Saturday, December 26, 2015

Colleagues List, December 31st, 2015

Vol. XI.  No. 19

*****


END-OF-YEAR EDITION

GLOBAL AND ECUMENICAL IN SCOPE
CANADIAN IN PERSPECTIVE

Wayne A. Holst, Editor
My E-Mail Address:
waholst@telus.net

Colleagues List Web Site:

http://colleagueslist.blogspot.com

"Quicklinks" are included with many items
at the beginning of this issue. To get a more
complete picture, however, scroll down to
find your special selection in the body of
the blog.


*****

Design of this issue -

Reflection on My Colleagues List, 2015

Listing of Colleagues List issues,
January-December 2015:

Book Notice Summaries and Reviews;
Articles, Notes, Interviews and Reflections

--

Net Notes:

The Year in Pictures
The World Events that Mattered Most in 2015
The Best Year in History for the Average Human

--

Closing Thought - Martin Luther

*****

Dear Colleagues and Friends:

My last issue of Colleagues List each year
is unique. It is a compilation, with links,
of all my book notices, reviews, columns
and other reflections from 2015. 

This issue provides an easy way to catch up on
material you may have missed in the past year.

I will also reflect a little on how I see Colleagues
List evolving as a religion and culture blog that
is 'global and ecumenical in scope, and Canadian
in perspective.'

--

REFLECTION ON MY COLLEAGUES LIST, 2015

My current thinking about this e-journal is
to recognize ten years of production and
seven years using the present blog format.

The encouraging news is that Colleagues
List repeats in 2015 what first occurred in
2014. This blog received an average of
1,000 hits a week, or a total of 52,000 hits
since December 31st last year. I am very
grateful for this response.

I maintain an email core of about 300
colleagues. These are the people who receive
a weekly notification that a new issue has
been posted. The other 700 are those who
are drawn to the Colleagues List website
for various reasons.

My goal in 2016 will be to encourage more
'visitors' to become 'colleagues' because
colleagues on my mailing list are those
more likely to be regular readers and
contributors.

I am grateful for the world-wide reach of
this blog - into Europe, Asia, Africa and
Latin America. I continue to try to make
this list a truly global source of religion
and culture material and I really seek out
international, ecumenical and inter-faith
sources for information to share with you.

Here are two ways you can help me.

1. Let me know about sites that are
    helpful to you and may serve others.
    I can't promise to use them all, but
    will consider using them.

2. Send me email addresses of friends
    to whom you have introduced this
    list and who would like to join. I will
    only add to membership the names
    and addresses of people who have
    agreed to join.

Colleagues List is now entering its
eleventh year of existence, and the
eighth using the Blogger.com format.

All told, I have created at total of
511 issues (at 46.4 issues per year)
or 323  Blogger.com issues (at 40.3
issues per year.) The latter are all
archived and accessible.

Just do a google search or check
out the left column "Blogger Archive"
on the main page each week to find
material from past CL issues and any
items published on CL by me since 2009.

***

SUMMARY OF COLLEAGUES LIST ISSUES
JANUARY - DECEMBER 2015
Book Notices, Articles, Interviews, Columns

Please note - in most cases, the first link
for each article is to the CL issue where
it first appeared. This is usually followed
by back-up links to my book notice or article.
If you have opened a particular book notice
issue scroll down into the body of the blog
to read the section "My Thoughts".

Anglican Journal columns are listed separately.

