Month: January 2009

According to an article in Sojourners, Rick Warren’s prayer was far broader than I realized. Here’s an excerpt from the article by Arthur Waskow:

I was especially moved by his speaking, in English, the Jewish “Sh’ma“ about God’s unity and the Muslim “Bismillah Er Rachman Er Rahim” — “In the name of God who is Compassionate and Merciful.” I doubt that most Christians knew what he was doing in either case, but Jews and Muslims did.

Warren didn’t water down his own beliefs, but was aware that others might not share them, an important starting position for sharing one’s Christian faith. Waskow continues:

And I respected his going out of his way to affirm that he spoke in Jesus’ name not as if Jesus were the self-evidently, universally accepted God Incarnate, but rather explicitly that Jesus is the aspect of God that Warren himself feels called by.

The full article also discusses the great benediction given by Rev. Lowry and notes that it contained lines from “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” something I immediately caught, but many on air commentators apparently did not. As I have indicated in an earlier post, I was enthralled with Lowry’s benediction, and though I often disagree with Warren, I was impressed with his thoughtful faithfulness in this case.

The full article is at: http://www.sojo.net/blog/godspolitics/2009/01/22/gods-inaugural-spokespersons/.

Looking at that last post, I realize that it may not be particularly obvious that the new website is up.

Our redesigned website is now up and running. Unfortunately, if you bookmarked or made a favorite out of the old home page you get an error message that reads as follows:

You 404’d it. Gnarly, dude.

Surfin’ ain’t easy, and right now, you’re lost at sea. No worries, though—simply pick an option from the list below, and you’ll be back out riding the waves of the Internet in no time.

* Hit the “back” button on your browser. It’s perfect for situations like this!
* Head on over to the home page.
* Punt.

The wording of this error page doesn’t match the rest of the site and I’m trying to change it. In the meantime just click on the “HOME” tab in the top left hand corner and reset your bookmark or favorite.

Update: My first attempt to change the page made it worse and the second made no discernible difference. For the time being, I’m just going to have to content myself that the page goes with our “Surf’s Up” 2008 VBS theme.

From the New York Times:

One of Mr. Obama’s orders requires the C.I.A. to use only the 19 interrogation methods outlined in the Army Field Manual, ending President Bush’s policy of permitting the agency to use some secret methods that went beyond those allowed for military interrogators.

My Christian conscience feels better already. The whole article is available at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/us/politics/23GITMOCND.html?_r=1&hp.

The new baptismal font Tracy and Iris Alban made for the sanctuary, photographed in Tracy’s workshop. A new pulpit and new altar table are in process.

Jenny’s sermon from this past Sunday, “Listening to the God Who Knows Us,” is available for download on the sermons page of the church website at: http://www.coffeyvillefirstumc.org/Sermons.html.

From United Methodist News Service:

Two United Methodist veterans of the civil rights movement were invited to share the inaugural platform on Jan. 20 when Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States.

The Rev. Joseph Lowery, 87, gave the benediction after President Obama’s inaugural address. Dorothy Height, 96, was also invited to be among the special guests. Both had worked alongside the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., whose birthday was celebrated a day earlier.

The full article is here: http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2429867&ct=6637097&tr=y&auid=4425137

United Methodist News Service has video of Rev. Joseph Lowery’s benediction here: http://media.umcom.org/umns/_2009/20090120_inauguration/rev_lowery_inaguration.asx

We’re getting pretty close to bringing the church’s redesigned website online. We’re not there yet, but you can get a sneak peak at http://blog.coffeyvillefirstumc.org. Let me know what you think.

“In the year that King Uzziah Died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple” (Isaiah 6.1, NRSV). So begins the account of the call of the prophet Isaiah. King Uzziah had been a popular, successful king, and his death provoked anxiety about Judah’s (the southern kingdom if Israel) future. So it was probably not a coincidence that it was at this time of anxiety that Isaiah had his vision of the real King of Israel, the Lord of Hosts. Of course, the Lord of Hosts ruled not only Judah but the whole world and that still holds true today. I don’t want to pour cold water on inaugural celebrations, but it’s important for us, as Christians, to remember that presidents come and go, the Lord, the true king, abides.

*Please note that I was telling my congregations the same thing eight years ago when George W. Bush was inaugurated.

The church purchased a new digital recorder that produces great quality recordings and we’re gearing up to produce copies of the sermon on CD (Compact Disc). If you know someone who can’t make it to worship but would like still like to hear the sermon please let us know. We’re willing and able to provide inexpensive CD players.

Just a reminder that the church office will be closed tomorrow in honor of Martin Luther King Day.

We had 14 kids and numerous parents at this afternoon’s VeggieTales Movie Event. That came after having 10 kids in the Children’s and Youth Sunday School Classes this morning. I just got home and I originally went over to church at about 7:10 this morning. I’m blessed to have a job I love.