Yesterday B came home from school stating that “Jesus wasn’t seen by anyone when he wasn’t in the cave he was buried in, although people think he came back to life, no-one saw him.”
Now let me get one thing straight, we don’t go to church every Sunday but I see myself as a Christian, attended church every Sunday until B was 14 months and we moved, I went back to work and life (or the devil depending on your beliefs) got in the way. I have been to church in the last 5 and half years, mainly for christenings I know, but I still have my faith. I don’t force God and Jesus and religion on my girls but B has always expressed an interest in Jesus and classes herself as a Christian and at this stage in her life that’s what she chooses to believe.
The thing that really annoys me is that we live in a Christian country yet my daughter comes home with the statement above. It clearly states in all 4 gospels that Jesus was seen by his disciples before he ascends to heaven. I am not saying that is what everyone should believe, and yes, if we want our kids to hear the word of God then we can take them to church. But when teaching the Christian meaning of Easter, a big part of the story is that Jesus rose again. For a Christian, The Bible is the proof. No, we don’t have “proof” any of it is true. But why teach a half story? Teach what Christian’s believe, what their Faith is founded on. Easter is a more important story for Christian’s than Christmas. The school wouldn’t “edit” a Muslim belief for it to be more PC.
Now I know I am only going on what B has come home and said, but it really hit a nerve with me – just as things do at Christmas. We are a welcoming nation. There is free speech and we welcome any race and religion onto our land. We let our citizens build Mosques, wear their clothes as dictated by their beliefs, and we accept those who have no religious commitments. Everyone is equal. That’s a brilliant mark as to why so many people want to come to us for a better life. But does that really mean our children can’t be taught about Christianity correctly in school. Does this really mean that Christian workers should have to work Christmas day and yet those of other faiths expect time of for their religious festivals. Ok I admit to generalising here, and I am sure this isn’t the case every where in the country – but it does upset me at times that our Queen is the head of the Church of England, yet we can’t openly celebrate the teachings of that church, should we wish to, without upsetting people.
I apologise to anyone who thinks I am out of line here, I am no way trying to say we shouldn’t embrace other faiths and cultures, merely in doing so we shouldn’t forget our own. Or is it just that we have become a nation of none believers? I’d love to hear other opinions on this.
As some of you may or may not know, I have given up chocolate for lent. I did this once before, before kids, and the sense of achievement after was amazing. I also appreciated all my Easter Eggs so much more! Since having kids I havn’t given up anything for Lent, but this year I decided I would kick start my diet with Lent. Now as for the religous side, yes I am a Christian and I do understand the giving up something as a sign of appreciation for what Jesus went through for us. However, I am not practising, the last time I went to church was almost exactly a year ago when I had H christened. The reason I decided to do it this year was to kick start my healthy eating, now I am not convinced that will happen as I am already planning to binge eat chocolate for a whole weekend!
Picture Credit: eszter
Today I have discovered that Sunday’s are not part of Lent!! Now I have never heard this before and neither has my mum. According to Google there are 2 trains of thought depending on what Christian culture is being looked at. So the 1st is how I understood things; Lent lasts 40 days and 40 nights from Ash Wednesday, which means that Palm Sunday marks the end of Lent, a week before Easter. The week directly before Easter being known as “Holy Week” is not part of Lent although is another period of fasting in the Christian calender. This is what I have always believed from being a child and this was never in doubt even while I was a regular church goer. However, the other day B came home from school and told me that I was allowed to eat chocolate on Sunday’s as they are not part of Lent. I disagreed with her and told her the above and thought maybe she had just misunderstood things. But, I have just been told the same thing by a friend on Facebook. It seems that Western Christians practice this as they believe Sunday’s are Holy Days and as such cannot be included in fasting periods. Then of course there is the Catholic approach, which states that Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter Sunday, marks the end of Lent, followed by Good Friday and Easter Saturday which are also periods of fasting. It seems even Google cannot provide a solid answer as to when Lent ends. It’s one of those things that there should be an answer to, but ultimatly it’s down to what we believe, so therefore I am sticking to what I have believed all my knowledgable life and still not having chocolate on Sundays!
See but now I worry that apparently I shouldn’t be abstaining from things on a Sunday as I should be celebrating the day of Our Lord. It makes me understand why religon is one of those things that causes heated debate, just like politics. And then throw in other religons too, wow, now there’s a bottle about to errupt. My personal belief is that Jesus didn’t get to come back from the desert every Sunday for his roast dinner, therefore I’m sticking to my 40 days being a straight run through! I’ve normally done all the way through to Easter Sunday too, just not realising it takes me over 40 days, or that “Holy Week” is a seperate period of fasting. It’s all so bloomin’ confusing, all for giving up a bit of chocolate to try and loose a few lbs. Trouble is after all this I need chocolate even more, I can feel my hair going greyer as a type!!!!!
Roll on the end of Lent………………………whenever that may be!!!!
Yesterday, as we all know,was Shrove Tuesday, more commonly these days known as Pancake Day. Last year was my 1st ever attempt at making pancakes as my ex was always the one to make them before. Last year proved why! I didn’t have a clue so rang my mum for a rough guide on making the batter. I was told I needed plain flour, and used self raising as that was all I had. Every single one stuck and I felt such a failure after. But on the plus I had other stuff in the fridge and I think we ended up with omlette instead!
This year I tried things differently. I bought one of these “Just add milk and shake” pancake mix in a bottle things. I brought a new frying pan specially because I’d thrown my old one out a few months ago and hadn’t replaced it yet. I followed all the instructions and guess what……….they stuck like mad again! I was so angry, especially as H now eats what we eat and the 1st one I managed to save so it went on her plate. Now all credit to these easy pancake mix things – the taste was spot on. But with 1 small pancake between 3 of us, well that wasn’t going to work. So I rang mum and we joined them for mum’s homemade perfect pancakes.
I watched, I even had a go and cooked a perfect one there, gas hob same as mine, only difference was mum let the fat warm up more than I had so I assumed that was my problem. Nope tried again when I got home and the hotter the fat the worse it seemed to stick. So I have decided that’s it no more pancake making attempts from me, if mum isn’t about I’ll buy shop bought ones!
On the plus side though, B was very interested in what pancake day is all about, and why I was asking her what she would give up for lent. I explained that pancakes were made to use up the perishable food before fasting for 40 days and 40 nights from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. She was fascinated and initially said she would give up sex for lent (!!!!), I asked her what she thought that would mean, to which she replied it would mean not looking good till Easter! Hmmm, talked her out of that one and so she has decided to give up being naughty for lent – yeah we will see how that one goes! I have decided to give up chocolate, so to all my dear friends out there, please don’t offer me chocolate till Easter!
It got me wondering though, how many other people actually explain the meanings of these special days to their kids? I mean, B obviously hasn’t learnt about it at school, even though their pancake races are a big event each year. I wouldn’t class myself as religious in that I don’t go to church every week, but I do have my faith and Easter is a time when I find myself taking stock and thinking about what my faith means to me. I always try and give something up for lent. B was christened on Palm Sunday too, so that holds special significance for me as well. What does it all mean for you?
Picture from Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/roboppy/7953025/ by roboppy
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Dominican Young Adults USA
“LOVE STORY, HATE STORY: OUR STORY?”
Exploring division and seeking healing in our world
We’ll ponder questions like these: “What are some reasons for division in our world? How can my faith, the message of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Dominican spirituality transform our society?
Tues, Jan 31st at 7:30 pm EST
REGISTRATION: Please email firstname.lastname@example.org to register.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Rob Cammarata Business Manager, St. Matthew Church, Dix Hills, NY
Rob is a Dominican Associate and has extensive experience in administration and ministry, having both worked in banking and church positions for many years, including teaching Theology at Molloy University.


A native of Los Angeles, Liana Sims, commonly known as Queen, has captivated the world with her journey of transformation and freedom through her inspiring fight against obesity. Though Queen Liana has struggled with obesity since elementary school, in 2007 at the age of twenty, she committed to no longer exist, but to live. As a result, she has lost a total of 180 pounds—naturally.
In her book, Monday Never Comes, Queen Liana shares her story of triumph in the face of what seemed impossible to show others that with commitment and determination, they too have the power to overcome the challenges of life. Queen Liana doesn’t simply speak about perseverance and determination, she has the experience that validates every single word. She embodies resilience and is a voice of hope to those who have come to believe they are not strong enough to prevail in the face of the overwhelming odds.
In April 2011, Queen Liana was featured on Oprah Winfrey’s weight-loss finale show as one of 100 people who had lost 100 pounds or more. In February 2012, she was featured on NBC’s Today Show for losing more than 100 pounds. Through her candid honesty and inspiring outlook on living life to the fullest, Queen Liana has become a sought-after speaker, preacher, writer, and coach.
Queen Liana holds two degrees from Biola University in the area of Christian ministry and Biblical studies. She is a licensed and ordained pastor under the leadership of Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer and Faithful Central Bible Church, where she currently leads as the pastor of college-aged students. She formerly served as the pastor of middle and high school students. She believes that ultimately ministry is a lifestyle and not simply a position or a title.
Queen Liana is passionate about health and fitness, mental health, issues of justice, Black history, youth development, and women’s empowerment. She’s a world traveler and international speaker and has spoken in several countries, including Ecuador, Israel, Bahamas, Nigeria, South Africa and around the United States. Recently, she launched Sharpen Her Iron, a ministry for building and empowering women. Her goal is to bridge the generational gap and to create a space for women to strengthen each other.


