The Bible does not say how God expressed his favor and his disfavor for the sacrifices. And unto you shall be his desire, and you shall rule over him.
Bringing just any old common offering was not. And why slew he him? Humans see only what is visible to the eyes, but the Lord sees into the heart. And why did he murder him?
And he said, I know not: This follows the account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, their disobedience to God, and the entrance of sin into the human race. It was premeditated murder, caused by anger, jealousy, and pride. My view is expressed below. The nature of the offerings themselves The the spirit in which the offerings were given 1.
In fact, the Hebrew word used for sacrifice in Genesis 4 includes any type of offering a person may bring to God, animal offering or grain offering. And Jehovah said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? When Jesus Christ died upon the cross, He became the substitutionary atonement for our sins.
This view says that Abel presented an offering from the first born of his flock, while Cain did not present an offering from the firstfruits of his harvest. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. Cain showed by his subsequent actions that his offering was made from a jealous heart and a lack of faith.
God did not declare marriage between close relatives off-limits until He gave the Law to Moses… Today, scientists measure a mutational build up over time.
The same idea was presented to Eve in the garden. In fact, the very first two brothers in human history.
Choose from several puzzle styles and use words your child will know to create a personal puzzle just for them… wherever your creativity leads you. At one time there was a perfect man and a perfect woman who raised genetically pure children. When you till the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto you her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shall you be in the earth.
This is because the punishment for sin is death. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: Behold, You have driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from Your face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that everyone that finds me shall slay me.
And Cain talked with Abel his brother: Although the story of Cain and Abel has been the subject of many books, articles, and movies, some of the details in the story have defied explanation and as result, the story has given rise to many popular interpretations that may not reflect a correct understanding of the story.
Death, the judgment pronounced upon them by God, soon made its entrance in the first family.
John wrote, "Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And she again bare his brother Abel. When Eve conceived Cain, she said: And soon hundreds of thousands… Can brothers marry their sisters today? God had already taught them that ONLY by the shedding of innocent blood would there be remission of sins, looking forward to the time when God Himself would step into history and become human, to pay the ultimate price of death for our sin and rebellion against a Holy God.
And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. Download the fonts here. DIY religion is never good enough. Second, God told Cain: Before we answer this question, we will first show how important it is to the meaning of the Gospel.
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. We do not know how God expressed His rejection, but it was evident. But such an explanation does not take into consideration that grain offering was also acceptable to God see Lev 2.
His offering was rejected, just as any of our DIY religion efforts will be rejected. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.“Cain gave out of formalism (it was time and custom to give), whereas Abel gave the best – pure devout worship.
” This kind of rebellion is extreme, even by today’s standards. This is a Judas maneuver. Thus, it is possible that Cain and Abel brought a gift to God as an expression of gratitude for what they had accumulated as a result of their labor. The offering Cain and Abel brought to God corresponded to their occupation as a farmer and as a shepherd.
Cain and Abel (My Brother’s Keeper) Biblical Cain and Abel is the story of the second two people on earth. They are the sons of Adam and Eve. They are the sons of Adam and Eve. In the story (of their life) Cain is the older brother, he is a crop farmer.
Abel's offering of "firstlings" may also have indicated his understanding that the produce of his flock was a gift from God.
Another interpretation--which I do not believe to be accurate--is that Abel's offering involved blood, indicating a recognition of his need for atonement. [Heb ¶ By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.
And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.Download


Monastery is located 2 km east of Herceg Novi in the unique ambience of the Mediterranean vegetation. It is one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture in the Adriatic. It consists of three churches: two dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the monastery shelter with the treasury on the north side of the courtyard, and church of St. Sava, isolated on a nearby hill.
Above the door of the Small Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, on the inner side, there is a fresco inscription from 1831 where the year of 1030 is mentioned as the year when the church was built. Several layers of fresco painting were discovered on the inner walls of the church.
The Great Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was built from the 1777 to 1799 by the master Nikola Foretić from Korčula. In architectural terms, this church is a mixture of styles from Byzantine through the Roman-Greek to the Baroque style - a successful combination of Eastern and Western cultures. The iconostasis is also a blend of traditional iconography and the new baroque forms.
The Church of St. Sava was according to some sources built in the 15th century and according to some other sources in the 13th century. Among the extremely valuable exhibits in the monastery treasury, there are Crystal Cross of the St. Sava from 13th century, needlework, petohljebnica (celebration of liturgy engraved in silver), reliquary of the Monastery Tvrdoš and other items from the 17th century, a portrait of the Russian Tzar Peter the Great...


Click on the binoculars to get Glimpses of Carmel.
For more information, please contact
Mass 7:15 a.m.
Mass 8:00 a.m.
Saint Teresa’s Press is
Special Days at Carmel
See our Calendar for special days.
Our Christmas Masses:
Midnight on Christmas Eve
4:30 p.m. On Christmas Day
Mother Mary Joseph of the Sacrificial Host, O.C.D.
Our Monastery depends
on your loving support!
For directions on how to make a donation, please click the donate button.
OPEN FOR BUSINESS AGAIN!


My passion and calling is to help Christians fulfill their true potential by turning their calling into a life-changing business, non-profit, or ministry.
I have been blessed to serve over 5 million people and 50,000 churches with my ministry and resources, both online and offline. Countless interactions with people throughout the years has given me great insight into what people need to overcome doubt, fear, and external obstacles, and then live to their fullest potential.
A Few of My Guiding Principles:
Be Faithful to Jesus Christ and His Word: We were bought with a price and given the truth so we would live righteously and joyfully for God's glory.
Be a Servant First: Serving others is the cornerstone of what I am called to do. It is amazing God lets me serve Him every day.
Draw Out People's Best: I love to see people thrive. When you are your best it not only fulfills you, but it brings great blessing to everyone around you.
Practice Generosity: In my home our mantra is: Carvers are generous! We are blessed to be a blessing to others.


Dreaming is fun. When a group of friends dream together, the air crackles with the energy of the possibilities being generated in the room. That is, until someone like me begins to ground the ideas in the reality of pitfalls and problems. After one such dream session again deadened by my lack of optimism, one of my friends finally asked me, “Don’t you ever expect the best?”
That question hit me square in the heart. By nature, I am a problem solver. And where there is no problem, sometimes I look for something to fix any way. When looking at ideas or reviewing something we have accomplished, I easily see the pitfalls that need to be fixed. That starts with recognizing there are pitfalls.
The “gift” itself has a pitfall, at least in my practice of it. That pitfall is not recognizing the good that is in front of me. I have to consciously and intentionally look for what is good, what will work, or what has worked. Maybe it is better said that I need to put the search for problems on the back burner and let the good come to a boil first. Then we can return to the issues that might hamper the good stuff.
Over time, my processing has changed. I look for what is good and name it before trying to make adjustments. I actually make it a point to speak some of positive I see before going into problem-finding mode.
Beyond a personal confession, what does this have to do with anything?
Given the widespread uncertainty and tension around us, a common question that circles around us is, “What bad thing is coming next?” We wonder what else could happen that will rock the world and not in a good way. Is it even possible to expect anything good?
There are people in my church congregation that are experiencing hard times in their bodies, jobs, and even relationships. It has gone on for so long or come on so strongly and suddenly that they ask, “Is there any good to expect?”
Enter the Psalmist who wonders with us:
“Many people say, ‘Who will show us better times?’” (Psalm 4:6a)
Is there any good we can expect? Can we dream of the best and not have it thwarted by some form of evil or hardship?
The psalmist lamented that the times were hard and the only thing we could do is pray, keep our hearts right, and not scream into our pillows. How does one expect the best when the best cannot be found?
While the Psalmist speaks hard truth, he also has this center of hope and makes his plea to Yahweh:
Let your face smile on us, Lord.
You have given me greater joy
than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.
In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. (Psalm 4:6b-8)
The best good things come from the Lord – our joy, our provision, our rest. Who can show us any good? If we rely on friends, they may fail us. If we rely on government, it will not come through. If we rely on ourselves, we will not fulfill our own good because we cannot do and be all things, no matter how competent or charismatic. The best comes from the Lord. When he smiles on us and turns his face towards us, we will know the best. we can expect the best.
Okay, I hear it in my head – I asked the Lord for the best and nothing changed. I have known this as well. I have asked for relief or change. It did not matter in the moment. Nothing happened. So why should I have hope? How can I still expect the best? Because the Lord himself keeps his word and gives his word at the right time. His own character says he will show us good and be with us in hard times. This does not translate into God doing what we expect or want. It means he will gives us what is best for us. In receiving his best in his time, we can have great joy and sleep in peace.
I usually do not want to hear this in the middle of pain and doubt. This is perspective I have come to only after going through some deep waters in the past. I may yet have deep waters ahead. And the Lord will be the same in those times. He will be faithful and he will bring me through to a place of rest and joy. It is His best that I can expect.


Feasting on the Word Additional Essays
Feasting on the Word follows the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL), which provides a collection of worship readings from Scripture to be used in a schedule that follows the seasons of the church year. The RCL provides a reading from the Old Testament, a Psalm response to that reading, a Gospel, and an epistle for each preaching occasion of the year, presented in a three-year cycle.
The RCL offers two tracks of Old Testament texts for the Season after Pentecost or Ordinary Time: a semicontinuous track, which moves through stories and characters in the Old Testament, and a complementary track, which ties the Old Testament texts to the theme of the Gospel texts for that day. The print volumes of Feasting on the Word follow the complementary track for Year A, are split between the complementary and semi-continuous track for Year B, and cover the semicontinuous stream for Year C. Essays on the lections that are not covered in the Feasting on the Word print volumes are available for purchase below and can be downloaded immediately.


