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Richmond church shooting victims aid police

2010-02-16T22:29:00.000+05:30

Two teenage brothers who were shot in a Richmond church are cooperating with police to help identify and arrest three hooded men who burst into the packed service and opened fire, police said Monday.

The brothers, 14 and 19, were shot in the leg and shoulder during the violent invasion that sent more than a hundred terrified worshipers ducking for cover Sunday at the New Gethsemane Church of God in Christ.

"We know this could have been a lot worse," said Sgt. Bisa French, adding that Richmond police now have leads on two of the men, believed to be in their late teens and early 20s.

Bisa said the victims "probably have an idea of why" the three men came looking for them.

Richmond pastors say they're struggling to prevent youth from carrying out threats to retaliate for the shooting.

"We're doing our best to curtail it, but these young people are so angry. We're trying to say, no - that's not the correct way to respond," said the Rev. Andre Shumake Sr., president of the Richmond Improvement Association, a coalition of 80 congregations that is helping to plan a huge anti-violence rally on March 6.

City Councilman Nat Bates said he will try to restore a long-abandoned local ordinance allowing police to randomly search vehicles for weapons and contraband. Had it still been in place, he said, the men might have thought twice about carrying a gun.

The shooting in the little Pentecostal church at 2100 Roosevelt Ave. has captured attention across a nation that has long considered houses of worship to be a haven from violence.

But the hole in the rear wall of New Gethsemane Church - from a bullet that flew just over the heads of the singing choir - tells a different story. Another bullet pierced the red rug by the pews. Another tore off a piece of molding.

"I couldn't believe this was happening in my church!" said Choir Director Rocquel LeVias, daughter of the Rev. Archie LeVias, pastor of New Gethsemane for 50 years. "This has been a safe haven for so many people. To try to destroy this is unbelievable."

Several worshipers, clergy and community members returned to the church Monday morning not for services but to be in a place they still consider the center of all that is good.

"This church is a place of peace and joy," the Rev. LeVias said.

The choir was singing "Leaning on Jesus" shortly after noon Sunday when three young men in black hooded sweatshirts walked through the double doors into the sanctuary and up the aisle of the church. They glanced about, turned and walked out again.

"You could feel it when they walked in - like a tension," said a man who on Monday gave his name only as Larry. He had risen from his seat in the left pews and followed the intruders to the double doors.

He was still standing there a minute later when a side door opened a few feet away, and one of the hooded men walked in.

Louder than firecrackers came the gunshots - one, two, three, four, five. The gunman vanished as fast as he had come.

Terrified, Larry ran out of the church amid the screams of the worshipers.

"I fell on the floor," said Earl Young, 54, a long-time congregant.

The mother of the two teens who were shot was sitting in the right rear near the two. When they were shot, she screamed, ran toward the pulpit and fainted in the aisle. She did not appear at church Monday, but witnesses recounted the story.

Deacon Charles Wallace, 69, was in the church office with other deacons, one of whom locked the door when they heard the shots. But Wallace wanted to help calm the worshipers. Unlocking the door, he ran into the sanctuary.

"I wasn't scared," he said. "It was too fast. Too unbelievable."

He saw most of the congregants, including the choir, huddled on the floor. Pastor LeVias was at the front of the church on the floor behind the counter. Beside him was a chair draped in black cloth for his wife of 54 years, Irwien LeVias. She died last week.

What surprised many people in the aftermath of the shooting was that the congregants of New Gethsemane returned to worship that day.

It didn't surprise Bishop J.W. Macklin, 2nd assistant presiding bishop of the Churches of God in Christ, the vast Pentecostal system of which New Gethsemane is a part. He was at the Richmond church Monday.

"You have to refuse to close your door," the bishop said. "What happened speaks to the level of violence, and the level of hurt among our young people.

"But we'll bring thousands of people for a massive rally on March 6," he said. "We'll unite together on that day."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/15/MNHR1C20HD.DTL&tsp=1#ixzz0fieJDZmj

Messiah: Declared in prayer

2010-01-24T11:48:00.001+05:30

Scripture: Matthew 11:25-30

Aim: To help the pupil understand more completely that Jesus Christ is the Divine Son of God, the promised Messiah to Israel and Savior of sinners.

Golden Text: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (John 17:20-21.

The prayers of Jesus Christ are a very interesting and informative study. Just as "never man spake as this man," we can say, "Never prayed a man as Jesus prayed."

His prayers reveal Who He is. The Heavenly Father is His Father. He is the Son of God, who existed as God before the world ever began (John 1:1-3).

Through Jesus, the Heavenly Father is revealed to mankind, and through His prayers is revealed the Divine Son of God. He reveals things to whom He will (vs. 25).

I. It is the Heavenly Father who hides things and reveals things to men (Matthew 11:25-26). Many things were revealed that had been hidden. Many things in God's operations are still hidden. Many things about God has been revealed by Jesus Christ. More is yet to be revealed.

The Father hides and reveals things according to His own will and good pleasure (vs. 26).

II. Jesus plainly revealed His relationship with the Father in His prayer (Matthew 11:27). First, the Father has committed all things into the hand of Jesus Christ.

This is verified by Christ in praying on another occasion. In John 17:1-4, Jesus acknowledged that He and the Father had the same glory before the world began (vs. 1, 4).

He acknowledged that all power (authority) was given to him over men by the Father (vs. 2).

He acknowledged that knowing Him and the Father personally and intimately constitutes eternal life (eternal salvation, vs. 2-3).

Lastly, Jesus acknowledged that He had completed the work that the Father had sent Him to do. He was ready to be offered up for the sins of men.

Second, a knowledge of the Son, Jesus Christ, can be known only as the Father reveals Him to men (Matthew 11:27).

Third, a knowledge of God the Father can be known only as the Lord Jesus Christ reveals Him to men (v. 27).

This is reveled in John 1:18, "the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." Again in Hebrews 1:3, "Who (Jesus) being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person."

Jesus expressed this truth to Philip in John 14:8-11, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?" Jesus thus confirmed that He is the divine Son of God, the Messiah come down from God.

III. Jesus' call to men indicates that He is Supreme over men (Matthew 11:28-30). Jesus calls men to come unto Him in order to find rest for their souls. He instructs them that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Only He can rest the soul of man.

"I rest my soul on Jesus,

"Though wretched and sinful and vile.

"I rest my soul on Jesus

"Through faith in God's Son I'm His child."

In closing, look at the Golden Text above and you will see more words of Christ Himself as He prayed to the Father concerning those who were His followers.

Only Christ could pray such a prayer as these prayers because the truths revealed show that He is the Messiah-Savior.