Creflo Dollar Net Worth
Creflo Dollar Net Worth: Creflo Dollar is a televangelist, evangelist, pastor. Creflo Dollar was born 28-Jan-62 in College Park, GA. According to Forbes, Creflo Dollar Net Worth is $27 Million. Televangelist, pastor, and the founder of several Christian organizations and enterprises including the non-denominational World Changers Church International. In accordance with his teaching of prosperity theology he owns a private jet and two multi-milliion dollar houses. He received a Bachelor’s degree in education from West Georgia College in Carrollton. He was subpoenaed during divorce proceedings between heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield and his wife.
Creflo Dollar Net Worth is $27 Million
|Another Name||Creflo Augustus Dollar|
|Date of Birth||28th January, 1962|
|Place of Birth||United States|
|University||Oral Roberts University|


The book of hebrews - the book of hebrews the book of hebrews is a unique portion religion theology essays] 2277 contained in the story of exodus are many examples of moses' sacrifices and the hardships he endured while freeing the hebrews the faith of moses was tested. Hebrews summary by jay smith the book of hebrews is a general epistle (apostolic letter) chapter 11 is faith's hall of fame where all of the faithful individual's from the old testament are highlighted in this chapter. Bible book list × upgrade to the he could not be found hebrews 11:11 or by faith abraham, even though he was too old to have children—and sarah herself was not able to conceive—was enabled to become a father because he hebrews 11:18 gen 21:12. A protégé of paul, argues for the pauline authorship of the book this reference is found in 13:23 the emphasis was upon faith in the lord jesus christ as a means of justification to put it another way, in hebrews faith that it is more than a mere earthly religion. The faith of gideon expository sermon religion essay print reference this published: 23rd march he was even prepared to die for his new found faith in god by his action to destroy the altar of baal and he gained a place in the hall of great faith in the book of hebrews. 9 defining rest (hebrews 4:1-10) related media faith is a key concept in the book of hebrews, as will be dramatically evident when we get to chapter 11 community is not a term that is found in our text, or even in the book of hebrews. Read the book of hebrews online use highlighting the earliest suggestion of authorship is found in it has also been suggested that the recipients were from the large number of priests who became obedient to the faith theme the theme of hebrews is the absolute supremacy and.
The four views on the warning passages in hebrews essay writing service the warning passages as presented by the author are five and are found in hebrews 2: 1-4 3: 7-4:13 5: 11-6: this paper will summarize the four warning passages that are presented by the author of the book of hebrews. A summary of themes in 's bible: the old testament learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of bible: the old testament and what it means perfect for acing essays, tests, and the models of biblical faith are not those who are supported by organized religion but those. This lesson covers the hebrews and their beliefs essentials of the hebrew faith the hebrew religion, known today as judaism later, the peoples of the arabian peninsula would further adapt the jewish faith to found islam yet. When we compare the book of hebrews with other new so, he holds out the example of persevering faith in hebrews 11 he talks about the supremacy of jesus over every it is written like a theological essay meant to convince it's hearers of a particular perspective concerning who. The book of hebrews builds a case for the superiority of jesus christ and christianity found in chapter 11 author of hebrews hebrews 11:1 now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11 is a description of faith in action — how god's people have always lived by faith in this chapter, several verses are devoted to the example of abraham, who is called the father of the faithful genesis 15:6 tells us that he believed the lord hebrews 11:8 says, by faith abraham, when called to go to a place he. The book of hebrews explains that he was looking to a better and heavenly land, a city with foundations, whose builder and classical statements of covenant theology can be found in the british westminster confession of essays on covenant theology by historic and contemporary.
In view of the term faith as found in the book of hebrews, one must begin at its source, to lay some initial groundwork or foundation to be able. View of the hebrews is an 1823 book by european settlers could not have been the same as the ancient people who created the sophisticated earthwork mounds found throughout the mississippi valley and southeastern north america.
I've been preaching for nearly 40 years, and i've somehow avoided preaching on the book of hebrews i'm not sure that it was always a 1 why study hebrews related is not found in hebrews, it is really what hebrews is all about hebrews exalts the person of our lord jesus christ. The book of hebrews shows the superiority of christianity the basic theme of hebrews is found in the word better, in describing the superiority of christ in both his person interesting facts about hebrewspmd. Faith as a basis of knowledge in religion - according to the bible in hebrews 11:1 faith is said to be an assurance of things that are hoped for, evidence the urantia book fellowship the value of religion - the value of religion in the essay, is religion bad or good.
What the bible says about faith the writer of hebrews wrote: now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen (hebrews 11:1) unless our faith is complete trust, we do not have the right kind of faith.
Aspects of the priestly cosmology of the letter to one of the aspects of priestly cosmology in the book of hebrews is found in the author's description of melchizedek to the contemporary world view of cosmos and the potential insights which can be used in teaching christianity faith. The book of hebrews the priesthood was a very essential part of the jews religion those who have an explanation of saving faith -- hebrews 11:1-3: the writer described that faith whereby the just man lives in these words , now. First essay: christology in hebrews research paper on hebrews christian scriptures 1310-17 mw 9 october 2013 holleyman religion 1310 9 october 2013 hebrews hebrews, often referred to the book of hebrews can be divided into three main sections. Religion 1310 9 october 2013 hebrews chapter 13 goes on to summarize the book and offers advice on maintaining faith throughout the book of hebrews, four major ancient hebrew stone carving found in jerusalem ancient hebrews israelite tribe of judah --- the 1980 jewish almanac.


We have strong links with St Andrew’s Church and our children get to visit throughout the year.
Sometimes we have visitors from the church who come into school to read to the children during our Collective Worship which takes place every day at 10:40 am and lasts between 15 – 30 minutes.
Jack Watson at the Food Bank works closely with our Family Support Worker and assists some of our families with care packages, food parcels and children with daily snacks.
Citizens Advice will be open every Friday 1PM – 4PM
1PM – 2 PM (Appointments only) 2PM – 4PM (Walk in Service)
For appointments call 08082787954


Sunday, November 5th 2017, Christy Hunt was called home to be with the Lord. Please take note of these visitation times and services. In lieu of flowers, Rocky Hunt requests donations be sent to Liberty Church Student Ministries.
1:30-2:00 – Family Visitation
2:00-3:00 – Public Visitation
3:00 – Funeral Services
All normal services held on Wednesday night will be cancelled in observance.


We are very blessed to have the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle – National Shrine in our diocese. This very important Marian Shrine continues to serve pilgrims from the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Pilgrims are served primarily by offering opportunities for prayer through the liturgies of the church and also through the many devotions prayed daily. Clearly, the emphasis at the shrine is prayer. Read More...
We are so pleased to be able to offer you an Online store. Our gift shop is a favorite stop for many of our pilgrims, and so we thought we would bring the store to your home. There are many items available to you that will remind you of your time with us, also great Christmas presents, and a large selection of books for spiritual reading. Please visit our Basilica Online Store today. Who knows, you may find that special present for a special person in your life. May the Virgencita de San Juan accompany you today. Visit Our Store here


“Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege and often financial aid that an organization bestows to another person or organization. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors. It can also refer to the right of bestowing offices or church benefices, the business given to a store by a regular customer, and the guardianship of saints. The term derives from the Latin patronatus, the formal relationship between a Patronus and his Clientes.”
Ok. Where have all the patrons gone? As a professional artist in a scary economy (and I do mean scary) I seem to have looked everywhere for a full time patron and just can’t find one. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve been totally happy with and supported by my art for about 15 years. I’ve taught workshops but never had to “go out and get a real job”. I’ve been lucky in that way I guess. I work with great clients who buy my art when the economy is good, they have the money and the future is looking optimistic. I show my work at galleries where the owners do a great job of exhibiting my paintings. In good economic times they sell a lot of my work. I have the best clients and gallery owners around. So…now that the economy has fallen into a big dark scary sink hole why don’t we bring back that old tradition of having a patron? I figure all I personally would need would be one individual, a lover of the arts, fascinated with my work and with so much damned money that he or she hasn’t even noticed the falling strength of the dollar. I know this person is out there somewhere but just hasn’t run across my website yet.
I work in my studio painting everyday. I do good work. How wonderful would it be if someone just called me up some morning or better yet knocked at my door and offered me enough money to live easily through these hard times! I’d be glad with just enough money to work without worry for six months or so. I’ve already prayed to all the saints to help me find this person. The Catholic Church almost always smiles on me but somehow this year they seem to be late in sending me any monetary blessings. Come on you holy guys and gals. Saint Jude hear my prayer. Pray a little harder please. I’m pretty sure the saints are always at work for me behind the scenes so all I can do is nag at them to work harder. The Pope is way too busy in his Vatican office doing whatever a pope does to read a note from me saying I’d like a few dollars or gold bricks sent my way. I’d like just enough money to feel safe. How about grants? In these times you have to take a class to write to ask for money. This takes time. When you’re an artist taking care of your family you don’t have time to schedule, write and submit a grant. Your grant application goes usually to a government sponsored committee where you can be underbid by any well known artist who has a husband or wife that makes a six figure salary. The money that can be made from art fairs is down this year. It’s expensive to travel. That leaves me here working hard seldom leaving my studio.
So all I can do is wait for that life changing knock on my door. Give me some money and I’ll work for you. If you’re the church or the Pope calling I’d be glad to do some original and timely religious art. If you own a business that needs some unusual and exciting art on the wall I’m the one to call. I once heard of an artist who got a group of patrons together to sponsor him to travel to France and do all the painting he wanted for as long as it took. In return he gave each patron a pick of one of his best paintings. I like that. I could do that. I would do that. I can be dressed and at the airport by tomorrow morning.
So help me out here. I’ll do my part by praying to the Holy Virgin Mary Mother of God and to Saint Jude and you ask around your neighborhood. Just shout out loudly, “Is there anybody here that has extra money to support just one fantastic artist?” Ask this question wherever you go and hey, by the way, after you ask give any interested person or persons my phone number.


