Faith | Santa Rosa Press Gazette

Comedian Tim Hawkins brings joy to Immanuel Baptist Church

May 31, 2023

One of the most popular features in Reader’s Digest magazine – “Laughter is the Best Medicine” – collects family friendly jokes, stories and cartoons. The title reflects an ancient and universal truth many will recognize from the Old Testament Book of Proverbs, a compilation of Hebrew wisdom sayings. Proverbs Chapter 17, Verse 22, says “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”

Help in tough times

May 22, 2023

“A lot of times, they’re the best part of somebody’s worst day.” Tom Lloyd, Santa Rosa County’s Public Safety Director

Area churches divorce United Methodist Church

May 15, 2023

The United Methodist Church is navigating a historic schism, a division into two groups caused by a disagreement about ideas. On May 7, the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the UMC approved final “disaffiliation” of 193 congregations, bringing the number of defections to 240 since 2021.

Sports as ministry: Gospel Projects has long history of serving area youth

May 8, 2023

The Gospel Projects Youth Athletic Club has been doing things differently since 1958. “This program is about the Lord Jesus Christ,” said Todd Brainard, pastor at Milton’s Grace Bible Church. “That has been our focus from Day 1. We’re not perfect, but we do our best to create a good environment for our kids and their parents to experience God’s love and Christian fellowship.”

Prison minister: ‘I can see God’s hand working in those guys’

May 2, 2023

The Rev. Deacon John Kendall of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Milton has been in and out of prisons for years now; twice a week these days. Kendall, an ordained vocational deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, leads worship services at the Blackwater River Correctional Facility in East Milton and the G.K. Fountain Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama.

Twelve steps, one goal

April 25, 2023

The people who developed the Coming Clean addiction recovery program at West Florida Baptist Church aren’t trained substance abuse counselors, but they are qualified.

High Praise worshipping Jesus, serving the community

April 17, 2023

The first time you meet Micah and Chelsea Gay, pastors of High Praise Church in Crestview, it feels like you’re relaxing with longtime friends. The young couple are authentic and welcoming as they talk about their love for the local church and reaching people for Jesus.

‘Messages of Love’

April 4, 2023

Pine Terrace Baptist Church shared “messages of love” Tuesday as part of One Love Florida’s Holy Week activities.

How Easter killed my faith in atheism

April 3, 2023

It was the worst news I could get as an atheist: my agnostic wife had decided to become a Christian. Two words shot through my mind. The first was an expletive; the second was “divorce.” I thought she was going to turn into a self-righteous holy roller. But over the following months, I was intrigued by the positive changes in her character and values.

Milton foster home experiences a ‘God moment’ for the children

March 13, 2023

A “welcome” sign that was for sale started a series of events resulting in a Milton foster home getting a free, brand-new roof last week. “I call these ‘God moments,’” said Liz Gibson, founder and president of For the Children of Milton, a not-for-profit corporation that owns and operates a foster-care facility at the end of Whitmire Road.

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