What is the work of the Holy Spirit photos on Flickr

DSC_2940 by Quantum Stalker

So, today we're gonna look at another of those pieces that I never thought I'd run into in the wild, the Tamashii Nations Chogokin Fate/Zero Archer Gilgamesh figure.

Released in 2013 at 9,500 Yen, I didn't even know such this figure existed, but sure enough after seeing an ad on Facebook and doing some research, the $80 CAD seemed like a good buy, so 10 minutes in the car later the figure is in my possession. Apparently there is a companion Chogokin Saber, which I didn't know existed either - the only die cast I knew about was the Armoured Girl Project version.

Gilgamesh is, unless things have changed drastically, the biggest asshole in the entire Fate universe. He is a Heroic Spirt that hails from ancient times, and is known as "The King of Kings". He pretty much looks down on everyone and anyone, and in his Archer form (which is the case for Fate/Zero) a formidable foe especially with lance Ea and his "Gates of Babylon" Noble Phantasm.

I've looked at quite a few Bandai/Tamashii Nations products, mostly within the Figuarts or D-Arts lines, but it's not that often I get my hands on something from the Chogokin lineup. Much like the God Cloth Andromeda Shun I picked up back earlier, Gilgamesh features significant use of die cast metal, and whatever isn't metal is a beautiful chromed plastic. The figure is quite heavy, easily weighing triple the Figma version.

So other than being shiny, you'll find that the armour on the Chogokin version is bulkier and more angular than the Figma. Based on what I can tell, the Figma wins the accuracy round, not only for looks but also for featuring a dark blue rather than black for the various crevices, so for all the sticklers out there you're pretty much better off avoiding this one all together.

The Chogokin however appears to have far more accurate looking face plates and hair. Furthermore, the detailing on the Chogokin is sharper due to the use of harder materials. You can make it out on the body, but where it really shines is on the script that is etched on the hand guard of his Lance.

The contents of the set aren't as impressive as the Andromeda Shun figure, but this figure doesn't have exploding armour that reforms itself into a totem of sorts. You get the figure, three total face plates (neutral, eyes shifted right, smiling), a pair of arms dedicated to making his cross arm pose work, Ea, three gold goblets, a giant gold wine decanter, a variety of posing hands, and a literal pedestal for displaying the figure on.

The two dedicated cross chest arms are a very nice touch, and look so much nicer than than the faux arm pieces that come with most figures these days. As this is going to be my display option of choice, it's something I really like.

So while the head overall looks better than the Figma version, you'll find the faces themselves somewhat lacking in any real variety, which is something generally pointed out by the other owners. I will say, however, that the faces for Gilgamesh do seem more on point and useful than the ones that come with Saber.

Articulation, as you can probably guess, is a dud. You get some movement sure, but ultimately you're going to be sticking with relatively static poses, which in a way works out given the somewhat tame choices of face plate. Sure the points of articulation are there (toes, ankles, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips, waist, shoulders with chest compress, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrists, neck, head) along with some other points for moving the armour bits around, you ill find the legs are generally constrained by the skirt, particularly the rear, and Pauldrons interfere with arm movement

Thus, as I mentioned before, pretty much static poses. It's a good thing he's a sharp looking figure.

Paint wise, there is nothing significant for me to complain about. Most of the paint apps are within the crevices of the armour and gear, and those are well done with no masking issues, and all other painted areas are equally sharp. The chroming of plastic is smooth and while doesn't have the same lustre of the metal piece, it is all smooth with no bubbles or poor finishes. Decal work on the eyes is tack sharp. The areas of greatest weakness in this section would be the hands, which due to the use of softer plastics the finish isn't as nice which in turn affects the smoothness of the paints.

You're not going to spending much time staring at those hands, though, and to be perfectly honest they're just rough looking by comparison to the rest of the figure.

Similarly, from a build quality perspective this figure is beautifully made. The metal parts are polished with no rough edges, and fit perfectly on the plastic frame that holds it all together. The plastic parts are generally hidden, with the chromed parts being pretty much flawless. As with these plastic/die cast hybrids, the joints do the job, though some can be a bit of a pain to move for fear of breakage, and the plastic on plastic joints work as well as any other Bandai figure. The plastic skirt pieces are well made.

Again, the roughest looking pieces, by comparison, are the hands, where there are some mould lines that weren't cleaned quite crisply enough as well as the aforementioned surface imperfections.

So in conclusion, a beautiful looking figure that values aesthetics (and use of die cast) over practical posing capabilities. While the bulk of Pauldrons is a necessary evil, posing options could have been vastly improved if they had simply used actual cloth for the skirt portions (which incidentally would have made the figure look even more impressive). It was already 9,500 Yen back in 2013, which puts it in the luxury figure price range, so why not go that extra step?

Oh well.. at least it will look damn good sitting on my desk.

Sankt Petri Kyrka, Klippan by Anders Bengtsson

Architect: Sigurd Lewerentz (1885-1975),

Built in 1966

The Architect

The architect, Doctor of Technology, Sigurd Lewerentz (1885-1975) was 77 years old when he was asked to create St. Petri church. He had behind him, in addition to studies at Chalmers’ university, many years of collected experience, which he could now draw on. Full of life, knowledgeable, independent of all architectural traditions and styles he set about his task. He concentrated all his artistic passion on this task. What he created is not a product of a drawing-board. The placing of every brick is determined directly by him on the spot or indirectly by the instructions he gave to the artisans. The watchful eye of the architect constantly followed the work on the site.

