EDDINGTON, Maine — The true spirit of Christmas moved a little closer Sunday morning, when many churches celebrated the first Sunday in Advent.
The four-week season marks the beginning of the Christian calendar and signals a period of waiting and patience in preparation for the commemoration of the birth of Christ.
“Today, our word is ‘wait,’” the Rev. Tracy Reeves told her congregation at the North Brewer-Eddington United Methodist Church in Eddington. “God does not come at our command. We wait on God, Scripture says.”
The 10 a.m. service at the historic roadside church included the traditional adorning of the sanctuary with evergreens, the lighting of the first of four Advent candles and the decoration of an evergreen tree with sacred symbols of the season.
In Christian tradition, evergreens symbolize eternity — “a sign that the faithful will experience endless life in fellowship with God in Jesus Christ,” Reeves said.
Candles symbolize the light of Christ shining through the world, and Advent candles, arranged within an evergreen wreath, are purple to remind believers of the royal family of David from which Jesus descended, despite his humble birth.
“The light these candles put forth may be small, but these flames, growing brighter each week as another candle is lit, stress the growing power of Christ Jesus over darkness,” Reeves said, as 4-year-old Brianna Jerome of Brewer carefully lit the first purple taper.
Other familiar sights of the season also have deep Christian significance, Reeves said in her sermon, including holly, which symbolizes the crown of thorns worn by Jesus when he was crucified, and familiar decorative symbols such as stars, angels, doves and crosses, which recall the life of Christ.
About 40 people attended the service, including a number of children and teens. The three sons of church lector Doug Gardner of Brewer and his wife, Lisa, usually head downstairs to Sunday school after the opening hymn, but on this special day they and most other youngsters stayed in the sanctuary for the entire service.
“It was more interesting than most services,” said Charlie Gardner, 14, during the social hour afterward. The boys, who come to church with their parents every Sunday, said they expect they’ll get a Christmas tree at home within a week or so.
The North Brewer-Eddington United Methodist Church, completed in 1846, will celebrate the next three Sundays of Advent at its regular 10 a.m. service, culminating with a Christmas Eve service at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 24.
In a new gesture to the community this year, the sanctuary will be open to the public for silent prayer and meditation from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 20, 21, 22 and 23 — an opportunity, Reeves said, for people to take time out from more secular Christmas preparations and reconnect with the peace and joy of the season.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Advent Sunday Time of Spiritual Enlightenment
Today is the First Sunday of Advent, which in the Catholic Church means the beginning of the new Liturgical Year. We Catholics are urged to prepare ourselves for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ into the world as proof of God’s love for humanity … which we all learned from John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved trough Him.”
So how should we prepare ourselves for the coming of our Savior, which as we all know is Christmas Day? We must reunite our souls with God through the Sacrament of Repentance (go to confession) and receive the body, blood, soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ in Holy Communion with grace. As we know, Christmas Day happened 2,000 years ago, but as our Lord Jesus Christ himself promised us… “I shall be with you till the end of time.” We all know that God is truth and therefore he cannot lie to us and thus he has kept his promise through the institution of the Holy Eucharist.
But we know too well that God never forces His love upon us, which is why He gave mankind His free will. In these harsh times, when the world is suffering from natural or man-made disasters and very recently, the gruesome massacre in Maguindanao by demons … we must turn back to God as it is only through Him that we can truly attain real peace and joy in our hearts because God’s love is everlasting, while human love ends with our death.
But the decision to love God is left entirely to us, which was put very simply by St. Augustine of Hippo, “The God who created us without us, cannot save us without us!” So let us prepare our bodies and our souls for the coming of Christmas and show God that we are the “Anawim” people who are “poor in spirit”, where in the Beatitudes, Jesus proclaimed, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The keyword here is “humility” where one completely understands that all that we have and all that we are came from the grace of God, not through our own doing.
The word “poor” is more often than not, misunderstood to mean the people wallowing in poverty. God knows that many of the poor are even ungodly, blaming God for their poverty. These people are just as lost as their rich counterparts who have everything, but they don’t believe that God gave them the blessings that they are enjoying on this earth. Being “poor in spirit” means emptying ourselves with things that deflect our attention to God because when we open our hearts to the Lord, and then we are allowing God’s will to operate within us… His will… not our will.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=527863&publicationSubCategoryId=109
So how should we prepare ourselves for the coming of our Savior, which as we all know is Christmas Day? We must reunite our souls with God through the Sacrament of Repentance (go to confession) and receive the body, blood, soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ in Holy Communion with grace. As we know, Christmas Day happened 2,000 years ago, but as our Lord Jesus Christ himself promised us… “I shall be with you till the end of time.” We all know that God is truth and therefore he cannot lie to us and thus he has kept his promise through the institution of the Holy Eucharist.
But we know too well that God never forces His love upon us, which is why He gave mankind His free will. In these harsh times, when the world is suffering from natural or man-made disasters and very recently, the gruesome massacre in Maguindanao by demons … we must turn back to God as it is only through Him that we can truly attain real peace and joy in our hearts because God’s love is everlasting, while human love ends with our death.
But the decision to love God is left entirely to us, which was put very simply by St. Augustine of Hippo, “The God who created us without us, cannot save us without us!” So let us prepare our bodies and our souls for the coming of Christmas and show God that we are the “Anawim” people who are “poor in spirit”, where in the Beatitudes, Jesus proclaimed, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The keyword here is “humility” where one completely understands that all that we have and all that we are came from the grace of God, not through our own doing.
The word “poor” is more often than not, misunderstood to mean the people wallowing in poverty. God knows that many of the poor are even ungodly, blaming God for their poverty. These people are just as lost as their rich counterparts who have everything, but they don’t believe that God gave them the blessings that they are enjoying on this earth. Being “poor in spirit” means emptying ourselves with things that deflect our attention to God because when we open our hearts to the Lord, and then we are allowing God’s will to operate within us… His will… not our will.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=527863&publicationSubCategoryId=109
Saturday, November 28, 2009
India is the Land of Spiritual Seekers
India is one of the world’s oldest civilisations; but as a nation-state it is relatively very new, and its nationalism can still appear weak and unresolved, as became freshly clear in August, when the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party expelled its veteran leader Jaswant Singh. Singh had dared to praise, in a new book about the partition of India, the founder of Pakistan, Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Indian nationalists, of both the hardline Hindu and soft-secular kind, see Jinnah as the Muslim fanatic primarily responsible for the vivisection of their “Mother India” in 1947. But Singh chose to blame the partition on allegedly power-hungry Hindu freedom fighters, rather than Jinnah, who he claimed had stood for a united India.
Explaining his motivations, Singh referred back to his origins in Sindh (the province famous for its syncretistic and tolerant Hindu-Muslim culture) and suggested that he could only mourn the subsequent division of pluralist communities on the basis of abstract and singular religious identities. “In Jaisalmer,” he said, “Muslims don’t eat beef, Rajputs don’t eat pork.” Singh went on to speak wistfully of a famous shrine in Indian Sindh that is revered by both Muslims and Hindus.
Singh is not being a romantic. Hindus and Muslims commonly worship at each other’s sites across the subcontinent. One of my most intense childhood memories is of being immersed, by my Hindu Brahmin parents, into the great crowd at the dargah (shrine) of the Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer. I felt a similar sense of wonder earlier this year at another dargah in Pakistan, standing amid ecstatic dancers at a spring festival in Lahore that celebrates the friendship, apparently homoerotic, of a Muslim and a Brahmin boy in the 16th century.
Such paganism remains a fact of daily religious practice even in Pakistan, a state ethnically cleansed of its religious minorities more than 60 years ago, and now allegedly vulnerable to the Taliban. This older cultural syncretism of the subcontinent, and its everyday defiance of modern political identities, is one of the subjects of William Dalrymple’s new book Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India, an account of the spiritual life in contemporary South Asia. Dalrymple visits the Pakistani town of Sehwan, which, he writes, “was once a major cult centre of the great Hindu god Lord Shiva” and where “one of the sajjada nasheens, or hereditary tomb guardians, is still a Hindu.” The Sufi dance called dhammal, Dalrymple explains, is said to derive from the damru, or drum, of the Hindu god Shiva. Nearby, the director of a new fundamentalist madrasa confesses to Dalrymple that he is struggling – and failing – to attract the local population away from what he sees as heresy. “The illiterate Muslims here,” he complains, “became infected with Hindu practices. All over Pakistan this is the case, but Sindh is much the worst.”
Early in its millennia-long presence in the subcontinent, Islam lost its Arabian austerity, mingling with local religious traditions to become something that Wahhabis would abhor. Incredibly, much of the subcontinent’s “composite culture” has survived both the divide-and-rule strategies of British colonialism and the rivalry between the nation-states of India and Pakistan, which has produced three major wars since 1947. This enduring pluralism is rooted in the traditional diversity of religious practice across the subcontinent – marking a contrast to the more recent state-guaranteed multiculturalism of Europe and America. Here the pluralism preceded the establishment of the modern state, and it is often at odds with the state’s insistence on singular identities for its citizens.
To some extent this pluralist tradition comes from within Hinduism, which has ingested and modified innumerable folk religions since its origins in the Vedic religion of North India’s Aryan settlers, and absorbed the founders of Buddhism and Jainism – the Buddha is now part of the Hindu pantheon – in addition to diluting the monotheistic core of Islam and Christianity. A general consensus about not eating beef and the centrality of the Bhagavad Gita (among the Vedas, Upanishads and many other scriptures) has defined modern Hinduism since the 19th century. But despite the frantic attempts by Hindu nationalists to “modernise” Hinduism, this religion still lacks a single dominant church, creed or clear founder; it possesses a variety of gods and goddesses, and prescribes several modes of devotion and salvation, “high” as well as “low”.
Religious piety in India continues to grow, even as religion, along with caste and language, has assumed an aggressive and divisive new role in mass electoral politics, carrying the pain of deprivation and injustice. But while the politics of religion becomes more vicious, bringing forth hard-edged identities, and claiming the attention of scholars and writers, a vast majority of the subcontinent’s population quietly go on with their personal and syncretic religious practice.
Explaining his motivations, Singh referred back to his origins in Sindh (the province famous for its syncretistic and tolerant Hindu-Muslim culture) and suggested that he could only mourn the subsequent division of pluralist communities on the basis of abstract and singular religious identities. “In Jaisalmer,” he said, “Muslims don’t eat beef, Rajputs don’t eat pork.” Singh went on to speak wistfully of a famous shrine in Indian Sindh that is revered by both Muslims and Hindus.
Singh is not being a romantic. Hindus and Muslims commonly worship at each other’s sites across the subcontinent. One of my most intense childhood memories is of being immersed, by my Hindu Brahmin parents, into the great crowd at the dargah (shrine) of the Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer. I felt a similar sense of wonder earlier this year at another dargah in Pakistan, standing amid ecstatic dancers at a spring festival in Lahore that celebrates the friendship, apparently homoerotic, of a Muslim and a Brahmin boy in the 16th century.
Such paganism remains a fact of daily religious practice even in Pakistan, a state ethnically cleansed of its religious minorities more than 60 years ago, and now allegedly vulnerable to the Taliban. This older cultural syncretism of the subcontinent, and its everyday defiance of modern political identities, is one of the subjects of William Dalrymple’s new book Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India, an account of the spiritual life in contemporary South Asia. Dalrymple visits the Pakistani town of Sehwan, which, he writes, “was once a major cult centre of the great Hindu god Lord Shiva” and where “one of the sajjada nasheens, or hereditary tomb guardians, is still a Hindu.” The Sufi dance called dhammal, Dalrymple explains, is said to derive from the damru, or drum, of the Hindu god Shiva. Nearby, the director of a new fundamentalist madrasa confesses to Dalrymple that he is struggling – and failing – to attract the local population away from what he sees as heresy. “The illiterate Muslims here,” he complains, “became infected with Hindu practices. All over Pakistan this is the case, but Sindh is much the worst.”
Early in its millennia-long presence in the subcontinent, Islam lost its Arabian austerity, mingling with local religious traditions to become something that Wahhabis would abhor. Incredibly, much of the subcontinent’s “composite culture” has survived both the divide-and-rule strategies of British colonialism and the rivalry between the nation-states of India and Pakistan, which has produced three major wars since 1947. This enduring pluralism is rooted in the traditional diversity of religious practice across the subcontinent – marking a contrast to the more recent state-guaranteed multiculturalism of Europe and America. Here the pluralism preceded the establishment of the modern state, and it is often at odds with the state’s insistence on singular identities for its citizens.
To some extent this pluralist tradition comes from within Hinduism, which has ingested and modified innumerable folk religions since its origins in the Vedic religion of North India’s Aryan settlers, and absorbed the founders of Buddhism and Jainism – the Buddha is now part of the Hindu pantheon – in addition to diluting the monotheistic core of Islam and Christianity. A general consensus about not eating beef and the centrality of the Bhagavad Gita (among the Vedas, Upanishads and many other scriptures) has defined modern Hinduism since the 19th century. But despite the frantic attempts by Hindu nationalists to “modernise” Hinduism, this religion still lacks a single dominant church, creed or clear founder; it possesses a variety of gods and goddesses, and prescribes several modes of devotion and salvation, “high” as well as “low”.
Religious piety in India continues to grow, even as religion, along with caste and language, has assumed an aggressive and divisive new role in mass electoral politics, carrying the pain of deprivation and injustice. But while the politics of religion becomes more vicious, bringing forth hard-edged identities, and claiming the attention of scholars and writers, a vast majority of the subcontinent’s population quietly go on with their personal and syncretic religious practice.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Hawaiian Spiritual Search for $50.00
Friday December 4, 6-8:30 p.m. Koolau Golf Club: Attend An Evening With Rosemary Altea
Developing and applying our intuitive abilities has been the quest of many who seek spiritual enlightenment. Rosemary believes that we are all born with these abilities, but have over the centuries, and especially in our modern world of computer science and technology, lost the ability to listen.
During this evening Rosemary will connect with her spirit guide, Grey Eagle, and with him, she will share with us some inspired teachings, communicate with the spirit world and through them will explain the importance of using the gifts of sensitivity and the sixth sense to raise our level of consciousness to the point where we can find that spiritual enlightenment which we so ardently seek.
To RSVP, call 802- 867-4070. Ticket sales Monday - Thursday, 10 am - 4 pm. Alternate phone, call 518-762-4844
Developing and applying our intuitive abilities has been the quest of many who seek spiritual enlightenment. Rosemary believes that we are all born with these abilities, but have over the centuries, and especially in our modern world of computer science and technology, lost the ability to listen.
During this evening Rosemary will connect with her spirit guide, Grey Eagle, and with him, she will share with us some inspired teachings, communicate with the spirit world and through them will explain the importance of using the gifts of sensitivity and the sixth sense to raise our level of consciousness to the point where we can find that spiritual enlightenment which we so ardently seek.
To RSVP, call 802- 867-4070. Ticket sales Monday - Thursday, 10 am - 4 pm. Alternate phone, call 518-762-4844
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Sunday Service for Spirit
http://www.themonitor.com/news/sunday-32922-unity-service.html
At the 10:30 a.m. Worship Celebration Service this Sunday, November 29, Unity of the Valley’s Spiritual Leader, Licensed Unity Teacher Michael J. Scales, will present the Sunday Lesson, titled “The First Sunday of Advent - Hope.” The special music will be performed by Nikki Scales.
Sunday, November 29, is the first Sunday of Advent, the season that marks the arrival of Jesus Christ. The dictionary definition of the word advent is: “arrival: the arrival of something important or awaited.” This meaning refers to the identification of Jesus as the long-awaited messiah, the divinely anointed king who would deliver Israel from captivity. As the centuries passed and Christianity expanded, the role of the messiah expanded to that of the savior of all humanity from their sins.
Unity and other New Thought movements look to the season of Advent as a thrilling and encouraging depiction of a beautiful spiritual awakening within the individual. This awakening is the dawning within the human being of the individualized presence of God within his or soul. This spark of divinity within each human being is known as the Indwelling Christ. It is through communion and conscious union with this holy and peaceful inner presence that the individual experiences God’s existence, love, guidance, peace and abundance, first as an inner awareness and eventually as an all-encompassing reality of God’s good in every area of his or her life.
Another way of stating this spiritual meaning of Advent is to say that it represents the birth of the Christ within the consciousness of the individual. Most of us have had the experience of being on a spiritual quest – a search for God. When we finally encounter the Christ of our being, we realize that this sacred encounter is indeed the arrival of something important and awaited. This meeting of our inner Messiah fills us with the hope of a life filled with meaning and fulfillment. It is this hope that is celebrated and observed on the first Sunday of Advent, and the first candle that is lit on the Advent Wreath is the candle that symbolizes hope – the hope of the arrival of Immanuel: “God with us.”
It is this same precious hope to which St. Paul referred in the first chapter and twenty-seventh verse of his letter to the Colossians as “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” At this most profoundly consecrated time of the year, Unity joins not only all of Christendom but God-loving people of all faiths in exalting and honoring the values and principles of universal love and good will taught by the Prince of Peace.
In his lesson, Scales will illustrate for the individual practical steps he or she can take to commune with and be aware of his or her indwelling Christ Presence.
If you enjoy the writings of Stephen Covey, Eckhart Tolle, Louise Hay, Deepak Chopra, Oprah Winfrey, the Dalai Lama, A Course in Miracles and the Daily Word, you’ll enjoy a Unity Church Service. The “Daily Word” devotional magazine is published by Unity, and read by millions worldwide each day. Unity Village headquarters may be accessed on the Internet at www.unityworldhq.org, where you can also read today’s Daily Word. Call the church office at (956) 787-4411 for more information about church activities, classes and study groups. Unity of the Valley welcomes worshippers from all religious backgrounds and meets at 301 E. Polk in Pharr.
At the 10:30 a.m. Worship Celebration Service this Sunday, November 29, Unity of the Valley’s Spiritual Leader, Licensed Unity Teacher Michael J. Scales, will present the Sunday Lesson, titled “The First Sunday of Advent - Hope.” The special music will be performed by Nikki Scales.
Sunday, November 29, is the first Sunday of Advent, the season that marks the arrival of Jesus Christ. The dictionary definition of the word advent is: “arrival: the arrival of something important or awaited.” This meaning refers to the identification of Jesus as the long-awaited messiah, the divinely anointed king who would deliver Israel from captivity. As the centuries passed and Christianity expanded, the role of the messiah expanded to that of the savior of all humanity from their sins.