--

2015 BOOK NOTICES
(a total of 23)

January 18th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/pme32fl

 "Simply Good News" 
  by N.T. Wright 
  third in a series:

http://tinyurl.com/njdpxxm
http://tinyurl.com/5sv6z24

--

February 8th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/okn5nk3

"Convictions - How I Learned
  What Matters Most"
  by Marcus Borg

http://tinyurl.com/ond49dx
http://tinyurl.com/p7lpal9
http://tinyurl.com/mfpn728

--

February 15th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/o7g6yjd

"Lenten Lent" devotions
  by Donna Sharper

http://tinyurl.com/kplf5p7
http://tinyurl.com/l326688

--

March 1st, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/n43p2r2

"Between the Dark and the Daylight:
  Embracing the Contradictions of Life"
   by Joan Chittister

http://tinyurl.com/qy9netg

--

March 8th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/o6s2ryu

"Bewilderments" - A Commentary
  on the Book of Numbers
  by Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg

http://tinyurl.com/q7p8ko8

--

March 15th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/qcw3g5o

"Essential Shakespeare Handbook"
  by Leslie Dunton-Downer & Alan Riding                              
  Published by DK.

http://tinyurl.com/mj35ch8

--

March 29th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/nzsjgb3

"Henry David Thoreau -
  Spiritual and Prophetic Writings"
  by Tim Flinders

http://tinyurl.com/pwxuyeg
http://tinyurl.com/qad54o4
http://tinyurl.com/pnwun

--

April 19th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/plk9wkf
"Islam's Jesus"
  by Zeki Saritoprak
  http://tinyurl.com/pjfrkaq
  http://tinyurl.com/kuc5wjo

--

April 26th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/md3l3e2
"The Great and Holy War -
  How World War One
  Became a Religious Crusade"
  by Philip Jenkins

http://tinyurl.com/mtwhotl
http://tinyurl.com/cs4tjg

--

May 3rd, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/pb9jta7
"Very Good Lives: 
  The Fringe Benefits of Failure
  and the Importance of Imagination"
  by J.K. Rowling

http://tinyurl.com/q95t3qk
http://tinyurl.com/s57b8
http://tinyurl.com/nl4ftjv

--

May 10th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/qzafkun
"What the Mystics Know:
  Seven Pathways to your Deeper Self"
  by Richard Rohr

http://tinyurl.com/ojn6okq
http://tinyurl.com/br8cdl

--

May 31st, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/notku6q
"Learning to Walk in the Dark"
  by Barbara Brown Taylor

http://tinyurl.com/pncmzec
http://tinyurl.com/l9qupu9

--

June 28th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/qd4pnzh
"A Force for Good: the Dalai Lama's
  Vision for Our World"
  by Daniel Goleman

http://tinyurl.com/o7catdv
http://tinyurl.com/p7laaps

---

July 12th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/p73x6uq

"A Full Life - Reflections at Ninety"
  by Jimmy Carter

http://tinyurl.com/o2snc8x

Three of my Previous Carter
Reviews and Notices:
http://tinyurl.com/puxxozw
http://tinyurl.com/k2q55u4

--

August 9th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/p2parl3

"Sorry - Why Our Church Apologized"
- a reflection on the apology process
  between the United Church of Canada
  and Canada's First Nations
  co-authored by Wm. Phipps et al.

http://tinyurl.com/ppgb9n4
htt p://tinyurl.com/oag39wj

--

September 6th,  2015
http://tinyurl.com/pzqz7tm

"Torn - Rescuing the Gospel
  from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate"
  by Justin Lee

http://tinyurl.com/oq632kx
http://tinyurl.com/nplhq7q

--

September 13th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/o2qnskm

"Nine Essential Things
  I've Learned About Life" -
  by Rabbi Harold S. Kushner 
  (his spiritual evolution)
 
  http://tinyurl.com/pgub85z

--

September 20th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/pcq2bn6
"Phyllis Tickle:
  Essential Spiritual Writings"
  by Jon Sweeney

http://tinyurl.com/ns4fwpa
http://tinyurl.com/oyq6aas
http://tinyurl.com/p4w8waq
http://tinyurl.com/d86uonr

