The Westminster Presbyterian Church has provided direction to the Westminster House since 1992.
Worship Time: Sundays at 10:30 a.m. | Coffee Hour is at 11:30am | Soup or salad and bread potluck at 11:30am on the first Sunday of the month
Bible Study: Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.
Address: 2705 W Boone Ave, Spokane, WA 99201
Telephone: (509) 328-5002
Westminster Presbyterian Church is an open and welcoming community. It was started in a tent in 1905, in order to be available to all people. The church has known many homes including a butcher shop. Its present building puts it in the center of the West Central neighborhood and is a central pillar of service in the neighborhood.
The church is the home of the first Boy Scout troop and the first Food Bank in the city. City services were born and nurtured in this church building; Christ Clinic (health care for the working poor) and Christ Kitchen (work experience and Christian community for marginalized women) both began at Westminster.
All are welcome:
Westminster Church is a unique combination of elderly people and neighborhood children. The genius of the church is to discover gifts and talents in unexpected people and then empower them to serve. Homeless and unemployed people, for example, have flourished and their gifts have contributed greatly to the church. People who felt discarded by society have found that Christ and Christ’s Church needs their gifts. Many elderly people from the neighborhood have found rich relationships at the end of their lives in the church family. A very high proportion of the membership of the church is involved in service to others. The congregation warmly welcomes neighborhood children and has supported programs to serve children for many decades.
Westminster Church serves:
Westminster Church is a place that breeds innovation. New ideas as to how to serve are welcomed and tested by the community. Anyone who has anything to offer is welcomed by the community. The church welcomes people from other churches who want to serve with the church in the West Central Neighborhood. People from other churches have joined in ministry for many years and have brought their own churches into fellowship with this unique church. It is a wonderful place to discover what Christ had in mind for His Church.
Westminster Church prays:
Westminster Church’s Sunday prayer list is enormous. People outside the church see their need for prayer fulfilled by this unique praying community. People are regularly impressed that other people care for them and that they have value in the eyes of their Lord.
Pastor Sandy Brockway has been the minister at Westminster Presbyterian Church since 1990. Sandy serves a diverse community of people and encourages their concern for each other and for ministry to the West Central community. She had long demonstrated skill in working in such neighborhoods and in 1992 welcomed the Whitworth graduates who came up with the idea of the Westminster House. Under her leadership Westminster Church has encouraged such outreach ministries as the Westminster House, Logos (a weekday program for children), Homework Helpers, the Westminster Food Bank, Christ Clinic, Christ Kitchen, and a Native American ministry as well as ministries for church goers. Sandy cares deeply for people and her lengthy Sunday Morning Prayer List brings them all to the attention of the Lord.


Memorial Service and Celebration of life
The family of Dan Hanczar would like to welcome all to an open memorial commemorating Dan’s life at Oakdale United Presbyterian Church on Saturday July 17th, 2021 between the hours of Noon-2pm.
Oakdale UP Church
62 Hastings Ave.
Oakdale, PA 15071
Immediately following the church memorial visitation, there will be a continued fellowship and musical celebration held in Oakdale at the family farm on Hill Rd. until 8pm. All friends welcome.
The family would like to invite any musicians who plan to attend the family farm gathering to bring their instruments to the barn stage. There will be opportunities for solo sets and jamming
In the early overnight hours of Sunday morning, Dan Hanczar passed away. Dan is my wife, Connie’s brother. Dan was a musician and songwriter. I have had the privilege of mixing and publishing Dan’s multiple albums. His music celebrates his legacy as a man who loved God and family. His music reflects Dan’s heart… earthy and yet full of faith and celebrating his faith tradition. His music will speak and remind us of the treasure of his life and legacy.
Dan will be missed, and held in loving memory.
Engineer / Producer
This website will be updated in the days ahead to further reflect this tragic news.
Dan’s album credits include: Be Thankful (Original songs about faith and family) Summer (an eclectic mix of original rock, pop, jazz and country celebrating the beauty of summertime) Christmas of the Ancestors (an array of original and traditional Christmas music performed by the Dan Hanczar Orchestra) Ancient Dreams (an EP of three songs penned by Dan)
Several singles have also been recorded by Dan Hanczar including Dragonfly, Dolores Kelly, and Zombies on the Beach.
Dan’s live performance career spans over 50 years. The Store will be updated a be live again in a short time and will once again make Dan’s music available for purchase online.


As is well known the Americas has been explored by several European countries, including Spain and Portugal. They conquered indigenous lands and inculcated or imposed, depends on the perspective, their culture and religion. Therefore it is possible to find that the dominant religion in the continent is Christianity. Most of the people of the different countries are Catholic.
The Catholic Church has always been known for its magnificent art and economy. Churches are ostentatious temples full of luxury. That is why we propose to take a tour of the most important churches of the City of Buenos Aires.
Basílica María Auxiliadora y San Carlos
It was built in 1910 and it is an icon of Catholicism in the city of Buenos Aires. It presents an eclectic style combining Lombard and Byzantine movement among others. In this Basilica the Pope Francis was baptized in Christmas of 1936. (map)
Basílica San José de Flores
Known today as the Church of Pope Francis’ childhood, it was inaugurated in 1883 in the neighborhood of Flores, next to Plaza Pueyrredon. The subway line A has a station called Flores that is located next to the church. (map)
Basílica de Santísimo Sacramento
Taking our free morning tour will see the facade of this imposing church. It was built by the Anchorena family and the interior is decorated with white marble, Venetian mosaic, onyx and bronze. It has the largest organ of the city and it is recommendable to attend celebrations to enjoy its melodies. (map)
Iglesia de San Ignacio
It was the first Catholic church built in Buenos Aires. Construction began in 1675 and is part of the so-called Manzana de las Luces with the Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires and the old building of the University of Buenos Aires among other historical buildings. (map)
Parroquia de Nuestra Señora del Pilar
It is located in Recoleta and is an important spot of our free tour in Buenos Aires. It was built in 1732 by the Franciscan Recoleto Friars who lived in the convent next to it, today the Recoleta Cultural Center. It is the second oldest temple in the city and a popular place that stands next to the Recoleta Cemetery. (map)
Santuario Eucarístico Jesús Sacramentado
This temple was built in the XIX century and it was converted into a Eucharistic Shrine by Pope Francis when he was Cardinal of Buenos Aires due to the pastoral needs of the neighborhood of Almagro. It is an imposing building with access on Corrientes Avenue. (map)


Our Core Values
At The Church in Peaster, we respect and even encourage the minor doctrinal differences that cause us to re-think our own position. During this process we team the strengths and weaknesses of our own doctrines. However, there are core values in which, this congregation will collectively holdfast. These must never waver or vary in their importance or practice. The core values you are about to read represent immovable and unchangeable beliefs shared with every member of our congregation. These core values are essential because a church's vision must always be determined by its core values.
We Believe in...
The Holiness of God
God is unique in that His holiness is absolute and complete. Everything in God's character is pure, without a trace of evil. He cannot tolerate sin in any form. Therefore, when man sinned he was separated from God. However, God so loved the world that He sent His Son; to be born of a virgin, to live a sinless life, to bear the sin of man in His crucifixion and to be resurrected. Jesus chose to take our sin upon Himself and pay for us with His own life. Only through His blood can we be brought into the presence of God.
God exist as simple being (needing nothing nor can be added to) and He manifests Himself as three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. One can only know the Father though God the Son and one can only know God the Son through God the Holy Spirit. God’s existence, as the three one God, is an incomprehensible and wondrous mystery that can never be fully explained or understood.
Heaven and Hell
We believe both Heaven and Hell are real physical places. Heaven is a place of eternal life with God, His resources and attributes. Hell is a place of eternal separation from God due to sin.
Sin is any act in opposition to God’s will. Sin can be committed by thought, action or failure to do God’s will. Man’s heart and will are totally separated from God due to sin and only through Jesus Christ can we over come sin and be united with the Father.
Water baptism is one of two ordinances of the Christian church. Water baptism identifies the believer into the kingdom of God. Only the blood of Christ saves an individual. However, baptism should be the first act of obedience. This public act symbolizes and demonstrates a believer has put to death and buried the old sin life. Also, water baptism represents rebirth and resurrection to a new life. Water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances of healing, protection and communion with God.
The Lord’s Supper is the second of two ordinances of the Christian church. It is a visible reminder of how the body of Jesus Christ was broken and His blood was poured out for our sins. Again, the Lord’s Supper and water baptism are ordinances of healing, protection and communion with God.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is an endowment of power available to every Christian at or following conversion. As a result, spiritual gifts should be manifested with balance and guidance from the local church ministry.
God Loves the World
All people are God’s creation and made in His image, believers and nonbelievers. God displays His love for everyone in that He sent His son, Jesus, so all may seek, reach out and find Him because He is near.
Faith and Provision
It is impossible to please God apart from faith. We define faith as “taking the appropriate action to what God has spoken.” According to the scriptures, if we “ask in faith and believe God, He will provide,” even in difficult times. Jesus promised He would never leave nor forsake us. Therefore, from the time of salvation, we should do the will of God from the heart and accept His provision for our needs. 1 John 5:14, “We have this confidence that what so ever we ask according to His will, we will receive.”
God Empowers Believers
Believers receive power from the Holy Spirit to perform signs, wonders and miracles to accompany God’s Word. Prayer, laying on of hands and responding to the preached Gospel are ways the Holy Spirit empowers believers. God gives every believer spiritual gifts and slots to each one individually, as the Holy Spirit chooses. God’s empowerment and gifts are for the common good to edify the body of believers and draw unbelievers to salvation through Jesus Christ
Sanctification is a process beginning with salvation and continuing as a believer grows in intimacy with God. This is a work of the Holy Spirit and is proportional to the degree in which one makes himself available to God. Christ-like characteristics begin to appear in the life of an individual as the process moves toward completion.
God Desires Intimacy
God is all knowing. He desires that we know Him personally, intimately and reverently. God desires to be involved in every aspect of our daily lives. He delights in constant communion (prayer) with us.
Unity and Fellowship
The Holy Scriptures admonish us to maintain unity of the Spirit, essential to the effectual working of the Spirit. This is not something we can strive for but is a direct result of Koinonia (authentic Christian fellowship). Koinonia occurs when we obey Jesus’ commandment to love one another.
God Responds to Our Response to Him
The primary response of the believer, both individually and corporately, is to worship God through Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit. We define worship as “our hearts response to God’s revelation of Himself.” We experience this revelation through song, dance, the arts and other forms of expression. We maintain the Church’s historical worship with a great enthusiasm for new and innovative expressions of our love, devotion and communion with the Lord.
The Scriptures and Discipleship
The Scriptures are God breathed and written by men as the Holy Spirit led them. They give us wisdom that leads to salvation by faith in Jesus and guides us in matters pertaining to conduct and doctrine. Jesus commands us to teach them to our children and others.
Repentance- change of mind
Regeneration- change of nature
Justification- change of standing with God
Sanctification- change of character
Adoption- change of position (ownership)
Healing and Deliverance
The fall of Adam negatively affected every aspect of human life. However, Jesus came and brought new life to mankind. While on earth, Jesus continues His work through the church to heal those who are physically, emotionally and spiritually sick, Prayer, scripture, accountability and Word-based counseling are a few of the tools used by the church to heal, renew, deliver and strengthen the individual. Satan and his forces are real enemies against the Kingdom of God. However, through Jesus, believers have victory over these forces of evil and deception.
Copyright © 2015 THE CHURCH IN PEASTER. All rights reserved.


