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I also have four brand new patterns that use the ruler.
The suggested retail price is $29.95
© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/
That looks like an awesome ruler, great work!
So excited to see this post! A Labor of love for sure! You never cease to amaze me on what you create. I am proud to be part of the team! I applaud you on the time & effort that is dedicated to making sure that your directions are clearly written for even the beginner to understand! SO exciting to finally be able to shout it from the rooftops!!
Julie, this is very cool. You're so talented. I love the first pattern with the solids. So very cool. I really love all of them it will be hard to choose and that ruler looks easy to use. I'm currently quilting my fast forward quilt. I will send you a picture when I'm done. Next up is Ballerina in Birds and the Bees. Thanks for the wonderful patterns!
Very cool, Julie! You have an engineer's mind when it comes to shapes and construction - so a ruler makes sense... Can't wait to see what you come up with next! Until then, I'll just have to give this one a try. :-)
I love it!
It is exactly what I need!
Can't wait to get one!
Yes! So excited to see the big announcement. The quilts are gorgeous and the ruler will be a real addition to everyone's toolbox. You've done all the hard work in the engineering to help quilters of various skill levels make some very complicated looking designs with ease. Congratulations Julie!
Wow! Convrats on designing such a great tool! Am happy it could be made in the US ! :)
Awesome!!!! Looking forward to getting my hands on one and playing around.
Thanks for sharing your amazaing talents with the rest of us.
Looks like a ruler I'll need to add to collection. I wish the quilt festival was the first weekend in August though, as I will be in SoCal then. Also, I love that you chose to have ruler produced in the USA. We are making a concerted effort to by only USA made in our house whenever possible.
So exciting! That's definately a ruler that will be super useful for so many people. And all those different shapes and sizes on one ruler - cool!! Congratulations!
So....that explains it! :-)
Awesome ruler, and I can't wait to talk to you about it!
I love the first quilt with all the solids...Beautiful quilting too Angela!
Again Julie, you continue to amaze me.
I want that ruler. Where is available?
How exciting! Can't wait to get my hands on this - and some of those patterns!!
I'm SO glad you're making them in the US. and I'm in love with the Northern Lights quilts (it sings to me)!
Congratulations on an awesome achievement!!!
Have a great day.
Always, Queenie
congratulations! I will definitely have to check this ruler out. I love your new patterns too!
Hi Julie, let me know how to order. I'm making samples for a show...LOVE the first one. Lots of space to needle doodle.
Wow! That is so very cool. I hardly know what to say...thank you maybe?
AWESOME! I love this. Now tyo decide which one to start with.
I live in Canada, where can I order your fabulous ruler, I want one!!
What a neat ruler! I just wanted to say a huge thank you for NOT outsourcing! Because you have chosen to stick to good 'ol USA, I will for sure be buying from you in the future. :)
Gosh girl, do you ever stop?!! Amazing. A new book, a new ruler, more new patterns, LOVE it!! Congrats and thankyou for keeping us inspired!! Can't wait to try the ruler out (I'm ruler challenged) and the patterns look fabulous!! Love seeing your talents unfold. Hugs, Ruth :)
How exciting! I'm looking forward to the new ruler and patterns (I love triangles and hexies). And I'm happy to pay a little more for USA-made (my hubs runs a manufacturing plant), so a big thank-you for that!
Genius! I'm loving it! Where will it be sold? The patterns are fantastic too, I especially love Candy Dish. Great Work!!
Wow!!! You are so smart. Love the rulers and the quilt patterns. Hope you'll be noticing by e-mail when they come in. Again WOW!!!!!!
A big APPLAUD to you for manufacturing in the USA!
Congratulations Julie that is seriously awesome! Now I just need to get my hands on one!
YAY for the USA! I will definately be getting one it looks fantastic. Congrats on a new product, I hope it is a huge success!
Congrats Julie! I absolutely LOVE IT! I'm so excited! I can't wait to get my hands on the ruler and all 4 patterns! This ruler and the patterns are going to be a huge success!
Congrats, that looks like a totally awesome ruler. Very clever!
Wow! I am so getting this ruler. I don't think a ruler has ever excited me this much lol .
Awesome sauce! You amaze me again Julie! Love these patterns, looks like a great ruler.
It looks great - so clever!
Super cool!
I shared your page and the news of this great ruler on the Missouri Star quilt forum. I know some folks that would like this.
Julie! How very exciting!!!Genius! I am ready to play with/use your new ruler! Of course, I will have to have 1 ea of your new patterns, also! So fortunate for all that you discovered quilting & now are sharing your amazing talent & creativity with your quilting "buds" & followers!!
Hi Julie, We need to talk at Long Beach. I can hardly stand it. This ruler is wonderful! See you there with M&M's LOL
Wow! I love the Wonton pattern. I have never used a ruler before but this one is intriguing! :)
I was going to order hexagon papers tomorrow! I love rulers and yours looks awesome. Where can we get it ASAP!
I am planning to start on two hexagon quilts (for Christmas) as soon as I can. Would LOVE to get your ruler.
How can I get my hands on one?
Thank you for the Made in the USA! I rarely comment on things but this makes me proud and happy that this was important to you.
That looks awesome Julie! Congratulations!!! I really love Northern Lights the most but the others are just beautiful as well.
cool ruler! love the Wonton pattern! :)
STRIKE! Genius & Smart & Passionate!
Hi Julie! You have been busy 'behind the curtains'! That ruler looks amazing - all those possibilities in one! And I really love your new patterns! I would love to make every one and your colours are beautiful! x Teje
Can't wait for that ruler and patterns! You are so creative! Thanks for supporting USA!
Love the Norther Lights and Won Ton designs! Congratulations!
This is exciting!! And I LOVE your new patterns too!
Looks like a fun tool and my hat off to you for making it in the USA!
Julie - the ruler and the patterns look really great! It's obvious that a lot of work went into these - wow! I can't wait to get my hands on one (wish I lived closer so I could go to the festival and get one early so I didn't have to wait). I hope you do something special to celebrate!
This is so awesome Julie! I like the idea for this ruler. I can't wait to buy it. I currently have your Three in a Box Pattern. Love it! Your full of ideas, keep creating!
Neat ruler- will be watching for it.
a very good . I live in Russia and very sorry that I can not buy it (
What would be even *better* would be if you called it "Hex No More!" and it were a tool for combatting witchcraft.
Just kidding.
Seriously this looks like an amazing tool and I love these patterns! Can't wait to work with it :)
That's such a cool ruler! I'll be looking out for it in the shops. And the patterns look really fun, too.
