“The season” in South Florida means two very different times of year. Most prevalent is the season when cold winds blow up north and winter residents and vacationers stream south in search of paradise.

A second season is when hot winds blow down south. We watch the Weather Channel during this season, at the ready to put up shutters, gather supplies, hunker-down or flee in search of safety and security.

Every four years, along with the rest of our great nation, we have another season. It is “the season” of presidential politics. This season combines many of the characteristics and objectives of the first two! I will leave it to you to draw your own parallels!

I recently watched portions of both national political conventions. Carefully-crafted speeches by two accomplished and genuinely brilliant men, President Obama and Governor Romney, bore true two themes found in the letter of James, brother of Jesus.

“All of us make mistakes” and “No one can completely tame the tongue.” [James 3] These eternal truths amazingly presuppose speech writers and teleprompters.

Imagine how inspiring, how compelling both conventions could have been had every speaker and speech from the podium commenced with and then followed the instruction of the 19th Psalm. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer!”

I realize to always give highest and top priority to pleasing God is a challenge for all of us. And, my nose might begin to grow if I were to suggest pleasing God is the strategic aim of a national political convention. Most would agree a convention’s goals are more, shall we say, “down to Earth.” But hope springs eternal …

I grew up being attentive and engaged in politics and I still believe politics and governing are enormously important. I encourage anyone who believes otherwise to read the 13th chapter of Paul’s letter to the Romans. A careful reading of these verses may drive you to the polls!

Theologian John Calvin’s take on Paul’s writings on government is that civil power originates with the sovereign God. In other words, God is the foundation, not the footnote; the farm, not the farmer. God is source and supplier, not client or customer. Surely people of every political bent can agree we did not build ourselves!

I think the outcome of every election is important, and this year’s presidential election is no exception, but I believe the fate of our nation is always and forever in the hands of God, who is the author of the liberty we champion. What I recommend for every season is that we not look to government for paradise or even for lasting safety and security. These things, much like all God’s seasons, are things of God, not men.

An important endnote from Calvin’s writings on “Religion in the Public Square” is not surprisingly his focus on the church itself.

Calvin did not see church and state merged into a theocratic monster. He called instead for the church to energize distinctly under the leadership of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit to be the world-changing community. May this be “the season” for that! And may God bless America in all her seasons!

Cross the bridge and join us this weekend: Saturday evening at 6 p.m. or Sunday morning at 8:30 or 11 a.m. www.communitych.org.

This Weekend’s Message is “The Season.”

Reverend Dr. Dennis Andrews is Minister at Community Presbyterian Church of Deerfield Beach (Steeple on the Beach) located five blocks south of Hillsboro on AIA.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, it says that there is a time for everything under the sun.

There is a time to prepare, a time to practice, a time to take the test, a time to maneuver obstacles, but I do not see a time to panic or a time to live in fear.

God has a plan and a time for things in our lives, and He does not need us adding anything to His plan like fear or panic. God did not say that we would never have storms in our lives, but He did promise to be with us through our storms in life. We must learn to trust Him and know that we can make it through with Him by our side. Remember that God will not allow us to go through anything we cannot handle.\

Proverbs 17:22

22: A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. NLT

When storms come, we must prepare for them because if we are not prepared, we will panic. Please do not prepare and panic. If you spend the time to prepare for the storms in your life, then why would you waste your time in fear of the storms? If you pray, then you should believe what you prayed for and, if you are not going to believe, then why pray? Every storm we go through helps prepare us for the next one that will come if we learn from our experiences. Every storm should bring us closer to God and enable us to trust and rely on Him more and more. Fear, mistrust and panic will crush our spirit and God wants better than that for us. A broken spirit will take your strength and crush you, but being cheerful, content and happy will, like good medicine, make you feel better.

Jeremiah 29:11

11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. NIV

God is the one who has the plans for our lives and we need to follow His plans. We need to submit our lives to His will and obey His rules, not just the ones that do not interfere with our plans.

