Friday Night Lights - Hudson High School "Swing" Marching Band

Friday means getting ready for an evening of High School Football and being a part of the number one leader in Halftime entertainment - The Hudson High School "Swing" Marching Band. We have already had a full season with band shows, the opening of the new Memorial Stadium, and an exciting first win at the home opener. Of the 1500 or so pictures that I have taken in the past two weeks, here are some of the better ones. These are great kids, with talented leaders, and a great organization. Support your local High School music program.

Love One Another - Brian

Mogodore Band Show
Best Concessions Anywhere!

Senior Squad Leaders
The Two Annie's

Arriving with Authority

Entering Memorial Stadium for the First Time

"We Got the Beat"

"Bang Your Head"

"God Bless America"

Oh yeah.... there was a Football Game!

Hudson 17 Kenston 14

The new 5,000 seat Memorial Stadium in Hudson, Ohio

Annie Greer Calling the Band to Attention

"We R Who We R"

"Everybody Wants You"

Friday Night Lights

My Experience at a Joel Osteen's "A Night of Hope" Crusade

When I realized that Joel Osteen was coming to Cleveland for his “A Night of Hope” crusade on July 13, I quickly cleared my calendar so that I could attend the service which was being held at the Quicken Loans Arena. I had always wanted to hear this evangelist live and in person. I invited a friend who had also expressed interest in attending the crusade. We decided to include our spouses who responded with the following: “No” and “Hell no!”

Okay – Joel Osteen is not for everybody. But my interest in exploring this component of American Christianity was not deterred.

Friday, July 13 arrived. The $15 ticket was purchased. It was time to finally discover what Joel Osteen was all about.

Some background: Joel Osteen is a native Texan and the Pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. According to Church Growth Today Lakewood Church is America's largest and fastest growing church. Seven years ago, after completing $95 million dollars in renovations, Joel moved Lakewood Church into its new 16,000-seat home (the former Compaq Center where the NBA’s Houston Rockets used to play). It is the largest regularly-used worship center in the United States. Each week Joel delivers the message of the Gospel to more than 38,000 attendees. It is hard to argue with those numbers. His ministry has to be doing something right.

We arrived at The Q with more than enough time to explore the “bookstore” and grab a bite to eat. When I asked a Q employee what time the crusade would be over, I was shocked to hear 10:00 pm. Osteen was going to lead a two and a half hour service. I wore the wrong shoes!!

A Night of Hope is a service (?), performance (?), an event that is filled with a bit of praise and worship music, words of encouragement offered by Victoria Osteen (Joel’s wife), an inspiring testimony from Dodie Osteen (Joel’s mom), a brief bit of prayer which is led by the local pastors and chief organizers of the event, and last, but not least, a thirty minute sermon by the tall Texan himself. As the program guide indicated: “There will be no intermission.”

The Q was just about sold out. Our seats where one row from the top and a very long way from the stage. The Friday night crowd was respectful and pleasant. But, throughout the evening, I sensed that those gathered never really became “spirit filled”, ignited with the “fire from on High” which would have taken the gathering to a whole new level.

The band warmed up the crowd with the usual up-tempo Christian rock music that many of the faith have come to appreciate. While I am not one of those people, I was glad that there was little or no emphasis on the “blood of Christ” or “washed in the blood of the lamb.” Instead, the music focused on the praise of God and the glory of the Most High. A trio of singers backed by an ensemble of about ten to twelve musicians played for the first ten to fifteen minutes.

Then Joel and Victoria took the stage. The program indicated that they are co-pastors of Lakewood Church. The crowd offered a long and sustained ovation as if two rock stars had appeared on stage.  Joel began to speak and shared his message of positive inspiration. He is a good looking guy, clean-cut, and engaging. There was a part of me (the Preacher’s Kid) that really wanted to dislike him – regard him with some distain – look on his phenomenal success with great skepticism. That was difficult to do, for his charming style and Southern ways are appealing and winning.

Okay, Joel completes his first twenty minute set and there is more music. This is followed by Victoria and her twenty minutes of monologue. The genuineness of Joel is not shared by his co-pastor. I sit “twitching” in my seat because there is something about her message that makes me feel uneasy. Victoria is trying too hard to sell her brand. She shares a story about her dad and an experience of forgiveness that did not add up in my mind. When she finished, there were all sorts of questions running through my head about the Gospel (What is forgiveness? And what it is not?) and about crusade evangelists (selling their latest product at $29.95 to all the suckers in the audience).

