The Underground -- Billy Graham’s grandson preaches peace in Kenya |
- Billy Graham’s grandson preaches peace in Kenya
- Noteworthy mural of Christ healing Bartimaeus is up for grabs
- Winnie the Pooh – A classic is reborn
- Review of Deathly Hallows and the trouble about Harry
- Kayelynne Cox sings of God on new pop album, One Girl
- Pakistan’s street sweepers are mostly Christian, considered ‘unclean’
- Catholic parishioners in Boston fight to keep churches
| Billy Graham’s grandson preaches peace in Kenya Posted: 18 Jul 2011 10:52 AM PDT
Will Graham, grandson of Billy Graham, wrapped up a successful evangelistic celebration recently in Nakuru, Kenya where some 14,500 people braved the rains, with over half of them responding to an altar call. The three-day Will Graham Celebration of Peace was held at the Mama Scrape Grounds, where some 14,500 attended despite sketchy weather reports, and some 938 made a commitment to Jesus. “What now are you going to do with Jesus? What I’m going to ask you to do is the most important decision you’ll ever make in life,” the oldest son of Franklin Graham told the crowd, according to Charisma News. Nakuru has, since elections held in Dec. 2007, been affected by tribal violence that has hit Kenya, but Graham chose this context to talk about peace and healing. Graham told the crowd, “Whether we are looking at Kenya and the trouble here a few years ago, or the issues of hatred and sin around the world, it’s a heart problem,” ASSIST News reported. Downpour The three-day celebration took place from July 8-10. The final day, a Sunday, was concluded in a field that was muddy after a 30-minute downpour. Some people left the stadium, others ran for cover, and the rest remained patiently waiting. Hastily, workers covered loudspeakers. As the rains abated, many returned to the stadium and worship began. “I’m so grateful to God for the great decisions people have made. I know the bigger job we are left with is the preservation of the harvest,” Rev. Paul Mwakio, who headed the executive committee of the event, told Charisma News. “We plan that we will get back together with the pastors and try to follow up, because we have the contact information from the people,” Mwakio told Charisma News. The day before, on Saturday, July 9, the Grahams witnessed the final youth soccer match of the Will Graham Peace Tournament. Some 400 Kenyan youths participated in the games. Afterwards, Graham signed certificates for the participants and trophies were handed out. In his message to the players he asked, “What is the purpose of a pen? The purpose … is to write. But it can only fulfill its purpose when it’s in its master’s hand,” Charisma News reported. “The same is true in life. You can only fulfill your purpose when you surrender to God. Because it is God who gives you purpose and meaning in life,” Graham said, according to Charisma News. Graham went to Kenya with his wife, Kendra, who told Charisma News that it was her first time to visit the country. She addressed some 500 women at a rally that was held on Friday, July 8, at the Life Celebration Center. She told the crowd, “God has decided not to forget you. Others may forget you. A spouse may forget you. A child may forget you. A church may forget you. But God will never forget you,” ASSIST News reported. Graham told ASSIST News that he was overwhelmed with the welcoming treatment he received in Kenya. “It’s a welcome I’ve never had before, and it is incredibly humbling. I’ve never seen anything like this.” Mwakio told Charisma News that Graham’s visit helped the Christian community in Nakuru to have a greater sense of unity. “I want to say that I am grateful to the [Billy Graham Evangelistic Association], because there has been more cohesion among the ministers in working together in bringing this meeting. And I trust this will be a new beginning for the working-together of pastors.” |
| Noteworthy mural of Christ healing Bartimaeus is up for grabs Posted: 18 Jul 2011 10:52 AM PDT
A mural of the biblical story of Christ healing Bartimaeus is being taken down from a church wall in Philadelphia after 16 years, despite its being the work of a distinguished artist–and is now up for grabs. The mural, entitled The Healing of Bartimaeus, is the handiwork of Lothar Speer, a German-born artist whose roster of clients including leading U.S. universities, sports teams, McDonald’s Corporation, The Museum of Modern Art, and Hyatt Corporations, among others. Now his 13-by-28 foot canvas mural, which for some was “too edgy” and for others was “wonderful” will have to be taken down because Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bustleton, PA has been sold, and the new owners plan to break the wall to give more space for pews, according to the AP. Rev. John Stabb, former pastor of Calvary Evangelical, who commissioned the work in 1993 told the AP, “I