Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
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The Christian tradition of Lent is celebrated across the globe by many different denominations of the faith. Lent is a 40-day period of sacrifice that begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, and culminates with the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021. Lent is designed to help Christians prepare for Easter through prayer, repentance of sins, almsgiving, denying the ego, and putting and end to sinful practices. Fasting is a component of Lent, as is abstinence from certain behaviors. In fact, in some...
"Then the Lord said to him, 'What is that in your hand?' 'A staff,' he replied. The Lord said, 'Throw it on the ground.' Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it." ~Exodus 4:2-3, NIV Once upon a time, in 2013, I had just returned home with a sleeping baby. As I carried her through the house and up to her crib, I noticed something odd out of the corner of my eye. However, the mission at hand was to get the baby into her bed for a nice long nap, so without looking, I...
I am nearly 2.5 years into my ministry as a hospice chaplain. Time flies. I like most everything about the job. I am able to meet amazing people and share God's Word with them. We listen to and sometimes sing wonderful hymns of the faith together. The Lord allows me to encourage people daily as I pray aloud with them. I get to travel around a beautiful area. Naturally, there are things I do not like. I am not fond of dogs barking at me, especially if they are bigger than me. A cat rubbing...
Scriptures to Read: Proverbs 15:13-17 Proverbs 17:22 II Samuel 6:12-17 Isaiah 61:1-10 St. Luke 15:7-10 & 22-24 Psalm 16:11 & James 5:13 Ephesians 5:19 & Colossians 3:16 I am planning to celebrate. It won't be a large-scale thing. I won't even invite anyone to come join me. It will be just me. What is it all about? This is my 2,000th 'Thought for the Week." David Snyder, former editor-publisher-owner of The Herald might disagree with that number, but will tell you I began to write a long time...
Various sects that fall under the umbrella of Christianity have their own unique traditions when it comes to the sacraments. Roman Catholics about to receive the sacrament of confirmation often are required to choose a confirmation name before they can be confirmed. Some churches no longer require prospective confirmands to choose confirmation names. But those Catholics who will be asked to do so may want to learn about the tradition and why their parish still adheres to it. What is the...
I've always found it interesting to take trips below the Mason Dixon line. There are things growing down there that we don't have in Pennsylvania. It's fun to drive past fields and fields of peanuts. Peanuts!! It's fascinating to look out on a field of cotton. As a teen, the first time I saw Spanish moss hanging off a tree I couldn't believe it. We make fun of people who think milk comes from the store because we've got cows all over the place, but our neighbors down south can in return make...
Scriptures to Read: Psalm 139:1-12 Psalm 139:13-24 I Peter 2:9-12 Psalm 127:3-128:4 St. John 15:1-8 St. Matthew 18:1-6 St. John 15:9-17 …The Little Children” and …Me.” In these two scripturally based hymns, we can easily see His love for infants, toddlers and small children, This is also confirmed in St. Matthew 18:1-5 when Jesus says, “Children are the greatest in the Kingdom of God,” and in St. Mark 9:36-37 and 10:13-16 when He takes them in His arms and blesses them. What about the pre-born or the unborn? Does God love them too? There is ev...
Think about the various things you think about and deal with on any given day. One minute you can be at peace and looking forward to something and the next you may be sad and troubled. Your good perspective can quickly turn sour. Yesterday I was struck by how dark and dreary the January skies were. Within the hour, out came the sun. The next day was cloudy once again. But the forecast looks promising. Like the people who used to be elevator operators, life is full of ups and downs. As we look...
Scriptures to Read: I Timothy 6:6-10 St. Matthew 6:1-4 St. Matthew 6:19-24 St. Luke 12:13-21 Hebrews 13:5-6 St. Matthew 25:31-40 St. Matthew 25:41-46 If you could choose one of the Ten Commandments that is least serious, which would it be? Actually, there is no such thing. God considers each a Commandment. Whoever breaks one is guilty of breaking all. But for the sake of my "Thought" today, I want you to consider "Thou shalt not covet..." (Exodus 20:17). This commandment seems internal and not...