More music to clear the palate and the mind.

Then Dodie Osteen takes center stage. How do I describe her? She is the quintessential southern lady (from Texas, no less). Mrs. Osteen has a commanding presence, beautifully dressed, and in true Southern style, sparkles in her diamonds. I am immediately enthralled for I have met so many of these “belles” in my ministry over the years. But, Dodie has an amazing story of grace and healing. She recalls her battle in the early eighties with terminal liver cancer and how by the grace of God, she was completely healed of the disease. Here was a woman who had stared death in the face, walked through the valley, and was transfigured by the process. Her testimony was powerful and genuine. The eighty year old matriarch of the Osteen clan, a preacher’s wife who has probably seen more of her fair shares of the ups and downs of ministry, spoke with emotion, honesty and truth about the journey of life and God’s grace being sufficient in all circumstances.

More music….

After the offering – large white plastic containers passed throughout the arena – and a bit more music, we were ready for the evening’s message.

www.examiner.com

Joel Osteen has a great stage presence and a convincing style. He is constantly smiling and his message is a cross between an updated version of prosperity theology with ample doses of pop psychology. He never referred to sin and mentioned Jesus’ Name only two or three times as I can recall. Instead, Osteen offers his listeners platitudes about attitudes. “God wants you to be a winner, not a whiner,” he asserted. My personal favorite: “Your current trial will be your testimony tomorrow.” It is an upbeat message that clearly made an impact with those around me judging from the head nodding and gentle “Amen’s” being articulated.

Osteen reminded me of my childhood days and unique afternoons spent at the Marble Collegiate Church in Manhattan listening to the Rev. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. Like Dr. Peale, Osteen is a gifted story teller who weaves the Good News of the Gospel in and out of the narratives. Never once did I feel like I was being “suckered by a used car dealer.” No, Osteen’s genuineness shines through and I believe he cares when he shares at the end of his message that those listening to his voice find “a good Bible based church” and commit to a “personal relationship with Jesus.”

Since that evening, I have looked carefully at the Joel Osteen website and found this statement about the faith community’s beliefs. It states:

“We Believe…

• the entire Bible is inspired by God, without error and the authority on which we base our faith, conduct and doctrine.
• in one God who exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came to this earth as Savior of the world.
• Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood for our sins. We believe that salvation is found by placing our faith in what Jesus did for us on the cross. We believe Jesus rose from the dead and is coming again.
• water baptism is a symbol of the cleansing power of the blood of Christ and a testimony to our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
• in the regular taking of Communion as an act of remembering what the Lord Jesus did for us on the cross.
• every believer should be in a growing relationship with Jesus by obeying God’s Word, yielding to the Holy Spirit and by being conformed to the image of Christ.
• as children of God, we are overcomers and more than conquerors and God intends for each of us to experience the abundant life He has in store for us.” (www.joelosten.com)

Well…. With the exception of the Bible being “without error” what is there to disagree with? The Trinity. The Cross. Baptism. Communion. Relationship with Jesus. Abundant Life. There is more that I agree with Osteen than I disagree.

I admit to my readers that I went into the evening as a cynic expecting the worst of institutional evangelical American religion. I left giving thanks for the experience of sharing in the Gospel. No, this kind of “church” with 15,000 of your closet friends is not my idea of community. But, who am I to judge that Osteen and his message did not touch the heart of one soul that night bringing that person into the abundant life of knowing Jesus. Did not our Master say; “Do not stop him. For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mark 9:39-40)

My exploration of American Christianity in the 21^st century continues.

Love One Another - Brian

"Lord, teach us to pray...." Meditation

One Minute Wisdom is a collection of writings by Anthony de Mello. Rooted in the spirit of the Gospel and spanning the mystical traditions of both East and West, the author offers an anthology to enliven the reader's faith and free each one of us from whatever imprisons our mind, body and soul. The selection I have chosen to share with you is entitled Meditation and seemed appropriate for the day. You can purchase Anthony de Mello's book by clicking here.

