Sermon: Sunday, May 27, 2012

Greetings All,

Here is the audio file from Sunday's sermon.  It is titled Who Are We?  We Are Empowered by the Spirit! and the texts are Acts 2:1-21 and Ezekiel 37:1-14.

Your brother in Christ,
Faron

Book Review: Beyond the Scandals: A Guide to Healthy Sexuality for Clergy by G. Lloyd Rediger

Beyond the Scandals: A Guide to Healthy Sexuality for Clergy (Prisms)
by G. Lloyd Rediger
Published in 2003 by Fortress Press

Summary and Review: The Reverend Rediger served congregations in three different states before earning his doctorate in pastoral counseling.  Since that time he has served as counselor to both pastors and their families through all kinds of situations involving sexual indiscretions.  He has seen repentance and healing, he has seen refusal to acknowledge how wrong certain behaviors are and he has seen indifference and abuse regarding the office of pastor.  This book is his attempt to look at all of the issues connected with clergy boundary violations in regards to sexuality.  He begins by addressing the issues that have surfaced through the scandals of the late 1990's and early 2000's in both the Catholic and Protestant Church to set the context of the book.  He then turns towards a overarching diagnosis for why these types of situations happen considering both male and female clergy.  This context establishment is followed by case studies of different actual clergy boundary violations that Rediger has encountered and counseled people through.  The third and final section of the book is an attempt to define and describe healthy sexuality.  He considers the relationship of our ethical system to our sexual behavior and our office as clergy.  This is followed with a theological understanding of sex and sexuality and finishes with a glimpse of what Biblical wholeness for sexuality looks like and some clues to recognize when pastors are getting close to the edge that can lead to trouble.

Overall it is a well written and researched book.  At times it can become a bit laborious to read, but he attempts to address a very difficult and emotional issue through multiple and appropriate lens: a practical one, a theological one, a Biblical one, an ethical one and a "reality" lens.  He looks not just at behavior, but behind that behavior to the reasons one does what they do and then suggests ways where those root issues can be addressed.  The case studies presented are interesting and his analysis of them are helpful in forcing us to consider all sides of the issue.  The biggest challenge of the book at this point is that it is a decade old and there has been so much more that has happened and so many new factors that have been brought into an already difficult issue.  The book is a great historical glimpse into this issue at the turn of the millennium.

Reading Recommendation: Indifferent, it is a read that attempts to address some of the challenging issues regarding sexuality and clergy in relation to the incredible boundary failures that consumed the headlines at the turn of the century, but it is a ten year old book.  It is a good historical perspective on this issue ten years ago, but it is incomplete when considering the discussion today.

Sermon: Sunday, May 20, 2012

Greetings All,

Here is the audio file from Sunday's sermon.  It is titled Who Are We?  We are Called to More than Simply Following! and the text is Acts 1:15-17, 21-26.

Your brother in Christ,
Faron

Book Review: The Killing Ground by Jack Higgins

The Killing Ground (Sean Dillon)
by Jack Higgins
Published in 2008 by G.P. Putnam's Sons

Summary and Review: This is the 14th installment of the Sean Dillon series about the IRA provisional enforcer that has become part of the Prime Minister of Great Britain's personal team of anti-terrorism/spies/assassins/whatever needs to be done regardless of the rule of law/charming, romantic heroes.  The group is lead by General Ferguson and is made up of miscreants from around the world that have been recruited into this business or particularly thwarting terrorist attacks and plots.  This book, The Killing Ground, deals specifically with their confronting a terrorist renowned in the Middle East as the Hammer of God.  The story has a lot of disjointed pieces that never coalesce together and the characters, which he begins to develop at the start of the book are never really finished.  There is an assassination attempt on Blake Johnson, another key character in the series, that is thwarted in the first chapter but never revisited, nor does Blake return in the story.  The Hammer of God begins behaving in ways that suggests he is tired of the killing and could even stop being a terrorist, but that conflict is never resolved.  The young lady who is kidnapped and then rescued seems to be wrestling with identity issues that could lead her to one day becoming a profound voice for peace or a frantically terrorist, but again nothing. 

