May 31 Sermon - "Loud & Clear"

Sermon by Pastor Rick Tettau

Sunday Worship Preview - June 7

Sunday, June 7 - (8:30 A.M. & 11:00 A.M. Traditional & 9:45 A.M. Contemporary)

Sermon - "Hitting Your STRIDE – Spiritual Gifts"

Features - Trinity Sunday; Holy Communion; & 1st Grader Bible Presentation

Scriptures - I Corinthians 12:1, 4-11 & John 14:12-18

Theme - What does it mean to “hit our stride” in being the fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ we are called to be? This is going to be our question for the four Sundays in June. On this first Sunday, our focus will be on identifying and using our spiritual gifts to help build up the church to bring transformation to the world.

Happy Pentecost Sunday!

Collect of the Day: Pentecost

O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

2009 West Ohio Annual Conference (June 7-11) - Recommendation #2

Our West Ohio Annual Conference consisting of lay and clergy representing 1,150 United Methodist churches meets June 7 to 11 at the historic and scenic Lakeside grounds, in Lakeside, Ohio, along Lake Erie.

In addition to inspiring worship services, the ordination of Deacons and Elders, the approval of the conference budget, and times for learning and growth, Bishop Bruce Ough will preside over our legislative meetings. This year, we have nine recommendations to consider as an Annual Conference.

Please keep Faith Community's representatives, Joyce Smith, Mary Carol Short, John Sherer, and me in your prayers as we prepare to participate in this year's Annual Conference.

Each day leading up to the beginning of Annual Conference, I am providing a recommendation so we can all begin praying and think about these issues that are before us. You are welcome to make comments on this blog regarding these issues.

RECOMMENDATION #2
2 No Casinos In Ohio!
3
4 Those who exploit the poor blaspheme their Maker,
5 but those who are kind to the needy honor Him.
6 Proverbs 14:31
7
8 WHEREAS Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as God has loved us; and,
9
10 WHEREAS the Bible further compels us not to put stumbling blocks before others; and,
11
12 WHEREAS Paul reminds us that “if one part of our body hurts, we hurt all over. If one part of
13 our body is honored, the whole body will be happy. Together you are the body of Christ. Each
14 one of you is part of his body”1; and,
15
16 WHEREAS the Evangelical Ethic compels us to become activists for God because we are called
17 to treat others like people whom Christ gave his life for on the cross2; and,
18
19 WHEREAS our United Methodist Social Principles state, “Gambling is a menace to society,
20 deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic and spiritual life, destructive of good
21 government and good stewardship3; and,
22
23 WHEREAS the field research indicates that nationwide you stand to lose 1.5 jobs for every job
24 the casino creates…for every dollar that legalized gaming interests claim is contributed in taxes,
25 it really costs the taxpayer $3 to address the increased socio-economic costs to society4; and,
26
27 WHEREAS about 60% of the 4.2 million Americans addicted to gambling have annual incomes
28 below $25,000”5; and,
29
30 WHEREAS a Mississippi State University study found that in counties with casinos, those
31 earning less than $10,000 per year lost 10% of the family income to casinos; and,
32
33 WHEREAS Penn National and the Ohio Race Tracks have presented two different proposals to
34 bring casinos and slot machines to Ohio within close proximity to communities living in poverty;
35
36 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That congregations and members of the West Ohio
37 Conference stand firm in their opposition to gambling through education and public witness; and,
38
39 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of West Ohio congregations actively engage
40 friends, colleagues and family members around the negative impacts of gambling; and,
41
42 BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED that members of West Ohio congregations actively communicate
43 with their Ohio legislators to defeat the Ohio Race Track proposal which would place slot
44 machines at the 7 race tracks without a vote of the people; and,
45
1 BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED that members of West Ohio congregations actively write letters to
2 their newspapers opposing Penn National’s proposed constitutional amendment and the Ohio
3 Race Track owners’ proposal; and,
4
5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of West Ohio congregations actively and
6 consistently pray that gambling interests will not be successful in their efforts to bring casinos
7 and slots to Ohio; and,
8
9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of West Ohio congregations remember our
10 neighbors living in poverty who would be harmed by casinos and slot machines.
11
12 Submitted by: Anti-Gambling Taskforce and Let Justice Roll Lead Team
13
14
15 1I Corinthians 12:26-27 CEV 2Jackson Day, GBCS Consultant
16 3United Methodist Social Principles 163G, 2008 4Professor John Kindt, University of Chicago
17 5National Institute on Mental Health

2009 West Ohio Annual Conference (June 7-11) - Recommendation #1

Our West Ohio Annual Conference consisting of lay and clergy representing 1,150 United Methodist churches meets June 7 to 11 at the historic and scenic Lakeside grounds, in Lakeside, Ohio, along Lake Erie.