If there were a hurricane coming, it would do no good to only board up half of your house. You would be unprepared for the storm. When we take our eyes off God and put our eyes on the storm, we get distracted. Fear and panic are distractions in our lives and those distractions produce delays in what God has for us. Some things that distract us are:

· Television; sports and entertainment

· Material extremes – an overindulgence in anything will become a distraction

· Storms in life – whether a hurricane or a spiritual storm

· Work, when placed above God and commitments we made to God

Prepare for every storm in life by getting your house ready for a hurricane and getting your body and spirit ready for God’s plan for your life.

Pastor Tony Guadagnino

Christian Love Fellowship Church

David Maymon is the owner of Advocate Home Care Services. As one of the team chaplains, along with Father Linus, I am usually with David and the Advocate Team every Monday morning.

It is a wonderful group of people from very diverse backgrounds who busy themselves all week long trying to make sure that the people they care for have the right aide and we try to insure that by asking one very important question that David insists on – “If that was my mother or father, would I be comfortable with that aide?” If we can answer “Yes” to that question, then, the vast majority of the time, we are going to be right on target and make a wonderful match.

Most of you are familiar with the story of Fiddler On the Roof. And you know all about Yenta the Matchmaker; well, in a way, that is exactly what we do at Advocate, only we do not try to arrange marriages; we try to arrange caring and loving partnerships.

David knows how effective famous quotes can be and he has a knack for coming up with just the right phrase for every situation. He also happens to have two particular quotes nicely framed and hanging on the wall where we hold our meetings, and, before our meetings are over, those quotes are read aloud, each teaching a very important lesson to carry with us through our work week and back to our homes.

The first quote comes from Ettiene De Grellet, a Quaker missionary, who said [paraphrased], “I shall pass this way but once; therefore, let any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to anyone … let me do it now for I shall not pass this way again.”

And then there is the other quote on the wall … this one by one of the most well-known athletes of all time, Muhammad Ali, a convert to the Muslim faith, who said, “The fight is won or lost far away from the witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road long before I dance under those lights.” To Ali’s quote, if you want to win a battle, you had better be prepared and have the strength and skill that only intense training can give you.

David is a good soul, and he is also wise enough to know that wisdom comes from many places and that everyone has much they can teach us … and those two quotes he has hanging in the office are so true.

How often do we hold off on doing something special and loving? Perhaps, at this very moment, while you are reading these words, there is someone next to you who could really use your attention – a tender smile, a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on.

Ali was right. The battle is won or lost long before we enter into it and De Grellet was right, we need to live in the moment and do whatever we are able to help others in need. And, David is right as well, and as he would so eloquently put it; “Reflect” and may you not only carry these words in your heart, but may you put them into action and may the actions you take be for a blessing.

The High Holy Days are soon approaching. Let us prepare for them by doing whatever we can to be of service.

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is the rabbi at Temple Beth Israel in Century Village of Deerfield Beach. During the week, he continues his work as a Hospice and Health Care Chaplain. He is a member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and of the Association of Professional Chaplains.

I was talking to a Broward Sheriff Officer I know who works in Deerfield Beach. I told him that he almost caught me speeding a few days before that. I told him where he was, and that he had just pulled the person a few cars in front of me over. Of course, I was bragging because I got away with it and the other person did not. However, he said something to me that stuck with me and I will never forget what he said. He said very plainly, “You speed because you don’t see the results of it every day.” I kind of blew it off with that whatever attitude, but then I began to think. Why do I have to see the results of speeding to make me drive the speed limit? I know what kind of things can happen, and I don’t have to see it to believe it. Then, I began to think about God’s word and what the Bible has to say about so many different things that are relevant to my life. I began to think about all the things I have learned from the Bible. Doubting Thomas got his nickname because he was the doubter and he had to see it to believe it.

JOHN 20:26-29

26 Eight days later, the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.

27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.

