19
December
2007
Many of us started our day today hearing the president’s press conference natterings in the background as we tried to munch our breakfast cereal or make our way to work. These past two weeks we also watched Congressional Democrats cave in completely on war spending, renewable energy source requirements for utilities, massive public subsidies to agribusiness, continued favored tax treatment for hedge fund managers, and a range of other vital issues on which they were supposed to lead us in a different direction.
Yes, the news on any given day can make us weep, or make us tremble with outrage, or both.
Yet we Christians live in joy, not despair, and we seek to engage others on the basis of hope, not cynicism. The Advent season helps us understand how and why we can do this. It’s not that we aren’t paying attention to the mendacities and betrayals that characterize these times. It’s that we have ALSO learned to pay attention to something else: to the light that has come into the world, a light that no amount of mendacity and betrayal can extinguish.
Emanuel: God with us, God in us, God through us, God for us. God for this suffering world!
On every single day of the year, PCU seeks to add to the available light, hope, and joy symbolized by Advent. We work tirelessly for the world spoken of in Mary’s song: a world in which the despised poor are lifted up and the hungry are at last filled with good things.
Because we believe passionately in the work we are doing, we aren’t ashamed to to say that we must have your passionate support–your prayers, your time, AND your financial support–in order to keep doing it.
Please consider making a year-end tax-deductible gift to PCU today! You can easily make an online donation here. If you prefer to donate by mail, you can send your check or credit card information (name, address, credit card number, MasterCard or Visa, and expiration date) to
Progressive Christians Uniting
316 W. 2nd Street, Suite 1104
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Thank you, and God bless!
Posted: Director's Cut, Happening in the World
12
December
2007
It is always and everywhere a good thing for people like me (smug, self-satisfied religious liberals – yup, that’s me) to be thoroughly doused with fresh cold water. In this case, with living water.
I knew a little bit about Brian McLaren’s remarkable nurturing of emergent Christian thinking and emergent Christian communities before reading his new book, Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope (just published by Thomas Nelson). But I must say I was not in the least bit prepared for McLaren’s theological range and depth or for his completely compelling social analysis. In a former life McLaren taught college students how to write, and his skill with language shows in the compression and clarity he exhibits in this volume. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: Director's Cut, Happening in the World
10
December
2007
With all the clashes over sexuality, faith, and biblical interpretation that have rocked the Christian world over the past years, we are in danger of losing sight of the real people, straight and gay, who must live within the tension of rejection while continuing to trust in God.
For the Bible Tells Me So brings us back to the solid truth of real people who have had to struggle through the painful division between faith and accepted beliefs about homosexuality, following five Christian families’ road through Scripture and Christian institutions as they come to terms with their gay or lesbian family member, including the family of Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, whose consecration continues to be challenged by conservative members of the Anglican Communion.
The movie was only shown in a few theatres in Los Angeles, and Progressive Christians Uniting is excited to be able to make it available to the wider community in free church screenings. We invite you to come see this award-winning documentary and take part in discussions about this issue over the next few weeks. Come with your friends — progressive or conservative! This is the movie that can make the difference.
Watch the trailer online!
December 16
Church of the Foothills
19211 Dodge Avenue at Newport
North Tustin, California 92705
6:30 PM
January 12
First Congregational Church of Long Beach
241 Cedar Avenue, Long Beach 90802
7 PM
January 12
Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Santa Monica
1343 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica, 90405
6:00 dinner — all are welcome!
6:45 movie screening
January 13
First Congregational UCC, San Bernardino
3041 N Sierra Way, San Bernardino 93405
2 PM
This screening is co-sponsored by St. John’s Episcopal Church and Heartland Christian Fellowship Metropolitan Community Church.
January 13
Emerson Unitarian Universalist Association
7304 Jordan Avenue, Canoga Park, 91303
January 20
Claremont United Church of Christ
233 West Harrison Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711
3:30PM
January 24
St Anselm of Canterbury Episcopal Church
13091 Galway St, Garden Grove, CA
Thurs, Jan 24th
7:00 pm
January 26
Fairview Community Church
2525 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
7 PM
January 27
St. Matthew Lutheran Church
1920 West Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale 91201
6 PM
Please join us for a special guest discussion with Bishop Emeritus Paul Egertson.
Posted: Happening in the World
5
December
2007
A sermon preached on December 2, the First Sunday of Advent, 2007, by Rev. George Regas
As we begin today the season of Advent, I want to frame this four week pilgrimage to Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus with two biblical proclamations: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:4) “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven
and on earth peace among all people.’” (Luke 2:4)
A four week pilgrimage of peace. That would be a wonderful Advent.
George Clooney relates a dinner conversation he had with his aunt, singer Rosemary Clooney. “She said she was a better singer when she got older.” And George said, “Why are you a better singer now? You can’t hold the notes like you used to. And you can’t hit the high notes like you used to.” And Rosemary Clooney said, “I don’t have to prove I can sing anymore.” (L.A. Times, 9/30/07)
And there is some of that story in this preacher, as I proclaim God’s urgent call to us to be deeply committed peacemakers in this war fractious world. I no longer have to prove I’m committed to peace. The greatness of All Saints Church is found in your deep commitment over the decades to be on the front lines pursuing peaceful resolutions for conflicts around the world.
I have gathered my remarks this morning around four concerns:
1. Alan Greenspan, in his just published memoir, writes: The Iraq War is largely about oil.” What are the implications of that statement?
2. There is such a horrendous cost for the Iraq War; how do we live with the words of the prophet Isaiah and the challenges of Jesus, the peacemaker, as we fight for oil?
3. If humankind is ever to live in peace, the religions of the world must be true to their core mandates for peace; but with millennia of religious wars, is that really possible?
4. A final word to the All Saints Community: are you willing once again to give great leadership to the reawakening of a national peace movement, where religious faith is one of the primary imperatives? Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: Happening in the World
