Happy Sunday All.....

Friday and Saturday I was at our monthly Educating Lay Ministry classes at Hastings College.  Again it was a very interesting and enlightening experience centered around Christian Education.  Dr. Ted Huffman from the United Church of Christ out in Rapid City, SD was once again our instructor.  I really do like Ted and I am sad to think our paths are likely not to cross again.  Perhaps if I ever for some reason find myself in Rapid for a Sunday I'll look up his Church and spend a morning worshipping with him and his congregation.

My classmate Chuck Snow and I had to leave a few minutes early from class in order to make sure I was back in Omaha to attend my niece Makayla Ring's competition.  Makayla made the trip to Omaha for the competition and to make her move up from figure competitor to physique competitor, and she did a great job.  Unfortunately she did not win her class but came in third.  She recently took a new job and combined with other stresses she wasn't at the top of her game for this one.  Congrats to her though as she worked very hard and we were all very proud of her and her efforts.

Maddie (in the gray) with her cousin Makayla, Omaha 6/9/2012

This afternoon I sat down and started reading "If the Church Were Christian", by Philip Gulley.  This appears to be another wonderful book by Rev. Gulley.  I am compelled to quote from the first chapter of the book:

"For him, being a Christian had everything to do with worshipping Jesus and little to do with following his example.  I hasten to add that while I have met other people like him, I have known many others who take right belief and right action seriously, whose appreciation for orthodoxy is matched by their mercy and compassion. But it's also clear that for some people in the church, belief is not only everything - it is the only thing.  Indeed, I have noticed many Christians refer to themselves as "believers", as if Christianity is primarily about believing.  But what if Jesus didn't want people to believe certain tenets about him, so much as take seriously the kingdom ethos he promoted?"

A very interesting quote especially if one is aware of the meaning of "believe" as explained by Marcus Borg in his book "Speaking Christian" (pgs 118 & 119).   Explaining the meaning of believe:  

"It comes from the Old English be loef, which means 'to hold dear'.  The similarity to the modern English word belove is obvious.  To believe meant not only confidence and trust in a person, but also to hold that person dear - to belove that person.  Believing and beloving were synonyms."

So even if we do focus on believing, over living like Christ, we are left with the understanding that it's about loving as much as (or I should say more so than) our correct thoughts about Christ.  But, long story short, it looks like Reverend Gulley has written another very worthwhile book and if you've never read any of his writings I'd suggest you pick up one or another and see what this man has to say.  Whether you agree with him or not he'll force you to think a bit and I assure you that's never a bad thing.

Many blessings to you all and bless those who you come into contact with each day.

Roy

‎"For the joy of Christian faith is not to be found in the rote recitation of dogmas about Jesus, but in modeling his mercy and love, which alone have the power to transform us and our world."

Philip Gulley "If the Church Were Christian".