Images

2005

Home

 

Pesach 2005
Get rid of the old hametz (leavened dough), so that you can be a new batch of dough, because in reality you are unleavened.  For our Pesach lamb, the Messiah, has been sacrificed.  So let us celebrate the Seder not with leftover hametz, the hametz of wickedness and evil, but with the matzah of purity and truth.  1 Corinthians 5:7-8 Jewish New Testament
Carolyn and I have been involved in Passover Seders for the past 15+ years, but the Pesach Seder at Gates of Praise was very special.  We had an overflowing crowd of about 60.  Greg & Linda had gone above and beyond with their decorating skills.  The low tables and cushions for reclining made it all the more festive and authentic.
Linda makes last-minute preparations.                  Greg & Curtis pose like the dancers on the wall.
The ELEMENTS of PESACH
1. Candles     2. Four Cups of Wine    3. Horseradish     4. Bitter Herbs             5. Matzah           6. Haroset
Everyone starts arriving and is really excited about participating in the Passover Seder.
Beth & Brad Seese	Duke & Myrl Peeler, Becky & Kate Jones, Christi Rhykus	The Jones Family
As the Seder begins, shofarim are blown...
Candles are lit....                  The Seder Plate is prepared with Bitter Herbs, Haroset and Matzah...
The 4 Questions are asked...                       and the Passover story is told...
From the very young...         to the not so young...
Fellowship and a time for Praise and Worship with Danny Fox and Jeff Williamson...
Purim 2005
Linda lights the Shabbat Candles.	Jo, Brad, Beth, Alex and Savanna waiting for the play to begin.	Future Praise & Worship dancers, Helen & Clara Jones
This was our third annual Purim play.  Parts were assigned spontaneously the night of the play. The story, in play format, was read, and fun songs were sung.
King Ahashuerus casts aside Queen Vashti when she refuses to come at his beckoning call, and chooses a new Queen, Esther, from all the beautiful women in his kingdom...not knowing that she was Jewish.
Vashti: "Who does the King think he is?  I'm the one with royal blood!"	Everyone chuckles as Haman (Boo! Hiss!) is costumed and led to the front of the room for his part.	The King's Wiseman and Attendant.
Haman, Vashti, Ahashuerus, Esther and Mordechai.   Esther is pampered & perfumed before she comes to the King.
Doug Williams (left) and Greg Lilge (right) seem to be enjoying themselves.
Haman has to robe Mordechai and lead him through the streets on the King's horse shouting "This is what the King does to the man he chooses to honor."  Queen Esther goes before King Ahashuerus and tells him of Haman's evil plans to kill the Jews.  In the end, Haman gets what's coming to him when he is hung on the gallows he had built for Mordechai.
NEW SONGS  For the 2005 Purim Play
Tune: "FLIPPER TV THEME"   Lyrics: Curtis & Carolyn Loftin All: They call him Haman, Haman, King’s Royal Advisor, Feels no one should be, more honored than he, And we know Haman, is a man of dishonor, At the end of this story, His own gallows he’ll see. Haman sings: The King wants to honor you and not me, How in the world, can this ever be, Wearing royal robes, on a horse led by me, For all of Persia to see!
TUNE: RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING Lyrics: Curtis D. Loftin Haman's song: Raindrops keep falling on my head, I hate Mordecai, I wish that he was dead, These Jews aren’t for me, Those raindrops are falling on my head, They keep falling. So I just did me some talking to the King, Made up some things about the Jews, I am so mean, And ugly as can be, Still raindrops are falling on my head, They keep falling. But there’s one thing I know, Those Jews they won’t defeat me, Just today, Queen Es-ther stepped up to greet me. Raindrops keep falling on my head, Soon ole Mordechai will finally be dead, On a gallows built by me, And, I’m never gonna stop the Jews by complainin', Soon I’ll be free, With Mordecai on that tree.
2005 Purim Cast Photo
Wiseman (Bruce Jones), Attendant (Becky Jones), Narrator (Carolyn Loftin), Zeresh (Linda Lilge), Queen Vashti (Myrl Peeler), Haman (Greg Lilge), Mordechai (Andy Melnyck), Esther (Lynda Lilge), King Ahashuerus (Doug Williams)
Dan Fox Ministers at GATES Of PRAISE
On January 21st, Danny Fox ministered at Gates of Praise in Praise & Worship and some wonderful Jewish-roots teaching. Other musicians included Hal Mosteller, Solomon Lopez and Mike Fox.
Wine & Hamantasen, Good Praise & Worship, and a little Hebrew Folk Dance help to make the evening complete.
Everyone coming together to worship Yahweh!
Evangel Assembly of God, Gastonia, NC
Posing for photos at Evangel Assembly.
13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.  Jeremiah 31:13
It might have been a practice time, but the worship was no less real.
Our costumes were bright & colorful, reflecting a variety of textures and flavors.
Evangel was warm and receptive to our dance ministry.  We had a great time dancing during their Praise & Worship service, too.
Gates of Praise Dancers 2005
Praise Ye the Lord!
The men and the women spend a little time posing for photos.  Curtis loves to take pictures.
"O Give Thanks" by Paul Wilbur is very worshipful with its 3/4 timing and melodic melodies.
"Sing & Dance" by Jonathan Settel is a favorite snappy performance dance.
David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.  So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.  And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD and she despised him in her heart.  And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.  And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight; and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.  Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.                                                                      2 Samuel 6:14-16, 21-23
TNT Club Teens-In-Touch with God
Carolyn teaches Spanish at Bunker Hill High School in Claremont, NC.  She also co-sponsors the TNT Club (Teens-In-Touch With God).  In March of 2005 when the students found out that she & I taught Israeli folk dance, they invited us to come and teach the group some dances.  Mayim and Hora are always favorites.
Remember your hand positions: Right hand up, left hand down.
West Middle School
Christi Rykhus has been dancing with us for 7 years, but she also teaches Social Studies at West Middle School in Lincolnton, NC.  Each year when they're studying the Middle East, she always sponsors an Israel Day.  In December 2005 she invited me to teach Israeli Folk Dance to three groups of 7th Grade students.
I had just retired from teaching 8th grade math for thirty years in May of 2005.  This was my first time to be back in the classroom since I had retired.
This was my first time teaching Israeli Folk Dance to a group of kids this age, but they did great.
"This is called a brush step"                                            "Step Right & Left & Right & Left & Right, Clap-Clap, Clap"
"I can't seem to get my feet to cooperate!!!"                      "That's it!  Now you've got it.  Cross in front, then Behind"