Comments for CHPC Blog http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog Thoughts from the Pulpit Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:27:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 Comment on What’s Justice? by Bill Watson http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=139&cpage=1#comment-96 Bill Watson Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:20:21 +0000 http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=139#comment-96 The word used in Micah 6:8, mishpat, has to do with judgment or judging rightly. It seems it could, in this context, mean defending the rights of anyone by judging rightly according to God's law, or, perhaps, in a non-biased way. In terms of how many people seem to use the word justice, it would be defending the rights of the poor and oppressed, as they are usually the ones against whom systemic judgment is perverted (though it would apply, in my world, to judging rightly in any case or relationship, even if the verdict reached was against someone seen as poor or oppressed). I think Matt. 25:40 would appear to fit the second third of Micah's trilogy of fulfilling the expectation's of God - loving mercy. The word used in Micah 6:8, mishpat, has to do with judgment or judging rightly. It seems it could, in this context, mean defending the rights of anyone by judging rightly according to God’s law, or, perhaps, in a non-biased way. In terms of how many people seem to use the word justice, it would be defending the rights of the poor and oppressed, as they are usually the ones against whom systemic judgment is perverted (though it would apply, in my world, to judging rightly in any case or relationship, even if the verdict reached was against someone seen as poor or oppressed). I think Matt. 25:40 would appear to fit the second third of Micah’s trilogy of fulfilling the expectation’s of God - loving mercy.

]]> Comment on God picks mercy over following the rules by Rhonda Denterlein http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=149&cpage=1#comment-94 Rhonda Denterlein Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:51:02 +0000 http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=149#comment-94 The religious/righteous people thought they were better than everyone else because they followed the details of the law, but they missed the "heart" of the law to love God and love one another. Jesus mission was to demonstrate the love, grace, and mercy of God to the broken, the sick, the captives, and the sinners not to reward the self-righteous rule-followers. The religious/righteous people thought they were better than everyone else because they followed the details of the law, but they missed the “heart” of the law to love God and love one another. Jesus mission was to demonstrate the love, grace, and mercy of God to the broken, the sick, the captives, and the sinners not to reward the self-righteous rule-followers.

]]> Comment on Hit Rock Bottom and Look Up by Rhonda Denterlein http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=142&cpage=1#comment-93 Rhonda Denterlein Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:38:47 +0000 http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=142#comment-93 It is always interesting to me when something I have been studying in Bible study (the life of David, including Ps. 51) comes up in the sermon or vice versa. Ok God, you have my attention; this is something important. David is referred to as a man after God's own heart because he loved, trusted, and obeyed God. Yet even he blew it in big ways! He repented, however, and received God's forgiveness. That is comforting to me. However, David still received some serious consequences - his and Bathsheba's son died, one of his sons raped one of David's daughters and was then killed by another son. It is hard for me to understand fully how sin, repentance, consequences, and grace and mercy all fit together. It is always interesting to me when something I have been studying in Bible study (the life of David, including Ps. 51) comes up in the sermon or vice versa. Ok God, you have my attention; this is something important. David is referred to as a man after God’s own heart because he loved, trusted, and obeyed God. Yet even he blew it in big ways! He repented, however, and received God’s forgiveness. That is comforting to me. However, David still received some serious consequences - his and Bathsheba’s son died, one of his sons raped one of David’s daughters and was then killed by another son. It is hard for me to understand fully how sin, repentance, consequences, and grace and mercy all fit together.

]]> Comment on Hit Rock Bottom and Look Up by Tom Nagel http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=142&cpage=1#comment-83 Tom Nagel Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:19:01 +0000 http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=142#comment-83 For me, repentance often starts when something (material or otherwise) is taken away, and leads me to a place where God begins to supplant my reliance upon the thing that was taken away - even if He eventually gives it back. For me, repentance often starts when something (material or otherwise) is taken away, and leads me to a place where God begins to supplant my reliance upon the thing that was taken away - even if He eventually gives it back.

]]> Comment on What’s Justice? by Fran Kelley http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=139&cpage=1#comment-81 Fran Kelley Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:56:04 +0000 http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=139#comment-81 In Matthew 25:40 it says "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Isn't this our mission - to always be ready to offer comfort and help to any that God allows to cross our path. To me, this is living out justice. In Matthew 25:40 it says “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Isn’t this our mission - to always be ready to offer comfort and help to any that God allows to cross our path. To me, this is living out justice.

]]> Comment on Questions You Are Afraid to Ask by Annonymous http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=59&cpage=1#comment-68 Annonymous Sat, 22 Aug 2009 04:22:33 +0000 http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=59#comment-68 <a href="#comment-19" rel="nofollow">@Roxane</a> I completely agree with Roxanne and am profoundly alarmed by #3. I just finished reading Randy Alcorn's book, "Lord Foulgrin's letters". It's similar to "The Screwtape Letters" in which most of the book is in the form of letters from one demon to the other. A key topic in these letters is how Satan strives to use lesser issues to distract warranted attention from those issues which are truly precious to God. Abortion is one of those key issues. As I read #3's response, all I could think was that this rationalization sounds very much like one of Lord Foulgrin's "perfect scenarios" in which Satan has succeeded in distracting Christians from the true meat of the matter. Abortion is and always should be a key issue. It's life and death. And, as long as we're on the subject, yes, a woman has the right to control her own body - maybe she should have exercised better control earlier. By the time the question is abortion or no abortion, it's no longer HER body we're talking about. It's someone else's. What she's aborting does not have her DNA, therefore it is NOT her body. @Roxane I completely agree with Roxanne and am profoundly alarmed by #3. I just finished reading Randy Alcorn’s book, “Lord Foulgrin’s letters”. It’s similar to “The Screwtape Letters” in which most of the book is in the form of letters from one demon to the other. A key topic in these letters is how Satan strives to use lesser issues to distract warranted attention from those issues which are truly precious to God. Abortion is one of those key issues. As I read #3’s response, all I could think was that this rationalization sounds very much like one of Lord Foulgrin’s “perfect scenarios” in which Satan has succeeded in distracting Christians from the true meat of the matter. Abortion is and always should be a key issue. It’s life and death.

And, as long as we’re on the subject, yes, a woman has the right to control her own body - maybe she should have exercised better control earlier. By the time the question is abortion or no abortion, it’s no longer HER body we’re talking about. It’s someone else’s. What she’s aborting does not have her DNA, therefore it is NOT her body.

]]> Comment on An Update from Your Session on Discussions with Winton Hills by Fran Kelley http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=116&cpage=1#comment-59 Fran Kelley Thu, 21 May 2009 22:36:51 +0000 http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=116#comment-59 I do hope that there will still be some means of sharing ministries between the two churches. We gave the merger option an effort, but it appears there was still serious dissention within the CHPC family. I sensed a strong resistence to working out the bumps. Maybe the idea came about too quickly for many of our conservative members to digest the possibilities. That door has been closed. Well, let's see what is next. I do hope that there will still be some means of sharing ministries between the two churches. We gave the merger option an effort, but it appears there was still serious dissention within the CHPC family. I sensed a strong resistence to working out the bumps. Maybe the idea came about too quickly for many of our conservative members to digest the possibilities.

That door has been closed. Well, let’s see what is next.

]]> Comment on Winton Hills/College Hill exploration questions by Dottie & Scott Engle http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=47&cpage=1#comment-58 Dottie & Scott Engle Sun, 10 May 2009 21:33:49 +0000 http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=47#comment-58 Okay, if we are supposed to follow Jesus into a broken, hurting world, then it looks like He is making it very convenient for us. - WHCC approached us first, not the other way around. So we don’t have to worry about looking like we just want to take over. - WHCC is right there in Winton Terrace, where we have a high concentration of people in public housing. - Winton Terrace is very close to CHPC and many members; some of us drive past it every day. - There are now successful models for how to improve the outcomes of children in poverty. Please refer to Harlem Children’s Zone, in particular look at Baby College. www.hcz.org. Or the book "Whatever It Takes" by Paul Tough. - As we have heard from our coroner Dr. Owens, the best and easiest way to fight crime is to teach children to read. As researchers (and Grandma) tell us, a child’s first and most influential teacher is the parent. Brain development from 0 – 3 sets patterns in place that persist into adulthood and affect learning at all grade levels. - Both churches already have established relationships with the Winton Place Academy, the neighborhood elementary school. I bet that the school would work with us in the development of programs for parents of babies 0 – 3; then they could get the kids in pre-school and carry on from there. Are these all coincidences that we should just brush aside? Is God is trying to hand us a useful ministry on a platter? It seems clear that some sort of partnership with WHCC would be needed. Maybe merger would make such a ministry better? Is Pastor Chip reading the blog comments, too? Okay, if we are supposed to follow Jesus into a broken, hurting world, then it looks like He is making it very convenient for us.

- WHCC approached us first, not the other way around. So we don’t have to worry about looking like we just want to take over.

- WHCC is right there in Winton Terrace, where we have a high concentration of people in public housing.

- Winton Terrace is very close to CHPC and many members; some of us drive past it every day.

- There are now successful models for how to improve the outcomes of children in poverty. Please refer to Harlem Children’s Zone, in particular look at Baby College. http://www.hcz.org. Or the book “Whatever It Takes” by Paul Tough.

- As we have heard from our coroner Dr. Owens, the best and easiest way to fight crime is to teach children to read. As researchers (and Grandma) tell us, a child’s first and most influential teacher is the parent. Brain development from 0 – 3 sets patterns in place that persist into adulthood and affect learning at all grade levels.

- Both churches already have established relationships with the Winton Place Academy, the neighborhood elementary school. I bet that the school would work with us in the development of programs for parents of babies 0 – 3; then they could get the kids in pre-school and carry on from there.

Are these all coincidences that we should just brush aside? Is God is trying to hand us a useful ministry on a platter? It seems clear that some sort of partnership with WHCC would be needed. Maybe merger would make such a ministry better?

Is Pastor Chip reading the blog comments, too?

]]> Comment on Questions You Are Afraid to Ask by dsmith http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=59&cpage=1#comment-57 dsmith Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:39:35 +0000 http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=59#comment-57 http://www.pres-outlook.com/component/content/article/44-breaking-news/8719-fidelity-chastity-ordination-standard-remains-in-place-in-pcusa.html This link gives the most recent update on the PCUSA voting on amendments to the Book of Order. http://www.pres-outlook.com/component/content/article/44-breaking-news/8719-fidelity-chastity-ordination-standard-remains-in-place-in-pcusa.html

This link gives the most recent update on the PCUSA voting on amendments to the Book of Order.

]]> Comment on Winton Hills/College Hill exploration questions by dsmith http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=47&cpage=1#comment-56 dsmith Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:35:14 +0000 http://chpc1853.powweb.com/blog/?p=47#comment-56 They recognize that the ministry as they have been operating is no longer sustainable nor desired. They have been receiving resources from Presbytery and other churches in various ways through the years. Being a church right next to the largest public housing community in the city poses significant constraints. So the question became how do we continue this ministry in an area with such a concentration of poverty - it's around 5000 people - approx. 1500 families with an average household income of less than $10,000. The relationships with other churches and the Presbytery that had maintained the church for the past 40 years are not going to be working for much longer for a variety of reasons. Also, the mission church model has been found lacking in creating sustainable ministries. So WH has come to the conclusion of seeking a merger to continue the ministry of the church in the Winton Terrace community. It certainly does seem obvious that such a large concentration of poverty would intersect with the church of Jesus Christ if Jesus indeed did come "to bring good news to the poor." The detailed needs - financial, ministry space, and worship space - all are not clear at this time and through the detailed exploration we will work through the possibilities. In addition, this process may reveal that a merger isn't the only way to meet that need. Other options will be explored. They recognize that the ministry as they have been operating is no longer sustainable nor desired. They have been receiving resources from Presbytery and other churches in various ways through the years. Being a church right next to the largest public housing community in the city poses significant constraints. So the question became how do we continue this ministry in an area with such a concentration of poverty - it’s around 5000 people - approx. 1500 families with an average household income of less than $10,000. The relationships with other churches and the Presbytery that had maintained the church for the past 40 years are not going to be working for much longer for a variety of reasons. Also, the mission church model has been found lacking in creating sustainable ministries. So WH has come to the conclusion of seeking a merger to continue the ministry of the church in the Winton Terrace community. It certainly does seem obvious that such a large concentration of poverty would intersect with the church of Jesus Christ if Jesus indeed did come “to bring good news to the poor.” The detailed needs - financial, ministry space, and worship space - all are not clear at this time and through the detailed exploration we will work through the possibilities.

In addition, this process may reveal that a merger isn’t the only way to meet that need. Other options will be explored.

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