Posted By: The Journalist
September 30, 2022

President Biden criticized Senator Lindsey Graham’s proposed bill that would ban abortion after 15 weeks’ gestation nationwide, saying, “My church isn’t even making that argument now.

Biden lambasted Republicans at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in New York last week over Graham’s bill, which was introduced in the US Senate earlier this month. It is the first pro-life legislation introduced at the federal level since the United States Supreme Court struck down the Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide in 1973.

The Dobbs The decision does not ban abortion nationwide, but gives state and federal lawmakers the power to set limits on abortion or raise the gestational age for abortion. Multiple states decided to ban abortion in the weeks that followed Dobbs decision, while abortion remains legal until the moment of birth in other states.

Biden said“You’ve got Lindsey Graham from South Carolina and others talking about how they’re going to, you know, make sure that deer gone forever and Dobbs becomes national law.

In response to the Dobbs decision, congressional Democrats reignited their earlier efforts to pass the so-called Women’s Health Protection Actthat would codify abortion into federal law and limit the ability of states to pass pro-life laws.

Biden claimed the bill provides “no exceptions…rape, incest, no exceptions.”

Bill provides exceptions for rape, incest and physical danger to mother’s life, The Hill Noted.

Biden then said, “I happen to be a practicing Roman Catholic, my church doesn’t even make that argument,” adding, “I’m going to veto” the bill.

Months before Biden’s speech at the DNC fundraiser, President’s Archbishop Nancy Pelosi said the Democratic leader would not be allowed to receive Communion because of her unwavering support and advocacy. of abortion.

In May, the Archbishop of San Francisco Salvatore Cordileone sent a letter to Pelosi, D-Calif., a practicing Catholic, advising her that she had been warned to either “reject your advocacy for abortion ‘rights'” or to “refrain from referring to your Catholic faith in public and to receive Holy Communion”.

The Biden presidency has intensified debate among U.S. Catholic leaders over whether Catholic public office holders who advocate for abortion should be denied communion, a practice practiced in some dioceses.

While Biden was campaigning for the presidency ahead of the 2020 presidential election, a South Carolina priest refused to serve him communion because of his abortion advocacy.

Proponents of denying Communion to pro-abortion Catholic politicians, both inside and outside the Church hierarchy, cite the Church’s Code of Canon Law as justification for their position. The code of canon law States that those who “obstinately persevere in manifest grave sin should not be admitted to Holy Communion”.

However, last November, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approved a Communion document that did not openly call for prohibiting pro-choice politicians from receiving the sacrament despite it.

At a general meeting at the time, the bishops overwhelmingly approved a USCCB Doctrine Committee document known as the The mystery of the Eucharist in the life of the Church. Eight bishops voted against the document, while 222 bishops voted for. Three abstained.

However, the document stated that lay Catholics “who exercise some form of public authority have a special responsibility to form their consciences in accordance with the faith of the Church and the moral law, and to serve the human family in defending the human life and dignity”.

He said: “As Christians, we have the responsibility to promote the life and dignity of the human person, and to love and protect the most vulnerable among us: the unborn, migrants and refugees, victims of racial injustice, the sick and the elderly.”

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A church in Schenectady is celebrating its centenary tonight.

“This church has been through a lot in these 100 years and we are so excited to celebrate 100 years here in the town of Schenectady,” said church member John Hodorowski.

The church was established in 1922 in Schenectady, now known as Liberty Church New York since 2018. Tonight they are celebrating this monumental milestone by kicking it off with an hour h’orderves, historical presentation through the years and a service. The mission of Liberty Church is simple.

“That’s what Jesus called us to do, that’s love our neighbors right and that’s what we’re doing,” says “happy” member Lydia Lilly Colon.

Three years ago, the church joined the national nonprofit organization Care Portal. Helping over 1,100 families in Schenectady.

Church members say it is an honor and a privilege to be part of the church with such longevity and a significant place in the community. Qualities not lost for the youngest faithful

“The best part of this church is that I can be part of the worship team and then I’m able to praise the Lord” Jason Otero. “I agree,” added David Pickett.

Pastor Graham-Parker has a message for the community, they are not done doing the Lord’s work.

“We love the city, we love being here, we are aware of a challenge, but we are hopeful for its future,” says Pastor Graham-Parker.

A 23-year-old man pleaded not guilty Wednesday in connection with an arson attack that destroyed a historic South Los Angeles church and injured three firefighters.

Carlos Francisco Diaz is charged with two counts of arson of a structure and one count of arson of a property, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

The charges stem from the 9/11 fire that destroyed Victory Baptist Church, as well as a fire that broke out on September 4 on the same property.

Diaz – who was arrested on Sunday – was ordered to remain in jail in lieu of $150,000 bond.

The fire was reported at 2:22 a.m. Sept. 11 at the two-story church at 4802 S. McKinley Ave., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

“LAFD arson investigators and the House of Worship Multi-Agency Arson Task Force have opened an investigation into the cause of the fire,” according to a department statement. “Initial information immediately revealed no evidence of an intentional fire; however, its persistence later revealed security footage to help connect the dots.”

The joint investigation included personnel from the Los Angeles School Police Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Investigators were aided by eyewitnesses, the LAFD reported.

A historic black church in South Los Angeles was destroyed in a fire this weekend. The faithful of the church were able to recover very important objects.

About 150 firefighters were dispatched to the scene of the blaze, according to LAFD’s Nicholas Prange.

“Crews first entered to find heavy smoke inside the structure,” Prange said. “As the firefighters entered, inevitably introducing more air to the conditions inside, the fire behavior rapidly worsened. About 30 minutes after the firefighters arrived, there was a structural collapse at inside, trapping several LAFD members.”

Two Mayday calls were radioed for trapped personnel, and nearby crews quickly rescued three firefighters, officials said. One was taken to hospital in moderate condition, a second finished fighting the fire and was later hospitalized in fair condition, and a third followed alone with care after the fire, Prange said. .

After the collapse inside the building, crews retreated in defensive operations, pouring water on the flames from outside the building. The fire was extinguished within an hour and 40 minutes, Prange said.

Victory Baptist Church has been a spiritual center for the black community in Los Angeles for decades and a site of major significance for gospel music and the civil rights movement. The church was founded by Arthur Atlas Peters on Easter Sunday in 1943 and moved to the building on McKinley Avenue in 1944.

Pastor W. Edward Jenkins has sworn the church will not bend its tent.

“A church is a sanctuary, a place of worship, a place of healing and above all a place to come together for the good of the community. The fire at the historic Victory Baptist Church has deeply hurt our community,” the prosecutor said. of George Gascón district. said in a statement announcing the charges filed Sept. 15. I’m confident that Victory Baptist will continue to be a beacon of hope in South Los Angeles.”

A date is to be set for Oct. 5 in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to allow the case against Diaz to go to trial.

A homeless man was in police custody on Monday September 19 for allegedly start a fire that destroyed a historic church in South Los Angeles and injured three firefighters, authorities said.

Carlos Diaz, 23, was arrested Sunday and jailed on suspicion of arson of a structure, with additional charges pending, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The fire was reported at 2:22 a.m. Sept. 11 at the two-story Victory Baptist Church, 4802 S. McKinley Ave.

“LAFD arson investigators and the House of Worship Multi-Agency Arson Task Force have opened an investigation into the cause of the fire,” an LAFD statement said. “Initial information revealed no immediate evidence of an intentional fire; however, their (investigators’) persistence later revealed security footage to help connect the dots.

The joint investigation included personnel from the Los Angeles School Police Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Investigators were aided by eyewitnesses.

Around 150 firefighters were dispatched to the fire on 9/11.

“Crews first entered to find heavy smoke inside the structure,” Nicholas Prange, an LAFD spokesman, said in a statement. “As firefighters entered, inevitably introducing more air to the conditions inside, the fire behavior rapidly worsened. About 30 minutes after firefighters arrived, there was a structural collapse inside, trapping several LAFD members.

Crews quickly rescued three firefighters. One was taken to hospital in moderate condition, a second finished fighting the fire and was later hospitalized in fair condition, and a third followed alone with care after the incident, Prange said. .

Victory Baptist Church has been a spiritual center for the black community in Los Angeles for decades and a site of major significance for gospel music and the civil rights movement. Mahalia Jackson was one of many acclaimed gospel singers to perform there, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at the church on several occasions.

The church was founded by Arthur Atlas Peters on Easter Sunday in 1943 and moved to the building on McKinley Avenue in 1944. Pastor W. Edward Jenkins swore the church would continue.

Reading about the Killearn United Methodist Church’s vote to leave its denomination, my mind went back to a denominational meeting in Macon, Georgia in 1999. The church I was serving at the time in Atlanta had voted to accommodate people of all sexual orientations. In early 1999, the Georgia Baptist Convention informed us that we were not in conformity with the denomination. After several conversations with members of Congress, the decision was made to vote on our retention in Congress.

On a cool November day, about 2,000 Baptists gathered in an arena in Macon. Several of us had traveled from Atlanta to attend the meeting.

Any hope we had of a positive outcome was quickly dashed when people started debating the issue. After three people spoke out in favor of us remaining in the denomination, many others spoke out against us, irritating the crowd, stamping their feet and repeatedly calling homosexuality an “abomination.”

After:‘Heartbroken’: Inside the schism as Killearn United Methodist Church splits over gay marriage and clergy

As a straight clergyman, I was already committed to supporting people in the LGBTQ+ community. But when I looked at one of our members and saw him wince every time the word “abomination” was said, when I saw the utter devastation caused by the rejection of his beloved denomination , I knew I was called to lead congregations that welcome people, no matter who they are and no matter who they love.

Not recognizing the full humanity of others is never of God. Celebrating each person for the beloved child of God that they are is of God.

In April, I became pastor of United Church in Tallahassee, a congregation that has been welcoming people from the LGBTQ+ community for more than three decades. We welcome all people in all aspects of our church life. We do this because we are committed to celebrating each person as the beloved child of God that they are, no matter who they are. It doesn’t matter who they love.

My heart breaks for the members of Killearn UMC.

Church splits cause significant pain to all involved. My prayers are with this congregation and their pastors. At the same time, I will offer a prayer of thanks for those congregations – including my own – who truly celebrate and welcome all.

Reverend Dr. Kimberleigh Buchanan is pastor of the United Church of Tallahassee, an open and assertive congregation of the United Church of Christ.

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For new Church of the Hills pastor Richard Aylor, Evergreen is the perfect place.

The East Coast native felt the call to move west to the Rocky Mountains and find a congregation that actively wants to reach out to the community.

For Church of the Hills, Aylor is the perfect pastor for the congregation.

“We were hoping for a new pastor who was warm, welcoming, kind to the existing congregation and attractive to newcomers,” said Christi Todd, a Presbyterian church elder who served on the pastor selection committee. “He has already exceeded our expectations.”

Aylor joined the church on Buffalo Park Road near Highway 73 in June after church officials considered a group of about 30 candidates for the position of pastor. He replaces Susan Boucher, who left Church of the Hills last year to return to the East Coast for her husband’s job.

“What drew us in was Aylor’s extreme warmth and ability to listen,” Todd said. “We felt there was a spiritual maturity there that was impressive. He put everyone at ease. »

Aylor said one of the goals was to provide better ways to reach the community. He hopes to try Theology Pub where people could gather over drinks to discuss faith or a hiking ministry to combine faith with one of his favorite pastimes, hiking.

He also hopes to create better access to worship services, especially as technologies developed during the pandemic have provided other avenues of connection.

He also believes in reaching out to young people in the community.

“We have to support them,” he said. “The church can be an answer – a way to help young people in the community by being a support system.”

In addition to hiking, he enjoys snowshoeing and has joined Evergreen Chorale.

He hopes to bring more creativity to worship, hoping to tap into other worship services.

Todd said the congregation wants to be welcoming — meeting people where they are and providing spiritual support and guidance. Aylor, she added, has a heart not just for the congregation but for community evangelism.

Aylor explained that the congregation wants Church of the Hills to be a beacon of hope.

“We want to share God’s love and light in the midst of everything that is happening in the world,” he said.

WINNIPEG, MB (PRWEB)
September 14, 2022

Book launch!

