Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman
Whitewater Crossing Christian Church in Cleves, Ohio, is helping about 50 employees of a local restaurant that suffered a kitchen fire earlier this year.
The church has been holding weekly fish fry fund-raisers during Lent for Kreimer’s Bier Haus, a German-American restaurant just down the street from the church. The restaurant’s kitchen caught fire in January and the eatery has been closed for renovations since then.
“Mark Kreimer, the owner, is a very good friend and part of our church,” said executive minister Jess Adkins. “We were trying to see how we could bless him and his employees during this down time and renovation. As we talked through it, we thought, What better way than a fish fry? So, we offered our building and a few staff to be available to help.”
“Kreimer’s is doing all the cooking, serving, etc. and then get all the proceeds!” Adkins said. “It is simply an easy way for us to practice what we preach!”
“Church is not really complicated,” said senior pastor David Vaughan. “It’s ‘love God and love your neighbor.’”
Kreimer said he was concerned about his employees as soon as he learned about the fire on Jan. 15. “I know I can rebuild, but will my employees be OK?” he said.
The restaurant’s employees have a history of giving back to the community by hosting fund-raisers and Bible studies.
WCPO-TV reports about 500 people have been attending the weekly Kreimer’s Bier Haus Fish Fry Nites at the church, located west of Cincinnati, an area with a large Catholic population. Fish, of course, was selected in honor of the Lenten season.
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NEWS BRIEFS
Jason Bembry, a professor at Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan in Johnson City, Tenn., organized a vigil in support of the Highlander Education and Research Center, which saw its executive offices destroyed in a March fire.
The center in New Market, Tenn., is known for its social justice and leadership work and has ties to the origins of the civil rights movement. In the 1950s, it hosted leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks.
The Johnson City Press said the cause of the fire is unknown, but the center said a symbol “connected to the white power movement” was spray-painted in the parking lot.
“There is a real historical connection to the Highlander Center here,” Bembry told the Johnson City Press. “Highlander has been helping the people in Appalachia achieve a better quality of life for many decades. We will stand in support of its mission.”
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Baseball legend Pete Rose will speak May 5 at Verve Church in Las Vegas.
Major League Baseball’s all-time hits leader will be interviewed by lead pastor Vince Antonucci, according to a press release.
In 1989, Rose received a lifetime ban from baseball following allegations he bet on games while a manager for the Cincinnati Reds.
His visit to Verve Church fits with Antonucci’s preaching theme, the need for second chances.
“We’ve all made decisions we wish we could take back,” Antonucci said. “When we make mistakes, there are consequences for our actions. Pete Rose is somebody who has admitted his mistake, has come clean with what he did, and I truly believe his debt has been paid. It’s time for baseball to give Pete Rose a second chance.”
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The inaugural Spire Conference is less than six months away. The first gathering is scheduled for Oct. 8 to 10 in Orlando, Fla. A lineup of speakers and a program for the event—a successor to the North American Christian Convention—have been announced. You can register for the Spire Conference at https://spire.network.
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Dr. Gail Wise, the founding dean of the Yancey School of Nursing at Kentucky Christian University in Grayson, is retiring. She has served KCU since 2001. Writes President Jeff Metcalf: “I have been honored to work with many fine colleagues during my 23 years at KCU, none of whom I admire more than Dr. Gail Wise.”
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A number of churches are planning group outings to see The Pilgrim’s Progress, a new animated film based on John Bunyan’s famous book. The Christian allegory was published in the 1600s and is reportedly the second-best-selling book in history (next to the Bible). The website for the movie, which opens this weekend, states, “This powerful allegory helps families understand the spiritual journey is the most important journey in life, as well as the importance of sticking to the path, even when the journey gets difficult.”
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Mount Pleasant Christian Church in Greenwood, Ind., held its “Pack Away Hunger” event on Saturday, with the goal of packing 400,000 meals for those in need.
The church actually packed 405,648 meals, all of which are headed to Cuba.
This is the fifth time the church has sponsored the event, WTHR-TV reports. It requires about 1,800 volunteers to accomplish.
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We’ve updated our list of conferences and retreats sponsored by Christian Colleges. Check out the new additions from Boise Bible College, Great Lakes Christian College, and Mid-Atlantic Christian University.
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Will Caldwell was named 2019 Middle School Co-Sportsman of the Year after the recent National Christian HomeSchool Basketball Championships. Will, who plays for the Northside Lions, is the son of Shan and Lise Caldwell (Indian Creek Christian Church, Indianapolis) and the grandson of John and Jan Caldwell.
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