I have a vision of a worldwide network of small, family farms around the world who supply eachother with produce directly. For instance, a farmer in Columbia would sell coffee directly to a farmer in Ohio, who in turn would sell corn to the Columbian, etc.

I wonder if this would actually work IRL.

Interestingly, a book I bought recently The Greeks and Greek Love, argues that the Greek word eros was spicifically a romantic love that was somehow thwarted. Either the love was unrequited, or the lovers were seperated by distance, etc... it involved longing.

Romantic love which was reciprocated was actually refereed to by the word the KJV translates as charity, according to James Davidson.

It's an interesting book, but I'm reluctant to consider it reliable because it illustrates its linguistic points by pointing to examples from Homer and the Bible in the same sentance. I am well aware that the difference between Homeric and Kione greek is as great as that between the English of Chaucer and that of Lois McMaster Bujold. He's trying to cover all of 'Greek homosexuality', not just focusing on classical Athens where we have the most documentation, which is a noble goal. But I'm afraid that he may see more commonalities between the Archaic period and the Hellenistic period then are actually are.

When I have my wedding, I think I want to use the traditional marriage service from the Book of Worship, suitably adapted for gender, of course. I would want the vows from the EUB ritual rather then the Methodist one- they place a much greater emphasis on mutual love as a foundation for marriage, and it would also honor my heritage.

PS. There's no-one I'm planning to get married to, I'm just daydreaming.

Yes, I am still alive. School is devouring my free time. Sorry.

As I recall, I promised to post my sermon here for everyone to enjoy. I received many compliments on the sermon, even though my delivery was not very exciting- I read the manuscript from the pulpit, with some improvisations and while looking up at the congregation, but without much variation in tone. There were some unnatural pauses as I looked back down at the page. And there was a short blackout in the middle of my sermon- people thought it was a powerful illustration because it came when I was just finished talking about "this present darkeness", but I was flustered about how that would bugger the sound recording and I wouldn't be able to give a complete tape to my parents. I had to be rescued by my Sr. pastor, but managed to go on, and the power came back on quite shortly.

( The manuscript is behind a cut to spare your friends lists )

Sorry it took so long to get this posted. I hope people get something out of this.
Everyone at church has been most effusively and sincerely complimentary about the sermon- and my reluctance to accept the compliments goes beyond modesty into low self-esteem, I fear. I am mortally afraid of pride, which I equate with sin. I have taken the feminist critique of sin as pride into my head- I think self-abasement is equally sinful- but not into my heart.

I had a rocky first few days after my 5th step, but I seem to be back on track now. I'm preaching next Sunday, for the first time in years. Pray for me if you're a praying sort, otherwise wish me luck!

I've got some theological musings to post once the gell, and I'm going to be assigned a mentor pastor by the West Ohio Conference.

I'm reclaiming my internet cables tomorrow- I'm going to bookend interenet use, and I have already installed filters. Therefore, I should be able to post more. I solved my translation dilemma by returning to the NRSV- using the Wesley study Bible in point of fact- and using the Life Recovery Devotional, which is available as a separate book.

Ok, I have a dilemma about Bibles. I recieved the Life Recovery Bible as a birthday gift from my family a few years ago- I asked for it because it was reccomended by my first sponsor, who I trusted in matters theological.

The Life Recovery Bible is a study bible, based on the New Living Translation, designed with persons in 12-step recovery in mind, with notes relating Biblical passages to Program concepts, showing the relationship between the two. It also has three devotional reading plans. This has me reading the Bible more on my own (not for class or a sermon), more then I have since I started seminary. However, as a seminary student and sometime preacher, I feel uncomfortable using a paraphrase as my primary translation, especially since my Sr. Pastor informed me that preachers at my church are expected to preach from the NRSV text. He told me that he prefers the laity to use the NRSV for personal Bible study, such as Disciple classes, as well. He puts out other Bible version for comparasionm, but they are for cross-reference, not for reading from. Of course, I can always use a NRSV study bible or two for exegesis during sermon prep (or for class for that matter), and the Life Recovery Bible for personal reading. However, I am concerned about inadvertently biasing my interpretation of the Bible through passive absorption of the NLT, which, like all paraphrases, must choose one interpretation of obscure Scriptures. Furthermore, the NLT uses the word "homosexual" inappropriately.

