Do you remember when there was prayer in the public schools and when Sunday mornings were reserved for worship so people could go to church without competition from sports; when it was expected that everyone went to church every Sunday? That was a time of cultural privilege for Christianity. Churches thrived in a culture that […]
That saying was one of my first thoughts as the tragic death of Kobe Bryant sunk in. It was not only his relative youth, at 41 years old, that struck me, but also the fact that his 13-year-old daughter and her two teen-aged friends died with him in that helicopter crash. In fact, all of […]
I just came across this important keepsake, and it brought back some vivid memories from a crucial moment in my life. I was a twenty-year old junior, majoring in biology at a secular college, Rutgers University, while trying to untangle myself from my Fundamentalist upbringing. I might have abandoned my inherited faith altogether, except for […]
When average Christians hear the word prophecy, they probably think of the end-times teachings that have been popularized by some Christian writers and TV preachers. Cleverly applying Bible passages to events described on today’s news broadcasts can lead to intriguing (and occasionally terrifying) ways of seeing the world. But a little study of these passages […]
Some of you may have grown up in an atmosphere in which “I-love-you”s were part of everyday normal conversation. In my family, however, it was assumed that love, shown by our actions, was what held us together. “I-love you” was a magic phrase, used only by two young people who had just experienced a hormone-inspired […]
WE MADE IT! We are celebrating with our families, so this is your ABC Messenger until next week. Enjoy the Holidays! from your Messenger staff: Lori, Loren, Connie and George
Pastor Connie led us in an inspiring ABC fellowship experience of Christmas this year by helping us express our feelings and beliefs through individual Christmas ornaments. During the Advent season, she encouraged us to think creatively about what Christmas 2019 means to us and express this through an ornament. Last Sunday, we brought the ornaments […]
It started back in 1895 when Fred Woodbury planted 134 seedlings of an exotic cedar species, known as deodars, that were native to the Himalayan region of India. They were located along the sides of the entry driveway to his family’s large estate. By 1920, the row of trees had become recognized as a local […]
…needs to be knighted, not lighted, according to this poem by ABC’s Diane Hoelscher. (For those who have ears to hear). Knight the ignited Candle’s Flickering Flame of Faith. Not the Dark; Even a flickering knight is noble, No matter how deep the dark; In the battle with darkness So easily banished in the Sun; […]
We have those experiences in our lives, those Aha! moments. The first is certainly the moment of birth. When you, as a healthy baby, emerged from the womb and were exposed to the light of reality, you probably cried. The first surprise of awareness is shocking. Other moments when the light went on for you […]