Table of Contents
Christmas, the Incarnation, and Kairos
One of the reasons I love Christmas is because it is a time of year when Christians literally rearrange the whole of their lives, what they do, what they eat, what they say, what their schedules look like, for the entire purpose of celebrating the coming of Jesus into the world. The truth of the Word made flesh gets embodied in Christmas carols, hot cocoa, gift-giving, parties, and decor.
What the incarnation (the doctrine that God become flesh) tells us is that ultimate spirituality (i.e. God) did not think it above himself to become physicality (i.e. man). It’s hard to wrap our heads around just how spectacular a truth this is, and what the cosmic as well as day-to-day, mundane implications are. When God does something, everything changes. He’s not like us in that sense. When you take a day off, you get some rest. End of story. But when God takes a day off like He did on the seventh day, he creates a pattern that shapes the whole history of the world. Not only was Israel called to participate in Sabbath rest every seventh day, but Hebrews tells us that Sabbath rest is the destiny to which this world and God’s people are headed. A great glorious, eternal future all because God took a break.
Now think for a moment what that means about the incarnation. The incarnation means that God wore a diaper. God swept the kitchen floor. God hammered and chiseled beside his father. God had friends. God had a family. God ate fish and drank wine. In other words, the physicality of daily chores, of the simple pleasures of life, of dependency on one another has been baptized by ultimate Holiness.
Too often we think that what God wants of us is to make some time to do “spiritual” things. To take a break from the daily, mundane, physical world so that we can be “spiritual” for a little while. But that is not what God calls us to at all. Spirituality and physicality are not exclusive to one another. They are two sides of the same coin. Physicality was made to unite with spirituality. Flesh and matter were made to be filled with Spirit.
Therefore, when we say, “I’m really in the Christmas spirit,” that’s exactly right. We may not be living it perfectly, but what we are saying is that something is inside of me that is being expressed physically in all I do. My table, my house, my words, my clothes, my ears are all bursting with a festive joy, a love, a pleasure, something I can’t even really describe other than to say it is a “spirit.”
It is this idea that the Word became flesh, that spirituality is breathed into physicality, that really drives this newsletter. We believe that being joyfully physical creatures is not contrary to being devoted spiritual worshippers. In fact, we can and do best worship when that worship is coming alive in physical expression. This newsletter is not simply filled with stories, recipes, images, and cultural engagement. It’s filled with spirituality. It’s filled with worship. We want the Word to become flesh.
Christos Kurios,
Danny Strong
Editor in Chief
LLB Life
Church Report: Makelings Night
by Anna Schrock, Victoria Strong, and Madison Osborne
Our first Makelings night hosted at the church was highly successful and presented a good chance to learn about the arts and crafts that Anita Gordon and Madison Osborne displayed.
The night began with our newly formed band, The Tweeds. The Tweeds are a hot new band (literally, they were sweating in their tweed jackets) that performed for us on Makelings night. The band consists of Mrs. Schrock, Mr. Feavel, and Pastor Danny. They already participate in a worship band for church, but decided they would start a band for Makelings. After the song, More than Conquerors, everyone had almost lost their voices. They also played Lord I need You, by Matt Maher, which is a old hymn put to new music. Mr. Feavel let me in on a plan that they'll go on a tour (in about twenty years). So when we are adults, we will be looking for the Tweeds, who played music in our childhood. Just kidding. It was a great starting note for the Makelings night.
A pause for extremely dessert-like refreshments followed. All was homemade and tasty; there was even a gluten free option for anyone who needed it.
Next, Pastor Danny gave a short talk on how everything has a story, even something as obscure as a disposable plastic cup has one. Every story says something different and has a different point. There are good stories as well as bad ones, but we all need to see them for what they are and what they are trying to tell us.
