Modern Day Roots. 3 words stacked together like this must have a huge underlying purpose right? Yes….no….maybe? I think so…..
This all started when I wanted to make a shirt for our daughter to wear on her adoption day. After almost a year in our home it was time for her to be forever ours and I wanted something to represent the greatness of that day.
But…….How do I put into words what it is this all means?
What is the right amount of me to share with you?
I have prayed about what to say. I have asked God to give me words and pleaded with him to help me put myself aside. He knows the inner workings of my heart so he knows the tall order I am asking. This little company, this little thing I am doing is incredibly scary but I want what God wants. If he wants this then I want it. If he doesn’t then well, I will have a lot of tee shirts for my family to wear. So what are we doing here? What are we all about? What is Modern Day Roots? Simply put, it’s you and it’s me.
Are we advocates for foster care? Heck Yes!
Are we celebrators of adoption? Oh my word, absolutely!
Are we supporters of you while you and your family walk through your own redemption story? Like you wouldn’t believe!
We love your small family and your big family and your completely unconventional “how in the world did this happen” family. We aren’t stuck on where you’re from or what you’ve done. We want roots to make a major comeback. The definition of being rooted means to be deeply and firmly connected to a greater whole. It means, a cause to grow. There is no way to say this without getting all “I believe the children are our future” on you but We are completely all in for young people. It is our hope to have servant hearts in the name of Jesus when it comes to young people. That we would beg for Jesus to sweep in and inconvenience us. That he would drop on the doorsteps of you and I what really matters. It is simply unfair that so many kids don’t have roots. Every child deserves to be planted in the truth. That they are loved. That they are worth it. I know the pain of a broken home and I know all about the lost, fragile heart it can leave you with. I am also proof that God will meet you smack dab in the middle of it. He can heal it and use every last drop of it. Kids need to see the gospel lived out in front of them and to know that the ultimate gift is to be planted in the roots of Christ. We are incredibly thankful to every single person sporting our designs. We have been stoked to give shirts to 5 kiddos so far as adoption day gifts and can’t wait to give away more. It is also our deepest desire to let God lead us to ways we can invest financially into beautiful foster children as well as families going through adoption. In future posts to come I hope to be vulnerable enough with you that you see my struggles. I have a lot. I also promise to hold back enough so that you don’t go running for the hills. Our hope is that you would love these shirts, that you would wear them and let people ask you about them. That this will become about way more than selling shirts. That ultimately you and I become rooted in our savior. That you may plant yourselves somewhere, somehow in this cause, to bring roots to kiddos all over the world in this modern day.
“For you have been rooted in him & are being built up and strengthened in faith” Col 2:7


For those of us of who do not know, who question, or dare to contemplate the world - may our lives be filled with wonder. Force us to ask - How did I deserve this?
For those of us who know, who understand every facet, and who cannot conceive a different world - may our lives be filled with doubt. Force us to ask - How did I deserve this?
For it is only in the insatiable pursuit of truth, in the unbridled search for meaning among chaos, and the constant revaluation of ourselves that our lives are truly enriched.
Complacency is death - let us all remain humble.
Happy Easter, Happy Sunday, Happiness to all.


In the heart of Amsterdam’s bustling centre lies one of the city’s oldest museums: Our Lord in the Attic. Here visitors get to experience the Dutch Golden Age in a special way; a 17th-century house with a top floor converted into a church.
Jan Hartman bought this house on Oudezijds Voorburgwal and the two adjacent buildings on Heintje Hoekssteeg 350 years ago. He had the attics of the three houses rebuilt into a Catholic church conforming to the conventions of the day, yet nothing on the outside could suggest that there was a church inside. In 2012 the church was entirely refurbished. While until recently, cupboards were converted into showcases to display art, now the process is reversed: the showcases have been removed and the cupboards are once again cupboards. The idea was to restore the church’s original function and this was the guideline for the restoration. Visitors can now experience the building as it was when it served as a parish church. Colour, light and interior exude the atmosphere of the period in which the last regular masses were celebrated at the church, in the late 19th century.
The audio guide is included in the entrance fee. This tour is available in Dutch, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Russian language. (Due to renovations to the museum’s entrance area, unfortunately group visits are not possible until 1 October 2015).


CATHOLIC EDUCATION OFFICE:
Screencraft was tasked to produce a brand DVD for the Catholic Education Office, to engage the viewer in the journey of Catholic Education in the Archdiocese - from its early beginnings in the region, what is happening now and give insight into the rich potential of Catholic Education. The DVD included chapters covering; History, Our role, Our schools, Early Learning Centres, Teaching and learning, as well as Religious education and Faith formation. Through beautiful footage and interviews, we show how Catholic Education has a lot of positive things on offer. The Catholic Education Office of the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn covers both the ACT and NSW, a total of 88,000 square kilometres, extending from Pambula on the south coast, to Crookwell in the North, through to the western point of Lake Cargelligo.


I could write a long post highlighting the importance of the CHRISTmas season and why we celebrate it, but I would hope that you know why already: many years ago, a baby was born in a humble manger. But He wasn’t just any baby—no, He was the baby that would one day grow up to work miracles, love all of mankind and die for our sins.
This CHRISTmas season, more than any other, reminds me of my love for my Savior. I have felt His arms around me this year, and despite the fact that I can’t see Him with my own two eyes, I know that He is there. I know that He loves me. I am grateful for a Father in Heaven who cared enough to send His son to this earth to fulfill His mission, and I am grateful for the knowledge that He lives.
Merry CHRISTmas, everyone. Have a wonderful holiday, and never forget Him. He will never forget you.
Thanks for reading!


Dr. John Street
Faculty Associate, Pastoral Ministry)
Dr. Street currently serves as the Chair of the Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling and Professor of Biblical Counseling at The Master’s College. He has given more than 25 years to academic and pastoral ministry. He was the founding pastor of Clearcreek Chapel in Springboro, Ohio, and has taught at both Cedarville and Cornerstone Universities. Dr. Street is a regular contributor to The Biblical Counselor and The Journal of Biblical Counseling and is an editor of The Journal of Modern Ministry. He authored chapters to the books Think Biblically and An Introduction to Biblical Counseling and is a Fellow and board member of the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors (NANC).


We praise the Lord.
We study the Bible.
We worship the Lord.
We teach our Children about the Bible.
We support our missionaries.
We work hard to transform the society with the word of God.
We baptize babies and adults in love and grace of God, as told by the Lord.
Would you join Us?
Sunday Worship Hour: 9:45 AM-12:00 PM
SUNDAY BIBLE SCHOOL: 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
aDULT BIBLE STUDY : Every Wednesday 10:00 AM-12 PM
40 day prayer circle: monday to friday 6:00 am, saturday 7:00 am starts from oct 7. 2017 to nov 22nd (wed) 2017.
CHRISTMAS CANTATA REHEARSAL: Sunday 12:00 PM-1:00 PM and Friday 7:30 PM-9:00 PM (Oct.-Dec 24)


Published: December 7, 2021 Noon EST
(2 minute read)
When we consider morality, we must address a profound question. Is it an article of subjectivity or objectivity?
If morality hinges upon a society, culture, or any other external factor, then it is in fact subjective. It is subject to outside influence. If it is objective, it exists sovereign of anything else; it is a timeless standard.
When considering these ideas, a paradox often arises. Of the people who believe morality to be subjective, they still conclude that it is sometimes objective. For instance, they may say that no matter what, rape is always an immoral act. Or even prohibiting abortion is always wrong, as women should have a right to kill their unborn. In that belief, they are ascribing to objectivity. But then in the same breath, they function under the maxim of “live your truth!”
These two ideas cannot exist simultaneously. If everyone is just operating under their own sense of morality, there can be no objective right and wrong. They cannot say it is wrong to rape, or it is wrong to ban abortion, because those ideas may be the right thing to someone else.
We must accept that morality is indeed objective. There is some universal measure of righteousness; so from whom it can be divined?
Since the inception of these United States, morality and government have intersected. When crafting the Union, the Founders instituted biblical principles, which led to the national embracement of the Christian ethic.
The Christian God is the ultimate giver of the law, and therefore morality. When government adheres to the laws of the Bible, it does in fact possess moral authority. However, as the bedrock of American government erodes (that is the societal acceptance of Christian morality), it has less and less of an authoritative claim over virtue.
This has never been so apparent as it is now. The pornographic materials being pushed upon children in schools; the indiscriminate slaughter of babies in the womb at the altar of ‘choice’ or ‘science;’ and the widescale criminial enterprise known as “Congress.”
What is the rightful remedy?
In the second book of Chronicles the answer can be found. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
There is yet hope in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Always has been and always will be.


