Collection: DUST 1.3
oil on canvas
1400 x 730mm
image copyright R.Whaley
Hesychia evokes the prayer traditions in the Eastern Orthodox church.
Hesychastic prayer is in the tradition of apophatic prayer of interior consciousness, a withdrawal into the inward mind and emotion. Here the mind acquires an inner stillness.
This tradition has an ancient history, ranging from Hesykhia the Greek goddess of stillness, to the desert fathers, the Byzantine, Greek and Russian Orthodox churches. Western mystics Meister Eckhart, Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen drew deeply from this source.
In 2006 I visited Yaroslavl Cathedral in Russia. It seemed that Russia’s recent history of iconoclasm had never been. The cathedral, now reclaimed was loaded in ancient meaning. Silence resonated as prayer chants came to rest.
In Hesychia my intent is to suggest the descent into the stillness of hesychastic prayer, where it may even be possible to imagine the sounds of the cathedral echoes.


We invite your family to celebrate with our family this Christmas Eve. Each year we come together in worship with hope and joy to celebrate the gift of Jesus Christ through message, song and communion. FaithLink Family Service at 3:00PM in Emmett Hook Center and Candlelight Traditional Service at 5:30 & 7:30PM in the sanctuary. We hope you’ll join us.
Get out your guns, and get ready for the season with this fun time of fellowship. Last year we raised over $14,000 for the David Toms Foundation, The Methodist Children’s Home, the Allendale Friendship House, and other local missions. There are a wide range of sponsorship levels so that you and your company can help children in need in our local area. The First UMC/David Toms Sporting Clays Tournament is a great opportunity to get ready for hunting season and will be held at the Los Paloma Sporting Range & Event Center. Teams will consist of 5 shooters and the cost includes a great brunch! There will also be a silent auction at the tournament. Players will need to bring a 12 or 20 guage shotgun along with about 125 shells and eye/ear protection. Minors must be accompanied by a parent! The tournament will benefit various local charities as well as the David Toms Foundation. Registration begins at 7:30 AM the day of the tournament. The tournament begins at 8:30 AM and ends around 12:30 PM. We hope to see you there!
|1 (5) Person Team||$500.00|
|Golf Cart Rental||$100.00|


When you visit the Heritage Christian Conference Center, our goal is to serve the King’s household with all of the dignity and respect that His people deserve. As you stay with us in our conference rooms, the goal is for you to be as comfortable as possible, while being refreshed and renewed spiritually.
Located just south of Charlotte North Carolina, Heritage Christian Conference Center offers true international hospitality. We have lakeside walking trails, a fitness room, prayer room, indoor Main Street, free Wi-Fi, picnic grove, bookstore and other shops, security, and an amazing café.
For more information, click HERE


Family Media is the fastest growing Christian media house in Africa.
It prides itself in providing a message of hope to its audiences through Jesus Christ.
We wish to give an opportunity to a Play–Out Technician Trainee in our Transmission Department who meets the following requirements:
- Have a Certificate or Diploma in Electronics / Telecommunication Engineering or in a related field
- Be computer literate
- Must have a positive attitude and be willing to learn
- Be a person of integrity and
Click on Family Media Play–Out Technician Trainee Job in Kenya for more details and info on how to apply.


Welcome to New Life Church
New Life Church is a gathering place for English speaking residents, visitors and missionaries from all over the North Coast of the Dominican Republic.
We come together to worship God, share in Christian fellowship, learn the timeless truths of the Word of God, and receive an encouraging word for daily living!
Many different nationalities call New Life Church their home. Come as a guest . . . return as a friend. We hope to see you soon!
Worship With Us:
Sunday mornings at 11:00 a.m.
La Mulata 1, Sosua, DR
MAP & DIRECTIONS
O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.


In preparation of moving over there, we have been doing a bunch of redecorating and remodeling of the children's rooms, the offices and now working on the Fellowship Hall turning it into a coffeehouse/art gallery. The whole place was gutted as of last night when I was there. However, one thing that is very puzzling and tormenting me, is the "pews" in the sanctuary. This sanctuary is entirely all pews. I have never been part of a church that has pews, so these things are very confusing to me.
The oddness of the pews
As I look at the pews in the church - and sat in the pews in this church, all these emotions come into my mind. These things are so small. You have to squeeze in to get into them. I talked to someone from this church, who said he can't even sit in them because he is too tall and he sits in the back in a chair. They also are very uncomfortable and creaky. Wooden seats with a little red cushion. Once you sit in them and other people sit next to you, you are stuck. It is too tiny to even squeeze past other people to get out. Kind of like being in the window seat of an airplane and needing to get out and make your way past two other people in the seats next to you is what these pews are like.
It's an issue of theology - not comfort-ability
However - sitting comfortably actually isn't the issue to me - as most of the time, I sit on the floor at Vintage Faith Church. I also know we are fortunate to have a roof over our head to worship in, and many Christians in other countries don't have buildings at all or are persecuted for their faith - so this is all in perspective. So, the "comfortable" factor is actually the least of my concerns. I think my dilemma and concern of the pews is what they communicate and what they teach theologically.
I tried to do some research on where these strange things called "pews" came from.
The church did not use "pews" for over 1,000 year after the church was born. In the original vintage church, they met in homes, so the feeling was family, community looking at one another, interacting with one another. The first formal building the church met in weekly was in the post-300 AD time period and modeled after the Roman Basilica (law court) and in these buildings people stood the whole time. There were no seats at all. So even standing, meant interacting and the freedom to walk around and not be locked into one place. In the 13th Century, there were backless benches made of stone placed against walls. They are first were placed in a semi-circle around the meeting room and then eventually fixed to the floor.
In the 14th century the "pews" as we know them were introduced, but were not popularized into church architecture until the 15th century. Wood benches with backs replaced stone seats. Remember, at this time period, the Reformation was happening where the pulpit was introduced as the focal point of church architecture - so the pews then became the places where people took seats to focus on the pulpit and the sermon which was shaped into a certain more formal format at the time of Reformation. It was so people of the Reformation and what was happening could sit and listen to a preacher. They didn't have Bibles on their own, they didn't read for the most part, so in response to what was going on culturally in the early Reformation period they made rows of seats to sit and listen to someone preach.
How we sit and arrange a room reflect our values and theology of "church"
The theology in this is fascinating - as how we sit when we meet reflects what we place as important in worship. The original vintage church met in homes, it was communal, looking at each other in small rooms, discussing and teaching Scripture, praying for one another and eating a meal together. You could walk around, have dialog etc. Then the church moved into buildings where the Table (the Lord's Supper) was the focal point and we stood, moved around the room, interacted etc. Then we moved into buildings where the pews caused people to sit in stationary positions, not looking at each other, but looking at the pulpit and all facing the same direction. This drastically changes the culture and climate of how we view when the church gathers to worship. It becomes more of a sit and watch and listen meeting, than an interactive community type of a meeting.
I say all this, as I love tracing back why we do what we do and why no one questions too often why we do what we do. What we do reflects our theological beliefs and values in many ways - and the pews reflect how we think of what is supposed to happen in worship gatherings. It seems like an odd thing where we meet as a church "family" or we invite someone to experience and be part of a church community, bring them into a room and make them sit for over an hour on these benches crammed in looking at each others back of heads staring at the front of the room. I don't think in our own families, we would have a family meeting and then sit in rows on wooden benches not looking at each other. I am trying to imagine Jesus and His disciples having the last supper meal and sitting in rows of pews as they met. Or as Jesus was teaching them, he made them all sit in rows in pews. It seems His teaching was wherever they were, probably in boats, walking, on hillsides.
For us as a church, pews are almost the exact opposite of how we set our culture to be in worship. We give people the opportunity to walk around, to go to prayer stations, to lay down or sit on the floor if they feel that is how they desire to express worship or pray. To be "respectfully relaxed" when we meet, probably like the early church was meeting in homes to some degree.
We try not to put focus on one person preaching and all seats locked in to face that person the whole time, and we go to extra effort to set up a mix of round tables and chairs to try and create a vibe of community, rather than rows of people looking at backs of heads and sitting stationary like in a bus or airplane or movie theater. So this move to a pew filled room for worship is not very "vintage faith".
Ironically, "worship" is not passive or just sitting down looking in one direction
The common words for worship in the Bible interestingly is "to bow down" or "to kiss towards" which both are actions of the body moving, kneeling, laying down. So the pews actually prohibit that from happening - what worship in the meaning of the word even is.
I guess as I think of pews, I feel restriction, formality, can't move around, can't kneel down, can't leave to go to prayer areas or pray with someone too easily. I think of looking at backs of heads. It seems such a far cry from the original church worship gathering and what we at Vintage Faith are used to.
We have discussed moving the pews out of the sanctuary little by little - and leaving just a few of them, so that will most likely happen in time. We cannot remove them now as to the people who worship there now, they do mean something in terms of what they are used to. So removing them would be too much at first. But - I look forward to the removal of some of the pews. They are very, very odd things and they communicate theologically things about what "church" is, that I find somewhat contradictory to what the vintage values of when the church gathered was about, as well as how we normally worship as Vintage Faith giving a lot of freedom to people. We do have sermons, where people mainly sit - but we do lots of things outside the sermon for people to move about, pray, kneel, participate in prayer stations etc.
Again - this is all said in light of the fact that we should be thankful to have any place to meet or that we are not under persecution, and it petty in relationship to the AIDS crisis and famines and many global issues that make me feel silly even being bothered by having pews. But they are a real thing. And we shall be sitting in them soon.
The oddness of the pews haunts me today. It is raining out. Maybe that is why I am thinking about them right now. The pews. The pews. Oh my.


