Rev. Dave's Raves

The Olympics: Gold Medalist Joey Cheek barred from Olympics

2008-08-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

(it's not for doping)
From an article by Liz Clarke and Amy Shipley
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, August 6, 2008; 9:58 AM

The Chinese government on Tuesday revoked the visa of 2006 Olympic gold medalist Joey Cheek, effectively barring the speedskating champion and social activist from attending the 2008 Beijing Games.

A North Carolina native and Princeton undergraduate, Cheek emerged as an unlikely hero of the 2006 Turin Games after winning speedskating gold and silver medals. But what endeared Cheek to his fellow Olympians and many followers of the Games was his decision to donate his $40,000 bonus from the USOC to Right to Play, an organization founded to use sports as a platform to help needy children in Sudan.

Cheek challenged fellow Olympians to do the same, and more than $1 million was raised. The U.S. delegation honored him by selecting him to carry the U.S. flag during the closing ceremonies in Turin.

He was also honored by the USOC as its Sportsman of the Year, and he was among the Winter Olympians invited to the White House in May 2006, hailed during the visit by President Bush as "a wonderful example for us all."

Following his retirement from competitive speedskating, Cheek co-founded Team Darfur, an organization designed to draw attention to the plight of children in the troubled region. In speeches, appearances and commentary to promote the organization, Cheek was careful not to advocate a boycott of the 2008 Games or the violation of any IOC rules.

Cheek planned to attend the Games to support members of Team Darfur and attend several events to which he had been invited. He said he had been asked to be a member of a panel discussion on sports conflict resolution by the Olympic Alumni Association.

Read more

Outspoken '06 Medalist Cheek Has Visa Revoked
Washington Post - 26 minutes ago
By Liz Clarke and Amy Shipley BEIJING, Aug. 6 -- The Chinese government on Tuesday revoked the visa of 2006 Olympic gold medalist Joey Cheek, effectively barring the speedskating champion and social activist from attending the 2008 Beijing Games.
China Defends Right to Deny Activists' Visas New York Times
China bars speedskater who formed Darfur group Minneapolis Star Tribune
Boston Globe - The Associated Press - Voice of America - San Jose Mercury News
all 404 news articles »

Wall Street Journal

Christianity in China: Is Christianity Transforming China?

2008-07-11T07:30:00.001-07:00

There is a lot of focus on China this summer, with the Olympics coming. Here is a link to a recent TV show on PBS about the church of Jesus Christ in China. There is one officially recognized and approved denomination. But, there are still underground churches that are experimenting with going public. You can view the whole show online. http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/china_705/

General Assembly Actions

2008-07-11T07:19:00.001-07:00

Assembly leaves definition of marriage unchanged
Approves civil rights for same-sex couples, gracious response to churches leaving

Definition of marriage
Item 04-08, which generated the most discussion of the evening, was an overture to change the definition of marriage in W-4.9000 of the Directory for Worship to include same-sex couples. The committee recommended disapproval of this overture, and the Assembly agreed after defeating a substitute motion.

the motion to disapprove the overture to change the definition of marriage passed with a vote of 540-161-3. The definition of marriage in the Directory for Worship will remain the same.

And how do we define marriage? W-4.9000 says this:
Marriage is a gift God has given to all humankind for the wellbeing of the entire human family. Marriage is a civil contract between a woman and a man. For Christians marriage is a covenant through which a man and a woman are called to live out together before God their lives of discipleship. In a service of Christian marriage a lifelong commitment is made by a woman and a man to each other, publicly witnessed and acknowledged by the community of faith.

Civil rights for same-sex couples
The committee brought a recommendation to the Assembly to approve urging civil rights for same-sex couples and the appointment of a special committee to study the issue. This overture was approved 516-151-13.

Gracious response to churches leaving
The Assembly also considered a Commissioner Resolution that urges a gracious, pastoral response to churches wanting to leave the PC(USA). In commenting on the resolution, Minister commissioner the Rev. Robert Austell of Charlotte Presbytery observed that the resolution intends to underscore that "we are more interested in shepherding the ship with grace than with litigation." Item 04-28 was approved with a vote of 519-157-8.

http://www.pcusa.org/ga218/news/ga08138.htm

And then, on the other side of the gay and lesbian issue...

Assembly proposes amendment to delete G-6.0106b and replace it with a new version

The 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted today (June 27) 380-325 to send a proposed amendment to the denomination's 173 presbyteries that would delete the current paragraph G-6.0106b in the Book of Order which requires church officers to live in "fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness"and replace it with a new G-6.0106b.

The proposed new G-6.0106b ties ordination decisions more closely to assent to the ordination vows currently in the church's Book of Order without singling out a sexual conduct standard.

In the same action, the Assembly issued a new authoritative interpretation of the Book of Order declaring that interpretive statements related to sexual standards for ordination that predate the adoption of G-6.0106b in 1996 "have no further force or effect."

The Advisory Committee on the Constitution has repeatedly said that clearing the way for ordination of sexually active gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Presbyterians requires the deletion of G-6.0106b and the removal of the authoritative interpretations that undergirded Assembly policy statements of 1978 and 1979 prohibiting the ordination of practicing homosexuals.

http://www.pcusa.org/ga218/news/ga08131.htm

News Reports: Presbyterian assembly votes to drop gay clergy ban

2008-06-27T16:18:00.001-07:00

Our denomination's national meeting, General Assembly is taking place this week, through June 28. Most of the work, in committees and plenary sessions, is not interesting. But, the work done regarding sexuality is making the news.

Below is the beginning of a fairly thorough story from the AP. I encourage you to read it, since TV reports will be brief summaries and may convey the wrong impression.

The important thing to understand is that the the G.A. did not, and cannot change the Book of Order's ordination standards. They are, however, making that recommendation to the presbyteries for their approval. This has been done twice before, 1997 and 2001, and the presbyteries have not approved the recommendation.

The process is similar to our national government. Any change to the U.S. constitution must pass the House and Senate and then be ratified by the states (remember the ERA?). 2/3 of the states must approve it in order to amend the constitution. In the case of changes to the Presbyterian Book of Order, a simple majority of the presbyteries must approve the change.

Here's a news story on the headline:

Presbyterian assembly votes to drop gay clergy ban
By ERIC GORSKI 38 minutes ago

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), bitterly divided over sexuality and the Bible, set up another confrontation Friday over its ban on ordaining non-celibate gays and lesbians.

