The Oregon Faith Report - Faith News from Oregon

Weekend National News Focus:

US Supreme Court Upholds the Public Display of the Ten Commandments in Public Parks.  In a landmark 9-0 decision, the Court ruled the City of Pleasant Grove, Utah does not have to remove a Ten Commandments display from a public park. This paves the way for states, cities and counties to display the Ten Commandments without fear of expensive and massive lawsuits.  This includes the City of Boise.

A Christian Viewpoint on animals and God.
By Jeannie St. John Taylor,
Oregon author of Culture Proof Kids

I had to resist a strong urge to rush across the Atlantic and adopt the badly burned koala found in a charred Australian forest after I saw her photo on the news. How desperate she must have felt to seek out a fireman, hold onto him and drink from his water bottle! Such behavior from a wild koala is even more amazing since koalas don’t customarily drink much water.

So do you think it hurt God’s heart to see thousands of animals suffer and die because a few humans ignored his laws and deliberately set fires? I do.

By Judith Stroman,
Faith Reporter,

Jewish Federation co-chair makes humanitarian visit to southern Israel.

A detailed report of local Oregonian Michael Weiner’s whirlwind 26 hour trip to the war zone in southern Israel, north of Gaza, in January was the subject of a recent article in the Jewish Review. Mr. Weiner is the co-chairman of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland’s 2009 Annual Campaign. He had been asked by the United Jewish Communities to attend the Leadership Solidarity Mission Meeting on January 11 in Tel Aviv to report on the role the Federation was playing in the ongoing humanitarian needs after personally observing the war zone. He flew home the next day to speak to 700 attendees at the Community Solidarity Gathering at Congregation Beth Israel in Portland.

By Traci Scott,
Faith Reporter,

The Oregon Catholic Church is encouraging parishioners to donate generously for the 2009 Collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe on Ash Wednesday, February 25.  The theme of this year’s collection is “Believe in the Power of the Spirit of Love,” and is part of a national collection effort.  As a result of devastating oppression triggered by years of wars, radical Communism and horrific crimes against humanity, the countries in Central and Eastern Europe have faced decades of hardship and suffering.

By Doris Christian,
Faith Report Writer,

Beaverton-based evangelist Luis Palau is planning a big public festival to reach Guatemala in their time of need.

As a people, many wallowing in poverty, drug and alcohol abuse amid daily violence, the citizens of Latin America are seeking answers.  Overwhelmed and emotionally downtrodden they are desperate for a better life.    When Evangelical Ministers, such a Luis Palau, hold meetings offering hope and healing through faith in Jesus Christ, the response is remarkable.

The 40th annual Collins Lecture, presented by Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO), is scheduled for the evening of Monday, May 4, 2009, at the University of Portland, Chiles Center. The theme is “The Transformative Power of Reconciliation in Society.” Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus from Cape Town, South Africa, will be the featured keynote speaker.

Archbishop Tutu has led a formidable crusade in support of justice and racial conciliation in South Africa. His tireless work was recognized in 1984, when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Following a short stint as the Bishop of Johannesburg, Tutu was elected Archbishop of Cape Town in 1986—an office he held until his retirement in 1996.

Weekend national news focus:

Mickey Rourke may have resurrected his career with his amazing performance in The Wrestler, but in an interview with RELEVANT magazine, Rourke opens up about an even more significant turnaround in his life–one that happened in a church. The interview can be found in the March/April 6th Anniversary Issue of the magazine, which arrives on newsstands March 1st. Rourke is currently nominated for Best Actor in the 2009 Academy Awards, which airs on Sunday, February 22nd.

The article covers Rourke’s brutal experiences growing up, his life as a boxer and the fateful night when–on his way to kill the man who raped his girlfriend–he decided to stop by church one last time.

Weekend national news focus:

There comes a single moment in many people’s lives that defines who they have been and who they are destined to become. For some people it comes at the most unexpected of times. For Jerry Glover it came at a moment that was one of the lowest in his life. Play to Win (published by iUniverse) by Jerry Glover uses a collection of stories based on his time as a force in Alabama football as a vehicle for sharing his views on spirituality and his relationship with God.

Play to Win utilizes the concept that wining in life is similar to winning in football. Glover recounts stories from his sixty-five years of life as a roadmap both to success in life and salvation with God.

By Jeannie St. John Taylor
Oregon Author of You Wouldn’t Love Me If You Knew

I’m an artist, so I’ve long recognized red as the color of passion. I recall one art teacher suggesting a touch of red in every painting “just to liven it up.” Red stimulates the appetite and conversation, symbolizes fervent love, energizes, and, when paired with its complement of green, seems to vibrate the very air.  But in recent years the depth of anti-Christian and anti-religious sentiment stirred by the color startles me. My goodness, I thought, red is just a color!

On Valentines Day the Saudi religious police raided gift shops to confiscate stuffed bears holding red hearts embroidered with the words “I love you”. But they didn’t stop there, even red silk flowers and red picture frames had to go. Red symbolizes St. Valentine, they maintained, and he was a Christian. It is illegal for Christians to proselytize in some Muslim countries.

Allison Brandow, Faith Reporter,

Four clergy from an Ashland, Ore., church are refusing to sign marriage licenses for heterosexual couples, indicating they will resume signing licenses when same-sex couples can also legally marry.  The Rev. Pam Shepherd of First Congregational United Church of Christ, along with three retired clergy, declared this decision in January. They will continue to perform wedding ceremonies, but couples will need to obtain the signature of a judge or justice of the peace on their licenses.

The church, which the Ashland Tidings reports is more than 90 percent straight, agreed with the leadership’s decision.

