Church Receives $20M From Anonymous Donor to Renovate Cathedral

-
0
Church Receives $20M From Anonymous Donor to Renovate Cathedral

A California Roman Catholic diocese that owns the property that once was the Crystal Cathedral has received a $20 million donation for its renovation work.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange announced that an anonymous donor gave $20 million to aid the estimated $113 million renovation of the former Crystal Cathedral.

In a statement made by the donor and released by the Diocese of Orange, the person said, “I hope this gift will inspire other donors in our community to give as well.”

“I am blessed to offer my faithful and financial support to the diocese’s efforts to restore and renovate the campus and make its vision for the Christ Cathedral a reality.”

For decades, the Orange County located Crystal Cathedral was the notable megachurch headed by the Rev. Robert Schuller and his family.

However, financial scandals and in-fighting led to Crystal Cathedral Ministries filing for bankruptcy and eventually being compelled to sell their iconic property.

In February 2012, the Catholic Diocese of Orange purchased the building and grounds, renaming the sanctuary Christ Cathedral.

The diocese sought to redesign the facility at a price tag of approximately $113 million, with Bishop Kevin Vann of Orange explaining reasons for the projects in a statement made in September.

“Through this innovative design process, an insightful plan has emerged that will establish Christ Cathedral as a place for involvement in the sacraments, a place to hear the word of God proclaimed and a place for personal prayer and devotion,” said Vann.

For the multiphase renovation endeavor, this latest donation of $20 million will go to the second phase of the plan, according to Chris Haire of the Orange County Register.

“The $20 million is the first donation toward the second phase’s $60 million goal; this phase targets large donations and will be spent on campus renovations,” reported Haire.

“During phase one, meant for various diocese projects including the campus renovations, the diocese received more than $85 million from about 24,000 parishioners.”

As part of its deal with the diocese, Crystal Cathedral Ministries moved into a smaller church facility known as St. Callistus Catholic Church and dubbed their congregation Shepherd’s Grove.

Bobby Schuller, the 33-year-old grandson of the Schuller who founded Crystal Cathedral, is the lead pastor of the replanted congregation.

A graduate of Oral Roberts University in 2003 and Fuller Theological Seminary in 2008, Sculler also re-launched the “Hour of Power” series once overseen by his grandfather.

Source and Original Content by CP

Two US Churches Merge to Send Positive Message on Race Relations

-
0
Two US Churches Merge to Send Positive Message on Race Relations

Two Florida churches are soon expected to undergo a merger that pastors hope will help send a message on race relations throughout the state — and beyond.

On Jan. 4, 2015, Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville — a predominantly black church — will take over Ridgewood Baptist Church in Orange Park. Ridgewood’s congregation is mostly white.

The latter has struggled financially and Shiloh Pastor H.B Charles Jr., who is black, along with Ridgewood Pastor Michael Clifford, who is white, decided that a union would be the best course of action.

“None of this would have happened without the leadership of Michael. He’s a good man,” Charles told The Huffington Post in a phone interview.

Charles, who serves as the lead pastor for more than 8,000 churchgoers, said his congregation is overwhelmingly excited and looks forward to the possibilities the merger will bring.

“We’re hoping we’ll be a witness of racial reconciliation in our city and beyond and that we can come together beyond the things that divide us and work together to make the community better,” he said.

Charles said he is aware of potential challenges the merger could bring, but he remains confident the church will overcome them.

“We’re learning to love beyond our culture and others learn to love beyond theirs,” he added. “It requires humility, unity and a willingness to change and grow, but they’re good challenges that we’re looking forward to facing…Read More

Source and Original Content by BCNN1

J Moss Tops Billboard With “Grown Folks Gospel” Album

-
0
J Moss Tops Billboard With “Grown Folks Gospel” Album

What a way to rebound.

Less than two months ago, GRAMMY ®-winning recording artist and producer J Moss, 42, lost his home in an awful blaze. Today, he is back on top.

His new LP, Grown Folks Gospel is the No. 1 Gospel album in America.

Although, according to the PAJAM artist, he has been met with criticism for the title, it looks like his detractors have less impact than his supporters.

During a recent interview on the Yolanda Adams Morning Show, Moss spoke about penning lyrics based on true-to-life experiences.

One of the tracks featured on the new project, “Fall At Your Feet,” was written a year before he lost everything.

“After the blaze, somebody came and blessed us with a house—brand new house. It wasn’t even 24 hours. So, it was like, I wrote that a year ago,” he recalled during his featured radio segment…Read More

Source and Original Content by BCNN1

“Hunger Stalks Large Parts of UK”, Archbishop Welby

-
0
“Hunger Stalks Large Parts of UK”, Archbishop Welby

The Archbishop of Canterbury has said he was left more shocked by the plight of Britain’s hunger-stricken poor than the suffering in African refugee camps.

