This following is based  on an Evening Prayer service lead by Alliee DeArmond,  Friday, September 16,  2016 at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in Aptos, CA.  Alliee leads the Friday Evening Prayer services which start  promptly at 5:30 pm and end around 6:00 pm. Come to 125 Canterbury, Aptos, CA.
As part of the service, Â Alliee discussed a book about the Freedom Writers and Erin Grunwell.
Included is how  another woman helped:  Miep Gies a Dutch woman …  Â
MiepvGries
As an idealistic twenty-three-year-old English teacher at Wilson High School in Long beach, California, Erin Gruwell confronted a room of “unteachable, at-risk†students.
One day Erin  intercepted a note with an ugly racial caricature, and angrily declared that this was precisely the sort of thing that led to the Holocaust—only to be met by uncomprehending looks.
So Erin ….  and her students, using the treasured books Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl  and Zlata’s Diary: A Child’s Life in Sarajevos their guides, undertook a life-changing, eye-opening, spirit-raising odyssey against intolerance and misunderstanding.
Erin and her students …  learned to see the parallels in these books to their own lives, recording their thoughts and feelings in diaries and dubbing themselves the “Freedom Writers†in homage to the civil rights activists “The Freedom Riders.â€
With funds raised by a “Read-a-thon for Tolerance,†they arranged for Miep Gies, the courageous Dutch woman who sheltered the Frank family, to visit them in California, where she declared that Erin Gruwell’s students were “the real heroes.†Their efforts have paid off spectacularly, both in terms of recognition—appearances on “Prime Time Live†and “All Things Considered,†coverage in Peoplemagazine, a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley—and educationally. All 150 Freedom Writers have graduated from high school and are now attending college.
With powerful entries from the students’ own diaries and a narrative text by Erin Gruwell, The Freedom Writers Diary is an uplifting, unforgettable example of how hard work, courage, and the spirit of determination changed the lives of a teacher and her students.
The authors’ proceeds from this book will be donated to The Tolerance Education Foundation, an organization set up to pay for the Freedom Writers’ college tuition. Erin Gruwell is now a visiting professor at California State University, Long Beach, where some of her students are Freedom Writers.
TakeAway:  And you drove miles  to a church to hear this  preached? Â
Yikes! And that  church spends  money to  put this on  a website? Â
What to do to improve? Â
 Issue:  A man leaves his wife for another woman after having cared for his wife for  the last several years.  His wife has  Alzheimer’s. Â
A man leaves his wife who has Alzheimer’s
 What do you say about this?  Has the man betrayed his vows?  Or is he meeting his needs? Â
 Based on 1 Corinthians 1: 18-25,  the sermon at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Aptos  August 21, 2016  is  about the Greek  world view versus the Hebrew world view. And how these two world  views — Greek and Hebrew – collide today, both  personally and politically.
 The Greek  world  view:  The Rev.  Anne Mcanelly quotes from a book by Elizabeth Gilbert titled Committed: A Love Story p. 250 (on Amazon for $16.09 or Kindle for $11.99)
that  “the Greeks gave us all our notions about democracy, equality, personal liberty, individualism ….  and what we might call multiculturalism…”
The Hebrew world view: Â “And then there is the world view of the Hebrews … including the ancient world view that is all about tribalism, faith, obedience and respect. Â This way of thinking is clannish, Â patriarchal, authoritarian, moralistic, ritualistic and suspicious of outsiders…. Â The collective is always more important than the individual, morality is more important than happiness and vows are inviolable” Â (pg. 251 Unbreakable)
The preacher then asks, Which are you — are you finding yourself more in the Greek camp,
Which are you? Â More in the Greek god camp …
or  are you more attuned to the Hebrew way of thinking?
or  more in the Hebrew God camp?
To cover all bases she says, “Of course there is no right or wrong preference and when we understand how we see the world and maybe how our close  relatives do as well, we might discover some insight how to get along better….”
The Rev. Â goes on to say, “A friend of mine told me about a family crises. Â Her father-in-law is leaving his wife for another woman…. Â the twist in the story is that the wife has Alzheimer and the man cared for his wife for severeal years but now has started dating someone else.