Description of Suspended In The Light
Geometrical and Nature meet…
God is creator, and we are made in God’s image or Imago Dei, then we are, in our essence, creators. We are, in our essence, artists. Therefore, when we open ourselves to the expression of creativity, we also open to the movement of the Divine within us. —Christine Valters Paintner and Betsey Beckman
Our divine DNA carries the creative impulse of the Creator. In my dear friend James Finley’s words, the human longing for creative expression is part of our “God given godly nature.” Even if you don’t consider yourself creative or artistic, it is an inherent part of your being.


Compartimos un testimonio que la Conferencia de religiosos de Canadá, pidió a nuestra hermana Karina Farías sobre su servicio con los migrantes:
“Since I arrived in Canada three years ago, this Gospel line has gained a special meaning for me. I am a Mexican Sister and a member of the Teresian Carmelite Missionaries Congregation. I have been appointed to work with Seasonal Farm Workers from Guatemala and Mexico in the Lower Mainland. (Last year in BC more than 5,000 workers were hired). They face vulnerable situations such as a different language, a new culture, and both working and poor housing conditions, among others. Most of them left wives and children for a period that varies from 6 months to two years. It is a hard decision to take, but they accept it because of poverty, lack of employment and low salaries, which makes it harder to raise a family.
Seasonal Farm Workers’ Ministry in the Archdiocese of Vancouver involves six parishes and is coordinated by Fr. Richard Zanotti CS. This team is also composed by other Scalabrinian Priests, myself and the tireless work of lay people who generously support our ministry.
My pastoral job includes offering spiritual support, formation, guidance, and accompaniment to our migrant brothers. It is our main pastoral focus.
We celebrate Spanish Masses and Confessions in six different parishes, followed by a dinner and sharing. In February 2017 another parish is going to take on this ministry. However other activities are involved, for example, medical appointments, visits to the hospital, shoulders to lean on… —they want to be listened to about their families, problems and dreams.
We also visit farms and provide a faith program called Discovery. Our main goal is to offer a warm setting for faith sharing experiences. We want our Church to be a hospitable community for newcomers and a real reflection of God’s concern toward the marginalized, where they indeed feel at home surrounded by family members. Our sincere and profound intentions is to always live Jesus’ commandment of compassion, service and tolerance.
I recently received a call from a worker, telling me he is working on his personal conversion. “I want to be a better person, husband and father. I want to live closer to Jesus”. This testimony really touched and motivated me to keep on being Jesus’ presence in their daily lives”.
Sister Karina Farias, cmt


The Mission of the Creative Visual Arts Ministry is: To use our God-given creative abilities to glorify God.
Our three –fold vision:
Called as salt and light to the world, we desire to magnify the presence of God in this community. We will seek ways to reach out as artists, helping the world see the wonder of the One Who created all things.
“Reclaimed By The Living One”
Throughout the Gospel of Luke we see Jesus walking in the midst of hurting people. Sick, paralyzed, crippled, diseased, blind, lepers. Immoral, wounded, broken, enslaved. Suffering from shame, despair, hopelessness, regret. And this Life-giver brought healing. People created in His image were reclaimed from their sin and brokenness for a new life in Christ. Our resurrected Jesus, the Living One, reclaims lives today. No one is beyond His renewing reach!
We are calling for artists to submit works that represent this theme of “Reclaimed by The Living One”. Use of “reclaimed” or “recycled” materials is suggested, but not required. Painting, sculpture, photography, drawings, collage and other mediums are sought for the display. Display ready, original art only, with a limit of two pieces per artist. Artwork will be received at the church on Thursday, April 6th from 10:00 to 3:00.
Please pre-register your art by calling or emailing Susie Masters, 318-458-7258, or [email protected] . For questions or more information contact Susie Masters.
We are also seeking poetry that reflects our theme, “Reclaimed By The Living One”. The poetry will be bound in booklet form and copies available for all who come to the Palm Sunday, mid-week Service and Easter Sunday at the Woodlands.
All poetry must be submitted by MARCH 20th. Please email your poetry to JoNancy Sundberg, [email protected].
The art exhibit will be on display in the foyer of Village Bible Church beginning Palm Sunday (April 9), through Weds. night (April 12), during the special Holy Week Service, “The Wonder of the Cross”. On Easter Sunday (April 16), the exhibit will be shown at the Woodlands’ Ouachita Building during the two morning worship services. The exhibit will then return to the church to be displayed for a week.
We invite all who are interested to participate in this display of the work of God in reclaiming our lives for His glory.


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Another St. John the Baptist head on a golden plate?
Blas Delgado Ortiz, 12 Aug 2001
The Coat of Arms has John the Baptist, the patron saint of the local church (kostel
Jarig Bakker, 11 Apr 2002


Parenting Recommendations – God Provides The Solution
Raising youngsters is constantly aggravating as well as rewarding. Choosing godly parenting advice will certainly make all the difference in between failure as well as success in parenting. Being an accountable parent is a massive job filled with both little and big obstacles. Parenting circumstances are as tough or harder for each and every and also every one of us. With all that being stated I have actually constantly been thankful that my parents elevated me in the correct way. God provided us the bible to read. The scriptures has actually been my source of parenting suggestions since I was a kid. The bible verses have actually assisted me learn what would certainly be ideal and also wrong when it concerns particular points. I am constantly amazed by exactly how the bible verses can assist kids make good decisions and also great selections. In the bible we see god putting individuals in situations to create them to stumble and having to make tough choices. This is what parenting advice is based upon. Mamas require parenting suggestions more than papas. If you ask a father he will certainly claim the exact same points as a mother. Daddy’s are blessed and also must live life to the maximum. The only issue is a lot of us don’t which is where mom’s aid can be available in. Mothers have actually put over the scriptures with both feet and have actually discovered what is ideal or wrong. Sometimes a mommy will seek the parenting suggestions from god for simply this factor. She may really feel that she is shed as well as does not recognize what to do anymore. My mom has been wishing wisdom and also understanding since I was born. There is no question that she has actually been researching the bible as well as listening to god-centered house educators. She places her faith in god and relies upon him to help her raising an excellent family members. I was honored to have actually found out both from my mom and dad. Neither of them were judgmental or raise their voice at me. They let me learn at my very own speed as well as I brought that with me via my life. I am so thankful I had wonderful moms and dads who like me sufficient to assist me in the appropriate direction. That is one of the most important items of parenting suggestions I can give any kind of moms and dad. God is our source of parenting guidance. He is our resource because the holy bible is God’s word composed for us. We can draw stamina from the bible when times are tough. It is our hope as well as expectation that the things that are written in the holy bible will certainly be maintained. We have actually read the bible because our early stage and also have actually taken words to heart. When one of our moms and dads’ demands assist, we listen and we pray.
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About Rockville Catholic Summer Program
Rockville Catholic Summer Program is an 7 week, youth ministry led initative to minister to youth from ages 4-22. We do this through empowering a team of paid high school and college age youth to plan and develop classes, sports, and activities that are appealing to young people.
In the course of a summer, a camper could take soccer, acting, computer programming and many more unique opportunities all at affordable rates. More importantly, our staff is not only hand selected to be a positive influence and role model, but is being daily formed both spiritually and professionally.
The Rockville Catholic Summer program is a new adventure for our parish but also Montgomery County as a whole!


