Written October 1, 2012
By Malchishuah New
And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these 40 years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart… (Deut. 8:2)
During one of the darkest hours of my life, I found strength and encouragement by studying the personal accounts of David’s life while in the wilderness. As I began to contrast David’s wilderness experience with my own, the Holy Spirit began to enlighten my eyes. I pray this exhortation blesses those who have ears to hear and becomes a rare gift to someone in their time of need.
The wilderness is a place where your faith will be tested. Oftentimes you may be required of the Lord to do something that appears foolish or looks insane. Remember, faith without works (obedience) is dead. While traveling through the wilderness, obey every instruction given to your heart by the Holy Spirit. Your obedience will bear great rewards.
Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul and went to Achish, the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousand?’ And David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish the King of Gath. So he changed his behavior before them, pretended madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?” David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. – I Samuel 21:10-22:1
The wilderness is a place where patience and long-suffering is birthed. There may be long periods of waiting. Don’t become hasty and move out of position. Wait on the Lord for your next point of direction. Fasting and praying will help build your muscles of endurance.
Then David went from there to Mizpah of Moab, and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come here with you, till I know what God will do for me.” So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. Now the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Depart, and go to the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth. – I Samuel 22:3-5
The wilderness is not your destiny. The wilderness is a place of preparation to receive something greater than what you already possess. In the wilderness you will always have an enemy pursuing you. Your enemy is aware of the call on your life and believes he can stop God’s plan.
Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him. And Saul was more afraid of David. So Saul became David’s enemy continually. – I Samuel 18:28, 29
Your enemy is driven by the deceit of his heart. Those who seek to harm God’s people are disillusioned. Saul was blindly persuaded that “his God” was going to deliver David into his hands.
And Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah. So Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” – I Samuel 23:7
During your time in the wilderness, a beautiful love relationship is formed between you and the Father. Look at the instant communication between God and David.
Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down as Your servant has heard? Oh, Lord of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant. And the Lord said, “He will come down.” Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will deliver you.” – I Samuel 23:11, 12
The Lord will always forewarn you of impending danger while traveling through the wilderness. He will send delays and attacks to those who pursue God’s people.
But a messenger came to Saul saying, “Hurry and come, the Philistines have invaded the land!” Therefore Saul returned from pursuing David and went against the Philistines. So they called that place the Rock of Escape. – I Samuel 23:27, 28
Sometimes God’s warning requires recourse or a change of action to escape the danger foreseen. Seek God for wisdom in all things!
So David and his men, about 600, arose and departed from Keilah and went wherever they could go. Then it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah; so he halted the expedition. – I Samuel 23:13
The “wilderness experience” requires a period of dwelling (staying put until God delivers you). Many will try to run from their “wilderness experience,” but it is here where you will find God’s refuge, protection, provision, shelter, guidance, revelation, deliverance, healing, power and miracles. Resist the temptation to move out of position before your time.
And David stayed in strongholds in the wilderness and remained in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand. – I Samuel 23:14
The Lord will always send words of encouragement to those who are in the wilderness. God’s promise to your heart will always be confirmed in the wilderness. Do not despise the wilderness. It is God’s best kept secret. Here is where your treasure is found.
Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that.” – I Samuel 23:16, 17
The Lord will see to it that you are covered during your wilderness experience. Here is a perfect demonstration of one covering his brother in the wilderness. Remember, seasons change. Though your hour of affliction may not come today, God knows what tomorrow holds. Even if you may not fully understand, be sensitive to those walking through the wilderness. Everyone’s experience is different.
So the two of them (Jonathan and David) made a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods and Jonathan went to his own house. – I Samuel 23:18
As your enemy continues to pursue you in the wilderness, so will his disillusionment increase.
Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? Now therefore, oh, King, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down and our part shall deliver him into the king’s hand.” And Saul said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, for you have compassion on me.” – I Samuel 23:19-21
You will always have people watching you during your wilderness experience, especially your enemy.
Now it happened, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him saying, “Take note! David is in the Wilderness of EnGedi.” – I Samuel 24:1
While in the wilderness, be mindful of your thoughts and people who persuade you to take matters into your own hands.
Look, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you, but my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ – I Samuel 24:10
The ultimate purpose of the wilderness is for you to form a new love relationship with Abba God, to witness and become a firm believer of God’s hand of deliverance, and for God to test the heart of man.
Therefore let the Lord be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case and deliver me out of your hand. – I Samuel 24:15
Be on guard when your enemy extends his hand of peace and shows repentance. Patience will always reveal the true character of the heart.
So it was, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. – I Samuel 24:16
Do not avenge those who pursue your life while dwelling in the wilderness. Vengeance is mine, says the Lord. I will repay.
(See I Samuel 24:4-12)
The wilderness oftentimes removes you from those closest to you. You may feel led by the Holy Spirit to withdraw during special moments when your loved ones may need you most. This is a test of your obedience.
Then Samuel died and the Israelites gathered together and lamented for him and buried him at his home in Ramah. And David arose and went down to the Wilderness of Paran. – I Samuel 25:1
While walking through your wilderness experience, you may suffer periods of rejection and ridicule. Do not take this response personal. This test will burn “man-pleasing” and “the fear of man” from the crevices of your heart. Humiliation will always proceed your hour of promotion.
(See I Samuel 25:4-11)
The wilderness is a furnace of affliction where your heart will be tested again and again. Remember, God is doing the testing, while Satan is doing the tempting. If Satan cannot conquer you on one end, he will come at the other. David passed the test and allowed God to avenge his enemy and not take matters into his own hands.
(See I Samuel 25:2-39)
No matter how much pressure you receive from your enemy while walking through the wilderness, you must respond in love and remain confident that the Lord will avenge you of your enemy. Standstill and see the salvation of God.
David said furthermore, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go out to battle and perish.” – I Samuel 26:10
One of the greatest lessons the wilderness can teach you is the willingness to humble yourself underneath the mighty hand of God. Surrender your life before your enemy, and the Lord will lift you up in due season. Do not take matters into your own hands.
The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. – I Samuel 26:11
Be on guard against your enemy. Again, Saul cowers into a false poise of humility. His words have changed, but his heart has not.
Then Saul knew David’s voice and said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” David said, “It is my voice, my lord, oh, king.” – I Samuel 26:17
During your wilderness experience, the Lord may temporarily assign you to a place. Do not mistake your visitation for permanency. You are only passing through. Your wilderness experience will always lead you towards the place of promise.
Now the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was one full year and four months. So Achish believed David saying, “He has made his people Israel utterly abhor him. Therefore, he will be my servant forever.” – I Samuel 27:7, 12
During your wilderness journey, “false religious jargon” will become easy to discern. David was not wooed by Saul’s flattery, neither should you be wooed by the smooth words of your enemy.
Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, my son David! You shall do great things and also still prevail.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place. – I Samuel 26:25
Your wilderness experience will never overshadow your gifts. What you were born to do will shine all the more. Leaders spot greatness no matter where you are.
So David said, “Surely you know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Therefore, I will make you one of my chief guardians forever.” – I Samuel 28:2
During your wilderness journey, the Lord will always surround your pursuer with an enemy of his own, one that is greatly feared.
Then the Philistines gathered together and came and encamped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at Gilboa. When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. – I Samuel 28:4, 5
During your wilderness journey, your enemy will try his best to make you assume your own insanity. Remember, your enemy is not in relationship with God. This is why he is pursuing you. He fears you will receive the promise of God and take his place. Consequently, your enemy will not be able to dodge the danger of his own enemy because he cannot hear the counsel of God concerning the traps being laid before him.
And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets. – I Samuel 28:6
Your enemy will always operate out of a spirit of false religion and hypocrisy. He is known for performing changes to please men while his heart remains unchanged. In verse 3, Saul gathered the witches and sorcerers and put them out of the land. Yet in verse 7, we see Saul asking one of his servants to locate a witch to receive guidance because he is no longer hearing the voice of the Lord.
And Saul had put the witches and the sorcerers out of the land. Then Saul said to his servant, “Find me a woman who is a witch, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” – I Samuel 28:3, 7
Once your enemy removes himself from seeking the counsel of God, his downfall is eminent. The question is no longer “if” but “when.” During this moment, standstill and keep out of God’s way.
So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the witch by night. And he said, “Please conduct a seance for me, and bring up for me the one I name to you.” – I Samuel 28:8
Witchcraft will always become the tool of the hour in your enemy’s desperate but futile attempt to keep from going down. Witchcraft is a combination of pride, deceit, fear and rebellion. This tool will always prove fruitless against those traveling on purpose through the wilderness for the Lord.
(See I Samuel 28:9-14)
The Lord will always forewarn your enemy of his impending doom. It is up to him to take heed and repent before it is too late.
Then Samuel said, “So why do you ask me, seeing the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy? And the Lord has done for Himself as He spoke by me. For the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amelek. Therefore, the Lord has done this thing to you this day. Moreover, the Lord will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.” – I Samuel 28:16-19
Fear will become the leading cause of your enemy’s demise leading to hopelessness, loss, sickness, mental anguish and oftentimes death.
Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground and was dreadfully afraid because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day or all night. – I Samuel 28:20
During your wilderness journey, the Lord will reveal which battles do not belong to you. Every encounter you face does not demand direct warfare.
(See I Samuel 29:2-11)
Your wilderness experience will not stop your former victories from being remembered.
Is this not David of whom they sang to one another in dances saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands?’ – I Samuel 29:5
Great trouble surrounding an impossible situation, false accusations and misunderstandings is a strong indication that God’s hand of deliverance is upon you. When you are experiencing turmoil and emotional turbulence at great levels, this is a sign that your promotion is drawing nigh. The best way to calm the storms of your soul is to do what you are doing right now: Encourage yourself in the Lord!
So David and his men came to the city and there it was burned with fire and their wives, their sons and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with them lifted up their voices and wept until they had no more power to weep. Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord. – I Samuel 30:3, 6
During your final hours in the wilderness, it is crucial that you seek God’s face for your next plan of action. This moment is highly sensitive. Depend on God’s grace to successfully see you through. Whatever instruction the Holy Spirit gives you, perform it with the fullest of joy in faith.
So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” – I Samuel 30:8
Upon exiting the wilderness, the Lord will always release power upon the heads of His chosen vessels to recover all that was taken from them during their journey in the wilderness.
And the Lord answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” – I Samuel 30:8
The Lord will always connect you with vital messengers that will aid in your victory as you prepare for your exit out of the wilderness and into the land of promise.
(See I Samuel 30:11-19)
When the Lord pursues your enemy, he will always be caught unaware; whether sleeping, eating, drinking or carousing for his god is his belly.
And when he had brought him down, there they were, spread out all over the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. – I Samuel 30:16
During your journey through the wilderness and upon your entrance into the promised land, the Lord will always keep His word.
And nothing of theirs was lacking either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them. David recovered all. – I Samuel 30:19
Upon exiting the wilderness, your heart will continue to be tested. Be slow to speak and swift to hear. Hasten slowly as you continue to carry the banner of love. It is also worth mentioning that everyone, whether on the front line or those guarding the house, is important in God’s battle. Both will be rewarded!
Then the wicked and worthless men of those who went with David answered and said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered except for every man’s wife and children, that they may lead them away anddepart.” But David said, “My brethren, you shall not do so with what the Lord has given us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us. For who will heed you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies. They shall share alike.” – I Samuel 30:22-24
One of the marked attributes of one who has successfully survived the test of the wilderness is the developed heart of a giver.
Now when David came to Ziglak, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends saying, “Here is a present for you from the Lord from the spoil of the enemies of the Lord.” – I Samuel 30:26
And, finally, the Lord will always see to it that your enemy is defeated on your way out of the wilderness and into the land of promise.
(See I Samuel 31:3-13)


