Synopsis from Booksneeze.comThere is nothing quite as compelling as a personal story—an account of someone’s life, radically changed.
This book is filled with some of these amazing stories.
Across North America and around the world, hundreds of thousands of people are proclaiming a new anthem: “I Am Second.” No longer are they number one. These people have come alive to the truth that God has a plan for this world…a plan that specifically includes them. In this book you will discover their stories—some from notable people and some not so well known—who have had a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ and are walking in radical obedience by putting Him first in their lives.
These stories are raw and real, dealing with the darkest moments of the human experience. Addictions, depression, infidelity, abortion, cancer, pornography, loneliness, jealousy, divorce, war…each story shows the redemptive power of Jesus who brings purpose and true joy to every secret place of life. Your story may not be included in this book…but you too can be a Second.
My Comments :
I have requested this book from Booksneeze to review a few months ago but had only managed to finished it recently. The opinion stated herein are just my humble two cents.
This is a wonderful compilation of real people experience and their stories. It's all about what they had gone through in life. All their hardship and trauma. These are not just your everyday people.Many of them are well know. Through all their trials from falling into substances addiction to being sexually assaulted, most of them had lamented how unfair life is. But then, they realised that they must have faith in God for he is First and we are the second. They must give their lives over to God for them to be able to overcome all their setbacks.
There are a lot of raw emotions involved here. I can't help feeling sad when I read some of it.
The one down side which I noticed here are the stories tend to be a bit short.
This would be a good read for everyone from young adults to the elderly for everyone will find some experience which he/she can relate to in this book. Hopefully, it can help those who are in need of spiritual guidance.
Am giving this book four stars out of five.


At the beginning of God's Creation did you noticed an error?
At the beginning of God's Creation, no one knew anything of what was. The proof, an error has gone unnoticed for millennia.
Genesis 1 explains the Creation of God
- Genesis highlights the Creation of God. However, for millennia, despite diligent study of the Bible texts, no one has ever noticed the glaring error on the Second Creation Day. Should we blame the error on God or more surely on the co-authors of Genesis? Moreover, the origin of Genesis would be rather Babylonian and Mesopotamian. Moreover, the story begins in Mesopotamia . It all started in Mesopotamia. Didn't the Bible send Abram from Ur? Indeed, the biblical story makes Abraham leave the city of Ur in Mesopotamia. However, more than one modern exegete, remains skeptical, "Albert de Pury", is among the number. Abraham, departed from Ur?
Old Testament »The Pentateuch» Genesis »chapter 1 :
1: 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
1: 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
1: 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
1: 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.
1: 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
1: 6 And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.”
1: 7 So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so.
1: 8 God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day. the second day!.
Regardless of the version of Genesis (chapter 1), the Second Day error is repeated.
Bereishit - Genesis - Chapter 1
In your opinion: How was God in His Infinite Wisdom able to separate the waters which are below the expanse from the waters which are above the expanse? Isn't there a misunderstanding?
How can one think of the element: "Water" on the second day, if nothing but the light of the first day has been created?
But that's not all. The book, GOD OF ORIGIN, reveals much more …
2021 France (27/04)
GOD OF ORIGIN
Before God's Creation
To believe or not in the Creation of Man by God would testify, on both sides, to a lack of elevation of spirit, we said at the beginning of the blog. Even though the idea expressed in Genesis is shared by great thinkers who excel in their fields, many questions remain unanswered. What is more, the glaring error regarding the second day of Creation without allowing for personal reflection did not make anyone react.
Would God have created Man and Woman before the Earth was formed? Long ago, in a time when time was out of time, it was a bit before the Fall. Pause. The idea of the Fall in Genesis has been misinterpreted. In fact, the fall means: physical and material incorporation. From that moment the countdown had started.
But let's understand: God created man in his own image. That is, God created man and woman before the Earth was formed. Also, God had created man to his measure. GOD is "SPIRIT". It is well written in Genesis. So why try to explain Creation materially, when Creation is abstract and dependent only on the archetypes of a Creator God? A "Pure Spirit".
Eve, parted on one side!
To understand, without counting the glaring error on the Second Day Second day, we would have to go back to the very origin of the name or personality of God. By Maurice Guinguand:
" Having created the world, we must assume that God was both the father and the mother, t herefore duality, which was then transcribed by good and evil, "Baal and Yam"; "Cain and Abel". It is possible, but this duality was able to be transcribed in the archetypes that He created at the beginning and which were repeated in the beings who were condemned to descend into matter. So it was then, being double, male and female, father and mother at the same time, that they were separated. Eve was parted from one side of Man and not from one rib "!
Let's see a little, the "side" translation with the biblical scholar, Thomas Römer: “Contrary to popular understanding, the woman is not created from the 'rib' of the man, the Hebrew term rather means 'the side, the face' and thus refers to a kind of duplication. "
 Genesis, 2:21 21 "And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on the man, and he fell asleep. And he took one of his ribs and closed the flesh in its place. "
There is still a lot to say. Biblical Genesis, whether based in part on Sumerian, Assyrian, Babylonian texts, etc., contains well-kept secrets. The GOD ORIGIN book reveals some of them.
Now, to open the next theme, let's introduce the goddess Asherah, the wife of Yhwh. This was before King Josiah ordered the destruction of all places of worship where Asherah was worshiped.
Asherah Figurines Found …
Do you know the goddess Asherah? Athirat, maybe? The Old Testament, with its patriarchal and misogynistic tendencies, mentions the "Feminine" or the mother goddess "Asherah" more than 40 times. Asherah; would she be the Canaanite goddess "Athirat"? His cult was very widespread in the Middle East. We find "Asherah" in (Jeremiah 7:18, 44:17). She is called "queen of the sky". In addition, the destruction of all the “Asherahs” under the reign of king “Josias” (VII-VIth century BC), says a lot… Likewise, the intolerant and angry character of the single god in Old Testament.
The Bible mentions that the Israelites all believed in one god. This is incorrect. How to explain the presence of small statuettes or figurines bearing the effigy of the goddess Asherah found during archaeological excavations throughout the territory of Israel? One would be tempted to think that the Bible would not reveal the reality of Israel’s ancient beliefs. Apparently the ancient Israelites did not worship: one god
Asherah the mother goddess of the Canaanites, wife of El, then becomes the companion of Yhwh, the god of the Old Testament. This was before Judaism eradicated him from the center stage, for Yhwh is unique. He is the only God of the Old Testament.
Let's also discover the Goddess Athirat: English-isthar link under the photo:
“Who is Asherah”? "What is its origin" ?
Rather than misusing these subjects at the risk of making mistakes, let's leave it to “Thomas Römer” to inform us in full knowledge of the facts.


We believe that the Holy Scriptures (Bible) is the inspired Word of God and as result of it, all sixty six books of the Bible in the original manuscripts are infallible; The Holy Scriptures is the only authoritative source in the matters of faith and spiritual life of the believer.
We believe in full divinity of Lord Jesus Christ, Who always was, is and will be God and did not stop being God during the incarnation in the body on the earth.
We believe that as the Person, Jesus Christ was virginally conceived by the Holy Spirit, was born of Virgin Mary, and has both divine and human nature.
He was without sin, died on the cross for the sins of all people, was buried, but has risen on the third day in the glorified body in which He lived, ascended to heaven and sat on the right hand of God the Father. By His death He granted redemption to all mankind, but only believers will receive this atonement and reconciliation with God.
We believe that man was created by God in His image and likeness. He was created free of sin, possessing intelligence, free will and moral responsibility before God. The purpose and goal of creation of man is to worship God, to enjoy special relationaship with Him and to rule over creation.
Tempted by Satan, man fell into sin and lost God’s glory. Sin separated man from God. Man is not able to return to the way of righteousness by himself for his mind and his conscience are defiled.
Repentance, conversion, regeneration and justification
Repentance and conversion include regret about sin, confession before the Lord and leaving the way of sin, acceptance of Jesus Christ as one’s personal Savior.
We believe that the consequence of accepting Jesus Christ as a Savoir is a regeneration of the person by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God; it’s a necessary condition for adoption and entry into the Kingdom of God.
True signs of regeneration are the change of one’s life, hatred of sin, love for the Lord and desire to have a fellowship with Him, endeavour to become like Christ and to obey God’s will. Regenerated people have a proof from the Holy Spirit in their hearts that they are children of God and heirs to eternal life.
We believe that the water baptism by faith is fulfillment of the commandment of Jesus Christ about Church, the evidence of the belief and obedience to the Lord; it is a solemn promise to God of good conscience. The water baptism by the Word of God is done by those who accepted Jesus as their personal Savior and were born again (regenerated). The baptism of the believer symbolizes his death, burial and resurrection with Christ.
We believe that there is only one God; He is eternal and exists in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit; these three persons of Godhead are equally perfect and have one nature. God is the creator of all visible and invisible and worthy of true worship. Being perfect, God hates sin.
We believe that the Holy Spirit is God and has all divine characteristics.
Holy Spirit is the Creator of the Universe on an equal basis with the Father and the Son. He inspired prophets and Apostles. On the day of Pentecost He was sent to witness about Christ, to glorify Him and to build His Church.
The Holy Spirit convicts the world about sin, about the truth and about judgement. He leads people to repentance. regenerates them and gives spiritual gifts for service in the church.
We believe that Jesus Christ established the Church. From the day of Pentecost there have existed Universal (invisible) and also local churches. The universal Church of Christ consists of people ransomed by the Blood of Christ to God from any tribe, language, people and nation.
We believe that one day the Church of Christ will be raptured from the earth to be joined with the Lord in the air to share in His eternal glory. The local church is the fellowship of the regenerated souls united by one faith (one confession), one love and hope, who faithfully serve the the Lord and the spiritual needs of each other.
We believe that the Lord’s Supper (Communion) is a commandment of Jesus Christ to be done in remembrence of Him and announcement of his sufferings and death on the cross. The Lord’s Supper (Communion) expresses our unity with Christ and with each other. Bread and wine indicate the Body and the Blood of Jesus Christ. The Lord’s Supper will be performed in church "until He comes". The believers who are in peace with the Lord and the church can participate in the Communion.


