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Many were blindsided by the presidential election results. Our correspondent, Aliss Valerie Terrell, spoke with Gail Straub, Executive Director of Empowerment Institute and Imagine Global Initiative for the Empowerment of Women, about where we go from here.
You say you observed “existential disorientation” after the election. How do we make sense of what happened?
A lot of people, about half the country, are disoriented, the other half are ecstatic. I’ve spoken to scores and scores of people since the election and what strikes me is how everyone is going through their own individual inquiry regarding what this means to them. If you’re a person of color, it means something radically different than it does for a white woman, and if you’re a Muslim it means something even more radically different. So I think it’s really important to say that anything I share is just one human being’s opinion, one who did vote for Hillary and was deeply disappointed.
I wrote “John Lennon Lends Me His Glasses” a few days after the election. I had a dream and John Lennon came and he took off my reading glasses and put on his iconic wire rims and he said, “You need to see things through different lenses.” And that’s become a kind of guiding principle for me. After the election, at first there was a kind of radical disorientation. One asks: who am I, what country do I live in, what does this ask of me, what do I do next, what happens next? All those humongous existential questions. In all spiritual traditions, radical disorientation can be used to deepen spiritual practice. In fact, this profound disorientation actually is a very fruitful spiritual opportunity, whatever people’s practices are, to deepen in practice, because practice tells us there is no ground anyway, and so the way we’re feeling is, in a very deep spiritual sense, a true part of the human condition. So, for me, it happened to be meditation and time in the natural world, which were extremely helpful during this period of radical disorientation. It helped me accept that I didn’t have answers, because there are no answers yet, we don’t know what’s going to happen, we’re waiting.
For many of us, and I’m part of a tribe of grassroots activists, we’re all more dedicated than ever to what we’re doing. We’re all feeling this is not a time to back off, whatever our activism is, it’s a time to do it in deeper and more dedicated ways. It’s a time to speak out, stand up, march. All kinds of things are going on. My husband David [Gershon] just got back last night from California. He was there for three weeks. He’s a leader in climate change. He was there during the election and all the climate change activists are coming together and saying: we have to rededicate ourselves.
So there’s the spiritual part, there’s the action part, and the third quality is what I call radical creativity, which is the John Lennon thing. We can’t do things the way we’ve done them before and everyone’s realized that. We have to think outside the box, there has to be all kinds of mash-ups and mix-ups and collaborations across sectors. There has to be solidarity, consolidation, collaboration. Again, David found a lot of that out in California these past weeks.
And then there is Martin Luther King’s concept of the Beloved Community, where the earth is safe for all. We have to keep fighting for this idea. Though people are threatened, they’re afraid, they’re disoriented, simultaneously there is a profound rededication. All the women’s groups I speak to, all of us are getting 40 emails a day from people taking on further actions. So I think that there’s perhaps a paradoxical combination of disorientation but also a deepened and passionate commitment to the actions we all believe in.
How does your methodology of personal empowerment foster compassionate engagement?
Our Empowerment Institute turned 35 years old in October, so we’ve been at it for a while, but empowerment for us was always about community engagement. I mean the only reason a person becomes empowered is so they can contribute to their family or their neighborhood, their community or their country, otherwise it’s narcissism and to me that’s the antithesis of empowerment. There’s a lot of narcissism in the New Age, but the true definition of empowerment is that we gain a sense of self so we can become change agents. In twelve countries--including Africa, the Middle East, and India--our organization is working to enable the heads of NGOs to become leaders in their communities. For me, I can’t think about empowerment without thinking about action.
Millions of people are newly radicalized following the American election, wanting to stand up for freedom and democracy. Tell me about your concept of the “growing edge” and how it might be in play.
So the growing edge, for your readers, is simply the concept of what might be the next place, or point, of empowerment. The principle we use is that true empowerment can’t take place if we’re beyond the growing edge or we’re behind the growing edge. For all these people who are newly dedicated to making a difference, I think one potential trap, perhaps, is taking on too much too fast. They burn out and then say, well, it doesn’t make any difference anyway. That's the whole cycle of burn out and compassion fatigue so familiar to activists.
So, people need to work in solidarity. They need to join with those who have been there before. If they’re going into climate change, for example, they join up with some of the activists and the organizations who have been around the block a few times and know what they’re doing. They don’t want to recreate the wheel. If I was just starting out, first I’d identify what’s the greatest place of passion for me. In climate change, women’s rights, or whatever they choose, start with that. Then do research. Who are the best organizations doing this and what can I learn from them? Can I start out as a volunteer or do I want to be a social entrepreneur and start up my own thing? They have to join in community and educate themselves and not take on too much too fast.
What do you see as the “growing edge” for our country? What second-order social change is needed?
There’s a lot on our websites about that. All the things we do are second-order change. That’s really David’s work and I can suggest a chapter from his book. It’s in PDF and it has all you need.
The Imagine Program works with NGOs in the developing world, empowering impoverished women by fostering gender equality and individual “agency.” As a result of the recent election, deep divisions have come to light in the United States. Although we live in the richest country on the planet, there is extreme poverty. What is your program doing in the U.S.?
It’s been in our country for 35 years. It started here, it’s still going on, it’s never stopped. We’ve done this work in prisons, with the homeless, any population you can imagine. For example, along with our Imagine Practitioners from the global south who are coming to our Empowerment Institute in Amman, Jordan, in 2017, there will also be leaders from inner city Chicago, inner city Baltimore, and inner city Atlanta. They’ll all be working next to their colleagues from the Middle East, India, and Africa, because it’s the same work. And they’ll be looking at how to bring agency to the most disenfranchised populations here, and looking at how that leads to community leadership, to actions.
There is David’s Livable Neighborhood Program, an extraordinary program that’s been created for inner city neighborhoods in America. So the first step is with neighborhood leaders, we call them block leaders, who go out and begin making their neighborhoods safer and more livable.
And then they’re joined by activists who are working in climate change. In this case, our pilots are in California because that’s our most progressive place for climate change.
What happens at the Institute is we have a person from Kabul, Afghanistan, sitting next to a person from Palo Alto, California, sitting next to a person from the inner city of Chicago, and next to them someone from Lebanon. It goes on--Tunisia, India, and so on--and those conversations are a form of radical creativity, global exchanges of best practices, about what sustains hope, about what allows compassion in the face of tremendous difficulty.
So someone working in Rajasthan to stop forced early marriage talks to the person working in inner city Chicago, and they have this amazing exchange and they begin to teach each other and exchange how they sustain their own hope in the face of great difficulty. We have to all be in this together, that’s clear.
How can we best heal the divisions in our country, find more balance, a shared vision? What limiting beliefs do we need to clear? What new beliefs do we need to create or affirm?
Well, you know, we’re just starting. I wish I could answer that. The path ahead is how do we heal the divisions? How do we find a shared vision? There’s all kinds of analysis going on now, political, spiritual, but I think we don’t know exactly the path ahead yet, we’re in a new situation in our country. We all feel that.
Again, I can only answer, personally. I agree with what’s been said about the bubble and the disenfranchised, but that also can become overly simplistic. Because if I’ve learned anything in 35 years, it’s that disenfranchisement takes an infinite variety of forms.
The suicide rate among adolescents in America is so high that it’s at a crisis now. And that’s often amongst the most privileged--often white kids. So something is disenfranchised for them, too, if they’re killing themselves in record numbers. So if I could step back and take a spiritual perspective on this, because I can’t really answer it from a political point of view, I think we need a lot more time. I would say that what we’re trying to learn is who is suffering and why--not just this bubble vs. the disenfranchised.
Someone asked the Dalai Lama, of all the prayers you do--and the guy really prays a lot--of all the prayers, what is the most important prayer that you do every day? And he said, that’s really easy. The prayer that’s most important is the simple mantra: “Every person I meet, just like me is suffering and is trying to find the way to alleviate that suffering.” That is something that is unitive. Again I speak for myself. One of the things the election did is ask me to look more deeply at the roots of suffering of those who voted for Trump. Also. it asks me to look at the roots of my own suffering more deeply. I’m a bit of a Buddhist so I’m taking it from that perspective. I think that at the heart of difference is suffering. What is the cause of the suffering, why do we demonize the other because they’re different than us? We all do this. Why do we have trouble with the person who’s different?
Certain things are being asked of us in terms of actions. That’s the outer life, but also what is being asked of our inner life? What sort of development is being asked of us now as humans? I think this is a political opportunity, a spiritual opportunity, an emotional opportunity, and an opportunity for communities. If you ask me this really great question in a year I could say more, but right now it’s too fresh.
Empowerment Institute has worked with the Clinton Global Initiative. How do you see Secretary Clinton continuing her advocacy?
We don’t know, none of us know. We’ve worked with her and President Clinton and Chelsea in our participation in the CGI, which was one of the most inspiring experiences I’ve ever had. You couldn’t join it unless you made a ferocious, audacious commitment to making the world a better place, and they would only accept you if you stretched your own vision to work harder and do more. And so when you went to those meetings you were surrounded by people from all over the world, all of whom were addressing the most dire challenges in the world we live in.
No one knows what she’ll do. I’m a tremendous fan of hers. I’ve seen her work first-hand. All the women I work with in the deepest poverty in Kenya, in India, in Lebanon, you name it, they know her. She has changed the way women are viewed, she has changed the landscape of women’s empowerment. So my hope is she’ll continue with what she’s been doing her whole life, which is advocate for the disenfranchised, for kids, for women. No one thinks that this extraordinary human being is just going to be sitting around. I think she’s taking a pause and she’s going to come out and continue to do visionary, important work.
All content, Copyright 2016, The Trump Antidote.
One asks: who am I, what country do I live in, what does this ask of me, what do I do next, what happens next?
Great interview! Wow! And so inspiring. Perfect timing too. The hope that the electors would come to their senses postponed the feelings I now have. This interview addresses so much of what I have been feeling and doing in response to our national Trump Travesty.
Yes! Methodology for resilient resistance!
Yes! Methodology for resilient resistance.
Great interview, and inspiration. Keep them coming!


