When Someone Drives You Crazy . . .

Start behaving well, and you will feel better. This is what Jesus would want, and He is there in the rug store. Maybe he was embarrassed to tears, like when your kid has a tantrum in public, which pretty much captures the scene. I stared off at the log-pile of rugs. I was trembling, and you could have opened walnuts with my self-righteousness. But Jesus doesn't hold this against a person. His message is that we're all sort of nuts and suspicious and petty and full of crazy hungers, and it all feels awful a lot of the time, but even so -- one's behavior needs to be decent. So I would try.

Although Annie Lamott was dealing with "The Carpet Guy," her attempts to deal with her own righteous anger is a parable for anyone moved to wrath, especially during the stressful holiday season when it's so easy to be moved to wrath. Sometimes, she says, one has " a moral and spiritual obligation to clean up one's side of the street," regardless of who is right and who is wrong.

You can read her entire essay at Salon.com. (Temporary free access allowed to web site in return for watching an online ad).

The History of Christmas

"Christmas is not only a Christian festival. The celebration has roots in the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, the festivals of the ancient Greeks, the beliefs of the Druids and the folk customs of Europe."

While we celebrate Christmas in honor of Christ's birth, the ways we celebrate it--our customs and observances--have their roots in millenia of winter celebrations. The BBC's Religion & Ethics web site has a nice "History of Christmas" which explores the roots of our Christmas festivities.

Simplifying Christmas :: True Story

On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition--one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on. The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents. As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure.

The New American Dream's website for Simplify the Holidays has a moving true story sent in by one of its members. It contains a good idea about using alternative Christmas gifts to help us simplify our Christmas.

An Audio Advent Calendar

The BBC's website for Religion & Ethics, provides an unusual audio Advent Calendar. Each day leading up to Christmas provides a piece of poetry, music, or Bible reading, some read by famous voices, such as Derek Jacobi and Lionel Ritchie.

PW Cookie Sale!

(Click for cookie recipes from Gourmet magazine.)

Presbyterian Women host their annual Cookie Sale on Saturday, 10 December 2005. All proceeds support the PW local mission giving.

You can help by donating cookies and buying cookies. Please bring your cookies to Ferren Hall on Friday, 9 December, and mark them "cookie sale." Thank you!

Advent Begins: Glory and Peace

If you subscribe to Presbyterians Today, pull out your November issue, which contains an Advent Calendar by author Katherine Paterson.

If you don't subscribe, however, Paterson's lovely calendar is also available online from the Presbyterian Church (USA) web site. It features a collage-building activity that's especially good for the children in your family.

Bethlehem Christmas Gift Market

Each year, the Union Presbyterian Church's Mission Committee invites the congregation to consider purchasing alternative gifts from the Bethlehem Christmas Gift Market. The Market allows us to purchase mission gifts in the name of a friend, relative, neighbor, or other loved one.

On December 4th and 11th, the Market table is set up after worship in Ferren Hall. When you make a purchase, you will receive a beautiful Christmas gift card along with your gift inscription; then you can send the card to the person of your choice. Gifts are available in all prices. Here's the Bethlehem Shopping List for 2005:

• Bibles (Gideon)--$5.00 each
• Blanket Program (Church World Service)--$5.00 each
• Floresta USA--$1.00 per tree
• Habitat for Humanity (Mountain Spirit Habitat, Powell)
• Box of nails--$10.00
• Paint--$20.00
• Lumber--$50.00
• UNICEF (Medical needs)
• Vaccinations (6 childhood diseases) for one child--$20.00
• Vaccinations (6 childhood diseases) for five children--$85.00
• 5-day course of antibiotics (116 children)--$35.00
• Heifer Project International (world wide)
• Goat--$120.00
• Share in goat--$10.00
• Sheep--$120.00
• Share in sheep--$10.00
• Bees--$30.00
• Pig--$120.00
• Share in pig--$10.00
• Chicks--$20.00
• A few chicks--$2.00
• Heifer--$500.00
• Share in heifer--$50.00

Speedy but Spiritual: British Cleric Unveils "100-Minute Bible'

A Church of England vicar was on Wednesday unveiling his self-styled "100-Minute Bible," an ultra-condensed edition of the Christian holy book which claims to neatly summarise every teaching from the Creation to the Revelation.

Yes, you read correctly. Yahoo! News reports the Reverend Michael Hinton launched his 100-Minute Bible at Canterbury Cathedral. The Reverend Mr. Hinton aims his brief Bible at the busy business bunch. Hoping his Bible will be a bestseller, Rev. Hinton says he designed it as a real page turner.

PC(USA) Creates Hurricane Katrina Website

The Presbyterian Church (USA) has established a new webpage that centralizes news about Hurricane Katrina Relief efforts by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. You can find the webpage at http://www.pcusa.org/katrina/.

Christian Education Staff for 2005-06

(At left, statue of Robert Raikes, founder of the Sunday School movement in 1780s, Victoria Embankment Gardens.)

Union Presbyterian Church's Sunday School staff (a.k.a. Sunday Journeys) was commissioned for 2005-06 during the worship service on Sunday, 11 September 2005:

• Preschool/Kindergarten—Liz Feller, Jill Rice
  
• 1st/2nd/3rd Grade—Chime Moore, Mike Moore (Spring)
  
• 4th/5th/6th Grade—Kara Althoff, Jackie Payne (Fall), Cyndi Barski (Spring)
  
• 7th/8th—Anita Robirds, Marina Murray (Substitute)
  
• Senior High—Sandy Hatch, Linda Easum (Spring)
  
• Coffee with God—Adult Education Committee

The staff for Thank God It's Wednesday Christian Education activities:

• Junior High YF—Brian and Anna Rodgers
  
• Adult Discussion, The Passion Bible Study—Clark Fisher, Joy Ann Bloom, Gregg Bessler
  
• Sr. High YF—Matt and Kim Lawson and the Sr. High Adult Leadership team

Thursday Lunch & Discussion—Dave Hunter

If you'd like to help, it's not too late! Just contact a member of one of the Christian Ed. committees.

C.E. Committee: Cyndi Barski—Moderator, Cindy Blevins, Sandy Hatcch, Nona Allen, Kelly Muecke, Jackie Payne, Anna Rodgers

Adult Education Committee: Cyndi Barski, Sandy Hatch—Moderator, Gregg Bessler, Joy Ann Bloom, Jill Rice, Anna and Brian Rodgers

Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief

(At left, NASA image shows how warm ocean waters fueled Katrina 25-27 August 2005.) You can help alleviate the suffering of Hurricane Katrina victims in a couple of ways:

1. The Presbyterian Church (USA) is providing Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief along a number of fronts (latest update from PCUSA below). Money gifts to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance efforts are needed. You can donate online (using a credit card) to one of the following accounts:

• U. S. Hurricane Response (to help disaster survivors), account no. DR000169
• Pastoral Care (for assistance to pastors), account no. DR000161
• Church Property Damage, account no. DR000163

If you would prefer, you also can make contributions by cash, check, or money order to:

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Individual Remittance Processing
P. O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700

2. Powell Valley Hurricane Relief is also putting together direct help via an organization in Jackson, Mississippi. The deadline for donations is Tuesday, 20 September 2005, when a trailer will head south. Needed items are as follows:

• diapers
• wet wipes
  
• baby ointment
• jars of baby food
• formula
• baby clothes
• any other baby items
• brooms
• mops
• buckets
• disinfectants (bleach, 409, Windex, etc.)
• toilet paper
• paper towels
• napkins
• paper plates/bowls
• forks, spoons, and other eating utensils
• Tylenol
• Imodium
• Pedialyte
• Children's Motrin, Tylenol, Benadryl, etc.
  

