[Vision2020] Curiosity Question

[Tom Hansen]

My apologies for any misinterpretation my question may have caused.

I am (obviously) not familiar with the number of churches here in Moscow
and felt that the churches listed on the Interfaith Thanksgiving flyer
represented a large (almost all) majority of local churches.

You must admit, though, that the list encompasses a wide spectrum of faiths.

Tom Hansen

On Sun, November 28, 2010 10:14 am, Darrell Keim wrote:
> So many churches are missing that I think assuming one is trying to send a
> message by its absence from the list is unwarranted.  Could be any number
> of
> reasons why a church isn't a member of a specific interfaith group.
>
> On Sun, Nov 28, 2010 at 12:37 AM, keely emerinemix <kjajmix1 at msn.com>
> wrote:
>
>>  Well, my church, Rock Church, isn't listed.
>>
>> And yet I have no doubt that the spirit of offering thanksgiving to
>> Yahweh,
>> the Allah of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- and genuinely loving every
>> person
>> that God created, without exception -- is utterly consistent with my
>> church
>> family's commitment to demonstrating and offering Shalom/Salaam/Gospel
>> Peace
>> to our world.
>>
>> It's not that I feel the need to defend my church; it doesn't need my
>> defense.  But while I know there are a lot of good people of faith who
>> didn't, for whatever reason, attend the dinner, the current climate of
>> what
>> passes for Christianity on the Palouse does raise questions about
>> whether a
>> church group's non-attendance is innocuous, meant to send a message, or
>> was
>> an intentional rejection of the event's purpose.  I think that our
>> church --
>> a dozen very diverse people intentionally without a pastor, led by two
>> women
>> and two men, all imperfect but committed to worshiping Christ together
>> and
>> living out the Gospel in the homes, church, community, and world we're
>> in --
>> very likely wasn't aware of the gathering.
>>
>> But maybe some were; I don't know.  I do know that at Rock, we tend to
>> equip, encourage, and expect  our sisters and brothers to do whatever it
>> is
>> God has called them to do in the world, and do so as individuals; we
>> don't
>> "do ministry" *as a church*  as much as we "do equipping" so that our
>> people use their gifts, influence, and passion to serve their neighbors.
>>  As
>> I imagine is the case with all of the faithful, we want to focus on
>> *being
>> *and not simply on *doing.  *Our people collect Christmas presents for
>> kids overseas, sponsor other children, practice and preach gender
>> equality,
>> work at the Food Bank at St. Mary's, minister at Good Sam, develop
>> genuine
>> friendships with people who feel unloved or outcast, volunteer with the
>> disabled, pray consistently and fervently for peace, march in the LGBT
>> Pride
>> Parade, and seek out ways to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly
>> with
>> our God.  We assume that other Christians do the same, and so do
>> non-Christian faith-living people, and so do those who reject religious
>> belief but give to their community.
>>
>> As I said, my point isn't to defend my church, although I'm always happy
>> to
>> introduce to others these people I love so dearly, and who, amazingly,
>> love,
>> respect, and support me -- that's not something I've ever had before in
>> church.  And I think Tom raises in his question some important issues,
>> given
>> the bigotry permeating the Palouse in the name of Christ.  So I've
>> answered
>> his question, speaking only about my church as a part of it and not
>> officially representing Rock here or anywhere else.  As always, i
>> appreciate
>> Tom's profound and demonstrated concern for injustice, intolerance, and
>> incivility -- in Moscow and elsewhere.  I'm interested in what other
>> Visionaires think.
>>
>> Keely
>> www.keely-prevailingwinds.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2010 17:44:06 -0800
>> > From: thansen at moscow.com
>> > To: vision2020 at moscow.com
>> > Subject: [Vision2020] Curiosity Question
>> >
>> > Hi, V-peeps -
>> >
>> > I know that there are lots and lots of churches located here in
>> Vandalville.
>> >
>> > Just out of curiosity, can anybody "in the know" identify any local
>> > churches NOT listed at . . .
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/interfaiththanksgiving/InterfaithThanksgivingProgram_111810_04.jpg
>> >
>> > Thanks,
>> >
>> > Tom Hansen
>> > Moscow, Idaho
>> >
>> > "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to
>> change
>> > and the Realist adjusts his sails."
>> >
>> > - Unknown
>> >
>> >
>> > =======================================================
>> > List services made available by First Step Internet,
>> > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>> > http://www.fsr.net
>> > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>> > =======================================================
>>
>> =======================================================
>>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>>               http://www.fsr.net
>>          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>> =======================================================
>>
>


"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown