Every day, I see people from our neighborhood – seniors, students, veterans and homeless people – turn to Loaves and Fishes for a hot, friendly, and filling meal. Loaves and fishes serves over one-hundred people a day, and over 32,000 meals a year.The Diner Dash, September 11th at 6:30PM, is one way to raise the needed funds for this amazing place. It is a four mile race, beginning and ending near the Loaves and Fishes dining room at Lafayette Church, at 875 Elmwood Ave, and following the approximate route of the Subaru Chase (Bidwell, Chapin, Delaware, Summer, Elmwood). For those…
Author: FrankieJo
Ecclesiology is the study of the church. It’s sub-discipline of theology that nearly all of us practice, even those who do not believe, because, among the other questions asked, one is: “What is the church supposed to do?”For example, there are local churches that advocate for health care reform, those who are against it, and others that remain silent (please forgive me for not finding a local link to congregations against–I know, from experience, that you are around, I just couldn’t find a local “con” organization of churches on the web.)Should the church provide adoption services, health care, housing, food? Or…
It’s hard enough moving to a new place. Now imagine doing it because you were no longer safe at home. You are learning a new culture, a new language–and you are pregnant.Sounds tough? It is–but it’s not impossible. And the smallest things can make all the difference–like somebody who can listen, and share tips about raising a kid, or staying healthy in this world.At the Priscilla Project, refugee women who have come from all over the world are doing the best they can to care for their families, but a little bit of help would make a gigantic difference. Would…
The Church has got some problems. How big they are depends on how you measure them, but closings, declining attendance, and (my favorite measure) “good news for the poor” are all down.A recent post on church buildings led to a discussion on what caused the Church’s problems. Please forgive me for ranting in bullet point fashion–I will likely be more thoughtful next post, but this is more of an emotional response.Also, please remember that this is a “lover’s quarrel” for me. I believe that a person committed to a body has a greater right to criticize said body (in love–and,…
So many of the ingredients that made Buffalo prosperous are gone, and they aren’t coming back. Manufacturing will never return to its previous highs and the Erie Canal will never pump cash through our town.But we haven’t completely outlived our usefulness–far from it! This is a fantastic place to live, with incredible resources, even if we’re still moving forward out of an outdated economic (and possibly governmental) model. We’re Buffalo Rising, even if we aren’t Buffalo Risen.Our fate, as a city, seems brighter, but comparable, to that of the traditional newspaper. The monoliths that once dominated the media are now…
Have you exposed your kid(s) to faith? Would you?Once upon a time, a kid was taught (more or less) to simply believe what the parents believed. Baptisms were performed, scripture and/or catechisms were memorized, and education in matters of faith began, basically, before the child could understand the prayers said for her/him.Some people, as adults, have come to resent having had religious choices made for them, especially if they later rejected those choices. This has led to some new phenomena, such as lawsuits to remove a name from a church’s rolls, and de-baptisms (usually performed with a hair-dryer). After all, kids…
“There is no better job in the world,” says Detective Kevin Biggs. This is coming from a man who is on a regular basis verbally and physically assaulted, yelled at, lied to, threatened and the list goes on and on. But he really means it. He loves his job. When I asked him if it is a calling, he said, “No, it’s just a job.” By way of background, I first met Detective Biggs, fondly known as Biggsie, when my garage and vehicles were broken into. The thieves got a bag of Canadian change, $5 US dollars and my old,…
Looking for the right tools and thoughts to market your business? Look no further! 12 Grain Studio, a firm with specialties in web and graphic design, traditional and digital illustration and animation, is moving downtown. The husband and wife team have an impressive list of references and current projects that include The Artery Magazine, Eastpoint Electric and The Rambler Magazine. The two-person company is made up of Laura Sargent, designer and former arts writer for Buffalo Rising, and Matt Duquette, art director and senior designer. Their work is done from home, which means they can provide agency quality work and…
From just driving around the city one might not know it, but nestled on Delaware Avenue is one of our country’s many historic sites, where major events unfolded right here in Buffalo. This is, of course, the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site, where the young and unaware vice president assumed office as the 26th president on September 14th, 1901 after the fatal shooting of President William McKinley. It was a rough time in our history, with the country coping with the dramatic and unexpected assassination of a president and the welcoming of a new one with many pressing issues at hand,…
As I recover from the madness that was last weekend at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee, I can’t help but look up North and feel a tinge of regret. This weekend, our northernly neighbors will play host to one of the largest music conferences on the continent, the 15 year old North By Northeast Music Conference, with over 500 acts and filmmakers showcasing their work starting today and ending on Sunday the 21st. Much like other conference-style music festivals, the shows are scattered about the city in their numerous music clubs, as well as at public stages, and features a…