The Scroll A Periodic newsletter for SAM's Lambs http://www.samslambs.org	*The Rev: A View from Upstairs*
*Why God Will Never Get Tenure at Any University* Only published one book. It was in Hebrew. It had no references. He did not publish it in referenced journals. Some doubt He even wrote it Himself. He is not known for his cooperative work. Sure. He created the world, but what has He done lately? He did not get permission from any review board to work on human subjects. When one of His experiments went awry, He tried to cover it up by drowning all the subjects. When sample subjects do not behave as predicted, He deletes the whole sample. He rarely comes to class. He just tells His students to read the Book. It is rumored that He sometimes lets His Son teach the class. Although He only has 10 requirements, His students often fail His tests. He expelled His first two students for learning. His office hours were infrequent and usually held on a mountain top. (From faculty members at Kansas State University and instructors at Allen County Community College) Internet References: Singles in the Church: Is There Seating For One In The Church?	*From The Rev: Go Ahead, Stick Your Neck Out* by Reverend Lance Robbins Rector, The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd "People find new information threatening, because if they incorporate they will have to do a good deal of work to revise their maps of reality, and they instinctively seek to avoid that work. Consequently, more often than not they will fight against the information rather than for assimilation." M. Scott Peck Sometimes as we face a new future we tend to think all the good things have happened in the past. So many things seemed clearer in the "good old days." As people of faith, we are taught to look forward and not backward. In the Lord’s Prayer we pray to God, "Your Kingdom come," not "Your Kingdom that was." We are called to live in the present and to look to the future not the past. The apparent clarity of the past is what makes it so attractive. But, the past is clear because we know what has happened. It can be seen with a sense of certainty. Yet, looking back we may miss the present and the future that are pregnant with opportunities for finding and serving God in the world around us. The community of faith believes and knows that God is present today, tomorrow and always. We are called not back into an old time of different, perfect truths but into our world as it is today to find out how God is active, how miracles happen, how God is present in each and every life. There is a word for seeing our present world as a world in which God is active, that word is hope. The community of faith lives in that hope. Our churches exist as an expression of and a place to experience the hope of living in a world where we see God as an active and loving force. This hope sustains us as we face new experiences and information. To be a person of faith, one has to stick one’s neck out and hold on to the hope in God. You may not be sure where you stand or what you believe, but that’s OK. With trust and hope to inspire and guide us, stick your neck out just a little, and find some real hope. Faithfully, (The Rev) Lance Robbins, Rector, The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Webster NY Tel: 585-872-2281 Good Shepherd church has begun a new Singles Ministry which is open to all single people in the Webster NY area, of any denomination and any single marital status. You can view their progress on their site. Bishop Jack McKelvey of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester NY recently visited Good Shepherd where he delivered an address on "Marks of an Effective Congregation" It looks like Good Shepherd’s congregation and clergy would definitely fall in the Effective Congregation category.

The Scroll
A Periodic newsletter
for SAM's Lambs
http://www.samslambs.org

The Rev: A View from Upstairs

Why God Will Never Get Tenure at Any University

Only published one book.
It was in Hebrew.
It had no references.
He did not publish it in referenced journals.
Some doubt He even wrote it Himself.
He is not known for his cooperative work.
Sure. He created the world, but what has He done lately?
He did not get permission from any review board to work on human subjects.
When one of His experiments went awry, He tried to cover it up by drowning all the subjects.
When sample subjects do not behave as predicted, He deletes the whole sample.
He rarely comes to class. He just tells His students to read the Book.
It is rumored that He sometimes lets His Son teach the class.
Although He only has 10 requirements, His students often fail His tests.
He expelled His first two students for learning.
His office hours were infrequent and usually held on a mountain top.

(From faculty members at Kansas State University and instructors at Allen County Community College)

Internet References:

Singles in the Church: Is There Seating For One In The Church?

From The Rev: Go Ahead, Stick Your Neck Out

by Reverend Lance Robbins
Rector, The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd

"People find new information threatening, because if they incorporate they will have to do a good deal of work to revise their maps of reality, and they instinctively seek to avoid that work. Consequently, more often than not they will fight against the information rather than for assimilation."
M. Scott Peck

Sometimes as we face a new future we tend to think all the good things have happened in the past. So many things seemed clearer in the "good old days."

As people of faith, we are taught to look forward and not backward. In the Lord’s Prayer we pray to God, "Your Kingdom come," not "Your Kingdom that was." We are called to live in the present and to look to the future not the past. The apparent clarity of the past is what makes it so attractive. But, the past is clear because we know what has happened. It can be seen with a sense of certainty.

Yet, looking back we may miss the present and the future that are pregnant with opportunities for finding and serving God in the world around us. The community of faith believes and knows that God is present today, tomorrow and always. We are called not back into an old time of different, perfect truths but into our world as it is today to find out how God is active, how miracles happen, how God is present in each and every life.

There is a word for seeing our present world as a world in which God is active, that word is hope. The community of faith lives in that hope. Our churches exist as an expression of and a place to experience the hope of living in a world where we see God as an active and loving force. This hope sustains us as we face new experiences and information.

To be a person of faith, one has to stick one’s neck out and hold on to the hope in God. You may not be sure where you stand or what you believe, but that’s OK. With trust and hope to inspire and guide us, stick your neck out just a little, and find some real hope.

Faithfully,

(The Rev) Lance Robbins,
Rector, The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd,
Webster NY Tel: 585-872-2281

Good Shepherd church has begun a new Singles Ministry which is open to all single people in the Webster NY area, of any denomination and any single marital status. You can view their progress on their site.

Bishop Jack McKelvey of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester NY recently visited Good Shepherd where he delivered an address on "Marks of an Effective Congregation" It looks like Good Shepherd’s congregation and clergy would definitely fall in the Effective Congregation category.