SAVE THE DATE: MARCH 23, 2020
On Day of Giving – March 23, 2020 – let us honor our fore-mothers by giving to the Legacy Fund to ensure United Methodist Women can continue to serving, women, children and youth around the world for the next 150 years. Together, we are building our legacy!
Ways to give Online: Unitedmethodistwomen.org/150
By Phone: (800)278-7771
Text: 41444 and enter Legacy 150
By Check to: Attn: Development, Legacy United Methodist Fund Women, 475 Riverside Drive 15th Floor, New York NY 10115
Write: “Day of Giving” in the memo section or in the message area.
Jennifer King, Church Secretary
UMC @ Newfoundland
P.O. Box 28865 La Rue Road
Newfoundland, NJ 07435


Reprinted from "Women" issue of Vsions Journal, 2004, 2(4), p. 27
I was diagnosed as bipolar almost 18 years ago after waking from a coma, the result of head injury from a head-on car crash. I may have been genetically predisposed to this mental illness. Or perhaps I had always been bipolar. I don't know – and it doesn't matter. But I would like to share my experience of how fluctuating moods affect my relationships with family and friends – and with God.
When I experience depression, my Christian faith becomes so challenged that it is almost non-existent. I experience this 'low end' of the illness two or three times a year. In those dark times, I stop wanting to go to church with my husband or to be involved in groups with church friends. I have no desire to pray. I no longer believe, and in my heart and mind, I even feel the tendency to mock those who do believe.
I'm not proud to admit these things; I feel quite ashamed. Some might say this is a satanic attack, and perhaps that is one explanation. But I prefer to blame these illogical changes of belief and behaviour on my "illness."
The opposite happens when I 'escalate' or 'swing high': I become more religious or spiritual. One Sunday last year I shared this phenomenon with a church group that was taking a course on 'mental illness.' The course was facilitated by a man who has a lot of professional experience working with folks who have mental health challenges. As I tried to explain to the group my experience of overwhelming joy to be back in church singing during worship, I became emotional, overwhelmed, and confused. Tears rolled down my cheeks, and my chest felt like it was going to burst.
Was I just experiencing a tremendous mood swing? I don't think mood swings affect one so quickly. The leader comforted me by saying how very glad God must be when I return. I realized that God was simply filling me up with his presence that Sunday.
God was telling me in a powerful way that He is with me always. God's love and knowledge of us is so great! How can I not know this all of the time? I am loved unconditionally, and God understands my condition. God knows each one of our unique situations. He loves and cares for us equally. I often sense God's love for me through another person. God has so many ways to let us know that He is with us. I don't always see all the ways.
I have been 'somewhat escalated' the last couple of months. And, yes, I do feel more spiritually minded right now. I am able to contemplate creatively about life without becoming manic or foolish.
Thank heaven for prescription medication and a good psychiatrist! I take my medications faithfully, because it helps me. The meds don't make this illness go away, but they do diminish the effects. I feel that I am 'managing' my illness; it is not managing me!
My thinking is clearer, and I am able to view my relationships with others in a more positive, rational manner. I don't know why, but I find myself reflecting on so many things: the apparent effects of my illness on my six children, on my ex-spouses (I divorced my first husband 25 years ago and re-married four years later), and certainly on my own experiences. I don't pretend to assume that my analysis is completely correct. We can only ever see through our own glasses, can't we? But this time, in my elevated state, something special happened deep inside me. My perspective on my life and my relationships with others is different. I feel less torn and more whole because I have been able to look beyond myself. I have been able to examine the events of my life from the point of view of others, and not just my own.
Could all this be God working a new thing in me? I don't know. Perhaps God has an easier time doing His work in me now. I think God can work His will in a person, in spite of that person having a mental illness.
For now, I feel more mentally healthy than I've felt in a long, long time. Healing is so good. I guess I'm "on the road again"!
About the author
Linda is a 'mental health consumer.' A mother and stepmother to six adult children, a grandmother, and a wife to her retired husband – Linda also works as a care aide to seniors and is an active community volunteer. She has served on the CMHA North Vancouver and BC Division boards over the past 15 years


What Drives Us
Our Mission Statement
To reinvent what it means to be an outdoor ministry by focusing on helping all people to encounter Jesus through outdoor adventures in God’s creations, service projects focused on local communities, premier leadership training, dedicated worship time, and restful accommodations.
We believe that God is the Creator of the universe with all of its grandeur and beauty, and that He sustains it with His almighty power. He also created our first parents, Adam and Eve, in His own image that they might live in fellowship with Him and be His instruments to both care for the creation and enjoy it as a generous gift.
We believe that Adam and Eve doubted and rebelled against God’s commands. Through their sinful disobedience God justly brought a curse on them and all their offspring. As a result, every human being is born with a self-centered nature and a tendency for evil that violates God’s will and desire. Attempts to change human nature or to please God with good works are doomed to failure. People need forgiveness and new life which God provides by His grace through faith in the Son, Jesus Christ.
We believe that God out of pure love forgives people of sins and thus reconciles them to Himself. He does this because Jesus Christ, his own son took the punishment for all sin for all people when he died on the cross. God raised Jesus from the dead on Easter and thus demonstrated to the world that the sacrifice of the Lamb of God has been accepted and man’s sin has been paid.
We believe that people receive forgiveness by grace through faith in Jesus. Faith is the hand which accepts God’s free gift. Faith is created by the Holy Spirit through the means of the Gospel message which tells of God’s love demonstrated in Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ is sufficient for salvation.
We believe that the Bible is the source of knowledge about God and His forgiveness. It is also the means by which he speaks to us today. The Bible was written by various authors as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit and is a trustworthy source of wisdom and truth for all time.
We believe that the Church is the fellowship of all those who have come to faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. The Lutheran Church gets its name from Martin Luther who ‘reformed’ the church with basic principles of faith alone, grace alone, Scripture alone. The purpose of the church is to nurture faith through the Word and the Sacrament of the altar, and to share the love of God through Word and deed with the whole world in order to make other people disciples of Jesus Christ.
We believe that God has given two Sacraments to build His church, Baptism to create faith and Holy Communion – also called the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist – to nurture faith. In Holy Communion Jesus Christ gives the communicant His body and blood, “in, with, and under” the bread and wine.
We believe that the fellowship which God establishes with His believers on earth will continue after this life as believers live with Him in heaven for all eternity.
Trevor Kunze has dreamed of starting an outdoor ministry ever since his days working as a camp counselor at Camp Luther in northern Wisconsin. After his camp counseling days, Trevor graduated with a degree in lay ministry and theology from Concordia Wisconsin and accepted a call as a youth minister at Our Savior Lutheran Church, in Arcadia, California. A few years later, he accepted another call to serve as youth minister to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Wausau, WI.
During his time as a youth minister, the dream of starting an outdoor ministry stuck with him and he often shared it with others. The more he shared it, the more he realized that it was more than just a dream. While at St. Marks, he felt a calling from God to pursue turning his dream of planting an outdoor ministry into a reality. After a few months of praying and asking God for guidance, it was more clear than ever that now was the time.
In response to this new call on his life, Trevor hit the ground running and began searching for the right location to plant this new ministry. He knew it needed to be a growing area where he could reach youth, families, and businesses, and a place where he could see himself putting down roots over the next 30+ years. He settled on the front range of Northern Colorado and never looked back.
During this time, Kaitlin Kunze and Caleb Kunze joined the Three Trees ministry team. Trevor and Kaitlin (his wife) moved to Colorado in May of 2019. Over the next year and a half, Trevor led the team to lay the ground work for what would become Three Trees Outdoor Ministry. As of October 1st, 2020 Three Trees became an official nonprofit organization.
Trevor Kunze, Chief Executive Officer
Trevor Kunze was born and raised in Wausau, Wisconsin. He grew up surround by a plethora of siblings, six of them, to be exact. Trevor grew up with a solid foundation of knowing Jesus as King of his life and the importance of respecting his parents. He was blessed to be surrounded by the wisdom of those around him that have helped shape him into the man he is today. In his free time, Trevor enjoys the finer things in life including: Star Wars, Legos, and adventuring with his wife!
Caleb Kunze, President
Bio coming soon!
Wesley "Bo" Baumeister, Secretary
Rev. Wes “Bo” Baumeister is a native Nebraskan who has served in congregations in the Upper Peninsula and Wisconsin. Additionally, he was the campus pastor at two Concordia Universities. Pastor Bo’s passion for outdoor ministry began with his very first job out of college working at Lutheran Island Camp in Minnesota. Currently he and his wife, Deaconess Sonja, live in the “big town” of Lily, Wisconsin where he is an Intentional Interim Pastor in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. His interests range from books to basketball and won’t turn down a nice cigar and cold beer on a hot day.
Tammy Kelm, Treasurer
Tammy is blissfully married to Todd Kelm who works at a Lutheran camp in Colorado. Of their 19 years of marriage, 18 of those have been lived, breathed, and served at various camps around the country. Together they are raising their five children to know the Lord and love Him. Tammy is passionate about camp and women’s ministry, and enjoys broomball, hanging out with family and friends, and searching for the best thrift deal with a good cup of coffee in hand.
Get in touch with us


Villa d’Aiano is a little town where people spend their holidays among the greenery of woods and chestnuts. It was documented for the first time in 1025. The recently built church, which is dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, is dated 1950, while the near bell tower is dated 1900. Inside there are two valuable paintings: one of the Eighteenth century painter Lorenzo Pranzini and the other of Giulio Cesare Ferrari. It was built to replace the church dedicated to Saint Nicolò. From that previous church it has the panoramic position and a nice isolated bell tower.


