From the Church’s Valentine Box
Do you remember those sheets of cheap paper, purchased for a nickel and given to assorted people on Valentine’s Day? They didn’t represent True Love—the loving kind had cupids and hearts on lacy paper, not caricatures in lurid color on newsprint. But they still expressed a kind of crude affection, like unrefined oil that sometimes spills and mucks up our beaches, yet is necessary to make the world go round.
Here is a recent offering of newsprint valentines addressed to familiar people in the church.
TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP:
Hail to thee, Queen of Potluck Meals,
Of circles, rummage and bazaar deals;
Shall our chicken be creamed, with peas from a can,
Or baked in the oven with rice in a pan?
I’ll call the whole committee together so we can come to a united decision.
TO THE YOUTH WORKER:
Your years, dear friend, show more and more,
And have you seen the Wittenburg Door?
Exit relational theology,
And enter gerontology.
Wow! Far out! Could you talk a little louder, please?
TO THE PASTOR:
You complain that people at twelve o’clock sharp
Stop paying attention and begin to carp;
Yet knowing they’ve already listened plenty,
You “Finally brethren” until twelve-twenty.
Since TV came in, I’ve found more sin and less and less hunger for the Word.
TO THE TRUSTEES:
The Singing Christmas Tree was good,
But where’ll we ever store the wood
That’s cluttering up the parking lot
Until December’s fresh “Fear not”?
Is there room in the hangar with the Gospel Blimp?
TO THE CUSTODIAN:
We give you our pews, our toilets and kitchen
Expecting them to be made shiny and glisten,
And when after thirty-six meetings they’re not,
We want you to know that your smile helps a lot.
I’m glad. Now how about raising my pay or giving me help?
TO THE BUS DRIVER:
We admire your courage and nerves of steel,
Ignoring the shouts and a missing wheel,
As you stop to pick up those unsaved twins,
Total Depravity and Original Sin.
My trouble comes more from the Saving Graces.
EUTYCHUS VIII
In the Key Of the Classics
I sincerely appreciate your recent editorial on Benjamin Britten (Jan. 7). As an evangelical and a church musician who is also working on a graduate degree, I find that there is far too little material dealing with the area of serious music and composers as it relates to us in the evangelical music ministry. As far as I know there is not one interdenominational music magazine which is keyed toward the trained evangelical musician. I hope you will provide more space and reporting on such in future issues.
WESLEY SMITH
The First Assembly of God
Cleveland, Ohio
No More On the Negative
From its inception I have subscribed to and enjoyed CHRISTIANITY TODAY. You are to be commended on a job well done. But I am getting tired of articles … by disgruntled ministers who couldn’t make a go of it in the ministry. I tried to wade through Andre Bustanoby’s “Why Pastors Drop Out” (Jan. 7). I couldn’t even force myself to concentrate on it. Please, a more affirmative tone on the ministry, which is the greatest job and challenge in the world.
RAYMOND GAYLORD
Cascade Christian Church
Grand Rapids, Mich.
I am constantly amazed at God’s good timing. When we need a word of understanding, he always seems to supply it. Last Tuesday, after a rather difficult weekend, I returned to my study to find the January 7 issue of CHRISTIANITY TODAY waiting for me. “Why Pastors Drop Out” provided much needed encouragement. It is sometimes comforting to know that others have gone through similar feelings and that there is hope.
DANIEL S. MILLER
Monmouth First Baptist Church
Monmouth, Ore.
Puissant Poem
Thank you for courageously publishing “For Christ the Lord” by George E. McDonough (Jan. 7). The poem was puissant and deeply Christian. (I suppose mine may be a minority view.)
(The Rev.) HENRY HUBERT HUTTO
Austin, Texas
Attention to Family Planning
The editorial “Matching Actions With Confessions” (Nov. 19) has come to my attention. I would like to call attention to some inaccuracies in the paragraph purporting to describe the family-planning program to be conducted through Buddhist monks in Thailand which the Planned Parenthood Program/Church World Service plans to partially support.
1. It would be incorrect to say that in certain parts of Thailand the best way to help with population planning is to work through Buddhist monks who are community leaders. It is more factual to say that it is one way which might prove effective. Since it has not been tried as yet, its success or failure has yet to be determined.
2. The agency responsible for the training is the Asian Cultural Forum on Development, a non-governmental and ecumenical organization. It is associated and actively collaborates with the Freedom from Hunger and Action for Development Campaign of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Its membership comes from the principal religious cultural groups of Asia—Buddhist, Hindus, Muslims, and Christians.
3. I suspect that far from being insulated from any gospel witness, the religious beliefs of all members will be thoroughly in witness because of the very nature of family-planning education.
4. And finally, Christians, both Thailand nationals and American missionaries, were sought for their opinions. The response has been full support of the project.
ILUMINADA RODRIQUEZ
Director, Planned Parenthood Program
Church World Service
National Council of Churches
New York, N.Y.
