Minnesota Methodists Say Rebooting Churches Can Be Helpful but Comes with Peril
(RNS) — Two years ago, Vineyard United Methodist Church was in trouble.
Attendance had been dropping steadily for years, and the handful of members keeping things running was growing exhausted. While the church was still making its budget, the writing was on the wall for the aging congregation of about three dozen in Hutchinson, Minnesota, a 90-minute drive outside of the Twin Cities.
Plans were made to welcome a pair of new pastors to lead Vineyard and merge the congregation with a larger church in town. When the merger fell apart, the young pastor-couple and their older congregants had a choice: change or close.
They chose to change. They pulled out pews installed by members’ grandparents. They cancelled events like an annual turkey dinner, a beloved community tradition, to focus on discussions about the church’s vision. They gradually tweaked services Sunday over Sunday.
The first few changes were the hardest, according to Hein. But each one built trust for the next.
“Everything we did, every meeting we had, every conversation we had, we just tried to be kind of like cheerleaders almost,” said co-pastor Jim Hein.
While painful for many longtime church members, advocates say a restart can help reverse shrinking numbers and breathe new life into congregations. But leaders have to be careful not to alienate older members of the congregation, who may feel they are…
Tim Tebow and his new wife Demi-Leigh Tebow have finished their honeymoon and have flown to Albania to host a rerun of the annual charity event where they first met each other.
The former NFL footballer, 32, and his pageant queen wife, 24, first met through Tim’s Night To Shine foundation in 2018 in South Africa.
The foundation seeks to throw a ‘prom night experience’ for teenagers with special needs.
This year, the first event of the year is being held in Albania.
‘Her sister has special needs, so we invited them to Night to Shine in South Africa,’ Tebow said of their first meeting in an earlier interview. ‘We kind of met and started talking through that and haven’t stopped.’
In a series on clips posted on both of the newlyweds’ Instagram stories, the couple can be seen dancing and playing with children at the event last night which was being held in Albania.
Tim starts by discussing outfits for the dance with one of the youngsters and checking out their artwork, while Demi hugs and plays with one of the babies.
The newlyweds have shared several photos on Instagram of themselves soaking up the lavish resort and island sunsets in recent weeks since they tied the knot in a glamorous South African wedding in January .
Tebow, a devout Christian who vowed to stay abstinent until marriage, married his South African beauty in January at the La Paris Estate in Cape Town.
Their wedding followed a weekend of glamorous pre-wedding celebrations that the pair documented on social media.
Nel-Peters, who is a spokes model for David’s Bridal, wore a custom gown by the wedding dress giant and accessorized with Marion Rehwinkel Jewelery.
Meanwhile, Tebow suited up in Antar Levar.
The couple, who became engaged last January, met back in 2018 at an annual special needs charity event Tebow hosts.
His Night to Shine event is essentially a prom for people with special needs.
His future wife’s younger sister, Franje, was born with special needs. She passed away in May.
Nel-Peters attended the charity event and the pair quickly started emailing back and forth.
Tim, whose Christian beliefs convinced him to remain celibate until marriage based on Hebrews 13:4, detailed how the couple kept to that promise.
Forever and Always @timtebow • • 📸 @hanrihumanweddings
A post shared by Demi-Leigh Tebow (@demileighnp) on
‘It’s just a choice that we made that we both wanted to do that together and just try to make it as special as possible,’ he said prior to the wedding.
Before meeting his now-wife, Tebow previously dated Camilla Belle and Olivia Culpo.
Currently, the ESPN college football analyst is playing baseball in the minor leagues.
The New York Mets extended a spring training invitation to Tebow.
He has spent the past three seasons in the Mets’ organization and has a collective .223 average with 18 homers and 107 RBIs in 287 games across all levels.
I get to thank God each day the rest of my life that He gave me you. 1 Corinthians 13:7 – “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” @demileighnp, the best is yet to come and I can’t wait to charge after life head on with you as together we love, we hope, we believe and we endure whatever life brings. • Wedding Designer: @zavionk 📷: @hanrihumanweddings
A post shared by Tim Tebow (@timtebow) on
Tebow had four homers and 19 RBIs at Syracuse last season and struck out 98 times in just 239 at-bats. His season was cut short by a hand laceration suffered on July 21.