The Christmas Holidays are a great time for reflection. This time of year I often find myself thinking about the things I value most – my Lord and Savior, quality time with family and friends, education, my basketball team, and the caring people I work with on a regular basis. I am reminded again of just how much we at Drexel R-IV School District have to be thankful for; dedicated and inspiring instruction and support service staff at our school; motivated and eager students; and involved families, to name a few.
During the Holiday season our efforts and thoughts turn to giving. The season affords all of us a great opportunity to reflect on our blessings and realize the true meaning of the season. The staff and students of Drexel R-IV are very busy at this time of year with schoolwork, performances, and athletic events. Even with all of this, our students and staff continue to find time to think of others and reach out to those less fortunate. I am always amazed and humbled with the abundance and wide variety of community projects that take place here at our school. Thank you for your passion, persistence, love and generosity in making these things happen. Through the efforts of our students and staff both individually and collectively, we do make a difference to others and that is a great thing. That is why we are here really, TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR OTHERS!!
I have been to several events over the last few weeks and we have also had the privilege of students being recognized for outstanding achievements throughout this first semester. What particularly struck me during these events I attended was the look of pride on the faces of our students. Watching the glow of pride on the faces of the adults in attendance was almost as interesting and telling as the expressions on the faces of our students.
For teachers I know this expression of pride comes as we approach the end of the fall semester filled with hard work. There is a reward of knowing that you have influenced the lives of the young people you work with, on a daily basis. There is also a sense of relief that the semester is almost over and a vacation is but just a few days or hours away. We are all ready for a vacation and the opportunity to enjoy the celebrations of the season with our families and friends.
On behalf of the Administration and Board of Education we wish our staff a very safe and happy holiday season and on behalf of the entire staff here at Drexel R-IV, I would like to extend our wish that the joy, peace and contentment of the season be yours. However you are spending this holiday season, we wish you good health, the pleasure of spending special time with family and friends and a New Year filled with hope and optimism.
Superintendent of Schools
Drexel R-IV School District


“This Christmas behold Christ born anew in the beauty of all Nature,
in your awakened wisdom,
in everything which wears true beauty,
and in everybody who saturates himself with the fragrance of Christ-qualities.” Yogananda
Christmas is a special time of year that warms the heart. This morning during meditation it struck me how much easier it is to tune into the Divine in the ones you love, in the beautiful music, and in the spirit of giving that the holidays bring each year. It’s no wonder that this tradition has lasted through the ages.
I woke up this morning feeling the strangeness of breaking with tradition for the first time in my life on Christmas morning – I was the sole human in my home. Granted, I have two dogs and a cat who would be offended were I to claim that I was alone; I was not alone. But, there was no Kashi or Mom or Dad waiting for me in the kitchen. No playing the Christmas elf and passing out presents from oldest to youngest. No silly puns written on cards attached to gifts meant to hint at the contents.
And yet, I could not be more thankful for how this Christmas has turned out. I had a real scare with my Labrador’s life last week that resulted in abrupt changes to my holiday plans. I spent the six days before Christmas praying, crying, and worrying in rotation over my little furry charge. It is the grace of God and hundreds of heartfelt prayers from so many loved ones that brought her back home to me alive and healing. I can’t imagine that this incident didn’t happen for a reason or that some lesson can’t be gleaned from it…
For me, in this event, it was faith. Faith that Divine Mother is in charge. It is wrenching to know that your own mistake can result in suffering or even death of another. The short version of this story is that I left a sweet bread made with Xylitol out on the counter and my dog plucked it off while I was away and ate every last bite. It turns out that Xylitol is extremely toxic for dogs. We rushed to the hospital and found ourselves anxiously awaiting updates three times a day about liver values and blood glucose levels. When I found myself facing the consequences of my own stupid mistake, I realized that I could do my best to fix this, but the rest was in Divine Mother’s hands. Not passively mind you, I had to pray hard, but to do so effectively meant having faith that She would answer.
And answer She did. My doggy is home safe with me now, recovering day by day, and sharing the joy of Christmas with me on this special day.


Ms. Charise Albritton
Middle & High School Language Arts
I earned a BA in Sociology from Columbia College, a MA in Sociology from the University of Missouri and have completed all the required coursework for a Ph.D. in Sociology. I have seven years experience teaching at the University of Missouri, five years at Columbia Christian Academy and twelve years as a children's church teacher.
I enjoy teaching children to rely on God to transform their abilities while incorporating the Word of God, praise and prayer into our everyday routine. We want JESUS to be the center of everything we do here at Columbia Christian Academy!
Mrs. Randi Unger
I hold a degree in Computer Networking from State Fair Community College. I did not think I would end up working in Early Childhood Education; however, after two years as a teacher's aide, I was never more sure that this is the path God called me to take. My experience working with young people now spans 14 years: ten as a school teacher and five as a children's Pastor.
I have taught for nine years in the Pre-K & Kindergarten classroom. There are few things more precious than being able to help a child ignite a spark that will teach them to love learning for the rest of their school days.
PreK & Kindergarten
I spent years working as the Director of Operations for a residential, faith-based men’s ministry in southern Missouri. During this time, I also served as youth minister at my church. Currently, my wife and I are the Youth Ministry Directors at FWCCOMO.
My path to becoming a teacher was all God. Last year, I took on the position of teaching assistant for the 2nd-4th & 5th-8th grade classes; as well as that of 1st & 2nd grade Math teacher. I love that at Columbia Christian Academy, teaching means educating the mind and ministering the love of God to the hearts of our students.
Mr. Aaron Littlefield
1st & 2nd
Mrs. Heaven Littlefield
I earned a Bachelor's of Science in Human Development and Family Science with an emphasis in Family and Lifespan Development from the University of Missouri. I went on to earn my Master's in Human Services-Counseling from Liberty University. This is my fourth year teaching at Columbia Christian Academy.
I love investing in future generations by helping children develop their gifts and talents, and bringing strength where there are weaknesses. It is my desire to help my students to develop confidence in the abilities that God has given them and to find their purpose in God.
3rd & 4th
I earned a Bachelor´s of Science in Systems Engineering in Computer Science in 2015. I completed my Master's course work in Education in 2016. I have been teaching various subjects, such as Music, Mathematics and Spanish for over nine years. My teaching experience ranges from pre-school to high school in private school and one-on-one tutoring settings.
My goal is to teach students in a fun and creative way, ensuring that every student enjoys learning!
Mr. Hezer Pixcar
Middle & High School Math; Specials
I earned a Bachelor´s of Arts in Theatre and Digital Filmmaking at Stephens College before starting my education career as a middle school Theatre, Speech & Debate teacher. I then gained my Master's in Teaching at Columbia College. After 5 years of teaching in the public school space, I moved to CCA and FWCCOMO where I've spent the last two years teaching Theatre, Spanish, Music and Literacy.
My heart is for students to enjoy learning, foster their creativity and curiosity and develop into life-long learners.


Celtic High Crosses
The Celtic high cross is a prevalent symbol of both the Celt's art and religion. It is also referred to as the Cross of Iona or the Irish cross. It’s described as a cross that has a ring around its intersection. It is said to be the symbol of Christianity at the time religion was adopted by the Celts. The symbol itself, though, is said to have been in existence even before Christianity came about. It is also believed to have been influenced by the Anglo-Saxon tradition of cross making.
The earliest Celtic crosses were believed to be built as early as the 7th century in most European countries, specifically in Britain and Ireland. Most Celtic crosses have rune inscriptions on them.
To date, there are still a number of existing Celtic crosses scattered all around Wales, Cornwall, Iona and Hebrides.
The origin of the design of the Celtic cross may have been related to the popular story of St. Patrick. He was said to have brought Christianity to Ireland and knowing that Irish were mostly pagans, he was believed to have combined the cross (a symbol of the Christian religion) and a circle (a symbol of pagan sun-god) to entice them to convert, thus rises the symbol for Celtic cross.
In Irish Catholicism, the ring in the Celtic cross is a symbol of God's eternal love and the cross itself a symbol of Christ's ultimate sacrifice. The circle would also symbolize the undying mystery of how the crucifixion of Christ brought human salvation then and today.
Original Authors: Jennifer Tumanda
Edit Update Authors: RPN
Updated On: 22/01/2007


Educational Assistance Program
Do you want an exciting and meaningful experience in PERU?
LISOFT gives you the opportunity to join our school staff. If you are willing to travel to a foreign country and work with children, this is the perfect chance for you!
We are recruiting foreign, English speaking teachers!
What are the requirements? As long as your native language is English or have advanced english you are qualified! We are looking for a mature high school graduate, college student, or adult who is willing to make a commitment to assist our English teachers in a Learning Center of our school. We use the American and Christian curriculum from Accelerated Christian Education (A.C.E.).
You can work with our teachers in the areas of Kindergarten, Elementary or High-school. This commitment in Lima, Peru will give you great insight into our culture and a valuable teaching experience. Both short- and long-term ministry opportunities are available. You can be involved in this life-changing opportunity by committing 5 months, a year, or more. You will be challenged and blessed as the Lord works through your life. Your presence would be of great blessing for our teachers and students!
Contact us if you want more information.


