Your Christian worldview can be like fine jewelry—beautiful for all to behold. See what I mean. Some 230 years ago, renowned china maker Josiah Wedgwood took his worldview into his china-making. He designed a medallion featuring an African in chains. Surrounding him are the words, “Am I not a man and a brother?”

“We’ll be fighting in the streets
With our children at our feet
And the morals that they worship will be gone
And the men who spurred us on
Sit in judgment of all wrong
They decide and the shotgun sings the song
I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me….”

Media Sophisticate

By Pam Lutrell “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” Thomas Jefferson echoed the need for journalism to be a major component of a thriving republic.“The diffusion of information and the arraignment of all abuses at the bar of public reason, I deem (one of) the essential principles of our government, and consequently (one of) those which ought to shape its administration.” If newspaper publishers would like to save their product, all they have to do is listen to the wisdom of Thomas Jefferson. He made the statements above in the 1800’s and echoed the need for an informed public, therefore, confirming the need for journalism to be a major component of a thriving republic.

by Gretchan Mahan, BEACON STAFF

Some churches in San Antonio have been rapidly expanding, and they have each found different ways to cope with their growing congregations and expanding ministries. Greg Styles, executive director of Concordia Lutheran, says their congregation doubled in the past seven years, and they already had six services Saturday through Monday. Consequently, the church decided to build a larger sanctuary that included the 123-foot cross facing Highway 1604.

Mark, McNair and Michael

by Pam Lutrell It has been a long, thick, sultry summer. Not merely because of the never ending, 100- degree- plus-days, but also because of the disturbing news stories screaming at us from our television and computer. Many of the stories were poignant reminders of our progressing lives. I confess to pangs of sadness at the passing of Farrah Fawcett (I had the haircut!), Karl Malden (always the pastor in Pollyanna to me), and, yes, even Oscar Mayer.