Welcome to Life in the Middle
The Sandwich Generation
Living life in the middle is all about balance. My hope is that this blog will encourage you and inspire you and even often make you laugh. Bringing a senior loved one into your home can have so many ripple effects. Some will be mountaintop ripples and others will toss you deep into the valley. In spite of the frequent turbulence, I have found great joy and have not lost my ability to laugh. My faith in God shows me the way forward on a daily basis. Let's be encouraged, inspired and joyful together as we provide care for our elders in our homes.


Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!
Matthew 18: 7
This verse has been on my heart lately. I was having a conversation with my fiance about my character. It seems that I can only go a few years at a time before I do something that greatly offends someone that I love and care about. I’m not talking about your every day disagreements or misunderstandings but major falling outs – the kind that makes one question the authenticity of a relationship. Once again, I was beating myself up. Why did it seem that I was always the offending party? Why can’t I just get along with everyone? One of my prayers for this new year is for God to cultivate in me a spirit of no offense, literally a spirit that refuses to be offended. I have seen such a spirit in at least one of the young women I consider my role models (shout out to the beautiful and awesome Ifeolu Oyeleye of Bethel Campus Fellowship) and it is a beautiful thing indeed. This inward gentleness and meekness that only comes from the Holy Spirit draws me (and countless others) to this young woman. Her heart for others is genuine and pure and she challenges me in my own walk of faith.
In my conversation with the love of my life, I concluded that those who are easily offended will find it difficult to be in intimate association with me. I make a lot of mistakes. Not on purpose and not with the intention to harm others but still, I fall short. I finally understand that most of my mistakes occur because I forget how “weird” I am – you might even say I am “peculiar” (1 Peter 2:9 KJV)
See what I did there? Lol.
The things that I find egregious are every day occurrences to other folks who have no issue with it. And the things I consider minor are sometimes a source of major grievances to others. I keep trying to project my own character traits and preferences to those around me and it typically causes a lot of contention.
So by this, offense will come. The Bible says “woe to that (wo)man by whom the offense come.” There is a dire consequence for being the cause of offense to others so regardless of how “different” I might be from those around me, God has called me to put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness and long suffering; to bear with others and forgive them and to put on love (Colossians 3:12-14).
This is not an easy task that comes naturally. It is by the grace of the Holy Spirit that I don’t become a victim of my own pride – my first instinct when others are offended by me is to say “I wouldn’t have been offended if they did it to me so what’s their issue?” and thus, harden my heart. That’s not Christ and I don’t want to be that kind of woman. I take it seriously when I have caused offense in the heart of another so I do all that I can to mend those relationships. The challenge for me comes when I have offended someone and they refuse to be placated. I have no defense for that. I know how to deal with disagreements in a biblical manner and even though it may take me some time or a few failures to get it right, the Holy Spirit will usually do the mending at the end of the day. But what if I’m trying and others are not interested? What if someone is so offended by me that they want nothing else to do with me?
In conversation with my love, he instructed me that even the Bible says “as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” Some of it won’t depend on me and I can’t force myself on others when they want no parts of me.
So offense will come, but by the grace of God, I will not be the woman by whom the offense comes. I continue to seek God for a spirit of no offense and I will do my best not to be stumbling block to others.


Mary and Joseph approach the innkeeper’s door
Limited Edition: 450
The scene in this oil painting took place two millenniums ago.
The town? Bethlehem.
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People came in response to the decree of Caesar Augustus that everyone should return to their home town to be taxed. Bethlehem was overflowing with people. Joseph and Mary had to travel at a much slower pace than others who would have scoured the town for lodging long before they arrived.
You see Joseph approaching the innkeeper’s door. Can you catch the strain in his voice as he asks for a room . . . any room . . . his wife is about to give birth!
“. . . . . there was no room for them in the inn “ (Luke2:7).
Christmas carols, Christmas plays, Christmas cards, shop windows and some village squares seasonally depict the unimaginable birthplace of the Son of God . . . a manger!
From the beloved Christmas carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem, we sing :
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The Everlasting Light.
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.
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Canvas Print (unframed) 12×16
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Paper Print (unframed) 12×16
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Were the balls deflated to give a winning edge to the Patriots over the Colts? I don't know. But, it seems to me that these days winning is valued as more important than being good or being right. One immortal football coach was quoted as saying "winning is the only thing."
I disagree. If winning in the eyes of the world itself were the only thing, Christ might have led the zealots to defeat the Romans. However, Christ dying on the cross was successful in ways the world did not recognize. In rising from the dead, Christ was obviously the victor over death, hell, the grave, and those who had put Him there.
Winning, if it includes deception, may bring unintended results. Being good, in the way described in God's Word, brings blessing and God adds no sorrow to it. (The fact that these things are self-evident is a testimony to the truth of God's Word, the Bible.)
So, being good, in the sight of God, is our victory. Obedience to God's Word is better than religious sacrifice on some public altar. Being honest is winning in and of itself. How do we know this is true, even if others tell us that we are being "chumps?" Because their judgement doesn't hold as much weight as God's.
Now, if we don't take God's Word, the Bible, as truth, then we have no basis for figuring out what is right or wrong except our personal logic. We are lost in an endless argument with others over who's values are more important than someone else's. We have no objective standard by which to win the argument except will power and the weight of group opinions.
In that way, we can use winning public opinion as a way of justifying our claim to be right or good. It won't matter, though. Being truly good is a matter of judgement reserved to God alone. He can see through us to our core. The public cannot.
I do believe that in our current American culture, winning and losing as moral values has replaced our former values of good and bad. However, there is more to the topic that this simple conclusion.
Winning and losing, good and bad are all principles that work. Whether we value them or not does not matter. Whatever it takes to win will work. Whatever it takes to lose will also work. No one ordinarily wishes to value losing. But, principles work whether valued or not.
Winning the Lombardy Trophy may bring unintended and negative results if winning it involves cheating. Winning the approval of God brings blessing and He adds no sorrow to it. When we stand before God, will He ask, "Who won?" No, He will ask, "What did you do about the Christ I sent you?" Our answer had better be good.


WBS Online Only | Sermon on the Mount
This class is online through the Zoom format only. Starting on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 from 6:30-8:00pm, this nine week study will help us learn what it means to be a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew’s gospel contains Jesus’ longest recorded message given to His disciples early in His ministry to articulate what the life of a Christ-follower would look like. While most of us are familiar with fragments of this sermon, it’s entirety was intended to deepen our understanding about repentance, salvation, and sanctification. Join us as author and Bible teacher, Jen Wilkin, guides us through these three pivotal chapters in Matthew while she also teaches us to accurately study the Bible for ourselves.
| Link to Book


Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me..."
Calvary Assembly of God makes it a priority to ensure the safety of our children. All staff and ministry volunteers are required to go through a "Reducing the Risk" training and background check before serving any children under the age of 18.
Each class is staffed with teachers who love the children and take great care in providing a safe and loving environment for them to learn about Jesus. We use an exciting hands on Bible curriculum combined with songs, puppetry, and games. We can't wait to have you join us here at Calvary Kids!
Calvary Kids during evening service is just as fun as the Sunday morning class. We incorporate object lessons, games, songs, and multimedia to teach the children about Jesus. Come out on Sunday evenings and join us in a great time of worshiping the Lord together.


Men get ready for a life changing weekend with DENNIS BLEVINS along with two-time Dove Award Winner BEBO NORMAN and from Portland THE NEVERCLAIM. Read more about their thriving ministries. This is going to be an amazing weekend!
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"Service worship" is an emerging movement among Christ-centered churches that says that worship needs to happen not just in our sanctuary, but out in the community. It is achieved through acts of service to people in need.
More and more churches are scheduling periodic congregation-wide service days - either in addition to their normal Sunday morning worship services, or instead of them.
The congregation is called out to serve in work projects that make a tangible difference in the lives of people in the community.
Through these service days, the church follows Christ's instruction to serve others and it challenges societal perceptions of the church in the world. it often yields in individuals a new sense of their own personal purposes in mission and service.
At the Service Worship Conference, you will hear how churches in your own immediate area are doing this today, how your members can participate in scheduled Service Worship days or how you can incorporate service days into your church year.
Hear from people who have done it, and can share how it has benefited their congregations and communities. Connect with front-line agencies and non-profit organizations who need your help.
Receive practical guidance on how to start, how to engage various groups in your church, and how to use service to renew and rejuvenate your church.
We hope you can come!


