Missions Outreach Volunteer Opportunities
Sponsored by Catalina United Methodist Church
To help with these missions, please contact the designated contact person or the church office at 327-4296.
|Organization/Group Info||Volunteer Needs||CUMC Contact|
|Angel Tree Project Provides Christmas gifts to children of imprisoned parents||Make phone calls, prepare Angel tags, write Christmas cards, decorate Angel trees, wrap and deliver gifts.||Ina Smalzer at 327-0725 firstname.lastname@example.org or call church office at 327-4296|
|Aviva Children’s Services Supports children affected by domestic violence and poverty.||Collect child’s info for Life Book; collect personal items bags; sew; donate clothing/toys.||Shelley Hawthorne Smith email@example.com|
|Blenman Elementary School Educates and supports
learning needs and other
needs of children.
|Provide school supplies,snack pack food for students to take home weekends, tutor, help the librarian, or serve as a lunchroom host.||Sue Carter Troysgrammy@aol.com or leave message at church office|
|Casa Maria Feeds and supports the homeless.||Prepare sandwiches on Fridays and prepare a meal and pack lunches on Saturday mornings every 6 weeks.||Call the Church office at 327-4296.|
|Community Food Bank of Southern AZ Provides food to low income and homeless.||Sort food as part of US Postal Service food collection event each year.||Call the Church office at 327-4296.|
|Iskashitaa Refugee Harvesting Redistributes locally harvested food to Tucson international refugees and service organizations.||Harvest fruits and vegetables from local yards and farms at least once per year.||Call the Church office at 327-4296.|
|Primavera Men’s Shelter Provides food, shelter, and job search support for homeless.||Prepare and serve dinner 4th Saturday of each month.||Al Goodemote at 891-5109 firstname.lastname@example.org|
|TIHAN – Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network Provides support for those affected by HIV/AIDS.||Prepare meal for TIHAN clients and their family/friends once a year and collect hygiene items.||Kristin Ginter at 327-4296
|Tucson Wesley Foundation Ministers to college students.||Prepare/serve meals five times during the school year.||Kristin Ginter at 327-4296 email@example.com|


On the day he begins a new apostolic mission as head of the diocese of Dili, I warmly congratulate the Most Reverend Bishop Virgílio do Carmo da Silva and extend my wishes of pastoral and personal success.
Due to the extremely important role it has always played in shaping the Christian identity of the Timorese people, the Catholic Church holds a unique place in our society. The selfless sacrifice of many religious men and women of the Catholic Church in defence of the Timorese people’s dignity over the years has built the Catholic Church into one of the pillars of our national identity.
The State and the Church have different missions and responsibilities. However, they converge in the sense that both the State and the Church work towards educating Timorese citizens, men and women, committed to honesty and integrity, and developing a society based on Christian solidarity, truth and love.
As Catholic, citizen and President of the Republic, I will work with Bishop Virgílio do Carmo da Silva and the Church as a whole to help consolidate a peaceful and harmonious coexistence in our country and a societybased on integrity, respect and love of thy neighbour.
I congratulate the Catholics of the diocese of Dili and of the national Catholic Church on this joyous day as Catholics salute their new bishop.
I conclude by expressing my heartfelt wishes for good health and long life to Bishop Virgílio do Carmo da Silva.


Welcome to Canoe Cove Christian Camp!
Wow! Another fantastic season of camping has finished already! A huge thank-you to everyone who participated, to make it a truly remarkable summer. Our staff have been outstanding, and our volunteer counselors and kitchen helpers have been fantastic. Well done, everyone!
A special welcome to Stephen and Katrina Vessey, who are stepping into the role of Camp Managers after a summer as Program Directors. They will be taking over the job from Alan and Mary Mills, who have served God in this role for the past five years. These two couples are truly remarkable, and we are honoured to serve with them in this little corner of God’s Kingdom. We wish a well-deserved rest for Alan and Mary, and commit our support and fellowship to Stephen and Katrina.


9:30AM Small Group Bible Study
10:30AM Children's Worship
7:00PM Adult Bible Study
8:00PM Sanctuary choir practice
New series beginning Sept 28: Heaven In the Real World
Have you ever wondered what life will be like "after" this life? Is there life after this one? If so, where will it be? What will a person be doing and how will they spend their "time"? Will there be work, play, food, animals, or will it be an eternal church service in the sky (sorry, but for most that would be hell to endure)? What will we look like? How do we get "there" wherever "there" is? Join us as we we explore the wonderful subject of heaven and the coming Kingdom of God in a new series entitled "Heaven In The Real World".


“Give Peace a Chance” is a popular anthem in the anti-war song by John Lennon. This floor-stomping, hand clapping protest song was sung 46 years ago from a ‘bed-in’ with his wife at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. It’s message and beat took the world by storm becoming one of the most popular songs of all time. It lifted John Lennon into the stratosphere of iconic celebrity. The lyrics position peace in contrast to several ‘isms’, famous names in popular culture, and controversial topics in the 1970’s.
Not much has changed over the years. Maybe the ism’s, names, and topics have changed but the war rages on and on. It’s an endless circle of humanity fighting for power, control and significance, from the highest offices in politics to the everyday comments on social media news feeds.
The question is how should Christians engage the culture around us? Do we adhere to a political ideology and fight for power and control? Do we attach our hearts to public figures that represent our worldview and stand in agreement with them? Do we wage war against the controversial topics of the day in Jesus name? Are these legitimate Christian ‘ways’ or is Jesus calling us to a higher purpose walked out a different way?
I have heard it said that all of our relationships belong to God. That makes me tremble.. Literally! I find myself struggling to remain in peace while hearing how ‘fine sounding arguments of human wisdom” (Colossians 2:4) are deceiving dear friends away from the truth found in Jesus. How do we pilot these relationships? Do we argue truth or do we remain in peace with one another? And what about those we differ with politically or even those of a different faith?
Scripture provides us with sobering words to chew on as we steer through this world and it’s ways. Peace is a major theme in the bible. While the Israelites were captive in Babylon, God directed them to work ‘toward the welfare/peace of the city’ (Jeremiah 27:9). God even told them that they would come out of captivity ‘in joy and be lead forth in peace’ (Isaiah 55:12a)
Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:18 that we have been given the ministry of reconciliation. Reconciliation meaning a change of relation from enmity to peace. And Jesus himself tells us that he has left peace with us.. “My peace I give unto you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)
The ministry of reconciliation is given to us as a new purpose for our new life in Christ. A life we acquired through faith to reconcile our relationship with God and others. We are true to our calling when we seek the welfare of our cities, and bring a blessing of peace to ‘faith gentiles’ all around us. I believe ‘how’ we engage and deliver the message of Reconciling Peace matters. I believe Jesus is asking us to operate in peace-filled relationships, as much as it depends on us.
Maybe Jesus is saying; Give peace a chance when he didn’t count our trespasses against us, and humbly went to the cross to purchase our redemption and reconciliation with God. Will we let peace rule in our hearts as we engage with our culture bringing the ministry of reconciliation in Christ into a world increasingly deceived by fine sounding arguments of human wisdom?
I love to read your thoughts below. To receive Myrtle & Cypress Faith monthly blogs in your inbox please subscribe via our subscription form.
God bless you!