In addition to inspiring worship services, the ordination of Deacons and Elders, the approval of the conference budget, and times for learning and growth, Bishop Bruce Ough will preside over our legislative meetings. This year, we have nine recommendations to consider as an Annual Conference.

Please keep Faith Community's representatives, Joyce Smith, Mary Carol Short, John Sherer, and me in your prayers as we prepare to participate in this year's Annual Conference.

Beginning today and leading up to the beginning of Annual Conference, I will provide a recommendation each day so we can all begin praying and think about these issues that are before us. You are welcome to make comments on this blog regarding these issues.

RECOMMENDATION #1
Resolution on Healthcare

WHEREAS, Concern for health and health care has been central to the Jewish and Christian faiths from their beginnings. The Hebrew Scriptures address issues of sickness and healing. The Gospels report the ministry of healing by Jesus Christ, for whom healing, like salvation, was an expression of deliverance from sin and death. Jesus' message emphasizes wholeness as the will of God and encourages humans to seek and accept God’s gift of spiritual, mental, and physical health (Matthew 10:7-8).

WHEREAS, Holy Scripture makes the claim that actions required to achieve the goals of health involve both personal (Exodus 24:3; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27) and social (Ezekiel 34:4) responsibility. St. Paul, in turn, identifies "the cosmic powers of this present darkness" (Ephesians 6:12) as a source of much that is ill in this world, and encourages Christians to side with God against these powers. In all these times, the provision of health care has been an expression of the duty of hospitality (Matthew 25:36). Through the ages the Christian Church has expressed this duty through personal deeds of service and the creation of healing institutions.

WHEREAS, The United Methodist Church through its Social Principles (¶162V) has expressed its commitment to health care for all. John Wesley was always deeply concerned about health care, providing medical services at no cost to the poor and emphasizing preventive care. The first Methodist Social Creed (adopted in 1908) urged working conditions to safeguard the health of workers and community. Through its many hospitals and health-care facilities around the world, as well as public-policy advocacy for health, the United Methodist Church continues to declare its commitment to quality and affordable health care as a right of all people. (UMR 113)

WHEREAS, Access to quality affordable health care has reached crisis proportions in the world, impacting the well-being of God’s children of all ages, everywhere, but especially the most vulnerable, including the poor, the children and the aged. Today, health care is a major issue globally for the world's population. Key indicators of child mortality, poverty, environmental degradation, maternal health, the spread of communicable diseases and access to medicine constitute 6 of 8 United Nations Millennium Goals and tell of a world that is sickening to too many and brings the end of life too soon.

WHEREAS, In the United States, the number of persons without access to health insurance is 47 million and regrettably continues to grow; those who do have such access face a health care delivery system of increasing cost and diminishing quality.

And, WHEREAS, In Ohio, the economic downturn has led to an increased proportion of low and middle income citizens who cannot afford the cost of healthcare. 1.4 million Ohioans have no health insurance and 62% of Ohioans had some experience with being uninsured either through their own experience or through the experience of a household or family member. Millions more with health coverage are under-insured or reluctant to use their coverage because of high co-payments, deductibles and other cost sharing requirements.

The West Ohio Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church is compelled, based on our faith and in honor of our Wesleyan tradition, to act in the midst of this crisis.

THEREFORE, may it be resolved:
1. That as individuals we challenge ourselves to make a commitment to live healthier lives and work toward health care for all, and we encourage our clergy and lay employees to model health and well-being for our local church members, including keeping Sabbath rest.
2. That as members of West Ohio Conference, we call the General Agencies to work together comprehensively and strategically to insure that health and well-being are a priority both in the work that we do for members of our denomination and also for citizens across the world.
3. That as members of West Ohio Conference, we call upon our congregations to conduct Health Care Justice Sabbaths during the first weekend of January or another weekend of their choosing in which the theological, political, economic and medical issues involved in health care can be raised in sermons and discussions. A range of health care related works of mercy, from blood pressure screenings to blood drives, can benefit the community and should be offered.
4. That as citizens of the State of Ohio, we call upon the Ohio Legislative bodies to introduce and pass legislation to address health care for all in Ohio. We anticipate and support that a variety of regional approaches may result, and that this will provide an experience base that can be replicated in other regions of Ohio as well as the country as a whole. The Conference will offer opportunities for gathering as West Ohio United Methodists for legislative visits and for conversation around the relationship between advocacy and faith.
5. That as citizens of the United States, we call upon the United States Congress to introduce and pass legislation which will move us to universal health care on a single payer basis, consistent with UMC Resolution #3201 and to the extent this cannot be immediately achieved, to introduce and pass legislation which will move us toward this goal in increments, such as effective means of providing health care coverage to seniors, to the poor, to those who are employed but cannot access coverage, and to children; and to support state-level initiatives toward expanding healthcare coverage.
6. That as citizens of the world and advocates for the Kingdom of God, we call upon the United Nations, its constituent agencies, such as the World Health Organization and World Trade Organization, and member nations, to determine actions that will address the United Nations Millennium Goals and increase the quantity of health care services, particularly preventive and village-based health care services, throughout the world.

Submitted by:
West Ohio Healthcare Ministries Team and Let Justice Roll Team

Too Many Books!

I love it when a book order arrives on my doorstep!

My NT Wright book, "Justification: God's Plan & Paul's Vision" and "Jesus, The Final Days: What Really Happened" by Craig Evans and NT Wright came this past week.

The first book is an explanation of the doctrine of justification and a critique of reformed theology's interpretation of this doctrine. Wright argues in this book that the issues which were facing the 16th century protestant reformers led to an overemphasis on an individualistic understanding of this doctrine rather than the Apostle Paul's more wholistic view of the redemption of all of creation which includes the individualistic dimension. In short, the modern western church has inherited this "me and Jesus" theology and we need to get back to Paul's understanding of this doctrine.

The second book is a compilation of lectures given by these two authors as a result of urban myths that are being widely circulated on cyber space regarding Jesus' last days. Rather than approaching this problem from an apologetic/faith perspective, although both authors are also committed Christians, the authors approach it from a historical/contextual view in debunking erroneous and popular misunderstandings of the events of Jesus' last days (the events of his death and resurrection.)

My only problem is before I can begin those books I still need to finish my Bill Hybels' book on leadership and I also started reading a book on the importance of networking with people to accomplish goals.
.

So, no more ordering from Amazon for me, at least for another month!

Finding God in the Shack - Session #5

This morning, my Thursday bible study continued a study on the best selling novel, "The Shack." We're using the resource, "Finding God in the Shack" by Roger E. Olson which examines the approach the novel takes in explaining how a good, loving, and all powerful God can allow suffering and evil in the world and a creative approach to understanding the doctrine of the Trinity.

Here are the highlights from today's session:

• Part of the novel focuses on the inclusive nature of God and how it borders on universalism (the belief that all will eventually be saved.) The novel emphasizes that we sometimes have a narrow view of who is in and who is out regarding salvation.
• One example of scripture which supports this more inclusive view of salvation include John 10:16 in which Jesus says, "And I have sheep that are not of this fold."
• The novel tends to have a negative view toward organized religion. While not discounting the several examples of how churches can be dysfunctional, I take issue with any attempt to differentiate our spiritual lives from church structure/politics. A church needs both the missional component as well as the structural component for long term health. Sure, we sometimes get these out of balance, but I also don't think that it should be either/or.
• The author of "Finding God in the Shack" takes issue with the novel's lack of emphasis upon the role of the church in the life of the Christian. People in my bible study pointed out that since the novel isn't meant to be a systematic book of theology, that just because references to the importance of the church are absent doesn't mean that it is not important to the author of the novel.
• There are good reasons and bad reasons for not participating in the church. The author of "Finding God in the Shack" states that too many people leave or quit attending a church for inadequate reasons. Most of the time, people leave simply because the church doesn't meet their needs in the way they expect. However, the role of the church is to help us to serve and be involved in ministry. The primary purpose of the church isn't to meet our needs.
• Part of the reason why our culture (and the novel) seems to deemphasize the role of the organized church is because western culture prides itself in individualism.
• The main character in the novel, Mack, had a really negative experience with the organized church. One of the problems of the novel is that it doesn't speak on behalf of Christians who have and/or are part of healthy and functional churches. Maybe this is why I am uncomfortable with the novel's attempt to differentiate between spirituality and the organized church. It's because my experience with the church has for the most part, been very positive. Sure, there have been examples of Christians behaving badly in the church here and there, but I'm positive that my faith wouldn't be as strong as it is today if I didn't have positive experiences with the organized church over the course of my lifetime.

Next Thursday, we will conclude our study on "The Shack."