Back in the day, crooner Andy Williams had a mega-hit record called “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” In this upbeat Christmas song filled with warm fuzzies, he sang about all the joys of the ...

Category: Holidays and Observances Religion

Ah, Thanksgiving. This most American of holidays started well over 300 years ago when righteous Pilgrims and friendly Wampanoag Indians came together to thank their respective gods for a bountiful harvest. Thanksgiving ...

Category: Holidays and Observances Religion

Halloween is a time for ghosts, goblins, and all things scary, right? Yes! But did you know that many scary things have their origins in religion and folklore? It’s true. Virtually all religions and cultures have ...

Category: Religion Spirituality Superstitions

In Part I of this series, we explained the beginnings of Halloween and how the Celts, Romans, Catholic Church, and immigrants all contributed to the way in which we celebrate this beloved holiday today. In Part II we exa ...

Category: Holidays and Observances

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. It’s a time dedicated to reminding your pastor and his or her family how much they are appreciated. You may not think about it, but your pastor probably has crazy hours. He or ...

Category: Holidays and Observances Religion

Religion aside, taking a break on the Sabbath can be a good thing for your mental and physical well-being. It doesn’t really matter if you slow down on Saturday, Sunday or Tuesday, just make the practice work with ...

Category: Religion Judaism

Deuteronomy 5:13 reads, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work…” In Hebrews 4:9, Paul wrote, “So th ...

Category: Religion Judaism

Christian churches around the world celebrated Pentecost earlier this month on Sunday, June 9, 2019. Pentecost is the festival during which Christians celebrate the receipt of the Holy Spirit by the apostles 50 days afte ...

Category: Jesus Christ Religion Christianity

For the world’s two billion Muslims, Ramadan is the Holy Month of each year. It is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, beginning when the new moon appears and ending when the next new moon appears. This year, ...

Category: Holidays and Observances Religion

Donald Trump’s 2018 Proclamation for Jewish American Heritage Month included these words: “The contributions of the Jewish people to American society are innumerable, strengthening our Nation and making it m ...

Category: Holidays and Observances Politics Religion