Unity and other New Thought movements look to the season of Advent as a thrilling and encouraging depiction of a beautiful spiritual awakening within the individual. This awakening is the dawning within the human being of the individualized presence of God within his or soul. This spark of divinity within each human being is known as the Indwelling Christ. It is through communion and conscious union with this holy and peaceful inner presence that the individual experiences God’s existence, love, guidance, peace and abundance, first as an inner awareness and eventually as an all-encompassing reality of God’s good in every area of his or her life.
Another way of stating this spiritual meaning of Advent is to say that it represents the birth of the Christ within the consciousness of the individual. Most of us have had the experience of being on a spiritual quest – a search for God. When we finally encounter the Christ of our being, we realize that this sacred encounter is indeed the arrival of something important and awaited. This meeting of our inner Messiah fills us with the hope of a life filled with meaning and fulfillment. It is this hope that is celebrated and observed on the first Sunday of Advent, and the first candle that is lit on the Advent Wreath is the candle that symbolizes hope – the hope of the arrival of Immanuel: “God with us.”
It is this same precious hope to which St. Paul referred in the first chapter and twenty-seventh verse of his letter to the Colossians as “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” At this most profoundly consecrated time of the year, Unity joins not only all of Christendom but God-loving people of all faiths in exalting and honoring the values and principles of universal love and good will taught by the Prince of Peace.
In his lesson, Scales will illustrate for the individual practical steps he or she can take to commune with and be aware of his or her indwelling Christ Presence.
If you enjoy the writings of Stephen Covey, Eckhart Tolle, Louise Hay, Deepak Chopra, Oprah Winfrey, the Dalai Lama, A Course in Miracles and the Daily Word, you’ll enjoy a Unity Church Service. The “Daily Word” devotional magazine is published by Unity, and read by millions worldwide each day. Unity Village headquarters may be accessed on the Internet at www.unityworldhq.org, where you can also read today’s Daily Word. Call the church office at (956) 787-4411 for more information about church activities, classes and study groups. Unity of the Valley welcomes worshippers from all religious backgrounds and meets at 301 E. Polk in Pharr.
Spirit in a Book Review
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704611404574556473204912180.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
By SADANAND DHUME
India has long been an object of fascination for foreigners seeking spiritual enlightenment. At times this takes the form of a travel-show fixation with rituals performed along the Ganges; sometimes it's a pilgrimage to the Dalai Lama's home in Dharamsala. But the country's rapid economic development brings with it a question: Does the new India, with its feuding billionaires and mushrooming call centers, its armies of reality TV contestants and booming stock exchanges, still offer a spiritual alternative to materialism? Or has it become, to quote the British writer William Dalrymple, "just another fast developing satrap of the wider capitalist world?"
In "Nine Lives," Mr. Dalrymple—who has written about the subcontinent for 20 years, and is best known for his forays into Mughal history—sets out to answer this question by exploring the parts of India and Pakistan "suspended between modernity and tradition." He quickly discovers that the demands of development often conflict with India's age-old spiritual traditions. A sacred grove is challenged by the depredations of illegal loggers. Villagers in Rajasthan must choose between continuing to bring their ailing cattle to an illiterate minstrel who has memorized a 600-year-old epic or instead turning to the nearest veterinarian. A distinguished Tamil bronze caster, the 23rd in an unbroken family line going back to the 13th century, tries to persuade his son not to abandon the family tradition for the glamour of a job as a computer engineer in Bangalore.
In the end, Mr. Dalrymple comes to no firm conclusion. The traditions "Nine Lives" explores are often threatened. Yet, in their own way, like India itself, they are also remarkably robust. Mr. Dalrymple finds the holy men of modern India preoccupied with the same questions that absorbed their ancient counterparts. Among them: "the quest for material success and comfort against the claims of the life of the spirit; the call of the life of action against the life of contemplation; the way of stability against the lure of the open road"
By SADANAND DHUME
India has long been an object of fascination for foreigners seeking spiritual enlightenment. At times this takes the form of a travel-show fixation with rituals performed along the Ganges; sometimes it's a pilgrimage to the Dalai Lama's home in Dharamsala. But the country's rapid economic development brings with it a question: Does the new India, with its feuding billionaires and mushrooming call centers, its armies of reality TV contestants and booming stock exchanges, still offer a spiritual alternative to materialism? Or has it become, to quote the British writer William Dalrymple, "just another fast developing satrap of the wider capitalist world?"
In "Nine Lives," Mr. Dalrymple—who has written about the subcontinent for 20 years, and is best known for his forays into Mughal history—sets out to answer this question by exploring the parts of India and Pakistan "suspended between modernity and tradition." He quickly discovers that the demands of development often conflict with India's age-old spiritual traditions. A sacred grove is challenged by the depredations of illegal loggers. Villagers in Rajasthan must choose between continuing to bring their ailing cattle to an illiterate minstrel who has memorized a 600-year-old epic or instead turning to the nearest veterinarian. A distinguished Tamil bronze caster, the 23rd in an unbroken family line going back to the 13th century, tries to persuade his son not to abandon the family tradition for the glamour of a job as a computer engineer in Bangalore.
In the end, Mr. Dalrymple comes to no firm conclusion. The traditions "Nine Lives" explores are often threatened. Yet, in their own way, like India itself, they are also remarkably robust. Mr. Dalrymple finds the holy men of modern India preoccupied with the same questions that absorbed their ancient counterparts. Among them: "the quest for material success and comfort against the claims of the life of the spirit; the call of the life of action against the life of contemplation; the way of stability against the lure of the open road"
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Spirit and Spiritual Reflections
By Lynne Silva-Breen, Spiritual Reflections
In my last column in early September, I began to reflect on the news from this summer’s national assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Amidst the discussions on the central work of the church – to share the good news of God’s grace in Jesus Christ with others and to put that good news into practice - the delegates took up some important internal business about who can become an ordained church pastor. I wrote last time that issues of leadership are not new for the church; such debates have stirred anxiety since the first century.
Our recent leadership anxieties have centered on gay and lesbian clergy in partnered, monogamous relationships. (The ELCA has ordained celibate homosexual clergy for some years.) For the first time in all the years of difficult public argument on the issue, the governing body of the largest Lutheran church in the country voted that married or partnered and monogamous gay and lesbian people may become pastors of its church. By slow, deliberate, and prayerful debate, and by the narrowest of margins, the vote established the new practice for the ELCA. Meetings are being held even now to revise the current process so these men and women may serve congregations who wish to call them.
My hope in this column is to state as simply and as clearly as I can why I think this decision was made, and how it fits, from my point of view, with an evangelical Lutheran way of understanding the Christian faith.
Here are my two central points: firstly, that Lutherans revere the Bible as the inspired, not inerrant, Word of God; and that secondly, we understand that God’s kingdom of grace and justice is present in the world, and we strive to discern it and join with it.
Martin Luther, the Roman Catholic monk who led the religious revolution called the Reformation in 16th century Europe, was a biblical scholar. Lutherans take the Bible so seriously, we study it with our whole mind and heart. Generations of historical, literary, and linguistic scholarship shows our Bible to be a small library of documents, written over centuries of time, by many different authors with varying points of view. We read these 66 books with reverence, knowing that the authors in prayer and power of the Holy Spirit wrote them for the instruction and inspiration of their listeners and readers.
Viewing the Bible as inspired yet not perfect in any human way, many believe that the few passages in the Bible regarding homosexuality reflect older cultural and religious understandings that most current science, culture and experience challenges. In the same way that the Bible condones the selling of slaves and the stoning of adulterers, many have come to believe that those viewpoints are not divine law to us. Instead, most Lutherans read scripture not for word-for-word instruction, but to see, believe and understand the central and timeless purposes of God. And woven throughout all the words and stories, poems and history of the Bible is the message of God’s grace toward the world, and God’s continuous call to us to participate in this grace.
This is why I think the majority of Lutherans at that meeting voted to extend the clergy roster to partnered gay/lesbian clergy. They voted not from an inerrant view of scripture, but from a larger biblical confidence in God’s grace. The God we see alive in Jesus loves every person, everywhere, especially the poor, powerless and outcast. It was for all that God suffered in crucifixion. We who try to follow God in faith are called to loving relationships with God and one another, and to take that passion for the powerless into daily life. Gay and lesbian people are among those who have been cast out, abused, hated and murdered for their sexual orientation. Those who voted “yes” this summer thought it was time to open the leadership circle to those gay and lesbian people who have been blessed with faithful partners and who feel called to serve the church.
In my last column in early September, I began to reflect on the news from this summer’s national assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Amidst the discussions on the central work of the church – to share the good news of God’s grace in Jesus Christ with others and to put that good news into practice - the delegates took up some important internal business about who can become an ordained church pastor. I wrote last time that issues of leadership are not new for the church; such debates have stirred anxiety since the first century.
Our recent leadership anxieties have centered on gay and lesbian clergy in partnered, monogamous relationships. (The ELCA has ordained celibate homosexual clergy for some years.) For the first time in all the years of difficult public argument on the issue, the governing body of the largest Lutheran church in the country voted that married or partnered and monogamous gay and lesbian people may become pastors of its church. By slow, deliberate, and prayerful debate, and by the narrowest of margins, the vote established the new practice for the ELCA. Meetings are being held even now to revise the current process so these men and women may serve congregations who wish to call them.
My hope in this column is to state as simply and as clearly as I can why I think this decision was made, and how it fits, from my point of view, with an evangelical Lutheran way of understanding the Christian faith.
Here are my two central points: firstly, that Lutherans revere the Bible as the inspired, not inerrant, Word of God; and that secondly, we understand that God’s kingdom of grace and justice is present in the world, and we strive to discern it and join with it.
Martin Luther, the Roman Catholic monk who led the religious revolution called the Reformation in 16th century Europe, was a biblical scholar. Lutherans take the Bible so seriously, we study it with our whole mind and heart. Generations of historical, literary, and linguistic scholarship shows our Bible to be a small library of documents, written over centuries of time, by many different authors with varying points of view. We read these 66 books with reverence, knowing that the authors in prayer and power of the Holy Spirit wrote them for the instruction and inspiration of their listeners and readers.
Viewing the Bible as inspired yet not perfect in any human way, many believe that the few passages in the Bible regarding homosexuality reflect older cultural and religious understandings that most current science, culture and experience challenges. In the same way that the Bible condones the selling of slaves and the stoning of adulterers, many have come to believe that those viewpoints are not divine law to us. Instead, most Lutherans read scripture not for word-for-word instruction, but to see, believe and understand the central and timeless purposes of God. And woven throughout all the words and stories, poems and history of the Bible is the message of God’s grace toward the world, and God’s continuous call to us to participate in this grace.
This is why I think the majority of Lutherans at that meeting voted to extend the clergy roster to partnered gay/lesbian clergy. They voted not from an inerrant view of scripture, but from a larger biblical confidence in God’s grace. The God we see alive in Jesus loves every person, everywhere, especially the poor, powerless and outcast. It was for all that God suffered in crucifixion. We who try to follow God in faith are called to loving relationships with God and one another, and to take that passion for the powerless into daily life. Gay and lesbian people are among those who have been cast out, abused, hated and murdered for their sexual orientation. Those who voted “yes” this summer thought it was time to open the leadership circle to those gay and lesbian people who have been blessed with faithful partners and who feel called to serve the church.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Palin Prays with Billy Graham
(AP) – 18 hours ago
MONTREAT, N.C. — Sarah Palin on Sunday dined and prayed with the Rev. Billy Graham, who has counseled presidents and other politicians for decades.
Graham had never met Palin, who is scheduled to stop at Fort Bragg in eastern North Carolina on Monday to promote her memoir, "Going Rogue: An American Life." The former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee and members of her family flew into Asheville in the western part of the state, then went to Graham's mountaintop home in nearby Montreat for dinner.
Billy Graham said it was an honor having Palin in his home to join his family for dinner and that they took the opportunity to pray together.
"I, like many people, have been impressed with her strong commitment to her faith, to family and love of country," he said in a statement. "I appreciated hearing her speak of her own spiritual journey and her life in Alaska."
Palin was joined by her parents, Chuck and Sally Heath, aunt, Katie Johnson, daughter, Piper, and son, Trig.
Graham's son, Franklin, got to know Palin early this year in Alaska and he invited her to North Carolina. She accompanied him as Samaritan's Purse, a Boone-based international relief agency he heads, delivered 44,000 pounds of groceries to Alaskan families who had been hit by a harsh winter in villages along the frozen Yukon River.
Samaritan's Purse has an office in Alaska, and Franklin Graham owns a cabin in the state. He also leads the Charlotte-based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which his father founded decades ago.
The 91-year-old Billy Graham said he shared his memories of preaching in Anchorage in 1984. Graham, who has suffered from ill health for some time, has been dubbed "America's pastor." He has counseled U.S. presidents from Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s through George W. Bush and is known worldwide for his preaching and activism.
"Life in the spotlight is not easy and I pray that whatever lies ahead for this family that their faith in God and His Son, Jesus Christ, would remain strong and that God would put a hedge of protection around her and all those she holds dear," Billy Graham said.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
MONTREAT, N.C. — Sarah Palin on Sunday dined and prayed with the Rev. Billy Graham, who has counseled presidents and other politicians for decades.
Graham had never met Palin, who is scheduled to stop at Fort Bragg in eastern North Carolina on Monday to promote her memoir, "Going Rogue: An American Life." The former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee and members of her family flew into Asheville in the western part of the state, then went to Graham's mountaintop home in nearby Montreat for dinner.
Billy Graham said it was an honor having Palin in his home to join his family for dinner and that they took the opportunity to pray together.
"I, like many people, have been impressed with her strong commitment to her faith, to family and love of country," he said in a statement. "I appreciated hearing her speak of her own spiritual journey and her life in Alaska."
Palin was joined by her parents, Chuck and Sally Heath, aunt, Katie Johnson, daughter, Piper, and son, Trig.
Graham's son, Franklin, got to know Palin early this year in Alaska and he invited her to North Carolina. She accompanied him as Samaritan's Purse, a Boone-based international relief agency he heads, delivered 44,000 pounds of groceries to Alaskan families who had been hit by a harsh winter in villages along the frozen Yukon River.
Samaritan's Purse has an office in Alaska, and Franklin Graham owns a cabin in the state. He also leads the Charlotte-based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which his father founded decades ago.
The 91-year-old Billy Graham said he shared his memories of preaching in Anchorage in 1984. Graham, who has suffered from ill health for some time, has been dubbed "America's pastor." He has counseled U.S. presidents from Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s through George W. Bush and is known worldwide for his preaching and activism.
"Life in the spotlight is not easy and I pray that whatever lies ahead for this family that their faith in God and His Son, Jesus Christ, would remain strong and that God would put a hedge of protection around her and all those she holds dear," Billy Graham said.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Monday, November 23, 2009
New Delhi Spiritual Message
(AP) – 9 hours ago
NEW DELHI — The Dalai Lama defended President Barack Obama from criticism that he has been too soft on China, saying Sunday that the U.S. leader just has a different approach to dealing with the Asian giant.
Obama made his first trip to China as president last week and has faced criticism that he didn't do enough to press Beijing on Tibet during his meetings with senior Chinese officials.
"Obama is not soft on China; just has a different style," the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader said in an interview aired on Indian television.
The Dalai Lama did not elaborate on those comments, but he did address criticism that Obama didn't meet him when he visited the United States in October.
"I am not disappointed that Obama has not met me yet," the Dalai Lama told New Delhi Television.
He said he believed Obama would discuss Tibet with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when the two meet Tuesday in Washington.
The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against China, leads a self-declared government-in-exile in India. Beijing has accused him of trying to split the country and often lodges protests against his travel abroad and meetings with heads of state.
The Dalai Lama has repeatedly denied the accusations and says he seeks only a high level of autonomy for Tibet within the constitutional framework of the People's Republic of China.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
NEW DELHI — The Dalai Lama defended President Barack Obama from criticism that he has been too soft on China, saying Sunday that the U.S. leader just has a different approach to dealing with the Asian giant.
Obama made his first trip to China as president last week and has faced criticism that he didn't do enough to press Beijing on Tibet during his meetings with senior Chinese officials.
"Obama is not soft on China; just has a different style," the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader said in an interview aired on Indian television.
The Dalai Lama did not elaborate on those comments, but he did address criticism that Obama didn't meet him when he visited the United States in October.
"I am not disappointed that Obama has not met me yet," the Dalai Lama told New Delhi Television.
He said he believed Obama would discuss Tibet with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when the two meet Tuesday in Washington.
The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against China, leads a self-declared government-in-exile in India. Beijing has accused him of trying to split the country and often lodges protests against his travel abroad and meetings with heads of state.
The Dalai Lama has repeatedly denied the accusations and says he seeks only a high level of autonomy for Tibet within the constitutional framework of the People's Republic of China.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Bible Class Leads to Spiritual Awareness
http://www.covnews.com/news/article/9905/
The Rev. Phillip Bone, senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church, recently led his congregation in a Bible study on how to implement their spiritual gifts. A current study by Dr. Henry Blackaby on personal spiritual revival prompts them to ask, "Lord, what can we do?"
"We asked God to open up our eyes, ears and hearts," said Bone. "I stressed the importance of responding as ministry opportunities become available. We can be prayer warriors, visit, open our homes, give out gospel tracts and invite friends to church."
Bone challenged the church to make the Bible their area of expertise — not to just believe the Bible because the pastor says so, but because they know so.
Bone serves with a part time staff, the Rev. Paul Robins, minister of education. He credits Robins in being a great visionary and values his wisdom and experience.
GBC has approximately 150 members with an average of 70 in worship and recently broke the 50 mark in Sunday school. In 2010, their goal is to break 100 in worship. They plan to accomplish this by participating in a new initiative that was launched in June at the Southern Baptist Convention called GPS — "God’s Plan for Sharing."
The program is designed for every believer to share and for every person to hear the gospel by the year 2020. The components emphasize praying — leading and training every believer to pray for the lost; engaging — leading and training every believer to build witnessing relationships; sowing — blanketing the community with the Gospel message in a way that results in every lost person being given the chance to accept Christ and harvesting — leading and helping to celebrate and follow-up with every salvation response.
Born to parents Peggy and Roger Bone in Anniston, Ala., Bone accepted Christ at age six and rededicated his life at age 13. His family moved to Ashland when he was 16. He credits the influence of Godly parents in shaping his life. He recalls getting up at 4 a.m. with his dad for devotions and participating in brotherhood events — changing light bulbs in widows’ houses and cutting grass. He always accompanied his mother as she took food to the sick. At age 17, Bone delivered his first sermon in his home church in Ashland.
