December 5, 2013
I’ve been reading a book about silence. Anne D. LeClare describes the things she has learned from spending two days a month in silence in her book Listening Below the Noise. Who knew that 223 pages could be filled with words about going without words?
In one chapter, LeClare speaks silence as an act of giving up the right to be in control. She says, “To be speechless is to relinquish control, to know that there is nothing we can do, including expressing empathy in the face of another’s distress. At heart, silence is an exercise in surrender” (57).
Perhaps it’s the season, but as I read those words, my first thought of was Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, whose story begins the Gospel of Luke. Like a latter-day Abraham and Sarah, Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth were advanced in years and childless. Zacharias, a priest, was chosen by lot to offer incense in the temple’s holy place, and, while there, an angel appeared to him, bringing the promise of a child. Yet, in spite of surely knowing how Sarah was given a child in her old age, Zacharias questioned, “How shall I know this for certain? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
If angels feel exasperation, I imagine this one did. The man was face to face with an angel, and he wanted more proof?
The angel responded, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I have been sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which shall be fulfilled at the proper time.” (Luke 1:5-20)
Silence. Surrender. No voice with which to ask for evidence. No voice with which to confer with wise men. No voice with which to explain these things to his wife. In silence Zacharias would wait, and in silence he would become the father of a son.
Long years before Zacharias, Job learned the surrender of silence, faced with the whirlwind of an answering God: “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to Thee? I lay my hand on my mouth. Once I have spoken, and I will not answer; even twice, and I will add no more” (Job 40:3-5).
As I think of it, scripture is full of admonitions to silence. In Psalm 46, God commands us to “Be still, and know that [He] is God.” In Isaiah 41, just after the passage promising new strength to those who wait on the Lord, God summons the coastlands to listen to Him in silence.
Those who wait do surrender. They are silent. Waiting involves giving up the right to make things happen, and even talking is a way of making things happen.
In Samuel Beckett’s play Waiting for Godot, silent is the one thing the characters refuse to be. They may be waiting, but they can’t bear to only wait. They would rather talk nonsense than wait quietly, because even speaking nonsense gives the illusion of being in control: you are the one speaking, producing the nonsense; you aren’t having to let someone else do it.
In scripture, the best example of silence is Christ Himself, who “was oppressed and . . . afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). Christ’s silence, more than any other, was perfect surrender to the will of His Father.
Zacharias had his power of speech taken away; Job was compelled to silence by a terrifying demonstration of the power of God. Christ, Who of all people had most right to speak in His own defense or complain of injustice, was silent in absolute submission to the Father whose perfect love He knew. He waited on the Lord, for salvation not only for Himself, but for all His elect.
And for His silent obedience, for this surrender to sinful men, God highly exalted Him, giving Him the name above every name.
To be silent, to relinquish control, is, yes, to know that there is nothing we can do. But it is also to know that God has done everything. Those who wait on Him will see His word fulfilled at the proper time. No speech of ours can alter that.
©2013 by Stacy Nott
December 2, 2013
Waiting for Godot in British Literature today. One critic famously quipped that this is “a play in which nothing happens, twice.” The claim seems justified when you peruse the pages in which two characters wait beside a dead tree on an empty country road for the arrival of one who never arrives.
We set the stage for the Samuel Beckett’s seminal tragicomedy — philosophically speaking — with a set of -isms: Modernism, Existentialism, Absurdism, which give us a universe drained of meaning except that which we create for ourselves by deliberate action. (And there’s debate about whether the actions can be deliberate, whether they can mean, but I won’t debate that now.) It seems that Beckett’s two main characters find their meaning in the fact of their waiting: “What are we doing here, that is the question. And we are blessed in this, that we happen to know the answer. Yes, in this immense confusion one thing alone is clear. We are waiting for Godot to come–”
But waiting is no easy thing to do, and Beckett’s characters attempt to pass the time with formulaic dialog, odd games, speculations, and an apparently endless cycle of repeated action to avoid the pain of thinking, though the first line of the play acknowledges that there is “Nothing to be done.” If waiting defines them, how does that definition change when we realize that their waiting is a hopeless project?
I listened to Advent music as I drove home from teaching, because it is Advent season, and because this music is beautiful, and as I drove I reflected on this other waiting.
Centuries of waiting for an arrival, clinging to prophecies, to hopes, to rituals which must often have felt as empty as the actions of Beckett’s waiting pair. The waiting of a young girl, feeling the kicks of impossible life in her rounding belly, poised on the edge of the fullness of time. The waiting of the magi, full of the wisdom of the stars, opening themselves to a strange expectation, a strange journey. The waiting of shepherds who did not know, perhaps, that they had been waiting until they found themselves in that wild scramble to a stable outside Bethlehem. The waiting of an old man, eager to see a child and depart in peace. The waiting of an old woman, living as a widow in the temple, worshiping, fasting, praying for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Though there must have been days when they were heart-sick with hope deferred, their desire saw its fulfillment. Theirs is no story of waiting for an ever-absent Godot; theirs is the story of the arrival of God-with-us. And their story is also our story.
As we remember their waiting, we live in our own waiting, knowing that this God who kept His promise to arrive will surely keep His promise to return, knowing that none who wait for Him shall be put to shame.
Rest here, weary soul. You are not defined by the fact that you are waiting; you are defined by the One for Whom you wait. He opens blind eyes, relieves captives of their chains, lifts the dead from their graves.
He gives meaning larger than any -ism; He makes broken things whole; He makes the waiting worthwhile.
©2013 by Stacy Nott
November 21, 2013
I’ve been thinking about how much He knows.
The path around the pond is invisible if you don’t know it, covered thickly in leaves. As I sat beside the pond, leaves fell, and acorns fell, and I saw millions — literally millions — of things, though I did not consciously notice all of them.
If He knows my rising up and my sitting down, if He scrutinizes my path — and He does — He knew each leaf, each acorn that I crushed under my boots this morning. He knew how they got there, how they grew, how they were changed by my passing feet.
And if He understands my thought from afar — not even I understand my thought — He understood each of the millions of things that came within my line of vision to be processed by my thoughts, to form the image that I saw.
He knows when a sparrow falls, and if He knows that He must also know when sparrows do not fall. He must know when they fly, how each feather on each wing moves, catches the wind. He must know each twig around which tiny sparrow feet cling.
And if He knows each twig, He knows the trees on which they grow, the angles of the branches, the texture of the bark, the paths by which the sap flows from deep-reaching roots to tender tree-top. He knows each leaf, from its emergence in knobbly bud to the day it flutters, butterfly-like, to earth. He knows the pattern of veins in each leaf, though no two are alike, knows how their corners curl, knows each spot and imperfection, and each perfection.
Not of all leaves in general, but of each specific leaf, of the specific leaf I turned between thumb and forefinger, the specific leaf whose lines I traced with my eyes this morning. He knew its brown and its green tinges, knew how one part disintegrated, leaving an area of delicate web-work. He knew all that before I saw it, before I picked it up. And He knows where it is now, whether it remains where I dropped it on the dusty deck-boards, whether it was blown away, covered by other leaves.
I cannot think of anything He does not know. I cannot think anything He does not know.
And I could trace out details, go with a magnifying glass along the path and examine each leaf, each mark in the dirt. I could speculate until my mind was exhausted, imagine until my imagination was used up, but never outstrip His knowledge.
And yet, and yet, He knows me. He cares to know me, to name me, to set His love on me, to die for me.
©2013 by Stacy Nott
November 18, 2013
And will we ever know, in this story He tells, which parts are the parts we’re supposed to be noticing?
I took my camera out on a walk, filled the frame with this leaf, that pond-ripple. The battery died just when I thought I’d found the thing that would make the best photos.
Are we supposed to be saving, waiting for the perfect thing to fill the camera lens? Or should we spend until the battery goes, trusting that we’ll capture what we ought, unconcerned about what else there may be?
(Did Jesus save up His powers, just for the most important healings? And hasn’t He promised to be our strength?)
None of it belongs to us. And how are we to know?
I am not the one who can say which smiles are most needed, which words will be remembered, which words will even be heard. The treasures of forever are not stored in the chambers of time. The fruits of forever do not grow on the trees of time.
And my eyes, as yet, can’t see forever, except in upside-down reflections on the rippling surface of time.
And so I’m left guessing, wondering. Praying that He’ll do what, after all, He promised to do. That He’ll make the fruit grow, that He’ll mound up the treasures. That He’ll one day strip time from my eyes and let me see the things I don’t know now.
And though it sometimes seems that He says “No” to the things that look to me like the best things, I know that this Righteous One, who knows me through and through, whose power is beyond all and the source of all, does not deprive me of the best, and in His time, He makes it all beautiful.
©2013 by Stacy Nott
November 15, 2013
I remember memorizing Psalm 1 in kindergarten or first grade, standing in our green-carpeted, pine-paneled school room beside my little turquoise-topped desk, a bulletin board covered in butterflies beside me:
“He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither, and whatever he does, he prospers.”
I don’t know what they explained to me then, what I picked up by osmosis, but there have been the words ever since in my mind, sending down deep roots, reaching up leafy branches. And I love trees.
They toss their golden leaves against blue skies this afternoon, and they whisper of so many tree-stories: a different connotation for each leaf that drifts down.
The forbidden tree of Eden, with its fruit alluring the first Adam into sin. The Accursed Tree of Golgotha, the fruit of which — Christ’s death — makes payment for that sin. The Tree of Life at the new Jerusalem, healing nations with its leaves.
And the blessed ones, like trees, rooted in heaven, visible on earth, drinking water of life from the spring which does not run dry, no matter where on earth they move. The Lord knows their ways, ensures their fruit, prunes them into prosperity.
Joining Lisa-Jo and her Friday blog party, writing on today’s prompt: Tree. Use the button above to see what it’s all about!
©2013 by Stacy Nott
November 8, 2013
“We live in an age of surfaces,” quoth Lady Bracknell in Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. I taught that on Monday. “We live, as we dream, alone,” quoth Marlow in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. I taught that on Wednesday. Marlow’s loneliness stems, I think, from Lady Bracknell’s surfaces, from that fact that we only see the exteriors of people, only what they do; we don’t get to see, often, who they actually are.
Both stories, in very different ways, deal with the issue of truth. How do we know it? Can we know it? What is it, when it is known? I hadn’t expected them to fit together as well as they do, but they do.
Buzzwords in our culture are “authentic” and “real.” They are so much used that I shy away from them, feeling that their popularity has rendered them inauthentic and unreal. They’ve become a part of our culture’s surface, things everyone wants to be, but things defined externally: “authentic” people have to fit a certain mold, look a certain way. We get so fixated on letting people see the messy authenticity of our lives, that showing them a clean room can seem artificial somehow. Even though our versions of “messy” can often be just as artificial.
Truth comes, I think, not from trying to be real or authentic, but from being about something bigger than what you are, something bigger than you are. The most real people I’ve met aren’t too worried about being real; they’re worried about what is real. They love the Truth.
Truth is neither the ridiculous farce of Oscar Wilde’s play, nor the grim horror of Conrad’s story. It combines both. Wilde’s characters get better than they deserve. Conrad’s come against the truth of their own depravity. The truth — Truth — presents us with our depravity, and offers us wildly more than we deserve: life for our death, hope for our desperation, glory in place of our shame. Christ wears the horror of our iniquity and clothes us with the earnest that is His blood, a promise for a future in which we are His and like Him.
Those who dwell in this Truth, delight in this Truth, live in this world of dim reflections, of surfaces, but they have a foot in the Kingdom of face-to-face. They are known fully, and they shall fully know.
The truth is, I broke all the rules in composing this, but I did start with Lisa-Jo’s Five Minute Friday prompt: “truth.” If you’d like to join in, or read more posts on her prompt, use the button above.
©2013 by Stacy Nott
November 1, 2013
A morning of startling gorgeousness after a long day of rain.
I began my classes with Psalm 30: “Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.”
I heard the shout in golden fog rising from the river, from the grass. I heard it in the rust and red and gold and green of leaves which have finally realized that it is autumn rather than summer. I heard it in the vee of geese, powerful wings pumping them over rooftops in the sunrise. It blinded me in sunlight on my dirty car windshield; it warmed me in sunlight on the side of my face. It danced with the prancing steps of the terrier on his small way home.
And there it was, in my students’ faces, as they came awake belatedly, after I dismissed them earlier than usual.
And though we deserve to wear the garments of mourning all our days, He steals the sackcloth to which we cling; He bids us dance.
This is grace.
Participating in Lisa-Jo Baker’s Five Minute Friday today, without writing for Word-Wonder (because Word-Wonder is finished). If you’d like to join in, or read more posts on the prompt — grace — use the button above.
©2013 by Stacy Nott
October 30, 2013
How does one conclude thirty-one days of blogging about words? I struggle with conclusions: the ends of papers, the ends of stories, the ends of semesters, of chapters in life. I don’t like goodbyes, and at the same time I feel a sort of panicky necessity to do goodbyes well — because there have been times when I haven’t done them well, and I regret those times.
This is not a goodbye, of course; it’s just the thirty-first of thirty-one posts, the post which signifies a task complete, a challenge met. But we have a tradition, in our culture, of putting special words at the ends of things: farewell speeches, parting toasts, even “The End” on the last page of a storybook. We like to mark endings, to pause and reflect on what has come before, to notice what was important or meaningful.
What then has been important or meaningful? Well, I blogged every day, and I wasn’t sure I could do that. And I spent a good bit of time thinking about words, sentences, stories, and I had a lot more thoughts than I wrote here, and that was good. And I think, perhaps, some of the things written here are important. No, I know they are.
I keep circling back to Christ the Word, to God the Author-Creator, to the fact that we’re in a story He’s telling, that we don’t know the story yet, that we haven’t gotten to the place marked “The End.”
Today, as I think about “The End,” here’s my thought: this story of ours, this story God is telling, doesn’t have a place marked “The End.” Some parts will end, but the story won’t. I’ve written of those endings: the completion of creation when behold, it was very good. The completion of Christ’s work on the cross, when it was finished. The completion of this story of sin and death when the new heavens and the new earth arrive, and the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, declares that the old things have passed away.
But when He declares that old things have passed away, He also declares that new things have come. That ending is equally a beginning. It ends this realm of time, this brief space in which we struggle and suffer, but it begins an eternity of glory, with which what Paul describes as “this light, momentary affliction” is not worthy to be compared. This is measured and soon over. That is immeasurable and never-ending.
There we will see the Word — the Word who was in the beginning with God — face to face, and we are told that we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. There shall be no more incomplete thoughts: the partial shall pass away and we shall know fully. There the story continues, and it is a tale of celebration, of healing, of satisfaction. There the songs continue, day and night.
The theme of the songs, the center of the stories, the end mark on each sentence? That Word, Faithful and True, King of kings, Lord of lords.
©2013 by Stacy Nott
October 29, 2013
And I’ve begun two or three posts in my head over the past few days. They’ve used words, of course, but they haven’t been about words; they’ve been about the striped clouds, the scarlet vines in the trees, they way a dear friend laughed with me at the incomprehensibility of God’s workings. This is part of the wonder of words: their versatility.
We use them to tell the truth and to conceal the truth, to express emotion and to evoke emotion, to describe reality and to describe fantasy, to persuade, to dissuade, to blame, to praise, to flatter, to insult, and, ah yes, to bless and to curse.
The world in which “words can never hurt me” is not the world we inhabit. Though, on some level or other, it is possible to say that words are “only words” — not causing physical damage — yet “only words” can carry massive weight for good or for ill. Revolutions begin with “only words;” our Declaration of Independence is “only words.” We conduct so much of the business of life in words: wedding vows, oaths of office, criminal trials. We frame friendships atop foundations of tentative words, and sometimes undermine those same foundations with more words. One story, or one song, can define a generation, though stories and songs are “only words.”
We never know, really, where our words will go, or how they will be heard. Some of my more hasty blog posts have been better received than those in which I invested hours, and every now and then I’m caught off guard by someone who took my words to heart, some way or other.
And I wonder at it.
©2013 by Stacy Nott
October 28, 2013
Today is a re-post from just under a year ago, since I’ve been wondering over words much longer than this month, and since we build whole worlds, not simply sentences, stories, and songs, out of words. You can find the original post here.
“People make worlds out of words.”*
They do. I know it. I have lived in those worlds, often and often, and they have taught me to make sense out of my own world, which is also, as it happens, made out of words, by the Word, beginning when God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
“And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. And God called the light ‘day,’ and the darkness He called ‘night.’ And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”**
Later, He made man, not by the familiar “Let there be” formula, but with His own hands, from dust, infusing him with His own breath. This was the way to make man in God’s own image, according to God’s likeness: great God-hands fashioning, great God-breath made small enough to fill the fragile lungs. There stood man, a small maker after the image of the great Maker.
His world was ready-made for him, but to him was given the gift of words, the task of naming, so that by a word one man could call up a bit of the world in another man’s mind. So that I may say “cat,” and you see it, though your physical eyes are not on it. That was the beginning.
Later still, at Babel, when all the people of the world spoke one language, they planned to build a world to reach to God. (Still hearing, no doubt, the hissing seduction from the Garden, that God was keeping some good from them, that they must reach out their hands to take it.)
God thwarted their building plan, not by toppling the tower, as I might have done had I been God, but instead by destroying their world-building capability: their language. No longer could one man build a world to which all the others could be effortlessly privy. No longer will every person to whom I say, “cat,” see the thing that I mean.
In their own languages, the people recreated the story. The great project: that tower; the labor involved; the visionaries who, with their words, helped all the others to see it; the friend who labored alongside, with whom one shared words while toiling with stones.
And then the day when the friend gazed with uncomprehending eyes, even at the most commonplace comment, when the friend spoke, and the sounds were utterly new – unlike even the garbling of a baby. The visionary attempted to rally the people, but they told each other he was insane, for he was saying nothing, and they could not understand one another any more than they could understand him.
Though all their meanings were in agreement, they could not understand it, and left the words for blows, and left the blows behind with the project. They knew that the blows were sinful, that such sinners could not hope to find God, even at the top of the highest tower in the world, even if building the tower had not become a hopeless task.
Their worlds divided by only words – and the saying goes that “words will never harm me”! – they abandoned the tower project, wandered off with their different visions, different words, building worlds all over the world.
But the dividing wall – words – has now been broken; to the men who could not reach up to God, God has come down: the Word to crush the wall and heal the breach, the Word to bruise the head of the hissing seducer, to bring all good things to the people who could not even reach for them.
So that the world made by words, broken by words, is restored by the Word. Even now, when God says, “Let there be light,” there is light.
*Donald T. Williams, “Christian Poetics, Past and Present.” The Christian Imagination. Ed. Leland Ryken. Colorado Springs: Shaw, 2002.
© 2013 by Stacy Nott