Sacred Heart Catholic School
Welcome to Sacred Heart. We are a Preschool through 8th grade Catholic school in Patterson, California. We have been teaching children for decades.
We believe in educating the whole child, so while we focus intently on rigorous academics, it may never be at the expense of spiritual formation or personal growth.
We celebrate our Catholic heritage, and invite families of all faiths to join us; all are welcome, and every student will receive an education that stresses Christ-like conduct, family values and community service.
We are intensely proud of our graduates, who leave us well prepared to face the challenges of high school and beyond.
Please tour our school and experience our family. See for yourself why Sacred Heart Catholic School helps children to grow into truly good humans. For more information, see our Facebook page
Peggy Perez & Susan Paiva
Seeds sown in good soil grow; grow with us.
As a parent it brings nothing but comfort to know our son is at a school that nurtures his mind and soul. It takes a village to raise a child and Sacred Heart Catholic School is part of our family's village.Mayra & Kayzell MiltonParents to Giovanni


Chaplaincy has had many forms especially early on in its infancy stages, but the idea of building morale of the troops through spiritual encouragement has always remained true. Doris L. Bergen’s book The Sword of the Lord, eloquently crafts the early time period of military chaplains from the Roman imperial period from 27 BC to AD 500. It is important to note that religion was a severe matter for the soldiers of the Roman army, and the fact remained that there was not a separation between church and state during that time period. As pontifer maximus, or chief priest, the emperor had supreme responsibility for maintaining the pax deorum (peace of the gods) and ensuring that the gods who oversaw the welfare of the state continued to do so. ” Regardless of what our individual belief is concerning God and religion we can understand why this would be important to the army being the most prominent organization in Rome at the time. This would appear to be the beginning of the chaplaincy position. There arose a strong need for having military personnel conducting religious ceremonies and carrying out spiritual responsibilities for the troops.
EMPERORS, PRIESTS, AND BISHOPS A great early emperor that used religion a great deal through symbols and inspiration for his troops is that of Constantine. Constantine had his soldiers place the symbol of chi and rho on their shields for battle. “These were the two Greek letters indicating the name of Christ. ” “It is clear that Constantine connected his commitment to the new God with this subsequent military successes; that commitment launched the Christianization of the empire as a whole, and the Roman army in particular. A great early example of someone performing in a chaplain like role is Eusebius. He was under the rule of Constantine. He would often have a tent set up in the midst of the desert to allow the soldiers to worship. This is a clear and precise example of a church leader catering to the spiritual needs of the Roman soldiers during a time of war. LITURGY OF WAR FROM AINTIQUITY TO THE CRUSADES Liturgical practices for times of battle would become prevalent during the medieval times. During the time period of antiquity to the crusade we can see how liturgy of war is evident for soldiers. ”I have analyzed elsewhere how the old Carolingian liturgical customs converged with homesickness, mental habit, fear, and religious (and physical) delirium, radical alienation, and pilgrimage to fuse the old rites into the new phenomenon of the Crusade in the course of the extraordinary events of 1098 and 1099. ” These are a plethora of issues that really defines what a modern day chaplain still encounters today. So we can see that the basics needs of a soldier have remained the same throughout history, and certainly spiritual needs being at the top of that needs list.
Thus even during this time period there was a strong need for someone to be able to address these common issues during time of war. Then there was the First Crusade, and the success from these events would change how battles were fought. “Their victory gave birth to a new kind of war, a crusade, and with it, the liturgical rites that appeared to have stood the warriors of God in such a good stead. ” Religion is obviously intertwined in the battle with the Crusaders.
CONCLUSSION Clearly from the second chapter of the Sword of the Lord, we can see the importance of spiritual rituals and it’s place in early combat. This is an introduction to the established role in military we see today in chaplains. The First Crusade was a great example of this marriage of ritual and combat. The role of the early emperors, priests, bishops, and both medieval religious and military leaders was in fact to boost, as well as build the soldier’s morale. The fulfillment of these needs of the troops through pastoral care was the job of a chaplain.
We can identify that the role of a chaplain was designed for a person to serve in several categories. The greatest of which was aiding the troops with their spiritual needs during times of war. The history and roots of the position of chaplain can be traced all the way back to the Roman imperial period, and I believe most likely even earlier than that, as the basic needs of men have not changed. These needs become more prevalent during time of war, and there will always be a need for someone to serve in the chaplain role. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bergen, Doris, L. The Sword of the Lord: Military Chaplains from the First to the Twenty-First Century, Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 2004. Eusebius, Life of Constantine (Vita Constantini), Bieber Publishing. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Bergen, Doris, L. , The Sword of the Lord: Military Chaplains from the First to the Twenty-First Century, Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 2004, 29-30. [ 2 ]. Eusebius, Life of Constantine (Vita Constantini), Bieber Publishing, 25. [ 3 ]. Bergen, Doris, L. , The Sword of the Lord, 48. [ 4 ]. Ibid. , 53. [ 5 ]. Ibid. , 53.


South Sudan, Africa
Other than my faith in Jesus Christ and my experience so far in life as a husband and father, what has affected my life the most are opportunities to help someone in need.
Of course, I love to paint. I once thought how great it would be to make a living painting. But alas, knowing many great artists, and hearing from them how difficult it can be to make a living at it, I went in to medicine instead. Through medicine, I have been able to experience humanitarian service. I’ve recently thought, maybe I can paint and convert the production of paintings to resources for others in need.
Underway is a new effort to sell some of my paintings and prints of my paintings and give proceeds to 3 identified humanitarian projects run by people I know and trust. Please Buy art, Do Good.
Cut and paste this and watch:


Trump vs. Biden Political Debate #1 - Christian’s Response
Here I find myself sitting 24 hours removed since the 1st presidential debate that happened on Fox News. It was, to say the least, chaotic. It was rather saddening to see two men, who each had a platform to bring forth each of their ideas and what policies they would implement if they were elected president, and instead they used it to degrade the other side.
I actually had a bingo board I found on Facebook that I was using during the debate that I had printed off- yes it was fun, and yes, I finished it in the first 5 minutes of the debate. Also, I'm sure that I heard the tune of crazy train being played as the background music during the debate.
So, where do we stand as Christians after the debate and process what we saw?
1. Not one person walked away as the clear "winner." I think we saw the current state of our national political temperature. While ugly, it is a reality we need to see right now. This divide I see is a direct example of personal sin and a fallen state of sinfulness. We have lost the voice of the people in this nation where each party respected the other candidate.
2. This does not give us an excuse not to vote. After last night I looked at my wife and told her that this would cause many people not to vote. We must vote, I believe; as Christians, we have been blessed to be in a nation that, even with certain flaws, is still beautiful, and we have the freedom to worship as freely as we want. There is nowhere else I would want to live. We need to be a part of the election process here in the USA, and as we are blessed to live here, we need to be a part of the vote for our nation.
3. The kingdom of God is the allegiance we must embrace. After the debate, I made the mistake of going on Facebook, and not to my surprise, I saw such a divide that it was almost on a biblical level with Moses splitting the Red Sea. As Christians, we must respect and have on display the humility of Christ and show charitable discourse in a world of rage and insults being thrown around on Facebook like 6th-grade dodgeball in school.
John Wesley wrote on October 6, 1774
"I met those of our society who had voted in the ensuing election and advised them:
1. To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy.
2. To speak no evil of the person they voted against.
3. To take care, their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side."
May we heed these words wisely.
4. The Church needs to lead more now than ever. There is a thought that the church needs to be quiet and sit out in our current world. I beg to differ as the church should be the center of dialogue of reconciliation, justice, and peace. After the debate and what has followed on social media platforms, I have found myself in a conundrum. "What is our call as a church at this moment?" Such easy questions burn on my soul. We must be active in our communities, taking care of the hurting and downtrodden, feeding the hungry and addicted, and speaking as peacemakers in this world. James 3:13-18 gives an obvious answer.
Read with me: "Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct, let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." (James 3:13-18 NIV)
Suppose we are to see a revival break out in this nation and see reconciliation happen. In that case, we need to create charitable dialogue and even practice a discourse that shows God's holiness. Church, stop leading by fear and choosing a political party. Neither of these is the kingdom of God. Let the church hold scriptural truth and let the Spirit of God reign supreme. May we as Christians hold our tongue or keyboard and check the wording to that of Christ likeness. May we respect the other party that is opposite of what we choose. May we hold the kingdom of God as our primary source of voting and not culture, which I will write about in the future.


