The Oregon Faith Report - Faith News from Oregon

George Fox professor, Mark David Hall, wrote a well-received guest opinion article in The Sunday Oregonian about faulty logic used on evangelicals views on torture.  Here is a sample of that article.

There are lies, damn lies and statistics. Manipulation of the latter serves as the basis of Tom Krattenmaker’s smear of evangelicals published in The Sunday Oregonian (“Torture and evangelicals: Faith takes back seat to power and politics,” Oct. 19).  Krattenmaker breathlessly compares one poll reporting that 57 percent of white Southern evangelicals think torture can “often” or “sometimes” be justified, with another showing that 48 percent of the general public has identical views.

Medical Teams International provides emergency medicines to Honduran flood survivors
Portland Agency provides nearly $1 million in aid this year

Medical Teams International Release  (PORTLAND, ORE.—Oct. 28, 2008)   Medical Teams International is mobilizing a second emergency relief shipment of medical supplies, worth $482,000, to Honduras where thousands of families fighting floods still struggle to find food, shelter, medicines and clean water.

The relief items, including urgently need antibiotics, bandages and water purification kits, will help Honduran families displaced by tropical storms that swept the country last week. Subsequent torrential rains have flooded houses, destroyed crops, and washed out bridges and roads in Central America’s second poorest country.

Oregon Author Spotlight: Paul Coughlin
Article: Showing Our Kids the Whole Spectrum of Virtue

Wisdom often leads to conflict, and it is spiritually neglectful not to explain to our children that if they align their lives with God’s will, they will be met with challenges.  If we don’t, we can be sure we’ll be raising a generation of what I call Second-Seed people—those who walk away from their faith when the going gets tough.

When we read Jesus’ parable of the sower (Matthew 13; Mark 4; Luke 8), which describes why faith grows in some but not others, we hope we’ll only find our inner lives described in one key passage.  When we find our faithlessness laid bare on the page, we sometimes fail to understand the real reason: We simply don’t have the backbone to withstand the difficulties that come from being the oddballs God wants us to be.

By Rick Johnson, Better Dads, Oregon

During our recent trip to Texas, my wife Suzanne and I visited a remarkable facility located in the urban, inner city area of Fort Worth. We were blessed to spend some time with Gary Randle and Noble Crawford the co-founders of H.O.P.E Farm. The acronym H.O.P.E. stands for Helping Other People Excel.

Both Randle and Crawford are former law enforcement officers who felt a calling to help young, fatherless, African-American boys become men. As they say, “All boys deserve a chance to become men.” The “farm” consists of several buildings that were formerly drug houses for local gangs. Randle, an imposing figure at 6’ 8” tall, is a former TCU college basketball player who believes that without positive male role models these boys are doomed to end up involved in drugs or in prison.

By Beaver-Believer, Portland

Two different spiritual movies debuted during the same weekend of October 17th. One was the small budget movie that was embraced by the faith community (Secret Life of Bees) and it out-performed the much celebrated film (W) which depicted people of faith in a negative light.

The Secret Life of Bees is a film that was promoted by three faith-based marketing companies; Motive Entertainment (Passion, Narnia), Grace Hill Media (Evan Almighty, Pursuit of Happyness) and Liquid Soul (The Gospel). Clergy and ministries were mailed teaching materials for the movie and given a website.

From Holt International Newsletter 10/08.

Ethiopian Adoption–’a good thing’.  Parents reunite with a key person in their recent adoptions.  Parents carrying young children enter the small dining hall, scanning the faces for Dr. Fikru. When they spot him, they move quickly across the room to greet him with hugs and laughter. Some have traveled for hours and some from as far away as Maryland to see this charismatic man they first met on the other side of the world–in Ethiopia.  The expressions of joy and familiarity spread across their faces as he greets them with a warm Ethiopian-style handshake or embrace. Several parents address him as “Dr. F,” and some hold his hand as he listens to excited stories about the newest tricks and developments of their new sons or daughters. For these parents, he is a friend who played a key role in a unique journey of love.

From Corban College,

Lord, Save Us From Your Followers” gets “followers” thinking. Corban welcomed Portland-area Film-Maker Dan Merchant to campus and his recently produced documentary, “Lord, Save Us From Your Followers” (Lightning Strikes Entertainment, LLC).  The Caulkins Fall Lectureship in combination with Chapel and ASB, sponsored this October event for students.  Merchant spoke during Chapel, spent most of the day with students, and discussed the movie with viewers after the evening showing.  

Compassion First is hosting a New Year midnight walk event called First Run to help rescue kids from global prostitution.   The Beaverton based ministry travels dangerous areas in the Pacific and Asia helping young prostitution victims escape the sex-trade.   The First Run event encourages people to start the “first” act of the year as an act of service to others by raising funds and awareness to this escalating cause.   The First Run is catching on across the country.

By Sheila Allen, NW Baptist Witness,

VANCOUVER – A contingent of Northwest Baptist teenagers and leaders joined over 6,800 students from around the world in Leipzig, Germany, for the Baptist Youth World Conference in recent weeks.  The 47-member group worshiped with others from 69 countries and took advantage of the opportunity to meet in small groups to gain a greater understanding of each other and how God is at work among them.  The first night of the conference participants experienced a theme interpretation about the history of Germany that moved many of them to tears.

Announcement from University of Portland,

Reading of Kaaterskill Falls set for Tuesday Oct. 21 is part of a series led by professor and Jewish scholar Matthew WarshawskyThe book Kaaterskill Falls by Allegra Goodman will be discussed in a reading set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21 in Room 163 of Buckley Center on the University of Portland campus, 5000 N. Willamette Blvd. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.  The reading is the fourth part of the series “Between Two Worlds, Stories of Estrangement and Homecoming.” The session is led by University of Portland professor and Jewish scholar Matthew Warshawsky. The University’s Clark Memorial Library will provide all books and materials. For more information and registration, please contact the library at (503) 943-7778 or online at library.up.edu/literatureseries.

