June 2007

I plan to attend the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church next month. Please pray for us. Here is an excerpt from the prayer card:

God, we thank you for the United Reformed Church and its part in your purposes.
We pray that you will continue to guide and encourage, inspire and provoke us to work for your kingdom.
We thank you that we are a rich body of people and that you speak to us all.
We pray for the General Assembly and ask for the guiding power of your Spirit to rest upon all those who are preparing, those who are participating, those who are anxious, those who feel that it has little impact on their journey with you.
Living God, may the breath of your Spirit move through Assembly,
through the preparations,
through the four days in Manchester,
through those who will attend,
through the FURY conference ‘What do you think?’,
through the Children’s Assembly,
and through the lives of the individual churches and communities which will continue your work, striving to make a difference in this world.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Please pray for

• Stephen Orchard, Moderator;
• David Cornick, General Secretary;
• Lucy Brierley, Chaplain;
• James Breslin, Clerk;
• William McVey, Assembly Arrangements Convener;
• and all others who are preparing for Assembly, especially those working hard in less public roles.

In his visit to San Diego in 2002, Samuel Ruiz García, Bishop Emeritus of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, taught me to say the Κύριε with the understanding of the Trinity in mind, and brought to my attention the idea of “the preferential option for the poor”.

Recently, this term is again in the news. Derek Wall, a Principal Speaker of the Green Party of England and Wales, and a practicing Zen Buddhist, recently said that the Pope must show solidarity with the poor, with reference to the Vatican’s notification on the works of El Salvadorian theologian Jon Sobrino.

Yesterday, our minister Susan Durber preached at Saint Columba’s saying:

Whatever you say about Jesus – it’s clear that he believed that God blesses the poor, that the rich have some hard thinking to do, and that those who are poor have plenty to teach the rest of the world about what it means to know God. There’s a theologian from Latin America called Jon Sobrino who says, ‘When the church has taken the poor seriously it has then become truly apostolic.’ If the faith the apostles’ shared was founded on Jesus’ teaching then it would have to be a faith that took the poor seriously. It’s often said in the church in Latin America – that ‘the poor evangelise us’ – and of course it makes me wonder why the ‘us’ of the church are not themselves ‘the poor’ but I think I know what they mean. The Jesus we know from the New Testament was one who said over and over again, in so many different ways, that the poor often know the truth about the real fundamentals of life and the rich are so often deceived. This is a real challenge to us of course who, mostly if not all, by definition, live the life of the rich.

Vox Nova, a new group blog
Messrs. Iafrate and Wildermuth, who I often cite in this space, are contributing to Vox Nova.

Scientologists camp on the Commons
The Scientologists have set up big, yellow tents on Worcester Commons as part of a promotional effort. I’m told they’ll be there a week.

New William St park
Here’s the design.

First vigil at new Planned Parenthood location
Saturday June 9, 9AM, 470 Pleasant St. PP hasn’t moved yet; I haven’t even noticed any signage at the new location. I wonder what people driving past will think: “Why are they protesting a vacant building?”

Democracy/Miro news
This week WoMag has an update on Worcester’s own Participatory Culture Foundation and their flagship project, the Democracy Video Player (soon to be renamed Miro). For me, the key Democracy news this week is that they now have a package for Ubuntu Dapper. (For technologically-ignorant Linux users like me, this is key.)
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Tommy Colletta talks with Shannon Senior of Worcester First and Al Norman of Sprawl Busters. (The first couple minutes have sound trouble, not sure why.)

What It's Worth: Wal-Mart [ 0:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

On Wednesday, Oxford saw the fourth annual Friendship Walk. Beginning at Oxford Synagogue and Jewish Centre, Richmond Road, via the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, finishing with buffet supper at the Central Oxford Mosque, Manzil Way, there were prayers at each location. More than 300 friends walked together, including those of the Bahá’í and Sikh faiths. The walk was reported in the Oxford Mail the next day.

The Patrons were the Bishops of Oxford and Dorchester; Imam Munir; Rabbi Norman Solomon; The Lord Mayor of Oxford, John Tanner (Labour); and the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Hugo Brunner. In addition, I spotted County Councillor Larry Sanders, City Councillors Elise Benjamin and Craig Simmons (all Green); and former city councillor Tony Brett (Liberal Democrat). I might note that City Councillor Colin Cook rode his bicycle past us, saying “I can’t believe this!”

The walk ended with these thoughtful, responsive prayers:

O God, you are the source of life and peace.
Your power changes hearts.
Jews, Muslims, and Christians remember and gladly affirm
that we are followers of the one God,
children of Abraham, brothers and sisters.
We trust for the future.
We resolve to honour the differences in our stories.
We take risk to journey together as we face the challenges ahead.
And we pray for new beginnings and for peace in our world.
Amen.

The event was supported by the Oxford Jewish Congregation; University Church of St Mary the Virgin; the Central Oxford Mosque; the Madina Mosque, Stanley Road; the Quaker Society; Wesley Memorial Church; Saint Columba’s United Reformed Church; and the Oxford City Council. Thanks go to the Reverend Charlotte Bannister-Parker for organizing it.

Austrian Catholic Franz Jägerstätter, who was beheaded for opposing the Nazis, has been beatified. Super news. Good article at Whispers.

Isaiah House Music Club
The LA Times reports that some of the kids from the Orange County Catholic Worker sang at Carnegie Hall!

Another friend attacked over gay rights
You’ll remember that back in December 2006, my friend Sarah Loy was reportedly assaulted at a pro/anti gay marriage event in Worcester. Earlier this week, Kaihsu’s friend Peter Tatchell was attacked at a gay rights event in Moscow. BBC:

Gay rights activist Peter Tatchell and singer Richard Fairbrass have expressed their shock after being punched by anti-homosexual protesters in Moscow.

Both men were hit on the head during a gay rights march on Sunday. Protesters attacked with kicks, punches and eggs.

Anne Marie Kaune profile
Nice article in Worcester Business Journal about the sometime Catholic Worker, healer of the poor, and St. Peter’s parishioner.

New Snow Ghost book: Many Wisdom
Download it from the Archive or buy it at HBML.

Snow Ghost Community Show #2: Dracula

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