In less than a month it is Easter! This year the Christian Catholic and Greek Christian Orthodox Easter coincide. This happens only once in the four years. Most of you know the reason why I started Chove. Because I want to share with you the experience of the amazing Greek delicacies, glyka with you. However, this is not the only thing I want to share with you. What I also want to share with you is some of the unique customs and traditions you can find in Greece. One of them, is Greek Easter! An amazing festivity. As mentioned in a former blog, customs, traditions and being Greek have become one throughout the years. In general the majority of the Greek population celebrates those moments either they believe in God or not.
One of the greatest celebrations in the Christian Orthodox calendar is Easter. How we arrive to the Easter celebrations? We start back in the winter. Below you will find some explanations in short.
Carnival – Apokries
A festivity during which now we disguise ourselves in the most crazy costumes. Actually in Greece, those are the last days to eat meat. Because carnival in Greek is called apokries which comes from the words ‘apo’ meaning from and ‘kreas’ meat. Taking distance from the meat.
Aside to this part there is also a logic to why this happened during this time of year. In the early years, folks would slaughter animals for the winter and as the winter came to an end the last pieces of meat would be eaten. Then a period of downtime would come as the little ones needed to be born first until the circle could start again.
40 Days before Easter – Clean Monday (Kathari Theftera)
Around 7 weeks before Easter the fasting period starts. This happens on the first Monday after carnival.
This Monday is called Clean Monday, in Greek ‘Kathari Theftera’. Then it is a day off in Greece. Everyone meets up with friends and family, having lunch and dinner but without meat and milk products. Those 40 days resemble the 40 days that Jesus walked through the dessert. Fasting is seen as the period to clean ones soul. Aside to this on Clean Monday, the sky looks amazing! It is full of colours. Colours of the flying kites. It is said that kites go back to the 4th century that according historians was developed by Pithagoras. Next to this it is seen as an object with which you can come closer up to God. Of course delicacies are not missed from the table, but those ones are without diary products, one of them is the treat chalvas. This is a desert especially for the fasting period.
40 days have passed and the Big Week, Megali Evdomada in Greek, starts. If you wish you can go every day at the church where you can listen to the psalms. Every day in this week gets the name ‘Big’ in front of it. So, you have Big Monday, Big Tuesday, et cetera.
This is the day that the eggs are dyed red and the brioches (tsoureki) are put in the oven. Which symbolizes the rebirth of life and nature.
This is the day that Jesus, Christ, is said to be buried. The ceremony is called the Epitaph during which it is said to be the deposition of the body of Jesus to his burial, the Epitaph. This is actually the burial ceremony of Jesus. The Epitaph is being decorated with flowers. During the evening the procession takes place with chanters throughout the streets of the cities and villages. The final destination is the graveyard where Jesus is buried.
3 days after his death, Jesus is said to resurrect. To celebrate this moment, people gather before midnight in church holding white candles. Children receive candles in various colours with a present on them by their godmother or – father. Usually accompanied by a chocolate egg or bunny. At exactly midnight the priest declares that Jesus has resurrected. This is accompanied by a lot of fireworks. He proclaims it by ‘Christos Anesti’, (Christ has risen) and shares the Holy light that is said to come from his grave. The archbishop namely goes that day to Jerusalem to get the light out of the graveyard. You can see this on the news on TV where they show that the Holy Light is transferred from place to place to finally arrive at all the churches of Greece. When the Holy light is given to one another at midnight people wish each other the following. ‘Chirstos Anesti’ (Christ has risen) and get the answer ‘Alithos Anesti’ (He has truly risen). After this moment, Judas, the betrayer is burned. A human size doll is being burned with fireworks on the background.
The same night magiritsa is being eaten (a tripe and herb soup) and red eggs are cracked. Most people take the Holy light with them home. Because upon arrival they will put a cross with the flames of the candle on the front door of the house. This is done to keep the bad away from the house.
Easter Sunday & Monday
On both first and second day of Easter, families and friends gather to have lunch together and celebrate this day. It is the end of fasting. Traditional food is served. This is lamb on the spit which has been prepared throughout the whole morning until noon accompanied with potatoes and Greek salad on the side. The atmosphere is festive, full of joy, dances and excitement and yes some broken plates too on the floor ;)
The Easter period is to me very special. It is a very colourful period. A lot happens in such a short time. Whenever I am in Greece I realize that this is a very special and unique celebration which I am glad to share with you. It is really worth it to once have this experience as it so different than others either you believe or not in God. This year I will be there again!
Be with the ones you love during amazing days like those above.
Enjoy every moment!
open & share
Owner & Founder


Have a great summer....
First Day of School will be August 25!
If you would like to register, make an appointment with
our Head of Schools, or tour our school, please call
510-797-8186 between 9:00-3:00 pm.
Register for our Free Vacation Bible School
"Amazing Grace Adventures"
August 4-8, 2014
9:00 - 12:00 each day
age 4 - 7th grade


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Multi-faceted, Fay DeMeyer is known for her boundless energy and zest for life! She brings humor and the hope of Christ wherever she goes, lavishly sharing love and freedom in Christ! As a radio personality, speaker, actress, a college professor, teacher, counselor, and business owner, she commits her all to every door the Lord opens for her—and she has had many doors opened for her!
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The statement, there is no absolute truth, implies there is no real right or wrong, and that truth should be established, relatively speaking.
In recent times we have heard it said that there is no absolute truth. You have your truth, and I have mine. In general, people are encouraged to ‘speak their truth’, and to embrace how they feel about certain things. This may sound noble and may even sound right, but there is a fundamental problem with this philosophy and it is important that it be addressed. Therefore, in this post we will look at the truth about absolute truths.
It would seem that those who adopt this philosophy are mainly those who are in opposition to the Moral Law of God, as prescribed by the Bible. Since the Moral Law of God says there are certain things that are absolutely right or absolutely wrong, those who are in opposition to the Moral Law of God might want to adopt this philosophy in an attempt to obtain a license to do whatever they want with no fear of being held accountable for their immoral actions.
The statement, there is no absolute truth, implies there is no real right or wrong, and that truth should be established, relatively speaking. This encourages us to do whatever we feel is right for us, instead of considering a moral code of conduct established by God.
However, the mere statement ‘There is no absolute truth’ is inherently flawed. If you are absolutely convinced that the statement is true, then you have just proven that there can be an absolute truth.
The statement in itself is an absolute.
Instead of trying to convince ourselves there can’t be any absolutes, we should rather invest the time and energy into finding out what the truth actually is.
John 17:8 gives us an example of an absolute truth, “For the [uttered] words that You gave Me I have given them; and they have received and accepted [them] and have come to know positively and in reality [to believe with absolute assurance] that I came forth from Your presence, and they have believed and are convinced that You did send Me.”
There are absolutes that we cannot and should not ignore. For example:
There is an absolute purpose that we were created for (see Understand Your Purpose).
There is an absolute God we can trust (see Trusting God In The Hardest Times).
There is an absolute Bible we should not ignore (see How To Understand The Bible).
There is an absolute afterlife, and where we spend eternity can be absolutely determined (see Why Jesus Said He Is The Only Way).


Monday, August 21, 2017
Sent from my iPadHello everyone!
I got transferred today! I left the beautiful city of Pasadena and now
I am in El Monte! I don't know much about the area yet but I am really
excited to get to work here! My new companion is Hermana Angomas. She
is from the Dominican Republic and I am excited to get to know her!
The past week was full of craziness! We went on lots of exchanges with
different companionships and ran all over the place trying to help
everyone and to pack since they moved the apartment in Pasadena. So
I'm not really sure what happened when.. and Sunday was full of
goodbyes which was sad.
I think the hardest thing about being a missionary is that you feel
Christ's love for the people you are around for a couple months and
then you leave to repeat the same thing over and over again. It is
such a wonderful thing to learn to love the people here like Christ
does. I love that I get to help each of them come closer to Christ as
I strive to do the same.
Have a great week!
Monday, August 7, 2017
Sent from my iPad
It has been another busy week! We did two exchanges with different
sisters this week and that was super fun! We taught a lot of lessons
to people and I learned a lot about God's love for each of us. I don't
have a ton of time (that's starting to become a weekly occurrence,
isn't it?) but I hope you all are happy and safe and well and enjoying
the daily manifestations of God's personal, individual love for YOU.
Hermana Sarah Hirschi
Monday, July 31, 2017
Monday, July 24, 2017
Hola a todos!
It has been a whirlwind of a week. I love missionary life! This week marked 10 months since I said goodbye to my family and walked into the Missionary Training Center. I cannot believe it! I have loved every second and I am so grateful that I still have 8 more months to enjoy being a missionary.
This week the highlight was for sure the barbecue that our congregation had! We had yummy carne asada and hamburgers and juice and it was so fun. Us missionaries were in charge of guarding the water balloons until it was time for the little kids to play with them and it went really well until they all bombarded us and we got soaked! I did have a slight advantage though since I had the hose the whole time :)
This week I have been reading and thinking a lot about faith. Lots of times, God asks us to do things that we think are hard, for example, keeping the commandments, giving up our Sundays to go to church and worship Him, going on a mission, living high standards, etc.. Sometimes we don't understand the reasons why, and so we hesitate or balk at complying with His commands. But the scriptures teach us that we don't receive an answer until after the "trial of our faith," or in other words, until after we have tried it for ourselves. As we keep the commandments, we grow in the conviction that it is something good, because when we keep God's commandments He can and does bless us. I have seen that a lot in my own life, and especially in the lives of those I teach. We are the ones who make the commandments seem scary or unrealistic, when in reality they are just the way to receive a flood of blessings in our lives. So I am growing in my appreciation for God's commandments, because even though I don't understand the purpose all the time, as I keep them I feel of His love and receive more blessings than I can describe in a short email :)
Have a wonderful week! God bless each of you!
A cool elevator on the way to Olive Garden to celebrate Hermana Arriagada being in the mission for a year!
You can't really tell but we are SOAKED to the bone here!
I also got my first sunburn since I arrived here in California. And I am still super white, even with it.
Monday, July 17, 2017
At the temple with Carlos, Eduardo, Vicky and Edward. They are an awesome family.
Sent from my iPadHello everyone!
What a crazy week it has been! As usual though haha! This week we had
meetings three days in a row and then we were gone from Pasadena
Saturday and most of Sunday. Saturday we left because I was asked to
sing at a funeral for a stillborn child. It was really humbling to see
the family come together in love at a time of trials. It made me feel
really grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ, which makes it
possible to have family ties last forever, after death! I know that is
true and possible through the temple. We went to the temple visitors
center after church on Sunday with some of the people we are teaching
and that experience reaffirmed my knowledge that my family will be
together forever. I love my family, sorry to all y'all out there but
my family is the best. I cannot imagine heaven without my family.
At the visitors center, Carlos, one of the people we are teaching who
went with us, asked us what drove us to continue in this church, what
drove us to believe it, and that really made me think. Why am I here,
in California on a mission? Why do I believe that the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church of Jesus Christ on the
earth? As I thought, I realized that my answer boiled down to two
1. I love my Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ, and know that
They love me.
2. I love my family and want to be together with them forever.
Those two facts give me the motivation to keep going when it gets
hard. Because my Father and Christ love me, they have provided a way
for me to be happy with my family forever. And I know that They have
provided that for every single person on the earth. That is why I am a
missionary - to help other families have the same hope and comfort
that I have, and to be able to have forever families.
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Free slurpee day!
Monday, July 3, 2017
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY EVERYONE💙❤
I love America. I feel so grateful to live in this great nation! Land of the free and home of the brave.
This week was an adventure! I don't think I've had such a stressful week my entire mission! Everything that could go wrong did. But at the same time I saw so many tender mercies from God. Our new mission president and his wife came to our baptism that we had this Saturday and it was so amazing to meet them.
On Saturday, Blanca got baptized! She is the 15 year old niece of a member here and she is just amazing. We met her two weeks ago and since day one she has just had the biggest desires to learn and come closer to God. Her baptismal service was beautiful and full of the Spirit, and on Sunday she shared her testimony with the congregation and it was so powerful. I know that this gospel is what brings true, lasting happiness to each child of God. It is His given way to happiness, satisfaction guaranteed! It does not mean that it will be easy. But it does mean that we will have the divine help we need when we struggle and fall. He is always there, just a prayer away! I know He lives to help us.
Have a wonderful week everyone! Keep cool and hydrated- that's the challenge for us here in Pasadena now :)


