text:
When the Big Box Retailer is a Big Box Church
Filed under: Christianity, Church — Tags: branch churches, church growth, church planting, multi-site churches — paulthinkingoutloud @ 10:12 am
The Whosoever Will Rescue Mission, San Francisco, date unknown. Every community has a unique ministry history and individual challenges.
Over the past twenty years we've seen a phenomenon in retail where big box retailers, sometimes called "category killers" have set up shop in cities and towns and in the process destroyed the livelihood of locally-owned, community-focused, mom-and-pop businesses. In my town we had four stores that sold office supplies which, over a period of about four years, disappeared off the map after Staples arrived. Perhaps where you live you've seen independent bookstores close when Barnes & Noble arrived; this in the era before A-zon finished the job for most of them.
There's a difference between a "chain" of stores, and big box retail. Chains are stores like what you had, only affiliated with an organization for national marketing. A privately owned store can join a chain.
In the analogy we're heading to here, chains are like church denominations. And sometimes a denomination will work hard to have representation in a local area. Historically however, they start small and build organically.
A big box retailer has more than name recognition. Their motto is, 'If you build it big they will come in big numbers.' Having so much more money to throw around than a basic chain, they create large environments and offer discounts.
In the world of what we call "multi-site" churches, growth often happened out of necessity. The original church was simply unable to handle the crowds, and because people were driving great distances, rather than expand the existing physical location, they basically replicated what they were doing in a different location, including having the sermon projected on a big screen.
North Point Community Church fits that definition. Starting from their original location, they've slowly spread out to encompass an area that is mostly north, northeast and northwest of downtown Atlanta. While they have a number of affiliate churches, North Point itself has never parachuted into completely foreign territory. They've never announced that the next church will be in Tulsa, or Boulder, or Scranton. Their geographic reach is well-defined.
On the other hand, there are also megachurches that have other sites which are not as huge as the parent location. In Ontario, Canada, The Meeting House has about 20 satellites, but some of them started out and small, and I believe a couple are still in that <100 average attendance category.
And then there is East Side, in Anaheim, California which, for whatever reasons, has a single satellite location in Park Rapids, Minnesota. I don't know the history, but one has to assume this began with a nucleus of people in that area who were drawn to a particular style of teaching; or that the church identified this community as having a need, and proceeded to do something missional and meet that need.
Which brings us to Hillsong. In an article entitled Hillsong Church: Do Not Colonize San Francisco, Nate Lee responds to a video posted by Ben Houston:
Hillsong SF is not something I am looking forward to. In fact, their video offends me. And it makes me extremely sad for this city and what it is becoming. And I am convinced, beyond any doubt, that Hillsong SF has absolutely nothing to do with God's Kingdom here in San Francisco.
San Francisco is a city under siege. There is a war going on here that can't be seen or understood through the eyes of a naïve, idealistic pastor. So when Ben Houston shows up in his overly-produced video saying, "San Francisco is a city where we see great potential," it's painfully clear that he has no idea of the context onto which his words fall. Guess who else saw "great potential" in this city? The real estate agents, developers, and city officials who have destroyed neighborhoods, broken up families, and displaced poor people of color for their own idealized, dystopian visions for San Francisco. What kind of "great potential" does Hillsong fulfill with its presence? And why would this random Australian dude ever think he's qualified to evaluate this city's potential? San Francisco is not a hopeful candidate auditioning for his religious services. We have bigger things to worry about.
I'm so tired of this. I'm tired of pastors coming to San Francisco, posting pictures of bridges and crooked streets and declaring how much they love this city without actually understanding any of it, without being hurt by it, without any scars to show or dirt on their shoes or callouses on their hands…
…Any kind of language that implies that God's work or God's plan starts when we arrive (e.g., "God has a great plan for this city!" "San Francisco is a city where we see great potential!" "In San Francisco, the best is yet to come!" – Ben Houston) is indicative not only of terrible theology, but of white Christian exceptionalism, the oppressive belief that the correct kind salvation and healing can only be facilitated through us, on our terms with our methods—and us always happens to be white missionaries, white pastors, and white churches.
And that's just for starters.
There's a lot more to this however than just the retail analogy I've presented above. It's not just about fears of Hillsong experiencing transfer growth while existing ministries experience transfer loss. And let's be honest, some people do change churches every few years.
In today's world, many choose a church because of its music, and the Hillsong name is immediately recognizable.
No, there's more to this. It's a matter of knowing your context. Knowing the rhythm, the cadence, the tenor of the ministries working in that community. Studying the spiritual history. Having someone with their feet on the ground for months, even years; having others who are invested in the community. Missionaries often spend a year acclimating to the culture before they ever begin a word of proclamation. You don't just show up and expect to rock their world overnight. That is what I believe is at the heart of Nate's concerns; it's not just about someone building a big worship center or having brand recognition. It's about the 'people context' of the city.
To return to a retail analogy — a different one — we once owned three Christian bookstores. While each carried our name, kept the same hours, stocked the same core titles, and was run by the same policies, the spiritual needs of those communities were vastly different, and the authors and ministries known to their customers were often quite unique. When asked if we were going to expand further, I said at the time, "You can't just take a store like this one, seal it in a giant container, and drop it in to another community. The needs and interests are not the same." It might work with a dairy store, or if you sell jeans and t-shirts, but it doesn't work in Christian endeavor. You can't just colonize another territory; you have to have done, and be prepared to do as much listening as you talking.
I would be ill-equipped to want to start a Christian store or a church in an area where I didn't have some previous familiarity, or wasn't living, or wasn't working in partnership with some people already in ministry there; and this doubly so if that is an area where there is a history of intense spiritual warfare; and while each of those three criteria is important, I would say working in partnership would be the way to begin.
On the other hand, I would not want to be obstructionist, I would not want to stand in Hillsong's way; but I think Nate's concerns are very real, and because he's there, he has the right to express those concerns or misgivings.
I just don't think the elephant knows when it is the largest animal in the room and what responsibilities go with that privilege, any more than Staples realized they were going to put those four office supply stores in my town out of business. Or did they?
My Christian ethic compels me to wish Hillsong well, but it also compels me to equally wish all the existing churches and mission organizations in the San Francisco Bay area well also.
One more time, here's a link to the article: Hillsong Church: Do Not Colonize San Francisco.
Thanks to David Fitch for pointing out this article to me.
John Ortberg's Congregation Votes to Exit US Presbyterian Denom
Filed under: Church, current events — Tags: church changing denominations, church leaving denomination, evangelical, John Ortberg, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, multi-site churches, PCUSA, Zondervan — paulthinkingoutloud @ 7:46 am
Zondervan author and former Willow Creek teaching pastor John Ortberg is about to lead his congregation, Menlo Park Presbyterian, out of the Presbyterian Church USA, but the church will have to buy its way out of the affiliation. Religion News Service reports,
Members of one of the largest congregations in the Presbyterian Church (USA) have voted to leave the denomination, despite facing an $8.89 million cost for leaving…
…The motion to leave the PCUSA was approved by 93 percent of the church's members who voted, with 2,024 ballots in favor of the motion and 158 ballots opposed, according to a letter posted by Ortberg. Menlo Park determined that to keep its property and leave the denomination would cost $8.89 million, based on a summary for dismissal agreement.
[…continue reading at Religion News Service…]
But the Presbyterian name will stay with the congregation as it affiliates with ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, making it the second 4,000-member sized church to do so. A five page Rationale for Change gives reasons for both exiting the PCUSA and joining the ECO. The document does not directly address issues of sexuality and thereby makes clear that this is not the central issue. Menlo Park also operates satellite campuses using a video feed, a rarity in PCUSA churches. (A Canadian two-campus church, Connexus, is a former Presbyterian church now part of the North Point ministry family.)
Prior to the vote, Ortberg led his congregation through a message titled "Immeasurably More" based on Ephesians 3: 20-21
Eph 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ortberg's bio on Wikipedia notes:
Ortberg has published many books including the 2008 ECPA Christian Book Award winner When the Game is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box, and the 2002 Christianity Today Book Award winner If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. Another of his publications, The Life You've Always Wanted, has sold more than 500,000 copies as of 2008…
…Ortberg earned his undergraduate degree from Wheaton College, and his M.Div. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary.
His latest book Soul Keeping: Caring for the Most Important Part of You releases April 22nd with Zondervan.
Update: Christianity Today reported on this one day later with some helpful background links.
Skye Jethani: Multi-Site is Biblically Counter-Intuitive
Filed under: Church — Tags: church technology, mega churches, megachurch, modern church, multi-site churches, pastors, preaching, sermon DVD, video sermons, vocational ministry — paulthinkingoutloud @ 7:29 am
This quotation is from the Phil Vischer podcast (episode 23) and occurs starting around the 32:00 mark, with this text around 35:00
If I'm going to go and sit in a room with a bunch of strangers and watch a screen anyway, why not just sit at home and watch the same thing and not have to deal with the parking headaches… Here's the irony: In my mind: of all the religions out there, Christianity is the one for whom incarnation is absolutely essential. It's the foundation of our faith; God became flesh and dwelt among us. That's the incarnation. And now we are disincarnating the Church … the pastor's just a projection of pixels on a screen, I don't really know the people around me because it's such a massive community that I'm just anonymous in it. And I think, frankly, that although these trends are happening… I don't think it's going to last…
Here's the thing… I can come in as a guest speaker. I know a little bit about your community, a little bit about that congregation. I can say some things, I can drop some bombs, I can fly away. But when you are incarnate in that community, like this pastor [where I was last week] he's telling me what's going on in this church, people who are sick, families that are struggling, the nitty gritty of living life together in community and he knows these people… He takes that knowledge of his sheep into the pulpit with him as he crafts a sermon and studies the word of God, brings the reality of his congregation's unique challenges and struggles together with the word of God. This is what you see Paul doing in Paul's letters writing to specific churches. He's combining the truths of the gospel with the reality of the church… The reason why God has given leaders to the church, shepherds in particular, is so that somebody on the ground is incarnate, who knows God's sheep and can help them each with his word and the reality that they are experiencing individually and corporately in the body.
~Skye Jethani
Filed under: links — Tags: Anne Lamott, Christian authors, Christian blogs, Christian Music, David Crowder Band, fundamentalism, modern church, modern worship, mommy blog, multi-site churches, parenting, Rachel Held Evans, school curriculum, Shauna Niequist, Sunday services, Titanic, VOTM — paulthinkingoutloud @ 6:04 am
Heads I post this, tails I don't.
Welcome back to another edition. Has it really been a week? And just eight more months to Christmas!
Our lead item this week is a look at the idea of presence in preaching, particularly as it applies to multi-site churches where the pastor's sermon is on a giant screen. Carl Trueman makes his point well, and if you only click one link this week, make it this one.
Much sadness at the U.S. headquarters of the Voice of the Martyrs charity, following the death of the executive director, who it appears took his own life after allegations of molesting a young girl.
The sinking of the Titanic proved to be the basis of several sermons in the weeks that followed, 100 years ago. "By the time Titanic put to sea, this language had evolved into a boast — reportedly shared with passengers — that 'God Himself couldn't sink this ship.' Thus, when the liner sank on April 15, 1912, preachers on both sides of the Atlantic were among the first commentators to raise their voices in judgment…"
Have you ever heard of someone stating a personal opinion about something, but trying to pass it off as Biblical? SFL got over 300 comments when they ask that question. Here's an example: "One pastor I had… said that a podium or plastic stand was unbiblical. He said that Ezra used a pulpit of wood, and anything else was sin."
Chances are that Easter and Holy Week looked a lot different at your church than it does in most of the 37 pictures from around the world at Boston.com's The Big Picture. This is a crash course on the variations of Christianity. (Higher speed internet helps on this one.)
While away from his home in Canada, uber-blogger Tim Challies finds his U.S. hotel causes him to pass by an abortion clinic. Sample: "… our society not only allows this to happen, but is actually complicit in this genocide."
Not far from the Lincoln Tunnel in the middle of the part of New York City they call Hell's Kitchen, Metro Baptist, with only 100 members, provides support to about 1,500 people annually.
Here's a project we're doing personallythat I will mention again in a week or two: We're uploading some of the 'lost' songs in the history of contemporary Christian music so that more people can here them. Warning: It's a very diverse collection.
You haven't fully explored the religious sector of the internet until you've read a few entries from Sister Mary Martha.
Doug Wilson picks up the effeminate worship services issue, but Mike Morrell at InternetMonk finds the whole premise misguided.
Meanwhile, Perry Noble thinks there more pressing problems for The Church to deal with, four problems in particular.
Tony Jones explains why he agrees with the critics who panned Blue Like Jazz: The Movie…And then, if you want details, there's this review.
Garfield without Garfield? Actually it's the David Crowder Band without David Crowder. They call themselves The Digital Age. Here's a rehearsal session of How Great Thou Art.
Darrell Vesterfelt guests at Nicole Cottrell's blog on the relationship between sin and insecurity.
Left this out last week by accident, but enjoyed reading where Shauna Hybels Niequist — okay, I added the middle part of the name; she doesn't — finally got to meet favorite author Anne Lamott.
When a Canadian Christian bookstore owner is also a YouTube user, sometimes enough is enough when it comes to the relentless message that "This video contains content from EMI, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds." Time to send a wake-up call.
Lisa McKay, whose husband works for a humanitarian org in Laos guests at Rachel Held Evans' blog on her fears upon becoming a new mom.
In Tennessee, allowing holding hands and kissing could lead to sex, so a newly legislated curriculum refers to both as "gateway sexual activity."
I thought the picture below adequately describes the weather the past week across North America, where we seem to get all four conditions coming and going in any 48 hour period…
Perry Noble Lays Down The Law
Filed under: Church — Tags: authoritarian pastors, children's ministry, church leadership, church rules, evangelical, kids ministry, late for church, missions, multi-site churches, NewSpring Church, pastors, Perry Noble, spiritual abuse, spiritual leadership, tithing, worship services — paulthinkingoutloud @ 10:22 am
