Issue No: VM 225 (2004-07) February 18, 2004

We have Jesus - so we dont have triskaidekaphobia

Folks remember that some of the other pages on the menu {at left} get updated regularly - graham's corner all of the time and this week Doug Lambe has a contribution on the Lighter side... dont forget our upcoming events page

Happy Valentine's day to you all - My prayer for YOU is that you remember your valentine tomorrow and may it be your best valentine ever!!!

And especially to our friends Charles and Christine {today}- you know why!
Speaking about anniversaries ... i was asked how come the new VM hasnt been mentioning things such as birthdays and birth announcements

So here are a couple:

John & Lara Pacheco have added their third daughter to the world

and next saturday - one of our brothers turns the BIG MILESTONE know who? know which number? Peux-tu dire cinquante?

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As we announce the news that our extended family in Christ wants to hear, we must also share the news of those that go to meet our Lord, to remember to keep our friends in prayer:
-----Original Message-----From: Allan Dickieson Subject: Eric's Mom
Hi Everyone,
You all know Eric Thompson, a very close friend of mine. As some of you may already know his Mother was very sick with MS for many years.
She was diagnosed with terminal cancer a few months ago and God brought her to him today.
Jackie, Eric's Mom, struggled with very advanced stage MS for many years. I had the blessing of meeting her a few months ago, what a wonderful woman. The faith she had was truly uplifting and inspiring. I got a very brief glimpse of her struggle with such a debilitating disease. The Joy of God was plainly visible on her face and in her words. Our time together was spent talking about our families and our mutual love for the Lord.
She, I believe, succeeded in her task on this earth! Her dedication to God "and" understanding her role as a mother has resulted in 3 wonderful children, 2 of whom are dedicated Christians (what more are we to do?). Meeting her was an experience I'll treasure and look to often.

She is someone to emulate on the subjects of perseverance in trials, joy in tribulation, educating my children in His ways, and dedication to our Lord. I wanted you to know what a wonderful woman Eric's Mom was and that she will be dearly missed by all.

Please pray for Jackie and all of Eric's family.

Thanks so much ... God Bless, Allan

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-----Original Message-----From: Daniel Jeffrey

Urgent prayer request for my sister and brother-in-law
More on this next week ... but please pray for our brother and sister and all of our friends that are looking for employment
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also phil pothier and mathew mathew have asked the Virtual Ministry family for prayers for their needs

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SITE OF THE WEEK:
-----Original Message-----From: Fred Schubert
It was good to see you Jim and to be priveleged to participate in that most excellent conference.
Here is our website - it needs some updating which I will get to shortly I'd be grateful if you add it to your website... www.hismercy.ca
pax Fred

Thought you might also find this interesting Jim...

Just in case you might think of Iraq as "only" an oil rich nation, ruled by an evil dictator for the past 30 years or think it has been supporting terrorists or not, may not be very important at all. Here are the important facts regarding the important role and history this nation has played in man's spiritual journey. Israel is the nation most often mentioned in the Bible. Do you know which nation is second? It is Iraq! However, that is not the name that is used in the Bible. The names used in the Bible are Babylon, Land of Shinar, and Mesopotamia. The word Mesopotamia means between the two rivers, more exactly between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
The name Iraq, means country with deep roots. Indeed Iraq is a country with deep roots and is a very significant country in the Bible. Here's why.

IRAQ -- VERY INTERESTING -- DID YOU KNOW??????

1. The garden of Eden was in Iraq. (it sure doesn't look much like Paradise today with the devastation of a Saddam and the recent war)

2. Mesopotamia which is now Iraq was the cradle of civilization!

3. Noah built the ark in Iraq.

4. The Tower of Babel was in Iraq.

5. Abraham was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq!

6. Isaac's wife Rebekah is from Nahor which is in Iraq.

7. Jacob met Rachel in Iraq.

8. Jonah preached in Nineveh - which is in Iraq.

9. Assyria which is in Iraq conquered the ten tribes of Israel.

10. Amos cried out in Iraq!

11. Babylon which is in Iraq destroyed Jerusalem.

12. Daniel was in the lion's den in Iraq!

13. The 3 Hebrew children were in the fire in Iraq

14. Belshazzar, the King of Babylon saw the "writing on the wall" in Iraq.

15. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, carried the Jews captive into Iraq.