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Get your property noticed with Aerial Photo and Video.
Some listings & commercial spaces deserve a bird's eye view to highlight their magnitude and amenities. We fly the latest technology of DJI drones to ensure we provide our clients with high resolution images and video.
We carry UAV specific insurance and hold a standing special flight operation certificate with transport Canada.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


text: The most popular cliff in Israel among climbers, Gitta Cliff provides insanely gorgeous views as you climb with frequent sightings of animals and birds. We start the day on a via ferrata (Italian for “road with irons”), a mountain route which is equipped with fixed cables. We hike along the top of the cliff on a very narrow ledge, attached with ropes to the safety cables. This route ends in the middle of the cliff, and we rappel from there to the bottom, where we can choose from the many climbing routes for beginner to advanced climbers.

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


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Burglar Alarm Installation in York.
The roof and guttering should be kept in a good condition in order for the property to remain weatherproof. Gutters are designed to direct any rainwater to the drains and if they fail this rainwater may be directed into your home causing damage to your timbers, brickwork and plaster.
Blocked gutters can become heavy from the extra weight of dirt and standing water which can cause your guttering to pull away from your fascias, and in some cases fall from the house completely. Leaking gutters or water overflowing from blocked gutters can run down walls causing them to become damp.
To avoid any expensive damage, it is important you maintain your guttering and fix any leaks or issues quickly.
Adhoc Handyman Services York offer a gutter cleaning and repair service. Should it be required, we can also place new guttering and drainpipes to match your existing colours and styles.
Please call us on 07878 256771 for a no obligation quote.
We offer guttering repair in York and surrounding areas. Most failed guttering can be repaired relatively cheaply and quickly and replacement guttering parts are matched into the existing style and colour. Note: A gutter which is leaking water may not need repairing – it may just need a clean – we can provide both services for you.
Where a repair is not sufficient or you would like to change the style and/or colour of the guttering we can provide a new guttering service in York to match all styles and colours.
Guttering comes in different colours such as brown, black, white and grey and different styles of modern square and round. Where traditional cast iron guttering is required, modern plastic guttering is available to match this style.
Gutter cleaning is something which should be considered a regular service. Neighboring trees shredding leaves in Autumn and north facing roofs are often prone to moss build (as they do not have a lot of sunshine) are the two main reasons for a gutter which requires cleaning. This issues will eventually lead to a clogged gutter. Cleaning the gutter regularly is the only real option to avoid the water overflowing and causing damp on the walls of your home.
A sample of the guttering jobs we have completed. To see more work, please visit our latest projects pages.


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Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the onions and red peppers for 4-6 minutes until soft and tender, and most of the moisture has evaporated. Purée the mixture in the food processor, add the egg yolks and 100 g of the Beemster Aged and combine into a smooth mixture. In a bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and, using a spatula, gently fold in the bell pepper mixture.
Add pepper and salt to taste. Grease the soufflé ramekins, spoon in the red pepper and cheese mixture. Grate the remaining cheese and sprinkle on top of the soufflés. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and done. Place each ramekin on a plate and serve immediately.

industry_corpus2: Hospitality & Catering


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Last week, we started our first holiday sale of the season! We are offering 10% off of eternity rings, most of our engagement rings, and non-certified five stone rings when you use coupon code JINGLE10 during checkout. This is an ideal time to get an amazing holiday gift, wedding band, or anniversary ring for your loved one. I wanted to highlight just a few of my favorite eternity band designs that are currently available for an extra 10% off!
Each of our landmark eternity rings is included in this holiday sale. Each ring features flush set diamonds and/or gemstones. This particular ring is 3mm wide and has approximately 0.08 cttw of G-H color SI clarity diamonds. This ring is one of my favorites because the diamond is my birthstone. This ring is modern and sleek.
We are also offering 10% off of our gemstone eternity bands. This shared prong ring features the December birthstone, which is blue topaz. The diamonds and gemstones collectively weigh approximately 1.00 cttw. This ring has a width of 2.5mm and can be worn as a wedding band, anniversary ring, or fashion accessory.
Lastly, our diamond eternity rings have also been included in this sale event. This ring is one of our newest styles. It features a unique ribbon design on the inside of the ring. This ring features approximately 0.50 cttw of G color VS clarity diamonds.
Our first holiday sale, which features 10% off of eternity rings, most of our engagement rings, and non-certified five stone rings, will end 12/14. Don’t forget to use coupon code JINGLE10 during checkout to claim your savings. We will also have one more sale event this month, which is perfect for last minute gift items! Be the first to find out about our next holiday sale by signing up for the deBebians newsletter.

industry_corpus2: Others


text: Delightful Mountain Home, nestled in a verdant forest, with fantastic Bridger Range and canyon views. Easy access off Kelly Canyon Road - minutes to Bozeman and to Bridger Bowl skiing. About 8 acres of lush horse pasture, with a 4-horse stable. Updated kitchen w/pantry. Spacious, vaulted and beamed living room w/massive rock fireplace, dining area w/brick fireplace and views. Lots of rooms for guests, offices, media, exercise, workshop. Storage galore, plus carport on west. Bridger Canyon Opportunity!


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Taking time to smell the wildflowers...and eat some too!
Recently, the Marine and I attended an educational program about herbs and wild edibles at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View. I was astounded to find out how many wild edibles there are in the region, and just as excited to get home to our little neck of the woods and see what we had growing on our property.
To my surprise and delight, I found corn salad, dittany (a wild oregano that is fantastic in salads and sauces), lambs quarter, narrow leaf dock (which is quite delicious), may apple and, of course, the old Ozark standby's of poke and dandelions.
Who knew such a wonderful bounty was available right at our cabin door? Add that to our three garden beds, full of heirloom veggies, and we have a veritable feast available. Granted, you have to like feasting on salad, but hey - I'm Italian. Along with pasta and bread, salad is one of our sacred food groups. (I also include cannoli, but then again, I'm not a purist...well that and I just love cannoli, especially with powdered sugar).
I highly recommend attending one of the Folk Center's upcoming herb walks or any local herb walks/talks you hear about. It's pretty neat to find and try new things right outside your door, and I've found that adding a little bit of the "wild" to your meal can be quite the tasty treat.
Don't forget the wild Echinacea growing all along the highways in the spring and summer. I never have seen so much purple cone flower in all my life.

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


text: Nurture connections of the heart. Pure intoxicating Rose Geranium oil infuses this exquisite blend. Allow your heart to be open to receive by radiating love from within.


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Prize is non transferrable and must be used on specific dates where specified.
Prize is as stated and no cash or other alternative will be offered.
VIP Magical Christmas Experience and lunch in Bistro 401 is for 2 adults and 2 children on Saturday 26th November.
Tickets for Cinderella at the Grand Opera House for 2 adults and 2 children to be used for evening show at 7pm on Monday 5th December 2016 – no exchange and non-transferrable.
£50 Belfast Restaurant Voucher from the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre. Can be used in a number of restaurants - winner will have to supplement any additional spend.


