We seem to be getting confused by several different issues here and mixing them all together.
Profession of faith is a bit misnamed since it is seen as a committment to membership, not to faith. After all, we wouldn't say that those who have not made profession of faith at age 6 or ten or sixteen are necessarily therefore without faith. Perhaps the faith of a child is often stronger in fact. So it is really a committment to membership, to particular confessions, to living a life of gratitude and joy and obedience to Christ, and recognizing this in a public way. This could be done at perhaps age 12 or 16, but too many wait far too long; we might ask ourselves why they wait so long.
Voting in a congregation ought to be at an age set by the congregation. Perhaps at 18, or 16, or 20, whatever the congregation decides with council in its wisdom, but not automatically tied to a profession of faith, although it should be a pre-requisite. In some cases, additional advisory votes by nonprofessing members could also be considered (but non-binding).
Just because you can vote, doesn't mean you automatically should be able to sit on council. Again, council and church should set a minimum age, recognizing that while wisdom can be present in the youth, it is not for nothing that elders are called elders and not youngers or middlers. While exceptions should be possible, it would be good to look at possibly an age of about 30 for council. I remember being on council a few years before that, and while it was good to serve, it would not have done any harm either to wait a few years.
There are other places to lead and serve besides council. Not only that, but no Christ-like elders would deliberately rule out conversations with non-council members, and would normally appreciate their input. Council meetings are supposed to be open to anyone who wishes to attend, unless it is in executive session. And non-council members can request an opportunity to speak or present an issue.
Finally, I find it hard to believe that any council does not look forward to the future leadership of those who are presently young. But as Ecclesiastes says, there is a time for everything, and everything in its time.
Thermal-assisted gravity drainage (TAGD) looks like it will use less energy, and thus be more ghg friendly than SAGD in the oilsands. It also allows for the possibility of using hydro or nuclear power instead of fossil heat to extract oil. Just another example of how ghg reductions become possible over time, while we find more difficult fossil fuels to extract. (It's also interesting that Texas, and at least another half dozen USA states, each have higher ghg emissions from their coal generated power alone, than Alberta does from its coal power and oilsands production combined.)
---------------------------------
By: HazMat Staff
08/03/2012 2012-08-03
"Athabasca Oil Corp. is having success with a new technology that uses electrical cables to heat bitumen, enabling oil to flow to the surface.
The Calgary-based company said it did a field test on its Leduc carbonate property 90 km northwest of Fort McMurray, Alta., using thermal-assisted gravity drainage, or TAGD. The test confirmed the process.
The more common technique to extract heavy oil from deep underground is steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD).
Athabasca anticipates the cost of TAGD operation will be about half of a SAGD one. Iit won’t require any steam to be generated or any water treatment facilities to be built. It can also soften up the bitumen at much lower temperatures than in SAGD.
Athabasca expects to get regulatory approval by year-end and to launch a TAGD pilot project in 2013, followed by a two-year drilling, construction and installation phase."
I don't mind either symbol, but in the light hearted interest of seeing the humorous side of things, I hope when people see the new symbol they do not automatically assume that the facility is providing a place for wheelchair basketball. :)
Another important consideration is this, that being older does not automatically make you more spiritually mature. And you can also probably think of examples where spiritual enthusiasm does not necessarily equate to spiritual maturity. Sometimes I am thinking that spiritual enthusiasm might be better than spiritual maturity. Even though it sometimes leads to mistakes and errors, spiritual enthusiasm does not have the error of complacency, which is often attached to "spiritual maturity". So I would say that the spiritually enthusiastic youth ought not to let themselves be held back too much by the so-called spiritual maturity of the "olders". Listen yes, consider yes, but live out your obedient joy in Christ in all its fulness where ever and whenever you have the opportunity!
A suggestion, or three: in 74b proposed revision of church order, add in "church" ministry. In 75b, add in "classical" ministry. In 76b, add in "denominational" ministry. Just to be clear.