The relationship I have with the Christian faith has been one filled with highs, lows, and everything in between. My faith has sustained me, and yet it’s challenged me enough to make me question its institutions.
Imagine me, a Black woman who happens to be queer, talking about her faith. What does that look like? It looks like someone who grew up in the Midwest, born to an active church-attending family. My parents were loving, accepting, and affirming. Little did I know just how much I would need their affirmation later in life. I was raised with a strong relationship to the church, particularly the Black church. My dad would eventually become an ordained minister, further helping mold and shape the backdrop of my life.
I shared my first kiss with a girl at the age of six. It was a sweet and endearing kiss between two friends, this kiss just happened to be in the basement of the church I grew up in. What an irony for me to feel such safety in that space.
The not-so-notorious incident came to light like this: My parents are informed of the kiss through another church friends’ child. After school one day, my mother asks me about it in a calm and cool manner. I simply explained to her that we were playing “house,” so we kissed. Seemed simple to me. She didn’t get upset or yell, she was understanding and explained how “playing house” didn’t have to involve kisses at such a young age. The years would pass and there would be more kisses and crushes—some girls and some boys. There would be more church activity and involvement and even a few leadership roles. I would later come out to my mom, and she would exclaim proudly, “I’ve been waiting on you to tell me this your entire life.” What a comfort that was. For something I could not quite explain as an adolescent, my mother knew. Parents know. And God did too.
As a child, one of the first songs I learned and sang, was “Yes, Jesus Loves Me”. It is a charming little tune with a simple refrain. It reminds the singer that they are loved because the Bible tells them so. It still brings me comfort when I hear it. I have a reassurance that I am loved by God. I’m glad to know there is proof of this great love. I can search my Bible for a multitude of ways where God shows and proves their love for me.
But what does one do when that same Bible is used against them? When that same Bible is used to portray an unloving God. An all-encompassing God, who despite knowing me and forming me in my mother’s womb, knowing the plans they designed and declared for me would not view me in the image they crafted? What kind of God would God be to not love their creation? A creation others deem undeserving of love, covering, and protection. All based on sexual orientation? The ideology that people who identify as LGBTQIA are destined for an eternity in hell is preached often in church. There is a vision of an angry God when it concerns such matters, but never one of a kind or compassionate God. Never the God who has commanded us to love. For full transparency, the God I know is one to be kind, personal, dependable, and most of all, loving. The God I know to be true, loves us. All of us: straight, Black, disabled, queer, unwed, and everyone in between.
I have a deep reverence for the Black church. It’s raised me, it’s sustained me. It’s also given me a grieved heart. My adult experience in church is full of conundrums.
The Christian faith, as it encompasses the Black church, is a world of its own. She has her own eccentricities and only having been born into her do you understand just how those quirks—good and bad—are ingrained in our culture. Even now, I hold this church in high esteem, even when she’s broken my heart. I often lament over how my LGBTQIA siblings are treated and sometimes cast aside by our beloved ones.
In the Black Church, it’s an unspoken custom, similar to the old military policy of “Don’t ask, don’t tell.” I can identify as LGBTQIA in the Black Church, but don’t share about it. Don’t publicly name or marry your partner, but please, sing these songs and help usher in an atmosphere of praise. It is an unnerving and heartbreaking level of hypocrisy when one can attend a church, serve actively—sometimes in leadership—but not feel safe enough to fully be themselves. How dare I show up as the fearfully and wonderfully made person I am. I often show up, just not as an identifying member of the LGBTQIA community. It is a hard row to tow, being in a space that calls for you to “come as you are,” but with an asterisk. I lived it for years. I have felt shame from the pulpit hearing how I’m hell bound for my same-sex-loving life. I’ve heard the derogatory comments of “Adam & Eve, not Adam & Steve.” It’s taken years of me divorcing those harmful ideas to fully be comfortable about showing up as myself.
Where does that leave me as a believer?
It leaves me with a reminder to go to where the love resides. It calls me to remember that God’s word affirms me, just as my parents have all of my life. I’m reminded that the same God who created me did so with everything about my future in mind. From the hairs on my head to the daughter I’d raise and co-parent with my ex-husband, to the woman I’d build a life with and marry. I sit at this intersection of being Black, Christian, and queer, hoping for a church that I can once again call home. I look forward to finding a church that will see me and all the gifts I bring, along with my family. I long for the moment I can sing the old hymns of the Black church, songs my grandmother would hum that still sit with me today. I look forward to serving alongside other members of a welcoming congregation. I sit here knowing that I live with purpose and calling.
I’ll find my way back to the church, but only when I can be seen fully, where I’ll be accepted and affirmed. I have not turned my back on the church, but somedays I wonder if she’s turned her back on me.
Photos: Leah Rife/Leah Rife Photography
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- This event has passed.
Carols at Lawn
12th December 2021 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
This Sunday we will be meeting at 10.30am with the Lawn Fellowship at the Lawn Community Centre.
Some of us are taking part with the worship which is a mixture of carols and familiarity worship songs.
We also have a children’s video contribution from the Lafford family as well as Roger giving a short Christmas message


Mountaintop Christian Fellowship
Welcome to Mountaintop Christian Fellowship
We welcome and invite you to
where there are no limits as we unite our hearts in Praise and
Worship to God, Whose love has joined us into one family.
The Experience that you will have with God on the Mountaintop will surely bless you as you seek for Him.
Our contemporary Services include Praise & Worship and a message that will inspire & encourage you to live life as God intends.
"And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13
Where the Holy Spirit Moves and
Touches the Heart of the People!


Discerning what's next for the NTA
The associations of the South Central Conference are entering intentional discernment of what comes next for us. Two of our associations have approved plans to dissolve and allow the conference to act as an association for them. This page will help track our process in considering what is next for the North Texas Association.
Why have this conversation at all?
The NTA is running well in our current state. Our finances, while tight, are stable, and while there are several open positions we've yet to find volunteers to fill, most essential roles are operating as they should.
Though we are in an okay position, the NTA is down to 13 actively participating churches, and those 13 churches are being asked to run one of the most active Committees on Ministry in the nation, considering an impressive amount of ministerial candidates while assisting in a rising number of clergy fitness review cases. We are operating in a separate way from any other association in our conference. As other associations in our conference vote to allow the conference to act in their place, our responsibilities and burdens would only increase beyond our limits.
A quick polity discussion
What does a UCC associaiton do? Can the Conference do those things?
Recognizing Jesus Christ as the only head of our Church, the UCC recognizes four co-equal settings of the Church: congregations, associations, conferences, and the General Synod/national setting.
Among shared projects, missions, and a relationship to Master's Workshop Camp, one of the NTA's primary responsibilities has been to authorize, support, and review ministers and to welcome churches into the United Church.
The South Central Conference has traditionally helped more with search and call, outdoor youth ministry, communication between settings, and resourcing congregations.
Because associations hold ministerial authorization in the UCC the role of the association cannot and should not be dissolved. That role, however, can be given to a conference acting as an association. Both conferences and associations are regional bodies of local churches working together and speaking to one another. As our denomination has matured since 1957, some conferences have found it helpful to consolidate these bodies with overlapping responsibilities to combine resources and draw from a larger group of people to form committees and make decisions.
Congregational polity is maintained no matter if the association is a separate entity or not. Separation of powers is maintained as local, regional, and national settings of the church are recognizable in both models. Congregations still send members to participate in committees and boards, send delegates to meetings, and can submit their clergy to regional authorization and fitness review. Our conference then still sends delegates to the General Synod every biennium (soon to be triennium).
Where are the other associations in this process?
Houston and New Orleans
Are the furthest along in this process, closest to completion
Heart of Texas
Is further along in a discernment process, having started before us.
We are at the very beginning of discussing things.
How could this work in the NTA?
The Master's Workshop Camp
The Master's Workshop operates as an independent, NTA related ministry governed by boards which include many NTA members. Their land is self-owned by the camp itself. The Camp Advisory Board will need to edit their constitution to read that they have South Central Conference appointed positions, and the Churchman's Fellowship would need to edit their constitution to allow for members from South Central Conference churches.
The North Texas Association Farm
The NTA owns a 346.1 acre farm near Bruceville, TX. Proceeds from farming this land benefit the operation of the Master's Workshop Camp. This arrangement is codified in the will which deeded this property to the NTA, and even the sale of this land would have to benefit the Master's Workshop. The deed for the land currently reads "North Texas Association, South Central Conference, United Church of Christ," so the farm would become a South Central Conference asset which can only exclusively benefit the Master's Workshop.
The NTA Committee on Ministry
Proposed constitution and bylaw changes for the South Central Conference would provide for the creation of conference-wide Committee on Ministry teams with specializations such as: authorizing new ministers, supporting/reviewing ministers, associating new churches, etc. Membership on these committees/teams would pull from churches across the conference. This would unify processes for new ministers, hold all ministers to the same level of accountability, and spread the work among a larger pool of helpers.
North Texas Association Minister
This is our process, and we could choose to involve and pay for the NTA Minister's services however we so choose. Perhaps we could continue to use NTA funds to pay them to visit DFW and Waco area ministers and churches, connecting us together, until they choose to leave this position.
What structures are still in the works before the NTA could dissolve?
One of the foundational purposes of a UCC association is keeping clergy authorization and records, holding clergy files, and communicating with the national setting about clergy. Before merging into the conference, it would be important to understand who would do this important work. Our current registrar volunteers several hours a week on this work for just the NTA.
Committee on Ministry Considerations
The unified fitness review committee at the conference level is already in place to help support and review clergy in trouble. Potential new conference bylaws could create a unified Committee on Ministry for credentialing new clergy, but those structures are not yet in place.
Regional Support Structures
Working with the conference, the NTA needs to create a plan for support within our region - both for clergy and for churches. We have an NTA minister who we could pay to stay on as long as funds last and they want the job. We would need a plan for clergy fellowship and church cooperation opportunities.
Regional Youth Ministry
In addition to our partnership with Master's Workshop Camp, we would like to see what the regional youth ministry plans hold for the North Texas region after the sale of Slumber Falls Camp.


