text:
2005, Vol.
2, No. 1
William W. Menzies, Ph.D., Chancellor, Asia Pacific
Theological Seminary
Adjunct Professor, Assemblies
of God Theological Seminary
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Truth does not change, but the questions earnest Christians
ask do change through the years. Periodically, accepted
traditional understandings are called into question and
require a fresh assessment. Essentially this is what
transpired at the beginning of the twentieth century
with the arrival of the Pentecostal awakening. The early
Pentecostals challenged the commonly accepted "cessationist" theology
that dominated evangelical Christianity. They resisted
the attempt of fundamentalist Protestantism to confine
the supernatural work of God to the Apostolic Age. They
insisted that, in an important sense, the work of the
Holy Spirit described in the Book of Acts was intended
to be the model by which the vitality of the church should
be measured in today's world.
The early Pentecostals' strong stance has led
to the recognition by much of the contemporary church
world, howbeit reluctantly, that the church must make
a greater place for the supernatural dimension of Christianity,
including charismatic gifts and ministries.1 The rapidly
changing demographics of the church disclose that charismatically
oriented Christian groups are among the fastest-growing
segments of the church today. As a result, older, traditional
churches must acknowledge that the churches of the future
will be inclined to be apostolic in character.2
The first battle seems to be largely over. Much of the
church has capitulated to the principle of the importance
of charismatic ministry. Perhaps pragmatic considerations
have forced the traditional church world into making
grudging allowance for such practices and ministry. However,
the very success of the Pentecostal-charismatic movement
has occasioned fresh questions that require thoughtful
At the beginning of the modern Pentecostal revival,
the term "apostolic" was frequently employed,
both in the titles of emerging denominations and in the
titles of periodicals. This term was intended to support
the concept that the Holy Spirit was being poured out
on modern-day people, empowering them in much the same
fashion as the writers of the New Testament described
in the life of the Early Church. The term "apostolic" was
an announcement that, indeed, the age of miracles was
not past. All believers were candidates for the baptism
in the Holy Spirit. Gifts of the Spirit were to be expected
among all of God's people. The early shape of the
debate was "either-or." You accepted the
principle of the availability of New Testament experiences
of the Spirit or you did not. The questions centered
on personal spiritual experience. The structure of the
church was not in serious debate, as long as the existing
structures made an adequate place for manifestations
of the Spirit and the recognition of gifted ministries.
Existing church structures were readily borrowed, usually
from the Methodist or Baptistic traditions.
The current debate has now moved toward a reexamination
of church structures as the context in which apostolic
ministry is to be developed. In the last decade, Pentecostals
and charismatics have been confronted with issues that
did not require examination in the earlier years of the
revival. However, traditional Pentecostals are now contemplating
the emergence of a "restorationist" movement
that claims to revive the offices of apostle and prophet.
Earlier Pentecostals had largely dismissed this concept,
preferring to describe gifted ministries as "functions" rather
than conferring titles, or "offices" on significant
leaders. The "New Order of the Latter Rain" of
the 1940s, which essentially called into being such offices,
was summarily dealt with by Pentecostal bodies, such
as the Assemblies of God,3 and this movement quickly
disappeared from the radar screen. Today, the issue is
no longer limited to the eddies and backwaters, but is
now making a strong appearance within the ranks of Pentecostals.
For example, the Australian Assemblies of God, as a national
movement, has restructured itself in a dramatically new
way, assigning to the denominational leadership the kind
of authority and responsibility associated with the first-century
apostles.4 How are we to address this issue from a biblical
I propose that we consider first the context in which
apostolic ministry took place. This calls for an examination
of church structure as presented in the New Testament
writings. Subsequently, I propose that we examine the
biblical principles related specifically to the role
of the apostle. Not all relevant issues can be addressed
in a single paper. Therefore, I am narrowing my focus
to a study of apostles and their place in the Early Church.
From this inquiry, I trust that some useful guidelines
for contemporary ministry may be elicited.
The Context of Apostolic Ministry: Early Church Structure
The Church was instituted by Christ (Mt.16:18). Many
consider the birth of the Church to be dated from the
Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out
upon the waiting disciples gathered in the Jerusalem
Upper Room (Acts 2). At once, the original gathering
of Christian believers began to take on a distinctive
character. It became a visible, tangible expression of
God's presence in the world, centering in the risen
Christ. Some of the characteristics of the Jerusalem
church, based primarily on an examination of Acts 2:42-47,
may be summarized:
Teaching based on the apostolic norm. The Jerusalem
church measured its life, belief and practice by the
teaching of the original apostles (Acts 2:42).
The manifest presence of God. The Jerusalem church
was deeply conscious of God's supernatural presence
among them (see Acts 2:43: "they were filled with
awe"). In the earlier years of the modern Pentecostal
revival, the term often employed to capture this sense
of God's mighty presence was "reality." A
sense of wonderment, of the mysterium tremendum,
has been a hallmark of the earliest apostolic community
and of Pentecostal fellowships in recent history. Believers
came to Pentecostal gatherings because they expected
that God would intervene in fresh ways. Minimal programming
was needed.
Supernatural miracles. "Signs and wonders" were
done through the ministry of the apostles (Acts 2:43).
At the outset, the flow of supernatural interventions
that marked the life of the Jerusalem church was mediated
through the ministry of the recognized leaders, the original
apostles. It should be noted, however, that later in
the Book of Acts, supernatural events transpired through
others besides the apostles. Note the story of Stephen,
a lay person in the Jerusalem church, chosen to fill
a role reminiscent of the deacons Paul identified in
1 Timothy 3:8-10. Stephen, clearly not an apostle, nonetheless
is described as being used by God to perform signs and
wonders (Acts 6:8). Ultimately, of course, Paul declared
that the full range of charismatic ministries is available
to all in the congregation, without regard to office
or position (1 Cor.12:7-11). The only qualifier is that
it is the sovereign Lord who distributes manifestations
as he chooses!
Fellowship and compassion. The believers gathered
regularly and, evidently, frequently. It appears they
readily adopted the structure and some of the functions
of the synagogue. An eldership emerged. Leadership from
within the congregation was identified and recognized.
Paul acknowledges this clearly in 1 Timothy 3:1-7. Both
the term "elder" (presbuteros) and "overseer" (episkopos),
which by the second century had evolved into separate
levels of ecclesiastical authority, were interchangeable
as late as the decade of the 60s, when Acts likely was
written (see Acts 20:17, 28). Titus 1:5-7 uses these
terms interchangeably, as well.5 This suggests that God
employed a variety of instruments for spiritual leadership,
clearly far beyond a limited apostolic circle. A key
word for the early Jerusalem church is "community."
Emerging Patterns of Church Structure
Two passages in Acts offer helpful insights into the
changing form of the earliest Palestinian church communities.
In Acts 13:1-3, it is apparent that the leadership of
the Antioch church was comprised of two types of ministry;
what one might call the "didactic" and the "charismatic." The
terms "prophets and teachers" (proph?tai
kai didaskaloi) distinguish between the objective
and the subjective, between the ministry of explaining
the received teaching of the church body, which requires
study and preparation, and the spontaneous exercise of
the "unstudied," of "immediacy," of
charismatic gifts.6 It appears, then, that in the decade
of the 40s, an attempt was made, at least in Antioch,
to maintain a balance between formal structure and spontaneous
charismatic ministry. It is noteworthy that this brief
glimpse into church life at Antioch provides us with
a profile of the functions of that church body as well.
This profile seems to capture the purposes for which
the local church existed.
Acts 13:1 supplies an important suggestion for the reason
these folks gathered to have "church." The
object of the ministry of the prophets and teachers clearly
was intended to edify the gathered believers. It was
a ministryto the body. The function of
prophets and teachers is to edify the body of believers.
Acts 13:2 pictures the Antioch believers worshipping
together. The Antioch church was not only about edification
of believers, it was about ministry to the Lord.
It was about deepening the relationship between believers
and their risen Lord. The Antioch church was more than
a school.
Acts 13:3 carries the purpose of the gathered body one
step further. Into this Spirit-energized atmosphere,
God gave directions for service, for their place in a
larger setting than their own fellowship. This was to
be ministry to the world. The Antioch church,
agreeing that the prophetic utterance given in their
midst was valid, commissioned Barnabas and Saul to be
their ambassadors to the world beyond. It is important
to recognize that from the beginning the Apostolic Church
was a missionary community. Note that when the church
had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them
and "sent them off" (apelusan). In
effect, Barnabas and Saul were commissioned to be the "apostles," the "sent
ones" from the church at Antioch. We will return
to this point later.
Another passage in Acts that helps us to capture the
self-understanding of the Early Church regarding its
form is the story of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15).
The Antioch missionaries, Paul (as he is now called)
and Barnabas, had been appointed, along with other believers,
to go to Jerusalem to see the "apostles and elders" (apostolous
kai presbuterous). Throughout the narrative that
follows, it is evident that the leadership of the council
was comprised of both apostles and elders. It is important
to notice that the moderator of the meeting appears to
be James, not Peter. Further, when the council had acted,
it was the apostles and elders, with the whole church,
who decided how to communicate the results of the council
(Acts 15:22). It seems clear that the acknowledged leaders
of the Jerusalem church did not act apart from the consensus
of the local body. This speaks to the principle of accountability.
Paul's pastoral epistles offer further insights
into the structure of first-century churches. If one
compares the list of qualifications for elders in Titus
1:5-9 with the list Paul provides in 1 Timothy 3:1-7,
the observer will note that the list in Titus is briefer
and more general. One is tempted to conjecture that the
reason for this is that Titus's assignment to "straighten
out what was left unfinished" (Titus 1:5) addressed
a difficult pioneer situation on Crete. Titus, the missionary
Paul assigned to complete the establishment of the church
there, was given explicit instructions to first "appoint
elders in every town." Evidently, in the earliest
stages of planting a new church, it was necessary for
an outsider—one with apostolic credentials, a missionary—to
assume direction.
The situation in Ephesus was quite different. Paul,
writing to his younger colleague Timothy, admonished
him in his role as Paul's representative to the
church at Ephesus. The church at Ephesus was not new.
