text:
Эри́да (136199 Eris по каталогу Центра малых планет) — вторая по размеру после Плутона, самая массивная и наиболее далёкая от Солнца карликовая планета Солнечной системы. Ранее была известна под названием Зена (Ксена). Относится к транснептуновым объектам, плутоидам. До XXVI Ассамблеи Международного астрономического союза Эрида претендовала на статус десятой планеты. Однако 24 августа 2006 года Международный астрономический союз утвердил определение классической планеты, которому Эрида, как и Плутон, не соответствует. Статус Плутона как планеты уже давно оспаривался из-за открытия других транснептуновых объектов, но открытие Эриды подтолкнуло процесс его пересмотра вместо признания Эриды планетой. Эрида долгое время считалась значительно крупнее Плутона, по данным на 2010 год их размеры считались настолько близкими, что нельзя было с уверенностью утверждать, какой из этих объектов крупнее. Однако по данным, полученным с АМС «Новые горизонты» в июле 2015 года, Плутон чуть больше Эриды и является самым крупным из известных сегодня транснептуновых объектов.

История открытия

Открытие

Эрида открыта группой американских астрономов в составе: Майкл Браун (Калифорнийский технологический институт), Дэвид Рабиновиц (Йельский университет), Чедвик Трухильо (обсерватория Джемини). К моменту открытия Эриды они уже несколько лет вели систематические поиски транснептуновых объектов и успели прославиться открытиями таких крупных объектов, как (50000) Квавар и (90377) Седна. Группа использовала 122-сантиметровый телескоп имени Самуэля Ошина со 112 ПЗС-матрицами, который расположен в Паломарской обсерватории, а также специальную программу для поиска движущихся объектов на снимках.

Эрида была впервые замечена 5 января 2005 года в 19:20 UTC во время повторного анализа снимка, сделанного 21 октября 2003 года в 6:25 UTC с помощью телескопа Самуэля Ошина. Также Эрида была найдена на нескольких более ранних снимках. Через несколько дней после открытия группе Брауна в сотрудничестве с Сюзанной Туреллотт вновь удалось обнаружить объект при помощи 1,3-метрового телескопа SMARTS в обсерватории Серро-Тололо. Потребовалось ещё несколько месяцев исследований, чтобы определить параметры орбиты и приблизительный размер объекта. Заявление об открытии было опубликовано 29 июля 2005 года.

Название
При регистрации открытия объекту было присвоено временное обозначение .

Впоследствии возникла неопределённость в классификации объекта: малая или полноценная планета. Ввиду различия процедуры наименования этих двух классов объектов предложение названия отложили до собрания МАС 24 августа 2006. В этот период в СМИ и у астрономической общественности утвердилось имя Зена (), которое упоминается практически так же часто, как самый «популярный» транснептуновый объект Седна. Хотя это название, данное в честь главной героини сериала «Зена — королева воинов», было неофициальным, зарезервированным группой первооткрывателей для первого объекта, который окажется крупнее Плутона. По словам Майка Брауна:

Мы выбрали его, поскольку оно начинается с буквы «икс» (Планета X), звучит как мифологическое (ладно, это телевизионная мифология, но Плутон назван по имени мультипликационного персонажа, не так ли?), и (это правда) мы работали, чтобы там появилось больше женских божеств (например, Седна). К тому же этот сериал был всё ещё в эфире, что доказывает, как долго мы её искали!

Согласно публикации Г. Шиллинга, Майкл Браун сначала хотел дать этой планете имя Лайла () в честь концепции в индуизме, которое было также созвучно имени новорождённой дочери Брауна Лайлы (). В русскоязычных СМИ был распространён слух, что объекту предложено дать имя Имир — в честь великана из скандинавской мифологии.

Сам Майкл Браун публично высказался, что наиболее подходящим названием для  могло быть имя Прозерпины — жены Плутона в римской мифологии, либо её греческого аналога Персефоны. Эти названия даже получили большинство голосов в конкурсе по выбору названия для десятой планеты, проведённом журналом New Scientist (при этом Зена заняла только четвёртое место). Однако эти названия не могли быть приняты, так как уже были даны астероидам (26) Прозерпина и (399) Персефона, а по правилам МАС названия малых планет не должны быть слишком похожи, чтобы не возникало конфликта имён.

Но, поскольку  долгое время считался десятой планетой, Майкл Браун всё же был намерен дать ему название из греко-римской мифологии, в рамках которой названы другие планеты. Имя Эриды () — греческой богини раздора, которую Браун назвал своей любимой богиней, не было занято. Именно это название и было отправлено в комиссию МАС 6 сентября 2006 года, которая утвердила его 13 сентября 2006 года. Перед этим 7 сентября она, как и Плутон, была включена в каталог малых планет под номером 136199.

Русское название этого объекта совпадает с названием астероида (718) Эрида, который, однако, назван не в честь той же богини, а в честь дочери американского астронома Армина Лейшнера.

Символ
Эрида, в отличие от классических планет и старых карликовых планет Цереры и Плутона, не имеет официального символа. Наибольшее распространение получил один из символов дискордианства  (U+2BF0), известный как «рука Эриды». Также используется символ яблока раздора . Наибольшую заинтересованность в этом вопросе проявляют астрологи, которые используют следующие символы:
 «всевидящее око» , предложенный Зейном Стейном,
  (U+2BF1), предложенный Генри Сельцером,
  (U+2641), популярный у польских астрологов.

Орбита

Несмотря на то, что орбита Эриды отслежена по архивным снимкам вплоть до 1954 года, её крайне медленное движение не позволяет установить орбитальные характеристики с высокой точностью. Среднее расстояние Эриды от Солнца — 68,05 а.е. (10,18 млрд км), но орбита сильно вытянутая — её эксцентриситет равен 0,435. Таким образом, максимальное расстояние от Эриды до Солнца составляет 97,63 а. е. (14,61 млрд км), минимальное — 38,46 а. е. (5,75 млрд км), то есть в перигелии она оказывается ближе к Солнцу, чем Плутон в афелии, только, в отличие от него, Эрида не попадает внутрь орбиты Нептуна. Она прошла афелий в марте-апреле 1977 года и сейчас приближается к Солнцу. По состоянию на 2022 год Эрида находится в 95,83 а. е. (14,3 млрд км) от Солнца, то есть солнечный свет идёт до неё более 13 часов. Это ставит её на третье место в списке самых удалённых тел Солнечной системы, известных науке, после недавно открытых  (97,4 а.е.) и  (98,9 а.е.).

Помимо большого эксцентриситета, её орбита сильно наклонена (под углом 43,82°) к плоскости эклиптики. По эксцентриситету и наклонению орбита Эриды значительно превосходит Плутон и прочие классические объекты пояса Койпера. Небесные тела с такими характеристиками принято относить к объектам рассеянного диска или даже к обособленным транснептуновым объектам.

Абсолютная звёздная величина Эриды составляет −1,19. Её видимый блеск в 2011—2012 годах равен 18,7 (для сравнения, блеск Плутона равен около 14) — непосредственно наблюдать планету в любительский телескоп невозможно, хотя при определённых условиях её можно заснять через хороший любительский телескоп с апертурой 250—300 мм.

Период обращения Эриды вокруг Солнца составляет 561 год, то есть она достигнет ближайшей к Солнцу точки орбиты в 2258 году.

По расчётам, длительность полёта автоматической межпланетной станции для исследования Эриды с пролётной траектории, наподобие «Новых горизонтов», составила бы около 25 лет с использованием гравитационного манёвра у Юпитера. Так, при запуске 3 апреля 2032 или 7 апреля 2044, полёт займёт 24,66 года.

Физические характеристики

Точно определить размеры столь удалённого небесного тела очень трудно. Яркость объекта пропорциональна площади поверхности, умноженной на альбедо (долю солнечных лучей, отражаемых объектом). Таким образом, чтобы рассчитать диаметр, надо знать абсолютную звёздную величину (которую легко определить) и альбедо (которое неизвестно). Правда, Эрида настолько яркая, что даже если её альбедо равно 1, её диаметр должен быть не менее 2300 км.

В феврале 2006 года в журнале Nature опубликованы результаты измерения тепловыделения планетоида, исходя из которых, его диаметр был определён как 3000±300 км.

В апреле 2006 года были опубликованы результаты измерений диаметра и альбедо объекта, выполненные с помощью космического телескопа «Хаббл». Согласно этим измерениям, диаметр Эриды оказался равен 2400±100 км (лишь на 6 % больше диаметра Плутона), а альбедо — 0,86±0,07. Таким образом, поверхность Эриды имеет более высокое альбедо, чем поверхность любого другого объекта Солнечной системы, за исключением Энцелада.

Измерения размеров Эриды, проведённые в 2007 году при помощи инфракрасного космического телескопа «Спитцер», позволили оценить её диаметр в 2600 км.

Самые точные измерения произведены в ночь на 6 ноября 2010 года, когда сразу три группы астрономов в Чили наблюдали покрытие Эридой очень слабой звёзды USNO-A2 0825-00375767 (видимая величина 17,1) в созвездии Кита. Это позволило установить диаметр плутоида с точностью до 12 км. Диаметр Эриды, согласно данным этих измерений, не превышает 2326±12 км, а альбедо — 0,96.
Ошибка в оценке диаметра по данным теплового излучения предположительно связана со значительным наклонением оси вращения Эриды к плоскости орбиты, вследствие чего одно полушарие сейчас нагрето больше, чем другое.

