Branching out

Pastor Paul Ulring, our senior pastor at Upper Arlington Lutheran Church, gave the sermon last Sunday at the Mill Run campus sanctuary service on the theme branching out. He first reminded us that the "enemy of the best is the good," (you know you're about to hear you're doing good things but not enough when you hear that). He said "branching out" means that living things reproduce--they have offspring, and if they are churches, they make disciples. Then he suggested we always be prepared to tell "our story"--how we came to know Jesus. Later in the narthex I saw Ruth Foster and told her I remembered how she was part of my story when we met in a women's Bible study called "Harried Housewives" at First Community Church in 1974 and she worked at WCVO. Paul went on to say that UALC has made a commitment to a church plant on the east side of Columbus of $150,000 to help a new congregation get started. This congregation will be part of our newly formed synod, North American Lutheran Church.

I jotted down these four points about branching out:

1) You care about what you pray about.

2) Be watchful and thankful--don't miss opportunities.

3) Be wise in the way you act.

4) Be sure your conversation is seasoned with salt, full of grace.

I sort of smiled remembering that I've heard us admonished before about not being so aggressive with our witness that we turn people off. Really. I could count on one hand the number of times I've heard a witness about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that I thought was over the top. But I myself have missed thousands, maybe millions of opportunities to offer hope, love, justice, peace and a place in heaven to an unbeliever.

Once I found the answer, I had to look it up in a Bible dictionary. These kids' quizes are tough! But found out something very interesting about them: "The Herodians at the time of Jesus were focused on political goals rather than the eternal goals that Jesus proclaimed. They thought Herod might bring temporary peace politically. But Jesus came to bring us eternal salvation, by dying on the cross to pay for our sins."

The Christian left today focuses on political solutions too--George H.W. Bush's thousand points of light program has pushed Christians into the arms of the federal government to create unholy alliances and to forget the gospel.

Father Corapi has left the room

Very few people on Catholic radio had the charisma, charm and story telling ability of Father Corapi. Don't know what happened, and we may never know, unless he tells us in his book.

Fr. Corapi Has Lost It | Blogs | NCRegister.com

The new mass

A scene at the coffee shop this morning

"What do you know about this new mass?" asked the Baptist.

"They've been doing something to get us ready, but I really don't know anything about," said the Catholic.

So the Baptist pushed the morning newspaper across the table to her Catholic friend so she could find out about the new mass.

Catholic Culture : On The News : 'Loyal opposition' to the new Mass translation

It's the tax code that limits free speech of pastors

Lyndon Johnson when he was a Senator got an amendment to the tax code passed in 1954 with no legislative analysis, no committee hearings, and no debate which silenced pastors criticizing specific candidates. . . like Lyndon B. Johnson. For the last 57 years, that amendment to the tax code has scared off pastors from saying anything that might be construed as political--like marriage, abortion, education, etc. Let’s take back the first amendment rights of pastors and churches. (Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.)

Appeals Court Rules for Religious Freedom |

Although I'm not sure what "dressing like a Catholic" looks like, this decision looks like a win for Church employers.

St. Catherine and other ministries have the right to employ only those who agree with their religious teachings and apply them to their daily lives. The Court said a contrary result would be “nonsensical,” reasoning that ”Kennedy admits that St. Catherine could fire her for her religion without any recourse. But, by first asking if she would consider changing her clothing before terminating her—i.e., by giving her the opportunity to keep her job—St. Catherine would suddenly open itself up to the strictures of Title VII. Such an approach cannot be squared with Congress’ desire in the first instance to permit a cooperative, accommodative approach to workplace discrimination.”

Appeals Court Rules for Religious Freedom |

Luther and "omne trium perfectum"

I never get tired of reading Luther. Today I noticed in ONE paragraph he used the "rule of 3" 11 times. That would be: "omne trium perfectum" (everything that comes in threes is perfect, or, every set of three is complete). I'd never heard of that rule, but figured it must be out there, so I googled it and found it. Luther's article was on "Christian Freedom" and I assume it was written in Latin, then translated to German, then to English, so that's 3 also!

• victory, salvation and redemption
• has neither sinned nor died and is not condemned
• he cannot sin, die or be condemned
• his righteousness, life and salvation are unconquerable
• [in the wedding ring of faith] he shares in the sins, death and pains of hell of his bride [the church]
• makes them [sins] his own and acts as if they were his own, and as if he himself had sinned
• suffered, died and descended into hell
• his righteousness is greater than the sins of all men, his life stronger than death, his salvation more invincible than hell
• [believer] is free from all sins, secure against death and hell and is endowed with eternal righteousness
• by faith in the Word of life, righteousness and salvation
• he marries her in mercies, righteousness and justice

And those groups of three were inside a power of faith, also three.

John records that "King of the Jews" was written in 3 languages and posted on the cross: Hebrew, Latin, and Greek--the language of the Jews--God's chosen people, the language of the political power of the world--Rome, and the language of literature, art, history, philosophy, science, mathematics, drama and all educated people.

Leaning on the everlasting arms

We sang that old hymn at the dockside service at Lakeside last Sunday, Sept. 4. Published in 1887, it tells of the assurance of God's steadfast care and guidance in tough times, and offers the peace of a relationship with him. I grew up in the Church of the Brethren where I don't recall we sang anything that had a beat--and then in 1974 became a Lutheran and they missed out on those twangy camp songs too, being mostly ethnic Scandinavians (in our synod). The first time I heard it was in Flat Creek, Kentucky in 1956 where my sister Carol was a volunteer church worker through Brethren Volunteer Service. Because she was only 19 at the time, and I was her "little" sister, I was stunned at the level of spiritual and social responsibility she had. Like riding horseback into the mountains to provide Sunday school in areas that had no passable roads; working in the garden and taking care of chickens (and plucking them) for food for the staff (I think there were 5 people living in a little house); helping the local women with sewing and. . . leading hymns like this one. In that area of the country it was sung like a dirge and a capella--not peppy and clappy the way we did it at dockside with an electronic organ. Carol went to be with the Lord in 1996, but everytime I hear "Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms," I think of that amazing, fearless teen-ager. Now I keep track of her 5 grandchildren (4 teens) on Facebook, Will, Jenny, Rachel, Catie and Chris.

Carol's BVS unit 1955. Wearing white blouse, looking between two women in the second row. She also helped flood victims in Pennsylvania, canvassed a neighborhood in Denver for a church plant, and was a "guinea pig" for the NIH. In 1957 she entered Goshen College in Indiana where she got her RN.

Lutheran Book of Worship

At the Lakeside Women's Club booksale August 7 I got an LBW in excellent condition for $.20. I got a "bag of books" for $1, so that made this one pretty cheap. Although our MR campus is not using a hymnal, our LR campus does, and often I see something I want to read, but have to move on in the service.

There is no stamp of ownership, but inside there is a hymn glued to the cover written and composed for the Centennial Anniversary of Emmanuel Lutheran Church. I checked Google, and didn't find a church named Emmanuel founded in 1896, however, it's possible that the hymn was written for another dedication and just added here. Except for a yellow paper clip, there's not much record of use.

We're using an "ecumenical" wording of the Lord's Prayer at the Sunday lakefront services. It was ecumenical and familiar to all as long as there was a tip provided about debts or trespasses or sins. Now evereyone stumbles.

John Stott Has Died

Dead at 90. A writer who helped so many.

From his conversion at Rugby secondary school in 1938 to his death in 2011 at 90 years old, Stott exemplified how extraordinary plain, ordinary Christianity can be. He was not known as an original thinker, nor did he seek to be. He always turned to the Bible for understanding, and his unforgettable gift was to penetrate and explain the Scriptures.

John Stott Has Died | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

A message about poverty for Chrisitans

From a church newsletter. "One in five children in the United States now lives in poverty in our nation, the wealthiest nation in the world. Our faith compels us to speak out and to act on behalf of 'the least of these' (Matthew 25: 40)."

Most children who live in poverty do so because fathers have not married mothers. Very few children of married parents live in poverty.

