Products About Us Newsletters Links Become a Sponsor! Privacy Policy Home
 |
CHI RHO
CONNECTION |
Vol. VII, No. 11 1. Link of the
Month: www.climatecrisis.net 2.
Ten
Things You Can Do to Help Stop Global Warming 4.
Step Number 5: "Avoid Negative People and Churches"
-------------------------------------------------- "Service is the rent you pay for room on this planet." -- Shirley Chisholm ***** Welcome once again to the Chi Rho Connection, the
electronic newsletter of Chi Rho Press. Thank you for passing this Chi Rho
Connection on to others. To join our list, send an e-mail message to
ChiRhoPress-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. To remove yourself from this list send an e-mail to
ChiRhoPress-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com. Please visit our Web site at www.chirhopress.com to
see our entire lines of books, handouts, videos, tapes, tchochkas, and stained
glass. Direct all other e-mail to
Adam@ChiRhoPress.com.
Return to table of contents 1.
Link of the Month:
www.climatecrisis.net
My friend Kevin Fries and I went to see Al Gore's
movie, "An Inconvenient Truth" last Saturday. It was a real horror movie. Lots
of Gore, Al Gore that is. (Sorry for the bad pun.) Seriously, it was an amazing movie and very powerfully
done. We recommend it to all of you. In it Al Gore outlines the science behind
the reality of global warming and its implications on all of us in coming years. Our link of the month is the link to the Web site
former Vice President Gore has set up to both promote the movie and the
environmental movement to reduce global warming. Please go to
http://www.climatecrisis.net and read about this important issue.
Return to table of contents
2.
Ten Things You Can Do to Help Stop Global Warming (Taken from the Web site, www.climatecrisis.net ) Want do to something to help stop global warming?
Here are 10 simple things you can do. Change a light. Replacing one regular light
bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb will save 150 pounds of carbon
dioxide a year. Drive less. Walk, bike, carpool, or take mass
transit more often. You'll save one pound of carbon dioxide for every mile you
don't drive. Recycle more. You can save 2,400 pounds of
carbon dioxide per year by recycling just half of your household waste. Check your tires. Keeping your tires inflated
properly can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Every gallon of gasoline
saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere! Use less hot water. It takes a lot of energy
to heat water. Use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350
pounds of carbon dioxide saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or
warm water (500 pounds saved per year). Avoid products with a lot of packaging. You
can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide if you cut down your garbage by 10%. Adjust your thermostat. Moving your thermostat
down just two degrees in winter and up two degrees in summer. You could save
about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment. Plant a tree. A single tree will absorb one
ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Turn off electronic devices. Simply turning
off your television, DVD player, stereo, and computer when you are not using
them will save you thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Spread the word! Encourage your friends to see An
Inconvenient Truth.
Return to table of contents There are wonderful music offerings on the Chi Rho
Press Web site: "I am Not Ashamed," by David North and the
Gospel Celebration. CD for $15.00 each, cassette tape for $10.00 each, plus
shipping and handling. All songs on this excellent album were written by the
Rev. David K. North, now pastor of Holy Redeemer Metropolitan Community Church,
College Park, Maryland, USA, except "I am Not Ashamed," which was written by
Virgil Night and David North. Gospel Celebration includes David North, piano and
lead vocals; Janina Sajka, keyboard; Jeanie Broderick, drums and percussion;
Virgil Night, bass guitar and vocals; Scott Breivold, tenor; Shirley L. Clay,
alto; Freida Rink-Walton, soprano; and Myriam Valle, soprano. Additional
instrumental soloists for selected songs include Myriam Valle on acoustic
guitar, Dave Hanbury on lead guitar, Al Williams on saxophone, and Dennis
Thompson on bagpipes. Songs on this album include "Whosoever Will," "A
Little Bit of Faith," "Beloved," "He Was Wounded," "Be Encouraged," "No, I'll
Never Turn Back," "Power of Prayer," "Justified," "I'm Covered," "My Prayer,"
