lwc
you can rise again
Waimbaji wa Injili wajitokeza kumfariji Bahati Bukuku Msiba wa Baba yake
Baadhi ya picha za msiba wa baba mzazi wa mwimbaji gospel nchini Bahati Bukuku aitwaye mzee Lwaga Bukuku ambaye alifariki dunia hivi majuzi jijini Dar es salaam. ambapo msiba ulikuwa nyumbani kwa mwimbaji huyo maeneo ya Tabata, watu mbalimbali wakiwemo waimbaji wenzake Bahati kama David Robert, Jennifer Mgendi, Christina Shusho,Jane Misso, Christina Matai, Neema Gasper na wMbeya kwa mazishi.engine walifika nyumbani hapo kumpa pole, mwili umesafirishwa kuelekea mkoani.
Source:http://gospelkitaa.blogspot.com
Source:http://gospelkitaa.blogspot.com
Assemblies of God Churches Rank Among Largest, Fastest-Growing in US
LifeWay Research, in cooperation with Outreach magazine, recently released the list of the top 100 fastest-growing churches and the top 100 largest churches in the United States. The study found nine Assemblies of God churches in the fastest-growing category and four in the largest category.
Leading the way in fastest-growing churches for the AG was Christ’s Place (No. 19 overall) in Lincoln, Neb., and Hope Fellowship (No. 21) in Frisco, Texas. Other churches include International Christian Center (No. 44), Staten Island, N.Y; Newlife (No. 53), Silverdale, Wash.; Destination Church (No. 57), Colonial Heights, Va.; Hickory First (No. 60), Hickory, N.C.; South Hills Church (No. 62), Corona, Calif.; Rockford, First (No. 64), Rockford, Ill.; and Journey Community Church (No. 69), Fairview Park, Ohio.
In the Outreach 100 report, Ronald Squibb, senior pastor of International Christian Center, credits his church’s growth due, in part, to Superstorm Sandy.
“Out of that tragedy and out of that adversity, God has used that and has given us favor on the island,” he said. “We’re not waiting for people to come to the church. We’re investing in the community, reaching into our community.”
In addition, Destination Church, launched in 2011, also had the distinction of being the youngest church making the fastest-growing list.
Texas is home to 19 of the fastest-growing churches, followed by California and North Carolina, each with seven, and Virginia, with six.
According to Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, one thing that repeatedly stood out to him and his team during this study was that churches that were growing typically had one thing in common: sacrifice.
“Growing chuches are showing a great commitment to multiplying themselves,” writes Stetzer in his Outreach report. “This commitment to multiplication often creates a need for sacrifice. Sacrifice is inherent to the experience of every growing believer—and every growing church.”
The four AG churches that made the top 100 largest churches list include Phoenix First Assembly (No. 10), Phoenix, Ariz; The House Modesto (No. 40), Modesto, Calif.; James River Assembly (No. 60), Ozark, Mo.; and First Assembly of God (No. 70), Fort Myers, Fla.
Texas leads the country with 17 of the largest churches in the country, followed by California with 16, Florida with 9 and Georgia with 7.
“When I look over the list of fastest-growing churches, it’s exciting to see that fast-growing AG churches are spanning the country,” says AG General Superintendent George O. Wood. “And when I see AG churches not only growing but multiplying themselves through discipleship while being the hands and feet of Christ to their communities, that’s what truly stands out to me—whether the church made one of these lists or not.”
Supreme Court to Consider Religious Prayer at Government Meetings
In a case that could determine restrictions on expressions of faith in the public square, the Supreme Court on Wednesday (Nov. 6) will consider religious prayers that convene government meetings.
At issue in Greece v. Galloway is whether such invocations pass constitutional muster, even when government officials are not purposefully proselytizing or discriminating.
Can a town council, for example, open its meetings with prayers invoking Jesus Christ, as happened repeatedly in the town of Greece, N.Y.?
At issue in Greece v. Galloway is whether such invocations pass constitutional muster, even when government officials are not purposefully proselytizing or discriminating.
Can a town council, for example, open its meetings with prayers invoking Jesus Christ, as happened repeatedly in the town of Greece, N.Y.?
