iHOPE

Nominations, Please

Every summer, we do a series at New Hope that uses movies to raise questions and address some of the issues of the day. We call it, "Moving Pictures." We show clips of the movies in worship and build the service around the questions raised and the resources in our faith to address them.

Each year, we pick a theme and this year's theme is "Husbands & Wives". I want to address some of the more pressing questions and ever-present issues behind the meaning, obstacles and possibilities in marriage.  Rich and I (see the previous post) have about a dozen or so movies that we have been tossig around, but I thought it would be good to get a wider pool of nominations. we are both 'old guys' who have been married more than 35 years. That doesn't disqualify us on the subject, but it does tend to skew the movies we watch. We need some help. What are some of the best movies you have seen that address the complexities, heartaches and joys of marriage?

Bonhoeffer Revisited

  Many people talked about the power of Sunday's service. Brigitte's story was stunning. The music was rich and varied. The life of Bonhoeffer was as sobering as it was inspiring.

  Some have asked about the name of the movie from which I showed the clip. The title is simple:  "Bonhoeffer". I saw it first through Netflix (I think it can even be streamed instantly online), but I wouldn't be surprised if the library had a copy.

  The book I mentioned was, "The Cost of Discipleship". Be careful.  It should have a warning label on the cover that says, "WARNING: This book may cause great discomfort and could be hazardous to your complacency."  Don't say I didn't warn you.

I used several quotes from Bonhoeffer.  The one the front of the bulletin was from a letter to a friend, while in prison in 1944.  Here it is again:

I discovered later, and am still discovering right up to this moment,that it is only by living completely in this world that one learns to have faith.  By this-worldliness I mean living unreservedly in life’s duties, problems, successes, failures.  In so doing we throw ourselves completely into the arms of God, taking seriously not our own suffering but those of God in the world.  That, I think, is faith.