"In fact, I would suggest that people of faith who are leaders in the business world have a theological imperative to recognize that the world is not as it was created and intended to be, to identify the changes needed to bring about healing and wholeness, and to work without ceasing for change that transforms lives."
On Sunday, January 30, a new "Faith & Values" column in the Richmond Times-Dispatch featured a guest article by St. Paul's parishioner Steven Micas, "Elected officials need your prayers." In it, Steve reflects:
"I prefer to see my job as an opportunity to project spirituality by engaging in a kind of quiet 'missionary' work. Each member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Richmond, where I worship, has a unique way of 'proclaiming Christ in the heart of the city.' For me, proclaiming Christ works best in small public and private ways as I work in the 'fishbowl' of local government...
We all know that direct proselytizing in the workplace is inappropriate. More effective than proselytizing, I think, is the symbolic value of small acts of personal kindness, courage and decency that best reflect a life in conformity with the teachings of St. Paul.
Human examples such as protecting a female employee from sexual harassment by a powerful supervisor, finding a home for a 15-year-old Mexican boy who walked to Virginia from Guadalajara, or publicly correcting a purposeful misstatement by a politician all illustrate that Christian values do have a place at work.
On Sundays, just being in the collective presence of each of you sharing the sacraments is calming and renewing. The sense of community at St. Paul's uplifts me and supports me for the sometimes ugly conflict inherent in the political world."
Yesterday, Wallace+ shared his experience at a gun show this past August during a briefing at the Virginia General Assembly about legislation to close the gun show loophole. He spoke along with Del. Jennifer McClellan, sponsor of the bill, and Lori Haas, whose daughter survived the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting. Also supporting the measure are Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones and Police Chief Bryan Norwood.
"My experience at a gun show, and my faith in the Prince of Peace, compels me to pray for and work for an end to the "No questions asked" gun sales on the outskirts of our city. We can do better than the status quo of the any gun/any place/any time agenda...
For the sake of the Prince of Peace, and for the sake of our fellow citizens, we must no longer sit on the sidelines and wait for more Virginians to die; for more guns purchased in Virginia to find their way trafficked to other states where they are used to kill and maim our brothers and our sisters.
We know better. Our elected officials, who represent us, know better. So let's act like it and let our better angels prevail. May God give our lawmakers the courage and good judgment to do the right thing and close the Gun Show Loophole."
Click on "read more" for the full text of his remarks.
As blogged earlier, St. Paul's hosted the Third Annual Interfaith Service of Prayer & Music this afternoon, praying for our democracy and all elected leaders. Prayers were offered by a Hindu priest, a Muslim student leader, a Rabbi, and by Christian clergy from the Methodist and Episcopal traditions. You can listen to each of the prayers offered, as well as the Welcome and Benediction, by clicking on the links below.
Dear God, the source of all we desire and all we need, we thank you for the great gift of our democracy, the great of our government: we pray for our leaders, that you would grant them all the wisdom and courage and strength they need to govern for the good of all your people. May they honor the public trust they have been given, that divisions may be healed, and that forbearance, respect, and unity would grow. And, together, may we become yet more fully that city upon a hill that we have for so long desired to be, for our own sake, and for the sake of all the nations of the earth. In the name of God we pray. Amen
Technical difficulties? If you do not hear the correct forum after selecting a prayer, please click on the grey tab at the bottom left-hand corner of your screen. Then, select the tab on the player that says "Playlist." You will then see a full menu of audio tracks from which to choose the prayer you'd like to hear.
Pictured above (L-R): Wallace+, Pundit Raja Gopal, Rabbi Ben Romer, The Rev. Ben Campbell, Charles Turner, and The Rev. Pat Shipley
Thank you to all who attended the Third Annual Interfaith Service of Prayer & Music at St. Paul's earlier today. This community service was a time for people to join together in prayer for our democracy, elected leaders, and public servants as Virginia's General Assembly reconvened.
In his welcome, Wallace+ explained further:
We come together this week, as the members of our General Assembly gather, across the way, for a new session, to do the business of the people of our Commonwealth; and we come together this week as our nation continues to mourn and to pray over the events of last Saturday, in Tuscon, Arizona; as we continue to pray for all those effected, for those recovering, and for those grieving.
When Congresswoman Giffords was attacked she was, of course, doing the most essential thing that public servants do: she was meeting the people; she was listening to the people; she was asking the people what they need. And the others gathered there, with her, were doing their part, as well, in the essential practice of democracy.
