Podcasts about building fund

Between 1977 and 1983, the first phase of Singapore's Mosque Building Fund (MBF) played a pivotal role in shaping the architectural and social evolution of local mosques. The MBF exemplifies the state's pragmatic governance and approach to secularism, balancing religious autonomy with social cohesion and urban development. Mosque construction during this period emerged from a collaborative process involving the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS), the Housing Development Board (HDB), and the Mosque Building Committee (JPM), ensuring mosque designs balanced religious needs with urban planning goals. Local mosque architecture reflects regional styles and cultural influences, with distinct Southeast Asian elements. Despite these design differences, the spiritual essence remains unified within the global umma (Muslim community). Traditional elements — such as domes, minarets, and arches — were reinterpreted through modernist ideas. These shifts align religious spaces with Singapore's urban development goals, while preserving Islamic identity within a multicultural context. The MBF mosques — such as Masjid Muhajirin (1977), Masjid Assyakirin (1978), and Masjid An-Nur (1980) — illustrate how these buildings evolved into multi-functional spaces. They serve not only as places of worship, but also as community hubs that accommodate education and social activities. This evolution reflects Singapore's unique approach to balancing religious expression with secular governance to foster social cohesion.

This week, we sat down with Leeor Mushin, General Partner at Formation. Formation is an early-stage fund that partners with founders from day one. We dive into his experience starting a fund at Stanford by investing in his classmates, the journey of building a managed marketplace, and key signals that indicate it's the right time to start a fund.  Leeor also shares insights on why 'ugly ducklings' are ripe for disruption, along with his unique approach to sourcing talent and creating a competitive edge for Formation. Episode Chapters:Growing up in Texas - 1:52Moving to Stanford - 4:25Founding Digital Stairway - 8:55Joining Floodgate - 13:32Community sourcing - 19:05Starting a fund - 23:00The "Ugly Duckling" - 29:51Founder attributes - 35:45Business school or not? - 38:40Quick-fire round - 40:30As always, feel free to contact us at partnerpathpodcast@gmail.com. We would love to hear ideas for content, guests, and overall feedback.This episode is brought to you by Grata, the world's leading deal sourcing platform. Our AI-powered search, investment-grade data, and intuitive workflows give you the edge needed to find and win deals in your industry. Visit grata.com to schedule a demo today.Fresh out of Y Combinator's Summer batch, Overlap is an AI-driven app that uses LLMs to curate the best moments from podcast episodes. Imagine having a smart assistant who reads through every podcast transcript, finds the best parts or parts most relevant to your search, and strings them together to form a new curated stream of content - that is what Overlap does. Podcasts are an exponentially growing source of unique information. Make use of it! Check out Overlap 2.0 on the App Store today.

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: The not-so-conservative Texas Association of Business, TAB, which holds great lobbyist sway in the legislature, issued a report claiming Texas' fight against the Leftist E.S.G. movement is costing local Texas taxpayers big money. Well even if it is, it is still worth the fight but not to TAB whose members are very large corporations which often support Leftwing social movements. But worse for TAB's questionable reputation, is that the group has not amended it's report even after learning it was based on incorrect data. Read all about it here: Estimated $700 Million Cost of Texas Anti-ESG Laws Based on Faulty Data, New Report Asserts. Also see: Texas Anti-ESG Laws are Working as Intended.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Gov. Abbott and Lt. Gov. Patrick want more money for the new low interest loan program for building new dispatchable electric power generation. ERCOT growth projections have leaders properly spooked.More Supreme Court moves involving Texas and Texans: US Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Texas Age Verification for Online Porn US Supreme Court Rejects Teen Sex Abuse Victim's Bid to Revive Snapchat Lawsuit – Justice Thomas is quite right about the abuse of Section 230. And this great ruling: Judge Sides With 16 States, Putting on Pause Biden's Delay of Consideration of LNG Export ProjectsTexas sales tax collection is flat, with growth maybe lower than inflation.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

MAC Executive Director David Lewis talks with Sherri Lipscomb of Center Stage Biloxi about her work in theatre and film. Center Stage Biloxi recently completed a renovation that was funded in part by the Mississippi Arts Commission's Building Fund for the Arts grant. David and Sherri discuss what that process was like from start to finish and how Sherri came to the arts. If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On 31st March, we would like to invite you all to join with us in thanksgiving and appreciation for our pastor and friend, Rev. David McLaughlin, who has been in the ministry for 25 years. A special service will take place on Easter Sunday evening, as we look back over 25 years of faithful preaching, pastorship and perseverance. Everyone is welcome. A special offering for the Building Fund will be taken up during the service. A time of fellowship and food will take place after the service in the Luther Hall.

