The Santa Controversy: To Believe, or Not to Believe?
Last week, a friendly influencer on my Instagram platform posted a two-part poll on her Story, fronted by a question:
Are you going to teach your kids about Santa Claus, or not?
The poll came with two generic answers – “yes, of course”, or a blatant “no.” As a non-parent whose only knowledge of the parenting world has come from being parented (I’m 23 now – it’s been awhile), this question followed with my “pssshhh” and an obvious “YES” answer. The results of the poll popped up, and to my utter disbelief, it read 60% Yes, 40% No.
40% of you parents, non-parents, or middle-grounders don’t believe that we should be teaching our kids about Santa? And the girl who posted the poll said she was “back and forth” about it. I jumped to contact this girl and make sense of her reasoning. Maybe I was missing something fundamental.
Sure enough, she replied very sweetly with an answer that – as I should have expected – truly got me thinking.
She told me how much she wanted Christmas to be about Christ. About His birth and life, a celebration of giving, not out of the spirit of commercialism, but out of being like our Savior. My heart stung a little bit. She isn’t wrong, is she? Even in this short month, I’ve felt the turgor of shiny new things, the drain of finances, the burst of anxiety that comes with spending and penny pinching. I haven’t been keen on putting the Savior first, something I know my spirit wants me to do. I could be doing many things to bring that spirit of Christ into our home and life, daily and nightly. Yet, is putting an age-old tradition to rest the way to fix this?
I still feel like there’s magic to Santa Claus – I don’t think that he’s inherently bad. After all, the tradition comes from a 4th century Christian Saint who gave gifts to the less fortunate and filled stockings with things they needed. There is definite goodness to jolly old Saint Nick.
Personally, we won’t be removing Santa Claus from our home. But this girl’s simple message has absolutely sprung a new perspective for me, so:
we will be changing who Santa Claus is for us, and what he brings.
Santa Claus will bring three gifts to each of our children on Christmas – two for our babies to keep, and one for them to give away.
I am committed that the important, valuable gifts should come from your parents, so that credit is given where it is due, and our children can gain an understanding of how we manage our finances and care for them.
However, in an effort to put Christ into every aspect of our home, I hope that Santa Claus can bring us gifts that we are willing to share. Santa Claus, or Saint Nicholas, truly aimed to be giving and generous, and I want to empower that spirit in our children. They take on the role of Santa Claus. Santa Claus trusts them to give willingly and seek the need. We won’t lose any of the magic or joy of Santa Claus (because a sleepless Christmas Eve is not complete without a scream-whisper “I hear hooves on the roof!”). He will still bring gifts to our children. But in this way, they can learn about charity, about sacrifice, and about Saint Nick, rather than just Santa Claus.
I realize this is a long shot, and I can almost hear the moms reading this who are snickering, with a slight “good luck with that” in the back of their brains, but I believe it could work! And, if you’re looking to put Christ before Santa, I encourage you to unite the two in whichever way is best for your family, rather than to eliminate one or the other.
As always, I’m curious to hear more perspectives on this: have you thought about taking Santa Claus out of your Christmas? If so, tell me why or why not, and tell me how you plan to make the holiday your own.


Baby Gospel Christmas Family Concert | Sydenham | 3.30pm
(Please note the date was originally 12th December, we had to change to 8th Dec due to the General Election)
Following a sell-out performance last year, Baby Gospel returns for a Christmas special to St Bartholomew’s Church in Sydenham! An uplifting family concert of soul, gospel and festive music, featuring the astonishing vocal talents of London’s CK Gospel Choir.
The whole family can enjoy singing and clapping along to Christmas favourites such as ‘Winter Wonderland’, ‘Jingle Bells’ and carols like ‘Hark the Herald Angel Sing’ as well as the usual soul & motown hits, Gospel songs and nursery rhymes.
CK Gospel Choir are a versatile professional group from London who are united by their love of gospel music and have provided backing for artists such as Beverley Knight, Peter Andre and Alfie Boe.
Adults – £12.90 (£13 on the door, subject to availability)
Children – free (up to 3 per paying adult)
Open to all ages but recommended for ages 0 – 10. Great fun for parents/carers and grandparents too!
VENUE & TRANSPORT
The Christmas concert takes place in the main church which is accessible straight from the street. Seats are unallocated and there is plenty of room to move/sit on the carpeted floor too.
There is buggy parking and baby changing at this venue.
There is no parking at the church but some on-street parking on nearby streets. Sydenham station is a 5 minute walk away.
Doors open 15 minutes before start time. Concert lasts approximately 45 minutes.
We’d love to see your festive fancy dress!
We welcome adults and children with additional needs. Please contact us for more information.
- No categories


Father Elser was born and raised in Hot Springs with his 5 brothers and 3 sisters. His mother still resides in the family home she and her late husband moved into 54 years ago. Growing up in St. Mary’s parish in Hot Springs, Father Elser and his brothers all served as altar boys when Monsignor Malone was assigned there some 40+ years ago. Heeding the call to the priesthood, Father Elser entered Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas after earning his BA in Philosophy at UCA. He celebrated the 24th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood on May 31st.
Over the years, Father Elser has served many Catholic parishes throughout Arkansas. One of his early assignments was with former Sacred Heart Pastor Father Rossi in Mountain Home, and over the years he has served in parishes from Fort Smith to Jonesboro and most recently in Benton and back home in Hot Springs.
Father Elser has been shepherd to many flocks and to the spiritual well-being of the young and old alike. He counseled college age students at the Newman Center when he was appointed to Jonesboro, and he thoroughly enjoys opportunities to teach youngsters about their religion. He has ample experience administering to the spiritual needs of the “retired generations” as well, having ministered to parishes in Mountain Home and Fairfield Bay.
Father Elser recently served as State Chaplain to the Arkansas Council of the Knights of Columbus. He traveled to Rome in early June. With the other state chaplains, he participated in services marking the end the Catholic Church’s year-long special dedication of prayer and reflection on the ministry of the priesthood – the Year for Priests.


The revelation of the Gospel is nothing less than God coming to subvert human wisdom, enter it and turn it upside down from within. In this message, Andre Rabe explains why humanity needed to come face-to-face with our brutal thoughts about God and how God came to change our minds about Him. Discover today why God has never been, is not and never will be your problem.
20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
— 1 John 5:20 (NIV)
This is the sixth of ten sessions from the Houston Mirror Word School. This message was recorded live from Grace Point Community Church in Houston, Texas.


I’m looking forward to Christmas and really eager to know my gifts. I sent a letter to Santa Claus a week ago and told him what I like. I hope that this year I will have the present I wish because I’m a good girl in the whole year.
My family will have a party at Christmas Eve and my father will dress up as Santa Claus. Actually, I think that Santa Claus is real in the world, but he does not want many people know about him. When I was a little girl, my grandmother told me the story of Santa Claus. His name is Nicholas and he lived in Patara, a town in the east. Because he always loved children and he was also kind and generous to them, the children regarded him as their dear friend and their beloved saint. Besides, he always helped and gave the gifts to the good children or the difficult, so the wonderful things he did made him become a beautiful legend. My grandmother explained that Santa means Saint and Claus stands for Nicholas, and that how he has been known as Santa Claus until now.
When my brothers and I were little, we always wanted to find the secret coming of Santa Claus with his Christmas gifts by all means. We hang up our stocks and waited for Christmas gifts from Santa Claus. We tried to not sleep on Christmas Eve in order to see how he looked like. Unfortunately, no Santa Claus came before we fell asleep and in the following morning, we saw our gifts already in our stocks. However, we was successful in not sleeping on Christmas Eve last year, we saw a man in red clothes but he was not big as we imaged before. He put our gifts in the stocks, after that came out the door. Fast as lightning, we ran to and hugged our Santa Claus, and turned on the light. Surprisingly, he was my father in Santa Claus’s clothes.
Since I found my father be Santa Claus, I was a little bit disappointed but I would have more chance to receive the gift I’m looking forward. This year, I decide to help my father look like Santa Claus more and he will appear in my family’s party to give the surprise with the bag of gifts in his back. In addition, I am a fan of dress up games and I know clearly how to combine clothes with accessories to become more impressive among the crowds in each occasion. I start to find clothes and accessories for Santa Claus first in some websites of dress up games and look for suitable ones for my father. After that, I come to stores, or supermarket to buy the similar things (my father gave me the financial support to make him great in Christmas party)
I hope that with my help, my father will look like a real Santa Claus and give the gifts and joyfulness to all my family members in our coming Christmas party.