The events of this week underscore for us the precious nature of human life, as well as the precious nature of democracy. Indeed, next to life itself, surely one of the very greatest gifts that we have been given, as Americans, is the gift of democratic government: government of the people, for the people, and by the people.
Today we join together to pray for that democracy, for our democracy, for our Republic; for peace and for justice; and, indeed, we come together to pray for all people, for all God's children, praying for justice and peace around the world.
For those who couldn't be with us, audio of each of the prayers offered will be posted shortly.
A few things in the current headlines that I am especially grateful for:
Repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. Wow! A major step forward in the name of justice. Comparable to the integration of the Armed Forces in 1948.
That the tensions on the Korean peninsula have, at least for now, relaxed. We pray for peace on earth.
That Pope Benedict is speaking more pointedly and, I would say, courageously, about the crisis in the Roman Catholic Church around the sexual abuse of minors. That he would ask the question of how it was that this was allowed to happen is very promising. Let us pray for him, for the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church, and, of course, for those who have suffered abuse. Let us pray for healing, and for a new day.
As we say often, but not often enough: Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Thanks to WCVE Public Radio, a community idea station, for their ongoing sponsorship of our Eyes on Richmond series. In case you missed it, yesterday WCVE aired this report by Craig Carper from Friday's Eyes on Richmond program with political scientist and University of Richmond professor Daniel Palazzolo.
The forum, titled "The 2010 Midterm Elections & Beyond," focused on the results of last Tuesday's elections. In one of his key points, Palazzolo explained that divided government does not necessarily result in gridlock and can move forward:
"There are plenty of times when Democrats and Republicans are able to bridge their differences and move on, even under President Bush, who some argue was the most polarizing figure in American politics... It depends a lot on what the leaders want to do. it’s going to be a very difficult two years, no question about it, partly because of this polarization, but there are issues on which the two parties can work together and move things forward."
If interested, you can also listen to Dr. Palazzolo's full remarks below, followed by an open Q&A session.
In the last week or so, did you find yourself wondering, at any point, why it would be left to a comedian to call the nation to civility?... Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Jon Stewart's and of Stephen Colbert's (and, in the name of full disclosure, I went to the Rally to Restore Sanity). And, after all, there is long precedent here: the age-old role of court jester as truth teller comes to mind (see Shakespeare).
And yet, a fellow Richmond pastor asked me, this week, why the Church isn't doing anything for the cause of civility; why the Church isn't showing leadership on this, on civility.
Sweeping back over the whole of American history, the producers of "God in America" asked the 16 participants, "What does America need to know about religion? And what can PBS do about it?" A New York Times piece on Sunday gives the three-part documentary series a very positive review. I'm definitely going to watch.
While you're at it, I likewise commend to you a NYT column by Nicholas Kristof, also from Sunday, where he creatively underlines the uncomfortable truth of how uninformed Americans are about religion; a reality demonstrated by a recent pew poll.
Much to learn; much to pray about.
May God open our minds, our hearts, and, perhaps above all, our imaginations.
And, of course, this Christmas, tonight, and tomorrow, new memories are being made; a Carol sung, pure and exquisite; an old friend; warm, endearing words exchanged; a first Christmas for a new grandbaby; a candle lit, a face aglow, eyes agleam.
More than fifty times, in his published writings, Barth refers to the Grunewald image; and, indeed, usually, it is precisely in reference to John, and John’s relation to the figure of Christ; as he points.
Barth (and Grunewald before him) understood John’s sole purpose to be to serve as a pointer to Christ, a reference to Christ, a witness to Christ.
On any given day, there are those things that would get our attention; those things that would bring fresh perspective; those things would remind us of what is most important, what is most true. If, that is, if we but notice. We never know when those things, those experiences, those people might come. And so it has always been, so it has always been.
The Rule of 72, they call it. It’s a rule of thumb to figure how long it’ll take to double your money. If you know you can get 5%, on your investment, then you divide 5 into 72 and that tells you: it’ll take roughly 14 and ½ years to double your money. That’s the Rule of 72. Now, sometimes an investor doesn’t want to wait 14 and a ½ years, or however long the Rule of 72 tells you that you have to wait and so increased risks are taken. And sometimes you win, and sometimes you loose.
We all want, in the words of St. Paul, to “lead a life worthy of God.” A life worthy of God. Un-like the lives of the false prophets, of Micah’s day, or the false teachers of Jesus’ day, the scribes and the Pharisees, teachers of the law. Their lives are un-worthy of God, we are told, in no uncertain terms. In their hypocrisy, they serve, not God, not God’s people, but themselves.
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Cross-posted from the Richmond Times-Dispatch
Thank you to all who attended the 
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