--

October 12th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/pxqv4qp

"My Year of Buying Nothing"
  by  Lee Simpson

http://tinyurl.com/onb5eyr
http://tinyurl.com/qhb7lup

--

November 8th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/pyat9a5
"Not in God's Name"
  by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

http://tinyurl.com/ohov2f8

--

November 15th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/qx4z3cq
 "Chosen?"
   Reading the Bible Amid
   the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict                                
   by Walter Brueggemann

http://tinyurl.com/q4sb3d4 

--

November 29th , 2015
http://tinyurl.com/h7jjr93

"Preparing for Christmas"
  Advent Preparations
  by Richard Rohr

http://shop.franciscanmedia.org/
http://tinyurl.com/pm9fz48

--

December 6th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/j6orgfq

"Christian Unity:
  How You Can Make a Difference"
  Thomas Ryan

http://tinyurl.com/j3l2879

***

2015 COLLEAGUES LIST 
ARTICLES AND NOTES
(a total of 5)

January 25th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/l7u5zvm
"Thoughts on Marcus Borg"

Colleague and friend Marcus Borg died
this week. He is the same age as I am.

http://tinyurl.com/54gpwj
http://tinyurl.com/lxmr29l
http://tinyurl.com/qe8fewp
http://tinyurl.com/n6q8kro

--

February 1st, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/luagfj7
Gwynne Dyer at the Banff Centre
who spoke this week on the theme:

"The New World Disorder"

For my notes, click and scroll down:
http://tinyurl.com/luagfj7

--

April 5th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/n9fjzdd

"Spiritual Travel"
  Anticipating Our Sojourn to Jerusalem
  and the Land of Three Great Faiths

A Personal Reflection

--

October 5th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/plhktst
"Goals for our Jerusalem Tour -
  Visiting the Land of Three Great Faiths" 

http://tinyurl.com/qb4urn5

--

December 20th, 2015
"Holst Family Christmas Letter, 2015"
  http://tinyurl.com/hvmysu4

***

ANGLICAN JOURNAL COLUMNS - 2015
(a total of 12)

January, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/m4qfpwa

"Chester Ronning -
  Model of Faith and Politics"
  http://tinyurl.com/mhefp9w

--

February, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/phjg3qc

"A Model for Intra-faith Dialogue"
  http://tinyurl.com/nk97fby

--

March, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/nyzm2e6

"Inter-faith Dialogue Close to Home"
  http://tinyurl.com/pfnrcc4

--

April, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/kuc5wjo

"Bunnies and Eggs are Just the Beginning"
  http://tinyurl.com/n55ve5r

--

May, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/lj2d3mu

"Spring Cleaning - Good for the Soul"
  http://tinyurl.com/ow7xsro

--


June, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/nrkjhpr

"What's Ahead for the Churches -
  After the TRC"
  (The Truth and Reconciliation
  Commission Report Considered)
   http://tinyurl.com/qf866zf

Related links:
http://tinyurl.com/2ua5or2
http://tinyurl.com/qfrqwkc

--

July, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/o5w3ja4

"What I Learned from
  Fr. Rene Fumleau"
   http://tinyurl.com/nhtbet6

--

August, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/ptlybqx

"A Price is Paid for
  Justice and Human Rights" 
  http://tinyurl.com/q92mkjf

--


September, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/qfxgo2m

"Are We Still a People of Compassion?"
  Canada's Current Refugee Challenges
  http://tinyurl.com/of7ugfu

--

October, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/owryfoe
"Meditation on Seasonal Cycles"
  http://tinyurl.com/ozvzzl7

--

November, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/omhlhso

"Modern Life in a Global Village"
  http://tinyurl.com/nk4zrsy

--

December, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/hvjbttt

"From Darkness to Light"
  http://tinyurl.com/jfcfybs

---

GRAND TOTAL 
MAILINGS FOR 2015
Including Two Letters: 42

 --

Net Notes:

THE YEAR IN PICTURES

The New York Times
December 27th, 2015

http://tinyurl.com/zdn37en

--

THE WORLD EVENTS
THAT MATTERED MOST IN 2015

The Atlantic Online
December 22nd, 2015

http://tinyurl.com/hf6qcur

--

THE BEST YEAR IN HISTORY
FOR THE AVERAGE HUMAN BEING

The Atlantic Online
December 18th, 2015

http://tinyurl.com/h5j2q9n

--

Closing Thought - Martin Luther

See to it that you do not treat the gospel
only as history, for that is only transient;
neither regard it only as an example, for
it is of no value without faith. Rather, see
to it that you make this birth your own and
that Christ be born in you.… Of what benefit
would it be to me if Christ had been born a
thousand times, and it would daily be sung
into my ears in a most lovely manner, if I
were never to hear that he was born for me
and was to be my very own?