Matthew 25:1-13[Jesus said,] “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five of them were wise. The foolish took no oil with their lamps, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom. Come out to meet him.'“So the bridesmaids got up and began to trim their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' The wise replied, ‘No. There will not be enough for you and for us. You had better go to the dealers and buy some more for yourselves.' And while they were out, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went with him into the banquet and the door was shut. Later, the others returned and, knocking on the door, cried, ‘Lord! Lord! Open to us!' But the bridegroom replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, I do not know you.'“Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” The fun and faithful thing to do with any good parable is to imagine where we fit into the narrative of it all. In the one about the Prodigal Son, we're supposed to wonder if we are the son who ran off with all of the father's money, or the older sibling who stayed at home, followed the rules, and pouted about the father's generosity. In another parable we're supposed to wonder if we are the one sheep who got lost and separated from the fold, or if we're part of the 99 who huddled safely with the rest of the flock. Are we the hardest working laborer in the vineyard or are we the ones who show up long after lunch and still get paid a full day's wage? Are we the priest, the Levite, or the Good Samaritan in that story about the guy who gets beaten, abused and abandoned by robbers on the road to Jericho? You get the idea.And this morning is no different, though it does seem a bit harder to distinguish where we should look to find ourselves here – or who's who at all in this strange story. The more traditional and obvious interpretations of the parable of the ten bridesmaids invite us to wonder about whether we'd find ourselves in league with the wise or the foolish. Are we wise, faithful and prepared, with enough oil to keep our lamps lit and be on time for the wedding banquet? Or are we foolish procrastinators, running out of oil and running to the store for more oil, just in time to miss the party?Isn't that what it seems to be about at first glance? Like someone is suggesting we keep awake, be prepared, keep our lamps trimmed and burning; that we keep the faith, practice our piety, do all the right things; so that when the bridegroom comes – who is clearly Jesus in this scenario – we'll be welcomed into the party.But this traditional interpretation requires us to wonder if Jesus is a jerk – like the bridegroom seems to be in this story; like he's some sort of bouncer at the bar, checking IDs and deciding who gets in and who is kept out of the pearly gates of paradise, rather than the loving, generous, merciful, forgiving, gracious host I've been told my whole life to expect to greet me when the time comes. It's a nightmare to suggest Jesus would leave us locked outside the Kingdom's door, saying “very truly” that he doesn't even know who we are.Because, think about it, Jesus promised, earlier in this same Gospel, “Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” So that can't be the guy standing at the door this morning at the wedding; the guy who lets the first five, wise ones in, and pretends he doesn't even know the other late, foolish bridesmaids who ran out of oil. Are you with me?This can't be the same Jesus who, just two chapters earlier in this same Gospel, warned the scribes and Pharisees, “…woe to you … hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them.” Why would Jesus chastise gatekeepers and door-lockers in one breath and then invite us to imagine him to be one of them in the next? I don't think he would. And I don't think that's what he's doing this morning.In a blog I read this week, a pastor named Michael Krey confirmed something I've preached before about this parable – that it's fair and faithful to see the bridegroom at the door in this parable, not as Jesus at all, but as Peter – as Cephas – the rock on whom the Church is built. And he made it seem more obvious and concrete than I have ever thought before.Remember that story about Peter? In this same Gospel, Matthew, Chapter 16, after Peter declares, with great faith, that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, Jesus says that he's right, and that, because of his faith, his name going forward would be Cephas, which means “Rock,” and upon that rock, he would build God's Church; that he would give him the proverbial keys to the front door… I mean the keys to the wedding banquet… I mean the keys to the Kingdom… along with the power to bind and loose sins, and ostensibly, then, to choose who's in and who's out; who's wise and who's foolish; who wins and who loses; and so on and so on.And if all of that's true… if Peter is the one working the door and if Peter represents the Church… and if we are the Church – you and I… THAT'S where we find ourselves in this parable in the end. And THAT leaves us to wonder some pretty big stuff – not about how wise and foolish we are, like so many bridesmaids. But, we're left to wonder, instead, how we manage the blessings of the Kingdom we're called to share.Who are we keeping out and who are we welcoming in? Are we a place that plays host only to the wise and the well-healed; those who have all the oil, if you will; all the resources; those who refuse to share with those the world would call foolish? Are we throwing a party for the wise bridesmaids who don't have time or space or grace or mercy for the less fortunate; the less privileged; the late… or less desirable… or lazy… or whatever else the world encourages us to call those we don't deem to be worthy of God's fullness?If you prayed over the course of this weekend's 36 Hour Prayer Vigil, or if you paid attention to the materials we shared regarding this morning's Commitment Sunday, or if you've just been around here for a while, I hope you have received the message that we are trying to share our oil and the light of our proverbial lamps with the world around us in as many ways as we can manage.Remember, we've transformed our Building Fund into a Building and Outreach Fund, since we paid off our mortgage over a year ago. And that means we have plans to be prepared and ready, like so many wise bridesmaids, by saving some of our money for future expansion, and by saving for maintenance and repair needs, as they come. It also means we're committed to giving 50% of those offerings away, outside of ourselves, to the tune of about $80,000 this year alone.For me, that's our way of saying, this isn't all or only about “us,” by any stretch; that we're always working to make room for more. That we're always being called to give outside of ourselves. And that we're forever being challenged to open our doors and our hands and our hearts to whoever comes knocking, looking for the banquet of grace we enjoy in this place, on behalf of the world.Which brings me back to Peter, and the challenging invitation it is to see ourselves, in him, as God's church in the world, manning the door to the Kingdom among us. See, the other evidence and justification we have for imagining that bridegroom to be Peter, is the last, awful thing he says to the bridesmaids he keeps locked outside of the wedding banquet. Do you remember what he said? “Very truly I tell you, I do not know you.”Peter did that one other time, remember. Or three other times, actually, when he denied Jesus just before the crucifixion. “I don't know the man,” he declared when he was accused of being one of Jesus' disciples. The denial of the bridesmaids in the parable this morning is a foreshadowing of Peter's denial of Jesus, himself. And it's a warning for us, just that same, that that is not who or how we're called to be as God's Church in the world.So may this parable be an invitation, not just to be wise instead of foolish and prepared at every turn; not just to store up and share our oil in faithful, responsible ways; not just to wait patiently and with hope for the coming of God's Kingdom and, indeed, to recognize it in our midst.But may this parable be another invitation to look for Jesus, himself … in the outcast among us … knocking at the door when we least expect it. And may it be encouragement to do our best to be prepared, with resources and with grace, with hospitality and with hope, to welcome him in to the feast that is his in the first place … and that is ours to share … always, for the sake of the world … until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream for all of God's children, just as it has been promised to you and to me.Amen

David Lewis talks with the George Bassi. George is the Director of the Lauren Rogers Museum in Laurel, Mississippi. In the conversation, they talk about the unique and moving history of how the museum came to be, the impact that the Building Fund for the Arts has had on the Museum, and the current 100th anniversary celebration of the Museum's collection. If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, hear from Wilson Acton about the first exciting year of building Tall Grass Ventures, a fund he co-created in 2022 to fill the pre-series funding gap while helping founders address their specific challenges in building better businesses. Wilson shares how Tall Grass went from just starting in April 2022 to operating a $20M fund with significant demand, despite softening markets. Wilson also highlights how AgTech can play in future industries, from aviation to cattle production and the importance of having primary producers at the table to help drive the next revolution.Agriculture drives nearly 7% of Canada's GDP, yet the industry can be complex and opaque to outsiders. Hear from Wilson Acton and the Tall Grass Ventures team about how they are helping investors gain exposure to the industry without needing to purchase Saskatchewan farmland.Wilson discusses how Tall Grass Ventures is actively building solutions ripe for adoption and how innovation and technology have long been fundamental to agriculture. Whether you're interested in the nuances of AgTech, the intricacies of launching a fund, or the impact of agriculture on our daily lives, this episode is a must-listen. Wilson's approachable and knowledgeable tone will leave you feeling informed and inspired about the intersection of technology and agriculture.

Episode 95 - Jan. 23, 2023 - A Live Popcorn Gallery Show  - The Building Fund - ImWaltttt - 15 x DJ Intence - 0 x  Ceddy55 - 61 x ETC - 2 - @im_Waltttt x @Ceddy55 x @DJIntence Family Dynamics   - Pablo Escobar & Pablo's Escobar's Hippo  - Tucker Carson War on M&M's - Cow & Chicken Banned Episode ( Carpet Munchers Episode Link ) - Songs Of The Episode - Yasin Dolo x MixedByKamillion “Bros Gone”  - Beyonce Dubai Hotel Performance vs. LGBTQ+  - TCMA vs Aretha Franklin “You Make Me Feel”  - Elon Musk Wealth x Twitter  - Humphrey Yang Visualizing Wealth with Rice ( Rice To Wealth Pt. 1 ) x Elon Musk Wealth ( Rice To Wealth Pt. 2 )  - J. Cole Rapping over J. Cole Type Beat  - Songs Of The Episode - @Bvtman x @JCole “Pracrastination (Broke)”   - ASAP Yams x ASAP Mob x Fckin Problems Live Performance  - Zadeh Kicks LLC Sneaker Scam  - Songs Of The Episode - Jim Jones x Hitmaka ft; Beam “Gunshot”  - Unpopular Opinion by @Im_Waltttt  - GunViolenceArchive January 2023 Reports  - George Santos  - Attack on DragTime Storytimes  - Sex Trafficking Sting in Fresco, Texas  - Maegan Hall Update  - Songs Of The Episode - Indoe “Deep”  - Wise Guy's Corner - What would you do if you found a Sexual Tape with your Parents (&/or Mom & Dad) & Their Significant Others Family Member?  - Songs Of The Episode - Swave HMG "Can't Call It" 

