Yesterday was good day.
I walked into my office to find an email telling me how a girl in our youth group had come home and told her mom that she enjoyed it. Her mom said that was the first time she had ever said that about church. She also told me that the daughter is excited about the Middle School Retreat I am planning. I suppose i could stop there and the day would be good. But it wasn't even lunch yet.
Speaking of lunch, i went to Sonic for a late lunch, which you might think is bad (that i had missed lunch earlier) but it was after 2pm so i got my drink half price!
Then i went right across the street from Sonic to the Salvation Army store, and found 3 board games for a total of 6 bucks. We are decorating our den with movie posters and things from Board games, so i had been looking at Thrift stores for games, but had come up empty handed until yesterday.
Our Wednesday meal was good. And so was our lesson. And then when we went to play in the gym, the kids requested Dodgeball Bowling, the game i made up on Sunday!
It was a good day.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
Church and state
So I saw this story on usatoday:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/
2008-09-10-pulpit-IRS_N.htm
There are "liberal" church leaders encouraging the IRS to crack down on preachers who are endorsing candidates. Many of these preachers are supporting candidates at the encouraging of the Alliance Defense Fund (http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/main/default.aspx). The ADF wants the pastor to break the law so they can challenge it in court.
[I see this group as the twin brother of the ACLU. Though they each see each other as the evil twin.The ADF defends sanctity of life (though apparently not the lives of deathrow inmates) traditional families (is divorce becoming art of our tradition?) and religious freedom (right wing fundamentalist christian freedom apparently)]
The "liberals" claim that there should be a strict separation of church and state and that preachers should stay out of politics. The ADF thinks that preachers should be able to speak of biblical truth in all aspects of politics. I agree with the ADF desire to speak Biblical truth on everything, even politics (But I think their own theology keeps them from speaking the TRUTH more than the IRS ever will). I disagree with them if they think that they should be able to critic the government and point out where it fails to live up to God's calls for justice and still expect the government to give them a break on Taxes. You can have freedom of religion, thats a 1st amendment right. Freedom from taxes is not a right. Its part of deal the church made with the government. "You don't bother us and we won't tax your money."
SO really, i agree, and disagree with both sides of this case. The church should speak the truth of God, and if that means you have sall out the government even individual candidates then so be it. But be prepared to give unto caesar that which is Caesar's. The money in our collection plate has the Gov't name on it, so sometimes we might have to give the Gov't its money. Other times the Gov't may have a big dose of truth with its name on it and the church should be bold enough to give it to the Gov't as well.
I think the ADF and the church leaders opposed them need to have a talk and leave the IRS out of it. I also think the ADF is dumb. Sanctity of life....Sanctity of life you deem worthy is what you mean to say. What a bunch of hippocrites! They want to protest the war. They don't protest the death penalty. They do protest laws against demeaning the life homosexuals. Sanctity of a way life that looks like me!
"Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!"
-Jesus
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/
2008-09-10-pulpit-IRS_N.htm
There are "liberal" church leaders encouraging the IRS to crack down on preachers who are endorsing candidates. Many of these preachers are supporting candidates at the encouraging of the Alliance Defense Fund (http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/main/default.aspx). The ADF wants the pastor to break the law so they can challenge it in court.
[I see this group as the twin brother of the ACLU. Though they each see each other as the evil twin.The ADF defends sanctity of life (though apparently not the lives of deathrow inmates) traditional families (is divorce becoming art of our tradition?) and religious freedom (right wing fundamentalist christian freedom apparently)]
The "liberals" claim that there should be a strict separation of church and state and that preachers should stay out of politics. The ADF thinks that preachers should be able to speak of biblical truth in all aspects of politics. I agree with the ADF desire to speak Biblical truth on everything, even politics (But I think their own theology keeps them from speaking the TRUTH more than the IRS ever will). I disagree with them if they think that they should be able to critic the government and point out where it fails to live up to God's calls for justice and still expect the government to give them a break on Taxes. You can have freedom of religion, thats a 1st amendment right. Freedom from taxes is not a right. Its part of deal the church made with the government. "You don't bother us and we won't tax your money."
SO really, i agree, and disagree with both sides of this case. The church should speak the truth of God, and if that means you have sall out the government even individual candidates then so be it. But be prepared to give unto caesar that which is Caesar's. The money in our collection plate has the Gov't name on it, so sometimes we might have to give the Gov't its money. Other times the Gov't may have a big dose of truth with its name on it and the church should be bold enough to give it to the Gov't as well.
I think the ADF and the church leaders opposed them need to have a talk and leave the IRS out of it. I also think the ADF is dumb. Sanctity of life....Sanctity of life you deem worthy is what you mean to say. What a bunch of hippocrites! They want to protest the war. They don't protest the death penalty. They do protest laws against demeaning the life homosexuals. Sanctity of a way life that looks like me!
"Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!"
-Jesus
Games
So last week i tried to play a game with the youth group. It was meant to be like Stratego, but it was really weird. It was kind of like tag, but I gave out playing cards and if you had 4 you beat someone with a 3 and if you had a 10 you could beat a 9 or an 8 or 7 etc. And the kids tried to play, but overall it just didn't seem to work. So this week I made up another game. It was based on dodgeball, and bowling, and cricket. Sort of. I called it Dodgeball bowling. Instead of hitting each other with balls, they try to know down bowling pins which are on the far ends of the gym.
