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Law, Love and Chocolate
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Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
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Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
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Jehovah's Witnesses to offer sessions at CSU over 3 weekends in July
By Colette M. Jenkins
Beacon Journal religion writer
Published on Saturday, Jun 27, 2009
The annual convention of Jehovah's Witnesses begins on Friday at Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center, 2000 Prospect Ave.
The convention is expected to attract 20,000 delegates from Ohio and Pennsylvania over three weekends. The sessions are Friday to July 5, July 10-12 and July 24-26.
Morning sessions begin at 9:20 a.m. each day. Afternoon sessions begin at 1:50, 1:35 and 1:20 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
The official journal of Jehovah's Witnesses is the Watchtower, which reports a circulation of more than 37 million copies in 174 languages. For information about the Keep on the Watch conventions, go to http://www.jw-media.org.
In other religion news:
Events
Church of the Good Shepherd United Methodist — 785 S. Main St., Akron. A celebration of the church's history will take place during its final worship service at 11 a.m. Sunday. A reception will be held after the service.
Church of Our Saviour Episcopal — 471 Crosby St., Akron. 7 p.m. Wednesday. Free screening of a new documentary film, Voices of Witness Africa, about the plight of homosexuals in Africa. A discussion of the film will follow, led by the Rev. Gay Jennings. 330-535-9174.
Faith Fellowship Church — 10277 Valley View Road, Macedonia. 9 and 11 a.m. Sunday. A patriotic Salute to America will be presented. Military, police and firefighters will be honored. Wearing of uniforms is encouraged. Free, everyone welcome. 330-467-1234.
Hills Temple First Born Church of the Living God — 799 S. Arlington St., Akron. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today. Yard sale. Proceeds benefit homecoming services in September.
Johnson United Methodist Church — 3409 Johnson Road, Norton. 10:45 a.m. Sunday. The Rev. Scott Wilson will observe his final Sunday as pastor after 21 years. His message will be The View From My Vantage Point. A farewell reception will follow. On July 1, Dr. Wilson will become senior pastor of Mayfield Church, east of Cleveland.
Messiah Missionary Baptist Church — 1168 Ackley St., Akron. Annual men's and women's day Sunday. Men's program will be observed at 11 a.m. with Billy Soule as guest speaker. Women's program will be at 3:30 p.m. with the Rev. Shiloh Hooks as guest speaker.
Mount Lebanon Baptist Church — 180 Edward Ave., Akron. 11 a.m. Sunday. Installation for new pastor, the Rev. Robert J. Evans. Dr. John A. Evans of the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in St. Petersburg, Fla., will be speaker. At 4 p.m., the Rev. Luther Cooper of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Akron, will present the installation services.
Mount Zion Baptist Church — 327 Cuyahoga St., Akron. 10:45 a.m. Sunday. Citywide youth day. Special guest vocalists will be Kenneth L. Wilson, owner of Kent Le Mar Productions, and Tevin M. Carter, a recent graduate of Firestone High School. Youth speaker will be Kofi Rayshawn Boakye, age 9, of Akron's Miller South school.
New Hope Baptist Church — 1706 S. Hawkins Ave., Akron. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday. The soup kitchen serves free meals and gives away free clothing every Thursday.
Phillips Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church — 413 Iroquois Ave., Akron. 11 a.m. Sunday. Men's Day service theme will be Men Not Doubting, but Believing by Faith.The Rev. Carlson Shanklin of Parkwood C.M.E. Church in Cleveland will be the guest speaker. 330-784-8964.
Providence Baptist Church — 458 Madison Ave., Akron. 11 a.m. Sunday. 80th Annual Women's Day. Theme will be Thy Will Be Done. Speaker will be Cheryl Sadler.
St. John Christian Methodist Episcopal Church — 1233 S. Hawkins Ave., Akron. 10:45 a.m. Sunday. Missionary Day will be observed. 330-864-3060.
St. Mark's Episcopal Church — 515 48th St. NW, Canton. 8 and 10 a.m. Sunday. The newly ordained the Rev. Matt Humm will preach at both services. A reception for him and his family will follow the second service. 330-499-2662.
St. Matthew Lutheran Church — 5451 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road, Norton. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. Youth group car wash with proceeds to benefit this year's Vacation Bible school.
Word of His Grace Fellowship — 110 E. Steels Corners Road, Cuyahoga Falls. 1 p.m. July 11. There will be a 3-on-3 basketball tournament for boys and girls ages 12-18. Free and open to the public. Trophies awarded. For registration forms, call 330-928-9266 or visit http://www.3on3.info.