Home schooled, he earned his credential from Vineyard Christian Academy. Bone attended the Advanced Training Institute International in Indianapolis for two years. In May 2008, Bone received a Master in Religion from Luther Rice University and is enrolled in the Master of Divinity Program.
Bone met his wife, Eva Grunewald as they worked with city-wide youth programs in Tennessee. The experience taught him patience and how to be a good communicator and listener. After three years, Bone accepted his first pastorate at Grace Baptist Church. Married for eight years, they have one daughter, Alana, and are expecting the arrival of a son on Feb. 14.
Eva has been a private music teacher for 15 years. She teaches Kindermusik International as an outreach for children ages six months to seven years old at GBC and on Wednesdays at the First Presbyterian Church in Covington.
A multicultural church, GBC has representation from six cultures — the Philippines, Haiti, Jamaica, U.S. Virgin Islands, Anglo and African American.
"When a church is multicultural, you have a true picture of what heaven is like," said Bone.
In its 52nd year, GBC holds multiple community outreach events including homecoming, an Easter Program and egg hunt, fall festival, Souper Bowl Sunday to stock the food pantry and parenting classes, and it partners with Porterdale Elementary School by providing back packs and school supplies.
The community is invited to attend the annual Christmas holiday dinner at noon, Dec. 6, a birthday party for Jesus Dec. 13, followed by Communion on Christmas Eve.
Sunday school begins at 9:45 a.m. and worship at 11:00 a.m. Sunday evening and midweek services lend itself toward a discussion setting so there is freedom to comment or ask questions. People can walk away with a firm grasp on what they believe and why.
Grace Baptist Church is located at 474 Crowell Road in Porterdale. For more information, call (770) 786-5692.
The Rev. Phillip Bone, senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church, recently led his congregation in a Bible study on how to implement their spiritual gifts. A current study by Dr. Henry Blackaby on personal spiritual revival prompts them to ask, "Lord, what can we do?"
"We asked God to open up our eyes, ears and hearts," said Bone. "I stressed the importance of responding as ministry opportunities become available. We can be prayer warriors, visit, open our homes, give out gospel tracts and invite friends to church."
Bone challenged the church to make the Bible their area of expertise — not to just believe the Bible because the pastor says so, but because they know so.
Bone serves with a part time staff, the Rev. Paul Robins, minister of education. He credits Robins in being a great visionary and values his wisdom and experience.
GBC has approximately 150 members with an average of 70 in worship and recently broke the 50 mark in Sunday school. In 2010, their goal is to break 100 in worship. They plan to accomplish this by participating in a new initiative that was launched in June at the Southern Baptist Convention called GPS — "God’s Plan for Sharing."
The program is designed for every believer to share and for every person to hear the gospel by the year 2020. The components emphasize praying — leading and training every believer to pray for the lost; engaging — leading and training every believer to build witnessing relationships; sowing — blanketing the community with the Gospel message in a way that results in every lost person being given the chance to accept Christ and harvesting — leading and helping to celebrate and follow-up with every salvation response.
Born to parents Peggy and Roger Bone in Anniston, Ala., Bone accepted Christ at age six and rededicated his life at age 13. His family moved to Ashland when he was 16. He credits the influence of Godly parents in shaping his life. He recalls getting up at 4 a.m. with his dad for devotions and participating in brotherhood events — changing light bulbs in widows’ houses and cutting grass. He always accompanied his mother as she took food to the sick. At age 17, Bone delivered his first sermon in his home church in Ashland.
Home schooled, he earned his credential from Vineyard Christian Academy. Bone attended the Advanced Training Institute International in Indianapolis for two years. In May 2008, Bone received a Master in Religion from Luther Rice University and is enrolled in the Master of Divinity Program.
Bone met his wife, Eva Grunewald as they worked with city-wide youth programs in Tennessee. The experience taught him patience and how to be a good communicator and listener. After three years, Bone accepted his first pastorate at Grace Baptist Church. Married for eight years, they have one daughter, Alana, and are expecting the arrival of a son on Feb. 14.
Eva has been a private music teacher for 15 years. She teaches Kindermusik International as an outreach for children ages six months to seven years old at GBC and on Wednesdays at the First Presbyterian Church in Covington.
A multicultural church, GBC has representation from six cultures — the Philippines, Haiti, Jamaica, U.S. Virgin Islands, Anglo and African American.
"When a church is multicultural, you have a true picture of what heaven is like," said Bone.
In its 52nd year, GBC holds multiple community outreach events including homecoming, an Easter Program and egg hunt, fall festival, Souper Bowl Sunday to stock the food pantry and parenting classes, and it partners with Porterdale Elementary School by providing back packs and school supplies.
The community is invited to attend the annual Christmas holiday dinner at noon, Dec. 6, a birthday party for Jesus Dec. 13, followed by Communion on Christmas Eve.
Sunday school begins at 9:45 a.m. and worship at 11:00 a.m. Sunday evening and midweek services lend itself toward a discussion setting so there is freedom to comment or ask questions. People can walk away with a firm grasp on what they believe and why.
Grace Baptist Church is located at 474 Crowell Road in Porterdale. For more information, call (770) 786-5692.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
All Welcome to Spiritual Sunday
Alpine
* Cayutaville Church, 4 Corners, Cayutaville Road and county Road 6, (607) 594-4827: Pastor Steve DeWalt will deliver the message at the 9 a.m. Sunday service. Sunday school, adult Bible study to follow.
BEAVER DAMS
* Moreland Presbyterian Church, Beaver Dams-Moreland Road: Pastor Ann Campbell will give the sermon at the 9:30 a.m. Sunday service. Children's Sunday school, nursery.
BIG FLATS
* American Baptist Community Church, 180 Hibbard Road, (607) 562-8144, www.tabbigflats.org: Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. Guest minister the Rev. Horace Stoddard will deliver the message "Christ the King" based on Revelation 1:408 at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service. Children's church, nursery.
* Big Flats Wesleyan Church, 561 Maple St., (607) 562-3444, www.bigflatswesleyanchurch.com: Sunday school at 9 a.m. Pastor Bern Lytle will deliver the message "Life's Healing Choices: Choose to Turn My Pain into a Platform for Helping Others" at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service. Children's ministry, child car.
* First Presbyterian Church of Big Flats, 95 Main St., (607) 562-8048, www.BigFlatsFirstPres.org: Guest preacher William Howells will deliver the message "An Attitude of Gratitude" at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service. Food pantry will be open Tuesday noon to 2 p.m.
* Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Hibbard Road Extension, (607) 562-3017, www.uuonline.net: The Rev. Janet Ernisse will deliver the message "Paper-Cut Theology" at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service. Children's education.
Breesport
* Breesport United Methodist Church, 119 Church St.: The Rev. Dorothy-York Alloway will deliver the message "Shout all the Earth" at the 9 a.m. Sunday service.
Catharine/odessa
* St. John's Episcopal Church, county Roads 14 and 15: Daily office of morning prayer at 8 a.m. Sunday. The Rev. Michael Hartney will preside at the 8:45 a.m. Holy Eucharist Sunday service.
* Cayutaville Church, 4 Corners, Cayutaville Road and county Road 6, (607) 594-4827: Pastor Steve DeWalt will deliver the message at the 9 a.m. Sunday service. Sunday school, adult Bible study to follow.
BEAVER DAMS
* Moreland Presbyterian Church, Beaver Dams-Moreland Road: Pastor Ann Campbell will give the sermon at the 9:30 a.m. Sunday service. Children's Sunday school, nursery.
BIG FLATS
* American Baptist Community Church, 180 Hibbard Road, (607) 562-8144, www.tabbigflats.org: Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. Guest minister the Rev. Horace Stoddard will deliver the message "Christ the King" based on Revelation 1:408 at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service. Children's church, nursery.
* Big Flats Wesleyan Church, 561 Maple St., (607) 562-3444, www.bigflatswesleyanchurch.com: Sunday school at 9 a.m. Pastor Bern Lytle will deliver the message "Life's Healing Choices: Choose to Turn My Pain into a Platform for Helping Others" at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service. Children's ministry, child car.
* First Presbyterian Church of Big Flats, 95 Main St., (607) 562-8048, www.BigFlatsFirstPres.org: Guest preacher William Howells will deliver the message "An Attitude of Gratitude" at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service. Food pantry will be open Tuesday noon to 2 p.m.
* Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Hibbard Road Extension, (607) 562-3017, www.uuonline.net: The Rev. Janet Ernisse will deliver the message "Paper-Cut Theology" at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service. Children's education.
Breesport
* Breesport United Methodist Church, 119 Church St.: The Rev. Dorothy-York Alloway will deliver the message "Shout all the Earth" at the 9 a.m. Sunday service.
Catharine/odessa
* St. John's Episcopal Church, county Roads 14 and 15: Daily office of morning prayer at 8 a.m. Sunday. The Rev. Michael Hartney will preside at the 8:45 a.m. Holy Eucharist Sunday service.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Finding Spirit Through Music
By Tom Keogh
Special to The Seattle Times
KURT PINTER
Traveling conductor Arild Remmereit.
Related
The Arts RSS feed
When pianist Gabriela Montero makes her debut with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra tonight (performing again tomorrow through Sunday), she will extend Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21 with the sort of improvisational flair — possibly with some blues, jazz or tango — for which she has caused excitement in concert halls around the world.
She will also find in guest conductor Arild Remmereit a kindred spirit: a leader whose own background as a bar pianist and rock and jazz player is steeped in improvisation.
Venezuelan-born Montero, speaking by phone from her home in Boston, says improvisation "was always part of who I am. I stopped playing that way in public at age 8 because my teacher dissuaded me, she didn't appreciate it. At 31, I got the motivation (from concert pianist Martha Argerich) and courage to do it on stage, and have done so for six or seven years. It's just how I relate to music from an instinctive place."
"She's a fascinating soloist, a special and spectacular artist," says Remmereit. "My own passion comes from improvising. Mozart never performed a piece the same way twice. He improvised on top of his composition."
Relaxing at a cousin's house in Everett before commencing rehearsals with the Seattle orchestra, Remmereit, who last appeared in Benaroya Hall in 2006, says a conductor's most important job is understanding a composer's intentions.
Remmereit began his life in music at age 6, playing piano, trumpet and performing as a boy soprano. He later played keyboards in pop and jazz bands, and studied piano, song and composition at the Norwegian Conservatory of Music in Oslo. In the mid-1980s, he began studies in conducting in Aspen and Vienna, taking a master class under Zubin Mehta and assisting Leonard Bernstein for three years.
Remmereit spent several years conducting in Vienna, Kharkov and Kiev before beginning the life of a traveling conductor with a staggeringly long list of guest appearances from Nashville to Tokyo. Critics have noted his unconventional gestures at the podium (some reminiscent of Bernstein) and tendency to use his baton like a zigzagging sword.
One of a number of guest conductors under possible consideration to replace Gerard Schwarz as Seattle Symphony's artistic director when Schwarz steps down in 2011, Remmereit spoke about his background, aspirations and career philosophy.
Q&A
Q: What made you decide to conduct?
A: I came to a moment in life when I was just tired of playing around with things. I was playing several kinds of music and was open to different styles. I was a bar pianist, I played piano in jazz and rock bands, and I was studying piano and composition in Oslo. I wasn't focused on any one thing. I decided to focus all my energy and all I'd learned, and thought about where I could I use all those aspects of music. I went to spy on a conducting seminar in Aspen. I was probably arrogant when I thought, well, I can do this, too.
Q: Talk about working for Leonard Bernstein.
A: I got to know him in Vienna, from 1987 until he passed away. I met him and followed everything he did with the Vienna Philharmonic. I assisted on his recordings and went to Italy with him when he conducted a class there. I never saw him in America. He inspired me to dare to be myself at the podium. If you want to have an impact, he told me, it's important not to create distance from the orchestra. This was crucial for me. I had many opportunities to hear him speak about music. He was a genius in many directions.
Q: Critics have noted the large, impassioned gestures you use while conducting.
A: I'm not sure how I look and what gestures I use. It is the music that drives me. How I moved last week in Rochester might be very different from how I'll conduct in Seattle. I try to suggest with my hands, and some of that might look like big gestures, maybe very physical. I'm not sure that's positive; I don't want anyone looking more than listening. But I'm tall with long arms, and great conductors are usually quite small. People who are skinny and long need to watch it or how they move can cause confusion.
Q: What does a conductor need to know?
A: Music, psychology, philosophy. My main role is to invest time and energy in the pieces of music we perform. I have to prepare myself by finding out as much about the composer and his music as I can. I'm an ambassador for the composer. There is some discussion these days about the need for a conductor. But you need someone who knows much about the repertoire. It's the most important part of conductor's life.
Q: How do you establish a rapport with an orchestra you're visiting?
A: The main thing I focus on is music. No two orchestras are the same. No two react the same way. There are never-ending developments involved in this. I deal with specialists, and I never know if they might show up for a first rehearsal in a bad mood because of the last show they did. But if you approach the work with love and passion, good musicians will respond.
Q: Have you enjoyed your long career as a guest conductor?
A: I felt it was necessary for me to do this. I've had good luck in conducting so many American orchestras. Now I feel I'm ready to participate in an orchestra's life in a deeper way. I'm ready to involve myself in making an institution grow. I'd very much like to work with an orchestra on that level.
Tom Keogh: tomwkeogh@yahoo.com
Special to The Seattle Times
KURT PINTER
Traveling conductor Arild Remmereit.
Related
The Arts RSS feed
When pianist Gabriela Montero makes her debut with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra tonight (performing again tomorrow through Sunday), she will extend Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21 with the sort of improvisational flair — possibly with some blues, jazz or tango — for which she has caused excitement in concert halls around the world.
She will also find in guest conductor Arild Remmereit a kindred spirit: a leader whose own background as a bar pianist and rock and jazz player is steeped in improvisation.
Venezuelan-born Montero, speaking by phone from her home in Boston, says improvisation "was always part of who I am. I stopped playing that way in public at age 8 because my teacher dissuaded me, she didn't appreciate it. At 31, I got the motivation (from concert pianist Martha Argerich) and courage to do it on stage, and have done so for six or seven years. It's just how I relate to music from an instinctive place."
"She's a fascinating soloist, a special and spectacular artist," says Remmereit. "My own passion comes from improvising. Mozart never performed a piece the same way twice. He improvised on top of his composition."
Relaxing at a cousin's house in Everett before commencing rehearsals with the Seattle orchestra, Remmereit, who last appeared in Benaroya Hall in 2006, says a conductor's most important job is understanding a composer's intentions.
Remmereit began his life in music at age 6, playing piano, trumpet and performing as a boy soprano. He later played keyboards in pop and jazz bands, and studied piano, song and composition at the Norwegian Conservatory of Music in Oslo. In the mid-1980s, he began studies in conducting in Aspen and Vienna, taking a master class under Zubin Mehta and assisting Leonard Bernstein for three years.
Remmereit spent several years conducting in Vienna, Kharkov and Kiev before beginning the life of a traveling conductor with a staggeringly long list of guest appearances from Nashville to Tokyo. Critics have noted his unconventional gestures at the podium (some reminiscent of Bernstein) and tendency to use his baton like a zigzagging sword.
One of a number of guest conductors under possible consideration to replace Gerard Schwarz as Seattle Symphony's artistic director when Schwarz steps down in 2011, Remmereit spoke about his background, aspirations and career philosophy.
Q&A
Q: What made you decide to conduct?
A: I came to a moment in life when I was just tired of playing around with things. I was playing several kinds of music and was open to different styles. I was a bar pianist, I played piano in jazz and rock bands, and I was studying piano and composition in Oslo. I wasn't focused on any one thing. I decided to focus all my energy and all I'd learned, and thought about where I could I use all those aspects of music. I went to spy on a conducting seminar in Aspen. I was probably arrogant when I thought, well, I can do this, too.
Q: Talk about working for Leonard Bernstein.
A: I got to know him in Vienna, from 1987 until he passed away. I met him and followed everything he did with the Vienna Philharmonic. I assisted on his recordings and went to Italy with him when he conducted a class there. I never saw him in America. He inspired me to dare to be myself at the podium. If you want to have an impact, he told me, it's important not to create distance from the orchestra. This was crucial for me. I had many opportunities to hear him speak about music. He was a genius in many directions.
Q: Critics have noted the large, impassioned gestures you use while conducting.
A: I'm not sure how I look and what gestures I use. It is the music that drives me. How I moved last week in Rochester might be very different from how I'll conduct in Seattle. I try to suggest with my hands, and some of that might look like big gestures, maybe very physical. I'm not sure that's positive; I don't want anyone looking more than listening. But I'm tall with long arms, and great conductors are usually quite small. People who are skinny and long need to watch it or how they move can cause confusion.
Q: What does a conductor need to know?
A: Music, psychology, philosophy. My main role is to invest time and energy in the pieces of music we perform. I have to prepare myself by finding out as much about the composer and his music as I can. I'm an ambassador for the composer. There is some discussion these days about the need for a conductor. But you need someone who knows much about the repertoire. It's the most important part of conductor's life.
Q: How do you establish a rapport with an orchestra you're visiting?
A: The main thing I focus on is music. No two orchestras are the same. No two react the same way. There are never-ending developments involved in this. I deal with specialists, and I never know if they might show up for a first rehearsal in a bad mood because of the last show they did. But if you approach the work with love and passion, good musicians will respond.
Q: Have you enjoyed your long career as a guest conductor?
A: I felt it was necessary for me to do this. I've had good luck in conducting so many American orchestras. Now I feel I'm ready to participate in an orchestra's life in a deeper way. I'm ready to involve myself in making an institution grow. I'd very much like to work with an orchestra on that level.
Tom Keogh: tomwkeogh@yahoo.com
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Louisiana Christmas Spirit Comes to Monroe
The Singing Christmas Tree of West Carroll Parish will perform at the Fiske Theatre in Oak Grove at 7 p.m. Saturday and Monday and at 3 p.m. Sunday.
The production is the cantata "In the Fullness of Time" complete with music and lights.
Under the direction of Lilly DeFee, the group has been rehearsing since August for what are sure to be performances to put you in the holiday season.
Suggested donations are $5 for adults, $3 for students and children are free. For more information, call 428-2451.
v
McGuire United Methodist Women will have its annual bake sale beginning at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the church, 2075 Arkansas Road, West Monroe. Favorite holiday baked goods, candies, jellies and jams will satisfy every sweet tooth.
Proceeds from the event help support children in child protective service, Northeast Louisiana Food Bank and other local missions. For details, call the church, 396-6114.
v
The Ladies Luncheon of West Monroe High School's class of 1959 is at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Patsy's Big Top in West Monroe. Call 397-3956 for information.
v
Wednesday's Dinner with the Winemaker sold out early with wine aficionados eager to spend an evening experiencing different wines.
