JulyFreedom 2008 by FREEDOM PUBLICATIONS

FREEDOM

FREE

Inspiring Hope and Faith

A Publication of Rory Synoground Ministries International IN THIS ISSUE PAGE 1 MARRIAGE BILL EXPOSES AMERICANS 'FED UP' WITH HIGH ENERGY PRICES PAGE 2 & 3 TESTIFYING OF GOD'S HEALING POWER PROPHESY WATCH PAGE 4 & 5 MOVIE REVIEW PASTOR'S CORNER PAGE 6 & 7 WALLBUILDERS PAGE 8 & 9 ADD ME TO THE LIST KIDS ZONE PAGE 10 & 11 PRINCIPALS OF PROSPERITY TEEN SPOT PAGE 12 PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION

507-355-1429 2. You can become a FREEDOM partner by giving a tax deductible one time donation or a monthly tax deductible donation to: FREEDOM PUBLICATIONS 108 E. Oakland Ave. Austin, MN 55912

Write: FREEDOM 108 E. Oakland Ave. Austin, MN 55912

Only $25.00 per year!

Subscribe to FREEDOM

FREEDOM 108 E. Oakland Ave. Austin, MN 55912

NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID AUSTIN, MN PERMIT NO. 3

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

DecemberJuly Issue 2005 2008

MARRIAGE BILL EXPOSES JUDICIAL ACTIVISM Jim Brown - OneNewsNow - 6/30/2008

ississippi Senator Roger Wicker says he’s hoping to further re-ignite the national debate over same-sex “marriage” by introducing a constitutional amendment deﬁning marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Senator Wicker’s bill is the companion to House legislation sponsored by conservative Congressman Paul Broun (R-Georgia). Wicker says although he is under no illusions that Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) will bring the legislation forward this year for passage, it is important to draw attention to the issue.

SUPPORT FREEDOM Help Us Reach 10,000 Homes Monthly

1. You can advertise a product, service, business, or make an announcement with FREEDOM. Our rates are very reasonable. Call us at:

www.rsmifreedom.org

Wicker also shares his hope of bringing further attention to the growing problem of judicial activism by sponsoring the constitutional amendment. The Republican lawmaker says he cannot remember a time when the problem of judges legislating from the bench has been so rampant. “This concept that constitutions are living, breathing “Frankly, the American people are so documents which change as overwhelmingly in support of a constituCONTINUED ON PAGE 8 tional amendment prohibiting same-sex

ANWR DRILLING: ENVIRIONMENTALLY SAFE & DECREASES GAS PRICES

Jim Brown - OneNewsNow

marriage that I think it draws a clear distinction in an election year between two basic worldviews,” says Wicker. “And I think it’s an appropriate thing to introduce, if for no other reason than to have a national debate.”

rookie Minnesota congresswoman says the

most obvious solution to bring the price of gasoline back down to $2 a gallon at the pump would be to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and quickly access that energy.

Representative Michele Bachmann (R-Minnesota) contends there is no ﬁner piece of real estate on the planet to drill than ANWR. Bachmann will be part of a congressional delegation visiting the Refuge in Alaska and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, next week. The freshman lawmaker says the amount of land that would be used for drilling in ANWR is comparitively the

size of a postage stamp on a football ﬁeld.

“It’s a very small area and, in fact, this area is under darkness many

explains. “And it’s also in proximity to the current trans-Alaska pipeline that already moves the oil that we receive from Alaska for the use of the American people. That pipeline is only 50 percent full today.” Bachmann says she is for an “all-of-the-above strategy” to bring down gas prices – which involves coal, oil, natural gas, wind, solar, and nuclear energy. She believes the problem in the United States is not a “famine of energy,” but a “famine of will” by the Democrat-controlled Congress to do anything about soaring fuel prices.

days of the year; it has no trees, it’s a moonscape almost. It’s not an area where people can live or thrive, and again, the drilling is done in an environmentally sensitive and careful way,” Bachmann

Under Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s leadership, gas prices have increased 76 percent. Earlier this week, House Majority CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

FREEDOM

Page 2

TESTIFYING OF GOD'S HEALING POWER 2-3 : 3 0 S 1 rd M L PSA s the Lo "Bles soul, and s O my ot all Hi tn e o g h r o W f ; ﬁts thine e n e b all h t e o v forgi ities; Wh iniqu h all thy t heale ases." dise EY

E MON L C A R MI

for sevd e z i l a t pi was hos have any kind r e h t o My m . She did not ls were l i b e s h k t e eral we insurance and diagnosed al en of medic ast. She was th d to have ha pf piling u er & told she ts five n e m c t a n e a tr with c adiation four months. r d n a to chemo r three o f iles from k e m e 0 w 7 a r e s v time e lived o ve these treatw e m i t At the o recei t s already a d w a e h h s I where ster and gs and were i s y M ments. to our savin y the bills, in ly to pa needed. l a i tapped c n a she ing fin struggl medicine that e of moms om er and h aining the outc situation ial xpl , While e and the financ member y l i n o m i t a i f cond ne to a the hospital, a o h p e h over t room at e and asked g n i t i a m it in the w right next to thought t I a s t s n r a fi r wom me. At ned ove h t a i e l w n k o a s per to spe nd said r. This a o t e c p o o l D e v was a e an en d told me to m d e d and han tely, “The Lor ked out of al cre very dis o you” then w elope and st env give thi I opened the n cash. i s r a . l l m o d the roo ousand y. That was h t a s a inside w started to cr oms medim tly I instan ney to pay for tal, and it mo spi enough leaving the ho enses we p on other ex I believe cine up r e v o c ess. ped also hel sult of this illn sent from re el had as a n was an ang hank you .T ma this wo ss his children Ble . God to king care of us ta Lord for

JESUS SAVES

Do You Need Prayer? Healing? Love?

ASK US & WE WILL PRAY FOR YOU!

