SACRED LANDMARKS PROGRAM
Two churches get grants for repairs From Staff Reports
Two Sacred Landmark grants were awarded by The Cameron Foundation as part of a program to help historic churches in the area. The grants are intended to help churches maintain their physical facilites and to preserve important landmark buildings for future generations in the Tri-Cities. The grants “recognize the importance of preserving the rich history and architecture that this region offers to visitors and residents,” said Foundation President, J. Todd Graham. The first two organizations to receive Sacred Landmark grants were Second Presbyterian Church of Petersburg and
St. John’s Episcopal Church of Hopewell. The Petersburg church will use the $25,000 grant to “repair brownstone at three entrance doors of the church building” and the Hopewell church will use its $25,000 grant for “roof repairs and guttering to offset current water intrusion.” “To my knowledge, The Cameron Foundation’s support for historic religious buildings is one of very few such efforts nationally,” Graham said January. Graham explained that the foundation recognizes historic buildings are used for more than just regular worship services. “They also play an essential role in providing space for community-serving programs and are equally significant
Petersburg church marks 160th anniversary From Staff Reports
PETERSBURG— From 1897 until 1973, Second Baptist Church was located at the corner of Halifax and Sycamore streets in downtown Petersburg. The church was organized in 1854 and its original building, completed in 1856, was located on Byrne Street. The church on Sycamore Street was razed in 1973 to make way for a new street plan and a new church was built at 3355 Johnson Road, at the corner of Johnson and Birdsong roads. This church continues today and on Sept. 14 the members, former members, family and friends gathered to commemorate 160 years of worship and fellowship. Over the years, many people, members and nonmembers alike, have found spiritual comfort at Second Baptist Church. Many children have attended Vacation Bible School, Sunday School, Training Union and other activities. The day began at 9 a.m. with a "meet and greet" with a continental breakfast. During this time, there were pictures and W2
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artifacts from the church's long history on display. The worship hour, led by the Rev. Dr. Joseph T. Lewis, pastor of Second, began at 11 a.m. A former pastor, the Rev. Dr. Charles A. Beckett, spoke about the importance of Second Baptist's missions programs through the years. Dr. Richard L. Atkinson shared some memories of growing up in Second Baptist. After the morning worship service, there was a luncheon in the Nonnie C. Slate Pavilion. Later in the afternoon, there will be a wreath-laying ceremony in Blandford Cemetery at the graveside of the Rev. Duncan McLeod, who was minister of Byrne Street Baptist Church from 1887 until 1889. Upon his retirement from the ministry, Rev. McLeod and his family rejoined Second Baptist Church where he was an active and productive member from 1913 until his wife's death in 1922. When it was discovered earlier this year that Rev. McLeod did not have a tombstone, the members of Second Baptist voted to have one placed on his grave. A number of descendants were in attendance at the ceremony.
competitive regular as contributors to “They also play an grant program and the historic fabric of essential role in requests will be conthe region,” Graham said. The foundation providing space for s i d e r e d a l o n g s i d e researched sacred community-serving many other requests for funding across the landmark grant proprograms and are grams throughout the equally significant as foundation’s six areas of interest. nation as part of the contributors to the development of the new The Cameron Founhistoric fabric of the dation is a private program. region.” To be eligible for the foundation that supgrant: the structure ports the work of J. Todd Graham must be located within nonprofits and partner the foundation’s service area; it must agencies to improve the quality of life have been originally constructed as a of residents in its service area. Founded religious institution; it must be owned in 2003, The Cameron Foundation was by a religious institution and actively formed from the proceeds of the sale used for religious services; and it must of Southside Regional Medical Center be listed on the state or national reg- by the Hospital Authority of the City ister of historic places or designated of Petersburg. Its service area encomhistoric by local laws. passes the region historically served Additionally, only exterior preserva- by the hospital and includes the cities tion projects are eligible for the grants. of Petersburg, Colonial Heights and The maximum grant award will be Hopewell; the counties of Dinwiddie, $25,000. The foundation has two com- Prince George, and Sussex; and the porpetitive grant cycles in 2014. tion of Chesterfield County lying south Sacred Landmarks Grants are one of Route 10. component of the foundation’s highly
Renaissance artworks depicting Mary featured in DC WASHINGTON (AP) — Renaissance and Baroque artwork depicting Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, that is rarely seen in the United States is being showcased in Washington in time for Christmas. Last Friday, the National Museum of Women in the Arts opened the new exhibition "Picturing Mary: Woman, Mother, Idea." The show, which is on view through April 12, features masterworks from major museums including the Louvre in Paris, the Uffizi gallery in Florence, Italy, and the Vatican museums in Rome. The exhibition examines how artists including Michelangelo, Botticelli and Caravaggio imagined and pictured Mary as a woman and mother from Jesus' birth through his crucifixion. Mary was the most frequently depicted woman in Western art for generations until the 18th century, curators said. Some of the more famous paintings brought to the U.S. for the exhibit include Botticelli's "Madonna and Child"
and Caravaggio's early masterpiece, "Rest on the Flight into Egypt." While most of the artworks were created by men, the exhibit also features works created by four women artists. Monsignor Timothy Verdon, director of the iconic Duomo museum in Florence, Italy, who curated the exhibit, said bringing these works together can appeal to religious or nonreligious observers looking back at art history. He noted Mary's role appears in Christian, Jewish and Islamic texts. "I believe this is an exhibit that can speak to believers of any faith or to nonbelievers on the basis of our universal experience," he said. The museum partnered with the Embassy of Italy and the Catholic University of America on programs surrounding the exhibit and is presenting an online exhibit featuring global representations of Mary from other parts of the world.
