The large majority of the parishes are "bush parishes," parish scattered far and wide among Alaska's indigenous peoples, Indians and Eskimos. Only 8 parishes are accessible by road.
Only 9 parishes have a resident pastor. Women religious, 14 sisters, too, minister in the diocese.
The diocese has one K Catholic school complex, that in Fairbanks. The vastness of the diocese, the widely scattered condition of the parishes, the fewness of priests means that the priests, even the resident priests, have to do a great deal of traveling—in most cases, now by bush plane, now by boat, now by snow machine. They have to be flexible, ready to move on short notice. And they have to be able to adjust to widely varying cultural situations.
How did the writing and publication of your history of the Catholic Church in Alaska, Alaskana Catholica , come about? In , I solicited "memoirs, recollections, and reflections" from fellow Alaskan Jesuits with a view to helping someone write a history of the Jesuits in Alaska on the occasion of their century of service there, By , I had come to the conclusion that what was really needed was some kind of a general, comprehensive history of the Catholic Church in Alaska.
From a considerable number of people, mainly priests—diocesan and religious—I then solicited autobiographical sketches and materials I thought would be helpful to some historian undertaking the writing of such a history. The response was quite generous. I myself began producing mini biographies of prominent deceased Jesuit Alaska missionaries, but did not see myself yet as the one to write a general history of the Catholic Church in Alaska.
However, people kept urging me to do just that, arguing that if I did not do it, it would never get done.
In the latter s, I was still a fulltime faculty member at the University of Alaska. In , I was appointed head of the Alaskan Shepherd fundraising program and editor of the Alaskan Shepherd. From , I had the pastoral care of the Indian village of Ruby; then, from , that of the Indian village of Tanana.
My Alaskan Shepherd work, however, continued to be my main work. For several years during the earlier s, I devoted a limited amount of time to prison ministry.
In spite of these preoccupations, throughout most of the s, I kept roughing out entries for a projected history of the Catholic Church in Alaska. I envisioned this from the outset as a book in the format of an encyclopedia and was already, tentatively, calling it Alaskana Catholica. All the while, it was evident to me and to my Father Provincial at the time, Robert B. Grimm, that for me to produce a full-fledged publishable work, I would need to devote fulltime to it and would need to do rather extensive research in the Jesuit Oregon Province Archives in Spokane.
On February 26, , Father Grimm wrote to me: I mission you to continue your work of writing a history of the Catholic Church in Alaska, and ask you to go to Gonzaga University Jesuit Community as a scholar in residence to carry out this ministry. Clark Company in Father Francis Paul Prucha, S. Kettler, Bishop of Fairbanks, described Alaskana Catholica , as "a succinct, yet comprehensive guide detailing in total clarity and conciseness the history of the Catholic Church in Alaska.
In keeping with my intentions and hopes, may it inform, interest, and inspire the living, while it, at the same time, keeps alive and honors the memory of the dead. What are some of the things that you learned about missions and missionary work from your time in Alaska? One could write a great deal by way of an answer to this question.
Very briefly, I learned that the missionary to the indigenous peoples in Alaska needs, above all else, to know them: Unless he has a genuine respect for them, treats them as he himself would be treated, he cannot hope even to begin to "to proclaim the good news to all Alaskan peoples and make disciples of all Alaskan nations. What kind of readers do you think will find your autobiography interesting reading? Given that the contents of the book are really of broad, general human interest, I am confident that it will appeal to quite a wide general readership.
The outline of Fr. Renner's life is fleshed-out richly in A Kindly Providence. One reviewer writes that "all is there, a clear picture of his life. A Kindly Providence: An Alaskan Missionary's Story [Louis Renner S.J.] on owiluxyfiq.tk *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. This comprehensive and.
Inasmuch as it is the story of a priest, of a Jesuit priest, of a Jesuit priest missionary in Alaska, it is to be expected that it will appeal in particular to priests, to Jesuits, to missionary-minded people, and to any and all people interested in the great land that is Alaska. However, in general, it will appeal also, for example, to teenagers working to earn money to help with their schooling. They will relate to me, as I, while a teenager, worked for that same purpose as a newspaper boy, as a Western Union messenger boy, as a lumberyard crane crew member on the Northern Pacific Railway, as a general laborer in a meat-packing plant, as a deckhand on tugboats, and as a bonded postal clerk.
Athletes will understand my proudly sporting that chenille letter I earned as a sophomore playing varsity football. Young people struggling to find their vocation in life will relate to me, as I struggled to find my vocation in life. He kept this reader's interest throughout the plus page book. I really wanted to see how it ended.
I had to finish it. The book is based, not only on Fr. Renner's remarkable memory, but also on his personal diaries and correspondence, on official documents, and on accounts written by him of his unusual adventures during over forty years in Alaska.
Substantial quotes from diaries, letters, and official documents give readers a feeling of being actually present at those events in far-off places. The many photographs illustrating the narrative lend an air of immediacy and give us a vicarious experience of the author's personal life. Professor Emeritus of Gonzaga University, and Alaskan Missionary , and and director of retreats for its priestly missionaries and people.
My friends are so angry because they don't know how I have all this high quality ebooks. And I still keep silent haha The are so many fake sites which said they have the book that I want like latest Harry Potter. This is the first that worked! Recent Activity Loading activity


2022 Genesis Gv70 Owners Manual – As the first book of the Bible, Genesis sets the foundation for everything that follows. It tells the story of creation, fall, and redemption—the three essential elements of the Christian faith. But Genesis is more than just a historical account; it’s also a manual for living.
Here are eight principles from Genesis that will help you live as a successful Genesis owner:
- Start with God.
- Be fruitful and multiply.
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- Enjoy God’s good gifts.
- Work hard and rest well.
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… The Crown of Thorns… will be part of the procession as the faithful gather on the bridge that links Notre Dame with Paris to mark Good Friday…
The Crown of Thorns was among relics saved by a “human chain” of firefighters, emergency workers and antique experts who passed the holy items from the cathedral to safety as the fire burned…
The Crown of Thorns and the tabernacle that contained the Eucharist were both locked inside a safe that only a few had the codes to open. Eventually firefighters were able to get the combination and opened the safe as debris and embers fell from above…
I wouldn’t usually link to a Yahoo page, as they tend to vanish, but here’s this:
Notre Dame: how Christ’s Crown of Thorns has survived crusades, political upheaval and a fire (but only just)
Dr Emily Guerry, Senior Lecturer in Medieval History, University of Kent
Holy Crown of Thorns worn by Jesus Christ is presented for in a special service at Notre Dame Cathedral, June 2017. Damann via Shutterstock
Preserved in a gilded, crystalline reliquary and exposed to the faithful every year for a special service on Good Friday, the crown relic looks like a wreath comprised of brittle but elegantly woven marine rushes. This delicate relic has a long and complicated history….
The Crown of Thorns is named in three of the gospels as one of many tortuous instruments used while Christ is being mocked during his trial and punishment (Matthew 27:27–30, Mark 15:16–19, and John 19:1–3). In John’s gospel, the Passion narrative is extended: Christ is brought before the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, to face the crowd while still wearing the Crown of Thorns. …
Christ does not wear the Crown of Thorns in early depictions of the Crucifixion. Christ is shown dying on the cross without the crown (with only a handful of exceptions) throughout the first millennium of Christian art. And the existence of a relic cult is unknown until the fifth century.…
In 591 AD, Gregory of Tours offered the earliest known description of the crown relic:
They say that the Crown of Thorns appears as if it is alive. Everyday its leaves seem to wither and every day, they become green again because of divine power.
Throughout innumerable wars, disasters, other threats from the vicissitudes of time, this small, sacred object – a little cluster of ancient branches that signify Christian salvation – still remains. Loved by thousands, the Crown of Thorns relic continues to serve its purpose – to inspire hope, to remind us that what is lost can one day flourish again and that the things we love, no matter how small, have great power.
Mark Ellis, GodReports, July 26, 2017
“The Blood serum tells us that before dying the person was suffering…”
Before the scourgers laid their knotted whips upon Jesus as he was bound to the whipping post, they again put upon him the purple robe, and plaiting a crown of thorns, they placed it upon his brow. And when they had put a reed in his hand as a mock scepter, they knelt before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they spit upon him and struck him in the face with their hands. And one of them, before they returned him to Pilate, took the reed from his hand and struck him upon the head.
Then Pilate led forth this bleeding and lacerated prisoner and, presenting him before the mixed multitude, said: “Behold the man! Again I declare to you that I find no crime in him, and having scourged him, I would release him.”
There stood Jesus of Nazareth, clothed in an old purple royal robe with a crown of thorns piercing his kindly brow. His face was bloodstained and his form bowed down with suffering and grief. But nothing can appeal to the unfeeling hearts of those who are victims of intense emotional hatred and slaves to religious prejudice.