Then, the big moment we were all waiting for. Madison was up first and was telling us about rag rugs. Her rag rug presentation for the Makelings was creative, interesting, and engaging. She shared with us that she was nervous and didn't know what to do at first, but it didn't show. She looked very confident and knowledgeable. We learned that making rag rugs is a great way of recycling your old, or new, sheets, shirts, and fabric. Even though all of these things might not have a use anymore, they can make a great rug. Madison and her dad built two of the weaving frames based on the first one her mom got her a few Christmas's ago. She got one medium size frame for Christmas, and made two other frames; one small, and one large. The frames are rectangles with nails sticking out of each side as a loom would, so that the fabric has something to loop onto. One of us examined Madi's rugs and they were sturdy and seems that it will last a long time. In attempting to make a rag rug, it was found that it takes some practice and a bit of hard work, but it pays off with a great rug, and it's fun. Half of a medium sized rug can be constructed in half an hour. So, you would approximately only need half an hour for the small frame, one hour for the medium frame, and two hours for the large one, if you were making the rug , whatever size it is, non-stop. All in all it was a great presentation.
Anita came next displaying forms of art from photography to pencil to paint. She told us lots of things that we never knew before; and one of the things she showed us is how in painting or anything that uses color you can use different colors or styles to inflict certain emotions. For instance, if you painted a picture in grays and soft blues you would get the idea that it was a sad scene. Using warm colors you signal that this is a happy and good picture. We were also told how long it took to set up photography shots, and even why she picked some odd objects to paint, draw, or photograph. Making images of different random things inflicts different emotions too. One of her photos was of a pair of shoes. That picture of a pair of shoes made moms silently ask why there was a pair of dirty shoes on the floor, and artists thought of the quality of the picture and the good contrast. Anita shared with us that her art is like a language everyone speaks, so in a way it is her way of communicating her beliefs and thoughts to anyone who sees it. All questions from the audience were answered graciously and with good explanations (there were a lot), even ones from the little kids who had no idea what they were talking about. Everyone thought her work was very good and pleasing to the eye.
When the whole thing was over most people stuck around to talk, eat more of the delicious food (thanks to those who prepared it), have more expertly made coffee (yes, there was coffee) and view the display of pictures, drawings, paintings, and beautiful new things made of old rags.
It turned out to be a great night full of fun and creativity. These creative meetings are going to be held once a month, so make sure you don’t miss the next one! :)
The night began with our newly formed band, The Tweeds. The Tweeds are a hot new band (literally, they were sweating in their tweed jackets) that performed for us on Makelings night. The band consists of Mrs. Schrock, Mr. Feavel, and Pastor Danny. They already participate in a worship band for church, but decided they would start a band for Makelings. After the song, More than Conquerors, everyone had almost lost their voices. They also played Lord I need You, by Matt Maher, which is a old hymn put to new music. Mr. Feavel let me in on a plan that they'll go on a tour (in about twenty years). So when we are adults, we will be looking for the Tweeds, who played music in our childhood. Just kidding. It was a great starting note for the Makelings night.
A pause for extremely dessert-like refreshments followed. All was homemade and tasty; there was even a gluten free option for anyone who needed it.
Next, Pastor Danny gave a short talk on how everything has a story, even something as obscure as a disposable plastic cup has one. Every story says something different and has a different point. There are good stories as well as bad ones, but we all need to see them for what they are and what they are trying to tell us.
Then, the big moment we were all waiting for. Madison was up first and was telling us about rag rugs. Her rag rug presentation for the Makelings was creative, interesting, and engaging. She shared with us that she was nervous and didn't know what to do at first, but it didn't show. She looked very confident and knowledgeable. We learned that making rag rugs is a great way of recycling your old, or new, sheets, shirts, and fabric. Even though all of these things might not have a use anymore, they can make a great rug. Madison and her dad built two of the weaving frames based on the first one her mom got her a few Christmas's ago. She got one medium size frame for Christmas, and made two other frames; one small, and one large. The frames are rectangles with nails sticking out of each side as a loom would, so that the fabric has something to loop onto. One of us examined Madi's rugs and they were sturdy and seems that it will last a long time. In attempting to make a rag rug, it was found that it takes some practice and a bit of hard work, but it pays off with a great rug, and it's fun. Half of a medium sized rug can be constructed in half an hour. So, you would approximately only need half an hour for the small frame, one hour for the medium frame, and two hours for the large one, if you were making the rug , whatever size it is, non-stop. All in all it was a great presentation.
