"We have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts." 1 Thessalonians 2:4
Welcome to Entrusted
Connecting Your Story to God's Story
Join Pastor TK Anderson as he unpacks the truth of God's Word. Each week you will be challenged and blessed with a message that teaches you Scripture and gives you practical applications for daily living.
"Anderson Christian Charities and Entrusted Ministries is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit, religious organization as defined under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Your donation gift(s) are very much appreciated and may qualify as a charitable deduction for federal income tax purposes.”


- Nov 30 2023
- All Day
St. Andrew’s Day
St. Andrew’s Day, celebrated on November 30 each year, is considered a national holiday in Scotland and across Europe.
St. Andrew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, who died a martyr and was crucified on a saltire, or an “X” shaped cross, in Greece in 60 AD. He is known as the patron saint of Scotland, Romania, Greece, and many more European countries.
In the 9th century AD, St. Andrew appeared to King Oengus I in a dream, promising him victory. On the day of the battle an X symbol appeared in the sky. Oengus vowed that if they won, St Andrew would be made the patron saint of Scotland.
Scots have celebrated Andrew for over a thousand years, with feasts being held in his honor as far back as the year 1000 AD. However, it wasn’t until 1320, when Scotland declared independence, that he officially became Scotland’s patron saint. Since then Andrew has become part of the country. The flag of Scotland, the St Andrew’s Cross, was chosen in his honor. Also, the ancient town of St Andrews was named due to its claim of being his final resting place.
St Andrew’s Day now ranks as one of three major dates during the winter period. Starting off Scotland’s Winter Festival each year on November 30, people across the country gather together to celebrate Andrew and share good times. The day is usually marked with a celebration of Scottish culture, including dancing, music, food, and drink, with parties going on until the early morning hours.


7009 Weant Road
Archdale NC 27263
95th Homecoming Service and Carry-In Meal
This year we celebrate our 95th anniversary!
We will be celebrating this special anniversary by inviting all First Church of God members, past and present, to a homecoming service at 10:30 am. A carry in meal will follow the service, beginning around noon.
Come celebrate with us as we remember our roots and look forward to the great plans God has in store for Archdale First Church!


Condie Erwin is an active constitutional conservative Republican American who is happily married to Betty, his wife of 26 years. He left the 10th grade to join the U.S.A.F. and to see the world. During his eight years in the military as an Intelligence Specialist he was stationed in the Philippines, North Dakota, Germany, and Turkey. He got his G.E.D. and was able to take several evening basic liberal arts and various beginning science college courses both during and after his military service. He had numerous jobs and eventually retired after 27 years as an engineer technician and chemist's assistant for his State’s Department of Transportation
Betty is an active Christian with a very small group of Sabbath keepers who meet weekly for their “Services” in each other’s homes. They come together in much larger groups to observe the annual Sabbath’s (Holy Days called “Feasts”) that our subscribers to Adam’s Choices Weekly Studies will study in Leviticus.
Condie eventually ceased to call himself Christian or a member of any religious organization. None-the-less, he actively supports several religious organizations that engage in Godly practices as defined by the Scriptures; mainly: the love for God, neighbor, and self. That is the common denominator. He believes that the name of a person’s chosen or taught organized religion is far less important than what that person does with it.
Erwin accepts the British/Israelite theory that the English speaking peoples of the world are descended from the two Israelite tribes of Joseph, and that Israel was destined to become the role model for the world. We were positive models for a while but have now forgotten that role.
"...America did not create religious liberty. Religious liberty created America." - Bobby Jindal
He is strongly opposed to legalized abortion and marriages that go contrary to the biblical norm. He acknowledges that America was basically Christian and was the first nation to credit God in its constitution. To the extent that America has been founded on the Christianity of Godliness as opposed to the early European Christianity of hatred, Erwin knows that God has blessed America. Not only is the American constitution openly and soundly founded on God’s laws, but so was America’s Christian public education system that was once considered the best in the world.
That foundation is crumbling.
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- Julie Eldridge.
- Kyle Flurschutz.
- Rachel Hotchkiss.
- Heidi Mangels.
- Brittany Norton (Savannah, GA).
- Greg Flurschutz.
- Tim Flurschutz.
- Kristen Kruger.
- Terry Monroe.
- Jessica Helms.
Sacred Acts – Baptism: Liam Alexander Smith, child of Jeremy and Andrea Smith will be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit following this morning’s service. The Godparents are George Lewis and Roxanne Eisanhart. We praise God that through baptism He claims Liam as His child. We also pray that Liam will be brought up in the Lord and remain steadfast in the Christian faith and life.
Celebrating Birthdays This Coming Week: June 28 Andrea Vossler, June 29 Haleigh Golish; June 30 Olivia Hanks; July 2 Linda Hurd; July 3 June Gensamer.
Celebrating An Anniversary Today And This Coming Week: June 27 Al & Ginny Vossler; June 28 Scott & Jennifer Patrick; June 29 Pete & Cathy Farwell; July 1 Dave & Jackie Sweet; July 3 Terry & Reita Lynch, Paul & Deb Vossler.
We Thank the 106 members and friends who attended services last weekend and shared $2,346.00 towards the budget needs of First Trinity. Our weekly budget needs are $ 3,396.89 each Sunday during 2010.
Those Who Serve Today, June 27, 2010:
- Minister: Pastor Robert Morris.
- Organist: Carole Aldrich.
- Ushers: Dena Helms, Marv Wood.
- Altar Assistant: Dave Pinney.
- Altar Guild: Janet Carlin, Janet Vargo.
- Acolytes: Fred & Sally Dannheim.
- Lay Reader: Jane White.
- Counters: Ed & Lois Flurschutz, Kay Mcculloch.
Assignments For Next Sunday, July 4, 2010:
- Ushers: Barry Dunne, Rollie Duttweiler, Dick Helms.
- Altar Assistant: Kato Aldrich.
- Altar Guild: Cathy Farwell, Ann Weinhauer.
- Acolytes: Barry & Shelly Dunne.
- Lay Reader: Dick Helms.
Scripture Readings For Next Sunday, July 4, 2010:
- Isaiah 66:10-14.
- Galatians 6:1-10, 14-18.
- Luke 10:1-20.


Life is something. It takes us down many paths. Depending on how we developed in our childhood and adolescent years, has a greater impact on our adulthood than some may realize. Childhood determines adulthood, as Daniel Patrick Moynihan stated in his “The Negro Family : The Case for National Action”. Some of those young adults that learn early that they are underdeveloped, are faced with the decision that may cause them to have to spend a significant amount of time during their adult years correcting what was not developed properly during the childhood and adolescent phases. This seems to be the case for many adults.
I, Benjamin Samuel Brasford, am one such young adult. I began life in a loving family that was Christian in our religious practice. There were some bumps and bruises along the way. I faced the greatest challenge of my life just as I was entering adulthood, that I, unfortunately, was not prepared for. I walked right into a brand new way of life and was immediately uprooted from my previous life. I walked into the hospital. A church. That church led me to places that I never knew existed. That church got me involved into a major life situation that took me many years to figure out and make sense of. I eventually faced an abrupt upheaval of the life that that church introduced me into. As a result of being introduced into a new life. A life of exploration through study, and after many years of experience, I transitioned out of the ideology that was taught to me from what I learned growing up and over the years. I learned that approaching life with the wrong philosophy, can and will keep you from reality, which will in turn limit your possibilities. When you work against reality, it will work against you.
I have decided to share this life story with you. It is a story told in a series. A series that begins with my life which moves on to the way that I see things. Things through the eyes of an experiencer and observer. I began from a Christian perspective. After I had enough experience as a Christian solely, I began to seek the understanding of life in general. I wanted to understand how life worked. The mechanisms or mechanics. I found that the more that we understand about how things in life works, the better that we can live. So I expanded my studies to sociology, psychology, finance, economics, business, history, intersexual dynamics, anthropology, archaeology, genetics, and cultural diversity. This series, “The Work,” will deal with these topics. I will bring you the experts as well as my own individual analysis. If you have found that you too, have been underdeveloped and are going through life now wondering why you are struggling emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually, then perhaps this series is for you.


Thank you for your Generosity.
Pray for Peace in Pakistan and World, Stand in your Community as a Peacemaker. When we stand for Peace, we stand as a Global Peacemaker, we do not stand for one nation but for all nations of the world. We look forward to partnering with your heart, dreams and passions. We are always eager to hear from our members and supporters about issues that matter to you. We Dream for Peace !
Thank you for standing with us. Unfortunately, We do not have any source to receive any funds in Pakistan as PayPal does not operate in Pakistan. If you want to support us. You can contact us through email at email@example.com
Corporation, Ministries & Individual can send Payments in Pakistan
Allied Bank Pakistan. |Lavish.Business (SMC-PVT) Ltd. IBAN: PK72ABPA0010081880440017
|Branch Code: 1118
“Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:26-28
Dr. Syed Asif Ali Gilani Paul accepted Lord Jesus Christ his savior in 1999 and left his luxurious royal lifestyle and still suffering for Christ Jesus but a faithful christian who is determined to preach the gospel to non-believers.
There are many converted christians in Pakistan who are killed by their families or rejected by their families after accepting Jesus Christ. We want to be heard worldwide and we also want to give a voice to Pakistani Christians. We want to live a life in abundance not in fear or threats not in slavery not voiceless, the same we want to our next generation to live freely in abundance.


