Podcast appearances and mentions of angel tree

In this moving sermon, Richard Boonstra from Prison Fellowship shares stories of hope, redemption, and the radical love of Jesus for those society often overlooks. Reflecting on John 4 and his own experiences in prisons across Australia, Richard challenges us to stay weird by following Jesus into uncomfortable places, where the harvest is ripe and lives are being transformed. Tune in to hear how God is working in prisons, and how were all invited to partner in the Kingdom work of rescue, restoration, and redemption. To catch up on the latest sermons from Deep Creek, go to iTunes, Spotify ordeepcreekanglican.comand check out the website for more info about whats happening. We are a welcoming and growing multigenerational church in Doncaster East in Melbourne with refreshing faith in Jesus Christ. We think that looks like being life-giving to the believer, surprising to the world, and strengthening to the weary and doubting. Read the transcript Our Bible reading today comes from John chapter 4, verses 3442, just after Jesus has been speaking with the Samaritan woman. My food said, Jesus, is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.Don't you have a saying? It's still four months until harvest?I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields.They are ripe for harvest.Even now, the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.Thus the saying one sows and another reaps is true.I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you've reaped the benefits of their labor.Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony.He told me everything I ever did.So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with him.And he stayed two days.And because of his words, many more became believers.They said to the woman, we no longer believe just because of what you said.Now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world. This is the word of the Lord. Introduction Good morning. Thank you for having me here this morning. my name is Richard Boonstra, and I'm the, the state manager for Victoria for Prison Fellowship. apologies to those who are here at the 8 a.m. service. You're going to hear the same things again, but, it's how it goes. I didn't come to the Ministry of Prison fellowship to work. it hasn't been part of my career. My career is, teaching. So I'm a school teacher and a school principal by trade, and I spent many years teaching and leading in Christian schools. However, in 2016 2017 we moved to Melbourne and I felt the need to just get out of Christian school, out of schooling and do something different. But my my passion for Christian ministry started when I was very young, newly married in in the 1980s, and it all started when I was at a small group, and it was a small group for newly married couples, and our small group leader said, hey, I'm a volunteer with Christian Fellowship, and we've got a workshop at Canning Vale Prison in a couple of months. We need some more volunteers. Who's interested? And I felt something in me just thought, yeah, let's do that. So I put my hand up, said, yeah, I'm interested. And my friend next to me, he said, yep, we'll do it. So we had to wait for a little while until the training day comes, because you don't go into a prison without training. By the time the training day came around and I could get the training done, my friend had dropped off. So it was just me. I still went ahead and did the training and, we completed the training. The day arrived of the workshop. I got in my car, drove down to Canning Vale Prison, which is about a half an hour of where I lived. Got out of the car in the car park, looked at the walls, the razor wire and I thought, what am I doing here? I had that moment where you sometimes have where you think if someone told me that they had to cancel it, I'd be okay with that? No worries. But they didn't. They still went ahead, so I thought. Stop it. Swallow it. Come on. So I went ahead. Went through the doors. Bang! No. Two doors in a prison opened at the same time. And they didn't just bang, bang, lock. Click. That was it. I was in, I couldn't get out if I wanted to. Anyway, I went through to the room where we had the workshop, and I'm sitting here thinking, oh, what am I doing? And, the guys came in and started coming in from the different units of the prison for the seminar, and it was like a fog that just the sun came out and disappeared. All that fear and apprehension just went and I thought, huh, I think this is where I should be. This is my happy place. And I just thought I had the greatest time. I had a great day just sharing with the guys. You know, one of the best things is to talk to them and treat them as people. Not to look at the greens that they were wearing, but to think of them as people and to treat them as people. From there, I straight away signed up to join a team and we went in to, Fremantle Prison. Fremantle Prison, if you don't know it, some of you may have been to Perth, may have been for a tour of Fremantle prison because now a museum and now that it's a museum, probably gives you an idea of what it was like. It was built in 1850s and nothing had changed. There were no toilets in the cell. There was just a bucket. And the cells were made for one two people per cell. It was pretty rough and spartan. We were a team of about 6 or 7 of us. There was myself and my friend from the Reform church. There was a Catholic nun who was with us as well, two salvo guys who probably looked like they came off the ark with Noah, a charismatic Baptist lady and a couple of Anglicans. And we worked so well together. And I thought, this is also what God wants to see people from different denominations working together, sharing the gospel. And that's what we did every Saturday afternoon for about five years. We ran a little chapel service in the prison. So that's my story. And that's why I became passionate about prison fellowship and reaching people in prison. So when we moved to Melbourne, the opportunity came up to work for it. I thought, yes, that would be good. So I did that. A Broken World: The Bad News First I'm going to start off with some bad news. There's good news and bad news. I'll start off with the bad news. We live in a broken world. That's the bad news that we know. And I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you already don't know. Both in and out of prisons, people are broken, and they don't treat each other as they should. They've lost sight of what it means to be truly human. To be living in peace with God and with themselves and with each other and with creation, to find that shalom. People have lost sight of it. But there is now I'm feeling, and we feel that in prisons too, the beginnings of a yearning. Dissatisfied with what the Western cultural mindset has led them to believe or has promised them, is not happening. And so they're looking for something different, looking for a different way of living. But first, I'll just show you some statistics from our prisons. As a slice, as a snapshot of the brokenness in our world, you can see that in the prisons at the moment, there are 6551 people in prison. A little bit up from what it was about a year ago. At the end of December last year, we were below 6000, which was really exciting. And I track these numbers, so I'm keen to see the numbers go down. And that's really because of the Victorian Government, the Department of Justice and Corrections Victoria and the prisons have a much more progressive attitude towards the people in prison. I just went on a tour of Western Plains Correctional Centre, which is a new one, opened up, and constantly the staff are talking about the people in our care. People in our care. They adopt a trauma informed and trauma based approach to caring for the people in prison. They're still there. They need to be there. They know that. But while they're there, let's see if we can help them. So that's really the attitude. But they're competing with the government policy. So the numbers are going up a little bit because of the recent controversies around bail and toughening the laws, the bail laws. So it means more people go to prison instead of go out on bail. So that's where we're at 6500 people in prison. 95% are men, a small proportion of women. But for a woman in prison, it's a lot harder. There's a lot more at stake for families and for kids when mum is in prison. So it's a very different kind of situation and scenario for volunteers going there. 40% are unsentenced. Now this is really interesting because we often think, oh, they're on remand. But when you're on remand, there's so much uncertainty and so much anxiety. What's going to happen? Where am I going to go? Because the remand centre that you're in won't be where you'll stay. You'll be shifted to another prison. Will I have a job when I finish my sentence? What's happening to my family? What about my kids and all this stuff? I've sat with a guy in Melbourne Assessment Prison and just I didn't have to say anything. I just sat with him and let him talk, because he needed to get a lot of stuff off his chest, stuff that was swirling around his mind. And just to have someone listen, who empathetically listened, was important for him. 14% of people in prison are Aboriginal. It's still an imbalance when you measure that against what the percentage of the Victorian population is 1% yet 14% of the prison population. So there's a big difference there. And that's multiplied when you look at places like Northern Territory and Western Australia and Queensland; there's a higher proportion of Aboriginal people. The prison I was visiting in Perth, Fremantle Prison, at one stage we were told there were 80% Aboriginal, and so many of them were Aboriginal people who came from way up north in the more cultural tribal areas, and they were in there for driving offences, which was crazy. But because of mandatory sentencing and things like that, they straightaway went to prison and it was nuts. So it was really great to minister to them, because they were lovely people to minister to and share with, and especially when we got Aboriginal volunteers to come in with us as well. That was fantastic. 60% that's gone up now 60% of people will return to prison within two years. So that's a statistic we want to hopefully drive down. If you measure that over ten years, it goes to 80%. 80% of people will return to prison. That's how hard it is, once you've been in prison, to shake that experience off and to make a life outside of prison. I met a guy in prison in Perth who was released, and about six months later he was back again. His name was Hynes. It was a long time ago, so it won't matter. But I said, Hynes, what happened? Why are you back? He said, where else can I go? He said, here I have a bed and three meals; out there, he had nothing. And that was sad that he could the only place he could go was just commit a crime and go back in again. A statistic that's not up there, but is 25% of people in prison come from 2% of Victorian postcodes. So there's a correlation. And the prison staff and the police call them prison collection areas. That's what they colloquially call them because they get so many people there. 