Why doesn't the church say more about the economic importance of marriage?

Lutherans leaving ELCA

On the hotel porch at Lakeside this summer I struck up a conversation with the lady sitting next to me. It turns out she is also Lutheran and is familiar with the church where we are members, Upper Arlington Lutheran Church. I mentioned that our congregation voted to leave ELCA (the issue--to allow noncelibate homosexuals to serve as clergy), and she said hers did too. Then she noted something I already knew. Most ELCA Lutherans didn't get a chance to vote--some didn't even know anything about it. For the most part, this has been a decision made by pastors. Not to leave or stay, but to even let their congregation know what was happening.

Social Justice Gospel or Just-Us Gospel

I've heard so much about "social justice" this week I realized that the real good news about Jesus and salvation is for "just us" in many Christian main line denominations who don't seem to want to share it--or are afraid to. It's so much easier to form a committee or group or protest than change a heart.

There used to be complaints about missionaries creating "rice Christians," people who joined the church so they could get food. These days the church lures people with promises of government block grants for housing and summer lunch programs, but they aren't allowed to share the gospel. At least the "rice Christians" got both food and the bread of life.

United Methodists on gay marriage

From the Documents of United Methodist Church, I see no wiggle room for two men or two women, or one man and two women, or any other configuration.

We affirm the family and work to strengthen its relationships. We affirm the sanctity of marriage and shared fidelity between a man and a woman. We recognize divorce as regrettable and intend to minister to the members of divorced families. We affirm the integrity of single persons. We recognize that sexuality is a good gift of God and that sex between a man and woman is only to be clearly affirmed in the marriage bond. We recognize the tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion and urge prayerful consideration

Church and society

Bigotry only found in Christian churches?

"Religious and human rights activists are asking U.S. churches to invite Jewish and Muslim clergy to their sanctuaries June 26 to read from sacred texts in an initiative designed to counter anti-Muslim bigotry. The initiative is called "Faith Shared:Uniting in Prayer and Understanding," and is cosponsored by the Interfaith Alliance and Human Rights First." As reported in Christian Century, June 14, 2011.

One could take this a bit more seriously if they were to look at bigotry, discrimination and hatred being preached in U.S. mosques against Christians and Jews.

Churches need to separate from the state

This is wrong. Morally and ethically and pragmatically. It weakens the churches and prevents them from proclaiming their message of salvation to people who are poor, suffering and vulnerable.

From 2006 to 2010, the state spent $11.7 million on its Texas Alternatives to Abortion Services Program, with nearly $7 million of that finding its way to 33 nonprofits (all but one with Christian affiliations) via the state’s primary contractor, the nonprofit Texas Pregnancy Care Network, according to public records obtained by the Texas Independent.

The Alternatives to Abortion Program — funded by state and federal money — was created in the 2005 legislative session for “the development and operation of a statewide program for females focused on pregnancy support services that promote childbirth,” according to the contract between the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and TPCN.

Nearly all of Texas’ anti-abortion subcontractors are Christian groups | The Washington Independent

Whether it's pregnancy services, summer lunch programs, food pantries, tutoring and language services, housing programs, financial counseling or jobs programming, churches need to cut the siphon that leads to the federal and state governments' money tank. If we're not allowed to discuss Christian marriage with the recipient of counseling services, or tell Bible stories while the children eat lunch, then it's time to ask member Christians for more money and tell the feds to get out of your church.

Cross posted at Collecting My Thoughts.

The real hope and change, according to Paul writing to the Romans

Hope and Change has a nice biblical ring and cadence, but it has been misused as a political slogan. Paul explains hope and change in Romans 7-14 with a crash course in Jewish history.

God made a promise to Abraham--that he would populate the earth with his descendants through his wife Sarah, who was beyond child bearing age (and laughed at God's plan). Abraham received this promise through faith, not by being a good person (which he wasn't, at least not good enough).

Even when there was no reason for HOPE, Abraham kept hoping--believing someday he would be the father of many nations. He believed in God who brings the dead back to life and created galaxies and universes out of nothing.

Abraham believed God. That's what his HOPE was based on. He was convinced that God would keep his word. For this he was counted as righteous. And so are we, children of Abraham, believing in the one who raised Jesus from the dead, making us righteous and bringing us to a place of undeserved, unearned privilege and joy. . . and that's the change.

Don't fall for a slogan, a pretty face or handouts from the government to do God's work. Do it Paul's way.

Raped While a Peace Corps Volunteer - ABC News

More than 1,000 young American women have been raped or sexually assaulted in the last decade while serving as Peace Corps volunteers in foreign countries, an ABC News 20/20 investigation has found.

Raped While a Peace Corps Volunteer - ABC News

David Livingstone, Christian missionary, fought the Arab slave trade in Africa

Galaxy of Images | Smithsonian Institution Libraries

In [David] Livingstone's day Arab and African merchants dominated the slave and ivory trade from the east [African] coast ports, notably Mombassa and Kilwa. From about 1840 the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba became increasingly important in this economy. These islands were under the control of the sultanate of Oman. They were slave-based plantation economies devoted to growing cloves. Many slaves were shipped from this area to the Sakalava chiefdoms of north western Madagascar and to the Persian Gulf. By the time of Livingstone's arrival, trade routes for slaves and ivory extended deep into Africa. Lake Nyassa, from which the Shire emerges, was the epicentre of this trade as slaves from central Africa were transported around or across the lake to reach the east coast. As slaves came east, so Islam spread inland. Between six and twenty million people (estimates vary) were victims of this trade between 1830 and 1873. In this later year, when the trading of slaves in East Africa was at its height, the Anglo-Zanzibar Treaty prohibited the export of slaves from the mainland.

David Livingstone's Africa

Earth Day: Environmentalism the new national religion

"Environmentalism has become our newest religion. According to Joel Garreau, professor of law, culture and values at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, a religion is characterized by “a distinction between sacred and profane objects; a moral code; feelings of awe, mystery and guilt; adoration in the presence of sacred objects and during rituals; a worldview that includes a notion of where the individual fits; and a cohesive social group of the likeminded.” Environmentalism, Garreau concluded in an article last year, fits this definition of religion very well."

Earth Day: Newsroom: The Independent Institute

I hope I die before I get old

Interesting topic for a panel--since "old" is always about 10 years older than you are at the time. The topic seems to be about poverty, or government spending priorities--at least whenever there is the word "justice" in a title. We know they aren't talking about God's justice, rather some sort of redistributive method to even things out that happens in Washington, not in the church. Before discussing economic justice perhaps they should address some Biblical values like stewardship, servanthood, authority, etc.

I wasn't impressed by the speakers' list of Christians invited to respond--Jim Wallis (of recent fame for denying he's taken money from George Soros), Tony Campollo, Gideon Strauss (CEO of the Center for Public Justice), Ron Sider (Genesis House), Jordan Ballor (Acton Institute)--all quite to the left of me or at least not conservative in thought word and deed. I didn't recognize the conservatives. Considering how our government has all sorts of programs for the poor--all supported by both parties over the years, not to mention Medicaid, billions thrown helter skelter at the schools, and a housing crash run up based on the falty idea that even low income families "deserve" a mortgage they can't afford, not just the middle class.


I saw a statistic the other day that only 10% of the U.S. elderly today meet the government standard for poverty, compared to 30% about 40 years ago--now whether that has to do with the success of government programs, or a more successful market economy remains to be seen, because even much of higher education which leads to higher income is often government supported; many medical advances in public health have been pioneered by the government; safer environment in work and home and transportation have been regulated by government. All this leads to old age and less income (although income isn't wealth)--and probably to a more comfortable old age. I know many seniors (if married) who have 5 or 6 streams of income--2 pensions, 2 Social Security checks, personal IRAs and investment accounts. They live carefully, and well--they travel, enjoy an extended life through a variety of medications, and have lots of friends and family.

One panelist said he doesn't see solutions coming from the conservative churches--he might have added he doesn't see solutions or generous giving coming from the liberal churches--they have turned over that responsibility for the poor to the government.