Wow...that looks like one very useful ruler Julie...great job! I can't wait to see your demo.
How exciting...can't wait to see more !
I love the ruler! I don't own any specialty rulers but I think this will be my first!!!
I love the ruler! I don't own any specialty rulers but I think this will be my first!!!
Congratulations! All the quilts are gorgeous but Northern Lights stole my heart! I grew up watching them in Alaska and your quilt is beautiful. What a smart cookie you are to design a ruler! How awesome to also have them made in the USA. Lots of continued success!
Wow. Your ruler looks fantastic, Julie. What a great idea! I'll be looking to add it to my must have quilting tools.
Congratulations on your ruler Julie! It looks awesome!
Congratulations on your new ruler! And having it American made!!!! Thank you! I would love to order one.


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29 Dec 2011
To recognize the call
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments. Whoever says, "I have come to know him,†but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says, "I abide in him,†ought to walk just as he walked.
Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word that you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new commandment that is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says, "I am in the light,†while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates another believer is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.
Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

subset: commoncrawl


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Father's Love Letter Videos
Over the years, we have created different versions of the Father's Love Letter video using the same audio narration but with different visuals. These videos have been watched by millions of people around the world and touched a countless number of hearts. We've also created a new video version for 2017 that minimizes the music & visuals so that the narration really stands out. You can watch or download all 5 of these videos below.


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96% of customers who visited our site asked us for a quote.
About Us
Hawk Plastering Contractors are a highly skilled and experienced plastering company.
We started trading in 2007 and with 10 years we have grown into one of the leading plastering companies in Newport & Cardiff.
The boss of hawk plastering is Richard and he started plastering at the age of 18, after 2 years he started to think about running his own plastering business, after a few hard years getting the business known by people, his hard work started to pay off as he was busy all the time with plastering jobs.
At first hawk, plastering offered only internal plastering service, but now we offer a wide range of different plastering services, some of them are.
Plastering inside your home mainly ceilings & walls, PVA would be applied to the walls at first then 2 coats of thistle multi plaster applied to the walls or ceiling, once the plaster becomes workable the plasterer smooths the wall or ceiling until the area looks beautiful & smooth.
The artex will be scraped off using an industrial scraper making sure all your ceilings are free from artex then a good coat of PVA will be applied to the area once the PVA has become tacky, plasterers will plaster your ceiling or walls with 2 coats of thistle plaster making your room smooth and completely removed from any artex.
If your electrician has cut holes in your walls or ceiling to install any new electrics in your home, your gonna need a plasterer to repair the damaged walls or ceiling. Hawk Plastering Contractors can help you with all your plaster repair needs, we will fill the damaged area with thistle bonding coat then once dry we will plaster the area with thistle multi finish making the repaired wall nice & smooth.
If your looking to get your house rendered there are a few options you can choose from,
We can help you choose between rendering product you would like and talk you through everything you need to know and you can ask us any questions you may have when we provide you with your free quote.
Hawk Plastering Contractors maybe a plastering company based in Newport & Cardiff but we cover all of the South Wales areas including:
Plastering Service:
Hawk Plastering have lots of positive reviews from loads of customers, we have provided a plastering service to hundreds of loyal customers over the years & with 86 positive reviews on our website, which Google proudly displays in its search engine. Including lots of plastering reviews on another site also like freeads, Yell, Thomas local, Facebook etc.
We can help you with any plastering job big or small and in any area in South Wales, we pride our self on doing the best possible plastering job for the customer every time, we go the extra mile which most plasterers wouldn't do, we always clean up after we have completed the plastering in your home we make sure there is no mess left & your completely happy with our plastering service before we leave.
Thank you for reading
Get a plastering quote click the button below!
Updated dated: 09-Nov-20
This is our latest plastering job in Yate, our customer wanted there living plastered ready for christmas.
This was a real easy and straight forward job, we just removed the radiators and applied pva to the walls ready for plastering and with no ceiling to be plastered just the walls, this job was competed within a single day.
The customers asked me how long before the plaster is dry and i can paint my walls?
This is a common question a get asked all the time and the simple answer is 7 days, however it does depend on the weather and other factors so sometimes it can take longer.
I always enjoy plastering in Yate this is a beautiful part of england.


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Print Length: 140 pages
Publisher: Flaming Sun (Indie published)
Publication Date: June 9, 2018
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
Available on Kindle Unlimited
Genre: Romance
The lovely and feisty Surekha is the eldest of three daughters of a carpenter from the wrong side of the tracks. She teaches science and maths in the Bihar Public School.
Ameya is the only son of a millionaire farmer-cum-builder and over and above that, he's educated too.
They meet and fall in love quite easily, the drawback being the dowry system prevalent in Bihar. With Ameya's parents expecting a huge dowry and Surekha's parents having a tough time eking a living out of their humble income, it seems like the match between the two lovers is one made in hell.
Ameya isn't one to take things lying on his back. But when the parents who adore him otherwise are so set against the marriage, will he be able to make Surekha his?
It would be great if you can add this book to your TBR
Sundari Venkatraman is an indie author who has 31 titles (27 books & 4 collections) to her name, all Top 100 Bestsellers on Amazon India, Amazon USA, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada and Amazon Australia in both romance as well as Asian Drama categories. Her latest hot romances have all been on #1 Bestseller slot in Amazon India for over a month.
Even as a kid, Sundari absolutely loved the 'lived happily ever after' syndrome as she grew up reading all the fairy tales she could lay her hands on, Phantom comics, Mandrake comics and the like. It was always about good triumphing over evil and a happy end.
Soon, into her teens, Sundari switched her attention from fairy tales to Mills & Boon. While she loved reading both of these, she kept visualising what would have happened if there were similar situations happening in India; to a local hero and heroine. Her imagination took flight and she always lived in a rosy cocoon of romance over the years.
Then came the writing – a true bolt out of the blue! And Sundari Venkatraman has never looked back.
You can stalk her @
Grab Your Copy From
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General Motors is unveiling Cadillac Urban Gardens on Merritt, a community project where 250 shipping crates from Orion Assembly — home of the Buick Verano and Chevrolet Sonic — are converted into raised garden beds.
The once-abandoned southwest Detroit parking lot will now benefit nearby residents, providing them nutritious and locally grown food.
"Instead of recycling this material, we found a direct reuse, which saves energy and resources," said John Bradburn, GM's manager of waste reduction efforts. "We seek opportunities for projects in our backyard that reduce environmental impact and strengthen communities."