Starting in September, every Sunday after the service, I felt this pull to talk to Jeff.
Most of you know, but for those you don’t; Jared and I have been trying to have a baby for seven years now. Month after month, year after year, I have struggled. Wanting to know why? I can’t really put into words the feeling as a woman so desperately wanting to have another child and not being able to. It doesn’t help that we go to the most fertile church in America! What was God saying? Every time I prayed, it was either no answer at all or “wait.” I tried to give up and push it out of mind but it always came back, that desire. My prayer was that if God was saying “No” then please just take this desire away from me. I even asked my closest friends that if they ever got the feeling that this just wasn’t going to happen for us, would they please tell me so I can let this go. But truth be told, the desire never went away.
So every Sunday, I’d come home teary, wanting to speak with him, needing an answer. Jared would say, “Let’s make an appointment, email him…” I felt so stupid and embarrassed; I didn’t want to bother Jeff with my questions/problems. I know how busy he is. Jeff has so many people to take care of. I mean, after every service, the guys got a line of people waiting to pick his brain!
So three months later, in December, I went to night service by myself while Jared worked in the café. After the service ended, there it was again, the pull. So I told myself that after I peed, if “the line” wasn’t too long, I’d ask Jeff my question. Sure enough, there was one person talking to him and one in line; not too bad, okay, here I go. I felt like an idiot, standing there, not knowing anyone in the night service, felt like I was in line at the DMV. And this lady keeps talking and talking and talking, I’m starting to lose my nerve and talking myself out of it (Joelene, you know how I do that). So I got up off the arm- rest in the aisle, and started walking away, forget it, another time. But Jeff turned and grabbed me by the arm and said, “Wait, I want to talk to you, do you have time?” (Do I have time? Is he kidding, he’s the busy one...) I couldn’t believe he did that. Jeff easily could’ve let me keep walking and with relief thought, “Good, one less person to talk to tonight”. But he didn’t. I looked up and just shook my head yes and waited for the woman to finish. Jeff politely asked the man that was ahead of me, if I could go first and then sat me down and asked what was on my mind. Those of you that know me know that by now I’m tearing up. My question for Jeff was, “How do you differentiate between what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell you and this immensely strong desire I have? He asked, what is it that you want? A baby. A baby? Yes. Are you married? Yes. We have an 8 year-old girl but haven’t been able to have another one. Jeff begins to ask me more questions about doctors, artificial insemination, IVF, etc, when the band starts getting ready for the next service (still have the 8:08 pm service to go). So Jeff says c’mon and pulls me in the Fireside room and sits me down at a table in the middle. (I feel like every eye is on me). Again he starts asking me what the doctors say, I tell him our situation. He smiles and says “ah your husbands shooting blanks uh?” Yep. He asks “What about adoption?” I was hoping to avoid that question but just looked him in the eye and said, “you don’t know us, but, seven years ago….. blah, blah, blah. I laid it out as simply as I could. Jeff looked right at me and said, “ I think you guys going through that and making it, more than qualifies you for a baby.”
I told him that’s the thing, I don’t want to feel I’ve earned a baby or that I deserve it because of what we’ve gone through in our marriage. Been there, done that. God has shown me long ago that I don’t want what I really do deserve. I’m not entitled to a baby. (But could this desire just go away if God wasn’t going to give me one…)
What Jeff meant was, in the eyes of the adoption agencies, they would see us as a family, how far we’ve come. He looked me in the eye and said, “Shawna I don’t think this will be a problem for you guys” You don’t? No. Jeff said, “I will vouch for you and a Pastor’s word goes along way in these cases”. Jeff told me, “Shawna, it’s very easy for God to open and close doors, you just have to walk through them.”
He said, “Will you go home tonight and pray with your husband about this? Will you talk about it and pray about it over night and email me tomorrow?” With tears in my eyes, I shook my head yes. I couldn’t believe it. He would vouch for us. I felt little swirls of hope. I had to find Jared and tell him everything!
Jared was so happy, for one, I didn’t chicken out and finally asked Jeff my question and two, Jared has always wanted to adopt. Even when we were dating he mentioned it. I started feeling like maybe, maybe we could do this, if Jeff thought so, and he knows a lot of people….Hope started to rise.
Jared and I prayed and I did email Jeff the next day, thanking him for his time and words of encouragement. We did, in fact want to walk through the door of adopting. And also, if we could meet with him as we start this, where do we begin? Elaine Lucas emailed me back and informed me that right after the holidays, Jeff was going to be gone thru January, so we could sit down the first of February. What?! February, that’s so far…
In the mean time, I was on the Internet searching agencies, qualifications of certain countries, the process. I wasn’t overwhelmed, I was fascinated. I kept reading all these testimonials, people who struggled with infertility, the cost of it all and how God provided everything. I read one husbands story that said, “You know I know for a lot of people who struggle with infertility, adoption is Plan B. but God doesn’t have a Plan B. He doesn’t make mistakes. He’s just waiting for us to come around and join our will with His perfect one.”
When I got pregnant with Haley, it was a surprise. We were just married and I had just turned 20. I had an easy pregnancy, an easy delivery; 9 hours. She was such a good baby. It came naturally to me. My mom said, “Honey you born to be a mommy.” I always felt like I wasn’t very good at much, but this, I am good at. So God, why won’t you let me do it again?
This man’s words on the computer screen touched me. He was right. God doesn’t have a Plan B. He knows what he’s doing. I had put God in a box. I was limiting Him out of fear. Fear that, the most painful experience of my life was also going to be the reason that I could not be a mother again. I had to try to walk through that door and stop putting limits on my Father. I called Jared and told him what I’d read and how I felt. He was totally on board.
We have been talking with Haley and what she thought about adopting, she has been praying every night and I mean every night, since she was two, that Mommy would have a baby. Once she even said, “Mom, it’s taking too long, can we just adopt?” One night as I was giving her a bath, she said, “What about Anya? That girl on Deal or No Deal, she’s from Russia, her name is Anya.” Anya… I like it.
I was a little hesitant to start telling our parents and our friends about this. We have no money, simple as that. Where are we going to get the $20-$30,000.00? I was afraid they were going to think this was a phase, or a pipe dream of mine. To my amazement, everyone was so supportive. I was doing my girlfriend Vanessa’s hair at work one day, telling her everything. I mentioned the money. She looked at me said, “Shawna, think back to when you had Haley. If someone told you, you couldn’t have her or you’d have to pay a million dollars… you would say, fine, I’ll give you two million. You would find that money somewhere. And you wouldn’t stop until you did. This is no different. $20-30 grand? That’s nothing. That’s a car”. She was absolutely right. I would go to the ends of the Earth for my little girl.
Vanessa’s words kept resonating within me. More hope swirling. About the next day, as I was cleaning the house, I heard God nudging me. ‘You need to pray for her’ I stopped. And that’s when it hit me. I need to pray for her. For Anya, I don’t know if she’s been born yet or even conceived, but I need to pray for our little girl. Where ever she is, that the Lord is meeting her needs, her birth mother’s needs, that she’s healthy, being nourished and loved and that God would protect her little spirit and her heart. I went down stairs and told Jared, “Okay, her name is Anya and we need to pray for her everyday until God brings her home.” Jared said, okay, let’s do it.
Finally, February came along with our appointment with Jeff. We sat down with him on a Monday morning. He asked how we met, when we got married. About our past and what we went through. We told him everything. We also told him how God was moving and changing my heart over the course of the month of January. Her name is Anya and we’re already praying for her. Jeff mentioned that he wanted the Elders to pray over us. I told him that we had been prayed for and anointed with oil by the Elders about four years ago.
At that time, it was for us to conceive on our own. The following Sunday, one of the Elders that had been there came over to us after the service and said, “you know, while I was praying for you, and this has never happened before, the second part of the James passage kept coming to me, and your sins will be forgiven. I don’t know your story, but I know God wants me to tell you that your sins are forgiven, its okay, you can move forward.” That was so huge for Jared and I. It was confirmation for Jared that the past is gone and he could rise up and be the spiritual leader of our home. It was confirmation for me, that I did the right thing, that forgiveness and trust could be restored in my marriage.
I told Jeff this and he was pleased. He said, later in an email that he and the Elders would love to pray for us but that he thought it should be solely for the adoption process. I assured him that Jared and I have stopped trying to get pregnant and that we were 100% focused on adopting. Now we can do it for fun…pressures off!
That very next Sunday, Jeff did a sermon called “In Need of Repair” It was about healing, spiritually, physically and mentally. As the sermon was coming to a close, Jeff quoted James 5:14; “Is anyone of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord” and with that, all the Elders came forward to the front of the stage and stood with little bottles of oil in there hands. I knew what was about to happen. Just like those amazing couple of weeks of baptisms, Jeff said, “God’s word says it, so let’s do it. You need healing, the Elders are here…” I grabbed Jared by the hand and felt like running down that aisle. It was so amazing, so many people coming forward, waiting to be prayed over and anointed, just like God’s word says. Ray Stradley prayed over us and for our adoption application, for God’s hand to be upon us. As Jared and I walked back to our seat, Jeff came down off the stage and stopped us, he asked us if we had been prayed for and encouraged us to hang in there, that it will happen. Amazing.
We had a phone conference with EAC (European Adoption Consultants). We were forthcoming with our past, where we are, what we’ve learned, yada yada. She stated that she would have to speak with her supervisor to see if they could accept our application. She warned us that there are some agencies that would take us on as clients and our money, then leave us hanging or worse be stopped in Russia. Further heartbreak. She said that she would get back to us as quickly as possible, regardless of the outcome. She called us back within the week and gave us the go ahead! Yeah!
We faxed everything over Sunday night April 5th. We spoke to the agency. They have been so wonderful. Everyone over there has been pulling for us. On Wednesday, April 15th, we found out that we have been accepted by the agency. Such a miracle.
We still have a long road ahead of us, Home Study, our Dossier, finances, etc. But Jared and I have such a peace. I no longer feel that I have hit a wall with God. I am so over that wall and running on the other side. I see that God will bless me with another child, just not in the way I originally thought.
I got a FB message from Lindsay Hammill (she has adopted 3 gorgeous children from Russia) the other day and in it, she said she thanks God every single day for the gift of infertility! Wow, the gift of infertility… I always thought of infertility as something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. It has been that difficult. So as I ponder on Lindsays words, I think, you know, I can see the light at the end of this dark tunnel, and I can honestly say that one day, I too will see the gift. I smile at the thought of one day being able to say that. I’m not 100 % there but I’m getting close.
Monday, April 20, 2009
This marks the beginning of a journey for us. The journey into the world of blogging and the journey of sharing our story. We hope that through reading our blog you will feel the hope that we feel as we begin this journey into adoption...
Thank you for joining us!
Thank you for joining us!


