Comments for St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Comment on Why Extremist Christians Get the Press: Sermon From June 5, 2011 by Virginia Thogersen

Virginia Thogersen — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 15:43:34 +0000

Wow.

Would like to talk to you some time about these things.

Comment on Why We Welcome and Affirm Gay and Lesbian People by Jo Ann Heydron

Jo Ann Heydron — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 18:00:35 +0000

I especially liked the argument about our first sexual dreams, how we don’t choose what awakens desire in us. The distinction between ideas about purity and ideas about ethics was also very helpful. That one God means one people, no one left out–I guess I missed that over the years, but I see the truth in it. I think we have to be careful to respect differences, too, though. If there’s a problem with “tolerance,” it lies in the assumption that you (whoever you may be, with your particular genes and history), are fundamentally “just like me.” True universalism is love of the particular.

Comment on Why We Welcome and Affirm Gay and Lesbian People by Kelly Beane

Kelly Beane — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 05:26:57 +0000

I’ve believed in the ‘greater hope’ for 3 years now, and had come to the conclusion that I may never see the church change it’s teaching on ‘eternal’ in regards to misinterpetations and misunderstands concerning punishment from God, as well as death not having the final say for anyone. I am so encouraged to see there are others in my community who have the same hope, and I sure hope I meet them soon! I think I’ll be going to St. Paul’s Wednesday night meeting as soon as I can. Praise God!

Comment on Why We Welcome and Affirm Gay and Lesbian People by Lauren Wright

Lauren Wright — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 04:44:43 +0000

If it is TRUE that Jesus lived and died to redeem our sins, then ALL of us are saved. All of us. Period, no matter what, no matter who. He was sent to embody and teach the Good News and he lived his life to illuminate that message.
As as a visitor to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church these past weeks, I’m enthralled to hear the timely and compassionate sermons that speak to the heart of Christian faith and fellowship; the abiding concept of Social Justice, what we as Christians are called upon to embrace and practice, the crux of the true message of Jesus Christ and of His Father, true God of us all. All of us, everywhere, are the sons and daughters of God and all of us are saved and intended to be who God the creator intended us to be. And none us will be free until all of us are free.

Comment on Lucky Rabbit’s Foot – Second Presentation by cialis kaufen

cialis kaufen — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 16:41:01 +0000

I don’t usually reply to posts but I will in this case.
my God, i thought you were going to chip in with some decisive insght at the end there, not leave it
with ‘we leave it to you to decide’.

Comment on Lucky Rabbit’s Foot – Second Presentation by cwalsh

cwalsh — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:50:01 +0000

Death of a loved one greeted me early in life when I was 10 years old. Losing my father at that age impacted the rest of my life in many different areas, not always in a positive way. My faith has gone through ups and downs,…. loneliness, anger, questioning, exploration of other religions, unbelieving, fear.
Then,…. I decided to have hope and decided to believe in Christ, and I came to a surrender. It was in the surrender that I started feeling whole again. I surrendered all of me, all of my loved ones and my earthly possessions. My surrender didn’t complete in an instant but evolved over many years.
Now, when I face a hurdle in life or lose a loved one, I still have to pause and remember to surrender my burden to the Lord. He calls us to draw closer to Him every day. All He wants is our total surrender.

Comment on Lucky Rabbit’s Foot – Second Presentation by Vicki Wesen

Vicki Wesen — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:13:33 +0000

I agree. The deepest pain in our lives becomes overwhelming the more alone we believe we are. I am always amazed how differently I feel at the presence of another. A reconnecting happens that seems to restore me in ways I cannot explain.

Comment on Lucky Rabbit’s Foot – Second Presentation by rbarrett

rbarrett — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:37:06 +0000

I couldn’t help but think last night, following the great presentations, and good sharing at our table, that all of us were longing for a relationship with God…that in our time of pain, grief, angst, we especially long for relationship with the divine, and we feel lonely and lost without it. We are relational beings…but, I thought, so is God. All throughout scripture, God displays a longing for relationship with God’s creation, part of that being us. Sometimes, it’s hard to name what we long for, but God is there, waiting for us, longing for us.

Comment on Lucky Rabbit’s Foot: First Presentation by webadminSP

webadminSP — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:04:02 +0000

I have had some email conversation with a few folks. This is one of my responses to a person who has a really deep compassion for the suffering:

Whenever we begin to think that there are only two options we get into trouble. I wonder if we sometimes limit ourselves to two options:

1) no god at all
2) a god who controls, or should control everything.

I am really proposing, and I think the deep core of Christian tradition proposes, that God creates a world in which chance and risk form the basis for freedom and that God, rather than controlling events (which inevitably means to control people) God enters into the world as vulnerable to its pain and risk as we are. Jesus, for Christians, reveals just such a God.

I also want to point out that conversation about God, is also simultaneously conversation about what it means to be human. When we say God’s purpose might be to bring healing to a world, without controlling or dominating it, then that also is a proposal about what it means to be human.

Without falling into despair or domination of others, we seek to take our part in the healing of all things.

The real question is not “What is out there: a god or not?” but rather how are we going to live and what is the most deeply true vision of the universe. The God-language of the Christian tradition attempts to get at these questions as we tell the story of Jesus who sought the healing of all, but would rather suffer at the hands of those caught up in violence than to inflict violence himself and that domination does not have the last word.

At root, we believe that his willingness to suffer for the world, while engaging the suffering of the world, is the way that God continues to bring healing. And, that as his disciples we participate in a power greater than domination, violence, and death that will one day bring healing to all.

As a parent of two 15 year olds, I know that I am not in control of them, and that I should not be. But I can influence them to become what they can be.

I wonder, I guess, if that is what God is doing with us?

Comment on Lucky Rabbit’s Foot: First Presentation by Arlene Zimmerman

Arlene Zimmerman — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 04:32:06 +0000

It was a wonderful evening. Thank you, Julia for sharing your struggle with sorrow. Your courage and faith are a shining light to us all. Yours truly is a message of Hope. Terry gave a wonderful word picture of the human condition when facing pain, loss, or some other deep sorrow. The sharing at the tables was an extraordinary experience, thank you all. Faith, an amazing thing!