The denomination's General Assembly, meeting in San Jose, Calif., voted 54 percent to 46 percent Friday to drop the requirement that would-be ministers, deacons and elders live in "fidelity within the covenant of marriage between and a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness."

The proposed change to the church constitution requires approval from a majority the nation's 173 presbyteries, or regional church bodies a yearlong process that has proven to be a barrier to similar efforts in the past.

Read the entire article here:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jS1udR4uiYj1j7mjonL9JV4BoVoQD91IMBBG0

Hopefully, our PCUSA website will have a thorough news story up soon. You will find it here: http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/
or here: http://www.pcusa.org/ga218/news.htm

As always, your comments are welcome and anticipated.

Your Religion and Moral/Political Issues

2008-06-24T10:52:00.001-07:00

How does your religion or denomination affect your views on moral/political issues? It depends less on your affiliation and more on how intensely you adhere to your beliefs. That's one conclusion of a Pew study on religion and politics. A story was published in the June 24 Santa Rosa Press-Democrat.

For example, evangelicals (not a denomination) are twice as likely to oppose abortion and homosexual relationships than people in mainline denominations.

SR PD Article: Politics linked to religion, study shows
By GUY KOVNER / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Controversial issues, such as abortion and homosexuality, reflect sharp political differences among religious traditions.
Political views on the "culture wars" issues of abortion and homosexuality are strongly intertwined with Americans' religious affiliation, according to a national survey.
And while some faiths generally are more liberal than others, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life survey released Monday also found that within most faiths Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and evangelical people with "high levels of religious commitment" are politically more conservative than their fellow worshippers.
People who attend services more frequently, pray more often and express "absolute belief in a personal God" are less accepting of homosexuality and more likely to oppose legalized abortion, the survey said.

Read the article here: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080624/NEWS/640501572

Looking for something to do this summer? Cheap and close to home

2008-06-21T07:24:00.001-07:00

Highlights from the Israel Antiquities Authority: The Dead Sea Scrolls and 5,000 Years of Treasures at the deYoung Museum, SF. Exhibition ends August 10, 2008

The Dead Sea Scrolls are one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in history. They were uncovered by Bedouin herders and excavated by archaeologists in caves along the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea. Fragments of the scrolls were pieced together to form more than 800 documents, many of them Biblical and Apocryphal manuscripts. All

Highlights from the Israel Antiquities Authority: The Dead Sea Scrolls and 5,000 Years of Treasures, at the Legion of Honor from February 9 to August 10, 2008, will include rotating examples of the rare and precious Dead Sea Scroll fragments in addition to artifacts spanning over 5000 years, from the Chalcolithic Age (4,000 BC) to the Fatimid Period (11th century AD).

The treasures on view are on loan from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), and most have never been seen outside of Israel. "Highlights from the Israel Antiquities Authority and our partnership with the IAA call attention to Israel's rich archaeological heritage and the importance of these splendid objects, many of which are national treasures, emanating from the Holy Land," says curator of ancient art and interpretation Renée Dreyfus.

For more info, go to http://www.famsf.org/fam/press/press.asp?presskey=296

Are you humble?

2008-06-01T06:57:00.001-07:00

"If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus" - Philippians 2:1-5 (NRSV)

A Test of Humility
A top-ranking British official once entertained a haughty and sophisticated lady in his home. By mistake his assistant asked her to sit on the left of her host rather than the place of honor at his right hand. The visitor was offended and became very indignant. Turning to the general, she said, "I suppose you have real difficulty in getting your aide-de-camp to seat your guests properly at the table." "Oh, not at all," came the reply; "I have found that those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter!"

Exercises in Humility:
·         Invite a friend over for a meal. Don't clean or re-arrange things.
·         Next time you're asked to do something that is beneath you, do it.
·         When in a meeting, take notes on what other people are saying, especially one who takes a different position on an issue than you take.
·         Tomorrow morning, spend more time helping a family member get ready for their day than you spend getting yourself ready.
·         Next time you're late for an appointment, just apologize. Don't make an excuse. Don't blame.
·         If you're asked to do something that will add to your sense of importance, but will make you too busy, say, No, thanks.
·         Don't complain or argue (Phil. 2:14)

Im not complaining, but

2008-05-30T08:15:00.000-07:00

How are you doing with the complaint-free life?

We gave out all of our purple bracelets last Sunday more than I expected. So, many of us are giving it a try. And if you're like the ones I've talked with we're failing. A lot.

The wristband idea comes from, Will Bowen, who pastors a church in Kansas City. The church has started a campaign to curtail complaining in our world by distributing purple, silicone wristbands to any who ask five million so far. ( www.acomplaintfreeworld.org)

You wear the wristband to remind you to resist the urge to complain, whine or gripe. The goal is to go twenty-one days without complaining. It takes twenty-one days to make a practice a habit- to change your way of life. If you slip and let out a complaint, you are supposed to move the wristband from one arm to the other and start the twenty-one day count over again.

Last Sunday, I talked about how we can "shine like stars" in a dark world. We shine by putting off and putting on. We put off complaining and arguing. We put on blamelessness and purity.

Philippians 2:14-16a
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing,
15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life

I challenged the congregation to see if we could string together 21 days of no complaining. We gave out all the purple wristbands we had, provided by a church in Kansas City, www.complaintfreeworld.org

I'm wearing the wristband myself. It's a great tool to remind me to hold back from letting out a complaint. But, it's harder than I thought. So far, the greatest value has been to show me how often I am tempted to complain, whine, gripe, moan, groan or let fly with a juicy, sarcastic comment. The urge comes often and without warning. I've found I'm especially vulnerable when waking up (I forget about the wristband). I'm also vulnerable when watching the news. I love to make fun of the commercials for the latest drugs, like Head-on (apply directly to the forehead), Viva Viagra and related drugs that help you enjoy leisurely baths with your wife in a field overlooking the ocean. Sarcasm is a form of complaining. (I'm changing wrists now)

To be honest, I am not on a trajectory to finish 21 complaint-free days anytime soon. 21 hours is still a far-off goal. But, I can do 21 minutes. I can patch together a few hours and then I wake up.

The wristband is serving as the law for us. The Apostle Paul wrote about the law in Romans. His main point was that the law does not make us righteous. Instead, the law is useful to show us how unrighteous we are. It is only Jesus Christ who can make us righteous, not the law. These wristbands are good for holding a mirror up to us to show us how pervasive complaining is.