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Taking control of things that can be done from our end is so important in Life so that we don’t spend our time in unfruitful stuff rather build on things that would please God. I failed miserably in taking control of my time as well as in knowing which needs attention in my life. I had to fix some deep holes in my life which needed attention because they were taking my whole energy and attention.
- Taking note of things that drains our Energy and Time is important, so that we don’t spend God’s given time in useless way.
- Never make quick promises to someone on an emotional stand
- I started to take note of my projects I was involved and spent my time wisely by allotting time for Each project
- Stated to spend time with God before hitting bed and made sure that I wasn’t distracted by anything; making sure that I listen to his instruction and where my questions were answered
- Never made appointments that would disturb my time with God!
- When I had leisure time, started to read books & work on my career
- Also, I learnt to be become a good listener to God’s given people in our life who impart their experience with Him.
Jesus as already showed us on how we need to spend our time but it just didn’t get to me. In the scripture, you could see that Jesus used to leave his disciples after a gathering and made time to spend with God the Father by moving to the mountains alone. Also, Jesus spent the time fruitfully as well as made sure that he was always connected with His Heavenly Father. The time given to us is for a purpose and it must be rightly spent; also, you can’t surround yourself with things that would distract you when you have your personal time with God.
You need to take the first step, so that God can guide you further.
“The Holy Spirit inside you is so pure and so passionate in what you do, so start working with Him”.
Make him glad by spending your time wisely and grow your Faith in God in an unmeasurable way.


Christ Church in Milford Haven once again held their Annual Christmas Carol service last year; all in aid of Paul Sartori Hospice at Home. The Church has a small choir and they made the decision between them to support the local charity again in 2018, by having a collection at their service.
They raised a fantastic £240.00 at their Christmas Carol service which will help the charity to continue providing the vital support to Pembrokeshire people living in the later stages of any life-limiting illness. “With all the good work you do all over the area, we thought it fitting to choose Paul Sartori Foundation again this year” said Peter Griffiths of Christ Church, Milford Haven.
Phil Thompson, Chair of Paul Sartori Hospice at Home said “We are extremely grateful of the Christ Church’s support by donating their collections to us at Paul Sartori. It is through the generosity of the Pembrokeshire people that we can provide these vital services from home nursing care and equipment loan to the complementary therapies, bereavement and counselling support.”
The Paul Sartori Hospice at Home Service provides a range of services to Pembrokeshire people living in the final stages of a life limiting illness, including home nursing care, equipment loan, complementary therapy, bereavement and counselling support, clinical nurse specialist in palliative care, physiotherapy, advance care planning and training.
The services provided by the Paul Sartori Hospice at Home Service enable people in the later stages of any life limiting illness to be cared for and to die at home with dignity, independence, pain free and surrounded by those they hold most dear if that is their wish.
Services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, thanks to the kind generosity of the Pembrokeshire Community.
Further information on the charity and the services offered; can be obtained from this website or by phoning 01437 763223.
Pictured: Peter Griffiths presenting the cheque to Phil Thompson, Chair of Paul Sartori Hospice at Home.


The word discipline is another word for enforcing control and inflicting punishment. However, it is also the same word used describe a field of study, a path towards changing behaviors, bringing order, and developing moral character. It is no wonder in a world where Christianity is allowed the reputation of being both life giving and demonizing that we have also let one of its most important pieces carry the same torch.
The word "discipline" comes from the Latin word "disciplina" which means
instruction given, teaching, learning, and knowledge. Another derivative of discipline is "discipulus" which means "disciple." There is no mistake that discipline and discipleship are rooted in the same meaning.
|Me and my mom connecting to our roots|
We are disciples of a way of life that is about releasing control to God and being bound to His provision. We are grafted to His life force and cut away from that tree we cannot receive nourishment. When we are tapped into the source of life then we grow and the intention of that growth is fullness in love.
When I think about times in my life where I experienced the most joy, abiding, lifestyle joy, those seasons are always ones where I have been intentionally disciplined. It looks different for everyone. For me, I practiced the spiritual disciplines, I showed myself love, spent time experiencing God in the provision around me, and I chose a spirit of gratitude daily.
Jesus promised a Samaritan woman that if she drank the water he could give her then she would never go thirsty again. This covenant with God is simply that if we will practice the way of discipline and allow our roots to be graphed in Him then our souls will be free to truly live.
I've often shared with people that I spent a lot of my early adult years trying to control my life. I chose the schools I studied in, I chose how I would use my time (traveling of course), I chose friends who I thought were great, I chose the guy I wanted to date. My life was really good. I could not imagine a life that could be more incredible than what I created for myself. However, in all of that time, I could not shake the little tickle inside me that reminded me that my life could be better. My life was good! How could it be better? I was living into everything that I ever wanted for myself.
|A painting I created that reveals the interconnected way of a life both rooted and free to grow|
As the church, we have allowed our "God is love" mentality to erase the commitment to the daily practice of discipline. We've reduced God's way to a "good person to-do list". A life in discipleship, in discipline, is actually a practice in being part of God. Discipline is being not doing.
I dare you to try it, just for a week, live into that little tickle-voice that is urging you to submit to a life that is better than what you can imagine.


Taken from Acts 2:42-47
The first century church was:
1. A learning church (vs: 42) “They devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching…”
The Greek word here for “Teaching” is not passive, it is active. The Apostles were actively teaching and the baptized believers were devoted to this teaching. SO, what was this teaching? Well in Matthew 28:20 Jesus had told his Apostles to:
“Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you”
Sounds like a daunting task…”Teach them Everything”
But, Jesus had not left them to rely on their memory. In John 14:26 He had told them that the holy spirit would “Teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you.”
So, again; What were the apostles teaching that they were so devoted too?
“Everything the Lord had commanded.”
2. A Fellowshipping Church. (vs: 42)
What does “Fellowship” mean? The Greek word for fellowship could also be: Partnership, Participation, Oneness. To have fellowship with each other is so much more than just being around each other twice a week. It means caring for each other, loving each other, having something in common with each other. It means to carry each other’s burdens (which is a sermon all to itself). When you do these things, when you truly have “Fellowship” with each other, positive things happen as a result.
3. A “Remembering Jesus” Church. (vs: 42 “breaking bread”)
When the first century church got together they broke bread…they devoted themselves to it. Some would say; Lynn, how do you know this is referring to the Lords Supper? Well, I don’t know (for sure) if this is talking about the “tradition” we now call “the Lords Supper”. But I do know this: When the first century Christians “broke bread” they thought of Jesus. How could they not? And I ask you, isn’t that what “The Lords Supper” is?
4. A Praying Church. (vs:42)
This means they talked to God. When they needed to make a decision, They talked to God. When they needed guidance, they talked to God. They were devoted to talking to God. It seems that communication with God was important to them. God was in charge (and BTW He still is)
5. A Fearful Church. (vs: 43)
I must confess, I like the NIV best. It seems to have the least amount of errors in translation to our current day language. But I don’t like it’s translation here; It says: “Everyone was filled with Awe”. What does “Awe” mean to us today? Well, I asked some people and here are the answers I got:
Wonder, Amazement, Stultified (yes someone actually said stultified), shocked, startled…do you see the confusion? None of the answers are even close to the Greek word; “Phobos”. (Which means Fear or Terror.) It is the ultimate respect of God. We most often refer to it as “Reverential Fear”.
At any rate, this “Awe” means they were a Fearful Church. When they began to lose some of that fear God stepped in and reminded them (Look at Acts 5:1-11)
6. A Church where things happened. (vs:43)
“Signs and wonders” were done there. Now, look at this quote (I forget where I heard it)
“If we expect great things from God and attempt great things for God, Great things will happen for God”.
Read that a couple of times. How does this apply to us? If you expect your church to be a church of 10,000 then you need to attempt to be a church of 10,000.
When faith dies, achievement dies. Great things happen for God when we believe that God and us working together can make it happen.
7. A Sharing Church. (vs:44&45)
Why were they a sharing church? An obvious answer is the Apostles teaching. But also consider this; pretend Jesus came here today and you believed in him and turned your life over to Him. Then your parents kicked you out of the house, your friends slammed the door on you, your boss fired you, the government denies you any assistance because of your new belief…where do you go? Who do you turn to? That’s what really happened to these people. So, because of the Apostles teaching and because of the great need of the people…they became a sharing Church!
And verse forty six shows they became;
8. A Worshiping Church. (vs:46)
Imagine playing a sport and nobody shows up. Now, imagine the God of all the universe comes into your church to receive your worship and no one shows up…or you’re late.
When you read the book of Psalms you get this point very strongly:
God Inhabits our Praise! He is Praise Worthy!
Now, we all know that is true…right? RIGHT?
Then please explain something to me; How can people be so casual about worship? How can someone come to worship and sing with little or no emotion?
God Inhabits our Praise!
We need to be a worshiping Church! They were!
9. A Happy Church (vs:46)
Kind of goes back to the last one. I grew up in a church that told you that you were not supposed to smile in church. I never understood it and still don’t understand it. We have been saved! Our sins removed! And our God pours blessings upon blessings on us. Shouldn’t that make us happy? Are you Happy? Is your church happy? As Phil Robinson says, are you Happy, Happy, Happy?
Now remember I said there were Ten Characteristics.
Well, if you look at the nine listed you can probably figure out #10.
1. A Learning Church.
2. A Fellowshipping Church.
3. A Remembering Jesus Church.
4. A Praying Church.
5. A Fearful Church.
6. A Church where things happened.
7. A Sharing Church.
8. A Worshipping Church.
9. A Happy Church.
If any church is all of those nine…they will be:
10. A Church of people whom others could not help liking.
That’s the kind of church they were. And the result? (the end of vs:47)
“The Lord added to their number daily…”
If your church has these ten characteristics, the Lord will add to your number daily.
Now, the church is who? (The people)
Are you this kind of church? Search your heart for that answer.