Таким образом, полученные данные позволяли утверждать, что Эрида чуть меньше Плутона по размеру, диаметр которого, после пролёта в июле 2015 года АМС «Новые горизонты», составляет 2376,6 км.

Масса Эриды определена благодаря наличию спутника, она примерно на четверть больше массы Плутона и равна 1,67±0,02 кг. Соответственно, средняя плотность Эриды равна 2,52±0,05 г/см³, что довольно близко к плотности как Плутона, так и различных астероидов пояса Койпера. Наблюдения за системой Эрида/Дисномия на космическом телескопе «Хаббл» в январе и феврале 2018 года позволили определить орбитальный период 15,785899±0,000050 дня и ненулевой эксцентриситет 0,0062. Новая плотность системы была рассчитана как 2,43±0,05 г/см³, масса системы — как 1,6466 кг.

Период вращения вокруг собственной оси удалённых небесных тел определяется путём анализа кривой блеска. Но определение периода вращения Эриды затруднено ввиду её правильной формы и однородности поверхности. Первая оценка, сделанная в 2005 году, давала нижний предел в 8 часов. По данным фотометрического исследования, проведённого в 2006 году, Эрида совершает полный оборот вокруг своей оси не менее чем за 5 земных суток. Измерения, проведённые в 2008 году при помощи орбитального телескопа «Swift», дали наиболее точное значение 25,9 часа.

Наклон оси вращения Эриды неизвестен, но если предположить, что плоскость орбиты Дисномии совпадает с экваториальной плоскостью самой планеты, то можно найти, что ось вращения Эриды наклонена к эклиптике под углом 78°.

Химический состав

Измерения теплового потока от Эриды позволяют на основе закона Стефана — Больцмана рассчитать, что сейчас средняя температура её поверхности составляет около 20 К (−253 °C), а в ближайшей к Солнцу точке орбиты температура может достичь 43 К (−230 °C).

Спектроскопические наблюдения, выполненные 25 января 2005 года в обсерватории Джемини, показали наличие на поверхности Эриды метанового снега, чем она похожа на Плутон и спутник Нептуна Тритон. Этим объясняется высокое альбедо объекта. Также в её снегу присутствует примесь азотного льда, доля которого растёт с глубиной. Эрида отличается от Плутона и Тритона цветом. Плутон и Тритон красноватые, а она — сероватая. Это связано с присутствием на Эриде также этанового и этиленового льда. В октябре 2011 года были опубликованы результаты исследований, согласно которым тонкий слой замёрзших газов, покрывающий поверхность Эриды, способен возгоняться при повышении температуры (в перигелии) и образовывать временную атмосферу карликовой планеты. Как предполагается, атмосфера у Эриды появится через 250 лет, в середине XXIII века.

Большой эксцентриситет орбиты у Эриды приводит к регулярным изменениям на её поверхности и даже к бегущим через всю карликовую планету газовым течениям. С некоторой осторожностью можно говорить о наличии погоды на столь удалённом объекте.

Спутник

10 сентября 2005 года при помощи телескопа с адаптивной оптикой в обсерватории Кека у  был открыт спутник, получивший обозначение S/2005 () 1. Первооткрыватели дали спутнику прозвище Габриэль () — в честь спутницы Зены. Спутник получил официальное имя Дисномия (обозначение (136199) Eris I Dysnomia) 13 сентября 2006 года, одновременно с присвоением названия Эриде. Это название дано в честь дочери Эриды Дисномии — богини беззакония в греческой мифологии; к тому же Браун отмечал, что это название отсылает к фамилии исполнительницы роли Зены Люси Лоулесс (, ).

Дисномия обращается на расстоянии 37 тыс. км от Эриды, совершая полный оборот примерно за 16 земных суток. Наклонение орбиты Дисномии относительно плоскости гелиоцентрической орбиты Эриды было рассчитано равным 78,29±0,65°.

См. также
 Список астероидов (136101—136200)
 Правило Тициуса — Боде
 Хаумеа

Примечания

Ссылки

 Текущие данные о положении астероида Эрида  The sky live.

Плутоиды
Пояс Койпера
Карликовые планеты
Астрономические объекты, открытые в 2005 году


Maker of networking gear is using new SRX technology to expand speed, range of its Wi-Fi products.
Networking gear maker Linksys is incorporating a new technology that expands the range of its Wi-Fi products up to three times and the speed up to eight times, according to the company.
Linksys, a division of networking giant Cisco Systems, announced on Tuesday a new line of 802.11g products that includes a feature called SRX, or Speed and Range eXpansion.
The feature is based on multiple-in, multiple-out technology from chipmaking start-up Airgo Networks. Wireless networks based on the 802.11g standard have a range of about 150 feet and an optimal transfer rate of 54 megabits per second but average closer to half of that. The MIMO products are compatible with the 802.11g and 802.11b standards.
Limited range and slower-than-expected speed are common complaints from consumers with wireless networks.
A Linksys $199 Wireless-G Broadband Router with SRX and a Linksys $129 Wireless-G Notebook Adapter with SRX PC Card are currently available and will be demonstrated at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas.
The wireless-networking industry is working to create the next-generation Wi-Fi standard, 802.11n, and proposals have been accepted by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), an industry group that determines standards.
The 802.11n standard will allow for actual throughput rates of up to 100mbps. MIMO has been identified as the technology on which 802.11n, expected to be completed in two to three years, will be based. However, which features the 802.11n standard will include is still being debated.
Airgo is one of the lead developers of MIMO technology. The company has shipped more than a million MIMO chips. Airgo's other manufacturing partner is Belkin.


text:
Home News 3 from P.E.I List of Top-25 Business Women in Atlantic Canada
3 from P.E.I List of Top-25 Business Women in Atlantic Canada
Ezra Biyogo
One of the three Islanders to make the list of top-25 powerful businesswomen in Atlantic Canada is Jenene Wooldridge.
Wooldridge is the executive director of L'nuey, leading negotiations between the Mi'kmaq and the government on constitutional rights, and she is the first person to lead the institution.
She claimed she didn't know she been nominated and was surprised when her name was on the Atlantic Business Magazine list.
"It was quite a shock to have that released on International Women's Day. It was even more impactful, I think," Wooldridge said.
"It's really one thing to do the work, but to be recognized for it is another thing, right, so it was quite an honour."
Wooldridge added that she tries to be respectful, inclusive, and decisive in her position as a leader. She continued that she is astonished to be recognized among many other influential businesswomen.
"I don't know if powerful is the word that I would use to describe myself, but it is what it is in this situation. I am grouped with 25 powerhouse women," she said.
She adds that everyone has a role to play in increasing the number of women in leadership roles.
"We have an opportunity, and it's really an opportunity to do better. To increase opportunities, remove cultural or gender blinders or obstacles that are in the way and empower women," she said.
Wooldridge said her work with L'nuey will continue enhancing the comprehension of Mi'kmaw culture across the province.
"This week, I will complete the director Rotman School of Management as a step toward becoming a certified corporate director," she said. "And this fall, I am actually publishing a planner. It is an updated weekly planner based on living your life based on balance and intention."
The other two Island women named to the list were Mary Robinson and Dr. Heather Morrison. The former is the first woman to become president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and a manager partner of a 6th gen family farm.
Dr. Morrison is P.E.I's chief public health officer and the region's first woman to become a Rhodes Scholar.
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Ezra Biyogo is a football fan and betting pundit. Working in product reviews & casino/gambling content also with too much interest in the aviation industry, space and science. Ezra values relationships and is committed to providing valuable content for readers.