The winemakers are Michael Honig of Honig Vineyard in Napa, Calif., and Manfred Bauer of Wein Bauer Imports in Chicago.
v
The Blue Star Mothers Chapter 4 will have its Christmas get-together at 6 p.m. Dec. 8 at Avalon Place, 4385 Old Sterlington Road.
The group's regular meeting is 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday at Avalon Place. Call Tammy at 282-2209.
v
The Calhoun High School class of 1948 held its 50 year reunion at Catfish Cabin where they enjoyed visiting and reminiscing.
Those attending the event were June Littleton Parker, Eleanor Skov Wilder, Dale Meachum, Kenneth Sanford, Louis Pipes, Pauline Antley Jordon, Amy Triplet Garland, Fred Graves and Marilyn Audirsch Boyd.
Submit anecdotes or items about local people to Jes' Ramblin', c/o The News-Star, 411 N. Fourth St., Monroe, LA, 71201; or e-mail them to accent@thenewsstar.com. Personal comments for Hope Young can be called in to 362-0278; e-mailed hyoung@monroe.gannett.com; or sent to the address above.
The production is the cantata "In the Fullness of Time" complete with music and lights.
Under the direction of Lilly DeFee, the group has been rehearsing since August for what are sure to be performances to put you in the holiday season.
Suggested donations are $5 for adults, $3 for students and children are free. For more information, call 428-2451.
v
McGuire United Methodist Women will have its annual bake sale beginning at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the church, 2075 Arkansas Road, West Monroe. Favorite holiday baked goods, candies, jellies and jams will satisfy every sweet tooth.
Proceeds from the event help support children in child protective service, Northeast Louisiana Food Bank and other local missions. For details, call the church, 396-6114.
v
The Ladies Luncheon of West Monroe High School's class of 1959 is at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Patsy's Big Top in West Monroe. Call 397-3956 for information.
v
Wednesday's Dinner with the Winemaker sold out early with wine aficionados eager to spend an evening experiencing different wines.
The winemakers are Michael Honig of Honig Vineyard in Napa, Calif., and Manfred Bauer of Wein Bauer Imports in Chicago.
v
The Blue Star Mothers Chapter 4 will have its Christmas get-together at 6 p.m. Dec. 8 at Avalon Place, 4385 Old Sterlington Road.
The group's regular meeting is 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday at Avalon Place. Call Tammy at 282-2209.
v
The Calhoun High School class of 1948 held its 50 year reunion at Catfish Cabin where they enjoyed visiting and reminiscing.
Those attending the event were June Littleton Parker, Eleanor Skov Wilder, Dale Meachum, Kenneth Sanford, Louis Pipes, Pauline Antley Jordon, Amy Triplet Garland, Fred Graves and Marilyn Audirsch Boyd.
Submit anecdotes or items about local people to Jes' Ramblin', c/o The News-Star, 411 N. Fourth St., Monroe, LA, 71201; or e-mail them to accent@thenewsstar.com. Personal comments for Hope Young can be called in to 362-0278; e-mailed hyoung@monroe.gannett.com; or sent to the address above.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Finding Spiritual Enlightement in Northern California
Jerry Levy has been a Reform rabbi since 1971. He had congregations in San Jose, Los Gatos, Gilroy, Morgan Hill and Ojai (Ventura County). When he moved to Marin County in 2005, he decided to go freelance and serve the unaffiliated and secular-leaning Jewish community.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/16/DD631AFTU2.DTL#ixzz0XANOhnGn
Levy, 67, lives in Tiburon. He grew up near Chicago, was married "several times," and has a daughter, 36, a son, 32, and three grandchildren. He writes a monthly e-magazine, Shalom Maker, at Rabbijerry.com.
I was a full-time rabbi for a number of years. And then I looked around and I said, "There's more to religion than what the synagogue or the temple represent." It's very difficult to be both political and spiritual. Sometimes they conflict.
I tell everybody I have the largest congregation in the Bay Area, about 350,000 people. There are 450,000 Jews here, and only 100,000 of those are affiliated. I do funerals, weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs.
I've done 300 funerals in the last five years. I am called either by a family or by a mortuary. The mortuaries call me in difficult cases because they know I will work through problems: when the family is fighting due to conflicts of some sort.
I interview one or more of the survivors, usually over the phone. I start with history because I like a context in which to build a story. When I talk to people about their loved one, it's easier for them to talk about the history than it is to answer some of the questions that I ask later on.
I'll ask, "How was this person as a father?" "As a husband or a wife?" "As a brother or a son?" "When you think of them, as a human being, what comes to mind?" And "What were their best traits?"
Then I go to the computer and I write a page to a page and a half. It's not an obit. I don't even call it a eulogy, but a talk - a statement about the person. I write it in a poetic style and provide a rabbinic perspective.
I'm helping the family understand that this life was meaningful, valuable, filled with qualities that were exemplary. If I find those things, and I usually do, that's where I want to focus everybody's attention.
Sometimes, I'll give a talk and somebody will come up and say, "You made her sound saintly. Everybody hated her."
Some people are characters or did interesting things in their life. Or they've had profound hopes and dreams or incredible experiences. I'll frame a life in such a way that it honors the person.
I did one funeral service where nobody showed up. No survivors, nobody. There was no eulogy. I just said the traditional Hebrew prayers - the El Malei Rachamim and the Kaddish - and I expressed my thoughts about the sadness of this situation.
I did another service for Sinai Memorial in Colma where one person showed up. A man died and a woman came to mourn - I don't think she was Jewish - who had known him as a mentor and friend.
It was just the two of us. The funeral directors were standing off to the side. I stood up and I recited several meditations. And then I sat down next to her and I said, "Please tell me who this person was."
She told me an incredible story. I asked her certain questions, the same questions I would have asked if I was interviewing her to write a eulogy. And when she finished talking, I looked at her and I said, "Thank you for a beautiful eulogy." And she said, "Oh, I guess that's what I just did."
Do you or someone you know have a work story to share? E-mail us at datebookletters@sfchronicle.com.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/16/DD631AFTU2.DTL#ixzz0XANSO7J8
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/16/DD631AFTU2.DTL#ixzz0XANOhnGn
Levy, 67, lives in Tiburon. He grew up near Chicago, was married "several times," and has a daughter, 36, a son, 32, and three grandchildren. He writes a monthly e-magazine, Shalom Maker, at Rabbijerry.com.
I was a full-time rabbi for a number of years. And then I looked around and I said, "There's more to religion than what the synagogue or the temple represent." It's very difficult to be both political and spiritual. Sometimes they conflict.
I tell everybody I have the largest congregation in the Bay Area, about 350,000 people. There are 450,000 Jews here, and only 100,000 of those are affiliated. I do funerals, weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs.
I've done 300 funerals in the last five years. I am called either by a family or by a mortuary. The mortuaries call me in difficult cases because they know I will work through problems: when the family is fighting due to conflicts of some sort.
I interview one or more of the survivors, usually over the phone. I start with history because I like a context in which to build a story. When I talk to people about their loved one, it's easier for them to talk about the history than it is to answer some of the questions that I ask later on.
I'll ask, "How was this person as a father?" "As a husband or a wife?" "As a brother or a son?" "When you think of them, as a human being, what comes to mind?" And "What were their best traits?"
Then I go to the computer and I write a page to a page and a half. It's not an obit. I don't even call it a eulogy, but a talk - a statement about the person. I write it in a poetic style and provide a rabbinic perspective.
I'm helping the family understand that this life was meaningful, valuable, filled with qualities that were exemplary. If I find those things, and I usually do, that's where I want to focus everybody's attention.
Sometimes, I'll give a talk and somebody will come up and say, "You made her sound saintly. Everybody hated her."
Some people are characters or did interesting things in their life. Or they've had profound hopes and dreams or incredible experiences. I'll frame a life in such a way that it honors the person.
I did one funeral service where nobody showed up. No survivors, nobody. There was no eulogy. I just said the traditional Hebrew prayers - the El Malei Rachamim and the Kaddish - and I expressed my thoughts about the sadness of this situation.
I did another service for Sinai Memorial in Colma where one person showed up. A man died and a woman came to mourn - I don't think she was Jewish - who had known him as a mentor and friend.
It was just the two of us. The funeral directors were standing off to the side. I stood up and I recited several meditations. And then I sat down next to her and I said, "Please tell me who this person was."
She told me an incredible story. I asked her certain questions, the same questions I would have asked if I was interviewing her to write a eulogy. And when she finished talking, I looked at her and I said, "Thank you for a beautiful eulogy." And she said, "Oh, I guess that's what I just did."
Do you or someone you know have a work story to share? E-mail us at datebookletters@sfchronicle.com.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/16/DD631AFTU2.DTL#ixzz0XANSO7J8
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Search for Truth in New Zealand
We went in search of spiritual enlightenment, but all we found was a vacant block of land.
We gaped at the yellowing grass of Number 17 which stood in place of what was meant to be the house for our meditation retreat.
If this was an omen, it wasn't a good one.
We had travelled for more than an hour from Melbourne to attend the day-long retreat at Winchelsea, about 20 minutes from Geelong.
The three of us - a journalist and two massage therapists - were in great spirits and ready to indulge in a wholesome feast for the body, mind and soul.
Yoga, tai chi, chanting and yummy vegetarian food were all on the menu, which was now apparently being served up on a vacant block on the wrong side of the tracks.
With a gentle northerly wind blowing the temperature into the 30s, I wailed with dismay at the possibility of an outdoor chanting session.
"If it's out here I'm going to get hayfever!" I cried, picturing my cross-legged self red-eyed and sneezing as I tried to find inner peace.
We drove around the small housing estate, knocking on doors and speaking to residents to check the address details we'd been given.
No one knew of a meditation retreat in the street, and the cluster of residents in the sparsely housed avenue certainly didn't look like the meditating type.
And while we traversed the ghostly-quiet streets, all I could think about was the one grim tidbit I knew about Winchelsea.
It was the town where Robert Farquharson, imprisoned for killing his three young sons by driving them into a lake, originally lived.
I shared the snippet with my zen friends and without hesitation one fired up the car while the other yelled directions to Deans Marsh, on the way to the Great Ocean Road, from the back seat.
On the way, our driver screeched to a halt in the middle of the road, distracted by a sign pointing to a nearby winery.
"Dinny Goonan, I know Dinny Goonan!" she shrieked, pulling over, thankfully, to the side of the road.
The three of us rolled through the Dinny Goonan cellar door, laughing, and regaled the attendant with our misadventures.
Incidentally, Dinny Goonan, the long-lost friend of our driver, was away that weekend.
We swilled a couple of his rieslings and joked if there was a soundtrack to the day, it would be U2's I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.
As I sipped Mr Goonan's crisp drop, I pondered what meaning the universe had in mind when it allowed our search for enlightenment to lead us to a winery.
We farewelled the boutique vineyard and continued on to Deans Marsh, passing a Hare Krishna outpost on the way and vowing to stop on the way back. Surely it was a sign enlightenment and inner peace awaited us there.
At Deans Marsh we stopped for lunch at Martians Cafe, a renowned eatery and live music venue in the tiny hamlet.
As we munched on the cafe's veggie burgers, nachos and filo pastry, one friend commented she was feeling quite peaceful, just as a tune on the sound system belted out the line "Breathe, chicken, breathe!"
There were hoots as we encouraged our mate to "breathe, chicken, breathe!" followed by more girlish shrieking when we noticed a bunch of book titles peeking through a nearby window which appeared to be speaking to us, with titles like You Have A Purpose and A Book of Insight: A Guide for the Advanced Soul.
After lunch we doggedly pressed on, believing we were meant to end up somewhere retreat-ish.
We stopped at the Hare Krishna Valley, but even the Hare Krishnas weren't home and the '80s brick veneer 'ashrams' and 'temples' had a spooky compound feel about them.
The only good karma was inside our little car.
And there was a lot of it - a love of laughter and good wine and apparently, we discovered, a burning desire to ride a horse along a beach.
Welcome to our next adventure - a horse riding expedition.
Now we just have to find the stables.
We gaped at the yellowing grass of Number 17 which stood in place of what was meant to be the house for our meditation retreat.
If this was an omen, it wasn't a good one.
We had travelled for more than an hour from Melbourne to attend the day-long retreat at Winchelsea, about 20 minutes from Geelong.
The three of us - a journalist and two massage therapists - were in great spirits and ready to indulge in a wholesome feast for the body, mind and soul.
Yoga, tai chi, chanting and yummy vegetarian food were all on the menu, which was now apparently being served up on a vacant block on the wrong side of the tracks.
With a gentle northerly wind blowing the temperature into the 30s, I wailed with dismay at the possibility of an outdoor chanting session.
"If it's out here I'm going to get hayfever!" I cried, picturing my cross-legged self red-eyed and sneezing as I tried to find inner peace.
We drove around the small housing estate, knocking on doors and speaking to residents to check the address details we'd been given.
No one knew of a meditation retreat in the street, and the cluster of residents in the sparsely housed avenue certainly didn't look like the meditating type.
And while we traversed the ghostly-quiet streets, all I could think about was the one grim tidbit I knew about Winchelsea.
It was the town where Robert Farquharson, imprisoned for killing his three young sons by driving them into a lake, originally lived.
I shared the snippet with my zen friends and without hesitation one fired up the car while the other yelled directions to Deans Marsh, on the way to the Great Ocean Road, from the back seat.
On the way, our driver screeched to a halt in the middle of the road, distracted by a sign pointing to a nearby winery.
"Dinny Goonan, I know Dinny Goonan!" she shrieked, pulling over, thankfully, to the side of the road.
The three of us rolled through the Dinny Goonan cellar door, laughing, and regaled the attendant with our misadventures.
Incidentally, Dinny Goonan, the long-lost friend of our driver, was away that weekend.
We swilled a couple of his rieslings and joked if there was a soundtrack to the day, it would be U2's I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.
As I sipped Mr Goonan's crisp drop, I pondered what meaning the universe had in mind when it allowed our search for enlightenment to lead us to a winery.
We farewelled the boutique vineyard and continued on to Deans Marsh, passing a Hare Krishna outpost on the way and vowing to stop on the way back. Surely it was a sign enlightenment and inner peace awaited us there.
At Deans Marsh we stopped for lunch at Martians Cafe, a renowned eatery and live music venue in the tiny hamlet.
As we munched on the cafe's veggie burgers, nachos and filo pastry, one friend commented she was feeling quite peaceful, just as a tune on the sound system belted out the line "Breathe, chicken, breathe!"
There were hoots as we encouraged our mate to "breathe, chicken, breathe!" followed by more girlish shrieking when we noticed a bunch of book titles peeking through a nearby window which appeared to be speaking to us, with titles like You Have A Purpose and A Book of Insight: A Guide for the Advanced Soul.
After lunch we doggedly pressed on, believing we were meant to end up somewhere retreat-ish.
We stopped at the Hare Krishna Valley, but even the Hare Krishnas weren't home and the '80s brick veneer 'ashrams' and 'temples' had a spooky compound feel about them.
The only good karma was inside our little car.
And there was a lot of it - a love of laughter and good wine and apparently, we discovered, a burning desire to ride a horse along a beach.
Welcome to our next adventure - a horse riding expedition.
Now we just have to find the stables.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Finding the Spirit Online
Those searching for spiritual enlightenment may soon need be able to search the internet for guidance if the Roman Catholic church follows the advice of a French bishop, who urged the Church to: leave its ghetto and recognise the importance and reach of the internet.
Despite a claim to be omnipresent, God is as yet relatively relatively underexposed on the web, prompting Monsignor Jean-Michel Di Falco, the Bishop of Gap, France, to add:
By not being present on the web, you cut yourself of from a large part of people's lives. Pope, cardinals, bishops, priests, lay people - with the internet we enter a marketplace, a free and spontaneous space where everything is said about everything, where everyone can debate everything."
Even though Monsignor Di Falco almost undid his good work by referring the web as 'planet internet' - the kind of remark that shows a speaker is as out of step with current trends as a geography teacher at a sixth-form disco - his thoughts seem even more sensible when you consider a simple web search on British Bishop Richard Williamson could have spared the church some embarrassment.
The Monsignor's request does not seem to have fallen on deaf ears as The European Episcopal Commission for Media, a Swiss-based Vatican agency, have invited representatives from Facebook, Google, YouTube and Wikipedia to this year's meeting. It might not belong before @God has even more followers than @stephenfry.
Neil Willis is a former freelancer with experience in the charity and consumer sectors, business to business publishing and national newspapers. He now works for an international news digest
Despite a claim to be omnipresent, God is as yet relatively relatively underexposed on the web, prompting Monsignor Jean-Michel Di Falco, the Bishop of Gap, France, to add:
By not being present on the web, you cut yourself of from a large part of people's lives. Pope, cardinals, bishops, priests, lay people - with the internet we enter a marketplace, a free and spontaneous space where everything is said about everything, where everyone can debate everything."
Even though Monsignor Di Falco almost undid his good work by referring the web as 'planet internet' - the kind of remark that shows a speaker is as out of step with current trends as a geography teacher at a sixth-form disco - his thoughts seem even more sensible when you consider a simple web search on British Bishop Richard Williamson could have spared the church some embarrassment.
The Monsignor's request does not seem to have fallen on deaf ears as The European Episcopal Commission for Media, a Swiss-based Vatican agency, have invited representatives from Facebook, Google, YouTube and Wikipedia to this year's meeting. It might not belong before @God has even more followers than @stephenfry.
Neil Willis is a former freelancer with experience in the charity and consumer sectors, business to business publishing and national newspapers. He now works for an international news digest
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Green Church Follows Spiritual Journey
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese E-bulletin November 13, 2009
This is the weekly edition of the GOA E-Bulletin. For more information
just click on the links below to go to the topics of interest to you.
If the link does not work from your email, copy the link and paste it
into the address bar of your web browser.
FEAST OF THE ENTRY OF THE THEOTOKOS INTO THE TEMPLE: The Feast of the
Entrance into the Temple of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and
Ever-Virgin Mary is celebrated on November 21 each year. The Feast
commemorates when as a young child, the Virgin Mary entered the Temple
in Jerusalem. For the background to this feast, a description of the
icon, hymns, readings, and more visit
www.goarch.org/special/listen_learn_share/vmpresentation/index_html
IOCC SUNDAY ? NOVEMBER 22<: Sunday, November 22, has been designated
by the Hierarchs of SCOBA as IOCC Sunday: A day of sharing.