Earl Buchan, pastor and church planter, shares his encouragement for anyone who looks around and thinks “there must be more to it.” It all begins with a fearless search of our hearts to rekindle the ministry from the inside out.

He turns to the Bible and over twenty years of church experience to share his own successes and failures in sharing wisdom, warnings and reminders of why we are meant to be in Christ. Earl shares that it all starts with us, live a life of openness and it will change the atmosphere in our churches and in our homes.

As you read, you will get answers to questions such as:

What can you really expect when you enter the ministry?

Why is it so important to be authentic in all circumstances?

What are the costs of living one’s will, one’s way?

How can we push ourselves so that people see more of Jesus and less of us?

This trip is not for the faint of heart, or those who are full of themselves. The author has been both, and he shares how the Lord reseeded his own heart to reveal the beauty of a called life.

About the Author

Earl Buchan is the senior pastor of a Calvary chapel called Radiant Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

A church planter and adventurer, he has spent his life in various forms of ministry. The calling he pursued led him to sidewalk evangelism, missions, soup kitchens, discipleship, teaching, and leading his church. He is husband, father, grandfather and brother to many.

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The Queen’s death has touched us all deeply. I have not met anyone in whom this did not cause a deep sense of loss. Monarchists and republicans, believers and non-believers, rich and poor, large and small, are all strongly affected. Whether people have met the Queen or not, they still feel – perhaps to their surprise – as touched as if someone very close to them had died. So many people were unexpectedly moved to tears.

Why is it? The Queen was on the throne before I was born, and for the vast majority of the lives of everyone living today. She was a constant in our lives and represented, in Jungian terms, something very significant, akin to what he called an archetype. She was deeply rooted in our psyche: most of us will have dreamed of having tea with her, even if we didn’t have the opportunity.

She was a powerful symbol of steadfastness and security amid the changes and chances of this life. His passing is a stark reminder that nothing in this life is constant or sure. His death therefore connects us on a deep level, bringing back to us our own mortality and resonating painfully with the loss of those we have loved.

The Church and the nation were taken by surprise by the enormous outpouring of grief that followed the death of Princess Diana. I think it had to do with the fact that this life cannot contain the hope that is placed in it. That a young, beautiful, wealthy, and glamorous princess could be shot in her prime demonstrated this powerfully. So it is with the hopes of permanence and security in this life which, usually unconsciously, we place in the Queen.

This is an opportunity for the Church. When asked about the purpose of the Church, I always answer that it is to prepare people for their death. The Queen’s death demonstrated the inevitability of death – much like the pandemic – to a world that tries to ignore it. What we have to offer as Christians in the face of this harsh reality is hope — a hope that extends beyond this life and into all eternity; hope in a God whose love is stronger than death.

How do we communicate this hope? Above all, it seems to me that we are called to accompany people in their mourning, their perplexity and their anguish. We can do this, in part, by leaving our churches open to prayer and reflection. Our churches have stood square as symbols of Christian hope for a very long time – in many cases for centuries. We need to reconnect people with the hope of our ancestors.

We can also connect with people’s sense of loss of loved ones. Many people respond on Twitter to the image of Paddington leading the Queen to Heaven. Some might call this “under Christian”, but it demonstrates a reasonable desire to reunite with loved ones.

We know next to nothing of the nature of the afterlife, any more than we knew in the womb what life would be like in the outside world, but we know that God’s love will hold us and us together forever. those we love. One of the best funeral sermons I have ever heard uses the gathering together of 12 baskets of fragments after the feeding of the 5000 (Matthew 14.20) to demonstrate that in God’s economy nothing will be wasted.

Scientist-turned-theologian John Polkinghorne used to observe that it was a perfectly reasonable hope that the patterns of our loves would be held in God. So the image of Paddington leading the queen to heaven is not out of place. It articulates a spark of faith which, with the help of God’s Holy Spirit, can be kindled into the fullness of faith in the resurrection, which Polkinghorne also felt was a perfectly consistent belief.

I FINAL with a quote from my late wife Denise’s book, published posthumously, A tour of the bones (Books, January 2, 2015): “Resurrection is a hope that I believe Western society has largely lost. It is at the very least a hope of which we know little, and therefore of which we hardly dare to speak with conviction. . .

“To a lot of people it’s the resurrection mechanic that seems incredible, but strangely enough it’s not the ‘how’ question that bothers me. All of human history is littered with things that were once considered impossible. We know so much about matter and energy, but there is also a lot we still don’t know and our knowledge is constantly changing. Five hundred years ago, no one imagined light bulbs, space travel or genetic engineering. A decade or two ago, saying we’re made of stardust would have sounded like a fairy tale, and now it sounds like particle physics. I don’t therefore have no difficulty in imagining the possibility of a bodily resurrection.

Dr John Inge is the Bishop of Worcester.

SIBLEY, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A Sibley The man is facing terrorism charges and a local church is reviewing its security plans after a disturbing incident during Sunday services.

It happened towards the end of the sermon during the morning service at Sibley Missionary Baptist Church, according to Jared McIver, a church member and off-duty Minden police officer. What stands out immediately, McIver says, is that the man entered the front door and slowly walked down the aisle to a front row seat.

“That’s very strange in itself, because most of the latecomers sit at the back of the building so as not to disturb the rest of the program,” McIver recounted in a Facebook post early Sunday afternoon. “The pastor was preaching and the service was almost over. The man looked straight ahead, then down, then began to fumble nervously with his hands. No one had ever seen this man and it soon became apparent that the people in the Congregation were nervous.

This behavior alone might have been nothing more than a man “under conviction”. But what happened next prompted McIver to share it as an example of why having a safety plan is so important for every church.

McIver, a member of Sibley MBC for 35 years, said several men who were allowed to hide inside the church began “signalling each other to start positioning ourselves strategically, quietly and methodically so as not to attract attention to man.”

“When the invitation was given, the man went to the main altar and began to pray and raise his hands in the air. Again, no judgment here, as it is common to seeing people worshiping God, praying and raising their hands. After the invitation was given, the man began to pray out loud. The things he was saying were in a very mad and aggravated screaming voice. Growling with his words as if he was angry. The church service was now over and the man is still kneeling. Everyone quickly begins to exit the building nervously and the men of the church are listening and watching what is going on. This man angrily starts saying things like, “We have to kill all these so-called Christians, kill them all and crush them.”

That’s when McIver called the sheriff’s office, who responded within minutes. Deputies slipped into the sanctuary and took the man into custody after seeing and hearing his behavior for themselves.

McIver says the way the man responded to deputies who asked him why he said what he said was just as disturbing as his violent pleas.

“He said, ‘Well, it’s not illegal to pray out loud,'” McIver recalled, noting that the man didn’t seem to care whether it was right or wrong to call at the death of others.

Deputies arrested the 47-year-old on terrorism charges and incarcerated him at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center. Bail has not been set.

Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker says the church did the right thing by calling law enforcement.

“We want to keep our citizens safe,” Parker said. “If anything seems abnormal, you can call us. Let’s react and see if it’s legit.

“There are several different (and if) scenarios that could have happened,” McIver said in his Facebook post. “It has certainly increased our awareness and will lead us to strengthen our security measures for the future.”

McIver, who is also running to become Minden’s next police chief, told KTAL NBC 6 News he was sharing the story to raise awareness.

“I believe all churches need security in place today. Churches can be seen as an easy target for some criminals who want to hurt people and themselves. Just having that security gives peace of mind to the congregation, gives peace of mind to the pastor, and people want to come here and worship peacefully.

Let me introduce you to a couple you may have heard of during your Sunday school days. The couple were once the king and queen of Israel. Their names were Ahab and Jezebel.

Most likely you have heard of Jezebel. You wouldn’t have wanted to put yourself on the wrong side. She was tall and responsible even though her husband, Ahab, was the king of Israel. Jezebel means cheeky, cheeky, or morally unrestrained without cohabitation. His business card read, “Whether it’s right or wrong, I get what I want.”

Here is an incident that happened years ago. King Ahab, prone to childish tantrums and covetousness, saw a vineyard he wanted for a vegetable garden near his palace. Ahab’s problem was that the vineyard belonged to a citizen named Naboth. So Ahab offered to buy the vineyard. But Naboth replied, “God forbid I give you the inheritance of my ancestors. »

Ahab went home angry, sulking, refusing to eat. Jezebel asked Ahab why he was in a bad mood. Ahab told him what had happened. Jezebel replied, “Is this how you act as king of Israel? Get up and eat! Comfort. I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

And take the vine, Jezebel did. Jezebel hired two “villains” to lie and testify that Naboth had cursed God and the king. So the mercenaries took Naboth out of the city and stoned him to death. Notice the pattern; lies, false witnesses, mob and confiscation of property. I guess whatever “Lola wants, Lola gets” – for a while.

There is a fundamental difference between weakness and wickedness. Ahab had carnal weaknesses motivated by ego. Jezebel was mean.

Ahab had trouble with his head. Jezebel had heart trouble. Ahab was ignorant and spoiled. Jezebel was intentional and evil. Note that Ahabs and Jezebels are a type, not a gender. This example is not a male-female issue. There were loads of Jezebel kings in Israel’s past. In this case, Ahab’s weakness was Jezebel’s passport to controlling a nation. Jezebel types look for weak people like Ahab to influence and control. You can’t be a puppeteer if you don’t have a puppet.

In a sense, each reinforced the other. Ahab’s self-absorption, spoiled childish ways, and laziness created space for Jezebel’s pride and ambition. The wickedness in her dominated Israel through Ahab’s weakness. Ahab gave his authority or right to rule to Jezebel, and Jezebel gladly took it.

Together they ruled Israel for years. God is patient even with weak kings and wicked queens for a while. God gave them, as he gives us, every opportunity to change and to change for the better. But just because God is patient doesn’t mean God condones intentional dysfunctional behavior forever.

At the appointed time, God sent a prophet named Elijah to make the king and queen realize that their actions had consequences. Why did God prophetically warn them? Because the king and queen’s problems were hurting themselves, their people, and the nation. This is called love in action.

King Ahab got angry (again) that God’s message through Elijah keeps him from getting what he wants all the time. Jezebel flew into a rage (again). How dare Elijah or God limit the ambitions of Ahab and Jezebel? You don’t challenge the actions and attitudes of people like Jezebel without creating ramifications of rage. Jezebel types don’t take revenge. They take revenge. Puppeteers and non-cohabiting people don’t like someone upsetting their puppet.

Sometimes we think someone is mean when they have a weakness. We see it in the piece called “Wicked”. Conversely, we assume someone is weak when they are cruel. Don’t judge too quickly. Learn to discern. Watch their example. Look at who is attracted to them and who is repelled by them. Are they doing it primarily for your good or their desire?

The problem with any nation, society or community is that it takes an Ahab to create a Jezebel. The character of the king or queen permeates the kingdom. Israel pined and wept for a time because of Ahab’s head and Jezebel’s heart. But people like Ahab and Jezebel usually don’t end well. These two “experts” eventually became old bursts…shooting stars that were bright for a while, then quickly burned out.

Let me quote a Bible verse about Jezebel that will surprise you. It is Jesus who speaks of Jezebel. “And I gave her time to change direction, but she has no intention of changing direction…” Revelation 2:19.

It’s love.

Consider this, leaders and people are not punished for their mistakes. Leaders and people are punished for their mistakes.

I’m not tough or harsh here. On the contrary, this article is an exhortation and an encouragement. I’m just trying to make us aware of real life. We all have weaknesses, but some have just a few more weaknesses than others. It could be dangerous, whoever we are. Why? Because the more weaknesses we have, the more desirable we are to weak or even evil people who need more vulnerable people to further their agenda.

Do not flee from God to the author of weakness or wickedness. Instead, run to God, the provider of well-being. Transform your weakness or your wickedness into well-being. Be empowered for life in abundance.

God loves you, and He has approved this message.

Jordan Conley, the new co-pastor of history Crescent Hill Baptist Churchhas a unique connection to the house of worship where he now serves – it’s where he and husband Patrick Allison were married in 2016.