This project is a result of collaboration with eight-time GM Supplier of the Year Ideal Group, and composting company Detroit Dirt. The soil, supplied by Detroit Dirt, is sourced from local partners, including Detroit Zoo animal manure, Astro Café coffee grounds, and composted food scraps from the Marriott Hotel in GM's world headquarters and GM's Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant, home of the Chevy Volt.
Several organizations helped make the project a reality. Detroit Dirt provided urban planning expertise, and Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision created the urban environmental plan; Rush Trucking delivered the GM-donated crates for volunteers from Ideal Group, Congress of Communities, Better Day Ministries and Southwest Detroit residents to begin planting.
"Our mission is to create a space that promotes the health and security of our community," said Frank Venegas, Ideal Group chairman. "Cadillac Urban Gardens is producing vegetables, community health and growth. This vision came true with fast action on the part of our collaborative partners. In four short months, we are well on our way to linking sustainability with producing community growth."
Invitations for Southwest Detroit families and residents to participate in the urban gardening project are facilitated through community partners like Detroit Cristo Rey High School, Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, Southwest Detroit Business Association and Community Health and Social Services Center. The lot borders a residential neighborhood and Ideal Group.
This free educational webinar will provide a detailed process for climate-driven "pre-response" in a variety of key areas including: Supply Chain Disruptions, Employee Safety and Productivity, Regulatory and Compliance Risks …and many more areas.


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Recreational Outdoor Burn Guidelines
Message from the Fire Marshal
Community Risk Reduction (CRR) is a new concept that is firmly rooted in traditional fire prevention activities. The main difference is the scope of prevention activities has expanded from fire to any and everything that ails our community. In addition, we try to use data analysis along with anecdotal information to deploy resources to solve those problems. We build partnerships within the community to avoid duplication of effort while getting the right tool for the job. The result is a division that is committed to being efficient and effective in preventing harm to our citizens and community.
Important Smoke Alarm Information
Facts and figures about smoke alarms
Source: NFPA's "Smoke Alarms in U.S. Home Fires" report
Home Escape Plan
In addition to having working smoke alarms on every level of your home and inside and out of every sleeping area another life saving measure to have in place in case of a fire is a home escape plan. Your ability to get out depends on advance warning from smoke alarms and advance planning. Fire moves quickly through the home giving you as little as two minutes to escape. Sleep with your doors closed to help slow fire spread. Sit down with your family and make a plan. Know two ways out of each bedroom in your house and establish and meeting place. For more information on home escape planning please visit the National Fire Protection Association's website: www.nfpa.org
Seniors SAFE Program
The Seniors SAFE Program is dedicated to preventing falls and fires in the senior population. Public education efforts are conducted at various locations throughout the county. SAFE installs smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, night-lights, and light bulbs in seniors' homes thanks to funding secured through its many partners: Blue Envelope Health Fund, AARP Wyoming, and Rotary District 5450.
The initiative is based on The National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) Remembering WhenTM: A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults. The program was developed by NFPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help older adults live safely at home for as long as possible.
To learn more about the progress of the initiative please click on the link below. Seniors SAFE Program
200 North David
Casper, WY 82601
Tel:307-235-8222 Email


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To import products from Shein to your Woocommerce store, follow the steps below:
First, Make sure you are subscribed to one of our plans and you have installed our Free Chrome Extension.
Connect your Woocommerce store to the Importify app
Visit Shein site.
Find the product you would like to import, and visit the product page.
Click the "ADD" button on the top left of your browser
Edit the product information, such as the title/description/price/ etc... , scroll down and click "add product" to import the item to your store!
Watch the video below


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Leading ADT dealer has new president
This Blog's on Fire (And Other Stuff)
By Tess Nacelewicz
Updated Mon June 16, 2014
In 2013, there was a restructuring at the top of DEFENDER Direct, with CEO and president Marcia Barnes exiting and company founder David Lindsey stepping in to take her place. Now, the company announced today, it has a new president, and it's a promotion from within.
Lindsey is passing the mantle of president to Jim Boyce, the company's chief operating officer for almost three years. Boyce will also retain his COO title. His leadership has helped the Indianapolis-based company to grow dramatically, according to a June 16 news release.
DEFENDER bills itself as ADT's only authorized Premier Provider. In business since 1998, the company employs more than 2,000 individuals in 48 states with over 143 branch offices nationwide.
Boyce actually joined DEFENDER's Board of Advisors in 2009 and became the company's COO in October 2011. Prior to joining DEFENDER, Boyce served on the executive teams at two large, global businesses, Convergys and Procter & Gamble, the news release said.
As president, Boyce will lead all day-to-day company operations, including overseeing DEFENDER's Business Improvement Team, which includes key leaders from around the business who collaborate to achieve organizational alignment and continued success, the release said.
"In his time at DEFENDER, Jim has done an amazing job leading our security business. Key components of our business have dramatically grown and improved under Jim's leadership," Lindsey said, in a prepared statement.
In his own statement, Boyce said, "I am pleased with the success we are having and am incredibly optimistic about the future for this healthy, growing and inspired company. We have lightning in a bottle!"
Boyce is active in charitable work, according to the news release. He currently serves on the United Way of Central Indiana Board of Advisors and supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He is also involved with organizations such as the YWAM Homes of Hope Program, Junior Achievement and Habitat for Humanity.
I hope to learn more about DEFENDER's growth and future plans. Stay posted.


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I'm new to dōTERRA . How do I start structuring as a beginner?
Here's how: share with everyone how they can get free stuff and even get their dōTERRA paid for. Ask EVERYONE if they want their dōTERRA free at their 7-10 day oils now what overview call or in person visit. Let them know by hosting a fun class they can get free dōTERRA!
Give them all extra trifolds and show them how easy it is to enroll people by filling out a trifold with their info.
Your goal is to keep people together that are friends, family, etc. Place them vertically under one another. If someone referred you a new enrollment, put that enrollment under them and send them a thank you roller, card or gift. Even if they don't want to build dōTERRA now, they may in the future and you don't want them asking a year from now "where's my friends and family that I referred you?! I should already have a team built!"
You are working towards a PREMIER RANK structure that looks like this (see below)....then replicate this same process with each of your downline.
RANK CHART- to figure out how to get there!
TO START - FIND YOUR TWO!! Find 2-3 people that want to share, build or that will be placeholders and enter their social, so they can be Wellness Advocate. You can help them build or you build below them if they are a placeholder (someone holding that place until you get a real builder- great options may be mother, father, brother, sister, cousin, best friend).
Schedule a mentoring appointment if you have questions or concerns.