International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is the humanitarian
agency of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in
the Americas (SCOBA). IOCC, in the spirit of Christâ??s love, offers
emergency relief and development programs to those in need worldwide,
without discrimination, and strengthens the capacity of the Orthodox
Church to so respond. For parish resources, publicity materials,
bulletin inserts, and the encyclical for the Sunday, visit
www.iocc.org/dayofsharing/
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION:
The Department's new 'zine "Of Your Mystical Supper: The Eucharist" is
now available. Written at a "senior high" (grades 10-12) level, it
looks at The Sacrament of Holy Communion as a Sacrament of Remembrance
(in the Last Supper), a Sacrament of Thanksgiving (the Eucharist), a
Sacrament of Forgiveness, and a Sacrament of Community. It also
contains a section on Preparing for Holy Communion and the Prothesis
Service. Cost is $3.95 per copy. For orders of more than 50 copies,
cost is $2.95 each. A Teacher's Guide is in development.
Also, don't forget that "For to us a Child is Born," which discusses
the incarnation of Christ and the Christmas holidays is also available
and works well this time of year with students. A teacher's guide is
available too.
New 'zine from DRE: "Heaven on Earth: The Divine Liturgy" now
available. Heaven on Earth is a guide to the Divine Liturgy of St
John Chrysostom, providing the junior high reader with information
about what is taking place and directions for greater involvement. It
also provides a "glossary" of items seen at the Divine Liturgy and
introduces the reader to the development of the Liturgy in the
Orthodox Church. Twenty-four pages, fully illustrated in color. Could
also serve as a handout in adult education classes, be given to
visitors to the parish, or placed in the narthex or in the pews.
$3.95 per copy. $2.95 on orders of more than 50 copies. A Teacher's
Guide for classroom use will be available soon.
New On-line Group for Religious Educators - The Department of
Religious Education has created Orthodox Christian Religious Educators
a group on Facebook so that teachers and other interested youth
workers can share ideas, discuss programs. The Facebook group is the
latest attempt of the Department to bring Orthodox Christian Religious
Educators together. The group is open to anyone who works with young
people in Orthodox Christian parishes, whether as a clergyman, a
Sunday Church school teacher, supervisor, a youth group advisor,
interested parent, or others. For those already using Facebook,
search for the group and join. For those not using Facebook, you will
have to join the social networking site (it's free). Already the
group has hundreds of members with topics being discussed ranging from
Vacation Church School to teaching Environmental Stewardship.
2010 St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival Topics Available. The
2010 Festival Topics, Topic Tips, and Bibliography are now available
on the Department's webpages
www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/religioused/sjcof
As more information from the Metropolises arrives, with the dates and
locations of District and Metropolis Festivals, it will be posted.
The 2010 Archdiocese Festival will be hosted by the Direct Archdiocese
District and held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in New York City, from
June 4-6.
National GOYA Facebook Page Created
Our newest resource from the Department of Youth and Young Adult
Ministries has just been created. In an effort to create a presence on
facebook, we have created a page that provides the GOYAn's of our
Archdiocese with community, updates, news, and information from across
the country. We hope that it will be a place for teens to learn about
their faith and upcoming GOYA events, as well as connect with each
other! On facebook you can search for "GOYA- Greek Orthodox Youth of
America" and become a "fan".
Orthodox Christian Fellowship Announces REAL BREAK registration is open
Join hundreds of other college students this Spring Break with Real
Break, the service learning program of OCF. This year's trips are
scheduled for Constantinople, Jerusalem, Greece, Romania, and more.
Register online now at www.ocf.net/realbreak. Hurry while there are
still openings!!!
NEW FAITH AND LIFE RESOURCE ON ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE: A new brochure
on the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been released in the Faith and Life
series. The brochure is designed as an online resource that can be
downloaded, printed and distributed in the parish as a educational
resource. Access this new brochure and other resources on the Faith
and Life web site at
www.goarch.org/ourfaith/faithandlife
2010 STEWARDSHIP RESOURCES AVAILABLE: Stewardship resources for the
2010 Stewardship Year have been sent to Greek Orthodox clergy serving
parishes throughout the Archdiocese of America. In our efforts to
provide your parish with practical ministry resources under a unified
theme, the National Ministries of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
America are creating resources for the coming Ecclesiastical Year
under the general theme of the 2008 Clergy-Laity Congress: Gather My
People to My Home with the sub-theme of â??Come and See?â?? Additional
Stewardship ressources for the parish will be forthcoming. Contact the
Department of Stewardship, Outreach & Evangelism: telephone
646-519-6160 / email stewardship@goarch.org.
PLANNER FOR 2009-10 IS NOW AVAILABLE: The annual planner published by
the Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries is now available.
Use The Planner to keep track of all your schedules. Keep a daily
focus on Christ with Scriptural readings, fast days, prayers, saints
of the day, and inspiration from the Fathers. The Planner follows the
Ecclesiastical (church) year beginning in September and ending in
August. Spiral bound and digital versions available. Order now at
www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/youth/planner2009
This is the weekly edition of the GOA E-Bulletin. For more information
just click on the links below to go to the topics of interest to you.
If the link does not work from your email, copy the link and paste it
into the address bar of your web browser.
FEAST OF THE ENTRY OF THE THEOTOKOS INTO THE TEMPLE: The Feast of the
Entrance into the Temple of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and
Ever-Virgin Mary is celebrated on November 21 each year. The Feast
commemorates when as a young child, the Virgin Mary entered the Temple
in Jerusalem. For the background to this feast, a description of the
icon, hymns, readings, and more visit
www.goarch.org/special/listen_learn_share/vmpresentation/index_html
IOCC SUNDAY ? NOVEMBER 22<: Sunday, November 22, has been designated
by the Hierarchs of SCOBA as IOCC Sunday: A day of sharing.
International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is the humanitarian
agency of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in
the Americas (SCOBA). IOCC, in the spirit of Christâ??s love, offers
emergency relief and development programs to those in need worldwide,
without discrimination, and strengthens the capacity of the Orthodox
Church to so respond. For parish resources, publicity materials,
bulletin inserts, and the encyclical for the Sunday, visit
www.iocc.org/dayofsharing/
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION:
The Department's new 'zine "Of Your Mystical Supper: The Eucharist" is
now available. Written at a "senior high" (grades 10-12) level, it
looks at The Sacrament of Holy Communion as a Sacrament of Remembrance
(in the Last Supper), a Sacrament of Thanksgiving (the Eucharist), a
Sacrament of Forgiveness, and a Sacrament of Community. It also
contains a section on Preparing for Holy Communion and the Prothesis
Service. Cost is $3.95 per copy. For orders of more than 50 copies,
cost is $2.95 each. A Teacher's Guide is in development.
Also, don't forget that "For to us a Child is Born," which discusses
the incarnation of Christ and the Christmas holidays is also available
and works well this time of year with students. A teacher's guide is
available too.
New 'zine from DRE: "Heaven on Earth: The Divine Liturgy" now
available. Heaven on Earth is a guide to the Divine Liturgy of St
John Chrysostom, providing the junior high reader with information
about what is taking place and directions for greater involvement. It
also provides a "glossary" of items seen at the Divine Liturgy and
introduces the reader to the development of the Liturgy in the
Orthodox Church. Twenty-four pages, fully illustrated in color. Could
also serve as a handout in adult education classes, be given to
visitors to the parish, or placed in the narthex or in the pews.
$3.95 per copy. $2.95 on orders of more than 50 copies. A Teacher's
Guide for classroom use will be available soon.
New On-line Group for Religious Educators - The Department of
Religious Education has created Orthodox Christian Religious Educators
a group on Facebook so that teachers and other interested youth
workers can share ideas, discuss programs. The Facebook group is the
latest attempt of the Department to bring Orthodox Christian Religious
Educators together. The group is open to anyone who works with young
people in Orthodox Christian parishes, whether as a clergyman, a
Sunday Church school teacher, supervisor, a youth group advisor,
interested parent, or others. For those already using Facebook,
search for the group and join. For those not using Facebook, you will
have to join the social networking site (it's free). Already the
group has hundreds of members with topics being discussed ranging from
Vacation Church School to teaching Environmental Stewardship.
2010 St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival Topics Available. The
2010 Festival Topics, Topic Tips, and Bibliography are now available
on the Department's webpages
www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/religioused/sjcof
As more information from the Metropolises arrives, with the dates and
locations of District and Metropolis Festivals, it will be posted.
The 2010 Archdiocese Festival will be hosted by the Direct Archdiocese
District and held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in New York City, from
June 4-6.
National GOYA Facebook Page Created
Our newest resource from the Department of Youth and Young Adult
Ministries has just been created. In an effort to create a presence on
facebook, we have created a page that provides the GOYAn's of our
Archdiocese with community, updates, news, and information from across
the country. We hope that it will be a place for teens to learn about
their faith and upcoming GOYA events, as well as connect with each
other! On facebook you can search for "GOYA- Greek Orthodox Youth of
America" and become a "fan".
Orthodox Christian Fellowship Announces REAL BREAK registration is open
Join hundreds of other college students this Spring Break with Real
Break, the service learning program of OCF. This year's trips are
scheduled for Constantinople, Jerusalem, Greece, Romania, and more.
Register online now at www.ocf.net/realbreak. Hurry while there are
still openings!!!
NEW FAITH AND LIFE RESOURCE ON ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE: A new brochure
on the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been released in the Faith and Life
series. The brochure is designed as an online resource that can be
downloaded, printed and distributed in the parish as a educational
resource. Access this new brochure and other resources on the Faith
and Life web site at
www.goarch.org/ourfaith/faithandlife
2010 STEWARDSHIP RESOURCES AVAILABLE: Stewardship resources for the
2010 Stewardship Year have been sent to Greek Orthodox clergy serving
parishes throughout the Archdiocese of America. In our efforts to
provide your parish with practical ministry resources under a unified
theme, the National Ministries of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
America are creating resources for the coming Ecclesiastical Year
under the general theme of the 2008 Clergy-Laity Congress: Gather My
People to My Home with the sub-theme of â??Come and See?â?? Additional
Stewardship ressources for the parish will be forthcoming. Contact the
Department of Stewardship, Outreach & Evangelism: telephone
646-519-6160 / email stewardship@goarch.org.
PLANNER FOR 2009-10 IS NOW AVAILABLE: The annual planner published by
the Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries is now available.
Use The Planner to keep track of all your schedules. Keep a daily
focus on Christ with Scriptural readings, fast days, prayers, saints
of the day, and inspiration from the Fathers. The Planner follows the
Ecclesiastical (church) year beginning in September and ending in
August. Spiral bound and digital versions available. Order now at
www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/youth/planner2009
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Spirit Found in an Email
A while back an image formed in my mind that I thought would be helpful in illustrating a difficult theological concept. This analogy arose from my background in technology and science before I entered the seminary. The image is that of an electrical circuit-one containing both a switch and a variable resistor. The theological concept is that of the distinction between "justification" and "sanctification.” People, even theologians, often confuse the two. This can be frustrating at best, or it can obscure God's gift of salvation at worst. This simple electric circuit makes a good analogy because you've likely seen it at work already-and may even have one or more in your home right now! A variable resistor is known in more common terms as a "dimmer switch." Whereas a simple switch only allows you to turn a light on or off, a dimmer switch allows you to make your lights bright or dim to your liking. Now how can this example from modern electronics help illustrate the theological concepts of justification and sanctification? Let's start with the Bible. Concerning salvation, what does Scripture say?
1. The act of God declaring a person who has committed sins but who receives forgiveness by faith in the righteous life, suffering and death of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21) on their behalf is called "justification." Read Roman 3:22-24. It clearly states that we all fall into this category, but it is God's grace alone through the work of Jesus Christ that entitles us to be saved-or as the NIV text reads, "justified." Romans 4:5 and Ephesians 2:8-9 further clarify that this justification is not based on any worthiness or merit of our own (see also Romans 3:28, Galatians 3:3). How the electrical circuit analogy helps us better understand this concept of justification is this: just as a simple switch is either on or off, so a person is either saved or condemned (Mark 16:16). There is no middle ground - just as a woman cannot be only "a little pregnant." We can neither add to nor subtract anything from our justification.
2. The act of justification is not to be confused with the process of "sanctification." Whereas justification (also referred to as salvation or “conversion”) is a one-time completed action, sanctification is an ongoing process. The Apostle Paul, as sanctified as he was, acknowledged that he had not attained perfection (Philippians 3:12); none of us ever will during this life. We can, however, strive to become more Christ-like in our actions (Philippians 3:10). This is Sanctification. Sanctification can be stated in simple terms as "the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in my life" (Titus 3:5). Or, put another way, “my demonstration of the ‘fruit of the Spirit’” (Galatians 5:22-23). While our justification is not dependent upon us (Acts 16:31), mankind is entirely capable of cooperating or resisting the work of the Holy Spirit (John 14:15). It is our “resistance” to the Holy Spirit’s work that is represented by the dimmer switch! The “light” of the Holy Spirit in your life is on because of your justification. How brightly it shows in your life, however, is determined by how much you cooperate with or resist the work of the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51). A bright light meets with little resistance from the dimmer switch, whereas a dim light encounters a high measure of resistance.
Now what does this mean for you? It means that because your salvation/justification is dependent only upon the completed work of Jesus Christ, you need never fear that your earthly life and deeds are not good enough to get you into heaven! John 3:16 says nothing about our works. Furthermore, you have the assurance that nothing can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38-39). You are secure. As long as you can say “Jesus is Lord” (and mean it) you have the Holy Spirit in you (1 Corinthians 12:3). But this concept also means that the gift of salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit create a life change in you that compels you to live according to God’s commands (Psalm 119:41-48). The Lord loves you just as you are (Romans 5:8), but He loves you too much to leave you just as you are. The Holy Spirit will continually work to conform you to the image of His Son Jesus. If you want to better understand the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, send me an email, give me a call, or stop by on Sunday! In His Holy Name.
Rev. Augie Iadicicco is mission developer and pastor at Saving Grace Lutheran Church. Saving Grace meets at the Queen Creek Middle School on the SE Corner of Ellsworth and Queen Creek roads. Services are on Sunday morning at 8am (Traditional) and at 10:00am (Contemporary). Sunday School is offered for children during the 10am service. A staffed nursery is available at both services. Visit www.SavingGraceLC.org or call (480) 888-9673 to learn more about their ministry.
1. The act of God declaring a person who has committed sins but who receives forgiveness by faith in the righteous life, suffering and death of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21) on their behalf is called "justification." Read Roman 3:22-24. It clearly states that we all fall into this category, but it is God's grace alone through the work of Jesus Christ that entitles us to be saved-or as the NIV text reads, "justified." Romans 4:5 and Ephesians 2:8-9 further clarify that this justification is not based on any worthiness or merit of our own (see also Romans 3:28, Galatians 3:3). How the electrical circuit analogy helps us better understand this concept of justification is this: just as a simple switch is either on or off, so a person is either saved or condemned (Mark 16:16). There is no middle ground - just as a woman cannot be only "a little pregnant." We can neither add to nor subtract anything from our justification.
2. The act of justification is not to be confused with the process of "sanctification." Whereas justification (also referred to as salvation or “conversion”) is a one-time completed action, sanctification is an ongoing process. The Apostle Paul, as sanctified as he was, acknowledged that he had not attained perfection (Philippians 3:12); none of us ever will during this life. We can, however, strive to become more Christ-like in our actions (Philippians 3:10). This is Sanctification. Sanctification can be stated in simple terms as "the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in my life" (Titus 3:5). Or, put another way, “my demonstration of the ‘fruit of the Spirit’” (Galatians 5:22-23). While our justification is not dependent upon us (Acts 16:31), mankind is entirely capable of cooperating or resisting the work of the Holy Spirit (John 14:15). It is our “resistance” to the Holy Spirit’s work that is represented by the dimmer switch! The “light” of the Holy Spirit in your life is on because of your justification. How brightly it shows in your life, however, is determined by how much you cooperate with or resist the work of the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51). A bright light meets with little resistance from the dimmer switch, whereas a dim light encounters a high measure of resistance.
Now what does this mean for you? It means that because your salvation/justification is dependent only upon the completed work of Jesus Christ, you need never fear that your earthly life and deeds are not good enough to get you into heaven! John 3:16 says nothing about our works. Furthermore, you have the assurance that nothing can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38-39). You are secure. As long as you can say “Jesus is Lord” (and mean it) you have the Holy Spirit in you (1 Corinthians 12:3). But this concept also means that the gift of salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit create a life change in you that compels you to live according to God’s commands (Psalm 119:41-48). The Lord loves you just as you are (Romans 5:8), but He loves you too much to leave you just as you are. The Holy Spirit will continually work to conform you to the image of His Son Jesus. If you want to better understand the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, send me an email, give me a call, or stop by on Sunday! In His Holy Name.
Rev. Augie Iadicicco is mission developer and pastor at Saving Grace Lutheran Church. Saving Grace meets at the Queen Creek Middle School on the SE Corner of Ellsworth and Queen Creek roads. Services are on Sunday morning at 8am (Traditional) and at 10:00am (Contemporary). Sunday School is offered for children during the 10am service. A staffed nursery is available at both services. Visit www.SavingGraceLC.org or call (480) 888-9673 to learn more about their ministry.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Saginaw Trees Bring Spirit to Town
As the Junior League of Saginaw Valley, celebrating its 75th anniversary, opens its annual Festival of Trees this weekend, a 10-year tradition among art students at Saginaw Valley State University comes to a close.
This is the last year David Littell’s 3-D design class has created trees for raffle at the fundraiser. Changes in course assignments next year will bring the long-running connection to a close.
“It’s been a great project,” Littell said of the program dubbed The Artistree Project. “Everybody wins. Our students learn in the process, and they’re doing something for the community. We spend about four weeks each fall semester working on the trees.”
The Festival of Trees takes place Friday through Sunday at Apple Mountain Resort near Freeland, where visitors can buy $1 tickets for drawings on the trees of their choice. Along with the SVSU works are trees, wreaths and decorative displays created by businesses, designers and organizations.
A premiere party takes place from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday, and a Santa breakfast is available at 9 a.m. and again at 10 a.m. Saturday. Tickets to the premiere cost $20 in advance and $25 at the door. The breakfast costs $10 for children and $15 for adults.
Afterward, Portraits by Gregg will take pictures with a holiday scene. The 5-by-7 prints cost $20, with proceeds going to the Junior League.
“Every three years, we choose a cause to support financially and with volunteers,” said Clare Furlo, chairwoman of this year’s festival with Julie Hohwart. “We’re finishing up our program mentoring adolescent girls at Midland’s Creative 360 this spring, and three agencies are currently under discussion for 2010 through 2012.