*Note: I’m participating in Rachel Held Evans “Week of Mutuality” this week. She’s explaining the case for egalitarianism all week. I urge you to follow along on her blog – it looks like some exciting posts coming up. And who knows, you might be an egalitarian and not know it either! If you’re unfamiliar with the definitions of all the terms, she did a great job explaining them all here. You can follow this important discussion on her blog, here.
By every account I am one of the privileged few. No one would ever look at me or listen to me talk about my life, past or present, and think for a second that I was in any way oppressed.
Like most of you all, I grew up in the richest country in the world.
I never lacked food, clothing, a home, heat in the winter, or air conditioning in the hot Texas summers.
I graduated from arguably the best high school in Texas, a high school ranked consistently in the top 50 schools nationally. We had the best of everything there – the best teachers, coaches, computers, resources, alumni, sponsors. Every resource was at my disposal. Had I been interested in resources at that point in my life, that would have been useful. Unfortunately, all I cared about in high school was getting good grades with minimal effort, hanging out with my friends and boyfriend, and looking cute while doing the above two things. All that to say, I had some good educational opportunities.
I got a brand-spankin’ new car when I turned 16. So did most of my friends. I drove it scott-free, both insurance and gas paid for by my parents since I had to put so much time into school and sports. Okay, I think I maybe paid for some of the gas in the summer when I would baby-sit more often, but it was definitely sporadic at best.
Not sounding too oppressive yet, huh?
Kids get asked that “what do you want to be when you grow up” question all time. Right now my kids are stuck between firefighting, donut-making, being a super-spy (the obvious choice), studying rocks (BORING!!), and dentistry. It always amuses me when they choose something new. Just the other day when Simon was reallyreallyreallyreally tired of school and ready for summer vacation in a bad way, he announced he was forsaking the rest of his educational endeavors because he was just going to be a dad when he grew up. So could he stay home from school and go swimming instead…
Uh, yeah, NO.
Well, if you would have asked me when I was around seven, eight, or nine what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have told you something along the lines of, “I want to go to Yale and then law school and become a lawyer and eventually be on the Supreme Court.” I mean, that was my ten and twenty year and fifty year plan. I was a planner.
I was smart and driven and a born leader. More importantly, I was encouraged to develop these qualities, by my parents and my teachers and my coaches. Not only did I have the talent to accomplish anything I set my mind to, I had the support of those around me.
I became serious about God. I went to bible studies. And youth groups. And some more bible studies. And youth retreats.
I did all my quiet times. In a row. I never missed. I memorized chunks and chapters of scriptures. I got super holy.
Because I genuinely loved God and treasured my faith, I wanted to please Him.
I relied on those in power above me to tell me, show me, direct me, on how to be the best me for God I could be. What is so wrong about what happened is that as inoffensive as it all was meant to be, as well-meaning as everyone might have been, the destruction was the same as if it was purposeful.
The old me was indeed gone. But not just the old me of sin and flesh. The old me of leadership and strength and opinion. Toned down. Acceptable. Allowable. Allowed to operate in certain arenas but not others.
My ambitions and dreams needed to change. My job as a Christian woman would be to support my family, care for them. My satisfaction would come from this, and if it didn’t, I was doing, BEING, something wrong.
I was young and naive. I thirsted for mentorship, longed for an older woman in the faith to guide me, invest in me. Didn’t we all. Don’t we all still?
And that was their message for me.
If the church is the body of Christ and we are its parts, women, it seems, can be feet and hands and hearts and eyes, noses and fingers and ears and lungs, anything, it seems, but mouths and brains.
I didn’t know it at the time, but the uneasiness and tension I was feeling as a young woman in the church was because I was traversing in a traditional cultural environment and going to a complementarian church, but at heart, I was indeed an egalitarian. I didn’t know it because no one bothered to teach any of these terms. Or actually teach on any of the passages that contain women leaders in them.
No, no, complementarianism was known to me simply as “biblical.”
I wouldn’t know that another “biblical” way of marriage, of womanhood, existed until YEARS later.
And this truth would finally set my spirit free.
Free to choose, not feel required to stay home with our children. Free to lead ministry. Free to speak out against injustice both within the church and around the world.
Free to question.
Free to grow into and embrace and love the person that God uniquely made me to be. To accept the mission and the call that He uniquely gave to me.
That is one of the biggest dangers of complementarianism to me. Or any system that assigns roles based on anything except the gifts and talents of the individual. The danger of those people missing the joy of fully inhabiting the place, the person that God fully has for them. Missing their calling. Shrinking from their true callings because of outside pressures to be something God has not made them to be. That is the tragedy for me.
I hope I have learned this lesson of being unique, being strong or being weak, of satisfaction only in the Lord, not in the roles the world tries to assign, well enough to teach my kids. To pass on. So my kids can avoid my pit-falls. After all, we need more super-spy, rock-collecting, donut-making, dentists in this world.