Meditation

A disciple fell asleep and dreamed that he had entered Paradise. To his astonishment he found his Master and the other disciples sitting there, absorbed in meditation.

"Is this the reward of Paradise?" he cried. "Why, this is exactly the sort of thing we did on earth!"

He heard a Voice exclaim, "Fool! You think those meditators are in Paradise? It is just the opposite - Paradise is in the meditators."

(Anthony de Mello, One Minute Wisdom, page 26)

Love One Another - Brian

Sabbath Rest

Tuesday is the weekly Sabbath Day for the John 13:34 Blog. Thanks for checking in. Back at it again tomorrow.

There's A Church in the Valley by the Wildwood - An Outdoor Worship Experience With the Presbyterians

“There’s a church in the valley by the wildwood,

No lovelier spot in the dale;

No place is so dear to my childhood

As the little brown church in the vale.”

So began the morning worship at the First Presbyterian Church of Hudson, PC(USA). I had been invited by the Reverend Sue Tinker to join the congregation in an outdoor worship experience at one of the local parks in town. In my continued quest to explore and participate in Christianity in 21^st century America, I found my time with this small faith community both enlightening and concerning.

When I arrived I was warmly greeted by members of the congregation. One woman in particular went out of her way to make me feel welcomed and part of the community, which I very much appreciated. There were probably about twenty of us gathered out under the picnic pavilion. What struck me at first was the maturity of those gathered. No one was under the age of 45, with the exception of the pastor. At times in the service, my mind drifted as I looked around at those who had assembled wondering what is the future of the American branch of Christianity if we continue to serve only “the greatest generation” and the like? Why are the established denominations of the Church making so few inroads into the “X’ and “Y” generations?

A few years back, Pope Benedict (not a celebrity I regularly quote from) speaking to a group of clergy in Rome made a statement that has remained with me to this day: “There is no longer evidence of a need for God, even less of Christ. The so-called traditional churches look like they are dying.” Judging from what I experienced on Sunday, the pontiff may be correct.

In a piece entitled, “The Sad State of Religion in the U.S.”, the author Davidson Loehr writes: “When you count the people in the pews on Sunday rather than having a pollster ask whether or not they attend church, fewer than 18% attend church regularly. From 1980 to 2005 in the Southern Baptist Church, baptisms of people between 18 and 34 – in other words, the next generations of leaders – fell 40 percent, from 100,000 in 1980 to 60,000 in 2005.

“But the U.S. population grew by 27% during those 25 years, so the Baptists would have had to baptize 127,000 in 2005 just to stay even; they really fell by 52%. In 2006, the Southern Baptists – who claim six times more members than any other white evangelical church – made a concerted effort to baptize one million people. Not only did they fall over two-thirds short, they actually baptized fewer than they had the year before.”

Loehr went on to say, “You might think that some faith groups must have grown during the last thirty years, and you would be right: atheists and nonbelievers more than doubled in the eleven years between 1990 and 2001, from 14 million to 29 million: from 8% to 14%. There are more than twice as many atheists and nonbelievers as there are evangelical Christians. And since it is hard to believe that all atheists/nonbelievers would be willing to confess that to pollsters, the number is probably much higher. From 2000 to 2005, church attendance fell in all fifty states.” (inewp.com)

The experience on Sunday, reaffirmed my belief that if the institutional Church does not radically change most aspects of its current ministries, styles, and ways, the writing is on the wall and we will be the witnesses to the end of Christianity as we have known it for generations. Yet, in the midst of this demise was there was a clear and abiding sign of hope.

At the portion of the service set aside for community prayer, Sue Tinker asked those of us assembled if there were intercessions, concerns or thanksgivings to be shared. An older man, who had a difficult time standing, rose and spoke eloquently about a struggle he was having while offering thanks for his wife who had stood with him and supported him in this trial. Another woman asked for prayers for her son who was dealing with a grave situation at his work. Another gave thanks for the young people she taught at school and for the blessings received. Another person asked for prayers of thanksgiving for being spared in a traffic accident.

In this moment, the Spirit of God was visibly present and alive as heart spoke to heart. The folks gathered seemed to listen more intently at this portion of the service than they had at any time before. It was clear that these twenty or so members were devoted to one another and the sense of community and belonging was tangible and authentic.