29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

NLT

The emphasis throughout the Gospel of John is on believing. There are nearly 100 references in this Gospel to believing in Jesus Christ. The Bible says that “faith comes from hearing the word of God,” not from seeing with your eyes. We do not only believe what we see, but, we believe what we cannot see. We have faith in our God. The Bible also says that “without faith, it is impossible to please God.” We must have faith to please God, yes, but we must believe. If we have to see in order to believe, then we are looking for a sign that requires no faith at all, on our part, only sight. If we are looking for something we need to see in order to believe, then what will happen when we see something that is the opposite of what we want or what we are praying for? We not only believe and have faith in things that we cannot see, but we also need to have faith when things actually look bad and when we are praying for one thing, but the exact opposite is happening. We need to have faith in God’s word and trust Him. Do not quit, do not give up, and never give in. Keep Praying!

Tony Guadagnino is the pastor at Christian Love Fellowship Church.

We had a patient at Catholic Hospice who happened to be of the Muslim faith. We did not have a Muslim cleric on staff and so it was that the chaplains from a fellow Mid-East faith … our rabbis … were called to find out if they had any contact within the local Islamic community.

It might surprise you to learn the rabbis did, indeed, have such contacts for chaplaincy and pastoral care issues, but, sadly, one contact could not be reached and the other had recently moved out of the area.

We did not feel comfortable sending a team chaplain rather than one of the same faith as the patient.

The patient’s father, a traditional Muslim, had traveled from a far-off land to be here at his son’s side and he wanted to make sure all was done according to his religious tradition. Now, here is where it could have gotten really complicated. You see, the patient’s wife was not Muslim. Theirs was an intermarriage. His wife was Catholic.

Thankfully, she agreed to respect her husband’s faith and showed great respect to her father-in-law as well. I must say, this was a nice change from having to deal with familial differences that often lead to horrific situations.

Our hospice rabbis went on a search far and wide. One of the people contacted happens to be the medical director at St. Johns, which is a part of Catholic Health Services. I don’t know if you have ever had the privilege of meeting Dr. Jules, but he is a mensch, a good-hearted soul … sweet as can be, and his heart is pure gold.

He happens to be a brother of the Muslim faith. I asked for his help in finding someone for our hospice patient and the patient’s family, to see that everything was done in a way that would give true comfort and respect to those under our care.

I let him know that the patient was not expected to survive more than a few days and, now, as Paul Harvey would say, the rest of the story.

I ran into Dr. Jules the other day. He let me know that no fewer than 30 Muslim brothers, including Dr. Jules himself, went to visit this man and his family. They recited the proper prayers and performed the proper rituals and, when the time came, they made sure the person was buried per Muslim tradition.

But what really sent a glow through my heart and soul was when Dr. Jules told me that the father asked him how so many brothers found out about his son and Dr. Jules told him that it was because of the rabbi from Catholic hospice and, on hearing that, tears began to fall from the face of this traditional Muslim from a foreign land, who was facing the passing of his beloved son.

Imagine that … only in America can one find a rabbi working for The Diocese (with Catholic hospice) who finds a Muslim brother and, in the process, three faith groups come together to comfort a family facing the loss of a loved one.

Catholic, Jew, Muslim … dealing with our differences, respecting one another, working in tandem to provide comfort to all those under our care. That’s what chaplaincy is all about, that’s what Hospice is about. May G-d bless us one and all!

Shalom, salaam and peace my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and serves in this capacity in a number of Health Care settings in the area including Advocate Home Care Services and L’Chayim Jewish Hospice in Partnership with Catholic Hospice of Broward County.

Rev. Dennis Andrews

Many years ago, a friend and his wife learned they would not be able to have their own natural-born children. They decided to adopt. It took the patience of a judge for them to move through the process, but they finally succeeded.

They imagined an infant from the beginning. An infant, they thought, would be perfect and know them as parents from the outset.