Luke 21:5-19When some of them were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said to them, “As for these things that you see, the time will come when not one stone will be left upon another. All will be thrown down.” They said to him, “Teacher, when will this be? What will be the sign that this is about to take place?” Jesus answered them, “Beware that you are not led astray. Many will come, in my name, and say, ‘I am he,' and ‘The time is near,' do not go after them.”“When you hear about wars and insurrections, do not be terrified. These things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately. There will be great earthquakes and, in various places, famines and plagues. There will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.”“But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you. You will be handed over to synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors, because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify, so make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance, for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed by parents and brothers, friends and relatives, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair on your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.” This reading usually shows up in the most untimely way for us around here. I mean, it always shows up in November, on or around the Sunday when we are supposed to be praying about and planning for our financial commitments to the Building Fund – which we will do next week, if you haven't read or heard about that, yet.So what I mean is, around this time of year, during this season of our life together, we very often get this bit from Luke's Gospel where Jesus warns the disciples about making too much of their temple. As I'm typically hard at work stewing about prayer vigils, capital campaign packets, mortgage payments, and financial commitments, Jesus says, “As for these things that you see, this stuff that you've built – these beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God – the day is coming when not one stone will be left upon another. All will be thrown down.”And that's usually a hard pill to swallow. Like, Jesus is laughing at, if not straight up, flat out, judging our efforts to build what we've built here over the years. I mean, there's nothing like trying to build a thing, investing in everything it takes to build a thing, and have someone remind you that it won't last for long; maybe that you're wasting your time; that it's all going to amount to nothing but rubble in the grand scheme of things anyway. Jesus is like a guy who shows up to the beach to find that a little kid has just built his most prized, perfect, glorious sand castle and, instead of marveling at the hard work and majesty of it all, points out that high tide will be rolling in any minute. But this year, for the first time, things are different. I can't disagree with Jesus, of course. Maybe, in some very worldly ways … or from a cosmic kind of perspective … all of this BUILDING is for naught. It won't last FOREVER, in a physical sense. It will, indeed, crumble to dust, in the end. I get that.But this year – as we think about praying and planning for our “Building and Outreach Fund” commitments – we get to do that with even more than just our own bricks and mortar on the brain. We get to do that with even more than just mortgage payments and interest rates and financial debt reduction in mind, than we're used to. We get to think differently about all of this because, for the first time ever, we don't have a mortgage to pay and because we plan to give 50% of these funds away to mission and ministry outside of our walls; 50% beyond our own bricks and mortar; 50% over and above these stones that will, indeed, someday, all be thrown down, as Jesus promises.But what's so exciting and full of hope about things this time around – again, for the first time ever – is that we can't possibly measure who or how our generosity will change the hearts and lives of others, by the grace we'll share in the days ahead.And at the 24 Hour Prayer Vigil next weekend, we're going to have a chance to share, very plainly and prayerfully what we hope we'll be able to do in this regard. (Please, please, please sign up to be part of that, if you haven't already.) We're going to be able to make prayerful suggestions about the tangible, real-world ways, we hope we'll use our financial resources to do God's work in some really new, very meaningful, truly faithful ways.First, we'll get to be practical with our prayers. We'll share the scoop about what we would, could should be saving money for in our rainy day, repair and emergency bucket – stuff like HVAC repairs, parking lot resurfacing, roof replacements, exterior painting, and boring, but necessary, responsible stuff like that.Second, we'll be selfish and have some fun as we pray, too, by dreaming about what we might add to or renovate around here – like sanctuary expansion, an outdoor pavilion, better video projection and online technology. Someone I know wants a cement pad for a basketball/pickle ball court of some kind, for instance. Of course, when I say “selfish” I don't really mean “selfish,” if what we build for ourselves allows us to share grace and good news with more people, in different ways. There's nothing selfish about that.And third, we'll get to offer up ideas, too, about the 50% of it all we plan to give away. Over the years we've suggested everything from supporting mission churches and missionaries, to helping people reduce medical debt, to giving more regularly to some of our Mission Sunday organizations, like the Talitha Koum Women's Recovery House. Someone even has the notion to help fund a Baby Box, somewhere in our community where infants – who would otherwise be abandoned – could be left, safely, to be rescued instead. The possibilities – large and small – really are endless and inspiring.And all of this is nothing more or less than the testimony Jesus asks of us in today's Gospel. With our ministry, whether it's what we preach, teach, or support with our money we tell the world who we are. We tell the world who God is. And we show the world what we're up to together. With our ministry, whether it's what we preach, teach or support with our money we welcome the sinner, we tend to the sick, we love those who others refuse to see. It means we tend to sex workers on the east side. It means we fight racism in our midst. It means we support our LGBTQIA brothers, sisters and siblings. It means we build houses in Haiti and churches in Noblesville. It means we are generous and faithful and gracious to a fault – as if that were possible in the Kingdom of God.We may not be called before kings and governors, in our little corner of the Kingdom. It may not get us killed, these days, in our neck of the woods. But it may mean – as Jesus promises and warns – that some won't like, or may even hate, what we're up to. There are people out there who think we're too generous, too bold, too outspoken about the gospel and grace and good news we share, after all. And I kind of like that. I believe it's how we endure – and help others endure, too – the hardships of life in this world. And it's how we find our souls, in the midst of it all, too.Because, whatever we do and wherever we give and however God leads us, we're just trying to do what God's been calling believers to do ever since that day Jesus was milling around in the temple with those very first disciples – reminding them about what really matters on this side of heaven:Which is to use all of this as our opportunity to testify to what we know of God's call and God's kingdom among us: to work for justice; to stand for peace; to repent, ourselves, and to forgive others, too; and to use every blessing at our disposal to bless the world around us with the same grace that we have first received. That's the Kingdom of God alive and well in this place, for the sake of the world. And it's what will matter – to us and for others – and it's what will last, long after all of this and all of us are turned to dust.Amen