Visitors to our church often comment on the high standards maintained by our altar servers. This is unquestionably down to the training given and the example set by Wilf Doyle. All servers work towards achieving membership of the Guild of Saint Stephen and proudly wear the guild medal while they are serving at Mass.
The letters XP are the first two letters of the name Christ in Greek. At the top of the medal is the crown of victory given by God to everyone who overcomes evil, especially those who die for him. At the bottom are the palm branches, the traditional signs of martyrs who died for Christ. The Latin words are the Guild motto, "Cui servire regnare est" - "To serve is to reign". The guild members declare that to serve on the altar is to serve Christ Himself. And the reward for all good and faithful servants is a share in His kingdom.
There is a bronze medal awarded when a server is accepted into the guild; a silver medal can be given for ten or twelve years' faithful service, while a gold medal can be granted after fifty years' membership of the guild.
This page has only recently been created. More details about CAFOD will appear in due course. You can find out more about the work of CAFOD by clicking on the logo above.
CAFOD: Over the last year since August 2017, our parish has donated £340.78 to CAFOD, which includes the Harvest Fast Day 2017, the Lent Fast Day 2018 and any other fundraising activities. Many thanks for your generosity. Altogether nationally, £4.2 million was raised for the Lent Fast Day; this will be match-funded by the government. This money will be used to fund an ambitious three-year project to help families in Zimbabwe, Eritrea and Zambia feed themselves.
Children’s liturgy is provided for children of primary school age (3-11 years)
Younger children are welcome to participate with the support of a parent/carer
A team of volunteers, mostly parents/carers, lead Children’s liturgy. We operate a 4-week rota. We are always delighted to welcome new helpers
Children’s liturgy takes place during the first part of our Sunday mass at 9am
It lasts for approximately 25 minutes
Children’s liturgy takes place in the St. Gregory’s church hall
We meet in church for the start of mass and return to church at the offertory
In Children’s liturgy, we share the Gospel of the day and respond to it through activities such as
acting out the story
When we return to church, the children participate in the offertory procession. They tell the congregation what they have been doing and display their pictures
Each week, the children receive a LOOK and/or ICHTHUS sheet to take home. These contain information and activities that support their understanding of mass
The children play an active role in special celebrations during the year, for example
each year, the First Mass of Christmas is celebrated as a children’s mass. The children lead our celebration by reading, acting out the Gospel, singing and the preparation of gifts
during Lent, the children lead a Stations of the Cross service
in May, the children make a crown of flowers for our statue of Mary
The APF (The Association for the Propagation of the Faith) has been supported by St. Gregory's Parish since 1976 and has contributed most generously, mainly through the "Red Boxes" which are emptied quarterly. Contributors receive a quarterly magazine which keeps them updated on the work of the Association. The local secretaries are Bron Coleman (Sileby) and Joan Wiggins (Barrow) who would welcome enquiries on how you could support the Association. Detailed information about the work of the APF can be gained by clicking on the blue link above.
Bron and Joan have taken over from Bridget O'Dwyer who has been responsible for the red boxes for very many years. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude for the wonderful work in which Bridget has been engaged for such a long time; she has been an inspiration to us all. The phone call with the gentle reminder that it was "that time of the year again" was a feature of her stewardship. The splendid sums raised for the missions are a tribute to her efforts.
CHURCHES TOGETHER IN BARROW
The aims of Churches Together in Barrow are:
to work and pray together for Christian unity
to enable the churches as pilgrims together to develop growing relationships in mutual respect for the fellowships, ministries and traditions of member churches;
to encourage churches to worship and pray together, and to reflect together on the nature and purpose of the church in the light of its mission - each church sharing with others the treasures of its tradition and
to enable the churches on appropriate occasions to respond to the needs of society and to witness to the Gospel together.
Currently the four churches are Holy Trinity Anglican church, Barrow Baptist church, Barrow Methodist church and Barrow Catholic community.
The enabling group meets three times a year to plan joint activities.


Ukraine was christened by St. Volodymyr in 988. While all Ukrainian Churches were severely persecuted in the former USSR, the Ukrainian Orthodox and Catholic churches were forcibly incorporated into the Russian Orthodox church by Soviet authorities and outlawed. Most believers are Orthodox Christian (77%), although now the Orthodox Church is divided into traditional branch, which is under authority of Moscow Patriarchal and Kyiv branch, which broke away and now independent. There is a large Eastern-rite or Uniate Catholic population of about five million (13.5%) in Western Ukraine. This church looks forward its revival since the lifting of old Stalin era ban on their church ten years ago. Protestant, Judaic and Moslem minorities are also freely practicing their religions. Mass emigration during Soviet time and World War II has reduced the numbers of Jews, concentrated in Kyiv, Lviv and Odessa. Many Crimean Tatars were forced to reallocate to Siberia during Stalin era. Both Jewish and Tatar religious communities are growing in part due to as many of former repatriates now return to Ukraine.


On Saturday, September 19, NEYSA and the Niagara Wheatfield Athletic Association (NWAA) lost one of our coaches, Christopher J. Gordon, who passed away after a tragic accident. Chris was a member of NWAA for the past seven years and leaves behind his wife and three children. Chris was a great family man and a great coach for the NWAA Wildcats. Our entire NEYSA family offers our thoughts and prayers to his family during this very difficult time.
Friends may call on Thursday, September 24, from 2-4 pm and 6-9 pm at the Wattengel Funeral Home at 533 Meadow Drive in North Tonawanda. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, September 25 at 9:30 am at the From Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish located at 53 Center Avenue in North Tonawanda.
If you can, please help the family by donating to their fund at http://www.gofundme.com/2d4tjww


Welcome to Jesuit Theater
Home of this year's "Vitus Project"
This page is maintained through the work of Magis Theatre Company with a grant from the Jesuits of USA East and the Ignatian 500 Fund.
We hope that this can become the most comprehensive and convenient resource for finding out more about the tradition of Jesuit Theater.
This page is an evolving resource. If you know of a group that ought to be included here, let us know and we will do our best to include them.
ounded in the 16th Century, the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) is an order of Catholic priests and brothers following the tradition of Ignatius of Loyola who developed a method of contemplation and prayer that seeks a spiritual connection by use of the imagination, the feelings, and a practice of reflection in a way that is similar to what we do in theater. Whether it is fact or lore, it has even been said that much of the acting “method” used by many actors today has borrowed extensively from the Ignatian tradition.
Many of Europe’s classical dramatists were formed by Jesuit Education. Check out the History Page to find out more. As a living tradition, there are many theatre artists today who have been influenced by the Ignatian Jesuit tradition. You can find out about them on the Current Page.
This year is a special year in our history and we invite you to take part in our “Vitus Project”. You can find out more about it here.


18615 Cypress Church Rd. Cypress, TX 77433
Service Time: Friday Nights @ 7:30PM
For those looking to fellowship and connect on a deeper level we have a covered dish meal before service each week. Just bring some food to share and meet us in the Fellowship Hall @ 6:30PM. Don’t worry if you don’t have time to cook. Just stop by the store on the way over or go through the drive-thru and join us anyway. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.


