The following guest column was submitted by Pam Stone of United Way of Marion County I was recently invited to help construct a strategic plan for our local Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board, and I was honored to do so. As you might imagine, much of the discussion centered on drug and alcohol addiction, […]
The Love of a Parent
October 21, 2014 by
I remember when I was in Thailand that we visited one of the local schools. The school treated us very well and while we were having lunch, they had two of the school girls come in and play violin for us while we ate.They played beautifully and we really appreciated their talent and effort. However, […]
A Problem with Mentorship
October 13, 2014 by
I remember when I was a younger in the ministry, how excited I was to have mentors built into my education track. Each year, I would receive a new mentor to work with who had more years of training and experience than I did. I treasured the thought of mentors so much that I was […]
Thanks Issued for Making Grants Possible
October 3, 2014 by
The following guest column was submitted by Dean Jacob, President & CEO of Marion Community Foundation Admittedly, signing $778,000 worth of checks and mailing them out to forty happy recipients is a rush. And it was so effortless – just sign my name forty times and place the checks in forty envelopes. That’s what I […]
Back to Church Sunday
September 18, 2014 by
Did you know that most people who have stepped out of church have not lost faith in God? We have found that a physical move, a change in schedules, or being hurt by Christians or a church before have effected many when it comes to being in Christian community. At The Shepherd’s Fellowship, we have […]
Thoughts on “Heaven is for Real”
July 31, 2014 by
As the movie “Heaven is for Real” comes out on DVD, there is a renewed interest in the story of four year old Colton Burpo. While I am more a fan of the book than the movie, I will admit the movie is very entertaining and uplifting. That said, let me address a couple things. […]
It Takes Just ONE Person to Change ONE Life
July 29, 2014 by
The following guest column was submitted by Kelly Garrett of United Way of Marion County Be the ONE. That’s United Way of Marion County’s message again this year. What does it mean? It means that it only takes ONE person to change ONE life. Individually and collectively, our community has the capacity to accept this […]
House Bill 480: Ensuring Vehicle Safety for Ohio’s Children
July 9, 2014 by
The following column was submitted by State Representative Dorothy Pelanda. Our children are the most valuable key to Ohio’s future. They are also the most vulnerable, and they are dependent upon the adults who care for them to keep them safe. By doing so, parents and guardians can better guarantee the prospect of our future. […]
Thinking about leaving your church?
June 16, 2014 by
It seems that this time of year is when I start hearing people (from within and outside our church) start talking about not feeling like they are still part of their church family which often leads to changing churches or pulling back. It usually starts with phrases like “It just doesn’t feel the same any […]
Opening of Garfield Park and Crystal Lake
June 2, 2014 by
Today our sentimental journey is returning us to 1949 for an article about the opening of the “New” Garfield Park and then a look at the opening of the 1949 edition of Crystal Lake. So let’s get to Garfield Park. From the Marion Star Friday May 27, 1949 on the front page, we have this […]