On July 22nd, our last day in Italy, we, along with the EduTravel discover Italy English class, had the privilege of visiting and experiencing an Italian mass at one of the worlds most beautiful churches. San Marco Basilica, situated in the heart of Venice, was the location for our final mass in Italy.
Between lunch and the four plus hours we had for free time, it gave us plenty of opportunities to truly capture not only Venice, but Italy also. Our four hours allowed us to get back to the church for our 6:45 mass. The exterior of the church, due to its very large and grand structure, pulls in the viewer’s attention.
It illustrates the influence and power in Italy possessed by the Catholic Church. However, the interior is a whole other spectacle of brilliance. To behold the intricate designs displayed in the ceiling of the church is a whole experience in its self. The magnificent statues decorating the building was just another addition to the aw factor the church has. To be in the building is a once in a life time experience let alone to attend a mass of this sorts.
The choir that performed created a peaceful atmosphere that engulfed the church. Even though the priest spoke Italian, so most of the group could not understand, we quite enjoyed the time spent in mass. It was a great time to pray and reflect on the trip that was sadly coming to an end. It also brought the curriculum that we had just went through to life. Through out the trip many of the assignments, poems, and stories that we read or did involved the theme of religion. It was interesting to take what we had just learned over the past three weeks and relate it to the Italian mass. Overall it was a highlight of the trip for us and a great note to go off on.
Written by: Eric Hill


|Medieval Saint Valentine|
Hang on a minute, I hear you say. This blog is for Valentine’s Day, for lovers. Should I be looking at preserved body parts here? I think not. But I would like (like our medieval forebears would have) to look at the saints that might appeal to us at this time when all thoughts turn to love. You might be surprised by the findings.
Let’s kick off with the saint who names the day. Saint Valentine himself. As with many saints, the origins of who he was (and there is evidence there may have been three saints) are vague. But don’t expect him to have been elevated to sainthood because of any kind of special involvement with lovers.
Valentine was a holy priest in third century who helped out persecuted early Christians. He was arrested and tried before the prefect of Rome. The prefect tried to make him renounce his faith but Valentine refused. The prefect ordered Valentine be beaten with clubs, which still didn’t make him change his mind. He was then beheaded. His execution took place on February 14, about the year 270. Interesting that the record is clear about the date being February 14, but a bit hazy about the year.
Edmund Blair-Leighton, 1903
This can be explained when we fast forward to medieval times. The concept of courtly love with aloof, desirable women was hugely popular during this period. Troubadours celebrated these women through song and poems. In the fourteenth century, Geoffrey Chaucer brought the popularity of courtly love to new heights with his poem The Parlement of Fowles.
This poem first introduced the idea of Valentine’s Day being a day for lovers. The Cour Amoreuse was founded in the French Medieval Court, supposedly in honour of women. It first met on Valentine’s Day in 1400, ruled over by a ‘Prince of Love’ who was a professional poet. Noble ladies heard various love-poems and presented prizes to the winners.
But what’s interesting is that in the canon of Catholic saints, Saint Valentine isn’t the saint of wistful lovers in the throes of a new romance. He is the patron saint for those who have already found their perfect partner.
|The Angel Raphael |
leaving the family of Tobias
Being the patron for those seeking love actually belongs to the Archangel Raphael. Saint Raphael, according to legend, helped Tobias enter into marriage with Sarah, who had seen seven previous bridegrooms perish on the eve of their weddings. (That has to be a run of bad luck if there ever was one.) Saint Raphael is the patron saint for what is called happy encounters (how sweet!).
You could of course always try the Welsh Saint Dwynwen. She is the Welsh patron saint of love and friendship, who lived during the fifth Century and was one of the 24 daughters of King of Wales, Brychan Brycheiniog. (When I came across those statistics, I felt perhaps that Brychan should patron saint of something, but I wasn’t quite sure what).
Dwynwen founded a convent on Llanddwyn, on the west coast of Anglesey, where she was joined by other broken-hearted women. After her death in 465AD, a well named after her became a place of pilgrimage and it remains there today.
|© Copyright Robin Drayton|
There are also of course related saints: Saint Agnes, patron saint of virginity. Saint Anne, the patron saint of fertility and childbirth and Saint Gerard Majella, patron saint of motherhood, both good to call on when Saint Agnes has gone off duty. And of course, good old Saint Fotino, the patron saint of erectile dysfunction, who has a reassuring big white beard, but alas, I couldn't find a usable image.
So, lovers of love, you are not restricted to just Valentine on February 14. You can take your pick of saints- just like the medievals did.


Nemesius, Bishop of Emesa (fl. AD 400). Libri octo. I. De homine. II. De anima. III. De elementis. IIII. De viribus animae. V. De volu[n]tario et involu[n]tario. VI. De fato. VII. De libero arbitrio. VIII. De providentia. [Colophon:] Argentorati, ex officina libraria Matthiae Schurerii Selestensis, Artium Doctoris. Mense Maio. An. M.D.XII. Strasbourg: Matthias Schürer, 1512.
Nemesius’ De natura hominis was responsible for advancing the medieval belief that mental processes were localized in the ventricles of the brain. Nemesius was convinced of the correctness of this doctrine, since injury to different areas of the brain caused the loss of different faculties. The theory was finally demolished by Vesalius, who denied any role to the ventricles except the collection of fluid.
Little is known of Nemesius’ career except that he was from Syria, probably converted to Christianity about 390 AD, and sometime thereafter became bishop of Emessa. He may have had some medical training. This edition also includes texts by Jacobus Faber, St. Gregory of Nazianze and St. Basil, translated by John Cono and Beatus Rhenanus.
The fine title-border is by Urs Graf, the fine Swiss Renaissance printmaker and book artist.
Adoption price: $3,200.00
Catalog record: http://bit.ly/2aKFlJG


Who We Are
Ignite is the community youth group of Clarinda, IA. Based out of Hillside Missionary Church, and working with other Bible teaching churches in the area, Ignite strives to bring the message of Jesus Christ to the youth of Southwest Iowa.
It is no secret that the youth are the future of our nation and our churches. We believe that it is our mission to provide sound Biblical teaching to a generation of youth who are more at risk than ever of walking away from their faith. As the future leaders of the nation, and the world, we want to ensure that this generation of youth has a solid foundation on Jesus Christ to rely on.