Welcome to our school...
- Grace Christian Academy is a private, non-profit Christian school located in scenic mountains of Bryson City, NC.
- Grace Christian Academy offers structured classes for students beginning at infant and up to the 8th grade.
- Each class is operated with a traditional education philosophy, which provides teacher-directed learning and allows each student opportunities to excel in each subject taught.
- Grace Christian Academy teaches each subject (Bible, History, Math, Science, Health, and English) from a Christian perspective by utilizing Abeka curriculum (www.abeka.com).
- Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.
We trust the Lord will grant you wisdom, as He grants to all generously who ask in faith (James 1:5-6), as you make this important decision regarding the education of your child(ren).
Please use the link below to learn more about the Abeka Curriculum.
The Four Cornerstones of Operation
CORNERSTONE #1 - A Spiritual Ministry With Students This cornerstone is the heartbeat and lifeblood of Grace Christian Academy. One of the most important subjects we teach each day is Bible. We train children doctrinally in the basic fundamentals of the Christian faith.
CORNERSTONE #2 - A Traditional Education Philosophy Grace Christian Academy operates under a Christian school philosophy of education which is traditional education, and not under the widely used philosophy called progressive education. Traditional education philosophy is based on four very important principles: (1) it is God-centered; (2) it is authoritarian in its approach; (3) it results in good Scriptural discipline; and (4) Godly character training.
CORNERSTONE #3 - Academic Excellence Grace Christian Academy is geared to reach the average student; but it is also geared to produce above-average results with the A Beka Curriculum.


Every Christian is free before God to be led by the Holy Spirit and the Scripture. Each Christian has a conscience and the freedom to obey that conscience as he is directed by the Word of God. This was Luther’s stand before Rome:
Since then your sere Majesty and your Lordships seek a simple answer, I will give it in this manner, neither horned nor toothed. Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen. (Reply to the Diet of Worms, April 18, 1521)
As many domestic abuse victims can testify, local churches, pastors, sessions, and presbyteries far too often attempt to exercise authority over the believer’s conscience which God has not authorized them to do. The most common example (for our purposes in this blog) of this excess is the church pronouncing that an abuse victim is not free to divorce her/his abuser. Or to separate from the abuser. Or dictating to victims that they must submit to everything their abuser says, how the victim should dress, the specifics of how she should relate to the abuser, and on and on the list goes. The local church, pastors, elders, and other Christians do not possess the authority to dictate these matters of conscience. They are issues which the victim has the right before God, in agreement with His Word, to determine personally.
This position is not radical nor is it unheard of. It has been taught consistently by Reformed theologians through the centuries. Here we will provide one such example. Francis Turretin (1623-87, Geneva) wrote the Institutes of Elenctic Theology, which is essentially a very large systematic theology. Turretin is very frequently quoted by people like R.C. Sproul and other leading theologians of our day. Listen then as Turretin writes in his section on the doctrine of The Church (ecclesiology), and specifically about the authority of the church (he was, of course, opposing Rome’s unbiblical ideas of church authority):
31st Question: Does a legislative power [in the church] properly so called, of enacting laws binding the conscience, belong to the church? Or only an ordaining power, of sanctioning constitutions and canons for the sake of good order? The former we deny; the latter we affirm against the Romanists.
They (the Romanists) by sinning in excess as on other points, make that power immense, maintaining that to the church belongs the power to make laws properly so called, which by themselves bind the conscience and cannot be violated without mortal sin and to which, therefore, obedience is due on account of the authority of those commanding. However, we think that no proper lawmaking power was given to the church by which she can make laws directly and by themselves binding the conscience; but only an ordaining power which can form constitutions and canons for the preservation of peace and good order which on this account do not bind the conscience by themselves and directly, but only indirectly in case of scandal; that these are not laws enacted by a prince, but only an order by ministers; not of the essentials of Christ’s kingdom, but only of the external accidents and things indifferent…
Pastors have no right to make laws properly so called binding the conscience. The reasons are first, because there is one lawgiver (James 4:12)…who has a right over the conscience and who can save and destroy, not only the body, but also the soul (Luke 12:5). Pastors are mere commissioners and heralds, who have no right to make or change laws, but only the office of promulgating them and urging their observation…. in sacred affairs the authority of the command is from God alone, its promulgation (announcement) only is left to ministers. The conscience has no one between itself and God by whom it may be known and judged. As it is known to God alone, so it can be judged by him alone. And second, it is not lawful to add to or to take anything from the divine law (Deut 4:2; 12:32). If nothing could be added to the Mosaic Law, much less to the evangelical law of Christ.
We have heard account after account of abuse victims being directed by pastors and church leaders to obey the dictates of these leaders or face the condemnation of God. “We declare that you have no right to divorce your abuser” is a declaration that adds to the law of God. Many, many other directives, given with the supposed authority of God Himself and said to be binding upon the conscience of the abuse victim (and of others in the church as well) are common. She is told how she must behave toward her abuser.
She is told what she can and cannot say to him. She is directed in regard to overseeing her children. And all of these dictates go against her own conscience, yet she yields to them because she desires to please the Lord. In her confusion she does not realize that He is calling her to be free, to enact boundaries, to seek help from other sources…. and yet she remains in the bondage of these unauthorized commandments of man.
The fact is that the Word of God is what has authority to bind our conscience. Nothing else. When we, with sincerity of heart and after careful and prayerful study of the Scriptures, find ourselves free in conscience to take a particular course of action, then we have the freedom to do so. If a pastor or church leader can, by the clear testimony of Scripture, demonstrate plainly to us that our decision is contrary to the Word of God, then that is another matter. In such cases our conscience will concur and we will have peace. But no human being can pronounce his own opinion as the Word of God. This, only God can do.
And therefore I conclude that every church, every pastor, every church leader who insists that God forbids an abuse victim from divorcing her abuser is guilty of exceeding his authority and teaching as the Word of God the mere commandments of men.