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John 13:31-35When [Judas] had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and will glorify him at once.“Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me and, as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you, ‘where I am going you cannot come.' I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” If you've been around and paying attention, you know we've been talking about what it would/could/should/might look like to live on the other side of Easter whenever we fully embrace and engage the good of news that brings us here, still, so many days after the Big Day of Easter's resurrection celebration. Again, this is the cornerstone of our faith, the joy of which is meant to linger … to last … to perpetually motivate and inspire and move us to live differently because God has done a new thing with Easter's resurrection to new life.Last week, we shared the good news about having paid off our mortgage and about what that will mean for our capacity to give differently to ministries outside of ourselves, through what we're now calling our “Building and Outreach Fund.” For those of you who weren't here, the short of the long is that, because we no longer have a mortgage to pay, we'll be able to transform those offerings into mission and outreach efforts to do God's work out there in the world.Well, because next week is our annual congregational meeting and because we'll be making our financial commitments to the General Fund along with our offerings of Time and Talent, I want to talk about the other side of the same coin when it comes to our financial stewardship around here – the money we give and use for our operational budget at Cross of Grace.Don't start snoring yet. And, like I said the first week of this sermon series, if you're a guest, or new around here, please don't tune out or log off or leave, just yet, either. I realize this may feel very personal and contextual and unique to our particular ministry at Cross of Grace – like I'm “talking shop” in a way that may not concern you, just yet, if ever. But I believe that if what we're up to in this little corner of God's Kingdom is faithful in any way, it would/could/should – it might just – speak to all of us about what God is up to in the world around us.And I want to start by counting our blessings with a sincere sense of gratitude:I'm grateful for the other side of Easter – and how that feels like we're also on the other side of the pandemic. I know it still lingers. I know we just reached a milestone of deaths – just in our own country. I know there are still threats of variants and surges and all that that could entail. But I remain grateful for the spirit of patience, understanding, flexibility, willingness to try new things and mostly the love for one another Jesus was talking about in this morning's Gospel reading that it took to endure the last couple of years around here – all the masks, and social distancing, online worship, and missed ministry opportunities, I mean.I'm grateful for the Holy Conversations Gayle Beebe and our Council facilitated, giving us the opportunity to share our dreams and desires with one another in honest, open, faithful ways about all of that.I'm grateful for all we learned along the way, too, about how to do church and worship differently – that we offer online worship, not just on Sunday morning, but for weddings and funerals, too – and I'm grateful that Stephen Jordan helps make that happen so faithfully.I'm grateful for our midweek “Lenten Lament” worship series that surprised me, honestly, with how deeply meaningful it was for so many of us.I'm grateful for those “Age-to-Age” interviews between our Grace Quest kids and some of you older Partners in Mission. Those conversations were fun and beautiful and you can still find them on our YouTube page if you haven't seen them yet.I'm grateful for the four young women who affirmed their faith here last Sunday – Lilly, Faith, Saydie, and Ginny.I'm grateful for the eight young people who celebrated their First Communion on Maundy Thursday – Marloe, Nathan, Brogan, Auggie, Jericho, Mathew, Penelope and Elaine.I'm grateful for the high school seniors, getting ready to graduate, who've found a home here – several who've been around long enough, now, to have celebrated their baptism, their First Communion, and their Confirmation here, too – Cassie, Abby, Caleb, Maggie, Jackson, Eli, Katie, Ben, Alaina, Grace, Miles, Alyse.I'm grateful for the 14 Stephen Ministers we commissioned a couple weeks ago and for those who are prayerfully agreeing to engage that ministry with them in the days ahead.I'm grateful for all the outside groups who call this place home from one week to the next – the softball and baseball teams, the Boy Scout troops, the AA meetings, 4-H groups, the hundreds of voters who were here a couple weeks ago, and more.I'm grateful for the families who receive food from our pantry month after month – and for the opportunity we give to people in our community to help stock it and serve in that way.I'm grateful to be part of a denomination that empowers and ordains women and that, as a congregation, we understand the importance of having women preach, teach and lead however and whenever we get the chance.I'm grateful for a Church Council and a Congregation that compensates their Pastor and staff well and generously, honoring the Biblical notion that “the laborer deserves to be paid.”I'm grateful to be a Pastor, from a congregation like ours, who gets called to lead discussions on race and diversity and justice and hospitality with leaders and administrators in our schools.I'm grateful for the conversations I've had with people in our neck of the woods lately, surprising them with the good news that they can be LGBTQ – or any other letter of the alphabet or any color of that rainbow – and be loved and welcomed and celebrated by a Pastor and by people in a church like ours.All of that is to say that all of this is the kind of ministry our General Fund allows us to accomplish at Cross of Grace. Some of what we do can be found in other ways and places out there in the world. But a lot of what we do – and some of the most important stuff we do – and the spirit of grace upon grace upon grace with which we do it – is utterly unique in Hancock County – the wide, welcome I mean; the women in ministry, I mean; the open communion table, I mean.And all of it is faithful to what we hear over and over and over again, in Scripture. Peter is talking about “grace upon grace” when he's convincing the others, in that Acts 11 reading we just heard – that there is no distinction between Jews and Gentiles – or any of God's children for that matter. We try really hard to be like Peter, by asking “who are we to hinder the kind of love and grace God is trying to let loose in the world?”And Jesus is saying the same when he tells the disciples to love one another the way God has already loved them – without limits, without strings, without condition, in spite of their sins, in the face of whatever is to come, for the sake of the whole wide world.See, I know that talking about our commitments to the General Fund isn't as sexy or as fun, on its face, as talking about the Building Fund – or even the Building and Outreach Fund, with all of the percentages we'll give away “here” or the dollar amounts we'll be able to share “there.” I don't have charts and graphs to share this week, like I did last Sunday.And I'm afraid that when there aren't bricks and mortar to see and feel, or when we can't attach a dollar amount to the ministry of love shared at a funeral service or to the wide-welcome extended by way of a phone call or counseling session in my office, or to the public witness of being open and affirming and welcoming to all of God's people, that we forget or just don't know about the kind of grace that gets shared around here week in and week out. You can't capture all of that with a pie chart or with an income and expense report.So please consider all of that in the days ahead – and as you pray about what your General Fund commitment will be next Sunday. And please pray, too, about if and where and how you're going to fill out that Time and Talent sheet for the coming year. Cleaning the building isn't sexy, either. But if it makes one guest feel welcome and safe enough to come back – it matters. Working in the nursery is a sacrifice, I get it. But if it takes care of a child and makes room for a parent to worship in peace and quiet for a change – it is a gift of grace. Mowing the lawn… counting the offering… teaching Grace Quest… serving in any way is a chance to have a stake in what we're up to around here.It's all about not hindering what God is up to… It's all about loving one another the way God has already loved you… It's about loving our neighbors the way we have been so loved, ourselves… And it's about sharing grace upon grace upon grace, in the name of Jesus, crucified and risen for you, for me, for the sake of the world that God so loves.Amen

John 10:22-30At that time the Festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking through the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and asked him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I have told you and you do not believe. The works that I do in my father's name testify to me; but you do not believe me because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they will not perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my father has given me is above all else and no one can snatch it out of the father's hand. The Father and I are one.” Maybe you remember … maybe you haven't heard, yet … there's a good chance you don't care all that much … but I said last week I wanted these handful of Sundays on “the other side of Easter” to be as practical as they are holy in terms of letting everyone know what we're up to around here as far as the big picture of our ministry goes at Cross of Grace.Our Council President, Gayle Beebe, has been keeping you in the loop once a month after each council meeting, we'll have our “Q and A Sessions” today and next week, to talk more about some of the details before our Annual Meeting on the 22nd, and hopefully you've read about some of it all in the newsletter, too.But we've learned over the years that you can't say the important things too often around here – everyone is never paying attention all at the same time – and that the most convenient time… to get most peoples'… most undivided attention, is during the 15 minutes or so of sermon time during Sunday morning worship so … I hope you're listening … I hope you're paying attention … I hope you hear me when I say … we have paid off the mortgage on our building and are effectively debt-free as of this past Wednesday.Now, we've warned you that this was coming. We've hinted that it was getting close. We've been working very deliberately toward this goal for the last few years and it feels amazing to have made it happen. But what now? What's next? Where do we go from here?Before we go there, I'd like to connect all of this to today's Gospel. I didn't go fishing for my own Gospel reading today, because it seems meaningful to me that the assigned reading has us meet up with Jesus, in the temple, during the festival of its dedication – that holiday when faithful Jews gathered at the temple in Jerusalem to celebrate its rebuilding, to celebrate their national identity, and to commit to their own re-dedication to God as children of God. There's a lot for us to wonder about and learn from here.First of all, we know that the whole idea of a permanent temple in a place they could call home – like Jerusalem was and is for Jewish people – was a powerful sign of God's presence and God's provision for the people of Jesus' day. Before this, back in the days of their Exodus and wilderness wandering, God's temple was mobile, remember, on the move with the Israelites wherever they went as they made their way (living, moving, breathing, fighting, dying, surviving) on their way to the Promised Land.So, for so many generations, God's presence was evident to God's people by way of God's mobility – and willingness to walk with, accompany, travel alongside and set up camp in the form of a tabernacle with the people through the wilderness wherever they landed. So when Jesus shows up, strolling through that permanent, planted, stationary synagogue of synagogues, the symbolism is powerful and packed with meaning for me.Yes, the temple is home base and a beautiful place to gather, to celebrate, to worship, to recall the mighty acts and kept promises of God. And, as Jesus reminds his disciples, “the Father and I are one.” “God and I are one and the same. And here I am, walking and talking and living and moving and marveling at these here columns in Solomon's Portico.” And it seems to me, Jesus is letting them know that things have changed, something is different now, things are different with Jesus in the mix – God was on the move again.On the other side of Easter, as we gather to celebrate and give thanks for all that this place means for us – and that it is paid for! – I want us to remember and give thanks for and celebrate most that God is on the move, again; God is on the move, still, really; and that we're being invited to keep up and to keep moving, too.And thanks to some prayerful, faithful planning on the part of our Council and Stewardship Team, this is how we're proposing we'll do that.What has always and only been known as our “Building Fund” – what we've always and only used for the sake of building buildings and paying off mortgages – is being transformed into a “Building and Outreach Fund” going forward. We will still make separate commitments/pledges to this fund in the fall of each year. It will still help us plan for building expansion and facility improvement projects, BUT going forward, 50% of it all will be used for mission and outreach efforts beyond our own walls. Until now, because we have been so aggressive about paying down our mortgage, only 10% of Building Fund offerings were leaving our coffers. (10% isn't nothing and has made a huge difference for our friends in Haiti and for Roots of Life up in Noblesville. But 50% will do even more.)Here's what it will look like: 50% of our Building and Outreach Fund will still do work for us, right here at Cross of Grace.25% will help us save and prepare for our next building expansion project – whether that's the pavilion we're hoping to get a grant for or the addition of square feet to our sanctuary by moving this western wall ‘that way' a few hundred feet.The other 25% will be an emergency fund – or repair and improvement fund – for projects that come up along the way with any facility, over time. Think new roof, black-topping the parking lot, painting the exterior, replacing HVAC units, stuff like that.And, again, 50% of it all will be on the move, doing God's work out there in the world, which is what we're here for in the first place. And you can see, we're keeping Zanmi Fondwa and Roots of Life in the mix, but bumping our commitment to them from 5% to 10% each. We're also going to put 5% of these Building and Outreach offerings into our own Mission Endowment Fund, to help grow that principal, steadily over time, and to keep that long-term investment and opportunity in front of us, too. And we will still have another 25% of these Building and Outreach offerings to give away each year. We will accept applications, we'll propose grants, and we'll invite ideas and interest from the community and have a team of Cross of Gracers make those decisions each year as the money is available.So, if Dawn Becker's math is correct (and Dawn Becker's math is always correct), this is what we could accomplish for ourselves and for the kingdom, in just the next year, with Building and Outreach Fund commitments like those we made and continue to honor just this year. The short of the long is – even if we don't grow (which we will) and even if we don't stretch (which we always have) and even if we just keep doing what we've been doing – we'll be able to take care of plenty of things around here AND be able to give away something like $77,000 as a way of sharing grace with the world around us.Someone suggested not long ago – with equal measures of cynicism and concern, I believe – that once we paid off the mortgage, people weren't going to feel the need to give as generously as they always have in the past. I hope this kind of news changes that, if it were ever going to be true for any of us.See, we've called this year of our Building Fund giving “Grace On Fire,” with exactly this kind of thing in mind … the idea that our generosity and giving would continue to grow and expand and do God's work right here among us and in ever-increasing and always faithful ways out there in the world. On the other side of Easter, God is calling us to be on the move with Jesus … and we are … and I hope you'll join us … and God only knows where we're headed next.Amen