Facts

The church was consecrated on 27th of November, 1966 by Bishop Martin Lindström. The nave is built according to “circumstantes”, the idea of the central place of worship. The area is quadratic, 18 x 18 meter. The height is 6 meter in the east and 5 meter in the west. The nave rests on and is built around a cross of iron (the T-cross or the Antonius-cross). The cross should be essential in the preaching and activity of the church as well as in human life. The ceiling is formed as archs and is a symbol of human spirit life as a waving movement. The building has no arched windows. The window-glasses are directly mounted on the outside of the wall with brackets, which gives a feeling of missing windows. All electric wiring and water pipes are mounted directly on the walls – nothing should be hidden into the church. The middle aisle corresponds to the holy way (via sacra) of old days which leads to the Holy Communion table. The walls are built up with the dark-brown brick from Helsingborg, which is made by hand craft as well as machine-made. No bricks are adjusted to suit – man is good enough to be used by God even if she is “odd, rough or not adjusted to suit”. The bricks are partly picked by the architect Lewerentz himself from a scrap-yard. Even human beings, who by others are considered as “scrap”, are suitable for the Lord. The daylight and the illumination are sparse. Too much natural light disturbs the full feeling according to the architect. Therefore the lamps must be lightened during service. Architect Lewerentz wanted to create a soft and warm surrounding with quiet and devotion. While sitting for a while in the church the details are coming forward. The chairs are from Denmark and originally designed for the Grundtvig-church (1940) in Copenhagen. Portable chairs in churches are an old tradition and give the opportunity to rearrange the furniture.

Source: Leaflet – Sankt Petri Church in Klippan – A Masterpiece by Sigurd Lewerentz

The church was renovated between the years 1979-1981 under the direction of architect Bengt Edman and the church copper roof has been changed in 2011.

More pictures of Sigurd Lewerentz’ work

Images of other architects' works

More information at the St. Petri web page

Thomas Morgan Pentecostal Church 1976 by Irlam,Cadishead,Rixton with Glazebrook old photos

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Cadishead and Irlam Guardian, July 30, 1976 at Irlam Library.

Although the Pentecostal Church was founded in the days of the New Testament, it came to the Irlam District only this (20th) century.

The man who brought this old established church to Cadishead nearly 40 years ago and is still its representative today is Pastor Thomas William Morgan.

Mr Morgan began his work in Cadishead 38 years ago when he was ordained at Wakefield, Yorkshire, and returned to the district where he grew up and went to school.

He had no formal education for the church and explained: "I just felt the call of God start the work - and it has grown ever since." Mr Morgan said his devotion to the church began as a result of a vision.

Originally a member of the Methodist Church, Mr Morgan broke away with about half a dozen other people to form the Pentecostal Church in Cadishead, because he believes unlike the Methodists, in baptism by submersion.

"I was a Methodist preacher but I differed from the Methodists because I saw baptism by submersion was the way of the Gospel," he said.

The Pentecostal Church in Cadishead first started to meet in an old Methodist Mission, on the site of their present church on Liverpool Road. The members of the Pentecostal Church eventually bought the old Mission: "As the church grew we decided on a long term plan to take down the old Mission and rebuild a new church," Mr Morgan said. "And this is exactly what happened."

Although the War impeded building progress because materials were scarce, work began after 1945 when the first phase of building was begun. A new Sunday School was built on the side of the old Mission and when this was completed the original building was pulled down and replaced by the present church.

The Pentecostal Church in Cadishead belongs to the Assemblies of God, one of the sects which make up the Pentecostal faith; the other two being the Elim and the Apostolic.

There are at present more than 600 Pentecostal Churches throughout Great Britain and Ireland and many more in different parts of the world.

Mr Morgan and his wife, Alice, have a daughter, Olive, and grand-children, living in Canada who are members of the Pentecostal Church there. Mr and Mrs Morgan have visited Canada several times and Mr Morgan has preached in Canadian Pentecostal Churches. Their other daughter, Ruth Bracegirdle, Lives in Albert Street, Cadishead.

The Pentecostal Church, in common with other churches, Mr Morgan explains, lays emphasis on one particular point - baptism of the holy spirit. The Charismatic Movement is being followed by other denominations, Mr Morgan believes.

"The same thing has been discovered by members of all other denominations, even Roaman Catholics," Mr Morgan said, "although we were the first in the district to begin this particular action."

The only major difference between the Assemblies of God and the other sects of the Pentecostal Church is in their government. Mr Morgan explained: "As far as we are concerned in the Assemblies of God, each church governs itself independently, without any outside authority whatsoever."

CONFERENCE

As a minister of the Assemblies of God, Mr Morgan attends annual conferences, where new ministers are ordained and other business of the church discussed and cleared. I September the World Pentecostal Conference will be held in London. This conference is held every three years in different capitals of the world.

