10/29/2012

Day 1 5:40 PM

Kathryn just texted that her power is out.  "let the fun begin."

I am luckier at this time.

So to make the time pass more quickly, I am watching Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter".

However, as I write the movie disappeared and CBS is showing Gov. Christie talking about all the power outages in NJ.

This bodes badly that that Comcast and the internet might disappear.

The trees are really boring and the winds are howling.

Be back later.

I hope.

Progressive Christianity

For the past decade, at least, I have realized that my take on being a Christian has not been the same as others.  On Friday night, I was given the reason why.

I am a Progressive Christian.

I do not have the same view of being Christian as my mother did at the height of Main Line Christianity in 1954.

As a Progressive Christian, I am not concerned about what happens after death, but rather how to live a transformative life now.  Intentionally living a spiritual life whose purpose is to be transformed now.

As a Progressive Christian, Jesus has more authority over my life than the Bible.  The Bible which I interpret as historical and metaphorical.  It is not the literal word of God and it is not valued over and above Jesus and what he taught.

As a Progressive Christian, there is no tension between Science and Christianity.  Come on>  Intelligent Design?  The earth only 5,000 years old?

As a Progressive Christian I do not merely tolerate other religious traditions but embrace them not limiting God to only one tradition world wide.

As a Progressive Christian, I socially embrace inclusiveness.

As a Progressive Christian, I am not "belief-centered" nor "heaven-and-hell" centered.

So, now all of you that are family and friends, you now know why I went to Sudan, why I would go back, why I am involved in AFRECS and in Reach Academy for Girls.

Jesus said to help the homeless, hungry and those in prison.  To do to the least of these, you have done it to him.

Very, very simple.




Day 1 2:30 PM

Well, I have just initiated a little test. 

At the Diocese of Delaware we have recently decided to utilize ACS in the Clouds or ACS On Demand.  ACS, Automated Church Systems, has been utilized for accounting since April 1994.

After some of the major hurricanes that affected all along the Gulf Coast, our insurance company, Church Insurance, suggested that disaster plans be put into effect.  The first part of that was the accounting system.

About a week ago, we lost power in the offer until around 1:30 PM.  The thought of moving over to Trinity Parish to log in utilizing their WIFI was not met with smiles.  However, it was determined that we should go over during a non-crisis to try out the system.

Well, we did not have enough time for that.  So, I decided I would try it today.

It was widely thought that we would just need the internet access to log on.

Nope.

Today, I found ACS on Demand and quickly discovered that it was not so.  I needed to download a program onto my laptop.

I have successfully downloaded and then access the system.

And, personally, I went into the clouds in August so that everything is saved up there.

I am grateful to have been pointed into the clouds.

Now, back to the weather channel.

Stay safe all my friends along the shore and into the Marsh Lands in Delaware.

Stay safe, Kathryn and Nick and family.

I love you.


Day 1 of Sandy at 1 PM

Well, this reminds me a lot of the possibility of no electricity while in Sudan and to rely on the blog to keep people knowing that I am safe and hanging in there.

It has been raining all day.  I went out driving in Tweety around 8:30 AM scouting an open Starbucks to hang out and read within community.  No such luck.  However, Dunkin Donuts was open so I sat with iced coffee and did some reading.  I headed home around 9:45 AM and have been home since then.

It is now steadily blowing and gusting to around 45 mph.  Since our power lines are underground in my neighborhood, any falling trees will not impact that.  However, this is true for only new neighborhoods.  The older established neighborhoods in and around wilmington, that is not true.

My bedroom front windows face north so the blowing will be coming from that direction until the early morning when it will switch to SSE.

I will keep everyone posted.

Stay safe friends.