We believe the bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative word of God. We believe that there is one god, eternally existent in three persons: Father, son, and Holy Spirit. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the father. We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the holy Spirit is absolutely essential. We believe in the present ministry of the holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
Statement of faith - life at nyack
(Matt 5:16; Phil 2:14-16; 1 Thess 5:22.). That God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21; Rom 10:9-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11.). That every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. (Mark 12:28-31; luke 6:31.) Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of cef dallas. Statement on Life* (Addendum #2 to Statement of faith hotel for cef dallas Area). We believe-, that all human life is sacred and created by god in His image. . Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Ps 139.) *For a comprehensive copy of cef dallas Statement of faith, please contact us to request a copy.
These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen 1:26-27.) Rejection of ones biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. That the term marriage has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (1 Cor 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb 13:4.). That God has commanded resume that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. That any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to god. (Matt 15:18-20; 1 Cor 6:9-10.). That in order to preserve the function and integrity of Child evangelism Fellowship of Dallas Area as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the cef dallas employees, volunteers, children and the community, it is imperative that all persons.
That the souls of those who have trusted the lord Jesus Christ for salvation do at death immediately pass into his presence, and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the body at His coming, when soul and body re-united shall be with. Luke 23:43 ; the 2 Corinthians 5:8 ; luke 16:22, 25 ; Philippians 1:23 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18. That the souls of the lost remain after death in misery until the final judgement of the great white throne, when soul and body reunited at the resurrection shall be cast into the lake of fire which is the second death, to be punished with. Luke 16:22-23, 27-28 ; Hebrews 9:27 ; revelation 20:5, 11-15 ; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9. In the reality and personality of Satan, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world (revelation 12:9) Ephesians 6:11, 12 ; 1 Peter 5:8 ; revelation 20:10. S tatement on Marriage, gender, and Sexuality* (Addendum #1 to Statement of faith for cef dallas Area). We believe-, that God wonderfully and immutably creates you each person as male or female.
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). 1 John 2:15, 16 ; Romans 13:14 ; Romans 14:13 ; 1 Corinthians 10:31 ; Ephesians 2:10. In the evangelization of the world; that the supreme mission of the people of God in this age is to preach the gospel to every creature. That special emphasis should be placed upon the evangelization of children. Mark 16:15 ; 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19 ; Matthew 18:14. In the personal return of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ; that the coming again of Jesus Christ is the Blessed Hope set before us, for which we should be constantly looking. Our citizenship is in heaven from whence we look for the savior, the lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20). Acts 1:11 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17 ; John 14:1-3 ; Titus 2:13 ; Philippians 3:20,.
Economic Life - evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Luke 24:39 ; Acts 1:10-11 ; Ephesians 4:10 ; Hebrews 1:3 ; 1 John 2:1. That Christ in the fullness of the blessings he has secured by his death and resurrection is received by faith alone and that the moment we trust Him as our savior we pass out of death into everlasting life, justified from all things, accepted before. At the time of acceptance of Christ as savior, he comes to dwell within the believer and to live out His life of holiness and power through him. Hebrews 9:15 ; John 5:24 ; Romans 3:28 ; Romans 4:3, 23-25 ; Ephesians 1:3 ; John 17:23 ; Galatians 2:20 ; Galatians 4:6-7 ; Galatians 5:16 ; Acts 1:8. That the Church is composed of all those who truly believe on the lord Jesus Christ as savior.
It is the body and the bride of Christ. That every believer, whether Jew or Gentile, is baptized into the body of Christ by the holy Spirit, and having thus become members of one another we are responsible to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, rising above all sectarian. Ephesians 1:22, 23 vita ; Ephesians 2:19-22 ; 1 Corinthians 12:22-27 ; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 ; Romans 12:4, 5 ; Ephesians 4:3-6 ; Ephesians 5:32 ; Philippians 2:1-5 ; Galatians 5:13-15. That all believers in our Lord Jesus are called into a life of separation from worldly and sinful practices and should abstain from such amusements and habits as will cause others to stumble, or bring reproach upon the cross of Christ. Believers are created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
John 15:26 ; Acts 5:3, 4 ; Acts 1:8 ; Romans 8:26, 27 ; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 14 ; Romans 8:9 ; 1 Corinthians 3:16 ; 1 Corinthians 12:13 ; John 16:13,. That man was created in the image of God, after His likeness, as stated in the word of God, but the whole human race fell in the fall of the first Adam. Not only was his moral nature grievously injured by the fall but he totally lost all spiritual life, becoming dead in trespasses and sins, and subject to the power of the devil. The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can. So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please god (Romans 8:7, 8).
Therefore, he cannot see nor enter the kingdom of God until he is born again by the holy Spirit. That no degree of reformation however great, no attainment in morality however high, no culture however attractive, no humanitarian and philanthropic schemes and societies however useful, no baptism or other ordinance however administered, can help the sinner take even one step toward heaven; but. Genesis 1:26, 27 ; Romans 5:12 ; Ephesians 2:1-3 ; John 3:3, 6, 7 ; Titus 3:5. That Jesus Christ became the sinners substitute before god, and died as a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. That he was made a curse for the sinner, dying for his sins according to the Scriptures, that no repentance, no feeling, no faith, no good resolutions, no sincere efforts, no submission to the rules and regulations of any church can add in the very. 1 John 2:2 ; Hebrews 2:9 ; Galatians 3:13 ; Romans 3:25 ; Romans 4:4-5 ; Romans 5:8 ; Colossians 1:13, 14, 20,. In the resurrection of the crucified body of Jesus Christ; that His body was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures, and that he ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God as the believers high priest and advocate.
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Statement of faith, we believe-, that All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, by which we understand the whole book called the bible; that it is inerrant in the original writing and that its teaching and authority are absolute, supreme and final. That the holy Spirit guided the holy men of old in all that they wrote. 2 Timothy 3:16 ; deuteronomy 4:2 ; 2 Peter 1:21. The godhead eternally exists in three persons the father, the son and the holy Spirit. These three are one god, having the same nature, attributes and perfection. Romans 1:20 ; Matthew 28:19 ; deuteronomy 4:35 ; John 17:5. In the personality summary and deity of the lord Jesus Christ, begotten of the holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, truly god and truly man. John 1:1,14 ; John 10:30 ; Matthew 1:20 ; luke 1:30-31 ; Philippians 2:5-7 ; 1 Timothy 3:16 ; Colossians 1:19. In the personality and deity of the holy Spirit, the source and power of all acceptable worship and service, the infallible interpreter of the infallible word, who indwells every true believer, and is ever present to testify of Christ, seeking to occupy us with Him.
This reconciliation was made possible through the death of Christ on our behalf and short His resurrection from the dead. acts 16:31, i corinthians 15:3-4, romans 10:9, ephesians 2:8-9 ). We believe in the eternal life of the saved and the eternal punishment of the lost. john 6:47, john 10:10, revelations 22:5 ). We believe jesus Christ will come again to the earth in power and glory both personally and visibly to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. ( i thessalonians 4:13-5:4, matthew 24:29-31 ) we believe the bible is inspired by god and is without errors in the original writing. Scripture is the supreme and final authority in faith and life. ( 2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ).
one god, eternally existing in three persons: the father, the son, and the holy Spirit. deuteronomy 6:4, galatians 1:1, ephesians 4:6, romans 9:5, colossians 2:9, john 1:1, acts 5:3-4 ). We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, his virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, and in His ascension to the right hand of the father. isaiah 7:14, matthew 1:23, i timothy 3:16, john 1:14, philippians 2:6 ). We believe that man was created in the image of God, but because of sin, was alienated from God. Only through faith, trusting in Christ alone for salvation, are we reconciled to god.
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Yesterday afternoon the 20th trailer of supplies left our warehouse in Nashville for the Porter Church of Christ in Conroe, TX. It will be unloaded today by the Porter church members.
Hurricane Irma is downgraded to Tropical Depression Irma heading into Georgia, while winds and rain begin to slow down in Florida. We have congregations ready to go to work throughout Florida, and we will send a truckload as soon as we can once we get reports that church buildings are safe for people to work out of, and that roads are open so we can get in.
Thank you for your prayers and support as we work to help those in need, as quickly as we can get trucks sent out.