By Sidne O'Reilly
We are often counseled in the scriptures not to “trust in the arm of flesh.” (Philip. 3:3) What does this mean to you as far as your health goes? Certainly it doesn’t mean to never go to the Doctor or listen to his advice. No, I don’t think this is what was intended.
As I reflect back on my own life, there have been many instances when we first had a priesthood blessing and were then given reassurance and direction concerning how to proceed. Often there were miraculous healings without the benefit or assistance of the medical profession. Sometimes direction was given to seek medical help. There were times in my life when going to the doctor was not an option. We were dependant upon the Lord and our own resources. How grateful I am for his tender mercies at times such as this. Perhaps this is one reason I might have a different view of what it means to have a spiritually based, sustainable healthy lifestyle. (This is my next book, based on the second priority of the “Twelve Week Challenge,” Orange, Health, Mental and Physical.)
I love the word of wisdom. After all it was given for, “the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days.” (D&C 89:2) In D&C 29:34 it says, “Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal; neither any man, nor the children of men; neither Adam, your father, whom I created.” Does this mean that the Word of Wisdom is a spiritual commandment? I think so. It is as much for the benefit of our spirits as it is our bodies. Isn’t it our desire to have a healthy body so that our spirit can shine through unfettered?
When is the last time you took a close look at the Word of Wisdom? Maybe this is a good time. Summer fruits will soon be available. What a great opportunity in this time of plenty to eat “every fruit in the season thereof.” (D&C 89:11)
How about all the wonderful promises that are made in the Word of Wisdom. Did you know that there are eight positive admonitions, three don’ts and five promises made in those twenty-one verses?
Can you find them?
On top of all this, if that weren’t enough, scientific evidence and the latest weight loss systems have a lot in common with the concepts given in the Word of Wisdom. If we adhered to the concepts in this revelation, the LDS Utah population would not have the following claim to fame. According to a BYU/Idaho professor, “The LDS culture in Utah is 14 percent more likely than those of another faith to be obese.” (Roy Merrill -- http://www.byui.edu/Scroll/archive/20060606/news3.html)
Knowing that this is a spiritual as well as a temporal commandment, maybe it would be a good idea to read it again, this time prayerfully seeking for your own personal Word of Wisdom to find the best way to apply it to yourself.
I am cheering for you!


Church Surveys and Ministry Surveys
Description of Our Church Surveys and Ministry Surveys
Our company founder, Dr. Steven Ethridge has a Ph.D. in Christian Ministries, a Master of Divinity in Interdisciplinary Studies (including Pastoral Ministries), a Master of Arts in Communication and, over 24 years of church “lay ministry” and missions experience, having been ordained to ministry in three different churches over that time. Additionally, he has over 30 years of marketing, public opinion and sociological research experience in ministry, business, communication, and organizational development.
Unique Features of Church Surveys and Ministry Surveys
The special combination of experience described above uniquely qualifies Dr. Ethridge to conduct survey research for your church or missions ministry. We provide custom-designed church surveys and ministry surveys of the following types.
- Congregational Profile — Each congregational survey is customer-designed to the church’s specific needs. Generally speaking, these are quick “reality checks” to make sure that the church leadership’s perceptions of the congregation match with the reality of the congregation. This type of survey profiles the congregation in terms of . . .
- Who attends (demographic profiles of people groups)
- What they attend (specific services, programs, missions projects)
- When they attend and why (days of week, morning/evening Sunday services)
- Why they attend (worship, instruction, fellowship and outreach)
- Ministry activities that they are involved in and motivations for being involved
- Hindrances to being involved in church ministries
- Worship style preferences
- Bible knowledge
- Spiritual habits (e.g., Bible reading/study, prayer, worship outside of church)
- Felt needs for ministry
- Spiritual gifts
- Callings/desires for ministry involvement
- Awareness of the church’s vision/mission/ministry strategy
- Satisfaction with and commitment to the church
- Church Health Assessment — This is a congregational survey developed based on biblical characteristics of a healthy church that assesses the health of your church and provides recommendations for how to improve the health of your church.
- Church Exit Surveys — Unfortunately, people do leave churches for various reasons and, even more unfortunately, pastors take it upon themselves to do Exit Surveys when people leave. The problem is, human nature being what it is, people generally will not be completely candid with the pastor about their reasons for leaving. Thus, pastors, staff, elders or deacons are the exact wrong people to conduct Exit Interviews. We work with pastors to develop a customized, conversational interviewing guide, for your approval, and then we objectively interview people soon after they leave to find out the real reasons why they leave and to recommend ways of avoiding further departures.
- Assimilation Readiness Surveys — Research shows that growing a church by more than 15% a year creates significant assimilation problems (e.g., appropriately absorbing people through supportive, healthy relationships; placing people into meaningful ministries; developing and evaluating the development of newcomers quickly). To help churches avoid assimilation problems we assess your church’s culture and readiness to assimilate new people and make recommendations about how to prepare your congregational members for church growth.
- Change Communication Strategies Survey — Research has also shown that the time when people are most likely to leave the church is when a new senior pastor arrives or when other major changes like a building program occur. Experience has shown that there are communication strategies that can minimize loss and increase commitment of congregants during these and other times of change. This type of study assesses which of those communication strategies will work best in your church and makes recommendations about communication strategies to minimize loss and maximize commitment.
- Capital Campaign Fundraising Survey — This is an assessment of the giving potential and predisposition within your congregation and community for the purpose of planning and implementing successful major capital campaigns.
Leadership Assessment and Development
- Leadership Assessments — Custom designed leadership surveys to assess individual leader or prospective leader’s readiness to lead. This instrument assesses an individual’s spiritual maturity, Bible knowledge, leadership knowledge, skills and paradigms, motivations and limitations to be a leader in a church or other ministry.
- Church Facilitated Mentor-Protégé Matching Survey — To help churches follow the Great Commission to “make disciples,” this survey identifies mature individuals who have special gifts, talents, skills and experience to offer as a disciple-maker (mentor) and people that have specific needs, interests and motivations to be a disciple (protégé) and matches them together with a specific growth plan for the protégé. An output of the survey is a tool for facilitating the mentor and the protégé in developing a mutually agreeable work plan to grow the protégé to equip, encourage, prepare, and promote the protégé into ministry roles within the church. This service also includes a Weekend Seminar titled A Biblical Disciple-Making Strategy for Equipping Believers for Service: A Plan for Developing A Church-Based, Facilitated Mentoring Ministry.
- Community Surveys — A research study that provides a realistic perspective on the community the church wishes to serve, in terms of their attitudes toward church, religious beliefs, the decision process they go through in selecting a church, what media they attend to and more.
- Media Behavior Survey — A survey designed to help churches determine which media will be most effective to use for outreach in the community.


Dean of Talbot retires after 35 years
“Dennis Dirks was one of the first people I knew before coming here … I just knew that if this is the kind of school that has these kinds of leaders, that’s the kind of place where I feel like I’d love to be, and I haven’t been let down at all,” president Barry Corey said.
Corey expressed that he has turned to Dirks for advice and wisdom on many occasions — describing him as a man who exudes a priceless godly sense of wisdom.
“Biola is in some wonderful hands from the president and board on down. God has blessed this school with very godly leaders who are deeply committed to the things that this school was founded on and I step aside from this position with incredible confidence and with incredible confidence in the next dean that is going to be appointed to take my position. I am so delighted. I couldn’t be more blessed,” Dirks said.


The Bible As History
*Some of our courses are available online via Zoom sessions
The Bible is not simply a religious text which links two religions together – Judaism and Christianity. The Bible is both a focal point and a source for us to examine the ancient world. It is a window through which we can look and discover but it also needs to be scrutinised and examined with regard to its reliability. As a source, it can be linked with material evidence and cross-referenced with other sources so that a wider perspective might provide deeper understanding of both religious beliefs and the history of the so-called Bible Lands.
10 Weeks – £190


Over the last ten months, the Missionaries of Mercy have been transitioning from a specific, parish-based ministry, to a less geographically constrained entity. To that end, rather than limiting our ministry to the confines of Charlton, we have heeded God’s call to expand our efforts to individuals and groups within the greater Worcester area. Responding to this call we have been graced to find ourselves fulfilling requests for food, children’s items, bedding, and basic necessities in Southbridge, Oxford, Auburn, and Worcester. We have been, and continue to be blessed with opportunities to cook and serve meals at Abby’s House, Jeremiah’s Inn, and the emergency homeless shelter located in the basement of St. John’s Catholic Church. This shelter, affectionately and aptly named Hotel Grace, opens its doors each night when the temperature dips below 32 degrees, welcoming the homeless with open, loving, and merciful arms.