At Ghanaian Funerals, a Time to Dance and Celebrate

"The Irish may be known for their spirited wakes, but Ghanaians have perfected the over-the-top funeral. And in New York City, these parties anchor the social calendar of the fast-growing community of immigrants from that West African nation.

Held nearly every weekend in church auditoriums and social halls across the city, they are all-night affairs with open bars and window-rattling music. While the families are raising money to cover funeral expenses, teams of flourishing entrepreneurs — disc jockeys, photographers, videographers, bartenders and security guards — keep it all humming while turning a tidy profit.

There may or may not be a body present, or a clergyman. The beliefs expressed may be evangelical Christian, Roman Catholic or secular. The deceased may have died in New York or in Africa, a few days or a few months earlier. But the funerals all serve the same ends — as festive fund-raisers for bereaved families and as midnight reunions for Ghanaian nurses, students, scientists and cabdrivers looking to dance off the grind of immigrant life in New York."
At Ghanaian Funerals, a Time to Dance and Celebrate - NYTimes.com

S.B. 72 Ohio Late Term Abortion

(COLUMBUS, OH) - Today, the Late-Term Abortion Ban was voted out of the Senate and moved one step closer to saving the lives of unborn children in Ohio. The Ohio Right to Life supported bill passed today by a 24 to 8 vote with overwhelming bipartisan support.

"Soon, abortionists will no longer be able to perform these brutal late-term abortions when the child can feel pain," said Mike Gonidakis, Executive Director at Ohio Right to Life. "That will be a true victory for human rights."

The Late-Term Abortion Ban requires physicians to determine the viability of an unborn child if the mother sought an abortion at 20 weeks or later into her pregnancy. If the child is found to be able to live outside the mother's womb, the abortion cannot be performed.

S.B. 72, sponsored by Senator Peggy Lehner (R- Dayton) and 15 additional co-sponsors, would save countless lives every year in the state of Ohio, and would be the most important piece of pro-life legislation Ohio has passed in years.

"Abortions can currently be performed in Ohio up to the moment of birth, but many doctors agree that a child can live outside the womb after just 22-24 weeks," Senator Peggy Lehner said. "This bill will prevent late-term abortions...and help better protect our youngest and most vulnerable citizens."

Copied from e-mail from Ohio Right to Life.

They'd better be looking for "strings" on this money

"Texas lawmakers passed a series of amendments to the biennial state budget that would move nearly $70 million in funding for family planning to organizations that provide alternatives to abortion and other health services." writes Worldmag.com.

Taking government money has not been good for faith-based organizations--at least not federal money. Go to any church supported food pantry or homeless shelter and you'll be hard pressed to find a prayer, a hymn or a scrap of paper that proclaims the gospel. Why should we hold all the riches and deny it to them?

Why is OSU hosting a "founder" of the Jesus Seminar?

Because many academics at state universities and colleges are confused about spiritual values to begin with, and they just love poking at Christians. And they are joined in their disbelief and mockery by other academics at private, and formerly Christian institutions.

It would be nice to say, just move along, nothing new here. The Jesus Seminar is the DaVinci Code for egg-heads. But having a department of comparative studies bring in an "authority" on Jesus I suppose gives it some credibility. (They will never try to discredit the Koran because they value their heads.) Trying to destroy Christianity by saying the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is fantasy, is nothing new, and actually Christians have done a pretty good job of that without outside help with their squabbling over details and minutiae.

What exactly is The Jesus Seminar? First you need some academic credentials, a gullible public, and cooperating media and venues. Like the Ohio State University Department of Comparative Studies.

"The Department of Comparative Studies is presenting the 2011 Davis Lecture, featuring John Dominic Crossan on "Divine Violence and the Christian Bible," at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday (4/13) in the Wexner Center Film/Video Theater. Crossan is professor emeritus of religious studies at DePaul University and co–founder of the Jesus Seminar and the author of 25 books on the historical Jesus and early Christianity."

According to Mark D. Roberts, on the founder (died in 2005), founding and meaning of "the seminar:

"Robert Funk managed to convince the mainstream media that he and his fellows were discovering once and for all what Jesus really said and did. For several years Funk was omnipresent in newspapers and on television programs, assuring us that Jesus never really said most of what is attributed to him in the gospels, and that he didn't rise from the dead, and that orthodox Christianity is completely wrong in almost everything it believes about Jesus. Funk explained all of this soberly, allowing the public to believe that the Jesus Seminar was a theologically-neutral effort of well-meaning scholars to discover the truth about Jesus. By perpetuating this image, quite in contrast to his more honest remarks in meetings of the Jesus Seminar, Funk was less than fully candid. But the secular media, predictably enough, swallowed Funk's bait, hook, line, and sinker. For years we saw stories about how the Jesus Seminar concluded that Jesus didn't say much of what is attributed to him in the gospels, and that He didn't actually rise from the dead. (Gasp! What a surprised conclusion!)

Roberts provides some extensive research on this anti-Jesus Christ movement.

Visiting churches in California

This week we're visiting family in California. On Thursday we attended a neighborhood Bible Study group at our brother-in-law's daughter's home (I think that makes her a shirt tail relative). This very vital group is part of a branch of the Vineyard. Before listening to a CD by a speaker (unknown to me but know to them), and after a dinner provided by the hosts, there was about 1/2 hour of praise songs. I knew most of the songs because they are used at either our Celebration service or X-Alt at Upper Arlington Lutheran Church in Columbus, OH. Then on Sunday we attended Sound Chapel, a Foursquare Gosple church in Santa Ana. We sang many of the songs we've heard at our services, too, and they had a lovely worship team, with the pastor on guitar and a woman lead singer whose voice could be professional. The congregation only has 45 members, but I expect them to grow. It was one of the friendliest and most welcoming congregations I've ever met.

This is just to say, that although this style of music [too loud] is not my favorite, it certainly brings Christians of all groups together.

Print this and save trees

"Chuck [Leavell]'s email tagline reads: "Notice: It's OK to print this email. Paper is a biodegradable, renewable, sustainable product made from trees. Growing and harvesting trees provides jobs for millions of Americans. Working forests are good for the environment and provide clean air and water, wildlife habitat and carbon storage. Thanks to improved forest management, we have more trees in America today than we had 100 years ago." "

WSJ March 31, 2011, "Save a Forest: Print Your Emails" Chuck Leavell


God has appointed mankind to shepherd his creation. Don't turn it over to those who disrespect him and the accomplishments of his children.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem, c.315-386

March 18 is the memorial for St. Cyril, "Famous as a teacher and preacher, he has left a series of catechetical instructions that constitute a priceless heirloom from Christian antiquity. Of the twenty-four extant discourses, nineteen were directed to catechumens during Lent as a preparation for baptism, while five so-called mystagogical instructions were given during Easter time to make the mysteries of Christianity better known to those already baptized."

Catholic Culture : Liturgical Year

His writings show the great care the early church took in the instruction and training of converts before admitting them to baptism.

Additional sources with excerpts from his instructions.

A prayer for Christians on strike

Today I came across a published prayer for Christians on strike in the 1957 My Prayer Book by Concordia Publishing House (Lutheran) and I thought about all the hard feelings among Christians demonstrating at the state houses and watching on TV. In quoting I've somewhat modernized the pronouns thee and thou. Somehow, I don't think workers in King James era were going on strike.

"Owing to disagreements between my labor union and my employer, I am now on strike and out of work. I know you love all, and it is your will that I love all men as brothers. Therefore help me, my fellow workers, and my employer to overcome all selfishness and pride and to seek a fair solution of our difficulties. . .

Protect the property of strikers and employers during the conferences between them. Give our employer a sympathetic understanding of the problems and needs of his workers. Likewise give me and the other workers a proper insight into the problems and resources of our employer, that we may not ask more than is reasonable. Prevent bitterness and strife, and where ungodly strife is present, grant your healing and peace. Guide the negotiations toward an early agreement whereby both employer and worker may profit. May fairness and justice prevail for all concerned. . .