In their 2001 report on Family Violence in Canada**, The Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics found that family members, including relatives, constituted the vast majority (93%) of alleged perpetrators. Another statistical study conducted in 2001 by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics**** found that:
among family assaults parents were the perpetrators in 56% of physical assaults against youths and 43% of sexual assaults against youth victims 12 to 17 years of age;
siblings were responsible for approximately 25% of physical and 26% of sexual assaults in the family that were perpetrated against youth
extended family members committed 8% of physical, and 28% of sexual assaults against youth
RESULTS from Dube et al.: Contact Childhood Sex Aabuse was reported by 16% of males and 25% of females. Men reported female perpetration of CSA nearly 40% of the time, and women reported female perpetration of CSA 6% of the time. CSA significantly increased the risk of the outcomes. The magnitude of the increase was similar for men and women. For example, compared to reporting no sexual abuse, a history of suicide attempt was more than twice as likely among both men and women who experienced CSA (p < 0.05). Compared with those who did not report CSA, men and women exposed to CSA were at a 40% increased risk of marrying an alcoholic, and a 40% to 50% increased risk of reporting current problems with their marriage (p < 0.05). (Dube, S. R., et al. (2005). Long-term consequences of childhood sexual abuse by gender of victim. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 28, 430-438)
In the Biblical perspective, which I found as a whole to be a good report, all 60 pages, I only have these few comments to make:
Screen 4. Matthew 25 talks about the least of these brothers of mine…which would seem to indicate the body of Christ.
Screen 9-F. It seems that it would be better and more correct to say that we serve God, by taking care of the land. We are not servants to the land as much as the land serves us, but we are stewards of the land, for God, since the land belongs to God ultimately. I would also seem that we do not serve the land itself, but rather its purpose, the purpose that God has for it. The land itself does not have the capacity to care about the result. A desert does not feel neglected or harmed if it is converted to fertile field, and a fertile field does not complain feel injured if it its topsoil is moved to another location. A rock has as much value as a tree, except within the purposes of God. Man serves creation best when he dies, because then he improves the soil and provides himself as food for the microbes. But creation itself does not have the ability to be pleased whether man lives or dies. The pleasure of creation is found in the eyes of man, and the purpose of God.
Screen 14-1. If Eclessiastes 5:9 really says this, then it has been badly translated in KJV, NKJV, NIV, NLT. All of these say that the king is served from the field. I would go with their translation – it makes sense with all the rest of scripture.
Screen 27 last paragraph. Although in almost every case, there is mention of their faith….
35- Acts 4:34. typo? For there was not one among them that lacked?
Screen 44 II Corinthians 9:12 For the administration of this service. Or for the doing of this work/service….?
Screen 53: These works of service can include the ministry/service of the word as well as other types of service, or along with.
Article 12c: I would have no problem if this article was simply reduced to: “A minister of the Word may also serve the church in other work which relates directly to the calling of a minister.” I believe the rest is really unnecessary.
Article 25: Since the offices of elder and deacon are determined to be unique, I would recommend that they get separate articles which may highlight that uniqueness. This may have implications for terms of office, as well as for the roles and responsibilities and authority that these offices carry, since they are different from each other (which is why they have distinctly different titles/names).
Article 25b: I would suggest “…shall participate in and promote worship, evangelism, instruction in the faith, and learning, and shall defend the faith…” Should add in worship, instruction, and learning. These are sometimes understood, and other times are not done enough. These are major roles of elders.
Artcile 35: Revise this to the consistory may give an account of its work to the council. Keep in mind that in a way, consistory and council should also give an account of its work to the congregation. The problem is what does that really mean? A brief summary overview? A detailed report? Making this a demand or a command will not help communications if there is no desire to communicate. Each church in essence must make its own decision on this.
Article 40a: Should be revised to: Each classis shall determine whether its churches can delegate two or three officebearers to the sessions of that classis. No more than one can be an ordained pastor.
Article 40b: Should be revised to: Each classis shall meet two or three times per year, as the classis determines.
Article 42b: Do not agree with proposed revision “shall include a minister and one other officebearer”. It is not the role or task or duty of service for deacons to supervise the administration and duties of councils and churches in general in the fashion described in this article. Especially other churches. They could be called on for assistance when specific diaconal needs are not being met, or when diaconal leadership and assistance is requested. Or the diaconal conference can function in that regard.
Article 45: One minister, one elder, and one deacon delegated from each classis to synod sounds good.
I'm with Bill Wald on this one. If the UN had formulated a resolution, or a motion of understanding, that would be one thing. But for the UN to establish unenforceable phony treaties is another. Too many assumed powers which like the Kyoto accord, mean very little or nothing at all. The homeschoolers are perhaps putting a finger in the dyke, where international "law" will begin to dictate to individual states, or where various lobby groups begin to use the UN as their "authority" for things such as the rights of the child, in order to push their particular ungodly agendas, and prevent parents from teaching their own children, for example. In this case potentially denying parents to make decisions for their own disabled children. It won't harm anyone not to adopt this if it has no legal force, and it maintains individual responsibility within those nations who are already doing a superior job of caring for the disabled.
