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November 30, 2007
World AIDS Day ACTION!!!!
My friends in Geneva at the Anglican UN Office Geneva have just released a report entitled, "Working Together!? The Anglican Response to HIV & AIDS in Africa". It is a good comprehensive read. If you click on the title, you can down load the pdf. Here is the article about the article.
The report took quite a bit of work and was complemented by not only CAPA, but UNAIDS as well. My friends Mike, Paul, and Ruth (among countless others) will have invested deeply in this report!
As we approach World AIDS day tomorrow, it is very important that we as a fragile humanity continue to keep this pandemic squarely in front of us. After the first 40 million people died, AIDS surpassed the Black plague in deaths. This isn't a disease that plays around, and it will not be eradicated through passe answers or shouting to people infected with the disease from the couch to change their lifestyles. No, this disease needs the attention and affection of us all.
So tomorrow, on World AIDS day do something. Take 30 minutes and do some research on how you can help people who are being effected and infected by this disease. Sure, Africa is great place to start, but why not ask how many people in your local community are affected by the disease? What's being done in your neighborhood, city, province, state, canton, or country ? Do people feel free to tell others they have the disease? Do people who have it have to live in shame or is there a place of sanctuary and care for them? Has the outbreak of AIDS been on the rise in your community or on the decrease? Why? Who is caring for those infected and their loved ones...really?
All of these are just questions that are on the tip of the iceberg. Regardless of where or how you live, AIDS is effecting the world in which you live. We can make it such that this disease does not become, as Bono suggests, 'the crisis by which we will all be judged by God and history'. We must act now.
Here are a few organizations to look into:
UNAIDS
AIDS Alliance
International Coucil of AIDS Service Organizations
Take a breath. Take an action. Care.
jc
Posted by joshuacase at 09:30 AM | Comments (0)
November 29, 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury on World AIDS Day
While I am not exactly sure who thought it was the best of ideas for it to be done this way, here is message from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams concering World AIDS day.
Can anyone tell me who the people are in the paintings in the back of the room? Extra points for the painters;)
peace...
jc
Posted by joshuacase at 09:25 AM | Comments (0)
November 27, 2007
Tuesday is for Thomas
Merton wrote in August of 1965:
"My first obligation is to be myself and follow God's grace, and not to allow myself to become captive to some idiot idea, whether of hermit life or anything else. What matters is not spirituality, not religion, not perfection, not success or failure at this or that, but simply God, and freedom in His Spirit. All the rest is pure stupidity. How often i saw this last year and before, just coming up for the afternoons- because then I was nonattached, nonidentified, and the hermitage was a kind of nowhere. Now the terrible thing is that it has become a very definte home. But since I am a homeless body, being tied to a home disturbs me. But I am sure with God's grace this will all settle itself, and I can treat the place as any other hole in the wall that is "not mine." Though I must admit that it is full of a lot of books and nonsense. Here is where I think fasting is important. Simplifying the meals I take here has already been quite a help.
I am impatient of all desires. May the Holy Spirit bring me to true freedom."
be free. be simple. Journey...
jc
Posted by joshuacase at 08:58 AM
November 26, 2007
Shema this Sunday
This Sunday, Shema at the pub. 11h00, Mr. Pickwicks.
Here is a teaser video for the above series:
Hope to see you there!
joshua
Posted by joshuacase at 11:04 PM
November 23, 2007
Another reason Detroit is in Trouble
(ht treehugger.com)
You don't sell as many cars if you build them to last, and it seems that all of the car makers are doing that. In 2000, only 28% of 15 year old cars were still on the road; now 43% are. For Toyota and Honda, it is up to 54%. Dwelling at the bottom are Ladas, with only 5.1% still on the road.
"Never before have we seen such compelling large-scale evidence of improved long-term durability – regardless of nameplate origin, country of manufacture or class of vehicle," said DesRosiers, president of DesRosiers Automotive Consultants.
Several factors have contributed to the longer lifespans, including widespread use of galvanized sheet metal, tighter manufacturing fits, better lubricants and electronic fuel injection, DesRosiers said.
According to the Star:
The research results mean more maintenance work for repair shops and an image boost to the used-car business that sells more durable vehicles, according to DesRosiers.
However, he noted that if old autos stay on the road, it will take longer for more environmentally friendly and fuel-efficient vehicles to make an impact. A new vehicle emits 98 per cent less toxins into the air than a 15-year-old model.
