By LORETTA FULTON Opening a speech with the “N” word normally wouldn’t be advisable for the featured speaker at a Martin Luther King. Jr. Day gathering. But the Rev. Matthew Lubin, pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church, did just that and followed the slur with racial epithets that covered just about all of humanity. As a preacher, Lubin knows the importance
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By LORETTA FULTON On Father Albert Ezeanya’s first day as the new priest at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, July 1, 2019, an 80-year-old member asked him a question. “Can you please get a new hall for us?” she asked, referring to a parish hall to replace the current one that is located in the church basement. A year and a
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Kristy McDonoughChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Local and area members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made sure the “First Christmas in Abilene” was one to remember for refugees who are resettled in Abilene through the International Rescue Committee. LDS members, primarily youths, collected brand new and much needed household supplies for refugees during December.
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By JIM NICHOLS The preacher was clearly saying it on purpose. At first, those of us in the congregation did not notice it. Perhaps we attributed it to the fact that he was young (as was I) and new. Soon, like something blurry becoming clearer, it came into focus. Some churches, including this one, take the Bible quite seriously. In
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By DANNY MINTON The names Dwight Eisenhower, George Patton, Chester Nimitz, Jimmy Doolittle, and Douglas MacArthur retain their place in military history years after these men served and passed away. The awards and honors exist in abundant numbers. Even those not students of military history will recognize some of these names. Over and over through the years following WWII, America
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A vehicle parade will substitute for the traditional foot parade Monday, Jan. 18, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. “Divided We Fall, United We Stand” is the theme of the annual parade, sponsored by Let Us Breathe. The parade normally involves people walking across the MLK Jr. bridge in east Abilene. This year, due to the ongoing COVID-19
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A beautiful snow blanketed Abilene early Sunday morning, the second snowfall of the new year–a great start to 2021! These photos were shot by Kristen Harris-Bridwell, director of Christian education at First Central Presbyterian Church. She added a comment on Facebook, where the photos first were posted: “First person at work gets the pretty pictures!” Thanks to Kristen for sharing
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By DANNY MINTON I remember 1968 primarily because it was in the summer of that year, my wife and I were married. However, most of us alive during that year remember 1968 as a year of “agony and triumph.” In January, the USS Pueblo faced an attack by North Korea, and the crew captured. They would remain prisoners, tortured, and
Read moreBy JIM NICHOLS During my years of college professor work, I often envied the students’ enthusiasm, naivete, and joy for life. I did look out from the front of the classroom, however, and be thankful that my life as a college student was in the past. Although life is good in many ways for a student, did I really want
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