Let us seek to serve God in all we say and do! We believe the Bible is the word of the living God. We need to live, teach, and preach the Gospel in all aspects of our practical life. Let us keep our focus on Jesus Christ no matter what.
God is worthy of our worship and prayer. Christ loves you so much that He died on the cross that you and I might have the gift of eternal life. One day, we will be with Him in heaven if we repent of our sins and receive Him into our hearts as our personal Lord and Savior.
I encourage you to be faithful to our Lord and his bride, the Church. Let us be committed and serve Him in the beauty of His holiness. Come and join us.
God bless you


Blood Covenant in the Bible
To better understand how God’s covenants relate to us, we want to explore them in the context in which they were written. It is
under this way of studying that we can gain a richer and fuller understanding of what they meant to the people at the time when they were written and how they apply to today. As with reading
Shakespeare, the modern day reader relies heavily on foot notes to understand the context, we want to understand the ancient Hebrew context of covenants written in scripture to glean their true
We first start by exploring the blood covenant. In the Old Testament, the covenant process began with an exchange of garments
and also weapons. This occurs in 1 Samuel 18 when David and Jonathan make a covenant with each other as friends. “3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. 4
And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.” The covenant making process goes deeper when the two
parties exchange names or parts of their names. In Genesis 17, God makes a covenant with Abram and Sarai who both then take on new names Abraham and Sarah.
The next step in the process serves to remind both sides just how serious the covenant is. Animals would be split in two and
divided. God commanded Abraham to do this in Genesis 15:9 – 10. What made this part of the covenant so significant is that it served as a warning to both sides of the impending consequences if one
side were to break the covenant. “And the men who transgressed my covenant and did not keep the terms of the covenant that they made before me, I will make them like[a] the calf that they cut in two
and passed between its parts— 19 the officials of Judah, the officials of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf.” (Jeremiah
34:18 – 19). Both parties knew that they would face the same fate as the split animals if they broke the covenant terms.
What then would follow would be for both sides to cut the palms of their hands in order and clasp each other’s hand in order to
mingle their blood. This would also leave a scar which would serve as a reminder of the oath they had taken. It was not until after this step that the terms of the covenant would finally be drafted.
After this, a memorial would be set up such as a tree or a stone and then the two sides would close the blood covenant process by sharing a meal together. Jacob and Laban do this in Genesis 31 by
heaping pile of stones and closing with a meal.


|way of life in Christ
|Jim an Reba
Mt 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mr 8:29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.
THE PLAN OF SALVATION FROM GOD'S WORD
Romans 3:10 tells us .For there is none righteous, no not one. V11 There is none that understandeth,there is none that seeketh after
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners,Christ died for us
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life,through Jesus Christ our Lord.
While you and I were yet in our sin God gave his only begotten Son to die on the cross for our sins. We were born in sin, by
nature, after the simlatude of Adam. Sin reigned in our bodies. Sins against a Holy God. You were born that way and so was I
You had nothing to do with it. Every man women boy or girl was born that way. BUT you stay that way by choice. You see God
gave you the choice if you wanted to go to Heaven .He is not going to make you go against your will. If you want to go to
Heaven when you die. You have to make the choice to do so. If you live your life and do nothing you will die in your sins and go
to a Christless hell. to burn forever in the lake of fire. That is not my opionion. it is Gods word. (KJV) God loves you so much he
Gave his Son, a sacrifice for your sin. John 3: 16 Tells us " For God so loved the world, that he Gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the
world, But that the world through Him might be saved.
He did not come to condeem the world,, The world was already condeemed by God at the fall in the garden of Eden. God made a
way for man to get forgiveness of sin and come back to him, But he left that choice up to THE man.
If a man wants to be saved?? Then there are somethings he must do. and they are not works least any man have something to
1. You must addmit that you are a sinner. acknowledge your sins, and that you are lost, You see one can not be saved if he
dosen't realize he is lost.
2. You must be willing or want to repent of your sin.
3. You must confess Jesus before men as your Lord and Saviour
5. You must by faith accept Him into your Heart,
Now you are ready for salvation. Just ask Him to come into your heart and save you, if your heart is prepared, He will take up
his abode in your heart and you will become a born again Christian. Acts 16:31 says " Beleive on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou
SHALT be saved. Just ask.
Peace, Joy, and Security can only be found in the person of Jesus Christ the Son of God. And Jesus can Only be foud at the foot of
the cross of Calvary. If you want to go to Heaven when you die, You will have to go by way of the cross... Sorry there is no other
path. Jesus is the only way to Heaven. John 14:6 Jesus said of Himself ,I am the WAY, and theTRUTH, and the LIFE, No man
comes to the Father, But by me.
Please E-Mail us and Let us know of your dission,firstname.lastname@example.org and we will send you some booklets to help you get started
in your new life in Christ.


In our efforts to listen to God’s words to us, we often neglect what might be called his “first word” to us.
This is the gift of ourselves to ourselves: our existence, our nature, our personal history, our uniqueness, our identity.
All that we have, and indeed, our very existence, is one of the unique and never-to-be-repeated ways God has chosen to express himself in space and time.
Each of us, because we are made in God’s image and likeness, is yet another promise that he has made to the universe that he will continue to love it and care for it.
(Mother Teresa, Leadership, Vol. 10, no. 4)


Atonement Lutheran is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We reach out with the good news of God’s love through Jesus Christ.
All are welcome to join us!
*Nursery Attendant Available
for children ages 5 and under
(during worship services on Sundays)
Welcome to Atonement Lutheran Church. We’re glad you stopped in for a visit! Founded in 1966, Atonement Lutheran is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Worship on Sunday mornings is at 8:00 and 11:00.
Adult Forum & Sunday School is at 9:30am
Advent & Christmas Services
December 2nd, 9th, 16th … 7:00pm Wednesday Advent Service with Holden Evening Prayer.
December 24th … 7:00pm & 11:00pm Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
December 27th … 10:00am Service of Lessons & Prayers. One Service Sunday
“Scripture Readings”… “Blog“
*Note: Listed on our blog page
Words of the Week (The “WOW”)
Our weekly announcement sheet. It is part of the Sunday morning bulletin. Click on “Blog” in the menu to view them.
Our monthly newsletter. Click on “Blog” in the menu to view.
Intergenerational Advent Fair
Sunday November 29th 11:15am in the Fellowship Hall
Atonement is a reconciling in Christ Congregation.
As Christ’s ministry includes everyone, we, too, welcome persons of any ethnicity, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, marital status, age, economic situation, and physical or mental ability.
We celebrate the gifts each one brings to the life and ministry of this community of faith.
Church Facility Rental
Our facilities/rooms on the lower level are available for rent…Short term events (parties, meetings, weddings) or long term if needed. Please check with our office for available dates and time. See agreement/rates.
"It is impossible to be Negative while we are Giving Thanks "
Recent Blog Posts
Read our most recent newsletters and news here.
Photo Sessions…Intergenerational Event…Bible Study…Fred Meyer’s...
Advent & Christmas Schedules…Deck the Halls,,, Adult Forum…From the...
Sunday November 29, 2015 First Reading: Jeremiah 33:14-16 In the Old...


