Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
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The 31st Blair County Law Enforcement Memorial Service was held Thursday, June 15, outside the Blair County Courthouse. During the service, a rose was placed at the memorial for each law enforcement officer who has died in the line of duty....
Luke 14:7-14 She pulled her cape around her shoulders, Her heels lifted her up to thinner air Almost to where she wanted to be She saw the table spread with fine linens With artisan cheeses and duck liver pate There was red and white wine for every taste. She approached the gathering and saw on the far end The old-fashioned, the rough handed and the wrong spoken On the near side she saw well-labeled suits That look of confidence in the eyes of the highly educated She saw one chair near her with those of her kind She sat and sipped wine and...
The words below reflect the conclusion to a three-part look at the prayer of Jesus in John 17. We can learn a lot about people from the way in which they pray. My mom was a person of prayer and loved the Lord very much. Sadly, she was not one to pray aloud. I can only remember a few occasions when I heard her pray. But I know she saw the value of prayer and drawing near to God. I have heard some people pray aloud and knew that they loved connecting with God the Father. And I’ve been in settings where prayers were simply read. There is n...
Last week I gave a tiny introduction to the Book of Esther. I introduced Ahasuerus. Secular history knows him as Xerxes and I will call him that. We also lean on secular history to tell us about the times. Xerxes the Media-Persian king had a vast Empire. But as is often the case, he wanted more. He waged a war against Greece, which was to become the next World Empire. We heard about this a bit in the Book of Daniel in Nebuchadnezzar’s vision. It was of a statue, head of gold, chest of silver, b...
Let us praise those fathers who have striven to balance the demands of work, marriage, and children with an honest awareness of both joy and sacrifice. Let us praise those fathers who, lacking a good model for a father, have worked to become a worthy and virtuous father. Let us praise those fathers who, by their own account, were not always there for their children, but who continue to offer those children, now grown, their love and support. As well, let us pray for those fathers who have been wounded by words and actions of their children. Let...
God took the strength of a mountain, The majesty of a tree, The warmth of a summer sun, The calm of a quiet sea, The generous soul of nature, The comforting arm of night, The wisdom of the ages, The power of the eagle’s flight, The joy of a morning in spring, The faith of a mustard seed, The patience of eternity, The depth of a family need, Then God combined these qualities, When there was nothing more to add, He knew His masterpiece was complete, And so, He called it ... Dad - Author Unknown...
Colossians 3 One task I tend to put off is changing over the clothes in my closet at the beginning of a new season. When it comes to fashion, I have always valued comfort over couture. This passage from Colossians presents us with a closet full of pieces that resemble my own closet space: pieces that are not necessarily fashionable or comfortable: compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and love. Should I put them on today? Will they fit? Humility might feel a little loose, patience too constricting. I might feel like shoving...
Two Old Testament books bear a woman’s name as title and are about the lives of those two women. One is Esther and I want to spend some time looking at her life and ministry. We can see and understand God is moving and shaping throughout the book yet His name is not mentioned. We can also see the two prime characters in the book are much involved with God and dependent on Him and yet prayer is not mentioned. It is alluded to but not actually stated. The setting for the book is following the f...
Larry Violet is well known in the community and in the town of Williamsburg. He has been working as a van driver at the Village at Morrisons Cove, offering God’s word to some residents. On Thursday, May 26, Violet held his first service as chaplain at the Village. During his sermon, Violet talked about Jesus and his journey finding his disciples. Hymn signing was incorporated into his service and his wife Debbie accompanied him on the electric piano. He also incorporated a song about d...
That Jesus had people on his mind as he prayed just before his arrest is not surprising. This prayer in John 17 is sometimes called the high priestly prayer. Jesus is our great high priest which in basic terms means he is the one that represents us before the Father. He does that, not only in prayer, but by virtue of going to the cross to pay for our sins so we would have access to God the Father. So, with the cross and its suffering and shame approaching, Jesus’ mind goes from his desire to glorify HIS Father to those disciples he had just s...