--

My next regular CL issue will be dated:
Sunday, January 10th, 2016.

Have a good New Year Celebration!

Wayne

(end)

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Colleagues List, December 20th, 2015

Vol. XI.  No. 18

*****


GLOBAL AND ECUMENICAL IN SCOPE
CANADIAN IN PERSPECTIVE

Wayne A. Holst, Editor
My E-Mail Address:
waholst@telus.net

Colleagues List Web Site:

http://colleagueslist.blogspot.com

"Quicklinks" are included with many items
at the beginning of this issue. To get a more
complete picture, however, scroll down to
find your special selection in the body of
the blog.


*****

Dear Friends:

This is my second-to-last Colleagues List
of the year.

This issue contains our annual
Holst Family Christmas Letter for 2015

Please scroll down to read it.

On or about December 31st I will publish
my summary of the 42 Special Items that
I have presented here during the past year.
This issue provides you with a way to catch
up with items of interest you may have missed.

Over the past ten years, I have averaged a
total of 42 Colleagues List issues per year and
I continue to enjoy offering this to you.

--

Colleague Comment - this week is another
special link provided by Herb. O'Driscoll,
a colleague and friend from Victoria, BC.
New York Times - "The Islamic Dilemma"
http://tinyurl.com/zoqoqa5

To read Herb's comments, please scroll down.

--

Colleague Communications - are from
Beth Porter Richmond Hill, ON whose
L'Arche Canada Foundation website:

A Human Future - provides us with
"An Interview With Dr. Marie Wilson"
Marie was a TRC commissioner:

"After the TRC II - Citizen Engagement"
  http://tinyurl.com/h9ah3xd

-

Jim Taylor of the Okanagan, BC offers:
"Advent -
  Expecting the Birth of Our New Selves"
  http://tinyurl.com/gncvbsc (and)

--


Ron Rolheiser of San Antonio TX shares:
"Sex and Our Culture" 
  http://tinyurl.com/je2svy6

Thanks to the three of you.
More details if you scroll down.

--

Net Notes are items I found of interest
on the web this week:


"The Other Jerusalem" - poverty and isolation
in Arab neighbourhoods of the Holy City is an
important perspective on Israel rich and poor
(The Christian Century)
http://tinyurl.com/znatxlx

-


"Christmas in Bangladesh" -  read of a blending
of culture, custom and multi-faith traditions
today in this SE Asian country (UCA News)
http://tinyurl.com/zrxxt6l


-

"On the Road from Damascus" - the troubles
in Syria affect all Christians and many Muslims
(The Tablet, UK) http://tinyurl.com/zhh5qb7

-

"New Church Planting in 2015" - you don't
read much about this subject outside of
evangelical sources, sadly. Here is an update
on what people new congregations attract
from an American evangelical perspective
in our day (Christianity Today)
http://tinyurl.com/zweu92s

--

"Historic Paris Climate Agreement" - sets
an important new course of action for our
world (National Catholic Reporter)
http://tinyurl.com/jsrzn4e
 
It reflects considerable advocacy by people
of faith from many faith traditions over a
long period (Sightings)
http://tinyurl.com/hfzcjg4

-

"Canada's Refugee Efforts Praised" - the
Arab press around the world has been
particularly observant and laudatory
(CBC.ca News) http://tinyurl.com/z3htr7x

--

"North Korea Sentences Canadian Pastor" -
we have followed this story for some months.
The Liberal government says it will try to
work diplomatically with the DRK to free him
(Reuters News) http://tinyurl.com/z8jlaxp

