Pastor's Page
There is an old joke which attempts to speak to the complexity of all things:Long ago, a king went to a wise person and asked, "How is it that the earth doesn't fall down?" The wise person answered, "The earth is resting on a lion." The king then asked, "What then is the lion resting on?" "The lion is resting on an elephant" "What is the elephant resting on?" "The elephant is resting on a turtle."
"What is the " "You can stop right there, your majesty. It's turtles all the way down."
That is a joke among theologians as it speaks to some of the complex issues of our existence and our faith: how can God create something out of nothing? How can human free will and accountability be reconciled with pre-destinarianism and salvation by grace? How did evil enter into a good creation? Why is there suffering?
"Well, it's just turtles all the way down!"
All of this comes to my mind because Nancy and I are off to the annual pastors/spouses conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand, for the second half of February. And we look at theological issues at these annual gatherings. Our theme this year is to look at cyberspace and to ask is there grace out there? Is God active on the internet? Is the post-modern, technological era revealing something more about creation, the divine and ourselves? And how does the church prepare itself for a cyperspace world?
Is developing a web site like this one part of our way forward?
While we are gone, Community Church will have two superb visitors in the Rev. Scott Lawson and the Rev. Jake Fisher. These are the two finalists between whom the church council will choose my successor. I have not met either man, but I have listened to their sermons and tapes of interviews between them and our search committee, and I am confident the congregation is going to meet two impressive pastors in my absence.
Scott Lawson will preach on February 20 and Jake Fisher on Feb 27 and there are several lunch, dinners, walks planned for everyone who is so inclined to meet these men and their families.
Meanwhile I'm off to Thailand where it's turtles all the way down!
Pastor Gene Preston
The Rev. Gene R.Preston
14th Floor, Blk 36, Lower Baguio Villa Tel : 25516161 Fax: 25512114E-mail : gpreston@netvigator.com
TOP OF PAGE This page has been visited
times.
This page hosted byGet your own Free Homepage