Message Text: Genesis 1:28, Colossians 1:16
Message Title: Dominion Over All
The man who has sin natures gravitates towards sin. You’re righteous not because you do righteous things, but because you are convicted anytime you want to sin. God imputed His righteous nature into us.
There are two kinds of righteousness (Romans 10:1-10)
1. You establish it
2. You submit: Christ earned it for you. Likewise, you earn it by submitting to God.
The empty tomb represents resurrection power. Death has been defeated. Christ had faith to resurrect. He entered into a dimension in the human realm to exercise faith to resurrect (Hebrews 5:7). Every symptom of death has been dealt with by Jesus Christ. We now have everlasting life (John 3:16).
Immortality has been transferred into your spirit (2 Timothy 1:10). The preaching of the gospel makes a reality open in the spirit. Faith comes by hearing.
Subdue is not dominion. Subdue is control. Dominion is setting standards. It is drawing a line.
Every believer has dominion over curses.
The salvation Jesus left is ultimate dominion. On the cross, He said, ‘It is finished’.
You can’t operate in this kingdom in ignorance. You have to operate by light.
The only person you need to understand is Christ. He is Alpha, Omega. He is a circle. It means there’s nothing out of His circumference. In knowing Christ, you know everything you possess in Christ.
The Throne: Jesus dealt with subjectivity and transferred into our lives’ dominion. Dominion for a believer is over all. Dominate in every realm and in every dimension.
In Genesis 1:16, God made two great lights. The Bible calls us the light of the world. Meaning, every light giving entity cannot be compared with the light of a believer.
Dominion is not only over devils. It is over the systems and structures of this world.
Sun and moon control the entire earth. They’re not meant to control your season. We operate by Christ.


Your questions so far:
- Other Christian denominations believe there is a hell, which is completely against God’s character. What’s a kind, polite and straightforward way of explaining to them that hell does not exist? My child has encountered this at their school. (Submitted 12/07/17)
- Can we really believe in a literal second coming of Jesus and a literal resurrection of the dead? (Submitted 13/07/17)
- I want to know more about the book of Revelation.
- In the Bible it is written that when Jesus will come there will be a new earth, so will we live in heaven or on earth?
- Are there any female angels or only male? (child’s question)
- When we go to heaven will we grow older or stay at our age? (child’s question)
- Will we sleep in heaven or will we never get tired? (child’s question)
- Can we have a kids church? (child’s question)
- I have a huge problem with SDA Fundamental #27 which talks about the millennium. “While the saved reconnect with God, Satan and his followers are trapped on Earth by themselves. After a thousand years God will resurrect the lost for the final judgment before destroying sin and sinners.” If we don’t believe in hell, how do we reconcile this belief? Sinners with Satan trapped on earth for a thousand years? And why would God raise the lost dead just to kill them? None of this makes any sense. (submitted online 19 Jul)
- How do we communicate love, acceptance, and grace to friends and family that are homosexual? There seems to be an assumption that if you are gay then you are cut out of the kingdom, which seems rather odd. It is a sin, right? So aren’t we all sinners? (Submitted 19 July)
- I am Christian female and have fallen in love with a non-Christian female (previously I have fallen in love with males) and this is unusual for me. Can God bless this relationship? (Submitted 23 July)
- What happens to Hindus, Buddhists, tribalists and those who were born outside of a Christian country or context, when they die? Is the afterlife, as Adventist Christians understand it, only for those who believe in the ‘Christian/Jewish/Muslim’ God even if they are born outside that context. (Submitted 23 July)
- In this time and place where there are so many ways to access good teaching and meet together in smaller groups, is it really important that I come to church?
- Hi is it wrong for a Christian to be suicidal? (Submitted 26 July)
- What do I do if I am attracted to the same gender? I never chose this; at least not consciously. So how do I stop it? Am I supposed to? Is that what God wants? Can he make me straight? Does he even want to? Did he make me this way? Why would he if I’m not supposed to be? What if I can never be attracted to the opposite gender? Do I have to be alone forever? I don’t want that. (Submitted 28/07/17)
- I am 25. In my life, church population has been decreasing everywhere. New people come, existing go. My question: How can we keep who we have? If we do that… more come naturally, and we grow. (Submitted 29/7/17)
- So who really is in control on this earth before Jesus returns? Is it God or is it Satan? So many awful things are happening can God really be in control? Yet, I often heard it said, “God is in control.” Seems to me that Satan has control now and Jesus will have control again when he returns. What does the Bible really say about this? (Submitted 31/7/17)
- Hi, hopefully this doesn’t come too late but I have a question. In His prayer in John 17, Jesus makes a distinction between ‘the world’ and ‘them which thou hast given me; for they are thine’.
Maybe it’s the version of the Bible I’m reading but it sounded to me like some are chosen and some are not, making it feel like some are already blessed and have no other ‘choice’ than to know Christ and some are already doomed…In His next words, Jesus mentions Judas “and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled”
Because God is all knowing then you would assume that He already knows every decision that we are going to make, so, are we sometimes talking to people that are never going to choose Christ? So is there actually truly Hope for everyone…? Can my non-Christian boyfriend ever be saved? Is he destined to be saved or destined to be a son of perdition? (Submitted 2 August 2017)
- Why are Adventists so pushy for people to be baptized into the Church or to profess their faith and say that they are an Adventist? Surely our faith does not depend on what Church we are from or where we have been baptized? Surely baptism is more about YOUR own relationship with God? Not the Churches??!
Also.. what’s the big deal with the Profession of Faith? Can we not just testify that we believe in the Adventist’s values and share our testimony of how the Holy Spirit has led us here? Rather than just saying we belong to this denomination of church? (Submitted 9 August 2017)
- What has happened to the call to repentance in the church? The heart felt call to repent is no longer preached. Pastors are afraid of offending people in a growing age of tolerance, perhaps driven through fear of dwindling tithe and offering. Pastors seem to preach prosperity gospel or anything that tickles the ears of the congregation. Is papsda one of such churches? (Submitted 13 Aug 2017)


The Anxious Mom: Learning to Cope Using God's Word
Download Your FREE Copy By CLICKING HERE.
The Anxious Mom ebook is Mandy's journey through scripture to help ease the anxious thoughts about her children's safety and well-being. Through a year of writing, God led her to understand the root of her fear and anxiety and built under her a foundation to combat those feelings when they rise. She learned that she doesn't have to be afraid. She can allow her children to grow up and have experiences, even when it terrifies her. She is learning where and with whom her faith and trust must lie at all times...the Lord.