My friend felt betrayed… I reminded her that its his very Greek way of thinking he is simply looking out for himself. He is placing personal needs ahead of loyalty and faithfulness and that is not sitting very well with my friend. Â Now most of us would expect the husband to be loyal, but what is at issue is the world view more than moral fiber.”
“This Greek/ Hebrew dichotomy can also played  out in the political realm, where  some see every decision only in the way it would affect them — a very Greek way of thinking.  While others see a more holistic , community and ask what might be be better for all concerned, thereby favoring the Hebrew way….”
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Aptos Psychologist:  Many sermons — including this one — just don’t ‘work’.   As many sermons do, this sermon sets up a false  this or that dichotomy (Greek versus Hebrew world view ).  In reality, many people  in the pews know that they are both …  and more.  Ho, hum. Snooze time……
Maybe what some  Christian churches — for sure this one —  needs is a FeedBack form for pew sitters.  Let people comment right then and there as to what they heard and how helpful/ useful it is.
As  part of the church bulletin on the back page put:  Comments?  On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 = Low and 5 = High  And 3 = ???   What did I TakeAway from this sermon that I will/ can use? Encourage people to tear off the Comments? and put them in the basket along with their money.
As for Aptos Psychologist, Â for this sermon I would rate it a 3 Â — ???? Â Not horrible. But not useful.
Gilbert’s description of the Hebrew God as “clannish, suspicious, patriarchal…”  (quoted in the sermon)  seems similar to that as portrayed in  A God Who Hates: The Courageous Woman who Inflamed  the Muslim World Speaks Out …  by  Wafa Sultan  That book IS worth reading.
St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Aptos, CA  www.aptospresbytermianchurch.org lists a contact number 831 688-4211 and an email  to reach the Office.
Located at 9850 Monroe Avenue, Aptos, CA 95003
Sundays: Â 9:00 AM for adult education and 10:30 for worship.
18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.â€
20Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
22Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
TakeAway:  How to Keep God’s  Sabbath Day Holy (Whole)?
TakeAway:  Really?  One sermon on How to Keep God’s  Sabbath Day Holy (Whole). Yawn.
Years ago people heard the message ‘don’t work on Sunday and go to church.’ That’s how you ‘keep the sabbath’.   Times have changed. That message has morphed …. Are new ideas a better fit for today?
Gospel: Â Luke 13:10 – 17 Â Jesus heals a woman on the sabbath, offering her a new beginning for her life. Â When challenged by a narrow reading of the sabbath command, Jesus responds by expanding “sabbath work” to include setting people free from bondage.
“Now Jesus was teaching … And just them there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. Â She was bent over and quite unable to stand up straight. Â When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.”
On the sabbath,  Jesus heals and lifts up a  woman bent over for 18 years.
When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God  But the leader of  the snyagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done;  come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.”
But the Lord answered him and said, Â “You hypocrites! Â Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water?
Ok to give donkey water on  the sabbath? Of course!
And ought now this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free  from this bondage on the sabbath day?
TakeAway:  This is what one person  took away —  from  Christ Lutheran Church,
 www.AptosChurch.org
“Remember the sabbath day.  Call the sabbath a delight.  This is the Lord’s day and the Lord will  do for us what the Lord does:  feed us, forgive us, help and heal us.  Rejoice at all the wonderful things God is doing.”
Here are some ways  to “remember the sabbath…  Here’s some new ideas how to do it today. This is from a sermon delivered in an Aptos, CA church today:
Look for Perspective.
How do you want to spend your time  — versus  how  do you actually spend your time? When first year college kids were asked this question there was a huge dis-connect.  What do you want to do with your time to move toward what goals?
Learn Balance:
Do something  different you’ve never done before. Learn new skills.  Learn balance — so  that you prioritize.
Seek Renewal of your spiritual batteries.
Take time to recharge your spiritual battery. Â Sit and be quiet. Â Then, Â re-charged, Â when you get up and leave, Â things are different. Â Take time to ponder, forgive, heal.
Reach out and Connect:
Connect saying hello, Perhaps play a game  with children and share. Or go to a picnic. Say hello to people you  only slightly know.  Reach out.  Doing things with others gets us out of ourselves.
Comments? Â Thoughts? Â What did you ‘TakeAway’ today this sabbath, August 21, 2016?