Money donations are also welcome and can be made to "Powell Valley Hurricane Relief Fund" at Bank of the West, First National Bank, or Shoshone First Bank.

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Situation report update — Hurricane Katrina (7 September 2005) The latest update from the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance web site:

As the aftermath of the hurricane has unfolded, it has become clear that PDA will be active on several fronts:

• Organizing — Supporting Presbyteries in organizing their own response and planning for long-term recovery. We already have a request from Mississippi Presbytery for $1 Million.
• Shelter — Training and supporting churches that have agreed to become short and long-term shelters for evacuees. Developing a protocol for matching evacuees with offers of housing is becoming an urgent concern, one shared by most of our ecumenical partners.
• Work Site Staging — Setting up, and initially running, staging sites for recovery operations with the support of Norwegian Church Aid. We are hoping to have the first site up and running within the next two weeks. PDA has agreed to allow the American Baptist Church to direct volunteer teams to our National Call Center to register and to use our worksite staging areas while in the area.
• Care to the Caregivers — Long term pastoral and spiritual care for pastors and church leaders, as well as training for those who will do spiritual care in the community, are developing in the presbyteries affected. We are expecting to plan retreats for pastors from the affected areas in October or November and follow up with Compassion Fatigue training similar to what we are doing in Florida for Hurricane Dennis survivors and the 2004 Hurricane affected areas.
• Organizing PDA to support all of these activities — In addition to the PDA National Call Center set up at Ferncliff, we have set up warehousing operations in Houston to support our work on the ground and collect our new Personal Health Kits and Hope-in-a-Box Kits for distribution to shelters.

Twenty-two members of the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Team (PDAT) are actively involved in the response. . . .

Wyoming Presbytery Meets in Powell

The Presbytery of Wyoming will meet in Powell, Wyoming, on Friday-Saturday, 16-17 September 2005.

Members of Union Presbyterian Churcn are invited to see their Presbytery in action and to attend the associated worship services. Here's the schedule:


Thursday, 15 September 2005

• The Presbytery Council will host a reception in Ferren Hall for delegates to Presbytery and members of Union Presbyterian Church to meet the Council and get acquainted. The reception is open to anyone wanting to drop in from 7:30-9:00 p.m.

Friday, 16 September 2005

• 8:00 a.m. Opening worship, led by Rev. Bob Garrard, Moderator of Presbytery and Pastor of 1st Presbyterian Church, Cheyenne.
• 8:40-11:00 a.m. Committee on Ministry will make a presentation on the work and ministry on their committee.
• 11:00-Noon The Rev. Victoria Curtiss, a member of the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church will make a presentation. This Task Force is scheduled to present their report and recommendations for the vote of General Assembly next summer so this should be an interesting presentation.
• 1:30-4:00 p.m. The Rev. Dr. David Tomlinson, Vice President and Professor of Ministry at San Francisco Theological Seminary, will lead presentations on the role of the local congregation in recruiting the pastors of tomorrow and the responsibilities of local Sessions in the process of preparing candidates for ministry.
• 7:00 p.m. Evening Worship and Communion with the Rev. Dr. David Tomlinson preaching. Members of Union Presbyterian Church are encouraged to join the Presbytery for this special worship service.

Saturday, 17 September 2005

• 8:00-Noon The Presbytery will hold its business meeting beginning with worship led by our General Presbyter, the Rev. Dr. Bruce Ford. Come and observe the Presbytery at work.

Sunday, 18 September 2005

• General Presbyter, the Rev. Dr. Bruce Ford, will join us for worship and be our guest preacher.
  

Religion & Violence

Yesterday on The 700 Club, Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition of America, called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. His comments have sparked a firestorm of discussion (see Google News search results) and repudiation from the State Department.

Enter serendipity.

Also yesterday, National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation included a segment titled "Examining the Intersection of Religion and Violence." During the show, host Neal Conan discussed "correlations between Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and other theologies, and violent acts." His guests were two authors:

• Hector Avalos, associate professor of religious studies at Iowa State University and author of Fighting Words: The Origins Of Religious Violence, and
• Charles Kimball, professor of religion at Wake Forest University and author of When Religion Becomes Evil.

You can listen to the segment on the NPR website.

Synoptic Gospels Primer - Index

The Synoptic Gospels Primer is a web site originally designed for undergraduates at Rutgers University who were studying the "Synoptic Problem."

At the web site, a user is able to look at parallel texts from Matthew, Mark, and Luke and discover their similarities and differences.

Staring Genocide in the Face

By now, we're all familiar with the trend the Lance Armstrong Foundation's LIVESTRONG yellow wristband started. By buying a band, you're supporting cancer research; by wearing the band, you're raising awareness of the problem.

You can buy fund-raising wristbands for almost any charity, but one of the absurdities of our times has been the way uninformed people and greedy corporations have turned wristbands into fashion accessories with no meaning. In sportswear stores, I can buy a package of three colored wristbands that say nothing . . . just to accessorize my sports outfits and make it seem as if I were an informed, caring, generous, activist person.

That kind of moral obtuseness turned me away from wristbands, until now. I've found a wristband I'm willing to buy and wear: Not on Our Watch--Save Darfur.

While I'd been aware of the atrocities of the Sudanese government against its people, this morning's op-ed by Steve and Cokie Roberts finally helped me overcome the sense of futility which had immobilized me. I may not be able to join Doctors Without Borders and go to the Sudan, but--damn it--I've got a checkbook and I'm not afraid to use it.

What is happening in the Sudan?

Since independence 49 years ago, Sudan has been a country of civil strife. But beginning in 2003, the strife grew heinous. Tens of thousands of Sudanese citizens have been murdered; thousands of women have suffered systematic rape; 1.5 million people have been driven from their homes and their towns destroyed. The CIA Factbook on Sudan estimates 4.367 million internally displaced people.

Worst of all, the violence has been perpetrated against its own people by Sudanese military or the government-sponsored militia called janjaweed (or janjawid). The government has deliberately inflamed ethnic conflict and impeded humanitarian aid.