Conley began preaching when he was an 8-year-old boy in eastern Kentucky. Now 29, the Knott County native was called last month to serve at the church in Louisville where he was ordained earlier this year, marking the first time the Crescent Hill facility has been led by a gay pastor. He will be a familiar sight on stage alongside his co-pastor Andrea Woolley.

“Let them say, ‘We’ve seen you as a member of the church, we’ve seen you as a youth minister, and we trust you to be with us on our next spiritual journey,'” is the honor of my life,” Conley told The Courier Journal. “And that’s a burden I don’t take lightly.”

In Louisville:September 2022 calendar of events: 60+ things to do in town this week

The church has hosted services at its current location – 2800 Frankfort Ave., in the heart of Louisville’s Crescent Hill neighborhood – since 1926, when its original building was demolished to make way for a location for Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. .

The church severed ties with Southern Baptist Theological Seminary more than 20 years ago, however, because the Southern Baptist Convention did not accept the idea of ​​women serving as pastors, Conley said. Instead, Crescent Hill Baptist Church and several others around Louisville aligned with the American Baptist Convention.

The church has evolved since then, Conley said, noting that 97% of people who attend Crescent Hill Baptist Church were in favor of him becoming a co-pastor.

“I’m not worried about anyone leaving our church as a result of the call to me as co-pastor,” Conley said. “I actually think people will come to our church, because they’ve heard of a church where there’s not just a gay man serving as a co-pastor, but my co-pastor Andrea Woolley is a woman. And that says something, I think, about our church.”

Either way, Conley said he didn’t have time to pay attention to those who didn’t approve of his calling. Lately, he said, he has been spending his time driving vans full of supplies gathered by church people to help those affected by the devastating floods. that swept through eastern Kentucky this summer.

He’s not naïve, however — he’s well aware of how the church promoting a member of the LGBTQ community to help run the show might be viewed by some members of the Baptist community.

Conley’s new post has garnered a lot of reactions, and while the church supports it, not all of it has been positive. For example, Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (the graduate school of the Southern Baptist Convention) criticized the move when it was announced, telling Twitter followers “if you ever wondered why the conservative resurgence at the SBC (Southern Baptist Baptist Convention) was needed, that’s it,” in a social media post on August 15.

“People are going to say whatever they’re going to say about me,” Conley told the Courier Journal. “You know, social media has made it very easy to voice an opinion and get a platform for that opinion. The only thing I can do is indulge in the appeal that the Spirit of God has placed upon my life, serving this church.”

Woolley and Conley are on the same page, her co-pastor told the Courier Journal.

Negative comments are inevitable but “don’t really bother her,” Woolley said. She felt her own criticisms. A mother of two, Woolley said she has not received direct vitriol as a female pastor, but there is “a certain kind of nuance” from people who have been brought up to believe that women could not be pastors.

“It’s kind of disheartening to know that there are people who are against openness and inclusion, Woolley said. “But they don’t stop what we’re going to do.”

For subscribers:Why a Baptist Pastor Feels Blessed to Be Next to Shively’s Famous Strip Club

Woolley, who has co-pastored the church since 2011, said she was “excited” to have Conley serving alongside her. He has experience, she said, having filled in for her at the church when she went on maternity leave in April and took over the role of co-pastor when the former co-pastor of Woolley, Jason Crosby, left on July 10.

Conley has come a long way to get to where he is today.

He began his undergraduate studies to become a pastor at Boyce College — the undergraduate institution of the Southern Baptist Convention — in 2010. At the time, he said, he was told not to go at Crescent Hill Baptist Church because women were preaching and there were homosexuals who served as deacons. He hadn’t come out as gay at school in Louisville yet, and he said what he was taught about the LGBTQ community affected his mental state.

“I was scared to death,” Conley said. “That was my biggest fear while I was there was someone finding out I was gay. I would be expelled from school. I knew I would never have a career in ministry. .”

Conley came out as gay in 2014, after leaving Boyce College without completing his studies. He then completed his undergraduate studies years later at Campbellsville University while working as a funeral director.

In his eyes, he said, the church has a long history of aligning against minority groups like blacks, Native Americans and members of the LGBTQ community. Ancient scriptures, he said, have long been misused and hurtful.

But one positive came out of his teachings at the time, he said – they led him to Crescent Hill Baptist Church.

The negativity he faced on his journey to becoming a pastor and the mistreatment of the LGBTQ community by some followers, he said, will not stop him from creating the impact he was called to have. .

“After being beaten and beaten with their Reformed Calvinist theology for … three and a half years, almost four years, I was finally able to come to a place that loved me, loved my husband, Patrick, and accepted us there where we were on our journey back then and I affirmed myself and my husband Patrick, and where we are on our journey today,” Conley said.

Related opinion piece:Should women be pastors? It’s a test facing Southern Baptists, and Al Mohler fails

Related:Kentucky’s reigning teacher of the year says LGBTQ discrimination caused him to quit his job

Contact Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez at [email protected]; follow her on Twitter at @SoyAnaAlvarez

NORTH LIVERMORE – At the August 28 North Livermore Baptist Church service, the congregation was greeted by Pastor Bonnie Higgins at 9.30am to begin the service. The call to worship was sung by Lew and Linda Lyman and the invocation/Lord’s prayer was recited. The hymns sung were “What a Wonderful Savior”, “A Child of the King”, and “Living for Jesus”. The service ended with “Go now in peace”. Linda Lyman is the organist each week. Janet Diaz is the pianist each week. Lew Lyman conducts congregational music each week.

The Church had collected school supplies and backpacks for area schools. A blessing on backpacks filled with school supplies was made during the service.

The sermon, titled “The Will of God in My Life” and the scripture reading from Matthew 6:10. Pastor Bonnie began the service by saying that people always seemed to ask ‘what is God’s will for my life.’ She went on to say that we always ask what we are supposed to do and if we are doing what God wants us to do. To begin with, no one will do the will of God unless they are in a relationship with Jesus. The relationship must be there to hear God, His Will in our life.

What is God’s will for everyone? Jesus explained to the disciples what the Will of God was. It is the same for us, as it is for them. The Will of God is that we have a relationship with Him, that we have accepted Jesus as our personal Saviour. God’s will is that we love him and everyone, including our enemies. His Will is also that we obey Him, to spread His gospel message, to align our desires with His Word, and to willingly put God first in our lives. God’s Will and plan for our lives is to glorify God in everything we do, think and speak. We are to be in worship with him daily.

How do we know if we are in the Will of God? Pray, pray, then pray some more. Always ask God first what his will is in any decision we have to make. God gave us agency, but He wants to guide us in all our decisions. This world is ruled by Satan right now, so as Christians we need to talk to God about the direction of our lives. We must read His Word, the Bible, and pray that God will show us His Will through His Word. We must first seek God and not what the world says and does.

There is a saying that “everything happens for a reason”. Does that mean it’s in the Will of God? The answer is no. We must remember that we live in a fallen world and sometimes Christians do what they want and forget to live what God intended. We are the ones who screw up God’s plans for our lives. God has the perfect plan for our lives, but we choose not to follow his path and take the path that feels right to us. Because of this, we find ourselves in bad situations, out of the Will of God. But our God is a forgiving God and He will put us back on the right path for our lives, the path that leads to Him. Everything happens for a reason is usually said when a person is not in the Will of God and has chosen a path that is heading towards disaster and people believe the saying because they don’t want to take the blame for it. not seeking the Will of God for their life.

The Bible tells us that Jesus did the Will of God. Do you remember the garden the night before Jesus was crucified? Jesus asked his Father to take the cup away from him if it was God’s will. It was not in the Will of God because Jesus was crucified and resurrected so that we could have hope in eternity. In John 6:38 it says “For I came down from heaven, not to do my will, but the will of him who sent me”, Jesus said that his life on earth depended on the will of his Father to him. Jesus came to earth to do His Father’s Will for each of us. He didn’t come to do what He wanted to do; Jesus came to obey his Father.

In our scripture, the goal is not for God to do our will, but for us to do God’s Will, “Thy will be done”. God’s Will is for all men to have a relationship with Him through the saving blood of Jesus Christ and know the truth of His Word and spend eternity with Him.

The announcements in the bulletin were that the congregation will be collecting canned corn for the pantry in September. Bible study is Tuesday at 1 p.m. Upcoming Events: September 3 – Deacon/Trustee meetings, September 18 – Church BBQ. AA meetings are held on Friday evenings at the church.

For more information, see our website at northlivermorebaptistchurch.org. You can email the church at [email protected] Pastor Bonnie’s office hours are Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon.

SÃO PAULO — Violence against indigenous peoples in Brazil increased in 2021, reaching its highest level since 2013, according to an agency of the episcopal conference.

The Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI) said 355 cases of physical violence against indigenous peoples were reported last year, including 176 murders, 20 cases of manslaughter, 12 attempted homicides and 14 acts of sexual violence.

The number of suicides, 148, was the highest on record, according to the report.

“Violence against indigenous peoples has reached a level of extreme cruelty. It has become something commonplace. We had already denounced the increasing violence in 2020, but nothing was done by the government,” said Antonio Eduardo de Oliveira, Executive Secretary of CIMI. Node.

The main reason for this increase was the increase in incursions into indigenous territories. The CIMI report claimed that there were 305 cases of outsiders entering indigenous lands with the intention of taking control of the territory or exploiting their resources. This is the sixth consecutive year that incursions into indigenous lands have multiplied in Brazil.

The number of occurrences in 2021 was almost three times higher than in 2018, a year before conservative President Jair Bolsonaro took office. During his election campaign, he claimed that indigenous peoples had too much land in Brazil and vowed that he would not grant them “an extra square inch” of territory.

He also gave his support to illegal miners and ranchers who invaded indigenous lands. According to CIMI, all of these policies have ended up intensifying the illegal occupation of indigenous reservations.

“Support for these criminals also came in the form of bills to loosen the protection of indigenous lands and allow economic activities within them,” de Oliveira added.

Bill 191 was introduced by Bolsonaro in 2020 with the aim of opening up indigenous territories to mining companies and oil drilling. The proposal provoked several protests from indigenous groups and environmental organizations. It is still debated in Congress.

“The current president has also weakened government environmental agencies and the National Indigenous Foundation, so the number of monitoring and control operations has been drastically reduced. We are absolutely unprotected,” said Adriano Karipuna, a member of the Karipuna people from the state of Rondônia.

Adriano said his people’s territory was first invaded in 2017. The situation quickly deteriorated when Bolsonaro took power in 2019. Today, more than a third of their land is occupied by illegal breeders. Portions of the Amazon rainforest have been replaced with cattle pasture.

“We reported this situation several times to the authorities, but nothing was done,” he said.

Heavy machinery can be heard day and night. Unaccustomed to noisy environments, the Karipuna have trouble sleeping because of the equipment. They also fear that intruders will also attack their village.

“We have received threats from them several times for denouncing their activities. They say they will attack us in the river or on the road. A massive invasion or a murder can happen anytime,” he said.

The expensive machinery employed by these invaders shows that they are not small farmers or laborers, as Bolsonaro repeatedly asserted, Adriano claimed.

“They are part of powerful groups who have the money to carry out their projects,” he said.

Seeking re-election, Bolsonaro told Brazil’s main television channel, Rede Globo, on August 22 that herders’ agricultural equipment could not be destroyed by environmental agents in raids.

“It’s very cynical of him. He obviously protects these people,” said Adriano Karipuna.

On August 12, members of the indigenous group learned that the illegal occupiers of the land were planning to burn large areas in order to accelerate deforestation. On August 15, the forest fires started – and they destroyed large areas of Karipuna territory.

“This kind of orchestrated action shows us that the invaders are backed by powerful people. The current administration encourages this behavior,” said Sister Laura Manso, CIMI agent and member of the Amazon Ecclesial Conference.

Manso has worked with the Karipuna for several years and has seen how the intruders have gradually taken over a large tract of the group’s lands.

“They are under great pressure. They have received several threats. But they have nowhere to go,” she said.

The nun has received several death threats and she says she fears for her life, but that won’t stop her.

“We are part of a Church that believes in life. We know that life always goes on despite so many circumstances of death. We are hopeful for life and we have to keep fighting for it,” Manso said.

