Mavis Moon

Every time I make a suggestion, you've already done it! :-D

Good job.

There are several articles and discussions about social media on the network. If you click on the "Social Media" tab you'll see a list.

I have a thought about the comments regarding not participating in Twitter, or Facebook, or whatever it might be, because you don't have time. I hear that comment over and over again when I talk about how much I love to read. I'd estimate that about 98% of the time, the person I'm talking to says he or she would read more if they just had the time. My inner thought is, "And you think I have more time than you do?" No, it's a matter of priorities. I want to read a lot so I do. It's where I've decided to spend my time. I could even be accused (and have been) of being addicted to reading. I often use it as an escape, and I often neglect things more important in order to read.

I'm sure people who exercise faithfully hear similar responses, or who write, or who meditate faithfully, whatever. I know reading, exercising, writing and meditating are different than using Facebook or Twitter but using Facebook or Twitter can evoke some of the same responses, as can many activities. And as with most things, there are many reasons for participating or not participating.

I myself enjoy Facebook and I think a big reason I do is that I'm a social person who loves to connect with people as much as I can. Some people are more private or have a smaller social circle so they might not find Facebook as fun or interesting as I do. I have a Twitter account and I follow some technology-related Tweeters to keep up on some technology I'm interested in, as well as a few celebrities who I find entertaining. I don’t have any friends who’ve latched onto Twitter so I don’t tweet much myself, but I think I could enjoy using Twitter a lot if I did.

Anyway, I'm not sure exactly what my point is. It's not a huge issue with me or anything. I don't hold it against anyone who tells me they don't have time to read. I’ve come to expect that response. I guess maybe my point is that there are most likely different reasons than time management for using or not using Twitter.

Steve, I'm so sorry for your loss. My older brother died of ALS a few years ago, also very untimely and unexpected. I know what a sadness this causes for you, your family and friends. How wonderful that your brother's daughter could give such a loving tribute to her dad, and that he was a faithful example of representing Christ on earth.

Good thoughts, Dave. I like the idea of twittering for my church, but I already have a kind of hard time figuring out what to put on the church's Facebook status, let alone what to tweet. Do you tweet on behalf of your church, or just personally, and it includes churches?

Our church has gone through changes in our worship style, or at least our musical style. We changed from all organ & piano & hymns or praise songs to a praise band and a worship leader who plays guitar and we include more contemporary music. We try to honor our tradition, though, by also including many hymns, often with the same traditional tune but a more contemporary beat, some transitional bridges or choruses. I love this blend of tradition and contemporary because I love the hymns so familiar to me and I like learning new things.

I thought of this when you asked about "the losses you feel". My wish when we started changing to this more contemporary style was that our members who loved the familiar hymns wouldn't feel a loss because we continue to include so many of the hymns. Unfortunately, it seems that quite a few people don't think it "counts" as singing a hymn unless it's sung exactly the same as they've always heard it, and only accompanied by a piano or organ, not a praise band.

I wonder if others have experienced this in their churches and what they are doing. We're going to try having one of our worship team members who is an organist start coordinating a special portion of the service for a traditional hymn with traditional accompaniment - probably a mix of solos, choral groups and congregational singing. I'm hoping this will help. I'd love to hear other ideas or thoughts.

Mavis Moon
San Jose CRC

Love this! Especially Lord's Day 1. Perfect.

When I was a kid my dad read from a children's storybook Bible. We cycled through a few. I asked my mom if I could have one we used and I used that, too, for quite a while with my kids, although we got out of the habit later, and especially when it got down to us with our youngest. Then we had the wonderful experience of having our sons and their kids (thus our grandkids) live with us for short periods of time. We used the "God's Big Story Cards" during that time and the kids really liked picking the next card. I gave each family their own set when they went on to live in their own houses.

My #1 fave is On Being with Krista Tippett. Cannot be beat! Krista received a President's Award and it is well-deserved. She interviews people with such grace and thoroughness. She's amazing.

I also love a kind of spin-off from On Being called Poetry Unbound with Padraig O'Tuama. He works with the On Being project. Krista met him several years ago while he was heading the Corameela institution. He is an Irish poet and also a theologian, although his Christianity is evolving all the time. In the podcast, he reads a poem, reflects on it, then reads it again. Kind of like Poetica Divina. He has put a whole new interest and slant on poetry for me and millions of others.

Mockingcast is one of my favorites, too. Three hosts who are Anglican priests talk about articles and writings that "show places where there is grace and the absence of it." Sarah Condron, one of the hosts, makes me both laugh and cry with her straight-talking honesty.

Kate Bowler hosts Everything Happens. She wrote the book Everything Happens for a Reason And Other Lies I've Loved based on her story as a Duke Theological Professor who thought her life was the perfect incarnation of her dreams--married to her high school sweetheart, mother of a son she finally had after years of trying, dream job--and then was diagnosed with Stage 4 abdominal cancer. She now lives with chronic pain and chronic cancer. You would never know it. She's full of hope, gratitude, cheerfulness, interest in others, pure joy. She interviews people with such generosity and kindness, and I always come away feeling like I've learned how to live better.

Others I listen to:

• Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me - A funny news quiz show
• Trinity Forum - Insightful conversations about faith and life
• This is Love - Heartwarming Stories about love in people's lives
• This American Life - Longtime podcast of stories and people by Ira Glass
• The Rest is History - Two posh British historians do research and then share what they learned about all kinds of historical events and people. I love the "Britishisms," the words only British people would use, and their humor, the way they tease each other, and their enthusiasm. They make my husband and me laugh a lot.
• Nomad - British show where hosts interview people of faith--writers, theologians, leaders, and so on. When they began years ago, the main host was an earnest Evangelical. He and others who host the show with him have gone through a big change in their faith. I find it really interesting the way they talk about faith. Sometimes they're a little bitter, sometimes hurt, sometimes seeing how faith is a wonderful thing to have in life, other times not so much.
• Death, Sex, and Money - Talking to people honestly about these 3 things "we think about a lot and need to talk about more."
• Criminal - True crime, but more gentle than many of its genre.

I listen to quite a few others, but these are top favorites. I'm kind of a podcast fiend, as you can see.

Thank you for this response, Laura. I, too, appreciated Nadia Bolz-Weber's perspective (as I always do). Your words resonated with me.