It was a cold, blustery, January day in New England, yet our spirits were high as we stripped wallpaper and painted walls to freshen up our kids newly purchased first home. It was just perfect for their growing family; complete with a room dressed in pink for my 2 year old granddaughter, plus a nursery for the little one on the way.
Though exhausted from the tasks at hand, we were driven with anticipation and excitement
of the upcoming moving day that weekend. In the midst of the day there would be an OB appointment – seemingly just a regularly scheduled appointment that gave none of us any reason for pause. However, within a few hours our hearts and minds would be in upheaval at the report from that appointment there was cause for concern for the wee babe – my second grandchild – who my daughter- in-love was carrying.
The next few days were a blur filled with specialist appointments and waiting for test results that left our stomachs in knots, all while moving our children into their long awaited goal of their first home. When Monday morning dawned we received the news; test results revealed the baby had full Trisomy 13.
Lori Peterson, pictured holding her grand-daughter, BNA Baby Erica Joy.
As a Mimi and a Mom, both roles I deeply cherish, I can only describe the feeling I had as anguish. Anguish for my granddaughter, who already had a spot in my heart and I loved dearly, though only 12 weeks in the womb. Anguish, likewise, for my children, in seeing their hearts torn at the relayed news, and me not being able to fix it – after all, as a mom, this was what I longed to do!
My mind was filled with prayers and pleading to God on behalf of my granddaughter and my children – I held nothing back – asking for grace, mercy, and yes, even miraculous healing. I desperately wanted to know how to love and support my kids best. They in turn loved their baby girl whose long term future, they were told, was very grim.
I, nor anyone I knew well, had ever heard of Trisomy 13 until this point. For the next several nights – into the wee hours – I researched, Googled, and prayed for God to give insight and lead me to resources and help as I, and the rest of our family, journeyed alongside our children. Through this process God lead me to find the Be Not Afraid website.
There was one seemingly big problem, however. Be Not Afraid was in the south and I and my children lived in New England, which are many miles apart. It seemed like a long shot in getting help from that far away, but I was desperate after looking for hours, finding nothing even close to resembling it near me. I filled out their contact page and within hours had received a reply which asked if we could connect by phone. Within a day or two I was on the phone with a Peer Minister.
I remember entering the conversation with an overwhelming sense of fear, hopelessness, and complete inadequacy. By the time the conversation ended, though still feeling very inadequate, I likewise felt empowered. I would now be able to help guide my children, along with the rest of our family, along this path God had chosen for us because…
1. I believe God is in control of all things and is always with us, and…
2. We now had a support network (through BNA) committed to walk by our side as a resource, guide, and prayer warrior, albeit from afar. Words do not sufficiently convey the gratitude I have for BNA.
The next several months were long and hard as my kids faced many appointments, with little news of encouragement and hope. Each step of the way my children were amazingly courageous as they walked in their pain. Through all of it, broken as we were at the realities given by the medical community, we embraced our sweet girl, who her parents named, Erica Joy, after my son, her daddy, Eric. Our BNA peer minister relayed to me that she had once heard the definition of “Joy” said to be, “the most infallible sign of the presence of God.” I loved, clung to, and tucked this away forever for this sweet child, our little Erica Joy, who at 37 weeks, went to the arms of God.
Never have I witnessed or experienced such pain as that day. Her soul, we knew, had already passed into heaven when her body was brought into this world. Still we met her, loved on her, sang to her, and thanked God for her, all the while clinging to and looking to that day when we will one day be reunited forever in Eternity.
We celebrated Erica’s short and significant life with a private family burial. The following day my husband, Senior Pastor of our church, presided over a beautiful memorial service that about 180 people attended. Following, we went outside where we let pink balloons – our Erica Joy balloons - float up to heaven.
Erica Joy is loved and missed every day! Her big sister, Madelyn Rose, often reminds us “Baby Erica is with God,” when a song, word, or conversation about heaven or God is spoken. You see, Erica’s short little life impacted and changed not only me, her Mimi, but our entire family forever.
As the Mimi, I would like to say it changed me for the good, as I know God’s desire is to use all of our life – not just the joys, but also the sorrows - for His purposes. In saying this, I hope that some of what I learned from my granddaughter’s life can help others who may find themselves on a similar journey. Offered below are my suggestions for those who have a grandchild prenatally diagnosed with a lethal or life-limiting disability.
1. Become informed
For me, this meant doing research and providing my children with materials that could help them understand, process, and move forward through the pregnancy and birth. BNA gave me many resources to draw from – books, other websites, etc., that I was able to either guide my children through or pass on to them. The books I gave them to read, I read myself, so I could understand, prompt discussion, or listen intelligently as they processed.
2. Be their biggest advocate
Affirm them often in the wonderful ways they love their unborn child. I did this verbally, and in written form – text, email’s, and cards I gave to them. Solicit prayer for them. Our church body and dear friends from near and far rallied for our children and family on their knees. I am confident God carried us because of these prayers.
3. Be a good listener
Though very imperfectly, I tried to listen to not only the spoken words, but the unspoken words that were being harbored in my children’s hearts. At times I would try to prompt them to share these- letting out their fears, tears and sorrows for release. Sometimes this was appreciated, and other times it was apparent it was just too hard and the best thing I could do was to just give a hug and go to prayer on their behalf – asking God to meet them in their struggles.
4. Be willing to do the hard stuff
As time went on my husband and I were asked to do other tasks by my children. These included keeping up their Caringbridge site (a super helpful tool to communicate to the masses, so repetitive conversations don’t need to happen), securing a photographer to come take pictures at Erica’s delivery, as well as making all the impending funeral arrangements – a task that was much too daunting for them to undertake given all they had on the minds, hearts, and plates.
5. Help keep the child’s memory alive
My home is full of photos of my grandchildren, including Erica. It is a constant reminder to others of the important place she has in my life. I also had a hardbound photo book made for myself and other family members. Talk frequently about the beloved child. In our family we talk about Erica all the time! We haven’t forgotten her and never will. Visit the grave if you are able. I find myself at Erica’s grave almost weekly.
6. Remember significant days and dates
These include anniversary dates and holidays. I continue to note monthly of the date of Erica Joy’s passing. At Christmas my husband and I gave monies in Erica’s memory to an organization that cares for orphaned, sick children. We presented to Erica’s parents a pretty packaged box that held a card telling them this, along with their other gifts.
7. Be a grace giver
Do this for others as there will undoubtedly be things said that are insensitive and just plain unhelpful. People generally do not intend to say hurtful things, but when faced with an uncomfortable situation, rather than just giving a hug or offering prayer, they insert their whole foot in their mouth. I found online a great list of “dos” and “don’ts” to say to grieving parents. I freely handed these out to people who would comment, “I just don’t know what to say.”
Likewise, give grace to yourself. I realized early on, my inadequacies in being able to provide “perfect” care for my children as I walked alongside them. Find support for yourself – a safe place to cry, to be prayed for, and to be a lifeline for you! This may be found in a spouse, trusted friend, counselor, pastor or a combination of them.
8. Be Present – during and after
I have already suggested many ways to be present during the pregnancy and impending birth, yet it is vitally as important to be present after you have said goodbye. Everyone grieves differently but everyone needs to be allowed to grieve. For my family, we found comfort in just being together. We all knew what each other was feeling and didn’t need to explain anything. Once my son returned to work, my girls and I rallied together daily – just being together, which sometimes included outings to keep our minds from “thinking” too much. Our church showed their presence by bringing meals to my children (and sometimes the whole family) for three continuous weeks. Not only did this provide nourishment, it gave others who cared a tangible way to express love.
I sit here now, nearly one year to the day from saying goodbye to my beautiful
Pink balloons were released at Baby Eric Joy's memorial service.
granddaughter. I ponder her middle name – JOY. I am acutely aware that my heart is forever seared by this sweet child. I likewise am aware that growth has occurred in my life from this pain. I am able to give praise to God for all of it, for I know that one does not erase the other. I think this is the JOY – woven in and amidst the sorrow as only God Almighty can do. I look at life differently and try to cherish every minute of it. Heaven seems closer. I take fewer things for granted. My marriage is stronger for we tethered ourselves to one another in the storm, and anchored that tether to God. Our family is bonded tighter because we loved, stood with, and supported one another through it all. Our church learned tangible lessons about putting into action real-life caring. God has opened new doors and given me opportunities to use what I learned and to walk alongside others who are going through similar experiences. I am forever changed because of Erica Joy and I am forever grateful to God for her life.
By Lori Peterson (Grandmother to BNA Baby Erica Joy)


