2019 Faith and Family
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h t i a F FAMILY Celebrating the Easter Season Sharing inspiring memories, thoughts and personal stories from our readers and our communities.
Committed to caring for others by Wade Linville inda Slone is the type of person who you may find stopped in traffic in the rain while on her way to work to remove a turtle from the roadway, caring for newborn opossums that have lost their mother, or sheltering a runt kitten in her office near her desk. It’s that kind of caring nature that she carries over to the workplace at the Ohio Veterans Home in Georgetown, where she has served as the nursing home administrator for the past three years. But her passion of caring for others spans well beyond the doors of the OVH. Slone has dedicated her life to caring for the elderly and disabled, working to make a difference in the lives of aging people. Her commitment to her cause is guided by a faith in God and motivated by the smiles on the faces of the many elderly Americans she has touched the hearts of over the years. Slone has many years of experience in healthcare and healthcare management, starting her career in the early 1970s when she graduated from Ohio University’s
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Portsmouth campus as a registered nurse. For years, Slone worked at a hospital for years doing infection control and employee health. “I loved it,” Slone said of her hospital work. “There hasn't been a position I've been in that I haven't really enjoyed, and each position has led me to gain knowledge that helped me out with the next position.” Not only has Slone managed to inspire others through her efforts to improve the quality of life for the elderly and disabled, but she has also served as an inspiration to many for the adversity she has managed to overcome in her life. Some of her most significant personal struggles include her battle against breast cancer, the sudden death of her beloved husband, and her valiant efforts to assure that a family member who suffers from mental illness receives the support needed to reach their full potential in the classroom and in their career. “Every time I think I've got it together and I know something, an experience will happen to me and I realize I didn't really know
about that,” Slone explained. “It's like a revelation. I thought I knew what it was like to take care of people and to comfort people with cancer, but I didn't until I had cancer and won. So, I guess that statement 'until you walk in their
of it happened after I went through that experience. I thought I knew what it would be like to be able to help a person who lost a spouse, but not until my husband died suddenly in 2001 did I know what that was like.”
OVH Nursing Home Administrator Linda Slone goes above and beyond to improve quality of life for the elderly and disabled. shoes' is true. I thought I had compassion, and I'm sure I did, but the real depth
“We spend most of our time in the trenches at the foot of the mountain, and we
go to the top of the mountain to get some air and to get some rest, but we do the work when we come back down. God has, I believe, touched me in teaching me things through adversity, and that's what I try to bring here (to the workplace),” said Slone. “I believe God has shown me things so I could be a better administrator and be a better person.” As her career in healthcare progressed, Slone came to realize that serving the aging population was her calling, and she went on to earn her Bachelor’s Degree from Shawnee State University with a concentration in Healthcare Management in 1999. Shortly after earning her degree at SSU, Slone began work as an assistant to the administrator at Pleasant Hill in Pike County, and in 2000 she would take the lead in coordinating an event that would have a positive impact on hundreds of elderly people from nursing homes in multiple counties for nearly 20 years. The event was known as the Senior Olympics. Assisting Slone in the creation of the Senior Olympics was then Pleasant Hill
Nursing Home Administrator Jill Hale. The first Senior Olympics saw residents of long-term care facilities of four counties venturing to the Pike County Fairgrounds to participate. “We had four (nursing) homes at that time in Pike County, and I called and asked each home 'if we were to do something like a Senior Olympics, would you come?'” All four of the Pike County nursing homes agreed to take part in the first Senior Olympics, excited about the opportunity for their residents. But she didn't stop with Pike County. “I thought to myself, how could I invite one nursing home and not the other,” Slone explained. “I called each one of them, and everybody in Pike County wanted to take part. So, I called Scioto County. I didn't realize there were 15 (nursing) homes in Scioto County. I called them all, and they all said they would come. Then, I thought, let's call Ross County. Before it was over, I had called all of the (nursing) homes in four counties, and they all said they would come.” Slone's next step in continued on page 3
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Faith and Family - Celebrating the Easter Season
Bible publishing ministry in Clermont County
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n 1973, a ministry was born at First Baptist Church in Milford, Ohio. Named for a Bible verse in Psalm 126, the ministry of Bearing Precious Seed has assumed the responsibility of seeing that the local church prints the Bible. In its first year of operation, Bearing Precious Seed printed 12,000 New Testaments using a small sheet-fed press in the basement of the church. At that time, the First Baptist Church of Milford was located on Center Street in downtown Milford which is now the Milford Police station. At that time, Dr. Charles Keen was the pastor of First Baptist Church. He, along