Most Revd Justin Welby said food is being wasted at “astonishing” levels in the UK but hunger “stalks large parts” of the country.

Speaking to The Mail on Sunday he said even families with jobs are being forced to turn to food banks to make ends meet.

He’s made the comments a day before a parliamentary report that sets out a blueprint to eliminate hunger in Britain by 2020 is published.

The archbishop has been supporting the report and said what he had seen in the UK, although less ‘serious’ than the situation in Africa, had shocked him more.

He said: “In one corner of a refugee camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo was a large marquee. Inside were children, all ill. They had been separated from family, friends, those who looked after them.

“Perhaps, mostly having disabilities, they had been abandoned in the panic of the militia attack that drove them from their homes. Now they were hungry.

“It was deeply shocking but, tragically, expected. A few weeks later in England, I was talking to some people – a mum, dad and one child – in a food bank.

“They were ashamed to be there. The dad talked miserably. He said they had each been skipping a day’s meals once a week in order to have more for the child, but then they needed new tyres for the car so they could get to work at night, and just could not make ends meet.

“So they had to come to a food bank. They were treated with respect, love even, by the volunteers from local churches. But they were hungry, and ashamed to be hungry.

“I found their plight more shocking. It was less serious, but it was here. And they weren’t careless with what they had – they were just up against it. It shocked me that being up against it at the wrong time brought them to this stage. There are many like them. But we can do something about it.”

The exact details of the parliamentry report is not known but it’s reported it could call for the government to extend free school meals to the holiday period.

Archbishop Justin also urged supermarkets to give food they could not sell to the poor rather than throw it away.

“At least some of the food being sent to the incinerator should be used as a force for good to help [the poor] out of the rut in which they find themselves,” he said.

He added: “We need to make it easier for food companies to give edible surplus food to charities and still encourage them to send inedible food for energy production.

“The big names in the food business have a moral obligation to communities. We need to make sure that the financial incentives in their industry don’t act against their moral instincts…Read More

Source and Original Content by Premier Christian Radio

Disney’s ‘Christmas’ Billboard Alteration Sends Wrong Signals

-
0
Disney’s ‘Christmas’ Billboard Alteration Sends Wrong Signals

If you are a Christian, would you greet your friends “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”?

For Eddie DelValle, a pastor of With Love Ministries, a small church in downtown Orlando, that is not the way to go, and for that reason, he’s saddened Disney has omitted the word “Christmas” from its billboard to celebrate its annual December party.

DelValle noticed Disney’s billboard “Mickey’s Very Merry Party” – with Christmas missing from the sign. The pastor told OneNewsNow that the Disney billboard always says “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party” and he was surprised to see the change this year.

In response to the omission, DelValle made a series of calls to the employees of Disney to ask them about the billboard.

“They weren’t aware that the billboards did not have ‘Christmas’ on there,” DelValle told OneNewsNow.

Eventually, the pastor was able to talk to one of Disney’s employees who was familiar with the change on the billboard. DelValle said the employee told him that the company was trying a new marketing strategy.

The marketing strategy, the employee told DelValle, was designed to avoid offending non-Christians.

The Orlando pastor then explained to the employee that Christ – not Mickey – is the reason to celebrate the season and that it is called Christmas because it is Jesus’ birthday.

“Well, that was the purpose of my call: to [ask] Why do we even celebrate birthdays then?” DelValle relayed to OneNewsNow what he told the Disney employee. “You know, if I have a birthday, I would hope they would make me the guest of honour and mention my name at the birthday party.”

As a result, DelValle is encouraging everyone to rethink how they celebrate Christmas. He said he has no plan to spend money on going to Disney this year. He even suggested that Christians might consider spending their Christmas season somewhere else.

Meanwhile, DelValle is not the only person who noticed the missing Christmas. John Frost, a writer of no religious affiliation, wrote on Disney’s blog about the billboard and expressed his dissatisfaction.

Frost said he is 100 per cent in favour of Disney trying to be more inclusive in its marketing, contracting, hiring and story-telling. However, he also pointed out that the word Christmas is more important on the billboard and not less.

“You don’t cut the word Christmas out of your marketing and suddenly become more inclusive,” Frost wrote. “You do it by actually being more inclusive, celebrating additional holidays, recognising there are other cultures out there as valid and (often) more ancient than your own.”

Frost added that there is no excuse not to use the word Christmas to advertise a Christmas party.

Source and Original Content by CT

Polaroid Launches Instagram Camera

-
0
Polaroid Launches Instagram Camera

Polaroid, a company that’s synonymous with old-school instant cameras, is bringing its products into the social media age with the Polaroid Socialmatic. Now available for preorder through Amazon, the Socialmatic combines a classic instant camera with the ability to upload your photos to your favorite social media platforms — including, yes, Instagram.