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This page contains summaries, multi-media resources and background information on past flood events in Pima County. It is by no means comprehensive, and it does not include many localized flood events on small washes.
Historical records of flooding in the Tucson area date back to the late 1800s. As one would expect, the frequency of reports of flood damage and loss increased over time as the population of the metropolitan area grew. By the late 1970s, the population in Pima County had grown to almost 500,000. By 2000, that number had risen to nearly 850,000. Additional Southeast Arizona Flood History is also available from NOAA.
When the District was formed in June 1978, the greater Tucson area had recently experienced two presidential-declared flood disasters, with a third about to take place. It was a busy time for a fledgling flood control agency. During the 16-year period from July 1, 1977 to July 1,1993, the Tucson area experienced six presidential-declared flood disasters: October 1977, March 1978, December 1978, October 1983, July 1990, and January 1993.
The October 1983 flood was the largest flood of record in the Tucson area. In an unusual occurrence, between 6 ½ to 7 ½ inches of rain fell across the Tucson basin over a 5-day period. Flood and erosion damage was greatest along the Santa Cruz River, with extensive damage incurred on Rillito Creek, Tanque Verde Creek, and Pantano Wash. Damage to public infrastructure was estimated at $64 million, and four people died in flood related incidents. Due to the magnitude and extent of flooding and related damage, this flood is the one to which subsequent floods have been compared.
A number of reports were written to document the flood, the damage it caused, and the repairs and hazard mitigation activities completed to reduce future flood loses. These reports are available via the links below.
During a 14-day period in 1993, January 5th through the 19th, significant rain fell over most of central and southeast Arizona, resulting in flooding along most major watercourses. This flooding was noteworthy for three reasons: 1) although these were the most damaging floods to occur in almost 10 years, no lives were lost and no residential and commercial structures were destroyed, with the exception of some horse barns associated with a business along Rillito Creek; 2) the high water levels in the streams lasted almost two weeks, rather than the typical few days; and 3) according to the U.S. Geological Survey, record-setting volumes of floodwater were discharged along Rillito Creek.
Estimates of damage to public transportation and drainage infrastructure for unincorporated Pima County, the City of Tucson, and the Town of Marana included $3.4 million in emergency repairs and $13.9 million for long-term improvements. This compares to an estimate of $105.7 million in repairs and improvements after the 1983 flood.
By the end of calendar year 1996, flood repairs and improvements initiated in response to the 1993 flood were largely completed. A detailed description of the January 1993 flooding can be found in the January 1993 Floods, Pima County, Arizona, Summary Report (Pima County Flood Control District, July 1993).
In the early morning hours between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m., an unusually strong thunderstorm with high winds battered the greater Tucson area, resulting in three to five inches of rain in some locations. The highest rainfall depths were reported in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains northeast of Craycroft Road and Sunrise Drive. Lesser amounts of rainfall, but still over one inch, were reported across the Tucson Valley.
Although this storm occurred during part of the morning rush hour, there were no fatalities reported. A woman and her daughter were rescued after spending more than one hour in their car, which was swept off the River Road crossing at Tanuri Wash (east of Craycroft Road), and carried downstream toward Tanque Verde Creek. A 5-year old boy and his mother were rescued from a car stalled in six feet of water in the flooded downtown Stone Avenue underpass.
In addition to street flooding and closures throughout the metropolitan area, residential flooding was reported near River Road and Craycroft Road, and near Dodge Boulevard and River Road where the Finger Rock Wash drains into Rillito Creek. Scattered power outages were reported throughout the metropolitan area, and a few water mains broke. Almost 250 storm-related emergencies were called in to city and rural fire departments. Large flows were reported on the lower Tanque Verde Creek and its tributaries, Rillito Creek and tributaries east of Country Club Road, and the Santa Cruz River and Brawley Wash.
A highly localized, but intense storm occurred in central Tucson around 8 p.m. A 39-year old man was swept away in the Arcadia Wash at-grade crossing of Fairmount Street near Rosemont Boulevard. When the floodwaters receded, his overturned vehicle was found in the Arcadia Wash. His body was recovered approximately eight miles downstream in Rillito Creek near Stone Avenue.
Two notable flood events occurred in 1999. Details of each event can be found below.
A very small, but highly intense monsoon thunderstorm positioned itself over the Earp Wash Watershed near Valencia and Alvernon roads shortly after 2:00 p.m. One rain gauge volunteer reported that 1.5 inches of rain fell in approximately one hour. Runoff inundated the residential properties along Alvord Road, Palo Verde Road, and Milton Road. The American Red Cross provided assistance to those residents whose properties were flooded. The storm also impacted a Tucson Electric Power substation, which caused power outages impacting 1,912 customers. Please read the Earp Wash Flooding Report for more information.
In the summer of 1999, a wet tropical air mass combined with daytime heating resulted in light to moderate rainfall over much of the Tucson area between July 12th and July 15th. Several streets were flooded at various times. On the evening of July 14th, three people were rescued after their van was swept into floodwaters of the Alamo Wash near Broadway Boulevard and Wilmot Road. Two adults were pulled from the van, and in a dramatic rescue, a child was plucked from the water after being swept through the box culvert at Wilmot Road.
On July 14th, light rain began falling on the upper Sabino Canyon watershed early in the day, and continued throughout the night. The early morning hours of July 15th marked the beginning of flooding in Sabino Creek that would rival the October 1983 and January 1993 floods, the largest in recent history. On the 15th, between 2:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m., 1.3 inches of rain was recorded near the top of the watershed. During the next two hours, a torrential downpour dropped another 4.6 inches on the upper watershed, for a four-hour storm total of 5.9 inches, which exceeds a 100-year, 24-hour storm.
This storm was atypical in that the rainfall intensity was unusually high, and the storm was centered over the Sabino Canyon watershed. Significantly less rain fell on adjacent watersheds. The storm was, however, typical in its “flashiness.” Flow depths increased rapidly, resulting in the need for several rescues.
Sixteen people were airlifted out of the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area at about 7:30 a.m. and several horses, pigs and chickens were moved out of the Hidden Valley Ranch area a few hours later. Two residents who stayed with the horses during the worst of the flooding, who sought refuge on the rooftop of a barn, were brought out with the horses. Approximately six residences located within the creek bed received flood damage, as did the animal corrals and horse barns in the Hidden Valley area.
Flows from Sabino Creek and other foothills washes drained into Tanque Verde Creek and Rillito Creek, resulting in significant flows on these watercourses, as well. A 12-year old boy had fallen into Rillito Creek and was rescued near La Cañada Drive.
The greatest amount of flood damage occurred along the Catalina Highway (a.k.a., the General Hitchcock Highway), which experienced catastrophic failure in three locations north of Molino Basin. Severe erosion and undermining of the roadway, as well as several rockslides, resulted in the closure of the highway for a couple of weeks. This left up to 800 residents of the Mount Lemmon community stranded. Although an alternate access route was available from the north (the Oracle Control Road), it is an unimproved dirt road that can only be traversed with a four-wheel drive vehicle, and it takes several hours. Permanent repairs will be completed as part of an FHWA project that began in March 2000. This FHWA project was planned prior to the occurrence of the July 15, 1999 storm.
Three notable flood events occurred in 2003. Details of each event can be found below.
Ajo, Arizona, is an unincorporated community located within Pima County, Arizona, and lies approximately 160 miles west of Tucson. On July 29, 2003, the community of Ajo experienced a severe thunderstorm producing significant Rainfall - approximately 1.3 inches of rain in just over one hour. Flooding occurred primarily along the Gibson Arroyo and tributaries located south of the arroyo.
The Flood Control District quickly responded by providing immediate assistance with clean up and maintenance of streets, bridges, and portions of the Gibson Arroyo. In addition, the District immediately requested and received approval to enter a portion of the Gibson Arroyo owned by Phelps Dodge in order to dredge along an extensive stretch of the channel to provide increased hydraulic capacity.
As part of the District’s response, a consultant was hired to provide an emergency evaluation and report on the flooding including new aerial-topographic mapping, a field review of the flooding, data collection, and preparation of preliminary hydrologic and hydraulic analyses. Accordingly, a Master Drainage Plan was developed to recommend specific approaches to address these floodprone areas including the Second Avenue Bridge and southern tributary flooding.
Eyewitness accounts of the July 29, 2003 flood provide ample evidence that debris and sediment effectively blocked the conveyance area of the bridge and increased flooding conditions during the flood event. The bridge is a 3-cell structure with a relatively low profile with two pier walls between the cells, which restrict the amount of debris and sediment that can freely pass downstream. Hydraulic modeling of the existing bridge reveals that if the opening were not clogged by debris and sediment the 100-year flow depth at the bridge would be reduced by about 1.3 feet. A new bridge can be designed to accommodate debris and sediment, thereby reducing flooding.
The southern portion of Ajo contains several tributaries to the Gibson Arroyo. This area maintains poor drainage infrastructure such as private culvert systems that run under residential structures. The most effective way to alleviate the flooding problem is to reduce the peak discharge by storing the flood volume in a flood control basin. The former football field at Curley School is a prime location for the detention basin as this is a sizeable piece of property capable of sustaining a detention basin. Therefore, the planning has been initiated in concert with the renovation planned for Curley School.
The Aspen Fire consumed 85,000 acres of land and 335 structures between June 17, 2003 and July 17, 2003. The incendiary point was located near Marshall Peak on the Aspen Trail. By nightfall of June 19th, the community of Summerhaven was engulfed in flames.
One of the principal dangers resulting from significant fires is increased flooding; erosion and debris flow due to the destruction of large quantities of vegetation. A mountain fire, such as the Aspen Fire, increases the magnitude of this danger, due to large topographic relief and flow concentration into more urbanized areas. Early estimates from the United States Forest Service indicated that watersheds in areas severely burned could produce up to five times the quantity of runoff from a given area.
In order to address these dangers and other related issues, District staff launched a comprehensive and multifaceted program to provide an enhanced early flood warning system, mitigate the newly developed hazards, and to better characterize the nature of the hazards.
