Elissa's co-author, Caleb Shoemaker, joins her for a conversation about their new book, Blueprints for the Little Church: Creating an Orthodox Home, discussing the challenges and benefits of bringing an Orthodox rhythm to the family.

Fr. Apostolos responds to another week of blood-letting in America.

Bobby Maddex interviews Elissa Bjeletich and Caleb Shoemaker, the authors of the new AFP book Blueprints for the Little Church: Creating an Orthodox Home.

We interview Graham Sparkman, a fifth-generation bluegrass-Mountain musician who now finds himself on the path into the Orthodox Church. Graham is here to talk about his new, unique, and frankly gorgeous CD titled Lestovka—available now at iTunes and cdbaby.

Microsoft is changing its famous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) to black in Windows 11. The software giant started testing its new design changes in a Windows 11 preview earlier this week, but the Black Screen of Death isn’t fully enabled yet. The Verge understands Microsoft will be switching to a Black Screen of Death for Windows 11, matching the new black logon and shutdown screens.

Becoming a SaaS copywriter is your ticket to being at the forefront of the tech industry, where your words have the power to turn interest into conversions. It's more than just writing. It's about understanding the pulse of the market and crafting messages that resonate with users on a personal level. You'll work with innovative brands, helping to shape messages that not only inform but also engage and inspire action. It's a dynamic, rewarding career path where your skill can directly contribute to a company's success, translating tech speak into language that connects, convinces, and converts.

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Final preparations are underway for this year’s ‘Santa Steamlights Experience’.

Salford City Council also says it will name and shame people found to be misusing Blue Badges.

A restriction zone has been extended to cover the island and part of Hampshire.

A team of engineers are checking the engines so the hydroplane can return to the water.

Social media platform Bluesky says it has gained 700,000 new users in the week following the US election. Bluesky, which was originally conceived as part of Twitter by its former […]

The post Blue Sky gets post-election boost, Apple Vision Pro headset production scaled back appeared first on Tech Digest.

Jared Bahay hit timely shots down the stretch to help the Ateneo Blue Eagles deal the free-falling University of the East Red Warriors their fourth straight loss in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament, 71-67, Wednesday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila.

From Twiggy to Paris Hilton, this hue has proven it's got more lives than a cat with a good contour

Kamala Harris's defeat runs deeper for Democrats than its surface appearance. Even at first sight, it was stunning: Ms. Harris didn't just lose the presidency but, unthinkably, the popular vote too.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — David Pastrnak scored with 1:47 to play as the Boston Bruins scored three third-period goals to come back for a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night. Pastrnak’s shot from the left circle trickled through Jordan Binnington’s pads and slid just over the goal line. Morgan Geekie and […]

The post Pastrnak’s goal completes rally as Bruins come back to stun Blues 3-2 appeared first on Boston.com.

NME’s Album of the Year for 1992 reissued with a wealth of worthwhile extras.

For local churches around the globe, the countdown to one of the most widely attended weekends has begun! Set lists are being finalized, service flows are being negotiated, sermon outlines are being pored over, and eggs are being filled by the dozen. While families all over are making their Sunday afternoon plans and working out lunch menus, you are neck-deep in planning, rehearsing, and decision-making. Holiday weekends like Easter have and always will look a lot different for Church leadership than it does for those they serve. So how do you approach these seasons without giving the enemy a foothold to rob you of every ounce of joy and motivation?

I took the chance to pick the brain of someone who has been on the front lines of the worship war for several decades now. David Parker is the Worship & Creative Arts Pastor at 121 Community Church located in Grapevine, TX. Not only is David a dear friend of mine, but I also had the privilege of serving on his worship staff team for 12 years until our family moved to Tennessee at the end of last year. So I had a front row seat to watch this man in action on a weekly basis and, trust me, he is a wealth of wisdom when it comes to donning multiple hats while managing to keep his head above water. Here’s what he had to say about managing all the moving parts with grace and clarity.    

AAW: For the sake of context, tell us a little about your experience as a worship leader up 'til now. How long have you been leading and in what capacities?