66% of people in prison were in care or were adopted as kids. So that's where this whole idea of being trauma informed comes in. A high proportion of people and that's the same percentage of people have a mental health issue in prison as well, whether it be ADHD or all sorts of different stuff happening in their life. So there's trauma. Now, we say that doesn't absolve them of the responsibility for their actions. They still need to suffer the consequences for their crime and for what they've done. But at the same time, we help to understand them and help helps to understand their background, to help them to rehabilitate. So in all of this brokenness, we sense a yearning. We're sensing that more so now a yearning for something different. My life isn't going well the way it is. I want something different. And in a sense, it's the yearning for that shalom a yearning to be truly human again. To find that place where I'm free of guilt and maybe free of that endless cycle of offending and re-offending, offending and re-offending. But now for the good news. The Bible tells us that God was not happy with this situation. Back in Genesis 3, he already started that plan he took God took the initiative to sort it out, to fix it. He took the initiative and promised to restore all things. To restore our relationships with him. To restore our relationship with each other, and to restore our relationship with creation. This is the Kingdom of God. He stepped into our world himself in the person of Jesus. He entered our world, and through Jesus he initiated the Kingdom of God. Jesus initiated it. And at the end of Matthew you can read where he said, I'm going back, but I want you to keep going. I want you to keep growing it. The Kingdom of God was initiated by Jesus. Jesus entered our world and demonstrated showed us what a citizen of this new kingdom looked like. He deliberately reached out to the marginalized, the downtrodden, the oppressed and the imprisoned, the forgotten or invisible people. And then, through his death and resurrection, he opened up the way to restored relationships with God, with each other, and with creation. Jesus reached out to the ones that everyone else thought were weird. He went places where people thought, that's not it's weird to go there. He came to rescue, restore and redeem and then to call us to put our faith in him, to discover freedom the freedom of being released from sin and guilt and to find our true selves as God's children. One of the key things I say to people when I go into prison, when I sit down with guys in prison, is I am just as much a sinner as you are. Just because you're in prison and I'm not doesn't make me any worse or better than you. In fact, I don't use the word prisoner, because I don't define you by where you are. You're a person someone who God created. And so I see that. I see you that way. And I want you to know that I was in darkness, and I needed to find the light, and I did, and I found hope, and I found love, and I found what it means to be truly human. And I want to share that with you. So we approach people in prison with a sense of humility not coming in as the great white savior, but coming in as a humble person who has found hope and wants to share it. And so we see a little example of Jesus modeling that kind of way of reaching people. In John 4, we read from John 4 verses 34 to 42. But just a little bit of background about it where this happened was in Samaria. Wait, what is a good Jewish rabbi doing in Samaria? That was weird. He, Jesus led the way of being weird. He showed what it meant to be to be going to weird places. He and he deliberately did that. He chose to go that way. Now he's on his way from Jerusalem to go back to Galilee the place where he based his ministry in Galilee was strategic for him, but that's another story. But he diverted, and he went through Samaria. Wow. I'm sure his disciples must have thought, what are you doing? Why are we going this way? Do you know where you are? This is Samaria. But Jesus knew what he was doing. Jesus never did anything by accident nothing was a coincidence in Jesus' ministry. So he had a plan. He had an appointment. This was no coincidence. All along he planned to meet this woman at the well. That's just before this passage that we read it's the woman at the well passage. Who was she? A Samaritan that black mark; a woman black mark for the Jewish rabbis at least. Anyway, also she was regarded as a woman of ill repute. We don't know exactly what her story was, but chances are that a lot of that wasn't her own fault that she was a victim of a very patriarchal society where she was passed from man to man through no fault of her own, just because of that patriarchal mentality. Regardless of that, we know that she was one of the people that nobody wanted she was one of the weird ones, if you like, because she could only get water at midday. No one else was allowed to be with she wasn't allowed to be with anyone else. She could only get water from the well at midday. And so what does Jesus do? I love this. He comes up to this well. She probably sees him, but she just knows she better keep her head down and get on with what she's doing. And he speaks to her. And what does he say? Can I could you get me a drink of water? Whoa! She stops and looks said, did you just speak to me? What men don't talk to her, let alone Jewish men. And she just can't deal with it what's going on here? He asked for a drink of water. In one sentence, in a beautiful way, he reached out to her, treated her like a human being treated her normally and said, can you get me a drink of water? Well, it it worked, because it arrested her attention. She got him a drink of water, and then she engages in this long conversation with him during which he, in a beautiful way, teases out her life and gets down to the nitty-gritty of what's going on in her life. You can read the story for yourself later, but there's so much stuff that he's dealing with there. But needless short story short long story short, he loved her and she couldn't escape from it. She didn't want to escape from it. And he restores her gently so much so that she drops her water bottle and runs back to tell everyone in the town where she lives what has just happened. It's like suddenly she's been made new and she's been loved and cared for, and she sees a glimpse of what it means to be truly human. Why didn't she run away from him? I told the story in the first service in Brazil, in South America, and a few other countries now too, there are these prisons called humane prisons they're run on Christian principles. They're run by Christians. These prisons have no walls or fences. The inmates look after the keys and lock up the gates at night. It's amazing it's astounding. They have regularly Christian courses like Alpha running throughout the prison all different things happening. They have families come in families can come and visit and stay for the weekend with their loved one, like a conjugal visit. And they were interviewing one guy who was there, and he had been a notorious inmate he had escaped from lots of different prisons. And they got this guy and said we'll call him John John, you've escaped from all these other prisons. This one would be easy to escape from there's no walls, no fences. Why don't you escape? And you know what he said? Nobody escapes from love. Why would I want to leave there, he says. Here, in this prison, I'm loved. I'm cared for. Someone took the time to love me. And so why he's willing wants to stay there. Above the door going into one of the main prisons is, here enters the man; the crime stays outside. And I love that thought. So she, like this man, doesn't want to escape from him. She sits down and talks to Jesus, and then he opens her eyes. And incredibly, he does something towards the end of his conversation and I think this is significant. Here is this Samaritan woman so-to-say ill repute woman and Jesus says she says, who are you? He says, I am the Messiah. He discloses to her. And I believe for me, it's one of the first times he actually honestly, clearly says I am the Messiah I am he. And who does he do that to? A woman a Samaritan woman a woman who has a bad reputation. I think that's significant. That's weird in the eyes of the world that's weird. You know, if the Messiah was coming, you'd think he'd announce it to all the important rabbis and bishops or whatever. But no he chooses this woman, because many other times people sort of work it out are you the one? he says, don't tell anyone. But here he says it openly to her. Anyway, the disciples of which they come he's gone ahead, and they come and find him. And the disciples you've got to imagine, the disciples are just young; many of them are still in their teenage years and they come up to Jesus and Jesus, can we keep going? This is not a place for a good Jewish boy to be this is Samaria. They were thinking, if our parents saw us here right now, we'd be in so much trouble. But instead, they mutter amongst themselves and they finally work up the courage to go to Jesus and said, Jesus, you need some lunch. Should we go into the town and get you some food? I'm sure many times Jesus rolls his eyes. And then he says, my food is to do the will of him who sent me. And he says this sort of sort of a almost a bit of a cryptic way: my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Food the word food in Hebrew can also mean calling in life. So is he saying my calling in life? You're worried about food and bread and stuff like that, but I'm thinking, what is your calling in life? What are you here to do? He says, I'm here to do the will of my Father who sent me sent me to finish his work. And then he goes on and says, don't you have a saying, it's still four months until harvest? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the harvest. Look at the fields it's there, ripe for the harvest. Even now, the one who who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying, one sows and another reaps is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you've reaped the benefits of their labor. What's he saying here? He's saying to his disciples, that's what we're here for we're here we're called to bring in the kingdom, to share the good news, to share hope, to rescue. Open your eyes, guys it's time for the harvest, it's right now, it's right in front of you. So he teaches his disciples, as a good rabbi would. Rabbis didn't have classrooms they wandered around the country and they looked at something and they said, see that tree over there? Let me tell you something about that, and then they drew a lesson from that. So now the disciples are saying, you want some food? Sit down I'm going to teach you about what this food thing is all about. And I'm going to teach you why we're here today. We came here for a reason I want you to see something. So he says, open your eyes I've come here because there is a harvest here; people are really keen to hear the good news, and we'll find that out in a minute. The time to get harvesting is now. But then the really cool bit of this bit I like as well is towards the end remember, it's not just up to you; it's a partnership. One sows, another reaps, another packs the harvest up, another fertilizes, another waters it's a teamwork thing. And that's very much so for the ministry that we have at Prison Fellowship it's a team thing, it's a partnership. Deep Creek Anglican is very much one of our partners we are incredibly thankful, incredibly thankful for this church, for the way that you partner with us and walk alongside us and help us to do the work the kingdom work of sharing the gospel in prisons. So thank you for the amazing work that you partner with us in doing. It's like you're going in with us even though you're not physically there, you're going with us into prison and we thank you for that. Jesus looked at this woman and saw someone who was ready to hear the gospel and to be redeemed and restored. The impact of her story and I think this is amazing if you look at verses 39 to 42, this woman has gone back and dropped her water bottle and ran into town. And that's no small thing I said to someone, and I said to the group in the earlier congregation, it's like leaving your phone at home and realizing you've got it it's that essential; it's like an important object. But she this was so important, she just forgot everything else and went and told the people in her village. Let's read the passage again. Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony.He told me everything I ever did.So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them. And he stayed two days.And because of his words, many more became believers.They said to the woman, we no longer believe just because of what you said. Now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man is really, really is the Savior of the world. What a testimony. Have a think about what that would have been like she, being the woman she was, had to go back to her village. Now, that wouldn't have been easy to tell people about what has just happened to her. They've got a they've got an attitude towards her; they judge her. So she has persisted she's pushed through all of that attitude to finally get some to hear. And so they said, okay, we'll come and have a look. And when they come there, they're just amazed they're touched by him by Jesus as well. And Jesus stays for two days, and there's a two-day-long Bible college Bible study. They sit down wow that's like the first church planted in Samaria. That's weird that's weird. Think about it you grow up thinking that Samaria is one of those people, and that's where Jesus goes. I love it, I think it's amazing. And that's exactly what Jesus models for us to do to get out there into places where people think is weird. Jesus came to rescue, restore and and redeem the rejected, the marginalized, and the invisible people prisoners. To many in society, this is weird. I've gone a little bit behind here we are. Mark 2 verse 17 is one of my favorite verses in prison ministries as well. We use this in one of our programs. Here, Jesus clearly says who he's come for. He's talking to the Pharisees. He says he didn't come to those who think they're right.I've come for those who know that they're wrong.People that know they need to be restored and they need to be healed. But look at the word the favorite word in that passage for me, and I'll share this with the guys in prison when I share this passage with them is the word call. It doesn't say I have not come to force the righteous, but sinners, or I have not come to push the righteous, but sinners, or I have not come to drag all these words he says I've come to call a gentle but honest word, I've come to call the sinners. Jesus comes to call. And I say to the guys in prison, he came to call you. And what does call mean? That means a response is needed. So you need to think what you need to do with this are you going to respond to this call when Jesus calls you? Are you going to say, yes, I'm going to come in here because he's not going to force he's not going to push you or twist your arm or anything. He comes to gently but persistently call, and he'll keep calling. And we keep having an opportunity a choice to make a decision. Can you hear that call today? Many of us here today have have heard that call and have come to Jesus, experiencing his love and being constantly restored. Are you ready to go out and bring in the harvest? Remember the three points. The harvest is right in front of us. The harvest time is now. It's a partnership. We believe with Augustine, who first said, every saint has a past. Sorry every saint has a past; every sinner has a future. I read that again. Every saint has a past. Every sinner has a future. We want to share that the call of Jesus that we first responded to, the love that conquered us. We want others to hear that call and to discover God's love, joy, hope, and his rest. We have a harvest field in our prisons it's right here. It's not overseas; it's right here in our town and our city, and it's calling for people to come to join the harvest. Caring for Prisoners: Ministry in Action I'm going to show you a little video now. It'll give you a bit of an idea of our ministry. In this cell. Your biggest enemy is time you drown in a sea of it. And you think? And think. In those first days, my mind drifted to what was happening outside. It's Wednesday. You know. I wonder what my wife is doing. What projects are the guys working on? Is anyone talking about me? Or have they all just moved on? Their remorse and regret are constant companions. Over and over again, you remember that you've stuffed your life up. Reputation, family, friends, colleagues all lost in the blink of an eye, and the guilt of the hurt you've caused is like a heavy weight that stays on your shoulders. I'll admit, there were days when I felt that all hope all reason to continue had gone. I'll never forget the first time I was visited by Greg. I remember thinking it was strange that someone I'd never met wanted to come and talk to me. Up until then, I'd gotten pretty used to people wanting to distance themselves from me. In prison, you do everything you can not to draw attention to yourself. Don't tell jokes. Don't tell your story. Don't look people in the eye. But here in these chairs I could talk, I could laugh. I could share my regrets and talk openly about my failures. And it was met with kindness and friendship. Greg told me about himself. And in doing so, he told me about Jesus. I later learned that close to a thousand volunteers men and women are visiting prisoners, running programs, playing sports, and leading Bible studies through Prison Fellowship. Prisoners like me have been profoundly impacted by this ministry. Through it, we've grown in character. We've taken responsibility. We've built self-control, and we've expressed repentance. We've come to understand grace and forgiveness. And hope is powerful it brings life and light to your soul. I found hope here, and it grew within me. I learned dependence. I learned to pray really pray. I found myself with a peace that was totally at odds with my harsh and miserable situation. The gap between prison and the real world beyond the gates can be very daunting. You're asking the big questions again: how can I stay out for good this time? Is there anyone who can help me? Will I get a job? Can I restore those relationships? To have Greg and the others from Prison Fellowship to be there to help me bridge that gap was everything. All. Inmates are just like everyone else. They need purpose. They need grace. They need healing. They need someone to offer hope. That gives you a bit of an idea of what we do as a ministry. (It) covers most of the activities that our volunteers do in prison. The prison itself is not an active prison anymore the one in the film but it's a little bit like Fremantle Prison was like, very rough; lots of sandstone walls and barbed wire and bars. It wasn't a very pleasant place. This year has been going well for us as a ministry, in that we've had lots of good opportunities to get into prisons. There's still some prisons we've struggled to get into, but we're working on that. We've been able to serve, sharing love and friendship and ultimately the good news of the gospel and God's gracious love with people in prison. We also serve families who have a parent in prison or children who have a parent in prison, and often the families serve a social sentence themselves, which is very hard for them. So our key thing is visiting in prison. We have our volunteers go in and just be a presence we call it sometimes a ministry of presence just sitting there with guys and being prepared to share the hope that they have with people in prison when that opportunity comes up. But many times it's just someone to chat to to develop a friendship with. We have The Prisoner's Journey, which is an eight-week gospel course based on Christianity Explored but written from a prison perspective. So it's very successful and very well received by the prisons and by the men themselves. We have another course called Change on the Inside, which is not Christian-based, but it's on developing positive character. We also have our annual Easter Biscuit Bake, which I'm I'm told Deep Creek is a part of as well. So thank you for sharing in that and enabling people in prison to get a bag of home-baked biscuits with a gospel card at Easter, telling them the true meaning of Easter. And the impact of a biscuit on a person's life is amazing I've given them out to people in prison, and I've looked a guy in the eye who said, are these for me? I said, yeah. He said, I can't believe people would do this for me. So it has such a deep impact you'd think, just a biscuit but it certainly has a deep impact. A little thing goes a long way. We have a children's ministry or families ministry we call it Extraordinary Lives and in Victoria we do three things. We engage in one-on-one mentoring. Children with a parent in prison are six times more likely to go to prison themselves. So if we can have a mentor for them a younger person, a young adult who could walk with them, commit to spending time with them and share with them then we hope to change that statistic. I spoke with a grandmother on the phone who said, it's really hard she's a grandma, she's looking after the kids because mum can't have them and dad's in jail (or sometimes it's both mum and dad are in jail). He can't talk to anyone at school about it. He can't talk to his teachers about it. Just me. He needs someone to talk to. And so that's where a mentor comes in and can be that person he can talk to. We also have camps. We're running one residential camp, but also we have some day camps some day-outs. Churches host families, and the kids have a day together just doing some fun things like a Lego day, or we've taken them to Bounce or to the zoo or something like that and just help them have a good time and hope. The idea is to develop relationships and ultimately to get a mentor relationship happening. And then we do the Angel Tree campaign, which I'm told Deep Creek was a part of a few years ago. But you're more than welcome to join us this year in our Angel Tree campaign. This is a program where we facilitate the giving of Christmas gifts to children who have a parent in prison on behalf of their parent. So the person in prison fills a form in, writes down the name of their child and what they like and their age. We then send it out to churches who purchase the gifts and deliver them to the families. And again, like the biscuits, it's the little thing it's not so much about the gift, but it's all about connecting keeping families connected. So we get every year messages back saying, I can't believe my dad didn't forget about me that's great! Or my mum still remembered me and got me a present for Christmas and that's significant, that's special. So Angel Tree is a really good program it's a big program; it takes a lot of work, but we look for lots of churches to support us in that. We do a little bit of work in post-release as well. As people come out of prison I'd love to develop that further we do pick up people on the day of release and walk with them a little bit just in that first day, but we'd like to expand that if we can. People coming out of jail need at least two years of mentoring, and a home. They need a job, and they need mentoring. God is very active in our prisons and wants us to join him in furthering the work that he has started. But we can't do this on our own we know that. And just like Jesus shared in that passage we read, it is a partnership. We walk together with others with individuals and with churches. Churches like Deep Creek Anglican that walk with us in this journey and help us to achieve the things we can to spread the kingdom into prisons. Partnering in the Harvest So my challenge to you is, will you partner with us in that individually as well? And there's three things that you can do for that. Pray. Prayer is foundational for us. We have a prayer meeting every Monday morning on Zoom, and I put out a weekly prayer diary. We need people to pray for the ministry on a regular basis. Someone said to me once, Richard, the kingdom of God moves at the speed of prayer. And so please sign up if you want to get a prayer diary. There's a sheet on the back table there that I've got there that you can sign up to get a prayer door if you'd like to join us. Each week we put some prayer needs in there. Support Us Financially. Perhaps you're willing to support us financially. Maybe you're willing to make that sacrifice and to give as Deep Creek Anglican do that so well support us. But maybe as an individual, you want to support us by providing financial support. We offer everything we offer to the prisoners for free. We don't get any money back from our government funding it's all based on donations. Go as a Volunteer. To go and see that harvest field, to go and be one of the harvesters, to bring in that harvest in partnership with with many people from other different churches. One of the things we're initiating as well, in Victoria and across the country, is to have restoration hubs. We often have people come out of prison who have become Christians in prison, but need to be discipled when they come out. When they come out, one of the many challenges they face besides getting into society is to find a church that will be open and receptive. So we're looking to establish a network of churches across the country who would be willing to take in and look after someone from prison. It's a challenge, and it takes a lot of extra work. There's a lot of thinking that needs to go around that how do we handle that, with all the policies and child-safe policies and everything that goes with that? But it's still a commitment for a church to commit to us and to join with us as one of our restoration hub churches to support us. Deep Creek are already an amazing supporter for us. And so in many senses of the word, there is a restoration hub here already and we are thankful to Deep Creek for that. I'll be available at the end of the service, and if you want to come and chat with me more about the ministry, please feel free to ask any questions there. Prison Fellowship is a faith-based, for-impact organization seeking to grow the Kingdom of God that Jesus initiated 2000 years ago. Thanks for having me today.

One of the blessings of CR is partnering with incredible ministries like Prison Fellowship's "Angel Tree." In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, interviews John Brennan of Prison Fellowship to help us understand the incredible blessings of partnering with Angel Tree and loving the kids of the incarcerated. Learn how to get involved in this world changing ministry!

Send us a textToday we talk missions with Melissa Heiland, founder and president of the missions organization Beautiful Feet International. Melissa has led missions teams since 2000 and offers helpful ways parents can lead and encourage their children to get involved with missions, based on her insight and years of real world experience. God's heart is still for missions. As parents we can lead the charge in cultivating a family with a missions heart. Here are some of Melissa's recommendations:Read missionary biographies aloud with your kidsStart by serving locally through a soup kitchen or pregnancy resource centerMake praying for missionaries a regular part of your family prayer timeServe and support organizations like Angel Tree and Samaritan's Purse Find books and journals written about missionaries specifically for childrenMelissa's book is also a fantastic resource on short term missions. Prepare yourself and your family with this 31-day devotional that focuses on Scriptures, stories, and prayers to ready you for God's work. Get Set: A Spiritual Preparation for Short-term Mission Partners is available on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Get-Set-Spiritual-Preparation-Short-Term/dp/0976764555 Melissa Heiland is a wife, mother of 6, and grandmother of 12. She's an author, speaker, and missionary, and holds degrees from Wake Forest University and the University of Central Missouri with specialties in education and curriculum and instruction. Melissa is the Founder and President of Beautiful Feet International, a mission organization that starts international pregnancy centers. Beautiful Feet has over 100 pregnancy ministries in over 30 nations. Melissa has led mission teams since 2000 and is the recipient of the 2014 EvanTell Matthew 4:19 award and the 2022 Heartbeat International Servant Leader award.  Her passion is teaching others to share the Gospel and to protect life.  It was a pleasure talking with Melissa on 5-Minute Parenting! Be sure to visit her website for more information about her ministry and links to her books.Visit Melissa's website: https://www.beautifulfeetinternational.com/  Love this episode? Leave a positive rating/review by scrolling down to the bottom of this page. Your reviews are so important and so appreciated! Please share this episode with a friend ❤️ For more information and helpful resources, visit our websites at: https://www.karenferg.com/ https://www.sandrakaychambers.com/ Find our books on Amazon: Karen Ferguson: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Karen-Ferguson/author/B075SHZ1WV?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Sandra Chambers: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sandra-Chambers/author/B00OHLARMO?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1740085397&sr=1-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM! @karenfergusonauthor @sandrakaychambers.com

Bryan Barrett talks with Regan Love, Community Relations & Development Director with the Salvation Army. She recaps 2024, including a successful Angel Tree and Red Kettle

So not that Xmas is over can we talk about it? Overconsumption, overspending, over shring. Christmas Hauls and Angel Tree drama alike reveal so much about our relationship to money, our perception of our future and expecations.

Yall these mothers are trifling and ungrateful over the angel tree gifts --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/malashia-davis/support

in this episode i'm talking about Tiktok Angel Tree Controversy: Ungrateful parents get called out "Buy your own gifts for YOUR KIDS!

Hello, all you beautiful people! Drones as big as an SUV, and the first priority is to ban TikTok? What a fiasco. We talk wedding planning, Angel Tree drama, and Reality TV. How do y'all feel about the ban? Is it justified, or is it stupid? Listen to find out how we feel!As always, we love you all, SO very much. Without the constant love and support weekly, we wouldn't be doing this. We ALWAYS welcome topic suggestions! Shoot us a DM! While you're at it, give us a follow, subscribe, a 5-star rating, or whatever you'd like! Until next time

Talking to a couple of area non-profits. Libera has been awarded a major grant for transitional housing for at-risk young women. The Salvation Army is also holding an Angel Tree event and the Red Kettle drive continues. 

Bryan Barrett talks to Sgt. Ruby Keith, Salvation Army Murfreesboro Corps Administrator. She recaps another successful year for Angel Tree and updates us on the Red Kettle Cam

We have a little Creepy Christmas with some creepy pasta and some dystopian Christmas things.https://www.creepypasta.com/a-fright-before-christmas/https://www.creepypasta.com/krampus/Write us some of your cringe stories at [nervouslaughterpodcast@gmail.com](mailto:nervouslaughterpodcast@gmail.com)The socials: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/nervouslaughterpodcast) | [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/NervousLaughterPodcast) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/NervouslaughPod) Write us some of your cringe stories at nervouslaughterpodcast@gmail.comThe socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

They've made a list, and they're checking it twice. Two young people in Corner Brook are doing their part to help others this holiday season. They've started something at their high school that they're calling an "angel tree." Sophie Simms and Anna Hillier are both students at Corner Brook Regional High. They described what inspired them to start this initiative.

After years of drug addiction, losing custody of her children, and cycling in and out of prison, Sheaveal hit rock bottom. One night, convinced she’d die from an overdose, she prayed to God. The next morning, she woke up knowing she had been saved. That same day, she was arrested and spent five and a half years in prison. There, through Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program, Sheaveal reconnected with her children and began rebuilding her family. Today, she works with Angel Tree to help other families heal. You can be a part of bringing joy to children this Christmas. Deliver a present, the Gospel, and a message of love for a child with a parent in prison by going to Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree.Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshow/wgnbSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

20241213 Community Couch Originally Broadcasted December 13, 2024, on ACB Media 6   This time, we talked about opportunities to volunteer during the holidays and how you may have benefited from some of those opportunities. Some examples to consider are Toys for Tots and the Angel Tree. We look forward to hearing your stories and even if you don't have a volunteer opportunity to share just come say hi!

Thursday, December 12, 2024 In the second hour, Kerby speaks with Sammy Perez about the Prison Fellowship Angel Tree. To conclude, Kerby will share today's stories from a biblical point of view. Connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/pointofviewradio and on Twitter @PointofViewRTS with your opinions or comments. Looking for just the Highlights? Follow us on […]

Christmas can be especially difficult for children with an incarcerated parent. Prison Fellowship's Angel Tree program is one way the community and the church can unite to make Christmas brighter for these children. On Thursday's show, Lazaro Lopez will join Seth and Deb to talk about the impact of the Angel Tree program and how churches and individuals can be involved in this life-changing program!Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshow/wdlmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hometown Radio 12/10/24 4:30p: Cheryl and Robert Tolan preview "Veteran Angel Tree Ride"

Christmas is the most joyous day of the year for many children, full of gifts, stories of Jesus and the presence of family members. However, for many children with an incarcerated parent, Christmas can look and feel very different. Tuesday on Mornings with Eric and Brigitte, Sheaveal Beasley, an Angel Tree representative joins us to share how God transformed her life and gave her a second chance. By providing Christmas gifts on behalf of incarcerated parents, Prison Fellowship (Angel Tree) allows local congregations to extend the hope of the Gospel to families with loved ones in prison. Angel Tree Christmas - Prison FellowshipDonate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshow/wrmbSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Angel Tree update. Take the hint gift. You're blowing your nose wrong. Taylor Swift gives generous bonuses to her tour team. Couple covers dog donations for 40th birthday. Candy canes.

Angel Tree update. Christmas shopping. B/CS Chamber of Commerce update. Airplane mode. Florida man shoots down delivery drone. Jeremy Allen White joins Star Wars film. Things that happened for the first time in 2024. How did couples meet in 2024?

Airport rules for every day. Angel Tree update. Take the hint gift. You're blowing your nose wrong. Taylor Swift gives generous bonuses to her tour team. Couple covers dog donations for 40th birthday. Candy canes. Airplane mode. Florida man shoots down delivery drone. Jeremy Allen White joins Star Wars film. Things that happened for the first time in 2024. How did couples meet in 2024?

ETP Red River Valley Today with Salvation Army's Major Jennifer & Lieutenant Paul Chisholm  - So much going on. Bell ringing, virtual bell ringing and the Angel Tree. Also progress with their efforts to feed the homeless and offer shelter. 

Bryan Barrett talks with Regan Love with the Salvation Army of Rutherford and Cannon Counties about Angel Tree and Red Kettle campaigns during this busy holiday season.  

Today, on Karl and Crew, we kicked off a new theme, "Untangled," and we dove into Hebrews 12:1-2. How can we "throw off" the tangles that come from our families of origin? Karl took us to Alaska for a fishing story, and he revealed his own parents' untangling from their families of origin. He also answered some listener questions in our "Ask Pastor Karl" segment. Finally, we talked with Betsy Wright, the senior director of Prison Fellowship's Angel Tree Every Day. This ministry promotes year-round engagement and support for Angel Tree families by offering ideas, resources, and encouragement to local churches. Check out the highlights of today's program on the Karl and Crew Podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Salvation Army in Kewanee has scheduled its Christmas campaign, starting with a media kickoff on November 15th. Eddie Toliver joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about the upcoming events for the Kewanee Salvation Army. Highlights include the Bear versus Packers event on November 16th and the Santa versus Grinch event on November 30th, from 12 to 3 PM. The campaign will feature a Christmas concert on December 15th at the First Congregational Church, with proceeds supporting local initiatives. Additionally, the Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs will participate on December 14th and December 21st, respectively. Angel Tree gift tags are up at Walmart in Kewanee, and pickups are set for December 19th and December 20th at the 360 Life Center.

Arkansas Goat Festival set for this weekend in Perryville; lawsuit filed regarding marijuana measure; 'Heed the Call' event planned for domestic violence awareness; local jobless rates decline, reversing three-month trend; Angel Tree now accepting applications; MHS volleyball starts second half of conference season; MJHS football seeking first win; MHS football goes to Alma with a perfect record; we talk Debbie Flowers and Jess Nelson about Morrilton Fall Fest, set for Oct. 12.

Bryan Barrett talks with MTE's Jay Sanders, Chair of the Salvation Army Advisory Council. He talks about the Red Kettle campaign, which you can sign up for on this link. He al

When the Church shows up to say, “I'm here with you.” __________ Register for the upcoming Breakpoint Forum at colsoncenter.org/forum. 

Today's conversation is with the local Salvation Army. Bryan Barrett talks with Division Development & Communications Manager Misty Ratcliff and new Murfreesboro Developme

Wednesday on Mornings with Eric and Brigitte, Director of Correctional Programming in Florida, Lazaro Lopez joins us to share his testimony and tell about how Prison Fellowship's programs served him while he was incarcerated and how he now serves others who are incarcerated. Because of programs like Angel Tree, Lazaro not only experienced miraculous change in his own life, but restored and maintained his relationship with his daughter, who still has a strong faith in God today. Prison Fellowship.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lauren Van Damme, a pilot for Southwest Airlines for 19 years, met The Salvation Army through the Angel Tree program in Columbia, South Carolina. She was so impressed with the Army's mission and ministry that she became a faithful member of the advisory board.   Out of all of The Salvation Army's programs, the Snack Pack program became near and dear to her heart.   The Snack Pack program supplies lunch bags with snack items for kids, high in protein and low in sugar. Attention is also given to avoiding products which may affect allergies in kids, such as peanuts.   What's equally important to this nutritious program is the number of doors of opportunity opened to The Salvation Army.   In Charleston County, police patrol cars follow the Salvation Army canteen throughout low-income neighborhoods. While police officers build positive relationships with the kids, The Army distributes the Snack Packs, knowing that it might be the only nutritious food they will have that day.   Through this program, a monthly movie night, a local swimming program, and a mobile pharmacy have been developed. To learn about Salvation Army programs near you, visit SALVATIONARMYUSA.ORG  

Christmas is here, and we are blessed once again to be able to share with you an original short story, written and read by members of CatholicTeenBooks.com. This heartwarming story reminds us how wonderful it is to be able to share our blessings with others. The story was written and read by Antony Kolenc, Leslea Wahl, Carolyn Astfalk, Corinna Turner and Marie Keiser. Sit back with a cup of coco and enjoy this heart warming story.

Dive into the world of water professionals with a seasoned thought leader, Adam Tank, co-founder of Transcend, as he guides you through the maze of marketing challenges in the water sector. In this episode, Adam brings over 15 years of industry expertise to unravel the complexities of building an online presence for water companies. Feel the tug of limited time and budget? Adam Tank understands the struggle. Join us for a candid conversation infused with humor and anecdotes as we explore Adam's water journey. Whether you're just starting your online presence or a marketing enthusiast in the water treatment industry, Adam shares practical insights on the dos and don'ts of marketing, the impact of social media, and effective budgeting and communication strategies. This episode promises more than just knowledge; it's a journey toward clarity in your marketing strategies. Adam's powerful wisdom unfolds as he declares, "Social media, used properly, is the most powerful network building and brand building tool that has ever existed in the history of the world." Don't miss the chance to gain a unique perspective and elevate your approach to marketing in the water treatment realm. Tune in for a wealth of actionable insights and discover the secrets to authentic engagement. Enhance your marketing strategies with Adam Tank's expertise, and let's navigate the waters of the industry together.   Timestamps 1:00 - Trace Blackmore emphasizes continuous learning to prevent burnout 8:00 - Call to action: Leave reviews, like, and subscribe to the podcast 12:18 - Upcoming events for water treatment professionals 23:00 - Introduction of Adam Tank and discussion on mentorship 29:55 - Importance of digital presence and advice for starting marketing 32:00 - Customer engagement and rules for creating a message 38:00 - Consequences of not investing in marketing 41:00 - Exploring different social media types and content strategies 50:00 - Advice on budgeting for marketing 52:00 - Humorous stories about dealing with online critics 58:00 - Reflection on the impact of positive feedback from fans 1:02:00 - Lightning round questions 1:07:00 - Closing thoughts and a sneak peek of James McDonald's 2024 podcast episodes   Quotes “The internet is an amazing vehicle for serendipity. Start small. Don't overthink it. Share about your day and go from there.”- Adam Tank “People want to connect with people. People want to connect with people who they like and trust.”- Adam Tank “Authenticity. Authenticity is key when using social media platforms.” - Adam Tank “Social media, used properly, is the most powerful network building and brand building tool that has ever existed in the history of the world.”- Adam Tank “Going viral isn't the goal, the goal is to find a tribe of people online.” - Adam Tank “Start with a single post. Start with a single reshare. Write a couple of sentences, put it out into the world, and see what happens.” - Adam Tank   Connect with Adam Tank Phone: 913.940.4381 Email: atank@transcendinfra.com Website: www.adamtank.com Transcendinfra.com Podcast: Water We Talking About LinkedIn: in/adamtank company/transcend-infra Read or Download Adam Tank's Press Release HERE   Links Mentioned Water We Talking About Podcast Write of Passage Online Writing Course Build Your Second Brain Evernote  Monday.com WEF video game “Water 2050”  The Rising Tide Mastermind Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses Submit a Show Idea   Episodes Mentioned Ep 181 with Jim Lauria and Adam Tank - Social Media Water Geeks Ep 279 with Jim Lauria and Adam - Water We Talking About Hosts Ep 22 with Tim Fulton Ep 230 with Walid Khoury Ep 278 with Antoine Walter Ep 280 with Tim Fulton - Retaining Top Talent   Books Mentioned To Know Water Is To Love Water (Coming Soon) by Jim Lauria The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss  1000 True Fans: Use Kevin Kelly's Simple Idea to Earn A Living Doing What You Love by Jon Longhurst  The Black Swan, Second Edition: The Impact of the Highly Improbable: With a new section: "On Robustness and Fragility" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill    Periodic Water Table With James McDonald First off, what is BCDMH? Is it considered an oxizider or nonoxidizer? In what form is BCDMH available? How is BCDMH fed to a system? What are its reaction byproducts with water? How is its concentration in the system measured? How is it controlled? Is it fed continuously or intermittently? Does pH have any impact upon BCDMH? Water temperature? What's its chemical formula?    Elevate this holiday season by giving and helping One Simple Wish (www.onesimplewish.org/site/donate)

In this series, author David Wheaton and Bill examine the importance of understanding the Word of God for a deep and authentic Biblical Christian Worldview. They conclude the series by giving an overview of what they've covered in the past year. Bill is then joined by Chris Watts who serves as Director of Academy Operations for Prison Fellowship. Chris shares their mission and discusses their current Angel Tree project to help children whose parents have been incarcerated. Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here

Always love highlighting local people doing big things in the city and we have to shine the spotlight on our friend Frankie and how he is helping 750 local families! Facebook Post: https://www.facebook.com/FrankiesFamilyKY/posts/pfbid02h1DgZHJ36qnK3jAJNaDYnbzQRd7uWZQbTyaUXunncMR1LMTZeG24667Y2SPTG56cl

On today's episode of HI Now Daily, we're hanging out with actress Amy Hill, and she's going to play a movie trivia game with us!  Plus, we'll learn about this year's Angel Tree program from the Salvation Army, and find out how you can help, even if you can't afford to donate this year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The podcast crew is back! We discuss the Angel Tree --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/batt1/message

Bev joins the Bow Tie Guy to talk about her Angel Tree party with her local Celebrate Recovery group. Listen to learn more about this wonderful ministry.