In the United States, Easter is about family, going to church, making some ham and hunting for Easter eggs. But Easter traditions around the world vary widely. Their as vibrant and interesting as the locations and cultures they represent.
Discover some history below and you might even find some Easter traditions to adopt for your family.
United States: Bunnies, eggs and baskets
Rabbits have always symbolized fertility and new life (particularly in pagan rituals), but exactly where the Easter bunny hopped into American culture is unclear. The tradition as we know it might have first come across the pond with 18th-century German immigrants, whose children made grassy nests for a mythical hare who was said to lay colored eggs. Over time, the rabbit’s deliveries grew from colored eggs to chocolate bunnies and other treats in brightly colored baskets.
The tradition of decorating eggs for Easter, however, likely dates back to the 1300s. Eggs were a forbidden food during the period of penance and fasting known as Lent, and people painted and decorated the delicious little orbs to eat on Easter morning to celebrate its end. The prominence of eggs in the Easter tradition carries through in the many egg-shaped candies that fill the baskets of lucky children on Easter morning.
Greece: Bread, goose eggs and lamb
Preparation for the holy Easter weekend begins with baking tsourekia, a sweet Easter bread that’s braided to represent the holy trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Easter is far from a completely somber affair here, though. Boiled eggs take on a red hue to represent the risen Christ’s blood. On Easter morning, people take turns cracking the eggs on top of one another’s heads. The person with the egg says, “Christos anesti!” (meaning, “Christ has risen”), and the other person — the one who may or may not have a slightly sore spot on the noggin — responds, “Alithos anesti!” (“Indeed, he did!”). The game keeps going until only one person is left with an uncracked egg — the winner, who will be blessed with good luck for the whole year.
Later on in the day, lamb is the centerpiece of a feast that marks the end of the 40-day Lenten fast that Greek Orthodox people undertake to mourn Jesus’ death.
France: Flying bells and rolling eggs
In lieu of the Easter bunny, Kids in France have “flying bells.” French Catholic tradition says that, on Good Friday (the Friday before Easter), all church bells in France sprout wings and fly down to the Vatican — carrying all the grief for Jesus’ crucifixion with them — for a blessing from the Pope. No church bells ring between Friday and Easter morning, after which they return with candy goodies for well-behaved children.
In the town of Bessieres, 10,000 people gather on Easter Monday to make a giant omelet consisting of 15,000 fresh eggs; the operation takes a 4-meter pan, 40 cooks, and extra-long sticks. This unusual tradition dates back to Napoleon Bonaparte and his army, who once spent the night in this town. After enjoying an omelet made by a local innkeeper, Napoleon ordered the townspeople to gather all their eggs and come together to create a giant omelet to feed his army.
While France does love its chocolate Easter eggs, some of its traditions use the real thing. One older custom is an egg-rolling competition in which participants roll raw eggs down a slope. The surviving egg is dubbed the “victory egg,” symbolizing the stone that Jesus rolled away from his tomb on Easter morning.
Italy: Palm leaves, exploding carts and rolling cheese
The two weeks leading up to Easter Sunday are among the busiest times of the year in Italy — especially in Rome, a popular Holy Week destination for pilgrims. Elsewhere, rituals and traditions abound — some dating back hundreds of years.
On the Sunday before Easter, palm leaves and olive branches are placed outside houses and on Easter cakes. They represent the palm branches the crowd scattered in front of Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem.
In Florence, an antique cart is packed with fireworks and set on fire on Easter morning. The tradition, known as scoppio del carro (“explosion of the cart”) dates back more than 350 years. The bigger the explosion, the better year it portends.
On the day after Easter (Pasquetta, or Little Easter), some areas hold a cheese-rolling competition dubbed La Ruzzola. The players (giocatori) use a leather strap and a stick of wood to roll 9-pound rounds of Pecorino cheese along a course. Spotters run alongside the cheese to mark where it falls. The winner — the player who completes the race course in the fewest strokes — gets the cheese.
Poland: Blessed baskets and water guns
In Poland, Holy Week precedes Easter with traditions that are celebrated not just here, but in Polish communities around the world. One such custom is the Blessing of the Easter Baskets. On Holy Saturday, families bring baskets of food such as eggs, bread, meat and butter to church, where priests bless it in preparation for the Easter feast.
The day after Easter — Śmigus-Dyngus (Wet Monday) — is when the real fun begins. Young boys form groups and hunt for girls to douse with water using water guns, buckets and any other means available. A good soaking portends that the girl will get married within the year.
Australia: Not rabbits
The Easter bunny is not terribly popular in Australia. In fact, because of the destruction rabbits caused to native animals and habitats when European settlers introduced them to the country, they’re considered pests. Instead, Australians are embracing the endangered native bilby — with its big, soft ears and long nose — as a cute, cuddly Easter symbol. Bilby-shaped chocolates and merchandise are widely available, with some manufacturers donating proceeds to bilby conservation projects.
In Sydney, the Royal Easter Show provides plenty of fun for festivalgoers of all ages. First held in 1823, the show is Australia’s largest annual event, attracting close to 900,000 people each year. It brings city and country folk together to enjoy events like sheep-shearing and wood-chopping. Competitors vie for titles in animal shows and produce exhibits. There’s loads of food, shopping and, for the adrenaline junkie, hair-raising carnival rides.
India: Gifts and celebrations
The 2.5 percent of India’s population that’s Christian celebrates Easter with great fanfare and religious vigor, preparing elaborate arrangements for display. Although they don’t decorate Easter eggs, Christian Indians are well aware of the tradition and purchase beautifully decorated Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies from stores to give to children. Adults exchange gifts, too; colorful lanterns and representations of the Holy Cross are traditional choices.
In the small western state of Goa, Easter is marked by lively carnivals, elaborate street plays, dances, and songs.
Spain: Parades and processions
Holy Week (Semana Santa) is the biggest religious celebration of the year in Spain, with lots of eating and drinking. People carry huge, church-blessed palm or olive branches in parades all over the country. See our image at the top of this article for a glimpse at some of the parades.
Elaborate reenactments of Jesus’ crucifixion are common, too. Verges, a town in Gerona, hosts the Danza de la Muerte de Verges (Dance of the Death of Verges),one of the most curious scenes of Holy Thursday. After a dramatization of Jesus’ life, the procession of the Passion begins, during which five people dressed as skeletons perform a simple but impressive dance. Each skeleton wears an object that represents the passing of time and death: a scythe, a clock without hands, a banner or two plates of ash. Various hooded people wearing skull masks, carrying torches and marching to the rhythm of drumbeats follow. This tradition dates back to the 14th century, when the city of Verges suffered an outbreak of the Black Death — which was interpreted as a divine punishment for a village that had neglected its Christian obligations.
Israel: Sacred light
Easter processions are popular in Israel, too. Groups travel to Golgotha — the Aramaic name for the location where Jesus was crucified — to mark the route Jesus followed to his death, in a procession known as the 12 Stations of the Cross. It’s believed to be a holy practice by the faithful who come from all around the world to participate.
The procession ends at Jesus’ tomb, which, at 1 o’clock, a priest enters and shuts the doors. Lights all over the town are turned off, and later, when the church bells ring, the priest comes out with a blazing torch. People then light candles from this holy fire.
The United Kingdom: Nutty and uncracked
If you’re in the little town of Bacup in Lancashire for Easter Saturday, you might suddenly find yourself surrounded by people dancing in formation, wearing bells on their legs and dark makeup. Welcome to the Nutter’s Dance! Since 1857, this strange tradition has been led by a man cracking a whip — the Whiffler, or Whipper-In — to fend off evil spirits. Men wearing dark makeup and red and white skirts follow, disguised to keep themselves free from demons.
Egg jarping is another peculiar Easter tradition among the British. It’s a simple game: One person bashes a the pointy end of a hard-boiled egg on that of another egg belonging to an opponent. Whoever is left with the intact egg is the winner. The city of Peterlee in the county of Durham actually hosts an annual World Jarping Championship, with strategies, strict rules — and a lot of cracked shells.


Christian Student Ministries
This organization is a non-denominational Christian union of students who meet weekly to share Bible study. It is composed of a group of concerned students devoted to sharing the love of Jesus Christ through outreach projects on campus and around the community. During the meetings, members discuss club business and spend time in prayer.
Membership in the CSM is easily obtained -- simply come to a meeting. There are no dues or fees. CSM centers around a real family atmosphere. The CSM family includes people from a variety of backgrounds and denominations.
For more information concerning the Christian Student Ministries, please contact John Bess in office L104 (Andalusia campus) or at firstname.lastname@example.org; phone (334) 881-2285. On the Greenville campus, contact Karen Jones at email@example.com.