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The Canary Girls by Rosie Archer
Welcome back to Priddy's Hard, the Royal Navy Armament Depot in Gosport, Hampshire, where the famous 'Canary Girls' are helping to arm the Allies' D-Day invasion fleet, and where camaraderie forms the bedrock of everyday life.
In the follow-up to her compelling debut novel The Munitions Girls, Rosie Archer sweeps us away again to England in 1944 and into the hearts and minds of the women who pack shells and bullets with sulphurous chemicals that make their skin and hair turn yellow.
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdArcher, who was born and raised in Gosport, brings to life the dangerous and dirty work undertaken by the 2,500 women at the factory during the Second World War in a gripping story packed with darkness and light, love and friendship, greed and betrayal.
Rita Brown is lucky to be alive after a terrible explosion at the munitions factory left her scarred down one side of her face. It took a long time for her to realise it but she now knows that there is more to life than a pretty face.
She is back on her feet and back at work, and she has caught the eye of local wide boy Blackie Bristow, a handsome charmer who is sweeping her around the country in a life of shady glamour.
Rita knows Blackie deals in black market goods and sometimes she feels uncomfortable but if she gets the odd perk like lipsticks and stockings then maybe she is entitled to the gold dust gifts that come her way.
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdBut the war is dragging on and life is not all fun and games for Rita and her friends at Priddy's Hard. It's a topsy-turvy world and some local men are breaking more than just the girls' hearts. Standing up to them comes with its own costs.
Rita keeps calm and carries on with a little help from her good friends at the factory but then she discovers that someone at work has been leaking secrets to the Germans. With D-Day on the horizon, Rita must work out who she can rely on… and fast.
Archer's vibrant and imaginatively drawn cast of characters pays homage to the brave 'canary girls' who literally risked life and limb to keep the Allied wartime fighting machine in operation.
Their lives and loves, their firm friendships, their struggles against the odds and their small but significant triumphs are powerfully portrayed in a story that is rich in both romance and down-to-earth reality.
Nostalgic, gritty and absorbing, this is the perfect tale to brighten up the dark winter nights…
(Quercus, paperback, £6.99)


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Authors: Eugenia Barros1 Sydney W. Nelson2
Affiliations: 1CSIR Biosciences, Pretoria, South Africa
2Nelson Genetics CC, Bryanston, South Africa
Correspondence to: Eugenia Barros
email: email@example.com
Postal address: CSIR Biosciences, PO Box 395, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Keywords: 2G12; biopharming; HIV-1; microbicide; monoclonal antibody
Dates: Received: 25 Nov. 2009 Accepted: 16 Mar. 2010 Published: 26 May 2010
How to cite this article: Barros E, Nelson SW. Creation of a high-yielding recombinant maize hybrid for the production of a microbicide to prevent HIV-1 transmission. S Afr J Sci. 2010;106(5/6), Art. #225, 5 pages. DOI:10.4102/sajs.v106i5/6.225
Copyright Notice: © 2010. The Authors. Licensee: OpenJournals Publishing. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.
ISSN: 0038-2353 (print) ISSN: 1996-7489 (online)
The aim of this study was to use conventional breeding to increase the production in maize of the human monoclonal antibody 2G12, known to have potential therapeutic properties in the prevention of HIV-1 transmission. The recombinant antibody, together with a fluorescent marker, was introduced into two South African high-performing maize elite inbred lines by crossing them with a transgenic maize line that had been transformed with the monoclonal antibody 2G12. The effect of breeding to produce high-expressing recombinant hybrid seed was evaluated by comparing 2G12 production in the different breeding lines with the original maize line. 'Good production practice standards' were followed throughout the breeding programme. 'Conventional drug regulations' adapted to plant-made pharmaceuticals were also followed, with the seeds being stored in a 'master seed bank'. The maize hybrid expressed a higher level of the antibody than the recombinant maize elite lines. This plant-derived antibody provides a means of producing a microbicide component that could be used with other HIV-neutralising antibodies as an additional approach to prevent HIV infection.
HIV- and AIDS-related infections are possibly the primary cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa and are also a leading cause of mortality worldwide, with an estimated two million deaths in 2008 alone. In that year, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide was estimated to be 33.4 million, of which 2.7 million were newly infected with HIV.1 Although various vaccination strategies have been pursued in an attempt to halt the HIV pandemic, the complex biology of the virus makes it a difficult target for vaccine protection and no effective vaccine has been developed as yet. According to Letvin2, HIV is probably transmitted both as a cell-free virus and as a cell-associated virus. Cell-free viruses can only be eliminated through binding to neutralising antibodies, whereas cell-associated viruses are mainly eliminated by cell-mediated immune responses. For a vaccine to be effective, it must elicit both types of immune responses accordingly. Microbicides, on the other hand, can bypass many of the immunological challenges associated with HIV vaccine development and can thus be used in the form of topical gels that offer an additional strategy for the prevention of HIV transmission.
Monoclonal antibodies able to neutralise primary isolates of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) are important candidates for passive immunisation regimens that aim to reduce the infectivity of the virus. HIV-1 neutralisation has been shown to be mediated by antibodies that bind to certain epitopes found on the virus envelope. The envelope is made up of a complex of two glycoproteins, gp120 and gp41.3 The human monoclonal antibody 2G12 is a broadly neutralising antibody that recognises a unique epitope on the surface of gp120 and binds to a cluster of oligomannose-type N-glycans. When antibody cocktails made up of 2G12 and two other neutralising antibodies, 4E10 and 2F5, were tested parenterally on humans who had had their antiretroviral treatment stopped, a delay in viral rebound was observed.4 Similar results were obtained in monkeys, where passive administration of antibodies prevented infection by simian HIV. This illustrates the role that antibodies can play in containing the spread of the virus. Very high levels of the antibodies need to be administered for effective protection, however, and their large-scale production using mammalian cell systems is very costly and not feasible for poorer countries.
Plant-based expression systems have been developed as alternative vehicles for the safe and economic production of pharmaceutical proteins including therapeutic recombinant monoclonal antibodies.5 The suitability of maize as a production host for a fully functional 2G12 antibody was demonstrated by Rademacher et al.6 The antibody was expressed in the maize endosperm and a lysine-aspartate-glutamate-leucine (KDEL) tetrapeptide signal was attached to the C-terminus of the glycoprotein to retain it in the endoplasmic reticulum so that the antibody would be devoid of plant-specific complex-type N-glycans. This antibody-producing maize has been crossed with other maize lines, including two South African elite maize inbred lines, NSP5120A and SSG62B. In this study we demonstrate the breeding of these two transgenic maize lines containing 2G12, aimed at the increased production of the 2G12 antibody under greenhouse containment, and confirm the expression of the antibody during all stages of breeding. Good agricultural practice and good manufacturing practice guidelines were followed and a 'master seed bank' was created for the long-term storage of the transgenic seed.