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At Schmucker Middle School we strive to cultivate a thriving and safe learning community that promotes academic excellence, lifelong learners, and socially responsible and productive citizens.
Congratulations to the 7th grade football and girls cross country teams on their Big 11 Conference championships. A special thanks to all of our fall coaches for their time and energy working with our student athletes. My hope is we will be reporting an additional Big 11 championship from our 8th grade volleyball team on Monday.
1. All SLOs must be completed and submitted by the end of this week.
2. Make sure you have worked with students on the content for their student-led conference presentation. Students will add content to their advisory slides this week during advisory class time. Please refer to the calendar below.
3. Distribute the blue conference forms to students on Monday.
4. Smile and continue to have fun!
10/12: Students start to complete advisory slides of Google Presentation. Finish SMART Goal setting if necessary. Teachers distribute half-sheet documentation to students to give to parents indicating when they will be attending their conference. Also, teachers post a Canvas announcement about conferences. This form is due on Friday, 10/16.
I would like students to check their email daily as I will send them a note each day about this process.
10/15: Students pair/share their presentations with another student.
10/16: Students practice their presentation with another student pretending to be their parent. Students will ask questions during their presentation to their parent. The other student pretending to be the parent will ask questions as well. These questions are located here: Conference Checklist and Questions Please make sure students practice this step.
The teacher who gets the highest percent of participation from students at each grade level will win a prize! Please encourage all students to participate.
Please access the link Advisory Resources for information regarding our 1st quarter Advisory curriculum. This folder is shared with all teachers.
Please click on the link below for a timeline and a list of approved assessments for SLOs.
Do you have a bulletin board idea that you just can't find the time to accomplish? The PTO would like to help. They will be forming a Bulletin Board Brigade with the purpose of helping teachers with this work. Please contact me with your ideas and I will work with the PTO to help. These ideas could also be for your wall space.
Kyle Snoeyink is in his second year at Schmucker, teaching 6th and 7th grade Health and Wellness. He moved here from Grand Rapids, MI where he taught and coached at Lowell High School. Kyle coaches girls basketball at Penn High School and also 7th grade football here at Schmucker. Kyle graduated from Grand Rapids Community College, Calvin College, Northern Illinois University, and Grand Valley State University. Kyle is engaged to Danielle Christensen and they are tying the knot next March. Danielle teaches PE in the district and also coaches basketball here at Schmucker. Kyle enjoys golfing in the spring and summer, rooting for the Michigan Wolverines in the fall, and watching any college basketball game in the winter.
Tomi is in her 30th year of teaching art at Schmucker. She began her teaching career at Schmucker as a student teacher then taking her supervising teachers position the following year. Tomi grew up in Mishawaka and graduated from Mishawaka High School. She received her Art Education Degree from Indiana University, Bloomington. Tomi married her high school sweetheart and just celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. They have 4 children, 3 girls and 1 boy who are all Penn High School graduates and their biggest baby, a 200lb English Mastiff. Just this year they became empty nesters with a daughter at IU and a son at IUPUI. In September, in Seattle, Washington she completed her 18th marathon. When she is not running, or creating art, Tomi enjoys spending time with her family, stamping and traveling.
It's back!!! For the 2015-2016 school year we can continue to use this document linked below to congratulate and cheer on staff members at SMS. For those new to the building, if you ever want to make everyone else aware of the great thing(s) a colleague has done, please share it here. Just add it to the top of the page.
Please remember to sign those Star Cards for our Positive Behavior Incentives. We are allowing students to redeem their cards for incentives on Thursday every week at the book store. Remember, the students do look forward to receive your acknowledgement on following your expectations. I know it might be difficult, but some of the more disruptive students need the positive support the most. We are currently looking for new and popular items for our "incentive shelves" in the bookstore. Feel free to let Kevin know if you have ideas for incentives.
Quite a few years ago, PHM hired Rob Lovett as Mr. Energy, who makes sure we work as a team in turning off lights and monitors, shutting down computers, eliminating any unnecessary strain on the electricity. Please be vigilant by checking and turning anything off which is not being used. Thanks for your extra effort.
Click her to see our school calendar of events.
Click here to see who is signed up to work sporting events.


It is time to fully understand that you get to choose! You oversee how you feel, what you do, where you go and how you get there. The physical, mental, emotional and spiritual have always been dictated by you. The current wave of energy being delivered to your Earth plane signals changes as well as an acceptance of responsibility for your very existence.


Iceland is the perfect country to visit by bicycle. In summer 2011 an Italian bicycle racing team circumvented the country along the ring road (1.381 km) in four days for practice. They loved it. Most independent bicyclists bring their own touring bike and spend anywhere between 2 and 6 weeks in the country. Renting a bike for shorter periods is a great option as is joining one of the many and varied types of bicycle tours on offer.
Reykjavik Bike Tours and bicycle rental is a family business down by Reykjavik's Old Harbour. Their Classic Reykjavik 2.5 hour /7 km city tour is available all year. Participants meet a local person who is friendly, entertaining and competent and get to learn about the city from a locals' perspective. Topics typically covered include daily life in Reykjavik, history, architecture, legends about the hidden people, current events such as parades and musical events, tips for good places to eat and all sorts of valuable information for visitors.
For those who like more cycling and less interpretation there is an alternative. Reykjavik Bike Tours offers a 2.5 hour/18 km coastal ride in summer along the city's beautiful coastline. Participants get to see a part of Reykjavik generally not visited by tourists. Flush residential areas, back yards and trails, Reykjavik's geothermal beach, sculpture of the Great Auk (now extinct species), Grotta lighthouse, shed for drying rotten shark and much more.
Bicyclists can choose from a variety of day tours from Iceland's capital city. Reykjavik Bike Tours offers mini-bus and bicycle combination to some of the most famous attractions in the south west of the country. Places such as Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir geothermal area, National park Thingvellir, Westman Isles and the renowned Blue lagoon. Scheduled tours are designed for the average person who knows how to ride a bicycle. Those wanting a greater bicycle challenge can ask for a private tour from the company, or join one of Iceland Activity's scheduled mountain bike tours (see South Iceland).
West Tours operate hike & bike tours from Isafjord, the largest town in the West fjords. The area has been dubbed as Europe's last frontier because of its pristine wilderness. A bicycle and hiking combination is recommended but they'll custom make each itinerary to suit the needs of participants.
Go West tours is a family run company which offers custom made eco-friendly bicycle tours in the western part of Iceland, mainly around the bay of Breidafjordur.
Hlynur Oddsson offers kayak and bicycle tours in Seydisfjordur as well as bicycle rental. Seydisfjordur (pop. 700) is most suitable to ride a bike. However, the town is surrounded by high mountains which are very demanding for bicyclists. Seydisfjordur is the only place in Iceland with a ferry service to Europe.
Iceland Activity is a family business specializing in mountain bike tours and bicycle rental. The company is based in Hveragerdi (pop. 2,000) less than one hour's drive from Reykjavik. In 2011 the mayor of the town honoured Iceland Activity with an environmental award which was presented by the President of Iceland, Mr. Olafur Ragnar Grimsson.
Ice Bike Adventures offers challenging and exciting mountain bike tours in Iceland's countryside in summer. Proposed tours are mostly in the mountain region in the south west of Iceland about 4 hour's drive from Reykjavik. This area happens to be one of the most beautiful places in Iceland from geological point of view. Their trails are amazing but not for the faint hearted and only for those with an all mountain experience and plenty of stamina.


