Take one more look in the crib before you pack up your manger scene

"...the Mediator between God and humanity, who transcends the knowledge and understanding of heavenly spirits and who reigns in heaven before the beginning of time, even he shunned to take an earthly kingdom... He did not wish to become a king; instead, he went freely to the cross. He fled the glory of exaltation offered to him. He chose instead the penalty of shameful death so that his followers might also learn to flee the applause of the world, to fear not its terrors, to value adversity for the sake of truth, and to decline prosperity fearfully."
Gregory the Great, The Book of Pastoral Rule I:3

Yikes! Usury is good to go in South Dakota

I emailed the following question in to the State Senate round table. They were about to end without it, and my wife was good enough to enter the chat and nudge them to ask it. Argus Leader's Yvonne Hawkins read it to the panel:

"Are there plans to revisit limits on the excessive interest charged by
'pay day lenders' and other financial institutions in South Dakota?"

Only Sen. Shantel Krebs attempted to answer, and she wound up saying that efforts to restrict interest would be "starting to mess with an industry that employs a lot of people in South Dakota."

"Pay Day" loans are short term but can be rolled over for more than one cycle. Their actual interest rates are as high as 900%.

"Internet payday loans cost up to $30 per $100 borrowed and must be repaid or refinanced by the borrower's next payday," said Jean Ann Fox, CFA's director of consumer protection. "If payday is in two weeks, a $500 loan costs $150, and $650 will be electronically withdrawn from the borrower's checking account."

1 of 8 South Dakotans and half of births in state rely on Medicaid

The Argus Leader is webcasting a round table with State Senators Shantel Krebs, Todd Schlekeway, Mark Johnston and Phyllis Heineman. Much of the discussion is around budget issues.

Medical costs were mentioned early on. South Dakota is one of the states involved in litigation to stop the federal health plan. So, for the moment, there's statement of problems and ideas to reject, but no coherent, affirmative policy to address the burden of health care costs.

Seminary magazine has a feature on one of our new parishioners

He's another of the young, non-denominational Christians exploring Anglicanism's spiritual depth and treasure.

Scroll down to p.2 of this pdf of Sioux Falls Seminary's Impact magazine.

The child in the manger vs. "spiritual, not religious," and similar forms of self-focus

"To be certain, if they refuse to accept a position of spiritual leadership when they are called, they forfeit the majority of their gifts - gifts which they received not for themselves only, but also for others... he who abounds in virtues but refuses to feed the flock of God is found guilty of having no love for the supreme Shepherd...

For indeed, what is the disposition of mind when one could be distinguished by assisting his neighbors but prefers his own stillness to the assistance of others when, in fact, the only-begotten of the supreme Father came forth from the bosom of the Father into our midst so that he might benefit the many?" Gregory the Great, The Book of Pastoral Rule 1:5