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Sikeston, Missouri - Capitol Records recording artist Matthew West will kick off his spring tour on Friday, March 14 at First United Methodist Church in Sikeston, Missouri.
The US tour will be title, “Hello, My Name Is.” Matthew West is an American Music Award Winner, and Dove Award Winner, an ASCAP Christian Music Songwriter/Artist of the Year winner and lauded by The New York Times as "a vivid and compelling songwriter with impressive approaches to the familiar," four-time GRAMMY nominee Matthew West’s discography includes acclaimed releases: Happy (2003), History (2005), Something to Say (2008), The Story of Your Life (2010) and Into The Light (2012). His 2010 studio album, The Story of Your Life, was inspired by 10,000 stories from every state in the U.S. and 20 countries.
The album garnered attention from CNN Online, Fox News, Billboard, Country Weekly, American Songwriter and more. The Story of Your Life gave West the largest street week debut of his career, selling over 10,000 units the first week landing at No. 3 on Christian Soundscan, and No. 41 on the Billboard Top 200.
A multiple ASCAP “Song of the Year” winner, West has had five No. 1 radio hits including his latest, “Hello, My Name Is.” His songwriting credits include cuts by Rascal Flatts, Billy Ray Cyrus, Diamond Rio and more. Recently nominated for a Primetime Emmy® Award for Original Music & Lyrics for "The Heart of Christmas" from the film of the same name, West's fifth studio album, Into The Light, was released in 2012 and was nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Album for the 55th Annual GRAMMY® Awards. The new album features his most recent hit singles “Forgiveness” and “Hello My Name Is,” along with 10 other tracks inspired by 10,000 new letters submitted after West invited people to, once again, send him their stories. West spent much of late 2012 and early 2013 on a headlining stint of the No. 1 Tour in the World, the Winter Jam Tour Spectacular.
The concert in Sikeston will begin at 7pm. Doors will open at 6:30pm. All seats are $20 and general admission. There are 400 tickets available to the public. First United Methodist is located at 1307 North Main. “This is a great opportunity to see one of the most inspiring Christian artists of our time in an intimate, personal setting. Matthew will tell the story behind every song he sings,” says co-organizer Brad Aycock. Tickets can be purchased at any of the six southeast Missouri locations – First United Methodist Sikeston, First United Methodist Kennett, Lynwood Baptist in Cape Girardeau, First Baptist in Poplar Bluff, First Baptist in Dexter, and New McKendree in Jackson. For more info visit thefunchurch.org, or call 573.421.1824.
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Global - Tuesday, February 4th is World Cancer Day. Cancer effects everyone on every continent. You may know someone fighting cancer. You may have had a loved one die from cancer. There is not a day that goes by this terrible disease does not reach out and strike someone somewhere near or far.
The World Cancer Day 2014 will build on the success of last year's campaign, by again focusing on Target 5 of the World Cancer Declaration: Reduce stigma and dispel myths about cancer, under the tagline “Debunk the myths”.
World Cancer Day is a chance to raise our collective voices in the name of improving general knowledge around cancer and dismissing misconceptions about the disease. From a global level, we are focusing our messaging on the four myths above. In addition to being in-line with our global advocacy goals, these overarching myths leave a lot of flexibility for members, partners and supporters to adapt and expand on for their own needs.
What is cancer?
Cancer is a disease which occurs when changes in a group of normal cells within the body lead to uncontrolled growth causing a lump called a tumor; this is true of all cancers except leukemia (cancer of the blood). If left untreated, tumors can grow and spread into the surrounding normal tissue, or to other parts of the body via the bloodstream and lymphatic systems, and can affect the digestive, nervous and circulatory systems.
Tumors (lumps) can be benign or malignant.
* Benign tumors are not cancerous and rarely threaten life. They tend to grow quite slowly, do not spread to other parts of the body and are usually made up of cells quite similar to normal / healthy cells. They will only cause a problem if they grow very large, becoming uncomfortable or press on other organs for example a brain tumor inside the skull.
* Malignant tumors are faster growing than benign tumors and have the ability to spread and destroy neighboring tissue. Cells of malignant tumors can break off from the main (primary) tumor and spread to other parts of the body through a process known as metastasis. Upon invading healthy tissue at the new site they continue to divide and grow. These secondary sites are known as metastases and the condition is referred to as metastatic cancer.
The World Cancer Day organization not only celebrates those who have survived, but educates caregivers and people on what to look for, what not to eat and how to live a wonderful life with or after cancer.
Join millions across the globe as they celebrate, educate, and help eradicate cancer! Change your Facebook page to purple! For more information on how you can help, go to www.worldcancerday.org or click HERE.
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Age Spots - By Ruth Dockins
South Central Pension Rights Project
The South Central Pension Rights Project is one of the most helpful, and sometimes the most overlooked, programs around. They provide pension counseling assistance to anyone with a pension question or problem, regardless of age, income or value of the claim.
This program serves people in Missouri, as well as some other states, free of charge. Pension help is hard to find because the plans and laws are complex and difficult to navigate without knowledgeable assistance. The people who work for the South Central Pension Rights Project are trained to answer your questions about complicated pension laws. Among other things, they are trained to obtain hard-to-find retirement plan publications, and forms, they help with corrections to pension miscalculations and help with claiming retirement benefits that have been previously denied.
For instance a widow knows that her husband worked for a company many years ago and believes that he had contributed to a pension plan. If she ever had any papers on the pension fund she doesn’t know where they are now. Unfortunately the company has closed and she doesn’t know anyone who worked there. This could be a very daunting scenario for anyone, especially a senior citizen who hasn’t been in the workforce for awhile. The pension counselors can assist with situations like this and they are happy to help free of charge.