Vayakhel 2 - The Building Fund by Learn the Torah an Aliya a day

Luke 5:1-11Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, son of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.I usually read this story – or the other versions of it we find in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, the ones about “fishing for people” – as being about evangelism, outreach, and growing the church. I like that image of Jesus sitting in a boat on the Sea of Galilee and teaching the crowds. I'm inspired by the “nets full of fish” and the promise from Jesus that “from now on, you'll be catching people.” The whole image of fishing as one for bringing others into the Church is well-known to most of us.And the state of the Church these days – in these pandemic days, I mean – make this Gospel story as timely as ever, it would seem. Consider some statistics about the last couple of years for a minute:Only 52% of church-goers want primarily in-person services again (Barna)71% of Boomers want primarily in-person services (Barna)But less than 50% of Gen X (47%), Millennials (42%) and Gen Z (41%) want in-person servicesIn 2021, only 29% of Americans reported attending church in the last seven days, when asked – which was down from 48% in 2009. (Barna) I've seen reports that churches are back to anywhere from 36% - 80% of what they were on average, before the pandemic started. Any way you slice it, that's a pretty sharp decline.So what in the world are we doing here? And how can we do it better? How can we make it more meaningful than it's been in the past? Because the truth is, the decline in Church attendance and participation was happening long before any of us ever heard of COVID-19. The pandemic just accelerated what was already happening in a lot of churches, in a lot of ways.But rather than wring our hands or cry in our fair-trade coffee… Rather than point our fingers or continue to fish in the same old waters, in the same old ways, I think we're being invited to ask some different, bigger, more faithful questions about it all. And I think we can start finding answers and inspiration when we see what Jesus is up to – or not – in this morning's Gospel.See, when Jesus hijacks that boat and pushes off into the water that day, he just teaches. And then he tells Simon, who had been fishing all night long with no success, to cast his nets into deeper water. In spite of his reasonable doubts and serious insecurities, then, Simon Peter catches so many fish that his nets can barely hold them all and they start to tear. He catches so many fish that he has to call for backup and as they bring all of those fish into their boats, the weight of the catch is so great the boats actually begin to sink.And what's great about this story, and where I find the lesson for me and for all of us in the Church today – at Cross of Grace and otherwise – is that Jesus didn't actually do very much of anything. He did some teaching: maybe it was a sermon, maybe a study of Scripture, maybe he told another parable, we don't know for sure. He offered some advice and direction: “get out into the deep water.” He gave the command: “let your nets down there.” And he made a promise: “from now on you will be catching people.” But what stands out to me in this first encounter with the first of his disciples, Jesus let them do all the work.But unfortunately, while Jesus got things off to a great start, it's not the way the Church has continued, in too many places.Think about churches where you've been a member before. Were they congregations where the Pastor preached all of the sermons? Were they places where the Pastor visited all of the sick? Where the Pastor was expected to meet the needs of the people; to make the members happy; to do ministry but to not make waves? Were they places where 20% of the people did 80% of the work? Were they places where you – and most others – were expected to just show up on Sunday morning for worship and for special occasions like weddings, funerals and the annual Church picnic? (Unfortunately, I think this is the way things have forced so many churches to operate in the face of this pandemic.)And all of this is the stuff of congregations who have members that want to be taken care of, who want to be served rather than to serve, who come to church looking for what it has to offer them, rather than helping to discern what they might have to offer the world. And this is the stuff of over-worked lay leaders, burned-out clergy, and dying congregations. And all of that is the stuff that leads to conflict, struggle, stagnation and demise. This is not who we have ever been or who I hope we will ever become at Cross of Grace.It's why we've always been deliberate about calling ourselves “Partners in Mission” here, instead of just “members.” As I said in a recent letter about our Building Fund, “The Church is not a country club. Cross of Grace is not a homeowners' association. Discipleship is not like membership at the gym.” And I believe that mentality is what has sustained us until now – and what will keep us alive and well and thriving in the days to come.So, I'm not interested in – nor do I think Churches should give two rips about – making, collecting, or catching “members.” I think our call at Cross of Grace these days is to consider – more meaningfully, again – what it means to be “Partners in Mission,” instead, and to wonder what the implications of that have had and could continue to have for us in the days to come.I'm not saying we've got it all figure out or that Cross of Grace has perfected the art of discipleship by any stretch. But our history and experience tell a different story from a lot of churches like ours, too.I'd bet today's offering that our team of musicians – and Stephen Jordan – are as faithful and as talented as any you'll find in a congregation anywhere. And as volunteers, they are Partners in Mission in every sense of those words. We're Partners in Mission, too, who still mow our own lawn, clean our own toilets, and shovel our own snow around here.We are Partners in Mission who prioritize financial stewardship, too – who encourage each other to give joyfully and generously to the ministry we share – because practicing generosity is as good for us as it is for the Church. I hope our nearly-eliminated mortgage is a sign and invitation to more of that.Our up-and-coming Stephen Ministry is an exercise in Mission Partnership, as well. It's a team of faithful disciples who will share real, meaningful, lasting care with others in a way that too many people believe only the Pastor can or should be allowed to do. And none of this – the worship, the music, the Bible studies and the building – none of this is supposed to end with us, anyway. It's all meant to inspire and to send us out to love and care for and serve the world. Because this Mission Partnership thing isn't about fish at all. It's about people – catching, serving, loving, and getting to work for and with people.And the statistics that matter more than all of that church membership stuff, for me, right now, are these:That nearly 2,000 people are homeless in Indianapolis in weather like this.That almost 30 million people in our country had no health insurance in 2020, the year the pandemic hit.Teen suicide attempts are up during these pandemic days: 51% for girls, 4% for boysThat Black people make up 38% of our country's prison population, but only 12% of the population as a whole.Oh, and that one more Black man was killed while sleeping in an apartment in Minneapolis on Wednesday.These statistics matter more to me, because I believe this is the kind of thing Jesus called us to do something about when he invited us to catch people – to gather up and tend to those who need food, shelter, love and justice.Which is hard, heavy, overwhelming, uncomfortable work for which I feel ill-equipped and out of my league to carry out most days, to be honest. But it's why I wondered a new thing about this whole fishing for people analogy this time around.What if the fish in those nets today aren't the analogy or the metaphor we're supposed to focus on at all – at least when it comes to growing the church or gathering followers for Jesus? What if by “catching people,” we're supposed to focus more on Simon's fishing buddies – the partners in the other boats, like James, John, and whoever else showed up to help that day? What if we're meant to realize there are plenty of hearts and hands on deck, waiting to join us in work that matters and that it's our job to put them to work? It was the people who got caught up in and changed by following Jesus, after all. All of those fish in all of those nets, just became dinner, in the end.See, I believe all of this is about showing the world and reminding each other that we're in this together; that we've got good news to share, every one of us; that we have plenty of love to give, you and I; that we all have something to offer for the sake of God's kingdom, because we have been offered, already, the joy of grace, good news, and new life in Jesus Christ.And this Mission Partnership thing can only be done when we start to see ourselves and our neighbors like Peter finally did that day on the shores of Galilee – as curious souls, however sinful and broken, but called and capable, nonetheless. And I'm convinced that others will join us when we step out into deep waters, ourselves, when we cast wide nets, ourselves – and maybe even leave a thing or two behind, ourselves – and when we invite anyone who's willing to help us … to get their hands dirty … and to follow Jesus' lead in a new way, for a change.Amen

