House and Senate Pass Budget Bill – But Last Hurdle Remains

In the early hours of the morning on Monday, Dec. 19, the House passed (212 to 206) the budget reconciliation conference report (S. 1932), a final compromise on the legislation. Members of the House were given two hours to read the 774-page bill, which cuts many supports for low-income families such as Medicaid, child support enforcement, and student loan programs.

On Dec. 21, the Senate approved the conference report. Vice President Cheney, president of the Senate, cut short a diplomatic trip to the Middle East to break the 50-50 tie. All Democrats and Independent Jim Jeffords ( Vt.) opposed the bill, as well as five Republicans: Chafee (R.I.), Smith ( Ore.), Collins ( Maine), Snowe ( Maine), and DeWine ( Ohio). But, just prior to the vote, the legislation was changed in a few ways from the conference report the House had passed, removing some provisions that do not affect funding. Therefore, the House must now approve the Senate’s version. A vote is scheduled for February 1, 2006, meaning there is still time to speak out against the bill.

The conference agreement will be harmful to many low-income families:

Medicaid: According to the Congressional Budget Office, increases in Medicaid co-pays and premiums and reduction in benefits will total a gross of $42 billion over 10 years, affecting many families just above the poverty line. None of these changes were included in the Senate bill passed Nov. 3. These cuts could affect all of the 28 million children who receive health care through Medicaid, and many working poor families.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: Only anadditional $1 billion is provided for child care funding—$11 billion less than the CBO estimates is needed to cover costs to states for higher work requirements and to ensure current child care funding levels are not scaled back. As a result, some 255,000 fewer children in low-income working families would receive child care.

Federal student loan programs would be cut by $12.7 billion over five years, further reducing the chances of low-income students being able to afford higher education.

Child support enforcement: Funding for these programs is reduced by $1.5 billion over five years and $4.9 billion over 10 years, resulting in nearly twice that amount in support payments going uncollected over that same period, affecting primarily low-income single mothers and their children.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI): Disabled individuals owed back benefits from the government would have to wait an additional year to receive those benefits, including many elderly and low-income people.
One bright spot in the bill is that food stamps are protected. Cuts to this program could have been up to $1 billion, but bipartisan leadership and advocacy efforts helped prevent any cuts.

Sources: The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities www.cbpp.org
The Coalition on Human Needswww.chn.org

Question: Are we still expected to tithe 10% and 10% of what? Gross? Take home?

The scriptures use the term “tithe” or a tenth when they talk about giving. In the early church a tenth was the norm of what was expected. We also have to remember that at that time the government was not as involved in providing for the economic needs of the poor as it is today. So from my perspective the simple answer to the question of a tithe of what, should be answered, a tithe of take home take home pay.

Another question that comes to mind is what about other giving? It is important for persons to live generous lives. There are many ministries in the world that are not associated with one particular church and yet their contributions to the children of God are very valuable in many ways. Thoughts come to mind of programs in cancer research and programs like “the United Way”, as well as others. As the children of God we should also remember these organizations and the good they do in the world, but in the process, don’t forget the work of the church. Your giving should balance the passions in your life and reflect the love God has toward you and your loved ones.

What if that giving puts an individual or family in a difficult financial position? The giving of ones offering should never put an individual or family in a difficult financial position. I would like you to look at the word “tithe” as a growing or stretching word. For some, giving a tenth of their income would be a burden that would put a strain on the basic necessities of life. For many others, a tenth would only put a small dent in the perks of life. When you look at giving, you should look at growing, at taking stock not only of where you are, but where you wish to grow.

So how do we do this? It is the time of year when we either are, or will soon be, involved in doing our taxes. This, therefore, is also the time of year to consider your level of giving to the ministries you are involved in. Look at your after tax income and compare it to all of your charitable giving. Determine what percentage of your income your current giving is. Then figure what it would mean to you if you were to increase the percentage of your income you give by 1%? What would it mean if you increased your giving by 2%? What would it mean to the ministrys of Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church to receive this increased giving? Most individuals and families when looking at what it means to be faithful and generous children of God, find the method of increasing their giving by 1% to 2% a year is a good way to grow into what is a comfortable stretch. So whether you find your level of giving at 2% or 22%, enter into the process with prayer. Determine where you are and then consider what it would mean to you and to the ministries you are passionate about if you were to grow in your giving. And don’t forget to surround it all with prayer.