Although Cadishead's Pentecostal Church was built independently by its members, the church has no debts and is financially stable, without having to hold fund raising functions.

Despite starting with only about six members in 1938, the Pentecostal Church in Cadishead now has a large congregation, although this was reduced slightly at the time of the Steelworks closure. "I think we should express our gratitude to God for his help over the years," he added.

Mr Morgan said the Pentecostal Church tries to keep its services as bright as possible. Although the church does not hold concerts or musical events, as some churches do, Mr Morgan said anyone is welcome to play an instrument at church services if he is a reasonably competent musician.

The Pentecostal Church in Cadishead holds two conventions a year and Mr Morgan said these are usually very popular, drawing people from other congregations. The conferences often attract so many people, the congregation have to overflow into the Sunday School.

FOUNDED

Mr Morgan explained the Pentecostal Church was founded on the Day of Pentecost and is mentioned in the New Testament in the Acts of the Apostles. "This is no new sect," he said.

Although he was born in Manchester and brought up in Cadishead, Mr Morgan is interested in the Welsh language and Wales. His father was Welsh and this led to Mr Morgan's interest, so much so that although he does not speak the language he has taught himself to read a little Welsh.

Mr Morgan would like to see churches of all denominations given more coverage by the press. He said that while abroad in Canada and America he read newspapers which devote pages to lists of services. "Really the press seem to be more interested in things of a religious nature over there and I would like to see this over here with people turning more to God," he said.

Image:

Pastor Thomas Morgan who brought the Pentecostal Church to Cadishead nearly 40 years ago after breaking away from the Methodist faith with a number of other people. He is pictured at home reading from his Bible.

The_Cross_01 by Don Bantum

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Ephesians 1 (NIV)

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we HAVE redemption through his blood, the FORGIVENESS OF SINS, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

11 IN HIM we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. WHEN YOU BELIEVED, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

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Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

(John 6:28-29) (NIV)

Is ANYBODY picking up on this? It's not about baptism, obeying the law, quitting smoke, doing good works, going to church on Saturday, not working on Sunday, not eating pork chops. It's about Jesus! Jesus did something, it's called the "GOSPEL OF JESUS THE CHRIST."

His death on the cross where he took away the sins of the world, yes that would include ALL of yours as well. His burial, which is the proof of death, and HIS RESURRECTED LIFE!

Stop trying to ADD to what Jesus did. Anything you add to Jesus you are taking away from Jesus. If baptism can save you, Jesus can't. I hope that at some point all people will come to true faith in the real Jesus. If we really have faith in Jesus and what he did, we'd quit asking him to forgive us, and start thanking HIM BECAUSE HE HAS!

See it's like this, this is Jesus own words, so there shouldn't be any confusion here. The only work that GOD REQUIRES IS TO BELIEVE IN HIS SON, JESUS. And if we do, it's high time we started thanking him, for having done something instead of asking for what in Jesus we've already been given! Which is Life through his blood and the forgiveness of sins. It's about faith people. Do you have FAITH IN JESUS FINISHED WORK? OR IS YOUR FAITH IN WHAT YOU'RE DOING, OR NOT DOING?

------------------------ JESUS ✝️ SAVES -------------------------

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father in the Lord Jesus Christ, FOREVER! Through Faith in Jesus!

10 The thief comes only to STEAL and KILL and DESTROY; I have come that they may have LIFE, and have it to the FULL. (John 10:10)

Jesus came to bring spiritual LIFE to the spiritually dead and set the captives FREE! FREE from RELIGION, ERROR and outright LIES, so they might serve THE LIVING GOD! In SPIRIT and in TRUTH!

For the best Biblical teaching in the last 2 centuries! Please listen to and down load these FREE audio files that were created with YOU in mind. It's ALL FREE, if you like it, please share it with others. ❤️ ✝️ ❤️

archive.org/details/PeopleToPeopleByBobGeorgeFREE-ARCHIVE...

www.revealedinchrist.com

CLICK THE LETTER "L" TO ENLARGE THE IMAGE.

My THANK'S to all those who have taken the time to view, fave, comment or share my photo's with others. I really appreciate it! ❤️

St Mary The Virgin, Eastry, Kent by Jelltex

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St Mary has been that I have tried to get into several times. Eastry lies on my route to work, although the Sandwich road goes round the village, I can see it's tower and I often wondered what delights would lay inside.

So after getting into Minster, I thought, lets try Eastry, not really holding out much hope. But, after parking up and walking down a narrow path, we came to the church and entered the unusual porch. I tried the main door and it swung open.

Revealing a warden vacuuming. She was very kind, stopped working so i could get my shots, and filled us in with the details, and especially about the Dominical Circle, a carving used to calculate the date of easter, and very rare as well as being 13th century.