and "I'm Not Ashamed." David North and the Gospel Celebration use this as
their mission statement: "We are committed to extending the celebration of joy
in God's Word and the inclusive healing power of God's Love to all communities
through our music. "It is our hope that whoever may share in this
outpouring of praise will take something away that will uplift and enrich their
life. "We ask your prayers for our steadfastness to this
goal; that nothing keep us from the course of this ministry." Read about and order this album on the Chi Rho Press
Web site at
http://www.chirhopress.com/products/product_details/AudioRevNotAshamed.htm Also on the Web site is "Jesus is Lord of All,"
by Witness. Cassette tape, Special low price of $5.00. Witness was a vibrant LGBT Christian music group that
had it's roots in the Metropolitan Community Church of Washington, DC. Included
on this tape are David Carlin King, guitar; Tom Hall, piano and vocals; Dale
Jarrett, bass and vocals; Jeanie Broderick, percussion. The Tape includes "I
Need Jesus," "Jesus is Lord of All," "Cling to the Cross," "I'm One of the
King's Kids," "Trinity," "Ida's Song," "What Will You Have Me Do," "Right Now,"
"I Am Willing," and "Ten Thousand Years." All of the selections are original
songs by Dale Jarrett and Virgil Night, except "Ten Thousand Years," a hymn
standard. Read about and order this album on the Chi Rho Press
Web site at
http://www.chirhopress.com/products/product_details/AudioRevLordOfAll.htm
Return to table of contents
4.
Step Number 5: "Avoid Negative People and Churches" Step Number 5 in the "Steps to Recovery from Bible
Abuse," by the Rev. Dr. Rembert Truluck, is to "Avoid Negative People and
Churches." Here is the introductory material from chapter 10 of
"Steps to Recovery from Bible Abuse," in which Dr. Truluck outlines the fifth
step needed to recover from Bible abuse. The Fifth Step: Avoid Negative People and Churches Listening to legalistic and abusive religious leaders
can undercut and delay your recovery. Preparatory Bible Reading: Mark 7:1-23 and Colossians
2:20-23 Paul said in all his letters "some things hard to
understand, which the untaught [ignorant] and unstable distort [twist and
torture] as they do also the rest of scriptures, to their own destruction. You
therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being
carried away by the errors of unprincipled people, you fall away from your own
steadfastness" (2 Peter 3:16-17). Many people are startled to learn that this warning
about ignorant and unprincipled people who distort and twist scripture is
contained in the New Testament itself. For a person who has been abused and
oppressed by legalistic and judgmental religion to continue to go to an abusive
church or tune in to abusive religious broadcasts is like an alcoholic going to
bars. Family pressures, long term religious conditioning from childhood, and a
desire to "fit in" can lead you into unhealthy religious situations. A friend
recently told me that she grew up in a loving and healthy church where the
pastor's first words to every baptismal class were, "Beware of any church that
tries to tell you how to think." Use your brain. Think for yourself. Jesus did not
say, "Follow the rules, follow Paul, follow the traditions, follow the priest or
preacher, follow the church, or follow the Law." Jesus gave only one invitation
to all people equally, "Follow me." Resist the spiritual virus of legalism. Legalism is
alien to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Legalism is spiritual
antimatter that dissolves the love, patience, and acceptance that God intends
you to have towards other people. Exposing yourself to legalistic religion is
like exposing yourself to a deadly virus. It is a chance you do not want to
take! Buy the complete book, "Steps to Recovery from Bible
Abuse," on the Chi Rho Press Web site, at this link:
http://www.chirhopress.com/products/product_details/BookRevStepsToRecovery.html
Return to table of contents Here is a selection from our second major book of
reflections, "Christian with a Twist: Reflections on Scripture that are a bit
more inclusive, a bit more relevant, and with a bit of a bite," by the late
William Gaston. "Christian with a Twist" is available for $19.95 each,
$14.95 each for six or more copies, plus shipping and handling. You can read
more about it and order it at
http://www.chirhopress.com/products/product_details/BookRevChristianWithATwist.htm As the subtitle suggests, Bill's writing has a bit of