NewSpring Church pastor Perry Noble has declared that he's had enough of people arriving to church late, criticizing the music, etc. They also have a rule that if you have to leave the auditorium during the message you cannot re-enter. And kids under 12 are not allowed in the service at all. A little over-the-top authoritarian? Here's what FBC Jax Watchdog had to say:
It ain't easy being a member these days at NewSpring Church pastored by Perry Noble – the rules, the regulations, the sheep beatings, the curses.
According to Perry Noble, you "officially suck as a human being" if you express to Perry that you are purposely late to church because you like his preaching but don't care for the music style.
NewSpring members need to be careful that their church doesn't begin to fall into the category of a cult. Cults often begin by having a very demanding, charismatic leader, they will require conformity with rigid extra-biblical rules, they will devalue outsiders and non-conformists, and they will suppress dissent.
You see all four of these beginning to emerge at NewSpring. Not saying they are a cult, but when the charismatic leader starts telling people that :
– they can't come back into the auditorium after the sermon starts even if they leave to tend to a child or go to the bathroom;
– that you suck as a human being if you disagree with the pastor over music styles;
– you are not allowed to designate how your donations are spent;
– you must give 10% of your income to the church un-designated or God will curse you;
– parents cannot bring children younger than 12 years of age into the church services;
– you must show up to church on time or you can't get into the church service;
…then you better begin to get concerned.
So I decided to check out the sermon video for myself. Perry makes some good points. People have become apathetic about arriving to church on time, while they would never think to be late for work, or a sports match. And some people seem to have no problem about the people they are distracting when they sit near the front, need to leave, and then return. As for the issue of kids, I agree with Perry that his sermons tend toward PG-13 content.
But some of it was very disturbing to listen to. Is something else going on here? Where is grace in all this? Why give up an entire Sunday sermon to an apologetic for the church's rules and regulations? Let's return to the FBC Jax Watchdog blog:
Lest you think that I'm overstating things by bringing up the word "cult" – don't forget what happened to a critic of Perry Noble's at the hands of staff members a few years back that is the subject of an on-going lawsuit. You see from the "you suck as a human being" quote how those who even mildly express dissent are devalued by the pastor. I would say it is this kind of rhetoric from the pastor towards dissenters that breeds the actions taken by a staff member against the Noble critic back in 2008 and 2009.
Perry Noble even tells the parents that if they don't conform to the "authority" of the church leaders, they will breed rebelliousness in the hearts of their children . No, actually subjecting one's self to non-biblical requirements for the pleasure of the pastor might teach your kids that they must endure spiritual abuse at the hands of an over-bearing preacher.
…This is classic sheep beating. A pastor is to be the picture of humility and servant-hood for the people he shepherds, but instead Perry Noble is a stand-up comedian who makes jokes about troublesome church members, denigrates Christians who disagree with him, and lays down extra-biblical rules that are burdensome on people.Unfortunately in Perry Noble and other mega pastor superstars these days, we have professional religious men who have turned Christianity from its essence: the release of sinful men and women from the burden of having to try to please God with their works and their alms through simple faith in Christ – into a strict religious system that demands conformity to religious practices, tells people how they must think and what rules they must obey to be pleasing to God and their priest, and uses tactics of guilt and shame in the process. And, oh by the way, they get filthy rich while doing it.
I'm pretty sure that if Jesus were here, he would warn the people of NewSpring about the arrogant Perry Noble and his professional religious men and describe them as he did the Pharisees:
"They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger." (Mat 23:4)
Filed under: links — Tags: atonement, Castanea, Christian blogs, Christian community, Christian Music, church music, devotional reading, Erasing Hell, evangelical, Francis Chan, fundamentalists, gender bias in Bibles, gender neutral translation, Heaven and Hell, Humor, impatience, LDS, long lineups, Love Wins, Mormon, multi-site churches, New monasticism, NIV 2011, Rob Bell, seeker friendly, seeker sensitive, summer church attendance, worship leading, worship music — paulthinkingoutloud @ 5:39 am
Wednesday list lynx
Christianity Today magazine has found that recent articles on worship resonate with people, and that's reflected in the first two links this week:
People want services to be accessible, but D. H. Williams asks the question, 'Are there limits to this strategy?'
Why did the church embrace the pop/rock style found in today's modern worship, but not utilize jazz or big band in its day? Lawrence Mumford looks at the diversity of worship styles.
And over at Relevant Magazine — which we'll return to later here — Adam Wood reminds us that worship involves the participation of both leader and congregant.
Ever been stuck in a checkout line where the person in front of you seems to be buying out the whole store? Pete Wilson was, and he was anxious to get on his way, until he suddenly saw the person ahead of him in a different perspective.
I understand a little of where John Shore is coming from. He's certainly sympathetic to people who are both gay and professing Christians. [Example] But does he go too far in one direction? The blogger known as The Son He Loves thinks so and calls him on it.
Castanea, a word meaning 'Chestnut tree,' is also the name of a tribal community living together in Chestnut Hill, Tenn, which serves in this USAToday story as an example of what is called The New Monasticism.
Dan Kimball writes about Francis Chan's Erasing Hell with words like these: "It comes from a heart that is broken about hell. The pages themselves almost weep it is so heartfelt written. I know that sounds kind of corny, but it is true. This is written from a broken heart on the topic and that makes all the difference."
If you've got Adobe, here's the link to the .pdf with the Committee on Bible Translation's response to the Southern Baptist resolution regarding the updated NIV Bible translation.
Also lining up to take a shot at the new NIV — with the accompanying fifteen minutes of fame — is the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. You can read the .pdf containing the CBT's response to the CBMW. This best addresses the so-called 'gender issues' in the new translation, though it won't satisfy people who already have their minds made up.
Discovered a new blog this week for our "If You Want Deep, We'll Give You Deep" department. Check out this treatment of the subject of atonement. (Full title: …Without the Theoretical Nonsense.)
With two potential Mormon Republican presidential candidates, not to mention a Broadway play, here's ten things you may or may not know about the faith of your LDS friends.
And speaking of cults, Darrell at Stuff Fundies Like thinks that the proponents of the kind of faith he blogs about are actually a bit of a contradiction.
There's a Christian Game Development Conference. Who knew? But never underestimate the popularity of computer gaming. By the way, for bonus points, visit their site and try to find clues as to where the conference is taking place.
Yet another CT piece; this one on how in their zeal to expand, multi-site churches with satellite campuses are now crossing state lines.
A Pew Forum survey shows that Evangelical leaders are less concerned about Islam and more concerned about creeping secularism.
Jon Acuff has four reasons why people ditch church in the summer. (Reasons not really good enough.)
Finally one more from Jon Acuff and his article on Christian satire for Relevant magazine, where we find today's closing image:
Elephant Room Conference: The DVD
Filed under: Church — Tags: Christian DVD review, Christian DVDs, Church, church and culture, Church at Brook Hills, church conferences, church governance, church government, church growth, church unity, churches and finances, compassion ministries, David Platt, discernment ministries, eccesiology, Elevation Church, evangelicals, evangelism, Greg Laurie, Harvest Bible Chapel, Harvest Christian Fellowship, James MacDonald, Mark Driscoll, Mars Hill Seattle, Matt Chandler, multi-site churches, New Song Church, pastors conferences, Perry Noble, poverty, sharing the gospel, social justice, Steven Furtick, Village Church, Walk in the Word — paulthinkingoutloud @ 6:36 am
If you missed the Woodstock music festival in 1969, you had to wait a full year for the movie; but just weeks after James MacDonald convened the Elephant Room one day seminar which was simulcast to two dozen cities, the DVD is already available for purchase, so we decided to jump in and bought one for ourselves and a couple of extras.
The phrase, "the elephant in the room" is used to denote the thing that is hovering over a discussion, but is never mentioned. The idea here is that pastors have things they wrestle with that are discussed backstage when they meet up at major events, but are never shared with a larger audience. The goal was to bring those subjects into open discussion.
The seven pastors were MacDonald, Mark Driscoll, Greg Laurie, Perry Noble, David Platt, Mark Chandler and Steven Furtick who was cast as a bit of a newcomer to this "big league" group. Actually, Furtick came across very well, presenting some very timely insights into the subjects, and the very nature of the debates themselves. Topics included:
Building numerically versus building depth
Responding to culture
Compassion and social justice
Unity and discernment
The multi-site church trend
Money issues
Loving the doctrine of the gospel but not sharing the gospel
An eighth session dealt with questions that had been texted in during the conference and was actually the most interesting in many ways.
Over the past few years we've seen a growing interest in ecclesiology — the study of what constitutes 'church' — among what would have been traditionally called "the laity." Books that would have formerly been written for the exclusive reading of pastors and church staff are now being purchased and discussed by the widest range of Evangelicals, many of whom are forging ahead with startups of home churches or alternative churches. In a sense, the things the pastors discuss quietly backstage at conferences are being discussed in church lobbies, living rooms and over kitchen tables back home. This DVD set, and the topics it discusses are thereby of interest to everyone.
But it's not the major takeaway from watching the seminar.
What is most striking is the camaraderie that exists between the pastors themselves. While they do disagree on some minor points, there is a genuine agreement on the things that matter; what Driscoll well-defines as the difference between national borders (which wars are fought over) and state borders (for which wars are not fought.)
There were some highlights and lowlights in the video. One highlight was the overall production quality. Another was the way they kept the discussion moving, with a moderator and two rotating key opponents followed by a more open forum that allowed the other four pastors to contribute. Another highlight was seeing that with issues such as multi-site — so much on the minds of people as changes take place quickly — the pastors themselves do not undertake moves lightly, but truly agonize over the ramifications of growth. A lowlight — and it really has to be said — is the way James MacDonald dominates every discussion, rolling over everyone else like a freight train at times. I guess it was his party, so he got to call the tune.
I do love the concept, however. This was a great series of conversations and I would hope that either MacDonald's crew, or somebody else, would put something like this together this time next year, perhaps with a different mix of pastors and church leaders. Rather than attempting to describe it further, you can watch a few sample clips here and here.
What we call church really matters, and you don't have to be among the 'professional' clergy to care.
Read another review of the conference here.
Link here to an index Trevin Wax provided of participants who live-blogged the event.
Filed under: links — Tags: belief, Bible promises, broadcasting church services, cartoons, Christian musicians, Christian songwriters, Christian unity, Christianity, Church, church and culture, classical music, comics, crystal cathedral, David and Goliath, David Platt, Denise Day Spencer, Faith, Greg Laurie, homeschooling, Humor, humour, James MacDonald, Love Wins, Mark Driscoll, Matt Chandler, men's addictions, modern worship, multi-site churches, online addiction, Perry Noble, philanthropy, preaching, Religion, religious news, Rob Bell, robert schuller, Shaine Claiborne, sleep, social justice, Steven Furtick, The Simple Way, Tony Campolo, worship music — paulthinkingoutloud @ 5:05 am
I want to do something different this week and begin with a link to a page that contains about a dozen other links. Last week seven influential pastors gathered together to discuss "the elephant in the room" — several of them actually — at the appropriately titled Elephant Room Conference. Trevin Wax does a subject-by-subject set of links to two other bloggers, Canada's Chris Vacher and Arizona's Jake Johnson. It's not full transcripts, just what you'd expect to post yourself if you were listening with two ears and typing with two fingers (or thumbs).
The Elephant Room subjects and speakers were:
Session 1: Preaching to Build the Attendance vs. Preaching to Build the Attendees
– Matt Chandler & Steven Furtick
Session 2: Culture in the Church vs. Church in the Culture
– Mark Driscoll & Perry Noble
Session 3: Compassion Amplifies the Gospel vs. Compassion Distorts the Gospel
– Greg Laurie & David Platt
Session 4: Unity: Can't We All Get Along? vs. Discernment: My Way or the Highway
– Steven Furtick & James MacDonald
Session 5: Multi-Site: Personality Cult vs. God's Greater Glory
– Perry Noble & Matt Chandler
Session 6: Money?
– David Platt & James MacDonald
Session 7: Love the Gospel vs. Share the Gospel
– Greg Laurie & Mark Driscoll
…I know, I know; now you're curious. There are a lot of interesting quotations from this one-day conference, which originated at one of the Harvest Bible Chapel locations and was simulcast to 15 U.S. and one Canadian location. So here again is the magic link. Also, Zach posted a video clip from the conference yesterday.
And now here's the rest of this week's blog connectivity:
Yesterday marks one year since the passing of Internet Monk founder Michael Spencer. His wife Denise shares Michael's approach to adventure.
Tony Campolo suggests to Huffington's readers that there's other dynamics at play in the saga that might be called, "The Rise and Fall of the Crystal Cathedral;" dynamics owing to the changing ethnic demographics of Garden Grove, California.
Here's a special link to the first chapter of former Planned Parenthood employee Abby Johnson's book Unplanned — file opens as .pdf .
If your first name is Tim and your second name begins with Ch—, chances are you have a new book about pornography. First it was Tim Challies, and now Tim Chester.
Summer is coming! If you want to get dirty on the streets of Philadelphia with Shane Claiborne's Simple Way community, here's how you connect to attend events.
Donald Miller buys a copy of Love Wins online and offers a straight-forward and concise review.
For all you worship leaders out there: Here's how to tell if you're a classical music nerd.
This one's from 2007, but our YouTube link this week asks the musical question, "What if Worship was Like an NBA Game?"
From the blog, Small Steps to Glory, here's a look at a modern day Goliath (well the height part anyway) which gives some perspective to the "David And" story.
At Arthur Sido's blog this week, I discovered this trailer for an upcoming documentary on the education system, Indoctrination.
For all you techies out there, here's a step-by-step guide on how to broadcast your church services on the internet.
130 Churches in Calgary, Alberta, Canada are coming together to raise $1.5M to reduce the mortgage on a transitional housing facility established in 2009.
Proverbs 3 promises us, "When you lie down, you will not be afraid;when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet." So then what about those of us who simply don't get a good night's sleep. Ryan rumbles through a topic that I totally identify with.
If you find the links I run to religion stories at CNN and USAToday a little too American for you and you'd like to explore stories from the broader world of spiritual interest, here's the link to the religion page of Reuters News Service.
send your own link suggestions by 8:00 PM EST on Monday.
Today's picture: Songwriter Mandy Thompson cures writer's block by going analog:
I've always had a huge interest in the spiritual themes that turn up in the comic pages of the daily newspaper. Comic writers can say things in ways others cannot. I've used Dennis the Menace — now drawn by Marcus Hamilton — here a few times, with the result that one of the panels now hangs in my office. Here's another kids-eye-view of God as only Dennis can see it:


