Sunday Evening Thoughts

Today on the church calendar is what is remembered as Ascension Sunday...the day we recognize and "celebrate" when Jesus was caught up in the clouds and ascended back into heaven 40 days after His resurrection on Easter Sunday.  You can read more about that in the first chapter of Acts, with particular attention to the following verses:

Acts 1:9-11 Jesus Ascends to Heaven

9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 

10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 

11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Our Pastor preached a very good sermon on this topic today, and if you wish to hear the whole message, you can watch it here, right after the choir sings.

This morning before breakfast we were reading our daily devotions and scripture verses, and this was also the topic for today.  When I got to these verses above, I was overcome by emotion. It took me back to when I was a little girl, sitting in our church services in the old church building, where these two big stained glass windows adorned each side of the sanctuary:

On the right side was this one above, the Ascension of Jesus Christ, and on the left side was this one below, of  Jesus as The Good Shepherd.   I've written about this before, and the link is below, but today in particular my mind went right back to that picture depicting Christ ascending in the clouds, and I can remember as a child thinking about that and wondering how He did that...because at that time I didn't really understand the whole story of Jesus overcoming death and then going up into heaven right before their eyes, and also hearing the angels stating that He would come back again in the same manner! But as I grew in my relationship with Christ and studied the Bible more, the wonder and amazement that I felt as a little girl actually became even more pronounced, and so much so that even today I was overwhelmed with emotion in thinking that one day we will see Christ coming back in the clouds to call us all up to heaven to be with Him forevermore... But in the meantime...

Psalm 47

"1 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples!

Shout to God with the voice of triumph!

2 For the Lord Most High is awesome;

He is a great King over all the earth.

3 He will subdue the peoples under us,

And the nations under our feet.

4 He will choose our inheritance for us,

The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah

5 God has gone up with a shout,

The Lord with the sound of a trumpet.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises!

Sing praises to our King, sing praises!

7 For God is the King of all the earth;

Sing praises with understanding.

8 God reigns over the nations;

God sits on His holy throne.

9 The princes of the people have gathered together,

The people of the God of Abraham.

For the shields of the earth belong to God;

He is greatly exalted."

I think it is amazingly appropriate that today also marked a Day of Prayer for our Nation to turn back to God...Reclaiming our nation for Almighty God, because our country was founded as "One Nation, Under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."  And also that even our monetary system proclaims, "In God We Trust".   I didn't get to watch any of the proceedings at the Washington Monument in our Nation's Capitol today, but I hope to see some of it tomorrow on YouTube.  However, we definitely prayed for our nation this morning in church, and in my heart it felt good to know that churches and people throughout the country would be doing the same thing.  I do believe God is at work in our midst, and there are some very good things ahead. May we continue to pray.

You can Click HERE for another post on the back story on these windows.  And I thank my sister Doris for these current pictures of the new windows that have replaced the old ones in that same building, which you can read about in that post linked above.

I was going to write some other stuff and show a few pictures from the past couple of days, but I think I will save that for another day and  just close this post now with all of the above giving us all much food for thought and prayer.  

So until then, good night my friends. Be blessed.

 

Friday Foto Friends: Tavares Methodist Church--The Way I Remember It! With a Big UPDATE!

February 13, 2026: Good Morning Friends!  I am going to go back in time and update this post for a second time, because I have some wonderful news to add to this story!  Last night as I was reading on Facebook, I discovered a post about this church building that was really exciting to me!  I know many of you have already read the original post that was written first in 2011, and then updated in 2021, but rather than write a whole new post I wanted to add the newest information here so that I will have it for my own personal historical content and memories.  So please look for the new additions throughout this post, as they will fulfill some of the "desires of my heart" regarding this old church building...

(6/11/2021) I originally wrote this post back in 2011, when asked by an old school friend if I would write something for the new website at the church where I grew up.  So I will include that original post here, with a few additions or edits to bring it back to now.  However, please note that I wrote it originally with that dear old church family in my mind..."The Way I Remember It".