with the first pressman and Clermont County native, Sam Caudill, spearheaded a ministry that has continued to grow in size and influence. After 46 years, Sam Caudill still comes to the shop daily and helps at the ministry! As the ministry grew, Bearing Precious Seed recognized the need to provide Scriptures in other languages for missionaries on the foreign field. For several years now, seagoing containers have been leaving the loading docks at Bearing Precious Seed carrying Scriptures in 60 languages to provide God’s Word around the world. To date, Bearing Precious Seed has produced
186,000,000 portions of Scripture. The ministry is located at 1369 Woodville Pike in Milford, Ohio on the campus of First Baptist Church of Milford. Senior Pastor, Dr. Bill Duttry, has been continuing the vision of publishing Scriptures for 20 years. During his tenure, 160 million copies of Scripture have been produced and shipped all around the world. The last 5 years have seen a production of over 10,000,000 copies of Scripture per year, using over 50 semitruck loads of paper. The ministry projects that the coming year will see 200,000,000 total copies of Scripture produced. Throughout the
years, the ministry has grown from that small sheet-fed press to a Heidelberg Web press that runs 4 rolls of paper at a time and will produce 40,000 printed books of John and Romans in one hour. The ministry has a Perfect Binder and a fleet of church members who volunteer their time to keep it running. Hardback binding of the Bibles is also done onsite as needed. The ministry produces customized, personalized John and Romans booklets that are used for evangelism in many cities across America as well as around the world. In addition to the Web press, Bearing Precious Seed has a Didde press that is four-color and
prints John and Romans covers that are going overseas. The Miller 5-color press with a coater is used for Bible covers as well as newsletters as needed. The ministry also does digital printing and has equipment to support other aspects of the printing ministry. In addition to the facility in Milford, Bearing Precious Seed has a mobile hands-on ministry called Seedline. Scriptures are transported to other churches which take on the financial responsibility of assembling them in church-wide projects either to be distributed in their own communities or shipped overseas. Furthermore, there is a Bear-
ing Precious Seed facility in El Paso, Texas that not only gives groups the opportunity to assemble Scriptures, but also to go over into Mexico and distribute them. A further reach of this Bible publishing ministry is a branch called First Bible International which focuses on putting Bibles into the hands of those who have never had a Bible in their own language. Bearing Precious Seed welcomes people from the community to stop by and visit or schedule a tour. Visit bpsmilford.org to see more or call 513-5751706 for more information.
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Faith and Family - Celebrating the Easter Season
Who will roll away the stone? by Pamela Stricker t was early one Sunday morning a couple of years ago that I was reading a scripture in my Bible from Mark 16. Here’s what I read... “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” As I read those words, I felt the ache in my heart. The words echoed in my mind and I whispered aloud, “Yes, who will roll away the stone?” Who would roll away
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this great stone of grief? Of heartache? Of loss? Of hopelessness? Of sadness? I could feel exactly what it seemed these women felt as they were asking each other on their way to the tomb of their dear Jesus. How ragged their emotions had to be by this time. Filled with pain. Absent of joy. They had witnessed the suffering, the torture, the ridicule and finally the crucifixion. They must have wondered how they could feel any more pain. My 21-year-old granddaughter, Amber, had died of a heroin overdose only three weeks prior. I cannot even express the depth of the pain, the sorrow, the heaviness. Not only was my heart broken,
but my daughter, Darcy, Amber’s mother, could not be comforted. We talked each day.
that morning, wiped away the fresh tears and gathered myself to get ready for church.
Pamela Stricker is Regional Sales Director for Champion Media Ohio. She can be reached at pstricker@cmpapers.com
Wept. I whispered prayers of healing over her. Trusting that somehow, some way, that the God who promised to be “near to the broken-hearted and save those who are crushed in spirit” would deliver her... deliver us... out of this abyss. I set aside my Bible
The question continued to echo in my thoughts... “who will roll away the stone?” A couple of hours later, I was sitting in the church, desperate for something to bring healing to this great weight of sadness. And then I heard it... the message was about the resurrection... the
hope of our salvation. She was reading “Who will roll away the stone?” The very same passage I had been reading earlier! The very same question I had been asking. “Who will roll away the stone?” She asked. “As the women approached the tomb so they could anoint his body for burial, they looked at each other and realized the stone stood in the way of them getting in touch with Jesus.” She shared that the stone is in the way of us getting in touch with Jesus. The stone of grief, of sadness, of loss, of regret, of failure, of pain... We ask: “Who will roll away the stone?” The tears came again- or maybe they
never stopped, reminding me of this dark valley that seemed to have no entrance of light. But that was not the end of the message... the next verse in that passage says... “And when they looked up, they saw that the stone had already been rolled away.” The stone was rolled away! I looked up and that morning I experienced a new resurrection of sorts. No, my pain did not go away. My heart still felt shattered, broken. But there was something that fell on me that morning that was new. A peace, a calm, a knowing that somehow, some way this stone would be rolled away... just as it was that Easter morning over 2000 years ago.