Last Updated Sunday, December 26, 2021 9:24PM UTC
The members of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, Priory of Canada, along with the volunteers and staff of St. John Ambulance Canada share their sincerest condolences upon the sad occasion of the death of The Most Reverend Desmond Tutu.
His life of service to his country and his people were a humbling inspiration for the rest of the world, and will not be forgotten. We hope you take comfort in the memory of the tremendous legacy of justice, freedom and leadership that he leaves behind.
*Image Copyright: The Canadian Press


A bit of a brick wall with my 2nd GGF William R Heenan. I am pretty sure he was born about 1834 in New York City. So I decided to start looking at Catholic churches that were in existence at that point hoping I could perhaps at some point locate a baptism certificate. Here is what I found:
Church of St. Joseph in Greenwich Village – St. Joseph’s Parish was founded by Bishop John Dubois in 1829. The church was built in 1833–34. Early church records indicate that St. Joseph’s first congregants were predominantly Irish-Americans.
St. Mary Church (Grand Street, Manhattan) – Established in 1826 to serve Irish immigrants living in the neighborhood. The church itself was built in 1832-33. Before their sanctuary was built, services were held in a former Presbyterian church on Sheriff Street. The original portion is the second oldest Roman Catholic structure in the city, after St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, which was built in 1815.
St. Paul Church (New York City) – Located in the East Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan. Bishop John Dubois decided to establish a parish on 117th Street and asked Rev. Michael Curran to take charge. His knowledge of Gaelic served him well among his widely scattered parishioners. The cornerstone of St. Paul’s church was set June 29, 1835. St Paul’s Parish began its existence in 1834 embracing the whole upper area of old New York from New Rochelle to downtown Manhattan. At that time Harlem was little more than a wilderness.
Church of the Transfiguration, Roman Catholic (Manhattan) – The church was built in 1801 in the Georgian style of architecture for the Zion English Lutheran Church, a Lutheran congregation. The building was sold in 1853 to the Roman Catholic Church of the Immigrants parish, which had been founded in 1827 by the Rev. Felix Varela y Morales to minister to the poor Irish in the Five Points.
St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral – Built between 1809 and 1815. The cornerstone of St. Patrick’s was laid on June 8, 1809. Construction took just under five years, with the sanctuary being dedicated on May 14, 1815. In 1836, the cathedral was the subject of an attempted sack after tensions between Irish Catholics and anti-Catholic Know-Nothing nativists led to several riots and other physical confrontations.
St. Peter Catholic Church (Manhattan) – The original church was built in 1785-86. It was used for worship until 1834 when it was replaced by the present structure. FatherWilliam O’Brien was the first pastor. In August 2015 the St. Peter’s parish mergedwith Our Lady of the Rosary.
Side Note: The first New York chapter of the Ancient Order of Hibernians was established in 1836 at St. James Church.


$15.00 plus S & H
"Roger Lehman presents the body of Christ with a powerful message to awaken the forerunners and the revivalists for such a time as this. In this book great, biblical warriors spring to life and inspire us to take up our spiritual weapons and make way for a great spiritual awakening. Read it, and become one of them!"
Eagles' Wings Ministries
"Roger Lehman has presented the Body of Christ with a wonderful teaching geared to move us toward Revival! "The Deliverers: Apostolic Strategies for Spiritual Awakening" is a book that will motivate the younger generation to "ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it." The older generation will be encouraged to lead the younger as they offer themselves as fathers and mothers. Buy it! Read it! Enjoy it!"
Dr. Brian Simmons
The Passion Translation


6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.
7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.


Easter is always a sure sign that spring has arrived and if you’ll be spending the weekend in Niagara Falls, here are a few family-friendly destinations to check out the following Easter Experiences in Niagara Falls:
Easter at Bird Kingdom
From April 14th-17th, you can visit the beautiful Bird Kingdom aviary and experience their special Easter activities for kids like Easter scavenger sheets, an Easter prize for each child, and bunny rabbits.
Niagara Falls Easter Egg Hunts
There are a number of Easter egg hunts happening throughout the city, which are a great Easter activity for kids.
There will be an Easter egg hunt at Fireman’s Park on April 14th from 11-1pm, as well as at Heartland Forest on April 15th from 11-2pm which will also feature train rides, mini putt, and a campfire with marshmallows.
You can also visit Warner Ranch from April 14th-17th to experience their Easter Eggstravaganza at which families can enjoy an easter egg hunt along with pony rides, inflatable bouncers, egg decorating, petting zoo, and more.
Annual Easter Display at the Floral Showhouse
The Floral Showhouse puts on spectacular flower and greenery shows all throughout the year that change along with the seasons, and Easter marks the end of their fabulous Spring Display. Until April 16th you can visit the showhouse to see:
- Beautiful primula
- Tropical plants
The special Easter Show will also feature a cross display of lilies surrounded by spring flowers like daffodils, tulips, azaleas, hyacinths, and more. There will also be live chicks, bunnies, and songbirds which are sure to get you into the spirit of Easter.
Skylon Tower Illumination
On the evening of April 16th, the iconic Skylon Tower in Niagara Falls will be illuminated yellow in honour of the Easter holiday, adding a bit of Easter cheer to the city’s sparkling skyline. Take a walk down by the Falls to experience the illumination of the Skylon Tower and Horseshoe and American Falls, and spend a special evening taking in the beauty and excitement of the city.
Easter at Fallsview Indoor Waterpark
Enjoy these Easter Exepriences throughout Niagara Falls. Then come back and cool off at the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark. We’ll be open throughout Easter Weekend, from 11am to 9pm on Friday – Sunday and 11am – 8pm on Easter Monday. For more information view Niagara Falls Indoor Waterpark Hours


I recently read The Chinese Puzzle, by Mike Falkenstine. This is a must-read for anyone who is interested in China missions. Few writers, if any, give a balanced picture of what the present-day Chinese church is really like. In The Chinese Puzzle, Mike Falkenstine has done so.
The book begins with a well-researched but concise look at the history of Christianity in China that is designed to help the reader understand how China’s critical attitude toward Christianity came about. This is followed by an exposition of current trends in China, including recent developments in the government’s stance on religious issues, the explosive growth of both open churches and house churches, and the rapid emergence of previously unheard-of opportunities for Western Christians to serve the church in China openly.
The third chapter is short but, in my opinion, the most important. In it, Falkenstine reveals an unflattering picture of Western missionaries as they appear to Chinese pastors — often as arrogant, controlling, and generally not very helpful. The chapter then examines just what Western missionaries have been doing wrong and concludes with invaluable advice on what they ought to do in order to be of greater service to the church in China (or other countries).
The fourth chapter, called “The Persecution Myth and Why it Survives” gives several examples of persecution stories published by major Christian organizations and news agencies in the West that were later debunked. In one case, Falkenstine was able to trace the story to its source—where the pastor of a church that had been bulldozed by the government excitedly took him to see the newer, bigger church the government had built to replace it. Falkenstine shows how the “persecution myth”—the false belief that persecution is the norm and that Christians in China can only practice their faith under cover and at great personal risk—is perpetuated largely by Western Christian organizations that depend on persecution stories for fundraising. He also makes it clear that the propagation of this myth actually hurts the church in China.
The final three chapters describe in more detail the sorts of groundbreaking ministries that are being carried out openly by Western Christian organizations in China; the ways Chinese view themselves and the future of their country; and the ministry that Falkenstine himself is involved in.
The content of the book is revealing and important enough (to those interested in China missions) that I think it deserves five stars. On a more personal note, I lived in China for five years and worked with the church there, and in my opinion American Christians need to be exposed to the balanced view presented in this book.
[Note: I wrote this review back in 2008. I just ran across it again and noticed that a second edition of The Chinese Puzzle has been released, so I thought it appropriate to post the review again here. I made a few minor modifications to the original version (which can be found on Amazon.com).]