Performances
Macedonia United Methodist Church — 1280 E. Aurora Road. 7 p.m. Sunday. The Sanctuary Festival Series will present the performer known as Bushwalla. His real name is Billy Galewood, a native of Bedford Heights, who now lives in California and tours in England, Europe and Australia. He sings, plays the guitar, does magic and tells stories. Freewill offering will benefit the Sanctuary Festival Series. 330-467-3169.
Speakers, classes, workshops
First Friday Club of Greater Akron — Martin University Center, 105 Fir Hill, Akron. Noon July 10. Brother Raymond Papenfuss, mission promoter for the Holy Cross Missions in Ghana, West Africa, will speak on Different World View — An African Perspective. Luncheon is $14. 330-535-7668.
Women of Faith — Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland. July 17-18. Spring 2009 Tour, A Grand New Day, will feature musical artists, authors and performers offering renewed strength, hope and inspiration for women. Featuring Grammy winner Steven Curtis Chapman, American Idol finalist Mandisa, Lisa Whelchel of television's The Facts of Life and singer Sandi Patty. Register at http://www.womenoffaith.com or call 888-49-FAITH.
Vacation Bible schools and camps
Church in Silver Lake — 2951 Kent Road, Silver Lake. Vacation Bible School July 13-17, 6- 8 p.m. each evening. Camp E.D.G.E. (Explore and Discover God Everywhere) will have a picnic for participants and their families on the final day at 6 p.m. 330-928-2991, or visit http://www.churchinsilverlake.org and find the link to registration form on youth page.
First United Methodist Church — 245 Portage Trail, Cuyahoga Falls. Chess Camp for grades 1-6, July 6-10, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. $100 for the week includes trips, T-shirt and a concluding tournament on Friday. Before and after care for additional fee. Chess experience not required. Life lessons from the Old Testament, crafts and snacks. 330-923-5241, ext. 218, or http://www.firstchurchcf.com.
The deadline for Religion Notes items is noon Tuesday. Items must be in writing. Please fax information to 330-996-3030, e-mail it to religion@thebeaconjournal.com or send it to Religion, Akron Beacon Journal, 44 E. Exchange St., Akron, OH 44309.
The annual convention of Jehovah's Witnesses begins on Friday at Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center, 2000 Prospect Ave.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Celina, OH
Posted 06:39 AM, 06/27/2009
The following SUMMARIES OF OVER 1400 JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES CRIMINAL and CIVIL COURT CASES will provide the BEST and MOST ACCURATE info about Jehovah's Witnesses, their beliefs, and how they ACTUALLY practice such day to day.
The following website summarizes 900 court cases and lawsuits affecting children of Jehovah's Witness Parents, including 400 cases where the JW Parents refused to consent to life-saving blood transfusions for their dying children, as well as nearly 400 CRIMINAL cases -- most involving MURDERS:
DIVORCE, BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS, AND OTHER LEGAL ISSUES AFFECTING CHILDREN OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
http://jwdivorces.bravehost.com
The following website summarizes over 500 lawsuits filed by Jehovah's Witnesses against their Employers, incidents involving problem JW Employees, and other secret JW "history" court cases:
EMPLOYMENT ISSUES UNIQUE TO JEHOVAH'S WITNESS EMPLOYEES
http://jwemployees.bravehost.com
Posted 10:59 AM, 06/27/2009
Please INVESTIGATE thoroughly before you dedicate your life at baptism to the Watchtower Society, the "spirit-directed (???) organization". No independent thinking is allowed thereafter. Then, all your thinking is done for you. The Watchtower Society at one time banned vaccinations, organ transplants, blood fractions and later okayed for their members without any apology for those that suffered and died needlessly. Could the Watchtower okay blood transfusion also some day? The threat of disfellowshipping, expelling, shunning holds their members abusively from using and stating any free thought.