Plant material The transgenic South African elite lines, SSG62B and NSP5120A, containing the stable mAb 2G12 derived from crosses made with primary Hi-II maize transformants that contained 2G12,6 were used in this study for breeding and increased production of 2G12. The genes for the two 2G12 antibody chains were obtained from Polymum (Vienna, Austria) and the recombinant antibody 2G12 was shown efficiently to neutralise HIV-1.6
This antibody was expressed in the endosperm, together with the visual fluorescent marker DsRed, to facilitate selection during breeding of the transgenic maize and to serve as an additional biosafety precaution in facilitating identification of the transgenic maize from non-transgenic maize.
Breeding and selection of 2G12 transgenic maize plants for the increased production of 2G12 under greenhouse containment The two South African transgenic maize lines containing the monoclonal antibody 2G12 were backcrossed twice to their respective original elite line (donor/recurrent parent) followed by three generations of self-fertilisation (S1 to S3) and selection. Selection was done using the DsRed-fluorescent marker, where a green light and a red filter were used to detect DsRed-containing maize kernels, while selection on agronomic characteristics among the backcross progenies was performed simultaneously. At the end of S3 generation, over 90% homozygosity of the recurrent parent phenotype was obtained for each of the parent backgrounds, NPS5120A and SSG62B, and this seed was stored at the master seed bank, from which seed was also used for hybrid production (F1 and F2). Hybrids were produced by crossing homozygous inbred seeds of SSG62B-2G12 and NSP5120A-2G12, constituting the F1 generation. The harvested seed was then planted to produce F2 hybrid seed, constituting the F2 generation. F1 hybrid plants and S3 inbred plants were grown separately in adjacent compartments in the greenhouse under identical conditions. After each breeding cycle the seeds were harvested, screened for the presence of the fluorescent marker, tested for the expression of 2G12 using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent sandwich assay (ELISA) and then stored in heat-sealed packets. The packets were properly labelled with a batch code and the information entered in a detailed database.
The cultivation of both transgenic maize and control maize plants took place under greenhouse containment level 2 according to the biosafety regulations for growing genetically modified organisms in South Africa.7 Standard greenhouse procedures were followed to produce a uniform maize crop. As the monoclonal antibody 2G12 is aimed for human application, additional guidelines were followed which are similar to those prescribed by the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products.8 These guidelines were followed during all the stages of plant cultivation, collection, harvesting, packaging and storage, as well as during the purification of the monoclonal antibody.
Quantification of 2G12 expression in maize seeds Transgenic maize kernels from three generations of self-fertilisation and from two generations of hybrid production were milled to a fine powder using a small coffee grinder. The total soluble protein was extracted overnight using three volumes of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Insoluble material was removed by centrifugation at 8000 g for 15 min at 4 °C. This was done twice and the supernatant saved each time. The expression and quantification of 2G12 present in the final supernatant was determined by an ELISA. Total protein was also extracted from maize kernels from non-transformed maize plants. Flat-bottom microtiter plates (NUNC, Roskilde, Denmark) were coated overnight at 4 °C with goat anti-human light chain (K3502) and goat anti-human heavy chain (I2136) antibodies (Sigma, St. Louis, United States of America) at a concentration of 20 μg/mL. Subsequent incubation steps were performed at 37 °C. Coated plates were washed twice with PBS supplemented with 0.5% Tween (PBST) and blocked for 2 h with PBS supplemented with 5% skim milk. Plates were washed again six times with PBS and subsequently incubated for 2 h with a standard, as well as transgenic and non-transformed maize samples diluted 1:2 in PBS. The standard was a human IgG (BP078) mAb (The Binding Site, Birmingham, United Kingdom) serially diluted in PBS (starting at a concentration of 100 ng/mL). Plates were washed six times with PBST and then incubated with diluted (1:100 in PBS) alkaline phosphatase-conjugated goat anti-human IgG A3813 or A9544 (Sigma) for 2 h. Plates were washed again six times with PBST, followed by incubation with pNPP substrate (Sigma). The optical density was measured at 405 nm after 20 min. Apparent affinities were calculated using Microsoft Excel.
Purification of 2G12 (from hybrid seed) using Protein-A agarose affinity purification Total soluble protein (3 mL) containing 2G12 at a concentration of 41.12 µg/mL (crude extract) was diluted with 3 mL of binding buffer (Affi-Gel Protein A MAPS II Kit, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Hercules, USA). The diluted sample was applied to a 300µL Affi-Gel protein agarose column that was equilibrated with binding buffer. Once the first eluate (flow-through fraction) was passed through, the column was washed with 15 bed volumes of binding buffer (1st wash fraction). The antibody was then eluted with 5 bed volumes of elution buffer (purified extract) and the column eluted again with 10 bed volumes elution buffer to ensure total removal of 2G12 (2nd wash fraction). In both cases, the eluted antibody was neutralised with 1 mol Tris HCl, pH 9 as specified in the protocol. The concentration of 2G12 was quantified in the different fractions using ELISA (described below).
SDS-PAGE, ELISA and western blot Crude plant extracts from untransformed maize were used as negative controls to test for interference of maize plant extracts with the ELISA protocols. Purified and crude extracts of 2G12 mAb and eluates generated during the purification of the 2G12 monoclonal antibody were analysed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Electrophoresis was performed in a Mini-Protean electrophoresis unit (Bio-Rad Laboratories) using a 12% acrylamide separating gel and a 4% acrylamide stacking gel. The proteins were transferred electrophoretically from the gel to a methanol pre-treated Sequi-Blot PVDF membrane (Bio-Rad Laboratories) in a Trans-Blot semi-dry transfer cell module (Bio-Rad Laboratories). After the transblotting, the membranes were incubated in PBST supplemented with 5% skim milk powder for 1 h, followed by incubation with diluted (1:5000 in PBST) alkaline phosphatase-conjugated anti-human IgG (Bio-Rad Laboratories) supplemented with 2.5% skim milk powder overnight. The membranes were washed three times for 10 min with PBST buffer. Luminometric detection was performed using the BCIP/NBT Chemiluminescent Reagent (Roche, Indianapolis, USA) according to manufacturer's instructions. All the steps were carried out at room temperature.