First Holy Communion will take place on Sunday, April 22, 2018 at 1:00 PM. All students for Communion are to be present at 12:00 PM in the office area.
Students are to be properly dressed for the First Holy Communion.
The boys are to be in a suit with a tie and wearing black shoes. It should be a blue or black suit so that it may be worn again in the future. No gloves, no rosaries, crosses or any other distraction will be permitted in the boy’s hands as they line up. Parents must hold those other items until after the Mass.
The girls are to be dressed in a white dress and may wear a short veil (may not cover the face) if the parent so wishes. The dress should be thigh/knee length and should not be a gown. The dress should be one that should be able to be worn again at a later date such as the May Procession. No gloves, pocketbooks, rosaries, crosses, flowers on the wrist will be permitted as the children line up. If a parent wishes to have those things they may be put on later after the Mass.
Parents are reminded that they should not leave their seat during Mass and not stand on the church benches. Parents and their family members will be invited to sit up front across from the students during this Mass. Please remind family members who you invite the standards of behavior that are expected in church.
All in all it must be remembered that like every Sunday there should be no commotion in Church. Like every Sunday the focus should be on the altar so that the children are not distracted during the Mass and remember to join in the responses and the singing and be an active part of your child’s reception of Jesus Christ through the Sacrament of Communion.
Reconciliation, Communion and Confirmation Certificates will be distributed on Pentecost Sunday May 20th by Fr. Almonte, to all those students who completed the sacramental program. They should be kept in a safe place by the parent as they will be needed in the child’s future.
Should you have any questions please feel free to contact me.
Andrew G. Woods
XC. Rev. Antonio Almonte, pastor
A follow up meeting will be held on
April 11, 2018 at 7:00 PM in the school library with Fr. Antonio that was cancelled due to snow.
Should you have questions beforehand - Mr. Woods will be in the office Wednesday and Thursday March 28th and 29th from
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM


December 15, 2005
This season, America celebrates a holiday whose premise is that God himself came to Earth -- and was given the death penalty. Tookie Williams died at Midnight on the Feast Day for Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of God and patron saint of the Americas. How fitting that the GOP and the Religious Right lobbied for the execution -- and that Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Catholic whose church opposes the death penalty, made the final decision.
Celebrity executions, from Jesus to Tookie Williams, have whatever meaning human actions give them. And the meaning of Tookie's? That the Religious Right, that bastion of politicized pseudo-religion and hypocritical power-grabbing, pronounced its own spiritual death by shouting hosannahs for his execution -- as it has done for the anonymous dead before him.
No disrespect is intended by calling the Crucifixion a "celebrity execution." Quite the contrary -- the power and meaning of the Christ story as it was taught to me is just that: that God Himself would come to Earth anonymously and died despised and forgotten by all but a few, only to be redeemed on behalf of all. His celebrity came later, as a result of His sacrifice. The significance of the death lies in its affirmation of life, in the understanding of believers that it was an act of love -- love for life and the living.
Another Christmas is coming to the Americas, and another American is gone. If you pray, don't pray for him: pray for us.
Must...fight...urge to start swearing uncontrollably.
Tookie Williams was a murderer. He killed four people before my husband was even freaking born, and he's been wasting air ever since. He was a gangster and a thug, and I don't care how many dadburned children's books he wrote. He shot four people that we know of and laughed about it later. He never expressed regret for what he'd done, yet somehow he was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. (Maybe Arafat will show Tookie his while they're both rotting in hell together.)
I clapped the day Timothy McVeigh was executed, and I clapped again Tuesday when Tookie was finally dead. Tookie may have "died despised and forgotten by all but a few", but he most certainly will not be redeemed, and should never be compared to Jesus.
The more I try to grok, the more I feel disgusted at mankind.
Posted by: dagamore at December 15, 2005 08:37 AM (7IZfE)
Posted by: Mr Bob at December 15, 2005 07:07 PM (yfyy+)
Posted by: James Hudnall at December 16, 2005 01:35 AM (D2qx4)
Posted by: jesus at December 19, 2005 05:04 PM (Gb7ho)
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All Things Work Together
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose."
This statement was a matter of profound conviction with Paul. "We know." He had unwavering confidence in the overruling providence of God.
What a profound statement in light of our present day opinions and uncertainties. The belief of many is that we are as tumble weeds blowing aimlessly across the desert of life.
It was the practical embracing of this truth that made him able to sing in the jail. It was this conviction that kept him calm after the shipwreck, and after being bitten by a snake.
This was not a truth that he held mentally and discarded experientially. It was a truth that wrapped around his life experience. Paul believed that everything, whether adverse or advantageous, would certainly turn out for the best.
If this statement were less dogmatic it might be easier to take or accept. However to understand and claim this truth we must neither isolate it from its context, nor divorce it from its two conditional clauses.
The first clause is "to them that love God." I have heard unbelievers claim this passage of scripture. Sorry, it is not for you.
The second clause is "to them who are called according to his purpose." This means you are linked up with God's plan and purpose for your life. If you are not moving along with the plan of God in history, you have no right to claim this truth. These two clauses limit and determine its application.
As a veteran minister of the gospel, I have witnessed some bad things. I have tried to minister in adverse circumstances that defy rational explanation. But I know this; it is inconceivable that God's perfect plan can be thwarted to those who love God and to those who are his partners.
In Paul's day there were four reactions to adverse situations. The Epicurean philosophy was "eat, drink, and ...
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The Trinity Choir will be singing the National Anthem at the Lumberjacks game on Friday, March 24. Game time is 7pm. We will be selling group tickets to attend, watch for further details.
BIBLE READING PLANS
Make this the year to read either the New Testament or the whole Bible in a year! Take home one of the reading plans from the Narthex to help you stay on track! Or consider downloading the free app from You Version, which has much to offer!
Our Bible Readings for next Sunday (Feb. 12) are:
Deut. 30:15-20; Psalm 119:1-8.
1 Cor. 3:1-9; Matthew 5:21-31
Sermon Title: "We Are God's Field!"


First of all, St. George is one of the main and most venerated saints in the Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches. As a Christian, I was raised to value and give recognition to his martyrdom and contribution to the spread of Christianity.
He is also the patron saint of England. For those of you who like a bit of history, let me share a few interesting facts I learnt at school or dug up at the library.
St. George’s flag, a red cross on a white background, was adopted by England and the City of London in 1190 and, in the year 1222, the Synod of Oxford declared St. George’s Day a feast day in the kingdom of England. King Edward III put his Order of the Garter under the banner of St. George around the year 1348. For hundreds of years, St. George’s Cross has been flying high as part of the Union Jack flag, alongside St. Andrew’s Cross (for Scotland) and St. Patrick’s Cross (for Ireland).
The establishment of George as a popular and protective warrior saint in the West, which had captured the medieval imagination – see the legend of St. George and the Dragon – was reinforced by the official elevation of his feast to a festum duplex at a church council in 1415, on the date that had become associated with his martyrdom, 23 April. When the Reformation in England severely reduced the saints’ days in the calendar, St. George’s Day was among the holidays that continued to be celebrated.
The way St. George’s Day is celebrated in England varies from one community to another, as there are no set rules for this event. Some, more traditional communities may choose to organise street processions, whilst others may settle for parties or stage productions of the above mentioned legend. There is, however, one unifying element in this diversity of celebration: the proud display of St. George’s flag across the country, outside shops and businesses, in people’s windows and gardens, on children’s T-shirts and dogs’ collars.
The second, more personal reason for celebrating this day is, of course, the fact that George bears the name of the saint, which is quite appropriate for an English-born-and-bred dog. N0t that we thought of this when we named him, we just went a long with Brianna’s choice.
However, George is very proud of his name and country, and more than happy to have his very own ‘Saint day’. Therefore, he dressed up in his saint’s colours and volunteered for a photo shoot to celebrate the event. Then he asked me to put the photo on the blog, for all his friends to see.
We hope you like it!