"Keeping these old smokers on the road is definitely not good for the environment," he said.
DesRosiers also criticized lawmakers for focusing on forcing automakers to produce greener vehicles when the real challenge is how to reduce the number of older polluting autos on the road.
Posted by joshuacase at 05:49 PM | Comments (0)
November 22, 2007
Obama
Check out these images of Obama in this Time Photo Essay.
If you are not a registered voter, register today!
blessings...and Happy Thanksgiving!
jc
Posted by joshuacase at 11:01 PM
Brian McLaren & Domesticated Jesus...WAKE UP!
I've put these two videos together for a reason. What Brian and Bono have to say ought to go together. In this case, the idea, that we just need some help..that things must change, that there is hope is prevelant.
Both revolutionaries. Both passionaries. Both hoping for what is good! Both to be thankful for!
U2's Peace on Earth
God has showed you, oh mankind, what is good. And what does the one true God require of you? That you would act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8
do good...
joshua
Posted by joshuacase at 08:14 AM | Comments (1)
November 21, 2007
New Shema Series
(created by aaron maurer)
We are looking forward to our new series this Christmas. It is going to be a fun experience together. If you are in Geneva, and free, join us!
Watch for more details here, or here, or sign-up for the Shema e-newsletter.
joshua
Posted by joshuacase at 12:01 PM | Comments (0)
November 20, 2007
This Tuesday is for Therese de Lisieux
May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite
possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.
A student this week sent this prayer to me. A blessing if you will. While I am not so sure he knew how timely it was, i am thankful. It is a prayer from Therese of Lisieux. Her little way, is decribed below.
Be blessed...be encouraged.
joshua
The Little Way
ht wikipedia
Thérèse is known for her "Little Way." In her quest for sanctity, she realized that it was not necessary to accomplish heroic acts or "great deeds" in order to attain holiness and to express her love of God.
She wrote, "Love proves itself by deeds, so how am I to show my love? Great deeds are forbidden me. The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love."
This "Little Way" also appeared in her approach to spirituality:
"Sometimes, when I read spiritual treatises, in which perfection is shown with a thousand obstacles in the way and a host of illusions round about it, my poor little mind soon grows weary, I close the learned book, which leaves my head splitting and my heart parched, and I take the Holy Scriptures. Then all seems luminous, a single word opens up infinite horizons to my soul, perfection seems easy; I see that it is enough to realize one's nothingness, and give oneself wholly, like a child, into the arms of the good God. Leaving to great souls, great minds, the fine books I cannot understand, I rejoice to be little because 'only children, and those who are like them, will be admitted to the heavenly banquet'."
Passages like this have also left Therese open to the charge that hers is an overly sentimental and even childish spirituality. Her proponents counter that she sought to develop an approach to the spiritual life that was understandable and imitable by all who chose to do so, regardless of their level of sophistication or education.
This is evident in her approach to prayer:
"For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward Heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy; in a word, something noble, supernatural, which enlarges my soul and unites it to God.... I have not the courage to look through books for beautiful prayers.... I do as a child who has not learned to read, I just tell our Lord all that I want and he understands."
Posted by joshuacase at 08:53 AM | Comments (1)
November 19, 2007
Bono- Wave of Sorrow
This is new. Not necessarily the best of Bono or U2, but its new. I am not sure if everyone has seen it, but it was first posted to youtube. And now...it's spreading.
enjoy,
joshua
Posted by joshuacase at 01:19 PM
Brian Mclaren and Atheism
I have been away for the last week. Good to be back home with my wife. Upon return, I discovered this clip from Brian speaking on Atheism. Thanks Mike.
enjoy...
jc
Posted by joshuacase at 12:19 PM
November 09, 2007
Heineken WOBO: The brick that holds beer.
My dutch friend Lammert passed this one to me. Not sure if it had to do with the greeness of the initiative, or with the fact that it was a dutch brewing company that was doing it. Either way, its good fun.
"Upcycling is a 21st century term, coined by Cradle to Cradle authors William McDonough and Michael Braungart, but the idea of turning waste into useful products came to life brilliantly in 1963 with the Heineken WOBO (world bottle). Envisioned by beer brewer Alfred Heineken and designed by Dutch architect John Habraken, the “brick that holds beer” was ahead of its ecodesign time, letting beer lovers and builders alike drink and design all in one sitting.
