January 26 - Giving Your All

Money is an uncomfortable topic for us to discuss. I hope today's sermon isn't uncomfortable for you. I hope it is helpful in thinking about your finances.

You can Google "Colyer Brothers" to find more on their story. These photographs will blow your mind.

If you or someone you know struggles with hoarding, the International OCD Foundation has a good page on how to start trying to help someone (or yourself) with hoarding. They also have a help center with links to information and several good resources.

There is increasingly clear research suggesting at least a correlation if not causation that generally the wealthy give less than those who make less. Patricia Greenfield's study seems to me to be more correlation. This 2008 study points to causation. Finally, this piece from Salon is more about the kinds of charity that the wealthy give to. Importantly, as the Salon article points out, there are many exceptions to this rule. There are many very generous wealthy people and many greedy poor people. This is all about tendencies and trends, not the practice of individuals.

Wesley's sermon, The Use of Money, can be found in several sources. The standard collection of Wesley's sermons are the first four volumes of The Works of John Wesley.

I think I summarize Wesley's three rules on money pretty well, but this article gives another take on it.

January 19 - Get It Together

Just a couple notes to share this week. I hope you find them interesting:

The story of Le Chambon is truly remarkable. I first read about it several years ago in a Phillip Yancey book. I can't remember which book, but anything by Yancey is worth reading. You can read the whole story in Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed by Phillip Hallie. Yancey gives a very nice summary, but Hallie's book has lots of details that are interesting if you want to get more in depth. There is also a documentary, Weapons of the Spirit, which I have not seen. It was directed by one of the children that was hidden in the village. Looks like it's hard to find. If you get a copy let me know!

The term crowdsourcing was coined by Wired Magazine in 2006, but in reality it has a long history. We think of crowdsourcing as a group of people unrelated in any way to each other working on the same project, but I'd argue that by virtue of the fact that they are working together on a project they are a community, even if a virtual community. Thought of in this way, crowdsourcing has been around in one form or another since the beginning of community itself.

January 12 - Strangely Warm

There is some debate about precisely how important John Wesley's "Aldersgate Experience" was to his formation, but there is no doubt that it was important. You can read Wesley's account of the experience here.

Albert Outler, who coined the phrase "Wesleyan Quadrilateral" actually stated later in life that he wished he had never used the term because of how misused it is. Here's a short article on the quadrilateral including an interview with Richard Heitzenrater, who is one of the foremost authorities on all things Wesley.

A short but good blog on Wesley and the heart. You might also be interested in the book John Wesley's Conception and Use of Scripture. It's a little dense but very informative. The author, Scott Jones, also happens to be our bishop!

And, of course, I recommend the book that some of us are studying right now, A Disciple's Path by Jim Harnish.

January 5 - The Way of Grace

- Consider using a study Bible or a commentary as you study Scripture. Some really good ones are the Wesley Study Bible and the New Interpreter's Commentary. If you're super serious there is an excellent multi volume commentary too.

- All you want to know about John Wesley and more.

- For more on Methodism in general, This We Believe is a fantastic book on beliefs and Wesley and the People Called Methodist is great for history. This We Believe is an easier read but neither one are too difficult.

December 15 - Hope Proclaimed

The blog is taking an unannounced vacation until after Christmas. Come back then, and in the meantime proclaim the hope and  Good News that is Jesus Christ!

December 8 - Hope Revealed

Theophilus - I mentioned that Theophilus could be a reference to a specific person or it could be a reference to all "beloved of God." There is some interesting information here.

Our reading this morning came from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) instead of the Common English Bible (CEB) that we usually use. The reading is much more familiar with the NRSV phrasing. The CEB uses "guest room" instead of "inn." Here's a blog that talks about why (note that it is referring  to a different version of the Bible but the use of "guest room" is the same. If you want more information on the question of where Jesus was born read this article.

I don't normally cite Wikipedia entries but this one on Augustus really is good.

December 1 - Hope Revisited

Throughout Advent we're referencing the artwork of John August Swanson. The works that we are looking at are guided by a study done in cooperation with Candler School of Theology, a United Methodist seminary affiliated with Emory University, A Thrill of Hope. You can always stop in on the Tuesday or Sunday studies, both at 6:30pm.

 For more on infant mortality in the first century look here. It's not a subject that I can find much research on.

More on Frederick Buechner and more on Thomas Merton, both of who were quoted in the message today.