BILLY GRAHAM-HEAVEN
Billy Graham to mark 96th birthday with evangelistic message
MONTREAT, N.C. (AP) β The Rev. Billy Graham, in a message to be broadcast next week on his 96th birthday, says he’s looking forward to heaven.
The 30-minute program, titled “Heaven: A new message from Billy Graham,” features recent interviews with the evangelist at his North Carolina home.
It also includes archived crusade film from Graham in his prime and dramatic reenactments with personal testimonies from a firefighter who was almost killed and the daughter of a murder victim.
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is encouraging Christians to invite friends to watch the broadcast with them on Nov. 7, when Graham will turn 96.
His son, the Rev. Franklin Graham, has said this will be a more quiet birthday than last year’s, when hundreds gathered to honor the evangelist in Asheville, N.C.
302-a-11-(The Reverend Billy Graham, in excerpt from “Heaven: A new message from Billy Graham”)-“on that cross (music fades)”-The Reverend Billy Graham, in a recent interview, says he isn’t afraid to die, because of what he believes is waiting for him. COURTESY: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association ((Mandatory on-air credit)) (30 Oct 2014)
< 301-v-31-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor)–The Rev. Billy Graham, in a message to be broadcast next week on his 96th birthday, says he’s looking forward to heaven. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (30 Oct 2014) < 304-a-10-(The Reverend Billy Graham, in excerpt from “Heaven: A new message from Billy Graham”)-“faith in him (music fades)”-The Reverend Billy Graham, in a recent interview, says heaven is available to all who trust in Christ. COURTESY: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association ((Mandatory on-air credit)) (30 Oct 2014) < 305-a-08-(Archive crusade audio of the Reverend Billy Graham, in excerpt from “Heaven: A new message from Billy Graham”)-“are you ready? (music fades)”-The Reverend Billy Graham, in an undated crusade message, says Jesus helps him face death. COURTESY: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association ((Mandatory on-air credit)) (30 Oct 2014) < 303-a-10-(The Reverend Billy Graham, in excerpt from “Heaven: A new message from Billy Graham”)-“in Jesus Christ”-The Reverend Billy Graham, in a recent interview, says both heaven and hell are real. COURTESY: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association ((Mandatory on-air credit)) (30 Oct 2014) < 306-a-17-(The Reverend Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, in excerpt from “Heaven: A new message from Billy Graham”)-“one day soon”-The Reverend Franklin Graham says his parents will be reunited in heaven soon. COURTESY: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association ((Mandatory on-air credit)) (30 Oct 2014) < ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS Israel to reopen Jerusalem holy site after shootings JERUSALEM (AP) β Israeli authorities say they’re partially reopening a key Jerusalem holy site for Muslims’ Friday worship. Israel blocked access to the Al Aqsa Mosque compound on Thursday after clashes erupted in the city following the killing of a Palestinian suspect wanted in the attempted assassination of American-born Jewish activist Yehuda Glick. It was the first time Israel has closed the site since 2000. Palestinians had condemned the closure as a “declaration of war.” In a statement, police said that Muslim men over the age of 50 and women of all ages could attend Friday’s weekly prayers. Glick, who was seriously wounded, is an advocate for greater Jewish access to the site known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called for banning Jews from the holy site. 300-a-15-(Jen Psaki (SAH’-kee), State Department spokesman, at briefing)-“to Muslim worshippers”-State Department spokesman Jen Psaki says tensions must be lowered around the Jerusalem holy site revered by both Muslims and Jews. Updated: 10/30/2014-09:32:52 PM ET (30 Oct 2014) < 298-a-07-(Jen Psaki (SAH’-kee), State Department spokesman, at briefing)-“with the family”-State Department spokesman Jen Psaki denounces Wednesday’s attempted assassination of Jewish activist Yehuda Glick. Updated: 10/30/2014-09:32:52 PM ET (30 Oct 2014) < 299-a-09-(Jen Psaki (SAH’-kee), State Department spokesman, at briefing)-“and Temple Mount”-State Department spokesman Jen Psaki says the shooting of Yehuda Glick has heightened tensions around a Jerusalem holy site. Updated: 10/30/2014-09:32:52 PM ET (30 Oct 2014) < 044-w-35-(Warren Levinson, AP correspondent, with David Pressman, deputy U.S. ambassador to the United Nations)–Rising Israel-Palestinian tensions pushed the U.N. Security Council into emergency session. AP correspondent Warren Levinson reports. (30 Oct 2014) < 046-a-12-(Jeffrey Feltman, U.N. political chief, addressing Security Council Wednesday)-“in achieving peace”-U.N. political chief Jeffrey Feltman says the U.N. can’t impose peace on