Who do you believe?

http://m.toledoblade.com/Religion/2012/03/31/2-surveys-on-donations-contradict-each-other.html

How does sociology impact polity, let alone theology?

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/politics/2012/03/real-boundaries-bible-belt/1617/

A must-read for the class!

Long, but I promise to keep the posts to a minimum next week - this is about the last piece of required reading, anyhow, along with "The Design" (which you already read, right?).

http://globalministries.org/about-us/origin-and-legacy-of-the-common.html

Also, "your guess is as good as mine"!

Interesting, but . . . "what is it?" Which, to be fair, in Hebrew is "manna"!

http://www.disciples.org/DisciplesNewsService/tabid/58/itemId/1185/Christian-Theological-Seminary-launches-The-Discip.aspx

Make sure to scroll down to the "Presidents installed..." article and pdf link for the full press release.

http://www.churchextensionfmr.org/

So, what is it? A Push-Me, or a Pull-You? Or is it a Pushmepullyou?

Think about our conversation last week about regions and BMF/DMF . . . yes it is. But how? That's your challenge.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57399610/sweden-moving-towards-cashless-economy/

Hmmmm.

http://yorocko.com/2012/03/20/christianity-after-religion-questioning-the-old-gods/

The DoC can tell you how this whole Restructure thing usually ends...

http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=5259669&ct=11663011

Disciples' flexibility at its best...

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/2012/03/17/pastor-readies-for-his-last-show-at-famed-drive-in-church.html

This is being said about Jewishness by the late Tony Judt, quoted in an article about Black identity in today's NY Times; does it have any relevance beyond race & ethnicity?  Does it carry any weight in an inherited or adopted faith tradition?

“We acknowledge readily enough our duties to our contemporaries; but what of our obligations to those who came before us?”

(See: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/as-black-as-we-wish-to-be.html)

The comments are almost as interesting . . .

. . . as Willimon's column.

http://www.northalabamaumc.org/blogs/detail/631

And here's what he's responding to: http://umportal.org/article.asp?id=8350

Whaaaaa?????

http://www.thearda.com/Denoms/Families/Trees/familytree_restorationmovement.asp

For Saturday

Alexander Campbell

http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/people/acampbell.html

Read/review:

The Candidus Essays (The Reporter, No. 1)

The Evidences of Christianity - the Robert Owen debates (*Skim!!!*)

Views of Mr. Alexander Concerning the Doctrines of Election and Reprobation

On Moral Societies

The Christian System

   Chapter II - The Bible (the understanding distance)

   Breaking the Loaf (re: Wesley)

Address on War

Is this relevant to DoC, USA, or anything?

Maybe not, but I'm posting it anyhow.

http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/ (Resignation as Archbishop of Canterbury, top link on page)

This one's for Aaron . . .

Just click the link:

http://www.gathering2012.org/news.html

Have you seen this line-up? Armed & dangerous!

A tougher question than "can young adults save the church?"

Do young adults want to save the church? Asked in this article:

http://www.umportal.org/article.asp?id=8680

The article references this study, linked earlier:

http://publicreligion.org/2011/10/millennials-leave-their-churches-over-science-lesbian-gay-issues/

And then there's this . . .

. . . a very creative take on the "young adults & the church" question from my friend Rev. Maria in California:

http://revmaria365.blogspot.com/2012/03/looking-forward-and-back.html

Here's a fun polity exercise - read this, and figure out what's going on!

http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2789393&ct=11658997&notoc=1&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

PC(USA) fractures widen

http://www.gazette.com/articles/split-134598-presbyterian-consider.html

Some in the mainlines/oldlines say "faster, please," others ask for a moratorium; is there a third way? Does Bill Clinton do church mediations?