loved [the mural], and I love it, because I was so involved in its creation.” Stabb, now based in Alaska, admitted to the AP that for others it was “Too edgy.” Some wondered why only the body of Jesus was seen, and not his face. But Stabb, 67, would tell them to see Jesus “in the faces of the people.” Description The mural only shows the body of Jesus, hovering over a panorama of various types of people including a bishop, thugs, Hasidic Jews, prostitutes, saints, etc. Also seen is Bartimaeus, swathed, like Jesus, in golden light. Further down, a city burns. It is an ethereal interpretation of the biblical story in Mark 10: 46-52. For many, this makes it all the more compelling. The painting took one year to complete, and was done first on canvas, and then glued to the drywall. Hundreds of screws were also used to attach it. At the time, Speer was pursuing an MFA at Pennsylvania Academy. The church paid him $15,000 for his work, the AP said. Now, the new owners of the building, First Ukranian Evangelical Baptist Church, have told Speer that he is free to get his painting back. The artist asked if he could be given time. He told AP, “This is not like scraping off wallpaper.” He was given until Aug. 1 to take it down. Taking it down could mean either steaming the canvas to detach it from the drywall, or removing both together. Portions of the canvas over every drywall screw will need to be repainted. “It’s a wonderful piece of art,” Anton Michels of the German Society of Pennsylvania told the AP. He is helping Speer to remove the painting, and has contacted professionals to assist them in doing the job. Speer told the AP that he is willing to donate the painting to any building in Philadelphia who would like to have it, whether it is a public building or another church. He would only charge for labor and touch ups that may be needed on remounting it. It is quite an offer, from an artist whose bio includes the prestigious Johannes Fuger Medal from the National Academy of the Fine Arts inVienna, and who was a four-time art grant recipient in Chicago. Speer’s work has also been exhibited in the Capitol Bldg. of Washington D.C., and in Basel, Salzburg and Vienna among others. His pieces form part of numerous private and public collections. |
| Winnie the Pooh – A classic is reborn Posted: 18 Jul 2011 10:52 AM PDT
Since 1966, Walt Disney Pictures have been entertaining us with various versions of Winnie the Pooh through theatrical featurettes, television series, direct-to-video films and theatrical feature-length films. Winnie is certainly an icon for the company and a money maker. According to a Fortune magazine article, it has been estimated that Winnie the Pooh features and merchandise generate as much revenue as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto combined. But sometimes Disney doesn’t know when to leave well enough alone. It is rumored that the real reason that Disney has produced yet another Pooh film for 2011 is for its mistake it made back in 2007. Although only 46 years of age, Disney thought that the little guy needed a facelift. A new TV show was created, My Friends Tigger and Pooh, which featured Pooh with a super hero outfit and a replacement for Christopher Robin; a tomboy girl named Darby. It turns out, Disney received complaints from parents saying, “This isn’t the same Winnie the Pooh I grew up with” and sales declined. The remedy is the new, simply titled, Winnie the Pooh which had Disney literally going back to the drawing boards. The film is a breath of fresh air to true fans of the silly old bear. Every attempt of this new version was to make it look “old,” like the 60’s originals. The studio went back to the watercolor backgrounds and hand-drawn characters.Just watch Winnie’s eyebrows. There’s something comforting about how they move as only a hand-drawn cartoon can. Even the music was planned to sound as close as the Sherman Brothers’ originals. Most of the vocals are provided by Zooey Deschanel’s beautiful voice. Known more for her acting, Ms. Deschanel proved she could sing when she played Will Ferrell’s girlfriend in Elf. Like the originals, Pooh opens with a look into Christopher Robin’s bedroom. The narrator, this time by John Cleese, explains that Christopher is a boy who likes to collect things and his biggest collection is his stuffed animals. Then the camera pans over to the famous Winnie the Pooh book, the cover opens and the story begins with Pooh asleep in his bed. The narrator has to “shake the book” in order to wake him up. The movie makes the most of this creative gimmick. All the characters are back (sans Gopher for some reason) and all of them act and sound just like you remember them. All of them except rabbit who has a distinctly different personality than in the past, but a welcomed change. The “older” rabbit was much more cranky. This one is much