Prayer

Karl Barth said that prayer is the central work of Christians, and I believe that, but our prayers tend to be more talking than listening. Here's what I mean. Sermon preparation consumes about 10-12 hours, on average. I spent easily that much time this past week on this Sunday's sermon. I cooked up a dandy! It had indented quotes, citations to the Larger Catechism of the Presbyterian Church, USA, and no fewer than three footnotes. That's a lot of work and I laid my head down last night with a feeling of accomplishment.

That's when I got a call from God (he has my cell phone). "Stewart!" He said. "I have reviewed your sermon and that is the most boring thing I have read in my entire life, and that's saying something. You cannot inflict that upon my Presbyterians. Get up and re-write it. Here...I'll help."

And so, I did.

Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky and see if it got any better by clicking HERE for audio or HERE for text.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Welcome

Jesus told Martha, "“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” The word translated as "distracted" carries the connotation of being stretched or pulled in many directions. If that isn't a spot-on description of today's world, I don't know what is. Join the Congregation of Community Presbyterian Church for this week's sermon, "Welcome" by clicking HERE for text. (We had a technical hitch with the recorder this week, so there's no audio).

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Have Fun and Be Safe

I can understand how it would be hard to make the connection between the invention of sliced bread, grilled cheese sandwiches, Camden Park, and the "gotcha God" many people hereabouts perceive. That's why you should join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, KY to learn how. Click HERE for audio or HERE for text. Really. You'll thank me.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Shoeless Joe Jackson

A noteworthy thing happened yesterday. I had subscribed to The Christian Left for many months. The idea of the page was that those on the right had offered up their view of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for too long and it was important to have a balancing voice from the left. I was satisfied with them for quite some time, but they began to attack Republicans as the enemy. I responded that I thought it was quite enough to speak for Christ without becoming a voice for Democratic politics and that casting one party or the other as reflecting Christ's views was not helpful. I was told to mind my own business.

Then, last night, they posted a complaint about "concern trolls" which they defined as people who posted on their page but who were really trolling them, disguised as concern. I found the posting they were upset about and it was in response to a photo they had posted depicting a rural white person as stupid. The "concern troll" they were now being contemptuous of had posted that this was not appropriate. I have now unsubscribed to their page.

So...what went wrong? I think they came to see themselves as the angels of truth and the bearers of the Gospel and anyone disagreeing with them to be spawn of the devil. That's what happens when we forget that we are all Bozos on this bus and we all contain the stain of sin. Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky as we examine hidden motives in this week's sermon, Shoeless Joe Jackson by clicking HERE for audio or HERE for text.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.