As children make a transition from childhood into becoming young adults, the SOYO organization helps teens reinforce the values and teachings of the Orthodox Church.
Teen SOYO (Society of Orthodox Youth Organization) is a group specifically for teenagers who currently are in grades 7th-12th. Being around individuals who share similar beliefs help teens strengthen their faith and stay connected with the church as they advance into college/adulthood.
This organization has various events throughout the year that teens are encouraged to participate in. The most typical activities that occur during the year are church retreats, service projects, fundraisers and social gatherings. The SOYO tries to keep all teens engaged with the church by having at least one event every month.
In addition to helping teens connect and feel closer to their own church, the SOYO allows teens to meet and establish life lasting relationships with other Orthodox Christians all over the country.


True belief, True habits,& True behavior withdraw True things happened in life.
(2 Timothy 3).
Friday, July 16, 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
When you make a decision, always trust in the Lord, and alsoyou have to do with quiet heart and presence of mind.. usually the decision will work stronger and have positive impact
When you face the hard time, please remember , that actually, you are stronger than what you think
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Do Not pray for easy lives.
Pray to be stronger men.
--John F Kennedy
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 1:4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 1:5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.


sept 09, 2023
Cais - church service
The feedback from those who attended CAIS Church Service has been positive. The first Sabbath the 10th grade class took part with special music and led out in parts of the services. This past meeting the 11th grade students were able to lead out through sharing special music, doing short character studies, and being involved in the Sabbath School class for the teens. A growing number of younger students are arriving by public transport to attend the services as well. Several alumni were also in attendance with their young families. Many of them have expressed a desire to return and take part in future special Sabbath events.
Where are we?
#419, Street Rada, Phum Tum Nub,
Songkat Phnom Penh Thmey,
Khan Sen Sok, Phnom Penh,
Vice-Principal: Mr. Thach, July
Phone Number: (+855) 96 270 9988
Vice-Principal: Mrs. Sieng, Socheata
Phone Number: (+855) 92 247 604
Cambodia Adventist International School © 2023. All rights reserved.
A Seventh-day Adventist Cambodian Mission Institution of Education


Title: Psalm 141 O Lord, Make Haste to Hear My Cry
Composer: alt.Adapted from George Frederick Handel, c. 1750
Author: The Psalter, 1912;
Scripture: Psalm 141
1. O Lord, make haste to hear my cry. To You I call, on You rely. Incline to me a gracious ear, And when I call, in mercy hear. 2. When in the morning unto You I call in supplication new, Then let my prayer as incense rise To God enthroned above the skies. 3. When unto You I look and pray With lifted hands at close of day, Then as the evening sacrifice Let my request accepted rise. 4. O guard my thoughts, I now implore, And of my lips O keep the door; Nor leave my sinful heart to stray Where evil footsteps lead the way.


Saint Peter’s church carries the markings of different eras. The first altar, the remarkable baptismal fonts made from chalk from the river Meuse and the massive tower are products of Roman art. The other parts of the building can be identified with the flourishing Gothic period. Saint Peter’s church is worthy of note for its admirable multicolored ceiling rafters, which is presumed to have been painted by a local artist in 1536.
The church was restored on many occasions, notably after the 1940-1945 war. Another point to note is that the building has a very beautiful “crown of light” (16th century) and an impressive pulpit, work of Jean-Georges Scholtus, born in Bastogne, who was the greatest sculptor of Luxembourg in the 18th century.
this is a beautiful stained glass window
inside the church it is nice and peaceful
An elaborate pulpit designed by Georges Scholtus - see above
We lit the candles here in the shrine for Granddad.
The ceiling is painted beautifully and is amazing this has survived almost 500 years!
This blog post was about remembering my Granddad who I miss very much, I loved his lovely smile and he was such a happy person.
William Nigel Minion born 24/04/1944 born in Bolton
passed away peacefully at home on the 28th August 2008


8760 37th Avenue, Kenosha, WI 53142 Phone 694-3101
|Pastor Cindy Aasen – Pastor
|Olga Kowalski – Secretary
|Maggie Dahlberg – Music Director Email:
Directors choirs both voice and bell. Plays the organ for the church service.
|Jim FulghumMakes St. Paul’s shine. Setups up rooms and events, and cleans up after events. A true gem at St. Paul’s.
|Pat Demos – Council President
Leads the Council and guides the congregation.
|Janice Duncan- Council Vice President
Council Vice President
|Nancy Granger – SecretarySecretary of Council
Takes notes in each of the council meetings publish the notes. Publishes notes for the Annual and congregational meetings.
|Jim Janda – TreasurerSt. Paul’s Treasurer
Other council members: Ruby Glogovsky, Matt Johnson, Merrilee Unrath, Dean Knutson, Gordy Johnson, Janet Hogan
The History of St. Paul’s
Since 1892, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church has been part of the faith community of Kenosha. As the church membership has grown, we have worked to provide facilities for worship services and the Christian education needs of our family.
On June 2nd of 1892, the first Swedish church in Kenosha, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church was established at the home of Mr. and Mrs. August Strangberg located at 129 Third Avenue (now known as 5432 16th Avenue). The church was built by Mr. Gustofson and was dedicated on November 27, 1898. In 1909, the building was literally lifted up to build a basement and new heating was installed. Sunday School rooms were provided through this building project.
In 1918, two lots were purchased on the corner of 26th Avenue and Roosevelt Road for $3,600. On October 28, 1923, the church and parsonage were completed and Pastor Johnson held the first service. There was a dedication of a church renovation in 1953, which included new classrooms, kitchen remodeling, and the addition of a Wicks organ.
Groundbreaking took place for our present church, located at the corner of 39th Avenue and 88th Street, in 1970. On February 13, 1972, we had our church dedication ceremony and in June of 2002, our faith community celebrated 110 years of ministry.
Recognizing the need to update the worship space, the congregation voted to remodel the existing sanctuary and narthex area and this work was completed in 2004.
We have been served by a number of dedicated clergy members over the last 115+ years. Our current pastor is Pastor Cindy Aasen. She has been with us since June 2018.


RN | ET Student
As I watched people passing by the Agape Arabic Christian Centre from my seat inside the London bookshop, I noticed that the most common reaction to the storefront was confusion. The words “Christian” and “Arabic” are not often seen side by side, and it comes as a surprise to most people that Arabic Christianity even exists. The devoted staff of Agape use this to their advantage, though, by going out to meet those who confusedly pause in front of the door, and inviting them into the shop for tea and conversation.
Listening to the stories of the faithful Christians who serve in this bookshop, I was deeply impressed by their loving devotion to Christ, and the joy they have in serving Him. For Arab Christians, it costs something to dedicate their lives to God. It is legitimately dangerous for them to declare their faith, but it immediately becomes clear to anyone who interacts with them that Christ is their pride and their joy, and that He is worth all of the sacrifices they’ve made.
Sometimes I feel as though we’ve lost something in the normalcy of Christianity in places like the United States. The accepted Christian faith in our country does not involve sacrifice. We go to church, pray private prayers and worship with no fear of opposition or confrontation. We have the unjustified expectation that God will serve us and protect us from uncomfortable experiences. Going out of our way to serve Christ is no longer a priority and we are rarely willing to suffer for our faith.
I frequently find myself being caught in this lazy alternative to earnest discipleship, and I assume that it’s motivated by the underlying assumption that we’re happier when we don’t have to make sacrifices. This dangerous idea, however, was strongly contradicted by the abundant joy that emanated from a volunteer at the bookshop, who eagerly shared with me her deep love for prayer. She felt so blessed to have the opportunity to share the love of Christ with the people around her. I felt a flood of devoted joy pouring from the soul of this woman as she spoke, and in that moment I became instantly and inescapably aware that this is what our faith was meant to look like.


Kindness for Our Questions
I remember the moment with great clarity. A good friend of mine, whom I had known for a number of years, approached and said, “Sometimes, when I read the Bible, I struggle with God. I see the way that he acts in the pages of Scripture and begin to doubt that he is kind.”Fall For Jesus He Never Leaves T-shirt
I felt like I had been punched in the gut. Who are we to judge God’s actions? And of all the things concerning God, why question his kindness?
God never needs us to stick up for his character — he is absolutely sovereign and able to validate his own heart towards us on his terms and in his timing. However, I deeply felt as if I needed to say something. I sensed a compulsion to correct her misconception of who God is. I wanted to rally her back to the truth of the Bible. But as the words tumbled from her lips, I began to see my own questions more clearly, and wondered if we were in the same boat.


