*****
GLOBAL AND ECUMENICAL IN SCOPE
CANADIAN IN PERSPECTIVE
Wayne A. Holst, Editor
My E-Mail Address:
waholst@telus.net
Colleagues List Web Site:
http://colleagueslist.blogspot.com
"Quicklinks" are included with many items
at the beginning of this issue. To get a more
complete picture, however, scroll down to
find your special selection in the body of
the blog.
*****
Dear Friends:
My Special Item this week is the seasonal
"Lenten Lent" a book of devotions by
American author Donna Sharper.
http://tinyurl.com/kplf5p7
http://tinyurl.com/l326688
Please scroll down to read my thoughts
on the book and consider getting it.
--
Colleague Comments - this week are from
colleagues John Griffith of Calgary and an
Ontario friend from my seminary years. John
comments on a Lenten retreat he will lead
for St. David's people followed by a comment
on the Net Note item of last week that focused
on the church and climate change and global
warming. Thanks to both of you.
Scroll down to read their letters to me.
--
Colleague Communications -
James M Wall (Chicago) - writes on the
Obama speech given at the Washington
Prayer Breakfast noted here last week
"Obama - Preacher in Chief"
http://tinyurl.com/l9cl2ky
Ron Rolheiser (San Antonio) reflects on
"Our Daydreams"
http://tinyurl.com/mruym79
Jim Taylor (Okanagan) offers views on
"Reducing Our Fears, Not Our Risks"
http://tinyurl.com/ldj4e78
Martin Marty (Chicago) does an interesting
assessment of "Theology Now"
http://tinyurl.com/oe9sh9h
For more detail, scroll down.
--
Net Notes - are as follows:
"Bodies in Christ" - body image is a major
concern for many today, especially young
women, but other women as well. Here
are thoughts on the subject (America)
http://tinyurl.com/mcz7fue
"Sex and Religion" - here are interesting
introductions to current studies on human
sexuality, particularly contemporary
hook-up and gay cultural issues
(Publishers Weekly)
http://tinyurl.com/pla6wxo
"McFarland - A Story of Hope" - Marlene
and I were invited to the pre-showing of
an intriguing story of Latino American
heroism. Well worth viewing when it
arrives near you, February 23rd
(Walt Disney Productions) trailer
http://tinyurl.com/ln6lqsp
"Is Billy Graham an Evangelical?" -
a helpful clarification of the complex
ministry of "America's Pastor"
(Christianity Today)
http://tinyurl.com/mmgxz44
"Sharia Law Court Opens in Texas" -
this report is from conservative Christian
sources but says a lot about America today
(The Christian Post)
http://tinyurl.com/m73a426
"Menno Simons - Radical Reformer" - for
those who are unfamiliar with the founder
of the Anabaptist Movement in 16th
century Europe, here is a primer
(Evangelical Fellowship of Canada)
http://tinyurl.com/p2p6e86
"Supreme Court Ruling - Mixed Reaction" -
here is a reflection of the reaction, in
Canada this week, to the Supreme Court
ruling on medically assisted suicide
(Anglican Journal)
http://tinyurl.com/kqxrgef
"Press Freedom is in World-Wide Decline" -
an eye-opening story about freedom of the
press in the world today (UCA News)
http://tinyurl.com/o93xadr
"Aussie Aboriginals' Disadvantage Worsening" -
a story, in some ways paralleling the situation
in Canada, on Australia's 'First Nations'
(AFPress) http://tinyurl.com/qc7vr2d
"Student Virginity Exam Sparks Indonesian Outcry" -
women's groups in Indonesia are up in arms over
a new discriminatory policy (UCA News)
http://tinyurl.com/mttuj7e
--
Wisdom of the Week - is provided by Sojourners
and the Bruderhof online with offerings from:
Rachel Carson, Dorothy Day, Henri J.M. Nouwen,
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jean Vanier, Evelyn Underhill,
Oscar Romero and Vincent van Gogh.
Please scroll down to read their thoughts.
--
On This Day - from the archives of the
New York Times - recorded as it happened:
"Stalin, Churchill and FDR Meet. Agree at Yalta"
http://tinyurl.com/lf82j5g
--
Closing Thought - this week is from Pope Francis
Please scroll to the end to read him.