An article from The New Yorker recounts the personal violence the Sudanese have endured:

When the janjaweed came, Abbas told me, her oldest child, a boy, had run ahead of her. She had carried her infant on her back, and she had taken one of her girls in each hand. This hadn't left her with a free hand for either of her younger sons, five-year-old Adam Muhammed and seven-year-old Hassan Muhammed. They trailed behind as the Arab soldiers threw matches onto the roofs of the huts. An Arab militiaman suddenly grabbed the boys, and Abbas pleaded that they be released. The gunman warned her that if she didn't shut up, all of her children would be killed. She backed away as instructed, but as she did so the man threw five-year-old Adam into the fire. 'Mama, Mama!' he shouted, as the flames consumed him. Hassan, his older brother, briefly escaped his captor's grasp, but as he ran toward his mother he was shot in the back twice and died instantly. --Samantha Power, "Dying in Darfur," The New Yorker

For those who escape sudden death, the refugee problem is horrific. The CIA Factbook estimates 108,251 have fled to Eritrea; 5,023 to Chad, and 7,983 to Uganda. Western Africa is an incredibly harsh, unforgiving landscape. Making it to a refuge camp does not guarantee survival, and it is in these camps that most of the world's relief efforts are focused. (See the photo essay "Staring Genocide in the Face" by Jerry Fowler of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.)

What can we do?

The Committee on Conscience of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum urges five actions to prevent holocaust:

1. KEEP INFORMED. Find out more about what is going on from various news sources and organizations. Sign up to receive the Committee on Conscience electronic newsletter or regularly visit our Web site for updates ( www.committeeonconscience.org).
2. CONTACT THE MEDIA. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper or to other news outlets to comment on their coverage of Darfur or to express your views about the importance of public attention to the story.
3. COMMUNICATE WITH THE GOVERNMENT. Contact your government representatives to let them know your views and concerns about events in Darfur.
4. SUPPORT RELIEF EFFORTS. Find out more about relief organizations mounting efforts to help civilians affected by the crisis. They may have ideas of ways you can help. See the Committee on Conscience Web site for a link to listings of relief organizations operating in Darfur.
5. GET ENGAGED IN YOUR COMMUNITY. Talk about Darfur to your friends, family, members of organizations you belong to, and coworkers—help spread the word. Look for groups within your community who may also be working to help address the crisis.

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• Presbyterian Disaster Assistance for Sudan
  
• Doctors Without Borders
• www.SaveDarfur.org
• USAID | Sudan
  
• US Holocaust Memorial Museum | Committee on Conscience | Genocide Emergency
• Samantha Power, "Dying in Darfur," The New Yorker
• Wikipedia | Darfur Conflict
• CIA Factbook on Sudan
• Human Rights Watch | Crisis in Darfur
• BBC News In Depth | Sudan: A Nation Divided
• UN News Centre | Sudan
  

Culture Wars :: Evolution

On 7 July 2005, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Austria wrote an op-ed piece in The New York Times arguing that evolution may be inconsistent with Catholic faith. (See "Finding Design in Nature.")

Alarmed, some Catholic American scientists have asked the Vatican to clarify. According to The New York Times, "The scientists asked the pope to reaffirm earlier statements on the subject by Pope John Paul II and others 'that scientific rationality and the church's commitment to divine purpose and meaning in the universe were not incompatible'" (13 July 2005).

Less alarmed, publications such as The National Catholic Reporter have argued for calm, pointing out that "the compatibility of evolution with Catholic faith" has a long and tested history. As Slate magazine points out, no one wants a repeat "of that Galileo mess" ("What Catholics Think of Evolution").

Some analysts have suggested that Schönborn wrote his op-ed piece at the urging of the Discovery Institute in Seattle, a leading intelligent design think tank. If so, then the Cardinal seems to have decided to step into one of America's current cultural war issues: creationism and/or "intelligent design" vs. evolution.

What does the Presbyterian Church USA have to say about evolution?

In 1969, the General Assembly (then of the PCUS) approved a statement which concludes "Neither Scripture, our Confession of Faith, nor our Catechisms, teach the Creation of man by the direct and immediate acts of God so as to exclude the possibility of evolution as a scientific theory." At the same time, the church "re-affirm[ed] our belief in the uniqueness of man as a creature whom God has made in His own image."

In other words, the scientific theory of evolution is not incompatible with the Bible: "Nowhere is the process by which God made, created or formed man set out in scientific terms. A description of this process in its physical aspects is a matter of natural science. The Bible is not a book of science."

The 214th General Assembly (2002) went a step further, reaffirming the compatability of good theology and good science. Within the resolution that GA passed were these points:

1. Reaffirms that God is Creator, in accordance with the witness of Scripture and The Reformed Confessions.
2. Reaffirms that there is no contradiction between an evolutionary theory of human origins and the doctrine of God as Creator.
3. Encourages State Boards of Education across the nation to establish standards for science education in Public Schools based on the most reliable content of scientific knowledge as determined by the scientific community. . . .

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For more resources on the dialogue between science and faith within the Presbyterian tradition, see

• the links on the PC(USA)'s Theology & Worship webpage and
• the web site of the Presbyterian Association on Science, Technology, and the Christian Faith.

Extravagant Evil or Extravagant Love?

The following will appear in the 14 July 2005 edition of the Powell Tribune, under the byline of David Hunter:

This past Sunday, I preached on the Parable of the Sower from Matthew 13. One of the things that has always struck me about the parable is how extravagant or wasteful the sower was with his seed. Seed was thrown on a path, on rocky ground and among weeds, but it didn't seem to bother the sower and it didn't deter a rich harvest.

Although Jesus offered an explanation of the parable that focuses on the soils, and that is the usual direction of most studies, I believe Jesus also gave us a deep insight into the extravagance of God's love. Perhaps Jesus was even saying a word to those who criticized his teaching and offering forgiveness, healing and caring to people they considered unworthy.

As we reflect on this theme, I can imagine a disturbing contrast between our call to share God's extravagant love and the extravagance of evil revealed in the most recent terrorist attacks in London. One of the reasons that Terrorism is so horrendous is that it is indiscriminate in its choice of victims. Age, sex, nationality, religion and moral character don't matter. While some of those characteristics may be influenced by the chosen location of an attack, terrorists don’t care if their victims are innocent or guilty; they don’t care who dies and who escapes. Terrorists scatter hate, hurt, and fear, with an indiscriminate extravagance that is not unlike the image of how the sower scattered God's word in our Lord’s parable.

Now I know this comparison may be upsetting, but my point is to suggest that terrorists may practice this principle of extravagance better than we do. Theirs is of course an extravagance of hate and that may be an easier task. But as Christians aren’t we called to practice an extravagance of love?

We are called to spread God’s love to other people whether or not we think they deserve it. We are called to declare God’s love to others whether or not they are like us. God’s love should be offered to all people, whatever their color, religion, nationality, financial situation or moral condition. Some people will accept it and others will not, but it isn't our job to figure out which is which in advance so that God's love (and our efforts) won't be wasted. If terrorists don’t care who gets hurt, why is it that some churches and Christians seem to be very concerned about who gets loved?

Holding the newspaper with its grim tidings of terror in one hand and the Scriptures with their message of God's love in the other, I can only believe that the best way for us personally to respond to all the hate and the evil in the world is still to answer it with the extravagance of God’s love.