Unfortunately, all of the recovery Bibles I have seen are based on either the NLT or the NIV. In particular, the Recovery Devotional Bible seems decent, though the notes and devotionals are not quite as plentiful as those in the Life Recovery Bible. It is based on the NIV, which is a literal translation, but not the RIGHT literal translation. Compared to the KJV/RSV/NRSV tradition I was raised in. I think I did not own a Bible that was not one of those three until I started buying Bibles of my own in college- both my third-grade bible and my confirmation bible are NRSV, although by the time my sister was confirmed 5 years later FUMC Irving had switched to giving out the NIV student bible. When I was horribly depressed that first year away from home, it was to the psalms my old NRSV pew bible that I turned to. I am sentimentally attached to the NRSV, and while it certainly be improved, the NIV just sounds wrong. The NRSV flows off the tongue, the NIV is banal. Furthermore, the NIV uses masculine language for human beings even in places where the Greek is neutral or plural. I find this linguistic sexism jarring, to say the least. However, if I read the NIV at least I am sure I am reading the actual Bible.

Both of the translations have a theologically conservative bias in terms of the backgrounds of the scholars.

As I mentioned, I have been learning to use the Tarot as a tool for personal introspection and to counsel others as part of my second-step spirituality work. And I have found that even on a seminary student’s budget there is no such thing as owning only one Tarot deck. I have been working with Rider-Waite-Smith tarot cards for the past month, learning the symbolism. The Rider-Waite-Smith deck is the “bog standard” tarot deck, with very clear symbolism, most of it Christian- the card “Judgment” has the dead being resurrected as Gabriel blows his horn, for instance. Unfortunately, it also has quite a bit of artistic nudity, so today I picked up a copy of the “Legacy of the Divine Tarot” to use for the readings I promised my friends at the healing circle at Broad Street Church. It also has coins instead of pentacles, which should further assuage the superstitious, and the art is better. This is not Pamela Coleman-Smith’s fault, the RWS cards we have today are all facsimiles, because the originals were destroyed in the London Blitz, and color printing technology was less advanced then. I’ve seen originals of some of her other drawings, and they are fine examples of late Romanticism.
Yesterday, I picked up my copy of the “Gay Tarot”, to use when reading for myself. The “Gay Tarot” is a deck with a modern-day setting focusing on the experience of gay men. It does its best to portray gay men in both steryotypical (Broadway actor, stage magician, priest) and non-stereotypical ways (fireman, astronaut, skateboarding messenger). As I do every day, I pulled a touchstone card from the deck, to see how my day could go. I pulled the 10 of cups, and was overjoyed, because the 10 of cups from the gay tarot represents all my aspirations for my life; a nice guy to marry, a nice big house, and kids. While my morning had been pretty bad, the afternoon went very well indeed.

The 10 of Cups from the Gay Tarot actually sticks pretty close to the established image from the Rider-Waite-Smith deck- the only real difference is that there are no longer cups hanging in the rainbow, and the straight couple has become a gay one. Here's the RWS 10 of Cups to compare.

Has anyone else noticed that places can have distinct spiritual energies? Churches most obviously, but other places too. Broad Street UMC has a very vibrant spiritual energy, mostly bright primarily because it's essentially a gigantic spiritual battery, thanks to what it's made of. Both the old serpentine stone (blocks of which are now used as lawn ornaments on the church lawn), and the new synthetic stone are veined with crystal, which absorbs spiritual energies.

The mounds at the state park near my grandparent's house have a powerful but dormant energy, very nature-related. Some of the trees there also have power.

The UCC in Delaware, despite the annoying way their previous pastor treated me, has a good energy in the sanctuary, but there is a very black, evil energy (perhaps even a malign spirit) in the basement storeroom. That was once the office of a previous pastor, one who wound up splitting the church when he tried to take it out of the UCC.

King Ave. UMC has a very serene energy, very water-related.

St. John's in Worthington has a sad feeling about it, despite being a growing, vibrant church. It is a pioneer era church with a graveyard, and I'd be more suprised if it wasn't haunted then if it was.