(end)
If your are interested in reading about
our ACTS programs -
Winter 2015 Adult Spiritual Development
ACTS Ministry Programs at St. David's
and at the University of Calgary
*****
SPECIAL ITEM
Book Notice -
LENTEN LENT
A Way to Refresh Your Spirit
by Donna Shaper
Woodlake Books, Kelowna BC 2015,
Paperback, 70 pages. $11.00 CAD
ISBN #978-1-77064-793-0
Publisher's Promo:
Lenten Lent:
A Way to Refresh & Renew Your Spirit =
Donna Schaper, author of more than
30 books, engages the sometimes gritty,
often chaotic and challenging realities of
our lives. With great honesty and humanity,
openness and hope, she offers readers a
way through Lent inspired by the ecological
metaphors of renewable and sustainable
energy – a truly healing “ecology” for the
spirit.
Each of the 40 daily devotions – as well as
one for Easter – feature a scripture reference,
meditation, prayer, and action step.
Lenten Lent also includes guidelines for study
groups, making this a perfect resource for both
individual and group use.
--
Author's Words:
If you are like me, you long for spiritual
methods, practices, measurements - ways
to travel that long road to God. You don't
want anything fancy so much as you want
something just right. You don't want to
waste time or energy so much as to use
time and energy in a renewable and
renewing way...
In these meditations, I devote myself
again to renewal, not just for me, but
surely for me. And not just for you, but
surely for you. And not just for communities,
but surely for them as well.
A daily devotional... lets our days end,
knowing that we have at least tried to
notice time and tempo as they pass
through our hours on this earth...
May we feast in the time it will take to
renew ourselves this Lent... Ultimately,
it is my hope that these devotionals will
accompany you through Lent and yield
a harvest of solar and wind energy in you.
By solar, I mean a sunnier disposition
and by wind I mean something like wind
in your sails.
May these 41 meditations be a handful
of hope to guide you on that journey.
--
My Thoughts:
Donna Sharper has been writing inspirational
books for ordinary Christians for some decades.
She has written for the Alban Institute and
other publishers who serve the spiritual needs
of people in congregations.
The Canadian publisher, Woodlake Books of
Kelowna BC = long a publisher for parishioners -
has produced this book of Lenten devotions
and we are the better for it.
Lent encourages us to give special attention to
spiritual needs in our lives and this book is a
helpful addition to resources available to us.
The author has selected forty plus one scripture
passages for Lent and Easter from both Hebrew
and Christian testaments. She uses various
biblical translations because the words she
selects are important to her.
Readers can be both disciplined or periodic
selectors of these brief (rarely more than just
a page in length) inspirational pieces that are
supported by biblical passages in each case.
I know that I will be using this booklet as
a Lenten resource this year, and I encourage
you to do the same
-----
Buy the book from Woodlake:
http://tinyurl.com/kplf5p7
Buy the book from Amazon.ca:
http://tinyurl.com/l326688
*****
COLLEAGUE COMMENT
JOHN E. GRIFFITH
Calgary, AB
February 8th, 2015
Theme for St. David's Lenten Retreat
Mt. St. Francis Centre, Cochrane AB-
11:30AM -4:00 PM, March 1st, 2015
Hi Wayne, when you advertise this retreat
I think it is important to tell people it is a
"silent preached retreat" and not a bible
study or a discussion oriented process.
This means that it is a contemplative retreat,
a time for reflection on the word of God for
our life. I will use the scriptures for the day
(Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16, Mark 9:2-9) to give
an opening reflection on the passage for the
gathered community; a second reflection will
be shared about half way through and then
there will be a concluding sharing time.
This is important that people come prepared
to spend silent time listening for God's voice
in their own reflections.
I look forward to our time together.
John
--
An Ontario Friend:
February 8th, 2015
From Colleagues List, February 8th, 2015
"Churches Warm Up to Climate Change" -
early signs that the churches are assuming
a stronger role in modern climate change
advocacy and action (Sightings)
http://tinyurl.com/p4pvst8
Hello Wayne:
"Churches Warm Up To Climate Change" made
me remember that it is now more than a quarter
of a century since I participad as a member of
the delegation of the Holy See ("the Vatican")
in the first-ever European meeting of all the
Christian Churches in Europe at Basel, Suisse
in 1989. The theme of the meeting was "Justice,
Peace and the Integrity of Creation."
me remember that it is now more than a quarter
of a century since I participad as a member of
the delegation of the Holy See ("the Vatican")
in the first-ever European meeting of all the
Christian Churches in Europe at Basel, Suisse
in 1989. The theme of the meeting was "Justice,
Peace and the Integrity of Creation."