So happy for these two! We were so beyond excited when our friends Robert
& Sarah asked us to be a part of documenting their wedding day for them!
We had the best time working with these two and their loved ones! The entire
day was so much fun, and I’m so happy the rain held off! Most importantly,
we are so thankful for all that God has done in Rob & Sarah’s lives – seeing
these two come together and commit to serving each other and serving
God together was such an awesome event to witness. We hope these photos
help to bring back some of the many memories! But we also look forward
to seeing all that God has in store for this sweet couple!
*please feel free to share & use our images, Please be sure to
photocredit/tag @hilaryknegtphotography #hilaryknegtphotography*
Bridal hair & makeup: Jordanashley@live.ca
Blooms: Emily Day // gettinfresh // www.emilyclairelifestyle.com
Thanks for stopping by!
To inquire for our wedding photography packaging & pricing, contact us at:


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FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
533 N Grant ave. LOVELAND, CO 80537
Welcome. We're glad you're here!
Rev. Steve Goodier would also like to welcome you with a special
What's New right now
Check out the involvement of our church community!
do you have the time?
February 25--time to do the hard thing
march 4--time to act
march 11--time for compassion
march 18--time to show them jesus
march 25--time for courage
Type content here...
to view a video from the church's recent trip to Guatemala, click here


St. Katherine Drexel is the second recognized American born saint. Blessed St Rita, bright mirror of God’s grace, in patience and courage you are a model to all of us. St. Marianne Cope is the patron saint of outcasts. In 1882, a priest requested help managing hospitals and schools in Hawaii; primarily working with leprosy patients. St. Rose was born in Grenoble, France in 1769. On Easter, 1676, Kateri was baptized by Jesuit missionary Father Jacques de Lambertville at the age of 20.
Amen.My Crucified Jesus, wash me with your most Precious Blood.Look upon me as the good thief, who hung on the cross next to You at Calvary.
Laws protecting religious freedom had not yet been written.
Amen.Glorious St. Rita, O Holy Patroness of those in need, your intercession with our Lord is most powerful.
Our Lady of the Angels College, founded by the Congregation of Franciscan Sisters he had founded renamed the College Neumann College. Quote of St. Jerome; J Feast day September 30 The family moved to the United States one year after her birth. The feast day of Théodore Guérin is celebrated on October 3. The neurotic, the saint are engaged in the same battle. St. Rose was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1988.
St. Théodore Guérin is the patron saint of the Diocese of Lafayette, Indiana. We're closer - more closely aligned with the Department of Defense. From Hate To Love Kdrama, Ole Miss Football Tickets, Dan Levy Degrassi, She was canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1900.St. She worked among the Potawatomie Indians who named her Quah-kak-ka-num-ad, “Woman-Who-Prays-Always”. She was sent to the Louisiana Territory.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is the patron saint of in-law troubles and loss of children. Rita of Cascia © Cecilia Lawrence May 21st 2014 4.5 x 6 inches Ink, watercolor, gold leaf "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be calle... St. Rita of Cascia icon She meditated frequently on Christ’s passion.
It was later given University status. In 1887 the new government in charge of Hawaii closed the Hospital. His desire to hear confessions led him to learn at least six languages. She was one of ten children. The fact is that I am a politician trying my hardest to become a saint. working as a priest, doctor and builder.
Joan quotes another author saying, “Her body had not the sign of a corpse… she did not appear to be a prey of death, but only sleeping peacefully. She enjoyed visiting shrines and wished to become a nun. The church grew rapidly under his guidance. The neurotic, the saint are engaged in the same battle. She also counseled lay people who came to her monastery.Beatified in 1626, Rita was not canonized until 1900. Come to my help, speak for me pray with me, She is the patron saint of impossible causes, abuse victims and widows. Pain In Lower Abdomen During Pregnancy First Trimester,
I campi obbligatori sono contrassegnati *, © 2020 AutoDenora. Mother Marianne was beatified on May 14, 2005 by Pope Benedict XVI. Win Hill Peruvian Inca Orchid, Rickey Smiley Daughter Had A Baby, In the 1980’s they merged into Cabrini Hospital. She is described as saintly by people who knew her. A saint is a sinner, a sinner is a saint. Time limit is exhausted. I say what's in my heart, and I do it in my concerts.
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Ice Cream Truck For Sale Colorado, Nautica Dining Chair Nailhead Accent, There will always be someone to take your place, but no one can every replace you. I like visiting people's homes on Saint Joseph's Day, when people set up altars, serve food as a tribute to the saint, and invite the public - I enjoy that much more than Mardi Gras. Via Matera, 188 - Altamura (BA) 70022 - Tel. Enjoy the best Saint Teresa of Avila Quotes at BrainyQuote. The wound finally left her and St. Rita was surrounded by the nuns, who recognized she was a saint. Please reload CAPTCHA. St. Marianne Cope was the first Franciscan woman from North America to become a saint. These things would be positive things if we were to have another attack. Going crazy, we're not even started. I Wish You A Kinder Sea Meaning, At the request of her bishop she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to care for poor children. In 1870, she became a nurse administrator at St. Joseph’s in Syracuse, NY. Her father served in Napoleon’s navy. Isaac Jogues, René Goupil and Jean La Laude died in New York. Rita of Cascia whose feast is celebrated on May 22, was born at Rocca Porena, Italy, about the year 1386, and died at Cascia in the year 1456. Her final years were spent leading and developing the new congregation.
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She appeared to many people after her death, always carrying a cross. She soon joined the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. When Kateri was four years old smallpox attacked her family. They are considered role models in holiness for Catholics today to turn to for guidance. She was the child of wealthy parents who taught her to be generous. Earnhardt Rv Mesa Az, You cannot make a sinner into a saint by killing him. She ate very little. Here is...Explore Immaculata Helvetia's photos on Flickr. She wanted to become a nun but was hindered by poor health. 37 talking about this. St. John Neumann was born in Bohemia in 1811. She traveled to the Unites States with five other sisters. His biography of St. Rita of Cascia: Saint of the Impossible was originally published in 1916 by D. B. Hansen and Sons, Chicago. Father John eventually joined the Redemptorists who were dedicated to helping the poor and abandoned.
Her relics are now enshrined in Caughnawaga, Because of her conversion, she incurred hostility from her tribe. Male Version Of Molly, Along with six other sisters of St. Francis, she arrived in Honolulu in Nov. 1833. She accepted and embraced the will of God. He chose the name Damien when he joined the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Men say I am a saint losing himself in politics. The Catholic Church teaches that everyone in heaven is a saint.
Got your hands up cause you think you've got it. Both Jesus and the Blessed Mother appeared to St. Rita when she was 76 years old, to tell her she would die shortly. He soon […] 's board "St Rita of Cascia", followed by 942 people on Pinterest. The feast day of St. John Neumann is celebrated on Jan. 5, the day of his death. St. Damien of Molokai was born Joseph de Veuster on Jan. 3, 1840 in Tremelo, Belgium. Elizabeth grew very close to God. They also opened a home for the healthy daughters of the patients who were ill. Rita is the Saint of the Impossible. Her last words were, “Love God above all things.” St. Kateri Takakwitha is the patron saint of the environment. Father Isaac Jogues, a Jesuit priest, was held captive by the Mohawks for thirteen months. five St. Frances Cabrini was beatified on Nov. 13, by Pope Pius XI, St. Frances Cabrini was canonized on July 7, 1946 by Pope Pius XII. = In the 1600’s, eight French Jesuit missionaries lost their lives while trying to spread the news of the gospel to the Huron, Iroquois, and Mohawk Indians. Trumpet Song Used In Memes, Welcome To St. Rita of Cascia's Site. Read their life stories below.
We've certainly learned a lot of lessons from Katrina, from Rita. Bishop Neumann died at the age of 48 on Jan. 5, 1860. Within four years, she suffered the death of her father in-law which left William in charge, not only of his father’s business but the seven half-brothers and sisters as well. He knew Spanish, English, French, Italian, Dutch and Gaelic.
She then founded Xavier University in New Orleans. Silver Sable German Shepherd Puppies For Sale Near Me, Boys Town North Dakota,
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2nd Annual Youth Ministry Sleep-Over
Friday, January 27st
Under the church (in the Founders Rooms) from 6pm to 9am Saturday morning.
Join us as we will be having a big slumber party that will include Fun, Food, Planning for the next couple of months, movies, board games and a prayer service.
If you can't stay the night your still welcomed to join us Friday evening, door will be locked after 9pm.
Don't forget your sleeping bag!!!!
To be part of it, please RSVP firstname.lastname@example.org the cost is only $5.00 to cover food.
Parents....if any of you would like to stay over the night and help, please let me know.
60th Diocesan Youth Convention – Turn The Page Live His Story
Young people are invited to the 60th Annual Diocesan Youth Convention.
Gather with over 800 teenagers from February 17-19th at the Adams Mark Hotel in Buffalo! The weekend is a time for praying, learning, socializing, building friendships, celebrating and growing in faith. It is a great time to show our unity as Catholic youth. There are workshops, prayer opportunities, general sessions, Saturday Night Social/Dance and the weekend concludes with Mass on Sunday with Bishop Kmiec. This is a weekend you don’t want to miss!
The cost for the weekend is $165. This includes two nights in the hotel, two meals, and all of the sessions and activities during the weekend. For more information and to sign up, please contact Michelle Eastmer at 949-3531 or email: email@example.com.
Forms (Permission Slips & Breakout choices) and Payment must be received by Michelle by January 15th, please send to Michelle Eastmer 126 Hunters Lane , Williamsville NY 14221.