He was a star quarterback who won the Heisman Trophy at Florida in 2007. He spent four seasons (2006-09) with the Gators and passed for 9,285 yards, 88 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, while also compiling 2,947 rushing yards and 57 touchdowns.
He played in 35 NFL games with the Denver Broncos (2010-11) and New York Jets (2012) and passed for 2,422 yards, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions while rushing for 989 yards and 12 scores.
Tebow was one of eight non-roster players invited to spring training by the Mets.
Rush Limbaugh Leaning on ‘Personal Relationship with God’ following Cancer Diagnosis
Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh told his audience Monday that he is relying on his faith in God as he battles an “advanced lung cancer” diagnosis that will force him to miss an unknown number of shows while undergoing treatment.
“I’ve had so much support from family and friends during this that it’s just been tremendous. I told the staff today that I have a deeply personal relationship with God that I do not proselytize about. But I do, and I have been working that relationship tremendously,” Limbaugh said, laughing, “which I do regularly anyway, but I’ve been focused on it intensely for the past couple of weeks. I know there are many of you in this audience who have experienced this, who are going through it yourselves at the same time.”
Limbaugh revealed he had an advanced lung cancer diagnosis that was confirmed by “two medical institutions” Jan. 20. He began sensing something was wrong with his health around Jan. 12, his birthday, when he had shortness of breath. Limbaugh is 69.
He initially thought it might be asthma or a heart problem.
“My heart’s in great shape, ticking away fine, squeezing and pumping great. It was not that. It was a pulmonary problem involving malignancy,” Limbaugh said. “So I’m gonna be gone the next couple days as we figure out the treatment course of action and have further testing done. But, as I said,…
Evgeny Nikitin will replace Bryn Terfel in the title role of the Metropolitan Opera’s new production of Wagner’s “Die Fliegende Hollaender (The Flying Dutchman)” that opens March 2.
Terfel broke an ankle in three places during a fall last week, an injury that required surgery.
Nikitin, a Russian bass-baritone, withdrew from a Dutchman production at the Bayreuth Wagner Festival in 2012 following the appearance of a tattoo that appeared to be a swastika, seen during a program broadcast on German television. He later said Scandinavian mythology was the inspiration for the tattoo, which he said was a work in progress when the image was taken in 2008 that was seen on the broadcast.
The 46-year-old Nikitin has sung the Dutchman at the Mariinsky Theatre as well as at Baden-Baden and Leipzig in Germany plus Madrid, Toronto, Paris and Tokyo. He gave up four opera performances at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg plus concert operas of “Dutchman” in Moscow and Kazan in order to sing in New York, the Met said Tuesday.
Nikitin made his Met debut in 2002 and sang Scarpia in this season’s New Year’s Eve gala.
Warner Bros. Pictures has released a new trailer for the upcoming Ben Affleck sports drama “The Way Back,” highlighting the themes of hope, second chances and redemption.
From “The Accountant” director Gavin O’Connor, the movie tells the story of a troubled high school basketball coach (Affleck), who battles addiction and grief while also attempting to inspire and motivate his struggling team.
Reads the official film synopsis: “Jack Cunningham once had a life filled with promise. In high school, he was a basketball phenom with a full university scholarship, when suddenly, for reasons unknown, he walked away from the game, forfeiting his future. Now years later, Jack is spiraling down, triggered by an unspeakable loss, and drowning in the alcoholism that cost him his marriage and any hope for a better life.”
“When he is asked to coach the basketball team at his alma mater, which has fallen far since his glory days, he reluctantly accepts, surprising no one more than himself. As the boys start to come together as a team and win, Jack may have finally found a reason to confront the demons that have derailed him. But will it be enough to fill the void, heal the deep wounds of his past, and set him on the road to redemption?”
