A sermon preached at Central United Church, Windsor on December 4, 2011
Scripture Text: Isaiah 40:1-11, Mark 1:1-8
Mark begins his gospel with words from the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah hears a voice: “Prepare the way of the Lord.” The prophet announces that God is about to do something new. Their captivity is over. They are going home.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives .Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.
Jesus gives us this as stated in the Gospel of John.
More than 60,000 Palestinians expected to visit Israel as tourists in 2011
The permits are not usually issued to individuals or families, but mainly to schools and summer camps wishing to take children to visit beaches and mixed Jewish-Arab cities in Israel.
I've never given thought to this because I've never owed taxes, but as someone who is less than impressed with the governments stance on Militarism, I thought that this was both funny and powerful. What do people think?
Attacks, jailings, and killings have been mounting in Honduras as state forces are cracking down on peaceful protesters. Canadian and Honduran officials need to be calling for peace and justice: find out how to respond on the UCC's Take Action page: www.united-church.ca/getinvolved/takeaction/110406
We talk a lot about peace on earth. We think we want a utopian state of peaceful bliss. But do we? Or would we become hand-in-the-chin, puddle-of-drool-on-the-desk bored with that?
The last time a country invaded another country was the US invasion of IRaq. China which is the up and coming empire has not invaded a country since 1950. (Tibet)
Have our national leaders learned that the cost of war is always greater than it's perceived worth? it also seems that counties are reducing the size of their military and war machines. Have we started down the path, where invasions of other countries will be unthinkable.
We talk a lot about peace on earth. We think we want a utopian state of peaceful bliss. But do we? Or would we become hand-in-the-chin, puddle-of-drool-on-the-desk bored with that?