The Monastery of Vallbona de les Monges is a beautiful monastery, and has for eight centuries been cared for by cistercian nuns, who have never left it since it was founded in the twelfth century. You should look around the church with the tomb of Queen Violant of Hungary, the choir of the church where the nuns hold their prayers, its spectacular fine dome, the cloister, which blends romanic and gothic styles, the chapterhouse with a statue of the Virgin of Mercy and the chapel where you can admire the Virgine of the cloister, a Romanic work whose face bears an expression of great gentleness.
Last Updated on Friday, 15 February 2013 13:14
Pessebre fet al taller del Monestir de Santa Maria de Vallbona.
After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.” They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay.
When the shepherds saw Jesus, they told his parents what the angel had said about him. Everyone listened and was surprised. But Mary kept thinking about all this and wondering what it meant.
As the shepherds returned to their sheep, they were praising God and saying wonderful things about him. Everything they had seen and heard was just as the angel had said.
Lluc 2, 15-20
-24 desembre VIGILIA DE NADAL
Matines Solemnes de Nadal: 22.15h
Missa del Gall: 24h
-25 desembre NADAL
-26 desembre SANT ESTEVE
Vetlla de pregària: 21.45h
Last Updated on Thursday, 18 December 2014 15:28
Calendari de turisme 2014
From January's 1st 2014 the Monastery of Santa Maria de Vallbona will open at tourism according to the following schedule
Click on the image to see the claendar (PDF file)
Last Updated on Monday, 10 March 2014 08:36


Dear Dr. Bonvallet,
We are writing to send a personal thanks for the help you brought to Ed during the recent surgery on his back. I admit, I was pretty devastated the day you showed us the MRI. My husband and I have been married for almost 40 years, and the idea that he might be permanently disabled in any way was devastating.
But I understood that we had to do something to abate the excruciating pain he had been in for years and I trusted his judgment that you were the man to help with that.
He was right.
As we explained to you going into the surgery, we are people of faith. We believe what Psalm 24 says … The earth is Yahweh’s, and the fullness thereof… We know that our God uses whatever means He chooses to get to His people, and He used you to reach down His grace and mercy and healing to Ed.
We thank you and bless you, Sir.
Every day, my husband gives thanks for being out of pain. Other than the actual surgical site, he feels better than he has in years.
Thank you for the years of study and sacrifice to become an expert in your field. You are our Rockstar!
We own a farm just north of Panama City where we raise cows and hay and chickens and grandchildren. The day we pulled out to travel to Columbus – carrying a bit of worry and concern a new calf was unexpectedly born on our farm. Her name is Bonvallet.
All the best from our family to you. May our God bless you for what you did for us.
Ed and Sandy Hathaway


"'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse ... and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.'" (Malachi 3:10)
First Baptist Church of Norristown offers several ways to share your monetary gifts with God. You can donate online using the above button, which processes your money in a safe and secure portal that goes directly to the church and our various missions and ministries. This online portal is meant to provide a simple and convenient way to give consistently, but the church must pay a small fee for each transaction in order to provide this convenience. If you so desire, you can choose to offset the transaction fee so the full intended amount can be given to the church. If you choose to pay through a checking account instead of a credit or debit card, a smaller portion will be removed. Alternatively, you can give your monetary gifts in-person, using the offering plates within the church. Any donations you make are tax-deductible. If you have any questions about the offering portal, please call or email the church office. May God our Father bless you for your generosity, obedience, and support of the work we are doing together on this journey with our Savior and Healer, Jesus Christ!


by John David Michaelis ... ; translated from the fourth edition of the German, and considerably augmented with notes, and a dissertation on the origin and composition of the three first Gospels by Herbert Marsh.
London : Printed for F. and C. Rivington ... , 1802. 2nd ed.
London : Printed for W. Baynes, 1818. 3rd ed., to which is now added, A list of various editions of the Bible, and parts therof, in English, from the year 1526 to the present time extracted from Bishop Newcome's Historical view of English biblical translations, with a continuation by another hand.


Well this is the last time y’all will hear from me..None of this seems real at all to be honest, it just feels more so like a long dream. These last 2 years of my life have taught me who I really am and how I can have REAL happiness that is eternal rather than the temporal happiness I was seeking before I served. You know when I left on my mission I knew who Jesus Christ was but I had a very poor relationship with him, I had no idea what I was missing. I have learned a million things out here in the south but would say the most significant thing I have learned is humility. Being humble is the greatest blessing we are given, we are able to exercise The Infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ each day by kneeling down and asking for forgiveness/help. Each night at the end of the day when I kneel before my maker and ask for help/forgiveness and talk about my day with him I am filled with the utmost joy, it is the most sacred part of my day other than the Sacrament on Sundays. He listens to us, he answers us, he LOVES us. I love this gospel with all my heart, I am thankful for my amazing Earthly family as well as my eternal father in heaven who loves me. I am thankful for a loving savior who atoned for my pains/transgressions, who mourns with me when I am in need. I honestly don’t know what to say at all other than I am beyond grateful for these 2 years and for everyone who has helped me along the way. I will be forever grateful for this amazing journey and I am looking forward to the next step in my life. I love all of you, I know The Book of Mormon is indeed the word of the almighty God, translated by The prophet Joseph Smith through the power of God. It is going ot be a very sad moment taking off this little black badge but I now finally know how to be Eternally Happy. God Bless y’all! I will see all of y’all at the airport Monday 3 o’clock!!! <44
So I guess next week is it…My last week as a missionary but I am so grateful I still have these 2 weeks, I will cherish every moment that I have to still wear this tag with our saviors name on my heart and feel of the special spirit we are blessed with as set apart servants of our Savior Jesus Christ. This week was one that I will never forget, actually I had an experience this week that will impact me for the rest of my life. We were called by a random number and asked to administer a blessing to a 3 week old baby over at the hospital in the ICU. I couldn’t help but to just pray and pray as we drove in the truck on the way over there. When we got there we were told that the baby was very ill and had to have life threatening surgery. So they asked me to give the blessing after Elder Thorley anointed the sweet baby with the consecrated oil. I had prayed specific that if I were to be the one administering the blessing that i would speak only by the spirit not by my own words or speech. As I opened my mouth it was filled with the words Heavenly Father wanted these 2 sweet and concerned parents to hear. I then realized that Heavenly Father was allowing us to be tools in his hands to heal this sweet little boy who was living with Heavenly Father just 3 short weeks ago. We have since heard from the family and the baby is doing so good, he is making a miracle recovery because our Heavenly Fathers will was for him to be healed. I am so grateful to hold the priesthood of god and to be able to work as a tool in his hands whenever he needs. I know that the fullness of the gospel has been restored back to the earth, that the Priesthood Authority of God is back and that Peter, James and John appeared and conferred it upon The Prophet Joseph Smith so that we could all receive of the blessings. Jesus Is the Christ I KNOW that his Atonement can heal us. He suffered for all of us. I love y’all so much. Have an amazing week.