Portland-Seattle Radio host Georgene Rice of KPDQ-FM interviewed with Bernie Goldberg, author of “A Slobbering Love Affair: The True and Pathetic Story of the Torrid Romance Between Barack Obama and the Mainstream Media.”

Georgene: It’s not often we tell a love story, but this is a story that just begs to be told. It is a slobbering, true story about the torrid romance between Barack Obama and the mainstream media. According to Bernie Goldberg, the media’s one-sided coverage of the recent Presidential campaign shredded any trust the mainstream media had with most Americans, moving from cheerleaders to active participants in the political arena.

BG: The book has a serious message. The media rolled over for one candidate over the other. They were on a noble mission and didn’t care who knew about it.

Medical Teams International
Tigard, Oregon

(Tigard, Ore.— Feb. 11, 2009) – The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) awarded $594,000 to Medical Teams International last week so it can continue its lifesaving care of Congolese refugees inside Uganda.  Medical Teams International provided medical treatment for 27,627 refugees in December with volunteer teams and staff from Uganda. The refugee population has continued to grow as Congolese families continue to flow across the border into the Nakivale settlement area.

The Seattle Seahawks, led by now-retired coach Mike Holmgren and his family, helped raise $60,000 during Holmgren’s final home game in Seattle last December.

Weekend National Religion News Focus:

“Fireproof,” from Samuel Goldwyn Films and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, has won the $100,000 Epiphany Prize for “Most Inspiring Movie of 2008,” sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation (www.templeton.org), a philanthropic organization dedicated to exploring life’s biggest questions. The award was presented by Dr. Ted Baehr, founder of the Movieguide® family guide to movies and entertainment, at a star-studded awards event in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Weekend National News Focus:

The empty tomb of Christ was not only intended to offer the church a future hope, according to best-selling author Josh McDowell in his most compelling book since Evidence That Demands a Verdict. In this first collaboration with his son Sean McDowell, titled Evidence for the Resurrection: What It Means for Your Relationship with God (Regal Books), Josh views this key event in human history through a fresh lens, called relevant apologetics, designed to answer crucial life questions people face everyday in our culture.

Novelist and screenwriter of the recent movie Assassination of Jesse James (w/Brad Pitt), Ron Hansen, to read at the University of Portland, Feb. 19th.

University of Portland — Ron Hansen, a noted Catholic author, screenwriter, and professor at Santa Clara University, is the University of Portland’s spring semester Schoenfeldt Series Visiting Writer. Hansen will read and give a talk at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19 in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher on campus, 5000 N. Willamette Blvd. The event is free and open to the public

By Rick Johnson,
Oregon author and founder of Better Dads

Each year Better Dads ministry hosts their annual Single Mom Family Camp for approximately 25 single moms and their children.  Their goal is to honor, teach, and pamper the moms.  All the while their children are enjoying time in the outdoors with positive male mentors doing activities like swimming, rafting, fishing, playing sports, building stuff, and playing with other kids.  These three-day, life changing camps are free to the families who attend and the response has been overwhelming.  The moms spend time in some very intense classes reflecting on how to choose healthy relationships and the role their father played in their previous choices.

Georgene Rice, Wednesday, Jan 21nd, interview with George Escobar, founder of Advent Film Group, who scripted, directed and co-produced the film, Come What May.

GEORGENE: The award-winning movie, Come What May screened in Portland on the 35th anniversary year of the Roe v. Wade decision. Its release this spring will make an important contribution to the pro-life community because it is designed to show what role each of us can play in addressing this issue.  What inspired you to produce a pro-life movie that deals with the issue in this way?

ESCOBAR: We wanted to make a film people could care about and to be sure young people would be involved in all aspects of the production, which is our mission at Advent Film Group. The movie needed to be for a new generation that may not know much about Roe v. Wade or the whole issue of abortion. We wanted to hit the issue head on, show how Roe v. Wade can be overturned and let young people be at the forefront of the fight.

How is Courage Made? (Traits of the Courageous Part 2)
By Paul Coughlin,
Oregon Author of No More Christian Nice Guy

One factor that made Fritz Graebe’s life so remarkable is that by 1941, he was already forty-one years old, a husband and father, and a successful construction engineer.  In other words, he had what we often call “The American Dream.”  He had worked hard to obtain material wealth and comfort.  By most standards, he had a lot to lose.  Douglas Huneke wondered why Graebe risked his life and the well-being of his family when most others wouldn’t.  His childhood reveals many clues.

By Mission Connextion,

15,000 – A Record-setting Success Story!  Mission ConneXion 2009 reached a new record.  15,000 came for workshops, exhibits and keynote speakers.  Sunset Presbyterian Church was filled to overflowing.  125 Workshops, 80-plus exhibitors, new enrollments to keep in touch electronically with Mission ConneXion Northwest events and projects — all made “Livin’ on the Edge” a huge success.   The conference featured three internationally known speakers including Josh McDowell (apologist, evangelist, and author). Dr. Smaeh Maurice (Missionary Pastor Egypt), and Shelly Cook Volkhardt (Missionary author and motivator).   In addition to a record setting attendence, the vendor booths were sold-out as well.  Click here for 2009 event photos

Weekend national faith news update:

Christian Newswire/ — Caroline Petrie, the nurse from Weston-super-Mare who was suspended without pay for asking a patient whether she would like to be prayed for, has tonight been reinstated by North Somerset Primary Care Trust, the Christian Legal Centre which represented her can reveal.

The dramatic turn around by North Somerset Primary Care Trust comes days after extensive media coverage and news reports which revealed that Mrs. Petrie, a born again Christian and mother of two, was suspended after her employers discovered that she had asked a patient whether she would like to be prayed for.