What they received were not one, but two young boys. These boys were anything but infants and anything but perfect. They had been abused by their drug-addicted parents. The boys arrived with mental, psychological and emotional baggage.

But my friend and his wife were steadfast in their parental duties, long-suffering in their love for these two boys through formative years of school expulsions, arrests, juvenile detention and one heart-wrenching problem after another.

My friend once told me, “As hard as it has been, our faith has grown alongside these boys. The experience may have given us insight as to how God feels watching us grow!”

Adoption meant these boys received far more than a new last name and safe place to stay. They were adopted into a family. They were forgiven even when they didn’t deserve it. They were loved. They survived.

Did you ever wonder what would have become of baby Moses had he not been adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter or what would have happened to Hadassah, the beautiful young woman who became Queen Esther, had she not been adopted by good ole Uncle Mordecai?

Moses likely would have been drowned with the other male babies. Hadassah probably would have been killed with the rest of her people. The course of human history and the development of Judeo Christian faith traditions would at the very least be different were it not for God’s plans for adoption.

What are God’s plans for adoption today?

There are thousands of children in South Florida in need of physical adoption. If you are able, then I encourage you to consider adoption. But the truth is, we all have need of adoption, just an adoption of a different, more permanent kind.

The Apostle Paul says it this way: “Even before God made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ….”

[Ephesians 1:4-5, NLT]

Our most important adoption is made possible by the cross, not by the courts. There is no lengthy legal process. We consent to our adoption when we accept Christ as Lord.

No perfection required. None of us remain innocent as a newborn child. We all have baggage. None of us are always loveable and we may not deserve forgiveness, but we can all have it through Christ.

Pray God continues to be steadfast and longsuffering with the open loving arms of adoption, patiently watching us grow and accepting us into the family.

Ever think about adoption? I hope so, because the most consequential adoption you will ever think about is your own …

Reverend Dr. Dennis Andrews is a former Indiana Sheriff and Mayor and a graduate of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He is a member of the Tropical Presbytery of Florida (Presbyterian Church USA) and installed pastor of Community Presbyterian Church (Steeple on the Beach) of Deerfield Beach located five blocks south of Hillsboro on AIA.

There has been a wonderful movie in a few theatres in the area recently called “The Intouchables.” This was not “The Untouchables.” It had nothing to do with Elliot Ness or the old gangs that he cracked down on, and, it had nothing to do with India’s the “Untouchables,” those on the bottom of the social caste system there.

Then again, maybe it did. You see, the movie was about a man who was paralyzed below the neck, and, let’s face it, all too often, if someone is paralyzed, or ill, or way up in years, or, dare I say, “different,” many people are afraid, not just to touch them, but to have any contact with them at all.

“The Intouchables” was based on a true story about a very special relationship that develops between this man and the one he opts to take on as his private duty aide. His choice might surprise you, but the relationship that develops between them is something that never ceases to amaze me.

So often I am called in to try to get someone to see the importance of their getting a private duty aide; and, so often, the person I am talking to tells me a horror story about this or that friend or neighbor who hired someone who was awful, someone who was constantly on the phone building up an absurd long-distance bill and not paying attention to the person they were supposed to care for, someone who kept going out to get an item from the store, not to be seen or heard from again for hours at a time, someone who was mean and nasty, someone who lashed out and yelled at the very person they were supposed to be taking care of.

We’ve all heard such stories. People are quick to share such experiences with us. But, I get to see the other side of the coin. So often, just like in the movie, I have seen a love and compassion develop between a person and their caregiver… an unbreakable bond.

And, when such a bond exists, I have seen the caregiver yelled at in the midst of bad times, lashed out at in the midst of pain and frustration. But the angelic caregiver is able to miraculously see that the anger, the shouting and the screaming is not really directed at them; it is really about the situation the one under their charge is going through, as they often feel like the main character in “The Intouchables,” trapped in their own bodies, unable to lift a finger for themselves.