During this last week of our Building Fund series, Pastor Walt again looks closer at the mission of the church from 1 Peter. The Church is not meant to shout out the problems of the world within our holy huddles. The walls of building shouldn't separate us from our mission of proclamation... to our friends, neighbors, relatives, and more. As believers, one of the dangers we often face is becoming too separated from the world around us. We must not lose our privilege, purpose, and wonder of our calling.

Paster Carlie - 11.6.21

Welcome to the Grove Zone - Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church - Warner Robins, GA

WDAY's First News anchors Drew Trafton and Se Kwon get you caught up on everything you need to know for Wednesday, September 29th.  The Grand Forks Herald Minute podcast is a product of Forum Communications Company and is brought to you by reporters at WDAY-TV. Find more news throughout the day at www.grandforksherald.com for more. 

Mark 9:38-50John said to [Jesus], “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he wasn't following us.” Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.”“If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.“For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its flavor, how can it be seasoned? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.”First of all, let's talk about this limb-lopping, eye-gouging stuff. I don't want to spend my whole sermon on it – I've done that before – but can't just leave it alone, either. This is always just a good reminder that we get to read Scripture LITERATELY not LITERALLY. In other words, no one in their right mind would argue that Jesus means for us to cut off our hands or remove our feet or pluck out our eyes. It's nothing more and nothing less than attention-getting rhetoric – and it works. So, if we don't have to take this bit of Scripture LITERALLY, it's okay to wonder about the rest of Scripture that way, too. Let that be our in-worship Bible study and now, onto what I really want to talk about…I did church differently yesterday afternoon, up in Noblesville, with our friends at Roots of Life and Pastor Teri Ditslear. (For those of you who don't know – Pastor Teri was called to Cross of Grace years ago, before beginning to develop a new congregation up in Noblesville, which we support with a percentage of our Building Fund offerings every month.) Well, Pastor Teri was installed, finally, as their Pastor, even though she's been their Pastor for about eight years at this point. It takes a while when you have to follow the rules … and the steps … and jump through the hoops and meet all of the expectations of the larger Church. And the funny, faithful thing about Pastor Teri and Roots of Life is that they aren't big on rules or steps or jumping through hoops – and I love that about her and what their up to there.See, when I say I “did church differently,” I mean we were outside at a place called Stony Creek Farms – acres and acres of beautiful property that looks more like a movie set than a church property, with an old barn or two, an old house that looks like it might be haunted, something like a greenhouse where the food was served and where I changed into my robe for worship, and a blue and white striped awning under which we worshiped. This is where Roots of Life calls home these days, where they gather for worship, and where they do so much that looks differently from what you and I are used to.Like, they call themselves Roots of Life “Community,” more than they do call themselves a church, it seems to me. They're into this new “wild church” thing, too, where they more deliberately connect with and care for creation and nature and where they work for environmental and social justice, just like we're all called to do. The music yesterday was all bluegrass – a guitar, a bass, a banjo, I think – and songs you wouldn't find in a hymnal or hear, even, on Christian radio.And they tweaked the Lord's Prayer. They said an alternative Affirmation of Faith, rather than one of the traditional creeds. And they gave away grape jelly to guests – grape jelly which they use one Sunday a year as a way to share the sacrament of Holy Communion in worship, instead of wine or juice. It's enough to make the liturgical police or the religious purists or a modern day Pharisee or John in this morning's Gospel lose their ever-loving minds.(Oh, and every start-time at Roots of Life is “ish.” Sunday morning worship begins at 9:30-“ish.” Yesterday started at 4-“ish.” Honestly, I'm wired to struggle more with the “ish”-factor than I am with their Lord's Prayer or their use of grape jelly for communion.)Which is why all of it had me thinking about this morning's Gospel.See, there are plenty of church people who might think about Pastor Teri and Roots of Life the way John thought about whoever he saw casting out demons in Jesus' name. John, and the other disciples, tried to stop whoever that was, remember, because “he wasn't following us,” as John put it. In other words, maybe, “he wasn't doing it like you would do it, Jesus.” “He wasn't doing it like you taught us to do it, Jesus.” “He wasn't following the rules… meeting our expectations… jumping through all of those hoops.”But Jesus' instruction couldn't be clearer: “Don't stop him." “Whoever is not against us, is for us.” And don't be a stumbling block, you knuckleheads. Do not – for any reason whatsoever – get in the way of these little ones who believe in me. I'd sooner see you throw yourselves into the sea with a giant millstone around your neck. (There's more of that hyperbole and exaggeration for you.)In other words, grace at all costs. Mercy at all costs. Forgiveness at all costs. Love at all costs.All of this to say, while Roots of Life is cut from the same cloth as Cross of Grace – and Pastor Teri was very deliberate about extending gratitude for the ways we have shared in partnership with them over the years – we do things differently, in our own unique, equally meaningful ways, too. There are plenty of people who would and have taken issue with some of what we do around here, just the same. Neither one is better or worse than the other, necessarily. Just different.Which is what I think Jesus means when he talks about having salt in ourselves. I think he means that salt is just salt. It just has its flavor – it just tastes like salt – as God created it to taste. And there's no way to restore that once it's gone – except maybe by adding more salt.Roots of Life is just Roots of Life. Cross of Grace is just Cross of Grace. And you are just you. I'm just me. We're just as unique and special and sacred as God has created and called and blessed us to be. And when we can acknowledge that about ourselves – and celebrate that for ourselves – we can expect and accept and celebrate the same from others, too.When Jesus says, “have salt in yourselves,” I think he's saying, “you do you, people of God.” And I can't know where each of you might be with that – discerning what your salt is; what makes you, you; what matters most for where you're at these days or where you want to be. I just know that God already and always loves and blesses the salt that gives your life its most unique, authentic, holy, baptized kind of flavor and that God wants more of that for you and from you in this world.Where our life together at Cross of Grace, as part of God's church in the world is concerned – and for the partnership we share with places like Roots of Life and Zanmi Fondwa, and Wernle Children's Home and more in our community – I'm reminded of what matters most these days – of our salt and where we get our flavor, I mean. And that is our call to share grace at all costs, to be generous to a fault, to love radically, with no strings attached – and to help others do the same – so that we can live at peace with, and in support of, the many and various ways God calls us to follow Jesus, to be God's people, and to do it all for the sake of the world.Amen