0214 The Virgin of Kasperov
1997. 58x50x2 cms.
Iconography broadly divides images of The Virgin into two su-categories. They are the “Hodegetria”[ Greek=”Showing the Way”] where The Virgin formally introduces The Christ Child to the world and “Oumileinye” [Russ. = “Tenderness”] which shows a greater intimacy and emotional love between Mother and Son. No greater example of the latter group is The Virgin of Korsun. The Virgin of Kasperov is a very close variant.
Like the Virgin of Korsun, The Virgin of Kasperov portrays only the upper part of the Virgin’s body but this icon emphasises the emotion between the two by increasing the close-up. There is no sterness in The Virgin’s gaze. She looks down lovingly at Her Son cuddling him closely with both hands. For His part, Jesus reaches up to clutch tightly to His Mother”s maphorion.A tender and personal relationship that is palpable.
Likenesses of the Kasperovskaya began to appear in the 16th cent. however it was not until 1640 after the Virgin’s intercession to relieve an outbreak of plague in the city, that her miraculous powers were accredited.
This icon was carved in wood in 1997 and signed “P.Shishuk”. Shishuk has carved a number altar pieces and icons that decorate churches in the Russian Federation. He has also had exhibitions in Germany and The Netherlands. This icon was purchase direct from his studio in Kazakstan in 1997.


The Eliot Family Vault Below the Chancel Window of St. German's
Since the purchase of Port Eliot in 1565, the Eliots of Port Eliot have had a large family vault below the Lady's Chapel (or Chancel) of St. German's Church. Family burials took place there until the close of the eighteenth century, at which time the family began to use their new vault in the "new" churchyard (now called the "Old Cemetery"). Lesser known, however, is the fact that – during the mid-18th century – the Eliots had built a small vault against the outside wall of the church, below the eastern Chancel window and in "the grounds of Port Eliot". The only recorded description of this vault states that it was made of brick.
"Discovery" of the Small Vault
This small family vault soon sank into oblivion, lost to time for nearly 200 years. Enter Montague Eliot (later 8th Earl of St. Germans), during the 1920s, with his series of excavations in the Port Eliot lawn between the house and the church, hoping to find the foundations of some old cloister walls or, better still, an ancient crypt. In April of 1928, newspaper reports stated that "on the whole these excavations have yielded much less than might have been reasonably expected, granted that the choir or conventual church stood on this site. The whole area seems to have been repeatedly disturbed in the 18th century for the constructions of brick and stone drains. Immediately below the east window of the church, on the outside, is a large vault of brick, built at the close of the 18th century to contain two coffins." This discovery may have been disappointing and worth little note to the excavators of the 1920s, but – in terms of the Eliot family history – this was a far better find than any ancient crypt or wall.
Identifying the Burials
Because the St. German's parish registers are incomplete and devoid of anything resembling record notes (not even do they differentiate between burials in vaults or the churchyard), a process of elimination became necessary to identify the burials in this small brick vault.
Catherine Eliot (d. 1798)
In later private notes, Montague recorded information about the discovery of only one of the coffins in this small vault. He had been able to see the coffin, identify it as that of Catherine Eliot (youngest daughter of Richard Eliot and Harriot Craggs) who died in 1798, and read the coffin brass. At the time, he removed a small silver screw from the coffin, keeping it in a very small, octagonal, silver box that was decorated with Chinese symbols. He slipped a note into the box that stated that Catherine had specifically requested burial in the gardens of Port Eliot, where she had lived so long and been so happy.
Harriot Craggs Eliot Hamilton (d. 1769)
Working backwards, the previous burial would have been Catherine's mother, Harriot, who died in 1769. In a codicil to her will, added just days before her death, Harriot had requested that she be buried "outside the Chancel Window of St. Germans Church that looks in Port Eliot Garden". This means that Harriot's coffin is the second one seen and reported in the 1928 news article.
The fact that Montague Eliot saw this vault and only recorded information about Catherine Eliot implies that he did not know who was buried in the second visible coffin. If he had been able to read the coffin brass for Harriot Hamilton, he would certainly have recorded the information. Harriot was a revered member of the Eliot ancestry, and Montague made several pages of other notes referring to her portraits and life. The only explanation for this omission has to be that the uncovering of this second coffin was inconvenient. If it had been beside that of Catherine Eliot, then the excavation work would have unearthed it as well, and identification would have been possible. This probably means that the second coffin, that of Harriot Hamilton, was under the coffin of Catherine Eliot. All of the Eliot burials in the second family vault (in St. Germans Cemetery) were done in this fashion, so it is probably safe to assume that the bare stacking of coffins is feasible for this small vault, also.
Richard Eliot (d. 1748)
In 1748, before the death of either his wife or his daughter, the burial of one more "key" ancestor of the Eliots of Port Eliot was recorded in the St. German's parish register. This was Richard Eliot, first husband of the aforementioned Harriot and father of Catherine.
Richard Eliot's name was not included on the 1890s Memorial Plaque for the Eliot family vault inside the church of St. German's. A strange omission which confirms the idea that someone knew that Richard was not buried in the church vault, even though the existence of his burial record in the parish register proves that he was buried at St. Germans. If not in the church vault, then where was Richard buried?
It seems obvious that Richard Eliot must have been the first burial in this brick vault below the Chancel window. Presumably, the third coffin was too low (perhaps already collapsed) to be seen from above in 1928. Why Richard would have chosen to be buried outside of the church vault and in the Port Eliot grounds has not been recorded. He left no will or letters written during the final weeks of his life. Richard was happy at Port Eliot and had done much to improve the house and grounds, so it seems likely that he shared the sentiments of his youngest daughter.
Richard is the patriarchal link between Sir John Eliot and the entire line of the Earls of St. Germans. Sadly, for such an important figure in the family's history, no record remains of the actual location of his (or his wife's) final resting place. No memorial in the church placed by loving wife or children. No headstone or tablet marking the vault itself. No notes in the family Bible. The answer to this conundrum may lie in the 1888-98 deconstruction/renovation of the church – particularly that of the east Chancel area and the re-glassing of the large window under which the vault lies. It is possible that some kind of marker/memorial was inadvertently removed, making a mystery of this vault's existence until Montague Eliot's discovery in 1928.
When was this small vault built?
Chances are good that records were kept at the time of this vault's construction. If so, they remain undisturbed among family papers stored at Port Eliot or those deposited by the family in the CRO in 2002. Without this documentation, however, there are still two facts that support the theory of the vault having been built in 1748. In fact, it would be fair to say that the vault was probably not constructed until late November of that year.
1) Consider Richard Eliot's burial. As he was dying, Richard travelled with his heir to London in a post-chaise, in order to settle his estate business, arriving just days before his death on 19 Nov 1748. It was with difficulty that he survived even the journey. He was not the first (or last) member of his family to die in town and be buried in the country. Those burials usually happened five or six days after the death, but Richard was not buried for a full two weeks. There was ample time for the journey back to Cornwall, so why wait so long? This timing would be explained perfectly if the brick vault below the Chancel window had to be constructed for Richard's burial, so it seems possible to date this small vault to this period.
2) Harriot Eliot Hamilton specifically requested burial in this spot in her 1769 will. While she did not refer to the vault itself, she makes no reference to the need for the building of one. Her actual date of death is unverified, though the Scots Peerage of 1904 states that she died on 01 Feb 1769, the very same date as her burial at St. German's. While death and burial on the same day is not uncommon with infants but uncommon for adults, Harriot was already dying when she added the codicil to her will, specifying the place of her burial, and the time element must be considered. Assuming that Harriot was indeed buried on the same day of her death, that would have left no time for the construction or preparation of a new burial place in the Port Eliot grounds. Even if she died two or three days before her burial, which is the more common timing, that doesn't allow enough time to prepare an underground, brick vault.
Locating or Visiting This Vault
Sadly, no marker or memorial remains near last resting place of Catherine Eliot and her parents. If it were not for the fact that the vault had come to light in the 1920s excavation and the location recorded in a manuscript at Port Eliot, this would have remained lost. You can visit the spot today by walking to the East side of the church and standing below the large window (area shown in photo above).
And he that was dead came forth.
St. John 11:44