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Brava! "Joyful Living: Finding God in all Things"
How would you respond to the question: “Do you experience joy in your life?” Would you say the posture of your heart and attitude depend mostly on your circumstances, job, relationships, or health? Do you ever wonder what living a life full of joy looks like? Join us for a six-week gathering as we dive into God’s truths about what it means to live a joyful life. We will meet at 7pm on Thursdays, October 4 through November 15. Register online or go to a Lobby table.
The fall Alpha Course will be starting on September 10. Alpha is a ten-week course for anyone exploring Christianity, new to the faith, or coming back to church for the first time in a while. Each session involves dinner, a short film, and a group discussion. Contact Ryan Smith at firstname.lastname@example.org, go to a Lobby table, or register online.
Men, don't miss the next Men's Breakfast on October 13 at 7:30 am! Our guest speaker will be Donnie Brown. Donnie serves on our men’s leadership team and has a heart for the Lord and men. He has been married to his wife, Debbie, for 19 years, has three kids, was on staff at a church, and played football at Oklahoma State University. Sign up online or in the Lobby on September 30-October 7.
When life is moving fast, it's important to take time to rest in God, enjoy nature, and connect with friends. This fall, you are invited to “Connect & Refresh,” our Women’s Retreat on November 2-4 in Turner, Oregon. Register online by October 1 to get the earlybird discount.
The study will be on 2 Corinthians....Read More »
High school group meet for hang out time, worship, a short teaching, and small groups with questions regarding the teaching. ...Read More »
Come spend time with your small group and share a snack, afterward we will play some games.
Remember to bring a snack to share with your small group....
This free informal playgroup for parents/guardians and their children (ages newborn-5) meets every Thursday. There are toys, balls, tricycles, books, puzzles, a bouncy house, and more!
Open Studio Hours are free and open to the community. This is self-directed time to work on anything you choose. The atmosphere is subdued to support concentration while working. We are not equip...Read More »
...Read More »
Cedar Mill Bible Church 12208 NW Cornell Road Portland OR 97229...Read More »
We meet after second service in the student center to further the conversation of the sermon over lunch. We place a high value on this rhythm of conversation and community....Read More »


Financial Increase Conference 2015 in North Charleston
Truth and Fellowship Global Outreach Ministry will host our FINANCIAL INCREASE CONFERENCE "Prosperity Revolution: Overthrowing Lack & Poverty" on November 19th and 20th at 7:30 nightly at our Charleston location. Our guest speaker will be none other than Bishop I.V. Hilliard from New Light Church in Houston, Texas. This year's conference is geared towards Increasing Financially and bringing awareness on how to overthrow the gripping force of lack & poverty while getting a greater understanding on God’s will to increase us financially and that we control the wealth in our generation. We encourage you to join us as we are in faith with you to believe God for the money!