♦ Please join us at 9:45 am, Sundays, in the Chapel for an Adult Bible class. Dick Baldwin and Dave Spencer lead the Bible Study.
♦ There is a Prayer List on the back table; please feel free to take one home to include these requests during your prayer time throughout the week.
♦ Hearing devices are available on the back table. Please use them, if needed, to enhance your worship experience at Elkton Presbyterian Church, and please sign in when you borrow one and sign out when you return it.
♦ January 13th – Lisa Chase will lead both the Praise and Traditional services. Her sermon title is “Come to the Water”, scripture readings will be Isaiah 43:1-7; Acts 8:14-17.
♦ Souperbowl Sunday – Mark your calendars. The Souperbowl Sunday celebration is Feb 3rd following the 11am service.
♦ Deacon’s Soup & Sandwich –Mark your calendars. The next one is scheduled for Feb. 17th after the 11am service in Fellowship Hall.
♦ Addendum to EPC building usage – EPC does not have the facility or staff to facilitate emotional support animals. For the health and safety of all involved, we must require that these animals will not be permitted in the building. This change will have no effect on certified service support animals, wearing proper identification and harnesses.
♦ READ THE BIBLE IN A YEAR: As you consider goals and resolutions for 2019, you can make Bible reading a daily part of your life. There are many plans to choose from on the table in the narthex. Please stop by and take a look. You can use your apps on your phone, IPad, computer or your Bible to read God’s Word daily. Questions: Mary Ellen Beck at 302-750-9360 or firstname.lastname@example.org. “As Christians, we must learn not to trust our own efforts but daily sink our roots deeper into Christ and to make the secret personal fellowship with God our priority. Then true godliness will flourish. If the root be holy, so are the branches.” Andrew Murray
♦Help Needed Food Pantry – on Jan. 18th at 1pm at EPC, help is needed to unload a very large gov. shipment of food. If you can spare about an hour to assist Judy with the unloading, it would be most appreciated.
♦ Thank you from Barb Williams & Family –“thank you to the Youth and to Lisa for their visit to sing carols and their “gift” of a handmade wreath. We enjoyed the singing very much”
♦ 2019 Member Offering Envelops – the new envelops are now available and boxed in the Narthex. Please pick yours up at your earliest convenience.
♦ Reminder – Pastor John and Kathy are currently out of the country and will return on Jan. 15th. Please contact Lisa Chase at 302-242-0182, or email@example.com, if you need pastoral assistance.


The Advent season has traditionally been the season for preparations for Christmas. As the days grow shorter and darker, we begin to light the candles in our homes to guide our way towards this warm, light-filled festival. In many homes there will be an Advent wreath decorated with four candles representing the four Sundays of Advent. It is a season of sharing where family members join for baking and wrapping gifts, candlelight, and singing. It is a magic time full of secrets and treasures. To mark the beginning of Advent, each year we create the Advent Garden for our preschool and kindergarten children and their families in the Great Hall. The children are led one by one into the pathway of a spiral garden lit by candlelight and decorated with stars and crystals. Each child walks into the spiral to light his/her own candle from the center candle.Please see your class teacher for details and schedule.


What better time of year than thanksgiving time to sit back and reflect on how blessed we are ,and to thank God for all he has blessed us with! The things you take for granted some one’s praying for.
1.I’m most thankful for Jesus Christ who died on the cross for me, if not for the cross of Jesus Christ where would my life be?
2. I’m thankful for a caring and loving family who have been there for me through it all.
3. I’m thankful for health-to be able to breath, take care of yourself, move and function with no limitations is a blessing.
4.I’m thankful to have a warm home and a roof over my head. Many people are homeless and don’t have this.
5. I’m thankful to have food on the table
6. I’m thankful to have clothes in my closet
7. I’m thankful to be living in a country that gives us freedom
8. I’m thankful to have a career I love
9.I’m thankful for having my cat milo in my life, who knows how to put a smile on my face.
10. I’m thankful for the friends I have
11. I’m also thankful for coffee! you guys know coffee is my life and with out it I wouldn’t be able to function lets be real here.
12. I’m thankful that I have a car and don’t have to walk every where! All though it’d be good exercise, I think I’ll pass on that one.
& the list can go on forever!
take some time today to come up with a gratitude list. what are you guys most thankful for?


Announcing our Vacation Bible School for 2019! This is a time for children to be in a safe, interactive environment where learning about Jesus becomes fun! This event is for children ages 4-13. VBS will begin on August 5th and will resume on Friday, August 9th. Each evening begins at 5:30 and will end at 8PM. We would invite you to pre-register your child so that we might have an idea of how many children to expect and so that we might be aware of any special needs your child may have. All of our have background screenings. We have a security team and several R.N.’s available should the need arise. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to our Family Pastor, Marty Field @ 509.884.6813.


Rapper Kanye West has released his second gospel album, wrapping up a year of transformations with another foray into the Christian music scene.
“Jesus Is Born” hit major digital streaming services on Christmas Day and features 19 songs credited to the Sunday Service Choir, a gospel collective that West brought together. West executive-produced the album, but doesn’t rap in it.
Although it was released on a religious holiday, the album is primarily composed of songs that aren’t traditionally associated with Christmas ― including covers of the classics “Count Your Blessings,” “Revelation 19:1,” and “Total Praise.”
West’s first gospel album, “Jesus Is King,” debuted on Billboard’s Top 200 albums chart at No. 1 in October. It was also West’s first appearance on Billboard’s religious charts, opening at No. 1 on both the Top Christian albums and Top Gospel albums tallies.


Updated on 12th April 2017.
We have prepared some information for you to get ready for MEC 2017!
Updated on 26th March 2017.
MEC 2017 Application is now closed!
If you still wish to apply for both full camp or day camp, please send an email to the MEC Committee.
Late application is not guaranteed, as this affects catering, room allocation, and group arrangement.
Updated on 20th March 2017.
Midlands Easter Conference!
The Midlands Easter Conference is a 4-days christian conference, working in partnership with COCM, the Chinese Overseas Christian Mission.
MEC is a great platform for christian fellowships across the UK to support each other through bible studies, workshops, worship sessions, praying and sharing testimonies together.
MEC is open to university students and young adults aged 18 or over, in and around the Midlands. If you are based further North or South of Midlands, you may be interested in the North England Easter Conference (NEEC) or the South England Easter Conference (SEEC).
MEC 2017 is primarily conducted in Cantonese. The MEC committee may consider to provide translation facility at its discretion.
The MEC 2017 will be held at COCM Mission Centre in Milton Keynes. It is a great place to meet new friends and enjoy fellowship with different people, so do come and join us!