“It’s not easy choosing one. They are all very passionate about what they do.”
Furlo and her fellow league members feel the same about the festival, now more than 20 years old. This year’s event offers more than 85 items, kicking off the season with many new designers in the mix.
The loss of The Artistree Project will leave a void next year, she said.
“They’re certainly some of the most creative trees,” she said of past efforts. “The students are fun, coming out to the premiere party to show off their work to their families and friends. I’m disappointed to hear that’s coming to an end.”
Among the 10 SVSU trees up for raffle this year is one created of bottles and corks and another of a papier mache lady. One is draped in tulle with lights underneath creating an incandescent glow.
“We tried to brighten it up, and we added some tulle to flesh it out,” said James G. Yager, 36, of Bay City. “I like the way it captures the light.”
And there’s another with a contemporary look, with Plexiglas, frosted and lit, curving around a metallic stand.
“It’s taking form,” said Adam J. French, 26, of Bay City. “I’m starting to feel positive.”
Littell remembers how organizers from the Festival of Trees were a nervous the first year, unsure what the students would create. In the years since, he added, they’ve looked forward to seeing the designs, and students have signed up for the class, knowing it included Artistree.
“The trees have ended up in some interesting places through the years,” Littell said. “One of our trees was shown in a contemporary furniture store in Southfield. One year, a grade school kid won the tree in the raffle, and they took it to school where it was on display in the cafeteria for most of the year.
“I’ve heard from people, too, that since the trees are not specifically Christmassy, they keep them on display in their homes year-round.”
This is the last year David Littell’s 3-D design class has created trees for raffle at the fundraiser. Changes in course assignments next year will bring the long-running connection to a close.
“It’s been a great project,” Littell said of the program dubbed The Artistree Project. “Everybody wins. Our students learn in the process, and they’re doing something for the community. We spend about four weeks each fall semester working on the trees.”
The Festival of Trees takes place Friday through Sunday at Apple Mountain Resort near Freeland, where visitors can buy $1 tickets for drawings on the trees of their choice. Along with the SVSU works are trees, wreaths and decorative displays created by businesses, designers and organizations.
A premiere party takes place from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday, and a Santa breakfast is available at 9 a.m. and again at 10 a.m. Saturday. Tickets to the premiere cost $20 in advance and $25 at the door. The breakfast costs $10 for children and $15 for adults.
Afterward, Portraits by Gregg will take pictures with a holiday scene. The 5-by-7 prints cost $20, with proceeds going to the Junior League.
“Every three years, we choose a cause to support financially and with volunteers,” said Clare Furlo, chairwoman of this year’s festival with Julie Hohwart. “We’re finishing up our program mentoring adolescent girls at Midland’s Creative 360 this spring, and three agencies are currently under discussion for 2010 through 2012.
“It’s not easy choosing one. They are all very passionate about what they do.”
Furlo and her fellow league members feel the same about the festival, now more than 20 years old. This year’s event offers more than 85 items, kicking off the season with many new designers in the mix.
The loss of The Artistree Project will leave a void next year, she said.
“They’re certainly some of the most creative trees,” she said of past efforts. “The students are fun, coming out to the premiere party to show off their work to their families and friends. I’m disappointed to hear that’s coming to an end.”
Among the 10 SVSU trees up for raffle this year is one created of bottles and corks and another of a papier mache lady. One is draped in tulle with lights underneath creating an incandescent glow.
“We tried to brighten it up, and we added some tulle to flesh it out,” said James G. Yager, 36, of Bay City. “I like the way it captures the light.”
And there’s another with a contemporary look, with Plexiglas, frosted and lit, curving around a metallic stand.
“It’s taking form,” said Adam J. French, 26, of Bay City. “I’m starting to feel positive.”
Littell remembers how organizers from the Festival of Trees were a nervous the first year, unsure what the students would create. In the years since, he added, they’ve looked forward to seeing the designs, and students have signed up for the class, knowing it included Artistree.
“The trees have ended up in some interesting places through the years,” Littell said. “One of our trees was shown in a contemporary furniture store in Southfield. One year, a grade school kid won the tree in the raffle, and they took it to school where it was on display in the cafeteria for most of the year.
“I’ve heard from people, too, that since the trees are not specifically Christmassy, they keep them on display in their homes year-round.”
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Getting Spiritual By 12.21.2012
By Bryan Mackintosh
The end is near. And it has a date.
That's what we've been told, at any rate. The cultural zeitgeist informs us that the ancient Mayans, when they were flipping through their calendars, jotted "doomsday" down on December 21, 2012, and circled it in red. Now, with 2012 coming into view, some folks are starting to panic – and profit. Turns out, the end of the world is big business.
A swarm of 2012-related books, television specials, and websites are competing for your attention, and things are just heating up. On November 13, a $200 million movie titled "2012" that's loaded with eye-melting special effects will roar into the box office – allowing its makers just enough time to reap and spend the film's DVD profits before the "real" end of the world hits.
But will we really see floodwaters sloshing over the Himalayas or Yellowstone National Park blow up? Will it be just another day? A time of spiritual enlightenment? And what did the Mayans really say? Turn the virtual page, dear reader, if you dare. We'll answer all your 2012 questions – and we won't spend $200 million to do it.
http://www.beliefnet.com/Holistic-Living/2009/10/2012-Facts-and-Myths.aspx
The end is near. And it has a date.
That's what we've been told, at any rate. The cultural zeitgeist informs us that the ancient Mayans, when they were flipping through their calendars, jotted "doomsday" down on December 21, 2012, and circled it in red. Now, with 2012 coming into view, some folks are starting to panic – and profit. Turns out, the end of the world is big business.
A swarm of 2012-related books, television specials, and websites are competing for your attention, and things are just heating up. On November 13, a $200 million movie titled "2012" that's loaded with eye-melting special effects will roar into the box office – allowing its makers just enough time to reap and spend the film's DVD profits before the "real" end of the world hits.
But will we really see floodwaters sloshing over the Himalayas or Yellowstone National Park blow up? Will it be just another day? A time of spiritual enlightenment? And what did the Mayans really say? Turn the virtual page, dear reader, if you dare. We'll answer all your 2012 questions – and we won't spend $200 million to do it.
http://www.beliefnet.com/Holistic-Living/2009/10/2012-Facts-and-Myths.aspx
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Spirit on Ice with Skeleton Racing
The regret, says Mike Douglas, ate insidiously away at his competitive psyche like acid leaking on a damaged battery casing. It fed him, fuelled him, pushed him for a way to make up for lost opportunity.
“If I’d stuck with football, if I’d played in that game, I honestly don’t know if I’d be here today,’’ admitted the 38-year-old, standing at the skeleton finish line at Canada Olympic Park late Sunday afternoon as darkness began to gather.
“If I had, I might’ve felt my athletic career had come to an end.’’
Instead, the 5-foot-8, 160-pound cornerback played just one year of football at the University of Toronto. Miffed at being used in a backup capacity, he switched to track.
“Bad choice,’’ says Douglas all these years later.
“The U of T went on to win the 1993 Vanier Cup, 37-34, on a last-second field goal block. Against Calgary. A lot of guys who were behind me on the depth chart three years before played in that game and won a national championship. That stuck with me for a long time. Still bothers me, to be honest.’’
He felt unfulfilled. As if something had been left undone, unfinished.
So he searched for an outlet and in 2004 turned to sliding.
On Sunday, the X-ray technologist at Foothills Hospital qualified for his second Canadian world cup team, finishing behind John Montgomery and Jeff Pain in the three-event selection process conducted last weekend at Whistler and here at COP on Saturday-Sunday.
Two of the three women’s world cup spots have been determined: Mellisa Hollingsworth and Amy Gough.
Douglas also placed third at the two-run, one-day Canadian championships in a combined time of 1:53.35. Montgomery, as expected, took the men’s title at 1:53.45 and Hollingsworth the women’s at 1:55.66.
Last season, Douglas missed cracking the world cup top three by 2/100ths of a second.
“The difference in me last year to now? Physically, I’m pretty much at par. But upstairs . . . I’m in much better shape. Great shape. I also read a lot of books on the subject’’ — his favourite being The Power of Now, A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, a self-help treatise by Eckhart Tolle.
Heading into the most significant season of his sliding career, Mike Douglas isn’t delving back into the recent past.
“Last season? That’s in the past. I don’t think about it anymore. I’m only worried about going forward.”
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
“If I’d stuck with football, if I’d played in that game, I honestly don’t know if I’d be here today,’’ admitted the 38-year-old, standing at the skeleton finish line at Canada Olympic Park late Sunday afternoon as darkness began to gather.
“If I had, I might’ve felt my athletic career had come to an end.’’
Instead, the 5-foot-8, 160-pound cornerback played just one year of football at the University of Toronto. Miffed at being used in a backup capacity, he switched to track.
“Bad choice,’’ says Douglas all these years later.
“The U of T went on to win the 1993 Vanier Cup, 37-34, on a last-second field goal block. Against Calgary. A lot of guys who were behind me on the depth chart three years before played in that game and won a national championship. That stuck with me for a long time. Still bothers me, to be honest.’’
He felt unfulfilled. As if something had been left undone, unfinished.
So he searched for an outlet and in 2004 turned to sliding.
On Sunday, the X-ray technologist at Foothills Hospital qualified for his second Canadian world cup team, finishing behind John Montgomery and Jeff Pain in the three-event selection process conducted last weekend at Whistler and here at COP on Saturday-Sunday.
Two of the three women’s world cup spots have been determined: Mellisa Hollingsworth and Amy Gough.
Douglas also placed third at the two-run, one-day Canadian championships in a combined time of 1:53.35. Montgomery, as expected, took the men’s title at 1:53.45 and Hollingsworth the women’s at 1:55.66.
Last season, Douglas missed cracking the world cup top three by 2/100ths of a second.
“The difference in me last year to now? Physically, I’m pretty much at par. But upstairs . . . I’m in much better shape. Great shape. I also read a lot of books on the subject’’ — his favourite being The Power of Now, A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, a self-help treatise by Eckhart Tolle.
Heading into the most significant season of his sliding career, Mike Douglas isn’t delving back into the recent past.
“Last season? That’s in the past. I don’t think about it anymore. I’m only worried about going forward.”
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Nature Shows the Discovery of Spirit
The Bible may not be the most widely acclaimed nature book, but if you're looking for moral and spiritual grounds on which to judge the value of wilderness, there are few better texts than the How-To Manual of the Judeo-Christian faith.
Consider that Moses, Elijah, and Jesus all had formative experiences in the wilderness. These journeys were not made on ORVs or mountain bikes, nor were they peak-bagging escapades. Biblical wilderness journeys were either desperate escapes from persecution or personal journeys toward spiritual enlightenment. They defined “recreation” as literally the “re-creation” of life, faith and spirit. In this context, wilderness was sacred.
The most noted wilderness journey in the Bible was the one led by Moses, who took his people out of bondage from Egypt and led them for 40 years in search of sanctuary and salvation. Moses and his flock — over half a million strong — were subjected to all kinds of torments, but the wilderness kept them safe and miraculously nourished.
In her landmark book “God in the Wilderness,” Rabbi Jamie Korngold describes Moses as a reluctant leader and a flawed man who, nonetheless, led his people on a divine mission. Moses was in tune with divine messages, writes Korngold, in part because the wilderness banished all distractions and allowed Godly messages to be seen and heard.
Considering the many distractions of contemporary life, is it any wonder that a Godly presence is still found by many within the spiritual realm of nature? It was in nature that the Israelites discovered God as their savior as they subsisted on “manna from heaven” and escaped the Egyptian army through the miraculous parting of the Red Sea.
When Moses climbed Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, it was not a pleasant climb, but rather a trial through storm and stress. Korngold writes: “The physical exertion of the desert climb, coupled with the stark desert beauty, helped Moses to arrive spiritually and emotionally in a place beyond internal chatter, a place beyond rationalization or explanation — a state of awe.”
Awe is one of the greatest gifts of life. Korngold suggests that the awe described by Moses on Mount Sinai came from experiencing the wonder of existence. Today, few places afford a sense of awe as profoundly as wilderness, a place where man can find a personal connection to the very source of creation.
Moses returned to his people after receiving the Commandments and promptly instructed them to build a “tabernacle” for worship. Ironically, Moses had just met God on a wild mountain, only to mandate that a manmade structure be used for formal worship. “How different religion might have been,” muses Korngold, “had we kept the wilderness tradition of awe alive!”
When the prophet Elijah sought an audience with God, he, too, entered the desert wilderness. God visited Elijah at Mount Horeb with a “mighty wind” that split mountains, with an earthquake, and finally with fire. But, says the Bible, the Lord was not in the wind, the earthquake or the fire.
After the tumult subsided, Elijah was left with one vitally important thing. It wasn't a physical manifestation of the Lord, but rather “a still, small voice.” That voice, suggests Korngold, spoke in the quiet of Elijah's. That voice became the essence of an introspective, truth-bearing, intuitive expression of divinity and sanctity, and it happened in wilderness.
The still, small voice is hard to hear over the distractions of life. It is drowned out by radio, TV, iPods, motors and machines. Hearing that voice is part of a spiritual journey that originates with a search for meaning in the natural world, all of which, according to many religious and spiritual precepts, is the most sacred deliverance from God to man.
Wilderness is the closest thing we have to pristine creation, the closest connection we know to the awe of existence. The still, small voice speaks to our deepest spiritual resonance, and listening to it is critical to our collective future. “We must take care of the planet,” urges Korngold, “for as we destroy the earth (either through action or lack thereof) we destroy our opportunity for spirit, and we destroy ourselves.”
Paul Andersen's column appears Mondays in The Aspen Times.
Consider that Moses, Elijah, and Jesus all had formative experiences in the wilderness. These journeys were not made on ORVs or mountain bikes, nor were they peak-bagging escapades. Biblical wilderness journeys were either desperate escapes from persecution or personal journeys toward spiritual enlightenment. They defined “recreation” as literally the “re-creation” of life, faith and spirit. In this context, wilderness was sacred.
The most noted wilderness journey in the Bible was the one led by Moses, who took his people out of bondage from Egypt and led them for 40 years in search of sanctuary and salvation. Moses and his flock — over half a million strong — were subjected to all kinds of torments, but the wilderness kept them safe and miraculously nourished.
In her landmark book “God in the Wilderness,” Rabbi Jamie Korngold describes Moses as a reluctant leader and a flawed man who, nonetheless, led his people on a divine mission. Moses was in tune with divine messages, writes Korngold, in part because the wilderness banished all distractions and allowed Godly messages to be seen and heard.
Considering the many distractions of contemporary life, is it any wonder that a Godly presence is still found by many within the spiritual realm of nature? It was in nature that the Israelites discovered God as their savior as they subsisted on “manna from heaven” and escaped the Egyptian army through the miraculous parting of the Red Sea.
When Moses climbed Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, it was not a pleasant climb, but rather a trial through storm and stress. Korngold writes: “The physical exertion of the desert climb, coupled with the stark desert beauty, helped Moses to arrive spiritually and emotionally in a place beyond internal chatter, a place beyond rationalization or explanation — a state of awe.”
Awe is one of the greatest gifts of life. Korngold suggests that the awe described by Moses on Mount Sinai came from experiencing the wonder of existence. Today, few places afford a sense of awe as profoundly as wilderness, a place where man can find a personal connection to the very source of creation.
Moses returned to his people after receiving the Commandments and promptly instructed them to build a “tabernacle” for worship. Ironically, Moses had just met God on a wild mountain, only to mandate that a manmade structure be used for formal worship. “How different religion might have been,” muses Korngold, “had we kept the wilderness tradition of awe alive!”
When the prophet Elijah sought an audience with God, he, too, entered the desert wilderness. God visited Elijah at Mount Horeb with a “mighty wind” that split mountains, with an earthquake, and finally with fire. But, says the Bible, the Lord was not in the wind, the earthquake or the fire.
After the tumult subsided, Elijah was left with one vitally important thing. It wasn't a physical manifestation of the Lord, but rather “a still, small voice.” That voice, suggests Korngold, spoke in the quiet of Elijah's. That voice became the essence of an introspective, truth-bearing, intuitive expression of divinity and sanctity, and it happened in wilderness.
The still, small voice is hard to hear over the distractions of life. It is drowned out by radio, TV, iPods, motors and machines. Hearing that voice is part of a spiritual journey that originates with a search for meaning in the natural world, all of which, according to many religious and spiritual precepts, is the most sacred deliverance from God to man.
Wilderness is the closest thing we have to pristine creation, the closest connection we know to the awe of existence. The still, small voice speaks to our deepest spiritual resonance, and listening to it is critical to our collective future. “We must take care of the planet,” urges Korngold, “for as we destroy the earth (either through action or lack thereof) we destroy our opportunity for spirit, and we destroy ourselves.”
Paul Andersen's column appears Mondays in The Aspen Times.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Spiritual Enlightenment Through Politics
Only One World By Sylvia Mayuga (philstar.com) Updated November 08, 2009 12:00 AM
Ah, yes. The ‘80s was indeed quite a decade, as global media networks converging around the vanished Berlin Wall now remind us daily. This nostalgic mood climaxes on 11-11-09, Wednesday, the 20th anniversary of its fall after 40 years of paranoia between the warring “capitalist and communist blocs”. I’m not immune. It was against the odds that my parents had me in World War II. Progressively more powerful missiles bristled over our teens in the “mutually assured destruction” of a nuclear arms race.
And that Berlin Wall was the main symbol of the Iron Curtain dividing postwar Europe with what seemed to be finality, with capitalist and communist power dividing the world in the minds of our generation, in mistrust that could not grant the other’s humanity. Cold War threatening our lives with our freedom became the premise of our world. Its mantra was: Count your blessings. This is not shooting war, not yet, at least. You kids cannot begin to imagine what that’s like.
True, but only partially – the rest of it was that we did know war. Early childhood brought dreams of planes droning overhead and a sudden feeling of panic, likely from a memory in my mother’s womb.
It was the very air we breathed from grade school to college and beyond. Even the nuns in our convent school seemed to forget “Love one another” when they updated WW II with images of Soviet tanks and communists stomping on crucifixes. No one ever told us in school that the Soviets, too, fought the Nazis with the Allied Powers on our side.
And so, in a divided world, we imbibed convent school versions of English, Tagalog, Spanish, History, Math, Physics, Literature, Philosophy, Psychology and Theology for a Bachelor of Arts. Unless one fancied becoming a total “career girl,” marriage was understood as the destiny of normal females not “Brides of Christ.” Non-religious unmarried females were “old maids,” a vaguely disreputable state as we heard it.