“I had been receiving a monthly benefit from my late husband’s pension for 23 years. Then the pension plan suddenly decided I was no longer eligible for it. The pension counseling project helped me get my pension back,” stated one very satisfied client.
Pension counseling projects like this are run by local nonprofit organizations and are funded under the Older Americans Act through a grant program of the U.S. Administration on Aging. Legal training and support are provided by the National Pension Assistance Resource Center, an initiative of the Pension Rights Center in Washington, D.C.
To contact these very helpful people you can call toll free: 800-443-2528 or go online to www.southcentralpension.org
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Age Spots – By Ruth Dockins
Medicare and the Health Insurance Marketplace
I received the following information from CMS (Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services) I believe it has some very good information for those of you who have Medicare and are wondering about the Health Insurance Marketplace.
If you have Medicare, you’re covered and don’t need to do anything about the Marketplace.
The Marketplace won’t affect your Medicare choices or benefits. No matter how you get Medicare, whether through Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO), you won’t have to make any changes.
The Marketplace doesn’t offer Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policies or Medicare drug plans (Part D). If you want coverage designed to supplement Medicare you need to speak with an insurance broker, someone who sells for more than one company.
If you have Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance), you’re considered covered and won’t need a Marketplace plan. Having Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) alone doesn’t meet this requirement.
It’s against the law for someone who knows that you have Medicare to sell you a Marketplace plan. This is true even if you have only Part A or only Part B, however if you’re paying a premium for Part A, you can drop your Part A and Part B coverage and get a Marketplace plan. (see below)
Can I choose Marketplace coverage instead of Medicare?
Generally, no. As noted above, it’s against the law for someone who knows you have Medicare to sell you a Marketplace plan. However, there are some situations where you can choose Marketplace coverage instead of Medicare:
• You can choose Marketplace coverage if you’re eligible for Medicare but haven’t enrolled in it (because you would have to pay a premium, or because you’re not collecting Social Security benefits).
• If you’re paying a premium for Part A, you can drop your Part A and Part B coverage and get a Marketplace plan.
Before making either of these choices, there are 2 important points to consider:
1. If you enroll in Medicare after your initial enrollment period ends, you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Medicare.
2. Generally, you can enroll in Medicare only during the Medicare general enrollment period (from January 1—March 31). Your coverage won’t begin until July of that year.
You can get a Marketplace plan to cover you before your Medicare begins. You can then cancel the Marketplace plan once your Medicare coverage starts.
Once you’re eligible for Medicare, you’ll have an initial enrollment period to sign up. For most people, the initial enrollment period for Medicare starts 3 months before their 65th birthday and ends 3 months after their 65th birthday.
In most cases it’s to your advantage to sign up when you’re first eligible because:
• Once you’re eligible for Medicare, you won’t be able to get lower costs for a Marketplace plan based on your income.
• If you enroll in Medicare after your initial enrollment period ends, you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Medicare.
Note: You can keep your Marketplace plan after your Medicare coverage starts. However, once your Part A coverage starts, any premium tax credits and reduced cost-sharing you get through the Marketplace will stop.
If I have Medicare, can I get health coverage from an employer through the SHOP Marketplace?
Yes. Coverage from an employer through the SHOP Marketplace is treated the same as coverage from an employer group health plan.
If I’m getting health coverage from an employer through the SHOP Marketplace, can I delay enrollment in Part B without a penalty?
Yes. You can delay enrollment if you’re getting health coverage from an employer through the SHOP Marketplace based on you or your spouse’s current employment. You have a Special Enrollment Period to sign up for Part B without penalty.
Can I get a stand-alone dental plan through the Marketplace?
In most cases, no. Snce Missouri is running its own Marketplace, you may be able to purchase a stand-alone dental plan for 2014, if one is available.
Is drug coverage through the Marketplace considered creditable prescription drug coverage for Medicare Part D?
While prescription drug coverage is an essential health benefit, prescription drug coverage in a Marketplace or SHOP plan isn’t required to be at least as good as Medicare Part D coverage (creditable). However, all private insurers offering prescription drug coverage, including Marketplace and SHOP plans, are required to determine if their prescription drug coverage is creditable each year and let you know in writing. Visit Medicare.gov for more information about creditable coverage.
As Always if you have questions regarding this information call us at 1-800-392-8771.
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The Internet is the "new" encyclopedia for younger generations. It is truly amazing what one can find and learn while searching on the Internet. Here is something probably most people have never heard of and yet it is such a true wonder of the world, a "tree that bleeds". Sounds like a horror movie theme, but the tree has wonderful properties and uses.
The Dragon’s Blood tree (Dracaena Cinnabari) is a rare type of tree originating in Socotra archipelago, a small group of four islands in the Indian Ocean. Also known as the “Galápagos of the Indian Ocean,” the group of islands is host to a number of fascinating species.
Found in many surrounding areas, including mainland Yemen, the tree contains a marvelously red resin called Dragon’s Blood, which has been used for a variety of purposes throughout history. Starting in the first century AD, Dragon’s Blood was used as a dye and medicine to treat respiratory and gastrointestinal problems. Later it was used to stain the wood of violins.
It's a beautiful tree shaped like an umbrella. Flowers bloom in February and it's fruit changes color form green to black as it ripens, finally becoming orange/red with just 1 to 3 seed.
Interesting Facts
- Its leaves are long thin, measuring up to 60 x 3cm. It can grow to as tall as 10m.
- Its resin exudes naturally from fissures and wounds, and had been used in various ways since ancient times – decorative purposes as well as medicinal ones – contains compounds with beneficial antioxidant properties.
- Used in many colouring varnishes and lacquers.
- No other species in the same genus forms dense woodlands like the D. cinnabari.
Just thought I would share something wonderful with the world!