Being called by God to serve others may be the easy part but coming up with the start-up costs desperately needed to follow one’s calling can be tough. Fortunately, there are several religious organizations that provide grant funding to make creating a new ministry possible. Grants are mainly focused toward youth and campus ministry projects. If you are considering starting a ministry from scratch or are already attempting to renew a struggling program, consider these sources for funding that might just help you out.
Campus Ministry Grants
The Episcopal Church offers two types of grants to fund youth and college campus ministry programs each and every school year. Leadership Grants are two-year grants that provide $20,000 to $30,000 in funding to start a new or revive an older campus ministry program. Those selected are automatically reconsidered for future funding cycles. Smaller Campus Ministry Grants provide between $3,000 and $5,000 for the same purposes. The annual deadline to apply is August 15. Click the link above to visit the church’s website to download an application form or contact Mission Director Sam McDonald via this contact request.
Catholic Health Initiatives Grants
This organization was founded in 1996. It has awarded almost $47 million in funding towards mission and ministry grants in this short time. Grants are awarded to fund community programs and range in size from $1,000 to $100,000 each. They are provided for projects and planning efforts and should target disadvantaged populations. Grants are also awarded to implement violence prevention initiatives. For more information, fill out this contact form to send a message to CHI staff.
Vibrant Faith Grants
Based out of Minneapolis, Vibrant Faith Ministries offers grant funding for ministries and congregations looking to create transformational change within their churches. In addition, to monetary support, this ministry also offers mentoring from ministry leaders and other resources. Visit their website to download grant guidelines and a grant application. Contact Dr. Paul Hill for more information by writing to firstname.lastname@example.org.
Young People’s Ministries Grants
This Methodist organization was created to support youth ministries and programs created by young people to spread the world of God. Applications are only accepted from United Methodist churches located inside the United States. Grants are awarded for up to $15,000. The annual deadline to apply for this grant is June 1. For more information, call toll-free 1-877-899-2780 or send an email to email@example.com.
If you want to start a new ministry program and can’t find proper financial resources to do so, don’t be afraid to approach local churches and faith-based non-profit organizations based in your area. Many religious organizations are eager to support growing ministries. All you may have to do is simply ask. When following God’s plan for your life, don’t be afraid to ask others to help you along this path. You might be surprised to find out that many others just like you are called to service. And helping another ministry may be just the thing they are willing to lend a helping hand to.


We are a group of Christian in Germany who love the Lord and love His Words. This website is a place for us to share Christ and to encourage one another to pursue Christ.
The greatest blessing…
When a person is graced with being part of one of God’s special moves on this earth, it is the greatest blessing of his life. God’s move makes an impression that he will never forget, and it becomes an unending source of supply to him. Whoever can participate in such a flow is most blessed. I believe that whenever someone who was in such a flow thinks back on it, he will have fond memories of that time. The revival in northern China in 1943 was a very strong flow; many people were gained by God at that time. Many of the consecrations were not loose but were very strong. That flow of revival had a great influence on the churches in China after the war ended. It is a great blessing for a person to be able to participate in the flow of God’s work, the flow of revival, at least once in his lifetime. (Three Aspects of the Church, Book 2, The Course of the Church, p. 213, Witness Lee)
We need to see how to carry out the spread of the Lord”s recovery in the countries of Europe. Our going to Europe should be neither by a work nor by a movement but by emigration. (The World Situation and the Direction of the Lord”s Move, p. 47, Witness Lee)
Have to pay the price…
To move for the Lord involves a certain cost. It involves our jobs, our businesses, our homes, our families, our schooling, and other matters. However, we have to pay the price. We must consider what we are on the earth for. We are here for the Lord”s recovery. We are here not for our job, schooling, or home. Therefore, it is worthwhile to pay the price. A certain proverb says, ”When a tree is uprooted, it dies, but when a person is uprooted, he is more living. The more we go out, the more we will be living. It is very easy to become old, but moving keeps us young. Likewise, it is very easy to be rooted, but moving uproots us. To be spiritual we need to be uprooted. (The Ministry Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 8, August/September 1998, p. 14, Witness Lee)
The Lord is Waiting for His Recovery to Spread to Europe, and Ultimately to Jerusalem
I believe that in the coming years the Lord will spread the church life to England, Germany, France, and Italy. Furthermore, I believe that one day there will be a church in Rome and even in Jerusalem, where the church life began more than nineteen centuries ago. Brother Nee once told us that the Lord went to China because it was virgin soil for the cultivation of the church life. However, the Lord knew that, primarily because of language, China was not the best place for the spread of His recovery. Watchman Nee was sown as a seed into this soil, and the church life began to grow. Then, through the loss of mainland China, the recovery was transplanted to the United States.
However, the United States is not the goal; it is a stepping-stone for the spread of the recovery to Europe and eventually to Jerusalem. The Lord began from Jerusalem and then spread the church to Greece and Italy. I believe that He will also go back to Jerusalem by way of Italy and Greece. I long for there to be a church in Jerusalem waiting for the Lord Jesus when He returns. It would be a shame to the Lord Jesus to come back without having a church in Jerusalem ready for Him. The Lord will not suffer such a shame. For this reason, He is waiting for His recovery to spread to Europe and, ultimately, to Jerusalem.
May the Lord inspire us concerning His move in His recovery! May He spread the church life throughout Europe, the Middle East, and to Jerusalem. Perhaps one day we shall hold a prayer meeting in the garden of Gethsemane, which is located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, and pray fervently to the Lord for His coming back! (Life-study of Ephesians, pp. 666-668, Witness Lee)
He will come back…
I believe that at the end time, before Antichrist comes, the Lord will shame His enemy by establishing a strong testimony in Europe. I am burdened that we would go to every country in Europe. I now see that the Lord sent His recovery to the United States to gain a number of young people to send to
Europe. The greatest need for our labor in the Lord”s recovery today is in Europe.
I believe that the Lord will prepare a good number of saints to send out to Europe and Israel to raise up churches. He will come back when He can tell the enemy, ”You have set up many religious things, but look at My church,
My bride. They all live by Me and are one with Me. They are no longer religious and have no tradition, superstition, or falsehood. They have only Christ. They are a group of people who are fully Christ-conscious, and they are My testimony. (From an unpublished message given by Witness Lee on May 7, 1977, in New York)


Greetings from the Chair of the Department
Thank you for your interest in the Department of Christian Studies at Campbell University. We believe that we have a very strong program in our Department that would serve you well for ministry preparation or if you simply have an interest in the field of Christian Studies.
We offer a curriculum here that is academically challenging. We also offer an environment that we hope our students find to be inspiring and compassionate. We want to expand the minds of our students but we also seek to provide nurture and support so that their faith may grow. We take Jesus’ words in Mark 12:30 very seriously and work to encourage our students to love the Lord with their heart, soul and strength, and with their mind as well.
We would like to invite you to consider becoming a Christian Studies major at Campbell University and would love to talk with you further about that. After looking through our web page, we invite you to contact us and schedule a visit with us. We will be glad to show you our Department and talk with you about how we might be able to help you achieve your educational goals and ministry preparation.


