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The True Story of the Plymouth Thanksgiving
Plymouth – Americans think they know a lot about the first Thanksgiving, with many envisioning it as happy Pilgrims wearing big buckles and feasting on huge, fat turkeys. But the facts are actually more fascinating than fiction.
Take Plymouth Rock, for instance. Most accept that the big boulder marked “1620” and sitting just feet away from the water is where the Pilgrims first landed in the area. But the Pilgrims themselves never mentioned stepping off their boat onto a rock.
And the person who swore there was a rock and pointed it out to fellow Plymouth residents didn’t bring it up until he was in his 90s, claiming some of the original Pilgrims told him about it.
Thankful Despite Tragedy
As for verifiable facts, one for sure is that these religious reformers started building their first American settlement in the harsh winter of 1620-1621, even as half their number died around them.
But just a few months later, these faithful Christians who believed in thanking God for everything were already planning the first American Thanksgiving.
“This was in 1621 after the first season here in Plymouth where they lost half their population and only had 51 of 102 people left at the end of that season,” Pilgrim role-player Leo Martin told CBN News.
Martin and his wife Nancy not only run the faith-based Jenney Museum in Plymouth but dress up as Pilgrims and give tours and lectures. Martin has also authored the book Pilgrim Pursuit of Happiness.
Martin said the survivors’ first crop did well and they knew they wouldn’t die of starvation.
“They developed enough food to make it through the next winter, and they thought that they ought to thank God for that,” Martin explained.
At the Plimoth Plantation where that first Pilgrim settlement is faithfully recreated, top researcher Richard Pickering dresses up to act out the part of Edward Winslow, one of only two Pilgrims to leave a written record of that first Thanksgiving.
Impersonating Winslow, Pickering told CBN News about preparations for the event.
“The very first feast that we had in these parts, our governor sent four men on fowling and in just some small hours, the four men were able to take enough wildfowl to feed our company for a week,” he said. “For we required a special manner of rejoicing, the Lord having sustained us for a year and having brought in such a goodly harvest.”
‘They Are a Toothsome Bird’
In Plymouth’s annual Thanksgiving parade, the occasional float will go by showing large, plump turkeys, the kind today’s Americans imagine Pilgrims feasted on. But in truth, their turkeys were wild, lean, and mean.
“They were very skinny and they could run up to 25 miles an hour,” Martin said. “So to catch one was a challenge.”
‘Winslow’ said, “I find the turkeys here of New England, they are a bit different than those that live upon the dunghills back home in England. But they are a toothsome bird.”
Another sure fact: these grateful Englishmen didn’t dine alone because they knew they wouldn’t have made it without the Indians, or Sachems, as Winslow called them.
The Native Americans showed them what could grow in this radically different soil that was unkind to English seeds.
Those Pilgrims Could Party
“They felt that Massasoit, the chief of the Wampanoag Indians, was so instrumental in their survival that they should invite Massasoit and his immediate family to that celebration, and they did,” Martin explained.
But Massasoit misunderstood a bit.
“While we were feasting and making of sport and exercising our arms, amongst us come the great Sachem Massasoit and about 90 of his men,” Winslow said.
Martin pointed out that could have wiped out all the Pilgrims’ supplies, but the chief and his braves brought plenty of food with them.
“Venison, turkey, fish, vegetables — and together they had enough food for a three-day celebration where they honored one another and became better friends,” Martin said.
Norah Messier is Plimoth Plantation’s expert on the food of that era.
“Most likely there was fish on the Thanksgiving table as we now refer to it, possibly lobsters. We know when the natives arrived they brought with them venison, something not many of us put on our Thanksgiving table today,” she stated.
‘Pompion Stew’ Instead of Pumpkin Pie
We’d put pumpkin pie on our tables. Messier did a cooking display for CBN News showing what the Pilgrims would have done instead.
“One of the things that most people would say you can’t have Thanksgiving without your pumpkin pie,” Messier said.
“What I’m going to be doing here is exactly what we know they did frequently in New England,” she explained. “The ancient standing dish is called ‘stewed pompion.’ Pompion is the period term for the pumpkin.”
She demonstrated how the Pilgrims would dice this pompion/pumpkin and stew it into sort of a mash.
“Eventually you’re going to add just a splash of vinegar and a little bit of ginger,” Messier said. “And supposedly it’s going to taste like stewed apples, something that was definitely not on the first Thanksgiving table: no apples in New England, not yet.”
They were huge on stuffing, and the batch Messier put together for CBN News came from a recipe dated 1597. It called for breadcrumbs, cranberries, chopped yolk of hard-roasted eggs, butter, and raisins.
Just because of the raisins alone, this stuffing would have taken much more labor.
“Raisins up until recently had seeds in them still,” Messier stated. “Imagine picking out all of those seeds.”