The escalation of violence has forced CIMI agents to be extra cautious in recent years. According to de Oliveira, territories that have suffered from large incursions by illegal miners, such as Yanomami land, have also seen the emergence of drug cartels from southeastern Brazil, which has made the region even more dangerous.

“They took advantage of the atmosphere of deregulation and took control of illegal mining in different areas of the Amazon. We had to withdraw our agents from these territories,” he said.

CIMI also advised caution to Indigenous activists across the country. De Oliveira claimed that the number of natives killed in 2021 could have been much higher.

“We are going through a period of violence,” he said.

Many CIMI workers fear things will get chaotic in the final months of 2022. Brazil holds its presidential election in October, pitting Bolsonaro against former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who leads all polls .

“If Lula is elected, the ground invaders could try to step up their actions before Bolsonaro leaves office on December 31. This can be a very dangerous situation for indigenous groups across the country,” de Oliveira said.

Adriano Karipuna says his people won’t see a sudden change even if Lula wins.

“We don’t know how these invaders will react to a change in political power, but we know they won’t leave our land the next day,” he said.

Manso stressed that the land dispute in Brazil is a structural problem and has always been linked to political and economic power.

“That’s why violence against Indigenous peoples is systemic. We know they will always have to fight for their territories,” she said.

Concerning Confused Youth in the Catholic Church.

Recently, I participated in a civil discussion about gender-confused youth in the Catholic Church with a fellow Patheos blogger. I also wrote about the coming persecution in light of the Church’s refusal to budge on issues of human sexuality. In all honesty, we know that the Catholic Church cannot change its positions on human sexuality. Since this is the case, what then can the everyday Catholic faithful do when confronted with the problem of gender confusion among young people? What’s at stake? What impact does this issue have on faithful Catholic families? Can we learn anything from medical and phycological professionals who advise caution? And those who regret their transition? Can we learn anything from them? If yes, then what? It is to these questions that this article turns.

Know what’s at stake

With all the back and forth between progressive and conservative Catholics, many get bogged down in emotional arguments over gender ideology. Some even equate those who do not subscribe to affirmative care with gender-confused young people facilitating harm or even death. On the contrary, those who subscribe to a cautious approach do so to lessen the permanent damage caused by hormone therapy and surgery.. Anyone who takes the time to study and reflect on this question does so by care and concern for those concerned, not out of a desire to control or harm. If this is agreed from the outset, the possibility of better dialogue increases. Moreover, no one in the debate believes gender dysphoria a myth. The question to be answered is how to address the larger problem of confused young people, because not all confused young people are gender dysphoric. Safer gender dysphoria later.

Impacts on Faithful Catholic Families

What about faithful Catholic families? These families can’t stand the idea that their child is one way inside and another way outside. They are against hormone therapy and surgery. These parents are also supported by scientists studies, psychology and their Church. Given these facts, what happens when the state disagrees with the parents?

Do those who support positive care also support the state’s removal of a child who identifies as trans from a loving Catholic family who follows the Church‘s teaching on human sexuality? Moreover, would those who support positive care call this loveless family by following Catholic teaching?

Impact of regret on the individual

Moreover, many people regret in transition. Many still suffer from the same issues they had before their transition, but are now permanently scarred. Many are at higher risk of cancer due to hormones treatments. Others are now sterile and unable to experience sexual pleasure due to the surgery. What advice do proponents of positive care give to these people? Would they say to them, “sorry, but back then we saved your life?” Would they accept this answer?

Cultural Phenomenon Vs. Legit Mental Health Crisis

Also, how do you determine if a child is truly gender dysphoric and not just confused and under the influence of social pressure?

According to the New York Post:

“In recent years the number of children with gender dysphoria in the West has skyrocketed. Exact figures are hard to come by, but between 2009 and 2019 the number of children referred for transitional treatment in the UK has increased by 1,000% among biological men and 4,400% among biological women.Meanwhile, the number of young people identifying as transgender in the United States has nearly doubled since 2017, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.(https://nypost.com/2022/06/18/detransitioned-teens-explain-why-they-regret-changing-genders/ )

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention report

How do we as a society determine what is social contagion and what is not? Wouldn’t the cautious course require a cautious approach instead of direct application of hormones and surgery? Also, when it comes to our youth, we as a society set age limits for tattoos, smoking, drinking, and voting, but that doesn’t show up on gender decisions that can have irrevocable consequences. How does that make sense?

Other Disorders: Lessons Learned

Otherwise, gender dysphoria has a correlation with other bodily disorders, particularly bulimia and bodily integrity identity disorder. How would someone who supports affirmative care advise people with bulimia Where bodily integrity identity disorder? Would they affirm bulimics in their disordered body image or would they encourage someone with BIID that they really are paralyzed or have no limbs? So would affirmative care involve paralysis surgery or the removal of unwanted limbs? The obvious answer is comprehensive psychiatric care. The answer is to help people with these disorders recognize their body truth. Only then can they embark on the path to recovery. This course of caution is the best and wisest course.

In fact, gender dysphoria – the official psychiatric term for feeling of the opposite sex – belongs to the family of similar disordered assumptions about the body, such as anorexia nervosa and body dysmorphic disorder. Its treatment should not be directed at the body as with surgery and hormones any more than anorexic patients fearing obesity are treated with liposuction. Treatment should strive to correct the false and problematic character of the assumption and to resolve the psychosocial conflicts that cause it. – Paul McHugh, MD, emeritus university professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Medical School and former chief psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

To conclude

In conclusion, caution should drive all discussions about young people with gender confusion. The challenge facing the Catholic Church is not small. As a volunteer with the local parish youth program, I know firsthand the extent of this problem. Confusion among our young people, especially about gender, is currently at an all-time high. Therefore, anyone who cares about this issue should proceed with caution. The positive management involving hormonal treatments and irreversible surgeries testifies to a lack of caution and recklessness. Our young people deserve better from us.

Resources

Please see the resources below. I am ready to check everything that is given to me to read, I hope you will do the same.

Male and female, he created them” – educatio.va. (nd). Retrieved August 24, 2022 from http://www.educatio.va/content/dam/cec/Documenti/19_0997_INGLESE.pdf

Schlott, R. (2022, June 19). “I Literally Lost Organs”: Why Detransitioned Teens Regret Changing Sex. New York Post. Retrieved August 27, 2022, from https://nypost.com/2022/06/18/detransitioned-teens-explain-why-they-regret-changing-genders/

Gender dysphoria and sex reassignment surgery. CMS.gov Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (nd). Retrieved August 27, 2022, from https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/ncacal-decision-memo.aspx?proposed=N&NCAId=282&bc=ACAAAAAAQAAA&

Person & Identity (a transition group)

https://personandidentity.com/resources/lookingforsupport/personal-stories-2/detransitioners/

Common sense care

https://www.advocatesprotectingchildren.org/commonsense-care-videos

Like and follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

On August 22, 2022, the Church of Shiloh voted unanimously to make tuition free for families wishing to give their children access to a Christian education.

In the announcement, Pastor John Boston II, said their goal was to “do everything we can to give the children of Chicago the best chance we can give. Nothing does it better than Christian education.

Chicago Seventh-day Adventist Christian School is nestled in the heart of Chicago’s South End and since 1913 has served generations of students from kindergarten through 8th grade.

We asked Boston to find out more about this new initiative which has garnered positive reviews since its announcement.

– Debbie Michel Herald of Lake Union editor

PM:Why was it necessary to make this bold move?

JB:We could not afford to do nothing in this area. Chicago’s Southside is riddled with news violence. This Adventist school is probably one of the most viable opportunities to make a difference in this community. Many urban Adventist schools and churches are not functioning well. We believe at Shiloh that our path to healing our community is through Christian education. Currently, we have initiated discussions with local and international anti-human trafficking agencies: 16,000 young girls are trafficked into Chicago every year. That’s two every hour. It was time for us to come out and stand apart. Jesus is coming soon and we need all the tools available to reach the hearts of the people around us.

PM:Free is not really free since eventually someone will have to pay. How will it be funded?

JB:It is absolutely true. Salvation is free, but ministry costs. We have a limit on the number of children the school can handle to keep the student-teacher ratio in line with the policy. We want a quality education for all children and an enriching experience for the whole family. The historic Chicago Shiloh Church decided to step out in faith and God did not disappoint with the provision.

We are using the entire evangelism budget for the remainder of 2022 and the first half of 2023. Christian education is probably the most effective form of evangelism and discipleship we have. In addition to this, the church has historically set aside a considerable sum for the ministry of education and there are several donors who have given to this area over the years.

The latest piece comes from donors in Chicago and around the world who want to help make that kind of difference. This is a need-based scholarship. Once a family applies, we apply the necessary spiritual care to ensure that we make room for their children in every way possible. Some parents can afford to sacrifice money to place their children in this school, but we want to make sure they don’t have to choose between meals, gas, rent and tuition. We step in to get tuition where they can’t manage it. For some it means 100%, for others it means much less. Ultimately, we will not allow tuition to be a barrier for families who come to us.

PM:What does the church hope to accomplish with all of this?

JB:Exponential growth! Really, we want the floodgates of change in our community to flow through the church and the school. Jesus is coming soon and if we want to make a radical difference, we must take radical action. If I had to crystallize this, I would say that we want:

1. All the children in our community are learning from the Lord. We will journey through School, Sabbath School, Pathfinders, Adventurers, Family Ministries, VBS and whatever else we are led to pursue.

2. We would like to see the church experience a powerful transformation as a result of exercising this type of faith and sacrifice.

3. The birth of an evolving and sustainable model. I believe we have been in miracle territory since that announcement and the story has yet to be told. We have no idea what will happen at the end of this story, but we do know that we intend to give it our all and watch God do something amazing.

Debbie Michel is the communications director of the Lake Union Conference and Herald of Lake Union editor.

Milo Center Methodist

Branchport Methodist

We keep hearing people tell us how much they look forward to our next chicken barbecue. This makes us very happy! We are blessed to have so many community members contributing their talents to make this a success. Thank you all!

So here’s the info to mark on your calendars: Saturday, September 3, from 4:30 p.m. while supplies last, is our annual Labor Day Weekend Chicken BBQ. The cost is $12 for adults, $6 for children under 10, and $6 for just half a chicken. Besides the chicken, we will have potatoes, coleslaw, beans, rolls and cookies. We would love for you to join us!

We had another annual event on Sunday, August 14 – a joint worship service with all area Methodist churches at Indian Pines Park. We enjoyed perfect weather, beautiful music and inspiring messages and prayers. The offering went to Habitat for Humanity to help them help others.

We continue to pray for all who suffer in this world, be it war, famine, pain, grief or disease. We invite you to join us on Sunday morning at 10:45 a.m.

First Presbyterian

Many members of our congregation and community may not know which accomplished pianist FPC is blessed to have as their resident organist, along with Mr. Chris Han. Pastor Paul suggested a column about Chris and the invitation and grant Chris received for a summer program at one of the most prestigious summer music festivals in the world. He was selected to attend the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, at the Château de Fontainebleau, not far from Paris. The castle was previously the summer residence and hunting ground for seven centuries of the French monarchy. Famous architects, sculptors and painters have resided here over the centuries and eventually schools of art were established. The illustrious French Conservatoire became involved in the United States during World War I, when the resident director of the Conservatoire, Francis Casadesus, was asked by General Pershing to help improve the performance of American military bands. After World War I, and with the help of a large grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, in 1921 the American Conservatory was established in the Louis XV wing of Fontainebleau. This school has hosted some of the best, brightest and most promising music students from around the world, for example; Aaron Copeland, Quincy Jones and Robert Levin. Here, these young performers continue their education, hone their skills and hone their techniques. Music students from the United States are selected to attend master classes with world-renowned composers, conductors and music teachers. They perform in front of a small audience in the Louis XV wing and in the outdoor pavilions and surrounding gardens.

