... [W]hatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me, Jesus said in a New International Version translation from Matthews Gospel. Taking the scriptures to heart, the youth of Crosby Church will build and will dwell overnight in a camp that they will make out of cardboard boxes like those in which many homeless people are known to sleep.

In the process of this temporary exercise, participating youth will raise awareness of the plight of homeless people and will collect donations of goods that those who are homeless need.

The youth are collecting building materials now. They will assemble and live overnight in their Box City from 8 p.m. on May 25 until 8 a.m. on May 26, hearing from speakers and taking part in other activities that will be planned.

The outreach is not a run-of-the-mill Friday night. Box City is not a run-of-the-mill construction project. Then, again, homelessness is not supposed to be a run-of-the-mill state.

Im just really excited about our Box City event, Crosby Church Senior Pastor Keenan Smith said. The young people will be setting up boxes, tarps, and different temporary structures, something similar to what someone who is homeless would be living in or making accommodations with.

All of our young people are going to experience a night of homelessness. They are going to be sleeping in the parking lot, just out under the stars. If its adverse weather, they will be in the rain. If its chilly, they will be cool, whatever it is, to just kind of help them understand and recognize not only them but our community the plight of the homeless. Admission is a sack of canned goods that will be donated to a homeless shelter.

Crosby Church youth will show the community that which they will learn, what some of the least among us experience.

Im really excited about what it pours into our young people, the value and the appreciation of the things that we have, Smith said, and an understanding that there are those, that are all around us, in our midst, that are less fortunate, and the responsibility that we have, as a church and as a society, to be able to reach out and to help them get back on their feet or find a place.

Smith has planned events in recent years, such serving food or donating shoes or socks to homeless people, to instill in young congregants the palpable sense of hopelessness that accompanies homelessness. Each activity, Box City included, is a two-fold reality check about the nature and the proximity of the problem.

It is a sad indictment that a lot of our young people didnt realize that you dont have to go to a third-world country, that some of it is right around here, Smith said. So I think it is just really a neat awareness thing that is going to be happening in our region and in our community.

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Crosby Church youth to build Box City May 25

The big hail storm last August did a lot of damage in Maryville, but the members of one local church found inspiration in the destruction a spirit of sharing that has led them to reach out to a tiny east African village more than 8,000 miles distant from Nodaway County.

After the storm, the First Presbyterian Church of Maryville learned that its building would need a new roof. At around $70,000, it was not a cheap fix. Even with an insurance settlement and some money bequeathed from the estate of a deceased member, the small congregation about 100 people altogether was hard pressed to come up with the cash.

But then someone got to thinking, wasn't there a way to turn a negative into a positive? How could the church transform something as mundane even as a new roof into an expression of the congregation's faith and willingness to minister to others?

The answer came in the form of a tithe, the Old Testament principal that 10 percent of a faith community's resources should be offered to God.

Tithing as an expression of faith is perhaps most famously described in Malachi 3.10: "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing "

In others words, give God a little, and God will give you a lot.

So the decision was made: First Presbyterian would raise 10 percent over what it cost to fix the roof and dedicate the additional funds to the Lord's work. But what work would that be?

As it happened there is a pastor named David Nzioka at the Swahili-speaking Neema Community Fellowship in Kansas City. Nzioka grew up in Thwake Village, Kenya, and his Neema Fellowship and First Presbyterian both belong to the Heartland Presbytery, an association of about 100 Midwestern Presbyterian churches.

First Presbyterian Pastor Jonathan Mitchell and Nzioka know one another and began talking about the possibility of some sort of partnership. Since Nzioka is heavily involved in mission work on behalf of his native village, Mitchell asked him what Thwake needed that would cost, say, around $7,000.

The answer was, "A church."

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Church roof turned into a symbol of giving

The Rev. Forrest Moore, pastor of West Highland Baptist Church, speaks during a service held Sunday afternoon in the building of Cornerstone Full Gospel Baptist Church. West Highlands building was destroyed in the April 27, 2011, tornado, and the church has recently broken ground for a new facility on the grounds of the old one.

