http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso New Covenant Presbyterian Church Daily Musings en-us Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:00:00 -0500 Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:00:00 -0500 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Weblog Editor 2.0 denis@artshark.com denis@artshark.com http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36531&-token.action=lookup Today is the Fourth of July the day we celebrate our national independence from tyranny. The signers of the Declaration took a bold step, with each signature essentially an act of treason against the King, knowing their individual 'John Hancock' was certain death if captured by the British. But sign it they did for freedom was that precious to them. "It was for freedom that Christ has set us free," the Bible tells us, because freedom is the blessed gift of a 'free' God. As we know, securing fre... Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:00:00 -0500 http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36531&-token.action=lookup http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36530&-token.action=lookup This coming Sunday New Covenant passes yet another milestone in its short earthly existence: groundbreaking. We have owned land in the greater Lewes, DE area for eight years, and the Lord has now finally paved the way for us to step out and begin to build. Having met under the sub shop for the past eight years it is with great joy and anticipation that we come to this Sunday, July 6th, putting the first spade into the ground. It was eleven years ago, Fourth of July weekend, that New Covenant w... Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:00:00 -0500 http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36530&-token.action=lookup http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36529&-token.action=lookup Over the past week and a half I've had the opportunity to officiate at three funerals. A first for me as I haven't done a huge number of funerals in my ministerial life. The quick succession of losses reminded me again of a number of things. One, life is fleeting. Two, you can't take anything with you. Three, a good name is better than anything else. When your body is lying there in a coffin you realize, if dead bodies can realize, that life went very quickly; my hands are empty; and all I can... Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:00:00 -0500 http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36529&-token.action=lookup http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36528&-token.action=lookup Apparently grave robbing is back in vogue. Memorial Parks across the fruited plain are reporting a rising tide of grave robbing, not the dig-in-the-earth-for-gold kind, but a more sophisticated removal of the brass flower vases and markers, and selling them for scrap metal kind. Seems nothing is sacred these days. Now the dead are having their brass removed. Which shows the corruption of the human heart but also the necessity of an eternal hope. Even in death we find ourselves despoiled by the... Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:00:00 -0500 http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36528&-token.action=lookup http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36525&-token.action=lookup The Material Girl and her husband, Guy Ritchie are reported to be on the outs. Apparently signs have emerged that their seven year marriage may be coming to an end. Which is sad. It seems that marriages in the entertainment industry are hard pressed to survive. It's difficult enough to keep a marriage together in the non-entertainment world, much less in an industry that separates spouses and puts them in compromising situations with other spouses' spouses. Which may be a reason to get out of ... Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0500 http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36525&-token.action=lookup http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36524&-token.action=lookup A recent poll conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found among other things that "57 percent of evangelical church attenders said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching." This is a sad, if not entirely surprising, finding. Our culture is becoming increasingly resistant to exclusive truth claims. In the name of "tolerance" everything is accepted except claims to truth. One should not be surprised at the reaction o... Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0500 http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36524&-token.action=lookup http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36523&-token.action=lookup Recently movers disassembled and reassembled a little pink house near New London, CT. A plaque on it designates its significance. One might wonder why in the world such a move would be historic, but it is the result of a frightening decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that in my estimation is totally unbiblical. The house was seized by the city of New London under the right of eminent domain. Such a right used to be exercised only when necessary due to road construction or other such matters of ... Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0500 http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36523&-token.action=lookup http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36521&-token.action=lookup Yesterday I wrote about my new antenna. When I tried to assemble it yesterday, though, I discovered that two small pieces were missing. The company was very cooperative and shipped the parts out the same day, and UPS notified me that I should receive them the day you read this. Without these pieces the antenna would have a semblance of working correctly, but it would be defective nonetheless. In a similar way people come into the world with a semblance of working properly. It is soon apparent, ... Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0500 http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36521&-token.action=lookup http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36520&-token.action=lookup Soon I hope to do something I've been wanting to do for years--tell my cable company goodbye. Our area is one of only 4% of the country that is not allowed to receive local channels by satellite. Our neighborhood is also one where FIOS (fiber optic) is not available. That means that the cable company has a virtual monopoly without any effective government regulation. Now comes good news. With digital broadcasting picture quality and availability of stations increase dramatically. For this reaso... Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0500 http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36520&-token.action=lookup http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36519&-token.action=lookup Most homes I've visited have "guest towels" in their bathrooms. That's a very appropriate thing. In most cases, however, I suspect that guests rarely actually use such towels. (What is used to dry the hands? Hair? Clothing?) The towels are different from all the others--very neat and carefully ironed and of a totally different material from most towels. One gets the impression that they've been placed there as bathroom decorations--something to be looked at but not used. I guess that's parallel... Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0500 http://www.ncpchurch.com/dailymusings.lasso?-Token.notesID=36519&-token.action=lookup