Committed to caring for others continued from page 1 coordinating the first Senior Olympics in Ohio was to solicit for donations for prizes and medals to be awarded to nursing homes and residents that agreed to compete. She also had to borrow the necessities for the games that would be played. Local businesses were eager to join in and assist, with the local Wal-Mart donating a large stereo system to award as a prize. Finally, the day of the first Senior Olympics arrived. Slone and her crew of volunteers waited as patiently as possible at the Pike County Fairgrounds for the residents from each nursing home facility of the four counties to arrive, approximately 30 nursing homes in total. It was a foggy morning, and as the start time of the Senior Olympics approached, Slone and her group of volunteers began to worry that no nursing home would arrive. But sure enough, through the fog they saw one
van, then another, and another. When all participating nursing homes arrived for the first Senior Olympics in September of 2000, there were more than 800 residents there to compete. “It was foggy as all get out, and we were all down there at six in the morning,” explained Slone. “At 7 a.m., coming down through the fog was one van after the other.” What followed was among the most inspiring hours of Slone's life, watching over 800 elderly nursing home residents socialize while competing in a variety of games. “Did they compete? They more than competed,” Slone said of the first Senior Olympics participants. “It was the most beautiful thing you would ever want to see. They were all winners, because they came. Everyone who pushed a checker, rolled a ball, or cheered someone on was a winner. Everybody was a winner, and the staff members were in tears. If you thought it was all about the games, you missed it.”
The Senior Olympics grew from four counties to 12 Ohio counties and three counties in Kentucky with its last event being held last year. The event became so large that the location had to be switched to the larger fairgrounds in Scioto County. Due to Slone's busy work schedule at OVH and no one yet to fill her shoes as the Senior Olympics coordinator, there is not a Senior Olympics planned for this year. But there is hope that the event will continue again in the near future. Slone struggled to keep her emotions at bay as she reflected on her memories of the Senior Olympics, seeing the look on the faces of the elderly participants as she placed the medals around their necks, witnessing the emotions of the caregivers and volunteers as they watched participants have the best time they've had in years, and hearing stories from other nursing homes of how some residents who participated kept their awards on their tables
right next to their bed, and how one resident refused to allow her Senior Olympic medal to be removed from their neck even when it came time for a bath. Slone's compassion in caring for the elderly and disabled has not gone unrecognized. The Ohio Healthcare Association, representing long term care facilities, honored Slone in 2004 as its Hero of Long Term Care. She was also the recipient of the Volunteer HERO Award from the American Red Cross in both 2005 and 2015 for coordinating large community blood drives. At a time when one's quality of healthcare is dependent highly upon their ability to pay for the care they receive and the type of healthcare insurance they are covered by, Slone's tender heart and kindness help her to keep her priorities straight, remaining focused on the job she was put on this earth to do...to care for people. “When I went into long-term care, it was about taking care of people. That's why I went into it, so I could
try to help make positive change for our population that was aging...not only on a nursing end, but in all aspects of their care,” said Slone. At the OVH in Georgetown, Slone assures that care of the veteran residents is the staff's top priority. “What drives us in this building is caring for the men and women that come to live here and call it home,” said Slone. “That is the number one thing, and if you do that right, every thing else falls into place. You can have all of the other stuff, all the regs met and all of the finances, but if you haven't taken care of your veterans and all of their needs (making sure they're not lonely and don't feel helpless or bored) then you've done nothing.” There are approximately 160 veteran residents at the OVH in Georgetown, a place where Slone's knowledge, experience, and kindness inspire her staff members. “She's energetic and passionate about the care we provide here at
the veterans home,” Jeanne Lawson, who has worked as a registered nurse at the OVH in Georgetown for 15 years, said of Slone. “She is so dedicated to the care of the veterans here. She spends a great deal of time with them, helping to make it a great place for them to live and for us to work. This is her life.” In addition to health and safety, Slone encourages her staff do their part to prevent the veterans they care for on a daily basis from suffering from feelings of loneliness, helplessness, or boredom. Their main goal is to make the OVH in Georgetown a pleasant home for the veteran residents they care for, building relationships and creating lasting memories along the way. “When you come in, we try to make it as homelike as possible,” Slone said of the OVH. “How do you make it a home? People want to know that they're being taken care of and being loved, and that's how you make it a home.”
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One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40But the other re-
buked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:39-43
April 19 & 20 • 7:00 pm April 21 • 10:00 am & 6:00 pm
Friday - The Freemans will be singing
Saturday - The Joneses will be singing
Preaching by Brian Fulton Sunday April 28th The Browders will be singing at the Church Homecoming at 10 a.m.