It was just a couple of weeks ago that we read the Biblical story of Moses being told by G-d to speak to a rock and that, when he would speak to it, water would miraculously flow and everyone would have their thirst quenched.

Sadly, Moses did not follow the directions quite as precisely as he should have. Instead of speaking to the rock, he lashes out at it. He hits it, not just once, but twice. Water still flows, but Moses had lost his patience in dealing with complaints. He lost his cool.

This loss of control over his anger keeps him from entering the Promised Land. You see, he did not have to lash out at the rock. He did not have to hit it to get water to flow and quench everyone’s thirst. All he had to do was speak to the rock.

Paul Simon wrote, “I am a Rock, I am an Island.” Sometimes, the people we work with or for seem to be just that. They seem to be a rock. Try speaking to the rock because Simon’s lyrics were wrong. Sometimes a rock does indeed feel pain.

Shalom My Friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and serves in this capacity in a number of healthcare settings in the area, including Advocate Home Care Services and L’Chayim Jewish Hospice in Partnership with Catholic Hospice of Broward County.

I came across these facts awhile back and thought I would share them with you since it is the time of year that we celebrate our independence.

Did you know?

As you walk up the steps to the building which houses the U.S. Supreme Court, you can see, near the top of the building, a row of the world’s law givers, and, each one is facing one in the middle, who is facing forward with a full frontal view.

It is Moses and he is holding the Ten Commandments!

As you enter the Supreme Court courtroom, the two huge oak doors have the Ten Commandments engraved on each lower portion of each door. As you sit inside the courtroom, you can see the wall, right above where the Supreme Court judges sit, a display of the Ten Commandments! There are Bible verses etched in stone all over the Federal buildings and monuments in Washington, D.C. James Madison, the fourth president, known as “The Father of Our Constitution” made the following statement: “We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”

Patrick Henry, that patriot and Founding Father of our country, said: “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Every session of Congress begins with a prayer by a paid preacher, whose salary has been paid by the taxpayer since 1777. Fifty-two of the 55 founders of the Constitution were members of the established orthodox churches in the colonies. Thomas Jefferson worried that the Courts would overstep their authority and, instead of interpreting the law, would begin making law, which is an oligarchy, the rule of few over many. The very first Supreme Court Justice, John Jay, said, “Americans should select and prefer Christians as their rulers.”

How, then, have we gotten to the point that everything we have done for 235 years in this country is now suddenly wrong and unconstitutional?

We are “One nation under God.” It is said that 86 percent of Americans believe in God. Therefore, it is very hard to understand why there is such a mess about having the Ten Commandments on display or “In God We Trust” on our money and having God in the Pledge of Allegiance. Why don’t we just tell the other 14 percent to Sit Down and Be Quiet! Oh, that’s right, if I tell someone who does not agree with me to be quiet, they will say I have no tolerance. Seems a bit confusing and very hypocritical if you ask me, but that is just my opinion. Everyone is entitled to have their opinion on any matter, but, facts are facts. The facts are that our wonderful country was founded on God and godly principles and that will always be true.

Please don’t forget to pray for our soldiers, whoare still fighting for our freedom, to come home safe and soon.

Tony Guadagnino is Pastor at Christian Love Fellowship Church

If you look up the word “Independence” in the dictionary, you might find an archaic definition showing that the word refers to someone who is competent, someone who is able.

Of course, if you look up a very similar word – “independent,” you are more likely to see what you thought the other word independence meant: “not subject to control by others.” Then again, in Merriam Webster, you might also read “not bound by or committed to a political party.” Wow, there’s a definition of the word that probably surprises you.

I have been talking to a lot of people about this great country of ours lately, and, as I have done so, I have heard far too many people who are totally and utterly bound to a particular political party, much to the detriment of the entire country.