Mr. Heineken’s idea came after a visit to the Caribbean where he saw two problems: beaches littered with bottles and a lack of affordable building materials. The WOBO became his vision to solve both the recycling and housing challenges that he had witnessed on the islands.
The final WOBO design came in two sizes - 350 and 500 mm versions that were meant to lay horizontally, interlock and layout in the same manner as ‘brick and mortar’ construction. One production run in 1963 yielded 100,000 bottles some of which were used to build a small shed on Mr. Heineken’s estate in Noordwijk, Netherlands. One of the construction challenges “was to find a way in which corners and openings could be made without cutting bottles,” said Mr. Habraken.
Despite the success of the first “world bottle” project, the Heineken brewery didn’t support the WOBO and the idea stalled. Interest was reignited in 1975 when Martin Pawley published Garbage Housing which included the chapter ‘WOBO: a new kind of message in a bottle.’ Heineken once again approached Habraken who teamed up with designer Rinus van den Berg and designed a building with oil drums for columns, Volkswagen bus tops for roof and the WOBO bottles for walls, but the structure was never built.
Today, the shed at the Heineken estate and a wall made of WOBO at the Heineken Museum in Amsterdam are the only structures where the ‘beer brick’ was used. As to the remaining WOBO’s it’s not clear how many exist, or where, but the idea, even some four decades later, remains a lasting example in end-use innovation."
recycle well...
jc
Posted by joshuacase at 11:37 AM | Comments (0)
November 08, 2007
Thursday is for Greg, and Thomas..together!
Greg Boyd has been getting loads of feedback apparently about his entry entitled, "Washing Osama's Feet". Here is a link to his most recent entry, which is a follow up entry, entitled, "The Worst Heresy Imaginable".
On Tuesday I didn't manage to get up a Tuesday is for Thomas, but maybe, that wasn't so bad. The question of 'who is my neighbor' and 'who is my enemy' is one that Jesus continually wants us to ask. In fact, from generation to generation, the answer to this question changes quite often. The portrait and conversation that Greg is having is quite a tough one in light of the person that Osama represents; however, we must ask the question, who is my enemy and how would Jesus ask me to treat them?
Thomas Merton, in 1961, was facing quite a different enemy. In fact, in his journal entry of 12 November of that year, he begins to wrestle with the way the enemy is illicting response from people within America..where he is living as an monk in Kentucky. He writes:
"I must pray more and more for courage, as I certainly have neither the courage nor the strength to follow the path that is certainly my duty.
With the fears and rages that possess so many confused people, if I say things that seem to threaten their interests or conflict with obsessions, then I will surely get it.
It is shocking that so many are convinced that Communists are about to invade or destroy America: "Christians" who think the only remedy is to destroy them first. Who thinks seriously of disarming? For whom it is more a pious wish, beyond the bounds of practicality?
I need patience to listen, to learn, to try to understand, and courage to take all the consequences and be really faithful. This alone is a full-time job. I dread it, but it must be done, and I don't quite know how. To save my soul by trying to be one of those who spoke and worked for peace, not for madness and destruction."
Indeed, knowing how to love as Christ would in this age of madness will be confuddled at best. People who choose to follow Christ's call to love extravagantly will be persecuted for their sense of passionately offering grace as Jesus modeled. People who work to provide humanitarian kindness as Christians might be misunderstood as trying to replace the gospel with works. Neighbors will become enemies, enemies are already our friends, and maybe most confusing of all, which religion or nationality one possesses won't mean squat.
As we move increasing towards the advent season, I hope that we will rediscover a ancient way of active longing. A longing that is described in Isaiah 2 as 'for the last days'. A longing that led Jesus Christ to live in a particular way; a way which is a way of goodness, and mercy, and justice for all. A way of living which leads others to that discover that deep longing for the time when,
"The mountain of the LORD's temple
will be established
as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths."
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore."
Indeed, may we reflect this season how Christ's humble coming and practical demonstration has prepared us to live differently for our age. And how this living will call out to others, 'there is another way,' 'we can achieve peace for our time.' May we who can, do. May we who pray, seek. May we who love, love extravagantly.
may peace and grace be yours today as you seek to love all, and to serve all...
joshua c
Posted by joshuacase at 08:37 AM | Comments (0)
November 07, 2007
David Bazan: For my wife
Nicholas Fiedler has suggested people meet up at the David Bazan concert in Alabama. If i were there, I'd be there with him...no question!