Today’s Blogmas post is about one of the most exciting traditions related to Christmas. And this is the Advent Calendar!
The Advent Calendar is a special calendar which is used to count the days of Advent – the time of the preparations for Christmas.
The history of the advent calendar originates back in the 19th century in Germany from one of the oldest protestant branches – the Lutheranism. From the first Sunday of Advent till Christmas Eve, a chalk line was drown to count every day until Christmas.
Other early styles of the Advent Calendar were the Advent Clock or the Advent Candle: Each candle for the 24 days till Christmas.
Traditionally the Advent Calendar included only the manager scene, Saint Nicholas and winter weather, while the range of themes used to be from sports to technology.
Interesting isn’t it?
Even nowadays you can see the Calendars in multitude of forms: a simple paper calendar with flaps for each day, a calendar with fabric pockets on a wooden box with cubicle holes for small items.
The latest Advent Calendars are in a form of a large rectangular card with ‘windows’. Every window has a number for every day, from December 1st till December 24th, in a mixed order. Often, these ‘windows’ consists of various small gifts such as an image, a poem, small toys, variety of chocolates etc.
These calendars are a must for every Christmas-head and of course children. Counting down the days before the most holly, jolly and festive holidays makes it even more exciting.
So if you know someone who is a huge Christmas fanatic may it be your younger brother, sister, cousin or even the neighbours’ kid or even for yourself – make your Christmas happier and joyful with an Advent calendar gift!
Joy. Happiness. Love.


Thank you to all the alumni who designated their brick gifts to benefit Elon Catholic Campus Ministry during Elon's "Pave the Way" campaign. You lead the way in creating a vibrant Catholic alumni network here at Elon University! These bricks and several other alumni bricks surround the new Martin Alumni Center on campus.
About Us |
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Copyright © 2015 Catholic Campus Ministry
Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life
Numen Lumen Pavilion | 2960 Campus Box | Elon, NC 27244
Office: 336.278.7355 | Fax: 336.278.7439


The Squire’s Pub in Southern Pines, North Carolina, is having a St. David’s Feast, March 1st. Saint David is the patron Saint of Wales, and tradition is to celebrate with hearty food and drink. Enjoy one of these Welsh specials:
Friday, March 1st, – Potato Leek Soup, Herb Roasted Leg of Lamb, and Welsh Pot Bread.
Saint David’s Day (Welsh: Dydd Dewi Sant) falls on the 1st of March each year. The first day of March was chosen in remembrance of the death of Saint David. Tradition holds that he died on that day in 589. The date was declared a national day of celebration within Wales in the 18th century.
St. David’s Day is the kick-off to The Squire’s Pub, 23rd. Annual British Heritage Celebration, now through St. Patick’s Day March 17th. We’ll be open Sunday March 17th. with our St. Patrick’s Day Celebration!


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|Subject: The Gift of Giving Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:25 pm|| |
I have been reading The Healer’s Way, by Earnie Larsen. Larsen has the gift of story, as do I. I did not know I had this gift until I was given the greatest gift of my life other than life itself, sobriety, freedom from addiction through a spiritual path. The best stories come from my recovery journey anyway. We are coming up on the Christmas season, which has traditionally been a time of giving. Somehow it seems to have become more about getting, or at least giving with an expectation of return. What Larsen talks about is pure, Christ-like giving, without expectations, without strings, sometimes at great personal cost (not monetary) or risk to the giver.
I am moved to ask myself, what are the greatest gifts I have been given in my life? Few of them are tangible. They must start with life. A while back I worked with a woman who had been given the gift of sobriety. Sobriety is hard; it brings you face to face with the sometimes-terrible things you have done in addiction. You are suddenly feeling your feelings and have no chemical to make them go away. You have harmed people and feel terrible shame. You may have lost much and feel alone, even when surrounded by people who are there for you, practicing unconditional love. This woman was one such and, after treatment and several months of sobriety with new people in her life who truly loved her, she committed suicide. She could not see the gifts, only the shame and loss, and in her pain threw away the gift of life.
The next gift is love. Last August my wife and I celebrated 41 years of marriage. When I got sober and met people in self-help programs truly offering unconditional love, I thought it was something new in my life. When I woke up to reality I realized that I had been offered unconditional love for years, from my wife, friends and family members, and I had been unable to see it, playing the victim as all addicts do, focused only on myself. This brings me to the third gift in my pantheon, giving itself. Giving without expectation comes from first feeling gratitude for the gifts you have already been given, starting with gift one: life. For me it started in my early sobriety when I started feeling gratitude for the incredible gift of recovery. I had a powerful urge to give back and started volunteering at the detox center I had gone to and becoming a helper in my self-help program. I had been a very selfish person for so long that I was astonished at how good this felt. I went from there to entering a helping profession. I still give without fee in the self-help programs.
Another great gift is teachers. I cannot believe the quality of the many teachers who have come into my life, and what they have given me allows me to teach and heal others. Another is beauty. We live in an incredibly beautiful place. Oddly, some of my greatest gifts have been life-threatening illnesses, first alcoholism, then heart disease, then cancer. I am healed now, but all these things teach what is important and what is not, and what is important is today and what I make of it. I was taught, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift of God, and that’s why they call it the present.”


So it's a really busy time of year for everyone. I've bought some chocolates for the teachers and neighbours. I've yet to buy some toys for the Kmart Wishing Tree but will do that this week when I don't have so many little ones with me.
In other news I have been completely humbled by doing two home visits for our St Vincent de Paul Conference. I was so moved by the lady who opened up her heart and life and talked about her struggles in life. Then when the Deacon told us of a story of a man who shared his sunset with his local priest because it was the only thing he had, I couldn't stop the tears from falling. I had asked to Lord to make me humble in he granted me those graces. I hope I am a good President for our conference and I hope we are blessed to continue to do the work of Jesus.
Aside: Are you wondering what's going to happen on the 21st? Me too......


This humble little chapel in Tillingham, on the Dengie Peninsula in Essex, was completed in 1867 for the Perculiar People. They were strict Puritan group founded in Rochford in 1838, and this religious trend spread through Victorian Essex. They attended day-long services on Sundays which often involved prayer and hymns in strict fashion, complete with plain dress and sobriety. It is one of the few surviving chapels of the 43 once built, and sat derelict since circa 2005 until works began in early 2024. Another chapel built by the Perculiar People lies nearby at Steeple, built in 1877. At the time of writing, it is unclear what the plans for the Tillingham chapel are, but it is hopefully under conversion and not demolition.


Vatican City State
Italy, no matter how you look, the country is unique! Even if you do not remember about its architectural “super-beauty”, ancient monuments and the sea! The fact that this little “boot” sheltered 2 more states literally in itself is simply wonderful! On the first, San Marino, I have already written; Now I want to talk about the second, the Vatican.
The city-state of the Vatican, the smallest in the world, is just in Rome, so do not see it, arriving there, is unacceptable. Or rather – even impossible: Rome, without the Vatican, you yourself “will not count”.
I visit the Vatican crashed into the memory at once for two reasons. The first one is traditional: the Vatican gardens, the Cathedral of St. Peter and the Sistine Chapel do not leave anyone indifferent, it’s just no options. And the second one is banal to obscenity: a bad guide! Of course, such a “trifle” is not a hindrance to the Vatican, but I remember the fact. The irony of fate: the memory weed out a lot of quality guides, leaving only the best and … worst.
I do not remember the story of this old grandmother, extracted, obviously, due to the deficit: interrupting in mid-sentence, she constantly checked the presence of our radio guide receivers, worrying about a possible € 50 fine and “scaring” spiritual nirvana.
But Nirvana was present! Because everything here is unusual, starting from the borders: this is both a simple white line on St. Peter’s Square, and the powerful walls of the 16th century – in other places. We entered the Vatican through the gates, bypassing the guards. The guard of the Vatican is already its landmark: the Swiss Guard, the design of which was designed by Michelangelo.
And then we got to St. Peter’s Square, which we had seen on the eve of our evening walk through Rome. There is no such effect: a, we have already seen! The largest area of Rome delights every time you get to it! On Sundays, it is filled with chairs for everyone to see and hear the Pope: he gives a small speech. This tradition undoubtedly forms the aura of the area: the energy of the sincere prayer of thousands of worshipers affects everyone who comes here.
St. Peter’s Cathedral is the largest in Christian Europe. And if you watch it in a deserted time … I do not even venture to predict the impression! But to get to the Vatican itself is quite difficult: the queues past which we proudly passed are colossal. And tourist groups are also not measured, and you get lost in the Cathedral twice: in its vastness and in a crowd of thousands. That’s right: the temple holds 60,000 people!
Everything in the Cathedral is monuments and a miracle: the diameter of its dome, which Michelangelo built for almost 20 years, is 42 meters, slightly inferior to the Pantheon; about 100 statues of martyrs adorn the colonnade of the main entrance; the Cathedral itself is the tomb of the Popes and St. Peter, one of the beloved disciples of Christ, also crucified on the cross.
And if St. Peter’s Cathedral remained in the memory of many-sided and many-voiced, the Sistine Chapel was remembered not only by the incredible paintings of Michelangelo, but also by the best music in the world – silence …
What a blessing that it is forbidden to tell: no bad guide can spoil the impression of this place! I do not know prayers, church rites and etiquette, but here it turned out to be unnecessary to bewitch and immerse in a state of spiritual elevation, when one can easily believe in a higher and brighter beginning. Everyone sees and feels something of his own in the chapel, but, considering the numerous biblical scenes, you unwittingly renounce the material world. No wonder that the popes are elected there.
I think that in the Vatican one should strive in the presence of even a pale shadow of possibility ☺. This is a spiritual food that is more scarce and much more important than a normal healthy diet …


Charity Partner Project
What is IMF?
SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE OTHERS
International Ministerial Fellowship (IMF), is an association of churches, clergypersons and laypersons who labor together across denominational lines for the propagation of the Gospel, missions, church planting and works of charity. With an emphasis on the centrality of Christ and the person and work of the Holy Spirit, we serve as a support organization for those who serve in front-line Christian ministries around the world.
IMF offers a full variety of support services to those serving in churches, mission fields, evangelistic outreaches, military and civilian chaplaincy, and those who labor in workplace ministry and para-church organizations. It is a Mission Sending Agency with 108 missionaries, and provides Ecclesiastical Endorsement to active military and civilian chaplains. IMF is a member of ECFA, NAE, NAECC, NCMAF and ECVAC.
IMF sees itself as a good team player in the Body of Christ, with approximately 1,300 members in 50 states and 40 foreign countries., it serves independent ministers both in denominational settings and independent churches and ministry organizations.
While most of our clergy members are seminary or Bible College graduates, we do not believe that God limits His call only to those fortunate to have completed graduate theological studies. Other members have established a clear record of ministry experience while being trained in the local church or by theological education by extension. All of out ministers are encouraged to "study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly handling the word of Truth." (2 Timothy 2:15, NIV) We believe this requires study and prayerful meditation on God's written Word (the Holy Bible) as led by the Holy Spirit, in addition to extra-biblical educational courses, degree programs and life experiences available to the individual. All our members are encouraged to make biblical and extra biblical study a lifetime process.
We also believe in the priesthood of all believers and that every believer is a witness. However, as an organization we provide many support services and opportunities for fellowship and continuing education and training. Moreover, we roster the following credentialed layworkers and clergy persons: Christian Workers, Certified Lay Pastor, Commission to Preach, Commissioned Minister, Special Ministry License, License, Ordination and Associate Membership as appropriate to those we believe have a special call or gift to share with the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11) and who have evidenced through biblical and theological study, Christian ministry and life experience, appropriate qualifications for Christian ministry.
Our Membership, Rostering and Ecclesiastical Endorsement Review Board is careful to review each applicant's qualification and documentation to determine an appropriate response and membership. Our members are both professional clergy and layworkers. This is in no way meant to devalue or detract from the validity of the priesthood of all believers or our responsibility as a witness in Christ's Church.
With many things happening in the religious world today, some Bible-believing ministers may feel disenfranchised. IMF is a safe place for those who desire to teach the Scriptures as led by the Holy Spirit while having accountability and is accountable, with a Board of Directors, including outside Board members representing academic and theological achievement, financial accountability, business leadership and social concern for the poor and those less fortunate than ourselves.
We are not a theological debating society, yet our Statement of Faith is clearly orthodox Christianity and our Core Values are clearly defined. We believe in a living and loving Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit to lead and guide Christ's Church today.
We invite inquiry if we can be of service to those serving others through biblical Christian service. That's who we are and what we do - by God's grace.
Each year, the funds raised through the charity golf tournament will be shared by all the ministry projects designated by participating churches and as well as funding of our new ministry headquarters at 2477 Shadywood Road, Excelsior, Minnesota 55331. CCGA is thankful it can participate in the growth of International Ministerial Fellowship and through IMF benefit many other ministries around the world.
CCGA, P.O. Box 103, Minnetonka Beach, MN 55361
www.ccga.org Updated: February 2018
Copyright © 2001-2018 Christian Community Golf Association, All Rights Reserved


Mar 13, 2017
In Numbers 13 we are tracking the story of Moses leading the children of Israel to the edge of the land God had promised Abraham and his descendants. God commanded Moses to send spies into the land to scope out the challenges that lay before them.
In Numbers 13 we see the report they brought back after 40 days of...
Feb 28, 2017
The Law of God is radically important for you as a Christian - There are 220 references to the Law of Moses in the New Testament that’s almost as many as there are in the OT. It’s practically impossible to understand the NT unless you have some grasp of the Law.
Missionally - the Law is said to be written...
Feb 14, 2017
Find more resources at www.zachterry.org
Pastor Zach Terry is driven by a desire help people achieve their maximum life through Jesus Christ. He is known for his ability to teach complex ideas in simple terms with practical implications for daily life.
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary selected him as...


Serving God does make us very rich, if we are satisfied with what we have. 1 Peter 6:6 (NCV)
Satisfied? That is one thing we are not. We are not satisfied.
We no sooner finish eating a wonderful meal and pat our stomachs. "I'm satisfied," we declare. But a few hours later, or in some cases minutes, back in the kitchen we go looking for something else to eat or snack on.
We take the vacation of a lifetime but are not even on the way home before we dread the end of the trip and begin planning another. We are not satisfied.
We buy the perfect outfit, including accessories but before we even get if out of the bag, begin to think, "I should have bought it in a different color, size, or style."
We are not satisfied. Contentment is a difficult virtue. Why? Because there is nothing on earth that can satisfy our deepest longing. We long to see God. The leaves of life are rustling with the rumor that we will - and we won't be satisfied until we do.
Be content where God has place you. We are to live our lives as an example to others. Speak boldly of what Christ has done for us and what He can do for others.
Live in the right way, serve God, have faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, grabbing hold of the life that continues forever. You were called to have that life...1 Peter 6:11-12 (NCV)
Max Lucado's The Devotional Bible
All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But...
A Look Inside My Eye – Before and After This week, on Wednesday May 24th, I went to the eye doctor and received some really good ...
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds – James 1:2 (NIV) Joy is a choice. It'...
Carry on…as one A New Temple Any outsider can become an insider by grace through faith. Before Christ died on the c...


Blooming Grove Baptist Church
550 Route 402, Hawley, 570-226-3231. Sunday Worship: 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday School all ages, 9:45 a.m.
310 Broad Street, Milford, PA 18337. Sunday services: 11 a.m. Prayer: every 1st Wednesday. Women’s Breakfast/Brunch, 10 a.m. every 2nd Saturday. Men’s Breakfast, 8:30 a.m. every last Saturday.
Church at Hemlock Farms
1493 Hemlock Farms (corner of Lookout & Willow Dr.), Lords Valley, PA, 570-775-6787. Reverend Dr. Herbert Jacobsen. Sunday Worship Service: 10 a.m.
Congregation Beth Israel
615 Court Street, Honesdale, 570-253-2222. Dec. 15,16: Shabbat/Hanukkah. For time and more information contact Congregation President Henry M. Skier at 209 Main Ave., Hawley, PA 18428, 570-226-4571. email: email@example.com, fax 570-226-1105.
Dingmans Ferry U.M. Church
115 Myck Rd. (located behind Child’s Park) 570-828-2288; Sunday Worship services 9 a.m., a traditional service and 11 a.m., a blended worship family service. Sunday School & Nursery available during 11 a.m. Service. Thirsty Thursday service on Thursdays at 5:55 p.m., includes a light meal, praise, music and fellowship.
Emmanuel Lutheran Church (LC-MS)
Deacon John Babbitts, 973-293-3009. Meets at Belle Reve Senior Living Center, 404 E. Harford St. (Rt. 209) Sunday School and Adult Bible Study, 9:15 a.m.; Worship service, 10:30 a.m.
Faith Christian Outreach Center
Rte. 739, Red Shale Rd. Lords Valley; 570-226-4658. Pastor Michael Stevenson, Evangelist Jacqueline Stevenson. Sunday Service 11 a.m. Sunday School 10 a.m.
Faith International Church
1008 Sand Hill Rd. SR 209 N, Bushkill, PA 18324. Brown building next to Turkey Hill. Pastor Donald Lynch. Sunday Worship: 9:30 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. Children’s Church: 9:30 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. Wednesday Bible Training School: 7:30 p.m. Friday Prayer Service: 7:30 p.m. Saturday Bible Training School: 11:30 a.m.
First Assembly of God Church
Route 507, Greentown; Rev. Wayne Mitchell, 570- 676-4339/4464; Summer hours, June thru Labor Day wknd: Sunday; Song of Praise 9:45 a.m.; Worship Service, 10 a.m.; (Holy Comm. 1st Sunday); Winter hours, after Labor Day wknd thru May 31: Sunday School 9:45 a.m.; Songs of Praise 10:45 a.m.; Worship Service 11 a.m.; (Holy Comm. 1st Sunday).
First Bible Church of Pike County
Lords Valley Traders Market, Rt. 739; Pastor Wayne Weckeman, 570-686-7745; Sunday Service, 10:30 a.m.
First Presbyterian Church
300 Broad St., Milford; Pastor Rev. Benjamin Willis, 570-296-4711; Sunday: Traditional Worship, 9:30 a.m.; Sunday School ages 4-adult, 9:30 a.m. during the school year. Contemporary Worship, 11 a.m. Nursery provided during both services for ages 1-5. Elevator available. www.firstpresbyterianmilford.org
First Presbyterian Church of Hawley
815 Church St., Hawley; Rev. William L. Samford, Pastor, 570-226-4835; Sunday Morning Worship & Sunday School, 11 a.m.
Followers Christian Fellowship
PO Box 1123, Milford; Rev. Nestor Soto, Pastor, 570-409-0491; Sunday Morning: Prayer, 9:30 a.m. Worship Service, 10 a.m. at the Comfort Inn, Port Jervis.
Good Shepherd & St. John The Evangelist (Episcopal) Church
5th & Catharine Sts., Milford, 570-296-8123; Sunday Holy Eucharist Services, 8 & 10 a.m. (followed by coffee hour). Church School thru grade 6 provided during 10 a.m. Service. Friday, Ecumenical Food Pantry, 6:30-7:30 p.m. www.GoodShepherdMilford.org
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
Silver Lake Rd. & 16 Delaware Crest, Dingmans Ferry; Rev. Niels H. Nielsen, 570-828-7411; Sunday-Worship: 9 & 10:30 a.m.; Sunday School (3 yrs-Adult), 9 a.m.
Hope Evangelical Free Church
300 First St., Matamoras; Pastor Leonard Gilpin, 570-491-4020; Sunday School, all ages, 9:30 a.m. Sunday Worship Service, 11 a.m. & 6 p.m. Wednesday: Prayer & Bible study, 6:30 p.m. Teen Youth Group, Saturday 1 p.m.
Jewish Fellowship of Hemlock Farms
The Synagogue of Pike Co., Rabbi Steven Nathan; 570-775-7497; Shabbat Services: Friday, 8 p.m. followed by Oneg Shabbat; Saturday service 9:30 a.m. Religious School meets Sundays, 9:30 a.m. Call for more info 570-775-7497 or email firstname.lastname@example.org. See us on the web at jfhf.org.
Long Meadow Chapel of the Christian & Missionary Alliance
Milford Rd. (01) & Long Meadow Rd., Milford, Pastor Shawn Coleman; 570-828-2082; “Christ our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer & Coming King”; Sunday-Worship 10:30 a.m. Sunday School for all ages, 9 a.m.
Lords Valley Community Church
Located in Weis Village Shopping center in Lords Valley, Rt. 739, 570-775-6877. Bob Misiak, Pastor. Sunday Worship at 10 a.m. is Christ-centered and contemporary. Website: www.lordsvalleychurch.com
Lost & Found Bible Outreach
Milford Borough Hall, 109 W. Catharine St. 570-498-9520. Every Sunday at 10 a.m. All are welcome.
Matamoras United Methodist Church
209 Avenue H, Matamoras; Pastor Lora Villinger; 570-491-4727; Sunday School, 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship, 11 a.m. Nursery available.
Milford ASL Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses
American Sign Language: 110 Pinebrook Rd, 2 mi. west of I-84 on Rt. 6, Milford 570-296-9321; Sunday- Public Lecture, 3:30 p.m. Watchtower Study, 4 p.m. Wednesday-Congregation Bible Study, 7:30 p.m. Ministry School, 8 p.m. Service Meeting, 8:25 p.m.
Milford Bible Church
110 Foxcroft Drive, Milford 570-296-6019; Senior Pastor Robert Elliot; Sunday Service, 9:30 a.m. Sunday School, 11 a.m. Evening Worship, 6:30 p.m. Sign Language Interpreter all services.
Milford North Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses
110 Pinebrook Rd., 2 mi. west of I-84 on Rt. 6, Milford 570-296-9321; Sunday- Public Lecture, 10 a.m. Watchtower Study, 10:30 a.m. Tuesday-Congregation Bible Study, 7:30 p.m. Ministry School, 8 p.m. Service Meeting, 8:30 p.m.
Milford South Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses
110 Pinebrook Rd., 2 mi. west of I-84 on Rt. 6, Milford 570-296-9321; Sunday- Public Lecture, 12:30 p.m. Watchtower Study,1 p.m. Thursday-Congregation Bible Study, 7:30 p.m. Theocratic Ministry School, 8 p.m. Service Meeting, 8:30 p.m.
Milford United Methodist Church
206 E. Ann St., Milford; Rev. Luana Cook Scott, Minister, 570-296-6124; Sunday -Early Service, 8:15 a.m. Regular Service, 10:30 a.m.
New Life Christian Fellowship/New Life Christian Day School
Corner of 3rd St. & Ave. G., Matamoras; 570-491-2676; Sunday Morning Service, 10 a.m. Sunday Evening Service, 6:30 p.m.
Praise and Mercy Fellowship
Silver Lake Rd. near Old Milford Road (old Parkside Bldg.); Dingmans Ferry, PA; Rev. Marilyn L. Herbert, 570-828-7819; Church meets 10:00 a.m. on Sunday for Charismatic Worship. Children’s Sunday school during service.
Promised Land Protestant Community Church
“Your Church Away From Home”; Rt. 390, South of I-84, Promised Land; Rev. Howard Bailey, Church; 570-676-5151; Summer services,10 a.m. Communion.
Reformed Church of Bushkill
Route 209, Bushkill; Rev. Steven Sayer 570-588-6773; Sunday: Worship Services 10:30 a.m. & 7 p.m. Sunday School 9:15-10:15 for all ages during the school year. Adult Bible Study meets at the same time. Located across from the Fairway Villa.
Sacred Heart Church
125 Richardson Ave., Shohola; Father Thomas Major, Pastor, 570-559-7642; Sunday Mass: 8:30, 11:30 a.m. Saturday, 5 p.m. (vigil). Confessions: 4:15 pm, Sat. and by appt. 570-832-4275.
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church
228 Rt. 590., Greeley; Father Thomas Major, Pastor. Confession heard from 9:15-9:45 a.m. Rosary prayed at 9:30 a.m. Traditional Latin Mass, 10 a.m. Followed by coffee and dessert.
St. Ann’s Church
228 Route 590, Greeley; 570-832-4275; Daily Mass: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. Adoration and Benediction Mondays, 9 a.m. -4:45 p.m. Holy Days of Obligation: 8:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:15 p.m. at St. Ann’s 121 Richardson Ave, Shohola. Sunday Masses: 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. at St. Ann’s, 121 Richardson Ave., Shohola. Tridentine Mass, 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart, 228 Route 590, Greeley. Confessions-Saturdays, 4:30-5 p.m. and by appointment.
St. Jacobi Lutheran Church
108 Glen Drive, Shohola. Services at 11 a.m.; 570-559-7676.
St. Joseph’s Church
309 Ave. F, Matamoras; Rev. James J. Walsh J.C.L., 570-491-2618; Michele Bensley, Parish Secretary; Labor Day thru Jun: Mass: Saturday: 4 p.m.; Sunday: 9 a.m.
St. Luke Lutheran Church
Rt. 590, Greeley, PA 18425. Rev. Don Beck, Pastor, 570-685-4221; Sun. Worship Service & Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. Good Cheer Food Pantry, 1st Wed., 12:30-2 p.m. at St. Luke Center. Ladies Aid Meeting, 2nd Wed., 1 p.m. at Social Hall.
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church
Scenic Drive, Lackawaxen, PA. Pr. Mary Owens, 570-685-7875; Sun. Worship Service: 9 a.m.
St. Patrick’s Church
111 East High Street., Milford; Rev. Gregory W. Kelly, 570-296-7451; Sun. Masses: Saturday: 5:30 p.m.; Sunday: 7:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
St. Vincent De Paul Church
101 St. Vincent Drive, Rte. 739, Dingman Twp. Rev. Paul M. Mullen, 570-686-4545; Weekend Mass Schedule-Sat. Mass, 5 p.m. Sun. Mass, 8:45 & 11:15 a.m.; 5 p.m.
Tabernacle of Faith of Holiness Church
Rt. 739, Lords Valley; 570-775-9133; Pastor Carolyn Walker; Sunday Service: 12 p.m. Sunday School: 11 a.m. (Next to Heather’s Inn)
Unity Church of Sussex County
25 Mudcut Rd., Lafayette, NJ 07848, 973-383-6277. Sunday Service and Youth Program, 11 a.m.
Deerpark Reformed Church
30 E. Main St., Port Jervis, NY, 845-856-1946. Office Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., M-F. Rev. Ann Rost; Sunday School, 9:30 a.m. Worship service 11 a.m.; June thru Labor Day 10 a.m.
Drew United Methodist Church
49-51 Sussex Sts., Port Jervis, NY, 845-856-3423 Pastor Robert D. Cassidy; Sunday School, for all ages, 9:30 a.m. Sunday Worship, 11 a.m.
Faith Tabernacle International Ministries
20 Franklin St., Port Jervis, NY, 973-495-6166. Pastor Shirley Ambroise-Geffrand and Rev. Wismith Geffrand. Sunday Worship Service: 10 a.m. Bible Study- 2nd & 4th Sunday, 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Worship service to follow immediately. Friday: Hour of Power Prayer Service, 6-7 p.m. Food Pantry, every other Sunday. www.FaithTabernacleIntMin.org.
First Assembly of God Church
13 Route 6, Port Jervis, NY, 845-856-1826; Sunday-Morning Service, 9 a.m. & 11 a.m..-Children’s Church and Nursery available. Evening Worship, 6 p.m.
First Baptist Church
34 E. Main St., Port Jervis, NY, 845-856-8122 (Interim Pastor Thomas Fox).
First Presbyterian Church
60 Sussex St., by Orange Square Park, Port Jervis, 845-856-1231, Rev. Steve Huston. Sunday Worship, 10 a.m. Sunday School, 9:30 a.m. Meditation & Song Service, 7 p.m. Handicapped ramp to the Sanctuary. www.fpcpj.org
Greenville United Methodist Church
1686 Greenville Tpk, Port Jervis, 570-491-4727, Pastor Lora J. Villinger. Sunday Worship, 9 a.m.
Kadampa Meditation Center
47 Sweeney Rd., Glen Spey, NY, 845-856-9000. Gen Kelsang Dao, Buddhist Nun and Resident Teacher. Sunday Service & Kids Program, 10:30 a.m. www.KadampaNewYork.org
Minisink Reformed Church
346 River Rd/P.O. Box 1787., Montague, NJ, 973-293-3514-Office, 973-293-3596-Church. Rev. Angelo Forleo, Pastor. Sunday-Worship, 10 a.m. Sunday School during worship. Handicapped entrance with ramp. Informal Worship Service, 10 a.m. every Sunday from June 8 thru Sept. 7 at the Minisink Pavilion, 300 Clove Rd.
Port Jervis Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses
100 Shinhollow Rd., Port Jervis, 845-856-6506 Sunday: Public Lecture, 10 a.m. Watchtower Study, 10:55 a.m. Thursday: Congregation Bible Study, 7:30 p.m. Ministry School, 8 p.m. Service Meeting, 8:30 p.m.
Seventh-Day Adventist Church
181 E. Main St., Port Jervis, NY. Pastor Herb Poholka (845) 856-7121; Saturday- 9:30 a.m. Sabbath School for all age groups.9:30-11:30 a.m. After Service, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Spanish Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses
100 Shinhollow Rd., Port Jervis, 845-856-6506 Sunday: Public Lecture, 1:30 p.m. Watchtower Study, 2:25 p.m. Wednesday: Congregation Bible Study, 7:30 p.m. Ministry School, 8 p.m. Service Meeting, 8:30 p.m.
St. Mary’s Church
50 Ball St., Port Jervis, NY, Rev. Fr. Matthew C. Newcomb. 845-856-8212; Mass: Saturday, 4 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 & 11:30 a.m.; Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri., 9 a.m. Confessions: Saturday, 3-3:45 p.m. http://stmarymarysportjervis.com
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
31 W. Main St., Port Jervis, NY, Rev. Patt Kauffman. 845-856-1033; Family Worship/Eucharist, 9 a.m. Lifelong Christian Education, 9:30 a.m. Traditional Worship/Eucharist, 9:30 a.m. www.stpetersportjervis.org.
Temple Beth El
88 E. Main St., Port Jervis, NY, Rabbi Mindick & Rabbi Michaelis, 845-856-1722; Synagogue Services: Friday night, 7:30 p.m. Saturday morning, 9:30 a.m. Torah study sessions, 3rd Saturdays in lieu of services. www.templebethelpjny.org
Tri-State Community Church
20 Franklin St., Port Jervis, 845-858-2716. Pastor Kenneth Welch; Contemporary Worship. Sunday Service, 10 a.m.