Question: What about the Tower of Babel?

Question: When the tower of Babel fell, God created different languages as punishment so the people could not communicate with each other. Is this the way the story goes? If so, how does this fit in with this diversity push we have nowadays? We have 60 languages spoken in our schools. This can’t be an advantage to the students or teachers if they cannot communicate.

Your question makes some assumptions about how we read the Bible. In our book study on “Reading the Bible again for the first time” by Marcus Borg, one of the things we learn is that the first 11 chapters of Genesis are much newer than the rest of Genesis. We also learn that the stories are meant more to tell us deep truths about God and humanities relationship to God than they are meant to be factual accounts of history. The story of the Tower of Babel was most likely told in answer to the question of why different people spoke different languages. The answer given is that humanity was not yet ready to work together for the benefit of all. The story is a repeat of the lesson learned in the Garden when Adam (humanity) and Eve (the mother of all) were tempted to eat of the tree of knowledge and then be like god (small “g” intended). In the Tower of Babel story, the people were going to work together to build a tower high enough to storm the gates of heaven. The implication is that they too wanted to take over the “god” spot in the world. God then looks Way Down to see what they are doing and decides to confuse their languages because humanity has just proven they are not quite ready to work together as the children of God. Today we are still not ready to work together without someone trying to turn it into an opportunity for self aggrandizement.

The Anchorage school district is not alone in confronting a plethora of languages spoken by its students. This raises the question of how to effectively handle this dilemma. On the one hand it is not practical to attempt to teach each and every language. The cost to the school districts would prohibitive and destroy the unity as well as multi-cultural learning that takes place in and out of the classrooms. The exposure to the multiple cultures and languages brings a richness and a depth to learning and understanding that cannot be taught in a mono-cultural classroom. On the other hand, there are some populations which are large enough and whose English language skills poor enough to warrant portions of their education being in their native languages. The need is not to segregate (which when you put kids together in one school is not the norm anyway) but to help some of the larger segments of the population be able to compete on a bit more of a level playing field. My son who had had several years of French was able to experience first hand the difficulties of mastering new educational material in a language he had learned, but that was not native to him.

As we go through the process as the children of God of discovering what it means to truly be brothers and sisters in Christ, it takes a lot of balancing. There is no one language or culture that is superior. There is no one language or culture that can teach us all we could or should know. The question then becomes not what is the least we can get away with in offering a thorough education to all our brothers and sisters among us but rather what is the most we can afford to do in offering a broad and diverse multi-cultural education to all our brothers and sisters in Christ. In doing so we avoid finding ourselves on the top of the tower trying to storm the gates of heaven in our (lower case) god aspirations, and having God bending way down low to scatter us until we grow up some more.

ELCA Presiding Bishop Urges Defeat of 'Budget Reconciliation Package

WASHINGTON, D.C. (ELCA) - The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the leaders of four other mainline church denominations called on the U.S. House of Representatives to defeat the fiscal year 2006 Budget Reconciliation package, which, the church leaders said, cuts safety net programs for the poor.
In a Jan. 29 letter to House members the leaders said, "We write to each of you now to urge you to listen to both your hearts and your constituents, and oppose once and for all the FY '06 Budget Reconciliation Spending Reduction package when it comes before the House on February 1."
Joining Hanson were the Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold, presiding bishop, Episcopal Church; the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, stated clerk of the general assembly, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.); the Rev. John H. Thomas, general minister and president, United Church of Christ; and James Winkler, general secretary, General Board of Church and Society, United Methodist Church.
"At each step of the complicated budget process we called on Congress to reject cuts to programs that serve the working poor, children and the elderly as unjust, particularly at a time when both the hurricanes and the U.S. Census Report on poverty brought vividly before us the need to renew our commitment to 'the least of these' among us," the leaders said.
While noting they were grateful the Food Stamp Program was spared from cuts in the final legislation, the leaders criticized cuts to other programs benefiting the poor, including Medicaid, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and student loans.
"You now have an opportunity to redeem the image of Congress in the eyes of the nation by rejecting cuts to those who suffer in sickness, live in hunger, struggle in poverty, live in the cold and seek brighter futures through education," they said.