Support Comprehensive Immigration Reform in 2009
World Relief is actively engaged in advocating to reform immigration for America in Congress and the Administration. Advocacy on this issue is integral to our Biblical witness, and and we encourage other Evangelicals to support comprehensive immigration reform. World Relief has a long history of resettling refugees in the United States and providing immigration legal services, English classes, and other assistance to refugees and other immigrants. We are compelled to speak from our experience by engaging the Evangelical community on the issue of immigration reform.
How Can We Expand God’s Kingdom by Accepting and Ministering to Immigrants?
The Bible commands us to welcome the stranger. Modern reality also requires us to embrace the immigrant population, many of whom are our brothers and sisters in Christ, and a growing force in the church. Through immigration, God is bringing citizens of many closed and un-reached countries into contact with American Christians. We therefore welcome the opportunity to share our faith with people who might otherwise have no opportunity to hear the Good News. The immigrant Evangelical church is growing rapidly in the U.S. and around the world. Among Evangelicals in the United States, “the fastest growing are found among the Independent immigrant churches. . . . In 20 years, African, Asian, and Latin American Evangelicals . . . will likely be at the forefront of . . . global movements as well as their manifestations in the USA.”
In the Bible, God repeatedly calls us to show love and compassion to “aliens,” or immigrants. In Deuteronomy 10:18 – 19,we are told that “[God] defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.” Leviticus 19:33-34 teaches us that, “[w]hen an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”
Love in the Christian tradition requires specific acts of care and respect. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus answers the question of “who is my neighbor?” with the parable of the Good Samaritan. (Luke 10:29-37) Part of what makes the Good Samaritan parable so compelling is that the Samaritan, who was a stranger or alien himself, was the one who stopped to help the Jewish man. This and other parables remind us that “we are all aliens sent out to help other aliens find a place of safety in this world.” God does not distinguish among arbitrary divisions such as country of origin. Instead, God desires to include all people in His Kingdom, for “[t]here is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)
Evangelicals recognize that, “[e]veryone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.” (Romans 13:1) Therefore we support the importance of following and enforcing laws, while simultaneously recognizing that laws were created for the well-being of human beings and society. Ultimately the laws must answer to God’s higher law, which requires us to treat all human life with sanctity. All persons bear the image of Christ and thus should be treated with the dignity and respect that we would afford our Savior. Valuing persons includes doing what we can to preserve them, to care for them, and to create fair systems that lead to healthy societies. We must from time to time ask if our human-made laws create a just and better existence for those who are created in God's image.
Why Do Immigrants Come Here, and What Do They Do for Society?
We at World Relief have worked to serve refugees and other immigrants for many years, and have found that they contribute to our society in countless ways. Immigrants often fill jobs that native-born Americans do not fill, such as jobs that require hard labor but less education. There are also many immigrants in medical and technical fields. Immigrants are also helping to fill the gap left by an aging population that is leaving the workforce. Immigrants pay taxes, participate in our communities, churches, schools, and political systems. Immigrants are dedicated to their families, and are hard-working.
We know that some immigrants have violated immigration law by entering this country illegally or overstaying a valid visa, and there are many reasons why they have done so. They may have had to flee quickly to escape persecution, civil strife, or natural disasters in their own countries. Many others came to this country because they needed to support their families, who are from countries where they cannot earn a living wage. Many immigrants have applied legitimately for the right to live in this country with their family members, but must wait for many years for final approval due to backlogs in the system.
The Need for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Immigration is a defining feature of America’s history and will continue to be an important issue for America’s future. President Obama, members of both parties in Congress, and the faith community have called for changes to our immigration system to address numerous problems.
World Relief believes that a comprehensive approach to immigration reform is required to address the complex and outmoded immigration system that currently exists. For example, current law has created numerous barriers for legitimate refugees abroad and seekers of asylum in the U.S. to receive the protection they deserve. Additionally, approximately eleven million “undocumented” immigrants currently live in the United States, and more than three million U.S. citizen children live in families headed by an undocumented immigrant. An “undocumented” individual does not have current permission to work or live in the U.S.
Many undocumented children are raised here but are unable to attend college or work legally. Individuals are risking their lives and literally dying to come to the United States. Families face inhumane waits of up to twenty years to reunify with family members. There are an inadequate number of visas for employers to hire the foreign workers necessary for jobs that they cannot find native-born Americans to fill. We have a growing black market characterized by widespread use of false documents, increasingly violent smuggling cartels, and exploitation of undocumented workers.
Because many immigrants do not currently have a means by which to receive lawful status in the United States, they go undetected by living in the shadows. If they could apply for current lawful status, they would be much more likely to come forward, and the government could better target the small number of potential criminals and terrorists.
We do not condone any violations of the law, such as living in the United States illegally, but we recognize that our complex and inadequate immigration system has made it nearly impossible for many of the hard-working people that our country needs, to enter or remain in the country legally and/or reunite with family members.
What Are World Relief and Other Agencies Doing?
World Relief is actively advocating for comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level, cooperating with other faith-based agencies, and working to engage the Evangelical community. We approach comprehensive immigration reform as a non-partisan issue, in which we feel called to engage based upon Scripture and our moral values.
We believe that a comprehensive approach is required that goes beyond border protection alone and addresses the current problems of our immigration system, by looking at root causes of immigration, developing workable solutions, and providing dignified relief to the millions of immigrants who are contributing to our communities, despite their lack of legal status. We also advocate for reforms that better protect those seeking refugee and asylum status.
We advocate that any legislation that is passed include the following specific principles:
- Reforms in our family-based immigration system to significantly reduce waiting times for separated families who currently wait many years to be reunited;
- The creation of more responsive legal avenues for workers and their families who wish to migrate to the U.S. to enter our country and work in a safe, legal, and orderly manner that prevents their exploitation and assures them due process;
- The option for those individuals and families who are already living in the U.S. and working hard, to apply for permanent legal status and citizenship if they choose to do so, by meeting specific application criteria; and
- Border protection policies that are consistent with humanitarian values and with the need to treat all individuals with respect, while allowing the authorities to carry out the critical task of enforcing our laws.
What Can You Do? A Call to Action.
- Ask your church and/or Pastor to sign the attached letter to the President and Congress, in support of comprehensive immigration reform.
- Call or send a letter or e-mail to the President, your Senators and Representative, in support of comprehensive immigration reform. (See www.whitehouse.gov/contact/; www.senate.gov/; www.house.gov/writerep/.)
- Schedule an appointment with your Senator or Representative, or with their staff.
- Talk about immigrants and refugees in your church.
- Volunteer with a local refugee or immigration program, such as a World Relief office.
- Contact World Relief for more information.
The U.S. Congress is currently considering how to reform our country’s immigration system. This is an issue in which World Relief is actively involved. We encourage you to review the following documents that we have prepared.
Letter from World Relief President and CEO Sammy Mah.
This letter encourages you to become involved in the important issue of immigration reform.
World Relief Statement in Support of Comprehensive Immigration Reform
This background statement explains why World Relief is supportive of comprehensive immigration reform, outlines the issues involved, and gives ideas how you can become involved.
Sign-On Letter to the President and Congress
We are collecting endorsements on an Evangelical letter in support of comprehensive immigration reform that we will send to the President and the Congress. If you are interested in endorsing this letter as an Evangelical church, organization, or leader, please follow the instructions in the letter, and notify us of your endorsement by emailing firstname.lastname@example.org.
Download the World Relief Immigration Toolkit


As we are finding our way into a new, hopefully temporary, normal… a couple of things to share with you:
The office/building/Preschool continue to be closed. We are checking mail and phone messages daily, and our building continues to be in the process of being deep cleaned by our caretaker, Dwight Hanauer. While we’re all encouraged to stay home, if you do happen to be out and about for a quick shopping trip or errand, please do not stop by the church unless you have to.
We continue to worship online. To date, our worship service via Facebook Live last Sunday has almost 1,000 views, which is just incredible! We’re definitely learning something about the need and nature in which we gather around the give of God’s Word in these difficult times. We will continue to gather on Sunday mornings via Facebook Live on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. – you can RSVP for the event as a reminder. I have produced a bulletin for worship this week which includes some music – you can download it to print or use on a device as you would like. If you’re not a Facebook person, I’ll be sending an email out on Sunday afternoon with the link to be able to watch the recording of the service which you can access without an account.
You are also welcome to connect with the broader Church through the DE-MD Synod online worship on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for a Service of the Word with Bishop Gohl through the DE-MD Synod Facebook Page. Or simply gather with those around your home to pray together, read the scriptures for the day (1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41) and reflect on them together. I am also inviting you to participate in a midweek online Vesper service with our broader Church through the DE-MD Synod Facebook Page – there were about 8 of us from St. Paul’s participating in the service this past Wednesday!
Please continue to give. Your offerings are needed to help continue the work of the church, even in this in-between time. You can mail your offerings in to the church office – we have a secured mailbox which I or the office staff are accessing daily. You can also give online, either as a one-time offering or to setup something reoccurring (this is how I give to our church). You can just go to our website and click on Contribute to St. Paul’s on the right-hand side, and it will take you to a secure giving platform. If it’s all the same, giving by ACH debit is preferred as we incur less processing fees, but giving by a credit card is great too!
Keep connected to one another. I’ve spoken to a number of people this week by phone, text, email, Facebook, or video, and I know you’re looking out for one another. Please continue to do this, and help remember your St. Paul’s community who might be lonely or isolated in these days. A couple of people asked for a directory, which you can download here – please use this only for connecting with one another and not soliciting or giving contact info to people out of our community. If you are willing to be a “phone buddy” for someone in our church who would like another touch point, please email me and let me know. Our partners at ACTC are looking for help or donations if you are willing to assist in caring for the vulnerable in our midst through their work.
You have likely noticed that a lot of our connecting is through Facebook – I know this isn’t perfect, or for everyone, but is a helpful tool in a time like this. If you are not on Facebook and would like to join, please be in touch with me and I’ll talk you through how to do it. Our leadership is going to be learning how to gather and work via Zoom videoconferencing very soon so we are able to tend to the work of the church. This will be another tool that we will begin using for smaller group meetings, study times, and check-ins with one another.
The next days and weeks are uncertain. While we are all hopeful about joining together in person soon, we don’t know when that will be. I imagine we will know more by this time next week, if not sooner, and our leadership will confer and communicate as soon as we know more about next steps. In the meantime, after conferring with our Creative Fundraising Committee, the Easter Candy and Basket BINGO events have been postponed. You will see information below about Holy Week and Easter events, but we’re uncertain that we will be permitted to gather by then. So we wait, and watch, and pray.


Our Lady of Guadalupe Pilgrimage
Riding along with Apostolado Mexicano Diocesano as over 1000 members ran from The Co-Catherdral of St. Joseph's in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Astoria, Queens. I truly hadn't researched events for the Guadalupe in Brooklyn but remembered that St. Joseph's had a processions last year so I started there. I misunderstood somewhere thinking they were going into Manhattan (back to the books with my Spanish!), as they were not only going to Queens but running! Thankfully, I had my bicycle and rode along with them. The sky was sparkling blue, the air was frigid, though no one seemed overly cold but me. The closer we were to the end of their approx. 12 mile run/walk the energy started to rise, cheering and sprinting past New Calvary Cemetery where I turned and waved goodbye. I really wished to have stayed until the finish but it was getting dark and I didn't have my super reflective MTA vest to keep me safe.
I loved watching the faces along the path, those that either didn't know the Guadalupe or were just surprised to find 1000 folks running through their neighborhoods. Fellow Mexicans, passing FDNY trucks, store owners and neighbors all cheered them on, smiling and honking horns ¡Viva Mexico! Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated every December 12, commemorating her 1531 appearance before a Mexican Indian at Tepeyac, northwest of what is now Mexico City. She is considered the Patroness of Mexico, Empress of the Americas with a message of love and compassion, and universal promise of help and protection to all mankind.
More photographs posted on Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/photos/geralyn/sets/72157649780645835
Thank you for a great day! - g


