CREEDE HINSHAW: Muslims, wristwatches and ashes

Can Christians save Western Europe?

Yes, resoundingly, claims the highly popular right-wing populist Viktor Orban, who is running for a third term as Hungary’s prime minister. Orban claimed this week that Christianity is Western Europe’s only hope and that Europeans must unite to stop Muslim immigration.

These loaded words are highly popular with Hungarians, who have warmed to Orban’s warnings for years now. Hungary is joined by the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia in this right-wing drift. Poland recently passed a law, condemned by most of Western Europe, making it a crime to write anything suggesting that Poles were complicit in the slaughter of Jews during World War II.

Power Struggle in Church: A friend reported that her Bible study group left the church building where they met because they couldn’t stomach the power struggle in the church involving the custodian.

I didn’t want to hear the details. The phrase “power struggle” should never be used in the church.

Jesus took a towel and washed the disciples’ feet, telling them that as he had done to them so should they do to each other. There is no place for superiority or manipulation in the church.

The Preacher’s Tool: I am now serving a United Methodist congregation for a few months because of the untimely onset of their regular pastor’s intensifying disease.

Having not worn a wristwatch for almost five years, I had to dig mine out of the desk drawer. The one thing a preacher had better not forget is to take a watch into the pulpit.

The second thing a preacher ought not forget is to consult the watch. My watch ran on solar batteries; I had to strap it to a lamp for a couple of days to get it recharged.

Ecumenical Ash Wednesday Service: On the first day of Lent I participated in a communitywide Ash Wednesday service involving six congregations, at least two who probably don’t ordain women. Nevertheless, two women pastors were involved in the service as equal participants.

The host Baptist pastor referenced the Book of Common Prayer in his sermon and the service followed a very traditional, liturgical order, all six pastors imposing ashes with the traditional words, “From dust you have come and to dust you shall return. Repent and believe the gospel.”

We have much more uniting us than dividing us.

Thanks, Billy. Just received word of Billy Graham’s death as I type these words. Thanks, Billy, for your faithful witness!

Email columnist Creede Hinshaw, a retired Methodist minister, at [email protected].