The Prayer & Healing Cener PURPOSE

This ministry is here to serve the community, the local Church, and the Body of Christ while contending for all that Christ promised the church would operate in. "..the works that I do shall he do also and greater works thatn these shall he do..." (John 14:12) WE OFFER: •The Salvation Message. •The Healing Word •An Anointing that Empowers the Word •Prayer & Delieverance of the Sick •An Impartation for Healing to the Local Church •A Healing School HEALING CENTER HOURS Tuesdays & Wednesdays 10:00am- 2:00pm Healing School Hours Fridays 11:30- 1:30pm

Prayer & Healing Center 108 E. Oakland Ave Austin MN 55912 507-355-1429

2-3 : 3 0 S 1 rd M L PSA s the Lo "Bles soul, and s O my ot all Hi n t e g ho r W fo ; s ﬁt bene all thine eth o v i h g r W ; fo ies t i u q thy ini l l a th heale ases." dise M THE O R F MED Y REDEE OF POVERT rday CURSE ne Satu

rmon o n Center e s a g n eari hristia C w m After h o d Free , and ho t g a n i g h t n i i t f even rtance o reak generation o p m i e b on th lly will ff of your famu f h t i a f tithing ncial curses o thfully i a f d a e n h al and fi d tithing. I tit not attend rte ld ily, I sta . Even if I cou was there eek the every w ade sure my ti the curses Im wanted y family I church . t a h in m ter w no mat een operating anted to w I b d d n a a h n, y that be broke the curse awa o t s r a t for ye at I kep ll. After faithh t e r u make s hildren as we years o w t c t s y from m ng for the pa d keep His thi the Lor hough g n i fully ti s s e witn ven t E m a . I 0 , 1 : w 3 no lachi as made a h M d f r o o e L d promis ed income the home an r x u fi o a n i e v n ily I ha my fam ut depending o p e e k o t e ho sure able wit Himself. I hav t e h t n d food o than Go e and my chilr e h t o anyone provide for m were times m re seen Hi culously. The o pay our ira le t dren, m oked impossib paid. Yes lo ot when it omehow they g curse and ts he bills, ye thing breaks t ound your ti ar its true ld of protection od is faithhie .G puts a s your finances u Jesus! d o n Y a k y l n i a Th fam Word. s i H o t ful

ASK US AND WE WILL PRAY FOR YOU GOD IS READY ARE YOU?

CALL US TODAY AT

507-355-1429

JESUS HEALS

FREEDOM

We’re Shoes And More....

It Jeans

(Oprah’s favorite)

Fall Fashion Handbags

Art’s Shoes 533 Main Street Osage Iowa

641-732-3251

��

3000 Guns In Stock �� 507-377-0201 ��

��

JESUS IS LORD $25

You Could Win!

$25

How many times can you ﬁnd the word FREEDOM in this issue?

Entries with the correct answer will be entered in a drawing. The drawing will be held 8/31/08.

$25

��

To enter send: Your Name, Address,& Phone # Freedom Publications/May How many? 108 E. Oakland Ave., Austin, MN 55912

Page 3

PROPHECY WATCH

News Before It Happens

od speaks to His people in many different ways concerning His will. One way is through the utterance gifts of the Holy Spirit— words placed in the mouth of God’s servant by the Holy Spirit and then spoken to the nation. These words were delivered through Kenneth Copeland during the Fort Worth, Texas Southwest Believers’ Convention. They were given for the building and uplifting of the body of Christ. Allow these words to bring a fresh light on the move of the Spirit of God in these last days.

enant would work for Gentile or Jew in the face of darkness. And that it would stand, and having done all, the covenant would stand against all that would come against it.

I am the great I AM, saith the Lord. My day and My hour has come. When My day and My hour came to be baptized in water, no man could stop me. When My hour came to be born in a manger, no devil could stop Me. When My hour came, Herod and all of his troops could not stop By My Spirit, saith the what was happening in Lord... the earth. It is no different now. I have choI am going from village sen this hour and I have to village, from city to chosen this generation city, from nation to nato be the generation that tion, from town to town. Prophecy given by shall stand in great light Kenneth Copeland I’m going from shore to and in great power. And Southwest Believers shore, and from mounwhile the devil creates Convention taintop to valley seeka whirlwind here and a ing out and recruiting an whirlwind there, and a storm here army. I’m looking for those that will and a storm there, they will not join with Me in forming the most have any impact or powerful, spiritual alma mater in the any effect on My plan and what I history of this planet. am doing with this army that I am building. These are the days of My vengeance, saith God. These are the days of My There’s a number in this army that vengeance to vindicate the blood. have been training for years. A These are the days when I will number of you that have been traincome down on darkness with all the ing and you have been involved in weight and the power that Light has small skirmishes here and there to thrust. and the other place, and some of I am ready to throw the body of Christ into vast battle array, into the face of darkness and cripple the demons of darkness and cause them to crawl on their belly at the feet of the body of Christ. Once this occurs the devil will never rise to his feet again until after the catching away of the church. I AM, and I will. I have said it, and I will accomplish it, saith the Lord. I will have a glorious church and the gates and authority of hell will not prevail against it. It will not prevail against it. I’m calling people from every walk of life. I’m calling on people to do things that I’ve not called on people to do before. Do you not remember in My Word where I sent the man Ananias to pray and to minister to Paul? I have shown this man what he must suffer for My name’s sake. I’ve never asked anybody to go to war without knowing the price of the conﬂict. And he agreed and together we established the fact that the New Cov-

you feel as though you are battle scarred veterans. Oh, you have no concept of the victory that is in store for you. You have in your wildest dreams no concept of what I’m going to allow to come to you in victory over darkness and over sin and over sickness and over demons and over fear. As in the days of My earthly ministry when there were men that came back to me and said, “Lord even the devils are subject to us in Your name,” I said, “Rejoice for your names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Even the great things that they saw will only be child’s play compared to the miraculous that shall occur in these days and has even already begun and is in its light stages now.

Don’t look and say, “Oh, it’s gonna happen one of these days.” It’s already happening. I’m uncovering revelation after revelation. I promised you that it would all be uncovered by the time this is done...For these are the days of the greatest revelation of all...

Page 4

FREEDOM

****MOVIE REVIEW**** Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

Rev i e w b y C a r o l y n A r e n d s : p o s t e d o n C hristianityToday.com

it Kittredge is a spunky ten-year-old who is fiercely loyal to her friends, great at solving mysteries, and determined to become a reporter. If you have a daughter between the ages of six and eleven, you likely already know all that. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl is inspired by the Kit Kittredge books, which are based on one character in the wildly successful American Girl line of historically set dolls. But don’t let the connection between a movie and a doll franchise scare you. This film is artistically light years beyond Strawberry Shortcake cartoons or the nonsense that was Bratz: The Movie. In fact, the doll connection is in some ways unfortunate (despite the tween girl audience it guarantees), because, given a chance, this film will appeal to girls—and boys—of all ages. Kit Kittredge is set in 1934 Cincinnati. Kit (Little Miss Sunshine’s Abigail Breslin) is happily occupied with secret meetings of her Tree House Club, not to mention hours at the typewriter diligently working on stories she hopes to pitch to the local newspaper. All is well until the Great Depression begins showing up in the neighborhood. When a family next store to Kit loses their house to foreclosure, it becomes clear that this is one children’s movie determined to treat gritty subjects with non-patronizing realism. Before long, Kit’s comfortable middle class life evaporates. Her father (played with all-American heart and everyman charm by Batman and Robin’s Chris O’Donnell) loses his car dealership and is forced to temporarily relocate to Chicago in search of work. Kit’s mother (Sabrina’s lovely Julia Ormond) keeps a brave and resourceful face, opening her home to a quirky assortment of boarders and, much to Kit’s initial chagrin, selling eggs and vegetables to help pay the mortgage. Despite the hard times, Kit and her mother are still prone to taking in strays, including an abandoned basset hound named Grace and a pair of young hobos willing to work for food. When the Kittredge home is robbed and one of the hobos is unfairly incriminated in the crime, Kit and her friends hastily become ad hoc detectives to save the day. Screenplay writer Ann Peacock (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe) rather miraculously manages to keep things resound-

ingly sweet and wholesome without sugar coating realities like poverty, class injustice, and bigotry. Her cause is aided by a fine cast of veteran actors, who bring comedic chemistry to portrayals of the boarders at the Kittredge house. Stanley Tucci’s sardonic vaudeville magician, Jane Krakowski’s husband-hunting dance instructor, Joan Cusack’s befuddled mobile librarian, and Glenne Headly’s prudish and burdened mother all add depth and humor. Wallace Shawn (the villainous Vizzini in The Princess Bride) brings his signature lisping bluster to the role of the curmudgeonly newspaper editor, while young Willow Smith (daughter of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith) and Max Thieriot (showing the same acting chops and heart-throb potential he revealed in The Pacifier) make achingly winsome hobos. And, at the centre of this acting storm, Abigail Breslin meets expectations as a likeable and believable heroine. The film has a warm, Rockwellesque look and feel to it, no small feat considering director Patricia Rozema (Mansfield Park) reportedly had only 27 days of filming and a modest budget with which to recreate Depression-era Cincinnati. For the most part, Rozema manages to mine real pathos from the story without weighing the film down into too much melodrama. Occasionally the movie’s pacing does seem a touch uneven, languishing a bit in the moralistic parts and racing rather suddenly when the action-adventure plotline comes to the foreground. Even still, my six-year-old daughter remained mesmerized throughout the whole film. Kit Kittredge has many of the classic ingredients of a successful family tale, including a heroine who achieves her dreams through hard work and perseverance, a group of kids who outsmart the adult villains, and a resoundingly happy ending. But the film’s most notable success is in the unusual themes it brings to the children’s table. In many respects, Kit Kittredge is about the ways people adapt, or don’t adapt, to new kinds of normal when life doesn’t turn out as planned. It’s also about finding identity in something other than your ability to earn or provide, a challenge that proves daunting for many of the fathers in the film. Most importantly, it’s about the power of love and relationship, and the refusal to let shame or disappointment estrange families in the midst of hard times. Who knew one little American Girl could teach all that?

For All Your Custom Upholstery Needs ��

UPHOLSTERY WIZARD �� We’ll Go As Far As Your Imagination

Guy Minnich Owner

�� 507-438-4266 Sports Cards

JERRY’S

CARD ROOM

Baseball * Football 601 10th Dr SE Basketball * Hockey Headline Figurines Sports Memorabilia

440 5999

Refreshments Candy & Chips

Mon - Sun 9am - 4:30pm

Crow Wing Kayaks Different Models , Sizes & Colors Sit on Top Models Starting at $364.99 Jason Evans & Doug Evans

Orignal Beading, Antiques & Collectables

507-377-1508

721 Main St Osage, IA 50461

Countryside RV Service

641-832-8669

www.countrysidervservice.net

Open Mon - Fri 9:30a - 5:30p Sat 10:00a - 2:00p

2190 S Lincoln Albert Lea MN

Emersons Lake By The

Flemings Clothing Quality Men, Womans, & Childrens Apparel 703 Main St. Osage IA

f ls o e v 3 Le pping Sho

“Come to A Store That Cares About their Customers” 308 Main Ave Clear Lake IA

641-357-4468 Unlocks Gas Delivery Tire Changes Tire Regair

641-732-3582

PORTER’S

Towing & Recovery

“Let Our Family Help Yours”

General Repairs Auto & Light Truck

HWY 65N / MASON CITY

TOWING #641-423-0966 Shop / Repairs #641-424-3787 CLEAR LAKE TRUCK & RV W ASH I-35 EXI T 193 EAST 1/4 MILE Clear La ke IA 50 428

641-357

-0525

TRUCK WASH FULL & SELF SERVE

CARS / TRUCKS / RV’S HIGH PRESSURE WASH

FREEDOM "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32

Page 5

PASTOR'S CORNER Rev. Rory Synoground Founder and President of Rory Synoground Ministries International, and Pastor of Freedom Christian Center, Austin, MN

A CALL TO FREEDOM

�� PART ONE / 2 CD SERIES

HOW FAITH WORKS is a teaching series that Pastor Rory ministered on at Healing School. In Part One Pastor Rory answers the question of WHY WE NEED FAITH. And He also teaches on the THREE THINGS YOU NEED to receive anything from God. These two anointed teachings will inspire you to begin living a life of Faith! SEND A GIFT OF ANY SIZE

To receive These Two Dynamic Teachings To Order by mail write: RSMI / HOW FAITH WORKS 108 E. Oakland Ave Austin MN 55912

Belong, Believe, & Be Free

Hebrews 3:1 “So then brethren, consecrated and set apart for God, who share in the heavenly calling, (thoughtfully and attentively) consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest Whom we confessed (as ours when we embraced the Christian faith).” Amp There is a life awaiting you that is full of peace, prosperity, security, love, joy, success, and healing. It is a life of freedom; it is a call to freedom and truth from the Father. It is a life where the promises of God are manifest in your life. We are to partake of this calling, and then to proclaim this freedom to the world. Today is the day of salvation! Today is the day to be FREE! Look at Joshua 1:5. There, God tells Joshua that no man or enemy will be able to stand in front of him to block him—and be successful. The same is true for you today. Oh the devil will try, but if we will continually consider Jesus, Who is the High Priest of our confession, the devil will not be able to keep us back.

WE WILL GO ONWARD THROUGH THE NIGHT, THROUGH THE STORM, & WE WILL PREVAIL. On a lake one night, Jesus and His discipels were in the middle of a deadly storm. Jesus saw the same wind and the same waves that the disciples saw, yet He was unaffected by it. Instead He walked right through the middle of it—on the water itself. No natural circumstance or attack of the enemy was going to prevent Jesus from walking free from this world’s system and proclaiming the will of God As He reached the disciples in faith, they cried out in fear when they saw Him. The disciples got so caught up in the natural circumstances of the storm, which was at the point of destroying them, that they didn’t even recognize Jesus—the Savior of their souls—standing right beside them. You know, that is the way we are too. We get so caught up in the events of our time,

the tragedies, and trying circumstances, that we fail to recognize our Savior who is right there beside us ever ready to lend us His hand. We fail to recognize that Jesus our Deliverer is there—ever ready to help us through these deceptive circumstances. God told Joshua to be strong and of good courage. To mediate in His Word day and night, so that he would be able to do that Word. That Word inturn, would give him the supernatural wisdom he needed. to have good success. Praise God, Hebrews 3:1 tells us to do the same thing. We are to consider, or to intensely observe fully, Jesus our Savior, not the tragedies, storms, gossip, or circumstances around us! In John 1:1-14 we read that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And that Word became ﬂesh, and dwelt among us. Jesus is the Word of God manifested in the ﬂesh. We are instructed to intensely observe Jesus, the Living Word of God, lest we grow weary and faint in our minds. When we fail to intensely observe Jesus, the Word of God, we will grow weak in our minds. We will get overtaken with fear, depression, and every other oppressive torment the devil has to offer us. You know that is what happened to the disciples that night on the lake. They failed to intensely observe Jesus during the storm, and as a result they became weak, and fearful. It was only when Peter began to intensely observe Jesus, that he was able to do the impossible. He did exactly what Jesus was doing.

Jesus didn’t still the storm ﬁrst in order for Peter to walk on the water. No, He simply gave Peter the POWER to walk through the middle of it, in complete victory and freedom. Even when Peter took His eyes off of Jesus, the Word, Jesus was there to deliver him, because He was there by Peter’s side. No matter what circumstance you ﬁnd your self in today, no matter where you are in life, begin to consider Jesus. As you consider Jesus, & His Word, you will receive the assurance, and the strength to do the impossible. You will be able to walk in freedom despite the circumstances. You will be able to walk through that storm successfully and in victory!

FREEDOM

Page 6

WallBuilders

KEEP THE FREEDOM had been approved. The second was much longer and more pensive, giving serious consideration to what had been done that day. Adams cautiously noted: “This day will be the most memorable epic in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival.” It is amazing that on the very day they approved the Declaration, Adams was already foreseeing that their actions would be celebrated by future generations.

his year marks 232 years since our Founding Fathers gave us our National Birth Certiﬁcate. We continue to be the longest ongoing Constitutional Republic in the history of the world. Blessings such as these are not by chance or accidental. They are blessings of God. On July 2, 1776, Congress voted to approve a complete separation from Great Britain. Two days afterwards— July 4th—the early draft of the Declaration of Independence was signed, albeit by only two individuals at that time: John Hancock, President of Congress, and Charles Thompson, Secretary of Congress. Four days later, on July 8, members of Congress took that document and read it aloud from the steps of Independence Hall, proclaiming it to the city of Philadelphia, after which the Liberty Bell was rung. The inscription around the top of that bell, Leviticus 25:10, was most appropriate for the occasion:

“Proclaim liberty throughout the land and to all the inhabitants thereof.” To see the turmoil in other nations, their struggles and multiple revolutions, and yet to see the stability and blessings that we have here in America, we may ask how has this been achieved? What was the basis of American Independence? John Adams said “The general principles on which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity.” Perhaps the clearest identiﬁcation of the spirit of the American Revolution was given by John Adams in a letter to Abigail the day after Congress approved the Declaration. He wrote her two letters on that day; the ﬁrst was short and concise, jubilant that the Declaration

Adams contemplated whether it would be proper to hold such celebrations, but then concluded that the day should be commemorated—but in a particular manner and with a speciﬁc spirit. As he told Abigail: “It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.”

progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence ﬁrst organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer’s mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the ﬁrst precepts of Christianity?”

Preserving American liberty depends ﬁrst upon our understanding the foundations on which this great country was built and then preserving the principles on which it was founded.

John Adams believed that the Fourth of July should become a religious holi—David Barton day—a day when we remembered God’s hand in deliverance and a day of religious activities when we committed ourselves to According to John Quincy Adams, Him in “solemn acts of devotion to God Christmas and the Fourth of July were Almighty.” intrinsically connected. On the Fourth Such was the Spirit of the Ameri- of July, the Founders simply took the can Revolution as seen through the precepts of Christ which came into the eyes of those who led it, evidenced even world through His birth (Christmas) further in the words of John Quincy and incorporated those principles into Adams, one who was deeply involved civil government. in the activities of the Revolution. Have you ever considered what it meant In 1837, when he was 69 years old, he for those 56 men—an eclectic group delivered a Fourth of July speech at of ministers, business men, teachers, Newburyport, Massachusetts. He began university professors, sailors, captains, that address with a question: “Why is it, farmers—to sign the Declaration of friends and fellow citizens, that you are Independence? here assembled? Why is it that enterThis was a contract that began with the ing on the 62nd year of our national exreasons for the separation from Great istence you have honored [me] with an Britain and closed in the ﬁnal paragraph invitation to address you...?” stating “And for the support of this The answer was easy: they had asked Declaration, with a ﬁrm reliance on him to address them because he was old the protection of Divine Providence, enough to remember what went on; they we mutually pledge to each other our wanted an eye-witness to tell them of it! He next asked them: “Why is it that, next to Custom Built the birthday of the Savior of the world, Computers your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day [the Fourth Custom of July]?” Servers An interesting question: why is it that in America the Fourth of July and Christmas were our two top holidays? Note his answer: “Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the

lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” Dr. Benjamin Rush, the father of American Medicine and a signer, recorded that day in his diary. In 1781, he wrote to John Adams: "Do you recollect the pensive and awful silence which pervaded the House when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress to subscribe to what was believed by many at that time to be our death warrants? The silence and gloom of the morning was interrupted, I well recollect, only for a moment by Colonel Harrison of Virginia (a big guy) who said to Mr. Gerry (small in stature) at the table: ‘I shall have a great advantage over you, Mr. Gerry, when we are all hung for what we are now doing... From the size and weight of my body I shall die in a few minutes, but from the lightness of your body you will dance in the air an hour or two before you are dead.’ This speech procured a transient smile, but it was soon succeeded by the solemnity with which the whole business was conducted." These men took this pledge seriously. Robert Morris of Pennsylvania is an example of the highest level of integrity. He was chosen as the ﬁnancier of the American Revolution. What an honor, except that there was no bank willing to give any loans to help fund the revolution. It was three years and the Battle of Saratoga before America got any kind of funding at all. After winning that battle, foreign nations like France, Holland, and others decided maybe we weren’t such a bad risk and began loaning us money. So where did we get money for the ﬁrst

Custom Networking

Upgrades on Older Systems Websites Low Cost Used Systems

�� CALL NICK OR TIM TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE

Serving the North Iowa Area Since 1980

641-713-2141 4350 Dancer Ave St. Ansgar, IA

We Take Pride In Our Quality Service!

FREEDOM

Page 7

Author and historian David Barton is the Founder and President of WallBuilders, a national pro-family organization which distributes historical, legal, and statistical information; and helps citizens become active in their local schools and communities. WallBuilders is a name taken from the Bible book of Nehemiah. And just as Nehemiah led a grassroots movement in Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of that city and restore its strength and honor; so, too, WallBuilders seeks to energize the grassroots today to rebuild that which makes America strong—its constitutional, moral, and religious foundations.

TORCH BURNING three years? Congress, at that time, could not have obtained a loan of one thousand dollars, yet Robert Morris effected loans upon his own credit, of tens of thousands. In 1781, George Washington conceived the expedition against Cornwallis, at Yorktown. He asked Judge Peters of Pennsylvania, “What can you do for me?” “With money, everything, without it, nothing,” he replied, at the same time turning with anxious look toward Mr. Morris. “Let me know the sum you desire,” said Mr. Morris; and before noon Washington’s plan and estimates were complete. Robert Morris promised him the amount, and he raised it upon his own responsibility. It has been justly remarked, that: “If it were not demonstrable by ofﬁcial records, posterity would hardly be made to believe that the campaign of 1781, which resulted in the capture of Cornwallis, and virtually closed the Revolutionary War, was sustained wholly on the credit of an individual merchant.” America couldn’t repay him because there was no money and yet Robert Morris never complained because he had given his word. You see the same thing in the life of John Hart. He was a strong Christian gentleman and Speaker of the House of Representatives in New Jersey. He promised to help provide them with guidance and leadership. There were three things that were important in his life; his Savior, his family and his farm. Because of his signature on the Declaration, the British were seeking him

(and the rest of the signers) to execute as traitors. John Hart ﬂed his home after which his farm was ravaged, his timber destroyed, his cattle and stock butchered for the use of the British army.

his country should require it.” A man of his word, he demonstrated his integrity.

The 16 Congressional proclamations for prayer and fasting throughout the Revolution were not bland (i.e., the acknowlHe did not dare to remain two nights in the edgment of Jesus Christ, the quoting same location. After Washington’s suc- of Romans 14:17, etc.); however, this is not unusual cess at the battle considering the of Trenton, he prominent role finally returned that many minhome to find that isters played in his wife had died the Revolution. and his children scattered. He One such exlost almost evample is John erything that Peter Muhlenwas important to burg. In a serhim but kept his mon delivered word. to his Virginia congregation John Hanon January cock, a very 21, 1776, he wealthy indipreached verse vidual lived in a by verse from mansion reflectEcclesiastes ing his princely 3—the passage fortune—one of which speaks of the largest in the a season and a Province of Mastime to every sachusetts. Durpurpose under ing the time the heaven. ArrivAmerican army besieged Boston to rid it of the British, the ing at verse 8, which declares that there American officers proposed the entire de- is a time of war and a time of peace, Muhlenburg noted that this surely was struction of the city. not the time of peace; this was the time “By the execution of such a plan, the of war. whole fortune of Mr. Hancock would have been sacrificed. Yet he readily acceded to Concluding with a prayer, and while standthe measure, declaring his willingness to ing in full view of the congregation, he surrender his all, whenever the liberties of removed his clerical robes to reveal that beneath them he was wearing the uniform of an officer in the Continental army!

KAMPA ENTERPRISE

Residential Building Construction

For All Your Construction Needs

Remodeling & New Construction Call Larry Kampa, MN Lic. #20626936 Drywall Taping Painting Decks Houses Windows

507-438-2817

email: kampaenterprise@cfaith.com

He marched to the back of the church; ordered the drum to beat for recruits and over three hundred men joined him, becoming the Eighth Virginia Brigade. John Peter Muhlenburg ﬁnished the Revolution as a Major-General, having been at Valley Forge and having participated in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, Stonypoint, and Yorktown. Another minister-leader in the Revolution was the Reverend James Caldwell. His actions during one battle inspired a painting showing him standing with a stack of hymn books in his arms while engaged in the midst of a ﬁerce battle against the British outside a battered Presbyterian church. During the battle, the Americans had developed a serious problem: they had run out of wadding for their guns, which was just as serious as having no ammunition.

Reverend Caldwell recognized the perfect solution; he ran inside the church and returned with a stack of Watts Hymnals— one of the strongest doctrinal hymnals of the Christian faith (Isaac Watts authored “O God Our Help In Ages Past,” “Joy to the World,” “Jesus Shall Reign,” and several other classic hymns). Distributing the Watts Hymnals among the soldiers served two purposes: first, its pages would provide the needed wadding; second, the use of the hymnal carried a symbolic message. Reverend Caldwell took that hymn book—the source of great doctrine and spiritual truth—raised it up in the air and shouted to the Americans, “Give ‘em Watts, boys!” The spiritual emphasis manifested so often by the Americans during the Revolution caused one Crown-appointed British governor to write to Great Britain complaining that: “If you ask an American who is his master, he’ll tell you he has none. And he has no governor but Jesus Christ.” Letters like this, and sermons like those preached by the Reverend Peter Powers titled “Jesus Christ the King,” gave rise to a sentiment that has been described as a motto of the American Revolution. Most Americans are unaware that the Revolution might have had mottoes, but many wars do (e.g., in the Texas’ war for independence, it was “Remember the Alamo”; in the Union side in the Civil War, it was “In God We Trust”; in World War I, it was “Remember the Lusitania”; in World War II, it was “Remember Pearl Harbor”; etc.). A motto of the American Revolution directed against the tyrant King George III and the theologically discredited doctrine of the Divine Right of Kings (which asserted that when the king spoke, it was the voice of God speaking directly to the people) was simple and direct: “No King but King Jesus!” Another motto (first suggested by Benjamin Franklin and often repeated during the Revolution) was similar in tone: “Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God.” Preserving American liberty depends first upon our understanding the foundations on which this great country was built and then preserving the principles on which it was founded. Let’s not let the purpose for which we were established be forgotten. The Founding Fathers have passed us a torch; let’s not let it go out.

FREEDOM MARRIAGE BILL EXPOSES JUDICIAL ACTIVISM ��

Page 8

��

Continued From Page One

popular sentiment changes over time -- that’s not my interpretation of the Constitution,” he remarks. The Mississippi Republican says he hopes to persuade one of his fellow Senate members, GOP presidential nominee John McCain, to have a change of heart and back the marriage amendment. Wicker says he has already sent McCain a “Dear Colleague” letter regarding the bill. The presidential hopeful has gone on record supporting protection of traditional marriage at the state level, but not at the federal level.

CENTER

1002 W Oakland Ave Austin MN (ACROSS FROM MCDONALDS)

��

T Mobile

■ ■ ■ ■

According to the Minnesota lawmaker, much of the land in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve-Alaska has already been tapped, whereas there are more than 88 million barrels of oil available in the Outer Continental Shelf. her Savior, she is in Heaven.” Regarding Obama’s almost 20-year association with Trinity Church, Keller said that “two of my board members are from Chicago -- and Trinity has always been known as a radical church ... one that [promotes] black separatism and black liberation theology.” Still, millions of Christians support the junior senator from Illinois. But many of us are praying that all Bible-believing Christians will ultimately realize this man should not occupy the Oval Ofﬁce come January 2009.

STOP THE GAMES & VOTE ON OIL DRILLING, says DeMint

Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) is claling on Democrats to end their blockade on offshore drilling. “It’s time for Democrats to stop saying no to American energy, stop saying no to increasing our own oil and gas supplies, and stop saying no to clean alternative energy like nuclear power,” he asserts.

“For all your nutritional & weight loss needs”

305 5th St N.E. Grand Meadow, MN

��

www.greatwtloss.com www.tophealth4you.com

HAPPY TRAILS WRECKER SERVICE

Continued from Page 1

conservative U.S. senator argues that Congress should not leave for vacation until it lifts the federal ban on domestic oil drilling.

��

GLOBAL

ANWR DRILLING: ENVIRIONMENTALLY SAFTE & DECREASES GAS PRICES

“They are the party of ‘No’ when it comes to energy. I just saw Senator Dianne Feinstein [D-California] on Fox News and she said, ‘If we drill, that will not bring down the price of gasoline.’ Well, maybe not in her world, but ask 75 percent of normal Americans and they’ll tell you, ‘Look, if we drill in the United States, we will be able to bring the price of gasoline down dramatically at the pump,’” Bachmann points out.

��

Wicker also notes that in response to the 2004 homosexual wedding bonanza in San Francisco and the

Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) claimed “drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf will do nothing to lower gas prices,” yet simultaneously touted “Democratic legislation to speed up the leasing process for 20 million more acres in the Strategic Petroleum ReserveAlaska.” Bachmann notes it is curious that every answer Democrats have for high gas prices is “No, we shouldn’t drill.”

��

legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, 19 states have passed laws and 26 states have amended their constitution to protect traditional marriage.

DRL ENTERPRISES

Jim Brown - OneNewsNow

-shore drilling, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) calls Bush’s plan a “hoax.” And Senator Barack Obama’s (D-Illinois) campaign says “it would merely prolong the failed energy policies we have seen from Washington for the past 30 years.”

According to DeMint, the overwhelming majority of Americans support increasing the country’s energy supply in order to reduce gasoline prices. It is time, he says, for Democrats in Congress to “stop DeMint and other Republicans ap- political games” and allow an implauded President Bush’s decision mediate up-or-down vote to end the ban on offshore drilling. to lift a White House ban on off-

■

507-396-2095

1912 N. 32nd St Clear Lake IA 50428

641-512-0950

FREEDOM

Allegiance

What fast food do sea monsters eat?

“I pledge allegiance to the ﬂag, of the United States of America....” Have you ever heard these words before? If you are in school, you might speak these words every day in your classroom. In America, where I live, they are the words to our national pledge.

Fish and Ships Why do people in Ireland keep their money in banks? Because it's duplin How do you ﬁx a broken tomato? With Tomato Paste Where can you ﬁnd an ocean with no water?

What runs around the cow pasture but never moves? The fence

How many months have 28 days?

LAUGH OUT LOUD

On a map

Page 9

All of them What's the biggest problem with snow boots? They melt

Why does a bike stand on one-leg? because it's two-tired What do you get when you cross a sheep and a bee? A Bah-humbug Where do tough chickens come from? Hard boiled eggs www.brownielocks.com

Let’s talk about the word “allegiance.” Even though you might be saying the word “allegiance” often, do you know what the word means? Allegiance means being loyal. If you are loyal, you will be faithful and dedicated to someone or something. If you are loyal to a person, you will stand with them and be a true friend at all times. Sometimes a friend can get grumpy and even mad at you, but you will still be a friend. You will be loyal. When you are pledging (that means you promise) your allegiance to the ﬂag, you really are promising that you will be loyal - faithful and dedicated-to our country of America. You will stand by our country, through the good times and the hard times. Standing through difﬁcult times, is the true test of being loyal. Have you ever thought to pledge your allegiance to God? If you do, it would be like saying this: “I promise that I will be loyal to God. I will be faithful and dedicated to Himno matter what may happen or what will come against me.”

by Cheri J. Ekbom

No matter what happens in your life-good things or bad things-you must make a choice to be loyal to God. When the hard times come, will you still love and serve God? This will be the true test of loyalty. In our Bible verse today, God says that He wants our promises fulfilled. Do you know what “fulfilled” means? It means to complete something. For an example, if I were to fulfill a homework assignment, I would complete it. The homework would get done. When we fulfill our promises to God, we complete them. We get our promises done. How do we get our promises done with God? Well, we do what we say we’ll do! After all, God is a person of His Word-He does what He says. He completes His promises, shouldn’t we complete our promises too? Be a person of your word. Whether you make a promise to God, or to a friend, keep it. Make a pledge (promise)-today and everyday-to God. Tell Him that you will promise to stick with Him and to His Word. Tell God that you will be loyal to Him and to others to keep your promises. (Ask the Lord to help you!) God is dependable and loyal. Just as we can depend on God, allow God the privilege to depend on you too!

“...I want your promises fulfilled.” - Psalm 50:14

Taming The Tongue Word Search He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matt. 17:20 Find the hidden words within the grid of letters. X K Q B E Q N P S S B P D I N faith here

L E MOV E I L D N P M L Z F R E WE I C P R B A MMY E A GN K B I E MY S T I J C E N S N R S N OH T U R GS D OU MU S T A R Q O A O T Q U WQ H N K P MQH H C B GY E T MX T S S I QX D T R I QY F D U N D H B I T K ME MR GGB H C K E V F V T R E N C E GI GB E Y C MMP C N QV P H R X A H G H N F N F MS F A QV little mountain

mustard nothing

E L R I E T H T T L D E L A I A R S ME C V S E S F QP J Y

U V M X B F G J B E F O Q T Q

small there

Page 10

FREEDOM

��

received a comment some time ago from someone who believed that I was putting too much emphasis on the right every Christian has to prosper ﬁnancially.

The individual had this to say, “Prosperity is not for Christians. Our concern should be for spiritual growth and not material growth. You’re losing sight of the big picture, and you’re giving money too much power. As long as you have the basics, you ought to leave well enough alone.” There are several references in the Bible regarding prosperity. One of them can be found in Psalm 112:3, which says that wealth and riches will be in our houses. The Bible also says that when we adhere to the words of God’s covenant, we will prosper in all that we do (Deut. 29:9). And one of my all-time favorite scriptures concludes that God takes pleasure in our prosperity (Ps. 35:27).

God wants us to use the power of money to fulfill His mission to save the lost. - Creflo Dollar God has given me insight into the “big picture” and has shown me that believers should prosper financially. When I think of prosperity, I think of a pie. God has given us an entire pie of blessings to enjoy, and financial prosperity is an important slice that many Christians are not enjoying. God’s big picture reveals that money is a form of power needed to spread the gospel throughout the world in these last days. Think of it as “money with a mission.” Jesus commissioned us to go into the entire world and spread the good news of His availability to save, heal, deliver and set captives free (Mark 16:15-18). In fact, God’s ultimate will is that all be saved and come to know Him personally (1 Tim. 2:4). As His sons and daughters, we’ve been commanded to do our part to change lives for God just as Jesus did His part. But it takes finances to impact the entire world and do the greater works that Jesus spoke of in John 14:12. Countless numbers of people are hearing of the good news about Jesus through television, radio, books and the Internet. Worldwide evangelism, however, is not cheap. It takes wealth and other material resources to do it effectively. God wants us to use the power of money to fulfill His mission to save the lost. It does not surprise me at all when people challenge the relationship between money and spiritual matters. They are convinced that the prosperity message is centered on materialism and that having an abundance of things is ungodly. However, I am convinced that us-

ing ﬁnancial resources to get people born again and nurtured into spiritual adulthood is the bottom line. Let’s look at this word materialism. Materialism is “an attempt to solve spiritual problems with material resources.” Stockpiling money and other resources is not a cure-all.

The greatest evidence of your love is seen when you move beyond your comfort zone and show others a tangible expression of that love.

��

“YOUR HOMETOWN HAULER

507-567-9953 E-mail: triplejdisposal@yahoo.com

Serving All of Mower County

OLD COINS & CURRENCY WANTED

TOP PRICES PAID FOR... UNITED STATES & FOREIGN Coins • Currency • Proof sets

GOLD • SILVER • PLATINUM

Bars • Coins • Scrap • Jewelry Dental

Appraisal Services • Bank & Trust References Furnished on Request

- Creﬂo Dollar

If you become materialistic, then you’re in danger of developing what the Bible calls “a love of money,” which is the root of all evil (1 Tim. 6:10). A love of money involves having a wrong relationship with money, thinking that it is a cure-all when in fact it isn’t. Having an excess of things is not a bad thing; it is God’s will for the Body of Christ to be a blessing to others (Gen. 12:2-3). Second Corinthians 9:8 in the New American Standard Bible says, “...God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have abundance for every good deed.” Imagine having more than enough money, cars, houses and clothes to do good deeds for others. Having an abundance of resources puts you in position to help others. Faith, love and fellowship with the Father are keys to increasing your spiritual growth. God wants you to exercise your faith to receive everything He has for you so that you can impact the lives of others. To reject your right to prosper financially is to be incomplete and unequipped to evangelize the world. As members of the Body of Christ, each of us has a responsibility to love people as God does. The greatest evidence of your love is seen when you move beyond your comfort zone and show others a tangible expression of that love. My assignment from God is to teach you that you have a right to prosper. To not carry out this responsibility would leave you powerless against the satanic forces of debt, lack and insufficiency. When these forces are evident, being a blessing to others becomes impossible. You have been given a mission and must be wealthy and willing to accomplish God’s will in order to effectively carry out that mission. Are you up to the task?

�

Ed Kueller - Professional Numismatic Serving Collectors & Investors Since 1958

AUSTIN, MN

ED’S COIN DEN

507-437-1751

Home Visits By Appointment • Please Call

FREEDOM

Music News--www.tvulive.com A lot of new material has been posted online recently that is worth your attention. This Beautiful Republic has posted a song called No Turning Back on their MySpace page. This is the ﬁrst song from their new album Perception. Also, Ivoryline recently posted their brand new video on their purevolume page for their song Hearts and Minds.

Generation Extreme youth group A PLACE TO BELONG A PLACE TO BE REAL A PLACE TO BE FREE WE MEET EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT 7:00PM at

FREEDOM CHRISTIAN CENTER 108 E. Oakland Ave Austin MN 55912 FUN

Page 11

Good Advice

Answers by Jim Burns

Cliques at Church

Q. My youth group, like my high school, has a “cool crowd.” While I’m used to cliques at school, it doesn’t seem right at youth group. What can I do? A. It’s not unusual for students to hang around students who have interests or backgrounds similar to their own. It becomes a problem, though, when a group makes others feel unwelcome or unaccepted because they aren’t a part of a particular “in group.” It sounds like this might be happening at your church. It’s very unfortunate and destructive if this group has become an exclusive clique. I want to tell you a story about two people from very different friendship groups that were in my youth group. Esther was a brainiac. Jody was a popular cheerleader who hung out in the cool clique. Both were really great young women but they hardly knew each other existed. Esther wasn’t welcome into Jody’s circle. During a mission trip to Mexico, Esther and Jody were in the same ministry group. They were responsible for sharing Bible stories, making crafts and playing games with the children. A funny thing happened: They became tight friends. They fought social pressure in order to care for one another. That’s how I think the church should be. The great thing about our faith is that Jesus looks past whether you are cool or uncool, rich or poor, cute or not so cute. Instead, he chooses to look at the heart.

OPEN

A RE

I ﬁnd that dealing with cliques in church or anywhere else starts with the individual. Since you notice this problem, pray about it and then do what you can to put yourself in situations to get to know as many people in your youth group as possible—including the so-called “cool crowd.” Also, talk to your youth pastor about ways you could split up into small groups and teams that would put people together who normally don’t hang out. Find ways to serve together, minister together, pray together, and share life together. When this happens, the cliques fade away. This article ﬁrst appeared in June/July 2008, Vol. 67, No. 3, Page 18 issue of Ignite Your Faith. Used by permission of Christianity Today International, Carol Stream, IL 60188.

FRIENDS

I Lost Faith in Church Q. My church recently split in a big fight between members. Now, I have really lost my faith in churches. What did God have in mind when he created the church? How can I believe in churches again? A. I know how you feel. I attended a church that went through a very unpleasant split, too. What helped me in that mess was being reminded that the church is the body of Christ, but it is made up of sinful people just like you and me. As much as we wish the church was perfect, everything this side of heaven is flawed. However, it is still important for us to participate in church because the Bible reveals to us that the church literally represents the body of Christ. Paul wrote in his first letter to the church in Corinth, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27, NIV). The Bible also says that within the body of Christ we all have been given special spiritual gifts. When we are using our gifts properly, the body of Christ thrives. The church needs us, and we need the church. Sometimes, we Christians let our egos and sinful natures take over and the church has problems. I believe our job is not to complain and leave the church, but make it better. When your actual body has a disease, the rest of the body goes to work to heal itself. That’s what we need to do. After Paul talks about living as a body, he says: “And now I will show you the most excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31, NIV). And you know what he means as the most excellent way? Love. We will be hurt by problems in the church because humans are flawed and sinful. But nevertheless, the church is the body of Christ and our job is to love one another and love the church just as Jesus does. In that way, we can make it more of what he always had in mind. This article first appeared in November/ December 2005, Vol. 64, No. 4, Page 12 issue of Ignite Your Faith. Used by permission of Christianity Today International, Carol Stream, IL 60188.

Jim is an author, longtime youth worker and founder of HomeWord, a group seeking to honor God through strong families.

FREEDOM

Chad Groening - OneNewsNow

ational defense expert and senior Army strategist Robert Maginnis says there’s clearly a difference in approaches when it comes to how the two presidential candidates want to deal with the Iranian threat.

Lt. Colonel Robert Maginnis (USARet.) does not believe Obama’s idea of diplomacy will work. “The idea that we can talk our way out of Iran trying to follow through on

On the other hand, Republican presidential candidate John McCain said the tests demonstrate a need for an effective missile defense, including missile defense in Europe that the U.S. is planning in the Czech Republic and Poland. Maginnis concurs. “I do believe we need to have a robust ballistic missile defense capability such as the Bush administration has pushed for [and] that Mr. McCain has supported,” he adds. But Maginnis says, at the same time, the U.S. must let Iran know that it will take military action if there is evidence that Iran is proceeding with its nuclear weapons program.

RAPID RESPONSE IN CHURCH LEGAL MATTER

Providing Complete Transportation Services for many events & Special Occasions. For Reservations or Assistance, Please Call Our

OFFICE at 507-584-6721 or MOBILE at 507-440-5220

Dutch Traditions Handcrafted Furniture M-F 9am- 5pm

709 Main Street Osage IA

641-732-3472 BAKED GOODS • JAM & JELLIES • CANDLES • COFFEES

Welcome Osage Shoppers

�� 709 Main St. Osage

Phone 641-732-6315

STOP IN FOR HOT CINNAMON / CARAMEL ROLLS AND FRESH GROUND COFFEE! NOODLES • FRUIT • CEREAL • CHEESE

HOUSE

LIZ SIDOTI - 6/17/2008

hristian attorneys are praising the City of Muskegon, Michigan, for settling a lawsuit over a zoning dispute with a local church, thereby avoiding a protracted court battle. The growth of Celebration Community Church necessitated the ministry ﬁnding a new location. A former car dealership that had been closed for years s e e m e d perfect, but the Muskegon city planning commission denied the church’s application to use the building as its worship center. Daniel Dalton, an attorney involved in the matter, says the commission’s primary concern was the potential loss of property tax revenue. “We had explained to them before the planning commission that the issue with the tax base was unconstitutional and ... violated the Religious Land Use Act, also known as RLUIPA,” he explains.

Dalton, an expert in religious land use issues, represented the church in cooperation with the Alliance Defense Fund. He says the lawsuit drew an unusual response from the City of Muskegon. “Once the city attorney’s office looked at it, they said, ‘Boy, we’ve got a problem here,’ and called and asked if we’d be willing to talk about resolving the case early - which we did,” he says. “And we’re very thankful and grateful that they did that.” Dalton says most governmental entities will fight similar lawsuits, even in the face of statutes like RLUIPA that specifically prohibit their actions and overwhelming case law in favor of churches. “Cases involving religious land use don’t typically resolve this quickly,” says the attorney. “In fact most of them that I’ve been involved with take ... between two and five years to resolve. [But] this one, the city was very forward-thinking and stepped up to the plate and said, ‘Okay, we’ve got a problem’ -- then they fixed it.” The city agreed to permit the church’s use of the facility and paid its attorney fees and other costs and damages only ten weeks after the suit was filed.

FOR SALE

HOT & COLD BREAKFAST CEREALS

When Iran recently testﬁred some missiles to demonstrate its nuclear capability to the world, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said the tests highlight the need for direct diplomacy as well as tough threats of economic sanctions and strong incentives to persuade Tehran to change its behavior.

what it has promised, I think is naïve,” Maginnis contends.

WILSON LIMOUSINE

SPRINKLES • DRIED FRUIT • JAVA

McCAIN AND OBAMA: POLAR OPPOSTES

�� 2006 Chev Cobalt� �� 2004 Chev Avalanche� �� 2003 Honda Civic�Ex� �� 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan� �� 2000 Pont. Sunfire� �� 2000 Ford Full Size Conversion Van �� 1998 Ford Windstar Van� �� 1996 Dodge 3/4 Club Cab� ��

507-437-7013

��

WHALEN’S AUTO REPAIR

801 1st Ave S.W. Austin MN 55912 437-3229 COMPLETE CAR CARE “Bring Us Your Motor Tune-Up and Brake Problems” ROAD SERVICE & TOWING

TIRES-BATTERIES ACCESORIES WHEEL ALIGNMENT

COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS

NOVEDADES CRISTAL Tenemos de Ropa Mexicana Mexican Clothing Store

Tenemos Ropa Para Toda La Familia Trave estilo Vaquero Bota y cinto Vestidos Formales Para ninas Tambien Tenemos arreglos Florales Accessories Para el Hogar Visítanos O llámanos 407 North Main Street Austin MN 55912

507-355-1865