Posted on 01/25/2008 9:16:23 AM PST by mbarker12474
"Grace Notes" for February 2008, by United Methodist Church Bishop Charlene Kammerer:
Why we should care about God’s creation
The psalmist has declared in Psalm 8: "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet..."
My Christian faith and The United Methodist Church have taught me that all of creation belongs to the Lord God Almighty. Because we are all created in the image of God, who created a beautiful earth and heavens beyond what we can see, we are given responsibility for the ways in which we use the earth, or abuse the creation. We are to value and conserve water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space. We are called to be good stewards of God’s creation, not because of what benefit it will be to us, but because it belongs to God.
If anyone is in doubt of how we humans have abused the gift of the earth, all you have to do is read Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth. This book, complete with stunning photographs, charts, and compelling evidence of global warming, invites us to seriously consider again our stewardship responsibilities. [Editor’s note: A film of the same name was released the summer of 2006 and is now available on DVD.]
Gore states at the close of his book, "Now it is up to us to use our democracy and our God-given ability to reason with one another about our future and make moral choices to change the policies and behaviors that would, if continued, leave a degraded, diminished, and hostile planet for our children and grandchildren — and for humankind."
The earth is the Lord’s. We are children of God. We are called to love and protect the earth and all of creation. God is counting on us — will we be found wanting?
Gore help us.
Maybe we could get the Christian Coalition to join forces with PETA next. It would be much more entertaining.
Sad, it would be easy to get angry, but being a hospice nurse consider this: I had a man abuse the entire hospice team so badly that we had to discharge him. He simply wasn’t yet at the stage he could accept our help let alone his disease.
He was only 44 years old with kidney cancer.
You can’t take it personally, how would I react to the news that I was dying, going to die and only 44? I turned 47 today and have young kids that sang me happy birthday when they got home from school, so I can’t even FATHOM dying right now! Not now.
The homeless have no one to target their anger for a failed life or bad circumstances but themselves or those within easy proximity.
Best just to ignore that behavior, keep helping them and ask yourself how Jesus would have YOU react.
Sometimes they’re mentally ill and also very territorial and stick to each other. And sometimes this is just how they try to “break the ice” with outsiders, to test your mettle to see if you’re just a do-gooder to make yourself feel better OR truly care about THEM!
Right up until it suits him to squash you.
There are so many different options, it would be difficult for me to narrow it down, but OneVike mentioned what God expects from us.
To give you one idea, let me share what my daughter shared with me a few days ago.
She is a 19 year old Freshmen at a private Christian college in Arkansas. A group of her friends drive an hour to Little Rock every Saturday, to a low income housing complex, and spend time with the children that live there. Last Saturday, while driving to Little Rock, they passed a homeless man and after some discussion they turned around and drove back to where he was. To make a long story short, they took him to a burger place (the group consisted of both girls and boys) bought him some food, and spent time with him hearing his story. They also prayed with him...when my daughter shared the story she kept saying how amazing it was and how great it was how God used them to "serve" this man. The story is much longer, but I think you get the idea.
It is great to plan ways to help, but many times, God puts opportunities right in front of us, and we just ignore them.
Beware, when you pray for opportunities, they will come! ;o)
Thanks so much jan! I took a much needee day off today. First time I’ve taken this day off in decades! :)
AMEN!
May I humbly say, you are far too wise to remain silent!
Glad you took the day off. After practically living in the hospital for two months taking care of my mother last year, I have a newfound respect and appreciation for nurses and for hospice workers!
I reconized the Bishop’s name from years ago when I left the apostate United Methodist Church.
Put “Charlene Kammerer” and the word “lesbian” into Google and see what comes up. Below is a typical story regarding her.
News
Unrepentant Active Homosexual “In” And Faithful Pastor “Out” Despite UM High Church Ruling
Active Homosexual Accepted Into Church Membership in Controversial United Methodist Case “United Methodism officially declares that homosexual practice, like other sex outside of marriage, is ‘incompatible with Christian teaching.’” — UMAction Executive Director Mark Tooley
WASHINGTON, Mar. 30 /Christian Newswire/ — The homosexual man who precipitated the two year national controversy over the Rev. Ed Johnson has been accepted as a member at South Hill United Methodist Church in South Hill, Virginia by Rev. Johnson’s successor. Two years ago, then pastor Ed Johnson had declined immediate church membership for the homosexual man, who was cohabitating with his same-sex partner. Bishop Charlene Kammerer intervened, demanding immediate church membership for the homosexual man. When Johnson refused, the bishop put him on unpaid administrative leave. Rev. Johnson was restored to his pulpit at South Hill in Fall 2005. But in Spring 2006, Bishop Kammerer moved him to another congregation. Rev. Johnson’s successor at South Hill accepted the homosexual man into membership this month, presumably with the full support of Bishop Kammerer.
UMAction Executive Director Mark Tooley releases the following statement:
“This complex story is not about homosexuality per se, but about the meaning of church membership. Liberal bishops and caucus groups insist that church membership is an automatic right. But traditionalists have a more nuanced understanding, believing that church members should seriously strive to live up to their membership vows.
“In October 2005, the United Methodist Church’s Judicial Council overruled Bishop Kammerer, declaring that local pastors have discretion about who is ready for church membership. The church court did not directly address the issue of church membership and homosexual practice. United Methodism officially declares that homosexual practice, like other sex outside of marriage, is ‘incompatible with Christian teaching.’ The denomination does not ordain active homosexuals and expects celibacy of unmarried clergy. But the denomination has no specific law about homosexual practice and church membership.
“Bishop Kammerer has advocated that all persons who apply for church membership must be automatically enrolled. Rev. Johnson held to a more traditional Methodist view that church members must be ready to live within church teachings. While pastor at South Hill, Rev. Johnson had welcomed the homosexual man, who sang in the church choir. But Rev. Johnson had thought more counseling was needed before church membership was appropriate.
“Despite pressures and punishments from his bishop, Rev. Johnson strove to uphold the traditional Wesleyan understanding that church membership is a special vocation, not an automatic right. The traditional understanding, with its focus on conversion, helped Methodism become America’s largest church in the 19th century. The ‘inclusivist’ understanding has fueled United Methodism’s loss of 3 million members over the last 40 years in the U.S. So who is genuinely more inclusive?”
Source: http://www.christiannewswire.com/index.php?module=releases&task=view&releaseID=2655
I get the point. The point is that without that mission these folks might not eat at all, prefering to pandandle for booze and smokes. I get it that to judge is wrong.
I also get that these folks are really selfish. They do as they please and it’s frustrating to watch people help those who don’t want it. Not wrong, just frustrating.
And yes, many have mental health issues. I understand in a way because I don’t like medication, etc. Too many people in the 60’s and 70’s went down in flames from drugs.
Yes and to top it off it’s a fallen world and dark forces are going to keep it that way until Christ’s return. We’re just here to make it a brighter place in the interim IMO.
And you certainly do your part! I love all my brothers and sisters, but it’s hard to feel closer to anyone than I feel to my FRiends!
;o)
He’s dead, Jim.
I don’t think he will destroy all of it. After all, He’s coming back to rule for 1,000 years and there will be people here at that time.
If we want God to bless our finances and even our lives, we HAVE to give Him the first fruits (at least 10%—the tithe and our offerings). He will increase our finances and give us back more than we give, but first we have to give it. Otherwise, we rob God. He knows our hearts and that’s what he wants to change. It’s not that he needs our money, but it’s what’s in our hearts toward Him that He’s looking for.
~~Anthropogenic Global Warming ™ ping~~
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