Thursday Thinking - Religion & Same-Sex Marriage

The CNN Opinion Page has a helpful piece by Marc D. Stern that strikes a good balance between religious and civil liberties. Stern is general counsel of the American Jewish Committee and a contributor to the book, Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Liberty. In the CNN piece, he highlights several important factors that the American public must keep in mind as the Supreme Court gives careful consideration to same-sex marriage.

Stern points out that we should expect the debate over same-sex marriage to have a strong religious component, but government should not further one religious view over another on gay marriage. Even so, he says, we must be careful to not minimize the ways same-sex marriage will inevitably challenge religious freedoms and practice. For instance, would religious colleges be required to provide housing to same-sex couples? Stern rightly accepts that religious views and practices should not violate civil rights, but cautions that care must also be taken to ensure that individual freedoms do not infringe or erode religious liberties.

The U.S. Supreme Court has not been asked -- nor could it possibly answer -- the question of what God or the Bible thinks about same-sex marriage. Religious groups are divided on that question, some supporting and others opposing same-sex marriage. And even if the religious viewpoint were clear, it should play no direct role in deciding whether the Constitution requires the states or the federal government to recognize same-sex marriage. Our government should not act to further one or another religious view of contested moral issues.

- - -

Same-sex couples should not be denied the right to civil marriage; that is the immediate issue in the cases now before the Supreme Court. And when that right is secured, same-sex couples should not, without very good reason, be allowed to force dissenting religious organizations to recognize or facilitate their marriages.

READ THE ENTIRE PIECE

Wednesday Words - Holy Saturday Prayer & Poem

Prayer for Holy Saturday
O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
from the Book of Common Prayer

On the Seventh Day
On the seventh day God rested
in the darkness of the tomb;
Having finished on the sixth day
all his work of joy and doom.

Now the word had fallen silent,
and the water had run dry,
The bread had all been scattered,
and the light had left the sky.

The flock had lost its shepherd,
and the seed was sadly sown,
The courtiers had betrayed their king,
and nailed him to his throne.

O Sabbath rest by Calvary,
O calm of tomb below,
Where the grave-clothes and the spices
cradle him we did not know!

Rest you well, beloved Jesus,
Caesar's Lord and Israel's King,
In the brooding of the Spirit,
in the darkness of the spring.

by N. T. Wright from Easter Oratorio Libretto

Tuesday Tome - Jayber Crow Again

My wife is currently re-reading Wendell Berry's wonderful novel, Jayber Crow. Making her way through the book once again, she has been reminded of so many beautiful and thought-provoking passages. She reads some of these aloud to me, making it inevitable that I too will soon be revisiting the little village of the Port William Membership, probably this summer.

Here are a few examples of the pure gold to be gleaned from the pages of this story written by this humble village barber, whose hands remember the shape of so many heads, and whose insights reflect the wisdom gained from the quiet observation of so many lives.

This , I thought, is what is meant by ‘thy will be done’ in the Lord’sPrayer, which I had prayed time and again without thinking about it. It means that your will and God’s will may not be the same. It means there’s a good possibility that you won’t get what you pray for. It means that in spite of your prayers you are going to suffer. It means you may be crucified….But now I was unsure what it would be proper to pray for, or how to pray for it. After you have said, ‘thy will be done,’ what more can be said? And where do you find the strength to pray ‘thy will be done ’after you see what it means?” (p 51)

“By then I wasn’t just asking questions; I was being changed by them.” (p52)“If I was freer than I had ever been in my life, I was not yet entirely free,for I still hung on to an idea that had been set deep in me by all my schooling so far: I was a bright boy and I ought to make something out of myself…something else that would be a cut or two above my humble origins.” (p. 56)“I prayed like a man walking in a forest at night, feeling his way with his hands, at each step fearing to fall into pure bottomlessness forever.Prayer is like lying awake at night, afraid, with your head under the cover, hearing only the beating of your own heart. It is like a bird that has blundered down the flue and is caught indoors and flutters at the windowpanes. It is like standing a long time on a cold day, knocking at a shut door.” (p 253)

“I could see no escape. We [humans] are too tightly tangled together to be able to separate ourselves from one another either by good or by evil.We all are involved in all and any good, and in all and any evil. For any sin, we all suffer. That is why our suffering is endless. It is why God grieves and Christ’s wounds still are bleeding.” (p 295)

Monday Music - Virtual Choir Performance

This is pretty cool. A live choir performance that incorporates participation from an additional thirty singers who perform via Skype from thirty different countries.

Sunday Supplication - Everlasting and Faithful

O God, you are everlasting and always faithful.

We thank you for the grace and love you have proven to us by sending Son our Savior Jesus Christ into the world. He emptied himself, and he became one of us, and he suffered death upon the cross in order to free us from the penalty and the prison of sin.

Give us humble and thankful hearts. Help us to walk in his ways and to live by the power of his resurrection. Show us how to act, think, and live as Christ.  And as you have forgiven us, make us merciful and ready to forgive those who have sinned against us.

Holy Father, though life is difficult and demanding, you are attentive and faithful. Though the world is entangled in the lie that everything is meaningless, you give us meaning, purpose, and hope.

Thank you for the salvation, the strength, and the stability you give through Jesus. It’s in his name we pray. Amen.

Saturday Smile - Vote for Spring

If you have had enough cold and snow, please raise your hand!

Friday Family - LEAGUES AT TEN

Congratulations to my son, Tyler, and bandmates. Their band, LEAGUES, made #10 on Paste Magazines list of top 25 shows at this year's SXSW.

LEAGUES has that indefinable “it”—the magic when a group of musicians gets together and the result sounds like nothing any of them have played before. Ditching his guitar and his country twang, Cockrell is free to sing and dance with newfound swagger. But none of it would matter if it weren’t for a collection of fantastic songs that seem crafted for the arena stage.

CLICK HERE TO SEE ENTIRE LIST @PASTE

CLICK HERE TO VISIT LEAGUES WEBSITE

Thursday Thinking - Perspectives on Guns

I've listened to three parts of this series so far and have learned something interesting in each program. I thought it might be good to pass along the link to the series page for those of you who, like me, are trying to think through gun problems and policy in America.

Special Series on NPR: All Things Considered -
Guns in America: A Loaded Relationship
All this week on the program, we're going to be talking about guns. Last December's mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut revived a vigorous debate about gun laws and what can be done to reduce gun violence in this country. This week, we'll have stories about how doctors are responding to the violence. Their primary concern is suicide. And we'll also examine gun culture in Switzerland, where gun ownership is high and violence by firearms has remained relatively low.

CLICK HERE for Series Audio Files and Transcripts

Wednesday Words - Lenten Selections, Week 5

From the Book of Common Prayer:
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Bread of the World, In Mercy Broken

Bread of the world, in mercy broken,
Wine of the soul, in mercy shed,
By Whom the words of life were spoken,
And in Whose death our sins are dead.

Look on the heart by sorrow broken,
Look on the tears by sinners shed;
And be Thy feast to us the token,
That by Thy grace our souls are fed.

Reginald Heber (1783-1826)

Tuesday Tomes - Two New Book Clubs

Two new book clubs are on the way at Valley Christian Church, one of them in our Christian History track and the other in our Christian Living track. Each book club will meet three times. CLICK HERE to let me know if you'd like to participate.

The Rise of Christianity
by Rodney Stark

Writing from the perspective of social science while drawing upon historical evidence and his insight into contemporary religion's appeal, Stark looks for possible explanations for how the marginal Jesus Movement of the first century became the dominant religious force in the western world within a few centuries.

Book Club Schedule:
    Session 1: April 30, 8:00pm -          
    Preface through Chapter 3 (p. 72)
 
    Session 2: May 14, 8:00pm - -    
    Chapters 4 through 6  (pp. 73-146)

    Session 3: May 28, 8:00pm -    
    Chapters 7 through 10 (pp. 147-216)

A limited number of copies of this book selection will be available at the church office and resource center for $11.00.  CLICK HERE to purchase at Amazon.

Becoming a True Spiritual Community
by Larry Crabb

In today's frenetic society, people spend their lives essentially disconnected from others, rushing through life content with brief visits and casual conversations. But what if one had a spiritual community of people who walked with and supported each other through life's journey? Larry Crabb explores how God can heal disconnected people and allow them to reconnect with each other and, ultimately, with Him.

Book Club Schedule:
    Session 1: April 30, 6:30pm -          
    Preface through Chapter 3 (p. 72)
 
    Session 2: May 14, 6:30pm - -    
    Chapters 4 through 6  (pp. 73-146)

    Session 3: May 28, 6:30pm -    
    Chapters 7 through 10 (pp. 147-216)

A limited number of copies of this book selection will be available at the church office and resource center for $11.00. CLICK HERE to purchase at Amazon.

Monday Music - Kimbra

Amazing performance by Kimbra! I hope she comes to the Twin Cities sometime so I get the chance to see a live performance.

Sunday Supplication - Our Wills and Desires

Almighty God, we come to you today asking you to help us to submit our wills and our desires to Yours.

Help us to live stable lives with your direction and wisdom. Help us to love your commands and to delight in your promises as we face the challenges and changes all around us. Give us your joy and peace in every circumstance.

Forgive us our sins, O God. Lead us away from temptation. You are so faithful to forgive and restore those who have sinned against you. Help us to be faithful to forgive and restore those who sin against us.

O God, give us the eyes to see your goodness, and the minds to remember your faithfulness to your people throughout history. Give us hearts that are ready to worship you all day every day, and voices that are quick to sing your praise.

Through Christ, we pray. Amen

Saturday Smile - Eleven Amazing Bookshelves

I love books, and creative bookshelves make me smile.

CLICK HERE to see ten other amazing bookshelves.

Friday Food - Chicken, Potatoes, and Onions

This recipe from CLEAN & DELICIOUS looks like a great. I'm going to try a version of it with cut-up chunks of chicken breast and small potatoes from Trader Joes.



Ingredients
1 cut-up chicken (3 to 3 1/2 pounds)
1 pound small potatoes, halved (quartered if large)
1 large onion, cut into eighths
1 head garlic, cloves separated and left unpeeled
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely minced (you need about 1 tsp.)
1 lemon, quartered
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and ground pepper

Directions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Arrange chicken skin side up, potatoes, onions, garlic, and lemon in a 12x16-inch, glass, roasting pan.
- Season chicken and veggies with rosemary, salt and pepper.
- Whisk together oil, vinegar and a little salt and pepper and drizzle over the chicken and veggies.
- Cook for 50 minutes or until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Enjoy!
- Serves 6.

Nutritional Analysis
Nutrients per 1/6th of the recipe: Calories: 285; Total Fat: 20g; Saturated Fat: 4.3g; Cholesterol: 53mg; Carbohydrate: 14.8g; Dietary Fiber: 1.8g; Sugars: 4.2g; Protein: 14g