God is still speaking, sometimes through United Church News
Written: Sep 05 '05 (Updated Sep 06 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: UCC paper tells of clergy news and challenges readers with difficult messages.
Cons: none
The Bottom Line: This magazine challenges my family to live a fuller life, thinking of matters which are more important than daily schedules and possessions.
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| nwinston's Full Review: United Church News - National Ed Magazine |
What do tolerance, bouncers, Ed Grover and banned ad campaigns have in common?
Sounds like a cheesy joke set up, doesn't it? Although I've admired Ed Grover's writing on epinions since June 2000 or so, I don't really know him. I get hints and glimpses of Ed's life from pieces he has penned on this site. My reading tells me that much of Ed's writing would fit nicely alongside articles about banned ads featuring bouncers and tolerance in United Church News magazines.
What do I know about Ed through epinions?
In his epinion on a book titled Losing Matt Shepard, Ed reminds us about a hate crime that shouldn't be forgotten and wouldn't have happened if we were all tolerant. In a book review of Gay Fathers: Encouraging the Hearts of Gay Dads and Their Families, Ed writes of a father visiting Churches, trying to find an accepting one where he can raise his daughter. In addition to his many wonderful book reviews, Ed proved he's at home in the periodical publishing fray by reviewing Out Magazine and Wisconsin In Step Newspaper.
What kind of paper is United Church News?
United Church News is a news print magazine published every couple months by the United Church of Christ, my Church since it's 1957 founding. The United Church News has feature articles by Church Ministers and Members as well as news about clergy life phase changes including moves and retirements. There are advertisements for products which may interest local Churches such as loans, furniture, literature and other items. Regional versions feature articles of particular interest to subsections of the world. My paper has national news as well as an insert with happenings in the Western US.
My subscription
As a UCC Church member, I have a subscription to the United Church News. The magazine arrives, often sitting among my other reading material until I can give it the due attention and respect it deserves. The articles can be quite challenging for me, a suburban American mother and wife living the good life. A recent article taught me about fair trade coffee. Are the farmworkers who delivered fruit & veggies to my local Safeway treated fairly in wages and conditions? Do I use too much of the world's natural resources? Am I tolerant of others with opposing positions on politics, religion and values? These written mini-lectures take me away from the daily grind and make me question my actions and how they impact the world around me.
Okay, but bouncers? Get to the bouncers!
That's right, I promised a punchline to the cheesy joke. But it's not funny. I opened my United Church News sometime last year to find that the United Church of Christ was launching a new ad campaign. The ads would highlight the Jesus I know who is a loving, all-inclusive man. All were welcome at Jesus' gatherings. The UCC ads show bouncers deciding who to let into Church, based on appearance or perceived lifestyle. The original tag line of the bouncer ad was "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we." I loved the ads. The shocker to me was media banning the ads including CBS and NBC. How can a network feature Will and Grace and ban these ads? If you haven't seen the ad series and are interested, view them at www.stillspeaking.com. Still speaking? As Gracie Allen, actress and wife of George Burns said, "Never place a period where God has placed a comma,"
Bottom Line
The real answer to the question I posed at the start of this article is that Ed Grover's writing, like many articles in the United Church News, reveals his passion for tolerance of differences. Bouncers and banned ads are at the opposite end of the spectrum, seeking to divide us. Read some of Ed's work and you'll grow to appreciate him like I do.
Relevant websites
www.ucc.org
www.stillspeaking.com
Write off info
Ed Grover is ill with lung cancer. Eplovejoy is hosting a September write off for Ed, letting him know how much the epinions community appreciates him.
Details can be found at http://www.epinions.com/user-eplovejoy.
Dear Ed,
I tried to keep the spirit of the write off going with this review. I hope that this pleases you in some way and wish you all the best!
Nancy
P.S. - the epinions product name is United Church News - National Ed Magazine...
Recommended:
Yes
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nwinston
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Location: US
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