St. Paul University Iloilo (SPUI), through its Advocacy Program Office, held a seminar on “Sex, Gender, and Sexuality” for three groups on July 12, 13, and 14, 2017 at the Marian Theater. The invited speaker to the event was Rev. Fr. Rodolfo Vicente Cancino, Jr., M.I., a Camillian priest and a medical doctor who serves as the Executive Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Commission on Health Care. The first day of the seminar was geared toward the SPUI administrators, faculty, and staff as well as the invited representatives from other schools in Iloilo City. The second and third days were held for the Senior High School Students of SPUI.
In his talk, Fr. Cancino lays out the dynamism of sex and illustrates how individuals engage this in the different stages of their lives. He emphasizes that the individual’s vision and values define how one relates with the others. A healthy way of embodying one’s sex and gender largely depends on how one integrates one’s sexuality with one’s vision and values. And in the Catholic tradition, the guiding principle in relating with one another, despite differences in sex and gender, is God’s loving mercy.
An open forum followed after the lecture where the participants and the speaker discussed how schools could help students deal with their issues on sex, gender, and sexuality as well as how these could be integrated in the academic setting and other services offered by the schools.
The seminar ended with the celebration of the Eucharist by the speaker himself, Fr. Cancino.


The Women of the Bible tour brings front and center 25 women left to the shadows of history. During this expedition, you will study women from both the Old and New Testament who exercised great faith in God. You will learn of how these women challenged their culture while the land of Israel brings forth exciting cultural context to challenge current beliefs of these women. Studying how Jesus treated women is telling of the impact these women's faith have throughout history.
This is an IN-DEPTH study tour. In-depth study tours feature Hebrew and Greek word studies that investigate the words used in the Bible for a deeper understanding of the context for that story.


Christian Counseling, Asheville NC
While there is a deep joy and peace that can come from deciding to follow Christ, not all of our problems disappear the moment we enter into relationship with God. We are still faced with the challenges of living in this fallen world. Perhaps you are still carrying traumas from your past, having difficulties in your relationships, harboring unforgiveness, struggling with addiction, or fighting feelings of inadequacy. Throughout our conversion, a tug of war occurs between our old selves and our new identities in Christ. This battle doesn’t resolve overnight and can sometimes be challenging. However, with counsel, prayer, and the work of the Holy Spirit, you can make steps towards receiving the healing and forward progress you are desiring.
Or perhaps you’ve been wounded by religion and are looking to work through the obstacles impeding your relationship with God. As someone who experienced religious trauma and has worked through it (and still is), I understand this process. Often times, the God presented to us by the world is an inaccurate depiction. We can experience hurtful judgment, abuse, shame, or even punishment from those who represent Him. And in an effort to avoid more pain, we associate God with our past hurt and dismiss Him altogether. If you have experienced spiritual abuse or religious trauma and are interested in beginning this process of healing, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re local to Asheville, NC and would be happy to have an introductory conversation with you.
Christian Men’s Group
Join our Weekly Christian Men’s Group led by Taylor Houchens Counseling, PLLC. We meet every Thursday from 6:30-8:30pm in West Asheville. This is a place for men to let down their masks and be truly honest with one another. It is a place to be seen, heard, supported, held accountable, and challenged. A place to become a better man.
This group has been successfully meeting every week and growing for over a year now. Why? Because it’s honest. Men get real with other men about their lives. Because here, you belong. There is true acceptance and brotherhood and you know you are not alone. Because you grow. You are held accountable by other men and challenged to keep your word and remain in integrity. Because of God. We strive to honor God’s word and pray for each other, inviting God into each meeting. Because here, you matter. This is a space for your story to be heard. It is a place for you to be seen and known. Because your life improves. Each man’s life tangibly improves by consistently showing up and doing his work.
If you are interested in joining, join us. We are welcoming new men, whether you subscribe to the Christian faith or not.
Serving the Following Asheville, NC Communities:
- Black Mountain
- Biltmore Forest
- Hlls River
- Mills River
- Enka Village
Taylor Houchens, M.S., LPC
191 East Chestnut Street
Asheville, NC 28804


As we approached the hill, Jor Man called from the back seat to please turn off the radio (we were listening to “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”).
“What’s up, buddy?” I asked.
“We need to pray that we can get up the hill,” he said. And he began to pray. All three children prayed aloud – without any coaching from us. The roads were very icy, right up to the hill. And then, no ice. The whole hill, all the way up had no ice. We cheered and praised the Lord! I didn’t see any reason for there being no ice on the hill. But there wasn’t any.
On another occasion, a 20-something friend of ours was visiting and sharing her cares with me while the kids played in another room. I felt the urge to pray for her about this, and just as I was going to, Campster walked over. I told her we were going to pray, and asked if she’d like to join us. Without hesitation, she walked over to our friend, put her hand on her shoulder and began praying.
What she said brought tears to our eyes. Campster told our friend that God knew about her concerns. He was listening. She was very specific, and could not have known what to pray, except that she heard what God was saying to our friend. It strengthened our friend’s faith, mine, and even Campster’s. She knows she heard from God and that God used her to bless someone she cares about.
How is it that my kids are so willing to pray, and so confident in God’s answering? Because I am like that. If I’ve just met you, I will offer to pray for you, if I feel led. I am not afraid of what people will think. We pray all the time around here – for everything. Two days ago, I couldn’t find a Netflix disc that needs to be returned. I told the kids to look everywhere. After a few minutes, Sher-bear said, “It’s okay guys. You can stop looking. I prayed. We’ll find it soon.” I love her confidence.
You can’t convince your kids of what you don’t believe. Sometimes we want to believe, but we don’t really. Yeah, they can tell. If you want your kids to have a strong faith life, you have to strengthen yours. What you pay attention to, gets bigger. Pay attention to the answers to prayer. Make it big for yourself! Celebrate and worship with boldness. As my friend Doug Schaupp says, “Turn a God Moment, into a God Movement.”
If you make God a big part of your day – praying often and aloud, your children will too. Give it time if this is something that is new to you . Prayer is something that you get better at with practice. Remember, it’s just talking with someone who loves you. It doesn't have to be any fancier than that.
Wish you were here!


5 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR SPIRITUAL HEALTH
1. Pray every day. Prayer and meditation relaxes the mind and spirit. Talking to God is a way to connect spiritually with the source of all power. Through prayer, lives can be changed, relationships can be healed, and you can find strength to keep going on your journey.
2. Attend the church of your choice at least twice a month. There are all kinds of churches for all kinds of people. Find one that fits you and your family. If music inspires you, find one with great music. If small group discussions excite you, find one with groups for everyone in your family. Make sure the church has a positive message and uplifting people. Remember, not all churches teach the same things.
3. Read. There are thousands of books about spiritual life. Find one. If you like it, read it two or three more times. Take notes. Apply all that you can from what you have read to your daily life. If you want to rea


Today is a short one and oh so easy! I was so excited to see some great friends today who were kind enough to hold a surprise event for me! Not only was it a delight to be thought of in advance (at least enough to plan an event) but so nice to see these fabulous ladies outside of their regular school environment.
I am fortunate to have many kind, understanding, patient and forgiving friends. All godly ladies who are great people in their own rights but are also super friends to others. God has blessed me with many friends and I was reminded of that today.


While I was in prayer in my home, I had a vision and
began to pray about what I saw. In the vision, I saw a baby with
a white baby hooded cap. The baby had a well rounded face
and a completion of pale white. Under the hooded cap the baby
had no ears. I prayed for this baby and went on my way
through the rest of my prayer time.
A couple of months later, I was invited to go to San Blas
Islands in Panama. We visited three islands: Irigandi, Ukupa,
and Playon Chico. The people were pigmy Indians called Kuna
Indians. They did not speak English or Spanish but a dialect of
Our team met up with a Pastor of a Baptist church. He
allowed us to stay at his church while we would visit the islands
and do medical missions. We administered a stomach medicine
to help get rid of worms that was a major issue because of the
unsanitary fruit and vegetables the people ate.
We slept in huts on hammocks to keep from get bit by the
rats and covered our hammocks to keep from getting bit by the
mosquitoes and bats. Fresh homemade bread, bottled coke, and
the catch of the day fish or prawns were the staple food that was
safe to eat for us.
The clear blue water was deceiving as it looked like it
was shallow, but it was several feet deep. Starfish were
beautiful and sea urchins were abundant. Plantain bananas,
breadfruit, coconuts, and mangoes were good if you picked it
fresh and ensured nothing was in it before you took a bite.
The people were small in stature, bronze in color, and
most of the men had large muscles on their forearms. Big dark
brown eyes peeked at us while we would preach at the church
hut that was lit with lantern. It was not much light at all, but the
joy of the people lit up the atmosphere. They traveled far from
one part of the island to the other just to hear what we had to