Give your blessing to honest labor everywhere that the needs of mankind may be supplied and that your kingdom may flourish; through Jesus Christ. Amen."

In 1957 there were no unions representing government employees--it was practically unthinkable. Wisconsin, the "progressive" state, was the first to allow state employees to bargain with their employers. In 1957, both public and private workers knew the basics of negotiating and that if you negotiate with yourself, you, not your neighbor [employer], always are the winner because of self-interest. It's like going into a ballgame where the final score is already determined. Home team wins every time. Public sector unions are negotiating with "self," i.e., the workers' union representatives are negotiating with the workers' elected representatives, and often with their own political party representatives [Democrats]. Therefore, this 1957 prayer sounds archaic--from a long distant past--and it is.

There is no "justice to prevail" at the state houses of Ohio or Wisconsin or New Jersey where one group of workers doesn't pay for their benefits at the expense of another group of workers who pay the salaries of the other group. A public sector worker employed for 35 years will pull out thousands of dollars more a year in her retirement check than a private sector worker who worked 50 years to receive Social Security. Both SS and STRS/PERS are government plans. But the school teacher who retires at 55 may get $80,000 a year (or more), and the real estate broker or small businessman who can't retire until 66 will get $28,400. And the businessman, if self-employed has contributed more! Both have elected representatives, but one has double the representation.

[Similar piece at Collecting my thoughts]

The beginning of Lent

Upper Arlington Lutheran Church (UALC) is a multi-campus Lutheran Congregation (NALC) located in Upper Arlington, Hilliard, and Columbus, Ohio. At three locations we have nine services and 4 worship styles on Sunday, two traditional (at Lytham only), celebration/contemporary (two at Mill Run and one Lytham), X-alt (two at Mill Run and one Lytham), and blended (at Hilltop).

There are a number of opportunities for Ash Wednesday, the traditional starting date for Lent, when Christians observe 40 days before Easter (not counting Sundays) of prayer, service, and repentence.

Ash Wednesday, March 9
Services at Lytham Road, 2300 Lytham Rd., Upper Arlington, OH 43220
6:30 am, Spoken service with communion
12:00 pm, Traditional service with communion, light lunch following
6:00 pm, Family service, ashes for children
7:30 pm, Traditional service with communion

Services at Mill Run, 3500 Mill Run Dr., Hilliard, OH 43026
6:30 pm, Family service, ashes for children, with communion
7:30 pm, Contemporary service with communion

Service at Hilltop, 12 S. Terrace Ave., Columbus, OH 43204
7:00 pm, Worship with communion

Paterson pastor pleads not guilty to stabbing another preacher | NJ.com

It's interesting what the website Religion News Blog considers "religious news." Two pastors, a married man and a single woman, are having a lovers' quarrel which results in a stabbing. Yes, it's a sin, but the fact they are both pastors doesn't make it religious news. If they were both engineers, would it be engineering news?

Religion News Blog pointed to this unfortunate event Paterson pastor pleads not guilty to stabbing another preacher | NJ.com

Nobody but Jesus

When I was in Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) in the summer of 1957 in Fresno, California, I lived dormitory style with 7 other young volunteers. Someone put on a Mahalia record every morning and cranked it. I'd never heard Gospel, only traditional hymns. It was a great way to start the day.

Social Injustice

Jesus didn't come to liberate you or a group defined by gender, race or income from social, political or economic injustice. His mission was to liberate all people, rich or poor, brown or black, male or female, CEOs or slaves, educated or dropouts, hedonists or stoics, philosphers or farmers from the bondage of sin. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. . ." Bring that message to people regardless of their circumstances, and the church will grow as it has in China the last 60 years. From 700,000 when it was outlawed and persecuted by Mao to 150,000,000 today.

You can be a lost beggar living in a $10 million home in a pristine suburb with acres of land without Jesus.

Speaking civility out of the left side of his mouth--Jim Wallis

Chuck Colson and Jim Wallis have co-authored an appeal for civility in Christianity Today. In 2007, Wallis didn't mind ripping people in government from limb to limb.

“I believe that Dick Cheney is a liar; that Donald Rumsfeld is also a liar; and that George W. Bush was, and is, clueless about how to be the president of the United States. They have shamed our beloved nation in the world by this [Iraq] war and the shameful way they have fought it.”

Americans and Iraqis died “because of their lies, incompetence, and corruption.” Wallis went on to say he favors investigations of the top officials of the Bush administration on “official deception, war crimes, and corruption charges.” And if they were found guilty of these “high crimes,” Wallis wrote, “I believe they should spend the rest of their lives in prison. … Deliberately lying about going to war should not be forgiven.”

Peter Wehner

Father

I didn't know that in the first decades of American Protestantism, ministers were addressed as "Father." By the 18th century it was used primarily for older clergy, but continued into the 19th century.

"Fathers and Brethren," Church History, v. 37, no. 3, September 1968

Early Eucharistic prayer from The Didache

According to John McGuckin in The Story of Christian Spirituality, p. 64, the bishop of the local community in the first and early second century, lead the prayer on Sunday to honor the resurrection, with scripture reading and psalms. He received offerings of bread and wine from the people, some of which was set aside for the poor. This prayer below was a sample of what could be said, although they had freedom in prayer. By the 3rd century Hippolytus included in his Apostolic Constitutions, a more formal liturgy.

"We give you thanks, Our Father, for the holy vine of David your servant, which you have made known to us through your servant [child] Jesus. To you be the glory unto the ages. We give you thanks, Our Father, for the life and knowledge which you have made known to us through your servant [child] Jesus. To you be the glory unto the ages. Just as this broken bread was scattered upon the mountains and then was gathered together into one, so many your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom. For yours is the glory and the power, through Jesus Christ, unto the ages."

[When finished]

“We thank you, holy Father, for your name which you enshrined in our hearts. We thank you for the knowledge and faith and immortality which you revealed to us through your servant Jesus. To you be glory for ever. Almighty ruler, you created all things for the sake of your name; you gave men food and drink to enjoy so that they might give you thanks. Now you have favored us through Jesus your servant with spiritual food and drink as well as with eternal life. Above all we thank you because you are mighty. To you be glory for ever.

“Remember, Lord, your Church and deliver her from all evil. Perfect her in your love; and, once she has been sanctified, gather her together from the four winds into the kingdom which you have prepared for her. For power and glory are yours for ever."

“May grace come and this world pass away! Hosanna to the God of David. If anyone is holy, let him come. If anyone is not, let him repent. Maranatha. Amen”.

Bibliography on the Didache.

The prayer at the memorial in Tucson was very odd

From another post:

"Regarding the Indian prayer:
It was jarring. Rep. Giffords is a Conservative Jew not a Native American, the Judge a Roman Catholic. I would venture that none of the dead or wounded were Native American.

Where was the Rabbi, Priest or Minister. Has the God of Jews and Christians become politically unaccceptable?"

Rhetorical question, isn't it? Yes, it has become unacceptable to pray in public, but only for Christians and Jews. A later correction said Giffords is a Reformed Jew, not Conservative. I have no information one way or the other.

From the Letter to Diognetus

Today in reading "The Story of Christian Spirituality" I came across a small quote from The Epistle to Dignetus, then looked it up in my McGill's "Masterpieces of Christian Literature." It is indeed a masterpiece, with a message for today, yet little is known about it, but the only copy was destroyed in 1870. The recepient wants to know everything about this new religion (appears to have been written early in the 2nd century when Christians were still an underground, persecuted group), so the author tells Diognetus that in order to understand Christianity he needs to put aside false reports and prepare to hear a new story.

"For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honour; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred.

To sum up all in one word--what the soul is in the body, that are Christians in the world. The soul is dispersed through all the members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians dwell in the world, yet are not of the world."

