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The Church: A place of faith and love
BY JACK WARD There are many organizations worldwide today. Some of them are very good and helpful, such as the American Cancer Society, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and the Kiwanis clubs of America, which do good things for their communities. And I’m sure we can think of a hundred others. Some organizations are just plain…
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One generation away
BY JACK WARD You have heard it said that “we are one generation away from godlessness.” Well that happened to the people of Israel. Judges 2:10-12: “And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had…
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Sheriff’s Office seizes over 86 grams of suspected meth in traffic stop
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN TOMAHAWK — Martin County Sheriff John Kirk and deputies seized more than 86 grams of suspected methamphetamine during a traffic stop Thursday night on Milo Road in Tomahawk. Authorities arrested Brandi Moore, 35, and Larry Joe Horn Jr., 58, both of Inez, following a consent search that also turned up…
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James Edward Webb Obituary
James Edward Webb 1944—2026 James Edward Webb, a beloved educator, talented musician and skilled luthier, passed away in Frankfort, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026 following a courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease. He lived most of his quiet life on Stidham Lane in Martin County. He is survived by his wife of 56 years Linda Webb, his…
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I have not been that hungry yet
BY JACK WARD In May 1846, 187 men, women, and children left Missouri in a wagon train headed for California. There was nothing exceptional about the group or this journey, and we would never have known about them had they not decided to try a shortcut. The “Hastings Cutoff,” as it was known, was indeed…
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Be holy
BY JACK WARD Ludwig Nommensen traveled to begin mission work with a tribe in Southeast Asia. The village chief welcomed Ludwig and said, “You have two years to learn our customs and convince us you have a message worth hearing.” After two years, the tribal leader asked the missionary how Christianity differed from the tribe’s…
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The Modern Prodigal Son
BY JACK WARD From a sermon by Scotty Plummer: The day I turned 18, I left home. I had saved some money, and despite my parents’ strong objections, I packed a few things in my Volkswagen and headed for California. Just outside of Needles, California, a man at a rest stop pulled a gun, took…
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William ‘Bill’ Lee Preston Obituary
William ‘Bill’ Lee Preston 1967—2026 William “Bill” Lee Preston, age 58, of Tomahawk, passed away Jan. 17, 2026, at Community Hospice in Ashland. Born Aug. 27, 1967, in Lawrence County, he was the son of the late Willie Preston and Rella (Howard) Preston Amburgey. In addition to his parents, William was preceded in death by…
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We need a sign
BY JACK WARD Rabbi Feldman had been having trouble with his congregation. It seemed they could agree upon nothing. Controversy filled the air until the Sabbath itself became an area of conflict and unhappiness filled the synagogue. The president of the congregation organized a meeting of 10 elders and the rabbi. They met in the…
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The ‘Living Water Challenge’
BY PASTOR JACK WARD Remember way back in 2014, when they had the Ice Bucket Challenge, sometimes called the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? It involved dumping a bucket of ice water over one’s head to raise awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and encourage donations to research. It went viral throughout social media in mid-2014.…