Australian duo for KING & COUNTRY will release their first full-length holiday album on October 30.
Called A Drummer Boy Christmas, the album includes two original Christmas songs — “Heavenly Hosts” and “A Carol of Joseph” — plus 11 classics.
“The miracle of Christmas captivated us long ago and has been laced into the DNA of the band,” say the duo’s Joel and Luke Smallbone in a statement.
“We felt it was the imperfectly perfect time for us to do our small part in telling the story of the redemption that Christmas offers to all of us,” they add. “So, bake those chocolate chip cookies, make a little hot chocolate, strike up that cozy fire, and let us take you on a 44 minute and 49 second musical Christmas journey to celebrate the greatest story the world has ever known!”
for KING & COUNTRY is currently on the charts with “Together,” a collaboration with Tori Kelly and gospel legend Kirk Franklin. The Grammy-winning duo recently scored six nominations for the Dove Awards. The Dove Awards will air October 30 at 8 p.m. ET on TBN.
By Andrea Dresdale
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


From designing a new logo for the church to a complete re-design of our website, IM has been immediately accessible with a phone call or email to any and all of our many questions. They were prompt in response, professional in their efforts, and have truly been partners with us as we looked to improve our communication within and outside our church walls. Paige and the IM team have helped us take our communications efforts to our church members to the next level and have given us a branding and identity that was sorely lacking. We are extremely grateful for IM’s work on our behalf. We would highly recommend them to any organization looking to enhance their website outreach and other social media ventures.
Director of Communications


God bless you tremendously for this article. That’s the Holy Spirit at work. But I’ve never heard God through an angel’s message. If you want to hear God’s voice, spend time hanging out with other Christians. You must not neglect His Word. Constantly talking to God will open the door for him to share secret things with us…..Many times when we pray God will give us an answer but it is up to us to discern the voice of God, or his leading. God never violates His own Word or principles. Have you ever felt the small (or large) push toward obeying God’s word? The coming of Christ was the fulfilment of God's ultimate plan as revealed early on to the prophets. Worship me, for I am worthy.”. I’m glad it was encouraging Dinah! We primarily hear from God by regularly spending time reading the Bible and obeying what it says. Everyting we need to know to live the Christian life is already in the Bible. That’s God speaking to you. I was overwhelmed at the beauty of this event and turned to my husband and said, “isn’t God awesome!” He does speak to us through Creation! May God God bless you as you continue listening to Him for more of His divine revelations. When Dave isn’t busy with ministry, he loves spending time with his wife, Sarah, reading the latest from Christian publishers, the Reformers, and the Puritans, playing golf, watching movies, sports, and spending time with his family. The Bible contains everything we need to know to be saved and live the Christian life (2 Peter 1:3). If you want to hear the voice of God, simply go outside. The second reason God still speaks today is that we need His definite and deliberate direction for our lives, as did Joshua, Moses, Jacob, or Noah. God speaks to us today through his Son, Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4:15 says, “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ…”. And I also need to be encouraged to read my Bible and pray consistently! Clarissa Yates' previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/clarissa-yates.html. Without prayer, we can never truly hear what God has to say in our lives. By observing the ant’s strength to store up food all summer long, we learn about wisdom and industriousness. I don’t know if God was speaking to me about something special, but the first thing I did was tell Him I was listening! In other countries where Christianity is taboo, God is also revealing Himself repeatedly through dreams. He’s a creative God. All Rights Reserved. Scary, to say the least. God may speak to us today differently to how he may have spoken in the ancient past. I’m glad it was helpful! Then one day in the shower or on a walk, a thought comes–that gentle “whisper” that could only come from Him, accompanied by His peace. We need to be very attentive sometimes to hear God speak to us. I’m willing to bet that your answer is largely shaped by your background. What Do We Know about Angels in the Bible? The closer you are to God, and the more you seek him is the more revelation you will receive from him. It is also wise of us to confirm what we hear God saying by seeking affirmation of that direction through wise, godly people.
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees” (Psalm 119:67-68). If nothing else, life–and loved ones–suddenly became much more precious to me.
Because of that, God doesn’t “speak” the same way to all of us. The church I grew up in evolved over the years, morphing from a primarily charismatic church to being primarily Reformed.
This is especially true when we hear God telling us to do something we don't particularly want to do. It’s an amazing thing, isn’t it? His Word becomes a cornerstone in our current circumstance, allowing us to make decisions based on his will and not our own. Awesome! It’s the gospel: the good news of Jesus Christ. No, we serve a God who is constantly active, constantly speaking, constantly moving in our lives. During the Protestant Reformation, people were looking for a word from the Lord just as they search for one today. I was looking more for a list of sorts with OT and or NT references, i.e; GOD spoke 1) directly to: Adam, Noah, Moses
Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.”. He can do anything He wants.
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Get ready for missions trips! The Jesus Way Jamaica offers several different trips during the spring and summer, with many more opportunities throughout the year. As an individual, choose to meet up with a larger team for an already-planned trip. Or, as a group, contact us for dates that work for you. Whether you are looking for a week-long trip, a month or summer-long internship, year-long intense ministry training, life-long ministry, or anything in between, just take the leap and do it!
March 22-29, 2016 Youth Explosion City Ministries / Wildwood, FL
July 4-11, 2016 Youth Camp Adam & Ruthie Sanders / TX
July 18-25, 2016 Youth Camp Activation
August 5, 2016 Headed Stateside to Victory Word Explosion / Tulsa, OK
Year-long Internships available
Summer Internships (1 or 2 months) available


