Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian. Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions. Some of those listed may surprise or even shock you. Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Dolores Hart: (b. 1938, Illinois, USA, aka: Dolores Hicks) Film actress, Benedictine prioress, author. As an actress, she worked with Elvis Presley, Stephen Boyd, Montgomery Clift, George Hamilton, and Robert Wagner. All proceeds from her books go to charity.

Mark Burnett: (b. 1960, England) Movie and television producer, husband of actress Roma Downey. His father was Roman Catholic and his mother was Presbyterian.

Roma Downey: (b. 1960, Northern Ireland) Actress, producer, author, singer. Wife of producer Mark Burnett. Roman Catholic.

Sun Yat-sen: (b.1866, China – d. 1925), Chinese revolutionary, physician, first president and founder of the Republic of China. Sun participated in the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty. Congregationalist.

James Naismith: (b.1861, Canada – d. 1938) Canadian sports coach; inventor of the sport of basketball; founder of the University of Kansas basketball program; Inducted into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame, the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, the Ontario Sports Legends Hall of Fame, the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame, the McGill University Sports Hall of Fame, the Kansas State Sports Hall of Fame, and the FIBA Hall of Fame. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is named for him. Presbyterian.

Religious Place Names

Ibadan, Nigeria: From the Arabic word “ibada,” meaning “divine service.”

Menehune Ditch, Hawaii, USA: The menehune are little fairy-like supernatural people from Hawaiian mythology.

Islamabad, Pakistan: Islam is the Arabic word for “submission (to God).”

Saint-Isidore, Quebec, Canada: From “Isis,” the Greek form of the name of the ancient Egyptian goddess (probably “Aset” in ancient Egyptian), plus the Greek word “doron,” meaning “gift.”

Guwahati, India:  This city has had several names over its history, including Durjaya (Sanskrit = “impregnable”), and Pragyostishpur, from “pragyotish,” the Sanskrit word for “astrology.” The modern name of Guwahati is more mundane.  It comes from two Assamese words; “guwa” (“azeca nut”) and “haat” (“marketplace”).

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Some of those listed may surprise you.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Robert Patrick Ellison: (b. 1942, Ireland) Roman Catholic Bishop of Banjul, The Gambia

Mvemba a Nzinga: (b. ca 1582, Kongo – d. 1663, aka: Afonso I; Nzinga Mbemeba Affonso) A Kongo chieftain who became the Manikongo in 1506, reigning as Afonso I.

Solomon Tilewa Johnson: (b. 1954, The Gambia) Anglican Bishop of The Gambia.

George Beverly Shea: (b. 1909, Canada) Vocalist, evangelist.  Associated with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association since the 1940’s.

Luciano Pavarotti: (b. 1935, Italy – d. 2007) Operatic tenor, humanitarian.  Roman Catholic.

What Do You Leave Behind?

In 1607, the French explorer, Samuel de Champlain (baptized 1874, France -d. 1635) found "an old cross, all covered with moss, and almost wholly rotted away" at the site of what is now Advocate, Nova Scotia, Canada.  he interpreted this as confirmation of reports that the Portuguese explorer, Joao Alvares Fagundes (b. ca 1460, Portugal -d 1522), had visited the area about 1520.

Just as Fagundes left a cross, we leave traces in people's lives.  Do you leave a cross wherever you go?

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Catherine of Vadstena: (b. ca. 1331, Sweden - d.1381, aka: Catherine of Sweden) Abbess of Vadstena. Daughter of Bridgit of Sweden.  Catherine and her husband lived an ascetic, celibate life.  Returned her mother’s body to Sweden from Rome.

Dismas: (aka: The Good Thief) While hanging on his own cross as punishment for robbery, he asked Jesus to remember him in heaven and Jesus said he would be in paradise that day. (Luke 23:42-43) 

Ludger of Munster: (b. ca. 742, Germany - d.809, aka: Liuger)  Bishop of Munster.  Evangelis in Westphalia and Eastphalia. He built churches and founded a Benedictine monastery on his family estate.  He is considered to be the patron saint of Munster.

Isidore the Farmer: (b. ca. 1080, Spain – d.1130) . Peasant farm laborer. He is considered to be the patron saint of Madrid. Canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 1622.