text:
Coordinated stargazing
MIT astronomer leads the first team to study a Kuiper Belt object during a stellar occultation.
Morgan Bettex, MIT News Office
An artist's rendering of a Kuiper Belt object.
Image: NASA
Far beyond the orbit of Neptune in a region of the outer solar system known as the Kuiper Belt float thousands of icy, moon-sized bodies called Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs). Astronomers think they are the remnants of the bodies that slammed together to form the planets more than 4 billion years ago. Unlike Earth, which has been continually eroded by wind and water since it was formed, KBOs haven't changed much over time and may hold clues about the early solar system and planet formation.
Until now, astronomers have used telescopes to find KBOs and obtain their spectra to determine what types of ices are on their surface. They have also used thermal-imaging techniques to get a rough idea of the size of KBOs, but other details have been difficult to glean. While astronomers think there are about 70,000 KBOs that are larger than 100 kilometers in diameter, the objects' relatively small size and location make it hard to study them in detail. One method that has been has been proposed for studying KBOs is to observe one as it passes briefly in front of a bright star; such events, known as stellar occultations, have yielded useful information about other planets in the solar system. By monitoring the changes in starlight that occur during an occultation, astronomers can determine the object's size and temperature, whether it has any companion objects and if it has an atmosphere.
The trick is to know enough about the orbit of a KBO to be able to predict its path and observe it as it passes in front of a star. This was done successfully for the first time last October when a team of 18 astronomy groups led by James Elliot, a professor of planetary astronomy in MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, observed an occultation by an object named "KBO 55636."
As Elliot and his colleagues report in a paper published June 17 in Nature, the occultation provided enough data to determine the KBO's size and albedo, or how strongly it reflects light. The surface of 55636 turns out to be as reflective as snow and ice, which surprised the researchers because ancient objects in space usually have weathered, dull surfaces. The high albedo suggests that the KBO's surface is made of reflective water-ice particles, and that would support a theory about how the KBO formed. Many researchers believe there was a collision that occurred one billion years ago between a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt known as Haumea and another object that caused Haumea's icy mantle to break into a dozen or so smaller bodies, including 55636.
More importantly, the research demonstrates that astronomers can predict occultations accurately enough to contribute to a new NASA mission known as the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) that completed its first in-flight observations in May. A Boeing 747SP aircraft that has a large telescope mounted in its rear fuselage, SOFIA can record infrared measurements of celestial objects that are not possible from the ground. Elliot hopes his research will help guide future flights of SOFIA to observe stellar occultations in detail.
Betting on an occultation
Elliot, who has been studying 55636's orbit for five years, thought it would most likely pass in front of an unnamed star on Oct. 9, 2009. But the KBO's small size made it difficult to predict exactly where the object would travel, and so, to be on the safe side, he and his colleagues assembled a network of 18 observation stations along a 5,900-kilometer stretch of the Earth's surface that corresponded to the KBO's predicted shadow path. Such a strategy "covered our uncertainty about where the path would go, both to the north and to the south," Elliot explains. "It was our way of hedging our bets."
While some of the stations couldn't observe because of weather, and others simply didn't detect the occultation, two stations in Hawaii captured data on the changes in starlight that occurred during the roughly 10-second occultation. After measuring the exact amount of time that the star was blocked from view, as well as the velocity with which the shadow of 55636 moved across Earth, the researchers calculated that the KBO has a radius of about 143 kilometers. Knowing this, they could then calculate the object's albedo.
The highly reflective surface of 55636 is perplexing because the surfaces of celestial bodies in the outer solar system are supposed to darken over time as a result of dust accumulation and exposure to solar radiation. John Stansberry, an astronomer at the University of Arizona, says that if Elliot's "solid piece of work" can be confirmed in follow-up research, then the results show that 55636 is "an extremely unique" KBO because similarly sized KBOs are thought to have significantly smaller albedos. "The result suggests that it would be worthwhile to try to measure the albedos of other Haumea family members to see if they are also very high," says Stansberry.
Although other highly reflective bodies in the solar system, such as the dwarf planet Pluto and Saturn's moon Enceladus, have their surfaces continuously renewed with fresh ice from the condensation of atmospheric gases or by volcanic activity that spews water instead of lava, 55636 is too small for these mechanisms to be at work, says Elliot. He has no plans to investigate the cause of the high albedo but will continue to collect data about the orbits and positions of the largest KBOs in order to predict future occultations with enough accuracy that he doesn't have to rely on a vast network of observers.
James Elliot
Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
MIT Planetary Lab
ARCHIVE: "Tracking icy objects, across the globe"
Space, astronomy and planetary science