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After church one Sunday, Dan listened as I muddled through some thoughts for an upcoming retreat I was co-teaching with Stanford. I dismissed his encouragement with a laugh. But months later, when asked by a publisher if I had any book ideas, his words came back to me. Dan is one of a of men over the years who have been friends, allies, and encouragers to me. Emily Hunter McGowan, a lecturer at Wheaton College, recently tweeted her acknowledgment to two men who played pivotal roles in her life by naming gifts they saw in her and encouraging her to develop them.
Like me, many other women chimed in with similar stories of ificant men in their lives. And, like me, many of these women are married. Sexual indiscretions regularly make headlines. Pastors and other leaders now have to contend with the threat of polyamory. And a devastating of marriages are shaken and shattered by affairs. Naturally enough, we feel an urgent inclination to batten down the marital hatches and protect husband-wife relationships. In church circles especially, men and women have practiced social distancing of a sort for many years.
And more often than not, we outright avoid each other. Sexual infidelity ultimately from a lack of character, not a lack of constraints. After all, the safest dog in the neighborhood is not the one on the shortest leash but the one with the most discipline. People need meaningful relationships with members of the opposite sex, and they need them to be safe, honoring, and full of integrity. However, that forsaking applied only to the taking of other husbands and sexual partners.
It did not mean forsaking relationships with any and all men. The New Testament makes this calling clear. Men and women who are adopted by God the Father become brothers and sisters to one another in the family of God. The Epistles emphasize this conviction in their consistent address of believers as adelphoi : brothers and sisters in the family of God. See for example, 1 Thessalonians , , and as three of 15 references in that letter alone. The familial language of the gospel is ontological.
It describes a new reality of our being. And that is what we are! My goal is not so much to be friendly but to be familial , and this remains true regardless of my marital status. For in the body of Christ, do we not all need one another? I need my sisters and my brothers in Christ, and they need me. Cultivating healthy relationships between men and women within the family of God is something God calls us to as his beloved children.
Of course, this requires wisdom, character, self-control, and the ability of community. We are fallen and fallible and should not be glib about these or any other temptations. Yet God has called us to live as the family he has made us to be, which means that as a married woman, I must consider how to cultivate healthy, holy, and wholly appropriate community with the brothers God has given me. Especially in our current crisis, as we rethink how to do church and how to serve our communities, we need each other more than ever.
We cannot isolate along gender lines. Someday soon, when this pandemic is over, I will worship with Dan and Stanford, my brothers in Christ. I will worship and serve alongside other men, too, some as acquaintances but others as true friends. All of us in the global church will get to worship and serve together again.
And when we do, it will be wonderfully familiar and familial. She lives with her family in Northern California and serves on the pastoral staff of her local church. Find her on Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter. To unlock this article for your friends, use any of the social share buttons on our site, or simply copy the link below.
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Christ in the Smokies Museum and Gardens is one of the nation's foremost inspirational attractions. We feature incredibly lifelike scenes telling the Story of Christ, utilizing life size figures, dramatic lighting, music and special effects. Everyone from Children to Seniors will enjoy seeing their favorite Bible stories come alive in the 3D Dioramas.
In the center of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, at Christ in the Smokie Museum & Gardens (located on the former Christus Gardens property) you will have the remarkable experience of walking through a Biblical world of 2000 years ago, seeing life-size, life-like representations of important scenes from the life of Jesus Christ.


Old and New Testament
Most of Rudolph Bostic’s cardboard paintings depict stories from the Old and New Testaments. Biblical themes are a natural subject for this artist of faith. Rudy is a lifelong member of the Second African Baptist Church on Green Square in Savannah and has known the great stories of the Bible from his earliest years. Rudy has illustrated biblical themes from Genesis to Revelation but his favorite subjects are Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Noah and the Ark, Moses and the Burning Bush, the Nativity of Christ, and the Passion of Christ. Angels appear frequently in his paintings both in the biblical narrative pictures and in portrait studies.
Still Life, Portraits, Landscape
Rudolph Bostic is often described as a “visionary artist.” He rarely paints from life, drawing his subjects, instead, from his own inner world. Rudy might be inspired by a Michelangelo painting in an art book, a television travel show about Italy, or the many sci-fi films and action movies he loves to watch, but all these “borrowed” themes are filtered through his own imagination. His visual style recalls the rich imagery of our dreams, whether it be surfers, riding the crest of a wave, lion tamers in the circus, or the bustling streets of Manhattan.
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Rudy Bostic works on rough cardboard panels with uneven edges. The images are presented here with straight edges.
Adam and Eve in Flight
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27 x 41.5" . . . . . . $1,000 BUY
Moses, Stand Back and See the Wonders of God
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Sacrifice of Abraham
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Samson and the Lion
25.5 x 22.5" . . . . . . $400 BUY
The Psalms of David
21 x 35" . . . . . . $600 BUY
19 x 23" . . . . . . $375 BUY
22.5 x 20.5" . . . . . . $400 BUY
26 x 18" . . . . . . $300 BUY


And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”– Mark 9:23
When one enters an Episcopal parish, one of the first things that is noticeable is an altar and usually a cross above it or near it. In Roman Catholicism, it is traditional to have a crucifix (cross with the body of Jesus). These things remind us that Jesus was slain by means of crucifixion for our sins. Good Friday is the day that this event known as the Passion takes place.
Good Friday remembers the passion of Christ and the last events of His mortal life before He was sacrificed for us. It is an emotional day as every word that is heard brings us closer to Christ. One can almost feel what Christ felt. A man who knew no sin has died in your stead. But it is a day of sadness but it is also a day of rejoicing because St.Paul reminds us that there can be no forigveness of sins without the shedding of blood.
On Good Friday, the Passion Gospel is read and then meditations follow that are about the last events of the life of Jesus. Each event brings us further into the story and further to our ultimate redemption.
In Leviticus 16, we read of a lamb that is slain for all of the sins of Israel. The High Priest makes atonement for their sins through this sacrifice. Good Friday makes us remember that Jesus was both the High Priest and the lamb who would be slain. He had to die for our sins in order to reconcile us to God just as Aaron, the High Preist, did for the children of Israel. Please join the Church Catholic at your local parish for this ultimate service in remembrance that Christ died for you!
Thanks be to God.


The rest of the week passed in a flurry of Christmas cookies, holiday parties and merry-making. Before we knew it, Grandma and Grandpa had arrived to celebrate Christmas with us.
We bundled up and headed to Bellevue to experience Snowflake Lane. It's a festive kind of fun as long as you don't mind sharing the sidewalks with the big-city mass of humanity that converges near malls at the this time of year.
Then we went to the botanical gardens to see the prettiest light display.
These grapes were my favorite.
We made a Christmas Eve trip to the movies where we enjoyed Arthur Christmas. Cute story. Yummy popcorn.
Our traditional Christmas Eve dinner was altered this year to be gluten-free. But steak on a stick, potato skins, cocktail smokies and spinach dip had everyone feeling satisfied. We even had two different kinds of So-Good Cookies--some with gluten and some without. We had gluten-free gingersnaps, too.
The traditional first gifts of Christmas were opened--pajamas, of course--and we were ready to begin our read and sing nativity celebration.
I'm choosing the omit the pictures that document Caleb's Asperger moments. They may have threatened to spoil our Christmas Eve, but the Christmas spirit was still felt so we'll just focus on that.
Natalie decided she wanted to conduct the songs.
It's just not Christmas Eve without angel chimes.
I loved that Christmas came on a Sunday this year! Since we're sleepers at our house, I knew we wouldn't be able to get our gifts opened before our 11:00 meeting started. We decided we'd let the kids enjoy their Santa gifts and stockings before church and leave the rest of the gifts for after. We also had our big breakfast on Christmas Eve so that we wouldn't have to rush that either.
On Christmas morning, I heard Jon say, "The kids are up. I can hear them." It seemed so dark and I was so deep asleep that all I could mutter was, "You've got to be kidding me!" Our kids never get up early so I couldn't believe that they'd be up already. But then I rolled over and looked at the clock. It was 8:30. So I decided that they had every right to be up.
Our church service was wonderful. It just seemed so perfect to go to church on Christmas.
The kids were sure excited to go home and having waited to open our gifts just helped build the anticipation all the more. We posed for a family photo before changing back into our Christmas jammies.
Natalie couldn't have been more thrilled about her American Girl doll.
Most of Alyssa's gifts were actually for the doll she got back in November for her birthday.
Caleb got more football helmets. Evidently when you're that big of a fan you can't have too many.
He also got a foosball table.
We stayed in our pajamas for our traditional Christmas ham dinner. Caleb ate candy all night long.
What a wonderfully Merry Christmas!