Samoa is not and cannot be a Christian nation when people here do a “patchy” job of practicing what they preach.
That’s the opinion of Samoan academic, Professor Rex Tauati Ahdar.
In a paper published this year titled “Samoa and the Christian State Ideal,” Professor Ahdar explored the notion of a Christian state in the context of Samoa.
He looked at the political and social mores associated with Christianity and concluded that it was “not possible” for Samoa to be such.
“Is Samoa a Christian state?” he asks. “No, not in a legal (de jure), constitutional sense.
“It is, however, possible to argue that, yes, in practice, it is a de facto Christian state insofar as the substance of much of Samoan law reflects Christian teaching.
“Is Samoa a Christian nation? In terms of self-identification, yes, most definitely.
“We can also give a reasonably firm ‘yes’, to the question whether Christianity is a source of moral guidance for most Samoans.
“The traditional core doctrinal beliefs of Christianity seem to be widely believed, so another ‘yes’.
“The political culture and ethos is Christian, so ‘yes’, yet again.
“In terms of Samoans’ obedience to Christian teaching, the verdict is, in the author’s opinion, ‘no’, or at most, ‘maybe’ or ‘somewhat’.
“Overall, they do a decidedly ‘patchy’ job of practising what they preach.
“As judged by Christianity itself, Samoa is not and cannot be a Christian nation. “So the final answer is ‘not possible’.”
In drawing this conclusion Professor Ahdar looked at whether Samoa was a de jure Christian State, looked at it as a de facto Christian state, assessed Samoans’ self identification and belief in Christian doctrines, looked at how they expressed this belief in their behaviour and then placed this within Christianity’s own view.
“Samoa (or Western Samoa as it was then known) was the first independent Pacific Island nation, achieving independence from New Zealand in 1962,” he writes.
“Since the missionaries arrived in 1828, Christianity flourished and became the overwhelmingly dominant religion.
“This article explores to what extent Samoa is a Christian state and the significant role of the churches in Samoan life.
“The word ‘state’ is here taken to signify the set of governmental institutions or public legal authorities within a country.
“In Weberian terms, the state is ‘a human community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory’.
“The Samoan Constitution 1960 (O le Fa’avae o le Malo Tutoatasi o Samoa), Article 3, defines ‘the State’ to include ‘the Head of State, Cabinet, Parliament and all local and other authorities established under any law’.
“The Constitution carefully distinguishes between the ‘state’ (o le Ma ̄lo ̄, in the Samoan text), the ‘nation’ or ‘country’ (atunu’u) and the ‘culture and customs’ of the people (aga ̄nu’u).”
While the main focus of the article is on the ‘Christian-ness’ or otherwise of the State of Samoa, it also goes on to say something about whether it is a Christian ‘nation’.
Professor Ahdar looks at three types of political typology based on the substance and form of a State.
Type 1 is a de jure state – one where religious doctrine and politics are not separate, where the state is under the control of religious leaders to further their particular religious agendas.
A ‘type 2’ Christian state has the form but not the substance – where the state formally recognises God in some official form, but it doesn’t require its policies and legislation to confirm to the Christian precepts.
“We might then identify a ‘type 3’ or de facto Christian state where there is the substance but not the form of a Christian state.
“Here the core principles and ideals of Christianity are present in the laws and institutions of the state without any formal acknowledgement or entrenchment of Christianity per se as the national religion.
“So the forms of a religious state differ,” writes Professor Ahdar.
“From the formal, de jure, to the informal, de facto kind, and from the purely symbolic or nominal in contrast to the substantive sort.
“Is Samoa a Christian state in a formal, legal (de jure) constitutional sense? The answer is ‘No’.
“There is nothing in the Constitution that expressly says Christianity is the official religion of Samoa, having rights and privileges above any other faith.
“There are none of the traditional markers of a religious establishment that we find in nations that do have a state church or faith.
“Nothing in the Constitution says the law must not conflict with the Christian religion.
“There is no committee or council of religious leaders that must approve proposed legislation.
“There is no religious test for public office – one does not have to be a Christian to be a Member of Parliament, judge, CEO of a government department and so on.
“Full rights of citizenship do not depend upon profession of Christianity.
“There is, importantly, a guarantee of religious freedom in the Constitution.”
He says Samoans when confronted with this denial that Samoa is a Christian state, immediately point to the Preamble to the Constitution.
“IN THE HOLY NAME OF GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, THE EVER LOVING WHEREAS sovereignty over the Universe belongs to the Omnipresent God alone, and the authority to be exercised by the people of Samoa within the limits prescribed by His commandments is a sacred heritage,” the preamble reads.
“WHEREAS the Leaders of Samoa have declared that Samoa should be an Independent State based on Christian principles and Samoan custom and tradition.”
Professor Ahdar argues however, the limited role of preambles as purely interpretive guides is part of the common law tradition.
“In a very few nations, constitutional preambles do confer substantive rights – France and Nepal, for example – but the common law countries (the United Kingdom, United States, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and so on) have never accepted this possibility.
“It may be that there is a global trend toward giving preambles more substantive force, but it would, in the author’s opinion, require very clear parliamentary intent before the traditional interpretive-only role of the Samoan Preamble could be expanded.
“Recall the definition of a ‘type 3’ Christian state as one where the core principles and values of Christianity are present in the laws and institutions of the state without any formal entrenchment of Christianity itself as the national religion.
“There is little doubt that the substance of much Samoan law reflects Christian doctrines and precepts.
“The current proposal by the Samoa Law Reform Commission to reform parts of the Crimes Ordinance 1961 highlights this.
“In the Preface to the Report, the Commission made a point of acknowledging that the nation’s primary faith was ‘a paramount consideration’ in its deliberations:
“The current criminal code reflects Christian teaching.
“Overall, and not without some hesitation, one could say that the general tenor of most laws in Samoa is derived from and reflects Christian teachings and beliefs.”
In regards to Samoans’ self-identification as a Christian nation, Professor Adhar reports it was evident that, in terms of self-identification, the people of Samoa are overwhelmingly Christian.
“The results from the latest Census in 2006 reveal that around 99.3 per cent identify with some form of Christianity,” he writes.
He does note that there do not appear to be any surveys that ask Samoans rather personal questions such as ‘how much do you rely upon Christian faith for moral guidance?’ or ‘how much do the Bible or church teachings direct your daily decisions?’
“By contrast, if Samoans were asked if Christianity is their moral compass, the vast majority would, in the writer’s view, reply firmly, and with a note of indignation, that it is.
“So we can conclude, ‘Yes, Samoa is a Christian nation in this sense.’”
So while Samoa is Christian in this sense according to Professor Ahdar, do they believe in the classic credal tenets such as the beliefs in one God, the Trinity, the divine creation of the universe and humankind, original sin, the fall of humans, the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, his sinless life, his atoning death and so on? Do they accept the Nicene Creed?
“Again, there is a dearth of survey evidence in Samoa, but the author’s impression is that Samoans’ acceptance of credal Christianity is higher here than the United States,” he argues.
“An indirect, inferential measure of this is Samoa’s ban on The Da Vinci Code film, after complaints to the government by church leaders.
“Catholic and Congregational representatives watched the film at a special pre-release screening.
“Archbishop Alapati Mataeliga said the movie would affect those of weak faith, causing confusion among Samoan Christians.
“Another brief example of the importance of Christian doctrine occurred in 2011. “There were two lengthy and, at times, vitriolic newspaper debates; first, about whether Mormons are really Christians, and next, about the role and status of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
“People who do not take Christian doctrine seriously do not bother to debate, and debate vigorously, such things.
So how does this belief translate into practice – are Samoans doers and not just hearers of the Word?
“In terms of rates of churchgoing, it is difficult to find accurate, indeed, any figures, but the author’s first-hand impression is that a very large percentage of Samoans attend church weekly,” writes Professor Ahdar.
“Christian ritual is widely observed throughout Samoan society.
“Both village life and life in the urbanised capital, Apia, halts at dusk to ensure evening prayers are said in homes. Everywhere one hears church bells ringing at appointed times each day.
“Churchgoing is a part of Christian practice but there is more to the Christian life than that. ‘Churchianity’ is not the same as Christianity.”
Professor Ahdar in his report poses the question outside of church, to what extent does Samoans’ everyday behaviour reflect Christian teaching?
“There are many kinds of virtuous Christian behaviour but none of them are easy to assess,” he writes.
“How does one gauge generosity, charity, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, faithfulness, and so on?
“On the relief of poverty, there is a recent study that criticise the efforts of the ‘mainline’ churches (Congregational, Catholic, Methodist) to alleviate the plight of the poorest in modern Samoa.”
He cites a paper by his contemporaries Thornton, Kerslake and Binns Alienation and Obligation: Religion and Social Change in Samoa who argue: “the lack of faith-based community or social welfare programmes that serve the immediate material or physical needs of an individual or a community, which are independent from serving the institutional aims of the church itself, may be entirely unique to the practice of mainline Christianity in Samoa…The mainline churches interpret community development as ensuring that the spiritual needs of the congregation are met, while it is the role of the aiga [extended family] to look after its own family members who are struggling.”
Professor Ahdar says the authors conclude on a more optimistic note that ‘the church in Samoa, as a social trust, has great potential to become a unifying force for bottom–up development, or development from below’ to meet the suffering of the poor and landless in an increasingly urbanised society.
“An indirect way to gauge Christian conduct is to look at the extent to which vices are prevalent,” he writes.
“The basic level of honesty is low. Family-run small businesses in Samoa report that it is very difficult to get honest staff who keep their hands out of the till and off the stock on the shelves.
“Petty theft and pilfering is rife. Similarly, it is hard to find trustworthy domestic staff (‘house girls’, as they are called) who are not ‘light-fingered’.
“A great many more homes and businesses have high-security fences now than the writer observed in his first visit from New Zealand 25 years ago.”
Professor Ahdar also cites the Editor of this newspaper Mata’afa Keni Lesa.
He says Mata’afa laments: “The growing number of incestuous and indecent assault cases involving young girls is disgraceful. Not a day goes by without a story of a young girl or boy who is sexually abused. Take the newspaper you are reading today for example. [ . . . ] Keep in mind that these are only the reported cases, which have made it to court. We don’t know how many other cases are happening every day, unreported. But if this is the number of reported cases, and it is quite a high number judging by the constant stream of stories, then this is an extremely sad reflection of the moral fiber of our society.”
Professor Ahdar does say however, on the positive side, there is, compared with the West generally, no overt pornography, red-light districts, no gangs or organised crime; prostitution is illegal, abortion and euthanasia are unlawful; there are no moves to decriminalise marijuana.
“Overall then, the answer to the question whether Samoans’ behaviour is Christian is ‘not really’, at its harshest, or ‘very patchy’, at best,” he argues.
“It may be that one is setting a demanding standard, setting the bar unrealistically high.
“The political ethos is ‘the persisting tone of public affairs, their moral and aesthetic style and mood’.
“Samoa’s public and political life is heavily imbued with Christian references and trappings.
“It would be unthinkable for a Samoan Prime Minister to declare he or she was not a Christian.
“Both major political parties in Samoa extol the crucial importance of God to their work.”
He then looks to Christianity’s own perspective to gauge whether a nation can be Christian?
“It is, in the author’s view, a mistake to call any nation a Christian one,” he claims.
“There is a tendency to take biblical Israel as a relevant pattern or template for nations today.
“The core assumption here is that a nation can be a ‘religious agent’, that it can be the sort of entity that can embody or profess the Christian faith and be held accountable to God for its failure to live up to the faith.
“There is no doubt ancient Israel was such an entity, but there is little or no convincing biblical support for the notion that the special covenantal status of Israel extended past the Jewish people to future Gentile nations. (One may discount the possibility that some nations, including neighbouring Fiji, may believe they are direct descendants of the ‘lost tribe’ of Israel.)
“God may and does judge all the nations according to his standards (Matt. 25.32).”
Professor Adhar argues in a very broad sense it is true that nations are ultimately accountable to God and there are adverse social consequences to flouting God’s laws, albeit not the crude cause-and- effect model of divine punishment by natural disasters for societal moral permissiveness.
“While the State is not the Church and cannot pursue the mission of the Church, this is not to say, as Oliver O’Donovan has argued, that a state cannot facilitate the transmission and outworking of the Gospel,” he writes.
“There may be many ways in which a state can assist the Church in its mission.
“These can be done – albeit it takes great care – without infringing religious freedom, without imposing a theocracy and without committing the entire nation to a strong, binding constitutional confession of Christian faith.”
So is Samoa a Christian nation? In terms of self identification, belief in the Christian doctrines, and political ethos yes, argues Professor Adhar.
However “as judged by Christianity itself, Samoa is not and cannot be a Christian nation.”