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


It was about time that we had such an epic day. After many weeks of planning, searching for the right place, looking for the perfect suppliers… Last 10th of May we celebrated the very first "Dia de Campo", and hopefully it won't be the last one.
More than 200 House Music lovers came around to enjoy a sunny day surrounded by friends, good music and lots of drink. It all started with a tasty paella cooked by master Alvaro GB. The first beers seem not enough for the attendants so they went for the spirits and shots! A large group of local deejays joined us to put the music in such a special date.
So many known faces, plenty of pretty girls and good old friends with a big smile on their faces… Despite a couple of problems with the energetic supply, it was all great! Fantastic music, great atmosphere, cheap drinks… smooth as it should be!
Thanks to everyone helping out in the organization. The waiters and waitresses, deejays, the owner of the crib, Ambar for the beer… you made it, we made it! We are already planning the next one, and we'll try to not disappoint.
If you were not able to come, make sure you attend to the next one, because it's gonna be even better. No more organizational newbie mistakes. This has to get better and better every time.
Checkout the highlights video made by the great Hector Nillo and the one below, stopmotion mode, by Boranimals. Bravo!
swagnites' issues #010 * The Basement – Día de campo from swagnites on Vimeo.


text:
Q: ASP.NET MVC Forum Application I need to write a forum application for a friend's web site. I want to write it in C# 3.0 against the ASP.NET MVC framework, with SQL Server database.
So, I've two questions:

*

*Should I use Linq to SQL or the Entity Framework as a database abstraction?

*Should I use the ASP.NET Membership API or add Users table and implement it myself?

Thanks.

A: *

*There are lots of examples around internet which is using ling with ASP.NET MVC. But may be  you can add your list NHibernate. If you do not want to add i suggest Entity Framework. Using ORM's is a plus.

*I always chose write my own membership management layer. If you are a person like (write your own code and be happy when you are making changes in future.) write your own membership layer. If you are looking for a quick solution ASP.NET Membership API is a good choice.

A: *

*Entity Framework definitely -- see below.

*ASP.net Membership API -- easy to maintain.

Reason:
Entity Framework vs LINQ to SQL

A: 1) How about both? Just create an abstraction and you could just use either. My recommendation is to use the repository pattern.
2) The membership provider has its strengths and weaknesses. For some projects, it was far too complex for my needs. However, it is great if you need to get something running in a short amount of time.