4th Sunday after Epiphany

Mark 1:21-28

What are you doing here?
--came the scream of those who knew
--knew
----of this teacher
--------in fear
Why have you come
--at this time
--------and in this place
--to
the ones who know not who you are
or could care less?
Jesus. You are wasting your time
--on these souls who come here only to play
-------at religion
-----------life
play
--as if they think they know what they are doing
play
--as if they think they care
with that look of astonishment on their faces
--they pay you honor
but we know
--we know
-----who
---------is in charge here
-----who
---------calls the shots
---------and controls the lives
---------and allows them to play at their games
-----------that they think is life
it all works so well
this game
----life
------religion
So what have you to do with us
--Jesus of Nazareth?
Would you destroy all this?
Would you destroy the life these people have built
------------just for your kingdom?
Jesus!
--you are getting too close
--this is not the game we expected
--(silence)
but where are we to go
------Holy One
do you really think they will follow you?
and the people were amazed
--at the new teaching
----and authority
------that even the unclean spirits obey

A New Teaching

Saturday February 4th, Mark 1: 25"Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" 26The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. 27The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." Jesus didn’t kick the evil man out of the synagogue; he kicked the evil spirit out of the man and welcomed the man into the community of faith. His concern was for who the person was, a child of God, not who he seemed to be, an evil possessed person. Perhaps our calling is to do the same in the world. In another place Jesus told us to love our enemies.

The Holy one of God!

Friday February 3rd, Mark 1: 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24"What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!" Sometimes it is good to remind ourselves that it is not just “us and God”. There are others to contend with. The evil spirits knew who Jesus was long before Peter ever exclaimed; “you are the Christ the son of the living God.” We don’t talk much about evil spirits in our day and age. We talk about personal responsibility; a person is bad because they choose to be bad. Jesus had a way of seeing a child of God in everyone. Perhaps we should try that a bit more.

Authority comes from the heart

Thursday February 2nd, Mark 1: 21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Jesus was not talking about book knowledge; he was talking from heart knowledge. I can teach you about God but I cannot bring you into a relationship with God, that one is up to you and Jesus. Any relationship takes work, what are you doing to build that relationship today?

When you hurt a friend, you hurt Christ

Wednesday February 1st, 1 Corinthians 8: 12 When you hurt your friend, you hurt Christ. A free meal here and there isn't worth it at the cost of even one of these "weak ones." 13 So, never go to these idol-tainted meals if there's any chance it will trip up one of your brothers or sisters. That which you do onto the least of these, you do onto me. Somehow tax cuts for the rich and benefit cuts for the poor don’t seem to fit into that scenario. It is a call for all of us, rich and poor, to live our lives as the generous and grace filled children of God.

What is best for All the children of God?

Tuesday January 31st, 1 Corinthians 8: 11 Christ gave up his life for that person. Wouldn't you at least be willing to give up going to dinner for him--because, as you say, it doesn't really make any difference? But it does make a difference if you hurt your friend terribly, risking his eternal ruin! The unfortunate tendency throughout history is for individuals to turn their focus toward their individual rights and away from the needs of the community. In a Christian society there would be no need for taxes because every individual would gladly give, to the best of their ability, for the needs of the whole. We all know in real life it doesn’t work that way. In reality everyone tries to get by with contributing the least they can get away with for the needs of the whole. Then again, the majority of those in charge of taking care of the needs of the whole manage some pretty selfish deeds themselves. In the midst of all the greed going around, personal, corporate, and governmental, we are called through scripture to set aside some of our desires for the sake of the whole. Christ gave his life. What are you willing to do?

A prophet speaks for the least, the lost and the lonely

Monday January 30th, Deuteronomy 18: 20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.' Even God has lightened up the threats in post resurrection times. Pat is not going to die, even though he wishes that on others, hopefully, God will at least bring about a loss of his market share. The prophets of God have always spoken over against the powers that be in favor of the needs of the least, the lost, and the lonely.

Raise up a prophet

Sunday January 29th, Deuteronomy 18: 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. Note, the prophet comes from the people. The special character of a prophet is that he or she is chosen by God and the words they speak also come from God. There have been many throughout history that claim to do just that. There are even some today. Do they speak a word of love and grace? Do they speak a word of forgiveness? Do they speak for the needs of the least, lost or lonely? Or do they speak of power and maintaining the political status quo? If it is status quo they are after, they don’t speak for God. Sorry Pat!!

