[BBC News]

A minister posed as a tramp and gatecrashed his own service to teach churchgoers about “acceptance”.

The Reverend Derek Rigby donned a wig and some torn clothes and surrounded himself with lager cans and syringes in the church doorway on Sunday morning.

Most of the congregation at the Trinity Methodist Church in Prestatyn, Denbighshire, ignored the intruder.

The vicar said most were “embarrassed” by their behaviour when he finally revealed himself during the service.

The former police officer had told the congregation he would be late for Sunday’s service, and only informed one church member of his true plans, in case anyone decided to dial 999.

Read more here.

[From me]

Matthew 25:35-36

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.‘

I wonder if I would have stopped. Looks can be deceiving. God loves everyone yet we build churches in suburban areas to reach those who look good.  We give a dollar here and there.  But do we really want them in our church or homes?  Ouch!  That will preach.

What do you think?

[These are my thoughts and not those of Campus Crusade or my parents]

 Here are the facts about religion and chaplains in the military:

1. In the military, there are Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, Jewish, Islamic  etc chaplains.
2. Each chaplain is free to share his faith beliefs all he wants within the military guidelines given him. They are not muzzled.
3. Each chaplain is responsible for providing for the spiritual needs of all the soldiers under him or her. Therefore they provide and announce:

• On Sundays, on many bases, there are different services available for Roman Catholic and Islamic and for any chaplain who chose to provide his.
• Buses pick up some to go off post to Synagogues, Mormon temples, Greek Orthodox etc.
• Even Wiccans can meet as a group as long as the meeting is open to anyone.
• No one is compelled to attend any meeting but can attend any if they choose.

4. Any chaplain can use volunteers to teach classes on Sunday morning as long as that volunteer teaches under his or her supervision.

• Chaplains can recruit their volunteers from the community.

5. All belief groups want to share their beliefs to the world. In the America, they are free to do this as long as they do it by the rules.

For some reason those who are not followers of Jesus have problems with Christian groups ministering to the military.  Here is what I want to know:

• I want to know if there are Pagan, Wiccan,  Buddhists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jewish and other groups who send missionaries to the military who raise their own financial support?
• Are their atheist groups who raise their own financial support to assist the military in their emotional and educational needs?
• Show me where the Military Ministry of Campus Crusade has violated the Constitution?   The Separation of Church and State was to protect the Church from the State not the other way around.
• What harm is being done to our military?
• Do those who have a beef really care about the military personnel or are they trying to make a political statement?

These are questions I want answered.  I’m tired of being called a “right-winged bigot” and a “fundamentalist” and every form of profanity in the book.  Personally I’m ready for the US to leave Iraq but I support or military and our leaders.  I’m a follower of Jesus who wants to fulfill the calling God has given me.  I follow the laws and I’m tolerant of other’s beliefs.  It’s time the “other” beliefs showed a little tolerance of Christ followers too.

What do you think?

[Christian Post]

Matthew Murray, the gunman who is believed to have shot and killed four people in Colorado, appeared to have acted out of revenge against Christians, police officials indicated.

Authorities believe Murray, 24, posted an anti-Christian message online on Sunday - the day of the shootings - in a language almost identical to the text of a manifesto written by one of the Columbine killers, Eric Harris.

“You Christians brought this on yourselves,” Murray wrote, according to KUSA-TV in Denver. “Feel no remorse, no sense of shame, I don’t care if I live or die in the shoot-out. All I want to do is kill and injure as many of you … as I can especially Christians who are to blame for most of the problems in the world.”

Read about it here.

[From me]

This whole tragedy is just sad.  I wonder if the hate crimes legislation will apply to this?

What do you think?

Last night we went out to eat and had voodoo rolls.  Ummmm….   We walked across the street to see the progress that has been made on the pumps to the levies but it was cold and the wind was coming off the lake.

Today there is a group from Maryland working with us.  It is great to see so many churches and Christians coming together to help people they don’t even know.  I can’t put into words how bad it still is in the Gentilly area and the lower 9th Ward.  I would say in Gentilly only every 10th house is occupied and that may be an exaggeration.   Edgewater has been ministering to these people since Katrina hit.  This church is very important to the community.  I’m glad we got to be a small part.  This is my 4th time down here.  I’m very passionate about helping these victims because I lived through Katrina and 5 other hurricanes.  As I read about Cyclone Sidr slamming  Bangladesh, killing at least 1,100 and forcing 650,000 to flee I am heartbroken for them.  When you see how it affects people in person it moves you.

We were able to get the doors finished on the front of the church.  We stained and glossed about 30 doors.  We fixed holes, hung sheet rock, did plumbing and electrical all week.  We are tired but I wouldn’t trade this week for anything.  My 13 year old son Jacob was able to come because he is homeschooled and it was special to work with him.

Well, we are headed back to the Riverwalk–maybe we will see another New Orleans wedding.

Last night we went to Edgewater and had supper with them.  It was great to see Joe Kennedy and Jason Sampler again.  Jason is now married and made some crack about my spiky hair but at least I have hair!

By divine appointment there were two bartista’s from Starbucks who were in attendance last night and they told us where one has been reopened closer to the church than going to Kenner.  So we hung out there a while and there was an outdoor festival across the street.  Above Jack is trying his first Venti Mocha!

Today I have been busy staining and painting doors as well as mudding and taping.  Mike, Donnie Rae and Ray are putting in the door frames at the front of the church and hanging the new glass to go over the stained glass.  I can’t wait to see how good that looks.  I’m sure that will be exciting to the church members.  My son Jacob and Jack are removing concrete so they can put up a ramp.  John and Barry are working in the downstairs restroom as is evidence by the picture of Barry.

We are working hard but it is great fellowship hanging out with men who pay their own way to serve people they don’t even know.  God is amazing!