Hello everyone, I apologize for being absent for such a long time. We have been spending time with family the past week or so, and I've not been on the Net much. Michael, appreciate your note about your critique of MacArthur and you starting the prayer forum. Ryan, your comments about Hamas/Gaza/Israel are the right kinds of things to be asking. There is much blame to go around on both sides of the Middle East conflict.

You guys asked about my recent letter published in the Chronicle. The Chronicle website only keeps daily editions online for a week at a time, so the December letter to the editor is already down (and I don't have a copy of it on my computer). But a follow-up letter was also published on January 1, and is copied below.

I will not be able to join you guys this Thursday, but hopefully next week. May God grant all of us Grace this new year, and guide us in the living out of truth in our actions, and the embodying of grace and love to all whom God places in our paths.

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Blake Dunlop’s (Dec. 28 letter, “U.S. is indeed a Christian nation”) assertion that America was founded as a Christian nation does not square with historical fact. Christians of the late 18th century would be astonished that contemporary Christians believe our nation was founded as a Christian nation.

Yes, theocracies existed at the colonial state level prior to the American Revolution (and persecuted Baptists, Quakers, and non-Christians). However, at the insistence of Baptists, Deists, and many others, our founding fathers rejected theocracy and chose a secular government structure. Yes, some states continued to collect taxes for churches into the early 19th century, because some Christians yet yearned for some degree of theocracy. And yes, people of all manner (not just Christians) in the late 18th and 19th centuries spoke to the vague notion of “providence.” John Jay’s reference to “providence” is akin to the deism of most of our founding fathers, as is the formal offering of prayer to a distant universal force or supreme being.

Baptist leader John Leland declared, in 1794, that the state has no reason to care whether “a man worships one God, three Gods, 20 Gods, or no God.” Baptists as a whole helped ensure that America’s founding principles, in terms of religion, were religious liberty, separation of church and state, and pluralism.

In short, America, like most other nations throughout history, has always been a nation of religious persons (as Tyler Mills in a Dec. 29 letter, “Why try so hard to downplay religion?”, correctly notes). But unlike all other nations prior to the late 18th century, America is a secular nation that believes the best way to honor religious faith — and lack of faith — is to separate church (and mosque and synagogue) from state.

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What has been happening in Gaza makes me sick. The massacre of Palestinian people that just happened to take place over the celebration of Hanukkah should be an eye-opener for Christians in America. Wake up America! It is so easy to turn a blind eye to what is happening over there but as for me, I can’t ignore it. Hundreds of civilians, men, women, and children have been bombed in the last few days and all our government, media, and (some) churches can do is give full support for Israel rather than condemn the killing of innocent people. Over 3 million people are imprisoned in Gaza and the West Bank and are essentially being starved to death by the Israeli government and thousands have died over the last few years. This is an issue that should not be ignored.

Here is an interview of someone you most likely have not heard of. Rachel Corrie had spent some time in occupied territory and this is what she had to say:

Rachel was later murdered in 2003 by a bulldozer operator as she tried to prevent him from demolishing another Palestinian home.

It looks like we now have some new features on the blog, including picture updates from Nasa, an improved Twitter feature, and a new feature that allows us to track the number of readers we have and their locations. I really like the new features - especially the pictures from Nasa, which show us the tremendous miracle that is God's creation! Awesome work! I hear the elves will be tinkering with the main website soon :)

May this celebration of our Lord's birth be a reminder of that magnificent day in human history when God Himself stepped down from heaven and assumed human flesh, to walk among His people and make Himself known to all the nations of the Earth. May God richly bless us all as we reflect on that moment when the course of history was forever changed, and a new story was written in the midst of human striving. Today, over 2,000 years after that pivotal moment, the story of Jesus continues to unfold throughout the world, as lives are changed and transformed by the good news of His Kingdom. The next chapter in the story of God's Kingdom is being written right here in Gallatin Valley, and all across the world as men and women are drawn into the life of Christ.

May this be a day of rich blessings as we step forward in faith on this journey and proclaim to all the world the miracle of Christmas - God is with us!
-
Michael

Luke 1: 46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."

What is the definition of Worship?:

I think we would all agree it's more than a specific act[s] of religious devotion. But how? What emotions are involved, or in what matter of attitude do we worship?
Christian mystic Evelyn Underhill defines worship this way:

"The adoring acknowledgment of all that lies beyond us—the glory that fills heaven and earth. It is the response that conscious beings make to their Creator, to the Eternal Reality from which they came forth; to God, however they may think of Him or recognize Him, and whether He be realized through religion, through nature, through history, through science, art, or human life and character."

I would agree totally with this definition. Worship can manifest itself in different ways:

• prayer;
• sacrifice;
• rituals;
• some forms of meditation;
• holidays, festivals;
• sacraments;
• pilgrimages;
• music or singing;
• dance;
• eating food;
• readings from sacred books;
• listening to a talk or sermon;
• the construction of temples or shrines;
• the creation of idols of the deity.
• private acts of devotion

In Christianity, check out "Christian Worship" or "Contemporay Worship" on Wikipedia. Personally I was surprised 99% of the information pertained to music, while most Christians would profess music is only one aspect of Worship, while in the same breath talk about how "Worship" (pertaining to music) was good or bad in their church.

This narrative/music liturgy will involve the whole congregation. The musicians will include the Bridger String Quartet, 2 percussionists, flute, bell choir, church choir, organ, harpsichord, harp, and piano. The music is complex, yet very worshipful.
This will be Sunday Dec 7th 7:00 at Hope Lutheran.
Directions are easy, go south on 19th, take a right at the blinking light past Grace Bible.