Email: Penelope A. Changaris ›
Penelope A. Changaris
Penny graduated with Honors from McGeorge School of Law. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Southern California. Admitted to the California State Bar in 1992, she has focused her practice on estate planning, trust administration, probate, conservatorships, and elder law.
Penny is also very active in her church, St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church in Roseville, California, having served as Parish Council President for three terms, and Vice-President for one term.
She continues to sit on the Parish Council and the Capital Campaign Committee organized to raise money to build their church campus. Having raised three children who are now grown, Penny lives in Roseville with her husband Pete and their Maltipoo, Furly.
Guth & Changaris, A Professional Law Corporation


18" Sterling Silver Belcher
Bolt Ring Catch
St. Brigid’s crosses have been hand crafted in honor of Brigid of Kildare a patron saint of Ireland for whom a feast is held on the 1st of February each year. It is said that she created the first cross out of woven rushes and used it to introduce a pagan man to the Christian faith converting him shortly before his death. The crosses were placed over doors to grant protection from evil to the inhabitants of the home.
Carry the story & the protection it brings with you in a one of a kind style that is sure to have everyone asking for a closer look. With its appealing two-tone design it will look great both with casual outfits and for occasions requiring more dressy apparel.


JULY WEEK ONE
The Holy Spirit and New Creation
The certain hope of new creation is that, when Christ returns, Holy Spirit will raise the physical bodies of God’s people from the dead and transform them to be incorruptible (Rom. 8:11). These new physical bodies will be empowered and sustained solely by the power of the Spirit of God. At the final resurrection, heaven and earth will also be reunited and creation renewed. God’s people will reign with him for eternity.
THIS WEEK’S VIDEO
FOR ADDITIONAL PRIESTHOOD
OF THE BELIEVER RESOURCES
DAY 1 - 7/1
The Holy Spirit’s role is not simply limited to the past and present. The Spirit has a crucial role at the return of Christ and the consummation of the new heavens and new earth. In order for us to understand how the Holy Spirit will minister in the new creation, we must start by understanding how he provides life in the first place.
Genesis 2 gives a detailed account of the creation of man and woman. Here, YHWH is described as having created Adam from the dust of the ground. After he formed this lifeless body, the Bible states that God breathed his Spirit into Adam and it was then that Adam was said to have been given life. The breath of life that brought humankind into existence was the life-giving, life-sustaining work of the Holy Spirit himself.
 K. A. Mathews, Genesis 1-11:26, vol. 1a, The New American Commentary(Nashville: B&H Publishers, 1996), 196.
Genesis 2:1-24 (ESV)
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.
4 These are the generationsof the heavens and the earth when they were created,in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. 5 When no bush of the fieldwas yet in the landand no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground—
7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. 8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.
9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there.
13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eatof it you shall surely die.”
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit forhim.” 19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formedevery beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adamthere was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.
23 Then the man said,
“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man.”
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
To read more about the Spirit of God in breath, see Ezek. 37, Gen. 1, and John 16.
DAY 2 - 7/2
It is important to understand that the Spirit of God not only gavelife to humanity, but that he also sustains life in humanity. Ezekiel chapters 36-37 give insight into the relationship between the Holy Spirit and humankind’s capacity for life.
The underlying principle in these two chapters is that the Spirit functions not only to sustain life but also to transform the lives of his people so that they might have abundantlife in God’s kingdom (John 10:10). This abundant life culminates in the Holy Spirit’s work in raising the dead and transforming the bodies of God’s people into incorruptible physical bodies at the final resurrection (cf. Rom. 8:11-13; 1 Thess. 4:16).
Ezekiel 36:22-38 (ESV)
22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. 23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.
24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. 29 And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you.
30 I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations. 32 It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord God; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.
33 “Thus says the Lord God: On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt.34 And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by.
35 And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ 36 Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.
37 “Thus says the Lord God: This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: to increase their people like a flock. 38 Like the flock for sacrifices,like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
To read more about the Holy Spirit in new creation, see Ezek. 36 and 2 Cor. 5.
DAY 3 - 7/3
1 Corinthians 15 is one of the most theologically-significant chapters in all of the Bible. It begins by outlining the gospel message Paul preached in his ministry. In the second half of the chapter, Paul describes the role of the Holy Spirit in the final resurrection. To Paul and the early Christians, the resurrection of Jesus was the lynchpin of the Christian faith. Everything depended upon the bodily resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:16-19).
Many Western Christians wrongly assume that the resurrection is a “bodiless”, metaphorical resurrection. But eminent New Testament scholar N.T. Wright notes that, “if the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus the Messiah, dwells in you, Paul says, then the One who raised the Messiah from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies as well… God will give life, not to a disembodied spirit, not to what many people have thought of as a spiritual body in the sense of a non-physical one, but to your mortal bodies.”
Wright notes that Paul’s discussion in 1 Corinthians 15:35-40 between a “heavenly” body and an “earthly” body does not refer to what the body is made of(whether a flesh and bone or disembodied existence) but rather what empowersthe body. Now, human bodies are powered by the earth––what we eat and drink, taken from the ground. At the resurrection, Christian bodies will be empowered from heaven, by the Holy Spirit himself.
N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and Mission of the Church(New York, NY: Harper One, 2008.), 149.
1 Corinthians 15:12-58 (ESV)
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.
16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hopein this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.
25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him.
28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
29 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 30 Why are we in danger every hour? 31 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day!
32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.
38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another.
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shallalso bear the image of the man of heaven.
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
To read more about the resurrected body, see Rom. 8 and Phil. 3.
DAY 4 - 7/4
Jesus’ recorded actions after his resurrection give us an understanding of the nature of the Spirit-empowered resurrected bodies that God’s people will have in new creation. John 20 describes Jesus’ interaction with his disciples in such a way that clearly demonstrates that his resurrected body was a physical one, not a mere apparition or disembodied spirit.
The resurrected Jesus ate a meal (Luke 24:30-32) and also retained the ability to walk through walls and lock doors. He was not always recognized and was capable of disappearing between God’s supernatural realm and our natural one.This sort of body, no longer subject to the disease of death and empowered by the Spirit of God, is the same sort of body God’s people will possess in new creation.
N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and Mission of the Church(New York, NY: Harper One, 2008.), 55.
John 20:1-31 (ESV)
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.
6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believethat Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
To read more about Jesus’ glorified body, see Matt. 16 and Luke 24.
DAY 5 - 7/5
The Scriptures describe the work of the Holy Spirit throughout every time in human history. At creation, the Holy Spirit created order out of chaos. The Holy Spirit spoke through men and women to guide and direct Israel in the Old Testament. He poured himself out upon the infant church at Pentecost and continues his work of guiding and empowering God’s people to participate in mission with God.
In eternity, the Spirit will be the very means by which the dead saints will be raised to new life and will perform his transfiguring work on all of creation, establishing a “New Eden” in fulfillment of God’s original creation plan.
Revelation 22 describes the end of the age where the re-creating work begun by Christ in his resurrection will be fulfilled in his second coming. Just as Jesus was raised by the Holy Spirit, so too the Spirit will raise God’s people from the dead (Rom. 8:11) and the call to bear Gods image will be brought to its highest expression in God’s new creation. The Spirit’s work will not be only to raise believers to new life but to renew all of creation, reuniting heaven and earth where we will reign with God for eternity.
Revelation 22:1-21 (ESV)
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”
7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”
10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”
12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
To read more about the Holy Spirit in eternity, see Ps. 139 and 1 Cor. 2.
VIDEO CONTENT COURTESY OF THE BIBLE PROJECT