- What are the 3 Mormon heavens?
- How many levels of heaven are there?
- Where is God throne located?
- What are the 6 heavens in Buddhism?
- Who saw heaven in the Bible?
- Who is least in the kingdom of heaven?
- How many angels does God have in heaven?
- What are the names of the 7 heavens?
- What are the heavens in the Bible?
- Is there a third heaven?
- What age is God?
- What are the three levels of heaven?
- Are there gates in heaven?
- Is the Kingdom of God and heaven the same thing?
- Who created God?
- What is the Mormon afterlife?
- How does a Mormon get to heaven?
- What did Jesus say about heaven?
- Is Paradise a heaven?
- Who will enter the kingdom of heaven?
- What are the kingdoms of heaven?
What are the 3 Mormon heavens?
There are three levels of heaven—celestial, terrestrial and telestial—in Mormonism.
Only those in the celestial kingdom will live in God’s presence..
How many levels of heaven are there?
seven levelsUnsourced material may be challenged and removed. In religious or mythological cosmology, the seven heavens refer to seven levels or divisions of the Heavens (Heaven).
Where is God throne located?
The New Testament continues Jewish identification of heaven itself as the “throne of God”, but also locates the throne of God as “in heaven” and having a secondary seat at the Right Hand of God for the Session of Christ.
What are the 6 heavens in Buddhism?
Buddhist cosmology typically identifies six realms of rebirth and existence: gods, demi-gods, humans, animals, hungry ghosts and hells.
Who saw heaven in the Bible?
(Enoch and Elijah are said in scripture to have been taken into heaven while still being alive on Earth and not yet experiencing physical death.)
Who is least in the kingdom of heaven?
least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of. Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them. shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
How many angels does God have in heaven?
seven angelsThe idea of seven archangels is most explicitly stated in the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit when Raphael reveals himself, declaring: “I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand in the glorious presence of the Lord, ready to serve him.” (Tobit 12:15) The other two angels mentioned by name in the Bible are …
What are the names of the 7 heavens?
The names of the Seven Heavens are Air, Ether, Olympus, Ignitum, Caelum, Hesperium, and Caelum Trinitatis. The gate of the first Heaven is Abistum, the guard Michael. With him are two young men (as in Ad.).
What are the heavens in the Bible?
It is primarily God’s dwelling place in the biblical tradition: a parallel realm where everything operates according to God’s will. Heaven is a place of peace, love, community, and worship, where God is surrounded by a heavenly court and other heavenly beings.
Is there a third heaven?
In Judaism, and Islam, the Third Heaven is a division of Heaven in religious cosmology. In some traditions it is considered the abode of God, and in others a lower level of Paradise, commonly one of seven.
What age is God?
I’d even say there was no God before the end of the Neolithic age, and that means God is roughly 7,000 years old.
What are the three levels of heaven?
According to this vision, all people will be resurrected and, at the Final Judgment, will be assigned to one of three degrees of glory, called the celestial, terrestrial, and telestial kingdoms.
Are there gates in heaven?
Pearly gates is an informal name for the gateway to Heaven according to some Christian denominations. It is inspired by the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:21: “The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate being made from a single pearl.”
Is the Kingdom of God and heaven the same thing?
The Kingdom of God (and its related form the Kingdom of Heaven in the Gospel of Matthew) is one of the key elements of the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament.
Who created God?
Defenders of religion have countered that the question is improper: We ask, “If all things have a creator, then who created God?” Actually, only created things have a creator, so it’s improper to lump God with his creation. God has revealed himself to us in the Bible as having always existed.
What is the Mormon afterlife?
In Mormonism, the concept of divinity centers around an idea of “exaltation” and “eternal progression”: mortals themselves may become gods and goddesses in the afterlife, be rulers of their own heavenly kingdoms, have spirit children, and increase in power and glory forever.
How does a Mormon get to heaven?
For a Mormon to achieve salvation they must do the following: Believe in Jesus Christ. Be baptised into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands by a person with priesthood authority.
What did Jesus say about heaven?
Jesus taught his followers to pray: “Thy kingdom come on earth as in heaven.” From as early as the third century, some Christian teachers tried to blend this with types of the Platonic belief, generating the idea of “leaving earth and going to heaven,” which became mainstream by the Middle Ages.
Is Paradise a heaven?
Paradise is often described as a “higher place”, the holiest place, in contrast to this world, or underworlds such as Hell. In eschatological contexts, paradise is imagined as an abode of the virtuous dead. In Christian and Islamic understanding, Heaven is a paradisiacal relief.
Who will enter the kingdom of heaven?
The World English Bible translates the passage as: Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will. enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who. does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
What are the kingdoms of heaven?
Thought to be the main content of Jesus’s preaching in the Gospel of Matthew, the “kingdom of heaven” described “a process, a course of events, whereby God begins to govern or to act as king or Lord, an action, therefore, by which God manifests his being-God in the world of men.”


I STILL have a gramophone and records so I’m always ready to be invited to be a guest on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. Then Kirsty Young would ask me which records I’d like to take to the island – assuming that there happens to be a gramophone there. It could be Holy Island when the tide comes in.
My first choice would be Louis Armstrong with It’s a Wonderful World. I think Louis said more about the world than Charles Darwin. Many people think Darwin said everything about the world. In fact, even at the time the reception to his theories was complex. It was nothing like the belief that he had undermined the church.
From earliest times most Jewish and Christian thinkers didn’t see the Book of Genesis as a scientific textbook anyway. Let’s get this straight. For Christians today the evidence for God doesn’t begin with the Creation story. It is found in the claims of Jesus Christ.
Those claims provide the secret of the next couple of weeks, Passiontide. This is the time when the church focuses on the cross of Christ.
As we approach the cross with Jesus we begin to understand what he was doing there, why he had to suffer and why Good Friday comes to be called Good. Louis Armstrong looked around and saw the colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky. He also saw friends shaking hands saying “How d’you do?” and that they were really saying “I love you”. That’s when he just had to sing “It’s a wonderful world!”
Let’s keep it that way.
At school my chemistry master was a man of few words. He didn’t need to talk as he got out the litmus paper, test tubes and beakers. That man could change litmus from blue to red, turn lime water milky and when he put a cobalt salt into the flame of the bunsen burner we gasped in wonder at the beautiful blue flame. His actions spoke far louder than his words.
Jesus was a man of few words, too. At this season our thoughts are all with Jesus’ actions, rather than his words. He said very little as he was tried, sentenced to death and nailed to the cross. This is a solemn season, marked in ceremony, colour and music. We miss a great deal by avoiding the unpleasant side and instead anticipating Easter.
This is Passiontide and it’s not time for eating Easter eggs yet. They’ll taste a lot better after a bit of abstinence. Now is the time to watch, consider and give thanks.
SUNDAY: St George’s Jesmond, Sing Messiah (Pts 1 and 2). Rehearse 2pm, perform 7pm.
TUESDAY: St Joseph’s RC Benwell, Mass to commemorate life of Oscar Romero, 7pm.
WEDNESDAY: St Robert’s RC Church, Fenham, Lent lunch, noon.
FRIDAY: Windsor Hotel, Whitley Bay, music and testimony with Waves of Praise, 7.30pm.
NEXT SATURDAY: St Gabriel’s Heaton, Sage Adult Chamber and Silver Breves Choirs, 7pm.
Elsdon Avenue Church, Seaton Delaval, pie and pea supper, 7pm.
Trinity Church, Gosforth High Street, Northumberland Orchestral Society spring concert, 7.30pm.
Please send items for CHURCH MATTERS to Francis Wood, 52 Albemarle Avenue, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 3NQ, of call 0191 284 5338


One Sunday night during my sophomore year of high school I was invited to attend my friend’s youth group service. During the summer of my junior year of college, I participated in an internship in youth ministry at that very same church. That five year or so span between the two I began to realize my desire to be in ministry. Coming from a broken family, I have never truly had that sense of community at home. I found it instead among my friends and by participating in the church’s youth group. Being a Resident Assistant at Monmouth College gives me community and relationship experience that I know I cannot achieve quite in the same way anywhere else. I have the chance to meet new people and play a part in their collegiate future. Building community and building relationships are two practices I apply to my every day life and plan to apply to my career in ministry. I especially have the desire to lead or even start my own ministry or nonprofit organization.
This recent summer I had the opportunity to intern with Christ in Youth (CIY) under their MIX program. This is a 4-day conference that travels around the country during the summer to teach junior high students about the Gospel and how to be a light within their schools and communities. Through this experience, I was able to work behind the scenes on various projects and ministry opportunities and gain a better knowledge and understanding on how to address those efficiently, especially within the context of students. Courses I have taken through my major of Communication Studies and minors in Religious Studies and Journalism also continue to shape my perspective on how to approach a ministry. Journalism helps satisfy my creative writing side and there are multiple avenues I can take with it, even being a leader of a nonprofit. Religious Studies continues to expand not only my biblical and theological knowledge of Christianity, but also religion in different cultures and how it relates to Christianity. The communication courses of interpersonal and small group communication have given me a different perspective in how I see and participate in interpersonal and small group situations. I am better prepared to participate and engage in those situations and I understand the communication that both exhibit. After graduating from Monmouth College, I will either continue my schooling in obtaining a seminary degree or I will find a ministry or nonprofit that’s mission is one I am passionate about. In whatever case, I know the journey will be well worth it.


WIN 4 tickets (Reserved Seating) to “O Holy Night, a Celebration of Christmas”
WIN 4 tickets (Reserved Seating) to the very special “Musical Celebration of Christmas” with Karl McGuckin, Malachi Cush and Andrea Begley leading the much talked-about “O Holy Night, a Celebration of Christmas”…
Christmas is just over 5 weeks away and for those who are into the wonderful spiritual sense that this very special time of the year brings, then this Wonderful Musical event in St. Mary’s Church in Loughmacrory is sure to be high on your “Wish List”…
The Mid-Tyrone Community are set to host a very special “Musical Celebration of Christmas” for the very first time on Thursday 21st December as a truly brilliant line-up of artists perform “O Holy Night, a Celebration of Christmas”.
Karl McGuckin and Malachi Cush Official with special guest, Voice winnerAndrea Begley Music, with the The Ward Sisters and local community artists will create a most unique and overwhelming Musical Celebration of Christmas on the night.
We have 4 Tickets (Reserved Seating) to Give Away too for what is already proving to be a very in-demand event.
There will also be an opportunity to Buy Tickets for this very Special Event at a Box Office in the Lough Macrory St. Teresa’s GAA clubrooms on Sunday 19th November from 10.30am-1.00pm. Due to very high demand, it is advised to purchase tickets very soon for this Event.