It evidently had fallen into disorder and required outside
missionary direction to recover its spiritual center.
One of the assignments given to Timothy was to teach
the people how to select proper leadership. In 1 Timothy
3:1, the wording indicates that the people were involved
in some way in the selection of their leaders: "If
anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires
a noble task." It is not likely that Timothy made
such appointments. The people, probably with Timothy's
approval, were authorized to select leaders from among
themselves. Further, the list of qualifications for elders
Paul supplied Timothy is more detailed and demanding
than the list found in Titus.
Some assumptions may be made from this data. First,
overt outside control is required in a pioneer church-planting
setting. In such cases, the missionary selects the local
leadership, seeking the best people he can identify,
even if they do not have all the desirable qualifications
that may come later. In a more developed church, such
as that in Ephesus, the church seems to be given more
input into selecting their leadership. The more elaborate
listing of qualifications suggests that, at some point,
a church can expect higher standards for leadership.
What can one say to this? It appears that there is a
marked latitude admissible in local church management
processes. However, the direction of local church governance
appears to move from an episcopal form toward a congregational
form, as the church develops.
It is important to note that all the local churches,
whether pioneering ventures or more established centers,
functioned under apostolic authority. We will examine
what this means in due course.
Paul's first letter to the Corinthians provides
another important dimension of spiritual leadership.
His teaching on the local church gathered for worship
(1 Cor. 11-14) emphasizes the importance of each individual
member. In a Pentecostal church, all are invited
to participate! To each the sovereign Spirit may distribute
manifestations of various kinds for the edification of
the Body. The laity are an important part of the
ministry equation. God may call upon any receptive instrument
for edifying the body on a given occasion. Although there
is a ranking of ministries, including apostles and prophets
at the top of the list (1 Cor. 12:27-31), the ministry
of prophecy does not appear to be limited to a recognized
class of people called prophets. Paul exhorts, "Two
or three prophets should speak, and the others should
weigh carefully what is said" (1 Cor. 14:29) and
then, "You can all prophesy in turn…" (1
Cor. 14:31). It looks very much like the people of God
are invited to judge the worth of such prophetic utterances.
I would suggest that this "judging" was
predicated on two criteria. First, any prophetic utterance
was expected to conform to the revealed apostolic message.
Note Paul's strong challenge to the Galatian Christians
on this very point (Gal. 1: 6-9). Second, since the "spirits
of the prophets are subject to the prophets," one
could disrupt a meeting with a poorly timed utterance
or an utterance that might appear to the rest to be contrary
in tone or content to the "flow" of the meeting.
(Early Pentecostals frequently spoke of the "tenor" of
a meeting to capture this.)
Ephesians 4:11 is the centerpiece of discussion for
the issue of "restorationism." The "fivefold
ministry" is found here. Christ gave gifts to the
Church: some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists,
and some pastors and teachers. These are leadership gifts—people
called by the Lord to serve the body of Christ in particular
ways. The two verses that follow are important for putting
these leadership gifts into proper perspective. Ephesians
4:12 tells us that these giftings of leadership have
a specific purpose: "to equip" (pros tonkatartismon)
the people of God for "works of service" (eis
ergon diakonias). The role of such leadership is
best seen as empowering the people of God to do ministry.
Leadership has a supportive, not a coercive or controlling,
role. It is clear that the objective of effective ministry
in the church is for the building up of the body of Christ.
Ephesians 4:13 provides indices by which one can measure
whether edification is transpiring. The first category
identified is in the cognitive domain: aiding
believers to come to unity in "the faith," that
objective body of Christian teaching presented by the
apostles. The way this is expressed indicates that this
is a journey, not necessarily a destination. The church
is at its best when it works hard at developing theology
from the deposit of apostolic truth, recognizing that
we, indeed, see through a glass darkly (1 Cor. 13:12).
The second category is experiential. Believers
are to grow "in the knowledge of the Son of God." The
biblical concept of gn?sis is far more profound
than the mere assembling of items of information. It
is "knowing by experience." Paul speaks to
this pointedly in his prayer in Ephesians 1:15-23. In
that famous prayer list, first on his agenda is that
the Ephesian believers might experience "the Spirit
of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better." A
profound and growing spiritual relationship with the
Lord is a central objective of New Testament teaching.
The third category Paul alludes to in Ephesians 4:13
is the behavioral. He cites the cultivation of
an appropriate pattern of living as an important objective
of ministry in the church: "That we …become
mature (eis andra teleion), attaining to the whole
measure of the fullness of Christ." The root word
for maturity is telos, meaning "end," or "destiny." The
New Testament concept of sanctification lies right here.
Paul calls the church to engage in a kind of ministry
that will enable people to become what they are declared
to be, to grow into Christlikeness. Sanctification is
a process, not necessarily a crisis. It
is a direction as much as an achievement.7 Leadership
is effective when the body of believers it serves is
marked by people who are moving toward their destined
quality of being, their telos.
To summarize Paul's teaching from Ephesians 4,
we may say that Christ has given gifts of leadership
to the Church. The purpose of that leadership is to equip
God's people for ministry. The objectives of that
ministry are that the people of God may grow in their
understanding of God's revelation, in a deeper
experience with the living Lord, and in a quality of
behavior that authentically reflects the inner Christian
experience. It is important to note that this passage
is a searching insight into the development of the interior life
of the believer. To this must be appended the insights
about the functions of the Apostolic Church from such
passages as Acts 13:1-3, in which the objective of ministry
moves beyond the cultivation of the interior life
of the believer to the calling to penetrate the larger
world with Christian witness. Melvin Hodges, building
on insights popularized by Roland Allen, had it right
when he recognized that the biblical model for a New
Testament kind of church certainly included the capacity
to grow, to expand its numbers and to be "self-perpetuating." 8
We may summarize some fundamental principles for church
structure that emerge from considering various New Testament
The Principle of Apostolicity. The teaching of
church leaders is tightly connected to the teaching of
those commissioned by the Lord himself. All ministry
is thus to be measured.
The Principle of Adaptability. Considering the
emergence of unforeseen circumstances, such as one finds
the Jerusalem church facing in Acts 6, considerable latitude
is allowable in developing church structures. This frees
the church to adopt culturally relevant church structure
patterns, as long as such patterns do not inhibit the
work of God.
The Principle of Accountability. Throughout the
description of the various churches provided in the New
Testament, there appears to be a commitment to the responsibility
for self-government within local churches, with minimal
direction from outside, except for the input from the
apostles. With the passing of the original apostles,
their teaching continues in the canon of the New Testament.
It is to this that all churches and all church leadership
are to be accountable. It appears that the people of
God have an important role in determining how this accountability
shall take place, chiefly through their own selection
of elders and deacons from their midst.9
The Principle of Accessibility. Apart from the
leadership of the authorized apostles, there appears
to be minimal suggestion of any hierarchy beyond the
local churches. Certainly, in metropolitan centers, where
there were likely several house churches, the churches
in that community were on occasion referred to as forming
a single "church." For example, Paul wrote
to the collective fellowships in the city of Thessalonica
as if they formed one single entity: "the church
of the Thessalonians" (1 Thess. 1:1). There is
little evidence of any kind of hierarchy in such settings.
Let us now consider precisely what the New Testament
writers had in mind for the role of apostles, the first
of Christ's gifts to the Church.
Kinds of Apostles in the New Testament
The Unique Apostleship. A clear distinction must
be made between the earliest "college of apostles" and
all other Christian leaders, regardless of title or function.
Ephesians 2:20 reports that the church is "built
on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with
Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone." One
must begin by recognizing that Jesus is the principal
apostle (Heb. 3:1), that is, he is the "Sent One" who
divested himself of his rightful glory to minister salvation
to this world. All apostolic ministry flows out of this
primary understanding.
The Inner Circle. Jesus selected the original
twelve apostles (Mt. 10:1,2; Mk. 6:30). To the initial
cluster of disciples, the original Twelve, Jesus also
assigned the term "apostles" (Lk. 6:13). "The
Twelve" is a term found twenty-one times in the
four Gospels, indicating that this original group was
widely recognized as the core of Jesus' following.
In Acts 1, the 120 disciples, including the eleven original
disciples minus Judas, gathered in the Upper Room. They
selected Matthias to replace Judas (Acts 1:26), feeling
compelled to fill the vacancy occasioned by Judas' fall.
In this story, we learn what qualifications were understood
to be necessary for this special group of apostles.
First, all in this group were specially called by the
Lord. The Acts passage supplies further credentials.
Second, a candidate had to have been with the original
called-out group throughout the time of the public ministry
of Jesus (Acts 1:21).
Third, such a person must have been an eyewitness to
the risen Lord following His resurrection (v.22). These
special persons had lived with Jesus. They were authentic
eyewitnesses to his life and teaching. Hence, the Early
Church looked to them for a standard by which to guide
and govern the emerging churches.
Paul is a special case. He recognized himself to be,
and his colleagues acknowledged him to be, a genuine
apostle. How are we to understand Paul as one of this
very special company? This is an important issue, for
Paul wrote more of the New Testament than any of the
original Twelve. First, note that Paul began most of
his epistles with a firm assertion that he wrote, not
on his own merits but—being called by God—with
the apostolic authority received directly from God. This
self-understanding is stated in its clearest form in
Galatians 1. Paul said, "I want you to know, brothers,
that the gospel I preached is not something that man
made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I
taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus
Christ" (Gal. 1:11,12). In the passage that follows,
Paul set out his case very clearly. The other apostles,
located in Jerusalem, recognized him as being on a plane
of equal authority with them (Gal. 2:6-10). Paul understood
himself to have seen Jesus, a basic qualification for
being included in the apostolic list (1 Cor. 9:1). To
Paul, the Damascus Road experience was intensely real;
it was not just a vision. In 1 Corinthians 15:8, Paul
spoke of himself, with respect to his relationship with
Jesus, "as one untimely born."10
From the data, we might then conclude that Paul, although
not one of the earliest group of disciples Jesus called
to himself during his public ministry, nonetheless was
widely recognized as having special credentials that
entitled him to speak authoritatively, along with the
original Twelve.