Read More:http://www.thepostsearchlight.com/news/2010/jan/22/messiah-declared-prayer/

Rock opera 'Jesus Christ Superstar' comes to Great Falls Jan. 28

2010-01-24T11:44:00.002+05:30

Four generations of people across the world have associated the voice of Jesus Christ with Ted Neeley.

Rock opera 'Jesus Christ Superstar' comes to Great Falls Jan. 28

By JAKE SORICH • Tribune Staff Writer • January 22, 2010

Four generations of people across the world have associated the voice of Jesus Christ with Ted Neeley.

Neeley, still going strong at age 66, has played the role of Jesus in "Jesus Christ Superstar" on and off since working in the original Broadway play in the early 1970s. He starred in the feature film in 1973 and won a Golden Globe in 1974.

Since then he has played in at least 3,000 JCS shows.

"Jesus Christ Superstar" is a rock opera that Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber adapted into a musical. It's based on St. John's Gospel account of the last week of Jesus' life, ending with his crucifixion. Much of the plot follows Judas, played by John Twiford. Judas is dissatisfied with what he views as Jesus' lack of planning and is also concerned with claims of Jesus' divinity.

This latest version is directed by Dallett Norris and choreographed by Arlene Phillips.

The score includes "I Don't Know How to Love Him," "The Crucifixion" and the signature "Superstar."

A youthful, talented cast surrounds Twiford and Neeley. Sarah Hanlon is making her JCS debut as Mary Magdalene and sings solo on "I Don't Know How to Love Him," thought by many to be the play's most revered song.

"Jesus Christ Superstar" has received several award nominations through the years. Perhaps the biggest was in 2000 when the play earned a Tony nomination for best musical revival for the production that opened at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts. Both U.S. and U.K. tours followed.

The original Broadway cast recording, which stars Ian Gillan (Jesus), Murray Head (Judas) and Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdalene), topped the American album charts three times.

Nearly 20 years after the Broadway show ended, Neeley returned to the role in 1992 along with Carl Anderson as Judas. The touring show ran for five years. Later in 2002, ex-Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach took the helm as Jesus with Anderson returning as Judas.

Bach left the production in April 2003 following a disagreement with the director. Neeley's latest run began in 2006, and he has been on tour since.
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The play has been performed around the world including in Ireland, Hungary, India, New Zealand, Italy, France, Mexico, Chile, Bulgaria, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Russia, Poland, Czech Republic, Greece, Australia, Philippines, South Africa, Panama, Colombia, Croatia and Bolivia. Takeshi Kaga from the original "Iron Chef" played Jesus in the 1976 Japanese version.
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Over the years the production has sparked its share of controversy. Religious leaders claim the character of Judas is too sympathetic and find some of his criticisms of Jesus offensive.

But theater fans have long flocked to the show. The original Broadway show ran for 771 performances and the subsequent revivals in 1977 and later in 2000 were performed more than 300 times.

"'Jesus Christ Superstar' is that rare musical — or rock opera, for the purists out there — that affects its audience in deep psychological, physical and, yes, religious ways," a reviewer in Buffalo, N.Y., wrote. "This touring production, which stars the surprisingly vivid and powerful Ted Neeley, is a well-sung and competently acted tour de force that no doubt gave longtime 'Superstar' fans a deep degree of satisfaction."

Neeley, Twiford and cast will be onstage at the Mansfield Theater in Great Falls on Jan. 28. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $47 and $52, all seats are reserved.

Tickets are available by calling 455-8514 or by going online to http://ticketing.greatfallsmt.net.

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2009-12-19T14:22:00.000+05:30

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Walk against breast cancer attracts thousands

2009-10-11T15:57:00.001+05:30

James Christ was only 7 years old at the time his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, but he quickly learned about sickness and money when the family sold their West Jordan home to pay for medical treatments.

"We had to grow up early," said James, now 16, as he joined more than 4,000 others Saturday at Liberty Park during the American Cancer Society's walk to raise money for research and support programs.

As James' sister quietly cried, he talked of moving into their grandmother's basement and of the days when his mother was too weak to get out of bed. He and several buddies wore buttons emblazoned with the words, "Cancer Sucks."

"We're fine," said James . "It hit us pretty hard, but we're living in an apartment now and my Mom's doing great."

The walk, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, raised $150,000.

Blessed Sacrament School in Sandy brought in $2,000, mostly in coins that elementary and middle school students dropped in buckets placed next to classrooms. "Everyone is affected by breast cancer, one way or another," said Joel Kincart, regional vice president of the American Cancer Society in Salt Lake City. "Whether it's your wife, your sister, your mom, your aunt, you can make a difference."

Participants donned pink hats, pint T-shirts, pink ribbons and tags with the name of the individual they wanted to honor.

Diane Teece of Salt Lake City wore a pink-and-white sash with the word, "Survivor."
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"I had my last chemotherapy on Thursday and the prognosis looks good," she said. "It's tough but you can get through it."

Julie Tanner also wore a survivor sash. She was diagnosed with breast cancer just after Christmas in 2007. Because her mother had died of the disease, Tanner was a stickler about testing and mammograms. But she was the one who found the lump during a self-examination.

"Nobody knows your body better than you do," she said. "Self exams are important."

Barbara Bradely of Holladay had emblazoned on her shirt the names of several friends who had contracted cancer: "Diane, Cathryn, Kristine, Dee, Peggy, Joyce, Chieko and more."

"We're honoring the individuals who survived and the one who had fought so hard who died," she said. "They're all amazing."

Christ UMC members help local service groups

2009-10-11T15:56:00.001+05:30

Some 400 members and friends of Christ United Methodist Church participated Saturday in the sixth annual “Christ Church Cares!” event.
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The yearly day of service partnered church members with 15 local organizations to perform various tasks.

“At the Portland Promise Center, we offered education about spaying and neutering pets,” said coordinator Patty Groot. “We revamped the teen room at the Boys and Girls Club and gave outfits to the homeless at Fourth Avenue United Methodist Church.”

Other recipients included Operation Brightside and the Cabbage Patch Settlement House.

Houses of worship take steps to stop flu spread

2009-10-11T15:55:00.002+05:30

They rank among the best-recognized practices at Catholic Mass: sipping wine from a chalice, shaking hands while exchanging the "sign of peace," and, in many parishes, holding hands during the Lord's Prayer.

But these meaningful rituals also present opportunities to spread germs, and in a season of rising concern over swine flu, they will be observed by fewer Catholics this fall. Hoping to prevent the flu from spreading through pews, many Catholic dioceses in recent weeks have been alerting parishes to Aware of the growing concern about swine flu, religious leaders are making an effort to protect congregants from contracting the disease at a place of worship.

Last spring, when the H1N1 virus spread in the United States, a nondenominational church in Rahway installed hand-sanitizer dispensers, and a national Muslim group urged that Friday mosque gatherings be canceled if a health risk existed.

