Would Fosdick be pleased?

I think I must have first become aware of Riverside Church in New York City when many, many years ago when I first read Harry Emerson Fosdick's autobiography, The Living of These Days. Over the years I have not followed the activities very closely but I have noticed it in the news from time to time.

This past week I heard it was in the news again. It seems a group of church members had gone to court to try to block the installation of their new senior pastor, Dr Brad R. Braxton.

It seems some were upset by the size of his compensation package (it is reported as being $600,000) and it seems some may be upset by what is perceived to be a turn to a more "conservative" theological position in the church's leadership.

Read for yourself a few of the reports -

New Riverside Church pastor Rev. Brad Braxton's $600K compensation prompts parishioners' suit

Church members sue over minister's pay

New Riverside Pastor’s Compensation Splits Congregation

And don't forget to go the church's web site and follow what the "official" line is.

Or maybe you want to do what I did, and go to Google Alerts and setup a couple of alerts to follow the situation.

One more thing. It seems that Dr Braxton was installed yesterday (Sunday, April 26) as Pastor of Riverside church and now, according to this article we can rest in the confidence that Dr Braxton (and his compensation package) are divinely intended.

This may get very, very interesting.

52 Churches in 52 Weeks

In Steven Fuller's The Church Experiment blog you will get to read about his project to attend 52 different churches in 52 weeks.

You can read for yourself what Steven says provoked this journey so I won't repeat what he says, but I will say that I am very pleased he is including you and me on this pilgrimage.

Each week we are treated to not only his impressions of the church he is attending, but it seems to me that each week Steven shares more and more of himself, and the impact of his journey.

By all means read the account of week 12 when he was in Savannah and attended Christ Church.

One more thing worth saying is that any and everyone who attends church and is at all interested in what that church is doing should read Steven's blog. Then ask yourself "What would Steven find if he showed up at my church this week?" Be honest with yourself.

Agnus Day Cartoon for Sunday

If you don't know about the cartoons at Agnus Day you should investigate.
http://www.agnusday.org/

And especially the cartoon for this week.

from Thomas Merton

I received this quote of Thomas Merton's in my email this morning.

The Weekly Reflection
April 13, 2009

The mature person realizes that life affirms itself most, not in acquiring things, but in giving time, efforts, strength, intelligence, and love to others. Here a different kind of dialectic of life and death begins to appear. The living drive, the vital satisfaction, by "ending" its trend to self-satisfaction and redirecting itself to and for others, transcends itself. It "dies" insofar as the ego is concerned, for the self is deprived of the immediate satisfactions which it could claim without being contested. Now it renounces these things, in order to give to others. Hence, life "dies" to itself in order to give itself away and thus affirms itself more maturely, more fruitfully, and more completely. We live in order to die to ourselves and give everything to others. ...This "dying" to self in order to give to others is nothing more or less than a higher and more special affirmation of life. Such dying is the fruit of life, the evidence of mature and productive living. It is, in fact, the end or the goal of life.

Thomas Merton. Love and Living. Naomi Burton Stone & Patrick Hart, editors (New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jonvanovich, 1985): 102.

Thought for the Day

Death is, then, the point at which life can attain its pure fulfillment. Death brings life to its goal. But the goal is not death-the goal is perfect life.

Love and Living: 105

To receive a Merton quote each Monday in your email go to The Merton Institue for Contemplative Living and go to the Contacts page .

Finding something from Thomas Merton in your inbox each Monday, is not a bad way to start the week.