Don’t you love looking at old photographs? They are precious reflections of close familial connections. They record events and gatherings that give our memories glimpses into the past. In today’s world, we can quickly send photographs to each...

The words that you are now reading were written on Thanksgiving Eve. That date is not nearly as significant as Dec. 24. However, it is still a good time to reflect and come up with an angle for my column. We should be grateful every day. I am...

Matthew 14: 22-33 As I look at the stories in the gospels, so very much happens in Jesus life and his ministry. He continues to preach and to teach using his parables. He had returned to Nazareth where he had been rejected by people who knew him as...

It occurred to me a few days ago that in less than two months I will turn 61. Turning 60 wasn’t a big deal, but 61 will put me in my early 60s! Hopefully when the time comes, I’ll handle it well. I know some of my readers are well over that age....

1 Peter 1:17-23 For me, fall is a bittersweet time of year. I love the majesty of the season. The crisp days, the beauty of the foliage delight me. Yet when I watch the trees shed those leaves, my heart feels challenged. I have never been good at...

Like most Christans, I am glad to see Halloween is over. We recognize it as a dark and troubling day on the calendar. There is no denying how popular it has become. Not only are candy sales huge but so are the morbid house decorations and graphic...

Geeseytown Lutheran Church, 462 Route 22, Hollidaysburg, will hold a clothing giveaway Saturday, Nov. 4, from 9 a.m. to Noon. Future giveaways will be held on the first Saturday of each month. Clothing for teens and adults, shoes, scarves, hats,...

When I was growing up my parents had some close friends who loved to travel. Those friends would send back delightful postcards no matter where they went, and they always ended their message with this scripture notation. It is 3 John: 13,14 — “I...

St. John’s United Church of Christ, 117 E. Julian St., Martinsburg, will distribute bag lunches to children on Trick or Treat night, today, Oct. 26, 2023, between 6 and 8 p.m. Lunches will include pasta cup, yogurt, bottle of water, cookies,...

Trinity United Methodist Church will be hosting an Angel Tree located at Roaring Spring True Value Department Store. This tradition has continued for more than 20 years. It was started by the Roaring Spring Merchant Association, which included...

The time has come to end the long series on the Gospel of John which I embarked on many months ago. For me it has been a good reminder of the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. I recently came to better understand that the gospel isn’t just the good...

To promote a safe and fun environment for our neighborhood children and families, Martinsburg Brethren in Christ Church is hosting a Trunk-or-Treat on Oct. 25, 2023. Kids can trick-or-treat from trunk to trunk around the church parking lot from...

The Bedford County Correctional Facility held its second annual “Day of Responsibility” on Oct. 13, 2023. The mission statement was “Use the PRESENT to address the PAST so you have a FUTURE.” The event was held in the chapel of the facility....

Luke 7:1-10 Jesus was entering Capernaum. Our scripture tells us that He had finished all His sayings in the hearing of the people. He had just proclaimed the Beatitudes to His disciples. He had gone on to tell them to love their enemies, give to any...

Christopher E. Ritchey, owner of Curry Supply in Martinsburg, is currently the potentate of Jaffa Shriners in Altoona and vice chairman of the board of Shriners Children’s Philadelphia. In January 2024, he will become the chairman of the board....

There was a play written about 500 years ago where the phrase was coined “bad news travels fast.” Indeed, there does seem to be an obsession with sharing news that is bad in a quick fashion. And there is no doubt that most of what we hear in the...

Common emergencies and natural disasters occur. Learn how to deliver lifesaving hands only CPR care and be prepared for a natural disaster in one night. Join the Red Cross for these two free classes on Oct. 10, 2023, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Roaring...

Tender God, life-giving Spirit, You compassionately hold the entire world in your hands. In your mercy, hear the prayers of your people: Keep guard over the sick and suffering and in a special way over those who suffer with breast cancer; grant them...

I often feel that those of us who have gone to church for most of our lives have an advantage when it comes to reading scripture. We bring to that reading hidden knowledge, a sense of what is to come, and many experiences. But what about people who...

This week I experienced something somewhat unusual. I met a family in the home of their mother who was dying. The woman’s husband, children and many others had recently been told that she was near death. They were trying to come to terms with it...

The Dunnings Creek Friends Meeting (Quakers) will present the fall 2023 event in their “Still Listening” guest speaker series on local history on Oct. 1. Harriett L. Gaston will present A Story of Bedford’s Black Residents: Their Journey from...

Luke 16: 1-13 Jesus is speaking directly to his disciples in this text from Luke, and since we too are his disciples, we know these words are important for us to hear. But this is a curious story, and I must admit that when I first read it I was not...

Roaring Spring ARCH will have a guest on Oct. 7, 2023, at 7 p.m. Be sure to invite those affiliated with prison ministry, families of addicted loved ones, or those caught in addictions with a possible history of crime. Pastor Jim Law is the Director...