Compiled by Jim Nieman and Chris Moon
Real Life Church in Valencia, Calif., dedicated its worship services this past Thursday and Sunday to Saugus High School following a school shooting there last week that killed two and injured three.
One of those killed, Gracie Anne Muehlberger, 15, and two girls that were injured were part of a high school ministry at Real Life, senior pastor Rusty George told the Los Angeles Times.
“People further away from the situation wonder ‘Why?’ and might even blame God,” George told the Times. “But the people who have been directly affected don’t blame God. They lean on God.”
On Sunday, George urged people of his church to reject blame or quick fixes and embrace a three-step approach to “soul care”—breathe, mourn, and pray.
“We are the most prayed for city on the planet right now,” George told the Times.
“When we heard about this tragedy, we wanted to provide a place for people to pray, worship, and begin to heal after today’s tragic events,” Danny Caudillo, Real Life’s director of communications told the Signal newspaper. The church made available student leaders and pastors for those needing counseling and prayer.
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News Briefs
Chas Crutchfield spent the last three years restoring his classic 1969 Ford Mustang. He auctioned it off recently for $48,000 and gave the money to First Christian Church of Wauchula, Fla., which is planning a $2 million addition to create space to accommodate its burgeoning youth program.
“I knew that was the only way that my wife and I would be able to help in a big way,” Crutchfield told Fox 13 News.
“That was pretty amazing,” senior pastor Darin Canary said. “We have two other guys with classic cars. One of them has already sold his. Another classic car is going to be sold. We’ve had people who have already done garage sales.”
So far, the church has raised about $300,000 and has about $650,000 in commitments to its building fund, the station reported. When money in hand plus commitments reach $1 million, First Christian plans to break ground.
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Phil Beavers, vice president of institutional advancement with Great Lakes Christian College, recently was a guest on the Michigan Business Network’s Leadership Low Down podcast. Beavers spoke about his role with GLCC, which he summed up as advancing the college in three different areas, “friends, funds, and freshmen.” Beavers also spoke about making the most of our “dash,” the time between when we are born and when we die.
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First Christian Church in downtown Columbus, Ind., is preparing for its annual Thanksgiving Day dinner, which serves those who can’t provide meals for themselves or who don’t want to dine alone.
The church is partnering with a local restaurant for enough turkey to feed 600 people, according to the Republic. Local schoolchildren made placemats for the meal.
“I always love to see how the community comes together for this,” Nancy Lewis, the church’s connections minister, told the newspaper. “We get to host it. But the partnerships are much broader than just us. Everyone takes very much a teamwork approach.”
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Joe Gordon of Johnson University Tennessee and Mark Hamilton of Abilene Christian University will engage in “A Conversation about the Authority of Scripture” at the 2019 Stone-Campbell Journal Society of Biblical Literature Reception from 5 to 6:30 p.m. this Friday at the San Diego Convention Center. David Matson of Hope International University will serve as moderator. The public is invited. For more information, click here or contact William Baker at [email protected].
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The Oregon Christian Convention Conference and Retreat Center in Turner, Ore., will host an Elder/Pastor Conference Jan. 25 featuring Charles Faber, academic dean and professor of theology and New Testament at Boise (Idaho) Bible College. Learn more here.
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Stillwater (Pa.) Christian Church and its church bell have been reunited. The 1920s-era bell didn’t initially make the move to the church’s new building four years ago, WNEP reported. The church had a special ceremony Sunday morning, Nov. 10, after the bell was installed at its new home. The church plans to ring the bell before its weekly service each Sunday.
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Stan Granberg, founder and executive director of Kairos Church Planting, announced via Facebook last week he is “graduating” from his duties there and will be “moving to other ministry roles.”
“[I]t has been an amazing journey,” Granberg wrote of his 15 years with Kairos. “The Kairos team has . . . worked with new church planters from corner to corner of our country. We’ve seen miracles of renewal in established churches. We’ve had the opportunity to influence 100s of church leaders.”
Granberg’s “graduation” party will be Dec. 6.
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R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., recently answered questions about faith, religion, and the Bible from students at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green as part of his “Ask Anything Tour,” the Baptist Press reported.
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