On behalf of Eternal Life International, I want to thank you for your support, whether you gave financially or prayed both are fruit that abounds to your account. (Phil 4:17)
This last mission trip, we had a team of five that traveled to the islands of Luzon and the Visayas islands in the Philippines. During that time, our team flowed together wonderfully as the spirit inspired us. We conducted five crusades, facilitated many pastoral leadership conferences, and spoke in many churches. We witnessed over 500 hundred salvations, watched God perform numerous miracles and saw many get filled with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Some of the outstanding miracles include: many people with chronic pain (head, chest, stomach, back, legs, etc.) got delivered. Kidneys were restored, stroke victims healed, breathing problems relieved, gall stone pain for many years is now gone, ones that had trouble walking walked freely, cataract on an eye healed, two years of painful headaches now are gone, arms and legs grew out, cancer healed, and many more miracles.
Thank you again for the vital part you played in this outstanding mission trip. I believe heaven is rejoicing because of your obedience.
Sincerely you partners in the gospel of Christ,
The 2018 Eternal Life International Mission Trip Team


Mission: Work to engage and fellowship with members and families in small group settings to promote spiritual development.
Mission: To enlist and coordinate the church's manpower, promote fellowship among men, and encourage salvation through worship and service.
Mission: To foster a strong bond of unity in marriages and promote relationships, families and homes with God as the head.
NURSING HOME VISITATION
Mission: To provide hope, spiritual guidance, and model the love of Jesus through worship service and fellowship.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION/SUNDAY SCHOOL
Mission: To communicate biblical teaching to children, youth and adults through study and teaching of the Word of God.
Mission: To ensure worshipers feel welcome and maintain an atmosphere of reverence and order so the word of God can be received.
Mission: To equip women to grow in their relationship amongst one another as well as with Christ as they work to serve Him in their home, church, and community.
YOUNG LADIES OF DISTINCTION
Mission: An open communication forum for young ladies ages 13 through 26 to express and confidentially communicate concerns about living a Christian life while dealing with everyday issues focusing on prayer, encouragement, and seeking God’s word while teaching and learning how to live in today’s world, yet being set apart for God’s use.
Mission: To guide youth into a closer relationship with Christ and with one another, discover God's purpose and reach others..
SOCIAL OUTREACH MINISTRY
Mission: The mission of the Social Outreach Ministry is to serve the community by providing personal, spiritual and economical support for individuals and families with the commitment to impact lives by showing the love of God through service.


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Shoreline Church San Diego
Shoreline Church San Diego is a growing, multi-cultural, multi-generational, church located in San Diego, CA. They believe in creating a space for all to come and worship - no matter where they come from. Inspired not only by the ocean and the sun, each design also purposely includes a light source to symbolize the light of having faith in one's life.
social media design, website design
bright, modern, young, refined, lively, relaxed
"OUR CHURCH HAD ZERO PRESENCE ONLINE, A VERY OUTDATED WEBSITE AND ZERO USE of SOCIAL MEDIA. WHEN WE HIRED HANNAH, SHE CREATED an AMAZING WEBSITE THAT ADVERTISED OUR CHURCH. BECAUSE OF OUR NEW SITE, OUR ONLINE GIVING INCREASED OVER 80%."
Pastor for Shoreline Church San Diego
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My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. – Psalm 45:1
What is your theme, the individual lens through which you see and experience God? David, the Psalmist was a worshiper. As such, he saw and experienced God in depth, through worship. His theme motivated him to compose songs to express an overflowing heart of praise. And, his theme not only drew him closer to the Lord, it urged him to pen words and melodies to attract others to the Lord. See, the unique design we received from our Creator is for us, and it is for others, too. How can we determine what theme we have received?
Questions to help you better understand how you experience and respond to God‘s presence:
- What activity (stillness, worship, bible reading, etc.) opens your heart to His presence?
- What surroundings (sounds, quiet, scenery) open your eyes to Him and His Truth?
- How are you motivated to share what you experienced or learned? In other words, what do you want to do with your new understanding?
Each of us received an individual lens through which we see God’s heart and share His heart with others. Worship opens my eyes to Him and the Bible. In fact, worship led me to Psalm 45 today, and motivated me to share this blog. Whether we write music or literature, nurture a family, volunteer, or have a career, we compose. Composition is the simple process of communicating truth or knowledge through many unique means. Your theme is the conduit you received to both know God and to make Him known. So, what’s your theme? And, how will you use it?
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. – Matthew 5:14-16


Gentle kindness to one another
Backhaus House (purple) is named in honour of Fr Henry Backhaus, who was the first priest of the Bendigo goldfields. Fr Backhaus was a tremendously well respected man, famous for his strong work ethic and his ability to be at home with people from all walks of life. Fr Backhaus established the parish of St Kilian’s and helped Bendigo to grow into a prosperous city. Backhaus inspires us to live the values of empathy and service to others in our College.
Compassion in action
Champagnat House (burgundy) is named in honour of St Marcellin Champagnat, who was the founder of the Marist Brothers. St Marcellin was a charismatic man who personified ‘compassion in action’, a trait he learnt from his parents. He saw a need for Christian education in rural areas and dedicated himself to bringing this dream to life. Champagnat inspires us to live the values of simplicity and hard work in our College.
Embrace the challenge
Jaara House (orange ochre) is named in honour of the Dja Dja Wrung or Jaara people- the traditional owners of the land upon which we gather. The Jaara people lived with great love and care for the land. Dja Dja means ‘Yes”. The Jaara people are ‘yes’ people, open to all life and all its possibilities. Jaara inspires us to live the values of respect and interdependence in our College.
Never see a need without doing something about it
MacKillop House (green) is named in honour of Mary MacKillop, recently canonised and known as St Mary of the Cross. She founded the Sisters of St Joseph and is Australia’s first saint. From an early age, Mary worked tirelessly to provide opportunities for young people, dedicating herself to the life of a teacher. As the leader of the Sisters, she was tenacious and resourceful in providing education and care for the young people of Australia. MacKillop inspires us to live the values of trust and compassion in our College.
Open your hands and your hearts
McAuley House (blue) is named in honour of Venerable Catherine McAuley who was the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy. Catherine was a joyful and practical woman, who spent her life in service of others. Catherine’s spirit of mercy inspired other women to join her in providing opportunities for education, healthcare, and social services for women and children in poverty. McAuley inspires us to live the values of mercy and hope in our College.
Charity knows no limits
Vincent House (gold) is named in honour of St Vincent de Paul after whom the Vincentian Fathers were named. St Vincent de Paul was an extraordinary Priest, who spent his life in solidarity with the poor. It was his deep faith which led to a practical support of the most vulnerable, which has inspired millions around the world to good works. Vincent inspires us to live the values of justice and love.


Christmas Felt Advent Calendars, Felt Board Stories and Activity Books
Start a new tradition with the children in your life using Story Time Felts unique Christmas felt products. Help children get ready for their favorite holiday with our traditional felt board stories, or reinforce skills with our activity felt books. Our felt fabric advent calendars help them count down to Christmas and make great gifts for children and adults alike!
We've found that when adults and children tell felt stories, it brings them closer together as they listen to the story, touch the soft felt pieces, and interact with the felt board. With Story Time Felts products, story time is together time. What better time to bring closeness to your family than Christmas!
Christmas Tree Advent Calendar
Count down the days of Christmas
with the Christmas Tree Advent Calendar wall hanging.As each day of the Advent season
passes, your child can place a Christmas Symbol figure on the tree or background
scene, counting down to Christmas!
Religious Advent Calendar
Start a tradition in your home of counting the days until Christmas
with Mary and Joseph winding their way to the city of Bethlehem with this Religious Advent Calendar. The
birth of Jesus can be told with shepherds, wise men, Mary and Joseph,
and the Christ Child.
The Tale of Three Trees
Three trees want to grow up to do wonderful things
in thr popular American folk tale, The Tale of Three Trees. Come to find out, their prideful
goals are not what is best or what God has in store for them. This is
a great story to tell at either Easter or Christmas.
Christmas Joys Holiday Felt Quiet Book and Audio CD
Teach the blessings of giving using
stories and songs with the Christmas Joys Holiday Felt Quiet Book and Audio Cassette Anxious and excited feelings are
explored as children await Christmas Day while learning about colors
and counting through stories of Santa coming down the chimney,
hanging out stockings, Christmas caroling, and setting out treats for
The Little Match Girl
Help children learn compassion and gratitude for
the blessings in their lives with the classic story of The Little Match Girl. Thirteen felt figures you cut out (or order
pre-cut) tell Hans Christian Anderson's sad tale of a homeless child
Twas the Night Before Christmas
Enchant your children and
start a new holiday tradition by recreating the classic story of "Twas the Night Before Christmas each holiday season - with felt! This felt story figure set includes 25 felt figures of Santa, children, parents, toys, visions of sugar plums and more!
Hansel and Gretel
Good and evil is prevalent in the classic story of Hansel and Gretel.
Teach the virtues of forgiving, preparedness, and self-reliance as
you tell the story of Hansel and Gretel. One's blessings can be counted when you realize that sometimes you run into people who are not kind.
The Birth of Jesus Felt Board Story
Sixteen brilliantly colored and detailed felt
figures celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and stress the importance
and true meaning of Christmas in The Birth of Jesus Felt Board Story set. Includes story
and lesson activity, Scripture Reference, Coloring/Sequencing page, and more! Start a tradition of telling this story every year with felt!
It's Christmas! Felt Toggle Book
Perfect for keeping the little ones busy as they wait for the exciting day of Christmas, our new It's Christmas! Felt Toggle Book is sure to be a hit! Cozy up with this fun toggle as the kids can decorate the Christmas tree and house, hang the stocking, make cookies with Mrs. Claus, or dress Santa in his suit.
Ten Little Christmas Angels
Join the adventures of Ten Little Christmas Angels who come to earth to bless others with this adorable felt figures set. There are 22 felt figures, the angels poem and a coloring book!
The delightful folktale of The Mitten is about how a mitten becomes home to a variety of animals. It doesn't take long before the mitten becomes too crowded! This felt figures set includes 22 figures and the story.
We also have other Holiday Felt Sets such as Easter and Patriotic holidays!
Fun Felt Idea
Start a tradition in your family of telling a Christmas felt story every Christmas Eve. Your children will grow up with fond memories of togetherness and creativity. Let them predict or retell the story themselves, or create new endings or adventures.
Christmas is a time full of sights, scents and sounds that we remember all our lives. For inviting Christmas scented candles to
warm your heart, visit
Kara's Prairie Soy Candles.
Mmmmm... I love filling my home with the scents of Christmas!


