The image is of Akiyoshidai, Japan, which I never heard of before a few weeks ago. From the website put together by the local tourist association:
Akiyoshidai is the largest karst plateau in Japan, spread in the middle and eastern part of Mine City. It was designated as a National Monument (Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park) in 1955 and a special natural monument in 1964. The limestone that makes up the magnificent landscape of Akiyoshidai is about 350 million years ago in the southern sea. It was born as a coral reef, and over the years has formed a karst plateau like today.
Today (July 3), the wider church celebrates Thomas, the one Christians often associate with the nickname “doubting Thomas.” And yet, I wonder if he is one of the most essential people for us to read and hear about in all of Scripture. For he provides the holy opening for the doubts, the questions, the wonders, even the spurts of flat-out disbelief and giving up on church, organized religion, faith, or whatever else. Thomas offers the holy invitation to be human, to be just…us.
For many ELCA congregations, their respective synod office/staff seemingly only emerge when they want money or something else is wrong. Now, thankfully, Divinity and other communities of faith have developed enough of a working relationship with the wider church, recognizing that more of a Gospel-impact can be made with the help of other children of God near and far away. And so, we can see the Bishop or one of the Assistants to the Bishop and not automatically cringe, as is the case for others who may not have the…most positive experiences with higher-ups in our Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
It was on this day (June 19) in 2016, that Cleveland shocked the world…but in a good way. Their hometown professional basketball team pulled off one of the sport’s most improbable comebacks, defeating the nearly almighty Golden State Warriors in a seven-game series after falling terribly behind 3-1. It was this night that the (in)famous LeBron James shouted for all of northeastern Ohio to hear: “Cleveland! This is for you!” Since then, some fan(atic)s have fallen out of love with their Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary high school phenom after a couple departures to, perhaps, more glamorous coastal cities. Some insist on following him as he continues to impact the NBA from the City of Angels, as the debate will forever ensue on whether he is, in fact, the greatest to ever play the game.
A couple days ago (June 10), marked the anniversary of the deceased Prince Phillip’s birthday, which brings me back to the Netflix series, The Crown, which Sarah and I spent way too much time consuming. In Episode 7 of Season 3, entitled “Moondust,” Prince Philip is fascinated…no, obsessed, with the American astronauts’ mission to the moon in the summer of 1969. However, as he’s hanging on every word of Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin in a televised press conference leading up to the launch, the Queen reminds him of worship the next morning, leading to the Duke scoffing under his breath, knowing he’s about to endure yet another Sunday listening to a rather…veteran priest, the Dean of Windsor. As Prince Philip is sitting next to the Queen in their usual front pew, he remarks, “It’s not a sermon, it’s a general anesthetic” (of course, whether he said such a thing is up for debate, but it’s wonderful writing by the people behind the scenes, nonetheless!).