Funeral Services for Mrs. Mary Freda Sullivan, 88, of Jefferson will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday May 9, 2020 at The Capt. Wm. Perry Chapel of Haggard Funeral Home with Rev. Dan Hoke and Rev. Brenda Lucas officiating, under the direction of Haggard Funeral Home of Jefferson. Graveside services will follow at 2:00 PM at Liberty Hill Cemetery in Argo, Texas. There will be an open viewing from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM Friday May 8, 2020 on a come and go basis at Haggard Funeral Home in Jefferson, Texas. Due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic we are reminding people to continue practicing social distancing. I apologize for the inconvenience; however, it is not only for the safety of the family we are serving and our staff, but for you and your family’s safety as well.
Mrs. Sullivan was born February 23, 1932 to Lee Ollice Cameron and Josie Naomi Churchill Sullivan in Argo, Texas and passed away May 5, 2020 in Marshall, Texas.
She was known by many as Freda, Momma and Nana too. She was a dedicated member of the Church of God Prophecy. Freda served 27 years as the local missionary leader and taught Sunday School. She enjoyed crocheting and loved to gift it to others. For the past 3 years while residing in Jefferson she attended First United Methodist Church in Jefferson and Shiloh United Methodist Church with her family. She also enjoyed teaching life skills in the community. She retired after 25 years with Belk Jones. Traveling and fishing were a delight for her and her late husband. Freda was a strong tower and an inspiration who will be deeply missed by all.
Mrs. Sullivan was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Edward Lee Sullivan.
She is survived by her son, Lonnie Ray Sullivan and wife Sue of Jefferson, TX; daughter, Geneva Bateman and husband Billy of Texarkana, AR; daughter, Sharon Baker and husband Gary of DeQueen, AR; brother, Orville Cameron of Cookville, TX; grandchildren, Bobby Davis of Dallas, TX, Todd Davis of Dallas, TX, Josh Davis of Granite Falls, WA, Dustin Sullivan of Plano, TX, Greta Duncan of Jefferson, TX, Sumer Sullivan of Plano, TX, Jamie Baker of DeQueen, AR; 13 great grandchildren, 4 great-great grandchildren as well as numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
Pallbearers are; Dustin Sullivan, Robert Davis, Todd Davis, Josh Davis, Jamie Baker and Clay Ross.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Liberty Hill Cemetery c/o Tawana Kizer 7611 FM 1001, Cookville, TX 75558.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Freda Sullivan, please visit our floral store.


Recap for all of those who don’t know. After the 29th of January, I will not be employed with my current company as a graphic designer. They are outsourcing my department. Lol.
So…I have been looking for jobs for a while. I have talked to a lot of people. Given my resume to everyone I meet practically. I showed my portfolio to a couple of “key players”, if you will, here in Sioux City. Trying everything I can to get a graphic design job. Nothing has come up…yet.
I interviewed and got offered a job at the 4-H extension office in Sioux City. I would have been doing the marketing for 4-H. After much prayer and getting wise advise from others, I turned this job down today. It was hard to do because it had everything I needed (money, benefits, vacation, ect). I was not excited for this job. I felt that I would defiantly not like being a “marketer”. I would not enjoy the tasks. I felt like if I were to take the job, I would only be giving it 50% of me and be using this position as a temporary job until I found something else I liked better. I didn’t want to do that to them, that character is not something I want to be known for. I do understand the fact that life is filled with things you don’t want to do. It is a part of life. For me, it was more than not enjoying the tasks. It was missing God telling me this was the right place for me to be. Very key for me to have God showing me and telling me if it is right or wrong. By me not taking this job, it is stretching my faith. I have never had to use this much faith in my life. Truly I can say that God is going to provide a job for me. Something that He wants me to do, I have no idea what this is because it seems to me that I have tried everything and looked everywhere. God is so much bigger than a job and He can do whatever he wants in my life. One thing I have learned in the past that God’s timing is always awesome and so perfect. Can I get an amen to that?!? I am trying to be patient and listen to what God has to show me. I am excited about His plan not mine, some times easier said than done though!
A verse that is keeping me going. Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
With all this being said, thank you for taking the time to read. Please keep me and my job in your prayers, as I know you have been. I feel them. Thank you.


From Pastor Schiebel:
As Christians, we owe our loyalty to both Christ and His Church as well as to our own country and its government. We understand that government is indeed a gift of God to us, and that we are commanded to honor it and the leaders whom we have elected to govern and serve our nation (see the Fourth Commandment and the Table of Duties: Of Civil Government & Of Citizens in Luther’s Small Catechism).
Our nation’s Constitution in its First Amendment states that: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”. This first statement in the Bill of Rights grants religious liberty to every citizen to practice their faith, whatever it might be, according to the dictates of their conscience. The Government is not an arbiter of faith, and the Church is not a ruler within the civil realm. As Lutherans, we know this as “The Two Kingdoms”–that God rules over us both through the Church and the authorities that have been placed over us. We would agree with the constitutional idea of “Separation of Church and State” as being an expression of this “Two Kingdom” theology.
That being said, there are times when Christians, with consciences formed and shaped by God’s Word, cannot in good conscience agree or accept as right that which our government asks of us or what government may deem to be permissible. Within this free society in which we live, we all, as Christians and as people of faith and of no faith, have the right to voice our opinions and to exercise our privileges and rights in the hopes that we may see laws change. People of faith do this not seeking to impose our faith upon others or to in some way create a sort of theocracy. Rather, we work towards gaining freedom–freedom already guaranteed to us that we may be people who are able both to be faithful to our God and His Word and to be loyal citizens of our land.
In our country, we understand that there is a good and proper separation of Church and State. We understand that there is no “religious test” to hold public office. We understand that we live in a pluralistic society in which there is to be no preference given to any one group over another. Yet, this does not mean that as citizens we are then asked to check our beliefs and our consciences informed by those beliefs outside of either public discussion and discourse or even before we step into a voting booth. People of faith and of no faith have informed consciences shaped by what they believe, and they will use those consciences in expressing themselves through the opinions they hold dear as true. As citizens, we are guaranteed the right to hold and to express these opinions in words and also in our deeds, including our right to vote.
Our Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod takes no official view upon governmental policy. Yet, our very existence in this country is because our founders came from their homes in Germany to this land in order to be able to exercise their faith freely and without governmental hindrance, and to do so in both word and in deeds. We therefore stand in the belief of and seek the right for Religious Liberty, not only for ourselves but also for every citizen of our land. We also realize that the membership of our Synod’s congregations is diverse–reflecting any number of differing political loyalties and outlooks on laws and policies. We respect the rights we all have to share the views that each person holds as true. We also ask for the same respect to be able to express our own views from our consciences informed by our faith.
Martin Luther stood before the Diet of Worms in 1521, asked by the leaders of the government of his day to recant his writings and teaching. He refused, declaring that his “conscience is captive to the Word of God”. As Christians in our own day, we have the right to say the same, and to let God’s Word and our faith allow us to make informed decisions, living both as citizens and as Christians. We are indeed a free people in this land, and as Christians in this land we are also “Free to be Faithful”–as people who are able to be “true to our God, true to our native land” (LSB Hymn # 964, “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, stanza 3).
Our Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and Lutheran Hour Ministries have both prepared websites which may be of use to you in helping to understand some of the issues facing our nation, especially the issue of religious freedom and liberty. Feel free to look at these sites and their resources to help inform you of what we as Lutheran Christians believe, teach, and confess, and to see how our faith speaks to the issues we face.
From the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod:
Religious Liberty: Free to be Faithful
The LCMS launched an education and awareness campaign called “Religious Liberty: Free to Be Faithful” in September 2012 in response to increasing intrusions by government into the realm of the church. The campaign’s main goal is to inspire LCMS rostered members and laity to take informed action to protect the freedom of religion.
From Lutheran Hour Ministries:
The Intersection of Church and State
Religious freedom in America has been an issue of paramount importance since the beginning of this great nation. As the nation has grown and changed, so has the relationship of the federal government and the many religions that comprise the community of faith throughout the land. Questions of the relationship between Church and State have never been more relevant than they are today!
Equipped with this information, please exercise the rights you have as a citizen and vote according to the dictates of your own conscience. But above all, no matter how you vote or no matter of the political position you may side with, be a faithful Christian who daily prays to God that we may live in this land and have leaders who will allow all of us in our nation to “live peaceful lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:3). God grant it. Amen!


|STEP FOUR - FIND WHAT GOD HATES (PRIDE)
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." Proverbs 6:16-19
In our daily walk with the Lord, we need to find out what he hates and refrain from doing them. This is very important. So therefore what is pride one may ask?
Pride is proud or disdainful behavior or treatment; insolence or arrogance of demeanor; haughty bearing and conduct; insolent exultation; disdain.
The reason why it is very important to do away with the pride of life is that God hates it. Lucifer was cast down because of pride. The Bible says that "Pride goeth before distruction" so please do away with it. The Bible says in Isaiah 14:12-14 "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Read the whole story about Lucifer in Ezekiel 28
The Bible says in Proverbs 8:12-14 that "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate" and in
Proverbs 11:1-3 it says "When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom." It continued to say in
Proverbs 16:17-19 "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."
A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. An example is Nebuchadnezzar, who because of his pride, his heart was made like a beast and he ate grass. This is recorded in Daniel 5:20,21
"But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will."
Pride is not of God
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (1 John 2:15-17)
God resisteth the proud
"Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." (James 4:6,7)
Step 5 -
Find What God Loves (Humility)


I can’t help but wonder if you’re sitting there right now, facing a circumstance that you have no answer for. It was in times like these that David encouraged himself in YHVH. When no one was around to comfort him, console him, or even pity him, he found his strength in the weakness of the moment. .
There is a story in three of the gospels in which Yeshua extends an invitation to a young man to follow him. Wow! What an honor to be asked by the very son of YHVH to be His disciple.
The dilemma I have is the fact that this young man was very prosperous and was asked by Yeshua to leave all and follow Him. Once again, I have found a hidden truth that was before my eyes all the time, and was just now revealed. I cannot tell you the countless times I have heard sermons preached on these passages and never comprehended exactly what was taking place.
Question, do you recognize your season of wrestling? Do you understand that it has been a test the whole time – of your endurance, of your strength, of your tenacity, of your full-doggedness if you will? This test of wills is for our example, to let us know that the Lord watches to see if we will persist, if we will press on, if we will simply not give up until we receive His promise.
Will you be one who gives in this wrestling season that you are in right now?
A couple of years ago, following a wonderful Sabbath service I received a beautiful revelation regarding the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies. The depth of this message was profound. The implications of the message continues to reverberate deep within my spirit man. I say deep because the Holy of Holies was the deepest spiritual place on the face of the earth in the Temple time.
This message centered on the elements that were on top of the Arc of the Covenant.
There wasn't much special about our little group of believers. In fact, our common bond was that we were quite the band of misfits (if I can say that with all the love I have in my heart). We didn't seem to quite fit anywhere, yet YHVH saw fit to call us into deeper relationship with Him.


The kind, beloved 4th. C. Bishop of Myra (Turkey), was revered across Europe for his benevolence and miraculous deeds.
By the year 1100, Nicholas became one of the most revered saints and on Dec. 6, the anniversary of his death, he was honoured by gift giving & feasting. This also was the time when 'supernatural' gift-bringing began, rather than the ritual of children begging for gifts from door to door. St Nicholas would mysteriously enter homes on the Eve of St. Nicholas even through barred windows! Secular assistants to St.Nicholas, such as the 'Dark Helpers' Knecht Ruprecht or Pelznickel often would accompany him.
This practice was discouraged at the end of the 16th century by the Protestant Reformation in Germany when Christkindl became the gift-bringer replacement on Christmas Eve rather than on December 5, St. Nicholas Eve.
Many people of Dutch heritage continue the St. Nicholas (Sinterklaas) celebrations to this day with the saint being assisted by Zwarte Piet (BlackPeter).
TO ORDER St Nicholas:
St. Nicholas: 16" (40.5 cm) - $225
St. Nicholas: 28" (71 cm) - $425 (by order only)
IN AN EMAIL TO: firstname.lastname@example.org
(1) Copy and paste the name, size and price of the St Nicholas you wish to purchase
(2) Include your complete MAILING ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER and EMAIL ADDRESS
Upon receipt of your order, your total cost including shipping (if applicable), will be calculated and Shirley Ivison (Olde World Santas), will invoice you through .


Jennifer Strozier-Davenport, PhD, LMFT, CCC
Dr. Jennifer is a native of Tifton, Georgia. She relocated to Anchorage, Alaska in 2000 and then to Houston, TX in 2013. She met Dr. Scott Davenport years later and married.
Jennifer has over 20 plus years of experience in Counseling & Psychology. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services Relationship Counseling and Psychology from the University of Alaska Anchorage. She has a Master’s & Ph.D. in Clinical Counseling and Psychology from Christian Bible Institute & Seminary (CBIS) in Houston, Texas.
She is a Licensed Marriage & Family Counselor, Certified Christian Counselor, Crisis Chaplain, Licensed Ordained Chaplain & Minister, Certified in Case Management, Parenting/Facilitation, and Family and Divorce Mediation. She is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors and the National Association of Christian Counselors.
Jennifer is the founder and CEO of B.E.T.H., INC Counseling Service at (Bethinc.org). Her Appointment Calendar is Bethinc.schedulista.com where she specializes in:
Schedule your appointment today!
Jennifer serves at Lakewood Church as a Minister, Crisis Care Group Facilitator, & Prayer Partner. In her spare time she loves traveling, volunteering in the community, and spending time with her family.
Scott Davenport, Ph.D., CCMFT, LBT
Dr. Scott Davenport is a native of Monroe, LA. He now resides in Houston, TX with his wife Jennifer.
Scott has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, a Master of Science in Psychology and Counseling, and a Doctorate in Psychology and Theology. He is a Certified Christian Marriage and Family Therapist, a Licensed Belief Therapist, a Certified Christian Counselor, a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors and has over 25 years of counseling experience. Scott also serves as an Associative Minister at the Fountain of Praise in Houston, TX.
Scott and his wife Jennifer are Co-Therapist of B & S Counseling & Training Center where they offer a wide range of counseling and therapy services specializing in Pre-Martial/Marriage Counseling, Divorce Recovery, Anger and Stress Management, Grief Therapy, Emotional healing, Addictive Behavior, and Belief Therapy. Additionally, we provide adolescent & teen counseling, marriage workshops, conferences and retreats. We also officiate weddings and vow renewals.
Understanding the need for individual and group counseling, B & S has developed a curriculum to train Lay Christian Counselors in the areas of pre-marital/marital counseling, anger and stress management, emotional healing, divorce recovery, addictions, and grief therapy.
In his “spare time”, Scott enjoys, weight training, bodybuilding, reading, traveling, and spending time with his family.


One Sunday night, my friends asked me to go with them to go to church. At first, I refused. But something inside me made me change my mind so I decided to go with them.
Inside the church, we sat on one of the benches. Then, I started looking around. We are in a big crowd of people. For quite a long time, I have not seen many people gathered in a religious place. They were all singing with the choir.
In the midst of this crowd, I noticed a girl. She was swaying her body from left to right with her eyes closed and her arms were raised up high in obvious prayer for mercy while singing one of the church hymns. When she opened her eyes, she turned around and looked at me. I knew she did not mean to do it, but that look excited something in me. That look made me realize that there are better things in life than the negative thoughts I have entertained.
At the end of the Mass, I tried to look for her in the crowd thronging its way out of the church. But I did not see her anymore. I felt crushed about it, especially hopeless of seeing her ever again.
I asked my friends if they know who that girl is. Definitely, they would not know because I was sure they did not notice her in the church the way I did. Then I thought that I could just simply go to the same church again next week.
“Maybe if I come here again next week, I’ll see her,” I said to myself. “Yeah. I hope so.”
When I went home, I got a piece of paper and a pencil. I sat down on a chair next to the table in my room and, with closed eyes, I recalled her face so that I could draw it. I cannot draw well, but I did my best to draw what I could remember of her. Afterward, I looked at my drawing and whispered, “Who are you? Why do I feel this way for you?”
That night, I ended up tired thinking about her and got no answer. I just thought then that my only hope of seeing her again is in the church. And so, the following week, I went again to the church alone and on the same schedule of the Mass that she and I attended last time.
I came a bit early that is why I waited for a long time before the Mass started. I did not mind though because of my never tiring hope of seeing her. But I did not see her that time. So, when the Mass began, I was there inside the church merely for the sake of attendance and listened to the Gospel of the week.
When the Mass was over, I went out of the church with my hands in my pocket and looked down while walking, obviously disappointed and hopeless of seeing her again.
But as I was squeezing my way out of the crowd, I bumped at someone at the back. I looked up and said sorry for it. The person looked back and, to my surprise, the person I happened to bump on was the girl I came to the place for.
We stared at each other in awkward silence. I felt that I have frozen not knowing what to say. What should I say? Should I say hi? What if she avoids me after this? Does she think that I am stalking her? What if I–…
“No, that’s nothing,” she said and smiled. She turned back and continued walking. I was still unsure about what to do next until I decided to follow her and tell her that I would like to talk to her.
“Uh, hey!” I touched her shoulder and she turned back looking at me again. Her eyes were glimmering as her long black hair swayed around her head.
I did not know what to say. But I was able to ask her, “What is your name?”
And she said her name.
“How about you, what’s your name?” she asked.
I also told her my name.
“Do you come here very often?” she continued.
“Not really,” I answered. “I’m not that devoted.”
“You should come with us every week. Our souls need to be blessed even just once a week.”
“I guess you are right. I think I will really need a company the next time I come here.”
“Very well then! I will be glad to be able to be with you next week,” she smiled and left.
Before she left, I asked for her contact number to which she obliged. No words were spoken after that. As she walked away, I could only look at her and felt a thorn pulled out from my heart.
The following week, I went to church again and found that she has already been waiting for me at the church yard. Together, we attended the Mass — singing and praying together with the faithful crowd.
After the Mass, we dined together at an eatery near the church and she taught me some verses from the Bible.
“Want to do something funny?” she asked.
“Uh, sure. What is it?” I said.
She got two pieces of paper and a couple of pens.
“Here,” she handed one to me. “Write everything that you want to say to me and I will do the same for you. Then, we’ll let the store owner keep these for us. Then we’ll come back after a year to read them.”
“Like a time capsule?” I asked.
“Yes, start writing now!”
“Are you sure about this?”
“Yeah!” she winked. “Don’t worry, I’m close friends with the store owner.”
She was smiling as I was taking my time thinking about what to write. In a few minutes, I was already writing my simple thoughts of gratitude to her for shedding light on my dark world. If it wasn’t for her, my life would still be sad. She is now my reason for going to church.
One week after the Mass, I took her to a nearby park. We sat on a bench by the lake and I looked at her. I pointed at the full moon and asked, “Do you know why there’s such a thing called the full moon?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “Why?”
“It exists so that it can illuminate the world when it is dark,” I told her.
“Really? Then why does a new moon exist?”
“I don’t know about that. Why?”
“Sometimes, the moon needs to take a rest and hide for a while,” she smiled.
I didn’t get what she’s trying to tell me, but I pretended to have a clue.
“Oh, ok,” I mumbled. “Uh, you see, I have something to tell you.”
“What is it?” she eagerly asked.
I paused and thought for a moment.
“Never mind,” I looked away. “That’s nothing, really.”
“Don’t waste your time,” she smiled. “You don’t know when you will be able to say that again.”
Instantly, she became a puzzle to me. What is she trying to tell me? But at the end of the night, I was able to tell her that I like her. Her face was straight and she couldn’t react. She hugged me tight and cried.
“Thank you so much,” she said. “I hope you’ll be okay, too.”
I did not know what she meant, but I know that she liked me, too. I could feel her emotions bind with my soul.
One Sunday night, I went again to church for the Mass, but I did not see her waiting for me in front of the church. That was strange. I tried to look for her inside, but I did not find her. I tried to call her up, but I got no answer. I just stayed inside the church and listened to the Gospel.
The priest cleared his throat to start the homily.
“Good evening, brothers and sisters!” he started speaking.
And the faithful answered, “Good evening, Father!”
“Who among you here have lost someone special in their lives recently?” he asked.
A few raised their hands in response.
“It really hurts, right?” he continued. “Especially if you have promised that person one thing and you haven’t fulfilled it yet before he or she is gone. But all of us should learn to accept, just like the way God accepts us. There will certainly come a time when everything needs to change. Nothing that lives remains forever living.”
Are those words for me? I have a strong feeling that what he is saying are meant for me.
Several weeks have passed and again she wasn’t in front of the church waiting for me. This time, I began to wonder.
“What has happened to her?”
I would not know until I remember the letters that we left at the eatery nearby.
I went to the eatery and asked the store owner if I could get the letter that she wrote for me.
“Oh, so you’re that guy she was with back then?” the store owner asked and handed me the letter. “Here, she has already claimed yours several weeks ago.”
I got the letter, opened it slowly, and read.
“Hello! It was really nice meeting you! But I guess we won’t be able to see each other for long. I really had a great time with you and I was very thankful to God that He made me meet you. I’m really sorry for not telling you that I am suffering from leukemia. I really can’t help it if you knew about it. I don’t know when He will take my life soon, that’s why I am thanking Him a lot for the life that He gave me. If you are reading this at a time that you don’t see me anymore waiting for you in front of the church, I am really sorry. I’m either at the hospital right now, unable to go with you anymore. Or maybe gone forever. I know how much you like me now; I can feel it, actually. But don’t stop there even if I’m already gone. I’ll just become a part of what you are now; the person that someone else will like and probably won’t leave you like I did. I’m not the only girl that you could love. Maybe God prepared someone better for you, and I know that girl is not me. And if you’ll say thanks for changing your life, YOU’RE ABSOLUTELY WELCOME! May God bless you in everything that you do.”
I ran away and went to the park; to the bench where we sat on the night I confessed my feelings to her. I imagined her sitting right beside me and cried hard. Then, I realized what she meant when she asked about why the new moon exists. She was the moon that hid behind my shadow before she was gone. But nonetheless, she is always here — right here in my heart.
A few moments later, a girl approached me.
“Why are you crying?” she curiously asked.
I told her it was nothing.
“Cheer up, bro,” she sat beside me. “Don’t waste your time worrying a lot about things. Life is too short. Cherish every moment.”
I felt relaxed somehow. I guess another moon is rising, ready to illuminate my dark world once again.
July 2, 2014
Featured image by Shayne Lacerna


