Pastor_David's blog

The difference between the gospel and religion like the difference between night and day. To watch a young man reciting a poem about this click here, to watch Tim Keller explaining this click here.

At the end of Mark 12 we read of a poor widow who went to the Temple in Jerusalem and gave two small coins as her offering to the Lord. The combined value of those coins was less than one penny. It wasn’t much, but Jesus said that this widow had given more than anyone else. Why? Because it was all she had. She gave God everything. By giving this way, she was entrusting her entire life to the Lord.

All Christians are expected to do the same thing. (Read more)

I loved this article by Russell D. Moore. (Read more)

My wife’s maiden name is Valle (Spanish for “valley”). I tease her that her favorite line in Handel’s Messiah is “Every valley shall be exalted” because she thinks it’s about her family. (She doesn’t find this humorous.) But if you asked me what my favorite line is in The Messiah, I would have to say that it is the last nine words of the third piece – (Read more)

Please come worship Christ with us on Christmas morning. We will have only one worship service that day -- 10:30AM. Hope you can come!

A ruling by a New York State Court is upholding the NYC Department of Education's policy of refusing to rent to groups for the purpose of worship (even though school buildings are regularly rented to community groups for other purposes.) Leglislation has been introduced that would keep school districts in the state of New York from discriminating against churches like this. If this is an issue of concern to you, please let your NYC Council member and your New York State senator or assembly member know what you think. To learn how to do this, click here to read some instructions written by Pastor Jon Storck.

This morning the US Supreme Court announced its decision not to review a court ruling that upheld the NYC Department of Education’s policy of refusing to rent public school facilities to religious groups for the purpose of conducting worship services. This means that around sixty congregations in New York City will have to find new places to worship by Sunday, February 19, 2012. Among these churches is our sister QPC congregation, Grace Fellowship Church, that has been meeting at PS 150 in Sunnyside, and at least four other churches in our denominational network. Let’s be in prayer for these congregations to be able to find places to worship. To read a newspaper article about the court’s decision click here. To read an essay by a pastor whose church meets in a school click here.

There will be a congregational meeting for all members of Queens Presbyterian Church on Sunday, December 4 at 5:00PM at the Astoria Center of Israel Synagogue, 27-35 Crescent Street, Astoria. The purpose of the meeting is to vote on new elders for QPC. To view short videos of the elder candidates click here.

My favorite thanksgiving hymn is one that I love, not only because of the lyrics and the melody, but because of the story behind it. It reminds me how much I have to be grateful for, and that, as one redeemed by the blood of God’s Son, I truly have reason to give thanks in all circumstances. (Read more)

When I started reading the Bible regularly as a teenager, I remember being baffled by how obsessed early Christians were over food. Several times in the New Testament, the Apostles had to warn churches not to engage in food fights – i.e. not to argue over what kinds of cuisine were appropriate for believers, not to look down on others because of their diet, and not to feel morally superior because of what they allowed (or didn’t allow) onto their dinner plates. (See 1 Corinthians 8 and Romans 14.)

To me this seemed very strange. I did know that some Christians got worked up over the consumption of alcohol and the use of tobacco, but it seemed weird that anyone would waste so much emotional energy worrying about food. At all the church potlucks I attended, people just loaded their plates with whatever they liked and enjoyed their meal without giving it a second thought. Boy, have times changed! (Read more)