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.