As Pastor Lee mentioned in his column last week, 2020 was a doozie. Every day of it brought a new mental or physical hurdle to climb over leaving all of us tired and exhausted. New Years Day of 2021 was the most mirthless day I've had in ages. Normally I wake up on January 1 excited and ready to face a new year, looking forward to new experiences, new hopes, new adventures. But 2020 was awful and it had erased all joy of looking forward to anything in the future. I was depressed to the point of...
Scriptures to Read: I Thessalonians 5:17 & St. Matthew 6:7-13 II Timothy 14-19 Hebrews 10:22-25 Acts 2:36-41 Acts 2:42-47 Philippians 4:4-9 Acts 4:7-12 & 29-31 Many people make New Year's Resolutions: some for fun and some seriously. Perhaps you have made some. Perhaps some are already broken. Resolutions cover a wide variety of subjects in life. I would like to propose some resolutions for you. Of course you are free to do with my proposals as you like. I will give you three and they are not...
Trinity United Methodist Church in Roaring Spring will continue its monthly Manna on Main Street as a drive-through, take-out-only service from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9. Attendees can drive or walk up to the doors of fellowship hall located at the end of the alley to pick up their meals. The menu will consist of turkey corn rivels soup, apple sauce and pumpkin roll. This meal is free to the community and all are welcome....
I do not like saying goodbye. I suppose most people are the same way. For years I served on a national board associated with our fellowship of churches. Twice a year about a dozen of us got together from around the country with the goal of making local churches more effective and having greater evangelistic impact. We would meet in different locations to plan, pray, review finances, evaluate, make hard decisions, and visit churches that were making a difference and being creative. We also enjoyed good food and had much laughter together. There...
Scriptures to Read: St. Matthew 1:18-25 St. Matthew 2:1-6 St. Matthew 2:7-12 St. Luke 2:22-32 St. Luke 2:28-35 St. Luke 2:36-40 Galatians 4:4-7 Today, I want to lead your thinking about un-named witnesses. There are tons of them in Scripture. These are definitely involved in the Christmas Story. We know a little bit about them. There are more things proposed than known from actual Scripture. The song writer calls them, "We Three Kings." No doubt it is a beautiful song, but the Scriptural accurac...
Dec. 21, 2020. The longest night of the longest year. The Star of Bethlehem is to appear on that night, which is in the future as I write, and in the past till this prints. Will we have been able to see it? Will it have been visible? Will there have been clouds? I'd really like to see it. Will I know what it is when I look at it? I am not an expert astrologer. I'm not even a beginner. The night sky is just something big and beautiful to look at when the opportunity presents itself. It would be...
Scriptures to Read: St. Luke 1:5-25 St. Luke 1:26-38 St. Luke 139-56 St. Luke 1:57-66 St. Luke 1:67-80 St. John 1:19-34 St. Luke 2:1-20 Another often overlooked character in the Christmas Story is an infant, but not the Infant Jesus. He is the infant John, who, along with his parents Zachariah and Elizabeth, fills an important role in the Christmas Story. Much of their story is found in St. Luke's Gospel. There is prophecy telling of his coming found in Malachi 3:1 and 4:5-6 and explained by...
St John's Reformed Church of Loysburg looks serene, like it is waiting for Christmas, during the new-fallen snow Thursday, Dec. 17. The church will hold an outdoor Christmas Eve worship service along with caroling at 7 p.m. today, Dec. 24, by the lighted bush near the pavilion....
Caroling is a symbol of community that once was a wildly popular holiday tradition but has largely fallen by the wayside. According to the Pew Research Center, about 16 percent of Americans reported caroling in 2017. However, this once-beloved tradition can be brought back with vigor. History of caroling Caroling evolved from the practice of wassailing. The word “wassail” is derived from the Old Norse phrase “ves heill,” which translates to “be well and in good health.” As early as the 13th century, people in England would travel between hou...
Rosene Martin, 7, of Martinsburg, is the Morrisons Cove Herald's first-place winner for ages 5 to 7 in the annual Shades of Joy coloring contest. Rosene will receive a prize for her efforts....
The following church services will be held in person or online. • United Methodist Church – Christmas Eve service will be Facebook Live at 7:30 p.m.; Light Up Williamsburg (with luminaries) at 5 p.m. • St. Joseph’s Catholic Church – 6:30 p.m. Christmas Eve, 9 a.m. Christmas Day • Zion Lutheran Church – Drive-in Christmas Eve at the church parking lot, 8 p.m.; or join via radio station at 91.3 FM. • Williamsburg Independent Bible Baptist Church – Candlelight Service, 6 p.m., Christmas Eve • Mines and Royer United Methodist Church – Christmas...