As a doctoral student at the Eastman School of Music, Chris was awarded the Robert Casadesus Fellowship. The scholarship bears the name of Mr. Casadesus, former director general of the Conservatory for 20 years and former pianist of Ravel. Only one scholarship is awarded each year to an outstanding pianist from the Eastman School. Chris said the program was intense, although he said, “in a good way”. He spent his first month in a contemporary music theory class, required to complete his doctorate. The second month was the “fun” month. He has met and collaborated with students from various famous music schools such as; Colburn, Curtis, Harvard and Julliard. He took lessons from several distinguished faculty members. Two faculties to note; Robert Levin, who is best known for completing many of Mozart’s unfinished works, including Mozart’s Requiem in D minor. Also Jay Gottlieb, who worked with Casadesus in Fontainebleau, is a laureate of the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation and has performed as a soloist with many symphony orchestras around the world. Chris enjoyed his lesson with Jay the most. Asked about sightseeing in Paris, Chris replied “there was no time!”

While Chris has been on other summer music programs in the US, Europe, Israel and Asia, this was by far his favorite. Apparently they were also impressed with him. Students are usually only allowed to attend once, but he has been personally invited by the program president to return.

Penn Yan First Baptist

On the last Sunday of August, we will welcome back Reverend Mark Slomski to share his message with us. On the first Sunday in September, there will be a combined service in Yates County Court with First Baptist, St. Mark’s Episcopal, First Presbyterian and Penn Yan Methodist attending. Bring your lawn chair. Keep in mind that in the event of inclement weather, the service will be moved inside First Baptist Church. If you wish to mark on your calendars, the pulpit provision for September will be as follows: September 11, Rev. Don Lawrence; September 18, Dale Wakley; September 25, Dale Wakley.

We would like to thank The Chronicle-Express for being a voice and a platform for all the churches in our region.

Bluff Point Methodist

Last Sunday, Methodist churches in Yates County all came together for a combined service. The messages and the weather were all perfect for worshiping together. The offer was to benefit our local Habitat for Humanity, which has done so much to help others in our community.

On August 26, we will have our last outdoor ice cream party together. Remember how much fun it was this summer seeing our friends and enjoying a summer treat together? August 31 will be our back-to-school party. Now is the time to think about school after a hot and sunny summer!

Sincere condolences to the family of Dr. John Condemi. Dr. Condemi had a summer residence on the Bluff. He and his late wife Carol often worshiped with us in the past when they were at their lakeside home.

It is sad to think that in mid-September these newspaper columns and our local newspaper will be no more, after 198 years of continuous operation. So many enjoyed the weekly Church briefs and news, as well as the local sports, schedules, headlines, and historical articles that The Chronicle-Express carried. It was a good race, it just doesn’t seem long enough. Maybe somehow another format or another mechanism will be put in place so that we can take advantage of the characteristics of a small town weekly local newspaper. Thanks to John Christensen and former staff, including Gwen Chamberlain, for all of your hard work on our local scene, for all of your writing and photography! We appreciate that we have been able to bring news and events from our church to the community.

Father Grigory Borisov offers a prayer for Ukraine each day in a special liturgy at Lasnamäe Church, a towering, whitewashed Russian Orthodox place of worship in the center of the Estonian capital’s most populous suburb, Tallinn, where the majority are Russian speakers.

The Church of the Icon of the Mother of God was built in 2013 with the help of funds from a Moscow-based NGO. While in March the Estonian Orthodox Church joined other churches in the Baltic country in condemning the bombing of civilians in Ukraine, the head of the church in Moscow, Patriarch Kirill, was accused of having provided theological cover for Vladimir Putin’s war.

Borisov, 32, who went to theological college in St Petersburg, is on a thin line. He says he is not allowed to talk about politics and war. But the priest admits there is widespread anxiety in his congregation in this economically deprived part of town. “The mental health situation is bad – Covid, the war, the economic situation, petrol prices. These things make people sad and worried.

Borisov says he treats everyone who comes to church the same, whether they are Estonian, Ukrainian or Russian. “There is no Greek [n]or Jew,” he says, quoting a passage from the King James Bible that goes on to state that “all [are] one in Jesus Christ”.

Outside the church in Lasnamäe, located east of Tallinn, among high-rise buildings as far as the eye can see, such flattery stands in stark contrast to what is an increasingly anxious Russian community, caricatured by some as a “fifth column” and among in turn there is a high degree of distrust of the state.

Estonia was a Soviet republic from 1944 to 1991, and around 322,000 of its population of 1.3 million identify as ethnic Russians, 90,000 of whom have Russian citizenship. Many ethnic Russians turn to Russian television for their news, and a high degree of segregation remains.

Meanwhile, the Estonian government, led by Kaja Kallas, has taken a surprisingly strong stance on the need to turn the screws on Russia by tightening economic sanctions imposed by the West on its economy, banning travel visas for nationals of the country and destroying the Soviet Union. imagery, such as monuments commemorating the Second World War.

It is a dynamic that risks creating dangerous misunderstandings in which opposition to Putin’s Russia could be interpreted as the disapproval of all Russians.

Karsten Brüggemann, a professor of Estonian history at the University of Tallinn, said the financial aid offered to Ukrainian refugees was also seen as a threat by some members of the Russian community.

“Because they see how much money the state gives to Ukrainian refugees and they have nothing,” he says. “[For] some of the Russians who are in a socio-economically poor situation, it’s really quite irritating, to say the least.

Hanging her laundry on the terrace of her ground-floor flat in the shade of Lasnamäe church, a 39-year-old mother of a three- and five-year-old, who declined to be named, stated she was born in Tallinn but identified as Russian. “I better be careful what I say because they’re going to kick me out,” she said.

“Everything was fine before the war. I worked for two Estonian companies and it was good but now we are considered dangerous. What are they going to do to us next? I am not in favor of EU sanctions. They don’t hurt Russia but they hurt us here. I’m a personal trainer and can’t afford to drive to work. I only take the car with the children. I can’t afford to fill it. The government should take care of its own people and not the Ukrainians who threaten us, who are protesting with blood on themselves in front of the Russian Embassy. I always look over my shoulder.

The woman had heard false allegations that the Estonian government had stopped free meals for children in Russian-language schools. “I don’t know if it’s true, but it could be true,” she insisted.

A potential flashpoint between the Estonian government and the ethnic Russian community was the decision last week to remove a Soviet-era T-34 tank from its pedestal in the eastern town of Narva, where 95.7% of Narva’s population is native Russian speaking and 87.7% are ethnic Russians.

The decision was taken as part of a larger plan to move between 200 and 400 public monuments to museums on the grounds that Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine had “opened up wounds in our society that these monuments of the communist era remind us”.

There had been concerns about the Troubles. The removal of a statue known as the Bronze Soldier in Tallinn in April 2007 sparked two nights of rioting in the capital’s Old Town, in which a Russian protester was killed.

This time, locals instead gathered peacefully to lay flowers where the float sat. Polls have suggested that ethnic Russians’ adherence to the Kremlin line has been far from certain since the war. A recent survey found that about a third of those who identify as Russians in Estonia agree with moving Soviet monuments from public places to museums.

Katri Raik, a former government minister who has been mayor of Narva since 2020, said there was genuine fear in the Russian community that the government should be sensitive to government.

“Now what happens next is very important,” she told Estonia’s biggest daily, Postimees. “These red monuments are [no longer] the. Is that all now? Or what the Estonian state has in mind in the direction of Narva. We need to restore trust between the country of Estonia and Narva.

Raik added: “We have to get rid of the fear of the people of Narva, which many people expressed yesterday in various meetings. They are afraid of being expelled from Estonia. We will certainly not send the people of Narva away”.

Speaking on Estonia’s Independence Day on Saturday, the country’s president, Alar Karis, spoke of the ill will aroused by the tank’s withdrawal. “We have to recognize that some people in our country have a different historical understanding,” he said. “Many of our compatriots do not yet speak Estonian fluently, but in addition to the language, or largely because they do not speak it, they have also not learned an ideologically unbiased history of Estonia , Europe and the world.”

He, however, called for understanding and sensitivity at a time when nuance was easily lost. “We are 1.3 million,” he said. “We have power and strength. But only if we move forward paying attention to each other, not forcing our own truth.

And it’s really difficult to take a “taby” to mass. The little babies at least keep quiet. But a one-year-old desperately tries to climb and jump all over the pew and run down the aisle, and has absolutely no idea about the need to be quiet in church.

I’ve been having a hard time getting my taby to church lately, and I thought maybe some of you might understand.

This might seem like a really silly problem to have; after all, it only lasts a year or two, right? But this short developmental phase really adds up when you have lots of kids! And my toddlers have all been very talkative, eager to sing at mass and greet everyone in sight.

So what if your baby babbles non-stop during mass? Here is what helps me.

1Accept that they act as God created them

God created toddlers to be loud and active. It’s okay if your toddler is his sweet, active little self at church. I sometimes bring quiet toys for my toddler, but most of the time I just let her stand on my lap or hold the bench behind me and let her do her thing.

Singing, dancing, and vocalizing with music are all appropriate developmental milestones for this age group, so it only makes sense for your baby to do these things at mass.

It’s another matter if your baby is crying; I take my children out if they cry or scream. But most of the time, I’m trying to get rid of my feeling that my baby needs to be perfectly quiet every moment of mass, and let her babble on her own. That’s how God made her right now, and frankly, we wouldn’t get a minute of mass if I took her out every time she peeked.

Recently, an elderly woman sitting behind me got up and moved to another bench after several minutes; clearly, my baby’s babbling and attempts to climb onto the bench were a distraction for her. I was a little hurt at first, but then I realized she had found a good solution. She has as much right not to sit behind a distracting baby as my baby has the right to be at mass. So remember that people can always walk away if your toddler is really distracting..

Most of the time, though, people seem to really enjoy hearing my baby at mass. I can’t tell you how many times someone came up to me afterwards and said something like, “It was so sweet to hear your baby sing during mass! or “I love to hear a baby in the church!”

Many of the churches in my urban neighborhood are totally baby-free; the pews are full of old people, and most of the time my baby is the only baby in the whole church. While it’s a sad state of affairs for the church here in Chicago, the silver lining is that most people are thrilled to hear my baby babble during mass.

2They’re not as loud as you think

I will never forget a funny incident from my childhood. My siblings and I were rowdy at Mass, and my parents whispered that we should behave like children from another family, who were seated several pews away. After the mass, the parents of the other family came and revealed that they had told their children to act like my siblings and me, because from where they were sitting, they could not see or hear none of our shenanigans!

What I learned from this incident is that most people in the church are seated too far away to even notice if your child is loud. Several times I apologized after mass because my children were noisy, and the other person said, “Oh, I didn’t hear anything!”

So just focus on keeping things as calm as possible and don’t worry about what people think of your baby’s chatter. Honestly, if people notice your baby, it should be to thank God for the gift of their lives and for attending mass.

3Most people are so happy to see and hear your baby

I know I’ve said it before, but it’s really true. Several priests told me that they liked to hear my babies “participate” in the mass in their own way, and I try to keep that in the forefront of my mind when I’m embarrassed by their chatter.

I think of the saying: “If the Church does not weep, it is dying. My baby may be the only one in the whole church making noise, but thank goodness she’s here!

You know I mentioned that time a woman walked away from us at mass? Yes, I was embarrassed. But after mass, a man came and told me firmly: “Thank you for bringing your children to church. It’s so good that they’re here.

That really sums it up best. Yes, it is good that they are there. Thank goodness for babies babbling in church. May our churches never be empty of them, as long as there are churches and babies in them.

About 400 Ukrainian Baptist congregations have been lost in Russia’s war on Ukraine, said Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary (UBTS) president Yaroslav Pyzh, which works to restore pastoral leadership in affected towns.

As volunteers from six We Care relief centers across Ukraine help internally displaced people winterize their homes, replacing roofs, windows and doors, Pyzh said the real challenge for UBTS is to rebuild pastoral leadership in places where pastoralists have been displaced.

“Since the start of the war, six months already, we have lost about 400 Baptist churches. And so the real building is rebuilding leadership capacity, because if you rebuild buildings and you don’t have pastors to lead churches, I don’t think that’s going to do any good,” Pyzh, graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, said Baptist Press Last week. “So the real challenge is not so much to rebuild the walls, windows and doors.”

“The real challenge is similar to Nehemiah’s challenge,” he said, referring to the biblical story of Nehemiah. “It’s not just about rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. It’s about rebuilding the nation of Israel, worshiping God. … It’s the same here in Ukraine.

