Faith Works 1-12-13

Faith Works 1-12-13

Jeff Gill

 

The Triumph of Javert

___

 

If I were to tell you my intention is to write about "the triumph of Javert," some of you would say "are you still writing about that darn musical?"

 

Others might note that, avoiding spoilers, it is kind of difficult for Javert to win given the closing scenes of "Les Miserables."

 

So I guess what I'm talking about is sort of a symbolic victory, even more so since Javert is a fictional character.

 

But if you've not read the Victor Hugo novel (and it's a long one), nor seen the musical now nearing thirty years in production, let alone missed the movie trampling like a T. Rex across the local cineplexes, Javert is the relentless cop who pursues the fugitive Valjean across the decades.

 

Javert does not come out a winner, really, in the musical or movie versions of the mid-1800s book. He devotes a chunk of his life to pursuing this one paroled felon who skipped out on his terms and vanished, although both book and movie make it clear Javert is a dedicated police officer, stern and unyielding , whose work over the years is about law and order in general, not just this one fellow.

 

But oh, this one fellow. Valjean. Prisoner 26401. Mayor Madeleine. Monsieur Leblanc. Urbain Fabre. Ultime Fauchelevent. Jean Valjean adopts many names and identities, and by all accounts keeps on working his way, over and over, up from laborer to something of a success in a variety of positions, ending up a factory owner, a landlord.

 

As Valjean flees justice, Javert pursues. It began with a theft of bread for his sister's starving child, and it continues because of his attempts to escape cause Valjean to be branded an incorrigible, a dangerous character, a parolee who will be watched and labeled for the rest of his likely short and brutal life.

 

So Valjean escapes the net by remaking himself, starting with the aid of an elderly bishop whose humility and perceptiveness about Valjean leads him to a risk, and a request. For Valjean to make something more of himself than he had been, as the bishop asked, he had to remake his very identity, a tension that runs through the entire storyline.

 

What kept nagging at me as I watched these scenes from early 1800s France was how utterly impossible Valjean's journey would be today, and how mechanically the demands of Javert's sense of justice are imposed in our world now.

 

Let's just argue, for the moment, that someone in 2013 could be either unjustly accused, or be much less guilty than simple circumstances warrant. I'm not saying this happens always, or even often: maybe it never happens. I doubt that. But we'll say it might come to pass.

 

Can someone, in any way, escape the label of thief or predator or criminal if they come out starting with absolutely nothing and no one to help them? Can one "lift themselves by their own bootstraps," a phrase that hints of the essential impossibility in the idea, since you can't counteract gravity with a sharp tug on your shoelaces.

 

Your identity is in so many ways less personal than it is official, and your SSIN, your driver's license number, your fingerprints and retina scan and grade school permanent record . . . you are in so many more ways now than 1832 the person Javert says you are, and if that record says something bad about you, I fear it is ever so much harder to turn that around than it was then.

 

In "Les Miserables" we have the Thenardiers to remind us that the ability to shed one's past and take on a new identity can be woefully misused, even evilly twisted to sin and sin again without repercussions, and that's why we are so intent on "keeping track" of criminals . . . and others. It's not meant to be shackles for life, but it can be, and a weight that keeps people from climbing back up to where they might otherwise rise.

 

As you can tell, I'm not done meditating on "Les Mis," and Valjean, and Javert, and the good bishop of Digne. And even Valjean learns that you truly cannot remake yourself alone, but there has to be a loving community around you, and you need to let them share their aid, to enter your wounded heart, or no healing can begin.

 

But I worry about Javert, too, and how his compulsions might well be our own without our even recognizing in the mirror who we've become.

 

Jeff Gill is a writer, storyteller, and pastor in Licking County; tell him about how you've seen lives changed at knapsack77@gmail.com, or follow @Knapsack on Twitter.

update for 1-09-13 - full pastor's column!

Notes From My Knapsack

[for 1-09-13 "Newark Christian"]

We're barely into the new year of 2013, and what's the parson talking about but: Lent! 

That's right, Lent. The season of prayer and preparation to approach Easter will begin February 13^th, and 40 days plus Sundays, on towards March 31^st.