My rock and my salvation

Sunday January 22nd, Psalm 62: God is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken. In the midst of difficulties in life we hold to Christ. That doesn't mean that everything will work out as we want it. It does mean that where ever we are in life, Christ is there with us. There is an old saying that goes "God never gives you more than you can handle." The problem is that people often get more than they can handle and when they hear this saying they think that all the bad stuff going on in their lives is a dirty rotten gift from God. The truth is that life sometimes handles us some pretty rotten stuff, and sometimes we even work hard to get into the trouble we find ourselves in. In the midst of that, you are not alone. God is your rock and salvation. Cling to God. It won't make all the bad stuff go away but it will keep you grounded in love.

Running from God

Monday January 23rd, Jonah 1: 1One day long ago, GOD's Word came to Jonah, Amittai's son: 2"Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They're in a bad way and I can't ignore it any longer." 3But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from GOD. Nineveh is an ancient city near the present town of Mosul in Iraq. Jonah did not want to go there. He did not like the people in Nineveh and they most likely would not have liked him. Sometimes God leads us to places and to do things we don’t want to do. God had compassion for part of creation. Jonah could only see what he thought he saw and was not able to see the potential God could see. Sometimes we need to follow God’s leading in spite of our opinions.

When God calls, you might want to go

Tuesday January 24th, Jonah 1: The men tried rowing back to shore. They made no headway. The storm only got worse and worse, wild and raging. 14Then they prayed to GOD, "O GOD don’t let us drown because of this man's life, and don't blame us for his death. You are GOD. Do what you think is best." 15They took Jonah and threw him overboard. Immediately the sea was quieted down. 16The sailors were impressed, no longer terrified by the sea, but in awe of GOD. They worshiped GOD, offered a sacrifice, and made vows. 17Then GOD assigned a huge fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah was in the fish's belly three days and nights. A couple of things were happening. Jonah was going where God wanted him to go whether he wanted to go there or not and the others in the boat were beginning to learn something about this God they didn’t know very well. When we follow God’s leading there is salvation all around. Now the fish thing, it makes a good story. When it comes to fish, people are always making good stories. The point is that even nature responds when God shows love. Jonah got to Nineveh after three days and Nineveh experienced new life, Jonah experienced new life (eventually) and even the sea was revived. God does that. God brings new life.

Do you really want to go through that again?

Wednesday January 25th, Jonah 1: 10Then GOD spoke to the fish, and it vomited up Jonah on the seashore. 1Next, GOD spoke to Jonah a second time: 2"Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They're in a bad way and I can't ignore it any longer." 3This time Jonah started off straight for Nineveh, obeying GOD's orders to the letter. Sometimes it takes an experience we can’t forget, even though we would like too, to get us going in the direction God wants us to go. It is not that we necessarily need these unforgettable experiences, but we do have a tendency to create some interesting predicaments for ourselves. God can work through them also. If we would just do what God wants us to do life would be a lot easier. But as we look back over our life, we see that God can even take our detours and turn them into ministry and a good story.

Don't smell like fish

Thursday January 26th, Jonah 1: 5The people of Nineveh listened, and trusted God. They proclaimed a citywide fast and dressed in burlap to show their repentance. Everyone did it--rich and poor, famous and obscure, leaders and followers. Wow, Jonah did a great job, or perhaps was it God. How often we tend to take the credit when things go well and place the blame on God when they do not go well. As we read on we see the Jonah was still not happy, if fact he was down right angry. God continued to work with him also. What God is after is loving relationships. What we tend to be after is our kind of justice which can also be seen as revenge. In the end, it is God who wins. Might as well go with it sooner than later. You smell less like fish when you do.

Catch all the fish

Friday January 27th, Mark 1 : 16As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 18At once they left their nets and followed him. A new kind of fishing. It is not with a hook and just the right bait to get people to bite and then pull them in where they get fried. This fishing is good for the fish, all kinds of fish. I get a kick out of the fish wars on cars. One will have the Christian symbol for fish. Another car will have one with feet. Yet another one will have the Christian fish eating the one with feet. Gods version would have fish, fish with feet, fish with pierced fins, fish with scales and fish without scales, all kinds of fish swimming together. Jesus loves all kinds of fish.

Lets go fishing

Saturday January 28th, Mark 1: 19When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. When you hear the call of God, it is time to get going. The followers of Jesus did not wait to figure things out, they acted. When confronted with the love of Christ, we too are called to act. The act we are called to do is to share the good news. Who have you told today?

