Bulletin (Page 4)

Bulletin (Page 4)

Jesus Friend of Sinners (like me and you): A Lesson in Authenticity

The time of this writing is the brightest night of what is known as the Harvest Moon. This full moon is so named because farmers throughout the world have used the extra bright moonlight to complete the harvesting of crops. For those of you outside types, it is hard not to notice in the Harvest Moon what I would like to call “the friendly embrace of nature.” One can see outside even at night, and the temperature is neither too…

Statistical Stereotypes: When the Church looks into a Carnival Mirror

We hear statistics all the time. Did you know that 43% of Pilots report falling asleep during flight, and 33% of them report waking up to find their co-pilot had fallen asleep as well. Statistics can be entertaining as well as helpful. They give us a “bigger picture” that permits us to see things from a “bird’s eye view.” Yet not all statistics are equally derived and some are easy skewed. This is because, among other things, the representative quality…

A Very Rich Man Who Built Not Bigger Barns But Instead Helped Build a State

Winthrop Rockefeller left his family roots in New York City and moved down to Arkansas in 1953.   His connection to the state was an old army friend who lived there. Rockefeller settled on a flat-topped mountain. He could have easily remained in reclusive seclusion, never mingling with the “backward” Arkansans. “Backward ‘is a correct word, for Arkansas was among the poorest of states in the ’50s. Arkansas was under the thumb of severe corruption in the state government–namely the Orval…

The Story of Kiwi, Traffic Lights and Street Truth

Once there was a talented young shepherd from New Zealand named Kiwi who was flown to the States to teach ranchers the down-under way to raise sheep. Kiwi had a passion in addition to ranching, and that was driving. He couldn’t wait to drive the wide-open spaces of America. After landing at the LAX airport, he immediately rented a red Mustang convertible. Before heading out, Kiwi asked the gate attendant if there was anything he needed to know about driving…

Compassion–Jesus’ Style

Since an earlier writing spoke of the pressing social need to have a standard measurement of love, I follow my own advice in attempting to understand compassion. The standard measure of compassion is Jesus Christ as seen in His full Jewish and New Testament context. How did Jesus show compassion? How does the Master of Compassion inform our compassion? Something to notice about compassion in Jesus’ time is that the word refers to a “gut reaction.” It was affection coming…

Saved by ¼ (A Fourth of What?): Love in the Crisis-Modern World

A month ago the Russell Terrier that lives at my house (named appropriately, Turbo) exploded into the yard at 4:30 Sunday morning in hot pursuit of an animal invader that had brazenly appeared on the scene. The animal rushed into a bush beside the house, followed by Turbo, who jumped several feet into the air so as to land right beside the hiding creature. This all happened in a matter of seconds, with each animal going in opposite directions after…

A Vision at the Foot of the Cross

The following is entitled “A Vision from the Foot of the Cross.”  It is my personal devotional meditation on the one hand, and on the other hand, it serves as a very short explanation of a few foundational aspects in a Biblical understanding for Forest Home joining together with St. Philip Catholic Church in town for our upcoming June event.  This is as significant in the Kingdom of God as the conference itself.  To be sure, there is more that…

Marriage Integrity

Here is a poster I adapted for the concept of Marriage Integrity.  In our current talking culture’s hourly attack on what is labelled traditional marriage, it is difficult to respond without being slandered by supposedly “progressive”  redefinitions.  For instance, to adopt their politically biased terminology and speak of a “ban” on X marriage is to forestall rational discussion of the issue.  To label someone as “banning X” is simply bald assertion and begging the question.   Nothing is being banned.…