Jesus: Expert discusses ‘missing years’ found in ‘lost gospels’
The religious text tells the story of Jesus Christ’s birth through the gospels of Luke and Matthew. Almost 2,000 years ago an angel named Gabriel is said to have appeared to Mary and told her she would have a son, Jesus, who would be the Son of God. Mary and her husband-to-be, Joseph, made the journey to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born in a stable after the pair struggled to find a place to stay.
Some time later, three ‘Wise Men’, or magi, from eastern countries saw a star in the sky that signalled the birth of a new king.
They are said to have travelled to Judea, the region around Jerusalem and Bethlehem, to worship Jesus, the new king, but little detail is provided on who they actually were.
Catholic priest and author Dwight Longenecker has long sought to learn more about the mysterious visit and whether he could unravel their true identity.
He said: “To determine who the Wise Men really were, we first have to unpack the story as most people understand it.
The True identity of the Three Wise Men may have been unravelled
The Bible tells the story of the birth of Jesus
“The story Matthew tells has few details, but the details we have come to accept were added in the first three centuries of the Church.
“Gnostic writers of the day were similar to New Age believers today. They were enchanted by magic, esoteric theories and the occult.
“The Gnostics wrote expanded accounts of the birth of Jesus that highlighted the miraculous element and the exotic origins of the Wise Men.”
Mr Longenecker went on to lay out the obstacles he faced in tracing the story.
He added: “As the centre of Christianity shifted north and west to Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome, Matthew’s indication that the Wise Men came ‘from the East’ suggested that they came from Persia.
READ MORE: Jesus ‘born in different location’ as Bible rewritten with ‘another Bethlehem’ find
Many follow the Star of Bethlehem to visit the new king
“Before long, the full-blown version of the story was circulating. Soothsayers and stargazers — kings from Persia, India, and Africa — followed a magical star across the desert sands on camels, finally arriving after a long and perilous journey to worship the infant Christ.
“The problem is that very little of that version of the story is in Matthew’s Gospel.
“Matthew doesn’t say they are kings. He doesn’t number them as three. He doesn’t say they rode camels. He doesn’t say they followed a magical star, and he doesn’t say they went on a long journey.
“He simply writes, ‘Wise men came from the East’.
“They saw his star. They came to the court of Herod the Great. They brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
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A passage in the Bible could help identify the Three Wise Men
The author explained how he searched the Bible looking for “clues about the identity of the Wise Men”.
And he found a passage in Isaiah 60 that would become critical to his theory.
It reads: “For the riches of the sea shall be poured out before you, the wealth of nations shall come to you.
“Caravans of camels shall cover you, dromedaries of Midian and Ephah, all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and heralding the praises of the Lord.
“All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered for you, the rams of Nebaioth shall serve your needs.”
Sacred spot where Jesus is said to have been born
Mr Longenecker detailed how he made a breakthrough.
He added: “With a bit of digging I discovered that Midian, Ephah, Kedar, and Nebaioth were all locations or the names of tribes from northwestern Arabia.
“Starting there I discovered that during the time of Jesus’ birth that territory was occupied by the kingdom of Nabatea.
“The Nabateans had close links with Herod the Great. Furthermore, their religion was rooted in astrology, and like many peoples from the time, they were looking for a messiah.
“Details fell together in an amazing way to unlock the secret that the Wise Men were indeed historical figures.”
The author then put forward his case for the real identity of the Three Wise Men.
He continued in January: “Just at the time of Jesus’ birth the Nabatean king, Aretas IV, had a strong motivation to send diplomats to the court of Herod with rich gifts.
Secret Lives Of Jesus: Expert says birth story ‘rewritten’
“Learning of the birth of a new king of the Jews by studying the stars, they set out on their historic journey.
“Coming from the neighbouring kingdom, it was not very far, but it was significant because they were not only diplomats bearing peace offerings.
“They were Wise Men on a spiritual quest to find their true king and the source of true wisdom.”
But there have been a number of theories over the real identity of the Three Wise Men over the year thanks to lack of description given in the Gospel of Matthew.
The phrase “from the east,” translates to “from the rising [of the Sun],” and is the only information Matthew provides about the region from which they came.
The Parthian Empire, centred in Persia, stretched from eastern Syria to the fringes of India, so tracking down the three men becomes near impossible


Posted by Pam Phillips on Saturday, February 20, 2016
Word of Truth’s Mission
Word of Truth International Ministries believes in the Holy Trinity: God the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. It is our mission to lead the unsaved to Christ, to guide and teach Christians to live a more abundant life in Christ. In keeping with the great commission, we encourage family unity, community outreach, and worldwide missions. (Matthew 28:18-20)
Word of Truth’s Vision
To fulfill the great commission of Jesus Christ our Savior to win souls, make disciples, and send them forth to expand the Kingdom of God.
“Every Believer a Leader”


Plainfield’s Grace Episcopal Church to Celebrate Black History Month – TAPinto.net
PLAINFIELD, NJ – Grace Episcopal Church in Plainfield will present a choral evensong and dinner to celebrate Black History Month.
The Rev. Canon Andy Moore, Rector of St. Elizabeth Church, will give the presentation. Enjoy the Gospel Music of “Kirk Franklin” with Organist Andrew Kilkenny.
The special event will be held on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 4 p.m. at 600 Cleveland Ave.


Rev. Eustacia Moffett Marshall is a dedicated leader, preacher, scholar, and servant.
Very early in her life, Rev. Eustacia remembers asking big questions like “Who am I?, “Why am I here?” and “What should I do with my life?” As a pastor, these questions continue to inspire her work. Rev. Eustacia takes joy in helping others ask important questions of God and finds fulfillment in seeing others live out their God-given purpose. Her vision is to cultivate a faith community where people can have honest, fearless dialogue as a pathway to learning, growing, and becoming faithful followers of Jesus Christ. A life-long learner herself, Rev. Eustacia is a graduate of Stanford University (2001) and Princeton Theological Seminary (2006).
She is currently a Ph.D student at the North Carolina A&T State University where she is studying and researching leadership in the College of Education. A woman with many talents, she serves the church and community through various volunteer and leadership posts. She is also an accomplished musician and teacher, having served as a minister of music for a number of churches and having served as adjunct faculty in preaching at the Wake Forest Divinity School.
Her commentaries and sermons are published in the African American Lectionary, the African American Pulpit (Fall 2009), and “These Sisters Can Say It, Vol 2.” She is the wife of her seminary sweetheart, Rev. Toure C. Marshall, and mother to Jeremiah, Jessica and all those who want to grow under her servant leadership.


On Sunday September 20th, 2009 there will be an indoor/outdoor flea market from 8am to 430pm. Join The Holy Family Church for a day of great bargains and delicious food!
The Holy Family Church
Castle Hill Ave. and Watson Ave
Interesting in being a vendor? Spaces are $25. Chairs and table will be provided.
To reserve your space pls. call Dee or Shane @ 347-297-3996 or email us @ firstname.lastname@example.org


FLINT, Michigan–The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is donating $10,000 to the City of Flint to support a program developed by Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley to deliver bottled water to the most vulnerable as part of the city’s response to COVID-19.
Mayor Neeley’s bottled water delivery program is a partnership with Nestlé Waters that operates in conjunction with four area churches to deliver bottled water to those with compromised immune systems.
Marcelino Sanchez, President of the Grand Blanc Stake, and Robert Leon, Bishop of the Flint Ward, presented the donation to Mayor Neeley via video conference on April 29, 2020.
“In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, we know that many people and businesses are facing financial hardships,” said Marcelino Sanchez. “Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from around the world fast once a month and donate what they would otherwise spend on food to a world-wide fund so that in times of need, such as this, we can address the needs of our neighbors whether they are members of our church or not.”
“We are grateful for the continued support to the City of Flint from members of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” Mayor Neeley said. “We value the relationship that members of the church have built in our community through their example of passionate service. We look forward to working together for the benefit of our community.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established in Flint in 1935 and has long been a community partner and supporter. In addition to serving the community throughout the Flint water crisis, local members also organize an annual clothing driving. Working with the Grand Blanc Stake (regional group of congregations) and donations from Church headquarters, the clothing drives provide local families with much needed clothing for the upcoming winter season. In 2019, the clothing drive helped distribute 15,000 articles of clothing.
Those seeking bottled water delivery can contact the City of Flint Public Health Navigators at (810) 410-2020. Public Health Navigators also will deliver water filters, filter replacement cartridges, and water testing kits to residents’ homes.
“This gift from the Church of Latter-day Saints is another example of the great strength that comes from unity,” Mayor Neeley said.