INTERCESSIONS/PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL (Choose 5-6 of them):
These may be adapted to family circumstances.
1. Let us pray for N. In baptism he/she died with Christ, may he/she now share in the fullness of his resurrection. We pray to the Lord.
2. God is full of mercy and compassion. May he forgive N. any sins he/she committed through human frailty. We pray to the Lord.
3. For the sorrowing family, relatives and friends of N., that you may find strength and consolation in your Christian faith and in the love and support of this community. We pray to the Lord.
4. We pray for those who mourn N’s death (especially ….); that you may find strength and consolation in the hope we have through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. We pray to the Lord.
5. God of all consolation, help us to comfort one another in our grief, finding light in time of darkness, and faith in time of doubt. We pray to the Lord.
6. We pray for all those we have loved and have died. Lord give them the reward of their goodness. We pray to the Lord.
7. We pray for those who care for the sick and dying, especially those who cared for N. during his/her illness. We pray to the Lord.
8. For all parents who grieve over the death of their children; that they may be comforted in the knowledge that they rest in God. We pray to the Lord.
9. May the prayers of Mary, the Mother of God, who stood by the cross as her son was dying, help those who mourn and be with all of us in our time of need. We pray to the Lord.
10. We pray for those here today, that our memory of N. whom we loved inspire us with a renewed love for all our sisters and brothers. We pray to the Lord.
11. We pray for all of us here today and for all members of our Church; that we may be prepared for the hour of our death, when God will call us by name, to pass from this world to the next. We pray to the Lord.
12. Let us pray for (N) our Holy Father (N) our Bishop and all those who proclaim the consolation of Christ’s death and resurrection to families and communities in sorrow. Increase their faith and make them bearers of lasting and meaningful hope. We pray to the Lord.
13. You knew that your death, O Jesus would mean suffering for your friends; give us the courage to follow God’s way through the mystery of pain throughout the world. We pray to the Lord.
14. O God You promised eternal life to all who follow your way; raise up all who have died. We pray especially for N in gratitude for her/his life in family and those with whom she/he came in contact. We pray to the Lord.
15. Now that N has come to the end of her/his earthly journey, may Christ give her/him a place at the banquet of the kingdom of heaven. We pray to the Lord.
16. We pray for N who leaves us in death, that God will bring her/him safely home and share with her/him the joys of the Kingdom of light, happiness and peace. We pray to the Lord.
17. We pray for all who mourn N; they may be assured of Christ’s closeness to them in their sorrow and find strength and comfort through their faith in Jesus our risen Savior We pray to the Lord.
18. Let us pray that the emptiness of our lives may be gradually filled with peace and hope which Christ’s Resurrection gives to each of us, we pray. We pray to the Lord.
19. As we reflect on the contribution of N to her/his family, friends and the wider community let us remember her/him with affection. May we strive for perfection in the service of Christ, his Church and the community in general. We pray to the Lord.
20. We pray for N, that God the Father will lead home and share with her/him the joys of the Kingdom – light, happiness and peace. We pray to the Lord.
21. For the deceased members of the (N) Family God our Father, you have gathered us all into the family of your love. We pray for the deceased members of the (N) family (or (N) and (N) families). We remember especially her/his deceased parents (N) sons and daughters (N) brothers and sisters (N) others (N) May the light of Christ shine on them. We pray to the Lord.
22. Let us pray in thanksgiving for those who tended to N her/his illness; (Doctors, nurses, medical staff, care-givers, home help personnel); Lord we thank you for the gifts you have given them and ask you to bless them. We pray to the Lord.
23. For all of us gathered here: that we may remember at all times, but especially in times of trouble and anxiety, that we are loved by You, God and that You will take care of us. We pray to the Lord.
24. Let us pray for those who cannot be here today, especially N. We present to the Lord their grieving, their mourning and their desire to be here. We pray to the Lord.
25. As we pray for N let us remember all the deceased, those we have loved and cherished; all the dead of this parish; those who died recently and all those who have no one remember them. May you, O God, welcome them into the radiant light of your presence. We pray to the Lord.