The book is written in typical Higgins style.  The humor, the romanticism, the quick pace, so it is a quick read, but the story and plot never tie together in ways that his previous installments have so this book leaves you unsatisfied.  It is a book in the series at this point that if you didn't read it you would not be missing anything.  If I am being honest, the book reads more like someone trying to turn out a quick new installment to capitalize on sales rather than trying to put out a "good" book.

Reading Recommendation: As hard is this is to believe in that I generally really enjoy Higgins' Sean Dillon stories, I have to vote "No" on this one as the ending just fails the book and there really isn't a cohesive story.

Sermon: Sunday, May 13, 2012

Greetings All,

Here is the audio file from Sunday's sermon.  It is titled Who Are We?  We Are Marked by Love! and the texts are John 15:9-17 and 1 John 4:7-21.

Your brother in Christ,
Faron

Book Review: Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West
by Cormac McCarthy
Published by The Modern Library in 1985

Summary and Review: One of the fellows Christa works with heard that I am an avid reader and wondered if I had ever read this book.  Not only had I never read it, I had never even heard of it.  It is one of his all time favorite books and he offered it up for me to borrow and read.  I am generally curious to read books that people recommend so I agreed and Christa dropped it off.  The cover jacket quotes people calling this a modern day classic equal to the works of Faulkner and Melville, which piqued my interest even further.  The story is basically a travel anthology about "the kids" journey west to California in the post Civil War years.  His journey connects him with various unique and even bizarre characters including a former priest, Indian hunters, the "Judge," and an assortment of incredibly violent and self absorbed men. 

There is no point or real plot to the story, there is no real character development as we never know where the kid came from, what his motivations are for his journey or even any hopes or dreams he has.  Half the time he is invisible in the book.  People come on the scene, are killed, and more come later.  All that drives the reader forward is a mindless push west but to no real goal.  To make matters worse McCarthy has chosen to use an incredible amount of dialogue in his writing but uses no punctuation whatsoever.  Half way down the page you get lost as to who is saying what and you have to go back and re-read the page.  He writes flowing and vivid descriptions of the scenery and the hopelessness of the desolate west and he is not afraid of showing us brutality and violence in a way that can be almost overwhelming, but to call this book an modern classic is in my opinion no where close to accurate.  Just because someone chooses to write without punctuation or chooses to describe the reckless violence that was present in the American West does not make it a great book or even a good read.  The only memorable moment of the book for me was when the kid finally reaches the Pacific Ocean and observes a horse standing on the beach watching the sunset.  The book is a laborious read and from that aspect I can relate to comparing him to Faulkner because Faulkner's dialect and flow is as hard to follow as McCarthy's lack of punctuation.  If the book were a movie you would be leaving the theatre asking yourself, "Now what was that movie about again?"  Save your time and read Steinbeck if you want to read classics.

Reading Recommendation: Not worth the time and effort required to read it.

Book Review: Honor Bound by W.E.B. Griffin

Honor Bound
by W.E.B. Giffin
published by GP Putnam'S Sons in 1993

Summary and Review: This is a book that has been setting on my shelf for years and I just haven't gotten around to reading it.  Lately I found myself hungering to read military stories and there is no military author I like better than Griffin so I pulled Honor Bound down off the shelf and started reading.  I was immediately sucked into the lives of Cletus Frade, Anthony Pelosi and David Ettinger as they are military men recruited by the OSS and sent to Argentina to eliminate a "neutral" ship that is supplying Nazi submarines in the Atlantic.  The young men are soldiers first and spies second, but some how the combination of the two works really well.  This is the first book in what is now a six book series which recounts the dynamics of the country of Argentina as they try to remain neutral during World War II.

The book has Griffin's characteristic style of painting vivid pictures of his characters in ways that make us want to know and be in dialogue with them from practically the first page.  This is historical fiction and as always the research that goes into the book is obvious and transparent as he weaves a fictional tale amidst the real events and situations of the neutral country Argentina with Nazi sympathies during World War II.  The language is that of a soldier.  The values are honor, loyalty, family and integrity presented in a way that is so familiar for anyone associated with the military, especially World War II veterans, but is inspiring to anyone who reads the novel. 