For generations, the steeple of St. Mary’s Catholic Church has stood as a beacon on the northern horizon of Texas A&M University, calling Aggies to the life-changing love of Jesus Christ. Through the sacraments, Bible studies, prayer, fellowship, retreats, organizations, and continuing spiritual and intellectual formation in the Catholic faith, thousands of students are being formed to be sent as apostles for the Church and the world.
Our current church was constructed in 1958, designed to hold 650. At that time, the enrollment at Texas A&M numbered 7,500. In the 1980s, the growing enrollment of Texas A&M necessitated the expansion of the balcony to bring the capacity to 850. With current enrollments at Texas A&M and Blinn exceeding 70,000 (17,000 of whom are estimated to be Catholic), we are unable to fit the Aggie Catholic family into our current church during the seven weekend Masses. We expect these enrollments and thus the demand on St. Mary’s to continue to grow. That’s why we are launching a campaign to build our new church with seating for 1,600. This is a great blessing for the future of our parish and the Catholic Church for which we must happily prepare.
As we work with knowledgeable and experienced architects to design the new church, we keep three values in mind: Beauty, Encounter, and Tradition. Beauty has an incredible power to attract, teach, and evangelize the heart and soul: we want to build a church that is aesthetically beautiful and calls upon the reality of heaven. Secondly, encounter: though the parishioner base of St. Mary’s is large, the sense of a tight-knit community remains. Our new church will enhance the intimacy of encounter with the Lord and one another that is already so evident in our existing church. Lastly, tradition: Aggies and Catholics love tradition, and base the rhythm of our lives around it. We want to build a church rich in our Catholic heritage to serve generations to come.
The goal to build this church is $20 million. This can be achieved through prayer, commitment, and the transformational generosity of the Aggie Catholic family. You are invited to participate in a variety of ways:
First and foremost, we want this project to be anointed by God through prayers. Jesus says, “apart from me, you can do nothing.” Please place this church and our campaign in your daily prayer, that our efforts may be successful and glorify God and his kingdom. Second, you can invest in the future of the church by making a significant contribution to the campaign. Third, we need your help to connect us with your classmates, friends, business contacts, and others in your network who could help us to raise the funds needed for this once in a generation project.
When complete, this new Church will be a magnificent sign of God’s presence in the midst of these communities of learning reminding all who belong, visit and pass by that there is a Truth, Beauty and Goodness that surpasses the highest science that can be taught or learned on campus – that a complete education raises not only the mind but the heart and spirit as well.
If you would like further details, information on how to make your gift, or a list of what naming opportunities might be available, please visit community.aggiecatholic.org/campaign or contact Frank Shannon at email@example.com.


First Presbyterian Church Feasibility Study
Under the “New Dollars for New Partners” program, the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois engaged AltusWorks to analyze the condition of First Presbyterian located in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago. A historic neo-Gothic church complex built in 1928 also is a strong community anchor offering an early education program, elementary school and charitable food service. AltusWorks assessed all of the buildings’ interior and exterior systems, including heating, masonry, roofing, windows and drainage. AltusWorks’ resulting comprehensive report to the church board recommended accessibility improvements to increase the congregation and to address the existing needs of parishioners, students, and the greater community. The report described a phased $6M plan which addressed critical, medium and low priority repairs over time that aligned with the church’s strategic plan.


Monday, January 28, 2008
Why 5 boys and a girl
You may ask yourself, "Self, why does Janet call this blog, 5 boys and a girl?" When I started this blog a few years ago, it was my own way of keeping account of the happenings and sayings of our children. At the time, it was 5 boys and a girl. But in God's timing, He decided it was time for one of our boys to go home to be with him. It was two years ago that our oldest boy, Cory, passed away. God in His good and great character was sooo gracious to us and continues to be. We are so thankful for the time we had with Cory while on this earth and look forward to seeing him once again in heaven. Heaven, where he will be whole, perfect and "not broken" anymore.


X-Mas in PhilippiCompared to other countries of the globe, Asian countries have less number of Christian populations. However, when it comes to celebrations, enthusiasm and passion of Asians are no less when compared to people of other countries. Customs like attending mass on Christmas Eve, performing religious services, exchanging gifts amongst friends and relatives, singing carols, decorating Holy tree and your entire house are similar to those that are celebrated in Europe, US and other countries in West.nes:
X-Mas in Philippines:
It is the only country where Christianity is the main religion of the people. Here Christmas celebration starts almost 9 days ahead. Popular mass called Misa de Gallo is organized and it indicates the beginning of Christmas celebration. Exclusive Panunuluyan Pageant is organized on eve of X-Mas where one couple is chosen to enact story of Mary as well as Joseph searching for shelter. On 25th December, mass is organized every hour so that majority of people can participate. Ancient tribal customs like serenading cumbancheros, strolling minstrels are observed. Music, feast and sharing of gifts are integral part of this celebration in Philippines.
Vietnam Christmas Festival:
In this country, Christmas is an important festival since majority of Vietnamese converted to Christianity at times of French rule. Especially in popular cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh people gather on streets to participate in festive event. On 24th December, Vietnamese also attend mass during midnight, go back home to take part in joyful feats along with their loved ones. It is also a joyful occasion for kids and young people who expect wonderful gifts and presents during this festival time.
Christmas celebration in Indonesia:
Although eight percent of Indonesians are Christians, this winter festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm in this country. Turkey, tropical X-Mas tree and other Christmas goodies are sold in different markers during the festival season. In Indonesia, the Christian community also arranges charity events during this time.
Thailand X-Mas celebration:
In Thailand, December 25th is not a holiday and school, colleges as well as offices are opened on this day. However people celebrate this festival in their own fashion. Kids wear colorful clothes and participate in special activities and games that are mainly arranged on this day. They also sing carols and various Christmas hymns. Christian families decorate their houses, cook special dishes and also invite guests. Merry making, dancing and drinking become vital part of Thailand Christmas celebration.
Besides, people of Singapore, India, Japan and other Asian countries celebrate Yule joyfully.


The #FormandoRelevos (Forming Relays) campaign seeks to help in the formation of female and male missionaries, and married couples missionary of the Verbum Dei Fraternity in Africa, so that they can be agents of social transformation through evangelization.
The initial formation is the time in which people who have heard the call of God are prepared, discerned and formed to respond to the mission received.
The cost to cover the initial formation of the female and male missionaries, and missionary married couples varies between 200 and 300 euros per month. This includes expenses such as housing, food, transportation, and any other expenses related to the formation and apostolate.
Do you want to be part of the formation of missionaries in Africa?
Help us reach more people by sharing the campaign and contributing financially!