Bringing Old England to New England
Finally, the cook would have seasoned this stuffing with herbs brought all the way from England, like thyme, hyssop, and parsley.
“We believe that the things they are growing in their kitchen gardens in the 17th century are primarily things brought over from England. They’re trying to bring home with them,” Messier explained. “They’re trying to make New England feel like old England.”
That likely is why a man like Winslow would have preferred something better than those skinny, exotic New England turkeys.
Winslow said with a twinkle in his eye, “In truth, my greatest delight is a goose for I do love its great fatness.”
Sources:CBN News
As millions of Americans look forward to celebrating the joy of the Christmas season with family and friends, inmates across the country face the painful reality that they will spend it alone. Yet, one Virginia prison ministry is looking to spread a little cheer to the thousands locked up behind bars to let them know that Jesus loves them and they are not forgotten.
Good News Global, formerly Good News Jail & Prison Ministry, is hand-delivering 65,000 Hope Packs globally to men and women behind bars in 18 states and 20 countries this Christmas.
The Hope Packs include a Christmas gift, card, 2025 calendar, food, hygiene items, and the Gospel message.
For some, it is their first time receiving a gift like this. For others, it is the first time they will hear about Jesus.
For the past three years, Good News Global has given inmates a “Christmas Hope” package in the days before Christmas.
“Hope Packs represent our greatest outreach to incarcerated persons ever,” said Jon Evans, president of Good News Global. “This Christmas, we will put hope in the hands of 65,000 receptive inmates. We believe that everyone has inherent worth in the eyes of God, and providing Hope Packs is a practical and tangible way to demonstrate that to the inmates and jail and prison staff members.”
The packs are assembled by volunteers, including individuals in local churches and jail administrators who are within the locations of the participating 150 jails and prisons.
Volunteers with the organization preach the gospel to over 400,000 incarcerated men, women, and young people, helping people of all faith backgrounds cope with life in jail.
“Your life is essentially over (in jail),” Chaplain Joe Kelty previously told CBN News. “If ever there was a time that you would turn to God, it’s probably when you’re going through something like that.”
“One of the most moving parts of the job is when an inmate finds out that a loved one has died on the outside,” Kelty added. “And here they are in jail, and they can’t be with their family. That’s some of the more difficult conversations but also the most meaningful.”
In the U.S., chaplains serve as the religious program coordinator for each prison facility. In addition, they are responsible for pastoral care, facilitation and accommodation of religious requests, coordination of clergy visits, and a host of other personal ministry activities.
Internationally, chaplains extend ministry to ex-inmates and families of inmates, providing emergency aid such as soap, detergent, toilet paper, lotion, food, and more.
Good News Global started distributing 500 “Hope Packs” in 2021 after a formerly incarcerated Chaplain remembered receiving a Hope Pack while incarcerated in Illinois.
Chaplain Richard Van Arsdale reached out to Willow Creek Community Church in suburban Chicago to find out the contents of Hope Pack. They graciously opened the door to a partnership that has grown each year.
In 2022, Good News Global distributed 50,000 Hope Packs, and in 2024, it will distribute 65,000 worldwide.
“I want to say thank you so much for your Christmas bag and prayers,” one inmate wrote to the ministry.
“I have been a strong believer in God my entire life, but just last night, I was actually cussing the Lord. I almost had given up. I told him to show me a sign today or I feel like I couldn’t believe anymore,” the inmate explained.
“Then I read the card that a Good News Global volunteer gave me from the Hope Pack and it touched my heart so much I started to cry,” the inmate shared. “To hear and think that someone was thinking of me and praying for me helped me so much.”
More than 11 million people are incarcerated globally and Hope Packs is providing the opportunity to bring a gift and the gospel to inmates at Christmas–one of the loneliest seasons for those incarcerated.
“We believe that every person has inherent worth in God’s eyes and has a plan for each individual that can only be fully secured through faith in Him,” the ministry shared.
Sources:CBN News
us news
After Banning ‘Jesus Signs’ in Violation of Federal Law, HOA Reverses Course in Victory for Homeowner
The ACLJ took action against a homeowners association (HOA) in Texas after it informed our client that religious yard signs are not permitted even though the HOA permits various nonreligious yard signs.
Our client initially had a sign in her front yard and a banner in the backyard. The sign stated, “Pray for America,” and the banner stated, “Jesus is Our Only Hope.” Shortly after our client put up the sign and banner, she received a violation notice from the HOA that demanded our client “Remove ALL ‘Jesus’ signs—they are not allowed.”
Our client thought she had been told to remove the signs because the banner was too large and did not meet the HOA size requirements for signs. So, our client sought approval for the sign and banner with the HOA’s Architectural Review Committee (ARC). The ARC came back and stated the signs were political and asked if they met the size requirements. Given that the banner did not meet the size requirements, the client then purchased a smaller yard sign with the same message. Once again, she sought the ARC’s approval. This time the ARC came back and stated that the signs were not approved political signs.
Our client then sought clarification from a member of the ARC and learned that the true intention behind the denial was the religious content on the signs. The committee member told our client that religious signs are not on the list of allowed signs, thus admitting that other signs are permitted but religious signs are prohibited. The committee member also failed to mention that the committee has the discretion to approve signs that are not on the typical list of approved signs.
We fired off a demand letter informing the HOA of our client’s rights under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). Despite what many homeowners associations think, they cannot prohibit religious signs while allowing nonreligious signs.
As we explained in our letter, the FHA makes it illegal “[t]o discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection therewith, because of … religion.” Courts have also emphasized individuals are protected from discrimination before and after they acquire the property, including governance by HOAs. The FHA therefore prohibits HOAs from applying rules to an owner’s use of their property in a manner that discriminates against their religion.
Here, the HOA did just that. Various signs are permitted around the neighborhood, but our client’s signs were prohibited specifically because they are religious. Moreover, the committee had the discretion to approve other signs but specifically prohibited our client’s signs based on their religious content.
Because of this violation of federal law, we demanded the HOA cease all discrimination and allow our client to display religious signs. We were prepared to take further legal action if the HOA did not comply. However, shortly after the HOA received our demand letter, it reversed course. Our client received written assurances that she will be permitted to display her religious signs and that no further enforcement action will occur.
Learn more about your rights regarding homeowner associations and housing complexes in our Know Your Rights resource. If you have experienced religious discrimination by your HOA, the ACLJ may be able to help. Please contact us at ACLJ.org/HELP.
Sources:BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS
ന്യൂഡല്ഹി : ഇന്ത്യക്കാരായ വിദ്യാര്ഥികള്ക്ക് അനുവദിച്ച യുഎസ് വീസ ഈ വര്ഷം ഗണ്യമായി കുറഞ്ഞു. ജനുവരി മുതല് സെപ്റ്റംബര് വരെ 64,008 വീസയാണ് അനുവദിച്ചത്. 2023ല് സമാന കാലയളവില് ഇത് 1,03,495 ആയിരുന്നു.
വിദ്യാര്ഥികള്ക്കുള്ള എഫ്1 വീസ 2021 ല് സമാന കാലയളവില് 65,235 ആയിരുന്നു. 2022 ല് ഇതു 93,181 ആയിരുന്നുവെന്നും രേഖകള് വ്യക്തമാക്കുന്നു. കോവിഡ് വ്യാപിച്ച 2020 ലെ ആദ്യ 9 മാസത്തില് 6646 എഫ്1 വീസയാണ് ഇന്ത്യക്കാര്ക്ക് അനുവദിച്ചിരുന്നത്. യുഎസില് ഉപരിപഠനം നടത്തുന്നവര്ക്കു വേണ്ടിയുള്ള നോണ് ഇമിഗ്രന്റ് വിഭാഗത്തില്പെട്ടതാണ് എഫ്1 വീസ.
ചൈന ഉള്പ്പെടെയുള്ള രാജ്യങ്ങളിലെ വിദ്യാര്ഥികള്ക്ക് അനുവദിച്ച വീസയിലും കുറവുണ്ടെങ്കിലും ഇത്ര വലുതല്ല. ഈ വര്ഷം ആദ്യത്തെ 9 മാസത്തില് 73,781 എഫ്1 വീസയാണു ചൈനീസ് വിദ്യാര്ഥികള്ക്ക് അനുവദിച്ചത്. കഴിഞ്ഞ വര്ഷമിത് 80,603 ആയിരുന്നുവെന്നും ബ്യൂറോ ഓഫ് കോണ്സുലര് അഫയേഴ്സിന്റെ വെബ്സൈറ്റില് വ്യക്തമാക്കുന്നു.
Sources:nerkazhcha
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Good News Global Gives ‘Hope Packs’ and the Gospel to 65,000 Inmates Worldwide
As millions of Americans look forward to celebrating the joy of the Christmas season with family and friends, inmates across...
After Banning ‘Jesus Signs’ in Violation of Federal Law, HOA Reverses Course in Victory for Homeowner
The ACLJ took action against a homeowners association (HOA) in Texas after it informed our client that religious yard signs...
ജനുവരി മുതല് സെപ്റ്റംബര് വരെ ഇന്ത്യന് വിദ്യാര്ഥികള്ക്ക് യുഎസ് അനുവദിച്ചത് 64,008 വീസ
ന്യൂഡല്ഹി : ഇന്ത്യക്കാരായ വിദ്യാര്ഥികള്ക്ക് അനുവദിച്ച യുഎസ് വീസ ഈ വര്ഷം ഗണ്യമായി കുറഞ്ഞു. ജനുവരി മുതല് സെപ്റ്റംബര് വരെ 64,008 വീസയാണ് അനുവദിച്ചത്. 2023ല് സമാന...
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