Making Headlines
Speaking of churches making the headlines:
News reports today indicate the Tennessee church shooter targeted that congregation yesterday because of its liberal stance. Read the story here.
According to its website, the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church "is a nonprofit organization and a community of people who meet to worship, learn, enjoy fellowship, and work together for social change."
The congregation has given sanctuary to political refugees, fed the homeless, supported equal rights for women & gays, founded a chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, and been on the front lines of the civil rights movement.
Two people died in the shooting.
According to police, the shooter, 58 year old Jim Adkisson, planned the shooting for a week. He fired his shotgun just 3 times into the crowded sanctuary before congregational members were able to tackle him to the ground but he brought 76 shells with him. This was going to be a blood bath.
Maybe most of our congregations stick to car washes and chicken dinners (see my earlier post) because actually following Jesus is so damn dangerous.
And UU's do not necessarily identify themselves as Christians which means that if just following Jesus, the man, gets you in hot water, what might happen if you are following Jesus, the Christ, Son of God? And lest we followers of Jesus the Christ think we have a lock on the breaking in the Reign of God, we need to think again. God's reign will break in wherever it wants to, even in the middle of a chicken dinner and Vacation Bible School.
Posted by: Jane Ellen Jarrell | July 28, 2008 at 01:09 PM
Going to church is dangerous, going to school is even more dangerous (even elementary schools these days!), going to the mall is downright forbidden for some...Living is what's dangerous.
Posted by: Rachel | July 28, 2008 at 09:16 PM