If we are going to really curtail our complaining and arguing, it's going to take more than a silicone wristband. It will take more than the law.

Links:

NBC Today Show story on the Complaint-Free World movement. Go to http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21319881/ and click on the video.

www.acomplaintfreeworld.org/

The Rise of the Rest

2008-05-21T22:28:00.000-07:00

I am reading and hearing a lot about how bad off we are these days. Here's a good article, that taps into this pessimism, but ends up with an optimistic view of what's ahead throughout the world. I encourage you to read it: by Fareed Zakaria, in Newsweek, May 12, 2008

It's true China is booming, Russia is growing more assertive, terrorism is a threat. But if America is losing the ability to dictate to this new world, it has not lost the ability to lead.

Americans are glum at the moment. No, I mean really glum. In April, a new poll revealed that 81 percent of the American people believe that the country is on the "wrong track." In the 25 years that pollsters have asked this question, last month's response was by far the most negative. Other polls, asking similar questions, found levels of gloom that were even more alarming, often at 30- and 40-year highs. There are reasons to be pessimistic—a financial panic and looming recession, a seemingly endless war in Iraq, and the ongoing threat of terrorism. But the facts on the ground—unemployment numbers, foreclosure rates, deaths from terror attacks—are simply not dire enough to explain the present atmosphere of malaise. American anxiety springs from something much deeper, a sense that large and disruptive forces are coursing through the world.

Read the article: Newsweek

Heaven on Earth

2008-05-21T22:15:00.000-07:00

Earth's crammed with heaven,

and every common bush afire with God:

but only he who sees takes off his shoes.

- Elizabeth Barrett Browning (quoted in Dallas Willard, Listening to God

Presbyterian General Assembly Court to Rev. Jane Spahr: Not Guilty

2008-04-29T17:34:00.001-07:00

Winston Churchill told a joke of a subway train, which was stopped at a subway station. A man stepped onto one of the subway cars. The conductor shouted to the man, "I'm sorry sir, you cannot get on this train, the train doesn’t stop at this station." "Very well ," replied the man, "If it doesn’t stop here, I’m not on it."

With a similar logic, the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission (GAPJC) has ruled in the case "Presbytery of the Redwoods v. The Rev. Dr. Jane Adams Spahr," involving the performance of same sex wedding ceremonies. In a reversal of a lower church court ruling, the Rev. Jane Adams Spahr has been found not guilty of violating the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s constitution by performing same-sex ‘marriages’ for two lesbian couples.

How did they make this determination when Rev. Spahr publicly and unapologetically reported that she did perform the ceremonies of same-sex couples and called them 'weddings?' Rev. Spahr was in attendance when the case was heard, Friday, with family, friends and three of the same-sex couples whose “wedding” ceremonies she repeatedly insists that she performed. According to the GAPJC ruling, the definition of marriage as found in W-4.9001 of the Book of Order, states that "marriage is a civil contract between a woman and a man" ... and that "For Christians marriage is a covenant through which a man and a woman are called to live out together before God their lives of discipleship." The GAPJC ruled that "By the definition in W-4.9001, a same sex ceremony can never be a marriage. The GAPJC determined that Spahr could not be found “guilty of doing that which by definition cannot be done."

Those are the facts. Here's what I think. I have met Rev. Spahr; we are members of the Presbytery of the Redwoods. She is a nice person and intends to help people. I trust her motives. She followed her conscience, which led her to officiate the wedding ceremonies of gay and lesbian couples. Whatever you think about whether that's a good thing to do or not - it is clearly against the guidelines our church has for pastors. I don't want to see the book thrown at Rev. Spahr. Personally, I would rather not deal with it and trust that God will sort all these things out. But, there are people in our church (denomination) who are responsible to see that all of our rules are followed. The GAPJC is the body most responsible for that. And they let us down.

With astounding intellectual sophistry the ruling body managed to insult and incense people on all sides of the issue. Spahr said, in a radio interview, she is disappointed because gays and lesbians are still treated like second-class citizens by not being given the right to marriage. She was glad to be found not guilty, but disappointed with the reasons given. Those who wish for a church that holds a high moral bar for its leaders are disappointed. Here is another weak-kneed attempt to avoid speaking the truth in love. Intending to be more “inclusive,” we are driving out more of the faithful. There are still more losers: Those who just wish for peace in the church are disappointed, as the door remains wide open for those who flagrantly disregard the church's rules and no one dares to stop them.

The GAPJC, while failing to uphold the Synod of the Pacific’s earlier rebuke of Rev. Spahr, nevertheless instructed Rev. Spahr not to do it again. Amazing!

Not to worry. Spahr will not do “that which by definition cannot be done."

News article in the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat: http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080429/NEWS/355963598/1033/NEWS&template=kart

Marin IJ http://www.marinij.com/sanrafael/ci_9097894

PCUSA News: http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2008/08335.htm

Good Television: The Power of Forgiveness

2008-04-22T21:17:00.001-07:00

Finally, something worth watching on TV. The documentary, "the Power of Forgiveness," which showed recently on PBS, was great. The show looked at various projects in which the results of recent "forgiveness research" have been used to bring peace between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland, Palestinians and Israelis in Israel and even the World Trade Center memorial. The documentary showed how the Amish community gave them necessary support in forgiving the family of the man who gunned down their children in the school
Among the experts interviewed was Everett Worthington one of those forgiveness researchers. The show included clips of Worthington teaching his university class on the physical and psychological benefits of forgiveness. Then they told the story that put Worthington to the ultimate test. Here is the story, from an article I read, years ago.
Everett Worthington a phone call from his brother, Mike, on New Year's morning, 1996.
"Mama's been murdered. There was blood on the carpet, on the walls, blood everywhere"
Dr. Worthington arrived in Knoxville, he found that his aged mother had been beaten to death with a crowbar and a baseball bat. She was raped with a wine bottle, and her house was trashed.
What Dr. Worthington wanted to do was pick up the baseball bat, find the men who killed his mother and hammer them to death.
Why would Worthington ever want to forgive? It should be noted that forgiveness did not come to Dr. Worthington immediately, but it did come deliberately, by choice, over time. This became his answer:
(1) The Bible tells us that our receiving Divine forgiveness is contingent on our granting interpersonal decisional forgiveness (see Matt 6: 12, 14-5; see Peter asking Jesus how many times we must forgive; see the unforgiving servant).
(2) People want to forgive emotionally because it blesses the person who harmed them.
(3) There are some benefits that come along with the altruistic forgiveness I mentioned in (2). Forgiving sets them free. Research shows a reduction of health risks for habitual forgivers relative to those who hold grudges. Research also shows that people who hold grudges have more mental health problems. Spiritual benefits accrue to forgivers.

