Volume 1 Issue 26

The true change of heart that the Spirit seeks to bring about goes much deeper than cheap resolutions to be more charitable about Christians whose ways are different for our own. Tolerance is merely a way of preserving the status quo. The Spirit comes to us in the very persons of those other Christians, asking us to face the challenge of what they represent and stretch the capacity of our minds and hearts in order to make room for it in our own lives of faith. –Martin L. Smith, “A Season for the Spirit”
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How amazing it would have been if Joe Klein and Lance Morrow had actually posted to the Bulletin Board this week, but alas! I’m guilty of just making it look like they did. I was so intrigued, however, by the theological perspective found in each of their essays (both can be found in the February 24, 2003 issue of TIME) that I just couldn’t help myself. You are invited to post the work of others (properly credited, of course) to the Bulletin Board if you truly believe that you don’t have anything to say yourself. The posting by Earl Hanna (I get to call him “Dad”), on the other hand, is the genuine article, and you are invited to partake of the wisdom he shares with us.
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Just as technology has empowered this cyber-ministry, so it is making possible an unprecedented means of expressing opposition to the Bush Administration’s rush to war. On February 26th, you can join a massive march on Washington without leaving your living room. Just go to: http://www.moveon.org/winwithoutwar/The Virtual March on Washington is a first-of-its-kind group effort from the Win Without War coalition. Working together,we'll direct a steady stream of phone calls -- about one per minute, all day -- to every Senate office in the country, while at the same time delivering a constant stream of emails and faxes. Think of it as a march -- one by one, we'll be passing through our Senators' offices and the offices of the White House to let them know how we feel about this war.Like a normal march, the success of this campaign depends on how many people participate. All you need to do is make threephone calls -- it won't take more than 15 minutes of your time. But together with tens of thousands of others, it'll make a huge impression: on February 26th, in every Senate office and in the White House, the phones will be ringing off their hooks.You can sign up for your time to call or place a free fax right now at: http://www.moveon.org/winwithoutwar/
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Until next week…….Shalom!

Volume 1 Issue 25

God of grace and God of glory, on thy people pour thy power;
crown thine ancient church’s story; bring her bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour.

Lo! The hosts of evil round us scorn thy Christ, assail his ways!
Fears and doubts too long have bound us; free our hearts to work and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the living of these days.

Cure thy children’s warring madness, bend our pride to thy control;
shame our wanton, selfish gladness, rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, lest we miss thy kingdom’s goal.

Save us from weak resignation to the evils we deplore;let the search for thy salvation be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, serving thee whom we adore.
--Harry Emerson Fosdick
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I will have a greater appreciation for the observance of President’s Day on Monday for having today attended the peace rally and protest of the impending war against Iraq. It is this freedom to peacefully assemble and express opinion that is the hallmark of America’s true greatness, and we need to all be vigilant in our guard against those who would seek to deprive us of these rights under the guise of patriotism. After all, our nation was founded upon the organized dissent against the administration in power at the time.
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By going to the Bulletin Board: you can read Earl’s concern that we don’t seem to learn the lessons of history; you can still link up with Sally’s Thanksgiving blessing; you can be challenged by Marta’s question of “why go to church?’; you can find out why Rachel is embarrassed to be a Christian; you can agree or disagree with Leon’s contention that President Bush is a monomaniac; you’ll learn how the terms “unholy war” and “perverted patriotism” provoked Kirby; and you can read Selina’s response that was inspired by Margaret Storz’s Daily Guide “The Power of Love”.
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Speaking of the Daily Guides (I’m nothing if not the master of segues), since making this page available at the beginning of the year we have gradually moved to an average of six readers per day (yes, Matt has made it possible for me to find these things out). Given the amount of time that it takes me to manually enter each day’s guide onto the site, it will probably be more cost effective for those who are regularly reading them to just let me know who they are and I’ll order them a gift subscription. We’ll keep the page up through the end of March, but if we aren’t averaging 25 readers a day by then it will be discontinued. HELPFUL HINT: I pull up the Daily Guide page before my work day begins, and then I just keep it up to refer back to (especially the affirmation) during the day.
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If you’re proceeding on to today’s sermon from here, you might find it helpful to first look up the definitions for: polytheism; henotheism; monotheism. This may or may not help you to better understand my message, but it will definitely add sparkle to your conversation at the next party!
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Until next week…….Shalom!

Volume 1 Issue 24

O my poor people, put on sackcloth
and roll in ashes;
make mourning as for an only child,
most bitter lamentation:
for suddenly the destroyer
will come upon us.
Jeremiah 6:26
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I know that my sorrow and disbelief over what is happening in our world right now is shared by many who visit this site. There is no doubt in my mind that as the Bush Administration plunges our nation and the rest of the planet into unholy war, it will profanely invoke God’s blessing upon its efforts. As we are justified in condemning the perversion of Islam by fundamentalists and terrorists, so must we be prepared to condemn the same perversion of Judeo-Christianity and American patriotism by those in power who continue to insist that preemptory violence and destruction is the only way to deal with current events. May God forgive us!
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It is a stretch, I’ll admit, to try to find a common thread running through the Islamic ritual of Hajj (currently being observed in the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar), the Jewish observance of Passover coming in April, and the Christian Lenten journey which will begin March 5 and culminate on Easter, April 20. It can be found, however, in the qualities of humility and penitence to which the followers of each tradition are called during their holy days. May we all, as children of the one God of Abraham, discover our oneness that will provide the powerful unity we need to “deliver us from evil.”
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Don’t forget!
www.moveon.org
It’s your Internet means of registering your dissent and protest. Let us “not go gentle into that good night.”
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Until next week…….Shalom!

Volume 1 Issue 23

As our nation and the world mourn the loss of those aboard the space shuttle Columbia, the poetic words of “High Flight” are so appropriate:

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence.
Hov'ring there,I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew
-And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

--John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
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For each of February’s Daily Guides author Margaret Stortz makes reference to “Letters of the Scattered Brotherhood” by Mary Strong (editor). Rated 5 stars by customers, the paperback is available for $11.20 from www.amazon.com
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Richard Nixon spoke of “the great silent majority.” From the lack of response to the thought-provoking entries posted on our Bulletin Board I have a little better understanding of what he was talking about. Perhaps it is the common sensibility that discussions of politics and religion are best kept to one’s self that is inhibiting greater participation, but it is still unfortunate that greater advantage of this forum for theological exchange is not being taken. Fear not! Be brave! Express yourself, knowing that in so doing you are helping the voice of God to be better heard.
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Until next week…….Shalom!