The Extended Apostolic College. To this core
of twelve (or thirteen) apostles, we must recognize that
the college of apostles includes some others as well.
All of the ancient documents circulating among the churches
in the fourth century were scrutinized by both the Latin
Church at the Council of Carthage and by the Greek Church
through the decision of Athanasius in Alexandria. Independently,
both wings of the Ancient Church agreed on the twenty-seven
books in our present New Testament as the authentic writings
of the first-century apostles. In each case, the first
criterion to which these documents were subjected was "apostolicity." Was
the document in question written by a first-century apostle,
or one closely associated with him?
This "college of apostles" goes beyond the
Twelve. It clearly includes Paul, but also includes Mark,
the associate of Peter, and Luke, a close associate of
Paul. To this list, we must add the writer of Hebrews
who, if not Paul, clearly was one of his companions.
Two in this college of apostles that were qualified because
of their intimate association with Jesus are James and
Jude, the half brothers of our Lord.11 The teaching of
these selected few was recognized in the first-century
church as the ultimate authority for all things pertaining
to faith and life. The Greek and Latin Churches of the
fourth century validated this understanding as the canon
of the New Testament came to be universally accepted.
J. Rodman Williams distinguishes between two kinds of
apostles, "The Twelve plus Paul" and "Others
Called Apostles."12 He designates the Twelve plus
Paul as having "apostleship," citing a term
employed in both Acts 1:24,25 and Galatians 2:8 to identify
those given special authority (eis apostol?n).
Paul uses this term in 1 Corinthians 9:2, identifying
himself as one given the ministry of apostleship (mou
tes apostol?s). By this, Williams wishes to set apart
that group of eyewitnesses who were authorized to speak
authoritatively about the life and teachings of Jesus.
For Williams, this is limited to the Twelve and Paul.
Perhaps, without doing injustice to the intent of Williams,
we should broaden the designation to include those associates
of Paul and the Twelve who were recognized as authoritative
by the Early Church. Thus, the writings of Mark, Luke,
James, Jude and perhaps one or two others may be added
to Williams' more narrow classification.
Whether one follows the narrower limit set out by Williams
or includes the other recognized writing apostles, this
designation is critically important. This sets the boundary
of the canon of Scripture, the objective authority by
which the Church in all ages is to evaluate all belief,
experience and practice. These were uniquely placed in
the first century and stand absolutely apart from all
It is clear that the writers of the New Testament had
no intention of passing on this special apostleship to
others who might follow. This unique gifting was not
to be a matter of "apostolic succession," nor
was it ever intended to be restored in a later age. The
revelation given to the first-century apostleship stands
by itself. If this is not safeguarded, all manner of
mischief inevitably follows.
This is precisely where charismatic movements through
the course of history have foundered. Consider, for example,
the Irvingite movement of nineteenth-century England,
and their misguided attempt at restoring the offices
of authoritative apostles. When the last of these apostles
died about the beginning of the twentieth century, this
movement virtually ceased to exist.
Apostles: Special Assignment Callings. It is
important to note that the term "apostle" is
employed in the New Testament in ways beyond the narrower
circle of "apostleship." Acts 14:14 speaks
of "the apostles Barnabas and Paul." In this
case, Barnabas appears to be listed as an apostle in
the sense that he has been sent out as a missionary from
the church at Antioch. In Galatians 1:18,19, Paul listed
James, the brother of the Lord, as one of the apostles.
In Acts 15, James is not identified as an apostle. A
curious note found in Romans 16 cites Andronicus and
Junias—one of whom may have been a woman—as
outstanding apostles. In writing to the Thessalonians,
Paul seems to include Silas and Timothy along with himself
as apostles (1 Thess. 1:1). In 2 Corinthians 8:18,22,
unidentified representatives are sent as messengers.
The term employed here is a cognate form of the verb "I
send," or apostell?. What are we to make
of this? It can be seen that in a much broader sense,
those sent, or commissioned, for any special church assignment
could be said to be "apostles," or "sent
ones." Paul speaks of Epaphroditus, the elder from
the church at Philippi who had been sent to him in Rome,
as an (apostolos), one sent on an assignment from
a local church.
This general, non-technical, use of the term is important
for two reasons: (1) It is an acknowledgement that the
church must make a place for special gifts of leadership
and ministry, or for those commissioned by the church
for special assignments. (2) It is this more narrowly
defined use of the term that has application for the
church today. It is a serious mistake to blur the distinction
between the authoritative apostleship and other "special
assignment" apostles described in the New Testament.
Apostolic Ministry
In the broader sense identified above, the ministry
of the first-century apostles may be summarized in the
following ways:
The "general" apostles are pictured as being
commissioned for special assignments, usually sent from
a specific local church. Certainly, this was the case
in the story of Epaphroditus, who was sent from the church
at Philippi to minister to Paul on their behalf while
Paul was in custody in Rome (Phil. 2:25-30).
The assignments to which these special envoys are dispatched
appear to be primarily in pioneer settings (note the
mission of Titus on Crete, for example.)
The apostles were involved in proclamation and witness,
sometimes even being included in the writing of what
were recognized later to be canonical documents. In a
general sense, we can picture these individuals as filling
a role not unlike that of modern-day missionaries.
In the process of ministry, such frontiersmen were expected
to be empowered with charismatic ministries, exhibiting "signs
and wonders" that were important instruments for
verification of the gospel message (see Heb. 2:3,4).
Notice that the miraculous was intended to be supportive
of the proclaimed message, not an end in itself. Paul
reported to the Thessalonians that he came to them with
a proclamation ("with words"), but he came
with more than mere words. He came to them "in
power" (en dunamei) (1 Thess.1:5).
Clearly, Paul was led by the Holy Spirit. This theme
is developed throughout the Book of Acts. Paul's
ministry was Spirit-enabled and, further, it was guided
by the Holy Spirit. He ministered "by the Spirit" (en
pneumati hagi?) (1 Thess. 1:5). He moved about "in
the Spirit." From time to time, this included special
revelations from God to the apostles. It is interesting
to note that Paul received the warnings given by Agabus
and others as being valid prophetic utterances, but he
did not base his decision about the impending journey
to Jerusalem on such utterances (see Acts 20:22-24).
He accepted the dire warnings as useful for preparing
him for coming hardship. Acts 16:10 is a useful clue
as to how Paul made major decisions. Evidently, he stepped
out "in faith," doing what was logical and
rational, using his best judgment, depending on confirmation of
such decisions by the Holy Spirit. Rarely did Paul receive
such remarkable revelations as the "Macedonian
Some, if not all of the "general apostles," served
under the direct supervision and oversight of the Unique
Apostles. Luke, Silas, Timothy and Titus were associates
of Paul; Mark was Peter's intimate colleague. We
could say, by extension, that insofar as missionaries
and other church leaders in our day are governed by the
teaching of the Unique Apostles (that is to say, the
canonical Scriptures), they too fall within this pattern.
This brief summary could be developed in more detail
but, for our purposes, it will suffice to identify the
broad parameters forming the shape of apostolic ministry.
Let us now turn our attention to the question of "restorationism."
The Restoration of Apostles Examined
Within the last two decades, a teaching has gained a
significant hearing that calls for serious evaluation.
It circulates about the theme of the restoration of the "Fivefold
Offices" of New Testament ministry. First in that
list is the office of apostle. The clear implication
is that if the church of today is to fulfill the New
Testament pattern and mandate, the offices cited in Ephesians
4:11 must be restored. Let us examine some of the issues
raised by key exponents of restorationist theology.
Peter Wagner's Theology
Peter Wagner, one of the major spokesmen for this movement,
sees present-day apostles having "unusual authority." Wagner
says: "Until recently the central focus of authority
in our churches existed in groups, not in individuals.
Trust has been placed in sessions, consistories, nominating
committees, deacon boards, trustees, congregations, presbyteries,
associations, general councils, cabinets, conventions,
synods and the like. Rarely has trust for ultimate decision
making been given to individuals such as pastors or apostles.
This, however, is changing decisively in the New Apostolic
Wagner identifies several characteristics of apostles,
basing his claims on a biblical assessment of the Unique
Apostles we have identified above. The items he lists
deserve serious consideration for present-day leaders,
but I question his assumption that the apostolic authority
of the Unique Apostles extends to leaders beyond the
first century in the way Wagner urges. Wagner says, "Paul's
authority as an apostle came from the same sources that
provide today's apostles with their extraordinary
authority."14 He lists the following:
1. Apostles have a spiritual gift (charisma).
He cites the catalog of giftings found in 1 Corinthians
12, referring especially to v. 28. "Are all apostles?" Certainly
not, Wagner affirms, but by implication, some in the
church are apostles!15 My question is, to what kind of
apostles was Paul referring? Was he speaking of the Unique
Apostolate, or of specially gifted and called ambassadors
sent out as missionaries on frontier assignments, the
general apostles?
2. Apostles have an assignment, or call. Citing 1 Corinthians
12:4-6, Wagner recognizes that those endowed with charismatic
leadership do not all have the same ministry or sphere
of activity.16 I have no quarrel with Wagner on this
point, except to question whether Paul was speaking here
of general apostles, the missionaries of the Early Church,
rather than the Unique Apostles who have special credentials.
3. Apostles have extraordinary character. Wagner appeals
here for holding leadership in the church to a high standard.17 Who would question the desire to have church leaders
whose lives are above reproach? Nevertheless, Wagner
does not support this high-minded desire for apostolic
credentials with Scriptures that specifically single
out apostles. This clearly is a matter of general concern
for church leadership in any capacity.
4. Apostles have followers. Wagner's point here
is quite pragmatic: leaders have followers. You can recognize
apostles by the fact that they have a following.18 This
statement, of course, applies quite broadly to all leadership,
even beyond the church world. I think what Wagner is
reaching for is that current-day apostles are recognized
by others as having this gifting.
5. Apostles have vision. Wagner sees true apostles as
leaders who have the ability to cast vision for others.
He sees modern-day apostles receiving "special
revelations" from God, either through direct communication
from God or through prophets in the church.19 Pentecostals
and charismatics of today certainly should be open to
receiving prophetic insights, either directly or through
others in the church who may have a "word from
the Lord." However, it is not at all clear from
the New Testament that this is to be limited to "apostles." Perhaps
what Wagner is wishing to communicate is that true apostles
regularly exhibit such special insights from God.
6. Apostles have determined spheres.20 To this I heartily
ascribe. However, the calling of apostles ("sent
ones") to differing fields and kinds of leadership
service fit nicely into the picture provided in the New
Testament of general apostles, or missionaries.21
The fundamental question I have for Wagner centers in
his apparent blurring of the boundaries between the carefully
limited authority of the Unique Apostles and all other
apostles, "sent ones" or frontier missionaries.
Because of this, it appears that Wagner has opened the
door to serious abuses of power and authority.
The Theology of David Cartledge
David Cartledge, esteemed colleague from Australia,
has called for an "Apostolic Revolution." Crucial
to his methodology is his call for a "Pentecostal
hermeneutic." Cartledge brushes aside not only
liberal methods of biblical interpretation, but castigates
modern Pentecostals for submitting to the "rationalism" inherent
in orthodox evangelical hermeneutics. He casts aspersion
on the idea of limiting our hearing from God to the words
of the Bible. Cartledge says, "A third and quite
confusing hermeneutical method is that employed by many
evangelicals. They insist that God only speaks to people
through the Bible. At face value, this appears to be
highly commendable. However, further examination reveals
that this is closer to rationalism than faith. It is
actually a defence (sic) mechanism that enables them
to deny anything supernatural."22
Cartledge fails to distinguish the unique apostolic
authority of the Bible from all other admissible revelations,
such as prophetic utterances, that are available to the
church. By dismissing evangelical commitment to the authority
of the written Word of God, Cartledge opens the door
to a disturbing level of subjectivism. In addition, flowing
out of this understanding of "continuing revelation," he
hands contemporary church leaders, to whom he assigns
the office of apostle, a kind of authority that rises
above human criticism. Cartledge places these modern-day
apostles within local churches.23 One is inclined to
suspect that any successful pastor of a large, thriving
church may be included within an identifiable circle
of fellow apostles, leaders whose judgments are to be
followed uncritically by their respective congregations.
After all, who is going to dispute with an apostle? One
wonders to whom these leaders are accountable. What checks
are there for the possibility of abuse of such great
power? For a thoughtful look at this issue, I suggest
James Cobble's book, The Church and the Powers:
A Theology of Church Structure.24
Cartledge points out that, in deference to the democratically
oriented citizenry of his nation, the apostles in the
Australian Assemblies of God are not given the title
of apostle. Cartledge makes clear that the function,
not the title, of apostle is critical.25
A central thesis of Cartledge, based on the recent history
of the Assemblies of God in Australia, is that their
fresh look at the biblical model of church leadership
has released the churches to fresh vision, vitality and
growth. Their story is certainly dramatic and invites
examination for possible lessons that may be learned.
However, a preliminary opinion of the author is that
creating a situation in which individual church leaders
are supplied with virtually unlimited power opens the
door to serious abuse. Moreover, there remains the critical
issue of just how biblical is this new "restoration" model,
after all
It appears that the question of whether New Testament-like
apostles should be restored to the modern church must
begin with the issue of religious authority. Clearly,
the Early Church operated under the Christ-given authority
of the Unique Apostles. A case can be made for a distinction
between the Unique Apostles and the ministry of others
in the New Testament era—those who were called "apostles" in
a more general sense—as emissaries of local churches.
Although such "sent ones" carried considerable
authority, it is quite clear that such authority did
not reach the level of the Unique Apostles. Consequently,
it is questionable if giving the title of "apostle" to
any present-day individuals is in order. The reason for
this caution is clear. To many, the title "apostle" bears
the connotation of authority on a level with the Scriptures.
It is helpful to learn that the Australian Assemblies
of God has not felt it necessary to title their significant
charismatic leaders "apostles." They have
sought to make central the concept of apostolic functions,
rather than supplying titles that may occasion unexpected
In all this discussion, there clearly are lessons to
be learned. A case may be made that in the New Testament,
those sent out from the various churches on special pioneer
assignments were expected to go in the power of the Holy
Spirit. Charismatic ministry was considered crucial for
the development and expansion of the Early Church. There
is no indication that this urgency has changed. Certainly,
the church of the twenty-first century needs leaders,
called by God, to minister in apostolic power! The Pentecostal
and charismatic churches of our day need the anointing
of the Holy Spirit and need to recognize and make room
for those whom God has set apart for special apostolic
service. This has been true from the beginning of the
modern Pentecostal movement and continues to be true
in our time, as well. God continues to call people to
pioneer service in many fields. He is equipping humble
vessels with supernatural abilities and authority, with
no need for any special kind of title. It is the function,
not the name that is crucial. May we become more available
to the empowering Spirit for the task at hand!
End Notes
1. Jon Ruthven, On the Cessation of the Charismata.
(Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997),
2. Philip Jenkins, The Next Christendom.
(New York: Oxford University Press, 2002). This is a
major theme throughout the book.
3. General Council minutes, 1949, 26, 27.
4. David Cartledge, The Apostolic Revolution:
The Restoration of Apostles and Prophets in the Assemblies
of God in Australia. (Chester Hill, NSW, Australia:
Paraclete Institute, 2000). This book traces the evolution
of church structure in the Australian Assemblies of
God and provides a rationale for these developments.
5. French Arrington, Maintaining the Foundations:
A Study of 1 Timothy. (Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House, 1982), 74.
6. Stanley M. Horton, The Book of Acts.
(Springfield, Mo.: Gospel Publishing House, 1981), 155.
7. Robert P. Menzies and William W. Menzies, Spirit
and Power: Foundations of Pentecostal Experience.
(Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), 201-208.
8. Melvin Hodges, The Indigenous Church.
(Springfield, Mo: Gospel Publishing House, 1953), 35-47.
9. George Eldon Ladd, A Theology of the New
Testament. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Co., rev. ed.,1993), 389.
10. Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians,
NICNT. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.,
1987), 732-34.
11. William W. Klein, Craig L. Blomberg, and Robert
L. Hubbard, Introduction to Biblical Interpretation.
(Dallas: Word Publishing, 1993), 64, 65.
12. J. Rodman Williams, Renewal Theology, Vol.
III. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996),
13. C. Peter Wagner, Apostles and Prophets. (Ventura,
Calif.: Regal Books, 2000), 25.
14. Wagner, Apostles and Prophets, 26.
15. Wagner, Apostles and Prophets, 27.
16. Wagner, Apostles and Prophets 28.
17. Wagner, Apostles and Prophets, 28, 29.
18. Wagner, Apostles and Prophets, 32-33.
19. Wagner, Apostles and Prophets, 33-37.
20. Wagner, Apostles and Prophets, 38, 39.
21. J. Rodman Williams, Renewal Theology, 169.
22. Cartledge, Apostolic Revolution, 169.
23. Cartledge, Apostolic Revolution, 267.
24. James Cobble, The Church and the Powers. (Peabody,
Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1988), 91,92.
25. Cartledge, Apostolic Revolution, 397
Friday, June 16, 2006 10:22 AM


text:
Then there are Harry's mates who he meets at Hogwarts, red-haired Ron Weasley and brainy but a bit swotty Hermione.
Hermione's actually based on JK when she was a girl. Let's not forget Harry's main enemy at school, Draco Malfoy.
And the teachers include headteacher Professor Albus Dumbledore, Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Last year, not long after it came out, I bought a Fuji X100 because I was intrigued by the promise of a small, rangefinder-like camera with a fixed 35mm lens. I liked the idea of being forced to shoot with a specific field of view; I loved the look and feel of the camera; and it's hard to beat Fuji's lens and image quality. What was easy to beat, at the time, was the X100's autofocus and clumsy menu system. These issues were so frustrating that I sold the camera not long after I bought it. I came to mildly regret this decision as Fuji released firmware updates that addressed many of the issues that had bothered me, but didn't think seriously about returning to the camera. But with the release of the Fuji X-E1, I couldn't resist giving Fuji another chance. Here are some of my impressions and thoughts about Fuji's latest mirrorless camera.
Posts Tagged: lenses
New Lynda.com Course: Foundations of Photography – Specialty Lenses
Mostly, good photography is about the skill of the photographer. That said, a lot of photographs are only possible with the right type of lens, and there are a lot of lenses out there tailored to very specific types of shooting. In this new course, I go into detail on how to shoot with ultra-wide-angle lenses, super telephotos, fisheyes, Tilt/Shift, and more. If you've been wondering if any of these types of lenses are right for you, or you've already got one and want to know more about what it can do, then you'll want to check out my Lynda.com course Foundations of Photography: Specialty Lenses.
Foundations of Photography: Lenses
Many of the creative options available to a photographer hinge on an in-depth understanding of lenses. Foundations of Photography: Lenses, will give you that in-depth understanding, as you learn how to choose lenses and take full advantage of their creative options. This 2.5 hour course covers fundamental concepts that apply to any camera, such as focal length and camera position, and shows how to evaluate and shop for DSLR lenses. The second half of the course focuses on shooting techniques: controlling autofocus, working with different focal lengths, and managing distortion and flare. You'll also learn about filters, cleaning, maintenance, and more. You can find it all right here on the Lynda.com web site.
Capture NX and the Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye Lens
Nikon Capture NX provides an excellent auto correction edit for removing distortion from images shot with the Nikon 10.5mm fisheye lens. Though I mention this feature in Real World Capture NX, I didn't have enough room in the book to include examples, so we're going to look at the specifics of this feature here. With the Fisheye Lens edit, you can create cropped, rectilinear images with a single click.
RentGlass.com – Lens Rental By Mail
Unless you have a very regular use for a lens, it's often hard to justify its purchase. That super-fast, extreme telephoto lens you've been eyeing may be appealing, but unless you regularly shoot sports or wildlife, you probably can't rationalize the price. Lens rental, then, is a great solution for those special occasions when you need a lens, but can't stomach an outright purchase, and RentGlass.com is just about the cheapest way to rent.
