Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/35576
8A Daily News – Saturday, July 2, 2011 Religion Faith&Worship Voices of Faith Who is in control of the world? (MCT) GOD IS IN CONTROL, BUT WE HAVE FREE WILL Rushdy El-Ghussein, former president of the Islam- ic Society of Greater Kansas City: Muslims have no doubt that God the Creator is in control of everything and that nothing happens without his permission. But God's plans are bigger than ours. When life goes smoothly and we experience health, prosperity and good families, how often do we think we are in control and forget God's blessings and bounties? We think proudly, "We achieved this," not gratefully, "God gave us this." But when our plans and efforts fail, when we experience loss or disease, or when crime or war touches us, we ask, how could God allow this to happen? When natural disasters occur we question how a just and merciful God could destroy whole communi- ties. God controls the universe but has given us minds and free will. He wants us to worship and obey him, be thankful for the blessings that he has given us, and work for good in this world, not to choose to create mischief, evil and chaos in this world. God tests all of us in this world, both through the bounties he gives and through troubles that arise to let us discover how we respond. Tests can lead to learning and growth but also to failure and ruin. "And certainly, we shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient" (Qur'an 2: 155). WE CONTROL OUR DESTINY Arvind Khetia, engineer and a Hindu: In Hinduism, the nature of the phenomenal world is both mental and material. As it undergoes constant change, it has no absolute existence. The apparent world that exists in relation to one's mind is influenced by three attributes (gunas), which are righteousness (sattva), intense activ- ity (rajas) and ignorance (tamas). Thus, the whole world, where all beings are governed by the law of karma, is viewed as the dynamic play of these three fundamental forces, also known as maya. Behind this visible universe, however, there is an absolute, unchanging Reality called Brahman. Its high- est manifestation is called Isvara (God), the Inner Con- troller of the universe, who is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent. The Upanishads describe Isvara as, "An Immortal Self within, he is the Supreme Ruler of the universe. Under his control the sun, the moon and the planets per- form their functions. Because of his power, a moral order (dharma) controls the universe as well as human life." As the state of our inner world shapes the external world, it is crucial to control our inner world by culti- vating positive (sattvic) qualities and eliminating nega- tive (tamasic) qualities of the mind. This requires spiri- tual wisdom to recognize the underlying truth of Real- ity that governs the entire universe. Thus, while the cos- mic universe is governed by the Supreme Power, we control our own destiny by controlling our inner world. American exceptionalism - Part 2 American leaders from John Winthrop to Ronald Reagan referred to America as a City on a Hill. The concept is rooted in the book of Isaiah. The Israelites saw themselves as endowed by Yahweh – God the Father – as first fruits of His intention to redeem mankind after our cata- strophic fall in the Garden of Eden. Israel saw herself as uniquely blessed and uniquely charged to live and share with other nations a life with and under God. Christians see Jesus Christ as the resurrection of that vision – as well as its empower- ment and re-inauguration. When Americans claim that kind of language we claim not a reincar- nation of that vision so much as an adaptation of it in terms of a secular context of unlimited free- dom and maximum opportunity. But to secularize the context in no way lessens the sense of gift- edness from