The 300 acre cemetery which was originally part of the Buri Buri Rancho had been purchased by Bishop Riordan the previous year.
On 7 Jun 1887 Timothy Buckley was the first to be buried in the cemetery.
|Click here for entire article|
sfgenealogy.com has images of the Registers of Burials in Holy Cross for the years 1887-Jan 1911 which give you name, death date and burial place. You will also find registers of removals from Calvary Cemetery to Holy Cross for the years 1887-1939. These registers supply name, original date of death and new burial place. Most of the burials and removals in the registers will be found in the Grave Locator also available on sfgenealogy.com.
FindAGrave lists over 350,000 burials in Holy Cross, however, only 7% have been photographed.
This is a wonderful cemetery to visit. Ornate monuments and crypts grab your attention at every glance as you wander over the well manicured grounds. Use the Grave Locator and section maps, which are available on the cemetery's website or in the office, for easy navigation by car and foot.
There is room here to inter the Catholic Dead for at least another 100 years.
- Holy Cross on Facebook
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- Holy Cross on Tumblr
- Bella Morte: Holy Cross Cemetery
- About Grave Locator a SMCGS Blog Post
- Burial Place Finally Found a SMCGS Blog Post
- 125 Years of History Ministry and Service a SMCGS Blog Post


“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:23-24 NIV
There is no such thing as luck but there is such a thing as grace. Grace is the unmerited favor of God. You can’t buy it. You can’t earn it. Grace is a gift given by God. The moment you opened your eyes this morning, you were given grace to get through another day.
Despite what you may have been told, you were not an accident. Your life does have a purpose. You may be a mess but by God’s grace you can be redeemed. It is by God’s grace that you receive all blessings. You are dearly loved even when you make mistakes. You are forgiven by God’s grace. Even if you feel like everyone is against you. You are never alone. Healing, wisdom and prosperity are all available to you in abundance because of grace.
Jesus died so that you could receive the gift of grace. Don’t let such precious gift go to waste.
“I will sing to the Lord for he has been good to me.” Psalm 13:6 NIV
“I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you.” Leviticus 26:9 NIV
Make way, God is coming through and He is carrying a boat load of blessings just for you. Get rid of the clutter of doubt and confusion. Take out the trash of bitterness, anger and unforgiveness. Sweep the floors of the dirt of envy, greed and hatred. Remove the dust of fear that covers all the surfaces. Wash the walls of the filth of shame and guilt leftover from your past. Clean the windows so that you can see God’s grace and mercy shining through. Open the doors to let in the fresh air of love, peace and wisdom flow through.
God is coming through and our houses must be in order. We have to be prepared to receive our blessings. The past has expired and God wants to replace it with our future. Stock up on His Word. Rejoice! God is coming through!
“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For just in a little while.” Hebrews 10: 35-37 NIV