Anita came next displaying forms of art from photography to pencil to paint. She told us lots of things that we never knew before; and one of the things she showed us is how in painting or anything that uses color you can use different colors or styles to inflict certain emotions. For instance, if you painted a picture in grays and soft blues you would get the idea that it was a sad scene. Using warm colors you signal that this is a happy and good picture. We were also told how long it took to set up photography shots, and even why she picked some odd objects to paint, draw, or photograph. Making images of different random things inflicts different emotions too. One of her photos was of a pair of shoes. That picture of a pair of shoes made moms silently ask why there was a pair of dirty shoes on the floor, and artists thought of the quality of the picture and the good contrast. Anita shared with us that her art is like a language everyone speaks, so in a way it is her way of communicating her beliefs and thoughts to anyone who sees it. All questions from the audience were answered graciously and with good explanations (there were a lot), even ones from the little kids who had no idea what they were talking about. Everyone thought her work was very good and pleasing to the eye.
When the whole thing was over most people stuck around to talk, eat more of the delicious food (thanks to those who prepared it), have more expertly made coffee (yes, there was coffee) and view the display of pictures, drawings, paintings, and beautiful new things made of old rags.
It turned out to be a great night full of fun and creativity. These creative meetings are going to be held once a month, so make sure you don’t miss the next one! :)
Yum Drops
Yum Drops is our monthly attempt to promote what we feel is really at the heart of our church . . . food. Where there is good food, there is community. Therefore, we figure that if we promote good food, we also promote togetherness. A few months ago Amos Gordon provided for our group a freshly baked cherry pie. It was phenomenal. And while the whole pie recipe is a family secret that even water boarding was unable to extract, we were able to obtain the crust recipe. Since 50% of a pie's quality is judged by it's crust according a recent Pew poll (actually we just made that up), we figured the Gordon Secret Recipe for Fabulous Pie Crust was worth sharing.
Pie Crust
4 cups unsifted flour
1 ¼ cups shortening
½ cup water
2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 Egg
With a fork, mix together flour, sugar, salt, and shortening. In separate bowl, beat the remaining ingredients. Combine the two mixtures with a fork until all are moistened. Then mold into a ball. Chill at least 15 minutes.
Makes two 2-crust pies and one 9“ shell.
4 cups unsifted flour
1 ¼ cups shortening
½ cup water
2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 Egg
With a fork, mix together flour, sugar, salt, and shortening. In separate bowl, beat the remaining ingredients. Combine the two mixtures with a fork until all are moistened. Then mold into a ball. Chill at least 15 minutes.
Makes two 2-crust pies and one 9“ shell.
Church Calendar
Nov 7th-Parkwood Nursing Home 9:30am
Nov 12th- Head Start Parent meeting 6:30-9pm
Nov 13th- Family Fun Night 6:30pm
Nov 22st- Makelings Night 6:30pm
Dec 5th-Parkwood Nursing Home 9:30am
Dec 6th- Agape Feast 12:30pm
Dec 10th- Head Start Parent meeting 6:30-9pm
Dec 11th- Family Fun Night 7:00pm
Dec 14th- Dec/Christmas edition Kairos Newsletter comes out.
Voices: Special Feature
A Story of Baptism
Kairos Productions
-Baptism-
-Baptism-
Culture Making
Life in a Kaleidoscope | |
File Size: | 499 kb |
File Type: | docx |
The Poisonwood Bible: Book Review
by Anita Gordon
Barbara Kingsolver, a talented author, wrote one of my favorite books called The Poisonwood Bible. The title itself sparks curiosity and even hesitation to many Christian readers. At first glance, it is easy to mistake this book for an opposing or contradictory spin on Biblical doctrine, or to assume it is a book poking fun at Christianity. Don’t let the initial judgements fool you. This book is actually a compelling novel about a minister and his wife, along with their four daughters, as they venture into the Congo in hopes of converting the “uncivilized” jungle to Christianity. It is more than just a story about the struggles of converting the nations. This novel dives deep into both the wild religious traditions of Africa and the dangers of seeking our own version of what we feel is our mission from God.