"I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete." John 15:11
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Two and a Half
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Lauren @ Magnify the Lord with Me
January 24, 2013 at 10:51 PM
What a precious comment and beautiful smile!!!!
I need that perspective tonight!
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On 10th of April 2016, the Concert in the Memory of St. John Paul II, organised by the Mazovian Music Theatre, took place at Church of The Holiest Saviour in Warsaw. The huge audience that assembled at the concert had an exclusive opportunity to listen to:
Panis Angelicus – Cezary Frank, Rinaldo von Händel, Meditation – Jules Massenet, Ave Maria – F.Schubert, Lament Dydony – Henry Purcell, Cinema Paradiso – Ennio Morricone, Serenada – F.Schubert, Fantazja dla J.P. II – Robert Grudzień and Hymn for the Pope „Santo Subito”.
In music and poetry programme performed:
Alicja Węgorzewska – mezzo-soprano – Director of Mazovian Music Theatre
Robert Grudzień – the Organ Master
Bogdan Kierejsza – violins – Composer of music to the Hymn for the Pope
Krzysztof Cezary Buszman – poet – the author of Hymn for the Pope lyrics, who recited poems of John Paul II.
We would like to especially thank the Parish Priest of the Church of the Holiest Saviour in Warsaw for a warm welcome and help in the concert organisation. We also thank the audience that listened to the concert intently. We hope that the Holy Father rejoiced this concert with us tonight.


No exploration of the Bible could be complete without a visit to Genesis, Chapter 38, and the sad tail tale of what happened to a man and his family, after getting on the bad side of Yahweh.
That man was Judah, the fourth son of Jacob, and who famously suggested selling his younger brother Joseph into slavery in Chapter 37.
But I must warn you, this is not a feel-good, “Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat,” G-rated Bible story. If you have children lurking about, you’d better ask them to amscray* or else they might learn more about the Bible than is necessary for living a good fundamentalist Christian life.
Judah had a wife who bore him three sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah.
Now, it seems that Yahweh, the God of Sensitivity, had a problem with Er, and as almost always is the case when Yahweh has a problem with someone, he kills them.
Here’s the way the economically-worded account in Genesis puts it:
But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD killed him.
Okay. Fair enough. You’re the God of the Universe and when you think someone is waxing wicked, you get to kill him. That’s part of being a Loving Father.
Now, as was the custom in those days, when God killed your first-born brother you were somewhat obligated to marry his widow, which was Yahweh’s way of saying, “Look, I killed the poor woman’s husband, but I aint gonna take care of her, so you do it.”
This practice was known as “levirate marriage,” which was a way the ancients had of preserving inheritance rights and a way in which the dead could continue “living” through their descendents, albeit not in the way God originally intended. But since God killed Er, I suppose one could say that it was the way God intended; however, that is a fine theological point way above my capacity to understand, much less explain.
Anyway, as an aside, the concept of levirate marriage reportedly led to the incarnation of King David, as mentioned in the Book of Ruth, which reportedly led to the Incarnation of Jesus—if you discount the fact that Jesus’ pre- and post-saintly mother allegedly didn’t have sex until after she gave birth to Him (with some folks, mostly Catholics, believing that Mary, poor woman, didn’t have sex even then).
Whew! Biblical copulation is tough to explain.
But back to the story: Judah, the father of the Yahweh-murdered Er and whose arms were apparently too short to box with God, told his second son Onan:
Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.
While Judah may have only said, “Go marry your brother’s wife and raise up a kid for your bro,” apparently what he really meant was, “Go bang your brother’s wife and get her pregnant or Yahweh will be pissed.”
But either Judah forgot to tell Onan to make sure he didn’t spew his sacred seed all over the Persian rug, or Onan thought he could outwit Yahweh.
But nobody outwits Yahweh. Except for the Devil in the Garden of Eden or in the Book of Job, but that’s another story.
You see, the Bible says that Onan, “knew that the heir would not be his.” How he knew this is anyone’s guess, but I’m sure if one could descend into the hell and ask him, he would say, “Boy, was I stupid.”
In any case, the Bible says that when Onan was banging his dead brother’s wife—yes, dear friends, that was the biblical way in those days, so don’t blame me for it—he “spilled” his seed on the ground, “lest he should give an heir to his brother.” That would be his other brother. His other brother Darryl Shelah.
Needless to say, the FCC has rules against saying he “came” or using some other pornographic referent. “Spilled it on the ground” was approved by John Ashcroft while he was George Bush’s Attorney General, so “spilled it on the ground” it will stay. Besides it would sound odd for the account in Genesis to say,
Onan was pounding his brother’s wife and he came on the carpet.
Just wouldn’t do. How do you explain that in Sunday school?
But you get the picture. Poor Onan, trying to game Yahweh’s system, drops his load on the turf and he has hell to pay. And pay. And pay.
You see, apparently spilling your seed where it aint supposed to be spilled is a capital offense:
And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.
By now, old Judah was getting a little weary of Yahweh’s lack of affection for his children. He had one kid left, Shelah, who apparently was too young to get into the action, so Judah said to his daughter-in-law, Tamar—the one originally widowed by Yahweh’s deadly righteousness:
“Live as a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, just like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s house.
This apparently was Judah’s way of getting Tamar out of sight so he wouldn’t have to remember that God demanded that his last son impregnate this bad-luck gal. And it worked pretty well. For a while.
Time passed and Judah’s wife died. After a sufficient period of mourning, Judah got horny and went on the road.
And that’s where the story gets even more weird, so weird that I’m sure they didn’t teach this one at Grace Baptist Tabernacle, where I went to church as a boy. Well, maybe they did in some “back room,” but I wasn’t privy to it.
Judah went out of town to a place called Timnah, ostensibly to get his sheep sheared, but also where presumably he could get laid without consequences. After all, Timnahites were fond of saying, “What happens in Timnah stays in Timnah.”
Unfortunately for Judah, he got his action in a less discreet place.
Timnah happened to be on the same Interstate as Enaim, which is apparently where Judah’s daughter-in-law Tamar lived. Genesis picks up the story from there:
13 When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,” she took off her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.
When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.”
“And what will you give me to sleep with you?” she asked.
“I’ll send you a young goat from my flock,” he said.
“Will you give me something as a pledge until you send it?” she asked.
He said, “What pledge should I give you?“
“Your seal and its cord, and the staff in your hand,” she answered.
So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him. After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow’s clothes again.
Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get his pledge back from the woman, but he did not find her. He asked the men who lived there, “Where is the shrine prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?”
“There hasn’t been any shrine prostitute here,” they said.
So he went back to Judah and said, “I didn’t find her. Besides, the men who lived there said, ‘There hasn’t been any shrine prostitute here.’ “
Then Judah said, “Let her keep what she has, or we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you didn’t find her.”
About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant.“
Judah said, “Bring her out and have her burned to death!“
As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. “I am pregnant by the man who owns these,” she said. And she added, “See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are.”
Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.”
And he did not sleep with her again.
When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb.
So, there you have it.
Tamar outsmarted old Judah and foiled his plan to screw her metaphorically by tricking him into screwing her non-metaphorically.
And God, who killed two of Judah’s sons, ended up having the last divine laugh. In an effort to protect his youngest and last son from any more seed-spillin’ episodes, Judah ends up with his dangle in a tangle: He had twins to take care of!
Sometimes, Yahweh can be a funny guy.
That is, unless you piss him off.
*I promise not to use too many Latin words like this one, but when dealing in Christian theology, sometimes it is unavoidable.
[Lego Onan Image: The Skeptics Annotated Bible]


Donuts With Pastors This Saturday! When I was a kid, one of my favorite childhood memories was visiting the Franklin Cider Mill. Not only could you watch the apple press produce the delicious cider, but their hot donuts were also absolutely amazing! Usually, the grease soaking through the bag was an accurate indicator regarding the flavor, as well as the warmth and freshness of the donuts. However, if by chance you could not finish the entire dozen in one day (which rarely happened!) and one of those donuts would sit out for a day or two...
"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!" Psalm 107:1 Ken and I had been friends for many years before we started "dating". After a period of time, the topic of marriage started to be discussed more frequently, and we both felt that it was God's plan for us to be married to each other.
Help Others "Step" Closer To Jesus by Partnering with Soles4Souls
"Whatever you do for the least of these, you do unto Me." Matthew 25:40
How often do you list shoes when you count your blessings? If I asked you to count how many pairs of shoes you own, how many could you count? For many of us, shoes are a common blessing that we tend to forget about. However, for those experiencing substantial financial need, new shoes are a luxury.
My dad was the youngest of nine children. After hearing stories of his childhood antics, I am sure his behavior helped my grandparents come to the conclusion that nine was enough and "Billy" was meant to be the grand finale! Often, he would entertain my sisters and me with stories about his childhood. However, of all of his stories that used to shock and/or amuse us, his story about his new shoes was always the one that we would often beg to "Tell us again!"
10th Annual St. Matthew Turkey Trot!
Early in my ministry, I was standing in the hallway greeting students good morning when I received a response that shook me to my core... "Mrs. Palka, I'm not supposed to tell you, but we had to sleep in our car last night, and I was so scared!"
"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
For years, we told my oldest son, Josh, that we would celebrate the conclusion of his five years of residency with a family trip during the summer of 2020. Although the COVID-19 pandemic altered many of our plans, we were still able to all gather in one destination, but it required numerous car rentals to get each member of the family from the state that they currently reside to our vacation location.
"He who watches over you will neither slumber nor sleep." Psalm 121:4 Many years ago, I received a text from my husband that stated, "Wait until you see what I bought you! It is absolutely amazing, and you are going to LOVE it!" Messages like this do not happen very often, so I was kind of excited when I saw the headlights of his car pull up into our driveway. Bursting into the house and calling my name with great intensity, I met him in the kitchen where he was very proudly holding up a new vacuum cleaner! "Isn't it a beauty?" he asked with tremendous endearment in his eyes.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart as working for the Lord and not for men." Colossians 3:23
Have you ever entered an event that involved crossing a finish line? If you, so know that great excitement of working diligently at something and finally seeing the finish line, knowing that completion is within reach.
NLSA Validation Team Arrives October 5 - 7!
Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart as working for the Lord and not for men." Colossians 3:23
Are you the type of person that enjoys riding roller coasters or do you get squeamish just saying the word? My husband and I love roller coasters! As we became parents, we were thrilled to learn that this was something that was genetically passed down to our first two children.
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights." James 1:9
Last Saturday was an extremely joyous day in the Palka family. Not only was it a beautiful and crisp fall day, but it was also my grandson's first birthday! Every birthday party is a joyous event, but for this little guy, his birthday cake just seemed to taste a little sweeter this year as we reminisced how his journey began.


