Prayer Gifts at 2:11 p.m.

The Magi's gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh reminds us to be thankful that Jesus is our King (gold represents royalty), our Lord (frankincense represents worship) and our Savior (myrrh is used for burial). Mathew 2:11 says "Opening their treasures, [the Magi] offered him gifts." 

Set  your alarm for 2:11 p.m. every day until Christmas. Pause at 2:11 to say a quiet prayer of gratitude for all that Jesus means to you. 

(If you missed the sermon, you can listen to it here.)

Next Sunday, we will have ONE WORSHIP SERVICE at 10:00 a.m. Join us as we learn about Simeon and Anna who waited a lifetime for Jesus. Read Luke 2:22-40 in preparation.

Orion launch reflections

I just returned from a most amazing experience watching the first exploration flight test of NASA’s Orion Spacecraft. The launch experience was incredible. It was great fun crowding onto the causeway with friends from Clear Lake along with some 27,000 others. I would describe the lift-off as more sleek and powerful than brawny and explosive. (However, this was the first launch of any kind I've ever seen so I don't have anything to compare except others' descriptions.)

As amazing as the launch itself was, even more amazing was the understanding I gained about the true significance of this event.

For the past 30 years we've been shuttling astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) which is a mere 220 miles away from earth. The moon is another 1,000 times farther from earth and we haven't flown that far in nearly 50 years. Mars is 34 million miles away. Orion is designed to go to Mars!! In my unscientific estimation that's like the difference between going from your couch to the fridge vs. climbing Mount Everest... several times. It's difficult for me to even conceive of such a feat, let alone comprehend the sort of vision, brainpower and dedication required to make it happen.

Friday's launch was the first step in this incredible journey toward Mars. I'm humbled and grateful to have witnessed it in person. You amaze me, every last one of you involved with our space program and those involved with the Orion project in particular. I'm so very proud to be among you.

3pm launch briefing. Very interesting information and a VERY animated final speaker!

Me next to the Orion capsule. (The real one is bigger...)

Outside the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex

Pointing at the launch pad.

27,000 of my closet friends waiting for the launch Thursday morning that was eventually scrubbed.

iPhone closeup of the launch pad.

After Friday's successful launch. All we could see afterwards from the ground was this huge plume of smoke.

Sermons this week and next

Last weekend's message:

The “Spirit of adoption” means that we have an entirely new relationship with God. When we give our lives to Jesus Christ, we’re adopted into a New Family and God becomes our Abba Father. Abba means “daddy.” Jesus prayed “Abba Daddy” when he prayed to the Heavenly Father and he invites his followers to do the same. Better yet, the Holy Spirit prays to the Heavenly Father on our behalf. Because the Spirit “intercedes for us” (Romans 8:26-27) we can pray boldly and confidently without ever having to worry about having the right words.

This weekend:

What difference does hope make in a world filled with suffering? Is Christian hope just a religious version of wishful thinking? How does suffering and hope relate to God’s plan for the cosmos? These are some of the questions we will grapple with during this weekend’s message 

"Saved for Life" Preaching series on Romans

What are you most proud of? What passion or interest do you share with anyone who will listen? Maybe it’s a grand-child? A sports team? Your favorite restaurant? What is that thing of which you are unequivocally not ashamed?   

For the apostle Paul, that one thing is the Gospel. Paul begins his letter to the church at Rome with these words, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” (Romans 1:16-17).

This fall, we begin a study of the book of Romans entitled “Saved for Life.” For those raised in reformed protestant church traditions, like Presbyterians, being ‘saved for life’ means we can never lose our salvation. But for Paul, being saved for life means so much more. It means being saved for a kind of life that begins this side of the grave and continues for all of eternity. Being saved for life means we are saved for a life of redemptive purpose within the cosmos God is making new. That is nothing to be ashamed of!

I’m encouraging every individual and small group to take up the study of this rich and profound book. While there are many re-sources available, I especially commend N.T. Wright’s study guide on Romans (N. T. Wright for Everyone Bible Study). It is available on Amazon® in paperback and e-reader formats. Our study this fall will take us through the first eight chapters in the book of Romans.

I look forward to this practical and theological journey as we learn from the great Apostle what it means to be Saved for Life.

open letter to my fellow conservatives

Dear fellow conservatives in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.);

I’m writing to those who, with me, affirm Scripture’s teaching that marriage is between a man and a woman, who affirm the historic teachings of our Book of Confessions that marriage is between a man and a woman, who affirm the historic principle of church order that “truth is in order of goodness” and “who are persuaded that there is an inseparable connection between faith and practice, truth and duty” (F-3.0104), and who are deeply troubled by Thursday’s actions of the 221^st General Assembly.

While I wholly support those commissioners who are filing protests against the Assembly’s actions regarding the Authoritative Interpretation and the proposed amendment to our Book of Order, I will not be filing. I will not be protesting.

We have a decisive, and perhaps brief, window of opportunity to choose how we will be in this new denominational landscape – a landscape where we clearly find ourselves in the minority.  What will we stand for? How will we use our voice? What will our voice sound like when we use it? What will our opponents see when they look at us?

Yesterday’s vote was offensive. It felt like a slap in the face. But the same Jesus who clearly defines marriage in Matthew 19 also tells me in Matthew 5 to turn the other cheek. He tells me to love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me. He warns me about the poison of retaliation and the rottenness of contempt. He calls me to a new kind of righteousness that is beyond the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees. What will our righteousness look like in this new denominational landscape? Let us consider this carefully.

Yours brother in Christ,

Steve Oglesbee

221st General Assembly Day #2

Just wrote a blog post and accidentally erased it. Too tired to go back and recreate it. Nothing profound to report. Good first committee meeting tonight. Worshipped together, agreed on some ground rules, reviewed the agenda for tomorrow (mostly hearings - some time for deliberation without motions is scheduled for the evening).

Keeping you posted so you can keep praying...

Steve

General Assembly Day #1

Just wrapped up the first day of General Assembly. We elected a moderator, but only after dozens of attempts to use the electronic contraptions. Plan A was to vote using web browser or smart phones. That fizzeled when no one could get connected to the internet. Plan B, after we came back from dinner, was to use an electronic voting system where each person had their own remote voting device. After that didn't work either, we finally resorted to Plan C. Paper ballots. It took a while to gather up all 680+ commissioners ballots and hand count them. Thankfully, on the first vote Heath Rada garnered more than 50% of the total votes (there were three candidates running).  I wasn't super excited about any of the candidates, but as the three spoke this evening and asnwered questions I became more impressed with Rada. I think he best represents the new theological 'center' of this changing denomination. 

The two big issues everyone is talking about are civil unions and israel/palenstine.

Worship in the morning then it's back to work tomorrow afternoon at 2:30. I'll meet with my committee for the first time tomorrow evening. 

Half past midnight. Time for bed.

Good night!