Rudy/Rick '08 GOP

That's my guess in '08. Sanatorum would balance Rudy G's liberalism when it comes to social issues. We'll see.
Peace,
Chris

From England With Love (letter 2)

Hi all. Its been a busy week or two. I was in Chicago for a week of training at LSTC (Luther Theological Seminary Chicago). For the most part I had an amazing time. I met hordes of young energetic Lutherans and Presbyterians and bonded with them. We learned a whole lot about other cultures, how not to be the “Ugly American,” shared faith stories, and of course went over the do’s and don’t’s of the program. We also got to listen to some wonderful speakers, especially Winston, from Wartburg Seminary (who I had met previously on a Seminary tour with Pastor Sarah), who’s basic thesis was that one’s Biography changes the way they read the Bible and understand their Faith. He used a lot of comparrisions between Cricket and Baseball to drive the point home. And Rick Ufford Chase, from the Presbyterian Church USA, was another great speaker. He discussed Structural Sin using Mark 5 (Jesus’ interaction with the Demoniac). He gave a brief history of Latin American economics through role playing, and also discussed the Presbyterian Church’s work with Mexican Immigrants.
By the last day of training we were quite drained; pretty much been lectured out. And so we left for England Monday Afternoon. We had a harrowing flight in which a woman flipped out and attacked Stewardesses and ended up being subdued for the flight (very disconcerting, she screamed madly the whole rest of the flight over the Atlantic!). We arrived in London Tuesday Morning around 7AM. I promptly found my bed at Chester House, the Retreat Center outside of London where the Time For God training was held, and fell asleep. Then we entered into more training. It was geared a lot to our non-English speaking colleagues (who make up most of the group), though it dealt with many important issues, homesickness, relating to one’s supervisor, and British culture. We also had a little bit of free time in which I checked out London proper (it turns out when you to London from anywhere else in England you go “up” which, interestingly enough is the same thing that one does when they go to Jerusalem, one “Goes up.” I’m sure there are all kinds of interesting cultural nuances one could glean from the fact that Americans often go “downtown.”). Tonight we had country presentations. The US contingent decided to deal with regional dialects. We covered the North East, the South, the Midwest, and I handled the Northwest. Here is the utterly Northwesternized thing I said:

I’m from Eugene Oregon, also known as Nikeville. Eugene is a pretty dank town, though a bit hippy-wo-wo. Of course I’m kind of Granola, not a Trustafarian mind you, so I don’t mind.
Oregonians take sports seriously. There are the Jailblazers in P-town, not to mention the annual Civil war between the Ducks and the Beavers. I’m gang-green.
In Cascadia we take our Java seriously. As you may know Starbucks was born in Latteland. Most webfeet get a double shot. Of course if they are about to go to bed they order a why bother or a Chi. If you feel like Californicating you ask the barista to fill you with led.

I’ll let you translate that yourself. (just to make sure no one gets the wrong idea Californicating is acting like a Californian, not what you were thinking, get your mind out of the gutter).
Tomorrow morning I go off by train to my placement in Saffron Walden. I’ll get to meet my supervisor as well as my room mates Ian (pronounced yawn) and Victor.
Peace,
Chris

ELCA program I'm in

I got to thinking. I should show people who they can contract to do what I'm doing this year.
Peace,
Chris

Jet Lady/Jet Lag

Well. Made it to London, but not without a scare. A woman on our plane from Chicago to London went crazy when we got over the Atlantic. She attacked stewardesses, threw trays, shouted that they were sending her to prison, and had to be then escorted away by cops when we landed. It was interesting because one of the lessons we focused on at our retreat event was Jesus with the Demoniac. This woman was acting like one. I was worried she'd open up a emergency hatch or something. All a little scary and I didn't fall asleep on the flight.
Then we got to London, go through customs etc. We left Chicago at 5pm or so, arrived in London at 7am. So was very jet lagged.
That's about it. I'm safe.
Oh, one last thing, it finally hit me that I was going to a foreign country to live for a year when I was on the plane and asked for Tomato Juice, the stewardess pronounced it "Tamato." A very small thing, but that was the point when I finally realized I'm really off.
Peace,
Chris

England wins!

I leave in the morning

I'll be in Jolly Old England by Tuesday morning.
Also, before I leave I'd like to address the folk who left the post about the ELCA being the Democratic party.
Piss off.
Sorry, practicing my English. What I ment to says was...
I left myself open for that, with the Jesus Republican link along with my stuff about Globalization and the IMF. From now on I'll try to keep links and comments about the non-internet world seperate unless they are related.
That said I think considering root reasons for poverty is part of our mission as Christians, that said as some of you know I'm experimenting intellectually with the Samizdata folk and their extreme free market ways. Still I thought the Presbyterian fellow's (Rick Uffsomething) presentation showed the missionaries who are going to the 2/3rd's world why some of the people they will be serving are poor, and that it doesn't have so much to do with them being "uneducated" "lazy" or anything like that, but in fact many poor desisions by 3rd world leaders in the 70's and 80's involving borrowing money at a non-fixed rate have hurt their people.
Also, another interesting thing Rick talked about was how we as church need to be church everywhere, including in the dessert with Illegal immigrants AND with much of Christianity that considers us a bunch of liberal wackos. Basicly they need to take our call to fighting poverty at it's heart seriously and we need to take their call to end abortions seriously. We need to do more than just agree to disagree, but in fact be one body of Christ.
I have a lot more to say, but I still need to re-pack.
Peace and Love to all!
Chris