Many pastors have been displaced from war-torn areas, Pyzh said, leaving no one to bring divine hope amid fear and despair. About 2,300 Baptist congregations existed across Ukraine before the war began in February, according to the All-Ukrainian Union of Evangelical Christian Baptist Churches.

“Our main challenge in the future, when the war is over, is to bridge the leadership gap that we have lost,” Pyzh said. “And unfortunately, the longer the war lasts, the greater the gap will be. The church is not buildings. It’s people leaving this place and moving to the United States, and with people moving to Germany, or people moving somewhere else. And with these people, the pastors also left.

While the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that a third of Ukrainians have been displaced from their homes, many pastors have remained and churches have largely met wartime needs, Pyzh said.

“The biggest thing the community has in these times of destruction and bombardment is fear; it’s desperation,” Pyzh said. “And the only ones who can relieve and bring hope to the desperate are pastors, churches, Christians.”

Pyzh estimates that up to 150 graduates and students from UBTS are working in the We Care Centers which he says will bring spiritual light and salt to war-torn communities while helping to structurally rebuild communities and provide the necessary supplies. UBTS trains volunteers to serve as counselors to internally displaced residents and those who remained.

Donations from Southern Baptists help fund support for We Care centers, but Pyzh said donations have dropped significantly as the war continues. The care centers have grown out of local church ministry outreach activities established in conjunction with local governments and are housed in buildings that governments provide free of charge.

“We stepped in and tried to help them be more effective in what they do and share some of the resources we received from Southern Baptists. So we use those resources that we got from Southern Baptists,” Pyzh said. “Instead of the seminary dealing directly with humanitarian aid (as in the first months of the war), we work with these health centers and help them.

“The basic idea of ​​care centers is to provide a platform for churches to cooperate with each other to serve the community. This is the basic idea. It’s not just about meeting the needs of war, but actually creating something that can stay in the community for a long time.

UBTS, which provided free education to students during the war, plans to work with a dozen health centers by the end of the year, Pyzh said. With an inflation rate of nearly 30% in Ukraine, UBTS has suspended tuition fees and is focusing on raising funds to support its educational efforts.

Pyzh, who is the founding pastor of Journey Church in Lviv, encourages Southern Baptists to continue to pray for a miracle of peace and victory, to pray specifically for the rebuilding of church leadership, to continue to contribute to humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine and to consider establishing scholarships to support UBTS students during the war.

“Send Relief helps us with donations that we use at We Care centers,” Pyzh said. “But overall donations are down significantly, not like we did two or three months ago. People are just tired of the war, but I see a huge drop in donations.

In one of his last UBTS Videos, Pyzh expressed continued hope. “The same God who was faithful in the past will be faithful in the future. So in the midst of all the struggle we are going through right now, we are waiting with great hope, knowing that God is with us through you,” he said on the video. “Thank you for your help.”

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Hundreds of residents of the Vollintine-Evergreen Historic District are calling a nearby church bell a nuisance.

Andi Bailey said the recorded ringing of bells at St. Theresa The Little Flower Catholic Church on Jackson Avenue is too loud and almost unbearable.

“It’s loud enough at normal levels that I can’t watch my TV because I can’t hear it because of the bells,” Bailey said.

Some residents agree that the sound coming from the church is overwhelming.

After feeling their voices weren’t being heard by the church, Bailey said more than 400 community members had signed petitions to silence the bells that started up again late last year.

She said the bells rang at various intervals from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., sometimes lasting several minutes.

“At least 25 times a day, so people who work from home or people who have babies or people who work at night and sleep during the day. It’s disturbing,” Bailey said.

The WREG contacted St. Therese and we were directed to the Catholic Diocese of Memphis and sent to this statement from January.

It says in part: “Our ringing of bells is a proclamation of our faith and the exercise of our religious observance and duty.”

“It’s their right to ring the bells, no one disputes that,” Bailey said. “It’s not about religion. We just want it to be nicer in our backyards.

St. Theresa’s said it reduced frequency and volume after complaints from disgruntled neighbors.

Ringing in the community since 1951, they have now launched a petition for freedom of religious expression as neighbors weigh in on the chimes.

A church lawyer told us he would get back to us tomorrow with an answer. At this stage, it is not clear whether a compromise will be found in the community or in court.

Cornerstone Church carries on its founder’s legacy of charity and compassion

Posted at 12:05 a.m. on Sunday, August 14, 2022

SALISBURY — Thirty-one years ago, a young Bill Godair was convinced he had been called to start a church — but not just any church.

Its aim was to go beyond traditional religions and churches, to go beyond racism and differences, and to fight against poverty and need. The Cornerstone Church ministry was born.

He and his wife, Pastor Tina Godair, have worked tirelessly over the years to not only be a church that welcomes everyone, but a church that teaches the youngest from the start that each of us is responsible for life. ‘other.

“Caring for each other is something we should do regardless,” Tina Godair said. “My husband and I not only tried to incorporate this practice into our church, but we tried to live our lives this way.”

Bill Godair died in December 2021 at the age of 63 after declining health, but before his death he had started a church which included both an events center and a childcare business. And he had earned a reputation for immense generosity, both within the church and in the community at large.

So, several weeks ago, the church family got together and handed out thousands of dollars in gift cards — for food, school supplies, gas, and more. – to people in need. They also distributed bicycles, backpacks, school supplies and lots of hugs.

“It will always be important to stand up to meet the needs of the community,” said Tina Godair. “I know Pastor Bill Godair would be thrilled to see his efforts continue.”

The deadline for submitting articles for church memoirs to be published in our print edition is 2 p.m. Wednesday. To have an article listed, email Claire Kowalick at [email protected] Please limit announcements to special events, meetings or guests. Limited space does not allow for regular weekly event listings to be displayed. We’re sorry, but church briefs cannot be taken over the phone.

Wichita Falls First Baptist Church: Christian musician Steven Curtis Chapman will perform at the First Baptist Church of Wichita Falls, downtown campus, at 6 p.m. on August 28. The concert will take place at the worship center. Tickets are available online at https://fbcwf.org/concert/.

We invite you to join us at any of our services. The downtown campus, 1200 9th Street, will host their mixed worship with choir, worship team and orchestra on Sundays at 8:15 a.m. Contemporary worship is offered at 9:45 and 11 a.m. West Campus, 4317 Barnett Road, offers contemporary services. at 9:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. every Sunday. Sheppard’s Church, 2101 Puckett, will offer contemporary services at 9:45 a.m. and 11 a.m. Life groups are available for all ages every Sunday. Sunday morning services are broadcast live on CFNT, cable channel 10 or live on 20.1 or 24.1 each Sunday at 8:15 a.m. and 11 a.m. The services are also streamed on our website as well as on our Facebook page.

First Christian Church3701 Taft Blvd, 940-692-2282, www.firstchristianwf.com: PLEASE COME WORSHIP WITH US THIS WEEK! COME CELEBRATE CHRIST WITH THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH! Bring your family and friends! SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP: 8:40 a.m. (Chapel) and 10:45 a.m. (Sanctuary) or view the service on our website or YouTube anytime! August 14-September 11: “TEACH US TO PRAY – The Lord’s Prayer.” WEDNESDAY EVENING WORSHIP: 5:30 p.m. Brown Bag Fellowship, 6:00 p.m. “The Neighborhood” Worship Service. “SACRED PATHWAYS” Please plan to gather with us – WE WELCOME EVERYONE! OPEN COMMUNION: The Lord’s Supper or Communion is offered at every service to all who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. PLEASE CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS REGARDING WORSHIP AND FAMILY ACTIVITIES. www.firstchristianwf.com

First Presbyterian Church, 3601 Taft Blvd. : At 10:30 a.m. this Sunday, August 14, the Reverend Michael Hansen, Senior Pastor of the Church, will preach. His sermon this Sunday is titled “Welcome One Another: A Series on Community” and is based on Romans 15:1-7. “Launch & Lunch” will take place after worship on Sunday, August 14 in Fellowship Hall. The event will highlight ways you can “get started” in greater involvement in the Church. Information will be available on Sunday School and ministry opportunities for all ages. Burgers, hot dogs, beans, fries as well as cobbler and ice cream will be served. The cost is $6.00 per person or $20.00 for a family of 4 or more. A student ministry internship will be held August 19 at 5:00 p.m. to August 20 at 10:30 a.m. RSVP with Rev. Michael Morris. TLC will be hosting a “Meet the Teacher” for the upcoming year on August 22 at 5:30 p.m. at the Learning Center. Anyone in need of prayer or pastoral care is encouraged to contact the Church office.

First United Methodist Church of Iowa Park, 201 E. Bank: Come worship with us at 9 a.m. on Sundays. Social distancing and security measures are respected. At this time, we still do not have any Fellowship or Sunday School events.

Wichita Falls First United Methodist Church909 10th Street: Worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m. at 909 10th Street or live on TV-KJBO and online at www.FUMCWF.org/LIVE.

Floral Heights United Methodist Church – 2214 10e rue: Sunday August 14 – 9th Sunday after Pentecost, 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School, 10:10 a.m. – Worship with blessing of backpacks! in the Sanctuary and Facebook Live, 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. – Back to School Splash @ Fain Pool. Tuesday, August 16, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Community breakfasts. Wednesday, August 17, 9:00 a.m. – Bible Study, 5:15 p.m. – Little Blessings Choir, 6:00 p.m. – Choir Rehearsal. Thursday, August 18, 6:30 a.m. – Men’s Bible Study, 9:30 a.m. – Women’s Bible Study, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Community lunches. Friday, August 19, 9 a.m. – Trip to OKC Art Museum and lunch.

Mount Pleasant Baptist Church: Sunday school from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Morning worship will begin at 10 a.m. All members are asked to use the Harding Street entrance and wear a face mask. If you cannot attend the service, deacons will be available on the Bailey Street side of the church 30 minutes after the service if you wish to contribute tithes, offer and receive the Lord’s Supper. Sunday afternoon on Facebook, Pastor Castle will have echoes from the pulpit and a prayer. You can also use the Givelify app. If you have any questions, you can email [email protected]

New Presbyterian Hope: Worship services in our new building at 1701 Enterprise. Our worship service will begin at 10 a.m. Our services will continue to be available on our FB page for those who have joined locally and across the country in the past two years.

New Jerusalem Baptist Church, 1420 Borton Lane: New Jerusalem offers meals for the locked down, food distribution through the Wichita Falls Area Food Bank’s mobile pantry, clothing and health checkups on the fourth Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon. Please contact Rev. Angus Thompson, pastor of the church, at 940-766-4022 with any questions. For more information on vaccinations, contact Mary Ann Merriex at 940-322-5728.

St. Benedict Orthodox Church3808 Seymour Road: Discover our services, courses and events on our website: www.SaintBenedictOrthodox.com. Contact our priest: [email protected]

Trinity Presbyterian Church, 4403 Phillips: Trinity Presbyterian Church holds in-person worship services at 11 a.m. Sundays at 4403 Phillips. Social distancing remains in practice.

Trinity United Methodist Church: 5800 SW Pkwy. (across from Memorial Stadium): Worship With Us Sunday morning August 7: All Ages Sunday School at 9:00 a.m., Morning Worship at 10:00 a.m. streamed live on FB facebook.com/trinitywf/. Pastor Jacob Fields preaches from the Bible study “Wesleyan Roots: What Makes United Methodism Distinct” – “More than a memory – Meeting God at the table.” “Wesleyan Roots” Monday evening Bible study, 7-8 p.m. each week, led by Pastor Fields. Come as a family, join us for Messy Church, a family ministry, each 2^sd, and 4^e Sunday of the month 4:00-6:00 p.m. Lots of family fun, games, food, Bible teaching and ministry for all ages. The next session is August 14, “Noah’s ark.” The Trinity UMC pantry is available on the 3^rd Monday of each month from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Next drive-thru August 15. Please bring ID and proof of residency. Call 940-692-9995 for more information.