TUSCALOOSA | The West Highland Baptist Church was virtually wiped off the map in a matter of seconds.

The church was reduced to a pile of rubble by the April 27, 2011, tornado.

But rather than mourn, West Highlands members reacted to the devastation with thanksgiving and celebration.

The feelings that day were feelings of thanksgiving to God that He had warned us not to be there, said the Rev. Forrest Moore, pastor of West Highland. People were not as concerned about the building itself as they were about people being killed or injured.

We were supposed to have been there at that time of the storm, because it was on a Wednesday during a time wed be gathering together for prayer meeting and Bible study, he said. The Lord warned me to cancel it that day, so I called people telling them it would be canceled. Weve been thankful to God from point zero when we first found out that none of our folks were injured. We take a minute every Sunday to thank God for that.

On April 27, 2012, the anniversary of the churchs destruction, West Highlands congregants had another reason to celebrate.

Moore and several of the churchs leaders broke ground on a new church building at 628 29th St., the same location as the destroyed church.

It was awesome, Moore said of the groundbreaking ceremony. We had a tremendous turnout of both our members and others who were aware of it. It was exciting for our membership.

We had others who offered their sentiments, he said. They congratulated us. It definitely lifted the spirits of our members. Anything positive along those lines is always exciting for our congregation.

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Tornado-stricken Baptist church begins the rebuilding process

Beacon-News staff May 14, 2012 4:52PM

Updated: May 14, 2012 6:52PM

AURORA Church Road between Butterfield Road and Interstate 88 will be under construction for the next six months as part of a street widening project.

The construction project starts at 7 a.m. Wednesday and will close Church Road between Corporate Boulevard and Interstate 88, according to a press release from the city of Aurora. Church Road will be open for southbound local traffic only from Butterfield Road to Corporate Boulevard. Bilter Road and Corporate Boulevard will be open in both directions with occasional lane closures throughout the project.

The Church Road segment will be widened from a two-lane rural road to a three-lane street featuring a center turn lane for left-hand turns. Other improvements include the installation of storm sewers along with curbs and gutters.

Motorists should avoid the area if at all possible. Message boards and signs will direct motorists to the detour route, which is scheduled to change two to three times during the project.

Construction is anticipated to be completed in November, but the schedule could be revised if there are complications.

More here:
Church Road in Aurora scheduled to close Wednesday

By DONALD R. SERFASS dserfass@tnonline.com

A Tamaqua church has major plans to improve access for members of its congregation.

Construction work for installation of an elevator has kicked into high gear at First United Methodist Church, 124 West Broad St., Tamaqua, according to the Rev. Jim Cavallero.

The 1852 brick and stone church is located within the Tamaqua National Historic District, and the church already has obtained appropriate approvals from zoning officials and the Tamaqua Historical Architectural Review Commission in order to begin with plans.

Heavy equipment is stationed adjacent to the church at the site of the former parsonage and last week a deep trench was dug to lay a foundation for the elevator shaft.

As congregations age at many churches, multi-story, 19th century churches often find themselves with a need to construct elevators for the convenience and accessibility of members. In fact, two other churches within one block of First United Methodist were retrofitted with elevators over the years.

In 1970, the First Presbyterian Church, 220 W. Broad St., installed and unveiled an elevator in its historic 1852 building. The elevator was dedicated by member J. Keilman Dudley in memory of his father John Lester Dudley. The congregation celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1996. The church building closed 11 years later as a result of consolidation, with the final service held on June 3, 2007. The building now serves as a private residence, art studio and gallery.

St. Jerome's Catholic Church, 266 W. Broad St., installed an elevator and dedicated it on September 24, 2000, along with unveiling the St. Jerome's Memorial Parish Center at the former site of the Tamaqua Salvation Army.

