Some links that have caught my eye in past days. Some very local and heartwarming, some about violence and how people of consciousness and faith might respond.
Let's start with the heartwarming ones, a reminder that there are great things, acts of love, and good families in our midst.
My friends, WMPC members, the Batchelors. A story about fathers, sons, and scouting.
Raleigh Family Boasts 7 Eagle Scouts
One of the most touching moments of the past month for me, personally, happened right after Christmas. We usually ask our kids, "what was the most special day of the last week, what was your favorite part of the movie, etc.?" We asked, "what was the best part of Christmas?" Seeing their grandparents. Going to the movie to see The Hobbit. Getting a new doll. And then one of the children, the most often tender-hearted one, said, "One of my favorites was giving that guy our car." It may have been prideful, but I said, "Amen." He remembered giving our car to Wheels 4 Hope as part of their 31 cars in 31 days in December. Our car went to a single dad. Somehow that feels right after it was a car that carted our children all over the state and nation. White Memorial Members - we are still looking for a member of our church to donate a car for a Step-Up graduate in conjunction with Step-Up Sunday on January 20. What a great way to begin a new year! Give a car and change a life. Check out their website and ask how you might help:
http://www.wheels4hope.org/
Several of you have asked me as to whether or not the Presbyterian Church has ever made a statement about assault weapons and our culture's preoccupation with violence and our appalling murder rates. Here is a link to a recent statement and to a larger statment by the denomination in 2010.
In the Aftermath of Two Mass Shootings This Week
Several of you have asked me about who I turned to after the shootings in Newtown, who did I listen to? In my opinion Alec Evans, an old and trusted friend, is the moral conscious on the issue of gun-violence. Alec is Pastor at Second Presbyterian in Richmond (
http://2presrichmond.org/), but before he was in Richmond he was in Blacksburg where in 2007 he worked with the Blacksburg Police and notified families following the mass murders at Virginia Tech. He is a leader in the field of police chaplaincy, gun safety, and public policy. He knows the terror of mass shootings because he walked through the fire. Here is a link to his sermon. I have listened to it several times, and I find a glorious strength in it. I look forward to listening to him on the issue in the future and to supporting the causes he has championed in the past. Go to this website, and scroll down to "A Moment of Truth" and give this 26 minutes of your time. It is worth it. Thank you, Alec. Thank you, friend. Indeed, may it be so!
http://2presrichmond.org/sermon-podcasts
And, if you are still reading, here is something from our church newsletter this week, something I wrote about resolutions:
Resolutions by definition require resolve. Resolve implies commitment, strategy, and
focus. Resolve implies continuing
attempts to fix a problem or get ahead of a vexation. Breaking the word down into its parts
re-confirms the definition. “Re,” as in
another attempt means to try again.
“Solve” means solution. Resolve
means to try fix a problem or to confront a challenge again. Resolutions around new year are attempts to
address the complaints that follow us year to year.
Personally
speaking, I always make New Year’s resolutions.
I continue to try and solve the frustrations of the past. I think we all should, actually. Why should we continue to be subject to
unsatisfying things? Why wouldn’t we
want to be free of vexations and disappointments?
Trouble
is that often times we name the problem that we would like to resolve but fail
to address the problem with the resolution itself. I fail most often when I don’t go right
ahead and make the resolution part of my daily routine or discipline. What happens if we resolve to pray daily in
the new year but fail to buy or check-out a book of prayers to guide our
prayers for the new year? Or fail to put
prayer into our daily calendars or weekly plans? The result would be that we wouldn’t pray and
this resolution like many others would go unfulfilled. The resolution is two steps, really: the first is resolving in the first place;
the second is actually crafting a plan and committing the time to seeing it
done.
What
resolutions are we going to make as a church this year? Well the specifics remain to be seen, but the
early returns are promising. In the
immediate weeks we’ll be highlighting the final phase of our 2013 budget effort
– “A Future With Hope.” The weeks
following will see a commitment to conversations around our strategic planning
processes. And soon we’ll aim our focus
upon Easter itself and the great celebration of our Christian year.
In all
ways our commitment as we begin 2013 remains strong: to proclaim God’s word, to
care for one another, to serve neighbors in need, and to give place and space
for the formation of disciples at White
Memorial Presbyterian Church. Happy new
year friends! May we resolve to share in
the year to come and proclaim the glories of God’s mercy, hospitality, and
love!