As a first step, the Pima County ALERT Flood Warning System damaged by the fire was quickly repaired and supplemented with additional weather and stream gauge monitoring sites in order to provide enhanced early warning, if potential post-fire flood dangers became imminent threats to urbanized areas downstream. ALERT System repairs and enhancements costs were $47,000. Second, Pima County worked with the Natural Resource Conservation Service to quickly develop and implement a multi-phased program under the Emergency Watershed Protection Program to reduce the potential damages that could be caused by increased flood and debris flows through containment of ash from burned structures, revegetation and structural erosion control efforts. Third, the District launched a total of four hydrologic studies to evaluate, in more detail, the hydrologic conditions within the different watersheds in the post-fire era. Emergency Watershed Protection Revegetation and Erosion Control Program costs were $727,061. Several emergency contracts and agreements were required to implement the elements of this Flood Control District program. The total contract amount to successfully complete this three-tiered effort was approximately $944,000. Hydrologic Studies are estimated at $170,000 to study the front-range watersheds of Ventana, Sabino, and Molino, the Upper Cañada del Oro Watershed, and agreement with the United States Army Corps of Engineers to study Carter Canyon.
The only waste materials generated during the implementation of the post-fire Flood Control Program were from activities associated with the removal of debris from major drainage channels within the Summerhaven area. This activity was necessary to prevent the formation of large and potentially hazardous debris dams (mostly vegetative waste) within the watercourses. A breach in these unstable debris dams, due to hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces, could have exacerbated downstream flash flooding. These removal activities are one of the most significant efforts in the Revegetation and Erosion Control Program requiring repeated efforts to remove debris from vegetation and felled trees that continued to appear within the drainage courses. Vegetative debris measuring less than 12 inches in diameter was chipped and taken to the landfill to be used as daily cover, whereas larger debris was cut up and removed from the channels.
The District worked closely with the United Stated Forest Service to secure access, as necessary, for the installation of additional monitoring stations, as well as the staging areas required for aerial revegetation.
The District worked closely with the Natural Resource Conservation Service and local conservation districts throughout the course of the revegetation and erosion control program including co-staffing the “yellow tent” located within Summerhaven for the first six weeks after resident reentry in order to answer questions pertaining to erosion hazards and revegetation methods, among others during the post-fire healing process.
Hydrologic work was coordinated with the USACOE for the Carter Canyon watershed. The program was implemented by the District, which successfully addressed the immediate needs of providing enhanced warning for downstream residents of the potential for increased flood flows due to the fire, provided erosion protection and flow attenuation through revegetation processes and other constructed measures, and provided protection for the remaining facilities and water quality. Additionally, the hydrologic studies provided information necessary to determine the design criteria needed to provide appropriate future protective measures.
It is expected that most of the structural treatments completed under this project will remain viable and functional for several years until the natural recovery processes returns the hydrologic conditions back to pre-fire conditions.
The Aspen Fire changed the hydrologic characteristics within the Cañada del Oro watershed. Moderate to high burn severity through much of the watershed denuded the drainage basin, greatly increasing the chances of flooding during the summer monsoon season.
On August 25, 2003, a significant rainfall event occurred resulting in flows of approximately 7,000 cfs—a 25-year flow. Sheriff’s deputies evacuated the area and most of the homes within low-lying areas both east and west of the channel. Immediately following the flood, the District began efforts to assist the residents by accepting applications to the Floodprone Land Acquisition Program from residents who wanted Pima County to appraise their properties for possible acquisition.
The acreage consisted of 75 parcels totaling almost 200 acres of land. As of July 2004, 151 acres of land or approximately one-third of the total acreage within the Cañada del Oro floodplain was acquired.
The cost to the District has been substantial—$7,880,641 for real property and $1,120,524 paid out for relocation benefits to displaced property owners. The District, however, garnered a federal grant of $3,000,000 to contribute to the enormous costs generated by this project.
The acquisition of continuous parcels of property containing rural characteristics created an interest, particularly with the Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation Department. The community of Catalina, Oro Valley, and the area residents welcomed an opportunity to create a rustic, equestrian-oriented recreational space for this northwest cluster of communities, which could evolve into a well-planned, multiuse facility for area residents as well as in surrounding developments.
Two notable flood events occurred in 2005. Details of each event can be found below.
On the morning of August 14, 2005 a large storm system moved from east to west over the Sierrita Mountains, south of Tucson. Brawley Wash (located west of Tucson downstream of Three Points) and many small washes in the Diamond Bell area exceeded their capacity— resulting in flooding of residential areas and roads throughout Avra Valley. Many families were stranded for days due to high water and damaged roads. Rain gauges and Doppler radar indicated a large area of the Brawley Wash watershed received between two and four inches of rainfall during a six-hour period. The highest rainfall intensity measured by an ALERT gauge was 2.32 inches in one hour. Stream flow on the Brawley Wash at Highway 286 was the highest flow measured at this location since 1984. Maximum depth was approximately 10 feet with a discharge of 11,800 cubic feet per second.
During these storm events, information provided by the ALERT system aided the NWS and emergency teams with their decisions to warn the public of potential flooding and their response to emergency situations where people and infrastructure were in danger from the rising floodwaters.
In late August 2005, a heavy rainstorm produced two to six inches of precipitation impacting the area near Old Nogales Highway south of the Tucson International Airport also known as the Old Nogales Highway Colonia. This area predominately contains older mobile homes on one-acre lots that do not have the benefit of infrastructure such as sewer lines, streets, sidewalks, street lights, etc. Many of these one-acre parcels were the result of lot splitting in early 2000 - most were not financed by traditional lenders who would have required flood insurance.
This storm, estimated to be a 25 to 50-year event, left many residents with extensive flood damage to their homes. FLAP purchased one parcel in this area. Additionally, in an effort to improve existing living conditions for other damaged properties, the District made a contribution of $200,000 to assist the Pima County Community Development and Neighborhood Conservation Department with rehabilitation efforts. The District also replaced five mobile homes using mobile homes acquired from other FLAP acquisitions, replaced damaged roofs, provided new doors, windows, electrical appliances, and new cooling and heating systems. Overall, forty families benefited from these outreach activities.
Two memoranda discuss the significant flooding events in the 2006 monsoon season. The first is a Preliminary Damage Report Regarding the Floods of July 27 through 31, 2006 from County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry to the Board of Supervisors. The second is a memo titled 2006 Monsoon Season and the July 27, 2006 to July 31, 2006 Flood Event from Flood Control Director Suzanne Shields to County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry detailing the flood events of that time period, with additional analysis and reporting.
A memorandum was prepared in response to resident complaints in the Sahuarita Heights - Delgado watershed area during the 2008 monsoon season.
Heavy rain in the Tanque Verde Creek watershed on July 30th caused a flash flood late that night in which Tanque Verde Creek flowed out of the main channel and onto the north overbank, where it flooded approximately two dozen homes in the Fortyniner's Country Club Estates neighborhood and caused other property damage. According to District’s ALERT system precipitation gauges, the total rainfall throughout the upper Tanque Verde watershed during this storm event ranged from 1.26 inches to 3.90 inches with rainfall intensity of up to 3.23 inches/hour were reported in portions of the watershed. Based on observations of the extent of flooding at Fortyniner's, the estimated discharge at the peak of the flood was 12,000 cfs there, which is similar to what would be expected during a 25-year flood. The high intensity of the storm over a relatively short duration caused the flood waters to rise and fall quickly, catching many by surprise. relatively short duration storm also resulted in a flood wave what attenuated as it flowed, resulting in a peak discharge that was considerably higher than 12,000 cfs upstream of Fortyniner’s, and considerably less than 12,000 cfs at its confluence with the Rillito. Please see the 2010 Tanque Verde Flood Investigation Report for more information, maps and photographs of the flooded areas.
Even though many homes avoided damage from the flood, sometimes by just a few inches or less, it is important to note that neither the peak discharge nor flood volume of this flood were as high as the anticipated base flood, often called the regulatory flood or 100-year flood, and many homes that were not flooded during this event are expected to be flooded by the base flood.
The City of Tucson and Pima County experienced two large rainfall events in September, 2011 but regional detention basins on Earp Wash, Rodeo Wash and the Kino Environmental Restoration Project (KERP), constructed and operated by the Pima County Regional Flood Control District, prevented these large rainfall events from becoming large flood events. Please see the report titled Mitigation of the Sept 10th and Sept 15th 2011 Flood Peaks by Pima County Regional Detention Basins for more information.
There were no major, wide-spread flood events during the 2012 monsoon season, but intense localized thunderstorms did result in at least 8 homes being flooded. None of the homes were located in a FEMA floodplain, and only one was located in a locally mapped floodplain. One storm event destroyed a portion of Silverbell Road when the Idle Hour Wash experienced a close to the 1% annual chance (100-year) flood. Please see the Memorandum entitled Preliminary Assessment of the 7-29-12 Flooding at the Idle Hour Wash for more information about this event.
The 2014 Monsoon season resulted in two notable flood events.
An intense, localized storm with rainfall intensities of 2 inches per hour or greater hit the Corona de Tucson area in Vail on July 7, 2014. The effects of that event are summarized in a flood report memo titled Corona de Tucson area storm damage response for July 7, 2014 event. Photos of the area after the event are attached to the report.
An intense, localized storm with rainfall intensities of 2 inches per hour or greater affected Why, Arizona on July 9, 2014. Several structures were damaged during the event. Details and photographs of the event are provided in a flood report memo titled Why, Arizona Storm Damage Report for the July 9, 2014 Storm Event.