KIDS @ The Well
9am services will run programmes for:
- Explorers 2—5 years old
This programme is designed to provide a safe and fun environment for our children to explore God’s love and creation.
- Discoverers years 1—4
- Adventurers years 5—6
- Pioneers years 7—8
Our Year 1—8 programme unpacks a new bible story in a relevant, interactive and fun way.
11am services will run a combined programme for children age 5-11 years. Younger children may participate in this with parent supervision
Contact the office for further information about our children’s programmes.
YOUTH @ The Well
Friday night’s 7.30—9.00pm during the school term. We gather at The Well for a fun night of activities to hang out with each other, discuss key topics for today’s youth and share good food.
Contact the office on firstname.lastname@example.org for further information about our youth programmes.
Life Groups @ The Well
Life is meant to be lived in community. Wherever you are in your relationship with Jesus, there’s someone at The Well who can relate. Our Life Groups are about doing life together between Sundays. A Life Group is made up of 6–14 people who regularly meet mid-week at homes or The Well office to support and encourage each other as they explore the Bible together.
Need a more personal challenge? We offer Life Transformation Groups for those who want to develop regular spiritual practices with the help of a mentor. Meet weekly to pray, discuss the weekly Bible reading, champion and challenge each other, and celebrate victories together.
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20
Contact the office for further information about our Life Groups
Serving @ The Well
A life expressing God’s love is a life of service to others, so serving is part of who we are at The Well. We encourage everyone to connect by serving, whether it’s setting up for worship on Sunday mornings, helping in our Children’s Ministry, mentoring youth, sharing your gift of hospitality or assisting creatively with design or technology.
Rolling up our sleeves and serving side by side helps us connect as a church but also as a community. When we step out and show God’s love to our neighbours, easy exchanges occur where we can share our faith story and point others to Jesus.
Interested in serving?
At The Well:
- Creative Arts
- Children’s Ministry
- Youth Ministry
With us in the community:
- Community Events
- Community Work Projects
- Suicide Bereavement Support Group
Contact us for further information: email@example.com or phone 03 339 4256
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45


The life of superstar Whitney Houston was celebrated Saturday in a traditional Baptist “homegoing” ceremony, filled with tears, laughter and inspirational music at her childhood church in Newark.
For nearly four hours, Houston’s friends and family paid tribute to the 48-year-old singer, who died Feb. 11 in her Beverly Hills hotel room. Police have yet to give an official cause of death.
“We are here today, hearts broken, but yet with God’s strength we celebrate the life of Whitney Houston,” the Rev. Joe A. Carter told about 1,500 mourners at the New Hope Baptist Church, including luminaries Oprah Winfrey, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson and Jordin Sparks.
Kevin Costner, Houston’s co-star in “The Bodyguard,” said she worried about being liked and being good enough.
“Call it doubt, call it fear — I’ve had mine and I know the famous in the room have had theirs,” he said. “It was the burden that made her great and the part that caused her to stumble in the end.”
Many directly addressed Houston’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, speaking of the singer’s love for her, as the 18-year-old clutched her grandmother Cissy Houston in the front row of the church.
Her father, Bobby Brown, did not stay for the service, according to The Associated Press.
In a statement put out by Brown’s representative, he explained: “My children and I were invited to the funeral of my ex-wife Whitney Houston. We were seated by security and then subsequently asked to move on three separate occasions. . . . In light of the events, I gave a kiss to the casket of my ex-wife and departed as I refused to create a scene.”
Houston’s godmother, Aretha Franklin, who was expected to sing “The Greatest Love of All,” was unable to attend because of illness.
Most of the songs chosen for Houston’s service reflected her struggles with alcohol and drug abuse, as well as her faith. Stevie Wonder rewrote “Ribbon in the Sky,” and gospel singer Kim Burrell reworked Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” for the occasion.
Pastor Donnie McClurkin of Freeport’s Perfecting Faith Church said the family asked him to sing his hit “Stand,” which includes the lines, “When there’s nothing left to do, you just stand.”
As Houston’s coffin was carried out, her hit “I Will Always Love You” played. Bobbi Kristina Brown began crying and the sobs of Houston’s mother rang throughout the church.
“My baby!” she wailed.
The family wanted the funeral to be private, opting against a Michael Jackson-style public memorial at the nearby 19,000-seat Prudential Center.
Nevertheless, the public grieving for Houston has been massive. Flags across New Jersey flew at half-staff by order of Gov. Chris Christie.
Makeshift memorials made of flowers, balloons, signs and remembrances stand outside the New Hope Baptist Church, the nearby Whigham Funeral Home, where a private viewing was held for family and friends Friday night, and the Whitney E. Houston Academy Elementary School in East Orange, N.J.
Houston is expected to be buried Sunday at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, N.J., where her father, John Houston, is buried.
“You wait for a voice like that for a lifetime,” her mentor Clive Davis said. “You wait for a face like that, a smile like that, a presence like that, for a lifetime. When one person embodies it all, it takes your breath away.”


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VAN / BREAKFAST MINISTRY
Come Have Breakfast With Us!
Freedom Church is inviting all kids to come enjoy a hot breakfast with us on Sunday mornings. While the adults worship upstairs, we will be serving breakfast downstairs followed by our Children's Church program for ages 3 years old-5th grade. Transportation will be provided or you can bring your parents along to join in our worship service at 11:00AM. For more information or to arrange transportation, please call the church at (937) 878-8441. Leave a message and we will get back to you.
So, come hungry and let us fill you up!
Hope to see you soon!


Welcome To Good Shepherd Cedar Hill
Here at Good Shepherd Cedar Hill we believe that we are called to celebrate God’s love by worshipping and growing in our faith. As Jesus, the Good Shepherd, knows his sheep by name and is known by his sheep, we also strive to be a church where people feel connected to each other and engaged with the wider community. We invite you to worship, grow and serve with us.
To celebrate God’s love and grow together in faith, to serve the world in Christ’s name.
Whether you are returning to Good Shepherd Cedar Hill after a time away or are altogether new to the faith, looking for a new church home or simply seeking a place to be quiet, please know that you are welcome at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. In the pages of our site we hope you will discover a community seeking to be authentic and faithful to our charges to love one another and to serve a hurting world. More importantly, we pray that you will find just such a community when you visit us sometime soon. Peace be with you as your journey continues, and know that at Good Shepherd you have companions eager to join you along the Way.
Members of the Good Shepherd Cedar Hill who read aloud the Old and New Testament Lessons, the Psalm, and the Prayers of the People are Lectors. During special times of the church year, the lectors are asked to read portions of scripture applicable to the season. For example, lectors may be asked to participate in the dramatic reading of the Passion during Holy Week.
The Eucharistic Ministers serve specific and important roles in the Good Shepherd Cedar Hill according to the Canons of the Episcopal Church. They administer the elements (bread and wine) at any Celebration of the Holy Eucharist when there are not enough Priests or Deacons to serve the members of the congregation. The Eucharistic Ministers or EMs train for this job in their home parish. The Bishop grants each EM a license at the request of the parish Rector.