From the very beginning, Kingsolver pulls the reader into the tale as an observer to become a part of the story itself. In the first sentence she utters, “Imagine a ruin so strange it must never have happened. First, picture the forest. I want you to be its conscience, the eyes in the trees”. The reader is directly asked to become a spectator, to envelope themselves in the moment, so that they can develop accurate responses to every situation and event. This tactic strengthens the story’s emotional qualities to make the reader feel exactly what the characters are experiencing.
Kingsolver then moves on to alluring imagery that captures the reader’s attention effortlessly; “A choir of seedlings arching their necks out of rotted tree stumps, sucking life out of death. This forest eats itself and lives forever”. Who can ignore the blatant use of contradictory terms? “Life” and “death” are thrown together as though they are one and the same. The fluid, paradoxical use of ecological diction inspires philosophical contemplation, while the imagery pulls the curtains of the mental theater and projects the image directly in the reader’s mind.
The brilliant use of literary components is not the only hint at the overall quality; Kingsolver even embeds profound values that are not easily forgotten. The story tells of a man, Nathan, who stubbornly drags his family to a small town in the Congo in the name of God’s mission. He puts blinders up to block out the signs that this is only his twisted version of what God had actually called him to do. With the imagery Kingsolver incorporates, you can see the events as they happen and feel the emotions as things begin to fall apart and collapse, but you can’t stop it….you can only watch, and take from it the lessons that Nathan failed to learn. Through all of this ruin, what is Kingsolver’s cry? If we make up our own renderings of God’s plan for our lives and ignore His will, we can end up endangering lives and leading others astray rather than saving souls.
And the pain. The pain is so real in this book. Whether it’s the pain of an oppressed wife or the pain of a betrayed child, Kingsolver never fails to draw the reader in to the situation: “Now I am on the other side of that night and can tell the story, so perhaps I am still alive, though I feel no sign of it. And perhaps it was not evil I saw but merely the way of all hearts when fear has stripped the husk off of kind pretensions. Is it evil to look at your child, then heft something else in your arms and turn away?” This is the voice of a child who feels betrayed. It is not just blown off like so many cinematic moments, but is rather voiced in the narration and truly evident in the responses. This is true reaction to pain. The character has to work through the problem and truly forgive before the matter can dissolve. It does not merely dissipate into thin air as soon as the author wants to move on, or the film director adds another scene. Although the betrayed daughter, Adah, may not have been truly betrayed in the scheme of things, she saw her own mother turn her back on her in a time of need, which would almost be the definition of betrayal from her point of view, and for this reason a realistic response was demonstrated. This is only one minor example of how Kingsolver’s quality extends even within the realistic expression of pain.
The Poisonwood Bible, I believe, is a book worth reading. It is probably not suitable for young children, for it does contain some inappropriate material in order to imply the extent to which some of the characters have gone in their fall. It is more geared towards adults and young adults. This compelling novel will definitely leave an impression, and hopefully that impression will encourage readers to grow in their faith, and, as the characters fall away, to heed the warning: God knows what’s best for your life, and choosing your own path tangential to His will never result in a better life.
…So grab this book, maybe some tissues, and prepare to be engrossed in a powerful novel.
From the very beginning, Kingsolver pulls the reader into the tale as an observer to become a part of the story itself. In the first sentence she utters, “Imagine a ruin so strange it must never have happened. First, picture the forest. I want you to be its conscience, the eyes in the trees”. The reader is directly asked to become a spectator, to envelope themselves in the moment, so that they can develop accurate responses to every situation and event. This tactic strengthens the story’s emotional qualities to make the reader feel exactly what the characters are experiencing.
Kingsolver then moves on to alluring imagery that captures the reader’s attention effortlessly; “A choir of seedlings arching their necks out of rotted tree stumps, sucking life out of death. This forest eats itself and lives forever”. Who can ignore the blatant use of contradictory terms? “Life” and “death” are thrown together as though they are one and the same. The fluid, paradoxical use of ecological diction inspires philosophical contemplation, while the imagery pulls the curtains of the mental theater and projects the image directly in the reader’s mind.