In my last post, we looked at a terrifying subject – the reality of hell, the center of Satan’s kingdom. It is a place beyond human description where people who have rejected all truth about themselves and their lives await final judgment. Witnesses have been given to us, people who have experienced brief moments in hell and come back to tell about it. But those voices are almost overwhelmed by the many, many near death experiences that seem to prove that hell is not an issue that anyone should worry about.
Beginning with Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and Dr. Raymond Moody, dozens and dozens of books have been written that tell stories of people who appear to have crossed over into the afterlife and no matter what their backgrounds or beliefs, they are met by a loving being of light who affirms them. Many experience a life review and when it’s over they are sent back, with vague messages of universal love that urge unity and an end to violence. They tell us that we’re destroying the planet and we’ve got to take care of it.
Most of all these messages tell us that everyone is heading in the same spiritual direction, growing through various stages of spiritual development. They tell us that there’s nothing to fear about death. Ultimately, everyone is going to Heaven. In all of this literature extremely rare are experiences of hell.
So what’s going on here?
If hell is real and if the warnings of Jesus are true as I quoted in my last article, as heartbreaking as it is to say, the vast majority of the human race will not be going to Heaven at all. Didn’t Jesus say in Matthew 7:14 that narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life and there are few who find it? According to Jesus, tragically, the vast majority of the human race are going toward eternal death. Which of these diametrically opposed messages is true? Of course, if you are an atheist you think none of it is true. But that is a statement of blind faith without the slightest evidence and it goes against the eye-witness accounts of former atheists. I’d call that a high risk.
I believe that Satan (who is a very real and powerful being) is deeply concerned that God’s eye-witnesses who have experienced hell be overwhelmed by false visions created by his Angels of Darkness. Jesus called Satan a Liar and the Father of Lies, but his lies are very subtle. To the best of his ability he will copy anything that he sees God doing. And as much as possible he will salt truth and beauty into his lies. That’s why temptation is so tempting. We see something that he presents and we want it. We know it’s wrong, but it’s painted so beautifully with all sorts of twisted logic giving us selfish reasons why it would be good for us.
Falling for Satan’s lies is addictive.
Doing so over and over makes us spiritually blind and stupid. We start doing the one thing he wants for us more than anything else. We start worshiping ourselves and our own desires. We become our own little gods. As this happens, we give up the ability to understand any deeper truth, especially truth about who we really are. This the heart of every sort of addiction. Facing truth about ourselves makes us very uncomfortable. It can cause deep pain, so we run and hide in a thousand ways. If we honestly confront who we are we would have to repent and our pride refuses to let that happen.
As I have studied the literature of near-death experiences, I have come to the conclusion that Satan uses two strategies that couple with our natural inclination to run from reality. These blind us about the truth regarding hell.
In January of 2010, an interesting man passed away.
His name was Maurice Rawlings. He was a medical doctor, a cardiologist. In the early 1970’s Rawlings was definitely not a Christian. That changed in 1977 because of a disturbing experience. He was working with a team of nurses who were doing a stress test on a man who was having chest pain. Rawlings instructed them to work the man harder until the pain returned. While he was on the machine the patient had a heart attack. His heart stopped beating. As Rawlings worked to resuscitate him, a strange thing began to happen. Several times the man revived, but then his heart would stop again. And each time he regained consciousness he started screaming in absolute terror, pleading for the doctor to save him because every time his heart stopped he was in hell.
Being a good scientific materialist, Rawlings assumed it was just hallucinations. But his patient’s shrieks kept on and they were aggravating. When he was conscious, the man pleaded with Rawlings to pray for him. The doctor felt insulted. He wasn’t a priest or a psychiatrist. Finally, just to shut him up he made up a make-believe prayer. He told the man to say, “Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Keep me out of hell and if I live I’m on the hook. I’m yours.”
Of course, the words were all a fantasy. Rawlings didn’t believe any of it. But the man did as he was told and, suddenly, the strangest thing happened. No longer was he a screaming, wild-eyed lunatic. He became relaxed and calm. The terror vanished. Seeing such a transformation frightened Dr. Rawlings. Ultimately, it led to him ask Jesus to forgive his sins and be his Lord and Savior.
Over the following decades Rawlings entered into deep research about near-death experiences. As a cardiologist he had many opportunities to witness people die. From those experiences he wrote several books including Beyond Death’s Door and To Hell and Back. During his years of observation Rawlings noticed some very strange phenomena. First, he observed people who had clear and terrifying experiences of hell and communicated those awful visions during the crisis of resuscitation. But very quickly as they recuperated, something odd occurred. The memory of hell that they had witnessed so clearly entirely vanished.
What had happened? Where had the terrifying memories gone?
Rawlings concluded that there was a logical answer. What happens when we go through other experiences that are deeply shocking and traumatic such as brutal car accidents? To protect us, our conscious minds simply refuse to recall the trauma. The whole event submerges into our subconscious where it remains inaccessible, but it still affects us. Rawlings came to believe that this natural tendency toward psychological protection is the first reason why near-death experiences of hell do not appear with great frequency in the literature. The vision is so horrible that the majority of “experiencers” automatically wipe it from their conscious memories.
But Rawlings discovered another reason why we don’t read more about near-death visions of hell. As the years passed and he accumulated more and more records of these events, he contacted Dr. Kubler-Ross and other leading writers in the field, offering to share his files with them. They didn’t want to see them. They didn’t want to write about such negative visions. This led Rawlings to believe that near-death experiences of hell are being consciously suppressed by many in the medical community. And it’s understandable. Medical personnel are frightened of them and prefer not to think about them. And for those who are writers, you sell a lot more books by telling people what they want to hear and making them feel good.
But there is a third reason why near-death experiences of hell are not common. One day Rawlings was doing a questionnaire with a patient who had been shot in the chest. One of the bullets had nicked his heart and before he was resuscitated he had a near-death experience. In it he was taken up into a loving white light where he was welcomed and affirmed. No serious life examination took place at all. The white light did not mention that three years previously he had murdered two people during a robbery. All he felt was peace and love.
Why had he been shot in the chest?
He had been in a bar and had started dancing with what he thought was a beautiful, young woman. But very quickly, he discovered that his partner was a cross-dresser. He hated homosexuals so he had beaten him up. The man had gone behind the bar, pulled out a gun and shot him.
So what did this man say to Rawlings about his near-death experience? These are his words: “Well, it felt good to be in this beautiful place, but I kept wondering why the light never asked me about beating the heck out of the cross-dresser. And the light never mentioned the two killings from the past. I was glad he didn’t ask me about those things, but if he was from God, why didn’t he? I thought about bringing it up, but I said to myself, why knock a good thing and kept my mouth shut. I knew I should be in hell instead of this nice place. Doc, does God ever make mistakes?” What had happened? Did God make a mistake or just overlook this man’s awful deeds?
Why are there not more experiences of hell?
Because many people are given lying visions.
If you want to read some darkly hilarious literature I suggest reading books that come from “advanced spirit beings” that “channel” their wisdom through a human “medium”. One of the classics of channeled literature is a book called Seth Speaks. According to the jacket, (and I quote) “Seth is a personality no longer focused in physical reality.” (I have known a network executive or two who fit that description.)
In 1963, a woman named Jane Roberts and her husband started playing with a Ouija board. Suddenly, messages began coming from it. This led Jane to become a trance medium in order to channel the wisdom of an entity who called himself Seth. Was Jane really channeling “Seth” or was it all just regurgitated from her imagination? I think there is good reason to believe she was actually in touch with something beyond herself. The voice and the style of speech were entirely different from her own. What it said was completely out of character for her. What she experienced was spirit possession. If you don’t believe in that I have a shelf of books that you should read. I’d be happy to share titles.
When you read so-called channeled literature you are wading in a swamp of mental goop right up to your eyeballs. But in the middle of all the asinine blather you may come upon a fragment of fascinating information. Seth had a very big mouth and he loved to boast. He wanted everyone to believe that in him resides the wisdom of the ages. In his book he spends a number of chapters telling people what will happen to them after death. Needless to say, nothing that he shares agrees with Jesus and the Bible. But buried in the blather a scintillating factoid is dropped that I think represents truth.
Seth is a very busy entity and he has many associates.
According to him, all advanced beings are deeply interested in helping poor benighted humans like us. Seth informs us that one of their most important activities is to assist people at the moment of “transition out of the body.” It is one of their regular assignments. Seth and his associates have a great concern. It is their desire to meet the spiritual expectations of every human when we “die”.
Seth wants us to know that all human belief systems are just hallucinations. Once we are dead, he and his friends become guides to help us transition through and beyond our infantile religious beliefs. According to Seth, in order to facilitate this important work he and his entity cohorts become whatever “god” you expect to see. Let’s read his own words as “channeled” through Jane.
“The situation is rather tricky from a guide’s viewpoint, for psychologically, the utmost discretion must be used. One man’s Moses, as I discovered, may not be another man’s Moses. I have served as a rather creditable Moses on several occasions – and once – though this is hard to believe – to an Arab.
“The Arab was a very interesting character. Let me tell you about him. He hated Jews, but somehow was obsessed with the idea that Moses was more powerful than Allah and for years this was the secret sin upon his conscience. He was killed by the Crusaders in the most horrible way. They forced his mouth open and stuffed it with burning coals as a starter. As he died, he cried to Allah, then in greater desperation to Moses. And as his consciousness left his body, Moses was there. He believed in Moses more than he did Allah and I did not know until the last moment which form I was to assume.”
With consummate pride, Seth tells us that he and his associates staged a grand pageant for this Arab’s benefit with Allah and Moses fighting each other for his soul because, for some unknown reason, that was what the man expected. Beneath all this asinine hilarity, a chilling statement is being made. When St. Paul writes in II Corinthians 11:14 that Satan can masquerade as an angel of light, we should take that very seriously. Before his fall, Satan was in God’s Presence. As one of the most powerful angels, he is able to mimic the Light and Love of God. Now I’m sure what he creates is a very poor copy, but for people who have never experienced the original it is an alluring counterfeit. He can make it feel as though you are in God’s presence, then tell you anything he wants.
What is the purpose of this counterfeit?
In many near-death experiences, people meet whatever god they believe in and are sent back with messages of false hope. Most of all, the focus of those messages is this: Jesus is not who the Bible says He is. He is just one of many great teachers and avatars who have appeared throughout history. He is not the only savior of the world. Certainly, He is not the only way to Heaven. Most of all, Satan does not want you to know and believe that Jesus really did come and give His life to save the human race from hell.
Satan knows very well what happened in the heart of his kingdom almost two thousand years ago. I fear that an understanding of what happened in the kingdom of hell has been lost in the church of today. It’s time we reclaimed it. Here’s how it began.
Luke 22:63-23:47 Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him. And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, “Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?” And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him. As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying, “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will by no means believe. And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go. Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God.”
Then they all said, “Are You then the Son of God?” So He said to them, “You rightly say that I am.” And they said, “What further testimony do we need? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.” Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate. And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”
Then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered him and said, “It is as you say.” So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no fault in this Man.” But they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.”
When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean. And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him. Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.
Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, said to them, “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. I will therefore chastise Him and release Him” (for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).
And they all cried out at once, saying, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas” — who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder. Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”
Then he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go.” But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested. And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.
Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus. And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”‘ For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?”
There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
And they divided His garments and cast lots. And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God. “The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.” And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.'” Having said this, He breathed His last. So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!”
I’ve read the story of Jesus Christ’s death so many times. I’ve seen films about it, and probably you have too, the Son of God taking the sins of the world upon Himself. It’s clear from the Biblical record that behind the human conspiracy that led to Jesus’ crucifixion, Satan and his Angels of Darkness were working feverishly. If you remember, during the Last Supper, it says that at a certain moment Satan himself entered into Judas Iscariot, the betrayer. Satan desperately wanted Jesus to die.
But there is an element to this story that bothered me for a long time.
Now, I am not a theologian. Neither am I a professional Bible scholar. I’m only a Hollywood storyteller. But every good storyteller asks logical questions. As writers, we have to understand our characters, their motives, their hopes and their dreams. Especially this is true when we create antagonists. As evil as an antagonist may be, if your story is going to make sense, the villain has to make decisions out of a logical framework based on his view of reality. Even if he is insane, he has some kind of consistent viewpoint. He wants something and he has reasons for wanting it. Though the world may view him as horribly evil, in his own eyes he is the hero of the story, a victim of cruel injustice who is terribly misunderstood and maligned. In his self-pity, he sees everything he does as fully justified. In every great antagonist there is a logic of self-preservation. Certainly that would be true for the most formidable antagonist of all, Satan.
So here is the question that bothered me. Why would Satan want to kill Jesus Christ? He’s the Son of God. Satan knows that. He’s taking on the sins of the world. Satan knows that. He’s tried to tempt Him to a different course, to personally sin, to be disobedient to God’s laws and purpose and it hasn’t worked. Based on that alone, then this has got to be the logical reality from Satan’s viewpoint. “If I kill Him, he’s going to Heaven and His death will redeem the human race.” It’s in the Old Testament. Satan is an expert on the Bible. He knows Isaiah 53 and all the other passages about the suffering Messiah. And he knows the passages about Him being a conquering King.
Let’s apply some story logic.
Given this understanding, if you were Satan wouldn’t you want to keep Jesus alive in this world forever? Wouldn’t you protect him so He would die a natural death in old age, not giving his life for anyone? Why would you want to facilitate your own destruction? So what are we missing here? What is going on that we have overlooked? Let me present an idea. What if Satan had an entirely different understanding about what would happen to Jesus when He died? I believe that Jesus Himself gave us some hints about Satan’s motives.
Let’s look at a fascinating parable. Matthew 21:33-46:
“Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.
Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”
They said to Him,” He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.
Who is Jesus talking about in this parable?
Clearly, first of all He is talking about the hypocritical religious leaders who are in His audience. These men wanted to kill Him. In a number of places He calls such men children of their father, the devil. Strong words. It means that to Jesus they were the human representatives of Satan and the kingdom of hell.
But let me ask a question. As much as they hated Him, did those religious leaders view Jesus as the Son and Heir of their Kingdom? Absolutely not. In His trial they wanted to crucify Him for claiming just such a thing. So on a deeper level, who was Jesus talking about? Who did know that He was the Son and Heir and who did want to kill Him because of that? Satan and all of his fallen hosts. What does the parable say about the motives of the murderers? They believed that if they could kill the son the vineyard would be theirs.
So what might Satan have believed? First, he believed the eternal truth stated in Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death. St. Paul wrote those words. What is he saying? What does death mean in this context? Just physical death? If that’s true as soon as our hearts stop beating the price for sin is paid and we all ought to go to Heaven. But it doesn’t mean just physical death. In Luke 12:4-5 Jesus warned that we shouldn’t fear the one who can kill the body. We should fear God, the One who can cast the soul into hell.
The Bible teaches that because of sin, the curse of death is a two-part experience. First, comes physical death. That is the minor part. After that there is the death of the spirit in eternal suffering apart from God. The Bible calls this the Second Death. So what might Satan have believed about the moment when Jesus’ Spirit left His body? The perfect Son of God who has never sinned has come into this world to do what? 2 Corinthians 5:21 says it clearly: For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin (to be) sin for us. Those two little words “to be” do not exist in the Greek. They’ve been added to make it more readable in English. What it says is that God made Jesus sin for us. He didn’t make Him commit sin for us. He turned Him into sin for us. It was the ultimate sacrifice mirrored in the entire Old Testament system of sacrifices. The animal hadn’t done the sinning, it was the people. A substitute for the sinner took on the sin and paid the penalty.
What sin? Whose sin? John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son…” What sin? The sin of the whole world. By God’s decree, Jesus became guilty of all the sins that have ever been committed from Adam and Eve down to the last child who will ever be born. No wonder in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus cried out, “Father if it is possible let this awful cup pass from me.”
So what did Satan understand?
The Law of God is clear and immutable. The soul that sins must die. Not just physical death, spiritual death in hell. So what must happen to Jesus? In becoming the sin of the entire human race, He is transformed into the most the most vile, wretched and filthy man who has ever lived, guilty of everything from the murders of the Holocaust to child rape and on and on. God will not be able stand the sight of Him. If we had seen it all, we couldn’t have stood the sight of Him. Satan would understand that into hell Jesus must go to suffer the second death and remain under his evil control. With the Son in hell, what will happen to the world? It will belong to the Prince of the Power of the Air forever. The “vineyard” will be his. Suddenly, it is brutally clear why Satan may have wanted Jesus to die.
And at His death, into hell Jesus went. One of the oldest statements of faith in the history of the Church is the Apostle’s Creed. It says, “He descended into hell.” It doesn’t say He was dragged there. He went there. What is this statement based on? What does the Bible say happened when Jesus entered hell? Let’s look at some mysterious passages.
Ephesians 4:7-10 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” (Now this, “He ascended” — what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) Those are the words of St. Paul.
Among the Jewish people of Paul’s day the concept of the lower parts of the earth never meant simply a grave in the dirt. It meant going down into hades – into hell.
Colossians 2:11-15 tells us this: In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Disarming principalities and powers, making a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them, these are words of absolute violence. The people of the Roman world would have understood what Paul meant. They had seen such things. They had seen Roman generals going into enemy territory and fighting terrible wars. When the enemy was defeated a Roman general would chain up all the soldiers left alive and lead them in a humiliating parade to show how he had triumphed over them. That’s what Paul is saying Jesus did. What other time for this to have happened than when He descended into hell, when Satan thought he had power over Him?
Sometime before His Resurrection, the war of the ages took place in the heart of Satan’s kingdom.
Remember that “time” does not mean the same thing in every dimension. An hour in this world could be ten thousand years in a different reality. So Jesus could say to the thief on the cross, “This day you will be with me in Paradise” and be true to His word, while remaining in Satan’s Kingdom for what felt like an eternity. I believe that in that war…in the heart of hell…the Great Victory was won. All Satan’s evil hosts were defeated by Jesus alone through the Power of God’s Holy Spirit. He didn’t destroy them. That comes later. But He bound them, limiting their power.
But before His great victory what happened to Jesus in hell? For some unknown period did He suffer there the Second Death for the sinners of the world? The Bible does not tell us. But I believe that’s what Satan expected to happen.
1 Peter 3:18-20 says: For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison.
God would not leave Jesus, His Only Begotten Son, in hell. The Spirit made Him alive. And after His victory over Satan, He preached the greatest sermon in the history of the world to a vast audience locked in darkness. Based on that victory, how does Jesus describe Himself now? You can read it in Revelation 1:18 “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” He won those keys by the giving His Life for you and me.
How can we communicate what Jesus has done for us?
Where are the words? There is no greater responsibility for a Christian storyteller than to try to communicate what Jesus’ death, His descent into hell and His resurrection really mean for humanity? How can we communicate the sin and evil that He became for us, the sin and evil that we do and that we are as a race? How can a storyteller communicate our “utter lostness”?
I tried to do this in a chapter of a novel that I wrote entitled, Dagon’s Illusion. I have turned that novel into a dramatic podcast of the same name. Below you will find a link to Episode 35 that I called The Dark Parade. While it comes in the middle of the novel, I think you will find that it stands alone. Every evil described in it has actually been committed by we humans at some point in our history. I invite you to listen.
The writer of the New Testament Book of Hebrews asks the ultimate question:
“…How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?”
That is a question that you need to ask yourself right now. My friend, our lives are so short. Before you know it, yours will come to an end. As you have read already, the message of the Bible is clear. God loves you more than you could ever know. No matter what you have done, no matter what sins you have committed, Jesus gave His life for you to give you His Eternal Life forever. You are invited right now to lay your life at His feet, to give your life to Him. Be honest with Him about the things you know that you have done that are wrong. Ask Him to forgive you and become your Savior and Lord. He will do it. His Life can be yours. There is no other path to Heaven.
If I can be of help to you, email me: firstname.lastname@example.org


