St. Stans Students' Essays Win Tuitions

Gary Kaschak, author of "Hands that Break ... Hands that Heal" and "The Hole to China" and owner of Sterling Optical in Montgomery Mall, award $1,300 in tuition reimbursements to seventh graders as part of an essay contest

When you write from the heart, you get some money for school. On Tuesday, eight seventh-graders at St. Stanislaus Parish School were awarded, in total, $1,300 for tuition reimbursement for essays they wrote in response to their readings of two novels by New Jersey resident and author Gary Kaschak. Kaschak, who also owns Sterling Optical in Montgomery Mall, paid the rewards himself to the students on behalf of the business. The challenge of the seventh graders was to identify a hero in their lives who connected in some way to a character in one of two of Kaschak's books: "Hands that Break ... Hands that Heal" and "The Hole to China." Kaschak read aloud the essays he selected as the winners and subsequently presented each student with a …

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Get Real

Can Praying to St. Joseph Sell Your House?

Lisa Loper of the Scott Loper Team looks at a decades-old tradition to help ensure a speedy sale of a home

Not too long ago, I was attending a home inspection with the buyers for a house under contract.  While in the front yard looking at the foundation, one of our buyers reached down into a flower bed and pulled a statue of St. Joseph out of the ground.  "Look at this! It is St. Joseph," she proclaimed.  She smiled as she carefully put the statue back where she found it. Now I will admit, I am Catholic, I know all about the saints, and I have seen first-hand the power of prayer in creating "miracles."  I have a ton of faith, but I am no holy roller.  I believe more in the theory that "God helps those who help themselves."  I firmly believe that things happen for a reason and if something doesn't go our way, then it really wasn't meant to be (…

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Dear Lizzie ...

Mother-in-Law Must Back Off on Demands of How to Raise Family

A son-in-law wants to confront his wife's mother on her suggestions on how they should raise their children.

Dear Lizzie, I am writing to ask for advice because my mother-in-law is a witch! She meddles in everything, she stops over without calling, and we don’t have kids yet, but she tells us how to raise our children as far as religion and schooling. My wife will not say anything to her mother about how she’s intruding in our life. It should be me and her to discuss what we’re going to do as parents. We should be our own family unit, and we should come first. We are our own family first, and then everyone else is extended family. My mother-in-law acts like top dog, and she comes first beyond everyone. Please help me figure out how to get through to my mother-in-law and wife. - Son-in-Law, Chalfont   Dear Son-in-Law, You are 100 percent correct …

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Dear Lizzie ...

Cheating Fiancee Must Come Clean Before Wedding

A fiancee cheated with an ex-boyfriend, but regretfully ended it. Now, her soon-to-be husband wants the truth.

Hey Lizzie, I have a sticky situation here.  I have been dating my girlfriend for over four years. I am 32, she's 29.  We have had a great relationship, and in January, I proposed. She said yes, and we have begun to plan our wedding for 2012. A month ago, her ex-boyfriend’s wife contacted me on Facebook. She informed me that my fiancée and her husband had been seeing each other in late January through March of this year. She and her husband were splitting, and she wanted me to know, because she thought it was "the right thing to do." I was really upset by this news. I wanted to calm myself down before I did anything rash. I didn't speak about it to my fiancée.  I did some snooping when she left her laptop on. I found emails that had ended …

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Hoops of Hope at Towamencin Church Raises $10K for African Orphans

Immanuel Church of the Nazarene in Towamencin held the Hoops of Hope fundraiser Saturday afternoon where more than 250 youths shot free throws for charity

Another swish was another chance to improve a life in Africa during the Hoops of Hope event at Immanuel Church of the Nazarene Saturday, sponsored by the church’s Upward Basketball league. More than 250 youths – some who were community members and not congregants – spent nearly six hours shooting 1,000 free throws on 12 makeshift courts inside the church as part of the nationwide fundraiser to raise awareness and funds for children affected by HIV and the AIDS virus in Africa. This year’s event garnered $10,525 toward the cause. This was more than double the amount raised during last year’s inaugural event at the Towamencin church. Hoops of Hope was started in 2004 by Austin Gutwein, now 15. The goal is to shoot 1,000 free throws to …

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Doubt Night seeks to bring clarity to faith

The Renew Community Church hosts its monthly event at Virago Baking Company in Lansdale

Roughly a year ago, Michael Smith, of Harleysville, ran into a friend at a concert in Chalfont.  They began a conversation, and during that time, the friend spoke about the Renew Community Church, so Michael decided to check it out.  A year later, Michael finds himself an active member of the Renew Community, sitting in on a monthly meeting aimed at openly confronting his doubts regarding his faith. Welcome to Doubt Night. Billed as "a safe place to ask dangerous questions," the Renew Community Doubt Night chooses to tackle questions about faith head-on.  The discussions are led by Pastor J.R. Briggs, and each Doubt Night focuses on a principle of faith that many may not understand, or be comfortable with.   This was made abundantly clear …

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