From the New York Times:
One of Mr. Obama’s orders requires the C.I.A. to use only the 19 interrogation methods outlined in the Army Field Manual, ending President Bush’s policy of permitting the agency to use some secret methods that went beyond those allowed for military interrogators.My Christian conscience feels better already. The whole article is available at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/us/politics/23GITMOCND.html?_r=1&hp.
The new baptismal font Tracy and Iris Alban made for the sanctuary, photographed in Tracy's workshop. A new pulpit and new altar table are in process.
Jenny's sermon from this past Sunday, "Listening to the God Who Knows Us," is available for download on the sermons page of the church website at: http://www.coffeyvillefirstumc.org/Sermons.html.
From United Methodist News Service:
Two United Methodist veterans of the civil rights movement were invited to share the inaugural platform on Jan. 20 when Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States.
The Rev. Joseph Lowery, 87, gave the benediction after President Obama’s inaugural address. Dorothy Height, 96, was also invited to be among the special guests. Both had worked alongside the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., whose birthday was celebrated a day earlier.
The full article is here: http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2429867&ct=6637097&tr=y&auid=4425137
United Methodist News Service has video of Rev. Joseph Lowery's benediction here: http://media.umcom.org/umns/_2009/20090120_inauguration/rev_lowery_inaguration.asx
We're getting pretty close to bringing the church's redesigned website online. We're not there yet, but you can get a sneak peak at http://blog.coffeyvillefirstumc.org. Let me know what you think.
"In the year that King Uzziah Died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple" (Isaiah 6.1, NRSV). So begins the account of the call of the prophet Isaiah. King Uzziah had been a popular, successful king, and his death provoked anxiety about Judah's (the southern kingdom if Israel) future. So it was probably not a coincidence that it was at this time of anxiety that Isaiah had his vision of the real King of Israel, the Lord of Hosts. Of course, the Lord of Hosts ruled not only Judah but the whole world and that still holds true today. I don't want to pour cold water on inaugural celebrations, but it's important for us, as Christians, to remember that presidents come and go, the Lord, the true king, abides.
*Please note that I was telling my congregations the same thing eight years ago when George W. Bush was inaugurated.
The church purchased a new digital recorder that produces great quality recordings and we're gearing up to produce copies of the sermon on CD (Compact Disc). If you know someone who can't make it to worship but would like still like to hear the sermon please let us know. We're willing and able to provide inexpensive CD players.
Just a reminder that the church office will be closed tomorrow in honor of Martin Luther King Day.
We had 14 kids and numerous parents at this afternoon's VeggieTales Movie Event. That came after having 10 kids in the Children's and Youth Sunday School Classes this morning. I just got home and I originally went over to church at about 7:10 this morning. I'm blessed to have a job I love.
Via Sojourners:
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."—Martin Luther King Jr.
My understanding of the ethics of sweatshops just got more complicated.
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/opinion/15kristof.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
We've received the year end apportionment data for the forty largest churches in the annual conference. We contributed 100% of our apportionments for a total of $33,144. Ranked by the amount of apportionments paid, Coffeyville First is 27th out of more than 330 churches in the conference (I don't remember the exact number). Well done people.
I got the chance to speak with Bishop Jones during a break. He told me that N. T. Wright's concept of "Life after life after death" with paradise as an intermediate stage before the final restoration of the new heaven and new earth matches the understanding of John Wesley found in his Notes on the New Testament.
Jenny and I are at the Kansas Area Seminar on Professional Ministry. We just learned of a great online resource for the works of John and Charles Wesley: www.divinity.duke.edu/wesleyan/texts/index.html.
By way of Will Willimon's blog (see the link at right), I found the mission statement of the North Alabama Annual Conference: "Every church challenged and equipped to grow more disciples of Jesus Christ by taking risks and changing lives." That got me thinking, what risks do we at Coffeyville First need to take? Have an answer? Drop me a line at johnandjenny@revcollins.com
The Vision Team meeting for this Wednesday is being postponed because Jenny and I will be in Wichita (see the previous post).
Jenny and I are off to Wichita for the Kansas Area Seminar on Professional Ministry tomorrow. We'll be back Thursday. Jenny's dad will be here to take care of Elizabeth.
An interesting blog entry by Brian McLaren over at God's Politics.
Yesterday we made three technological developments that you might be interested in:
From UMNS (United Methodist News Service):
UMNS now offers a Twitter feed to keep followers informed with daily headlines and links to its stories online. The feed will also include updates and other pertinent information from the News Service. You can find our feed at: http://twitter.com/UMNS. UMNS also has a Facebook page – go to www.facebook.com and write “UMNS” in the search engine – and you can find UMTV stories on YouTube, Google video, and GodTube.
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