With that worldview blending classroom verities, cultural lore and social pressure, we left convent school for “the real world.” Girls with a mind postponed marriage for early careers and further studies. There were quite a few in my college batch. “Commencement,” the beginning, led to that world turning out too real for our hothouse training sub species aeternitatis, in the light of eternity, unless we had already escaped into textbook marriage with a college boy right after, some before graduation. Those who didn’t marry early found adulthood to require ever-finer understanding of ambivalence with gray shades of good and evil.
Soon after the doors of the “school of hard knocks” welcomed our twenties, we were facing exploding Molotov cocktails in Manila, with trails of splintered glass from anti-Marcos student demonstrations and then the founding of a youthful Communist Party of the Philippines in ’69. Before we knew it, martial law was declared, marking us for life as we turned 30 in Dekada Setenta . It soon became a novel, in Tagalog, if you please.
It was a new hothouse – if you were pretty in pink in the 50s, now you were spouting Tagalog with the Left, Left-influenced or at least a sympathizer to love your country. Intense pressure of all kinds turned all too many in my generation into underground shadows, escapists and/or druggies, sometimes dead and/or vanished without a trace. I tell this tale not to dwell in unspeakable tragedies that fortified you if you survived them.
That’s a cliché but I assure you, it was as real as the world could get. It’s time to draw the larger canvas of an individual life traveling far to arrive at the truth of its time leading to the Berlin Wall. Utter fidelity to truth was required of a writer. I refused to write a single line for the crony press under Presidential Decree 1081, no matter my close to a decade of regular newspaper jobs, freelancing and a stint as ABS-CBN news editor pre-martial law.
Yet, loss of press freedom did not weigh as heavily on me as a dear first cousin’s decade of self-exile in Red China, on pain of arrest if he came home from a sneak visit that began just before martial law. Heaviest was the death of a poet whose spirit I loved beyond his words, announced to my shock one morning by Kate Webb, the Vietnam War correspondent just released by the Vietcong, asking me to confirm if “Eman Lacaba was killed in Mindanao”.
No! Eman had opened the undercurrent of Banahaw in Philippine history to me; he taught me the Chinese Book of Changes, the I Ching that became my lifeline in our most uncertain world. After he went underground, he would visit us in Manila, demolishing the years with his new crazy idea of turning banana stalk celluloid to film stock to cut our film-loving people’s import dependence. With such tragicomic contrasts, how to cope with gagging myself from the crony press in protest, letting the years pass in self-exile for our generation in one form or another?
Modus vivendi as the ‘’70s became the ‘80s was to be IN the Philippines in martial law but not OF it.
Survivors felt guilty when another generous brilliant one of us gave life or freedom in prison unto torture so that our people might have a chance to live. Ideology was the least of that mortal commitment. They were no more killers than we were. Most just wanted to do something, anything to break an impasse that weighed like leaden armor on our generation’s soul. Those who didn’t think the CPP-NDF-NPA was an answer lived in constant self-questioning: Were we plain cowards for not taking up arms to exterminate the ruling class with Ed Jopson, Lori Barros, Gary Grey?
On her first holiday in Manila since migrating to the US in the ‘60s, my college chum Loida Nicolas-Lewis remarked, “Martial law’s been good for Filipinos. It’s made them more reflective. They’ve developed an inner life.” I loved Loida and we did learn meditation and t’ai chi for balance but that seemed insensitive in mid-martial law. How could she know how much we suffered? Succeeding events would prove her right, however.
As soon as martial law’s “paper lifting” by an over-confident Marcos regime allied to the bluster of an equally self-confident Reagan, there was a palpable flutter of wings. It began in imagination: “What if we took advantage of this tiny chink of light after ten of the darkest years in our lifetime?” My bold colleague in Sunburst magazine, Arlene Babst, didn’t hesitate. She took on a column in the Bulletin, flagship of the crony press. Soon she was urging me to join her as the second columnist at the invitation of “Hans,” i.e. Menzi, the publisher.
“You’re kidding,” I said. She kept at it, showing me towers of mail from readers welcoming a voice apparently free of censorship after a decade of cartoon news. “They’re hungry; help me deal with this,” she said. On the fourth month of inveigling, I hesitantly relented, “I’ll try it but only if I can get out anytime.” Soon after the first columns, the power of the press hit me in the eye.
The Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas invited me to go behind the Iron Curtain for the first time, on the occasion of a “Global Assembly for Peace & Life” in Prague, Czechoslovakia in the “Eastern Bloc.” Communists for peace and life? But they were the enemy! It was the antipode New York, spoiled queen of the capitalist system, on a Fulbright scholarship to Columbia journalism school in the liberation ‘60s.
But one does not say ‘no’ to discovery with a fun delegation of Pinoys. My first trip to Moscow in 1982 transpired without a visa stamped on my passport, only a detachable slip of paper permitting entry. No one spoke English in a creaking Aeroflot plane in Artic cold that could not be regulated. Our Russian stewardess had the hint of a mustache. The chicken curry was a strange unpalatable green.
To make a long story short, the 80s had begun its series of revelations on that mysterious other half of the world “behind the Iron Curtain”. I searched for what I could find to prepare me – there wasn’t much that wasn’t boring propaganda on either side. I did find a Filipino scholar diplomat who’d studied Soviet history in situ, but his scholarly text peppered with Winston Churchill could not answer my deeper questions.
Imagine my shock at discovering a Greek communist lady in a sable spring coat in assembly at the white marble Palace Kultury, huge spring violets in courtyard flower boxes. Adding a frisson to radical chic was Yasser Arafat dropping in with the recent global horror story of Shabra and Shatila.
The assembly’s purpose sounded increasingly reasonable to me – global disarmament after decades of pouring national treasure into weapons ever more lethal in self-defense as costly, if not more so than war. Of course it was propaganda, how could it not be, with Soviet generals and scientists produced like clockwork, attesting to the world behind the Iron Curtain united in a call for peace. In the end, not the Internationale rose to the rafters but a full orchestra and chorus with Beethoven’s “ Ode to Joy,” our linked communist and capitalist hands raised in hope for peace, peace at last.
My last look at the otherworldly beauty of medieval Praha came with a vow to return to its golden-domed Museum of Bohemia and the royal seal with the golden lion of spiritual enlightenment at the gates of the Czech Palace on a hill with an Alchemists’ Lane at its foot. We flew back to Moscow to meet the Soviet Peace Committee headed by stocky Yuri Drozdov with a deep, deep voice speaking perfect English. Our delegation of activists asked who exactly the Soviet Peace Committee was.
He said they were Soviet citizens in a nationwide NGO, mostly non-Party members - doctors, nurses, housewives, students, government workers as themselves, the whole gamut of “civil society,” as it soon would be called worldwide. They had raised citizen donations for this conference that took us behind the Iron Curtain. Common ground expanded over lovely samovars of tea in their office up a nondescript Stalin-era building, one of many in Moscow’s super macho landscape.
Then into the Tretyakov Gallery with its stupendous collection of European art (Yes, Russia is part of Europe, they said.) dating back to the czars, iconic St. Basil’s Church with its striped onion dome, Lenin’s tomb and museum, into the Kremlin palace with its dazzling czarina chandeliers over thick red carpets, and a leisurely stroll through Red Square.
Ah, yes. The ‘80s was indeed quite a decade, as global media networks converging around the vanished Berlin Wall now remind us daily. This nostalgic mood climaxes on 11-11-09, Wednesday, the 20th anniversary of its fall after 40 years of paranoia between the warring “capitalist and communist blocs”. I’m not immune. It was against the odds that my parents had me in World War II. Progressively more powerful missiles bristled over our teens in the “mutually assured destruction” of a nuclear arms race.
And that Berlin Wall was the main symbol of the Iron Curtain dividing postwar Europe with what seemed to be finality, with capitalist and communist power dividing the world in the minds of our generation, in mistrust that could not grant the other’s humanity. Cold War threatening our lives with our freedom became the premise of our world. Its mantra was: Count your blessings. This is not shooting war, not yet, at least. You kids cannot begin to imagine what that’s like.
True, but only partially – the rest of it was that we did know war. Early childhood brought dreams of planes droning overhead and a sudden feeling of panic, likely from a memory in my mother’s womb.
It was the very air we breathed from grade school to college and beyond. Even the nuns in our convent school seemed to forget “Love one another” when they updated WW II with images of Soviet tanks and communists stomping on crucifixes. No one ever told us in school that the Soviets, too, fought the Nazis with the Allied Powers on our side.
And so, in a divided world, we imbibed convent school versions of English, Tagalog, Spanish, History, Math, Physics, Literature, Philosophy, Psychology and Theology for a Bachelor of Arts. Unless one fancied becoming a total “career girl,” marriage was understood as the destiny of normal females not “Brides of Christ.” Non-religious unmarried females were “old maids,” a vaguely disreputable state as we heard it.
With that worldview blending classroom verities, cultural lore and social pressure, we left convent school for “the real world.” Girls with a mind postponed marriage for early careers and further studies. There were quite a few in my college batch. “Commencement,” the beginning, led to that world turning out too real for our hothouse training sub species aeternitatis, in the light of eternity, unless we had already escaped into textbook marriage with a college boy right after, some before graduation. Those who didn’t marry early found adulthood to require ever-finer understanding of ambivalence with gray shades of good and evil.
Soon after the doors of the “school of hard knocks” welcomed our twenties, we were facing exploding Molotov cocktails in Manila, with trails of splintered glass from anti-Marcos student demonstrations and then the founding of a youthful Communist Party of the Philippines in ’69. Before we knew it, martial law was declared, marking us for life as we turned 30 in Dekada Setenta . It soon became a novel, in Tagalog, if you please.
It was a new hothouse – if you were pretty in pink in the 50s, now you were spouting Tagalog with the Left, Left-influenced or at least a sympathizer to love your country. Intense pressure of all kinds turned all too many in my generation into underground shadows, escapists and/or druggies, sometimes dead and/or vanished without a trace. I tell this tale not to dwell in unspeakable tragedies that fortified you if you survived them.
That’s a cliché but I assure you, it was as real as the world could get. It’s time to draw the larger canvas of an individual life traveling far to arrive at the truth of its time leading to the Berlin Wall. Utter fidelity to truth was required of a writer. I refused to write a single line for the crony press under Presidential Decree 1081, no matter my close to a decade of regular newspaper jobs, freelancing and a stint as ABS-CBN news editor pre-martial law.
Yet, loss of press freedom did not weigh as heavily on me as a dear first cousin’s decade of self-exile in Red China, on pain of arrest if he came home from a sneak visit that began just before martial law. Heaviest was the death of a poet whose spirit I loved beyond his words, announced to my shock one morning by Kate Webb, the Vietnam War correspondent just released by the Vietcong, asking me to confirm if “Eman Lacaba was killed in Mindanao”.
No! Eman had opened the undercurrent of Banahaw in Philippine history to me; he taught me the Chinese Book of Changes, the I Ching that became my lifeline in our most uncertain world. After he went underground, he would visit us in Manila, demolishing the years with his new crazy idea of turning banana stalk celluloid to film stock to cut our film-loving people’s import dependence. With such tragicomic contrasts, how to cope with gagging myself from the crony press in protest, letting the years pass in self-exile for our generation in one form or another?
Modus vivendi as the ‘’70s became the ‘80s was to be IN the Philippines in martial law but not OF it.
Survivors felt guilty when another generous brilliant one of us gave life or freedom in prison unto torture so that our people might have a chance to live. Ideology was the least of that mortal commitment. They were no more killers than we were. Most just wanted to do something, anything to break an impasse that weighed like leaden armor on our generation’s soul. Those who didn’t think the CPP-NDF-NPA was an answer lived in constant self-questioning: Were we plain cowards for not taking up arms to exterminate the ruling class with Ed Jopson, Lori Barros, Gary Grey?
On her first holiday in Manila since migrating to the US in the ‘60s, my college chum Loida Nicolas-Lewis remarked, “Martial law’s been good for Filipinos. It’s made them more reflective. They’ve developed an inner life.” I loved Loida and we did learn meditation and t’ai chi for balance but that seemed insensitive in mid-martial law. How could she know how much we suffered? Succeeding events would prove her right, however.
As soon as martial law’s “paper lifting” by an over-confident Marcos regime allied to the bluster of an equally self-confident Reagan, there was a palpable flutter of wings. It began in imagination: “What if we took advantage of this tiny chink of light after ten of the darkest years in our lifetime?” My bold colleague in Sunburst magazine, Arlene Babst, didn’t hesitate. She took on a column in the Bulletin, flagship of the crony press. Soon she was urging me to join her as the second columnist at the invitation of “Hans,” i.e. Menzi, the publisher.
“You’re kidding,” I said. She kept at it, showing me towers of mail from readers welcoming a voice apparently free of censorship after a decade of cartoon news. “They’re hungry; help me deal with this,” she said. On the fourth month of inveigling, I hesitantly relented, “I’ll try it but only if I can get out anytime.” Soon after the first columns, the power of the press hit me in the eye.
The Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas invited me to go behind the Iron Curtain for the first time, on the occasion of a “Global Assembly for Peace & Life” in Prague, Czechoslovakia in the “Eastern Bloc.” Communists for peace and life? But they were the enemy! It was the antipode New York, spoiled queen of the capitalist system, on a Fulbright scholarship to Columbia journalism school in the liberation ‘60s.
But one does not say ‘no’ to discovery with a fun delegation of Pinoys. My first trip to Moscow in 1982 transpired without a visa stamped on my passport, only a detachable slip of paper permitting entry. No one spoke English in a creaking Aeroflot plane in Artic cold that could not be regulated. Our Russian stewardess had the hint of a mustache. The chicken curry was a strange unpalatable green.
To make a long story short, the 80s had begun its series of revelations on that mysterious other half of the world “behind the Iron Curtain”. I searched for what I could find to prepare me – there wasn’t much that wasn’t boring propaganda on either side. I did find a Filipino scholar diplomat who’d studied Soviet history in situ, but his scholarly text peppered with Winston Churchill could not answer my deeper questions.
Imagine my shock at discovering a Greek communist lady in a sable spring coat in assembly at the white marble Palace Kultury, huge spring violets in courtyard flower boxes. Adding a frisson to radical chic was Yasser Arafat dropping in with the recent global horror story of Shabra and Shatila.
The assembly’s purpose sounded increasingly reasonable to me – global disarmament after decades of pouring national treasure into weapons ever more lethal in self-defense as costly, if not more so than war. Of course it was propaganda, how could it not be, with Soviet generals and scientists produced like clockwork, attesting to the world behind the Iron Curtain united in a call for peace. In the end, not the Internationale rose to the rafters but a full orchestra and chorus with Beethoven’s “ Ode to Joy,” our linked communist and capitalist hands raised in hope for peace, peace at last.
My last look at the otherworldly beauty of medieval Praha came with a vow to return to its golden-domed Museum of Bohemia and the royal seal with the golden lion of spiritual enlightenment at the gates of the Czech Palace on a hill with an Alchemists’ Lane at its foot. We flew back to Moscow to meet the Soviet Peace Committee headed by stocky Yuri Drozdov with a deep, deep voice speaking perfect English. Our delegation of activists asked who exactly the Soviet Peace Committee was.
He said they were Soviet citizens in a nationwide NGO, mostly non-Party members - doctors, nurses, housewives, students, government workers as themselves, the whole gamut of “civil society,” as it soon would be called worldwide. They had raised citizen donations for this conference that took us behind the Iron Curtain. Common ground expanded over lovely samovars of tea in their office up a nondescript Stalin-era building, one of many in Moscow’s super macho landscape.
Then into the Tretyakov Gallery with its stupendous collection of European art (Yes, Russia is part of Europe, they said.) dating back to the czars, iconic St. Basil’s Church with its striped onion dome, Lenin’s tomb and museum, into the Kremlin palace with its dazzling czarina chandeliers over thick red carpets, and a leisurely stroll through Red Square.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Minister to Bring the Spirit to Oakland Church
By Will Read - Special to The Herald
The Rev. James Douglas Simpson will be installed Sunday as the 10th pastor of Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church. The Service of Installation will be at 10:30 a.m. in the sanctuary with the Rev. Dr. Bettina B. Kilburn speaking. A luncheon will be afterward in the church activity center.
Kilburn, with Disability Research and Consulting, is a graduate of Fairfield University, Boston University School of Medicine and Columbia Theological Seminary. She has been board certified in psychiatry since 1987 and is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Simpson, a native of Motherwell, Scotland, is a graduate of the University of Dundee with a bachelor of science, an honor graduate of the University of Aberdeen with a bachelor of divinity in systematic theology and church history, and a graduate of Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga., with a doctor of ministry.
Ordained in May 1987, Simpson served as assistant minister at West Parish Church, Bellshill, Scotland, and parish minister in Newtonhill and Portlethen churches near Aberdeen until 1996, when he was called to pastor the Northminster Presbyterian Church in Roswell, Ga. He was there until taking up the position of director of church relations at Presbyterian College in 2007.
In his “Statement of Faith and Spiritual Journey,” Simpson stated:
“My hope and trust is in the God we know through our encounter with Jesus Christ, our experience of the Holy Spirit, our engagement with the Holy Scriptures, our participation in the church, our receiving and sharing of the sacraments and our sharing of God's love, mercy, and justice in our lives in the world.
“In receiving and accepting the call of God to serve with the Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church, I am responding to a call from God to engage in a ministry of proclamation, leadership development, communication, outreach, evangelism and pastoral care. I believe God will help me use my gifts to nurture, challenge, shape, and inspire the congregation of Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church to faithfully exercise its God-given ministry as it approaches the centenary of its establishment. As a congregation birthed by and into the Presbyterian family by the faithfulness of those who saw new possibilities and potential, Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church will continue to be a committed partner within the Presbytery and denomination as together we face the challenges of today and the opportunities of tomorrow.
“It has been my joy to follow my vocation, and it is my hope and intention at Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church, ‘to serve the people with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love' as I seek to nurture this dynamic community of faith in, and towards, faithful worship and service to the community that it serves and to all the ends of the Earth.”
He and is wife, Janice, a native of Glasgow, Scotland, were married in 1983. She has been an educator in church, public high school, and college settings for 30 years. She taught in the religion and philosophy department at Presbyterian College from 2008 to 2009.
Simpson enjoys movies, sports — especially soccer and golf — history, travel, all kinds of food, and current events.
He and his wife have two grown children, Jennifer and Jim. The family became United States citizens in 2005.