This article is part of our Prayer resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Rev. Prayer is a powerful weapon, and it CHANGES things. Our thought life is a master switch of sorts for our actions. Serenity PrayerThe Lord’s PrayerPrayer for PeaceMorning PrayersGood Night Prayers, Prayer for HealingPrayer for ProtectionPrayer for God’s HelpPrayer for AnxietyPrayer for Strength, 3 Reasons the 'Christmas Star' of 2020 Is Bringing So Much Hope. In a nationally televised address on Easter Sunday, 2020, Archbishop Davies said. So we pray for a good start to secondary education for some and a good end to secondary education for others. Image. Jesus, during Your ministry on Earth You showed Your power and caring by healing people of all ages and stations of life from physical, mental, and spiritual ailments. In the name of Jesus, we pray these things, amen. Jamesha Wadell, a senior at Livingstone College in North Carolina, died Thursday morning after being admitted to the intensive care unit, according to PEOPLE. April can contain a … A Prayer for Teachers and Educators during the COVID Crisis Meg Bucher Writer and Author Today, we pray for the teachers and educators on the frontline of our homes, pouring into our students and going above and beyond during a situation no one saw coming, or thought possible. COVID-19 Tips for College Students (Poster) Tips to protect students from COVID-19. 8 ways teachers can continue supporting students during the COVID-19 era Now more than ever, teachers are an important part of facilitating student learning, well-being, and growth. By: Chad Engbers Tags: coronavirus, covid-19, lent, lord's prayer Worship Service Whether you are a parent, teacher, or student yourself, or simply a caring friend who is looking to pray over those starting a new school year, we want to provide some simple prayers we can all use. … Michael A. Zampelli, S.J., member of Marquetteâs Board of Trustees, , by Meg Marciniak, senior in the College of Education, A prayer for the Marquette community during COVID-19, Yes, this is grief â Sifting through emotions of a semester cut short, The Preferences in a time of Uncertainty and COVID-19, COVID-19 - Employee and Student Voluntary Disclosure Form, COVID-19 feature content from the Marquette community, Required additional federal CARES Act reporting, Tax guidance related to receiving CARES funding. We pray for self-discipline for the students who are completing virtual classroom time and classwork, as well as for the students going into classrooms or even splitting time between both. Can Loved Ones in Heaven Look Down on You? Help us to rely on You for all of our concerns, whether they are financial, academic, spiritual, or others. Spirit of God, … Help us to draw comfort from your sovereign presence and loving nearness. CAMPUS ALERTThe latest coronavirus information and updates: marquette.edu/coronavirus. We know that many of these workers must send their children to an outside daycare or preschool; we thank you that some of these care places and schools are open so that these parents have the opportunity to take their children there while they’re away. pdf icon . Father God, I never imagined that I would get this virus. Prayer in a time of anxiety. We also pray for their spiritual growth, in Your name, Jesus. Our God is not socially distant. This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright © 2020, Crosswalk.com. May this year be a year of growth for all of us Lord, but especially our college students as they make decisions that will impact their future. During this Coronavirus pandemic, many are tempted to fear, anxiety and perhaps even despair. Please give them parent advocates and other teacher friends who will support them and help them. Prayer Requests from our Students. Help them to remember that they are not alone. Colleges and universities are struggling with multiple challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic — from upholding the caliber of student education to supporting the health of students… Lord, you are the Creator, with power over the creation, so we pray for COVID-19 to be destroyed. How to Protect Yourself and Others (Handout) Everyday preventative actions to slow the spread. We pray that all these students, parents, and teachers would draw closer to you in this uncertain time, and we pray that they would seek Your purpose in all that they do. And with so many unknowns about the virus, the schools are left uncertain on how to proceed also. The goal of having children attend school in person--which is how they learn best--is only safe when a community has the spread of the virus under control. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, a lot needs to happen so that students can learn and thrive without raising the risk of spreading the virus. as … Submit a prayer intention. Last semester school was probably a bit crazy for you as a teacher, or for you as a parent or student. We thank you that you provide for all of our needs Lord, and we pray that both students and teachers would have the internet connection and technology they need to effectively learn and teach. Higher Risk for Severe Illness (Poster) Learn what … With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of 20 prayers to pray during this pandemic. “A scared world needs a fearless Church.” These words of A.W. In Your goodness, turn Your ear to us and hear our pleas. Lord, we also pray for energy and rest for the students and teachers so that they would be able to plan their lessons and effectively teach all their students, also that the students would be able to learn and keep up with their lessons. Will I Still Be Married to My Spouse in Heaven? Create a video blog of life during the COVID-19 outbreak. Posted Mar 29, 2020 . The latest coronavirus information and updates: We ask the Marquette community in this time of social distancing to come into closer understanding of the ways we can help support and lift one another up. during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis of Spring 2020 and their views on issues related to college attendance in Summer and Fall of 2020. Help us to think of others more than we think of ourselves, and help us look to You, God, above all other things. Students wearing face masks wait for the start of the annual college entrance examination amid the coronavirus pandemic at an exam hall in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020. EMAIL. 1250 W. Wisconsin Ave. Our God is not socially distant. Prayers and Resources for Healing and Hope During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic. Help them remember that though they are parents to young children, they themselves are children of God. As challenging as this time will be for middle school students, we also realize that new challenges have arisen for middle school teachers. Suggestions from HDS Students for Spiritual Practices During the Pandemic Things Unseen, by Stephanie Paulsell 10 Guidelines for Pastoral Care During the Coronavirus Outbreak, by Eileen R. Campbell-Reed Hands-Free Sacred Greetings from the Interfaith Council of USC Managing Fears and Anxiety around the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dear Lord, we pray for preschool-aged children this school year; we pray that they would not fall behind in learning important educational and social skills during this COVID-19 crisis. For Those Infected. Please keep the students, teachers, and staff safe when they are communing together in one building; we pray for their health and for the right precautions to be taken to ensure their wellbeing. Dear Lord, we pray for the elementary students and teachers going back to schools this next school year. The coronavirus did not take God by surprise; He is still governing and sustaining the world (Col. 1:17). A Prayer for Teachers and Educators during the COVID Crisis Meg Bucher Writer and Author Today, we pray for the teachers and educators on the frontline of our homes, pouring into our students and going above and beyond during a situation no one saw coming, or thought possible. May God give us peace, strength, and JOY in the school year ahead! doi: 10.2196/20185. 10 Easy Ways to Get it Back, 10 Things the Bible Says about the Mark of the Beast, 6 Things to Know about the Messianic Prophecies of Jesus, A Prayer for Families Going through Divorce This Christmas, 6 Ways to Protect Your Peace This Christmas. In this time of darkness, let us choose to see and be the light for others.". I trust you, but I confess … She has a B.A. Pray for students who are being required to vacate university and college housing with very little notice. Remind them through Your Word that though things may not go the way we plan or even hope, there is purpose in everything because You are sovereign over all and You work through all circumstances. Lord we know that some workers are not able to work from home, and as essential workers, they must go into a hospital, office, or store. I urge you to continue to pray. We can uplift their work, their families and all those who need hope and healing through prayer. Yes, this is grief – Sifting through emotions of a semester cut … May my prayers and support be with them all. -- Philippians 4:16 (CEB) During this time of crisis, it is critical that Christians pray. COVID-19 has caused serious emotional challenges for young people. Prayer during COVID-19. Marquette.edu // Coronavirus (COVID-19) //, As President Lovell said in his recent address, "We ask the Marquette community in this time of social distancing to come into closer understanding of the ways we can help support and lift one another up. Pray for Their Thought Life. As we start the new academic year together, be strong and courageous. pdf icon. So many teachers, parents, and students are struggling right now to adjust to new methods in hopes of preventing the further spread of the coronavirus. Millions of Americans got an early Christmas present this year – on Friday, the U.S. Department of Education extended the coronavirus pandemic-induced pause on student … We pray that this different school year would not discourage teachers, students, or parents; please help them to look to You during certain times and uncertain times. I have come back to you, and I will return, knowing that your open arms will never fail. Executive Summary. Milwaukee, WI 53233 Liz Auld is a senior editor with Salem Web Network; she edits and writes content across the editorial sites (Crosswalk.com, Biblestudytools.com, iBelieve.com, Christianity.com), with a focus on Search Engine Optimization. May our troubled minds rest on the things above and find joy in Your steadfast love for us. Here are 7 back to school prayers for students and teacher who are facing new challenges and anxities due to COVID-19. I pray to the birds. Prayer of Pope Francis During the Coronavirus Pandemic. Let them find peace and rest in the comfort of your presence O Lord. May my anxiety be transformed into love. Dear Lord, we pray for students who are transitioning from elementary school to middle school during this crazy time. Please protect the families of the students and teachers as they return home each day; please slow the spread of the virus so that it would not infect these families. pdf icon. We also pray that our students would not be fearful, rather we pray that they would be hopeful about the future and that they would be content with what they currently have and the direction they are heading in. Why not bathe the college student in your life with prayer? ", Rev. A prayer for the Marquette community during COVID-19, by Rev. Father God, we pray for the students who will be doing school virtually from home; we pray that they have the resources they need to do schoolwork at home. Lord, you are the Great Physician, so we pray for healing for the victims of COVID-19. Lord, we thank you for these teachers who choose to spend their time nurturing middle school students; we know there are so many facets of teaching that expand outside the normal bounds of classroom teaching. Oklahoma Christian University is a higher learning community transforming lives for Christian faith, scholarship and service with a 14-to-1 student teacher ratio. Lord, thank You for hearing the prayers on our lips and the prayers in our hearts. Please give the teachers, students, and parents the patience they need for this new type of schooling that they could all work together to accomplish what needs to be done. Our thought life is a master switch of sorts for our actions. My son got COVID-19 at college; these are lessons I learned. We know these students are trying to get degrees so they can eventually have a job or trade in the workforce and support themselves, so we know it can feel overwhelming when plans change or seem to be delayed. 23-Year-Old N.C. College Student Dies from COVID Complications 2 Months After Leaving Campus to Self-Isolate this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Calvin University professor Chad Engbers prayed this prayer on March 12, 2020 during the daily chapel service. We believe that Life-to-Life ® discipleship has the potential to transform more lives during this COVID-19 crisis than ever before. In this time of darkness, let us choose to see and be the light for others. Spiritual Resources During the COVID-19 Pandemic. 2020 Jun 17;22(6):e20185. 1. Additionally, we pray that You would help these high school students to find the balance between social interaction, rest, learning, preparing for the future, and spiritual growth. We pray for kind reactions and gratitude for the work that is still able to be done. Thank You that You are sovereign over all things, Lord, amen. Archbishop Glenn Davies has called for fervent, daily prayer for the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the spiritual health of Australia. We pray for the teachers who have to switch to online learning formats that they would be able to have the resources and technology training they need. We thank you that teachers can be a resource for students who may be struggling with non-academic conflicts. Due to COVID-19. Thank You for all the blessings You have given us and help us not to overlook them in times of struggle and strife. Pray for people who are infected with COVID-19 or facing quarantine. We pray for protection over these people that the masks they wear would prevent them from being exposed to the virus. We pray that these students would not disregard precautions that need to be taken out of a false sense of security. We have the victory over the coronavirus (COVID-19)! We pray for creative energy for those who are trying to teach preschool lessons to their children; please help them come up with ideas that will strengthen their relationship with their child as well as giving them valuable skills for growth. Help these mothers and fathers to start their day with prayer, to look to you when they’re exhausted and struggling to find the balance between parenting at home and working. Let us remember that we are all going through the same uncertainties together and let us lift our voices and our hearts to God, asking Him for guidance in this troubled time. While prayers cannot be held at the chapel of the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva where the ... Sorrow without Fear, Bible study in times of Covid-19 on Psalms 42 and 43 by Benjamin Simon. Keep me in health, I pray, and keep me from harm. A Prayer for Faith That God Wants to Answer, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. there is currently no eucharistic adoration, confession or rosary services. Fewer students are opting to attend college in the U.S., deterred by Covid-19 risk and the prospect of taking classes online. The 200 acre campus houses a student body of 2,250, of whom 186 tested positive for COVID-19 sometime during the fall semester. The shift upended the routines of students, faculty, and staff alike. How Colleges Are Grading Students During Coronavirus As colleges shift to online classes, many schools are beginning to reevaluate how they grade students. He longs to hear our prayers and answer them. We know that this is a hard transition for many children even during the most normal of circumstances. in Religious Studies and has taken post-graduate classes in Theology and Global Studies. We pray for connection and community for these parents so that they could come alongside one another in encouragement and share what they’ve learned and what they’re struggling with. We also pray that these students would have respect for their teachers and be patient with all the changes rolling out. BWHS Student Email April 6 2020. Symptoms of COVID-19 (Poster) Know the symptoms of COVID-19. A phantom disease invaded our peace, our plans, and our security. Health-competent faith communities, experiences from HIV and AIDS epidemic. With schools around the country closed, students are facing unprecedented change. Do you have a suggestion for how we can improve the Coronavirus (COVID-19) website? Invest spiritually in someone else’s life today, when people are more focused on one-to-one connections than they ever have been. A Coronavirus Prayer Kerry Weber March 02, 2020 A woman wearing a mask prays during Ash Wednesday Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral in Hanoi, Vietnam, Feb. 26, 2020, amid the coronavirus … May we turn our fears and worries over to the One who is able to carry all of our burdens and let us ask God to replace our discontent and anxiety with joy and hope. This was one of the last chapel services conducted before the campus closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. 03.18.20 | Congregational Development "Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks." Amen. Prayer for a pandemic. Catholic Bishops of Ohio Letter April 28 2020 BWHS Student Email April 21 2020. Pray for God's healing mercy and that He would graciously bring this pandemic to an end.
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We visited La Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad “The Mission of Our Lady of Solitude” this weekend as part of our return from Santa Barbara. We are working on getting to all 21 California Missions and Soledad made #5.
The location was selected primarily to shorten the distance between Missions, it lies between Mission Carmel and Mission San Antonio. So it was never a large mission, but today only the the South Wing and Chapel of the original quadrangle remain. The existing structure was restored in the 1950s but the ruins of the North Wing remain preserved in their original location.
My research is failing to tell me if this is the smallest mission, but it is certainly the smallest we have seen so far.
Soledad was the first Mission we visited without a set donation for visiting the museum. The museum was small, but it did have a great display of all 21 California Missions in diorama.
Before we take the kids into churches we have a little talk about being respectful and quiet because people are worshipping. HJ walked into this chapel, sat meekly in a pew, looked around, and loudly said “No one is worshipping God in here!” I’m just hoping the family that was walking in at the time didn’t hear her.
The altar was beautifully painted, but the highlight for me was the ceiling. So simple but such a statement.
Although the sides and back of the Mission are dusty and dirty, the front is landscaped and full of flowers. Considering the mountain views and imagining California before development, this really isn’t a bad spot for a little Mission.
The backyard includes the graves of Governor Arrillaga and Father Ibanez, the ruins of the North wing, and this fountain. In every direction there are dusty roads and fields with the mountains on the horizon.
After the Mission we stopped at what is becoming our favorite milkshake stop, Lolita’s in Soledad.
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What does true worship mean to you? That’s a good question and one that we should give some careful thought. For so long we have limited our understanding of worship to outward expressions in church. Yet, it’s so much more than that!
Worship is more than the clapping or waving of your hands. Instead, it is what is going on in your heart. What ultimately makes you a worshipper is not your outward form and expression but your compliance and focus because your heart is in tune with God and His desires for you.
You were personally selected to worship our Lord! With that in mind, I challenge you to open the door of your heart to a genuine encounter with God. Surrender control and give Him the truest and most authentic worship you can offer Him!