Mary Margaret d’Youville (b. 1701, Canada – d. 1771; aka: Marie-Marguerite d”Youville; Marguerite Dufroste de Lajemmerais) First native-born Canadian Roman Catholic saint. She was the widow of Francois d-Youville, a bootlegger.  Founded the Sisters of Charity of the General Hospital (the Grey Nuns).  The Grey Nuns care for poor, sick, aged women, prisoners, mentally ill, and prostitutes.  “Go to the Grey Nuns, they never refused anybody, or any honest work.”  She was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 1990.  Patron saint of widows and difficult marriages.

Paul's Metaphor of the Old Man and the New man

Paul uses the metaphor of the “old man” and the “new man” to help explain what Christ did for us in His crucifixion.  Jesus was fully God.  Because He was also fully Human, His death was our death (Romans 6:6), His resurrection was our resurrection (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The excellent article in the link below is by Pastor Greg Herrick of Hillside Community Church in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  http://bible.org/article/“old-man”-and-“new-man”-paul 

Bible references:

“Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;” Colossians 3:9

“Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;” Ephesians 2:15

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Romans 6:6

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Michael Scott Horton: (b, 1964) University professor, author, magazine editor, radio program host.  Evangelical, Reformed.  His specialization is in theology and apologetics.

Andrew: (b. 1^st century, Bethsaida, Israel – d. Patras, Greece; aka: Andreas) Fisherman, martyr, brother of Peter, Andrew was one of the original twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus.  The name “Andreas” is Greek, there is no recorded Hebrew or Aramaic name for this man.  Andrew is considered to have been the founder of the Church of Byzantium.  He was crucified upside down on an X-shaped cross in Patras, Greece.

Jana Sampson: (b. North Carolina, USA; aka: Jana Mashonee)  Grammy Award nominated Jana Mashonee is of Lumbee and Tuscarora ancestry.  She is singer, songwriter, jewelry designer, and motivational speaker.  She has recorded in English, Lumbee, Navajo, Arapaho, Ojibwe, Cirichua Apache, Lakota, Oneida, and San Juan Tewa Peubli.

Elizabeth Rebecca Mitchell: (b. 1952, Jamaica) Singer, founding member of the Eurodisco group Boney M.

Paul Henderson : (b. 1943, Canada) Professional hockey player, Christian minister.  He is best known for scoring the winning goals in the final three games versus the USSR in the 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the USSR. 

When Is a Flash Mob Not a Good Thing?

An Associated Content article by Tony Payne brings a new consideration into the mix about forming flash mobs in public places.  Do you remember the flash mob which broke out singing the Hallelujah Chorus at the shopping mall in Canada? ("A Surprise at the Food Court, 30 Nov 2010 on this blog, click on flash mobs label below)  Well, it happened again, this time in Roseville, California, but almost had a disastrous result.

The Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra organized the event but failed to consider that, unlike the event in Canada, the entire community knew about this singing beforehand, and they all wanted to be involved.  The flash mob in Canada involved about about six people and the mall business manager; the people in the food court joined in in delight.  The community response in Roseville  resulted in a crowd of over 5000.

The 5000 persons crowded into the Roseville Galleria, a facility not designed to handle that many people at one time.  Everyone was excited until the second floor suspended food court started to move and shake and make popping sounds.  The local authorities safely evacuated the mall and the singing was carried outside.

Before anyone does this again they need to plan a bit better.  If a large crowd is expected, the event should be held in a park or a stadium.  If it is the flash mob experience that the organizers are seeking,  then the number of people who know about the event in advance should be held to a minimum.  And, unless the organizers wish to take a chance on being arrested for trespassing,  they need to secure prior permission from the manager of the facility.

A Surprise at the Food Court

Maybe this will happen in your town.

This happened on 13 November 2010 in Welland, Ontario, Canada, at the Seaway Mall in the food court. It was a flash mob event set in motion by a small group led by University of Western Ontario student Stephanie Tritchew, the first singer. The You Tube video has had 4,476,934 viewings since 13 November.


A flash mob is a group which suddenly appears in a public place, performs a public act, and then merges back into the general population.