God or obligation to Him. Tragically, many of us see ourselves as somehow superior to others because of this legacy; others see only the gift and not the Giver; while still others are so conscious of the ways in which we have failed to live up to our destiny that they engage in an orgy of self-loathing whenev- er the topic arises. Indeed we are a flawed tem- plate – and that is putting it mild- ly. It took us ninety years to eliminate slavery – we were vir- tually the last occidental nation to do it – and another century- plus to integrate African Ameri- cans into the American Dream. (There are those who argue – jus- tifiably – that the job is far from complete; yet the fruit of our task of making a truly egalitarian society for all of the tribes and nations greatly exceeds that of any other nation.) We have bro- ken nearly every treaty we ever made with the Native Americans who preceded us into the land, and we have treated them with unimaginable brutality along the way. (At the same time we have acknowledged and acted on their claims more quickly and more thoroughly than have our counterparts in – for example – Aus- tralia, New Zealand, or Japan. Our record includes the home- steads provided to eth- nic Hawaiians – which are theirs by right, but such rights are fla- grantly denied in many other lands.) Although we hold territory beyond our fifty states, we have never institut- ed a colonial system, and we have blessed former colonies in which the so-called indigenous people treat those who preceded them in a manner fit for shame. Vietnam, Fiji, and multiple African nations come to mind. We are a flawed template, but we always return to it and the template of the city on a hill is indeed our identity as exception- al ones. The nation that gave the world the Monroe Doctrine – forbid- ding colonial nations from fur- ther operations in the hemisphere we swore to protect – practiced gunboat diplomacy when our economic interests were at stake in Latin America right up through the fifties. We subverted governments we believed dan- gerous – such as Guatemala when a socialist regime was elected – and we supported dic- tatorships so long as they were not communistic – such as Batista in Cuba and Somoza in Nicaragua. We promised to back nations throwing off the commu- nist noose around their necks and then we bailed out on Hungary and Czechoslovakia when they acted on our promises. At the same time we share the heritage of Puritan, Quaker, and James Wilson GodTalk missionaries of all denomina- tions who dealt honorably with the Indians because they took their marching orders from God and the covenant they made with Him concerning their life in the new land. (The treaty breaking was in the hands of those set- tlers and their descen- dants for whom manifest destiny was an entitle- ment rather than a call- ing, according to Mar- shall and Manuel’s mas- terpieces The Light and the Glory and From Sea to Shining Sea.) We defended people groups around the world when they were the victims of aggres- sion – from the western Euro- peans attacked by dictators and despots in World Wars I and II. We rebuilt Europe – including the nations of our enemies – and Japan; we supported freedom seekers in Southeast Asia and Korea, and we defended the innocent of Kuwait and Iraq without so much as a thought to grabbing their oil resources – despite accusations to the con- trary. We have supported the Jews who clawed their way out of the Holocaust, and we have supported the legitimate aspira- tions of the Arabs in what we know as the Palestinian territo- ries. When we saw what domes- tic racism looked like on televi- sion in the sixties we stepped up to the plate as a people. In the final installment of this series I will look at our hope- filled destiny. James A. Wilson is the author of Living Ambassadors of Relationships and The Holy