Creator God,
you created us a little lower than the angels,
but elevated in your love.
Bless us with your presence,
your whole presence:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
so that we may experience the full measure of your grace.
Sustain us with your Spirit.
Redeem us through your Son
Guide us by the Father.
In the strong name of the triune God,
we pray, Amen.
Alan R. Rudnick (c)
Feel free to use this prayer, but please give credit.
Trinity Sunday A
As I write this blog post I’m traveling on a plane heading to 37,000 feet and living in fear. I wonder when I will become dizzy, experience vertigo, pass out, lose my breakfast, or if my head is going to explode. Gross, I know. I have never been a woozy air traveler, but everything just changed.
After waking up one morning last week with maddening ringing in my head and unable to hear in one ear, I found myself sitting in a doctor’s office. “Well, we don’t know what you have but we have some good ideas. We need to run some more tests. Until then, I would not recommend loud places or air travel.” My doctor said.
Gulp. “I have to fly next week and I’m leaving the country the week after that.” I said. The doctor rolled his eyes and asked, “Do you have to fly?”
As I sat and listened to the extended directions on medications, tests, dangers of flying, and theories into sensory hearing loss from my physician, I could not help but think of the sermon I just preached to my congregation:
Many in the religious right have been running for the hills because this “godless” nation has become too secular. The rhetoric of our nation’s direction is flawed by the growth of atheists and secularists is over played. It seems a recent Gallup study confirmed what has simply is unknown to many: We are still a religious nation. More than 9 in 10 Americans still say “yes” when asked the basic question “Do you believe in God?” Perhaps even more encouraging is that 84% of 18-29 year-old segment and 94% of 30-49 year-old segment answered in the affirmative.
And this is not a statistical bump, but historically, since 1943, the vast majority of Americans believe in “God”.
It would seem that we are still a religious nation, but obviously church leaders want to know how many of those 90 plus percent are Christian. Logically, many ask the question, “If we are such a God-believing country, then why is church attendance so low?”
This end of the world/rapture business is getting out of hand. I was interviewed on News Channel 10 on Thursday about why the world will not end. I can’t believe a guy like Harold Camping and his crazy predictions make news. CNN followed his crusade and I think they are helping it be news worthy.
If you want to know why the world is going to end, here is the back story from my March 6, 2011 Times Union blog post.
If you believe it’s true, you better get ready! The rapture is happening soon! Get your dogs and cats a place to stay!
There are a lot people getting into this rapture business. So ‘d thought I’d help with a little guide for the end of the world on May 21, 2011:
In a recent Q & A for his upcoming film, The Tree of Life, Brad Pitt said:
“I grew up with Christianity, and I remember questioning greatly some things that didn’t work for me, [and] some things did…I grew up being told that God’s gonna take care of everything and it doesn’t always work out that way, and when it doesn’t work out that way, then it’s God’s will. I got my issues man, don’t even get me started…I got my issues… Many people find religion to be something inspiring. . . . I myself find it very stifling as an individual.”
Clearly, this preaching/teaching that Brad Pitt received was way off base. If his perception of Christianity is about “God’s gonna take care of everything” then his church, parents, and pastor failed him. Has anyone listened to his issues? Or, have people just preach “at” him?
Is this why Christianity is failing people? Is the wrong message being communicated? Does no one want to listen? No one wants to listen to other people’s struggles?
If Brad Pitt has issues with this type of Christianity, then I do too.
Is God still dead in Europe? In the past few decades, report have shown that church attendance and membership are in steep decline in Europe. However, last year a report confirmed stable church attendance among United Kingdom churches. Now, the Church of England reports that attendance in cathedrals is up by 7% this year.
Is this just a Royal Wedding bump?
Not likely. (The Royal Wedding was only a few weeks ago and Westminster Abbey is not a cathedral.) Certainly, excitement around the royal wedding and the televised wedding service could spark some people to get to church Sunday morning. However, it is unlikely the Royal Wedding will encourage a large increase in church attendance.