A: I won't answer the first question since i'm a fan of nhibernate
for the second question adding a users table and implement membership yourself i don't think you will be able to do it at least the right way (lot of people tried to make their own membership api but they messed up !)

A: 1) Totally depends on how complex things are going to get. If you want a quick DAL that more or less mirrors your tables in a 1:1 fashion, go for L2S (or SubSonic if you want something more mature and supported). If you are going for more of an n-tier type thing where your tables and domain model are completely different, go for an OR/M like Entity Framework (or NHibernate if you want something that is pretty much better in every way)
2) ASP.net Membership is extremely complex, and there are bits of it that are fairly poorly engineered. However, it depends on how much experience you have with these things. If you enough to know how to take steps to avoid session fixation attacks, just roll your own because chances are it will be better then the canned solution. If you have no idea what that is, take the time to learn the default one.

A: Something to think about, SubSonic 3 is a pretty powerful data access generation tool. From what I understand, it basically wraps Linq to Sql inside of some very useful wrappers and makes using Linq a little more intutive. You can have a pretty powerful application built up in no time flat when using SubSonic. One little issue though, if you're using a shared hosting (say GoDaddy) you'll run into a medium trust issue. In that case you can always fall back to Linq To Sql without making many changes to your code base.
As for Aspnet_Membership. Just for the amount of tools it provides, I'd reccomend using it.
Good luck, and hope this helps.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


This commissioned sofa features buttons along the back that are covered with my hand dyed handwoven fabric. It has copper detailing on the angled underside of the arm rests. The sofa is upholstered with commercial fabric. This piece was made to coordinate and cohabit with the Sonoma Desk, Sonoma Cabinet, and Sonoma Table.
I made two versions of this sofa for these generous clients, testing different options of comfort and slight adjustments in design. I only sprung for professional photography on the first one. While the second version is just as important as the first, we will have to make do with a sloppy shop photo of it. It's beauty still shines through, don't you think?


text:
Dobiegniew est une gmina urbaine-rurale (gmina miejsko-wiejska) ou mixte de la powiat de Strzelce-Drezdenko, dans la Voïvodie de Lubusz, dans l'ouest de la Pologne.

Son siège administratif (chef-lieu) est la ville de Dobiegniew, qui se situe environ  au nord-est de Strzelce Krajeńskie (siège de la powiat) et  au nord-est de Gorzów Wielkopolski (capitale de la voïvodie).

La gmina couvre une superficie de  pour une population de  en 2006 avec une population pour la ville de Dobiegniew de  et pour la partie rurale de .

Histoire
De 1975 à 1998, la gmina est attachée administrativement à la voïvodie de Gorzów.
Depuis 1999, elle fait partie de la voïvodie de Lubusz.

Géographie
Hormis la ville de Dobiegniew, la gmina inclut les villages et localités de :

Gminy voisines
La gmina de Dobiegniew est voisine des gminy suivantes :
 Bierzwnik
 Człopa
 Drawno
 Drezdenko
 Krzyż Wielkopolski
 Stare Kurowo
 Strzelce Krajeńskie

Structure du terrain
D'après les données de 2002, la superficie de la commune de Dobiegniew est de  carrés, répartis comme telle :
 terres agricoles : 27 %
 forêts : 60 %
La commune représente 28,12 % de la superficie du powiat.

Démographie
Données du :

Annexes

Liens internes
 Liste des gminy de Lubusz

Références

 Chiffres de population officiels polonais 2006

Liens externes
  Site officiel de la gmina

Gmina dans la voïvodie de Lubusz
Powiat de Strzelce-Drezdenko

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Pandemonium as suspected hoodlums attack palace, kill one, injure scores
Hoodlums
There is tension in Idumuje-Ugboko community, in the Aniocha Local Government Area of Delta State, after the palace of the traditional ruler, Nonso Nwoko, was attacked by some suspected hoodlums, who killed one man and left scores injured.
PUNCH Metro learnt that some residents had fled the community due to the attack.
It was gathered that a town meeting was being held by some elders in the community when the hoodlums struck.
In the ensuing bedlam, property valued at millions of naira was allegedly destroyed, as houses and cars were vandalised.
It was alleged that policemen from the state command did nothing to stop the attack.
A member of the royal family said the meeting was to conclude the burial rites of the former traditional ruler of the community.
He said, "The late Obi died late February 2017, and the heir apparent, Nonso, was crowned. The burial rites were just concluded. We were supposed to have a town meeting to introduce his son. Very important decisions were also to be taken.
"The meeting was about to start when some youths in their hundreds invaded the palace. They beat up the elders, broke bottles and destroyed property. When the police arrived, the hoodlums didn't leave. When the Deputy Commissioner of Police came to make peace, the attackers refused to leave and none of them was arrested. In the end, we had to get some soldiers to protect the new king."
The witness, who did not want to be identified, said the incident later degenerated as some of the hoodlums returned to the palace with guns, adding that some youths guarding the palace repelled them.
He said two people sustained gunshot injuries and a 32-year-old man, identified as Cyprian Kumaorum, was killed.
He lamented that security agencies abandoned the palace and went to the house of Nonso's cousin, Ned Nwoko.
The traditional ruler, Nonso, said the police in the state had not been fair to him, adding that Ned was behind the attack on the palace.
Nonso said his dispute with Ned started after he opposed the 90 hectares of land the latter demanded from the community.
He said, "My younger cousin, Ned, asked for 90 hectares of land from the community in 2015, which he said he wanted to use to build a sports university.
"I opposed the idea because about 10 years ago, he was given 33 hectares of land which he said he wanted to use for agriculture, but he diverted the land for another purpose.
"The late Obi, my father, also opposed it, but he took it personal with me. So, when the king died, he came up with some papers claiming that the late Obi approved the land before his death.
"He petitioned the police and they came to arrest us for the issue. After clearing us of the allegation of forging the late Obi's signature, they said we mounted pressure on the late Obi to reject the proposal. Later, they accused me of killing my own father, a man who died naturally at an old age.
"They have accused me of different things, includingan allegation that I stole N4m rice from a shop in 2012, whereas I was in Lagos that time.
"The attack on the palace had the signature of Ned, and the police did nothing. Some of our elders were injured in the head. We were able to identify two of the policemen that were there and we wrote to the police command. Till date, nothing has been done to them."
Nonso said he was served a fake court summon which originated from the state command headquarters, adding that when he showed up at the court to answer the summon, he was told nothing of such existed.
He said although the police promised to investigate the matter, nothing had been done till date.
Ned, a former member of the House of Representatives, however, refuted the allegations, saying the attack on the palace had nothing to do with land.
He said most of those injured during the fracas were his loyalists, who were attacked for supporting investigations into the late Obi's death.
He said, "It was my supporters that were beaten up. The land in question was given to me through a committee set up by the town. I have the CofO and other documents. We have submitted our application to the National University Commission and we have paid all the fees and submitted necessary documents. But some of my cousins, led by Nonso, went to court to stop the university. This was about a year and half ago. There was never a crisis over the land.
"The issue is that Nonso and his thugs beat up those who gave me the land. About 15 to 20 people were injured late May when this incident happened. They destroyed their cars and motorcycles and set their houses ablaze.
"The crisis was caused by tussle for the kingship. The wife of the late king wrote a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, alleging foul play in the death of her husband.
"The IG directed investigation into the death. Nonso and others, who were suspected of foul play, became jittery and conveyed the town meeting to deal with those supporting the investigation and my university.
"On that day, the thugs stationed at the palace beat up the community prime minister, who they didn't want to be part of the meeting. They also beat up the Odogwu and others who were supporting the university. They went to the house of the leader of the vigilance's group, beat him up and took away some guns."
He said six suspects had been arrested by the police.
The secretary to the community's land allocation committee, Kennedy Iloh, alleged that he was kidnapped and beaten by some hoodlums allegedly working for the traditional ruler.
He said after about three hours, he was freed.
A top community leader, Chief Chris Ogwu, said some elites in the community had started mediating in the crisis.
"Some of the community elites have started mediating. I am just returning from a peace meeting now," he said.
A source, however, told PUNCH Metro that the dispute in the community was because Ned supported Nonso's rival to the throne, Emeka.
He said, "The rule of the community is that the mother of whoever will be crowned must come from the community. There are two heirs to the throne –Nonso and Emeka.
"Emeka is just 18 years old, while Nonso is about 70 years old. Nonso's mother is not from the village, but Emeka's mother is from the village.
"Immediately the king died, Nonso took over office. Ned and others who are being attacked now are victims because they supported Emeka. The state government has not given Nonso the staff of office and the traditional stool is still in contention."
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Aniamaka Andrew, said the command was making efforts to reconcile the warring parties, adding that the community had been in turmoil following the incident.
He said, "We have employed more of peaceful overtures to ensure that the belligerence in the community is halted.
"The village has always been peaceful and for a dispute between two brothers to bring the community to a crisis is needless.
"All hands must be on deck to ensure that the two factions come together.
"We are not against Nonso, who is now a king. We need his traditional institution to help us in many ways.
"As a leader, he has a lot to lose or gain. He should know that certain people will make mistakes and he has the duty to bring everybody to his fold. His brother must also embrace peace."Punch
crime newsHoodlums attack palacenigerian news
Clash: Two policemen killed in town crisis
Bombshell! Agitations symptom of rot in Nigerian system – Sultan


Concentrating all the senses and nerves into the fingers to attach barbs of several different kinds of birds around the jig (fly) which is just about a centimeter long with a silk thread, craftspeople make these beautiful illusory handicrafts to look just like aquatic insects.
They upgraded the fineness of this technique which was introduced from Kyoto at the end of The Edo period.
Today, the greater part of the domestic feather jigs are being produced here.


