David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Methinks the preacher should Google the following then finally call me back or respond to my emails N'esy Pas?
RE FATCA, NAFTA & TPP etc ATTN President Donald J. Trump
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/steve-berube-art-robson-donald-trump-united-church-moncton-1.4990815
Minister struggles with sermon that asks, 'Is there a place for Donald Trump?'
48 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.
Commenting is now closed for this story.
David R. Amos
Methinks Mr Berubes hould Google the following then finally call me back or respond to my old emails N'esy Pas?
RE FATCA, NAFTA & TPP etc ATTN President Donald J. Trump
RE FATCA, NAFTA & TPP etc ATTN President Donald J. Trump
David Peters
Lot's of name calling and accusations. Nothing here but fake news propaganda.
Shawn McShane
Would rather have comments open on our leader...No tough questions for Trudeau at town hall in Miramichi
But on keeping with the topic above Trudeau has tried to normalize a lot of things too... irregular border crossings for starters...
But on keeping with the topic above Trudeau has tried to normalize a lot of things too... irregular border crossings for starters...
David R. Amos
@Shawn McShane Go Figure
Thomas Imber
A perfect example of why the United Social Club of Canada has a declining membership.
David R. Amos
@Thomas Imber YUP
jim macdonald
@Thomas Imber, or it could be
called the Baptist Social Club, the Pentecostal Social Club or the
Catholic Social Club, just to name a few. They're all basically
community social clubs with a common interest in worshipping imaginary
beings.
Matt Steele
Hmmm....given all the child
molestation and sex scandals that various churches have been involved in
in recent years ; Donald Trump should be the least of their worries .
David R. Amos
@Matt Steele Methinks you should ask me why I sued the Cardinal in Beantown in 2002 N'esy Pas?
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcasts/new-brunswick/maritime-noon/
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcasts/new-brunswick/maritime-noon/
Sussex resident on the damage caused to her home by flash floods, United Church minister updates us on his sermon about Donald Trump, Phone-in on the impact of ecological grief
Sussex resident describes damage to her home by flash floods, United Church Minister updates us on his sermon about Donald Trump, Phone-in on how people are mentally affected by changes to the environment and climate
Download
Sussex resident on the damage caused to her home by flash floods,
United Church minister updates us on his sermon about Donald Trump,
Phone-in on the impact of ecological grief[mp3 file: runs 00:53:44]
https://podcast-a.akamaihd.net/mp3/podcasts/maritimenoon-ubHnKMLr-20190128.mp3
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/steve-berube-st-pauls-united-church-riverview-donald-trump-1.4995604
Minister says sermon 'not fake news,' and he would welcome Donald Trump
Minister struggled with the question of whether there would be a place in his church for U.S. president
The
themes of transformation, respect and generosity ran through Rev. Steve
Berube's much-anticipated sermon on Sunday at St. Paul's United Church
in Riverview.
After offering to preach on any topic as a prize in a silent auction fundraiser, Berube spent weeks wrestling with the subject highest-bidder Art Robson gave him.
Robson tasked Berube with answering the question, "Is there a place for Donald Trump at St. Paul's United Church?"
When Berube looked out on his congregation from the pulpit on Sunday morning, there were a few new faces, there just to hear on which side of the question he had landed.
"So, would Donald Trump be welcome in the pews? Sure he would be."
Berube told his congregation that church is about transformation and trying to become the person "who God calls us to be."
"For somebody that is like Donald Trump there is room, but we would hope that through his encounters with people, just as I have been transformed, that he, too, would be transformed."
No one, including U.S. President Trump, deserves to be turned into a caricature, Berube says. (Evan Vucci/Associated Press)
Berube said
he would love to sit down and have a hamburger with the U.S. president
to find out what he is actually like, but the main point of the entire
exercise was to listen.
"It's really easy to turn Donald Trump into a caricature," the minister said. "Nobody deserves that.
"The reality is what's important is the conversation, and the relationships, and building respect and trust with each other."
After offering to preach on any topic as a prize in a silent auction fundraiser, Berube spent weeks wrestling with the subject highest-bidder Art Robson gave him.
Robson tasked Berube with answering the question, "Is there a place for Donald Trump at St. Paul's United Church?"
When Berube looked out on his congregation from the pulpit on Sunday morning, there were a few new faces, there just to hear on which side of the question he had landed.
So, would Donald Trump be welcome in the pews? Sure he would be- Steve Berube , St. Paul's United Church"Ultimately, it's a question of knowing who we are called to be and what it is that is most valued and important," the minister said afterwards.
"So, would Donald Trump be welcome in the pews? Sure he would be."
Berube told his congregation that church is about transformation and trying to become the person "who God calls us to be."
"For somebody that is like Donald Trump there is room, but we would hope that through his encounters with people, just as I have been transformed, that he, too, would be transformed."
"It's really easy to turn Donald Trump into a caricature," the minister said. "Nobody deserves that.
"The reality is what's important is the conversation, and the relationships, and building respect and trust with each other."
Information Morning - Moncton
A Riverview minister is struggling to write his Sunday sermon
00:00
07:53
Berube sermon worth the $60 bid
Berube joked afterwards that he hopes parishioner Art Robson, who paid $60 to choose the topic for Sunday's sermon, felt he got his money's worth.
When asked whether he would offer to preach on any topic as a prize in future fundraising auctions, Berube was quick with his answer.
"I certainly will, but I won't hesitate to drive up the bidding."
"I was pronouncing the benediction and said, 'I realize we're overtime a little bit folks. You can blame Art Robson,'" Berube said.
"Somebody pointed out to me it was very Trump-like to throw somebody else under the bus."
Minister struggles with sermon that asks, 'Is there a place for Donald Trump?'
When Steve Berube agreed to preach on any topic as an auction prize, he didn't expect such a challenge
Rev. Steve Berube, a minister at St. Paul's United Church in Riverview, is struggling with this week's sermon.
It all started a few months ago, when he agreed to preach on any topic as a prize in a silent auction fundraiser.
Berube might not have made that promise had he known the highest bidder, a member of his congregation, would choose, "Is there a place for Donald Trump at St. Paul's United Church?" as the topic.
"Am I struggling? Of course I'm struggling," Berube said. "I believe in things this man is totally opposed to so how do we deal with that? How do we welcome somebody like this in?"
Art Robson joined forces with a few other anonymous members of the congregation to come up with the $60 bid that won Berube's silent auction offering.
He said the group made a "significant bid," so no one else would get the prize.
Parishioner
Art Robson suggested the topic, 'Is there a place for Donald Trump at
St. Paul's United Church,' for Sunday's sermon. He sees it as a way to
test whether there are limits to the congregation's belief in
inclusiveness. (Vanessa Blanch/CBC)
"We're
bidding on an opportunity to pick a sermon topic … that will provide
[Berube] with a challenge to deal with the subject matter and enhance
his knowledge of a subject that is relevant to the church and relevant
to the congregation."
Robson, who isn't a Trump supporter, is clear the challenge isn't just whether the congregation could "pass the time of day," with the U.S. president but whether members could "warmly accept" him.
Berube jokes he wasn't aware of "the conspiratorial nature" of the bid, but he will hold up his end of the bargain.
He still hasn't decided on which side of the question he will land.
Berube is, as you might expect, taking a biblical approach — asking himself what John the Baptist, Paul the Apostle and even Jesus would do.
"If I was John the Baptist, it would be really easy. It's your 'brood of vipers.' Really that's an easy one — we'd just get rid of him."
In the Bible, John the Baptist condemns the Pharisees, who were corrupt religious leaders at the time, as wicked and dangerous.
"On the other side, we have Paul the Apostle, who wants to welcome everyone in. Then we have Jesus.
"There are a bunch of different messages."
Trump delivers remarks on border security and the partial shutdown of the U.S. government from the White House last Saturday. (Yuri Gripas/Reuters)
Berube believes
inclusiveness is at the core of the United Church, but on the other
hand, describes Trump as a liar, a narcissist and a megalomaniac.
"He's normalized bullying, he's normalized sexual harassment, he's normalized racism … it's not somebody who is on the margins, who is disaffected from society — it's somebody who wields power and authority on society, so that becomes the rub."
While Robson and Berube joked throughout the interview about the upcoming sermon, Robson said he doesn't feel bad that his challenge is forcing his pastor to struggle.
He points to a song that parishioners sing at Sunday services.
"It includes the lyrics, 'There is room for all,'" Robson said. "Do we really mean that?
"So the challenge is there, and I think if we're singing that song and we mean it, then we ultimately have to include Donald Trump."
Berube still has a couple of days to write the sermon he will deliver on Sunday, which also happens to fall on his birthday.
Berube
is asking himself whether Donald Trump should be welcomed by the
members of St. Paul's United Church and he still isn't sure what his
answer will be. (Vanessa Blanch/CBC)
"What I
have to straighten out for Sunday morning is whether Jesus would invite
Donald Trump in … or whether he would treat him like some of the
religious leaders of his day and call him a bunch of snakes."
In between deep sighs and laughs, Berube said the fact that Robson is willing to ask a difficult question, and the fact that he is willing to struggle with that question, shows that answers aren't always easy, and sometimes there isn't just one.
It all started a few months ago, when he agreed to preach on any topic as a prize in a silent auction fundraiser.
Berube might not have made that promise had he known the highest bidder, a member of his congregation, would choose, "Is there a place for Donald Trump at St. Paul's United Church?" as the topic.
"Am I struggling? Of course I'm struggling," Berube said. "I believe in things this man is totally opposed to so how do we deal with that? How do we welcome somebody like this in?"
Parishioner says topic relevant to congregation
Art Robson joined forces with a few other anonymous members of the congregation to come up with the $60 bid that won Berube's silent auction offering.
He said the group made a "significant bid," so no one else would get the prize.
Robson, who isn't a Trump supporter, is clear the challenge isn't just whether the congregation could "pass the time of day," with the U.S. president but whether members could "warmly accept" him.
He's normalized bullying, he's normalized sexual harassment, he's normalized racism ... it's somebody who wields power and authority on society, so that becomes the rub. - Steve Berube, St. Paul's United Church"I took at look at the history of St. Paul's and the trends that we've been focused on recently, and I thought maybe the subject of inclusiveness and of making room for anybody and everybody in our church might be something that would be au courant," Robson said.
Berube jokes he wasn't aware of "the conspiratorial nature" of the bid, but he will hold up his end of the bargain.
He still hasn't decided on which side of the question he will land.
What would Jesus do?
Berube is, as you might expect, taking a biblical approach — asking himself what John the Baptist, Paul the Apostle and even Jesus would do.
"If I was John the Baptist, it would be really easy. It's your 'brood of vipers.' Really that's an easy one — we'd just get rid of him."
In the Bible, John the Baptist condemns the Pharisees, who were corrupt religious leaders at the time, as wicked and dangerous.
"On the other side, we have Paul the Apostle, who wants to welcome everyone in. Then we have Jesus.
"There are a bunch of different messages."
"He's normalized bullying, he's normalized sexual harassment, he's normalized racism … it's not somebody who is on the margins, who is disaffected from society — it's somebody who wields power and authority on society, so that becomes the rub."
'We ultimately have to include Donald Trump'
While Robson and Berube joked throughout the interview about the upcoming sermon, Robson said he doesn't feel bad that his challenge is forcing his pastor to struggle.
He points to a song that parishioners sing at Sunday services.
"It includes the lyrics, 'There is room for all,'" Robson said. "Do we really mean that?
"So the challenge is there, and I think if we're singing that song and we mean it, then we ultimately have to include Donald Trump."
Berube still has a couple of days to write the sermon he will deliver on Sunday, which also happens to fall on his birthday.
In between deep sighs and laughs, Berube said the fact that Robson is willing to ask a difficult question, and the fact that he is willing to struggle with that question, shows that answers aren't always easy, and sometimes there isn't just one.
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