3+ week, 5+ day ago (354+ words) Community Fellowship Church has completed a 10-month, $4 million renovation project. The church completed the project at the 100-year-old Chestnut Hill Church building at 344 W. Chestnut St. in Lancaster. The building will serve as Community Fellowship Church's second location. Community Fellowship Church will hold its first public service at the building at 9 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 23. A worship and prayer night program will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, and a community open house will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 22. Both events are open to the public. The 25,000-square-foot space includes upgraded HVAC, security, and audiovisual systems, as well as refreshed gathering areas, a new 75-seat balcony, brightened stained-glass windows, and new classrooms. Earlier this year, Chestnut Hill Church and Community Fellowship Church announced a shared-use agreement. Chestnut Hill Church transferred ownership of its church building and parsonage on Chestnut Street to Community…...

2+ week, 3+ day ago (485+ words) U.S. Catholic bishops voted Wednesday to make official a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender patients at Catholic hospitals. The step formalizes a yearslong process for the U.S. church to address transgender health care. From a Baltimore hotel ballroom, the bishops overwhelmingly approved revisions to their ethical and religious directives that guide the nation's thousands of Catholic health care institutions and providers. More than one in seven patients in the U.S. are treated each day at Catholic hospitals, according to the Catholic Health Association. Catholic hospitals are the only medical center in some communities. Most Catholic health care institutions have taken a conservative approach and not offered gender-affirming care, which may involve hormonal, psychological and surgical treatments. The new directives will formalize that mandate. Bishops will have autonomy in making the directives into law for their dioceses. "With regard to the gender ideology,…...

3+ week, 1+ day ago (489+ words) Mars, Venus and now Uranus are exploring new signs, lending a strong current of change and a soft curiosity about whether or not the change should be considered an improvement. Like a scientist studying a particle that behaves as a wave or a point depending on how it's observed, much depends on what you expect to find. Perspective is reality. ARIES (March 21-April 19). The people who inspire laughter, creativity and closeness can be the same people who bring you friction, misunderstandings and overwhelm. Blame chemistry. All in all, it's a blessing because either way, it's an invitation to grow. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). The familiar falls away. Something extraordinary wants to come through. Release routine. There's a brief, scary space -- the void -- before the new reality forms. Before you even have time to feel that emptiness, something wondrous replaces it. CANCER…...

2+ week, 1+ day ago (559+ words) A leader who manages their ego creates a team that feels safe to contribute. A parent who confronts their fears models courage for their children. An artist who explores their own depths helps audiences awaken theirs. Today will show us examples of how one person's moral fiber can become a kind of public service, affecting the lives of many. ARIES (March 21-April 19). By feeding your insatiable curiosity, you have learned quite a bit you can readily apply to your life. And while you know much that could be of value to others, today it's best to share knowledge only with those who seek it. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). It's impossible to see reality as it is if you are looking through fantasy filters. To remove the goggles of wishful thinking, seek to access your subconscious. Ask yourself, "What am I secretly…...

1+ day, 23+ hour ago (560+ words) Two lunar squares give emotional challenge to the last day of Mercury's retrograde. Whatever pushes your buttons, knocks on your heart or crashes your emotions, just know there will be resolution and relief soon. The best way over an emotion is through it. They come in waves you can ride out if you're willing to let go a little. ARIES (March 21-April 19). Something new has your full attention, and it feels good to be lit up again. Just remember to look up from your project now and then. The people who love you most want to share in your excitement, too. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Relationships don't stay strong by accident. It depends on how they are grown and protected. They thrive when people nurture trust, honesty, curiosity and time together. Neglect makes love brittle; care makes it resilient. CANCER (June…...

12+ hour, 7+ min ago (558+ words) If the rumors are true, Venus was born when Saturn struck down his father, and the remnants of that celestial upheaval fell into the sea. From the chaos-mingled foam and divine essence, love and beauty were born. Now Venus sails into Sagittarius, reminding us that love is still a wild creation, born of upheaval and expanding through adventure, ever-seeking the horizon. ARIES (March 21-April 19). Because of your goals, your love of learning and your emotional maturity, you may be drawn to someone older. The generational difference will favor you both, as you bring new perspective and they bring the know-how of lived experience. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Your happiness and comfort are a priority because a good mood will power everything you do today. The energy from one easy success builds confidence for the next, and soon you'll be cruising through…...

3+ week, 3+ day ago (547+ words) Because beaver fur was once considered perfect for making the felt for high-quality hats such as the iconic top hat, beavers were nearly hunted to extinction. Conservation efforts have enabled a comeback for the keystone species, prized for ecological genius: creating wetlands, improving biodiversity and symbolizing the essential connection among all creatures. ARIES (March 21-April 19). Real connection isn't built from good manners or social maneuvers; it's built from attention. You're genuinely curious, and others feel it. Let silence do some of the work. People will reveal themselves when you don't rush to fill space. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Give up on trying to make everything perfect. You're good at the task, and you get even better as you go, because you keep making the efforts. But if you constantly criticize and judge yourself, you won't have the energy to continue and…...

3+ week, 5+ day ago (545+ words) The situation between Mars and Neptune recalls how growth happens at the limit. The point where you're challenged, stretched or even fatigued is something to aim for because the "muscle" (literal or metaphorical) rebuilds stronger after strain. As the bodybuilder lifts until the muscle fails, so will we exercise our skills to the very edge, thus pushing that edge ever-further. ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your actions are an extension of where you're at in a given time. Your victories, your mistakes -- these are parts of your story, but don't confuse them for the totality of you. None of this completely defines you. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You spend your days being responsible, so of course there's a part of you that imagines what freedom would feel like if every choice could revolve around your own wishes. Say the "no" that protects your…...

4+ day, 12+ hour ago (588+ words) Gratitude isn't always about joy or gain. Sometimes it's the awareness that a burden has lifted. The return to normalcy is a gift in itself. The day before American Thanksgiving is the last day of Saturn's retrograde, a change of direction that will for many be experienced as relief. A water sign trine will be like a spiritual bath -- perfect for a relaxing reset. ARIES (March 21-April 19). If you could just do all the right steps in the right order, the task would get good results in a predictable amount of time. But perfect instructions are a rare thing in this world. So watch a pro and have a little fun while you give it your best shot. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You don't need rescuing, but some will rush in wanting to help. Let them show their care. Just don't…...

2+ week, 5+ day ago (573+ words) It makes no sense to give yourself to the unreceptive when there are so many in the world who want exactly what you offer. You just have to find them. Ask more questions. Knock ideas around. Notice what yields to your energy. If something swings open, it's a door. If it doesn't, it's a wall. Unless you're the Hulk or the Kool-Aid guy, you're better off using doors. ARIES (March 21-April 19). The best perspective isn't one fixed distance (big-picture, close-up or medium). It's the capacity to move between them. To zoom in for detail, zoom out for context, and adjust as the situation requires. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Keep returning to the same thought and you might get stuck in it. Same for checking an old text thread, rereading messages, replaying a memory, or reanalyzing a situation. What would need to…...