Wednesday, February 24, 2010
1 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat there. When the kinsman-redeemer he had mentioned came along, Boaz said, "Come over here, my friend, and sit down." So he went over and sat down.
2 Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, "Sit here," and they did so. 3 Then he said to the kinsman-redeemer, "Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line."
"I will redeem it," he said.
5 Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the land from Naomi and from Ruth the Moabitess, you acquire the dead man's widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property."
6 At this, the kinsman-redeemer said, "Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it."
7 (Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)
8 So the kinsman-redeemer said to Boaz, "Buy it yourself." And he removed his sandal.
9 Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, "Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon's widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from the town records. Today you are witnesses!"
11 Then the elders and all those at the gate said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 Through the offspring the LORD gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah."
The Genealogy of David
13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Then he went to her, and the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 The women said to Naomi: "Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth."
16 Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, "Naomi has a son." And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
18 This, then, is the family line of Perez:
Perez was the father of Hezron,
19 Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab,
20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
21 Salmon the father of Boaz,
Boaz the father of Obed,
22 Obed the father of Jesse,
and Jesse the father of David.
vs. 1 Boaz knew he could find his relative at the town gate. This was the center of activity. No one could enter or leave the town without traveling through the gate. Merchants set up their temporary shops near the gate, which also served as "city hall." Here city officials gathered to transact business. Because there was so much activity, it was a good place to find witnesses (4:2) and an appropriate place for Boaz to make his transaction.
vs. 3 Boaz cleverly presented his case to the relative. First he brought in new information not yet mentioned in the story - Elimelech, Naomi's former husband, still had some property in the area that was now for sale. As the nearest relative, this man ad the first right to buy the land, which he agreed to do (Leviticus 25:25). But then Boaz said that according to the law, if the relative bought the property he also had to marry the widow (probably because Mahlon, Ruth's former husband and Elimelech's son, had inherited the property). At this stipulation, the relative backed down. He did not want to complicate his inheritance. He may have feared that if he had a son through Ruth, some of his estate would transfer away from his family to the family of Elimelch. Whatever his reason, the way was now clear for Boaz to marry Ruth.
vs. 15 God brought great blessings out of Naomi's tragedy, even greater than "seven sons," or an abundance of heirs. Throughout her tough time, Naomi continued to trust God. And God, in his time, blessed her greatly. Even in our sorrow and calamity, God can bring great blessings. Be like Naomi, and don't turn your back on God when tragedy strikes. Instead of asking "How can God allow this to happen to me?" trust him. He will be with you in the hard times.
vs. 16-17 To some, the book of Ruth may be just a nice story about a girl who was fortunate. But in reality, the events recorded in Ruth were part of God's preparations for the births of David and of Jesus, the promised Messiah. Just as Ruth was unaware of this larger purpose in her life, we will not know the full purpose and importance of our lives until we are able to look back from the perspective of eternity. We must make our choices with God's eternal values in mind. Taking moral shortcuts and living for short-range pleasures are not good ways to move ahead. Because of Ruth's faithful obedience, her life and legacy were significant even though she couldn't see all the results. Live in faithfulness to God, knowing that the significance of your life will extend beyond your lifetime. The rewards will outweigh any sacrifice you may have made.
Monday, February 22, 2010
1 One day Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, should I not try to find a home for you, where you will be well provided for? 2 Is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been, a kinsman of ours? Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 3 Wash and perfume yourself, and put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don't let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do."
5 "I will do whatever you say," Ruth answered. 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.
7 When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 In the middle of the night something startled the man, and he turned and discovered a woman lying at his feet.
9 "Who are you?" he asked.
"I am your servant Ruth," she said. "Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer."
10 "The LORD bless you, my daughter," he replied. "This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 And now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character. 12 Although it is true that I am near of kin, there is a kinsman-redeemer nearer than I. 13 Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to redeem, good; let him redeem. But if he is not willing, as surely as the LORD lives I will do it. Lie here until morning."
14 So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, "Don't let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor."
15 He also said, "Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out." When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and put it on her. Then he went back to town.
16 When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, "How did it go, my daughter?"
Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her 17 and added, "He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, 'Don't go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.' "
18 Then Naomi said, "Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today."
vs. 1-9 As widows, Ruth and Naomi could only look forward to difficult times. But when Naomi heard the news about Boaz, her hope for the future was renewed. Typical of her character, she thought first of Ruth, encouraging her to see if Boaz would take the responsibility of being a "kinsman-redeemer" to her (2:20).
A kinsman-redeemer was a relative who volunteered to take responsibility for the extended family. When a woman's husband died the law (Deuteronomy 25:5-10) provided that she could marry a brother of her dead husband. But Naomi had no more sons. In such a case, the nearest relative to the deceased husband could become a kinsman-redeemer and marry the widow. The nearest relative did not have to marry the widow. If he chose not to, the next nearest relative could take his place. If no one chose to help the widow, she would probably live in poverty the rest of her life because in Israelite culture the inheritance was passed on to the son or nearest male relative, not to the wife. To take the sting out of these inheritance rules, there were laws for gleaning and kinsman-redeemers.
We have a kinsman-redeemer in Jesus Christ, who though he was God, came to earth as a man in order to save us. By his death on the cross, he has redeemed us from sin and hopelessness and thereby purchased us to be his own possession. This guarantees our eternal inheritance.
vs. 2 The threshing floor was the place where the grain was separated from the harvested wheat. Boaz spent the night beside the threshing floor for two reasons: (1) to prevent theft and (2) to wait for his turn to thresh grain.
vs. 4 Naomi's advice seems strange, but she was not suggesting a seductive act. In reality, Naomi was telling Ruth to act in accordance with Israelite custom and law. It was common for a servant to lie at the feet of his master and even share a part of his covering. By observing this custom, Ruth would inform Boaz that he could be her kinsman-redeemer - that he could find someone to marry her or marry her himself. It was family business, nothing romantic. But the story later became beautifully romantic as Ruth and Boaz developed an unselfish love and deep respect for each other.
vs. 12 Ruth and Naomi must have assumed that Boaz was their closest relative. Boaz, too, must have already considered marrying Ruth because his answer to her shows he had been thinking about it. He couldn't have considered marrying Naomi because she was probably too old to bear any more children. One man in the city was a nearer relative than Boaz, and this man had the first right to take Ruth as his wife. If he chose not to, then Boaz could marry Ruth.
vs. 18 Naomi implied that Boaz would follow through with his promise at once. He obviously had a reputation for keeping his word and would not rest until his task was completed. Such reliable people stand out in any age and culture. Do others regard you as one who will do what you say? Keeping your word and following through on assignments should be high on anyone's priority list. Building a reputation for integrity, however, must be done one brick, one act, at a time.
Friday, February 19, 2010
1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband's side, from the clan of Elimelech, a man of standing, whose name was Boaz.
2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor."
Naomi said to her, "Go ahead, my daughter." 3 So she went out and began to glean in the fields behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she found herself working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.
4 Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, "The LORD be with you!"
"The LORD bless you!" they called back.
5 Boaz asked the foreman of his harvesters, "Whose young woman is that?"
6 The foreman replied, "She is the Moabitess who came back from Moab with Naomi. 7 She said, 'Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.' She went into the field and has worked steadily from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter."
8 So Boaz said to Ruth, "My daughter, listen to me. Don't go and glean in another field and don't go away from here. Stay here with my servant girls. 9 Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the girls. I have told the men not to touch you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled."
10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She exclaimed, "Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?"
11 Boaz replied, "I've been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. 12 May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."
13 "May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord," she said. "You have given me comfort and have spoken kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servant girls."
14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, "Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar."
When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over. 15 As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, "Even if she gathers among the sheaves, don't embarrass her. 16 Rather, pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don't rebuke her."
17 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. 18 She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.
19 Her mother-in-law asked her, "Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!"
Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. "The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz," she said.
20 "The LORD bless him!" Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. "He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead." She added, "That man is our close relative; he is one of our kinsman-redeemers."
21 Then Ruth the Moabitess said, "He even said to me, 'Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.' "
22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, "It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with his girls, because in someone else's field you might be harmed."
23 So Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
vs. 2 When the wheat and barley were ready to be harvested reapers were hired to cut down the stalks and tie them into bundles. Israelite law demanded that the corners of the fields not be harvested. In addition, any grain that was dropped was to be left for poor people who picked it up (this was called gleaning) and used it for food (Leviticus 19:9; 22:23; Deuteronomy 24:19). The purpose of this law was to feed the poor and to prevent the owners from hoarding. This law served as a type of welfare program in Israel. Because she was a widow with no means of providing for herself, Ruth went into the fields to glean the grain.
vs. 2-3 Ruth made her home in a foreign land. Instead of depending on Naomi or waiting for good fortune to happen, she took the initiative. She went to work. She was not afraid of admitting her need or working hard to supply it. When Ruth went went out to the fields, God provided for her. If you are waiting for God to provide, consider this: He may be waiting for you to take the first step to demonstrate just how important your need is.