Union Hill Church 1964 Union Hill Rd., Peebles
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Faith and Family - Celebrating the Easter Season
Passover traditions
Wine, matzoh and unleavened bread (right). from Marcy’s Country Table he Passover ritual is an ancient and much loved one, still being enacted today all over the world. Passover is not only a Jewish celebration. Christians can celebrate Passover, as well. The Passover tradition is inclusive! Here’s some interesting and timely information about this beautiful and meaningful meal. What is Passover? Exodus 12:20 The Passover Ritual is prescribed to Moses and Aaron by the Lord. “ Nothing leavened may you eat; wherever you dwell you may eat only unleavened bread.” Passover is a freedom festival. It lasts 8 days and starts with the 2 nights
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of the Seder or Passover supper. Exodus commemorated It commemorates the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, and their departure from slavery to freedom. The word Passover symbolizes the lamb’s blood that was used to make a mark on the door of each Jewish family to ensure that the angel of death would not come and kill their first born son. There was a plague due to Pharoah’s refusal to free the Jewish people, and if your door was marked with blood, the angel “passed over”. Seder Supper Passover's main ritual is the Seder, which occurs on the first night (or the first two nights) of the holiday-a festive meal that in-
volves the re-enactment of the Exodus. Food and beverages for a Seder / Passover Supper The food eaten during Passover is special. There are significant changes to the usual dietary cycle, including the absence of leavened foods and certain other foods. Lamb The word Pasch or Passover applies to the Lamb of sacrifice as well as to the deliverance from Egypt and to the feast itself. A lamb bone is often put on the main Seder plate. Unleavened Bread You cannot eat anything that is leavened like bread, corn, pasta, barley, etc. Anything that has any grain that has the potential to rise cannot be eaten. Matzoh is
acceptable Matzoh is a kind of wheat that is eaten and called "bread of affliction" because it recalls the unleavened bread prepared for the hasty flight by night from Egypt. There is supposed to be no longer than 18 minutes between the time the flour and water is mixed and baked in the oven. Bitter Herbs / Maror The bitter greens signify the bitterness of the Israelites slavery in Egypt, called maror, some say the bitter greens/herbs eaten during Passover include horseradish, romaine and hyssop; others say chicory, endive, escarole, dandelions and watercress. It is believed that the bitter herbs also signify the bitterness and an-
guish that Jesus experienced in the Garden of Gethsamane and during His crucifixion on the cross. Parsley Everyone gets a sprig of parsley at their plate. Its dipped in salt water. Salt water represents tears of sorrow shed during the captivity of the Lord's people. Haroseth / Charoset This represents the mortar used by Jews in building pyramids and palaces during their slavery in Egypt. It can be made of chopped apples or other fruits, nuts, cinnamon and wine. You can make it chunky or like a paste, just like mortar. Or simply mix
applesauce with raisins Wine Wine is dipped from a common bowl. There are 4 cups of wine served, one for thanksgiving, one for telling the story, one for blessing and one for righteousness. Egg The egg is a symbol of mourning. Eggs are the first thing to be served to mourners after a funeral. But it’s also a symbol of new life. The Greeks make Easter egg bread with dyed red eggs, symbolizing both the blood that Jesus shed and the new life in His rising from the tomb.
Bodman community memories by Judy Jones Sullivan am sending you by email my memories and recollections of growing up and living on Bodman Rd. in Brown County during the 50's and 60's. This was a time when Bodman Rd was a dirt and gravel road, with hardly any traffic ex-
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cept for an occasional neighbors vehicle or a tractor. My family owned a 47 acre farm on this road and I lived there all my life until I got married at age 19. The Bodman Rd community was made up of friendly rural people where everyone knew their neighbors. I
could tell you the name of every family that lived on that road. We went to church at the corner of Bardwell Rd and Bodman Rd. at the time it was Liberty Chapel Church. My whole family was baptized in that church when I was little. We would walk to church
on Sunday mornings when are parents couldn't go. We were never afraid of anyone trying to harm us in any way. At night, we slept with our doors unlocked and with just a screen door. We would sit in our front yard and wave at everyone that went
down our road, most times the neighbors would just stop and talk for a while. Our farm now has new homes on it. My old family home burned down several years ago, and all of our outbuildings including my dads barn fell down. I cant drive down that
road anymore without thinking about all the good times we had living there, and yes, we had bad times too. But one thing sticks in my mind more than anything, I always felt safe on our farm, more safe than I do in my home today.
LUKE CHAPTER 24 1
Now upon the first [day] of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain [others] with them. 2And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5And as they were afraid, and bowed down [their] faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
Come celebrate Easter with us at
THE GOSPEL LIGHTHOUSE CHURCH Sunday School at 10 a.m. Jesus & Me Jam at 11 a.m.
Easter Egg Hunt following Sunday Evening Service at 6 p.m. Pastor Chad Burn 20761 State Rte 125, Blue Creek, Ohio
EVERYONE WELCOME
Easter. . . a t i m e of hope, renewal, and new life.