Casino of pope pius iv
Pope Pius IV (March 31, 1499 – December 9, 1565), born Giovanni Angelo Medici, was Pope from 1559 to 1565. He is generally believed to be the first pope to have died leavingOn the death of Pope Paul IV, he was elected Pope Pius IV on December 25, 1559, and installed on January 6, 1560.
Pope Pius IV (31 March 1499 – 9 December 1565), born Giovanni Angelo Medici, was Pope from 25 December 1559 to his death in 1565.  He is known for presiding over the final session of the Council of Trent . Casino of Pope Pius IV - Design Library Image Collection Architecture, Interiors and Furniture. Section L, High Renaissance: 1500-1600 ORDERDESCRIPTION . Architecture, Interiors and Furniture. Section L, High Renaissance ... Casino of Pope Pius IV (Vatican City): Section - Yale ... For more information about this resource, contact: Many images in the Arts Library’s Visual Resources Digital Collection are scans from reproductions, used for teaching. Casino of Pope Pius IV - Design Library Image Collection
Pope Pius IV. From Clement VII he obtained the office of prothonotary, and by his intelligence, industry, and trustworthiness commended himself to Paul III who entertained the greatest confidence in his integrity and ability and employed him in the governorship of many cities of the papal states.
The sentence was afterwards declared unjust by St. Pius V and the memory of the victims vindicated and their estates restored. Cardinal Morone and other dignitaries whom Paul had imprisoned for suspicion of heresy were released. Pius IV now devoted his undivided attention to the completion of the labours of the Council of Trent. He was luckier ... Casino della Vigna di Papa Giulio III - utenti.quipo.it Pope Julius III built an elegant fountain on Via Flaminia at the entrance of his suburban Villa (or as it was called then Vigna=Vineyard, because the main building -Casino- was surrounded by a large cultivated area). Pope Pius IV completed the small palace adjoining the fountain.
Casina Pio IV - Wikipedia
In 1556 Pope Paul IV assigned him to the archdiocese of Foligno. On Dec. 25, 1559, Medici was elected pope and took the name Pius IV. Pius IV faced a serious challenge to his diplomatic finesse in the problem of the Council of Trent, which had been suspended since 1552. In 1562 the council was reassembled by his mandate. Pope Pius IV - definition of Pope Pius IV by The Free Dictionary Their work builds handsomely on the efforts of one Pirro Ligorio, an Italian artist and scholar of ancient monuments, who, among other achievements, built the celebrated villa Casina di Pio IV, the Casino of Pope Pius IV, in the grounds of the Vatican.
As papal architect Ligorio's main project was to design a new casino in the Vatican gardens as an afternoon retreat for the Pope. Work on the structure, which began in May 1558, stopped but was resumed in May 1560 after the accession of Pius IV, who was determined to complete many of his predecessor's architectural projects. The casino complex is one of the most charming secluded retreats ever ...
Giardino e Casino Pontificio del Vaticano - romeartlover.it Casino di Papa Pio IV Pinacoteca Vaticana. The Plate (No. 182) This 1761 etching by Giuseppe Vasi is an interesting record of the changes made by Pope Clement XIII to the surroundings and accesses to the small casino designed by Pirro Ligorio for Pope Pius IV in 1561.
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The past few months, I've found myself crying out in prayer, that YHWH keep me from letting the care of this world "choke me out." In researching for and writing the Goshen Gazette, as well as facilitating a discipleship class, and building Bethesda Wellness Centre, life has been just a tad busy. None of my other responsibilities have diminished, as the homestead is still operating full swing and the natural products business is continuing to expand. By nature, I'm a workaholic, who always enjoyed "too many irons in the fire" as my Daddy would call it, but this past couple of weeks, I actually said aloud, "I have all I can do." Also, in these past few weeks and months, I've found myself saying aloud, frequently, "I can do all things through Messiah who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13. Of course that passage is true, but He strengthens us to do the work in which He is leading, and not the numerous distractions that can often weigh us down and choke us out!
I can honestly say, I haven't spent my time leisurely or on entertainment, which is also a point unto itself. How many of the "so called" servants of YHWH spend a significant amount of time on sports and entertainment? I'm not claiming spiritual superiority in that fact that I don't, but rather raising the concern and observation of just how easy it is to be distracted. I openly confess, too many irons in the fire for a workaholic is no more holy than Monday Night Football, video games, or movies. As a matter of fact, in researching for articles, I am exposed to just as much secularism or more; and sadly in this sad state of our society, the ongoing continuation seems endless. Unlike football, there is no two minute warning to announce the end. Research is also quite different from entertainment, in that, again, there is no "end of game or end of movie." It's been quite harrowing. I believe I'm getting a handle on this, but it can happen so subtly . . . I certainly do not lean to my own understanding in this, but literally cling to YHWH and His Word.
The Goshen Gazette has moved from weekly to semimonthly, and that will eventually change, but for now, it is what it is. Watching Isaiah 5:20-21 come to pass is heart breaking. The warning, as our society is literally inverted to redefine good and evil, seems to be virtually unheeded as we plunge headlong into an abyss of chaos. Intercessory prayer must sound so redundant to Our Father, by now.
As I looked at the interpretation of the parable that has been coming to my spirit, I noticed once again, that seed among thorns represented both "the care of the world" and the deceitfulness of riches. While I've not been one drawn or attracted to the prosperity teachings, and my desires in this world are not of great material value, the headlines that I research definitely fall into the category of "the care of this world." It became pretty tense and quiet for a time in my life. I delight in the Voice of our Creator, and I have indeed experienced now, just how the care of this world feels strangely dark, quiet, and suffocating.
I will continue to sound the warning of the redefinition being done in our society, but I will not be joining discussions on where the Jews got it wrong with Talmud or where the Christians are misinterpreting the New Testament. Nor am I particularly interested in the history of ancient cultures or pagan rituals. I am interested in Living Scripture and following Messiah who is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. I don't need to have the most information about a Biblical topic, I need to know the Author and His Son, more. I've been noticing, not only is our society calling good evil and evil good, but those in the "religious know" are doing some horrendous redefinition and re-prioritizing, as well. Many of the religious debates can be found in this parable as well. Stony places and no deepness is often displayed and voiced in discussions and social media comments.
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. :22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23
Time is short. Even if Messiah's return is not as soon as many of us hope, our days are not promised and none of us are getting any younger. Meanwhile, Scripture very clearly tells us we will give an account . . .


I share the same happiness with you, your parents, and loved ones because of this great achievement that you have received from the Lord. It is my hope and prayer for you to be always grateful of all the blessings that were and will be given to you.
It may not be apparent to you now but the fact that you have already acquired a Degree is a testament to your academic staying power – a level of excellence from your years of work, effort, and determination.
I admire your willpower and discipline – the qualities that helped you finish the first step of success. It will only be a matter of time until you reach the peak of your dreams and while doing so, may you always take each and every further step humbly, sharing your blessings abundantly to those in need.
May you also never forget the Vision of your Alma Mater that was instilled in your heart which sets you apart from the crowd – the unique Christian culture of excellence, discipline, and service to humanity.
May you always be victorious and may the Lord God help you in all your noble pursuits:
“The LORD your God is going with you, and he will give you victory.” – Deuteronomy 20:4 Good News Translation
Congratulations, Graduates of 2018!
Bro. GABBY G. MALONZO, Ph. D.
Director, Open and Distance Learning (ODL)


"Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy."
Prayer of St. Francis
St. Francis of Assissi
In loving memory of the children and teachers of Sandy Hook Elementary School who were brutally killed yesterday. Heartfelt condolences, supportive thoughts, and loving prayers for all those affected by this horrific tragedy.
Follow me on Twitter: @bookclubreader
Sad Saturday was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.blogspot.com. This post cannot be republished without express written consent.


A mass by Pope Francis will be held in western Canada on Tuesday, a day after he issued a historic apology for the mistreatment of Indigenous children in Catholic-run schools.
Pontiff Benedict XVI is due to speak in Spanish at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium in one of the largest open-air events during his Canadian tour.
As a result of knee discomfort, the Pope has been relying on a cane or wheelchair in recent months, and he will welcome the audience from his popemobile when he visits Canada.
A long-awaited apology was delivered to Canada’s First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people in Maskwacis, a small town south of Edmonton, in his first public speech Monday.
For the evils committed against the Indigenous peoples by so many Christians, he remarked, “I humbly want pardon.”
Schools have been subjected to “cultural degradation” and maltreatment of children for nearly a century, he said.
In the late 1800s and early 1990s, the Canadian government sent over 150,000 children to 139 churches-run residential schools, where they were separated from their families, languages, and cultures.
Thousands are said to have perished from sickness, hunger, or neglect as a result of physical and sexual abuse.
Mass in Edmonton is anticipated to draw more than 60,000 people under strong security, organizers said.
Afterwards, Pope Francis is expected to continue his “penitential” journey, which he has described as such, by traveling to Lac Ste Anne, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Edmonton, for a liturgical celebration at a significant pilgrimage site in North America.
Pilgrims from Canada and the United States have been coming to the healing waters since the late nineteenth century to bathe and pray, according to traditional Indigenous rites.
A major figure in many Canadian Aboriginal communities is St. Anne, who is the mother of Mary and the grandmother of Jesus in Catholicism.
After Monday’s apology, many survivors felt overwhelmed and leaders praised it as historic, even though some warned it was only a first step. ‘Path together’ was the theme of the apology.
“I think we can find a way to work together. A lot of work must be done before this can be completed “Grand Chief George Arcand of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations said this.
Canadians are reeling over the discovery of more than 1,300 unmarked graves at the sites of the former schools, which has sent shockwaves throughout the country.
There have been more than 4,000 deaths in schools, but it is thought that at least 6,000 children have died.
For centuries, the abuse had a devastating effect.
In Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut’s northern territory and home to Canada’s biggest Inuit community, Pope Francis will meet again with former residential school pupils after his July 27-29 visit to Quebec City. He will then fly to Italy.