As a Rabbi, I cannot help but compare July 4th to the Exodus story in the Bible. You see, the story of the Exodus wasn’t just about personal freedom. It was about national freedom, and, while we rejoice in that great American document, the Declaration of Independence, July 4th isn’t just about individual independence. It is much more a celebration of our achieving national independence.

We, the American People, achieved independence from British tyranny. We no longer had to rely on Britain or British Rule. A new nation, a great nation, was born. But it is only if the various states of our nation, and the populace of each of those states, realize that it is what binds us together that makes the difference.

In the third verse of the Shema, we read about the Tzitzit, the fringes that are to be worn on the corners of our garments. When we read about the Tzitzit, we traditionally gather the fringes together in one hand. Let this be a reminder that, on this 4th of July (while we watch the fireworks displays together, whether we are white, black, yellow or brown … Jew, Christian, Muslim or Atheist … having come here from all corners of the Earth), we should focus less on our differences and more on what binds us together.

Let us think of Betsy Ross. She didn’t tear the material for the flag apart. No, she took individual pieces of material, separated by size, shape and color, and she sewed them. She bound them together.

Oddly enough, rather than Independence Day, perhaps we should be celebrating In-Dependence Day, for each one of us is a part of those Stars and Stripes – the Red, White and Blue … and maybe it is time for us to admit that we are dependent on one another, and this great country is dependent on each and every one of us.

As Neil Diamond wrote, “On a boat or on a plane, they’re coming to America.” I have talked with many people from overseas and, let me tell you something, there are still many people around the world who have the dream that we or our ancestors or our ancestor’s ancestors had. They long to be able to come to America. They long to raise their hand. They long to recite the oath that enables them to proudly say, “I am an American,” and with those simple words, they will feel more freedom then they have ever known.

May G-d Bless each of us and may He Bless these United States of America. Shalom my friends and a very happy 4th of July.

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and serves in this capacity in a number of Health Care settings in the area including Advocate Home Care Services and L’Chayim Jewish Hospice in Partnership with Catholic Hospice of Broward County.

By Rev. Dennis Andrews

Meet to Beat the Heat sounds more like something the Oklahoma City Thunder are trying to accomplish than a community gathering at a church in Deerfield Beach!

Our Meet to Beat the Heat will begin at 6 p.m. this Saturday at Community Presbyterian Church on A1A five blocks south of Hillsboro. We may not have room for the massive crowds of a Heat Thunder game, but we have plenty of room for you!

Everyone is invited to this fun-filled, come-as-you-are event.

One purpose of the event is wholesome family fun for people of all ages.

Pizza, stir fry with organic and home-grown vegetables snow cones, will be served. Activities include face painting and “Veggie Tales” for children. You can enjoy upbeat Christian music while you eat.

Another purpose is to celebrate Maria’s House Montessori School. This amazing pre-school has operated on church grounds, one block from the beach, for years and will now operate as a Christian Montessori pre-school. The school’s new name is Steeple on the Beach Montessori School.

The gathering’s main purpose, however, is to share the love of Jesus Christ. This is the central reason Community Presbyterian Church was founded in Deerfield Beach not long after World War II.

The summer heat of south Florida may oppress some people and drive others north for cooler temperatures, but thousands of us enjoy Deerfield Beach year round. Summer can be a great time for us to get together.

The prophet Jeremiah says, “Blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green and they never stop producing fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

Fruit from this Saturday’s gathering will include learning more about two of our community’s stellar nonprofit organizations – the Boys & Girls Club and Gateway Community Outreach. They will be on-hand to share information about what they do.

You don’t need a reservation. There is no fee for admission. You just need to come. Call the church office at 954-427-0222 or e-mail communitych@bellsouth.net for more information. Learn more about the church at w w w . c o m m u n i t y ch.org, or from the Community Presbyterian Church, Steeple on the Beach, Facebook page.

See you Saturday @ Six!

Rev. Dennis Andrews is the pastor at Community Presbyterian Church.