This handout image provided by Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milan; inv. 443, shows Sandro Botticelli (Alessandro Filipepi), Madonna and Child (Madonna col Bambino), also called Madonna of the Book (Madonna del Libro), 1480–81;Tempera and oil on wood panel. Renaissance and Baroque artwork depicting Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, that is rarely seen in the United States is being showcased in Washington in time for Christmas. On Friday, the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington opened the new exhibition “Picturing Mary: Woman, Mother, Idea.” The show, which is on view through April 12, features masterworks from major museums including the Louvre in Paris, the Uffizi gallery in Florence, Italy, and the Vatican museums in Rome. (AP PHOTO/MUSEO POLDI PEZZOLI, MILAN; INV. 443) | Friday, Dec. 12, 2014
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Marketta Gregory: Fight the dark by bringing the light By Marketta Gregory More Content Now
You'd think there wouldn't be much wisdom in 140 characters, not space enough for thoughts that inspire. But good writers and great thinkers can sometimes surprise you on Twitter. "We have no shortage of battle-ready Christians. That's the problem. We need Christians who are ready to love." I read the tweet twice and then a third time. This seemingly simply tweet and its author — Ed Cyzewski, who has written several books, including “A Christian Survival Guide: A Lifeline to Faith and Growth,” “ “Unfollowers: Unlikely Lessons on Faith from the Doubters of Jesus” and “Coffeehouse Theology: Reflecting on God in Everyday Life” — had my head spinning. Certainly there are times to fight and
MARKETTA GREGORY
defend, but what exactly are we fighting for? Are we doing battle out of love and compassion for others or out of fear? When we really look at ourselves, are we spending more time tearing down our opponents or lifting up our neighbors? You don't have to be a trained researcher to notice the trend and see how comments can turn negative and
Pope mulls removing marriage annulment charges By FRANCES D'EMILIO Associated Press
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis recently denounced the hardships Catholics can face when seeking marriage annulments, revealing he once fired an official who tried to charge thousands of dollars for one. Francis told participants at a Vatican course for officials dealing with annulments that as bishop of Buenos Aires, he was dismayed to learn that some faithful needed to travel hundreds of kilometers (miles) and lose days of work to reach church tribunals. He also recalled sacking an unidentified church tribunal official, possibly a lawyer, who told someone: "Give me $10,000 and I'll take care" of the annulment process. "One must be careful that the procedures don't become a business," Francis said. The Vatican teaches that matrimony is a sacrament and forbids divorce. Many Catholics wanting to end their marriages seek annulments, a church ruling their union was invalid and thus, essentially, W4
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never existed. Possible reasons include a spouse who never intended to be faithful or who was psychologically too immature to understand the forever nature of marriage in the Catholic church. Annulments allow Catholics to marry again in the church. Francis said he was considering requests, made at a recent Vatican meeting of bishops about families, to make annulments cost-free. Many dioceses customarily ask annulment petitioners to pay hundreds of dollars to defray administrative costs, but some are now dropping fees, as a northern Indiana diocese started doing last month. Francis reiterated his resolve to streamline annulment processes, which are sometimes "so long and so weighty," he said, that people become "discouraged." Divorced Catholics who remarry without annulments cannot receive Communion since the Vatican considers them as adulterers living in sin. Many such divorced Catholics are hoping the pontiff, who says he wants a merciful church, will relent and let them receive Communion.
argumentative on social media — how they can rip and slice at a person. I know none of us would ever do that, ever forget that there is a person behind the pixels, but are we doing anything to prevent it? The only way to fight the dark is to bring the light. Are we doing that for our neighbors? When we see the story about the car accident and read the disparaging comments do we just continue to scroll through our news feed or do we write a message of hope? When the controversial subjects pop up, the ones that make our shoulders touch our necks, are our comments civil? Are they helpful? Are they full of truth — and equally full of mercy? What are we contributing to the conversation? Earlier this year I instituted a daily quota for myself — five positive interactions on Facebook and five on Twitter.