John Paul II and the now-Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople (if
memory serves, he also was a participant at
Basel) were well aware then of the need for
Church leadership to participate in the struggle
to preserve our environment, one of God's many
gifts to all humankind. Pope Francis' forthcoming
encyclical letter on the ecology is one direct result
of Basel '89. And Patriarch Bartholomew, to the
annoyance of not a few in his own Communion,
has provided steady and solid leadership in this
area.
Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople (if
memory serves, he also was a participant at
Basel) were well aware then of the need for
Church leadership to participate in the struggle
to preserve our environment, one of God's many
gifts to all humankind. Pope Francis' forthcoming
encyclical letter on the ecology is one direct result
of Basel '89. And Patriarch Bartholomew, to the
annoyance of not a few in his own Communion,
has provided steady and solid leadership in this
area.
Warming Churches up to anything perceived to
be "new" is, as you and I both know well, a long,
slow process. May our leaders persevere and may
those whom they lead have open ears, open minds,
open hearts.
be "new" is, as you and I both know well, a long,
slow process. May our leaders persevere and may
those whom they lead have open ears, open minds,
open hearts.
Thanks for all the work you put into your blog.
An Ontario Friend
*****
COLLEAGUE COMMUNICATIONS
JAMES M WALL
Chicago IL
Wall Writings
February 10th, 2015
"Obama - Preacher in Chief
at Prayer Breakfast"
http://tinyurl.com/l9cl2ky
--
RON ROLHEISER
San Antonio TX
Personal Website
February 9th, 2015
"Our Daydreams"
http://tinyurl.com/mruym79
Note Ron's Cancer Update - Good News!
--
JIM TAYLOR
Okanagan, BC
Web Log
February 8th, 2015
"Reducing Our Fears, Not Our Risks"
http://tinyurl.com/ldj4e78
--
MARTIN MARTY
Chicago. Il
Sightings
February 9th, 2015
"Theology Now"
http://tinyurl.com/oe9sh9h
*****
NET NOTES
BODIES IN CHRIST
Healthy Image Needed
America Magazine
February 23rd, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/mcz7fue
--
SEX AND RELIGION
Books Assess Hook-up and Gay Cultures
Publishers Weekly
February 11th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/pla6wxo
---
MCFARLAND - A STORY OF HOPE
Latinos and One Who Believed in Them
(coming February 23rd)
Disney Movie Trailer
http://tinyurl.com/ln6lqsp
--
IS BILLY GRAHAM AN EVANGELICAL?
America's Pastor vs Evangelicalism's Architect
Christianity Today
February 6th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/mmgxz44
--
SHARIAH LAW COURT OPENS IN TEXAS
Conservatives React to Dubious Report
Christian Post
February 11th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/m73a426
--
MENNO SIMONS - RADICAL REFORMER
Beginnings of the Anabaptist Movement
Christianity.ca/EFC Website
(undated)
http://tinyurl.com/p2p6e86
--
SUPREME COURT RULING -
A MIXED REACTION
Right-to-Die Issue Divides Us
Anglican Journal
February 11th, 2014
http://tinyurl.com/kqxrgef
--
PRESS FREEDOM IS IN WORLDWIDE DECLINE
Canada Still Remains Among Top 10 Best
UCA News International
February 12th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/o93xadr
--
AUSSIE ABORIGINALS'
DISADVANTAGE WORSENING
Unemployment Figures Growing
AFPress
February 11th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/qc7vr2d
--
STUDENT VIRGINITY EXAM
SPARKS INDONESIAN OUTCRY
Worries Over AIDS Dominate
UCA News
February 10th, 2025
http://tinyurl.com/mttuj7e
*****
WISDOM OF THE WEEK
Provided by Sojourners and
Bruderhof online:
| Is the exploration of the natural world just a pleasant way to pass the golden hours of childhood or is there something deeper? I am sure there is something much deeper, something lasting and significant. Those who dwell, as scientists or laymen, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. Whatever the vexations or concerns of their personal lives, their thoughts can find paths that lead to inner contentment and to renewed excitement in living.…There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of the birds, the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for the spring. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature – the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter. - Rachel Carson -- I really only love God as much as I love the person I love the least. - Dorothy Day -- That is our vocation: to convert the enemy into a guest and to create the free and fearless space where brotherhood and sisterhood can be formed and fully experienced. - Henri J.M. Nouwen --
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer --
|
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