For the 2018-19 school year, there are 129 top private schools in Marion County, Indiana, serving 27,902 students.
Minority enrollment is 24% of the student body, and the student:teacher ratio is 13:1.
67% of schools are religiously affiliated (most commonlyRoman CatholicandChristian).
Calvary Christian School Photo – Students To build gingerbread houses at Christmas
Colonial Christian School Photo – Science lab demonstration with Mr. Abreu and Dr. Matzko.
Lutheran High School Photo – Lutheran High School 5555 S Arlington Ave Indianapolis, IN 46237
Northside Montessori School Photo – Northside is located in a beautiful historic home.
Central Catholic Photo – Welcome to Central Catholic School
Christ The King Catholic School Photo – Our priest, Father Todd Riebe, blessing our new Sts. Isidore & Maria Garden.
St Mark Catholic School Photo – St. Mark Catholic School is a diverse place of learning that centers on Christs teachings
Coronado KinderCare Photo – Coronado KinderCare Front
International School Of Indiana Photo – ISI is the first school in Indiana to receive authorization to offer all three International Baccalaureate programs: the Primary Years Program, the Middle Years Program and the Diploma Program. All ISI high school students take the full college preparatory IB Diploma program in Grades 11 and 12. Results over the last four years have been 5% above the world average and 14% above the average for IB schools in North and South America.
St. Matthew Catholic School Photo – Students enjoy working with the Indianapolis Colts NFL football team and their workshops.
Sycamore School Photo – Sycamore School in Indianapolis, Indiana
Show 94 more private schools in Marion County, IN
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For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
EWC Fruitland is a branch from Emmanuel Wesleyan Church of Salisbury, Maryland.
On May 1st, 2016, Rev. Mark Bunting, son of Pastors Tom and Janice Bunting, transitioned to the position of Lead Pastor at Emmanuel Wesleyan Church, Salisbury. It was a great day of celebration as the church recognized Pastors Tom and Janice Bunting for their 30 years of ministry. The church was also enthusiastic about the future with Lead Pastor Mark Bunting. Since the transition, the church has seen a great increase. He is an anointed preacher and has a fresh, passionate vision for the church.
Part of that vision is to reproduce campuses--"One church with multiple locations." On May 8th, 2016, Emmanuel Wesleyan Church launched its first campus in Fruitland, Maryland. Rev. Dana Stauffer, daughter of Tom and Janice Bunting, was appointed to the new Fruitland campus. Rev. Dana's zeal for ministry is quite evident as she focuses on lives transformed and church growth. Through the years, the Lord has given great blessings to Emmanuel Wesleyan Church. He is so good to all. Great is Thy Faithfulness from generation to generation.
Come as you are no matter whats going on or how you feel. We are a house full of God's Love.
We meet on Sunday Mornings at 10:30am at 620 W Main St, Fruitland, MD 21826.
We put a lot of effort into making everyone feel welcome. From the time you enter our parking lot until the time you leave, you will see that we value you as our guest. During your visit, please stop by the information table for a free gift, and feel free to ask any questions you may have.


Have you ever heard of that old Negro spiritual “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen”? That title sometimes seems to define our experience, doesn’t it? We’ve all known those times when what we are going through seems so real, so personal, and so close, that surely no one else can know what it’s like to go through what we are going through.
In some ways, this is absolutely true. Our experiences are unique to us, and it does us no good to try to compare our hardships with others. Hardship is just plain hard, and we may as well acknowledge that.
But the Bible gives witness to plenty of folks who seem to wrestle with hardships as well. We talked about one of those people this weekend in the person of Job. Again, his situation was highly unique—most of us probably do not know what it’s like to lose literally everything all at once. But if we take a step back, his expression of confusion, sadness, anger, and grief at losing so much might seem pretty familiar to some us, don’t they? Sometimes, we just cannot wrap our minds around the reasons behind what we go through.
Now, Job isn’t the only book of the Bible where the emotions of suffering are expressed; and spirituals are not the only songs that give words to what it’s like to be stuck in hard times. The Old Testament of Psalms also records some incredibly haunting, beautiful, difficult, and profound songs that David and others penned in their seasons of trial. Sometimes, we might get caught thinking of this book only as a bunch of lines that are nice to use during our church’s worship experiences. Granted, many, many churches have rightfully used the Psalms for this very purpose throughout history. But many Christ-followers have also turned to the Psalms to give words to their own experiences, because this poetry seems to cover the whole range of human emotions, from intense joy to intense grief.
For example, check out these lines from various psalms:
”Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1)
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer; by night, and am not silent.” (Psalm 22:1-2)
[While the Jews were in exile in Babylon] “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” (Psalm 137:1)
These aren’t exactly the most optimistic words in the Bible, are they? But they are honest. And they do reflect the struggles that these writers were going through.
Yet for all these men went through, many of them also arrive at a similar conclusion in the midst of their suffering. Read this short psalm and see if you can’t spot what I’m getting at:
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Look on me and answer, O Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
for he has been good to me. (Psalm 13, emphasis added)
Did you catch it? There’s that word that Ben mentioned this weekend: trust. Patience through suffering and endurance through trials require trust in God. And this can be a hard thing sometimes. The psalmists were not oblivious to this point. But they were still able to see the goodness of God and put their trust in Him despite their circumstances.
Can I be honest with you for a moment? I know it can be hard sometimes to see God’s goodness in our present circumstances. It can be hard to settle in and trust in God. But, as Ben said in the message, that’s exactly what our patience through difficult times requires.
So for some of us, a really good action step in response to Ben’s message might be to read through some of the Psalms. We’ll find in them a lot of truth about who God really is—and that can really help to re-orient our perspective to put our trust in Him. It can also give us some words to be able to pray to Him in the midst of our present circumstances, even at those moments when our words seem empty.
The Psalms can push us toward putting our trust in the Lord, believing in his goodness, and continuing to pray for Him to give us the patience we need to endure our present struggles. And someday, Lord willing, we might be able to join David in saying:
“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.” (Psalm 40:1)


This will be the second time since the pandemic that Nottingham churches won’t be able to celebrate Easter the way they normally would.
Usually, Heart Church in the city centre would welcome more than 800 visitors each Sunday before the pandemic.
But since the first UK lockdown was enforced on 23 March 2020, the local Pentecostal megachurch has moved online.
Gideon Akpovi who is the Heart Worship band leader explained that “it’s been very new for the team”.
“But the team has done very well and everyone’s just tried to adapt, everyone’s just tried to pitch in where we can.”
In the beginning, Heart Church turned to pre-recordings which would be edited throughout the week and then streamed on their YouTube Channel on Sundays, but slowly transitioned to livestreams once lockdown rules were eased:
Audio: Gideon Akpovi speaks about the transition from pre-recordings to livestreams
Video: Snippet of Heart Worship rehearsing for its first in-person service on Easter Sunday
Despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s public address on 23 June 2020 allowing places of worship to reopen for in-person service from 4 July 2020, it has taken Heart Church more than a year to welcome back its congregation on site.
“Easter Sunday is the perfect day to open up our building…because it’s such a day of hope”
Leah Copsey, Heart Church media manager
Leah Copsey who is the Media Manager at Heart Church said: “Doing church online has been a massive opportunity to reach people who might never come to church and reach different parts of the country and different parts of the world.”
“It’s been challenging as well because you can’t gage the connection that you’re having with people.”
“Because the people aren’t there in the room, it’s difficult to know whether what you’re teaching is really hitting home with people”
Finally, Easter Sunday seems the “perfect day to open up our building…because it’s such a day of hope.”
Video: Leah Copsey explains the COVID measures put in place for first in-person service
According to the latest government guidelines, sizes of congregation depend on the space available in the building and religious authorities must adhere to social distancing measures.
COVID-19: guidance for the safe use of places of worship
Further lowering capacity – even if it is possible to seat a larger numbers of people inside a venue safely, it may not be safe for them all to travel to and from, or enter and exit, the venue.
Staggering entry times with other local venues and taking steps to avoid queues building up in surrounding areas.
Establishing pre-booking arrangements so that, at particularly busy times, no more than can be safely accommodated arrive at the venue.
Arranging one-way travel routes between transport hubs and venues. Advising visitors to avoid particular forms of transport or routes and to avoid crowded areas when in transit to the venue.
Unlike Heart Church, Grace Church Nottingham has been hosting in-person services for a while now.
Since December last year, the Pentecostal megachurch has been offering both in-person and online services. Every Sunday, the church welcomes up to 100 people to its premises.
Gus Bonnington who is the Evangelism Pastor at Grace Church Nottingham said: “It’s been great to see people again. It’s been great to see that people are still coming to church.”
However, following the success of Grace Church Nottingham’s online services, it has decided to commemorate this year’s Good Friday online only at 8pm on their YouTube Channel.
Video: Gus Bonnington welcomes the idea celebrating Good Friday online this year
With lockdown rules slowly easing, churches can only hope they will be able to host services at full capacity again in the coming months.
But for now, the two Nottingham megachurches are excited to be celebrating the passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ this weekend.


On this day in 1909 the first Lincoln penny was issued to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Lincoln's birth. The new design was sculpted by Victor David Brenner, his initials can be seen on the rim of the coin just under Lincoln's shoulder.
I was shown something as a child and it has stayed with me all these years.
"Find a penny,
pick it up,
all day long,
You'll have Good Luck!"
Since being a young boy I have been picking up pennies. I am not superstitious and I know that all my blessings come from my heavenly father. So as I pick the penny up and put it in my pocket I say a silent little prayer in thanking God Almighty for blessing me. I ask that he bring good fortune my way, that he continues to watch over me and my family, and I thank him for the penny. I believe it is the prayer that brings me good fortune, and God lets me find the pennies to remind me to pray and keep my trust in him. Every time I find a penny they are the luckiest days I ever have. Along with New Shoe Days, and Friday the thirteenths!
Never heard of a new shoe day? The first day you get to wear your new shoes is always the best day in those shoes. Always a blessed and lucky day!
I am aware of the history and superstitions surrounding Friday the 13th, but growing up I noticed I always seemed to have great days on these days of bad luck and ill will. Through the years my daughter has relayed they have been good days for her also. I figure for all the people who stay indoors and bury their heads in the covers rather than chance fate, well, somebody has to get all that unused good luck! Might as well be me! But then I know where my blessings are truly coming from. Amen!


Okay, so you love God, you love the Bible, and you want to trust both. But this whole dinosaur thing and millions of years …. it just isn’t fitting together for you. This presentation snaps the pieces together like a jigsaw puzzle.
Our heart is to get the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the message that the Bible and science agree into the minds and hearts of as many people as possible. Therefore we do not want money to be an obstacle. Our presentations are free of charge to all churches, schools, and organizations. We gratefully accept donations and free-will offerings of any size to keep our ministry going.
Request a Presentation


Easter Sunday is fast approaching, and whether you’re doing an Easter brunch, lunch or dinner, make the festivities fun! I’ve included some of my favorite Easter recipes, desserts and crafts to make this day super special.
Easter Caramel Popcorn
Easter Bunny Butt Pancakes
Better Than Easter… Carrot Cake Poke Cake
Easter M&M’s in a candy dispenser or pretty bowl
Easter Cheese and Fruit Tray
Boozy Citrus Punch
Creamed Kale and Eggs
My own Epic Easter Basket!!
I hope you have a very Happy Easter!


This guy's walking down a street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep, he can't get out. A doctor passes by, and the guy shouts up, "Hey you, can you help me out?" The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a priest comes along, and the guy shouts up"Father, I'm down in this hole, can you help me out?" The priest writes
out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a friend walks by."HeyJoe, it's me, can you help me out?" And the friend jumps in the hole.Our guy says, "Are you stupid? Now we're both down here." The friend says,"Yeah, but I've been down here before, and I know the way out.
I realize that professional help is sometimes needed, but many times all we need is a little help from our friends. I try to be this kind of friend.
Another quote I try to follow is from Matthew 5:44. Jesus said, "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." I find this commandment tremendously difficult to follow. Still, if we all worked towards this goal, the world would be a much better place.A final inspirational quote is new to me today. Our pastor showed a clip to the movie, I Am Legend, to introduce his sermon titled, "Light up the Darkness." The clip included this quote that the Will Smith character, Dr. Neville, attributed to Bob Marley, the famous Reggae singer, "The people, who were trying to make this world worse... are not taking a day off. How can I? Light up the darkness." I like the thought of trying to light up the darkness each and every day.
Look for the list other inspirational quoters at Robin's place.


Our last fundraiser of the year was a Coffee Morning at Littlemead Methodist Church Hall. It was a really festive event and the hall was packed with local residents and a group from Rose Lodge Care Home came too. It was lovely to see all the smiling faces when they saw the selection of cakes and all the wonderful craft items that had been made by our volunteers. There was a book stall and a raffle and last of our 300 calendars was sold. Precious little was left by the end of the morning and we raised over £250. A special ‘thank you’ goes to all of our volunteers who helped and to the Church and to everyone in the community who came to support the Coffee Morning.
Merry Christmas to everyone.
Customers arrived before 10.00 am but we soon got the kettle on!
Jenny soon had jars of home made marmalade sold.
We had some lovely craft items for sale.
Painted slates, tree decs. and books.
The last of our 300 calendars sold
Sharon sold raffle tickets.
There were delicious cakes for sale, some called Yum Yums!


The "Book of Life" is a Modern Standard Arabic
translation of the Bible. Arab theologians and linguists began working on the translation in 1973 and the New Testament was published 1982, the full Bible following in 1988. It was sponsored and copyrighted by the International Bible Society. During the last seven years, more than eight million pieces of scripture of this translation were distributed throughout the Arab World.
Over the years the "Book of Life" has evolved
from a translation of the printed Bible to a ministry aiming at communicating the Bible in various media to diverse audiences. The goal of this catalog is to help provide resources for those who are in ministry to Arabic speaking people.


***Tithing is a key way for churches to creatively finance my services. Ironically, many don’t understand the concept of tithing (scary huh?). The article explains it.
What's All the Fuss About Tithing?
In her book, The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity: A Simple Guide to Unlimited Abundance, successful author Rev. Edwene Gaines carefully outlines the definition, important values, and steps to practicing prosperity. She writes,"Tithing means a tenth. To tithe is to return 10% of all we receive to a person, place or institution from which we have received 'spiritual food.' Spiritual food is that which inspires us, teaches us, reminds us of the Truth, and causes us to remember who we really are. It is the infilling energy that reconnects us consciously to the awareness of our own innate divinity... Spiritual food satisfies a hunger for deeper spiritual faith and for a great realization of mission, purpose, and identity. This can come in many forms, like an uplifting message of an inspirational book or the feeling of joy from a piece of beautiful music. Whatever the form, you know you've been spiritually fed when you feel your heart sing." (p. 44)
She continues, "Our tithes must go to those who have fed us 'spiritual food.' It is perfectly logical to split our tithe, sending a portion of it to all those persons, places, and institutions who fed us spiritually." (p. 45) She further explains, "We are responsible for obeying spiritual laws as we understand them. Start where you are right now." Her belief is that "the more you give, the more you surrender your faith to God, the more you receive." (p. 46) God wants you to have everything—if you are willing to have it all. As Rev. Gaines describes, "The sooner we tithe on income received, the sooner we make room for more to flow in. There is circulation OR there is congestion. If we hold on to our tithe, what we are saying to the universe is, 'I haven't tithed on this yet, and am not ready to receive more good.' Hold on to the promise that the windows of heaven are opening for you, and that you are proving that God is the source of your good. There may be fear, but faith overcomes that with positive energy." (p. 48-49)
Rev. Gaines summarizes it well when she says, "God is waiting for you to speak your choices with faith and conviction and to see that you're in motion. God is ready when you are; on standby, just waiting for the signal that you are ready to go. And the signal is when you speak your commitment out loud, then take concrete action!" (p. 160)
The final words in her book read, "You are the light of the world. Keep your priorities straight and remind yourself that a life of prosperity is about far more than money. It's about experiencing joy, achieving your greatest possibilities, and being all that your Divine Creator brought you here to be. Let your light shine brightly. Go forth (Unity's 5th principle) and God bless you." (p. 216)
As a person who has actively practiced the power of intention and tithing, it amazes me how confusing this topic is for people! As a Unity Minister, I sat with all kinds of people as they wrestled with this concept. In order to help us determine whether a person, place or institution is truly a source of spiritual food, we must ask ourselves (as individuals or a larger community) questions like, "How exactly did this FEED me? How did this experience deepen my spiritual awareness?" So often, we co-mingle our moral standards or humanitarian hearts with 'spiritual food' that directly impacts our spiritual enfoldment. Get specific! Examine your true intent. Tease apart why you evolved because of the message, music or experience you want to tithe to. Is the area/person(s) you've chosen to tithe to truly the place you want to give your precious energy? By that I mean, your resources, your attention, AND your intention? Let the decision about tithing become an organic process that warrants further discussion and earnest questioning. If you can't explain your motives to another, more than likely you might be responding from a knee-jerk (or strictly emotional) reaction.
So often, we may...
Confuse donations/charitable giving with tithing.
Not ever be able to see or experience the incredible joy conjoined with the tithing process.
Not understand the full use of the term 'spiritual food.'
Not appreciate the critical role tithing can play in the overall scheme of collective 'greater good.'
Not see the bigger picture of how intention, gratitude, energy, tithes and consciousness interplay.
Become proficient in giving, but may not understand or consider the power of receiving.
Overlook the congregation's spiritual food sources, often yielding to an outspoken few.
Experience that some people unconsciously 'give with attachment.' (If I give this, then I'll get...)
Be too afraid/unaware to release limiting beliefs, old fears, habits, "familiar stories;" or there are issues of unforgiveness which restrict precious energy that affects the wholeness of the community.
Not be able to completely trust in our innate co-creative abilities or the Love of God.
I wholeheartedly agree with prosperity principles and abundance teachings! I feel it absolutely must begin with intention(s) and gratitude(s). As responsible stewards of a spiritual community, where do you want to place your intention? What do you want 'more of?' Also ask, what do you want 'less of?
Last but certainly not least, evaluate the concept of 'being ready to accept your good.' Generally, we answer that question rhetorically with, "You bet I am!" Upon closer examination, however, people may still carry false beliefs of unworthiness or an inability to accept their best, as seen in health, ease, time, love, money, relationships, growth, change or joy. Our own resistance (or disguised sense of unworthiness) can cancel out our ability to receive our inherent good.
Remember, "It is God's great pleasure to give you the kingdom." Do you know what that means? The 'kingdom' takes many shapes and forms. This is a powerful discussion topic for your board, lay leaders and community. Stay open and 'just be willing' to explore this topic! Simply by doing so, energy is manifested anew. By holding fast to the belief and practice that God is Good all the time, and that we co-create with this infinite goodness, our journey, and abundance (however that looks) will begin... Have faith in yourselves by trusting Spirit!


South Ayrshire Church to close for storm repairs
Published: 27 Apr 2012 13:30
Troon St Meddan's Parish Church was one of several casualties, along with Portland Parish Church, who suffered storm damage when the region was battered by high winds in January, that saw an 84mph gust being recorded at Prestwick Airport on Tuesday, January 3.
In St Meddan's a section of plaster from the chancel ceiling came down and ever since the Minister has not been able to use the church's pulpit for safety reasons as it lies underneath the damaged area of ceiling.
Read the full story in this week's paper, out now.