You are not the one who is lost

In any spiritual conversation about Jesus in which you feel inadequate or unprepared, Pastor Eric Waters said last Sunday, "Remember you are not the one who is lost, . . .you've been found!" He was preparing the congreation for a 10 week series on evangelism. "We know the way home, that Jesus is the only way to the Father." The decks are cleared for action--the calendar is clear. The church is out of debt; we've settled the synod decision. Now is the time. . .

The Shepherd of Hermas--the 12 Mandates

Continuing to read in "The Story of Christian Spirituality," I dipped in The Shepherd of Hermas, which came close to being included in the New Testament. It consists of revelations, rules and parables--always a favorite for Christians of all eras. The book was written in Rome by a former slave who had no particular office in the early church. Hermas receives 5 visions while walking and then recorded his experiences; 12 mandates; and 10 parables. I have a translation in my Goodspeed "The Apostalic Fathers, an American Translation" (Harper, 1950), which I haven't found on the internet, but this one by Crombie from the mid 1800s sounds pretty good--doesn't seem to have the thees, thous and -eth (s) endings for verbs.

1) believe that God is one, that He has made all things and contains all things and is Himself alone uncontained.

2) simplicity keeps one from evil-speaking and encourages one to live according to God

3) love truth and by doing so one receives a spirit free from lies; abstain from lying and one lives with God

4) purity; healing for the one who sins; the baptized need to live sinless lives; no second repentence

5) long-suffering and prudent; power over all evil deeds; the Devil dwells in ill-temper. Keeping this command gives strength to keep the others

6) believe only the righteous and not the unrighteous angels

7) fear of the Lord is the means for keeping His commandments; do not fear the Devil

8) temperance and self-control--list of things to avoid: "theft, lying, robbery, false witness, covetousness, lust, deceit, vainglory, ostentation, and everything like them"; things one doesn't need to avoid: "faith, fear of the Lord, love, harmony, upright speech, truthfulness, endurance"--these bring blessings, and these will follow, waiting on widows, looking after orphas and needy people, delivering the slaves of God from distress, being hospitable, nonresistance to anyone, being quiet, being more needy than all men, revering the aged, practicing uprightness, observing brotherhood, putting up with insolence, being patient, not holding a grudge, encourageing the weary in heart, not casting out those who have stumbled from the faith, but converting and encouraging them, not oppressing debtors and those in need."

9) purity of heart--doubt is the worst and causes double-mindedness

10) grief is the sister of double-mindedness and corrupts man more than other evils; to combat grief, put on joyfulness, which always is acceptable to God; the joyful man does good deeds, has good thoughts and despises grief

11) don't listen to false prophets who are impudent and shameless and lead a life of luxury--if he accepts money, he's false; true prophet is meek, gentle and lowly minded

12) put away every evil desire--carnal desires are the worst; whoever believes these commandments can be kept will be able to keep them, and without keeping them there is no salvation.

Help with summary from Masterpieces of Christian Literature in Summary Form, edited by Frank Magill (Harper & Row, 1963)

Other patristic literature

Nothing new in Christian debates of today

In my previous entry I noted how much I'm enjoying reading "The story of Christian Spirituality." So many discussions and arguments I read in the various faith traditions go way back--most can be found in Paul's letters to the young churches. That's what I love about this book--the background on how people of different eras struggle, and excerpts from the writings of martyrs, theologians, academics, pastors and monks. Even those most caught up in contemplative non-thought or mysteries of the faith, took time to write it down and tell others to do it their way. This advice from Symeon the New Theologian (949-1022 A.D.), an aristocrat who entered a monastery in Constantinople, for those seeking experience and those saying it is wrong sounds so contemporary:

Do not say: It is impossible to receive the Holy Spirit;
Do not say: It is possible to be saved without Him.
Do not say that one can possess the Spirit without being aware of it.
Do not: But God does not appear to men.
Do not say: But men do not see the divine light--
Or at least it is impossible in this current generation.

This is a thing, my friends, which is never impossible, at any time.
On the contrary it is entirely possible for those who long for it." [Hymns of Divine Love, #27]

Excellent summary by John A. McGuckin, who wrote Chapter 4 of this book.

Audio about Symeon by McGuckin.

Christmas potluck at Lytham Road tonight

plus music of the Worthington Civic Band Concert at 7:30. At first I thought I'd use up one of those carrot cake mixes in the pantry, but thought better of it and opted for a bowl of fresh fruit mixed with a little mayo and whipped cream.

I'm reading the most wonderful book from the UALC library and I want to recommend it to every Christian of any sect or group: "The Story of Christian Spirituality." [You can Google the title to get a look inside.] When I read a "Christian" book I want the author to at least give Jesus a nod and the Gospel a line or two. This book ties all faith traditions in Christianity together the rational, theological, meditative, contemplative and still manages to lift high the cross. The art work is fabulous and the paper quality is wonderful. The first chapter, rightfully so, begins with Judaism, then the birth of Christ. It ends with the end of the 20th century. In the past I have dipped into some of the more contemplative and meditative writers, but have found little that pulls it all together like this title. This book, with its outstanding bibliography, could be a college course and a worship experience rolled into one.

I'll be returning this to the church library because I so fell in love with it that I have ordered a copy. Although it is a Fortress Press (2001), to get a new copy I had it sent from UK (Lion), and it was $22 + $7 shipping. And considering that many used copies were much higher, I thought it a fair price. It has beautiful art work and meaningful selections of text.

Another find was discovering I had a few books in my own collection that supported many of the writings in this book.

Walking in unity with the ELCA

What the early church taught about the value of life

The Didache (Διδαχὴ, Koine Greek for "Teaching" was the earliest Christian rule book and was used in the first century church by pastors and missionaries who needed to explain to converts the teachings of the church. It would not be popular in the 21st century church because there are so many negatives--don't do this, don't do that. There was no official canon (Bible), but there are passages from Matthew, Luke, Acts Peter and other early writers. There are rules for loving God and rules for loving your neighbor. Included under loving your neighbor is a prohibition for violating or corrupting boys (i.e., sodomy or homosexuality) and murdering a child through abortion, or killing an infant when born. Both practices were acceptable in Greek and pagan society, but forbidden to Christians.

"You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you shall not steal, you shall not practice magic, you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill one that has been born" (Didache 2:2 [A.D. 70])."

Two Lutheran Tribes

There are two Lutheran churches in America, writes Peter Berger. The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), aka Aunt Elka. There are two kinds of Lutheran fundamentalism. "There is a theological fundamentalism very visible in the LCMS. A political fundamentalism (aka “political correctness”) is very evident in the “airport culture” of the ELCA—it shares it with the mainline Protestantism into which it is morphing."

The article has some good background on the current woes of ELCA and the financial struggles of those congregations who are leaving it. Since 1988, when the ELCA was formed, contributions have declined by 50%, on the other hand, the newly formed NALC (which our congregation has joined) doesn't yet have enough financial clout to support many of the struggling smaller congregations that have left ELCA. So, staying or leaving, these "Lutheran" congregations are facing tough times. I didn't know that ELCA's headquarters were at O'Hare Airport. So, how nice that the new NALC headquarters will be at our own Mill Run Church.

I commented a few entries ago at my regular blog that ethnicity trumps everything. ELCA is no longer ethnically identifiable and has become a blob of its former selves--Germans, Norwegians, Swedes, Finns-- merged into one big mushy protestantly bland and policially liberal church. LCMS for now anyway, still has the glue of ethnicity to hold together its theological structure.

Two Lutheran Tribes | Religion and Other Curiosities

Please note, there are other Lutheran synods and groups, but I think Berger's point is that LCMS and ELCA are the biggies.

Giving Thanks and Thanksgiving

We were reminded today by Pastor Paul of the terrific selection of readings we have for the two weeks preceding Thanksgiving week, and Joanne Foster in the children's sermon mentioned several opportunities to give while thanking--like Operation Christmas Child (packing a shoe box), the Angel Tree project (gifts for children of prisoners), and packing a grocery sack or two to bring to church for the Lutheran Food Pantry.

