Can't keep going to my church as is, so its time to change it.

[Sentath]

Hopefully that will mean getting involved and talking to people and getting it to where the pastor isn't saying some of the mindbendingly prejudiced against liberals things I've heard in the past few months.

Sadly it may mean something less graceful if I'm not careful and spirit led.

So, I'm here to ask for help and to 'blog' / diary my return to Sunday morning classes and my attempts to make liberal less of a code word for anti christian forces.

Hold me in the light and offer suggestions freely, I'll find out as much as I can about the texts before I go back next Sunday and I'll surely have excerpts next week.

Sentath

[democrat2thecore]

1. Think EMERGENT

www.emergentvillage.com

www.brianmclaren.net

I'll be glad to talk to you further. You're doing the right thing!

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Good luck! *hugs*

[Sentath]

3. materials

http://store.yahoo.com/biblestudies/roexmaofso.html

Seems pretty innocuous to me.

I have mental notes, but they need more organizing.

[RevCheesehead]

4. I wish you lived near me - you'd like my little country church!

They are the most loving people, and most are pretty liberal. But the best part is how everyone cares for one another, and enjoys life.

There IS a church out there, waiting for you. Blessings!

Ruth

[Sentath]

5. This week's sermon

(Pre script: Sorry about the lack of posts, I'm having a terrible time making it to Sunday School. Late to my own funeral, thats me.)

Was about .. Uhm .. I don't really remember a unifying theme. I do remember 3 items. First, that last Friday was the annual pilgrimage to watch the KC production of Dickens' 'A Christmas Tale' and that he mentioned how awful it was that there might have been protesters outside picketing this wonderful story about how Jesus can change a person's heart. Problem is that I don't remember Him getting any mention in that story.

Second that our preacher would love to have property next to city hall so that he could have a HUGE creche (didn't use that word) and shove it up everyone's nose.

And third that the new Golden Compass movie is terrible, but nothing to get upset about, 'cause the author will have to speak to God about this silly impossible plan to get rid of Him.

And I have to say that I am So Tired of 'the war on Christmas' that I'm ready to sign up. It seems to me that its being used as a fine tuned strategy to get the Christian majority to oppress everything else.

E.T.A That I will be taking my traditional 1-2 week break to let the fresh cedar boughs stop trying to kill my sinuses.

[theredpen]

6. I think the theme of the sermon was "Painful Irony"

First, that last Friday was the annual pilgrimage to watch the KC production of Dickens' 'A Christmas Tale' and that he mentioned how awful it was that there might have been protesters outside picketing this wonderful story about how Jesus can change a person's heart. Problem is that I don't remember Him getting any mention in that story.

Dickens was steeped in Victorian ideals including that there is "brotherhood of man" that exists outside of any specific belief system. A motto for this was "faith unites, religion divides." Christmas is a fixture on the British calendar and so there's nothing particularly "Christian" about "A Christmas Carol" any more than the Dr. Who Christmas specials are Christian in nature (I don't remember killer robots dressed as Santa Claus being mentioned in the New Testament).

And third that the new Golden Compass movie is terrible, but nothing to get upset about, 'cause the author will have to speak to God about this silly impossible plan to get rid of Him.

The author, Philip Pullman, is an outspoken atheist, and there are bad guys in the story who use god-talk to "god wash" their malicious actions. Skepticism of people whose piousness is conveniently public is something that's more important for believers than unbelievers... unless you're an extremist. That Bill Donohue of the Catholic League Plague is spearheading the campaign against this film suggests to me that it's going to be great.

Good luck in finding a better church! There's gotta be one out there!

[Sentath]

7. Thank You. for this reply

It has lightened my mood considerably, and kept me laughing.

That Bill Donohue opposes something is indeed a fair recommendation for it.

I still think its a fair church, just an awful fit for me.