This is where the Body of Christ still has a place – a voice – in our world. From my experience of fifty-one years, one of the most important needs of the human being is that of being part of a community, knowing that there is a place where one belongs. I see this need being expressed regularly on Friday evenings with the members of the High School Band; at my volunteer job at the cable television station, at the weekly DA meeting in Akron, and on Sunday mornings at Church. I know of few places where there can be such authenticity for community than in the Church following the example of Jesus who welcomed one and all.

As I pulled out of the parking lot yesterday reflecting on what I had just experienced, I wondered if a “liturgy” could be created that stripped away all of the unnecessary pious phrases; all of the out dated music in key signatures that made it virtually impossible to sing(!); and all the superfluous verbiage that often plagues our worship. After stripping away the non-essentials, we would be left with the words of the Scriptures, the power of intercessory prayer, the sharing of bread and wine in memory of our Master, and the vulnerability of being in authentic community. It sounds like an Acts 2:42 community to me.

Love One Another - Brian

The Sunday Musical Offering - "Singin' in the Rain" 1952 featuring Gene Kelly

Last Thursday there were many events celebrating the 100^th anniversary of the birth of Gene Kelly. I stayed up very late to enjoy two Hollywood masterpieces on the Turner Classic Movies network. The first was An American in Paris and the second was one of my all time favorites – Singin’ in the Rain. What was it about Gene Kelly?

Born in 1912, Eugene Curran “Gene” Kelly was an innovator and one of the biggest Hollywood stars in that generation of awesome major musicals. Now, everybody knows that I cannot dance. But, when I watch a Gene Kelly picture, I want to get off the couch and joyously ‘bop’ about the room. There was a spirit, a freedom, a joy in Kelly’s step which included a magnificent combination of tap, ballet and modern dance. While there will never be another dancer like Gene Kelly, his influence can be seen in countless other American dancers in our time and generation.

Singin’ in the Rain was written in 1929 with music by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics by Arthur Freed. This moment in the film simply exudes radiant joy and happiness.

Love One Another - Brian

The Weekly Round-Up for August 24, 2012

If Charles Dickens were alive, he may have summed up last week with these famous words from A Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way.”

Church conflicts, more shootings across America, politicians at each other’s throat, an absolutely ridiculous comment made about “legitimate” rape, the church I grew up in was closed for lack of funds and a congregation. In the midst of the darkness there was the glimpse of hope – kind words spoken, hope shared, forgiveness offered, and a new school year pregnant with possibility. All is not lost.

The Weekly Round-Up begins….

The Best Editorial of the Week

Thomas Friedman, New York Times

We Need a Conservative Party

The Second Best Editorial of the Week

Maureen Dowd, New York Times

Just Think No

Best Sermon of the Week

The Rev. Dr. Karolina Lewis, Day 1

The Politics of Betrayal

This One Will Make You Think

Rachel Stone, sojo.net

It's Hard for Rich People to Enter God's Kingdom

This One Will Make You Think, Too

Sarah Kendzior, aljazeerha.com

The Closing of American Academia

Todd Akin's Blunder: "Legitimate" Rape

Various Writers and Sources

Senate Candidate Provokes Ire

Akin's Faith Central to His Politics

GOP Actions Speak Louder Than Todd Akin's Words

"Let it be unto me." Akin, Rape, and the Early Church

And Now a WORD From the Monastery

Curtis Almquist, ssje.org

Jesus

Best Commentary on Gun Control

Various Writers and Sources

How The Gun Industry Got Rich Stoking Fears About Obama

A History of Mass Shootings in America Since Columbine (read this one  - thanks to my sister Liz in London)

Why I Watch the Little League World Series

Mike Townsend, sports.yahoo.com

Canadian Little Leaguer Dazzles With Amazing Catch

Best Commentary on The Church This Week

Various Writers and Sources

NPR: Study Reveals the Geography of Charitable Giving

What Beer Can Teach the Church

What Can Churches Do?

Acts 8 Moment

Ad Campaign Calls on Christians to "Love Your Neighbor"

General Seminary Canned Workers After Decades of Service

Shane Claiborne: What If Jesus Meant All That Stuff?

