We received a note from Rev. Chuck Currie of the Parkrose Community United Church of Christ, 4715 N.E. 106th Avenue in Parkrose. Currie is on the cutting edge where it comes to recognizing injustice, and man’s inhumanity to man. The subject of this Sunday’s sermon is about the gun-totin’ Kentucky man of the cloth, and, apparently, the bullet. Rev. Currie’s press release follows:
“Recently, a pastor in Kentucky had his parishioners bring their guns to church for a special celebration of guns and God. “I don’t see any contradiction in this,” the Rev. Ken Pagano, the pastor of the New Bethel Church, told The New York Times.
“I have a different take, said Rev. Chuck Currie of the Parkrose Community United Church of Christ, “What Pastor Pagano did was blasphemeous and an insult to Jesus, the prince of Peace. His actions, in fact, amount, to theological malpractice. My sermon this Sunday will not target hunters but rather the ways in which our society has moved to a place where gun violence is accepted and even celebrated at the same time that each day in America more than 80 people die from guns and another 200 are wounded but survive with injuries (source: Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence),’” said Rev. Currie. “The Christian faith is opposed to violence. The cross is our symbol, not a gun.
“God calls us to be a people of justice who use non-violent means to resolve disputes,” said the Rev. Chuck Currie who will preach on Sunday, July 5th a sermon entitled “God, Guns & American Violence: Turning Weapons Into Ploughshares” at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ during the 10 a.m. sermon.
“Americans in unprecedented numbers are buying guns that can be termed nothing less than weapons of war - we are not talking about your father’s hunting rifle here - and gun violence is on the increase in many communities.
“Christian denominations have for years spoken out in favor of sensible gun control. “We take seriously the call made by God in the Book of Isaiah that humans should turn weapons into ‘ploughshares …’
“Sadly, groups like the National Rifle Association and other extremist organizations have tricked Americans into believing that assault rifles and cop killer bullets are needed to protect society. The NRA has opposed background checks, worked to allow assault rifles that are essentially weapons of mass destruction to be put on the streets, and has even opposed background checks for those on the Terrorist Watch list attempting to purchase firearms.”
Tags: east Portland news, Ken Pagano, Kentucky, National Rifle Association, New Bethel Church, Parkrose, parkrose community united church of christ, Parkrose news, portland, Rev. Chuck Currie
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on Thursday, July 2nd, 2009 at 9:28 am and is filed under Church news, Mid-County Church news, Parkrose news, east Portland news.
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