Read more »
Canon 17-85 EF-S vs 18-55 EF-S vs. 24-85 EF
|For the last couple of years, I've been using a Canon 24-85 f/3.5-4.5 EF lens as my general walk-around lens, first for my Canon EOS 10D, and now for the 20D. While I like the lens for its small size and light weight, the 35mm equivalent focal length range of 38 to 136mm is very often not quite wide enough for casual street shooting. While I love my Canon 10-22 EF-S lens for wide angle shooting, having to carry it and swap lenses on the street was beginning to grow tedious, so I decided to look for a new solution. For price reasons, I quickly narrowed the possible alternatives to Canon's 18-55 EF-S and 17-85 EF-S lenses. I was very curious to see if the more expensive 17-85 yielded noticeably better quality, as well as to find out if these were good alternatives to my 24-85.
Sigma 14mm f2.8 Review
If you're using a digital SLR with a non-full-frame sensor, such as the Canon Digital Rebel, 10D, 20D, D30, D60, Nikon D100 or D70, then you've probably already discovered that shooting wide angle is a bit tricky. Because of the focus multipliers created by the smaller sensors in those cameras, getting an even moderately wide-angle lens can be a very expensive proposition. The Sigma 14mm f2.8 lens is one alternative for Canon, Sigma or Nikon users. Though this lens is several years old, it's still competitive with newer offerings, as we'll see in this review.
Canon 10-22 EF-S Lens
Anyone who's shot with a mid-range digital SLR – such as the Canon D30, D60, 10D, 20D, Rebel or the Nikon D100 or D70 – knows that, although these cameras can shoot exceptional images, and offer a full assortment of great features, their focal length multipliers mean that shooting wide angle is really a pain. Canon's new 10-22mm EF-S lens, then, is a great pain reliever.
|If you've been searching for a new look for your photos, or if you're a fan of grungy, "Holga"-type images, then the LensBaby is just the accessory for you, assuming you already own a digital SLR. Inexpensive, the LensBaby can deliver beautiful images.


text:
Pullock V was the fifth planet in its star system. This planet was located in Cardassian space. It was the target of the first off-world raid by the Bajoran Resistance. The raid was led by Lenaris Holem, of the Ornathia resistance cell. (DS9: "Shakaar")
According to the Star Trek: Star Charts, on page 46, the Pullock system was located in the Alpha Quadrant. The system's primary was a Class A star. Magnitude of this star was +9.
The Star Trek: Terok Nor novel Night of the Wolves depicts the raid on Pullock V, setting it in 2348.
External linkEdit
- Pullock V at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works


text:
The Linux Experiment
Choose Your Flavor of Linux
Linux is available from various organizations that add their own configuration tools and installers to the OS's basic core (or kernel). A couple hundred of these Linux distributions are available to be downloaded for free (see Linux Online for a long list). If you want a boxed copy, you'll have to pay for the privilege. Here are some of the most popular distributions.
This operating system is geared toward newbies with its simple one-click $50 software download service. The boxed copy costs $60 (no free version is available).
Acquired by Novell, SuSE is one of the most popular European distributions. You can opt for an $80 Professional version or a $30 Personal version (among others). SuSE offers lots of easy-to-use configuration tools.
Promising to be the Linux distribution for everybody, Mandrake is easy to install and has a slew of configuration tools. The popular Discovery version costs $39.
Aimed at Linux newcomers, the Lycoris distribution ($40) also comes loaded on Toshiba Port
The whole distribution fits on one CD: Simply run it from the $4 disc; when you reboot, you're back to your existing OS.
Formerly Corel Linux, Xandros balances the core developed by Debian with tools for new users. It includes CrossOver Office. The boxed version costs $39.
Alexandra Krasne


text:
I am very interesting where could I find some messy (don't know how to call it) textures. Perfect example is microlancer.com blue background.
Does anyone know how this style is called?
i think you looking for the "grunge" word No…i was wrong. You are not looking for grunge. I know what you mean…
I think he is looking for Grainy Textures
No, its not grainy
is this what you are looking for?
dekurvajo said
is this what you are looking for?
That looks like a low color gif! lol
dekurvajo said
is this what you are looking for?
Yeah, this is what I was talking about
Here is the png what they used. i dont tink so it would come from any stock site LOL.
You can try Patterno to create something like this. Its possible to throw elements, rotate, even blur then the program calculate for you the seamless arrangement.
Strange i can not put the link here… but you can find with "inspect elements"
I know that there is a png at microlancer but I really believe that there are some styles of patterns or textures similar to this..
Hi echh, you can also try contacting Microlancer and see if they can give you any specific hints or at least point you in the right direction. Good luck.


text:
Home →
On stage, Marissa Jaret Winokur is a first-rate charmer, as anyone who caught her performance in Broadway's long-running hit musical Hairspray knows. The moment she belted out the opening number, "Good Morning, Baltimore," theatergoers were sold, blissfully caught up in the contagious joy the high-energy actress/singer/dancer radiates. And clearly, her character- never-say-die high schooler Tracy Turnblad - was a perfect match for her upbeat offstage personality.
The ebullient Winokur became a glowing mom after the birth of her son, Zev, in June 2008. Winokur - who danced her way into everyone's hearts with her warmth and outgoing personality on season six of Dancing with the Stars - has become an ultra-savvy first-time mom.
Last September Winokur became the key celebrity in the launch of Luvs Baby Diapers' "Take A Stand" proactive campaign that urges moms everywhere to speak out about what is important to them - such as keeping expenses for everyday items (like diapers) affordable.
"Being a mom... is my favorite job, but it's also important to me to give back and stand together with moms who demand more for their hard-earned dollars," says the actress who, when celebrating Zev's first birthday last summer, matched every toy her son received with a donation to a nonprofit organization serving families in need.
Luvs Diapers brand manager, Dominic Iacono, notes, "We chose Marissa to lead the Luvs campaign because we knew that she was someone moms would really relate to, and as the mom of a one-year-old, she knows just the types of sacrifices moms make and what it takes to rally them together... [She] is a natural draw for moms to jump in, get involved and share with others how they've taken a stand for their own families."
As part of "Take a Stand," Winokur contributed a series of video testimonials to Luvs' website. They are really worth a look-see, as they tap into subjects like mother's intuition, rolling with the punches and "giving back."
"I tell you, motherhood really puts things into perspective," Winokur notes in one of the online videos. "And it makes you reevaluate your priorities because our plates are so full with juggling our schedules and the house and - dare I say - having time for ourselves."
To take your own stand and/or to watch one or more of Winokur's videos, visit www.luvsdiapers.com/marissa-jaret-winokur.do
The Facts
At Work: Tony Award-winning actress (2003); Dancing with the Stars celebrity dancer; and host of the popular dance/weight loss competition, Dance Your Ass Off, which debuted on Oxygen Network in late June, 2009.
At Home: Los Angeles. Mother of one son, Zev Isaac Miller (15 months). Husband: Judah Miller, television comedy writer.
Q. What is your favorite activity with your son?
MJW: Zev and I love playing in the water - the beach, swimming, bath time... we lov
e anything with water.
Q. What is the most important lesson you try to impart to him?
MJW: Kindness. I want my son to be kind like his father... a sweet little boy who evolves into a wonderfully kind father and husband.
Q. Who was your greatest child-raising influence, and why?
MJW: My family overall. I have two older brothers and an older sister and since my siblings are so much older than me, they had a great influence on me. But now that I have had a child, I would have to say it's really my mom who has had the greatest influence - she did on all of us.
Q. What is your approach to disciplining your son?
MJW: At 15 months old, there isn't much discipline yet. [NOTE: The special bond between mother and son is evident - photos of the two playing and hugging say it all - as Zev inches up on the "terrible twos."]
Q. What was a memorable family outing?
MJW: We just got back from Hawaii and it was Zev's first vacation. It was great letting him experience the warm ocean, the sand, and seeing him enjoy the luaus!
City Guide Theatre Editor Griffin Miller moved to New York to pursue an acting/writing career in the 1980s after graduating magna cum laude from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Since then, she has written for The New York Times, For the Bride, Hotels, and a number of other publications, mostly in the areas of travel and performance arts. She currently is the theatre and spa editor for Promenade Magazine as well as theatre editor for all NYMetroParents publications. An active member of The New York Travel Writers Association, she is also a playwright and award-winning collage artist. In addition, she sits on the board of The Lewis Carroll Society of North America. Griffin is married to Richard Sandomir, Sports Media reporter for The New York Times. See More
Interview With Rachel Zoe on Motherhood
Interview With Supermodel Coco Rocha
Interview: Diaper Dude's Chris Pegula
Sam Weinman Interview: Author of 'Win At Losing'
Party Planning
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Ice-skating is a timeless activity for the young and the young at heart, and something kids can enjoy for the rest of their lives.
Local parents share smart solutions to the trick-y troubles that seem to haunt us all in October.
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Nearly every detail of the iPhone 5 was leaked or spied before Apple's Wednesday announcement in San Francisco. Nearly, but not all. Apple didn't offer any astonishing one-more-thing style revelations, but it still tossed a few unexpected features into the iPhone 5.
Here are some of the stand-outs:
Improved Audio -- Apple stuck a number of audio improvements in the iPhone 5 that will be welcome additions for those who still like to make phone calls.
First, the iPhone 5 comes with three microphones. This will help reduce background noise in the earpiece speaker and result in clearer phone calls. Second, the earpiece speaker has a new five-magnet construction that should give it a boost in the volume department. Third, Apple revealed new headphones called EarPods. The EarPods are the culmination of three years' work, says Apple, and are better at directing sound into the ear canal. Toss in WideBand audio (a carrier-supported feature), and the iPhone 5 is a solid win for audiophiles.
A6 Processor -- The A6 processor wasn't a confirmed feature, but is certainly a welcome one. This new processor designed by Apple (and manufactured by Samsung) is 22% smaller than the A5 processor, uses less power, and boosts performance by a factor of two. According to Apple, the A6 chews through graphics-intensive apps and games and boosts frame-rates for ultra-smooth video.