Paula has a heart to encourage, support and build others up! Paula began working at TM, September 2018. She brings years of administrative support experience! She graduated from TM School of Ministry and is certified as Restoring the Foundations as an Issue-Focused Prayer Minister. Paula has been married to her husband Kevin for 22 years. They have a daughter, son, and daughter in law. She has 2 precious granddaughters. They are active members of Church of the Highlands. They are active small group leaders at their church.


To pour out love
Our Vision: TIP US OVER POUR US OUT!
The Little Teapot café began as a dream to show unconditional love to families with young children. We know this stage of life can bring joy and challenges, so we wanted to create a community where families can find love, support, and hope in every part of their journey.
We want to be so much more than a family friendly cafe, we dream of being a home away from home.
Little Teapot would love to be THE most welcoming cafe for families with young children...ever!
Our name and vision, "Tip us over, pour us out" comes from the old nursery rhyme, ‘I’m a Little Teapot’. Just like the line from the nursery rhyme, we dream of love being poured out at Little Teapot. We believe God loves us unconditionally and extravagantly, so we want to show that love to others, too.
Over the seven years Little Teapot has been open, we’ve had the joy of coming alongside many of our regular Teapotters as they journey through the ups and downs of life. We’ve had the pleasure of connecting families to local programs and activities, and we' ve run 20+ ‘New to the Community’ sessions and Parents Groups for families new to the area. We’ve also given away approximately 2000+ suspended coffees to new mums or those doing it tough via the Maternal & Child Health Nurses and playgroups. We also had the pleasure of hosting two online groups for new mums who had their first baby during COVID lockdowns.
Little Teapot was 7 years old in Oct 23! We look forward to what the future holds for Little Teapot in 2024!
Little Teapot Café & Play is a not-for-profit registered charity, so any profits go back into us caring for families and running groups and programs for the community. Little Teapot works in partnership with Lifeway Christian Church in Lara. The church community loves to support the cafe as we care for and give back to the families of Lara. You can read more about our partnership with Lifeway Christian Church and how our faith inspires what we do here.
There are also many generous local organisations, individuals and businesses that have partnered with Little Teapot, enabling it to be what it is today. Find out more about our major sponsors and supporters here
Little Teapot has approximately 30 wonderful staff and volunteers from all walks of life and backgrounds, led by our board of directors. You can find out more about our staff, volunteers and directors here
We want to show:
L O V E and generosity
Overflowing Kindness and Acceptance
a Very welcoming home away from home
Excellence in all we do
We believe God loves us this way. As a community we want to love others in this way too.


Nestling in a valley at the foot of Mount Sinai, St Catherine’s Monastery is built on the site where Moses is said to have heard the voice of the Lord speaking from a burning bush. It has been a famous site for pilgrimage for more than fifteen centuries. It is also one of the oldest working Christian monasteries in the world, dating back to 337AD, and is filled with priceless art and historic treasures.
The Basilica: erected by the Emperor Justinian between 542 and 551, the Basilica, also known as the Church of the Transfiguration, has been carefully preserved through the ages. The famous Mosaic of the Transfiguration, also dating from the sixth century, is in near perfect condition.
Moses’s Well: Moses, a fugitive from Egypt, met Zipporah, one of Jethro’s seven daughters at the well. He later married her, aged 40.
Monastery Museum: the museum contains a fascinating array of Byzantine icons, crosses, chalices, and ancient manuscripts and books, including fragments of the world’s oldest Bible. The Monastery Library, usually closed to laypersons, preserves the second largest collection of early codices and manuscripts in the world, outnumbered only by the Vatican.
The Cemetery: the cemetery itself is so small that monks’ skeletons are usually disinterred after a year and moved to the charnel house, which is sometimes open to visitors.
|2:00 PM Approximately


At Rogers First Assembly, we have many ministries available for your kids from infant to 6th grade! Each class is specifically geared to the age and needs of your kids. All of our staff have completed background checks and are trained to care for and teach the kids in each class. If you have any questions, please email email@example.com.
RFA KIDS RFA Kids is our main class for kids from 1st to 5th grade, meeting during the Sunday Morning Worship Service at 10:30am. Each week there is a time of worship, an exciting lesson that is applicable to their lives, and time for kids to pray! This class meets in room 103.
RFA KIDS JR RFA Kids JR is our preschool class for ages 3 through Kindergarten. This class meets during the Sunday Morning Worship Service and has a time of fun crafts, a vivid Bible story, and a play time for the kids to have fun! This class meets in room 102.
JUNIOR BIBLE QUIZ Junior Bible Quiz (or JBQ) is an intensive Bible memorization program that teaches kids the Word of God and core doctrines that they will always be able to remember. There are competitions once a month, and practices weekly on Sundays at 9:30am. This class meets in room 401.
ROYAL RANGERS Royal Rangers is our ministry program for boys, ages Kindergarten through 5th grade, that meets on Wednesday nights at 7pm. During this time, the boys will be taught a Bible lesson and have time for activities such as knot-tying, camping, and fire-craft. This class meets in room 303.
GIRLS MINISTRIES Girls Ministries is our ministry program for girls, ages 3 through 5th grade, that meets on Wednesday nights at 7pm. Girls learn the Bible along with skills that will prepare them life, such as cooking, fitness, and first aid. Girls Ministries meets in rooms 102 and 307.
NURSERY For infants and toddlers, ages 0 to 3 years, we have a staffed nursery available for the Sunday Morning Worship Service as well as the Wednesday Night Midweek Service. Kids may be dropped off at 10:15am on Sundays and 6:45pm on Wednesdays. Our nursery is in rooms 201 and 202.
1710 W. Sycamore Rogers, AR 72758 479.636.7200
SUNDAYS Morning Worship - 9:00am and 11:00am RFA Kids - 9:00am and 11:00am


