.”