TRIP TO SENECA FALLS, NY

View from our house.
(Click photos to enlarge.)

Once again, thanks to Lenny Pappano, we enjoyed a satisfying conference in Seneca Falls, NY last weekend. Lenny first hosted this conference last Fall alongside the largest "Finger lake" of upstate New York, Lake Cayuga. The conference last Fall has become known as, "The First Bi-Annual Seneca Falls Conference," because it now looks like we'll be visiting this beautiful part of the country both times of the year when it should be warm but really isn't: Fall and Spring.

There I go complaining about temperature again. I was joking with Dan Sheridan over the weekend that I just want to straddle the Equator. "Do you think I will be warm then?" I said.

Woman straddling Equator at Ecuador. Does anyone
know her? I would like to marry her.

"You'll probably have to wear a sweater," Dan said.

We love this area, not only for the lakes, but for the wine. Our favorite wine is a Cabernet, Merlot blend  called, "Moonglorious." As far as we know, the only place it's sold is at the Eleven Lakes Winery in Seneca Falls.

In case you did not realize it, God gave wine to gladden the human heart (Psalm 104:15).

Clyde, Dan and me, sufficiently gladdened.

The place we meet is rustic and includes a fireplace, which must be continually stoked with large chunks of wood, also known as "logs." But this is fun, actually. There is something satisfyingly primitive about throwing logs on a fire, watching the sparks, and staring at the dancing flames. This is how people stayed warm in the old days--and also how they burned down their homes on a regular basis. We kept everything under control, however, and did not burn down a single thing. (I did drop a heavy window on my thumb on Saturday, but this was the only injury of the weekend. I am fine now; I had a thumb to spare, thank God.)

Fireplace at the meeting place.

The meeting place.

Informal, Friday night gathering.

I am doing something to make "Dr. Winbigler" (Win Allabough) and others laugh.
(Why isn't Dan Sheridan paying attention to me?)

James Flanders knows what he's talking about.

So does Douglas Witherspoon of Virginia.

My sister Kelly talks to Carole from Toronto.

James Flanders still knows what he's talking about.

I love these conferences because I get to hear other speakers glory in the glory of God. On this outing, it was Dan Sheridan, Clyde Pilkington, and James Flanders. I also got my licks in, of course.

I'm going at it in Seneca Falls, happy to be near the fire.

Back entrance/exit, whichever you want.

Kelly photographs her brother while balancing coffee.

Can't gripe about the scenery.

James Flanders, it turns out, is a wonderful speaker. Well, why wouldn't he be? He used to be a notable at a large church in Florida, but was persecuted out of town when he started seeing and teaching the salvation of all. James has suffered much at the hands of religious lunatics (sorry for the redundancy), but there is no training like suffering for delivering God's Word. When you have suffered, the truth oozes out your pores. This is the case with James, Dan, and with me. We speak truly because we have suffered truly. Nothing is theoretical; it is all too real. Come to one of our conferences and experience it sometime.

Once again, Lenny put us up in a nice house along Lake Cayuga. Some of the best times of fellowship, then, were spent in this house.

Our house at dusk.

Dining at Wolffy's, across the road.

Trees in bloom line our driveway.

Back porch fellowship and study.

My section of the table.

Dan Sheridan explains the meaning of life to James Flanders.

"You are probably wondering why I called you all here."

Hard at it.

Nathan relaxes.

Clyde, me, Nathan, on the way home.

On the way home wearing C3's shades.

Thank you, Lenny Pappano, for another memorable adventure in Seneca Falls.

Would you consider a Fall conference at the Equator?

Copyright 2013 by Martin Zender.