A few weeks ago I had the privilege to sub in a Bible Study class at Second Baptist for a friend and was teaching on 2 Corinthians 3-5. I focused on Chapter 4 and Light … after teaching it was lesson that really stayed with me and I wanted to capture my thoughts …
The word “light” occurs 245 times in the Scripture with various, though significant meanings. Paul authored the letter to the church in Corinth after his own encounter with light. Acts 9:3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. This was the beginning of Paul’s conversion from persecutor of Christians to teacher and preacher of the Word. As I was studying this text, “light” was recurring in the text and I wanted to dig in.
The center of our lives is often HOPE; hope in the future, hope for change, hope for restoration, hope for love, hope for money, hope for acceptance, hope for success and hope for _________.
LIGHT gives answer and promise to HOPE:
- Light of Gospel — 2 Corinthians 4:4 the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
The events of the Gospel are often what we believe to be the Gospel – – 1st Cor 15:3-4 – Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. However, the Glory of Christ – the image of God – is the good news of the Gospel! A spiritual light that shines because of Christ and his redemptive work. As a sinner, we are lost with no hope. God begins to move in our lives, to call us to Him, oftentimes unbeknowst to us, through circumstance, encounter, person or event. Eph 1:17 God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in though knowledge of him, having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that you may know the hope to which he has called you. The light of the Gospel begins to shine on our hearts, illuminating a need for everlasting hope; a light that can not be seen with the physical eyes.
- Light in Heart — 2 Corinthians 4:6 let light shine out of darkness
The heart that is lost is dark; with no permanent light. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. The god of this world is Satan; who encourages us to fill our hearts with temporal pleasures attempting to fulfill a permanent void longing for everlasting hope. Upon recognition of sinful self and acceptance of Jesus the heart has eternal hope and the void begins to fill with the One who created the heart with a purpose to love Him. John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them saying “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”
- Light to World – – 2 Corinthians 4:5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
As believers in Christ, Christians have a treasure entrusted to us, mere “jars of clay” to “give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God” to the world around us. The world who is lost and without hope, just as we were before the light of the gospel pierced our hearts and took residence. We are called to show people who Christ is. John Piper explains it best: “… if you feel average or less than average in your sense of fitness to tell the gospel, you are the person God is looking for—a clay pot, who simply shares the treasure of the gospel, not the glitzy intellect, not the glitzy eloquence, not the glitzy beauty or strength or cultural cleverness. Then God will do his work through the gospel, and the surpassing power will belong to him and not to us. Be encouraged, ordinary Christian. You are appointed, precisely in your ordinariness, for the greatest work in the world: showing the Treasure of Christ.” “Light” in this context is to “render evident” – to show evidence to a world where your hope comes from. 1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,.
- Light Affliction — 2 Corinthians 4:17 for this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison
As followers of Christ we are not promised an easy life, we will endure affliction, but we have eternal hope despite the affliction. This world and our lifetimes seem long; but in the eyes of God this is but a blink of our eternity with Him. As Christians when we endure affliction we demonstrate our hope in eternity and belief in Christ. When a non-believer is faced with affliction (ie: illness, loss, death, financial, relational, family) the remedy is often self-help and resolutions which are product of the god of this world, Satan. Our position as Christians is to encourage the non-believer to see the hope that we have, to be a light in the world looking for hope. The ultimate affliction – death on the cross – was endured for you and for me, and not only endured, but endured with joy Hebrews 12:2 the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.
In a world that seems to constantly be longing for the “next big thing” to satisfy I am more and more aware how people are just longing for hope in something. The LIGHT is the only HOPE that will bring peace to all circumstances in life – the good, the bad and the ugly.
The light of Christ has given my heart hope and I want the world to see that there is hope ~ together as jars of clay we will endure this brief life as a means to an eternal fellowship with the King of Kings.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.


18615 Cypress Church Rd. Cypress, TX 77433
Service Time: Friday Nights @ 7:30PM
For those looking to fellowship and connect on a deeper level we have a covered dish meal before service each week. Just bring some food to share and meet us in the Fellowship Hall @ 6:30PM. Don’t worry if you don’t have time to cook. Just stop by the store on the way over or go through the drive-thru and join us anyway. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.


Margaret Perez Garza, 77, of Daingerfield, formerly of Westphalia and Lott, died Sunday, Oct. 9 at her residence. Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Church of the Visitation in Westphalia. Rev. Walter Dhanwar officiating. Burial followed in St. Mary's Cemetery in Westphalia.
Mrs. Garza was born June 9, 1934 in rosebud. She moved to Daingerfield 35 years ago. She was a member of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic church in Daingerfield and the Legion of Mary Society.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank V. Garza, daughter, Delores Garza, and sons, Michael Garza and Atanacio "Andy" Garza.
She is survived by her children: Gloria Garza Garcia of Tucson, Ariz., Eva Garza Muniz of Daingerfield, Dianne Garza Gilmore of Daingerfield, and Enrico Jose Garza of Seattle, Wash.; four grandchildren: Christopher Michael Garza, Dusty Ray Garcia, Thomas Anthony Garcia and Ashley Marie Garza; six great grandchildren: Christopher Michael Garza, Jr., Destiny Alexis Garza, Alyssa Marie Tarin, Christian Ethan Garza, Alissa Renee Russell and Joseph Andrez Garza.; sisters and brothers: Robert Perez, Alice Bolden, Cynthia Anderson, Manuel Perez, Mary Sims and Frank Perez, Jr.
Rosary was recited at 7 p.m. Friday at Cook-Gerngross-Green-Patterson Funeral Home in Rosebud.


This monastery is located 110 km from Addis Ababa and was first founded in 1284 by Abuna Teklhaimanot. The present name Debre Libanos was given by Zara Yaqob in 1445. This monastery retained its political significance until the Italian second time occupation and used as a shelter for many pilgrimage of Orthodox Christian.
This monastery was reconstituted again and many officials and famous people till the second round invasion of the fascist Italia were buried there. The modern church was built in the 1950 by Emperor Haile Selassie to replace the one which was destroyed by the fascist Italian during their occupation on 20 May 1937. Griaziani, who was the chief of the Italy very equipped troop, commanded the execution of 297 monks of the monastery and 100 of them were young deacons


