Sunday, October 7, 2012

Beauty and Diversity on an Autumn Sunday in Maryland

Dear friends,

It's day 3 of my Maryland trip and the adventures continue.

First some pictures, then an explanation...







Beautiful!  Where?  Faith Christian Fellowship in the heart of the city of Baltimore.




Why did I go there with my daughter, my grandson, my sister and my dad this morning?  It's about these two ladies pictured with me below, Anne and Maria.

Anne Johnson is my childhood friend.  I met her at age 13 in chorus class.  She invited me to her church and her parents sacrificially picked me up two to three times a week so I could go to services and youth group.  Life changing for me...

Anne attends Faith Christian Fellowship, a PCA church with a real heart for the poor and disadvantaged in the Pen Lucy neighborhood of Baltimore.  This doesn't surprise me at all. I remember going with her when we were about 15 to help spruce up the Helping Up Mission in the inner city.  I am so delighted that I finally got to see Anne and her husband Phil (who was also in our youth group) -- it has been nearly 30 years since I visited her when I was in college.  Facebook is great, but real face to face is so much better!  See here for a post on Anne: Happy All Saints Day!



  

This is Maria Garriott.  She and her husband Craig moved in to the 'hood over 30 years ago and devoted themselves to urban ministry and raising their five children.  She is the author of A Thousand Resurrections, the story of their trials and triumphs.  (I just bought a copy and will review it soon on my blog www.watchtheshepherd.blogspot.com for my series on Advocating for the Vulnerable.)  The church's ministry fascinates me.  They are living out "what Jesus would do" for sure -- and so they are my most recent choice for A Worthy Cause that I've been featuring once in a while on this blog.  Maria is also the mother of my friend Calvin, who attended Lake Baldwin Church while he lived in Orlando.  I always love talking to Maria when she shows up at our church, so I thought I'd show up at hers!  (See here about the first time I met her: Weekend Gratitude: Just Beauty.




FCF is a racially integrated diverse congregation that
ministers across ethnic, socio-economic and political differences.



This historic building was originally built
by a Methodist church which later merged
with another congregation.
More on that story another time..



I told you that FCF is in a rough area of town.



But even broken buildings can boast a little beauty.




Less than a mile from the church, The Book Thing, a place my sister's family often visits because they are a repository for free books!  I walked out with about 25.  Now I have to lug them home in a carry on bag. :-)





Afternoon and evening...

Two deer in my mom's yard.  I couldn't get close enough for a clear picture without a zoom lens.













On a slightly rainy evening, a multi-cultural festival at St. Matthew's Orthodox church in Columbia, just a few blocks from my parents' home.





The Carpathia Folk Dance Ensemble
(I'll try to upload some video soon! They were amazing!)

And finally, some autumn colors!

That was my Sunday!  How about yours?


The entire weekend in pictures:


Virginia Knowles
www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com


Raising Homemakers 
Whole-Hearted Home


1 comment:

  1. I was fascinated by your pictures. Thank you for linking up over at WholeHearted Home this week. Hope to see you again!!

    ReplyDelete

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