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potentialproblem01 · 3 years

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More Padre!Domingo coming right up aka Daddy Sunday pt. 2

As per usual, all my immense love to @creme-bruhlee and my Daniel server for being a sounding board and to @gwaciechang cheering me on to the finish of this one.

Contained herein is 1.7k of somnophilia, unprotected sex, ambiguously negotiated kink, and further disrespect to Spanish Catholicism. If you’d prefer ao3 and Part One. Stands alone.

Rahab

Exodus 34, Joshua 6

You and Padre have been seeing each other for a while now, you’ve got a key to his place in the attic above the church. It’s a shame he’s an early riser since waking to the midmorning light above the city is one of the warmest things you’ve ever felt.

Padre always gets up early for work and you always come in late from classes and there’s always so little time for the both of you. What little time you get to yourselves is used for fucking and sleeping, not that you really complain about it, it’s just how things are.

It’s verging on summer, sticky heat tagging along to the end of the wet season. You’d gone out the night before and when you came in, he’d already been asleep. You were quiet, careful not to disturb his night before Mass beauty sleep. You had peeled off your boots by the door, yanked your socks and panties off and dived into bed still half clothed. He’d slung an arm around you, pulling you close, nuzzling into your sweat lank hair. The last uppers were worming their way through your system in a heady buzz as you snuggled into him like a second skin before conking out.

You woke when he got up for work the next morning, watching him dress lazily from the bed. Your head was cottony but you forced yourself up to hydrate and pull the rest of your clothes off. He watched you unzip your skirt, giving you a swat to the ass as you pulled it down. You gave him a filthy kiss before he headed out the door.

You left your clothes on the floor and went to shower, scrubbing the grime from the club off. You towel off preliminarily, the heat of the day will dry you the rest of the way as you collapse back on top of the bed sheets to sleep the rest of the morning away.

---

The late spring sun rises through the upper windows, casting the afternoon in stained glass tinted light, not enough to wake you but enough that when Daniel comes in, your skin is painted in the most delicious colors.

He undressed quietly, hanging his shirt up and dropping his slacks in the laundry basket before quietly coming up to where you’re sprawled face down on the bed, ankle twisted in the white sheets. He sits gently on the edge of the bed, sliding a hand from your ankle to knee, skin soft in sleep, clean of glitter and sweat. He traces the lax tendons on the back of your knee before travelling up, lingering on the inside of your thigh but you don’t wake.

He watches you for a few minutes, tracing sigils into your thigh before nudging them apart, dipping into the crease of your thigh, rubbing smoothly. He keeps watch over your face, looking for signs of consciousness. All you do is readjust your head against the pillows.

His finger gets more adventurous, skimming over your folds to tease at the other side, picking up a hint of damp. He smirks to himself before leaning over you, whispering into your ear “Good dreams, Princess?”

He shifts himself between your legs, careful not to disturb you before stroking himself as he dances fingers across your entrance before slowly inserting one, waiting for a reaction. When none comes he grows bolder, adding a second and gently pumping them, drawing out your wetness.

You’re wet enough for him to not have to worry about lube but he goes for some anyway, wanting you to wake to his cock being fully seated in you and not a second before. He slicks himself generously before crawling up the bed with the grace of a polar bear on thin ice. He’s vigilant in positioning himself over your thighs to get the easy angle. He approaches haltingly, adjusting himself with one hand around the base of his cock to guide and the other holding your lips apart.

He checks that you’re still sound asleep before he breaches you, hands falling to the sheets by your shoulders to avoid further stimuli that could wake you. It takes immeasurable self control on his part not to thrust in all at once. It’s smooth and a self-inflicted torture so severe it cancels out the sin of committing it.

He comes to be fully sheathed in you. He lowers himself to his elbows, rosary falling against your back in a warm cascade of beads, his hot breath fanning over you. You twitch in your sleep but don’t wake. He breathes through another quirk of his lips, you were always such a sound sleeper, secure enough in your position with God to never worry if you’ll wake again.

He straightens his back, moving to lay more fully over your back, dragging his rosary through your hair, shifting on his elbows to box in your head, pulling back a hand to loop his overly large heirloom rosary around your throat too.

He pulls out and thrusts all the way back in with all the violence of a man trying to earn his place with a personal God. This is what wakes you with a disoriented moan, dreams blurring with reality. You go to push yourself up only to be restrained by the sharp scent of myrrh and smoke all around you, warm skin pressing you down, beard hair scratching at the side of your face.

“Do you know what I preached about today, mi cielito?” A thrust, “Of course you don’t. Are you familiar with Rahab?”

You shake your head as he thrusts into you at a leisurely pace, soft and sleepy moans spilling from deep in your chest compressed between the pure sheets and his ribcage.

“The righteous harlot.”

You roll your eyes and try to wiggle some space to stretch your staticky limbs but are restricted by his beads chaining you to him. He feels you pull on them and shifts his weight again, freeing a hand to put his first bead and cross in your hand.

“Pray for me, Princess. Contemplate our sins for me.”

You make a half hearted sign of the cross, earning you a thrust and a kiss to the side of your neck. You begin to recite the Apostles Creed, each line earning you half a thrust. “Was crucified, died, and was buried- Fuck!” He pulled all the way out and proceeded to thrust back in with a rough surety, grinding down into you, digging his teeth into your shoulder.

“I don’t think that’s part of it. Start over.”

You let out a sob as you start the Creed over, trying to hurry through as he resumes his half thrusts. You close with a slightly hysterical ‘amen,’ the last of the sleep warmth leaving you for the heat of passion. The blood flow is no longer sluggish but concentrated in your core, flaring out in need. You make it through the Our Father before another sob makes you deviate from the script.

Daniel tuts in your ear, “Do you need to start over?”

“No, please. I’ll be good.”

“Are you sure? You keep messing up. Do you need a corrective hand, Princess?”

“No, no. I can do it.”

“Prove it.”

You struggle through the Hail Marys’ and pull in a shaking breath, really hoping he took Charity to heart. He hasn’t let up on his thrusts, he intentionally holds you in the limbo of regularity and almost but not enough. You know better than to beg, he’s given you an instruction and you have to thread the beads through your hand and pray.

He nuzzles into your ear, telling you how good you’re being for him. You make it through the first Glory Be and go to announce the first Mystery before you can’t take it anymore and struggle under him, trying to force yourself back on his cock. He pulls out, worming a hand under you to paw at your breast, pull at your nipple, “Bad girl. You still have an Our Father.” He presses you up into his chest, kneading at your breast, “Be a good girl for me.”

You struggle, feeling empty without is cock but you make it, begging to be delivered from evil. When you finish, he mutters an ‘amen’ against your throat as he stuffs his cock back in you, pulling the rosary from his neck to leave on you as he sets his weight against your lower back, pinning you down. He widens his stance and drives into you without delay.

The power in his momentum shakes the bed, causing the headboard to knock against the wall, a rhythmic tempo to accompany you being crushed into the mattress.

The sheets stick to your clean sweat as you edge closer, breathing hard and inadequately through your pillow. You whimper with the strength he’s using, bending your spine, wetly slamming into you.

Your orgasm sneaks up on you, shuddering through you in one violent motion before you go limp under him; underwhelming and way too much.

He nudges your legs closed and you let him, creating a tighter channel for him to fuck into. He rebalances, one hand planted on your back, the other climbing up into your hair, yanking it back on the knife’s edge of pain.

His nails bite into your skin and the grip on your hair tightens before he lets out a long and low growl as he comes. He lets go of your hair but not before, “You’re my blessed whore aren’t you?”

“God, yes.” For that blasphemy he slaps the side of your face he can reach, the angle is awkward but the point is made, you wiggle your hips, clench around his spent cock, “But I’m still in your bed.”

He huffs out a derisive laugh, pulls out, “That you are.”

The mess of come and lube starts to cool between your legs, sweat growing tacky. You pull the beads through your fingers again, suck the bottom of the cross into your mouth and give him a half lidded stare before rolling over into a dry spot.

He leans down and licks a stripe up your stomach before latching onto a nipple before you swat at his head and he lets up, coming up to kiss you. He nips at your lips but you deny him, pushing his face away.

He doesn’t listen, grabbing a tissue from the bedside table to wipe himself off with before laying down next to you, pulling you into an embrace and throwing an arm over his eyes, ready to fall asleep on a Sunday afternoon with you.

Part 3

#daniel brühl #daniel bruhl x reader #padre domingo #padre domingo x reader #fem reader #somnophilia #daniel bruhl smut #priest!daniel bruhl #daniel bruhl fanfiction

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xtruss · 3 years

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A Muslim Writer on Finding Her Voice in Post-9/11, Post-Trump America

— By Aisha Sultan | 09/01/21 | Newsweek.

A new generation of Muslim Americans is making its mark. Spencer Platt/Getty

Like most Americans old enough to remember, I know exactly where I was and what I was doing on September 11, 2001 when the first hijacked plane hit the World Trade Center in New York City. I was showering when I heard my husband yelling for me. Dripping wet and wrapped in a towel, I watched in shock, along with tens of millions of others, as the Twin Towers fell, killing thousands of people inside.

Emotions from that day feel so much closer than two decades ago.

My stomach turned in revulsion. My body tightened with fear for my relatives who worked there. Dread settled like a heavy rock on my chest. Like other Americans, I wondered, who was attacking us. But as a Muslim, I had other questions too: Did the attackers claim to be Muslims? And, if so, what would happen to the rest of us?

I quickly got dressed and headed to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, where I worked as an education reporter. I talked to stunned school officials and students while still trying to process what was happening.

That evening, I checked in with my family in Texas. My brother, then in middle school, had been in class when his teacher broke the news. He became nervous and, in the teacher's eyes at least, asked too many questions. "Is this World War III? Did they bomb downtown? Are they going to bomb our town next?" The teacher told him to shut up and leave her classroom, that she couldn't bear to look at his face.

Riz Ahmed attends the "Mogul Mowgli" press conference during the 70th Berlinale International Film Festival Berlin at Grand Hyatt Hotel on February 21, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. Ahmed recently criticized “dehumanizing and demonizing portrayals of Muslims" in films. Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

My mother's co-workers at the department store where she had worked for years suddenly refused to speak to her. Cops escorted my hijab-wearing cousin off her college campus because it was no longer deemed safe for her to be there.

In the immediate aftermath of that day's horror, my grief and anger as an American was so compounded with my fear and anxiety as a Muslim that it compelled me to do something unthinkable for me: I poured my heart out to the readers of the Sunday paper.

Back then, it was unusual for a news reporter to pen a personal response to a national tragedy. This was long before social media made us all performative, confessional animals. I needed my neighbors in the Midwest to know that while Muslim Americans shared their grief and anger, we also feared whether our country would turn on us.

I ended that column with the questions my college-aged sister had asked me: "Will the government come after us like they did with the Japanese? Will other Americans stand up for us?"

I told my readers the same thing I told her: I don't know.

I wasn't sure what to expect but dozens and dozens of readers responded to her question with expressions of support: Yes, we will stand up for you, you and your family are one of us, they said, in one way or another, in message after message. There were just two negative, Islamophobic emails in the bunch.

Such an overwhelmingly positive response seems inconceivable now, given how polarized our discourse is now and how normalized hate speech has become—an irony, when you consider how heightened anti-Muslim sentiment was at the time.

Key moments after 9/11 also feel unimaginable now. Back then, a Republican president, George W. Bush, visited the Islamic Center in Washington D.C. days after the attack to tell the American people that the attacks violated the tenets of Islam—"Islam is peace," he famously said—and to defend Muslims as equal citizens worthy of respect and protection. Our last Republican president, by contrast, touted a "Muslim ban" across the country. Even my state, Missouri, now bright partisan red, was a swing state back in 2001, where Democrats sometimes voted for Republicans and vice versa.

Coming together after tragedy: U.S. Muslims sing "God Bless America" at an interfaith memorial service in Pasadena, California for 9/11 victims two days after the attacks. Lucy Nicholson/AFP/Getty

It was against this backdrop that I felt moved to share my vulnerability with readers who may never have met a Muslim before.

Their responses reassured and comforted me, but the expressions of support didn't always—or even mostly—translate into action on a national scale. Instead, the Muslim community bore the brunt of the fallout of 9/11 for years. The government targeted Muslim communities with surveillance, questioning and confinement. It seemed law enforcement and the media used the label of "terrorism" for heinous crimes only if the perpetrator was Muslim. The number of anti-Muslim hate crime incidents reported to the FBI rose from 28 in 2000 to 481 in 2001— and those are just the official numbers. Countless incidents are never reported to the FBI.

Yet, in those ensuing years, creative work by Muslims also bubbled up in the country. A trio of Muslim comedians—Preacher Moss, Azhar Usman and Azeem Muhammad—launched the "Allah Made Me Funny" comedy tour in 2003. Writer Laila Lalami's debut novel, Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits, was published in 2005. Actor Aasif Mandvi began appearing on The Daily Show in 2006. G.Willow Wilson published her first graphic novel, Cairo, in 2007.

People who had lived as Muslims in America prior to 9/11 became American Muslims, more engaged in its civic, cultural and political institutions. Muslims creatives were reclaiming the narrative and telling our own stories instead of responding to the false dichotomy of victim or villain told about us.

I was among them. Seven years after the attacks, I began lobbying my editors for a features column, a departure from a decade of straight news reporting. I had become a mother with two small children. I was trying to make sense of the confusion and isolation that parenting provokes. My first column in 2008 described a bleak winter day when I was sleep-deprived and frustrated and feeling slightly suffocated by the tight bonds of motherhood.

The author: St. Louis Post-Dispatch syndicated columnist Aisha Sultan. Elizabeth Wisemen

Again, readers in the heartland responded with overwhelming support and commiseration. I wasn't making any overtly political arguments. As readers got to know me, they appreciated the commonalities in our parenting experiences despite our differences. I wasn't trying to be an ambassador or spokeswoman for my faith or an ethnic community. I was sharing my observations and struggles as a suburban, middle class American mom who happened to be Muslim and of Pakistani descent.

An older, childless white man who lives in a conservative exurban county wrote to say I was the only Muslim he knew besides the attackers on 9/11. He said he had changed his perspective on Muslims in America after reading my column for years. We weren't just a faceless enemy to him anymore. He saw me as a person, my humanity very real to him.

We've stayed in touch for more than a decade.

Over time more Americans have become like that reader, increasingly comfortable with the idea and presence of Muslims—as neighbors and even family members. Yet simultaneously, the conservative right turned Islam into an effective political weapon and used it to bludgeon Muslims who have sought greater representation and political power.

These opposing forces once again became evident in the correspondence I got from readers, The tone and tenor changed notably in the summer of 2016 as the political rhetoric of the presidential campaign came to a boiling point. Public writers have always had our share of angry critics. But the criticism I received turned increasingly vitriolic, with a deep undercurrent of anger. People who disagreed with what I'd written weren't merely looking to dissent but to silence me.

Increasingly, pushback was laced with profanity, racial slurs and calls to go back to where I came from. Anonymous writers called me a 'raghead c*nt' and others told me to "get out of America, you towel head bigot b*tch." One reader mailed a handwritten letter after I wrote about talking to my children about the killing of Travyon Martin, the Black teenager fatally shot by a white member of a neighborhood watch patrol in Florida. She said she would make a point of cutting out my column photo from the paper every weekend so she could put it in the toilet and piss on it.

After the 2016 election, the heightened anxiety about personal safety I'd felt right after 9/11 returned, even stronger and lasted for years. It's not hard to understand why. During the period between 2015 and 2016, the number of assaults against Muslims rose significantly, surpassing the aftermath of 9/11, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of hate crimes statistics from the FBI. Over the following years, disinformation and conspiracies began taking hold in America at a level I'd never seen before. White rage was palpable online and eventually, on the streets.

The memories and feelings associated with the events of 9/11 continue to play a role in attitudes toward the American Muslim community in some quarters. Here, the annual 'Tribute in Light' memorial in lower Manhattan near One World Trade Center. Spencer Platt/Getty

And yet during this period, Muslims in America continued to create art and cultural capital at an unprecedented level. Playwright Ayad Akhtar produced his Pultizer-winning play Disgraced. Hasan Minhaj reclaimed the title Patriot Act, launching a show that became a cultural touchpoint for a generation of American Muslims too young to know firsthand how that legislation was wielded against the Muslim community. Ramy Youssef won a Golden Globe, Mahershala Ali won two Oscars and Lena Khan is directing Hollywood films. Models, pundits and Olympic athletes came into the spotlight while wearing a hijab.

At some point, I too decided that whatever the costs of speaking out, far greater was the cost of silence. If someone was going to attack me for speaking out against white supremacists, that was a risk I was willing to take. I couldn't back down from writing about controversial issues that I knew would provoke an angry backlash, even when it felt reader abuse could possibly escalate to violence.

What I've observed and experienced over the past 20 years, as a columnist and as a Muslim, perhaps boils down to this: As the politics of exclusion grow more strident, parts of the culture embrace inclusivity. Each force is a reaction to the other.

Certainly this has happened in my own relationship with readers. Even as the negative emails ramped up in intensity and bile, I still have far more readers who send words of kindness and encouragement than hatred. Many reveal their own secrets and most vulnerable stories.

My goal when I began writing a column was to give a voice to parents struggling to raise kids in this digital, social media saturated age. I hope I've done that but along the way something else important happened: I found my own voice too.

My youngest sister, who was in college when I wrote my first personal story in the aftermath of 9/11, decided to attend law school after she graduated. She eventually ran for state judge in the 113th District in Houston and was elected in 2018 as part of the record-setting number of Muslims who won public office that year.

With the benefit of two decades of hindsight and the insights I've gained from my interaction with readers over the years, I realize I could have given her a better answer when she turned to me as a frightened college student in 2001. I could have reassured her: Yes, there will be other Americans who will stand up for us.

More importantly, we will learn to stand up for ourselves.

— Aisha Sultan is a syndicated columnist based at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

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moraldyad · 3 years

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𝚈𝙾𝚄𝚁 𝙼𝚄𝚂𝙴 𝙰𝚂 𝙰 𝙳𝙴𝙸𝚃𝚈.

𝙶𝙾𝙳 𝙾𝙵 : duality . medicine . justice . freedom . lies . violence . transformation . 𝙰𝚂𝚂𝙾𝙲𝙸𝙰𝚃𝙴𝙳 𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷 : the late nights spent toiling over something that one’s entire heart has been poured into , the fond smiles of a couple on their sunday stroll . bright eyes of young scholars who thirst for a knowledge greater than any , the soft drip , drip , drip of the iv hanging at a patient’s bedside . the gentle touch of a doctor or a nurse . crisp air , climbing out of a window at the midnight hours . the freedom that comes from simply running , the rush of adrenaline & thirst for revenge . the hushed whispers of a forbidden name . 𝚂𝙰𝙲𝚁𝙴𝙳 𝙿𝙻𝙰𝙽𝚃𝚂 : lavender . chamomile . oleander . belladonna . rosary peas . 𝚂𝙰𝙲𝚁𝙴𝙳 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝙽𝙴𝚂 / 𝙶𝙴𝙼𝚂 : garnet . jade . jasper . tiger’s eye . 𝚂𝙰𝙲𝚁𝙴𝙳 𝙰𝙽𝙸𝙼𝙰𝙻 : the bear . the serpent . the raven . the wolf . the fox . the butterfly . 𝙲𝙾𝙻𝙾𝚁𝚂 : silver , yet tarnished . crimson . honey - gold . white . 𝙵𝙾𝙾𝙳 : pomegranate . apples . fine wines . herbal teas . 𝚂𝙲𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚂 : the ashen smell of a fire that has only recently burnt out . vanilla . the musty but comforting smell of old books found in the attic . the haunting smell of blood that leaves an odd iron taste in one’s mouth . 𝙰𝙲𝙲𝙴𝙿𝚃𝙴𝙳 𝙾𝙵𝙵𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙽𝙶𝚂 / 𝚆𝙰𝚈𝚂 𝚃𝙾 𝙷𝙾𝙽𝙾𝚁 : he is an odd deity , where some see him as benevolent , others see him as cruel . perhaps this god with his dual nature was once two separate gods . after all , legends blend together in such odd ways . over time , he has become patron of both healers & murderers , two polar opposites . the savior of the virtuous & the duplicitous , it is also said he favors those with an unstoppable creative drive . depicted with two faces , the healer’s scepter in one hand , a blade stained with blood in the other , what he likes is as strange as his existence .

offer him well loved books , leave him research that you wish to finish , but have yet to find the answer ( & perhaps , he will give it ) . leave confession letters , they will be read . he will forgive you for your sins & urge you to continue , for your secrets are safe with him .

in london , there is a house now boarded up that often his followers will still enter . it is like stepping into the past . for all the ruin of the home on the outside , its well kept interior gives the sense that someone still lives . perhaps that is true . in this place , nothing spoken will be revealed outside its walls . here is the place where the virtuous & the depraved meet . a middle ground with no animosity , only the shared worship of this god of two worlds .

should one venture far enough , perhaps he will be found . there is a door , splintered with a broken lock , but there is a light that shines through . do not enter without knocking . he will ask your deepest desire . you must not lie to him , for he can tell . to the virtuous with wickedness in their hearts , he will appear as a wild red - haired youth , far too pale , a gaunt & unsettling person with a cheshire cat grin . to the depraved seeking redemption , he will appear as a handsome man entering the wintertime of his life , offering nothing but compassion . sometimes , he will not appear at all , but that is a symbol of inner balance . if he does not respond to your deepest desire , you must leave . that is his blessing to you , he has deemed you at peace with yourself .

if he wishes to see you in particular , he will send a messenger , a man in a suit , his name is poole . if poole appears , the god means no harm in his meeting . it is polite to follow , if you wish not to , you must respectfully decline . the god will know .

rarely does he truly bond with mortals , but it is not impossible . what a sight it would be , to see him , so out of place , but arriving on his own to meet someone outside his own abode — should he arrive , as the young man with the cheshire cat grin or the gentleman with the gentle gaze , it is a blessing . he will knock , give the name jekyll or hyde . let him in .

#* deity #this continues to slap #* q .

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doytconn · 5 years

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Words Matter, Words’ Spirit

Words of institution, words of invitation, preaching the Word – as an Episcopal priest, I know that I am in the business of words. I am trained to use them, to know their power, and every Sunday, I see their impact on all with ears to hear. Words are always on my mind, but especially in recent years. As a nation, we seem to have devalued this currency. “It's just words, folks, just words,” we are even told.

When I was in elementary school, I was one of the first kids on the bus every morning. This meant that I could sit anywhere I wanted, and so, I would sit near the back, but not too far back, so as not to get in the way of, and hence, be displaced by the older boys when they got on later. I knew who boarded when, and where they liked to sit. I learned to work the system, and maybe that is why I was one of those little kids who the older kids liked. This afforded me privileged and protected status, but it also carried with it a price.

Sally would board the bus in Marysville. She was in my grade, and she’d get on every morning with a crowd of kids that included her older brother. I didn’t know much about him; all I knew was that his very presence provoked ridicule from his peers. When he would crest the door threshold, the older boys would often start singing…

“There goes so and so swimming down the Delaware

blah, blah, blah underwear,

couldn’t get another pair,

blah, blah, blah eaten by a polar bear

that’s how the polar bear died.”

And I’d join right in. Participating in mob behavior I didn’t fully understand showed my status -- my coolness. This boy would always slump into the seat closest to the front; sometimes the bus driver would scowl at us, and sometimes he’d say something to the boy… maybe something like: “sticks and stone will break your bones, but words will never hurt you.”

And yet, they do; don’t they? Words do hurt. Words also have a way of becoming an invisible anchor that can weigh upon a soul for a lifetime… both the hearers and the speakers’ soul, I might add.

You see, there was a price to be paid for my complicity. The price of being treated well by the older boys didn’t stop at my inconspicuously joining in the song. My participation grew. First, it expanded to my joining in taunts if this boy was forced to sit too far toward the back of the bus. Then, I was spurred to trip him if he passed me in the aisle; then, I was recruited to shimmy under the seat to grab his backpack.

I never felt particularly good about any of this. I knew it was wrong, and I quite liked his sister, who was the fastest kid in my class. But I was caught; I was complicit, and while my complicity rewarded me, it also diminished me. And at some point, this feeling outweighed the perceived benefits , and even as a little kid I knew my soul was being compromised; it was being wounded.

I felt trapped and then used, pushed to go further than I wanted. But I went along with it because I knew there could be an even higher price to pay if I pushed back or rebelled. My cool kid third-grade status would be revoked in a flash. I saw first-hand what words can do; I didn’t want to become another victim of the taunts and tugs and songs on the bus.

And so, I continued in my complicity to support the hecklers and the bullies, because that is how evil works upon those who are trapped by self-interest. I was like the proverbial frog in a pot of water heating up on the stove.

All I could do to feel better was to be nice to his sister in class, and deny, deny, deny in my own mind that I was complicit; deny, deny, deny that I had been bought at a price that I was at first willing to pay, but then was unable to extricate myself from its crushing debt, as my complicity slowly and steadily increased. That is how evil works in the world.

And it all started with a song. Singing it once, then twice, then over and over again. It started with words, just words. They ooze out so easily, and they stick to their hearer like glue. They stick more strongly the more power the speaker is perceived to wield; it didn’t really matter what the bus driver said, because his words weren’t as sticky enough.

The sticky goo of words doesn’t discriminate; while I don’t remember the names of the boys who spurred me to this bad behavior in the back of the bus, I’ll never forget the name and the face of the boy we taunted… and I’ll never forget the song we sang; it will stick in my mind until the day I die… maybe longer.

You see, the words we say to others can stick to us as well. Despite what many of us are taught or like to think, deep down we all know that words have force. If they didn’t, bullies wouldn’t use them. Yes, words do hurt, and as a follower of Jesus, I also believe that words have a spiritual dimension.

The late philosopher and Christian writer, Dallas Willard, in his book Hearing God, writes:

“Some of our greatest problems in understanding and entering into life in the Kingdom of God, come from an inadequate appreciation of how that kingdom, like all kingdoms, work. They work by communications, by speaking or using words for the expression of minds and intentions” (p. 122).

Words have spiritual force; they change things. They can rearrange our insides through habituation, whether by speaking them or hearing them.

The Biblical Psalmist claims that God only spoke once, and twice humanity heard (Ps 62:11). The Gospel of John articulates the Psalmist’s insight this way:

“In the beginning was the Word

and the Word was with God

and the Word was God.

He was with God in the beginning

and all things came into being through him,

and without him, not one thing came into being” (John 1:3).

“And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).

God’s Word is Jesus. No word has ever matter more!

God spoke once and gave us a world to live in (creation) and a way to live in it (Jesus). I believe that we are made in the image and likeness of God’s Word made flesh, Jesus, and as a result it is my deep conviction that our words have power and spiritual force! To fail to understand this, to not see and admit that our human words have spiritual force, is like going to a gun fight with a knife; it is like believing that sticks and stone will break my bones, but that words will never hurt me. That line is fake news. That refrain is a lie because Jesus taught us otherwise:

He speaks and water becomes wine.

He speaks and people are healed.

He speaks and the dead are raised.

He speaks and Pilate and Herod become friends.

He speaks and the church comes into being.

As Christians, we must be accountable for our words, for the spiritual power we carry.

We are seeing autocrats rise to power in many corners of the world, not because they are giving their people more money or security or care, but because of the power of their words. Words that aggrandize, words that obfuscate and redirect pain, words that mobilize and agitate. And I write these words of mine because I worry that there are folks out there who are like me as a boy sitting near the back of the bus, willing to pay the heavy price of perceived status and privilege, now trapped in a discourse that defends the indefensible.. And they don’t see it because they don’t believe that ugly words will and do stick.

Complicity in the indefensible comes for us all; it shows up at work and at school; in clubs and friendships and family. We all have our price. The question we need to ask ourselves now is: “Do we know the full cost of becoming complicit?”

Many times, maybe even most time, we are unaware of the grand bargain we have entered into. We notice too late, because the grey goo of our words has already mired us in actions and dispositions we’ve become too afraid or simply unable to disentangle from. Let us begin to rewrite this story. Let us rearrange our insides by reverse engineering the systems of complicity, to go back to the source of this evil bargain: our words. How do we employ them? What words do we use? Who inspires them, and what is in it for them? What is the root of my vocabulary? Anger, vitriol, some old wound or insecurity, from joy or loneliness, from abundance or blessing? How about Jesus? Maybe more ought to come from Jesus.

And finally: When are we silent? Why are we silent? Words matter. Your words matter, because you are Word made flesh as well.

#homily #gospel #christian #jesus #episcopal #holy spirit #kingdom of god #peer pressure #bullying #words #invisible things

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woodworkingpastor · 3 years

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The need for vision -- Luke 4:14-21, Philippians 2:1-5 -- Sunday, October 3, 2021

How many of you have ever done a corn maze?

I never have, for no particular reason. And also—again for no particular reason—I have no great desire to pay for this particular experience. But I do sometimes wonder what it is like to wander around in a corn maze, lost, without any visual cues to help get your bearings. Imagine how helpful it would be to have a sense of your position relative to the entire maze—to have a vision of how what you are attempting to accomplish fits in with your actual surroundings.

This is what the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference has given us in our Compelling Vision statement, adopted at our first-ever online Annual Conference this past summer. Let’s take a moment and share these words in unison:

Together, as the Church of the Brethren, we will passionately live and share the radical transformation and holistic peace of Jesus Christ through relationship-based neighborhood engagement. To move us forward, we will develop a culture of calling and equipping disciples who are innovative, adaptable, and fearless.

I will be the first to admit that these words don’t exactly roll off the tongue. Writing helpfully concise vision statements like these can be a challenge, which is why I appreciate the “tagline” version of this statement:

What does it mean for us to serve a Savior who came and dwelled among us, then invited us to take his good news out to those who live around us? That’s for us to work out in our life together! Remember that our Annual Conference takes its cues from Acts 15, when the first generation of Christians encountered some situations in which faithful Jesus-followers had differing ideas about how to respond. The “Jerusalem Conference” arrived at a fascinating conclusion:

For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us… (Acts 15:28).

The church arrived at a solution for the times in which they found themselves: not some prior time of their life, and not in some theoretical perfect time. They found a method of faithful witness for the times and places in which they lived—and with the people who were finding their way to their churches and seeking to follow Jesus with them. Their decision was distributed to other congregations through the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers leading them, and the work of the church continued.

Having heard from our Annual Conference that we are to give careful attention to these words, how will we respond in our generation? Two of our Sunday School classes are working at that by using the Compelling Vision study guide in their classes; we will take six of the next seven Sundays in worship to do the same.

The need for vision—our understanding of church

The study guide for our vision statement begins with Philippians 2:1-5, inviting us to consider how we experience Jesus in the local congregation.

I really love how Paul begins this section of Scripture:

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy (Philippians 2:1)

You’ll notice that the conversation about the church’s vision begins with Jesus. It doesn’t begin with our opinion about what the church is or should be; it doesn’t begin with our preferences about what the church is or should be; it doesn’t begin with what we perceive to be wrong with the world. It begins with how we are experiencing Jesus in the church.

The assumption in this statement is that our reply will be, “Oh yes, I’ve experienced this in my congregation. Let me tell you about how I am encouraged in Christ, how I have been consoled in love, how I have shared with the Spirit.” Our witness is based on our testimony. Two Sundays ago, I said that the first question people ask me about our church is almost always “how many members do you have?” Here are the qualities we ought to be asking about; when people ask us about Oak Grove, we ought to be able to tell them how we experience Jesus in our life together.

I saw an ad this past week for a church that seems to exist only online. In their advertising, they promised to deliver a “comfortable experience” and “some inspiration that will help you get through the week.” Who would argue with that? Paul might. We are not called to be the body of Christ to generate “comfortable experiences” or “sources of inspiration,” as if we are a factory that produces spiritual widgets and gadgets and other useful products. Our purpose is to shape the body of believers to increasingly resemble Jesus in our actions and attitudes. The problem with the product-centered vision of the church is that once you tire or no longer have need of the product—or if you don’t like the product the church is offering—then there is no longer reason to continue.

If the preacher doesn’t preach the sermons I want to hear;

The song leaders doesn’t choose my favorite songs;

They want me to wear a mask;

There aren’t enough people in my age group;

I don’t agree with their politics;

then we can just find another church that produces spiritual widgets and gadgets that are more to our liking, where you don’t have to be around people who disagree with you or challenge your thinking. A place where you can be “comfortable.”

Our calling is deeper; the takeaway question from Philippians 2:1 is “how have we known these things—especially in times when polarization and the pursuit of personal preferences is at an all-time high?” When the idols of individualism and consumer choice are reigning with great power, how has the experience of Jesus in your local congregation sustained you when the going was difficult? How has your passion for Jesus been nurtured by the local congregation?

What if we disciplined ourselves to answer that question about our church family? Before we talk about all the great work that connects us to the community, before we talk about how moving our music and worship is, before we talk about anything, we would be able to tell people, “Here is the difference our faith in Jesus is making in our lives.”

This is where Paul’s argument takes us. “So, you’ve known some benefits of following Jesus…fantastic! This is how it is supposed to be. Now here is more. Live this out with one another. Don’t live for yourself, live for others.” Our shared experience of being united with Christ moves us in the direction of like-mindedness. This is not a cult-like uniformity of thought and action, but instead a shared understanding of how our congregation relates to the world around us. The love for one another that has been formed through our experience of Jesus enables us to navigate the challenges of our own strong opinions. Rather than pushing us away from one another, our love for one another causes us to say, “You know, this person over here seems to think differently about a certain topic than I do. I don’t understand their opinion, but I know they take Jesus seriously. I wonder what they’ve figured out that I don’t yet understand?”

Remember the corn maze? The problem with the corn maze is like the some of the challenges facing the church—we think that we have all the information we need to navigate our present circumstances. But we don’t—we don’t have access to the bigger picture. If our first priority is our own opinion, or our own ideas, then what Paul describes here about

might not seem like good news…it might seem more like bad news.

When the Gospel feels like bad news

The love we have for one another in Jesus is vital for our life together, partly because when Jesus came to the neighborhood, he came to those on the margins. Jesus claimed this identity for himself when he was invited to read Scripture at the synagogue in Nazareth, reading the passage from Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

Where the vision of the church becomes difficult is when we proclaim the Good News of what we have found in Jesus, but it comes to people’s ears as bad news. If you have been living on the margins with no one to care for you and suddenly you find that there is a God and there is a group of people who will gladly call you their own; when you’ve had no place or position or status in the world but suddenly you come into the family of faith and find that there has been a place already set for you and people have been waiting for you to arrive, then this is surely good news.

But if you are the one who is oppressing the captives, or who benefits from the blindness of others, then the good news probably feels like bad news.

If you’re the one who has been badly hurt by someone close to you, then the good news of being forgiven by Jesus probably feels like bad news when you realized you’re to extend that to others.

If you’re the one who is insulted because of your race or skin color, then the good news that there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female but all are one in Christ Jesus might start to feel like bad news when you realize returning blessing for cursing is the Jesus way.

If you’re the one who is wealthy, then the good news of God’s abundant riches might seem like bad news when it comes to sacrificially sharing your wealth with others.

But you see, the kingdom of God has never been intended as a consumer product whose benefits are evaluated through 5-star reviews and social media likes and consumer satisfaction surveys. Offering people some “inspiration to get them through the week” is a safe enough until we come face to face with the pain and brokenness of the world around us. And then we’re going to need to follow Jesus in the neighborhood.

What gives me hope that our new vision statement can be helpful is that Brethren faith and practice has always been at its best when we are building our faith and engaging the world, and not when we are “sitting on our blessed assurance” criticizing everything that is wrong with all we can see. Alexander Mack, Sr. and seven others started a movement based on shaping their lives after Jesus, loving one another, and inviting others to join them. Their commitment was not easy; following Jesus cost them their wealth and their homes. But they gained a measurable experience of Jesus in their lives.

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tokupedia · 7 years

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youtube

Hey Marco, I had my own Ideas when I had the free time:

Cutie Honey GRX (Generation RemiX): An imaginary anime that if it were real would be on Sundays and advertised during Superhero Time. This takes elements of Cutie Honey’s long history and blends them into a new spin (including aspects of The Live).

Dr. Gou Kisaragi is experimenting with an unknown space isotope and nanotechnology that can make a system capable of making any form of matter materialize from surrounding air molecules. He is targeted for his research by Panther Claw and his pregnant wife Eiko is attacked by an assailant who works for them. Desperate to save his dying unborn child after his wife dies, Dr. Kisaragi uses the device to create an artificial womb and repair the cells and create nutrients to sustain the baby.

However, an unforeseen result happens as the baby begins self replicating its cells into fetal clones with the genetic quirk of differing hair colors and become fully grown infants in a matter of weeks. Dr. Kisaragi is then blessed with four healthy newborn daughters, Honey, Seira, Miki and Yuki.

19 years later Seira is getting married to a boy named Akira Hazuki, but their wedding is crashed by Panther Claw, who have finally found Dr. Kisaragi after going into hiding for so long. Akira is revealed to be a demon-like agent of Panther Claw and Gou tells his girls to change to fight Panther Claw off. The four becoming the shapeshifting superpowered Honey Warriors: Cutie, Misty, Hurricane and Flash. Together they fight Panther Claw led by the evil Panther Zora and try to solve the mystery of their mother’s killer!

Kamen Rider Pecos:

It is the future ...The Fire from the Stars has burned our world, In this age of fear.... a legend is told .... that the Waters of Strength and Wisdom shall cleanse the Water of Evil...and wash away the Fire from the Stars.

I envisioned a Wild-Western cyberpunk sci-fi “bad future” where the heroics of the Kamen Riders of the past get the attention of a race called the Pra’meths (Prah-Meeths, a play on Prometheus), who arrive in our galaxy long after the all the Riders have passed on or died in battle. The Pra’Meths are weapon makers and love war so much they consider it an actual religion, viewing slaughter and death as the divine work of God. Once they begin to invade, they are disappointed as no matter how many they hurt or kill, the Riders of legend will not come out.

Due to centuries of political corruption, apathy towards their citizens needs and living in spoiled luxury from corporate bribes, the leaders of the Earth surrender immediately after their weapons and defenses are destroyed and turn over our world to the Pra’meths in an act of cowardice. The aliens then use our planet as a weapons testing ground, scorching the Earth and leaving little water on it.

In the refugee city of Leone, The Pra’meths try to use their war devices in the hopes of bringing out humanity’s “war gods” the Kamen Riders. Only to find a ghostly figure and an actual Kamen Rider appearing before them!

The female whip wielding Rider named Nile is the city’s protector and the “ghost” says that she has been preparing for the arrival of the Pra’meths. The ghost also envisions that the Water of Wisdom shall soon meet the Water of Strength. During a tough fight, Nile sees a stranger walking into town and tells him to back away. He does not and dons a belt of his own, becoming a wind whipping, gun toting Kamen Rider known as Pecos!

The motif is modern style/cyberpunk western cowboys and cowgirls mixed with a desert animal from myths. Nile is based on a Raven and has a final form based on a Thunderbird. Pecos is obviously based on the legend of Pecos Bill (as it involves a wind theme of riding tornadoes) and is themed on a Rattlesnake. His final form is based on a Quetzalcoatl. I wanted him to have the classic “double scarf” like V3, but stylized in a way that gives it the illusion of a duster coat when it isn’t blowing in the wind. Nile has a dark blue scarf with a sun, moon and star on it, which references an old Native American myth about how Raven made the sky.

There is also a villain Rider the Pra’Meths “created” to try to deal with the threat after several failures, Khabur, an “Amazon gone wrong” idea of a wolf themed Rider who is mute and feral. An abducted human programmed to kill from childhood and has a psychotic animalistic nature. His final form is based on a Jackal. He is also sort of modeled in terms of personality when he isn’t all berserker on Jack Palance, the silent, black hat wearing evil cowboy seen in most old westerns. His belt can siphon the life force energy of people and animals to regenerate or simply weaken any resistance, based on data the Pra’Meths took from Kamen Rider J. (I thought of this before Genm was a thing)

The “water” thing is a metaphor, as the “ghost” (who is actually a “pure” good Pra’Meth from an alternate reality) thinks that the Riders will “wash away” the evil that burned the Earth and allow the planet to slowly heal itself. (Also, the Riders in the series are named after rivers) The “Soul Rounds” orbs they use are drawn from Earth’s remaining life force from a special spring or from ancient spirits of myth (In other words: Legend Rider toys!).

First and foremost, I want action. The gimmicks of the real shows proper are fine, but I decided that the Soul Rounds should be of a limited supply and expendable. This would allow more martial arts and gunplay to be incorporated and tense situations where it may seem the Riders may not win or have to retreat to plan out a strategy to defeat the enemy. I liked the old days when a Rider worked at it to gain victory. The Pra’Meths being weapons manufacturers and warmongers, would have various combat variants of footsoldier humanoid drones called Dorugs. (Infantry, Flying, stealth, human duplicates.)

Plasmids: The monsters of the week. I wanted to go back to basics by having remodeled humans who become monsters and are beyond saving. These people represent the worst in humanity: serial killers, thieves, some of the politically corrupt, racist extremists, scientists who abuse their gifts to harm others, a game hunter who hunts humans and at least one who is a child murderer. These are meant to be the Pra’meths evaluation of humans, just tools and worshippers of death. However, the Riders represent humanity’s compassion and desire for survival and preservation of life.

Each Plasmid is enhanced with powers that are unique and interesting, at least to me. A human female lieutenant of the bad guys who is a bat that can nullify light and sound in a surrounding area and fire sonic blasts. A lizardman who gets bigger and stronger whenever he is exposed to pain via an implanted gland that creates a steroid. A polar bear monster that has a “cryonic venom” that slowly freezes its victim secreted from the claws etc.

Despite going a bit apocalyptic, I wanted to show that humans are a resilient bunch and put a bit of optimism in it, showing the citizens of Leone building gardens, businesses and houses and using whatever they can find to make technology to cope with the hostile environment.

While there are moments where they feel despair or just pure hopelessness, the sight of the Kamen Riders never giving up on them give the people the drive to keep going, thus Leone thrives and grows as their spirits are raised and more and more of the Pra’meths are defeated.

What do you think sirs?

#fanfiction #kamen rider #tokusatsu

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courtneytincher · 5 years

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Global climate strike kicks off in Australia while Britain braces for weekend of chaos

Millions of people are taking to the streets across the world in what is expected to be the largest climate protest in history. Some of Friday's first protests were held in Australia, where an estimated 300,000 people gathered at more than 100 rallies calling for action to guard against climate change, with further demonstrations held across parts of Asia. Protesters joining the climate strikes in Britain can expect a day of unseasonably warm weather as they call on businesses and politicians to cut emissions. Children and young people across the country are preparing to walk out of lessons and lectures, with hundreds of thousands of workers expected to join them. In Westminster, the protests will start at 11am, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn set to address crowds this afternoon. But the Department for Education has echoed teachers unions in warning that whilst they "encourage constructive engagement" it shouldn't "come at the expense of our children’s education or excessive disruption". Teachers have been told that if they encourage students to attend or fail to record absences they put themselves at risk of legal or disciplinary action. The protests are part of a snowballing movement sparked by teenage activist Greta Thunberg's school strikes outside the Swedish parliament. What is happening in Britain today? The UK Student Climate Network (UKSCN) says more than 200 events are taking place across the UK, with - for the first time - adults being encouraged to join the youngsters as they strike. Among the many trade unions throwing their weight behind the strikes are the TUC Congress, the University and College Union and Unite. Some businesses are actively supporting their workers to take action, with outdoor clothing company Patagonia closing stores and offices globally, and taking out adverts to support the strikers. The Co-operative Bank has also teamed up with Unite to support its workforce to take part in the climate strikes. But business, energy and clean growth minister Kwasi Kwarteng said he could not endorse children leaving school to take part. Business, energy and clean growth minister Kwasi Kwarteng said he could not endorse children leaving school to take part Credit: Victoria Jones/PA He told BBC Breakfast on Friday that he supports the "energy and creativity" of students, but said time spent in school is "incredibly important". When asked if the Government is listening to the young protesters, he added: "Their voices are being heard. "What I do support is their energy, their creativity, and the fact that they have completely mastered these issues and take them very seriously. "I am not going to endorse people leaving school because I think education, time spent in school, is incredibly important." What disruption is expected in the coming days? On Saturday Extinction Rebellion plan to blockade the Port of Dover for four hours. The "No Food on a Dying Planet" action at the Kent port is expected to be mirrored across the Channel by other Extinction Rebellion groups. On Sunday, as the Labour Party conference gets underway in Brighton, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced that more than 20km of road in central London will be shut along with a further 340 streets which will be turned into “play areas”. But the move has been criticised as a “PR stunt” which will cost £1million which could have been invested in “proper measures to improve air quality”. Who is Greta Thunberg? Until last summer, the name Greta Thunberg was relatively unknown outside her family and friends in Sweden. The eldest of two girls, she is the daughter of actor Svante Thunberg and Malena Ernman, a well-known opera singer who came 21st in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest. (She is also distantly related to Svante Arrhenius, the first scientist to predict that carbon emissions would lead to warming.) Growing up with the family’s two labradors, Moses and Roxy, near the capital, Thunberg was academically sound but quiet, and became interested in the subject of climate change when she was just nine. Images of melting ice and polar bears in peril became stuck in Thunberg’s mind. At 11, she was uninterested in mobile phones or the trends other children followed, and her sadness turned to a crippling depression; stopping her from going to school, eating and – aside from family and one particular teacher at school – speaking. At around the same time, she and her younger sister, 13-year-old Beata, were diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, ADHD and other conditions. Thunberg says that her autism has helped helped her to focus on doing something about the subject that caused her depression. The global phenomenon | Greta Thunberg By last summer, Thunberg’s focus had outgrown the home. Frustrated by what she saw as weak-to-non-existent policies on climate change from the Swedish government, and provoked by the summer heatwave, she resolved to skip school and sit alone, every Friday, on the cobblestones in front of the country’s parliament. “I am doing this because you adults are s****** on my future,” said the leaflets she handed out to passersby. Students in other countries followed, including the UK, and soon tens of thousands of teenagers had joined the strike. Thunberg was invited to the United Nations climate conference and the World Economic Forum, in Davos. At the latter, she told a roomful of business leaders that their financial success had “come with an unthinkable price tag” for the planet. She has met Pope Francis and Jean-Claude Juncker, earned endorsements from Barack Obama and Leonardo DiCaprio, and been touted for the Nobel Peace Prize. “All my life I’ve been invisible, the invisible girl in the back who doesn’t say anything,” she said last year. No longer: “From one day to another, people listen to me.” Protests around the world The first large-scale protests of Friday's "global climate strike" took place in Sydney and Canberra, with demonstrators calling on leaders in Australia, the world's largest exporter of coal and liquid natural gas, to take more drastic action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Similar rallies are planned for around the world, with 800 events set to take place in the US and 400 in Germany. The protests come ahead of a climate summit at the UN next week convened by secretary-general Antonio Guterres to urge countries to up their climate efforts. Much steeper measures are needed across the globe to prevent temperature rises of more than 1.5C (2.7F) or 2C (3.6F) to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. As if to underline the urgency of the issue, the mercury is set to hit 26C (78.8F) in parts of Britain this weekend - 8C above the average for the time of year. People display placards during a rally as part of a global climate change campaign at Sanur beach on Indonesia's resort island of Bali Credit: AFP Asia, by Nicola Smith The Global Climate Strike has been spreading from the Pacific across Southeast Asia after kicking off in Kiribati, a tiny group of 32 atolls and former British protectorate in Micronesia. With sea levels rising, many believe huge areas of Kiribati will be inundated within 25 years. Local children took time out to hold up signs saying “we are not sinking, we are fighting.” In low-lying Vanuatu in the South Pacific, the deputy minister spoke directly to the US, Canada, Australia, Japan and New Zealand as countries “to blame for this threat to our survival” as hundreds took to the streets of Port Vila with colourful banners. Children in the Solomon Islands arrived by boat to protest, wearing traditional grass skirts and carrying wooden shields in solidarity with the global movement. Students attend a climate change protest in Marovo Island, Solomon Islands Credit: Reuters The protests built up momentum across Asia, from the Philippines and Singapore to Thailand and Indonesia. In Bangkok, which lies just 1.5 metres above sea level, about 200 protesters marched to the Ministry of Environment to deliver a letter calling on the government to declare a climate emergency. Locals in the Indonesian region of Kalimantan focussed on the hazardous air that has been caused by weeks of forest fires, and which have caused breathing and eye problems both at home and in neighbouring Malaysia. Australia, by Giovanni Torre In Australia, more than 300,000 students gathered around the country including state capitals and outback towns like Alice Springs. Kaelin Abrahams, a Year 11 student from North Albany High School, was a leading organiser of the strike and rally in Perth, Western Australia. He told The Telegraph that young people are motivated by the “existential threat” climate changes poses. “This is the greatest threat humanity has faced. It is a threat to us as a species and also a threat to biodiversity, to all life.” The 16-year-old said that his generation had “the most to lose” from unmitigated climate change. Protesters push an inflatable globe into the air while holding placards and banners during the Global Climate Strike demonstration at the Domain in Sydney Credit: David Gray/Bloomberg The Perth rally more than doubled in size from the equivalent action six months earlier, with at least 10,000 people rallying in the heart of the capital. Melinda Tupling, a teacher at an international school in Perth, organised for a strike at her school - with the blessing of their director of studies. “The majority of the students went to the strike and we marched together in the rally, it was brilliant,” she said. “The students described it as inspiring, epic, fascinating, empowering. They are all adult students from around the world studying English here in Perth.”

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the-richuation-blog · 6 years

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Absolutely poppin

Today started off as a relatively tame day. My alarm went off at 530 and I rolled out of bed to head to work. It’s -8(ish) and I’m driving to work, I hop on the freeway and am going about 110km/hr, all is going well until all of a sudden I hear this noise and my car starts swerving, so I’m like ‘o fuk o no oh shit oooo gawd’, I manage to pull over and I get out my car. I look, and the back tire is literally GONE, i shit u not, it is fucking gone- if i can figure this site out, i’ll post a picture but, it is just shreaded. i’m no car expert but im like golly this looks severe. So i call my car insurance people:

A nice lady picks up ‘hello road side assistance, are you safe?”

Me: “uhhh that’s a relative term, see i was driving to work and i popped on the freeway when my car made a noise, started swerving and now my tire is gone and i’m on the side of the road”

lady: “OH SHIT, that’s bad, okay we’ll send someone ASAP”

So i sit in my car, cold as balls waiting for people to arrive, in the mean time i’m making calls to work and whatnot trying to get my shit together. I managed to get out of my shift because work thought this was funny as fuck.

Car mechanic people show up and they are fucking rattled ‘girl what the hell did you do to this tire’. These godly angel men fix my tire in the span of like 4 minutes and throw a spare on (God bless like r u kidding me), but i gotta get this spare off and a new tire. I look up tire companies, shit u not, everything is goddamn closed because it is sunday, but im like ok no Richie get ur head in the game, figure this shit out. So i’m sitting in a Canadian Tire parking lot (thought they’d be open, fucking WRONG), and typing heavily into the google. Tech-savy me manages to find a different Canadian Tire that’s open. So i drive over there and like i said earlier, it’s cold- like -8 cause it’s winter here in Canada, and roads can get pretty shit. So I go into the auto service place and make the decision that i’m gunna ask them to fix my tire but also just throw on some winter tires because i felt like it would be smart to invest in winter tires.

So go into the shop confident as fuck, nice man asks what i need. And i explain the situation and say that i want new winter tires because i’ve never had them before but feel like I should get them. He’s asking me all these hard questions “what size tire u need” “what’s the make and model of your car” “what brand of tires do you have” “what year are these tires from” “is your car aligned” STOP LIKE IDK IM NOT A MECHANIC SIR, so i go outside and take some pics of the wheels for him. He’s going through my pics and he’s like “ma’am, you already have winter tires on your car...” and so at this point i look super idiotic- who wouldn’t know that?! (u see i just bought my car a couple months ago (BEFORE winter)- lightly used, and it had tires on it so i just assumed they were like all season, fucking NOPE. So i’d been driving winter tires through the summer (apparently that’s bad, mechanic man explained this to me).

So FYI, if your tires have polar bears on them, that probably means they’re winter tires- who woulda thought

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standrewumcspokenword · 7 years

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Doubting Thomas

I always feel like this Sunday is here to play tricks with us. John’s gospel gives us this definitive account of who Jesus is, inspiring us with Peter and John running to the tomb, seeing it empty, and consoling us with hearing the risen Jesus call Mary Magdalene by name.

1 And then we get to Thomas. Thomas called Didymus, or the twin, but we’ve always called him “Doubting Thomas.” How would you like to be pegged by a name like that? We call him Doubting Thomas because for one instance in scripture 2 he gives the only sane response anyone would have to “Jesus is Risen.” He asks, “really?” 3 Prove it.

People rising from the dead isn’t the norm in life. It’s not what we usually encounter. So when Jesus appears to the Twelve after the Resurrection, when Thomas is absent, 4 he comes into that upper room and says “Peace be to you.” Not go make war, but he speaks peace. And Thomas is naturally skeptical. He wants to be sure. 5 And so he says he won’t believe unless he can touch the body of Jesus, to know that it is the SAME body by touching the nailprints, the cut in his side. Even his risen body still bears the marks of the pain he endured. It’s interesting that none of those Disciples stayed around on Good Friday long enough to see those nails go in, but now they see. And so Thomas says he, too, must see, to believe. John presents this to us today and 6 ends with, “blessed are those who do not see and yet believe.”

From the beginning of the Christian movement, faith and doubt have been linked. Those who believe in Jesus and put their trust in his movement and those who naturally say… wait a minute, I’m still not sure.

We’ve often treated those two as polar opposites, as if to have any doubt is the enemy of faith, when we know full well that faith without any questioning is blind and not open to seeing. The disciples didn’t kick Thomas out for questioning. They invited him to stay and helped him believe.

Martin Luther, the one who started the Reformation by doubting some of the teachings of the church, put it like this – Pride – not doubt – is the opposite of faith. Paul Tillich, a writer who lived long ago, said “Doubt is not the opposite of Faith but an essential part of it.” 7 Even John Ortberg, one who writes a book meant to convince of faith has said that doubt does good – it motivates us to learn about Jesus, as it did Thomas; it purifies away beliefs that are false; it humbles our arrogance; and it gives us compassion with other doubters. [John Ortberg Faith & Doubt, p. 12]

8 <BLANK>

Right after confirmation Sunday, I never saw a young man I’ll call Tom in church again. He went through a year of confirmation with me, professed his faith, and then, his mother came down with cancer. This was pre-Facebook, so I had to hear from a few friends of his that he was no longer calling himself a Christian. He never returned my calls.

So many times I wanted to sit down and talk about God. His mother beat cancer and she’s in remission now. But that was at the beginning of the cancer. And Tom was angry. I heard that he couldn’t believe that God, an all-powerful God, would choose to let his mother suffer. If I had the chance, I’d sit down with him and say, “you know, I’m not sure that I believe in that kind of God, either.” I don’t believe in a God who randomly selects some for easy lives, calls them “blessed” and selects others for cancer. In fact, I see Jesus healing repeatedly, telling us that God does want us to be healthy. Perhaps the doctors and scientists today are helping us to do God’s work on earth. If I had the chance, I’d ask whether God could be the one who walks with us through our hardest days? And THAT God convinces us through the Resurrection that the End isn’t the End after all?

9 Doubt is not the end of Faith. It opens up new avenues to understanding ourselves and knowing God.

Don always loved Doubting Thomas Sunday. Don was a faithful member of my church, attended every week for many years, but one day after Doubting Thomas Sunday he pulled me aside, looked around, and confessed – “I believe in God, God I’m sure about now… but Jesus… I have some questions.” We had many great conversations. I was there as Don breathed his last, still professing faith in God and hopeful about who would welcome him and call his name.

When I come to this Sunday, I find it asks me to be honest about why I believe. To be honest about my faith and about my doubt.

Faith and Doubt is all over the news now. 10 Perhaps you’ve heard of a movie that’s out, The Case for Christ. It comes from a book of the same title by Lee Strobel, a former journalist at the Chicago Tribune. It’s gotten pretty good reviews. Strobel called himself an atheist until he sat down and, like a journalist on the courtroom beat, investigated the Bible – his objections to it, his doubt about the resurrection.

I’m encouraged by what he did in that book.

One of the main objections comes down to the question “Can we trust scripture?”

Two of the objections he writes down are those I hear a bit, the first is wondering whether outside evidence – archeology – confirms scripture or not. The second is about whether we can trust that what we have is what Jesus said.

11 We humans are a skeptical bunch. Like Doubting Thomas, we find it hard to believe what we don’t touch with our hands, or at least, we find it hard to trust that we’re given the real story. Look at the JFK Assassination and how many still wonder whether we have the whole truth about it. Or those who deny the fact of the Holocaust. And about 9/11. I suspect that in my children’s lifetime there will be those who will wonder whether 9/11 ever even happened. Despite those of us who know people who were there, the smoke I saw a few months after, the towers I touched, my kids may know some doubters.

And so it’s natural that people come to scripture and want to “trust but verify.”

To verify scripture, many doubters ask –12 is there archeological evidence, outside evidence to support scripture. I can tell them yes there is.

· Tacitus, writing in about 116 CE (formerly AD), confirms Pontius Pilate existed and even uses the name Christus when referring to Jesus’ followers, and confirms that the name “Christians” was given to us by those who opposed Christianity in the first century.

o He confirms that Christianity was a substantial movement, worthy of mention.

o If many others who were contemporaries of the disciples believed, it makes the witness credible to me.

· Josephus, a Jewish historian writing just a few decades after Jesus’ crucifixion, mentions Jesus a few times. Not all of his writings are authentic, they’ve been modified. But in the most credible passage, he lists Jesus as “Jesus-who-was-called-the-Messiah” or a better translation – who was believed to be the Messiah. Not all of his writings are authentic, but that one is. Along with Tacitus, his writings confirm

o That Jesus lived.

o That his name was Jesus.

o That he died by crucifixion at the hands of Pontius Pilate.

o That he was believed to be the Messiah.

The Second objection people have, is ok, but can I trust the internal documents, the scriptures themselves. After all, much of scripture was transmitted orally for the first 30-60 years until the gospels were written. I like this objection, and I think it’s one we need to take seriously, because it’s really a question of whether we can trust the message we’ve been given about Jesus.

Here is how we tend to answer it.

13 What do you notice about this image?

1. It has the time things were written down for scripture and the number of manuscripts we have.

Ø Interesting that in comparison to other major works, the Christian scriptures were written down rather quickly. Especially if you take Paul’s letters into account, which were written within two decades of Jesus’ death.

We have a lot of manuscripts – those are everything from a little piece of papyrus to a whole scroll. A friend of mine whose a philosophy professor at DePaul shared this image on Facebook. James McGrath, chair of the New Testament department at Butler University commented that the last column is a little “iffy.” If the documents are pointing to something inaccurate, it doesn’t matter how many we have. It doesn’t matter how many copies of a history book we have saying the world is flat, it isn’t so. But still… it does mean that we have many to compare.

What else do you notice about it? It’s laminated. It’s pocket sized. This chart is something someone keeps in their backpocket or their wallet in order to whip out whenever they want to convince someone else of faith.

That never works. That’s not how someone comes to Christ. It’s how we drive people away. As a missionary, nobody in India was convinced by arguments I presented about Christ. But I did have a guy tell me he wanted to be a Christian because of how we cared about each other, how we lived. Can you show someone where you struggle with scripture? Because scripture has parts in it that we have to wrestle with. Things that we have to decide whether we’re still going to believe that today –14 1 Peter said “slaves obey your masters.” I think none of us here would still support that idea. 15 1 Peter 3 also says “wives obey your husbands.” Uh-hem, I don’t think that’s going to win the argument over who does the dishes. She’ll convince it me it was my idea to wash them before quoting that verse will change anyone’s mind.

Quoting scripture doesn’t change people’s minds, nor does taking them to a movie like the Case for Christ. Part of the reason for that is because many Christians have caused belief in Jesus to come with a high price tag. For many who use books or movies like The Case for Christ, they believe that if I convince you with my argument, then you have to believe AS I believe. You have to profess faith not just in the teachings of Jesus, but how I interpret them. And often that’s included terrible ideas about who’s in and who’s out, who’s loved by God and who should struggle. For many who doubt, it’s not God or Jesus that makes them doubt, it’s that we as Jesus’ followers have done such a poor job of being honest. Honest about our own struggles with faith and life.

16 Pride, not doubt, is the opposite of faith. And believing that our way is the only way a Christ-follower can go is the pride that leads to the fall of all of us.

This week, 17 can you have an honest conversation a time you doubted about God, the Resurrection, or about Jesus? Can you share about a time when someone did something that hurt you and made you doubt even your faith?

If the Disciples didn’t kick Thomas out for not believing, then none of us can do that to each other. In those conversations this week, I also believe you may have someone who is there with you, eavesdropping, yet unseen, one you may not even recognize. We’ll talk more about him next week. I want to invite you back next week 18 for another look at Faith & Doubt. We’ll look less at the arguments around faith, and more about what faith in Jesus really looks like. What it means to believe in this Resurrection. 19 Amen

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hollywoodjuliorivas · 7 years

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Advertisement The Opinion Pages | OP-ED COLUMNIST Giving Away Your Billion David Brooks JUNE 6, 2017 Continue reading the main storyShare This Page Share Tweet Email More Save 265 Photo Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor and philanthropist, last year. Credit Andrew Harnik/Associated Press Recently I’ve been reading the Giving Pledge letters. These are the letters that rich people write when they join Warren Buffett’s Giving Pledge campaign. They take the pledge, promising to give away most of their wealth during their lifetime, and then they write letters describing their giving philosophy. “I suppose I arrived at my charitable commitment largely through guilt,” writes George B. Kaiser, an oil and finance guy from Oklahoma, who is purported to be worth about $8 billion. “I recognized early on that my good fortune was not due to superior personal character or initiative so much as it was to dumb luck. I was blessed to be born in an advanced society with caring parents. So, I had the advantage of both genetics … and upbringing.” Kaiser decided he was “morally bound to help those left behind by the accident of birth.” But he understood the complexities: “Though almost all of us grew up believing in the concept of equal opportunity, most of us simultaneously carried the unspoken and inconsistent ‘dirty little secret’ that genetics drove much of accomplishment so that equality was not achievable.” His reading of modern brain research, however, led to the conclusion that genetic endowments can be modified by education, if you can get to kids early. Kaiser has directed much of his giving to early childhood education. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story Most of the letter writers started poor or middle class. They don’t believe in family dynasties and sometimes argue that they would ruin their kids’ lives if they left them a mountain of money. Schools and universities are the most common recipients of their generosity, followed by medical research and Jewish cultural institutions. A ridiculously disproportionate percentage of the Giving Pledge philanthropists are Jewish. Older letter writers have often found very specific niches for their giving — fighting childhood obesity in Georgia. Younger givers, especially the tech billionaires, are vague and less thoughtful. A few letters burn with special fervor. These people generally try to solve a problem that touched them directly. Dan Gilbert, who founded Quicken Loans, had a son born with neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition that affects the brain. Gordon Gund went fully blind in 1970. Over the ensuing 43 years, he and his wife helped raise more than $600 million for blindness research. The letters set off my own fantasies. What would I do if I had a billion bucks to use for good? I’d start with the premise that the most important task before us is to reweave the social fabric. People in disorganized neighborhoods need to grow up enmeshed in the loving relationships that will help them rise. The elites need to be reintegrated with their own countrymen. Only loving relationships transform lives, and such relationships can be formed only in small groups. Thus, I’d use my imaginary billion to seed 25-person collectives around the country. Newsletter Sign UpContinue reading the main story Sign Up for the Opinion Today Newsletter Every weekday, get thought-provoking commentary from Op-Ed columnists, the Times editorial board and contributing writers from around the world. Sign Up Receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. SEE SAMPLE MANAGE EMAIL PREFERENCES PRIVACY POLICY OPT OUT OR CONTACT US ANYTIME A collective would be a group of people who met once a week to share and discuss life. Members of these chosen families would go on retreats and celebrate life events together. There would be “clearness committees” for members facing key decisions. The collectives would be set up for people at three life stages. First, poor kids between 16 and 22. They’d meet in the homes of adult hosts and help one another navigate the transition from high school to college. Second, young adults across classes between 23 and 26. This is a vastly under-institutionalized time of life when many people suffer a Telos Crisis. They don’t know why they are here and what they are called to do. The idea would be to bring people across social lines together with hosts and mentors, so that they could find a purpose and a path. Third, successful people between 36 and 40. We need a better establishment in this country. These collectives would identify the rising stars in local and national life, and would help build intimate bonds across parties and groups, creating a baseline of sympathy and understanding these people could carry as they rose to power. ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story The collectives would hit the four pressure points required for personal transformation: Heart: By nurturing deep friendships, they would give people the secure emotional connections they need to make daring explorations. Hands: Members would get in the habit of performing small tasks of service and self-control for one another, thus engraving the habits of citizenship and good character. Head: Each collective would have a curriculum, a set of biographical and reflective readings, to help members come up with their own life philosophies, to help them master the intellectual virtues required for public debate. Soul: In a busy world, members would discuss fundamental issues of life’s purpose, so that they might possess the spiritual true north that orients a life. 265 COMMENTS The insular elites already have collectives like this in the form of Skull and Bones and such organizations. My billion would support collectives across society, supporting the homes and retreats where these communities would happen, offering small slush funds they could use for members in crisis. Now all I need is a hedge fund to get started. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook and Twitter (@NYTopinion), and sign up for the Opinion Today newsletter. A version of this op-ed appears in print on June 6, 2017, on Page A22 of the New York edition with the headline: Giving Away Your Billion. Today's Paper|Subscribe Continue reading the main story RELATED COVERAGE BOOK ENTRY The New Gilded Age in Philanthropy MAY 1, 2017 WEALTH MATTERS How Top Philanthropists Wield Power Through Their Donations APRIL 14, 2017 TRENDING Trump Grows Discontented With Attorney General Jeff Sessions Intelligence Contractor Is Charged in First Leak Case Under Trump Op-Ed Columnist: The Lawless Presidency Some U.S. Diplomats Stage Quiet Revolt Amid Tensions With Trump Education Disrupted: The Silicon Valley Billionaires Remaking America’s Schools DealBook: Marc Kasowitz, ‘Toughest of the Tough Guys,’ Stands Beside Trump Feature: America’s Hidden H.I.V. Epidemic U.S. Islands: On a Georgia Island, a Lot of Good Food and Plenty of Nothing Aid Coordinator in Yemen Had Secret Job Overseeing U.S. Commando Shipments Op-Ed Columnist: Giving Away Your Billion View More Trending Stories » David Brooks Politics, culture and the social sciences. Donald Trump Poisons the World This White House is an axis of selfishness, which explains its suspicion of cooperative global arrangements, like NATO and the Paris climate accord. The Politics of Clan: The Adventures of Jared Kushner All his life he’s served his father or father-in-law. But Kushner is ill-served now by an approach that focuses on tight and exclusive blood bonds. More in Opinion DAVID LEONHARDT The Lawless Presidency EDITORIAL Where Are the United States Attorneys? ROGER COHEN A Case for Jeremy Corbyn THE CONVERSATION The Polar Bear in the Room Recommended for You No, ‘Covfefe’ Was Not Trump Speaking Arabic THE PUBLIC EDITOR The Public Editor Signs Off Go to Home Page » SITE INDEX THE NEW YORK TIMES Site Index Navigation NEWS World U.S. Politics N.Y. Business Tech Science Health Sports Education Obituaries Today's Paper Corrections OPINION Today's Opinion Op-Ed Columnists Editorials Contributing Writers Op-Ed Contributors Opinionator Letters Sunday Review Taking Note Room for Debate Public Editor Video: Opinion ARTS Today's Arts Art & Design Books Dance Movies Music N.Y.C. Events Guide Television Theater Video: Arts LIVING Automobiles Crossword Food Education Fashion & Style Health Jobs Magazine N.Y.C. Events Guide Real Estate T Magazine Travel Weddings & Celebrations LISTINGS & MORE Classifieds Tools & Services Times Topics Public Editor N.Y.C. Events Guide Blogs Multimedia Photography Video NYT Store Times Journeys Subscribe Manage My Account SUBSCRIBE Home Delivery Gift Subscriptions Crossword Email Newsletters Alerts Corporate Subscriptions Education Rate Mobile Applications Replica Edition Site Information Navigation © 2017 The New York Times Company HomeSearchAccessibility concerns? Email us at [email protected]. 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mrrolandtfranco · 7 years