Catholic parishes in New Jersey will continue to offer Communion wine from a common chalice. But church authorities are reminding lay people that receiving Communion that way is not essential, and that receiving it in wafer form is sufficient.

Catholics believe that consecrated wafers become the body of Christ, and that consecrated wine becomes the blood of Christ.

"Please remember," Paterson Bishop Arthur Serratelli wrote in the Sept. 17 issue of his diocesan newspaper, "that anyone who receives the Body of Christ (in the form of a consecrated wafer) receives the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ and is in no way deprived by not receiving the Precious Blood from the cup."

How the swine flu will ultimately affect the state this fall is hard to predict. Earlier this month, a public health advocacy group predicted 3 million New Jerseyans could catch it and 42,000 could be hospitalized.

VARYING levels OF PROTECTION

Elsewhere, Catholic bishops, who have autonomy over their own diocese, have come down differently on flu prevention. In Pennsylvania, parishes in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown will not even offer Communion from the chalice through flu season.

Source: http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-15/1255218904321790.xml&coll=1

Coats for Christ hopes to share warmth before winter

2009-10-11T15:55:00.001+05:30

As he cold-weather season nears, Brown County residents in need, especially the children, will be looking for coats to keep them warm.

The Coats for Christ ministry through High Mesa Cowboy Church of Brownwood is collecting coats or donations for children who are in need, and volunteers will continue to collect them throughout winter. But they said they would like to get as many coats as possible by the end of this month when the weather begins to get much colder.

Pastor shares his faith with youth

2009-10-01T15:56:00.000+05:30

Youth for Christ reaches out to all kids

By KATINA TENGESDAL, Staff Writer ktengesdal@minotdailynews.com

Larry Stenson, executive director of Minot’s Youth for Christ, has always enjoyed sharing his faith with youth. As the recipient of the 2008-2009 Minot Character Counts! Coalition Builder Award, he was recognized for his dedication to improving the lives of area youth with his advice and support.

Stenson began his journey working with youth in 1970 as a freshman in college in the Los Angeles area, where he first began working with the Youth for Christ organization.
“I’ve just fallen in love with this age group (high school). I think it’s a very important age group. At this age, and even before, kids are making some important decisions about what they want to do. It’s a critical age to impact kids spiritually,” Stenson said.

From that time on, he worked with youth in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Minot. Throughout his work, he’s noticed differences in yesterday and today’s youth.

“Kids have changed incredibly, even from when I started out in a much more liberal area like California. Kids have a lot of the same issues they did then, and some bigger ones. With the advent of the Internet and other media, which is now much more a part of their life, they pick up on the trends more quickly,” Stenson said.
“Kids are facing bigger issues than they ever have, for example, with the threat of AIDS, and break downs in the family structure,” he added.

Through Youth for Christ ministry, Stenson hopes to keep an open communication with youth, speaking to the issues that most concern them.

“We consider ourselves to be a relational ministry. We want the kids’ response. We believe we have to earn the right to be heard, by building a relationship with them, and then we can share Christ with them,” Stenson said.

In most years, there are common issues that the kids want to discuss. Stenson, along with Youth for Christ volunteers, speak to those issues that matter to the kids.

“It seems every year the common issues are acceptance, friendships, getting along with parents and siblings, self image, and love, sex, and dating,” Stenson said.
The message of Christ, Stenson said, really speaks to the biggest issue most kids face – that of self-acceptance.

“I really believe the message of Christ is, come as you are. It’s a message kids are desperately trying to find, through relationships, entertainments, or abuses like alcohol. But, as the Bible says, if anyone is in Christ, the old is gone and the new has come. I think that speaks to what kids are searching for,” Stenson said.
“We’d love to see every kid in the Minot area come to an event where they can hear the message of Christ, in a way they can understand it and ask questions about it. We’d like to reach them all,” he added.

Youth for Christ is still trying to do just that. Since 1998 they have owned a building in Minot, called The Rock, where they hold regular meetings and special events. The building is uniquely decorated, to create a comfortable atmosphere.

“We have a pretty neat little center here. Some of the kids have a bias against going to church, and we’ve been able to have some very unchurched kids hang around. We want to give all kids the opportunity to make an informed decision to follow Christ,” Stenson said.

“For some of them, who haven’t been raised in a church home, it’s sometimes a new message, and that can be exciting,” he added.

A new feature they have added this spring is the Solid Rock Cafe, which is a meeting place for kids open Friday nights from 7 p.m. to midnight. The Solid Rock Cafe offers a place for kids to play video games and table games, watch music videos, socialize, and purchase snacks.

“We wanted to create a place where kids can hang out, especially for those kids who aren’t comfortable with formal meetings. We’ve had as many as 37 kids here for the cafe,” Stenson said.

Other special events Youth for Christ hosts include an all nighter New Years Eve party, a city-wide youth rally, high adventure trips, smaller Bible study groups, individual and family counseling, some fundraisers, and character building assemblies for schools.

This year alone, Stenson said, he has had the opportunity to work with 1,500 different kids through Youth for Christ events.

Throughout his work with youth, Stenson has been encouraged by Psalm 71:18, which states, “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.”
“Our greatest hope is that the kids will take with them a lifelong faith that will matter, and we hope they stay involved with the church and keep growing,” Stenson said.

Source: http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/532669.html?nav=5616

Billy Graham | Christ can lift old hurts from your shoulders

2009-10-01T15:55:00.000+05:30

DEAR BILLY GRAHAM: Recently, you’ve written some columns on forgiveness, but how can you forgive someone who’s no longer alive? After my husband passed away last year, I found out he’d been unfaithful to me and had even fathered a child, and I’m having a very hard time dealing with this. I know I should forgive him, but how can I since he’s no longer alive? — C.S.

DEAR C.S.: You’re right, of course; we can’t really say, “I forgive you” to someone who is no longer alive. This is one reason why I urge people not to carry their burden of anger and bitterness any longer, but — with God’s help — to get rid of it by forgiving those who’ve hurt them. I realize, however, that this wasn’t possible in your case.

No, you can’t forgive your late husband for what he did, but you can turn your pain and your hurt over to God, and let him lift them from your shoulders.

God knows what you’ve been going through — and he loves you and wants to take this burden from your heart. The Bible says, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22).

How can you do this? First, if you’ve never done so, turn to Jesus Christ and ask him to come into your life. He loves you, and when we come to him in repentance and faith, he makes us part of his family forever. Then ask him to take this burden from you, and to take away the hurt and anger you feel.

In addition, ask God to guide your future. It’s easy to get stuck in the past — but don’t let that happen to you. Instead, you can face the future with hope, because Christ is now with you.