 For more happenings at this church, go to  http://www.AptosChurch.org
 Readings for next week include Luke 14:1, 7-14.
So — are the new ideas listed above  how to ‘keep the sabbath  holy’ a better fit for today’s world?  Do they work for you? What do you #TakeAway ?
Maybe just ‘don’t work and do things that slow you down’ says it all. Off to work tomorrow!
Your precious money put n the church plate goes  for a website?
goes for  a website? Oh no!
Waste money on a church website? Â Easy to do!
Church websites are so, sooooo boring! Â And so useless! Â
Typically  you’ll see  the same  old  pages at the top:
Staff     Worship     Outreach   Calendar
 Why useless?  Active members never look.  Why?  Active members know what’s going on having been to their church  recently. As for what’s really going on behind the scene — well that’s never put up on the church  website.  You have to be ‘in the know’.
Why boring?  Little is put up on a church website that’s really interesting or entertaining.God forbid!
holding hands in church? My, my!
Have you ever seen photos of who is holding who’s  hands in church?
No. Â Church website typically show photos of persons who made the largest donations.
Gee whiz.  How exciting. There’s another picture of so and so who gave the most money  last year.
What might  be interesting,  entertaining or useful  to find on a church website?  How about ….
Jobs! Â Â Â Gossip & News! Â Â Â Weekly Raffle! Â Â TakeAway!
 Now people  — active and thinking about attending —  might read those pages.  These pages are appropriate and fun. Â
Â
 Jobs! The priest / pastor’s job is to equip the  Christian Saints.  And that means that each and every  Christian Saint has a job or several jobs to do.  What spiritual gifts do  you have as a Saint or becoming Saint? Â
 So yes — Jobs!  That Page could be at the top of  your church website.  Â
Gossip and News!  Why that’s the life blood for  some and it can be quite entertaining to read.  Gossip is rumors and chatty information: A man named Jesus was seen hanging out with women who are not his sisters … Will that pass for gossip? Or, how about this:   there’s rumors that so and so  was seen near Safeway in #Aptosia  helping a wheel chair bound lady …. See picture on Twitter!  Add your  own fun gossip and news!
 Weekly Raffle!  So “old” and “new” check in to see who won what and what’s up there next week. People have to find out via their computer to know if they won. Post what’s freely offered  via  a weekly raffle by posting on SantaCruzCountyFreecycle:
Why not use church parking lots for a barter/ exchange so people can get and give stuff easily and safely?   For example, right now we’re  looking for a free  redwood picnic table for use at #AptosCommunityGarden .  So, there’s a post listed up there.
Â
TakeAway heard by pew sitters
TakeAway!  So what did you “TakeAway” from the weekly sermon/ homily?  Church websites typically are  one-way advertisements. Churches  put out “their message”.
Want to know what those in the pew thought of what someone said from the pulpit? Â Let the pew sitters say what they “Takeaway”. Make the website interactive.
Let people  post “TakeAway”  as to what they heard.  Or thought they heard. Permit conversation right there on the website.  Wonder whether “old” and “new” might check in to see what others thought?  You bet they will check in.
It’s really too bad that most church websites are largely  useless for attracting people to walk in the door ….. or hang outside where the food/ coffee might be! Â
Why are so many church websites so useless? Â Â Take a look at them.
 Is there a Contact Form?   Nope. There could be.  Here’s one example for an Episcopal church:   Â
contact form for one church
Does your  church  website have a contact page or better yet specific contact forms which  say:Â
HELLO! to the person landing on that specific webpage!
For example. Â Say a person goes to the church website and then “hits” on the Sunday School page. Â
A contact form could say — Â Hi! Â Are you interested in the Sunday School as you have children? Â Fill out this form and someone from Sunday School will answer your questions within the next 24 hours ….
Quite a few persons  looking to attend a faith based community has skills already developed and probably has skills which could be developed.
So  yes — have contact forms which  inquire what skills that person already has.  And might like to develop.
For God’s sake, show an interest in that particular, unique person!
unique person
How about a Contact Form that says: Â Hi! Tell us a little about your skills –which you have? Â want to develop?
We  will get back to you how you can use  your skills or grow your skills.