Welcome to the second module of the Opencourseware "Bible and digital humanities" of the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium), created thanks to a 2023 grant from the équipe Université numérique, UCLouvain. This module will present some major features of the evolution of Greek New Testament editing in digital culture. Similar presentations would be required for the Hebrew Bible, or apocryphal and patristic literatures. As stated in the introductory module, this Opencourseware is a starter and hopes to motivate researchers in other fields of theology to teach the effects of the digital turn in their disciplines.
1. The New Testament at the heart of technological evolutions
The title of this first part is a historical observation: the New Testament has often found itself at the forefront of technological innovations in writing and the writing medium. This was the case in the early centuries of our era, when scribes were quick to adopt the codex - the book - rather than the volumen - the scroll - for copying the Christian Bible. Even more obviously, the New Testament was at the heart of the action during the advent of the printed culture.
We refer here to the emblematic scene of August 1514, when Erasmus knocked on the door of printer Iohannes Froben, as recounted by Patrick Andrist: “When [Erasmus] knocked incognito on the door of Iohannes Froben in August 1514, [he] had, as far as the biblical text was concerned and as far as we can tell, only the intention of publishing his Annotationes. Recent research is quite clear on this point: he had neither a complete Greek text nor a complete new Latin translation of the New Testament in his luggage. And it was only after their meeting, and perhaps thanks to it, that Erasmus decided to add to his commentary an edition of the Greek text as well as a new Latin translation” (2018, p. 139).
This printed New Testament, which was to mark the entire history of modern publishing, was thus born of an intellectual and pragmatic partnership between Erasmus and his publisher Froben, who took the front line in the 1516 princeps edition, with a dedication to the emperor. Erasmus, for his part, addressed Pope Leo X and the reader in his dedications.
From the outset, therefore, printing a book was a risky adventure, and the Novum Instrumentum omne is seen as a place of negotiation between author and printer, and then with the various readers, as evidenced by its very title, which addresses them in these terms: “If, then, whoever you are, you love true theology, read it, get to know it, and then judge for yourself” (“Quisquis igitur amas veram theologiam, lege, cognosce, ac deinde judica”).
The dialog between Froben and Erasmus led to the creation of an edition that dared to make revisions, emendations and annotations, in both Greek and Latin, and was conceived as a new instrument, with a claim to totality: indeed, the title of the first edition of this great work is Novum Instrumentum omne, systematically abbreviated to Novum Instrumentum. This can be verified by consulting the image on the title page of the first edition of 1516.
Omne - complete, whole, total: the term is lower-cased, and one might rightly wonder why the habit has developed of summarizing this work in modern editions by capitalizing instrumentum, but lower-casing omne. This choice no doubt stems from the imitation of the title of the second edition - Novum Testamentum instead of Novum Instrumentum. The instrumental innovation of the first edition quickly took a back seat to the theological polemics surrounding its content. The advent of digital culture today gives us the opportunity to take stock of the technological innovation represented by the Novum Instrumentum omne. The challenge of publishing this thousand-year-old text is no less great.
2. The Editio Critica Maior
While every student of the New Testament is familiar with the reference edition known as “the Nestle-Aland”, currently in its 28th edition, fewer will consult the impressive volumes published book by book in the Editio Critica Maior series, a project under the auspices of the Institut für Neutestamentliche Textforschung (INTF) in Münster.
The latest book to have been published is the Gospel according to Mark in 2021, and the book of Revelation is expected in 2024. A 2020 article by Keith J. Elliott describes the history and status of the advent of this detailed critical edition in print.
Based on multilingual work, the paper version of the Editio Critica Maior (ECM) serves as a benchmark for the entire discipline of New Testament textual criticism. However, as INTF Director Holger Strutwolf points out, “the ECM is by no means an end in itself, but rather the beginning of a new phase in the work of New Testament textual criticism” (2017, vol. III.3, p. VII). This evolutionary aspect can be understood in particular by the fact that digital culture has come to second the printed production of the ECM.
The relationship between emerging digital culture and ECM was synthesized in 2020 in an article by H.A.G. Houghton, David C. Parker, Peter Robinson and Klaus Wachtel. This article shows that, with the help of digital culture, the Greek New Testament can aspire to become almost an instrumentum omne: the ECM is understood as an edition on an “unprecedented” and multilingual scale - Latin, Coptic, Syriac, Armenian, Old Slavonic, Ethiopic and Gothic (Houghton et al., 2020, p. 98 and p. 99). Christian Palestinian Aramaic has even been included in the edition of Mark’s Gospel (2021, vol. I.2.2, p. 100-108).
Since the edition of the Acts of the Apostles (Strutwolf et al., 2017), the development of the ECM has relied heavily on a tool that came into being only ten years ago but has become a fundamental object of research for anyone wishing to check for themselves what's going on in New Testament manuscripts. Let's take a closer look at the New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room or NTVMR.
3. The New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room (INTF)
The New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room (NTVMR) was created back in 2013 by Troy A. Griffitts and is being developed today under the leadership of Greg Paulson, its operational director. It is based on freely available software that has been reused in several ancient manuscript projects.
Its conception and aim are discussed in a doctoral thesis that was defended in 2018 by Griffitts at the University of Birmingham, under the guidance of H.A.G. Houghton, Software for the Collaborative Editing of the Greek New Testament.
The NTVMR is more than impressive. Focusing on Greek NT manuscripts, it is gradually welcoming manuscripts in other ancient languages as well, and has over 1,600,000 images, progressively indexed and transcribed. A 13-minute video, produced in 2013 by Troy A. Griffitts, shows how it works. Some of the images are freely accessible, but others require expert access, which can be requested from INTF.
Prior to the NTVMR, the Codex Sinaiticus - Aleph, GA 01 or BL Add.MS 43725 - was magisterially put online in July 2009. This online publication can be seen as a symbolic moment in the accession of New Testament textual criticism to digital culture, preceded of course by several steps. But for the scholars present at the inaugural symposium in London, there can be no doubt that this digital production marked the beginning of a new era in research.
It is also worth noting that one institution has opened an online manuscript room where you can find numerous New Testament manuscripts. This is the Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts (CSNTM, Plano, Texas, USA), directed by Dan Wallace. We can only be grateful to both the CSNTM and the INTF for committing resources and manpower to making available to researchers precious witnesses to New Testament texts.
But what difference does it make to be able to see New Testament manuscripts? It's a fundamental epistemological revolution, the beginnings of which we're only just seeing. It is on this conviction that the five-year SNSF project MARK16 (2018-2023) was conducted, which has made 61 manuscripts in eleven ancient languages with folios from the last chapter of Mark available online.
This material is revolutionizing exegetical research on the end of Mark and has created a research synergy with over thirty scholars. After the publication of a Colloquium 2022 book with twenty articles on this theme, the Mark 16 dynamic continues: the SBL 2023 international colloquium hosted two sessions devoted to Mark 16.
If you’re working on a biblical pericope and a detail of the text intrigues you, don’t hesitate for a second to check it out in the NTVMR. Let’s consider, for example, 0171, a small manuscript containing a few verses from the gospels of Luke and Matthew. It was not immediately identified as containing an attestation of Luke 22:44 - the disputed passage about the angel and the sweat of blood - which appears in a small fragment at the bottom of the page.
Thanks to a collaboration between the CSNTM and the NTVMR, this fragment can now be seen. It is even more important as a clear study by Pasquale Orsini and William Clarysse in 2012 demonstrated that 0171 dated from the end of the 2nd century. This is the information given on the PSI online website, the home of this manuscript, even if it is not a papyrus. To see it is to know it better: no doubt this little witness, snatched from the oblivion of centuries by digital technology, will make its way into the discussion of the variant of Luke 22:43-44, as it attests to a period at least as ancient as P75, which omits it.
4. What next ?
If viewing New Testament manuscripts implies numerous reconsiderations and revisions for scholars, won't this fact also have repercussions for the Greek New Testament edition itself, likely to have to be frequently reconsidered in the light of newly available data? This type of question is of course on the minds of textual criticism scholars. A first series of explorations of the question were conducted by Peter Robinson between 2003 and 2012, leading to the creation of the NT Transcripts tool, which aimed to offer a complete critical apparat and all transcriptions of Greek manuscripts: the prototype is still available online.
Since the publication of the Book of Acts in the ECM, the paper edition has been accompanied by a new digital prototype, the digital ECM. It currently includes the Book of Acts and the Gospel according to Mark.
In an article from 2020, Greg Paulson clearly presents the challenges of this digital turn: “The Nestle-Aland as Open Digital Edition: Already and Not Yet”. The possibilities are there, and so are the limits of resources, but the collective efforts of a very active and expanding field will undoubtedly support the development of innovative digital versions of the Greek New Testament in the years to come.
The last slide shows the references quoted in this module 2.


