Joy To The World

"Do not be afraid; for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all people: to you is born this day in the city of David a savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger."


Christmas Eve service at College Park

Home Moravian Church-Old Salem

Old Salem is a restored Moravian village in Winston-Salem, NC. The Moravians, a group of Christian from Moravia in what is now the Czech Republic, founded Salem in 1766. ("Salem" means "Peace."

In this photo, Home Moravian Church is reflected in a window of one of the 18th century houses.

Torah Scroll

One of the Torah scrolls at Temple Emanuel. The cover depicts the Garden of Eden. Near the top on the right is a metal pointer that the reader uses to follow the lines without touching the page.

Interesting Greensboro facts: In 1949, Greensboro voters elected Benjamin Cone as mayor; I'm guessing that he was one of the few Southern Jewish mayors in the 1940s.

In the 1950s, an African American instructor at NC A&T asked if there would be any problem if he attended services at Temple Emanuel, in what was still a racially segregated city. The rabbi's response? "Come on."

Read more about Temple Emanuel here.

Temple Emanuel Prayer Shawls

Greensboro's Jewish community has been an influential part of our city since the 1890s. As part of its centennial celebration, Temple Emanuel hosted a Jewish Festival, featuring Jewish food, music, and tours of their new building.

Here are the prayer shawls worn by members of the congregation when they read from the Torah.

Pumpkins

Pumpkins for sale at Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church. For more pumpkin photos, check the "More Photos" link to the right.

Staircase

A staircase at Westover Church, taken at night.

We Love Pumpkins, Yes We Do...

Every October, the front lawn of Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church is transformed into a giant pumpkin patch. Today, I saw how 45,000 pounds of pumpkins arrive there. They come on a big truck and are unloaded one at a time and are passed from hand to hand down a long human chain.

Pray For Rain

We've gotten 5 inches of rain in the last 4 months. Trees and shrubs are dying, and the lakes that provide our water are drying up.