Improved Battery Life -- LTE is a known power hog. Adding it to smartphones is a sure-fire way to kill the battery quickly. Even though the iPhone 5 adds LTE 4G, it boasts better browsing battery life than the iPhone 4S. In fact, at 8 hours of 4G power, it nearly equals the LTE browsing battery performance of the Retina Display iPad.
Additional Camera Features -- Apple was expected to improve the iPhone's camera, but several of the improvements weren't revealed ahead of time. For example, the iPhone 5 can now take panorama shots (up to 240 degrees). The iPhone 5's software accounts for shaky hands when shooting panoramas, and can stitch together uneven shots into a usable final image. Apple advertises panoramas as "28-megapixel" images. The camera also performs 40% quicker thanks to the A6 processor.
Significant Weight Drop and Waistline Reduction -- The iPhone 4/4S was not a thick, heavy device, but Apple still managed to reduce the thickness of the iPhone from 9.3mm to 7.6mm. Further, the weight has been reduced to 112 grams, or 3.95 ounces. That's less than one-quarter of a pound. The device is lengthier to accommodate the larger display, but the thinner profile and reduced weight go a long way to offset that. Few devices are so thin and so light.
The iPhone 5 may not look all that different from previous generations, nor offer that many more new features, but the engineering required to fit everything in such a small package is no, er, well, small feat.


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Product details
This unit can be used as a larder with three fixed and two adjustable shelves.
- Material: Chipboard
- Effects and finish: Matt white
- Features: Simply Hygena kitchens are quick and easy to install, easy to clean, choice of handles (sold separately), adjustable shelves, adjustable legs.
- Guarantee: 5 year guarantee included
- Dimensions: (H)211, (W)30, (D)57cm
- Additional information: Still undecided, book and appointment and speak to one of our specialists in store. Don't forget to purchase your extras - handles, plinths, cornices.


text:
Most Google, Facebook users fret over privacy
Most Americans are worried about privacy and viruses when using Facebook or Google (GOOG), according to results of a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll released Tuesday.
Nearly seven out of 10 Facebook members surveyed — and 52% of Google users — say they are either "somewhat" or "very concerned" about their privacy while using the world's most popular social network and dominant search engine.
Even so, technologists and privacy experts say most people lack a clear grasp of the complex risks they accept whenever they're on the Internet. "Consumers generally do not understand who's getting access to their data and for what purpose," says Ryan Calo, director of the Consumer Privacy Project at the Stanford University Center for Internet and Society.
Many of us "have a general sense of unease" when we're online, Calo says.
The poll found that a similar percentage of Facebook and Google users — 65% and 54%, respectively — say they are worried about Internet viruses.
"In my mind, that shows a lower level of concern (about viruses) than folks really ought to have," says Lisa Sotto, head of privacy and information management at law firm Hunton & Williams. "There is probably a lack of understanding about how very dangerous viruses can be."
The erosion of security and privacy often go hand in hand. Social networks, banks, tech companies and retailers continue to make it easier than ever to create accounts, share personal details and do most activities on the Web.
This is being driven largely by advertisers' desire to make online pitches to the person most likely to buy. "The only way that happens is through the collection of huge amounts of data about each of us, followed by the sale of the data," says Michael Fertik, CEO of identity management firm Reputation.com.
Data flowing through the Web have translated into a candy store for criminals. It's easier than ever for even low-skilled hackers to spread infections via e-mail, Facebook and Twitter postings and corrupted Google search results. Risks are rising with the use of smartphones, tablet PCs and e-readers to access the Web.
Some companies are doing what they can. "I'm heartened by the attention to mobile privacy issues," says privacy attorney Chris Wolf of Hogan Lovells. New services revolve around "ways to empower people to protect their information."
Posted | Updated


text:
St Paul MN (SPX) Apr 11, 2006
People who have had near death experiences often have different arousal systems controlling the sleep-wake states than people who have not had a near death experience, according to a new study published in the April 11, 2006, issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
For the study, a near death experience was defined as a time during a life-threatening episode of danger such as a car accident or heart attack when a person experienced a variety of feelings, including a sense of being outside of one�s physical body, unusual alertness, seeing an intense light, and a feeling of peace.
The study, which is published in Neurology�s "Views & Reviews" section, compared 55 people with near death experiences to 55 people of the same age and gender who had not had near death experiences.
The study found that people with near death experiences are more likely to have a sleep-wake system where the boundaries between sleep and wakefulness are not as clearly regulated, and the REM (rapid eye movement) state of sleep can intrude into normal wakeful consciousness. Examples of this REM intrusion include waking up and feeling that you cannot move, having sudden muscle weakness in your legs, and hearing sounds just before falling asleep or just after waking up that other people can�t hear.
Of the people with near death experiences, 60 percent reported having times of this REM intrusion, compared to 24 percent of people who had not had near death experiences.
"These findings suggest that REM state intrusion contributes to near death experiences," said neurologist and study author Kevin R. Nelson, MD, FAAN, of the University of Kentucky in Lexington. "People who have near death experiences may have an arousal system that predisposes them to REM intrusion."
Nelson said several other factors support this hypothesis. Several features of near death experiences are also associated with the REM state. For example, the feeling of being outside of one�s body has been associated with the REM state and the conditions of sleep paralysis, narcolepsy and seizures. The feeling of being surrounded by light could be based on the visual activity that occurs during the REM state, Nelson said. During the REM state, the muscles can lose their tone, or tension.
"During a crisis that occurs with REM state intrusion, this lack of muscle tone could reinforce a person�s sense of being dead and convey the impression of death to other people," Nelson said.
REM state intrusion is also associated with other disorders, including narcolepsy and Parkinson disease.
Related Links
University of Kentucky in Lexington
American Academy of Neurology
International Migration Has Pros And Cons
United Nations (UPI) Apr 07, 2006
While the pace of international migration has slowed down, international migrants, who number 191 million, are increasingly moving to the developed world and, in the process, providing labor and expertise to their new homelands, said the United Nations.
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text:
Saint Leo, Fla. (March 15, 2008) – The Saint Leo University baseball team (20-8, 3-2 SSC) split a Sunshine State Conference doubleheader with visiting Eckerd College (10-16, 2-6 SSC) on Saturday afternoon at Southard Stadium. The Lions fell 9-5 in game one before earning a split with a 6-4 victory in the seven-inning second contest.
SLU junior SS Bobby Munoz (Tampa, Fla.) went a combined 4-for-7 with three RBI, three runs scored, a home run and a double on the afternoon. Munoz was the only Lion to register multiple-hit games in both halves of the double dip, and stretched his hitting streak to 12 by hitting safely in both games.
The Lions trailed from the start in game one, falling behind 5-0 in the opening innings. Saint Leo made it a 5-3 contest in the bottom of the third with an RBI single from T.J. Alonzo (Jr., Tampa, Fla.) and a two-run double by Yunior Tabares (Sr., Tampa, Fla.). Tabares stretched his hitting streak to 12 games with the hit.
After Eckerd scored two more runs to make it 7-3 in the fifth, the Lions got to within two again when Brandin Daniel (Sr., Punta Gorda, Fla.) homered to straightaway centerfield in the sixth inning. However, the Tritons sealed the win with two insurance runs in the ninth.
Eckerd starter Philip Weylie (4-1) threw a complete-game in the opener, allowing the five runs on 10 hits while striking out five. Saint Leo starter Ryan Clark (Sr., Tampa, Fla.) was the losing pitcher in game one, falling to 2-5 on the season.
Saint Leo jumped to an early lead in the second game when Munoz delivered a three-run homer over the left field fence in the second inning. However, Eckerd tied the game when LF Mike Alvarez hit a three-run shot of his own in the top of the third. Devon Cason (Sr., Tampa, Fla.) delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the inning to give the Lions the lead for good.
Each team scored a run in the fourth, but the Lions did not allow the Tritons to rally, as SLU closer Matt Smith (Sr., Dade City, Fla.) struck out two of the four batters he faced in the ninth en route to his fourth save of the season. Lions' starter Rodney Miller (Sr., Binghamton, N.Y.) was the winner on the hill in the second game, improving to 3-0. Tritons' starter Mike Sinicola was the losing pitcher in the second game, falling to 0-2 on the season.
Saint Leo and Eckerd will conclude their three-game SSC series on Sunday with the make-up of Friday night's rain delayed contest. First pitch for tomorrow's game is scheduled for noon.


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No Frills (grocery store)
|Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Number of locations
|247 (2016)
|Bakery, dairy, deli, frozen foods, gasoline (select locations), general grocery, general merchandise, liquor (select locations), meat & poultry, pharmacy, produce, seafood, snacks
|Loblaw Companies
No Frills (corporately styled nofrills) is a Canadian chain of deep discount supermarkets, owned by Loblaw Companies Limited, a subsidiary of George Weston Limited. There are over 200 franchise stores located in nine Canadian provinces – Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island[1] and Newfoundland and Labrador.