The disappearance (orchestrated by republicans) of the most basic of human values: Providing food to the hungry-poor ; disappearing Planes; Russia trying to make a country disappear: Can we truly believe in what we see in this world; and can we truly believe beyond what we see in this world?
“Come down from the cross and save yourself!” 31 In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! 32 Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.”
We should hope for that wonderful moment when the crowd feels the greatest sense that you don’t have anything to give them; in fact when it most appears that you can’t even save yourself. Only a few true believers (those who believe in a resurrection before they see it) will gather at the foot of your Cross. And our thoughts are: How can we (propose to) save others and not be able to save ourselves? When it appears that we are defeated by the evil forces of life, how do we generate a belief in the goodness and righteousness of our work? The people (both those who profess a religiosity and those who don’t) “see” winning in the context of this world as the real power. The “true religion” is wealth, power, fame and a selfish false form of “happiness”. It is Dostoevsky’s “Grand Inquisitor” turned “Grand Bargainer”, where the goodness of the individual’s calling is exchanged for a few shiny trinkets; worthless currency beyond the moment of your lifetime. The final justification for “acting badly” is the objective power (power people can see and feel) to reign over the institutions of this world. Are not the wealthy and socially successful justified in their victory comprised of the material and not moral? The choice Augustine poses in the: City of God; assumes that the chooser is acting in a faith that is essentially, not of this world; or not by the rules of this world. But if you can’t accomplish the simple act of saving yourself, why should the people believe? If you cannot give them a job, money, access to political and social power; all of the important currency for living well in this world; then of what use are you? The necessity of the Cross (and in each of our personal Cross-bearing) is found in its ability to strip us of all salvation that could be offered by and in the “city of man”. We are literally striped of any possibility of being justified by a victory on human terms. The will look at us and understandably ask: “Where is your God, now; and if He did indeed exist, why won’t He save you now?” Parallel to the necessity of the Cross, is the power of the Cross. And that power can’t be realized if we (at least pretend) “save ourselves” without God. All of the silver, gold, palaces and power of this world are like dry empty dust not even worthy of being the ground underfoot in the great city of God. This is a victory wrapped in faith; wonderful and blessed are those who believe when the seeing is not to be seen. When it most appears that defeat is about to proclaim the victory; their belief will give them sight, to see you not as you are, but as you shall be.


The peresopnytsya gospel essay
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The history of christianity in ukraine dates back to the earliest peresopnytsia gospel the peresopnytsya gospels are the most well-known translations of. The peresopnytsya gospel, a magnificently decorated ukrainian illuminated manuscript that survives from the 16th century, is a book containing the four gospels of the. The gospel book rests on the center of the gospel of luke – the gospel the peresopnytsya gospels are the most well-known translations of texts into.
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- The two-gospel hypothesis is that the gospel of matthew was written before the gospel of luke , and that both were written earlier than the gospel of mark it is a proposed solution to the synoptic problem , which concerns the pattern of similarities and differences between the three gospels of matthew , mark , and luke.
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The Mater Ecclesiae Fund for Vocations is privileged to assist men and women to follow God's call to service in the Church through a life of consecration. We operate the St. Joseph Student Debt Relief Grant Program for religious life and the St. John Vianney Student Debt Relief Grant Program for the parish priesthood. These grants eliminate the delay many young people encounter as they struggle to pay off their student debts before they can enter religious life. A grant pays candidates' student loan payments while they are in formation for either religious life or the priesthood.
MEFV 9243 Old Green Mountain Road Esmont, VA 22937Our phone number and email addresses remain unchanged.
From the 34 applications received for our 2013 grant awards we were able to issue 23 grants.
To make those grants possible, we committed to raising an additional $55,000 each year beyond our current commitment to our existing grant recipients! We trust that our faithful and generous donors will continue to support this very important work. And we trust that our Lord will help us find many new generous donors to assist them.
The following vocations were made possible:
The MEFV Board of Directors has determined that all future applicants mush have some connection with the United States or Canada. The ruling is summarized in our FAQ.
The open application period for the 2013 awards closed on November 15th 2012. We have removed the application forms for their annual checkup and will make them available again in the summer of 2013. The next application open period will begin on September 15, 2013. Click here to view more information about out grantmaking schedule.
We are helping 101 men and women follow their vocations (and have helped another 50 to try their vocations). Each year we must raise the money necessary to make their student loan payments. These men and women pray each day for you, for the Church and for the world as they work to become priests, monks and brothers, and nuns and sisters.
You can read about some of these men and women on our vocation stories page.
That was the good news. The truly awful news is that we have had to turn away 98 young people who wanted to offer their lives to Christ, but could not because of their student debt! Will the Church lose these vocations?
Please help us help them by making a tax-deductible contribution.
» In April, Dominican Nun Sr. Mary Joseph of the Monastery of Mt. Thabor in Ortonville, MI made her final profession of vows.
» On Mother's Day (May 13th) Dominican Nun Sr. Mary Isabel of the Corpus Christi Monastery in Menlo Park, CA made her first profession of vows.
» On July 25th, Dominican Sister Sr. Marianna of the St. Cecilia Congregation in Nashville, TN made her final profession of vows.
Watch our video,
which portrays the joy
of our grant recipients
and the great need that remains
to help more vocations come to fruition.


The Fourth Sunday Of Lent (Mar. 14)
Narrated by Pastor Roger Theimer
We Can’t, but Jesus Can
You shall not commit adultery. Exodus 20:14
This commandment focuses on an area of our lives that is most sacred but most frequently abused. In commenting on this law, Jesus tells us (in Matthew 5:27-28) that even impure thoughts and desires are sinful. Who can plead “not guilty"?
Let’s face it: We do not become sinners because we sin: no, we sin because we are sinful by nature. Try as we may, we cannot rid ourselves of sinful desires and deeds. Our annual Lenten pilgrimage brings to mind how deep is our sin and guilt and how great is the salvation Jesus has won for us by his wounds!
When we realize that our best attempts at doing right are crippled by our sin, that is when we are drawn to the cross of Jesus. There we lay down our sins and are healed again by the wounds he suffered for us.
REFLECT: How can you rid yourself of impure thoughts?
PRAY: Thank you, my Savior, for coming to my rescue. Amen.
Devotional content provided by Creative Communications for the Parish.


26 May 2006
Helen visited and we had promised her another trip to a local church, this time St Mary the Virgin at Childswickham. The church, however, was disappointing: though its foundation dates from pre-Norman times, little remains of the medieval building. The present structure is mostly a Victorian reconstruction, and internally only a couple of pillars survive from earlier times. The tower and spire, however, are from the 15th Century.
An impressive feature is the stained glass window installed to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977 (below left), echoing the older east window (below right).
Helen and Teresa paused for the camera on the way out. The next objective was the picturesque duck pond, which Teresa was adamant lay only a few hundred yards from the church. It was only after the third fruitless circuit of the small village that she remembered that the duck pond was actually in Willersey, and that we had not intended to come to Childswickham at all.
Though by now we were running out of time, we went on to Willersey, where we sat by the duck pond and visited the village shop. But Willersey church will wait for another day.
Helen and Roger by the duck pond in Willersey


Leaders of Faith Coalition Director
Paul Green served as interim pastor of First Filipino Baptist Church in Los Angeles. He is also a member and former adult Sunday school teacher at the Faith Baptist Tabernacle Church in North Highlands.
Paul is an active member of the California Republican Party and is serving his fourth term as an appointed member of the CRP Resolutions Committee. In 2008, he served as the McCain campaign Faith Coalition California Northern District Chair. He is an ex officio member of the Sacramento County Republican Party Central Committee, past president of the Republicans of River City, and was chairman of the California Congress of Republicans statewide Convention Planning and Site Selection Committee. Paul is also the Vice President of the Sacramento Institute of Public Policy.
In addition, Paul is a decorated military veteran whose 24-year United States Air Force career resulted in his receiving a Top Secret security clearance and his being promoted to the grade of Senior Master Sergeant -- a position that placed him in the top 2 percent of all enlisted members in the Air Force. Paul, a life member, previously served as one of the 20 elected members of the Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA) International Executive Council as the president of Division 14 representing the states of Alaska, Oregon and Washington. More recently he served as president of AFSA's then 1300 member and Auxiliary Sacramento (Camellia) Chapter. Paul is also a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.
While on active duty, Paul earned his Associate in Applied Science degree in Electronics and Telecommunications from the Community College of the Air Force plus his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Maryland.
Paul is married to the former Vivian M. Johnson of Manila Philippines. They have five children: Paul III, Hector, Jeremy, Jubilee and Jennifer-Ruth.