Spirit and the End Times – available at local bookstores or by e-mailing praynorthstate@charter.net. Send us your church news If you would like to get the word out about your church’s upcoming events, send us an e-mail at clerk@redbluffdailynews.com or fax it to us at 527-9251. To ensure that your information will get in on the requested Saturday, you should send it to us by the Monday before. Tehama County Church Directory This directory sponsored by: Red Bluff.... ABUNDANT LIFE FELLOWSHIP — 21080 Luther Rd. — Pastor J.E. Heitman 528-2499 — WORSHIP — Sunday 11AM & 6PM ANTELOPE HOME FELLOWSHIP(SBC) — Berrendos School — 401 Chestnut St 200-4112 — Pastor John Bohrer — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:45AM APOSTOLIC ASSEMBLY — 1321 Nelson Dr., Red Bluff. — 527-8541 Pastor Rudy Cepeda — WORSHIP — Sunday 1:00PM & Friday 7PM BETHEL ASSEMBLY OF GOD — 625 Luther Rd. — 527-0445 Pastor John Christenson — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:30AM & 6PM CALVARY CHAPEL — 12375 Paskenta Rd. — 527-8219 Pastor Gilbert DeLao Jr. — WORSHIP — Sunday 9:00 & 11:00 am CHURCH OF CHRIST — 1605 Park Ave. — 527-3036 Evangelist Gary Dent — WORSHIP — Sunday 11AM & 6:30PM CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS — Antelope-545 Berrendos 529-2506 — Bishop James Beeman — SERVICES Begin Sunday 11:00AM CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS — Red Bluff-545 Berrendos 527-7012 — Bishop Earl Wintle — SERVICES Begin Sunday 9:00AM COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH — 598 Round -Up Ave. 527-4203 Pastor Dr. Paul Wright — WORSHIP — Sunday 9AM & 6PM CORNERSTONE CHURCH OF GOD — Hwy. 36, Jorgenson 527-9210 — Pastor Roy Duggins — WORSHIP — Sunday 10AM & 5PM FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH — 501 Pine St. — 527-4361 Pastor Bruce Cloutier — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:15AM FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH — Hickory & Madison — 527-4688 Pastor Dan Woolery — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:30AM FIRST CHURCH OF GOD — Jackson & Luther — 527-5717 Pastor Rod Thompson — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:15AM FIRST CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE — Johnson & Hickory — 527-3361 Pastor Jesse Morris — WORSHIP — 10:30 AM FIRST SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH — 585 Kimball Rd. — 527-5083 WORSHIP — Sunday 11AM FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH — 525 David Ave. — 527-5754 Rev. Kate O’Leary— WORSHIP — Sunday 11:00AM GATEWAY BAPTIST CHURCH, IND. FUND. — 12830 Glasgow Dr. — 527-2964 Pastor Jeff Eldred — WORSHIP — Sunday 11AM & 6PM GRACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF RED BLUFF — 22630 Antelope Blvd. —227-3630 Pastor David T. Stark — WORSHIP — Sunday 5PM LAKE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY CHURCH — Lake Club — 347 6970 Jim Bredow, Pastor — WORSHIP — Sunday 8:30AM-10:15AM LUTHERAN CHURCH, ST. PAUL — Jefferson & Elm — 527-3414 Pastor Dallas D. Dubke — WORSHIP — Sunday 8:30AM & 11AM NEIGHBORHOOD CHURCH — 1625 Johnson St. — 527-8134 Pastor Vern Milliken — SERVICE — 10:00AM NEW HOPE FOURSQUARE CHURCH — 925 Walnut St. — 528-0642 PastorS Steve and Linda Priest — WORSHIP — Sunday 10AM — Youth, Thurs. 