Jesus talked a lot about giving. Often He was talking about giving to God. But sometimes, He spoke about charitable giving. Once, He and his disciples sat in the Temple and Jesus observed what people were putting into the box that was for charity to the poor. A poor widow came to the box and put into it two mites. A mite was the smallest minted coin at the time. Jesus pointed out this gift to His disciples with the word of commendation that “She has put in more than they all because … she has pu...
Note: There are three Cove graduations left to go (Central and Northern Bedford, today; Claysburg-Kimmel, Saturday). These prayers are for graduates or for those who want to pray for a graduate. Dear Lord, As I look toward the future Bright hope conducts this prayer, For I know the plans You have for me Were wrought with divine care. Holy Spirit, lead me. Let me run at Your command, Yet be still and know that You are God When trouble is close at hand. Your Word will be a lamp for me, A guide to light my way, A solid place to set my feet, A...
Gracious and caring God, our source of light, we ask for your almighty hand to be upon these graduates as we send them forward. With their classes and grading now complete, may they strive toward excellence in all they do. With the applause quieted, may they celebrate and lift up those around them. With the speeches concluded, may their voices rise up to pronounce peace and justice in the world. With the fanfare ceasing, may they find bliss in future endeavors and adventures. with advanced degrees and credentials in hand, may their...
Do you ever take time to think about the life/job of your pastor? For 65 years I sat in church and reaped the reward of countless well-thought-out sermons, meaningful worship where the words of the hymns matched the message, organized Bible studies, and a myriad of other benefits that I gave little thought to. It was not until I went through two years of classes to be authorized as a lay leader that I began to think about the preaching life. No other modern public speaker does what the preacher tries to do. Attorneys have bagged evidence and...
To intercede basically means to get between two people in order to produce harmony or an agreement between them. Intercession is a type of prayer wherein a person comes before God on behalf of someone else. It is a choice decision and a matter of loving concern. Christian folks often do it on behalf of someone who is sick or injured. In fact, I suppose that 80 percent or more of the prayers offered in church are this type. I certainly affirm such prayers. Usually such prayers are public...
Potter Creek Lutheran Church. Memorial Day Services will be held Sunday, May 28, at 11 a.m. Pastor Paul R. Snyder of Holsinger Church of the Brethren will be giving the message. His wife Janet will be the special music, accompanied by Lucille Dell. Come to hear the word of God and the beautiful singing and see the uniqueness of the 181-year-old church. Everyone is welcomed by invitation from Steve Claycomb....
This week I meet a man who did not think he wanted me to visit him. He had just been admitted to our hospice services at a fairly young age. His life included financial struggles, a divorce, addictions, and being estranged from his only son. He had been dealing with a bad heart for years and was recently discharged from the hospital to seek no further treatment. Two of our staff nurses indicated that they hoped I would be able to talk with him. He was emotional with them and yet, did not realize how critical he was. He declined my visits, but...
Forgiveness is a very much needed virtue, not only in the world at large or in the past but today. Jesus had been giving a teaching on how to go about forgiveness and reconciliation. Peter asked a question about forgiving a brother who had sinned against him. It may have been a genuine question or a hypothetical one. As part of the question, Peter proposes an answer. Rabbinical teaching of the day, proposed a person should forgive up to three times but not four. Peter, knowing the heart of...
On May 21, at the Holsinger Church of the Brethren, located at 2737 Lafayette Road, New Enterprise, the Revised Country Blend Group will perform for worship service. The event will take place at 9:15 a.m....
The First Church of the Brethren is sponsoring a Community Carnival and Touch-a-Truck event on Saturday, May 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will be held at the Albright Church of the Brethren in Roaring Spring. The free carnival will feature 20 games with prizes. The Touch-a-Truck will be a free event as well featuring vehicles from the Blair County 911 Command Center, the Blair County Sheriff, Martinsburg VFD fire truck, Hollidaysburg American Legion Ambulance, Roaring Spring Police and Weakland’s tow trucks. Entertainment from the H...
Brother Shamus McGrenra, a 76-year-old stage IV colon cancer survivor and a Franciscan Friar, will embark on his 13th Annual #GoBroShamus Charity Bike Ride on June 3, 2023. Cycling the local Rails to Trails in Pennsylvania and Maryland, Brother Shamus will complete the ride over the course of two back-to-back weekends. With another $100,000 goal set, the money raised will be used to support the Dorothy Day Outreach Center at Saint Francis University, which serves local residents struggling with rural poverty. The ride has raised over $700,000...