"Band-Aids Aren't Enough!" - Progressive Christian Social Justice

Feeding the Homeless is Being Banned All Over the Country

Best Two Commentaries on Forgiveness

Desmond Tutu and Tiny Buddha

Desmond Tutu on Forgiveness

Toxic Friendships - Accepting Forgiveness - Moving On

Most Viewed Post at the John 13:34 Blog This Week

Lent 2 - Thursday

The Mustard Seed - A Revolutionary Tale

Always End With Children, Animals or Adults Having Fun

Whose Line Is It Anyway?, youtube.com



Love One Another - Brian

Entertaining Three Angels at an Irish Bar in Akron, Ohio

During this imposed exile, which is now about to reach its thirteenth month, I have had the good fortune of meeting extraordinary people who have taught me much about life and the institutional church. Another such occasion occurred this past Sunday in, of all places, a hole-in-the-wall Irish Bar near Firestone Park in Akron, Ohio.

The Akron Symphony
@ Firestone Park

I had been invited by a good friend, who is president of an audio/video company, to assist on the line in a production of the Akron Symphony Orchestra. He knows of my love for classical music and growing interest in the audio/visual world. Our job Sunday evening was to make sure that the orchestra was properly miked and bring the glorious sound of music to five hundred or so people scattered around the park. We arrived hours before the performance was to begin and began our work unloading speakers, containers, scaffolding, and what seemed like yards and yards of cable. Since I was the rookie, and knew very little about what I was actually doing, the three young men assisting AJ were very kind and put me through the paces while teaching as well. After about ninety minutes everything was set. Then the rains came!

Once the thunder and lightening subsided and word came down from on high that the concert was a go. The tech crew was released to go and grab a bite to eat before the show began. I joined Tom, Chris, and Dan as they headed to a local watering hole just a few minutes from our location in the park.

Tom is a PhD professor of pharmacology at Akron University who moonlights in audio production - a very learned young man with a great sense of humor. Chris works in audio installation and was the brains of the operation. He has a brilliant mind and is a kind teacher. Dan, a student at Kent State, is in his third year of television production - passionate, humorous, and just a terrific individual.

We were seated at a table in the bar, when Tom leans over towards me and asks, "What do you do for a living?"

I share with him and the other two men that I am a priest in the Episcopal Church and about my current situation in the Diocese of Ohio. They listen carefully, respectfully, and appear very interested in my journey. What follows is an astonishing hour long conversation about spirituality and their perception about the institutional church. It never ceases to amaze me when offered an opportunity to speak about spiritual issues and concepts, the human being appears eager to engage the subject matter and such was the case on Sunday evening.

All three men shared that they were originally Roman Catholics but that they gave up the Church long ago. While their reasons varied, the common denominator was that the Church was out of touch with the mainstream, too many incidents of misconduct, no sense of forgiveness, failed leadership. But, it was clear from the dialogue that these three guys were spiritual people seeking understanding and enlightenment. As I listened, I grieved that these mystical, highly educated and alive individuals were not members of any Church, yet alone mine. What a blessing it would be to include these brilliant minds in a religious community.

The Learning: The Church is dying because we have lost too many young persons like Tom, Chris and Dan. The Church is dying because instead of engaging these persons and meeting them where they are, the Institution has tried to control and dictate what they must do and believe. If there is any chance in the future of bringing these "sheep into the fold", the Church must leave the safe and cosy confines of our congregations and enter into their world meeting them on their turf. If, for whatever reason, persons like Tom, Chris and Dan, will not come to us, the Church must go to them. The key will be to stop talking and simply listen and learn from them. The Church ought to have folks like these in our community of faith who are intelligent, appealing and eager to share their ideas and talents. Young people like Tom, Chris and Dan have much to offer the Institution if we would only have the humility to listen.


I met three angels last Sunday in of all places an Irish Bar near Akron, Ohio. The blessings I received were greater than I could imagine. 

Love One Another - Brian

Calling for Peace - Using Social Media

Mohandas Gandhi – “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him… We need not wait to see what others do.”

A friend of mine, just this morning, passed along this video of a young Israeli father who is concerned about the growing tensions between his country and the State of Iran. Instead of sitting idly by waiting for something terrible to happen, Ronny decided to do something about it. A teacher and graphic artist, this forty-one year old is trying to make a difference and use social media to bring about peace.  This is compelling video and deserves to be seen by all the peoples of the earth.

The citizens of the nations do not start wars. It is the politicians, the bureaucrats, the dictators of the world and their craving for power and domination who initiate the great conflicts among the nations. Most of us, like Ronny, want to live in peace. I hope you will pass along this video to your friends and family around the globe.

Love One Another - Brian

"Lord, teach us to pray...." The Trials of Faith

Throughout one's life, you come across people who really care and make the extraordinary effort to be there for you. One such person in my journey was a man by the name of James Cockerill. I met Jim over twenty years ago when I was going through a "dark night" of the soul. A licensed therapist and one of the most spiritually compassionate men I have ever met, Jim assisted me in overcoming issues that were plaguing me at the time and gave me tools that I have used to this very day.

In his waiting room on the coffee table was a daily devotional entitled "Streams in the Desert" by L.B. Cowman. The author worked as a pioneer missionary with her husband in Japan and China from 1901 until 1917. When Mr. Cowman's poor health forced the couple to return to the United States, Mrs. Cowman turned her attention to caring for her husband until his death some six years later. Out of her experiences and heartbreak arose "Streams in the Desert". When coming into the office, I would habitually pick up the small book, turn to the daily devotion which followed the calendar, and be amazed at how the lesson would speak to my current situation or emotional state at the time.

Yesterday, after an extremely long and trying day, I came across Cowman's book simply by chance. As was my custom twenty years ago, I opened the devotional to August 22nd (it was the end of the day) and read today's entry. I marvelled at how this miniature treasure continues to speak to me in the daily routine and trials of life. Here is what Cowman offered to her readers:

The rest were to go there on planks or on pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely. (Acts 27:44)

"The miraculous story of Paul's voyage to Rome, with its trials and triumphs, is a wonderful example of the light and darkness through the journey of faith of human life. And the most remarkable part of the journey is the difficult and narrow places that are interspersed with God's extraordinary providence and intervention.

"It is a common misconception that the Christian's walk of faith is strewn with flowers and that when God intervenes in the lives of His people, He does so in such a wonderful way as to always lift us out of our difficult surroundings. In actual fact, however, the real experience is quite the opposite. And the message of the Bible is one of alternating trials and triumphs in the lives of "a great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12"1). every one from Abel to the last martyr.

"Paul, more than anyone else, is an example of how much a child of God can suffer without being defeated or broken in spirit. Because of his testimony in Damascus, he was hunted down by persecutors and forced to flee for his life. Yet we see no heavenly chariot, amid lightening bolts of fire, coming to rescue the holy apostle from the hands of his enemies. God instead worked a simple way for his escape: 'His followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall' (Acts 9:25). yes, he was in an old clothes basket, like a bundle of laundry or groceries. The servant of the Lord Jesus Christ was lowered from a window over the wall of Damascus, and in a humble way escaped the hatred of his foes.

"Later we find him languishing for months in lonely dungeons, telling of his 'sleepless nights and hunger' (2 Corinthians 6:5), of being deserted by his friends, and of his brutal, humiliating beatings. And even after God promised to deliver him, we see him left for days to toss upon a stormy sea and compelled to protect a treacherous sailor. And finally, once his deliverance comes, it is not by way of some heavenly ship sailing from the skies to rescue this illustrious prisoner. Nor is there an angel who comes walking on the water to still the raging sea. There is no super-natural sign at all of surprising greatness being carried out, for one man is required to grab a piece of the mast to survive, another a floating timber, another a small fragment of the ship wreck, and yet another is forced to swim for his life.

"In this account, we also find God's pattern for our own lives. It is meant to be good news to those who live in this everyday world in ordinary surroundings and who face thousands of ordinary situations, which must be met in completely ordinary ways.

"God's promises and His providence do not lift us from the world of common sense and everyday trials, for it is through these very things that our faith is perfected. And it is in this world that God loves to interweave the golden threads of His love with the twists and turns of our common everyday experiences." (Streams in the Desert, pages 321-322)

"God's promises and His providence do not lift us from the world of common sense and everyday trials, for it is through these very things that our faith is perfected."