We have a long-standing tradition at Newark Central of Wednesday night Lenten dinners, following an Ash Wednesday service which will be Feb. 13^th at 6:00 pm, then the dinner programs in Fellowship Hall on Feb. 20 and 27, Mar. 6, 13, and 20. Stay tuned for our guest presenters and meal preparers for these simple soup & sandwich suppers.

During Lent, with those 40 days, I have a proposal. We will have some commitment cards in the bulletin the next couple of Sundays, and they will be for you to make a commitment to yourself, not to the pastor or the church. Mainly between you and God.

There are 260 chapters in the New Testament, Matthew's Gospel to John's Revelation, all 27 books. If you were to read seven chapters a day, with Saturdays off and a skip day or two just to give you some flexibility, you could read the whole New Testament (7 chapters a day!) by Easter morning right down to Revelation 22.

To be fair, I know there's a goodly number of you who've read the whole New Testament (hat tip to y'all!), and I also know there's more than a few who really, really have meant to get around to doing that . . . so this is the Lent to get it done!

And even if you're already taken the full tour through what God has to say in the "Apostolic literature," here's a new suggestion. Frank Viola, a Bible teacher & preacher, has proposed a sort of chronological order of the books of the New Testament. As most of you know, we have the library of the NT organized with four gospels, a bunch of letters, most from Paul, a few from others, then the closing prophetic vision of Revelation. It's not chronologically organized, and your reading of it "straight through" can cause a fair amount of back-flipping and flip-backing.

Viola offers this sequence, not in order of events, but in the order they were (possibly) written, to help you feel the development of Christian thought & belief:

Galatians, James, I & II Thessalonians, I & II Corinthians, Romans, Mark, Matthew, and Luke; Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, Philippians, I Timothy, Acts, Hebrews, Titus, John; I, II, & III John, I Peter, II Timothy, II Peter, Jude, and finally Revelation.

Or, you could try Marcus Borg's proposed sequence:

I Thessalonians, Galatians, I Corinthians, Philemon, Philippians, II Corinthians, Romans, Mark; James, Colossians, Matthew; Hebrews and John; Ephesians, Revelation, Jude, I, II, & III John, Luke; Acts, II Thessalonians, I Peter, I Timothy, II Timothy, Titus, and finally II Peter.

Either way, it's an experience of the New Testament that might well bless your Lent this year!

In grace and peace, Pastor Jeff

The Newark Christian, Jan. 9, 2013

The Newark Christian

Serving God's Transformation of Licking County

January 9, 2013

Volume LXXIV

Issue 1

 

Summer 2013 Camp Schedule 


Registration for summer programs will be available early in 2013

Grandparents Camp - For Children in grades 1 & 2 and a Grandparent
Held at Camp Christian, May 31 - June 1

 

Otter Junior Camp - For youth in grades 3, 4, & 5
Held at Camp Christian, June 16 - 22


Chi Rho Camps - For youth in grades 6, 7, & 8
All Chi Rho Camps are held at Camp Christian

Hocking June 9 - 15

Portahoga July 7 - 13

Maumee July 14 - 20

Miami August 4 - 10

 

CYF Conferences - For youth in grades 9, 10, 11, & 12
All CYF Conferences are held at Camp Christian

Hiram June 23 - 29

Phyo June 30  - July 6

Lakeside July 21 - 27

Wilmington July 28 - August 3

 

Adult Ministries - For adults of all ages
Held at Northwest Christian Church, Columbus, June 17 – 21

Adventure Camp - For adults of all ages and high school age youth
Location TBA, June 28 – 31

Advance Ministries Summer Conference - For young adults ages 19 - 29
(at least one year out of high school)
Held at Camp Christian, August 11 - 18

 

General Board Meeting

All elders, deacons, deaconesses, trustees, department chairs and fellowship group presidents are reminded of their right and responsibility to attend the board meeting January 16 at 7:00 pm.

 

Caroling was a Success!

Many thanks to all who came out to carol around the neighborhood in December.  We ended up with around 30 people and received good response all the way down Jefferson Road, around the corner to Woods, and back up to the church on Rugg Avenue.  Many folks came out to hear and received an invitation to our Living Nativity and our worship services.  Thanks, also, to Carol Thompson, who provided refreshments for all of us.

