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PUNTA GORDA (FBW)—Clasping a salvaged flower-strewn straw wall decoration to her side, Carolyn Stoll couldn’t bring herself to look past the large sliding glass doors to the inside of what had been her home.

NORTH PORT (FBC)—Florida Baptists began their third week of response following Hurricane Charley with 10 mobile feeding units remaining on site at nine Florida Baptist churches. Two churches which previously had feeding units now are feeding volunteers from the church’s own kitchen facilities.

DAYTONA BEACH (BP)—Shortly after noon, Sunday, Aug. 29, Southern Baptist Convention President Bobby Welch boarded a rented bus on an adventure he compared to a “Lewis & Clark expedition” to try to win souls.

PUTNAM COUNTY (FBC)—Twenty-three years ago Jimmy Williams sat in the Putnam County jail fighting charges that could have resulted in two life sentences or execution. Today he returns to the county’s barbed wire-enclosed correctional facility almost every day to fight for the souls of inmates.

Letters to the Editor may not reflect the views or opinions of the Witness. Letters may be mailed, faxed or submitted using our online form. Only letters marked clearly for publication, signed with address will be considered for use. Letters are subject to editing. Please limit letters to 250 words.

My office received this e-mail last week from Dean Emery, chaplain of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, as the county tried to recover after Hurricane Charley pilfered and plundered our great state:

Are you Retro or Metro? That’s the question raised by a series of unusual advertisements placed in some of the nation’s leading newspapers. Featuring the question in bold relief, the ads portray “Retro Americans” as backward, rural, conservative, and Christian, while “Metro Americans” are forward-thinking, technological, urbane, and sophisticated—as well as secular. Newspaper readers have been scratching their heads for days, wondering about the meaning of these odd representations. Now we know—these ads are nothing less than a declaration of culture war from the Left.

Have fun with cryptography and exercise your Bible knowledge. A King James Version verse is encoded by letter substitution. The same letter is substituted throughout the puzzle. Solve by trial and error.

BLOUNTSTOWN (FBC) — Teary-eyed Forrest Weed was moved with compassion at the thought of men isolated and confined within penitentiary walls. Prison life is a reality that, even after 20 years of ministering to inmates, still provokes deep emotional response in the 84-year-old man.

JACKSONVILLE (FBW)- Abortion advocates have successfully appealed for an expedited hearing before the Florida Supreme Court to remove the "parental notification" amendment from the Florida ballot. The Court will decide whether voters may vote November 2 on whether a minor woman may obtain an abortion without a parent's knowledge.

LAKE WORTH (FBC)—Despite looming thunderstorms and hurricane watches from Hurricane Charley, an average of about 100 people each night made spiritual decisions under an outdoor tent in Lake Worth during an eight-day crusade, Aug. 8-15, sponsored by the Haitian Evangelical Christian Association, Inc.

CLEARWATER (FBW)—Calvary Baptist Church, Clearwater, called William (Willy) Rice as pastor Aug. 15. Rice grew up in the 5,600-member congregation, and was called to preach, licensed and ordained there. He has served as pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church, Pensacola, since 1997.

ARCADIA (FBC)—Nedra Cave stayed in her rural Arcadia home to protect her animals when Hurricane Charley hit southwest Florida Aug. 13 and turned inland.

PAHOKEE (PBAU)—The mechanical sound of a pressure cleaner broke the August morning calm in Pahokee Aug. 20 as more than 200 Palm Beach Atlantic University freshmen took time from orientation activities to spruce up facilities at St. Mary Church on Main Street, a week after Hurricane Charley raced through in the early morning hours of Aug. 14.