Hitting theaters on March 6, “The Way Back” also stars Al Madrigal (“Night School”), Michaela Watkins (“Casual”), Janina Gavankar (“True Blood”), and Glynn Turman (“Bumblebee”).
The new trailer begins with Jack walking on a basketball court. A young player says to him, “You know what my dad told me last night? He said you got a full ride to Kansas and you just quit. Why?”
Jack responds, “My father didn’t like me very much. And someone told him I was good at basketball, he paid a lot more attention to me. And I realized it wasn’t me he love, it was what I could do.”
Warner Bros. Pictures has released a new trailer for the upcoming Ben Affleck sports drama “The Way Back,” highlighting the themes of hope, second chances and redemption.
From “The Accountant” director Gavin O’Connor, the movie tells the story of a troubled high school basketball coach (Affleck), who battles addiction and grief while also attempting to inspire and motivate his struggling team.
Reads the official film synopsis: “Jack Cunningham once had a life filled with promise. In high school, he was a basketball phenom with a full university scholarship, when suddenly, for reasons unknown, he walked away from the game, forfeiting his future. Now years later, Jack is spiraling down, triggered by an unspeakable loss, and drowning in the alcoholism that cost him his marriage and any hope for a better life.”
“When he is asked to coach the basketball team at his alma mater, which has fallen far since his glory days, he reluctantly accepts, surprising no one more than himself. As the boys start to come together as a team and win, Jack may have finally found a reason to confront the demons that have derailed him. But will it be enough to fill the void, heal the deep wounds of his past, and set him on the road to redemption?”
Hitting theaters on March 6, “The Way Back” also stars Al Madrigal (“Night School”), Michaela Watkins (“Casual”), Janina Gavankar (“True Blood”), and Glynn Turman (“Bumblebee”).
The new trailer begins with Jack walking on a basketball court. A young player says to him, “You know what my dad told me last night? He said you got a full ride to Kansas and you just quit. Why?”
Jack responds, “My father didn’t like me very much. And someone told him I was good at basketball, he paid a lot more attention to me. And I realized it wasn’t me he love, it was what I could do.”
President Donald Trump vowed last week to grant “extensions” to stay in the United States to some Iraqi Christians that his administration had earlier sought to deport despite concerns they could face persecution upon return to the Middle East.
He made the promise to grant extensions to a community of Chaldean Catholic immigrants during his speech last Thursday at an auto parts manufacturing plant in Warren, Michigan.
Hundreds of Iraqi Christian immigrants live in the Detroit area. In the last few years, they have lived in fear of deportation as the administration focused on enforcing outstanding deportation orders.
“We’re going to make sure that we do everything we can to keep people who have been good to this country out of harm’s way,” Trump said. “When I get back [to Washington], we’re going to give those who need it an extension to stay in our country.”
Many of the Iraqi Christian immigrants in Detroit had lived in the U.S. for decades. With the community leaning conservative, many of them were pulling for Trump in the 2016 election.
The administration had sought to deport as many as 1,400 Iraqis nationwide as part of a reported deal with the Iraqi government in 2017. The Iraqi government previously did not accept Iraqis returned by the U.S. until the deal was reached to keep Iraq off the administration’s travel ban list.
The administration’s plans to deport hundreds of Iraqi Christians back to a land where Christians were recently victims of genocide by the Islamic State drew concerns from evangelical leaders affiliated with the Evangelical Immigration Table and other human rights activists.
Swiss Airline May Have Dropped Christian Chocolate Company over Its Pro-Life Stance
Swiss Airlines will no longer give sweet treats made by the Christian company Läderach.
According to Life Site News, Swiss Airlines ended its partnership with Läderach in November. The chocolate treats will be phased out by April 2020.
Läderach has provided the airline with chocolate boxes for more than 10 years.
Swiss Magazine Beobachter, says the contract may have ended because the chocolate maker has long supported pro-life rights and marriage between a man and woman.
Swiss Airlines also employs many members of the LGBT community, the magazine reported.
A spokesperson for Swiss Airlines said suppliers for the airline are selected based on “quality, various economic aspects as well as brand fit.”
