Community
Today the stock market fell another 500 points. Iceland may go bankrupt, NPR reported today. Euro-countries are aligning their financial strategies so they speak with one economic voice. Government leaders are already talking about more federal dollars, in addition to the $700-billion just voted by Congress. And the bad news
Congregation
If you understand the current economic meltdown, your are lightyears ahead of most of us. Basically, we have a serious, global economic collapse underway. News from financial markets from Brazil to Shanghai to London to New York was all bad today. All the indicators are pointing in the wrong direction
Congregation
Debbie and I have learned a lot about growing vegetables this year. We learned that mulch under your raised beds acts like a big sponge and makes the beds too wet. But, we also learned when you remove the mulch and create drainage that the beds return to a productive,
Culture
Well, it looks like some pastors spiced up their sermons a little yesterday by endorsing (or disparaging) a candidate for President of the United States. The pastors are part of an attempt to challenge the IRS rules on what non-profits can do regarding a political campaign. Is that really smart?
Culture
Phyllis Tickle's newest book, The Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why, arrived yesterday. At 172 pages, this small but elegant volume (aren't all Tickle's books elegant?) both informs and disappoints. Tickle takes on the daunting task of reviewing the major turning points
church as abbey
Thumbing through an analysis of our community today, it hit me. There are too many churches in our area. Within a 5-mile radius of our church, there are 25 other churches. And, this doesn't even count churches without telephones, which include at least 8 more that I know
bless the world
Most churches participate in some kind of food closet, which is primarily a way to supply emergency food to those who need it. But, what if everyone needed food? What if the global food supply system collapses or goes into deep distress? How do churches help then? Chatham House, a
Community
courtesy BBC I wrote about the impending crises in the three E's -- energy, environment, and economy -- several weeks ago. This weekend we saw all three converge, vying for media coverage with each other. Hurricane Ike hit Texas and the Gulf Coast; gas prices spiked with gas
bless the world
Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God." As followers of Christ, we need to be praying and working for peace. In the midst of a world in which war is often the first resort, we have an obligation to humanity.
Culture
Read Joe Eszterhas's article in the Washington Post today. Joe wrote the screenplay for Basic Instinct and Showgirls, neither of which I would recommend. Now Joe gives a compelling testimony of how God saved him. I mean literally saved him from death. Read it, it's an
Creativity
Okay, the truth is out. Physicist Michio Kaku says, "Occasionally, physicists like to scare the pants off people." I am not making this up. So, the big joke for today is the Large Hadron Collider, which many feel will create black holes and suck the entire earth into
Culture
Okay, Hal Lindsay missed it when he predicted it, too. But, on Wednesday, September 10, the Large Hadron Collider will collide its first particles. Of course, CERN, the group that has waited 20-years for this event, says it's safe. Which is also what the US government told us