Volume 2 Issue 17

It is right, and a good and joyful thing,
always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth.
You have made from one every nation and people
to live on all the face of the earth.
From “The Great Thanksgiving for World Communion Sunday”, The United Methodist Book of Worship, 1992
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It’s good to be back in the groove. Thank you for allowing me to come into your home, place of work, or wherever else you may have accessed this site. Today’s sermon addresses two significant observances which occur today; Christians around the globe will be sharing World Communion, and at sundown the Jewish tradition will begin the holiest of holy days, Yom Kippur. The message also anticipates the Moslem thirty-day observance of Ramadan which will commence at sundown on October 26. This comes with the earnest prayer that we may strive to focus on those things we hold in common rather than our differences.
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Perhaps it’s not wise to recommend a book that requires a word of caution, but I am fascinated by Talmudic scholar Hyam Maccoby’s “The Mythmaker: Paul and the Invention of Christianity” (1986, Harper Collins Publishers, San Francisco). I found my copy on the “sale” table at Barnes & Noble in Billings, Montana while visiting Mom. If you are deeply vested in the traditional understanding of Jesus being at odds with the Pharisees and of Paul having come from a Pharisaic background, this book is NOT for you! If, on the other hand, you’re open to an entirely unorthodox point of view, I think that you will also find it fascinating reading.
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There’s good stuff on the Bulletin Board, and always room for more. If you have a little extra time, you’re invited to read the thoughts and opinions of those posted, and, if you’re so inclined, to post your own. Some of you have told me that you’re hesitant to show your ignorance publicly (two points: 1. this stealth website has extremely low public exposure; 2. my willingness to weekly make public my ignorance ought to eliminate any reservations you may have), but if this is the case I still enjoy hearing from you privately via e-mail.
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Let me know if you’re aware of someone who would enjoy having a hard copy of each week’s newsletter and sermon mailed to them. A generous benefactor of this ministry has made the funds available to make this venue available to those without Internet accessibility.
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Until next week…….Shalom!