“There’s a whole lot at stake here,” said Ira Lupu, a law professor at George Washington University who specializes in the First Amendment’s religion clauses.
“This case is about first principles: whether the government of a town, acting through its town board, can advance a particular brand of Christianity or any other faith,” said Lupu.
On the other side of the question, Jeff Mateer of the Texas-based Liberty Institute invokes free speech rights and hopes the court will reason that government has no business parsing the words of those who wish to pray in a public forum.
“The government can’t tell people what to pray,” said Mateer, who argues that invocations are constitutional as long as government leaders are neutral in selecting who may offer an opening prayer. Of course the prayers offered in Greece were Christian, he said. “The people in the community are Christians.”
For those who side with the town of Greece, the justices’ decision could mean the protection or erosion of a cherished religious right.
“Americans today should be free as the Founders were to pray,” said David A. Cortman of the Alliance Defending Freedom, the Arizona-based Christian law firm that represents the town. “In fact, the Founders prayed while drafting our Constitution’s Bill of Rights.”
The town in upstate New York used to open its town council meetings with a moment of silence. But starting in 1999, a “chaplain of the month” was invited to offer a prayer. Two-thirds of those prayers offered in the course of a decade invoked “Jesus” or “the Holy Spirit,” and pastors also asked those present to pray with them and recite the Lord’s Prayer.
Two women from the town — Susan Galloway, who is Jewish, and Linda Stephens, an atheist — sued with the help of Washington-based Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Greece did invite a few non-Christians to convene the council meetings in 2008, but only after the women filed the lawsuit, which charged that the town promoted Christianity in violation of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which prohibits government-sponsored religion.
Galloway and Stephens lost in federal court in 2011 — the court ruled that town leaders weren’t trying to exclude non-Christians — but won in 2012 at the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that the town’s approach to public prayer amounted to an endorsement of Christianity.
Now the Supreme Court takes the case, with the Obama administration backing the town — a surprise to many court watchers who expected the Democratic administration to side with those who want less religion in the public square.
Some speculate that a White House already at odds with conservatives on religious liberty issues, such as the contraception mandate in the president’s health plan, sees the case as an opportunity to appear more sympathetic to those who say the administration has marginalized religion in the U.S.
Another theory: The administration believes the town is likely to prevail and wants to argue the case so that the court will opt for a more narrow definition of permissible prayer.
The town’s lawyers will contend that prayer at Greece’s town council meetings fell within the limits set in the last Supreme Court case that dealt with legislative prayer: Marsh v. Chambers, in 1983.
In that decision, the high court noted that the history of legislative prayer stretches back to the Continental Congress, which, in 1774, decided to convene with a prayer. It ruled legislative prayers even sectarian ones — constitutional, as long as they don’t promote any religion or disparage any other.
“This case is about first principles: whether the government of a town, acting through its town board, can advance a particular brand of Christianity or any other faith,” said Lupu.
On the other side of the question, Jeff Mateer of the Texas-based Liberty Institute invokes free speech rights and hopes the court will reason that government has no business parsing the words of those who wish to pray in a public forum.
“The government can’t tell people what to pray,” said Mateer, who argues that invocations are constitutional as long as government leaders are neutral in selecting who may offer an opening prayer. Of course the prayers offered in Greece were Christian, he said. “The people in the community are Christians.”
For those who side with the town of Greece, the justices’ decision could mean the protection or erosion of a cherished religious right.
“Americans today should be free as the Founders were to pray,” said David A. Cortman of the Alliance Defending Freedom, the Arizona-based Christian law firm that represents the town. “In fact, the Founders prayed while drafting our Constitution’s Bill of Rights.”
The town in upstate New York used to open its town council meetings with a moment of silence. But starting in 1999, a “chaplain of the month” was invited to offer a prayer. Two-thirds of those prayers offered in the course of a decade invoked “Jesus” or “the Holy Spirit,” and pastors also asked those present to pray with them and recite the Lord’s Prayer.
Two women from the town — Susan Galloway, who is Jewish, and Linda Stephens, an atheist — sued with the help of Washington-based Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Greece did invite a few non-Christians to convene the council meetings in 2008, but only after the women filed the lawsuit, which charged that the town promoted Christianity in violation of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which prohibits government-sponsored religion.