EXTENDED UNTIL AUGUST 23, 2020! #SistineOC #VatiCali The internationally acclaimed Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel Exhibition, an immersive presentation of museum-quality, near life-size reproductions of the iconic master’s frescoes that adorn the Sistine Chapel in Rome. The exhibit runs in Garden Grove’s Christ Cathedral Church, formerly Crystal Cathedral. For more information, please visit the official Sistine Exhibit Site: […]
© 2023 SEE Global Entertainment. All rights reserved.


Sabrina Carpenter Responds to Controversial “Feather” Video: “And Jesus was a Carpenter”
Sabrina Carpenter, the talented singer known for her chart-topping hits, finds herself at the center of controversy following the release of her music video for “Feather.” The Diocese of Brooklyn has denounced the video, which features Carpenter engaging in violent acts before dancing in a church, prompting a response from the artist.
The Controversial “Feather” Video:
In the music video for “Feather,” Carpenter takes on a darker and more provocative theme, leading to criticism from the Diocese of Brooklyn. Bishop Robert J. Brennan expressed his dismay, stating, “I am appalled at what was filmed at Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Brooklyn.” He further noted that the parish did not adhere to diocesan policy regarding filming on church property.
Despite the backlash, Carpenter responded to the controversy with a touch of humor. In an interview with Variety, she mentioned that the shoot had received prior approval. In a lighthearted manner, she quipped, “And Jesus was a carpenter.” The remark cleverly references her last name and the profession traditionally associated with Jesus.
- Additional Article: TAYLOR SWIFT ACKNOWLEDGES RELATIONSHIP WITH TRAVIS KELCE ONSTAGE DURING ERAS TOUR
On Tour with Taylor Swift:
Carpenter has been on tour with Taylor Swift as part of The Eras Tour. During her opening sets, she has been incorporating city-specific changes into her lyrics, showcasing her playful side. The singer expressed that humor is a crucial part of her life and creativity, stating, “Humor is such a healing part of my life. And I use it in everything — that’s how a lot of my songs happen.”
Watch the “Feather” Video:
Despite the controversy, Carpenter’s “Feather” video has stirred discussions and garnered attention. Fans and critics alike can watch the provocative video to form their own opinions on the artistic expression that has sparked both admiration and controversy.


Chernobyl lands since the 17th century were famous for their loyalty to representatives of different religions, as well as any other lands, the main source of income of which – river trade. Orthodox and Catholics, Old Believers and Jews lived here next to each other. Until now, unfortunately, not so many monuments have survived: the remains of Old Slavonic Gorodishcha, Orthodox churches in the city of Chernobyl and the village of Krasne, a Jewish cemetery and one of the most interesting places – the settlement of the Old Believers.
The first representatives of the Old Believers appeared on the territory of the exclusion zone in the XVIII century, fleeing from religious misunderstanding with former fellow countrymen. The most famous settlement on the territory of the Zone is the village of Zamoshnya, which is located in 20 km from the city of Prypyat. The settlement was founded around 1900 as a separate settlement of the 600 of Old Believers.
As evidence of their residence there are the remnants of the church and the cemetery with octagonal crosses and unusual for Ukraine wooden tombstones in the form of small houses –log houses.
The Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, which used to be a part of the convent, now stands alone among the herbs. After the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, its dome was burned down, and the walls became a haven for animals. However, the abandoned church did not last long – in the beginning of 2010, the community of the Church of St. Elias (Chernobyl) began its restoration, but according to Orthodox traditions. At present, the church’s restoration is suspended.
Today, Zamoshne is a unique monument of the culture of the Old Believers of Ukraine with its ancient history.


I Am the Light of the World
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
1 John 1:5-7
Walk in the Light
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.


2015 General Convention is over and Bishop Scott has approved same-
2012 General Convention is over and the Episcopal Church stands for equality! See below for photos and reflections.
+October 8, 2011-
+Amazing Day, Amazing Witness, Susan Russell
NOTE! Dec 18th Integrity Mtg at St.Anne's Tifton with St. Margaret's Moultrie as
Bishop Scott’s Policy on Same Sex Marriage is Now Official
The Bishop’s Policy for Same Sex Marriage will go into effect on the first Sunday of Advent this year to provide, as approved by General Convention, for trial use of authorized rites for the coming three years. Specifically, Bishop Benhase says that the following rites may be used by the presbyters of this Diocese with all persons who are legally and canonically eligible for marriage: The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage (2); and, if the couple has already been married civilly, The Blessing of a Civil Marriage. Both rites are found in the document linked below.
The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage (BCP, p. 423 ff) and The Blessing of a Civil Marriage (BCP, p. 433ff) are Prayer Book rites and thus should continue to be used as appropriate.
The following documents give the Diocese of Georgia policy, provide Model Congregational Guidelines, and give the text of the rites authorized for trial use in keeping with the policy:
In addition to the above information found at the diocesan website, the Episcopal
Church’s Standing Committee on Liturgy and Music offers Discussion Guide for congregations.
This material are found on pages 109-


You want to help people. And you like to do so by sharing your faith. As a religious worker/pastoral worker, you relate the gospel to the daily practice. Both inside and outside the church. You carry out faith discussions, offer advice on organisational issues, or start activities to get people motivated. In all of this, your action is based on the Bible: The source that always provides you with new inspiration.
Viaa offers a Dutch-taught Theology programme, in which you receive plenty of opportunity to educate yourself. You discover the broad field of action and work on the competencies you need for that. The aim is that you become an innovative, inquisitive, creative professional who knows what is going on in church and in society. From there, you will make your faith practically applicable and you will add value to the daily practice.


Wednesday Community Prayer 6:30 pm
Wednesday Night Service 7:00 pm
Sunday Community Prayer 9:00 am
Sunday School 9:30 am
Sunday Worship Service 11:00 am
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity"
- Psalms 133:1
Our church has been serving the faithful since September 2004. Our mission is to bring people to Jesus Christ and show the strength of God's love as we mature into the likeness of Christ. We are tireless in our efforts to create a family environment, where Jesus saves souls and changes lives. We help those seeking spiritual healing and enlighten the path that will lead them to Christ. Our church delights to serve people of any background. We do not discriminate. We care about all people. We diligently serve our fellow man, and serve as a guiding light toward the one true God, Jesus Christ.


A very warm welcome to St John Bosco Arts College’s website. Our college is an exciting, vibrant and dynamic girls’ Catholic comprehensive school which has a very distinctive Salesian ethos grounded in support, care and a warm friendly atmosphere.
We believe in developing a rounded individual so that students are prepared for life academically, spiritually, morally and socially. In our school community we seek to nurture the gifts, dreams and talents of all in the spirit of St John Bosco.
The college is at the cutting edge of teaching and learning and thrives on providing the best opportunities to the young people that it serves and is one of only 835 schools in England granted teaching school status. The state of the art building and facilities help to make our students feel calm and safe.
All of our staff go the extra mile to ensure that our young people succeed in developing the necessary skills and knowledge to prepare for the next stage in their educational journey and able to compete in an ever increasing globalised market. St John Bosco Arts College is a happy school where students are keen to learn, are respectful and are supported by a strong pastoral team.
Inspired by the example of St John Bosco, the purpose of our College is to react to the needs of each individual student, touching their hearts and developing their talents and creative skills.
Our College is dedicated to serving the young people and families of our community through faith, hard work and dedication. I am very proud and privileged to be the headteacher of such a fantastic school and look forward to seeing you when you visit.
We are delighted to be hosting our Open Evening Webinar for parents and carers of those looking for a place at St John Bosco Arts College. The Webinar will take place on Tuesday 6th July at 5pm. You will hear from the Headteacher and key team members with information about applications and student …
As you may be aware, COVID-19 cases are rising across the city, particularly in younger age groups. As a result, the local authority has recommended that schools begin Mass Testing to try and help control the spread of the virus. With this in mind, we have been advised to implement our Mass Testing …
On Tuesday 6th July at 5pm we will be hosting an Opening Evening Webinar for anyone interesting in applying for a place at St John Bosco Arts College. We will be discussing the application process and giving you a little more information about life as a student here at school. We would be delighted …


Marrey Picciotti, Co-Director
Marrey was Coordinator of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at St. Giles Parish from 2005 to 2021. Following completion of all three levels of CGS formation, she completed studies in practical theology and received her Master of Pastoral Studies from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago to develop a Level 4. Her capstone paper was "Meeting the Formation Needs of Young Adolescents: Development of Level Four Atrium in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd."
She currently is working in the field of educational equity.
She is grateful for the support of her husband, Will, in this vocation, and her greatest joy has been watching her own daughters working in the atrium, first as children and now as catechists. Their journey has inspired her own.
Rachel Faulman, Co-Director
Rachel introduced Catechesis of the Good Shepherd to St. Catherine-St. Lucy Parish in Oak Park in 2007 where she leads a Level 1 atrium. She has gone on to complete all three levels of CGS formation, and was recognized as a Level 1 formation leader in 2014.
Currently, she is a catechist and Parish Secretary. Previously she was the Director of Development for the National Association.
Named "Materials Maven" for the Tina Lillig Center she enjoys putting her creative energy into materials for the children. She has an adorable grandson and a lovable labrador.


Welcome to the Chandler Southern Baptist Church website. We hope this site will help you learn more about us and our witness and work for Christ. We strive to recognize and nurture the work of the Holy Spirit in ourselves and each person that we encounter along the way. Our church is a thriving community of believers and lovers of the word of God and has a long tradition of outreach and service to it's members and the community. We hope you will join us for services on Sundays and Wednesdays to experience for yourself the fellowship of Christ.
Look at Our Photos
Come see a slideshow of our wonderful community, and get a glimpse of some of the many activities that take place at Southern Baptist Church.
Hear This Week's Sermon
Bro. Keith's sermons are listed indiviually by Sunday am, pm and Wednesday. You may go to Podcasts to hear several in a row. Hear it right from our Sermon Page.


Clifford Charles Shelt, age 88, of Delta peacefully passed away at home surrounded by his loving family on Friday afternoon, January 18, 2019. Cliff was born in Delta on April 8, 1930 to the late Charlie Shelt and Arebelle (Wentz) Shelt. He graduated from Delta High School in 1948 and on June 12, 1948 he was united in marriage to Grace “Irene” Mattin and together shared 68 years together until her passing on August 9, 2016. For over eighteen years Cliff was a farmer and milked cows; later he was a fertilizer distributor for ten years and before retiring served twenty years as the custodial supervisor for the Delta Public School System. Cliff was a member of the Delta United Methodist Church and a past school board member. He is survived by his children, Judy (Mike) Cottle, of Ripley, OH, Sandra (Ray) Oyer, of Wauseon, Anne (Dean) Martin, of Millbury, OH, Linda (Larry) Fisher, of Wauseon and Barbara (Michael) Shumaker, of Delta; fourteen grandchildren, twenty-nine great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild and brothers, Larry Shelt and Gary (Sue) Shelt. Along with his wife, Grace “Irene”; Cliff was preceded in death by his son, Michael Lee Shelt; infant son; brothers, Paul and Roger Shelt and infant sister, Caroline Shelt. A memorial service celebrating Cliff’s life will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, January 24, 2019 at the Delta United Methodist Church, 101 Northwood Dr, Delta, Ohio 43515; where friends will be received from 10:00 – 11:00 AM prior to the service. Interment will follow at Greenlawn Cemetery in Delta. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be directed to the Delta United Methodist Church or Ohio Living Home Hospice, 1730 S. Reynolds Rd., Toledo, Ohio 43614 in his name. Arrangements have been entrusted to Barnes Funeral Chapel, 5825 St Hwy 109 in Delta. Online condolences may be sent to the family through our website at www.barnesfuneralchapel.com.
Delta United Methodist Church
Delta OH 43515
Ohio Living Hospice
1730 S, Reynolds Rd, Toledo OH 43614


(Information taken from SilverSpur's website - www.silverspur.com)
Six hearty meals
Lots of snacks
Seminars focusing on God's Word
Josh Lane was born and raised in Sacramento. After working as a youth pastor for churches in Atwater and Santa Rosa, he returned home where he is currently the lead pastor for Northside Church. His call to ministry began with serving at a high school summer camp. Camp has always been a part of his heartbeat for ministry.
David Wheeler serves as the lead pastor at Sonora Community Church. He volunteers in his community by coaching and serving on the Board of Directors and for his local Little League. Previously, he worked as the Short-term Missions Coordinator for Foursquare Missions International. David and his wife, Denise, served in the United Kingdom as missionaries in 2004-2005. Before that time, he was the Youth Pastor and Worship Leader at Santa Maria Foursquare Church, located in the Central Coast of California. David enjoys fishing with his fly rod, which has made all the trout in Tuolumne County a little bit safer (we are aware of this Foursquare association but it most likely wouldn't impact the theology in the music and if it does, we'll talk about it as men can and do - Paul).
Cost/Registration (please let us know if you're going to attend by sending an email to the church office - but all the registration is done at Silver Spur's website which is at the bottom of this page)
FFC Registration Coordinator: Jeff Strawther - firstname.lastname@example.org (you'll need this info when you register)
Deposit: $75 required at time of registration
Camp Fee: $165 (includes programming, food and lodging)
The $165 retreat cost includes meals, housing, snacks and a full program. Reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis.
* Silver Spur can provide bedding and towels for an additional cost of $10.00.
We are sorry, but there are no special rates for part-time attendees.
Check-in: Retreat check-in begins at 4:00 PM on Friday. Dinner will be served from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. Our first session will begin at 7:30 PM and the conference will conclude with lunch on Sunday (Again - please let us know if you're going to attend so that we may carpool if possible).
What to Bring
Dress is casual. A sweater or jacket is advisable for cool nights.
Plan on a pair of closed-toed shoes that can handle activity (required for Zipline and Giant Swing).
Bring a Bible and a notebook, personal articles, a flashlight, toiletries, sleeping bag or bedding*, towels, and soap.
If desired, bring your swimsuit, tennis racket, ball glove, etc.
You may want to bring a favorite book and a battery-operated reading light.
Remember to bring spending money for goodies and apparel from the Not Yet Famous Silver Spur Gift Shop.
If you have any questions about the retreat or guest registration, please contact the camp office at (209) 928-4248 or via email at email@example.com for more information.


Church in Ocean City NJ.
When you are on vacation in Ocean City New Jersey and still want to attend church, Coastal Christian OC, on the corner of 8th and west is the best church in Ocean City NJ. No matter what your denomination is, all are welcome. There is something for everyone, even a variety of service times. For the family that wants to rise early on Sunday, the 8:30 service is for you. If sleeping in and waking up a little later is more your pace, then the10:30 am Sunday service is better for you. There is even a CHILL (Church in the Lord’s Living room) service on Saturday nights at 6:00 for the family that might want to go in the evening. There is no children’s church provided for this service. It is a laid back environment, similar to a coffee house feel.
For the Sunday morning attendee’s, there is a children’s church available for ages infant to 5th grade in the CLC building, directly behind the church. Each class has ample staffing and plenty of supplies and activities for your child to enjoy. If you have teens and young adults, there is area for them as well. The youth director, Matthew Mayer, is inspiring, fun and has a passion for God’s word and a heart for the youth. The youth meeting is in the upper room in the main sanctuary.
The Best Church in Ocean City NJ.
A typical service format for the adults starts out with greetings, announcements, praise and worship and then the service. The senior pastor is Matt Stokes. He brings the word of God in an all inspiring verse by verse style and applies it to everyday life. I have been attending this church for close to 11 years and know it will truly bless you while you vacation in Greatest Family Resort, Ocean City, New Jersey! Coastal Christian is the best church in OC and I know you will feel welcomed and blessed.


DAYLIGHT SAVINGS BEGINS TODAY - IF YOU MISSED SERVICE, JOIN US FOR BIBLE STUDY AT 11a
Please join us for any of our weekly meetings or special events. Sunday worship begins at 9:30 am.
11950 E State Rte 350, Raytown, MO 64138
Watch the video below for some help...
Copyright © 2018 Word of Grace Fellowship - All Rights Reserved.


Our Middle School group helps students make sense of all the changes they’re experiencing. Through shared experiences and engaging dialogue, students are challenged to learn and grow in their faith. They’re also invited to take ownership of their faith through a Confirmation class available for 8th graders.
Middle School meets every Sunday at 11am and Tuesday evenings from 6:30-8pm in the Youth room. Please refer to the trimester calendar for specific meeting dates and times.
Other opportunities for middle school students include fall and winter retreats and Youthfront summer camp.


SERMON SERIES: GOD IS GOOD FOR YOU
Through this new 2020 series, we will examine the groundbreaking research that shows just why faith, specifically the Christian faith, is good for you!
It’s not only what our scriptures teach us – it is also what the research says. The scientific underpinnings of this are just BREATHTAKING!
You will be inspired and faith-filled when you hear these insights, I’m sure of it!
In an age that tries to mock, ridicule and discount Christianity, it is just AMAZING to look at the sciences and see what insights they give us about how life is impacted by the Christian faith… Come prepared to be amazed!
It would be a good series to bring friends who are fence-sitting about the Gospel or sceptical about the things of God… Invite someone too?


Iceland is a seafaring nation and through the ages many have lost their lives taking on the trecherous seas of the North Atlantic. It was not uncommon for the bodies of those drowned at sea to be washed ashore on the beaches of Mealland on the south coast.
One story goes that a long time ago one such body washed ashore. What was different about this male corpse was its most unusual appearance. It was without clothes, covered in hair and had long claws on its fingers and toes. The locals were afraid but as was the custom the body was taken to a nearby farm and a rough coffin made.
At that time there was still a church and graveyard at Skar in Mealland. However that place has long since disappeared due to sand blowing over the area. At Skar the body was taken to the cemetery for burial. Just as the ceremony was to begin and the congregation about to sing the burial hymn they were startled to discover that all the letters on the page were jumbled and now spelled out the most vile and blasphemous words. So there was no singing. When the minister attempted to say some words and bless the corpse his utterances came out as foul curses forcing him to stop. But despite all these very strange happenings the corpse was lowered into consecrated ground and as was the custom the minister sprinkled holy earth on the coffin.
Not long after the burial people became aware that the vicinity of the church was haunted. In fact it was so intense that it was impossible to be there once darkness fell. Those who were clairvoyant claimed to see the hairy creature pounding on the church roof with a plank from his coffin.
After the funeral of the hairy creature many people in the locality suddenly found themselves getting lost and disoriented. One story confirming this is about the minister who lived on the farm Hnausar in Mealland. One winter late in the evening he was on his way home. The weather was dark and overcast. The minister was very familiar with the locality and therefore wasn┤t worried even though darkness was falling. However soon he found himself totally lost out on the sands. At home people were expecting him. By late night when he still hadn┤t shown up a light was placed in the window.
Next morning the minister finally arrived home exhausted and confused after his experience. He said little about what had happened. When pressed why he hadn┤t made in the direction of the light which he must have seen he replied, ôThere were so many lights that it was impossible except for the devil himself to know which was the right one.ö
Stories written by Lilja Magn˙sdˇttir
Translation and narration by Neil McMahon


Lives of the Saints
Book file PDF easily for everyone and every device.
You can download and read online Lives of the Saints file PDF Book only if you are registered here.
And also you can download or read online all Book PDF file that related with Lives of the Saints book.
Happy reading Lives of the Saints Bookeveryone.
Download file Free Book PDF Lives of the Saints at Complete PDF Library.
This Book have some digital formats such us :paperbook, ebook, kindle, epub, fb2 and another formats.
Here is The CompletePDF Book Library.
It's free to register here to get Book file PDF Lives of the Saints Pocket Guide.
The Saints are the most perfect Christians, for they have been sanctified to the highest degree with the podvigs of holy faith in the risen and eternally living Christ, and no death has power over them. Their life is entirely Christ's life; and their thought is entirely Christ's thought; and their perception is Christ's perception. All that they have is first Christ's and then theirs In them is nothing of themselves but rather wholly and in everything the Lord Christ.
Lives of the Saints (TV Movie ) - IMDb
And where Christ is, there is the Father and the Holy Spirit also. Thus, St. Justin makes bold to say that the Lives of the Saints not only bear witness to the Life in Christ: they may even be said to be the continuation of the Life of Christ on earth. Justin, "are nothing else but the life of the Lord Christ, repeated in every Saint to a greater or lesser degree in this or that form.
This is an amazing thing that St. This in itself should be enough to convince us of the importance of filling our souls with the Lives of the Saints. Justin also says that the Lives of the Saints are a continuation of the Acts of the Apostles. They are nothing else but a certain kind of continuation of the 'Acts of the Apostles. For the Lord Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever Heb.
Illustrated Live of the Saints
With these words of St. Justin before us, we might well ask ourselves if Orthodox spiritual life is even possible without the testimony of the Lives of the Saints. The answer to this, I believe, must be "no. And we, too, in our own spiritual lives, are to enter into that continuing, never-ending Life. I spoke recently to an Orthodox priest who had converted to Orthodoxy from Protestantism. He told me that, when he was received into the Church, the officiating priest told him: "You will never be truly Orthodox without reading the Lives of the Saints. The Orthodox Faith is not, first of all, of the head.
First of all, it is of the heart: it is felt. Through the Lives of the Saints, we develop an Orthodox heart. Our monastery's co-founder, Fr. Seraphim Rose, emphasized constantly this "Orthodoxy of the heart," especially in his writings and talks at the end of his life; and he frequently referred to Lives of the Saints as a means of developing this.
Having looked at the importance and meaning of the Lives of the Saints, let us look now at the various ways we can make use of them in our spiritual lives. First, we look to the Saints as our examples. Be ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ I Cor. As Christians, we want to grow in the likeness of Christ, to have that likeness shine in us. For this to occur, we need to look often to the Saints to see that shining likeness: we must look to them for real, practical examples of how to live. Basil the Great gives this analogy:. Secondly, we must look to the Saints as our heavenly friends, as our brothers and sisters in the Faith, and as our preceptors.
We read about them not as people who are dead, but as people who are living. And this is even more immediate than just reading a biography about someone who is still alive. Let's say we are reading the biography of some famous living person. As we read it, we may dream of perhaps one day meeting this person, or perhaps of writing him a letter and having it actually reach him, and even of receiving a reply from him, despite the fact that he is so famous that thousands of people are probably writing to him.
Reading the Lives of the Saints offers us much more than this, because the Saints are alive in God, and are not bound by time and space in the same way we are. We can address them in prayer immediately and at any time, even right in the middle of reading their Lives.
- Holy Wonderworking Unmercenary Physicians Cosmas and Damian at Rome.
- Lives of the Saints: For Every Day in the Year.
- A Selection of Accompanying Titles?
- The Place of Lives of Saints in the Spiritual Life.
- El retrato de Dorian Gray (Anotado) (Biblioteca Oscar Wilde) (Spanish Edition);
- A Nice Little Business (Bello)!
- The Mandarin VP: 44 (Studies in Natural Language and Linguistic Theory)?
And they will hear us. Besides our private prayers to them, the Church offers us many other ways of communing with them as our friends and honoring them as our preceptors. We sing their troparia, we venerate their icons, we perform services to them, and with a blessing from our Bishop we can even compose services in their honor. As we read the Lives of the Saints each day, we will discover little by little those Saints whom our hearts go out to. They will become our close friends, those whom we pray to most of all, those in whom we confide our joys and sorrows.
All Saints: Why are the saints important in our everyday lives?
As Archimandrite Aimilianos, the present Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Simonos Petras on Mount Athos, writes: "These close friends will be the guides of our choice and a great comfort to us along the strait and narrow way that leads to Christ. We are not alone on the road or in the struggle.
When we stumble through sin, they will raise us up again; when we are tempted to give up hope, they will remind us that they have suffered for Christ before us, and more than us; and that they are now the possessors of unending joy. So, upon the stony road of the present life, these holy companions will enable us to glimpse the light of the Resurrection. Let us search, then, in the Lives of the Saints, for these close friends, and with all the Saints let us make our way to Christ.
Justin Popovich, as we have said, called the Lives of the Saints "applied dogmatic theology. The Saints are transformed human beings, proof positive that people are redeemed, purified, illumined, transformed and recreated by Jesus Christ. Justin also calls the Lives of the Saints "applied ethics.
They are embodiments of the life of Grace in the Church, through the Holy Sacraments, through the life-giving Body and Blood of the Lord. Seraphim Rose once counseled a budding Orthodox writer to make use of the Lives of the Saints as "applied dogmatic theology" and as "applied ethics. Seraphim said that, when one is writing on a spiritual subject, one should try to not only discuss it in the abstract, but to give living examples from the Lives of the Saints.
Seraphim wrote to his fellow Orthodox writer: "If I have any suggestion for your future articles, it would simply be to keep in mind the Lives of the Saints.
In your article, there is a point that would be more forceful by references to the life of the author of the citations, who is a Saint. You quote St. John of Kronstadt on 'love'—but he is not merely a great Orthodox Saint of this century, he is a very incarnation of the love he talks about, and there is scarcely to be found a parallel in the Lives of other Saints to his absolute self-crucifying love and service to others, blessed by God in the manifestation of an abundance of miracles that can only be compared to those of St.
See a Problem?
I will now attempt to implement Fr. Seraphim's advice here. In speaking about how to make use of the Lives of the Saints, I will give the example of a Saint who made use of them to an astounding degree. This is Fr. Seraphim's mentor, and the Bishop who blessed the establishment of our Brotherhood: St. As a boy he collected religious and historical books, and loved above all to read the Lives of the Saints. Being the oldest child, he had a great influence on his four brothers and one sister, who knew the Lives of the Saints through him. When he was eleven years old Michael was sent to the Poltava Cadet Corps military academy.
When he graduated in , he wished to attend the Kiev Theological Academy. His parents insisted, however, that he attend Law School in Kharkov, and out of obedience to them he put away his own desire and began to prepare for a career in law. It was during his university years that the Orthodox education and outlook which Michael had received in his childhood came to maturity. Young Michael saw the point of this upbringing. He saw that the Lives of the Saints, in particular, contain a profound wisdom which is not seen by those who read them superficially, and that the proper knowledge of the Lives of the Saints is more important than any university course.
And so it was, as his classmates noticed, that Michael spent more time reading the Lives of the Saints than attending academic lectures, although he did very well in his university studies also. One could say that he studied the Orthodox Saints precisely "on the university level': he assimilated their world-outlook and their orientation toward life, and studied the variety of their activity and ascetic labors and practice of prayer.
He came to love them with all his heart, was thoroughly penetrated by their spirit—and began to live like them. Many years later, during the sermon he gave when he was consecrated a Bishop, he said: "While studying the worldly sciences, I went all the more deeply into the study of the science of sciences, into the study of the spiritual life.
In , as the Russian Civil War was raging, Michael—then twenty-four years old—was evacuated with his entire family to Belgrade. There he entered the University of Belgrade, from which he graduated in in the faculty of theology. A year later he was tonsured a monk in Serbia and was given the name John, after his own distant relative, St. John Maximovitch of Tobolsk. During the same year he was ordained a hieromonk.
- Lives of the Saints!
- The Place of Your Emotions in Choosing a Life Partner!
- L’Algérie après l’indépendance: le début d’une nation indépendante?: La Guerre de lAlgérie (French Edition).
- Lives Of The Saints.
- Lives of the Saints by Nino Ricci.
- YESTERDAYS CHILDREN: Growing Up Assyrian in Persia.
For five years Hieromonk John was a teacher and tutor at the Seminary of St. John the Theologian in Bitol, Serbia. The city of Bitol was in the diocese of Ohrid, and at that time the ruling bishop of this diocese was another future Saint: St. Nikolai Velimirovich. Nikolai valued and loved the young Hieromonk John, and exerted a beneficial influence on him.