Recently, I have been watching some presentations by John Piper, and sermons by Mark Driscoll. They are addressing and evangelizing the youth. They are somewhat entertaining, but mostly engaging. When you have numerous twenty year olds coming back week after week to listen to an hour long sermon, this might give you a clue as to the difference between entertainment and engagement. Or how an "entertaining" speaker can "engage" the audience. There is probably no formula to this, but young people will be engaged when they are directly challenged in a real way about their faith and lifestyle. And this means that some of them might walk out, because the message is indeed life changing, which they will not all want to do.
The validity of UN treaties depends on the intent and impact of the treaties. A treaty that cannot be enforced has little impact. It becomes merely moral suasion. The problem is the influence and power of countries in the UN who do not share christian values. So when a sanction or statement is made against human rights abuses in the USA or Israel it receives UN approval. But when a similar statement is made against human rights abuses in China? or Russia? or Iran? or the PLO? The approval for such sanctions is dependant on the proportion of various values in the UN, as well as economic alliances, possibility of arms sales, etc.
So a "treaty" about care for disabled will be agreed to by those who already care, and by those who feel obligated to agree but have no intentions or ability to make any changes. And a treaty is usually made by different parties in terms of a trade of something. Land for peace, for example. But in this case, what is being exchanged? So it simply becomes a moral statement. But if the moral statement or law includes within it implications that diminish the rights of individual states or individual families to determine the best methods and outcomes for their citizens and family members, then there is the danger of gaining some care for the disabled, while losing freedoms which provided that care in the first place. This is what happened when communism became a moral law, forcing everyone to be equal, but resulting in millions of deaths of ordinary citizens, and the loss of freedoms of belief and speech.
Much better to use moral suasion rather than making moral law an international purview. Education, persuasion, love, caring, all underlined by the Gospel, will have a greater effect than a humanist international "law" or treaty.
Posted in: How Young Is Too Young For Council?
We seem to be getting confused by several different issues here and mixing them all together.
Profession of faith is a bit misnamed since it is seen as a committment to membership, not to faith. After all, we wouldn't say that those who have not made profession of faith at age 6 or ten or sixteen are necessarily therefore without faith. Perhaps the faith of a child is often stronger in fact. So it is really a committment to membership, to particular confessions, to living a life of gratitude and joy and obedience to Christ, and recognizing this in a public way. This could be done at perhaps age 12 or 16, but too many wait far too long; we might ask ourselves why they wait so long.
Voting in a congregation ought to be at an age set by the congregation. Perhaps at 18, or 16, or 20, whatever the congregation decides with council in its wisdom, but not automatically tied to a profession of faith, although it should be a pre-requisite. In some cases, additional advisory votes by nonprofessing members could also be considered (but non-binding).
Just because you can vote, doesn't mean you automatically should be able to sit on council. Again, council and church should set a minimum age, recognizing that while wisdom can be present in the youth, it is not for nothing that elders are called elders and not youngers or middlers. While exceptions should be possible, it would be good to look at possibly an age of about 30 for council. I remember being on council a few years before that, and while it was good to serve, it would not have done any harm either to wait a few years.
There are other places to lead and serve besides council. Not only that, but no Christ-like elders would deliberately rule out conversations with non-council members, and would normally appreciate their input. Council meetings are supposed to be open to anyone who wishes to attend, unless it is in executive session. And non-council members can request an opportunity to speak or present an issue.
Finally, I find it hard to believe that any council does not look forward to the future leadership of those who are presently young. But as Ecclesiastes says, there is a time for everything, and everything in its time.
Posted in: Puzzling about Creation Care--Part 1
Thermal-assisted gravity drainage (TAGD) looks like it will use less energy, and thus be more ghg friendly than SAGD in the oilsands. It also allows for the possibility of using hydro or nuclear power instead of fossil heat to extract oil. Just another example of how ghg reductions become possible over time, while we find more difficult fossil fuels to extract. (It's also interesting that Texas, and at least another half dozen USA states, each have higher ghg emissions from their coal generated power alone, than Alberta does from its coal power and oilsands production combined.)
---------------------------------
By: HazMat Staff
08/03/2012 2012-08-03
"Athabasca Oil Corp. is having success with a new technology that uses electrical cables to heat bitumen, enabling oil to flow to the surface.