Galloway and Stephens lost in federal court in 2011 — the court ruled that town leaders weren’t trying to exclude non-Christians — but won in 2012 at the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that the town’s approach to public prayer amounted to an endorsement of Christianity.
Now the Supreme Court takes the case, with the Obama administration backing the town — a surprise to many court watchers who expected the Democratic administration to side with those who want less religion in the public square.
Some speculate that a White House already at odds with conservatives on religious liberty issues, such as the contraception mandate in the president’s health plan, sees the case as an opportunity to appear more sympathetic to those who say the administration has marginalized religion in the U.S.
Another theory: The administration believes the town is likely to prevail and wants to argue the case so that the court will opt for a more narrow definition of permissible prayer.
The town’s lawyers will contend that prayer at Greece’s town council meetings fell within the limits set in the last Supreme Court case that dealt with legislative prayer: Marsh v. Chambers, in 1983.
In that decision, the high court noted that the history of legislative prayer stretches back to the Continental Congress, which, in 1774, decided to convene with a prayer. It ruled legislative prayers even sectarian ones — constitutional, as long as they don’t promote any religion or disparage any other.
But since the Marsh ruling, said Mateer, lower courts have issued many other Establishment Clause rulings, with some decisions at odds with others, and judges have relied upon a variety of tests to determine whether the Establishment Clause has been violated.
“Establishment Clause jurisprudence today is in shambles,” said Mateer. “This case presents the opportunity to the court to provide clarity.”
Several court watchers predict a 5-4 split on the question and say the justices could go either way, with Justice Anthony Kennedy casting the swing vote as he often does. Though the court will hear arguments on Wednesday, it will likely take months before a decision is announced.
“Establishment Clause jurisprudence today is in shambles,” said Mateer. “This case presents the opportunity to the court to provide clarity.”
Several court watchers predict a 5-4 split on the question and say the justices could go either way, with Justice Anthony Kennedy casting the swing vote as he often does. Though the court will hear arguments on Wednesday, it will likely take months before a decision is announced.
Maaskofu wapinga alama mpya za mitihani
Baraza la Maaskofu wa Kanisa Katoliki Tanzania (Tec), ‘limeuponda’
uamuzi wa serikali wa kushusha viwango vya ufaulu kwa mitihani ya kidato
cha nne na sita, likisisitiza kuwa hatua hiyo ni upungufu na ishara ya
kuporomoka kwa siasa na ni kipimo kitakachoitumbukiza elimu shimoni.
Kauli hiyo ya Tec, imekuja wakati serikali imetangaza rasmi kuanza kutumika kwa mfumo mpya wa usahihishaji wa mitihani na upangaji wa viwango vya madaraja ya ufaulu, uamuzi ambao hata hivyo, umelifuta daraja sifuri, kuanzia mwakani.
Rais wa baraza hilo, Askofu Tarcius Ngalalekumtwa, akizungumza katika mahafali ya sita ya Chuo Kikuu Kishiriki cha Elimu, Mwenge (Mwuce), kilichopo Wilaya ya Moshi, mkoani Kilimanjaro, alisema kitendo hicho kinaishangaza dunia kutokana na wenye dhamana kubadili maneno katika kushughulikia elimu na kwamba hali siyo nzuri katika sekta hiyo kwa sababu 'hatutaki kutafuta ni wapi tulipojikwaa na kutufikisha hapo tulipo.'
Mabadiliko hayo na utaratibu wa kuimarisha mfumo huo wa ufaulu, utaanza kutumika katika kupanga matokeo ya kidato cha nne na sita kwa mwaka 2013/2014, wakati umma ukiwa bado unahoji kilicho nyuma ya pazia juu ya matokeo ya aibu ya mwaka jana ya kidato cha nne baada ya asilimia 60 ya watahiniwa wote kupata daraja sifuri.
“Kufuta zero (sifuri), ni sawa na kuongeza zero nyingine kwa kuwa utazalisha wengi wasio na sifa hata kama utabadili maneno na kuliita daraja fulani; tunalitumbukiza taifa letu katika balaa. Hali si nzuri na hatujui hali hiyo ilianza lini ingawa kuna mahali tulipita na kujikwaa…huu ni upungufu na kuporomoka kwa siasa,” alisema Rais huyo.
