1. Daily Shootings

Almost daily. Our daily dread. Can anyone carry any kind of weapon anywhere at any time? Last week Indiana hosted the NRA, once an association of gun owners, now the nationwide lobby for gun manufacturers. In 2019 they sold 13 million, in 2020 21 million, in 2021 18.5 million. There are more guns than people in the USA, since 29% of Americans have a gun to protect their home. When burglars broke into our home, they went straight to the master bedroom and pulled out all the drawers. “Looking for your guns,” police said. “Looking for a Mennonite pastor’s gun is like looking for ham in the rabbi’s  kitchen,” we told the detective. Can we make that true churchwide? Help break the doom-loop when the increase of guns prompts people to purchase more.

2. My Neighbor Totoro

Recently, Leann did not want to miss the chance to see a favorite film on the big screen, and she gathered a group of friends to see My Neighbor Totoro at a local theater. Beautifully drawn by Hayao Miyazaki, considered to be the greatest of all Japanese animators, My Neighbor Totoro is visually imaginative and delightful. The adventure comes to life with characters that are playful, loving and nonthreatening. When the title character, a gigantic creature, appears to a young girl, she curls up on his tummy and takes a nap. In these times of mass shootings, crooked politics and weather disasters, you may wish for a short time to escape to a world of delight and wonder and just smile. The film is available for home viewing.

3. Major, not minor, prophet Jim Wallis

Jim Wallis on the Nashville school shooting: “We are sacrificing our children to Moloch.” In our worship of handguns and lust for weapons of war, like AR-15 assault rifles, we bow to Moloch. An active shooter in a school with a gun we will not control, is sacred Second Amendment collateral damages. It is like throwing our firstborn on the red-hot statue of the Canaanite god, Moloch. Yes, Jim, with the Moloch metaphor, you hit the target of truth. Once people wore a cross in their lapel, then an American flag; now it’s the AR-15 pin.

4. Inquiry and curiosity.

Lynn Jost from our sister congregation in Fresno, Calif., wrote the Lectionary aids in the Christian Century back in March, and we are still talking about his insights. Commenting on John 9 where the “ask, seek, knock” Galilean inquirer Jesus who questions and confronts also invites us to join a “community of the curious,” Lynn warns us that inquiry is dangerous and curiosity is threatening, but we do it anyway to follow the master questioner. Yes, Lynn, we join you in searching, seeking, questioning and pursuing a divine treasure hunt.

5. Desert Hot Springs.

As we celebrated Leann’s birthday by soaking in the Desert Hot Springs pool, we were joined by a friendly octogenarian and had a delightful give and take conversation with her until she said, “I’m a Trumper. Are you a Trumper too?”

“No, we are at the far end of the scale on that,” Leann replied.

“Did you know that Biden died three years ago, and they found several lookalikes who act his role?”

“No, we didn’t know. I doubt if Jill would like that,” I said.

“Jill?” she asked.

“Dr. Jill, his spouse,” I replied.

“Check Biden out, it’s not him.”

“Don’t you recognize that as another conspiracy theory?” I asked.

“Oh no. No question.”

“As a therapist, I think those who cannot question need treatment,” I said a bit pointedly.

“It’s time for me to go for dinner,” she replied and climbed out of the hot water.