Mingarry Lodges are situated in the former grounds of Our Lady of The Angels Catholic Church, being separated off when The Church sold off The Old Chapel House and grounds in the late 1980s. The Church and Chapel House both date from the 1860s, having been commissioned by James Robert Hope Scott and built by the architect Goldie. The church was built in an eminent position using a handsome grey granite found locally and used to be a remarkable feature in the landscape for miles around.
The local woodland has clearly encroached over recent years as the church is now hidden amongst the birks and dreaded rhododendrons. At least it was, until the recent work of the church volunteers which has revealed the splendour of Our Lady of The Angels and brought light once again to a little corner of Mingarry. The church volunteers have been busy removing the rhododendrons in the church grounds as part of a larger initiative by Loch Shiel Estates and The Forestry Commission to clear rhododendrons throughout the local area in order to enhance woodland biodiversity.
Sunday services are currently held at 12:00 noon with Father Tony Wood from Arisaig and the sound of hymns and organ music wafting gently across Mingarry is testament to the healthy local congregation. The church welcomes guest to the services and you are welcome to join the congregation afterwards for coffee and a chat. The Church is well worth a visit in its own right as a notable architectural attraction with its 'enormous' roof, stained glass windows and beautiful statues.
The first priest of the church was Rev Charles MacDonald, a resident of the Old Chapel House and author of the notable book, Moidart or among the Clanranalds. Copies of the book are available in each Lodge and provide an enlightening insight into local life in the 19th Century and to the colourful history of Moidart.


January 25, 2018
Our regional church leaders re-assigned me to the Kingston congregation, an assignment I wholeheartedly accept.
Mareli and I are looking forward to being part of the Adventist congregation in Kingston. Please pray with us as we begin this new chapter. Our desire is for our service to enrich your life, and prayerfully contribute to the well being of the Kingston community.
We will be introduced to the Kingston Adventist church this Saturday, January 27, at 11 am. Please join us as Pastor James Rooney, from the Ontario Conference of Seventh-day Adventists officiates in the installation service. You are cordially invited to worship with us on this and the following Saturdays. We would love to personally meet you and your friends.
I have been in pastoral ministry since January of 1985. We have served in South Africa (1985-96), Indiana, USA (1999-2003), and Ontario, where we have lived since December 2005. Kingston will be our 4th congregation in Canada.
Being part of the Adventist worldwide family is indeed an honor. We have been blessed by its warmth and gracious hospitality. We are continuously inspired by our worldwide church’s commitment to our biblically based message and mission, and the joyful manner which our members, fellow pastors and church leaders live out our service to Christ.
We invite you to join us on Saturday mornings from 9:30 to 12 noon, and Wednesday nights from 7:15 to 8:15, when we fellowship, study God’s Word and worship our God. You are also invited to partner with us in serving our community.
I am looking forward to meeting you and your friends in person. One of our priorities is to visit with you in a place you feel comfortable: home, church or even at Tim’s 😊. You may contact us @ 613-548-7765 or e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org.
Finally, remember “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” May Christ bind us together by His love.
F. Edgar Nunes


“The faith that is born in the light is often developed in the dark”- Adrian Rogers
What do we, children of God, do when the lights go out & darkness, despair, fear, loneliness, sorrow wakes us up in the middle of the night & hits us like a ton of bricks? When nothing around us makes sense… do we question God? Do we find ourselves asking why? And if so, is it wrong to do so?
No, it’s not. But the better question is how. The former question might never be answered; the latter will, if & when we ask diligently. Yet, in the midst of our sorrow most of us tend to tell ourselves, “My pain would be more bearable if I only knew why!” So then, why isn’t God eager to answer the why? I believe pain has a divine purpose, for it takes center stage in the drama of our spiritual growth & emotional maturity.
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”- Matthew 16:24
Ergo, to follow Christ without bearing our cross is impossible. If we choose to follow Him & let go of our cross, what we are really following is our own will disguised by His will. But what is ‘our cross’ exactly? I’m going to take a shot & say it’s letting go of our ego which is to – deny oneself.
“A diamond is just a piece of charcoal that handled stress exceptionally well.”- Unknown
Jesus never promised life would be easy, He just said that in Him it’d be worthwhile. If we try to free ourselves from pain, discomfort, inconvenience all the time, at all costs we start to gravitate towards ourselves & therefore begin to lose our purpose, the purpose of that which we are created for. Matthew 16:24 refers to a calling for absolute surrender to Him; surrender of our will, our wants, our needs, our minds, our hearts… to His will. When all is well in our lives, this becomes smooth sailing. Our real commitment & true character manifest when troubles arise. And they will.
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”- John 16:33
Mind you, this world is not meant to be all tragedy & sorrow. Absolutely not! If so, what would be the purpose of it all. The real tragedy arises when we do not fulfill the purpose for which we are created & choose to do as we will, thus sorrow will follow.
Allow me to illustrate the ‘purpose of our creation’ in this little story:
A man walks into a gadget store & immediately becomes surrounded by all sorts of gadgets big & small, nice & plain, soft & hard, colorful & pale, etc. He feels curious & starts looking for the one that appeals to him the most. He then says to the clerk (who happens to be the gadgets’ owner & creator) “I want to buy this nifty looking gadget, it seems multi-purpose”, “Very well,” said the clerk “I’ll wrap it up for you, the manual is in the box.” So the guy goes home, unwraps the item & dazzles by its beauty & immediately proceeds to use it in all the ways it seems useful. But forgets to read the manual. He, then gets angry because the gadget seems not to accomplish its ‘multi-purposes’ or so he thought. And storms his way into the clerk’s store & begins rambling about the ‘useless’ gadget. The clerk patiently let’s him finish & asks “Did you, by any chance, read the manual?”, “Uh, no,” said the gentleman “Ah, very well then, read it & come back,” said the clerk. Off he went to read the manual & returned to offer the clerk an apology. “Had I not read the manual, like you told me, I would’ve never used this amazing gadget to its fullest potential.” The clerk just smiled.
Guess who’s the gadget? Yep, you got it, it’s you! And God is the clerk/owner/creator. Our life’s purpose will only be fulfilled if we read our manual (The Bible) & trust our creator by surrendering to His will. The guy who bought the gadget is our will. By living our lives however we choose to, not taking into account our Manual, we are not using our lives proficiently thus, become angry (at God) for feeling so empty or useless.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”- Jeremiah 29:11
On our own & without pain, we would never unravel our purpose in life, for we need to put in the backseat our ever so present, invasive ill-disposed ego. God wants us to live out the best versions of ourselves & uses pain to catapult us towards that direction. If, we so choose to. We get to decide the direction we want our pain to lead us, it’s either up or down. But it leaves us never ever the same than before. Bar none.
We’re never alone in the depths of our sorrow, our silver lining comes from the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. God’s Spirit prays with & for us, that which God is pleased to answer, for our own enlightenment, which is always in alignment to His perfect purpose.
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”- Romans 8:26
God is capable of changing all circumstances in our favor. But God is seldom in the business of making us happy. He wants to fulfill His purpose in our lives so we can truly thrive in this world & the next. For in the light that shines out of darkness lies the things we could not understand otherwise.
“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”- 2 Corinthians 4:6


Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank, approximately 10 kilometers (6 mi) south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism.
According to the New Testament, Bethlehem is the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth. The town is inhabited by one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, though the size of the community has shrunk in recent years due to emigration. The city is also believed to be the birthplace of David and the location where he was crowned as the king of Israel. The city was sacked by the Samaritans in 529 AD, during their revolt, but was rebuilt by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. Bethlehem was conquered by the Arab Caliphate of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb in 637, who guaranteed safety for the city’s religious shrines. In 1099, Crusaders captured and fortified Bethlehem and replaced its Greek Orthodox clergy with a Latin one. The Latin clergy were expelled after the city was captured by Saladin, the sultan of Egypt and Syria. With the coming of the Mamluks in 1250, the city’s walls were demolished, and were subsequently rebuilt during the rule of the Ottoman Empire.
The Ottomans lost the city to the British during World War I and it was to be included in an international zone under the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine. Jordan occupied the city in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and it was subsequently occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War. Israel has retained control over the entrances and exits to Bethlehem, though day-to-day administration has been under the purview of the Palestinian National Authority since 1995.
Modern Bethlehem has a Muslim majority but is also home to one of the largest Palestinian Christian communities. The Bethlehem agglomeration includes the towns of Beit Jala and Beit Sahour, as well as the refugee camps of ‘Aida and Azza. Bethlehem’s dominant economic sector is tourism which is particularly high during the Christmas season as the city is a Christian pilgrimage center, being home of the Church of the Nativity. Bethlehem has over thirty hotels and three hundred handicraft work shops, employing several of the city’s residents. Rachel’s Tomb, an important Jewish holy site, is located at the entrance of Bethlehem.
In order to get to Bethlehem, we took a bus literally 15 minutes from Jerusalem to the Israeli-Palestinian border. There we left our Israeli guide, walked over the border, and were greeted by our Palestinian guide. Israelis do not enter the West Bank territories for fear of kidnapping. Once we were over the other side, it was an exciting but somewhat nerve racking experience. During our time over the border, there were some “issues” which led to the border being closed for a very short amount of time.
The Church of Nativity
The Church of Nativity contains a star where pilgrims come to touch and hope for the Lord’s blessing. There is also an altar for the three wise men who gave Jesus gifts of gold, frankinsense and myrrh. Finally there is an altar where baby Jesus is believed to have been swaddled and cradled. A truly surreal and spiritual experience!


À ceux qui recherchent la Seigneurie de Jésus-Christ en toutes choses et qui désirent Le servir de la manière qu'Il a Lui-même établie et non selon leurs propres choix. À ceux qui veulent Le découvrir.
Translated by James Mack
A GOOD METHOD
For centuries now, some christians have been faced with the confusion of (Hebrews 13:17) « Obey your leaders », I believe it is important to understand what the author of Hebrews wanted to teach us.
The Scriptures are confirmed and explained by the Scriptures. Our feelings, our emotions, and ideas must not go against the Scriptures.
God has given us His advice through out the whole Bible.
I believe that the correct method for an adequate study of the Scriptures is by following these steps:
1 – Taking the verse that we are studying in its context.
For example, it is clear that we are not « physically » eating the flesh of Jesus (Jn 6:50-63). Verse 63 gives us the explanation in the context of what Jesus told us:
Jn 6: 63 The Spirit is the one who…
Voir l’article original 2 668 mots de plus


2 edition of Russell"s Newhampshire & Vermont almanack, for the year of creation, according to Mosaic history, 5755: and of the Christian aera, 1793. found in the catalog.
Russell"s Newhampshire & Vermont almanack, for the year of creation, according to Mosaic history, 5755: and of the Christian aera, 1793.
by by Elijah Russell. Sold by the thousand, gross, hundred, dozen, or single. in Printed at Concord, (Newhampshire)
Written in English
|Series||Early American imprints -- no. 24764.|
|The Physical Object|
|Number of Pages||24|
Currently indexed music periodicals
The Fellowship of the Ring
Collected verses and hymns
Orbit, lacrimal apparatus, eyelids, and conjunctiva
International law, an introduction
The National Life story
1997 economic census (Company statistics series)
Juridical bases of diplomatic immunity
Report to the Government of Barbados on the national insurance and social security scheme.


Experience Meaningful Worship – Mississauga Church
Posted On June 24, 2023
In the vibrant city of Mississauga, there is a place where individuals can experience meaningful worship that nurtures the soul and strengthens the spirit. This exceptional haven of faith is a Mississauga church that seeks to create an atmosphere where people from all walks of life can come together to connect with their spiritual journey and find solace in the presence of a loving community. At the heart of this Mississauga church is a deep commitment to fostering a genuine sense of belonging and acceptance. It is a place where individuals can come as they are, free from judgment or prejudice, and find a warm embrace of love and compassion. The church understands that everyone’s spiritual journey is unique, and it strives to create a space where individuals can explore their beliefs, ask questions, and discover their own path towards deeper meaning and purpose. Meaningful worship lies at the core of this Mississauga church’s mission. Through engaging and inspiring services, attendees are invited to connect with their faith on profound level. The catering to diverse preferences and ensuring that each individual can engage in a way that resonates with their heart and soul.
From uplifting music and heartfelt prayers to thought-provoking sermons and reflective rituals, every aspect of the worship experience is designed to uplift, inspire, and create a deeper connection with the divine. Beyond the Sunday services, this Mississauga church offers a myriad of opportunities for personal and spiritual growth. Various ministries, small groups, and educational programs provide spaces for individuals to dive deeper into their faith, build meaningful relationships, and make a positive impact in their community. The church also values the importance of outreach and service, actively seeking ways to extend love, compassion, and practical support to those in need both locally and globally. What truly sets this Mississauga church apart is its emphasis on fostering an inclusive and diverse community Church near me. It celebrates the beauty of diversity and recognizes that everyone’s unique background and experiences enrich the collective faith journey.
People from different cultures, ages, and backgrounds come together, creating a tapestry of unity and understanding. The church believes in the power of embracing diversity as a reflection of God’s love and aims to create an environment where all individuals feel seen, heard, and valued. In conclusion, this Mississauga church offers a sanctuary where individuals can experience meaningful worship and find a supportive community to walk alongside them on their spiritual journey. It is a place where diversity is celebrated, where questions are welcomed, and where hearts are touched by the transforming power of faith. If you seek a place to connect with God and engage in worship that truly resonates with your soul, this Mississauga church stands ready to welcome you with open arms. Come and experience the transformative power of meaningful worship in a community that embraces you as you are.