The camera, which is a dead ringer for that Instagram app icon on your smartphone, features a 14-megapixel main camera and comes with a 2 MP rear camera for taking selfies, because of course it does.

Thanks to its Android operating system and 4.5-inch display, the Socialmatic can also be used as a kind of smart camera, so you can browse the Web and access your email.

Perhaps more importantly, though, you can download your favorite social media apps including Facebook, Twitter, and, of course, Instagram, so you can upload your photos to the web as soon as you’re within range of an available Wi-Fi signal.

The Socialmatic also includes built-in Bluetooth and GPS, so you can connect the camera to your smartphone, as well as add location data to your images, which means you’ll easily be able to see where they were taken.

And with 4 GB of onboard storage, and a microSD card slot that lets you add an additional 32 GB of space, you can save a massive number of photos and videos on the Socialmatic.

The camera pumps out 2 × 3 photos that Polaroid says are water-resistant and smudge-proof, which is a huge improvement over those runny instant photos of yore. Stacks of photo paper for the Socialmatic are also fairly cheap at $15 for a stack of 50…Read More

polaroid instagram 2

Source and Original Content by Yahoo

Gospel Singer Andraé Crouch Hospitalised

-
0
Gospel Singer Andraé Crouch Hospitalised

The “Let the Church Say Amen” Celebration Tour tribute concert has been cancelled after legendary Gospel artist and pioneer Andraé Crouch was unexpectedly hospitalised on December 1.

Riverphlo Entertainment, the company in-charge of the celebration tour, decided to pospone the performances and told ticket holders they can contact the venues for the events new schedules, according to a Nashville Publicity Group press release.

Family members of Crouch assured his fans that the Gospel artist is not in any form of danger.

“Andraé is talking and alert and resting comfortably,” Sandra Crouch, Andraé’s sister said in a statement. “On behalf of Andraé and the Crouch family, we appreciate your prayers for a quick and speedy recovery.”

Crouch, 72, has recently faced various health problems, including diabetes and cancer.

Crouch is a singer, a songwriter and producer, and is inducted in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

From 1975 to 1994, Crouch won seven Grammy Awards and from 1977 to 1997, he bagged six Dove Awards. Together with his music accolades, he has also worked in the movie industry with films like “A Time To Kill,” “The Color Purple” and “The Lion King.”

The celebration tour, comprised of an all-star cast, was supposed to begin on December 6 and pay tribute to Crouch’s contribution to the Gospel music industry. Top Gospel artists to be featured in the tour includedMarvin Sapp, CeCe Winans, Marvin Winans, Rance Allen, Israel Houghton, Marcus Cole, Gerald Albright, Keith Staten, Leon Timbo and Vonnie Lopez.

The Riverphlo company has decided to push the the concert back to April or May next year and promised ticket holders that it would announce a new schedule before Christmas.

Source and Content by Christian Today

Hip Hop Artiste Speaks on the Importance of Tithing; Credits God’s Favor for His Successes

-
0
Hip Hop Artiste Speaks on the Importance of Tithing; Credits God’s Favor for His Successes

Rapper and actor LL Cool J appeared on Hot 97 in New York City for an interview last week where he discussed elements of his personal faith including his tithing.

When asked about his over 20 years career in the world of hip-hop and how he’s been able to maintain relevance all these years with his music and acting in shows such as NCIS, he credited God and also discussed the importance of giving, more specifically tithing.

“I mentioned earlier longevity, versatility and originality,” LL Cool J said. “What I didn’t mention was spirituality and believing in God.

He continued: “Every dime I get, no matter what it is, I give 10 percent to the church. I’m a life-long tither. I believe strongly in giving. I believe you got to have that faith. And I’ve seen it work in my life, because as much as people in the world like to take credit and claim to be geniuses, at the end of the day there’s a higher power than you, and you got to answer to that power.”

The interview also revealed that the hip-hop pioneer and legend attends Greater Allen African Methodist Episcopal Cathedral in Jamaica, Queen, New York, which is pastored by former Democratic congressman Floyd Flake.

LL Cool J further commented that he’s “unique” and “an anomaly” in the hip-hop industry because he’s been able to maintain his career while others are no longer in the business.

“I’ve been blessed to be able to transcend eras,” he said. “That’s like a blessing. I’m kind of an anomaly. I’m unique in that way. Sometimes the stars line-up. God gives people favor in different areas, and in that particular area he’s just blessed me to be able to relate consistently to all different generations.”