“In general, we work together with various Swiss chocolate manufacturers and regularly review our product portfolio,” the spokesperson said. “The cooperation with Läderach was terminated in November. Quality, various economic aspects as well as brand fit are decisive for the selection of a supplier. Entering into or terminating a cooperation is thus part of a standard business practice.”
Läderach chocolate company’s CEO Johannes Läderach is also president of the Swiss branch of Christianity for Today. The group advocates for the protection of a Christian life and education.
“I understand it if people value a woman’s right to choose more than an unborn child’s right…
John Ortberg, senior pastor of the nearly 4,000-member Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California, exhibited “poor judgment” when he knowingly allowed a volunteer who confessed to having an attraction to minors to work with children, church elders said. Ortberg is now undergoing a period of restoration.
In an email that was sent to church members on Jan. 21 and shared with The Christian Post by the church, Beth Seabolt, chair of the congregation’s elder board, said Ortberg was asked to go on personal leave from the church on Nov. 22, 2019, while an investigation of concerns raised by a third party was conducted.
“In July of 2018, a person serving in the Menlo Church community came to John and shared in confidence an unwanted thought pattern of attraction to minors. The person assured to John’s satisfaction that the person had not acted on the attraction and sought John’s support. John believed the person and provided prayers and referrals for counseling,” Seabolt said in the email.
Despite the confession, however, Ortberg “failed to take the required steps to prevent the person from volunteering with minors at the Menlo Park campus and did not consult anyone else at Menlo Church about the situation,” the elder board’s chair said.
She noted that as soon as the church was made aware of the concern about the volunteer, they informed their denomination and brought in an independent investigator but did not find any misconduct in the Menlo Church community.
My statement on Menlo Church and my father; I won’t be reading replies to this but I’m grateful to the friends and chosen family who have helped Grace and me through the last few months. pic.twitter.com/elT9I7v9u6
— Daniel M. Lavery (@daniel_m_lavery) February 2, 2020
“Nevertheless, the investigation showed John exhibited poor judgment that was inconsistent with his responsibilities as Senior Pastor,” Seabolt said.
“John fully understands the Board’s concerns regarding his handling of this situation. John is saddened by the potential risk he now realizes he brought on the Menlo community and wholly agrees that he did not handle this matter consistent with his responsibilities to Menlo Church and the Board’s expectations of him. He deeply apologizes for his action and decisions, and is committed to the safety and integrity of our community and to ensuring that such a situation does not arise again.”
Benjamin Clymer is a company founder and CEO. He loves
things that are handmade for specific clients. You can tell because he drives a
car built specifically for him.
His “new” car is a 1959 Porsche 356 Zagato Coupe.
Porsche had the plans since the late 1950s but had never built the car. They
spent three years creating his unique vehicle: they used a 1959 Porsche 356
engine, transmission, and chassis, but they crafted the body by hand and then
fitted the car to Benjamin’s taste.
The Wall Street Journal article caught my eye
because, like Benjamin Clymer, I have a fascination with vintage cars. I have
never spent what I presume he spent for his Porsche, but I have appreciated
classic cars just the same.
Over the years, I owned a 1967 Mercury Cougar, 1966 Ford
Mustang Coupe, and 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback. When we moved to Atlanta in
1994, our sons were of such an age and driving in that city was of such a
nature that my Mustang Fastback was no longer appropriate.
I have driven age-and-lifestyle-appropriate cars ever since,
but I still miss my Fastback. I watch car auctions on television when I get the
chance and imagine myself driving what these collectors collect.
Innovation and your enduring value
There’s a theological point to my automotive reminiscing:
Like Benjamin Clymer’s new old car, you and I were built from designs that
predated us. Not by sixty years, but by the entirety of human history to the
point of our conception.
Also like his Porsche, you and I are unique. There is no one
else in the world precisely like you. God did not create you because the world
needed another person to add to the billions of us on this tiny planet. He made
you because he wanted someone precisely like you.
This is a fact worth remembering in a secularized culture
that tries to force us into its mold of conventional wisdom and popular
morality. When we…
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