This post will be written throughout the day. It's 6 a.m. and I've just finished b'fast. Buddy is fed and "exercised," the news read, and a second cup of coffee on it's way to my belly. Life is good.
Brett sends out an email toward the end of each week with news items and updates on things at UFC. Here's an interesting section from yesterday's email:
Note: I have NO idea why the formatting gets all weird here.
Old Dogs and New Tricks… UFC values faithful ministry, and we’ve created space for faithful old pastors! They bring wisdom and experience to our team and they appreciate the opportunity to continue serving in the context of a healthy church. As you may know, we have hired Robert Grimaud as a part-time member of our team. Robert pastored in California for 25 years and he currently helps with our Missions endeavors, disciples younger men, oversees the UFC shower trailer ministry and cares for our facilities.
Today I am pleased to announce we have also hired Craig MacDonald in a part time capacity to help us in our growing need of Shepherding and Discipleship. Craig has been volunteering to write the weekly questions for our small groups, he’s also the current teacher of our Sunday AM Bible Project class and you’ve enjoyed his preaching in the pulpit a few times. In addition to his volunteer work, Craig will be in the office about 20 hours a week, helping care for small group leaders, meeting with men to assess spiritual needs and helping Shepherd our growing flock. Craig pastored for 20+ years and taught in a Bible College for 10 years, so He brings a great deal of value to the team. Both these men value UFC, know their gifts, understand their limitations, have a heart to serve and a desire to continue investing in the gospel. We are pleased to have them on the team… and they are not much older than this “old dog”!
It's drizzling again this morning, but here in western OR that doesn't necessarily mean it's raining. Sometimes, like this morning, there's just so much humidity that some of it falls out of the air. The radar shows no rain but you'd swear it's falling on your head.
Weeping skies, banana slugs, and mushrooms.
This is one of the few times I miss the state of AZ. They don't do the daylight savings switch; that nonsense isn't played there. I've yet to meet anyone who likes the biannual messing with the clocks. Put preachers and farmers at the top of the list of those in favor of abolishing it.
At this point (an important caveat) Monday through Thursday of next week are supposed to be rain free. My goal is to use that window to finish painting MoHo. I'll spend the mornings at church and the afternoons painting just as fast as I can.
Im conflicted in a very strange way over the recent anti-semitic acts reported in the press. Whether or not there is in fact a rise in those acts I'll not comment on. I have enough distrust of the media that I suspect they'll exaggerate anything for the sake of dramatic headlines. But any act of anti-semitism is abhorrent. I can't make ANY sense of the sentiment. I can only assume those acts are carried out by the same fools who do racist things against Blacks and other ethnic groups. It's just stupid.
However, my evangelical faith says that Judaism is a false hope. It's rejection of Jesus as the one and only means to a relationship with God in this life and the life to come means, by logical extension, that it is false. And to the extent it gives people a false hope it is an enemy of the gospel.
I'm committed to responding to Jews and all other ethnicities with the compassion, love, and grace God has shown me. I don't always get that right but it's certainly my goal and intent. How do I balance that with a biblical response to Judaism? That's a tough balance IMO.
The U.S. economy added 250,000 jobs in the last quarter, a very strong showing.
Unemployment is at 3.7%, the lowest rate since 1969.
Wages are on the rise across the country.
President Trump is his own worst enemy and appears to be clueless on what he should be stressing ahead of the elections. But then so does the entire GOP.
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