Jalessa Castillo, a Jehovah Witness Pioneer, who joined The Orlando Times Team, maintains a 3.75 Grade Point Average at Valencia College.

by no password 26 Replies latest social current

  • ToesUp
    ToesUp
    • "I'm am surprised she qualified as a regular pioneer and still going to college."

      It's all about who you know in the org. Some Bodies of Elders turn the other way and others are Elder Nazi's. Some bodies of elders will DF ones for years and others will be out for 6 months. We have seen that happen. It is what happens when you put men in charge of judging others. Men with NO holy spirit.


  • Ruby456
    Ruby456

    I also wonder if the work ex jws are doing is having an effect nowadays. Particularly on geetting an education. I think so - for some it doesn't,t make them leave the jws but does elicit a response to improve their lives with secular education

  • blondie
    blondie

    I live in a large university town where many jws go to university and graduate without negative results in the congregation. I'm sure it is different in rural congregations where a lower percentage of the general population go to college.

    In many ways it depends on who is rich, is popular, has powerful "friends", or is just a bully, and the time frame.

  • Ruby456
    Ruby456

    Blonde what I have noticed is that there is still prejudice against further education but somehow young ones (perhaps as u suggest this is so in big towns) are choosing to go to university despite opposition

  • betterdaze
    betterdaze

    Interesting ecumenical business angle.

    The Only Paper With A Church Partnership

    Honoring The Orlando Times Newspaper’s Church Directory

    BY DEVIN HEFLIN

    ORLANDO - The editorial staff at The Orlando Times newspaper would like to take this time to thank all ministries which have participated and continue to participate in The Orlando Times’ Church Directory. Though The Orlando Times newspaper is not a religious themed newspaper, it continues this unique partnership with churches throughout Central Florida, showcasing sermons, presenting Pastors and ministry news. Ever thumbed through The Orlando Times newspaper and found your Pastor or a Pastor on the Spiritual Living page? If you’ve taken time to read the messages that these men and women of God contribute on a weekly basis to The Orlando Times newspaper, the editorial team at The Orlando Times prays you have been strengthened spiritually for the better through this program.


    Want to Become a Chruch Partner?

    Are you interested in having your church promoted in our newspaper or on out social media? How about having one of your sermons promoted? If so you are in the right place. Contact us to find out more about our 'Church Partnership Program'


    A Unique Partnership

    The Church Partnership of The Orlando Times Newspaper

    BY JALESSA CASTILLO, TIMES STAFF WRITER


    Oops. They removed her article but not the byline.

  • Magnum
    Magnum

    scratchme1010: "No password, I'm not sure what the point of your post is."

    I certainly see a point. When I was young, the end of the whole @#$% earth was imminent, and I was supposed to spend my days (and nights, too) warning people of the cataclysm on the horizon. I was supposed to do menial work just to get enough food to eat. I remember a dist conv drama about a young man who was pioneering in a need-greater area and who was dejected because he couldn't even afford tires for his pioneer car. He was encouraged to stay in the area.

    If it's OK now for JWs to go to college and get degrees and have good jobs, then my a$$ will be chapped more than it already is. That wouldn't be fair to people like me who gave their all and suffered and did menial work because the end was supposed to be coming literally any minute.

    JWs today don't seem to be living the way some of us did in the past. It's as if they don't have the sense of urgency that used to exist - as if they want to have one foot in JWdom and the other in "the world", enjoying its benefits and fitting in.

  • tepidpoultry
    tepidpoultry

    Good reporting betterdaze!

    Sister's already in trouble

    Time to start that housecleaning biz

    She seem nice enough

    It's just that JWs have a lot of restrictions

    :0)

  • darkspilver
    darkspilver

    A Unique Partnership: The Church Partnership of The Orlando Times Newspaper

    http://www.orlando-times.com/a_unique_partnership_511.html

    BY JALESSA CASTILLO, TIMES STAFF WRITER

    ORLANDO - Whether you have been an avid reader of The Orlando Times for many years or if perhaps the featured sermon found on the front page of this newspaper has caught your attention for the first time, you might have had the opportunity to read the Spiritual Living section of the paper. In this section lays an inspirational gem, The Orlando Times Church Directory.

    The Orlando Times has used the Church Directory to provide the contact information and service times of nearly 40 church partners in the Orange, Lake, Seminole, and Osceola County areas for over 30 years! Not to mention, these religious men and women who are the paper’s partners are invited to submit sermons that are published in our spiritual living section, just like the one featured in this edition. These sermons are published with the goal of inspiring and strengthening those reading them.