Today, April the 17th 2015, is what many will refer to as this year's "Day of Silence." If you are wondering what the "Day of Silence" is, it is simply a day of the year that many have chosen to go throughout being silent or speaking as little as possible in order to stand together against the mistreatment of gay persons. According to the GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) website, dayofsilence.org, says, "The Day of Silence is a student-led national event that brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools." Students across America and in many countries, from middle schools to colleges are participating in this event, many with the embracement of the school faculty. While I still consider myself a young adult, the rapid changes that have taken place in the last years since I was in school, such as the popularity of this event, are truly astounding, regardless of your views.
I first want to say that I also am opposed to any name-calling, bullying or harassment of any LGBT individual or community. New Testament Christianity and the scriptures do not teach that we are to mock or injure anyone as a way to persuade them from sin. This does not however mean I support the "Day of Silence." The way the homosexual community defines harassment has evolved beyond bounds, such as writing or sharing an article such as this one, simply reading certain scriptures, or answering someone's question on what you believe is all it takes to be considered a bully. Despite religious freedom being a core right of our country, the laws of the land are quickly taking to the side of religious suppression. Young Christians, if you believe you can be part of this event because it is in part about bullying, you are making a sinful mistake! This day is defined as one that is for the LGBT community, events such as these are what have pushed the rapid acceptance of a sin on a Christian nation; do not take part in it!
How else should we react to an event like this, should we be the ones keeping quiet? The inspired scriptures of God make it clear that we as Christians are to be anything but silent. In Acts chapter four Peter and John had been encircled by the authorities of their day for preaching. Though Jesus whom they preached was just killed days before, and much persecution awaited the church just ahead, when they were commanded by the Council not to speak or to teach in the name of Jesus, they replied, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard." (Acts 4:19,20) NASB. Silence was nothing these apostles could keep, no matter who gave the orders then, or no matter who gives them now, we cannot be silent. Think of the great commission given by Christ, to go, to teach all nations everything He commanded (Matt 28: 19,20). Paul wrote to Timothy to "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke and exhort…" (2 Tim 2:4, cf. Titus 2:1), that preaching, that teaching is a vital part of our Christianity. Jesus again taught us that we cannot be ashamed Him (Matt 10:33), and that it is "…by your words you shall be justified…" (Matt 12:37). Paul again as he began the inspired letter to the church at Rome said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation…" (Rom 1:16). Knowing the life of Paul, the persecutions he endured, we know he was not ashamed to speak that gospel, it is no wonder he also quoted the scripture "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel" (Rom 10:15) ESV, preaching through which he said man would be saved. We as Christians need to speak out, to preach and to teach the truth that can save man, and expose the sin that causes man to be lost, God has always used an individual to deliver His message to man.
The homosexual community has worked together and has been very outspoken, and they are seeing the benefits of their labor. Homosexuals and their supporters have been so out spoken that on this day they are getting attention by simply being quiet. Sadly Christians on the other hand, have been silent all along. Even a handful of years ago, when those who claimed Christianity was the majority in agreement that homosexuality was sin, we too often kept quiet on the awkward sexual subject. We let groups like Westboro Baptist do the speaking, we let the rude graffiti on the bathroom stalls, written by the unchurched, do the speaking on our behalf, and now we wonder what went wrong. The fault is not only those who used such sinful methods to oppose homosexuality, the fault is also on us who knew the truth, who knew the way God wanted it spoken, but we didn't speak it at all. We have failed to speak the oracles of God.
So what, do we do now? Do we run out and scream "homosexuality is wrong"? No, we shouldn't be ashamed to say that, but that's not what we should scream at the top of our lungs. Instead we must preach the gospel, the whole counsel of God. By picking on homosexuality alone, we are the same hypocrites as the Westboro church, vulgar comedian or the bathroom artist, enwrapped in all sorts of sin while condemning one. But if we preach against all sin, not to minimize homosexuality, but instead to show true Christianity, it's pureness in all aspects of life, then we are speaking the oracles of God. We have to preach and to teach and live by all that Jesus commanded, all His apostles showed us, all the word of God. This requires speaking out.
Terrorism is something that worries us all. Even if we are in a location where we do not feel threatened by terrorism, just the knowledge of what has recently happened bothers us, and it should. Disturbing the world seems to be the route that the Islamic terrorist organization, ISIS, has found as their newest niche. By murdering someone, filming the event, and using the internet to spread the video gives this evil religious group worldwide recognition, which is what any terrorist act begs for.
Seemingly anyone who is not part of ISIS is fair game of their terrorism. Their latest famous videos have included murdering news reporters, travelers, and more. The most recent however was the beheading of 21 Egyptians who claimed Christianity. The video of this gruesome act was posted on Twitter titled "A Message Signed with Blood to the Nation of the Cross", clearly the targets of this murder and video were Christians. Despite our nation's president avoiding the term "Christians" that he dare not portray as innocent, we still managed to receive the message from ISIS, and it certainly is disturbing to say the least.
There is something that ISIS is ignorant of however, something that totally backfires on them the harder they try. While their videos do disturb us, while many of us do feel the intended brush of fear that they may one day capture ourselves some way, they are forgetting that we Christians have been persecuted and killed before. We have been persecuted every since the murder of the one we follow, Christ, and it only makes us more faithful.
Persecution is something we are promised as Christians, II Tim 3:12 tells us "And Indeed, all who desire to live Godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (NASB). What is remarkable is the number of examples we have of those killed for their faith in Christ, yet just as Christ promised, the kingdom of God, the church has not been defeated (Matt 16:18). Jesus before His own death at the hands of terrorist of His day, told the Pharisees bluntly they were guilty of the blood of the prophets and righteous ones murdered leading up to Him. He said they were guilty, "…from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar" (Matt 23:35). Abel from the beginning of the Bible, who was murdered from jealousy for his acceptable worship, to Zechariah, a man we know little of, there was a long list of previous blood that was spilled just to prepare the way for Christ, yet He still came.
The book of Hebrews also describes these martyrs of the Old Testament, "They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword … men of whom the world was unworthy, wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground" (Heb 11:37-38). Speaking of men who hang around in the desert, John the baptizer was no exception to murder. The prophet John was beheaded (just like the 21 Egyptians), for telling Herod it was against God's word to have a wife who was not scripturally his (Mark 6). After Christ was crucified on the cross, God's people now called Christian's were not treated any better. Reliable history tells us that all of the Apostles with the exception of John, were killed for their Christianity. Some were stoned, some crucified, some were beheaded or stabbed, just about any terrible way to die was applied, yet they are our example, and Christianity grew.
The book of Revelation is mostly written to those first century Christians who were about to undergo a great persecution (Rev 1:1, 9). As the destruction of Jerusalem and Rome took place, the Christians were truly put to the test, and their lives were often taken. The latter portion of Revelation 2 verse 10, "…you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death and I will give you a crown of life" , these words of Christ are an absolute warning that a Christian must be always faithful to Him, and even at the point of death for the faith, there is no option to back down. While I don't know the life of these 21 individuals who died, their death of beheading however does compare with Revelation Chapter 20, which I am not the first to make the application. John writes, "…And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast … and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years" (Rev 20:4). Again the early saints were no stranger to death of a sword, yet we see Christianity growing at that difficult time as much as ever.
So much more could be said about those who died for the faith, church history of the next centuries is full of stories of martyrs. Several Bible passages such as Stephen's and James' death could be included, but the point is the same, Christianity is no stranger to unjust bloody death. The very man we follow, Christ, part of the God head died as our example and for our past sins. Yes, there are those who will not be able to stand firm to the end, and because of that they will be eternally lost. Yes, we will also still fear a painful death, just as Christ prayed for another way if possible in the garden. However, throughout all this history of Christian death, all this blood that was spilled, Christianity was never made weaker. These deaths are what remind us of the word, these deaths are what remind us of the necessity of faithfulness. As the scripture says of Christ our savior, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends" John 15:13. This is our example, this is our teacher, this is our God. Spilling Christian blood doesn't make us weaker, it only makes us stronger!
Myself along with many others have been challenged to write on the benefits of a Christian life by the website, The Preacher's Favorite Passage, www.thepfp.net. As I thought through the many blessings I wanted to write about, the blessing of a Christian life that I am choosing to write on is the blessing of a Christian spouse.
I first want to say that while a Christian spouse is huge factor in a Christian's life, I realize that it is something not everyone has. Paul was one who was thankful he was not married or obligated to care for a family so that he could devote more time in work to the Lord (1 Cor 7:7), shame on any eldership today that sets the requirement that a minister be married. I also realize that many Christians are already married to someone who is not a Christian, to such Paul gives commands from the Lord, and challenges them to be the right example (1 Cor 7:10-16). There are also those who because of unscriptural divorce, are not permitted to remarry (Matt 19:9), to them I give some of my greatest respect. Brothers and sisters, be cautious who you choose to marry.
That being said, I truly believe that one of the greatest blessings of a Christian life is having a Christian spouse. The spouse you choose is someone you shape the majority of your life around. That person by their input and your agreement with one another will likely affect where you live, what future jobs you choose, what you do for fun, even what you eat will be a regular compromise with that individual. A person's character who is this involved in your life is important; here are three traits that make a Christian spouse such a blessing.
A Christian spouse is one you can trust. With such a huge commitment of your own life devoted to one person, trust is mandatory. The Christian character is built around honesty, faithfulness and trust, just as God has been towards us. A secular marriage is also built on these things, but as we know, these attributes in a person often fail. While the same failure can happen in a Christian, just knowing that a person has a commitment to God that they have been faithful to, gives the promise of these aspects so much more meaning. To know that there is a commitment not only toward you from your spouse, but also an obligation they hold sacred before God to be faithful to you. To know that there is not merely a promise to be faithful to you, but that person strives to keep Christ' command to not even let their heart stray from you alone. To know your spouse stands for the New Covenant's teaching, that divorce and remarriage is not an option, but only for one reason. While the occurrence of divorce in the church has long been said to be the same as the world, several articles lately have been published revealing that the divorce rate inside churches are actually much lower than the world. I dare say that divorce of faithful members in the Lord's true church is very uncommon. What a blessing to trust your spouse is not only faithful to their vows, but also in every word and to God.
A Christian spouse is an encouragement to your walk with Christ. A Christian's life is built around service and labor for the Lord, love of His church and the treasure where our heart is, in the Lord. Our joy, our passion, our hope is invested in the kingdom of God, which is the church. You know the feeling that we have when a person we know begins showing interest in the gospel, things such as this is our purpose and joy. I cannot imagine being married to someone I could not share those feelings of hope with when I get home each day! A spouse more than anything is someone you relate to, someone you share feelings with, the one who knows you and you pour your heart out before them. What a blessing it is to be able share this huge portion of your life: your labors, your hope, even your disappointments of your Christian life with a person holding the same goals. This is the difference in hoping your spouse will allow you to spare some money or time to give to God, or the spouse who is there by your side making a sacrifice along with you in the kingdom. Perhaps this is part of the reason why the most important role in the church, that of an elder, requires a faithful wife (1 Tim 3:2, 11; Titus 1:6). A Christian spouse is a huge blessing of encouragement.
A Christian spouse is a friend forever. We have deep love for the one we marry, even when the beauty of youth fades, often the friendship and bond in a marriage becomes far more valuable with time. It is only natural that someone so close to us would be the one who we are most concerned for their eternal home. As the earthly wedding vows many of us quoted tell us, "until death do we part," a Christian couple has the assurance they will meet again. Jesus plainly tells us that, "…in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage…" (Matt 22:30 NASB). While our relationship there may be much different, better in ways our human minds cannot yet comprehend, what a blessing it is to know your husband or wife will be there in eternity with you. A Christian spouse is a blessing to know of the assurance you have for the one you love so much.
When God created man, He said "…it is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a helper suitable for him," (Gen 2:18). A spouse is a helper, a helper in the challenges of life, and the greatest blessing of a spouse is a Christian spouse, a Christian helper. Christ chose this Holy relationship to compare His church to, the church which is made up of those He saved. Obviously this relationship is a blessing, and a Christian spouse is a fulfillment of that blessing. I thank God for my Christian wife, God's design for marriage and family.
America has a serious problem with idolatry, there are idols all around us, and I am NOT referring to worldly riches! We have all been in a church bible class at one point in time when one of the many scriptures that refer to idolatry was read, of course what comes to mind for us is some tribe of half naked people on an island dancing around a big painted wooden head. Because this seems so distant from anything we can relate to in our culture, we quickly tie any passage that mentions idols to the comparison of our desire for the physical riches around us. While materialism, selfish ambition, greed or the love of the world can and will cost many their souls, these bible terms are truly sins that take our time and hearts away from God, but they are not idolatry. We do not bow down to the car of our dreams, we do not say a prayer to that one house in that certain neighborhood, and we would never tell someone a name brand of clothes is our God. Don't take me wrong, these things are serious sins often times, and there are a lot of comparisons that do relate, but at the same time we have to admit these are not the false gods that we know scripture is referring to when a passage mentions an idol.
Many cultures have real idols, India is a prime example of such a culture today. We also remember Paul walking through the city of Athens observing all the gods there (Acts 17:23), we know there are physical false gods that people really worship. While we grow more diverse in culture every day and I suspect it will one day be common here, we still do not see these images around us being worshiped regularly. However there is one idol that Americans really do worship, there are temples built all around us for worshiping this false god in, there is a complete structure with thousands of priest and literally billions of dollars are given by Americans to these gods every year. So what is this false god that we have such a problem with? What image does he have or who is this large group of people that worship it? Who is this idol that I say America has such a problem with? – It is the god that those who identify themselves as Christians worship, most of them identify this idol as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Before you string me up for blasphemy, let me say plainly what I am talking about. When people make God into whoever they want Him to be, when they change His teachings, they extend His grace beyond what it is, when they write off His commands as not applying to today, they make the one true God into their own personal idol, and they worship that idol how they please. This is something America has a very serious problem with!!! This is a god that might wear the one true name of God, but this god is false. His words teach something the true God has never taught, his character is not a match to God, the sermons taught of him do not describe Him, and the promises he makes are not His. How many thousands of churches across America have preachers and leaders that describe God not only in a different way from each other, but also different from the plain teachings of scripture? The even greater trend of today is to be part of no church at all but to hold your own personal views of God apart from any church. If we put ourselves into this trend of thought for a moment, to say there is no true church, that each individual can find God in their own personal way, what does this change? To enter this state of mind and religion causes us to admit that God has no right and wrong, that maybe only one or two principles are important and the rest is simply meant to be overlooked. This is who we have made our god out to be, and this is not the God of the Bible!
Paul tells us through inspired scripture to "Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus." (2 Tim 1:13). Notice that there is a "standard of sound words" that we are to hold to, that he does not tell us to do so just by faith and love, but rather by THE faith, revealing that there is only one standard, one religious faith that saves. He speaks also of this standard or pattern in Philippians, "Brethren, Join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ," (Phil 3:17-18). Notice again "the pattern" we are to walk in and observe, there is only one pattern, but those who twist and distort that pattern making different patterns are enemies of the cross of Christ. Peter also warned of these who distort the scriptures to their own destruction (2 Pet 3:16). There is a standard, a pattern, plain teachings given by scripture that we can understand alike, but this is not what we observe around us. America has a serious problem with idolatry, we all have the same idol that wears the same name, but that idol has a different standard we each have created. We worship, we pray, we sing to and teach about this false god, our personal idol we have created. Worst of all we have fallen for the thought that if we just claim the name of Christ we all will be saved. What idol have you created Christ to be? Maybe you can identify some parts of your idol that matches scripture, but does He match all of scripture? Let us heed the words of the apostle John as he ended his first letter, "Little children, guard yourselves from idols" (1 John 5:21).
Yesterday evening my wife, daughter and I went to our local fair. I have always enjoyed the fair, I remember when I was younger being asked in school to write on our favorite season of the year, I would always choose fall. One of the greatest reasons I would give for favoring this season, was the fair. I was anything but a farmer, my city school system didn't even know what 4-H was, but still I loved the tractors, hit and miss engines, animals, dirt bike races and of course the rides and excitement of being around all the people. As we walked toward the entrance yesterday my one year old daughter began pointing up at the people on the rides way up in the air, being that I had missed the fair for several years in a row now, I was excited myself to see it all again. As we entered the gate by the ticket booth, we entered by the rides which was the main entrance, so naturally being near all the wild rides, was the younger crowd, lots of teens. Something that was obvious right away was how these young people were dressed, wearing far less than they should. We walked straight past the rides at first toward the farm animal area, but the outfits there were not much different. Attractive young girls were wearing very short shorts, a lot were wearing cut off tank tops and when you're down to just that there is not much left to do to make things anymore skimpy, aside from getting everything to fit tight, which was not left out either.
While there were some adults dressed this way also, the huge majority were high school and college age, the greatest temptation was clearly on our youth. What all this made me realize was what a huge challenge our youth face, not only did it make me realize that, but it reminded me of the reality of this huge temptation I faced ten or so years ago myself. Place yourself back in that position for a moment, you're in high school, the girls around you are dressed this way, sure there are some policies the school has to keep clothes from getting too minimal, but the school's cheerleader and dance team outfits clearly show that policy is a joke. Maybe you were raised in the church, and you know that we have to be like Job, having a covenant with our eyes (Job 31:1), but it's not just a person or two at the school who we have to look away from, it is the majority of the girls in every class we have. The Bible tells us to be satisfied with the wife of our youth (Prov 5:18), but you have no wife yet, and because of the norms of our society, marriage is years away. And just when we finally get away from the girls for a moment, the talk of the guys is constantly sexual jokes. The list could go on, but this has to be one of the most challenging times in a Christian's life.
So what is my solution to this great problem? Is it to tell the churches parents not to allow your kids to dress this way, even though the majority of kids do not have Christian parents? Is it to tell you to send your youth away to one of our many church of Christ universities who over emphasize grace and teach sin is okay? No, my advice is simply to the youth who find themselves in this situation right now.
To the young men: You are in a tough situation, there is no doubt about it, there is no denying the challenge you face in our society to keep Jesus' words, to not even lust after a woman. This temptation will never go away as long as you live, but you have to realize it is at its absolute strongest right now. Satan knows that and he is giving it everything he has to use this to break you from the commitment to Christ you have made. This temptation is a drug, it may not be condemned by those around us like it is, but it is absolutely addicting like a drug. I know you feel like you can just give in to it once, but every time that happens it becomes soooo much harder to break from. I want you to think about your life ahead of you, think about the fact you will one day be married, and that girl who you will be married to in a few short years is somewhere out there right now. You don't know her name, you wonder what she looks like, what her personality will be, but I promise she is the one who will bring true joy. Don't focus on the many girls around you can't have now, focus on her. Sure it's hard to focus on someone you do not know, but just know she is just as alive as you are in some location of the world right now, and just as much as you want her to be pure for you, you have to be pure for her also. You don't want her to be dressing like these girls around you, to be center of all the guys' dirty thoughts, nor does she want you focused on any of those girls, because she is not dressed like that herself, but she has all the same beauty reserved for you. Focus on her, the reality that she is out there right now, that you will be with her in just a few years, and the purity you want to have for each other and for God, who your relationship will be built around. What seems so far away is just a few years away.
Satan's temptations will never disappear while we are alive, while we must do our best to avoid them, we also know we can never completely escape them. But believe it or not, as hard as it may seem, "…God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able…" (1 Cor 10:13). When Satan's temptations are at their greatest, it is so important that we keep our hearts in the right place, that begins with where we allow our thoughts and focus to go.
The Fourth of July or Independence Day is a time that we in America celebrate and remember our freedom as a nation. Like most national holidays, we often ignore their significance, but nevertheless, it is basic knowledge that America is "the land of the free." Do you remember when you were young what you thought when adults emphasized how grateful we should be to be "free"? I remember especially in the first, second and third grade how often the teachers would point out that America is where we are free, whether it was in music class or literature, we were reminded often. But how did I and my peers of great wisdom respond? – "If we are free, than why do we have to be at school?" Or maybe we would extend it to the dreaded homework, – "I am a free American, I don't have to do this homework!" Clearly we were missing the point of what it meant to be free.
In the New Testament we also see this same term "freedom," used to describe Christians. Many scriptures talk about it, take 2 Corinthians 3:17 for example; "Now the Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." You might think also of passages like "the law of liberty" as James describes the New Covenant (Jas 1:25, 2:12). It is apparent that we who are in Christ are free or at liberty in some way, but just like our ignorance of America's freedom we failed to understand in our youth, so also many fail to understand the freedom that we have in Christ. To make matters worse, not only is it the people's gossip that causes us to misunderstand this freedom in Christ, but also the majority of preachers and bible teachers also contribute, saying things like "we don't have to be worried about sin because Christ has set us free." While a statement like this is not completely false, (we are free from the sins we have repented from), it also happens to be intentionally deceiving, giving the impression that sin is no big deal.
So what is our "freedom in Christ" that the scriptures tell us of so often? And what isn't it? Our freedom in Christ comes down to two major things, we are free from the complexity of the Old Law (Old Testament), and we are free from the wages of our past sins, which is death (Rom 6:23). The Old Law was very difficult to follow, a heavy burden on those who lived under it, and just as the Hebrew writer says, "…He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second." Heb 8:6-7. In Christ that Old Law is completely done away, something that today's denominations do not understand (Gal 3:25, Rom 7:6, Heb 8:13). The second point, our freedom from our past sins once we put on Christ is something we all know. We all know that Christ died for our sins. Less known however is how we put on Christ, a passage that describes both points, Romans 6:3 says, "Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been Baptized into His death?" and verse 6 says, "knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin". When we are buried with Christ in baptism, God at that point removes our past sins as we repent and are baptized for forgiveness, dying to our sinful self and rising to walk in the newness of life.
So what isn't our freedom in Christ? Freedom in Christ is not freedom from law all together, just as we still have to go to school and do our homework in our free country, we also have a Christian law we must live by in our freedom of Christ. That law is not the Old Law but it is the new law, the law of Christ (1 Cor 9:21, Gal 6:2), the law of the Spirit (Rom 8:2), the perfect law (Jas 1:25) which is the new covenant. That means we cannot choose our favorite apostle and ignore the writings of the rest, but we are to live by all the New Testament's teachings. Likewise this means that we are not free to let down our guard against sin just because at one point in our life we were placed in the grace of Christ. We can fall from grace, only "if we walk in the light as He is in the light," will we be continually cleansed by His blood (1 John 1:7). Jesus told us this so plainly in John 8:31-32, saying; "…If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of mine; and you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." How often have were heard the latter portion of that passage quoted? Promising us that we can be free, yet how uncommon it is that we point out what Christ really said, that this freedom comes if and only if we abide in His word? Paul in Galatians gives us a warning so similar concerning our freedom. "For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh…" (Gal 5:13, cf. 1 Pet 2:16, 1 Cor 8:9). Ask yourself, how have you been looking at God's freedom he has given you? Just like as Americans and even more so as Christians, we have a great freedom to be thankful for and a heavy price that was paid for it. We must not forget the sacrifices that have been made. But we also need to ask our self a simple question. Are we making our freedom in Christ into something that it is not?
In the well known passage of Matthew 16, Peter answers Jesus' question asking who the people say that He is. Peter replies that he knows that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus then said to Peter in Matthew 16:18; "… you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it " (NASB). Jesus promised Peter, the apostles, and all who have read this scripture since then, that once his church was established, it would always be, that Satan could never eradicate His church. Those of us who have been in the Wednesday night study of Acts have had a recent reminder of when the church was established, in Acts chapter 2, 33 A.D. So has the Church Christ established really always existed all of this time, nearly 2000 years?
Not only ourselves, but Catholics also love this passage where Jesus responds to Peter, promising His church, yet they claim it has some different meanings. One aspect the Catholics favor, is that this was spoken to Peter, who they claim to be the first Pope. The other point they claim however, that is more relevant to this article, is that Jesus promised His church would always exist. The Catholic reasoning of this says; if the Church would always exist, then the succeeding church leaders could always be traced back to the very beginning of the church. This is exactly what they claim, taking great pride in their ability to trace their popes and bishops back to Peter and the Apostles. It is remarkable the history the Catholic Church has, but their error is revealed in the very early centuries, where the men they claim to be leaders of their church's history, actually refute the structure of such an unscriptural church pattern. These early Christian men deny in their writings the authority that the Catholic church accredits to them.
So if the Catholic Church cannot trace its roots though forefathers back to the beginning, how could anyone else? The fact of the matter is that no one can trace their roots back to the establishment of the church by knowledge of all the saints who lived before them. Because the true church that Christ established, was not always the biggest church. The true church that has always-"followed in the apostles doctrine" (Acts 2:42), hasn't been passed down in a continuous chain of a single denomination. The true roots of the church, that we can trace, is the teachings of the apostles through scripture, by following their teaching and traditions, we can know that we are the church that Christ established and died for (1 Tim 3:15). You see the church is built on the word, anyone, anywhere, anytime can establish a congregation by looking to God's word and following the pattern we have there. We don't see those congregations in history, because those congregations were too small, but we know they were always there. Maybe there would be one in a city for a while, one in the country, one meeting in a house, another meeting in secret because of persecution, but somewhere, no matter how small, there was always the church, and Satan could never overpower it.
That is exactly what we are at Valley, small. But if we hold fast to the standard of sound words (2 Tim 1:13), we can know that we are the church that is truly "of Christ". I cannot think of any better fitting scripture than what Christ said in Matt 18:20; "For wherever two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst." We are small, when just a few miss because of work, travel, sickness, or just failure to be faithful to the assembly, it hurts us, and we really notice it then. But while we need to be here as much as possible, while we need every member we have, we also have to remember, that Christ never promised we would be the most popular, he never promised we would make the history books, but he promised His church would always exist, that Satan will never totally defeat His church. Let's not give up because we are few, let's not think that Satan has defeated us, let's remember Christ and his promise, the great Kingdom that we are (Matt 16:19).