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Community Bulletin January 12

School News

» A Safety Message from the Head of School's Office

It has been brought to our attention that there was an incident in Dong Jiao Guest Villas this week where four houses were broken into and money and valuables were taken. Please be aware that there is often an up-tick in burglaries over the holiday season (now through Chinese New Year) so we would encourage you to be extra vigilant, locking your bikes and scooters and securing your homes. If you should experience any sort of burglary, please call 110 immediately to report the incident.

» Save The Date for the 14th Annual Gala & Auction on March 11. Tickets on sale February 13 - March 3. Tickets cost 850 RMB each.

» Follow us on Concordia's Official WeChat Account.

Get the latest updates. New information will be sent out once a week. Scan the QR code.

» Phoenix Shop

Looking for a great Holiday Gift? Please swing by the Phoenix Shop! Holiday sale on our "Levi" inspired Denim Jacket. 2 washes and sizes run Small to XXLarge. It has the "Xie He" tag and Shanghai buttons. Regular price was 300 RMB and now it is reduced to 100 RMB! Also, our Men's and Women's Polar Fleece is on Sale. Regular price 200 RMB, now 100RMB. We also have some new items. "Ayi in Training" laundry bags, Shanghai Tai Tai aprons, Phoenix Strong t-shirts and long sleeve dry weave shirts. New charity items include Wooden Tree trivets, Wooden Christmas Trees and batik notebooks. Great small items to take home for the holidays. The Phoenix Shop is open Monday through Friday at the lunch hour, 11:30 AM-1 PM. Mondays and Wednesdays from 3-4 PM.

» School Uniforms

The Uniform shop is located in the High School basement off of the PE Commons and is opens from noon to 4 PM, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday For your reference, the uniform policy appears on the Uniforms website. Questions regarding uniforms should be directed to: [email protected].

Our Community

» Towel & Blanket Drive

Do you love animals? Want to help bring comfort and warmth to rescue animals during this cold winter? The HS Environmental Committee is holding a Blanket & Towel Drive. Drop off your unwanted blankets and towels in the box by the HS office. On Saturday, Jan. 14th, there will be a day trip to the Best Friends Animal Shelter in Songjiang to bring these towels and blankets to the rescue animals there to help keep them warm and cozy. For more information about the Best Friends China animal charity, visit http://ift.tt/1J6tjGK.

Athletics & Arts

Welcome back. Hope everyone had a great break. This weekend our high school basketball teams will compete in the city SISAC basketball tournaments. The Varsity teams will be at SAS PD and the JV teams are in Suzhou. The high school swim team will be at SAS PX competing in the China Cup swim meet on Friday night and all day on Saturday. We are one short week away from our APAC teams traveling to their season ending tournaments. Good luck to all of our teams, athletes and coaches.

PSO

» PSO Used Uniform Sales

Gently used Concordia uniform pieces are also for sale at all monthly PSO meetings. The uniform pieces cost 20 RMB each. If you have gently used uniforms you no longer need, please consider donating them to the PSO. Visit PSO website for more information on our upcoming events, and learn how you can get involved.

Job Openings

» Open positions for the 2017-18 School Year

We are currently in the midst of hiring for next year. We have already talked with some outstanding educators. If you know of any exceptional candidates who are both outstanding teachers and models of Christian faith, please either encourage them to go to our website to learn more http://ift.tt/2h5eAnw or contact Steven Nurre at [email protected]

Faculty opening:

Administrator: HS Assistant Principal

Director of Marketing

Primary (Gr. 1-4) Classroom Teacher--currently Grade 1 and 2

Early Childhood Classroom Teacher--currently Kindergarten

MS Math/Science Teacher

ES Physical Education Teacher

MS Humanities (Gr 5-8) Classroom Teacher-this position is now confirmed internal candidates should let me know ASAP.

Potential HS Social Studies

Potential-English Language Learner (ELL) Coach --will be filled only if the Bridge class does not attract enough students

Support Staff openings:

ES Teaching Assistant or Grade Level Assistant (PRC only)

Accountant (PRC only)

Opportunities

» Charity Gym Day to Help One of Our Own

As we all know the gift of giving is the greatest gift of all. We recently found out that one of our Shanghai Gymnastics families has been going through tough times and we will be hosting a Charity Gym Day on January 22nd in the hopes that our amazing community can pull together and make a difference in the lives of these people.

Who are we helping? Matt and Kari Alligier have been friends since 11 years old and eventually married in 2010. They have 2 beautiful children, MJ and Harlyn. MJ was born with profound hearing loss at birth and has had surgery to get 2 cochlear implants, which have changed his life. Recently, baby Harlyn has also been diagnosed with profound hearing loss. In order to give her the best chance of hearing, she will also need to undergo surgery for 3 cochlear implants. Unfortunately, the surgery is extremely expensive. It is going to cost the family close to 20K USD with further costs for follow up treatments. This has caused much hardship and financial stress to the family.

A message from Kari: "Our lives have been blessed with two beautiful children, MJ and Harlyn. Though it has been quite a rough road, cochlear implants have completely changed our son's life. The fact that we can look at him and say "we love you" and for him to hear his favorite songs or read him a book, it's a miracle and the most indescribable feeling. We want our daughter to have this same advantage and be just as blessed as her brother. MJ is currently in pre-K and is reading and doing amazing in school! We know that with the help from these doctors, this will be Harlyn in 4 years too. It's a long road ahead, but nothing will stop us from getting there for our baby girl!"

The Charity Gym Day is for children of all ages and skill levels to come into the gym for a 1 hour session. All proceeds from this event will be going to the Alligier family to help pay for the medical bills for little Harlyn. We sincerely hope that we can all open up our hearts and give Harlyn a chance at a healthy life.

Date: Sunday, January 22nd

1 - 2PM (First session)

2:15 - 3:15PM (Second session)

3:30 - 4:30PM (Third session)

Cost: Each session is 150 RMB Location: Shanghai Gymnastics Jinqiao (2622 Jinqiao road, #59, building #1) 40 children per session maximum so please send RSVP to [email protected]

100% of proceeds will go to the Alligier family!

» Service Opportunity Hosting families "Service Through Friendship"

This program offers the opportunity to be a "Big Brother" to two of WILL Foundation boys for one or two nights. The boys will be paired. They're between the ages five and twelve. They could share a bed or enjoy camping-out on a rug. (Sleeping bags available.) But, be warned, they eat like bears Contact [email protected] Click here for more information. Thank you. Looking for host families for the following dates:

Saturday January 14, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10 AM 1 night

Thursday January 19th 3:20 (Friday NO SCHOOL) until Saturday morning 10 AM 2 nights

Chinese New Year – January 27 – February 4. You pick your dates and boys. Very flexible.

Saturday February 17, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10 AM 1 night

Friday February 24, 2017 3:20 pm until Sunday 10 AM 2 nights

Friday March 10, 3:20 PM until Sunday 10 AM 2 nights

Saturday March 18, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10AM 1 night

Friday April 28, 2017 3:20 PM until Sunday 10 AM 2 nights

Saturday May 6, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10 AM 1 night

Saturday May 20, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10 AM 1 night

» Community Center Events

Community Center is having a Shanghai 123 session on Friday the 20th of January and I would kindly like to ask your help to invite new parents/families to this orientation.

To all new families and newcomers in Shanghai, Community Center Shanghai is inviting you to Shanghai 123 on Friday January 20th from 9 AM to 12:30 PM.

It's an orientation that gives you the resources to navigate your first year in Shanghai. Click Here for Registration

It's free, including breakfast, lunch and childcare. It's also a great chance to meet others that arrived around the same time in Shanghai.

Location: Community Center Shanghai, 1146 Biyun Road, Pudong, Shanghai (http://ift.tt/2jluETd)

Check more information at http://ift.tt/2dWsQyq

Club Sports and Community Sports Organizations

Below you'll find a list of clubs and organizations that offer a variety of sports activities to the community. If you would like for Concordia to consider adding a listing, please email the Marketing Department.

» Phoenix Swim Club » Shanghai American Football League » Shanghai Sluggers Youth Baseball » Shanghai Thunderbirds Ice Hockey » Sport For Life » Active Kidz Shanghai » Shanghai Griffins Basketball » Century Park Football Club - Soccer Training » Tuesday Night Co-ed Volleyball (starts after Chinese New Year) » Shanghai Gymnastics » Shanghai Chess Club Offers Classes at CCS » Multisport » Dulwich Earthquakes (Excellent Soccer Source)

Worship

» Please click here for information about Worship Services in Shanghai.

» Moms In Prayer International

Experience the joy of replacing anxiety with peace and hope by lifting up our children, teachers, staff and community with thanksgiving. Join other moms who meet twice a month on campus to seek guidance and wisdom for our children, our school and the Concordia community. Friendly to women of all languages. Please contact Michelle Wu if you have any question.

Classifieds

Please check next week!

Drivers & Ayis

When hiring ayis or drivers, please remember to check references and ask around the community for first-hand recommendations. Even in situations where ads are posted by Concordia families, please recognize that these ads are not vetted in any way by the school before posting. Although names and contact information of ayis and drivers are posted in the Community Bulletin, we do not affirm and/or affiliate ourselves with them.

Please check next week!

Reminders

» Carrying Copies of Passport and Visa

We have been informed by Public Security Bureau that policemen are being sent to different locations like supermarkets or streets to check people's passport and visa. We would like to remind our community that carrying a copy of your passport and visa in your wallet is recommended so you are fine if you are checked. Please note that the policemen will show you their working ID when they stop you. If they don't, please ask. If you forget to carry the two copies, they could take you back to their office. In this case, we suggest you contact your employer who can confirm your passport and visa information. They may also stop unaccompanied students so I would recommend that you review this procedure with them as well.

» New Residence Permits, Work Permits or Passports?

Whenever you or your family members receive new residence permits, work permits and/or passports, please be sure to send copies of your new documents to the Admissions office, in the Welcome Center (1st floor High School). Or, email soft copies to Admissions. Keeping your children's files up to date helps us keep in compliance with Chinese governmental regulations.

» Health Office Information

Concordia's Health Office has put together this useful list of emergency telephone numbers and addresses in both Chinese and English. Click here for the list or contact the Health Office for more information. Flu Shots For information on Flu shots, contact the Health Office. Contact Jenny or Yukki directly.

» No Bicycles for Children Under Age 12 on Public Streets - Shanghai International Schools Association (SISA)

The following information regarding bicycle riding in Shanghai is shared in an attempt to be helpful to all its member schools. For safety purposes, the regulations in Shanghai allow for bicycles to be ridden on public streets only by children age 12 and above. This regulation is strictly enforced in Puxi, but is unevenly applied in Pudong. The immediate danger is that families may assume that local protections for bicycle riders may be the same as in their own country, but they are not. It is important to be aware that if a child under 12 is involved in any kind of accident on a public street or crossing, the parent may be held responsible. Sidewalks and bicycle paths along public roads are considered part of the public roads. In addition, as accident insurance is relatively new to China and there are not many precedents with these situations, your own accident or medical insurance company has the right to refuse cover in the event of violation of the local law. We hope that better understanding will result in better safety for younger children.

» Community Bulletin Objectives

The Community Bulletin conveys school and student-related information and supports community, volunteer and charitable organizations. The classified section and driver/ayi notices, are meant as a service to parents. With the exception of sharing information and offers from Concordia's official corporate partners, we do not support commercial ventures or for-profit organizations. The Community Bulletin editors reserve the right to omit submitted content deemed to fall outside the scope of the Community Bulletin.

» Parent Directory Privacy Policy

At Concordia, we are very protective of family information and data. The school emails only information that is important and directly related to the school and student issues. Internally, we carefully monitor what is emailed to parents and ensure it is appropriate. The use of email addresses from the parent directory for non-school related or commercial reasons is a severe misuse of the directory.

» Submitting Community Bulletin Items

The Community Bulletin is a bi-weekly newsletter. Please submit text in final format by Wednesday at noon in Arial font (maximum 100 words or 5 sentences in paragraph form with a headline) to [email protected]. Based on the schedule of the next bulletin, submissions may be included the week they are received or the following week. Any submission received after this time on the week scheduled for publication will be included in the next bulletin in two weeks. Submitted items may run for a maximum of two consecutive publications.

from Concordia International School News http://ift.tt/2jlCMDq

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mrandyzavala · 7 years

Text

Community Bulletin January 12

School News

» A Safety Message from the Head of School's Office

» Save The Date for the 14th Annual Gala & Auction on March 11. Tickets on sale February 13 - March 3. Tickets cost 850 RMB each.

» Follow us on Concordia's Official WeChat Account.

Get the latest updates. New information will be sent out once a week. Scan the QR code.

» Phoenix Shop

» School Uniforms

Our Community

» Towel & Blanket Drive

Athletics & Arts

PSO

» PSO Used Uniform Sales

Job Openings

» Open positions for the 2017-18 School Year

Faculty opening:

Administrator: HS Assistant Principal

Director of Marketing

Primary (Gr. 1-4) Classroom Teacher--currently Grade 1 and 2

Early Childhood Classroom Teacher--currently Kindergarten

MS Math/Science Teacher

ES Physical Education Teacher

MS Humanities (Gr 5-8) Classroom Teacher-this position is now confirmed internal candidates should let me know ASAP.

Potential HS Social Studies

Potential-English Language Learner (ELL) Coach --will be filled only if the Bridge class does not attract enough students

Support Staff openings:

ES Teaching Assistant or Grade Level Assistant (PRC only)

Accountant (PRC only)

Opportunities

» Charity Gym Day to Help One of Our Own

Date: Sunday, January 22nd

1 - 2PM (First session)

2:15 - 3:15PM (Second session)

3:30 - 4:30PM (Third session)

Cost: Each session is 150 RMB Location: Shanghai Gymnastics Jinqiao (2622 Jinqiao road, #59, building #1) 40 children per session maximum so please send RSVP to [email protected]

100% of proceeds will go to the Alligier family!

» Service Opportunity Hosting families "Service Through Friendship"

Saturday January 14, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10 AM 1 night

Thursday January 19th 3:20 (Friday NO SCHOOL) until Saturday morning 10 AM 2 nights

Chinese New Year – January 27 – February 4. You pick your dates and boys. Very flexible.

Saturday February 17, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10 AM 1 night

Friday February 24, 2017 3:20 pm until Sunday 10 AM 2 nights

Friday March 10, 3:20 PM until Sunday 10 AM 2 nights

Saturday March 18, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10AM 1 night

Friday April 28, 2017 3:20 PM until Sunday 10 AM 2 nights

Saturday May 6, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10 AM 1 night

Saturday May 20, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10 AM 1 night

» Community Center Events

Community Center is having a Shanghai 123 session on Friday the 20th of January and I would kindly like to ask your help to invite new parents/families to this orientation.

To all new families and newcomers in Shanghai, Community Center Shanghai is inviting you to Shanghai 123 on Friday January 20th from 9 AM to 12:30 PM.

It's an orientation that gives you the resources to navigate your first year in Shanghai. Click Here for Registration

It's free, including breakfast, lunch and childcare. It's also a great chance to meet others that arrived around the same time in Shanghai.

Location: Community Center Shanghai, 1146 Biyun Road, Pudong, Shanghai (http://ift.tt/2jluETd)

Check more information at http://ift.tt/2dWsQyq

Club Sports and Community Sports Organizations

Worship

» Please click here for information about Worship Services in Shanghai.

» Moms In Prayer International

Classifieds

Please check next week!

Drivers & Ayis

Please check next week!

Reminders

» Carrying Copies of Passport and Visa

» New Residence Permits, Work Permits or Passports?

» Health Office Information

» No Bicycles for Children Under Age 12 on Public Streets - Shanghai International Schools Association (SISA)

» Community Bulletin Objectives

» Parent Directory Privacy Policy

» Submitting Community Bulletin Items

from Concordia International School News http://ift.tt/2jlCMDq

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mrmarknewman · 7 years

Text

Community Bulletin January 12

School News

» A Safety Message from the Head of School's Office

» Save The Date for the 14th Annual Gala & Auction on March 11. Tickets on sale February 13 - March 3. Tickets cost 850 RMB each.

» Follow us on Concordia's Official WeChat Account.

Get the latest updates. New information will be sent out once a week. Scan the QR code.

» Phoenix Shop

» School Uniforms

Our Community

» Towel & Blanket Drive

Athletics & Arts

PSO

» PSO Used Uniform Sales

Job Openings

» Open positions for the 2017-18 School Year

Faculty opening:

Administrator: HS Assistant Principal

Director of Marketing

Primary (Gr. 1-4) Classroom Teacher--currently Grade 1 and 2

Early Childhood Classroom Teacher--currently Kindergarten

MS Math/Science Teacher

ES Physical Education Teacher

MS Humanities (Gr 5-8) Classroom Teacher-this position is now confirmed internal candidates should let me know ASAP.

Potential HS Social Studies

Potential-English Language Learner (ELL) Coach --will be filled only if the Bridge class does not attract enough students

Support Staff openings:

ES Teaching Assistant or Grade Level Assistant (PRC only)

Accountant (PRC only)

Opportunities

» Charity Gym Day to Help One of Our Own

Date: Sunday, January 22nd

1 - 2PM (First session)

2:15 - 3:15PM (Second session)

3:30 - 4:30PM (Third session)

Cost: Each session is 150 RMB Location: Shanghai Gymnastics Jinqiao (2622 Jinqiao road, #59, building #1) 40 children per session maximum so please send RSVP to [email protected]

100% of proceeds will go to the Alligier family!

» Service Opportunity Hosting families "Service Through Friendship"

Saturday January 14, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10 AM 1 night

Thursday January 19th 3:20 (Friday NO SCHOOL) until Saturday morning 10 AM 2 nights

Chinese New Year – January 27 – February 4. You pick your dates and boys. Very flexible.

Saturday February 17, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10 AM 1 night

Friday February 24, 2017 3:20 pm until Sunday 10 AM 2 nights

Friday March 10, 3:20 PM until Sunday 10 AM 2 nights

Saturday March 18, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10AM 1 night

Friday April 28, 2017 3:20 PM until Sunday 10 AM 2 nights

Saturday May 6, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10 AM 1 night

Saturday May 20, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10 AM 1 night

» Community Center Events

Community Center is having a Shanghai 123 session on Friday the 20th of January and I would kindly like to ask your help to invite new parents/families to this orientation.

To all new families and newcomers in Shanghai, Community Center Shanghai is inviting you to Shanghai 123 on Friday January 20th from 9 AM to 12:30 PM.

It's an orientation that gives you the resources to navigate your first year in Shanghai. Click Here for Registration

It's free, including breakfast, lunch and childcare. It's also a great chance to meet others that arrived around the same time in Shanghai.

Location: Community Center Shanghai, 1146 Biyun Road, Pudong, Shanghai (http://ift.tt/2jluETd)

Check more information at http://ift.tt/2dWsQyq

Club Sports and Community Sports Organizations

Worship

» Please click here for information about Worship Services in Shanghai.

» Moms In Prayer International

Classifieds

Please check next week!

Drivers & Ayis

Please check next week!

Reminders

» Carrying Copies of Passport and Visa

» New Residence Permits, Work Permits or Passports?

» Health Office Information

» No Bicycles for Children Under Age 12 on Public Streets - Shanghai International Schools Association (SISA)

» Community Bulletin Objectives

» Parent Directory Privacy Policy

» Submitting Community Bulletin Items

from Concordia International School News http://ift.tt/2jlCMDq

0 notes