WHO ARE WE
KINGDOM TOWERS IS a residential transition program
operating under and emphasizing Christian principles.
Our approach is to offer a safe and sober environment in which men can learn to love and care for each other, serve one another and the community, and commit to restoring their lives and relationships.
Parole-Approved by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for Transitional Housing.
Celebrate Recovery on-site as well as Christian Bible studies and basic life skill classes.
Kingdom Towers has partnered with many community organizations to help residents obtain employment.
We see effective community partnerships as a necessity to support and encourage a successful re-entry for our residents.


How we help
We are a non-profit organization. Our Journee Home was created in the loving memory of our daughter and angel, Journee Jai Hawkins, who was born May 4, 2009 and went home July 31, 2009.
In response to our great loss we want to be a beacon of hope, support, and resources for others who have lost a child to SIDS, stillbirth, and other catastrophic losses of a child, children, or love one in general.
We assure you, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Through faithful donations and the sale of products inspired by our loss we are able to aid families in the most vulnerable times of their lives as well as the most critical parts of their healing—lasting memories.
Our angel pillows, jewelry, and other memorabilia help capture the precious angels we’ve come to love so that THEY ARE NEVER FORGOTTEN!
We provide a free keepsake item to commemorate years of healing. This is crucial, as it has been our experience, as well as others, that often parents feel like no one remembers their loss, but WE KNOW THEIR LOSS and WE WILL REMEMBER!
Please make yourselves at home, gather as much information as you need, share with others, and leave a footprint that won’t fade away with the waves of time.
Our Journee Home
And they can no longer die for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection.
After I loss Journee I became broken, All I wanted was peace. All I wanted was to keep her alive; all I wanted was to not feel like I was alone in my grief. Whatsoever you do should be returned to you. If I wanted that, I had to give it to receive it
To keep the memory alive and to find peace, I will create a safe home for people who have lost a loved one. Through my efforts to connect with and support these individuals, I will find healing from my own loss of Journee. I am committed to providing the help that I needed when I was grieving, in order to bring hope and comfort for others who might be suffering in this way.
Our Journee Home is dedicated to providing comfort and hope to grieving families. We believe that by sharing our own journey through grief, we can help others find their way home. Our goal is to provide a safe and supportive space for families to connect with each other and find the strength to keep going. While providing the knowledge, tools, and resources to create their own lasting memories.
It’s not about getting something in return Its about touching someone’s heart threw the one thing that hurts them the most, their grief. If these memorial items gives someone just a little hope then my work is done, and greater is my reward in heaven by being reunited with my baby girl.


Big Creek worship services have resumed meeting in the sanctuary at our usual time of 11:00 with appropriate safety precautions in place. Our Drive-In radio broadcast will still continue onsite at 95.1 FM at that time, for any who still wish to maintain social distance from inside their vehicles.
The Drive-In bulletin (posted weekly before Friday): Worship Bulletin for January 17.
Our safety precautions list: Big Creek Re-Gathering Guidelines.
Big Creek Presbyterian Church meets each Sunday morning at 11:00 for worship and at 10:00 for education. Our hope is to be a community who worships the Lord, and we gladly welcome new people to join with us in this. If you’d like to stop and turn your heart to Almighty God, come with us!
Big Creek EPC seeks to glorify God by growing in:
True knowledge through God the Father,
Steadfast love through Jesus, and
Joyful obedience through the Spirit
In our homes, neighborhoods, and the world.


Tammie Merritt, age 57, passed away May 12, 2021.
She is preceded in death by her parents, JP and Betty Sue Havard.
Those left to cherish her memory include her loving husband of 33 years, Daniel Merritt; children, Matthew (Kate) Merritt, Jarrod (Paige) Merritt, Anna (fiancé Dominique Woodward) Merritt and Claire Merritt; grandson, Eli Merritt and one on the way, Baby Merritt; brothers, Tony (Rachel) Havard and Tracy (Shanna) Havard; loving Aunt Wene (Raymond) Smith; numerous other relatives and friends.
The Visitation Service for Mrs. Tammie Merritt will be Friday, May 14, 2021 from 5:00 PM until 9:00 PM at Semmes First Baptist Church. The Funeral Service will be Saturday, May 15, 2021 beginning at 11:00 AM in the church sanctuary with Bro. Don Boone and Bro. George Beck officiating. Burial will follow in Semmes First Baptist Church cemetery. Pallbearers include Brett Walley, Davis Walley, Ben Merritt, Colton Merritt, Garon Merritt and Ethan Merritt. Honorary Pallbearers include Doug Merritt, Jr., Caleb Merritt, Logan Merritt, Matthew Jones and Trace Pope.
Moments Funeral Home, locally owned and operated in Lucedale, Mississippi is honored to be in charge of arrangements.
To send flowers to Tammie's family, please visit our floral store.


Did it ever strike you how much God loves multiplication?
From Genesis 1 and the creation story, through to Noah and Abraham, Moses and the prophets, God is continuously blessing His people and telling them to “be fruitful and multiply” through the male and female of every living thing. Unfortunately, disobedience in every generation caused men and women not to multiply God’s glory but to multiply their own wickedness, continually. Yet God never gives up on His desire for a people who will worship Him and glorify Him on the earth. Only when God sent Jesus was there hope for God’s people to multiply His glory through the earth as He provided the means through Jesus for hearts to be transformed by His blood and His Spirit living in us to make us into His image.


Are you struggling? Are you curious to find out more about Christ our Lord and Savior? Do you want to see what God is doing here at Grace Bible Fellowship Church? Are you looking for a new church home: No matter the reason, we welcome you and we are here for you.
We would like to get to know you better, understand your needs and how we can serve you. Take a moment to tell us about you.
Knowing God’s word leads you to a life that is a blessing to others. Listen to our sermons and messages on issues important to you, as Jesus is proclaimed and God’s words are taught. Explore our ministries to see how these programs can help you grow closer to God and learn His ways.
Join us for Worship on Sunday’s at 10:00 AM and Wednesday nights for our weekly Prayer Meeting. Find opportunities to get involved by participating in one of our ministry programs for men, women, young adults and married couples.