3rd Sunday after Epiphany

Mark 1:14-20

The time is fulfilled
--into this world
--------ripped apart
--by timelessness entering in
comes the news
the time is fulfilled
(repent)
and with that this carpenter from Nazareth
reaches in into this place
--and time
and calls out to
come
--follow me
Simon and Andrew
--drop
--the net of labor
toiled over by so many
in favor of wonders
--at hand
(repent)
leaving behind a life
looked down on by some
--and admired by others
for one of joy
and lust for the many headed wonder of newness
out of the heat
(and believe)
--of this world
and into the perceived pursuit
-- of all that is wonder
-- -- -- joy
-- --- -- -- peace
joined by others
who only make
-- the fever pitch of excitement
-- -- closer to a reality only dreamed of
(in)
with little thought
to the demands
-- that would be placed on them by love
as they tried to present
(the Gospel)
the good news

2nd Sunday after Epiphany

John 1:43-51

The Joy, the Excitement was there that day
As they decided to come
And follow this Jesus on his mission
That was understood by none

With many wonders seen in that day
By those who would like to see
And the thrill of a new life to live
As Jesus said follow me

So Philip decided to follow
And Andrew and Peter too
Proclaiming this Jesus as the Son of God
And pledging his will to do

With a flurry of excitement
Of wonders n’er before seen
They set off to follow Jesus
And the dream that Israel dreamed

There will be many signs and wonders
As the heavens open wide
And heavenly beings traveling
From over the other side

You believe now because you see things
You do not understand
But life is not always wonder
For the followers of the Son of Man

So come now and follow me
Said Jesus to the three
In a life that is lived for others
And helping the world to see

God is listening

Sunday January 15th, Psalm 139: LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up; You understand my thoughts from far away. When we are called to pray unceasingly we sometimes get the miss notion that in doing so we will somehow get God’s attention. The truth is that God is already watching and listening and ever present in our existence. God is present not just with the words we say or the conscious silent prayers we offer, but God actively knows our thoughts, spoken or unspoken, conscious or unconscious, the good, the bad and the ugly. It is all there offered up to a God who actively seeks us out and loves us in spite of the good, the bad and the ugly. Our reaching out to God is in response to a God who already knows us intimately and has already reached out to us.

Where can I hide?

Monday January 16th, Psalm 139: Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. If I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits, even there Your hand will lead me; Your right hand will hold on to me. There is no place in the physical universe, no place in our mental universe, no place in our spiritual existence that is beyond the reach of God. God is calling you and has a path for you in your life. We don’t often take the path without a few detours. When we do find ourselves on that path, we notice things like the days seem somehow brighter, life seems to have more meaning and others respond in ways that make you feel god inside. When we leave the path, it is not that things go wrong for us, it just seems like something is missing. That is when God finds you in some far away place and ushers you back toward the path. Consciously or unconsciously you can run, but you can’t hide.

Listen to the Saints

Tuesday January 17th 1 Samuel 3: 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD : The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. 8 The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.' The Lord may have spoken directly to Samuel, but it was Eli that helped it make sense. So it is with us. God speaks to many of us, we just don’t know it. It is though the children of God, the other saints in the world that we begin to make sense out of the calling. Listen to the saints in your life, what are they saying to you? Through their voice, what do you feel called to do? Most of the time it takes a community to discern the voice of God in our lives.

Listen

Wednesday January 18th 1 Samuel 3: 10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." What happened after Samuel realized that it was God who was calling after Eli had given him that bit of wisdom, was that Samuel responded. That is when the magic starts. Most of the time communication between God and us is a one way street, God is talking to us and trying to get our attention. Sometimes it is two one way streets, God is talking to us and trying to get out attention and we are too busy talking past God telling God and the world what we think God would tell us if God were as smart as we were. Pat Robertson is a case in point. But then, once in a while, we pick up the phone and say hello, I’m listening. That is when the wonderful begins. The key is listening.

Holes

Thursday January 19th 1 Corinthians 6: 12You may say, "I am allowed to do anything." But I reply, "Not everything is good for you." And even though "I am allowed to do anything," I must not become a slave to anything. It is the American dream to be free to do what ever you darn well please. It is of course just a pipe dream. You can be your own person and there are still rules to follow. You can make it on your own and you are never on your own. In the end we all serve something in life whether that something be God, or money or power or order or job or security etc. In the end it is not a matter of if you are a slave but rather what or who you serve. Down through history there have been successes for short periods of time but even the greatest maverick in the end faces what life is all about. You are however free to choose. You can choose to follow God now and enjoy a life long loving relationship with the creator of all, or you can choose to fight that until the end, seeking your own satisfaction in life. Both lives end up in the same place, it’s just that one was surrounded by the love of God and the others was trying to plug that empty hole while pretending it was not there.