In this week's episode, I share the revelation I received from my plant!!

chewthebible.com (coming soon) This podcast can be found on anchor.fm/chewthebible, Spotify, Apple iTunes and all other major podcast platforms. Your words were found and I ate them

Tuck catches up with zine-maker and pornographer Carta Monir (she/her). Topics include: What porn archives can teach us about queer history From castration fantasies to making fan merch for your dick Kink at pride(?!) and the evolution of queer debates Plus: Topping fears, machine-f*cking, unauthorized Girl with the Dragon Tattoo sequels, and CATS (1998) This Week in Gender: Los Gibities. Find Carta's work at cartamonir.com and DiskettePress.com. Carta is on OnlyFans (onlyfans.com/carta), Patreon (patreon.com/carta), Twitter (@cartamonir, @XXXcartaXXX) and Instagram (@cartamonir).  Listen to Untold Stories: Beyond the Binary here or watch it on YouTube. Browse our nonprofit merch shop at bit.ly/gendermerch. Join our Patreon (patreon.com/gender) to receive our weekly newsletter, plus stickers and other rewards. Find episode transcripts and our FAQ page at genderpodcast.com. We're also on Twitter and Instagram @gendereveal. Submit a piece of Theymail: a small message or ad that we'll read on the show. Today's message was from Camp Aranu'tiq's Building Fund. Do you have gender-related questions that you'd like answered on the show? Submit questions anonymously via this Google form. Join the Gender Detectives Slack at bit.ly/genderslack2. Associate Producer: Julia Llinas Goodman Logo: Ira M. Leigh Music: Breakmaster Cylinder Additional Music: Blue Dot Sessions Sponsors: Bistitchual! 

Listen to Pat Byrne's editorial from 1 April 2021 issue of News Weekly magazine.

Lawmakers are debating a number of bills about what happens inside Virginia classrooms. And as Michael Pope reports, they’re also considering a bill that aimed at improving school buildings across Virginia.

GROW.    Greatness Reached over Oppression through WisdomSunday morning Service with No Tithes, Offerings or a Building Fund.  Slavery is still going on.  I was Enslaved by this Country Unduly.  I could not have a Duly trial in front of my Peers.  The Powers that Be determine what is Duly.  What does Duly mean?

Psalm 20 shows that God's people look to God for hope. But hope in God often looks different than hope according to the world's standards.

Church on Sunday, November 24, 2019 BLOG POST: https://rebuildingtheman.com/independence-and-growth-is-more-valuable-than-money/ This streamed live video 11 AM PT on YouTube, Facebook, Periscope, DLive, Twitch, and Mixer. Listen to Church audio recordings on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, Spreaker, Stitcher, and SoundCloud. We had some great questions about forgiving parents, mothers letting adult children go, and young men and women becoming independent. Jesse opens up briefly talking about how American communities have become remade in the cultures of immigrants, whether Hispanic, Asian or other. One lady no longer feels even welcome in her own country! Save 10% (ten percent) of the money you make, and use it only for investment, not for emergency, and opportunities will come. Opportunities are always there, but you don’t see them. One young man goes to school and doesn’t work, but his parents help him financially — stop it! The growth is more important than the money! Jesse asked a few people, perhaps a Biblical Question: Would you rather have an unclean life or an honorable death? We talk about the Silent Prayer, mothers’ stories about absent fathers, accusations of “rape,” and dating. Young men do only want one thing: Sex. Don’t give it to them. Date instead. One young woman believed (for a day) a crystal lady who tried to get her to burn over $5,000! Read 1 Corinthians, chapter 2, verse 15 — Paul wrote in the New Testament that the spiritual man judges all things. So we should judge! But it’s not the emotional kind of judgment that comes from anger, from Satan. Announcements Thank you guys for joining, reading, listening, and watching! Thanks to everyone supporting BOND — we’re still raising money for the Building Fund. Do the Silent Prayer. -- Join us for Church with Jesse Lee Peterson (an open forum service) Sunday 11am Pacific Time (doors open 10: 30) from Jesse's nonprofit's current location at BOND, 6146 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035. http://rebuildingtheman.com/church Call BOND for counseling (by phone or in-person), books, or more info about our programs 800-411-BOND (800-411-2663) M-F 9am-4pm PT (Los Angeles time) 11am-6pm CT / 12-7pm ET. Catch us live on YouTube, Periscope, DLive.tv, Mixer, Facebook (we're back for BOND only), and perhaps soon Twitch.tv again. https://www.periscope.tv/jlptalk https://dlive.tv/jesseleepeterson https://mixer.com/jlptalk https://www.facebook.com/Rebuildingtheman https://www.twitch.tv/jlptalk Multistreaming with https://restream.io/ SILENT PRAYER http://silentprayer.video AUDIO https://www.soundcloud.com/rebuildingtheman/silent-prayer T-SHIRTS https://www.teespring.com/stores/rebuildingtheman BOOKS http://bondinfostore.org SUPPORT: https://rebuildingtheman.com/donate/ https://www.subscribestar.com/jesseleepeterson https://www.patreon.com/rebuildingtheman https://www.paypal.me/rebuildingtheman https://streamlabs.com/bondrebuildingtheman/v2

Psalm 20 shows that God's people look to God for hope. But hope in God often looks different than hope according to the world's standards.

The third message in a series on stewardship, Planning to Climb Together.