"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household… In whom you are also being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit"
On any given Sunday in a red house in Beaver falls you will find a small huddle of people worshiping God and sharing a meal together. We are called Beaver Valley Christian Fellowship. We are committed to Jesus and one another. We have been doing this for a long time. We pray a lot, sing a lot and share what the spirit of Jesus is saying to us. We love the bible and speak and teach from it as it brings into focus the nearness of God. We know each other, and we love one another and share our lives and sorrows with one another. During our worship we remember how the Lord Jesus shared his last meal with his disciples pointing to the bread as a symbol of his own body which would be broken for them and us. He pointed to the wine at that meal as a symbol of his own blood which would be spilled so we could be forgiven.
"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."
Beaver Valley Christian Fellowship had its beginning in the home of David and Darlene McComas. The 1970s saw a wonderful move of the Holy Spirit. It was called the Charismatic movement. This had a great impact on many churches. Change is usually disruptive and it can be hard on the status quo. In 1980 out of a hunger ͞to know the Lord͟ David, Darlene and another couple began meeting on Tuesday evenings. The Bible Study grew in numbers over the next several years and some began to suggest they meet on Sunday mornings also. David and Darlene were prayerful about this issue. The Lord spoke several things to them about their calling and purpose.
In 1982 they began worshiping on Sunday morning in their home with several others. The numbers of those attending continued to grow steadily. The group incorporated in 1984 officially taking the name of Beaver Valley Christian Fellowship.
They continued meeting at the McComas’ home until 1987. The group continued being a ͞house͟ church for the next three years. They met in several houses during this time including the homes of Tom and Sue Wagner, Bob and Nancy Grieco and George and Joan Klein.
In July of 1990-1994 the Fellowship rented two rooms at the Old West Park School in West Mayfield. When it became time to find a bigger home, someone asked the asked the question where would Jesus go? We looked at each other and knew the answer. He would go to downtown Beaver Falls. Shortly after we found out about the Widmer Engineering Building in downtown Beaver Falls. It was a red house on a corner with a big inviting white front porch. It also had a big addition in the back that could sit more then a 100 people. The Fellowship moved into the Red House in March of 1994. We believe that the closest thing to church life is family and a family lives in a home. This was our new home.
The thing about it is that this was much more than just a building. In fact it had a long history of its own. Back in the 1800s Beaver falls was a small community. In the middle of town there was a building that was used as a school, church and community Center which was called the red brick schoolhouse. It was here that the roots of Geneva college began. The first Reform Presbyterian Church started meeting there. In 1875 a man named Rev. Robert John George was called to be the first pastor. He built a house on the corner of eighth Avenue ninth Street. That is where we are meeting now!
About 10 years ago we made a conscious decision to open the building up to groups that were doing the work of helping others find their way. As a result there are meetings of various sorts every day of the week.
We believe that the closest thing to church life is family life. We are the family of God. We are “…being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit” It is the family living in a house that turns it into a home. If you take away the house what is left? The family still whole ready to make someplace a home. We recognize that we are a family whose real home is reserved for us in heaven.
Oversight and service Teams
Teaching and administration
Administration and music ministry
Meeting coordinator and administration


Your First Visit
Whether you're looking for a home church or visiting the Twin Cities, we invite you to join us at one of our worship services. As our guest, you can expect to:
- be warmly greeted
- participate in an engaging worship service
- hear a challenging and relevant message from God’s Word
- fellowship with a welcoming community of faith whose mission is to exalt God, share Christ, grow in Christ and serve through the Spirit.
If this will be your first time worshiping with us we realize that you might have questions about the worship services. Below are answers to some of the questions you might have; please let us know if you have additional questions.
When are worship services held? Worship services are held each Sunday morning and evening. We also have Bible study on Wednesday evenings. Visit service times or location informationfor detailed information.
Please check our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/richfieldcofc when there is inclement weather to see if services are being held.
Is communion served? Each Sunday, we partake of the Lord’s Supper to remember Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. During this memorial, the bread which symbolizes the body of Christ, is passed on trays throughout the congregation. Each participating person breaks off a piece of the unleavened bread and eats it. Then trays filled individual cups of the fruit of the vine (grape juice), symbolizing the blood of Jesus, will be passed. We leave to each person the decision to participate in the Lord’s Supper.
Do you collect a financial offering? Following communion, we pass plates to receive financial offerings from our members. Some members choose to electronically give offerings. On occasion, we also take a special collection to help meet the needs of our community or global missions.
As our guest, we ask that you consider completing a Guest Card available in each pew and place it in the plate so that we can follow-up with you and thank you for your visit. You are not expected to make a financial donation.
Will prayer be part of worship services? Prayer is an integral part of our worship services. Prayers of thanksgiving and/or petition will be offered at the beginning of our services, during communion, before the message and at the end of our services. Please let us know if you have a specific prayer request on the Prayer Request Card (available in each pew) you complete and we will try to include it.
Is there a cappella singing? Yes. Churches of Christ have a long history of enjoying a cappella singing (singing without the use of musical instruments). Each week, our song leaders carefully select a blend of traditional and contemporary hymns that tie to the message. All are invited to participate in praising God through song.
Does the minister deliver a message? Each week, our Minister or guest speaker will deliver a challenging and relevant message based on God’s word. At the end of the message, an invitation will be extended to those who wish to be baptized or request prayers of the congregation.
What should I wear? Our members wear a variety of modest attire at our worship services. Women typically wear dress slacks, a dress or jeans. Most men wear business casual or jeans; a few wear suits.
Should I bring a Bible? We encourage you to bring your Bible in the format that is most comfortable for you. Some read Scripture from a print Bible while others utilize their smartphone or tablet. On occasion, Scripture is included in the church bulletin and/or is displayed on a projected PowerPoint slide. We also have Bibles in the pews for you to use.
Do you have Bible studies? We believe that Bible study is essential to spiritual growth. We invite you to participate in interactive Bible classes that have practical application.
- RCC Kids (cradle roll, 2-3 year olds and elementary) — We offer engaging and interactive Bible classes focused on either the Old or New Testament. We hope your child visits RCC Kids Bible classes!
- Teens Class (7-12th grade) — The RCC Teens Bible class is designed to explore timely and relevant issues facing teens. We invite you to visit our RCC Teens Bible class!
- Young Professionals and Adults — Our auditorium Bible class is designed to engage and learn from multiple generations. We also have an interactive Bible study each spring and fall designed specifically for women.
Questions? We hope you decide to join us for worship services. We would be delighted to get to know you. Should you have questions, please contact us via phone at (612) 869-2677 or email at email@example.com.


All Saints C of E Primary School
A very warm welcome to our school!
All Saints’ Church of England Primary School was formed on 1st September 2012 as a result of the merging of the Community Infant School and Church of England Junior School. Our school motto is ‘All believing, all achieving’:‘All’ because children, staff, parents, families, governors and friends work together in the interests of each individual child and to strengthen the school in and for the local community‘Believing’ because we have faith in each other and in our school and a determination to learn and grow‘Achieving’ because we aim to enable all of our children to experience success and reach their potential.Our Christian character is our foundation and through this we are committed to providing all of our children with a high quality education that will not only support them in developing the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will help them achieve their potential, but will inspire and challenge them to become life-long learners in a fast changing world.We aim to provide our children with an environment and experience that will enable each of them to develop intellectually, creatively, physically, emotionally, socially, morally and spiritually. We value every child as an individual and encourage them to believe in themselves and develop their interests and talents. We celebrate diversity and the benefits of growing up in a multi-ethnic local community and world. Ours is an inclusive community determined to achieve the best for every child.


INTRODUCING CHRIST CHURCH
Christ Church is located in the heart of Seattle's University District, just a few blocks from the University of Washington—a multi-generational community serving the U-District for over 115 years.
We are steeped in centuries-old Christian practices and we also love robust dialogues about what it means to live our beliefs out in the modern world. We strive for beauty in worship, empowerment through education, and action informed by faith.
We believe that the diversity of families reflects the abundance of God’s love. We honor the lives and families of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. We welcome single people, partnered people, divorced people and widowed people. We treasure the energy of our children and teenagers as well as the wisdom of our older members. Wherever you are in your life, there is a place for you here.
Come Meet Us
Some of us are activists, some of us are liturgy nerds, some of us are passionate about hospitality, some of us are just trying to get out the door without forgetting our keys and phone. We embrace diversity of all types, trying to acknowledge and heal the occasional discomfort that comes from being in community with other humans.


ORIGIN OF THE TRASLATIO TOUR
The Traslatio Tour across the Mar de Arousa and the Ulla River was born in 1963. The initiative was driven by the Mar de Arousa and Ulla Jubilee Tour Foundation, an organization recognised for promoting the Way of St. James. Furthermore, the Traslatio tour was declared of Cultural and Galician interest by Xunta de Galicia in 1999.
On their behalf, the Nautical Club San Vicente do Mar issues nautical credentials to obtain the institutional document “Jubilee Traslatio”, issued by Padrón City Council and Mar de Arousa and Ulla Jubilee Tour Foundation.
The Mar de Arousa and Ulla Jubilee Tour Foundation promotes the yearly Traslatio celebration, which is carried out by the end of July and the beginning of August. A colourful maritime-fluvial procession that departs from different harbours in the Ría de Arousa and ends at Pontecesures and Padrón. This maritime procession is attended by a growing number of visitors every year who enjoy the route on the beautifully festooned boats.
The celebration is supported by the Jubilee, harbour authorities, the parish of Santiago de Padrón and, ship-owners and fishermen from the area.
THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS ACROSS THE RÍA DE AROUSA
Seventeen stone calvaries, which are located at the bottom of the estuary and at both shores of the Ulla River, mark the route of the only fluvial-maritime stations of the cross in the world. The first two calvaries marked at the Traslatio Tour are in Malveira Grande Island and in the north point of Cortegada Island. The traditional architecture of these calvaries shows, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on one side of the stone cross and, Virgin Mary on the other side.