Merry Christmas

 

The staff at the SL Newser wishes all of you a Merry Christmas.

(Taken at Caledon Downs)

 

Announcement: Affiliated Ministries' Easter Dance

 

 !Affiliated Ministries invites you & your friends to our Annual Easter Dance.

If your are in SL between SLT 4-8 pm on Saturday April 15th 2023 Please join us as we Celebrate Jesus's Resurrection & God accepting Jesus’s Sacrifice as payment for our sins.

This years Easter Event will start at 4PM with a message from Pastor Michael followed by the dance outside Club United's Chapel. DJs Bob & Zakar will be providing the music as we all join together as 1 corporate family of God in SL & fellowship together.

    Sim – Eternal Life
    SLURL: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Eternal%20Life/123/247/1002
    When: Saturday April 15th 2023
    Time: SL 4 to 8 pm
              * Come when you can, leave when you need to.
    Attire - Sunday Best or Semi-Formal wear
              * This is a G rated Event, please dress appropriately.

!Affiliated Ministries is a group of Christians & Staff Representatives from Christian Groups in SL that all work towards bringing everyone together for Corporate Celebrations of Our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ.

For any Information or questions you may have;
Please contact
2023 !AM Chairperson - TicToc (tigrera.silverfall)

Merry Christmas

 

Merry Christmas from the crew of the Second Life Newser

Taken at Caledon Downs

 

Easter Art Exhibition at Harmony Castle

 

The story of Easter is told in many ways today, through movies, television, stage plays, and books. But centuries ago, it was told in another way, through art. Dancerina Starlight recently went to Harmony Castle in Gorlen Bay. The place currently hosts an Easter art exhibition with pictures from various artists between the Fourteenth and Nineteenth Centuries showing different scenes of Christ in Jerusalem which "depict episodes of Jesus' journey to the cross and beyond."
 
See Dancerina's article in Design.
 

Return to Grace Baptist Church

 

Easter has come and gone, and we had fun with bunnies, chocolate, and eggs. But there's more to the holiday than that. For religious Christians, it's one of the more important holidays of the year, and of course church. For those in Second Life, there are churches one can go to, which can come in handy for the physically disabled or if one lives too far away from one in real life. Yours truly stopped by one a couple days ago, and had a talk with the pastor as well as two of the parishioners.

Read the story in People.
 

Cleopatra Xigalia and the Ephesians Four Christian Community

The Newser recently met up with Cleopatra Xigalia, whom wanted to discuss the Christian community in Second Life she was a part of, Ephesians Four. The group isn't a traditional church and pastor. But it's more of a combination Bible studies group, and friends with a common interest, Christianity, whom like to have some fun together. Cleopatra, and other members of the group, told me what they felt their community was about.

Read the story in People.

Announcement:Club United's Christmas and New Year's Party

IT'S A PARTY! And YOU are invited!

Please join us at Club United on Wednesday December 28th, from 5 to 9 pm SLT, for the first annual Christian Christmas Party. Everyone is welcome whether you are a member of one of the sponsoring groups or not.

Theme is "Red & Green".
There will be contests every hour.

Formal attire preferred but not required.

Get ready to have some fun, meet new people, and generally have a great time!

And maybe have a surprise or 2. :)

PS: Club United is located on the G-rated Eternal Life sim. Please dress appropriately. Thanks!

Eternal Life (122, 225, 1001)

"One the  friendliest clubs in Second Life, well established, and sponsored by Full Vision Ministries in Myrtle Beach SC. This is Christmas party with different Christian groups coming together. but you don't have to be a Christian to join the party, just be respectful of Christian beliefs."

Announcement: "Faith Filled Furries" Dance at Club Remnants

Sunday at 8PM SL time is the monthly "Faith-Filled Furries" dance at Club Remnants, a club for a Christian group, TRF Ministries, and their friends, "Not your daddies night club. Real people, Real Faith, Real Christians."

As it turns out, one of the members has a birthday this weekend. So they're making it in part a birthday party. There's also a contest for the best Pokemon look. 

Dreamworld Pirate (192, 69, 22)

Church Services

Looking for a church to go to in Second Life this Easter, or the rest of the year? There's two where all are welcome (and presumably others that we haven't found yet). One is the Grace Baptist Church (article April 2014) in Lionhear Pumbaa (39/72/29), which holds Sunday services at 5AM and 5PM SL time. Website: http://gracechurch-sl.org .

Another is the ALM Cyberchurch, in Pieup (16/48/63), which holds its Sunday service at 11AM SL time. Website: http://almcyberchurch.org .

The ALM Cyberchurch (Feb 2010)

The following was originally published in Second Life Newspaper in February 2010

I recently came across a church in Second Life, the ALM Cyber Church. The church is in the appropriately  named Truth sim. Porting there automatically takes one to the sim entry circle at (124, 118, 26). In front of the newly arrived visitor will be a structure full of stained-glass windows, with a steeple on top. Near the church is a three-cross structure. There are some nearby places. Behind the sim entrance is a community center. Further away is a garden area, and some residential quarters.