Dubai: Flamengo began the defence of their title with a thumping 4-0 win over Spain's Atletico Madrid, while Al Nasr and Hatta split points with a 2-2 draw in second-day action of the Ninth Dubai International U16 Football Championships.
Winners last year against Real Madrid, Flamengo displayed their true pedigree with some smooth-flowing football to dominate and pick up full points in their Group B opener with Wiverson De Oliveira Baptista giving them the lead in the 34th minute, while Joao Pedro Da Cruz Oliveira doubled their lead three minutes from half-time.
So swift and intense was the attacking gusto of the South Americans that Atletico Madrid would have been down by at least three goals was it not for the heroics of the Spanish goalkeeper Martin Morea Zeus. But that didn't stop Flamengo from finding the net on two more occasions in the second half with Richard Dos Santos Almeida making it 3-0 in the 52nd minute with a left-footed shot into the roof of the net, while Ryan Luka Cordeiro De Souza converted a penalty during injury period to complete the rout.
In the other Group B match, Al Nasr and Hatta shared points with a 2-2 draw leaving the Brazilians at the top of the group. Action will continue in the group with Al Nasr playing Flamengo and Atletico Madrid facing Hatta on Sunday.


Meadow Crest Early Learning Center is beginning its fourth year in our beautiful building which is dedicated to serving Renton's preschool- aged children in a culturally-rich community committed to helping each student achieve pre-academic and personal excellence. Our teaching staff is highly qualified and we are continually learning and growing professionally in order to serve the needs of each student.
At Meadow Crest we provide educational services for children with developmental delays and/or disabilities in Inclusive Preschool classrooms, Head Start preschool classrooms and ECEAP (Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program) preschool classrooms. Our enrollment grows throughout the year and we will serve approximately 620 preschool children this year.
Inclusive Preschool classrooms provide learning experiences for all ability levels. Classroom teams focus on social/emotional development, communication, problem solving, pre-academic concepts and physical development. Educational therapy and consultative services are provided by Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists and Speech-Language Pathologists. Each classroom also has 5 community students who pay tuition and serve as peer models for language and play.
Head Start (Federally Funded) and ECEAP (State Funded) programs are for three and four-year-old children and are free to eligible families who meet income guidelines. They provide learning activities, social development, nutritious meals and snacks, health screenings, family support services and family involvement and leadership opportunities.
We believe that each student has the capacity to grow and learn the skills that will help them become successful adults. Our desire is to support them by building a solid foundation for academic and social learning and to build a partnership with our families and community in achieving this goal.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have concerns, questions or feedback about our programs here at Meadow Crest.
Welcome to a year of learning and growth!


text:
El cantón de Vigy era una división administrativa francesa, que estaba situada en el departamento de Mosela y la región de Lorena.

Composición
El cantón estaba formado por veintitrés comunas:
 Antilly
 Argancy
 Ay-sur-Moselle
 Burtoncourt
 Chailly-lès-Ennery
 Charleville-sous-Bois
 Charly-Oradour
 Ennery
 Failly
 Flévy
 Glatigny
 Hayes
 Les Étangs
 Malroy
 Noisseville
 Nouilly
 Sainte-Barbe
 Saint-Hubert
 Sanry-lès-Vigy
 Servigny-lès-Sainte-Barbe
 Trémery
 Vigy
 Vry

Supresión del cantón de Vigy

En aplicación del Decreto nº 2014-183 de 18 de febrero de 2014,el cantón de Vigy fue suprimido el 22 de marzo de 2015 y sus 23 comunas pasaron a formar parte del nuevo cantón de País de Messin.

Referencias

Vigy


Collina XS is the slightly smaller companion to our original Collina. Shown here paired with the even smaller Collina XXS, it's an every day all day long ring that you never take off, perfect for any occasion. Handcrafted to order from recycled sterling silver in New York City, please allow 2-4 weeks for delivery. Hallmarked 925 and FLRNZ. Dome rises 6 mm, band is 2 mm thick.


by a renowned Ph.D. lipid biochemist and nutritionist. Featured on "The Real Skinny on Fat" documentary with Montel Williams (the series has been applauded by Dr. Oz). Dr. Berger has also appeared on podcasts and radio shows with Jimmy Moore, Kathy Smith, and many others.
eBook: Coconut Oil - Is it ACTUALLY Good for You?
Wow... just wow! This c8 is completely awesome!
Love this brand. Really got me into ketosis when I had tried everything else.
Excellent customer service. Great product, love it.
Dr. Berger outlines a few lifestyle areas to pay attention to in 2019 to achieve optimal health.
Our own Dr. Alvin Berger featured in Reader's Digest's article 19 Things You Shouldn't Eat If You're Trying to Lose Weight.
C8 KetoMCT oil featured in this informative article on the popular Nutra Ingredients news website.
I took 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of your C8 KetoMCT with a meal containing about 55% carbohydrate. I work in a laboratory, and was able to measure my blood levels of the ketone body, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) (derived from C8 MCT after metabolic conversions in the body).
I was pleasantly surprised to find a nice elevation of BHB between 0.4-0.6 milliMolar (mM), 1-2 hours after consumption of the oil, along with the carbohydrate-rich meal.
This is very cool, and means that people may be able to take your product and derive ketogenic benefits (sustained energy, glucose control, cognitive benefits, appetite suppression, weight management), even if they are also consuming carbohydrates in the diet. It is not necessary to stay on a tough to adhere to purer ketogenic diet to derive the benefits of both ketones and carbs as dual energy sources. This dual energy source is particularly valuable for athletes. Wow, I am impressed and a believer!
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Learn more by listening to the podcasts and radio interviews In the Media section where we share our deep knowledge of science.
Our everyday mantra is to have a trusted and interactive relationship with our customers.
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With LifeSense's™ own renowned nutritionist and lipid/fat biochemist.
"Dr. Alvin Berger is a true expert on fats who has devoted his life to the study of fats" -Montel Williams, "Skinny on Fat" documentary.


I have moved my Photo Gallery to my new website http://kadri007.com .
than Words".. So here's my exclusive India Photo Blog.
My Photo blog covers various topics ranging from Automobile, Animals, Transportation, Tourist places, Life in India, etc..
Though I am not a Professional photographer, I just love taking pictures. So here is my small collection of my photo's from India for all of You.


