Christmas Card

Christmas at Our House

We're having a wonderful day with our family. Everybody is here except for Jack and Meg who are in Austin, TX. Jack called so we got a chance to talk to him too.

This morning Søren (grandson #1) read the Christmas story. Then we opened presents and after that enjoyed homemade cinnamon rolls and Wedding Egg-Bake (we renamed this gourmet dish after serving it at Page and Sara's wedding in September).

We've set a new record in Minnesota for the snowiest December, breaking the record set back in 1969, so not much to do outside. This afternoon we played games, listened to music, and relaxed. Snacked on Christmas goodies, pickled herring, crackers, cheeses, and braunschweiger.

The kitchen is hopping right now with preparations for a feast. I'm reviewing sermon stuff for Sunday services tomorrow. Maybe we'll watch a movie later tonight.

Merry Christmas from our house to yours.

Emmanuel - God with Us!

This was the first sound in the living room this morning. I've been hearing this on Christmas morning since my childhood. Ancient hymns, choral music, and quiet worship have a deep and permanent place in my soul. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Hark the Herald Angels Tweet!

Flesh & Blood: Empathy

Each week of my Advent teaching series, I'm exploring biblical answers to the question of why incarnation is central to God's plan to redeem humankind.

Last Sunday I preached Part 2: "To Be Known By Us" based on John 1:18. On Sunday, December 12, I'll be preaching Part 3: "To Empathize with Our Weakness" based on Hebrews 4:15.

I hope you can join us for one of our services at Valley Christian Church. If not, remember that you can download or listen to podcasts of the sermons.

The Bible, Jesus, & History

Yesterday, I came across these excerpts from an interview with biblical scholar, Ben Witherington III. The guy doing the interview is a little hard to take, but I thought I'd post the clips for two reasons. First, Ben's remarks are very interesting and accessible. Second, for those of you not familiar with Dr. Witherington, this might be a nice introduction.

Dr. Witherington is Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore, Kentucky) and on the doctoral faculty at St. Andrews University in Scotland. You can find out more about him, his books, and his blog at www.benwitherington.com.

Jesus and History from CPX on Vimeo.

Jesus and Wisdom from CPX on Vimeo.

200 Years of Stats in 4 Minutes

I ran across this remarkable animation of global health statistics today. Useful, understandable, and very creative. I love this kind of teaching and communication.

Flesh & Blood: Keeping Promises

Sunday, November 28th, is the first Sunday of Advent. I'll be presenting the first part of my new teaching series, Flesh & Blood. Each week I'll be considering a different answer to the question, "Why would God become one of us?"

This week I'm starting with Mary's words from Luke 1:54-55, "He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”

What promises of God make it necessary for God to enter humankind and become flesh and blood?

FLESH & BLOOD • Part 1
To Keep His Promise
Luke 1:54-55; Genesis 3:15

O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee to-night.

Why Would God Become One of Us?

November 28th is the first Sunday of Advent. Christmas will be less than a month away! I'm looking forward to my new Sunday teaching series at Valley Christian Church. If you live in the area, I hope you'll be able to join us at one of our Sunday services. You can also find sermon sketches and podcasts online.

Click on image for full-size view.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Psalm 100
^{1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.}

Scarecrow on Fire

My son, Page Burkum, will be playing with the House of Mercy Band in Scarecrow on Fire this Thanksgiving Weekend at the Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul. Performances are Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday afternoon. I'll be at the Saturday night show.

As part of the Fitzgerald Theater’s Centennial Season Minnesota Public Radio has commissioned a new theater piece from storyteller Kevin Kling and Theater Latté Da director Peter Rothstein; “Scarecrow on Fire” will premiere at the Fitzgerald Theater on Friday, November 26th at 8:00 p.m., Saturday, November 27th at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, November, 28th at 2:00 p.m.

The show will be a hilarious, heartfelt, and sometimes haunting set of tales rekindling the trilogy of Brains, Heart and Courage. It's the Oz story picked up by Kevin Kling where the original tale left off, and told with music, theatrics and a backdrop of silent-era Oz movies. The audience will reunite with Dorothy at points in her life as her Oz friends stay in touch over the decades.

Tickets are available for $25.00. There will be an additional $2.50 facility fee added to the price of each ticket. Minnesota Public Radio members receive a discount.

Lewis, Kennedy, Huxley - d. November 22, 1963

Did you know that C. S. Lewis, JFK, and Aldous Huxley all died within a few hours of each other on November 22, 1963?

Peter Kreeft has a wonderful little book that imagines a Socratic conversation among the three after they have crossed the threshold of death. Kennedy speaks from a modern humanist perspective, Lewis as a Christian theist, and Huxley as an advocate of Eastern pantheism.

C. S. Lewis—one week shy of his 65th birthday—collapsed and died at 5:30 PM (GMT) at his residence at The Kilns, outside Oxford, England.

Two hours later, U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, TX, pronounced dead at 1:21 PM (CST). He was only 46 years old.

Exactly six hours later, Aldous Huxley, the English writer and author of Brave New World, died at 5:21 PM (PST) in Los Angeles. He was 69.

Book Recommendation:
Between Heaven and Hell: A Dialog Somewhere Beyond Death with John F. Kennedy, C. S. Lewis & Aldous Huxley
by Peter Kreeft

Greg Boyd - Christianity vs. Contantinianism

Do you know the difference between Christianity and Christendom? Is your Jesus a general or a servant? Here's a helpful video clip of Greg Boyd teaching about the Constantinian perversion of Christianity.

Cactus Blossoms on MPR

Several friends contacted me this morning saying they heard the Cactus Blossoms (my sons, Page and Jack) on Minnesota Public Radio. After a little digging I discovered they were featured on the Art Hounds segment from MPR's State of the Arts Blog.

St. Paul musician Peter Karman isn't shy about heaping praise on his favorite group in the world right now, the Cactus Blossoms. Peter says the brotherly duo incorporates exquisite Louvin Brother-style harmonies in its original songs and resurrects the sound of 1950s AM radio.

The boys will be playing at the 331 Club during happy hour on Monday, November 8th, 6:00-7:00pm. It's a nice opportunity to hear them without having to stay out late. Glen Hanson and the Roe Family Singers are also playing later that night.

THIS JUST IN:
The Cactus Blossoms will also be playing a free show with Pop Wagner and his brother Bodie on Sunday night, November 8th, 8:00-10:00pm at The Celtic Junction, 836 Prior Avenue,St. Paul MN 55104. That should be a really fun show!