The church holds two regular events a week. One is the Ladies’ Bible Study on Tuesdays at 1:30 PM SL time. And of course there is the Sunday Service at 11:00 AM SL time. Services are conducted by pastors Rev. Benjamin and Mariposa Psaltery. The chapel is constructed much like that of a real church, with ample seating in the pews and a second floor available. Behind the pulpit are a piano and an electronic organ. Near the doors is a collections plate for Lindens.

The Sunday I showed up, attendance was small at first, but gradually grew. At one point there were 36 people around, both furred and normal human, and a tiny. Above Benjamin was a tag showing a proverb from the Bible. At a couple times, the pastors would sing, some of the congregation getting up with their arms up in the air, swinging:

Bless the Lord O my soul
     and all that is within me
     bless His holy name

For he has done great things
     He has done great things
     He has done great things
He's so good to me

He saved my soul
     He saved my soul
     He saved my soul
He's so good to me

He is coming soon
     He is coming soon
     He is coming soon
Bless his holy name

The sermon was around the passage Romans 13: 1-4 in the Bible, concerning submission to earthy authority, “It’s too easy to speak evil of others ... of our leaders. But we will not be blessed unless we speak good ... He who rebels against authority rebels against what God has established. ... It’s best to examine our own lives. ... Spreading gossip? Stop it! Speaking evil of our leaders? Stop it.”

There were some signs that a few in the audience seemed to be missing the point, one typing, “unrealistic RP.” Then floating, joking that he had been healed. Following the service, when some went up to the altar to pray, a few began being disruptive. After plenty of fair warning, they were finally banned from the sim.

Presumably that grefing was a rare event in this church in Second Life.

Bixyl Shuftan

*Addition* The church is still around, located in Pieup (16, 28, 63). Sunday services are still at 11 AM

Return to the God’s House of Prayer Church

About two years ago, Grease Coakes paid a visit to the House of Prayer church. He recently decided to check in on the place to see how it was doing. Indeed the church had changed, such as the chapel now being an outdoor one. But an even bigger difference was they had gone from having furred avatars in the flock to telling those coming by only human appearances were welcome.

Read Grease's story in People.

Grace Baptist Church of Second Life

One can find many things in Second Life. This includes places to go to church. Among them is the Grace Baptist Church of Second Life. Second Life Newser recently went to the location for a closer look, and had a few words with it's Pastor, Bryan Sarjeant.

Read about the church in People.

Bible Study at the "House of Prayer" Church

With Easter later this month, churches are more active than usual this time of year. And this includes churches in Second Life. Grease Coakes stopped by one, the "House of Prayer" church during its Bible study hour. There was singing, and much discussion as the group talked about God.

Read Grease's story in Places.

Ash Wednesday Forehead Mark

"After the reverly, time to reflect." At least that what comes to mind with the contrast between Mardi Gras or "Carnival," and Ash Wednesday. For those who don't know, Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent. For Catholics and more recently some Protestant denominations, the day offers church services in which the observers have their foreheads with a cross-shaped mark made of ashes.

Second Life Marketplace offers several forehead cross marks. Among them, a free one from Edd Thor, whom on his profile described himself as Episcopalian, "Ash Wednesday is observed by some denominations as the beginning of the time of preparation for Easter. A cross made of ashes may be placed on the forehead, perhaps with the words, "Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return." To the best of my knowledge, the church clip art from which these crosses are derived are public domain."

The item can be found on the Marketplace Here.

The New Life Church

While people usually think of Easter bunnies and chocolates this time of year, for churchgoers it's also time to celebrate what Easter originally meant, the Resurrection. Second Life has it's share of churches. Among them is the New Life Church in the Shelton sim.

Read more in People.

Via Crucis

Here is another site you might like to visit before Easter. You are invited to Via Crucis: a depiction of the last journey of Jesus on the way to the cross remembered on Good Friday of this solemn week. It will be here until April 15 in case you miss it during this busy week. It is interactive and there are avatars to pick up and you may participate in each station as you walk the way.

Sicily Zapatero sent me this invitation:

The Way of the Cross. Beginning April 5th, 2012 at 1pm SLT.

The Passion of Christ presented as a 3D immersive experience. All are welcome to visit the Stations of the Cross as never before, in this self guided exhibit where the power of avatar identity is felt. The Exhibit will open to the public at 1pm slt April 5. through April 15th . Presented by Sicily Zapatero & Eros Boa. A Heart2Art production.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Naberrie/178/220/48

Gemma Cleanslate

Ash Wednesday Forehead Mark Av Tattoo

I found out from a friend about this item in SL Marketplace, an avatar tattoo made to look like the forehead mark made during Ash Wednesday church ceremonies.

Get ready for Lent with this affordable Ash Wednesday ash for your forehead. It comes as a Second Life tattoo. Just click wear and you are good to go. The item transfers so get one for your family and friends. A wonderful way to observe the special time of Lent.

Made by JP Ivercourt, this product certainly stands out, virtual goods having a reputation of catering to vanity or the riskee.

“The Creation Story” Christian Group in Second Life Performs “Broadway Style” Onstage

This January, a group of Christian artists are performing every weekend onstage. "The Creation Story - From the Angels' Perspective," by Unity Productions, is a unique example of performance art in Second Life. I recently had a chance to talk to Pet Karu who heads the group, and some of the others.

Read the story in People.