DP: I’ve been leading worship since I was in sixth grade. I would lead worship for my Sunday School class every week before we went to Bible study. From there I continued to lead throughout high school for various events that churches would invite me to. Some friends and I started a band and played anywhere we could. We definitely weren’t very good! But through that experience I ended up being invited to lead a VBS at a great church in Houston. As a result, I interned at that church for two summers where I received incredible mentorship from some amazing people. When I left for college at Texas A&M I led worship at what used to be called the B.S.U. Area churches began inviting me to lead at student events. I traveled more and more throughout college doing more and more events. In 1993 I joined up with Al Denson and Celebration Ministries to travel throughout the country leading worship for student events. During that time God gave me the privilege to be a part of some amazing movements in Buffalo, NY, the early Student Life Camps, Hot Hearts Texas, Georgia Super WOW, Youth Evangelism Conferences and churches all over.  Around 2000 I began leading in a rotation of worship leaders at my home church, 121 Community Church. Over the next year or two God called me away from the road and I have been the Worship & Creative Arts Pastor at 121 ever since. All in all, I’ve been leading worship for about 34 years.

AAW: What would you say is the biggest difference between leading in the local Church versus traveling to lead at various events?

DP: I truly loved traveling while God had me in that role, but as I look back, He was preparing me to be a worship leader for the local church. When I was traveling, I loved the great relationships I was privileged to develop with wonderful people, but for me, I felt too much like I was on an island. It was difficult to stay connected to my local church. I found myself leading songs that I knew people would know while I was on the road. Conversely, in the local church, there have been more opportunities to grow in different directions musically and creatively. Additionally, I have an amazing team that works together to help lead people to truly encounter God in worship. To be a part of a team like ours is a constant source of refreshment and encouragement.

AAW: With Easter right around the corner, I’m sure your workload has amped up quite a bit. What are a few ways that you hang on to your own personal joy during seasons like this?

DP: This is a truly unique season for me. As we approach this Easter, we are also moving our entire church into a new building. Needless to say, this has been an exciting and exhausting time. I absolutely love Easter and the opportunity to share the Gospel with people who have never heard it. This is where I derive my personal joy even when the work is exhausting. The reward far outweighs the sacrifice!

AAW: We all know that the spouses and children of church staff members sacrifice a lot during these seasons as well. How do you maintain peace and cling to the message of Easter as a family during one of the busiest time of the year for you?

DP: One of the big things we do as a family is try to include everyone in the preparations for Easter and other special times that require a ton of my time. That way we get to celebrate together by serving together. Another practice I try to maintain is to make sure to make deposits back into my family when my time working at the church has taken more from me than normal in a given season.

AAW: Are there any specific habits or fail-safes you’ve set in place over the years that help you avoid falling prey to the traps the enemy undoubtedly places in front of you during the weeks leading up to Easter?

DP: I always approach Easter as prayerfully as I can, trust in my team and enjoy the journey. We always try to stay focused on what Easter is all about, not on what we can do. 

AAW: What are some do’s and don’ts you’ve learned over your years in ministry when it comes to preparing for Easter, guiding your family through it, and leading your church body into it?

DP: One of the biggest things I’ve learned is to not do too much “new” for an Easter service.  For us, Easters where we do what we do week in and week out, maybe with a few creative twists, have reaped great results and hearts focused on the right things. This helps balance out family time and the church body is able to truly dive into the worship service.

AAW: One of your strongest passions is creating unique atmospheres of worship, using every sense we’ve been given. You’re actually going to be facilitating a teaching time during our Dallas conference stop in May about this very subject. How did this passion develop and how have you fostered it over the years?

DP: I absolutely love the art of communicating things of God creatively. When I interned in Houston we designed some wonderful services for the student ministry that at the time were cutting edge. This just fueled my desire to create environments for people to encounter the Lord. When at Texas A&M I minored in Theatre Set Design. This helped give me the tools to see more advanced ideas actually come into fruition. At 121 we are blessed to have a pastor that gives us freedom to dream, try and even fail sometimes. It’s never about trying to do something bigger and better. It’s about doing the best thing to communicate whatever it is we are trying to communicate. I am always researching technologies and resources both from the church world and secular world to help communicate creatively.

AAW: Without giving away too much of what you’ll be covering at the conference, what’s one tip you’d give our readers when it comes to building these experiences regardless of size or budget?

DP: Never let money or a lack of ability stop you from dreaming big. Learn to make the impossible possible.  After all, if God is for you, who can be against you?