F/I 4.3L, 700R4 AUTO, A/C, PWR STEER & BRAKE, CLEAN IN/OUT, RUNS & DRIVES GR8!!
Bright, custom, and amazing from every angle – this 1930 Ford Model A takes an iconic 5-window shape forged in steel, and gives it a fuel-injected motor, upgraded suspension, comfortable A/C interior, and a bold yellow finish. It's the kind of total package that impresses wherever it goes.
From the first moment you lay eyes on this one, you know they got the stance to look just right. This Ford keeps the correct amount of original Model A appearance with its upright cab and cowl treatment. But then the full package is covered in a high gloss yellow that has a fantastic shine in the sunlight. In fact, the paint has such a luster that it takes the place where some other custom builds reserve for bright work. The result is a true standout appearance. But it wouldn't be a true custom without some chrome, so now it's used to highlight special features like the waterfall grille, bright headlamp housings, step plates, dual exhaust tips, and iconic torque thrust-style wheels.
Inside, the exterior yellow returns to highlight the color of the iconic Model A dash. That's joined by a quality two-tone gray interior. The seat offers individual inserts and bolstering for the driver and passenger, and the side panels match this pattern for a true uniform feeling. There's plenty of great features like power windows, power locks, remote door poppers, power radio antenna, and an AM/FM/CD stereo in the overhead console. There's even modern R134a air conditioning in this retro ride. The driver gets a grippy Lecarra steering wheel, and beyond that is a full set of classic-style VDO gauges to keep you fully informed on what's going on in the engine bay.
When you lift the hood, you can instantly tell this is a far more modern motor than what you see in most hot rods. It's a 4.3-liter fuel-injected V6. Built to give power to Chevy's trucks, it has plenty of horsepower and torque to really move this coupe with authority. The sound from the dual exhaust backs up this feeling. Performance goes beyond just the motor. Up front there is an upgrade to a Mustang II-style independent suspension with tubular arms, and there are strong ladder bars in the rear. These are backed by adjustable coil overs and disc brakes at each wheel. Because you'll want to show this one off near or far, there are more great anytime driving features like power steering and a four-speed automatic transmission w/overdrive.
A steel-bodied custom coupe with all the best features to enjoy everywhere from the local car show to the Power Tour. This is a dream car for a lot of us, but there's only one up for grabs. So if you want this in your driveway, you need to hurry and call today!