Youth Sub Sale 2013
The youth of Central Christian Church will be making subs for Super Bowl Sunday February 3, 2013. All proceeds will go to SCOOP (Special Concerns Ohio Outreach Program). This year the youth will offer Italian and turkey subs (lettuce and mild banana peppers will be offered on the side). Each sub is $5.00 and you can pay cash or write a check to Central Christian Church and write "subs" in the memo line. Please turn in all money and orders by Sunday, Jan. 27 to Harry Cline or Samantha Frizzell. The goal is 175 subs and $800 to send to SCOOP. Thanks again for your continued support!

Youth All Christian Skate Night

On Monday, January 21, all youth should meet at the church from 6:15-8:15pm. Skating admission is free, thanks to Betty Lou and Larry Iden, In line skates are $1.00 and any money needed at the concession stand. We will have devotions at 7:30 at the skating rink. Until then get ready to play the number game!

Planning Event

Christian Education will be having their annual planning meeting at 7:00 p.m. at the church on January 15. Please send any ideas for events to Kim Halter at kmhalter7@hotmail.com

Book Club

On January 20, the Book Club will meet in the parlor after the 10:30 service.  Lunch will be provided.  The book for Jan 20 is That's Why I'm Here, the story of Chris and Stefanie Spielman.  Come join the discussion.

Please Remember

The parking lot on the North side of the church, near the elevator, is intended for handicap parking only.

2013 Board & Program Cabinet schedule

 

(all meetings of the general board are at 7:00 pm on the ground floor)
Wed., Jan. 16

Wed., March 20 (after the Lenten dinner)

Wed. May 15

Wed., July 17

Wed., Sept. 18

Wed., Nov. 20


The meetings of the Program Cabinet, made up of team leaders & committee chairpeople, will be on third Monday nights as follows at 6:30 pm:

Mon., Feb. 18
Mon., Apr. 15
Mon., Aug. 19
Mon., Oct. 21

 

Notes From My Knapsack

We're barely into the new year of 2013, and what's the parson talking about but: Lent! 

That's right, Lent. The season of prayer and preparation to approach Easter will begin February 13^th, and 40 days plus Sundays, on towards March 31^st.

We have a long-standing tradition at Newark Central of Wednesday night Lenten dinners, following an Ash Wednesday service which will be Feb. 13^th at 6:00 pm, then the dinner programs in Fellowship Hall on Feb. 20 and 27, Mar. 6, 13, and 20. Stay tuned for our guest presenters and meal preparers for these simple soup & sandwich suppers.

During Lent, with those 40 days, I have a proposal. We will have some commitment cards in the bulletin the next couple of Sundays, and they will be for you to make a commitment to yourself, not to the pastor or the church. Mainly between you and God.

There are 260 chapters in the New Testament, Matthew's Gospel to John's Revelation, all 27 books. If you were to read seven chapters a day, with Saturdays off and a skip day or two just to give you some flexibility, you could read the whole New Testament (7 chapters a day!) by Easter morning right down to Revelation 22.

To be fair, I know there's a goodly number of you who've read the whole New Testament (hat tip to y'all!), and I also know there's more than a few who really, really have meant to get around to doing that . . . so this is the Lent to get it done!

And even if you're already taken the full tour through what God has to say in the "Apostolic literature," here's a new suggestion. Frank Viola, a Bible teacher & preacher, has proposed a sort of chronological order of the books of the New Testament. As most of you know, we have the library of the NT organized with four gospels, a bunch of letters, most from Paul, a few from others, then the closing prophetic vision of Revelation. It's not chronologically organized, and your reading of it "straight through" can cause a fair amount of back-flipping and flip-backing.