Here is a good taste of Bazan. And while we are at it, if i could sing it, I might sing it to my wife.
peace...
jc
Posted by joshuacase at 06:44 PM | Comments (2)
November 05, 2007
ABSOlutely hilarious and frighteningly correct!!!
This guy just keeps me laughing and crying at the same time. If you have not experienced ABSO yet, you really really must. Frighteningly spot on!
hope you likes...
jc
Posted by joshuacase at 04:11 PM | Comments (0)
Remember, remember the 5th of November
Well, its the 5th of November. And while I would love to take the date out of the context which it has dictated it for years; however, I find that impossible, especially in light of all the friends I now have in the UK. What happened to Guy Fawkes and his mates, was wrong in many senses, but just in the eyes of others..i guess.
For the most, I guess I resonate more with what this movie, V for Vendetta is communicating. Things have gone a muck. Its a projection of the world returned to dictatorship to combat terrorism. Frighteningly real. And honest. It is a great film and the use of Guy Fawkes was extremely clever. What i hear in the speeches is a radical call for change and justice that makes good reasonable sense. While i don't condone the means of acheiving it..the speeches are still good.
So remember today the freedoms you have and the ones that others don't. Ask yourself whether you fight for the freedom and justice and fair treatment of all, or if you are more concerned about those just like you.
remember, remember the 5th of November...
jc
Posted by joshuacase at 08:12 AM | Comments (0)
November 04, 2007
Washing Osama's Feet
Today at Shema, we discussed love. As part of the time, we tabled together, relfected on ourselves, and washed each others feet. It was a rich time.
During the gathering, Lammert also shared a bit from Greg Boyd's blog post entitled, 'Washing Osama's Feet'. I have posted the whole blog post below.
May you learn to love all; especially those who hurt you...
joshua
'Washing Osama's Feet'
by Greg Boyd
Brad Cole is a friend of mine who runs a ministry called Heavenly Sanctuary. This ministry puts on Conferences around the country on the Character of God -- and they get it right. This year they hired an artist named Lars Justinen from the Justinen Creative Group to paint the above picture to use on posters advertising their conference. Under this picture they had captions like "Follow the Leader," "God IS Great," and most accurately, "Jesus - Still Too Radical?"
Heavenly Sanctuary had contracts with several malls in the Seattle area to hang these posters advertising their conference, but no sooner had the posters gone up than angry calls began flooding the malls. Many people -- but, it seems, mostly Christians -- were offended at the image of Jesus washing Osama Bin Laden’s feet. There was such an outcry that each of the malls decided to go back on their contract and take the posters down. The Christian College that Heavenly Sanctuary was renting space from to host the Conference also canceled their contract. Brad had to scramble to find a secular venue (which, ironically, had no problems with the poster).
What does this say about how many American Christians envision Jesus? Obviously, the protesters believe that Jesus would not wash Osama Bin Laden’s feet. But Jesus died "not only for our sins, but for the sins of the whole world" (I Jn 2:2) -- and this obviously includes Osama. So if Jesus died for Osama, how are we to imagine him being unwilling to wash his feet?
What the protest reveals is that many Christians have tragically allowed their patriotism to co-opt their faith. They have allowed their American citizenship to take priority over their Kingdom citizenship -- despite the New Testament's instruction for disciples to consider themselves "foreigners" and "exiles" wherever they happen to live (Heb. 11:13; I Pet 1:17, 2:11) and to consider their real citizenship "in heaven" (Phil 3:20). Many American Christians seem to want a Jesus who will defend their country and hate their national enemies as much as they do. Many want the Jesus of the Middle Ages whom Crusaders called on to help them slaughter -- not serve -- their Islamic enemies. Many seem to want to reduce Jesus to just another version of the tribal gods that have been called on for centuries to bless tribal battles. Most wars throughout history have been fought under the banner of some god or another.
Fortunately, the real Jesus isn't anything like this. Knowing all power had been given to him, John says, he wrapped a towel around his waist and washed the dirty, smelly feet of people he knew would deny and betray him in a couple hours (Jn 13:3-5). Knowing he could call legions of angels to vanquish his foes, the real Jesus rather chose to let them crucify him, because this is what they needed him to do (though they of course didn't know it). Then, with his last breath, the real Jesus prays to his Father to forgive his barbaric torturers -- and all of us (Lk 23:34).