In case you missed it, David will be with us at our Dallas conference May 17-19. In fact, 121 Community Church is the host church. So if you join us, you’ll get to see some of David’s expertise firsthand. He’ll be passing on some of that wisdom during our time together, so if you haven’t registered for our Dallas stop yet, it’s not too late.

Thank you David for taking the time to share some of the lessons you’ve learned over the years. Our prayer here at AAW for all of you out there is that these next couple of weeks will be filled with moments to savor God’s faithfulness and relish in the good news we strive so hard to make known.

The Sena Tufftalk Bluetooth Integrated Earmuff offers protection from harmful noise, while the ambient mode feature allows users to amplify external sounds – generating a greater sense of awareness so important alarms or calls can be heard while hearing remains protected.

The new ISOtunes LINK and ISOtunes XTRA 2.0 maintain ISOtunes’ SafeMax Technology while introducing enhancements in design and functionality.

The Air Defender AM/FM has a noise reduction rating of 24 decibels and is IPX4-rated for water/sweat resistance. It has a foam headband, ear cushions, and an auxiliary cable to plug into smartphones or other devices.

Emergency24, an Underwriters Laboratory-listed central station that writes its own proprietary software, and BluePoint Alert Solutions, a company that focuses on hardware installation, training and implementation of Rapid Emergency Response Systems (RERS), have partnered to leverage each companies’ capabilities to minimize the impact of crisis situations, such as an active shooter event or natural disaster.

Uvex Avatar glasses can protect against extended blue light exposure to help prevent headaches, eye fatigue, mood changes, and insomnia or other sleep disruptions.

Ah, yes. An exciting time in Chicago 2022. I had two terrible experiences this past summer which I would like my faithful readers to know about, and take heed.

Atlanta – Among workers younger than 55, employees in service and blue-collar jobs are more likely to report a history of coronary heart disease or stroke, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The offering combines Johnson Controls OpenBlue suite of connected solutions, and the ability to monitor and manage security devices across vendors.

The Guarddog Self-Closing Safety Gate from BlueWater Manufacturing Inc. is tough, durable and easy to install. The gate is available in powder-coated, galvanized and stainless steel finishes, as well as in five nominal sizes. Provide your employees with the best safety gate available with the Guarddog.

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The “blue line” is defined as the path workers take to get their work done. The National Safety Council adds: “Blue line reviews are field observations of work by leaders with the goal of better understanding how work is actually performed.”

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Product information is provided by manufacturers. This publication has not independently tested manufacturers' products and cannot assume responsibility for the validity of product claims.

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Product information is provided by manufacturers. This publication has not independently tested manufacturers' products and cannot assume responsibility for the validity of product claims.

The Guarddog Self-Closing Safety Gate from BlueWater Manufacturing, Inc. is tough, durable and easy to install. The gate is available in powder-coated, galvanized and stainless steel finishes, as well as in five nominal sizes. Provide your employees with the best safety gate available with the Guarddog.

The change from “macaroni and cheese” to “mac & cheese”, is meant to reflect the way fans organically talk about the brand. The iconic blue box now features just a single-color hue of blue and amplifies the brand's most recognizable asset — the noodle smile.

GNT has secured U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for use of spirulina extract in beverages. This will help beverage formulators achieve vibrant blue shades and maintain clean labels.

To help brands keep food and drink fresh in a natural and sustainable way, Blue California announced jointly with biotech innovator Conagen, the commercialization of Rosavel®, a next generation natural preservation solution with 98% high-purity rosmarinic acid made by bioconversion without the color or flavor associated with rosemary.

Functional food company So Good So You launched its first formulation powered by adaptogenic mushrooms. Immunity Blueberry Clementine includes organic Shiitake, Maitake and Reishi mushrooms and provides 100% of an adult's recommended daily value of Vitamin D3.

An in-vitro study published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements, demonstrated how Blue California’s ErgoActive® ergothioneine helped to preserve telomere length and reduced the rate of telomere shortening under oxidative stress.

Blue California’s Taxifolin BC-DHQ® with super antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties is now Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) in a range of foods and beverages following a letter of no objection from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

The Sun-Maid Board of Imagination embarked on a top-secret mission to create a new product to captivate taste buds and spark imaginations. These young innovators considered everything from color and texture to taste, using their knowledge of flavor profiles to choose their favorite combination.

