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Message Seven, January 10, 2010

By Pastor Doug Slagle, The Gathering UCC
©Doug Slagle, 2010; all rights reserved.

When he was asked whether a true person of God should pay taxes to the hated Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, Jesus replied that one should distinguish matters relating to God from those that relate to civil government – “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s”. This application, often ignored by those seeking to advance a religious political agenda, indicates that for Jesus, at least, religion and politics should not mix.  Religion concerns itself with spiritual matters concerning questions of meaning, existence and ethics.  Religion, therefore, must maintain a healthy distance – a separation as Thomas Jefferson put it – between itself and the mundane aspects of governance, power and leadership.

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Message Five, December 20, 2009

By Pastor Doug Slagle, The Gathering UCC
©Doug Slagle, 2010; all rights reserved.

All of us have heard, I am sure, the basic Christmas story.  A teenage girl named Mary discovers she is pregnant and is informed, by an angel, that the Holy Spirit has placed within her a child.

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By Pastor Doug Slagle, The Gathering UCC
©Doug Slagle, 2010; all rights reserved.

Dave Barry, a classic American humorist, once wrote in a column about the month of December:

“In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; Christians called it “Christmas” and went to church; Jews called it “Hanukkah” and went to synagogue; atheists went to parties and drank a lot of booze. People passing each other on the street would say “Merry Christmas!” or “Happy Hanukkah!” or, to the atheists, “Look out for that wall!”

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To listen to this message, click the play button below.  It will take a bit to load.  If you’d like to download the message to listen to later, please right-click the download button (control-click on a mac).

Message Three, November 22, 2009

By Pastor Doug Slagle, The Gathering UCC
©Doug Slagle, 2010; all rights reserved.

Giving, Sharing and Getting Involved

When seeking to measure the impact of churches, it is often asked just what would happen if any particular congregation or church ceased to exist.

• What would happen if the Gathering closed its doors tomorrow?

• What difference would it make?

• Would anyone notice besides ourselves?

• How would the wider community be affected?

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To listen to this message, click the play button below.  It will take a bit to load.  If you’d like to download the message to listen to later, please right-click the download button (control-click on a mac).

Message Two, November 15, 2009

By Pastor Doug Slagle, The Gathering UCC
©Doug Slagle, 2010; all rights reserved.

Carl Jung, the great cognitive theorist, once said, “Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.”

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Message One, November 8, 2009
By Pastor Doug Slagle, The Gathering UCC
©Doug Slagle, 2010; all rights reserved.

To listen to this message, click the play button below.  It will take a bit to load.  If you’d like to download the message to listen to later, please right-click the download button (control-click on a mac).

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As the new Pastor at the Gathering and, to echo the words of our beloved former President George W. Bush, “I have opinions of my own – strong opinions – but I don’t always agree with them!”

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