The most fanciful Jesus story? Or in fact one of the most reliable?
Homily for Epiphany Sunday 2013
by Paul Miles
About 18 months ago this church had as guest speaker Dr Greg Jenks, a Fellow of the Jesus Seminar, an international workgroup of some of the most distinguished biblical scholars of our time. The Jesus Seminar tries to identify which of the Gospel stories can be accepted as probably genuine, which are propaganda or myth, or which are somewhere in between. There are relatively few Bible scholars today who accept that the two Nativity stories of Matthew and Luke are based on fact. For most, these two stories are amongst the most suspect in the new Testament.
Since the great age of Bible Scholarship began in the early 19th Century, scholars have suggested that the writers of the Nativity Story borrowed from the myths of many of the cultures existing around the Holy Land at the time, one aim being to establish Jesus’ divinity. Other interesting parallels of the Jesus story can be found in the Egyptian myths of Osiris and Horus, the Romanised version of the Persian god Mithras, the Hindu Krishna, the Greek god Dionysus, even Buddha. And the parallels can be uncanny, with similarities in virgin births, disciples, raising people from the dead, feeding multitudes with bread and fish, curing leprosy and blindness, even godly trinities and walking on water.
For many very serious scholars even the question of whether Jesus ever really lived is on the table. Could he have been completely and solely a mythical figure? There are few real contemporary sources independent from the Bible at that time that mention him. Authenticity is a calculation based on available external evidence, of which there is basically little, with that situation unlikely to change. Short of someone coming upon Mary’s long-lost baby photo album, we are never likely to know the absolute true story of Jesus’ birth. Notice I’m talking about Jesus here and not Christ. We’re concerned here with the birth of the man, not the god. The latter idea only really got traction with the conversion of Constantine the Great in the 4th century AD.
But on balance, I’m personally reasonably convinced, based on the direct and indirect historical evidence, that the man Jesus really did live and a fair bit of what has come down to us in the form of his teachings is reasonably authentic. However, despite still being charmed by the Christmas and Nativity story, for many years I too have considered the nativity story one of the least reliable stories about Jesus.
But what if it isn’t? What if it could, in fact, be one of the most provable stories in Jesus’ life?
Only two of the Gospels mention the Nativity: Matthew and Luke, and they have rather different and largely contradictory stories. (I don’t think either of them thought the scene quite so busy, and with so many witnesses, as did Rubens at the top.)
Matthew’s account includes the appearance of an angel in a dream to Joseph; a visit from wise men from the east; the massacre of the innocents; and the flight to Egypt, which do not appear in Luke. Luke instead describes the appearance of an angel to Mary; the worldwide census of Augustus Caesar; the birth in a manger, and the choir of angels. Both Matthew and Luke place the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.
The Gospel of Luke is traditionally said to have been written by Luke the Evangelist; not one of the 12 Apostles, but a travelling companion of St Paul. He was also the author of Acts, and fairly probably a Gentile, rather than a Jew. His language reveals him as an educated man, and Paul confirms that he was a physician. A prime purpose of Luke is to try to give the Jesus story historical authenticity. Most likely the Luke Gospel was written about the mid 70s AD but original, now lost versions may have been around as early as 59 AD. Luke was certainly not an eye witness to the events of Jesus’ life.
Scholars have found some major credibility difficulties with his Nativity Story. With a lot of supernatural occurrences, such as angel visitations and choirs of angels, this is great for Christmas cards and carols, but perhaps not so plausible for cynical 21st Century humans, who demand ‘scientific proof ’ that one soap is better than another soap before they buy it. Many have argued that the story of the shepherds gives it authenticity, but the fact they were still in the fields at the time of the birth makes a December birth well nigh impossible – too cold, with snow on the ground. (Then again, just as with Jesus’ deification, the December birth date comes much later in this history, and is co-opted from the Roman Saturnalia festival – sneaky church fathers!)
The Luke event could only have occurred in the warmer part of the year from around March to September. I don’t have problems with that. I do have problems with the census Luke mentions, which was intended by him, and taken by many, as a major sign of historical proof. In Chapter 2 Verses 1-4 Luke announces that: “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.”
Here’s the problem: in a monumental study with six Volumes released between 1886 and 1890, the German theologian Emil Schürer[i] raised five points which he believed meant that the Luke account could not be historically accurate:
- There is no historical record of a general worldwide census by Augustus; we know of only 3 in Rome itself in his reign (in 28 BC, 8 BC and 14 AD), and regional censuses were not necessarily done at the same time.
- In a Roman census Joseph would not have had to travel to Bethlehem, and Mary would not have had to travel at all, since she was a native of Nazareth and would have registered there anyway. And there would have been no expectation they would have had to leave where they then lived. (Imagine the social dislocation and potential for rebellion of having all of these Jews with a reputation for being incredibly fractious moving about the country and grumbling about these bloody Romans turning their lives upside down! The Romans would never have required this.)
- During the reign of Herod, no Roman census would have been made in Judea, as he was the ruler at the time, not the Romans.
- The Jewish historian Josephus, the principal source of knowledge about Jewish affairs from this time, records no such Judean census until about 8 AD when Herod’s son, Herod Archelaus, was deposed and Judea came under direct Roman rule. This was far too late for the birth of Jesus, if Jesus was born before Herod the Great died. Some have argued that a regional Herodian census may have been conducted around 8 BC, but there is no official record of it. As Judea was not under direct Roman rule at the time, it is possible it was a purely Judean affair deliberately designed not to offend the Jews, but whether it really did happen or not is pure speculation.
- Lastly, Quirinius was not governor of Syria and Judea until 6 AD, quite some time after the reign of Herod the Great. He took over from Herod Archelaus and the census of 8 AD was one of his first public duties. This census (for which people did not have to move around the countryside) still caused considerable unrest and some open revolt, and has even been credited with the creation of the Zealots. An earlier such census should definitely have attracted the attention of Josephus in the same way as this one did.
So, there are serious problems believing at least this aspect of Luke’s account of the story, with the census report wrongly dated, attributed or described, or put in only to justify a birth in Bethlehem. And both St Paul and Luke were trying to convert a Gentile market, so they were spinning their story to convert a wider and much more cosmopolitan audience.
What about Matthew? The author of Matthew was writing for a Jewish audience, and stressing the continuing relevance of Jewish law for the followers of Jesus. It is thought he was part of a Jewish-Christian community in Roman Syria.
Like Luke, Matthew was not an eye witness to the events of Jesus’ life. He relies extensively on the earlier Gospel of Mark for many of his details (as does Luke). His knowledge is at least second hand (probably further removed). The writer was not the Apostle Matthew the tax collector, a tradition of attribution that arose sometime in the 2nd Century, but an anonymous author – a highly educated Jew writing between 71 and 80 AD, who was intimately familiar with Jewish Law, but who stood on the boundary between traditional and Christian-modified Jewish belief.
Matthew drew on 3 main sources:
- the Gospel of Mark, which was the first Gospel written (66-70 AD?);
- an earlier collection of the sayings of Jesus known as the “Q” source, now lost – (a source shared also by Luke), and;
- now lost material unique to Matthew’s own community (which scholars call the “M” source).
Matthew’s account of the Nativity is quite different to that of Luke. In Matthew Chapter 1, Jesus’ ancestry is traced back to Abraham, father of the Jews, to emphasise his Jewishness. Then the story of the betrothal of Joseph and Mary is outlined. In Chapter 2, the Star of Bethlehem reveals the birth of Jesus to a number of Magi, who travel to Jerusalem from an unspecified country “in the east”. The Magi go to see Herod the Great and ask where they can find the one newly born “King of the Jews”. Understandably, this is news to Herod and his advisers, but they answer that the scriptures proclaim Bethlehem, the birthplace of King David, as the birthplace of the Messiah and Herod tells the Magi to go to Bethlehem and to report back to him when they have found the child. Of course, we’ve already seen the movie and we know that Herod had very ulterior motives for being so helpful.
As the Magi travel to Bethlehem, the star “goes before” them and leads them to a house where they find the infant and bring him three gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. In a dream, the Magi receive a divine warning of Herod’s intent to kill Jesus and they return to their own country, avoiding another meeting with Herod. An angel then tells Joseph to flee with his family to Egypt. Meanwhile, Herod orders that all male children of Bethlehem under the age of two be killed, in the “Massacre of the Innocents”.
Matthew’s Gospel has many elements that are quite believable. His depiction of the murderous character of Herod is spot on. In a 34 year reign, Herod had his wife killed, as well as a number of his family members (including three sons), numerous in-laws, and yes, his mother-in-law too (seriously, this is not a mother-in-law joke), as well as hundreds of political opponents. But the slaughter of the innocents is not mentioned in any other contemporary documents or traditions. That may be explained by the fact that Bethlehem was a small village and such an event may have passed relatively unnoticed officially. The murderous act, however, certainly fits with Herod’s known character.
Herod’s son Archelaus wasn’t much better. One of the three sons Herod didn’t have killed, he became Tetrarch of Judea in his father’s place and began his reign with the brutal slaughter of 3,000 Pharisees who opposed him. Matthew comments on him too: in Verses 22 & 23, when Joseph decides to return from Egypt to Israel following Herod’s death: “But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth.”
With Herod playing such a major part in the Matthew Gospel, and with Matthew (while not an eyewitness) undoubtedly closer to the action than Luke, the tradition that Jesus was born before Herod died can be taken seriously. The most widely accepted date for Herod’s death is in 4 BC, so that must put Jesus’ birth before this. However, there are scholars who say that the accepted date of Herod’s death is wrong, and that 1 BC is a more appropriate fit. That certainly expands the possible time period.
What could narrow it down? There could be a surprising answer.
Although most people regard the Star of Bethlehem as the least believable part of the “nativity myth”, it may in fact hold the key to the mystery.
The Magi say to Herod when they arrive: “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East.” Herod then asks them what time the star appeared. The Magi go on their way; “and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was.” If we assume for a moment that the story of the star’s strange behaviour and Herod’s seemingly pointless question is not complete myth, what could cause a star to behave in such strange ways or draw such attention to it?
The answer to this question lies with the word magi. This is the exact word used in the oldest texts, but the word is not Greek, Hebrew or Aramaic. It’s Persian. And we do happen to know quite a bit about magi from sources other than the Bible.
The magi were Persian priests, followers of Zoroastrianism and the most advanced Eurasian astrologers / astronomers of their age. Our word “magic” comes from this name. And while they were definitely not kings, Herod clearly considered them important enough to receive them immediately upon their arrival. The Jews certainly did know all about magi, as the two religions had many things in common. They are mentioned in the writings of the Jewish Platonist philosopher Philo, living about the same time, as well as by the Greek historian Herodotus.
The earliest known artistic depiction of our particular Magi is a mosaic on the wall of the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo near Ravenna, Italy (seen left). It dates from the 6th Century A.D.
Note the leggings, which are typical Persian dress intended for horse riding, and not in use elsewhere at this time.
Further to the astrological connection, in Ancient Greek the word for planet and star was the same, with one distinction: some stars were fixed in position; others – the planets – moved. And this was the magi’s bread and butter.
It just so happened that the magi also believed in a coming messianic figure, and they were the people who would be looking for signs of this in the heavens.
So what could those signs have been?
The 3rd Century theologian Origen suggests the star was a comet, and early art of the Middle Ages often depicts this, in a trend begun by Giotto in 1301 after Halley’s Comet made its appearance (look for it above the roof in the painting).
Both the comet in the sky and Giotto’s influential painting led almost to the mandatory inclusion of a comet as the Star of Bethlehem in every Nativity painting for the next few centuries. Interestingly, in the spring of 5 BC Chinese astronomers recorded what they called a “broom star”, which remained visible for more than 70 days. Judea is on about the same latitude, so they would have seen it too. And it fits the window of about a year before Herod’s accepted death date.
However, there is one critical flaw in this theory about comets. Our Magi would have been almost certainly unlikely to have seen the coming of a comet as a positive portent. For them it would have been more likely a harbinger of doom, foreshadowing perhaps the particularly nasty death of Herod, but not the announcement of the birth of a messiah. It would not have been a reason for astrologers / priests to make a long and arduous journey to Judea to look for this messiah.
In more recent times, it has become trendy to think of the Star as a nova or supernova. Many Christmas cards now seem to depict this, but how realistic is this idea? In 1604 Johannes Kepler witnessed the phenomenon of a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter that seemed to suddenly expand dramatically and turn into a very bright star. At the time he did not realise he had seen a sudden nova or supernova many light years beyond Jupiter and Saturn. Recently, European Space Agency Astronomer Mark Kidger has suggested that the Star of Bethlehem may have been a similar occurrence[ii]. But he has found no obvious remnants of supernovas in the right place in the cosmos for one back at the time of Jesus’ birth.
And there is one major flaw with both of these theories. That is that Herod and his advisers knew nothing about “this star”. If it had been as obvious as a nova or comet, no-one could have missed it.
The fact that only the magi knew about it points to another type of phenomenon.
The most semantically accurate modern translation of the New Testament (the earliest texts we now have were written in Greek) is the New International Version. When this version is read, the meaning is as close as possible to the original Greek – and as unambiguous. Because the language used in Matthew about the Magi following the Star of Bethlehem describes not an astronomical or casual skygazer’s view of what is happening in the heavens, but an astrological one.
For instance in Chapter 2 Verses 1 & 2: “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’ ” And Verse7: “Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.”
Now why would those details have been important?
Because this is the language of, and these are the considerations of astrologers.
What our Magi were following was a planetary conjunction. And such conjunctions were roadmaps of future events and the destiny of the players.
So what sorts of conjunctions would have got magi all excited? Well, as it happens, there were various interesting candidates during our time frame. Claims have been made for 17 June 2 BC, with a conjunction of Jupiter and Venus in Leo near the fixed star Regulus. Jupiter, Leo and Regulus all have regal astrological connotations. However, the date does fall out of the accepted timeframe before Herod’s death. And the conjunction, while interesting, is not as exciting or significant astrologically as some others.
Astronomer Michael Molnar[iii] has suggested April 17 6 BC on the basis of a coin from Antioch that he discovered. This coin seems to combine a bright star with a sign of Aries (the Ram). Molnar thinks a Jupiter conjunction with Saturn in Aries, combined with a lunar occultation, is the Bethlehem Star and he argues that Aries was the sign of the Jews established by Moses. Astrologically, this chart is interesting, but by 6 BC any symbolic association of Aries with the Jews had been superseded by Pisces, so the fit might not have been quite so exciting for our Persian magi.
A far more intriguing date that would tick off all the boxes for ancient astrologers is 15 September 7 BC. This date has been suggested by several astronomers and astrologers, including astronomer David Hughes[iv] of the Greenwich Observatory and Sheffield University. And Australian astrologer Rollan McCleary[v] has put a great amount of research and effort into all kinds of historical and astrological checks and balances regarding this date.
The key fact about this conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn is that it was the middle of three very close conjunctions of these two planets in that year, what is called a triple conjunction. And this could explain a lot.
The first conjunction of the three, in May, was in forward motion, and McCleary argues it astrologically foreshadowed the birth. (At this time the direction of the star – and Judea – from Iran/Persia was roughly WSW). Returning to Matthew Chapter 2 Verses 1 & 2: “Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’ ” The Magi would have seen this announcing sign for the first time (when they were still at home) “in the East”.
The star then started retrograding (appearing to move backwards) and continued this way until the next conjunction (also in the WSW) about 100 days later in September. This conjunction saw the birth of Jesus and the Magi on their journey, literally following the direction of the star. In Verse 9: “… they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went before them”.
The last conjunction saw a switch back to forward motion in November, and this marked the Magi’s visit to the Holy Family. Interestingly, on this last part of the journey after leaving Herod in Jerusalem, the Magi had set off again following the star (now in the SSW). Bethlehem lies through hilly country about 8 kilometres SSW of the Old City of Jerusalem. The star would have been almost directly over the village. Continuing Verse 9: “… they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went before them until it stopped over the place where the child was.” (Before a star leaves retrograde motion it ‘takes station’, or appears to stop motion.)
An ancient Babylonian tablet, now called the Star Almanac of Sippar and held in the British Museum, actually records this exact series of conjunctions – a Triple Conjunction taking place in Pisces. In the Babylonian system of astrology, Jupiter represented the supreme God of the Universe, but also the new. Saturn was “the old or steady one” and the constellation of Pisces was associated with wisdom, life and creation as well as (by this time) with Israel. When this star was seen in their Eastern Land it would have meant to the Magi the end of an old world order being superseded by the birth of a new heaven-appointed king. And this line-up of the planets in Pisces would have been taken as a message that this new king would be born in Israel.
So not only is there proof that this conjunction did indeed attract the attention of Persian magi, but that it was considered important enough to write down by the astrological experts. If we take this conjunction series seriously, it also explains the adoption by early Christians of the ichthys (or fish) symbol to represent Christ, or being Christian. The ichthys was not so much based on the idea of Christians being “fishers of men” (which actually applied to the disciples, not Jesus), but of Jesus being born under this unique conjunction in the sign of Pisces, the fish.
McCleary points out that the three main planets of this chart also put more significance on the gifts of the Magi. With the Sun in Virgo (the Virgin) opposite Saturn conjunct Jupiter in Pisces, Gold represented the Sun and Kingship or Divinity, Frankincense represented the religious mission ruled by Jupiter, and the Myrrh symbolised both Saturn’s sense of duty, but also the suffering and death which awaited. The birth date even lends some credibility to Luke and his story of the shepherds, who would still have been out in the fields for a birth in September.
So getting back to Matthew, is his account of events believable?
It certainly holds up to historical scrutiny much better than Luke. Given his origins in a Christian community of Jewish offshoot, he may very well have had access to some special knowledge (the “M” source) about Jesus’ birth known to people close to Jesus’ family, perhaps even direct descendants. Certainly the first Christians were members of Jesus’ own family, his brother James being the first Jewish Christian leader. When the Romans destroyed the Jerusalem Temple in 70 AD and dispersed the Jews from the Holy Land, members of the community around the Jesus family may well have ended up in nearby Syria, becoming part of a community that included Matthew. They, or perhaps other closer friends would have known the old birth stories, even if they may not have completely understood the more arcane references concerning the Magi.
So it’s possible that Matthew is telling us not a mythological story, but a real, factual story handed down through generations and maybe even by descendants of Jesus’ own family.
The final argument for this interpretation of the story is that Jews knew magi existed. But they certainly weren’t a feature of everyday conversation – or even rare conversation. So why include Persians – and especially astrologers – in such a made-up story concerning themselves and the future of their country? It’s the truth being stranger than fiction conundrum known to screenwriters and novelists. Something so way out that the studios will never touch it!
Unless it really happened?
Could it be that, rather than being considered one of the most fanciful and therefore unreliable stories in the New Testament, the Nativity Story could just be one story about Jesus that it may be pretty safe to believe in?
[i] Emil Schürer, Die Geschichte des jüdischen Volkes im Zeitalter Jesu Christi ( Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs’sche Buchhandlung, 1886-90)
[ii] Mark R Kidger, The Star of Bethlehem: An Astronomer’s View (Princeton, N. J.: Princeton University Press, 1999)
[iii] Michael Molnar, The Star of Bethlehem: The Legacy of the Magi (Piscataway, N. J.: Rutgers University Press, 1999)
[iv] David Hughes, The Star of Bethlehem: An Astronomer’s Confirmation (New York: Walker & Co,1979)
[v] Rollan McCleary, Signs for a Messiah: The first and last evidence for Jesus (Broadbeach Waters: Solas Publications, 1994)


