Local

Operation Christmas Child Drop-Off Sites Are Now Open

The Good News
17 Nov 2020
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gospel

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, many families are already thinking about Christmas. For those who are including Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts as part of their holiday, more than 4,000 drop-off sites are now open. Volunteers are collecting shoebox gifts during National Collection Week, Nov. 16–23. Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering shoebox gifts—filled with school supplies, hygiene items and fun toys—to children worldwide for more than two decades. This is a project that everyone can still be a part of, even with COVID-19 restrictions. Children Need to Know God “In the midst of the pandemic, the needs are greater […]

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Freaking Out

Stephan Tchividjian
12 Nov 2020
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I am assuming that you are either experiencing profound peace or a level of anxiety and freaking out that you find almost unbearable. Perhaps your reality is dictating these emotions. You are deeply devoted to your country, your church, your career, your circle of friends etc. However, your emotions are affected by the latest news, a text, a conversation, something you read or simply what side of the bed you woke up on. Sometimes these thoughts and feelings may vary by the hour. Therefore, how in the world are we supposed to lead a normal, healthy and somewhat meaningful life, […]

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freak

The Mathematics of the Gospel

Dr. Warren Gage
9 Nov 2020
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mathematics

(Scroll down to leave a comment on Gospel Mathematics) “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). This most beloved verse in all the Bible was spoken by the Savior himself to Nicodemus. As we might expect, it contains many mysteries of the faith. One of its great teachings is not apparent to the readers of its English translation, but is very apparent to readers of Greek. The original language is highly inflected, which means that it can communicate emphasis by […]

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Protecting and Serving Our Community

Dr. Debra A. Schwinn
5 Nov 2020
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From medical school, through residency and with 27 years of research funded through the National Institutes of Health, I’ve been blessed with exciting opportunities to learn: understanding the marvels of the human body and exploring ways to bring healing. God’s creation, of course, is infinite, so I keep on learning. Recently, learning from undergraduate students stuck in isolation because of COVID-19, I’ve found refreshing lessons – lessons about what Dr. Deborah L. Birx calls “our community: our responsibility.” Community and Responsible Back in January, when I followed God’s call to leave the academic/medical field and become president of Palm Beach […]

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community

Freedom

Romney Rogers
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Les‘s article on freedom  in last month’s Good News made me start thinking about the importance of understanding what it means to be free in Christ. I know Les was making the point that freedom in Christ is not a license to do anything we want, and because of current noise from the world we live in, I think it is even more important that Christians be able to explain to those around them how our world view is at times directly opposite from those in our work place, neighbors, friends and even family members. So I thought I would […]

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The Salvation Army USA Sets Out to “Rescue Christmas” Due to Immense Impact of COVID-19

The Good News
14 Oct 2020
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For the first time in 130 years, The Salvation Army is starting its annual holiday fundraising campaign early in order to rescue Christmas. The funds raised through the organization’s iconic red kettles are at risk this year due to COVID-19 while requests for services are at an all-time high. Based on the increase in services already provided in response to the pandemic, the organization could serve up to 155 percent more people in 2020 with Christmas assistance, including putting food on the table, paying bills, providing shelter and helping place gifts under the tree – assuming the resources are available. […]

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The Snow Globe Effect

Stephan Tchividjian
13 Oct 2020
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snow

I hope that during your lifetime you’ve had the chance to hold a snow globe. The snow globe is either a toy or piece of art that displays an idyllic scene that is encased within the confines of a clear globe, a liquid and small specs of “snow.” The idea is that when you shake the globe, the clear scene becomes covered with a make-believe snow fall, transforming before your very eyes a most beautiful snowy scene and creating one of the most wonderful feelings one can have, the feeling of a first snow fall. However, the perfect scene is […]

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When The Church Stood Still

William Thomas
9 Oct 2020
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Was anyone else excited for the start of 2020? It was supposed to be a call to action, a new decade to conquer and then… everything stopped. For me this was on March 9th. We got a call from the school where we were meeting at the time, and we were told that they were shutting down any extra programs held at the school. The church stood still. Over what we thought would only be the next few weeks until we got back on schedule, things turned into a global pandemic. It was there that I realized for the first […]

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still

EPIC Tools to Raise Resilient Kids

Daniela Bolla
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Right now, kids desperately need a strong village of parents, educators, friends and neighbors surrounding them. This pandemic has forced children to unexpectedly give up the joy of playing at their friends’ houses, participating in sports or visiting with a beloved grandparent. From what felt like one moment to the next, household living rooms were transformed into virtual classrooms, and dining room tables were taken over by piles of worksheets and textbooks. Huge milestones for teens, such as graduating high school or attending prom, were either cancelled or re-envisioned in light of social distancing guidelines. Without warning  all of the […]

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How To Talk About Mental Health

Rob Hoskins
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We’ve all been talking about it, but not enough.   We must talk about it I lost another friend to suicide recently. This friend’s struggles with depression, public failure and the stress of being a high-profile leader were all indicative of him being a high risk person. I keep asking myself what could have, and should have, been done better. Maybe he’d still be here if things were different.   “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ― C.S. Lewis   Even though it’s been a few months, I’m still […]

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mental health