SOurce: http://www.kansascity.com/238/story/1479381.html

Christ Compassion Ministries International holds fundraiser on the Main Mall

2009-09-27T08:29:00.000+05:30

CCMI members meet and greet U of A students

Christ Compassion Ministries International held a bake sale, raffle and talent show to raise money for their full time missions.

On the Main Mall of the University of Arizona, CCMI had a small tent with lots of sweets and sandwiches as part of their fundraising efforts. The donations are being raised to support the full time missions both here and abroad.

On hand to manage the festivities and talk with students was Pastor Kedesha Yolanda Henry, Evangelist Janice Brown, Pastor Fabyola Dawkins and Pastor Neish Dawkins.

Christ Compassion Ministries International was founded by Apostle Venance Bailly. In 2008, Apostle Charles Ndifon of Christ Love Ministries International confirmed Bailly’s calling and the ministry was started at that time.

CCMI is planning to have an impact on nations around the world through evangelism, miracle crusades and outreaches. The ministry's primary mission is to make insure that the whole world has heard the Gospel within the next 30 years.

The ministry meets for their Empowerment Meeting every Sunday at the YMCA at Jacobs Park on 1010 West Lind Street, here in Tucson, at 10:30 a.m.

For more info:
Christ Compassion Ministries International
P.O. Box 7758
Tucson, AZ 85725-7758
Phone: 641-715-3900 ext. 69029
email: christcompassion@gmail.com
http://www.christcompassion.org/

http://www.examiner.com/x-16825-Tucson-Christian-Music-Examiner~y2009m9d25-Christ-Compassion-Ministries-International-holds-fundraiser-on-the-Main-Mall

Christ in the Smokies

2009-09-25T18:39:00.001+05:30

In 2008, Christus Gardens in Gatlinburg closed. The wax figure collection, which told the story of the life of Jesus Christ, was sold to a Christian television network and the location was marked for condo development.

Those condos were never built and now, an entirely new exhibition has gone into the site.

Developers blame the economic impact of the economy for the past year for postponing the condo development. So developers and local artists joined forces to creat Christ in the Smokies Museum and Gardens.

The business, which opened on September 24, features items acquired from around the country. Local artists Mark Pedro and Dale Gillespie worked to mold and design the new attraction.

Joe Waggoner, who was the manager of Christus Gardens for the past 25 years, will serve as director of Christ in the Smokies.

"Gatlinburg is very fortunate to have local peole with a vision and financial commitement to re-open this type of attraction in town," Waggoner said in a release. "There was a lot of interest from church groups and tour companies that wish to add this to their itinerary."

Some of the key players in the re-opening of the attraction are Charlie Moore, who served as principal of the project, and Billy Proffitt.

Christ in the Smokies features an all-new collection of more than 100 wax figures that were purchased from museums and collections all over the world. It includes a replica of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper that dates back to the 1930s and has been featured at a number of World Fairs over the years.

Christ in the Smokies Museum & Gardens is open year round from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. It's located at 510 River Road in Gatlinburg. For more information visit their website or call (865) 436-5155.

Chavez reveals personal side, criticizes U.S.

2009-09-25T18:37:00.001+05:30

(CNN) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez revealed a deeply personal side in an interview Thursday night, saying he loves Jesus Christ and would have liked to play Major League baseball in Yankee Stadium

He also expressed a fondness for American people and culture, saying he likes the movie actor Charles Bronson and the poet Walt Whitman. He loves to sing, he said, though he does not do it well.

And Chavez had kind words for the U.S. security detail protecting him during his visit to New York, saying he chatted with them while out walking and that they "have been very gracious, very efficient and very attentive, very kind."

In an exclusive interview with CNN's Larry King, Chavez spoke at length about a host of issues: relations between Venezuela and the United States and his hopes for improved ties with President Barack Obama; Iran, Israel and those who deny that the Holocaust existed; efforts to overthrow him and have him assassinated; criticism that he is power hungry and trying to silence critics.

Chavez, a self-proclaimed socialist, spoke with King a few hours after giving a speech to the U.N. General Assembly, in which he praised Obama but criticized some U.S. policies.

Scenes from the Life of Christ

2009-09-16T17:37:00.001+05:30

This sounds like a wonderful CD from Ligonier:

Scenes from the Life of Christ is the newest recording from Ligonier's music division. For composer Tom Howard, the music emerged after meditating on the Scriptures, where the emotional impact of each passage inspired themes, melodies, and textures. Hear the composer's heart for these timeless stories expressed in vivid and dramatic musical settings with Scripture narrations by Alistair Begg, D.A. Carson, Ligon Duncan, Sinclair Ferguson, John MacArthur, Albert Mohler, John Piper, R.C. Sproul, and Derek Thomas.

This recording of original chamber orchestra pieces is a survey of musical landscapes played through selected biblical accounts by top Nashville musicians including Phil Keaggy, John Catchings, and Sam Levine.

Our hope is that the combination of beautiful interpretive music and the plain reading of the Word will engage listeners in a devotional way.

Here's the list of readings and narrators:

The Annunciation
Scripture Reading by Alistair Begg
Luke 1:26–38

Feeding of the 5,000
Scripture reading by D. A. Carson
John 6:1–15

Cleansing of the Temple
Scripture reading by John MacArthur
Mark 11:15–19

The Transfiguration
Scripture reading by Sinclair Ferguson
Luke 9:28–36

Temptation in the Wilderness
Scripture reading by R.C. Sproul
Matthew 4:1–11

Jesus, the Healer
The Raising of Lazarus
Scripture reading by John Piper
John 11:1–6, 17, 32–33, 38–44

Parable of the Shrewd Manager
Scripture reading by Albert Mohler
Luke 16:1–13

The Last Supper
Scripture reading by Ligon Duncan
Luke 22:14–23

Gethsemane
Scripture reading by Derek Thomas
Matthew 26:36–46

You can go here to listen to some of the musical samples, read the liner notes, and/or order
http://theologica.blogspot.com/2009/09/scenes-from-life-of-christ.html

Join Christ Church Anglican for "The Blessing of the Animals"

2009-09-16T17:35:00.000+05:30

Christ Church Anglican, located at 3383 Coastal Highway (the old Presbyterian Church), will celebrate the traditional " Blessing of the Animals" on Sunday, October 4, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. in recognition of St. Francis' Feast Day. All animals are welcome (snakes, horses, goats, fish, birds, etc.), not just dogs and cats.

And also in tradition, any donations received will be given to CHAT, the Wakulla County Animal Rescue organization, and Florida Wild Mammal Association, where they struggle every day to take care of the hurt animals in their care.

