“Instant Family” Movie Puts Spotlight on Foster Care Adoption
47-year-old actor Mark Wahlberg is promoting his upcoming film, “Instant Family,” which is about a couple, Pete and Ellie, who take in three foster children and overnight become parents to a troubled teen and her two siblings. The film is based on the real-life experience of director Sean Anders, who made the life-altering decision to adopt three biological siblings from foster care several years ago. While “Instant Family” is not a faith-based film, Wahlberg said he hopes viewers are struck by the realities facing foster children every day and are compelled to help make a difference. “The Church needs to allow people of all walks in life to come together, love people, and make people a part of our family and community, bringing everybody in,” he told the Gospel Herald in a recent sit-down interview in NYC. “Instant Family” hits theaters on Nov. 16 and stars Wahlberg, Rose Byrne, Octavia Spencer, Tig Notaro and Margo Martindale. Read the full article HERE.
Christian Composer Kurt Kaiser Leaves a Legacy of Hundreds of Songs
Composer Kurt Kaiser, whose popular songs “Pass it On” and “Oh How He Loves You and Me” became staples at Christian camp sing-alongs and youth revivals, died Monday. The 83-year-old musician wrote more than 300 copyrighted tunes, released more than a dozen albums of his own, and accompanied the late George Beverley Shea on piano during Billy Graham’s crusades. Kaiser passed away in Waco, Texas, the city where he’d lived for 59 years and helped launch Word Music and Dayspring Baptist Church. “For more than five decades, Kurt Kaiser enriched the world with a Christian message of hope as a pioneer of modern church music,” said Baylor University president Linda A. Livingstone in a tribute this week. Read the full article in Christianity Today HERE.
NC Red Cross Volunteers Travel Across the Country to Tackle Wildfire Relief Efforts in California
Many Red Cross volunteers from North Carolina have spent weeks supporting those affected by hurricanes Florence and Michael, and now, some of them are shifting their focus to help families devastated by California wildfires. Six North Carolina Red Cross volunteers are on the ground helping, including Helen Miller from Jacksonville, who arrived Sunday night and will be distributing shelter food and supplies to neighbors watching their communities burn. For the past two months, the 72-year-old has been away from home providing relief to hurricane evacuees in Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina. Now she’ll spend several days – maybe even the Thanksgiving holiday – in Northern California. Read the full report and learn how you can help HERE.
Tips for Charitable Holiday Giving in 2018
For the 37th time in the past 40 years, charitable giving increased year over year in 2017, according to Charity Navigator. ‘Tis the season for generosity again, and indeed there is no shortage of noble causes in need of support in 2018. To help you maximize your impact, WalletHub compared more than 100 of the most prominent U.S. charities based on their financial performance, transparency, and popularity. Take a look at their Giving Guide and learn what national charities topped the list HERE.