Viola offers this sequence, not in order of events, but in the order they were (possibly) written, to help you feel the development of Christian thought & belief:

Joys and Concerns

·        Lucille Peoples, Sue Lynn, Monica Broceus and June Harman Butts  

Daily Scripture Readings

Jan     9       Revelation 21:1-7

         10     Genesis 1:26-28

         11     I Corinthians 3:5-11

         12     I Corinthians 13:1-7

         13     Colossians3:1-4

         14     2 Corin 6:1-2

         15     Matthew 5:38-48

         16     Psalm 103:8-13

         17     Matthew 25:31-46

         18     2 Corin 4:6-12

         19     Psalm 32:6-11

         20     I Corin 12:12-27

         21     Psalm 139:1-18

         22     Matthew 18:10-14

         23     I Corin 9:24-27

         24     Titus 3:3-7

         25     Genesis 39:1-23

 (Taken from The Upper Room)

 

Looking Ahead

January 13 –

 Why we do what we do: Baptism

         Matthew 3:13-17

January 20 –

 WWDWWD: Communion

         I Corinthians 11:23-26

January 27 –

 WWDWWD: Hymns

         Ephesians 5:15-20

February 3 –

WWDWWD: Elders & Deacons

Titus 2:1-15


February 10 –
 

WWDWWD: Discipleship
          

II Timothy 3:10 – 4:5


Wed., February 13
   Ash Wednesday, Lent begins

Thank You and You're Welcome!

First, we would like to thank everyone who came to celebrate Mom's 90^th birthday. It was wonderful to see so many of our church family there to honor her. Second, we would like to thank Linda Hurst, Susie Morris and Jeff Gill for their help with the party. Third, we would like to thank Steve Crothers, Ron Thompson, Earl Stevenson, Dave Engle, Rick Crothers and Cooper Leibas for putting in our ramp. It really makes it easier getting Mom in and out. Thanks to all. The Kohlers

 

Hello my friends at Central Christian Church. You certainly outdid yourselves. Thank you for your more than generous donation for the homeless. Just got another family off the streets and your donation paid for the stove and refrigerator and 2 beds. I praise God for you all and I ask Him to favor you and your church with His mighty blessings! Again, thanks and God will bless. Love, Effie Enman, "My Corner and Beyond"

         

Thank you for all the concern shown to me after my hospital stay in the way of cards, calls and visits from members and Jeff. It is wonderful to have a caring church family. Jean McDonald

           

I just wanted to drop a little note to say thanks for the cards, phones calls, and special visits from Rev. Jeff Gill and a very good friend, Carol Van Winkle, while I spent some time in the hospital. Also would like to thank the elders who filled in for me in church services. For all you have done, we are blessed for a great church and such leadership. There is a God in the mountain and a God in the valley. I have been both places and He is real. He said I will never leave thee or forsake thee. James Green

         

Adrian and I would like to say "Thank You" to our Central family! We have been shown such incredible support through all of our journeys. The generosity we have been shown is overwhelming as well! Thank you for the prayers, diapers, monetary gifts, etc. We are so blessed! Katie Leibas

           

Greetings from First Christian Church, Tuscaloosa, AL!

To my church family, Happy Holidays! Thank you for your thoughtfulness following my recent hip surgery. I so enjoyed the cards and visits at the nursing home. A special thanks for those taking time to bring me communion at home. I still can't drive and am having eye problems but look forward to a speedy recovery so I can get back to church again. A special thanks to the Medical Loan Closet for their hard work. I still use my walker and the shower chair. Hope to be on my own soon. Happy New Year everyone, Margaret Kreager

I hope all is going well with all of you. I want to tell you again how much we appreciate all you did to help restore our community while you were here. I really need to get back to some of the areas that DV worked on, but haven't done a very good job of getting it done.

            I have copied some photos (which are hanging on the narthex bulletin board) of some of the businesses that have been rebuilt and are operational. There is still a lot of new building going on in our city and there is s still a lot of repairing going on as well. There is still a lot to go, though. I hope that you will have an opportunity to come back to see the progress that has been made.

            Merry Christmas! "And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory." John 1:14

Kathy Mason, FCC Tuscaloosa

 

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Phone:  740-366-4961

 

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Our mission is to lead people to faith in Jesus Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit and Scriptures from the Holy Bible.  We seek to grow in knowledge and grace of Christ to strengthen the unity of all Christians toward building the Kingdom of God.