The bread, the law, and the Spirit
[RCL]: 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20); Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17; 2 Corinthians 4:5-12, Mark 2:23-3:36
“During the bombing raids of World War II, thousands of children were orphaned and left to starve. The fortunate ones were rescued and placed in refugee camps where they received food and good care. But many of these children who had lost so much could not sleep at night. They feared waking up to find themselves once again homeless and without food. Nothing seemed to reassure them. Finally, someone hit upon the idea of giving each child a piece of bread to hold at bedtime. Holding their bread, these children could finally sleep in peace. All through the night, the bread reminded them, ‘Today I ate and I will eat again tomorrow.’”
I’d like to introduce you to a simple way we can begin to discern and grow a life that moves in rhythm with the Holy Spirit. It involves asking a few questions that we ask ourselves.
We start off by asking ourselves:
“Which moment am I most grateful for today?” and, “Which moment am I least grateful for today?”
Try it right now. If those initial questions are not enough, then try some more questions:
“When did I give and receive the most love today?” “When did I give and receive the least love today?” or,
“When did I feel most alive today?” “When did I most feel the life draining out of me?”
There is a reasoning for asking these questions of ourselves, and it is that, over time, patterns emerge to help us to discern how God is calling us.
In essence, when one follows this spiritual discipline, that person is sleeping with bread—truly holding on to what gives him or her life.
Most of us have asked the questions: “What am I supposed to do with my life?” “Why am I here?” “What is my purpose?”
I wonder if you may have ever wished for answers from God, like Samuel in our Old Testament lesson today, who heard God’s voice calling him directly. This theophany, or call narrative—the appearance of God or a representative of God in sound, vision, or through our other senses—also happens to Abraham, Moses, Gideon, Isaiah, and Mary, just to name a few.
In making themselves available to God, Samuel and the others’ lives are changed. They have a purpose given by God, but it may not have been what they were hoping for in their lives. Instead, the call is something they could not have asked for or even imagined, and it transforms the world.
There is a world of difference between living with the purpose given to us by God, and being the gods of our own lives. In fact, when we simply live our way, how we want to, when we desire to, God having a purpose for us may sound terrifying.
We may think we want to hear and know God’s call to us, but secretly we don’t, because we know it will change us. After all, when we are focused on living from a place of love and not fear, it does change us. The simple questions that we can ask ourselves can bring us, slowly and gently, closer to where God is beckoning.
Actually, I think the truth is that we are like Samuel, who hears God’s call but does not understand the call’s source. We need a variety of ways to help us discern whether the voice we are hearing in our lives is from God or our own desire. These questions, which may have used for a long time already, provide an excellent framework for this task.
There is another important step in this process, and that is talking with others about the answers to these questions because they help us gain a communal perspective.
In our scripture text for today, we see Samuel hearing God’s voice over and over, but at first, he mistakes it for the voice of Eli. Finally, he gets advice from Eli about it.
It is useful in our own journey of faith, to talk with a person or small group of people who are faithful and whom we trust, about where we hear God calling. That’s because receiving outside perspective can help us see things that we cannot see ourselves.
Think of it this way: we are able to say, “Here I am,” to God thoughtfully, and with an openness of heart that occurs when we are supported in our exploration of God’s voice. In actuality, this is life-giving and aids us in sleeping with bread, each in our own way.
So what is the teachable moment for us today? Let me read you some verses from the Gospel of Mark, that is related to our first scripture reading today, which was about keeping the Sabbath day holy.
Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath 23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the cornfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some ears of corn. 24 The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?’ 25 He answered, ‘Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.’ 27Then he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.’
Eating bread to sustain life is the teachable moment today. When the Pharisees criticise Jesus and his disciples for gleaning from the fields on the Sabbath, Jesus reminds them that when David, called by God and anointed by Samuel, was a fugitive being hunted by Saul, he stopped in the “house of God” for safety and food. The high priest gave David the consecrated bread that was reserved for priests in order to sustain the lives of David and his companions.
Jesus highlights this story and also reminds us that “the Sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the Sabbath” because the benefits of God benefit everyone, for God created the Sabbath, and to get mired in the rigidity of human law limits the scope of any benefits it may have held.
The reason for the Sabbath was and still is to promote life and praise God as our creator and liberator. The Pharisees knew this, but they were focused on the letter of the law and not the spirit in which Jesus applies it. Jesus is directly stating that he is the Son of Man and Lord of the Sabbath, which affirms his authority and puts him in conflict with the Pharisees. Jesus is doing God’s will, while the Pharisees are focused on gathering evidence against him.
In the next few verses of Mark 2, Jesus takes this life-giving stance even further in the synagogue when he cures the man with the withered hand, restoring him to wholeness and to his community, knowing the Pharisees were watching and hoping to gather more evidence against he who was scandalously claiming to be more than a mere mortal teacher.
Human nature has not changed much in the intervening centuries. How often do we come along to Chapel with a preconceived idea of what we should see or get or feel from it? As with many things, we see or get or feel exactly what we put into an experience, and that often means we leave, like the Pharisees in this story, self-satisfied with the knowledge we were expecting—instead of just being open to God’s vision. Again, we find Jesus leading us by example, following God’s will and speaking God’s truth in the face of those who want to maintain the status quo.
These stories of Jesus bringing life and truth on the Sabbath are instructive to us today. How is the Sabbath life-giving for us? Do we keep the Sabbath with the same spirit as Jesus in these stories?
Think about it this way: we see Jesus, the Son of God, healing and giving life, while the Pharisees and Herodians seek human vengeance to destroy life. Not just to slander him or do something to complicate Jesus’ life, but to actually destroy him. How are we paying attention to the life-giving spirit of God in our own lives, and how can we support others in doing the same? When we find that we have become more legalistic about God, how do we return to simply following Jesus?
I think we make a great start when we can refocus on the new thing that God is doing in our lives. Sometimes others have to hold the Christ light for us when we do not know the path, and sometimes others must share their bread with us so we may sleep through the night, like the refugee children during the war. In turn, it is our commission to do the same for others, as Jesus did.
I think this is called discernment, and discernment is a never-ending process that is part of our lifelong Christian faith. As we engage the questions of what gives us life and what does not in this season of our lives, God will call us to another path, another way to the heart of the Sabbath at another time. Where we find our grateful moments today may be different in ten or twenty years. The most important thing is that we continue to seek and follow Jesus wherever he leads us with truth and love. AMEN.