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Faith and Family - Celebrating the Easter Season
Coming home by Danei Edelen n churches around the country on Easter Sunday, many people "come back home" to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. For them, going to church that one day in the year is a way to reconnect with childhood and recall their family’s faith. For me, every Sunday meant church because our family was "in the business," preachers and teachers within the Friends (Quaker) Church. Listening to the Word of God preached and singing hymns was our weekly tradition. When we visited our grandmother, Sunday morning at her church in rural Kansas traditionally meant singing as a trio with my sisters. I was always the melody, because that was the only part I could sing—and I was loud! My younger sister
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Deana sang alto, while the eldest and most experienced, Donna, sang tenor an octave higher. Tradition also meant my father’s exuberant piano playing filling our home on Easter morning as we three girls paraded in our new Easter outfits. It sounds so idyllic, but just as Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem ended with him dead in a tomb and all the hope he brought the world seemed buried and gone, so what begins in innocence and joy ends in something else altogether. One other tradition of ours was to travel to be with family. Being together in one place meant a lot. To manage the long trips, we girls would scan the roads for cars with different state license plates. It was during one of those “all of us together” times, when our car
was packed with extended family, that another car lost control and collided with ours.
Decades later, I experienced another kind of wreck. A more devastating one.
Danei Edelen is the Executive Director for the NAMI Brown County Ohio affiliate. Danei is also Mental Health columnist for the News Democrat and The Clermont Sun. She educates high school and college students, police officers and businesses about mental health. She is a blogger for the Challenge the Storm , the Mighty, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and NAMI Ohio. Danei has 20 years of marketing experience working for technology companies like NCR, Oracle, and Amdocs. She has a Bachelor's of Arts Degree in Communications from Malone University and a Market Research Certificate from Northern Kentucky University.
I got a concussion. My aunt broke ribs. No one was gravely hurt, but none of us had expected the fun to end like this.
Shortly after Easter 2008, when spring had come and everyone was anticipating sunnier days, I had a mental breakdown. I sat
drugged and alone in a hospital. Those happy memories of church surrounded by family felt like forever ago, a memory that seemed like it belonged to someone else but not me. Instead, I felt angry and abandoned, wondering where God had gone. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” My Good Friday experience was mental illness. The ideal resolution would be three days, right? But for me, it would be years before the light dawned in my life again. True repentance for me came in laughing through humiliating psychosis stories with a fellow believer who had walked through the storm of mental illness. "Danei,” she said, “God never left you.” That truth, shared with kindness, set me on a new path: one back to-
ward home. Not long ago, I started singing again. In particular, the hymn "He Hideth My Soul" really spoke to me. While I sang this hymn, I felt like I saw the gates of heaven open, and inside were family members who have passed on—my father, my Aunt Barbara, and Grandmother June—and they were singing with me. Whatever you and your loved ones are going through right now, know that you are in God's hands. You are never alone. We all suffer adversity at some point in our lives. We have more in common than we have differences. It is our faith in God that saves us in this world. After all, this is not our true home.
I was saved in the Adams County Jail. It was there I began to feel a sense of being part of a family. On January 6, 2017, I was sentenced. The time served at Marysville State Penitentiary for women was something I had to go through. God held my hand the entire time and never let go. Even though it was one of the darkest times of my life, I was filled with joy and light. I was able to share it with others, giving hope to other that were just like me! Prison had a purpose for me and I was on a mission. I began building beautiful friendships with some amazing women who are my friends even today. There have been many promises and gifts that I have received by following through and doing God’s will rather than my own. The relationship I have with each of my
three children is better than it has ever been. I have stability. I am reliable. I am more sane than insane. I have joy. I have friends... not just any friends, amazing friends who also pursue godly living. My daughter invited me to church and I have been an active member for over a year. I am a member of The Coalition for a drug free Adams County. My life is truly amazing! Adams County is becoming stronger and better. This community is accepting, loving, and understanding of people like me! There is hope and it all began with having faith the size of a grain of a mustard seed. It has grown and spread its roots far and wide since. Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, “with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible”
From darkness to light by Shannon Smith-Allen
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here to even begin with expressing my memories, thoughts and views of my community/family may be tougher than I had anticipated, but here it goes! I will begin by saying that only by the grace of God and having that initial faith the size of a grain of mustard seed has made it possible to be where I am today. I am from West Union, Ohio. A small, but a very well-known area to many. It is a blessing and honor to be a positively known citizen of Adams County considering the past I had chosen to live and the many negative run-ins I once encountered. I am a proud resident of our county and I am more than blessed to have had the opportunity to plant and grow from an amazing family tree that branches out far beyond what I could have imagined!
Choices in my past caused my own selfinflicted pain, but also caused many around me pain and suffering. Sadly, my three children received most of the damage from my whirlwind of destruction. I chose not to build friendships during my time in darkness. I am not sure why, but mostly because I knew myself and my behaviors. I was much like winter, cold, dark, and empty. “Hurt people, hurt people” was a reality in my life during those times. Therefore, I tried to stay as disconnected as possible to others. I felt that everyone was the enemy and I was just trying to survive. My choices took me to some dark places. I overdosed and was revived with Narcan. I ended up in a hospital on more than one occasion. There were numerous visits to the county jail that came with charges and consequences I had to
face. My children’s father overdosed. Unfortunately, he was not able to be saved and he died May 22, 2016. My life was completely miserable and I was more alone than I had ever been. I felt that everyone around me was the enemy. The police, sheriffs and judges all knew me and I definitely felt as if they were the enemy! Until one day I woke up and realized something, I pondered on this and questioned it to be true or false. I had reached my rock bottom and things seemed to be spinning. I questioned, “What is this insanity?”, “Is it time to end it all?” So many questions and confusing realizations occurring. What was happening? Well, I hope you are excited as I am to tell you the next moments that lead me to my peace! At my bottom sitting there crying, sobbing and begging for
something, someone to help me and take me out of the misery I had lived for so long. I reached my hands up and felt something grab my hands in return. I immediately felt a relief and sense of safety and security. It was then that I saw everything as plain as day! All those years of pain and the suffering. Suddenly, I realized it was me. The enemy was me! I had allowed the enemy to use me, kill me, and turn me from my children, family, friends... turned me against my own community! But, on this one day, when I felt the existence of something good holding my hand in return, I knew that all would be well from that moment on. There were still heavy consequences to face. On my birthday, November 17, 2016, l turned myself in. I was afraid but I felt protected and guided by a powerful light! On December 4, 2016,
SARDINIA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 105 S. Main Street
FREE Community Dinner April 20th 5-7 pm Sunday Worship 10:30 am
College Hill Apartments Low Income Housing Subsidized 2 & 3 bedroom Income Restrictions Apply
(513) 732-3804
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
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Faith and Family - Celebrating the Easter Season
Create in me a new heart by Rev. Leon Allen Jr. y mother used to tell me when I finally got big enough to stand and walk on the pew at church, I would walk up and down the pew ‘preaching’ along with the minister. I was born at home on a Sunday and the very next Sunday I was in church with my mother and my four older brothers and sisters. That is what we did growing up in southern Ohio. Churches in those days had wood pews, a potbellied stove to heat and a path out the back door that went to the ‘facilities’. My dad was a farmer, a carpenter, a mechanic, just a jack of all trades. He did a little bit of everything to try to make ends meet because households in those days usually only had one income. I was right in the middle of the tribe of ten children and we had everything we needed. My family was poor but we didn’t
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know that we were poor because so was everyone else. My mom always made Christmas very special for each of us kids. At Christmas we each got one toy. Mom always knew how to get just the right gift for each of us. She would get it and wrap each toy with love and on Christmas morning we got to open them. One year I got a great big plastic dump truck. I played and played with that dump truck all day, then evening came, and I had to put it away. Now remember I told you that over the years the family had grown to ten kids and sometimes we didn’t all get along. I didn’t want any of the other kids getting it and maybe breaking it, so I hid my plastic dump truck from all of the others. I knew that I had found the perfect spot, that none of the others would think to look... under Mom’s bed, so, I
hid it there. There was one slight problem that I hadn’t thought about. Our house was heated with a coal-stoker stove that was down in our basement and went through vents to the upstairs. Of course, the vent going to my parents’ bedroom was right under the bed....right where I put my plastic dump truck. Well, the next morning came and I jumped up and went running to my parents room to get my dump truck and it was a melted mess. Through the years each of us kids had the normal things happen to us that all kids do mumps, measles, chicken pox but none of us ever had a broken bone. Kind of miraculous considering each of us had at least one life-threatening experience. My life-threatening experience happened when I fell out of a moving car going down State Route 28. The
joke in my family was that it was a good thing I landed on my head because I could have been really hurt. One thing we had growing up in our house was an abundance of love. My mother went to church and that’s what she taught us kids. She taught us that we were to love one another, love the Lord, and trust Him. And she took us to church, always took us to church. When I finally got my driver’s license, suddenly, like most teenagers, I knew everything and I ran. I thought I was just running away from my mom, but as it turns out I was actually running from God. Thirty-plus years later, I had been through a divorce, a second marriage, the death of both of my parents and my first heart attack. Life comes at you quickly, when you least expect it. I had my first heart attack while in
the field on a hunting trip. I got home okay but ignored all my symptoms until I ended up in the hospital with double kidney stones. Then I was on the cardiac path once again. Every six months I was in the hospital going through procedures for my heart. Then one day I had another heart attack on the table with the doctor right beside me. The doctor kept telling me I was okay, and I was grabbing a hold of him telling him “No, I’m not okay!” but we were talking about two different things - he meant that my heart was going to be okay, but I knew I was dying and that my soul wasn’t okay. I did finally get physically okay like the doctor was had said. And I also finally got spiritually okay with God. My brother-in-law was a pastor and I went to visit him one day. After our visit I knew I was finally okay. I had
asked Christ into my heart. That was only the beginning. After a year of experiencing complete joy and peace, I longed to do something for God other than just attend church services. After much searching and talking to the Lord through prayer, I finally quit running and answered the call to preach. That was seventeen years ago. My only regrets are that I waited until I was 52 years old before I started to serve Christ and that I did not get saved when my mother was alive. Rev. Leon Allen Jr. is a licensed minister of the C.G.M.A. and an active member in the Williams Corner Church of God. Rev. Leon Allen Jr. is a licensed minister of the C.G.M.A. and an active member in the Williams Corner Church of God.