On the days I stick to it, I hit the like button for everything from cute kid pictures to status updates from bestselling authors. I jot notes of sympathy and encouragement. I find posts from bloggers who have exposed bits of their souls, and I share their articles and praise their work. It's small, I know. But it is light. And I have to believe every little bit helps. Marketta Gregory is a former religion reporter who now shares her own journey of faith with readers. She lives in Rochester, New York, with her husband, their three young boys and one very vocal Pomeranian. To contact Gregory, email markettagregory@yahoo.com or write to her at P.O. Box 12923, Rochester, NY 14612. You can also visit the Simply Faithful page on Facebook and follow her on Twitter (@MarkettaGregory).
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In this photo taken on Monday, Dec. 1, 2014, more than 1,000 participants gather at Rock Canyon Park in Provo, Utah, in an attempt to set a world record for the largest recreation of a live Nativity scene. (AP PHOTO/THE DESERET NEWS, SCOTT G WINTERTON)
Huge Utah nativity scene breaks Guinness record PROVO, Utah (AP) — More than 1,000 people dressed as angels, wise men and religious royalty gathered at a park in Provo, Utah, and set a new Guinness record for the largest live nativity scene. The event on Monday featured a variety of performers who made videos posted on YouTube. It is also expected to serve as a backdrop for a music video. Guinness World Record judge Michael Empric determined there were 1,039 participants in the production, along with a camel, donkey and sheep, the Daily Herald of Provo reported (http://bit.ly/1FJW2h8 ). That tops the record of 898 people last year
at a nativity scene in the United Kingdom. Organizers, however, said breaking the record was secondary to emphasizing religious faith over Christmas-season shopping. "We wanted to do it simply to show the world what Christmas is all about," said Derral Eves, one of the producers. "It is not all the presents, but it is about the true gift of Christmas — Jesus Christ." The event was planned and put together in less than a month — thanks in large part to about 50 families that helped sew all the costumes, Eves said. Some of the costumes had battery-powered lights attached as trimming. One woman sewed about 75 costumes, said
Valerie Harmon, who organized the costume effort. "It was sort of like an old-fashioned community sewing bee," Harmon said. The event was promoted on social media, which is how Nathan Hutson of Bozeman, Montana, found out. Hutson, a Catholic, joined the mostly-Mormon group to be part of the nativity scene. "The fact that this is an interfaith event is absolutely wonderful," Hutson told the newspaper. "It allows everyone to say — despite our differences in religion. we are all celebrating the birth of Christ."
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St. Stephens Episcopal Church honors Bishop Payne Divinity School
Rev Willis Foster Sr. and Rev Canon Lloyd Alexander Lewis Jr. unveil the new historical marker at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church for the Bishop Payne Divinity School on Saturday, March 29, 2014 (PROGRESS-INDEX PHOTO)
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The Rev Canon Lloyd Alexander Lewis Jr. speaks about the importance of Bishop Payne Divinity School at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church during the unveiling ceremony for a new historical marker dedicated to the school on Saturday, March 29, 2014. (PROGRESS-INDEX PHOTO)
From Staff Reports
PETERSBURG — St. Stephens Episcopal Church commemorated the achievements of Bishop Payne Divinity School, the first African-American seminary for the Episcopal Church in Virgina, with the unveiling of a historical marker in March. Before the dedication, a prayer service was held inside the church, which was attended by approximately 75 people. Family members of graduates from the school were present and speakers included: the Rev. Canon Lloyd Alexander Lewis Jr., who was ordained by a Bishop Payne Divinity School graduate; Christopher Pote, archivist at Virginia Theological Seminary; and
Horace Mann, a board member of the department of historic resources who gave final approval for the mark. “I can tell you that those who walked out of the doors of the Bishop Payne Divinity School and who fought for their theological education so that they could strengthen their own ability to minister effectively, to raise those they led higher and to take their place in society made of what they had more than they could have possibly imagined,” Lewis said. Bishop Payne Divinity School, which was established in 1878, was “founded in a past time of racial separation,” Lewis said. The school prepared black
men for the ministry for 71 years, according to the historical marker. In 1949, the school merged with the Virginia Theological Seminary. Although it no longer exists, the school’s legacy “very much is alive and well and living on in the lives of those countless generations who its graduates have touched,” Lewis said. The historical marker is a “big honor,” which took about a year to be approved, Mann said. To receive a historical marker, there must be research and documentation to verify a historical impact. “There never was any doubt” that Bishop Payne Divinity School would receive the marker because of the papers and archives at the
seminary, Mann said. Enough documentation was available for the historical marker, but Pote urged family members with any personal writings to submit them to the Virginia Theological Seminary. The extent of the collection “is not as rich as it could be,” Pote said. The personal papers are important and provide a “snapshot” of the past because “they provide the evidence and the tangible existence of the ministries led by these men. They tell the stories firsthand of these lives lived and the struggles and the victories ... and to be able to retell the story of a generation almost gone,” Pote said.
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Read Local Letters Submitted From Area Children. A Holiday Tradition At The Progress-Index.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2014
The Progress-Index W8
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