The first No Frills store – a converted Loblaws outlet previously slated for closure – was launched in East York, Toronto, on July 5, 1978. While it offered a very limited range of goods and only the most basic customer service, the store promoted discount prices. The opening of the prototype outlet coincided with a period of rising inflation rates and consumer complaints regarding the high price of food.[2] Similar limited variety supermarkets had been in operation in Europe for a number of years and in some countries had captured significant market share.[3]
Months earlier, Loblaw had successfully launched a line of generic products called "No Name" that consisted of 16 unbranded items in very basic yellow and black packaging. The new line was promoted as offering savings of between 10 and 40 percent over comparable national brands.[4] As No Name sales exceeded the company's own projections, Loblaws Supermarkets president Dave Nichol predicted the day when "limited line stores" would offer a complete assortment of No Name groceries [5] While the first No Frills (originally branded no frills) featured the new generic product line, most items were still national brands. Though the European model typically offered dry goods, Loblaw promoted "fresh produce at the lowest possible price"[6] as a way of attracting customers.[7]
In order to reduce costs as much as possible, No Frills customers had to forego some of the conveniences that North American supermarket shoppers had come to expect. Customers were required to pack their own groceries as well as bring their own shopping bags or pay three cents for each. Whereas shopping carts are unlocked at Loblaws stores, No Frills locations require the deposit of a coin for unlocking, reducing the number of stray carts in parking lots and the amount of labour required to retrieve them. The prototype store had only four checkout counters and operated on a "low labour" principle of minimal staffing.[8] Product displays were purely functional with items left in their cardboard boxes with the front cut away. Produce, normally washed and stacked, was left unwashed in its shipping carton. The original store did not offer fresh meat since refrigeration units had been removed in order to cut costs and instead of the 8,000 items normally carried by the average supermarket, only 500 were available, usually represented by one brand and in only one size. Instead of each item individually marked, prices were displayed overhead and customers provided with a price list. Cashiers, who underwent three weeks of training, were required to memorize all prices throughout the store. Meanwhile, Loblaws president Dave Nichol promoted the minimalism of the new operations as a way to save money in a difficult economy. "We took all the frills out. We think Canadians are ready for a little belt tightening."[8]
In spite of the limited product selection and minimal customer service, the first No Frills store, which advertised "the lowest overall food prices in Toronto", proved successful from the initial launch. Opening day drew more shoppers than the store could handle:
"The rush never stopped," Robert St. Jean, eastern Ontario division manager said in an interview. "We had to close the doors at 10:30 this morning and let people in as other people left," he said, giggling with excitement as cash registers rang in the background. "We're really excited about it... really excited," he said from the store's second floor at Victoria Park and St. Clair Avenues."[9]
While some first day customers complained about the added inconveniences, most said they didn't mind and were pleased with the money they saved:
Some customers balked at having to pay three cents for each grocery bag and having to pack their own groceries, but most said they didn't mind the extra work. Frank Atlas who lives near the store at Victoria Park and St. Clair avenues, said he would pack all the groceries "to save a few nickels. It doesn't bother me a bit. I've saved a couple of dollars with this order," he said, pointing to three larges boxes of groceries.[8]
With the successful launch of the prototype store, Loblaw began converting a number of its older, more marginal outlets to the new discount format. Within a few months, the company had three No Frills stores in operation in Toronto and area.[7]
During the 1980s, the chain expanded beyond the greater Toronto area. By 1988, there were 19 No Frills stores located in Ontario."[10] A year earlier, Loblaw began converting the outlets from company owned stores to franchise operations. The number of stores more than doubled to 48 by 1994.[11] By the late 1990s, that number had increased to 79 outlets.[12] The new franchise operations typically displayed the name of the owner, such as "Joe's nofrills" or "Derek's nofrills". While most No Frills stores were former Loblaws locations, the company also acquired some outlets including three former Knob Hill Farm supermarkets in Toronto, after that chain closed all of its stores in 2001 in the face of increasing competition. In 2007, Loblaw began expanding No Frills beyond Ontario, first into Western Canada, and later into Atlantic Canada.
Presently, No Frills stores are much more like conventional supermarkets but continue to feature deep discount prices. Items are typically left in their cardboard shipping boxes but are arranged on store shelves and produce is conventionally displayed. While the original No Frills outlets stocked only the most basic products, today's stores offer a wide array of items and brands that include Loblaw's own private or 'control label' products. No Name, which is still heavily featured, has expanded from the original 16 items to more than 2,900 and the company's premium "President's Choice" line is readily available on store shelves.
The range of services has also expanded with some outlets that offer fresh meat and fish counters. Frozen food sections, excluded from the original stores due to the cost of refrigeration, are now standard. Other features remain unchanged, though, with No Frills customers still required to pack their own groceries and bring their own shopping bags or pay 5 cents per bag.
37 locations:
British Columbia[edit]
23 locations:
5 locations:
New Brunswick[edit]
2 locations:
Newfoundland and Labrador[edit]
3 locations:
Nova Scotia[edit]
5 locations:
173 locations:
- Acton
- Ajax (2)
- Amherstburg
- Angus
- Arnprior
- Aurora
- Aylmer
- Bancroft
- Barrie (2)
- Beamsville
- Belleville
- Bradford
- Brampton (6)
- Brantford (2)
- Brighton
- Burlington (2)
- Cambridge (2)
- Campbellford
- Casselman
- Chatham
- Cobourg
- Cornwall
- Corunna
- Elliot Lake
- Essex
- Fort Erie
- Gananoque
- Geraldton
- Glencoe
- Grand Bend
- Guelph (2)
- Hagersville
- Hamilton (6)
- Innisfil
- Kenora
- Kincardine
- Kingston (2)
- Kitchener
- London (7)
- Markham (4)
- Midland
- Milton
- Mississauga (9)
- Mount Forest
- Napanee
- New Hamburg
- Newcastle
- Newmarket
- Niagara Falls
- Nobleton
- North Bay (2)
- Oakville (2)
- Orangeville
- Orillia
- Ottawa
- Oshawa (4)
- Owen Sound
- Parry Sound
- Paris
- Pembroke
- Peterborough (2)
- Pickering
- Picton
- Port Colborne
- Port Dover
- Renfrew
- Richmond Hill
- Sarnia
- Sault Ste. Marie
- Shelburne
- St. Catharines (2)
- Stratford
- Stouffville
- Sturgeon Falls
- Sutton
- Thunder Bay (2)
- Tilbury
- Timmins
- Toronto (41)
- Vaughan (5)
- Wallaceburg
- Waterdown
- Welland
- Whitby (3)
- Windsor
- Woodstock
Prince Edward Island[edit]
1 location:
4 locations:
See also[edit]
- ^ "Stratford Welcomes No Frills". Town of Stratford. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
- ^ "Canadians suffer in silence, buy less as food prices rise", Toronto Star, May 12, 1978
- ^ "Food price crisis: What can be done?", Toronto Star, July 18, 1978
- ^ "'No frills' war slashes grocery prices", Toronto Star, March 21, 1978
- ^ "Puffery leaves the consumer cold,", Globe and Mail, April 12, 1978
- ^ "no frills pricelist", Loblaw Companies LImited, July 1987
- ^ a b "No name products – they're here to stay", Ryersonian, November 1, 1978
- ^ a b c "No-Frills supermarket is swamped on first day", Globe and Mail, July 6, 1978
- ^ "Price must be right!", Toronto Sun, July 6, 1978
- ^ Annual report, Loblaw Companies Limited, 1987
- ^ Annual report, Loblaw Companies Limited, 1993
- ^ Annual report, Loblaw Companies Limited, 1998
External links[edit]
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nofrills.


text:
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Page 264
In response to the developing interest in the early history of Oklahoma, particularly in the northeastern section of the state,
and by way of introducing a new feature in historical study, the Northeastern State Teachers College at Tahlequah conducted
the first of a series of historical tours for students Saturday, July 11th. It is planned to extend this method of first-hand
study of history and make it a regular part of the Oklahoma History courses.
The Ward Way Bus Line furnished us, for this occasion, one of its most elegantly equipped busses fitted out with radio, electric
fans, and everything conducive to the pleasure and comfort of the group. Mr. and Mrs. Grant Foreman of Muskogee were guests
of the College on the trip. Mr. Foreman served as official guide and historian for the party and related, in a most interesting
and fascinating manner, the history of the different points visited.
The itinerary consisted of a circular route of about 150 miles around Tahlequah, including early military forts, trading posts,
Osage and Cherokee missions, salt works, water mills, and noted early settlements of various kinds—in all, some fifteen points
of interest.
Leaving Tahlequah about seven o'clock the first stop was at the national cemetery near Ft. Gibson where attention was centered
upon the stone in memory of "Talihina" Rogers, the Cherokee wife of Sam Houston during his sojourn among the Indians.
In Ft. Gibson we visited the memorial erected by the Muskogee Chapter of the D. A. R., to the memory of Montford Stokes,
Revolutionary soldier and, later, agent among the Cherokees. The remains of the old stone barracks, officers' quarters, and
other buildings used by the federal armies just before and after the War between the States were inspected. Then Mr. Foreman
pointed out and described the location of the "old fort" as it was started in 1824 with its log barracks and stockade, and
later occupied by troops under Gen. Matthew Arbuckle, Col. Nathan
Page 265
Boone, and others. The large iron ring used for anchoring steam boats in the thirties and forties is still to be seen here
at the old landing place on Grand River. Across Grand River and on the way to Okay the party stopped at the supposed home
of Sam Houston, the Wigwam, where the "Raven" lived for several years with Diana "Talihina") Rogers and consumed a large part
of his private shipment of nine barrels of wine and whiskey.
At Okay the chief point of interest was the site of the old Three Forks trading post maintained on the Verdigris by Augustus
Choteau, Hugh Glenn, and others, trading with the Osages, Creeks and Cherokees in the twenties and thirties.
We drove out five miles northeast of Mazie to the site of Union Mission, which was founded in 1820. Epaphras Chapman, the
first missionary to the Osages, is buried here. This mission was authorized by the War Department and originally comprised
acres in the bend of Grand River with a fresh water spring near one side of the tract and a salt spring on the other side.
The mission group consisted of some twelve or fifteen able men and women from the East—preachers, teachers, farmers and artisans.
It was a prominent center of education and culture in eastern Indian Territory till 1837, when it was abandoned. The first
printing press in the present Oklahoma was set up here. They had a number of buildings, and a saw and grist mill propelled
by oxen in treadmill fashion. We visited the Campbell salt well which is said to have produced a bushel of salt to each eighty
gallons of water. Those who tasted it agreed that this proportion was no exaggeration. This old mission community was a frontier
social center of considerable culture far out in the Indian wilds before Ft. Gibson was ever established.
At Pryor lunch was served picnic style, under the spreading elms with plenty of good things for everybody. Everyone
contributed both to the lunch and to the sociability of the occasion.