Check: freeminds.org and ajwrb.org
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Listen to WTS VP Fred Franz in 1975 about "1975" at:
http://youtube.com/v/oaXbBVVoeEQ
Posted 11:31 AM, 06/27/2009
This is what you call tag slander. This is how it works, person 'A' writes something negative about someone or about an organization and they set up e-mail alerts for certain keywords, example: the organization's name. After getting a news alert they write a negative post, creating a user profile if they have to. After posting their slanderous information they log out and then rate the article or recommend it several times, perhaps clearing the cookies on their computer so that they are not prevented from making multiple posts. If the website is smart enough to check the IP address instead of using cookies then they get friends to make the posts, or they disconnect their Internet connection several times and get a new IP address each time they reconnect. The idea behind tag slander is to convince innocent readers that their ideas are widely accepted. This usually involves mountains of information that the average person doesn't have time to read through. Note how they never quote from a JW publication, and if they do, they quote out of context, knowing that the average person won’t bother to check the facts via JWs. The idea here is to generate so much fear that people refuse to talk to JWs. This is a form of mind control, as the posters like Danny Haszard use fear to motivate their audience. Basically what he is saying is: ‘You are not smart enough to see JWs for what they really are so I have to think for you’. A PATHETIC BUNCH INDEED!
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 02:23 PM, 06/27/2009
O.K. Kubanazo, maybe they are doing that but I am local and have been posting on ohio.com for some time and I can tell you the JW's are a bunch of crazy zealots. It's more of a cult than a religion.
Besides the blood transfusion b.s. I could go on for hours about some of the wacky ideas they try to instill. They're racist and homophobic. Any "religion" that tries to force it's members to shun their own family members is a cult in my book.
If they show up at your door tell them to go to the hell they don't believe in.
Akron, OH
Posted 02:38 PM, 06/27/2009
Used to be one, and now am out. It is a more cult-like than you think.
They hide things about the organization (protected pedophiles, all kinds of internal problems with management, etc.).
Mantua, Ne
Posted 03:13 PM, 06/27/2009
I wish you guys could get your stories straight! JW's are a super strict organization that shuns sinners OR JW's are a bunch of pedophiles who always allow bad conduct. JW's are a secretive cult that brainwashes their followers and won't allow em to talk to anybody OR JW's are always coming to my house or going out in public to talk to EVERYBODY about the Bible! Sheesh! Guys they can't be BOTH! If you don't like em leave em and leave em alone! Every JW I've ever known is a good person who never bugged me unless I had a question!
Boston, MA
Posted 08:37 PM, 06/27/2009
JJ, no one cares about these lawsuits.
Gayle, you don't know what the hell you are talking about and are just flat wrong.
Miss Claws, blood transfusions are bad medicine. JWs are not homophobic or racist. No one is forced to shun their family members.
Bangor, Ma
Posted 03:43 AM, 06/28/2009
Throughout Watchtower literature Jehovah's Witnesses are taught to HATE "apostate" former members:
Jehovah's Witnesses are to HATE people who do "bad".--Watchtower pg. 420; 7/15/1961
If someone used to be a Jehovah's Witness, "We must hate in the truest sense, which is to regard with extreme ~ active aversion, to consider as loathsome, odious, filthy, to detest." --Watchtower, 10/1/52, p.599.
They are to be hated "in the sense of avoiding them as we would poison or a poisonous snake." -- Watchtower, 6/15/80, p.8.
"in order to hate what is bad a Christian must hate the person" WT 7/15/1961, p. 420
Theses are exact quotes from the Watchtower magazine they they take door to door!
Bangor, Ma
Posted 03:45 AM, 06/28/2009
250,000 Jehovah's Witnesses are DEAD (since 1945) by a man-made Watchtower society ban on *whole* blood transfusions.
The JW defenders will dance all around this but even the general public know it to be true.
We hear about the deaths all the time on the general news,and when they need to the Watchtower will eulogize these 'martyrs for Jehovah'.
NOW in 2009 the blood ban is so watered down that it looks like theses thousands died in vain for a man made dogma that will soon be lifted altogether.
Outrageous!!
Akron, Oh
Posted 03:11 PM, 06/28/2009
I don't know much bout JW's but this is how racism is spread..."word of mouth" and just like the rest of u who posted I have been taught to run from JW's but except for an annoying knock on the door,at the most inoppurtune time of day, I still don't know what I am running from!
I am a Christian and knowone or any other religion can dampin my faith in God, what r u guys scared of, their beliefs are they problems, this is how and why Jesus was crucified....His beliefs and teachings!
Akron, OH
Posted 09:21 AM, 06/29/2009
@DannyHaszard...do you have any Watchtower quotes from this decade? Basing your opinion of them on what you quoted is like saying "I hate Catholics because of the Inquisition". Some religions change their teachings when society changes or when new technology becomes available.
I'm not a J-dub...but I respect their right to believe what they want...just like other religions.