So many times through my life, I’ve had others slander, accuse, misunderstand, and even misrepresent me… and these ‘character slaughter’ actions are so hard to overlook, so hard to get over, and especially very hard to refrain applying my own vengeful version of retaliation in return! But, many years ago, the Lord quickened my heart with; “consider the source”… that was all… “consider the source“. And, it made me do two things;
- give thought to the person from whom this is coming
- would God, Jesus, the Lord, speak to me that way.
Never forget how much Jesus cares for you. Isaiah 61:10 even proclaimed; “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.“, so regardless of what others on earth think/feel about you… He, God Almighty holds you in highest regards. That leaves me hopeful, as I consider the source of others’ railings. Romans 5:5 even states; “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.“, which is yet more confirmation for you, for others rarely are sacrificing their lives to ‘lift you up’! So the moment you feel that twinge of anger, that prick/sting of pain, that awful and ugly sorrow and discouragement that clouds over your soul… Consider the Source!


About the founder:
My name is Joseph Sullivan, I am a Christian who wants to make a difference. If you have seen the "about the work" section of this page, you will see a difference is being made. Yet the maintenance and work of such projects do take up alot of financial resources. I am paying for the honor of making a difference out of my own pocket. I am not a paid preacher, nor do I have a church or company funding me. I need people who want to help me make a difference. If you read the descriptions on your bottom left of this page, you can see how these projects are able to impact lives. On this site, I have a donation page at Gofundme. Your support can help keep these projects alive. If you want to know more about me, visit my websites (mentioned below) or visit my Facebook profile page. Feel free to friend me. :) Also, you can visit, my "about me" page here. You can also see at my Linkedin professional profile here. May God bless you. Best wishes, Joseph Sullivan
Note: all donations will go to helping with these needed work endeavors. If you are donating for a specific reason and you just want to help ONLY in one of the works being done, please email me and let me know. You can also contact me at Gofundme. If you let me know, I will use the support for the designated work only. A general donation will help in all venues. It will help in my financial costs to ensure the longevity of what I am doing. But I am happy and interested to use a donation for just one purpose, if wished.
About the work:
Internet Radio Broadcast:
Church of Christ Radio streams sermons and radio Bible shows (by permission) from preachers around the United States of America. People from all over the world can listen for free. I get about 150-200 listening hours each month. I manage, promote and oversee this work by myself as well as fund it. This online radio broadcast is streamed by Live365. Church of Christ Radio is streamed on a wide range of media devices, ranging from iTunes, Apple TV, AppleCoreMedia, Chrome Mobile, Mobile Safari, Samsung Internet, Windows Media Player as well as other devices. Through Live365, the Church of Christ Radio platform is aired in 3rd world nations, as well as places where preachers don't often go. The gospel of salvation is preached and God's truths are shared to those who need them in this world. Church of Christ Radio is broadcast in countries all over the world, here is a list of some places... Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, as well as the United States. Church of Christ Radio is streamed on all streaming smart phone devices through their app. Click on the COC Radio's Official Website to learn more.
Training Saints in Evangelism:
I train preachers and Christians around the country (as well as outside of the US) through my online evangelism training resources and platforms. Evangelism tutorial site 1. Evangelism tutorial site 2. I have extensive experience and initiative materials that ensure results, if the methods are done regulatory. I have made free training videos on effective methods, (door knocking, cold approach, street evangelism, campus evangelism, etc) I have done through the years. I also have made... Free eBooks, lessons, Bible study resources.
I have recorded a annual blog detailing my evangelism work I did each month. I have made an online church assessment survey for brethren to fill out to see if their church is healthy, sick or dying. I have revolutionary media evangelism training tutorials to generate contacts and Bible studies. As well as other resources, like motivational articles, sermons, tools, etc. mentioned on site 1/2. I have success stories and have detailed how I got results, (they can be found in the video section and the blog section). If you visit these website you will see there is alot more...content, I have not listed here.
Training men how to become Preachers:
I know most people do not have preacher training events in their area or with their local church group. Even online, it is not always easy to find resources for men who aspire to preach. I had these same issues, when I was younger and know how frustrating it is. I made a online "virtual preacher training program." It has training content on sermon/Bible lesson creation, speech-craft, the steps of public speaking, the duties of a preacher, as well as council for beginners in this ministry. This site also, gives free resources to help a person grow in this profession as well as evangelism training materials. I have had past experiences in these areas (of preaching) and thought this was a platform worth making.
Doing Full Time Evangelism Work:
To God be the Glory
I also have other platforms, see this link to learn more.
Help make a difference.


Daily Bible Reading Notes
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So I’m perusing the Facebooks this morning and I see a picture of our youth group, Roots. Nothing particularly unusual about the picture. It’s a picture of a couple of great guys, Rocky Hedrick and Connor Phillips leading worship. Next to that you see the students and leaders worshipping. Underneath that, there is some sort of game, I suppose. It looks like Chase Burnett is doing some kind of dance. (I know I said picture singular, but it’s one of those cool Instagram things with multiple pictures together in one. Anyway…)
Something struck me. It hit me how blessed we are by Chris Martin and his team. We are blessed to have great kids. It is a privilege that we have to love and serve them. God has tremendously blessed us. I started tearing up. I feel completely overwhelmed by what God has done and is doing here at The Grove Church. I hope that when you think about what has happened over the last two years that you feel the same way. You don’t have to tear up, I don’t guess. I’m weird like that. I do hope that you take some time though to think about how great it is that over the last two years you have been able to be a part of a church that has been able to love and serve hundreds of people.
As we move into this new season, I can only imagine what God has for us next. How many youth will we be able to love and serve? How many kids? How many students? Families? A bigger room is nice. Lobbies are nice. So are parking lots. But I see the faces, the faces of people who need God, who need fellowship and encouragement. We are going to be able to make room for people who need God. I feel privileged to be a part of that and hope you do too.
Well the Making Room campaign is nice and all, but I’ve really got one thing on my mind. No it’s not the election either. Today is Laylah’s birthday. If you don’t know, and I’m not sure how you couldn’t, we brought her home from the hospital when she was four days old as a foster child and had the privilege to adopt her just about a month ago. Now she is a part of our forever family. Since that’s what’s on my mind today but I’m supposed to talk about Making Room, I’ll tie them together somehow.
It’s pretty common for people to ask either Heidi or me about how unusual/awesome it is that we love her so much. The implication is that because she is adopted, it must be different somehow. We get that, but we don’t feel different. She is ours and we love her with our whole hearts. I don’t even like any expression that starts with, “We love her just like she were…” She’s not like one of our own or anything like that. She IS our daughter in every way. I don’t know that I could have predicted that we would feel this way, but there is no denying that is how all four of us feel about her.
This last year with her has taught me so much about the love of God. If we, as his adopted sons and daughters, are loved by him as much (even more!) as I love her, then I believe that we have totally underestimated his love for us. He loves us with an overwhelming passion. In addition, he wants more and more people to be his children. He wants to adopt more and more of us. He loves the whole world, that’s why he sent his son (John 3:16)
Jesus illustrated this love in the story of the lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7). In that parable, a shepherd has 100 sheep and 99 of them are fine but one is missing. He then leaves the 99 to search for the 1 lost sheep. If that is the model of God’s love for us, then we need to reflect that. We need to sacrifice in order to go and find one person who is lost. This is why we are moving, this is why we are Making Room. The “99” of us are fine, but God’s heart is strong for those who don’t know. He loves the “1.”
God is always searching for the one. He is always reaching. Let us have that same heart.
There is a word that keeps coming to my mind when I think about the Making Room campaign. The word is respond. This decision to make a move and consequently raise money is about us responding to what God has done in and through our church over the last two years. We have seen our church grow in amazing ways. We have seen people come to Christ. God is changing lives. People are taking the love of Christ all over the world.
Every time we have added a service, parked inconveniently, stopped going to the 10am service, we are responding to the growth. We are taking steps to make it easier for new people to come and connect at The Grove Church. Now we need to respond again. We had 855 people at church on Sunday. God is continuing to bless us with more people who want to worship God and follow Jesus at our church, and now we need to respond to that.
That is why we are calling the campaign Making Room. There are more people in NWA that need Jesus and would be able to connect with him at our church if we were only willing to make room for them. So how will we respond? Let’s ask God how he wants us to respond. We as a leadership team believe that God wants us to respond by making this move. Now it is up to each of us individually to ask God how he wants us to respond. We need to pray. We need to listen to what God has to say. Then we need to have the courage to respond.
For more information on the Making Room campaign, go to http://www.thegrovechurch.org/makingroom/