Spring concert A spring concert will be presented by Paul D. Mills on Sunday, May 21, at 6 p.m. at St. John’s Reformed Church of Loysburg. Mills is a pianist, singer and composer who has toured nationally and internationally with the Continental Singers. He has acted and assisted with music direction at Sight & Sound in Lancaster, recently overseeing Esther as music producer. He has written and directed several off-Broadway series and is the founder and executive director of New Face Theatre, New York. He leads music in his home church, P...
Psalm 63 Where do you find joy? I remember when my boys were young that as we settled down in the evening, one of them would often seem to exclaim, “This was the best day ever!” I know there were joys they had found in their days that I had probably missed. Maybe it was the chance to skip a stone in the river or watch the white cardinal that frequented our bird feeder. Watching children find joy is an amazing joy itself. I love to see the world through the eyes of a little person. Where do you find joy? When was the last time you felt tot...
In Israel of old, it was scornful not to have children. If a woman was barren she was looked down upon. Yet, quite a number of the heroes had problems with bearing children. Examples: Abram-Sarai, Isaac-Rebekah, Jacob-Rachel and Zachariah-Elizabeth. Eventually, these couples did have children but it took some intervention from God. Today, I would like to look at another Old Testament example. Her name is Hannah. Her story is found in I Samuel. Hannah had a husband, Elkanah. Elkanah had a second...
Memorial Church of the Brethren made a donation to the local Salvation Army in March. The donation was possible because of funds left to the church after a longtime member had passed away. The Salvation Army helps many in the community who are in need and is supported strictly through donations. Shown is Memorial COB treasurer Darrell Smith presenting the check to Suzanne McNally, who is Martinsburg’s representative for the Salvation Army....
Upper Claar Church will hold Vacation Bible School from June 12 through 16, 2023, 7 to 9:05 p.m. Ages 3 to 11th grade are welcome. The theme is “Stompers And Chompers: Building Dino-Sized Faith In God’s Big Plan.” Join an adventure where faith grows in dino-sized ways. Kids will believe God’s Word, the Bible, because everything was created through His spoken word. Come dino stomp to a place kids dream about. Where you can hop on a triceratops, run with a raptor, and soar with a pterosaur! This isn’t just any dinosaur world. It’s a whimsical a...
About 90 minutes before beginning to write this column I saw an awesome site (besides my wife). She looked out our back doors and reacted in such a way that I hurried to join her. About 25 feet away, we saw a fairly large black bear, just beyond our back yard and at the edge of the woods. We tried to take some pictures from our dining room but it kept moving. I could barely contain my excitement. So, I did what any man would do. I went outside to track him down for some selfies with the black beauty. That was not exactly the plan. I did get...
National Day of Prayer is the first Thursday in May. This year that is May 4. There will be a number of gatherings. The public is invited to attend. Hopefully, you will be an attendee, perhaps even a participant. Think carefully about it. I have said prayer is “talking to God.” Perhaps you do not know what to say. In most cases, there will be prayer requests written out and available. My guess is they will include: schools, those in service to community and country, those in government, families, first responders, and more. So, you can sim...
Bonnie Floyd, author of “Bound to a Promise,” was the speaker this year for Ladies Encounter on April 29, 2023. The event was held at Faith Assembly of God. Hundreds of women attended this event. The band Generations led the praise and worship. Their voices were a great inspiration to the audience. Floyd shared her testimony of love, murder, and redemption, including many miraculous updates on what her ministry is doing on the island of Barbuda. Floyd’s enthusiasm for what the ministry is doing...
On Eagles Wings recently visited St. Matthew Lutheran Church to speak on their program where volunteers travel to Canada to have bible camps. (From left) On Eagles Wings Directory of Ministry Robin Abrol, St. Matthew Lutheran Church members Jane Fagans, Margaret Steinfurth, Mike Lamborn, Connie Lamborn, and On Eagles Wings Executive Director Rev. Leslie Hand get together after their presentation....
