#10 Dear Jonathan, Sarah, Joshua and Christina,
#10 Dear Jonathan, Sarah, Joshua and Christina,
It’s a perfect crisp April day here. Sap season is done. Several cousins boiled this year. And I dropped off a quart of maple syrup when down last month. I hope you enjoyed it. Remember walking through Grampa’s snowy woods and creek? He always seemed strong to me. Now he moves slowly. And you kids have broken his heart. He doesn’t understand. None of us do.
I love you all. I will stop writing when you stop isolating.
Moving on to Pastor Jim LaRock. He is the construction guy turned pastor under Pastor Star Scott. Sent to take over Pastor Tony Wozniak’s Baltimore church. Now goes by the name Calvary Temple of Gambrills MD. Pastor Jim’s older brother Chuck LaRock was also a pastor at Calvary Temple of Sterling VA. He abruptly quit the church several years ago. Will not speak of it. Divorced his wife. Is in real estate now. Pastor Jim and wife Maryanne have been accused of also splitting up families. I have been contacted by a few individuals who have gone through hell there. Maryanne has cut off her siblings. Pastor Jim has been in the news for costly and lengthy appeals against his Maryland county board. He represented Calvary Temple Church, Inc. to prevent the building of an elderly facility near his parsonage. According to the news report he felt it would disturb his peace and tranquility. My goodness, he’s a pastor, you’d think he might be glad having a community of elderly near. So he could visit. Getting to know the residents and offering comfort in times of distress? Pray for and tell them of God’s love?
Children, these pastors are self-serving. They fleece you. Remember when we had sheep. Recall when we had a man come to shear the sheep? That is what these men do. They are takers. You and I are givers. It’s hard for us to say no to these folks. Because we naturally like to work hard, and give to others. But Jesus is so careful for us. He warns us. Here’s a couple warnings.
Matthew 7:6a “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs.”
Ezekiel (I love Ezekiel!) 34:2,4,5 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?…You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bound up the injured, brought back the strays, or searched for the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty. They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild beasts.”
I love you. Jesus loves you. But stop doing bad things, do right.
Mom