July 3, 2020
There is much conflict and unrest in 2020, however, there is great hope for us, if we can focus on why our forefathers in the USA fought for their freedom.
Thirteen colonies united together for a common cause, to bring freedom and independence. What has happened to our unity? Today there is much tension, agitation, and anger in our nation. It doesn't have to be that way! Let's focus on unity and real freedom.
June 25, 2020
What do we do when we have those around us that are aggressive, argumentative, or angry? Our response and words are critical in times like these and the Bible tells us, life and death are in our words. Our words either speak life or can actually hurt us and we get to choose what we want. Check out this short podcast to find out more!
June 19, 2020
This episode talks about God's heart for us as a good father and how we can rest on His shoulders in life's circumstances. We will also discuss moving forward if you miss your dad, didn't have a father around, or have been hurt by your father. God loves to restore all things in our lives! Happy Father's Day 2020!
June 10, 2020
There are many things that are difficult in our world right now, however, for those of us that have our faith and love rooted in God, it's our time! There are many people searching for answers, peace, hope and healing and when you have the Spirit of the living God living inside, you have all that you need!
May 28, 2020
Are you tired, weary, in need of refreshing? Recently, I have found many people struggling with weariness and wanting to give up on different things in their lives. Weariness is a strategy of the enemy to steal our life, joy, peace and zeal for life. Financial and job difficulties, relationship problems, COVID-19 are just some the things that can make us weary. This podcast tackles this obstacle! Join me!
May 21, 2020
Letting go is a good and necessary part of life, and yet, is challenging, as we are often forced into the process unexpectedly. It is a time of saying goodbye, getting rid of stuff we don’t need, and is where our plans, disappointments, dreams, and life, collide with trust in God
As we let go and trust God, it brings closure, freedom, hope, new dreams and new life. It declares our trust in God. Join me for this encouraging episode as we learn to let go.
May 14, 2020
In these days of uncertainty, there are many things coming against the peace God gives us. What do we do in times like this to guard and keep the gift of peace God gives us? In this podcast, I will discuss some of the following points.
- Peace is a gift from God to us, and as any gift, we need to open it and use it
- Fear is not from God
- Fear robs us of peace
- Wrong thoughts rob us and get us reeved up
- Unforgiveness robs us of peace
Hope you enjoy and let me hear from you in the comment section!
May 8, 2020
Many of us are in a waiting pattern in areas of our life and with the pandemic.
- Waiting to go back to work
- Waiting on a new job
- Waiting for the government to release the next plan for opening
- Waiting for our new normal
What do we do in the waiting period? This podcast will offer encouragement on how to partner with God and not waste this waiting time. It will also offer tips to anchor you in the uncertainty.
May 1, 2020
Many times in life, things do not go as we expect. This podcast explores ways to walk through the unexpected with power and confidence. I will talk about what I've learned in the big unexpected things in my life, as well as sharing scriptures that have helped in that season
April 23, 2020
In this podcast, we will discuss the dangers of negativity and the possibilities God has for us in this season. In adversity, the big key is where our mind is fixed, otherwise, we lose the battle. Negativity destroys relationships, sucks us dry, blinds us to the possibilities God has for us. You will love this podcast and will be encouraged.


At Victory Fellowship Church, we believe that giving should be a joyful response to a life changed by the gospel. We invite you to pray and reflect on what God has done for you in Christ so that you may respond joyfully!
You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. – 2 Corinthians 9:11
Why We Give
The stewardship of our finances is a tremendous—and often overlooked—area of our lives where we can faithfully proclaim the gospel. Giving strengthens our devotion to Christ and frees us to live open-handedly with the gifts God gives us. We trust in Him and His provision instead of our perceived self-sufficiency. As people of faith, we give faithfully and generously.
Cash & Checks
If you prefer not to give online, you can still give either cash or checks during our worship service. Please make checks payable to Victory Fellowship Church.
You can mail checks to Victory Fellowship Church, P.O. Box 175, Bremen, GA 30110.
Yearly Contribution Statement
The church mails one annual contribution statement to contributors following the end of the calendar year in which your donation(s) was given.
Methods to give online
PayPal You may use this link to donate to Victory Fellowship Church using PayPal.
You can donate to Victory Fellowship Church without fees using the following instructions:
- Log into PayPal and choose the Send link.
- On the Send money page enter firstname.lastname@example.org
- Choose Send to: email@example.com
- Enter the amount you would like to donate and press Continue
- Under the amount to donate choose Change next to "Paying for an item or service"
- Select "Sending to a friend"
- Choose Send Payment Now
Please do not use CashApp. We have not been able to get the account set up to receive donations.


Posted in Confessions of a Writer, tagged blogging, book, Everything, friends, husband, intimacy, Jesus, JJ Weeks, Let Them See You, Mary DeMuth, online dating, relationships, Rivera Douthit, sexual encounters, writing on July 19, 2014 |
5 Comments »
I recently marked my third year anniversary of blogging.
Originally I began blogging to build a platform as recommended by agents and publishers in order to help facilitate an audience for the book I had been writing. And yes, I published the book, finished another and have more in progress. But the best part of blogging has been the people I’ve “met.”
Relationships make life worth living.
From the deeply intimate ones I enjoy with Jesus, my husband and children to the casual liked-your-post types, they all add so much to my life. Every week I’m challenged, encouraged, or uplifted by laughter not only because of my dear family and friends, but also through you, my readers and fellow writers.
I thought I’d take a jaunt down my blogging memory lane and provide some of my newer friends with the links of my fondest posts and those readers found helpful.
Mostly, I pray that whatever I write will point people to Jesus.
Here’s the Top Ten:
Did You REALLY Meet Online? About Us
A Shout Out
Is Online Dating Gaining Popularity?
The Emptiness of Sexual Encounters
What I’m Learning From My Illness
Miracles Do Happen
What is Intimacy?
Getting Well Series – How Do You Rebuild Your Life?
Online Dating…An Obsession?
IT’S FINALLY HERE!
Hope you enjoy!
Read Full Post »
Posted in Confessions of a Writer, tagged Bible, friend, God, intimacy, Intimacy: into me You see, Jesus, relationships, Rivera Douthit, spouse on March 22, 2014 |
4 Comments »
Closeness. Familiarity. Seeing into the depth of someone. Allowing ourselves to be seen.
Who are you intimate with? A significant other? Your best friend? How intimate are you? Do you willingly share your heart, your secrets, your hopes and dreams? How are you at recognizing the intonations of their voice or mannerisms? Like me, do you find yourself saying “You sure know me, don’t you?”
Now think about God. Jesus. The Holy Spirit.
If you believe in God, how close are you? Or perhaps you’ve only thought of him as a distant deity. Maybe you’ve never thought much about God other than to use the word as an explicative. So if I told you that he is intimately acquainted with you, what would you think?
My blogging friend, Rivera Douthit, answers all these questions and more in her new book entitled Intimacy : into me You see. Her presentation of the God who knows and loves us reveals a depth of intimacy that may come as a surprise. I loved the way she examined various areas of life and the corresponding ways God makes himself known to us. Rivera’s use of scripture and fabulous storytelling draws the reader in and offers a glimpse into the heart of God.
He’s not going to deny us the ability to recognize Him if we’re sincerely seeking. He knows our hearts and will reveal Himself in ways best suited for us and our personalities.
That’s good news for folks who wonder how to find God.
Rivera’s book assures us of God’s love and desire for us. It also points us to ways for us to grow in intimacy in our other relationships as well. In addition, she offers thought provoking questions at the end of every chapter which guide us into considering how intimacy with God and others in our lives currently looks, and how it can become more.
I thoroughly enjoyed Rivera’s stories, and her heart for the Lord. Through Intimacy she offers us a peek into both. A very worthwhile read.
Read Full Post »