As we neared Choteau's old trading post at Salina our guide pointed out the place where the Indians used to cache their
belongings when they went to war against their enemies or when they left upon some lengthy hunting expedi-
Page 266
tion. Washington Irving, on the occasion of his visit with Choteau in 1832, refers in his Journal to Choteau's relating this
custom to him and pointing out to him the place where they cached their goods.
Salina is full of historic interest. The early trading post started by Joseph Revoir about 1817, and, upon his death in 1821
taken over by Choteau, was here on the Grand River. It was here that the Cherokees maintained an orphanage for a number of
years, the remains of which are still to be seen. The famous salt works that furnished salt for the early peoples for miles
around and from which the town was named is located a few miles southeast of Salina.
Following a short-cut to the Siloam Springs highway the party next stopped at Flint to see the historic old Hildebrand water
mill. For almost a hundred years this old mill has served as a kind of economic and social center for a considerable section
of country. It was built about 1835, the grinding rocks having been shipped from France to Van Buren, Arkansas, and hauled
overland to Flint by ox wagon. These original French burrs are still in use. The mill furnished bread for a radius of some
fifty miles. It was operated during the Civil War by Federal troops, a Confederate prisoner being employed as miller. In 1872
it was the scene of a tragedy which merged into a family feud, resulted in the death of eleven people, and came near causing
trouble between the National Government and the government of the Cherokee Nation before it was settled. The old water mill
still saws lumber and furnishes corn meal to those who prefer the unbolted variety.
After passing Rattlesnake Spring and Twin Springs, a short stop was made at Dripping Springs, one of the most novel bits of
natural scenery in this part of the state. Here we walked across the swinging bridge and went down into "the bowl" beneath
the falls.
On our way back we had an excellent view of the new Lake Francis, near Watts. At Watts Mr. Foreman related the history of
Fort Wayne. Aroused by the fear, though groundless, of a general Indian uprising, the Government had Fort Wayne established
in the fall of 1838 under the command of Captain John Stuart, but in the fall
Page 267
Maysville, Arkansas, and then finally moved to become Fort Scott, Kansas. A few miles south of Watts we passed of the following
year it was abandoned because of the un-healthfulness of the location. It was re-established near the site of Baptist Mission
founded by Jesse Bushyhead. Here he preached to the Cherokees and taught them for several years immediately after the migration
from the East. He is said to bear the distinction of being one of the few men who traveled freely among both factions of the
Cherokees during the time of their bitterest hatred armed only with his Bible.
Just off the highway between Westville and Tahlequah we were shown the site of the court house which served Going Snake
district till shortly before statehood
We arrived at Tahlequah just before sundown. Everyone expressed himself as being delighted with the trip.
This was our first historical venture of the kind but in view of the happy reception this effort met and in view of the interesting
and extensive possibilities for historical study in this immediate section of the State, the College is planning to conduct
one or two such tours each quarter, from now on, for the benefit of students of history. For the education of youth of the
state and for the edification and interest of tourists, the patriotic organizations of this state certainly ought to provide
for marking, in some adequate and suitable way, the many points of historic interest throughout the state. This would mean
much to Oklahoma.
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text:
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Efforts to reach a plea deal have stalled in the case of Greenpeace activists who staged an eye-catching protest at Procter & Gamble's headquarters in Cincinnati.
Prosecutors said Monday that only one protester facing charges of burglary and vandalism has indicated a willingness to accept a plea that would avoid prison time.
Defense attorneys and prosecutors met in Hamilton County Judge Robert Winkler's chambers with no major breakthrough. No trial date has been set.
Defense attorney Bill Gallagher says the activists don't believe they should be charged with felony burglary.
Activists were arrested in March after slipping past P&G's security and using a zip line to unfurl huge banners from the company's towers.
They were protesting P&G's use of a palm oil supplier that Greenpeace links to tropical forest destruction.


text:
THOUSANDS of pounds are up for grabs at a community event being held in Sale next month.
Residents from Sale are being invited to attend Sale Waterside Arts Centre on Saturday, September 6, between 12pm and 3pm, in order to have their say on funding in their area before voting. It will be hosted by the Sale Locality Partnership and Thrive Trafford.
The event will award grants to voluntary and community groups to deliver projects to improve the Sale area. Currently, there are 17 projects, which have been shortlisted to go through to the public vote on September 6.
Before voting residents will be able to watch a showcase of the shortlisted projects in the style of a marketplace and provide local residents the opportunity to find out more before casting their votes for those they would like to see receive the funding.
The will be held at Sale Waterside Arts Centre and covers the wards of Ashton upon Mersey, Brooklands, Priory, Sale Moor, St Marys and Bucklow St Martins.
To be eligible to vote you have to be a Trafford resident aged 16 and over, who lives or works in the Sale locality/area.
The projects with the highest votes will be announced just after voting closes at 3pm.
Ahead of the event, further information about the shortlisted projects is available by visiting the Thrive Trafford website at thrivetrafford.org.uk.
An exhibition is also being held at Sale Moor Community Partnership, Sale West Community Centre and the Sale Waterside between August 18 and September 5.
Cllr John Lamb, chairman of the Sale Locality Partnership said: "These fantastic projects need the support of local people.
"I'd encourage all Sale residents to come along and cast your votes for the ones you think will make a difference to your area."


text:
Dear Bob ...
I work for an enterprise that sports more than 50,000 employees, with a large technology group serving the users' needs. It has your typical project prioritization process, which takes at least a six-month heads-up on new projects and requires that all projects have thorough requirements before considering the project for development.
[ Also on InfoWorld: "How to balance centralized and decentralized planning" | Get sage advice on IT careers and management from Bob Lewis in InfoWorld's Advice Line newsletter. ]
I personally work for a specific business line in said bank, in an operation center of 400 employees with a broad array of job functions. My role is a software development for just our operation center. I'm part of a team of six people, and we've existed for 10 years.
More and more, we are finding other pockets of embedded development groups within business lines and business areas to provide applications quicker than our corporate technology group can. We write applications ranging from small-batch job processing to larger workflow systems; projects take from days to months in our group versus months to years in the corporate technology group.
It seems we are finding more of these embedded development groups as the corporate technology resources are taken up by high-impact projects and the constantly changing landscape of the business environment. Could you speak to this particular arrangement? Is this typical of large corporate technology groups? What typically happens to these embedded technology groups?
I don't have a particular problem to solve. And I'd like to keep it that way.
- Embedded
Dear Embedded ...
To answer the question you asked, yes, it's typical. Big companies have something in common with national economies. In both cases, centralized planning and economic management break down in at least two related places: fine-tuning the balance between supply and demand; and taking care of small communities of interest.
Countries that tried to manage everything centrally, like the Soviet Union, suffered chronic shortages and oversupplies of goods and services. The localized planning that results from a free-market system still suffers shortages and oversupplies, but by comparison they are minor in size and scope.
And scattered throughout the United States are people who love (for example) klezmer music. In a free market but not a centrally planned economy, someone will figure there's a way to make money by taking care of this small constituency.
A company that employs 50,000 employees almost certainly has more than a thousand separate and distinct "communities of interest" within it. Those responsible for administering the centralized IT governance function can't begin to understand even who all of these communities of interest are, let alone what sorts of opportunities for business improvement that information technology might be able to provide. If they tried, their heads would explode.
And even if they could manage it, big companies centralize IT in order to achieve economies of scale; it's a cost-saving tactic. They want to treat their developers as a pool of resources that can be mixed, matched, deployed, and redeployed in response to changing demands for their services.
Well and good, and it has a consequence: Where a small embedded IT group understands how the community of interest operates, its unwritten rules, personalities, and preferences -- and as a result can immediately get to work taking care of a need -- central IT will begin by "defining the requirements," which really means, "Please educate us so we don't code from ignorance."
Everything about embedded IT is more efficient, with two exceptions.
The first: It tends to fragment the architecture, because the embedded IT groups have their own preferences and generally chafe at any restrictions imposed by central IT. Add to that the absolutely standard dynamic that exists between these two groups: Each considers itself "us" and the other "them" with neither trust nor love lost between them, and the embedded IT groups aren't going to (for example) write all of their Web applications in Microsoft ExpressionWeb when they know CodeWeaver is the superior tool.
And the second: Embedded IT groups frequently duplicate each others' efforts, because they have no way of knowing who each other are, let alone what each other are up to.
These are solvable problems, so long as the CIO wants to solve them and considers them important enough to solve. The short version: It takes leadership, time, attention, and an understanding that central IT should consider one of its most important roles to be coordinating and encouraging these groups. The long version is lengthy enough that it can't be addressed here -- it's the stuff of serious consulting engagements.
[ That was a hint. Check out Bob's consulting company, IT Catalysts, if you'd like to know more about what it has to offer. ]
Sadly, the CIO's usual response is quite different: a reorganization that absorbs the embedded IT groups into central IT to "get control of the situation." Not long after that, the local communities of interest reconstitute new embedded IT groups, and nothing has changed, other than the increase in central IT's size and increased cynicism on the part of the communities of interest.
- Bob


text:
Would you like to save as your currency permanently or for this visit only?
The bathroom was clean and smelled very nice. I did not like the fact there was not t.v. in the room but I appreciate the wireless internet.
Great host. Beautiful rooms and decorating. Comfortable beds. Gas fireplaces took the chill out of the air.
We are frequent travelers but don't stay at many bed and breakfast locations. We think it is too hit or miss depending on the owners. The Lilly Inn is a true HIT due to the owners. Hats off to them and Harold the dog, you all made us feel at home
The bed and breakfast atmosphere made me feel at home. There was no television in the room in which I was assigned. The television was in another sitting area which was inconvenient for me.
Quiet location close to the state park and other attractions; excellent hostess. Metallic tap water - couldn't be helped as the building is very old. However, hostess provided as much bottled water as we needed free of charge.
Bed and Breakfast is very convenient to Leisuretown. Clean and quaint. Breakfast on both mornings was excellent. Couldn't be helped because of location and weekend staying but lots of road traffic noise since I had a front room.
We enjoyed staying in a very historical house (1749)and learning about its history. We asked and were shown the other rooms, which were not rented at the time. Breakfast, varied, colorful, filling and very tasty was served at the time requested.