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Q: How to remove the single dot before each chapter in the TOC and make it smaller? I want to remove the single dot as circled in the picture. Using the thesis class, the single dot appears and and the toc size becomes bigger. Changing to the report class, the dot disappears and the toc size becomes normal. I need to use the thesis class to comply with the requirements set by my university.

Here's my code:
\documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{thesis}
\usepackage[Sonny]{fncychap}
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\end{document}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Home » Different Types of Dominoes
Different Types of Dominoes
Traditionally, European dominoes were made of dark hardwoods such as ebony, ivory or silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell. During the late 18th century, the game migrated to France, England and the rest of Europe. The French prisoners of war brought the game to Britain. The game quickly became a fad. It was not until the 1860s that it appeared in American literature.
A domino is a black and white rectangular tile, usually twice as long as wide. Its most common design features a line in the middle. It can be played upside down or in a vertical position, depending on how you want to play it. There are several other types of dominoes, including the Chinese domino, which is played without the need to match tiles.
Another type is the solitaire domino game. Typically, a player draws seven tiles to begin with. The tiles are mixed and the player takes turns placing them on the platform. Each tile has a number on it. The goal of the game is to make the tower as stable as possible. Players can add more tiles to any line, but only if they are able to place them against the long side of the double. Some variants of the game have the option of joining tiles to all four sides.
There are also concentration variants of the game, which are similar to a card game. The objective of the game is to reach a certain score. The first player to achieve the target is the winner. Other variants involve two or more partners, where one partner chips out. In some games, the player who shuffles the tiles draws the last hand. The simplest version is to knock down all of the dominoes.
A more sophisticated variation is the concentration variant, where the total count of pips is counted. There are three main ways to do this: counting multiples of five, rounding up the counts to the nearest five and counting a single point per trick. Adding multiples of five is the most obvious way. If you are playing with a team, you do not count the number of dots in your partner's hand, but instead add the total of all of your teammates' hands.
The great book of domino games contains rules for a number of different games. For instance, the concentration variant requires the player to achieve a total count of 12 pips.
The other main way to win a domino game is to knock down all of the tiles in your opponent's hand. This is usually done by playing a domino of the right number on each of the five ends of the chain. Then you can use your own domino to knock down the other tile on the same end. You can also try to knock down a corresponding tile on the other side of the chain.
If you are a beginner to the game, you should start out with the simple version, where the winner is the player who knocks down all of the dominoes in his opponent's hand. After that, you can move on to the complicated versions.
How to Play Domino
What is Pragmatic?
Domino Data Science Platform