Expression and quantification of 2G12 in transgenic maize seeds Expression levels of 2G12 extracted from whole maize seeds were quantified using ELISA. The evaluation experiments showed that the maize seed extract did not influence the ELISA performance. The extracted yield of 2G12 antibody varied from 42 µg/g dry seed weight to 55 µg/g dry seed weight in the first self-fertilising generation of breeding (S1). A lower amount of extractable 2G12 was found in the SSG parental background in comparison with the NSP background. The seeds that were part of the maize cobs with higher antibody expression levels were selected for the following cycle of breeding. The co-segregation of DsRed with both antibody chains made the selection of seeds from each breeding cycle easier and more accurate (Figure 1). Some of the white kernels were also tested by ELISA together with the DsRed kernels; no 2G12 expression was observed in the case of the white kernels (results not shown). The intensity of the red fluorescence in the DsRed-containing kernels had no correlation with the level of 2G12 in the kernel. The 2G12 antibody levels were determined at the end of each breeding cycle (see next section). The antigen-binding properties of 2G12 produced in maize were compared with 2G12 produced in Chinese hamster ovary cells using Biacore analysis; this, and the antigen-binding assays, confirmed that the monoclonal antibody was fully assembled and had proper antigen-binding activity (Rademacher T 2006, personal communication, June 6).
Increased production of monoclonal antibody 2G12 by breeding, under greenhouse containment The expression of 2G12 in maize seeds at the end of each breeding cycle was quantified using ELISA. In both transgenic lines (NSP and SSG origin), the antibody content was slightly lower in the S1 generation (about 42 µg/g – 55 µg/g dry seed weight) than in the following generations, probably due to a higher gene dose expected when homozygosity was reached. The antibody level was stabilised throughout S2 and S3 for both lines, varying between 60 µg/g and 67 µg/g dry seed weight for NSP background and between 56 µg/g and 58 µg/g dry seed weight for SSG background. In order to have S3 seed expressing higher levels of the antibody, higher S1 expressers could have been selected through breeding in future generations; this was not done in this study. The seed was stored in the cold room as the master seed bank, defined as containing homozygous seed (over 90% homozygosity) expressing the trait of interest from which all future increased productions can be initiated to ensure uniformity and consistency of the product. This is the basis of any plant-made pharmaceutical production platform.
Hybrids (F1) were produced by crossing seeds of these two transgenic lines with the hybrid seed. These were then planted to produce hybrid progeny (F2). The rationale for using hybrids was to increase crop yields because hybrids produce higher yields than 'selfed' inbred lines. The amount of 2G12 produced by the hybrid seed averaged 68 µg/g dry seed weight (Figure 2). Although the amount of 2G12 in the hybrid seed was not substantially higher than that obtained for the two individual lines, the advantage of hybrid production from crosses of two elite inbred lines is that this combines important agronomic traits and advantageous alleles that allow a constant and stable high yield of maize cobs even when grown under greenhouse containment. TheF1 hybrid plants were uniformly more vigorous than the S3 inbred plants in all phenotypically observable traits, including plant height, stalk diameter, crop size and tassel size. Table 1 shows the crosses made at each breeding cycle. Hybrid seed progeny (F1, 38 kg) were also stored at the master seed bank in heat-sealed packets at 4 °C.
Purification of 2G12 from maize kernels using Protein-A agarose affinity purification The crude extract of 2G12 monoclonal antibody (3 mL) was purified using the Affi-Gel Protein A MAPS II Kit (Bio-Rad Laboratories). Fractions from each purification step were quantified by ELISA. To determine if there was any antibody loss during the purification steps, the fractions were analysed by SDS-PAGE gel (Figure 3A) and by western blot (Figure 3B) to confirm the presence of light and heavy antibody chains, especially in the crude extract and in the last fraction containing most of the purified monoclonal antibody. The concentration of the purified monoclonal antibody was estimated to be 13.98 μg/mL (13.98 μg/g of dry seed weight) which represented 30% of total antibody present in the crude extract (42.12 μg/mL).
The conventional technology for producing large quantities of a given monoclonal antibody is expensive and researchers have investigated plants as possible 'factories' for lower-cost production of antibodies. Seed-based production platforms have also been investigated for plant-made pharmaceuticals, with the best yields being reported for maize.6,9,10 One of the benefits of expressing a plant-made pharmaceutical in maize is the ability to use production strategies to increase the quantities of the desired pharmaceutical protein through higher yields while keeping the cost low in comparison with processes involving fermenters.
The use of the monoclonal antibody 2G12 as a microbicide for the prevention of HIV infection could be an alternative means of mitigating the HIV pandemic while the search for a vaccine continues. Although only small amounts of this monoclonal antibody would need to be produced for the initial preclinical and clinical studies, large amounts would eventually have to be produced if efficacy was demonstrated. In order to keep the costs of production of this microbicide low, genes encoding the 2G12 monoclonal antibody were introduced into maize6 constituting the functional recombinant 2G12 and crossed with two high-yielding South African elite inbred lines as the first step in the increased breeding programme. Uniform expression of the functional antibody was observed after the second cycle of self-fertilisation and throughout the third self-fertilisation cycle. The importance of producing hybrids is to increase the crop yield per hectare in field production where the number of grains per cob and grain size is greater than in selfed plants. This also impacts on the cost and space required to produce a certain yield of maize seeds.
The expression of 2G12 was evaluated at each stage of the breeding cycle by testing a representative seed sample using ELISA. In addition, a sample of the hybrid progeny was also purified using a Protein-A agarose affinity column and the purified recombinant antibody was characterised by SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis. These analyses confirmed the structural integrity of the 2G12 antibody, with the heavy chain having a molecular mass of 50 kDa and the light chain a molecular mass of 25 kDa. Furthermore, the antibody was shown to have proper antigen-binding activity (Rademacher T 2006, personal communication, June 6). There are different subtypes of HIV-1 that are prevalent in different geographic areas, with subtype C dominant in South Africa. Gray et al.11 reported that a 2G12 monoclonal antibody failed to neutralise different isolates of HIV-1 subtype C. They found that their isolates lacked glycan 295, rendering them resistant to 2G12. The 2G12 produced in this study will be evaluated, along with other monoclonal antibodies that target different epitopes of different subtypes of HIV-1, as a microbicide ingredient to be used as a cocktail for the passive immunisation of people worldwide.
The use of conventional breeding for the introduction of the transgenic monoclonal antibody 2G12 into two well-adapted South African maize lines, followed by hybrid production, has highlighted the potential of using an efficient breeding programme for the future production of plant-made pharmaceuticals. The co-segregation of the fluorescent DsRed marker with the antibody not only facilitated the selection of the transgenic seeds during breeding, but also secured the identity preservation of the transgenic seed. Selection of seeds expressing higher levels of 2G12 should be identified at the stage of self-fertilisation of transformed lines at the commencement of the breeding programme. The high yield that can be generated by open-field cultivation of maize hybrids would also represent a reduction in the acreage required, making it an improved technological solution towards the goal of realising the full potential of biopharming.
This work was supported by the South African Department of Science and Technology and the European Union project Pharma-Planta, Frame Work 6 Programme. The authors would also like to acknowledge the technical assistance of Dr Sabine Lezar, Mr Moses Mokoena and Mr Taola Shai.
1. UNAIDS: Aids epidemic update 2009 [document on the Internet]. c2009 [cited 2010 May 15]. Available from: http://data.unaids.org/pub/Report/2009/JC1700_Epi_Update_2009_en.pdf
2. Letvin NL. Progress towards HIV vaccine. Annu Rev Med. 2005;56:213–223.
3. Fouts TR, Binley JM, Trkola A, Robinson JE, Moore JP. Neutralization of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 primary isolate JR-FL by human monoclonal antibodies correlates with antibody binding to the oligomeric form of the envelope glycoprotein complex. J Virol. 1997;71:2779–2785.
4. Trkola A, Kuster H, Rusert P, et al. Delay of HIV-1 rebound after cessation of antiretroviral therapy though passive transfer of human neutralizing antibodies. Nat Med. 2005;11:615–622.
5. Ko K, Koprowski H. Plant biopharming of monoclonal antibodies. Virus Res. 2005;111:93–100.
6. Rademacher T, Sack M, Arcalis E, et al. Recombinant antibody 2G12 produced in maize endosperm efficiently neutralizes HIV-1 and contains predominantly single-GlcNAc N-glycans. Plant Biotechnol. 2008;6:189–201.
7. Genetically Modified Organisms Act No. 15 of 1997, South Africa [statute on the Internet]. c1997 [cited 2010 March 15]. Available from: http://www.nda.agric.za/docs/geneticresources/act15.htm
8. European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products. Good agricultural and collection practice for starting materials of herbal origin. EMEA/HMPC/246816/05; 2005.
9. Stöger E, Ma JK-C, Fischer R, Christou P. Sowing the seeds of success: Pharmaceutical proteins. Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2005;16:167–173.
10. Ramessar K, Rademacher T, Sack M, et al. Cost-effective production of a vaginal protein microbicide to prevent HIV transmission. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2008;104:3727–3732.
11. Gray ES, Meyers T, Gray G, Montefiori DC, Morris L. Insensitivity of paediatric HIV-1 subtype C viruses to broadly neutralizing antibodies raised against subtype B. PLoS Med. 2006;3:1023–1031.


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It's time for us to think boldly about what is required to deal with the systemic difficulties facing the world, to explore genuine alternatives and new models—the next system.
"It's time to talk about what's next."
Those are the words of academic and author Gar Alperovitz, founder of the Democracy Collaborative, who—alongside veteran environmentalist Gus Speth—this week launched a new initiative called the "Next System Project" which seeks to address the interrelated threats of financial inequality, planetary climate disruption, and money-saturated democracies by advocating for deep, heretofore radical transformations of the current systems that govern the world's economies, energy systems, and political institutions.
As part of the launch, the Next System Project produced this video which features prominent progressive figures such as actor and activist Danny Glover, economist Juliet Schor, 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben, labor rights activist Sarita Gupta, and others.
According to the project's website, the effort is a response to a tangible and widespread "hunger for a new way forward" capable of addressing various social problems by injecting "the central idea of system change" into the public discourse. The goal of the project—described as an ambitious multi-year initiative—would be to formulate, refine, and publicize "comprehensive alternative political-economic system models" that would, in practice, prove that achieving "superior social, economic and ecological outcomes" is not just desirable, but possible.
It is time for Americans to think boldly about … what it will take to move our country to a very different place, one where outcomes that are truly sustainable, equitable, and democratic are commonplace.
"By defining issues systemically," the project organizers explain, "we believe we can begin to move the political conversation beyond current limits with the aim of catalyzing a substantive debate about the need for a radically different system and how we might go about its construction. Despite the scale of the difficulties, a cautious and paradoxical optimism is warranted. There are real alternatives. Arising from the unforgiving logic of dead ends, the steadily building array of promising new proposals and alternative institutions and experiments, together with an explosion of ideas and new activism, offer a powerful basis for hope."
The mission statement of the project—articulated in a short document titled It's Time to Face the Depth of the Systemic Crisis We Confront (pdf)—has been endorsed by an impressive list of more than 350 contemporary journalists, activists, academics, and thought leaders from various disciplines who all agree the current political and economic system is serving the interests of "corporate profits, the growth of GDP, and the projection of national power" while ignoring the needs and wellbeing of people, communities, ecosystems and the planet as a whole.
The statement addresses the dire crisis that now confronts humanity, but also marks the important element of optimism which undergirds the project. It reads, in part:
The good news is that the inability of traditional politics and policies to address fundamental challenges has fueled an extraordinary amount of experimentation in communities across the United States—and around the world. It has also generated an increasing number of sophisticated and thoughtful proposals for transformative change. Together these developments suggest that it is possible to build a new and better America beyond the failed systems of the past and present. […]
It is time for Americans to think boldly about what is required to deal with the systemic difficulties facing the United States. It is time to explore genuine alternatives and new models—"the next system." It is time to debate what it will take to move our country to a very different place, one where outcomes that are truly sustainable, equitable, and democratic are commonplace.
↑ Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times.
As part of the official launch, the team behind the project published a kick-off report—titled The New System Project: New Political-Economic Possibilities for the 21st Century (pdf)—which lays out the problems and the proposed set of solutions in more detail. Key goals of the project, as listed in the report, include:
- To crack through the national media silence and to radically shift the national dialogue about the future away from narrow debates about policies that do not alter any significant decaying trend to awareness that what must be changed is the nature of the political-economic system itself.
- To stimulate national debate about how best to conceive different possible models of a radically different system based on genuine democracy, equality, ecological sustainability, a peaceful global foreign policy, and a thorough-going culture of cooperative community based on non-violence and respect for differences of race, gender, and sexual preference.
- To give publicity to the many "next system" models and approaches now being developed and refined in many parts of the nation and around the world.
- To engage committed academics, on the one hand, and activist organizers and thinkers, on the other, in an ongoing process of close collaborative work and common development in furtherance of such work.
- To help develop concrete "elements" that will likely be required to deal with the structural reorganization of any next system design— and, at the same time, to invest in and work with others to help nurture a rising generation of young scholars who can carry the work forward over the coming decades.
