SINGAPORE: Former City Harvest Church investment manager Chew Eng Han crossed swords with co-accused John Lam for a second day on Thursday (July 17), pointing to significant parts of Lam's testimony which he said were not true.

Both are among the six church leaders accused of using millions of church dollars to buy sham bonds to bankroll the pop music career of Sun Ho -- wife of church founder Kong Hee.

When he took the stand on Monday (July 14), former church board member John Lam singled out Chew Eng Han as the man who suggested the church invest in the bonds.

Lam said in June 2007, Chew asked to meet him and proposed to be the church's fund manager as he was setting up his own fund management company.

On Thursday (July 17), Chew, who is conducting his own defence after discharging his lawyer, said such a meeting "never happened" and produced evidence to show he was in Japan at that time. He also pointed to emails between some of the accused to show the idea to invest in the bonds had not been conceptualised then.

In addition, Chew said it was not true that he set up his firm specifically to manage the church's funds. Emails showed that Chew had informed Kong Hee that he wanted to set up his own firm because it was his dream, and personal career decision, and had done so in April 2007.

Chew noted that this was well before the decision was made to invest in the bonds.

He also pointed out that the church's investment into Xtron bonds had a mission objective, as this would go to funding the Crossover Project and that it was Kong Hee who oversaw all spiritual matters.

"A fund manager has no expertise in spiritual matters. You cannot engage a fund manager to assess the missions benefit of the church," Chew said.

Over the past couple of days, the point of risk-taking being inherent in the church's DNA has been brought up -- pointing to its investments, mission plans, and even the design and construction of its building in Jurong West.

See the original post here:
CHC trial: Claims of risk-taking as accused cross swords

By a pair of unanimous votes on successive nights this week, the Falls Church City Council and the Falls Church School Board stepped boldly into the campaign to win voter approval in a November referendum to fund construction of a major expansion and renovation of one of the Citys four schools, the Mt. Daniel Elementary.

Monday the City Council took little time to approve, 7-0, a final reading of a measure to place on the November ballot a public referendum to authorize $15.6 million toward the expansion of the school, which if approved by voters would by the end of October 2016 enjoy an expanded capacity from 275 currently (or 370 counting students currently being taught in temporary trailers) to 500.

According to School Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones, speaking to the City Council Monday night, the new project would relieve pressures on the rest of the system, allowing in particular for second grade students at the now-strapped Thomas Jefferson Elementary to locate at Mt. Daniel.

The $15.6 million price tag on the project will add up to slightly over $1 million a year in debt service, according to Richard LaCondre, the Citys chief financial officer, and $1 million of the funds would be expended in the current fiscal year, followed by $8 million in FY2015 and $6.6 million in FY2016.

While the Council took its move on Monday night, the SchoolBoard followed Tuesday night with a unanimous vote to approve the design plans of the Grunley Construction Company, as presented at a meeting last Thursday of the Architectural Selection Advisory Committee (ASAC) for the schools, preferring them to those submitted by the Hess Company.

As was explained at Tuesdays School Board meeting, the Grunley plan calls for a more complete new construction with access off of Oak Street, while the Hess plan called for keeping key components of the existing building and bringing access off of Highland Avenue.

Grunley was also praised for having a better plan for relocating of students during the construction process.

Superintendent Jones, School Board member John Lawrence and the schools facilities coordinator Steven Padilla attended a meeting with 25 members of the Mt. Daniel Homeowners Association on Monday night, and were happy to report that the reaction from the neighbors to the proposed new construction was very positive, even as concerns for issues such as storm water and parking remain to be resolved to everyones satisfaction.

But constructive discussions on mitigating parking pressures in the neighborhood both during and following construction were held. School Board member Kieran Sharpe hailed the cooperative tone of the meeting with the neighbors, as contrasted with previous experiences when expansion efforts at Mt. Daniel were undertaken.

Dr. Jones told the City Council Monday that the projections for continued robust enrollment growth in the Citys schools ranges out to a 20 year time frame, and that all the capital improvement projects on the drawing boards now, including for a new high school, are being conformed to what projections over that period will involve. It is estimated that the probable life of the newly constructed and reconstructed site will be 50 years.

Read the rest here:
F.C. Council OKs Fall Referendum to Fund Mt. Daniel School Expansion

A small Eccles church is making a big impact on the community and has plans to begin construction on a food pantry/fellowship hall for the community in the fall or the spring, the pastor reported.

Eccles is a small mining community of around 400 residents, located along W.Va. 3 in Raleigh County.

Life Point Apostolic Church Pastor Steve Stover said the 25 full-time members of the independent Life Point Apostolic Church want to offer Eccles and Whitesville residents, along with those of other communities, a place that shows Gods love.

It would benefit anyone, said Stover. We wouldnt put any limitations on it.

The church shares the Eccles Community Church building with Eccles Community Church, according to Stover, and hundreds of visitors have walked through the doors for Life Point church services on Sunday and Wednesday evenings.

The food pantry is planned for the parking lot of the church.