LL Cool J will be joining another self-proclaimed anomaly as he will be performing alongside Lecrae at this year’s Christmas in Brooklyn event in Brooklyn, New York, on Dec. 19. The show will feature other hip-hop legends, including LL Cool J’s former Def Jam label mates Run DMC.

Source and Original Content by CP

New Movie: ‘The Christmas Secret’

-
0
New Movie: ‘The Christmas Secret’

The author of the best-selling book “The Christmas Shoes,” and the subsequent hit TV movie, Donna VanLiere is returning to television this holiday season with “The Christmas Secret.”

Based on VanLiere’s novel of the same title, the film offers a similar message of hope, faith, and perseverance as “The Christmas Shoes,” which held audiences spellbound in 2002. In fact, “The Christmas Shoes” spawned an entire franchise including sequels and additional TV movies. Discussing the latest addition to the “Christmas” franchise, VanLiere said “The Christmas Secret” will harken the holiday spirit when it airs on Hallmark’s Movies & Mysteries Channel on Dec. 7.

“The same rang true for this book that has been for the other books,” the New York Times best-selling author told CP. “It’s the sense that there are difficulties and challenges and there is great pain, because none of us get through life without bumps and bruises along the way, but by that last page I always want the reader to know that hope is alive.”

The author, whose career is molded by her faith, explained that her own difficulties in life would be unbearable without her beliefs.

“They always say write about what you know,” she said. “I am not a theologian, but I do know there has been pain in my own life, difficulties, and very many lows in my own life, but if I didn’t have hope it would be extremely difficult to face those challenges.”

VanLiere went on to recall an unforgettable email from a fan of the “Christmas” series who revealed that her spouse became a Christian after reading “The Christmas Shoes.”

“You know the email that really sticks out to me the most. I have received a lot over the years, but this particular email was a woman who said, ‘I was the Christian in our marriage; I married someone who wasn’t a believer. This book turned his life around,'” VanLiere recounted.

“What touched him in such a way?” VanLiere mused. “I don’t know what it is. We can’t question matters of the heart or what brings people to God, He can use anything, He can use a pair of shoes. That really hit home … this book brought someone to God, such a simple little book. I don’t question the simple things anymore because God really does use a sunrise, sunset, blooming flower, pages of a book to bring someone to Him. That email made a lasting impression on me.”

“A Christmas Secret” follows the life of Christine Eisley, a single mom who is down on her luck and desperately seeking stable ground for her family. Through prayer and perseverance, Christine not only turns her luck around, but also finds true love just in time for Christmas.

“The Christmas Secret” premieres Sunday, Dec. 7 at 9 p.m. ET on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel

Source and Original Content by Christian Post

Grammy Awards 2015 Recognizes Christian Gospel Artistes

-
0
Grammy Awards 2015 Recognizes Christian Gospel Artistes

The nominees for the Grammy Awards arrived on Friday, offering recognition to leading Christian artists in a variety of categories this year.

Among the Best Gospel Album nominees is Erica Campbell with “Help,” her debut studio album, Ricky Dillard & New G with their album “Amazing,” and William McDowell with “Withholding Nothing: Live.”

“OMG!!! @TheGrammys yaaaaayyyyy!!! So honored to be nominated for Best Gospel Album!! #HELP,” Campbell posted on Twitter on Dec. 5.

Rounding out the category is Smokie Norful with “Forever Yours” and Anita Wilson with her album “Vintage Worship.” Each artist took to their own Twitter pages as well.

“Wow! Thank you @TheGrammys!! Grateful for the nomination for Best Gospel Album! #ForeverYours,” Norful shared with his thousands of Twitter followers.

For her part, Wilson wrote, “GOD IS INCREDIBLE!!! Congrats to ALL the nominees! Yay!”

The Gospel Album category is not the only Grammy Award to recognize Christian artists this year. Country music legend Glen Campbell who documented his fight against Alzheimer’s is also nominated this year for his song “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” in the Best Country Song category. Lecrae also scooped a nomination this year for Contemporary Christian Performance/Song for “The Messenger.”

Furthermore, Christians have been making history at the Grammy Awards recently. In 2012, Lecrae won the Grammy for Best Gospel Album with his album “Gravity,” becoming the first purely hip-hop artist to ever win the award.

Meanwhile, other Grammy nods went to artists such as Sam Smith and Beyonce who each received a total of five nominations. Taylor Swift, Iggy Azalea, Sia, Meghan Trainor, and Hozier are also up for Grammy Awards this year. The late Joan Rivers earned a nomination for best spoken word album for “Diary of a Mad Diva” as well. For a full list of nominations, visit here. The Grammy Awards will air live on Feb. 8 from Los Angeles’ Staples Center.

Source and Original Content by Christian Post

1...3,7663,7673,768...3,893Page 3,767 of 3,893