Since the pandemic hit, many churches, including ours, haven’t been fully opened. First, they were closed entirely, and services were only virtual, with a minister praying and preaching to an empty space.
Now, they are sort of, kind of open. Our church hosts two Sunday services, live-streaming one, but everyone wears masks, including the priest when administering communion, and the “music” service consists of a lone cantor singing hymns solo while the congregation is admonished in the printed program not to join in.
I’ve written before about how I missed church during the times it was completely shut down, a surprise to me because I’d contemplated for quite some time how church should be much more than a building. I resisted the notion that organized religion, with its churches and cathedrals, was the true church, and then I discovered, when I couldn’t access those structures, how meaningful they were to me.
Now, however, as our bishops continue to urge us to socially distance and won’t let us completely open the doors to our buildings for all the gatherings churches host, I’m wondering and wandering again, going back to my original thoughts about what church should be. Thanks, bishops, for leading me back to this place of discernment. Or maybe I should say, “be careful what you wish for.”
Wishing for congregations to be ultra-safe means we’re now scattered, connecting with each other through Zoom meetings, newsletters, phone calls, and those live-streaming services. That, in turn, means many people — not just me — might be wondering about the real meaning of church.
I don’t think it should be merely social gatherings for those attending. Yes, I miss the social coffee hours, parish pot lucks and choir dinners and all the rest. But it isn’t just that.
It isn’t just taking canned goods every week to the food drive either, as important as those communal acts of mercy are.
Now I’m back to thinking church is more about all the things we’ve been called to do during this pandemic, the things I mentioned above — the phone calls, the notes, the newsletters, the Zoom meetings, the small but meaningful contacts with each other that lift us up as individuals, make us feel loved.
Because love is what the church is really supposed to be about. Loving our neighbor. Loving God.
As we show our love for one another, I believe it creates ripples in the wider community. So, that person you call to offer an encouraging word to might do the same or help a neighbor and that person, too, might be inspired to pass it on, all unconscious acts of charity started by one little pebble of love tossed into the wider pond.
You don’t need a building for that.


Over 17 Years of Helping Adults Enhance Their Careers
Founded in 1941, Cornerstone University has been committed to providing solid, practical education for over 60 years. The Professional & Graduate Studies Division was created in 1993 to serve the adult population of Michigan with a variety of accelerated degree-completion programs, each one designed to meet specific educational needs. We are committed to the principles and ideals of the Christian faith and welcome students of all faiths.CU’s Career Guide http://pgs.cornerstone.edu/CU-Career-Guide-gen.pdf
To Get The Information You Need, Please Fill Out The Confidential Form Below for answers to these questions:
We will contact you to answer your questions on financial aid and academic requirements. Please fill out the confidential form below.


In plain yet powerful language, Pope Francis is challenging the givens of our deeply unequal world — and helping inspire resistance to it.
Sometimes you don’t have to say anything “new” to make news. Consider, for instance, the “apostolic exhortation” the Vatican released last Tuesday.
This statement from Pope Francis, observers note, didn’t really break any bold new theological ground. But the Pope’s exhortation, the first all his own since he stepped onto the world stage last March, still made front pages the world over — and fully merited all that attention.
What makes this new papal statement so significant? No global religious figure has likely ever before denounced economic inequality with as wide-ranging — and as accessible — an assault.


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The small village of Saint Dimitrios, of approximately 100 villagers, is only 2Km away from Lixouri, the city center of Paliki. Its name was given by the villagers after the big earthquake in 1953. Its first name was Kouvalata and its first location was at the mountains. Entering the village, you meet the small church of Saint Dimitrios. On the right of the church, there is the “Andreas Laskaratos’ Hill”, a person who is deemed as one of the most significant scholars in Greece. Outside the village (400m), there is the monastery of Saint Mary of Kehrionos, which has an historical importance. It is said that the monastery was built at the beginning of the 17th century, and it was the first church of the village Vlachovouni (the village does not exist anymore). Following the earthquake in 1953, the Monastery was seriously damaged externally, but the inside, having the Throne and the miraculous picture of Saint Mary was untouched. Every year, on 23rd of August, most of the villagers of Kefalonia are gathered there to celebrate the Assumption.
The small village of Saint Dimitrios, where Villa Reverenza is located, is a passage towards all directions. 2km from there it is the central market of Lixouri and in less than 20 minutes, there are plenty of gorgeous beaches of the island such as Petani, Xi, Platia Ammos, Megas Lakos, Makris Gialos, and Myrtos.


David Cameron and his government often invoke the traditions and teachings of Christianity to justify their actions – Antony Tucker thinks this is both misleading and bad news for politics.
This Christmas season saw figures from all parties attempt to link their priorities to the spirit and message of the time of year – although goodwill to all mankind is surely why Parliament is in recess over the holiday. David Cameron’s insistence in Britain’s Christian nature, however, is not only at odds with his government’s policies, but a dangerous line to take in a political debate.
Second only to Easter in its importance in the story of Jesus Christ’s life, Christmas is undoubtedly tied to ideas of love, family and charity as we eat, spend and drink our way to an early grave. This makes any association with the festival superb PR for everyone at the forefront of our democracy. Yet this enthusiasm has to be tempered by some recognition of who Christ was and what he purportedly stood for and taught. Faith has to be heartfelt; only a charlatan commits sacrilege and exploits the reputation of a tradition which they do not honour.
David Cameron’s supposed belief in the good works of Christ’s life must fall into this bracket. Admittedly, all politicians will of course bend the truth to be associated with the positive aspects of Christianity, but this represents rank hypocrisy for a Prime Minister whose actions utterly contradict the traditions and beliefs surrounding Jesus. Whether or not Jesus existed is not the issue; nor is your faith (or in my case lack thereof) in God – this is about the fundamental hypocrisy at the basis of Cameron’s appeals to Christianity.
If we look closer, this becomes immediately apparent. Jesus’ good works included feeding the poor and healing the sick – for free. In comparison, whilst he invokes this legacy of compassion and charity, Cameron presides over an administration that willfully and knowingly starves the poor, drives the desperate to suicide through a twisted perversion of our welfare state and sells off the NHS into private hands for profit. Christ supposedly walked on water; meanwhile, all Cameron can do is simper and point at the flooded homes of tens of thousands left homeless at Christmas due to the government’s slashing of the flood defence budget.
Attempting to hijack Christ’s legacy is therefore two-faced even by Cameron’s standards. There is plenty of Christian teaching that squares perfectly with Conservative thought – the party that voted against gay marriage is clearly inspired by Romans 1:26. Or 1 Corinthians 6:9. Or 1 Timothy 1:10. Or Jude 1:7. Equally, the vindictive, racist and sexist elements of Christian doctrine could (and in many countries do) provide a justification for repression and regression on the part of many of the world’s right-wing parties. Against this backdrop, Christ’s example of progressive, peaceful and charitable actions shine as the greatest redeeming feature of Christianity. Yet it is the left, not the right, who have been inspired by the tales of his life; many figures, such as Clement Attlee, became socialists through Christian organisations that sought to follow Christ’s lead and deliver a fairer society free from fear. Let’s not forget too, that it is often said that the Labour movement in Britain owes more to Methodism than it does to Marx.
David Cameron utterly contradicts the good example provided by the life of Christ. Moreover, his insistence that Britain is a “Christian country” is increasing inaccurate and harmful to our fragile society’s pluralism. Organised religion in Britain is disappearing quickly; the 2011 census revealed that the proportion of people following Christianity fell by 12 percentage points from 2001-11, which was not offset by a small increase in Muslim citizens. In contrast, a ten point rise was recorded for those professing “no faith”; with only around 1.5% of the population attending Sunday Church services, Britain is clearly losing its religion. Pretending that the nation is overwhelmingly Christian may win Cameron some popularity with his grassroots, but it is a poor basis for policy.
Wrongly emphasising Christianity risks undermining our social plurality; already, the government uses the much hated “Prevent” strategy to watch our Muslim neighbours, turning social workers and teachers into spies and separating children by their parents’ beliefs. Cameron’s faith-heavy language morphs what should be a united message; rather than all Britons rejecting the violence of religious extremists (from any grouping), we risk developing an “us and them” mentality unless we combat Cameron’s false words. Britain is fortunate that religion and politics stay relatively separate, avoiding the sectarianism of Northern Ireland’s parties or the excesses of the new Christian right that so scar the USA.
Whilst it is unsurprising that Cameron and his government try to attach themselves to Christianity, no administration that assaults the most vulnerable in our society believes that “the last will be first and the first will be last”. The moral bankruptcy of Cameron’s policies is plain to see when compared to the messages he professes to follow. We need a government prepared to fight injustice and rid society of its ills, one ready to govern for our entire nation and not simply the chosen few. Religious or not, we must reveal Cameron’s adoption of Christian language for what it is – a deep deceit fostered by an arch-hypocrite. Jesus would not have voted Tory in a thousand (or indeed two thousand and sixteen) years. Neither should we.