mittendrin Potsdam – Church for the City
mittendrin is an evangelical church plant in the center of Potsdam, the German word translating as “right in the middle.” We are convinced that it’s worth discovering the Christian faith together, sharing experiences, and establishing a relationship between faith and daily life. How can church look in the year 2023 and in a city like Potsdam? As a community of Christians and those interested in the faith, we don’t want to remain unseen, rather we desire to contribute positively to our environment.
Come as you are
The project started in October 2011, initially meeting in our church office and in our homes. In January 2013, we began with a worship service on Sunday every fourteen days in a room we rented from Kabarett Obelisk. Since September 2015, the worship service has been taking place there weekly. We also meet in small groups and we do a lot together.
The pastors from mittendrin are Christian Hufen and Tim Herrmann. Both studied theology in Gießen and have lived in Potsdam since 2016 and 2017 respectively. Together with a few other full-time employees and volunteers, they comprise the leadership team. In addition, everyone who is actively involved in mittendrin helps determine the style and character of this church.
What We Believe
We believe that the highest goal for humanity is found in glorifying God. This core value forms the basis of all of the other formulated values listed below and comprises the basis for the church plant, mittendrin.
How do we want to be a church for the city of Potsdam and glorify God in that?
Focusing on the Gospel
At the heart of the Gospel is the message of Jesus Christ. He is the center of biblical teaching and also our faith. Nothing, no experience, no tradition, no dogma, no topic is as important as Jesus Christ. He alone guarantees the transformation and salvation of human beings. This Gospel of grace is for us both a protection from legalism, as well as freedom leading to honesty and obedience.
Reaching out to Community
God has called people to community. He Himself is perfect community and that is why Christian community is fundamental to us. Spiritual growth can only take place in community.
Our goal is to create a responsible community through which spiritual and personal growth takes place. This community is a pleasant, holy, authentic, encouraging, generous community that fits to Potsdam and our friends.
Being Grounded on the Bible
The best and most helpful information is found in the well-known and most reliable source. God Himself has given us the Bible as His Word. It is the foundation for our faith, our life, this church plant, and our proclamation. We want to derive all principles and standards from the Bible and apply them to daily life. No tradition, no personal experience, no idea is of equal value to the Bible. We love God’s Word and are convinced that the message of the Bible still has the power today to change people.
Being Structured in Small Groups
The true “success” of a church does not depend on numbers, rather on the personal transformation and development of individuals. In our opinion, this transformation does not significantly take place in a big group, for example on Sundays during the worship service. Rather, it happens in small groups that also share daily life, without being exclusive.
Small groups help us to be sensitive to our neighbors and friends and to learn that the gospel of grace is not a theory, rather practical. In small groups, we can teach and live that we don’t have to hide our weakness because the cross of Christ teaches us that we are all weak. In our opinion, all of this can only succeed in smaller settings, which is why our church is comprised of small groups.
Being Motivated for Others
We want to be a church in which everyone serves their neighbor and our city in word and deed and practically shows God’s characteristics such as compassion, love, hope, and justice. We don’t want to form a subculture; rather, we are instructed and motivated to do good for others. Word and deed have an equally important significance. We preach the Gospel and apply it practically to daily life.
Mutually Supporting and Complementing One Another
God has made us unique and given us gifts and talents that we should use as best as possible to build the church and expand His Kingdom. To truly profit from our mutual complementation, we take special care to ensure that everyone can contribute competently and be encouraged. That is why we take the biblical mandate for the church leadership seriously, “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12).
In order to be a spiritual home for more people in Potsdam and to be active for the city, mittendrin needs financial resources. We do not receive church taxes nor other means of public financial support.
If you would like to support mittendrin, you can do so following the instructions below. No amount is too small and all donations go directly toward our work in Potsdam. For a donation receipt, please share your address with us.
Bank Transfer On Our Account
IBAN: DE84 4526 0475 0016 1058 00
INCLUDE RECIPIENT NAME “FEG MITTENDRIN” & IBAN NUMBER
Worship with Us
We meet weekly for worship services on Sundays at 11 AM in the Kabarett Obelisk: Charlottenstraße 31, 14467 Potsdam. We’d love to have you join us!
English translation is available. Please get your headphones and the audio receiver at the counter in the foyer. You can listen to the sermon while staying in your seat. Feel free to bring your own headphones if you’d like.
Soli Deo Gloria


Penny From US
Please pray for me. Let me hear God’s answer to my questions and see my mission in life here on earth. I pray the rosary every morning and thank god for being in my life. There are times I feel like I am being punished for something I have done wrong in a past life and sent to repent and make things right. Am I doing what god wanted me to do here on earth? Let me learn to love myself and find a true love who wants to serve the lord as much as I do beside me in life. Please let me have financial stability in life and to help others in need. Thank you all for hearing me.


May my understanding be always obedient to Thy heavenly inspirations and the teachings of the holy Catholic Church, of which Thou art the infallible Guide; may my heart be ever inflamed with love of God and of my neighbor; may my will be ever conformed to the divine will, and may my whole life be a faithful following of the life and virtues of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and Thee be honor and glory for ever. It seemed to Gugulan that Soriano had simply substituted the word “Suhay” to “Saligan”.Gugulan’s church then filed a lawsuit against Soriano on July 16, 1979 for using a similar church name.Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Holy Spirit, divine Spirit of light and love, I consecrate to Thee my understanding, my heart and my will, my whole being for time and for eternity.While the case was in progress he managed to register another church name, Ang mga Kaanib sa Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Saligan ng Katotohanan sa Bansang Pilipinas, Incorporated (English Translation: The Members of The Church of God in Christ Jesus, Pillar and Ground of the Truth, Philippines, Incorporated) on January 20, 1980.Soriano's group lost in 1988 and was ordered by Securities and Exchange Commission to change its church name to one that is not similar to Gugulan's group.VIII: XXXII) To post some basic knowledge about the Catholic Faith...Et ego dico tibi, quia tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram ædificabo Ecclesiam meam, et portæ inferi non prævalebunt adversus eam. Et quodcumque ligaveris super terram, erit ligatum et in cælis : et quodcumque solveris super terram, erit solutum et in cælis.(Mat.


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This morning I woke up EARLY. Well early for me anyways. I was not happy at all. I woke up early because we had our cleaning lady come. So I got up got my jogging clothes on and took off down the neighborhood to our park/track. I felt like the humidity was worse than ever this morning and boy was it hot. So I woke up early, was in the hot heat, was working out, which I still do not like much at all, there were bees and wasps every where, and just bugs period, so I was not in the best mood of all.
As I got done running in between the two light poles, and was breathing really hard. I just got the feeling like I needed to pray about all sorts of things. I prayed for endurance and perseverance. I talked to God like he was right there beside me. It was so awesome. I needed this prayer more than I knew, and God knew just when I needed to talk to him. I told God I was going to need his help this morning getting me through these laps, because my heart was just not into it AT ALL! As I was running in between the other two poles, I was so ready to give up and stop, but at that moment of exhaust, three white birds were right beside me and flew in the direction I was running. I kept going. It was as if God was those birds saying run with me! You can do this. I was in awe of his presence and just teared up and pushed through and finished the jog between the two light poles.
I finished that lap and was dreading the next one. Again let me add the fact that the humidity was awful and it is was so hot, with no breeze. One of my best friend’s grandmother passed away some years ago. Her grandmother told her whenever she saw a butterfly it would be her looking after her and her being there with her. Well every time I see a butterfly it makes me think of my best friend and her grandmother. Well as I was ready to call it quits once again, I saw a butterfly, and it flied around me. I truly believe that was God sending an angel in the butterfly to push me once again. I finished that lap with a huge smile on my face thanking God.
God answers prayers in his time which is in the end best for us. He answered my prayer within the seconds that I prayed a prayer. How amazing is he? So STINKING amazing. He continues to bless me, even though I am so undeserving. I love him so much. The other things that just makes me in this constant state of awe, is the fact that he never gives up on me, and never will. He pushed me that one time; which should be enough, right? Yeah it should be, but my human self did not see that has enough, and again he pushed me the whole way through. God never gives up on his children. He is a wonderful God.
We are all pre-believers, because one day “every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess”. My prayer is that everyone comes to have a personal relationship with God. There is not one thing that can even compare to be as wonderful as that relationship. I will never lose sight of that. He is my maker, how can I ever do anything but worship him?
Lord, in heaven, thank you so much for blessing me with each breath you have given me today. Thank you for blessing me with a family that loves and supports me. Thank you or blessing me with friends who will do anything for me. Thank you for the obstacles you have put in my life to help me grow. Thank you for sending your son on the cross to die for me and for everyone in this world. You are so worthy and so much bigger than anything I can imagine or even begin to fathom. Thank you for loving this world. I love you!


Saturday, August 1, 2009
The Missionary Nature of the Church
“The Church is by nature missionary to the extent that, if it ceases to be missionary, it has not just failed in one of its tasks, it has ceased being Church.”
~J. Andrew Kirk
Missions is not something that the church DOES - it is something that the Church IS, and if a church stops being missionary than it is betraying its very identity.
Many define the marks of a church as, where the Gospel is rightly preached and the sacraments are rightly administered, yet the church's missionary nature must be part of this definition.
Posted by TandT at 1:09 PM


Nuria Valley is more than a ski and mountain rersort. The Valley offers not only a natural shelter among large tops, but also the shelter of a spiritual sanctuary of ancient roots and traditions.
On 30th April and 15th May Vall de Nuria organizes two days of pilgrimage.
The program includes:
10.20h - Climb to the rack (from any of the stations)
11.00 - Father John received from the station Nuria
Following brief prayer and blessing of the pilgrims in the basilica
12.15 - Mass in the Basilica - Sanctuary of Nuria
Lunch and down the rack for free
For any questions please call 932 041 041.