Almighty God, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible,
we come to you in prayer and thanksgiving.
In a world burdened by motorized transportation and consumption,
we give you gracious thanks for the wondrous bicycle,
on which we enjoy the goodness and beauty of your creation
while improving our fitness and health.
We ask you to protect the children who ride or who are learning to ride.
We ask you to keep all riders, leisure riders to elite athletes, safe from accidents.
We ask you to protect all riders from anger and theft.
We ask you to give us skill to ride in all sort of conditions, and
to help us forgive those who are negligent and mean.
We ask you, in thanksgiving for those who build or repair bicycles,
that you will guide them to be diligent and competent in their work.
Heavenly Father, be with us now and bless us as we dedicate these bicycles
and their use to the preservation of lives to your honor and praise.
Grant us faith to know your gracious purpose in all things.
Give us joy in them and lead us to use all your gifts, including our bikes,
with wisdom, compassion, patience and love.
We ask this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Composed & Delivered on 8/13/16, Troy NY
Fr. Michael Gorchov, Rector
Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church
58 Third Street
Troy, NY 12180


The common myth is that the Desiderata poem was found in a Baltimore church in 1692 and is of unknown origin. In fact it was written around 1920 (and copyrighted in 1927) as 'Go Placidly Amid The Noise And Haste' by lawyer Max Ehrmann (1872-1945) of Terre Haute Indiana USA. The myth began after Reverend Frederick Kates reproduced the poem in a collection of inspirational works for his congregation in 1959 on church notepaper headed: 'The Old St Paul's Church Baltimore AD 1692' (the year the church was founded). Since Ehrmann’s death confusion has surrounded the Desiderata copyright.
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Rev. Timothy Wong graduated from Singapore Bible College with a Bachelor of Theology degree in 1994 and then a Master of Divinity degree in 1998. He had served in BCCM Ranau and BCCM Labuan. He went to Kyrgyzstan as a missionary in September 2006.
Yoa Ye Jiun was ordained as a Pastor. She is a Tenom girl and grew up in a musical family. She studied in Sabah Theological Seminary (STS) for four years from 2002-2006 and graduated with a Bachelor of Theology degree. Her first posting is to Sandakan and she has been serving in the BCCM Sandakan Chinese and overseeing the work in Indah Mission Centre. Since the retirement of Rev. Tsen, she has been the overall in charge of the Sandakan Chinese church and the Indah Mission Centre.
Pastor Yoa is a very musical person. She plays the keyboard and composes many songs. She is also very creative in graphic designs. Her passion is to work in the children and youth ministry. However her posting to Sandakan does not allow her to specialize in this ministry as the pastoral need is greater in both the congregations she serves. She has tried hard and is well loved by many members of the church. Although she is young she mixes well with people of all ages in the church.
Ordination for Pastors: Simon Chong Kian Tshung (2) Voo Yun Tung (3) Yoa Ye Jiun (4) Tham Ching Tzy
(5) Ong Yan Mea
Reverends: (1) Timothy Wong (2) Chong Shun Khen (3) Helen Lopez


New York, Oct 12 (IENews) In another shocking development over the global sex scandal emerging out of the Catholic Church, the archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Donald Wuerl resignation has been accepted by the Vatican.
With the acceptance of his resignation, Cardinal Wuerl’s has become the most senior clergy to quit in the wake of the sexual abuse scandal that has engulfed the Catholic Church globally.
Cardinal Donald Wuerl’s resignation was accepted by the Vatican on Friday after months of mounting pressure, following revelations of systematic abuse by priests in the state of Pennsylvania, and a cover-up by bishops. Wuerl was bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2006, The Guardian reported.
The state’s attorney general, Josh Shapiro, said Wuerl “oversaw and participated in the cover-up”.
Wuerl offered his resignation when he turned 75 almost three years ago, as required under canon law, but Pope Francis kept him in post. He resubmitted his resignation last month.