a bite, and we believe you will enjoy his sharp, but loving take on Scripture,
life, and faith. Here is a selection entitled "Magikal" from the
Pentecost and Ordinary Time section of "Christian with a Twist." Please read Isaiah 6:1-8 If I had turned to this passage six months or a year
ago I would have probably passed it by more quickly than you could say,
"cherubim and seraphim." I mean, what the heck is a seraph anyway? I like my
God to be natural. Six winged creatures and purification by fire seem like the
stuff of pagan religions, not mine. But then what is natural? I have learned a bit about
pagan beliefs of late, and while they are way too complicated for me, Jesus told
me not to judge. Christianity can be made very complicated, too. To some it is
unbelievable. Jesus did not say anything about seraphs, but he did know the
book of Isaiah and I am sure his reflections were a lot better than mine. Maybe
I should be looking for the truth rather than a way to justify my unbelief. Whether they came from the mind of Isaiah or holy
intervention, the seraphs said something that is very real to me. Before the
communion table we recite: "Holy, holy, holy LORD God of power and might! Heaven and earth are full of your glory!" I feel the presence of Jesus as we come forward to the
table. For me the bread and the cup are symbols of that reality. For others
perhaps they are physically transformed. God meets us where we are; physically,
mentally, and spiritually. I guess we could also add; imaginatively. The image of a six-winged creature purifying the mouth
of Isaiah with a live coal is not one I want engraved on my mind. But then, I
have cheerfully ridden a gurney on the way to surgery several times. Some would
rather face a seraph with a hot coal. The lessons of Jesus we can take
anywhere. Jesus taught that God can provide whatever is needed for us to
measure up to the tasks God lays before us. I affirm that when I serve communion. If somebody
needs a mystical creature to convince them that their voice can be used by God,
then I am sure God can come up with such a creature. After all, God came up
with me.
http://www.chirhopress.com/products/product_details/BookRevChristianWithATwist.htm
Return to table of contents As a regular feature in the Chi Rho Connection, we are
offering up traditional saints listed in the 2006 Liturgical Calendar and
Lectionary from today until our next scheduled electronic newsletter. ***** Sat., July 15, St. Henry the Emperor.
Offerings: St. Henry gave up and deprived himself of many things that his
offerings could enrich the house of God. We spend money on ourselves and leave
Jesus in poverty and neglect. "For here in the church all our wealth is
treasured; here lies all our hope," St. John Chrysostom. Sun., July 16, Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary our
mother: The church teaches us to strengthen our own prayers by seeking those of
the saints and blessed in heaven, who can hear and intercede for us. And above
them all, she who can speak most powerfully for us is Mary, Mother of God.
"Behold the handmaiden of the LORD; be it done unto me according to your word"
(Luke 1:38). Mon., July 17, St. Alexis. Affections: We
must always be ready to sacrifice our dearest and best natural affections in
obedience to the call of our heavenly parent. Our LORD has taught us this not
by words only, but by his own example and by that of the saints. "O God, who
made blessed Alexis, thy confessor, wonderful in his contempt for the world;
grant we beseech thee, that by the help of his intercession thy faithful people
may reject earthly things and ever seek those that are heavenly. Amen." "The
Roman Breviary." Tues., July 18, St. Bonaventure.
Self-effacing: "The fear of God forbids one to give the heart to transitory
things, which are the true seed of sin," St. Bonaventure. "Pride makes a person
almost insane, for it teaches one to despise what is most precious, grace and
glory, and to make esteem what is most contemptible, vanity and ambition," St.
Bonaventure. Wed., July 19, St. Alexius of Rome (Patron
saint: nurses, beggars, travelers). For the love of God: Alexius wanted to
devote himself to God, but his parents arranged a marriage for him. He left his
bride on their wedding day and became a beggar at his own family's house, where
he was not recognized. His family found a note on his body which told them who
he was and how he had lived his life of penance from the day of his wedding
until then, for the love of God. Thurs., July 20, St. Margaret of Antioch.