I have found, particularly over the course of the last sixteen months, these words to be true. To my readers who follow this blog faithfully, I want to assure you that my current trials have not destroyed my faith, which so easily could have occurred. Rather, I am stronger because of the trials. God's providence is sufficient in very situation. The current ordeal, tribulation and suffering that are occurring in my life are nothing compared to the glorious future that awaits each of us who believes. I write to encourage my readers to stay strong in the faith whatever your current trial may be. Give thanks for every day whatever it may bring for God appears in the most unusual of places. Continue to love wastefully for by doing so, the world will know that we are disciples of Jesus. 

Thanks be to God for Mrs. Cowman's magnificent testimonial. Thanks be God for Jim Cockerill and his compassionate care for his clients. Thanks be to God for Divine grace and love which assists us to overcome our adversities.

Love One Another - Brian

Sabbath Rest

Tuesday is the weekly Sabbath Day for the John 13:34 Blog. Thanks for checking in. Back at it again tomorrow.

 

The Sunday Musical Offering - Beethoven Leonore Overture Nº3

Ludwig van Beethoven’s only opera Fidelio is a journey from darkness to light, from despair to triumph, from sadness to unspeakable joy. I find myself in one of those emotional places where I need to be reminded that light triumphs over darkness and that the darkness will never overcome it. Beethoven’s music does that for me like no other.

This is a performance of the Leonore Overture Nº 3 in C major, Op. 72b performed at the Amnesty International Concert in 1976. The members of the Bavarian Broadcast Symphony Orchestra are under the baton of Leonard Bernstein. Celebrate the light!

Love One Another - Brian



PS - This is going to be a strenuous week for many and various reasons. While preparing spiritually for the challenges that lie ahead, the writing of Richard Rohr has brought me solace and strength. The following may indeed become the mantra for the journey:

"Remember this: no one can keep you from the second half of life except yourself. Nothing can inhibit your second journey except your own lack of courage, patience, and imagination. Your second journey is all yours to walk or to avoid. My conviction is that some falling apart of the first journey is necessary for this to happen, so do not waste a moment of time lamenting poor parenting, lost jobs, failed relationships, physical handicaps, gender identity, economic poverty, or even the tragedy of any kind of abuse. Pain is part of the deal. If you don’t walk into the second half of your own life, it is you who do not want it. God will always give you exactly what you truly want and desire. So make sure you desire, desire deeply, desire yourself, desire God, and desire everything good, true, and beautiful."

Adapted from Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life, p. 160

The Weekly Update

A most beautiful morning here in Northeast Ohio with a hint of chill in the air. A young doe leisurely enjoys the fallen apples across the street in my neighbor's yard and then saunters over into mine looking for more breakfast I imagine. This week included a Vice-Presidential pick... more shootings in America... a perfect game in Seattle... Facebook's stock continues to plunge... and Boudoir photography will, hopefully, be a passing fad. The Weekly Round-Up starts now....

The Best Editorial of the Week
Steven Ozment, The New York Times

In Euro Crisis, Germany Looks to Martin Luther

Second Best Editorial of the Week
John Cassidy, The New Yorker

Is America Crazy? Ten Reasons It Might Be

This One Will Make You Think
Harvind Kaur Singh, sojo.net

We Are One

This One Will Make You Think, Too
Jim Wallis, sojo.net

How to Change Politics

Best Two Sermons of the Week
John Andrew and Walter Brueggemann

Saint Thomas, Fifth Avenue

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Doctors Target Gun Violence as a Social Disease

Family: College Station Shooter Was a Ticking Time Bomb

After Three Shooting: America Needs Zero Tolerance

Aurora's Hard Truth: Mental Health Screening for Gun Buyers is Nearly Non-Existent

Big Guns Inside the NRA Leadership

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5 Parenting Decisions to Make from Your Gut

Why College Grads Aren't Employable

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Boudoir Photography: The Divisive New Wedding Trend

Best Reflections on the Christian Church
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Would Jesus Tweet?

Want to Know God? Get Religion

Nine Questions Church Visitors Are Not Asking

Your God is Too Big

How Best to Pay for Your House of Worship

Church No More: Far Too Little Sabbath in Sabbath

The Missing Jesus

Dreaming of a Spiral Bound Bible

Lakota Sacred Ground on the Auction Block

Moving Forward Means Letting Go of the Past

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Youtube.com

Love One Another - Brian