vs. 10-12 Ruth's life exhibited admirable qualities: she was hardworking, loving, kind, faithful, and brave. These qualities gained for her a good reputations, but only because she displayed them consistently in all areas of her life. Wherever Ruth went or whatever she did, her character remained the same.
vs. 15-16 The characters in the book of Ruth are classic examples of good people in action. Boaz went far beyond the intent of the gleaners' law in demonstrating his kindness and generosity. Not only did he let Ruth glean in his field, he also told his workers to let some of the grain fall in her path. Out of his abundance, he provided for the needy. How often do you go beyond the accepted patterns of providing for those less fortunate? Do more than the minimum for others.
vs. 19-20 Naomi had felt bitter (1:20-21), but her faith in God was still alive, and she praised God for Boaz's kindness to Ruth. In her sorrows, she still trusted God and acknowledged his goodness. We may feel bitter about a situation, but we must never despair. Today is always a new opportunity for experiencing God's care.
vs. 20 Though Ruth may not have always recognized God's guidance, he had been with her every step of the way. She went to glean and "just happened" to end up in the field owned by Boaz who "just happened" to be a close relative. This was more than mere coincidence. As you go about your daily tasks, God is working in your life in ways you may not even notice. We must not close the door on what God can do. Events do not occur by luck or coincidence. We should have faith that God is directing our lives for his purpose.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2 The man's name was Elimelech, his wife's name Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.
3 Now Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.
6 When she heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, Naomi and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.
8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back, each of you, to your mother's home. May the LORD show kindness to you, as you have shown to your dead and to me. 9 May the LORD grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband."
Then she kissed them and they wept aloud 10 and said to her, "We will go back with you to your people."
11 But Naomi said, "Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons- 13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD's hand has gone out against me!"
14 At this they wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-by, but Ruth clung to her.
15 "Look," said Naomi, "your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her."
16 But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, "Can this be Naomi?"
20 "Don't call me Naomi, " she told them. "Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. 21 I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me."
22 So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.
vs. 1 The story of Ruth takes place sometime during the period of the rule of the judges. These were dark days for Israel, when"everyone did as he saw fit" (Judges 17:6, 21:25). But during those dark and evil times, there were still some who followed God. Naomi and Ruth are beautiful examples of loyalty, friendship, and commitment - to God and to each other.
vs 8-9 There was almost nothing worse than being a widow in the ancient world. Widows were taken advantage of or ignored. They were almost always poverty stricken. God's law, therefore, provided that the nearest relative of the dead husband should care for the widow; but Naomi had no relatives in Moab, and she did not know if any of her relatives were alive in Israel. Even in her desperate situation, Naomi had a selfless attitude. Although she had decided to return to Israel, she encouraged Ruth and Orpah to stay in Moab and start their lives over, even though this would mean hardship for her. Like Naomi, we must consider the needs of others and not just our own. As Naomi discovered, when you act selflessly, others are encouraged to follow your example.
vs. 11 Naomi's comment here ("sons, who could become your husbands") refers to levirate marriage, the obligation of the dead man's brother to care for the widow (Deuteronomy 25:5-10). This law kept the widow from poverty and provided a way for the family name of the dead husband to continue.
vs. 16 Ruth was a Moabitess, but that didn't stop her from worshiping the true God, nor did it stop God from accepting her worship and blessing her greatly. The book of Ruth is a perfect example of God's impartiality. Although Ruth belonged to a race often despised by Israel, she was blessed because of her faithfulness. She became a great-grandmother of King David and a direct ancestor of Jesus.
vs 20-21 Naomi had experienced severe hardships. She had left Israel married and secure; she returned widowed and poor. Naomi changed her name to express the bitterness and pain she felt. Naomi was not rejecting God by openly expressing her pain. However, she seems to have lost sight of the tremendous resources she had in her relationship with Ruth and with God. When you face bitter times, God welcomes your honest prayers, but be careful not to overlook the love, strength, and resources that he provides in your present relationships. And don't allow bitterness and disappointment to blind you to your opportunities.
vs. 22 Bethlehem was about five miles southwest of Jerusalem. The town was surrounded by lush fields and olive groves. Its harvest were abundant. Ruth and Naomi's return to Bethlehem was certainly part of God's plan because in this town David would be born, and, as predicted by the prophet Micah, Jesus Christ would also be born there. This move, then, was more than merely convenient for Ruth and Naomi. It led to the fulfillment of Scripture.
Friday, February 12, 2010
To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ:
2 Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.
The sin and doom of Godless men
3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. 4 For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. 7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
8 In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" 10 Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals—these are the very things that destroy them.
11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion.
12 These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him." 16 These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
A call to persevere
17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." 19 These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
vs. 1 Jude's letter focuses on apostasy - when people turn away from God's truth and embrace false teachings. Jude reminded his readers of God's judgement on those who had left the faith in the past. This letter is a warning against false teachers - in this case, probably Gnostic teachers. Gnostic's opposed two of the basic tenets of Christianity - the incarnation of Christ and the call to Christian ethics. Jude wrote to combat these false teachings and to encourage true doctrine and right conduct.
vs. 3 Jude emphasizes the important relationship between correct doctrine and true faith. The truth of the Bible must not be compromised, because it gives us the real facts about Jesus and salvation.
vs, 7 Many people don't want to believe that God sentences people to "eternal fire" for rejecting him. But this is clearly taught in Scripture. Sinners who don't see forgiveness from God will face eternal separation from him. Jude gives this warning to all who rebel against, ignore, or reject God.
vs . 18 The last times is a common phrase referring to the time between Jesus' first and second comings. We live in the last times.
vs. 20 To "pray in the Holy Spirit" means to pray in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit. He prays for us (Romans 8:26-27), opens our minds to Jesus (John 14:26), and teaches us about him (John 15:26).
vs. 23 In trying to find common ground with those to whom we witness, we must be careful not to fall into the quicksand of compromise. When reaching out to others, we must be sure that our own footing is safe and secure. Be careful not to become so much like non-Christians that no one can tell who you are or what you believe. Influenced them for Christ - don't allow them to influence you to sin!
vs. 24-25 As the letter begins, so it ends- with assurance. God keeps believers from falling prey to false teachers. Although false teachers are widespread and dangerous, we don't have to be afraid if we trust God and are rooted and grounded in him.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth.
9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. 10 So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.
11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.
13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.
vs. 1 This letter gives us an important glimpse into the life of the early church. Third John, addressed to Gaius, is about the need for showing hospitality to traveling preachers and other believers. It also warns against a would-be church dictator.
vs. 5 In the church's early days, traveling prophets, evangelists, and teachers ("the brothers") were helped on their way by people like Gaius who housed and fed them. Hospitality is a lost art in many churches today. We would do well to invite more people for meals - fellow church members, young people, traveling missionaries, those in need, visitors. This is an active and much-appreciated way to show your love. In fact it is probably more important today. Because of our individualistic, self-centered society, there are many lonely people who wonder if anyone cares whether they live or die. If you find such a lonely person, show him or her that you care!
vs. 7-8 When you help someone who is spreading the gospel, you are in a very real way a partner in the ministry. This is the other side of the principle in 2 John 10. Not everyone should go to the mission field; those who work for Christ at home are vital to the ministry of those who go and who need support. We can support missionaries by praying for them and by giving them our money, hospitality, and time.
vs. 9 The letter to which John refers was neither 1 or 2 John, but another letter that no longer exists.
vs. 14 Whereas 2 John emphasizes the need to refuse hospitality to false teachers, 3 John urges continued hospitality to those who teach the truth. Hospitality is a strong sign of support for people and their work. It means giving them of your resources so their stay will be comfortable and their work and travel easier. Actively look for creative ways to show hospitality to God's workers. It may be in the form of a letter of encouragement, a gift, financial support, and open home, or prayer.
Monday, February 8, 2010
To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth - 2 because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:
3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love.
4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
7 Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. 11 Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.
12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
13 The children of your chosen sister send their greetings.
vs. 1 The "elder" is John, one of Jesus' 12 disciples and the writer of the Gospel of John, three letters, and the book of Revelation. This letter was written shortly after 1 John to warn about false teachers. The salutation, "to the chosen lady and her children," could refer to a specific woman, or to a church whose identity is no longer known. John may have written this from Ephesus.
vs. 1-4 The "truth" is the truth about Jesus Christ, as opposed to the lies of the false teachers (see 1 John 2:21-23).
vs. 7 In John's day, many false teachers taught that spirit was good and matter was evil; therefore, they reasoned that Jesus could not have been both God and man. In strong terms, John warns against this kind of teaching. There are still many false teachers who promote an understanding of Jesus that is not Biblical. These teachers are dangerous because they distort the truth and undermine the foundations of Christian faith. They may use the right words but change the meanings. The way your teachers live shows a lot about what they believe about Christ.
vs. 8 To "be rewarded fully" refers not to salvation but to the rewards of loyal service. All who value the truth and persistently hold to it will win their full reward. Those who live for themselves and justify their self-centeredness by teaching false doctrines will lose that reward (see Matthew 7:21-23).
vs. 10 John instructed the believers not to show hospitality to false teachers. They were to do nothing that would encourage the heretics in their propagation of falsehoods. In addition, if believers were to invited them in, such actions would show that they were approving of what the false teachers said and did. It may seem rude to turn people away, even if they are teaching heresy, but how much better it is to be faithful to God than merely courteous to people! John is condemning the support of those who are dedicated to opposing the true teachings of God, not condemning hospitality to unbelievers. John adds that a person who supports a false teacher in any way shares in the teacher's wicked work.
vs. 13 False teaching is serious business, and we dare not overlook it. It is so serious that John wrote this letter to warn against it. There are so many false teachings in our world that we might be tempted to take many of them lightly. Instead, we should realize the dangers they pose and actively refuse to give heresies any foothold.


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Day Two: A Word in Season
“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
“Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.”
Have you ever tried to find something you needed in the dark? Not a McDonald’s toy or a pen cap—something you actually need. Getting down on your hands and knees, you fumble over the surface trying to remember exactly where you dropped it. Like a digital recording, you reverse and replay the scene multiple times in your head, with hands down on the grass or pavement. You cover every square inch of ground in a specified radius. If only you could find that tiny contact lens, the new hearing aid of a family member, or the only pacifier left in the house. It seems your recently mobile toddler just learned how to play hide-and-seek with her toys. The only problem is, the game isn’t so fun at bedtime when she needs that pacifier to go to sleep. Fear strikes—maybe you won’t be able to get her to sleep at all without that tiny, coveted piece of plastic!
More likely than not, we all experience a less drastic version of this little hide-and-seek game at least once a week. I confess, I’ve spent more time than I’d like to admit looking for a set of car keys buried in the bottom of my purse. Whether it’s the back of your daughter’s earring gone missing, a game piece rolled under the couch, or your favorite pen lost behind the desk—what’s the first thing you do? Turn on the light, right? Always.
With the light on, we can focus our vision on the task at hand. I have even gone so far as to pick up a small desk lamp and shine it underneath the furniture to locate an item right when it falls. My husband has a flashlight app on his phone to do the same. Can we do the same thing with our life today? Maybe everything is going just right in your life right now. Praise God—He is so faithful. Maybe for some, your life just feels like it’s missing something. Maybe you already know what it is, or maybe you can’t lay a finger on it. You know it was roughly in this specific time period, and you have a general radius in your mind about when something started feeling…
Not. Quite. Right.
Maybe today, fear strikes, and you are wondering what on earth you were thinking booking a flight halfway around the world to do missions. Fear is trying to take over in the place where joy should be. Let’s shine the Word of God into those areas of our life today. When we fill up with the Word of God, our apprehensions are gone because God is Love, and “perfect love casts out fear”! We can fill our hearts and minds with the Word of God today and dispel the darkness while delighting in Him.
Psalm 119:47-48 says:
“And I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love. My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on Your statutes.”
Take some time to read the Psalms today. Here are a few to get you started: Psalm 19, Psalm 23, Psalm 24, Psalm 63, Psalm 91, Psalm 95, Psalm 100. If you have a lot of time throughout the day, you could start reading Psalm 119—it’s divided into sections, and it is full of encouragement about the goodness of God and His word for us each day.
Let’s pray and ask God to show us where to shine the light of Jesus in our lives. Sometimes, the only thing missing is a close communion with Him. We get busy, crunched for time, and we miss out on those moments of spending time with God each day. He loves us so much, and He is the friend you can always pick back up with no matter how long it’s been. Pray and ask God to fill those places with His love and a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. Take time each day to read His word, and thank God for loving us. Pray for another person in your life today for God to build them up and strengthen their life in the Lord. Now let’s pray together:
“Dear Lord, I pray that You would prepare my heart to serve. Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I delight in Your Word, and Your perfect love casts out fear.”


