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• Supercenter: Still a part of Lodi's future?

• 'I've been doing good'

• Firefighters to raise funds at golf tournament

• Lodi likely to see more smoke; may worsen over the weekend

• Regional Roundup

November 20th, 2009

• Acampo woman killed

• Salvation Army Kettle Kickoff

• Advocacy groups sue East Bay Municipal Utility District over Pardee expansion

• Regional Roundup

• Galt plans to help residents with energy-efficient projects

• Stable southeast of Lodi approved

• One year after a heart attack, Lodi's Judy Mims thanks rescuers

• National Guard troops return home in time for the holidays

• Real estate market gets on more solid ground

November 19th, 2009

• Lodi Unified School District board votes to cancel summer school for 2010

• Water surges in Mokelumne River yield more salmon

• Lodi City Council will consider redevelopment next June

• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22

• Corrections

• Chase ends in crash

• Operation: Christmas

• Logbook

• Suspect arrested after hiding in fridge

• Galt Joint Union High School Distric hires new superintendent

• Sales tax hike yields dividends: 5 new officers join Galt Police

November 18th, 2009

• Regional Roundup

• Paranormal group conducts second investigation of building

• Congress allocates money for local water projects

• Lodi man finds wife's ashes during police display of stolen property

• Galt City Council rejects study on rent stabilization

• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react

November 17th, 2009

• Clarification

• Lodi Budget and Finance Committee to look into ways to save money on employee benefits

• Regional Roundup

• Decision on summer school expected at tonight's Lodi Unified School District meeting

• Clements gets free water rescue boat

• Redevelopment to be discussed by Lodi City Council again

• Court reinstates death penalty for killer of Lodi grad

• Paying tribute to a Lodian

November 16th, 2009

• Correction

• Public Meetings

• Regional Roundup

• Three members of Lodi-area family fall ill after eating poisonous mushrooms they reportedly found at Lodi Lake

• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi

• Lodi's First Sip event showcases area wineries' latest vintages

• City Council 'triple-dog dared' to ditch cars, use Lodi buses

November 14th, 2009

• Galt school district narrows superintendent search to one

• Regional Roundup

• A first look at 2009 vintages at Lodi's First Sip wine-tasting event

• Watchful neighbor in Lodi helped bust suspected burglars

• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise

• Despite an increase in homeless students, school districts look to bolster enrollment, raise revenue

• New Galt city manager juggles job, family

November 13th, 2009

• What to expect with new homebuyer tax credit

• Lodi Muslim: Local mosque not involved

• Regional Roundup

• Mayor Larry Hansen points out Lodi's economic progress

• First phase of Lockeford park by 2011?

• Lodi veteran recounts close calls in Vietnam

• Burglary suspects are under arrest

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• The country's mess is our fault (155)
• Obama is not a moderate (130)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (67)
• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise (58)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (48)
• The haves should help the have-nots (30)
• Public health care is a Christian option (26)
• Lodi Flames slim playoff chances vanish in setback to Tracy Bulldogs (25)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• Nightmares about America's future (23)

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Religion moves to Internet in electronic age

From last week's sermon to church schedules, the Internet is bringing busy, Web-connected Lodi-area residents closer to their churches.

Many churches have Web sites to at least provide vital information like the church's address, phone number, e-mail address and service times.

But there are other Web sites for people who want spiritual information, but don't really want to go to church.

"There are people who are too afraid or too jaded or too cynical for organized religion," said Ellen Tanouye, pastor of God's Church in Lodi.

Tanouye has also written daily devotionals online.

Another 21st-century vehicle to reach people is God Tube, a variation of YouTube.

"God moves in all kinds of ways," Tanouye said about religion-oriented Web sites. "He invented (the Internet), after all."

While Jake McGregor, executive director of the One-Eighty Teen Center and leader of a new religious ministry called Sojourn, sees the value the Internet provides to spirituality, he's a firm believer of people forming relationships with other people.

"If your only church is on TV or the Internet, you can have this pseudo faith," McGregor said. "It would be Christianity, but it would miss the key element of being with a group of other people.

"Our encouragement for people is to come," he added. "Don't just read the blogs."

Yes, Jesus has made it to the 21st century, albeit in a new form.

Here are some of the ways religion has embraced the Internet:

GodTube

Patterned after the popular YouTube, this Web site has a videos, chat messages, blogs, ministries and groups. You can post your own prayers on a prayer wall and seek answers from a "virtual Bible."

Yep, a virtual Bible. Click onto the link, and there's the very familiar beginning of Genesis. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." You can click to whatever page and whatever book in the Bible you want.

Click onto the prayer wall and you see such messages as "Comfort us, give us peace," "job for daughter" and "open his heart." Click onto a particular prayer topic, and you get the entire prayer that someone posted. And of course, you can post your own.

Address: www.godtube.com.

First Baptist Church, Lodi

For those of you suffering from insomnia, you can read the transcript of Pastors Steve Newman's and Glen Barnes' sermons dating back to 2004, or you can listen to the sermon on your computer.

For the more practical among us, you can catch up if you miss a service due to illness or vacation, or you research a particular sermon topic.

And if you're out of money for the weekly offering? Never fear. First Baptist is working on a link called "e-giving."

Address: www.fbclodi.org.

Horizon Community Church, Galt

This Web site doesn't go back four years like First Baptist, but it has "sermon notes" from Jan. 6 through April 6 of this year. Podcasts are also available.

Horizon's Web site actually says: "See us before you visit us. Watch one of Horizon's Sunday services online. Click here." And you get a video sermon from Feb. 24.

Address: www.horizonweb.org.

One-Eighty Teen Center, Lodi

The Christ-oriented youth program on West Lockeford Street has a Web site for the center and a separate Myspace page.

Executive Director Jake McGregor says the two sites aren't redundant. He came to realize that young people never read the regular Web site.

They always look at their MySpace accounts and click onto One-Eighty's because people tend to list it as one of their "friends," said Steve Chase, who maintains the Myspace page.

The regular One-Eighty Web site has its purpose as well, McGregor said. It's more for parents to download permission forms for field trips or special events and to read things like the group's mission statement, he added.

Addresses: www.180lodi.org, www.myspace.com/oneeightymusic.

Sojourn, Lodi

Sojourn isn't exactly a church. It's more of a gathering among people who may not be comfortable sitting in a pew and listening to a pastor talking in King James-style English.

Sojourn, which includes some of the same people who are active at the One Eighty Teen Center, also has a Myspace page. It lists upcoming activities, who will be speaking at the weekly gatherings, funny pictures and blog entries.

Address: www.myspace.com/sojournlodi.

Catholic Web site

This is not a Lodi-based Web site, but it has a lot of information about the Catholic faith. It includes social issues, canon law, church history and forums.

None of the Catholic churches in the Lodi-Lockeford-Galt area have Web sites, although the Stockton and Sacramento dioceses do.

Addresses: www.stocktondiocese.org, www.diocese-sacramento.org, www.catholic.net.