Is it Love yet?

Friday January 20th John 1: 43The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." 44Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, When you find the “way” you get excited about it and tell others. Philip had little preparation, no seminary, no Bible study leader, no proven skills, just a love of the Lord. When the call came, he could think of nothing else. When the Lord calls you, you can think of nothing else. Have you fallen in love with the Lord yet?

Nazareth!?!

Saturday January 21st John 1: 46"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. 47When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." 48"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." Nathanael didn’t much like the idea of anyone of importance coming from the little town of Nazareth. He had some preconceived ideas about the place. God has a way of pushing us on our preconceived ideas most of the time. What are your preconceived ideas that are holding you back from following the Messiah?

Ruby

Welcome to the world Ruby Pauline Boland. May God bless your journey. Love Grandpa

Roosevelt's words worth remembering

STEPHEN HAYCOX COMMENT

On Jan. 6, 1941, 65 years ago today, President Franklin Roosevelt articulated in his annual State of the Union address the essence of and American vision for the world, his famous "four freedoms" speech. America looked forward to a future characterized by freedom of speech and expression everywhere; freedom to worship God each in his or her own way; freedom from want, meaning, Roosevelt said, an economic understanding that would secure every nation a healthy, peacetime life; and freedom from fear, meaning so thorough an arms reduction as would preclude any act of physical aggression.

Roosevelt's world was different from our own in many respects. But his message was driven by much the same vision Americans aspire to today, empowering citizens the world over to translate the American dream of peace, prosperity and self-realization into personal reality.

The domestic context of the message was the Great Depression. Faced with the manifest failure of capitalism to provide the country's citizens with the wherewithal to provide minimum food, shelter and clothing for themselves, Roosevelt and his advisers set out in 1933 to save capitalism. With the regulating mechanisms they put in place, including strengthening Securities and Exchange Commission safeguards on negotiable investments and generating the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to secure bank deposits, they largely succeeded. Capitalism survived the Depression, and the New Deal, intact.

One of Roosevelt's more remarkable policies was to try to stabilize prices, and in some cases actually drive them up. The reason was to make it possible for producers, both agricultural and industrial, to stay in business, and thus provide jobs. When the Supreme Court invalidated principal instruments created for this purpose, the AAA and the NRA, Roosevelt found ways of preserving the essence of the policy without them.

Consistent with the vision he articulated in 1941, Roosevelt's economic program mandated that workers be paid a living wage and that unions be strengthened in protecting workers' opportunities to improve their circumstances and participate in the dream of prosperity. This necessarily reduced employers' profits, justified, Roosevelt understood, as a condition of ensuring opportunity for all.

Today's supply-side economic policy, with its tax cuts and protected privileges for the rich, abetted by the wide use of low pricing and heavily advertised loss leaders, led by Wal-Mart, eliminates American jobs instead of guaranteeing them. Cheaper goods imported from China, beguiling to consumers besotted with an increasingly mechanistic and material conceptualization of "the good life," exacerbate the growing marginalization of workers and inequity in the distribution of American wealth. There is little self-realization or sense of achievement in the acquisition of larger and larger piles of material goods. Roosevelt's vision was more democratic, inclusive and ennobling.
In foreign affairs Roosevelt envisioned a world of citizens freed from the crippling fear of war and threats of force. He hoped to produce stability through negotiation and community, "the very antithesis of the so-called 'new order' of tyranny which dictators seek to create with the crash of a bomb," words that have an uncanny resonance as a critique of American policy today. Roosevelt maintained his vision even in the face of world war, and worked in coalition with Winston Churchill and others toward establishing the United Nations as a platform for achieving it, work continued by his wife after his death in 1945. To the tyranny of power Roosevelt opposed a "greater conception," as he called it: "the moral order."

His words of 1941 explaining the moral foundation of the four freedoms have the power to inspire still today. Since the beginning of our history, he said, "this nation has placed its destiny in the hands, heads and hearts of its millions of free men and women, and its faith in freedom under the guidance of God. Freedom means the supremacy of human rights everywhere. Our support goes to those who struggle to gain those rights and keep them. Our strength is in our unity of purpose. To that high concept there can be no end save victory."
Roosevelt wanted America to stand for this inclusive, moral faith in people and their rights. So did most of his fellow citizens. It's a faith worth working to rekindle today.