The Calgary-based company said it did a field test on its Leduc carbonate property 90 km northwest of Fort McMurray, Alta., using thermal-assisted gravity drainage, or TAGD. The test confirmed the process.
The more common technique to extract heavy oil from deep underground is steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD).
Athabasca anticipates the cost of TAGD operation will be about half of a SAGD one. Iit won’t require any steam to be generated or any water treatment facilities to be built. It can also soften up the bitumen at much lower temperatures than in SAGD.
Athabasca expects to get regulatory approval by year-end and to launch a TAGD pilot project in 2013, followed by a two-year drilling, construction and installation phase."
Posted in: Rolling Out a New Perception in the Parking Lot
I don't mind either symbol, but in the light hearted interest of seeing the humorous side of things, I hope when people see the new symbol they do not automatically assume that the facility is providing a place for wheelchair basketball. :)
Posted in: How Young Is Too Young For Council?
Another important consideration is this, that being older does not automatically make you more spiritually mature. And you can also probably think of examples where spiritual enthusiasm does not necessarily equate to spiritual maturity. Sometimes I am thinking that spiritual enthusiasm might be better than spiritual maturity. Even though it sometimes leads to mistakes and errors, spiritual enthusiasm does not have the error of complacency, which is often attached to "spiritual maturity". So I would say that the spiritually enthusiastic youth ought not to let themselves be held back too much by the so-called spiritual maturity of the "olders". Listen yes, consider yes, but live out your obedient joy in Christ in all its fulness where ever and whenever you have the opportunity!
Posted in: Diakonia Remixed - The Final Report
A suggestion, or three: in 74b proposed revision of church order, add in "church" ministry. In 75b, add in "classical" ministry. In 76b, add in "denominational" ministry. Just to be clear.
Posted in: Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse
In their 2001 report on Family Violence in Canada**, The Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics found that family members, including relatives, constituted the vast majority (93%) of alleged perpetrators. Another statistical study conducted in 2001 by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics**** found that:
RESULTS from Dube et al.: Contact Childhood Sex Aabuse was reported by 16% of males and 25% of females. Men reported female perpetration of CSA nearly 40% of the time, and women reported female perpetration of CSA 6% of the time. CSA significantly increased the risk of the outcomes. The magnitude of the increase was similar for men and women. For example, compared to reporting no sexual abuse, a history of suicide attempt was more than twice as likely among both men and women who experienced CSA (p < 0.05). Compared with those who did not report CSA, men and women exposed to CSA were at a 40% increased risk of marrying an alcoholic, and a 40% to 50% increased risk of reporting current problems with their marriage (p < 0.05). (Dube, S. R., et al. (2005). Long-term consequences of childhood sexual abuse by gender of victim. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 28, 430-438)
Posted in: Rolling Out a New Perception in the Parking Lot
Or, next symbol... a squirrel in a small wheelchair following the racing wheelchair....
Posted in: The Diakonia Remixed Preliminary Report
In the Biblical perspective, which I found as a whole to be a good report, all 60 pages, I only have these few comments to make:
Screen 4. Matthew 25 talks about the least of these brothers of mine…which would seem to indicate the body of Christ.
Screen 9-F. It seems that it would be better and more correct to say that we serve God, by taking care of the land. We are not servants to the land as much as the land serves us, but we are stewards of the land, for God, since the land belongs to God ultimately. I would also seem that we do not serve the land itself, but rather its purpose, the purpose that God has for it. The land itself does not have the capacity to care about the result. A desert does not feel neglected or harmed if it is converted to fertile field, and a fertile field does not complain feel injured if it its topsoil is moved to another location. A rock has as much value as a tree, except within the purposes of God. Man serves creation best when he dies, because then he improves the soil and provides himself as food for the microbes. But creation itself does not have the ability to be pleased whether man lives or dies. The pleasure of creation is found in the eyes of man, and the purpose of God.
Screen 14-1. If Eclessiastes 5:9 really says this, then it has been badly translated in KJV, NKJV, NIV, NLT. All of these say that the king is served from the field. I would go with their translation – it makes sense with all the rest of scripture.
Screen 27 last paragraph. Although in almost every case, there is mention of their faith….
35- Acts 4:34. typo? For there was not one among them that lacked?
Screen 44 II Corinthians 9:12 For the administration of this service. Or for the doing of this work/service….?
Screen 53: These works of service can include the ministry/service of the word as well as other types of service, or along with.