Wichita Falls Metropolitan Community Church, 1401 Travis (at 14th Street): As always, all are welcome. Visit us on Sundays: 10:15 a.m. for study, 11 a.m. for worship services. . . just late enough to sleep! Relaxed comfort to an embraced finer dress; zone without negative judgment. WE HIDE MASKS, CHECK THE TEMPERATURE, SANITIZE IN/OUT, SOCIAL DISTANCE AND TAKE CARE OF OUR NEIGHBOURS’ HEALTH. Ours is a safe and nurturing environment. We are also LGBTQ+ affirming. Children and young people welcome and included in the service. Daycare available. Networking and lunch connections following (Dutch draft). 1401 Travis St. 940-322-4100, [email protected], register online at https://bit.ly/WFMCCWorship.

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to reshuffle his cabinet on Wednesday in a move seen as an attempt to steer his administration away from controversial ties. at the Unification Church after the assassination of former leader Shinzo Abe.

The Cabinet renewal will be the second in just 10 months since Kishida took office. He told reporters on Tuesday that a “strict review” of candidates’ church ties would be a “prerequisite” in the new composition of Cabinet officials and Liberal Democratic Party leaders.

Kishida said he had asked his ministers and other senior officials to clarify their connection to the Unification Church “so that we can do political and administrative work that the people can trust.”

Abe was shot and killed while delivering a campaign speech on July 8, two days before a parliamentary election. According to police and media, the arrested man had targeted Abe for alleged ties to the Unification Church, which the man hated because his mother’s massive financial donations to the church had bankrupted his family.

Recent media surveys showed that Kishida’s cabinet approval ratings have fallen to their lowest levels since he took office in October. A survey released by state broadcaster NHK on Monday showed support plunged to 46% from 59%.

Most of those interviewed said they felt the politicians had not sufficiently explained their ties to the Unification Church. Kishida’s plan to hold a state funeral for Abe also divided public opinion due to Abe’s arch-conservative stances on national security and war history.

Kishida’s cabinet renewal, which was expected in September ahead of the fall parliamentary session, has apparently been accelerated as public support has waned amid questions about ties to the church.

The new composition will be officially announced later on Wednesday after a massive resignation of current ministers. Kishida said the main objective of the planned cabinet reshuffle was to “break through one of the biggest post-war crises” such as the coronavirus pandemic, inflation and heightened tensions around Taiwan and the Russia’s war against Ukraine.

July’s election victory was expected to secure long-term stable leadership under Kishida with no further elections scheduled until 2025, but Abe’s absence and the impact of his shocking death have heightened uncertainty.

Seven ministers who acknowledged ties to the church would be fired. These include Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, Abe’s younger brother who admitted church worshipers were volunteers during his previous election campaigns, and Public Security Commission Chairman Satoshi. Ninoyu, who attended an event organized by a church-related organization.

Kishi will be replaced by former defense minister Yasukazu Hamada, and Taro Kono, who was the former vaccine czar and defense minister, will return to the Cabinet as digital minister, Kyodo News and others reported. media.

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno and Economy Minister Daishiro Yamagiwa would remain in the new cabinet.

Economy and Commerce Minister Koici Hagiuda, who has reported church ties, will be moved to head the party’s policy research committee and replaced by former economy minister Yasutoshi Nishimura.

The new line-up suggested that Kishida carefully maintained a balance of power between the party’s wings to solidify unity amid growing speculation of a power struggle within Abe’s faction and its impact.

But the majority of Cabinet members are men over 60, with only two women, despite criticism that Japanese politics is too dominated by older men.

The two women ministers are Sanae Takaichi, an ultra-conservative who was close to Abe and who is retained as economic security minister, and Keiko Nagaoka, once appointed education minister to replace Shinsuke Suematsu, who admitted his ties to the Unification Church.

In Northern Virginia this summer, two local nonprofits, Food Justice DMV and Nurturing Families, are doing their part to help school staff and immigrant families.

Denise Woods is the founding director of Food Justice DMV and said she founded the organization after accompanying people to their US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) registrations.

Two people she was accompanying explained that they were running out of food for themselves and their families due to spending money to get to the tapings for fear of being deported. Woods said that was when she and her team decided to turn their hotline into a food distribution organization for more than 200 families.

In a “massive act of solidarity”, the organization was split between radio stations and Facebook and Woods said within days that the number of asylum seekers had increased. Currently, the organization supports 7,000 asylum-seeking families in the region.

Food Justice DMV tries to accomplish “a lot of things,” Woods says, by reducing food insecurity and supporting people who have no other access to government resources, the organization’s primary focus. Many families supported by the organization are undocumented and have fled their country to save their children and themselves.

Woods said she believes Food Justice DMV is the “only organization that actually supports this multi-jurisdictional organization dedicated solely or primarily to undocumented people.”

Woods said the organization is being greeted with a “sea of ​​gratitude” by those who benefit, with many members fearing “when the next plate of food will come for their children.” Some of the challenges Food Justice DMV has faced are nearly running out of money “eight times over” and having to cut back on “the most basic foods,” such as tortillas, for people of Latin descent, due to the ‘inflation. With 250 volunteers, Woods said “every penny goes to families,” with $991,000 raised over the past two years.

“We receive overwhelming gratitude and love for what we do,” Woods said. “It’s incredible to experience and it’s an honor to be in the fight with them.”

Nurturing Families is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that offers seasonal programs including back-to-school support, winter coat distribution, and a holiday shop. Currently, the organization is raising money to buy supplies for students at Woodson Elementary School near Falls Church, which also includes a Facebook page that ensures teachers and staff have the supplies they need when the time comes. school resumes.

Sherry Noud is the executive director and founder of Nurturing Families and started the organization after realizing the need for a program to help distribute free new car seats. “As a mother herself,” Noud felt she needed to create a local organization that was “ready to be a liaison between the health department and families.”

Nurturing Families’ mission is to support low-income families so they can nurture their children to “reach their full potential” and “protect them from harm.”

While the organization was distributing car seats, it was able to provide car seats to over 1,000 children in the community, while teaching parents how to use them correctly. During the pandemic, Noud said the organization was able to collect thousands of diapers and books for a baby’s needs and a book drive during the pandemic.

For the next three to five years, Noud said the organization’s goal is to “increase the services” that Nurturing Families has to offer. To do this, the program should identify sources of funding that would allow it to “sustain support for communities”.

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“Under the banner of heaven. “Keep soft.” “Murder Among Mormons.” “LuLaRich.” “More Mormons.”

The five series above are 2021 or 2022 series that aired on TV. All five cast Mormonism in an unflattering light in some ways — “Banner” being the worst of the lot by casting Mormonism as a religion that “breeds violent men.” As the only partially fictionalized series in this docuseries, “Banner” takes huge liberties with 19th-century Latter-day Saint history.

The other entries are more nuanced, but all highlight darker aspects of the Mormon faith and its culture.

In ‘Keep Sweet’, it’s the terror of polygamy in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a breakaway sect that gained notoriety for the forced marriage of teenage girls during Warren’s reign. Jeffs, the band’s prophet.

In “Murder Among the Mormons,” it’s the 1985 bombings orchestrated by forger Mark Hofmann. As this documentary shows, leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were among those deceived by Hofmann’s deceptions.

In “LuLaRich,” active Latter-day Saints are the perpetrators of lies and fraud, as the couple who founded the leggings company LuLaRoe are shown gleefully scamming their employees and customers even as they let him quote passages from the Book of Mormon, the book of faith. fundamental writing, at corporate events.

Same “More Mormons“, arguably the most emotionally sensitive of the bunch, still conveys the underlying message that it’s nigh on impossible for anyone to be loving, LGBTQ-affirming and true to themselves while still being a member of the church.

The past two years have been difficult for Latter-day Saints on television.

A reporter recently asked me if we live in another “mormon timereferring to the national review that focused on Mormonism during Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential race. It’s possible. It seems like every decade or so the general public remembers that Mormons exist, and then they don’t like us very much. Before 2012, it was the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City that shone the spotlight on us – sometimes in a flattering light, but often in a negative light.

For me, the question is: is the current wave happening to us more than to other denominations? Are Latter-day Saints targeted by religious persecution, as some members claim? These people are deeply sensitive (and hurt) to unflattering portrayals of our religion on the small screen, and they cry foul.

I can understand the sentiment, but put the recent wave of attention in some context. In particular, let’s put it in the context of two trends that are happening simultaneously in America.

First, there’s just been an explosion of television content over the last five years or so. It’s not just that there are more docuseries about Mormonism; is that there are more docu-series, period.

In fact, this whole genre is exploding. It used to be that a documentary filmmaker would work for years to create a roughly two-hour film that would get limited theatrical distribution—often, in small urban art houses rather than megaplexes. Now the same filmmakers have the ability to reach much larger audiences on streaming platforms – and have more hours of content. A docu-series can last four, six or even eight hours.

The public reacted. IndieWire reports that by 2021, documentaries and docuseries had grown to account for 16% of all Netflix original content. On HBO, it was 18%; on Disney+ and Amazon Prime, it was a quarter.

The second trend is the rise of non-religion and ex-religion in the United States. According to Pew, in 2007 only 16% of Americans said they had no religion. By 2021, it had nearly doubled to 29%.

The fastest growing religious segment in America is made up of those who profess no religion.

In the context of these two trends, it is important to realize that it is not just Mormonism that is being criticized. Catholicism is seeing the worst of its dirty laundry aired in public: the sexual abuse crisis that the church has covered up for years. Thousands of children have been molested by priests, and they tell their stories in docuseries such as “Procession(Netflix, 2021), as well as dramatizations such as 2015’s “Spotlight,” which won the Best Picture Oscar.

Evangelicals haven’t been doing well lately either. While “Jesus Camp” (2006) is perhaps the defining documentary of the entire genre, more recent additions have included “Family,” a 2019 Netflix production that examines the outsized and shadowy role some evangelical Protestants have played in conservative politics.

And let’s not forget”Tammy Faye’s eyes,” a 2021 dramatization of the rise and fall of TV’s much-mocked and cosmetically enhanced televangelist.

Orthodox Judaism has also had its turn: In addition to the 2017 feature “Disobedience,” a host of series have depicted the strains of life in closed and deeply conservative Hasidic communities. “One of Us” and “My Unorthodox Life,” both from Netflix in 2021, follow former members as they try to make their way in the world after leaving their faith. These were perhaps informed by the huge success of Netflix’s 2020 hit “Unorthodox,” based on Deborah Feldman’s 2012 memoir of the same name.

As a viewer, I was disturbed by the jugular additions Netflix made to Feldman’s story. In the series, the main character, Esty, flees to Europe and is pursued there by an armed Hasidic thug who is determined to put her online. It’s a ridiculous, gratuitous subplot that isn’t anywhere in Feldman’s book.

“It’s scary to give someone your story for the screen because you can’t control it” she told the New York Times. You can repeat it.

If Mormons are persecuted on television, then they are in good company. Religion in general comes under scrutiny, especially its more conservative expressions. Given the trend lines of people leaving religion in large numbers, we can expect this to continue. I’m aware of at least two new docu-series on Mormonism, and I’m sure more will follow.

It’s safe to guess that future portrayals of our faith might be even less flattering. Consider AP’s recent investigative reporting on how The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has long covered up child sexual abuse and encouraged bishops not to report it to police.

It is hard to remember all the good the church does in the world, which is considerable, when faced with the reality of how many times it has done wrong.

ABOVE: Jen Kahler (with guitar), accompanied by her praise band, leads a group of worshipers in song during a Wednesday community service hosted by Grace Lutheran Church in the bandstand at Sylvania Park in Fairmont . This community worship in the park will continue at 6 p.m. every Wednesday until September 7.

FAIRMONT — Members of Grace Lutheran Church took advantage of the beautiful summer months — and Fairmont’s parks — to hold an outdoor Wednesday evening service at Sylvania Park Bandshell in Fairmont.

Congregation member Patti Matthews said: “As a church, we worship on Wednesdays year-round. We do it in the park during the summer.

She said they actually started holding outdoor Wednesday night services last year.

“We had a change of pastors and we are going to have another change of pastors. We have a new pastor coming in September,” Matthews explained.

However, she said they have a strong worship team working to reach out to the community more, hence the idea of ​​the worship on the water.

Worship on the Water is a service held from the Let’s Go Fishing pontoon on Lake Sisseton. For this, people can witness on the water from their boats or kayaks or participate from the shores of Ward Park.