Hey beautiful people.
I’ve been absent a while, I know. I have a lot of ideas I want to explore in blog posts here, but my depression has been kicking my butt lately and I’ve been feeling lucky for the days I make it out of the apartment, much less do well-researched and articulate blogging.
Depression is a dirty film over your mind that makes it hard to think and see clearly. Everything is tinted by that noxious idea that you are not worthwhile–nothing is worthwhile–that everything is meaningless, like chasing the wind.
Concurrently with my own darkness I’ve been really struggling with my religious experience. Most of the followers of this blog will know that, eight months ago, my religious community performed a blessing for me in honour of changing my name.Â And at the time, that blessing was…. I don’t even know a word large enough. Let’s go with “galactic.” It was galactically important. It meant more to me than the $137 polymer birth certificate with my chosen name (or, y’know, as I normally call it: my name). It meant more to me than any individual acceptance of my identity has meant in my personal life. In that ceremony, I felt that I stood before the creator of the universe and was found sufficient. In that ceremony, I was Daniel in the king’s palace,Â but instead of God saying “your kingdom is over, you are lacking in the extreme,” God said, “Their kingdom is ending, but you will endure.”
‘Their’ kingdom–the kingdom of David’s enemies in Psalms, you know? And I felt, perhaps, like God was giving me a covenant like David’s. That I had suffered, but I would reap my reward. That God would show me the way through.Â As for the deeds of men, by the word of Your Lips, I have kept from the paths of violence. Â My soul had longed for you like a parched land, but you have shown to me the way that I should go!
The point I’m trying to make here is that ceremony was the most “godly” I have ever felt. And that’s as someone who’s been an Anglican most of their life, and been to all kinds of “Catch the Fire” revival events, in Toronto and my hometown and even on Parliament Hill. I’ve been present at more altar calls than I can count, I’ve heard people prophesy, I have done all of those “big Christian things” where people see God.Â And for me, that five minute ceremony was above and beyond all of them.Â I said recently to my pastor that the air in that room was electric. People in my church community still talk about that day. About what it meant, for all of us. About what it said for us as a people–as God’s people. And there was no doubt in my mind that God supported me. That there were plenty of people in my life who didn’t, plenty of whom were even Christian–but it didn’t matter. God was with me.
The Anglican Church, divided
For those of you who don’t follow the intricacies of policy in the Anglican Church of Canada, here’s a summary. Despite the fact that same-sex marriage has been legal in Canada for more than ten years, the Anglican Church is just now getting around to voting on how we feel about this issue. “Voting on this issue” kind of oversimplifies what is actually happening, though, because we’re voting on a topic for the second out of three times (the first, in 2013, was a vote to vote on the issue in 2016, and no, that’s not a typo). If we vote inÂ favourÂ of performing same-sex unions, we’ll still need to voteÂ yet againÂ on this subject in 2019. We also need voteÂ overwhelminglyÂ in favour, as this is basically a “constitutional” change for Anglicans–so we need a 2/3rds majority in each ofÂ threeÂ legislative houses (bishops, clergy, and laity), two synods in a row, to affect this change. (Source)
It’s a high bar. Rightly so, I’m sure some would say.
But there’s a little more context (bear with me). If you want to read the whole story, there’s a surprisingly thorough wiki article hereÂ but suffice it to say that people have beenÂ reallyÂ advocating for this kind of change since the early 2000s–and it has not been particularly well received. In 2005, there was a fairly big schism wherein a bunch of very conservative Anglicans decided to split from the Anglican Church of Canada. They cited a bunch of reasons for doing this, but, and I think people in the conservative sect would admit this, most of it had to do with the idea that it looked like we might allow gay marriage.
In 2007 that got a bit more formal, and you now have a second Anglican group in Canada known as the “Anglican Network in Canada” (ANiC), which claimsÂ an average Sunday church attendance of 4500 people per church, and in 2009 to have had more than 100,000 “members”. For context, the most recent numbers for the Anglican Church of Canada cite slightly less than 550,000 members–so that’s a solid 15% loss. It’s not exactly some fringe group.
So Anglicanism in Canada took a big hit almost ten years ago, three years before we even agreed to vote on this really contentious issue. And now here we are, nine years after that rupture, and we’re finally getting around to actually voting on this issue that a lot of people felt strongly enough about to break communion with their Anglican family, before a vote had even been suggested.Â That’s a wordy sentence there, I know, but it’s kind of a complicated situation.
One last thing. So in 2013, Anglicans in the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) voted that, in 2016, we would vote on this issue. And they also agreed that, in order to vote properly, delegates to Synod (think of it like the “Anglican Parliament”) should be reasonably informed about this issue. Since Anglicans are kind of big on the Bible as the basis of our belief system, we agreed to do a theology study on what the Bible actually says about marriage, and whether or not there are biblical grounds for same-sex unions. You can find that study by clicking here.
It’s a long study, and I’m not gonna go in depth about what it said, because honestly, there are probablyÂ booksÂ to be written about what that study says. But the most salient detail is this–these educated, elected, chosen-by-the-Spirit people saidÂ there was nothing in the Bible that concretely spoke against a same-sex marriage–indeed, there was a lot less in the Bible about marriage that you would really expect there to be.
In February of this year, the Anglican Bishops released a statement.Â It was a very…. diplomatic…. statement. About how the Bishops thought the draft motion for change on this issue “is not likely to pass“. About how they questioned “whether a legislative procedure is the most helpful way of dealing with these matters.”
There was quite a bit of backlash over the statement. I was, and remain, devastated by what was expressed in this letter. It been contextualized for me by several well-meaning people. Painted in a brighter light. “There areÂ someÂ bishops who support gay marriage. This letter is a ploy, to let you know there are struggles, and we need to organize! To write letters. To fight!” Okay. Sure. I see that interpretation.
But every time I read that letter, I read what itÂ doesn’tÂ say, or what peers out shiftily between the lines. The letter says, “we are committed to exploring other options for honouring and fully embracing committed, faithful same-sex relationships.” I read that as,Â we are unwilling to recognize your love as being the same as our love.Â It ends with “Despite the pain and distress we feel at our own differences, yet we strongly affirm that we are united in striving for the highest degree of communion possible in the spirit of St Paulâ€™s teaching of the nature of the body of Christ and our need for one another in Christ, where no one can say, â€˜I have no need of youâ€™”. And in my heart, I hear,Â our community with bigots is more important than your safety and your human rights.
For LGBTQ Christians, this is not a new statement. Over and over we areÂ reminded of the virtues of patience. Of ‘God’s time’. Of turning the other cheek. Walk two miles with your oppressors. Offer him your shirt also. And I do not dispute the godliness of these qualities.
But I am tired.
I am so incredibly tired. I have begun to feel like a museum exhibit in my own home. And I there are people who live here, who have walked this path with me, who have held me up in times of struggle, who I know will be with me as I walk forward. Who, to continue the museum exhibit metaphor–who know the names and references in my papers. Who remember the person who used to drink out of that cup, instead of just a faceless conception ofÂ life before us. Â And here, in my opinion, is why.
On Hatred, and the Weight of Relationships
It has been my experience that people who know me, who really know me, have a hard time treating me like garbage. Online, it’s easy. When you don’t know any gay people, it’s easy. When you don’t have to see the ramifications of your hurt, it’s so, so easy.
And this is not to erase the experience of my queer siblings whose families showed them the door. I honestly don’t know what would have happened if I had come out in high school. Really. I don’t. And those of you who know me personally will know that my parents had aÂ very bad responseÂ to my coming out initially.
But in practice, in my family and, I think, in other families, it’s hard to show your offspring the door. It’s hard to say you never want to see your child again, and hold to that. It’s hard to stop doing Christmas cards or birthday calls. When there are emotional ties, these issues gain an extra dimension. And it’s a big dimension. An important one.
There’s an episode ofÂ This American Life,Â the grandfather of all podcasts, which talks about a study from the United States where canvassers went door-to-door, talking to people about really controversial issues. Gay marriage. Abortion. That kind of thing. “Rate your opinion from 0 to 10”. And this study found that in 20 minutes–seriously, just twenty minutes–you can change even the hardest-hearted person from a 0-no-support level to a 10-full-bar. How? With emotion.
“TheÂ trick to this whole thing was they don’t try to reason with people about rights and equality and big principles like that. Canvass organizer Steve Deline says if you’re talking at a kind of rational, sort of intellectual level about things, you’re gonna fail.”
Steve Deline:Â That’s not where people make their decisions about issues like this. People make their decisions about how they’re going to vote on this at a gut level and at a visceral level and an emotional level.”
— transcript of This American Life, episode 589. Link for listening is also through there.
When they did the study again, roughly one out of 10 voters changed their attitudes about transgender people (which was the most controversial topic at the time). And these effects lasted–for six weeks. Then for three months. They’re going to measure it again at six months. But it’s looking good. It’s looking like science is telling us that the “rational animal” is not so rational. And to bring people to your experience, most of what you need is time. Time, and emotional investment.
Earlier this week I read an article by Matthias Roberts, an LGBT and faith-space blogger and speaker (Matthias, if you’re reading this, dude, help me get your gig!) The article was called “When the Church Hurts,”Â and it was a follow-up to a conversation he had had with Rob Bell, who, if you don’t know, is an internationally acclaimed speaker and former pastor, as well the creator of a (….seriously campy) series of youth group videos called NOOMA. (He’s also married to someone named Kristen Bell, but as commenters have kindly corrected me on, this is NOT the same Kristen as the amazing actress and sloth-adorer, be still my beating heart. But that gifset of her reacting to sloths is priceless, so I’m leaving that link up there.)
Anyway. In Matthias’ blog post, he responds to this really interesting quote by Rob Bell, which is what triggered my writing of this entire treatise on the state of the Anglican Church today. This is that quote:
â€œYou can’t be hurt by a faceless, nameless institution. You were hurt by people. You can only truly begin to forgive when you have names and faces.”
– Rob Bell
And this is a really interesting statement, for a couple of reasons.Â In some ways, this statement is really important, because it humanizes the church and–though Bell doesn’t say this, this my own extrapolation–because itÂ makes the people who have hurt you culpable.Â
But in other ways, this statement is totally untrue. Matthias writes:
“There are so many of us who have grown up or been involved in church communities that were the onlyÂ church communities we knew. While I personally have never had a church publicly turn against me, I have heard story after story of friends being asked to leave, kicked out, publicly spoken against. The places where my friends worshiped, the people who made up the church, their Church, turned against them. Sure, it may have been one or two or fifteen specific people, but the results were a removal of an entire community.Â â€œYou are not welcome here.â€….Â If youâ€™re in that place, I say: go ahead, blame the church. Blame it with everything youâ€™ve got. Because, it failed you.” (emphasis mine)
And if I may again extrapolate my own words, speaking only for my own experience: it is notÂ my churchÂ that has ever hurt me. It has always beenÂ the church.Â It is those nameless, faceless statements that are written by everyone and directed at no one. It has always been those people who do not known me, who have never seen me, who have never laughed with me or seen me cry. I don’t think anyone who was present for my name change ceremony felt anything hard against me. They couldn’t. It’s hard to hate, to really, truly hate, when someone is vulnerable and right in front of you.
Circling back to my family for a moment–I’ve got a particularly big emotional investment in this Anglican infighting. My father is a deacon of the Anglican Network in Canada. The church that I grew up in, that I found my faith in, that shaped in so many ways the person I am today–that church is now an ANiC parish. My dad is retiring from the public service this summer and will be investing a significant amount of his time and energy supporting a body that, unequivocally, does not accept or support queer people.
My own quiet rebellion has been this: I refuse to go to church with my parents anymore. When I visit them, they go together alone. And this is no small thing. Our shared faith is one the few things my dad and I have ever really connected on. We were both the “strong believers” in our family. The people who went to church every week, who volunteered, who were involved in everything from music team to altar guild to Sunday school. My dad and I taught Sunday school together, in fact. And now we don’t.
And I don’t want you to misunderstand me–that does hurt me. It hurts me every time I talk to my mom and she updates me on the local gossip and life changes of these people who watched me grow up. And it hurts them, every time my parents share with their community that I’m in town and, yet again, I have decided not to go to church with them. At Christmas last year, I even went to aÂ differentÂ Christmas Eve service. Nobody felt good about that, me included.
The strangest thing to me here though is that these peopleÂ don’t hate me.Â They know all about my gender identity–plenty of them are on my Facebook, and although we’ve never discussed it, I expect my family turned to their faith community for support when I came out to them. I’m fairly certain there are people in that community who pray for me every day (probably that I’ll see the error of my identity and come back to their understanding of Scripture, but, I mean, the thought is there). There seems to be this complete cognitive dissonance where they are againstÂ the queer,Â but not actually againstÂ thisÂ queer, the only queer that most of them realize they know.
It’s a subtle difference, but it’s an important one. (Gosh, if you’ve stuck with me all the way through this blog post, I really appreciate you for coming on this ride with me.) These people I grew up with–they still love me. They still ask after me like family. And I still care about them, too. I ask my mom how they’re doing. I’m invested in these people. And though I’ve drawn a line, because I’m not comfortable supporting the faith community given their beliefs–it’s not so cut and dry as it could be. Not as cut and dry as, some days, IÂ wish itÂ wouldÂ be.
Conclusions, or lack thereof
I’ve been writing this blog post in my head for months, and holding off because I wanted to have some definite conclusion. Some kind of path we’d walk together with a nice big box at the end, all the pieces neatly tied up and the litter cleared away. But my life isn’t like that. This issue isn’t like that. I don’t know if it ever will be.
I go back and forth on what I’m going to do about gay marriage every day. Sometimes every hour. There are times where I am convinced I cannot be part of “the church”–because “the” church doesn’t recognize me, doesn’t support me. Doesn’t see me as anything other than a problem to be solved. A sin to be corrected. I am exhausted with the church. I am at the end of my rope.
But I am powerfully, equally, unbreakably committed to “my” church. To the community that embraced me when I wandered in sometime during my second year of university, still tending the burn from my previous Ottawa church-home, which I had walked out of after a sermon encouraging Christians not to “fraternize” with gay people. The same community that remembered me when I reappeared, four months later, after an internship in France, missing my church life and hungry for friends. The community that encouraged me to take an internship with them, who loved me when I couldn’t finish the internship because my depression became too strong, who yelled and clapped for me when I got up during the Community Announcements and asked everyone to call me Eliot. Who listened when I sat in the pastor’s office and spoke much too quickly about this crazy idea for a name change service.
I wish I could tell you I know what I’ll do in July, when the vote comes back on this issue. As a Christian I’m meant to believe in miracles–and I even feel I’ve seen a few of my own. I don’t know what God will do at General Synod 2016. I don’t know if hearts (or mountains) will move. And I really don’t know how I’ll face a future of “the church” that rejects love. That chooses to stand on what I truly believe is the wrong side of history. That becomes rapidly irrelevant from a blind choice made from a place of prejudice.
But at the same time…. I don’t know how to live without it.
I’d love to engage with you on this issue, regardless of your religious background, in the comments below. My replies may be a bit slow, but I’m here!
If this blog post taught you something or made you feel something, there’s a donation button at the side there. I’ve been unemployed for quite some time now, and things are getting tight. Please consider supporting me.


