Shane Claiborne submits the following video from CNN as evidence that there is:
Claiborne also provides a quick summary of the video’s content which includes the following:
He [Haruka Nishimatsu] takes public transportation, shares an office with co-workers, stands in line to eat at the cafeteria. When things got tough in the recession, Haruka cut all his corporate perks, and cut his own salary — making less than his pilots. He felt he needed to share their own pain, and struggle to figure out things like how to fix a water heater that breaks. In his own words, “Relating to what his employees experience” is key to his own survival. When asked about CEOs that make 400 times their workers, he laughed contagiously, and said, “I can’t imagine… Businesses that pursue money first fail.” He went on to say this is a very basic ethic that much of the corporate world has forgotten – people come before profits.
The video doesn’t mention whether or not Haruka Nishimatsu is a professing Christian, but it is clear that in many ways he acts like one.
Today I found a edition of the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) for the Amazon Kindle. I bought the version with the Apocrypha because the price was the same with or without. My sermon preparation gave me occasion to read the Gospel of Mark and it worked great. I would recommend it.
“If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort, you will get neither comfort nor truth, only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin with and, in the end, despair.”
One of our members sent me a link to this article, ”Stop Sugarcoating the Bible,” by Stephen James. In it James writes of all the unvarnished content in the Bible and argues that we need to stop trying to sanitize it. He says, “God is much more interested in honesty than pietism.” I think he’s right, and it’s interesting that the examples he gives aren’t even (in my opinion) some of the roughest parts of the Bible.
I am pleased to announce that Rev. Kibum Kim will be appointed as District Superintendent for the Parsons District effective July 1, 2012. Rev. Janet Maxwell will be moving to another appointment in the Kansas Area at that time.
Jenny and I are looking forward to having Rev. Kibum Kim in the Parsons District.
We had 53 souls at the Ash Wednesday service last night, which I believe is a record. It was good to see so many people resolved to observe a Holy Lent.
I feel like I need to issue a warning. The recent spate of illness and trauma among members of the church has left me physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. For quite some time, I’ve been afraid that this would impair my ability to respond in a pastoral manner to complaints, etc. At the current time, I fear I can not guarantee a polite response to everyone who comes in with a complaint. This is not to say that I’m not willing to hear complaints, and it certainly doesn’t mean that I won’t try to be polite, pastoral, and loving. It does mean that I may sometimes fail.
Several people from Coffeyville First UMC are participating in the “Walk to Jerusalem” walking challenge. The challenge is to see if each district can collectively “walk” the distance from the bishop’s office in Wichita to Jerusalem, which is 6,759 miles. So far Coffeyville First has logged over 2.5 million steps or over 1,250 miles. The challenge lasts until April 15, so there is still time to join the challenge. Keep up the great work!
There’s a good column, titled “Like Religious Freedom? Wear Ashes on Wednesday” over at Red Letter Christians about practicing freedom of religion by participating in the observance Ash Wednesday. The article by Morgan Guyton, a United Methodist pastor, ends with:
Whatever else is true, people across our nation need to see Christians wearing a sign of humility and weakness to counteract the stereotypes that we are an arrogant, powerful species of people. I pray and hope that you will join us in this simple, non-confrontational means of bearing witness.
First United Methodist Church’s Ash Wednesday service will be at 6 pm tomorrow today (February 22, 2012). If you can’t make it at 6 pm, I’ll be happy to make the sign of the cross with ashes on your forehead or the back of your hand during office hours (9 am to 1 pm) tomorrow.
This is the professional blog of John and Jennifer Collins. We are ordained clergy members of the Kansas East Conference of the United Methodist Church and are currently appointed as pastors of Coffeyville First.
The views and opinions expressed here are our own.
This is the professional blog of John and Jennifer Collins. We are ordained clergy members of the Kansas East Conference of the United Methodist Church and are currently appointed as pastors of Coffeyville First.
The views and opinions expressed here are our own.