The piano has been my lifeline for decades. This morning I woke up bleary-eyed and convicted of scrolling too long on social media last night amongst other things, y’know.
We all know the discipline of praying, journaling, and reading the Word is necessary and good for every part of our being, but there are times these things are difficult to do.
I walk over to the piano, stomach nauseous, and begin playing the keys. Too tired to sing, too tired to read the chords or even look at the keys, I close my eyes.
I allow my fingers to press the keys wherever they feel led to go. My heart tries its very best to take the lead. Fairly new to the world of emotions, this is challenging for me. Still, I do my best. Nothing less, nothing more.
It is beautiful. Songs of my heart come through. Songs I know and melodies form as I go. Songs that express my weakness, my brokenness, my desire to do better. God’s mercy.. OH God’s mercy, His outpouring love, and lastly His loving discipline towards me His beloved daughter.
I’m not sure why I fight feeling tired and frustrated when something unpeaceable is happening thinking it should always look pleasant and logical.
Actually it is logical right? When I do wrong, there is correction to be made. When I make mistakes, there are consequences. Isn’t this what we learned even as children?
Help me, Lord.
I’m sorry for saying yes to temptation.
Sorry for giving into lust and addiction.
I’m sorry for not choosing You above all else.
Sorry for being fascinated more with scrolling than with you
.. how pathetic that sounds!
NEWS FLASH: NO CONDEMNATION!
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”– Romans 8:1 (NKJV)
Help me, Lord.
I receive your correction.
I take the consequences.
This is not easy for me to do.
Help me not fight my tiredness today. Help me honor the state of where I am mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually. Help me honor the process I must walk through today. Help me find you! Help me live in the present taking one moment at a time. Help me love myself well today. Show me what that looks like.
Thank you for your unconditional love. Thank you for accepting me even in my weakness. Thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for making a way for me to communicate and process with you through each song and melody.
What a way to start my morning, but God! Have your way in me! May your name be glorified even through the start of this wonky day! May my eyes, my heart, my mind be more fascinated with you than any other thing. Would You become my first love, the one thing I desire, the one thing I seek and gaze at all the days of my life!
In Jesus’ Name, AMEN.


This was the first time after the wonderful restoration of the
St. Augustine's church to sing again in this amazingly beautiful building with its exceptional acoustics.
We could perform to our full dynamic range and we had very good comments and feedback from the audience.
St. Augustine's, Ramsgate, Saturday 8th December 2018
We had the seating set up in a cafe style with lots of candles lit, this gave this a nice warm atmosphere and helped everyone to get into the Christmas spirit! We raised £130 for the church.
St Philips Church, Margate, Saturday 1st December 2018
Great concert with a wide variety of instruments used whilst the wind and rain was howling outside! But the church was wonderfully warm and cosy.
St Luke's Church, Ramsgate, Saturday 6th October 2018
What a joy singing in this spacious church!
Holy Trinity Church, Broadstairs, Saturday 30th June 2018
As usual it has been a pleasure and
honour singing at the York Street Methodist Church!
Methodist Church, York Street, Broadstairs, Saturday 17th March 2018
This season has been special and our two services were wonderful athmospheric events helping everyone to be in the right spirits for Christmas.
St Philips Church, Margate, Sunday 10th December 2017
Salmestone Grange, Margate, Tuesday 12th December 2017
A new venture! We were honoured to add to the athmosphere of this excellently performed play by singing medieaval themed tunes and snippets.
St Peters Church, St Peters, 3th&4th November 2017
We joined the choirs of St Nicholas at Wade Church, St Mary's Church Minster and All Saints Church Birchington, in aid of
the Minster Organ restoration appeal. Each choir performed some individual songs, and then came together to form a massed
choir, accompanied by a live orchestra.
We raised in excess of £1100!
St Mary the Virgin, Minster, Saturday 14th October
The All Saints Choir, Pav an Cantate came together for this performance. This was indeed a big sing with a lot of audience participation. Never was 'Y Viva Espania' sung with such gusto by an audience! It is safe to say everyone taking part had great fun. This event raised £830 for Children in Need.
All Saints, Birchingon, Saturday 7th October 2017
We had a great time in St Philips! The concert with music from all around the world was followed by a wonderful Ploughmans dinner provided and prepared by Liz&Liz and lots of other helpers from the church.
We managed to raise £171 pounds for the church!
Thank you and well done everyone!
St Philips, Margate, Sunday 10th September 2017
We enjoyed performing in this concert in the Birchington Church which has great acoustics. The theme from Tallis to Take That was too tempting not to use and very popular with our exclusive audience.
All Saints Church, Birchington, Saturday 20th May 2017
This was a great season. The Carol service at St Philips had a wonderful atmosphere with Candles on little tables and Christmas nibbles.
The local Farmers Market was a delight and enhanced by our singing, and we were so popular in the little chapel of Salmestone Grange that we currently considering having two performances there in the Christmas season in 2016.
The first half was a wonderful mix right through the centuries again. The second half started the Christmas season off. The mince pies in the interval helped!
Spanning 500 years of music styles in this concert, making also use of the skills as instrumentalists in our choir.
A great summer evening with a first half of sacred music and a second with secular music
Lots of diversity in the amazing setting of this wonderful church. We were supported by the Handbell Ringers and Lorna on her violin.


Welcome to Kokomo First Nazarene!
SUNDAY, 9 AM
Blended Worship Service
SUNDAY, 10:50 AM
SUNDAY, 6 PM
Evening Worship Service
WEDNESDAY, 6 PM
Check us out, and you will find that we are one big family.
Like most families we are not perfect, but we have lots of love to give. This love comes from someone greater than ourselves.
His name is Jesus.
You see, Jesus changed our hearts, rocked our world, and gave us reason to breathe. He literally loved us to death when we were anything but loveable.
It is our joy to share that love with you, your family, and all our neighbors.
We always have room at the family table. Join us.


Please note we are using he/him pronouns for Bubba Copeland as that is what he used publicly.
On Nov. 3, F.L. “Bubba” Copeland, the Republican mayor of Smiths Station, Alabama, took his life in front of Lee County Sheriff’s deputies after they attempted to do a wellness check on Copeland. Copeland, 49, mayor of the small town since 2016, was also a husband, father of three children and a pastor at First Baptist Church of Phenix City.
Earlier in the week, Nov. 1, the far-right news site 1819 News published a piece about Copeland called, “The secret life of Smiths Station Mayor and Baptist pastor F.L. ‘Bubba’ Copeland as a ‘transgender curvy girl’: ‘It’s a hobby I do to relieve stress.’ 1819 News is run by Editor-in-Chief Jeff Poor, a former staff member of Breitbart.
The article effectively outed Copeland as transgender, uncovering Copeland’s private social media accounts where Copeland went by Brittani Blaire Summerlin. After being confronted by 1819 News with the images and transgender erotic fiction, Copeland admitted that the accounts were indeed his; Copeland explained to reporter Craig Monger that only his wife knew about his private life. “It’s a hobby I do to relieve stress,” said Copeland. “I have a lot of stress, and I’m not medically transitioning. It’s just a bit of a character I’m playing. … I don’t go out and seek solicitation or anything like that.”
Copeland also asked Monger, “Does this have any effect on me being mayor, that I sometimes put on a dress or sometimes put on makeup? Does that have anything to do whatsoever with me being mayor or being a pastor?”
Following the publishing of the article, Copeland spoke to his congregation and shared he “had been the object of an internet attack” and apologized for any embarrassment it may have caused his family and the church. In what are now chilling remarks, knowing the outcome of the situation, Copeland said, “This will not cause my life to change, this will not waver my devotion to my family, to serving my city or serving my church.”
A Facebook post by Copeland’s church, First Baptist Church of Phenix City, announced funeral arrangements for Copeland and described that pastor as such: “During his tenure as Mayor, he helped guide the City through a period of tremendous growth and development, and earn its place as one of the fastest growing Cities in the State of Alabama. But above all, beyond serving his church, city, and community, Bubba loved spending time with his family and serving his community.”
It also placed a cross on the church grounds where people could memorialize Copeland with flowers and mementos.
A friend of Copeland, former Phenix City School Superintendent Dr. Larry DiChiara, shared on his Facebook page, “I am so angry right now and heartbroken,” DiChiara posted. “I witnessed a good man be publicly ridiculed and crucified over the last few days…to the point that he just took his own life today.” He continued, “For our brother, F.L. Bubba Copeland, May God bless your soul and forgive those who took pleasure in your suffering. They should all be ashamed!”
Former U.S. Senator Doug Jones posted on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter, praising Copeland’s work as mayor and condemning the outing article by 1819 News.
“It is sad and disgusting how he was treated by the @1819News for personal decisions however misguided they might have been. We live in a mean, bitter world where the self righteous tend to throw the largest stones and the @1819News is the perfect example.”
Konstantine Anthony, current mayor of Burbank, California issued a statement about Copeland’s death, stating, “The tragic death of Mayor Bubba Copeland is yet another example of good people being hurt by anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. The vile public comments directed at the pastor over the past two days, along with being forcibly outed by a local news organization, led directly to the fatal conclusion of this story.”
Copeland’s funeral service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, at First Baptist Church in Phenix City.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, contact 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Call or text 988 or chat.


"Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4 NIV (Emphasis added)
ex•as•per•ate (ĭg-zăsˈpə-rātˌ): To make very angry or impatient; annoy greatly.
Don't exasperate THEM? Is that even possible?
Did Paul spend ANY time around children?
I mean, there are days when it feels as if my mere presence in the room causes an allergic reaction that spawns involuntary rolling of the eyes, a throaty growl, exasperated sighs and a very noticeable increase in mumbling.
I'm beginning to wonder if it might be terminal.
It's definitely chronic.
You would think my "No." meant certain death, my "Yes!" was a precursor to a million dollar shopping spree, and my silence the most irritating thing on the planet. And woe to the parent who changes the rules to discipline a misbehaving child.
Like consummate safe cracking vampires, these pea pods of our family garden are able to open the toughest vaults surrounding our hearts and extract the choicest bits of treasure for themselves, leaving empty and lifeless shells depleted of any semblance of power and superiority in their wake.
They steal our time, our energy, and our ability to speak with any semblance of reason.
And I'm still wondering where my wallet wondered off to.
What an incredible task to remain calm in the face of an angry or misbehaving child, wishing and hoping that if they could just see that the rules they hate so much, the chores they loathe and the parents they can't wait to get away from are all meant to keep them safe and sound from the evil of this world, they would understand that I come in peace and I mean no harm.
Don't they know we simply want to rescue them from themselves?
Is it any wonder that we need Jesus? No matter how easily God could have made Salvation and no matter how He might have laid out the plan for us, we would ultimately spend more time debating about how to get around such obviously unfair rules rather than follow even the most trivial steps to gain eternity for ourselves.
Pretty much like we do now.
And yet, God hasn't sent me to my room, growled back or abused His power in order to have the last word. No, in the face of my obstinate and selfish behavior God did something I couldn't. He gave His one and only Son to save a wretch like me.
Think about that for just a second. Someone who could have wiped us from the face of the earth with a twitch of his extended pinky decided that the only way for us to be with Him in heaven was to come to earth as a man and live among us. Then He died by the very hands of the people He came to serve.
If you can't see the Love in that, can I pray for you?
As a father, I would have snapped. I would have gone Godzilla on Golgotha. Not our God. He already knew what He was up against in this little stage drama called life and if we didn't have a Savior to show us the way, then we would know the true meaning of Christmas without Christ.
X is the loneliest variable that you'll ever do...
And that's what eternity is if you're not following the Jesus plan. Death is never the final destination. Those who choose to go their own way will find themselves forever locked away out of sight and out of mind of the only One who truly Loves them without expectation or obligation.
There is nothing that we as a living, reasoning organism can possibly imagine that would rival the emptiness of eternity without the presence of God.
And that's what I, as a father, must remember when it comes to antagonizing and frustrating my children. Their idea of God the Father comes from what they know of their human papa. If I'm a distant and cold person, they will see God as such. If I'm too harsh or frightening, then I am risking their growth as a follower of Christ. Push them too far in any direction but the right one and I will find my children distant from me and their eternal life line.
I have a very narrow line to walk and sometimes (far too often, I am sad to say) I trip and fall flat on my face. It hurts worse when my audience adds commentary during the free-fall competition.
Thankfully, I've never scored a 10.
So, as for me and my house, I must do better. BE better. I have to fight for them on my knees, not fighting with them in feeble attempts to bend their will to mine or in beating them into submission with boredom and blather that does more to make me feel better than it does to educate them.
I mean, if I’ve told them all they need to know, if they go and make a mistake, it's all on them, right?
I Love my children. I would Love to have more of them running around here and driving me and my beautiful wife crazy. (Sorry, honey!)
I - we - just need to remember that we must lead by example, not by force or dictatorial decree. Discipline is needed, yes, but God rules with compassion, mercy and grace. Yes, he has popped the cork on His temper a time or two and opened up Mount Vesuvius-sized cans of exile and scorched earth on His chosen people when they didn't heed His commands.
However, in this history - His story - every piece of the past points directly to the future and to the only Good and Perfect Father we have.
My hope then must be this: If my thoughts are focused first and foremost on my Abba Father, then, even when my last breath has been spent and the last eye I will ever see has rolled, my children will still always be in the best company they can find and accept nothing short of forever.


Grace to You is the Bible teaching ministry of Dr. John MacArthur, Jr. The GTY BLOG has very helpful articles on issues facing believers today. Click the “We Preach Christ” banner below to listen to the General Sessions and Seminars of the 2017 Shepherds’ Conference.
Al Mohler is the president of Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He is one of the keenest minds among conservative Christian leaders in our day. His blog offers insight on contemporary issues in our culture from a distinctively biblical worldview. Dr. Mohler will help you understand how to apply the Bible to your everyday life.
Ligonier Ministries is the teaching ministry of Dr. R.C. Sproul. Ligonier is committed to faithfully presenting the unvarnished truth of the Bible in order to help people grow in the knowledge of God and His holiness.
CRI is led by Hank Hanegraaf, host of the “Bible Answer Man” broadcast.
Their motto, “Because Truth Matters” underscores their commitment to the foundational truths of the Bible. CRI helps equip believers to defend the true Christian faith against false teaching and cult groups.
9Marks is a ministry committed to assisting pastors and leaders in re-establishing their biblical bearings and re-thinking their ministry methods in order to discover and apply biblical priorities that cultivate health and holiness in the local church.
Gospel GEMs provides a collection of Great Evangelical Messages (GEM) from past giants of the Christian faith. The GEM site also provides a helpful directory of solid Bible teaching churches across America at http://www.biblebb.com/churches.htm
Return to Resources Page.


Welcome to University Friends - a Seattle Quaker Meeting
When we meet:
We meet for unprogrammed worship on Sundays at 9:30 and 11:00. 9:30 worship is in-person at the meetinghouse. 11:00 worship is both in-person and via Zoom. For information about accessing the Zoom meeting please email firstname.lastname@example.org.
On the 2nd Sunday of each month 9:30 worship is in-person and 11:00 worship is via Zoom, only, followed at 11:30 by meeting for worship with attention to business.
In addition to meeting for worship find other UFM events on our calendar.
Following guidance from public health authorities and considering the presence of elderly and medically fragile individuals, we strongly encourage worshipers to wear masks indoors and to follow our COVID Guidelines.
What you can expect in Quaker Meeting for Worship on Sunday morning: A guide for newcomers on the basics.
How to find us:
4001 9th Avenue NE
Seattle, WA, 98105
University Friends Meeting depends on the generous donations from the community of members and attenders. Please consider donating today.


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reading the bible - start to end
Newcastle Conference is delighted to host Newcastle's FIRST Bible Marathon! Wednesday 8:30pm till Saturday 8:30pm approximately.
What is a bible marathon?
The bible marathon is a reading of the bible from start to finish, Genesis to Revelation - without stopping. Working in 3 hour shifts, we invite the community to join us to read through the entirety of the bible. We estimate it will take approximately 72 hours.
Why is there a bible marathon?
The purpose of this event is to gather our community together to read God's word and remind ourselves that it is the bible and it's holy message that brings us together and inspires us to have events like Newcastle Conference.
How do I sign up?
Click here! You can sign up for more than one 3 hour session. If you're super keen you can join our "on call list" to make sure we've always got readers on the go!
Do I need to stay the whole time?
No. We would love you to sign up for as many 3 hour shifts as you would like to. We'll be super impressed if you sign up for the night shift!
How does it work when I'm there?
We will create a circle for our readers to sit in (the circle can be as big or as small as we need at the time) and you will read one chapter at a time for your 3 hour shift. You are very welcome to stay longer than your alloted time.
Can I bring my kids?
Yes! Children are welcome to read as long as they can read fluently and confidently. We'd love to see your whole family there.
I'm not really a reader, can I still be involved?
Yes! We will need catering, snacks, coffee, moral support, water, encouragement + more. Please click here if you can help in other ways.
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Thank you so much for taking time to visit my site! I'm honored by your visit. Who is Lizzy Armentrout? Well, that would take me many pages to share with you, but to put it simply, I'm a Christian writer of Christian fiction who loves the Lord! Jesus came into my life and saved me at the age of 13 and is still molding me into His image. (Please read my testimony on another page.)
Now, Lizzy is my pen name...I am the wife of a terrific husband, mother of a beautiful daughter, church pianist, adult ladies' Sunday school teacher, dog lover and currently an 8th grade math teacher in our local school system. I absolutely love to read a good, well-written mystery and, at times, have been frustrated at the lack of good, clean mysteries in Christian fiction. Of course there are Christian mysteries that are very good but at the time I was moved to write a book there weren't that many good ones on the bookshelves. God led me through my husband to enter the world of writing mysteries instead of just reading them. I didn't think I was capable, but God proved once again that with HIM all things are indeed possible!
You will also notice that I have a page for speaking topics. From a very early age, God blessed me with the gift of "gab" and have used this "gift" in the last 20+ yrs of teaching school. After teaching a ladies' Sunday school class for several years, some churches started inviting me to come share my testimony with their ladies. I'm truly humbled that anyone would want to listen to me, but it's always a pleasure to share with others how God saved me from sin and changed my life from one of depression to one of joy. I would be thrilled to come share my very moving testimony with your group. My prayer is that you will be blessed and encouraged as you visit this site and read about how God has been at work in my life.
If I can be of assistance to you in any way, please contact me at firstname.lastname@example.org. I love meeting new people and being used of God in helping others!
Please take the time to read the 1st three chapters of my two books here on the site. Due to my publisher going out of business you can only purchase copies of either book from me. Just send me an email and I will be glad to send you your own signed copy!
Because HE Lives,
Click to add text, images, and other content


Work At Home Christians
Work At Home Christians is a community of Christian Entrepreneurs who work at home. Our goal and our passion is to help and support Work At Home Christians.
Welcome to the brand new - Work At Home Christians Website. At the moment we are currently under construction. But in a very short period of time - we will up and running - and here to help you!
So whether you Work At Home now - or you want to - we can help you gain Financial Freedom - by unlocking God's Economy and blessings in your house hold!
Matthew 6:33 - But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.*(NKJV)
* New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


First of all, thank you so much for talking to me about this wonderful plan. I’m happy to be on this journey with you.
When I first started working through the chapters in the book you sent it was emotional for me. To be honest I wasn’t sure I wanted to answer those questions. Your encouragement and gentle persistence was exactly what I needed to have the courage to finish it. The amount of emotion that came pouring out of me was surprising. I had no idea how much emotional baggage I was carrying around with me. Thanks to you and our first session I feel like a new person and ready to work through the rest of the book and commit to a life plan session with you. I like the way you were able to work through the distance obstacles and work issues I had and press forward to get this done. The prayers that you prayed with me spoke to my heart. You are a true coach, spiritual leader and friend. I’m thankful you answered the Lord’s calling for your life and I can’t wait to see the big Thanking God for you daily,
Working with Jenni brought some security to my life. I was struggling with many areas of my personal life and it was affecting my overall health, as well as relationships.
Jenni was able to help me bring back a foundation for my life, which included growth spiritually and acceptance for present circumstances. I was able to gain confidence and positivity to move forward through the challenges I was facing. She assisted me in realizing new perspectives and was someone who I could trust. I felt relieved to have someone who I could talk to about my private life and confide in for guidance as well as understanding. Catherine
I hired a coach. I had tried everything. Counseling , alanon, read every self help book, worked out religiously , but I still was stuck. When you spend two full days discussing your life with someone. Things shift. You see where you have been and where you need and want to go! It was reflective, intense and rewarding. Darlene
The Coaching process gave me a nonjudgmental comforting environment to trust in opening up to share my life’s trials & tribulations. The leading questions are deep & reflective that guided my eyes wide open to create a forward moving plan with attainable steps. I gained energy & clarity to reach my goals by having a strong sense of self awareness. All in all it was a great enlightening experience that I certainly grew from and I am better for as well. Mandy
Untangled is a great read! I love it! Thank you for sharing! Kerri
I loved “Untangled” ebook. I also love the Glory you give to God. Laurie Frisco
I am really enjoying your FB posts and learning more about your Coaching Cafe ; ) Great work ; ) Mary in California
Im sssooo happy this email came through my inbox for the Wednesday webinars!! I came to the webpage and recognized a name!! Jodi was my life coach several years ago!! Jessica
Love love loved that ebook !! I needed that !!! Dana
“They call it a two day Life Plan ~ I call it a breath of fresh air. Jodi my two days with you included tears, laughter, confronting fear and seeing my life in such a different way.Most of all I got to see God’s love and compassion being used through you to show me that He has forgiven me and His path of restoration for me.Life is a journey and we all have a part to play, and God will direct each of our steps if we will allow Him.Thank you Jodi for being obedient to His calling and traveling down this new road with me. “. Love ya, K in Texas
The two day life plan with Jodi was life changing. Jodi helped me see the patterns that I have used throughout my life, some of which I was never aware of. I was able to process it and realize that all these things make up my story. I hope to recycle all that pain to help others.This life plan was more than I ever expected. The one on one intensive session was something I have never had before in my life. Jodi helped me heal, all while showing me kindness, love, and compassion but also holding me accountable.Thanks Jodi, for helping me discover my patterns and for teaching me how to let them go. Michelle
Jodi was more than compassionate with me when I did my 2 day life plan. It is hard to talk about your entire life but she made me feel important and cared for and I was able to process some old past stuff and move on to a brighter future. Thank you. Deborah
So you think you want to do a life plan?
I flew all the way to Texas ( from Indiana) because I wanted to do this with Jodi. She’s one of the best at helping you move forward. I just completed mine and the experience was amazing. I felt welcomed and invited. The reason a life plan is beneficial is because it opens your heart and your mind to see the amazing things God has planned for you. This has been one of the single most life changing events in my life! Thank you ~~~Martha


Church is supposed to be FUN!
Radius is anything but boring.
BUT we’ve amped it up a notch!
After all it’s “Back to Church Sunday”
Here’s some things that we have for you:
Along with that we will have what we always have:
In fact, Let us know you’re coming!
Schedule your visit now…
Here’s a few words from our Pastor…
We know that coming to church can be intimidating. We want to make it simple
Schedule your visit now and we will:
We don’t judge, we help people win.
So schedule your visit right now.
We can’t wait to meet you!


Vision, Mission & Values
We aim to develop future leaders with an international vision, moral character, intellectual ability and deep compassion for humanity based upon Christian belief and values.
- To be true to our foundation by nurturing the development of Christian belief and values, and encouraging the spiritual growth of all members of the community
- To create a strong, vibrant international community which is aware of its global context and the issues which affect it
- To encourage in our students an appreciation of the need to understand, respect, serve and care for others
- To encourage in our students the skills of leadership, teamwork and a personal commitment to service
- To encourage our students to adopt a healthy lifestyle to promote their well-being and to enhance their cultural awareness
- To promote the intellectual development of our students together with the achievement of the best academic qualifications within each student’s capabilities
- To promote a genuine and intrinsic love of learning; encourage creative, critical and reflective learning; and assist students to communicate their ideas and beliefs in a balanced but clear manner
- To encourage the development of personal standards such as self-discipline, initiative, self-reliance and an entrepreneurial spirit
- To provide a physical environment of the highest quality possible to enhance the education on offer
Our school’s philosophy is manifest in our purpose, spirit, focus, and beliefs.
As a Methodist institution, we strive to build a community based on Christian teaching and beliefs; encouraging our students to serve and lead as Christ did – making positive contributions to the world we live in by showing compassion and servant-shaped leadership.
Christian worship is an integral part of school life – and all students and teaching staff must attend all formal services held by the school. Whilst we encourage individuals to consider the claims of Christ, we are also sensitive to the individual beliefs of our staff and students.
As a school, we are focused on providing the best for our students – not just academically, but by focusing on their strengths and developing their latent potential in all areas of their lives. We believe that by doing so, our students are able to become well-rounded individuals of good character.
Our international students currently represent more than 30 nationalities – they contribute richly to our school culture, and helps nurture a sense of global mindedness in the school community as a whole. In addition, we cherish Singaporean values – standing alongside Singaporeans as they sing the national anthem and say the pledge.
Our school values help define and empower us. They contribute to our sense of purpose and vision, and inspire collective action. Our IGNITE values are:
Inspiration and Impact – Inspiring Individuals, Impacting lives
Tenacity (= Perseverance)
As well as the values identified, IGNITE speaks of ‘lighting the flame’, the fire of the Holy Spirit, energy and action. All members of the ACS (International) community live by these values.