According to Alperovitz and Speth, bringing people together around these ideas is one of the key aspects of the new project. As they note in an essay published on Common Dreams, "If we can roll up our sleeves and get organized and serious about really tackling the system question, about building a new system of political economy, there are grounds for optimism that deep and far-reaching change is possible."
Let the conversation begin.
This post first appeared in Common Dreams.


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Jacket – Nanushka. Leather top – c/o Zadig & Voltaire. Jeans – DIY slashed Supertrash. Boots – c/o Zadig & Voltaire (or here). Bag – Saint Laurent 'Lulu'. Matchstick necklace – FHH Accessories (similar)
It'll have to be two measly photos for today, because somebody took a BAZILLION photos over the past few weeks and the hard drive resembles the same somebody's equally overstuffed wardrobe with doors that hardly close anymore. Speaking of which, I usually use my eyebrow tweezers to pry out whatever's closest to the door crack and accept that as my outfit – sometimes I manage to pull out knee-high socks and trackpants and this happens. Here are two semi-decent photos I managed to pull out from my hard drive without causing a digital avalanche, and luckily my overstuffed Paris wardrobe dealt me a good hand so I don't nearly look like a pants monster in this outfit I wore in the last day in Paris.
Planning to tackle the bank of photos with a pickaxe starting tomorrow morning, but if you don't hear from me in a couple of days please call Domino's pizza and cancel my order.


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We believe the Bible to be our sole, all-encompassing guide and rule for both faith and practice. Therefore we adhere to and believe the following tenets…
The Bible is the inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are the divine revelations given from God and received Man, and as such, are the only such revelations that are inspired and infallible. The Bible is the supreme authority in all matters of faith and morals. The Word of God is the direct revelation of the will of God for all men and for all time. The Scriptures were plenary-verbally inspired, that is the Holy Spirit breathed upon men the very words and thoughts He wanted in conjunction the writers personalities, traits and emotions. The Holy Spirit guarded and preserved each thought, phrase and word from any error, omission or inaccuracy.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; Exodus 24:4; 2 Peter 3:2
Our God is revealed in Scriptures as the eternal Godhead, the Trinity, who has shown Himself as one God, existing in three persons – The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. The Godhead is distinguishable but indivisible in essence; co-eternal, co-existent, co-equal in nature, attributes, power and glory. God is one undivided and invisible essence, yet three eternal distinctions: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 48:16; Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 4:4-6
The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, the 2nd member of the Godhead, who pre-existed the Father and the Holy Spirit. Through the Incarnation and Virgin Birth, Jesus took upon Himself the form of Man, thus revealing Himself as the God-Man. Jesus Christ was sinless, perfect, crucified, buried, resurrected, ascended, glorified and He will come again to earth a second time. He is the perfect Mediator between God and Man because in the person of Christ is the fully divine and the fully human. Of the same substance the Father as to His divinity, yet of the same substance us as to His humanity. Perfect in deity, perfect in humanity.
Colossians 1:15-19; Philippians 2:5-8; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; John 1:1-3, 14-18
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead. He is co-equal, co-eternal and co-existent the Father and the Son. His ministry upon the earth is to convict and covert man as well as be the great paraclete (comforter, counselor, helper, intercessor, advocate, strengthener and stand) to the Church. The baptism of the Holy Spirit and Fire is a gift from God as promised the Lord Jesus to all believers and is received subsequent to and in addition to the New Birth. The initial evidence of speaking other tongues, as well as other manifestations described in Acts 2, accompanies this experience. Whereas there is one initial baptism, there are many subsequent infillings of the Spirit. The purpose of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is so that we, the believers, may have power to be witnesses.
Matthew 3:11; John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; Acts 2
Man is a created being and was made in the likeness and image of God (both male and female). But, through Adam's transgression and fall, sin came into the world and passed upon all men. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested to undo the work of the devil and gave His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore man back to God. Salvation is the free gift of God to Man, separate from works and the Law, and is made operative grace through faith in Jesus Christ, producing works acceptable to God. This salvation experience occurs when an individual confesses his mouth that Jesus is Lord and believes in his heart that God has raised Him from the dead.
Romans 5:12-21; Romans 10:9-10; John 3:16-17; 1 John 3:8
The Lord Jesus Christ, Head of the Church, established two ordinances for the Church to follow: Water Baptism and Communion. Baptism in water, full immersion, is a direct commandment of our Lord. While it is not necessary for salvation, it is for all believers. This ordinance is an outward sign of an inward work. It symbolizes a believer's identification Jesus in His death, burial and resurrection.
The ordinance of Communion is also a commandment of the Lord Jesus that must be received consistently until His return. Only believers can come to the Table of the Lord, which consists of the bread and the cup. The bread speaks of His body, which was broken for us. The cup speaks of His blood that was shed for us. Both elements are witnesses of the New Covenant believers now enjoy while prophetically declaring His soon return.
Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 3:21; Luke 22:7-20; 1 Corinthians 11:17-30
The death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ not only secured the eternal redemption from sin, but also redemption from sickness and disease and redemption from poverty and lack. Divine Healing has been provided for the Atonement. It is for the physical ills of the human body and is wrought the power of God through various methods and means detailed in the Word. Divine Prosperity has also been provided the Atonement. True prosperity not only has to do financial provision but a prospering of the soul as well. It is wrought the power of God through the principle of tithes and offerings, sowing and reaping and numerous stewardship truths found throughout the Word.
Isaiah 53:4-5; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2; 2 Corinthians 8:9
The Bible teaches that out holiness no man can see the Lord. We believe in the Doctrine of Sanctification as a definite, yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the consummation of salvation at Christ's return.
1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 3:12-14; 1 Corinthians 1:30
Jesus promised to return for His church. Scriptures tell us that when Jesus returns the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we, which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. Immediately after this catching away of the saints, the Tribulation period, spoken of in Revelation, will begin. Following the Tribulation, Jesus shall visibly return to earth, accompanied the saints, to set up His Kingdom upon the earth. He shall reign His saints on the earth for a thousand years, during which time Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit. After this 1,000-year period, Satan will be loosed for a short time, ending in his eternal torment in the lake of fire while the Great White Throne Judgment occurs for those who never received the Lord in their earthly lifetime. Then the new heavens and the new earth will be revealed and so shall we ever be the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52; Revelation 20; Revelation 21
The one who physically dies in his sins out accepting Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the Lake of Fire and therefore has no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting. The Lake of Fire is literal. The terms "eternal" and "everlasting" used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned in the Lake of Fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence as used in denoting the duration of joy and ecstasy of saints in the presence of God.