Most noticeable were the wall paintings over the naive, a description of which should appear below:

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Set away from the main street but on one of the earliest sites in the village, flint-built Eastry church has an over restored appearance externally but this gives way to a noteworthy interior. Built in the early thirteenth century by its patrons, Christ Church Canterbury, it was always designed to be a statement of both faith and power. The nave has a clerestory above round piers whilst the east nave wall has a pair of quatrefoils pierced through into the chancel. However this feature pales into insignificance when one sees what stands between them - a square panel containing 35 round paintings in medallions. There are four deigns including the Lily for Our Lady; a dove; Lion; Griffin. They would have formed a backdrop to the Rood which would have been supported on a beam the corbels of which survive below the paintings. On the centre pier of the south aisle is a very rare feature - a beautifully inscribed perpetual calendar or `Dominical Circle` to help find the Dominical letter of the year. Dating from the fourteenth century it divides the calendar into a sequence of 28 years. The reredos is an alabaster structure dating from the Edwardian period - a rather out of place object in a church of this form, but a good piece of work in its own right. On the west wall is a good early 19th century Royal Arms with hatchments on either side and there are many good monuments both ledger slabs and hanging tablets. Of the latter the finest commemorates John Harvey who died in 1794. It shows his ship the Brunswick fighting with all guns blazing with the French ship the Vengeur. John Bacon carved the Elder this detailed piece of work.

kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Eastry

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Eastry is a large and interesting village situated just off the A256 approximately 2 miles from Sandwich, 9 miles from Dover and 12 miles from Canterbury.

The name, meaning Eastern district, originated in the 7th Century, when the village was the capital of the most easterly of the provinces of the Kingdom of Kent, the Lathe of Eastry.

Here the Saxon kings had a Royal Hall on the site north of the Church, now occupied by Eastry Court, which was reputedly the scene of the murder in 665 of the two young princes, Etheldred and Ethelbert. Two Saxon burial sites in the village date from this period.

On the south side of the Church lies the former Tithe Barn (rebuilt 1832), now Aumbry Cottages, and the Parsonage Farm now known as the Aumbry (rebuilt 1825) from its having belonged to the Almonry of the Prior and Convent at Canterbury from the 12th Century.

The village was the birthplace of Henry of Eastry, Prior of Christ Church, Canterbury 1285-1333, in whose honour the Cathedral tower bears the name Bell Harry.

In Lower Street on the west side is Fairfield a 15th century aisled hall house, and in Mill Lane, the former Union Workhouse (1835) which became Eastry Hospital and which is now closed.

Beneath the garden of Beckets on the west side of Woodnesborough Lane are the Caves (now closed), a long series of galleries excavated in the last century by the Foord family in the course of extracting chalk for lime burning.

The Old Vicarage in Church Street was in use as the Vicarage until 1980 and stands on a site appropriated to that purpose in 1367.

In the 19th century the village possessed four windmills, only one of which now remains, as a private residence.

The Church dates from c.1230. It was built lavishly in the early English style of architecture by the monks of Christ Church Abbey, Canterbury who owned the Eastry Manor at that time.

This Norman church almost certainly replaced a Saxon building, since Eastry boasted a Royal Palace for the Kings of Kent as early as 660 AD. The origins of Christian worship on this site are lost in antiquity.

The beautiful church of St. Mary's Eastry, a place associated with the notable Prior of Canterbury, Henry of Eastry (after whom the "Bell Harry Tower" of Canterbury Cathedral is named), contains a most unique feature, restored during 1987.

Above the Chancel Arch, enclosed within a rectangular frame, are rows of seven "medallion" wall paintings; the lower group was discovered in 1857 and the rest in 1903. They remained in a rather dilapidated state until the Canterbury Cathedral Wall Paintings Department brought them back to life.

The medallions are evidently of the 13th Century, having been painted while the mortar was still wet. Each medallion contains one of four motifs:

The trefoil flower, pictured left, is perhaps a symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary to whom the church is dedicated; or symbolic of Christ.

The lion; symbolic of the Resurrection.

Doves, either singly, or in pairs, represent the Holy Spirit.

The Griffin represents evil, over which victory is won by the power of the Resurrection and the courage of the Christian.

www.ewbchurches.org.uk/eastrychurchhistory.htm

Papal Visit: Beatification by Simon Knott

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19.9.10: Cofton Park, Birmingham

The Beatification of John Henry Newman by Pope Benedict XVI

We were at Cofton Park for Newman as much as we were for the Pope. I'm not the biggest fan of Benedict XVI or of the cult of hero worship, but Newman is for me one of the outstanding figures of the 19th Century; along with Darwin and Marx, he is one of the three great thinkers of that century. The three of them changed the way we understand the world, how we got here and where we are going.

What Darwin, Marx and Newman all had in common was that they devoted their lives to arguing theories of development. All three had a profound effect on how we lived our lives in the 20th century. Newman's theory was a theory of theological development. His starting point was to say: if we are imperfect, how can we possibly claim to truly know the mind of God?

As a young man, Newman had been an evangelical, believing in the literal truth of the Bible. As he matured, and realised this was not a possibility, he asked himself the big question: if we are literally incapable of posessing a knowledge of the mind of God, if we cannot understand exactly what it is that God is asking us to do, but we are still called on to seek perfection, then how does the revelation of that knowledge come about?

Newman decided it was the duty of the Church to be open to unfolding revelation, for each generation to continue the journey towards God in its own way. Some traditionalist Catholics are uncomfortable with the uncertainty of this, and ask the question "does this mean that some things we used to think were sinful are no longer sins?" In the words of the great Cardinal Hume, the answer is yes, I am afraid it does, because understanding of how sin may be realised is ultimately in the mind of imperfect man. Rather confusingly, Newman used the word 'Tradition' to explain the way the Church develops in response to this unfolding revelation.