16. Ezekiel preached in Iraq.

17. One or some of the Magi wise men came from Iraq.

18. Peter preached in Iraq.

19. The "Empire of Man" described in Revelation is called Babylon which was a city in Iraq!

* Eden was in Iraq--Genesis 2:10-14
* Adam & Eve were created in Iraq--Genesis 2:7-8
* Satan made his first recorded appearance in Iraq--Genesis 3:1-6
* Nimrod established Babylon & Tower of Babel was built in Iraq --Genesis 10:8-97 & 11:1-4
* The confusion of the languages took place in Iraq--Genesis 11:5-11
* Abraham came from a city in Iraq--Genesis 11:31 & Acts 7:2-4
* Isaac's bride came from Iraq--Genesis 24:3-4 & 10
* Jacob spent 20 years in Iraq--Genesis 27:42-45 & 31:38
* The first world Empire was in Iraq--Daniel 1:1-2 &2:36-38
* The greatest revival in history was in a city in Iraq--Jonah 3
* The events of the book of Esther took place in Iraq--Esther
* The book of Nahum was a prophecy against a city in Iraq--Nahum
* The book of Revelation has prophecies against Babylon, which was the old name for the nation of Iraq--Revelation 17 & 18

No other nation, except Israel, has more history and prophecy associated with it than Iraq.

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-----Original Message-----From: Fr. John Vandenakker

Hi!
Our Feb. 2004 Companions of the Cross MiniConference had as its theme: "God's Plan for the Gift of Human Sexuality." It was held at Tudor Hall in Ottawa. Over 300+ attended! By all accounts it was a huge success. The talks were powerful, open, honest and frank. Many people felt convicted by God's truth in this important area of Christian discipleship. I am sorry I do not have any photos of the evening Youth Fest event to show - but it too drew a large crowd. Special thanks to Mary Lauzon of our CC Office for organizing this event, to Fr. Terry for bringing the talks together, and to everyone else who worked to make this conference the best ever! If you would like to view some pictures of this event please visit our online photo album called: "Feb. 04 CC MiniConference" by clicking here:
http://www.PictureTrail.com/gid3678169.

God Bless - Fr. John V.

about this conference - here is what i would like to add
What a great conference, this past weekend! Everybody get ready, because this 'new' movement, will take off and BECOME the answer for the Catholic church. Our Holy Father's "Theology of the Body", which layman Christopher West has started to put into english for us, and that The Mary Foundation [http://www.catholicity.com/] is promoting, is a real eye opener

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-----Original Message-----From: dan-gutoskie
Subject: Rise of Paganism
Hi Folks:
Some of you may already have seen this article on Zenit (the Vatican's official website). God Bless, Dan
The Return of Paganism

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-----Original Message-----From: Duke Tran Open letter on 'The Passion of the Christ' by Dr. James Dobson... Posted: February 6, 2004

http://www.catholic.net/linksframe.phtml?link=http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=36967 Click on "letter to supporters". indeed, we need more movies from the New Testament... Some excerpts from M. Dobson's letter...
" It isn't often that I find myself speaking favorably about a modern movie, but there is a film being released this month that I believe is among the most powerful and important ever made. "
"As Christians, we often decry the immoral films that Hollywood routinely releases, and rightly so. However, in addition to avoiding movies that are immoral or otherwise disparaging of Christianity, we must do everything we can to support those rare films that, like "The Passion of the Christ," are both edifying and uplifting.
"Apparently, however, the idea of a movie that accurately portrays the death and resurrection of Christ and that "has the power to evangelize" is more than certain members of the liberal media establishment can stomach. " For years, Hollywood executives have justified their constant barrage of sex-and-debauchery-soaked movies by saying, "We're only releasing what the public wants to see!" Many movie industry executives refuse to admit that there is a viable audience for stories and characters that extol biblical virtues. "The Passion of the Christ" presents us with a powerful opportunity to prove them wrong"

" Again, I'm convinced that if more Christians were willing to support films that respect their values, rather than simply vilifying the ones that don't, we would see more movies like these produced. "
" In any other context, I could not in good conscience recommend a movie containing this degree of violent content. However, in this case, the violence is intended not to titillate or entertain, but to emphasize the reality of the unspeakable suffering that our Savior endured on our behalf. "
" Please know that, in discussing this project, I am not offering a blanket endorsement of either Mr. Gibson's personal beliefs or his past work. I can only say that, when it comes to "The Passion of the Christ," I believe it has the potential to dramatically impact Christian viewers and, even more importantly, change the lives of the many unsaved audience members who could potentially be drawn to it. "
" P.S. Since I have been talking about the subject of movies this month, I thought it would be appropriate to mention Focus on the Family's Plugged In magazine. This monthly publication discusses the content of a wide range of movies, TV shows, video games, secular and Christian music CDs, and other media related to youth culture. Its companion website, www.pluggedinonline.com ,focuses primarily on current movies and also contains an archive of reviews for past movie and music releases. If you're a parent, I believe you will find Plugged In to be an indispensable resource. "
James C. Dobson, Ph.D.
Founder and Chairman Focus On The Family
http://www.family.org/

James 1:17