Salvation Army Jobs and Careers For Felons
Salvation Army Company Information
Salvation Army was started in 1865 with the aim of helping poor suffering souls across London who had not been welcomed into a traditional church. Prostitute, gamblers and drunkards were the very first people to convert to Christianity. Later the gospel of Jesus would be spread to vulnerable and destitute. Catherine Booth, William Booth wife, became an evangelist and a co-founder of Salvation arm. By then Catherine believed that if you had love for God, there was need to love people too. And it is her legacy of love, sacrifice and hope that have continued to shape the Salvation Army even to date.
Does Salvation Army Hire Felons?
After doing some research, it appears Salvation Army does hire felons. Just know that we can’t guarantee that every Salvation Army location will hire a felon because in the end it is up the person doing the hiring.
Does Salvation Army Do Background Checks?
Salvation Army does do background checks. Every state is different, so if you have a felony it may or may not show up on your record. Some felonies fall off your record depending on your record.
Tip: Take a background check by clicking here to see what shows up on your record.
Can’t Find the Salvation Army Job Your Looking For?
Sometimes companies like Salvation Army don’t put their jobs on job sites so check out there website for more job opportunities. You can also checkout more companies that hire felons by clicking here.
Work at Salvation Army With A Felony
If you do get the chance to work at Salvation Army with a felony then make sure to be on your best behavior. You don’t want your next job interview to see you have a felony and find out you’re a bad employee because they definitely won’t hire you.
Other Resources For Felons In Salvation Army
Where To Start – If you’re new to our site, then you should definitely checkout our Getting Started For Felons page that will give you the BEST help to dominate life in Salvation Army as a felon. Click here to get started
Jobs For Felons – Looking for a job in Salvation Army? We have what you need to find a job as a felon. Click here to find jobs for felons
Background Check – You can get a background check to see what your record currently shows about your felony. Click here to get a background check
Legal Representation – If you’re a felon in Salvation Army and need legal representation to get a felony expunged or any other help from a lawyer then you can get a FREE consultation. Click here to get legal representation


|801_6852-HDRx5 [Ag. Nektarios]|
The church above is dedicated to St. Nektarios; a saint of the Eastern Orthodox Church canonized only recently, in 1961. It is located within the convent of The Holy Trinity on the island of Aegina in the Saronic Gulf and is daily visited by large numbers of believers coming from all parts of Greece to pay tribute to the saint.
The structure is of comparatively huge dimensions. Apart from the church seen in the picture, there is another - separate - church beneath it. The total capacity of the structure is estimated to be 9.000 people. It’s corner stone was laid in December 1973 and it was inaugurated 21 years later, in May 1994. Today, it constitutes one of the largest churches of the Greek Orthodoxy.
Photographed on the island of Aegina on August 07, 2014
Please click on the picture for a better view.


THE GENESIS OF ST. ANDREWS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH-ZAMBIA
2. 1959, September. General Assembly authorized the development which would lead to the establishment of the first Presbyterian congregation on the Copperbelt.
3. 1959, October. The first members of our congregation were enrolled as the initial step to meet the requirements of the Church Extension and Aid Committee. Enrolment has continued steadily since this date.
4. 1960, February. The first "congregational" gathering was attended by 28 members who elected a working committee to take whatever further appropriate steps were required to bring about the formal establishment of our congregation. Mr. A. L. Pons elected Chairman of this committee.
5. 1960, 6th June. The registration of our congregation as a Church Extension Charge was announced. Our inaugural service on this date was conducted by the Moderator of the General assembly, the Rt. Rev. H. H. Munro, M. a., and was attended by approximately 150 people.
6. 1960, 17th July. Our first properly constituted congregational meeting was held and, amongst other matters, the members of our first Kirk Session and Board of Management were elected. It was at this meeting that the congregation unanimously decided to adopt the name of St. Andrews.
7. 1960, July to 1961, January. Rev. J. D. C. Anderson, B. A., of Lusaka, was our interim Moderator. During this period he conducted monthly church services, visited the sick, officiated at a wedding, baptized nine children and conducted a funeral. We owe him a very special vote of thanks and appreciation for the efficient and friendly way in which he helped us often at great personal inconvenience.
The two services during December, 1960 were conducted by Mr. Anstice and the Session clerk.
1961, last week in January. The arrival in Kitwe of Rev. and Mrs. J Clark and family. Rev. J. Clerk, B. A., was inducted as our minister by the Moderator of the Presbytery of Rhodesia, Rev. Granville Morgan, B. A.


"Whatever a man sows, this he will also reap."
"Whatever a man sows, this he will also reap."Retired Baton Rouge dentist Arthur Moles is living proof of this Galatians Scripture.
The good life he is reaping now is a result of the sowing of his younger days. But he's not finished sowing good seeds. Several years ago, Dr. Moles established a charitable gift annuity with the United Methodist Foundation of Louisiana that will provide him an 8.9% rate of pay for the rest of his life.
"I already had the church in my will, but I found out that with a charitable gift annuity, I can make a larger gift to the church than I ever thought possible and earn some money in the meantime," he said. "CD's are terrible, so I cashed mine in and made this gift."
Dr. Moles grew up in Baton Rouge attending First UMC in the 1920's and 30's. In the early 1940's, his parents were instrumental in organizing University UMC near the campus of LSU.
"I've always felt close to church, even as a child," he said. "My whole family was involved in the church, and it has been a part of my life from the very beginning."
Although he didn't officially join University until the late 1950's, you could say he is a charter member. A three-year tour as an Army medic in World War II and four years of dental school in New Orleans took Dr. Moles away from Baton Rouge. He returned in 1957 with a wife and family and began a 43-year dental practice.
These days, reaping means attending Kiwanis Club meetings, Bible study and weekly coffee outings with his Sunday School class, or working at HOPE Ministries. His children and grandchildren visit him often.
He's living the good life and enjoys the leisurely pace. "I even have time to take a nap after lunch. In fact, I make sure I take a nap," he says with a smile.
His charitable gift annuity is providing him with quarterly payments for the rest of his life, a part of which is tax-free, and he will receive a tax deduction this year. Best of all, he will continue to support the church that supported him throughout his lifetime. With this gift, he is sowing seeds for future generations of the church to reap.


Last night as I flipped through my journal, I noticed something. This year has been really hard. It seems like it's been one thing after another since January. Every journal entry was full of angst or restlessness or desperation. In between there were lots of prayers, and sometimes peace. Then something else would hit hard, and I'd be writing to release the emotions again.
Then in my devotional this morning, I read something that stopped me in my tracks. "Have you ever prayed to be more like Christ? Have you ever asked for the fruits of the spirit- love, patience, gentleness...? If so, are you surprised that you're surrounded by storms and difficulties?" God uses these hardships to develop and strengthen our faith. I've asked many times to be more like Jesus. To love like Him, think and act like Him. So it shouldn't surprise me that I've been surrounded by problems and pain. In His mercy, God is shaping me and refining me, in order to answer my prayer- that I would be more like Christ.
I'm not sure if it's working or not. In fact at the moment, I feel confused and weak and messy. The constant strain of financial pressure means that I now have to look for a job, we're trying to decide on degree programs, career paths, ministry options, relationship tensions, and more. If being needy means staying on my knees, I told God long ago to let me have it. I probably should've just asked for a million dollars.
But He's more interested in shaping my character than giving me a comfortable existence. And whenever I start to whine about where I am in life, I muster up my faith and declare again, "I choose to trust You, God." Lately, I've been repeating that phrase over and over again. That's what faith is, anyway. Believing in something without seeing any evidence of it. I'm believing that He will hold my hand and walk me through this, one step at a time. And that's all I need right now. The peace of knowing I'm not alone in this. I choose to believe.