6:00 PM NORTH VALLEY BAPTIST CHURCH (Ind.) — 345 David Ave — 527-0543 WORSHIP — Sunday 10:50AM NUEVA VIDA — 11841 Hyw 99W — Red Bluff — Spanish-speaking Pastor Freddie Villasenor — WORSHIP — Sunday 11:00AM OPEN VISTAS AWARENESS CENTER — 900 Walnut St. — 529-9285 Rv. Tresha Wing — SERVICE — Sunday 10:00AM Red Bluff.... PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH — Jefferson & Hickory St. — 527-0372 The Rev. Beth Hoyt — SERVICES 11:00AM —Summer Worship 9:30AM PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF GOD — 370 Kimball Rd. — 527-6346 Pastor Mike Cox — WORSHIP — Sunday 11:00AM RED BLUFF COMMUNITY CHURCH — 1275 Walnut St., Brickyard Apts. Community Room Pastor Stan Kolbert — SERVICES — Sunday 11:00AM — 282-2248 RED BLUFF COWBOY CHURCH — Hampton Inn, Round-Up Room Pastor Coy Huffman — For infomation call 209-559-9965 RED BLUFF GOSPEL ASSEMBLY — 836 Washington St. — 529-9909 Pastor John A. Partsch — WORSHIP — Sunday 1:30PM - Wednesday 7PM SABBATH COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN — 705 So. Jackson St. — 529-1890 Pastor Ron Largent — WORSHIP — Saturday 10:45AM SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH — 515 Main St. — Father Joyle T. Martinez MASS — Saturday 5:15, Spanish 7PM — Sunday 8:30AM, 10:30AM, Spanish 12PM THE SALVATION ARMY — 944 Walnut St. — 527-8530 Majors Frank & Susan Severs, Pastors — SERVICES — Sunday 10AM & 11AM SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHRUCH — 720 S. Jackson — 527-3733 Pastor Jon Spoolman — WORSHIP — Saturday 10:45AM SHEPHERD HOUSE OF PRAYER — 601 Monroe St. 529-5350 — Pastor Brent Kohler — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:00AM ST. PETER’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH — Jefferson & Elm — 527-5205 Rev Diana Lueckert — Sunday 9:30AM, Holy Eucharist Rite II SUNRISE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP — C.B.A. — The corner of Cedar & Jackson — 527-6818 Pastor Byron Shaw, Pat Hurton — WORSHIP — 10:50AM — Bible Study 9:30AM TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL — 8529 Placer Rd., Redding 243-5726 — For service dates & times — 529-9246 TRINITY MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH — 20920 Hampton Rhodes Drive — Cell:925-980-5396 Pastor Jim Williams — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:45AM - Wednesday 7:00PM TRUTH TABERNACLE — 285 Gilmore Road, Red Bluff — 527-5533 Pastor Sam Howard — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:30AM - Sunday School 9:30AM UNION SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH — 1256 Walnut St. Bidwell School Cafeteria — 840-6177 Pastor Robert M. Wheatley — WORSHIP — Sunday 3PM only UNITED CHURCH OF GOD — 645 Antelope Blvd. Suite 13 — 824-3657 Elder Dick King — WORSHIP — Saturday 12:30PM VINEYARD CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP — 738 Walnut St. — 527-2449 Pastor Steve Igarta — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:30AM WALNUT GROVE CHRISTIAN CENTER — RHEMA Bible Church 435 Round Up Ave. — 527-9065 — Pastor Michael Ragsdale — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:30AM ZION CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES — 836 Washington St. 529-1836 — Pastor Joshua John McKim — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:15AM Bowman... COMMUNITY CHURCH — Bowman Rd. & Landes — 347-6130 Pastor Mark Lugg — WORSHIP — Sunday 10AM Los Molinos.... COMMUNITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH — Sherwood & Josephine 527-3490 — Pastor Kathleen Smith — WORSHIP 11AM MILL CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH — HWY 99E and Taft St., 384-1564 — Pastor Carl DeBiase — WORSHIP — Sunday 11AM & 6PM SPIRIT OF LIFE PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF GOD — 25235 Orange St. — 384-0100 Pastor Richard Tucker — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:30AM & 6PM Corning... BELIEVERS CHURCH OF GOD — 783 Solano St. — 824-6502 Pastor Dan Steigmn — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:00AM BETHEL CHURCH — 1520 East St. — 824-0175 Ron Cottingham, Pastor — WORSHIP — Sunday 11AM CHURCH OF CHRIST — 1418 South St. — 824-3603 WORSHIP — Sunday — 10:30AM CHURCH OF CHRIST — 1440 Yolo St. — 824-4333 David King, Minister — WORSHIP — Sunday 11AM & 6PM CHURCH OFJESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS — Marguerite & Blackburn — Bishop A. Daniel Drum — WORSHIP — Sunday 10AM CORNING FOURSQUARE — 