The Rev. James Douglas Simpson will be installed Sunday as the 10th pastor of Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church. The Service of Installation will be at 10:30 a.m. in the sanctuary with the Rev. Dr. Bettina B. Kilburn speaking. A luncheon will be afterward in the church activity center.
Kilburn, with Disability Research and Consulting, is a graduate of Fairfield University, Boston University School of Medicine and Columbia Theological Seminary. She has been board certified in psychiatry since 1987 and is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Simpson, a native of Motherwell, Scotland, is a graduate of the University of Dundee with a bachelor of science, an honor graduate of the University of Aberdeen with a bachelor of divinity in systematic theology and church history, and a graduate of Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga., with a doctor of ministry.
Ordained in May 1987, Simpson served as assistant minister at West Parish Church, Bellshill, Scotland, and parish minister in Newtonhill and Portlethen churches near Aberdeen until 1996, when he was called to pastor the Northminster Presbyterian Church in Roswell, Ga. He was there until taking up the position of director of church relations at Presbyterian College in 2007.
In his “Statement of Faith and Spiritual Journey,” Simpson stated:
“My hope and trust is in the God we know through our encounter with Jesus Christ, our experience of the Holy Spirit, our engagement with the Holy Scriptures, our participation in the church, our receiving and sharing of the sacraments and our sharing of God's love, mercy, and justice in our lives in the world.
“In receiving and accepting the call of God to serve with the Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church, I am responding to a call from God to engage in a ministry of proclamation, leadership development, communication, outreach, evangelism and pastoral care. I believe God will help me use my gifts to nurture, challenge, shape, and inspire the congregation of Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church to faithfully exercise its God-given ministry as it approaches the centenary of its establishment. As a congregation birthed by and into the Presbyterian family by the faithfulness of those who saw new possibilities and potential, Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church will continue to be a committed partner within the Presbytery and denomination as together we face the challenges of today and the opportunities of tomorrow.
“It has been my joy to follow my vocation, and it is my hope and intention at Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church, ‘to serve the people with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love' as I seek to nurture this dynamic community of faith in, and towards, faithful worship and service to the community that it serves and to all the ends of the Earth.”
He and is wife, Janice, a native of Glasgow, Scotland, were married in 1983. She has been an educator in church, public high school, and college settings for 30 years. She taught in the religion and philosophy department at Presbyterian College from 2008 to 2009.
Simpson enjoys movies, sports — especially soccer and golf — history, travel, all kinds of food, and current events.
He and his wife have two grown children, Jennifer and Jim. The family became United States citizens in 2005.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Another Way to Find the Path
Yesterday blogger Narielle Living posted an entry titled “Testing the Kool-Aid,” in which she listed some things that should give a person seeking spiritual enlightenment pause.
1. A requirement that the seeker spend a large sum of money.
2. The claim that a teacher or spiritual leader has some secret knowledge or technique he or she is willing to share with a select few (see 1 above).
3. An insistence that the seeker must do a specific task, especially something dangerous, in order to grow spiritually.
4. Being led in a practice or tradition of another culture by someone who isn’t a native of that culture.
James Arthur Ray, described as a World Thought Leader and spiritual teacher, was featured in Rhonda Byrnes’ The Secret. His latest book, Harmonic Wealth: The Secret of Attracting the Life You Want, promises to bring the techniques of the "Law of Attraction" to wealth-building. This month he held spiritual retreat in Arizona at a cost of almost $10,000 per participant. Last week, as part of this retreat, he crowded as many as 65 people into a sweat lodge intended to hold no more than 12. Two hours later, 21 had to be taken to the hospital; 2 died.
What’s worrying is that people apparently put so much faith in Ray and his ideas that they willingly packed themselves into a small space and suffered for more than 2 hours hoping to gain some sort of enlightenment. What’s worrying is that in a country where we’re required to prove that our cars are street-worthy, show proper ID in order to be shown an apartment and produce a letter from a physician before we can take insulin on a plane, there doesn’t seem to be a regulatory body to ensure that the activities taking place on retreats of this type are safe. Perhaps there soon will be.
When we hear about these sorts of tragedies, we all like to think that the people involved were stupid and gullible. Surely, we think, we would never allow ourselves to be talked into doing something that is clearly dangerous.
Instead of indulging in Schadenfreude, let’s recognize that we can all be taken in by a charismatic speaker. We can all succumb to a logical fallacy or a lapse in critical thinking. We have all found ourselves sitting in our own versions of an overcrowded sweat lodge: lose weight through hypnosis; make millions on eBay; stop smoking by listening to subliminal messages; achieve sexual satisfaction through “male enhancement” pills.
The best way to protect ourselves from harm, whether it’s financial, spiritual or physical harm, is to be skeptical. We must not allow other people get away with equating it with cynicism or denialism. We must hold onto it no matter who is trying to talk us out of it, no matter what promises are being made to us–wealth, health or happiness. Any skeptic should know there is no secret knowledge that will give us these things. Let’s not keep this fact a secret.
This writer's thoughts are with those who were injured, their families and the families of those who died as well as the staff of the retreat and of James Ray. They are also with Ray, who surely never meant for anyone to come to harm.
1. A requirement that the seeker spend a large sum of money.
2. The claim that a teacher or spiritual leader has some secret knowledge or technique he or she is willing to share with a select few (see 1 above).
3. An insistence that the seeker must do a specific task, especially something dangerous, in order to grow spiritually.
4. Being led in a practice or tradition of another culture by someone who isn’t a native of that culture.
James Arthur Ray, described as a World Thought Leader and spiritual teacher, was featured in Rhonda Byrnes’ The Secret. His latest book, Harmonic Wealth: The Secret of Attracting the Life You Want, promises to bring the techniques of the "Law of Attraction" to wealth-building. This month he held spiritual retreat in Arizona at a cost of almost $10,000 per participant. Last week, as part of this retreat, he crowded as many as 65 people into a sweat lodge intended to hold no more than 12. Two hours later, 21 had to be taken to the hospital; 2 died.
What’s worrying is that people apparently put so much faith in Ray and his ideas that they willingly packed themselves into a small space and suffered for more than 2 hours hoping to gain some sort of enlightenment. What’s worrying is that in a country where we’re required to prove that our cars are street-worthy, show proper ID in order to be shown an apartment and produce a letter from a physician before we can take insulin on a plane, there doesn’t seem to be a regulatory body to ensure that the activities taking place on retreats of this type are safe. Perhaps there soon will be.
When we hear about these sorts of tragedies, we all like to think that the people involved were stupid and gullible. Surely, we think, we would never allow ourselves to be talked into doing something that is clearly dangerous.
Instead of indulging in Schadenfreude, let’s recognize that we can all be taken in by a charismatic speaker. We can all succumb to a logical fallacy or a lapse in critical thinking. We have all found ourselves sitting in our own versions of an overcrowded sweat lodge: lose weight through hypnosis; make millions on eBay; stop smoking by listening to subliminal messages; achieve sexual satisfaction through “male enhancement” pills.
The best way to protect ourselves from harm, whether it’s financial, spiritual or physical harm, is to be skeptical. We must not allow other people get away with equating it with cynicism or denialism. We must hold onto it no matter who is trying to talk us out of it, no matter what promises are being made to us–wealth, health or happiness. Any skeptic should know there is no secret knowledge that will give us these things. Let’s not keep this fact a secret.
This writer's thoughts are with those who were injured, their families and the families of those who died as well as the staff of the retreat and of James Ray. They are also with Ray, who surely never meant for anyone to come to harm.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Guru Writings Online for Spiritual Enlightenment
Theosophytrust.Org is an online library is the only site on the Internet that publishes the HERMES writings of Raghavan N Iyer. Prof. Iyer was educated at the Universities of Bombay and Oxford. At Bombay, he received first class honors in Economics and won a variety of commendations and prizes, including the Chancellor's Medal. At the age of 18 he became the youngest lecturer in the University of Bombay, at Elphinstone College. After being awarded his master's degree in Advanced Economics in Bombay, he was sent as the sole Rhodes Scholar for India for 1950 to Magdalen College, Oxford. He secured First Class Honors in Philosophy, Politics and Economics and later received the D. Phil. Degree in moral and political philosophy. While a student at Oxford, he was elected President of the Oxford Union, the Voltaire Society, the Oxford Majlis, the Oxford University Peace Association, the Oxford Social Studies Association and several other societies. At this site dedicated to Professor Iyer’s life and Teachings, you can get publications, books and articles on spirituality, meditation and other theosophical teachings free of charge. This online theosophical trust is a hotspot for all true learners of theosophical teachings. One who is looking for self-enlightenment, meditation advantages, truth behind spirituality or anything related, can come here and take advantage of essays by renowned spiritual teachers free of cost. Theosophytrust.Org might be the end to your long search & many false starts.
What in truth is spirituality and what is its role in our lives? Sometimes it becomes hard for us to give real substantive meaning to these questions. The end to all confusions and searches is right here - Theosophytrust.Org, an online memorial library where one may find the answer to one’s question regarding spirituality, meditation and other theosophical teachings; here, you can read articles essays of remarkable spiritual teachers. This online theosophical trust is a hotspot for all learners and teachers of theosophical teachings, where one can gain access to true spiritual knowledge, free of charge.
Theosophytrust.Org runs with the main motive of teaching people the connection with the Divine that provides a base for understanding the larger Self, the personal Self and others, making right decisions and finding out how all the pieces of life fit together in one frame. The categorical listings of its more than 1,000 articles facilitates research with easy search capabilities. The major categories include the writings of Raghavan N Iyer, the Teacher Articles by Prof. Elton Hall, the Symbol Articles by Prof. Helen Stefan, the writings of H.P. Blavatsky, William Q Judge, and Robert Crosbie, Theosophy Trust Books, and many other Authors and Articles.
The articles at Theosophytrust.Org were written by many of the greatest Teachers of Theosophy. This site is a new way to gain greater access to some of the finest writings on spiritual subjects that look upon mankind's eternal nature and principle, not simply the material, biological organism; they consider the immortal energies that have an everlasting connection beyond the bodily senses. This online memorial
What in truth is spirituality and what is its role in our lives? Sometimes it becomes hard for us to give real substantive meaning to these questions. The end to all confusions and searches is right here - Theosophytrust.Org, an online memorial library where one may find the answer to one’s question regarding spirituality, meditation and other theosophical teachings; here, you can read articles essays of remarkable spiritual teachers. This online theosophical trust is a hotspot for all learners and teachers of theosophical teachings, where one can gain access to true spiritual knowledge, free of charge.
Theosophytrust.Org runs with the main motive of teaching people the connection with the Divine that provides a base for understanding the larger Self, the personal Self and others, making right decisions and finding out how all the pieces of life fit together in one frame. The categorical listings of its more than 1,000 articles facilitates research with easy search capabilities. The major categories include the writings of Raghavan N Iyer, the Teacher Articles by Prof. Elton Hall, the Symbol Articles by Prof. Helen Stefan, the writings of H.P. Blavatsky, William Q Judge, and Robert Crosbie, Theosophy Trust Books, and many other Authors and Articles.
The articles at Theosophytrust.Org were written by many of the greatest Teachers of Theosophy. This site is a new way to gain greater access to some of the finest writings on spiritual subjects that look upon mankind's eternal nature and principle, not simply the material, biological organism; they consider the immortal energies that have an everlasting connection beyond the bodily senses. This online memorial
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Spiritual Path Through the Geeta
The Sanskrit word implying 'do not..' is 'Maa' and it appears eight times in the Geeta.
1. Bhagavan Sri Krishna begins by whipping up the Pandava prince Arjuna saying -Do not give in to impotence! Rise up and fight, ridding your heart of this paltry weakness!". The message thus is of strength and active resistance to evil outside and within us. Tireless, noble activity is the very means to bring ourselves to the gates of spiritual enlightenment. Without passing this phase of a dynamic life. ever responsive to the call of duty, any attempt at higher spiritual practices like Vedanta study, meditation etc. would only flop badly. So do not be nerveless.
To act and yet remain free of ego's bad odour of selfish desires is the skill (kaushala) called Kannayoga......
2. Impatience almost amounting to arrogance makes an unwise man to insist, in his own mind, on certain results to accrue to him. But results of actions, success or failure are the product of many factors, known and unknown to man. While we may and should put in our best efforts, to think that such and such results alone should come about is foolish. If we thus insist, the departure of events from our expectations deals a bad blow to our ego. Disappointment comes to them who make appointments with future' says Pujya Gurudev. So, act with enthusiasm taking delight in work itself and accept whatever comes as the result gracefully. So do not hang on to dreamy ideas of fruits of action.
3. The motivating force behind action is generally presumed to be desire for some pleasing result. While an idle man is often goaded to activity by some incentive, such a method of motivation has limitations and painful consequences from which all materially developed societies do suffer. Greed, jealousy and lack of true love for work cause havoc to the psychological domain of individual and society. Sri Krishna's teaching of Kannayoga is like a remedy with no side-effects. Developing in oneself love of work for work's own sake, without entrusting one's happiness to the uncertain future, men can work creatively, enjoying peace during and after work! So do not work goaded by desires!
4. Of course, asking us to give up our egocentric insistence on the fruit of action and not to allow thought of some pleasurable reward become the motivation, does not imply a prescription for a life of inaction! Act we must. To act and yet remain free of ego's bad odour of selfish desires is the skill (kaushala) called Kannayoga.
So do not be inactive.
1. Bhagavan Sri Krishna begins by whipping up the Pandava prince Arjuna saying -Do not give in to impotence! Rise up and fight, ridding your heart of this paltry weakness!". The message thus is of strength and active resistance to evil outside and within us. Tireless, noble activity is the very means to bring ourselves to the gates of spiritual enlightenment. Without passing this phase of a dynamic life. ever responsive to the call of duty, any attempt at higher spiritual practices like Vedanta study, meditation etc. would only flop badly. So do not be nerveless.
To act and yet remain free of ego's bad odour of selfish desires is the skill (kaushala) called Kannayoga......
2. Impatience almost amounting to arrogance makes an unwise man to insist, in his own mind, on certain results to accrue to him. But results of actions, success or failure are the product of many factors, known and unknown to man. While we may and should put in our best efforts, to think that such and such results alone should come about is foolish. If we thus insist, the departure of events from our expectations deals a bad blow to our ego. Disappointment comes to them who make appointments with future' says Pujya Gurudev. So, act with enthusiasm taking delight in work itself and accept whatever comes as the result gracefully. So do not hang on to dreamy ideas of fruits of action.
3. The motivating force behind action is generally presumed to be desire for some pleasing result. While an idle man is often goaded to activity by some incentive, such a method of motivation has limitations and painful consequences from which all materially developed societies do suffer. Greed, jealousy and lack of true love for work cause havoc to the psychological domain of individual and society. Sri Krishna's teaching of Kannayoga is like a remedy with no side-effects. Developing in oneself love of work for work's own sake, without entrusting one's happiness to the uncertain future, men can work creatively, enjoying peace during and after work! So do not work goaded by desires!
4. Of course, asking us to give up our egocentric insistence on the fruit of action and not to allow thought of some pleasurable reward become the motivation, does not imply a prescription for a life of inaction! Act we must. To act and yet remain free of ego's bad odour of selfish desires is the skill (kaushala) called Kannayoga.
So do not be inactive.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Yoga is Spiritual Enlightenment Process Except to Tax Man
By JASON NOBLE
The Star
JEFFERSON CITY | Is yoga karmic or commercial? Missouri insists that it’s the latter and therefore should be taxed. The Department of Revenue on Sunday began enforcing collection of a 4-percent tax on yoga and Pilates classes, upsetting instructors and studios who contend their practices transcend mere recreation.
And yoga practitioners aren’t taking the change lying down — or even in the corpse pose.
“This is a couple people up in a room somewhere far away from yoga classes making arbitrary decisions so the state can make more money,” said Debbie Borel, studio director at The Yoga Barn in south Kansas City. “It’s inappropriate.”
State officials said the classes, which are rooted in Eastern religions but abound in fitness centers and commercial studios, are subject to a sales tax on places of “amusement, entertainment or recreation.”
“It was not because of the state’s revenue situation,” said Ted Farnen, a Revenue Department spokesman. “It was based on the fact that we wanted to apply this tax in a fair and even way.” Revenue officials argue that a 2008 state Supreme Court ruling upholds the tax’s applicability to services provided at fitness facilities.
But yoga practitioners maintain that the spiritual component of their classes may afford them First Amendment protections from taxation.
“The practice of yoga in a studio setting is a spiritual practice, and is not done for entertainment,” said Michael Shabsin, a St. Louis-area lawyer and yoga instructor.
Shabsin said he is leading an effort to clarify the legal definition for places of amusement, entertainment or recreation and exclude yoga-specific studios. That effort could include legislative proposals and lobbying, he said.
Farnen said in a statement that the Revenue Department would consider religious exemptions to the tax on a case-by-case basis.
Submitted by Bill Dalton on November 3, 2009 - 3:18pm.
Missouri General Assembly | login or register to post comments | 437 reads
The Star
JEFFERSON CITY | Is yoga karmic or commercial? Missouri insists that it’s the latter and therefore should be taxed. The Department of Revenue on Sunday began enforcing collection of a 4-percent tax on yoga and Pilates classes, upsetting instructors and studios who contend their practices transcend mere recreation.
And yoga practitioners aren’t taking the change lying down — or even in the corpse pose.
“This is a couple people up in a room somewhere far away from yoga classes making arbitrary decisions so the state can make more money,” said Debbie Borel, studio director at The Yoga Barn in south Kansas City. “It’s inappropriate.”
State officials said the classes, which are rooted in Eastern religions but abound in fitness centers and commercial studios, are subject to a sales tax on places of “amusement, entertainment or recreation.”
“It was not because of the state’s revenue situation,” said Ted Farnen, a Revenue Department spokesman. “It was based on the fact that we wanted to apply this tax in a fair and even way.” Revenue officials argue that a 2008 state Supreme Court ruling upholds the tax’s applicability to services provided at fitness facilities.
But yoga practitioners maintain that the spiritual component of their classes may afford them First Amendment protections from taxation.
“The practice of yoga in a studio setting is a spiritual practice, and is not done for entertainment,” said Michael Shabsin, a St. Louis-area lawyer and yoga instructor.
Shabsin said he is leading an effort to clarify the legal definition for places of amusement, entertainment or recreation and exclude yoga-specific studios. That effort could include legislative proposals and lobbying, he said.
Farnen said in a statement that the Revenue Department would consider religious exemptions to the tax on a case-by-case basis.
Submitted by Bill Dalton on November 3, 2009 - 3:18pm.
Missouri General Assembly | login or register to post comments | 437 reads
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