In the News ... "UTPB professor studying psychology of religion, music"

• “There needs to be more research in the area”

By Ruth Campbell, Reporter
• Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - As part of a research team with members from around the world, University of Texas of the Permian Basin assistant psychology professor Kevin Harris is conducting a study of the psychology of religion and music

Harris is a founding member of a research team called the Aitheros Research Association, or ARA. It is devoted to scientific research on spirituality, music and theater in the fields of counseling and psychology, the website said ...

• read the rest of this OA report ...

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer.

Courtesy Photo

Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 23, 2018

1,001 NEW WORSHIPING COMMUNITIES - The Presbyterian Mission Agency recently approved 10 Mission Program Grants to a diverse range of worshiping communities ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

Burgers & Blessings continues this week at Grace Presbyterian

Laura Up In the Clouds

Summer is here, and our annual summertime Burgers & Blessings is underway!

The dinners begin at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday evenings at Grace Presbyterian Church, 2801 N. Garfield Street in Midland, Texas ... and are very casual The members of Church on the Journey will be joining us this year.

Burgers & Blessings is a time to get together for for fellowship, mid-week. The church provides burgers, hot dogs, fixin's and drinks. You just come, bring a side-dish or desser, and the gift of youe company. The dinners will run from June 6 through August 8 (no dinner on July 4th.

We hope to see you there!

We set up 'teams' to take turns preparing. If you would like to be on a team to help set-up our fellowship hall for the meal, please contact Suzi Thompson, Judy Brown or Cheryl Truzkowski at the church - phone number (432)-684-6542. The men's study group will be taking turns doing the grilling.

There's a place at the table for YOU ... join us?

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer.

Photo by R.O. Jewel

Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 22, 2018

MUSIC AND ART CAMP FOR KIDS - Kenilworth Presbyterian Church in Portland, Oregon, held its seventh annual Music and Art Day Camp from July 16–20. Designed for children in kindergarten through third grade, the camp provides early exposure to music and art in an affordable, accessible way ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

In the News ... "Lubbock Faith Briefs"

Courtesy Photo

• What’s going on in area churches

By Erica Pauda, Reporter
• Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - From the Avalanche-Journal, news of special events and programs from Lubbock-area houses of faith ... ...

 • read the rest of this LAJ report ...

 • more from the LAJ's "South Plains Faith Calendar" ...

In the News ... "Abilene Church News"

• Special programs and services around the Big Country

Staff Report
• Abilene Reporter-News

ABILENE, TEXAS - From the Reporter-News, news of services, special events and programs from Abilene-area houses of faith ...

• read the rest of this ARN report ...

In the News ... "San Angelo Faith Briefs"

• Today, and in the days ahead

Matthew McDaniel,, Reporter
• San Angelo Standard Times

SAN ANGELO, TEXAS - From the Standard-Times, news of special events and programs from Concho Valley houses of faith ...

• read the rest of this SAST report

In the News ... "Odessa Church News"

• Today and in the days ahead, in Odessa-area houses of worship

Staff Report
• Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - Coming events include worship services, classes, Bible studies, community outreach, fundraisers, mission opportunities and more ...

• read the rest of this OA report ...

Including updated VBS guide!

In the News ... "Investigative team examines tears from 'weeping' Hobbs statue"

LCSN photo by Todd Bailey

• What's next?

Diana M Alba-Soular, Reporter
• Las Cruces Sun-News

HOBBS, NEW MEXICO - The Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces has made some progress investigating a Virgin Mary sculpture in a Hobbs church that appears to be weeping.

Bishop Oscar Cantú of the diocese — which spans all of southern New Mexico, including Hobbs — said Friday a sample of the fluid collected from the sculpture was sent for chemical analysis ...

• read the rest of this LCSN report

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer.

Courtesy Photo

Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 21, 2018

GUN CONTROL - In 2016, when I was 12 years old, I read an article about a boy half my age named King Carter who was gunned down less than a mile from my home in Miami Shores. King was walking to a convenience store to buy candy when he was killed in the crossfire between two drug-dealing gangs. After reading about his tragic story, I didn’t understand why he had to die ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

REMINDER ... "Free family movie night at Stonegate"

• TONIGHT at Stonegate-Odessa

Staff Report
• Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - Stonegate Odessa, 4240 Preston Smith Road, has scheduled a Free Family Movie Night featuring Ferdinand from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday - TONIGHT - outside in the pavilion.

The movie starts at 8 p.m.

There will be free popcorn, cotton candy, Kona Ice and drinks.

Bring a blanket or lawn chairs.

From @FWMission ...Friday Story: "Contagious Compassion, Part II"

Founded in 2001, Free Wheelchair Mission is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to providing wheelchairs for the impoverished disabled in developing nations. Headquartered in Irvine, California, FWM works around the world in partnership with a vast network of humanitarian, faith-based and government organizations, sending wheelchairs to hundreds of thousands of disabled people, providing not only the gift of mobility, but of dignity, independence, and hope.

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Friday Story: "Contagious Compassion, Part II"

Several weeks ago, we shared the first part of a story by Karla DeSimone, who had given a wheelchair to a boy named Trung in 2007 and has kept in touch with him since.

Trung, Karla, and Hieu, who works for our local distribution partner, recently embarked on a wheelchair distribution and were joined by a surprise guest—their cab driver, who was moved to participate after overhearing their conversations in the car ...

• read the rest of this story ...

In the News ... "Lubbock area LDS church provided nourishing gift for South Plains Food Bank"

• In conjunction with Summer of Sharing

By Erica Pauda, Reporter
• Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - The South Plains Food Bank on Tuesday received a timely, surprise donation from the area Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mike McCauley, director of public affairs for the church in the Lubbock area, said his organization always strives to make nourishing donations to the food bank during the summer months.

The food donation - eight pallets it total - came in a tractor-trailer filled with such meal staples as macaroni and cheese, rice, chile con carne with beans, tuna and more ...

 • read the rest of this LAJ report ...

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer.

Courtesy Photo

Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 20, 2018

SOUTH SUDAN COUNCIL OF CHURCHES - The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a bloc of eight nations in the horn of Africa, has invited the South Sudan Council of Churches (SSCC) to convene a South-South dialogue to strengthen the commitment to peace-building in South Sudan ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

FBR Report: "Burma Army Laying Landmines in Civilian Areas"

The Free Burma Rangers (FBR) is a multi-ethnic humanitarian service movement. They bring help, hope and love to people in the war zones of Burma (Myanmar) and the Middle East. Groups send teams to be trained, supplied and sent into the areas under attack to provide emergency assistance and human rights documentation. Together with other groups, the teams work to serve people in need.

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FBR Photo

Burma Army Laying Landmines in Civilian Areas

Since April, FBR has received six reports of civilians being killed or wounded by Burma Army landmines in northern Burma alone, leaving a total of four dead and four injured. These actions show a clear disregard for civilians in conflict areas, and are, according to the KIA, standard practice followed by the Burmese military after their offensives ...

• CLICK HERE to read the rest of this FBR Report ...

• CLICK HERE to learn how YOU can get involved in FBR and its mission ...

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Free Burma Ranger, the film ...

This film, currently in production, chronicles the journey of an American family bringing aid to hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people caught in Burma's war zones, a bloody conflict that is one of the longest-running civil war's in the world.

• Learn more about the film, and hour YOUR donation can help complete its production ...

In the News ... "Free family movie night at Stonegate"

• TOMORROW at Stonegate-Odessa

Staff Report
• Odessa American

ODESSA, TEXAS - Stonegate Odessa, 4240 Preston Smith Road, has scheduled a Free Family Movie Night featuring Ferdinand from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday outside in the pavilion.

The movie starts at 8 p.m.

There will be free popcorn, cotton candy, Kona Ice and drinks.

Bring a blanket or lawn chairs.

REMINDER ... "Christian BMX ministry summer tour stopping in Midland"

Courtesy Photo

• TONIGHT at First United Methodist-Midland

Staff Report
• Odessa American

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Outcast BMX Summer Tour Special is scheduled to take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at First United Methodist Church, 300 N. Main St., Midland.

Outcast BMX is a Christian BMX ministry made up of four different teams led by top Christian BMX pro riders. Every summer, Outcast BMX tours putting on jaw-dropping shows for the whole family.

For information, call Kara Harris at (432) 559-5035.

In the News ... "'Rock the Desert' brings the stars"

Courtesy Photo

• Event features top talents from variety of genres

Staff Report
• Odessa American

ODESSA/MIDLAND, TEXAS - It’s been 18 years since Rock the Desert started and the outdoor Christian music festival has a full lineup of top acts again this year.

Rock the Desert 2018: No Fear, an outdoor Christian music festival, has been scheduled Aug. 2-4 at Rock the Desert festival field, 2000 S. FM 1788, Midland ...

• read the rest of this OA report ...

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer.

Photo by Earl Arnold

Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 19, 2018

PRESBYTERIAN PEACE NETWORK FOR KOREA - Soon after my wife, Hyeyoung Lee, and I began our mission co-worker assignment in South Korea, a Presbyterian elder from Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery, Linda Russell, called to tell us that her presbytery has been maintaining a Korean Partnership Team for over a decade. Linda suggested that this team might be interested in our work as site coordinators of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) program. We felt our excitement for the work ahead reciprocated. That began what has been a long and fruitful partnership with Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

In the News ... "Christian BMX ministry summer tour stopping in Midland"

Courtesy Photo

• TOMORROW at First United Methodist-Midland

Staff Report
• Odessa American

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Outcast BMX Summer Tour Special is scheduled to take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at First United Methodist Church, 300 N. Main St., Midland.

Outcast BMX is a Christian BMX ministry made up of four different teams led by top Christian BMX pro riders. Every summer, Outcast BMX tours putting on jaw-dropping shows for the whole family.

For information, call Kara Harris at (432) 559-5035.