Welcome To Hirchie Schaffner Ministries
Here at our online home you can access our teachings, ministry updates, worship videos as well as information about this ministry. Feel free to sign up for the blog updates and check out our Facebook page also. This page is meant to be a source of encouragement and hope that will challenge you to go deeper into the Knowledge and Understanding of Jesus Christ, no matter where you are right now in your journey of life.
The vision and calling of “Hirchie Schaffner Ministries” finds its motivation in the Words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 5:16 – “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.” As I look around and see so many people wandering lost in darkness I cannot sit back and do nothing! We as the Church of the Living God must be expressions of His Light and His Love. God Loved the World and so He gave, He doesn’t just love those in church but He loves everyone and wants us all to be a part of His Family, THE CHURCH.
So many have been hurt by actions done in the name of religion and have come to blame and even despise God, but our job as followers of Christ is to show the GOOD works that glorify our Father. He is a Good Father, a Gracious and Loving God who gave His ONLY SON for all sinners to find redemption and HOPE! It’s is my vision to help followers of Jesus to brighten their lights and help those who don’t know our God meet the Real Jesus, BECAUSE HE IS AWESOME! I also want all who see me to catch a glimpse of an amazing God who loves them, despite what they’ve done or how they’ve lived.
It’s time to Light up what has been dark, to show love where there has been hate and to live a life of good works that brings Glory to OUR FATHER!
I hope you’ll join me.
Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier. – Mother Teresa


Sermon, Given/Giving Voice: Psalms as Historic Songbook
This sermon was preached at First Presbyterian Church of Boise, Idaho on 9/6/15
and was the first in a three part series on Singing the Faith.
You can also find the video of this sermon here,
I do not preach from my manuscript so the two will track each other but not be identical.
“Voice: Psalms as Historic Songbook”
12As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.14Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
1Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. 2Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing. 3Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. 5For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.
1By the rivers of Babylon— there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion. 2On the willows there we hung up our harps. 3For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4How could we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? 5If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither! 6Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy. 7Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem’s fall, how they said, “Tear it down! Tear it down! Down to its foundations!” 8O daughter Babylon, you devastator! Happy shall they be who pay you back what you have done to us! 9Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!
I grew up in a musical family, mostly a musical family. I grew up as the grandson of a church organist and everyone on my mom’s side was very musically inclined – not as much on my dad’s side of the family. In fact my dad has described passionate worship to me as a time when everyone is singing loud enough that he is sure no-one will hear him… at which point he will actually sing.
But my dad attended lots of musical concerts over the years regardless of his enjoyment of the music in and of itself because his children were making the music. Music is not just an aspect of my childhood – music is all around us. My dad, for instance, can identify most birds simply by the music they make. There is music in him – it’s just a different tune and melody. Music speaks to all of us on some level because music is a part of the soul. We feel music. We hear music not simply as the words – in fact if you are a parent today (any day actually) and you ask your child how they could possibly listen to those words (to the song they like and you don’t) the child will likely say, “Oh I just like the beat.” I would argue that. I would argue that those words are going somewhere, we do not hear and encode all those words without them making an impact and forming us on some level but I do understand what is being articulated in that moment. Before we know the words – the beat and the rhythm, the melody and the harmony of the music speaks to us, connects with us, and moves us – even white middle class protestants can be slightly moved…. by music.
And researchers will tell you that music is a great memory device – so will advertisers, by the way, we all have little commercial ditties memorized in our heads. But psychological researchers study how music works with the mind and its strong aid in memorization. Even more than just those catchy melodies it’s the rhythm and the rhyme, the patterns and alliteration, and the repetition of it all that driven by the melody. And I don’t want to get caught up too deeply in this track but some of those researchers argue that music predates our development our language. We were dancing and singing before we were speaking and writing. And this continues to be the case so we use music to teach, to memorize, to store information, and even retrieve it. Alzheimer’s patients have been known to hum familiar tunes to help fight off the loss of their memories[i].
Music connects us to an emotional experience and speaks deeply to us and becomes a part of us. We will all wake up with a song in our heads we haven’t sung or heard in forever… where is it coming from? Within you – it is a part of you. Music is in our soul.
In this sense then we can see how music operates on some level as a memory devise, it is part of our soul and the spirit. It is for this reason that if you were to read in the Presbyterian Directory of Worship, by the way not always a very stimulating read, but informative – if you were to read there about the role of music it speaks to music as prayer. Music functions in our worship as prayer. We sing praise, we sing supplications, we sing out needs and wants and hope and promise. Our music then becomes not only a private and individual-encoding-of-my-being moment but it is a corporate prayer – a speaking of God, who in full mystery could never be spoken. God cannot be spoken but can be sung.
The Cherubim in the beginning of the Book of Isaiah are perceived by the prophet as “dancing” (more literally, flying around in circles) with eyes covered and they are singing their painful praise “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3) The Cherubim in all their heavenly higher order being cannot gaze upon God but they can sing of the glory of God! And it was the angelic heavenly host that greeted the birth of our savior, “the multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying (singing), “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” (Luke 2:13, 14)
Music speaks to our soul and music encodes our being; music speaks God, and music forms our relationship with God. And these are fundamental parts of music in our life, but ultimately the part I most enjoy about music is that music gives us voice.
One of my friends told a story once about her young son pulling out all the pots and pans from under the kitchen cabinets and hitting them together and banging them and making a big racket. And when she – annoyed as we all would be – stopped him and asked him what he was doing he looking up at her – with what I imagine was a bit of twinkle in his eye – and said, “I’m making a joyful noise to God.” Music gives us a voice and we come with thanksgiving and gratitude and praise, and even those who have not felt invited into active worship can become participants by way of the music. That moment we open a hymnal – maybe we don’t even sing, maybe we just track it. Or maybe we can’t even that we just listen – and we listen ourselves into the worship. I have a very good and wise friend who speaks of a time in her life that was very difficult and in that time she could not bring herself to worship. She could not utter the words and feel the spirit of it all… but… she would sit in the back and let the congregation worship for her. Even as we listen we are part of the music of creation we worship with the simple hum of our breath and the beat of our heart.
Psalm 137 has always been one of the most challenging pieces of scripture for me. How does one say, “This is the Word of the Lord,” after a psalm that ends speaking of the happiness of destroying the life of a child?
But the importance of that sentence lies in the voice it is giving the people. It gives more voice to the people than to God… in fact isn’t that what we most love about God? That God gives us voice. And this voice is about the whole song – and that whole song is beautiful in the way it voices grief and hurt… and yes, anger.
My favorite way into this psalm is a small round sung from this psalm by Don McLean, also author of American Pie. (singing: “By the waters, the waters… of Babylon. We lay down and wept, and wept… of the Zion. We remember, we remember, we remember thee Zion.” (sung twice through))
It is no wonder that the singer of that song, the pain that is given voice here, is moved to anger. Righteous anger that needs to be voiced and released. It is so easy to indict the last verse when you haven’t felt the pain of the singer. These also have held the still hearts of their own shattered children. They have known life ripped out of place. And they give voice to the anguish. “Our tormentors ask us to sing songs of our homeland. They think our grief is a traveling minstrel show – a performance for their entertainment. But we do not perform our grief for them. This is music is mine. My voice – an emotion experience that we release from deep within. Appropriating my voice for your entertainment is just one more level of hurt.
In the 1920s African-American activists began to shun the singing of their spirituals citing that they were a movement of docility and servitude before their white masters. A young Howard Thurman, who would go on to become a great spiritual mentor to a generation and advocate for nonviolent protest, sought instead to reclaim the radical nature of these songs and the strength and hope they gave voice to – not docility but prophetic advocacy filled with protest. He writes in 1939, “’The slave was a man without a home… his primary social grouping had been destroyed, so it was not possible for him to perpetuate his own tongue… slavery stripped the African to the literal substance of himself, depriving him of the props on which men commonly depend – language, custom, and social solidarity.’ The spiritual became an attempt to find meaning in circumstance of radical discontinuity when old truths lost their power to explain, comfort, or succor.”[ii] Music gave them voice in a world that had taken it away.
Just ask Mary, the mother of Jesus, about reclaiming voice and identity. Mary sings one of the great songs of our faith, the Magnificat[iii], a powerful word of protest against the political, social, and economic structures around us, as well as a great proclamation of the Gospel. Those who had no voice in the world were being given voice, word – made flesh – for them, among them, by God. We sing songs, spirituals, hymns – we speak the Holy, we let that which is a part of us free… even if it is only for a moment. In prayer and praise, in lament and hope, we sing the Gospel. We claim our voice and proclaim God’s grace.
Thanks be to God, Amen.
[ii] Quotes from Visions of a Better World: Howard Thurman’s Pilgrimage to India and the Origins of African American Nonviolence by Dixie and Einstadt.
[iii] Luke 1:46-55. See also the Song of Hannah (l Samuel 2:1-10) and the Song of Moses and Miriam (Exodus 15:1-21)


I am sitting at home thinking about Christmas past and it was significantly different than what I see my children and grandchildren experiencing today. I grew up in a family that was poor, at least our Dad convinced us we were but we were less poor than many of our cousins and friends in the neighborhood. Christmas for us was being in the church performance as some member of the nativity. We had to learn songs and presentations and bible verses. Christmas eve was always church and we received a bag with a candy cane, hard candy and mixed nuts(not the kind that are shelled). Christmas morning was one present, something we had wished for all year, and a stocking filled with an apple, an orange and once again mixeed nuts. There were no ipads or computers, we played in the snow, visited cousins, aunts, uncles and grandpa and grandmas. Our play was outside in the snow with a sled or ice skates. Christmas eve was at Grandpa and Grandma Sanborn’s usually with Alaskan King Crab and Midnight Mass. Christmas day was home in the morning and then off to Foxhome to be with all my mom’s family. It was incredible and we usually had to perform a song and gifts were exchanged. We drew names and set a limit but the gifts were somehow always amazing.
Christmas for my children will be a cruise with my oldest son’s wifes family and her brother’s family. Then they will spend Christmas at home for the first time in many years. Usually they spent it with me in Orlando but the grandchildren are getting older and wanted to be home. I will drive up for Christmas morning. I’ll be working from the 14-24th in Miami so a bit of a drive. Presents for them are many and of course a very special large one from Santa. My Indiana son, youngest, his wife and daughter will spend Christmas at his home and leave the next day to drive to Orlando to spend a week with me. I am sure we will have some Park adventures while they are here.
So what does Christmas mean to me. An opportunity to spend time with family and yes, I still attend church. I still enjoy the mixed nuts even though I have to shell them, and I am incredibly grateful that my children and their children have good lives and wonderful families. Is there any better Christmas than that? Yes, friends, extended family though far away, an older sister I love dearly and just thankful for each day I look down and my feet are above ground. Life is good, Christmas is different but the love and caring will never change.