Some of Newman's well-known sayings were projected on to the big screens at Cofton Park on Sunday, and one of my favourites went up just as the Pope was getting out of his helicopter: To grow is to change, and to become perfect is to change often. A little ironic perhaps, as one of the charges often levelled against this Pope by his fellow-Catholics is that he is intransigent and dogmatic - was it the spirit of Newman sending him a message, perhaps?

I think English Catholics have a love-hate relationship with Benedict XVI. He is a northern European, he's one of us, he thinks like us - but on the other hand he is such a deep intellectual that he doesn't engage in ordinary people's lives in the way that John Paul II did, even though John Paul II was in many ways a much more conservative Pope. JP2 is increasingly seen by history as providing a steady hand on the tiller at a time when the ship was entering uncertain waters, and I expect history's view of Benedict to be similar, that he kept the Conservatives on board at a time when the great outcry for change might have led to fragmentation.

I am also glad that there is at last a wider, public debate about the role of Faith in a civilised and secular society, and the relationship between Fides et Ratio, Faith and Reason, although it needs to be conducted without hysteria. While I think the Church and the Pope are certainly patriarchal and authoritarian, I do not believe that either is homophobic. This seems to me a very serious charge, and quite inappropriate when addressing the real issues involved in the Catholic Church's understanding of homosexuality. The Church's teaching in the matter (with which I find much to disagree) is against non-creative sexual acts, and also against sexual acts outside of marriage. Thus, homosexuality is not taught to be sinful, but it is taught to be a disordered state. While I think this teaching is wrong, I also think that to describe it as 'homophobic', that is, the fear of homosexuality or the promotion of a hatred of homosexuality, is just plain wrong. I am not saying that homophobic Catholics do not exist, but I am not aware of ever having met one. Indeed, several of my openly gay friends are Mass-attending Catholics. This obviously isn't enough, but it is a better starting point.

Secondly, while I think that condoms have a role to play in fighting AIDS and other diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, the issue is a very complex one. Respect needs to be given to the Church's preference for other methods, and the resources it commits to employing them: education, building up respect for women, fighting to raise the social conditions in which the abuse of women thrives. To describe the Catholic Church's work in Africa as 'genocide', as one banner at the 'Protest the Pope' rally in London on Saturday did, is just plain daft.

The Catholic Church is crying out for change. Under John XXIII and Paul VI in the Sixties and Seventies there was a real sense of a pilgrim church on the move and open to the Holy Spirit. But I do not think this is currently the case. Perhaps Newman's beatification will open up the eyes of the Church again to the reality of its journey, who knows? Where there are difficulties with official Church teaching, most Catholics I know follow their prayerful consciences, as Newman said we must, in a spirit of loyal dissent. We think the Church's teaching on contraception and homosexuality is wrong - not because we think we are right, but because we think that ongoing revelation will lead to the teaching being developed and changed - to grow is to change, to become perfect is to change often.

It is good to see dissent, and it is good to see a public debate. It is right and proper that those protesting against the visit of the Pope in London on Saturday had the chance to make thier voices heard. Vatican officials are said to be amazed that 80,000 pilgrims and 10,000 protestors were able to go about their business in the same area of central London and there only be one arrest! I'd like to think it is a good example of English tolerance and fair play. But I am afraid that I do not like their leader, Professor Dawkins, at all. I think he is a fundamentalist, and I abhor fundamentalism in all its forms, whether Christian, Moslem, Socialist, Fascist or Atheist. He's an intelligent man, and really ought to know better. His spiteful and angry speech on Saturday - he was literally shaking with anger - was a world away from the spirit of peace, love and reconciliation that I felt around me at Cofton Park yesterday. Ultimately, it's all about Love.

OLMC-CONCERT-38 by The Catholic Sun

Photos: J.D. Long-García/CATHOLIC SUN

Supporters crowd Our Lady of Mount Carmel for concert

Benefit for Hillebrand, Mills family raises over $30K

By Joyce Coronel | Oct. 1, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

TEMPE — When word spread that 11-year-old Julia Hillebrand, the daughter of local Catholic composer and recording artist Paul Hillebrand, had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, fellow musicians banded together to hold a benefit concert.

They hoped to attract about 1,000 people to the Sept. 29 event at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish. More than an hour before the concert was set to begin, however, the line to get into the church stretched well into the parking lot as friends, family and supporters waited for the doors to open.

With the likes of big-name Catholic music stars Matt Maher, Tom Booth, Tim and Julie Smith, Jaime and Kari Cortez, and others, the crowd swelled to nearly double what organizers had hoped.

So many people turned out in response to the plight of Julia Hillebrand and Ethan Mills, a teenage cancer sufferer and longtime Hillebrand family friend, the parish hall had to be opened up to accommodate the overflow crowd.

Inside the church, Fr. John Bonavitacola marveled at the scene he said reminded him of Easter Sunday and Christmas morning services.