Reading Recommendation: Yes, another great series rooted in World War II has been launched. 

Book Review: A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg

A Redbird Christmas: A Novel
by Fannie Flagg
Published by Random House in 2004

Summary and Review: I have mentioned on this blog at various times in the past my dislike of most female authors as I think they tend to get way too bogged down in describing all of the details of a scene rather than giving us the important pieces and getting quickly to the point.  Now I find myself needing to confess.  I was in the Half Price Books clearance section the other day looking for my favorite authors for a buck when I cam across this book by Fannie Flagg.  Now I grew up watching Match Game and loved Fannie on that show.  I knew she was an author that wrote about her southern heritage and really captured the culture, pace and attitude of the south, but I had never read her.  In a moment of weak nostalgia I purchased the book and began to read it over lunch.  Two days later I was done.  I really enjoyed the book and am ready to read others by Ms. Flagg.

This is the story of Oswald Campbell, a man who has been given a life prognosis by his doctor in Chicago of just a few months if he doesn't get to a warmer climate.  At his doctors recommendation he finds himself in the tiny, Alabama town of Lost River.  As he boards with Betty Kitchen and her somewhat senile old mother he begins to become endeared with the various characters that inhabit the small town, including a little orphan girl named Patsy and a redbird named Jack that lives in the local grocery store.  It is a story of transformed lives, small town camaraderie and the hope that can only come from selfless love.

The book presents an attracting group of characters that you, as the reader, find yourself wanting to be gathered around a potluck table with locked in conversation.  More than the characters the book really captures the culture of a small southern town.  Their love for one another, their sense of hospitality towards everyone including strangers from the north, and their love of life in all of its simplicity.  The details presented are more than I am used too, but just enough to really capture the scene in a way that you can truly imagine it. You will laugh, you will cry, but in the end your heart will feel lighter and you will have a little hope restored.

Reading Recommendation: I can't believe that I am about to recommend reading a female author, but it is a great read and worth the small amount of time to read it.

Book Review: Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell

Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10
by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson
Published by Little Brown and Co in 2007

Summary and Review: This is a real time, true account of Operation Redwing as told by its lone survivor, Marcus Luttrell.  It was a Navy SEAL operation in Afghanistan that ended up claiming the lives of three soldiers followed by a rescue attempt that led to the deaths of another sixteen special forces soldiers.  Luttrell set out to honor his comrades in arms by sharing the story of the bravery amidst overwhelming, life ending odds, but he has crafted a book that is more than just a memorial.  He paints a compelling picture of the culture that is the SEALS and takes us from recruitment through basic training and then onto SEAL Indoc and BUD/S.  By the time the reader gets to the account of Afghanistan they have a whole new respect for what it takes to become a SEAL and the elite nature of them amidst the military community.  Not only to we get a glimpse of soldier life in a hostile country, we get the perspective of family and friends back home waiting for news of their loved one missing in action and a running commentary on the reality of war that the media fails to understand and in fact behaves in ways that increase the danger for our soldiers. 

The book is well written, reading like a novel while being a non-fiction account of a real operation.  It is well paced and you are compelled to turn the next page to get the rest of the story and despite knowing the outcome from the beginning you cannot help but finish the book as you devour the account of these remarkable, self-sacrificing young men.  It is an inspiring book that makes you want to be a better person and to find a community to be a part of that is much like the community that the SEALs have.

Reading Recommendation: If you love a military read, especially true stories about special forces, this is a must read.  Even if you don't love military books, it is a story that will inspire you toward honor, integrity, heroism and courage.

Sermon: Sunday, May 6, 2012

Greetings All,

Here is the audio file for the sermon from Sunday, May 6, 2012.  It is titled Moving Forward by Looking Back! and the text is Deuteronomy 4:1, 32-40.  It is the sermon that is for the day that I announced that I would be leaving Bryantsville for Christ Church in Florence, Kentucky on June 19th.

Your brother in Christ,
Faron