Vatican Embassy to re-open 21st January 2014
Dear Taoiseach, Tánaiste and all our public representatives,
Today is a day of joy and celebration for Ireland's faithful at home and abroad. News has just been broadcast that Ireland's Embassy to the Holy See is to be reinstated. Our 1500 year old links with the Holy See will be restored and relations upgraded to that of resident status alongside countries such as the UK, the US and Russia. Ireland has given so much to the cause of peace and justice and can once again take centre stage in world efforts to end war and human rights abuses. We have learnt valuable lessons from the lengthy peace negotiations in Ireland and can now use this expertise to assist efforts in resolving conflicts in Syria and in Africa.
Ireland opened diplomatic relations with the Vatican in 1929, the 100th anniversary of Catholic emancipation. Myron C. Taylor said to Joseph Walshe 'Ireland has a very special position in the Catholic world and in Rome should have an Embassy worthy of Ireland.' In 1946 the then Minister for External Affairs Frank Aiken signed a cheque on behalf of the Irish People for the purchase of Villa Spada to house Ireland's Embassy to the Holy See. The location of Villa Spada has huge significance for Ireland in that it neighbours the church of San Pietro in Montorio where the Earls are buried. It is said that this church marks the spot where Peter was crucified. St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits said mass in this church once a month for his friend St. Francis Xavier while in the Far East.
Please see the link below by former Ambassador to the Holy See H.E. Gearóid O'Broin on the history and significance of Villa Spada.
Today we remember all the Irish missionaries who have given lives of voluntary service to the cause of peace and justice in our world. Our Embassy to the Holy See served as an important conduit for information and its closure pained them.
There are so many people who have given generously, who have given of their time and skills to 'stand up'. These people know who they are, some are politicians or work in the media but the vast majority are ordinary men and women who have a deep love for their Christian faith and heritage and worked tirelessly to have Villa Spada reinstated as Ireland's Embassy to the Holy See.
'There is a time to be on one's knees, There is also a time when we need
to stand, to stand up'
We hope that Pope Francis will visit Ireland's shores and that Senator David Norris will be successful in gaining support for this initiative.
Armagh Talk 5th March
Joint Committee for Foreign Affairs and Trade 21st Feb 2012
Submission by Joseph McCall to Joint Committee
Ireland Stand Up supporters Anne Doyle, Elaine Carey and Mary E. Fitzgibbon had the pleasure of meeting the Israeli Ambassador to Ireland Mr. Boaz Modai on Tuesday 21st Feb. Mr. Modai was a former Israeli Ambassador to the Holy See and was directly involved in the co-location of the Israeli Embassy to Italy and the Holy See. He explained to us the reasons why this came about and how he had worked closely with the Vatican on this arrangement.? He has fond memories of Blessed Pope John Paul II and was political co-ordinator for his visit to the Holy Land in 2000.? We met Mr. Modai to discuss co-location as it was suggested by the Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore that the Vatican was proving to be ?a stumbling block? in respect of shared premises which is not the case.
At 3pm on Feb 21st the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade met with Anne Doyle, Elaine Carey, Joseph McCall and Mary E. Fitzgibbon.? We were accompanied by a delegation of supporters including Caroline Roddy, Sean Kelly, Mary Cournane, Gabriel Meehan, John Walsh, Mary McMenamin, John Kelly, Tommy Doyle, David McCall, Donal Walsh, Tara Manning and Ciaran Breathnach.? Eleven of the 15 members of the Committee were present to listen to our views on the closure of the Embassy, a state visit by Pope Benedict XVI and the right to freedom of religion and conscience.? Each Committee member received a 65 page briefing document, a DVD of relevant documentary evidence and former FG TD Brian Fleming?s book ?The Vatican Pimpernel? on the life of Msgr. Hugh O?Flaherty.
At the close of proceedings the Committee was briefed on the ?Vigil of Hope? which will take place on April 17th.? It is an event which will attempt to bring people of all faiths together to pray for peace, the future of our country and their own personal intentions.? The people of Ireland are facing unprecedented challenges on all fronts - economic, political, personal and spiritual.? Many feel overwhelmed and alone when faced with the various situations that confront them on a daily basis. We hope the Vigil will enkindle a sense of solidarity with the desire to help one another as we face the many challenges of life at this present time.
'More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. '' Tennyson's ?Morte D'Arthur.?
On 5th March Mary Fitzgibbon was invited to speak to the Parishioners of Keady, Armagh on the lay initiative Ireland Stand Up under the heading ?Suffering of Faith and Church Revitalisation.?? The mass was celebrated by Fr. Eugene Sweeney Administrator of the Armagh Archdiocese.? A sincere thank you to all in Keady, Co. Armagh for the warm welcome we received and to Canon Michael Crawley for his hospitality. On 8th March Ireland Stand Up supporters were invited to Leinster House to meet with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade Joe Costello.? The group of six supporters included Frank Aiken, son of former Minister for Finance and External Affairs Frank Aiken who sanctioned the purchase of Villa Spada.? The meeting was very cordial and productive.?
We would like to sincerely thank all the people who have supported and continue to support the Ireland Stand Up National Lay Initiative entrusted to Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland, with prayers, encouragement and donations.? We request that people continue to lobby their public representatives, TD?s and senators, in respect of the closure of our Embassy, current threats to religious freedom from an aggressive secular agenda, and respect for life and marriage.?
Baroness Warsi, a Muslim, recently led the largest ever British delegation to the Vatican and met the Pope.? She said ?Europe needs to become more confident in its Christianity? and that nations should not deny their religious heritage warning of the dangers to Europe of 'militant secularisation'.?
If you wish to obtain postcards please email IrelandStandUp@gmail.com or phone 087 7678040. ?The website IrelandStandUp.org is continually updated and the briefing document given to the Joint Committee is available from the site as is the poster for the Vigil of Hope.? If any person is interested in a copy of the DVD presented to the Joint Committee members they can be obtained by contacting email@example.com or by phone 083 4011300
January 18th Buswells Ireland Stand Up meets our politicians.
Many of the TDs and Senators were unable to attend due to prior commitments.
Others did not acknowledge any of our correspondence.
We thank all of the members of the Oireachtas who listened to our presentation and who sent us RSVPs and their best wishes. We would also like to thank the former senate leader and TD, Mr. Donie Cassidy, for attending.
|TDs in attendance at the meeting in Buswells hotel on Wed 18th Jan 2012|
|Ceann Comhairle||1||The Ceann Comhairle was represented by Mr. Donal Lowry|
|Fianna F?il||13||Mr. Miche?l Martin TD, the leader of the Fianna F?il party, attended.|
|Fine Gael||38||The Taoiseach was represented by Mr. John Kennedy who is Principal Officer in the Department of an Taoiseach|
|Labour||8||4 of the Labour TDs sent representatives including the T?naiste's representative, Mr. David Cooney who is the Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the non-resident ambassador to the Holy See|
|Total||67||61 TDs attended in person, 6 were represented.|
|Senators in attendance at the meeting in Buswells hotel on Wed 18th Jan 2012|
|Independent||3||2 of the Independent senators sent representatives.|
|Total||16||14 senators attended in person, 2 were represented.|