“When God’s people pray together,” he told the crowd, “anything can happen. We pray that whatever God’s will might be, that we would be in acceptance of that. Faith can move mountains.”

Tim Smith had a special message for the Hillebrand and Mills families.

“We want you to know that you are loved and not only that, right here is our shoulder — lean on it.” And with that, the standing-room only throng swayed, clapped and sang along with the Smiths’ rendition of “Lean On Me.”

Bob Mulhern, who has known the Mills and Hillebrand families for 30 years and served as emcee for the event, told those gathered of 18-year-old Ethan Mills’ courage in the face of recurring cancer.

“Ethan calls himself ‘The Tumor-nator,’ he said. “There are 51 guys out there who have all shaved their head in support of him.”

Ethan’s mother, Nancy, was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support by the concert-goers. “I’ve never been so blown-away by anything,” she said. “Ethan is a real hero in our lives. When I breathe, I pray. We put our trust in Jesus no matter what.”

Matt Maher told the young cancer patients, “You’re not alone. If you’ve got bad news, you’ve got good news, because God holds everything together.”

Some in the crowd brushed away tears as Paul Hillebrand sang “We are body of Christ” and thanked them for their support.

“Thank you for the sacrifices you’ve made,” he said. “Come, Holy Spirit, heal us all, for we believe all shall be well.”

Julia and Ethan each stood briefly and the crowd responded with a standing ovation.

Julia, a sixth-grade student at St. Timothy Catholic School, was diagnosed with a tumor on her brain stem on Aug. 21 and is undergoing radiation.

Ethan, a graduate of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School, had planned to attend Arizona State University this fall until the cancer he battled 14 years ago returned.

Organizers said the concert and silent auction brought in more than $30,000 for the two families, who have been hit with huge medical bills as well as time away from work due to the children’s illnesses.

More: www.catholicsun.org

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All Saints, Hemblington, Norfolk by Jelltex

Before this day, I had not heard of Hemblington. But I saw a sign pointing to the church, away over the fields, and I had time, so I turned to see where it went.

The road went for ages until I saw the church, tucked in the countryside, round tower looking so typically Norfolk.

Inside I was dazzled by the painted font, the wall paintings on the north wall and the various nooks and crannies of this ancient church, but not really knowing what each was for.

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You don't have to go far off of the hellish A47 between Norwich and Yarmouth to come out into an utterly rural and remote corner of Norfolk. This is partly sleight of hand, because the narrow lanes which leave the busy road are so winding that they make you think you've come further than you have. Also, you might expect this area between the marshes and the broads to be flat and open; but here the landscape rolls, a patchwork of hedged fields and copses. In the late summer, there was a balmy restlessness, the soothing warmth of the sun competing with the wind from the North Sea ruffling and rustling the long grass.

All Saints is set in a secretive graveyard on a rise above a lattice of country lanes. From a distance it appears a sentinel; but, closer to, the aspect softens, and the church reveals itself as a humble little round-towered building, with much that is old about it, but also the simple mendings and making dos of later generations. I was particularly struck by the use of red brick, both in the elegant window in the western side of the Norman tower (is it 17th century?) and the moulding inside the opening of what is otherwise a humble south porch.

When I first came this way I bemoaned the fact that Hemblington church was kept locked, but I am happy to report that it is now open every day. Certainly, Hemblington is a remote parish, and its church a remote church, and trusting strangers is a risk - and Faith itself is a risk, of course. But the great medieval treasures of Hemblington are not the kind that can be carted away in the back of a white van.

The first is one of a number of very interesting, even idiosyncratic, fonts in this part of Norfolk. These do not appear to be part of a series, although this one does bear a strong resemblance to that nearby at Buckenham. They do suggest, however, that there was an abundance of stonecarvers working in this area in the 15th century, and that parishes were able to express their independence and individuality in their choice of subject. The Reformation would put a stop to that.

The Hemblington font was recoloured lightly in the 1930s under the eye of Professor Tristram. It is a great celebration of Saints; there are seven seated on the panels of the bowl, and eight more standing around the shaft. The eighth panel subject is a beautiful Holy Trinity, with God the Father seated holding his crucified Son between his knees, while the dove of the Spirit descends. It is a charming image; there is another on the font at Acle a few miles off. Among the Saints on the panel are St Augustine, St Edward the Confessor, St Barbara, and a striking St Agatha - she sits with her breasts bared, a sword descending. Among those around the shaft are St Lawrence with a finely carved grid iron, St Leonard with his manacles, St Margaret dispatching a dragon with her cross, St Catherine with her wheel and sword, St Stephen and St Mary Magdalene.

If there was only the font, Hemblington would be a must-see for anyone interested in the late medieval period. But just as the font demonstrates the enthusiasms of the cool, rational 15th century, so there is evidence of the shadowier devotions of a century earlier. This is the best single surviving wall painting of the narrative of St Christopher in England. The giant figure bestrides the river opposite the south doorway, just as he does in about twenty churches in this part of Norfolk, but here his staff has become a club, and on either bank there are smaller scenes depicting events in the Saint's story. those on the west side, recalling his life as a pagan before conversion, are all but obliterated. Those on the east side, however, are marvellously well-preserved, vivid and immediate in their clarity. They show the trials and tribulations he underwent in his life as a Christian, including the occasion on which two women were sent to tempt him in prison, and another where he is led to the executioner's sword. Another shows him tied to a tree being flogged, an echo of the scourging of Christ; another shows him being shot through with arrows, which would have immediately brought to mind the martyrdom of their own dear St Edmund to the medieval East Anglians.

