Skate Church Portland Oregon

 My son got involved in Skate Church through his skate boarding buddies. Me I as a parent I am pretty much a non believer and I have never been adept at skate boarding. Its not my cup of tea. My son pretty much has given up on soccer and his main passion is skating. It should also be noted here that I am a big fan of soccer after becoming involved in his youth soccer endeavors. So there is a lot of foreshadowing here that I am not going to like skate church.

"The Skatechurch building was completed and dedicated in 1996, through a sizable donation from a member of Central Bible Church.



Skatechurch's current 11,000-square-feet of indoor skating area includes a 9-foot roll-in to 12-foot x 22-foot foampit, a 4-foot tall 28-foot wide mini-ramp, a seven-stair, a three-stair and two street courses with multiple ledges, launches, quarter-pipes, banks, euro-gaps, hand-rails, etc"

Skate Church has a huge religious side. They read gospel using skateboarding as a link to their church. I was skeptical at first but I am a pretty open minded person. As a parent I guide our children's choices but I let them decide big decisions such as what foods they like as well as their religious beliefs.
 
Skate Church has had a positive effect on my son. He attends skating and religious events on a regular basis and the friends he has introduced to me are positive and live a clean life style. I told one parent after a sleep over I was so impressed with her son's manners. I have had talks with my son and and says he doesn't fully understand the Bible but he expects to understand it more as he reads it . Hell they have him reading more. I struggle with having him do that.
 
I respect that. I have no idea really what it means to accept Jesus as your savior. My educated guess is that it has a bit of faith in the unknown, a gut feel or somebody else helping you along the road. It takes a village to raise a kid and what is one more.
 
So today my son got baptised at the churches summer congregation picnic and I quickly learned there were 24 people being baptized on this beautiful day in Sellwood. The church we are currently a member with has had pretty much the same 15 youth for the last six years. This is not a great hope for growth in the future. Our church probably wishes it had this number of young people in the "pipeline". And they had similar numbers a month ago. The congregation I met where young and enthusiastic and not exactly preachy. It was real nice group of people, The individuals I talked to spoke highly of my son and they were real down to earth people.
 
 
The Baptism was beautiful, A bearded young person (do not know his actual role) led the congregation through some pretty songs (he sounded like Ray Lamontaigne) and most people sang along. I did not. I only sing at Timbers games. Then they led them to the banks of the Willamette River for the Baptism.
 
Each person waded through the water and were immersed into the murky waters of the Willamette. Before the immersion they gave their declaration of devotion. I hugged our son when he emerged from the water. Not because he has found religion but because he made a choice on his own. Well not exactly on his own, but through a group of friends who love to skate and have a a belief I do not. But I respect that.
 
And this is on a town that scorns religion. They all headed out after the ceremony to skate and do some more religious education. I was not really worried where he was. He was skating which makes him happy and the religion part we will learn in the future if it makes him happy. It may not be in line with my beliefs but that is not the point.
 
We were proud of our son today.
 
 
 

Jesus may have been an Illegal Alien

Patrick, who runs the inner-city ministry of the United Methodist church in Birmingham, says being a good Samaritan could now be illegal.



"This new legislation goes against the tenets of our Christian faith — to welcome the stranger, to offer hospitality to anyone," she says.


At First United Methodist Church in downtown Birmingham, clergy from around the city take turns leading a prayer service called in response to the new immigration law.



Episcopal priest Herman Afanador, Baptist pastor Amanda Duckworth, and Methodist minister Melissa Self Patrick are part of a growing chorus of critics who say the Alabama law goes too far, criminalizing all kinds of contact with undocumented residents. It's illegal, for example, to knowingly enter into a contract with, to rent to, to harbor or to transport illegal immigrants.


Full Article on NPR

Sometimes I think the deep south is another country. The surprising thing about this congregation and the conundrum the pastor has is half of the congregation supports this legislation. I have shallow religious roots but I stand by them steadfastly. My number one, which is the back bone of the Unitarian Faith, is the see the inherent self worth of every single human being. I am currently a member of a Methodist church in progressive Portland, and there is no way our church would support a law such as this. A church or any institution should be able to aid who they same fit.  Me not being religious in the traditional way, I still see not much religion or compassion in people who would deny aid to anybody because their paperwork is not in order or as some imply their skin or country of origin is different than theirs.

I applaud this church for fighting this statute even if some of the congregation do not support it. It has to start somewhere. Standing up for people should not be a crime.

Sundays Sermon (Science and Religion) and Running

At church this past weekend the Sermon was about finding god in everyday life and not in miracles which are suggested in the scriptures. Our pastor (who I respect tremendously) talked about a moment in his life, it was a mere few seconds as a teen when he knew everything was going to be all right.

I am still pretty much a non believer, but there are certain moments in life that one must get those thru spiritual connections. This past weekend i experienced some moments of enlightenment when running my first marathon in tow years. the sun trickling through the trees in a Forest Park as I crested a hill only to see my wife at he aid station encouraging every runner that comes by. The nature and the body experience of running was something to behold as was the kindness of my wife when I knew she wanted to be out there running. It is moments such as this when i do not get the spiritual connection but rather in a world as beautiful as this I am convinced there is a dependence on a higher being of some form in a world that can be than beautiful than expected.

And I paraphrase in sorts as Karl Sagan echoed the almost the some words before his death, that religion and science can co-exist and co-exist rather peacefully.