Copyright © 2012 Above And Beyond Academy - Bay Point, Ca 94565
We are a Christian Private School Satellite Program (PSP), serving students from pre-school through 12th grade. Located in the Bay Area; we enroll families in Alameda, Contra Costa, and Solano counties, and include Northern and Southern CA.
Our Academy supports private homeschool families teaching academics and instructing their children to live in the fullness of God’s love, grace, and truth. Above and Beyond Academy is an involved ministry and partnership between parents, students, and our administration.
We recognize that character-building is imperative in our students’ lives, and we are prepared to equip you to strengthen your child’s character and balance traditional learning with new innovations.
Betty has more than 25 years of the Lord’s wisdom in biblical teaching, advising, and counseling to guide you on a path that will keep you focused, knowledgeable, and more confident.
Our Academy takes seriously the charge to transform lives. We’re here to challenge, motivate, and inspire our students for a unique learning journey that will pave their path, open windows of opportunity, and guide their navigation throughout life.
We believe our responsibility is to teach, apply, and restore Biblical guidance to every field of study, to fully equip our children to walk humbly and trust God. It is vital to our very being to build a firm foundation upon Jesus our Savior, surrender our lives to Christ, and live through the power of the Holy Spirit. May we live our lives with strength, courage, and sincere hearts, to serve and encourage others.
Some have asked if Above and Beyond Academy follows a specific doctrinal perspective (e.g., whether Baptist or Protestant). In keeping with the interdenominational nature of our membership, we make a deliberate effort to avoid emphasizing any particular theological interpretation. Our ministry is to concentrate on the basic position of Jesus as the son of God. He lived a sinless human life and offered himself up as the only perfect blood sacrifice for all sin by dying on the cross. We believe Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, proving His power over sin and death and has returned to heaven. We believe in His forgiveness of sin and His gift of eternal life to all who put their trust in Him.
2 Timothy 3:15-17
You have known the Holy Scriptures ever since you were a little child. They are able to teach you how to be saved by believing in Christ Jesus. God has breathed life into all of Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right. By using Scripture, a man of God can be completely prepared to do every good thing.
Above and Beyond Academy believes it is imperative to nurture the whole child spiritually, physically, and academically for the glory of the Lord, and their well being.
Each child is fearfully and wonderfully designed by God. We acknowledge that homeschooling is a privilege and a blessing granted to us by The Creator who entrusted us with the guardianship of His children.
As Christian parents, we believe we are best suited to accomplish the task of educating and training our children to know God, and to become responsible Christian leaders.
This is the heart of Above and Beyond Academy that we all grow in Christ-likeness as students, parents, families, and a community. Beyond that, we desire, to strengthen and encourage homeschooling parents through the power of prayer, one-on-one counseling, and biblical guidance.
AABA intentionally prepares parents to nurture high moral standards, enthusiastic learners, and responsible citizens with integrity.
So keep my words in your hearts and minds. Write them down and tie them on your hands as a reminder. Also tie them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home. Talk about them when you walk along the road. Speak about them when you go to bed. And speak about them when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses. Also write them on your gates.
3 John 1:4
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are living by the truth.
I am sure that the One who began a good work in you will carry it on until it is completed. That will be on the day Christ Jesus returns.
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, only infallible, authoritative Word of God. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is the ultimate source of truth for Christian faith and living. (II Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
We believe there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Born of a virgin, He lived a sinless human life, He performed many miracles. He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice, the propitiation for the sins of all by His death and His shed blood. We believe His bodily resurrection after three days from the dead demonstrated His power over sin and death, and He ascended to the right hand of the Father where he has returned to heaven, offering forgiveness for sin and eternal life to all who will trust in Him. (Matt. 1:23; Acts 4:10-12)
We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful humanity, regeneration by the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ is absolutely essential. (Romans 8:9)
We believe in the resurrection of the saved and the lost. Those who are saved, unto the resurrection of life; and those who are lost will be in a place of eternal separation from God called hell. We were created to exist forever. We will exist with God through salvation or eternally separated from God by our sin. The place of eternal life with God is called Heaven. (John 3:16; Matthew 25:41)
We believe God has given every believer ministering gifts through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God indwells those who put their faith in Jesus Christ and they are empowered to do His work in this world. Each believer needs to yield his self to the Holy Spirit to exercise his spiritual gift(s) to serve and build up the church. (1 Corinthians 12:1-11; Ephesians 4:7-16; Galatians 5:22-23)
We believe we were created as eternal beings and have been given God’s gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. We have no righteousness of our own and must rely completely on Christ's righteousness as a gift, purchased for us by His redemptive work which is called salvation. We believe it is by our acknowledgement in Jesus Christ that we are made right with God and given new life. God transforms the heart and life of a believer at conversion and continues to grow the believer in faith, grace, truth, and love through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 10:9-10; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 1:6)
We look forward to the imminent, personal return of Jesus Christ, when He will come for those who are His to bring us into heaven to be with Him forever. (John 14:1-3; Acts 1:10-11; 1 Corinthians 15:50-52)
We believe the church is the body of Christ, of which each believer is an essential work in progress. It is God's purpose for all believers to be united in fellowship with other believers for their own spiritual growth and the spiritual growth of others. (Acts 2:41-47)
The Heart of Above and Beyond Academy is to glorify the Lord with our lives…
Above and Beyond Academy, as our name implies, aspires to go above and beyond academic studies equipping our students to reach their greatest potential. We believe God has given each child unique gifts, talents, and personalities to enjoy a bountiful life honoring the Lord; by loving God and others, pursuing His wisdom, and sharing their faith with the world around them.
Will and Betty Riddick have served in Christian leadership and homeschool leadership for more than 25 years. In 1987, Betty co-founded the support group CHECC (Christian Home Educators of Central County).
The Riddick’s began their homeschool journey in 1985. They are joyously blessed with four daughters and two sons-in-law. Each one encourages families to walk by faith not by sight~
Equally important to teaching her own children, Betty has taught numerous homeschool students and also taught in private Christian schools. Yearly, Betty oversees co-op classes at Above And Beyond Academy. She is a biblical counselor, bible study teacher, conference speaker, worship leader, and prayer warrior, etiquette instructor, encourager, and Mentor... Betty's desire is for every heart to fall more in love with Jesus~
Will was instrumental in the family's desire to pursue home-education. They have graduated four daughters through homeschooling. Will works full-time and is in ministry. In 2007, following the Lord's leading, Will and Betty began the ministry of Above And Beyond Academy.
The Riddick’s know it is imperative to give Biblical counsel and Biblical perspective, equipping parents to build up honoring Christian character in their children’s hearts. The Riddick’s ministry is to prayerfully guide, counsel, mentor, encourage, be spiritually discerning, and offer loving fellowship to Above And Beyond Academy families~
Above and Beyond Academy is abundantly blessed to have Mentor families who love the Lord and minister in the Above And Beyond Academy family community. Mentors fervently serve by offering their support through counsel, spiritual gifts, prayer, and wisdom to Above And Beyond Academy families.
Trust in the Lord with all your HEART, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge HIM, and HE will make straight your paths.


I know! Can you believe how quick that has come! I am so excited to see all of you and hear how all of you are doing! We will be calling around 5:00! I think we are going to try and do it in the office, so hopefully the connection is good. Also, I did get your packages! The sweaters are so sweet!! Hahahaha, we were loving them! A senior couple in the office took our photo and said that they were going to send it to you, so unfortunately that is the only photo that we have and the sweaters are back at our apartment, so you might not be able to see a photo until next week! Sorry! Okay, come on here! Last year I was totally joking about opening my package! I totally waited and opened it up on Christmas Day!! Haha. . . However, I did start opening up some of my presents for this years package :) Don't tell anyone!
You're dream sounds interesting mom! Sorry that I wouldn't give you a hug, I hope that you don't hold it against me on Christmas! Maybe a bunch of missionaries are going to show up to your house this week wanting to eat, so you better be ready!
Nice! Haha! Cali again! I hope that you had lots of fun and that you were able to fill up a book of all of the Disney Characters signatures for me! ;)
The Christmas parties that we had this week were incredible. They were some of my favorite conferences that I have had since I have been out here on my mission. I asked Brock if he could let you know, but I am not sure if he did. We had David Archuleta come to our mission and sing. It was seriously so amazing. His singing sounds the exact same live as it does on the Cd's.
The whole week was a crazy one in preparing for the conference. We had lots to do and we found ourselves running around the whole week. The conferences were held Thursday in Lyon, and Friday in Bordeaux. Correct, there was only two. There were about 130 missionaries in Lyon, and 110 in Bordeaux. Thursday we had a crazy schedule getting everything ready. We were flying back and forth getting everything set up, running to the store to help pick up food, doing all sorts of other things, etc. It was a really fun, hectic experience. The conference, like I said, was amazing. David did an incredible job. He is so talented and gifted, but so humble. President, Sister Roney, and us all presented, and after each one of us David would sing and say some things. The spirit was so strong when he was singing. Our mission president says often that music and love are the two Heavenly things that we experience here on earth.
After the conference on Thursday we loaded up the Christmas packages and everything we needed for the conference and headed down to Bordeaux. It took us a good while to get there. We rolled into Bordeaux around 3:00 in the morning. When we got there we had to unload everything at the church, so we ended up getting to the apartment around 4:00. We got a little bit of sleep and then headed to the airport to pick David, his guests, and the Roneys up. We gave them the van and then met them at the church. Once again, the conference was incredible. Our presentation went pretty well as well. We talked about the birth of the Savior and how like the Wise Men we need to lay some gifts at his feet this Christmas season.
On the way back we had to make a few detours. We stopped by Toulouse because we had to drop off a fridge and a washing machine. We then took a long drive along the coast until we finally got back to Lyon that night.
We were exhausted when we got back and hadn't really eaten the whole day, but we got a call from a few missionaries asking if we could help them transport some tables to another church. Once we finished up we headed home and just dropped dead haha. Morning came quick!
Church was great!
I cannot wait to talk to you in a few days! Merry Christmas until I can say it to you in person!