I will be quite honest … a great many things I read on social media sites saddens my spirit.  The political trashing, the name calling, the absolute hatred I read being slung back and forth among persons often causes me to wonder what they think it means to be a Christian. 

I am not aware of anywhere in the Bible that our Lord permits such hatred to be spewed. I do recall, however, that Jesus says to love your enemies and to pray for them (and not a prayer for them to meet an untimely demise). 

Now, on these same social media sites, there are also a good many positive posts that support others, that offer words of encouragement, that share good news with others.  Those are a joy to read. 

One such group that posts positive and uplifting thoughts is the Church of Scotland.  At least once a week they post brief prayers that help one regain a proper focus and remember what God desires of us, how we need to act and react, that we are God’s children and how we can rejoice in that. 

What follows is 5 of those brief prayers.  May they speak to your heart and provide great food for thought, helping you remember who you are, and Whose you are. 

“God knows me by my name because God gives me life.  God calls me by my name because God seeks my company.  God cherishes my name because God loves me.” 

“God, forgive us when our lives are full of commandments and rules and bereft of compassion and love.  Forgive us when the word becomes more than the Word, when our determination to adhere to the word belies the Spirit of joy and hope.” 

“God, this day we have come to share your view of humankind, your angle on the things on earth, your perspective on past and future.  Where we do not see things right, where we have not done things right, where we fail you and other people, forgive us; make us clean from our sin, and create a new heart within us.” 

“Giving God, we give you thanks and praise for all of your gifts to us.  We know you are the source of every good thing, light and love come from you.  You created us and continue to breathe life into us through the power of your Holy Spirit.” 

“May the silence of God surround me; may the calm of the Spirit fill me; may the peace of Christ uphold me, this and every day.” 

Amen.

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is pastor at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Finding the good in social media

As I write this article, our nation is reeling from another two senseless acts of violence: the mailing of explosive devices to persons who have spoken unflatteringly (in that persons’ mind) about our current President, and the absolutely senseless killing of Jewish men and women who had gathered for a time of worship in a Pennsylvania synagogue.

It seems to me this nation of ours has lost its collective mind.

It has never been an acceptable practice to speak of women in derogatory terms, especially anatomically speaking – until recently.

It has never been an acceptable practice to speak lies or unscrupulously spread misinformation – until recently.

It has never been acceptable to pass blame for one’s own actions onto another – until recently.

This is not to say these things didn’t happen in the past. They did.

But now it is all just given a passing “tsk!” “Boys will be boys” and “girls will be girls.”

The rhetoric heard coming from numerous sources in Washington, in political ads, from leaders of various religious organizations, from ordinary citizens has become appalling. The value of human life and dignity has become so narrow, the only person who matters the most is “me” – the individual.

It doesn’t matter what side of the political spectrum you are on. If you are speaking unkindly about someone – you are in the wrong. STOP IT!

It doesn’t matter if the way someone else worships is different than yours. If you speak unkindly about someone – you are in the wrong. STOP IT!

If you are being ugly toward someone or a group of persons and feel justified in doing so – you are in the wrong. STOP IT!

What, pray tell, makes you think that your way of acting and behaving is truly better than someone else’s way?

I find it sad when people agree that something needs to change, but do nothing about it themselves – except continue to spout their hatred toward those who are different, and say the “others” need to change.

We have not been created by our God to be at each other’s throats. We were created to live in community with one another. Look at the way so many are responding with kindness, generosity, and service to the victims of Hurricane Michael. That’s what we are supposed to be about all the time.

As Anne Lamott said, “You can safely assume you’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.”

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is pastor at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Until recently

CRESTVIEW — Bobbie Brown, 84, sifts through memories with Woodlawn Baptist Church's senior adult pastor George Katzman laughing and reflecting on a meaningful part of her life since she was 20 years old — her church.

For 62 years, Bobbie saw a church grow from a small log cabin with six members to the full-time ministry it is today.

"When I think about Woodlawn history, I get a little sentimental and a lot humble," Bobbie said. "And, sometimes I cry."

Woodlawn Baptist Church began in 1955 as a mission church — a church receiving support from other ministries.

First Baptist Church borrowed money from the Home Mission Board, which they used to purchase a log cabin in Crestview.

Thus began the Woodlawn Baptist Mission.

Bobbie, from Laurel Hill, was attending her parent's church and First Baptist Church prior to Woodlawn Baptist Mission.

One Saturday afternoon, Bobbie said the mission's pastor visited their home inviting them to the mission.

In January of 1956, Bobbie and her late husband, J. W. Brown, attended the mission's first Sunday night service in the cold log cabin with a broken fire place behind the preacher, one "naked" light that was just a light bulb hanging from the ceiling, and slatted pews Bobbie said were uncomfortable.

Three people not including her and her husband attended the service, Bobbie said.

At the first Sunday night service, J. W. became the first person to profess his Christian faith, according to Bobbie. He was also the first person to partake in baptism at the mission.

Bobbie said she moved her letter of membership from her church in Laurel Hill to the mission after that Sunday night service.

Although they were small, Bobbie said the church started on a good note with a pastor, a full set of Bible studies for Sunday school, and mission programs.

"We had Bible school, and we had one little boy that first year jump out of the screen window," Bobbie said.

Bobbie was involved in many parts of the church including the first five-person choir.

"We would sing and you had to watch — bugs would fly in your mouth," Bobbie said.

She also taught Sunday school classes and kept the church's records.

In one year, Woodlawn grew from a mission to a full-time church that no longer relied on help from other ministries.

But, this required hard work of members like Bobbie and her "dear friends" who believed in their cause.

"We had doubts, but our faith really helped us out," Bobbie said.

All of the labor, the church members did themselves from cleaning bathrooms to building Sunday school rooms. Katzman described it as "see a need, meet a need."

In 1958, the church moved out of the log cabin into a white cinder block sanctuary, one that Bobbie said actually had air conditioning.

"We had real good light there," Bobbie said as she chuckled.

From there, the church continued to expand their buildings and in 2000, had their first service in the current worship center.

"I think it was the Lord's will for it to happen," Bobbie said.

Although she's unable to attend church due to health issues, Bobbie still proudly holds on to many pieces of Woodlawn's history like a window and pew from the log cabin and other pieces of church history.

"Not a lot of people would go into a mission like that," Bobbie said. "You put more into it, but you get more out of it."

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Once a log cabin mission, now a full-time church: Bobbie Brown went through it all