I have not posted for a long time indeed, for which I do apologize. I have been doing a lot, spiritually speaking, including poking around in the more, shall we say, estoric corners of the Judeo-Christian tradition. For instance, I ordered this from Amazon.com just yesterday along with my textbooksv and novels. I am working with an energy healing group based at Broad Street UMC, and thanks to their influence, have picked up the Tarot again. I have always wanted to play around with the magical and estoric side of spirituality, and now I have a way to do it while remaining within Christianity and the UMC.

Edit: Made public. If you're going to comment to tell me that I'm a hellbound heretic, don't waste your breath.

This is an idea for a ministry that has grown out of a car-washing business that a friend and I have started this summer. Tell us what you think.

Scriptural Warrant: Psalm 128.2: You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.

Mission Statement: The Car-penter’s ministry shall be a not for profit Christian ministry, rooted in the Wesleyan vision of salvation as encompassing both the material and spiritual realms, but it shall also be intentionally ecumenical and post-denominational. The Car-penter's ministry shall assist the homeless and the so-called 'unemployable' by providing meaningful employment at a living wage, (and safe, clean housing) as well as training in job skills that can be used in the future. In this way, we will convey God's grace to the unemployed by our actions, as well as instilling in them a sense of purpose and vocation.

In Dallas, Texas, on W. Northwest Highway, there are two United Methodist churches, very different in appearance, quite close to one another. An article in the Dallas Morning News some years ago noted that they two churches do not find themselves in competition for members, because they draw such differnet demographics. I took pictures of both of these churches, and am posting them as a study in contrasts. I was allowed to walk around Lover's Lane UMC, and take pictures of the inside as well as the outside. I could not get into Cochran Chapel, so internal photographs are taken from their website

( Cut for images )

I have not managed to attend worship at Trinity Lutheran Seminary any day this week, despite the Celtic Christianity class I am attending. I am very sorry about this, because TLS does both liturgical, traditional, and Taize worship very well. I have not found the same quality of worship at local Lutheran churches when I visited them. I mentioned this to an friend from my TLS class, before I realized that this was not something I ought to share. Fortunately, she did not seem offended, and in fact agreed with me, mentioning the quality of worship leaders available at the seminary. However, I then realize that not only was it impolite for me to verbally pass judgment on others worship, it is probably also wrong of me to judge the worth or quality of worship in another tradition, period! Or is it? The Lutheran tradition is not so far from the Methodist or Episcopalian traditions; I do know when a sermon is relevant and Biblical or not, if a liturgy is reverent or not, and if a hymn is played in tune and well and enthusiastically sung or not. But, do any of these things matter if a Christian group's worship enables them to relate to God.

First, I'll introduce myself. I'm a Master of Divinity student at Methodist Theological School in Ohio. signsoflife on academics_anon suggested that I post about my problem here as well. Sorry to everyone who's seen this twice.

My problem right now is that my grades, attendance, written work, and level of motivation are all much higher in the fall semester then in the spring semester. And it's the early part of the spring semester that is so difficult for me. It's not that I cannot do the work, it's motivating myself to do the work and organizing myself so that it gets in on time. My academic adviser has also noticed this cycle and commented on it. I am ADHD and depressive, but other students have these disabilities but don't seem to be affected so strongly. I'm on meds, and have recently adjusted them, which seems to help, but I am not seeing a counselor- I know, I need one, and I'm trying to make an appointment with one. I know that I need to break this cycle. I was wondering if anyone here has struggled with a similar problem, or knows someone who has, and how they overcame it and got through grad school. Also, if anyone has a theory about WTF is wrong with my brain, please tell me.


Edit: Meant to post this in gradstudents. I'm leaving it here, because the more advice I get the better.

Well, another of the Franciscan ware plates Grandma gave me has accquired a chip on the rim in the process of washing and puting them away. :( q_q

I wish they were still makeing the things! Now that I know they're an antique, I feel even more guilty. I mean, china's there to be used, but I wish I wasn't so clumsy. I will try to be more careful in the future.