"I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord.'" Psalm 122:1

Original Post, 7/23/2011

The picture of Jesus and the Lambs I have included above represents to me one of my fondest memories of the old First Methodist Church building that I remember best.  Although this picture of a stained glass window is not one of the windows from that original building, it is the closest depiction of that window I have ever seen. When I found this little postcard it brought back such sweet memories of Sunday morning services as a child, gazing up into the serene face of Jesus as He cradled the lamb in His arms and carried it to a place of safety.  I can honestly say that this was the first impression of Jesus that I can remember...and it has often given me comfort.  As a matter of fact, it was this vision of Christ that came to my heart this past week as I wrote in a previous blog entitled, "My Father's Cane", which was written about my father, Bill Mursch, whom many of you will know and remember from his days as a former member of Tavares FUMC. As a matter of fact, we held his memorial service in your current beautiful sanctuary just a very short time ago.   http://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-fathers-cane.html.  (in May of 2011)

If anyone has any good color photographs of those beautiful stained glass windows from the old original church, I would love to have a copy.  I know we all mourned the loss of those magnificent windows when the former "new church" was so tragically lost to fire several years ago. As I recall, the other window was of the "Ascension of Christ" up into the clouds... (see Acts 1: 9-11) and I often pondered over that vision so many times in my childhood and youth...wondering just what it would be like to be "caught up into the clouds" with Jesus someday...a day which could be closer than we think. 

Latest UPDATE 2/13/2026:

Here's the good news regarding this old church building and those magnificent stained glass windows that I remember from my childhood...this is a copy of the article I read on Facebook:

"Cheryl Ritchie

Spdoortens c770g9F14t1iMP:t b1em5gl1yham8 lr600i hlf3rm4u81ata3 ·

Exciting News from Tavares!

At 96 years young, our father Gene Smith has renovated a historic 1923 church – where he and some of us kids attended back in the 50’s and 60’s. Now his children have turned it into The Legacy at Church Hill Center, a beautiful new event venue! After two years of hands-on family renovation (with help from his five kids and grandkids), we’re blending timeless charm with modern vibes for weddings, gatherings, and more.

Highlights from the renovation: We transformed the Sunday school rooms into offices (the easy part!), fixed collapsed ceilings, shored up floors, rewired everything, upgraded plumbing/AC/roof, and restored those stunning stained-glass windows and heart-pine floors. It was a bigger project than expected, but Tavares city support made it happen!

“It’s more than a venue- It’s a family legacy,” says Dad. We’re thrilled to share it with the community!"

For details. www.thelegacytavares.com 

And here's the pictures of what they have done:

This is the outside of the old church building, with a fresh new look.  When the original Methodist Church decided to build a brand new church building on a different property,(1968), they sold this building to another church, who used it for many years, but they were a small congregation and really couldn't afford to maintain the old building as needed. So apparently they sold the building to the Smith family, who were members of the orginal congregation back in the 50's and 60's, when my family also attended there.

This is what I was so excited to see...they actually replaced the old original stained glass windows that had sadly been destroyed by fire in the other "new church building", and restored them to their original location here in this building.  

This one is "The Ascension of Jesus Christ"...Jesus being taken away in the clouds after His resurrection...

And here they are installing the one of Jesus, "The Good Shepherd", holding the lamb in His arms.

I can't tell you how thrilled I am to see that they were able  to replace those windows, and that they will still be a part of that lovely building.  

This is the 96 year old man who is responsible for having this restoration completed...Mr. Gene Smith. I remember him from my childhood.   Amazing man! Sure doesn't look like he's 96, does he?  I am thankful for his vision and generosity and commitment to restoring this beautiful old church building. And even though it's not going to be used as a church any longer, it will stand as a testimony to the faith of those who once belonged to this congregation and worshiped the Lord there for many many years, nurturing the souls of so many, including me, as a little child, who looked up into the face of Jesus in those magnificent stained glass windows and wanted to know more about who He was.

Now here's the rest of the original post, with pictures from my memories at that church building...

Rev. Ed Montfort - 1960

Steve Sperry in front of Chapel at MYF Camp -1965



I wonder if we truly realize the impression and impact such things as stained glass windows, peaceful sanctuaries, sacred hymns, an open Bible, a welcoming hug from a Sunday School teacher on an early Sunday morning, and a word spoken in truth and love from a dedicated Pastor may have on a young impressionable child. 

I still remember the pastors of my childhood and youth from the Tavares church...Pastor Ed Montfort, Rev. Dick Knight, and Pastor Randall Parsons.  They each played a significant part in my life...Pastor Montfort took me through confirmation and pronounced me a member of the church at the tender age of ten.  Rev. Knight encouraged our youth group and inspired us to reach out to our friends and invite them to MYF and to go to the MYF Camp in Leesburg. (of which I later became a summer youth counselor...my first "job"!)




Rev. Dick Knight - 1965  and
then below....at my sister Doris'
wedding on February 11, 1966-----





Our wedding, Aug. 16, 1969 (in the "new church building")- Rev. Randall Parsons on far right with
Organist Louise Caldwell on far left, and soloist, Carolyn Parsons (Campbell) next to her!

And then of course, Rev. Randall Parsons...came along in time to encourage me in my walk with Christ as a young woman preparing for marriage...and actually performed our wedding ceremony in the  "new church building" in 1969.


Thank you to Mrs. Bunny Rapalje for her faithful picture taking of almost every event of my life!!! Perhaps you will find yourself or one of your friends in some of these classic vintage pictures! 

VBS 1957

VBS - 1958

I have so many other memories...memories of Vacation Bible Schools...   and Sunday School classes and my efforts to earn my "perfect attendance" pins each year... My Sunday School teachers that I can remember were: Miss Marion Duncan, Mrs. Virginia Duncan, Mrs. Peggy Matthias...and I am sure there were a lot more. 

Sunday School 1957

Easter 1957

Easter Sundays with our funny little flowered hats, stiff petticoat dresses and new white patent leather shoes...

Easter Sunday 1958?



Children's Choir - 1958


And then there was the wonderful Children's Choir directed by Mrs. Venona Jones, a retired preacher's wife.

Church Christmas Party 1962, with Miss Tripp as our music teacher

Yes, these are just a few of my precious childhood memories from being a part of the First Methodist Church of Tavares.  There are so many other thoughts, images, and convictions that became a part of my spiritual make-up as a result of these early positive influences.  

You see, one cannot simply sum up early Christian teaching in just one blog.  My life was so impacted by the people, the music, the preaching, the teaching, the youth groups, the Sunday School classes, the Vacation Bible Schools...that I went on to become a preacher's wife myself!  So much of what I learned at Tavares Methodist Church became an integral part of my spiritual growth and development...and God took those seeds, planted and caused them to grow and blossom into mature Christianity...a way of life and a Christ-centered relationship that I have shared with so many others throughout the years...only God knows for certain what impact and how far reaching those early impressions have made on the lives of those with whom I have been privileged to know.

Thank you, Members of Tavares First Methodist Church, both old and new, for your part in the transformation of my life!  

May God continue to richly bless your church as it continues to follow in the footsteps of Jesus...the "Church at the Crossroads where the Cross Lights the Way..." (or something to that effect I recall was the theme when the church moved to its present location) 

P.S.:  I just found this little Sunday School pin in my very old jewelry box.  I am sure I must have had some others, and maybe even some for Perfect Attendance, but they are long gone.  But this one is a little treasure from my early days in Sunday School. So thankful for those memories:

I hope you enjoyed reading this again, with the current updates. My prayer is that the newly transformed "Legacy" building will be used to bring a lot of joy into many people's lives,  and that the same Spirit of God's abiding presence will still be present, bringing peace and joy into the hearts of those who come and participate in the joyous occasions that will be held in that place.  And who knows? Perhaps a new church family may actually develop and grow in that space once again...anything is possible with God.

Friday Fotos : Things Are Looking Up!

 Hello Everyone!  I hope you have had a wonderful week! Here we are again...another Friday already!  (writing on Thursday night, however).  Some weeks just seem to drag by and we get to Friday and I have nothing to share with you...and have to go searching through the archives.
But this week seems to have been a good week for photos.   Or perhaps I've just been more observant than usual. That may be a good sign that things are looking up and I'm feeling more like participating!  Possibly because we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and there is a sense of optimism in the air that everything is going to be okay.

I wonder what Mrs. Cardinal is trying to say to Mr. Cardinal..."Hey Red, Do you think we ought to tell the children where we are getting these seeds from?"

 "It might be easier than us having to keep taking the seeds over to them and feeding them one by one...seeing's how there are three of them over there waiting in the tree for their food!"

And then "Red" secretly showed up on my new window feeder, right in front of me as I was sitting here working. I don't think he told Mrs. Cardinal about his secret stash of the good stuff!

There she was. left on her own to keep gathering food for her youngins.  But they all looked healthy and happy and that's what matters! Things are definitely looking up!

After watching the birds here at home, we headed to our woodsy place to take our morning walk.

I was happy to see this beautiful "Buckeye" butterfly flitting about. He landed long enough for me to take his picture, and then off he went.

Here's another sweet little yellow wildflower, which I will have to look up and find out the name.

 Okay, it is a Piriqueta Cistoides, subsp.caroliniana.  Click HERE for more information.  I know you want to know!

Someone had cut up a tree and left the logs sitting in an area where people like to dump stuff in the woods. At least this is biodegradable.

 I wanted to gather them up and take them home and make stools to sit on in the yard for whenever we get a firepit.  But it would be easier to cut down one of our own big dead trees and do it right there than to try to lift these heavy stumps and haul them home.  Anyway, I appreciated having a little place to sit down and rest for a spell.

And then I got up and started walking again, and this beautiful Gulf Fritillary landed right in front of me and waited for me to take it's picture! I guess everyone was being quite the little "ham" today!!

Then we took a little ride out to the other side of town and down a road that we used to travel a lot before we moved over here as it was one of the routes we would take to come over back and forth. I have taken pictures of this old Florida "Cracker Style" house before, but I was inspired to take a few more pictures today. Now they have it all roped off with "Posted, No Trespassing" signs across the property, so I couldn't get any closer. Probably too many curious lookers have been stopping by.

  Can't you just envision the old folks that used to live and loved here? I hate to see it being let go to ruin, but I suppose it would be too costly to restore it.

 It's the style of house that I would dearly love to have (as long as it had indoor plumbing and electricity).  Here is a link to more information about Florida Cracker Style homes.

Yesterday evening I took this picture of a new rosebud on my Memorial "Don Juan" rosebush. See the cute little green grasshopper on it?

Here is that same rose this morning, and that grasshopper is still munching away.

So I thumped him off and cut the rose and brought it inside where I can enjoy it. This is yet another rose from our son's Memorial Rosebush, and again, it is blooming at another special time. Monday will be  the 6th anniversary of our son Matthew's passing, and I know I've told you this before, but this rosebush always seems to bloom around special dates in our lives. I always consider each blossom a gift from our son in heaven.

Tonight we took another walk, and I thought these clouds were encouraging...they look like rain could possibly be coming...but so far nothing. Please pray for rain! Our area of the state is very dry and that can be very dangerous when it starts getting so hot. Plus our poor little Still Waters Pond is really getting dry, and literally the waters are very still!

Seeing these clouds also reminds me that today is traditionally remembered as Ascension Day,  the day that our Lord ascended back into heaven, 40 days after His resurrection from the dead.  In the book of Acts 1:1-11, we see Jesus giving His last instructions to His disciples, and then in verse 9-11 it says:

9.  "Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched,

He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

10.  And while they looked steadfastly 

toward heaven as He went up, 

behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,

11.  who also said,

"Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?  

This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven,

will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."

I don't know about you, but I am so looking forward to seeing Jesus come back "in like manner" as the Disciples saw Him go into heaven. I pray it will be soon.  Yes, then we will definitely be "looking up"!  I hope we are all ready for that grand and glorious day.

Have a blessed and wonderful Memorial Day Weekend. I will look forward to hearing all about it next week!