The Kokomo Tribune from Kokomo, Indiana • Page 9

KOKOMO TRIBUNE RELIGION SATURDAY, NOV. 8,1997 B3 Baha'i celebration marks anniversary Kokomo members will join celebration of prophet's birthday. On Tuesday, the Baha'i Community of Kokomo will join millions of Baha'is around the world in celebrating the 160th anniversary of the birth of Baha'u'llah, prophet- founder of the Baha'i faith. The Baha'is of Kokomo will gather at 6 p.m. for a devotional program followed by a pitch-in dinner and a special election.

Unique to this celebration in the United States will be the inaugural elections of four regional councils. These new elements of Baha'i administration will form a new level between the national body and the local assemblies in the United States. Councils will be formed in the northeastern, southern, central and western areas of the country in response to the increasing needs of an expanding Baha'i community. The anniversary of the birth of Baha'u'llah was chosen for the elections because of the date's special significance for Baha'is. Baha'u'llah, whose given name was Mirza Husayn Ali, was born into Persian nobility in Teheran, Iran, in 1817.

He spent his entire 40-year ministry in exile or imprisonment, and died in the Holy Land Israel in 1892. His followers are known as Baha'is. Baha'u'llah's teachings center on the oneness of God, the oneness of religion and the oneness of humankind. The Baha'i faith now stands as the second most widely spread religion after Christianity, with members in more than 200 countries, territories and islands. About 33,000 Baha'is reside in the United States.

Religion UPDATE Former priest sues over lost job WOODSTOCK, Vt. (AP) A former Episcopal priest fired two years ago is suing his bishop, claiming that he had a verbal contract that said he could return to work after he was treated for depression. Attorneys for Rick Lacava argued in Windsor County Superior Court on that Lacava's depression was worsened after he was fired by Bishop Mary Adelia McLeod, the Episcopal bishop of Vermont. Lacava says he had an oral contract with McLeod in the spring of 1995. He would take a 90-day leave of absence and seek therapy in response to several outbursts he made while a priest in Sherburne.

After therapy, Lacava was to be reinstated. But McLeod's attorney, Thomas Little of Burlington, said, "The core of this issue deals with the relationship between a priest and a bishop." Lacava's depression also required him to be supervised on a daily basis and the church could not afford that, Little said. And he denied there was a verbal agreement to reinstate Lacava. Church choosing new bishop in Maine PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Maine's 20,000 Episcopalians are a step closer to getting a new bishop. A diocesan nominating committee has narrowed its list of finalists to five candidates.

They will hold an election to name the new bishop on Nov. 14. The five final candidates are: The Rev. Randolph K. Dales, a priest in Wolfeboro, N.H.; the Rev.

Leander S. Harding, a priest in Stamford, the Rev. Mark) Hollingsworth archdeacon in the Massachusetts diocese; The Rev. Chilton Knudsen, the canon for pastoral care in the Chicago diocese; and Rev. Linton H.

Studdiford of Cape Elizabeth, the only Maine resident among the group. Addiction means leading a divided life TASTE GOD'S "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." (James 1:8) "We admitted we were powerless over our addiction-that our lives had become unmanageable." (Step One in the Twelve Step Program) ver a period of time in my life I worked for PEER Services in Evanston, 111. PEER Services is a drug and drug-free outpatient alcohol and substance abuse treatment facility. At PEER Services we also addressed addictions besides those of alcohol and substance abuse. I served as the prevention coordinator as well as doing therapy with clients.

This entailed one-on-one sessions, running groups, writing treatment plans; yes, monitoring scheduled and unscheduled urine tests, and other duties designed to help our clients and the community work toward wellness. I share with you a part of my professional background just for a matter of reference. Now, something that I have found over time is that addicts who are not in recovery are involved in the process of trying to cheat their addiction. They reach the point that they have lied so much to everyone else about how they are not addicted, or how they have their addiction under control, that they begin to even believe their own lies! An addict is one who is "accus- MlCHAEL CARSON tomed, habituated, inclined, prone, and attached to someone or something." Now, this in itself is not bad if what the person is addicted to is for his good. The Christian is addicted to God because strives to be wholly devoted to God.

On the other hand one's addiction can be very negative if the object of our addiction is not good for us. One can be addicted to swearing (out of every ten words five of them are swear words), food, sex, shopping, a number of things and persons too many to even begin listing here. When one devotes his time, resources, and money to something or someone excessively this person is addicted. The problem is that when we expend everything that we have in search of something or someone who means us no good we engage in an exercise of futility. Isaiah speaks to us on this matter by asking the time- treasured question "Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labor for that which satisfieth not?" (Isaiah 55:2) Now, if one is in active recovery, which means to me doing those things that will keep us free of whatever or whoever we are negatively addicted to, then this is a great thing.

However, if one is trying to cheat his addiction a great fall is on the horizon for this person. "Cheating one's addiction, Brother Mike, what do you mean?" When we permit our pride to tell us that we can handle that which we were delivered from we try to cheat our addiction. Whenever we deny the reality that there is something that we cannot control and that need a Higher Power to intervene on our behalf, we try to cheat our addiction. Understand that Satan will speak softly to us and attempt to persuade us that we need not admit complete defeat in regards to our addiction. "You can handle it.

Just one more time will not hurt. The people who love us will forgive you." And yet in order to become completely strong and in charge over our addiction we must admit complete defeat within ourselves to handle it, but also with a resounding assurance cry out, "But I know who can handle it." "Who cares to admit complete defeat? Practically no one, of course. Every natural instinct cries out against the idea of personal Our admis- sions of personal powerlessness finally turn out to be firm bedrock upon which happy and purposeful lives may be built." (Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 21, 1952) Unless the addicts admit that they are powerless over their addiction and only made strong through their Higher Power (My Higher Power is of course God actualized through Jesus Christ. And I would recommend him to you today), they are like a double- minded person. We cannot cheat our addictions A double minded-person is one who on one hand attempts to worship God, and attempts to be clean and sober drug-free not engaged in the active participation of one's addiction of choice.

But on the other hand, this person still loves the creature desire to use and abuse, not wanting to conform to the rules of holy living. A double-minded person is one who is torn between carnal and spiritual things and not earnestly seeking the assistance of God. It is a great blessing that the first step in any twelve-step program is that of admitting powerlessness over an addiction. So it is also with the Christian convert or backslider having to admit that after trying everything (one) else, he still must face the fact that they in themselves cannot control their So this person then admits total defeat in self and total dependency in God through Jesus Christ. We cannot cheat our addictions, our addictions refuses to be cheated by us, but our addictions have no power over God.

Therefore, while we will always be addicts (addicts only until the great ship of Zion comes to deliver us to the place that St. Augustine called The City of God, and St. John called the New Heaven), it is only through the yielding of ourselves to God that we wear proudly the title, "Recovering Addict." "And he said unto me, 'My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9) Peace With Justice. (The Rev. Dr.

Carson is senior minister for Wayman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, 920 Apperson Way New magazine focuses on African-American preaching "The African American Pulpit" will be available in December. BALTIMORE (AP) A new quarterly due out this month is devoted to the sermons and writ- ings of black preachers. The journal's editor says it will be the first of its kind. The Rev. David Albert Farmer, pastor of University Baptist Church in Baltimore, who is white, said he has long been attracted by the power and beauty of black preaching.

"There never has been a magazine for black preachers, either to emphasize it, or to help black preachers prepare sermons by giving them ideas or showing them what their colleagues are doing," Farmer said. Farmer sought a black preacher who would serve as coeditor. He turned to Kirk Byron Jones of Andover Newton Theological School near Boston. After a year of planning, they have produced the first issue of "The African American Pulpit." It features nine sermons. It also includes book reviews and an interview with the Rev.

Dr. Henry H. Mitchell, considered one of the deans of African-American preachers, who wrote "Black Preaching." 7, White's Quality Meat Market 2 Convenient Locations 46W-400S, St. Rd. 26 453-3554 2100 N.Washington 452-0587 MARTIN BROTHERS TV APPLIANCE Super Store Guaranteed Lowest Prices! RUSSIAVILLE 883-5551 Worship at the Church of your Choice STOUT SON RUSSIAVILLE FUNERAL HOME Phone 883-5122 HOME FURNISHING Phone 883-7172 RUSSIAVILLE AREA CHURCHES WestMiddleton United Methodist 2428S.

Rd. 480W. (Hobson Street) Church 883-7136 Sunday Pastor James Richey Youth Director Jorge Zazquez Worship Service 9:00 a.m. Sunday School 10:15 a.m. Wednesday Brown Bag Supper 6 p.m.

Bible Study 6:30 p.m. Honey Creek Missionary Baptist Church 250 Nashville St. Russiaville, IN 46979 Ph. 883-7779 Rev. David Coffman, Pastor Residence 883-8293 Beeper 868-1475 Sunday School 10:00 a.m.

Worship Service 11:00 a.m. Sunday Night Worship 6:00 p.m. Tuesday Youth Meeting 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Thursday Midweek Service .7 p.m. Ladies Meeting First Wed 6p.m.

Brotherhood Meeting Second Wed 7 p.m. Russiaville First Baptist Church 260 W. Main Russiaville, IN 46979 Ph. 883-5079 Ron DeGraaff, Pastor Sunday School 9:15 a.m. Worship 10:25 a.m.

Sunday Evening 5:00 p.m. Wednesday Prayer Meeting 6:30 p.m. Children's Ministry 7 p.m. 3rd Tuesday Ladies Missionary Fellowship 6:30 p.m. Russiaville Friends Church 270 E.

Main Russiaville, IN 46979 Tim Voter, Pastor Ph. 883-5986 Parsonage Ph. 883-5767 Sunday School 9:15 a.m. Worship 10:30 a.m. USFW Women's Meetings IstThurs.

of month 9:30 a.m. Youth Group Meetings 2nd 4th Sunday 5:00 p.m. Ages 7-12 Grades Friendship Circle 3rd Monday of every month 7:00 p.m. Main Street Christian Church 120 W. Main 155 Russiaville, IN 46979 Church Ph.

883-5265 883-5260 Fellowship Bldg. Ph. 883-7613 Senior Minister Scott Brown Sunday, Nov. 9 Worship 9 a.m. Sunday School 10:45 a.m.

Monday, Nov. 10 Bible Study 9:00 a.m. Fri Aerobics 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12 Choir Practice 6:30 p.m.

Fair Havens Christian Missionary Alliance Malfalfa Road Church Ph. 453-1256 Pastor Ph. 457-7854 Rev. John Zwirn, Pastor Sunday School 9:15 a.m. Morning Worship 10:30 a.m.

Sunday Youth Groups 5:00 p.m. Evening Worship 6:00 p.m. New London Friends Meeting 2104S.CR766W. Russiaville, IN 46979 Ph. 883-5352 E.

Ann Carter, Pastor "Where Faith Encounters Life" Sunday Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship 10:30 a.m. (2nd Sunday of month 10:15 a.m.) USFW Meeting 3rd Thursday of Each Month 1:30 Bible Group 2nd 4th Wed 7 p.m./8p.m Mondays Thursdays Church open for walking 10-11 a.m. Russiaville United Methodist Church 180 North Union St. Russiaville, IN 46979 Ph.

883-5213 Pastor Richard Girton Sunday Church School 9:30 a.m. Worship 10:30 a.m. Sunday School Jr. Dept 9:15 a.m. Tuesday Kids Club 4:00 p.m.

Wednesday Women's Bible Study 9 a.m. Thursday Jr. High Youth Group 6:30 p.m. It WORKS FAITH PLUS CONVENIENCE CAN BEST HELP THE HANDICAPPED We help the handicapped every way we can: with donations, special parking spaces, wheelchair ramps, adequate rest room facilities, and by spending time with them. Even the children who are afflicted in some way are provided with such programs as summer camps.

All of these concessions are truly commendable. Nonetheless, there is one more source of help and comfort to which we should direct our efforts: faith. Their spiritual outlook is just as important as their access to some public building. It depends on their knowing that God has a special love and purpose for them, and that their so-called handicap is but a challenge to develop a talent with their remaining resources. History proves that it can be done.

Thank God for this truth, and for our own discovery of the faith we all need. God casts some men into the furnace of affliction, and then beats them into what shape He pleases. -Anne Bradstreet.