St Augustine High Laredo, TX News
St Augustine High School News From Around The Web
St. Augustine High School celebrated Grandparent's Day with a mass in their honor.
Fifth annual memorial showcase attracts Texas’ top talent Laredo Morning Times
The St. Augustine basketball team is preparing host some of the top talent in the state again with the fifth annual Patrick H. Alexander Jr. Invitational TAPPS ...
Friends, family honor fallen Laredo alumnus killed in robbery Laredo Morning Times
With heads bowed and teary eyes, friends gathered in St. Augustine High School's chapel Wednesday afternoon to honor and pray for Arturo Castagné and his ...
St. Augustine High School Holds Career Day for Catholic Schools Week KGNS.tv
Many across the nation are celebrating Catholic Schools Week, including students right here in Laredo.
St. Augustine Students hold 'Trashion Show' KGNS.tv
Students from St. Augustine High School held a fashion show promoting recycling where students wore handmade dresses made by students.
Laredo's Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Peter's Memorial to become one Laredo Morning Times
Teary-eyed parents and students of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church furiously demanded answers Thursday night after the sudden news their school ...
Ruthe B Cowl hosting Bingo fundraiser KGNS.tv
If you love playing Bingo and you're looking to score some good prizes, a local rehabilitation center is hosting a fundraising event just for you!
Stitch N Print Laredo Morning Times
Established in 1999, Stitch N Print is now owned by Ana Laura Botello. Laredo born-and-raised like her husband Reuben, she is an alumnus of St. Augustine ...
REFUGIO “CANUTO” ROMO, JR. Laredo Morning Times
Refugio “Canuto” Romo, Jr., died peacefully on Friday, January 18, just three days short of his 81st birthday. A life-long resident of Laredo, Canuto worked in ...
17th annual Bosom Buddies All-Star games open week Laredo Morning Times
The stars will shine brightly Monday night as the best senior athletes from the Gateway City in girls' and boys' basketball play in their last high school game, and ...
Dr. Amando Garza IV: Adult Health Clinic Laredo Morning Times
Dr. Amando Garza IV grew up in Laredo and always knew that he would return to serve his hometown as a physician. Garza enjoyed his childhood in Laredo, ...
Students honored for December's Youth of the Month program KGNS.tv
A group of high school students were honored by the Laredo Sector Border Patrol for their hard work and dedication in and out of the classroom.
Border Patrol honors Youth of the Month recipients for February KGNS.tv
A group of high school students were honored by the Laredo Sector Border Patrol for their hard work and dedication.
Laredo Sector Border Patrol recognizes Youth of the Month recipients KGNS.tv
A group of high school students were recognized by the Laredo Sector Border Patrol for their hard work and dedication in and out of the classroom.
Catholic schools’ merger proposed Laredo Morning Times
Parents from Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Peter's Memorial schools say they have invested not only money but time and love into the schools they've chosen ...
Photos: IBC Youth Parade Under the Stars winners announced Laredo Morning Times
LAREDO – The International Bank of Commerce Youth Parade Under the Stars took place Thursday. From pre-school to high school, Laredo's talented youth ...
Diocese of Laredo names new superintendent Laredo Morning Times
After searching for a year, the Diocese of Laredo announced Friday it has named a superintendent for its Catholic schools. After searching for a year, the ...
Youth parade set for 6 p.m. tonight Laredo Morning Times
The IBC Youth Parade Under the Stars is set to start at 6 p.m. today. The annual parade will feature illuminated floats, dance groups, cheerleaders and bands.
Catholic schools struggle to survive Laredo Morning Times
Two of Laredo's oldest Catholic schools are struggling to keep their doors open due to under-enrollment. This is not the first time Our Lady of Guadalupe and St.
Laredo Catholic Schools chief resigns, cites family needs Laredo Morning Times
The Diocese of Laredo announced Thursday that its superintendent of Catholic Schools is stepping down after five months on the job. The resignation of the ...
LMC names new chief operating officer Laredo Morning Times
Jorge E. Leal has been appointed chief operating officer of Laredo Medical Center, effective Feb. 21. He served Laredo Medical Center as assistant CEO since ...
Actor who grew up in Laredo to debut on 'Fear the Walking Dead' Laredo Morning Times
Look for San Antonio actor Raul Casso, who was raised in Laredo, in a startling debut on a terrifying episode that takes place in a Mexican hotel on the latest ...
Laredo man wins 'Deputy of the Year' for second-straight year Laredo Morning Times
Honors for Webb County Sheriff's Office Deputy of the Year were bestowed upon Rodrigo Davila — again. The Sheriff's Office honored their best men and ...
News headlines by Google News for St Augustine High School Laredo TX
We have listed the latest news headlines that include St Augustine . This site has been created to offer a place for SAHS alumni to reconnect and share memories.
In addition to these news headlines, you may also want to join the St Augustine High Laredo, TX alumni directory and check out the yearbook listings.


Vision Statement: A family of authentic Christ followers transforming lives by faithfully serving the community and loving people through Jesus Christ
The Forge is new church family located in the heart of West View in the North Hills. 623 Center Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15229
Service begins at 10 A.M. Sunday
Our beliefs can be located here: Faith & Message
Meet Our Ministry Team:
Pastor – Rev. Cliff Jenkins
Pastor Jenkins was born and raised in North Philadelphia but while growing up was also a big Pirates and Steelers fan. Cliff has lived in Pennsylvania all his life and his sports love for Pittsburgh eventually led him to college where he graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. He is also a graduate of Biblical Theological Seminary and has served the Lord as a Youth Pastor, church planter and Senior Pastor over the past twelve years. Cliff currently mentors several church planters and pastors throughout the state and across denominational lines. He has been married to his bride, Michelle, for twenty-five years and they have two children: Christopher and Stephanie. Cliff also has responsibility for overseeing Church Planting Assessments in the Pennsylvania/South Jersey territory.
Community Minister – Todd Lewis
Minister Todd was born in San Diego, CA where he grew up playing baseball, football and surfing. While he has lived in various parts of the country, the Lord called him to Pittsburgh in 2010 to begin planting churches which has started with the Forge. Todd’s role has been to lead the charge in connecting with West View and surrounding communities in an effort to reach people for Jesus. His heart for the city as well as his past street ministry experience has uniquely gifted him to serve the Lord in this capacity. Todd has been blessed with a wonderfully supportive family: his wife, Kathleen, and their three children, Ned, Nick, and Grace.
Proverbs.27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.


SCA’s very own Delia Muñoz recently had the very distinct honor of representing her community in a very unique way on March 19. For the past 18+ years, Delia has been working with members of Flagstaff’s Southside community. She has been recording the stories of individuals who contributed in previously-undocumented ways to the history of Flagstaff’s Hispanic and African-American communities. You can learn more about her valuable work by reading an earlier blog post about the Los Recuerdos del Barrio en Flagstaff project here.
Southwest Oral History Association (SOHA) Annual Conference – Del Mar, California, March 19-21, 2015
Delia was asked to present on the history of the Southside community through the lens of Flagstaff’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Church (OLGC – now Chapel) at the recent SOHA conference in California. Our Lady of Guadalupe Church served as a critical space where several disparate communities could find commonality with one another through shared faith. Presenting alongside fellow Flagstaff oral historian Duffie Westheimer and Texas instructor Ana Valeen Satterfield, Delia’s presentation was a valuable juxtaposition to Duffie’s; Westheimer’s work has focused on the history of Flagstaff’s historic Townsite district – an overwhelmingly Caucasian/Euro-American community with an entirely different perspective on the early development of Flagstaff. Satterfield, a Hispanic woman, has been working on implementing a culturally-relevant lexicon for derogatory terminology using her students to identify more appropriate wording to describe their cultural heritage. All three presenters touched on issues of marginalization affecting members of their community. Below are some of the highlights Delia presented on.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church (OLGC) was built in 1926 as a result of cultural and linguistic differences that existed in Flagstaff at the time. Using funds that he had accumulated in his pursuit to build a new church, Reverend Edward Albouy drew up blueprints for a space that would serve (mainly) the Spanish speaking Roman Catholics. Pay deductions from sawmill employees also helped to support construction; most sawmill workers were Spanish speaking Roman Catholics. The early settlers—both men and women—were involved in raising funds, donating their time and labor.
OLGC’s connection with the community is one that weaves together the neighborhoods of the plaza nueva (New Town); plaza vieja (Old town); la loma (the hill); los Chantes (Chanty town); and Calveras (skulls) to become the place to worship, socialize and celebrate as one big family.
Presently, OLGC doesn’t serve the community with any Sunday Masses (about 1997). A rosary group that meet at the church every Sunday praying for a Mass.
Organizations associated with OLGC, such as a women’s group, Guadalupanas, and the men’s group, the Knights of Columbus, are active to this day. A local group, Nuestra Raices (our roots), devotes time and energy to the upkeep of the church.
Great work, Delia!


Have you ever found yourself encouraging everyone around you and realized that you had no one to encourage you in those moments when you need encouragement? I mean a really really low moments when even mustard seed faith wasn’t available. Who encourages the encourager? Who gives a listening ear and can really understand when the one who is always standing on the word is at the point of breaking down and becoming a prisoner of their own mind? Who encourages the preacher with cancer who is always praying for your or a family member’s illness? Who encourages your friend who you dump all of your baggage on on an almost daily basis? Who encourages the one who encourages you?
I know what you are thinking. If that person is the one always encouraging shouldn’t they have enough faith, word, courage to carry themselves through? Maybe, but lets face it, we are all flesh and the flesh is weak. The enemy plots the perfect opportunity to come in and do what he was created to do, which is to steal, kill, and destroy, and when that happens, who is there to deliver a word of freedom? Who is there to plant a seed of love? Who is there to encourage?
Who is there to encourage when you know that you have peace that passes all understanding, but peace is nowhere to be found because all hell is breaking loose? It may even just be a brief moment of distraction? It only takes a second for a distraction to cause a tragic or horrific event like someone being distracted to check a text message or even look down to see who is calling while they are driving. Who is there to aid you and get you to the one who holds all things in his hands?
I’m asking this because often times, we may find ourselves always encouraging others but there is no one there encouraging us. Examine the people around you. Are they leeches who are sucking the life right out of you? What are they pouring into your life? Are they speaking life to you or are you just their dumping ground that they dump on when something is wrong. Don’t be a trash dump. Whatever you are hearing and seeing becomes a part of you. For example, if you watch a certain show on television, eventually you will adopt some of their mannerisms or “sayings” because what you put in eventually comes out. It’s just how the mind works. Who encourages you? If you don’t have a mentor get one. Even my mentor has a mentor. We must never stop learning and evolving because when we do we stop growing. Who are your idols? Who do you look up to? Who pushes you to be a better you? Who is helping you get to the next level? Who sharpens your iron? Who encourages the encourager?