The brilliant use of literary components is not the only hint at the overall quality; Kingsolver even embeds profound values that are not easily forgotten. The story tells of a man, Nathan, who stubbornly drags his family to a small town in the Congo in the name of God’s mission. He puts blinders up to block out the signs that this is only his twisted version of what God had actually called him to do. With the imagery Kingsolver incorporates, you can see the events as they happen and feel the emotions as things begin to fall apart and collapse, but you can’t stop it….you can only watch, and take from it the lessons that Nathan failed to learn. Through all of this ruin, what is Kingsolver’s cry? If we make up our own renderings of God’s plan for our lives and ignore His will, we can end up endangering lives and leading others astray rather than saving souls.
And the pain. The pain is so real in this book. Whether it’s the pain of an oppressed wife or the pain of a betrayed child, Kingsolver never fails to draw the reader in to the situation: “Now I am on the other side of that night and can tell the story, so perhaps I am still alive, though I feel no sign of it. And perhaps it was not evil I saw but merely the way of all hearts when fear has stripped the husk off of kind pretensions. Is it evil to look at your child, then heft something else in your arms and turn away?” This is the voice of a child who feels betrayed. It is not just blown off like so many cinematic moments, but is rather voiced in the narration and truly evident in the responses. This is true reaction to pain. The character has to work through the problem and truly forgive before the matter can dissolve. It does not merely dissipate into thin air as soon as the author wants to move on, or the film director adds another scene. Although the betrayed daughter, Adah, may not have been truly betrayed in the scheme of things, she saw her own mother turn her back on her in a time of need, which would almost be the definition of betrayal from her point of view, and for this reason a realistic response was demonstrated. This is only one minor example of how Kingsolver’s quality extends even within the realistic expression of pain.
The Poisonwood Bible, I believe, is a book worth reading. It is probably not suitable for young children, for it does contain some inappropriate material in order to imply the extent to which some of the characters have gone in their fall. It is more geared towards adults and young adults. This compelling novel will definitely leave an impression, and hopefully that impression will encourage readers to grow in their faith, and, as the characters fall away, to heed the warning: God knows what’s best for your life, and choosing your own path tangential to His will never result in a better life.
…So grab this book, maybe some tissues, and prepare to be engrossed in a powerful novel.
If you are looking for a great action film for your enjoyment I would recommend Jurassic World. As one might expect, it is a high intensity drama that, though at times predictable, keeps you at the edge of your seat. I particularly enjoyed their decision to cast Chris Pratt as the leading role. He did a fantastic job playing the character Owen Grady because of the way he portrays Owen’s rough lifestyle, and he really makes the movie.
Jurassic World has the same theme as Jurassic Park but with different characters and slightly different kinds of dinosaurs. Although Jurassic World was very predictable if you’ve seen the first Jurassic Park, the quality characters and great acting make it worth viewing.
Jurassic World exposes the problem with focusing on money and productivity instead of valuing family and relationships. In the movie, one of the characters says that the dinosaurs were important just for financial reasons only, but changes her mind towards the end when she reevaluates the importance of spending time with family.
Jurassic World doesn’t tell a true story. I do not mean that some of the themes couldn’t be scientifically possible, but rather that the characters get over their sorrows too fast. When people die they acknowledge it but seem to forget soon after.
Pain is definitely portrayed, but people resolve problems without actually solving them. For example, there were some conflicts with family in the movie but they never end up resolving the real issues. They just seem to forget and move on.
There was not any mention of God in Jurassic World nor was there any implication of a God. Still it did inspire good values. The movie did not particularly point away from Christ, but it also didn’t point towards him.
Jurassic World has the same theme as Jurassic Park but with different characters and slightly different kinds of dinosaurs. Although Jurassic World was very predictable if you’ve seen the first Jurassic Park, the quality characters and great acting make it worth viewing.
Jurassic World exposes the problem with focusing on money and productivity instead of valuing family and relationships. In the movie, one of the characters says that the dinosaurs were important just for financial reasons only, but changes her mind towards the end when she reevaluates the importance of spending time with family.
Jurassic World doesn’t tell a true story. I do not mean that some of the themes couldn’t be scientifically possible, but rather that the characters get over their sorrows too fast. When people die they acknowledge it but seem to forget soon after.