text:
PRESS UPDATE : DAILY MAIL... APRIL 29TH 2018..
Why shouldn't Kate look picture perfect hours after giving birth? It's a doddle!
Joan Collins applauds The Duchess of Cambridge for her appearance post-birth
She believes Kate was wise to leave hospital quickly to avoid sneaky photos
Joan recalls a fan trying to take a photo of her after the birth of her first child
She believes making an effort over your appearance is different in the public eye
Joan wore make-up after the delivery of her children and watched her weight
By JOAN COLLINS FOR THE DAILY MAIL
What on earth is wrong with a woman wanting to look as good as possible after the birth of her baby?
The Duchess of Cambridge has come under fire for looking utterly fabulous with her newborn son, Prince Louis, on the steps of the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in West London.
Perfectly made up with her hair freshly blow-dried and wearing a flattering scarlet Jenny Packham dress and heels, she looked as though she had just stepped out of a beauty salon, rather than a maternity ward where, seven hours earlier, she had given birth.
Certain sections of the sisterhood were quick to criticise. Others said they felt sorry for her. Former Blue Peter presenter Katy Hill led the way, saying Kate had been 'robbed of the intimate magic of those first few precious hours 'Her haze would have been filled with blow-dries and make-up and tights and heels and a flurry of business to get her camera-ready, to live up to protocol, tradition and expectation as the world's Press awaited.
But I, for one, applaud the Duchess. Why wouldn't a woman want to look her best — especially when faced with the world's media?
Pregnancy can be difficult, is often uncomfortable, and to finally lose that massive bump is a blessed relief.
The Duchess was wise to remove herself from hospital as soon as possible — no doubt aware of the many pitfalls of staying in too long, including avoiding the amateur/professional photographers who might otherwise get a glimpse of mother and baby by taking a sneaky snap of them.
Hospitals aren't jails, after all, and it's not that difficult for a crafty individual to gain access, despite all the security measures.
I know because, even more than 40 years ago, a fan managed to get past the porter at the nursing home where I was staying after giving birth to my first baby, Tara, and tried to take one of me.
Luckily, he was stopped by a vigilant nurse. The picture, I feel certain, would have been particularly unattractive.
While pregnant with Tara, I had blithely eaten for two, maybe even three. Over nine months, I had ballooned and blossomed, but felt positive that this massive protuberance — not to mention my huge arms, legs and behind — would disappear as soon as she appeared. How wrong I was!
I gained more than 30lb during my pregnancy and, to my horror and dismay, when I first saw sweet baby Tara, I ran my hands over my stomach and realised it was still there! Not to mention the euphemistically called 'love handles', wobbly arms and swollen ankles. I was horrified when I got off the scales, wailing to my doctor: 'Why didn't you tell me?'
'Nobody has a 30lb baby,' he replied. 'You should have known better.'
'How do I get rid of this . . . stuff?' I wailed.
'Diet,' he barked. 'But not until you finish feeding her.'
Although Tara Cynara Newley was the most beautiful creature I had ever set eyes on, I wasn't delighted either by the natural childbirth that I had opted for, or the dreaded breast-feeding.
My friend, Joanne Woodward (wife of the late Paul Newman), insisted that I must nurse her myself. And although I loved the symbolism of being Mother Earth incarnate, I wasn't sure whether I could handle it.
I wanted to shed the 30lb and get back into my clothes, but since, in those days, nursing entailed knocking back two or three quarts of milk a day and — can you believe it? — a daily dose of beer, in order to keep everything, so to speak, on tap, this was obviously going to be a hard slog.
So, I gritted my teeth and vowed to do the best I could. Tara was yelling a lot and I was convinced she was starving. I, meanwhile, consumed enough beer to make a lorry driver keel over.
When I became pregnant again a mere 22 months later, I went in the opposite direction and kept my weight gain under 20lb.
Joan Collins (pictured with her daughter Tara, as a baby) claims she was back in her normal clothes within a fortnight of giving birth to her third child
But it still took me a good six months to lose it afterwards.
So, by the time my third angel, Katyana Kennedy Kass, came along, I had become an experienced brood mare and did not gain more than 12-13lb throughout the entire pregnancy. As the picture above shows, I was ready for hair and make-up and back in my normal clothes within a fortnight. What's the betting Kate will be back in hers in good time for her brother-in-law Prince Harry's wedding next month?
I appreciate that taking time and effort over your appearance is not possible for all new mothers, but, as a woman in the public eye, Kate is different.
I'd be interested to know what the media reaction would have been if she'd emerged straggle-haired, make-up free and wearing a sloppy outfit with trainers!
Not that Kate would have countenanced that for a moment. She also knows that with a clever choice of simple smock — which I have always maintained is the most practical, comfortable and presentable of all post-partum garments — elegance is easily achieved. After all, looking well-groomed is not that difficult. It isn't too hard to slap on a bit of make-up and have a quick comb-out while still in bed after the delivery. I certainly did!
Joan (pictured with Tara & Sacha) believes all women have a glow after giving birth
There is also a marvellous euphoria about having brought a new human being into the world. You feel so proud, as though no other woman has done anything like this before.
There is a definite glow about all women who have just produced an infant — which usually lasts for as long as it takes the baby to start waking up 17 times a night. So, it's perhaps not surprising that Kate looked so attractive.
But most importantly, it is the Duchess's job to look good and not disappoint the royal brand.
The Duchess is a beautiful woman who looks stunning on every occasion. In sports clothes or ballgowns, she flies the flag for British fashion and beauty.
I was thoroughly impressed by her style and glamour when we met at the Royal Variety performance at the London Palladium a mere five months ago. In a gorgeous, shimmering, slate-blue Jenny Packham gown, she outshone everyone, on stage and off.
I marvelled at the fact that, after watching the show for more than four hours, not to mention being held up before the event by an alleged terrorist threat in Oxford Circus, which closed all the routes for several hours, she looked glowing and immaculate.
Joan pictured with her son Sach
After the show, she and Prince William came on stage to chat informally with all the performers. I do not doubt she'd already had a full day of duties, but she dazzled everyone with her charm.
It's not easy to speak to dozens of people you've never met, and be enthusiastic and interested in them. And at four months pregnant, when you are longing to put your feet up, it is no mean achievement.
The Queen has been doing this seemingly effortlessly all of her life, and I know that sometimes it must be tedious and boring, but Kate has cottoned on to what being royal entails, and she doesn't disappoint.
Without a doubt, our country has the most popular and beloved extended Royal Family in the world. They bring in millions to the national coffers from tourism, and each new member seems to contribute greatly. Hello, Meghan!
But the love affair would soon wane if the younger generation of royals took their responsibilities lightly.
The beauty of Kate is that she takes her role as mother — nurturing a future generation of monarchs — as seriously as she does that of royal consort.
And make no mistake. Once back home, safely cocooned in the privacy of Kensington Palace, I am sure the Duchess kicked off her nude heels, changed her smock for something more casual, and became as relaxed and comfortable as it is possible to be with a newborn baby and two toddlers to cope with.
She may have plenty of staff, but for her three children, there is only one Mummy.
After this photo was taken of me, I snuggled down for the next ten days, concentrating on my new baby, Katy, as well as my two school-age children, Tara and Alexander.
Few mothers of three have lives of untrammelled glamour. So, bravo, Kate, for enjoying your moment in style.
And thank you for showing women that it can be done! You truly are a star!
PRESS UPDATE : THE SUNDAY POST .. ROSS KING .. APRIL 24TH 2018..
Ross King: Joan Collins still loves a Dame good night at the movies
Last week I met my old pal and movie legend Dame Joan Collins here in Los Angeles.
Joan, star of Dynasty, was out on the town with her husband Percy Gibson. She's set to appear in the latest series of American Horror Story – and plays the grandmother.
Although she looks so good she should be playing the mum!
My wife Brianna was working on the same red carpet for another media company and the pair had chatted just moments before.
"I just met your lovely wife there," said a beaming Joan, who was looking dazzling.
I told Joan I'm punching above my weight with Brianna – well, my missus does read this column…
Our chat turned to movies, and Joan wanted to heap praise on Gary Oldman's recent Oscar win for his performance as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour.
"Every performance that Gary gives is fantastic – I've thought that since seeing him when he played Sid Vicious in Sid and Nancy in 1986," she said.
"I loved him when he was the Russian terrorist in Air Force One, and when he tried to shoot the president in JFK."
Hopefully Gary didn't take his method acting too far with that one.
Percy and I had a chat about what they get up to on date nights as a couple.
"We go out to see a movie – I always buy the popcorn," said Percy.
One thing I can't imagine is Joan tucking into a family-sized carton of the salted snack.
"He eats the popcorn, I hate it," confirmed Joan. "Do I look like I eat popcorn?"
PROMO UPDATE : JOAN COLLINS TIMELESS BEAUTY .. TVSN NSW ..
Check out the latest sensational products from Joan's bestselling Beauty range 'Timeless Beauty' here on TVSN New South Wales..
JOAN COLLINS TIMELESS BEAUTY ON TVSN - ORDER NOW!
EVENT ALERT : THE HOLLYWOOD SHOW .. THE WESTIN LAX .. SATURDAY APRIL 28TH ONLY! ..
The Hollywood Show is proud to announce that Joan will make a special appearance courtesy of Karen Cadle International this coming Saturday 28th at The Westin Hotel LAX to meet fans and sign autographs from 10am.. Don't miss this exclusive appearance for one day only!!
PRESS UPDATE : PIERS MORGAN DIARY .. MAIL ONLINE .. APRIL 21ST 20018..
Fabulously entertaining dinner at Craig's restaurant with Dame Joan Collins and Percy, her husband of 16 years. 'This is my longest marriage,' Joan declared, 'and my happiest.'
Percy revealed how his mother reacted when he first
told her he was dating Joan, given the 32-year age gap.
'There was a very long pause, and then she said, "Well Percy, you've never bored me!" '
Joan is the epitome of Hollywood glamour.
'What's the secret?' I asked. 'Portion control and keeping your face out of the sun.'
'And to happy marriage?'
'Separate bathrooms!'
Pitch Perfect star Rebel Wilson was sitting in the booth behind us. 'Oh, I love her,' said Joan. 'She's so funny.'
I turned round. 'Hi, Rebel.'
'Hi, Piers.'
'I just thought you'd like to know Joan Collins loves you.' She was thrilled.
As we left, the paparazzi descended. 'Would Joan make a better queen than Meghan Markle?' one of them screamed.
'Of course!' I replied.
If anything, Joan would almost make a better queen than the Queen.
EVENT UPDATE : RACE TO ERASE MS 25TH ANNUAL GALA .. THE BEVERLY HILTON .. LOS ANGELES .. APRIL 20TH 2018 ..
The Beverly Hilton
9876 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills
6:30 pm: Cocktails and Silent Auction
8:30 pm: Dinner and Live Entertainment
Live Musical Performances from:
SIEDAH GARRETT
Joan attended her good friend Nancy Davis's charity gala 'Race to Erase MS' which was held at The Beverly Hilton last evening.. Find out more on the charity here...
RACE TO ERASE MS
Joan at the cocktail reception with tv presenter Heather Hall
Nancy Davis with her collection of jewellery to raise funds for her charity
PHOTO UPDATE : LA ROUNDUP - THE STAR ARRIVALS ARE ALWAYS AT CRAIG'S!
Joan with Jerry Hall & Rupert Murdoch
Joan who is currently in Los Angeles in preparation for her appearance on the hit Fox series 'American Horror Story', is enjoying catching up with friends for dinner at her favourite Hollywood eaterie 'Craig's'.. Here are a selection of Photos of Joan's whirlwind social calendar....
PHOTO FLASHBACK : THIS ROLES TOO TAME FOR JOAN!
This super shot of Joan is from the 1958 issue of Esquire magazine which featured a photo spread depicting the dream roles Joan would like to play.. This one features Katherine in 'The Taming of the Shrew' which eventually was played on screen by Elizabeth Taylor..
PHOTO UPDATE : EVERY PICTURE IN AMERICA TELLS A STORY!
Joan with Percy, Jeffrey Lane & Rene Horsch celebrating the news during the latest 'Hello!' magazine shoot at her new LA pad.
Much excitement around as Joan is now confirmed to appear in season 8 of the highly popular Fox show 'American Horror Story'.. Set to begin filming in June, the show also sees the return of series regulars Kathy Bates, Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson.. Series producer Ryan Murphy commented on the new season on an For Your Consideration event panel...
" "It's heightened. It's not necessarily as real and grounded as the past season. We're sort of getting back to Asylum, and Coven. That's the tone of it. We start shooting Season 8 around June 16."
Series star Sarah Paulson reveals how they signed Joan for the show ....
"We were at the Vanity Fair Oscar party, and we turned around, and I was like, 'Oh my god, there's Joan Collins'," she said. He grabbed me by the hand and off we went. The deal was made on that floor. It's amazing."
Joan at Vanity Fair party with Sarah Poulson & Holland Taylor