The donors who paid for the font, in that great, late medieval attempt to reinforce Catholic orthodoxy in the face of local abuses and superstitions, are probably among those remembered by brass inscriptions in the nave.

And this must have been a busy parish in those days, for will evidence reveals that there were three guild altars where lights burned for the dead. We can even trace where these guild altars may have been, for on the north side of the nave there is a piscina, and connected to it is a pedestal, where a statue of a Saint would have stood. Such things were probably destroyed in the 1530s by orders of the increasingly paranoid King Henry VIII; those that survived would have fallen to the orders of the enthusiastically puritan advisors of his son, the boy King Edward VI a decade later. It is appalling to think of the richness that once was, not just here, but in thousands of village churches all over England. So much lost, so much wilfully destroyed.

Hemblington has retained more than most, and the church is a fascinating testimony to the mindset of late medieval East Anglia. But even without these great treasures, All Saints is a charming, rural building that speaks as loudly of the Victorian villagers who paid for, and probably worked on, its restoration as it does of their mysterious Catholic forebears. I stood for a moment imagining the blacksmith and the plowboy, the wheelwright and the carpenter, sitting in the pews for Divine Service. And then, after a chat with the modern custodians, we headed on for North Burlingham.

Simon Knott, November 2007

www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/hemblington/hemblington.htm

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Six socmen of Gert were at the Conquest deprived of 30 acres of land, 2 acres of meadow, with 2 carucates, in this town, there were also 2 socmen, one of them belonged to the soc of the hundred, who held half a carucate of land, and a borderer with 6 acres of meadow, who had under them 7 socmen, with 20 acres of land, and one of meadow, and there was one carucate and an half among them all; it was one leuca long, and half a leuca broad, and paid 16d. gelt. (fn. 1)

This lordship was in the Crown at the survey, and Godric took care of it; and was granted to the family of Le Botiler, and from them came to the Botetourts, as in South Walsham, and Upton.

William de Rothing and Joan his wife claimed view of frankpledge, &c. in the 15th of Edward I.

Henry de Cat and Margery his wife had an interest herein, in the 35th of the said King, and Henry Cat, and Jeffrey Atte Fenne were returned to be lords in the 9th of Edward II. after this John Fastolf and Margery his wife.

The principal manor belonged to the see of Norwich; at the survey William Beaufoe Bishop of Thetford held it in his own right, as a lay fee, 60 acres of land; of which 2 freemen (of Ralph Stalre were deprived) with the soc and sac; of one of these Almar Bishop of Elmham had the commendation, or protection only, of this Beaufoe had the soc, &c. and Ralph, the Earl had the other, valued at 2s.

Bishop Beaufoe in right of his see had also 21 socmen, with 140 acres of land, 8 acres of meadow, and 3 carucates and a half, &c. this was valued in his principal lordship of Blowfield: in this town, there were also 60 acres of demean land. (fn. 2)

Bishop Beaufoe gave this to his see at his death, and Bishop Herbert settled it on the priory, with the advowson of the church.

The ancient family of the Castons held a considerable part of these fees. of the see of Norwich, of whom see in Blofield, Bradeston, &c. and after came to the Berneys of Reedham; the Lords Bardolf had also an interest herein, in the 15th of Edward I. William Bardolf, claimed the assise, frank pledge, &c.

Sir Thomas Berney died lord in 1389, and his descendant, Henry Berney, Esq. in 1584.

The tenths were 2l. The temporalities of St. Faith's priory 18d. Of Weybridge 5s.

The Church was a rectory dedicated to All-Saints, and formerly in the patronage of the Bishops of Norwich, but was appropriated to the prior and convent of Norwich, for the prior's table, by Walter Suffield Bishop in 1248, and was valued together with the vicarage at 5l.—Peter-pence 12d.—Carvage 2d. ob.

Vicars.

In 1304, Thomas de Langele, instituted vicar, presented by the prior &c. of Norwich.

1307, Richard de Boton. Ditto.

1324, And. de Bedingham. Ditto.

1349, Edmund Barker. Ditto.

1367, Thomas Gilbert. Ditto.

1395, John Malpas. Ditto.

1395, Edmund Heryng. Ditto.

1397, Robert Gernon. Ditto.

1401, Sim. Annable. Ditto.

1402, Robert Body. Ditto.

It has for many years been served with a stipendiary curate, nominated by the dean and chapter, who have the appropriated rectory.

¶In the church were the lights of All-Saints, St. Mary, Holy Cross, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret.

www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol1...

Templo de Mount Timpanogos, Utah by toño ayau

Dedicatory Prayer

Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple, October 13, 1996

O God our Eternal Father, thanks be to Thee, Thou great Elohim, in whose service we are honored to labor.

In these sacred precincts we bow before Thee in humble prayer to present unto Thee the gift of Thy people whose consecrated tithes and offerings have made possible the erection of this beautiful house.