Observe →Record→ Reflect
Physics, at its core, is the study of matter, energy, and the fundamental forces of the universe. It's about understanding the basic principles that govern the physical world, from the smallest particles to the vastness of space. Cain's offering from the fruits of the earth can be seen as emblematic of physics. The earth and its produce represent matter and the physical world. Cain's labor in tilling the soil, planting, and harvesting can be likened to the human endeavor to understand and harness the fundamental forces of nature. Just as physics seeks to manipulate and utilize these forces and materials for advancement, Cain works with the physical aspects of the earth to produce his offering.
Biology is the study of living organisms, their life processes, and their interactions with each other and their environments. It's about the complexity of life, from the cellular level to entire ecosystems. Abel's offering of the firstborn of his flock represents this biological realm. The care and nurturing of living creatures, understanding their needs and life cycles, is akin to the study of biology. Abel's role as a shepherd involves a direct, hands-on interaction with living beings, paralleling how biologists interact with and study living organisms. His offering symbolizes the life process, the care of living beings, and the intricacies of biological systems.
Abel's role as a shepherd and his offering of the firstborn of his flock align well with Ecology, the study of organisms and their interactions with each other and their environment. Abel's care for his flock represents an understanding of the living systems and their needs. His offering symbolizes the nurturing and protection of life, and the recognition of the interconnectedness of all living beings within their ecosystems. Ecology involves understanding the balance of nature, the interdependence of species, and the sustainable management of resources—themes reflected in Abel's pastoral role.
A significant portion of Enoch (specifically, the Book of the Heavenly Luminaries, chapters 72-82) is dedicated to the movements of the sun and moon, detailing their celestial paths. These descriptions aim to account for the lengths of days, seasons, and the lunar cycle, emphasizing a divine order and calendar. Enoch describes stars and constellations as living entities, some of which are identified with angels. It mentions the fallen angels, correlating them with certain stars that transgressed their ordained order, leading to their punishment. This reflects an intertwining of astronomy with angelology and moral cosmology.
The Bible references the extraction and refining of metals, such as gold, silver, copper, iron, and lead. For example, the process of refining silver is mentioned in Proverbs 25:4, "Remove the dross from the silver, and a silversmith can produce a vessel." This alludes to the purification process of metals, which involves the removal of impurities (dross). The preparation of ointments, oils, and perfumes involves chemical processes. Exodus 30:22-25 describes the recipe for the sacred anointing oil, composed of myrrh, cinnamon, cane, cassia, and olive oil. The precise formulation and use of these substances demonstrate early chemical understanding in the context of their properties and uses.


There lies a devil under my bed,
He listens to my heart beat,
My breathing and silent prayer,
He feeds of my shivers
and my mounting fears.
As I pulled the sheets closer,
I could hear him inhaling,
Savoring my scent and sweat
As I prayed the Lord’s Prayer.
I told my dad of the monster,
He took a peak once
But he didn’t see
For the devil moves swiftly
And as he bent down under the bed,
Daddy didn’t see,
The devil swung and floated
Right above me.
I told my mother once
And she told me the monster under my bed
Are a pile of my dirty laundry.
As she picks up my soiled clothes,
Scattered all around my room,
She didn’t even noticed
The devil licking my dangling toes.
Nobody even woke up at night
When the devil lift me off the ground.
Nobody even heard a thing
When the devil whispered profanities in my ear.
Nobody even believed
The thing that everyday I feared.
Then finally one day, when my brown eyes turned grey,
And with the devil’s promise of peace,
I took the longest knife –
One after the other I stabbed
First my mom and then my dad.


top of page
Friday 10th - Remembrance Concert in Moriah Church 7pm - (Choir to take part).
Friday 17th: Children In Need Day - information sent on Seesaw
Friday 1st December - Christmas Fayre 3.15pm in the school hall
Week beginning 11th December: Christmas Concert Week
Week beginning 18th December: Christmas Party Week
Wednesday 20th December - School Christmas dinner day.
Friday 22nd: School finishes at 1.30pm for Christmas
bottom of page


using the arrow buttons.
by clicking on the page.
the page around when zoomed in by dragging it.
the zoom using the slider when zoomed-in.
by clicking on the zoomed-in page.
by entering text in the search field, and select "This Issue" or "All Issues"
by clicking on thumbnails to select pages, and then press the print button.
displays sections with thumbnails and descriptions.
displays a slider of thumbnails. Click on a page to jump.
allows you to browse the full archive.
about your subscription?
Lions Roar : September 2017
story. Human beings remain a very good creation in the image of God. Paradoxically, it is within this context of original goodness that the teach- ing of original sin is located. Even so, the teaching is sobering. It affirms that human nature as we find it in our world is involved with a power of degradation, death, and indeed evil. Human nature is not itself evil, but a good nature infected with evil. There is an important distinction here. In Christianity, human beings have, as it were, two origins. Ultimately, we were created by God as good. But relatively, our nature is passed down to us from our predecessors. The condi- tion of original sin is called “original” because it is derived from the origins of human beings in each other, as opposed to as created good by God. The force of the Latin word originale is hard to cap- ture today, but it designates a condition we inherit, not our most basic nature. Understood this way, we can see Bud- dhist analogues for the Christian under- standing of original sin. In the Catholic tradition, this human condition is regarded as a serious wound, but not as a total corruption. Human nature “is wounded in its natural powers; subject to ignorance, suffering, and the dominion of death; and inclined to sin.” This quote from the Catholic catechism resonates with several crucial Buddhist teachings, such as the poison of igno- rance, the noble truth of suffering, and habituation to non-virtuous actions. According to one common formula, the effects of original sin are “a darkened intellect and a weakened will.” One rep- resentative theologian, Thomas, further understood that original sin weakens patience (which we could relate to what the dharma calls aggression) and disturbs our ability to enjoy rightly the delightful and pleasurable aspects of reality (related to what the dharma calls passion). So generally, Christians speak of the effects of original sin, while Bud- dhists speak of ignorance, passion, and argument is based on. In a world whose future is increasingly dependent on authentic dialogue, it is important to clarify this misunderstanding. Interreli- gious dialogue between Buddhists and Christians, like all dialogue, depends on hearing each other clearly and speak- ing of each other accurately and kindly. Distinguishing between various phi- losophies and teachings is necessary and helpful in many contexts, but misrep- resenting another’s doctrine—and then contrasting it with one’s own higher wisdom—constitutes a serious obstacle to community. Therefore, I want to offer some clarifi- cation about the doctrine of original sin and point to a few striking convergences between original sin—rightly under- stood—and the Buddhist teachings. What is original sin? First, what it is not. Original sin is not Christianity’s understanding of the basic nature of humanity. That distinction belongs to a teaching known as the good creation. This is the Christian doctrine that best (although not completely) corresponds to buddhanature. The first chapter of the book of Gen- esis, mythically depicting the creation of heaven and earth, is the classical source of this teaching. It may be familiar. God cre- ates light, then the regions of sky, earth, and seas, and then their inhabitants: sun, moon, birds, plants, land animals, and fish. Throughout, a delightful refrain fol- lows each aspect of creation: “And God saw that it was good.” God then creates humanity “in the divine image, according to the divine likeness.” Here the refrain changes to “and God saw everything that God had made, and indeed, it was very good.” This is Christianity’s (and Judaism’s) most basic view of humanity—made in the image and likeness of God and part of a world that is good and very good. The great majority of Christian tradi- tions (meaning that there are exceptions) believe that this divine image is not lost by the tragedy of sin soon to follow in the aggression. The convergences might be stated this way: Neither tradition holds that human beings are intrinsically wicked or evil, but both traditions are keenly aware of the difficulties accompa- nying our current condition. They both depict the human being as wounded or sick, which is why both Buddha and Christ are sometimes depicted as doctors or healers of humanity. The Christian understanding of the effects of original sin and the Buddhist teachings on the noble truth of suffering and the root poisons are both diagnoses of what ails us. They are not normative descriptions of human nature itself. Finally, just as the many Mahayana traditions hold that the realization of buddhahood is the realization of our true nature, so the Christian view is that a saint has simply realized the image of God given in the beginning. What, then, can we do to promote more authentic dialogue on this score? Here are three suggestions. First, we can be more curious and circumspect about the causes of our feel- ings of wretchedness and our despair about humanity. The sobering history of modernity, the general breakdown of communities and families, our alienation from the harmony of the natural world, and the dominance of utilitarian narra- tives like consumerism and materialism merit more reflection in this regard. Second, we can realize that contrasting religious traditions‚which is often very fruitful and enriching, requires a subtle understanding of the other tradition. A good practice is to ask practitioners of other traditions if they can recognize their wisdom in your words. If they can- not, then you have an opportunity to listen and learn. Finally, we can stop contrasting bud- dhanature and original sin, since that is misleading and misrepresents a key concept of the Christian tradition. If a contrast to the teaching on buddhanature is necessary, it can easily be found within Buddhism itself. ♦ LION’S ROAR | SEPTEMBER 2017 14 CULTURE • LIFE • PRACTICE