The importance of prayer cannot be overemphasised in the life of man. Prayer is so important that, our Lord Jesus had to teach us how to pray. The lord's prayer was not meant to be prayed all at once. Actually, the Lord's prayer is divided into three parts and i will explain each part for you in the nearest future. In your quiet time moment, try as much as possible with an ernest volition, meditates on the Lord's Prayer. It contains the foundation for everything you need for your physical well-being and spiritual ascent. The Lord's Prayer even give much more! It also indicates the path which you should strive to follow during your life existence on earth. The lord's Prayer alone provides everything for you if you penetrate into it deeply and grasp it aright.
Man needs nothing more than the Lord's Prayer! It shows him the whole gospel in concentrated form. It is the key to the Luminous Heights for him who knows how to experience it rightly. It can be both staff and torch for the advancement and ascent of everyone! What it contains is absolutely immeasurable! The Lord's Prayer is a masterpiece in itself.
In the Lord's Prayer, our Lord Jesus gave humanity the key to the Kingdom of God! It was not meant to be rattled straight off!
For now, in this article, i want to talk about a type of prayer. I will give you full detail of the Lord's Prayer later.
Do you know that there are different type of prayers? I want to throw a little light on Prayer for Thanksgiving.
Man , ordinarily, never bothers himself to pray a prayer of thanksgiving to his Creator, unless he undergo a discomforted situation. A happy soul will always give gratitude to his God no matter the situation he finds him/herself. There are so many reasons why you must thank God. Firstly, God is your Creator. Every creature in creation and the Divine must humble itself before his God. God is the source of all Life, without the Creator, you fail to exist in creation. God alone is the source of all driving forces. The Mightiness of God is so unimaginable to man. All powers emanate from only one source, that is God. He alone is worthy of all praise.
There is a popular believe, and majority of humanity holds that believe that there are two type of powers: The good and the evil power. Well let me use this opportunity to explain something here. To clarify this issue, like i said before, there is only one source of all driving force which is God. Lucifer being one of the archangel was handed a responsibility. A responsibility to see to it that the journey of the Spirit-germ wandering through creation and there returning to paradise is made quiet easy. Now, for that purpose, power was allotted to Lucifer. A scepter or a key symbolises the power given to Lucifer. Instead for Lucifer to use the power for the purpose it was meant for, rather, He used it contrary to that same purpose it was meant for. He used this powers to mislead man and thereby making the path to paradise difficult for man.
The Key or the Scepter will be wrestled off Lucifer by a stronger and more powerful Being at the appointed time. I am not suppose to write about Lucifer in this article, but the point i want to make clear is that there is only one power source, and that is God. Just because Lucifer used the power given to Him for evil, does not mean that the power is evil. At the appointed time, that same power in the hand of the Son of Man, will be used for the benefit of mankind during the millennial period of grace and mercy bestowed upon mankind.
So i want you to erase that mentality of Good and Evil powers competing each other. If God has a competitor, then He is not God.
God alone is the only creator, and He is One. One Whole! Every other thing vibrates in Him. Besides Him, there is None! Just take a moment and think about it yourself. God is the originator of All, Lucifer is though, a Divine being, He is still a creature of God Almighty. A creature can never be as powerful as is his Creator. The Creator can exist without Its creature, but a creature cannot exist without its Creator.
When you give thanks to your Creator, it shows that you appreciate the Greatness of your Mighty God. And its another way of showing that you Love your God with all your heart, no matter what situation you find yourself. Atleast, thank God for your existence in creation. Let your gratitude be known to God in humility and purity.
Man seldom offer prayer of thanksgiving, unless exceptionally, when he unexpectedly receives a very special earthly gift or when he is suddenly rescued from a great danger. Unexpectedness and suddenness are necessary before he will arouse himself to utter a prayer of thanksgiving. If he and all his loved ones are always blessed with good health and if he has no material cares, he will hardly bring himself to utter an earnest prayer of thanksgiving.
Prayer of Thanksgiving is a worship to your God. It is so important in the life of a believer! It shows that you love the Lord, your God with all your heart, your soul, and spirit. It shows that you acknowledge the Mightiness of the Most High God. Our lord Jesus gave us an example, when He showed us how to pray, quote: "OUR FATHER, WHICH ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME". He Started the Lord's Prayer with the acknowledgement of the Greatness of God.
So, I want to direct this question to you! When was the last time you genuinely and earnestly gave thanks to God? or are you waiting for something spectacular to happen before you know that the life you live is not yours without your Creator! You need to thank Him for the Love and Mercy He has showed. Thank Him for your existence here on earth.


Yay!! The holidays are upon us and once again, we have opportunities to add a little joy to the life of others. Surely, that’s the spirit of the holidays and surely, that is something we can all get excited about. I realize that the holidays can bring sadness to so many people as they remember loved ones who are no longer with them and for some, the holidays bring the reality of loneliness or isolation. That is why it is so important that each of us take some time to ponder what we and our family can do to bring the light of Christ to others this season.
Holiday traditions are something that is so rewarding to both young and old. First of all, it’s never too late to start a tradition. When I meet people around the holidays, I always ask them, “Tell me about your holiday traditions” and people just light up when they talk about activities that their family did every year. It’s so special to have such memories and to have things that are unique to your family. May I suggest that this year, you take the time to consider if you have some traditions that bless others and if not, consider creating a new family tradition. May I share with you a list of some fun traditions that my family does:
- Each year we go to the store and allow everyone in the family to buy a new Christmas ornament, even mom and dad. Make sure you write everyone’s name on their ornament. It is so joyful to open the Christmas ornament box each year and be reunited with our special ornaments. And, when our children marry, they can take their ornaments and memories to their own tree.
- Each year we adopt a family for Christmas. Sometimes, if money is tight or a family is really large, we invite 1 or 2 other families to join us so it’s not too much of a financial burden. Then, we meet on Christmas Eve (or the night before) and stack the presents up on the family’s doorstep, knock and run. Boy have we had some fun doing this over the years.
- Each year, my girl cousins and aunts (and grandmother when she was living), meet starting in October and begin making our traditional Christmas cookies. We make one kind each get-together and then everyone goes home with one tin of cookies. By the time Christmas rolls around, we each have 5-7 tins of our favorite Christmas cookies to give to friends and eat ourselves. This tradition has been such an important way for us to stay connected to each other and we all feel like our grandmother is proud that we have carried this tradition forward.
What are your family traditions? We would all love to read and gain ideas of special traditions that we could incorporate into our family. Please share in the comments below.
Merry Christmas! May the light of Christ penetrate your home and your heart throughout this special month. May we bring this light to as many as we can. May we remember the elderly, the lonely, the down trodden. May we share of ourselves in every way.


World Vision International is Hiring!
WVI London Executive Office, 1 Roundwood Ave
Uxbridge UB11 1FG, United Kingdom
+44 20 7758 2900
World Vision is the largest child-focused private charity in the world. Our almost 40,000 staff members working in nearly 100 countries have united with our incredible supporters to impact the lives of over 200 million vulnerable children by tackling the root causes of poverty. Through World Vision every 60 seconds…a family gets water…a hungry child is fed…a family receives the tools to overcome poverty. Motivated by our faith and guided by our deep experience and expertise, we are a Christian humanitarian, development and advocacy organisation devoted to improving the lives of children, families and their communities around the world and creating lasting impact that will live on in generations to come. We serve all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.
Start a Profitable Blog FREE Email Course
In this free intro course, I show you how to start a profitable blog from scratch. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive regular updates and get access to the free course.


Catholic Church beatifies computer-wiz teenager | WorldOctober 11, 2020
ASSISI, Italy – A 15-year-old Italian computer whiz who died of leukemia in 2006 moved a step closer to possible sainthood Saturday with his beatification in the town of Assisi, where he is buried.
Carlo Acutis is the youngest contemporary person to be beatified, a path taken by two Portuguese shepherd children living in the early 1900s who were proclaimed Catholic saints in 2017.
At the beatification ceremony in the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, a portrait of Acutis was slowly unveiled, revealing a smiling teen in a red polo shirt, his curly dark hair illuminated by a halo of light. Cardinal Agostino Vallini, the papal legate for the Assisi basilicas, kissed each of the boy’s mask-wearing parents, Andrea Acutis and Antonia Salzano, after reading the proclamation decreed by Pope Francis.
Already touted as the “patron saint of the internet,” Acutis created a website to catalog miracles and took care of websites for some local Catholic organizations. While still in elementary school, Acutis taught himself to code using a university computer science textbook, and then learned how to edit videos and create animation.
“Carlo used the internet in service of the Gospel, to reach as many people as possible,” the cardinal said during his homily, adding that the teen saw the web “as a place to use with responsibility, without becoming enslaved.”
Acutis was born in London on May 3, 1991, to Italian parents and moved to Milan as a child. He showed a strong religious devotion that surprised his non-practicing parents. His mother told the Corriere della Sera newspaper that from age 3 he would ask to visit churches they passed in Milan, and by age 7 had asked to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion.
Acutis died of acute leukemia on Oct. 12, 2006.
He was put on the road to sainthood after Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to Acutis: The healing of a 7-year-old Brazilian boy from a rare pancreatic disorder after coming into contact with an Acutis relic, a piece of one of his T-shirts.
Another verified miracle is necessary for sainthood, although Pope Francis has waived that on rare occasions.


THE community has rallied behind St John’s Parish, Trafalgar in helping restore the church to its former glory.
The church was reduced to basic rubble earlier in the year after white ants totally destroyed the foundation, rendering the altar useless.
A call to arms has raised upwards of $100,000, and the church is now looking as good as new.
Local builder Brett Smart and concreter Bill Holdsworth have been at the forefront of the restoration, which has seen the floor concreted, new carpet laid and a lot of the electrical work replaced.
Donations came by and large from parishioners, staff and students of neighbouring St Joseph’s Primary School, who held many fundraisers, as well as from local businesses and the wider community.
St John’s parish says it has been blown away by the generosity and kindness of all who have helped save the church for future generations.
The parish is hoping to hold a function when COVID restrictions ease to formally thank all who contributed and show them the result of the restoration work.


Стойте в одном духе, подвизаясь единодушно за веру евангельскую. Фил. 1:27.
Оргкомитет по созыву всесоюзного съезда церкви евангельских христиан-баптистов
Early 1960s, more regularly from 1964, including No. 1 (1965) - No. 6 (1986), and possibly later. Individual issues ca. 2 pp.
GENRE: journal. Title in English "Fraternal Pamphlet" (ALEX).
Individual issues ca. 2 pp. (RECL 76) (OSA archival notes).
Groups include the Initiative Group, the Organizational Committee for the Convention of the All-Union Congress of the Evangelical Christian-Baptist Church, and the Council of Churches of Evangelical Christian Baptists (ALEX) (RECL 75-76) (SUMM) (KHTS No. 16). Published by the Baptist Initiative Group beginning in the early 1960s, the edition began appearing more regularly in 1964, and was used by the Council of Churches as its regular informational organ (ALEX).
Informational edition that treats human rights and religious persecution.
Institutional Holding Notes:
OSA - No. 1-4 in Radio Liberty script 27 November 1975, “Russian Reform Baptists Take Stand on Registration,” by Michael Bourdeaux (partial reprint).
BAY - Friedensstimme reprints - 1978, 1981, 1982 (example of double imprint: Otpechatano v tipografii "Khristianin". pereizdaetsia MISSIONWEK "FRIEDENSSTIMME" DER VEREINGUNG HEIMGEKEHRTER EVANGELISCHER BAPTISTEN - BRUDERGEMEINDEN e. V. 5000 Koln 90, Postfach 90 0465"


Tristin Roberts, coming from the coastal region of
Northern California, has been playing and leading worship all over Humboldt
County for the past 5 years. During that time he has released an EP entitled
"Shine Bright", an LP entitled "Love and Mystery" and most recent he had the
privilege of getting to record 2 LIVE songs at Bethel church in Redding, CA.
Tristin Roberts is the Worship Director at a new Humboldt County
church in Arcata, CA called Catalyst. You can check out the church at


- Plan / Information (Français)
- Plan guide accessibilité
- Plan / Information (English)
- Plan for visitors with mobility impairments
- Mapa / Informação
- Mappa/ Informazioni
- Plan / Information (Deutsch)
- Plano / Información
- план / информация (Русский)
- 루브르 박물관 관람 안내
- مخطط الزيارة\ المعلومات
- Plan / informacja (polski)
Work Openwork Panel
Department of Decorative Arts: Early Middle Ages
© Musée du Louvre / Objets d'Art
Early Middle Ages
The Louvre has two panels from a group known as the Magdeburg Ivories, a set of sixteen panels given to the church of St. Maurice in Magdeburg by Emperor Otto I (d. 973), probably when it became a cathedral in 968. Differing in style, the two panels in the Louvre are the work of different artists employed in the same workshop, commissioned by Otto.
An episode that is seldom depicted
The scene is set against a background pierced with crosses. A child stands in the center, surrounded by larger figures, among them the haloed Christ, who is leaning toward the child and pointing him out to the apostles, one of whom is recognizable as St. Peter. The scene comes from a relatively unfamiliar episode in the New Testament (and one seldom depicted in medieval iconography), when Christ calls a small child to him and says to the apostles: "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18: 1-6; Luke 9: 47-48).
The Magdeburg Ivories
The powerful modeling, geometrical forms, and compact composition identify this panel as one of the Magdeburg Ivories, of which sixteen survive today. They will originally have adorned an important item of church furnishing - an antependium, bishop's throne, or chancel door, for instance - and were donated to the abbey church of St. Maurice by Emperor Otto I (936-973), most likely when the abbey became a cathedral on the establishment of Magdeburg as an archbishopric in 968. Whatever its function, the original piece was dismantled not very long after, at the beginning of the eleventh century. That more than one artist was involved in carving the ivories can be seen by comparing this panel with the other one in the Louvre, which depicts the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes.
The Magdeburg Ivories combine influences from the Metz ivories of the second half of the ninth century (visible in the massive quality of the figures), with features characteristic of the Romanesque. The same synthesis can be seen in the late eleventh-century statuary of Toulouse, indicating the key role played by objets d'art as a source of inspiration to sculptors.
BibliographyGaborit-Chopin Danielle, Nouvelles acquisitions du département des Objets d'art (1990-1994), Paris, Editions de la Réunion des musées nationaux, 1995, notice 17.
Gaborit-Chopin Danielle, Les ivoires médiévaux, Catalogue des collections du département des Objets d'art, Paris, Editions de la Réunion des musées nationaux, n 47, 2003.
Workshop commissioned by OTTO I
Magdeburg Cathedral; XXXX; XXXX before 1909; former V. Martin le Roy collection.
H. 1.28 m; W. 1.19 m; D. 0.008 m
J.-J. Marquet de Vasselot, purchased under order of 27 January 1993.
OA 6310, OA 11372
The Louvre is open every day (except Tuesday) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.


We have recently completed a Conservation Management Plan for St. Marys Church, Ravensdale.
Armagh Diocesan records indicate that construction began on St. Mary’s Church, Ravensdale in 1830. It was probably one of the first churches constructed in Co. Louth following Catholic Emancipation in 1829. An extension was later addedd in the 1860s which comprised of a new wing to the front/SW side of the building which changed the building to a “T” shaped plan. It is probable that the altar was moved to it’s current location at this stage to form the liturgical focal point of the enlarged plan.
This Conservation Management Plan was commissioned to provide a strategy for the medium and long- term monitoring, maintenance and on-going repair of the church in accordance with conservation principles. The report has been prepared to address the conservation of the building and it’s immediate curtilage. The Conservation Plan will identify all aspects of significance. Together with a statement of significance, the conservation plan will identify threats and set out conservation strategies that will address the threats and preserve the significance of the building and site.


The nursery (birth - 2 years) is staffed during all three service times on Sundays.
Our First Kids Serve Team offers programs for children from birth through 5 grade during both services and Sunday Bible study. We are committed to creating safe and exciting environments where your children are taught about Jesus and the Bible through a variety of relevant, age-appropriate, and FUN activities! We view every second we spend with kids here is an opportunity to share God's love and place another brick in the foundation of their faith.
Scheduling & Locations
Located next to the Family Life Center Foyer. Children (Pre-K through 5th grade) remain in the sanctuary for family worship and then are released to experience God's word. (This class meets in the FLC First Level room A-102.)
10:00am - Sunday School
Toddlers ages 2-3 ( This class meets in the second room on the left in the Children's wing.)
Pre-K (FLC First Level A-102, first room on the left in the Children's wing.
Kindergarten & 1st Grade (FLC second level A-201, "Yellow Room")
2nd & 3rd Grade ( FLC second level A-202, "Orange Room")
4th & 5th Grade (FLC second level A204, "Blue Room")
11:00 am Service
Toddlers ages 2-3 ( This class meets in the second room on the left in the Children's wing.
Children ages 4-5 (This class meets in the first room on the left located in the Children's wing.
First Kids Worship
Kindergarteners through 5th graders (This experience is offered in the newly renovated children's center located next to the Family life Center.)
Enter through the Family Life Center entrance for easy access to the Children's check in station and Children's wing.
First Time Guest?
Save yourself time on Sunday morning by pre-registering your children by clicking here.
Please have all children checked in at our Kids check station located in the Family Life Center foyer before they go to their classes.


Welcome to North Church Queens, a forward-thinking Presbyterian church and multicultural faith community that seeks to share God’s love with all people.
North Church was established in 1938 and has gone through many transformations over the years. The congregation reflects the community of Queens in that we are multicultural, multilingual, and inter-generational.
As a part of the Reformed tradition, we believe in the need for grace and that salvation ultimately comes from God. However, this is no excuse for inaction. We believe that it is our responsibility (and joy) as Christians to be agents of God’s love in the world. As a church we seek to serve the community, help those in need, and work for social justice as our Savior did 2,000 years ago.
If you are looking for a place to pray, a community of faith, or just a space to share ideas and have a good conversation, then come to North Church Queens!


This site is intended as a repository for Christian resources, with no underlying agenda. If you are looking for condemnation and lectures on sin, you have come to the wrong place.
It is our hope to present resources that will paint a picture of an awesome, loving God who can make a real and positive difference in the lives of those who choose to know Him.
We hope to open discussion groups, provide testimonies, as well as one-on-one mentors for those interested in finding or deepening their relationship with Christ. However, in the meantime, please feel free to contact us with your questions, comments, testimonies and additional resources so that we can make this the go to place for those who may shy away from the “church experience” but may still have a desire for fellowship, learning, and “something more.”


I've said it before and I'll say it again: Amazing things happen in the fellowship of other women. No matter the setting, no matter the occasion, love is always present. Amidst the laughter, sharing of stories and breaking of bread, the Holy Spirit abides. I truly believe that.
I LOVED my dress! Find it at
At no time was this more evident than the beautiful baby shower thrown in my honor. Anyone who knows me is aware that I am somewhat anxious about asking for help, being the center of attention, or having people fawn over me. In addition to wanting to find ways to do things on my own, I struggle with feeling worthy of peoples' time and energy because I know these commodities are precious and finite.
And yet, this gathering of exquisitely gifted, talented, and Spirit-filled women was precisely what my needy soul required. The experience was nothing short of extraordinary. My heart was filled to the brim with love and humbled by the affection heaped upon not only myself, but the sweet baby girl in my womb. She had yet to arrive, but here was a room full of women who already cherished her!
"Forever for always my Joy you'll be."
Handmade sign by
As I made my way home--almost three hours after the party had ended!--I couldn't keep the smile from my face because once again, God had blessed me far more than I deserved.
If you'd like to see more photos from my shower, here's a quick video to watch and enjoy!


President: Dr. William T. Luckey, Jr.
Enrollment: 2,563 (2,067 undergraduate)
Student-faculty ratio: 15 to 1
Lindsey Wilson College is a liberal-arts college affiliated with the Kentucky Conference of The United Methodist Church. The mission of Lindsey Wilson is to serve the educational needs of students by providing a living-learning environment within an atmosphere of active caring and Christian concern where every student, every day, learns and grows and feels like a real human being. The college offers 26 baccalaureate degrees and three graduate programs. The campus is located on more than 200 partially wooded acres in Columbia. William T. Luckey Jr. is Lindsey Wilson’s eighth president, serving since 1998. Under President Luckey’s leadership, the college’s operating budget has expanded from $14 million to more than $58 million and the number of faculty has more than doubled.


Our Reading Room is a library and bookstore, – and more. Here is a place of peace, free of distractions, and rich with opportunities to grow spiritually.
This Reading Room is our gift to Carmichael and neighboring towns regardless of one’s faith. Here you may read and purchase the Bible, the Christian Science textbook Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by our founder, Mary Baker Eddy as well as related books, pamphlets, and audio books and music. We have archived periodicals containing accounts of healing by Christian Science treatment and articles that share insights on this healing ministry. These same periodicals and books are available on our computer for easy searches and printouts you can take with you.
Even for those who already own these resources, our Reading Room provides a serene atmosphere in which to study, pray, and commune with our loving God.


5 edition of A gift for God found in the catalog.
|Statement||Mother Teresa of Calcutta.|
|LC Classifications||BX2182.2 .T39 1975|
|The Physical Object|
|Pagination||78 p. :|
|Number of Pages||78|
“Every good gift and every perfect present is from above, coming down from the Father of the celestial lights.” That scripture, of course, refers to the generosity of our heavenly Father, Jehovah GodYet, of the many gifts that God has given mankind, there is one that is greater than all the rest. Ecclesiastes to accept their lot and be happy in their toil--this is a gift of God. New Living Translation And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. Bamboo: The Gift of the Gods. Oscar Hidalgo López. The Author, - Bamboo - pages. 0 Reviews. From inside the book. What people are saying - Write a review. We haven't found any reviews in the usual places. Contents. PART ONE THE BAMBOO PLANT. 2: The influence of the culm. STRUCTURES GENERATED BY Plastering of the bamboo.
Dolet Hills, Lignite Mine Project, De Soto Parish, Louisiana (a supplement to the Dolet Hills power plant EIS)
Trends in groundwater quality in relation to groundwater age
Qualification testing of solar photovoltaic powered refrigerator freezers for medical use in remote geographic locations
My Busy Day
Zircon correlation with special reference to the granitic rocks of the north shore of Lake Huron
Trade with China: American Methods and Trade Opportunities in the Markets of the Orient..
International steel statistics
Hoa Pili O Kaloko-Honokohau Advisory Commission Reauthorization Act of 2007
Concise French-American dictionary of figurative and idiomatic language.
Portraits with music
little cobbler and the north wind
Foreign investment in economically underdeveloped countries
Oct 02, · A lovely, sturdy book A gift for God book not only offers historical information, but allows the reader to see how faith and devotion inspire creativity and how our gifts and talents can be used in God's service. (I received a review copy from the publisher.5/5(2). May 06, · Gifts of God (St.
Joseph Carry-me-along Board Books) [George Brundage] on supportselschools.com *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Ideal book for young children. A sturdy book that will stand A gift for God book to wear and tear, it provides clear5/5(1). A Gift for God book.
Read 13 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. In Honor of Mother Teresa's Beatification in October The lette /5. Apr 03, · Divorce: A Gift of God's Love [Walter Callison] on supportselschools.com *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers.
The author addresses the question, What does God really think about divorce. He includes the community's interpretation of the laws of divorce. /5(15). THE GIFT OF GOD. God never sells anything. Gift means a present one gives to others. God’s things are always given to man as gifts.
As long as one wants it, it will be given to him. If someone does not want it, it will not be given to him. This is the way with everything that God gives to man. A Gift From God [Vickie Mitchell] on supportselschools.com *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers.
With the distractions of every day life, it's tough to keep our faith at the top of our ever expanding to do lists. To prove that you love HimAuthor: Vickie Mitchell. Apr 16, · The Gift [Hafiz, Daniel Ladinsky] on supportselschools.com *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers.
Chosen by author Elizabeth Gilbert as one of her ten favorite books, Daniel Ladinsky’s extraordinary renderings of unforgettable lyrical poems by Hafiz/5(). His book offers some of the most vivid and descriptive portions of prophecy in all of God’s Word.
His prophecies have offered hope to God’s people for thousands of years, and they still speak to us today. Let Dr. David Jeremiah’s classic work on Daniel, The Handwriting on the Wall, bring Daniel’s visions to life like never before. Learn. THE GIFTS OF GOD brings together a collection of poems written by Dr.
Helen Schucman, scribe of A Course in Miracles, which was received from a divine source. These personal poems explore and expand on the book's spiritual teachings, which have been embraced by millions worldwide/5.
God Loves You. features beautiful poetry by award-winning children's author Jennifer Dewing and colorful, whimsical illustrations by award-winning artist Maria Carluccio.
The book is perfect for the birth of a baby, baptism, naming ceremony, first communion, Easter, Passover or everyday occasion.5/5(). 2 Corinthians - Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.
then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit.
With entries that are short enough to read while drinking your morning coffee, or to read in the solace of your bed just before going to sleep, "A Gift from God: Days Walking With God" cites some of the most inspirational passages in the Holy supportselschools.com: Vickie Mitchell.
A good book deserves an artful bookmark. We recommend bright and trending design with tassel trim, printed on both sides, and encased in a vinyl sleeve. 2' x 6'. For books and Bibles, gift handouts, or to tuck into a card.
Friends are a gift from God above and through your life I've seen His love; butterfly and chevron motif. Friends Are A Gift From God Bookmark5/5(1). Man of God: Renewed, devotion book and pen set with eagle motif and Bible reference to Isaiah 64 page book; ' x '; pen has black ink. Packaged in clear bag with silver bow for a ready-to-give gift.
Man of God, Pen & Softcover Devotion Book Gift Set () by David R. Schmitt5/5(5). Oct 24, · Gifts from the Gods book. Read 26 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. Ancient names come to rich and fascinating life in this lavishly illustrated gift book for mythology fans and word lovers.
the Thunder God," so when I saw this book while trying to find some story books for my son, I picked it up. It is an /5. This light-hearted and lively book explores how our gift-giving traditions show us a glimpse of a giving God.
Evangelist Glen Scrivener helps readers to celebrate the gift of life in a world brimming with beauty, before taking us to John to unwrap the Christmas gift that can give us what we've always wanted, and what we really need.
I came across your article on the gifts of the Spirit. It was an interesting article. It appears to me that you are looking through a glass darkly and trying to explain the gifts of the Spirit in a way that we can understand naturally.
They are GIFTS of the Holy Spirit, not. Remind family and friends the importance of faith and the true meaning of Christmas with these beautiful Christmas cards from DaySpring.
Cards feature charming artwork paired with Christ-centered sentiments, and inspirational Scripture. Front: The gift of God The birth of Christ.
This is Christmas This is love. Inside Left: Every good and perfect gift is from supportselschools.com: Dayspring. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.
To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Christian wedding gifts to celebrate and honor your marriage vows, including our Mr and Mrs Gifts and words of blessing for your wedding day.
A Gift From God: Days Walking With God. With the distractions of every day life, it’s tough to keep our faith at the top of our ever expanding to do lists. To prove that you love Him, and that you believe in Him, this book is a quick and easy way to both remind ourselves why we love our Savior, Jesus Christ, and to get a daily dose of the.
A book about sexuality, faith, and intimacy that I highly recommend to women. These authors are not afraid to be real and go deep. Lots of raw, insightful, and inspiring stories.
"Gift-Wrapped by God" can both help to heal from sexual regrets, and get one excited about God's design for sex and marriage!/5. God's Gift by Dee Henderson. When I bought it, I thought it was her latest book.
I think because Amazon sent me an email saying it was new. Now, I'm wondering if the ad said it was now available on the Kindle.
Doesn't matter. I still enjoyed it. At the end of the book, I learned it was her second book and came out in /5. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
For the wages. Romans Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
God’s Gift: Reconciliation and Eucharist offers powerful, meaningful lessons to help children and their parents understand, prepare for, and celebrate the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist. Engaging children’s hearts and minds through prayer opportunities, active learning, and compelling videos, God’s Gift leads children to a life of faith and discipleship.
The coming forth of the Book of Mormon is a marvelous episode not only in Church history but also in human history. You and I owe many people for their roles in bringing us the Book of Mormon, a book filled with plain and precious salvational truths which came forth by “the gift and power of God” (Book of Mormon title page).
God is a Gift. likes. Learning to live in grace. In this article we are going to turn our focus to our lives. God’s work is to change our minds about all of supportselschools.comers: Dec 17, · For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Why We Should Not and Cannot Go on Living in Sin. Our focus this morning is mainly on the three great contrasts in verse "The wages of sin is death, but. Leading seller of Christian books, Bibles, gifts, homeschool products, church supplies, DVDs, toys and more.
Everything Christian for Less for over 40 years. Apr 22, · The Greatest Gift Is God Himself How He Meets Us in Suffering Close. Tim Keller, in his book The Prodigal God, talks about this subtle but dangerous expectation. He writes, “If, like the elder brother, you seek to control God through your obedience, then all your morality is just a way to use God to make him give you the things in life.
Oct 29, · If God Wrote Your Birthday Card Gift Book - Great gift for a friend. This was perfect to go with a birthday gift for a friend. The words were very appropriate and supportselschools.com: Hallmark. Jesus said that singleness can be a gift. 4 The Bible says that marriage too is a gift from God and that it has some advantages.
Jehovah said of the first man, Adam: “It is not good for the man to continue to be alone. I am going to make a helper for him, as a complement of him.”. James - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
1 Peter - As every man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of. Word of God Bible & Gift Store, Elizabethtown, KY. likes. Your locally owned and operated Christian Store serving Hardin and surrounding counties in KY5/5.
Dec 10, · There is no greater gift you could receive this Christmas than God forgiving you of the sin that separates you from him and coming to dwell inside of you by his Holy Spirit.
For those of us who have already received God’s greatest gift by trusting in the person and work of Jesus Christ, God is calling us to rediscover the wonder of that gift.
الكنيسة العربية بمسيساجا Gift of God Church, Mississauga, Ontario. K likes. نصل بكلمة الرب لمن حولنا ونقدم المثال للحياة المسيحية الحقة ويكون نداءنا للكل توبوا فقد اقترب ملكوت السموات/5(12). Christian Art Gifts has a creative and modern approach for gift ideas including a wide selection of Christian gifts, inspirational gifts, bibles, journals, planners, bible.
Nov 16, · When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner Illustrated by David Catrow When God Made You is a fun book that has value for young and old alike. Readers follow a young girl in pictures as the story talks about things God valued and considered /5(25). Editorial Reviews. In The Gifts of God for the People of God, Furman Buchanan has given the Church a practical, theological, and devotional roadmap to the supportselschools.com book is accessible enough for people who are exploring their faith, and offers deep insight as we grow in our understanding of our worship.
John Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] JohnNIV: "Jesus answered her, 'If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.'" JohnESV: "Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would.
Young People’s Book. Centered on Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Young People’s Book provides a thorough presentation of the key teachings of the Catholic faith, including the seven sacraments, with special emphasis on preparing to celebrate Reconciliation and the supportselschools.comped with older children in mind, this edition offers protocol-proven content, Scripture.It’s a righteousness from God.
Romans 1–7 is all about that righteousness. It shows us why we don’t have it, why we need it, and how we can receive it. It thrills us that “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6 v 23).Author: Timothy Keller.“God loves you unconditionally, as you are and not as you should be, because nobody is as they should be.” This quote in a nutshell surmises “My Gift to God.” It is a story Sarah’s story of being a self-proclaimed Ragamuffin in this crazy world we live in.
A journey, raw and vulnerable.


What an amazing privilege it was to be able to minister in Florence Italy this past weekend. It was an adventure to remember forever. We had never been to Europe before so this made this trip even more anticipated. After 11 hours of traveling we finally landed and our journey in this historic country began. Wednesday evening began with our Church Doctor meeting where we were able to hear the needs of the Pastors’ in order to plan the weekend and give practical advice for the growth of the Church beyond the Conference that weekend. After some time we were able to diagnose the spiritual weaknesses of the Church and create a plan for that weekend and the plan of action after the Conference. We designed a plan to heal and deliver the leadership, Impart and activate the dna of the Vision, activate Church in Supernatural, and Mobilize participants to streets of Florence. Thursday morning we awoke to gather at the Church for morning prayer. It was a very powerful experience as the Lord began to show us the spirits that were attacking the Church and the Lord began to lead us to break the powers of darkness over the region. We began to minister to the pastors’ and their intercessors. We felt there was a breakthrough that occurred that morning to pave way for the Conerence. Thursday night we began the Conference as Pastors and Leaders came from all around Italy to be empowered by the Supernatural Power of God. I began to train the Church in Spiritual Dna as the Church began to be set free in the dna. On Friday morning my wife went on to minister Healing for the offended heart. Italy is known to be a territory where people can be easily offended and betray. After all, it is a curse that has operated since the days of the roman empire. Many people were healed, delivered and set free by the power of God. I continued ministering on the Spiritual Dna Part 2, as God lead me to activate the people to renew their covenant with pastors as spiritual sons with their spiritual fathers and lead the Church to restore and heal to receive the spiritual dna of their fathers. Friday night broke out in Supernatural Miracles as the Spirit of God lead me to prophesy, call out words of knowledge and heal the sick. One word of knowledge that comes to mind was a condition in the back from a woman who i felt as her spine cracked in my hands and aligned. She was totally healed by the power of God. There was another man who was experiencing deafness in both ears and God supernatural began to open his ears. He began to hear from 7 ft away and God did it for His Glory!!!. People ended up under the power of God and some in the joy of the Spirit. Saturday morning we ended the Conference giving a Practical Supernatural Evangelism training where i laid hands on everyone imparting the Spirit of Evangelism and mobilizing to streets of Florence. We ended up winning the Director of the Hotel, an entire soccer team to Christ, and about 70 souls in total within 1 hour of street evangelism. We could have won a lot more souls but the plan was to give them a taste of 1 hour invasion. Healings, prophetic words, words of knowledge were activated in the streets. We are grateful to God for such a powerful Supernatural Invasion in Italy. To God be the Glory for everything that He did and will continue to do. If you are hungry for a Supernatural Invasion, write to us in our invite section of our website so that we can plan our future Supernatural Invasion in your city. Get ready as we will be heading to Spain in July for our next Supernatural Invasion in Europe.
It’s important as Evangelists to understand basic principles for leading unbelievers to Christ. One of the principles that is important for leading souls effectively to Christ is the prayer of salvation. The Bible teaches us that God commands men everywhere to repent.
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
God will not overlook the sins of mankind. God loves us but He hates sin! Therefore the Bible teaches us that God will not allow the innocent to go unpunished.
‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’
Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Here it shows that it’s not just repentance of sin, we must first confess our sins before God. We must lead people to confess they are sinners and turn from their sin (repentance). Without true repentance we are just having people make a nice prayer, however, Biblically forgiveness of sins begins with confession and repentance. The next thing that is important about the prayer of salvation is leading the person to confess Jesus as Lord, and believe in their hearts that God the Father raised Him from the dead.
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
God is the only one who can judge the hearts of men. He knows when someone truly repents of their sins and turns their heart to God. I do believe there are people who receive the Lord on their death bed or in the last moment without praying this prayer of salvation but I believe God in His Sovereignty sees the heart of the person to place their trust in Him wholeheartedly. For example, the Bible shows us that the robber on the cross next to Christ was told by our Lord that because of he placed his faith in Him before his death, he would be with the Lord in Paradise. That goes to show that in certain cases God will save lives out of His Sovereignty because He alone knows the hearts of men. The Bible teaches us that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[a]
However, as a general rule of thumb, one should lead people to confess and repent of sins, confess Jesus as Lord, and believe that God the Father raised Him from the dead. Every other prayer you do within the prayer of salvation is fine as long as the core of salvation is made within the prayer. I have heard people lead an unbeliever to Christ without any confession of sins, or confession Jesus as Lord of their lives. We must lead people to understand that God loves and wants to save their souls from an eternity in hell without Him. God is a Father and He longs to see His creation be restored as His adopted sons and daughters through Christ Jesus. Therefore, a prayer of salvation for an unbeliever could look something like this:
Father I come before your presence today to confess to you that I am a sinner and I need forgiveness for my sins. I choose to repent (turn away) of all my sins and ask you to forgive me today. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is my Lord, and I believe that God the Father raised you from the dead. Please cleanse me with your blood, come into my heart and write my name in the Book of Life. I renounce every pact with the devil, sin, my flesh, and my past. I make a pact with Jesus Christ to serve you and live for you all the days of my life. I declare the day I die when I open my eyes I will be in your presence. In Jesus name. Amen!
As believers we must understand that Evangelism and Prayer go hand in hand. Prayer is the motor that activates the Supernatural. Without Prayer you will never see greater manifestations during evangelism. There are people who evangelize without a prayer strong prayer life and will definitely see results because the word cannot return void, however, prayer releases greater power during evangelism. I have seen the greatest results of evangelism through strong prayer and intercession.
Act 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Act 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Act 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
A great Evangelist must have a great prayer. Anybody can preach, but if we want to see a greater impact in this generation we must operate in the supernatural and that requires greater dimensions of prayer. A believer should have a close walk with God so that they can know the heart of God and manifest His heart on the earth. From the moment God saved my soul, I have been a man passionate for prayer and intercession. From days saved God had impressed in my heart to wake up early to seek His presence as a teenager. That hunger for prayer has increased more and more throughout the years and that has been one of the major secrets to our success after the grace of our Lord Jesus. Jesus, the Son of God, operated His ministry through a strong prayer life with His Father. If Jesus needed to pray to make impact His generation who are we not to follow in His footsteps. Jesus would stay up all night in prayer, wake up early for prayer, and depart from the crowds to be alone with God. That was the secret of His ministry. He never went out to the streets without being with the Father. He would win the victory before going out to the streets and therefore His impact continues to transform lives.
In the book of Acts, the first demonstration of Supernatural Evangelism was birthed through many days of prayer, intercession, and waiting on God. If you want to be an effective witness of Christ, you must develop a strong prayer life. An evangelist must become a great farmer and a great farmer not only plants seeds but understands that they must effectively plow the grounds for seed to be planted in good soil. Intercession is what plows the grounds of the hearts of men so that when the gospel is preached the seed is planted in fertile grounds. We cannot reach this generation with mechanical techniques, and just words of wisdom; we must have the demonstration of the Spirit. The greater the prayer life the greater the manifestations of the Spirit will follow.
Often times I will find believers that will ask me how I always remain on fire for God and never stop preaching the gospel. They share their frustrations with not seeing souls get saved, or not seeing the fruit of their labor. I remember when I started evangelizing I was on fire for God and would preach to anybody and everybody. However, I quickly came to understand that not everyone was open to receiving Christ, and others were not ready to receive Christ in that moment. God taught me a long time ago a revelation that I call the principle of sowing, watering, and reaping. As an Evangelist it changed my perspective of evangelism forever. God began to teach me through a scripture in the book of 1 Corinthians concerning the times and seasons for souls to be saved. Lets read what the Apostle Paul shared about this principle.
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one:and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
– 1 Corinthians 3:6-8
Notice that the Apostle mentions that he planted, Apollos watered, but God is the one who gives the increase. God began to teach me that the Apostle Paul here represented the believers who planted the seed of the gospel for the first time, Apollos represented believers who watered seeds that were already planted by other family, Friends, or preachers.
There will be times that we preach the gospel to somebody but they will refuse to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Does that mean that we were unsuccessful? Ofcoure not! There will be people that you will preach to that you will plant the seed and immediately it will get watered and grow unto salvation. However, there will be people that you will plant the seed of the gospel and though they reject it in the moment, the Lord will be working in their hearts till the time is right for them. Others will evangelize and help water a seed that someone else planted years ago and will reap the soul in that moment. Notice that its God that brings the increase, in other words, God is the one that convicts and leads that person to repentance. Paul goes on to say that both the one who sows and the one who waters are one. Both the one who planted the seed and the one who waters the seed will both be rewarded. This means that when you preach the góspel you will never fail!
Its impossible to fail in evangelism because when you witness you are either planting a seed, watering a seed, or reaping a seed unto eternal life. The góspel can never return void, sooner or later it will germinate unto eternal life. Some may never receive Christ but they will not have any excuse before heaven because you presented the góspel to them and they rejected the eternal seed.
One of the biggest problems I run across training believers in Supernatural Evangelism around the world is the fear of rejection. We as human by nature want to be liked, loved, and accepted. However, in the Kingdom of God, Jesus made it very clear that we would not be popular to everyone the moment we decide to follow after Christ. In fact, Jesus stated that if they hated Him, they will also hate us.
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. – John 15:18 – 20
Jesus made it clear that as believers we were not going to be loved by everyone. Jesus is the greatest revolutionary leader of all time. There will be people that love Him and people that hate Him, and believers must understand that in the moment you decide to follow after Jesus; His enemies will become your enemies and His friends will become your friends. We must have a warrior mentality to become effective believers for Christ because the enemy will always be after our faith, and this world will persecute those who follow after Christ. You have to make a decision in your mind that you are not going to be ashamed of your Jesus and you’re not going to fear the rejection of mankind because you will NEVER please everybody. The Apostle Paul made it clear that we are not to be ashamed of the gospel.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. – Rom 1:16
Jesus taught His disciples not to be ashamed of Him, in fact, He said if we were ashamed of
Him, He would be ashamed of us before the Father.
For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy. – Luke 9:26
Overcoming fear of rejection is one of the biggest steps Christians around the world need to make to become effective witnesses for Christ. It doesn’t mean that there won’t be fear at times or a feeling a rejection from people but it means we are willing to pay the price of being rejected at times for the privilege of serving our Lord.
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. – Matthew 10:14
We have to remember that people are not rejecting us, they are rejecting the One who sent us to share His message of eternal life. We have to have the mindset that we are like a mailman who delivers the message and it’s up to people to choose Jesus. When people reject the message, we shake off the dust of rejection and we go on to the next soul willing to hear the good news. There’s always somebody hungry out there for the glorious gospel of Christ. You will see that if you persevere and don’t allow the rejection of certain people to discourage you, you will reap the joy of seeing countless lives transformed by the power of God.
They rejected Jesus, people will reject you as well.
Rejection in evangelism is not failure
Traveling for almost 15 years has given me the opportunity to see a lot of Gods people around the world. I have noticed a common issue wherever I go and that is a lack of passion for souls to be won to Christ. I have discovered that there are a couple of basic reasons why the Body of Christ does not win souls at large. One of the reasons why souls are not being won is because not everyone is willing to pay the price to obey the call of God to fulfill the Eternal Mission of Jesus Christ. Some are not willing to pay the price while others think that this call is not for them it’s only for Evangelists. However, Jesus made it clear that the call to fulfill the Eternal Mission of Christ is for every believer. In Mark 16:15, Jesus called all of His followers to preach or proclaim the gospel to the entire world. Every believer is called to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to the lost. It doesn’t matter if you are a professional, businessman, athlete, or stay at home mom; we are all called to share the gospel with souls. Jesus promised that when we preach His gospel supernatural manifestations would follow.
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
– Mark 16:15-17
In Acts Chapter 1, Jesus taught us that we are all called to be His witnesses on the earth. In Mark 16, He shared that we are called to proclaim His gospel, In Acts Chapter 1, He teaches us we are all called to share our testimony with the world.
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
– Acts 1:8
In Matthew Chapter 28, Jesus also gives us a commandment as His people to not only win souls for Him but to also make disciples. He has called us all to preach, witness, and make disciples around the world.
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
– Mat 28:18-20
Here in Matthew 28:20, Jesus instructs His disciples that we are to teach new souls to observe everything that He had commanded His disciples. Some believers believe that evangelism and loving souls is an option, however, Jesus clearly taught us that the Eternal Mission is not an option, its a commandment. I pray that a passion for souls will awaken in the Body of Christ in these last days like never before to prepare for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.


Community, Solitude, Patriarchy, And Proto-feminism In The Old English Life Of St. Mary Of Egypt
Shipnes, Jeffrey Pawling
MetadataShow full item record
This thesis examines the binaries of community/solitude and patriarchy/proto-feminism in the Old English Life of St. Mary of Egypt. For various reasons scholars such as Hugh Magennis believe that the Old English Life of St. Mary of Egypt, although included in a manuscript of Aelfric's Lives of Saints, was not by Aelfric. I argue that the character of Zosimus in this vita embodies the characteristics of community and patriarchy, which I call the Aelfrician model, and the character of Mary of Egypt embodies the characteristics of solitude and proto-feminism, which I call the non-Aelfrician model. I further argue that these two models, the Aelfrician and non-Aelfrician, are complementary in the Old English Life of St. Mary of Egypt.


On Easter, Jesus’ resurrection is celebrated on the 3rd day after his crucifixion. Here are those who are curious about Easter, which is considered sacred by Christians…
Easter, which is the most important day that symbolizes the resurrection of the Christian world, is celebrated today. So what is Easter? When and how is Easter celebrated? The Easter period is approximately from the end of March to the end of April. Easter Day, which does not take place on a fixed date every year and is celebrated on Sunday in most of the world’s churches, is also called Resurrection, Resurrection Sunday, or Resurrection Day. Here are the details about the Easter holiday…
HOW TO CELEBRATE EASTER DAY?
Easter is celebrated by all Christians. Apart from the rituals that are commonly held in churches, there are different traditions depending on the country where it is celebrated. The most common of these is that people give each other Easter bunny and Easter eggs, which are usually made of chocolate.
Easter includes a preparation period of five weeks (Lent) and the last week Holy Week. It ends on Easter Day (Resurrection Day).
Special buns Easter buns are made in homes for Easter Day; boiled eggs are painted over; candles are lit; prayers are recited.
In Catholic Churches, new fire is blessed, an Easter candle is lit in the Easter night ritual; Parts of the Bible are read and baptism ceremonies are held. In the early Christian era, baptism ceremonies were held only once a year, on Easter.
In the Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches, a ritual procession is held outside the church before the night rituals. No light is turned on while the procession leaves the church; On the way back, hundreds of candles are lit to symbolize the resurrection of Jesus.


In loving memory of a dear husband, Dad, Papa & GG Papa who left us 4 years ago, August 19, 2014.
We little knew that morning, that God would call your name,
In life we loved you dearly, in death we do the same.
It broke our hearts to lose you, but you did not go alone.
For part of us went with you, the day God called you home.
You left us beautiful memories, your love is still our guide,
And though we cannot see you, you are always by our side.
Our family chain is broken, and nothing seems the same,
But as God call us one by one, the chain will link again.
Sadly missed and always loved and remembered by Nancy, Kevin & Penny & family and Lisa & Terry & family.


The bible says some people will pervert grace into a license to sin. As a consequence, when this happens we tend to react by drawing away from grace and fearing it so that we won’t be one of those living wrong while thinking it is right.
But the fact is that when he says perverting grace, it means there is an original grace which has been perverted, and the best way to fight perversion is to clarify the original—not try to remove the perversion. Find the true grace, apply it to your life, explain it to people who will listen, and show people what it results in.
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled,upright and godly lives in this present age…”
“I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
I have been trying to delete this blog. It is not possible! The confirmation e-mail just doesn’t show up.
I guess the same is true for life. What’s done is done. It can be forgiven, but never undone. What’s said is said, you can never swallow back the words you spewed out.
Jesus wants to protect you from doing stupid things. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees,” he said. Yeast is something that is small and inserted into a dough, but soon it takes over and changes the entire thing.
He also expanded on this subject and said: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”* So hypocrisy is something that starts out small, but soon leads you into demise.
I think the small beginning of hypocrisy is when you start thinking that everyone else is perfect, and you never tell anyone about that little mistake you did. They will probably think you’re a jerk, and it’s best to hide it. In that darkness, condemnation and shame takes a hold, and you’re going down.
If you come to the light, there is no condemnation. Jesus has really taken away all your sins, and his grace empowers you to live a righteous life. Just don’t hide away stuff you’re ashamed of and let it grow in the dark. If you feel what you did is to bad to tell anyone, that is the exact time you have to tell it.
When people in a former Christian culture like ours think about Christianity, we might—and often do—think about the Ten Commandments; the Bible and the Christian cultural inheritance is all about trying to be a little better; if you’re in Church you should stop cussing and try to smile at thy neighbour.
When the fresh personal relationships with God dies out, and leaves behind a religious trail after they have impacted the culture, there are certainly some good results left, but the core of the Christian message is often lost in a moral message about do-good-ism. The Christians become “those who are better than everybody else.”
The Ten Commandments. Are they what you think of when you think Christianity? We should try our best to keep them and be a good Christian? I think you might be reading the book upside down.
“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.”
Actually the law (the Ten Commandments plus other laws) came to silence all your excuses and reveal that you need a saviour. These verses tell us plainly: “no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law.” That is a statement that should make us realise that Christianity is far from a humanistic belief that we can all do better. It is a story about our failure, and the victory of our saviour. This Saviour, not the all the laws, is at the center of the true Christianity. Jesus, the one who forgives sins and restores broken lives.
You can climb the best mountains, open the nicest presents, have the nicest house ever, make the finest piece of art, and still you feel empty. I was thinking about it today. Sometimes I get too much into my job as a webdesigner, and I obsess over making that perfect piece of web or graphic design. I never feel like I get there. I loose sleep. I get restless and stressed, thinking about all the things I want to make—all at the same time. Then I suddenly remember I haven’t hung out with God in an awful long time.
I have spoken to him and everything, but those times when you turn off everything except maybe some worship music and give God your full focus, praying in the Holy Spirit and everything, until he actually touches your heart. Suddenly once I do that, the colours return to my everyday life. Suddenly I am satisfied, even if everything I make isn’t perfect. I guess it is true that he is the one that fills life with purpose. It is awesome what difference the love of papa in heaven does to our souls. I guess it is true what the Bible says:
“…Him who fills all in all.”
Eph 1:23, NASB
“…him who fills everything in every way.”
Eph 1:23, NIV
“…Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.”
Eph 1:23, NLT
If this gave you anything, you love it or hate it, please leave a comment. I removed the Facebook page, ’cause it just wasn’t the right time for that, so don’t follow the Facebook page. Also, I put some of the Instagram things I’ve been making up on a tumblr. Check it out.
Life is like waves. You might enjoy your workday for a while, riding the wave, and then suddenly the wave breaks, and your tasks are boring and repetitive—then comes the next wave, and you’re in the flow again. What would happen if we just left work whenever we felt like it? No, we keep on riding, not according to our feelings, but because we know there will be a big fat amount (or just big enough to barely survive) on our account in the end of the month.
Marriage is the same. Sometimes the fire is burning and you enjoy every moment together. Then a season of everyday life comes—even harder seasons of quarrelling or whatever. What do we do? We keep on building the marriage regardless of our feelings, because we know it will grow stronger and stronger through it all.
Spending time with God is exactly the same. You start praying, and sometimes you feel God’s presence, sometimes you don’t. Sometimes you get new energy, God heals you heart from whatever happened yesterday, your emotions are aflame, and then all of a sudden the wave has passed—you don’t feel a thing.
We are meant to live above the waves in all things. Faith is the antithesis of feelings—your feelings may say whatever, but faith sees the truth. When you pray and are bored, faith sees the answer to the prayer coming. When your marriage is boring, faith sees the good days that lie ahead. When work sucks, faith sees the money flying into your account. Keep faith, and be like Peter, walking on the waves1, not floating around being tossed and turned by them. If you have too little faith, talk to Jesus about it, he is good with those kind of things—there is no lost cause with him. Keep praying with this promise in mind:
I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
If this blogpost helped you in any way, please leave a comment. You can catch the next stuff that comes out by following on Facebook or Twitter.
Whitespace is a part of design.
The areas containing nothing at all is what might separate a good design from a cluttered one. If you only have whitespace, you have nothing, but if you have too little, what you have is a mess.
I’ve been thinking about this whitespace. When God designs my life, sometimes he has to add some more whitespace, and I have to let him.
Sometimes I must take a season of strangling my workaholic tendencies. Whenever I let them take over, I get nothing done anyways. It is best as my pastor Walter says: “Work hard—rest hard.”
More whitespace to yah.
I love the mountains. And I hate them. When I am away from them, sometimes I miss them. When I am at them I sometimes long for bigger mountains to climb. I love seeing mountains in the distance. I love being on top of them seeing the plains from up top. They fill me with awe, if you allow me to use that strong of a word. Mighty rocks tearing out of the plains, going straight up for several hundreds, or even thousand meters. It makes me feel small, and it displays God as big. Continue reading “Why Do the Mountains Draw Me So?”


Evangelical Covenant Church
Sunday Services: 8:00am & 10:30am
We're located in a 1/4 mile east of Hwy. 53, just off 17th St. E in International Falls, 3 blocks east of McDonalds. We are handicap accessible with handicap parking in both lots. Join us!
We aim to provide a place where Individuals & families can have a life-changing experience with God through programs & worship services which offer biblical truth that is relevant and practical.


The most surprising thing about the Museum of the Bible, the newest addition to the string of museums dotting downtown Washington, D.C., isn’t that it’s particularly controversial. It’s that it tries so hard not to be.
That’s not to say the museum, which is officially dedicated on Friday, isn’t rife with potential pitfalls some visitors may find off-putting. To be sure, the specter of politicized evangelicalism has loomed large over coverage of the new attraction, primarily because it’s a product of entrepreneur and evangelical Christian David Green — the founder of craft store giant Hobby Lobby who is probably best known for the 2014 Supreme Court case Burwell v. Hobby Lobby. That court case, which allowed his company and other “closely-held corporations” to accrue religious exemptions from the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) contraception mandate, was celebrated by conservatives as a victory for “religious liberty” and derided by other people of faith as unfairly privileging right-wing religious groups, particularly conservatism Catholicism and evangelicalism.
The high-tech building — which boasts cavernous hallways, grand artistic designs, and massive LCD screens — is vaguely reminiscent of the glitzy aesthetic popular in America’s innumerable evangelical megachurches. Though it appears to be a contemporary nod to the cathedrals of old, it feels a bit more Vegas than St. Vitus.
And it’s hard to miss the clearest evidence of the museum’s conservative Christian origin: A giant stone wall near the entrance, adorned with the chiseled names of individuals and companies that, presumably, financed or facilitated the whole experience. “Hobby Lobby Stores” is front and center, and tucked in the corner is the “Dick and Betsy DeVos Family Foundation”—the same Betsy DeVos that currently serves as the Secretary of Education, where she strives to build “God’s Kingdom.” Gateway Church, headed by Trump faith adviser Robert Morris, is also listed, as is Republican Congressman Steve “wives should voluntarily submit to their husbands” Pearce and his wife Cynthia.
The crowd at this week’s sneak-peak tour also reflected the stereotypical image of modern-day American evangelicalism. Megapastor Rick Warren, head of the California-based Saddleback Church and author of The Purpose Driven Life, grinned and glad-handed with attendees as he and his sharply dressed entourage meandered through exhibit halls. Johnnie Moore, a faith adviser to President Donald Trump, wandered about with his family (his Kairos Company is helping run media operations for the museum’s opening). The crowds were overwhelmingly white, and the chattering of Southern accents—some with a Texas twang, others with a deep-south drawl—echoed off the polished walls.
But for all this evangelical packaging, the actual content of the museum is surprisingly diverse, relatively speaking. In fact, it often evokes a sometimes awkward and frequently uneven embrace of ecumenism, working to model a vision of the Bible that engages as many American Christian traditions as possible. The finished product is something that will likely be a source of acclaim and irritation for Christians of all theological and political stripes, but offers little comfort to those wanting to conflate their faith with the rhetoric and policies of the Republican Party, Donald Trump, or even David Green.
You first encounter this strange version of inclusivity on the ground floor, which includes entire exhibits on loan from the Vatican Museum and the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem — a hint at administrators’ dedication to ecumenism. But things get even more multifaceted when you hit the second floor, which uses an bewildering array of high-tech tools to trace the “impact” of the Bible.
The result is an experience that does not appear to reinforce the Trumpian vision of Christianity often lifted up by some of the president’s faith advisers.
Shrinking slightly less than 2,000 years of biblical “impact” into one floor is a laughably impossible task, and exhibit designers work around this by focusing on the Bible’s influence on American history. This predictably leads to discussions of Founding Fathers invoking faith during the Revolution, such as one video-based section showcasing an actor reading a letter from Benjamin Franklin calling for the U.S. seal to feature Moses. But there was a noticeable lack of modern-style Christian nationalism—e.g., claims that America is an inherently “Christian nation”—as exhibits often repeatedly gesture to the variety of faiths present in early America.
To their credit, exhibit designers acknowledge the Bible’s more sordid uses. There is an entire section addressing the holy book’s role in the institution of slavery, for instance, and while it leans heavily on the history of Christian abolitionists, it displays examples of preachers who invoked the Bible as a justification for owning human beings.
The result is an experience that does not appear to reinforce the Trumpian vision of Christianity often lifted up by some of the president’s faith advisers. When you press on a screen labeled “The Bible and the poor,” you’re greeted to a video arguing that scripture calls on followers to welcome refugees and immigrants. It’s immediately followed by a clip of Jesuit priest and Vatican consultor James Martin—who is often associated with more liberal forms of Catholicism—insisting the Bible is unequivocal in its call to aid the poor and the needy. One man nearby grimaced sourly as he watched another video depicting president Jimmy Carter teaching a Sunday School lesson about religious freedom.
This conflict-averse strategy extends to the second fourth floor, where a rash of more “artifact-based” displays work to tell the history of the Bible “through time, technology, and culture.” Here again the museum offers a surprising degree of ecumenism: it showcases seven different versions of the Bible and 14 different versions of the canon, tracing their origin (and nearly endless translations) through various Christian and Jewish traditions. There are even exhibits on early Christian scriptures rejected as non-canonical by most groups, such as the Gospel of Thomas.
One man nearby grimaced sourly as he watched another video depicting president Jimmy Carter teaching a Sunday School lesson about religious freedom.
This approach is likely a byproduct of the museum’s outreach to academics who are more likely to frequent Ivy League institutions than evangelical Christian universities. At one point during the sneak-peek tour, Bible scholar David Trobisch—a former Yale Divinity School professor who was once described as a “a prominent liberal academic”—could be seen holding court with an array of visitors on the subject of biblical antiquities. The gaggle of listeners, who skewed white, older, and Southern, looked noticeably uncomfortable when he referenced the Quran in passing.
But none questioned the expertise of a man whose published work once sat alongside ardent atheist Christopher Hitchens, not that anyone was likely to challenge his authority in that space: Trobisch has been hired to oversee the Green’s 40,000-piece collection of artifacts.
Despite this broader understanding of the Bible, the museum is equally unlikely to sit well with religious progressives—at least those who don’t claim an evangelical identity.
There is a tiny forest of vertically mounted screens on the second floor, for instance, each populated with the multiracial faces of people explaining the “impact” of the Bible on their lives (their explanations often come across in ways that are inherently “evangelical” in the traditional sense). The section on religion and science is also brief and somewhat vague, arguing the two have long coexisted by lifting up individuals such as George Washington Carver—an impressionistic approach that dances around the debate’s sharper corners. While one display briefly notes the fraught relationship between Native Americans and the European colonial settlers that were often hell-bent on converting them (or, equally as often, killing them en masse), it expends little energy explaining how Christian concepts of “manifest destiny” were used to subjugate their lands.
And if there was any sustained treatment of the contemporary debate over same-sex marriage and LGBTQ rights, where activists on both sides often invoke scripture, I couldn’t find it.
“There’s no point in us going into controversy.”
“Impact” exhibit designer Jonathan Alger, managing partner at the New York City design firm C&G Partners, insisted the absence of some of these thorny questions is “not a desire to omit” them.
“We knew it wouldn’t be perfect,” he said, adding the exhibit is likely to be updated constantly.
Similarly, those schooled in Bible scholarship will note a few conspicuous omissions in the “history” section. There is no discussion of the disputed authorship of the synoptic gospels, for example, despite a century or two of research arguing they were likely not penned by Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, but rather by early Christian communities beginning around 66–70 C.E. (Note: even Trobisch once contended that Polycarp, not Luke, wrote much of the book of Acts.)
When I asked William C. Lazenby, whose PRD Group designed the floor, about this approach, he explained the goal was to showcase only what most religious traditions agreed upon, an effort that turned out to be profoundly difficult. The mandate required him to engage with “dozens” of Bible scholars from a range of traditions to discern the least offensive way to present the history of holy scripture.
“There’s no point in us going into controversy,” he said, noting that his constant engagement with scholars often reminded him of graduate school. “We’re here to help people engage with the Bible…We want people to find their own Bible here.”
Controversy found the exhibit anyway: One section dedicated to early cuneiform tablets sat conspicuously empty, possibly because the Greens were forced to pay a $3 million fine and return 5,500 artifacts after the FBI concluded they were illegally smuggled out of Iraq.
Inflections of potentially alienating, outward-facing evangelicalism peek out everywhere. In one section showcasing the Bibles of numerous translations, an entire wall is filled with versions printed in languages from across the globe. But the real point of the display appears to be the far wall, where hundreds of blank books sit under the label “to be translated.” Above both sits a giant electronic ticker indicating the number of chapters left until the Bible is available in all languages.
And then, of course, there’s the “story” floor, which purports to recreate Biblical narratives through a series of attractions that can best be described as Disneyland-esque. There is an entire section dedicated to the experience of living in “the world of Jesus of Nazareth,” complete with plastic reconstructions of ancient homes in the Holy Land. Another, currently non-functional area features Indiana-Jones style writing advertising a “drive” through the Bible. Nearby, a 30-minute presentation on Bible stories was flanked with warnings of intense special effects.
“I hear there are fog machines!” one woman whispered excitedly.
These flashy attractions give off a vibe somewhere between a Vacation Bible School and a Ken Ham-style creationist museum—although the Museum of the Bible was largely devoid of creationist rhetoric (I didn’t spot a single person riding a dinosaur). It smacks of an obviously evangelical attempt at ecumenism, constantly in conflict with dual impulses to be inclusive and to celebrate the Bible.
Ultimately, the most overtly “evangelical” — and political — aspect of the Museum of the Bible is that it exists at all.
While there has been at least one other attempt to create a religion-focused museum in Washington, it was geared toward a celebration of America’s many faiths, not the guiding text of Christianity. By contrast, erecting a Bible-focused museum in the nation’s capital implicitly broadcasts a conflation of Christianity and national identity—an idea that, while rooted in history, has obvious political undertones.
Ultimately, the most overtly “evangelical” — and political — aspect of the Museum of the Bible is that it exists at all.
In fact, the museum was mired in low-level political controversy even before it began admitting the general public. The Washington Post noted this week that its opening gala is scheduled to convene at the Trump hotel, where attendees will pay $50,000-a-table to help fundraise for the Museum.
“The Green family stand for a series of political and religious positions that are on one side of the cultural divide. They’re absolutely entitled to those views but it would be unhelpful if the museum were to be associated with those views,” Gordon Campbell, a Renaissance scholar who has advised the museum, told the Post.
Dr. Anthony Zeiss, Executive Director of the Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C., said the use of the hotel was coincidence, and had more to do with space concerns that politics.
“That wasn’t political,” he told me. “It was simply that we needed a very very large venue we could find at the time. We looked all over.”
Zeiss also insisted the hotel is dedicated to being apolitical, and they would gladly co-host events with any group that matches the “mission of the Museum of the Bible”
“We’re apolitical so we’ll stay out of [politics]. We won’t get into social debates,” he said. When asked about religious disputes, he added: “We recognize this book represents many faith traditions… We’re ecumenical, non-sectarian.”
Whether or not a Hobby Lobby-funded Bible museum in Washington can actually operate apolitically is, of course, an open question. Yet administrators continue to put forth an image of diversity that at least attempts to reach beyond evangelicalism. The museum’s opening ceremony on Friday, for instance, included a Catholic bishop who will read a statement penned by Pope Francis.
Perhaps the oddest (and possibly accidental) example of this strange ecumenism came at the end of my tour, when I stumbled into the gift shop on my way out. After spending hours inundated with the multifaceted history, narratives, and impact of the Bible, I was curious to see which translations of the holy text the museum would deem worthy for purchase. But there were none to be found.
Confused, I caught the attention of a store clerk and asked whether the museum planned to sell Bibles, and, if so, which versions. After a long pause, she replied: “I think…I think we have some King James Versions on order right now. I think.”
“Huh. That’s weird,” I said.
The woman just nodded and smiled.
Article by [author-name] (c) ThinkProgress - Read full story here.


Saint Luke’s Little Saints will be closed Thursday, February 26th, due to inclement weather. SLLS follows DeKalb County Schools regarding school closures.
2014 was a financially challenging year, as we weathered a pastoral transition along with the departure of a number of members. We also welcomed new members throughout the year, and we were introduced to our new Interim Pastor, Steve Vance, in November…
Join other women of Saint Luke’s on our Annual Retreat, March 6-8, 2015. It will be a time of relaxation and rejuvenation for the body, mind and spirit. Our retreat location this year is the beautiful Dillard House, nestled in the Little Tennessee Valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains, just two hours northeast of Atlanta….
Saint Luke’s Little Saints registration begins January 20. Please contact the school to arrange a tour at 770-393-1424, ext 240. Click under “Our School, Upcoming Events” for details. We’d love to have your Little Saint join us!
Click here for Winter/Spring 2015 Brochure