Faith
‘The Dad Event’ will feature meals, motivation and a movie for male mentors

Edgar County Right to Life is celebrating fatherhood

“Everyone has a father story, whether it’s good or bad,” Mary Ann Sullivan, a volunteer with the pro-life advocacy group Edgar County Right to Life, explained. Stories of the …

Church congregation prepares to open 1908 cornerstone

HUME—Hume’s United Methodist Church (HUMC) was built in 1883 with a cornerstone laid in 1908, dedicated to the congregants who called the church their home. For 140 years the brick …

Paris native and MAF missionary clings to hope

NAMPA, Ida. – When David Carwell first opened the cover of “Jungle Pilot: The Gripping Story of the Life and Witness of Nate Saint, Martyred Missionary to Ecuador” at age 16, he …

Finding Christmas spirit again

I do not know about you, but with every passing year, I struggle more and more with finding “Christmas spirit.” When I was a kid, it came to me so easily, the excitement came with …

The Christmas Story

(The following Christmas reflections were written by the late Billy Graham, recognized as one of the greatest preachers of the 20th century.) The key to Christmas is to remember what it is …
A local church celebrating its 10-year anniversary

A church focused on family

A local church is celebrating its 10th anniversary as it continues to develop a desire to see local families restored. Crosspoint Apostolic Sanctuary first opened its doors Oct. 12, 2013, in a …

New minister serving First Methodist Church

Lance Leeds is the first to admit his call to the ministry was not so much a revelation as a quiet nudge.  It all happened at age 26 while working as general manager of a radio station in …
Bill and Marsha Duke celebrate 45 years at Sugar Grove United Methodist Church

A church called home

As urbanization gives rise to megachurch monoliths, many quaint, rural churches are falling by the wayside. One local church is bucking the trend by celebrating an impressive milestone in the life of …

First Christian Church makes annual awards

The First Christian Church of Paris gives an annual Man of the Year and Woman of the Year award to a member who is nominated by the congregation and selected by past award recipients.  The …

The Crosswalk offers tropical vacation

The Crosswalk is a locally owned Christian bookstore on Court Street. Owners, Steven and Kim Trine, have recently partnered with Anchor Up distributors to offer an all-expense paid trip to Hawaii for …
Methodist church’s antique pipe organ finds a new home in a refurbished theatre

Organ removal keeps music alive

HUME - In 1923, an organ was purchased for the Hume Methodist Episcopal Church by Sarah Hughes Aikman in memory of her late husband, Ralph Aikman, with a check for $3,031.41. The large pipe …

Faith in Action celebrates 20 years of service

Faith in Action of Edgar County (FIAEC) is celebrating 20 years of existence and providing services to the community during that time.  Volunteers, staff and board of directors have been …
Catholic men donation supports food for kids

Help for Food for Kids

Since 2015, Food for Kids (FFK) has been a ministry working to combat hunger in our community. The organization feeds families by filling backpacks with food and sending them home with students. …

Area churches offering VBS

Making Christian education fun is the ultimate goal of Vacation Bible School said Debbie Sturgell of the Paris Otterbein United Methodist Church. “The purpose of VBS is to bring children …

Paris is a pit-stop on faith-based journey

A Native American group from near Niagara Falls, N.Y., makes an annual stop in Paris before attending the Warrior Leadership Summit (WLS) at Carlinville. Donald Robinson explained WLS is a …
Kansas Presbyterian Church gets Landmarks Illinois grant for tuckpointing

Small church, big legacy

KANSAS — A Presbyterian congregation has existed in the village of Kansas since the 1850s. A challenge now is meeting the expensive maintenance needs of  the more than 110-year-old …
Reflections on many years of faithful service and loving fellowship

Methodists celebrate bicentennial

The members of the Paris First United Methodist Church celebrated 200 years of memories and mission work on Sunday, May 21, with friends and family members. Among the congregation gathered for …

Faithful gather for National Day of Prayer at Betty Jane's

Local pastors, congregants and organizations from around the county joined together Thursday, May 4, to share breakfast and worship on the National Day of Prayer. Originally observed July 4, …

New special needs support group

CHRISMAN — A support group for families with special needs is organizing through the Chrisman United Methodist Church, 116 E. Monroe Avenue. The first meeting is 5:30 p.m. April 13 and …

First Christian sponsors movie

The First Christian Church of Paris is once again sponsoring Spring Break Free Movie at the Paris Theater. The movie selected is “Land Before Time: A New Adventure is Born.” The …

New addiction ministry

Horace Baptist Church is hosting Reformers Unanimous Ministry director Dale Akin in a training seminar for ministry of addiction recovery. The training is 1-5 p.m. April 22 in the church …
The monastery’s fate has been in question since Russia’s invasion in February 2022 has brought a series of crackdowns on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which has historical ties to Moscow.

Orthodox monks at Kyiv monastery brace for planned eviction

Kyiv, Ukraine — Crowds of visitors have packed the dozens of services at Kyiv’s Monastery of the Caves in recent days to receive sacraments, pray and kiss holy relics of saints in the …
Vatican rejects centuries-old theory after backlash

Undiscovering Doctrine

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican on Thursday, March 30 responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the “Doctrine of Discovery,” the theories backed by 15th-century …
Churches across Edgar County are preparing for Easter services, breakfasts and more

The faithful gather for for Easter

One of the most important celebrations of the Christian calendar is Easter. The holiday celebrates the crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. For the devout, it is his conquering of …

Marty wants to deliver gospel in Spanish

Spanish is the most common non-English language spoken at home in the United States, but outside of the home, it is still hard for those who speak Spanish to find a church service in their native …

Local chaplains meet for annual training

Horizon Health does not employ a full-time chaplain so pastors and ministers from the local area volunteer their time as chaplains. There are 18 chaplains on the roster with one primary and one …

Wednesday Lenten services in 30th year

The Presbyterian Church of Paris, 241 W. Court St., continues a tradition begun in 1994 of hosting a series of noon Lenten worship services for five consecutive Wednesdays, beginning March 1 and …

A community years in the making

The lingering effects of COVID-19, combined with political polarization and an ever-shifting social landscape, have placed many churches in rural communities on the back foot. And yet, for Community …