This Christian community has a special job for each person! Â
A recent look at  websites for several  Christian churches located  in Aptos, CA  shows no Contact Forms.  Take a look and see. Â
Want to attract people?  Put  on your church website specific Contact Forms that attract people (“old” and “new”) to  smell the roses, slow down,  focus on what’s important.  And have fun!   Make it easy for new people to let others know about the skills and interests they have.  Make it easy for people  to want to go in that door ….
smell the roses
….  for nourishment needed  to go out  in the world and share God’s love.
Yes, take that  money that goes for  your church website and make sure that  it’s spent better. Â
Have  specific Contact Forms that actually say Hello!  Tell us a little about yourself so  that we can get back to you and answer your  specific questions.  Â
Aptos Community Garden,  831 688-5727 extension 2  is  an outreach of Christ Lutheran Church, offers organic garden plots at reasonable cost.  Cost of plots varies with the size of the plot.  There are about 65 plots available.  There are a few (Nov. 2016) currently available.
Update: Â plots #32 and #40 are now available (March 2017).
For pictures  of Aptos Community Garden go to Twitter and type in  #AptosCommunityGarden.  Pictures of the Garden are also on Facebook.
A  drip water  system is provided.  There’s a barn own home waiting for new family of owls to come and catch gophers.
Perhaps you visit frequently the Aptos beach area and connect with others living in and near Aptos through #Aptosia  —  and too much sand, wind and fog don’t help tomatoes to grow.
Do you like to garden but live in the foggy area of Aptos? Â Do you live in an apartment and no garden space available? Do you like to learn new things and learning how to do organic gardening is on your list? Â Or perhaps you are temporarily living in the Aptos, CA area and like to meet a few people while doing something — such as gardening.
For community garden plots available, call 831 688-5727 x2 and leave your name and number. You can also call Cameron Jackson.
 Equipping the saints for the work of the Kingdom.
“Beth Shalom Texas Ministries  is a powerful ministry of inner healing. Every day we see the power of Jesus at work in people in need. Lives are turned around. Addictions are finally broken. Damaged marriages are restored. Diseases are removed.”
“Beth Shalom is committed to helping people discover true freedom in Christ.”
Mission Statement
 “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.† Isaiah 61:1
Aptos Psychologist:  Hugh Bromiley was formerly married to  Khara Btoniley.
Khara and Hugh Bromiley  produced a book  titled,  In Search of a Miracle. See below.  It’s a very  good read concerning physical healing of Khara and more.  In Search of a Miracle is available in paperback. So far, I’ve not tracked down other books by Hugh Bromiley.   Â
In Search of a Miracle
Hugh and Monte Bromiley  live  in San Marcos, Texas.
Should you go, the weather in Texas is cooler in October!
My wife Carolyn, who is older than I am (I’ll be 74 in August) was showing strange symptoms for some time. Her hands would tremble, she had daytime sleepiness, poor balance and several other symptoms.
She did not go to the doctor, as she has always been reluctant to go to doctors unless absolutely necessary. So she lived with the symptoms and wrote them off as “normal aging.† But last week she heard a presentation on Parkinson’s from the web, and decided “Oh, this is what I probably have.â€Â She mentioned that to me, and she began doing some of the dietary things the web doctor suggested, as in not eating breakfast before 10:00 am, nor eating dinner later than 6:00 pm. In other words, a half day fast.
I did a quick search on the web which basically said there was no cure for the disease, and the symptoms gradually become worse. The cause was not definitely known, but it seemed to be related to a part of the brain called the “substancia negra†which means “dark substance.†This is a section which lies between both hemispheres of the bran toward the back. This area of the brain produces the dopamine necessary for the normal function of the nervous system, and brains afflicted with Parkinson’s produce less dopamine than normal.
Whit that information, and with my experience in command prayer (learned from the classic work on this by Charles and Francis Hunter, How to Heal the Sick, I began praying for Carolyn in this way. I placed one hand on the back of her head, and another under her chin near the neck. This way the healing energies of God, which are in some ways similar to electricity, could easily flow into the “substancia negra.â€
I simultaneously prayed in this manner:
In Jesus’ name, I speak to the subsancia negraand command it to be healed. I command it, in Jesus’ name to be restored and rejuvenated to full health and full function. I command that dopamine be produced in normal quantities so that the nervous system be healed and perfectly well. I command all this in Jesus’ name
The next morning Carolyn found that she was substantially healed. The hand tremors had ceased completely. She was till a bit unsteady, but also better in this regard.