Alienda mbali zaidi, akiitaka serikali kutazama upya suala la mikopo kwa wanafunzi wanaodaihiliwa kujiunga na vyuo vya elimu ya juu nchini,na vijana wengi kukosa mikopo hiyo kwa kisingizio cha kushindwa kukidhi vigezo vya bodi ya mikopo ambayo imekuwa ikikabiliwa na mapungufu kadhaa.
Awali, Mwenyekiti wa bodi ya chuo hicho ambaye pia ni Askofu wa Jimbo Katoliki la Moshi, Askofu Isack Amani, akitoa nasaha zake katika mahafali hayo, alisema taifa linapaswa kutafakari upya uamuzi huo kwa kuwa watu wanaweza kufuta mawazo ya alama sifuri usoni lakini siyo kichwani.
“Wakati Watanzania wanatafakari uamuzi huu wa serikali, naomba nikuhakikishe, baba askofu Ngalalekumtwa (Rais wa Tec), kwamba maagizo ya baraza lako kuhusu chuo hiki (Mwuce) kuwa chuo kikuu kamili, menejimenti iko katika mchakato huo na tutakuita ukizindue mara baada ya kupata hati ya ithibati toka Tume ya Vyuo Vikuu nchini yaani TCU,” alisema Askofu Amani.
Kwa upande wake, Makamu Mkuu wa Chuo Kikuu cha Mtakatifu Augustino (Saut), cha Jijini Mwanza, Padri Pius Mgeni, akizungumzia mustakabali wa elimu nchini kwa sasa, alisema kwamba hali ni mbaya katika baadhi ya vyuo vya elimu ya juu kutokana na idara nyingi ikiwamo inayoshughulikia lugha ya Kiswahili kuongozwa na wageni kutoka nje ya nchi kutokana na wazawa kukosa sifa za kuongoza baadhi ya idara.
“Ukimsikia mtu anakuita wewe ni Mswahili usifikiri anakusifia unajua Kiswahili, hapana; huyo anamaanisha wewe hujui na ni mtu wa porojoporojo.Hali ni mbaya vyuoni na hata pale kwangu idara ya Kiswahili inaongozwa na Wakenya wakati sisi tunapiga blaa blaa. Tunalo tatizo kwa sababu wasomi wanakimbizana na fedha badala ya kutoa mchango wao kwa taifa,” alisema Padre Mgeni.
Hata hivyo, baadhi ya wahitimu wa chuo hicho waliozungumza na chanzo cha habari kwa nyakati tofauti, walisema serikali imechukua uamuzi huo kisiasa ili kuhakikisha inatimiza lengo lao la mpango wa matokeo makubwa sasa, ambalo ni kuhakikisha matokeo ya ufaulu kwa mtihani wa kidato cha nne mwaka huu unafikia asilimia 60 kutoka 33 ya mwaka jana.
Jumla ya wahitimu 447 walitunukiwa vyeti vya ngazi mbalimbali kwenye mahafali hayo.
Awali, Baraza la Mitihani la Taifa (Necta) lilikuwa likitumia alama A, B, C, D na F huku alama A ikianza na maksi wa asilimia 81-100, B=61-80, C=41-60, D=21-40 na F=0-20. Aidha kulikuwapo na madaraja ya I, II, III, IV na 0.
Kwa mujibu ya mabadiliko hayo yaliyotangazwa wiki iliyopita na Katibu Mkuu wa Wizara ya Elimu na Mafunzo ya Ufundi, Profesa Sifuni Mchome, alama zitashuka ambapo alama A itakuwa ni (75-100),B+ (60-74), B (50-59),C (40-49), D (30-39), E (20-29) na F (0-19).
Source:NIPASHE
Kauli hiyo ya Tec, imekuja wakati serikali imetangaza rasmi kuanza kutumika kwa mfumo mpya wa usahihishaji wa mitihani na upangaji wa viwango vya madaraja ya ufaulu, uamuzi ambao hata hivyo, umelifuta daraja sifuri, kuanzia mwakani.