    The Orlando Times Church Directory/Partnership Program was founded in the 1970s when our Publisher Dr. Calvin Collins Jr. was persuaded by clergymen that ministries should be featured in the paper. On February 15, 1978 Rev. Kenneth Richards of New Hope Baptist Church had the honor of becoming the first Pastor to have their sermon published in the paper. The title of his sermon, “Why The Church Exists.”

    Those who helped to establish the program include Father Nelson Pinder, Rev. Leroy Dennis, Elder W. D Judge, and Bishop Thomas Chenault.

    “It’s a wonderful place for clergypersons to share the Word of God and for the community to know about their clergypersons,” said Father Nelson Pinder.

    Since that humble beginning The Orlando Times has grown to be the only publication with a large church circulation. As the paper currently is circulated to over 300 churches. With this growth The Orlando Times understood that more was needed to keep up.

    Due to the increase in trials and tribulations facing many today The Orlando Times has used the past year to create The Preaching Teaching Panel. This panel is made up of about 20 of our active and inactive church partners who were specifically chosen and who are devoted to constantly write timely and inspiring sermons. This chosen group of men and women are the ones you see featured on the front page along with the title of their sermon.

    Some of the sermons provided by the Preaching Teaching Panel this past year include: “Authority of the Believer,” by Pastor R. W. Merthie of New Life Word Center, “Overcoming Insecurity,” by Pastor Dora Richardson of House of Refuge Ministries, and “Back to Jerusalem,” by Pastor Clarence E. Bell of Church of Christ. Now, some of the sermons are longer so they are broken up into parts, for these sermons the part that you are reading is clearly typed next to the title of the sermon. For instance, “Party Planner Parts 1 & 2” by Pastor Weaver Blondin of Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church and, “Effectual Grace Parts 1, 2, & 3,” by Pastor Dr. Larry Mills of Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church.

    These sermons have been able to touch the hearts of many readers.

    “I read the sermons every week and they continue to deeply inspire me to grow in knowledge of the word of God,” said Magdalene Henderson, an avid reader of The Orlando Times. “Every week there is a new pastor with a new sermon that helps me to gain new insight in my walk with Christ.”

    Although the Church Partnership is meant to encourage readers, like you, that does not stop the Pastors in our partnership from receiving the genuine joy that is brought upon them by being a part of the Church Partnership.

    “When asked to submit a sermon I felt good,” said Pastor Weaver. “It means our message will reach more individuals and maybe lead someone to come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church enjoys being a partner with The Orlando Times and we look forward to a continued partnership for many years to come.”

    Along with bringing joy to those who read it the Church Partnership also provides other benefits.

    “I choose the be a church partner with The Orlando Times because it offers a way to present the Gospel to those who do not attend church, it is serves as a marketing vehicle for my church, and it provides an opportunity to support a Black owned business,” said Pastor Robert Spooney of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Institutional Church. “I would tell any pastor considering becoming a partner that it is a great investment with great returns.”

    The Orlando Times truly hopes that the sermons, like those listed above, have proved to be encouraging to you in your times of distress as well as a source of further joy when you are happy. That is and has always been the goal of The Orlando Times Church Partnership.

    If you are interested in joining the Church Directory and Partnership please feel free to contact us at 407-841-3052 ext. 13 or email us at circulation @ orlando-times . com.

    http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:oNYI3u1BZ_UJ:www.orlando-times.com/a_unique_partnership_511.html

  • Magnum
    Magnum

    I just read the article.

    First, she gives the impression that she not only approves of the church partners, but even that she thinks their contributions are beneficial. In my time, that would have been a definite no-no.

    In fact, we were instructed to not even give the impression when going to door-to-door that we approved of other religions. For example, if a householder said something like "I go to Riverside Church", we were instructed not to say "that's good" (or something expressing approval), but something like "well, I'm glad to know you're interested in spiritual things" (which doesn't express approval of the religion).

    Second, she's not a good journalist and even though she might have a good GPA, her writing is not indicative of a high IQ. I saw multiple grammatical, logic, etc. errors in her writing, and I'm not referring to typos; I'm referring to errors that indicate that she doesn't qualify to call herself a journalist. And, yes, I realize she's young and am taking that into consideration.

    I'm not trying to be harsh, but if she's going to claim to be a journalist and have material published, then she makes herself fair game for criticism. If I claim to be a boxer and jump in the ring with Mike Tyson and he cleans my clock, I have no room for complaint; his beating me would be fair. She put herself in the ring.

  • betterdaze
    betterdaze

    Are Jehovah’s Witnesses allowed to read Orlando Times sermons?


    If this young lady was a study progressing to baptism, would she be allowed to share in the ministry as an unbaptized publisher?

    Would she be allowed to keep her position, considering her employer actively partners with Christendom as part of its business model?

    Or would she be coerced to quit a paying job so as not to stumble others?

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