Source: http://www.wakulla.com/Announcements/Clubs_and_Organizations/Join_Christ_Church_Anglican_for_%22The_Blessing_of_the_Animals%22_200909158642/

A Christian's journey to Judaism

2009-07-10T19:13:00.003+05:30

At an East Galveston beach, Mari Barkhausen is waist-deep in the cool, brown water. After repeating Hebrew blessings, she is immersed once, twice. When she emerges from the water a third time, she is a Jew.

She hugs her rabbi, looking to the shoreline at her husband and two sons who are waiting for their mikveh, the ritual immersion for Jewish converts.

“Mazel tov, everyone,” declares Rabbi Stuart Federow. “This day begins the rest of your education. Jewish learning never stops.”

Barkhausen’s journey began decades ago as she watched her maternal grandmother’s peculiar ways. Her Mexican-American abuela would light candles on Fridays and draw the curtains before sundown, cover mirrors at home when a relative died and examine eggs for blood spots.

No one questioned her ways, and no explanation was ever offered to little Mari or her siblings.

Years later, Barkhausen would realize those customs were not one woman’s idiosyncrasies. They were Jewish customs.

Lighting of candles marked the beginning of the Sabbath. Many cover mirrors when someone dies to avoid concentrating on their grief-stricken appearances. And the Old Testament teaches that life is in the blood.

Grandma did all these things, Barkhausen remembered. But Grandma wasn’t Jewish. She was Catholic.

Crypto Jews: a history

Like an increasing number of Latinos, Barkhausen believes her ancestors were Crypto Jews — people who outwardly professed another religion but kept Jewish tradition in secrecy.

Scholars have paid attention to the phenomenon for decades, but the public interest has skyrocketed more recently.

Houston’s Family Tree DNA now answers about 20 queries weekly from Hispanics about Jewish ancestry, founder Bennett Greenspan said. And Jewishgen.com, the leading Web site for Jewish genealogy, has seen the number of people searching online databases surge from 1 million to 9 million over the past 10 years.

Crypto-Judaism has a 500-year history. In 1492, Jews in Spain were ordered to convert to Catholicism. Some immigrated to Europe and the Arab world. They were called Sephardic Jews; Sefarad is the Hebrew word for Spain.

Others stayed in Spain — Jews in Portugal were affected as well — and converted. But some used Catholicism as a cover and kept Jewish tradition, said Stanley Hordes, author of To the End of the Earth: A History of the Crypto Jews of New Mexico. As the Spanish Inquisition became determined to root out Judaism, Crypto Jews were tortured or burned at the stake.

Other Jews fled to Mexico. The Garcias (Barkhausen’s maiden name) emigrated to Mexico from Spain in the early 1500s, for instance. Mexico later established its own tribunal to persecute Jews.

According to Hordes, Crypto Jews and their descendants also settled throughout the American Southwest, including Texas, New Mexico and southern Arizona. No one is sure how many descendants exist today.

The secret practices and daily traditions continued in homes for generations until many families no longer knew their origin. Eventually, many families’ religious history was lost.

“Even though Grandma didn’t know it was kosher, that was what she was doing,” Barkhausen said.

South Texas Protestant

Barkhausen, 42, grew up on Presbyterian doctrine in South Texas. By her 30s, she and husband David were attending a Baptist church in College Station. In a class about the Old Testament—in Leviticus and Deuteronomy—she learned about Hebrew festivals.

In 2002, Barkhausen took a teaching job in League City. A fellow teacher invited her to the conservative Jewish synagogue Shaar Hashalom in Clear Lake.

“I was a Baptist; I wanted to witness to her,” she laughed. “I did, I really did.”

Rabbi Federow’s message was about Sephardic Jews, or Jews from Spain. Barkhausen had never heard the term.

Back at church, she reflected on the Old Testament’s readings. If Jesus were alive today, she figured, he’d be in a Jewish synagogue.

So the Barkhausens began attending a Messianic synagogue — a “Jewified version of Christianity,” Barkhausen said. Beth Messiah was a happy medium—the family worshipped with Jews for Jesus and learned about Jewish culture.

Barkhausen and her husband taught bar mitzvah classes. Their son Mason operated the Jumbotron during services.

At home, Barkhausen prepared a Shabbat dinner on Fridays and downloaded Hebrew prayers. Her home smelled of fresh-baked challah bread and sauteed tilapia.

She replaced her Aztec calendar and Indian-Mexican pottery with a mezuzah. Her curio cabinet took on a Passover plate and a ram’s horn, known as a shofar. She put the shema, a Jewish prayer, near the front door.

The Barkhausens stopped eating pork, which meant cutting out some Mexican favorites. Letting go of pepperoni pizza was tough, too, said Mason, 19. And 11-year-old Alex always seemed to need just one more minute to finish his XBox games before Shabbat dinner.

Her home library was soon filled with books such as Hebrew for Dummies,Christians Celebrating the Sabbath and the Jewish Book of Why.

A deeper conflict

The Barkhausens’ relatives struggled with the family’s new ways.

News that they would no longer celebrate Christmas and Easter caused hard feelings. Mason got into an argument with an aunt about not eating shellfish. Suggestions that Grandma’s curious ways might be long-forgotten Jewish practices were met with cynicism.

“My family thought I was going nuts,” Barkhausen said.

Meanwhile, Barkhausen e-mailed Federow. She planned to use her growing knowledge about Jewish culture to be a more effective Christian witness. The two went back and forth for six years.

And then, for about six months, Barkhausen began wrestling with God about Jesus and salvation.

David, who was raised Catholic, was content with Jews for Jesus. Mainstream Judaism was out of the question, he said.

Barkhausen kept her intensifying struggle to herself. She busied herself with research about Crypto Jews. The pieces came together when she saw her maiden name, Garcia, on a Web site of Sephardic names.

She started to confide in Mason. One day, the two of them told each other they no longer believed Jesus was the son of God.

It was time to convert to mainstream Judaism, Barkhausen and her son agreed. The next step was to tell Dad.

“I thought she and my son were going through a phase — maybe they’re both crazy,” recalled David Barkhausen, 43.

He didn’t attend the conversion classes at Shaar Hashalom for the first three weeks. His wife went with Mason and her younger son, Alex.

But after a month, David Barkhausen realized his family was serious and began attending, too.

Truth or myth?''

Though there is growing interest among Hispanics in Jewish ancestry, the number of conversions remains small.

About 70 percent of Hispanics are Catholic. By changing religions, they risk alienation from their families and disruption of their cultural identity.

The subject has also attracted criticism.

Folklorist Judith Neulander takes issue with the idea of a modern-day Crypto-Jewish presence. (She doesn’t doubt that Crypto-Jews existed in the 15th and 16th centuries).