Please help us kick off our 2023 Angel Tree Christmas Campaign and  help bless a prisoner's child with a personal gift, the Gospel delivered and a personal message from their incarcerated parent.T. Martin Bennett joins Mike to talk about his new book "Wounded Tiger" a true story of the Japanese pilot who led the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.Joe Biden and the media can't​ stop themselves from delivering misinformation.Will Ron DeSantis voters transition to Donald Trump if DeSantis decides to drop out?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GDP Script/ Top Stories for Nov 21st  Publish Date:  Nov 20th   HENSSLER 15 From the Henssler Financial Studio Welcome to the Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. Today is Tuesday, November 21st, and heavenly Happy Birthday to MLB HOF Stan ‘The Man' Musial. ***3000th Hit*** I'm Bruce Jenkins and here are your top stories presented by Kia Mall of Georgia. Fire Officials Say Business Fire in Lawrenceville Was Arson Volunteers Say Gwinnett Sheriff's Office Has Put Jail Dogs Program On 'Hiatus Indefinitely' Gwinnett Schools Still Facing Discipline Disparities As Issues in Elementary Schools Rise All of this and more is coming up on the Gwinnett Daily Post podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen daily and subscribe! Break 1: MOG – Peggy Slappy   STORY 1: Fire Officials Say Business Fire in Lawrenceville Was Arson A business fire in Lawrenceville earlier this week has been confirmed as arson, according to Gwinnett fire investigators. The incident occurred at 553 Seaboard Industrial Drive NE, where multiple work vehicles owned by Ernst Concrete, a concrete company, were found burning. The fire did not extend to any structures, and firefighters brought it under control at 3:08 a.m. No injuries were reported. Fire investigators, in collaboration with local and federal law enforcement agencies, are conducting a joint investigation. Authorities encourage anyone with information to contact the Gwinnett County Fire Investigations Section or the Georgia Arson Control Hotline, with a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for arson.     STORY 2: Volunteers Say Gwinnett Sheriff's Office Has Put Jail Dogs Program On 'Hiatus Indefinitely' The Gwinnett Jail Dogs Program, which has been rehabilitating inmates through dog care for over a decade, is ending as the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office puts the program on "hiatus." The program pairs inmates with dogs for care, contributing to both the animals' rescue and inmates' rehabilitation. The Sheriff's Office decision, focusing on expanding the mental health program, leaves Jail Dogs officials seeking homes for four dogs paired with inmates. They are urgently seeking Gwinnett residents to provide foster homes for the dogs. Established in 2010, the program has rescued thousands of animals from euthanasia, providing both training and purpose to inmate handlers.   STORY 3: Gwinnett Schools Still Facing Discipline Disparities As Issues in Elementary Schools Rise A presentation on student discipline in Gwinnett County Public Schools revealed an increase in issues involving younger students, particularly in grades kindergarten through 2. Discipline is up on average during the first quarter of this school year compared to last year, with a spike in frequency and severity of behaviors in elementary school students. The update also highlighted disproportionately higher numbers of Black and Hispanic students facing "exclusionary" discipline. The district aims to address these issues through community partnerships, targeted interventions in elementary schools, restorative practices training, social and emotional learning training, family engagement strategies, social worker supports, and mental health and wrap-around supports.   We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.874.3200 for more info. We'll be right back   Break 2: Glow Light Show – TOM WAGES – DTL   STORY 4: Can you travel with medical marijuana or CBD gummies? Airlines, cruise ships have rules A Texas woman claims she was banned for life from Carnival cruises for attempting to board a ship in Miami with CBD gummies. While CBD is legal in Florida, cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Carnival, Virgin, and Disney, prohibit it on board. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) notes that marijuana and certain cannabis-infused products, including some CBD oil, remain illegal under federal law. However, products with less than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis are an exception. Travelers are advised to check local regulations at their destination, and TSA officers may involve law enforcement if they find marijuana or illegal drugs during security screening.   STORY 5: Lilburn-based Kittle Homes recognized for homebuilder excellence Kittle Homes, based in Lilburn, received two Gold OBIE Awards for townhome design at the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association's annual OBIE awards gala. The awards, presented by the Atlanta Sales and Marketing Council, recognized Kittle Homes in the Best Building Design categories for townhomes in the price ranges of $300,000 to $399,999 and $400,000 to $499,999. Madison Trace in Lawrenceville, offering low-maintenance, high-luxury townhomes, and The Preserve at Killian Hill in Lilburn, featuring luxury townhomes close to nature and urban amenities, were praised for their design excellence. Kittle Homes, a family-owned business with nearly 75 years of experience, expressed gratitude for the awards, emphasizing their commitment to exceeding homebuyers' expectations.   We'll be back in a moment   Break 3: JACKSON EMC - ESOG - INGLES 2   STORY 6: How You Can Help The Salvation Army of Gwinnett This Christmas Season The Salvation Army of Gwinnett County is hosting its annual Angel Tree program, offering an opportunity to support those in need during the Christmas season. Approximately 2,000 angels are available for adoption, providing an avenue for community members to contribute. Interested participants can adopt an angel by visiting the Angel Tree website, stopping by The Salvation Army of Gwinnett County, or emailing a request. The program aims to provide new toys, clothes, and other items to hundreds of children and seniors in the county, ensuring a joyful Christmas despite financial challenges. All gifts must be dropped off at The Salvation Army of Gwinnett by December 1. Captain Analese Ryerson expressed gratitude for the community's generosity in providing a happy Christmas to those facing difficulties.     STORY 7: 'Red, Blue and You' Celebration Draws Largest Crowd to Date The annual Red, Blue and You celebration in Gwinnett, honoring first responders, experienced its largest attendance yet with around 600 people at the Buford Arena. Organized by Raymer Sale, the event aimed to express gratitude to first responders for their service to Gwinnett County citizens. Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson and representatives from Piedmont Healthcare and the Northside Hospital Foundation spoke at the event. Lawrenceville Police Chief John Mullin recognized officers involved in a collision during a car chase. Additionally, Amy and Cliff Bray, who lost their home in a fire, were acknowledged. Various first responders from different departments were recognized for their service.       We'll have final thoughts after this.   Break 4: GCPS - Henssler 60   Signoff – Thanks again for hanging out with us on today's Gwinnett Daily Post podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties, or the Paulding County News Podcast. Read more about all our stories, and get other great content at Gwinnettdailypost.com. Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. www.wagesfuneralhome.com  www.psponline.com www.mallofgeorgiachryslerdodgejeep.com  www.esogrepair.com www.henssler.com  www.ingles-markets.com  www.downtownlawrencevillega.com  www.gcpsk12.org  www.cummingfair.net www.disneyonice.com www.downtownlawrencevillega.com #NewsPodcast #CurrentEvents #TopHeadlines #BreakingNews #PodcastDiscussion #PodcastNews #InDepthAnalysis #NewsAnalysis #PodcastTrending #WorldNews #LocalNews #GlobalNews #PodcastInsights #NewsBrief #PodcastUpdate #NewsRoundup #WeeklyNews #DailyNews #PodcastInterviews #HotTopics #PodcastOpinions #InvestigativeJournalism #BehindTheHeadlines #PodcastMedia #NewsStories #PodcastReports #JournalismMatters #PodcastPerspectives #NewsCommentary #PodcastListeners #NewsPodcastCommunity #NewsSource #PodcastCuration #WorldAffairs #PodcastUpdates #AudioNews #PodcastJournalism #EmergingStories #NewsFlash #PodcastConversations  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you hear? It is Christmastime, and in The Salvation Army, it's one of our favorite times of year. For us, smiles make the greatest gifts. From physical needs such as grocery, utility and gift assistance, to emotional experiences including holiday events and traditions, to spiritual guidance that provides healing and hope, we work to assist the whole person through gifts that serve the body, mind and soul. We know the holidays can bring added financial and emotional stress to families living in poverty. That's why The Salvation Army's mission shines brightest at Christmastime. We are out to make Christmas merry, and you can help. For one, enjoy listening in to this episode as we asked real people donating to a Salvation Army red kettle why they do it. (and p.s. there's a few other holiday treats to follow.) You might have a story of your own of why you choose to give to The Salvation Army, and if you do, you can help by sharing with your friends on social media and tagging us @caringmagazine so we can share it too.   Finally, if you're out this season and see a red kettle or an Angel Tree or some other Salvation Army presence in your community, consider giving what you can. Every single little bit helps and you can give knowing you are making Christmas merry for someone in your community. If you don't want to wait, you can give now at caringmagazine.org/give.   And know every gift stays in your community to do good all year. So listen in, and join in. It is, after all, the most wonderful time of the year. EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. BE AFFIRMED. Get the Good Words email series. WHAT'S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