Women's Bible Study
September 13th, 2018
Join us as we study the book of Titus. Titus is rich with gospel truth and instruction on how our lives should look in light of that truth. It will be encouraging and challenging as we dig into God’s word together!
We will meet the 2nd-4th Thursdays of each month in the Barn at CBC starting Sept. 13. The Bible study will run from 9:45 to 11:30AM.
Childcare will be provided.
Help us know how many women and children to plan for by signing up today!
September 14th - September 15th, 2018
Men’s Conference 2018 is September 14th beginning at 5:30 P.M. and September 15th beginning at 8:00 A.M. Pastor Daniel Gillespie of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Wilmington, NC will preach. Join us for worship and fellowship as well as dinner Friday night and breakfast and lunch on Saturday. Registration is $60 and $45 for each additional son/guest in your party and the cost includes a newly styled blue Under Armor Golf shirt. An optional Golf Scramble will also be held at 8:30 A.M. on Friday, September 15th, at The Trophy Club in Lebanon (3887 US-52 Lebanon, IN 46052) . The cost for the golf scramble is $39, payable at the Clubhouse.
CONFERENCE LOCATED AT 720 LIBERTY DR. WESTFIELD, IN 46074 – PHONE: 317-569-5100


From Canterbury to Rome, this is the route that millions of Christian pilgrims have travelled since the Middle Ages. For centuries, the people of all Europe have met in peace along this road, recognising in each other fellow members of a unique culture. Because the Via Francigena was, in a sense, the birthplace of European unity, in 1994, the Council of Europe recognised it as a “European Cultural Itinerary.” Today, international tourists are again discovering the villages and cities that lie on this ancient way.
Passing from Tuscany, Proceno was the first village that pilgrims encountered in the Papal States. The Via Francigena is a route dense with history, a true backbone of Europe, from which grew the Romanesque style, works of literature such as the Chansons de Geste, and legends such as those of Charlemagne and his paladins. Along the route there arose sanctuaries and oratories dedicated to the patron saints of the road: St. James, St. Christopher, the archangel Michael, St. Donnino, and St. Rocco. And astonishing miracles occurred, such as the one in Bolsena that gave the church its festival of Corpus Domini.
There, in the shrine of the martyred St. Cristina, Christ’s blood dripping from the consecrated host onto the corporal, the small cloth beneath the chalice, and thus affirming the doctrine of transubstantiation brought a doubting priest, a pilgrim on his way to Rome, back to the faith.
For many, like the doubting priest, the journey along this road was and continues to be an existential experience, a journey of the soul.
All the pilgrims will get 15% DISCOUNT on the price list.


In 1928, several homes along Washington Boulevard between Scoville and East Avenues were acquired by the Dominican Fathers of St. Joseph’s Province. A “monumental structure for the education of boys” was to be constructed on the site. The new school would be a “modified gothic structure of Massachusetts seam-faced granite with Indiana limestone trim,” similar to the Dominican House of Studies in River Forest, and would have an ultimate capacity of more than 1,000 students.
Demolition of the houses began in October 1928, and the first 200 students arrived for classes in September 1929. Rev. Leo C. Gainor, O.P., was appointed the first president of the school. Originally from Indiana, Father Gainor had served as a professor of sociology and economics at Providence College in Rhode Island before accepting the Oak Park post. The school was named for Dominican bishop Edward Fenwick, first bishop of Cincinnati. According to school leaders, the selection recognized the advancement of education promoted by Bishop Fenwick.
Designed by New York architect Wilfred E. Anthony, the school has several architectural highlights, including a number of carvings surrounding the main entrance. The main portal is flanked by statues of St. Dominic Guzman, who founded the order, and St. Thomas Aquinas, a medieval theologian and the patron of Catholic schools. The carved shields between the two sculptures include the Papal Arms, the device of the state of Illinois, the escutcheons of the Dominican Order and the Province of St. Joseph, the shield of the United States, and the device of St. Dominic. Other symbols that can be found include the lily of St. Joseph, an apple tree symbolizing knowledge of good and evil, the Book of Knowledge, an oak leaf for fortitude, a candle for study, and a cog wheel for industry and science.
For nearly 90 years, Fenwick High School has educated generations of young men—and, since 1992, young women. Since its founding, Fenwick has maintained a 100% college matriculation rate, with students attending many top American and international universities.
Submitted by Mary Ann Porucznik, June 2018
Sources: Oak Leaves, Oct. 13, 1928; Sept. 7, 1929; Oct. 12, 1929; Fenwick High School website


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The influential Archbishop Emeritus of Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, died Sunday, July 11 in Paris, at the age of 81, six days after his evacuation in ‘critical condition’, we learned from a religious source.
‘His Eminence Fridolin Cardinal Ambongo, Archbishop of Kinshasa, has the deep sorrow to announce to the Catholic Christian community and to all people of good will the death of Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo, this Sunday, July 11, 2021 in France (Versailles)’, Father Georges Njila, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Kinshasa, wrote in a statement.
‘Valiant soldier of Christ, rest in peace. While waiting for the official arrangements of the Chancellery of Kinshasa, we pray for the soul of our Archbishop Emeritus of Kinshasa ‘, wrote on Twitter Father Jean-Marie Konde, in charge of communication for the Archdiocese of Kinshasa.
Around 4:15 pm (3:15 pm GMT) the bells of Our Lady of the Congo Cathedral rang. A sacristan came to install the effigy of the deceased prelate at the altar as women, in tears, began flocking to the church grounds, an AFP reporter found.
With the episcopal conference and under the influence of Laurent Monsengwo, the Catholic Church played a major role in democratic openness during the last years of the dictatorship of the late President Mobutu Sese Seko (1965-1997).
A cardinal with political weight
MgrMonsengwo was one of the critical voices with regard to the various regimes which succeeded one another in DR Congo (ex-Zaire), that of the dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, Laurent-Désiré Kabila (1997-2001), Joseph Kabila (2001- 2019), then Félix Tshisekedi.
Ordained a priest in 1963, made a cardinal by Benedict XVI in 2010, this great figure of the African Catholic Church ceded his chair to the head of the Archdiocese of Kinshasa to MgrAmbongo in November 2018.
The Catholic Church in DR Congo, the only institution really present in the whole of the territory and which claims about 40% of the population, enjoys an audience on political and social questions that goes far beyond the circle of its faithful.