Topeka EDITION includes Lawrence, Manhattan, Emporia & Holton FREE! NE! The Area’s Most Complete Event Guide AKE O Keynote Speaker Penny Nance T Janae Stracke • Barry Feaker • Joe Patton Top Films and TV Shows That CWA STATE CONVENTION Page 13 Will Affirm Your Faith - Page 17 CELEBRATING FAITH, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY IN NORTHEAST KANSAS facebook /metrovoicenews Celebrating our 12th year! VISIT US AT or metrovoicenews.com VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 7 March 2018 TO ADVERTISE, CONTRIBUTE, SUBSCRIBE OR RECEIVE BULK COPIES, CALL 785-235-3340 OR EMAIL [email protected] NEW RESIDENT church guide Northland Christian Church He is not here, he has risen. See inside Luke 24: 6 back cover! New Activities Added to Easter Parade and Fun Fair in North Topeka WHY WE DESPERATELY NEED EASTER Clint Decker right was wrong. And collectively, rescue.î Rescue from what? Sin. It is By they reflect a moral crisis in our the wrong things we do against our - If you take a few minutes and read nation. This is why we need Easter. It selves, against others, but primarily over any local or national news, you projects a sign of hope that stands against God our Creator. And it lives will find bothersome stories. Like offi - above the chaos. The sign of the within our hearts. Sin is displayed at cials in a well-known college basket - cross. It is where Jesus, the Son of every lie we tell or feeling of pride that ball program using prostitutes and God, suffered and died. squares our shoulders. It is our inner strippers to recruit top players. Like The hope of the cross lay in the pur - moral rot, like a cancer that slowly some merciless girls and boys that pose of Jesusí death. Strange as it destroys us. taunted a young man, which lead to may sound, it was planned. Jesus was born to rescue us from his suicide. Like a teenager walking At Jesusí birth an angel announced this. His planned suffering and death into a school and drawing his weapon to Shepherds in a field, ìFor unto you is was the only means through which we to slaughter 17 people. born this day in the city of David a could be rescued, and it was an ugly experience. The corruption by religious The problem in each of these stories Savior who is Christ the Lordî (Luke was a moral one. Wrong was right and 2:11). A Savior? Yes! Save means ìto n Please see EASTER on page 9 Food Trucks, entertainment & games will add to the fun Cake Walks will be something new at EasterFest this year, as well as the Billy Graham has “gone into the presence of God” Great Football Toss, where kids & foot of the cross-shaped brick walk - adults can throw small footballs at a Billy Graham has gone way in the Prayer Garden, on the target on the ground to win one of four home to be with the Lord northeast side of the Billy Graham bicycles. The Cake Walks will give kids Beloved evangelist Rev. Billy Library. Graham’s casket was hand- and adults a chance to win cakes, pies, Graham died February 21 at age 99. made by Angola Prison inmates in cupcakes and restaurant gift certifi - Spokesman Mark DeMoss said 2006, at his request. cates. Facepainting, pony rides and Graham, who long suffered from Graham transformed American food trucks are always among the most cancer, pneumonia and other ail - religious life through his preaching popular attractions, as well as laser tag, ments, died at his home in North and activism, becoming a counselor archery and bubble soccer. Carolina on Wednesday morning. to presidents and the most widely Graham’s body was to lie in repose heard Christian evangelist in history. After a larger-than-ever crowd last at the Billy Graham Library on William Franklin Graham was year, EasterFest 2018 will return to N. Monday, Feb. 26 and Tuesday, Feb. born November 7th, 1918, four days Kansas Avenue and Garfield Park in 27 before traveling to the nation’s before the end of World War I. North Topeka on Saturday, March 31, capital. He will lie in honor at the Raised on a dairy farm during the the day before Easter. U.S. Capitol Rotunda Feb. 28 to Depression, he developed a strong Over three thousand people attend - fourth civilian to honored that way Charlotte for the funeral and burial March 1. It will be the first time since in the Capitol rotunda. on March 2. Mr. Graham will be work ethic, a work ethic that is quite the death of Rosa Parks, and only the n Please see EASTERFEST page 3 Graham’s body will return to buried beside his wife, Ruth, at the n Please see BILLY GRAHAM page 4 2 • March 2018 _________________________ MetroVoiceNews.com _________________________ Facebook/MetroVoiceNews ________________________ Topeka Metro Voice Pastor Fred Hollomon, former Chaplain of Life Lessons Fropmath. a Little One OVERCOMING There will be Fretd hHoellom oKn, a aSounthesrn aBapstis t State Senate, Rtehe mimpoertanmce ofb Cheristriane wditness in times – perhaps pastor who served as Senate chaplain in the arena of governmental authority. We OBSTACLES countless – Topeka for over 33 years, died February look forward to laughing with him again when we are by Jessica S. Hosman 13, 2018 at his home in Lawrence after a in heaven. walking a direc - long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Here is a poem from Pastor My son and I like to build obstacle tion that doesn't Jessica Hosman Pastor Holloman was well known for his Hollomon’s book, “Book of Uncommon courses throughout the house. We appear to make daily invocations that he set to poetry, Prayers”: overturn chairs, move furniture, sense. Maybe we feel blinded by con - with some of his poems republished “Praying Too Late” repurpose pillows and clutter the fusion or chaos and can't see the next worldwide. Heavenly Father: floors with whatever large objects we step ahead. But just as I knew where I “He’s with the Lord,” Pat Hollomon I’d like to confess a tendency to turn to can find. But the fun isn't just building was leading Zechariah though he said. “We’re crying part of the time and You only in an emergency. them and then plowing through; we could not see, so our Father knows laughing at other times over things he’d I work through the day like to guide one another… blindfold - what He is guiding us through and say and do.” And do my own thing, ed. why. We don't have to see or even feel His wife, Pat, said her great-grand - Then at night ask You if You’ll bless it. We got a little more ambitious than His guidance to know its there. We can daughter sang “Jesus Loves Me” to And I know I was wrong usual the last time we played and cre - know it's there simply because we're Hollomon shortly before he died. In not asking You first, ated more climbing walls and tunnels His. Hollomon was well known for his But then I’m too proud to confess it. than ever before. Which meant we had Zechariah was confused of his sense of humor and ability to get along I file legislation to trust one anoth - whereabouts, but with people of all political persuasions. And push it real hard er more than ever he trusted me. And Though Hollomon's official chaplain with a twist of humor that left everyone As for God, I couldn’t care less. before. As I led ended up having duties included only the opening prayer around the State Capitol waiting to read Then the whole thing collapses, Zechariah, I knew fun throughout of the Senate each day during the legisla - the previous day’s calendar from the And I’m down on my knees exactly where I was the process, laugh - tive session, he saw what he did as a min - Senate. No one doubted his sincerity or Asking You to clean up the big mess. leading him, even ing uncontrollably istry and many days spent time with leg - his relationship to the Lord and everyone Please help me to learn though he could most of the way. If islators and senate staff getting to know respected and appreciated his approach. To start with a prayer not see. He was only we could have them and counseling them when needed. While serving as the Senate Chaplin he And not wait till my plans fall apart. confused and the same joy-filled Along with his work as state Senate was indeed a man acquainted with sor - For up until now uncertain because trust... laughing in chaplain, Hollomon also served as pastor row and grief by some of the bills that I’ve specialized in the path was quite the face of adversi - of Highland Park Baptist Church in passed before his eyes, but he was consis - Hitching the horse in back of the cart! different than our usual, but he smiled ty and trusting in the midst of chaos! Topeka for many years. tently a man who brought hope and com - I pray in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and breathed sighs of awe when we As unexplainable as it may seem at When Hollomon retired from fort to the legislators who were trying to Amen ended the course and walked through times, the path God has for us is ulti - Highland Park Baptist Church in 2007, he hold strong to the values taught in the again with eyes wide open.