Stephen Haycox is a professor of history at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

I believe

Sunday January 8th, Genesis 1: 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. This is a statement of faith. What follows in the rest of the first creation story in Genesis one, is the worship of the one who brought creation into being. For some what follows is a litmus test for proper faith. The real question being asked is whether what follows verse one is science or worship. The fundamentalists would say they are the same, which means that scientifically they must dance around the view of earth as a flat land floating in a sea of chaos and covered by a dome around which the sun and moon traveled and light came through the holes in the dome at night (stars) and sometimes water came through (rain). I would rather see the whole thing as a statement of faith followed by the worship of the creator. Letting science deal with the how does not shake my faith.

and God said

Monday January 9th, Genesis 1: 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, Another translation of “formless and empty” is total chaos. Into this nothingness, this chaos, God spoke. String theory tells us the all matter is made up of vibrating strings of energy. Curious thing this, perhaps all we are observing is a bit of what happens when God speaks.

the "truth"

Tuesday January 10th, Acts 19: Paul traveled through the interior provinces. Finally, he came to Ephesus, where he found several believers. 2"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" he asked them. "No," they replied, "we don't know what you mean. We haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." OK, they need to go back and take confirmation all over again. What is interesting is that their belief is not questioned. For Paul that was what was important, the rest was just housekeeping. Perhaps we could benefit from such an open approach when talking about other believers. There is this unholy tendency to think that we somehow have the "truth" and that others are wrong. In the kingdom there are many rooms, maybe we need to focus more on faith and take care of what we feel are important details later. I wonder if God was as concerned about these believers as Paul was?

Receive the Holy Spirit

Wednesday January 11th, Acts 19: 5As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. 7There were about twelve men in all. The Holy Spirit is manifest in many ways. To the people of Ephesus, speaking in tongues was one of the important ways to manifest the Holy Spirit. For others it may be in teaching, preaching, showing kindness, giving generously or any of the many gifts mentioned by Paul in 1st Corinthians 12 & 13. The important thing is the response of the followers. Let’s do it!!!! When the spirit leads you, are you ready to go do it!?! If you are like me you hold back and think about it a bit. I wonder sometimes what I have missed. What have you missed?

Repent for the Kingdom is at hand

Thursday January 12th, Mark 1: 4And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John offered them something. Life was filled with questions for which no one had answers. When they came to John they did not find answers, instead they found a journey. What they found was not someone to fix their problems, but someone to help them face their problems. Sometimes in facing our problems we can find answers. Sometimes all we find is awareness. Either way we win. John called them to repent; Jesus calls them to receive forgiveness and life eternal. What will you face today and how will knowing the Jesus offers forgiveness and eternal life make a difference in your life?

Jesus loves you

Friday January 13th, Mark 1: 7And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit has one major task, to point us to the love of Christ. There is no greater gift we can give others than to do the same.

This is my child

Saturday January 14th, Mark 1: 9At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Think of these words every time someone is baptized. Imagine the heavens breaking open and the thunderous word, “This is my child whom I love and am well pleased.” Is it any different from the voice that created all that exist from the “formless and void”? What can God create in you today?

Where is Namibia and Why would a young woman like Kate Stockly go there?

Located primarily in the north of the country, the ELCIN was originally initiated by Finnish missionaries in 1870. The ELCIN became autonomous in 1954. It has 522,000 members and is based in Oniipa in the far north.

This church suffered much during the occupation of Namibia by South Africa, including having its church printing press destroyed twice and many of its people fled to neighboring Angola and Zambia. The task of rebuilding the church and country began in earnest with the independence of Namibia in 1990.

The present priorities of the ELCIN are Christian education, mission work and urban work. Christian education, centered around the church's two high schools--Oshigambo and Nkurenkuru-- is being strengthened because of the rapidly changing situation in the society. Urban work has brought the church into the cities of central and southern Namibia. Outreach also is happening among other ethnic groups within the country.

The ELCIN, in cooperation with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia, relocated its Paulinum Seminary from a rural site to the capital Windhoek. This is a project that received some assistance from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Enrollment is about sixty women and men.

