I wanted to share this lovely letter I received from one of my brides. I love to perform weddings – not least because of the special relationships which develop.
We found Richard on the internet, which is a modern way to find a wedding official. But he is not a “modern alternative” to the traditional wedding, he is God’s upgrade, bringing love to an unconventional setting.
My new husband and I were thrilled with the prospect that his eleven year-old son, Cody, would become part of the ceremony. This was not only important to us, but the wedding guests were so touched by the “Family Ceremony” many cried at its tenderness and wished they had done that for their own children in their second marriages. It meant so much to me because it is my first wedding and now only child – the mirror image of the man I love and vow to honor.
Rev. Gordon was more than an official, his experience and powerful oration made him the perfect sanctifier of an already blessed union.
We are grateful. My husband and I feel that finding Richard was from the same hand that lead us to find each other.
Thanks, Richard
Fondly,
Sondra Dee
During the week, I work as an Architectural Photographer. The following is an article posted in the blog of Meg and Jim Zoller – The Zoller Group of Keller Williams Realty, The Metropolitan.
Digital Pictures Set-up. . . Need Help Anyone???
Richard Gordon, who specializes in Architectural and Real Estate Photography in Houston, Texas, gave a short seminar to Realtors recently in a brownstone that was for sale. He had taken the beautiful advertising pictures for the home. My daughter, Kristin, and I took the opportunity to attend.
Among the many topics he discussed were:
Where you can take basic digital photography courses,
Equipment that you really need to take the photographs,
Lighting,
Set-up,
Post production.
The one section that caught my attention the most was the “set-up” of the pictures to show the rooms which are photographed in the best possible way. I knew when I was listening to him that this section wasn’t too far over my head. I already knew a few of the tips, but I learned more. He taught us to:
Shoot the pictures from the corners of the room. It makes the rooms look larger.
Tell a story about the home by the pictures that you take and how you arrange them. Take them as you would normally proceed to tour the home yourself.
In order to make rooms look larger you need to use your imagination. Plan your pictures. One way was to not take a picture of the corner of the room where two walls meet. If the picture ends before the corner is seen, then it makes the room seem to continue . . .and to appear larger.
All lights should be turned on. Move lights around to get the best lighting you can if it’s necessary.
Turn off all the ceiling fans so that the fan won’t blur your picture.
Close any blinds upward so that you get better lighting for the pictures.
Sometimes it’s necessary to move furniture to get the picture to balance better.
Sinks need to be neat and tidy and the faucet should be turned directly forward or perpendicular to the wall.
There were other ideas that he discussed, but I think these are the ones I needed to focus on.
If you would like to have Richard Gordon’s contact information . . .please let me know and I’ll happily give it to you. He will take photographs for all your marketing needs.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (I Peter 2:9)
There are lights that flood a room and reveals that which is hidden. There are lights that shine as a fixed reminder of eternal truths. There is another kind of light, however. It is the search light of compassion and concern. It is the light that moves out into the darkness to seek the lost. This is the light of the shepherd who leaves the ninety and nine and goes out on the hillside to find the one sheep who is lost. It is the light a woman shines looking for a precious coin. It is the light of a loving God who will not let us go.
Halford Luccock asked his two granddaughters what they wanted for their birthdays. “Give us a world,” they responded. Soon he deduced that what they were asking for was a globe. So happily granddad went shopping for a nice large globe that would spin and would be an attractive addition to their room. Expectantly, he waited their pleasure on their birthday as they opened their gift from him. Somehow when the present was opened, however, he sensed they were disappointed. “What is the matter?” he asked. “I thought this is what you wanted.” “Well, yes,” said one of them, “but we were kind of hoping for a lighted world.” Immediately he understood that what they wanted was a globe with a light inside.
“I can fix that,” he said. “Let me take it back and exchange it for a lighted one.” Unfortunately the store where he bought the globe did not sell lighted ones. So he got his money back and set out to find a lighted world rather than a darkened one. Finally, he located a globe with a light in it, bought it and presented it to his granddaughters, who were delighted. Telling a colleague about this, he was asked if he had learned anything from this experience. He said, “Oh, yes. I learned one thing. I learned that a lighted world costs more.”
A lighted world does cost more. It cost God His Son. If we are serious about letting our light shine in today’s world, it will cost us something as well.
God of light, with Jesus as my inspiration, may my light shine brightly in this often dark world. In Jesus Name, Amen.
A baby naming ceremony is a wonderful occasion that is practiced by many faiths and can also be performed as a baptism, a baby dedication, a christening, or a baby blessing ceremony. Regardless of what the ceremony is referred to a baby naming ceremony of types occurs across all religions and cultures and it basically embraces the child’s new life and makes promises to the child in his or her new life.
Some of the common features that occur in these baptismal type ceremonies are discussed below in today’s article.
Commitments and promises are made to the baby by the parents as well as godparents that are chosen by the parents for the child. The adults in the child’s life are asked to attend the baby naming ceremony and they typically include family and friends who are close to the family and have common religious beliefs. These are people who will have some influence over the child’s life and will often be called upon for support or guidance at some point for the child during the child’s life. People should understand that not only the godparents but those adults merely attending the baby naming ceremony are making a commitment to the child’s life and well-being.
Choosing godparents is another common tradition of these types of ceremonies. The role of the godparents is very important because they are responsible for and must promise to ensure that the child is raised according to the chosen faith, they must be able to take care of the child as well in the event that the parents cannot do so.
During the ceremony the child is joyously welcomed into the community and is also introduced to the community. Baby baptism gifts are given and a baptism party often follows the ceremony as well. Parents, family, and friends have the chance to worship and share the news of the child’s birth and introduction into the community.
Of course during a baby naming ceremony the names that have been chosen for the child are announced. The mother and father proudly identify their baby as an individual and the name chosen is explained during the ceremony. In many cultures the name given may be that of a deceased family member to honor their memory, or the name of another family member or friend is given to the child. Basically, the name and the reasoning or meaning behind the chosen name is explained.
Please contact us for a complimentary phone consultation and let’s discuss your requirements and the type of ceremony you wish to have. Please allow Houston Minister Services to create a ceremony that you and your family will cherish forever. Please also continue to view other articles in our Minster Services blog for more information.
My Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
We look forward to seeing you at our Biker Church Sunday January 24th at 10:00 AM. This will be the celebration of our Second Anniversary! It’s hard to believe that we have been meeting to build each other up, as we praise the Lord, for two years. God is good … All the time. And all the time … God is good!
As we begin our third year as a family, we have some exciting new developments to reveal:
Biker Bible Study
1st Tuesday of every month @ 7:00 PM, beginning February 2nd, at the home of:
Norm Cooper
20223 Emerald Cliff Ln. (in Lakemont Terrace)
Richmond, TX 77469
713.806.6569
832.595.0191
Biker Devotional & Ride
Due to popular demand, we will meet on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of February at 10:00 AM for a short devotional followed by a time of riding and fellowship. We hope to be able to visit and support local churches, and are looking for your input concerning our activities on these occasions. We will continue to meet every 2nd & 4th Sunday at 10:00 AM for our regular Biker Church. If there is enough interest, we intend to make these devotionals an ongoing part of our monthly Biker Church calendar. We continue to meet at:
County Line Bar & Grill
19412 FM 1093
Richmond, TX 77407
This is a BYOBB&B Church: Bring your own Bible, Bike and Buddy. Remember, only God can turn an icehouse into His house!
Bikes For Trikes
1st Annual Spring Hog Run
March 6, 2010
GOE HD
1350S. Velasco St.
Angleton, TX 77515
KSUP 11:00 AM
Jericho Ride
April 18, 2010
Prayer still proves effective in pulling down spiritual strongholds and on 4/18/2010 we will ride & pray and come seeking breakthrough for our city & nation. Go to www.jerichoride.com and join us. It’s a ride like no other. After the ride, we will come together for a time of corporate prayer & fellowship.
Houston Ablaze 2010
Motorcycle Rally & Ride, Restoration & Revival
May 20-23, 2010
Houston Farm & Ranch Club
1 Abercrombie Dr.
Houston, TX 77084
The purpose of Houston Ablaze 2010 is to lift up the West Houston Ministries in Glory to God, using the Christian motorcycle community as a conduit to bring the lost into this area’s Body of Christ. Through the preaching of His gospel and the fellowship of the spirit, the intent of “Houston Ablaze 2010″ is to share an understanding of His great love for all who would call on His name.
Pastor David challenged us to build the House of God in our lives in 2010.
This Food For Thought speaks to successful living:
And it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
The only path to true success comes when we daily take up the cross of Jesus Christ. Even a self-centered generation knows that self-denial is the path to success. But listen. There is a catch. Self-denial will not bring us fulfillment if we only live for ourselves. We may say, “I am not doing this for my husband or my wife. I’m not doing this for my children. I am doing it for me.” Fine. That may help you stay on your diet. That may help you keep up your studies. But it will not bring you ultimate fulfillment. Ultimate fulfillment comes only when we say, “I’m doing this for God and God’s people.”
I heard once that our will and God’s will is like this, “Imagine a person carrying two buckets, one of them filled with oil and one filled with water. Now they are completely filled so that you cannot pour the oil from its bucket into the water bucket because there is no room and besides oil and water don’t mix.
Now imagine that one of these buckets is you and your will and your purpose and your plan for your life and the other is God’s will and plan and purpose for your life. Before you can know God’s will and plan and purpose for your life you’re going to have to empty your bucket to receive what God has to give. Now whom do you trust the most to know where real purpose and joy, satisfaction, and peace lie with you or with the heart of God?”
The key to truly successful living is to deny ourselves in order that God may fill us to overflowing with God’s presence and power. As Paul said in Galatians 2:20, “and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.” There is the path to real success. If we who are followers of Jesus would learn that one simple truth, we could turn this world upside down.
Dear God, fill me with the saving power of Jesus Christ, as I pick up his cross of salvation everyday. In Jesus Name, Amen.
On behalf of Pastor David and Sister Olga, may the blessings of God be upon you and we will see you this Sunday at 10:00 AM.
Brother Richard
Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all. (Mark 9:35)
In our scripture reading today, the disciples and Jesus are on their way to Capernaum. During their travel the disciples start arguing about who was the greatest. When they got to Capernaum Jesus asked them what the were arguing about. They were silent. They were embarrassed. Jesus called all the disciples together and said, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.”
But what is a servant? In our society today, few of us have a real appreciation of what being a servant is all about. A servant is simply one who puts others needs before their own. This is not always easy to do, as demonstrated by the disciples in our text today. But, being a servant is what we are called to do, and being a servant makes us great in the eyes of God.
Dear Lord, you are the greatest servant of all by ending your son to die for my sins. Help me to put the needs of others before my own. In Jesus name, Amen.
My Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
On behalf of Pastor David and Sister Olga, I want to wish you and your family a happy, blessed and prosperous New Year. May 2010 bring you the desires of your heart.
We look forward to seeing you at our Biker Church Sunday January 10th at 10:00 AM. We’ve missed you and are anxious to once again enjoy your fellowship. It has been wonderful to share the holidays with our relatives but we are really hungry to spend some quality time with our Biker Church family.
Over the New Year weekend we had the opportunity to participate in a couple of benefit runs and were able to meet some great new brothers and sisters. We met and were warmly welcomed by members of a number of clubs including: 3rd Coast Strokers MC, Raw Impact MC, Hard Riders MC, Los Guys MC, #1 Stunnas MSC and the Slapaho Riders. To see some pictures from these events go to:
http://picasaweb.google.com/GordonArchPhoto/CancerRun#
There are a lot of terrific bikers out there riding a variety of scoots and it was a pleasure meeting some more of them. To everyone we met; please accept this as an open invitation to visit us every 2nd and 4th Sunday at your Biker Church. We meet 10:00 AM at:
County Line Bar & Grill
19412 FM 1093
Richmond, TX 77407
This is a BYOBB&B Church: Bring your own Bible, Bike and Buddy. Remember, only God can turn an icehouse into His house!
Jericho Ride
April 18, 2010
Fashioned after the battle plan God gave the armies of Israel in their defeat of Jericho in Joshua chapter 6. After Joshua and the army of Israel marched around the walls of Jericho seven days and then seven times on the last day, the walls of Jericho came tumbling down.
Prayer still proves effective in pulling down spiritual strongholds and on 4/18/2010 we will ride & pray and come seeking breakthrough for our city & nation. Go to www.jerichoride.com and join us. It’s a ride like no other. After the ride, we will come together for a time of corporate prayer & fellowship.
We want multi cities to join-in so if you know someone in another city willing to lead the folk in there area, please have them contact me. 2009 was good, 2010 will be awesome, we need breakthroughs & God hears prayer.
From my good friend Pastor Johnny Price here is some Food for Thought for the New Year.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Heb 13:8
Should auld acquaintance be forgot.
And never brought to mind!
Should auld acquaintance be forgot.
And the days of auld lang syne!
“Robert Burns” 1759-1796
Should is from Old English—it means–”Shall”
auld is Scottish—it means–”OLD”
auld lang syne is Scottish—it means in English–”the good old times”
So in English it would say:
Shall old acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind!
Should old acquaintance be forgot
And the days of Good Old Times.
Happy New Year to all my friends, and may this be the best year of your life. Love yourself, love your life, love your Lord. This is the day the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it. The New Year can be like being born again. Let the old pass away, behold all things become as new. Fight and resist the devil and he will flee from you. You are loved by the Lord, and his light will guide your path.
Father in Heaven, thank you for new beginnings, thank you for Jesus, and may this be the best year of my life with YOU. In Jesus name, amen.
God bless you and your entire family.
Brother Richard
For those who want to save their life will lose it, and for those who lose their life for my sake, and for the gospel, will save it. (Mark 8:35)
In our scripture reading today, Jesus said, “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and for those who lose their life for my sake, and for the gospel, will save it.” Jesus wants us to hear that going our own way leads to the loss of life, not only life in God’s eternal presence, but the fullness and fulfillment of daily living. In my own life, I feel a whole lot better about who I am when I am following God’s desires.
I remember once reading a story about the presidency of Lyndon Johnson. Bill Moyers, the President’s press secretary and a minister, was asked to offer the mealtime prayer. He began by praying quietly. President Johnson became somewhat irritated and interrupted him. He said, “Pray louder!” The press secretary looked up and replied, “I’m sorry, sir, but I wasn’t addressing you.”
It is important that we address God by making God first in our lives. When we do we will begin to experience what life is truly all about–experiencing and sharing God’s love, forgiveness, and hope. And then we will gain a life in God’s presence that will have no end.
Lord, today and always may I lose my life for yours. In Jesus name, Amen.
Wedding Tips for Wedding Invitations
Wedding planning is one of the most stressful yet fun things that one can have the pleasure of doing in their lifetime. Times are tough these days and so many couples cannot hire a wedding planner to help plan their wedding day. Many people are relying solely on the information they find online and through the help of friends and family’s referrals. In today’s article we discuss wedding tips as they relate to the wedding invitations in hopes that it can answer some of the most common questions.
Tip #1 – Complete your invite list before you order the invitations. Your list should be completed 6 months out and you should order your invitations shortly thereafter.
Tip #2 – Order at least 20-30 more invitations and envelopes than you plan to need (one also for a keepsake). You may decide to invite others, may have forgotten someone, you may make a mistake when addressing some of the invitations, or you may have to re-mail to another address. It is much cheaper to order invitations and envelopes in excess at the beginning then it is to place a brand new order.
Tip #3 – Order your invitation address labels at the same time that you order the invitations, and also order some labels for your thank you cards if you prefer. If you are ordering save-the-dates don’t forget to order enough labels for those too. Don’t forget to order return address labels as well! Keep in mind a way to cut costs in your wedding checklist is to print out your own address labels at home. Popular wedding tips also include making your own invitations at home as well! You can really have fun with home-made invitations if you are planning a beach wedding, a casual wedding ceremony, or if a couple is renewing vows.
Tip #4 – Ensure that you type or print names with the appropriate titles such as those titles associated with the wedding officiant (Reverend, Rabbi) or for those guests who serve our country (Lieutenant, Captain, Colonel). Additionally, ensure that you follow appropriate etiquette with regards to who should actually receive an invitation. For example, anyone over 18 that is living at home with their parents typically receive their own invitation, and if two people live together, or are married but have different last names then you should use both of their full names on one invitation.
Tip #5 – Take an invitation fully stuffed just as it would be sent out to the post office to ensure that you receive sufficient postage. Not only is the postage requirement determined by weight but it is also determined by size. You should also take into account that odd shaped (non-standard shaped) stationary most often requires extra postage regardless of the weight. Wedding tips like this come in useful when trying to save money.
For more wedding tips and information on how to create the perfect wedding ceremony or if you are in need of a wedding officiant, please contact us at Houston Minister Services or continue to view other articles in our Minster Services blog.
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