Bonnie Floyd, International Speaker, Author and Bible Teacher, will be sharing her heartfelt message to the congregation at Memorial Church of the Brethren (210 Wall St., Martinsburg) on Sunday, May 7, at 10:30 a.m. Bonnie's life was changed on Feb. 1, 1994, after receiving a phone call that her parents, who were sailing in the West Indies, were brutally murdered along with two other passengers while moored off the island of Barbuda. The next two years would test and grow Bonnie’s faith in ways she never imagined. During the five-week trial, B...
John 20:19-31 Our gospel story today is a very familiar text. We have journeyed with Jesus through his three years of ministry. We have been witnesses to so many miracles yet there were many times when we were confused and unbelieving. We are all disciples and live within this age-old tale that we hear today. And we continue to gather together each week at our churches in the living word of scripture knowing God offers us new encounters and fresh grace. Now we stand together, and it is Easter evening. Judas and Thomas are not with us. The...
This will be the last in the Judges’ series. We have looked at Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Barak and Gideon. I have skipped Abimelech, (although I am not sure he really qualified as a judge), Tolah and Jair. I won’t get to Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, Samson, or Samuel. This has been a difficult series for me, frustrating when I look at Israel and even frustrating to look at the judges themselves. I guess I see so much of me (us) in them. The one great factor is to see God. He has shown mar...
The Grove City Trombone Choir performed Sunday, April 23, at the First Church of the Brethren, Roaring Spring. First Church of the Brethren will have a Breakfast Fellowship today, April 27, at Spring House Grille at 9 a.m. The Knitting Group will meet in the parlor today from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. On Saturday, April 29, the Ladies Encounter will begin at 9:30 a.m. Worship, Sunday School, and the Fifth Sunday Fellowship Meal will be held on Sunday, April 30....
Breaking Bread will be held at Martinsburg Church of God on Monday, May 8, from 5 to 6:30, or until gone. The meal includes scalloped turkey, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots and peas, applesauce, and a Ritchey’s ice cream bar. The cost is free, just like God’s love. Contact Pastor Jim Shaffer at (814) 505-3708 with questions....
The Way of Truth Ministries will sponsor the Blair County 72nd Annual National Day of Prayer event this year on the lawn at Legion Park, N. Juniata Street, Hollidaysburg on Thursday, May 4, 2023, beginning at noon. The theme this year is “Pray Fervently in Righteousness and Avail Much” taken from James 5:16b. The keynote speaker will be City Councilman Dave Butterbaugh and several local pastors will lead us in prayer for America. All are invited to attend as the group prays for a great spiritual awakening in the nation. Please bring a cha...
Much time was spent on John 15 in my series but now I am ready to move on to chapter 16. Moving on is something I help people prepare for and do as a hospice chaplain. Family members know that their loved one will be leaving them soon and that they must adjust to the new reality. Those who know the Lord typically have much more peace because they understand the destination of heaven. The disciples were addressed by Jesus regarding things that were specific to them in the first half of the chapter. We pick it up where we can all apply keys to...
The Claysburg Church of the Brethren invites those interested to its Spring Spiritual Renewal Services focusing on “Lessons From the Life of David.” The guest speaker will be the Rev. David Ulm, a second-career pastor who has served the Woodbury Church of the Brethren for the past eight years. Rev. Ulm previously served for 17 years at the Mt. Zion Road Church of the Brethren in northern Lebanon County. This followed a 20-year accounting career in Akron, Ohio. Ulm and his wife, Lori, have three grown sons, three daughters-in-law and five gra...
Jesus said, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain be removed and cast into the sea. It will obey you. In looking at our next judge, we will see that mustard seed sized faith in action. Israel had sinned again. This time God sent Midianites and other eastern nomadic nations to oppress Israel. They did. Scripture proposes they were like locusts stripping the land of everything. The raiding bands of Midianites lived on the move, in tents, taking everything w...
Many may tune out the sound of a siren, but for first responders, it’s the beginning of a serious situation. The First Church of the Brethren in Roaring Spring honored first responders during a church service on Sunday, April 16. The idea sprouted from the Outreach and Missions Club of the church, and the service will now be an annual event for the church. Some of the first responders in attendance included Assistant Chief Corey Eicher, Landon Beers, Tim Laird, Bill Beers, Gary Thompson, Fred Beers, and Bobbi Beers, who led the call to worship....
Trinity United Methodist Church in Roaring Spring will host its monthly Manna on Monday on April 24 from noon to 1 p.m. This will be a sit-down meal or take-out. The menu will consist of cheeseburgers, mac and cheese, vegetable and dessert. This meal is free to the community and all are welcome. –––––––––––––––– The Ladies Encounter will be held at Faith Assembly of God Church 4870 Spring Mountain Road, Roaring Spring, on Saturday, April 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bonnie Floyd will be the speaker. More information at www.ladiesencoun...
John 13: 31-35 Do you ever think about what might have been happening up in Heaven in the time before Jesus came to earth—before all eternity? Do you think God could have lovingly put his arm around Jesus’ shoulder and said, “Son, you are going to leave Heaven. You will go to a manger and to a small carpenter shop. You will flee Egypt as a fugitive. You’ll go to banquets with tax collectors and prostitutes. You’ll go to houses where they will make a hole in the roof just to get in because they are excited you are there. You’ll go where leper...
Thus far we have had most unusual candidates for heroes. We have found a man who was successful because he was left-handed. We have had a man who won a major battle and did not even have military training, uniforms, or weapons. Hopefully we learned Israel has skipped these absolute requirements of God: The need to worship and obey God, the need to teach and train the next generation, the need to purge and cleanse the land of sin, we have seen the need to repent of disobedience and idolatry. But...
Pastor Alan Brumbaugh delivers his Easter message to a crowd at the Fairview Church of the Brethren Sunday morning. Following the service, the church had a breakfast for the fellowship....
It is sometimes surprising to hear Christians bemoan the fact that the world is not friendly toward churches, the Bible, and people of faith. We sometimes feel entitled to be respected and to have a voice as we seek to represent God in the world. We fear that we are losing our Christian freedoms in America. If you wonder why the unsaved world does not show you more love, you may want to read the words of Jesus in John 15 as he spoke to his 11 disciples and, by extension, to us. Since the birth of the church, the world was at odds with...
The Spring Ladies/Teen Encounter will take place on Saturday, April 29, 2023, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Faith Assembly, 4870 Cove Mountain Road, Roaring Spring. The speaker for the encounter will be Bonnie Floyd. Her message is “Forgiven – Give God Something To Work With” In the first session, Bonnie will share her testimony of love, murder, and redemption, including many updates on what God has been doing on the island of Barbuda. In the second session, through scripture and real relat...
Trinity United Methodist Church in Roaring Spring will host its monthly Manna on Main Street on April 15 from 5 to 6 p.m. This will be a sit-down meal or take-out. The menu will consist of ham, green beans and potatoes, bread and butter, dessert. This meal is free to the community and all are welcome....
The times of the “Judges” is roughly 350 years. We are not sure who the author of the Book was, perhaps Samuel wrote at least part of it. The nation had become a fragmented group, no central government, no strong leader, and not much held them together tightly. God used this period of time to test Israel even as he had tested them in the wilderness. He wanted to see if they would be faithful to Him. They did not do well in this testing. They had not cleansed the land of evil or enemies. The pas...
The Dunnings Creek Friends Meeting (Quakers) will present the spring 2023 event in their “Still Listening” guest speaker series on local history in April. Delores “Dee” Marshall Myers of Everett will present The Testimony of a Black Woman: Love Justice Equality relating her experiences growing up and living in the small rural town of Everett. A lifelong resident born and raised in Everett, Myers tells of growing up under segregation, and of the challenges and changes for black people in rural Pennsylvania from the 1940s through the present...
Roaring Spring ARCH officially opened its doors for community outreach in January 2022 with a goal of bringing unity in churches and community, according to ARCH co-founder and board member Vanessa Wiand of Woodbury. Wiand and her mother Christine Ebersole, who both attend Faith Assembly in Roaring Spring, saw a need for further community outreach in the Cove. They met with several people throughout 2021 to seek advice about needs and project plans, and they knew that the ARCH's current...