The Members of St. Paul Parish are gathered by the Holy Spirit to worship God in word, action and sacrament and to serve Jesus Christ by serving others, especially the poor and needy. We are committed to handing on the faith we have received from the Apostles to our children and others.
St. Paul Catholic Schools began in 1909. St. Paul Parish is committed to handing on the faith to its children and toward that end, we shall provide students with a Catholic education which is dedicated to preparing them academically and spiritually for life's challenges.
St. Paul Catholic Church and School are fortunate to have so many caring people who are willing to give of their time, talent and treasure. Each plays a vital role in the development of our parish family and community.
Mass: St. Paul - Sunday 10 AM, 12:30 PM, 5 PM Holy Family - Saturday 5PM - Sunday 8 AM
Reconciliation: St. Paul - Friday 5:00 - 5:20 PM Holy Family - Saturday 4:15 - 4:45 PM
Adult Education Committee Presents
Mark your calendar for April 26th as Father Matthew Kuczora, CSC will be sharing a presentation entitled "Reflections".
School Hosting Kindergarten Round Up & Open House
St. Paul Catholic School is hosting Kindergarten Round Up on Thursday, March 9th. Kindergarten Round Up is for children who will be 5 years of age before August 1, 2017 and will be entering kindergarten in the fall. Information about the school curriculum will be shared at 11:30 am and 6:00 pm. A school-wide Open House will also be held on March 9th from 5:30 pm until 7:00 pm. Tour the school, meet the teachers, explore academic and after school programs and register for the 2017-2018 school year. Registration opens February 24th!
Movie Night - Feb. 15th
On Wednesday, February 15th at 6:00 pm, the St. Paul Catholic Church Adult Religious Education Committee with host a Movie Night. For more information, click the link below.
St. Paul Soup Supper - Jan. 25th
Come celebrate the Feast of the Conversion of Paul, Apostle on Wednesday, January 125h at 5:30 pm. The celebration will begin with vespers in the church followed by a dinner of soup and finger foods in McCarthy Hall.
Movie Night - Jan. 18th
On Wednesday, January 18th at 6:00 pm, the St. Paul Catholic Church Adult Religious Education Committee with host a Movie Night. For more information, click the link below.
Marsh Care December 22nd to 24th
Help raise money for St. Paul Catholic School while you shop at any Marsh or O'Malia's store from Thursday, December 22nd through Saturday, December 24th. The school will receive 5% of your total purchase when you use the flyer found by clicking the more button below.
First Quarter Honor Roll & Perfect Attendance Announced
St. Paul Catholic School recently recognized students for their perfect attendance and honor roll.
Parish to Host Hog Roast This Sunday
St. Paul Catholic Parish is hosting its annual Hog Roast this Sunday, October 16th from 4:00 until 8:00 pm. This is a great opportunity for church and school families to mingle, participate in a wide array of activiteis for all ages and enjoy a meal together. See the flyer flyer found by clicking the More button below.
Marsh Care October 20th to 22nd
Help raise money for St. Paul Catholic School while you shop at any Marsh or O'Malia's store from Thursday, October 20th through Saturday, October 22nd. The school will receive 5% of your total purchase when you use the flyer found by clicking the more button below.
Weekly Letter From the Pastor It is officially spring. As I write this I am not sure how springlike the weather will be when you read it. Spring is traditionally a time of hope and life. The dreariness of winter gives way to greenness. For me spring training and the approach of a new baseball season is always exciting. As we enter the last couple weeks of Lent may we embrace the disciplines of this Season so that we can cast off deeds of darkness.


by Jane Taguicana
Photo Credit: Raymond Santos
Bo Sanchez looked down on the floor and gave a long pause halfway through the interview. We were having a great conversation about his ministry, specifically his biblically-inspired financial education work when I had to ask him to go back to one of the most difficult times in his past.
“When did the forgiveness come to that person who assaulted you?”
Bo was sexually molested when he was eight by his cousin. And again, at 14 years of age. This time, it was a youth counsellor at another prayer community.
The Philippine’s most popular Catholic lay preacher bent his elbows in front of him and placed a hand on his chin. His once relaxed, stretched legs were now bent as well.
After a few seconds, he answered, “This is something a lot of people don’t understand and I, myself, don’t understand it, but it was easy for me to forgive.”
Much has been written about Bo, but more importantly, he has written a lot about himself.
The author of 45 books, founder of a prayer group, international preacher, blogger and TV and radio personality is everywhere.
So, when I asked my editor to interview him, I thought that I know my subject well. But every part of our conversation seem to unravel a new side of Bo. Every answer allowed me to learn more about him and be inspired by him.
After another pause, he revealed that he met the youth counsellor recently on a plane after the traumatic encounter 36 years ago. The molester was still very much a religious guy, with a huge cross hanging on his neck.
“He looks like a priest but he was an abuser,“ recalled the man known as The Preacher in Blue Jeans.
“He was the one who tapped my shoulder and said, ‘Bro. Bo,’
I looked at him and (replied), ‘Oh, hi!’ and then he clasped my hands and said, ‘I’m sorry.’”
“Please forgive me,” the abuser pleaded.
“I told him: ‘I’ve forgiven you a long time ago.’”
Eugenio Isabelo Tomas Reyes Sanchez is the youngest of six. Born on July 11, 1966 in Caloocan City from “the most fantastic human beings on the planet” Eugenio and Pilar Sanchez.
His parents met while his mum was applying for work in his father’s office. His dad, six years senior than the pretty 19-year-old applicant, was smitten right away. The older Eugenio slipped the answers to the entrance exam and hired her on the spot. Before you know it, their first date was at a morning mass and three months later, they tied the knot.
His parents introduced him to his first Catholic prayer meeting at age 12.
“At first, I didn’t want to go because I felt I was too young and religion was for older people.”
The family was a regular church goer but Bo admitted it was only due to obligation.
His faith came alive in the prayer meeting.
“(I loved) every part of it. Lively songs. Worship songs. Fellowship. The talk. I loved every part of it!”
The conversion came easy.
“I was smitten by God’s love and gave my life to Him.”
How many 12-year-olds do you know who have done that?
He preached soon after.
“Our leader prophesied that I would be given the gift of wisdom and preach. She then invited me to preach the next week and I did. At 13 years old. Wild.”
What is wilder is at 14, his parents encouraged him to start their own prayer group and asked him to be the leader.
The Light of Jesus Family was born in 1980 at a garage.
“We were 30 people,” Bo recalled. “Today, we have 30,000 people attending the 42 feasts (prayer meeting) in Metro Manila and its suburbs. We have 224 feasts around the world.”
Not only do they hold weekly feasts, the prayer group is now on a mission to have one million disciples around the world.
“We wanted a number that’s big enough to excite us, big enough to be unrealistic.”
So, does this mean it cannot be achieved?
Bo, who was wearing his trademark blue jeans and a blue shirt, smiled at my question.
“It’s a number that unless God moves, it won’t happen.”
Never meet your hero
When someone tells you never to meet your hero, they tell you this because of fear that you’d end up embarrassing yourself, or they’re afraid their idol won’t be as nice or even worst, your hero will be mean to you (Anyone read The Fault in our Stars?).
I will never give you that same advice when it comes to Bo.
Bo embodies what being a hero is, in my case, I even refer to him as my superhero.
A superhero is compassionate.
Bo has preached compassion many times over but decided to put it into action by founding Anawim, a shelter for the poor and abandoned elderly.
“I wanted to live with the poor — like St. Francis of Assisi. We raised money, bought a property, built a few nipa huts, and started welcoming the poorest of the poor.”
The facility in Rizal opened its doors in 1996 and has been a sanctuary to hundreds of lolos and lolas abandoned by their own family.
The need was great that they had to open other segments: a home for the orphans (Tahanan), streetkids (He Cares), pregnant women in crisis (Grace To Be Born) and poor kids who needs scholarships (Pagasa ng Pamilya).
A superhero also has awesome sidekicks or posse. Think of Justice League or Avengers. More is always better than one.
His mission to have one million disciples around the world is a proof. More than anything else, everyone is astonished that he doesn’t limit his preaching to his prayer group alone.
Bo tries to reach everyone and anyone through whatever medium you are comfortable with. Whether it’s through his inspiring books, videos on his websites, articles on his blogs, radio shows or grand feasts that is open not only to his own prayer community and Kerygma family.
At the recent Kerygma Grand Feast in Toronto, other prayer groups such as The Loved Flock, El Shaddai, Joy of the Lord and Living for Christ were there.
“It’s not about us. It’s not about our name. Not about our organization. It’s about Jesus. Let’s make him famous and let’s be as generous as we can.”
Also, a true hero is one who embodies our fantasy of being able to do something extraordinary.
Superman flies. Wolverine self-heals. Darna is super strong.
But the common denominator among them all is their courage to face their foes, jump over buildings or save the whole planet.
Bo’s courage lies in facing his own demons.
At one point, he was struggling with his addiction to porn and masturbation.
”I knew it had power over me because I couldn’t quit it. Its cravings were urgent.”
“After many frustrating years of struggle, I finally realized the path to healing: Learning to love myself the way God loves me. It was a long journey, but I found freedom.”
Bo’s ultimate weapon is his words, his gift of preaching. When other preacher tells you to only pray for what you need, here he is trying to conquer the world with the written word.
But the two exceptional characteristics that make him stand out are his forgiving nature and his immense faith in God.
Almost everyone in the room gasped when we heard the story about his encounter with his abuser. Some teared up (including this writer).
Forgiving allows room for more love while exercising faith is not easy.
His words still echo whenever I think of him: “We wanted a number that’s big enough to excite us, big enough to be unrealistic…It’s a number that unless God moves, it won’t happen.”
That’s the kind of faith that can move mountain.
So, no. Don’t believe others who say, “Never meet your hero.” Because when I met mine, not only did he meet all my expectations, he exceeded them many times over.
Bo Sanchez by the numbers:
Eugenio Isabelo Tomas Reyes Sanchez
13: First preached at 13 years of age on the topic of Eternal Life
1980: Founded Light of Jesus Community at age 14
1990: Founded Catholic magazine Kerygma
1996: Founded Anawim, a sanctuary for the poor and elderly
7: publisher of seven magazines including Kerygma
45 books: Author of books with topics ranging from inner healing, relationships and personal finance.
16: Preached in 16 countries, including 38 cities in North America
2006: Recipient of The Outstanding Young Men award for Community Service. The Philippine’s most prestigious award for young men and women between 18 and 40 years old.
2007: Recipient of Serviam Award, the highest award that can be given to a lay practitioner from the Catholic Mass Media Awards
Excerpts from the interview:
What is your main message to Filipinos living abroad who are more exposed to secularism and the desires of the flesh?
Follow Jesus. It’s the only that that can make our life happy and fulfilled.
At the time you were assaulted, were you aware that it was sex? The provincial government here is introducing sex education to kids, as early as grade 1, would you recommend that?
I was molested when I was eight years old. I didn’t understand what was happening, but I just knew that it was wrong. Since they were small, I’ve taught my kids to scream, run away or fight back if someone attempts to touch their private parts. For small children, sex education should be about protecting themselves from sexual assault.
What advice can you give someone who’s looking for her/his own community?
Starting a community is easy. It’s maintaining it that’s difficult. Anyone can start a prayer group. But building loving relationships among its members that will last year after year after year — that’s difficult.
There are two things to look for in a community. First, look for a community where you can serve the Lord, where you can fulfill your life mission; Second, look for a community that can nourish you spiritually and help you grow spiritually.
Marowe was working with me in the office, she was serving the Lord. She was my secretary. I noticed that she loved to pray and she has a relationship with God. And the other bonus I saw was she knows my work already, the craziness of my work. So, I was looking for a wife who would support my ministry so there wouldn’t be much (fight), somebody who would cheer me on.
It’s my greatest role in life, to become a father and I think it’s just amazing to see my sons move from one phase to another, maturing, growing. My 16-year-old loves to serve God. I see myself in him, but at the same time, he’s going through the same teenage phase of struggles and doubts. He said, he might take up a short course. Maybe set up his own business. And I said, “OK, It’s your own choice.”
Advice on relationships
They say that the only thing that can help people go through their pains and hurts is relationships. It’s as simple as that. Just being there, spending time. Even if she kinda pushes you away. Still be there. Gently being there. If she runs away, you run after her. That’s the only way, because she knows that no matter what she does, there’s people who are always there. On the day that she decides to open up, she knows that she can run to you. But if she runs away and say, “Ah, we’re tired or We don’t know what to do!” Just be there.
My salvation was that. I had a small group of friends that, at the time I wanted to open up for the first time that I was molested, they were there so I shared and they just accepted and loved and listened. That was salvation for me.
Advice for preachers
You’ve got be real on the stage. No fake…If you’re going through struggles, admit it there. We feel that if you don’t admit it, then other people will not benefit. They’ll say, ‘He’s got everything altogether.’ He’ll feel ‘Why am I such a mess?’ But if you share your mess, then people will say there’s hope for me. Number 2 is you have to keep on studying and reflecting because you can’t give what you don’t have.
What’s your life’s greatest fulfillment?
What’s your favourite treat?
Peanut butter. Sometimes. As I grow older, it had to be organic. It had to be without sugar. It had to be natural.
What is your favourite hobby?
To stay in a quaint coffee shop to read.
What book have you read lately?
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel.