U.S. Congressman Dennis Cardoza Questions Secretary Clinton at Foreign Affairs Hearing on Assyrians
VIDEO: Rep. Cardoza Questions Sec. Clinton About Violence Against Assyrian Christians, Other Religious Minorities in Middle East. May 01, 2011.
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, U.S. Congressman Dennis Cardoza (D-Merced) questioned U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about the plight of Assyrian Christians and other vulnerable religious minority groups in the Middle East. During a hearing held by the Foreign Affairs Committee, of which he is a member, Congressman Cardoza renewed his call for the State Department to formulate a comprehensive strategy for the protection of religious minorities being targeted by violence.
“Madam Secretary, at least 70 people were killed during an attack last October on Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad, making it the worst massacre of Iraqi Christians since 2003,” said Congressman Cardoza to Secretary Clinton during the hearing. “Less than two months later, extremists bombed the homes of more than a dozen Christian families throughout Baghdad. And on New Year’s Eve, 23 people were killed by a suicide bomber in Alexandria, Egypt, while coming out of mass at St. Mark and St. Peter Coptic Church.”
Congressman Cardoza continued, “Since these tragic incidents, the Middle East has been rocked by wide ranging democratic protests and regime changes. Has this ongoing instability increased the already heightened risk to vulnerable religious minority groups like Assyrians, Jews, Copts, and others?”
Secretary Clinton responded that Christians and other religious minorities were indeed being targeted across the Middle East and needed protection. The Secretary also said the U.S. needs to do more to protect the rights of religious minorities and hold governments accountable for abuses.
Click here to watch Congressman Cardoza’s exchange with Secretary Clinton during today’s hearing.
Congressman Cardoza, a member of the Religious Minorities in the Middle East Caucus, has worked to bring attention to the plight of people targeted by violence because of their religious beliefs. He has repeatedly called on the State Department to do more to protect religious minorities facing persecution, particularly those in countries reeling from political upheaval.
In November 2010, in response to the massacre of 70 Christians worshiping at a Catholic Church in Baghdad, Congressman Cardoza called on the State Department to develop a cohesive strategy for protecting religious minority groups being subjected to a pattern of violent discrimination in Iraq.
In a letter to Secretary Clinton, Congressman Cardoza and his colleagues in the Religious Minorities in the Middle East Caucus wrote, “While the Iraqi government has taken some steps to improve security around churches, these efforts are clearly insufficient. Individual Christians and Mandaeans have been consistently targeted in Iraq, and without real action to protect them, many continue to live in constant fear for their lives.”
The letter continued, “We respectfully request that the State Department take immediate steps to formulate and articulate a specific, comprehensive strategy for the protection of Iraq’s Christians and other minority groups while a meaningful number still remain there.”


You’re invited to worship together on Sundays, 11:00am at 3150 Detroit St. Portsmouth, VA 23707 We’re a local church, committed to the authority of the word of God and the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we strive to give of ourselves to a ministry of Bible teaching, word of God preaching, evangelism, and missions. We understand that people don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care. As we move into the future, our commitments to these key elements remain firm. At Portsmouth Christian, we are a church where all the spiritual gifts that the Bible speaks about could be expressed, where a real family atmosphere could be found and where there would be freedom to believe and lead as God directed the church. We are a come as you are church family committed to Loving God and Loving People, and Serving the Community.”
SMALL GROUP AT PCC
When you attend a small group at PCC you can expect to be accepted just as you are. Whether you like to add to the conversation or just sit back and take it all in, you are welcome. Our discussions are sometimes light, but also go deep into a subject that someone may be struggling with. We have several reasons for having small groups. To come together as Christians to love, strengthen, and care for one another. If one person is hurting we all are hurting, but in return we rejoice with one another in healing. We believe that God is the only source in which we receive our blessings. Come join us to see how much we love and care for you.
TEEN (J.A.M.) MEETINGS
JAM is the name for our group of teens at Portsmouth Christian Church. It stands for Jesus and me. At PCC we want our teens to know that Jesus is with them not only in the good times, but also in the rough times. JAM offers learning sessions on Sunday mornings at 11:00a.m., discussion sessions on Sunday evenings at 6:00p.m., and fun activities throughout the month. They are encouraged to perform service projects on a quarterly basis as to understand why we exist for Jesus. Portsmouth Christian Church promises your teen will be better equipped to serve the Lord and people through learning and hands on projects as we grow together as a church.
CITY LIGHT KIDS @ PCC
City Light Kids at PCC is the children’s programming at Portsmouth Christian Church. Designed for your children from birth through completion of 5th grade, we strive to meet the needs of each family that comes through our doors. City Light Kids vision is threefold: to GLOW, GROW, and GO! GLOW focuses on fellowship and encouragement to rekindle our light and flame for Jesus! We achieve this through various events and opportunities that provide for both fun and Christian fellowship. GROW is the “digging deep” piece of the ministry, focusing on spiritual development and nourishment. This takes place through Sunday morning lessons, small group devotions, summer camps, and a yearly preteen convention. GO is the ultimate vision of Jesus and our ministry, spreading the Good News of Jesus to be a LIGHT in our city and our world! We work to accomplish this goal through community service projects, outreach events, and by partnering within our neighborhood to meet physical and spiritual needs as they arise.
Portsmouth Christian Church is dedicated to Loving God, Loving People and Being A Servant. Reaching the Lost, Developing Disciples, Impacting Generations. We go after the lost with a passion as the first Church in Acts did. We disciple people intensely in the word of God. We teach believers to overcome battles and challenges by empowering them in the word of God through faith. e are empowered by the Holy Spirit, to reach the world for Jesus; expand the kingdom of God and impact all generations, You will see the impact of our mission through our church services, classes, group settings, and relationships. We live this out in every part of our DNA as a church. From worship, serving our community, learning about God, welcoming our neighbors and more. Every aspect of our church is to be a shining light of hope and grace in our community. We hope to see you soon.
Listen to PCC Sermons Online
Our Sunday Sermons are to empower each of our believers with the word of God. At Portsmouth Christian Church we will never waver from the truth found in the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, we will not add to it, or take away from it. The Bible is the God breathed word of truth spoken through each writer. I hope while listening to a sermon you will not only be inspired, but find a new or deeper relationship with Christ. God Bless You and enjoy.
If you cannot attend in person, click here to watch us LIVE each and every Sunday @ 11:30a.m.
Our expression of worship is not limited to simply singing. From serving, community, learning and more, our worship takes on many forms. We’re thankful that as a church we can gather on Sundays & throughout the week to honor God and grow together. Click here to see our full calendar of events and services
And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on. (MARK 12:41–44)
We believe the foundation to a better future is to create a new home for the Portsmouth Christian Church and for all those who wish to live by and spread His word. Afterall, the Holy Bible says that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
At its core, this building will house a school that will be free to attend to all children in need. Top notch teachers will help give our kids the knowledge they need to succeed in today’s world, rooted in Christian principles, and with a focus on technology.
If you share this vision with us, we humbly ask for your financial support so we can see the Church thrive and people come to Christ for their eternal salvation.
To Him Be The Glory.
At Portsmouth Christian Church we aim to honor God in all we do. Our leadership is dedicated to following God in all we do and guiding God’s church to love Him and others. Our leaders are held to the standards that God has set forth through the Bible.
Tim Todd – Pastor
Tim Gerton-Associate Pastor/Elder
3150 Detroit St. Portsmouth, VA 23707