Were wanting to build a food pantry/fellowship hall to where its hooked up to a generator, said Stover. So if the power goes off, the generator would automatically kick on.

He noted that there are many senior citizens in the Eccles area.

If something happened (like the 2012 derecho) it would be a good place for the people to go, thats air-conditioned and has free food for the community.

Reaching Eccles residents and others is a main focus of the church, and Stover emphasized that Life Point church members not just their pastor are behind the food pantry and have a passion for showing Gods love to their communities.

Here is the original post:
Life Point Apostolic Church plans food pantry

The LDS Church began showing a new film for temple instruction Tuesday. Temples, such as this one in Gilbert, Arizona, are dedicated to sacred worship.

Photo courtesy of John Power, Mormon Newsroom

SALT LAKE CITY A year after the LDS Church began using a new film for temple instruction for the first time in 20 years, and six months after introducing a second, a third new film is in rotation.

The latest film presentation began showing Tuesday in 30 of the 143 operating temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a church spokesman confirmed.

The new film is only in English for now. Like the others, its use will expand to other temples around the world over time and as translations are prepared.

The script in each of the films is the same. The films are shown in a rotation to provide variety to temple instruction.

The church released the first of the three new films in July 2013. That version also was released on a smaller scale, but it is now widely used in temples around the world in multiple languages.

The second new film entered the temple rotation in January.

A portion of LDS temple instruction has been provided through pre-recorded media, including film, since the 1970s.

Mormon temple worship occurs in 143 dedicated temples around the world. LDS temple worship differs from regular Sunday worship services held by 29,253 congregations in buildings called chapels or meetinghouses.

Link:
LDS Church begins using a 3rd new temple film

Star of Hope is proud to announce the dedication of the new church building in Hesse, Haiti. The original church building was rendered useless and unsafe by the 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti. On June 28, more than 250 people gathered in the new mountain church to dedicate it to the use of the people in the area. The church is located next to the new Hesse School also rebuilt since the 2010 earthquake. In addition to being used for church services it will also be used by the school for assemblies. The average income in the area is less than $1 per day, making it impossible to provide a building such as the new church and school without outside assistance. With the outside assistance the construction process was completed in just over six months and provided employment for scores of local men and women. The outside assistance was provided by the LD and Marilyn Davis family of Great Bend. Unable to travel, their nephew, Sawyer Borror, Kansas State University student, represented them at the dedication ceremony. The church leadership and the people of Hesse sent word back to the Davis family expressing their gratitude and joy of having a new place to worship and minister to the community. Star of Hope is a nonprofit organization located in Ellinwood, with projects in 16 of the poorest countries across the world. More information is available at http://www.starofhope.us or by calling (866) 653-0321.

Original post:
SOH announces dedication of new Haitian church

NOW that the proposed megadike is waiting for President Benigno Aquino IIIs nod in the next National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) board meeting this August, the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro is opposing its expected construction in 2015.

The Church in general would be for the betterment of the people but we are not saying that we are for its construction, said Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, who also chairs the environmental body the River Basin Management Council.

The 12-kilometer megadike construction will stretch from the mouth of the Cagayan de Oro River to upstream, Pelaez Bridge in Taguanao affecting 15 barangays in both sides and allocating a river basin at the rotunda in Barangay Nazareth.

Ledesma said the focus of the construction should not only be in the urban areas but also in the uplands.

The project has already been approved by Nedas Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) Technical Board and now awaits the meeting for the Cabinet Committee where Aquino himself will chair.

It has been estimated by the Department of Public Works and Highways that the project will amount to P8.7 billion, P5 billion for its construction and P3 billion for the resettlement of residents affected by the construction.

Ledesma, however, does not agree to the projects costing.

The megadike project is very costly and there could be other alternatives the government can think of rather than putting a large amount of money in it, he said.

Neda-10 regional director Leon Dacanay said the ICC-Technical Board headed by the Department of Finance and co-chaired by Neda has already prepared supporting documents where the money will be loaned from.

But it is only the President who can say yes or no to the project. He will also be the one who will approve or not on where the money will be loaned from kasi baka may ideas rin siyang gusto i-integrate, Dacanay said.

Read the original post:
Church opposes Oro's megadike project

TODAY

DayCare Craft, 9-10 a.m., Faulkner County Library, 1900 Tyler St. Call 327-7482 to schedule.

Antioch Baptist Church VBS, 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., 150 Amity Rd. Call 329-5153.

Crafts, 9-10 a.m., Faulkner County Library, 1900 Tyler St. Open to the public.

American Red Cross Blood Drive, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., University of Central Arkansas Student Center, 201 S. Donaghey Ave. Call 1-800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org.

Conway Kiwanis Club, 11:30 a.m., China Town Restaurant, 201 Skyline Dr. #12A. Guest speaker: Josh Zylks, Manager of the new Conway Airport.

The Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) meeting, noon, Faulkner County Office of Emergency Management, 57 Acklin Gap Rd. Speaker: Andy Traffanstedt with Central Arkansas USAR. Subject: urban search and rescue.

American Red Cross Blood Drive, 1-5 p.m., Nabholz Construction Company, 612 Garland St. Call 1-800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org.

Urban Farm Project Workday, 5 p.m., Faulkner County Library, 1900 Tyler St.

University Church of Christ Vacation Bible School, 6:15-8:30 p.m., 3155 Dave Ward Dr. For ages 4 years old through 4th grade. Register online: http://www.university-church.org.

See the original post:
Roundabout July 16

GLENWOOD SPRINGS Theres more than meets the eye with a major roof replacement project under way at the First United Methodist Church on Cooper Avenue thats expected to be completed early next month.

In addition to removing several layers of asphalt and wood shingles to make way for new composition-type shingles, the church also is investing in several energy efficiency upgrades.

That includes new insulation panels on the steep-pitched sanctuary roof and an 11.6-kilowatt solar electric array on the south-facing side of the roof.

Helping to make it possible were two grants from the Aspen-based Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE) totaling $37,500, plus another $51,000 in various rebates that went a long way to offset the $257,000 project cost.

The sanctuary did not have insulation added at the time of the original construction because there was no attic, explained Bill Cook, who chairs the churchs capital improvements committee.

When we decided to replace the roof, we thought it would be an ideal time to do the insulation, he said.

In doing so, members didnt want to destroy the aesthetics of the wood ceiling panels that grace the inside of the large sanctuary, he said.

So they began exploring the use of structural insulated panels, which are installed on top of the existing roof decking, combining insulation and a new roof deck.

The 12-inch-thick, 4-by-13-foot panels have been going up this past week and, because of their size, required the use of a crane for installation, Cook said.

Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER) in Carbondale helped the church in obtaining the CORE grants, including $19,500 for the insulation panels and $18,000 for the solar array.

See the original post here:
Roof project helps Methodist church go green

Terrebonne Parish officials and Gospel Assembly Church members celebrate the ribbon cutting on Thursday.

Gospel Assembly Church-Houma and the Terrebonne Parish Council officially opened a housing development at 1310 Acadian Drive in Houma Thursday.

Several Parish Council members as well as the church administration were on hand for the ribbon cutting.

The two duplex buildings are part of a push by the council to develop affordable housing for moderate- to low-income area families. To date, the council has set aside $10 million in Community Development Block Grant money for housing developments, with $3 million going to redevelopment housing.

Of the $3 million allotted for redevelopment housing, $1.5 million was awarded to the Houmas Gospel Assembly Church.

Darrel Waire, parish Housing and Human Services director, said the parish had stipulations on the types of organizations that would receive these projects.

It was done in a way that funding was only given through nonprofits, Waire said.

Gospel Assembly Pastor Lee Brown says the two duplex buildings, contracted through Houmas BDC Construction Inc., are only part of a larger push by the church for affordable housing.

He said the $1.5 million awarded the church has toward 11 housing units, including the four apartments in the duplex buildings. The seven remaining units are renovated houses throughout Terrebonne Parish.

The total cost of the apartment construction was roughly $508,000, while the allotment for the home renovations was roughly $150,000 each. But Brown said that didnt cover the cost.

See more here:
Gospel Assembly Church cuts ribbon on housing units

Published: Saturday, 7/12/2014 - Updated: 1 minute ago

BLADE STAFF

Ministry of the Watchman empowerment meeting, 11 a.m. today, Genesis Village, 2429 S. Reynolds. School of the prophets format. The Rev. Barbara Williams, teacher. Information: 1-800-560-9240, http://www.ministryofthewatchman.com or ministryofthewatchman@hotmail.com.

Sylvania United Church of Christ hosts the Singleton Piano Trio, 4 p.m. Sunday, 7240 Erie St., Sylvania. Freewill offering. Information: 419-882-0048.

St. Stephen A.M.E. Church annual womens day program, 10 a.m. Sunday, 812 City Park Ave. Guest speaker will be Deborah Johnson of Dublin, Ohio. Information: 419-244-0402.

The Lutheran Hour, WPOS (102.3), Sunday 7 a.m. and on XM satellite radio 170 at 1 p.m. The Rev. Gregory Seltz on Truth Has a Voice.

A lecture by Fr. Jim Bacik, 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, Franciscan Center, Rooms A and B, 6832 Convent Blvd., Sylvania. Cost: $10 preregistered, $15 at door. Information: http://www.sylvaniafranciscanvillage.org or 419-824-3515.

Christian Seniors Interaction, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. second and fourth Tuesdays of every month, First United Methodist Church of Perrysburg, 200 Zoar Dr., Perrysburg. Information: 419-872-0846.

Theology with Toast, 10 a.m. second Wednesday of each month, Little Sisters of the Poor, 930 S. Wynn Rd., Oregon. Coffee and rolls at 9:30 a.m. Information: 419-698-0405.

Lifetree Cafe, 7 p.m. Wednesday, 405 Sackett St., Maumee, information: 419-893-8761; and 7 p.m. Thursday, 1315 Hillcrest, Toledo, information: 419-410-6779. The program: "How to over come regrets and make peace with the past."

Read the original post:
Religion calendar: 7-12