The long environmental nightmare had ended. Planet Earth had been healed. Its beauty and majesty had been restored by a race of evolving human descendants known as the Mirsiens. They had prevailed against those who would have used the knowledge and the power for themselves alone. Now, with the home world renewed, the time had come for the Mirsiens to reach for the stars. Taya G. Xallnyk is one of them. She seeks her place in the universe and the answers to all things unknown. She also commands the Outrunner vessel Oasis ValiMirum as it travels deep into the constellation of Orion. The vessel is a living, evolving entity in itself; a technological masterpiece in both form and function; a magnificent structure of almost unimaginable power. Others join the Mirsiens along the way. Together, they experience the frigid cold depths of space, the searing hot plains of Xolnon III, the conflicts with the Maljex, the mysterious spacial particle field, and the foreboding canyon on Zantauva. Their voyage is an incredible journey from one dimensional portal to the next as they travel through their wondrous and perilous galaxy.

On a misty morning in eastern Kentucky, cross-bearing Christians gather for a service on a surface-mined mountain. They pray for the health and renewal of the land and for their communities, lamenting the corporate greed of the mining companies. On another day, in southern West Virginia, Andrew Jordon hosts Bible study in a small cabin overlooking a disused 1,400-acre surface mine. He believes his efforts to reclaim sites like these represent responsible environmental stewardship. In Sacred Mountains, Andrew R. H. Thompson highlights scenes such as these in order to propose a Christian ethical analysis of the controversial mining practice that has increasingly divided the nation and has often led to fierce and even violent confrontations. Thompson draws from the arguments of H. Richard Niebuhr, whose work establishes an ideal foundation for understanding Appalachia. Thompson provides a thorough introduction to the issues surrounding surface mining, including the environmental consequences and the resultant religious debates, and highlights the discussions being carried out in the media and by scholarly works. He also considers five popular perspectives (ecofeminism, liberation theology, environmental justice, environmental pragmatism, and political ecology) and offers his own framework and guidelines for moral engagement with the subject. Thompson's arguments add to the work of other ethicists and theologians by examining the implications of culture in a variety of social, historical, and religious contexts. A groundbreaking and nuanced study that looks past the traditionally conflicting stereotypes about religion and environmental consciousness in Appalachia, Sacred Mountains offers a new approach that unifies all communities, regardless of their beliefs.

The long environmental nightmare had ended. Planet Earth had been healed, its beauty and majesty restored, by a race of evolving human descendants known as the Mirsiens. In doing this they had prevailed against the Avarumak, a differnet and evil descendant race. Some Avarumak, however, were still out there ... and waiting. With their home world renewed, the time had finally come for the Mirsiens to reach for the stars. Taya Xallnyk is one of them and commands the Outrunner vessel Oasis ValiMirum as it travels deep into the constellation of Orion. The vessel is a living, evolving entity in itself; a technological masterpiece in both form and function; a magnificent structure of almost unimaginable power. Adventures are many as the ship and its crew deal with the treachery of rogue Kynzaran aliens; struggle against the cataclysmic forces of a growing planet; contend with a rising horde a ravenous arachnids; battle a brutal Thragosian war lord with the use of a completely unexpected weapon and bring peace to the opposing factions of Aryltane with the appearance of a most mysterious visitor. Follow their incredible inter-dimensional journey through our wondrous and perilous galaxy.

The long environmental nightmare had ended. Planet Earth had been healed. Its beauty and majesty had been restored by a race of evolving human descendants known as the Mirsiens. They had prevailed against those who would have used the knowledge and the power for themselves alone. Now, with the home world renewed, the time had come for the Mirsiens to reach for the stars. Taya G. Xallnyk is one of them. She seeks her place in the universe and the answers to all things unknown. She also commands the Outrunner vessel Oasis ValiMirum as it travels deep into the constellation of Orion. The vessel is a living, evolving entity in itself; a technological masterpiece in both form and function; a magnificent structure of almost unimaginable power. Others join the Mirsiens along the way. Together, they experience the frigid cold depths of space, the searing hot plains of Xolnon III, the conflicts with the Maljex, the mysterious spacial particle field, and the foreboding canyon on Zantauva. Their voyage is an incredible journey from one dimensional portal to the next as they travel through their wondrous and perilous galaxy.

This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

This anthology provides an ample selection of seasonal worship, drama, and children's resources by popular authors from a variety of denominations. Whatever your congregation's size or worship style, you're sure to find something in Christmas Treasures to help you create memorable Advent and Christmas services. Copying privileges are included for all segments. Litany For Advent And Christmas Candle Lighting provides brief responsive prayers and creative congregational activities for the four Sundays of Advent, Christmas Eve, and Epiphany. It's excellent for worship services or as a Sunday school opener. Christmas Treasures offers three sets of short readings and prayers for the candle lighting portion of Advent and Christmas Eve services. Each 2-3 minute narrative links aspects of the nativity with events in our modern lives, both global and personal, and challenges worshipers to reflect on current issues and respond in ways that glorify the Lord. Six Christmas Testimonies depicts the Christmas events and their meaning from the viewpoint of John the Baptist, a magus, the innkeeper, Joseph, a shepherd, and Mary. Especially powerful when read in sequence, these concise dramatic readings are an excellent way to have members participate in Advent or Christmas Eve worship services. The Christmas Gift utilizes a creative approach to the seasonal children's program -- a "talent show" is cleverly included as part of a simple yet powerful play based on Luke's Christmas scripture. It's a practical presentation for any size congregation -- many of the speaking roles have only a few lines, and some parts can be combined. A prop list, set diagram, and sample rehearsal schedule are included to aid novice directors. Performance time is approximately 15 minutes (plus talent show time). Who Are You In Bethlehem? and The Promise are two dramatic presentations for the entire congregation with roles that can be performed by any age. Each combines the reading of scripture and singing of familiar hymns with brief narrations to telling the Bethlehem story, focusing on how we respond to the Savior -- asking us if we have truly welcomed the babe into our hearts. These inspirational services are flexible enough to be performed by as many participants as are available without requiring extensive memorization. Revelations Of Jesus, Given From Heaven/Received On Earth, Nativity, and If It Happened Today are four flexible, Bible-based plays with parts for young people of all ages. Revelations Of Jesus tells the story of Jesus' coming and how word of it spread, Given From Heaven/Received On Earth takes a whimsical glimpse at the angels' preparations for the first Christmas, and Nativity is a simple, straightforward retelling of the nativity story. If It Happened Today combines seven brief sketches with scripture readings and well-known songs. It's a humorous but thought-provoking look at how we might react if some of the events in the Christmas story happened to us. Director's notes with suggestions for simple costumes, props, and staging are included for each play. Do You Hear What I Hear? tells the story of Jesus' birth in song and narrative. It's an inspirational pageant with something for everyone, including songs for each grade level from kindergarten through fifth grade, dramatic scenes, and congregational hymns. Christmas Wonder offers nine short children's sermons for Advent and Christmas in the form of imaginative stories. Drawing on the rich imagery of the season to illustrate God's grace and unconditional love, each message includes brief talking points and a prayer. Reading The Christmas Eve Scriptures is a simple but extremely effective interweaving of several familiar Bible verses for two narrators. The reading links the events of Christmas with those of Holy Week and Easter, providing a powerful flow of themes that underlines the larger story of the incarnation.