I make icons for my generation – in that we are psychologically complicated, troubled, ashamed, and insecure. We struggle to find the sobriety and courage to turn our true faces to God in faith. The Church’s icons are here to help us in this struggle.
I am an American iconographer based in Austin, Texas with my wife and children. I am currently enrolled in the 3-year Icon Painting Programme with the Prince's School of Traditional Arts in the U.K., studying under Aidan Hart. I also previously studied with Vladimir Grygorenko in Dallas. I am a tonsured reader at my parish of St. John the Forerunner Orthodox Church in Cedar Park, Texas. In addition to working on icons, I work at a church architecture firm.
I am now accepting commissions for icon panels (painted using traditional egg tempera with earth and natural pigments) for individual families, parishes, and monasteries. If you would like to discuss a potential project, or simply say 'hello,' please use the email form on the contact page.
I ask for your prayers,
Also on Instagram @bakergalloway:


(3 Nov 2019) Former President Jimmy Carter taught a Bible lesson on life after death Sunday less than two weeks after breaking his pelvis in a fall.
Using a walker, the 95-year-old Democrat slowly entered the crowded sanctuary at Maranatha Baptist Church in the southwest Georgia town of Plains.
With help, Carter sat on a motorized lift chair at the front of the room to teach a 45-minute lesson based on the Old Testament book of Job.
After telling a story about a cancer diagnosis that resulted in the removal of part of his liver in 2015, Carter said he has “complete confidence” in his belief in life after death.
More than 400 people were on hand in the main hall and smaller, overflow rooms where the lesson was shown on television.
Carter was briefly hospitalized and has since been recovering at home since fracturing his pelvis on Oct. 21. He also fell shortly before that and needed stitches above his left eye.
Carter is the oldest U.S. ex-President ever and has been teaching Bible lessons since he was in his teens. He missed one Sunday school class after the pelvis fracture.
Carter remained for the worship service after teaching, sitting in a pew beside his wife, Rosalynn, and singing hymns with the congregation.
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Welcome to St. Pius V School and thank you for your interest. Our school offers ongoing admission for PreK (age 3) all the way through grade 8. We provide a unique, comprehensive, quality education with an emphasis on Catholic values, fundamental skills, critical thinking, technology, and the fine arts. All are welcome regardless of religious denomination.
We host a few Open Houses for new families every year, and you are also welcome to make an appointment to visit the school anytime. We would very much like to meet you and show you around. Feel free to contact us at 781-593-8292 or firstname.lastname@example.org to schedule a tour or to request more information. We look forward to meeting you and are happy to assist you in any way we can.
If you are ready to apply, click here to learn more about our online application.


Thank you for taking the time to come to find out more about our forthcoming Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Our pilgrimage has two goals:
- to provide you with the opportunity to walk prayerfully in the footsteps of Our Lord, and
- to offer support and encouragement to our Christian brothers and sisters who live in the land of Jesus
Due to the hefty increase in airfares since the pandemic, and the poor US Dollar/Sterling exchange rate at the moment (all services in the Holy Land are priced in US Dollars), prices for pilgrimages have increased dramatically this year. In order to try and offset these increased costs as much as possible I am organising this pilgrimage slightly differently in the sense that we are not buying a ‘package’ from a UK based Tour Operator, instead I have arranged a ‘ground package’ with Laila Tours and Travel Ltd based in Bethlehem and I will then purchase individual flights for pilgrims at the time I receive their completed Booking Form and de- posit.
By arranging the pilgrimage in this way we reduce the ‘costs’ and access cheaper airfares as we will not incur the ‘premium’ added to a group ticket.
I look forward to travelling to the Holy Land with you, it will be a wonderful trip for us all.
Fr. David Borland
*Price of flights will depend on the BA price at time of paying deposit.


Katerina and Adam's wedding was quintessentially Kentish. The ceremony took place in St Mary's Church, Hadlow, a beautiful and inviting church, set in the heart of the village. Afterwards, Hazel and Mike welcomed everyone to The Plough at Leigh. Guests sipped Pimms and enjoyed the warm spring sunshine in the secluded garden before moving to the stunning 17th century barn. The beams, adorned with hops and fairy lights, perfectly offset the sparkling glassware, pinks and creams of the exquisitely decorated tables - a glamorous yet
chilled party atmosphere was created.
The personal touches made Katerina and Adam's wedding very special. Father Clive, a friend, presided over the ceremony, another family friend owned the stylish Jaguar wedding car, and guests were treated to the wonderfully uplifting sounds of two choirs in which Katerina sings. Congratulations, Katerina and Adam on creating a loving and fun filled day and here's wishing you both every future happiness.


It is a warm May night in Richmond Virginia and tonight, everyone is Greek.
The smells of pork and chicken kabobs float over the area. There are Gyros and Baklava and enough pastries to feed half of Richmond.
It is the annual Greek Fest in Richmond.
For four days on the last weekend in May, the Greek Orthodox Cathedral puts on the annual Greek Fest. You don’t have to be Greek to be Greek Orthodox nor do you have to be Greek to have a good time at the festival.
Greek bands entertain along with youth from the Cathedral doing traditional Greek dances. And there is wine, as the psalmist says, “Makes glad the heart of man.”
The Greek Fest is one of those must go to events in Richmond.
If you missed it, here are a few photos from the event and a few behind the scenes photos as the Cathedral got ready for the Festival.


Diversity and Inclusion
Xavier's commitment to diversity and inclusion is enshrined in the first sentence of our mission, which calls us to educate "intelligent, motivated young men of diverse backgrounds and means." As a school community, we believe deeply in the words of Night Will Be No More, a 2019 pastoral letter to the people of God in El Paso, Texas: "Every race and color and tribe and people and language and culture are threads in the vibrant and diverse tapestry of the Reign of God."
Informed by the teachings of the Catholic Church and the Ignatian challenge to encounter God in all things, Xavier's diversity and inclusion work takes many forms. Xavier's Council for Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity (XCEID), a group of faculty members, students, and parents, aims to inspire meaningful, courageous conversations about race, identity, and inclusion throughout the school year and especially on Xavier's annual St. Peter Claver Day.
Xavier’s Office of Alumni Relations hosts various diversity-themed programs for Sons of Xavier, including the Different Uniforms, Same Cloth conversation series, and oversees the Maroon, Blue, and Black Initiative—a group (once known as the Minority Alumni Council) open to alumni of color that hosts programming for the entire community. Xavier’s administration has also hosted a series of professional development days, conversations with the faculty, and schoolwide reads about topics related to diversity and inclusion.
“Xavier’s mission clearly defines our role as a Jesuit school in the 21st century. How we educate young men of diverse backgrounds and means is the question that diversity asks of all of us. How will we each serve one another justly? Christ’s teachings make it clear that we must love and walk with one another and judge impartially. When we—students, faculty, parents, alumni, and other community members—choose to do that, we gain a more comprehensive understanding of different perspectives and the world around us. This understanding allows us to better utilize our own strengths to truly transform the world for God’s greater glory.”
Zane Massey ’96 P’22, Director of Alumni Relations and Co-Moderator of XCEID