Sunday School-- 9:45am Sunday School is a special time where we gather before the worship service for fellowship and additional learning from God's Word. Sunday School classes are available for children, in addition to a class for teens and adults. Currently Elder George Wagner is teaching grief share. For more information on IBPC's Sunday School program call the church.
Morning Worship-- 11:00am In the morning worship service, we worship our Lord through prayer, the reading of Scripture, the singing of hymns, confession of our common faith, and the hearing of God’s Word preached. We strive to make our worship God-centered. To that end, expository preaching from the Bible is given the central place in our worship. By expository preaching, we mean book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, from the Bible. The passage of Scripture determines the content of the message, and the pastor opens up the truth of the text and seeks to make sound application of that truth to our lives. Currently in the morning service, we are studying the gospel of John.
Evening Worship-- 6:30pm Our evening worship service is very similar to the morning service, but with fewer people and in a more intimate setting. Currently in our evening service we are studying the book of Ruth. We would love for you to come and join on any given Sunday!
Wednesday Night On Wednesday evenings, we gather for prayer and Bible study at 7:00pm. The adults are studying how to better dissect the Bible and apply it to our everyday life. Feel free to join us any time!
Youth Group We are excited to have an active youth ministry at IBPC! For this school year, the youth group is meeting every Sunday night. On Sundays we meet at 4:30 for a lesson, snacks, and some awesome games. Normal youth group ends at 6:30, but some Sundays we have a game night following.
On the first Sunday of each month we gather together with another church in McDonald and have one big youth group meeting at our church. We have extra crazy games, actives to invest on one another, and snacks. If you would like more information about youth programs at IBPC you can call the church office, contract Pastor Lawrence, or e-mail Jacob.
Other Activities Ladies Bible Study-- Every Tuesday morning at 10:00am we host a Ladies Bible Study at IBPC. The women of our church and our community meet for fellowship, food, Bible Study, and prayer. We would love for you to join us! Call the church with questions!
Coffee and Doughnut Fellowship-- On the first Sunday of every month, we enjoy doughnuts and coffee between church and Sunday School!
Fellowship Luncheon-- After the morning service on the third Sunday of every month, we enjoy a fellowship meal in the basement of the church. You are always welcome to come and join!
We welcome you to join us for worship, prayer, Bible study, and our fellowship activities. Contact the church office for more information


Last night my son Taylor woke up in the middle of the night with a bad dream. I went up and tried to console him with the usual drill. I went back downstairs after speaking a few words to him but in a few minutes we heard in the monitor that he was whimpering again about this dream. My wife Kim went up the 2nd time and tried to console him. A few weeks ago when Taylor had a bad dream he asked to sleep with Mommy in the guest room and she did. He wanted to do this again, but since we didn’t want to make this a pattern she said no and told him that he needed to go back to sleep. This didn’t go over very well and thus he decided to throw a bit of a fit. At 3am, a fit from your 5-year-old is not exactly something that Daddy is super pumped about, so I went upstairs again to deal with the madness.
I spoke some very pointed words and made it clear that I expected him to calm down and he did. In the morning I felt convicted that I was not as gentle with Taylor as I should have been so I pulled him aside to chat with him. I asked him to forgive me for not being as gentle as I should have been. I made it clear that his fit was not acceptable, but that Daddy wants to strive to be more gentle in the way that he deals with him. I said, “Will you forgive me?”
His eyes softened and he immediately said a genuine, “Yes”, and gave me a big hug.
In that moment the truth of Jesus’ words, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” sank deep into my heart.
I was taught a powerful gospel lesson on forgiveness by my son Taylor:
1. He was so quick to forgive. There was no sense of grudge-leaning hesitation or qualification. It was an immediate and joyful, “Yes!”
2. He was so eager to have the relationship restored. Right after he forgave me he wanted to be with me and asked right away if we could play basketball. It was as if it never happened. It was gone, never to be brought up again. He embodied Psalm 103:11,12 in his love for me: For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
3. There was no hint of superficiality. It was completely genuine and real, evidenced by the demeanor of his behavior in the following moments.
How refreshing to see forgiveness modeled in this way for me from my 5-year-old! I ask myself and you: How are we doing in embodying the gospel by being child-like in the way we forgive? Are we quick to genuinely forgive for the sake of love and relationship restoration? I pray for the grace to follow my son’s lead and truly become like children in this way.


As I have shared with you in past postings, the family of my maternal grandmother Mary Angela Fitzpatrick emigrated away from Ireland. Sometime after her father Thomas sold his '7-day License House' [i.e. Public house & grocery], and in the autumn of 1897, the family headed to Liverpool, England. While they were in residence at Liverpool for a relatively short period of time, the family not only suffered the loss of six year old Joseph, in November of 1901, but also welcomed two more boys. Thomas Andrew was born on 27 April 1899, and John came into this world on 27 August 1901.
During their tenure in Liverpool, the Fitzpatrick family lived in the densely populated wards of Kirkdale and of Scotland. Although Thomas found work on the docks, the work was sporadic and unreliable. Despite the hardships they endured, the family remained deeply religious and were members of St. Alban's Roman Catholic Church, a church which stood just inside the Scotland ward near Athol Street. At the time of Thomas's birth the family was living at 19 Milford Street in the Kirkdale ward; by the time of John's birth they had moved to 360 Great Howard Street in the Scotland ward. It is in the parish records of St. Alban's Roman Catholic Church that I located the birth records for John and Thomas.
The records are interesting in and of themselves because they are written in Latin, the language of the Roman Catholic Church well into the 20th century. Most, if not all, of the records I have so far gathered have some Latin words or phrases in them; however, despite the fact that my research dates back to the 1740s, these are the first records I've found in which the information is disseminated entirely in Latin. In my opinion the Latin version bears a certain elegance that I find attractive. The records are also interesting because of what they include and what they do not, and the nice surprise which showed up on one of them.
Here is a list of the Latin terms used in the record translated into English:
Anno: "In the year"
die: "the day of"
mensis: "of the month"
natus: "was born" (male)(female would be 'nata')
baptizatus: "was baptized" (male) (female would be 'baptizata')
filius: "the son of" (daughter would be 'filia")
olim: "in times past": in other words the maiden name of the mother
conjugum: "married couple"
a me: "from me"
Patritia: Priest (not an exact translation, but you get the picture)
Patrinus fuit: "godfather was"
Matrina fuit: "godmother was"
Before we even look at the forenames, which are also recorded in Latin, some of the word endings (as noted above) tell us that this is a male child. Also, in this case I am fortunate because the forenames closely mirror their English language counterparts, so there is no confusion.
Thomas Andreas Fitzpatrick is Thomas Andrew Fitzpatrick.
His father’s name is noted as Thomae instead of Thomas.
His mother Meariae Teresae Fitzpatrick is Mary Teresa Fitzpatrick.
Literally translated Thomas Andrew Fitzpatrick’s record reads as follows:
In the year 1899, the day of 27, of the month April was born, and in the year of 1899, the day of 8, of the month May was baptized Thomas Andrew Fitzpatrick, the son of Thomas and Mary Teresa Fitzpatrick (in times past Hines), married couple: from me Father Francis Keating. Godmother was Elizabeth Christie.
You will notice there is no godfather named on the record. Also, after the priest's name there appears a phrase which is abbreviated. I cannot say for certain what it is; however, it may be 'missio adiuncti' meaning "associated to the mission of" the church.
John Fitzpatrick's birth record has a few interesting quirks in comparison with his elder brother's.
Literally translated John's birth record reads:
In the year 1901, the day of 27, of the month August was born, and in the year of 1901, the day of 30, of the month August was baptized John Fitzpatrick, the son of Thomas and Mary Fitzpatrick (in times past Hynes), married couple: from me Father Francis Keating. Godmother was Anna Kennedy.
John's record is a excellent example of the need to search such records carefully. His name is recorded as 'Joannes', which is the Latin rendering of 'John'. On first sight an English reader might pick it up as a female name. Again, the word endings of 'natus' and 'baptizatus' confirm this as a male child. Also, his mother's forename is recorded as Maraie (Mary) and her maiden name is recorded as 'Hynes', not 'Hines' as it is on his brother's; however, I have seen these incarnations before in records of Mary's other children. Once again you will notice the name of the godfather is curiously absent, and the odd little abbreviation follows the priest's name. The godmother in this case is Anna Kennedy.
Also, there is a wonderfully interesting notation in the column under the home address, the nice surprise to which I alluded in the title of this piece. It reads, "Matrimonius junctus Mariae Donegan in Ecclesia Inchicore Dublin Eire die 11th Augustus 1940. T. Carney". This translates to "joined to a marriage with Mary Donegan in the Church of Inchicore, Dublin, Ireland, the day of 11 August 1940". I am very grateful to T. Carney, whoever he/she was for what looks like a good lead to John Fitzpatrick's marriage record.
The search continues...
Copyright©2011 J. Geraghty-Gorman. All Rights Reserved.