Sally Oakes's blog

‘Make a joyful noise ...’

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:01:19 -0500

Nina loved to sing. She was solidly into her 80s and her health was still pretty good and she loved to come to the Northside Shepherd’s Center, a senior day center for lower-income older adults, where I was the associate director.

Domestic violence

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:51:08 -0400

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. The website, www.domesticviolence.org. offers this definition: “Domestic violence and emotional abuse are behaviors used by one person in a relationship to control the other.”

Forgiving

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:34:40 -0400

Peter, God love him, is like the anonymous “Q” of Frequently Asked Questions. He wants to know how to apply Jesus’ teaching in his life, the same as we do. One question he asks is, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” (Mt. 18:21 NRSV)

Dealing with change

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:48:54 -0400

The group that gathered recently for our Wednesday night devotion and communion service got to talking about change. We considered whether we liked or did not like change and, as a group, we concluded that change does make us uncomfortable and that we’re more likely (including our teens) to want someone else to change than to change ourselves.

Adoption into the family of God

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:52:00 -0400

On the introduction to the Dr. Phil show, there is a clip of him telling a guest, “This is going to be a changing day in your life.”

I started thinking about changing days recently, when I read this, “... you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God ...” (Romans 8:15b-16)

Welcoming the ‘prophets’

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:40:19 -0400

Here are two real-life encounters of people who attended a church for the first time:

1) From a Catholic Church in Scotland: “After I had stood (hanging around) for a few moments, someone came over to say hello. We talked for several minutes about what I was doing there, her impressions of the community, etc. She introduced me to a few other people, and I was invited to a ... barn dance taking place that evening. But the thing that really touched me was that, on finding that I was very new to the area and alone here, she gave me her phone number and offered to meet me for coffee mid-week if I felt in need. ... (What I’ll still remember in one week) is the kindness of (that) stranger.”

What’s your spiritual growth assessment?

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:46:03 -0400

Every once in awhile, it’s good for Christians to pause to take a spiritual growth assessment. As Lutheran author Fred Lehr says, “Stifling the maturity process by denying it the fresh air of new insights and knowledge is (an) attachment that ensnares us.”

Is your church ‘Ageist?’

Tue, 06 May 2008 16:21:08 -0400

In my years of ministry, I’ve come to learn a lot about not just older adults, but about society’s attitude towards aging and older people.

An unexpected experience with God

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:38:12 -0400

For the anthem last Sunday, our chancel choir sang, “I Love To Tell the Story.” As I was singing with them, I looked out over the congregation and noticed that a number of people were mouthing the words along with us. Clearly, it was a favorite of many, however old-fashioned it was. So, as we got down to the final chorus, God led me to just invite the congregation to sing along and they did with such gusto that they clapped at the end!

Renewing the passion

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:29:58 -0400

A little over a week ago, all Starbucks stores everywhere closed for three hours, from 5:30 to 8:30 at night.

Why did they close down? In the words of CEO Howard Schultz, Starbucks shut down to open up and own up to its “first love.” Starbucks shut down to rediscover and rededicate the company to the “love, passion, and commitment” of the coffee experience.

Repentance is not a private matter

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:36:12 -0500

“And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Mt 6:16 ff)

Internet rumors and hoaxes

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:47:17 -0500

My computer-illiterate husband called me from work the other day. It seems that one of his co-workers got an email warning about a new virus hitting computers everywhere. His co-worker insisted that it was truth and my husband called me to warn me about it.

Waiting ...

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:49:55 -0500

“Hurry up and wait!” is the sardonic phrase a lot of us use to describe the phenomenon of having to rush to get someplace on time only to have to wait before whatever event it is comes to pass. In the past 10 years, I’ve come to think of the season of Advent illustrating that very phenomenon.

Giving thanks with a truly grateful heart

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:18:54 -0500

I’ve enjoyed some of the reality shows on PBS. They get some families together to reenact some of the American history. One series is called “Colonial House.” Producers found an undeveloped piece of land in New England and brought several families, couples, and single people together to build a colony, as the early settlers did in the 1600s. They wore the same kind of shoes and clothing, used the same kind of tools, and brought the same amount of food provisions.

Lessons in the stew

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:00:05 -0400

Did you ever agree to do something before you realized how hard it would be? This is one of those times for me. During a planning meeting for our upcoming (Sat, Nov. 3) Perlieu Stew, one of the planners asked me to mention it in my column. I said, “Sure!” Now, as I sit to write the column, which is to be a religious column that I pray inspires people and draws them closer to Christ, I’m wondering how to make Perlieu Stew inspiring for the sake of the Gospel. Other than being a fund raiser for the Christian mission, there’s not too much about it that could qualify as “religious.”