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10+ min ago (775+ words) OpinionBarry Howard "|" December 3, 2025 Every December, the world starts rushing as seasonal lights go up, calendars fill up quickly and Christmas playlists spill from department store speakers before the Thanksgiving leftovers have cooled. There is a cultural trend to rush in and rush through the holiday season. But Advent invites a different rhythm. It invites us not to hurry, but to wonder. Advent beckons us to wander slowly, thoughtfully, hopefully down the long road toward Bethlehem. And somewhere along that road, if we allow it, wonder begins to rise inside us like a sacred warmth. The old Appalachian Christmas carol "I Wonder as I Wander" captures this spirit fittingly. Its haunting melody and simple lyrics invite us into a posture of awe as we contemplate the mystery of Christ stepping into our world. The song itself echoes Advent's message: as we…...

19+ min ago (409+ words) A Methodist pastor in'New York'revealed last week plans to transition into a woman and said the 51-year-old now identifies as asexual. Rev. Phillip Phaneuf, of North Chili United Methodist Church in Rochester, made the announcement during a Nov. 23 Sunday service. The personal update was delivered from the pulpit while wearing a rainbow stole. "So I get to announce with joy that I'm transitioning," Phaneuf said. "I'm affirming to all of you that'I am transgender. The best way to put this is that I'm not becoming a woman, I'm giving up pretending to be a man. This is a process, and it may be shocking for some as to what this all means." Phaneuf added that the'pastor's sexuality'is now asexual, an orientation in which a person experiences little or no sexual attraction to others. "I'm in the category of what they…...

20+ min ago (487+ words) Rajouri (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], December 3 (ANI): Thousands of devotees gathered in the Kotedhara of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir, to participate in the annual Urs of renowned Sufi saint Sayed Pir Mashoom Shah on wednesday. On this occasion, people from every region and all faiths come together to share meals during the Langar distribution, reflecting unity and brotherhood. Also Read | Employees To Work 12 Hours a Day Under New Labour Code? PIB Fact Check Debunks Fake Claim. The one-day Urs celebration included special prayers for peace, prosperity and harmony. Scholars (Ulema) from Rajouri and neighbouring areas attended the event. The Urs is known for promoting interfaith harmony, as people from different religions visit the shrine, making it a symbol of communal unity. It is also considered an important part of the region's cultural and spiritual heritage. Also Read | Parliament Winter…...

21+ min ago (52+ words) Rev. Phil Phaneuf told the North Chili congregation about plans to begin a gender transition during a Nov. 23 sermon in Rochester, New York. (Phil Phaneuf) ... Rev. Phil Phaneuf told the North Chili congregation about plans to begin a gender transition during a Nov. 23 sermon in Rochester, New York. (Phil Phaneuf)...

22+ min ago (381+ words) The Prophet Zephaniah (Sophonias) was a contemporary of the Prophet Jeremiah and the Prophetess Oldama. He was from the tribe of Simeon, and was the ninth of the Twelve Minor Prophets of the Old Testament. The prophet lived at the royal court, where he preached repentance and helped King Josiah eliminate idol-worship. He prophesied about [] The Prophet Zephaniah (Sophonias) was a contemporary of the Prophet Jeremiah and the Prophetess Oldama. He was from the tribe of Simeon, and was the ninth of the Twelve Minor Prophets of the Old Testament. The prophet lived at the royal court, where he preached repentance and helped King Josiah eliminate idol-worship. He prophesied about the calamities that were to come for the people of Judea and the surrounding regions: Gaza, Ascalon, Crete, and against the Moabites, the Ammonites and the Ninevites. This Prophet, who…...

24+ min ago (153+ words) Also Read | IIT Placements 2026: Da Vinci Trading Offers Record INR 2.8 Crore Salary in 1st Phase of Final Campus Placements. ITRHD Chairman S. K. Misra said the newly adopted Delhi Declaration would guide future work and urged that progress be reviewed annually to ensure that recommendations translate into measurable outcomes rather than remaining theoretical. Also Read | "Yet Another Attempt To Spread Anti-India Misinformation: India Slams Pakistan for Claiming New Delhi Denied Overflight Clearance to Pakistani Aircraft Carrying Humanitarian Assistance to Sri Lanka. International delegates also praised the initiative. Dr. Victoria Demenova of Ural Federal University described the conference as unusually comprehensive and noted its potential to influence global thinking on heritage management. With the Delhi Declaration and a concrete institutional plan now in place, organisers say India is better positioned to build a national framework for preserving its rural Buddhist legacy while strengthening community…...

26+ min ago (278+ words) Panaji, Dec 3 (PTI) Thousands of devotees thronged Old Goa near Panaji on Wednesday to participate in the annual feast of St Francis Xavier, the patron saint of the coastal state. Prayers started from 4 am at the Basilica of Bom Jesus, a church where the relics of St Xavier are preserved. Devotees arrived in Old Goa from midnight, waiting for the early morning mass. The main mass was presided over by the Archbishop of Goa and Daman Fr Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao in the presence of Auxiliary Bishop Fr Simiao Fernandes. The feast is a culmination of the nine-day-long Novena (a Christian prayer) held at the Basilica of Bom Jesus. One of the main features of the Novena this year was the "Jubilee of Persons with Disabilities, which was celebrated with great enthusiasm on November 30, a release said. The celebration had…...

26+ min ago (10+ words) International Conference sets new Roadmap for reviving Rural Buddhist Heritage...

26+ min ago (159+ words) First Presbyterian Church, 890 Liberty St., Meadville, presents its annual festival of lessons and carols Sunday at 11 a.m. First Presbyterian Church's annual festival of lessons and carols includes several choral pieces composed by Kevin Dill, the church's music director. First Presbyterian Church, 890 Liberty St., Meadville, presents its annual festival of lessons and carols Sunday at 11 a.m. This choral celebration combines scripture and music to explore the themes of Advent and Christmas: darkness and light, despair and hope, endings and beginnings. Apart from the COVID interruption of 2020, First Presbyterian has held lessons and carols annually since 2008. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Are you concerned about the rise of data centers? - Charges filed in 1981 disappearance of deaf Crawford County woman - Answers emerge in decades-long cold case of Lonene Rogers - Crawford Central…...

32+ min ago (141+ words) Yesterday, 2 December 2025, immediately after the formal election announcement (Mega Minima) of the Metropolitan-Elect Gregory of Ankara, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew received the Patriarchal Court in audience and announced the following promotions of its clergy, in recognition of their devoted service: a) He promoted the current Third Deacon, Barnabas, to the position of Second [] Yesterday, 2 December 2025, immediately after the formal election announcement (Mega Minima) of the Metropolitan-Elect Gregory of Ankara, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew received the Patriarchal Court in audience and announced the following promotions of its clergy, in recognition of their devoted service: a) He promoted the current Third Deacon, Barnabas, to the position of Second Deacon. b) He elevated the Deacon of the Rank, Epiphanios Kamianovych, to Third Deacon. c) He appointed the Patriarchal Deacon, Anatolios Doxastakis, as Deacon of the Rank....