Thou hast conferred upon us Thy Holy Priesthood. In that authority, and in the name of Thy Beloved Son, our Redeemer, even the Lord Jesus Christ, we dedicate this, the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple, and consecrate it unto Thee and unto Thy Son as Thy holy house, praying that Thou wilt accept it and honor it with Thy presence.

We dedicate the ground on which it stands with its trees, lawns, shrubbery, and flowers. We dedicate the structure from the footings to the figure of Moroni. We dedicate all of the rooms and facilities found herein, and in a particular way those rooms which will be used for the administration of sacred ordinances which Thou hast revealed unto Thy people.Here, in the beautiful font, baptisms will be performed by living proxies in behalf of the dead. Here with repentant hearts we will be made clean before Thee and stand clothed in robes of spotless white.

Here we will be instructed in the things of eternity and enter into solemn covenants with Thee. Here at sacred altars we will be joined as husband and wife, as parents and children under the authority of the eternal Priesthood, in bonds and covenants that will endure forever.

We acknowledge with thanksgiving the marvelous blessings here to be gained and pray that all who enter the portals of this Thy house may do so with clean hands and pure hearts, with love for Thee and Thy Son, and with faith in Thine everlasting promises made unto us.

May this in very deed be "a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God" (D&C 88:119).

May its beauty never be marred by evil hands. May it stand strong against the winds and storms that will beat upon it. May it be a beacon of peace and a refuge to the troubled. May it be an holy sanctuary to those whose burdens are heavy and who seek Thy consoling comfort.We thank Thee for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, that in this the dispensation of the fulness of times Thou didst appear with Thy Beloved Son to the boy Joseph Smith. We thank Thee that following that glorious manifestation Thou didst send Moroni with the Book of Mormon as another testament of the Lord Jesus Christ; that Thou didst send John the Baptist, and Peter, James, and John to restore the authority of Thy Holy Priesthood; that Thou didst send Moses, Elias, and Elijah to bring again to earth those grand keys which unlock the door of eternal life to all who shall become partakers of Thy promised blessings.

Dear Father, please forgive our sins and remember them no more against us. Give us strength and discipline to walk above our weaknesses. Grant us the companionship of Thy Holy Spirit and the directing power of the Holy Ghost in our lives at all times and under all circumstances, that we may serve Thee faithfully and well in Thy great work of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of Thy sons and daughters.

We thank Thee for this favored season in the history of Thy work. Renew our appreciation for our faithful forebears, who were driven from their homes and came with trust in Thee to these mountain valleys. These desert lands have become fruitful and have blossomed as the rose, in fulfillment of prophecy.

Thy people have been gathered from over the earth, and they and their posterity continue to walk in faith before Thee. Please accept of their consecrations, and open the windows of heaven and shower down blessings upon the faithful as Thou hast promised.

Touch the hearts of Thy Saints that they may work with outreaching love in this holy edifice in behalf of their forebears.

May they seek after their kindred dead, and do for them what must be done if they are to be released from the bondage in which they have been kept for so long. Touch the hearts of Thy people with the spirit of the Prophet Elijah, that the hearts of the fathers may be turned to the children and the hearts of the children may be turned to the fathers, that the purposes of the earth may not be frustrated, but may all be fulfilled.

Father, we plead with Thee that Thou wilt overrule among the nations that doors may be opened for the preaching of Thine eternal word. Wilt Thou touch the hearts of rulers, and men and women of government, that they may unlock the gates of those lands which have been previously closed to Thy faithful servants. Bless in a special way Thy messengers who go forth as missionaries to the people of the earth that they may do so with power "to reprove the world of all their unrighteous deeds and...teach them of a judgment which is to come" (D&C 84:87). Let Thy Spirit go before them. May Thy watch care be over them. May they be magnified and led to those who will hear the glad tidings of salvation as they have been restored in this dispensation.

Bless Thy Church and kingdom, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that it shall "come forth out of the wilderness of darkness, and shine forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners" (D&C 109:73).

Bless Thy servants whom Thou hast called and ordained to stand as leaders in Thy Church in these days of great opportunity. Sustain them, give them strength, speak through them according to Thy divine will, and uphold them before the people. Bless all who serve in this temple and throughout Thy Church, that each may be faithful and that each may be possessed of a great desire to strengthen Thy work and build testimony in the hearts of others.

Father, we invoke Thy blessings upon this nation, the United States of America, where Thy work was restored in this dispensation. May those who stand in places of leadership look to Thee and be guided by Thee that liberty and freedom may be preserved and enhanced, and that because of the strength and goodness of the people of this nation, Thy work may be assisted as it moves across the earth.

Now, our Beloved Father and our God, we bow in reverence before Thee. We worship Thee in spirit and in truth. We love Thee. We love Thy gracious Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We love Thy work. Help us to live with respect and kindness one toward another as should all of those who are partakers of Thy bounteous goodness.

May we on this day of dedication, rededicate ourselves and reconsecrate our talents and our means to Thy service and to the blessing of Thy sons and daughters everywhere and through all generations, we humbly pray in the name of our great Redeemer, the Lord Omnipotent, even Jesus Christ, amen.