With 88 calories per 12oz serving, the new Lime, Cranberry, and Pineapple flavors are made up of real fruit, and premium spirits with ultra-purified water at an ABV (alcohol by volume) of just 4.5%.

CalFlor’s new BlueZone Perimeter Sealant Tape removes the pain of messy, outdated methods for sealing the perimeter of a floor after installation.

In last year’s February issue, I wrote about how I was trying to overcome the depressing sight of snow and ice on the ground by thinking ahead to April and our annual Food Automation & Manufacturing Conference in Miami. The more things change …

Children's Geographies; 10/01/2022
(AN 159948780); ISSN: 14733285
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Portland will have the most racially diverse City Council the city has ever seen, with a progressive majority. by Courtney Vaughn

A fourth round of preliminary election results was released Friday, showing little to no changes in presumptive winners. That means Portlanders now have a clear idea of what the city's future leadership will be, come January.

Portland City Council is likely to have a progressive majority and for the first time, and a roughly 40 percent BIPOC Council.

Portland Mayor-elect Keith Wilson is slated to receive onboarding and training at City Hall starting next month, before the new City Council and mayor are sworn in in January.

In District 1, Candace Avalos, who previously ran for a seat on Portland City Council and served on Portland's Charter Commission, is leading handily and is a presumptive winner. She will most likely serve alongside former Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith and Jamie Dunphy, whose career has been spent helping to shape public policy while formerly working for US Sen. Jeff Merkley and the late Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish. Dunphy has recently led the charge to stop a Live Nation music venue from being developed in Southeast Portland. While Dunphy is leading for third place, he currently sits at just 23 percent, which is less than the 25 percent threshold for election. County officials say that can happen when ballots become "exhausted." Dunphy will likely still win election.

In District 2, Elana Pirtle-Guiney, Sameer Kanal, and current City Commissioner Dan Ryan are all but guaranteed Council seats. The latest results show Ryan and Pirtle-Guiney were neck-and-neck in first-round counts, with just 73 votes separating the two. Pirtle-Guiney is a labor organizer and member of former Gov. Kate Brown's executive team. She also led the charge for Oregon Measure 114, which sought to limit gun magazine capacity and add a required permit for gun ownership. The measure passed but is currently held up in a court battle. Kanal served as the project manager for Portland's Police Accountability Commission and also serves on the city's Parks & Recreation Board.

District 3 saw Steve Novick, a former city commissioner, pull off a first-round win, guaranteeing his return to City Hall. He will be joined by elementary school teacher Tiffany Koyama Lane and nonprofit policy advocate Angelita Morillo, who were nearly tied with 19 percent of the overall vote in round one counts. Both Koyama Lane and Morillo ran on a progressive agenda, with Koyama Lane picking up an endorsement from Portland's Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Candidates in District 3 will be up for election again in two years.

In District 4, Olivia Clark, a communications professional who previously worked in Gov. John Kitzhaber's office, secured a first-round win Thursday. She'll be one of three city councilors representing the district that includes Southwest Portland, including downtown, and small portions of Southeast Portland like Sellwood. Along with Clark, energy economist Mitch Green is a presumptive winner. Green emerged as easily the most progressive front-runner candidate in District 4, securing an endorsement from the Portland DSA. The third-place winner is appears to be political insider Eric Zimmerman, though first-round results show him with less than a percentage point lead over Eli Arnold and the race is still close.  Both candidates secured 11 percent of the overall vote in round one counts. Zimmerman previously worked in Mayor Ted Wheeler's office and currently works for Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim Edwards. Arnold is a Portland police officer. District 4 seats will be up for election again in two years.

In a closely watched federal race for Oregon's 5th Congressional District, Democrat Janelle Bynum secured a win over Republican incumbent Lori Chavez DeRemer, flipping the US House seat from red to blue. Other winners include incumbent Suzanne Bonamici in the 1st District and Maxine Dexter in the 3rd Congressional District.

By Friday, the vast majority of ballots were received and counted, though the Multnomah County Elections Office says it still has about 45,000 ballots to count. Overall voter turnout in Multnomah County is now hovering around 71 percent.

Results won’t be finalized until Dec. 2.

The Arkansas-born blues singer looks back on her career and discusses "Travelin' Woman," her first album in more than 20 years.

Plus, Art Hounds recommend an ice-skating performance inspired by black social dances and an Earth Day singalong with Dan Chouinard.