-

"Humiliation is at the Root of All Terrorism" -
we need to dig more deeply into the real causes
of terrorism and the mind-set that spawns it
(Tikkun Daily) http://tinyurl.com/zxya5s7

-

"Wheaton College Suspends Hajib-Wearing Prof" -
this school is known as the American evangelical
"Harvard" but there would appear to be limits.
The Christian prof. said Christians and Muslims
worship the same God (The Christian Post) and
she wore Muslim garb to identify, while saying
some controversial things
http://tinyurl.com/jkj897j

Here is an evangelical Canadian response from
colleague John Stackhouse Jr. of St. John, NB
who comments on his weblog this week 
http://tinyurl.com/zwzkf4q

-

"Our Colossal Effort to Admit 10,000 Refugees Now" - 
here is hope and vision trying to deal with reality
(CBC News) http://tinyurl.com/jnfuer5 (and)

"Life for a Syrian Refugee in Jordan is a Waiting Game
  With No End" (UToday, University of Calgary News)
  http://tinyurl.com/jeoxftx

--

Wisdom of the Week - comes to us via Sojourners
and the Bruderhof online and is provided by:

Dorothy Day, Edith Stein, Martin Luther and
Soren Kierkegaard

Please scroll down to read them

--

On This Day -

From the archives of the New York Times

"Wright Brothers Take Flight at Kitty Hawk"
  http://tinyurl.com/yam557x

"Israel Annexes Golan Heights, Seized from Syria"
  http://tinyurl.com/y9px2xd

--

Closing Thought - this week is from Shane Claibor.
Scroll to the end of the blog to read him.

Blessings as we enter the Season of Christmas.

Wayne

(end)

For your interest, I now include the:
Beginning Our Program Season -
Winter 2016 Adult Spiritual Development
ACTS Ministry at St. David's
United Church, Calgary

*****

SPECIAL ITEM

HOLST FAMILY CHRISTMAS LETTER
Calgary, Alberta 2015

Dear Friends:

During the past year, both of us have
been developing new activities to fill
our evolving “retirement” years with
meaning. Much of our activity is not
that different from when we were fully
employed. Now that we are living on
senior’s pensions with a few extras,
however,  we have new challenges -
to live within our current means as
we enjoy new freedoms. So far, life
has been treating us well and we are
grateful for good health.

Life is good we keep saying.

Both of us are no longer involved at the
university as we were for many years,
but Wayne continues to visit the campus.
We do both paid and volunteer work at
St. David’s United, our church home. It

is a meaningful way to enjoy a social life
and to continue sharing our talents.

Wayne continues to teach and write. He
shares many of his thoughts on Colleagues
List, a religion and culture blog that he has
written weekly for more than a decade.
http://colleagueslist.blogspot.com

He writes a regular column for the Anglican
Journal http://anglicanjournal.com and
enjoys the challenges of getting up each
morning with physical, spiritual and
intellectual challenges to occupy his mind.

Marlene gets much satisfaction keeping
connected to her grand-children around
the world. She also uses her skills to
organize hospitality and community service
events. Currently she supports educational

and homeless ministries and subs in the
church office.

We enjoy a wide variety of cultural life –
music, drama and film for example - and
seem to be busy most weekends, as well
as on evenings through the week. It’s
easier to do that now!

Our immediate family has “spread out”
into the Middle-East (the Oman Sultanate)
Northern Alberta and Calgary. It’s harder
to have them all together. Family gatherings
remain very important to us.

We compensate for periods of separation
with facetime and phone. One highlight of
the year took place in July and August when
Carmen and Mark, Emily and Owen, could
stay with us and welcome Sarah and Ronnie,
Mya and Dane; as well as Heather and Paul,

Kate and Cole to special gatherings at our
Calgary home. On one occasion thirty of our
extended family were able to be together.

We served as tour hosts for 27 great people
who visited the Holy Land in October.

Actually seeing many sites there was very
meaningful indeed. We avoided a few danger
spots and sometimes our schedule was

adjusted a bit, but we were able to see
most every anticipated location. Next year,
we hope to journey to Oman and other parts
of the Middle East as guests of family in

Muscat, Oman.

This would be an ideal base from which to

visit other countries in the region.

We wish you and your loved ones the best
of this Holy Season and hope to hear from you.

marleneaholst@gmail.com (or) waholst@telus.net

Marlene and Wayne

*****

COLLEAGUE COMMENT

Herb. O'Driscoll,
Victoria, BC

December 12th 2015

Wayne

Particularly interesting I thought.
Lesson for us?

Blessings, Herb
 
New York Times
December 12th, 2015

"The Islamic Dilemma"
  http://tinyurl.com/zoqoqa5

*****

COLLEAGUE CONTRIBUTIONS

Beth Porter
Richmond Hill, ON

L'Arche Canada Foundation
A Human Future Website

An Interview With Dr. Marie Wilson

"After the TRC II - Citizen Engagement"
  http://tinyurl.com/h9ah3xd

--
 
Jim Taylor
Okanagan, BC

"Advent -
  Expecting the Birth of our New Selves"
  http://tinyurl.com/gncvbsc

--

Ron Rolheiser,
San Antonio, TX

Personal Web Site
December 14th, 2015

"Sex and Our Culture" 
  http://tinyurl.com/je2svy6

*****

NET NOTES

THE OTHER JERUSALEM
Poverty and Isolation
in Arab Neighbourhoods

The Christian Century
December 6th, 2015

http://tinyurl.com/znatxlx

--

CHRISTMAS IN BANGLADESH
Blending Culture, Custom, Faith

UCA News
December 17th, 2015

http://tinyurl.com/zrxxt6l

--

ON THE ROAD FROM DAMASCUS
Muslims, Christians Both Blighted

The Tablet, UK
December 17th, 2015

http://tinyurl.com/zhh5qb7

--
 
NEW CHURCH-PLANTING IN 2015
Who Is Attracted to New Missions?

An American Evangelical Perspective:
Christianity Today
December 15th, 2015

http://tinyurl.com/zweu92s

--

HISTORIC PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT
Setting a Course of Action

National Catholic Reporter
December 12th, 2015

http://tinyurl.com/jsrzn4e
"It Reflects Much Advocacy by Religious People"

Sightings,
December 17th, 2015

http://tinyurl.com/hfzcjg4

--

CANADA'S REFUGEE EFFORTS ARE PRAISED
Arab Press Supports Current  Efforts

CBC.ca News
December 17th, 2017

http://tinyurl.com/z3htr7x

--

NORTH KOREA SENTENCES CANADIAN PASTOR
He is Charged With Political Interference

Reuters News
December 16th,2015

http://tinyurl.com/z8jlaxp

--
 
HUMILIATION IS AT THE ROOT OF ALL TERRORISM
Getting to the Basic Causes of the Problem

Tikkun Daily
December 17th, 2015

http://tinyurl.com/zxya5s7

--

WHEATON COLLEGE SUSPENDS
HAJIB-WEARING PROF
She Said Christians and Muslims
Worship the Same God

The Christian Post
December 7th, 2015

http://tinyurl.com/jkj897j

"Do Muslims and Christians
                Worship the Same God?"

An evangelical Canadian response -

Colleague John Stackhouse Jr. comments
from his Weblog December 16th, 2015

http://tinyurl.com/zwzkf4q

--

OUR COLOSSAL EFFORT TO BRING
10,000 REFUGEES TO CANADA NOW
Goal - to Receive Them by Year-End

CBC.ca News
December 16th 2015

http://tinyurl.com/jnfuer5

"Life for a Syrian Refugee in Jordan
  is a Waiting Game With No End"

UToday, University of Calgary News
December 16th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/jeoxftx

*****

WISDOM OF THE WEEK

Provided by Sojourners and the Bruderhof
online:


It is no use saying that we are born two
thousand years too late to give room to
Christ. Nor will those who live at the end
of the world have been born too late.

 
Christ is always with us, always asking
for room in our hearts. But now it is with
the voice of our contemporaries that he
speaks; with the eyes of store clerks,
factory workers, and children that he
gazes; with the hands of office workers,
slum dwellers, and suburban housewives
that he gives. It is with the feet of soldiers
and tramps that he walks, and with the
heart of anyone in need that he longs for
shelter. And giving shelter or food to
anyone who asks for it, or needs it,
is giving it to Christ.

- Dorothy Day


--

As woman was the first to be tempted, so
did God's message of grace come first to
a woman, and each time woman's assent
determined the destiny of humanity as a
whole.
 
- Edith Stein

--

There are many who are enkindled with
dreamy devotion, and when they hear
of the poverty of Christ, they are almost
angry with the citizens of Bethlehem.

They denounce their blindness and
ingratitude, and think, if they had been
there, they would have shown the Lord
and his mother a more kindly service
and would not have permitted them to
be treated so miserably. But they do
not look by their side to see how many
of their fellow humans need their help,
and which they ignore in their misery.


Who is there upon earth that has no poor,
miserable, sick, erring ones around him?


Why does he not exercise his love to those?
Why does he not do to them as Christ has
done to him?


- Martin Luther

--

God must become the equal of the lowliest.
But the lowliest is one who serves others.

God therefore must appear in the form of
a servant. But this servant’s form is not
merely something he puts on, like the
beggar’s cloak, which, because it is only
a cloak, flutters loosely and betrays the
king. No, it is his true form. For this is
the unfathomable nature of boundless
love, that it desires to be equal with the

beloved; not in jest, but in truth.

- Soren Kierkegaard

*****

ON THIS DAY

From the archives of the New York Times

"Wright Brothers Take Flight at Kitty Hawk"
  http://tinyurl.com/yam557x

"Israel Annexes Golan Heights, Seized from Syria"
  http://tinyurl.com/y9px2xd

*****

CLOSING THOUGHT - Shane Claibor

When we truly discover how to love
our neighbor as our self, Capitalism
will not be possible and Marxism
will not be necessary.


(end)

*****

Beginning Our Program Season -
Winter 2016 Adult Spiritual Development
ACTS Ministry at St. David's
United Church,
Calgary

WINTER 2016 MONDAY NIGHT STUDY

Theme: "The Other Two Religions of Jerusalem"
                Judaism and Islam

Books: "Chosen? Reading the Bible
              Amid the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict"
              by Walter Brueggemann

             "Islam: A Short History"
               by Karen Armstrong
              
http://tinyurl.com/jzbybmj
http://tinyurl.com/hr4ohvd
 
A  ten-week investigation into the religious 
sources of modern global unrest centered
in the Mid-East:

Ten Monday evenings, 7-9PM
In the St. David's TM Room
January 18th - March 21st, 2015
Including Monday of Family Weekend

Books and Registration/Hospitality - $60.00
Books only - $35.00

Book Sets Available for Sale: 30.

Now beginning seventeen years
of Monday Night Studies
Our thirty-second series of
(usually) ten week sessions!

Course design to appear here soon.

Check our complete archives
for all 46 book studies:
http://tinyurl.com/q3bw6dh

*****

THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY

Theme: Winter Study Series to
             be determined in January

Ten sessions 10-11 AM
Gathering at 9:30AM
In the St. David's TM Room
January 21st - March 24th.

No charge.

Preparation Session,
Thursday, January 14th, 2016

Study resource -

The DK Complete Bible Handbook
http://tinyurl.com/odxlv7q

(copy available in our church library)

The Bible Study Group will provide the
service reflection Sunday, Jan. 17th, 2016

*****

ACTS LENTEN RETREAT, 2016

SOMETHING TO ANTICIPATE
IN THE NEW YEAR

Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre
Cochrane, Alberta
http://www.mountstfrancis.ca/

Mark your calendars!

Sunday February 28th
11:30 AM - 4:00 PM

John Griffith is on sabbatical this year.
Reflections will be led by a Franciscan on staff.

*****