I Need to Know This?

I have recognized for many years now that we have a culture that worships at the altar of celebrity. So much so, in fact, that we have people that are famous just because they are famous (pick your favorite "reality star - and I use both of these words loosely - and insert their name here). But, how strange are things when it is newsworthy that a famous person - in this case, Michael Jordan (who is famous for good reason, I might add) - does something utterly ordinary and it makes the news? Case in point, Michael Jordan may or may not have shed a tear as his son's basketball team won the Illinois state high school basketball championship. Whoop-de-dooh! Are we really that obsessed with celebrity that this is news? Are there no other important things happening in the world that perhaps we should know about (like, for example, how would people respond if they read an article on the web and then were told that in the minute that they spent in this insipid, trivial, meaningless tripe - have I made my feelings known, here? - thousands of people died because they do not have enough food). What is next? My question is, "how far are we going to take this lunacy? Michael Jordan cried today. Paris Hilton blew her nose? Lindsey Lohan went potty today, news at 11:00 a.m. I get it - celebrities are people - just like you and me. And it is no more interesting when they wipe their bottoms than when I do. So, perhaps, we can let them live their lives, and get on with living ours.

"Sinfully Proud"

When my dad was Pastor at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Tustin, he had many sayings for which be was famous. One of the most popular was when he would tell his congregation that he was "sinfully proud" of them for something that they had done to reveal God's love and grace and justice to others. Well, I do not plan to use my dad's catch phrases too often in my career, but I do want to say how "sinfully proud" I am to be the pastor at Light of the Canyon UMC. Whether it is reaching out to people in need within our own community, or covenanting with a church in Mexicali, or volunteering at the Special Olympics, or fighting to end slavery and human trafficking in this world, the people at LOTC are engaged in doing the work of God's kingdom. On Saturday morning, March 14, a group of about 27 people from LOTC joined other groups to help prepare food boxes at the Orange County Food Bank. I am proud not only of the fact that so many from the church participated, but also by the genuine caring and joyous attitude that so many had. It was genuinely a great time. Check out this short video to see what I mean. And while one group was at the food bank, there was a smaller group, but no less dedicated, digging ditches at the church to help resolve an outdoor leak. Add to that the scores of folks who help out every day in a variety of ways from teaching a class to installing lights, to writing cards, to delivering meals. And the list goes on and on. One thing that I know is that the kingdom of God is built not only on the large dramatic events that take place in human history. More often than not, it is built on the brick and mortar of daily, faithful, seemingly insignificant acts of kindness, justice and mercy by ordinary people. And I am "sinfully proud" to be the pastor of a church that knows this and lives it.

Don't Take My Word For It

I was catching up on some of the news out of the "not for sale" campaign today. Reading their blog, I found this little ditty about Craigslist. I just thought I would share it with you in case you thought I was pulling your chain (a colloquialism that, I am very much aware, reveals much about my age - it means in case you thought I was kidding). I am not for sale. You are not for sale. No one should be for sale. I don't care how convenient.

Shame on Craigslist

Once again the on-line swap meet Craiglist.com has run afoul of people for its inability to monitor what happens on its network. The Cook County Illinois Sheriff filed a lawsuit against Craigslist "saying the popular Web site promotes and facilitates prostitution on a massive scale." But, according to the article, the issue goes far beyond prostitution. People who stand against slavery and human trafficking have cited that Craigslist has been used to solicit minors for sex as well as to deal in human trafficking. This is a serious issue and, at some point, we have to ask ourselves are the things that we are supporting actually hurting the world. I don't know about you, but I will be staying off of Craigslist until they manage to get their house in order.