Jesus taught, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:43-45 RSV) Now that’s extravagant love.

--David Hunter

Expressions of Faith

Expressions of Faith is a virtual exhibition by the British Library which features the favorite sacred manuscripts of some well-known Britains. At left is a page from the Alphonso Psalter (late 13th c.), one of the choices made by Pamela Tudor-Craig, committed Christian and art historian.

Visit the exhibit to view and learn about other sacred texts from Christianity and other world religions.

Noosphere, anyone?

I'm a person whose belief structure is faith-based. I remember absorbing the story of Doubting Thomas early in my childhood and deciding that I'd try to believe in and love God without human proof. Nonetheless, I always find myself intrigued by science which seems to support my faith. I have a love-hate relationship with such scientific findings: part of me revels in them, saying, "Ha! I knew it!!" while another part of me refuses to become emotionally invested--that way, I figure, if further investigation shows the science was faulty my relationship to God won't come tumbling down.

This week my husband, Rob, pointed me to the article "Can This Black Box See Into the Future?" from RedNova News, a science news web site. According to this article, Princeton University's Global Consciousness Project (GCP) has discovered some preliminary and tentative evidence that suggests all of humanity is joined through connections we don't understand--a global consciousness which some might call the mind of God.

As the article explains, scientists have discovered that a random event generator (REG--a computer which generates a random series of oughts and ones) spikes in a distinctly unrandom way just prior to large world events, such as 9/11, international Olympics events, Princess Diana's funeral, or the deep sea earthquake which caused the Asian tsunami. Furthermore, prayer and meditation groups are able to influence the pattern of events, too.

The effect is real, although no one knows quite what it means. It may mean "all of humanity shares a single subconscious mind that we can all tap into without realising" . . . that the "concentrated emotional outpouring of millions of people [may] be able to influence the output of [the main investigator's] REGs" . . . or it may be scientific foolsgold.

The Global Consciousness Project (GCP)--the chief investigating group--"is an international effort involving researchers from several institutions and countries, designed to explore whether the construct of interconnected consciousness can be scientifically validated through objective measurement." Princeton's webserver for the project is the aptly named noosphere. The concept of noosphere--or nousphere--refers to all of consciousness on earth interacting, the sphere of human thought, if you will.

I prefer to think of the noosphere as another way of describing what Jesus said: we're all connected and we all need to love and take care of each other. What we do for the least among us we're also doing for Christ because--ultimately, and in ways we don't understand--we're all in this together. The Golden Rule makes practical, good sense because what we do unto others we really are doing unto ourselves in the realm of the noosphere.

The Christian Right, Dominionism, & Political Power

In May, Harper's Magazine ran two stories on the rising political power of the Christian right, entitled "Soldiers of Christ." Both articles are available online now and make for fascinating reading.

"Soldiers of Christ I: Inside America's Most Powerful Megachurch," by Jeff Sharlet, profiles New Life Church in Colorado Springs, which is led by "Pastor Ted" Haggard, a man who, according to the article, " talks to President George W. Bush or his advisers every Monday" and is president of the National Association of Evangelicals.

The second article--"Soldiers of Christ II: Feeling the Hate with the National Religious Broadcasters", by Chris Hedges--describes "the rising power of the evangelical political movement" in America and discusses Dominionism, which is

a call for Christian "dominion"” over the nation and, eventually, over the earth itself. Dominionists preach that Jesus has called them to build the kingdom of God in the here and now, whereas previously it was thought that we would have to wait for it. America becomes, in this militant biblicism, an agent of God, and all political and intellectual opponents of America's Christian leaders are viewed, quite simply, as agents of Satan. Under Christian dominion, America will no longer be a sinful and fallen nation but one in which the Ten Commandments form the basis of our legal system, Creationism and "Christian values"” form the basis of our educational system, and the media and the government proclaim the Good News to one and all. Aside from its proselytizing mandate, the federal government will be reduced to the protection of property rights and "homeland"” security. Some Dominionists (not all of whom accept the label, at least not publicly) would further require all citizens to pay "tithes"” to church organizations empowered by the government to run our social-welfare agencies, and a number of influential figures advocate the death penalty for a host of "“moral crimes,"” including apostasy, blasphemy, sodomy, and witchcraft. The only legitimate voices in this state will be Christian. All others will be silenced.

Needless to say, both of these Harper's articles are interesting and provocative. I recommend them both.

"The Inviting Congregation"

As we suspected, 47% of new worshipers first visit a church because someone invited them. But why do new people return to a church after their first visit? The May 2005 issue of Presbyterians Today answers this question with some researched-based* facts.

Three reasons outstrip the others:

1. Quality of the sermon--36%
2. Friendliness of the people--32%
3. Overall worship experience--30%

Mid-level reasons included the style of the pastor or priest (18%), a sense of God's presence (17%), and music during worship (13%).

Still less influential were activities for youth and children (5%), worship space and facilities (4%), stance on particular issues (3%), follow-up contact (2%), and quality of educational program (1%).

The PT article concludes that "It's not just the pastor and it's not just the people--it's their combined efforts that draw people back again."

* The research is based on the 2001 U.S. Congregational Life Survey (www.uscongregations.org).

Sunday School Pins Awarded

Union Presbyterian Church awards attendance pins to children who have attended Sunday School faithfully. Here are the pin awards for 2004-05:

1 year pins

• Kortny Feller
• Tyler Feller
• Cassidy Maines
• Dallas Randall
• Dylan Rood

2 year bar

• Alisa Rice

4 year bar

• Matt Rathbun

5 year bars

• Megan Rathbun
• Kourtnie Rodgers

6 year bars

• Brennan Althoff
• Kristin Althoff
• Kylie Althoff

8 year bars

• Megan Moore
• Shelby Moore

9 year bar

• Breanne Robirds

10 year bar

• Hanna Gifford

Judy Showalter, Director of Christian Education, also awarded merit pins to Brennan Althoff for memorizing the books of the Bible and to Hanna Gifford, Cassidy Maines, Shelby Moore, and Kourtnie Rodgers for reciting the Lord's Prayer and The Apostles Creed.

Diversity in Wyoming

Press release froom the Wyoming Council for the Humanities--

The statewide “A Wyoming Conversation” continues May 19 in Powell with a public forum on “A More Diverse Wyoming.” The general public is invited to attend the 7 p.m. discussion, to be held at the Parlor News Coffeehouse.

Winifred Wasden will serve as moderator. Deb and Rob Koelling are hosting the meeting on behalf of the Wyoming Council for the Humanities.

“We’ll exchange ideas in a free-form conversation about the implications of our state’s relative lack of diversity—cultural, ethnic, economic and demographic,” said Marcia Wolter Britton, executive director of the Wyoming Council for the Humanities.

“We’ll also consider how residents of Park County can encourage better understanding between the different groups that make up our communities.”

To start the conversation, Wyoming Public Radio will broadcast a special program on “A More Diverse Wyoming” at 6:30 p.m. on May 18. Featured will be Arapaho state senator Patrick Goggles and Mel Hamilton, a player on the Black 14 Wyoming football team who now directs the Alternative Learning Center in Casper.

In addition to Powell, community conversations will also take place May 19 in Ethete, Evanston, Fort Washakie, Jackson, Rawlins and Torrington.

The six-part “A Wyoming Conversation” is sponsored by the Wyoming Council for the Humanities in partnership with Wyoming Public Radio, Wyoming Public Television and the Wyoming Community Foundation.

Major funding has been provided by the “We the People” initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities, with additional support from the Qwest Foundation and the Wyoming Arts Council, the Thursday Roundtable of the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole and the University of Wyoming American Studies Program.

For a complete schedule of events, contact the Wyoming Council for the Humanities at (307) 721-9243 or wych@uwyo.edu.

Mother's Day Service, 2005

At worship on 08 May 2005, Mr. Hunter shared the pulpit with Dave Blevins, Mike Moore, and Jim Carlson as they each remembered "What I Learned from My Mom."

David Hunter tied his memories of his mother to the parable of the poor widow who sought her missing silver coin. Besides being a ferocious cleaner (also like the woman in the parable), David's mother never gave up on him and his brother. Her persistent love, he said, is an image of God's love for us.

Dave Blevins recounted the story of his birth , childhood, and adolescence, when his family worked with him through numerous operations to help heal his cleft palate. His mother's faith helped her hand over her newborn baby to doctors, nurses, and hospitals because she knew it was necessary for his care. Her actions demonstrated her strength, love, courage, and faith. By doing so, she became his model.

Mike Moore explained that--contrary to what he tells his daughters--he was not the perfect child, especially during his middle school years. But God's love and forgiveness were mirrored in his mother, who taught him that always being loved, even when one is not perfect, feels really good.

Jim Carlson recounted memories of his mother and described her as loving, honest, forgiving, giggling, patient, persistent, accepting, and more. While thinking about his mother and while preparing to celebrate this Mother's Day, he came to realize that he continues to cherish these same values in the women who are most important to him.

Acts 1:1-14
Luke 15:1-10

Anniversary of King James Bible

From a Today in Literature emailing (02May05):

On this day in 1611 the King James Bible was published. The first "Authorized" Bibles were in 16" x 11" editions — most churches chained them to the pulpit — but the personal-sized edition followed soon after.

Although it had an immediate and lasting impact, the book did not make everyone happy. Some denounced its availability and readability, taking issue with the announced goal of creating a book that “may be understood even [by] the very vulgar." Some just thought that the editors did a bad job: "Tell His Majesty that I had rather be rent in pieces with wild horses, than any such translation by my consent should be urged upon poor churches,” wrote one scholar asked for comment. And over the next days, years and centuries, as the KJV went through edition after edition, many pointed out (or just enjoyed) the now-infamous typos:

• the "Basketball" edition, in which "hoopes" instead of "hookes" are used in the construction of the Tabernacle.
• the "Vinegar" edition, in which Luke tells "The Parable of the Vinegar” instead of "The Parable of the Vineyard."
• the "Murderers" edition, in which Jesus says "Let the children first be killed" instead of "Let the children first be filled."
• the "Unrighteous" edition, in which “the unrighteous shall inherit the Kingdom of God.”
• the "Wicked" edition, in which the seventh commandment is “Thou shalt commit adultery."

One Great Hour of Sharing :: Pentecost

Karolyn Rood, Chair of the Missions Committee, shares that the One Great Hour of Sharing offering collected on Palm Sunday totaled $1,792.36. Thank you!

The Pentecost offering will be collected on May 15th. We'll use the money to support youth organizations, both locally and nationally.

New Projection System Activated

Sunday marked the first time the church used its new ceiling-mounted projection system during worship. Shown above is the scene at the start of the service, when Brad Murphy gave an update on the unit he was with in Iraq.

For a closer look on how we installed the system, see the projector slideshow (3 views).

Thank You to Christian Education Teachers!

During Children's Time, youngsters presented flowers to their Sunday School teachers.
During worship, the congregation acknowledged and thanked the Christian Education teachers for the year.

Sunday Journeys:

• Liz Feller & Jill Rice, Preschool/Kindergarten
• Mike Moore, Chime Moore, & Christine Rathburn, 1st-3rd grades
• Kara Althoff & Cyndi Barski, 4th-6th grades
• Anita Robirds, Jr. High
• Linda Easum & Sandy Hatch, Sr. High
• Sara Neeley, Adult Sunday Journeys
• Bill Hassler, Claudia Hassler, Sandy Hatch, Charlotte Patrick, Jackie Payne & David Hunter, New Members Class
• Shelby Wetzel, Cradle Roll
• Barbara Fagerberg & Claudia Hassler, Strugglers
• David Hunter & Linda Hunter, Thursday Noon Bible Study

Thank God It's Wednesday:

• Brian Rodgers & Anna Rodgers, Jr. High YF
• Matt Lawson, Kim Lawson, Cyndi Barski, Sandy Hatch, & Stacy Wheeler, Sr. High YF
• Gregg Bessler, Joy Ann Bloom, & David Hunter, Adult Discussion Group
• Clark Fisher & David Hunter, The Case for Faith
• Doug Nelson & Winifred Wasden, Wit and Wisdom
• Mickey Ferren, Vivian Fowler, Sandy Hatch, Cy Muecke, Kelly Muecke, Daniel Osborn, Jim Vaughn, LeGene Vaughn, Tim Hunter, Brian Rodgers, and McDonald's (for the drinks), Kitchen Crew

Finishing the Race

1 Peter 3:13-22 & John 14:15-21: "[15] 'If you love me, you will keep my commandments. [16] And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, [17] even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you. [18] I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you.'" (John 14:15-18)

Other scripture used in the sermon: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 and Philippians 2:12-13: "[24] Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it." (1 Corinthians 9:24)

On Sunday, 01 May 2005, Mr. Hunter shared the story of Derek Redmond, the United Kingdom 400m runner, who showed courage and determination during the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. (His story--Finishing At Any Cost--is featured on the International Olympic Committee's web site.) When Redmond tore his hamstring during the middle of his semi-final heat, he arose and hobbled toward the finish in enormous pain, determined to complete the race. His father, Jim Redmond, rushed from the stands to help his son. Just before the finish line, the father let go, so his son could finish the race on his own.

Derek Redmond's story, says Mr. Hunter, combines and illustrates the main ideas of the day's scripture.

First, the close relationship between Derek Redmond and his father--especially the father's determination to help his son--illustrates the relationship Christ was speaking of when he said, "I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you" (John 14:20).

Second, at the Last Supper, Christ's disciples expressed dismay that he was leaving them and requiring them to continue His work without His presence. In this, Jesus said, they were wrong, because the Holy Spirit would dwell in them to sustain them.

Third, in 1 Corinthians 9, Paul explains that we should pursue our spiritual journeys with the same strenuous effort as Olympic-class athletes, but with this advantage: we will never have to run the race of faith alone.