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Reaching up

KNOXVILLE Carelessly discarded smoking material apparently ignited a weekend blaze that displaced 35 people from their apartment building, fire investigators concluded.

No one was injured in the 9:27 a.m. Sunday fire at Bell Walker's Crossing, 8301 Block House Way, but flames rendered the 24 units in the building uninhabitable.

Firefighters arrived at the three-story building to find flames on second- and third-floor balconies that were climbing into the attic area.

Firefighters initially thought the fire had started on the third floor because that's where flames were most intense. Fire investigators, however, determined the flames began on the second-floor balcony of apartment 121, according to Knoxville Fire Department spokesman Capt. D.J. Corcoran.

"The fire then extended to the balcony directly above, and then into the attic area," Corcoran said. He was unaware if the person responsible for the fire was in the apartment when flames erupted.

Investigators have labeled the blaze as accidental.

As firefighters tried to douse the flames, a part of the third floor collapsed because of the construction, fire damage and water collecting in the structure.

The Knoxville chapter of the American Red Cross is helping some of the displaced residents.

More details as they develop online and in Tuesday's News Sentinel.

Read more:
Smoking blamed for West Knoxville apartment blaze

RICHMOND, Va., May 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --May is a perfect time for outdoor activities such as sprucing up yards, cleaning out gutters, painting houses and building patios and decks. It's also national electrical safety month, and Dominion Virginia Power is encouraging customers to remember how to stay safe around electricity.

"Electric wires, transformers and poles are an important part of our lives, working silently and dependably day after day, but it is important to remember that electricity must be used safely and treated with the utmost caution and respect," said Rodney Blevins, vice president, electric distribution operations for Dominion Virginia Power. "We urge everyone to exercise caution around electricity and to make sure their children are cautious, too," Blevins said.

Virginia's Overhead High Voltage Line Safety Act requires that contractors who are planning to work within 10 feet of overhead high-voltage lines call Dominion toll-free at 1-866-DOM-HELP, or 1-866-366-4357 before starting work. This allows the proper safety arrangements to be put in place before the work begins.

Underground power lines are just as dangerous as those that are overhead. Call Miss Utility at least three working days in advance of your project to ensure that the underground lines are marked before you dig. The Miss Utility number is 811.

Other ways to stay safe include:

Another important consideration for electrical safety these days is portable generator safety. Improperly installed generators can be hazardous to homeowners and can flow power back into the de-energized power lines, endangering utility linemen who are working to restore power during outages.

Carefully follow the manufacturer's installation instructions when connecting a portable electrical generator. Dominion offers specific online safety tips on home electrical generators. If you are not sure how to do it, contact the manufacturer or call a qualified electrician.

Also make sure generators are properly ventilated and carbon monoxide fumes do not enter living spaces.

Additional home safety tips and information are available at http://esfi.org/ and at http://www.eei.org/newsroom/energynews/Pages/20100503.aspx.

Dominion Virginia Power is a subsidiary of Dominion (D), one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 27,500 megawatts of generation, 11,000 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline and 6,300 miles of electric transmission lines. Dominion operates the nation's largest natural gas storage system with 947 billion cubic feet of storage capacity and serves retail energy customers in 15 states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's website at http://www.dom.com.

Original post:
Dominion Virginia Power Encourages Electrical Safety During Outdoor Maintenance, Planting Projects

MICHAEL FORBES

The "silver tsunami" washing over New Zealand is set to triple in size over the next four decades.

Population figures released by Statistics New Zealand yesterday revealed those aged over 80 were the fastest-growing age group, and numbers would exceed more than 500,000 by 2050, compared with 160,000 now.

The 80-plus age group is growing at about twice the rate of those aged over 65, and about four times the rate of the total population 20 years ago.

One out of every seven New Zealanders, or 605,800 of us, is now over 65. Last year, there were only 582,700 in that age group, and half a century ago, only 200,000.

Gaynor Duff, interim national director for Alzheimer's New Zealand, said age-related illnesses such as dementia were expected to increase to "epidemic" proportions as the population aged.