The Religion News Service reports that Rev. Lynda Barley, head of research and statistics of the Archbishops’ Council, said that non-Sunday church attendance was up 10% in 2010, and “steady growth” in the past decade.
Are traditional churches heading back from the bottom of decline? Continue Reading…
Prayer for Good Friday
O Christ, your life was no triumph, you carried a cross; may we walk along the same road as you.
O Christ, by your suffering you learned faithfulness; you became a source of eternal salvation for the whole human race.
O Christ, when threatened you did not retaliate; enable us to forgive to the very end.
O Christ, you see the pain of those who are exiled and abandoned; take their suffering upon yourself.
O Christ, when lies and worries try to separate us from you, your Holy Spirit is always with us.
O Christ, you are the happiness of those who follow you: enable us to live by your trust.
O Christ, our life is hidden with you in God; that is a joy that touches the depths of the soul.
Strengthen us, Eternal God, and we will wait in silence and peace until the light of the Resurrection rises upon us. Amen.
Prayer from Taize
Is Hell dead? Rob Bell’s new book, Love Wins has generated a lot of chatter, fear, and public comments around the idea that Hell doesn’t exist. Time Magazine picked up the story and it landed on the front cover. Many believe his book is heretical and goes against traditional Christian theology on issues like heaven, hell, and salvation. Bell is pretty clear about his theology, which he explained to his church.
This week, The Barna Group, a religious researching outfit, released a study on people’s understanding of heaven and hell. Since about 75% of this country identifies themselves as “Christian” you would think there would be a strong unifying understanding about what Christians believe about how one “gets” to heaven.
The study found some surprising beliefs of this “Christian nation”: Continue Reading…
This past Palm Sunday kicked off a week, to most Christians, that represents an important time in the life of the Church: Holy Week. The week before Easter is a special time in which Christians remember the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Is this week holier than all others? Well, yes and no.
Timothy George, dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University and an executive editor of Christianity Today, helps us understand this week in light of its “holiness”:
Since the government didn’t shut down, all of us are required to send in our tax returns by April 18 (or file an extension). As much as I don’t really like paying more and more tax (who does?) every year I pray that I don’t own more. Usually, I over pay in fear of under paying, so I usually get a refund.
Recently, I came across Shane Claiborne‘s “Letter to the IRS“. For those of you you do not know Shane, he is a fellow Eastern University alum, one of founders of The Simple Way in Philadelphia, a best-selling author, non-violent activist, and speaks on a variety of issues within Christianity.
For Shane, he believes in non-violent protest against injustice. So is the case with taxes. Shane wrote the IRS:
As the 2012 presidential race heats up, many would-be candidates are launching and engaging in some serious presidential talk. Mitt Romney just announced that he formed an exploratory committee. Fox News contributor, Mike Huckabee is making the rounds and giving his thoughts on traditional presidential debate topics. Now, millionaire and reality TV show host, Donald Trump is testing the presidential waters.
Recently, Donald Trump sat down with Christian Broadcasting Network’s (CBN) David Brody and brought up something that he rarely talks about: his religion.
In this exclusive interview, Trump talks about his relationship with God, the church, the bible, being a Presbyterian, and his commitment to attending church.
Trump said: Continue Reading…
Feeling stressed out? Burned out? Or just down? Your iPhone can help you with that because… there’s an app for that. You can now download the “Holy Roller” app that finds encouraging scripture. The app profile says, “The Holy Roller is the best way to find the Biblical guidance to your everyday ups and downs. Simply scroll the Holy Roller to find what you are feeling, hit next or shake your iPhone, and your scripture will appear.”
The United Methodist Report describes the app:
Users start by accessing one of two lists: “Burdens” such as frustration, worry or doubt, or “Blessings,” such as friendship, family or health.
By tapping on the topic, the user receives one or more relevant Bible verses. For example, if the burden is “Frustration,” Hebrews 10:36 pops up on the screen: “For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” Or, if you’re looking for the blessing of “Inner Peace,” a few taps on the screen will take the user to Psalm 23: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Apparently, this $2 app is popular. Over 1,000 downloads already at the iTunes store.
REMEMBER: All this week you can enter to win two free books.
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