At Christmas, certain things just go together. There is mistletoe and holly, Bing Crosby and White Christmas, red and green, Mary and Joseph, Santa and reindeer, milk and cookies, fruitcake and...jokes. But as Christmas approaches, let us consider how fear and peace go together. As the dreadful calendar year of 2020 draws to a close there are many people living in fear. Kids fear Santa will find them being naughty instead of nice. Parents fear the credit card bill. Some fear for the future...
Scriptures to Read: Isaiah 9:6-7 Isaiah 11:1-9 Isaiah 24:13-16 Isaiah 25:3-6 Isaiah 26:1-5 & 10-13 Philippians 2:5-11 St. Luke 1:67-79 "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly equipped to do all good works" (see II Timothy 3:16ff). "No Scripture originated with man. No prophecy is of human origin, for holy men of old, spoke as they were moved by the Ho...
The Christmas concert with The Isaacs, scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, at Champion Life Church in downtown Altoona, has been cancelled due to Gov. Tom Wolf’s COVID-19 restrictions....
The popular Christmas carol "O Come, All Ye Faithful" traces its history back several centuries. While the lyrics to the song have been attributed to various authors, the text is most often credited to an 18th century English hymnist named John Francis Wade. While Wade may or may not deserve such credit, the earliest known written versions of the hymn, sometimes referred to as "Adeste Fideles," each include his signature. "O Come, All Ye Faithful" O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,...
"Here is a statement you can trust, one that fully deserves to be accepted (indeed, it is for this that we toil and strive): we have our hope set on a living God who is the deliverer of all humanity, especially of those who trust." ~1 Timothy 4:9-10, CJB Nov. 29 was the first Sunday of Advent, a time when we collectively turn our thoughts toward the celebration of Christmas-the celebration of the birth of Christ. Folks begin to put up their nativity sets, Christmas lights, trees and...
Scriptures to Read: Isaiah 1:10-17 Isaiah 1:18-20 Isaiah 2:1-5 Isaiah 6:1-7 Isaiah 6:8-12 Isaiah 7:12-14 St. Luke 1:26-38 I am inviting Isaiah to the Christmas Story. He lived some 700 years before the birth of Christ. He was of both royal and priestly bloodlines. But I invite him because he is the most major of the "Major Old Testament Prophets." The 66 chapters of his writings are worthy of hours of study and are embedded with nuggets of truth regarding the life and ministry of Christ. Isaiah...
Santa Clause will be at the Vicksburg Grace Brethren Church from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19. The church will have a setup for those special pictures with Santa Claus. Free gifts will be given out to children in sixth grade and under. Mrs. Clause, an Elf, and the Grinch will also be featured....
Brothers Jacob Noah and Eli Muthler of Martinsburg were among a group of volunteers at Trinity United Methodist Church in Roaring Spring who were continuing a many-years tradition of offering a free Thanksgiving dinner. This year it was drive up). The church served more than 300 meals this year....
Sandy Allison of Claysburg stands next to her Fontanini Nativity Set that is on display at Lower Claar Church of the Brethren near Claysburg. The Fontanini pieces are made in Italy. It took Allison approximately 25 hours to set up the pieces. Fontanini is a family concern which began with the patriarch, Emanuele. He was at first an apprentice figurine-painter to another company but in 1908 started Fontanini as a small local business in a single room in the tiny Tuscan town of Bagni di Lucca,...
Tennessee-based country and bluegrass gospel music band, The Isaacs, will present their unique blend of instrumentation and vocal harmony at 7 p.m. on Friday, December 11 at Champion Life Church in downtown Altoona. Band members Lily Isaacs, Ben Isaacs, Sonya Isaacs Yeary and Becky Isaacs Bowman have recorded more than 20 albums with a musical style influenced by many genres of music including bluegrass, rhythm and blues, folk, country, contemporary, acoustic and southern gospel. The Isaacs, who have been performing since the early 1970s, have...
I remember as a teen, hearing John Denver and the Muppets sing a song I had never heard before. It was sung in the round. Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat. Please put a penny in the old man’s hat. If you haven’t got a penny, a ha’penny will do. If you haven’t got a ha’penny, then God bless you! On and on it went. I did not understand the song at the time but still enjoyed the tune. It turns out the song was based on a British nursery rhyme from the 19th century. I assume the goose...
Scriptures to Read: Daniel 8:15-17 & 26-27 Daniel 9:1-6 Daniel 9:7-14 Daniel 9:15-19 St. Luke 1:11-17 St. Luke 1:68-79 St. Luke 1:28-38 I AM WRITING THIS ON VETERANS DAY. Today evoked many memories. I prayed for a number of folks who served. Normally, I use the four weeks of December to think about the Christmas Story and those involved with major roles. This year I thought I might write about those who are important but not so much in the spotlight. I begin with the angel Gabriel. We often...
Trinity United Methodist Church in Roaring Spring served its annual Thanksgiving dinner to the community Thursday, Nov. 26. Meals were take-out only....
"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." ~Psalms 100:4-5 (NIV) Do you know what made my heart sing with gratitude this week? Little kids. They are joy in its purest form. They know the world is upside down, but they just keep on playing and giggling. I thanked God for each one of them. Their innocence and laughter was a true blessin...
Scriptures to Read: I Thessalonians 5:14-18 Philippians 4:4-8 Psalm 40:1-5 Psalm 130:1-7 Psalm 139:1-6 & 14 Psalm 46:1-2 & 10-11 Psalm 136:1-4 & 23-26 I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU to give thanks in "everything." I begin with a story Myron Augsberger told: "I was doing a preaching/teaching tour in India. We were invited to lunch. As we sat down, our host offered an eloquent blessing. We were served a veritable feast. They urged me to eat more. We were in modest surroundings but it was a sumptuous...
You may know some people who like to talk. Some folks go on and on in their speech. Of course, there is nothing wrong with being talkative. The problem is when a person talks without being a good listener. I admit that even though I listen for a living, I am better at talking. At times I must reign myself in. This is one of the many practical issues of life addressed in the book of Proverbs. As the wisdom series continues, I will pick it up with selected verses in Chapter 10. The wise of heart...
Scriptures to Read: St. John 8:31-36 Romans 5:15-18 Romans 6:15-23 Romans 8:1-11 Galatians 5:1-6 I Peter 2:4-12 Philippians 2:1-11 I am trusting you are planning to observe Thanksgiving Day. Thanks may certainly be given to a lot of people. We need to remember the primary focus of Thanksgiving Day is to thank God for all He has done for us, as individuals and as a nation. If there ever was a nation that's been blest, it is the United States. Many people squeak by with the basic necessities. Most...
Area ministeriums have cancelled their community Thanksgiving services due to the recent rise in numbers of those affected by COVID-19. The Claysburg-East Freedom Ministerium will broadcast its Thanksgiving service Sunday, Nov. 22, at 6:30 p.m. via Facebook and YouTube. The Rev Calvin Miller of United Methodist Claysburg, Queen and Weyant will be the speaker. Donations or offerings may be sent to the Claysburg Ministerium, c/o David Maxwell, Upper Claar Church of the Brethren, 405 Upper Claar Road, Claysburg, PA 16625. The Southern Cove-Yellow...
Each morning at my house is met with a copious amount of reading. This week as always, it was very appropriately timed. Truly I tell you, I do not go looking for these things, they find me. The following all presented themselves on the same morning and began in the book of Romans. "For I am not ashamed of the Good News, since it is God's powerful means of bringing salvation to everyone who keeps on trusting, to the Jew especially, but equally to the Gentile. For in it is revealed how God makes p...
Scriptures to Read: I Thessalonians 5:12-18 I Corinthians 2:6-11 St. Matthew 6:9-15 Psalm 136:1-9 Ephesians 5:15-21 Colossians 3:12-17 II Peter 1:12-21 Hopefully you saved last week's "Thought" I want to continue. (Example) As part of my example, I want to more clearly demonstrate thankfulness. Remind me to thank my wife for the hundreds of meals she has made. I want to thank people who are often unseen: the clerk, the stock-boy, the manager, the meat-cutter, and others in the grocery store for...
Scriptures to Read: Genesis 1:1 & 9-14 Genesis 8:15-22 Psalm 8:1-9 Psalm 90:10-17 II Corinthians 5:1-10 St. Matthew 25:31-40 St. Matthew28:16-20 I want to do something with you that I have never done before. I hope it becomes a blessing to you. We were talking at the breakfast table. I said, "How did we get on this subject?" So we backtracked. Well, we talked about this and before that we said, before that was, and before that etc. I call that "progressional conversation." I think we all do it....
The Middle Pennsylvania District Church of the Brethren and Middle Pennsylvania District Disaster Team will partner together to have a spaghetti dinner drive-thru fundraiser from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, for pick up at Memorial Church of the Brethren in Martinsburg. The meals will be first-come, first-serve and will include spaghetti, meatballs, roll, salad and dessert for a $10 donation to support the ministries of both groups....
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church’s fourth annual Remembrance Service Honoring Children Who Have Died will take place at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Nov, 2, both at the church, 1230 Eighth Ave., Altoona, and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stlukesepiscopalaltoona). Due to COVID-19, those who attend in person will need to adhere to safety guidelines. For more information, call 942-1372, or go to https://stlukesaltoona.diocpa.org/digital_faith/events/318440....
It has been a beautiful fall. The trees on the mountains have held their colors much longer than usual, giving us more time to visually soak it in. We needed that. Organic beauty is soothing and refreshing. The trace of fog that lingers at the very bottom of the mountain in the morning adds a mystique and dream-like quality. Pumpkins, gourds and mums decorate porches. We're working at picking our field of Indian corn. Every ear holds a surprise. Will it be red, variegated orange, purple, blue, o...
Scriptures to Read: St. Matthew 25: 31-40 St. Matthew 25: 41-46 St. Mark 12:13-17 Romans 12:1-20 Romans 13:1-7 Daniel 3:12-18 & 28 Daniel 4:19-27 This is projected to be my last "Thought" before national Election Day. I hope you are planning and prepared to vote. Why would I continue to use the title "Attack?" Partly because I believe Satan and his fallen-host are on the attack against our nation. Of course the attack is against us as individuals most. But we cannot doubt we fall under the...
The Rev. Dr. Joleen Willis was installed Sunday, Oct. 25, as the Altoona district superintendent of the Susquehanna Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. The service was livestreamed. Rev. Dr. Willis graduated from Williamsburg High School and Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a degree in music education. She received a Master of Divinity degree from the Church of God Theological Seminary in Cleveland, Tenn., and Doctor of Ministry from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore,...
Editor's Note: Due to unforseen events, Pastor Lee Seese was unable to write a column for this week. The column below appeared in the Oct. 11, 2018, edition of the Herald. Some scattered, random thoughts as we approach the middle of October... I wonder what "month" it was when God created everything. We celebrate and commemorate all sorts of things, but no one knows when it all began. What was the high and low temperature in the Garden of Eden? Or was it always the same? Was Eve usually cold and...
Scriptures to Read: Ephesians 6:10-20 St. Matthew 6:7-13 Hebrews 4:12-16 St. Matthew 4:1-11 Hebrews 11:1-6 Hebrews 11:32-40 Philippians 4:4-13 I have been trying to warn-alert you to Satan's attacks. Satan and his fallen-angel-host are formidable enemies. For the Christian, we claim a verse (I John 4:4), "Ye are of God...because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world." We dare to presume that if Christ is Lord of your life and seated on the throne of your heart, neither...
St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Roaring Spring will have boxes of food to give away to anyone who can use it today, Oct. 22. Volunteers will begin handing out the food at 3 until 5 p.m. at the base of the church parking lot along Main Street (right down from the post office). Boxes will be first-come, first-serve. The church will be able to help 50 families. There will be no qualifications. Each family will receive four different boxes that include items such as meat, dairy and non-perishables....
To promote a safe and fun environment for our neighborhood children and families, Martinsburg Brethren in Christ will host a trick-or-treat alternative from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28. Children can trick-or-treat from trunk to trunk in a line-up of vehicles parked in the church’s parking lot with trunks or tailgates full of goodies. This free event will be open to the community. The church is located at 334 Son Rise Drive (Cross Cove Road) between Route 866 and Ritchey’s Dairy. For more information, contact the church at 793...