The Week of November 20 – November 26, 2017
The church office will be closed this Thursday and Friday in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. We’ll resume our regular schedule on Monday, November 27th.
The next “Who-Said-Men-Can’t-Be-Social” gathering will be Thursday, November 30th, 6:30 pm, at the home of John Gunn, 213 Boulton Ct., Madison, AL. Be sure to put this on the calendar now!
We offer several Growth Groups for adults here at WPC…to see a list of the groups, times, and topics being offered, CLICK HERE.
The Adult Choir meets weekly on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm, and we are always looking for new members. For more information, please contact Tom Adams at (256) 797-5656.
Christmas at Westminster
Help Decorate the Sanctuary with Poinsettias! We plan to fill the front of the sanctuary with poinsettias again this Christmas, and we need your help. Flowers may be dedicated You can purchase a 6-inch plant for $8 or a 12-inch plant for $17 for display each Sunday of Advent in memory or honor of a loved one; their names will appear each week in the bulletin. We plan to keep them on display through the month of December, though you’re welcome to take yours home after the Christmas Eve Candlelight service on the 24th. The deadline to order a poinsettia is December 3rd! Order/dedication forms will be available in the bulletin this Sunday. Completed forms and order payments may be turned in at Resource Center in the lobby or the church office. Be sure to note ‘Poinsettia Drive’ on the memo line of your check. Questions? Contact Suzanne Wellborn at 256-585-9461.
A Service of Nine Lessons & Carols and Christmas Brunch, Sunday morning, December 17th: People love the music of the season, which makes this an especially good Sunday to invite your friends to join us for worship. The service will lead us through the entire story of Christmas in Scripture and song, and will be followed by our annual holiday brunch. Invitation cards for you to pass along to others will be available soon!
Christmas Eve Worship: Since Christmas Eve will be on Sunday this year, in addition to Morning Worship at 9:30 am, we will return at 4 pm for our annual Candlelight Christmas Eve Service in the sanctuary. Invitation cards will be coming soon. Please note: to allow our teachers to rest and prepare for the holidays with their family, there will be no Sunday School on Christmas Eve.
Worship on New Year’s Eve: To give our Sunday School teachers a time to rest from their preparations and enjoy the holidays with their families, we will only hold Morning Worship (at our usual time of 9:30) on Sunday, December 31. We will resume our regular Sunday schedule the following Lord’s Day.
|SERVING||Sunday, November 26, 2017|
|NURSERY – Morning Worship||David & Nicole Perrin, Taylor Thompson|
|Kyle Van Kirk|
|NURSERY – Sunday School|
|NURSERY – Evening Worship||Susann Anderson, Lucy Fulcher|
|HEAD USHER||David Perrin|
|SEXTON COUNTER||Paul Galloway, Monday Mbila|
|SOUND||Clif Barnes, Eric Fulcher|
|COFFEE FELLOWSHIP||Mark Linker|
|COMMUNION SET UP||—–|


Discipleship Bible School | March 2020
Dates & Times
18 Mar - 12 Jun 20201:00pm - 11:00pm
A Journey in the Story of God
Being a Christian means to be identified as a follower of Christ. How better to know Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit than to commit to studying the Word?
Have you ever wondered why we still have the Old Testament? Does the Law mean anything to us today? Why does the modern world need the Bible? Have you ever felt downright bored reading the Bible but feel like you should get something more from it? And why does God seem angry in the Old Testament but loving in the New Testament?
In DBS we want to help you grow in both your knowledge and understanding of God and His Word, to answer these questions and more. In DBS we learn together through lectures, small groups & discussions. We invite speakers that teach on all 66 books of the Bible. And our staff, who are passionate about God’s Word & Discipleship, help you grow in understand of the Bible. By the time you finish DBS you will be able to say that you have read the whole Bible, cover to cover. But not just read it, studied it and grew in it. Come and let’s get to know God together through His Written Word!
PAYMENT & FEES:
In order to register for the first time to any missions training course or seminar at YWAM Virginia there is a non-refundable $40 registration fee. If for some reason you attend a different semester the registration fee will transfer.
In addition to the registration fee, the DBS tuition cost is $3,000.


Two weeks ago when I was having my spiritual nourishment in church, I saw this envelope next to me. The envelope include a perforated piece of paper with the included these instructions (see photo) that asked for pledges for an educational cause. I didn’t follow the instructions and did not pledge since I don’t have the money for it.
A week after it was time for my spiritual food again (listening to the gospel and how the mass celebrant sees it or the homily). During the homily, the celebrant preached about giving, how we should be giving to the poor, the needy and the unemployed. I do not have anything against giving to those who I think need them; I do and organize my own charity work every year for the homeless. Most part of the homily that day was about soliciting. Asking churchgoers to pledge financial support on the cause the church is pushing.
Don’t get me wrong but I believe in giving, I believe that we should not have too much and we should share whatever we have, can and want. But the homily at that time was way beyond disappointing. I was so disappointed about the part of the mass that the celebrant asked the mass goers to pledge. Probably it is my bias that I didn’t like the celebrant giving the mass goers and parishioners step-by-step instructions on how to fill-up the envelopes and how they could even use their credit cards. It even has an installment or staggered payment plan, for pledging to pay a certain amount for a certain time of the year. These announcements and activities may be made after the mass or before they give out the final blessing. I just find it inappropriate and coercive to ask people to pledge during the homily.


This is a free Bible Study App that comes with Offline Bibles for you Bible Study needs. The Bible versions in this Cross Reference Bible include the following;
⦁ Catholic Bible: Douay-Rheims Bible
⦁ New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
All the 3 versions come complete with both the New Testament and the Old Testaments, from Genesis to Revelation. In the Future we will enhance the Application to enable you access more Version all for FREE. We are also at an advanced stages of Incorporating Audio Bibles which will be in the next release of the App. Reading the word of God has never been this exciting with amazing Bible Study tools. With the Cross Reference Bible, you get to read the Bible version of your choice and compare between the different versions for deeper understanding of the word of God.
The bible also comes with enhanced Study tools including;
⦁ Access to your bookmarks,
⦁ Making notes while reading your bibles,
⦁ You can carry your reading plans and access them from anywhere.
⦁ Font and color adjusting setting.
⦁ The version is completely OFFLINE and doesn’t require Internet.
⦁ With our other Apps, you could also enjoy hundreds of other bible versions.
⦁ Just download the app and start enjoying the 3 FREE Offline Bibles; Catholic Bible: Douay-Rheims Bible , New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Catholic Bibles is a free software application from the Food & Drink subcategory, part of the Home & Hobby category.
The app is currently available in English and it was last updated on 2016-11-06. The program can be installed on Android.
The Catholic Bibles (version 01.01.14) is available for download from our website.
Just click the green Download button above to start. Until now the program was downloaded 2 times.
We already checked that the download link to be safe, however for your own protection we recommend that you scan the downloaded software with your antivirus.


Celebrate Christmas Surrey Style
The season of goodwill to all men is upon us, so what better way to enjoy the most wonderful time of year than by celebrating all things festive right here on your doorstep.
We’ve put together our favourite festive treats, experiences and gift ideas to get you in the Christmas spirit.
Deck the Halls with Personalised Baubles at RHS Wisley
Surrey ceramic artist and illustrator Jayne Redmond will be personalising her hand painted bauble collection, designed exclusively for RHS Wisley, every Tuesday and Thursday from 12-2pm until December 16th. Jayne Redmond Baubles
Sing Carols by Candlelight
Give those vocal chords a workout with timeless hymns and Christmas carols in St. Mary’s Church in Fetcham on December 6th and raise money for Transform who support the homeless and most vulnerable in our community. Mulled wine and mince pies will be served at Fetcham Park following the service. For more info visit Transform Housing Candlelit Carol Service.
Feast on Festive Goodies at a Farmers’ Market
Ripley’s famous Farmers’ Market has a decidedly festive feel on December 9th. From 9am to 1pm there’ll be stalls selling Christmas cakes and puddings, charity Christmas cards, door wreaths and other seasonal fare. With carols by children from Ripley Primary and a visit from Mr Claus himself, this promises to be a merry morning out for the whole family. Visit Ripley Farmers Market.
Remember the true meaning with the Nativity
Experience the Christmas story in a new way from 13th – 17th December with the Nativity at Wintershall Estate. Dramatic and intimate, the story begins in the open air with a walk with the shepherds through the magical grounds. The audience then take their seats in the atmospheric working barn, where the story unfolds of how Jesus changed the world. A beautiful production with a large cast of players and animals. Mince pies and hot drinks available before the show. Parental guidance advised for under 5s. For tickets email: firstname.lastname@example.org
Surprise loved ones with gorgeous gifts
Our go-to place for gorgeous gifts has to be &hobbs in Shere. Luxurious and lovingly curated homeware, and bath and bed items await you in this Aladdin’s cave in leafy Surrey. If you don’t fancy leaving the sofa, you can shop online at andhobbs.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock these past couple of months, you’ll have heard all about Surrey’s chef patron de jour Steve Drake’s new restaurant Sorrel which opened in Dorking in October. For the ultimate gift for foodies, treat them to the Sorrel experience. Gift vouchers are available to order online at sorrel restaurant.co.uk.
Christmas just isn’t Christmas without a hamper!
Luckily for us, new hamper supplier Gibson & Bruce is right next door to Fetcham Park. Containing a thoughtful selection of the best Christmas traditional food and drink, many of which have been sourced from local Surrey producers, and beautifully presented in a traditional wicker basket. As a special offer for business residents of Fetcham Park, Gibson & Bruce are offering free delivery (normally £4.95 per hamper) on all orders delivered to the House in person. Visit www.gibsonandbruce.co.uk.
On behalf of the whole team at Fetcham Park, we wish you a very Merry Christmas.