Community members, gathered for a vigil in response to a noose found on campus, sing Amazing Grace led by Rochelle Ellis, lecturer in music.

Carlett Spike

Lead us from darkness to light, said Vineet Chander, coordinator of Hindu Life

A hangmans noose was found on a construction site on Princetons campus, according to messages sent from administrators to students in June. In response, Princeton leaders and community members gathered at Firestone Plaza on June 27 to denounce hate and spread love.

Those of us assembled here today understand that the manifestation of fear is hate, said Leslie Summiel, president of the NAACP of Trenton. History has shown us explicit symbols are often used to instill fear, he added.

In a joint message from Counseling and Psychological Services and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion sent to Princeton students, they offered support and explained what a noose symbolizes. The symbol of the noose is a deplorable and intolerable insignia of white supremacy, they wrote. Nooses have a long history of being used as a prevailing symbol to primarily target, terrorize, and traumatize Black people in America. This recent incident is racialized and violent.

An intimate crowd of about 40 community members were spread across the plaza, many in pockets of shade to take cover from the hot afternoon sun. The hum of cicadas droned on in the background as each speaker presented an item. Vineet Chander, coordinator of Hindu Life and Hindu chaplain for the University, presented an oil lamp. It symbolizes illuminating darkness, Chander said. He encouraged the crowd to act as a source of light and love. Lead us from darkness to light, he said. Again, and again the message from each speaker was clear: Hate will not be tolerated.

Vineet Chander, coordinator of Hindu Life and Hindu chaplain for the University, addressed the crowd at a rally on Sunday.

Celine Pham 24 shared examples of systemic racism that she learned about during her past year working with Princeton Mutual Aid while on a gap year from the University due to the pandemic. She said shes attended a series of protests and vigils this year, including the protest held in solidarity with MOVE police bombing victims, that speak to the larger issues of racism that are a persistent problem.

Pham said she hopes the University is working to rectify the larger issue. I hope the magnitude of what the Black community has endured in Princeton is not lost on administrators and when there is time for proposals to be made and actions, its not just about the minimum, she said. It should be about everything they can do to make this right. Rochelle Ellis, lecturer in music, closed the program by leading the crowd in singing Amazing Grace and We Shall Overcome.

Read the original:
Campus, Community Denounce Hate After Noose Found at Construction Site - Princeton Alumni Weekly

NEW PARIS Karl Andrew Klein, 61, of New Paris, Ohio, died unexpectedly June 26, 2021, of a natural cause. He was a man of faithfulness, committed to walking humbly with his God and serving his family devotedly. True to his character, he died at the end of a day spent with his children and working on a home renovation. Karl was born Aug. 7, 1959, in Cleveland, Ohio, to William Edward Klein and Polly Virginia (Lazarus) Klein.

He was preceded in death by his father.

Karl graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelors degree in animal science and a masters degree in swine production. He married his beloved Julie on March 20, 1982, and moved his family to Indonesia to serve as missionaries in 1984. He moved his wife and children back to Ohio in 1988, where he started a small hog and sheep farm and worked in purchasing. He went on to work in a variety of industries, including construction, hearing aid sales and manufacturing, while farming on the side.

Karl was a diligent worker, always busy with do-it-yourself home projects and farm work. He enjoyed working with his hands, taking care of farm animals, studying the Bible, participating in Bible Study Fellowship for decades and taking care of his large family. He was a committed member of the First Baptist Church of New Paris.

Karl will be remembered for being a tender husband, father, grandfather and son. He often said his children were his proudest accomplishment and he was happiest when all nine of them were together with him. He was also a sweet grandpa who was an expert at snuggling babies.

He loved to tell funny stories that made him laugh until he cried and thoroughly enjoyed dancing The Chicken Dance at weddings.

He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Julie (Schumm) Klein; his nine children, Andrew (Anna) Klein, Kate (Jeremy) Tucker, Nathan (Allie) Klein, Martin (Kaitlyn) Klein, Lydia (Timothy) Petry, Joseph (Heidi) Klein, Isaac Klein, Heidi Klein and Geoffrey Klein; and 10 grandchildren. He is also survived by his mother, Polly Klein; his sister, Kendra (Phil) Beran; and his brother, Kurt Klein.

Visitation will be held Friday, July 2, 2021, from 5 to 8 p.m., at First Baptist Church, 6751 State Route 320, New Paris, Ohio.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, July 3, 2021, at 10 a.m., at First Baptist Church, 6751 State Route 320, New Paris, Ohio with Rev. Reggie Osborne I officiating. Interment will be held in Spring Lawn Cemetery in New Paris, Ohio. Arrangements entrusted to Barnes Funeral Home in New Paris. Condolences via http://www.barnesfuneralhome.com.

Read more:
July 1, 2021 KARL ANDREW KLEIN - Early Bird Newspaper

The stateDepartment of Transportation will be replacing two bridges running over Cherokee Creek and Corner Creek in Anderson County beginning next summer.

SCDOT gave more details about the projects during a public information meeting at Belton-Honea Path High School.

The replacements are part of SCDOTs 10-year plan (started in 2017) to replace and update the states roads and bridges.

Handouts for the two projects said both bridges, located in Belton and Honea Path, are currently load restricted and are approaching the end of their usable lives and that replacements are needed to correct structural and functional deficiencies in the existing bridges.

Both bridges will be closed during construction but detours will be provided.

The Mayfield Heights Road Bridge is located about six minutes from the Belton Library right off of Belton Highway in Belton.

Along with replacing the bridge, the project will relocate the tributary stream about 20 feet north of the bridge to keep it from eroding the roadway in the future. If needed, a buffer zone will be created to let the stream run its course without harming the road.

The detour route will be about 2.6 miles long. Drivers will have to get around the construction by going from Pine Top Road (S-80) to Belton Highway (US 76) to Highway 413 (SC 413) to Horton Road to Tripe Lane and then to Jim Garrett Road (S-438), depending on which direction they are coming from.

Right-of-way acquisition and construction will begin in the summer of 2022 and will take about one year to complete.

The Samuel Road bridge running over Corner Creek is about three minutes off of Church Street and the same distance away from Honea Path Middle School.

The detour during the construction of the Samuel Road bridge over Corner Creek will be about 1.14 miles. Drivers will have to go from Brooke Street (S-297) to West Greer Street (SC 252) to McKay Road (S-671) and then to Francis Street (S-771).

Right-of-way acquisition and construction will begin in the summer of 2022 and will be completed in nine months.

According to SCDOT's website, the South Carolina House of Representatives voted in favor of a bill in 2017 that would raise taxes on gas to provide funds to improve the states roads and bridges after a 30-year backlog in maintenance.

The 10 year plan includes repaving and resurfacing roads, making rural roads safer, repairing or replacing aging bridges and improving key portions of our interstates. The SCDOT is in year four of the 10 year plan and says they are currently ahead of schedule.

Justine Lookenott covers breaking news for the Independent Mail. Reach out to her at jlookenott@gannett.com, on Twitter at @justalookenott or through Facebook.

Read more from the original source:
SCDOT to replace two bridges in Belton and Honea Path next summer - Independent Mail

In addition to this promotion, Church has been named to the Board of Mobility 21. She will be filling out the term of former Executive Director, John Hakel effective immediately. Mobility 21 is a coalition that brings together public, business and community stakeholders to pursue regional solutions to the transportation challenges facing Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura counties.

Church was instrumental in helping to get SB 1 (The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017) passed. This legislationinvests more than $5 billion annually directly for maintenance, repair, and safety improvements on state highways, local streets and roads, bridges, tunnels, and overpasses. This act has been crucial in funding repairs for Southern California's infrastructure.

"Carol has been instrumental in building and growing the reputation and success of the Partnership," saidRSCP Executive Director, Jon Switalski. "The timing was perfect to promote Carol for all she has achieved during her time here."

ABOUT REBUILD SOCAL PARTNERSHIPEstablished in 2016, the Rebuild SoCal Partnership, (RSCP) is an organization that represents 2,750 construction firms and more than 90,000 union workers in all 12 Southern California counties. Based in Anaheim, California RSCP is dedicated to working with elected officials and educating the public on the continued need for essential infrastructure funding, including airports, bridges, ports, rail, roads, and water.

Rebuild SoCal Partnership has recently launched the Rebuild SoCal Zone Podcast, which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other platforms where podcasts are available.

To learn more about the RebuildSoCal Partnership, please visit http://www.RebuildSoCal.org

SOURCE Rebuild SoCal Partnership

https://www.socalworks.org

View post:
Carol Church Promoted to Deputy Executive Director of Rebuild SoCal Partnership - PRNewswire

From VDOT:

I-95 Northbound

Exit 98 (Doswell) to I-95 Northbound Safety Rest Area

Sunday Thursday, 9 p.m. 5 a.m. Mobile operation with single to double lane closures for milling and paving the travel lanes north of Exit 98/Doswell at mile marker 101 to mile marker 108, which is near the I-95 Northbound Safety Rest Area and Welcome Center. Crews will also close the off-ramp periodically when necessary between these hours at exit 104 (Route 207/Rogers Clark Boulevard). Northbound travelers seeking Route 207 are advised to use exit 110 (Route 639/Ladysmith Road) to I-95 southbound then use the southbound ramps to access Route 207 as the recommended detour. Drivers should use the most convenient alternate route to Route 207 depending on their destination.

Exit 126 (Spotsylvania)

Monday, 9 p.m. midnight. Single northbound lane closure for construction activities related to the Route 17 overpass replacement project.

Exit 148 (Quantico)

Monday Friday, 9 p.m. 4:30 a.m. Single northbound lane closure for construction activities for Improve95 projects.

I-95 Southbound

Exit 136 (Centreport Parkway) to Exit 133 (Route 17)

Monday Thursday, 9 p.m. 10 a.m. and Thursday 9 p.m. 4:30 a.m. Friday. Single southbound lane closure for construction activities for Improve95 projects.

Exit 133 (Route 17) to Exit 130 (Route 3)

Monday Friday, 9 p.m. 4:30 a.m. and Thursday Friday, 9 p.m. 6 a.m. Single southbound lane closure at 9 p.m. followed by double lane closures at 10 p.m. for construction activities for Improve95 projects. Double lane closures will end at 4:30 a.m. A single southbound lane will remain closed until 10 a.m. except on Friday, when all lanes will reopen by 6 a.m.

Exit 126 (Spotsylvania) to Exit 118 (Mudd Tavern Road)

Sunday Wednesday, 9 p.m. 5 a.m. Mobile operation with single to double lane closures for milling and paving the travel lanes south of Exit 126 at mile marker 121 to mile marker 117, which is near the Exit 118 interchange.

Stafford County

Route 1 Northbound

Monday Friday, 9 a.m. 3 p.m. Single northbound lane closure for Potomac Creek bridge replacement, between Potomac Creek Lane and Centreport Parkway intersection.

Route 1 Southbound

Tuesday. Route 1 southbound traffic at Potomac Creek will be shifted slightly left to use the future northbound lanes on the new bridge, under construction. This shift allows crews to build the southbound lanes of the new bridge. Two southbound lanes will remain open.

Route 3 Westbound

24-hour-lane closure. Right westbound lane on Route 3 between Route 607 and Route 218 at the bridge over CSX for work under the bridge.

Hospital Center Boulevard

Monday Thursday, 9:30 a.m. 3 p.m. and Friday, 9:30 a.m. 2 p.m. Single lane closures on Hospital Center Boulevard between Route 1 and Austin Ridge Drive for Improve95 projects construction.

Spotsylvania County

Route 17 (Mills Drive)

Sunday Friday, 7 p.m. 6 a.m. Alternating single lane closures on Route 17 at the bridge over CSX railroad tracks located between Route 608 and Route 609 for bridge work.

Route 608 (Benchmark Road)

Wednesday Thursday, 9 a.m. 5 p.m. Alternating single lane closure on Route 608 between Route 17 and Route 17/2 Business for paving and placing shoulder stone.

Route 620 (Harrison Road)

Monday Friday, 9 a.m. 3 p.m. Single lane closures on Harrison Road with one-way, alternating traffic between the I-95 overpass and Salem Station Boulevard for tree clearing associated with water line placement. Construction for development under permit.

Route 639 (Leavells Road/Salem Church Road)

Sunday Tuesday, 7 p.m. 6 a.m. Milling and paving. Mobile single lane closures for road resurfacing work between Route 3 and Route 208. Motorists can expect a temporary rough surface in milled areas.

Caroline County

Route 207

Sunday Friday, 8 p.m. 5 a.m. Alternating single lane closure on Route 207 from Route 3 to Route 208 for pavement work. Flaggers will direct drivers through the work zone.

Route 601 (Golansville Road)

Wednesday Thursday, 5 a.m. 5 p.m. Friday, 5 a.m. noon. Alternating single lane closure on Route 601 at the bridge over Stevens Mill for repairs. Flaggers will direct drivers through the work zone.

Route 625 (Passing Road/Supply Road)

Thursday Friday, 7 a.m. 7 p.m. Alternating single lane closure on Route 625 between the Essex County line and the King & Queen County line for surface treatment.Drivers will direct traffic through the work zone.

Surface Treatment

Drivers should expect alternating single lane closures on the following routes for surface treatment. Flaggers will direct drivers through each work zone.

Monday Friday, 7 a.m. 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 26 Sunday, June 27, 7 a.m. 7 p.m.

Essex County

Route 360

Sunday Thursday, 7 a.m. 7 p.m. and 7 p.m. 7 a.m. Drivers should be prepared for alternating single lane closures on Route 360 between the King and Queen County line to just east of Route 730 (Aviation Road) for milling and paving.

Route 629 (Battery Road)

Monday Thursday, 8 a.m. 5 p.m. Drivers should expect delays on Route 629 at the intersection with Route 624 (Essex Church Road) and Route 628 (Femlea Road) for the installation and removal of highway signs.Flaggers will direct drivers through the work zone.

Route 716 (Waring Mill Road)

Monday Friday, 8 a.m. 5 p.m. Drivers should expect delays on Route 716 at the intersection with Route 17 (Tidewater Trail) and Route 627 (Mt. Landing Road) for the installation and removal of highway signs.Flaggers will direct drivers through the work zone.

Gloucester County

Bridge Washing Operation

Sunday Friday, 7 p.m. 6 a.m. Bridge washing will take place at the following locations. Drivers should be alert to mobile single lane closures or flagging operations in the work zone:

King George County

Route 301 Northbound

Tuesday Thursday, 9 a.m. 3 p.m. Single lane closure on Route 301 northbound at the approach to the Nice Bridge for utility relocation as part of Marylands new Nice-Middleton Bridge project. A flagging crew will direct drivers in the work zone.

Route 605 (Bloomsbury Road)

Monday Thursday, 7 a.m. 7 p.m. Alternating one-way traffic on Bloomsbury Road between Route 3 and Route 218 for paving. Flaggers will direct drivers in the work zone.

Route 609 (Comorn Road)

Wednesday Thursday, 7 a.m. 7 p.m. Alternating one-way traffic on Comorn Road between Route 677 and Route 218 for paving. Flaggers will direct drivers in the work zone.

Route 623 (Jersey Road)

Road closure. Jersey Road is closed to through traffic near the Rt. 301 intersection for an emergency pipe replacement project. Road is anticipated to remain closed until Aug. 2021. Detour route is posted along Route 301 and Route 3.

Excerpt from:
Area road work this week - Fredericksburg Today

Brandon Davis|Kinston/Jones Free Press (kfp)

A Kinston church held a sesquicentennial celebration on Wednesday to break ground for a new sanctuary.

St. John Free Will Baptist Church, located at 405 E. Blount St., started in 1870, five years after the close of the Civil War, and on Wednesday, Feb. 17, church members attended the groundbreaking ceremony to kick off the much-anticipated construction on the same property.

A historical moment, a 150-year celebration is called a sesquicentennial, church member Lendell Fields-Wayne said. Well, today, we add one additional year to it.

More: Video: St. John FWB Church groundbreaking ceremony

St. John Pastor William F. Hudson, Jr., who became the churchs eighth pastor in 2015, said a three-story sanctuary with a balcony was demolished last year to build the new 10,000 to 12,000 square-foot sanctuary at the exact same location. He said construction should begin in two weeks, and the new facility will connect to the current building.

Whats great about that is were known already in this location, Hudson said. So, were just going to bring more to the community. Nobody has to find us. Were still here in one of the centers of Kinston, and were still making a difference.

Before the church was built at the corner of Blount Street and East Street, services were held originally on the banks of the Neuse River at the end of West Gordon Street. Members then moved to a small log building, which became the church. The first pastor was Rev. Cree Lanier.

From 1875 to 1914, the log building served as the sanctuary where members held meetings on the first and third Sunday. Rev. A. Carmon became the second pastor and served from 1879 to 1885. The church saw two new pastors, Rev. Gabel McNeil (1885-1891) and Rev. Griffin Suggs (1892-1922).

In 1901, the General Conference of the Free Will Baptist Church General Assembly was held at St. John, and for a number of years, the church was the site of the General Conference. The church is a member of the Northwest A Division Annual Conference of the United American Free Will Baptist denomination.

