Vanasõna

 Last weekend, there was roughly four million people who marched across the United States peacefully. We added to that number with over three hundred people marching in our small population here in Cook County. Over the past month, citizens of all political parties have been showing up in large numbers to meet with their elected officials to share with them their displeasure the directions that our current administration is moving our country towards. It has gotten so uncomfortable that our Republican representatives have basically stopped having public meetings because they are unable to defend the actions and the goals even against those who voted for them and our current President.  In the time when Jesus walked upon the earth with his disciples, Israel and all surrounding countries were occupied by the Roman government. Originally conquered by the Greeks some two hundred years earlier, they would be under this occupation for another six hundred years and then under various...

Here are a few facts for us to consider this morning:  According to a report published in Bloomberg News last June, undocumented workers contribute nearly $100 billion dollars in local, state, and federal taxes each year. According to the American Immigration Council, " In 1980, immigrants made up 6.2 percent of the U.S. population, and the total crime rate was 5,900 crimes per 100,000 people. By 2022, the share of immigrants had more than doubled, to 13.9 percent, while the total crime rate had dropped by 60.4 percent, to 2,335 crimes per 100,000 people. Specifically, the violent crime rate fell by 34.5 percent and the property crime rate fell by 63.3 percent." Overall, the crime rate in the U.S. fell by 49% from 1993 to 2022. For American citizens, the crime rate is roughly 4,000 crimes per 100,000 people. Social Security would be forever solvent if we removed the cap of salaries which is currently $176,100, so any money made over this amount is not taxed by Social Security...

      We are now in the season of Spring and moving closer to celebrating resurrection. Though there is a lot of chaos in our nation right now, there are also opportunities to try new things and work towards new goals. A pastor friend of mine, (Methodist), posted something about Project 2029, when possibly more Christ-like, compassionate, and patriotic citizens and politicians defeat the white-Christian-nationalistic patriarchy that is throwing its last grasp to remake us into an authoritarian government and society.  So, rather than just being against what MAGA is trying to do, what are we for? Each of us may have our own pet projects and ideas of what is good, however dream with me on what would make our country a safe and healthy place for all. First, for me, it would be universal healthcare, including mental health, dentists, and eye-care. If we haven’t got our health,... (as the saying goes) and this would free up resources and time if we all were a bit healthie...

  The Story... Keep on Keeping on! Thank you to all for showing up, waking up, and resisting all the ways the Trump administration and DOGE are working to dismantle our democracy. Thank you to all who show up to town meetings with your elected officials, even when they don't show up. Thank you for calling, writing, emailing, and pestering those who are forgoing the oaths to defend the Constitution and represent the people, not kowtow to the wanna-be authoritarian president donald j. trump. Thank you to all who support the men and women and all genders who serve our country in the armed forces and the government offices and the bureaucracies that keep us safe and help everyone live and have better lives. Thank you to all who are reaching out to their neighbors and relatives, checking in to see if they are alright while services for the vulnerable continue to be slashed and more road blocks are put in place like cutting phone services for social security, closing offices, and laying...

 There are protests around the country and around the world against facism, oligarchy, and the collapsing independent branches of our government in favor of letting Trump be Trump and dictators be dictators. This is good! Our Democratic Party is hamstrung because they are trying to appear the reasonable and lawful party and are worried about the optics which allowed the CR to pass last week with significant cuts to key parts of our budget. Yes, Republicans (the party of Trump) control all three branches of our nation and there are not a lot of legal ways to slow the roll of Project 2025, but there aren't none. They are not using their greatest power, the power of the people. Their messaging is measured in tone and fumbling in overall themes and are not connecting to the people who are itching, waiting, struggling to do their part. If our democratic politicians can't lead like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Governor Waltz and host rallies and town halls in Republican districts where th...

 Samuel grew up in the Temple and when God talked to him, what was the first thing Samuel had to do?  He had to tell Eli that his sons were corrupt and they were going to die.  After Samuel anointed King Saul to be the first king of Israel, what did he have to do? He had to tell Saul that he would no longer be king. When King David slept with Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah killed, who was called to set him straight?  The prophet Nathan was called to share a story about a man and his lamb.  When the Assyrian army was coming after Judah, what did the prophet Isaiah preach to King Hezekiah, what did the king and the people do? They repented to escape destruction.  When John the Baptist called out King Herod because he married his brother's wife and called out other corruption, what did King Herod do to him? Jailed and then beheaded him.  And when Jesus began his ministry what did he preach to his hometown?  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to b...