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By MARY BYRNE

GREENFIELD — A private Christian school plans to open this fall, pending approval from the School Committee.Providence Christian Academy, which would operate out of the former Greenfield Alliance Church at 385 Chapman St., is a ministry of the...

By AALIANNA MARIETTA

BERNARDSTON — After 10 years leading the United Church of Bernardston, the Rev. David Neil has retired, wrapping up 45 years in parish ministry that has included more than 900 funerals, 400 weddings and 300 baptisms. Neil gave his last Mass on Sunday,...

By BELLA LEVAVI

GREENFIELD — With an eye toward creating a space where all values are represented, Spiritual Leader Simcha Halpert-Hanson has been selected to take on the role held by Rabbi Andrea Cohen-Kiener.Following Cohen-Kiener’s retirement after eight years...

By REV. BRETT REITENBACH

How can a person come to God with full assurance? The portion of the Bible called Hebrews was written to Jewish believers in Jesus Christ who were facing persecution. It is one of the richest books of the Bible but is also one of the most difficult to...

By HETTY STARTUP

What do you see when you look at a rock? Perhaps it’s on the sidewalk, by the ocean or in a garden? Do you wonder how it got there? What is its story? Maybe rocks are not your thing. But as late April’s Earth Day celebrations have now passed, I...

By THE REV. RANDY CALVO

There is so much more to celebrate today than I realized. I must mention that today is National Nurses Day since my daughter is a nurse. On a lighter note, though, May 6 is also National Beer Pong Day. I live in Amherst and I can see for myself how...

By THE REV. CINDY LAJOY

Have you ever considered the difference between charity and generosity? Does giving to others make you feel good? When you drop a few coins in The Salvation Army bucket at Christmas, or donate a little to Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital, do you take...

By DOMENIC POLI

Today, women make up about 47% of the American workforce, but 100 years ago, that figure hovered around 20%. The norm of the day was for a woman to stay home, supporting her husband and raising children. And the tradition held a grip on society for...

By THE REV. LINDARHINEHART NEAS

The poet Dorothy Frances Gurney wrote “The kiss of the sun for pardon, / The song of the birds for mirth, / One is nearer God’s heart in a garden / Than anywhere else on Earth.” When my mother read me this poem for the first time, I asked her why...

By BELLA LEVAVI

ASHFIELD — The First Congregational Church and St. John’s Episcopal Church will host a “Sacred Stroll” as an early Earth Day celebration on Friday, April 21, at 4 p.m. “Our two Ashfield churches are working together to encourage care for our planet,”...

By THE REV. HEATHER BLAIS

Our faith is like a garden, and we are the gardeners. I once read that to be a great gardener, we might take classes or read books about gardening, nurture our soil, pay attention, visit other gardens, plant seeds and take chances. This same advice...

By BRETT SHERWOOD

If you belong to a church in any capacity, you’re already prepared for tomorrow. The most pastel of your Sunday finest are ironed and laid out and your children’s baskets wait by the door, not to be forgotten in the mad dash to worship. Tomorrow is...

By JANET KEYES

I am “Hamor.” My master is an 11-year-old boy named Zechariah. His father has a vineyard in Bethphage, near the Mount of Olives. My master has never given me a name. Hamor simply means “donkey.” When I was very young, he called me Ayir, the sound of a...

By SCOTT MERZBACH

SHUTESBURY — A member of the Shutesbury Community Church for 30 years, Chris Footit is relieved to be back participating in and attending services, something he can do after a three-stop lift was installed at the 1827 meetinghouse on the town...

By THE REV. VICKI IX

It happened in 1970. A huge, unexpected snowstorm hit the New York metropolitan area on March 29 — Easter Sunday. The storm was so big and powerful, it dumped 2 or 3 feet of snow in the New Jersey suburbs. All the winter snow equipment had been put...

By THE REV. JIM EWEN

One of the first scripture passages that I memorized in Sunday School as a child remains one of my favorite passages of scripture to this day: It was what is commonly referred to as “the Golden Rule.” It is found in the great body of Jesus’ ethical...

By MADDIE FABIAN

The Station of the Cross Catholic Media Network recently expanded its reach across western Massachusetts. The network now broadcasts on 730 AM in Springfield, reaching western Massachusetts and Hartford, with a potential of more than 2.2 million...

By ROBERT PECK

The formation of the United States of America was based on what is known as the rule of law to guard us from tyranny and to promote peace and safety for all its citizens. Our forefathers were faced with the challenge of finding laws that would be...

By DOMENIC POLI

Walk into a restaurant during a lunch or dinner rush and you’re likely to hear the hum of chitchat of diners talking about their lives and interests.But the people at 67 Dugway Road in Petersham eat in silence, with only the clinking of silverware or...

By THE REV. LIZA KNAPP

I missed church last Sunday.That’s unusual for a pastor. But I was sick on Sunday morning, and as I write this on Tuesday morning, I still am. It could be COVID or just a nasty cold; either way, I hope and expect to be better soon. But meanwhile, I’m...