Steadfastness of belief: St. Margaret teaches us to be steadfast in our belief
in Christ. She chose to be true to her faith over the comforts of life and was
rewarded by being beheaded instead of sacrificing to pagan gods. We must learn
to not compromise our beliefs for comforts nor expediency. Boldly proclaim your
faith and trust in Christ at all opportunities you are given to witness. Fri., July 21, St. Cyril of Caesarea. Home:
Souls on fire with longing for heaven look forward to death and cannot
understand the sorrow of those who would hold them back. Ask Jesus to fill you
with a constant desire for heaven. This desire will make you fervent and
detached, and bring you even here a foretaste of that eternal joy and peace to
which you have ransomed. "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is
destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by
human hands" (2 Corinthians 5:1). Sat., July 22, St. Mary Magdalen. Loving
repentance: "True sorrow for sin is a good infinitely to be desired, and an
unspeakable gladness to the heart. It is healing to the soul, it is forgiveness
of sins, it brings the Holy Spirit back again into the humble and loving heart,"
St. Bernard. Sun., July 23, St. Laurence of Brindisi.
Respect: St. Laurence was always a simple monk, his habit and crucifix were the
secret of his success. Let our faith also be proved in word and work, and the
world which we fear, will be under our feet. "I am not ashamed of the gospel,
because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes"
(Romans 1:16). Mon., July 24, Bd. Ippolito Galantini.
Teaching: St. Ippolito worked to remove that ignorance which is the cause of
sin and he never lost an opportunity to teach anyone. He was known to spend up
to sixteen hours instructing an obstinate sinner. God has given us more of this
world's goods; what are we doing for the instruction of those souls for whom
Jesus died? "Let us try to teach our children virtue and fear of God, and let
all other things take second place," St. John Chyrsostom. Tues., July 25, St. James the Greater. The
cross as the way to glory: We must all desire a place in the realm of our
Creator, but can we drink the chalice that Christ holds out to each of us? We
can, but only in the strength of Jesus, who has drunk it first for us! Diversity Date: Constitution Day, Puerto Rico Wed., July 26, St. Pius V. Respect for the
crucifix: St. Pius used to always kiss the feet of the crucifix on entering and
leaving his room. He learned that energetic perseverance and heroic constancy
which enabled him to do so much for the Christian world. "Let us fix our eyes
on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him
endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the
throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). Thurs., July 27, St. Hyacintha Mariscotti. New
beginnings: St. Hyacintha teaches us that the only way to repair any fault
great or small, is humbly to renew our purpose and begin again. Hyacintha began
her new life by handing over all her property to the abbess, keeping only a
crucifix. "Forget all that is past, and imagine each day that you do but
begin," St. Augustine. Fri., July 28, St. Swithin. Concern for the
poor: The hurt of poverty is soothed even more by a word of true sympathy than
by the alms we give. Alms coldly and casually given irritate rather than
soothe. Even when we cannot give, words of kindness do their healing work; and
when we can give, they are the salt and seasoning of our alms. Sat., July 29, St. Martha (Patron saint:
cooks). Active service: "If you seek Jesus truly in all things, you will find
Jesus. And if you seek yourself you will find yourself," "Imitation of
Christ," St. Thomas a Kempis. Sun., July 30, St. Guthlac. Obedience to
grace: Every good thought is the whisper of grace in our hearts. Listen and
obey instantly, or you may grieve and extinguish the holy spirit of God. "If
you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land, but if you
resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword" (Isaiah 1:19). Mon., July 31, St. Ignatius of Loyola (Patron
saint: retreats). Zeal for God's Glory: When you have gone so far that
tribulation becomes routine and acceptable to you for the love of Christ, then
know that it is well with you, for you have found a paradise on earth. "I have
brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do" (John
17:4). Tues., Aug. 1, St. Alphonsus Liguorri.
Excellent use of time: "Look on every occasion of self-denial as a gift which
God bestows on you so that you may be able to receive greater glory in another
life; and remember that what can be done today cannot be done tomorrow, for time
past never returns," St. Alphonsus. Wed., Aug. 2, Bd. John Colombini. Love of
God: "Let us, dearly beloved, mourn and weep and strictly mortify ourselves.
For we are guilty of ingratitude, or ignoring and almost refusing God, who,
whether we will or no, gives God's-self to us; we, proud ungrateful wretches
that we are, without faith and love, receive this immeasurable gift with
irreverence and coldness and without care. For this we ought to seek to die for
God a thousand times if that were possible," Bd. John Colombini. Thurs., Aug. 3, St. Germanus of Auxerre. Study
of the faith: In order for us to keep our faith pure, we must study it. We
cannot detect lies and untruth until we know and love the truth and for us as
Christians, the truth is not an abstraction, but a person, Jesus Christ, God and
human. "What you have heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with
faith and love in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 1:13). Thurs., Aug. 3, St. Germanus of Auxerre. Study
of the faith: In order for us to keep our faith pure, we must study it. We
cannot detect lies and untruth until we know and love the truth and for us as
Christians, the truth is not an abstraction, but a person, Jesus Christ, God and
human. "What you have heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with
faith and love in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 1:13). Fri., Aug. 4, St. John Vianney (Patron saint:
priests). The miracle of grace: Many miracles were reported of St. John
Vianney but the most difficult and extraordinary work that he did was his own
life. Every Christian has to seek God's aid that God may do a like miracle.
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which
the world has been crucified to me and I to the world" (Galatians 6:14). ***** Order the 2005-2006 Liturgical Calendar and
Lectionary, complete with the entire year's Sanctoral Cycle, at this link:
http://www.chirhopress.com/products/product_details/BookRevLiturgicalCa05_06.html
Return to table of contents I was deeply moved by Al Gore's movie, An Inconvenient
Truth (please see articles 1 and 2 in this issue) and encourage you to see it.
Despite being more or less a documentary and a film of the former Vice
President's PowerPoint presentation on global warming, I found the movie to be
compelling and fascinating. Please go see it if you can. ***** July has been a busy month. So much so that we have
not found a weekend in which to hold our Chi Rho Press board meeting! My
friends Kevin and Jeff had their holy union at Open Door MCC in Boyds, MD (our
home church) on Saturday, July 1. Then two other good friends from Open Door
had their holy union the next Saturday on July 8. And this Saturday we have the funeral of a dear
non-gay woman who died last Friday, leaving her husband, daughter, and
daughter-in-law, and many friends at church. The whole Van Arnum family has
been a vital part of our church community and Linda will be missed greatly.
Please keep the family and our church in your prayers. ***** I really encourage you all to become Guardian Angels
of Chi Rho Press. This will help us a lot as we prepare our next books for
publication. Just $150 for a year will make you an important participant in
this ministry. Thank you! ***** Gracia y paz, R. Adam DeBaugh, Director, Adam@ChiRhoPress.com. ****************************************** We are glad you are partners in ministry with us here
at Chi Rho Press. We are eager for your comments, your suggestions, your
assistance with selling our books, and your own purchases! And of course, we
covet your prayers for this ministry. If you've received the Chi Rho Connection as a result
of someone passing it along to you and would like to receive it directly from
us, please follow these directions: To SUBSCRIBE send blank e-mail to:
ChiRhoPress-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To UNSUBSCRIBE send blank e-mail to:
ChiRhoPress-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Please visit http://www.ChiRhoPress.com. You may pay
by credit card on our web page or we will ship your order after receiving your
check or money order. Please always include your e-mail address, mailing
address, and telephone number. For all e-mail correspondence, please write
Adam@ChiRhoPress.com. Our snail mail address is: Chi Rho Press, Inc. P.O. Box 7864 Gaithersburg, MD 20898 Our telephone and fax number is 301/926-1208. Customers outside the U.S. and especially our Canadian
friends can order using credit cards on our Web page. Some of our books are also available through our
Canadian distributor, MAP Enterprises, Mary Ann Pearson, at her Web page,
http://www.christiangays.com. Copyright 2006, Chi Rho Press, Inc.
15 July 2006
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
Return to table of contents
GO HOME