Now, one case does not mean universal healing is at hand. But this is very interesting and easy to replicate. I would like those of you who read this post to try this type of prayer and see if you get similar positive results. Please describe you results after several days of this type of prayer, and add your comment to the comment section of the blog. Good results? No results? We need to see if this generally effective.
Note: I previously wrote an extensive blog posting on the Hunter’s discovery of command prayer. It can be seen HERE. You Tube has many of ther videos showing their way of prayer. Their classic book is available HERE.
Announcement:
The noted Pentecostal scholar Dr. Jon Ruthven wrote a very positive review of my latest book, Agnes Sanford and Her Companions: The Assault on Cessationism and the Coming of the Charismatic Renewal. You can access it HERE.
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Aptos Psychologist:  Your hands tremble?  Are you low in dopamine?  Read more about Christian  healing through prayer on blogs by Willaim De Arteaga.
Mystics and You: Â Â A Day of Prayer for Women in Santa Cruz, CA, August 29, 2016
“The glory of God is the human person fully alive.” Â Irenaeus Lyons
Mystics and you at Villa Maria Del Mar Retreat
Taking stories from the lives of mystics to reflect upon:
Courage: Â to stand by one’s heart
Hope: Â to stay open to dreams, blessings and other possibilities
Humor: Â to foster joy and maintain flexibility
Trust: Â to maintain openness, curiosity and faith
Forgiving and being forgiven: Â to restore spiritual balance
Gratitude: Â to live our lives to the fullest and in union with the divine.
Come for a day of prayer, reflection and spiritual companionship by the ocean.
Mystics and you at Villa Maria Del Mar Retreat
Villa Maria Del Mar Retreat Center, 21918 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA
Cost is $65.00 includes lunch. Â Facilitators: Â Carmella Dautoff and Rosemarie Peoples. Â For more information contact Rosemarie at rosemarie778@gmail.com or 408 623-7502
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Aptos Psychologist: I like Agnes Sanford, a modern mystic/ practical healer.
Take a look at  The Healing Gifts of the Spirit by Agnes Sanford.  Available through  Amazon Kindle,  paperback through  The Word Shop, 245 Center Ave., Aptos, CA  adboods@aol.com
Community garden Aptos CA Â — serene & peaceful. Â Â 831 688 Â 5727
10707 Soquel Drive, Aptos CA 95003
View it. Â Experience it. Â Walk through it.
The garden is there for you and others who live in  Aptos, CA and near by communities  including  Watsonville,  Freedom, La Selva, Rio del Mar, Soquel,  Capitola and Santa Cruz,  CA  And, yes,  people from Scotts Valley are welcome also.  All are welcome!
Are you on holiday  visiting Aptos, CA?   Or near by areas?  Bring a bag lunch to  the garden.  Walk around. Find the garden by taking the Freedom exit off  Highway #1 and look for the California  Highway Patrol (CHP) office.  The garden is right next door at 10707 Soquel Drive in Aptos.
Here you will find rest. Â Serenity. Â Peace.
Are you visiting someone ill in the community?  Perhaps you are taking care of  a relative at Dominican Hospital or Watsonville Hospital?  Perhaps you need a breather.  Come to the Aptos Community Garden  for a few minutes of peace, serenity and beauty.
Do you want to garden and like to do so with others?  Garden plots at Aptos Community  Garden are still available. Call 831 688 5727 extension 2 and leave a message.  You will get a call back within 24 hours.  You can also stop by and look around to see which plots are still available. Plots with a small red flag indicate availability.  As of July, 2016  plots including  # 38, 47, 65, 67 72 and  24 are available.
And, do you like or at least tolerate gophers?    We have plenty of gophers  to share! And birds.  And,perhaps,  you may  see owls, hawks  and other critters.
Aptos Community Garden  operates under the 501c3 of  Christ Lutheran Church,  Aptos, CA
Stop by Sundays around 11:15  – noon for  a piece of fruit, cheese and a cookie.
Aptos Community Garden is located at the far end of Soquel Ave. Take the Freedom Blvd exit off highway #1 and it's just behind the CHP office.