May 31 Today’s Prayer
May 30 Today’s Prayer
You are our refuge, Lord. You ride on the clouds to our rescue. You uphold us in Your everlasting arms of love. Amen.Redemption and Michael Vick
People have been talking alot about disgraced ex-NFL quarterback Michael Vick these days.
He is the subject of some interesting commentary featured in an e-newsletter from the Humane Society of the United States that popped up in my e-mail today.
I have been listening to talk radio all week and folks are sharing their opinions about whether Vick should be allowed to become an NFL player again since his dog fighting conviction. Vick spent 18 months in Leavenworth Federal Prison and people are wondering if they’ll see him throwing the pigskin at a NFL game in the future.
The Humane Society’s e-newsletter, called “The Humane Steward: Faith in Action for Animals,” is a monthly mix of interesting articles and commentary about the faithful’s call to care for animals. This month’s e-newsletter discusses Vick’s offer to help with the society’s anti-dogfighting campaign. It also includes some narrative about stories of redemption in the Bible and society CEO Wayne Pacelle (pictured below) talks about his recent decisions regarding Vick.
“He’s served his sentence, and now he’s made a personal appeal to The HSUS to involve him in anti-dogfighting and anti-cruelty efforts. Will we continue to flog Michael Vick indefinitely, or will we take advantage of his expressed desire to do better, to be an agent of change for animals?,” Pacelle wrote.
” I knew it would be controversial, but I decided it was the right thing to engage with Michael and give him a chance to participate in our anti-dogfighting efforts.
“We at The HSUS are about change, even the hard cases.”
Read what what else Pacelle has to say: “Talk Back: Michael Vick as Messenger.”
To sign up for the Humane Society’s Humane Steward e-newsletter and read more about the society’s Animals and Religion program, go to www.humanesociety.org/religion.
(AP PHOTO AT TOP: Michael Vick arrives at federal court surrounded by the media for a meeting with his parole officer in Norfolk, Va. on May 22.)
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
May 29 Today’s Prayer
May 28 Today’s Prayer
Lord, continue to pour out Your blessings as we carry out Your will and justice. Keep us from the snare of pride. Amen.May 27 Today’s Prayer
Dear Lord, may we offer You sacrifices of righteousness even as we feast on the abundance You provide. Amen.May 26 Today’s Prayer
Battle against stroke
Many churches across the nation participated in Power Sunday, part of the Power to End Stroke awareness campaign.
On that Sunday, church leaders were encouraged to preach a lifesaving message to their congregations about preventing stroke and the services were dedicated to those who have survived or died of stroke.
Power Sunday is held any Sunday in May, which is American Stroke Month.
Urban gospel recording artist Kirk Franklin kicked off this year’s Power Sunday at his church, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas.
According to the Power to Edn Stroke blog, Franklin talked to the congregation about the risk factors and warning signs of stroke. Then, he led the congregation in the Power To End Stroke pledge. More than 1,200 church members took the pledge. During the service, Oakcliff’s Pastor Tony Evans reinforced the message, and church member and stroke survivor, Bertha Banks, gave a personal testimony, according to the blog. After the service, the Health and Wellness ministry conducted health screenings and distributed educational brochures.
Oklahomans can look forward to a visit from Franklin as part of the Power to End Stroke “Fight of Our Life” Health tour. He will be appearing along with local performers — church choirs, singers, mime groups and others — at two separate events, one in Tulsa and one in Oklahoma City, sometime in July.
I’ll keep you updated as more details are shared by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
May 23 Today’s Prayer
Bless our land, Lord, with the precious dew from heaven above and the deep waters that are below. Amen.
Church of Scotland channels LifeChurch.tv
The Religion News Service just sent out a brief article saying that the Church of Scotland is considering ”virtual ministers” to stem a shortage of full-time clergy.
Upon reading the full story, it sounds like the church is taking an idea that Edmond-based LifeChurch.tv has been using to maximum effect for years.
The news service reports that the Church of Scotland wants to use virtual ministers who would preach over a live video link to congregations that do not have a permanent minister.
“Preaching by live video link to vacant congregations is one of many radical changes being proposed by the Ministries Council,” Gordon Bell, media relations officer with the Church of Scotland, told Ecumenical News International.
He said the report to the Presbyterian church’s May 21-27 General Assembly suggests the Kirk, as the Church of Scotland is known locally, should consider the use of video technology in churches which struggle to attract full-time ministers.
The Orkney presbytery, which has 21 congregations spread over more than 10 islands, will be used to test the program by linking four congregations in the archipelago with technology similar to video conferencing.
There are presently an estimated 190 full-time vacancies for clergy across Scotland, which has a population of 5.1 million, the RNS reports.
If successful, church officials say a number of congregations in some of the most remote parts of Scotland would be able to take part in the same service.
Meanwhile, at LifeChurch.tv campuses, whether they be in Oklahoma or beyond (Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, Florida and New York), people attend worship experiences with Craig Groeschel (pictured above), senior pastor, or one of the church’s teaching pastors, delivering the sermon via satellite. Groeschel typically delivers the message live at one of the church sites and this is beamed via satellite. They’ve been doing it for years.
Is this an idea whose time has come? Will we see more ministries doing the same?
If so, Oklahoma is well ahead of the game.
(PHOTO by Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman: Craig Groeschel, senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv, sits in the sanctuary of the LifeChurch.tv headquarter campus at Interstate 35 and Second Street in Edmond in this 2005 photograph.)
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