In predominantly Christian societies, holidays such as Easter and Christmas help to structure the course of the year. They are celebrated around the same time every year. Likewise, the ceremonies and traditions associated with these special days follow a recurring pattern.
At Christmas people celebrate the birth of Christ, thus marking the beginning of Christianity. Other important stages of his life such as his death, resurrection, and ascent to heaven are commemorated in the same way each year.
Christian saints, too, have their specific feast days, but these tend to vary from country to country.
, too, has regularly occurring feast days and celebrations.
In this story, you will hear about important feast days, celebrations, and statein predominantly Buddhist countries.


I will always have fond memories of celebrating Thanksgiving with my parents and our relatives. My Dad was born in Italy and came to America at the age of 13. He lived with relatives who also emigrated from Italy before the Great Depression. My Mother was first generation American and she also had relatives from Italy. However, since Thanksgiving is strictly an American holiday, it was extremely important to my parents and relatives because they wanted to be everything AMERICAN.
My Mother passed away seven years ago, just two months before her 92nd birthday and to this day I still miss her very much.
My Mother, I called her “Ma”, was born to immigrant parents from Italy on March 20th, 1910. She grew up in Hell’s Kitchen on Manhattan’s west side, a melting pot of immigrants at the turn of the century. I loved to hear her tell stories of those days growing up in New York City with gaslights, trolley cars, and food vendors pushing their carts on every street corner. Those were my bedtime stories that I fondly recall to this day.
Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, which means it is 40 days until Easter Sunday. As an adult Catholic, I believe this is the most important holiday we celebrate. Without Christ sacrificing himself on the cross for our souls, we would not have a religion.
During Lent we fast, we abstain, we renew ourselves, we do penance and we pray.
The week preceding Easter is Holy Week, which consists of Holy Thursday, Good Friday (the solemn day that Christ was crucified) and then Lent ends on midnight, Holy Saturday, the day of penance. On Easter Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. This is a very joyous day for all Christians.


Trainings are being planned for litugical ministers! If you wish to consider any of these ministries, please contact the church office at 936-564-7807 or sign up for notifications from the desired group at https://app.flocknote.com/sacredheartnac
This ministry provides members of the parish with a true opportunity to function as lay ministers by reverently assisting the celebrant and/or deacon during all liturgies, including Sunday Mass, daily Mass, funerals, weddings, and special liturgies throughout the year. Training is being planned for fall 2016.
Readers / Lectors
Readers proclaim the Word of God at all liturgies clearly and understandably so that all who hear may respond.
The Ministry of Music provides music during most liturgies, including weekend Masses, holy days, weddings, and funerals. Parishioners are invited to share their musical talents with the rest of the congregation through this ministry. Come speak to a choir member after Mass if you are interested. We'd love to have you join us!
Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist
Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist serve by taking communion to parishioners who reside in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or in their own homes and unable to attend Mass. They also may assist the priest in distributing the Eucharist at Mass. Training is being planned for fall 2016.
Ushers & Greeters
Being a welcoming community is very important to us. Ushers and greeters are the first face of the parish. They greet those coming into our church, offer assistance to those in need, distribute parish bulletins, take up the collection, and distribute other materials as needed. If you or your organization would like to participate in this ministry, please contact a current usher and offer your services.
Sacristans assist, facilitate, and provide support and coordination for other liturgical ministries. In addition, they make the necessary preparations for liturgical activities.
If you wish to consider any of these ministries, please contact the church office at 936-564-7807 or sign up for notifications from the desired group at www.flocknote.com/sacredheartnac.


Holiday Concert Guide 2014 for Washington, DC, Maryland and VirginiaComments Off on Holiday Concert Guide 2014 for Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia
Howard Gospel Choir – December 7 and 14, 2014. Holiday Gospel Brunch, an all-you-can-eat buffet filled with breakfast classics and Southern dishes. As one of the first college gospel choirs, HGC is a trailblazer for all Gospel music ministries across collegiate campuses in the nation.
A JOHNNYSWIM Christmas – December 16, 2014. Celebrate the holidays with soul/folk/pop music by a husband and wife duo.


Called OUT Gospel Radio liveFullfiling God's Purpose...Impacting Lives
Called OUT Gospel Radio, a well-known radio station in Jamaica, brings the gospel to life with a blend of soul-stirring music and powerful messages. This station connects with the local community and beyond, sharing the good news and inspiring listeners on their spiritual journey.
Featuring a variety of programs, from gospel tunes to engaging talk shows, Called OUT Gospel Radio offers something for everyone. The station's dedicated team works tirelessly to create content that uplifts and encourages, fostering a sense of unity and spiritual growth among its listeners.
Frequencies Called OUT Gospel Radio
Ocho Rios: Online