Why Lutherans can't evangelize

A good read by David Householder, Huntington Beach.

13 liberal Columbus pastors going to DC

But not for "social justice." They want to deprive another Christian organization of its tax exempt status. Perhaps their churches should give up their tax status too and start turning down government grants for their Biblical "good works."

Dispatch Story.

The Rev. Eric Williams, pastor of the North Congregational United Church of Christ on W. Henderson Road, said he had vaguely followed early news reports about C Street Center and, "at some point, I heard that C Street was a church - and that's what hooked me. The more I read about it, the more I discovered there is no transparency and there is clearly a blending of private influence with public officials."

He organized a group of activist pastors in Columbus who in recent years have fashioned themselves as watchdogs for the separation of church and state, filing IRS complaints twice against central Ohio churches they think improperly delved into politics.

In their complaint, the pastors cite news reports, property records, IRS regulations, congressional records and other sources to bolster their case that the C Street Center is not a church but a boardinghouse providing cheap rent for members of Congress.

I'm just so impressed that there are no poor, no hurting, no needy, no unchurched, no unsaved in Columbus, Ohio. Nice that these folks have the time, money and desire to clean things up in another city. Is this the same gang that went after Rod Parsley? Has any of them ever led a sinner to Christ?

It was his wife's singing that led him to the Lord

"Solomon and Emma were married August 27, 1893. They did not have the financial start in life that many think is necessary. . . Solomon was in debt $50. Emma had $5. And there was no easy way for farm people to make money, with eggs 8 cents a dozen, butter 15 cents a pound, and a man's wages $2.50 a week. This was in the midst of what was called the "Cleveland Panic" and the severe depression following it. . .

Emma had such a beautiful singing voice, and she did lots of singing as she went about her household duties. Her godly life and melodious voice seemed to touch a tender chord in Solomon's soul. When he would be out at work and come in near the house, the songs of the church would fall upon his ears. When Emma saw him coming in the house, she would quit singing, which "got to" Solomon because he realized she was not wanting to be too persuasive. . . One summer day as Solomon came home from town, Emma was in the kitchen singing hymns, and he could hear her beautiful voice as it came floating out the open window. He stopped and stood along the woodshed and listened to the beautiful old hymn she was singing. And as he listened and meditated, it was there that he decided to accept the Lord and come to the church. So at the age of 22, Solomon Stoner was baptized into the Old German Baptist Church. In his last years, he said it was Emma's singing that brought him to the church. . ." Shuman, Herman, "The country preacher; the life and ministry of Elder Solomon Stoner," Hudson Printing Co., Anderson, IN (1992), pp. 4-5.

The author, Herman Shuman, and I were 2nd cousins (share the same great grandparents). He lived on a farm near Pendleton, IN, and authored several books on the Old German Baptist Brethren. He died last year at 93.

In memory of Officer Blankenship

The flowers on the altar today at UALC Lytham Road were given in memory of Michael Blankenship by Kim McKee, a friend. He was killed on February 10, 1997 when he and another officer responded to a theft call at the Ohio State University.

Obama's Faith Based appointee under fire

Harry Knox, Obama's appointed member of the Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, once again demonstrated his attitude toward the Catholic faith, its teachings and leader by reaffirming his belief that the Pope “is hurting people in the name of Jesus” by not promoting the use of condoms as a means to control the spread of HIV. Letter to the president from Roman Catholics

Dear Mr. President,

The self-proclaimed anti-Catholic bigot you appointed to head up faith-based partnerships has reiterated his deep seeded prejudice against the Pope and the teachings of the Catholic Church, and your failure to remove him from office speaks volumes about how much you really value respect for diversity and religious differences.

We first warned you in a May 2009 letter that Knox’s long and tainted history of bashing the leader of our faith stood in direct opposition to the community he was tasked with building.

But you never responded. You never acknowledged that his appointment to the Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships stood in sharp contrast with the Council’s mission to “bring everyone together – from both the secular and faith-based communities.”

In fact, you never even acknowledged that Knox’s comments were the least bit offensive, even when we gave you the benefit of the doubt that perhaps you were unaware of Knox’s prejudices before appointing him.

Now that Mr. Knox has again offended millions of Catholic Americans – standing behind his brazen assertion that the Pope “is hurting people in the name of Jesus” – we can only interpret your continued silence and complicity with his grave offense as wholehearted support for this bigot and his words of hatred.

We are now forced to demand the firing of Harry Knox. It is the only remaining action you can take to dissuade faithful Catholics that your Council is not a sham and that your “commitment to diversity” is an absolute mockery.

Sincerely,

John Boehner
House Republican Leader
Member of Congress

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter
Member of Congress

L. Brent Bozell, III
Founder and President
Media Research Center

Alfred S. Regnery
Publisher
The American Spectator

Richard Viguerie
American Target Advertising

Thomas Peters
American Papist Blog

Dr. Kevin Roberts
Executive Director
Catholic Families for America

Larry Cirignano
Faithful Catholic Citizens