industry_corpus2: Water Resources & Marine


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Warning: Pastors, some of you may not like me much after you read this. But if we are going to preach the hard truths to our people, maybe sometimes we need to listen to the hard truths ourselves. Divided churches and church splits are a huge problem today. And we like to blame those sinful, divisive, unruly people for all the problems. But I am going to call the “blame the people” response into question here. I think church splits are usually started by rebellion or ungodly attitudes among people, but they are assisted by wrong attitudes and actions by church leaders. I hope you will listen to what I am saying here. I have a heart for pastors and for church unity. I hate to see good men of God make bad mistakes that bring dire consequences into Christ’s church.
I preached through the Old Testament in overview form from October 1, 2000 to August 13, 2005, on Sunday nights in Cedar Rapids. It was formative in my theology, as I began to see some patterns in the ways of God. One of those patterns I’ve turned into a book which I hope will be published before the Lord returns, called, “Significant Servants.” But I noticed something else, something that perhaps many of us who are pastors may not want to admit.
Whenever God was at work among his people, there was always conflict and dissent. Someone would criticize, complain or even oppose what God was doing. Moses experienced it. Joshua. David. It is a pretty common pattern. However, when the leaders sought God and responded correctly, God made their staffs bud, demonstrating his favor on them and enabling them to lead through the division to accomplish God’s purpose. In Acts, there was often opposition to the work of God. But the Apostles and others continued in Christ until he brought unity and overcame the obstacles.
I love the story in 1 Samuel 30 where David and his men returned from battle to find their women and children kidnapped. The men, in their anger, turned against David and there was talk of a mutiny, of stoning David. David didn’t fight back, he poured out his heart to the Lord and the Lord worked through the situation to bring victory. On the other hand, it was Rehoboam’s folly that led to the split into two nations. These seem to me to be recurring patterns. Relying on God overcomes obstacles while fleshly folly fuels division.
So, here are my two strong beliefs based on my observations of Scripture.
1) Disunity is always a part of God’s people. Whenever God is at work, there will be some movement of the enemy or of the flesh to undermine this work. We are at war, folks, with the principalities and powers. Will they sit idly by while we work? The pastor who expects everyone to love him and support him is doomed to a life of disappointment. There will be enemies without and enemies within and it is all a natural part of living in a fallen world which lives under Satan’s deceptions.
2) Disunity becomes division when leaders react wrongly. We pastors always like to blame the rebellious, sinful people for our problems and for the division in the church. But when we respond in the right way to disunity, it rarely continues on to division. That is pretty much the case throughout scripture. When the leaders sought God and his help, the people of God overcame the disunity accomplished God’s purpose.
I’ve done a little bit of a non-scientific study of church divisions and splits. The makings of a church split exist in your church right now as they do in mine – our churches are filled with sinners whose sinful hearts can betray them into sinful action. But I have observed in reality what I have also observed in the scripture – that it is often crucial (and often sincere or at least unintentional) errors by leadership in a church that causes disunity to become division that leads to a split.
So, in summary, disunity and even rebellion are normal parts of churches in a sinful and fallen world. No amount of “regenerate church membership” or church discipline can banish sinners and their sinful actions from the church. We can limit it, but not eliminate it. Even as good-looking, sweet and kind as I am (no, you need not comment on this), there has always been someone in every church I’ve been in whom I sarcastically call “chair of the Dave Miller fan club.” I remember one lady who would sit and stare daggers at me every Sunday morning – oh, she hated me. Another man would, I’m sure, claim the sky was pink if I said it was blue. You cannot avoid that. But I believe that we can, if we do things right, avoid or at the least greatly reduce church splits and the path of destruction those leave. Here are some ideas I have come to believe and recommend to you.
I will, within this discussion, address the popular question, “Is Calvinism a chief culprit in the rash of church splits we see today?” To that question, I will give an unequivocal YES, and an equally forceful NO.
1) Whose agenda are you on?
My job as a pastor is to find and operate on God’s agenda. If I am working in cooperation with God’s agenda, then the Holy Spirit is the motivator and mover to accomplish that agenda. If I am doing my own thing and working my own plan, then I have no promise from God that the Spirit will aid me in accomplishing my will or my agenda in the church. This is a hard distinction to make and often we struggle to figure out the difference.
It is easy for me to assume that my agenda is God’s. I’ve done it. So have you. It is a dangerous thing. When I confuse my desires, my ambitions and my need for control with the will of God, there will generally be division in the church. God’s power is not available to me accomplish my will or to promote my glory or to attain my ambitions.
But two things are true. When I am working God’s agenda, the Spirit is my ally, “and a powerful ally (he) is.” He works on my behalf to calm dissension, to overcome obstacles and to accomplish GOD’s work. On the other hand, it is God’s church and I have no right to attempt to force my agenda or to use God’s church to glorify myself, make a name for myself or accomplish my will. If I do that, I make myself the enemy of God’s agenda. I rob him of his glory.
I wish I had never done that. I have. And I wish that I did not believe that one of the most common problems in churches today is pastors who are operating on agendas other than God’s. I know this is judgmental, but it is my observation. When I have seen a church divided, I have almost universally observed a pastor who has mishandled a situation, responded in pride not humility to criticism or who is advancing a self-centered agenda.
I remember a church (and this is just an obvious example) in Eastern Iowa that was growing rapidly. The church had a tiny parsonage that housed the pastor and his family. A church attender offered to build a huge new parsonage on the church property. It is my impression that he was a church hopper and was probably trying to buy influence in the church, but the pastor was thrilled with the idea. Division occurred when the pastor tried to force that idea through to approval and church members (who were rightly suspicious of the character of the one making the offer) resisted. That church split because of a parsonage. No, because my good friend lost sight that he was a servant of God’s agenda and started serving his own. It took a long time before that church recovered.
We have spent a lot of time arguing here whether Calvinism is inherently divisive. Does it cause church splits? I think it is hard to argue against the notion that many churches have split when a new pastor brought Calvinist convictions and perspectives into a church that was previously not Calvinist. I have seen it several times. But I saw the same thing when the Willow Creek phenomenon occurred. A pastor would go into a traditional church and try to transform it to be a “seeker-sensitive” church. There were many churches that imploded.
The problem is not Calvinism or seeker-sensitivity. Those are the flash-points, the triggers. But the problem is the pastor’s agenda. Churches have a history and a personality. When a pastor comes in to a church with an agenda to transition to elder-leadership, or to move to becoming a “Nine-Marks” or “Desiring God” church, there is the potential for conflict. And yes, I know of specific examples where a pastor entered a church with just such an agenda but did not tell the church. Then, in the first couple of years, he begins to implement an agenda that he did not reveal and people did not sign on to. Many don’t like it and leave (and are often painted as bad people in the process).
My point is, the problem is not Calvinism, but the pastor’s unspoken agenda. If I went into a Calvinist church with an anti-Calvinist agenda, or into a conservative church with a more moderate agenda, or into a moderate church with a conservative agenda, or…well, I think you get the point – there would be trouble. The reality in the SBC right now is that there are a lot of young Calvinist pastors going into churches that aren’t Calvinistic. The result is often division. The fault is not with Calvinism or seeker-sensitivity or whatever, but with the unrevealed, unspoken, hidden agenda of the pastor.
3) The problem is often pastoral arrogance.
Oh, no he didn’t! Yes, I said it. I spend my life around pastors. Let’s admit what none of us want to admit. When you are in a role of pastoral leadership in the church, it is very easy to let pride and arrogance surface. I want to make a name for myself. I want to build a following. I want the adulation of people who think I’m just the best preacher they’ve ever heard!
It is that pride that makes us so competitive at times. When I pastored in Virginia, we had regular pastors’ fellowship meetings. We would meet in the sanctuary then go to the fellowship hall for lunch. Every church had one of those statistics boards on the wall, and you could almost hear the gears whirring as pastors would check out the boards and make comparisons. When they came to my church, I played a little prank. I changed our worship numbers from 129 to 921. And the offerings that day (if real) were enough to make everyone drool. I sat through the whole meeting enjoying watching people stared at the board. As we were going down to lunch, I suddenly and loudly realized my mistake and corrected the totals. They had a good laugh, but it illustrates a point.
Sit down in a group of pastors and listen to the conversation. Pretty soon, they will be talking about who is the busiest and who has the better numbers. We are sometimes insecure people who need approval and need validation, and often the best way to get that is through numbers.
Arrogance causes me to seek my own agenda and to pursue the glory of my name instead of seeking God’s agenda and pursuing the glory of his name. Pride is the root of sin and pastoral pride is often the root of division in the church.
4) We’ve got to learn to respond to criticism in a godly way.
Again, pastor, you are going to be criticized. How are you going to respond? Do you get mad and fight back? Or do you love your enemy and return good for evil? Pastors sometimes want to punish those who criticize them. We will use the pulpit to fight our personal battles, to defend ourselves and attack (subtly) those who would dare to “touch God’s anointed.” We act as if criticizing the pastor is somehow an offense against heaven and the response is brutal.
A pastor I know came under some harsh and unfair criticism. But he forgot that God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. He fought fire with fire instead of returning good for evil and leaving vengeance in the hands of God. The church split wide open. Why? I believe if the man had loved his enemies and responded with grace, things would have been very different. No, the sinful people who treated the pastor badly cannot be excused. But the pastor ignored Solomon’s wisdom that a gentle answer turns away wrath and he responded with anger. He poured gas on a fire and, surprise, it was not extinguished.
Pastors, it hurts when someone says something harsh to or about you. But you have the choice to leave vengeance in God’s hands and return good for evil, or you can try to silence all opposition, paint them as bad guys and drive them out. I think many of us in ministry are insecure and sensitive and as such it leads to an excessive reaction to criticism. We need to find our strength and security in God and not in the opinions of people – whether positive or negative.
If you wonder whether pastors are good or bad in general at receiving criticism, watch how we respond to real or imagined criticisms on blogs.
5) Please, let’s leave behind the “addition by subtraction” and “weeding out the tares” metaphors.
Pastors sometimes brag as if driving a bunch of people away from the church is an heroic thing – purifying the church by getting rid of “those people.” There is no question that one or two troublemakers leaving a church can be a boon to the ministry. And I think efforts at regenerate church membership are noble and good. But sometimes we use these as excuses to paint those who leave our churches as bad people. Frankly, the way we treat those who leave us sometimes amounts to little more than slander and abuse.
One of the markers of a cult, or an abusive church, is the way they treat people who choose to leave the fellowship. I have watch people I knew to be genuine followers of Christ but had some reasonable problems with the way their church was being led be treated like spiritual lepers. Instead of staying and causing trouble, they left the church. But when they left, they were branded as troublemakers and perhaps even false brethren. That is spiritual abuse as far as I am concerned.
Beware of a church or pastor who vilifies, especially publicly, those who leave the flock. Look, I’m an undershepherd of the Great Shepherd. Someone can stay in HIS care but leave mine.
I read something in Lyle Schaller’s book, “The Change Agent” back in my seminary days. He says we should invest three years in a church before we try to make systemic changes to the way the church operates. When I came to the church I currently serve, it was deeply wounded from a bad split (is there such a thing as a good one?). I followed this advice. People came to me with change agendas and I asked them just to give the church time to heal and re-energize after the horrible illness it had gone through. Had I tried to force some kind of change agenda on the church in the first couple of years it could have imploded this fellowship.
