intersections

How long, O Lord?

God has taken his place in the divine council;
in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
'How long will you jude unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?
Give justice to the weak and the orphan;
maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
Rescue the weak and needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.'

They had neither knowledge nor understanding,
they walk around in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

Rise up, O God, judge the earth;
for all the nations belong to you!

~ Psalm 82:1-6, 8

We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now...

~ Romans 8:22

8,500+ dead in 7.8 earthquake in China hundreds are believed to be school children (video, photos)

22 dead as tornado rips through Missouri, Oklahoma & Georgia

Death toll rises to 32,000 in Myanmar after last week's cyclone and now face more.

You can help!

No on 98/Yes on 99

/Apologies to all non-California residents while I dip into a state political issue for a minute.

So, I'm driving back to my office today after having lunch with my dad and I hear the new Yes on Prop 98 radio ad and it just drove me crazy. I hate to even send you to the Yes on 98 website, but it's the only way I can figure out how to have you hear the ad yourself. So, click here and have a listen.

The whole thing is done my children who claim ask, with tears in their voices,

"You mean we're never going to see our friends again?"

Proposition 98 is being billed as an anti-eminent domain law, but what they don't tell you on their website or anywhere is that it will effectively destroy rent control laws in California. Once a tenant moves out of a rent-controlled apartment that unit will never be under rent control again. Little by little rent control will be a thing of the past. This is one of the last safeguards of affordable housing, especially in the urban areas of California.

So, the League of California Cities, Governor Schwarzenegger, and literally dozens of other organizations (including LA Voice) have stood up to oppose this horrible proposition put forth by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. Not only this but a counter proposition has arisen - Proposition 99. You can read more about Prop 99 here, but it accomplishes many of the good things about Prop 98 without destroying laws protecting renters.

So, Californians...when you go to the polls on June 3rd (that's right, there's an election on June 3rd), please vote NO on 98 and YES on 99. Protect renters!

Rev. Jeremiah Wright on Bill Moyers Journal

Did any of you catch the interview that Bill Moyers had with Rev. Jeremiah Wright on Friday? I didn't see it when it aired, but I saw it online and it was very, very good. For an hour, without commercial interruption, Rev. Wright shared very personally and directly about his life, ministry, Trinity Church and his comments that have become so controversial lately. Bill Moyer probably spoke for about 5 cumulatively on the broadcast.

I have not waded into this controversy on this blog, but I have shared others places. But today I am here to say that if you have been effected by this controversy or have taken a stand on it, you really must watch this interview. He is intelligent and articulate. He is definitely not the whacko that some in the media have tried to make him out to be. I am convinced that this is a man of God!

Watch the interview here (in two parts)

Bush's SCHIP policy violates law

This is perhaps old news by now, but on Friday afternoon several media outlets, including The Hill, reported that...

The Bush administration’s limits on expansions of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) are unlawful, according to Congress’s investigative arm.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) unlawfully bypassed congressional review when it issued a directive to states in August alerting them that federal authorities would seek to restrict raising the income eligibility level for the program, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded in a report issued Thursday. [Read the whole thing here]

We have known for some time that the Bush Administration has little regard for the law - a deep irony given that the GOP has long been touted as the party of "law & order". This is just the latest example and one that touches close to me because of my work with the PICO Network to expand SCHIP coverage so that all children in America can see a doctor when they need to. Our campaign was ultimately unsuccessful last year, but we are not finished with this fight.

"Extending health coverage to the millions of the uninsured children whose families are struggling to make ends meet is at heart a moral issue and therefore should be a top priority for the next President," said Rev. Bob Stevens, Chair of Congregations United for Neighborhood Action, the PICO affiliate in Lehigh Valley, PA. "PICO urges all of the Presidential campaigns to make a clear commitment to enact bi-partisan SCHIP legislation within the first 100 days of their administration." [more]

Art in LA: last night at the Getty

Last night a few of us were at the Getty Center for a panel discussion about Art in LA in the past decade (1997-2007). The main reason we were there is because Man One, the artist we've hired to do our mural at the church, was one of five panelists (moderated by Patt Morrison in the bright orange on the right). The prior day a different group of us were at the Arts & Parks committee of City Council to give public comment to the committee about the problem the city is facing with murals. I don't have time to go into all that here, but sufice it to say, the City, in combating legal and illegal super-graphics and billboards that multiply like rabbits, has made it impossible (legally impossible) to get fine art murals on private property approved. Things have ground to a standstill, so we're involving ourselves in this political process to urge a rapid resolution to this process.

However, while we were at the event at the Getty, some other things were said about art in Los Angeles that got me to thinking about missional church. So, stay tuned for the next post, Missional Museums.

A sad day

Today, Livable Places announced they are closing their doors.

It is with great sadness that we inform you that Livable Places is closing. Seven years ago, our board of directors set ambitious goals for a new nonprofit organization to advocate for land use policy reform, and to develop affordable housing that demonstrated the feasibility of smart growth.  Since then, Livable Places has worked on multiple policy issues and initiated two developments offering 160 homes and leveraging $60 million as we strived to build for-sale housing affordable to working people with minimal subsidy.

Read the rest at their website.

We got to know the good people at Livable Places as we began working for solutions to the housing crisis in Hollywood and around LA. Beth Steckler is a great advocate for affordable housing and once came to the Hollywood Church to give their presentation about livable communities.

Thanks, Livable Places, for all your good work. It's a shame to see events unfolding like this.

The Scandal of Jesus

By cartoonist Signe Wilkinson of the Philadelphia Daily News.
Found in the LA Times Opinion section, Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008.

Conspiracy confirmed: my picture is in The Tidings

My comments from the Housing LA press conference made it into The Tidings (it's at the top of the home page right now). One of their reporters, Bob Dellinger, did the best job of anyone reporting on this event. You can read his story here.

Actions you can take

We are fast approaching the 5th anniversary of the war on Iraq. As a Christian it is significant to me that this anniversary always comes during the season of Lent, when the church is called to a time of repentance and soul searching. It is remarkable to me that we are still debating whether we should continue fighting this losing war in Iraq. Haven't we had enough. I certainly have.

Which is why I have added my name to a public statement repenting for the Iraq war, which Jim Wallis and other Christian leaders will be releasing next week - with the signatures of thousands
of Christians of all theological and political stripes.

Support for U.S. wars and foreign policy is still the area where Christians are most "conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2). We must commit to put our love for Christ ahead of obedience to a misguided government, and to ask our brothers and sisters to join us in working for peace.

I'm hoping you will join me in signing the statement. Please click here to read the statement and add your name to the more than 10,000 who have already signed.

News footage from Housing LA press conference

And here is a story that ran on the cover the Business section of yesterday's LA Times (Sunday, March 9). Deanna is a member of LA Voice. Another pastor in Hollywood and I wrote an Op-Ed piece that included Deanna's story, but alas, it didn't get printed. I'm really glad Deanna's story could be tole. But honestly, David Lazarus "Good luck with that?" Is that the best we can do - luck?

The print edition had a nice picture of Deanna.