What is the finish line, Mr. Hunter asked, for our race of faith? The goal is to conform to the image of Christ, which we achieve by loving God and keeping his new commandments to love one another.

"To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells"

The Chesarek Ringers joined four other handbell choirs on Sunday afternoon, 24 April 2005, for a workshop and concert led by the conductor of the bellisimo! handbell choir of Billings. For more views from the afternoon, take a look at the slideshow.

Deacons' Sunday

Romans 12:2-13 "[2] Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. . . . [11] Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord."

On Sunday, 24 April 2005, the Deacons' conducted Worship Service focused upon the concept of service. To see more photos from the service, please click on slideshow.

Charlotte Patrick (above) delivered a sermon on "The Word, The Encounter, The Service." In it, Charlotte introduced us to the basic tenets of John Calvin's spirituality:

1. Knowledge and understanding of God, humanity, and creation through study of the Bible and other means;
2. Cultivation of personal experiences with God--personal encounters; and
3. Sharing our life in God through a life of service.

According to Calvin, believers need to balance all three elements of spirituality within their lives. If we do, we will find that our focus is less on this life, that we will love others and be hospitable, and that we will feel a need to share our gifts with others.

Observing that many of today's popular religious movements focus almost exclusively upon the individual transforming experience, Charlotte explained that Calvin cautioned against focusing solely on our personal encounters with God. Instead, we need to be transformed by our encounters with God into a life of service.

In his book Church: Why Bother?, Philip Yancy explains that we in the Church represent God on earth to others. We need, Charlotte said, to put the Word into action . . . for everyone.

Beyond Faith to Faithfulness

"Doubting Thomas," Caravaggio, 1597

Acts 5:27-32
John 20:19-31

For the third Sunday of Easter--10 April 2005--Rev. Hunter focused on the story of Thomas, the disciple who proclaimed he would not believe in the risen Christ until he had witnessed and touched Jesus's wounds for himself. Thomas's story illustrates that faith needs a little push. Who among us would not like a clear sign from God to help our faith? Faith has always been difficult, even for an Apostle.

Mr. Hunter posited, however, that Thomas's reputation as "Doubting" Thomas is undeserved. In John 11, when Jesus asked the disciples to go with Him to the hostile town where Lazarus lay dead, Thomas is the one who had such faith in Jesus that he "said to his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with him'" (John 11:16). Thomas had faith.

The apocryphal gnostic scripture The Acts of Thomas (early 3rd c. AD) records the legend that Thomas was a man of such tremendous faith that he journeyed to India in 46 AD, where he founded the Christian church throughout southern India and was eventually martyred. Thomas's reputation, in other words, is of a man of faith.

In Acts 5:29, Peter tells the council charging him and other apostles, "We must obey God rather than men." When faith is put into action, it becomes faithfulness. Good intentions are not sufficient when only one intention is required by God: to serve Him. As the answer to the first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it, "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever."

If we follow God with faithfulness, God will make everything else possible.

New Elder Ordained

Rev. Hunter ordains Buzz Larsen as an Elder during worship on 10 April 2005. Buzz is a member of the Building and Grounds Committee.

Anne Lamott :: Plan B

I first read Anne Lamott in one of her columns for Salon.com. That article--called "Advent 2003,"-- is about Advent, imperfect families being together with grit and kindness, and hope for the light. (The article is available free online, but requires temporary registration with Salon.com to access.) She's Christian and liberal and funny and challenging. She's both reverant and irreverant, saying things like, "Having a good dog is the closest some of us are ever going to come to knowing the direct love of a mother, or God, . . ." (from "This Dog's Life").

This is that rare kind of book that is like a having a smart, dear, crazy (in the best sense) friend walk next to us in sunlight and in the dark night of the soul. --Publisher's Weekly

Now Lamott has a new book called Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith; it follows a previous book titled Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith. In Plan B, she talks about being 50, having a teenaged son, politics, and faith. You can read "Diamond Heart," an excerpt from the book in which she talks about her sometimes ambivalent feelings about her son. Here's a sample:

I asked a friend of mine who practices a spiritual path called Diamond Heart to explain the name recently, because I instinctively know that Sam [Lamott's son] and I both have, or are, diamond hearts. My friend said our hearts are like diamonds because they have the capacity to express divine light, which is love; we are not only portals for this love, but are actually made of it. She says we are made of light, our hearts faceted and shining, and I absolutely believe this, to a point: Where I disagree is when she says we are beings of light wrapped in bodies that only seem dense and ponderous, but are actually made of atoms and molecules, with infinite space and light in between them. It must be easy for her to believe this, as she is thin, and does not have children. But I can meet her halfway: I think we are diamond hearts, wrapped in meatballs.

Warning: The Bush administration really depresses Lamott and she cusses a lot.

A New Saint

Palm Sunday saw the baptism of Madalynn Jo Brewer, shown above with her parents, Shannon and Cristan Brewer, and Rev. David Hunter.

It was a big day for the Brewer family as Shannon and Cristan also joined the church, along with new members Janci Baxter and Vivian Fowler (neither shown).

Roadblocks

Matthew 21:1-11
Matthew 27:11-54

On Palm Sunday, 20 March 2005, Mr. Hunter spoke on the roadblocks which make us stray from our intended path, our goals, our faith in Jesus Christ. For Christ's original disciples, Palm Sunday must have seemed like a fast lane to success. Holy Week, however, must have seemed like the detour from hell, as they encountered roadblock after roadblock.

As Christ's current disciplines, we encounter roadblocks to our faith, too:

1. God "disappointing" us. During Holy Week, Jesus refused to fulfill the dreams and desires of the crowd. He stayed faithful to God's plan for Him. Too often, our faith crumbles when God doesn't fulfill our plans, such as when we encounter evil in the world. Too often, if God doesn't live up to our expectations, we bail on faith.
   
   This is our mistake. Faith does not keep us from suffering, but it does promise that God will see us through the suffering.


2. Peer pressure is another stumbling block. Christ did not give in to the pressure he felt from the crowd in Jerusalem; consequently, the fickle mob deserted him and called for his death. Often we will encounter fads in faith which will offer a short-lived burst of enthusiasm for Christ. But we shouldn't depend upon the enthusiasm of those around us for our faith.


3. Fear is another roadblock--fear of where discipleship my lead us. Of the disciples who accompanied Christ to the Garden, only two followed Him to the high priest's house when He was arrested. And how many of the disciples were present at the crucifixion? We don't know, although the Gospels suggest more women disciples were present than men. Fear, perhaps, kept the men from being present.
   
   Are we able to follow Christ without fear? As Mr. Hunter asks, "Would we be willing to say to God, 'I will go wherever you want me to go, I will do whatever you want me to do, I will give you anything you need . . .,' or is that simply too scary because we are afraid that God might take us at our word?"
   
   Other roadblocks stand before us that Mr. Hunter didn't have time to expound upon, but which--with a little thought--ring true:


4. Busy schedules.


5. Misplaced priorities.


6. Not enough recognition for our effort.

Mr. Hunter suggests that if we are searching for a true model of discipleship, we need look no further than . . . the donkey who carried Christ through the streets on Palm Sunday. What were the donkey's characteristics that we might emulate?