Did you know?
The meaning of the Last Supper
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any important events took place during what’s now known as Holy Week, which commemorates the final days of the earthly life of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the son of God. The Last Supper was one of most important events to take place during the final week of Christ’s life. Contradictions within the Gospels make it hard to say with absolute certainty when the Last Supper took place, but according to Catholic Online, Evangelists and critics generally agree that the Last Supper was held on a Thursday that was very likely the evening of preparation for Jewish celebration of Passover. The Last Supper is depicted in the Gospels as the final meal Jesus shared with his 12 apostles before he was crucified. Christians believe that, during the meal, Jesus predicted that
his disciple Peter would deny knowing him three times before the following morning, while also predicting that another disciple present at the meal would ultimately betray him. Many Christians also believe the Last Supper marked the institution of what is now the sacrament of the Eucharist. The Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke include accounts of the sharing of the bread and wine, though each account differs slightly. While the Gospel of John, which differs in various ways from those of Mark, Matthew and Luke, does not describe the bread and wine ritual, the Bread of Life Discourse (John 6:22-59) has been interpreted as Eucharistic. The Last Supper is a significant event in the life of Jesus Christ and one that merits special consideration during Holy Week.
Did you know? The meaning of Holy Thursday Holy Thursday, which falls on the Thursday before Easter Sunday, commemorates The Last Supper of Jesus Christ. During The Last Supper, Jesus, who Christians believe is the Son of God, established the sacrament of Holy Communion. The Last Supper was the final meal Jesus enjoyed with his disciples in Jerusalem, and it was during The Last Supper when Jesus predicted one of those disciples would ultimately betray him. Holy Thursday is sometimes referred to as “Maundy Thursday,” a reference to the religious rite of maundy, which is the washing of the feet. The Last Supper and the rite of maundy are connected because it was during The Last Supper that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. Though The Last Supper, during which Jesus gave his disciples bread, telling them it was his body, and wine, telling them it was his blood, is celebrated at every Mass as part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, Holy Thursday Mass places even greater emphasis on this significant event.
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Faith and Family - Celebrating the Easter Season
The Smiths
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e were the model American family with a name like "Smith", what would you expect? There were the four of us; my husband, myself and our two daughters. We were close. We vacationed together, worked together, played together, went to church together. Sometimes we even prayed together. I loved my husband with the everlasting, devoted, committed kind of love that every wife should have. We were committed to one another. I had respect for him. He had worked hard at his career, starting at the bottom and working his way to the top. He was good at what he did. He was good to me. I felt loved, secure, appreciated and needed. I had no complaints. I once commented to my father, “Things are so good it scares me.” If you guessed that this is all too good to be true, you are right. Troubled waters were running deep. I sensed it with my heart but
denied it with my mind. Little did I know what God was about to do with this all-American Smith family. It had been a tough year. Something was wrong. Suddenly I was caught in the middle of something for which I was not prepared. My husband was lying to me, staying out late and drinking more and more. But he would always reassure me after every confrontation that everything would be alright. Alright they were not. The dreaded evening came as we were gathered at our table eating dinner. He announced he had to go away, just get away to think. My heart throbbed and my eyes burned with tears. The children were quiet. I kept asking “Why?” Soon my calmness turned to hysteria. He was really leaving. As he left that night, he hugged us all and said we would be alright. “It’s me everyone will look down on.” Never have I felt such emotional and physical pain. I truly
felt my heart was broken, literally. I held my children close and cried out to God.
never worked; how would I support us all? The questions raced through my mind, the
Where was He? Why didn’t He wake me from this horrible nightmare? After fifteen years of marriage, we were one and I truly felt a part of me was being torn away. I couldn't live. I had
pain racked my body inside. Days would come and go with no purpose. Who can help me? What will I do? My sister came to stay with me for a few days. She is a Christian too. One look at
me and she knew we had to send those prayers hot and heavy. For the Lord was going to have to work a mighty miracle to put this mess in order and believe me, work miracles He did. In the weeks to come I was filled with the Holy Spirit and a truly divine intervention took place in my life... not once, but several times. I prayed for direction and He led my every step. Should I get a lawyer? I didn’t think so because I believed the Lord was going to handle it. There were pressures from everyone. “Protect your rights get what’s yours.” I can honestly say God took care of it. I didn't need a lawyer because the Lord was on my side in that courtroom. I eventually got a job. First, as a beautician since I had my license but had never worked. Then, because I needed more money, I took a job driving a school bus where my daughters went to school. This offered a
bit more stability and time to spend with the girls. All of this sounds so easy but required daily communication with the Lord and staying in his word. I had many times of doubt, but in the end, He was always there for me. To this day, I don’t know why he left. But God has changed me. My husband chose to walk a different path. Today I still drive the bus, my children are raised. Am I happy? Well, I’d love to be married and to have a real family again. I know this time it would be so different. The center of our lives would be Christ. I dream of loving a good Christian man and feeling needed and secure with him. But I’ve accepted this life alone and if I must serve God alone until He chooses for me to be married, then that’s what I intend to do. I will continue to love Him and Praise His Holy Name, with or without a spouse.