The documentary began by showing how the principle of forgiveness was being used to bring peace in some of the word's toughest and longest conflicts. It left me with this nagging thought how can the idea of forgiveness be included in our nation's foreign policy, starting with this war on terrorism? I am not suggesting that we lay aside our legitimate desire for justice, just that we lay aside the desire for vengeance and also include our need to forgive those who hurt us. No doubt the suggestion would be immediately discarded in the halls of the State Department, certainly the Pentagon. But, given the record of our Iraq debacle, shouldn't some outside-the-box thinking be welcomed? How many Americans and Iraqis have to die before we see the futility of our policies of vengeance, in the name of justice?
Did you miss it? You can order the DVD and companion book here, but you can also see segments online here. Keep clicking on the left column menu for more segments. Finally, I recorded it, so ask me about borrowing my DVD copy.
If you saw the documentary of even if you didn't and want to comment I would love to hear from you (below).

How to Memorize Something

2008-04-17T12:35:00.001-07:00

Sunday (Apr. 13), we attempted to learn a Bible verse. I said we all need a substantial CANON of Scripture that we carry with us wherever we go. There are times when you don't have your Bible handy and you need its wisdom, comfort or fortitude. It is during those times that he Holy Spirit will often bring the right words to our remembrance. That's why the Psalmist wrote the words you hopefully have memorized: I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." That comes from Psalm 119:11.

So, how can you memorize a Bible verse - or for that matter - a name, a phone number, or directions. Here are three simple steps:

1. Register the Information
in your immediate memory or sensory memory. We often fail to remember a person's name because we didn't pay close attention to it. We didn't really forget the name. We never learned it. Say it with your lips. Visualize it.

2. Repeat the information
Retain it in your short-term memory - the IN basket of the brain. We can hold on to about seven things at a time in our short-term memory for about 30 seconds. Ex. Phone number.
Retention is when we transfer information from our senses to our short-term memory. The brain selects some facts to hold on to and dumps the rest.

3. Review the information
This enables us to transfer information from our short-term memory to long-term memory, the file cabinet of the brain. Review a verse daily for a week and you will likely have it down. After that, review it weekly. You can lengthen the time between your reviews, but you will have to review it to use it in those critical times.

Your Bible to go
Here are some verses to take with you wherever you go. If you know just five verses, learn these. All are the NIV translation, unless it states otherwise.

About memorizing Scripture
Psalm 119:11
"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."

If you only have memory space for one verse
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

What God expects of you
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

What God has done for us
Romans 5:8
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

How we are saved
Ephesians 2:8-9
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faithand this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God 9 not by works, so that no one can boast."

When you're in trouble God's Emergency Number: Psalm 911
Psalm 91:1 (NLT) "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty."
Or Psalm 91:11 "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways."

When you're overcome by worry or stress
1 Peter 5:7
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
NLT: Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you."

Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors

2008-04-15T08:35:00.001-07:00

Jesus was on to something when he told his followers that if they forgive others who have hurt them, they will experience forgiveness themselves. That's what researchers are discovering lately. Forgiveness has liberating power. The surprise is that the one who is liberated is the one who forgives. There is a field of psychological research that focuses on the healing power of forgiveness. A new hour-long show has come out of that research that will be shown Sunday (Apr. 20) at 2:00 PM Pacific Time.

KQED Channel 9
Sun, Apr 20, 2008 -- 2:00 pm

Here's what the website says about the show:
THE POWER of FORGIVENESS explores recent research into the psychological and physical effects of forgiveness on individuals and within relationships under a wide variety of conditions and translates it into a popular, accessible documentary film for national public television. This includes feature stories on the Amish, the 9/11 tragedy and peace-building in Northern Ireland, along with interviews with renowned Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, best-selling authors Thomas Moore and Marianne Williamson and others. The film also explores the role forgiveness holds in various faiths traditions. It provides an honest look at the intensity of anger and grief that human nature is heir to. We see in the film that there are transgressions people find themselves unwilling or unable to forgive. Through character-driven stories the film shows the role forgiveness can play in alleviating anger and grief and the physical, mental and spiritual benefits that come with it.
http://www.thepowerofforgiveness.com/

I encourage you to watch the show and post your comments on the show below.

Fire at Church, New Name for Church, Youth Director Named and more ;-)

2008-04-01T11:55:00.001-07:00

Revival fire reduces Sanct. & Office to Ashes
Facilities Coord. blames Alpha Course
Garage and lawn tractor saved

The staff and volunteers have moved their operations to Peet's Coffee Shop (temporarily?). Read more on our News Page: http://www.petalumafirst.com/news

Youth Groups Announce New Youth Director
Justin Timberlake to join church staff
Timberlake carried 100% of the girls vote and since girls outnumbered the boys, easily coasted to victory. Must visit Wed. Women's Group first, insists Dona W. Timberlake could not be reached for comment. Read more on our News Page.

Church name changed to St. John's Presbyterian Church
Protests from St. John's Episcopal and St. John's Lutheran
"You can never have too many St. John's churches in a city," said Pastor Dave, "or too many Pastor Dave's," said Pastor Dave M. of St. John's Anglican Church.
Read more on our News Page.

Bridge to the Future Completes New Structure
Staff celebrates the new bridge from the office to Sanct.
Read more on our News Page.

Pastor purchases new Hummer II
Unrelated story: $60,000 reported missing from Mission Fund
Read more on our News Page.

If you believe all this - or any of this - please go to our News Page: http://www.petalumafirst.com/news

Happy April Fools Day

Don't believe everything you read in your email Inbox - especially our April 1 (April Fools) edition of our email news.

We did not change the name of the church, there was no literal fire (though we pray for revival), we are still looking for the right Youth Director, we're still First Presbyterian and I'm driving my new Sentra.

... but, I did shave the beard. Sometimes, democracy works! Hopefully, people will stop confusing me with the Unabomber. And, we have a guest preacher this Sunday, which gives me a little (maybe too much) time on my hands.

Seriously though,

"He is no fool, who gives what he cannot keep
to gain what he cannot lose."
-Jim Elliott, missionary & martyr

Another clip on Barack's Pastor

2008-03-21T14:03:00.001-07:00

See what Mike Huckabee, another former pastor, says about Obama and his pastor:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=gTFLOu8fjxU

Barack Obama's Pastor

2008-03-20T17:43:00.001-07:00

What a mess for Barack Obama over his pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. I admit I am prejudiced; I am going to side with the pastor. I think mountains are being made of molehills. I heard the supposedly offensive statements. One of them, the statement that �America is run by rich, white men,� sounds hyperbolic (overstating the case to make a point). It is a common tool in preaching. Jesus used hyperbole when he compared the difficulty of rich men (like the ones who run America?) getting into heaven to a camel crawling through the eye of a needle. So, Wright overstated the case, but was he wrong?

The strongest argument for Rev. Wright, and for Obama�s continued support of Rev. Wright, is that Wright is a renowned preacher whose amazing career covers several decades. To pull out less than a few minutes worth of sound bites and grill one of his parishioners for those few comments is grossly unfair.

I think the whole flap reveals the media�s ignorance of African American churches. These preachers are not giving lectures at a colloquium. They are inspiring people to transcend the smothering circumstances of life through faith in God.

About 18 years ago, PreachingToday.com ran a sermon by Jeremiah Wright entitled "The Audacity to Hope" the sermon which was the inspiration for Obama�s book. Don�t just listen to the sound bites. Read the whole sermon here.

I am not endorsing any candidates. But if they're going to drag a candidate's pastor into it, I'm going to speak up.

During Lent

2008-03-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

Fast from fear;
Feast on faith.
Fast from despair;
Feed on hope.
Fast from depressing news;
Feed on prayer.
Fast from discontent;
Feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger and worry;
Feed on patience.
Fast from negative thinking;
Feast on positive thinking.
Fast from bitterness;
Feed on love and forgiveness.
Fast from words that wound;
Feast on words that heal.
Fast from gravity;
Feed on joy and humor.

The Challenge of Islam

2008-02-28T15:51:00.000-08:00

I addressed the challenges that Islam presents for Christians Feb. 24 and Mar. 2. I referred to several resources on Islam and Christianity. One is the "Common Word" website, (www.acommonword.com) where dozens of Muslim scholars have written on their hopes for peace based on two important beliefs Muslims and Christians have in common:
Muslims and Christians together make up well over half of the world's population. Without peace and justice between these two religious communities, there can be no meaningful peace in the world. The future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and Christians.
The basis for this peace and understanding already exists. It is part of the very foundational principles of both faiths: love of the One God, and love of the neighbour. These principles are found over and over again in the sacred texts of Islam and Christianity. The Unity of God, the necessity of love for Him, and the necessity of love of the neighbour is thus the common ground between Islam and Christianity.
Many have responded with warm acceptance and enthusiasm. Christian scholars at Yale Divinity School wrote a response that was signed by many other Christian leaders. Here is the response from Christian leaders ( http://www.yale.edu/faith/abou-commonword.htm) If you read way, way down on the list of signatories, you'll find my name.

March 2, I will be addressing the questions, "Are we worshiping the same God?" and "Why do they hate us?"

I read an interesting interview with author, Dinesh D'Souza, that addresses the question, "why do they hate us?" D'Souza who grew up in a city in India made up of equal parts Muslim, Hindu and Christian, denies that Muslim Fundamentalists hate America because of the Crusades. It's not that the extremists hate our freedom. D'Souza says they hate us because of what we have done with our freedom. Muslim leaders believe Islam is under attack not by American weapons, but by American values.

D'Souza believes the Muslim world sees only the Hollywood America.
"There's a whole side of America religious America, traditional America that is invisible to people in other cultures, particularly in the Muslim world. Even private citizens can, through contacts through travel and through education, promote an image of America that is not one sided, but also shows Americans who work hard, look after their families, go to church, subscribe to the traditional values shared by all the major religions. I think if the Islamic world saw this "other America," the real America, it would diminish the attraction of the Islamic radicals and terrorists."

You can read the interview here: Whitworth Today magazine

Lamb: Comfort Ye, My People

2008-02-27T20:57:00.000-08:00

Recently, I talked about the prophet, Hosea. Some of you asked about the song we used, "Comfort Ye, My People." Yes the song uses the words of Hosea's record of God's love song for his people:

"I will be to Israel
like a refreshing dew from heaven.
Israel will blossom like the lily;
it will send roots deep into the soil
like the cedars in Lebanon.
Its branches will spread out like beautiful olive trees,
as fragrant as the cedars of Lebanon."
- Hosea 14:5-6

The song is by Joel Chernoff and came out many years ago when he was recording with a "Messianic music" group called Lamb (not to be confused with the European electronic group). It's an oldie that I was overjoyed to find on iTunes. You can hear or buy the song, Comfort Ye, My People on iTunes - here.
More recent Lamb music can be found on their website.

These are a few of my favorite podcasts

2008-02-15T08:45:00.001-08:00

Since we started making sermons available online a few years ago, I've been downloading sermons from other churches. (Now you know where I get all those corny preacher jokes.) It's been a great way to keep in touch with some of my favorite churches and preachers. And it does help me grow in my relationship with Christ and stimulate my thinking about my own preaching. Some of these podcasts were referred to me. So, I'd like to return the favor and make some recommendations to you.
Here's one from Holy Trinity Brompton Church the church that started Alpha. You can hear Nicky Gumbel and other pastors there preaching on Sunday mornings and at other times. With the recent spate of books on atheism, I appreciated Nicky Gumbel's talks in response: "Is God A Delusion: Is Faith Irrational?" You can watch the video in a tiny box, or download the mp3 file.

Do you know about this page at HTB? Alpha at HTB - Talks - Spring 08 will help you stay current with our own Alpha course.
Tell us about your favorite podcasts. They don't have to be spiritual. Just leave a comment.

No Room for the Darfuris?

2007-12-19T06:51:00.000-08:00

A Tent of Hope comes to First Presbyterian Church by Dave Weidlich

There are more than two million Sudanese who will spend this Christmas in makeshift camps in and around Darfur, the western part of Sudan. They have been driven out of their homes and villages by "Janjaweed" militia groups who have been co-opted by the Government of Sudan to fight a proxy war that gives the "Janjaweed" the land they have wanted for centuries. The government gets rid of the people of the Darfuri people of African descent who want to share in the newfound oil-wealth of Sudan. More than 200,000 Darfuris have been slaughtered in the most brutal ways children and women along with the combatant Darfuri militia. Survivors have been raped, mutilated and scarred. This civil war has escalated to genocide; a people group is being wiped out because of their African (vs. Arab) descent.

This unimaginable humanitarian crisis has resulted in a great deal of hand-wringing on the part of government leaders and the United Nations. At last count, the UN has passed twenty-one resolutions that call on the government to put a halt to the destruction, allow UN peacekeeping troops into the country or in other ways lessen the damage. But, there has been little in results. The government of Sudan has hidden behind their sovereignty as a nation and has allowed nothing more than a small number of African Union troops to enter the country. The United States and other countries have done nothing as they wait for the genocidal government to give them permission to stop the genocide (and try their leaders for war crimes).

There is a massive grass-roots movement stirring into action across the United States and in other countries. Part of this movement is a group that began in Petaluma, Tents of Hope. Tim Nonn, who previously helped communities raise money for relief work in and around Darfur with the organization, "Dear Sudan," envisioned mobilizing ordinary citizens to assemble and paint refugee-style tents as messages of hope to our government and to the displaced people of Sudan. Tents of Hope gives people, who may not know what they can do, something to do. We are painting tents.

But, there's more. While the tents are traveling around our community, 1) We are learning about the people of Sudan and the complex problems that gave rise to the current humanitarian crisis. We are learning what can be done to resolve these problems. 2) We are taking action by praying, writing articles and letters to our leaders in government. 3) We are giving money for relief work for the Darfuri people. Groups that host a tent, raise the money and send it directly to the relief agency they choose to support.

There is another result one that will continue, long after the crisis in Darfur is resolved. We are becoming a more compassionate people. As children, youth and adults are painting their messages of hope, we are discovering that compassion is not a reservoir in danger of being drained. Rather, compassion is a muscle that becomes stronger when we flex it. We hope not only to bring the current genocide to an abrupt halt, but to discourage and prevent the next genocide from happening.

Let it not be said of us, "there is no room in the inn."

For more information go to www.tentsofhope.org or www.tentsofhopepetaluma.org.

P.S. No one in Petaluma understands the troubles of the displaced Darfuris like the folks at Mary Isaak Center, the shelter provided by Petaluma's Committee on the Shelterless (COTS). These formerly homeless people of Petaluma will be hosting and painting a tent, through Tents of Hope Petaluma, December 17-January 2. As Petalumans make their final preparations and celebrate Christmas, the residents and staff of Mary Isaak Center will convey their messages of hope to those in and around Sudan who are still without shelter.

No Room?

2007-12-11T08:06:00.000-08:00

Two second graders trudge across the stage, barefoot, dressed in bathrobes, a towel draped over their heads. They approach the door, painted onto cardboard, and they knock.

“Who’s there?” The gruff voice of a third-grader is heard, from behind the door.

The boy, who landed the coveted part of Joseph, belts out the line he has practiced every night, just before bedtime, “it is Joseph. I have come all the way from Nazareth with my wife, Mary, who is great with child.” Mary, actually Chelsea, grimaces in pain as she imagines what it must be like to walk a hundred or so miles and be “great with child.”

“There is no room in the inn,” the third-grader yells sternly through the door.

“No room in the inn.” Those words have echoed through the centuries, an indispensable element of the nativity story. To think, the Son of God stooped to come to our earth and for his welcome, heard the words, “no room in the inn.”

Our guilt is lessened, partially, knowing that Mary, Joseph and the baby, Jesus, did alright in the stable. The cattle and sheep, gathered around the manger, made for a better plot than staying overnight in the Bethlehem Inn anyway. Better yet, Jesus grew up and gave us another chance.

In a story Jesus told to explain what his second coming would be like, he describes himself as a king, coming to earth, from heaven, surrounded by angels. The nations are gathered around him and the king says to the people, “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me…” (Matthew 25:35-36)

The people responded, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?”

Jesus replies, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Christians take joy in knowing that when we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, provide shelter and clothing to those in need, we are not just caring for the folks we see. We are doing it all for Jesus. Let it never be said of us, there was “no room in the inn.”

Can War Ever Be Justified?

2007-11-29T10:05:00.000-08:00

I received lots of feedback on the sermon I
didn't preach last Sunday. Rev. Styron spoke
about war and peace and seems to have stimulated
many conversations on the subject. I appreciated
her message, but we disagree on the conclusion -
that following Christ means never participating
in the violence of war. I believe that war is, at
times, necessary, but it is essential that a
government enter into a war for the right
reasons. It is also essential that we engage in
war in a "just" way. The Just War theory does not
give governments and armies a blank check to
violence, but lays out several criteria that must
be followed before a war should be considered.
The following are some notes from a message two
years ago about Just War Theory and how it might
apply to our involvement in Iraq. I know this is
not the 90 second answer we look for in the
Presidential campaign debates, but for those who
want more substance, here goes…

Historically Christians have viewed war in several ways:
Christian thinkers have had several ways of thinking about war…
Think of it as a continuum:
<<<< Pacifism -------------|------------Crusader >>>>

Christian Pacifism – it's never right for a
Christian to engage in any violent activity. The
Pacifist points to New Testament and Jesus'
teachings to turn the other cheek. Tony Campolo
and Jim Wallis seem to take this view. There is no such thing as "Just War."

Crusader – Holy War – must win at all costs –.
Our God's honor must be defended vs. their false gods. Wipe them out.
The Crusader has plenty of Scripture to summon –
primarily in the Old Testament. There are
numerous Old Testament battles, where God tells
the Israelite leaders to avenge God's name against wicked nations.
The problems: 1) How can we know with equal
certainty that it is God calling us into a
righteous battle, and not our anger or hatred? 2)
The OT is also full of times when enemy nations
subdued Israel and God provided the
interpretation through the prophets that these
losses were also God's hand. 3) America is not Israel.

Romans 12:18-21
"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you,
live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge,
my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for
it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will
repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your
enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give
him something to drink. In doing this, you will
heap burning coals on his head." Do not be
overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

"To every complicated problem, there is usually a
simple solution – and it is almost aways wrong!"

Just War Theory attempts to find a middle way –
to take both the Old and New Testaments as authoritative.
St. Augustine, fourth century, is usually pointed
to as the one who most eloquently formed this
position. Augustine thought about the morality of
Christians engaging in war to argue with the
unbridled venom of the Crusaders. But Augustine
also had a problem with peace – as it was boasted
about by the Romans and their Pax Romana – "The Peace of Roman Rule"

Political philosopher Jean Elshtain explains:
The Problem of Peace:
This … concern was part of St. Augustine's
brilliant deconstruction of the official rhetoric
of the Roman Empire. The Romans, Augustine
argues, created a desert and called it peace.
"Peace and war had a contest in cruelty, and
peace won the prize," he notes … So peace should
not be universally lauded even as war is
universally condemned. Each must be evaluated
critically. Many horrors and injustices can
traffic under the cover of "peace." Indeed, there
are worse things than war. The twentieth century
showed us many of those worse things, including
gulags and genocides. The world would have been
much better off if the violence of particular
regimes had been confronted on the battlefield
earlier; fewer lives would have been lost over the long run.
Just War Against Terror: The Burden of American
Power in a Violent World, by Jean Bethke
Elshtain, Professor of Political Philosophy at
the University of Chicago Divinity School.
Peace alone does not bring satisfaction. Just
peace is what we're after. To defend yourselves
and your families, sometimes war is necessary. To
attain a just peace for yourself or another
oppressed nation, sometimes war is unavoidable and necessary.
Augustine argued that there may be war, but there
must be some moral limits – picked up by Thomas
Aquinas, John Calvin, Martin Luther. The just war
tradition has roots and proponents in secular philosophy as well.
The Reformer, Martin Luther admitted that the
Bible talks about a time when the lion will lay
down with the lamb. But, in this world, if you
put a lion and a lamb together, "you will have to replace the lamb often."
Basically, the Just War Tradition asks two questions:
Was the war entered justly?
Is the war being fought justly?
SEVEN CRITERIA for a Just War
1. Just Cause. War can be justified only in
self-defense or defense of others. Wars may not
legitimately be fought for national glory, to
avenge past wrongs, for territorial gain, or for
any other non-defensive purpose. Force may
rightly be used, as in the Persian Gulf War, to
evict an invading and occupying power. War may
not be used to get vengeance against a nation for
accidentally sinking a ship or blowing up a
building. This is an essentially defensive purpose.
Vengeance is mine, says the Lord. It is not for
us to avenge or punish. Our cause must be a just peace.
What about war to defend preemptively?
That's the issue with the Second Gulf War. Iraq
had not attacked the US or Great Britain. But
they allegedly threatened to attack – and with
the huge danger of one attack when using weapons
of mass destruction, it was a risk that could not
be taken. So, Pres. Bush, Tony Blair and others
argued that we were attacking Iraq in self-defense.
In Iraq…
Critics of the war in Iraq point to this
criterion as an argument against the war. We did
not have just cause. Polls seem to indicate that
the majority of Americans believe that we did not
have just cause – WMD are not there. The link to
Al Quaeda does not seem to be a strong one. CIA
Director, George Tenet, testified to congress
that the evidence for WMD was a "slam dunk." Now
Tenet says those were the two dumbest words he
has ever spoken. If we knew then what we know
now, we would have only the reason of removing an
evil dictator who was slaughtering thousands of
his own people, sometimes with chemical
weapons. That's going on in other places too,
today in Sudan. We might not have accepted that
as cause enough. It might have been a just cause,
but probably wouldn't have been sufficient to
sell the war to the American people.
Just War tradition though does not rely on
hindsight, but asks what was known when the war
began. That's all you can go on is what you are
able to know. You can say, "we should have known
better," but we did not know better. We thought we had just cause.

2. Just intention. The only legitimate intention
is to secure a just peace for all involved.
Neither revenge nor conquest nor economic gain
nor ideological supremacy are justified.
This is where forgiveness is necessary.
Forgiveness is what limits us from destroying
injured soldiers, destroying their homes, their families.
War with compassion.
In Iraq…our goal cannot be and is not to level
Iraq or merely remove an evil dictator. Our goal
is to help the Iraqi people build a just and peaceful society.

3. Last Resort. Just war demands that force be
used only when non-violent means will not
suffice. Negotiation, compromise, trade
embargoes, threats, weapons inspections, etc.
Just war is similar to pacifism in that every
attempt is made to bring about justice without resorting to war.
In Iraq…
Critics of the war in Iraq point to this
criterion the most. They wish we would have
gotten more UN resolutions, more weapons inspections.
But, war was used as a last resort. Negotiations
were tried and failed. Trade embargoes were tried
and seemed to only hurt the Iraqi people, not the
government of Iraq. The UN's food for oil program
was only making Saddam richer.

4. Formal declaration Only by highest levels of
authority – governments can declare war, not individuals.
Exxon Oil cannot go to war against Saddam
Hussein, but America might declare war on Iraq.
Iraq: this is also difficult, since our war was
declared on "terrorism." An ism, not a nation.

5. Limited objectives. If the purpose is peace,
then unconditional surrender or the destruction
of a nation's economic or political institutions
is an unwarranted objective. (Holmes)

6. Proportionate means. The weaponry and the
force used should be limited to what is needed to
repel the aggression and deter future attacks,
that is to say to secure a just peace. Total or unlimited war is ruled out.
We're talking now about the question of how the
war is fought. Are we fighting justly?
Likelihood of success. Just war requires that the
use of force have a reasonable likelihood of
success. Lives may not be sacrificed and taken in
futile causes. If you have nothing to gain and
everything to lose, find another way.
Just war requires that the use of force,
especially where harm to noncombatants is likely,
be "proportionate" to the evil being opposed...
If your kid locks himself in the bathroom – you
could set the house on fire. That would get the
bathroom door open, but it would be overkill.
Wiping out the Middle East wouldn't be
proportional to the problems of the Middle East.
The benefits must outweigh the costs of war.
That's why the US could not continue with the
shock and awe strategy. Our troops had to enter Iraq and go street to street.

7. Noncombatant Immunity. Since war is an
official act of government, only those who are
officially agents of government may fight, and
individuals not actively contributing to the
conflict (including POWs and casualties as well
as civilian nonparticipants) should be immune from attack.
This aspect of Just War tradition is also the
hallmark of the Geneva Conventions.
Just war recognizes the immunity of
non-combatants from deliberate attack. Although
it can be permissible to perform military actions
where the foreseeable result is the death or
injury of noncombatants (so-called "collateral
damage"), it is never permissible to make the
harming of noncombatants the object of the
actions. We want to avoid civilian casualties whenever possible.
Nuclear war must be ruled out for this reason.
Nuclear bombs cannot be used strategically. They target noncombatants.
In Iraq…
In theory, war may be the appropriate, though
reluctant, choice. In theory. In reality, it is
exceedingly difficult to apply the theory. There
are so many gray areas. And wars may begin with
the noblest of intentions, but can easily degrade
into retribution or empire building.
Some argue that our modern weapons of warfare
enable us to carry out a war with fewer civilian
casualties than ever before. Our Smart Bombs can
hit their target with pinpoint accuracy, making
sure that if a military bunker is the target, it
is only the military bunker that gets hit. Others
argue that our modern weapons make civilian
casualties much more likely and make the reality of a just war impossible.
The truth is – we do not know. No one – at least
in our government – can tell you how many
civilians were killed in Afghanistan. We don't
even know how many targeted soldiers were killed.
It is now our policy NOT to keep statistics of
enemy losses. We send the bombs from somewhere
out at sea and it is days before our troops might approach the target.
So, we do not know – at least with any precision
– how many non-combatants we've killed.
One estimate is 25,000 Iraqi citizens have been
killed during the war. (a British agency based on media reports)

In Iraq…
Of course, waging just war is made more difficult
when we're fighting an enemy that does not intend
to fight a just war. So, military might dress in
civilian clothes. Suicide bombers sneak up on our
checkpoints. So, how do you distinguish between
combatants and noncombatants? What do you do if
the opposition is fighting by a different set of rules?
Still, I believe if we are ever to engage in war,
we must assure that regardless of the choices our
enemies may make, we do what is morally justifiable.
Purpose of the just war tradition is to provide reasonable limits to war.

What should Christians to do about war?
1. Learn the values of the Kingdom where our
eternal citizenship lies – and apply them as best
we can to the nation of our temporary citizenship.
That's what we're attempting to do here.

2. Use the weapons of our Heavenly Kingdom to
defeat the violence and injustice that resides in all of us.
Prayer – a major force in the tearing down of the
wall between E. & W. Germany.
Pray for a Just Peace. Work for a Just Peace.
Peace in the US is not good enough. Jesus did not
come to bring peace to the US.
Evangelism – missionaries, not soldiers
We need to share the news with terrorists that
"Islam is a religion of peace." Better yet, let's
share with them the Prince of Peace.
Our government should pressure these Islamic
republics to allow religious freedom, a basic
human right. Stop arresting and oppressing
citizens for sharing faith in Jesus Christ.
War is the problem of man's sinfulness writ
large. Confronted with the fact that we cannot
escape all evil, the basic question for us is
what is the most effective way of changing human
lives and altering society for the good? Here the
church carries additional guilt, for if the
church were as willing to share its resources and
personnel for the mission of Christ as it is to
share them with the state in warfare, it would
doubtless have had a much greater impact for good in the world than it has.
Myron Augsburger in War: Four Christian Views, p. 145.

3. Support our Government – within limits of
justice and peace. Get involved in government.
VOTE. Especially the push for democracy in Iraq and numerous other countries.

Romans 13:1-7 (NIV)
Everyone must submit himself to the governing
authorities, for there is no authority except
that which God has established. The authorities
that exist have been established by God.

4. Insist on just limits to our wars.
When news reports surfaced about prisoner abuse
in Abu Ghraib, we were rightly outraged and
insisted that those involved in the injustice be
disciplined or removed. Also Guantanamo Bay. When
we learn of abuses, we must speak out. We must
vote for candidates with a track record for
seeking justice and peace. We can write letters
and emails to government officials.

Insist that our government pause before entering
or beginning a war – to check our intentions, to
gather evidence, to count the costs. Our nation
made many mistakes in intelligence, in
assumptions. We must learn from the mistakes
involved in the run-up to the Iraq War.

And let us look forward to the day of which the prophets spoke:
Micah 4:1-3
In the last days the mountain of the Lord's
temple will be established as chief among the
mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it.
2 Many nations will come and say, "Come, let us
go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths."
The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 He will judge between many peoples and will
settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
They will beat their swords into plowshares and
their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor
will they train for war anymore.

Our Advocacy is Needed Now

2007-11-15T15:39:00.001-08:00

Here is a copy of a letter I wrote to advocate on behalf of the people of Sudan - in Darfur and in the southern region, where most of the Christians of Sudan live. I encourage you to copy and paste the body of the letter and send one too. For more information, go to

Sudan Advocacy Action Forum: http://sudanadvocacy.com/

Rev. Dr. Dave Weidlich ------------ St. Petaluma, CA 94954 (707) 762-8269 November 15, 2007 Dr. Condoleezza Rice Secretary of State U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520 Dear Secretary Rice: I write to you as a fellow US citizen and fellow Presbyterian Christian. First, thank you for your service to our nation. I am concerned about the increasingly fragile accords between the government in Khartoum, Sudan and its citizens in the south. The people of that region have already endured the world's longest running civil war and there seems to be no end in sight for the . The government in Khartoum is again persecuting the southerners and once again it seems the world will wait until a rising toll gets its attention. There are indications that the civil war, which ended in January 2005, will resume unless the Comprehensive Peace Agreement is fully implemented. Establishing a peace between the Khartoum government and the SPLA is one of the major foreign policy victories of the Bush Administration. That success for the President, our nation, and the Sudanese is about to be lost forever. I urge you, on behalf of our country, to reengage both regional (IGAD) and international (U.S., Norway, Britain) support to assure prompt implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, take an active role to end the hostilities and use our resources to achieve a just and lasting peace in Sudan. There can be no peace in Darfur or elsewhere in Sudan if the CPA fails. As a U.S. citizen, I am concerned that our country, along with the international community, is not taking stronger action to assure compliance by all parties to the CPA. Our failure to do so will be a demonstration to the world that in the long run. we really do not care. I look forward to hearing from you. Respectfully, Dave Weidlich cc:

Senator Dianne Feinstein

Washington Office:

331 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510-0504

Senator Barbara Boxer