Church foreclosure

I'm not aware of any DoC or UCC congregations that have had this happen to them, but I know of three Ohio congregations that have been foreclosed on in the past year or so. This also is part of the environment we're "doing church" in:

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/03/09/foreclosure-crisis-threatens-historic-churches/

UMC General Conference, 6 weeks ahead

...and this is what the Wisconsin Conference says about proposed cuts and changes in general ministries and overall policy definitions. Forgive me if I have trouble reading this as saying anything other than "wait, no, we should pray more, talk more, and not do anything major for another four years." When the fact is, everyone's getting a haircut. The only question remaining is: who's going to be the barber?

http://wigc2012.wordpress.com/2012/03/08/wisconsin-delegation-statement/

This is the kind of thing that I know feels good to say, but how does it actually "live out"? And then I re-read the Wisconsin Conference statement, which tries to say the same sorts of things, but practically speaking says "so don't change the structures as we have them today." And neither is going to hold up over the next four years even in the rosiest of scenarios. Nor is chanting, over and over, "if the members gave more generously, we wouldn't have this problem." How 'bout we ask why they aren't? Or is it already a given that it's only sin and selfishness that explains it?

http://www.youngumspeak.blogspot.com/2012/03/we-need-to-be-willing-to-die-that-we.html

Trenchant analysis

So, if this consideration is correct (and I think it's spot-on), what does it say to/about our Disciples' and UCC traditions?

http://holysoup.com/2012/03/07/why-church-doesnt-fit-most-people/

Like it was written for our class . . .

Read. We will discuss!

http://dmergent.org/2012/03/08/the-problem-with-covenant/

March 8, 1782 - a date that should be part of our understanding of Disciples' history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnadenhutten_massacre

http://www.graveaddiction.com/gnadenhu.html - excellent pictures of the grounds

And I thought I was being a little mordant in class . . .

http://dmergent.org/2012/03/07/let-it-die/

Unlike my Facebook comment, you folks need to read ALL of it (even if it is a bit longer than it needs to be); plus check the links in the essay out.

Do we, as DoC folk, have a special interest here?

NCC restructure planned:

http://globalministries.org/news/news/task-force-ncc.html

We will discuss this post (& comments) for sure!

http://www.facebook.com/groups/42304204336/10150644155979337/

Does this trend represent an opportunity for mainline denoms? Is it even a trend?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/some-are-swapping-mega-churches-for-tiny-ones/2012/02/29/gIQARdjjmR_story.html

Be prepared to discuss this church plant on Mar. 16

http://www.disciplesnet.org/about-us/faq/

I'm starting you on this page, but don't stop there. How would you explain this church to someone? Where do you see it "going"?

What can disaster response teach us about polity? (Lots.)

Review this link for our DoC ministry: http://www.weekofcompassion.org/

. . . and I'll repost this Facebook message I got from my friend Susan McGhee, executive presbyter for the Presbytery of Ohio Valley (PC(USA)). How does Facebook/Twitter change disaster response?

Update on Indiana Tornados for 
Members and Friends of the Presbytery of Ohio Valley

Dear Friends,

We don't have too much more to report, but I wanted to be in touch one more time this evening. I still have not been able to reach the clerk of session at the Henryville Community Church; I hope to know more by morning. We have received various reports on the state of the church building, and we do not yet know exactly what kind of damage it may have sustained.

I have been on the phone with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, and have asked them to come and help. A rapid response team is being deployed even now. They will met me in Seymour tomorrow evening, and we will travel together to Henryville on Sunday morning.

Many of you have called and emailed and offered to help. At this time, however, I simply do not know what kind of help is most needed. My advice, and that of my PDA contact people, is to stay away from the Henryville area at this time. The area is likely to be hazardous, and no one needs to deal with further injuries. Much help will be needed in the weeks and months ahead, and we will let you know how you can best be of assistance. For now, I ask for your prayers for all whose lives and homes are affected, and for those who are already on the scene providing assistance. And your monetary gifts to PDA will make a difference, too!

In life and in death, and in all the circumstances of life, we belong to God. And we belong to each other. Thanks be to God for these blessed connections.

Peace and all good,
The Rev'd. Susan C. McGhee
Executive Presbyter
The Presbytery of Ohio Valley

Slavery, modernity, & instrumental music - three strands of a tug-o'-war rope

He was contumacious, yet influential as a conciliator (at least for some). Happy birthday, Brother McGarvey -- this article is well worth your time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_William_McGarvey

So . . . . ? What do you think?

Diana gave much this same speech to the clergy conference gathered by Sharon Watkins last year; sadly, we never thought to invite Hitchens to speak at a General Assembly.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christianpiatt/2012/02/christopher-hitchens-diana-butler-bass-and-the-third-great-awakening/