Jesuit Approaches: Accompaniment & Advocacy
Accompaniment is an essential element of the mission and methodology of Jesuit Refugee Service/USA. To accompany means to be a companion. We are companions of Jesus, so we wish to be companions of those with whom he preferred to be associated, the poor and the outcast. To accompany is a practical and effective action. Not infrequently it is precisely the way in which protection is given. It is a way to ‘internationalize’ a situation. The presence of an international team can sometimes prevent an attack on refugees. Moreover, presence can be a sign. That a free person chooses willingly and faithfully to accompany those who are not free, who had no choice about being there, is itself a sign, a way of eliciting hope.
Additionally, a vital part of Jesuit Refugee Service's mission is to defend the rights of refugees and migrants throughout the world. JRS advocates for just and generous policies and programs for the benefit of victims of forced displacement, so people made vulnerable by exile can receive support and protection, and so a durable solution to their plight can be achieved. JRS/USA works with an international network of JRS programs in more than fifty countries, and with other human rights and refugee assistance organizations to tell the story of the "forgotten" refugee. By bringing field-based accounts of needs that too often do not make the headlines to the attention of policy makers in the United States, and by proposing specific actions to meet these needs, JRS advocacy seeks to make a direct and lifesaving impact on the well-being of refugees and forced migrants.
For more information on accompaniment and the work of JRS/USA, visit http://jrsusa.org/multimedia


Old St. Boniface Church, Bonchurch is better known as The Old Church in Bonchurch and dates back to 11th Century. The church is set in a beautiful grounds which are a peaceful and calm place to enjoy a summers day. The little church is often open for visitors to look around and there are many beautiful original features to marvel at.
Signposts to the church point from the centre of Bonchurch.
Island Cottage Holidays has a number of cottages in Bonchurch. You can view these cottages at www.islandcottageholidays.com/isleofwight/ventnor/


SIR David Amess, MP for Southend West, along with Leigh ward Coun Peter Wrexham and Anita Forde, Leigh Town Council, met with members of the congregation at Leigh Road Baptist Church to discuss the role of the church in the local community.
Some of the topics that Sir David brought up regarding the community were homelessness and loneliness. Homelessness prevention was acknowledged to be a key way that the church could become involved in community with the root causes of why homelessness begins for an individual needing to be understood and addressed by the church.
Sir David also focused upon loneliness and the elderly, making the point that whilst donating money to a charity is needed and generous, often what is more effective is for people in their busy and fast paced lives to slow down and talk with a someone who is lonely in their community or neighbourhood.
Finally, the invited guests to the church were asked on what they would want to see churches proactively doing in their community.
Sir David commended the current work that all churches and places of worship do in the constituency and also conveyed the idea of mentoring, where people of different backgrounds and experiences in a congregation talk to and share with others. Join us on Facebook: TheLeighTimes and on Twitter: @TheLeighTimes


These children of mine……it’s funny how much you can learn from a child. Today after church, I was reminded of a scripture found in Matthew 22: 36-40 (see reference to the right). How simple are these words…yet so difficult at the same time? I always think of my children when I read these verses because THEY GET IT. They understand how to love deeply and forgive easily. Oh to have the heart of a child! I am so thankful that I get to be their mother and learn from their example everyday. If someone hurts my daughter’s feelings, naturally she gets upset. However, a few minutes later she is up and it’s like it never happened. I love her example.
If someone hurts you or speaks badly about you, love them anyway. If someone makes you angry or offends you, love them anyway. It is so simple, yet so hard to master. Wouldn’t our world be so much better if we could all learn to master this? It’s not easy, but I’m trying.
While on our family vacation, I took some pictures of my children in overalls. Why? Well, my dad wears overalls ALL. THE. TIME. and we when I saw kid sized overalls, I just knew I had to buy them some! It was such a fun and spontaneous photoshoot. I will cherish these photos forever because they remind me of my dad. He is such a wonderful Papaw to my children and I am thankful for that everyday.


Let’s Talk about Church & Industry How does your Identity Change when you’re at church?
By Patti Pennington
(Continued from last month’s issue) Often the mask is I love you, hugs and smiles in church. Why is it when you see church family at the concert, they don’t know you or it becomes a Sunday morning sermon , (Church folk should not go to see “Earth Wind and Fire” jamming; that’s worldly music) or it becomes group conversation when your back is turned. Why is this the new norm? Some our shutdown down when they so called listen, sing, dance to worldly music. Are you serious? Whose rule is this; yours or Gods? I truly believe that enjoying life is of God, as long as you know whose you are and who you are. It is very important that we let our light shine regardless of where we are. It’s not so hard to lose my identity when I leave church. It happens a lot of times that we the church don’t address real issues of the church, yet we wonder why the world as we call it has decided to stay home. The jealousy, gossiping, scorching and the double faces has got to stop if we want to see the other person’s side. It isn’t, I’m so perfect. The Bible said we all have fallen but we all get back up. The world is looking at the church under a microscope. The negativity that sits in our pews and even some pulpits that visitors hear and see, detours them right back to the world.
Who’s the bride of the church, who is the groom of the church? Can you honestly answer that? Once you answer it, then you will see how God created the church in you and where we all worship is the building where if 2 or three gather in his name God is in the midst. The church is a place of worship, a place of holiness, a place of teaching, a place of learning, a place of healing, a place of breaking strongholds and place of growing. We the church, are to mature and compel people to come by allowing our Identity to shine where ever we are. It is our job to do his work not our own. Often times before reacting to situations I always ask myself, “What would Jesus do”? Let that be your reaction to any solution. You will be surprised if you have the same Identity as Sunday morning. The other 6 days, your life will change not only that but because of you others’ lives will change


Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, I see that it is through Your Word that I have access to wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. So I covenant with You to always give voice to Your Word. I will not allow my voice to speak the words of the enemy. I give him no place in my life. But I give place to Your Word and Your Spirit. For You have given the angels charge over me and they keep me in all my ways, in Jesus name.
I boldly proclaim that I am redeemed from the curse of the law. I am delivered from the authority of darkness and have been translated into the Kingdom of your dear Son. The Greater One dwells in me, and I have made Your Word my foundation. Therefore, I will not fall, neither shall I fail, in Jesus name.
Your Word cause me to prevail. Even though a thousand may fall at my side and ten thousand at my right hand, it shall not come near me, for You have given Your angels charge over me. They keep me in all my ways. In my pathway are life, healing, and prosperity, for Abraham’s blessings are mine, in Jesus name.
Christ has redeemed me from poverty, sickness, and spiritual death. Therefore, I boldly confess that I am the redeemed of the Lord, in Jesus name.
Heavenly Father, because of Your Word, I forbid any sickness or disease from operating in my body. My body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, in Jesus name.
Body, I am speaking to you! I charge you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the authority of His Holy Word to be healed and made whole in Jesus Name. That which God has not planted is dissolved and is rooted out in Jesus’ Name.
Galatians 3:13 is in my mouth. Galatians 3:13 is flowing in my bloodstream. 1 Peter 2:24 is causing my body to conform to Your Word. Your Word is transforming my body, because You sent Your Word and healed me. (Psalms 107:20)
Father, Your Word is transforming my body, causing growths to disappear and sickness to flee. Arthritis is a thing of the past. My bones and joints function properly in Jesus Name. The Spirit of God is upon me, and the Word of God is within me. Therefore, I fear no evil for Your Word and Your Spirit comforts me.
I am far from oppression and fear does not come near me. No weapon formed against me will prosper, but whatever I do will prosper. This is my heritage given to me of the Lord, and my righteousness is of Him, in Jesus name.(Isaiah 54:14,17; Psalm 1:3)
Heavenly Father, I covenant with You to voice Your Word so that the Holy Spirit within me guide me into all truth. I see these things belong to me. I proclaim that they are mine! I will not be deceived, and the enemy will not steal what you have given, in Jesus name.
I boldly declare that I walk in prosperity. I walk in health, for Your Word abides within me. The Greater One is in me, and He put me over, in Jesus name.
Even though many may fall by my side, I continue to proclaim that it shall not come near me. I loose the angels, the ministering spirits, and charge them with Your Words to garrison about my home, my family, my finances, and guide me with the wisdom of God, in Jesus name.
Heavenly Father, You keep me in perfect peace, for my mind is stayed on You. The battle is Yours so I not enter the fight, but I’ll lift up my head and rejoice! I stand to the true height of Your Word, and not let it out of my sight, in Jesus name.
I confess that I have perfect knowledge of every situation. I do not lack for the wisdom of God, for I have the mind of Christ. The wisdom of God is formed within me, so I rejoice knowing that the enemy is defeated! God is exalted, and Your Word (Jesus) is Lord in my life.
Father, I covenant with You to be what You say I am. Even though I may not look like it. I may not always act like it. I may not even feel like it, but Your Word said that I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
I have overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil, because the Greater One is in me! Faith is the victory, and it comes from Your Word. So I rejoice! I shall not weep in despair. I shall not wring my hands and weep in prayer, in Jesus name.
But I come boldly to the Throne of Grace rejoicing, my petition to bare. I enter into the new way, and I speak the things that You say. I walk in victory, and I praise Your Name, and from this day, I never be the same, in Jesus Precious Name, Amen.


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Event Series: Walk Through Bethlehem Tour
Walk Through Bethlehem Tour
December 3, 2022 @ 4:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Step back in time to relive the excitement of life in Bethlehem like the night Jesus was born. Feel the hope and joy of that first Christmas 2,000 years ago. Bring you whole family to experience this live, dramatic, walk-through Christmas adventure!
Walk Through Bethlehem is only offered for two nights. The cost is free, but the experience is priceless!
Visit WalkThroughBethlehemTour.com for info, directions, photos, videos, and more!


At the heart of Leicester old town, stands Leicester Cathedral.
The cathedral is open for visitors and all are welcome within its doors. From the fine stained glass to the story and tomb of King Richard III, explore over 900 years of history in this peaceful and beautiful building.
The tranquil Cathedral Gardens surround the cathedral. A quiet space in the heart of the city, the gardens are made up of areas of lawn, flower beds, seating areas and a water feature. The gardens are also home to two pieces of public art: the iconic bronze statue of King Richard III, commissioned by the Richard III Society in 1980, and the sculpture 'Towards Stillness' – an installation representing a timeline of the King's life, especially commissioned for the occasion of his reinterment.
Please note that the cathedral operates as a place of worship and prayer. The tomb of King Richard III is not accessible during services, and the cathedral closes during the mid-day Eucharist as well as occasionally for special services. If you are travelling a long way we suggest you call ahead to ensure the cathedral will be open.
Stay with Holiday Inn Leicester Wigston and explore the fascinating city of Leicester.


I was brought up by Christian parents and decided to follow Jesus at the age of 18. I am married to Andrew and I have 3 grown up daughters and 6 grandchildren. I am an HR Officer for a local firm. Family and work seem to take up most of my time but I enjoy going out to different restaurants and the cinema.
I am a sixth generation Christian who discovered Jesus for herself in her late teens. Married to Michael for 60 years, my time is spent looking after him, having coffee with friends, attending U3A, enjoying Monday mornings with neighbours, and booking speakers and worship leaders for our church. My interests are varied: from Pingu to cricket!! Life is still exciting though often challenging. I am so grateful to Christian friends who are walking this walk with me.
I was born in London in 1931, spending most of the war in Tiverton, Devon, before returning to London in 1945. A few years later, I served 2 years in the Royal Navy as my national service. I joined the local church youth club where I both became a Christian and was baptised and met my future wife June. My working life included an engineering apprenticeship and becoming a design/draughtsman. I later became a senior design engineer, especially for communication equipment which necessitated organising the erection of masts on hills throughout England.
After my family, my main interest is aeronautical and a highlight of my life was being flown in a small plane in Uganda by a Missionary Aviation Fellowship pilot.
I have been a Christian since my teenage years, and have been married to John for 50 years. I love gardening, including a shared allotment with my sister; I am creative and an a watercolour artist. I am treasurer to our church.
I became a Christian in the mid 1990s and have been a volunteer sailing instructor for Fellowship Afloat Christian Activity Centre in Tollesbury for considerably longer. I love walking with and without our dog. I am active in our local village community and find it easy to chat to others.


Good News Retreat Center at Kottayam, Pambady is set in a beautiful countryside of Kerala, India; formed in 1998 at Kudakkachira and transplanted to this place of grace in 2005. It is founded by Rev. Fr. Joseph Kandathiparamabil, a spirit filled vibrant priest of Heralds of Good News. And he was the first director. Rev. Fr. Noble Thottathil served from 2006 as the Assi. Director and from 2013 he served as the Director of this Retreat Centre. From 1st April 2014 Rev. Fr. Biju Thoompunkal is the director, Rev. Fr. Subin Mattathil is the Assi. Director from May 2011 and Rev. Fr. Jibin Ambattu is the administrator from 1st June 2014. This Retreat Centre helps Thousands of people every day to experience the love, healing touch of Jesus Christ through spirit filled worship, prayers, talks and music.
At present almost 2000 people get the experience of God in 5 different Retreats.


Jesus made an astonishing, outrageous and dangerous claim… but it was not a claim made in error – it was true. In this talk, Hannah looks at the significance of Jesus’ statement : “Before Abraham was, I AM”.
There’s a hunger in every heart, only Jesus can satisfy the deepest part. In this 3rd talk of the series Grant talks about how Jesus spoke of himself as the Bread of Life, the only one who can satisfy the spiritual hunger that every person has, and who is essential for life, even eternal life.
Continuing the ‘I am Jesus’ series. John 15 sees Jesus declaring himself to be “The True Vine”. We are His branches. God the Father is the gardener.
Jesus’ promise to us is this, if we stick with Him, then we will continue to bear fruit and His Joy will always be in us. But apart from Him we can do nothing.
In what may be a very difficult and challenging time of uncertainty for you, Jesus says to you: Remain in me, stay with me, stick with me, and I will make your joy complete.
I would encourage you to read the Bible today, if you aren’t sure where to start, start with John 15.
Discuss it with Jesus in prayer, and listen to what He’s trying to say to you through His word.
Today we are starting a new series called “I Am Jesus” where we will be looking at different characteristics of Jesus. In this talk, we are looking at when He said “I am the light of the world”. We will spend some time looking at what that means to us today and how we need to reposition ourselves to reflect His light to the world.
We should not live in pursuit of happiness, but rather in pursuit of the purposes of God. When we do, we discover a joy that is deeper than happiness.
Peace is really important and everybody wants peace in their inner most being, and most people desire peace in their close relationships. When crisis hits us our search for peace intensifies and where we thought we had it is severely tested and can sometimes be founding wanting. Only in Christ can we find true peace.
Text: John 14:27
The Blessing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUtll3mNj5U
It is Well with My Soul: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY5o9mP22V0
Perspective is really important. It allows us to see clearly, properly and accurately. The Bible often seeks to bring perspective, and Jesus did when he spoke to the disciples in the hours leading up to his death. One crucial perspective that the Bible seeks to bring into our lives is that we are not home yet, and that the best is yet to come. Text: John 14
Hannah talks about how and why we should stand firm in our faith, especially when our world is rocked. Whilst looking at what the Bible says about how we should do this and how we should equip ourselves ready for the spiritual battle we can face.
In continuing the response to the sudden changes to our way of life, Robin takes the Christian truths of that first Easter weekend and applies its impact to our everyday reality now.
Text: 1 Peter 1:1-9; Psalm 16:8-11