Thank you so much to all of you who commented….it was so encouraging. I just wanted to do a quick follow-up. Lance has decided that right now “his dream job” is not where God is leading him. However, along the same line, he has just accepted a 12 month contract. This is great news for us, because he had lost a contract about a month ago and has been without work. (For those who do not know, he is self-employed) This new direction will give him steady income for a year, while he weighs what is God’s will for his life.
To add to this I wanted people to know that the relocation for his “dream job” was Sydney, Australia. 20 hr flight, and literally across the globe, I am thankful for now the Lord has not called us there…..However my heart is much better prepared should he call us to another state.
And for now this little boy would be lost without snow.


Tuning Element World Missions
Since 2009, Tuning Element has reached out to people groups around the world, which has always been an essential part of our story. While we are passionate about changing lives through physical relief with our products, we are equally excited about impacting people on a spiritual and community level for Jesus Christ.
Our world mission trips give us the opportunity to participate in projects designed to help meet the material, educational and spiritual needs.
Well project #2 completed.
African well project completed.


Charles “Bud” Richard Whetsell, 85, of Kingwood, WV, died on Monday, October 26, 2020, at his home.
Bud was born April 25, 1935, in Whetsell Settlement, to the late Charles Sumner Whetsell and Ruby Bell (Hoffman) Whetsell Allen.
He was a 1953 graduate of Kingwood High School and the Mellon Bank School of Banking. In 1953 Bud won the National Public Speaking Contest in FFA in Kansas City. He was a member of the Wesley United Methodist Church in Kingwood, where he was a Choir and Quartet Member, and a member of the Beatty Methodist Church in the Whetsell Settlement. Bud was the Chairman of the Buckwheat Festival in 2001, a Lieutenant Governor of the Kiwanis Club and Chairman of the Republican Party of Preston County. Bud was an Auditor at the Terra Alta Bank and for the Northern Railroad. He worked for the Governors Highway Safety Administration, then became the Assessor of Preston County for 25 years. His hobbies included golfing, bowling, fishing and hunting. Bud loved his grandchildren and gave his children their faith.
He is survived by his wife, Arlene (Davis) Whetsell; three daughters and spouses, Denise and Ike Harris of Kingwood, Debbie and Marc Halbritter of Richmond, Va, and Danita Sharp of Alexandria, VA; two sisters and spouses, Pauline and Bud Parrack of Oakland, MD, and Martha and Dale Childs of Morgantown; six grandchildren and spouses, Ashlee and Cory Walts of Philadelphia, Shane McCarty of Kingwood, Skyler and Mitch Levine of Tacoma Park, MD, Dylan Sharp of Alexandria, VA, Alex Halbritter and Aaron Ojalvo of Oakland, CA, and Darby Sharp of Alexandria, VA; one great-grandchild, Davis Walts of Philadelphia.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, William Whetsell; two sisters, Susan Wilson and Jean Gerasimovich.
Friends will be received at the Rotruck-Lobb Kingwood Chapel, 295 South Price Street; on Wednesday, October 28, 2020, from 2-8pm; on Thursday, October 29, 2020, from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the funeral at 11:00 a.m. in the funeral home chapel with Reverend Joe Lamm officiating. Interment will be in the Maplewood Cemetery.
The family requests that any memorial donations be made in Bud’s memory to the Church Choir at the Wesley United Methodist Church, 107 West High Street, Kingwood, WV 26537.
Social distancing and masks are REQUIRED.
Personal condolences may be offered to the family online at www.rotruck-lobb.com.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Charles "Bud" Richard Whetsell, please visit our floral store.
Wesley United Methodist Church
c/o Church Choir, 107 West High Street, Kingwood WV 26537


We´ve found a lot of people who have been prepared by the Lord this week, and everything is going great! We´ve got a lot to do now, we´re the only missionaries in this ward now, and our area is huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge!!!! Think of like all of Castle Rock, including Sedalia reaching to about the foot of the mountains, and thats how big my area is now. We can only get around on foot too, so its soooooo much fun. We take buses though when we need to, and the members are starting to get more excited about missionary work, and are working with us more! (Which means we get rides everywhere when we have appointments.) Also its stopped raining, and just getting colder now!
This past week has been awesome! We found a guy on the side of the road selling wood,and hes digging into the church! His name is Jorge, and hes getting his family in another city to invesstigate the church as well, hes the happiest guy Ive met! His first language is english as well, so my comp and I love going to visit him.
We also have another awesome investigator named Sandra who we just started teaching this past Saturday! Shes about 21 years old, and is studying Criminology!!!! Exactly what I want to study when I get back! Shes also really getting into the church, doesn´t really know anything about God or Jesus Christ or anything, and shes loving everything we´re teaching her! She went to church, and loved it! Im really proud of the members too, they really befriended her while she was there and she even went to the Christmas Program last night that the church gave!
We also found another really cool family. We went to go visit a contact we had named Norma, and we got there and she said that we couldn´t come in right now cause she had a lot on her hands with stuff, and we were about to leave when she asked if we offered prayers to people. Of course we do, so she let us in and she started telling us about how she´s been sick for about a month and nothing medicine wise or anything is helping her. She also asked us to pray for her husband and brother who have some stuff going on. We explained to her that prayer is a form of communication between us and God, and how when we pray, we're literally talking with our Father in Heaven and that we can ask for blessings, find out answers to questions, give thanks for what we had, and basically say whatever you want to say in the prayer. We then explained the Priesthood to her, about how the Priesthood is the Authority and Power of God given to man here on earth to bring to pass his eternal works. Explained how basically its the Keys to the Heavens. (Its so different explaining this in English). We told her that we would like to give her a priesthood blessing of healing, and that this blessing would be brought to pass according to her faith. We first prayed with her for her brother and husband, then we gave her the blessing, and taught the Evangelio de Jesucristo after that. We´ve met with her several times now, and she was perfectly fine the next day we came to see her, and now shes bringing all her family to talk with us and we have a lot of hope for all of them now!
Gods Power really is here on earth! We´ve been given the keys to the heavens again, The Holy Priesthood of God! Only through his authority can baptisms be valid in his eyes, only through his Authority can the true church of God be led! We are so blessed to live in these days of Prophets, Apostles, who have all the keys of the Priesthood and that we can use this priesthood to bring about the eternal purpose of God here on Earth!!!!


Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles was elected as the new president for two years of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Saturday, July 8 at the start of the July plenary assembly at the Pope Piux XII Catholic Center in Manila.
The new leader takes over after Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas who finishes his second and final term this year.
Other newly elected CBCP officers are Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio (Vice President), Palo Archbishop John Du (Treasurer), and Fr. Marvin Mejia (secretary general).
85 bishops, 74 active, five diocesan administrators and six retired attended the opening of the plenary assembly on Saturday.
SOURCE: [Radio Vaticana | ABS-CBN]


At times I feel guilty, that I have not done enough to help my daughter. It floods over me so fast, when I hear a statistic about the time line that the brain stops soaking in the most information, that I feel like I will drown. Oh and then there is the instant chest pain. I start questioning…between the ages of one and three did I let her watch too much TV because I could not cope with life? Did I read to her enough when I was trying to work from home and get her to doctors and therapy sessions? Was I patient enough with her when life was hectic? I know that I must use these questions to evaluate what I am doing now as a mom and learn important lessons of life but I also know that with God there is no guilt…let us always remember to pray against the guilt and pray that God will change our hearts and lead us to be the best parents we can be, the parents he wants us to be!
Then I let it all out; I said, “I’ll make a clean breast of my failures to God.” Suddenly the pressure was gone-my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared. (Psalm 32:5 MSG)
Guilt is banished through love and truth; Fear-of-God deflects evil. (Proverbs 16:6 MSG)
It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three-sin, guilt, death-are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God! (1 Corinthians 15:56, 57 MSG)
You lifted the cloud of guilt from your people, you put their sins far out of sight. (Psalm 85:2 MSG)
From Stephanie 2015 to Stephanie 2012: thank you:)


St. Nicholas Orthodox Academy, K-12 – Website Design
St. Nicholas Orthodox Academy (now K-12), is a new school in the Reno area dedicated to providing an Orthodox Christian alternative to public, charter, homeschooling and other Christian-based educational ministries. D4 has worked with St. Nicholas Orthodox on previous projects and because of our expertise in branding, we were called upon to help them with their new brand.
D4 Advanced Media developed an entire marketing and brand strategy and print collateral – nailing it on the head the first time, completing the project within a six-week turnaround. Our graphic designers tactfully navigated the religious component of their school by reflecting what St. Nicholas Orthodox Academy was truly about – an organization that prides themselves on a strong foundation of traditional Christian Orthodox customs. We wanted to incorporate St. Nicholas Orthodox School’s passion for the traditional Byzantine style that was representative of the academy’s practices and beliefs while still creating a modern and fresh look that could be cohesive and consistent throughout all of their brand assets.
Our web designers focused on a Byzantine style – the colors representative of St. Nicholas and their values. The website design for St. Nicholas was based on a simplified, minimalist version of a painting of the iconic crest, incorporating similar colors and symbols throughout the website. Our strategists crafted a plan for traffic flow that centered around St. Nicholas’ goals.
Direct calls to action to learn about the Orthodox church, enroll in the school, or donate are placed strategically throughout the site to ensure that visitors are flowing towards these key areas.
D4 also developed custom online admission forms in our aim for a classic, academic look. As marketing strategists as well as web designers, we want to ensure your website doesn’t just look pretty, but that it achieves your goals and creates a return on your investment.


People lined up since 6 a.m. on Tuesday outside the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan to get the once-in-a-lifetime chance to see several relics of St. Pio, best known as "Padre Pio."
The relics on display included the priest's hair, dried up blood and a cape he once wore. Visitors brought rosaries and pictures of loved ones to be blessed and touched by the relics.
One visitor in line from Laredo said the trip was worth it - praying at the relics of a priest who the Vatican says gave so much to his own parishioners in life.
"I’m just walking and I’m praying for all my friends and family [and] for peace in the world," said Veronica Peña from Laredo.
"The presence of the relics of a saint, someone who was in the world not that many years ago and now is in heaven overseeing for us,” said Fr. Jorge Gómez, rector for the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan. “I think that's what people are looking for, in the midst of all this crazy world that we're living in."
Saint Pio, who died in 1968, was canonized in 2002 by Pope John Paul II. That didn't happen after years of controversy in the early 20th century where the Vatican investigated reported miracles and eventually led to Father Pio's canonization.
The Franciscan friar was also known to have had stigmata--wounds on his hands similar to those that Christ had when he was crucified.
At the end of the last mass on Tuesday, the relics were packed up to be sent back to New York.


Connected Community Learning (CCL) was set up in the year 2000 as an experimental not-for-profit eLearning organisation providing opportunities for laypeople anywhere in the world to learn more about their faith. The project gained new momentum through partnership with the Diocese of Norwich in 2011, at a time when both technology (broadband becoming commonplace) and culture (people's 'comfort' with the on-line environment) had changed dramatically for the better.
This, CCL's, website, derives its name from Ephesians 4.12, in which Paul writes of "equip[ping] the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ", 'saints' being no more nor less than followers of Jesus. We are all called to minister, to "serve up" if you will, God's grace, mercy, love and truth. We all need equipping for that purpose, which is what CCL is about.


ATLANTA, GA – November 3rd, 2018, will go down as a historic day in the New York archives of Steinway & Sons as the brilliant sounds of a new Steinway Model B greeted the faithful who flocked to a grand piano dedication concert for the Ebenezer Baptist Church.
Dr. Patrice E. Turner, Director of Worship and Arts, and several guest musicians performed at the 2,200 seat Horizon Sanctuary, located across the street from the church that has a rich history dating to 1886. The Ebenezer Steinway was chosen after a month-long competitive audition tied to the Horizon Project, a series of sanctuary updates initiated by Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock and church trustees. The project commemorates the 50th anniversary of the passing of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who served as co-pastor from 1960 to the time of his untimely death in 1968.
Tom Olsen, Institutional/Education Specialist at Steinway Piano Galleries Atlanta, worked closely with Jason Rome, Audio Engineer, and Dr. David Oliver, organist at Ebenezer and Morehouse College, in the selection process.


What do you believe, and why? This is a critical question for all people and I believe the history of the church has something to say about it. This question…”how do you know what you know?” is the basis for epistemology — the study of knowing. Christians generally believe that scripture, the history of the church, human reason, and spiritual experience are all factors in knowing.
I believe a critical part of knowing “reality” is in recognizing the tension between these factors — knowing that our experiences are interpreted through our mental models, and that our reason is based on assumption. Because our reason and experience are limited, study of the scriptures and church tradition are critical in developing a mature Christian faith.
This is why I have tried to incorporate these elements in my songwriting. It is important that our songs not only allow us to express our feelings toward God, but that they also guide the development of our faith by being based on scripture and guidance of 2000 years of church history.
I hope that you find this to be true in the songs of YWMH. I invite you to listen to our first EP “Passion,” a musical account of the activities of Holy Week, from Palm Sunday to Easter. (It’s free!)


Acts 2 v 17
And it shall come to pass in the last days saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams. kjv
Proverbs 27 v 17
Iron Sharpens iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. kjv
You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another. MSG
The vision of a man is greater than monetary rewards. It was through the vision of God we were all created to produce wealth through the hand of God. We are connecting men through the spirit, vision and love of God, one link at a time!
Gen 2 v23
And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man. kjv
The woman is an interracial part of the birthing at DWCIM. It is the heart and love of a woman to birth what God has decreed and declared in the spirit realm. A Divine World Changers woman is filled with a spirit of harvest!
Proverbs 31 v10
Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. klv
A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds. msg


During the Second World War, Hughenden Manor was used as a secret intelligence base code-named “Hillside”. This was found in the basement of the manor many years later when it was de-classified
Newspapers from a secret WW2 bunker in the basement of Hughenden Manor
Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, and one of the leading examples of Early English architecture. The main body of the cathedralwas completed in only 38 years, from 1220 to 1258.
© Copyright Rampix Photography
The cathedral has the tallest church spire in the United Kingdom (123m/404 ft) and to go up there is worth the 2 hours and many many many stairs
Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild (1839-1898) bought the Waddesdon Estate – originally nothing but farmland – in 1874. He wanted a country retreat built in the style of a Loire châteaux and soon engaged the French architect Gabriel-Hippolyte Destailleur. The foundation stone was laid in 1877. The completion of the Bachelors’ Wing in 1880 and the main part of the house in 1883 were celebrated with house parties of twenty guests.