Do you think you know all 12 apostles? Well, according to a recent survey, most Americans can’t name all 12 apostles. This quiz challenges you to see if you can do better than the average American.
The 12 apostles were the closest followers of Jesus Christ during his ministry on earth. They were chosen by Jesus to spread his teachings and continue his work after his death and resurrection. The apostles were a diverse group of individuals, including fishermen, tax collectors, and even a zealot.
Knowing the names of the apostles is not only important for religious reasons, but it is also a part of cultural literacy. The apostles are referenced in literature, art, and even popular culture. Being able to name all 12 apostles is a sign of a well-rounded education.
This quiz will test your knowledge of the apostles’ names and their stories. Can you name all 12 apostles? Take the quiz and find out!
FAQs about Most Americans Can’t Name All 12 Apostles. Can You?
1. What are the names of the 12 apostles?
The 12 apostles are Simon Peter, Andrew, James (son of Zebedee), John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot.
2. Why is it important to know the names of the 12 apostles?
Knowing the names of the 12 apostles is important for Christians as they were the closest followers of Jesus Christ and played a significant role in spreading his teachings. It also helps in understanding the history and traditions of Christianity.
3. Why do most Americans struggle to name all 12 apostles?
There could be several reasons for this, including lack of religious education, limited exposure to the Bible, and cultural shifts away from traditional religious practices. Additionally, some people may not see the importance of memorizing the names of the apostles in their daily lives.


Home » Posts tagged 'Bible Timeline'
Tag Archives: Bible Timeline
Satan is always trying to deceive us to accept lies as truth throughout our entire life. We are most susceptible to them when we are young, although we can fall for these lies at any age.
Children will not know the difference between right and wrong without proper guidance. You can get the bible timeline poster via online sources.
It is our responsibility as good, God-fearing parents to make sure that our children know the truth of God and that they can distinguish it from the lies of Satan. One effective way to do that is to use Bible studies for children. However, many adults do not understand the importance of Bible study for children.
Many adults think that because there is only one Bible, and it is the word of God, then there should not be some kind of a Bible study. Obviously there are many things that adults understand that children can not.
Image Source: Google
Bible lessons for children need to be designed with the level of understanding in mind. After all, there is no point in encouraging them to read anything if children can not understand what they read.
Bible lessons for children are not the literal word of God, but the teachings of God's word. God's Word never changes, and should not be altered. However, a readable manner and way that can be understood to be changed so that people can understand it properly.
Best Bible study for children often comes from people who teach them. You are in a unique position to understand what your child is getting and what they would not do if you teach the Bible to them.


This post is a little old but since I found it saved in my drafts I will update, because it was really important and I should have finished!
There was a lot I didn’t love about Valentines week. For starters, I am T-I-R-E-D of winter weather! The girls were out of school 3 days again due to ice. There is a reason we live in Georgia! I do agree it is beautiful, but enough. I swear, between all the early federal holidays and weather and colds we have been out of school more than in since the first of the year.
Thankfully by the end of the week it was in the 60’s and beautiful and Valentines! I’m not a huge Valentines person at all. Call me rouge but I’d rather buy flowers half price the next week. I’m all for loving on people but not to benefit the retailers and their crazy price increases. However, there are some cute things you can do with what you already have to show a little extra love… Like turning a can of cinnamon rolls into hearts.
Or planting some new blueberry bushes for your bride.
Also as a valentines gift to my inlaws, we offered to spend the night with Grandma. My husband’s Grandmother has a mental illness that no longer allows her to live on her own so she lives with my mother and father in law. I’m not sure if you have ever lived with someone after you’ve grown out of your “roommate years”. When I was pregnant with Annie we moved in with Grandma and Grandpa for 1 year and 2 months to help out and it was one of the hardest years of my life. We learned so many things and there were a lot of moments I will cherish the rest of my life. Even with all the good it’s just hard for grown ups who are established and used to living their own way to merge with another household. Then add on a mental illness. So, while there is a lot of love and good days, my inlaws needed a break. Don’t we all?! I don’t know about you but our parents do WAY too much for us. There is no way we could ever repay any of them for the gifts they have given us but we do try to do what we can. Providing them a date night was small for us and huge for them.
While that night was a gift to two other members of our family The Lord showed an amazing reminder of His love to me through my husband. That man drives me crazy! It’s it funny that The Lord chose us to live together? Sometimes I wonder if it’s to bring him laughter?! Anyway, he came in Valentines night with Longhorns takeout, a pot of flowers for Grandma (even though we couldn’t get her to remember it was Valentines) and a bottle of wine and gelato for his bride. Happy Happy Valentines day! Later in the night I laid in the bedroom right off the living room trying to get Annie to sleep. As I laid there I listened to my husband in a gentle and kind voice reassure his Grandmother of who he was, why she is where she is, remind her who her children are and who her husband was. He went over her husband’s life and death and reassured her that she would see him again in time. He had to do this a few times because it was a lot to take in and she was completely confused.
At this phase of life The Cowboy and I are stressed more than not and are basically in a constant state of snippiness and frustration. I don’t hear that gentle, kind voice of his as much as I did before we decided to birth 2 children in 2 and a half years. Did I mention he definitely doesn’t hear my love as much as he should? But as I laid there on Valentines night I heard it. I heard love and compassion and encouragement from my husband. It was a situation that could have easily gotten old and frustrating really quickly, but he loved over and over.
It made me think about Jesus and how He could easily get frustrated and burnt out encouraging, reassuring and loving on us over and over and over again, but He doesn’t! He keeps a gentle voice and continues to push us along and hold us right where we are. He reminds us of our history and reminds us that the battle is won and our day in heaven will be here before we know it.
So, we did gift another couple a great Valentines night away but the gift was all ours! I’m so thankful for the love we have for each other! I’m more thankful for a greater love that shows us over and over again how to really love each other. I’m also thankful that He said it loud enough for my ears to hear it!


Sharing Your Faith
“How much does a so-called Christian have to hate you if they really believe in Jesus, Heaven, and Hell and never tell you about it?”
While those words may sound like they came from your local evangelist or pastor, they didn’t. Not even close. Instead, they came from the mouth of one of the most famous non-believing atheists in the world, Penn Jillette, widely known as the bigger half of the performance group Penn & Teller.
When I heard Penn make this statement it was like a kick in the gut. Let me tell you why. Penn made this statement after finishing a show. A very warm, sincere man waited patiently to meet with Penn and gave Penn a small Bible and told him very kindly how much he believed and valued the words inside of that book.
Now, before you get too happy I want to tell you ahead of time that Penn still says he could care less about the Bible, but he was moved by earnest honesty and beliefs of a simple man that wanted to share his faith in God with someone that he admired. Not cliché, not judgmental, not snobbish, the man very plainly and simply shared his faith and it broke through Penn’s very cynical exterior walls.
When reflecting back on this encounter later that evening, Penn said that he wasn’t even slightly irritated when the man shared his faith. Indeed, he said what troubled and irritated him even more than someone sharing a deeply held faith in God, was a man or woman that claimed to have a deep faith about a risen Savior, or an everlasting afterlife of Heaven or Hell, but thought so little about people that they never told them about it!
Ouch! Strong words? Yes.
But Penn is right.
Either we don’t really believe in an awesome Savior that chose the nails and the cross for us or we must hate people so much that we know this Savior for ourselves, but don’t want anyone else to know Him.
Who are you telling about Jesus? Better yet – who are you not telling about Him that really needs to hear His story and yours? Are you sure you believe in Jesus and in Heaven? If so, why not tell everyone you know about this amazing news we call the Gospel?
One thing that I have learned over the past few weeks with the deaths of Michael Jackson, Steve McNair, Farrah Fawcett, Billy Mays, and others is that tomorrow just isn’t promised and that we should never assume that we have another hour or another day or another random time to tell someone about our faith journey.
Maybe they’ll reject the Gospel and reject you and move on, but maybe, just maybe they won’t. Maybe God will use you as a springboard into the heart of that person or that family that you need to talk with. Just understand this – our faith is not a private faith. It’s not a secret, keep-it-to-yourself type of faith.
It’s a tell-the-whole-world-because-you-contain-yourself type of faith and people need to hear from you.
Today, I dare you to start sharing your faith today and see what happens!
||Shaun King is Lead Pastor of The Courageous Church in downtown Atlanta. A king of multi-tasking, Shaun is a proud husband, father of four, grad student, regular guest on NPR, and an avid blogger at ShaunInTheCity.com.