Countryside Community Church - Joy Luke Club

This evening one of my “Facebook friends,” Brian McClaren, turned me onto what may just be the single most intelligent article written about the Fort Hood shooting thus far.  The article is written by Paul Rauschenbusch on the “Progressive Revival” blog on Beliefnet.  The key insight from Rauschenbusch’s article reminds me very much of Luke 6:31 and Jesus’ command to “do to others as you would have them do to you” – a passage we will also be engaging this coming  Sunday when we focus on Luke 7.

Here’s the heart of the article:

We who are White, Christian and Male (WCMs) should ask ourselves this basic question: When we heard about the Oklahoma bomber, Columbine, or the shooter at the Holocaust museum – all horrible crimes committed by WCMs did we think to ourselves – ‘oh, this will reflect badly on me?’

The answer is no. Why? Because still in this country, White, Male, Christians are considered normative and therefore the range of WCM behavior, from very good to very bad, simply represents the wide range of human behavior. I know I have nothing in common with Timothy McVeigh and so does the rest of American society. Unfortunately, people of other races and religions in America do not have the benefit of recognition that there are very good people and very bad people among them. Instead, the actions of one person of a minority group reflects upon the reputation and sense of security and worth of the entire group.

This has to stop.

Given our conversations on Luke 6 this week, with its pointed emphasis on love and compassion, it is one of those “beautiful coincidences” that November 12 marks the unveiling of The Charter for Compassion – a document created by representatives from each of the major world religions calling all people of faith to move compassion back into the center of their faith and practice.  Each of these religions emphasize some version of the Golden Rule (“do unto others as you would have them do unto you”).  The call, initiated by Karen Armstrong, is meant to reclaim that principle as a world-wide act for the common good.

To watch an brief introductory video regarding the Charter for Compassion, click here.

What do dragonflies have to do with Luke?  Find out this weekend!  Rev. Lea Marshall will be preaching this Sunday, 11/6, on Luke 6.  She’ll be focusing particularly on the opening verses, 1 – 16, and I understand she’ll be making a connection with dragonflies.  Why not prepare for Sunday by reading Luke 6 and watching the corresponding video commentary from “Roadside Attractions”?

Meanwhile, I (Eric) will be attending the Emerging Progressive Leaders conference, sponsored by the Plymouth Center for Progressive Christian Faith and the Beatitudes Society.  at Dunrovin Retreat Center outside Minneapolis.  The intent of the conference is to link “emerging” progressive leaders with established national leaders in a mentoring relationship that can help ensure future leadership in the progressive Christian movement.  This trip is a bit of a sentimental journey for me.  Three years ago I was invited to mentor “emerging” leaders at this conference and received my first phone call from Countryside Community Church while there!   Since there is scant cell reception at Dunrovin, however, the call went to voicemail, so I didn’t talk to anyone from Countryside until after my trip was over.

To watch the “Roadside Conversations” videos associated with Luke 5 – 7, simply click on the links below.  If you have trouble viewing them, try taking off the “HD” setting by clicking on the icon at the right of the video.  Enjoy!

Luke 5

Luke 6

Luke 7

For those of you who are following “Roadside Conversations” – Countryside’s video commentary on Luke – chapters corresponding to Luke 5 and Luke 6 are now posted.  Just click here for Luke 5 and here for Luke 6.  If you should experience difficulties running these, try switching “HD” to “off” (the “HD” button, which stands for “high definition” is on the right hand side of the video).

Incidentally, Countryside’s guest preacher for the Luke 5 sermon on Nov. 1st is Dr. Gene Lowry.  Dr. Lowry, who was a professor of preaching at St. Paul’s School of Theology in Kansas City, has recently returned to our area after being the featured speaker for Yale’s Beecher Lectures, which is one of the most prestigious lecture series in the United States.  He’ll be offering public lecture that evening at Countryside called “Dancing on the Edge of Mystery” at 7 pm.

Enjoy!