Al Anderson [re~born]

Ash Wednesday Questions

I am a United Methodist. My church held a Ash Wednesday service last night and I was curious about the symbolism of it all so I did a quick Google for it and found out some interesting information about it.

Just as a background, United Methodists believe that the essentials of faith we are unified, in everything else liberty. So, it is not a requirement that we have an Ash Wednesday ceremony but we are free to observe it.

First, what’s it all about.

Resurection and the Holy Spirit. Forty days after the resurection the spirit was imparted to the apostles. Hence Lent is forty days. It is arainged on the christian calendar so that it is forty days prior to Easter but historicly it occured after Easter.

But why ashes?

Repentance and mourning. In the Old Testament ashes are placed on the head to humble someone and physically show a broken spirit. Also, the symbol on the forehead is a mark of ownership. So, it means “I belong to Jesus”.

It helped me to understand why I had ashes on my head.

Did you participate in Ash Wednesday? [2]

Hindu fundamentalists praise the work of Christian missionaries

New Delhi (AsiaNews) – Hindu fundamentalists have praised the work being by Christian missionary organisations in providing succor to victims of December 26’s tsunami in India. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), armed branch of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the nationalist Hindu party hostile to religious minorities, defined efforts on the part of Christian organizations in disaster areas as “commendable”.

It is amazing to be recognized in this way and by people that have every reason to denigrate you. The missionaries did not do this for the praise of the local leaders.

Read Matthew 25:34-40 and James 2:14-20 to find out why.

Also, think about giving to UMCOR through the link on the left to support the relief effort.

How would you be described by your biggest critic? [1]

Christmas Day

The preacher at my church knows how to get right to the things that gnaw at me. I think that he packs so much into a sermon that most people can pull something out of it.

I was talking yesterday about the frenzy of the Christmas season and he started his message with a statistic, the term most often associated with Christmas was gift and this is something that had bothered me.

He talked about the nature of gifts, to give and to receive, to accept gifts, and the relationship of God as the ultimate gift giver.

Anyway, I am headed to Birmingham tomorrow to see my niece and nephew. I will be back Sunday afternoon.

How is your Christmas? [3]

Festivus is December 23^rd^

1. “Get the pole out of the crawl space”. Or go out and buy one. Remember, it should be aluminum, due to the “very high strength-to-weight ratio”. Remember, “it requires no decoration”. Tinsel is “distracting”.

2. “The tradition of Festivus begins with the airing of grievances.” “At the Festivus dinner, you gather your family around, and you tell them all the ways they have disappointed you over the past year.”

3. After dinner, it is time for the “Feats of Strength”. Remember, Festivus is not over until someone is pinned.

It’s that simple. No buying gifts, all you need is a pole. No excuses. After all, it’s a “Festivus for the rest of us!”.

Have you started your list of grievances yet? :-) [3]

Religious Freedom and Political Correctness

This announcement caused an uproar in the Silicon valley community of Sunnyvale, Cal.

Why should it? Do people expect that Christians should not try to make the case that it it truly the Way?

I really do not understand what the fuss is about. Do you know? [1]

3D Virtual Church

Go to a Methodist Church in London without ever leaving your computer. The 3D Virtual Church is a product of the Ship of Fools.

When I took a stroll in the Church there was no actual service going on and I struggled a bit with the controls. I have to admit that it was fun to give a virtual blessing to other avatars in the church.

The virtual church requires shockwave but it is still trippy fun.

Editor’s Note : The Virtual Church has now closed. It was an experiment at how far you could go with having church online. One day shut-ins will attend church online and so will traveling parishioners and so will people looking for a new church.

Comments [1]

Second Sunday in Advent

Stranger in a Strange Land: Second Sunday in Advent

Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

WorldCom Attacked By The Church of Christ.

Church Group Wants FCC to Block WorldCom Reorganization

"It’s a sad day when a Christian organization attacks the jobs of 63,000 hardworking people," said WorldCom spokesman Brad Burns. "We leave it to the courts to prosecute wrongdoing and go to church for forgiveness."

Comments [1]

Make your life a mission - not an intermission

Arnold Glasgow Quotes – The Quotations Page

Make your life a mission – not an intermission.

I do not know who Arnold Glasgow is but seeing this quote makes me want to.

Ken Pierpont makes "A Wise Exchange"

KenPierpont.com – A Wise Exchange

".they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown."

Congratulations Ken on the new ministry. I know God will bless it.

Ken is going to http://www.characterinns.org