Today there were about 44,000 recorded cases of dementia in New Zealand. That number was set to double every 20 years to an estimated 146,699 cases in 2050, she said.

"Currently around half of all New Zealanders with dementia live with family carers, many of whom are providing around-the-clock care with little or no government support."

There was already a worrying shortage of dementia beds and a "huge" lack of funded community services of people with dementia and their carers in this country, Ms Duff said.

Grey Power national president Roy Reid said the latest population figures were yet another reminder that the Government should be thinking seriously about the sustainability of superannuation.

More:
80-plus age group the fastest growing

VOL. 127 | NO. 95 | Tuesday, May 15, 2012

The blue banner that hung until recently at the curved atrium at Cooper Street and Madison Avenue and read Returning in 2012 will soon ring true for Overton Square and its developer, Loeb Properties Inc.

In the coming months and years, the firm will invest about $20 million to revive the arts and entertainment districts footprint to about 115,000 square feet. Loeb is expected to close on nine acres near the Cooper-Madison intersection from its Colorado owners by mid-June.

Loebs plan, first and foremost, is to redesign seven existing buildings on the north and south sides of Madison.

This is 2012, we want to lease this stuff up and have it open by the end of the year, said Bob Loeb, CEO of Loeb Properties. The north side of the road will be leased and hopefully open, 100-percent occupied by the end of the year.

Loeb announced its first lease for the Square two weeks ago with the signing of Local Gastropub in the space that housed Yosemites Sams for nearly 40 years at 2126 Madison. Yosemite Sams was the longest-running existing business in the Square before closing its doors last August. Local will have a patio on the north side of its 6,000-square-foot, two-story building.

Moving westward from the Cooper-Madison intersection, Loeb is in discussions with Boscos Squared about an expansion and enclosure of its patio.

Boscos wants to enclose their patio so itll be year-round, and they want to increase their brewing capacity, Loeb said.

The next two adjoining spaces west and only spaces left to fill this year are the gingerbread house next to the old Paulettes restaurant, as well as the old Paulettes at 2110 Madison. Loeb hopes to fill the house with a coffee shop and breakfast provider because thats what it looks like.

Loeb said his company has a couple of prospects it's working for the actual Paulettes space, and there are plans for an eastside patio. The restaurants parking will be enhanced, as well as the addition of a grass courtyard, because we want people out on the street, Loeb said.

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Loeb Makes Progress on Square Plan

He was loyal and compassionate and tough, a teacher and counselor and promoter, one of the rare who influenced so many in a positive way.

Those words describe the late Jim Hunter, who, yes, in his younger days, walked on the wild side, too.

But more than nouns or adjectives or verbs can say, he was Darlington.

Yes, that Darlington, the race track that annually stages one of the states oldest and most captivating sports spectacles.

The timing is perfect: Another Southern 500, this one the first sponsored by Bojangles, unfolded Saturday night at Darlington Jim Hunters Darlington and 48 hours later he will be among the inductees into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in ceremonies tonight.

The two are entwined; if Jim Hunter had not come along at the pivotal point in the raceways history, stock-car racings first super-speedway which staged the first Southern 500 in 1950 would almost certainly be gone with the wind.

But like the cavalry in a John Wayne western, Hunter rode to the rescue of the track he fell in love with while listen to radio reports of races at his boyhood home in North Charleston.

Put it this way, said Mac Josey, the tracks vice-president and general manager: Jim gave this place a second chance on life. He was the key to keeping the track open. We wouldnt be here (on race weekend) without him.

His track-saving work represents only the tip of his contributions to the racing world, said NASCAR vice-president of competition Robin Pemberton, who noted, Theres not a life in the garage that he has not touched.

Those touches could be one-on-one sessions or the trickle-down result of conversations with others, but he always delivered the message in his special way to young and old alike.

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Inductee Hunter: ‘He was Darlington’