more adventurous. Though the intended audience is mainly preschoolers, this movie is a great example of what Disney does best – providing a simple story that young ones understand and giving the characters great lines and humor that adults can appreciate. The storyline is quite simple as well and sort of like an episode of Seinfeld - a story about nothing. Winnie is on constant lookout for honey (will someone please give this poor bear some food?!), Eeyore has lost his tail again and Owl misreads a note from Christopher Robin thinking that he has been captured by a “backson” when in reality, he just misread the words “be back soon.” There is no preachy message, absolutely no current pop culture references and all the songs are short and a little two sweet for most adults tastes. Just a fun, innocent film about friendship and problem solving. Running at a mere 69 minutes, the film is accompanied by an new short, The Ballad of Nessie. It’s a story about a friendly and shy Loch Ness monster, her best friend MacQuack, rubber duck and how they came to live in their current home. It too is a simple story that has all the charm and wit of earlier shorts from the company. Originally posted here. |
| Review of Deathly Hallows and the trouble about Harry Posted: 18 Jul 2011 10:49 AM PDT
It is pointless to do a review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two. If you are fan of this franchise, nothing will stop you from seeing it and if you aren’t, nothing will make you want to go. Not only is it a sequel, it is ending of a long saga and not a stand-alone film. With that said, I do have a few thoughts about this great ending and I’ll post those at the end of this article. However, I thought I might take this opportunity to talk about “these” type of movies. Although I don’t know if any discussion of the Harry Potter stories have actually divided a church, I think it may have come close. If you grew up in a home like mine, you were able to see Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie on TV during their original runs (yes, I am that old). Your parents debated if you should be watching such shows that dealt with witchcraft and magic. One theory back then (and still very much alive these days) is that children who watch such shows will want to dabble in the occult when they get older. Nevermind the fact that little boys like me didn’t watch those shows for the magic. They watched it for Elizabeth Montgomery and Barbara Eden. (Barbara still looks amazing, but I digres.) A similar theory was that children who watched Road Runner cartoons might want to play with dynamite since they would see the coyote playing with it, then get blown up by it and then show up in the next scene completely unscathed. I can say that without a doubt that I grew up just fine without dabbling in one spell or shooting my fingers off with dynamite. I also think that it is a rare case where someone involved in Wicca truly got their start by wiggling their nose. Although things have settled down a bit, you may recall when parents began boycotting Harry Potter books and movies because some feared they would bring children to the dark side. However, many of these are the same people praise books and movies like The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, (which unmistakably use magic and witchcraft too), because its author, C. S. Lewis, was an outspoken Christian. His stories are believed to be an allegory to the gospels as well. The Narnia and Harry Potter stories have other similarities. They both feature children who have been predestined to do great things. They go through trials and tribulations, learn lessons from great people and learn to avoid evil people. The characters are, like us, not perfect and make mistakes. Most learn from these mistakes, some don’t. The thing that matters the most in these stories is that the heroes listen to their masters, show true character and are victorious over evil. Some Christians have been known to compare the Harry Potter character to Jesus. While I wouldn’t go as far as giving Harry a messiah complex, I think you can compare his “walk” through Hogwarts to our “Christian walk.” Harry is given special tools to ward off evil – we are given scripture. Harry learns from his professors – we learn from our heavenly father. Harry risks his life to save others – we are told that greater is the man who lays down his life for this brother. This is not to say that Harry Potter stories are “Christian.” They aren’t. But they are good stories that can teach children the power of living with integrity. Some will never be comfortable allowing their children to view such fare, and that is perfectly fine. At the same time, don’t assume that other Christian parents are “bad” for allowing their children to see the movies. Finally, this isn’t an endorsement. This is an opinion and a review.
