You could call Earlene Scott a Bible detective. The Ohio retiree buys Bibles at auctions and estate sales and then tracks down descendants of their original owners. Scott says she has reunited about a dozen families with the treasured information about their family histories. Scott notes that many Bibles not only have names but also dates of births and deaths, marriages and locks of hair. She takes that information and then uses her computer to find descendants of the original owners. Scott says her efforts help families piece together their histories and provide a long-lost treasure that they can hold, touch, and share. She says, in one instance, she gave a man a German Bible that had been purchased by the man’s great-great-great grandfather in 1830.

-AP

I’m posting this to you to ask for your help because, this year on October 14th I am going all the way and riding full 100kms in the third annual Ride for Refugees fund raising event. I am looking for sponsors to make it all worth it. I am training for the challenge as I have never ridden that far but with God’s strength, he will carry me to the end. This cycling event is held each fall near Elmira and I am joining a growing group of cyclists who are raising support and awareness for refugees being served through International Teams Canada

I volunteer at our Welcome Home facility here in Kitchener/Waterloo and getting to know the refugees there has been very eye opening. The challenges involved with a 100km ride dwarfs in comparison of the challenges faced by a refugee. Imagine in a moments notice, force to leave everything you have and know to travel the refugee highway in hopes of a new future.

The event goal is $150,000 and I am looking to raise my share of that good goal. This year my personal goal is to raise $1000 and any amount you give will help reach or exceed it. Please help me reach my goal and help these people, in giving you too will ride with me that day.

Would you sponsor me?

There are over 35 million refugees in the world. Many are coming to Canada and they need support as they adjust to our Canadian way of life. Imagine snow for the first time. Imagine if the letters all ran backwards to what you were familiar with reading. Imagine being alienated from your friends and family. They need our support and International Teams (www.iteams.ca) has been serving refugees for over 25 years.

Don’t hesitate to sponsor me today!

You can go directly to my personal page to sponsor me by clicking on the link below;
https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/personalPage.aspx?EventID=6694&LangPref=en-CA&RegistrationID=219228

You can also go online to www.rideforrefugees.ca and click on sponsor a rider. Once there you can donate with any credit card to my personal fundraising goal.

Thank you so much and God bless

A leader of the conservative branch of Judaism is traveling the United States to prepare synagogues for a potentially divisive change: allowing the ordination of openly homosexual rabbis. Rabbi Jerome Epstein, executive vice president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, says a committee of scholars who interpret Jewish law will likely loosen the current prohibition when they vote in December. But he expects the scholars to also let synagogues that believe Jewish law condemns same-sex relationships hire only heterosexual rabbis. In recent years, many Conservative Jews have joined the more liberal Reform stream, which has surpassed the Conservative branch as the largest in America. The Reform movement ordains homosexuals. For Conservative Jews seeking more rigorous observance, the Orthodox branch has become a popular choice. The Orthodox strictly adhere to Jewish law, prohibiting women and homosexuals from becoming rabbis.

- AP