The gospel for the 25th Sunday after Pentecost was John 6:22-35, where Jesus explains he is the Bread of Life. Paul noted that our food donations matter because it is hard to hear the gospel when one is hungry. It's also not unreasonable to think that it's difficult to impress on those who have everything--enough food, leisure activities and wonderful vacations, good health, lovely home, multiple automobiles, a safe and lucrative career--that they still need Jesus, the Bread of Life.

Let's not get theological . . .

The grandson of friends is enrolled in a sociology class at Ohio State University. Recently, the instructor brought in a guest speaker, a lesbian Lutheran pastor who had been a member of the sexuality task force that has split the ELCA and caused a steady decline in membership since the synod was formed in 1988. Gay men and women were allowed to become Lutheran pastors but had to take a vow of celibacy in the past. She told the class how proud she was of her role in the August 19, 2009 Human Sexuality Statement and reversing that "discriminatory" rule. (I'd truly like to say you could read this without tearing your hair out over the obfuscation and double-speak, but sadly I can't.) In short, it provides for gay pastors in "committed relationships." Our congregation has voted to leave the ELCA, but many Lutheran congregations have never been given an opportunity to vote, or even discuss leaving.

The student is still in his teens, however, he is not a Lutheran but was aware of the ELCA decision. When she asked for questions there were none about the church's new stance, only about her personally. So the young man bravely raised his hand, and began to clarify points in her presentation. "You said that. . . ." and she agreed; and "further you said that. . . " and she agreed, that yes, that is what she said. Finally, after clarifying all her major points, he asked her where in the Bible she found justification for this decision by the synod.

At that point she brushed him off and said, "Let's not get theological. . ." I guess it's all right to bring a gay Lutheran pastor to class, but not God and his word. And isn't that the crux of the matter for the ELCA?

An Analysis of the Pre-Pauline Creed in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Last night in Pastor Eric's class "Ten tough questions" at the Mill Run campus of Upper Arlington Lutheran Church he discussed the resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is absolutely central to the Christian faith, and I've been surprised by some who prefer to focus everything on the cross, or everything on good works. Eric showed us the 12 appearances of Jesus over a period of 40 days after his death (after a very vivid description with slides of how and why no one survived a crucifixion). Then he focused on the first Christian creed, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, which predates all the Gospel accounts and predates Paul's own experience (Damascus Road). It's a fairly simple creed, but one the earliest Christians may have been saying to each other 1-3 years after the Resurrection. You are wasting your time hanging around Christian churches for the music, the values, the projects that make you feel good, or even a salary, if you deny the bodily resurrection of Jesus. And this is our hope for our future, too.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance

that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures
and that he was buried
and that he was raised on the third day
in accordance with the scriptures
and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

Eric's presentation isn't on the web site yet (the class is recorded), but here's something very similar.

An Analysis of the Pre-Pauline Creed in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry

My mother's retreat center

"I can't save the world, but I can save four acres."

Why would you do this?

I was just checking on some college costs--I have no one in college--was just curious. I attended a church related college my Freshman year, and the costs then were the same as my second year at a state university.

California Lutheran Tuition, fees, books, supplies, room & board is $44,980

Capital University, Columbus, for the same is $40,374.

Ohio State University is $18,700.

California Lutheran and Capital University are affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), but I'm guessing that like most church liberal arts colleges, there is little in the way of religion to be found on the campus that couldn't be found at a state university. Why would any parent fork out this kind of money, or student take on a debt load like this?

Stewardship series

Many churches have stewardship campaigns in the fall--ours is always very low key, and there have been years in the past, where nothing was said at all. But giving is part of worship, and we miss a lot if the topic never comes up. Here are the passages:

September 27 - October 3, 2010
27 Matthew 6:1-4, 19-24 (Giving and treasures)
28 Matthew 13:1-23 (Parable of the soils)
29 Matthew 15:1-9 (Care of parents)
30 Matthew 17:24-27 (Jesus pays temple tax)
1 Matthew 18:21-35 (Parable of the unmerciful servant)
2 Matthew 19:16-30 (The rich young man)
3 2 Corinthians 8:1-9 Grace Giving


October 4 - 10, 2010
4 Matthew 20:1-16 (Parable of the workers in the vineyard)
5 Matthew 21:12-17 (Temple purpose)
6 Matthew 22:15-22 (Paying taxes)
7 Matthew 23:23-28 (Pharisees’ righteousness)
8 Matthew 25:14-30 (Parable of the talents)
9 Matthew 25:31-46 (Day of Judgment)
10 2 Corinthians 8:10-24 Giving by Churches

October 11 - 17, 2010
11 Mark 12:41-44 (The widow’s offering)
12 Mark 14:1-11 (A costly anointing)
13 Luke 12:13-21 (Parable of the rich fool)
14 Luke 16:1-15 (Parable of the shrewd manager)
15 Luke 18:9-14 (Parable of the Pharisee & Tax Collector)
16 Luke 19:1-10 (Zacchaeus the Tax Collector)
17 2 Corinthians 9:1-9 Giving Blesses All

We began tithing in our 30s after joining UALC, a tithe of the gross, not net, and really didn't experience the "too much month" feeling after that. If you take 10% off the top, you learn to live on what remains. God blesses. Christians can argue about what Scripture teaches, but not the results.

Stem Cell Awareness Day Poetry winner requires an apology--still

CIRM has "apologized" for its offensive winner in a poetry contest, reporting

"[it] contained some religious language that is identical to liturgical language used in the context of Christian and Catholic sacraments. The language introduces a religious element that we now realize was offensive to some people. We are deeply sorry for any offense caused by the poem. Neither the author nor CIRM intended for the language to insult or offend any religious group. When CIRM recognized that the language was of concern we removed all four poems from the CIRM web site and from the Stem Cell Awareness Day web site."

I'm not surprised that people who advocate embryonic stem cell research didn't recognize "this is my body given for you."

UPDATE -- Stem Cell Awareness Day Poetry Contest Winners Announced | California Institute for Regenerative Medicine

CIRM continues on the embryonic quest for a cure for something, even though all the success in stem cell research has been with adult stem cells. It was created in California in 2004 to counteract the limited number of lines available through the federal funding (embryonic stem cell research has never been illegal--private money could do it).

What's wrong with this prayer?

Eternal Parent, we praise and thank you for the loving rules you provide to guide us. Strengthen our trust in you and our willingness to obey in order to serve you better and to live in loving fellowship with all of your children. Amen.

Not very personal, is it? Feminist to the core. Just can't say "Father," or "Son."

It was a meditation on the hymn, Trust and Obey. You might start with the language.

Human Sexuality

This is a paragraph from UALC's "What we believe" which among many other topics, addresses human sexuality:

We believe that our sexuality is a good gift from God. Sexual intimacy is blessed by Him when expressed according to God’s design, within the context of monogamous heterosexual marriage. Outside of that context, sexual intimacy, whether heterosexual or homosexual, is sin. All who desire to turn from sin, sexual or otherwise, can be forgiven and renewed by the grace of God in Jesus. (Genesis 2:24; Exodus 20:14; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 1:26-32)

And yet when 92% of the voting members of UALC chose to leave the ELCA synod because after 22 years of parsing words and cutting corners a tiny minority of members of a task force had decided that God could bless homosexual unions among our clergy, good friends have decided to look elsewhere for a believing congregation. They said, "The percentage voting to leave surprised me and made me feel unwelcome. I had no idea the congregation was this conservative."

Like they had been worshipping and serving on a different planet. I wonder what they thought the phrase "monogamous heterosexual marriage" meant?

Paul Ulring of UALC is Moderator of CORE

The August 26-27, 2010 Lutheran CORE Convocation elected Pr. Paull Spring as Bishop of the North American Lutheran Church for a provisional one-year term, and Pr. Paul Ulring as Moderator of Lutheran CORE for a two-year term. From the Press release:

"A new Lutheran denominational body was born on Friday, Aug. 27, as Lutherans from throughout North America voted overwhelmingly and enthusiastically to form the North American Lutheran Church (NALC).
The decision to form the new church body was made at the annual Convocation of Lutheran CORE which attracted more than 1,100 Lutherans Thursday and Friday at Grove City Church of the Nazarene. Thousands more watched the convocation online. The Convocation adopted a constitution and elected provisional leaders for the NALC. The Rev. Paull Spring of State College, Pa., was elected as bishop of the NALC. Spring served as the
bishop of the Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) for 14 years."