Much darker in profile than the estate's other Barolos. A cooling, earthy "sous bois" nose followed by compact, deep and powerful flavours on the palate. Velvety and full in the mouth. Layered, bold rich flavours of earth, orange peel, bramble and iodine. There is a deep-lying force and undertow here driving the big flavours along. A baritone Barolo that needs many years to unfurl. From a prime south-facing parcel at the top of the hill, within one of the great historic Crus of Barolo. Aged for 30 months in large used oak casks followed by two years in bottle before release.


The stunning Tillandsia seleriana air plant is quite the show stopper. This premium large air plant grows to over 8-10 inches tall, and is the perfect statement piece for any room. This air plant has a fuzzy appearance due to its abundance of trichomes. When it blooms, the Tillandsia seleriana produces beautiful purple leaves and has a large bloom spike.
Care: The Tillandsia seleriana prefers misting and dunking as watering methods as opposed to soaking due to its bulbous base. When watering, take care to shake out any excess water from its leaves as water left amongst its leaves can cause your plant to rot!
Add the T. seleriana to your air plant collection today!
Selerianas - From Outer Space?
I have bought probably too many of these spookily beautiful plants. One is in an ashtray sculpture, taking the center, and when the light hits from south windows, it glows. These are super healthy plants. Each one is soooo different from the other. They are perfect for sculptures that might go over the edge into ... ADVENTURES! Anyway, these are not so easy to get, so I was very happy to find superb quality plants from Meriel, the Chief Plant Lady. Thanks, Meriel!


We will then provide you with a quote for us to clear the property. Our quotes include all costs, there is no hidden charges. Our quotes also include the clearance and disposal costs of any fridges or anything similar that is now categories as hazardous waste.
Once the quote is accepted and you are happy to book an appointment for us to clear the property, we will then arrange a date and time for us to do so that is best for yourself. Our staff will arrive at the agreed time, fully uniformed in one of our large furniture luton vans. We always work with respect and dignity in mind and will work until you (our customer) is completely satisfied with the house clearance. Upon completion you will be provided with a full invoice with all our company details for your own records.
Do You Need A House Clearance?
At Foxtons house clearance, we offer a discreet, reliable, professional house clearance service that offers comfort and piece of mind. We guarantee to meet your expectations. We work with home owners, landlords, estate agents and solicitors across the whole of the UK.
How Much Does House Clearance Usually Cost?
Many customers whilst seeking house clearance wonder why there is such a vast pricing difference between house clearance companies, the answer is very simple, in a professional house clearance the companies biggest costs are the disposing of waste legally and staff wages, if you receive a low priced wuote for a full clearance then please be aware! Below we have provided a link to the UK House Clearance Association who have compiled a guide to explain to you (our customers) the costs that are actually involved in a house clearance.
The guide provided on the site is for you to understand the costs involved for a reputable clearance company to clear an average sized house. The information is supplied from various members listed on the Associations site.
What Happens To The House Contents?
We will always put items to one side from a house clearance that we think can be reused, these items will be donated to a charity. We often ask our customers if they have a preferred charity and once we have completed the house clearance we will forward these items to that charity. Although we try to donate as much as we can, it is not always possible for us to do so. Any items from a house clearance that can not be donated will be forwarded to a pro recycling centre where it will be recycled in the correct manor and eventually reused again.
I Would Like The Possessions Disposed Of Discreetly?
Our staff always work with respect and dignity in mind. We can assure you that your items will be cleared and disposed of discretely. We use large, white unmarked luton vans when carrying out a house clearance for your own discretion, our vans hold no sign writing and inside the back of our vans are not visible. Our teams always handle personal possessions with care.
How Do I Know That A Company Holds A Waste Carriers License?
You can check online on the environment agency website HERE to check a waste carrier, their full details will be provided. If you require more information on how to go about getting a house clearance you can call Foxtons free on:0800 2922388 and we will be more than happy to help with any enquiries you may have.
You can of course call us, Foxtons House Clearance. We will be more than happy to carry out any house clearance for you or even just to offer you free impartial advice on what would be the best way to deal with your situation. If you decide not to use Foxtons House Clearance, we advise you to please choose a reputable company and most importantly check that they are fully licensed to carry all waste.
We have had many happy customers in the past and have a lot of experience in the house clearance industry, our work is always completed to a high standard and all items are cleared and disposed of professionally. There is a lot of house clearance companies out there, some offering a good professional service and some not so good. In the past we have carried out a lot of work after other (rogue) companies and can only advise you that if the service/price seems to good to be true then in this case it usually is.
Are you in need of a professional clearance solution for your property?


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text:
The Spanish word ermita [English: hermitage] refers to an uninhabited or isolated place, a location for spiritual retreat. In Spain vast stretches of thinly populated land and the ruggedness of the terrain have prevented the urban absorption of these isolated sanctuaries.
Today what we hold to be a hermitage is an idealized concept. Most of us still think of it as a hermit's dwelling, and even imagine a saintly and bearded man living in it. Of the 575 ermitas I have visited and photographed, only one was actually occupied by a present-day hermit: a young fellow wearing an "I love New York" T-shirt, and yes, a modest beard.
It seems that what really has withstood the erosion of time is a mental construction: the hermitage as the ultimate refuge of modern madness. In an era in which people feel isolated if the battery of their cell phone has died, the notion of spending years without anything but incidental contact with the world is staggering.
These millennium old constructions have been the waypoints of a seven-year quest for a contemporary view on the concept ermita. The solitude and harsh weather conditions taught me more about a hermit's life than the bibliographical research for this project. It was a profound experience, allowing me much better to understand the transformations these architectural volumes in desolate landscapes undergo by winter light.
The hermitages in these photographs were all chosen for their aura rather than their cultural-historical importance. Some of them are cracked open by time, but still remain hermetic and austere. The almost complete absence of windows gives the buildings a sepulchral quality which is often at odds with the open nature of the land. They seem both alien and organic at the same time. Others are overgrown with vegetation, retreating even more into their surroundings. As they blend with the empty landscapes in which they stand, the original meaning of the word ermita emerges.
The transcription of the word ermita into a visual language is the axis around which this work has evolved. It forced me to keep it simple, and discard anything redundant. My expensive cameras and sophisticated lenses were the first to go. Instead I used the most primitive form of a photographic device, a pinhole camera. The choice of this tool was essential to find the right visual texture. The resulting photographs have the sort of clarity that comes from staring at an object for a long time, while also slightly blurring and distorting the world around the edges—an almost hallucinatory feel that one might get from long periods of isolation.
The use of a pinhole camera was not merely a technical option, but also a philosophical choice. Indeed, a poor man's camera for a poor man's church.