THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury The ditty written long ago is more accurate today than when pen met parchment. The exact wording may not be 100% accurate, but here’s how I remember its four lines: “How much I have seen and how much I have read, of the struggles of man to get ahead. But me, I ‘m
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By NANCY PATRICK I had a weird thought the other day about the many issues people face these days: human rights, unjust wars, dirty politics, dangerous politics, climate change, uncontrolled viruses, racial injustice, family violence, mass shootings, and on it goes. What a depressingly overwhelming list of concerns! The list brings to my mind the Serenity Prayer that my interim
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By LORETTA FULTON The new pastor of St. Paul United Methodist Church won’t have to spend much time learning his way around Abilene. Benji Van Fleet assumed the role of senior pastor at the historic downtown church on July 1. The Van Fleet family–Benji, his wife Anna and their 7-year-old son Abe–moved to Abilene from First UMC in Stanton, near
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By LORETTA FULTON A familiar face returned to Holy Family Catholic Church in July when Adam Droll became parochial administrator. He previously served the parish as parochial vicar. Droll was born and raised in San Angelo, graduating from Central High School in 2007. He was assigned to the Newman Center at Angelo State University the past three years before coming
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Jay Moore’s newest book, “Abilene Daily: Snapshots of Home,” contains one or morevignettes from Abilene’s history for each day of the year. Periodically, stories with some connection–however loose–to Abilene’s religious life will be featured in Spirit of Abilene. The book can be purchased at Texas Star Trading Co., 174 Cypress St. www.texasstartrading.com or call 325-672-9696. Books are $27.50. Following is an excerpt
Read moreBy DANNY MINTON In July of 1945, President Truman met with Churchill (later Clement Attlee) and Stalin in Potsdam, a suburb of Berlin, Germany. The discussion concerned peace settlements at the end of the war in Europe. Demarcation of boundaries, occupation of Austria, and concerns about Japan were among the talks taking place. On July 26 the conference sent a
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Contact: Wendy Kilmer, wendy.kilmer@acu.eduDirector of Communications and Media Relations Registration is now open for the fall event of ACU’s 116th year of Summit, Oct. 13-14, part of the new twice-a-year format designed to better serve church leaders. Each fall, a two-day gathering will coincide with ACU’s Homecoming weekend, and each spring, a two-day event will lead into Sing Song weekend.
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By JIM NICHOLS As we have seen in the Roe versus Wade arguments, sometimes personal and moral decisions wander into legal areas and the water becomes muddy quickly. Precedents are set and then arguments begin concerning whether precedents are binding or not. The making or rejection of laws, to simplify matters, seems to add complications rather than clarifications. A recent
Read moreTHE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury I am admittedly a slow learner. Asked on a game show to name the presidential images at Mount Rushmore, I would redden with embarrassment. Only in recent years have I been sure there are four honorees. Even now–if asked how many–I’d likely wither under the pressure of TV’s bright lights, meekly asking if
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Spirit Of Abilene 