Rais wa baraza hilo, Askofu Tarcius Ngalalekumtwa, akizungumza katika mahafali ya sita ya Chuo Kikuu Kishiriki cha Elimu, Mwenge (Mwuce), kilichopo Wilaya ya Moshi, mkoani Kilimanjaro, alisema kitendo hicho kinaishangaza dunia kutokana na wenye dhamana kubadili maneno katika kushughulikia elimu na kwamba hali siyo nzuri katika sekta hiyo kwa sababu 'hatutaki kutafuta ni wapi tulipojikwaa na kutufikisha hapo tulipo.'
Mabadiliko hayo na utaratibu wa kuimarisha mfumo huo wa ufaulu, utaanza kutumika katika kupanga matokeo ya kidato cha nne na sita kwa mwaka 2013/2014, wakati umma ukiwa bado unahoji kilicho nyuma ya pazia juu ya matokeo ya aibu ya mwaka jana ya kidato cha nne baada ya asilimia 60 ya watahiniwa wote kupata daraja sifuri.
“Kufuta zero (sifuri), ni sawa na kuongeza zero nyingine kwa kuwa utazalisha wengi wasio na sifa hata kama utabadili maneno na kuliita daraja fulani; tunalitumbukiza taifa letu katika balaa. Hali si nzuri na hatujui hali hiyo ilianza lini ingawa kuna mahali tulipita na kujikwaa…huu ni upungufu na kuporomoka kwa siasa,” alisema Rais huyo.
Alienda mbali zaidi, akiitaka serikali kutazama upya suala la mikopo kwa wanafunzi wanaodaihiliwa kujiunga na vyuo vya elimu ya juu nchini,na vijana wengi kukosa mikopo hiyo kwa kisingizio cha kushindwa kukidhi vigezo vya bodi ya mikopo ambayo imekuwa ikikabiliwa na mapungufu kadhaa.
Awali, Mwenyekiti wa bodi ya chuo hicho ambaye pia ni Askofu wa Jimbo Katoliki la Moshi, Askofu Isack Amani, akitoa nasaha zake katika mahafali hayo, alisema taifa linapaswa kutafakari upya uamuzi huo kwa kuwa watu wanaweza kufuta mawazo ya alama sifuri usoni lakini siyo kichwani.
“Wakati Watanzania wanatafakari uamuzi huu wa serikali, naomba nikuhakikishe, baba askofu Ngalalekumtwa (Rais wa Tec), kwamba maagizo ya baraza lako kuhusu chuo hiki (Mwuce) kuwa chuo kikuu kamili, menejimenti iko katika mchakato huo na tutakuita ukizindue mara baada ya kupata hati ya ithibati toka Tume ya Vyuo Vikuu nchini yaani TCU,” alisema Askofu Amani.
Kwa upande wake, Makamu Mkuu wa Chuo Kikuu cha Mtakatifu Augustino (Saut), cha Jijini Mwanza, Padri Pius Mgeni, akizungumzia mustakabali wa elimu nchini kwa sasa, alisema kwamba hali ni mbaya katika baadhi ya vyuo vya elimu ya juu kutokana na idara nyingi ikiwamo inayoshughulikia lugha ya Kiswahili kuongozwa na wageni kutoka nje ya nchi kutokana na wazawa kukosa sifa za kuongoza baadhi ya idara.
“Ukimsikia mtu anakuita wewe ni Mswahili usifikiri anakusifia unajua Kiswahili, hapana; huyo anamaanisha wewe hujui na ni mtu wa porojoporojo.Hali ni mbaya vyuoni na hata pale kwangu idara ya Kiswahili inaongozwa na Wakenya wakati sisi tunapiga blaa blaa. Tunalo tatizo kwa sababu wasomi wanakimbizana na fedha badala ya kutoa mchango wao kwa taifa,” alisema Padre Mgeni.
Hata hivyo, baadhi ya wahitimu wa chuo hicho waliozungumza na chanzo cha habari kwa nyakati tofauti, walisema serikali imechukua uamuzi huo kisiasa ili kuhakikisha inatimiza lengo lao la mpango wa matokeo makubwa sasa, ambalo ni kuhakikisha matokeo ya ufaulu kwa mtihani wa kidato cha nne mwaka huu unafikia asilimia 60 kutoka 33 ya mwaka jana.
Jumla ya wahitimu 447 walitunukiwa vyeti vya ngazi mbalimbali kwenye mahafali hayo.
Awali, Baraza la Mitihani la Taifa (Necta) lilikuwa likitumia alama A, B, C, D na F huku alama A ikianza na maksi wa asilimia 81-100, B=61-80, C=41-60, D=21-40 na F=0-20. Aidha kulikuwapo na madaraja ya I, II, III, IV na 0.
Kwa mujibu ya mabadiliko hayo yaliyotangazwa wiki iliyopita na Katibu Mkuu wa Wizara ya Elimu na Mafunzo ya Ufundi, Profesa Sifuni Mchome, alama zitashuka ambapo alama A itakuwa ni (75-100),B+ (60-74), B (50-59),C (40-49), D (30-39), E (20-29) na F (0-19).
Source:NIPASHE
National Security Agency (NSA) Denies Allegations of Spying on Pope Francis, Vatican Officials.
 |
| Pope Francis |
The article also claims the NSA intercepted calls pertaining to the election of the head of the Vatican bank, among other things. The agency is said to have divided the information it intercepted from the Vatican into four categories: "leadership intentions," "foreign policy objectives," "threats to financial systems" and "human rights."
Fr. Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, released a brief statement about the report.
"My response regarding the article on Panorama on the alleged wiretapping is that we don't know anything about this matter and in any case, we have no worries about it," his statement reads, according to Zenit.org.
NSA Spokesperson Vanee' Vines says the claims made by the magazine are false.
"The National Security Agency does not target the Vatican," Vines wrote in an email to the Los Angeles Times. "Assertions that NSA has targeted the Vatican, published in Italy's Panorama magazine, are not true."
Panorama's report comes just days after the European Union warned the U.S. that spying on its governments could negatively impact their common fight against terrorism. A delegation from the European Union visited the White House on Wednesday to discuss the NSA controversy, according to Politico, as did a delegation from Germany following reports that the NSA tapped German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cell phone.
Merkel "views such practices, if proven true, as completely unacceptable and condemns them unequivocally," her spokesman said in a recent statement. "Between close friends and partners, as Germany and the U.S. have been for decades, there should not be such monitoring of the communications of a government leader. This would be a grave breach of trust. Such practices should be immediately stopped."
Fr. Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, released a brief statement about the report.
"My response regarding the article on Panorama on the alleged wiretapping is that we don't know anything about this matter and in any case, we have no worries about it," his statement reads, according to Zenit.org.
NSA Spokesperson Vanee' Vines says the claims made by the magazine are false.
"The National Security Agency does not target the Vatican," Vines wrote in an email to the Los Angeles Times. "Assertions that NSA has targeted the Vatican, published in Italy's Panorama magazine, are not true."
Panorama's report comes just days after the European Union warned the U.S. that spying on its governments could negatively impact their common fight against terrorism. A delegation from the European Union visited the White House on Wednesday to discuss the NSA controversy, according to Politico, as did a delegation from Germany following reports that the NSA tapped German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cell phone.
Merkel "views such practices, if proven true, as completely unacceptable and condemns them unequivocally," her spokesman said in a recent statement. "Between close friends and partners, as Germany and the U.S. have been for decades, there should not be such monitoring of the communications of a government leader. This would be a grave breach of trust. Such practices should be immediately stopped."
The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) monitored the phone calls of the future Pope Francis and other Vatican officials leading up to the papal conclave, according to an Italian magazine, though the spy agency has denied the report.
Panorama, an Italian weekly, reports that the agency monitored calls made by Catholic cardinals and bishops both before and during this year's papal conclave, according to The Telegraph. Calls to and from the place where Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, resided during the conclave were among those that were reportedly monitored.
Panorama, an Italian weekly, reports that the agency monitored calls made by Catholic cardinals and bishops both before and during this year's papal conclave, according to The Telegraph. Calls to and from the place where Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, resided during the conclave were among those that were reportedly monitored.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)