Iona's Baptism

 

Any attempt to deprive infants of the right of membership, 

is a virtual attempt to set aside the laws of God.

The church being essentially the same under both dispensations, 

and baptism having been substituted for circumcision as the initiatory rite, 

it followed, as a matter of course, 

that infants still retained the right of membership,

 and consequently were baptized. 

~Ashbel G. Fairchild, Scripture Baptism, Its Mode and Subjects 

There is but one church,

one people of God,

extending from the beginning to the end of time. 

It's membership consists of believers and their households. 

~Robert Booth

If the church is one under both dispensations; 

if infants were members of the Church under the theocracy, 

then they are members of the church now, 

unless the contrary can be proved. 

~Charles Hodge

A church feast

Two Proud Grandmothers

Iona's Family

Iona Smiles

Peter pointed out that in an early church council of Carthage,

around the year 253 AD,

where Cyprian was one of the chief characters in the discussion,

it was decided that an infant is not required to be 

eight days old before he can be baptized.

Happily Married

Peter & Melody Wedding

Iona Has Come

Newborn

Labor was tough, 

but Greg was very supportive.

Sutter Davis has an excellent birthing center. 

http://www.sutterdavis.org/services/birthing/

 Two Dolls

Greg's Girls

We loved singing around the piano

in the evenings.

Another Gift

Little Lady

October 31 is Reformation Day

Friday, 31 October is the birthday of all Evangelical and Bible-believing churches. On 31 October 1517, Dr. Martin Luther launched the Protestant Reformation with his bold stand at the Castle Church in Wittenberg.

Freedom and Productivity

Western civilisation has been blessed with the greatest freedoms, productivity and prosperity ever known in history. The liberty, standards of justice and creativity enjoyed in Western civilisation is a direct result of the Protestant Reformation of the 16^th century.

Reformed Theology

Peter was in the library to use their internet and came upon the book, "Encyclopedia of American Religious History." As a general book viewing the Reformed tradition from the outside, it is interesting to see how it summarizes the Reformed tradition (i.e. Calvinism, Presbyterianism, Dutch Reformed, German Reformed, etc...). It gives five distinctives that characterize Reformed teaching. 

The first is God's sovereignty, especially as it plays out in salvation.

The second is the doctrine of human depravity. 

The fifth is the importance of doctrinal formulations and orthodoxy. 

But the third and fourth distinctives are especially interesting, due to the tendencies in some contemporary Reformed circles to move away from them, especially the fourth:

"Third, Christians in their personal behavior must be obedient to the laws of God that are revealed in the Bible. The church, too, should conform itself to the mandates of Scripture and eradicate all ceremonies that lack a clear biblical precedent.

"Fourth, the Reformed tradition has consistently emphasized that religion is not merely a private affair, but demands an engagement with society. Church and culture function together in creative tension. Despite its fallen state, the world belongs to God, and Christians must help to transform it into the image of God's kingdom." (volume 2, p. 598-599)

Paul & Janelle Wedding

Book Merge

I feared when Peter set Melody's books in order, he would not have enough room for his. Yet when his work was complete, there was ample room for both! ~Es

Peter said, "All your books are here, so you won't have any distractions!" ~M

Peter & Melody at Daniel Boone Frontier Village Chapel in Missouri

Peter, portraying the young minister
William Sterling Lacy
 for "Pioneer Days."  

 Pipe Organ

 On the right is the pastor's study.

Newborn Tia

Cousins 

 Grandparents

 The Guys

 Cousins

 Grandpa and Mercy

Uncle Jodavid

You are a bridegroom of blood to me.

Here's the link to David's teaching:

http://trinitycovenantchurch.net/sermons.html

The sign of the covenant was rejected by Zipporah,

therefore

God was about to put Moses to death because

he was renigging on his responsibility.

Baby Tia

From two years of age, when Dinah carried 

her newborn brother, Victor, out the front door, 

we had to keep an eye on Dinah because 

she loves babies.

A woman giving birth to a child has pain 
because her time has come; 

but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish 

because of her joy that 
a child is born into the world. ~John 16:21

Auntie Melody and Gma. delight in 

Dinah's long awaited child.

Some months before Dustin came into our world, Dinah asked girls entering the Bakersfield abortion clinic if they would let her adopt their child, to no avail. 

Just 13 months after their wedding day, God has granted the desire of Dinah's heart.