In a series of journal articles, she has contended that rituals such as covering mirrors were common throughout Europe and were culled from Protestant denominations that observed biblical customs.

Neulander is also skeptical of people’s motivations for claiming Jewish ancestry. She argues it is a way to emphasize Caucasian ancestry and downplay black or Indian heritage.

Hordes disagrees.

“Until very recently, Jews were regarded in many Christian quarters as the killers of Christ,” he said. “That is hardly the vehicle for upward mobility.”

Motivation aside, the story is a testament to the power of culture, notes anthropologist Seth Cunin, author of the forthcoming book Juggling Identities: Identity and Authenticity Among the Crypto-Jews.

Much of culture is passed down through oral tradition and written texts, Cunin said. Many of the texts were lost after Jews were forcibly converted, but Jewish identity persisted because of its emphasis on action, ritual and memory.

“The fact that it is preserved suggests that identity and culture do have a perseverance that is much stronger than we might expect,” he said. “It is strong against all odds.”

A return

The day of their conversion ceremony, the Barkhausens arrived a half-hour early. They had all gotten fresh haircuts. Per the rabbi’s instructions, Barkhausen’s olive skin was makeup-free, her fingernails without polish. She wore no rings.

Mason squinted slightly; he had taken off his glasses. And Alex wore a baseball cap. David’s regular jokes were replaced by somberness.

On the 35-minute drive to Galveston island, she and her husband talked about their families. Her sisters know. Her parents don’t. As they neared the beach, Barkhausen reflected on the journey that took her from singing Jesus Loves Me to stumbling through Hebrew prayers.

The Baptist Church. Jews for Jesus. All were pathways leading to this day, a 360-degree return to a forgotten past.

“We are redeeming the choices of our ancestors,” Mason Barkhausen said. “They couldn’t be Jewish. Now, we can.”

jemimah.noonoo@chron.com

The Jesus Way

2009-07-10T19:13:00.001+05:30

For many Christians any means works as long as the end is reached. The truth of Jesus being the end, the big main point, has in many cases become a goal rather than a statement of truth. The life of faith, in other words, has been turned into a competition rather than an authentic way of life. This makes sense when looking at the crusades, manipulative preachers, and showy, entertainment oriented worship services. If the end is all that matters, then converting people with a sword, a lie, or a flashy smile is acceptable. But, is it really any means to the end? Is this what Jesus is saying above?

Eugene Peterson, in his excellent book, The Jesus Way has this to say:

In the text that Jesus sets before us so clearly and definitively, way comes first. We cannot skip the way of Jesus in our hurry to get the truth of Jesus, living Jesus in our homes and workplaces, with our friends and family.”

The means are just as important as the end. The Jesus way plus the Jesus truth leads to the Jesus life. This is so important! It’s clear that much of what is wrong with American Christianity originates in elevating the truth above the way. We cannot attach any way we want to the truth of the Gospel. Only the Jesus way will do.

The Jesus way is not one of coercion, or manipulation. The Jesus way does not involve violence or any dishonesty of any kind. The Jesus way does not prefer safety, riches, comfort, or selfish ambition.

The Jesus way is characterized by: love, humility, sacrifice, submission and faith. And this way, combined with the truth of Jesus naturally leads to life. We wonder why our churches are lifeless, or why our lives are shallow, or why Christianity is viewed as irrelevant. Could it be that we have inadequately, inappropriately, attached the wrong ways to the right truth? Are we trying to use a spoon to drive a nail?

In John 15:6, Jesus shines the light on this:

If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”

We must stay connected to Jesus and the Jesus way or we lose our life, are pruned, withered, and eventually are good for nothing but feeding a fire.

Read more about this in: The Jesus Way, by Eugene Peterson

The Victoria Advocate

2009-07-10T19:11:00.001+05:30

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that, too, God will make clear to you. (Phil. 3:12-15)

"Let him steal, coach. Let him steal," all my Little Leaguers yelled at me.

His name was Alfred, but all the kids called him Mickey Mouse because of his big ears and perpetual smile. He was placed on my team by well-meaning adults because of his age. After the first day, I called his dad over and explained that I was going to have to screen him to a younger program because of coordination problems and his own safety.

His father came back the next day and asked if we would keep him on our team and work with him even if he couldn't play him in the games. My team had adopted him and wouldn't let me say no. I never anticipated the blessing that followed.

The team was young and needed a lot of work, so I had little or no time to spend on the lad. The kids took him under their wing and worked with him daily. His hand-eye coordination and sense of direction improved, and by the last game of the year, they begged me to let him pinch run in the last inning. I put him in the game.

Our team did well for a rebuilding year, but now had developed leadership skills far beyond their young age because of this situation. Maturity is what every good coach strives for in a team in any sport. Maturity makes the game slow down in the eyes and mind of the players, as they understand it better. Not so much a team ran by a coach, but a thinking unit, capable of making their own decisions well.

In Paul's letter to the Phillippians, he links a call to maturity in life with a call to maturity in faith. The road to maturity is the route from fear to faith. Those who just sit in the church pews week after week are not striving for the goal of Christian maturity. We need to leave the pew for action straining forward to what lies ahead. It may sound simple, but the call is not just for the young. Older people who have not matured in faith need to reach upward to that goal also.

What goal? The upward call of God in Jesus Christ. Christianity is a movement, not a condition. God has given all different gifts to grow. Without finding and exercising those gifts, many will go from babes to senility as immature Christians.

Oh, yes, Mickey Mouse stole second base. You would have thought we won the championship. The kids were screaming and slapping him on the back. They had a right to be happy. They made the little guy's year, and in the process, had grown far beyond their years in knowledge and understanding of the game. That team was able to survive unfair treatment by adult leaders the following year, then bounced right back and won a championship anyway.

We can look forward to a fuller life of faith and obedience because of our hope in Christ. Growth in Christ never stops and looks around. To mature in Christ is to grow right up to the harvest. Amen.

Charles Placker is a licensed minister who writes for the Victoria Advocate.

The Lodi City Council

2009-07-10T19:10:00.000+05:30

The Lodi City Council is considering a resolution that would ban the mention of Jesus and other specific religions in prayers before city meetings.

The council discussed the issue in closed session last month, because the Northern California city is facing legal action. In May, the Lodi City Council received a letter from the non-profit Madison, Wis.-based Freedom From Religion Foundation threatening a lawsuit, according to the Lodi News-Sentinel.

The atheistic group watched 55 invocations online from 2007 to the May 6 council meeting and found that 39 had a reference to Jesus Christ. The group argues that specific mentions of the word "Christ" are a violation of the city's own policy.

The move is meeting resistance from two Christian organizations, according to CitizenLink.com, a Focus on the Family publication.

Megachurch pastor Rick Warren addresses US Muslims

2009-07-05T12:40:00.002+05:30

Defying some of his fellow conservative Christian critics, one of the most prominent religious leaders in the country told several thousand American Muslims on Saturday that "the two largest faiths on the planet" must work together to combat stereotypes and solve global problems.

"Some problems are so big you have to team tackle them," evangelical megachurch pastor Rick Warren addressed the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America.

Warren said Muslims and Christians should be partners in working to end what he calls "the five global giants" of war, poverty, corruption, disease and illiteracy.

Warren, founder of Saddleback Community Church in Orange County, Calif., is the author of "The Purpose Driven Life," which has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. His willingness to show support for U.S. Muslims is a huge gain for the community, which has endured intense scrutiny since 9/11.

A Southern Baptist, Warren has a record of upsetting fellow Christian conservatives by calling old-guard evangelical activists too partisan and narrowly focused. Ahead of his speech Saturday, bloggers who follow Warren had already denounced his appearance at the convention as cozying up to extremists.

Warren acknowledged the controversy during his 20-minute speech.

"It's easier to be an extremist of any kind because then you only have one group of people mad at you," he said. "But if you actually try to build relationships — like invite an evangelical pastor to your gathering — you'll get criticized for it. So will I."

In his speech, Warren also urged Muslims and Christians to speak out against stereotyping of any group and to respect each other even while disagreeing. Addressing Muslims who "have been in America for many generations now," he urged them to help "the newcomers learn what it means to be American."

Based in Plainfield, Ind., ISNA is an umbrella organization for Muslim groups across the country. The annual convention, now in its 46th year, regularly draws more than 30,000 people for lectures, prayer and socializing.

Many in the crowd were drawn to the session by prominent Muslim scholars such as Sheik Hamza Yusuf of the Zaytuna Institute in Berkeley, Calif.

Ann Zahra, 42, said she had never heard of Warren before Saturday but agreed with much of his speech.

"The basics are the same," said Zahra, of McLean, Va. "No religion teaches cruelty or disrespect or hatred."

Writer Rachel Zoll contributed to this report.

Christians Praise Scotland Ambitious Measure on Climate Change

2009-07-05T12:38:00.000+05:30

Caritas Internationalis has praised the new legislation to cut green house emissions adopted by the Scottish Parliament as a challenge to the rest of the developed world.

Scotland has set itself the world's most ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets after the Scottish parliament voted on 24 June to cut the nation's CO2 emissions by 42% by 2020 and at least 80% by 2050, “following a huge push by Scottish campaigners including Caritas member Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF), the public statement on 26 June stated.

Chris Hegarty, SCIAF’s Advocacy Manager said, “The Scottish Parliament has voted for legislation that will be held up as an example to European and world governments ahead of the UN’s climate change talks in Copenhagen in December to replace the Kyoto Protocol.

“Uniquely, Scotland’s targets are guided by science as opposed to political expediency. They are based on what we have to do, rather than what we feel we can do. This is a positive and rational response to a global challenge, and we are calling on governments across the world to follow suit.

Scotland’s Climate Change Minister Stewart Stevenson said, “Climate Change is the most serious threat we face. The Scottish government is responding with the most ambitious and comprehensive climate change legislation anywhere in the world.

“As a country we are leading global action and expect others to follow our lead as we look to the international summit in Copenhagen this December.

"Setting ambitious targets is not an end in itself. It is delivery that matters and we have set out the steps we will take to deliver the scale of emissions reductions needed to safeguard our future and to position Scotland as frontrunner in developing a sustainable low-carbon economy.”

Another applause also came from the campaign coalition ‘Stop Climate Chaos Scotland,’ which claims its 60 member organisations representing two million people, said this is "hugely significant" vote set a new “moral” standard for the rest of the industrialised world.

The new legislation, which also includes counting emissions from aviation and shipping, sets an example to world governments ahead of December’s UN’s climate talks in Copenhagen in December that strong action on climate change can and must be taken.

The measures are tougher than the 34% target set in the UK government's climate change act last year, which has no statutory annual targets.

It comes the day after the US stated that a 40% cut by 2020 was “not on the cards”: developing nations have demanded this level of cut from rich nations.

A few days later, on June 26, in a landmark move U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that will allow force cuts in domestic greenhouse-gas emissions by 17 percent in 2020 and 83 percent in 2050 through an expensive cap-and-trade permit system on heavy emitters and the oil and gas industry.

North Korea threatens Christian ministry

2009-07-05T12:37:00.000+05:30

North Korea has threatened a Christian ministry to stop sending Gospel messages to the country through fax, saying the consequence will be “very bad,” amid testing of seven missiles on U.S. Independence Day.

Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) confirmed that an anonymous fax apparently from the North Korean embassy for Finland on 5 June promises workers affiliated with VOM that “something very bad will happen to you” if VOM continues a special project to share the Gospel.

VOM said during the past year it had collected many fax numbers from inside North Korea, and have been sending weekly faxes containing Christian messages and Scripture passages on love and forgiveness to each of the fax numbers.

“This fax is good news,” said Todd Nettleton, VOM’s director of Media Development and the author of a book on the history of Christianity in North Korea.

“This means that the faxes are getting through, and they are being read. It is highly unlikely that this type of response would have been made from an embassy without some approval from Pyongyang.”

Part of the message VOM has been sending to North Korea said:

“The Christian teaching is clear. Communists are men and Christ loves them. So does every man who has the mind of Christ. We love the sinner even though we hate the sin. Christ, the Incarnate Love, wants all men to come to Him, including the Communists.”

“There are Christians in Communist prisons with fifty pounds of chains on their feet, tortured with redhot iron pokers, in whose throats spoonfuls of salt had been forced, being kept afterward without water, starving, whipped, suffering from cold - and praying with fervor for the Communists. This is humanly inexplicable! It is the love of Christ, which was poured out in our hearts.”

And the letter starts with a line from Song of Solomon 8:6-7 showing Christ’s love toward man, it reads: “Love is as strong as death, jealousy as cruel as the grave... Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it.”

The most recent fax sent to North Korean businesses and government offices included stories of Christians loving Communists - even the Communists who abused or tortured them. It was taken from the writings of Richard Wurmbrand, VOM’s founder who was held for 14 years in communist prisons in Romania.

Apparently, the project has touched a nerve at the highest levels of North Korea’s repressive government, VOM stated in a public statement made in its Web site.

“We know who you are,” begins a fax, written in Korean but without a signature. “We warn you that if you send this kind of dirty fax again something very bad will happen to you. Don’t do something you will regret.”

The ministry has been active in North Korea for decades, including launching tens of thousands of “Scripture Balloons,” helium filled balloons that are printed with Scripture passages and other gospel messages.

It said, the threatening fax came to a VOM-affiliated office just days before two American journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, were sentenced to 12 years hard labor for allegedly crossing the border into North Korea. It came just one day after the latest round of faxes sent by VOM to North Korean fax numbers.

In an apparent show of its power and strength, defying the United States on Independence Day, North Korea fired seven missiles on 4 July into the sea off its east coast.

The test-firings came two days after North Korea, which is being squeezed by the U.S. government and other countries for its recent nuclear test, fired four short-range missiles into the sea.

North Korea is ranked number one for seven years in a row in the annual Open Doors Watch List 2009 as the country that has the worst persecution of Christians. If the regime discovers a person is a Christian, the believer can be thrown into a labor camp, tortured, or even publicly executed to dissuade others from following the faith.

It is believed that tens of thousands of Christians are currently suffering in North Korean prison camps, according to Open Doors. The regime is suspected of detaining more political and religious prisoners than any other country in the world.

Instead of a globally recognized religion, citizens of the reclusive country are forced to worship a cult-like version of the trinity consisting of the deceased dictator Kim Il Sung (father), current dictator Kim Jong Il (son) and the Juche ideology.

All religions other than the worship of the North Korean dictators are forbidden. Christianity, in particular, is seen as the greatest threat to the state and to Kim’s power and is harshly punished.

Nettleton said, “North Korea presents some great challenges, but the Good News of Jesus’ love cannot be stopped.”

“We simply have to find more creative ways to deliver that message, and The Voice of the Martyrs is committed to doing that.”

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2009-04-16T12:01:00.002+05:30

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Praise The Lord

Christ Episcopal Church

2009-03-06T21:14:00.001+05:30

when it came to planning a fundraiser for the Christ Episcopal Church Foundation, Spence went with what she knew. She must have had good instincts.

This year Christ Episcopal Church is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its Foundation Charity Golf Tournament. The tourney is scheduled for next Friday, March 13, at the Ponte Vedra Club.

Twenty-five years ago, the church had just started its charity arm and was looking for a way to get the word out.

"We wanted a way to get the word out to the public that the church had a foundation," she said. "I suggested [the golf tournament] and it was approved [by the board]."

Spence was its first chairman, and instrumental in helping keep the tournament going through the years.

"I ran it for 21 years," Spence said. "They kept asking for one more year."

"The money raised goes to various outreach programs including BEAM, Habitat for Humanity, Mission House, and a Young Life," said Stacy Nash, director of development for the church. "We raise between $35,000 and $40,000 each year."

In addition to donating the proceeds to charity, the foundation offers up to three scholarships to students from Fletcher and Nease High Schools.

"Originally we gave $1,000 a year," said Spence. "Now we give away two four year scholarships through the Florida Prepaid tuition plan."

Spence said the first year she asked the manager at Atlantic Bank if the bank would sponsor the tournament, and ever since the annual tourny has had corporate sponsorship.

"The same people played at the beginning," Spence said. "I’m still playing and I haven’t missed one in 25 years."

Fred Robbins, the current tournament chairman, said there are a number of keys to the tournament’s success.

"We have great support from the local businesses and individuals," he said. "And the opportunity to play golf at the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club on the Ocean course [is great]."

Robbins, who is in his fifth year as chairman, said one of the strongest selling points of the tournament is that people who might not normally have access, can play the Ocean Course at a reasonable price.

"Supporters recognize that the proceeds go to the foundations outreach program," he said.

Robbins said the fact the foundation sends high school students who might not otherwise be able to go to college to state universities with scholarships is pretty remarkable.

"We have a good time out there and we enjoy it," he said. "And the number of college scholarships we’ve given over the years is 34."

Spence, who is planning on playing in this years tournament, said her favorite memory from the tournament was from 1987, when Charlie Farrell won a new car after hitting a hole in one on the 9th hole, despite rough weather thoughout the tournament.

"March is always iffy," Spence said. "The wind was really blowing and they were the last group to play the 9th hole. He took out a 5 iron and put it in the hole. It was a miracle shot."

Spence said it was the only hole in one on the 9th hole in the tournament history.

Robbins said 128 golfers participate in the foundation’s tournament, and there is a reception after the tournament in the church’s new parish center.

"It’s an enjoyable time," said Robbins of why the tournament has lasted so long. "People get to golf and raise money for the community."

Christ

2009-03-06T21:13:00.000+05:30

One of the greatest temptations you and I will ever face in this life is to spiritually drift away from the Lord. No one is immune--no matter how long and faithfully they have walked with the Lord.

The late Dr. Joe Aldrich, former president of Multnomah Bible College, is one of several godly men who have motivated me to stay in the Christian race until the end. I still remember many of the lessons I learned under his mentorship nearly 30 years ago. On Dr. Joe's desk at his death a few days ago was the following statement: "I surrender my life into the hands of God, knowing He has predestined for me His best. I will count the cost and by God's grace I will pay the price to become the best that I am capable of becoming. I will hold to my course and by the power of the Holy Spirit, I will finish strong." Powerful words from an amazing man whose ministry and life were cut short by Parkinson's disease.

Besides Dr. Joe, few men have influenced me more than Dr. John G. Mitchell, founder of what is now Multnomah University. Dr. John F. Walvoord once said Dr. Mitchell reminded him of an aged apostle. Never have I met a man who was more in love with the Savior. On two occasions Dr. Mitchell made a point of reminding me--more than sixty years his junior--that there are only three reasons Christians die. These reasons are true in Scripture, in church history, and in our experience today. Believers die (A) because of the discipline of God, 1 Corinthians 11:29-30; 1 John 5:16, (B) for the glory of God, John 21:18-19, and/or (C) because their work is finished, 2 Timothy 4:6-8. Dr. Mitchell also urged me to make sure, when it comes time to die, that dying is all I have left to do.

Thanks to the influence of Dr. Mitchell, Dr. Joe, and others, I love God's Word. As a teenager, I started reading it from cover to cover, and before college I had memorized nearly 100 pages of Scripture. I've read through the Bible dozens of times. And I've discovered that only four chapters don't talk about sin and temptation. From Genesis 3 to Revelation 20 we find that the biggest temptation is for believers to experientially "lose" our faith. How? We stop doing what the Lord says. Why? We stop believing what God's Word says.

The startling truth is no one exempt from the temptation to experientially "lose" his or her faith. Not even Dr. Mitchell. Not even Dr. Joe. Thankfully, both did finish well. The question is, how will you and I die? Are we willing to make Dr. Joe's commitment our own?

Consider it again: "I surrender my life into the hands of God, knowing He has predestined for me His best. I will count the cost and by God's grace I will pay the price to become the best that I am capable of becoming. I will hold to my course and by the power of the Holy Spirit, I will finish strong."