This is the kind of power the omnipotent God of the universe uses against his enemies. And this is the kind of power we're to use against our "enemies." It's the power of Calvary-like love.
We're called to imitate the Jesus who washes the feet of enemies, dies for them, and prays for their forgiveness. We are to "live in love, as Christ loved us and gave his life for us..." (Eph. 5:1-2). When we were enemies, Jesus nevertheless ascribed unsurpassable worth to us by paying an unsurpassable price for us. We who claim we are his disciples are called to do the same. We're to sacrificially ascribe unsurpassable worth to all people, including our enemies -- even Osama Bin Laden.
In light of God's servant love toward us, we must be willing to wash Osama's feet -- and pray for his forgiveness.
Jesus says to us:
"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt..." (Lk 6:27-29)
And in case we missed the point, he comes back five verses later and says:
"...love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. (How important is this? Read this next sentence carefully). Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." (Lk 6: 27-29; 35-36).
When we act like our kind Father, we reflect the fact that we are his children.
In Christ, God's been kind to Osama. May we who are his children do the same. May we be encouraged by the above picture rather than offended by it. May we pray, "Father, forgive Osama. He doesn't know what he's doing."
Greg
P.S. In case some of the faces on the poster are unfamiliar to you, they are (left to right) German Chancellor Angela Merkel; Tony Blair, England; Kofi A. Annan, UN; George Bush;
Osama bin Laden; Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh; and Jiang Zemin, former president of China.
Posted by joshuacase at 04:03 PM | Comments (1)
November 03, 2007
Reminder...
Here is a bit of spoken word from the end of the movie Big Kahuna. It's about four minutes long and the credits are running for at least half of it. I had forgotten about this part. Some good advice in there too..
good spoken word...
jc
Posted by joshuacase at 07:45 PM | Comments (0)
November 02, 2007
All Souls' Day
Today, for those who are not following the church calendar per se, is All Souls Day.
In Western Christianity, All Souls' Day commemorates the faithful departed. This day is observed in the Roman Catholic Church, churches of the Anglican Communion, Old Catholic Churches, and to some extent among Protestants. The Eastern Orthodox Church observes several All Souls' Days during the year. All Souls' Day is also known as the Feast of All Souls, Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed (from the Latin Commemoratio omnium Fidelium Defunctorum), Defuncts' Day (in Mexico), or Day of the Dead (in Hungary, France and Italy).
While for many, this feast goes uncelebrated or commemorated, I find that it has over the years provided me not merely with a good space and time to remember those who I have lost over the last year, but to also remember in prayer those others who have also lost friends and loved ones. Indeed, for some, this day has played an even larger role in their lives and ministries.
Abbey Jules Monchanin was convinced of the great importance of his prayer for "all the dead of India" as part of his mission to India, as part of the convergence of all mankind upon the Christ of the Day of Judgment.
Louis Massignon and Charles Foucauld were both converted to Christianity by the witness of Islam to the one living God. Someone wrote of Foucauld (and his devotion to the dead of Islam): "For a mystic the souls of the dead count as much as those of the living; and his (Foucauld) particular vocation was to sanctify the eternal Islam- for that which has been is forever- in helping to give a saint to Christianity."
I pray that today as you remember those in your life, and in the lives of your friends, who have passed on from this world, that you will experience the peace of Christ and the company of the great assembly with you. For in grief, as in life, we are never truly alone. Yet, Christ and all who dwell with him in light eternal are with us as well.
I leave you with this prayer from the Liturgy of St. James:
Remember, O Lord, the God of Spirits and of all Flesh, those whom we have remembered and those whom we have not remembered, men (and women) of the true faith, from righteous Abel unto to-day; do thou thyself give them rest there in the land of the living, in thy kingdom, in the delight of Paradise, in the bosom of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, our holy fathers, from whence pain and sorrow and sighing have fled away, where the light of thy countenance visiteth them and always shineth upon them.
grace and peace today as we remember....
joshua
Posted by joshuacase at 11:57 AM | Comments (0)
November 01, 2007
Engage-Geneva in the news...
Finally, engaGE was in the news..or so we think. Here is the video from last summer on the project in Geneva.
peace..
jc
Posted by joshuacase at 07:52 AM