Pastor Timm

‘JOURNEY INTO JOY’

For the rest of this calendar year, with a few exceptions perhaps, and up until Advent,

we will be receiving our AM Messages from the book of Philippians.  Most of the Apostle Paul’s letters were to churches in distress and or persecution, churches with moral issues and/or churches that were being compromised by cultural forces.  HOWEVER, Paul’s letter to the Christians at Philippi was one of joy.  Paul’s emphatic command to ‘rejoice always,’ was a promise that the grace and glory of Christ upon them. So we invite you to come and share with us this Good News; opening up our hearts and minds to what Christ has for us.

LOBSTER & ALTARS

The two books I recently purschased in my favorite store, Barnes & Noble, with a birthday gift card you so graciously gave me are:  

'THE SECRET LIFE OF LOBSTERS' by Trevor Corson.

'Like the first man who decided a lobster was edible, the reader of this book is in for a surprise:  it's fantastic!  Trevor Corson has done something wonderful with this book:  he's revealed heretofore unsuspected depths of intrigue and mystery into the private life of lobsters.  It's hard to tell which is more remarkable, though, the secret life of the lobsters or the lives of the lobstermen.  You'll never look at a lobster the same way agian but be assured that these lobstermen are doing it right, and not endangering the species they catch.  This is the way natural history is suppoesed to be written:  engaging, fascinating, brilliant.'

                                -Richard Ellis, auther of The Empty Ocean and No Turning Back 

'AN ALTAR IN THE WORLD:  A Geography of Faith' by Barbara Brown Taylor

I have no idea what you will see when you look at your life-but if you are tired of arguing about religion, tired of reading about spirituality, tired of talk-talk-talking about things that matter without doing a single thing that matters yourself then the pages that follow are dedicated to you.  My hope is that reading them wil help you recognize...some of the altars in this world.  -Barbara B. Taylor
 

With calm confidence and hard won humility, Barbara Brown Taylor continues to serve our recovery of a whole faith, a performed faith, a lifesaving and lifegiving faith.  With a delightfully deft touch, she replaces a wide array of false dichotomies with true conherenceis.  The heart of her matter - and of ours - is finally a recovery of genuine prayer, the prayer of a heart awakened to God's Presence - here, and now, and ever.

        -Scott Cairns, auther of Short Tirp to the Edge

(Barbara Brown Taylor is one of my top five favorite authors.  She's in the same group with (Alphabetical listed) Brennan Manning, Henry Nouwin, Helmut Thielicke and Walter Wangerin Jr.)