e-Soundings

Praying in the midst of Financial meltdown

As I write this, our national financial system is facing its greatest crisis in almost 80 years.  Some call it a meltdown, others a financial earthquake.  Clearly, greed and avarice has had its hand in this situation.

It now mainly concerns the availability of credit.  And no matter how it is resolved our lives, and the lives of business owners all around us, will be changed drastically.

By the time you read this, our government may have taken action and the situation will not be so grim.

But each Sunday, as we have for ages and as we will do until the end of time, we will gather as Christ’s body, reminding ourselves of our awesome God, a God greater than anything on earth, a God whose power and love defeats even death..

We will sing songs of triumph and victory, of love and honesty.  We’ll look hard at our own lives and discover God given places of change and strength.

We’ll look into each other’s face and see Jesus, and we’ll know that no matter what happens,

Responding Faithfully in a Financial Hurricane

   What are you saying/planning to say about the "house of cards" credit world that we are "in" but not "of?"
I know that there have been many creative and powerful thoughts and ideas about what God is saying to us in these troubled times.   Can you share some of them with us?  (You don't have to be as wordy as me.)

In the midst of this crisis, me and my "tribe" of Christians called

Spiritual Reflections on the Economic Crisis

      How will our congregations respond in faith and action to this immense crisis?  It's second only to the 1929 crash and the great depression.  It's effects lasted for decades and still guide the thoughts and actions of many who survive.
What words of comfort and challenge do we offer in the midst of this economic tsunami?

Have we checked in with all those most frightened and vulnerable in our church?  ...our community?
(Even if it's settled by Sunday, the consequences will begin to ripple throughout our economy.)

    One helpful thought I picked up was that right now this is a financial/credit crisis.  It's not a full-blown economic crisis yet.

    Life is still normal, at least for now, but there is likely to be major changes in almost all the areas of our lives caused by higher food/fuel/housing prices, and no easy credit.
However, anxiety and fear are already present and real. (I bank at Wa Mu!  It's the same, and FDIC is there, but still.....)

In time of Economic Meltdown...

   "I'm sure that most of you are feeling as anxious and troubled as I am about the economic meltdown  that our financial institutions are currently subject to.
    As a result of greed, avarice and the "me first" consumer attitude, we are facing a national/global problem of unimagined consequences.

    We join all those in our congregations and in our neighborhoods who are worried and deeply fearful about our personal financial future ( our friends,  our families, our homes, our retirement!) as well as the future of our economic system.

    We shudder when we hear all the experts saying: "We hope this works!"  And we sit powerless to do anything but watch the news reports and become ever more frightened.

    Jim Wallis has called us in the midst of all this to address the situation and help "frame out" it's dimensions of morality and hope in the midst of crisis.  I hope you have read his words here...  

    He says at the end:
"It's time for the pulpit to speak for the religious community to bring the Word of God to bear on the moral issues of the American economy. The Bible speaks of such things from beginning to end, so why not our pastors and preachers?"

    This Sunday I'm trying.  I'm using "Who do you say I am?"  (Luke 9:18-22)  as a part of our "Open House" emphasis.   My aim is to start by seeing in the promise of Christ an offer of hope in this fearful turmoil, a healing in the midst of this pain (economic and otherwise) and a real community of love and support as we face together any bankruptcy and financial ruin that may come our way.  Then to move on in the coming weeks with a moral/spiritual analysis of how we can understand and affect the future.