Easter symbolism compliments the season
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radition plays an important role in Easter celebrations for many families. Cherished traditions and symbols of Easter may include anything from egg hunts to lilies to lambs. Understanding the im-
portance behind these symbols can make sharing the miracle of Easter that much more special. Eggs Eggs are one of the more recognizable symbols of Easter. For Easter egg hunts, eggs
are hard-boiled and decorated in bright hues. It’s believed that the origins of Easter eggs are both secular and religious. From the secular (once pagan) perspective, the egg is an ancient symbol of new life, accord-
ing to The History Channel, and has been associated with pagan festivals that celebrate spring. Some Christians feel that Easter eggs represent Christ’s emergence from the tomb and his subsequent resurrection. Eggs were once a food not consumed during Lent, therefore painting and decorating them to mark the end of fasting and penance became a way to celebrate Easter. Crucifix The crucifix is one of the central symbols of Easter and Christianity. The cross is a symbol of Christ’s crucifixion and sacrifice. The crucifix also highlights the ability of God to give new life to people after death. In addition to wearing and displaying the cross during Easter, some people bake “hot cross buns” as another symbol of the season.
A Reason to Rejoice As we celebrate the Easter season, we’d like to share with you our sincere best wishes for a joyous and blessed Easter. May the power of His love and sacrifice bring peace, joy and contentment to you and yours.
Rabbit The Easter bunny is very much a secular symbol of the holiday, but one that has become so ingrained with the season that many people ascribe to it a Christian meaning. Pagan celebrations of spring often linked rabbits or hares with the season because of their fertility and ability to bring forth new life. According to the Christian living resource Crosswalk, believers associate the rabbit coming out of its underground home as a symbol of Christ emerging from the tomb. Lilies Lilies are often exchanged during Easter celebrations or presented as hostess gifts for those sharing the holiday meal with others. The American Bible Society says lilies grow in the spring around the time when
Easter is typically celebrated. Also, because they look like trumpets, they can be a symbol that heralds Christ’s resurrection. Lamb The lamb is another symbol associated with Easter. Lambs were originally associated with the Jewish holiday of Passover, when lambs were sacrificed and their blood was used to mark which houses contained those faithful to God. As a result of his crucifixion, Christ became the symbolic lamb for all — the ultimate sacrifice. In fact, Christ is often referred to as “The Lamb of God.” Easter is replete with many recognized symbols. Unearthing their meanings can be a learning experience and a way to further immerse oneself in this holy holiday.
2019 Faith and Family
Clermont, Brown and Adams Counties
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Faith and Family - Celebrating the Easter Season
Explore the true meaning of Easter “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
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unnies and baskets, chocolates and candies. It’s that time of year when parents scramble to ensure their children wake up to a trove of treats, and families decide on who is serving the lamb dinner this year. These are some of the familiar Easter traditions, but much more is involved with the holiday than egg hunts and brightly adorned bonnets. For the religious, it can be important to delve into the true meanings behind Easter and let those discoveries help shape celebrations. Easter, above all, is a religious commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the culmination of the holy period known as Lent, and it the most significant date on the Christian liturgical calendar. Jesus Christ was the Son of God, who fulfilled the prophesies that he would give his own life for his people so they could enjoy eternal life after their own mortal bodies perished. Easter, from Jesus’ very own words, marked a new covenant for the faithful. According to scripture, Jesus was enjoy-
ing the Passover dinner when he sat down with his disciples. Understanding that this would be his last earthly meal and that someone close to him would betray him, he took bread and gave thanks to God for it. He broke the bread and said it was his body that should be given up so sins would be forgiven. He did a similar gesture with wine, indicating that it was his blood that should be shed as a sacrifice for all. Christ instructed the disciples to do the same ritual in the future in memory of him. Jesus was subsequently betrayed and turned over to the authorities. He was sentenced to crucifixion and perished on the cross. His body was cleansed and placed in a tomb sealed by a stone. His followers were unaware of the miracle that would ensue in the days to come. On Easter Sunday, the tomb was discovered open and empty. Jesus had risen from the dead, providing irrefutable proof that he was the Son of God. In turn, Jesus fulfilled all he was born to do and preached. Easter did not always symbolize
Christ’s resurrection when it was first celebrated. It was once a pagan ritual of renewal and birth. How-
ever, when early missionaries began spreading Christianity’s message, the holiday — falling around
1 Peter 1:24-25 NIV the time of Christ’s actual resurrection — was adopted to commemorate the religious miracle. Today it
stands as a testament to ultimate sacrifice and the promise of eternal life for all who believe in him.