The Abilene Community Band will perform a free concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 4, at the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander St. The Fourth of July concert, with traditional patriotic music, will be held on the east side of the church. In case of bad weather, it will move into the nave. Admission is free. Guests
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By JIM NICHOLS During the construction of biology classes for college students, instructors have developed certain patterns. There are areas that need to be addressed in readings, lectures, and discussions because they are agreed upon central concepts of the discipline; somewhere during the semester the topics need consideration. The students’ interest in certain topics may be high or low. Despite
Read moreTHE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Before football coaches have gone any distance in the minefield-laden careers they’ve chosen, they learn that the welcome mat–so warmly extended before their first game–often is jerked away before there’s time to leave a footprint. Finally deciding to accompany his wife to Europe after breaking promises to do so for decades, one old coach
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By LORETTA FULTON “Ok, you’re going to get two beans out,” Ella Mansur instructed the group of eager learners circled around the table. They were learning the game of Mancala, with roots in Africa, which made it perfect for demonstrating African culture on World Refugee Day. A local celebration to highlight the culture and traditions of local refugees was held
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By NANCY PATRICK Today’s social climate presents many challenges. I’m not sure if the cause for the rise in depression, violence, climate change, suicide, and lethargy has one diagnosis. Some blame much of the dismal atmosphere on COVID. I agree that the two-year pandemic changed our world in some irreversible ways, but I’m not so sure we can blame COVID
Read moreBy DANNY MINTON One Sunday morning, I saw a bird trapped in the church building, flying back and forth, trying to find its way to freedom. It was a common ordinary sparrow, but it reminded me of my first sermon. I was nineteen years old and still remember sitting across the desk from our minister, Alan Sowders, reviewing some thoughts
Read moreTHE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury When I began writing weekly more than two decades ago, I informed readers that they could expect occasional recipes worthy of clipping, putting under magnets on refrigerator doors or placing toward the front of recipe boxes. I have failed. Maybe it was because the recipe–offered more than 20 years ago–failed to generate any
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By LORETTA FULTON Two familiar faces at First Central Presbyterian Church gained special status Sunday, June 11, when they were named associate pastors. Carlo Sosa-Ortiz and Grace Sosa, a husband and wife team, already were serving positions at the church, but following the vote of the congregation on June 11, they will be ordained as ministers in the Presbyterian Church
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By JIM NICHOLS I could hardly wait until I was eight years old and eligible to play Cub Scout baseball. That was the earliest age at which boys in my city had the option of being in an organized league with dads as coaches, real bases with chalk lines, caps, and t-shirts with major league names on them for uniforms.
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