This Christmas, Mission: Uplift is teaming up with Prison Fellowship's Angel Tree Christmas to bring joy to children with incarcerated parents. ❤️

Dinesh D'Souza. What's So Great About Christianity. Watch this episode on Rumble at- https://rumble.com/v2vype2-whats-so-great-dinesh-dsouza-podcast-ep607.html Or on Totalitarian Youtube at-https://youtu.be/sVLE5KyIMYM WHAT'S SO GREAT… Dinesh D'Souza Podcast Dinesh D'Souza 744K subscribers 4,743 views Jun 23, 2023 The Dinesh D'Souza Podcast In this episode, Dinesh concludes his discussion of Christian apologetics, based on his book "What's So Great About Christianity," by offering six concrete reasons to become a Christian.  In the end, Dinesh argues, it's not about the philosophical or scientific evidence, it's not even about the historical benefits that Christianity has conferred on Western civilization.  Rather, Dinesh brings it down to the simple question, how can Christianity improve my life? And he tells you how.   — Dinesh D'Souza is an author and filmmaker. A graduate of Dartmouth College, he was a senior domestic policy analyst in the Reagan administration. He also served as a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. He is the author of many bestselling books, including "Illiberal Education," "What's So Great About Christianity," "America: Imagine a World Without Her," "The Roots of Obama's Rage," "Death of a Nation," and "United States of Socialism." His documentary films "2016: Obama's America," "America," "Hillary's America," "Death of a Nation," and "Trump Card" are among the highest-grossing political documentaries of all time. He and his wife Debbie are also executive producers of the acclaimed feature film "Infidel." — Want to connect with Dinesh D'Souza online for more hard-hitting analysis of current events in America? Here's how: Get Dinesh unfiltered, uncensored and unchained on Locals: https://dinesh.locals.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dsouzadinesh Twitter: https://twitter.com/dineshdsouza Rumble: https://rumble.com/dineshdsouza Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dineshjdsouza Parler: https://parler.com/user/DineshDSouza GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/dineshdsouza Email: https://dineshdsouza.com/contact-us/ We would like to thank our advertisers for Today's podcast: My Friend Rebecca Walser from Walser Wealth Management wants to help you protect your wealth during this unprecedented market volatility. Go to https://www.friendofdinesh.com to book your complimentary call with her team. https://www.mypillow.com https://www.relieffactor.com or call 800-4-RELIEF https://www.balanceofnature.com Discount code “America) https://www.birchgold.com text “Dinesh” to 989898 Angel Tree Camp Campaign – https://www.dineshdsouza.com and click on the ANGEL TREE banner at the top of the page. Or you can PHONE-IN your gift by calling my special number (888) 206-2801 Books or guest info: https://dinesh.locals.com to join Dinesh's page and support his work! Dinesh D'Souza – “What's So Great About Christianity” https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what... For 2000Mules information OR TO WATCH go to https://2000mules.com https://www.amazon.com/000-Mules-Thou... Trump Card DVD: http://salemnowstore.com/ Our movie Infidel https://www.infidel911.com Watch Danielle D'Souza Gill Counter Culture Show -click below: https://www.theepochtimes.com/anti-am... Want to help the Jan 6 families? Here's a place to start and where we donate to: https://www.patriotfreedomproject.com Articles: Debbie's articles in El American https://elamerican.com/author/debbie-... Latest : https://elamerican.com/crossing-over-... Movies https://www.trumpcardthemovie.com https://www.infidel911.com https://salemnow.com/no-safe-spaces/ Promo code DINESH FOR NO SAFE SPACES MOVIE ON SALEMNOW.COM https://watch.salemnow.com/products/w... https://watch.salemnow.com/products/c... PROMO Code Dinesh Songs Debbie D'Souza sings America The Beautiful music video    • This Rendition of...   Trump Card Original Soundtrack available on iTunes Danielle D'Souza Gill books The Choice: The Abortion Divide in America – Danielle D'Souza Gill https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-... More of Dinesh D'Souza Books: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what... https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-... https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/amer... https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unit... https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/deat... https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-... https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rona... https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-...   About the book- What's So Great About Christianity by Dinesh D'Souza Is Christianity obsolete? Can an intelligent, educated person really believe the Bible? Or do the atheists have it right? In his new book, best-selling author Dinesh D'Souza ( What's So Great about America) investigates both Christianity and atheism and their influences on culture to show why there is, indeed, something great about Christianity. Challenging the assumptions of both believers and doubters, D'Souza demonstrates: how Christianity created the framework for modern science and is compatible with the theory of evolution; how Christianity explains consciousness and free will, which atheists have to deny; and why, against all expectations, Christianity is the fastest-growing religion in the world, while secularism and atheism are on the decline. He argues that, ultimately, you can't have Western civilization without the Christianity that gave it birth. Get your free audiobook at- https://www.amazon.com/Whats-So-Great-About-Christianity/dp/B000WS9ZKG/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?forceMsg=dp_add_success ACU Note- There was no charge to me to download the audiobook. I don't know if its because I belong to Amazon, Audible or its just free to everyone. Recommended for every Conservative Library.  

In this episode Dinesh explains the implications of an American debt default and makes the case for why the GOP should hang tough. Dinesh asks Nikki Haley to reconsider her assessment of January 6. Dinesh exposes the World Health Organization's naked power grab in the form of a Global Pandemic Treaty.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Frantz fills in for Sebastian, and talks DeSantis' impending 2024 campaign announcement and the Los Angeles Dodgers kowtowing to a fringe anti-Christian far left group with special guests Tony Bruno and Horace Cooper.Support the show: https://www.sebgorka.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special edition of AMERICA First One on One, Sebastian talks to historian Niall Ferguson about how 2023 could be the end of Act II of the saga of President Donald J. Trump if he wins a triumphant comeback victory.Support the show: https://www.sebgorka.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For this special edition of AMERICA First One on One, Sebastian talks to former DOD Chief of Staff Kash Patel about the release of the Durham report, and how it vindicates what Kash has written about in his new book "Government Gangsters," which the Deep State is currently trying to block from publicationSupport the show: https://www.sebgorka.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For this special edition of AMERICA First One on One, Sebastian talks to Just the News founder John Solomon about the 10 biggest takeaways from the John Durham report, which Just The News managed to obtain exclusively before its official release.Support the show: https://www.sebgorka.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For this episode of The Manhood Hour, Sebastian talks to Ilan Srulovicz, founder of Egard Watches, about how companies need to start representing traditional values in their advertising.Support the show: https://www.sebgorka.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every year, our sister organization Prison Fellowship offers a way to spread some Christmas cheer to the children of those incarcerated. It's called Angel Tree.