Starting back in 2001, this Warner Bros. production has been one of the most consistent and lucrative film franchises in history. To be able to make that many films with the same cast (with the exception of replacing the late Richard Harris with Michael Gambon for the role of Professor Dumbledore) and the same incredible sets and the same quality of special effects is truly amazing. Personally, I thought that part one of Deathly Hallows was too talky and drug on. Not so with part two. Taking place immediately after the last film, you may think otherwise but then the action starts and doesn’t stop until its final conclusion. Without giving anything away, this movie gives a very satisfying ending for its fans. The 3D effects are nice, but aren’t necessary. The glasses are shaped just like Harry’s though, which is kind of cool. Once again, Daniel Radcliffe shines as Harry with Emma Watson and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger right by his side. Each character gives a great performance as their final bow including Maggie Smith’s out of character giddiness with the line, “I’ve always wanted to use that spell!” All this to say, if you are fan, you still will be. Originally posted here. |
| Kayelynne Cox sings of God on new pop album, One Girl Posted: 17 Jul 2011 10:07 PM PDT
Don’t put Katelynne Cox, 16, in a box just because her debut album, “One Girl,” displays her Christianity. She has had a textured life as the child of separated teen parents, with one side fully agnostic and the other Christian. She went to nine different schools, was bullied, and at one point considered suicide. But the tracks on her album have surprising things to say. “Ordinary Day” is about how God can make the most ordinary things extraordinary. And “Me” is about surrendering to God—not just in parts, but completely. Her album took two years before it was completed. It was supposed to be secular, but midway Cox encountered Christ and figured that Christian music was the way for her to go. “[We] were about a year into it when I became a Christian. From everything I had gone through, and all the experience over those two years, I became a Christian and I realized halfway through the project that God didn’t want me to go that route — that His plan for me was to be a Christian artist. I really felt called to do Christian music and positive music,” she told BREATHEcast. Cox describes her album, produced by Red Hammer Records, as “positive pop with some throwback 80s guitars.” She told Cross Rhythms, “I chose songs that I feel I can relate to and things I’ve experienced and that other people have gone through too. Every song is a little piece of Katelynne. I want my audience to get a feel for who I am through my music and be able to relate to me and my life.” By everyone, she doesn’t just mean Christian music lovers. She has kept secular pop songs in the album as well, which she hopes can be a way to reach out to a wider crowd. But the focus is God. Born in Portland, Ore. and now based in Camas, Wash. , Cox told BREATHEcast that her parents were teenagers when they divorced, and while one side was agnostic, the other was Christian. She started out being agnostic. She says middle and high school were especially difficult. She had changed schools nine times, and switched from private to public schools. She told Cross Rhythms, “[In public school] I got called words that I didn’t even know, that I didn’t even understand. I had to look them up or ask my parents what they meant. I had threats to kill me. I had people stalking my house and people got arrested for some of the stuff that they were doing to me.” She remembers being tackled to the ground and getting sprayed with foul smelling men’s cologne. She also remembered feeling suicidal. “It took a big chunk out of my life,” she told BREATHEcast. “I really let it control everything that I went through…people don’t realize how much it affects you, not only personally but spiritually, and kind of how you view yourself…” But now she tells BREATHEcast that God allowed her to be bullied so that she could share her experience with other kids and inspire them to move forward. Her title song, One Girl, talks of “being one girl in a huge crowd and making a difference, making your voice heard.” |
| Pakistan’s street sweepers are mostly Christian, considered ‘unclean’ Posted: 17 Jul 2011 10:04 PM PDT
The discrimination that Christians experience in Pakistan is vividly evident when one looks at the country’s street sweepers. Most of the street sweepers, or 90 percent of them, are Christians. This is because government job advertisements for street sweepers specify non-Muslims–and oftentimes, advertise specifically for Christians. Pakistan’s population is 95 percent Muslim, and Christians only comprise 2.45 percent of its total population. Street sweepers have become newsworthy in Pakistan of late, because one of them, Abbas Masih, 36, was killed by a flower shop worker because he did not work fast enough. Within the same month, another street sweeper, Anayat Masih Sahotra, was arrested on trumped up charges of forgery and fraud, because he lobbied for the legal rights of 400 Christian workers withLahore’s Solid Waste Management Department. Sahotra, who has been with SWMD for 24 years, approached SWMD Managing Director Wasim Ajmal Chaudhry on May 14 regarding Christian SWMD workers’ rights, demanding that they be hired as regular employees so that they could be afforded full benefits. When Chaudhry rebuffed him, Sahotra warned that they would fight for their civil rights. Chaudhry said Christians were Chuhras, an offensive term of contempt in Pakistan society. Sahotra told the Daily Times that Chaudhry said, “I know you low-born Christian Chuhras, and I know how to deal with you.” That same day, Sahotra was arrested on trumped up charges. Although he was set free on bail, a few days later