Bethlehem Revisited

Due in part to the Lehigh Canal and the Lehigh Valley Railroad, Bethlehem evolved from a tranquil town to a modern industrial city. Built in 1829, the Lehigh Canal passed by the center of Bethlehem. With it brought a steady stream of outsiders who shaped and changed the community. The Lehigh Valley Railroad was established in South Bethlehem in the 1850s, turning the city into a manufacturing center with such new industries as Lehigh Zinc and Bethlehem Steel as well as silk mills. Bethlehem Revisited captures a city in transition, at a time when its streets could barely accommodate the influx of horses, trolleys, automobiles, and pedestrians. Bursting at its seams with people, businesses, and residences, Bethlehem comes alive through this collection of extraordinary postcards.

Bethlehem's bucolic countryside and bustling suburbs reflect the town's rich history. Uncover the stories that shaped the town from its Dutch settlement to today. Nathaniel Adams, along with his wife, Rhogenia, opened a stagecoach inn and became the first postmaster in what is now Delmar. The opening of the Albany and Susquehanna Railroad broadened travel and freight transportation. The LaGrange family farmed the same land for over two centuries and exemplified the region's deep agricultural roots. Suburbs flourished in the region following World War II. Drawing from her articles that first appeared in Our Towne Bethlehem, town historian Susan E. Leath celebrates the enduring community spirit of Bethlehem with this fascinating collection of essays.

Situated on the west bank of the Hudson River, Bethlehem traces its history to the Dutch settlement era of the 1600s. Incorporated on March 12, 1793, Bethlehem's rich soil, abundant timber, river access, and proximity to Albany drew Dutch, English, Scottish, and German settlers. Bethlehem's farmers became known for their oats, hay, apples, and dairy products. The year 1863 marked the coming of the Albany and Susquehanna Railroad and the beginnings of the town's transformation to a suburban community. This trend continued in the 20th century with the success of the automobile. In Bethlehem, images from the late 1800s to mid-1900s tell the story of the community's history through its many hamlets, including Delmar, Elsmere, Glenmont, Selkirk, Slingerlands, and North and South Bethlehem. Photographs of churches, schools, blacksmith shops, hotels, farmhouses, and elaborate summer homes illustrate Bethlehem's journey from a rural farming community to a bustling modern suburb.

Sunshine Through Rain Watch for sunshine to peek through the rain. For joy chasing sadness as we grow from our pain. Look for the rainbow showing God’s love In the form of His multi-colored promise above. There’s always a way to a new tomorrow That comes from giving God our sorrows Our joy, our laughter, our fear and our pain In an offering of praise for He rations the rain. Don’t Run!!?? The shortest distance Between two places is RUN! Nathan doesn’t waste time From here to fun! He’s bright and quick And wants to know What makes things work And why they go. He wants to know The how’s and why’s Of birds and bats And butterflies. Everything he see Is GREAT! And so he runs, He cannot wait; Please help this Young man on his way He doesn’t want to waste A single minute of TODAY! Family Because of God’s plan, We are family. As the seed of Adam and Eve, We are family. As the offspring of Abraham, (literal or spiritual) We are family. By baptism into Christ, We are family. By ancestors of many generations, We are family. By choice and strength of love, We are family. By circumstances and God’s design, We are family. In God’s family all are equal. Race, gender, social position, Finances, place of birth; None of these matter because Christ’s life, death and Resurrection, has restored us In Him, to the Holy Family of God. We are family. Full Moon The field has been transformed Tonight, into a sea of light. The moon is shining high above And everything is bright. The bales of hay are now the ships On which my musings glide. The cricket’s song a symphony, A distant star it’s highest note, Carries me far from all life’s fears, And mankind seems remote. Surely the Lord is in this place His presence fills my heart. His glory bids my darkness flee, And gives me a new start.

A major theme in the Gospels is 'peace'; indeed Jesus proclaimed: 'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you'. Yet when we look at the world, peace can seem an elusive dream. Mary Grey looks at how the Advent story encourages forgiveness and reconciliation, both essential for peace, and how the Gospels can be key tools to help Christians work towards peace. She ties the Advent story in with current situations in the UK and in the Middle East and the book has both a personal and a global outlook. The book will make ideal reading for Advent and Christmas, either on your own or in a group. It is sure to challenge you to ask 'how can I help to make peace a reality for all God's children?'

Monique remembers an old flame. She is also reminded of what happiness feels like by a dream. Was this dream about a man she met a long time ago? She romps through a tongue-in-cheek philosophical quest for understanding of herself, the mystery of life and a search to explore a missed opportunity. Monique questions her motives, her failures and how she got to this point in her life. She is aware of a nagging "something" that she would like to understand

Journeying with Hope into a New Year: Reflections for Advent and Christmas originated in 1982 when our family lived at Tantur, an ecumenical institute between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. My wife Nancy and I sent family and friends a letter highlighting our experience of Christmastide in the Holy Land. Inspired by writing this message from afar, we continue each year to write a letter with family news, a moving quote from a hymn or literary work, and spiritual reflections. These provide the basis for thirty-one meditations to be read daily through the month of December. Each includes a biblical text, a brief meditation, and a prayer. These may enable readers to experience more than the commercialism of the season and be led to magnify Jesus, the One who is at the heart of why we celebrate Christmas or write New Years' Resolutions. A line in The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery summarizes a crucial idea informing this collection: "And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."