Luke 20:27-38Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to [Jesus] and asked him a question, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; then the second and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. Finally, the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.”Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive.”This story is more than a little strange, so I want to unpack it while it’s fresh in our minds, before we get on with our sermon series and what it means to “Grow in wisdom and understanding of God’s Word and will for our lives.”See, these Sadducees are either, genuinely ignorant about what they ask Jesus to answer regarding this woman and her dead husbands, or – and what is commonly thought to be the case – they are trying to trick Jesus with an impossible question; baiting him to trip over an explanation about life after death that will likely upset the powers that be, break with their history, challenge their tradition and offend their theology – and, mostly, get him into some trouble.Jesus doesn’t give them what they’re after, of course. Or, at least he doesn’t trip and fall for what they may have thought was a hard answer to find. What he does is interpret their questions and their confusion in light of the resurrection – nothing more and nothing less.Jesus says that they’re questions about all they’re supposed to know from Moses and the Hebrew Scriptures are too narrow. When they ask about what will happen to this woman who’s had seven husbands, they’re asking very worldly questions about God’s other-worldliness. They’re assuming that life on the other side of eternity is bound in the same way as life on this side of it all. They’re suggesting that what is restricted by human laws and earthly limitations here and now, will be restricted, in the same way, where the God of the universe is concerned.And Jesus says, in not so many words, “Do you really think that the God of the universe and the ways of heaven will be constrained by the same parameters of life as we know it?” “This woman – and all of the knuckleheads she was forced to endure in this life – will be liberated, raised to new life, in a way that will release her from all of this, so that these laws you’re so worried about – and this life, even – will be unrecognizable, thanks be to God” “The God we’re talking about – the God of Moses and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob – sets talking bushes on fire, for crying out loud, and yet they aren’t consumed.” “This is the God we’re dealing with, people. So let’s stop with your small questions about a God who’s so much bigger.” Now, I don’t mean to simplify all of this so dramatically, but I also don’t think this is as difficult as we’ve made it out to be. Because the truth is, Christian people in the world, still like to play games with God’s word, very much like the Sadducees back in Jesus’ day, and when we do – so much of the time – God gets the small, short end of that stick.So, like we’ve said, we’re beginning this sermon series with a call to “Grow in wisdom…” wisdom and understanding of God’s Word and God’s will for our lives. In the weeks to come, we’ll get to the other marks of discipleship – sharing our resources, telling people about God, praying daily, worshiping regularly, and giving of our time and abilities. But today, we’re starting with Scripture… and our call to grow in wisdom of what we find in the Bible, which is supposed to inform and inspire all the rest. And I’m under the impression most Christian people wish they knew their Bible better – me, included. Do you agree?When I’ve asked this question of others before, I’ve heard all kinds of responses. Some have said they feel like they’re missing out on things they would have, should have, could have learned over the course of their life, but they just weren’t taught or weren’t ready or weren’t paying attention when they had the chance. Some have said they just don’t have the time it takes – but if they did… when they do… they look forward to knowing more. Some have said it’s just too much, just too confusing; that there are just too many ways to come after it all, they wonder if it’s worth it. Some have said they want to know more so they can have more intelligent conversations and win theological debates at work or over Thanksgiving dinner. (You know who you are, you Saducees, you!) Some have said that’s what they have Pastors for – to do the studying and interpreting and understanding for them.But I want people to study their Bibles, to “grow in wisdom and understanding” of what we find there, for those water cooler conversations and at Thanksgiving Dinner and whenever we duke it out with the Sadducees, if we must. But I want people to study their Bibles and to “grow in wisdom,” because it can give you life and it can change your life and it can impact the way we engage the world, through our faith, of course.Like, I think it’s important to know there are two different accounts of creation, in the book of Genesis, which is not a science book, because it liberates us to read each of those stories in their own right, as artistic, poetic, beautiful expressions of a loving God’s creation, and of our role as a part of that. And – for me – it means I don’t have to check my brain – and all the things I learned in science class – at the church door.I think it’s important, too, to know that “money is not the root of all evil,” as some so often misquote that verse from 1st Timothy. But the love of money is the root of all evil. I think that matters because, if we dare to love our money less, it might impact how generous we are with our Building Fund commitments next week. It might also impact the way we love our neighbor as ourselves and vote and inform public policy. (It should never be just about “the economy, stupid,” as the saying goes.)And when it comes to growing in wisdom of what we find in the Bible, I think it matters that the story of Sodom and Gomorrah was never meant to condemn homosexuality; it matters that “an eye for an eye” is not a justification for the death penalty or for revenge and retribution at all costs; it matters that “where two or three are gathered in my name” has nothing to do with justifying low worship attendance or skipping church; and it matters that when Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” he was facing imprisonment and a death sentence, not hoping to win a football game. What I’m getting at is, “Growing in wisdom and understanding of God’s Word and will for our lives” stands to have a great impact on how we live and move and breathe and engage our faith through Scripture.And it takes time. And effort. And conversation. And discussion and discernment in the company of other believers. But it’s not rocket science, either. And I think it’s something like what Jesus was saying to the Sadducees in this morning’s Gospel.If you’ve been to the bathroom around here, you’ve likely seen this hanging on the door to your stall or above a urinal: In this cartoon, Jesus might as well be speaking to the same group of Sadducees who confronted him this morning when he says: “The difference between me and you is, you use scripture to determine what love means and I use love to determine what scripture means.” Let’s Grow in wisdom his way, shall we? Let’s read and receive and interpret and inspire others with God’s word – always and only through the lens of love, the way Jesus did. Growing in wisdom and understanding of God’s Word and will for our lives is about learning of God’s love for us, and of God’s love for all people, at all costs. And it’s about learning of our call to love God – and each other, back – in as many ways as we can manage. And it’s about the freedom and joy and new life we’ll experience when we do, because of the freedom and joy and new life we are promised, in Jesus’ name, the Word of God, made flesh, who died and who was raised, for the sake of the world.Amen

Mr. Robert DeCou, Chair of the Building Committee of Third Church of Christ, Scientist, Seattle, presents two propositions for discussion. Mrs. Violet Webster Dunham, the architect's wife, writes an inspirational article about laborers breaking up concrete blocks. Takes place on the 10th floor of the Empire Building.  Visit CindySafronoff.com to learn more about Dedication: Building the Seattle Branches of Mary Baker Eddy's Church, A Centennial Story. Facebook: @DedicationCentennialStory

Mrs. Julia Field-King's students in Seattle start organizing. Takes place at 1111 Third Avenue. Includes dedication of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Oconto, Wisconsin, and the Building Fund for The Mother Church in Boston, Massachusetts. Explores Mary Baker Eddy's definition of church, as "The structure of Truth and Love," and questions on whether her followers should organize churches and build edifices for Christian Science. Visit CindySafronoff.com to learn more about Dedication: Building the Seattle Branches of Mary Baker Eddy's Church, A Centennial Story. Facebook: @DedicationCentennialStory

From gay Republicans to garnished wages, Coachella had its fair share of drama this year. Justin warms up the choir for this musically-themed episode & Maurice seeks forgiveness for a weekend transgression. The hosts discuss Kanye’s cult-like Sunday Service. Pass the collection plate because The Weeknd and Ariana Grande might have to tithe a little bit more this week. And Bey’s money went to the Building Fund. Adele takes her marital problems to the altar (and hopefully the recording studio). A legend’s alleged lesbian lover wants us all to read from the Book of Whitney. In ISWIS, Justin’s fruit should be forbidden and Maurice objects to a making bricks without straw. 10s for the Earth Day. #CategoryIs Follow us on all social media: @CategoryIsPod Email us at CategoryIsPod@gmail.com

For the season 3 premiere I have a talent duo they go by the name of Hello Tomorrow! Consisted of MRK SX a Detroit MC & Tone Beatz a South Carolina producer! We discuss how the group name Hello Tomorrow came about, how they met, Tone being the band & MRK being the soloist to the band, Tone being a master record digger & having a unique sound with his production, being true originals, why they chose to have a Gospel Theme with Turn to Your Neighbour, while borrowing elements from Hip Hop & Jazz, Tone challenging himself while crafting beats, their album Turn to Your Neighbour being a bridge to their unreleased titled The Building Fund, Bandcamp, & much much more! Salute to MRK SX & Tone Beatz for being apart of the season 3 premiere!

Pops sealing the deal on a building fund pledge campaign in 1984.

Pops sealing the deal on a building fund pledge campaign in 1984.

One man would use the money to finish paying off the Building Fund and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The podcast of Calvary Prineville contains the latest sermons from Pastor Rory Rodgers, and occasionally live recordings of the latest worship service.

Building Fund and Missions Commitments and Communion

Hosted By: Queen Nzingha Education is the Key Learning Center   Special Quest: Sister Yvonne Muhammad            The mission at Education is the key Learning Center is to instill in all students to become righteous leaders that will exhibit dignity and respect for self and others. Also, to instill in their hearts a love for the true and living God. Becoming life long learners and critical thinkers will enable all students to take their place in a civilized society. ... Please tune in to hear about the Learning Center a be a part of helping it grow by contributing to the Building Fund. All donations are appreciated, as this is a learning center that functions via payments from the parents .. We must teach our own and we need to support our family who is doing that..        

The #1 Father and Son Podcast! The Black Dot and Malcom are back to discuss Entes Kanter's comments to Lebron, Funk Flex vs Conway and Pete Rock, cell phone service in Canada, and more!Join the membership for $5: https://www.urbanx.nyc/xclusivesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy