Consider yourself warned.

Under cover of darkness, a group of prowlers have been lurking about peoples yards in the Honesdale area with, well, odd intent.

These prowlers are not thieves. In fact, they are leaving something for their victims to find when they wake in the morning. Something golden.

You may have already seen the handiwork of this band of pranksters. You may have even been the beneficiary of one of their oddball offerings. You may find it in your front yard, you may find it on your roof though they havent been that ambitious yet one person in the area even found the strange mark of these merry misfits on a rock in the middle of their pond.

The item these tricksters are leaving for unsuspecting homeowners to find? A gilded throne.

But fear not. And please, think twice before releasing the hounds if you hear some giggling prowler in your yard over the next few months, for these prowlers mean you no harm.

If you happen to find yourself the unwary host of a golden toilet between now and Mid-June, as counter-intuitive as it may seem, check inside before calling the police. There you will find instructions on how to get rid of the thing and no more harm will come to you. Hottie Pottie

Far from being a case of serial vandalism, the curious commodes are making the rounds as part of an effort to raise money while having a bit of good, clean, Christian fun on behalf of Honesdales First Presbyterian Church.

According to church Youth Director Chris Scheuerell, the well-meaning mastermind behind the fundraiser, three of these golden thrones will be making the rounds over the next couple of months in an effort to raise $12,000 for two mission trips this summer to help out the disadvantaged in Wilmington, Del. and Warrensburg, N.Y.

Putting his own creative twist on an idea he read about on the internet, Scheuerell says its kind of awkward sneaking onto someones property in the dark of night to put a golden toilet on their lawn, but so far the response has been surprisingly positive.

See original here:
Creative fundraiser seeks to aid church mission trips

St. Andrew Catholic Church Crosswalk The St. Andrew Guadalupanas Society of Pleasanton will hold their annual Crosswalk on Good Friday, April 6. The Stations of the Cross will start at 11 a.m. at the church grounds, due to the construction at the Atascosa River Park. The covered dish luncheon will be afterward in the stage part of the church hall. Everyone is welcome.

All Saints Episcopal Church Here is the schedule at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pleasanton: April 1 - Palm Sunday: 10:30 am. Procession of the Palms; Reading of the Passion Story in parts by the congregation; service of Holy Eucharist. April 3 - Tuesday: Seder Meal, Long Hall, 6:30 p.m. Come, bring a friend. April 5 - Maunday Thursday Service of Holy Eucharist, 1:00 p.m. with the Rev. Craig Pooser. April 8 - Easter Sunday - 10 a.m. Coffee Social, favors for the children. 10:30 a.m. Flowering of the Cross with wildflowers followed by service of Festive Holy Eucharist, with the Rev. Craig Pooser. The Episcopal Church welcomes everyone. Casual attire is fine. The church is located on Hwy. 97W in Pleasanton across from Virginia Twins Garden Market.

For more information please call Pastor Joe Berkley, Poteet UMC, 210-833-0192. First Baptist Church of Pleasanton Sunday morning, April 1 at 10:50 a.m., First Baptist Church, Pleasanton, cordially invites the community to celebrate the Easter season by joining us for the musical O What a Savior presented by the Adult Choir followed by the observance of the Lords Supper. Thursday-Saturday, April 5-7, is Pre-Easter Youth Retreat at Alto Frio Camp. There will be a ropes course and climbing wall, basketball, volleyball, dodge ball, and softball. Registration deadline is Sunday, April 1. Youth must submit a medical release form at the church office or website at http://www.fbcpleasanton.org. Click on Solid Rock Youth tab. Cost is $60 per person, it includes dorm housing, meals, and a t-shirt. On Resurrection Sunday, April 8, there will be two worship services, one at 8 a.m. and the second at 10:50 a.m. Coffee and doughnuts will be served at 9:00 a.m. in the fellowship hall with Sunday School for all ages at 9:30 a.m. We pray you have a blessed Easter and share the good news of Jesus Christ with your loved ones. Tuesdays and Thursdays is Zumba Fitness Ministry led by Cheryl Price-at 5:45 p.m. The cost is $2 per session. On Wednesdays, Family Night meals begin at 5:15 p.m., AWANA Clubs from 6:00-7:30 p.m., and Youth Solid Rock at 6:30-8:00 p.m. AWANA clubs are for children first through sixth grade. First Baptist Church is located at 400 N. Reed St. in Pleasanton. The church office can be reached at 830- 569-2582.

Good Shepherd Lutheran

Church Here are the upcoming holiday services at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, located at 2507 Hwy 97 East in Pleasanton:

Palm Sunday, April 1- Worship service - 10:30 a.m.

Good Friday, April 6 -Worship Service - 7 p.m.

Easter Sunday, April 8 - Breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt - 9:30 a.m.

Worship Service - 10:30 a.m.

Easter, ways to fellowship at First Baptist Church- Poteet Easter Sunday at First Baptist Church Poteet will be a wonderful day to fellowship. Come hear the Word of God as we celebrate all that Jesus Christ has done and the hope of eternity He promises for those who believe and place their faith in Him. Breakfast will be cooked and served Easter Sunday morning by the Deacons of the church. Serving will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the fellowship hall. Sunday School classes start at 9:45 a.m. and Worship Service begins at 11:00 a.m. Please come join with us as we grow in the Lord. All men in Atascosa County are invited to attend a Wild Game Breakfast on April 21 here in the fellowship hall beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eggs, biscuits, gravy and wild game sausage will be served. There is also a guest speaker who will speak on leaving a legacy. Come and join other men as we eat, fellowship and grow closer with Jesus. For more information or to RSVP to make sure that we have enough food, please call the church office at 830-742- 3856. We look forward to seeing you here!

Original post:
Easter season services, church events

A request from the developers of the 140 West Franklin project has led the town to delay reopening Church Street to traffic until mid-August, causing many Chapel Hill residents and students to grow tired of the wait.

The project is on track, but were concerned about pedestrian safety because there is still a lot of construction going on, Kendria Sweet, spokeswoman for Ram Development Company, said.

Developers broke ground on the $55 million mixed-use development located at the corner of West Franklin and Church streets in January 2011.

The project will include 140 condominiums, 26,000 square feet of retail space and 337 parking spaces.

Emphasizing pedestrian safety, Sweet said the town agreed that the best solution is to allow Church Street to remain closed to traffic for an additional period of time.

Although pedestrians will have access to Church Street throughout all six phases of the construction, some students have expressed concern about the lack of lighting and seclusion of the pathway.

Senior Jessica Merrill, who lives off Church Street, said she has gotten used to the detour, but she avoids using it at night.

Its inconvenient and the path is not safe when its dark, she said. They put in some lights, but I wont walk through by myself.

Kaitlyn Warren, a political science major, is also disappointed. The delay is expected, but its obnoxious that we have to keep dealing with this, Warren said.

To alleviate some of these problems for pedestrians, the contractor John Moriarty and Associates Inc. has agreed to install a walkway on the north side of Franklin Street, along the front part of the site.

The rest is here:
Church Street opening delayed until August

Second Baptist Church grows in size and spirit

New addition and expanded community outreach as church marks 125th anniversary

BY KENNYWALTER

Staff Writer

Founded 125 years ago, the Second Baptist Church in Long Branch continues to expand both the church facility and its community outreach programs. PHOTO BY NICOLE ANTONUCCI Rooted in humble beginnings 125 years ago, the Second Baptist Church will dedicate a multimillion-dollar expansion on April 14 that includes an expanded sanctuary and community outreach.

The 15,000-square-foot addition to the church houses a 700-seat sanctuary, 12 classrooms, a 300- seat banquet hall and extra office space.

According to Chanta Jackson, who serves as church treasurer and project manager for the expansion, there will be a ceremony on April 14 to officially open the expanded facility.

Jackson, who has been affiliated with the church since 1968, described how the church has grown over the past 125 years.

The physical structure has expanded greatly during that period, she said. The addition alone is an additional 10,000 square feet since 1968.

Some of the Second Baptist Church members honored for more than 35 years of continuous service to the church. The awards were presented by the Rev. Aaron N. Gibson Sr., pastor, and Deacon Rodney Morris on March 10. PHOTO BY CHANTA L. JACKSON We also put on the educational wing in the 1970s and we expanded the sanctuary, she added. This is the fourth expansion that I have seen.

Read the rest here:
Second Baptist Church grows in size and spirit

By Jennifer Jiggetts The Virginian-Pilot March 28, 2012

VIRGINIA BEACH

At times it felt like a church service - nearly 30 religious leaders called on God for his blessing, guidance and strength.

At times, it felt like a protest - folks held signs that read: "This is about religious freedom!"

Either way, the message was the same.

Nearly 250 people packed the sanctuary at Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Tuesday morning to support the church in a land dispute with city officials.

Church leaders say the event was intended to raise awareness about their plight.

Emmanuel Episcopal, a 170-year-old institution in Kempsville, has been fighting with city leaders over a plan that will relocate the intersection of Princess Anne and Kempsville roads.

Before renovating their parish hall and building a preschool, church leaders said, they asked city officials about 12 years ago if there were plans to work on the intersection. They said they were told no and proceeded with the $2 million school construction.

Two weeks after the church dedicated the school, the city announced plans to realign the intersection, including taking a half-acre of the church's property. When the project is finished, the six-lane road will be 70 feet from the church's preschool. Church members say that threatens students' safety and the church's long-term survival.

Read this article:
Scores protest for church in Virginia Beach dispute

STATE COLLEGE A local church will get an expedited answer to its request to hook up to the public sewer in Harris Township, after a vote Monday night by Centre Region elected officials.

The Council of Governments General Forum voted 4-2 to allow Calvary Baptist Church to begin, out of sequence, the process of seeking approval to receive public sewer service at a new development planned for the churchs Harvest Fields site near the Boalsburg Technology Park.

The COG typically hears such requests, required when a development will exist outside the regions boundary for sewer service, in February and September. While the process to determine the impact of extending the sewer line can begin at another time in an emergency, the process does not define emergency.

Regional planning Director Jim May said the church developers want to begin construction this year.

Paul Rittenhouse, of Harris Township, explained that the church first submitted the request a year ago, but resubmitted based on various township requests. The home township must approve the sewer extension before it advances to the COG.

I think thats the urgency, Rittenhouse said of the initial delay.

College, Halfmoon, Harris and Patton townships approved an expedited process. Ferguson opposed, and State College officials tied, resulting in a no vote. Some officials said allowing the

impact process to take place outside the agreed-upon timeline will become overly burdensome for staff.

As for this project, I think its unfortunate that the developers have been delayed for a number of reasons, said Cathy Dauler, of State College. But I also think its important that we stick with the plan we have now.

Jeff Luck, of Patton Township, said that, when the process was initially developed, officials chose to review projects twice a year because they tend to be rather lengthy and contentious. He suggested reconsidering the entire process.

Read the original post:
Centre Region COG puts church request to extend growth boundary on fast track

03/26/2012 16:37 INDONESIA Authorities in Riau cancel building permits for Catholic church already under construction by Mathias Hariyadi The building site was seized on 21 March, and is now surrounded with barbed wire. For Catholics, it is a patent violation of religious freedom since the building committee had all the right papers. Some local Muslim groups claim that signatures were falsified. The local government said it wants to use the site for an agricultural research centre.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Indonesian Catholics are dismayed by the decision of Tokan Hulu Regency (Riau Province) to cancel the building permits for St Ignatius church. The site is now surrounded with barbed wire after it was seized on 21 March. Local Catholics see the decision as a patent violation of the principle of religious freedom, adding that their application to build the church was done by the book. Local authorities have countered that the site will be used for other purposes and that the local Muslim community no longer accepts the presence of a Christian place of worship

On 21 March, dozens of public officials from Rokan Hulu regency invaded the site where the St Ignatius Catholic Church was under construction, in the village of Sukamaju, Rambah Sub district, causing consternation among construction workers and parishioners, who quickly produced the right papers and permits.

In Indonesia, a building permit (Izin Mendirikan Bangunan) is needed for any construction. In case of Christian places of worship, 60 signatures from local Muslim residents are also required.

The St Ignatius Catholic Church was being built in Riau Province, even though it is part of Padang Diocese, in West Sumatra Province.

Fr Kus Aliandu Pr, the bishop's secretary, confirmed that the "building committee had all the right papers," plus "the signatures of 90 local Catholics and 60 non-Christians." On 23 November 2010, the authorities gave construction the green light and the first brick was laid on 19 December 2011.

When the committee could not complete construction within the allotted time of five months, it applied for an extension on 6 August 2011. However, it received a negative answer on 2 January this year.

Now the authorities say the site where the church is under construction is slated for an agricultural research centre.

On 5 October 2011, some Muslim groups raised doubts about the authenticity of some of documents, claiming that some are fakes and that some signatures were falsified.

See original here:
03/26/2012 16:37 INDONESIA Authorities in Riau cancel building permits for Catholic church already under construction

By STEVE EIGHINGER Herald-Whig Staff Writer

Union United Methodist Church is receiving a facelift.

"This is the most comprehensive renovation since the church was built in the late 1950s," said the Rev. Bob Morwell, who has been pastor of the church at 1101 State for more than 11 years.

Morwell, who came to Quincy after pastoring a church in Pittsfield, said a bequest will cover the $110,000 project, which is tentatively expected to be completed by late April.

"At that time, we will be rededicating the church," Morwell said.

One of the principal focuses of the project is the replacement of most of the church's sizable windows -- about 100 of them -- that will accent quite a bit of exterior work on the facility. Lawrence Construction of Quincy is the primary contractor on the project.

"We're replacing the old windows with more energy-efficient models," Morwell said.

Much of the work involving the replacement of windows has been in the education wing and office areas.

While the project has been running smoothly for several weeks, there was one hiccup along the way.

"The wrong kind of windows came in for one part of the building, so that delayed things a little, but work was able to continue in other areas," Morwell said.

Follow this link:
Quincy Herald-Whig | Illinois & Missouri News, SportsUnion United Methodist Church getting big facelift

KLONDIKE - Church services brought new meaning this Sunday for parishioners at a small Oconto County church. A Tuesday night fire ravaged their place of worship.

The fire happened at the Klondike Community Church. That's near the town of Coleman in Oconto County.

Parishioners at the Klondike Community Church joined hands in prayer in a tent on the church property, grateful the shell of their nearly 100 year old structure is still standing.

"I think first of all, it was shock, thinking our church? It couldn't be our church," said Theresa Schoud, whose family bought the vacant church building in 2010.

Local fire crews say flames broke out in the south east corner of the small country church Tuesday night.

"Within seconds it went across the whole attic and it came out of the bell tower," said Brazeau Volunteer Fire Chief John Fetterly.

Yet, pews inside the church remain nearly untouched. The wood altar still stands. And this cross, the very symbol of their faith, has come to stand for even more.

"Underneath the tarnish of that cross and the smoke and what had occurred outside, that cross, it's still strong and it still stands," said Pastor Mark Kostreva.

With all the damage the fire has left behind, the owners of the church say they can't even put a monetary value on how much the renovations could cost. However, they say the true value of this church doesn't lie in the building. It lies in the people.

"Everybody was so saddened. And then, it turned around that everybody is ready to move on," said Schout.

Go here to read the rest:
Small church rallies after fire

When Christ the King Lutheran Church was built, expansion was anticipated. The congregation broke ground Sunday to fulfill that vision.

The original plans of the building included a footprint on both wings for expansion, said the Rev. Dani Jo Ninke. For instance, that is why there is not a brick facade on the south edge. They had planned to expand.

Work to add on to the North American Lutheran Church located at 305 West 25th Street is expected to get under way this week. The 2,280-foot expansion will include classroom and youth room space. Parking lot work is also planned.

The estimated cost of the project is approximately $160,000, according to Ninke. The congregation hopes it will be complete by the fall.

We need to accommodate the activity that occurs here and the growth of our congregation, Ninke said. Were bursting at the seams.

After services late Sunday morning, dozens of members of the congregation gathered near the churchs south lawn for a groundbreaking ceremony. After some prayers, various church members took a shovel to turn some dirt.

He said financial and spiritual support from the congregation of about 375 people was overwhelming from the start.

It actually kind of surprised me how quickly it came together, Wade stated.

At the churchs annual meeting in January, Ninke said a straw vote found there was a soft commitment for about two-thirds of the cost of the project.

That told us that we could go ahead with it, she said.

Read this article:
Yankton’s Christ The King Church Begins Expansion