Jeff Iorg Blog
Jul 21 2015
One of the casualties of the loss of discipleship focus in many churches is the absence of an intentional stewardship development strategy. Some pastors are afraid to “talk about money” in church (a ridiculous cop-out) and others over-spiritualize church finances (expecting money to magically materialize when it’s needed). Wise leaders implement intentional strategies to develop stewards – helping people disciple their wealth (all of it, not just the part they give away).
Developing stewards is a favorite theme for me. I was fortunate to be trained as a young adult in a church that did a good job with this facet of disciple-making. One of the early lessons I learned related to giving was “the tithe is the baseline and grace givers exceed the tithe.” We took that lesson to heart and have given away more than ten percent of our income for more than 35 years. As a result, we have experienced God’s supernatural provision and enjoyed his financial protection in tangible ways.
Over the years, some younger Christians have challenged me when I have taught the afore-mentioned basic conviction. They claim the tithe is passé, and grace giving frees us to give whatever amount God directs. In one sense, I agree. The tithe is legalistic – and Christians are free from legalistic ritual. But in another sense, I disagree. In the New Testament, the law was fulfilled (filled full and exceeded) – not fulfilled (abolished and ignored).
Three examples. Jesus said the law forbade adultery – but he forbade lustful thoughts. Jesus said the law forbade murder – but he forbade vengeful plotting. Jesus affirmed God required a sacrifice for sin to be forgiven – and then offered himself as the consummate sacrifice. Jesus taught legalism was overwhelmed by grace – its standards exceeded by grace-living in every way.
So, if you claim the tithe is passé – and by that you mean we should all give more than a tithe, I agree! But if you use the claim to excuse your selfishness – giving less than even a legalist would give – I disagree.
American Christians currently give – by multiple survey reports – between 2.5 and 3.0% of their income to kingdom causes. Any way you cut those numbers, we are a selfish, greedy people. May God give church leaders courage to re-establish stewardship training as part of their disciple-making ministry. May God give us faith to trust him as we learn to give away more and more of the resources he has generously provided.
A Timely Book For You
Jul 15 2015
Several faculty members and a few other guests have joined me in creating an important new book called “Ministry in the New Marriage Culture.” The book will be released soon but you can pre-order it now at www.lifeway.com or www.amazon.com. Since the Supreme Court has ruled same-sex marriage is legal in the United States, the book is needed more than ever.
Here is an excerpt:
“This book is about ministry in the new marriage culture. It’s not about political activism to oppose same sex marriage, moral foundations for biblical marriage, or philosophical reasons for traditional marriage. We agree those subjects are important and demand clear articulation in every appropriate venue – but just not here. We are moving on to the next big issue – responding to the ministry needs the re-definition of marriage is thrusting upon us. This book focuses on how to minister in the new marriage culture, while upholding biblical convictions about gender, marriage, and sexuality. We will consider some of the biblical and theological support for ministering in this kind of cultural milieu – and there are rich resources available. But even in those chapters, the focus will be on ministering in the new marriage culture - not defining or opposing same-sex marriage from Scripture.
Similarly, when we describe various ministerial approaches for specific age groups or issues, the focus remains the same. We recognize, for example, how unwise it is for children to be adopted or otherwise grow up in same-sex marriage households – but they are there and powerless to change their situation. We do not debate whether this is a healthy family arrangement (we know it is not). Instead, our focus is on ministering to people who are impacted by these arrangements – children, their friends, their parents, their grandparents, etc.
Same-sex marriage impacts not only the couple in the union, but their extended family and community members who must adjust to and respond to their marital choice. The focus throughout this book – whether in biblical, theological, or applied sections – is on answering the question “now what?” and addressing the ministry needs created by this dramatic cultural shift in defining marriage.”
And So It Begins
Jul 10 2015
Nathan Collier and his “wives” – Vicki and Christine – want to get married. Actually, Nathan and Vicki are already legally married but they live in a polygamous relationship with Christine. They recently went to the Yellowstone County Courthouse in Billings, Montana to apply for a marriage license under the Marriage Equality Act to become a legal three-some. After some consideration, they were denied by county officials. They then appealed to the Montana Attorney General. They were similarly denied.
After being denied, Nathan said, “All we want is legal legitimacy. We aren’t asking anybody for anything else. We just want to give our marriage and our family the legitimacy that it deserves.” Sounds familiar!
The Colliers are making the same arguments the LGBT community made in their quest to redefine marriage. We will now see if President Obama can evolve on polygamous marriage and the Supreme Court can mysteriously find “equal dignity” for them in the Constitution. Failure to do so would be the height of ethical and legal hypocrisy. Failure to now recognize polygamous marriage will reveal the supposedly legal basis for permitting same-sex marriage as the politically-correct sham it has always been.
I have resisted every re-definition of marriage and continue to advocate for marriage between one man and one woman as best for the people involved and our society as a whole. While polygamous marriage is an unhealthy model (which is why is has long been outlawed), there is no legitimate legal objection that can be raised if the Supreme Court’s reasoning behind their recent decision is consistently applied.
My hope is our President, Legislators, and Judges will reverse course and re-affirm the traditional definition of marriage. If not, when the Colliers have their day in court, marriage will continue to devolve until it dissolves as the foundation for healthy families and a stable society.
Ministry in the New Marriage Culture
Jul 06 2015
About two years ago, Golden Gate Seminary sponsored a conference entitled “Ministry in the New Marriage Culture.” Since we have been dealing with same-sex marriage as a daily reality for more than 10 years in the Bay Area, we thought our faculty had some perspective to offer on this issue. The conference attracted a standing-room-only crowd.
Dr. Ben Skaug, our Vice President for Institutional Advancement suggested we expand the conference into a book by the same title. Over the past year, several faculty members and a few other guests have contributed chapters and I have served as the general editor. The book will be released soon. You can pre-order the book at www.lifeway.com or www.amazon.com. Now that the Supreme Court has ruled same-sex marriage is legal in the United States, the book is needed more than ever. Here is an excerpt:
“This book rests on the conviction same-sex marriage is wrong – on every level, in every way - but also acknowledges it is a growing cultural reality demanding a ministry response from Christian leaders and churches. Orthodox Christian leaders have clearly articulated our moral position and engaged in political activism opposing this movement, but the culture changed anyway. We are now, like it or not, in a new marriage culture. The question this book attempts to answer is simple, “Now what?”
Same-sex marriage is here – and there’s ample evidence it’s here to stay. Every writer who contributed to this book agrees same-sex marriage is wrong. Every writer agrees the biblical model for marriage is one man joined with one woman for life. Nothing in this book contradicts or softens those convictions. Up until now, communicating those standards and advocating for traditional marriage has been the Church’s primary message. We are not minimizing or denying the importance of those efforts. We are not advocating political activism or legal action to preserve traditional marriage be stopped. We are, however, insisting the Church accept the reality of our present situation and address ministry issues emerging from this cultural change.
If same-sex marriage is really as bad for our culture as we claim – and it is – then the negative fallout will soon show up on our ministry doorsteps. Broken families, disillusioned parents, confused children, and disheartened believers who do not know how to relate to their child, parent, friend, or colleague will turn to us for help. This book is a first, and we admit limited attempt, to provide resources for answering the “now what” questions people are asking or soon will be asking ministry leaders.”


Transnational Southern Pentecostal Churches, Networks and Believers in Three Northern Countries: a potential and Potent Social Force
Project leader: Professor Andreas Droogers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Netherlands)
How do transnational Pentecostal churches, networks and believers from Nigeria operate in public space in Germany, Britain and the Netherlands, and to what extent are they representatives of religion as a re-emerging social force? This was the question central to the project on Nigerian-initiated Pentecostal churches that took place from 2007 to 2010.
The project consisted of three similar and comparable projects in Germany, Great Britain and theNetherlands. All projects concentrated on one Nigerian-initiated Pentecostal Church in Europe, the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and other Nigerian Pentecostal churches for comparative purposes. Multi-sited research in Nigeria, Germany, the Netherlands and Great Britain has been an essential part of the research project. Apart from the joint field work individual research was carried out.


Mar 12, 2020
This week’s episode features Come Home by HNOJ’s Adult
Choir (feat. Erin Cullinane), a reading from John 4:5-15, 19-26,
39a, 40-42 (04:14), and a reflection on the Samaritan Woman by
Ashley Cermak (06:10).
Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church (Wayzata, MN)
Having trouble logging in?


You want me to tell her WHAT?!
Back in 2009, my sister, Alana, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She had lesions all over her brain and they were beginning to make their way down her spinal column. This was devastating news to our entire family. To give you a little back story, my sister and her husband had been disabled for years. She became physically disabled in 2003 and my brother-n-law had been disabled since 1997 when he got electrocuted. (Stories for another day....I promise!) So back to the this diagnosis....
Every doctor we talked to said that MS was not fatal. That's pretty much like saying AIDS isn't fatal. Nobody dies from MS or from AIDS. They die from complications (pneumonia, failing organs, etc.) that result from having these autoimmune diseases. It's a technicality, and a pretty ridiculous one at that.
I was home from college visiting shortly after she received this news. I was praying about it, I truly believed God could heal her and that He would. It was as if this thought was just dropped in my Spirit one day. I didn't hear it outside of myself, but I knew it wasn't from me. I had already determined in my heart to fight for her on my knees if she couldn't fight for herself. I heard these words so clearly inside of me, "Through your sister's death, her kids would be saved." It hit me very hard. Because it came on the heels of this diagnosis, I assumed MS was indeed going to be "the disease from which (s)he would die." 2 Kings 13:14
I was pretty sad about this, but I knew that my sister would willingly lay down her life if it meant her children would be saved and surrender to Jesus. I was planning to keep this to myself, but God had other plans. I didn't know what prophecy was at the time or what it meant to have/give a "prophetic Word" from the Lord. All I knew was that I had heard God speak this to me, and then I heard Him say that I had to tell my mom. I literally said, "WHAT?! You want me to tell her what? That her daughter is going to die and her grandkids will be saved. Because that's going to make it better...." I went back and forth with Him about this. I couldn't shake it so I just did it. I walked to the laundry room on the other side of the trailer and I told my mom that I had to tell her what God told me. I asked her not to be angry with me, but I had to tell her. So I delivered it exactly the way He said it. "Through Alana's death, her kids would be saved." I saw the blood drain from my mom's face. She was angry. She kept saying, "No, no. That can't be right." It was the hardest thing I have ever had to say to someone. She didn't believe me. I didn't believe me, but that became a promise that I held on to for years to come. My niece was involved with witchcraft and both she and her brother struggled with drug/alcohol addiction. God was faithful to His Word!
In another post, I will tell the story of how my sister died. Sometimes we hear things from God in one season and assume that He is referring to things happening now (like MS taking my sister's life). She did not die from MS. God knew it would take something more drastic and traumatic to pull her kids out of the abyss they had fallen into. A bigger wake up call than anything they had ever experienced before in their lives.
I want to hear from y'all!! Share a time where you heard God the clearest you have ever heard Him in the comments below! Doesn't have to be audible.


