When you think of a pastor, a gentle grandfatherly figure might pop into your mind. On the surface, this is Pastor John Yonker. But on the bike, he is anything but gentle.
This morning, I accompanied Yonker, pastor at First Christian Church in Columbia, for the first few miles of his ride. When I say morning, [...]
Archive for June, 2009
A new side to Pastor Yonker
Posted in Christianity, Religious Leaders, spirituality and health, tagged Biking, pastors on June 26, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Hope Church to offer discussion about racism
Posted in Christianity, religion and culture, tagged racism on June 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Columbia Hope Church will host a presentation on how to dismantle racism in the community Sunday, June 28 at 11:45. Chester Hines, chairperson of the Dismantling Racism Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, will be giving the presentation as well as a short talk during the worship service, which begins at 10:30. Participants in [...]
Upcoming VBS programs in Columbia
Posted in Uncategorized on June 26, 2009 | 3 Comments »
“Camp Edge” @
Broadway Christian Church: Aug. 3-6, 8:30 a.m.-noon
2601 W Broadway
Columbia, MO 65203-1295
(573) 445-5312
Fairview United Methodist Church: Aug. 2-3 and 5-7, 5:30-8 p.m.
3200 Chapel Hill Rd
Columbia, MO 65203-0881
(573) 445-5391
Trinity Presbyterian Church: June 28-July 2, 6-8 p.m.
1600 W Rollins Rd
Columbia, MO 65203-1756
(573) 445-4469
“Gadget’s Garage” @
Alive in Christ Lutheran Church: July 20-24, 9 a.m. – noon
201 Southampton [...]
Understanding the Southern Baptist Convention
Posted in Belief in Brief, Christianity, Local, Religion and Politics, Religion and Popular Culture, Religious Leaders, religion and culture on June 25, 2009 | 2 Comments »
The 2009 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting runs Tuesday through Thursday of this week. Political issues such as abortion and civil unions will be discussed but, above all, the nation’s largest Protestant body must address its ministries’ concerns over declining membership.
Islamic burqa “not welcome” in France
Posted in Islam, Religion and Politics, religion and culture, tagged France, freedom of religion, Islam on June 23, 2009 | 1 Comment »
In 2004, a law was passed in France prohibiting the Islamic hijab (as well as other ostentatious religious symbols) in public schools. This was a significant show of the country’s commitment to secularity, going beyond what Americans would call a separation of church and state. By involving the government in matters of religious identification, France [...]
Parkade Baptist Church to offer support for divorced
Posted in Christianity, religion and culture on June 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Parkade Baptist Church will hold a 13 week seminar/support group called DivorceCare from August 26 through November 18. The group will meet Wednesday evenings from 6-8. At the same time, a companion program will meet for children of divorced parents ages 5-12 and childcare for younger children will be available. To register or for more [...]
Theocracy at its worst
Posted in Islam, Religion and Politics, tagged faith, Iran, Iranian Elections, Theocracy on June 18, 2009 | 1 Comment »
In 1979, Iran officially became the Islamic Republic of Iran. Thus ensued a theocracy that is difficult for Western minds to comprehend, where religious laws and beliefs are essentially the guiding force of governmental institutions. According to the Iranian Constitution,
It crystallizes the political aspirations of a nation united in faith and thinking which provides itself [...]
Gay Rights, Faith, and Missourians.
Posted in Christianity, Religion and Politics, tagged gay rights, Obama on June 17, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Obama is expected to announce today that same-sex partners of federal employees will be granted some benefits, according to an article published in the New York Times. With this announcement and the legalization of same-sex marriage in many states this year, where does Missouri stand? In the heart of the Bible belt, it seems that [...]
Responsibility: Who will have to shoulder the Roman Catholic Church’s abuse history?
Posted in Uncategorized on June 16, 2009 | 6 Comments »
As Michael Wegs sat there at a press conference for Survivor’s Network for those Abused by Priests (SNAP), his emphatic talking would halt suddenly, his voice would break slightly, and his eyes would start to tear up a little. When I had first seen Wegs speak about the impact of priests and other authority figures [...]
Can Muslims skirt dangers of religious obligation?
Posted in Islam, Religion and Politics, Uncategorized on June 16, 2009 | 2 Comments »
One of the five pillars of Islam involves giving charity to those in need, or zakat. This seems a simple enough process, one practiced by the faithful as well as the secular community. However, for many Muslims, alleged connections between Muslim charity organizations and terrorists groups overseas make fulfilling the requirement difficult and even risky.
In [...]