Israel and the Palestinians. (30 Oct 2014) < 047-a-16-(Riyad Mansour (ree-YAHD’ mahn-SOOR’), Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, addressing Security Council Wednesday)-“available to us”-Palestinian U.N. ambassador Riyad Mansour says the Israelis refuse to negotiate in good faith. (30 Oct 2014) < PREGAME PRAYERS Ala. high school stops loudspeaker pregame prayers PIEDMONT, Ala. (AP) β A public high school in Alabama has stopped using its football stadium’s public address system for pregame prayers after being accused of supporting institutionalized religion. WBMA-TV reported Wednesday that Piedmont High School stopped using the public address system for prayers after receiving letters from the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation. The station reports that a group of parents and students responded by gathering on the field to recite the Lord’s Prayer before a game last week. FORSYTH COMMISSIONERS-PRAYER Hearing set next month on Forsyth prayer WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) β A hearing is set next month in North Carolina on whether the Forsyth County Commission can resume its policy of allowing sectarian prayer before its meetings. The Winston-Salem Journal reports that U.S. District Judge James Beaty Jr. set a hearing for Nov. 20. The county asked Beaty in June to drop a 2010 order that banned the commission from having clergy deliver sectarian prayer before its meetings. The request came after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a town in New York did not violate the U.S. Constitution by allowing ministers to deliver Christian prayers at meetings because the town had an inclusive policy. Forsyth County had used a similar practice before it was blocked by an earlier court order. UNIVERSITY-HARASSMENT SUIT Alabama pastor: College official touched me, too SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) β A Baptist minister from Alabama says he was inappropriately touched by a man who is now accused of sexually assaulting students at a state university in Pennsylvania. The minister testified at a federal civil-rights trial stemming from a lawsuit that three former East Stroudsburg University students filed against Isaac Sanders, the school’s former vice president of advancement. The plaintiffs allege Sanders subjected them to sexual harassment and assault while he worked as the university’s chief fundraiser. Sanders was fired six years ago following an investigation by the agency that oversees Pennsylvania’s state university system. He has consistently denied wrongdoing and has never been charged with a crime. He called one accusation “preposterous.” The plaintiff’s attorney sought the minister’s testimony to illustrate that Sanders has a history of predatory behavior. VATICAN-SISTINE CHAPEL Vatican: Tourists harming Sistine Chapel frescoes VATICAN CITY (AP) β The Vatican says the Sistine Chapel’s precious frescoes are starting to turn white from the air pollution caused by visitors passing through each day. Officials first noticed the whitening patina in 2010 and launched an investigation. While the exact origin still unknown, officials told an academic conference Thursday that the powdery patina β which covers some frescoes like cracked sugar icing β was believed to be calcium carbonate and calcium bicarbonate deposits. It was easily removed. Vatican officials have said the Sistine Chapel’s new air conditioning system inaugurated this week would prevent potential damage from rising levels of carbon dioxide and humidity brought on by crowds. But they never revealed that damage was already underway and that the new system was aimed at preventing further problems. ISLAMIC STATE-COLORADO Girls’ jihadi quest stirs Muslim communities’ fear AURORA, Colo. (AP) β Many in Denver’s east African community say they worry that other children will be lured to terror after three girls tried to join extremists in Syria. Authorities stopped the teenage girls in Germany before they made it further. But those in their neighborhoods say they still wonder who recruited them online. Community leader Ahmed Odowaay says it’s easy for Muslim teenagers to feel like outcasts, even as U.S. citizens. Their frustration makes them an easy target for online recruiters who lure them with the promise of marriage or acceptance. Community leaders say they want to learn from the girls’ experience to keep it from happening again. They hope meetings with authorities will help forge a better relationship. BUDDHIST CENTER-COLLAPSE Roof collapses at Houston-area Buddhist Center SUGAR LAND, Texas (AP) β The roof on a prayer hall at a Houston-area Buddhist temple has collapsed. Officials say the roof fell in before dawn Thursday at the Vietnamese Buddhist Center in Sugar Land. The Houston Fire Department reports nobody was hurt. Authorities are trying to determine what caused the accident. Engineers plan to inspect the site. Several monks who live next door were alerted to the collapse when a building alarm sounded.