404 5th Street — 824-5776 Rev. Sue Duffy WORSHIP — Sunday: adults 9:15, 10:30 AM — Tues.10AM prayer meeting FAMILY BIBLE CHURCH — Marin & Pear Sts. — 824-0989 Pastor Joycel — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:45AM & 6PM FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH — 506 Colusa St. — 824-3490 Pastor Chris Fissori — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:15AM — Sunday School 9AM FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH — 1421 Marin St. — 824-5739 WORSHIP — Sunday 11AM FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH — 824-5535 — Marguerite & McLane Pastor Howard Sanborn— WORSHIP — Sunday 11AM HARVEST CHRISTIAN CENTER CHURCH OF GOD — 1006 6th St. Corning 824-2091 — Pastor Michael Sharp — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:00AM IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CATHOLIC CHURCH — 824-5879 — 814 Solano St. Father Juan Manuel Ponce — MASS — Sunday 10AM, 12:00PM - Spanish MT. OLIVE LUTHERAN CHURCH — 341 Solano St. — 824-5530 Pastor Dallas D. Dubke — WORSHIP — Sunday 9AM NEIGHBORHOOD FULL GOSPEL CHURCH — 901 South St. — 824-2323 Pastor Ken Killinger — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:50AM & 6PM NEW LIFE ASSEMBLY CHURCH — 824-3426 Pastor J.R. Gonzales — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:00AM - Sunday School 9AM OLIVE BRANCH BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP — 565 1st St. — 824-3661 — SERVICE — Sunday 10:30 AM SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH — West & Butte — 824-2153 Pastor Jose Torres — WORSHIP — Saturday 11AM ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH — First & Marin Sts. — 824-4979 Pastor Maryly Adair — CHURCH — Sunday 11AM TRUTH TABERNACLE — 1308 Solano. — 824-4586 Pastor Ed Schaefer — WORSHIP — Sunday 2PM AUTO ELECTRIC INC. 1055 Main St. - Red Bluff 527-5170 Vina... VINA COMMUNITY CHURCH — 5th & D Street — 839-2340 Pastor Larry Peterson — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:30AM & 6PM Cottonwood... ABUNDANT LIFE CHRISTIAN CENTER — 19019 Gaspoint Road — 347-9208 Pastor Doug Hamblin — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:30AM ASSEMBLY OF GOD — Gaspoint Road — 347-3313 Pastor Bob Whitman — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:45AM & 6PM FOURSQUARE CHURCH — 2400 Rhonda Rd. Rev. Paul Shrum — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:30AM & 6PM Dairyville... CONE COMMUNITY METHODIST CHURCH — 11220 Hwy. 99E — 527-2329 Pastor Kathleen Smith —WORSHIP — Sunday 9AM El Camino... COMMUNITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH — Hwy. 99W — 385-2314 Pastor Nancy Pharis-Curie — WORSHIP — Sunday 9:30AM SHADY REST FULL GOSPEL CHURCH — 7211 Hwy. 99W 385-2155 — Pastor Andrew Dalson — WORSHIP — Saturday 7PM Gerber... BAHA’I FAITH OF TEHAMA COUNTY — 22870 Reno Ave., Gerber 385-1091 FAITH HOPE LOVE MINISTRIES — 21941 Chard Ave. 385-1431 — Pastor Ina Driggers — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:30AM GERBER BIBLE FELLOWSHIP — 301 Samson @ Ventura 385-1718 — WORSHIP — Sunday 10AM Las Flores... LAS FLORES FULL GOSPEL — 9662 San Benito Pastor Rev. Elroy & Martha Lake — WORSHIP — 10:00AM Wed. 6PM Manton... MANTON COMMUNITY CHURCH — Forward Rd. — 474-5156 Pastor Michael Stiener —WORSHIP — Sunday School 9:30 Sun. 10:45 Platina... ST. HERMAN OF ALASKA MONASTERY — Begum Gorge Rd. Abbot Herman — LITURGY — Sunday 8:30AM Rancho Tehama... COMMUNITY CHURCH (Non-Den.) — 585-2526 WORSHIP — Sunday 11AM CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRIES — 585-2975 Pastor Don Luke — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:30AM/6:00PM Tehama... ASSEMBLY OF GOD — Third St. — 384-2603 Pastor Walter Bright — WORSHIP — Sunday 10:30AM 11:15 AM & 6PM ST. STANISLAUS CATHOLIC CHURCH — 824-5879 Corner of 4th & D — MASS — Sunday 8:00AM - English RED BLUFF