A video about Islam

I hope everyone is doing well. I have been wanting to share this video by the historian, Tom Holland for a while now. I finally got around to doing so, now. I don’t want you all to have to read much in this post, but please watch, it is highly informative and well researched. Enjoy!

Islam : The Untold Story (Tom HOLLAND) - YouTube

Reference:

https://youtu.be/j9S_xbjIRgE

Coronation sermon by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury

Colossians 1:9-17, Luke 4:16-21

 

We are here to crown a King, and we crown a King to serve.

What is given today is for the gain of all. For Jesus Christ announced a Kingdom in which the poor and oppressed are freed from the chains of injustice. The blind see. The bruised and broken-hearted are healed.

That Kingdom sets the aims of all righteous government, all authority. And the Kingdom also sets the means of all government and authority. For Jesus doesn’t grasp power or hold onto status.

The King of Kings, Jesus Christ, was anointed not to be served, but to serve. He creates the unchangeable law of good authority that with the privilege of power comes the duty to serve. 

Service is love in action. We see active love in our care for the most vulnerable, the way we nurture and encourage the young, in the conservation of the natural world. We have seen those priorities in the life of duty lived by our King.

Today we have the honour of being in this Abbey with so many who show such love; you work with charities and organisations, you build community, you serve the nation in Armed Forces, in emergency services, and so many other ways. Next door are 400 or more extraordinary young people in St Margaret’s Church, whose lives speak of service. Around the world in the Realms and Commonwealth are so many more. You live your lives for the sake of others.

The unity you show, the example you give, is what binds us together and offers societies that are strong, joyful, happy and glorious. They bear heavy weights for us.

And the weight of the task given today, Your Majesties, is only bearable by the Spirit of God, who gives us the strength to give our lives to others. With the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the King is given freely what no ruler can ever attain through will, or politics, or war, or tyranny: the Holy Spirit draws us to love in action.

This is promised by Jesus who put aside all privilege, because, as the first reading tells us, God will give all things for our sake, even His own life. 

His throne was a Cross. His crown was made of thorns. His regalia were the wounds that pierced his body.

Each of us is called by God to serve. Whatever that looks like in our own lives, each of us can choose God’s way today.

We can say to the King of Kings, God Himself, as does the King here today, ‘give grace that in thy service I may find perfect freedom’.

In that prayer there is promise beyond measure, joy beyond dreams, hope that endures. By that prayer, for every King, every ruler, and, yes, for every person for all of us, we are opened to the transforming love of God.

Source:

https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/speaking-writing/speeches/archbishop-canterburys-sermon-coronation-their-majesties-king-charles-iii 

Pastors and dealing with dementia

I pray that everyone is doing well. I didn’t want the month to go by without sharing a bit of news with relevance to ecumenism on the blog. I found this article dealing with dementia. The following excerpt is from it.

The German Catholic news agency KNA reported he said every pastoral minister should have a basic knowledge of how to deal with dementia as like many other illnesses the disease can draw stigma and discrimination.

Read the full article at the link below and see whom he was who said it, and more. Blessings!

Pastoral ministers need training about dementia says German bishop on illness growing worldwide

Reference:

https://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/pastoral-ministers-need-training-about-dementia-says-german-bishop-on-illness-growing-worldwide/61006.htm

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

Local level Ecumenism

Each year, a handful of churches in Enid host a Ecumenical Good Friday Service, which serves as a time to come together as a community to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection.

This year the service is noon on April 7, 2023, and churches participating are First United Methodist Church, 401 W. Randolph; First Presbyterian Church, 502 W. Maine; St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 518 W. Randolph; and Central Christian Church, 1111 W. Broadway (enidnews.com).

The foregoing excerpt is taken from the Enid News & Eagle. Enid, Oklahoma is about 70 miles north of Oklahoma City, and has a population of a little over 51 thousand, which is small town material to me. Enid is around 74 thousand square miles, which makes it bigger than Miami (56 square miles), and many other cities in the United States. It is known as the “Wheat Capital of the United States.” Personally, I have never visited Enid, but it sounds like a nice place. Of course, based on the introductory text and what this blog is about, this post is on ecumenism and not so much about Enid.

I titled this piece of writing Local level Ecumenism because the planned Good Friday Service in Enid is local. I am sharing this article to say that regardless of where one lives ecumenism can take place. Whether it is in a small town or in a big city, it is possible to achieve. I do not doubt the planning required work for some. The gathering is scheduled for April 7, 2023. I am sure they will have a great service. Read more about it at the link below.

Churches, community celebrate Ecumenical Good Friday Service together | Progress | enidnews.com

Reference:

https://www.enidnews.com/news/progress/churches-community-celebrate-ecumenical-good-friday-service-together/article_5d267992-c372-11ed-b84f-fb6aabf9b695.html

By the way, Rutler was cleared!

We constantly hear about priests being accused of many things, but we don't seem to have much media coverage when we find out the accusations were false. I say this with relevance to Fr. George Rutler, one of my favorite priests. The news came out almost two years ago, and still it's not well known. Hence, my comment about media.

Sadly, in this case the accuser went as far as using a stunt double to make a fake video. Shameful! What happens often is that when people are tarnished by a media report (practically slandered), unless media reports again to restore things, that person's image is usually permanently ruined. Enough said! Read more about it at the following link.

Finally! Lifesite News Reports Fr. George Rutler cleared of all False Accusations by NY District Attorney | Catholic Business Journal

Reference:

https://www.catholicbusinessjournal.com/news/faith-at-work/legal/finally-fr-george-rutler-cleared-of-all-false-accusations-by-ny-district-attorney/

Current Evangelical Churches

Many evangelical churches, or at least most of the ones I've been in and attended, or visited over decades, are basically local family businesses in which the family inherits the business. Many congregants do not seem to view that this is nepotism, and a big deal. If one visits any of these local churches for the first time, what happens is that perhaps one notices that a lot of them are either labeled non-denominational or interdenominational, but that's not always the case. Non-denominational is almost the opposite of interdenominational since one implies having more than one denomination, and the other means not having an affiliation with any denomination, or simply none. However, and strangely, when one enters either of them these days on an initial visit, it may feel or seem as if there is no difference in liturgy or worship style. It's as if the labels don't represent anything. One thing is for certain, and it is that there are many of them all around this land.

All-around there are evangelical churches. Some are small and some are large. In fact, some are such huge congregations that they are called “megachurches.” One of the biggest would probably be that church in Houston, Texas. The nepotism statement I made seems to apply without out any doubt in its case. The church was started by his father, and when he passed away, the son became senior pastor. They do employ many people seemingly, but the ones who make big decisions, I am convinced, are the family members, regardless of advice from others. I am simply saying this is how it is.

The thing is that if congregants know this fact and don't have any objection because they feel the church enhances the spiritual life of people, including their own personally, one may as well let it be. I am sure that sooner or later, if they disagree with this system, they will move on. This simply how many of these types of churches run the business. Congregants may as well deal with it, unless they perhaps decide to switch to a specific denominational church, which may end up being a huge change to what they are normally accustomed, if they never attended such a church. Blessings!