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Kind Of Spanish Girl
By demo demo | May 28, 2022
The inhabitants of Spain is quickly declining as older people die and very few children are born. Therefore, this example is already causing nice concern on the state degree. Fortunately, many Spanish ladies have retained conventional ideas about household and marriage regardless of the excessive level of feminization in society. The beauty and scorching mood of Spanish girls have always fascinated men. Indeed, these ladies are special personalities with incomparable and distinctive appeal.
For example, being overweight isn't the explanation to surrender seductive outfits for a hot Latina lady. Also, this isn't the reason to sweat in the gym, comply with rigid diets, and keep away from relationship slim and fit males. Spanish women know tips on how to entice the attention of males and, at the identical time, they don't seem too concerned about their look. Spaniard ladies usually are not only lovely, but in addition daring, energetic, and passionate. None of them will faux to play a weak and defenseless lady who blushes from one glance of a handsome man. Another distinguishing characteristic of these ladies is self-confidence, and therefore, they characteristic the absence of any complexes.
Additionally, the NAP promotes an integrated agenda by demonstrating the links of the WPS Agenda to the Sustainable Development Goals , with explicit emphasis on SDGs 5 and sixteen on gender equality and peace and justice, respectively.
The region has autonomy in Spanish historical past, relationship from when Spain turned a republic; nonetheless, its id was later closely oppressed by the Franco dictatorship.
During Franco's Spain, child sexual abuse was largely ignored, with the country having very lax laws; the age of consent in Spain was only 12.
Although Spanish girls share certain bodily traits like their neighbors in Portugal, they differ massively in other features.
Gifts, flowers, and romantic dinners is not going to produce such an impression on these ladies as, for instance, fiery pair dances until the morning in a nightclub.
Our employment ranges are higher at present than prepandemic, even prefinancial crisis.
Nadia Calviño says she has seen important progress for ladies in her country lately. Many of Spain's leaders are feminine — proof, Nadia Calviño says, of the "feminist society" that has emerged in her nation. This paper explores the archaeology of ladies in Spanish colonial society. While an appreciation of Spanish and Native American girls in Hispanic America is gradually rising, this understanding continues spainish chicks to be rudimentary and limited almost exclusively to domestic contexts. Similarly, although African ladies were an necessary component in lots of Spanish colonies, their unique contributions are poorly understood. The psychological influence of aging on sexuality and relationships.
The Benefits Of Spanish Woman
As for the residents of Pamplona, many locals really depart town round San Fermín in July, having developed a distaste for the influx of vacationers and price hikes in eating places and bars. Interrupting others is totally acceptable in certain places, too. Anglo-Saxons wait for one another to finish before speaking, and take turns holding the ground. Mediterraneans typically just speak as their thoughts happen and speaking on the same time is completely acceptable. I am telling you, the reality TV right here is incomprehensible, with 5 to 10 people frequently talking over each other for as a lot as three minute stretches. I personally don't suppose this makes for good TV, however I don't suppose anyone right here cares as a result of the TV right here sucks.
For them, all actions and deeds are primarily based on the boisterous manifestation of emotions. As the entire society underwent main transformations, so has household life group.
From the margins of history and exposes them—with each sympathy and rigor—to the scholarly appraisal they deserve. This is a e-book for all who are fascinated in the Spanish Civil War. The NAP signifies that a working group will be answerable for monitoring the implementation of the action plan. The group will maintain a plenary assembly at least every year and will put together a monitoring and assessment report each two years to be presented to the Spanish Parliament. However, the NAP does not embrace a formal monitoring and evaluation framework.
The pattern size was decided utilizing Granmo software (version 7.12, Barcelona, Spain, 2012). Therefore, a sample of 355 women can be anticipated to be sufficient for an anticipated prevalence of 70%, a precision of 5%, a degree of confidence of 95%, and a substitute price of 10%. This chapter discusses how women's clothes grew to become a key a part of rhetoric throughout and after the Spanish Civil War. During the Civil War (1936–39), women's clothes performed such an essential position that it became a approach to present which aspect one was on. For the Francoists, the "vestir cristiano" grew to become an essential stimulus to recuperate the traditional feminine role from Republican emancipation. On the Republican aspect, the image of the feminine soldier, dressed in "blue overalls", was one of the principal symbols of feminine emancipation. During the postwar period, the propaganda for "national reconstruction" included the denunciation of the temptation of modernity represented by trend that was thought of the supply not only of waste but in addition of moral degeneration.
They don't put on much makeup, making them look younger and pure. Local females have an excellent sense of style, dressing up properly. Summer is undoubtedly the most effective time to go to Spain as right here you will note so many beautiful women wearing skirts, clothes, and shorts.
The UN Human Rights Office and the mechanisms we assist work on a extensive range of human rights topics. Learn extra about every topic, see who's concerned, and find the most recent information, reviews, occasions and more. Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies, a multi-stakeholder initiative that goals to mitigate and provide accountability for gender-based violence in humanitarian emergencies. Sor Juana was fluent in Latin, Spanish and Najuatl, a language spoken by Indigenous peoples of Mexico such as the Aztecs. Her literary, scientific and mathematical pursuits regularly received her in bother with the church. Madrid poet Marcela de San Féliz, daughter of male playwright Lope de Vega, additionally entered a convent, according to Hyperallergic.
She will cook dinner for you and pressure you to get in contact along with her family. While American women favor focusing on their careers, Spanish ladies view the upbringing of youngsters as a necessity. Spanish ladies also can speak a couple of language, while most American ladies are comfortable figuring out only English. In basic, marrying a Spanish hottie is a extra thrilling prospect than marrying an American lady. Spanish girls can turn into real residence keepers, good wives, and caring moms.
UNSCR was accredited throughout Spain's presidency of the Security Council, underscoring the significance of the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda for Spain. The NAP stresses the importance of the agentive standing of women, emphasizing the importance of gender equality for the complete implementation of WPS commitments. The NAP takes each a nationwide and worldwide strategy to the implementation of the WPS Agenda, with explicit concentrate on tackling the commitments holistically and promoting the interlinkages between gender equality reforms during implementation. Additionally, the NAP promotes an integrated agenda by demonstrating the links of the WPS Agenda to the Sustainable Development Goals , with particular emphasis on SDGs 5 and 16 on gender equality and peace and justice, respectively. Nevertheless, the NAP doesn't embrace a substantive monitoring and evaluation framework or an allocated budget. Beatriz Galindo was no doubt a pioneer in Spanish historical past for she grew to become the country's first feminine physician means again in the late fifteenth century!
Women are portrayed in media as balanced in energy with males, but in traditional roles with girls as homemakers and moms and submissive to men. Despite these essential features, observers expected that the gaining of equal rights for women would be a lengthy wrestle, waged on many alternative fronts. It was not till deciding a 1987 case, for example, that Spain's Supreme Court held that a rape sufferer needn't prove that she had fought to defend herself in order to confirm the truth of her allegation.
One of her functions on this platform is to help people regain their motives to stay on, be joyful, and discover their soulmates. She's an expert coach who can encourage folks to alter their views to turn into higher individuals ultimately. Spanish beauties usually are not punctual, so they could be late for a date. Therefore, you must accept this truth and never leap to conclusions. "Spain abandons plan to introduce powerful new abortion laws". The protests have been backed by ten unions, who have been on strike for 24 hours. The strike was covered by news anchors, but the most famous feminine anchors had been away from work.


