Taize’ Prayer is a contemplative, candlelit Christian prayer that focuses on the repetition of a single psalm verse to create a meditative state.
Multimedia
/features/education /features/faith /news/local-news
centerpiece
Mayor Rawley McCoy read a book about Babe Ruth to a classroom of Nazareth Academy third-graders.
I had a funeral today. Presiding over funerals is one of the great privileges I enjoy as a pastor. After the funeral meal, everyone sat around telling stories.
Have you ever had someone challenge your priority to worship? Maybe someone said something like, “Why do you go to church so much?” “Why do you give your money?” Or “Why do you spend so much time reading the Bible?”
Editor’s note: On Dec. 28, 2018, Elaine crossed over to that Eternal Shore and her family, friends and readers are missing her. The Advocate is reprinting Elaine’s articles for a year.
In years gone by, when poor young boys made money selling newspapers on street corners, a 10-year-old boy stood on a corner in New York City on an icy Sunday morning in early December trying to sell the Sunday edition.
Editor’s note: On Dec. 28, 2018, Elaine crossed over to that Eternal Shore and her family, friends and readers are missing her. The Advocate is reprinting Elaine’s articles for a year.
Amor Meus Spirituality Center will host “Contemplative Prayer 101: Come Spend the Day Listening to Your Beloved,” a one-day guided retreat, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Incarnate Word Convent, according to a news release.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
I heard a story of a junior high math teacher who was married to an entrepreneur. She often told him how fascinated she was by his ability to take hold of challenging situations and overcome obstacles, ending in good outcomes.
top story
Swords clank as two students battle on the courtyard’s pebbled pavement.
No parent should have to endure the pain of not being able to pay for Christmas, Toys for Tots volunteers say.
When my youngest child, Geoffrey, was about two years old, he got into trouble what seemed like all of the time. I’ll never forget a certain Saturday morning his mom was getting onto him.
Editor’s note: On Dec. 28, 2018, Elaine crossed over to that Eternal Shore and her family, friends and readers are missing her. The Advocate is reprinting Elaine’s articles for a year.
“First things first.”
The 57th annual Praha Veterans Services started by the Rev. Marcus Valenta, a retired Army chaplain, will be held Nov. 10 in Praha.
A cold and blustery morning greeted Moultonites on Oct. 13, but the Moulton Public Square Rosary group enjoyed the warmth of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church family room to gather for their 8th annual rosary.
Grace Hammack was named the 2019 St. Joseph HIgh School Homecoming Queen and D’Ary Patton was named Homecoming King during halftime of the Flyers’ Oct. 25 football game. Hammack, a senior, is the daughter of Grace and Kevin Hammack. Patton, also a senior, is the son of Amanda Olguin and Finn…
top story
Jessica Flores, 43, of Victoria, was without resources to move into a place of her own when a stressful relationship with her roommate exacerbated mental and emotional issues.
The juxtaposition made for good television. Comedian Ellen Degeneres and her wife, Portia, were invited a couple of weeks ago to sit in Jerry Jones’ luxury box to watch the Dallas Cowboys play the Green Bay Packers. The irony was that former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, were…
Have you ever thought about how hard companies work on their brand promises? Why? Because while it’s difficult to share a message that’s clear, convincing and compelling, it’s even harder to deliver on that promise consistently.
Editor’s note: On Dec. 28, 2018, Elaine crossed over to that Eternal Shore and her family, friends and readers are missing her. The Advocate is reprinting Elaine’s articles for a year.
centerpiece
Over the course of their friendship, Toni Hyman has sent Summie Thomas more than 100 newspaper clippings.
top story
Michael Morgan, an organ specialist from Houston, and two others are working around the clock to repair the organ at First Presbyterian Church in Victoria.
top story
Emilia “Emily” Benavides, of Lolita, felt a persistent tug to retire despite a strong desire to continue teaching.
Editor’s note: On Dec. 28, 2018, Elaine crossed over to that Eternal Shore and her family, friends and readers are missing her. The Advocate is reprinting Elaine’s articles for a year.
I heard about a man who wanted to divorce his wife. They had been fighting often, and he had a lot of bitterness toward her. So one day, he went to his attorney friend and told him about his plans.
Football is in full swing. The playoffs have begun in baseball. The hockey season has just started and basketball is right around the corner. This is a fun time of year if you are a sports fan.
We’ve been in one of my favorite seasons for a few weeks now. I love it for the same reasons most of you do – family, football and a little break from the Texas heat. But fall is good for other things, too. In my life, when fall comes around, I take a minute to stop and ask, “Do I like what’…
The story is told of a wealthy business magnate from the United States who lived during the turn of the last century. His wife went traveling in Europe and sent him a telegram which read: “Have found wonderful bracelet. Price is $75,000. May I buy it?”
The Salvation Army of Victoria relies on volunteer service, especially during the holiday season.
The First United Methodist Church pumpkin patch is open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon-7 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 31.
Sheila Bauer, 41, who attended the Life Chain in Victoria on Sunday, said, “We’re making my kids aware that this is an awesome thing to be able to do.” This sentence was incomplete on Page A5 on Monday.
centerpiece top story
Dressed in a pink shirt and pink bow, Miley the dog celebrated her first Blessing of the Pets with her new owners.
One of the funniest verses in the Bible to me is Job 14:1 which literally says, “Mortals, born of woman, are of few days and full of trouble.” That’s encouraging, huh? Basically, what it is saying is that everyone has bad days. Everyone experiences trouble.
One of the things I enjoy most in this world is to get my back scratched. I think most guys can relate. It’s in our DNA. When we ask our wives to scratch our backs, however, what do we often hear?
Editor’s note: On Dec. 28, 2018, Elaine crossed over to that Eternal Shore and her family, friends and readers are missing her. The Advocate is reprinting Elaine’s articles for a year.
More than 3,500 pumpkins will be unloaded Friday night to form the 27th annual First United Methodist Church pumpkin patch.
So many caregivers literally become exhausted.
We’re all keeping two mental lists throughout our lives: One filled with rewarding experiences we’ve had, and one filled with regrets we wish we could forget. This presents a question: Why do we fail in certain seasons and flourish in others? Thankfully, Psalm 1:1-3 gives us the answer.
Editor’s note: On Dec. 28, 2018, Elaine crossed over to that Eternal Shore and her family, friends and readers are missing her. The Advocate is reprinting Elaine’s articles for a year.
As a nation, we recently remembered the anniversary of 9/11. Do you remember where you were when you heard about the attacks?
How many of us can say we have a strong relationship with God? Most of us have a relationship with God that is like the flicker of a candle rather than the glory of the midday sun.
St. Joseph High School senior Erin Dent has been named a National Merit Semifinalist, and seniors Sean Judge and Grace Hammack have been named Commended Students in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
centerpiece top story
Since Tavi Schaller was in sixth grade, she’s felt called to lead her fellow students in prayer.
Friday night lights is once again upon us. Football is in full swing. For me as a parent, home games are awesome. Our high school is a three-minute drive from my house. If I want to, I can actually walk to the stadium to watch my daughter march in the band.
Things like self-help books, motivational TED talks and blogs on time management are so popular today. And for good reason: They help a lot of us make the most of today without putting too much value on tomorrow.
A couple of years ago, Pastor Barney Matocha spent 39 weeks leading his parishioners at Trinity Lutheran Church through “The Story,” a chronological Bible that reads seamlessly like a novel.
Editor’s note: On Dec. 28, 2018, Elaine crossed over to that Eternal Shore and her family, friends and readers are missing her. The Advocate is reprinting Elaine’s articles for a year.
II Timothy 3:16 -17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”