the police called him again. Sahotra told Barnabas Fund, “The police…want to arrest me on any other charge in order to mount pressure on me to withdraw my support to the Christian employees who are not being made regular despite having worked there for several years.” Temporary workers for decades A Christian SWMD worker is usually hired as a temp with an 88-day contract that can be renewed for decades. They have no benefits, no pensions, no days off, no holidays and no sick leave. Their work day should begin at 6 a.m., but because the public prefers not to see them working when they are awake, the sweepers usually start working at 4 a.m., and continue to do so until 7 p.m., for a salary of $100/month. They work under filthy conditions and are easily susceptible to skin problems, respiratory diseases, hepatitis B and tuberculosis. Their wage can barely keep a family going, much less pay for education for their children. Oftentimes, the children of street sweepers become street sweepers themselves. “How can a Chuhra argue with me?” The consequence of no benefits is especially telling in the case of Masih, the street sweeper who was murdered by Muhammad Imran, a flower shop worker, who was angry because Masih failed to immediately clear the sidewalk in front of the shop of flowers and dried leaves. “How can a Chuhra argue with me? Imran said, according to witnesses interviewed by Daily Times. Imran then grabbed a knife and stabbed Masih in the heart. One of the shop owners, Muhammad Shehzad, was not present during the incident but upon learning of it rushed to the scene and had Masih brought to the hospital, where he died. A First Information Report of the incident was only filed by local police upon the demand of several Christian leaders. Masih had been an SWMD sweeper for 16 years, but as a temporary worker, his family could not seek financial assistance. In a statement to Daily Times, SWMD claimed that it has always given due respect to Christian workers. It also said that Chaudhry, whom Sahotra said had called Christians Chuhra and who refused to give them benefits, is “tolerant” and “fair.” Presently, the Barnabas Fund is providing food parcels to Masih’s widow Rukhsana and their three sons, Abe-Saloom, 14, Quyum Masih, 11, Arbab Masih, 7, and their only daughter Zereesh, 3. Sources: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011%5C07%5C12%5Cstory_12-7-2011_pg7_12 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011%5C07%5C15%5Cstory_15-7-2011_pg7_26 |
| Catholic parishioners in Boston fight to keep churches Posted: 17 Jul 2011 10:03 PM PDT
A group of Roman Catholic parishioners in Boston is determined to contest a move by the Archdiocese of Boston to sell six shuttered churches to buyers who may use the buildings for secular purposes. “It’s where we come to practice our faith and to hold to our beliefs that it is not just a building,” Jon Rogers, spokesman of Friends of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini in Scituate, told Boston Herald. The group in St.Frances has held vigil since Oct. 2004, organizing themselves into shifts so that the church is being watched around the clock. Rogers, 52, told Boston Herald, “We know the archdiocese needs the money, but you know what, not at our expense.” Other churches in Massachusetts that will be up for sale are St. Jeanne D’Arc in Lowell; Our Lady of Lourdes in Revere; Our Lady of Mount Carmel in East Boston; St. James the Great in Wellesley; and Star of the Sea in Quincey, the archdiocese announced in a statement. Two churches, however, will still be retained for “other future ecclesial uses,” the statement from the archdiocese said. These churches are St. Jeremiah in Framingham and St. Therese in Everett. A public decree has already stated that the churches can now be used for secular purposes. This decree was needed so that the archdiocese may, under canon law, accept bids for the properties. Since February, Cardinal Sean O’ Malley held dialogues with the Catholic community regarding the churches. The archdiocese said O’ Malley made sure that “every means of civil and canonical appeal regarding closed parishes to be pursued over the past six years,” was taken into consideration. In a statement to parishioners, O’ Malley said, “I want you to know I have heard you. I appreciate your strong commitment to your parish. What I have heard from these consultations is that we have reached a point as a community of believers where we must relegate these church buildings as part of the continuing healing and rebuilding of the Archdiocese,” Boston Herald reported. O’ Malley was referring here to moves by some angry parishioners who brought the dispute up to the Vatican, but whose appeals were rejected in 2010. “[O’ Malley] would ask the faithful to respect his decision, and in areas where there are vigils, that there would be a peaceful conclusion,” Rev. Arthur M. Coyle, who is tasked to coordinate the sale of the churches, told The Boston Globe. “I can’t respect that decision,” protestor Marsha Devir told The Boston Globe. She is holding vigilance at St. Frances Cabrini, where the group has set up beds, easy chairs and a television set. Devir told The Boston Globe that she plans to stay until she “gets pulled out of here by the police.” Elsewhere, at Our Lady of Lourdes, John Verrengia, 55, told Boston Herald, “I don’t see how [the closing] is going to promote healing. It just continues to promote disillusionment with their thought process.” Rebirth of Catholicism Peter Borre, who chairs the Council of Parishes, told Boston Herald, “Some American bishops, like Cardinal O’ Malley, seem ready to give up, close down churches and sell them off as scrap. An increasing number of churchmen in Rome see the possibility of a rebirth of Catholicism in America and don’t want churches destroyed.” |
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