Books with "secret" in the title--Brian McLaren

Recently I've dropped out of a Christian book group that has chosen to read Brian McLaren's The Secret Message of Jesus: Uncovering the Truth that Could Change Everything . I just didn't do my homework when I agreed to buy the book (fortunately I have not enriched this author's errors by buying it). If someone tells you who he is, believe him--to paraphrase Maya Angelou. Here's the starter:

"What if Jesus' secret message reveals a secret plan?" asks Brian McLaren in his new book, The Secret Message of Jesus. "What if he didn't come to start a new religion--but rather came to start a political, social, religious, artistic, economic, intellectual, and spiritual revolution that would give birth to a new world?"[1-page 4]

Was Jesus so stupid and such a manipulator of people that he could have kept it quiet if he were leading a political movement? Why would you follow a liar, and why would you read McLaren, one of the leaders of the Emergent Church movement, a movement that says, Y'all come, no boundaries here, no repentence necessary, sin is a figment of your imagination if it's personal and it's all out there in government, cultural and social structures.

No thanks. I went through all that in the early 1970s when I was a member of a liberal, open door church, and I have no intention of going back.

Will Yancy ever find what he's looking for?

Some people love Philip Yancey's books. I find him constantly searching--and that's boring. Reminds me of a church we used to belong to.  If I were this on the fence and so filled with angst over the BIG questions after so many years of writing, I think I'd throw in the towel--or typewriter.  However, I haven't read this one.  Maybe he finally gets it?

http://www.amazon.com/What-Good-God-Search-Matters/dp/0446559857

Little Hannah prays up a storm

We’re not going to listen to that old Satan, we’re going to heaven anyway!

He’s an awesome God, he can do mighty things.

A Parent's Wish - For My Children

Hindu Wisdom - Yoga

I'm always surprised how many Christians believe Yoga is just a form of exercise. Why not ask and expert?

"The word yoga is derived from the root yuj, which means to unite or to join together. The practice of yoga may lead to the union of the human with the divine - all within the self. The aim of yoga is the transformation of human beings from their natural form to a perfected form. The Yogic practices originated in the primordial depths of India's past. From this early period the inner attitudes and disciplines which were later identified and given orderly expression by Patanjali." Hindu Wisdom

In very simple language, it's a way to convince yourself through physical movement and techniques you're god. And isn't that the oldest form of idolatry? Good luck getting it out of the tax supported schools that won't even let kids sing Christmas carols for fear of someone falling into prayer and faith.

Hindu Wisdom - Yoga

Morning and Evening Hymns

Have you ever used a hymnbook for your devotion time? This morning I was up a bit earlier than usual (4:30 a.m.), so I pulled the 1964 The Methodist Hymnal off my book shelf. This was published before the feminists got a hold of the English language, the revision beginning in 1960, and while the thees and thous still made it easy to rhyme. It is both ecumenical and Wesleyan.

So I turned to the section "Morning and Evening." To my surprise, there weren't very many morning hymns. And also evening is often presented in somewhat sinister themes. But think about it. In the days before electricity, or even in 3rd world countries today, after the sun went down there was no light. Only the wealthy could have afforded candles and kerosene, or whale oil, or whatever was being used for light. Darkness was not your friend--especially because theives and animals could attack. The other night we had a storm here (Lakeside) and the power went out around midnight for 2.5 hours. It's amazing how black it is--our very tall trees even blot out the sky, which of course was cloud covered.

But I did see a nice Chinese translated hymn, "Rise to greet the sun," by Chao Tzu-Ch'en, translated by Bliss Wiant to the melody of a Chinese folk melody.

Rise to greet the sun,
Reddening in the sky,
Warriorlike and strong,
Comely as a groom;
Birds pass high in flight,
Fragrant flowers now bloom;
With the gracious light
I my toil resume.

Father, I implore,
Safely keep this hild'
Make my conduct good,
Actions calm and mild;
Venerating age,
Humbly teaching youth,
Always serving thee,
Sharing they rich truth.

May this day be blest;
Trusting Jesus' love,
My heart's freed from ill,
Fair blue sky's above.
Glad for cotton coat,
Plain food satisfies;
All my countless needs
Thy kind hand supplies. Amen

Interesting cultural points. It is the groom who is comely, not the bride. Age is venerated. The coat is cotton and the food plain. Christianity is not a Western religion; it is world wide and user friendly for all cultures. It is growing very fast in China and Africa. Much more vibrant than in the U.S., and certainly stronger than in Europe.

Hold your friends close, and your wallet even closer

Summary: Older people who have a close companion friend in the place where they worship are more likely to rate their health in a favorable way over time. However, these health-related benefits emerge only among the oldest-old study participants. The data results further indicate that having a close friend at church is associated with fewer outpatient physician visits over time, but once again, the results are observed only among the oldest old. "Close Companions at Church, Health,and Health Care Use in Late Life," by Neal Krause. Journal of Aging and Health 22(4) 434–453, 2010.

Here's my take. If you have friends at church they nag you about your health and offer to take you to the doctor. But the idea that government and insurance costs can be reduced or kept in check by the oldest having close church friends really doesn't make sense. If you live to 90 instead of 85, don't you have more health related expenses than if you'd died at 85?

Short series on the Apostles' Creed

Our latest sermon series has been on the Apostles' Creed, which first appeared around the year 200, and is the essence of and distills the teachings of the New Testament.

The scripture (first reading) today was Colossians 1:15-23. Wow. What a powerful text. I looked at it in several versions when I got home, but still like the NIV the best. If every church committee, board and service group were to read this at every gathering and meeting, I do believe there would be less squabbling about acquiescing to the demands of various movements and contemporary culture. . . "so that in everything he might have the supremacy"

Colossians 1:15-29 (New International Version)

The Supremacy of Christ

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of[a] your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Paul's Labor for the Church

24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

On preparing for heaven by Richard Baxter

Richard Baxter was a Puritan, 1615-1691, who wrote many books. "How to lead a heavenly life upon Earth" is part of The Saints Everlasting Rest. This section of praise is interesting and useful for preparing for heaven:

Praising God is the work of angels and saints in heaven, and will be our own everlasting work; and if we were more in it now, we should be more like what we shall be then. As desire, faith and hope are of shorter continuance than love and joy, so also preaching, prayer, and ordinances, and all means for expressing and confirming our faith and hope, shall cease, when our triumphant expressions of love and joy shall abide for ever. The liveliest emblem of heaven that I know upon earth, is when the people of God, in the deep sense of his excellency and bounty, from hearts abounding with love and joy, join together, both in heart and voice, in the cheerful and melodious singing of his praises. These delights, like the testimony of the Spirit, witness themselves to be of God, and bring the evidences of their heavenly parentage along with them."

Do you hear what I hear?

This morning I was reading an article in Christianity Today (March 2010) about evangelizing the deaf, one video at a time. So I went on-line to look at the ministry started by David and Ruby Stecca, Deaf Video Communications (DVC). They began the ministry in their basement in 1983, and today have a broadcast quality studio with $300,000 of video equipment. They have produced almost 500 videos of Bible stories, sermons, dramas, and marriage counseling sessions as well as children's programing. The roots of this actually go back to a domestic dispute when David was a policeman and responded to a fight between deaf parents. He learned ASL and later left his job to begin this ministry.

Christianity began as The Word, spoken and written, but both leave many deaf without the gospel. What a wonderful use of modern technology.

DVC History

Also, yesterday I came across the website for Shepherd's College for the Developmentally Disabled. Here's another mission field right at home to reach a group most churches miss. Located in Wisconsin, it's a 3 year program focusing on life skills and two career paths, culinary arts and horticulture. This college is an outgrowth of a Sunday School class started over 50 years ago by Sheperd's Ministries.