The congregation decided to build a new brick, Gothic and Romanesque inspired edifice at the Blount Street location in 1914.

Under the leadership of the next three pastors, Rev. Emmanuel Hill (1923-1956), Rev. W.L. Jones (1956-1982), and Rev. W.J. Best, Sr. (1982-2013), there was tremendous expansion and growth, according to the church. Hudson was installed as the eighth pastor six years ago.

The number 8 biblically represents new beginnings, and to be the eighth past here says that Im in a period where church is transitioning, Hudson said. I mean, were going to have to start doing church totally differently with COVID, so the number 8 to me is significant because it expresses new beginnings.

And to know that this churchs rich history has been around for 150 years with only eight pastors, speaks volumes to the dedication of those that are here.

Before St. John board members, Kinston Mayor Dontario Hardy, and Hudson broke ground with shovels, Hudson presented a plaque to chairperson James Fonville for his 60 years of faithfulness to St. John FWB Church.

You dont really know what this means to me, Fonville said. Ive been waiting for this day since 71 when Rev. Jones brought the idea to us about a project he had."

Fonville then grabbed a shovel with Hardy, Hudson, St. John Bishop J.E. Reddick, and chairperson Virginia Cox-Daughtery to break ground.

The age-old dream of erecting a church at this site has become a reality, Cox-Daughterty said. After 150 years at this site, were going to build a new church.

Read the original post:
151-year-old Kinston church breaks ground to kick off new sanctuary - Kinston Free Press

Al-Tahira Church in Qaraqosh (Baghdeda) was almost completely destroyed during the ISIS terror regime (2014-2017). Thanks to the generous support of ACN benefactors, the church has been rebuilt over the course of the last few years and is now almost fully restored. Pope Francis has confirmed that he will visit the Marian basilica on Sunday, March 7 during his visit to the country. Fr. Ammar Yako is overseeing the reconstruction.

What is the history of the church of Al-Tahira?

The construction of Al-Tahira Church in Qaraqosh began in 1932. The entire population of Qaraqosh helped in the work and contributed voluntarily to its construction, which was completed in 1948, when the church was inaugurated. It was a good way for people to show their faith. We know many stories about the time of the construction of the church from our parents and grandparents. Thanks to their hard work this great church was erected.

What did the church look like after the ISIS invasion and destruction?

As you know, in 2014 ISIS conquered the city and we fled to Kurdistan. After three years the city was liberated and we returned. I remember very well how destroyed the church was. It was completely burnt. They destroyed all the crosses, stole what was inside the church, the images and everything else. ISIS leaders wrote their names on the columns of the church, and used the outside of the church as a training ground for new ISIS fighters.

How did you feel when you first returned and saw so much destruction?

When I saw the church destroyed and burnt, I first felt a great sadness. It was so sad to see the house of God empty and destroyed like that. But at the same time I felt joy and happiness to go back to the city and re-enter the church. So there was joy and sorrow at the same time.

What does it mean to you to be responsible for the reconstruction?

When the bishop asked me to lead the reconstruction team, it was a very happy moment for me because I remembered all those people who helped in the past to build the church, our parents and grandparents; I felt united with all those who shared their faith.

How has the reconstruction evolved?

The reconstruction started in 2019. The first phase of the work consisted of fixing the pillars, which took until the end of 2019. In 2020 we started the second and third phases, the reconstruction of the church inside and outside. Thank God, we have reached the final phase of the reconstruction, and we hope to finish all aspects of the reconstruction of the church soon.

What was the reaction of the community of believers to the rebuilding of the church?

The reconstruction of Al-Tahira church is very important for the Qaraqosh community. All the people here feel it is their home, part of their history. So it is very important to reopen the church. Of course, in Qaraqosh we started by helping people to rebuild their houses, also with the help of ACN. When we finished, many people asked us when we were going to start rebuilding the church. Thank God, we are almost finished. I feel that people are looking forward to being able to come back here and pray again and show everyone that their church is open and that we can pray to God again in this church.

What does the Popes visit mean to you?

It is great to be here at this moment in Qaraqosh to welcome our Pope. When it was announced that the Pope would visit Iraq and Qaraqosh, I felt very happy to be able to welcome the Holy Father here, in this church, in this city, and share our faith together. The Pope can help us to live our faith in these times, and we can show him what our life is like as Christians here in Qaraqosh, in Iraq.

What challenges do believers face here in Iraq?

In Iraq, Christians face many challenges. First of all, they are part of this country, which is still unstable. Of course, above all, we have to serve God to help us to continue our life in Iraq. As a community, we have many other challenges. As a minority, we do not have many possibilities to work, so we have to try hard to find employment for our people. However, the biggest problem is emigration. Many families are now far away from Qaraqosh and Iraq, and if the situation does not improve many of them may not return.

Could you send a message to ACNs benefactors?

I would like to thank ACN for all it has done for us since we were displaced. When we fled from all the cities to Kurdistan, ACN supported us for three years. I thank all the benefactors for their help. When we returned to Qaraqosh, they also helped us with the reconstruction of houses and churches, and many other needs. Thank you very much and God bless you. We hope that together we can show the world our Christian faith.

Why should ACNs benefactors not forget the people of Qaraqosh?

In the current situation we still need the help of organisations, and especially ACN, for the many needs of the churches in Qaraqosh. Please continue to help us and give our community hope that we can continue to live here in Qaraqosh.

This article was first published by Aid to the Church in Need, and is republished here with kind permission. To learn more about ACNs mission to help the suffering Church visit ACNs US agency at http://www.churchinneed.org

Go here to read the rest:
Pope Francis to visit Iraqi church that was almost destroyed by ISIS - Aleteia EN

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ The Church of the Little Flower celebrated its grand opening by holding a Dedication Mass for the Church and Altar. Those in attendance included Cardinal Tobin, Father Andy Prachar, Father Matthew Dooley, Bridget Neigel, the Going Home Project Manager, the REDCOM team, members of the township, and parishioners. REDCOM was honored to work with the Church on their Going Home project!

Attendance had to be limited to a certain capacity due to COVID-19, but the mass was able to be live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube, so parishioners could enjoy the ceremony from the comfort of their own homes.

This is REDCOMs first Church project. It included an 11,200 SF addition, and a renovation of the existing facility, bringing the Church to the size of 17,900 SF. Several of the religious decorative elements were repurposed from the original Church, including the cupola, the framed stations of the cross, and the stained-glass windows in the Narthex of the Church.

Established in 1982, REDCOM is a multi-faceted design/build construction company headquartered in Westfield, NJ. Single-source responsibility, qualified in-house professionals, and experienced project managers have enabled REDCOM to design, receive approvals for, and construct many diversified facilities.

See the article here:
Going Home: The Church of the Little Flower's Dedication Mass - TAPinto.net

A rare series of frescoes spent centuries hidden beneath whitewash on the walls of the Cathedral of Augsburg in Bavaria, Germany, only to be rediscovered during the 20th century. Now, researchers examining the works anew have confirmed that they date to around 1000 A.D., reports Catherine Hickley for the Art Newspaper.

The findings suggest that the murals, which depict the life and gruesome death of Catholic saint John the Baptist, date back to the original construction of the historic cathedral. As German broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported in December, the artworks number among the oldest medieval wall paintings of their kind in the region.

Modern conservators who uncovered the frescoes in the 1930s and 80s didnt realize their age or significance. But dendrochronological tests conducted during construction on the cathedrals roof in 2009 revealed that the wood in parts of the structure dated to roughly 1000just a few years after much of the church burned down in 994, Birgit Neuhuser, a spokesperson for the Bavarian State Office for Heritage Protection (BSOHP), tells the Art Newspaper.

After a careful study of the frescoes that concluded late last year, conservators determined that the frescoes were also older than previously thought. (Early estimates had placed the artworks creation around 1065.)

The frescoes are therefore part of the original decor of the church, says Neuhuser. We can assume that in the case of an important Episcopal church, the frescoes would have been painted soon after the construction, so soon after 1000.

Conservators worked to carefully clean and restore the frescoes, which decorate the east and west walls of the cathedral transept. Though many patches are damaged or extremely faded, two scenes and the fragments of a third are still identifiable. These works depict scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist, a first-century preacher who lived in solitude in the desert and baptized Jesus.

One of the better-preserved frescoes portrays Johns beheading around 30 A.D. In the scene, Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee who ordered Johns death at the request of his wife Herodias and step-daughter Salome, sits on a throne. Another mural in the Augsburg cycle depicts Johns burial, which finds his entombed body surrounded by grieving saints, per a BSOHP statement.

Conservators think that these frescoes would have hung opposite scenes depicting Johns birth and baptism. Per the Art Newspaper, the other murals were likely destroyed to make way for a Gothic window in the 14th century.

In the statement, Bavarian officials compared the Augsburg murals to a similar fresco cycle at the Catholic church of Saint George of Oberzell, a Unesco World Heritage Site on the island of Reichenau in southern Germany. This church was founded in 724 and boasts a series of tenth-century frescoes depicting biblical scenes.

Outside of the Oberzell murals, the Augsburg works are the largest known early 11th-century fresco cycles found in German-speaking countries, says Mathias Pfeil, director of the BSOHP, in the statement.

According to Google Translate, Armin Zrn, pastor of the Augsburg Cathedral, adds in the statement that the murals are proof of the great design of this spiritual place through the centuries.

Original post:
1000-Year-Old Bavarian Frescoes Depict Life and Beheading of John the Baptist - Smithsonian Magazine

To save themselves, three congregations on Grand Manan have turned to some advanced technology, and each other.

In 2016, a trio of Wesleyan Churches faceddwindling attendance and increasing costs to keep their aging church buildings open.

The solution: to merge allthree and build a new church in the middle of the island, one that's relying on a 20-tonne custom geothermal heating system to "future-proof" it for generations to come.

Five years ago,North Head Wesleyan Church had around 30 people come throughitsdoors each Sunday. The case was the same forSeal Cove Wesleyan Church.Central Wesleyan Church in Grand Harbour had about 80 people in its congregation. Every winter, each church saw the price of maintaining its building increase;in particular, the cost of heating.

After long discussions andbargaining over 18 months, the concept of a merger was put to a vote. It passed.

From there, theLighthouse church was created.

"It is no small thing to walk away from your building, your heritage, and things that you value, and to choose something new for the greater good," said Pastor Tim Guptill, who now heads theLighthouseChurch.

For now, the Lighthouse church congregation gathers in Grand Harbour in theCentral Wesleyan church building. But as a condition of the merger, a state of the art building with cutting-edge systems is beingconstructed.

"What everyone had to agree to in the merger is that no group got to keep their building or their pastor," said Guptill. "And all three churches had to agree to a brand-new start.

"One of the reasons for doing that is so nobody 'wins.'No one gets to keep what they had. It's equal sacrifice, we're all going to start over."

A key part of the decision to create a new building was to construct it in a way thatwould ensure churchgoers using it in future generations wouldn't be saddled with the same issues that threatened the three original churches.

After months of planning and looking at several options for heating,the Lighthouse settled on installing a massive geothermal well system.

"I don't think there's any other system like this around," said Andre Theriault, the project manager for Atlantic Heating and Cooling.

According to Theriault,two wells were drilled between 50 and 100 metres beneath the new church. Those wells will pump water deep into the earth,where it's warmed and then recirculated to the surface. The energy extracted from those warmed waters is then used to heat and cool the church for a fraction of the cost of the baseboard heaters used in the older churches.

"It's a system that's so efficient compared to any other conventional system that's out there," saidTheriault. "You'll probably savebetween 50 and 60 per cent compared to any other system out there."

Guptill said the upfront cost of purchasing and installing the 20-tonne geothermal system was steep, but according to the church's calculations "in 10 years or so, the system should pay for itself."

Guptillsaid it's a bit of a novelty on an island known for a resistanceto change. He's aware of only one other geothermal system on the island, but none as large or as advanced. This one hassix environmental zones within the building that can be independently managed.

"I walk into the control room and looks like something from a science-fiction movie," said Guptill.

Although the church has around 140 members now, Guptill said about 100 children use itsmid-week programs during "normal, non-COVID" times. Thatupcominggeneration led the church to make decisions such as the investment in geothermal wells.

"We're thinking about them and trying not to saddle them with a ton of debt, trying not to saddle themwith a bunch of headaches down the road, but set everything up for long-term growth," said Guptill.

The first service is expected to take place in the new church this summer.

But as involvedas he's been creating this new advanced church, Guptillwon't be the pastor. As part of the original deal, he'll leave his pastor role of nearly 30 years in July and be replaced by 31-year-old John Lamos.

Guptill will still be involved with the "church of the future" but will get to focus more on his family-run coffee shop just down the road.

"I look forward to the future," said Guptill. "It's all sweet, no bitter."

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Old Grand Manan churches turn to new tech to protect their future - CBC.ca