The Craw

Halloween!

When I was coming up these costumes were reserved for exotic dancers and prostititutes. What will they wear now to distinguish themselves from middle class pre-teen party goers?

From the French (Reformed that is)

But the Reformed temptation is to disincarnate the word of God, even as the man who receives it, and reduce it to a cerebral act or emotional shock so that instead of laying hold of the real presence of the Lord, we discuss and rationally and carp without end about somebody absent. Under the pretext of “religion in the spirit,” we reduce worship to a cerebral activity and confuse spiritualism with intellectualism and idealism. Only a balanced synthesis of the word and sacraments is able to prevent both Catholic and Reformed deviations.

Richard Paquier, Dynamics of Worship: Foundations and Uses of Liturgy, pg. 33

Make a Difference Day

We planted oak trees today as a church as part of Make a Difference Day. God likes trees and so do we.

Uh...Whatever

Here's a lovely atheistic vision of 1000 years into the future. I, on the other hand, think mankind will be more united around the Gospel at that time with races melding together in glorious beauty and the church expressing itself through a fully orthodox and yet matured Christian tradition whose leadership will have passed from the West to the East. King Jesus' Kingdom will have advanced forcefully.

Presbytery 3

Moscow, ID was neat little town. The CREC churches up there are doing a great job of cultural engagement and transformation. Bucer's, a coffee house/pub, is owned by a church member and is a fun place to hang out. They also have, I kid you not, the best coffee I've ever tasted. The latte was incredible.

Here Doug, Andrew, Steve, John Barach and myself are enjoying some tobacco in Bucer's smoking room.

Beer and brats after a long day of work. The fact that we play together after we struggle through ecclesiastical work is a strength of the CREC. Unlike a presbyterian GA where different cliques go out to recreate in different places, we always collect in one place and enjoy oursleves.

Jamie Soles hollerin' out some tunes around the fire.

Another view of the presbytery meeting itself.

Presbytery 2

We were voted in as a member church of the CREC which allowed us to take a seat at the council table.

Presbytery 1

We're in Moscow, ID attending the Anselm Presbytery meeting of our denomination, the CREC.

Devil Winds

I laid down to take a quick nap at 2:30 p.m. It was a blue sky afternoon. When I woke up 40 minutes later I thought I had gotten up too late because it was as dark as a few minutes before sundown. Smoke from the big wildfire is dense over Santa Clarita. The Santa Ana winds have blowing like crazy today knocking large trees and signs down like cardboard and whipping up wildfires in a perfect storm. The photo is taken from my front yard looking West toward Simi Valley and Malibu beyond.