Shepherds Ministries has traditionally focused on a residential home for severely disabled adults. At a chapel service for these residents, audience members share something in common besides their various disabilities: age. The contrast between the fresh-faced, high-functioning students of Shepherds College, and the gray-haired, often severely disabled clients of Shepherds Ministries is crystal clear. Many of these residents have lived here for over 30 years, a legacy of a different era. Shepherds was built and expanded throughout the '50s, '60s, and '70s, a time when institutionalization was the national model. Children were labeled "retarded" and hidden away. In the '80s and '90s, the approach changed as parents more often kept their children at home. Special education programs in public schools helped make it possible for parents of developmentally disabled children to keep their families intact. As the population living at Shepherds grew older, new admissions slowed to a trickle. "Shepherds was guilty of trying to keep the old way intact," William Amstutz, President of Shepherds Ministries, said. "If we would have continued on as we were, we would have aged out." Shepherds College is perhaps the ultimate realization of the new goal of helping the developmentally disabled reach independence rather than institutionalization. Although it is located on the same property and run by Shepherds Ministries, the program is otherwise completely separate from the programs for the more severely disabled residents. It helps to fill a new gap in the social safety net, the transition between graduation from a high-school special education program to work and independent living.

Safe From Persecution, a refugee group finds a home church in Albany NY

There's an "amazing grace" Methodist church in Albany, NY called Emmaus--it has taken in and resettled many refugees including survivors of a 2004 massacre in a United Nations refugee camp called Gatumba, which lies in Burundi near the border with Congo.

"After decades of ethnic oppression, the Banyamulenge, third-generation Christians, identify strongly with the tribulations of Old Testament Jews. In their gospel songs, the survivors seek solace from the violence at Gatumba, which echoed the Rwandan genocide of the 1990s, and still threatens those they left behind.

Albany might seem an unlikely place for resettlement of refugees like Christine Nyabatware, a widow with five small children, and Butoto Ndbarishe, 13, whose twin sister was killed at his side during the massacre, along with his father, a pastor, and two brothers. But since the first family arrived here in March, coatless and stunned to find what appeared to be a cold desert of leafless trees, the city has become a beacon to other Gatumba survivors around the country. . . “The Americans show us love,” said Mr. Mandevu after a potluck meal in the basement of the church, where a congregation that includes members from Pakistan, Iran and the Philippines traded hugs. “People are so nice. Here no one can throw stones on you."

Safe From Persecution, Still Bearing Its Scars - New York Times

John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg (1746-1807)

John Muhlenberg, Lutheran and Anglican pastor, was discussed on tonight's Glenn Beck show about the Black Regiment--the pastors who led in the colonies' fight for independence from Britain. He was the eldest son of Henry Melchoir Muhlenberg, Lutheran missionary to America and for whom Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania is named.

John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg (1746-1807), University of Pennsylvania Archives

The epic story of the heroic Muhlenberg family,...

Augsburg Fortress Pensions

"Employees and retirees of Minneapolis publisher Augsburg Fortress are suing their employer, alleging in their complaint that it allowed their pension plan to fail, and used its connection to the Lutheran church as a legal shield to avoid paying them all their pensions.

The suit, filed in federal court in Minneapolis on Wednesday, comes more than three months after the company announced it was terminating the plan, saying it had been underfunded for nine years. The plan had only $8.6 million to pay $24.2 million in pension obligations to 500 employees and retirees, said the company, which publishes books for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, including hymnals, the works of theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Garrison Keillor's latest book."

Publisher's Employees Sue Over Church-Related Pension - WSJ.com

Pension Rights explained

What's the point if there is no point?

From Genesis to Revelation, it is all about Jesus and salvation. That's the point. When Christians begin pointing to Easter just once a year, that's when we get into trouble and start working on getting to heaven on our own steam or denying what we have to others.

Yesterday I "fanned" a site recommended by a member of my church. On the Facebook page I thought the "mission statement" sounded a bit academic, almost jargon of the type that often signals trouble ahead. My years as a liberal didn't fail me. I clicked over to the webpage of this group that attempts to save people from some of the horrors of this life--mostly political and material--evidence that we do indeed live in a fallen world. There was not a word about Jesus on any page I looked at. It was Christ-less, God-less and hope-less, and it quickly brought me back to 1974 when I looked out the dining room window of my nice home in the suburbs with adorable healthy children and happy marriage and realized I didn't know God and it meant nothing.

The Gospel is also for believers. It is by hearing it from our pulpits or in our small groups or in our mission work, even if some think it's too often and too much, that the good news takes us out of our own little séance of navel gazing, thinking it's all about us.

Too often organized Christianity uses the misfortunes of others either to whip themselves into guilt over material blessings or to elevate themselves by doing good works. The poor and hungry need the gospel just as much as the CEO out in the suburbs with the comfortable home and fat investment account, so let's not leave them without hope in the event we don't get the well dug or the school opened or the home built as we move on to the next crisis that hits the headlines.

LutheranCORE - Theological Implications of the 2009 ELCA Decisions

The LCMS (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) has consistently expressed its understanding that same-gender sexual activity is contrary to the Scriptures. It has also joined together with the other 33 members of the International Lutheran Council in unanimously affirming that:

[T]he lifelong committed union of one man and one woman is the place the Lord intends for human sexuality to be lived out. Biblical passages which address the practice of homosexuality do so in terms of disapproval. Rooted in the Bible‘s witness and in keeping with Christian teaching through 2000 years, we continue to believe that the practice of homosexuality—in any and all situations—violates the will of the Creator God and must be recognized as sin.

While the current discord in Lutheranism and other Christian traditions regarding these questions is distressing in many ways, we believe this is also a time of opportunity. Many are asking not only what various churches teach and practice, but are also wondering about the theological implications of these beliefs and practices. In debates about homosexual issues, churches have an opportunity to testify to even more foundational truths and convictions, such as different understandings of biblical authority and also a different understanding of marriage. This is revelatory of something more than matters of sexuality and sexual behavior.

Full document LutheranCORE - Theological Implications of the 2009 ELCA Decisions

The first time I watched this Vidi Aquam by the monks of St. Bernard Abbey I didn't realize there were 5 singers, because of the formating--couldn't see the man on the far right. I was watching the director, whom no one was watching except perhaps from the corner of their eye. Two men have their hand inside their robes; one appears to have 12 fingers; the director slips in a little smile--either because he knows what he's saying (I don't), or he's just really pleased with the sound and quality.

Coloring inside the lines

Yesterday at Marc's I bought three Bible stories coloring books for 99 cents each. The drawings probably aren't great art, but the stories of Noah, David, Adam and Eve, Moses and Job are accurate and faithful to Scripture. A Christian who knows the hope of a Redeemer for sin and how that story is woven through out the Old Testament can use this book easily to explain things to children.

I loved coloring books when I was a kid, and it didn't squash my talent at all (you are born with talent and no amount of "expressing" yourself throwing globs on canvas will create what isn't there). I drew and wrote stories all the time--especially about horses and dogs. I particularly enjoyed coloring as a group activity where we could discuss and debate the colors, and why you chose to do something a certain way. It was only the academics in art, teachers and the critics who decided learning to color inside the lines was bad for creativity. Hey! Not everyone can be a leader--this world needs some good followers, too!

Here's another example of "inside the lines" working outward. Mary Polin was a professor education steeped in the radical assumptions of deconstructivism--advancing her career by deciding authors didn't really mean what they said, and that truth was simply a social construction bound to culture and gender which today's academic could set free.

Then in 1993 she met Jesus and was really set free from radical feminism and secular humanism. She then began to write the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs out by hand, word for word, and as she did so, her mind began to heal. That's a beautiful story (found in "A professor reconstructed," A faith and culture devotional, by Kelly Kullberg and Lael Arrington, Zondervan, 2008). Kelly is on Facebook and so are the fans of this book. And I see her husband regularly at the coffee shop.