Religion

My recent trip to Nigeria was a real teacher. I always look forward to my mission trips because I know God is about to teach me some new things, take me to a new level, and I am about to grow in some areas. All of that is good, but I also know that it might be a bit painful.

LIMA — The National Day of Prayer is held annually on the first Thursday of May. It is an invitation for people of all different faiths to join together to pray for the country. Created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, it was signed into law by President Harry Truman.

Celebrate Easter with a variety of services, and service times, in the area. Whether it’s music, or meditation, or breakfast that you seek, you can find it at a variety of locations. Check it out.

Area churches are hosting a variety of services for this Holy Week. From Palm Sunday through Good Friday, services range from music to tenebrae services to Masses. Below is a listing of times, services and church locations to help you find a place of worship.

LIMA — Life changes, but you can still trust God is one of the messages in “Breathtaking, the Revised Edition” written by Amber Payne. Her husband, John Payne contributed the new epilogue.

The church has been in the process of reformation. Great change has taken place and is yet taking place for those willing to surrender all to the Lord and follow the Holy Spirit.

LIMA — More than two decades ago, a group of pastors decided to try something new. They came up with the idea of joining their churches together to celebrate the Lenten season by having a series of weekly services, starting on Ash Wednesday and culminating on Good Friday.

LIMA — During Lent this year, Trinity United Methodist Church will be doing Walk to the Cross, a holistic program that will not only touch on the spiritual but also the physical.

LIMA — Even though humor played a big part in his childhood years, Bob Smiley did not plan on becoming a comedian.

LIMA — According to Buzzplant Strategic Media Solutions, an online, Christian-based, digital advertising agency that surveyed 250 churches to see how they were using social media, over 30 percent updated Facebook pages daily, 67 percent had a blog that was updated one to two times a week, but 74 percent did not have a paid staff member that updated the church’s social media pages.

By Rosanne Bowman

A variety of services and special events will fill sanctuaries around the area this week in celebration of Christmas. Below is a listing of services both on Sunday, and Christmas Eve. Whether its music you enjoy or the quiet of a candlelight service, there are several options from which to choose to attend.

For many families, Christmas time requires a lot of planning as people try to get everywhere they need to go. When you add in a stepparent and stepchildren, the complications can reach a whole new level.

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LIMA — Religion doesn’t stay within the church or within the home for a Lima police officer or a local businessman. It comes with them to work every day.

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LIMA — The Rev. Patricia Meeks has only been the pastor at Sugar Creek Church of the Brethren since January, but it has been an exciting year for her and for her congregation.

LIMA — Rabbi Yosef Zylberberg is the new rabbi at Temple Beth Israel-Shaare Zedek. However, he did not always want to be a rabbi. “Some people thought I should be a rabbi when I was a little kid, but I didn’t like that idea,” he said.

LIMA — The Election Day Communion campaign was started by two Mennonite pastors, the Rev. Mark Schloneger of North Goshen Mennonite Church in Indiana and the Rev. Kevin Gasser of Staunton Mennonite Church in Virginia; and an Episcopal lay minister, Ben Irwin from Michigan.

I am sure that most would agree that Jesus Christ is very soon to come. We indeed look around us and read the Bible and know that the Bible is fulfilling itself quite rapidly. Our task as believers is twofold, to watch for Him, and most importantly be ready when He does come. Of course, the enemy is busy in ways that many do not recognize.

Tonya Marvin and a team of five other women will be hosting a women’s retreat next Saturday at the Winebrenner Theological Seminary in Findlay.

Scripture tells us that Jesus and David were both anointed three times. Jesus was anointed at birth, by John the Baptist and upon His ascension. David was anointed by Samuel at the ripe age of 17, he was anointed King of Judah at the age of 30, and then king over all Israel at the age 37.

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TOLEDO — Bishop Albert Ottenweller, who began his ministry as a parish priest in Delphos and rose to become bishop of the Diocese of Steubenville, died Sunday in Toledo. He was 96.

Christian Convention Center will be celebrating its 10-year anniversary. The church is bringing in singer and traveling evangelist, Elaine Hollmer at 7 p.m. Thursday through Sept. 22 to help mark the milestone.

TIFFIN — Sister Paulette Schroeder of the St. Francis Convent has a goal.

For years, I took the Lord’s Supper not really understanding the depth of what I was partaking. What a change came into my life when I began to understand all of the benefits and blessings came into my life through the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion. Whatever you choose to call it, it is most holy. Most of the church is missing out on so many blessings, so many benefits of the Lord.