1st Sunday after Epiphany

Mark 1:4-11

As one possessed
----he stood there
in rags
----the mere shadow of what a man should be
Animated
----with no thought
--------as to what the world would say
--------about
--------this gaunt human form
Thundering
----the Message of Life
------------to come
----to a world in death
with all the water
------------swirling
--------about his feet
------------and the rocks
------------of this created
------------universe
Proclaiming the call
----not to himself
But to one
----vague
--------someone
----who was to come
------------someday
until
----Breaking through the reeds
----that separate
the Calm
----of the land living its own
from the Mayhem
--------of the future glimpse
--------at this rivers edge
Came
----no one of note
to heed the call
--------to come
------------to
----------------the water
--------and live
And As The Water Broke
------------With New Life
The Heavens Opened
With a Voice
--------from beyond time
“This Is My Son”
----Rippled Through The Existence of All That Was
----------------and Is
as
----the cooing harmonies of a dove
----------------descend
--------------------upon the shoulder
----of the Christ to be
“Whom I Love”
as the Heavens came crashing
-----------------back together
----on a world
----unruffled
that would never be the same

Congregational Question: Why did Jesus encourage his disciples to take up swords? (Luke 22:36)

This is indeed one of the seemingly out of place texts in the Gospels. It is mentioned only in Luke, which considering Luke’s penchant toward describing Jesus in more tender and peaceful terms than the other Gospels, makes it even more puzzling. The text seems to refer back to the disciples being sent out on their mission (Luke 10.4 and 9.3) with minimal equipment in order to be welcomed by the local communities rather than coming across as a threatening element. Even in this text, where Jesus tells his followers to take up swords, there are limitations; in this case two swords are enough (v.38). There are two explanations for Jesus call to take up swords and Jesus’ sanctioning of violence is not one of them.

One part of an explanation would be the fulfillment of scripture, where it is mentioned in Isaiah 53:12 that the messiah would be numbered with the transgressors. The disciples taking up swords, even if it was only two, would be viewed by the state as armed resistance. The other part of the explanation is that there are also some hints that some within the early Christian movements were at times viewed as lawless insurgents (Acts 5:36-37) and it may be that at the time of Jesus trial, armed resistance was mentioned which would further the need of the early followers to explain what seems to be a very out of character response on the part of Jesus’ followers.

The temptation is to take a short verse such as this and build it up as justification for some sort of action. All too often in the course of human history, the followers of Jesus have been able to justify violence in the name of the Prince of Peace. The case is little different today. At the basis of Jesus teaching is the message of non-violence and viewing one another as brothers and sisters. Our calling as one nation under God is to find non-violent means of resolving conflict. Out tendency, as with any other nation, is to justify our desire for power and control by naming others in this world as axis of evil or empire of Satan. It is this misuse of scripture that justifies and indeed even fuels planes that fly into skyscrapers filled with innocent civilians and fuels the response that leaves the bodies of tens of thousands of innocent civilians in its wake.
It is time for the followers of the three monotheistic religions of Judaism, Islam and Christianity to rise up and stop the misuse of their scriptures for the justification of aggression and start advancing the principals of peace and brotherhood so inherent throughout their scriptures. That calling starts with you and I.

Congregational Question: Why, after the demon is cast out, do seven more come to take its place? (Matthew 12:43-45)

When a vacuum is created it will be filled. The eastern bloc nations lived in relative peace while under control of the old Soviet Union. That peace may have had more to do with power and control than contentment but the result was still a relatively peaceful society. It was only after the old demon of totalitarianism was lifted that even older demons racism and ethnic hatred, along with new lusts for power that destroyed so many communities and killed so many people raised its ugly head
Whether your view of some of the difficulties we face is based on demon possession, human frailties or bad habits, the principle remains, to simply resist the presence of evil in our lives is to give it power and eventually succumb to it. One of the true strengths of AA or any other 12-step program is the process in step one of acknowledging, of naming, the problem. Once the evil has been named, the life long process begins of finding the pathways through which evil entered and filling them with positive changes.
I use the example of a 12 step program to emphasize the point that it is not a once in a lifetime thing, but rather a life long process. It is also not just a process for “those who obviously have a problem” but rather a process for all of us. Our walk as a child of God is a process of daily self examination and confession. Not in a morbid, “woe is me, I am an evil person” sort of way, but rather as a way of nurturing one’s self and growing as a child of God. You know the process is working when you stop looking at what others are doing wrong and start looking at what you can do right.