Casting my eye around the net, this seems to be a bit of a gloomy Friday! I won't bother with links as some of these stories are well-known (and multiply reported) or easily found via Google. John Stott is dead. Homophobia, supported by churches, is on the rise in Ghana. The US has not yet solved its most immediate financial crisis (because it does not know how to solve its medium and long-term crises?). Europe is in deeper financial trouble than most of us think (something about 'ten year spreads' and how they are telling experts the news is very bad). The horror of Norway's deaths is repeatedly linked to the killer being a right-wing Christian jihadist. The Diocese of Sydney's financial woes continue with further reductions in income.
We live by faith, not by sight!
7 comments:
In the midst of all such troubles, I recall words from the apostle Paul in last Sunday's epistle reading:
"We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).
That verse, along with the rest of Romans 8, reminds me that we are not defined by current circumstances, but by our identity in Christ. As the baptismal liturgy of the American Prayer Book puts it: "You are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism, and marked as Christ's own forever."
Thanks, Bryan!
The actual day here in Christchurch is bright and sunny ...
Never mind eh?
Oops, I hadn't listened to all the words.
In all of our troubles, let us remember God’s many blessings as well. May Psalm 150 sung by the Choir of Men and Boys from St. Thomas Fifth Avenue give you peace:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90GonV40di8&NR=1
1 O praise God in his holiness *
praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him in his noble acts *
praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him in the sound of the trumpet *
praise him upon the lute and harp.
4 Praise him in the cymbals and dances *
praise him upon the strings and pipe.
5 Praise him upon the well-tuned cymbals *
praise him upon the loud cymbals.
6 Let every thing that hath breath *
praise the Lord.
Kurt Hill
Brooklyn, NY
Thanks for kind thoughts!
As I've said before, Peter, most Anglican dioceses around the world would love to have the same financial problems as Sydney diocese! Only a $3.5M return on endowment investments - quelle horrible!! I'm disappointed too that it will mean cuts to their various ministries, which do great work. But few dioceses (in Australia anyway) are fortunate enough to rely on endowments to fund the diocesan budget, rather than parish assessments.
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