Pain is definitely portrayed, but people resolve problems without actually solving them. For example, there were some conflicts with family in the movie but they never end up resolving the real issues. They just seem to forget and move on.
There was not any mention of God in Jurassic World nor was there any implication of a God. Still it did inspire good values. The movie did not particularly point away from Christ, but it also didn’t point towards him.
The Burning Edge of Dawn: Album Review
By Danny Strong
For the Christian music fan looking for a different flavor than the saccharine songs of contemporary Christian pop, Andrew Peterson is a spring rain in dry and thirsty land. I admit that I was initially unimpressed with Peterson’s slightly nasally voice and relaxed melodies. Then one day I was sent the video of his “Dancing in the Minefields,” a song that granted me a whole new vision of my marriage, and I’ve been an A.P. fan ever since. The recipe for current Christian Contemporary success is a peppy melody, a simple, uplifting message, and driving vocals that crescendo in voice-stretching choruses. Breaking the mold, Peterson’s slow, stirring songs feel more like curling up at a fire with a book of Gerald Manely Hopkins poems. His music haunts you, but in a healing way, and little by little pulls you into a world of wonder, sorrow, and glory.
If I could blanket Peterson’s music with one word, it would be “hopeful.” Not the chin up hopefulness of pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps America, but the ring of power burning away in Mt. Doom kind of hopeful. The album’s title The Burning Edge of Dawn perfectly embodies Peterson’s message. We’re not in the morning yet. The darkness still covers the land, but the burning edge is on the horizon and we are just starting to wake up.
Peterson does not slather over the gloom of this world with a sugar glaze like too much contemporary music, but finds ways to deal honestly and wholly with it. He does not treat life’s wounds by avoiding the scabs. Instead, he rips the scab off and applies the grace of Jesus directly to the open wound. For example, one of Peterson’s most emotional pieces, The Rain Keeps Falling, feels almost like a funeral in song. It is not the funeral of a loved one but rather the funeral of youthful, naive optimism dying in the face of life’s storms. The hard hitting, gut punches of life just keep coming, “the rain keeps falling.” And when he sings, “There’s a woman at home and she’s praying for light, And my children are there and they love me in spite, Of the shadow I know that they see in my eyes, And the rain keeps falling,” you don’t just feel for Peterson, you are him. Somehow he has given voice to the cries of your own soul, or at least my soul. “I just want to be new again, I just want to be closer to you again, Lord, I can’t find a song, I’m so tired and I’m always so wrong.” But Peterson, like a good ambassador of the gospel doesn’t leave us in the dark. He reminds us, “Down on the soil where the sorrow is laid, And the secret of life is igniting the grave, And I’m dying to live but I’m learning to wait, And the rain keeps falling.” The rain that falls is also the waters of resurrection igniting the seeds of life in the soil of the grave. Or as Peterson later writes in The Sower’s Song “I’m furrowed like a field, Torn open like the dirt, And I know that to be healed, That I must be broken first, I am aching for the yield, That you will harvest from this hurt.”
The Dark Before the Dawn, the album’s opening song, is equally holistic but more overtly hopeful:
I’ve been waiting for the sun
To come blazing out of the night
Like a bullet from a gun
Every dragon’s on the run
I believe, I believe that the light is gonna come
And this is the dark, this is the dark before the dawn
Somehow that cry for hope goes beyond the lyrics and finds voice in the music itself. This is especially true in The Sower’s Song in which the melody is suddenly hijacked by an eery and griping tribute to the hope of Isaiah the prophet and his message that God’s word “will not return void.”
If I were to criticize Peterson on one point, it would be that I think he has not yet reached his potential as a musician. His songs at times have an all too similar taste, and pushing his limits a bit into other rhythms and styles might bear even greater fruit. But these are minor quibbles of a man not exactly of an authority to have them. We’ve spoken much in our church about having a slower, more quality life. Peterson’s music is the “slow life” in song. If you haven’t checked out Andrew Peterson yet, you need to if for nothing other than his superbly crafted, Christ-centered lyrics. The Burning Edge of Dawn is a great place to start, so long as you don’t mind the reopening of a few wounds and a healing dose of hope.