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Enforcing Human Rights In American Courts When The Injury Is Indirect
ENFORCING HUMAN RIGHTS IN AMERICAN COURTS WHEN THE INJURY IS INDIRECT:
Will The Lawsuit Based On South African Apartheid Prevail?
anthony.sebok@brooklaw.edu
This column is Part One of a two-part series by Professor Sebok on the Alien Tort Claims Act, indirect injury, and joint action. - Ed.
On June 19, Ed Fagan and a number of American and South African lawyers filed suit under the Alien Tort Claims Act. The plaintiffs are the class of persons alive in South Africa between 1948 and 1993 who were affected by the apartheid regime. The defendants are Citibank, Union Bank of Switzerland, and Credit Suisse. Moreover, the complaint indicates that the suit's scope will soon broaden: the plaintiffs expect to add Western technology, transportation and weapons companies as additional defendants.
The suit demands damages for personal injuries that were inflicted on the plaintiffs through a variety of means during the apartheid era, ranging from torture to death squad attacks, on the theory that the defendants' actions caused the injuries by perpetuating the apartheid system. It also seeks a "disgorgement" (the legal term for a court-ordered repayment) of all the profits made by the defendants resulting from their business dealings with South Africa's apartheid regime.
Plainly, the suit raises important questions about the scope of private human rights suits in American courts.
Fagan was one of the lawyers who helped pioneer the pathbreaking lawsuits against insurance companies, banks, and corporations that were alleged to have profited from property and labor stolen during the Holocaust.
Currently, Fagan is bringing a suit to recover for damages caused by slavery to all African Americans enslaved in the U.S. between 1619 and 1865. (I discussed both the slave labor lawsuits and the African-American slavery suit in earlier columns; Anita Ramasastry also wrote a recent column for this site addressing the recently-filed South Africa suit.)
Through these three suits, Fagan and those he works with have forced us to rethink the limits of law in a new world of globalized jurisdiction. Yet there are both similarities and differences among them.
All three target large private corporations. For example, the theme of the recent South Africa lawsuit is that the multinational corporation defendants profited from acts which violated recognized international human rights standards.
All three also seek to make corporations liable through the Alien Tort Claims Act (and related laws) for acts that violate customary international law - but did not necessarily the contemporaneous laws of the regimes where the acts took place.
But in other ways, the South Africa suit is different. Unlike the other two cases, it includes no claim that the defendant corporations directly violated the human rights of the plaintiffs. Rather, the claim is wholly rooted in a claim of indirect injury.
This new wrinkle raises questions about how the Alien Tort Claims Act (ATCA) should measure responsibility for indirect injury.
The Alien Tort Claims Act and the "Under Color of Law" Requirement
The complaint also mentions other possible bases for the court's jurisdiction besides the ATCA: diversity of citizenship (since some of the class representatives live in the United States), and the Torture Victims Protection Act. However, courts have treated the elements of subject matter jurisdiction are virtually the same in all three cases. Thus, I will focus on the complaint's structure as it relates to the Alien Tort Claims Act.
Under the ATCA, jurisdiction exists when an alien sues for a tort committed in violation of the law of nations or a treaty of the United States. The tort does not necessarily have to be committed "under color of law" - that is, it need not be committed under government auspices, according to the Second Circuit.
Rather, some crimes against humanity - including war crimes, torture, and slave trading - have independent force and individuals may be liable for them under the ATCA regardless of whether they were acting in concert with an oppressor state. (Others do not, and cannot form the basis of an ATCA suit unless the "under color of law" requirement is satisfied).
The question of whether the defendants acted under color of state law - often referred to in the law as the question of whether there was "state action" - did not arise in the German slave labor case, and it may not in the American slave labor case either. That is because, in both regimes, many of the defendants actually controlled the slaves on whose behalf (or on behalf of whose estates) the suit are brought, and used state law to protect that control.
Other ATCA State Action Cases
In other ATCA suits, on the other hand, the question of state action has been heavily litigated and has sometimes been central to the ultimate result of the case
In the Southern District of New York case Wiwa v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, et. al., for example, the question arose when Nigerian plaintiffs brought an ATCA claim against two European oil companies. The plaintiffs alleged the companies had aided the Nigerian government to suppress local resistance to a large petrochemical project in Nigeria, and thus been accomplices in Nigerian security forces' rape, beatings, and in a handful of cases, state-sanctioned executions for local activists.
The defendant companies argued that, since the complaint did not allege that any of their employees raped, beat, or killed any of the plaintiffs - rather, it alleged that Nigerian security forces who were not defendants did so - they could not be sued under the ATCA. But U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood rejected the argument - finding that the plaintiffs' allegations, if proven, could show that defendants were "joint actors" with the Nigerian government for there was alleged to have been "a substantial degree of cooperative action between" them.
In contrast, in the Central District of California case Doe v. Unocal (II), the plaintiffs failed to establish "joint action." The suit was brought against two multinational oil companies. It alleged that the companies' oil exploration work had been connected, with their knowledge and tacit consent, with Myanmar's gruesome oppression of the residents of the Tennaserim region. However, the court held that plaintiffs had not found sufficient evidence to support their "joint action" claim.
Similarly, in Bigio v. Coca Cola, the Second Circuit upheld a district court's dismissal of a complaint brought under the ATCA based on lack of a connection between the defendant and the rights violators. There, a family alleged that its property was expropriated by the Egyptian government in 1977 and then, in 1993, sold to Coca Cola. But the court noted that "an indirect economic benefit is not sufficient to support jurisdiction over a private party" under the ATCA.
Obviously, there are no easy answers to the question of when a private citizen--whether a corporation or an individual--has acted under "color of state law." The question has occupied civil rights attorneys in this country for many years. But this question must be dealt with openly, and soon, in the ATCA context. To ignore the subtleties of the "joint action" doctrine would leave this new generation of ATCA cases to be decided by emotion and politics.
The question is this: When is indirect participation in human rights abuses by a state a breach of duty under "international tort law"? There are three possible ways to answer it.
Under the first, we would turn to international law to determine what "joint action" means. As Professor Ramasastry has pointed out in an article published this year, international law has been developing, since the Nuremberg trials, a concept of "indirect responsibility" based on the concept of "aiding and abetting" under international law.
Under the second approach, we would directly borrow from American civil rights law, especially as it has developed in the context of litigation under Section 1983 - the federal statute that allows tort suits to be brought based upon violations of constitutional rights. (This is the approach Judge Wood employed in the case discussed above.)
Under the Section 1983 model, the way to determine whether an indirect actor has acted under color of state law would be to apply the "joint action" test from the Supreme Court's decision in Dennis v. Sparks. This test is more demanding than the test provided by international law, since it would require not only that the private actor not only aided the state, but that he had the same specific intent as the state to violate the victim's rights.
There is, however, a third alternative. As I shall argue in my next column, the ATCA is actually primarily about tort, just as its name indicates -- not about international human rights or constitutional law. Accordingly the third approach, and in my view the correct approach, comes from tort law, and not these other sources.
The Alien Tort Claims Act occupies a unique position in the law. It creates a private law claim of extraordinary reach that imposes American tort concepts (such as punitive damages) on the rest of the world. If it is at all a justified exercise of American sovereign power, it must be grounded in our national private law.
Our constitutional law recognizes this. To see this, just look at the Section 1983 cases cited by the courts applying the ATCA. They, in turn, rely on the Restatement of Torts--specifically, Section 876 of the Restatement, which is entitled, felicitously, "Persons Acting in Concert."
With Section 876, tort law has long ago considered and resolved the "joint action" problem, and it is its approach - not those of Section 1983 or international law - that should be applied.
I will also discuss in that column how the answers we can get from tort law can help us insure that the ATCA makes sense not only to us, but to the rest of the world. That is, of course, an important consideration when American courts are trying cases based on wholly on events that occurred abroad, as in the Holocaust slave labor and South Africa apartheid cases.
Anthony J. Sebok, a FindLaw columnist, is a Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School, where he teaches Torts, among other subjects.


Ease of doing business is the name of the game in 2017. For those looking to buy a house, for example, the most information needs to get to them in the fastest way possible.
Millennials are starting to buy houses, and that generation has become accustomed to instant information. They expect that any information they receive is complete and worth their time. When they find their dream home, they don't want to wait several days to find out whether they can afford it or how much they can afford to offer on the house. You don't want to lose a hard-earned new client because they don't have the right mortgage broker.
REALTORS® are constantly marketing to find leads on new homes. Whether it's sending postcards, updating websites or posting on social media, the need to get your word out is constant. Your success is based on three major areas – sourcing actionable leads, developing strong branding and following up to close prospects.
Mortgage brokers go through the same process, so why not combine your efforts to land the client and then follow that client through the whole process? The process will be seamless, and you'll have a complete picture come closing day.
Develop relationships with mortgage brokers. You may have one or several brokers whom you work with. Having a broker you trust and who has a large variety of products available gives you confidence when referring clients. You know that if any issues arise, the broker will let you know so you can work it out together. The client knows and trusts you so, by extension, he or she feels comfortable with the broker you recommend and doesn't have to waste time searching for a lender. Additionally, by having just a few lenders in mind, you know what types of loans they offer. No matter the buyer's situation, you should have a broker to refer them to.
Combine your marketing efforts, and co-brand. Develop a marketing plan together, and make sure your marketing materials have a cohesive look so buyers will immediately associate the two of you. Every dollar that either of you spends on marketing will magically go twice as far. Buyers will trust that your communication will be intact through the whole process. Share your ad space and your leads. Communication is your top priority in this relationship. If you choose to use postcards for your marketing, social media, word of mouth or even radio advertising, be sure to mention your access to the broker, and make sure the broker is referring new leads back to you. You each have different sources for new leads so, by combining your efforts, you each double your actionable leads.
Communicate through the whole process. From the time you start working with a new lead until closing, you and the mortgage broker should keep in touch so everyone knows the status of the loan. Surprises at closing are the worst-case-scenario. You want good, clear communication from beginning to end so you never have to wonder about the status of the project. This communication can lead to faster closings, and who doesn't want that?
Co-marketing is the wave of the future. More and more buyers are looking for "one-stop" shopping and referrals. Everyone's time is valuable, so help speed up the process. Combine your efforts for ease of doing business, and everyone wins.
NOTE: Co-branding is NOT allowable in every market. Please check with your broker or attorney before starting this strategy to ensure that it is an acceptable form of marketing for your area.
Learn more by visiting www.prospectsplus.com/mortgage or by calling our team at 866.405.3638.


psychological, and spiritual elements are interwoven to form the whole person. Our needs are varied; we have physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs.
At Third Avenue United Church we seriously try to reach out to these different needs in our fellow human beings in presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Redemption, in its inclusive nature, asks for the transformation of the human life in all its aspects. Redemption or salvation, the way we understand it, is not reserved for life beyond this world, but redeems the human in order to live an abundant life now.
Redemption does not bear fruit only in the personal life of a human being; it manifests itself in how one lives with family, society and community.
lived within the faith and practice of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
are regularly celebrated in the church.
By Baptism one becomes a member of the body of Christ.
when one is baptized into the church.
The Holy Communion is very significant, its truth and practice foster, nourish, and sustain the believer in the whole life of the church.
maintains membership in the fellowship of the church.
Third Avenue United Church invites everyone to join with us in our journey towards full, practical, personal and social Spiritual Development.
For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonged to him, and the other to the Lord.
He noticed that many times along the path of his life, there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.
I don't understand why when I needed you the most you would leave me."
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Or hear old Triton4 blow his wreathed horn.
1 Brought up in an outdated religion.
capable of taking many shapes.