One of Jesus’ more famous sayings is also problematic for many people. “I am the way,the truth, and the life,” Jesus says in John 14:6, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” Let’s look at the problems caused by common interpretations of that verse and how Jesus might actually be pointing in a different direction.
You can perhaps see from this 1990 photo of me with my own (freshly shorn) sheep, how much I love them, and I can’t pass up the opportunity the lectionary has given me to talk about them. What the picture doesn’t quite capture is the fact that sheep are dumb as rocks or a lot of other things about sheep that can help us understand the many, many metaphors in the Bible that refer to sheep and shepherds.
– Pastor Anne
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The energy infrastructure in war-torn Ukraine has been destroyed. Volunteer civilian defenders on the front lines have asked for candles and small tins, which can be used for light, heat, and cooking, and for metal containers (like cookie and popcorn tins), which are needed to store food and protect it from rodents.
Dr. BonnieJean Butler has shipped 5000+lbs of supplies to Ukraine since October, to known and trusted people for distribution. BonnieJean’s friends and family have generously paid for shipping costs to date but urgent needs persist.
How you can help:
During the month of May, Crawford will serve as a collection point for additional candles and cookie tins. Now through the end of May, bring your contributions to church on Sunday, or leave them in the bins by our front or parking lot doors.
More ways to help:
We are happy to be hosting an adoption event for Last Hope K9 Rescue (LHK9), on Saturday, April 22. From their website, “LHK9 is a registered non-profit, all-breed dog rescue based in Massachusetts.We are dedicated to saving abandoned, neglected, and abused dogs from high-kill shelters in Central Arkansas and beyond. Though our rescue efforts are focused in the Central Arkansas area, we also serve as a resource for local dog surrenders, shelters, and special rescue efforts in other areas. We don’t discriminate on the basis of age, pre-existing medical conditions, or breed, because every dog deserves to know love.”
Only potential adopters with applications on file will be able to enter the adoption event space on Saturday. LHK9 volunteers encourage interested adopters to learn more about the event and the dogs available for adoption on their website or facebook page, and to complete an online application here.
One of the odd pieces in the stories of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances is that even those very close to Jesus often fail to recognize him. I think that weird detail has something to teach us as we struggle to find Jesus in our lives today.
– Pastor Anne
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