The Quest for Holiness of Heart and Life

We all have dreams. They are the things that motivate us, give us courage, and provide purpose to our lives. We often hear people talk about "God's Grand Plan". Too often we frame the vision of that plan in terms that are so esoteric as to make it unreal and not part of our day-to-day existence. The following reflection puts a different spin on "God's Dream".

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As Christians confront the challenge of the dynamism and relevance of the Church in the Post Modern era new forms of being community are being experimented with. Some of these experiments have been more successful than others. As we continue to "push the envelope" of how the church could be structured in the most effective way it is important to keep before us why the Christian community exists. This article suggests that the mission of the church needs to be thought of in the context of a "community of memory".

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If your life is as hectic as mine you often say to yourself, "stop the merry-go-round, I want to get off". Every minute seems to be a mad dash from one place or activity to another - often appearing random and pointless. At the end of the day we often ask ourselves, "what did I accomplish of meaning today?" We need a break. Within the Judeo-Christian tradition we have been provided a respite from the dizzying schedules we keep, if only we take the time to appropriate it. It has been said that the great gift of Judaism to Western civilization is the concept of sabbath. This issue of Basin and Towel explores that concept. Relax and enjoy...

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If you have been reading these little monographs you might be asking yourself, "why are these entitled Basin and Towel? What is the significance of that name?". The following article explains the meaning of the symbolism of basin and towel.

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The times they are a changin'. Well, that's not exactly news to anyone, with the possible exception of those who lead the church. It is not uncommon these days to see the telephone numbers of the pastoral staff members of churches published with the following words behind them: "for emergencies only". What consititutes an "emergency"? Who gets to determine whether the person wanting to talk to a pastor or priest has an emergency? When Jesus encountered the Samaritan woman at the well did he consult his PDA to determine when he could squeeze her in to his busy schedule? We need to rethink the whole idea of ministry, availability, and how the people of God are best served. The following article explores twelve characteristics for an effective ministry.

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How a person is in the world makes up their spirituality. We are called by God to respond to life in a radical kind of way...with wonder, awe, and a sense of trust. This issue of Basin and Towel discusses that Radical Response to Life.

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One of the most marvelous capabilities that we possess as human beings is the ability to dream. It is one of the attributes of being created in the image of the Creator. This issue of Basin and Towel explores the origin of God's creative, saving, and sanctifying dream and challenges each of us to pursue that same dream.

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