Volume 3 Issue 8

“I wondered to myself through the shock and awe, I wondered which of the mega-ton bombs Jesus, our president’s personal savior, would have personally dropped on the sleeping families in Baghdad.” --Meryl Streep
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Summer has progressed to the monsoon season here on the desert, and even though it may produce only a fraction of an inch of rain the sense of refreshment and renewal is powerful, magnified by the awesome majesty of the accompanying lightning and thunder. Such phenomena, once taken for granted, have taken on a whole new significance in the middle of what has been reported as the worst drought in 500 years. Water continues to serve as a most appropriate symbol for the Giver of Life.
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There’s a new set of banner quotes entered. They may all be viewed (there are 13) by pressing the “refresh” icon on your browser. There’s also one new posting to the Bulletin Board, “Faith of Our Fathers”, since the last newsletter. GiC visitors are always welcome to post items that they find to be of interest.
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Another dear friend has been added to the list of those facing the challenges of cancer. No other activity more fully engages one’s personal theology than does prayer, and the invitation to pray without ceasing will continue to hold a prominent place in this GiC ministry. While there is widespread support for the specificity of petitional prayer, I would encourage our attempt to more fully embrace prayers of and for alignment that, in the spirit of the Christ, may lead us to a genuine understanding of Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Yet not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
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I’m adding to the list of web sites that I find to be both meaningful and helpful in the daily walk of faith. All three make possible the opportunity to subscribe to a weekly e-mail newsletter.
The Sojourners Community evolved into Sojourners ministries in the early 1970s. Jim Wallis, editor-in-chief of “Sojourners” magazine, is renowned for his ability to profoundly articulate the relationship between scripture and social justice. The internet version of his publication, “Sojourners”, may be viewed at: http://www.sojo.net/
Since 1917 “The Witness” has been a voice of gospel justice, based in the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion. As an independent publishing organization, unaffiliated with the institutional church, “The Witness” proudly serves as a communications and organizing vehicle for the progressive movement within the church: http://www.thewitness.org/
In the aftermath of September 11, and with the ongoing conflict in the Holy Land and the scandal over priestly sexual misconduct within America's Catholic Church, coverage of religion news has never been more important. RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY, hosted by veteran journalist Bob Abernethy, is the only national TV newsmagazine program devoted entirely to the news of religion and spirituality, and major ethical issues. Produced by Thirteen/WNET New York, the program explores the top moral questions facing the country and profiles the most interesting people and groups in the world of religion and ethics. It is distributed to PBS stations nationwide: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/
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Until next time…….Shalom!