• Serving Christ humbly.
• Following Christ’'s direction and going where He wants to go.
• Not getting spooked by the crowds or attention.
• Shedding a commitment to the hero image people want to pin on Jesus.
• Carrying Christ into enemy territory and trusting that God will provide protection.
• Never asking Christ to get off our backs.

Sunday's service deviated from our worship's regular order in order to illustrate the disorienting events of Holy Week, so Mr. Hunter ended with our Gospel reading--Matthew 27:11-54--urging us to "reflect on the obstacles that challenge our discipleship, the example Jesus set for us, and what we need to do to bear Christ into the world this week."

Presbyterians Today Online: PT Media Picks

The Presbyterian Church (USA) publication Presbyterians Today has added a feature to its online version: PT Media Picks.

The print issue of Media Picks features the top ten "must see" films of 2004, as chosen by Edward McNulty, who is a Presbyterian minister and the editor of Visual Parables, a journal of film and theology. Hotel Rwanda (pictured at left) is his top pick and discussed online. His other nine picks for 2004 are in the print edition of PT, but he lists seven other films that he considers worth checking out at PT Online.

Another valuable feature of PT Media Picks is its media study guides. In March, Editor Teresa Blythe, who writes about religion and popular culture, focuses on the TV show Joan of Arcadia (with an episode-by-episode mini guide), the book The Da Vinci Code, and the film The Passion of the Christ (a special guide for Presbyterian viewers written by McNulty).

Finally, PT Media Picks includes current book reviews. The books featured this month are Leadership Wisdom from Unlikely Sources (author Dave Fleming), Restless in Christ: Answering the Call to Spiritual Commitment (author Sarah Stockton), and Writers in the Spirit (author Carol J. Rottman).

Holy Week Services

Thursday, March 24

• 6:00 p.m. Seder Dinner, Social Hall, Union Presbyterian
• 7:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday Communion Service, Sanctuary, Union Presbyterian

Friday, March 25

• 12:05 p.m. Community Good Friday Service at First United Methodist Church

Sunday, March 27

• 6:30 a.m. Community Sunrise Service at the Church of Christ (749 US Highway 14A)
• 9:00 a.m. Church School
• 10:30 a.m. Easter Worship

One Great Hour of Sharing

On Sunday, 20 March 2005, we'll dedicate our One Great Hour of Sharing offering during worship service.

For more than 50 years, Presbyterians have contributed to One Great Hour of Sharing. In particular, our gifts support the work of The Presbyterian Committee for the Self-Development of People, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, and the Presbyterian Hunger Program.

Here's how we use the gifts we make to One Great Hour of Sharing:

• up to 5% is administrative cost;
• up to 5% goes to promotional materials;
• 36% supports the Presbyterian Hunger Program;
• 32% goes to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, which includes efforts such as the tsunami disaster of last December; and
• 32% works for the Self-Development of People.

For more information, you can read about the History of One Great Hour of Sharing and About the Offering.

Family Conversations Night :: 09 March 2005

Union Presbyterian Church is participating in a community-wide program to improve family communication. Endorsed by the Christian Education Committee, Great Family Conversations Night is scheduled for Wednesday, March 9, at 6:00 pm, in our church's Social Hall.

After a family style dinner (bring a salad or dessert, please), participants will divide into "family groups" (singles welcome!) to play the Great Family Conversations game, a dice-rolling game which involves answering questions that initiate conversation. In other venues, this game has proven to be a wonderful way to open up conversation within familes across our nation.

We recognize that families come in all sizes, shapes, and compositions, so rest assured that there's a place for everyone in the Family Conversations game. We hope you all will come.

Opening the Eyes of Faith

Psalm 23
John 9:1-41

On Sunday, 06 March 2005, Mr. Hunter observed that the story of Christ restoring sight to the man blind from birth contains a central irony: the man who was blind from birth is able to see the divinity of Christ, but the religious leaders who are sighted remain spiritually blind--blind to the power and mercy of God as revealed in Jesus.

Are we blind, too?

One of the central points of the story lies in Christ's answer to his disciplines, who pose a theological question to him: "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus's answer, however, gets to the essence of this story: "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him" (John 9:3).

When we encounter pain and suffering, we must not ask--as the disciplines did--whose fault is this? We want to point a finger of blame. We want to find out whose fault it is because it reassures us that we're safe from a similar fate, if we avoid that same sin. Jesus, however, says that we should not try to ascribe blame; instead we should heal and celebrate God's mercy.

When presented with two models--a man blind from birth versus church leaders who are blind to rebirth--which are we most like? We need to be open to God's possibilities. And as Presbyterians who are trying to conduct the life of our church "decently and in order," we must not become so legalistically bound up with our processes that we miss the miracle.

Mr. Hunter speculated that the mud which Christ placed upon the blind man's eyes and the direction to wash at the pool of Silo'am served as placebos to focus the man's faith. What does God do to focus our faith?

Perhaps, Pastor Hunter said, this is one of the uses of pain and suffering. Sometimes, it is the bad things in life which make us most strongly aware of God and which strengthen our faith.

In Psalm 23, the voice of the singer changes from third person ("The Lord is my shepherd") to second person ("thou art with me") when poet enters the valley of the shadow of death. In other words, when the poet encounters pain and suffering, he address God directly as "thou."

Others have observed this same phenomenon. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, "only when it's dark enough can you see the stars" ("Mountaintop Speech," delivered the night before King's assassination). [Blogger's note: Ralph Waldo Emerson said it first--"When it's dark enough men see stars."]

Helen Keller expressed the same idea when she said, "I thank God for my handicaps, for, through them, I have found myself, my work, and my God."

Goodspeed New Testament Collection

Moses receiving the Law (miniature). Goodspeed New Testament Manuscript Collection, gntms965-016, Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.

The Goodspeed Collection of New Testament Manuscripts is part of the Digital Collection at The University of Chicago Library. During the first half of the 20th century, Edgar J. Goodspeed helped the library obtain 65 items that range in date from the 7th to the 19th centuries. As new technologies become available, the library has placed the collection online in digital form.

You can visit the collection and "thumb" your way through two breath-taking illuminated New Testaments. On the left-hand side of the collection's homepage, click on either Ms. 965, Rockefeller McCormick (from which the above image comes) or Ms. 972, The Archaic Mark.

Other links on the homepage will tell you about the collection and its history.

Tsunami Fund Update

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) announced at the start of the month that it has surpassed its goal of $2.5 million for earthquake and tsunami relief. PDA says that the additional funding will allow it to plan for a five-year recovery and rehabilitation period in the affected region.

The Presbyterian Church also has placed two photo albums online: Album One and Album Two.

A complete index of PC (USA) stories on the earthquake and tsunami relief efforts is available at Earthquake and Tsunami in South and Southeast Asia.