Matthews said the reason they were trying something new was because something new had to be done.

“Churches need to rethink what they do,” she says.

She said things had also changed since Covid and people weren’t really coming in in droves. Regarding attendance at outdoor park services, Mathews said attendance generally fluctuates in the summer with busy schedules, and while attendance is not what they hoped for, even if a person has , they agree with that.

Matthews said they would like to collaborate with other churches in the future. She said Doug Peterson of the East Chain Evangelical Free Church, which has held church services on the lawn for the past few summers, came over and wished them luck.

“You know we do the same thing for the same reasons. It’s about getting the word out to the community,” said Matthews.

The services are very heavy on the music, which is performed live by a number of talented members of the congregation. Jen Kahler, a member of the worship team, said there were between four and seven people performing.

“We have drums, keyboard, singer, guitar. This is what our group usually consists of. said Kahler.

She said a message and prayers were also part of the service although music was a focal point.

“It’s much more informal. It’s pretty relaxed and you can’t beat the lake as a backdrop,” Kahler laughs.

It’s more casual than a typical service in the hopes that it will reach those who may have left the church or are looking for something different. However, longtime members of the congregation have also attended, as it also offers them something different.

“One of the hopes of doing the service at the park is to make it a worship service that is not limited to the walls of the church. The hope is that having the service at the park will remove some barriers and make it more comfortable for anyone to show up,” said Kahler.

She and Matthews emphasized that everyone is welcome to attend the service.

“We want people to be loved and the name of Jesus to come out. If you are just strolling around the lake, come join us. If you want a breath of fresh air, come get lifted. said Matthews.

Outdoor services will continue from 6 p.m. until August. This Sunday, August 7, worship on the water will take place at 11 a.m. In case of rain, it will be August 14.

Hong Kong Diocese Seeks to Raise $1 Billion for Construction, Maintenance of Church Buildings and Cemeteries

Bishop Stephen Chow Sau-yan of Hong Kong presided over a charity jump-rope (jump-rope) event attended by hundreds of Catholics to raise funds for the construction and maintenance of buildings and cemeteries run by the Church in the city.

The Hong Kong Diocesan Fundraising Commission for Church Building and Development held the ‘725 Rope Skipping Fun Day’ charity event at St Joseph’s Anglo-Chinese School on July 25, according to the Diocesan Newspaper. Sunday Examiner reported.

Bishop Stephen Chow presided over the event along with around 200 children, parents, teachers, Caritas Hong Kong staff and other members of participating religious institutions.

“Young people have many good qualities that we can learn from, among them courage in the face of difficulties,” the Bishop said at the event.

He also thanked the organizers, participants, sponsors and donors for their generosity and efforts.

As of July 26, the commission had raised $2.6 million and public donations are open until mid-August through the commission’s fundraising site.

Funds raised through these events are to be used by the diocese for the construction of parish buildings, additional urn niches, and the upkeep of old buildings that are the responsibility of the diocese for posterity.

Earlier, the diocese revealed via a video statement that it is to raise a total of US$1 billion for development activities.

“Let us pray for God’s guidance for this event which encourages constant exercise, unites Catholic schools, promotes the development of the Church and transmits the great love of God,” said Father Dominic Chan Chi-ming, president of the fundraising committee.

Members of the Hong Kong Rope Skipping Federation showed off their advanced skipping skills and styles, which also involved teaching some of the new styles to children.

“I feel a sense of accomplishment when I learn a new style of jumping rope,” said Au Choi-wing, a participating student.

Unlike previous years, in addition to diocesan secondary and primary schools as well as kindergartens, the event was supported by the Catholic Religious Schools Council and Caritas Hong Kong-Vocational Training and Education Service.

Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous city, was a British colony from 1843 until its handover to China in 1997. Under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, Hong Kong enjoyed a higher degree of autonomy and fundamental rights such as an independent judiciary and legislature under the “one country, two systems” framework.

Once known as one of the freest cities in the world, Hong Kong has seen many of its freedoms and rights eroded since Beijing imposed a draconian national security law in 2020 to crush the pro- -democracy of 2019 in order to establish full control over the city.

Several pro-democracy supporters, including prominent Catholics, have been arrested and imprisoned under the national security law. Cardinal Joseph Zen, former bishop of Hong Kong, was arrested in May but later released following global outrage.

Catholics number about 500,000 out of Hong Kong’s approximately 7.5 million people.

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Sometimes, as I lay down to sleep, a restlessness leans over my bed. A vague uneasiness. A nagging sense of some unresolved tension. A door in the soul that swings on its hinges. The agitation of an uneasy conscience.

As I relive the day, I understand why. Hasty or skipped prayers. An opportunity for evangelism avoided. Nourished grievances. Words of self-promotion crept into the conversations. The “prayer request” which was probably gossip. Precious time wasted. Unthought and unspoken encouragement. As the old prayer book says, “I left out the things I should have done; and I did the things I shouldn’t have done.

Was this an appropriate response to your God? I wonder. Was it “walking worthily” of him? Sometimes I drift off with such unresolved, restless, self-reproaching questions, but tired enough to succumb to sleep.

But not always. A few years ago, I found unexpected help in the poem of a long-dead pastor who asked the same questions, felt the same guilt, but found in Jesus a rest much sweeter than sleep.

‘Vespers’

“Even-Song” by George Herbert (1593-1633) closes a series of three poems from his collection The temple, starting with “Mattens” and continuing with “Sinne (II)”. The titles “Mattens” and “Even-Song” refer to morning and evening prayers in the Anglican Church. And “Sinne” – well, this captures what often happens between those morning and evening prayers.

“Even-Song” is not a prayer for every night. Herbert does not assume that we end the day solely with self-reproach, sin having destroyed the resolutions of the day. But he supposes that we sometimes do – and that often even the most faithful Christians kneel beside their bed, wishing deeply that they had walked in a way more worthy of their God.

What do we say at the end of these days, when we feel the gulf between God’s goodness and our unworthy response? More than once, “Even-Song” has met me at my bedside, speaking clarity and comfort to my troubled conscience. He became a faithful friend of the night.

As night approaches

Blessed be the God of love,
Who gave us eyes, light and power today,
Both to keep busy and to play.
But much more blessed be God above,

Who gave me back my sight alone,
What he denied to himself:
Because when he sees my tears, I die:
But I have his son, and he doesn’t.

As night draws near, Herbert looks back, remembering God’s morning gifts of “eyes, light, and power this day, / Both to be busy and to play”. Our Father, “God of love” that he is, opens the reserves of his heart from the first moment of the day. As the famous Herbert in “Mattens,” “I can’t open my eyes, / But you’re ready to catch / My morning soul and my sacrifice.” “Thine is the day” (Psalm 74:16), says the psalmist. And Herbert, surrounded by the gifts of God, feels it.

For sinners like us, however, one gift rises above the rest. The God who gives us “eyes and light” for the work of the day also gives us another kind of vision, “which he refused himself: / For when he sees my wounds, I die”. Alluding to Psalm 130:3, Herbert remembers that God, in Christ, does not “mark” our iniquities, even when we do; in a sense, he does not see the sins that we see.

And why? Because “I have his son, and he has none”. God delivered his Son to the cross — and at the same time he renounced Sun which otherwise would shine on our guilt. Jesus buried our sins in darkness on Good Friday, and on Easter Sunday they were not raised with Him. Thus, in the glory of the gospel, God no longer “remembers” the sins of his people (Hebrews 8:12); he no longer sees them. They are buried, hidden, invisible, forever kept in darkness.

But they don’t always feel buried, hidden, invisible. And so, Herbert takes us back to his “troubled mind”.

troubled mind

What did I bring you home
Why your love? have I paid the debt,
What did this favor bring about?
I ran; but all I brought was fome.

Your plan, your care and your cost
Finish in bubbles, balls of wind;
From the wind to you that I believed,
But balls of wild fire to my troubled mind.

Like a good father, God welcomes us with favor morning after morning; its “regime, care, and cost” send us into the day strengthened and renewed. But too often, as we approach home at night, we reach into our pockets, wondering how we could have taken so much and brought back so little. “What did I bring you home?” Herbert asks. ” I ran ; but all I brought was fome” – or, a few lines later, “bubbles, balls of wind”. Insubstantial nothings.

Approaching God with fists full of wind may not trouble nominal minds, who care little whether they please God or not. But for those who have tasted God’s goodness and seen the cross as its prize, such a wind can become “balls of wild fire to my troubled mind.” The sun set on the regrets of the day, without having time to remedy it, leaving our souls pricked with thorns. A pillow of self-reproach. A brooding conscience.

On nights like these, some just try to sleep their guilt. Others are looking for some streamlining. Still others pray, but not in a way that puts out the fire in their minds. What does Herbert do?

Close our tired eyes

Yet you continue
And now, with weary eyes closest to the darkness,
Tell the man, It is enough:
Henceforth rest; your work is done.

So in your ebony box
You lock us up, until daylight
Put our amendment in our way,
And gives new wheels to our messy clocks.

Herbert, with wild fire burning his troubled mind, turns to God and says, “Yet you go on.” The “God of love” has more love in store, more favors to offer. He started the day giving us “eyes”, and now, as the night invades our burdened souls, he “has the most weary eyes of darkness”. And not only with sleep: God, in his mercy, closes our eyes to our sins, as he, in Christ, has already “closed” his.

“In response to our weary regrets at the end of the day, God does not give more work, but rest.”

As God closes the eyelids of the soul, commanding it not to see the confessed sins of the day, Herbert imagines him “saying to man: It is enough: / Henceforth rest; your work is done.In response to our weary regrets at the end of the day, God does not give more work, but rest. Our work, however pitiful, can be done at the end of the day because God’s perfect work of redemption is done (John 19:30; Hebrews 10:12-14). And we, by faith, “have his son.”

So God “encloses” us in “your ebony box” — surely a reference to a coffin. The biblical writers saw sleep as a picture of Christian death (John 11:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:14), and Herbert, drawing on the theme, treats the night as a daily repetition of when our ebony box will be in wood. and not at night. During this last twilight, some of the true children of God, like Christian in The pilgrim’s journey, will look back and ask, pained, “What did I bring you home / For your love?” Our troubled nights teach us how to answer this question, preparing us to lie peacefully on our last bed waiting for God to close our eyes, put us to sleep, and save us for the day of resurrection, which will “put our amendment in place.” our way” — which will raise us up without sin and wholesome, children of the eternal morning.

Until then, we live like old clocks, “messy clocks” whose hour and minute hands start the day aligned with God but often slowly wander off course. And every morning, God rewinds us, no matter how messed up yesterday, and again strengthens us to run.

Rest deeper than sleep

I reflect, which shows more love,
Day or night: it’s the gale, it’s the port;
It is the promenade, and this the arbor;
Or that the garden, this the grove.

My God, you are all love.
Not a poor minute escapes your chest,
But bring favor from above;
And in this love, more than in bed, I rest.

As God carries us from morning to evening, we move from favor to favor, from mercy to mercy, from kindness to kindness. At the end of the poem, Herbert wonders which of the two, by day or by night, “shows more love”: The wind that sends us through the waters of day, or the harbor that holds us to the shore of the night? The promenade that takes us through the work of the day, or the arbor that receives us in the rest of the night? The garden of daytime strength or the grove of nocturnal forgiveness?

“In Jesus we find rest under our rest, a pillow under our pillow.”

The question cannot be answered. In Christ, God gives us power to work for him, and he gives us forgiveness to rest in him. Both have their particular favor; The children of God appreciate them both. And so, “not a poor minute escapes your bosom, / But brings favor from above”. Not a minute of the day is devoid of God’s love, be it daytime love or nighttime love, strengthening love or forgiving love. .

Herbert concludes: “And in this love, more than in bed, I rest.” In Jesus we find a rest under our rest, a pillow under our pillow, the comfort of the soul surrounding the comfort of sleep. Such rest and comfort depend, ultimately, not on what we give to God (even if we yearn to give him much and more), but on what he has given us: “his son.” And so even the frustration and futility we feel towards the end of the day can become a mercy, plunging us into a deeper rest than sleep can give us.