Posted in: The Diakonia Remixed Preliminary Report
My comments on the proposed church order changes:
Article 12c: I would have no problem if this article was simply reduced to: “A minister of the Word may also serve the church in other work which relates directly to the calling of a minister.” I believe the rest is really unnecessary.
Article 25: Since the offices of elder and deacon are determined to be unique, I would recommend that they get separate articles which may highlight that uniqueness. This may have implications for terms of office, as well as for the roles and responsibilities and authority that these offices carry, since they are different from each other (which is why they have distinctly different titles/names).
Article 25b: I would suggest “…shall participate in and promote worship, evangelism, instruction in the faith, and learning, and shall defend the faith…” Should add in worship, instruction, and learning. These are sometimes understood, and other times are not done enough. These are major roles of elders.
Artcile 35: Revise this to the consistory may give an account of its work to the council. Keep in mind that in a way, consistory and council should also give an account of its work to the congregation. The problem is what does that really mean? A brief summary overview? A detailed report? Making this a demand or a command will not help communications if there is no desire to communicate. Each church in essence must make its own decision on this.
Article 40a: Should be revised to: Each classis shall determine whether its churches can delegate two or three officebearers to the sessions of that classis. No more than one can be an ordained pastor.
Article 40b: Should be revised to: Each classis shall meet two or three times per year, as the classis determines.
Article 42b: Do not agree with proposed revision “shall include a minister and one other officebearer”. It is not the role or task or duty of service for deacons to supervise the administration and duties of councils and churches in general in the fashion described in this article. Especially other churches. They could be called on for assistance when specific diaconal needs are not being met, or when diaconal leadership and assistance is requested. Or the diaconal conference can function in that regard.
Article 45: One minister, one elder, and one deacon delegated from each classis to synod sounds good.
Posted in: A Sad Day for People with Disabilities
I'm with Bill Wald on this one. If the UN had formulated a resolution, or a motion of understanding, that would be one thing. But for the UN to establish unenforceable phony treaties is another. Too many assumed powers which like the Kyoto accord, mean very little or nothing at all. The homeschoolers are perhaps putting a finger in the dyke, where international "law" will begin to dictate to individual states, or where various lobby groups begin to use the UN as their "authority" for things such as the rights of the child, in order to push their particular ungodly agendas, and prevent parents from teaching their own children, for example. In this case potentially denying parents to make decisions for their own disabled children. It won't harm anyone not to adopt this if it has no legal force, and it maintains individual responsibility within those nations who are already doing a superior job of caring for the disabled.
Posted in: Running Together With Our Forefathers
Recently, I have been watching some presentations by John Piper, and sermons by Mark Driscoll. They are addressing and evangelizing the youth. They are somewhat entertaining, but mostly engaging. When you have numerous twenty year olds coming back week after week to listen to an hour long sermon, this might give you a clue as to the difference between entertainment and engagement. Or how an "entertaining" speaker can "engage" the audience. There is probably no formula to this, but young people will be engaged when they are directly challenged in a real way about their faith and lifestyle. And this means that some of them might walk out, because the message is indeed life changing, which they will not all want to do.
Posted in: A Sad Day for People with Disabilities
The validity of UN treaties depends on the intent and impact of the treaties. A treaty that cannot be enforced has little impact. It becomes merely moral suasion. The problem is the influence and power of countries in the UN who do not share christian values. So when a sanction or statement is made against human rights abuses in the USA or Israel it receives UN approval. But when a similar statement is made against human rights abuses in China? or Russia? or Iran? or the PLO? The approval for such sanctions is dependant on the proportion of various values in the UN, as well as economic alliances, possibility of arms sales, etc.
So a "treaty" about care for disabled will be agreed to by those who already care, and by those who feel obligated to agree but have no intentions or ability to make any changes. And a treaty is usually made by different parties in terms of a trade of something. Land for peace, for example. But in this case, what is being exchanged? So it simply becomes a moral statement. But if the moral statement or law includes within it implications that diminish the rights of individual states or individual families to determine the best methods and outcomes for their citizens and family members, then there is the danger of gaining some care for the disabled, while losing freedoms which provided that care in the first place. This is what happened when communism became a moral law, forcing everyone to be equal, but resulting in millions of deaths of ordinary citizens, and the loss of freedoms of belief and speech.
Much better to use moral suasion rather than making moral law an international purview. Education, persuasion, love, caring, all underlined by the Gospel, will have a greater effect than a humanist international "law" or treaty.