Grace Duffy was born on 2nd of March 1872. She emigrated by boat on the SS Furnessia to Philadelphia when she was 21 years of age. She emigrated to her aunt Margaret McFadden (nee Grant)
In Oct 1904 she entered the Daughters of Charity community Mt Hope Retreat, Baltimore. She took the habit and the name Mary Grace in April 29th 1905 and took her vows for the first time in 1909. She served in the mission of St Vincent’s hospital in Bridgeport, Connecticut from 1905 till 1945. She was then transferred to provincial house in Emmitsburg, Maryland and then to the villa St Michael’s retirement home in Baltimore 1952.
She died at Villa St Michael’s on December 10th, 1966 at the age of 94. She spent 66 years in the community. She was initially buried in Baltimore but when the Daughters of Charity sold the property including the cemetery in 1972, her remains were transferred and reinterred at the sacred heart cemetery Emmisburg, Maryland.


Under the leadership of Archdiocese of Verapoly Rev. Dr. Francis Kannikal established Easobhavan College in 1990. He formed this College for the upliftment of Catholic girls in the field of education. During this period the College achieved rapid progress in the field of education. We started our College with Plus two classes with only one batch, now we are continuing the same with four batches for Plus two and also for degree classes. Now 1200 girls are studying in this reputed institution. The college is giving more importance for the result and the character formation of our children. A team of 42 staff are working together to achieve this goals. We also conduct classes for personality development, career guidance and to live in the mode of prayerful manner and to respect each other.


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What is the Priest to Live On? На английском языке - Daniel Priest
Автор: Priest Daniel Sysoev Переводчик: Deacon Nathan Williams Издательство: Daniel Sysoev Inc., 2016 г.
Аннотация к книге "What is the Priest to Live On? На английском языке"
A common point of contention in society is that of supporting the clergy and the temple financially. Frequently one hears the opinion that the Church should provide everything completely free of charge, taking no money for anything from candles to private services, and that the priests themselves should ideally support themselves by working outside jobs. What is the proper response to this opinion? The answers to this and other questions are found in this book. Вы можете скачать What is the Priest to Live On? На английском языке - Daniel Priest.


Sometimes abuse is easy to spot, but not always. The wounds from emotional abuse can be difficult to detect...
Hurtful words, degrading looks, threatening behaviors—these experiences can wound your heart and cause immense pain. But, healing is possible.
Find refreshment in God's Word with this six-week study on understanding verbal and emotional abuse by Rose Publishing. Packed with practical tips, realistic advice, and discussion questions, the 6-week Understanding Verbal and Emotional Abuse Bible study invites you to dive deeper into the Bible and shows you how to apply its truth to your life. Discover:
- 8 Definitions for Verbal and Emotional Abuse
- 11 Signs of Brainwashing
- Bible Verses to Help Heal and Recover
- 12 Signs of Control and Manipulation and more!
Unlike other Bible studies on these topics, these studies use larger print, charts, bulleted list and an easy-to-scan format, along with discussion questions and life applications for each week.
112 pages. 6"x9" Paperback. Perfect for small groups, Bible study, and individual use.
Based on June Hunt's bestselling Hope for the Heart Series (over 1 million copies sold), you will learn biblical truths and practical how to s for stopping the pain of abuse, establishing healthy expectations, and for restoring peace in all your relationships. Based on June Hunt s easy-to-scan and Bible-based format, this interactive 6-week Bible study digs deep into scripture, showing you that you do have choices; you can have boundaries; and you can find healing.
3 Key Features of the Understanding Verbal and Emotional Abuse Hope for the Heart Bible Study
- Digs into Scripture: Find out what the Bible says about verbal and emotional abuse, restoration and healing, characteristics of abuse, and more.
- Interactive and Practical: Based on the bestselling Hope for the Heart series (over 1 million copies sold), this trusted study includes reflection questions, journaling, study guide, quizzes, and practical steps you can take each day.
- Relevant and Relatable: It shares real stories and answers tough questions, such as: How can I safely confront my abuser? Is restoration ever possible for the abuser?
- Anyone Can Lead It! Easy-to-follow leader tips, preparation guides, and step-by-step instructions will give you the confidence to take a disciple or an entire group through the study!
Simple Biblical Foundations for Practical Solutions
Unlike other group studies available, this Hope for the Heart Bible study is laid out in an easy-to-follow format with key principles straight from the Word of God. Relevant Scriptures are outlined and formatted to clearly give you a step-by-step roadmap to help you understanding verbal and emotional abuse, all while equipping you to lead others on the path to freedom!
- Summarizes Causes, Definitions, Characteristics, and Solutions
- Provides Clear Outlines, Key Points, and Scripture References
- Includes Reflection Questions and Space for Journaling
Publisher: Aspire Press (April 24, 2017)
Weight: 1.1 pounds
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Today was another "stretch" day for many of us. We went to Gertrude's Home for Special Needs Children, and loved up some of Port-au-Prince's most needy. The morning was spent playing and wheel-chairing them in the sunshine, communicating through smiles and touch, feeding and loving them. It was hard and uncomfortable, given the severity of their handicaps, their needs for love, and their inability to communicate or even do very much for themselves.
Perhaps it was good this day was our last, as our earlier experiences this week undoubtedly helped prepare our hearts. These were some of God's most vulnerable children -- and some of us felt vulnerable ourselves, unsure of how to deal with the depth of their issues. During reflection time tonight we discussed how important it is to recognize and respond to that vulnerability. The more vulnerable we are, the more we can lean into Him! These children blessed our hearts with their squeals of laughter and shy, sweet smiles.
The experiences that we have had this past week, with our seven daughters from Mounds View High School, have been unforgettable to say the least. Seeing the sweet Haitian eyes yearning for love, arms stretched high, bloated tummies, lack of adequate clothing, hungry and thirsty for more. More of the things that we take for granted in our everyday lives. Waking up in the middle of the night thinking about the little ones with empty buckets in hand, gesturing for help fill it. Then the hose stops and the water truck starts and we are signaled to move on to the next stop. How can these realities for many impact us every day going forward? How will our daughters be impacted by this trip within their areas of influence? What will become of the ones we leave behind? Our prayer for all of us is to listen to that small voice from within that prompts us to following that nudging, to reach out to another in need, to share the love of Christ. May we all respond more lovingly to those around us and consider this as a gift we shared together.
~ Julie, Lisa & Judy


Today in church I was given a challenge. This challenge inspired me to grow in my faith! Not just individually; but also corporately!
It lead me to ask the question: WHAT IF…….
What if everyday I gave my full heart to Jesus;
What if everyday I said YES to the things of God;
What if everyday I spend time with God growing in my fellowship with HIM, and trusting HIM for my everyday needs, and;
What if all of this could change my life!
What if we didn’t just preach the word, but WHAT IF we LIVED the WORD;
What if people could see a difference in us, and we could give God all the glory;
What if our fellowship with others began with Love and Hugs, and Understanding, and Respect;
What if our time with God extended beyond the pews of our local church, and;
What if everyday was worth getting up for!!
What if we didn’t have to dread the days ahead, but we could look forward to a bright future with God;
And, What if we didn’t have to live with shame and pain, because in a instant it was all healed in Jesus Name;
And What if our lives were filled with purpose because we know the one who holds tomorrow in his hand;
John 10:10 says “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
We weren’t so lazy, or
We didn’t make those excuses, or
We didn’t believe the devil’s lies
They say that our time with God is the most important thing we could do! That this should be a daily investment!
What if all the above could be accomplished, with just opening up our bibles and reading the word of God
CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT COULD HAPPEN?


This is our Father’s house, and as such, enter in as brothers and sisters. You did not come here by chance but rather by divine appointment. Today, you come to spend a tryst hour with God. Our prayer is that you will experience our Father in a very real and special way. In fact, you might say this is a family reunion of sorts. We are a unique family, we laugh, we cry, we serve, we worship, we learn and we grow together. Again we say, thank you for visiting.
However, if you’ve been praying and looking for a place to belong... Welcome Home!
Mahaffey, PA located at 6204 Colonel Drake Highway, Mahaffey, PA 15757. • 814-277-6804
Woodbridge, VA is (currently) located at 15019 Illinois Road, Woodbridge, VA 22191
Stafford, VA (Beginning May 5th) located at 3249 Jeff Davis Highway Suite 101, Stafford VA 22554
Our ministry times are as follows:
Sunday Mornings 11:00 am (Mahaffey PA)
Thursday Evening 7:00 pm (Woodbridge VA)
Sunday Mornings 11:00 am (Stafford VA)
Please plan to join us! All are welcome!