“He is a buckler to all those that trust in him” (Psalm 18:30).
“Blessed are all they that put their trust in him” (Psalm 2:12).
“They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever”
“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the
LORD” (Psalm 27:14).
“Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast
wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! Be of good courage, and he shall
strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD” (Psalm 31:19, 24).
“I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide” (Psalm 26:1).
“The LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Psalm 34:8; 84:12).
“Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn
aside to lies” (Psalm 40:4).
“In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me”
“Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited
for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation” (Isaiah 25:9).
“He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is established,
he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies” (Psalm 112:7, 8).
“Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
The LORD shall help them, and deliver them:
he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him” (Psalms 37:3, 9, 40).
“Blessed are all they that wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18).
“They shall not be ashamed that wait for me” (Isaiah 49:23).
“He that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat” (Proverbs 28:25).
“Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God” (Psalm
“Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
Whoso trusteth in the
LORD, happy is he” (Proverbs 16:3, 20).
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength” (Isaiah 26:3, 4).
“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
For he shall be as a tree
planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat
cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease
from yielding fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7, 8).
“We are saved by hope” (Romans 8:24).
“He knoweth them that trust in him” (Nahum 1:7).
“Whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25).
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1Peter 5:7).
“I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me” (Micah
“He that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain” (Isaiah
“The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate”
“The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
It is good that a man
should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD” (Lamentations 3:25, 26).


Historic walking tour of our historic churches
interest markers for this tour experience // cultural // family friendly // spirituality
Part of Santa Fe's unique history & lore are the legendary cathedrals, churches & chapels. Included in this self guided tour is the Cathedral Basilica Of Saint Francis Of Assisi, the Miraculous Staircase at Loretto Chapel, and San Miguel Mission, which is considered to be the oldest church in the country.
We included a coffee stop at Holy Spirit Espresso...you'll love this tour!
Holy Spirit Espresso Cathedral Basilica Of St. Francis Of Assisi
San Miguel Mission
for the full experience, download the free CitySwivel app //
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- BIENVENIDOS A LA PARROQUIA DE SAN FELIPE, AVONDALE SQUARE -
We are a growing Church community, located in the middle of the City of London Avondale Square Estate in South Bermondsey, just off the Old Kent Road (opposite ASDA - see the map here).
Our active congregation is made of up of people of all ages and backgrounds, sharing the love of Christ and serving the local community. We are proud of our reputation for being an open and friendly Church, and we work hard to include everyone so that all who come can play a full part. We have a popular Sunday School with regular activities for children and young people.
The current Church was built in 1963, replacing the original Victorian Church that was bombed in the Blitz. Designed by Cachemaille-Day, it is a beautiful, unusual building, whose octagonal shape within a square structure was described as “ingenious” in a recent history of modern church buildings in London.
Our worship is in the Anglo-Catholic tradition of the Church of England, traditional but with modern forms of worship and songs. Our main service, the Parish Mass at 10am every Sunday, is at the heart of all our outreach and activities. We aim to make our services joyful and lively, expressing the culture and experience of those who come. MISAS EN ESPAÑOL - MIRA LA PÁGINA DE EVENTOS PARA MÁS DETALLES.
Some members were born in Avondale Square and have lived here all their lives; others have arrived only recently from countries all over the world. We are very different, but united by our passion to worship God and follow in the way of Jesus Christ. We aspire to be a Church where all feel at home, united in faith and friendship. And we look forward to welcoming you to St Philip’s.


Heavily armed Nicaraguan police raided the residence of a bishop, an outspoken critic of President Daniel Ortega’s government.
Rolando Álvarez, the bishop of Matagalpa, was arrested on Friday, several of whom had been in custody for two weeks after police set up a cordon to prevent the bishop from arriving at the city’s cathedral to celebrate Mass. Eight people, including a priest, were arrested.
Police then launched an investigation into the bishop, accusing Alvarez of “organizing violent groups and inciting them to commit acts of hatred against the population with the aim of destabilizing the Nicaraguan state.”
The nine men were forced to distribute food after police refused to deliver it to their besieged residences.
Before dawn Friday, Matagalpa Parish tweeted: At this point the National Police entered our Matagalpa parish Episcopal vicarage. ”
Police later released a statement saying he had been transferred to the capital, Managua, where he had been placed under house arrest.
Church sources fear he will be forced into exile, as did former Bishop of Managua Silvio José Baez Ortega. Nicaragua In 2019, after a wave of death threats.
The Ortega government has systematically suppressed dissent. Dozens of opposition leaders were arrested last year, Including eight potential presidential candidates.
Alvarez has been an outspoken defender of Nicaragua’s democracy since 2018. A wave of protests against the Ortega government was followed by a bloody crackdown on dissent.
Friday’s operation was led by Police Chief Ramon Avellan. Helped lead government crackdown in 2018It came after weeks of escalating tensions between the church and the government. Police surrounded the church, blocking the priest from entering and preventing Mass from being celebrated.
Three priests were arrested this year, forcing 12 Catholic radio stations and three Catholic cable TV channels to go on the air. The parliament, controlled by Ortega’s Sandinista National Liberation Front, Ordered the closure of over 1,000 NGOs, including Mother Teresa’s charities.
Roman Catholicism is Nicaragua’s predominant religion, but Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, have had a complicated relationship with the church over the decades.
The former Marxist guerrilla forged alliances with the church and disavowed his previous support for reproductive rights when he tried to regain the presidency in 2007 after a long absence from power. , Sign a law that strictly prohibits abortion.
But relations frayed after the Nicaraguan church brokered negotiations that fell through in the 2018 riots, and collapsed after senior clerics blamed a bloody crackdown that claimed the lives of about 350 people.
Ortega described the country’s bishop as a “terrorist” before winning a fourth term in office in an election widely denounced as a hoax, and the government expelled the papal legate in March.
“The dictators have steadily exterminated those who threaten their power. Only the churches, especially the Roman Catholic Church,” said pro-democracy activist Heidi Castillo.
Nicaraguan bishop arrested after two-week standoff at Matagalpa mansion | Nicaragua
Source link Nicaraguan bishop arrested after two-week standoff at Matagalpa mansion | Nicaragua


Sunday School Ministry:
Lustre MB Church values the importance of Sunday School classes for ages Pre-School to Adult Classes. We use a variety of Biblical curriculum ranging from Lifeway to Group Publishing. Some teachers choose to incorporate a small group Bible Study DVD series with discussion time built in. Some of our teachers simply work through a Book of the Bible or a Biblical Theme. Our goal is to study the Bible together so that we can be strengthened in our faith, edified in our Christian walk, and challenged in our Christian evangelism and outreach. So, grab your coffee, bring your Bible and come and join us. 9:45 am each Sunday Morning.
This Spring Quarter we gather in two separate Adult Classes each with the opportunity to go deeper in our study of the Scriptures. One adult class will be focusing on the Book of Luke and 2 Corinthians. The other class "Vertical Marriage" will focus on building a vibrant and God-honoring marriage with time for discussion and communication. So, bring your coffee and a Bible and let's study God's Word together!


4th Easter Vocation Sunday May 8, 2022
Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Who are these “sheep”? We are!
Being compared to sheep is not particularly complimentary in our society. The words “dumb” and “sheep” seem naturally to go together.
However, that is not the affect or feeling of this statement. Rather “sheep” is a name of endearment, more like “lamb”. It is a sign of affection, and care. “My sheep hear my voice,” This is a sign of recognition and of trust. “I know them”, an indication of closeness and intimacy. “and they follow me,” a designation of discipleship and union.
Altogether the Lord’s statement is a sign of closeness and intimacy. “My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they follow me.”
Because of this beautiful passage in the Gospel today, this Sunday is called Vocation Sunday. It is an opportunity for all of us to reflect on the call that we have received from Jesus to be His follower. Regardless of our station in life, as Christians we have been chosen, called and consecrated to the Lord Jesus’ service, regardless if we do that as a single person, a married person, a professed religious, or a deacon, priest or bishop.
All of us here are the subjects of Jesus’ affirming statement: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Then Jesus goes on to say something remarkable: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” How very beautiful. How wonderful. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” We have great things to look forward to!
While this assurance is given to all of us who are baptized and are a part of the Lord’s people, in a particular way today we focus on the vocation of service to the Lord’s people as a priest, deacon, or religious. This is, in addition to Mother’s Day, also “Vocation Sunday”.
God’s holy people need more priests, women and men religious, and deacons. Not so much bishops. We have enough bishops, but we do need more priests, deacons and women religious.
At the end of this week I will have been ordained 44 years. I can hardly imagine that. During that time I have been extraordinarily blessed with several great assignments, every one of them giving me the opportunity to know and work with some truly gifted and holy people: other priests, religious women, and dedicated lay people. It has been fulfilling beyond my greatest expectations; challenging to continual growth; and never dull. My life has been full of surprises, most of them wonderful or pleasant, several of them challenging to growth, and some scary and uncomfortable. But always graced.
We, as God’s holy people, badly need more vocations to the priesthood, the diaconate, and to religious life. Recently I had the great opportunity to visit four missions on Navajo and Zuni Reservations in Arizona and New Mexico. The work there of the women religious, who are the constant stay and backbone of those ministries, is phenomenal and inspiring. But like me, they are all getting old. Fr Rich Andre is leaving. We were blessed these past two years to have three priests on the parish staff, but that will not continue.
So please pray for vocations. Keep praying. Your prayers are really, really important.
If you know of someone who you think might make a good priest, deacon or religious sister, TELL THEM THAT. They may have had the idea or inkling, but thought they couldn’t do it. Your affirming statement is really, really important.
When I joined the Paulists, and was ordained a priest, I had certain ideas of what priesthood was all about and what I would do. The reality, however, was much different. But what is important to know, the reality was much BETTER than I had even imagined. I am truly blessed to have received a vocation to Paulist priesthood. I hope and pray that some of you may be similarly blessed. AMEN.


The following is an adapted version of a talk I gave on a youth lock-in back in February of 2019 and will serve as Part 1 in my series on the Sacrament of Confession. I began the talk with the reading of the Parable of the Prodigal Son from the Gospel of St. Luke, which I have included here as well.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
Then he said, “A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’” – St. Luke 15:11-32 (NABRE)
In order to understand this story, or at least the part that I want to focus on, we first have to understand who the people are in this parable that Jesus is talking about. In it, we see three figures: an elderly father, the younger son who leaves and squanders his inheritance, known as the Prodigal, and the older son. To understand this very meaningful and impactful message that our Lord had for us in this story, we must identify who the three men are as Jesus meant them to be. The first figure is the elderly father. Who does the elderly father represent in the story? God. Well, Who is God? God is our Father, He is our Creator, the Creator of the universe, but He is more, far more. The Catechism of the Catholic Church in its section on the Apostles Creed and its 12 articles of faith, begins of course with our basic and biggest statement of faith, Credo in Deum. I believe in God. The Catechism states that God IS. Not just God is this or God is that, but God IS. He is the supreme eternal being, existing outside of time (time is a creation of God), He always Is, never having a beginning or an end. God is the Creator of all things. God created the world for His glory and creation is the work of the Trinity. God lives in perfect Trinity and eternal unity as three divine Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father creates through the Son, the Word, in the Holy Spirit. Each Person is distinct from the other, but each is Fully God in substance. God created the world completely out of nothing. God transcends creation in that He is not limited to it, but He is still present to it. He upholds and sustains His creation at all times and carries out His divine providence and will through it which is always perfect good.
Now, there’s a word that I’ve been intentionally not using in my description of God, just yet, that we’ve already heard many times, and the reason that I haven’t used it yet will become clear in a moment. Now, in the story, after the son realizes that he’s screwed up, he runs to the father’s house. And what stands out to you in that next part of the story? The Scriptures tell us in verse 20 that, while he was still a long way off, the father saw him. The father ran to him and embraced him. Now, what’s curious about that passage? The father was waiting. And why was the father waiting? Love. The father waited out of love. My friends, one of the most powerful statements of our faith, one that separates us from every single other faith, is three simple words from the first letter of St. John 4:8, “Deus caritas est. God is love”. That’s what separates us. Because for us Catholics, for us Christians, love just isn’t something God does as our Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters believe. It isn’t just an attribute of God, but it’s His very self. God IS love. The entire relationship of the Trinity is love. The Father loves His begotten Son and the Son loves His eternal Father and the Holy Spirit is that love that proceeds from them both. That love that they share in their eternal unity and in their oneness is creative. And I’ll get to that in a second, but, what is love? We know that God is love, but what is love? St. Thomas Aquinas defined love as this: willing the good of the other. That is love. Willing the good of another person. So love, by its very definition, cannot be kept just to ourselves, but it must be given away. That is why Jesus says that the greatest commandments are these: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, and all your strength. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Dr. Tom Neal, an professor of spiritual theology at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans recounted that his professor, when he was in moral theology class, said this the first time he was taught about this definition of love, “To love neighbor as self means seeing their sharing in the good as constitutive of your own sharing in the good. To love God, Whose good we cannot will strictly speaking — as He is purely actualized good itself — is to love what God loves, which, of course, is the neighbor’s good. So we come full circle”. So, God is love. God wills the good of the other. So, who is the other? Us. And who is the Prodigal in the story? Us. My friends in Christ, let me tell you one of, if not the most important things you will ever hear in your life: God loves YOU!!! He loves YOU!!!!! God loves you, He desires you, He wants your eternal good. Before time began, God loved you. God loved the very thought of you, the very thought of your existence, and so He in His infinite power willed you into being. God will never stop loving you, no matter who has said they don’t love you, or you aren’t loved, or no one loves you. DON’T BELIEVE THEM!!! GOD LOVES YOU!!! My friends if God ever stopped loving you, even for a single instant, we would cease to even exist. Forget about, just death, we would cease to even exist. God always loves us. He loves us at our best, He loves us at our worst, and He continues to call us back to Himself the one true good. And because of God’s love for us, that means that He wants to have a relationship with us. God made us out of love for three reasons: 1. To know God. 2. To love God. 3. To be happy with Him in Heaven for all eternity. That is the ultimate good, to know and love God so we can be with Him forever in perfect adoration and love of Him.
So, let’s get back to the parable. Who is the prodigal in the story again? Us. But first, who are we? We are God’s beloved sons and daughters. At the moment of our Baptism, we were adopted into God’s family, the Church. God claimed us forever as His son or daughter. In Confirmation, we ourselves responded to God’s call and choose to be open to His Holy Spirit and gaining that closer relationship with God. How many of you have heard that song by Matthew West, Hello My Name Is? How does the chorus start out? “Hello, my name is child of the one true King”. In Genesis it says that God made us in His very own image. God made us to look and be like Himself. God created us, like our first parents, with free will. Now, why did He do that? God gave us the gift to choose, not so we could choose against God, but to freely and willingly love God in return, Who so freely loves us. And our first parents, Adam and Eve, turned from that. Tricked and deceived by Satan In the form of a serpent, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sin was brought into the world. We broke that relationship with God and turned away from Him. We are the prodigal, because each and everyone one of us, has another thing in common, besides being loved by God, and that is that we are all sinners. We have sinned. We have broken that relationship that God wants to have with us, freely by our own choice. In the story, the prodigal son, realizing his mistakes, repents and returns home to the father. How did he return home? He walked down the road most likely. But, how do we return to God, how is that relationship mended? That relationship has both been mended and is being mended. How? From the moment that sin entered the world, actually before the beginning of creation, God knew that sin would enter the world. And so, He had a plan. But, it wasn’t a backup plan. It wasn’t plan B, it was plan A. The eternal Father out of pure love for us, from the moment of our fall in the garden and the original sin, planned from all eternity to send His only-begotten Son, the eternal Word, through Whom all things were made, to save us. God planned from all eternity to become man, for us! This is seen throughout the entire Old Testament, the prophets telling the people that their Messiah was coming, their Savior. But unlike the Israelites who thought that the Messiah was coming to save them from their political and foreign enemies, the Messiah was coming to save us from our true enemies: sin and death. Man, in our finite being, cannot make perfect atonement to God for our offenses against His goodness. Only God can do that. And God did. God Who took on human nature, Who became one of us, Who shared in our being in all things except sin, took our place. St. Paul says in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. The Son of the Father, the Son of God came down from Heaven at the words of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s fiat, her yes, and was conceived in her pure and immaculate womb. He took on human flesh and nine months later was born as a man in Bethlehem and named Jesus, which means God saves. He grew up, preached, taught, healed, and ministered throughout all of Galilee for three years and then at the end of His life, stood in between the Father and the human race as the one perfect and only acceptable sacrifice for our sins and died on the cross, beaten, battered, and bloody in our place out of love for YOU! Everything that Jesus went through in His Passion was meant for us. But He took it all upon Himself. He accepted it as the will of the Father. In the garden, we see Jesus’ humanity when He asks that if the Father will, that this chalice, this suffering, pass Him by, BUT, He says right after, what words? “Not my will, but Yours be done”. He was innocent, He had no sin, but He endured the lash and the beatings, He endured the scourging. He endured the mockery and crown of thorns in silence. He carried that cross to Calvary, the Cross that was the weight of our sins, and He was nailed upon it and hung up high and as He hung there, He thought of each and every one of us by name! He proclaimed the great act of our salvation finished and died, and at that moment the veil in the Temple, separating the holy of holies where the ark was kept, from the people was torn in two from top to bottom. We could now return to God. Forgiveness and freedom, salvation and eternal life, were once again ours as they were meant to be in the beginning. But it didn’t end there, oh no. That isn’t the end of the story. Jesus rose from the dead. He arose and is living today. He is the firstborn from the dead and we shall also be like Him when we are resurrected on the last day to eternal life. When He ascended and sent the Holy Spirit, He promised to remain with us forever and He does that in the Eucharist. Jesus dwells with us in every Catholic Church Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the tabernacle FOR YOU!! He wants to remain close to you, He wants to come to you, He wants you to receive Him into your own body. He makes Himself available to you in that way because that is the type of relationship He wants with you. That is the closest that we can get to Heaven here on earth, is receiving Jesus in the Eucharist and making Him a part of our lives because He gave His life for yours. THAT is how much God loves you!!! God came and died for you. He sent His only begotten Son because He wants you to live with Him forever in Heaven and be happy for all eternity, worshiping Him and singing His praises without end. That is the road in which we, the prodigals, return to the Father and that is the love in which the Father waits for us. He will never stop waiting. He’s there waiting for you right now. So how do we walk that road, how do we get started? Has Jesus, perhaps, given us a way? What is it? Confession.
The Sacrament of Confession, Penance, or Reconciliation, however you call it, there is God’s mercy opened up wide for you. The oceans of love and mercy from the Heart of Jesus Who loves you so much is ready to be washed over you and to make you clean. It is there that God wishes for us to be put right with Him, there where He waits and calls us back to Himself. Don’t be afraid to go! Pope Saint John Paul II said, “Confession is an act of honesty and courage – an act of entrusting ourselves, beyond sin, to the mercy of a loving and forgiving God”. Don’t let fear keep you from confession. It’s the devil that wants to keep you away from confession, he wants you to feel embarrassed so that way you don’t confess everything, because if you don’t, he still has a grip on you. Don’t believe his lies. Satan, a murderer and liar from the beginning wants to keep you as far away from God’s mercy and forgiveness as possible, because in confession he has lost his grip on you completely and you are free and restored to your baptismal beauty and grace. The most peaceful words that we can hear this side of Heaven are this: I absolve you from your sins in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. So, what is keeping you from Confession? Is it a hurt from years gone by? Is it a sin we are too embarrassed of? Is it a sin we secretly love? No matter the reason, no matter the sin, God wants to take it from you. God wants to be reconciled to you. When we keep ourselves from His mercy we basically tell God that we don’t need Him, that we don’t want Him. And why would we do that? After all that God has done for us, why would we reject that love and peace and mercy He offers us? Why would we willingly choose an eternity without Him when He died to offer us eternal life? So, I ask you, even if you have not been to confession in a long time, or even if you go frequently, if you have something on your heart right now that you want to give to Jesus, go and give it to Him now. God is waiting for you. The Father is waiting. He is looking down the road and waiting to see you coming so He can run and embrace you, His beloved child. So, the only question left is this: will you give Him that chance?
This was the talk I gave on that youth lock in. After I finished, I played this song for them that has had such deep meaning for me for so many years, a song that has always been a help in bringing me back to God and reminding me of how much I really need Him.


Fallen Staff Seargent Timothy McGill will return to Ramsey on Monday September 30th. The homecoming procession shall take place at noon. The procession will begin at the corner of Franklin Turnpike and Main Street, pass through the center of town and then to the funeral home. A wake will be held at St Paul's Church on Wyckoff Ave. on Wednesday and Thursday from 10:00 A.M. till 7:00 P.M.. The funeral will take place on Friday beginning with a Mass at 11:00 A.M. at St. Paul's and internment at Mary Rest Cemetary in Mahwah. Please take a moment to remember Tim who was a life long resident in Ramsey, a Ramsey High School Graduate, Ramsey Volunteer Firefighter, DPW worker and served our Country first as a Marine and then with the Army Green Beret and Special Forces since 2001. Tim was serving in Afghanistan when he was gunned down and killed 3 weeks before his tour was up. Tim was a true American Hero. Thank you for your Service. Rest in Peace Brother.


Friday, April 21, 2017
More than 600 attend vigil for Pastor Raymond Koh
Suanna Liew, Koh’s wife, who spoke at the vigil which started at 7pm, said her family was going through a harrowing time without news or clues from the police on his whereabouts, well-being or his abductors.
Liew said she was still puzzled why her husband, a simple religious man, was abducted in a peaceful country like Malaysia.
“There is no justification for abducting someone like him violently because Malaysia is a nation of law and order.
“I pray that the police will do their job and bring the abductors to justice. I hope that my husband is still alive and will return,” she said when met by The Borneo Post after the vigil.
Among those present were Koh’s daughter Esther, District Superintendent of the Methodist Church Miri District (Miri and Limbang Divisions) Rev Simon Ting, pastors of the various Methodist Churches here including Pastor of the Grace Methodist Church, Reverend Lenita Tiong.
Liew added that despite their ordeal, she and her family remain strong and are thankful for the support they received from Christians of other Churches and even Muslims and Hindus.
“We last met the police on March 23 and on March 6 we were briefed by ACP Fadzil Ahmat on the latest development on their search for my husband and they said they will call us if there are any new developments.
“As of tonight, 67 days have gone without any news,” Liew said.
She said besides Miri, she and her daughter had attended similar gatherings organised recently in Kota Kinabalu, in Kelana Jaya and Shah Alam.
“We don’t mind paying for our airfares to Miri and Sabah. We take this opportunity to thank the people and also pray together in glorifying God for He continuously gives us inner strength,” she added.
Posted by wikisabah at 2:06:00 PM


Brookland United Methodist Church in West Columbia teamed up with 12 Springs Community Church for a Back-to-school bookbag giveaway. There was also a school supply giveaway at Turner Memorial AME Church. Both were on Saturday. (Photos courtesy of Turner Memorial AME Church, Brookland United Methodist Church.)
Hundreds of cars lined up for the drive-thru giveaway. In addition to school supplies and book bags, the recipients were treated to Kona Ice snow cones.
At Turner Memorial AME, the sponsors were Pressley’s Funeral Home, Turner AME City of West Columbia, Rev. I Daryl Pressley, West Columbia Councilman Mickey Pringle and Rev. Kenneth Taylor of Turner Memorial AME Church.
At Brookland United Methodist, more than 30 sponsors supplied around 500 bookbags for children in the community. Pastor Mark Payne and Joey Yandle, church Sound and Livestream Director, were organizers of the event.
West Columbia Mayor Tem Miles, West Columbia Councilman Joseph Dickey and Senator Katrina Shealy also helped, along with members of the West Columbia Police and Fire Department.
Also, Sen. Nikki Setzler and his wife AdaJane were on hand for the Back-to-school bookbag giveaway. He said they were both “incredibly touched” to be asked to help give the school supplies. More than 500 book bags filled with supplies and donated student face shields were given away at Brookland United Methodist Church.
It was “a tremendous ministry by the church members and volunteers,” said Setzler.


24 November 2013
Stir Up Sunday is the traditional day for everyone in the family to take a turn at stirring the Christmas pudding which is traditionally made with 13 ingredients to represent Christ and His Disciples. On Stir Up Sunday families returned from Church to give the pudding its traditional lucky stir. The pudding mixture was always stirred from East to West in honour of the three Wise Men who visited the baby Jesus. Whilst stirring the pudding mixture, each family member would make a secret wish.
A coin was traditionally added to the ingredients and cooked into the pudding. The traditional coin was an old silver sixpence and it was supposedly to bring wealth to whoever found it on their plate on Christmas Day.
Why is it called Stir Up Sunday?
The name 'Stir Up Sunday' comes from the opening words of the collect (The collect is the prayer of the day that “collects” up the themes of the readings during a church service) for the day in the Book of Common Prayer of 1549. The original collect (prayer) has today been adapted into more modern language and is now the Church of England's prayer after communion for Stir Up Sunday:
"Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people;
that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works,
may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
On Stir Up Sunday, children on their way back from church were often heard chanting an adaptation of what they had heard in church in the following rhyme:
Stir up, we beseech thee, the pudding in the pot;
And when we get home we'll eat the lot.
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“Before leaving for India, Carey famously told Fuller, ‘I will go down into the pit, if you will hold the ropes.’”
Makayla and I want to congratulate you on your interest to take action. You can do so by partnering with us. Our efforts would not be possible without the body of Christ coming together to spearhead the charge of Kingdom Advancement. We love the Lord Jesus and fear Him with all Godly wisdom. We have heard His command, "Go forth and make disciples of All Nations" and we will willingly with all reckless abandon, heed the commission from our God and King. Makayla and I thank you greatly for not necessarily just supporting us, but truly playing a part in Advancing the Kingdom of God. Please pray about becoming a monthly partner: Someone who is committed long-term like us; actively engaged and devoted toward Jesus' second coming. Understand that we are beyond blessed to receive any kind of financial contribution, although having a reliable stream of income brings much peace to our ministry. Much can be said of financial support, but if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email us and lastly, thank you for "holding the ropes" of Makayla and I's livelihood, of our ministry, and of God's Kingdom; it would not be possible without you.
"And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,"
You can also take action by joining us on the mission field! If you’ve ever been curious about your calling as a Christian, or ever wondered about the plan God has for you, we would love to explore that question by extending a special invitation. Please take this opportunity to prayerfully consider taking a Missions Trip to Thailand. Makayla and I would be honored in hosting you and enjoy the chance to share our home and ministry with you. Explore the city of Trang, and experience the need and deprivation of hearts that desperately call out to God for salvation. Come and witness firsthand the plentiful harvests that lack laborers. God is calling you into an exciting and wondrous adventure in missions and of knowing Him more deeply. Be strong and courageous; answer the call.