UPDATE: Union Presbyterian Church sent $1,130 to Tsunami Relief efforts through the Presbyterian Church. Members also reported an additional $1,590 being sent directly to the PCUSA or to other relief groups. This means that as a congregation we sent at least $2,720 to help relief efforts in Southeast Asia.--Mr. Hunter

Preparation, Repentance, Self-discovery

Many people think of Lent as a time of fasting and giving up something, like chocolate, or red meat on Fridays. Lent, however, is not about being miserable; it's about entering into a time of preparation, repentance and self-discovery leading up to Easter.

The Presbyterian Church's Office of Spiritual Formation offers two Lenten devotionals this year:

• The Shorter Catechism (PDF) daily devotional is designed for adults and is based upon the Westminster Shorter Catechism.
• The daily devotional designed for families and children is Belonging to God (PDF).
  

Bill Hassler on Presbyterian Amnesia

Bill Hassler and Shirley Smith visit after church

On Sunday, 06 February 2005, the Rev. William Hassler filled the pulpit to discuss "Presbyterian Amnesia." We Presbyterians, he said, suffer from theological amnesia, and that's too bad, because our denomination has a rich tradition and history.

When one becomes an officer for the church, for instance, one responds to this question: "Do you sincerely receive and adopt the essential tenets of the Reformed faith as expressed in the confessions of our church as authentic and reliable expositions of what Scripture leads us to believe and do, and will you be instructed and led by those confessions as you lead the people of God?" What are those essential tenets? They are the statements of faith expressed in our Confessions, and they are as fundamental as affirming the sovereignty of God or the belief that scripture is the word of God.

To illustrate his point about amnesia, Mr. Hassler talked about the Heidelberg Catechism. The Catechism represents our rich, contentious, reformation history and contains beautifully thought out, inspired sentiments. The first question of the Heidelberg Catechism says

Q. 1. What is your only comfort, in life and in death?
A. That I belong--body and soul, in life and in death--not to myself but to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ, who at the cost of his own blood has fully paid for all my sins and has completely freed me from the dominion of the devil; that he protects me so well that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, that everything must fit his purpose for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.

The Heidelberg Catechism came about because of a dramatic conflict between Lutheran and Reformed thought in Heidelberg (especially regarding the nature of the Lord's Supper: consubstantiation vs. spiritual feeding). At the behest of Frederick the Elector, two young men wrote the Catechism, completing it in 1562.

This Catechism came to America via Dutch Reformed protestants during their 17th c. settlement of New Netherlands (New York), and eventually became part of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Book of Confessions.

Mr. Hassler urged us to avoid amnesia by learning where we come from.

Psalm 2
2 Peter 1:16-21

For more on the essential tenets of our faith, I suggest these online resources:

• Q & A from Presbyterians Today
• The Book of Order, "Confessional Nature of the Church Report," pages xxv-xxvi, point III.D.1.c. (PDF document)
  
• On the "Essential Tenets," from Eugene TeSelle of the Witherspoon Society
  
• A summary of 10 Essential Tenets, according to Providence Presbyterian Church (Alabama)
• Called to Serve: The Essential Tenets of the Reformed Faith (20 of them, with subpoints), from VOX (Voices of Orthodox Women)
  

Brad Murphy Visits Home

Home from the Iraqi War to recover from a shattered ankle, Brad Murphy talks at Coffee Time about his experiences at Walter Reed Hospital, as his mother looks on.

Brad says that the young amputees he encountered at the hospital showed amazing physical recuperative powers, mental resiliency, and emotional strength.

Souper Bowl Sunday :: 06 February 2005

On Sunday, 06 February 2005, the Senior High Youth Fellowship is sponsoring our congregation's Souper Bowl of Caring. The Senior Highs ask each person to bring a can of food or a $1 donation to help fight hunger, which the youth will then contribute to our local Loaves and Fishes program.

The first Souper Bowl started in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1990, and the idea quickly spread. In 2004, 12,761 groups raised $4,260,531 for soup kitchens, food banks, and other charities in all 50 states, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Puerto Rico and the Marshall Islands. This year, the Executive Director of the Souper Bowl of Caring expects youth from over 15,000 congregations to participate. All food and donations go directly to local efforts; none of the funds go to the non-profit Souper Bowl organization.

The Presbyterian Church (USA) supports Souper Bowl of Caring as part of its Hunger Program. Visit the PC's web site for an excellent online video called Tour Poverty USA and an interactive Poverty Map.

UPDATE: The Senior High Youth Fellowship collected $126.51 (and even more food). Thank you!

The Courage to Cut

Deuteronomy 30:11-20
Matthew 5:17-30

In Mr. Hunter's previous sermon--Hard or Soft? (PDF)-- he discussed a dichotomy facing the contemporary church between hard faith and soft faith:

Within the context of the Church, Hard Faith people place an emphasis on the obligations of the religious life, the demands of discipleship, and the need for moral clarity. They prefer those passages in the Bible that are clear in defining what is right and what is wrong to help them achieve righteous living. If your faith is hard, you’re focused on knowing God’s truth, keeping the Ten Commandments, and living a disciplined life.

The Soft Faith people are more likely to view religion as a relationship of grace. They tend to stress God’s love for the oppressed and view righteousness as fulfilling our Lord’s call to heal the sick, liberate the prisoner, and offer a cup of water to the least of God’s children. If your faith is soft, you are more likely to focus on keeping the command of Jesus to love God and neighbor, than religious rules written long ago. For Soft Faith people living a life of love and acceptance is the key to righteousness and scriptures that would limit their ability to extend God’s love and grace to the marginalized are subject to reinterpretation.

To be vital, he explained, "we [must] keep our hard faith and soft faith in a tension that is guided by the Holy Spirit."

On Sunday, 30 January 2005, Mr. Hunter continued this line of thought by focusing upon the hard demands of Jesus. The hard teachings of Christ are that we must control our actions, attitudes, thoughts, intents, feelings--all aspects of our lives--if we are to meet the original intent of God's law, the law which Jesus came to fulfill. Today's Gospel reading illustrates Christ's hard demand:

If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. (Matthew 5:29-30 RSV)

Reformed commentators since John Calvin have agreed that Christ does not mean us to hack away at our bodies. Christ's lesson is figurative, showing us the extremes to which we must go to avoid sin. Who among us, Mr. Hunter asked, would not accept the extreme measure of sacrificing a limb, tissue, or an organ in order to live? One man he knew, for instance, agreed to the amputation of his cancerous right arm in order to save his life--a decision he did not regret.

Jesus's hard demands warn us of spiritual cancers which would threaten our relationship with God, but often these cancers are not immediately apparent to us. These threats include anything which we set up as a false god: drugs, alcohol, gluttony, sex, gossip, and so on.

Recognizing the danger these threats present to our spiritual life is only half the problem; the other half is to act upon our knowledge. God will help us if we have the courage to cut.

The Baptism of Christ

"Baptism of Christ," Gerard David (Netherlands), c. 1502-07

I found a terrific page of links to classical art representations of Christ's baptism from The Text This Week, a website dedicated to lectionary resources. The index covers art works from the 500s AD up to contemporary art. Clicking through the images (and through the ages) is inspirational.