May 31, 2011
Congratulations, graduates! Your church family is proud of all you have achieved. We rejoice with you and your families and look forward to the wonderful things you will accomplish in the years ahead.
From Pastor Roger ...
The average American watches TV for nearly 30 hours per week. That's 65 days of nonstop TV watching every year. By the time they graduate from high school, students will have viewed 360,000 commercials. The average 65-year-old will have watched two million commercials. Each of these commercials has been created by smart people who pack their ads with powerful images, catchy music and humor, and memorable slogans. Most of the commercials have a primary theme: this product will give you true happiness and deep satisfaction.
Based on the worldview presented by TV commercials, here's how I would rewrite the Beatitudes spoken by Jesus:
- Blessed are those who fly to luxury vacation spots on tropical islands, where they lie in chaise lounge chairs, the only two people on an enormous white beach; for they shall be satisfied.
- Blessed are those who drink much beer, for they shall be surrounded by carefree, football-watching buddies and highly attractive, socially-gifted women in the first half of life; and they shall be satisfied.
- Blessed are those who have the latest smartphone, for they shall gaze on a screen swirling with color and shall get all the information they need just when they need it; and they shall be satisfied.
- Blessed are those who have outstanding kids. Verily I say to you, highly blessed are those who have a golden Labrador retriever bounding along on that slow-motion-videoed day of playing with the kids in the park, for they shall be the envy of real families everywhere; and they shall be satisfied.
Catholic Education Resource Center, "Television Statistics and Sources"; submitted by Kevin Miller, Wheaton, Illinois
Which set of beautitudes is guiding your life? Jesus gave the real life-changing metaphors called, The Beattitudes in Matthew 5. Why not take a moment to read them and see how your life lines up. More like TV Commercials, or more like Jesus?
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What's happening: June 5, 2011, 4:30 pm. Summer Classical Concert benefitting the Free Clinic of Southwest Washington. The concert will be held at our church.
- The Free Clinic of SW Washington provides provides free, basic, walk-in health care, together with dental, vision and specialty care to those in our community who are uninsured and cannot afford basic care. Their services prevent unnecessary emergency room visits, keep people from missing work, and keep children healthy and able to stay in school. They are 98% community-funded and receive very little government funding.
- The concert features performances by world-renowned musicians: Pianists Cinda Redman and Lena Vozheiko-Wheaton; Vocalist Linda Appert, and violinist Tatiana Kolchanova-Parente, assistant concertmaster at the Vancouver Symphony. Tickets $15 per person or $25 per family.
- RSVP online at www.freeclinics.org or contact Haley Overton, 360.313.1388 or haley@freeclinics.org
| THIS WEEK | ||||||
| SUNDAY | MONDAY | TODAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY | SABBATH |
| 6:45 Walking Among the Lampstands | | 6:45 Walking Among the Lampstands | 9 and 11 am, Pastor Roger Walter | |||
| NEXT WEEK | ||||||
| SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY | SABBATH |
| 4:30pm Piano Benefit Concert for Free Clinic | 7pm Pathfinders | 6:45 Walking Among the Lampstands | 6:45 Walking Among the Lampstands | 9 and 11 am, Pastor Roger Walter | ||
