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142 E. Court Street E-mail:
Church Secretary |
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Pastor Lisa Webb |
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November 2007 Musings from
the minister His name was Simon, but we know him better by the descriptor that follows
his name: the Zealot. Simon the Zealot is virtually unknown to
us. Not a single word he ever said or
a single deed he ever did is recorded in the Scriptures. The only thing the Bible tells us about
Simon is that he was a Zealot. Yet, in
this one potent word we can see a man of flaming enthusiasm. Like the peephole in a wooden fence through
which one can view a great hillside, this word “Zealot” reveals a great deal
to us. In Jesus’ day, the Zealots
were a loosely-structured organization of what we would today call guerrilla
fighters. They were fiercely committed
to liberating Palestine from Roman tyranny.
As a zealot, Simon had to be a certain kind of person. He had to be an idealist, thinking his side
could actually win. He had to be a visionary,
looking ahead to the liberation of his people. He had to be sincere, believing the cause
to be right. And he had to be
dedicated, so dedicated that he would willingly give his life in the
struggle. When Simon put his faith in
Jesus, he abandoned his old commitment and embraced a completely new
one. He had found something more
important than the cause; indeed, he had found the Christ. He had met the true Liberator, and nothing
would ever be the same! Woodstock Presbyterian
Church is at an important crossroads as a community of faithful
disciples. We can maintain the
ministries that God has led us to over the years, or we can become like Simon
the Zealot and enthusiastically embrace a new calling to enhanced ministry
through our giving in 2008. To be zealously ready as a
servant and steward of Jesus Christ is to live with a heightened sense of
responsiveness to God’s leading. It is
to be on the lookout for ways that we can do good in our community and world,
letting the light of Christ shine through our words and actions. Woodstock Presbyterian Church is poised to
lead our community in faithful, joyful, enthusiastic response to God’s love
and goodness in Jesus Christ. I pray
that you are ready to be a part of it all. Simon the Zealot, according
to church historians, ultimately gave his life for Christ, dying as a martyr
for his Lord. Let us be zealous in
giving our lives for Christ, following where he leads, being faithful and obedient
to call in each of our lives, and looking forward to great days ahead in
ministry together! Pastor Lisa |
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~Bio~ Reverend
Lisa Webb, known to all as “Pastor Lisa,” has been serving as pastor of the
Woodstock Presbyterian Church since July 2004. Her husband, Reverend Randy Webb, is serving
as pastor at
the Nineveh Presbyterian Church in
Front Royal, Virginia.
Lisa’s two daughters, Anna and Ashley, and her four stepsons complete
her family. The
energy and enthusiasm of Pastor Lisa has been instrumental in the addition of
a variety of new programs, Bible studies, and outreach in the community. She has taken a leadership role in several
community organizations and promotes the cooperation and fellowship of the
various churches represented in Woodstock.
You can catch her at one of the Central Campus schools helping out in
one of her children’s classrooms or getting one of her many much needed cups
of coffee at one of the local establishments in town. She is an outgoing and very accessible
person and you will find it is easy to get to know her. Pastor
Lisa has served in churches in Kentucky, North Carolina, West Virginia and
Virginia and she rejoices in the opportunity to serve in her home Presbytery,
growing up on a farm in Rockbridge County.
Her Presbyterian roots are deep and her call to serve a church that
embraces its call to reach out to the unchurched is strong. She feels truly called to be a servant of
God in the local church, working with the congregation to build up the body
of Christ in its place and around the world.
We
invite you to share in our many worship opportunities at Woodstock
Presbyterian and to take the opportunity to meet Pastor Lisa and the members
of the family of faith that await you here.
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