The worst mistake young pastors sometimes make is going into a church and trying to remake the traditions of that church in the first few months of their tenure. Don’t try to alter a church’s direction until you have invested enough time for the people to know you and trust you and be ready to follow you. So many problems in churches could be avoided if pastors would just wait 3 or 4 years before they start trying to alter the direction of a hundred year old church.
There is so much more I can say here, but this is already over 2500 words, so I guess its time to stop. And, yes, I know that I have made generalizations to which there are exceptions. I am writing a blog post not a book. But I believe that these generalities are generally true, even if there are exceptions.
Just remember, I am the anointed leader of this blog and any criticism of me if clearly wrong and evil. Touch not the anointed!!!! Oh, wait…never mind. Go ahead and tell me what you think.
This is another BIFF attempt – to bring a more balanced perspective to the Calvinists are Heroes/Calvinists are Villains dichotomy we see so much of.
I’m off to a wedding rehearsal, so I can only hope you good folks play nice.
I would say you did a pretty good job with this one. Everyone may not like it, but I think you have done an evenhanded job of laying out the main culprits in church divisions.
Every split I have experiences has been due to personality / leadership issues, not theological issues. That alone makes me sit up and take notice. I feel the need to list them because looking back now I have several observations that have helped form my practice.
Childhood home church (First time as child): Deacons fire pastor because of “ineffective preaching” (to my best recollection). My family leaves to join church split, er, church plant from another local church. Other families due the same, or just drop off the face of the earth.
After some healing time my parents moved us back to home church, where they have remained thru subsequent splits for 35 years.
Childhood home church (Third time – single, mid-twenties): NOT REALLY A SPLIT, but Deacons fire pastor (at church 4 yrs) because of “ineffective preaching” (read:attendance) and “ineffective leadership”. I was in leadership (SS Director/Deacon) at the time and wimped out when I saw the writing on the wall and left before they fired him. I used the excuse that I wanted to go to a church where I could meet a nice Christian young lady (that part actually worked out!) In all honesty, his ministry was also being sabotaged from within by his wife, which begs the question whether he should have been in ministry in the first place.
First church of my own: Deacons fire pastor because he had a tendency to confront his leaders (read:deacons) on their evangelistic zeal. He was the former state evangelism director after all! Also, this church was rather well to do and he had an annoying tendency of sharing the gospel with all the working class folk he came in contact with On the bright side, I met my wife and we were married at the church two weeks after they had fired him. That was surreal. He started another church 5 miles down the road in the same suburb with 400 charter members.
Childhood home church (Fourth time for me): Pastor and Chairman of Deacons strongarm a building program on the church. When I say strongarm, I mean strongarm. A key staff member/deacon voices concern in business meetings (no gossip) and is subsequently rebuked and defamed from the pulpit by the pastor (and “privately” defamed from the SS office in front of others). Several other deacons / leaders leave after these events, including the key staff/deacon. In God’s providence, my wife and young family had moved to another neighborhood and moved our membership to the closest SBC church, which happened to be a mega.
Local mega: No splits! Ignorance is bliss!
After 12 years my now larger family moves to another neighborhood and we leave to go back to a local small church. Now, I get to view it from the other side as a bi-vo associate pastor.
My new experiences as a pastor has shown me how immature I was in my prior “hops”. Every one of my cases listed comes down to an inability to confront and manage inevitable conflict. In the cases where I was an adult and had a voice, I simply avoided dealing with conflict by leaving. These single acts of leaving begin to form a pattern of avoidance.
Fast forward to having to deal with conflict as a pastor, primarily conflicts brought on by other staff. I have had to first overcome my avoidance patterns and then learn to determine what I am seeking in the conflict. Am I determined to show that I am right, or am I seeking reconciliation. After that, I have to determine what it means to be a grace filled church. Do I view members of the body as a means to an end, chiefly a successful ministry? Do I get surprised when they do not extend grace to me (and other pastors) when I do not model that grace with them (Why can’t they get it!)?
Quite simply, most conflict is rooted in a lack of love and grace.
but ONLY in their communal relationship ‘in’ Our Lord.
When all else has been tried, people who seek unity must know to humble themselves before Him and before one another, and they will find that their Christian community becomes renewed by the grace of the Holy Spirit who comes to help the humbled who need Him.
Our oneness is in the gospel, Christiane, the display of Christ’s love in which God punish Jesus for our sins so he could bless us with His righteousness. God demonstrates his love for us in the sacrifice of Christ, not some kind of squishy and standard free tolerance.
Jeff, I agree with you. Dave has insightfully looked past the surface of church splits to the “spiritual root,” if you will, of many church problems. Everyone has an agenda, don’t they?!?! Well, if that agenda goes beyond the Great Commission and draws lines outside God’s agenda (which IS the Great Commission, no more, no less), then division will occur.
This is where godly wisdom comes into play. Is a shift toward greater theological precision always necessary? After all, the Great Commission is as much practical as it is doctrinal. Nothing wrong with theological precision, and it is a noble pursuit, but God’s timing is a huge key here. If you affirm His sovereignty, then you must admit that He will work IN SPITE OF our theological ignorance.
Excellent point in your last sentence there as well. God has a proven track record of working with and through complete screw-ups (both of the people variety and the situational variety as well). I think we get all worked in a lather over things that He works in spite of all of the time.
This is what I tried to point out (in a less organized form) on the other comment stream.
This was a good post. I really do appreciate the balanace your writing shows.
Maybe the key to having a peaceful comment thread is to tell poeple right at the beginning that some of you are not going to like what you have to say and that we won’t like you very much after reading this.
My view is that while there are always ancillary factors in splits that involve calvinist pastors, one cannot ignore the fact that the theology itself contributes, often significantly. I don’t see how one can fail to see this.
At some stage an honest calvinist has to be clear on unconditional election, limited atonement etc. Those are inherently divisive. One might listen to the unanointed and vast unwashed throngs of laypeople every now and then.
It amuses me that some of my calvinist friends think that if you just package the theology right, if it is explained right, if it is preached with some finesse and elan, people will be converted to it, embrace it, and church meltdowns will be always be avoided.
Exactly. You have said it very clearly on this fine day.
I think there is a real fear among ordinary, everyday Christian people concerning Calvinism. Granted, they probably do not understand all the nuances, but there is something about the idea that God chooses to predestinate some to hell that just does not sit right with a large number of people. Now, before you reply and say I am misrepresenting the doctrine of election, hear me clearly: I am going by ordinary people’s perception of things, not the nuanced versions that many of you are capable of stating. The perception is that the Calvinistic expression if God has him sending people to hell and they have no chance at salvation. And a huge number of Christians (including Southern Baptists) just won’t buy into it.
I grew up in an area that is a mix between Baptists and Methodists, with some Pentecostals thrown in for good measure. I only knew one (one!) Particular Baptist out of all the people I came in contact with in almost 20 years of mingling with Christian brothers and sisters. Now this is all admittedly anecdotal, but the fear among ordinary Christians is that Calvinism was wrong because a God who loves could not predestine someone to hell. Again, this is perception.
All I ask from my Calvinist brothers is to be aware of this perception. Be sensitive to it. I think it is what William is trying to get at. I don’t know the SBC as a whole, but I imagine there are literally millions of people in SBC land with this exact same perception as I have described. The 5 points rub a lot of Christians the wrong way, and this perception will not be educated away anytime soon. My encouragement here is to be gentle and understanding with those who may disagree on that issue. Any Calvinist who comes across as arrogant and aloof about his beliefs will only further entrench the perception.
This is helpful. Thanks Jim.
Jim: There is no question that some people fear Calvinism. For some, they fear Calvinism because they have been hurt by Calvinists or know some people or church that has been hurt by them.
For the second group, they fear Calvinists because they read and listen to people who are telling them to fear Calvinists. Many such places can be found with the letters SBC in the web address.
The first is unfortunate but can be dealt with. The second is the real problem but is also unresolvable.
Jim, I don’t know how you can nuance unconditional election. The best I’ve seen my calvinist brethren do it is to package it with a lot of other stuff.
By demonstrating a sense of humor, Dave, you are probably going to have to be expelled from the calvinist cohort.
This is a false dichotomy. Not all Calvinists preach Calvinism even if they are “honest” about holding to the theology. Not all Calvinists are out to convert everyone else to Calvinism. No split is necessary. Everything a preacher says can be divisive if the some in the congregation hold a different view. The division can occur if the preacher insists that everyone else agree with him. Tell me that doesn’t occur with anything but Calvinism.
I went through Romans in Men’s bible study. I outlined the major viewpoints (Calvinism, Arminianism, and the current Baptist view) on the relevant passages and the differences between them. I also told them where I stood. We had a good discussion. There were no conversions and no splits.
There is no question that theology can drive an agenda, but it doesn’t have to. And there is no evidence that Calvinist theology is more likely to create agendas than any other. Dave is correct, at their heart, church splits are the result of human weakness, not doctrine.
I agree with Bill on this. My church has healthy factions of Calvinists and non-Calvinists alike. We discuss, disagree on some things, serve together proclaiming the gospel around the world and come together to worship the same God.
Precisely. I am not sure why some here refuse to admit this reality.
I see your point, Bill. But I think the second type of fear has been around longer than the internet or the current state of unease. If anything, the information explosion has just magnified it.
I understand your point. I understand why you see it that way. But I believe the fact that there are many, many calvinists in churches that don’t split and that don’t have meltdowns undermines your argument in your last paragraph. Evidently it is possible to explain it in a way, and to lead in a loving way, and avoid those meltdowns. It happens all the time.
It is for that reason that I believe it is not inherent in the theology to cause division. If someone goes in and draws strict lines and does not allow disagreement or divergent viewpoints on the issue, they will have problems. So, that is why I say that personalities and people cause problems, not theology. We pastors need to teach what we believe, but be open to those who have disagreements on these third level issues.
BTW, I applaud the use of “elan”.
I know of instances of calvinists who learned how to do one thing well, namely, to put it to a person in a way that both provoked and encouraged them. What they learned and did in that instance worked well, so well that they adopted it as a hallmark for their ministry. they then tried to apply it in all of their subsequent ministry only to find that it blew up in their faces. Too illustrate: an evangelist who was preaching Sovereign Grace in a church in Mississippi heard a man called on to pray and whose prayer evidently revealed his lostness. The evangelist then prayerd and said, “Lord, that is the most miserable prayer….” the fellow who prayed it became enraged, following the service he threatened the evangelist with death. To make a long story short, before the week was ought the man was converted and admitted that the prayer he had prayed was, indeed, a miserable prayer. The church had a glorious revival. In another place, circumstances were altered and the people were different, and the evangelist tried the same approach. He created a split and did harm to his own cause.
Was God in such service? It is a difficult to speak with authority and assurance on the issue. Ministers do smart things, and they do dumb things. Sometimes the smart thing in one instance is just plain dumb in another instance. What seems to be needed is a wherewithal to be able to look at a situation and determine what is the best approach for dealing with it. A better understanding of the intellectual depths of the biblical message is the way to getting an understanding of situations and how and what the truth is to be applied in the particular circumstances.