By Beaver Believer, Portland

Yesterday my pastor played a video that really struck a powerful chord with the congregation. The pastor announced that our church is joining thousands of other churches this Christmas in a nationwide call to spend a little less on Christmas and then dedicating the difference to help provide water in third world countries.  It was a great video and felt compelled to share it with you.

Check out the video HERE

Odd News: By Guest opinion, Portland.

Rev. Rob Hambry was speaking at the Fort Worrth Presbyterian Church in Texas when two theives snuck into the church office.  They stole his computer and his wallet.  They then proceeded to spend over $2,000 on his credit cards.   Would you believe that the entire shopping spree was completed before he finsihed his sermon? Severallessons could be arrived from the event.

First of all, no one can say that long sermons do not have consequences.   Second, this robbery is similar to others where church office doors are open all Sunday long.  The family atmosphere of a congregation creates a level of openness that thieves notice.  It is always best to keep the basic safeguards in mind when it comes to valuable office property.   Third, when tragedy strikes it is always good to be caught in the middle of timeless message like grace which was lived out that day.    If the pastor would have preached on “blessings”, it would have looked awful.

By Oregon author Judy Dippel
Book: The Art of Authentic Friendship: Real Women, Real Challenges, Real Solutions

“Now that I know something is wrong between us, I’m more than stunned. I can’t say this to you partly because I can’t seem to put words on the agonizing emotions that are churning, but I guess this sums it up: I feel like I’ve been fired as your soul mate.”
Sally, age 51

The loss of a friend is a harsh reality; it hurts. When the ties of a connected and valuable friendship are severed even temporarily, the results can be devastating. Emotional anguish between friends can spring from hurtful actions or circumstances. It can be complicated, confusing, and challenging. When someone gets “burned” or feels rejected, bitterness and resentment threaten to extinguish even the best of relationships.

[Press Release from Portland Archdiocese]

The annual Tobin Lecture will be held on Saturday, November 15 at All Saints Parish (NE 39 & Glisan) in Portland. The event will run from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon. The keynote speaker for this year’s lecture will be Ralph McCloud, national Director of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), United States Catholic Conference of Catholic Bishops. The title of the lecture will be “Hear the Voice of the Poor: Standing in Solidarity with the Poor in Our Community.” There will also be a panel of leaders from low-income communities. After the keynote there will be an opportunity for small group dialogue on specific poverty issues facing the local community.

A true-life testimony by Crystal Kupper,

“Today might be an I-hate-the-military day,” my husband of three months said uneasily.  I snapped to attention, temporarily forgetting the vegetables I was chopping.   “Why? Switching shifts?” I asked, knowing he wasn’t.   Nick opened the fridge and stared at the milk. “No. I’m deploying.”  I practically pureed the onion, saying nothing. Then came the tears and venom, realizing it wasn’t his fault but not caring. He was leaving me.

Eugene has several phenomenal outreach programs available to anyone in need of assistance.  One of wich serves more than 7,000 at risk youth and families each year.

Looking Glass is a private, nonprofit organization committed to assisting clients in navigating life’s challenges, so they can lead healthier, happier and more productive lives.

Personal Story from Transitional Youth Ministries,

Friday, filling in for Daniel our Outreach Director, I took a breather from my constant MBWA managerial style, (Managing By Walking Around). I sat down on one of the chairs up against the wall in the large main room and just looked around.  As I nearly completed a 180 degree sweep of the room, my eyes made contact with a slight, slender boy seated all alone, less than 10 feet from me.  “How’s it going?”  I said.  He acknowledged me with a nod, made a quick swirling motion with his closest hand and pointed at one of his ears.  It registered immediately.  He couldn’t hear a word I’d said.

By Guest Opinion, Portland

Grants Pass was among a select list of cities that saw an advanced screening of the movie “Come What May”.  Over 800 people turned out for the movie at the local Performing Arts Center.   The movie was created by a pro-life producer as it deals with a student who has a mother who on the U.S. Supreme Court.   The movie delves into the legal battle over Roe V. Wade.  Dr. Michael Farris, who has argued before the US Supreme Court, provided legal guidance for the script.  In a show of support 40 home-schooled students participated in the filming.  This grassroots film making is similar to how the faith inspired movie Facing the Giants was staffed. In Facing the Giants it was mostly church members volunteering their services as actors and crew.  

Given up on the idea of home education?
It might be time to reconsider.

by Crystal Kupper

When her marriage ended and she became a single parent, Mary Jo Tate, a home-schooling mother from Tupelo, Miss., faced an unusual dilemma. Could she continue educating her four sons at home as a single mom? Most would answer no, but the freelance editor and book coach immediately said yes.  “I never considered stopping,” Tate says. “I trusted that God would provide the way to continue educating my children at home.”

Statement of Archbishop John G. Vlazny on Governor Kulongoski hosting NARAL event
[9/30 Press release from the  Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon]

It has come to my attention that Governor Ted Kulongoski will be hosting a NARAL Pro-Choice political gala two days before our Respect Life Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. This is a source of embarrassment for our church and a scandal for the Catholic community. For a Catholic governor to host an event of this sort seems a deliberate dissent from the teachings of the Church. As I wrote in the Catholic Sentinel in August “the very core of all Catholic moral and social teaching is respect for the dignity of everyone. Ours is a rich heritage of social teaching which forms the basis of what it means to be a faithful citizen as a Catholic.”