While I am very much in favor of the UMC moveing to a place where the principal Sunday service at most United Methodist churches is a service of Word and Table every Sunday, I do think there is a very legitimate place in the Church's worship life for services of Word and prayer in which Communion is not celebrated, not just on weekdays but on Sunday as well. I would like us to avoid the trap that Catholics have long fallen into outside of monasteries, and which Episcopalians are increasingly falling into, of having no service which is not a Eucharist, either on Sundays or weekdays.

I grew up in three different Methodist churches, and when I transferred to UTA I may have attended my parent's Methodist church, but it was my choice to attend the Wesley Foundation rather then the Canterbury Association, and I chose to go to a Methodist seminary, and pursue ordination as a Methodist pastor with all speed, rather then going to an ecumenical seminary and waiting on the ordination process. I am currently a member of Broad Street UMC, a congregation I sought out and joined of my own free will. I was thinking of all the things that my childhood formation in the Methodist tradition gave me:

1. A love for the Bible as a source of strength and comfort. I would read the Bible when I was feeling low, even during the period of HS and college when I was not a regular churchgoer.

2. A distrust of easy answers and "because the Bible says so" reasoning- for this I thank in particular First UMC in Fort Worth, which carried me through the fundamentalism of many of FUMC Irving's members (not all of them- we had a very good Sunday School teacher in 6th and 7th grade who did encourage questions and discussion).

3. A persistent identification of myself as a Christian, and a willingness to defend the reasonableness of belief in God- once again, even when I was not an active churchgoer.

4. A recognition of the importance of daily prayer- my mom, Grandma, and Grandpa always began the day with their Upper Room.

5. A love for traditional church music- and later contemporary church music as well.

6. Enough of an appreciation for what being a Christian meant that when I read in the Screwtape letters that being a Christian meant going to worship and being charitable, I realized that that was so, and that I needed to return to regular church attendance and be more generous (at the time I did not realize that that meant more then finances).

Does ritual in worship matter? Does it matter HOW we worship God so long as we intend to give God glory to the best of our ability. Liturgical denominations, such as the Catholics, Episcopalians, and Orthodox, as well as some within the Lutheran and Methodist churches would say Yes, enthusiastically. They point to the very detailed regulations of worship in the Old Testament and argue that it stands to reason that the worship of the community of the New Covenant would have similar regulation, and point to tradition for the source of that regulation.

Others, following in the footsteps of Charles Finny, would argue that any style of worship is okay, as long as people are brought to God by it. They note that Scripture is by and large silent on the issue of how the New Testiment Church worshipped- there is mention of preaching, scripture reading, and breaking bread, but not much else. They also note that the worship of the Early Church only gradually became more formal.

Finally, there are those Protestants that argue that ritual in worship is a sign of a dead church which has moved from a focus on God and Scripture to a focus on the commandments of human beings. Frankly, I have no idea why they think this.


I used to be in the first camp, primarily because the first church I attended on my own as an adult was Episcopalian, and I accepted everything they told me as truth, even after returning to the UMC because of family pressure. Now, I'm tending more to group 2- I believe in a big, big, God who loves humanity and loves it when humanity loves God back. I just can't see a loving God rejecting worship because it's done wrong. I still think Holy Communion is critically important, as a recapitualtion of God's saving work and food for our souls, and it forms a critical part of how we see the New Testament Church worshiping, but vestments, liturgies, etc are only useful insofar as they help people relate to God and worship God. If they are a distraction, get rid of them! If the liturgy is something that only the pastor and choir do and the congregation doesn't participate, then it's not even really worship, IMHO.

As for making high-church changes to the UMC's worship, I now think that appart from weekly Communion, such changes should be made only if the laity ask for them. The Church needs to allow for a diversity of worship types, some more formal then others.

I think that ultimately, I am a remaining a United Methodist because people in the UMC have bent over backwards to help me live out my call. People from other denominations have never given me the unconditional support the UMC has- I was never allowed to attend the Episcopalian equivilant of Student Forum, for instance, and people at St. M's Episcopal were quite negative when I mentioned that I might be called to the ministry when I was attending there. Likewise the people at the UCC church I attended turned me down for 'in care' status. By contrast I was fast-tracked to certified canidacy and a local pastor's license in the UMC, and when I decided to return to the UMC after considering the UCC, my current church rolled out the red carpet, to the point of offering an internship! Other denominations have never offered me this sort of hospitality.