You Can be Discriminated Against for Your Faith.

Here's the situation: Gina, a college student whom the American Center for Law and Justice is representing, is facing discrimination in her Intro to Philosophy class, a required course at her college. Gina had perfect grades on her Philosophy class assignments - until she took a stand for her faith, in opposition to her professor. The professor has not only docked her grades - he has also repeatedly derided Gina for her faith. (Does ''derided'' seem too strong a word? Decide for yourself: He has called her ''close-minded,'' ''uncritical,'' ''hurtful,'' and ''blinded by belief'' simply because she would not adopt his way of thinking. He said that to engage in dialogue, you have to at least acknowledge the possibility that God does not exist! Also, students could opt out of the final if they would put in writing that ''we have no free will.'')

This would be an outrage (and utterly unconstitutional) even if it only affected Gina - but it doesn't stop there. If this professor can get away with doing this to Gina, anyone can do it to YOU ... or your children, your grandchildren, your loved ones, your neighbors, members of your church ... anyone. This goes on daily in public institutions all across America but especially in public schools and Universities. Another strong reason for Strong Community Based Christian Education! A safe haven for the knowledge of God to be revealed and nurtured.

Grace and Peace,

Ed

http://www.urcwc.com/

12 Steps To Conflict Resolution

Conflict is a part of everyday life. Even in our best relationships there is conflict (a difference of oppinion and understanding). Communication is one of the most important skills to develop.

1. Learn to embrace and resolve conflict.
2. Address your anger appropriately.
3. Seek understanding, not victory.
4. Assume the best.
5. Learn to share your feelings appropriately.
6. Watch your tongue.
7. Speak the truth in love and with respect.
8. Attack the problem not the person. Don’t use “You” statements use “I” statements.
9. Deal with specific areas not generalizations.
10. Seek and grant forgiveness. Use the 4 statements in your notes.
11. Deal with conflict personally. Go to that person. Don’t reprimand anyone in front of others.
12. Be gentle. People are fragile.

The way to conflict resolution is the way of Love!

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.


Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends.

As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (1 Co 13:1-13).

Grace and Peace,

Ed

Do you agree or disagree that we should protect our children from negative and secular influences?

Many parents choosing public schools today do so largely on the grounds that they don’t believe they should protect their children from negative and secular influences.

While this line of reasoning not only ignores much of what the Bible teaches about raising children, it is also a misguided approach.

Rather than think about what we should or shouldn’t protect our children from, it is much more appropriate to focus on what we need to protect and prepare them for!

If we want to prepare our children for a life centered around God and His plans and purposes for them, then we need to begin by choosing an educational environment that will work with us, rather than against us, in helping our children grow toward that goal.

As a father of four daughters that graduated Upper Room Christian School I can say that it was the single best investment that I made in my children's lives. They are all grown adults now with respectable jobs (one teaches at the school) and they have learned to put God first in all that they do.

Grace and Peace,

Ed

Chinese Auction

Thursday night we had an awesome time at our annual Chinese Auction Fundraiser. Over 300 people came to support the school by buying chances to win specially prepared baskets. Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Donofrio and many others donated their time in getting donations from local business' and generous friends and making beautiful baskets to display.

We started by previewing the 150 baskets and the Marriot Windwatch was a buzz with folks choosing where to put their tickets. At 7:30 the salad was being served and we began picking out the winners. Basket by basket there were shouts of "that's me" and "I won" as eager benefactors got up to receive their prizes.

We had a lovely dinner and dessert and announced the winners throughout the night. The prizes ended with the winners of the 50" Flat Screen TV and the $1,000 money board. The night ended at 10:30 with winners from every table carrying out their prizes. My daughter won a Pannini maker for me and a Food Processor for her sisters. People won door prizes as well as prizes for answering the 30 different trivia questions asked by Mrs. Caldeira throughout the night.

All in all it was a great night of fun and fellowship with thousands of dollars raised for the school! We are all looking forward to next year's Chinese Auction!

Grace and Peace,

Ed