You put a goalie along the backline and then everyone else has to stay in the volleyball court. So the people in the volleyball court can try to block throws, but they won't be able to block them all. And the goalie can block things and retrieve balls to give to her teamates in the volleyball court.
I though it was good because no one gets hit in the face. But I also thought the real-life statego would be good. We tried it last night, and it was lots of fun. I got really lucky. I was so suprised and happy that we had as much as we did.
On a different note i went to an exciting HS football game on Friday. Science Hill HS (where most of my HS kids go) had a 2 TD lead in the fourth. The other teams scored, with 3 minutes to go, then tried an onside kick. They didn't get it but forced Science Hill to punt with about a minute left. So the other team had the ball and was only down by 1 TD with under a minute to go. They start passing the ball down the field. THey get to about mid-field with 21 seconds to go. Its about 3rd down and i notice people begining to leave. People were walking out the exits with 21 seconds to play, on fourth down, with the other team trying to tie the game.
WHY DID YOU EVEN GO TO THE GAME????? Were you just there for the band? Now SHHS does have a great band, but the parents who just come for the halftime show, leave after halftime not 75 minutes after halftime, and 21 seconds before the game ends. I was utterly baffled, and still am. If you try that a Texas HS football game, you might get shot.
I guess i have alot to adjust to, living in Tennessee.
You put a goalie along the backline and then everyone else has to stay in the volleyball court. So the people in the volleyball court can try to block throws, but they won't be able to block them all. And the goalie can block things and retrieve balls to give to her teamates in the volleyball court.
I though it was good because no one gets hit in the face. But I also thought the real-life statego would be good. We tried it last night, and it was lots of fun. I got really lucky. I was so suprised and happy that we had as much as we did.
On a different note i went to an exciting HS football game on Friday. Science Hill HS (where most of my HS kids go) had a 2 TD lead in the fourth. The other teams scored, with 3 minutes to go, then tried an onside kick. They didn't get it but forced Science Hill to punt with about a minute left. So the other team had the ball and was only down by 1 TD with under a minute to go. They start passing the ball down the field. THey get to about mid-field with 21 seconds to go. Its about 3rd down and i notice people begining to leave. People were walking out the exits with 21 seconds to play, on fourth down, with the other team trying to tie the game.
WHY DID YOU EVEN GO TO THE GAME????? Were you just there for the band? Now SHHS does have a great band, but the parents who just come for the halftime show, leave after halftime not 75 minutes after halftime, and 21 seconds before the game ends. I was utterly baffled, and still am. If you try that a Texas HS football game, you might get shot.
I guess i have alot to adjust to, living in Tennessee.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Communioin of the saints
Living in the Bible belt i realized, people talk alot about Catholics and yet know very little about them. I find myself as a defender of the Catholic church. It takes various forms. But people assume they are not Christian and they use them as some sort of whipping boy whenever they want to make a point. As this has been going on I have realized that i have come to issue on several occasions on the Saints. Whether it is the Hail Mary or "praying to saints" i had the issue come up on several occasions. I have realized that protestant have a horribly weak belief in the "communion of the saints" and that it perhaps stems from a poor theology of resurrection. Have you noticed how in many churches there are pews, tables, etc. given in honor or in memory of someone who has died. Perhaps the pulpit was donated by So and So's grandpa. Someone's grandma donated such and such, and you had better never change it. I feel like the reason people are so unwilling to change those things is they feel like the only way to keep grandma in the church is to keep this table. Or this picture. That once that is gone, then grandma is gone. And so they feel that because grandma is dead, she is no longer here. But if we believe in the communion of the saints and if we believe in resurrection then grandma is still part of the church. She is still in communion with us, because death has lost its sting. So when we deny that we can still commune with those who have died, then we forget so much of what God offers to us. Which lead me to Hail Marys. Do you ever ask anyone to pray for you. Do you ever ask people you know are close to God. I have noticed that most people bring their problems to pastors to get prayer. They want someone who is Clergy or set apart to pray for them. And if someone is not really serious about their faith, then you probably don't want to entrust them with your concerns. You want someone like Abraham, who was close God, so close he could change God's mind (Gen 18). And if you believe in the communion of Saints than why not ask Mary, the mother of Jesus to pray for you. If i had a choice between me and Mary, i would choose her. Apparently so would the Catholic church. They believe in the communion of the Saints. They really do. So much so that they ask the saints to help them, just like protestants ask people in church to help them. They really believe this stuff, that we protestant just say we believe but don't really act as if we do. Well, all I am saying is that Catholics ask the saints to pray for them because they believe that God has given the Saints the same resurrection promised them by God. So may the Saints look after all of you.
Busy Times
So last night was the first night of the volleyball league which i run for the church. It was a success, despite the scoreboard not working, us not having a ref stand, and my limited knowledge of volleyball. ALso, last night i learned one of the vans i was planning on using for our trip tonight has a broken door and can't be used. Hooray. That would be really bad news but i also learned the person i was planning on driving that van couldn't come. So that stinks too. Yes i found out 24 hours before the trip. SO i sent some emails and i think i got enough parents to drive, but it was CRAZY!.
Today i have to lead worship @ 2. It is mainly for staff but i am excited, no preaching just scripture. it should be good. This is just a real busy time.
Today i have to lead worship @ 2. It is mainly for staff but i am excited, no preaching just scripture. it should be good. This is just a real busy time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)