The rest of Creation cries out against the evil and perversity of the human species. Other creatures fulfill the commandments of God; they honour his laws. And other creatures do not grumble and compl… — Hildegard von Bingen
by Nancy Hastings Sehested
Circle of Mercy Congregation
May 13, 2012
The caller sounded desperate. “Please, please help me. I don’t want to live in sin anymore. I have to get married. Can you help me?”
She explained that she had lived with one of our prisoners for several years. He had 10 more years on his sentence. Then she told me more than I wanted to know about their intimate life together. “The Bible says it’s sin.”
Read more ›by Ken Sehested
I’m embarrassed to admit muffling a groan when I first heard “safe church policy” mentioned in conversation among our members. Three thoughts came rushing up in complaint.
First, I remembered the news, from years ago, of a daycare center announcing it was instituting a “no-touching” policy guiding staff behavior with children. No hugs. No encouraging hand-on-the-shoulder. No child-on-lap comforting of distress. I thought then, and still think: that’s nuts.
Read more ›Signs of the Times • 11 October 2018 • No. 174
¶ Processional. “I Am the Land,” a musical tribute to Salvadoran martyr and Archbishop Oscar Romero, by E. Ethelbert Miller and Richard J. Clark, performed by the Seraphim Singers. (7:21. Thanks Rose.)
¶ Invocation. “Dear Jesus: Don’t do that. Don’t go saying “I come not to bring peace, but division.” You’re scaring us. Don’t you know there are children in the room!” —continue reading “Peace, peace but there is no peace,” a litany for worship inspired by Luke 12:49-53, Jeremiah 6:13-15, and former Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero
Read more ›by Ken Sehested
This Sunday, 14 October, former Salvadoran Archbishop Óscar Romeo (15 August 1917 – 24 March 1980) will be officially canonized—declared a saint—by the Roman Catholic Church during its 2018 Synod of Bishops in Rome.
In 1997 Romero was declared a “Servant of God,” a process which makes him a candidate for sainthood. But the 
process stalled when the hierarchy worried if such a move would be too “political.” Then in February of 2015 Pope Francis decreed that Romero had died “for the faith” (in odium fidei); and then in May announced his beatification, the final step before canonization as a saint of the church. A quarter of a million Salvadorans attended Romero’s beatification service.
by Ken Sehested
Texts: Mark 10:46-52 and selections from Hebrews 11
PREFACE for Baptist History and Heritage Society
Two brief words of introduction before I begin.
Read more ›Signs of the Times • 3 October 2018 • No. 173
¶ Processional. Thousands of students and faculty from the Catholic-run St. Scholastica’s College dance en masse to protest violence against women and children on 14 February 2018, in Manila, Philippines. The annual dance, dubbed One Billion Rising, is held every Valentine’s Day. This year’s performance came shortly after the brutal Philippine President Duterte gave orders for his troops to shoot female dissidents to his regime in the vagina to render them “useless.” (1:15 video.)
by Ken Sehested
Worthy, worthy the One who conceived the earth and gave birth to bears and basil and beatitudes alike.
The earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work!
Read more ›by Ken Sehested
24 September 2018
Last week I wrote a quick note to my friend Kyle, who gets as excited about baptism as I do, to share the news.
“We’re baptizing seven of our youth group this coming Sunday. Is it OK to brag about this?”
Signs of the Times • 26 September 2018 • No. 172
¶ Processional. “Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor,” musical setting by Irving Berlin of Emma Lazarus’ poem on the Statue of Liberty, performed by the Portland Choir & Orchestra.
The earth and all its environs were marked from the beginning as the Dwelling Place of abundance. In this once-and-future land the arrogant are humbled by the countenance of Truth.
Holy the Name, whose might is manifest in mercy. Prosper the work of every generous hand.
Turn back, O merchants of misery. Your market rule shall wither in the Light of Heaven’s approach.
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