When a minister gets it right, the results can be tremendous. Devotional reading of the Bible with daily, agonizing, intense prayer is the answer. A sense of dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ finds Him there with the help at the point of need. When He is not there, it can generally be traced to two causes. One is sin. Two, there is something else to come out of the situation that yet remains to be accounted for.
Think of how Paul was warned about his trip to Jerusalem, and still he continued in his determination to go. Those warning him ceased their efforts, saying, the will of the Lord be done. Eventually, Paul would wind up in Rome after a number of hair-raising escapes from danger. How God can allow or decree as the case might be is His prerogative; our is to submit, when His will becomes evident.
Learning to study, think, reason, and reflect upon the truths given to enable and empower us to be effective servants of Christ is no easy matter. Thinking outside the box becomes practically a mark of the believer, especially as he or she has to learn to consider the principles in a multitude of situations. But the Inspired word was designed for thinkers and the thoughtful; it provides the insight and wisdom for dealing with life’s stituations.
It is still a bit of amazement to me that in my research in church history, I stumbled over what it is that makes believers and ministers balanced, flexible, creative, enduring, and magnetic, thus able to deal with changing circumstances.
Let me come at this from another angle. First, it’s not just pastors that are affected, but other kinds of ministers – and are all Christians not called to minister? If there are ministers who get it right, then arrogant competitiveness from other ministers can bury their ministries. Therefore, this kind of pride from one can destroy the good efforts of another. So some ministers may respond in kind not because they are arrogant but because they fear for their ministerial viability in a hostile ministerial environment.
You are 100% right. Dave Miller 3 years seems is the right time to get to know the people, etc. Even accept God’s leading not to take a church where your ministry is different.
I do agree that unconditional election is an uncomfortable topic, but let’s face it, we have to deal with election. If you think God elects people (and not groups) then either God elects based upon His own counsel, or His election is reactive (the foreseen faith theory). The former is uncomfortable, the latter is untenable. If ever I’m persuaded that unconditional election of persons is not true, I’ll be jumping into the “election of people groups” camp.
Yes. I agree that conditional election has more minuses than plusses. But, so does unconditional individual election. That is why I think the Barth-Torrance view of unconditional election (Jesus Christ as electing God and elected man) is a better alternative.
Jim, That theory would be great if not for the pesky fact that sinful men are called “elect” all over the Epistles.
That view’s response to the fact that others than Christ Himself are called elect, is unsatisfactory…as are the responses to other related issues regarding election.
People are smart, they know the Bible teaches election. They may not understand it, but they see it there. My concern is that they don’t try and explain it away as of it isn’t there. People left to their own aren’t going to come up with Barth/Torrance theory. They will say, why did Paul address the church as “elect” and individuals as “elect”…and when he did why did he act like it was a GREAT thing and something to take comfort in while we people were suffering? If it was meant for comfort, then it isn’t a divisive thing. If it was meant for comfort, I should embrace it. If it was meant for comfort, then it isn’t some ethereal thing that really doesn’t talk about me at all. People KNOW it talks about individuals, thus the consternation on the issue. That is a plain reading. To explain it away is unhelpful and dishonest.
Jim: I’m not familiar with that theory of election. I’ll have to look into it. I’m fairly comfortable with election remaining mysterious. I’m far less committed to the truthfulness of unconditional election than I am to the untruthfulness of election based upon foreseen faith. At the risk of being rude, it surprises me that the theory ever gained any traction. It doesn’t make sense to me at all. Choosing someone because you know they will choose you is no choice at all.
Before we start name-calling (dishonest), I’m not sure you understand the entire idea.
Our election is unconditional in Christ. That is the point. Christ, as the God-man, is able to contain the election of all of us. We are elect because he is elect. In this view, election is something that occurs “in Christ.” Therefore, unconditional election is maintained, as is general atonement and real assurance.
Is it a perfect way to explain election? no. But neither is John Calvin’s approach, or the one of the Arminian tradition. In my opinion, the Barth-Torrance view has fewer biblical snags than the traditional C or A approaches. Of course I am not able to explain the whole idea in a blog reply. But it would be good to interact with the merits of the view, which I would be happy to do.
That wasn’t an accusation, I was speaking in generalities of telling people “I know what it says, but that’s not what it says”. You know what I mean? I was not accusing you of being dishonest at all. Sorry for the confusion.
As for the view, I studied it when writing a paper in seminary. It is intriguing, and I agree with aspects of it. But I find the dealing with individual passages unconvincing. Oddly, I agree with Olson’s critique (for the most part) of the view. I appreciate the attempt, I just don’t agree with the conclusions.
No problem, Jason. I was afraid the conversation would go south.
If we reject the idea of corporate election, we are left with two options that frankly have so many problems that I don’t want to choose either: unconditional or conditional individual election. Both of those have really big issues attached. Calvinism is committed to the former, while Arminianism holds to the latter. Both of these are hard to hold when looking at the totality of Scripture, in my opinion.
By Olson’s critique, do you mean Grenz and Olson’s treatment in 20th Century Theology?
I agree with the conclusions he made, but from the opposite side of the spectrum. Barth’s conclusions over-state his case and I feel make the individual passages quite unclear. Like I said, I like the attempt (as someone who is very christocentric), but I can’t go there on the conclusions.
I didn’t think “20th Century Theology” dealt with this issue. But it’s been a few years since I read it. Does that book address this issue?
Yes, I am the one who sent that in. I don’t think Olson has spent enough time with Torrance at least to make the claims he did (not a criticism, I don’t recall the exact words, but he seemed intrigued at the idea, at least to me). Most of the serious Barth scholars with whom I am familiar don’t agree with Olson, either.
I think Torrance at least is pretty clear in his new book (edited by his nephew) “Atonement.” He is neither a universalist nor does he subscribe to traditional Calvinistic unconditional election. I’ve done enough work in Torrance to appreciate the positives of his approach. Again, is it perfect? No. But it is better because I think if we reject this corporate view, then we are thrown back into the mess of an either/or between unconditional and conditional individual election. Both are highly unsatisfactory in my view.
Olson is right that as long as we see election as individual we are confined to either Calvinism or Arminianism. He is absolutely correct that if election is individual, there is no “middle ground.” 400 years of infighting has sufficiently exposed the theological shortcomings in both positions.
The reason I don’t want to let this rest is because if we reject corporate election, we have either Calvinism or Arminianism. Both of these options are too theologically troublesome.
I’ll check out the Torrence book, so I can interact with his views a bit.
I understand where you are coming from. But I have a hard time, exegetically, with corporate election…and I see the legitimacy of individual election, from the text. That is where I agree with Olson. Obviously, I disagree with him on the conditioning of election.
So, I think we will have to agree to disagree on this. But I appreciate the conversation.
I appreciate the tone of the conversation, but are there any texts in the NT that imply individual election? Every use of the word “elect” (with the exceptions of Jesus himself in 1 Pet 2:6 and the angels in 1 Tim 5:21) is in the plural sense, that is, an elect group of people rather than a collection of elected individuals. Same with “election.” Even Romans 9, concerning Jacob and Esau, is an echo of Malachi 1 which speaks of the nations. In the word “chosen,” the only examples of individual use I could find are again Christ, and this time both Paul and Rufus.
I’m not sure the text bears out the election of individuals, as there is not a lot of evidence for it. Aside from Rufus, Paul was chosen for a mission. The rest of the uses of “election” are plural, if not corporate.
And even the best known text, Eph 1:4, says we are chosen “in Christ.” There is a large number of the “in Christ” texts that are properly interpreted in a “locative” sense, which means it is where the believers are located.
I’m not sure the textual evidence is lacking. But I’d still like to keep discussing it.
Thank you for introducing the importance of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity’s Incarnation.
I don’t think that Southern Baptists focus much on the meaning of the Incarnation ‘in depth’. For this reason, the ‘Barth-Torrance’ view may not be understood in the way that you want it to be . . . so you might ‘elaborate’ in order to help people see what you are meaning. I’m sure you can do it and I am sure they will understand, if you try.
There is one inviolable rule of church conflict and splits. The fault is always THEM!! Not me. Not us. Them. Those Calvinists (unless I am one). The pastor, unless that is me. Then its the people. But the fault is always someone I don’t look at in the mirror when I shave.
Not long after I came to Georgia, I experienced two speakers (both from the GBC) within a 6 month time frame who came to our Association’s Ministers’ Conference and at lunch told the table to beware of Calvinism because it was hurting Churches. When pressed to give examples, they both seemed to hem and haw and eventually would mention one Church that they knew of, but no hard evidence (essentially, on both counts I was already aware of the Churches in question, but was never alerted to any others except the two that these guys mentioned and so far I’ve only heard of those two Churches where the pastor’s Calvinism was essentially a problem).
Months later, we had another speaker from the GBC come to the Pastor’s Conference and talk about Church conflict. He indicated that the GBC keeps regular statistics on Churches in conflict, particularly if they come to the GBC or Association for help. When he presented the numbers for Churches who fired their pastors, the vast majority were reported to have been over personality issues (something like 75%). Then there were several various other reasons. When asked how many were fired due to theological concerns, he said that he knew of only 2 in the last year (this was about 2 years ago), which represented less than 5% of all pastors fired by their Churches in Georgia.
Now, I realize that it is likely very true that the GBC’s numbers do not represent even half of the Churches who had conflict in any given year, but they do present at least some sort of reasonable sampling of GA Baptist Churches (and perhaps total SBC Churches). What this seems to confirm is what Dave has said – namely, that most Church conflicts come down to personality problems with the pastor and not specific theology. I would also say that I think it shows the likelihood that theology is a contributing factor to personality problems and not the other way around.
I think apart from any statistical study on the issues of Calvinism and personality problems as root causes of Church conflict, most of what we are presenting here is anecdotal evidence, which is generally unreliable and easily skewed based on personal experiences, which is probably why there are so many extreme reactions to the idea that Calvinism causes Church splits – some have seen it, some have heard about it, and others haven’t.
In any case, I think all of us would agree that we would like to see some firm statistical evidence on the matter.
One thing I have found that ws helpful in preaching election is that it is an invitation. In his introduction to his translation of William Ames’ Marrow of Divinity (the first text book ever used in theology at Harvard Univ., Dr. Eusden declared, “predestination is an invitation to begin one’s spiritual pilgriamge….” I applied the idea of invitation to Predestination, Total Depravity/Inability, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement/Particular Redemption, Irresistible Grace, Perseverance/Preservation of the saints, and, yes, Reprobation. Yes, each one has the thought of an invitation to be saved, to trust Christ for salvation and deliverance. Add to that the fact that paradoxical intervention/thereapeutic paradox illustrate how something so seemingly opposite can be a means to help, an invitation, an empowerment for change. Gentlement, we ought to outflank, outthank, outlast with patience and kindness, the folks who feel so provoked. Lay it on thick. These truths are loving invitations. Take the woman of Canaan and the idea of worship at the thought of Jesus not being sent but to the lost sheep of the hosue of Israel and she was not a Jew. Add the idea of be willing to find complete and miraculous help in a crumb that no one would deny to the unclean reprobate image of a dog……and think of the compliment it bestows upon Jesus. He can say anything He wants by way of condemnation and discouraging words, and the woman thinks it is all so wonderful that she will settle for the smallest hope and help…even that of a crumb.
Very courageous of Dave Miller to post this.
Well done, Dave. You’re candid about a problem that is rampant: arrogance among leaders. Egotism and ambition exist in the church and it’s troubling. The ministry has always held out a certain prestige. People sometimes go into it for these wrong reasons.


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Cartoon Network will launch a national healthy lifestyles initiative targeted to kids 6-14 titled GET ANIMATED, a comprehensive on-air, online, print and off-channel campaign to launch on-air Monday, Feb. 28, it was announced today by Jim Samples, executive vice president and general manager of Cartoon Network.
The program will tap into the network�s roster of cartoon characters and distinctive 3D on-air environment to communicate positive lifestyle messages through multiple PSAs to air in Cartoon Network�s morning, afternoon and prime time day-parts. These pro-social spots also will point viewers to www.GetAnimated.com, where exclusive online content will further communicate messages around the benefits of making good lifestyle choices. Kids will find tips, lifestyle recommendations and an interactive game that will focus on the importance of being active. Additionally, �Get Animated� messages will appear within a series of national consumer and trade ads in key publications. And Cartoon Network�s current cause-marketing program, �Animate Your World� will expand its continuing partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) to introduce nutritional and fitness elements into its computer animation program that young club members enjoy at more than 3,800 BGCA locations nationwide.
The new multi-purpose structure within Cartoon Network�s 3D animated world on-air will be called Movement INK., serving as a place where cartoon characters and,at times, live kids can come together for growth, inspiration and action. Activities housed within the facility will vary from traditional sports to non-traditional activities, such as, tree house climbing. Kids onscreen will encounter and interact with their favorite characters from series such as Codename: Kids Next Door, Foster�s Home for Imaginary Friends, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, Justice League Unlimited, The Powerpuff Girls and Ed, Edd n Eddy. Characters will come together at Movement, INK. to share with viewers at home fun ideas for healthy snacks and new twists on familiar games that kids could try at home, a park or at school.
Two 15-second teaser spots will introduce the on-air campaign: the first, an official groundbreaking ceremony on the site where Movement INK. will be constructed featuring the Mayor of Townsville and his assistant Sara Bellum (The Powerpuff Girls); the second, a star-studded ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome the various inhabitants of Cartoon Network�s on-air world to the newly completed Movement INK. facility. Four PSAs will follow on-air and will be tagged with Movement INK, which will serve as the official voice for healthy living on Cartoon Network. GET ANIMATED will air on a regular basis and new PSAs will be created to keep the program as fresh and timely as possible.
GET ANIMATED and Movement, INK. will live online at www.GetAnimated.com and will be promoted heavily from the top-rated www.CartoonNetwork.com. Kids and their parents can log-on to find kid-friendly information presented in an entertaining and interactive way. Elements will include tips on making healthy lifestyle choices and a game that will promote physical activity.
Cartoon Network will expand its� partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) by utilizing the existing �Animate Your World: Shaping Character� CD-ROM program, which is used in 3,800 clubs nationwide. The current program uses the latest in computer animation technology to give kids the tools to create their own animation while learning invaluable lessons about developing good character traits. The �Animate Your World� program will be repurposed this spring to include nutritional and fitness content that will enable kids around the country to learn about nutrition and physical activity in a fun and interactive way. The program will work in tandem with BGCA�s existing health and wellness initiative that empowers young people to make informed decisions about their physical, mental and social well being. This effort is endorsed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Heading to a neighborhood near you, GET ANIMATED will hit the road in May 2005 as part of a 30-market tour featuring active stations where kids will engage in physical activity while interacting with Cartoon Network�s characters. Kids will also have the opportunity to sample the �Animate Your World� program. Transported in a customized mobile unit, the �Get Animated Tour� will be presented in partnership with Turner Network Sales and local cable affiliates. The tour will also make appearances at nearby Boys and Girls Clubs.
Cartoon Network, currently seen in 87.3 million U.S. homes and 160 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.�s 24-hour, ad-supported cable service offering the best in animated entertainment. Drawing from the world�s largest cartoon library, Cartoon Network showcases unique original ventures such as Foster�s Home for Imaginary Friends, Codename: Kids Next Door, Teen Titans, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, The Powerpuff Girls, Samurai Jack, Ed, Edd n Eddy and other Cartoon Cartoons. Cartoon Network also features Adult Swim, its signature late night block of animation for grownups. Since its launch in 1992, Cartoon Network has remained one of ad-supported cable�s highest-rated networks. Cartoon Network�s Web site is located at www.CartoonNetwork.com.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


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Every city has a key feature. The moment I put my eyes in New York I couldn't stop admiring the blue skies and the iron escape stairs. They are indeed NYC signature.
Love the eclectic façade, perfect iron stairs and it couldn't blend more perfectly with the infinite.
For now, blue sky will be called New York Blue, my favourite colour.
What's your city's architecture feature? What about colour?


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Billy Graham impacted the world during his six-plus decades of ministry, but neither a stage nor a well-known name is vital to sharing the love of God.
This question has stirred much debate. Historically, Christians have voted for candidates of different faiths, including Mormons, based on how they live their lives and how deeply committed they are to upholding the U.S. Constitution. Remember, God ordained government, and we are not electing a pastor-in-chief, we are electing a commander-in-chief.


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After creating a form with PrimalForms (Community Edition) the option to export to PrimalPad is grayed out.
Is there something I need to do to be able to do this?
This will be resolved in the next service build.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications