Show 13 The Herald Journal Logan Ufan Friday December 1984 21 Religion Green: Love thy neighbor instead of criticize him By Tim Gurrister religion editor V A Gallup poll says 2 percent of the nation's population is Episcopalian But with a congregation of about 200 members Logan's S oldest church St John's Episcopal Church has a membership well below the non-LD- w national average Those kind of numbers lead the Rev Kenn Green St John's new parson to say there may be other areas in the country dominated by one religion but that he’s not sure any other single state is as dominated by one faith as Utah is by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-da- y 0 m ii IF Saints Good and bad comes from such domination according to Green A minority congregation winds up pursuing more activities both together and with other denominations he said But the situation often breeds intolerance he said in minority faiths towards the dominant faith “The thing that disturbs me is the pastime of sitting around and criticizing or making fun of the dominant group" Green said “That’s exasperating Instead we should be doing something positive about the situation “We should try more to understand what the bonds are and not dwell on the differences Blowing the differences out of proportion gets us in trouble" Green said he himself has never felt any pressure from Mormons “But I have people sometimes tell me of their frustration with the Mormon majority — I find it more with children than adults Kids are more intolerant of other kids It comes out of ignorance of other denominations" Basic human nature leans toward intolerance of what isn’t readily understood he said Recently invited to address a class in Logan’s LDS Institute of Religion he told the group that his mission here as an Episcopalian minister is not to convert everyone to his church but rather to bring people back to a relationship with God “You don't have to be Episcopalian to have that “I have no need to make everybody Episcopalian My goal is to minister to the needs of the church and the community" The best way to deal with friction or frustrations between denominations Green says is through educating people to baric Christian beliefs — love tty neighbor instead of criticize him Christian faiths could be compared to a university campus he said: All share the same goal — a relationship with the deity — but each pursues that goal along a different path University students share the same goal of gaining an education to obtain o T ii II V V ' I f0: Brad Rev Kenn Green took over the parsonage of John's Episcopal Church in September St employment to build a life around Different paths — college majors — are taken to reach the goal Green was a member of the LDS Church until age 16 He didn’t leave the church in anger or frustration but merely found himself more suited to Episcopalianism “I’m not bitter so I feel I can minister better among the Mormons" He was a Mormon deacon he said and became just as active in the Episcopalian Church He preaches Christianity more than Episcopalianism “I'm a Christian by conviction and an Episcopalian by convenience I choose Episcopalianism to manifest my Christianity" Green took over the parsonage at the end of September when he filled the vacancy left by JustadHerald Journal The Vernal native said it's a homecoming to come back to Utah the Rev Ken Kaisch’s move to California Green is here after two years in North Carolina at a parish where he was assistant pastor 1100-memb- er His new congregation is a lot more open than the one he just left he said: “Maybe it's that old Southern tradition the old 'Gone Witt the Wind’ (mentality) of always saying everything is fine even when it isn't can deal more easily with open people who don’t say ‘there’s no problem’ when they “I do have one" He's a Vernal native who lived 20 years in Salt Lake City “So this is a homecoming" Green’s family includes four children ages 8 to 16 His wife Carol is a school teacher He applied for the parson position That's not the case in all churches he said where the minister is assigned or sent When an Episcopalian minister wants to move he fills out a form for church employment which is then filed with the church office computer in New York City The form among otter things states goals and desired locations A church with a vacancy fills out a similar form about its needs and the computer matches ministers to churches The church gets a listing of available ministers and the minister a listing of churches he might be interested in applying too A congregation’s search committee makes the hiring decision after receiving names of candidates from the computer parishoners or elsewhere The final four or five candidates are called in for an interview with the search committee Christmas message: Spread your love greetings The annual Christmas message from the First Presidency of the LDS Church which includes President Spencer W Kimball — past present and future — have hope In Him can be found the personal peace that eludes so much of the world" world The events that began in leader of the church and his counselors President Marion Bethlehem and ended in G Romney and President Jerusalem are the focal print of Gordon B Hinckley call for the all history the message said people of all nations to extend “The humble birth we comlove and greetings “this holy memorate was prelude to the awesome events of Gethsemane season We proclaim that the babe and Calvary and Christmas born in Bethlehem nearly two takes on its deepest meaning thousand years ago was indeed when we recall that the the Christ the Savior of all ministry that began in a stable mankind In Him all humankind ended with an empty tomb" Religion report gChristmas musical Logan’s First Presbyterian Chinch 2nd West and Center St will once again sponsor a Christmas Eve Musical this year themed “Christmas Is Surely in the Air” The service begins at 10:53 pm with “The Organ Prelude" by Thomas Bahler followed by a welcome introduction and preface at 11 pm Dr Miner Bruner pastor will deliver a Christmas message as part of the program which includes soloist F Eugene Tueller pianist Joyu Jacobsen violinist Barbara Hiller and Bahler This year’s musical program marks its year Bruner said A highlight of the evening is the ‘‘Luminarias” a 25th Spanish tradition brought to the church by the Izar Martinez three-centuries-o- ld family of Logan The Luminarias or “little lights" consist of a candle-ligdisplay surrounding and decorating the church and its walkways The program will include the story behind the Luminarias Musical numbers will include “That’s Christmas" “Joy to the World" “Once Upon a Christmas" "Adoration” “Silent Night” and “There's No Place Like ht Home” The privately owned creche — a stable and statues of Jesus Mary and the three wise men — will be set up one day after a e nativity scene was dismantled in life-siz- - NEW YORK (UPI) New Yorkers will set up the first nativity scene in Central Park since the 1920s in one of the latest rounds of legal decisions nationwide on the issue of public controversial church-stat- e Christmas displays that come through Jesus Christ is our fervent prayer this Christmas season and always” and peace Original play ‘Mary’ breaks all sales records interview “More and more they are recognizing problems in young people who are fans of such fantasy games as Dungeons and Dragons" A recent Associated Press story blamed of two teenage boys in the murder-suicid- e on their excessive participation in the part games Other alleged suicides disappearances and school absences among game addicts have caused nationwide attention Dick Wulf is more than concerned His y AdvenColorado Springs ture Learning System Inc has created an alternative to fantasy games called DragonRaid Inspired by the allegory in CS Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia and John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress DragonRaid simulates real life in a fantasy setting role-playi- ng Barrington RI The Central Park creche was approved by a city lawyer who ruled a creche and two Hanukkah menorahs lit for the past several years could be displayed on city property — provided the name of the sponsoring organization was clearly shown on a sign nearby The Issue befog grappled with by courts and city attorneys is the conditions under which a nativity scene may be allowed on public property The US Supreme Court in March authorized such a scene in Pawtucket RI as part of a larger winter display Wulf calls the process “adventure because it defined it as largely secular in nature learning" He would like to see the game Officials in Nashua NH posted a sign put in the hands of Christian parents who near a privately-ownecreche on public want to give their kids a beneficial yet enjoyable gift this Christmas season grounds in response to an order by US Wulf states that imagination and fantasy District Judge Shane Devine to either remove the privately-owne- d creche make in themselves are not wrong “Children will continue to use their imaginations in it part of a holiday display until playhouses dolls or post the disclaimer fantasy “This nativity scene is erected and and toy trucks are censored" maintained by the Heart of Nashua “DragonRaid" Wulf summarized “was Foundation Inc and is not owned or ' designed to maximize the practice of real maintained by the city of Nashua" the life and minimize any retreat into fantasy This is accomplished by creating rules that wooden sign said “The city of Nashua is prohibited by the United represent biblical morality and behavior States Constitution from endorsing or Kids are not advised to make up their own adventures which requires to much time denying any particular religious belief" based-compan- role-playi- ng d non-sectari- an role-playi- ng hand-paint- Central Park creche proper celebration of the peace that is to be found in world" The message concludes by a joyous Christ that all may look of for the thanks expression beyond the merchandising and saying: “That all may find the hope marvelous gift of the birth of socializing to the one whose Christ the First Presidency birth we celebrate" said “The season's hymns and Among the many lands where carols are a continuing echo of Christmas is observed there is the angelic anthems heard by a great variety of holiday the shepherds traditions according to the "We join with Nephi the message which encouraged a prophet of old in proclaiming tradition of worship through that ‘we rejoice in Christ' (2 loving service to fellowmen Nephi 25:28) The righteous of “May the kindness forgiveness ancient times looked forward to and personal righteousness His coming with faith and demonstrated by the Savior be manifest in the lives of counthope" seek that all less “We pray may people throughout the The Christmas is ed Biblical alternative - “Parents area stated COLORADO SPRINGS Dick Wulf really scared" professional psychotherapist in a recent ‘thinking fantasy'” DragonRaid is available through local Christian bookstores or by mail (for 62995 plus 6175 shipping) from Adventure Learning Systems Inc PO Box 25909 Colorado Springs Co 80936 By Tim Gurrister religion editor “Mary" an original play illuminating the fictionalized but likely tribulations of Mary during the biblical story of the birth of Christ has been a smash hit in Box Elder County 25 miles southwest of Logan according to the play’s publicist Performed by the Brigham City Community Theater group in the Heritage neater in Perry (just south of Brigham) the play has broken all ticket sales records for any performance on the Heritage stage and topped sales for the the other four runs of the play in the last seven years said Marlene Harper "It’s been a real smash" she said“It’s kind of a biblical Rodgers and Hammerstdn production" Tim play sets the love affair of Mary and Joseph in the traditions and customs of the time she said For instance Mary's pregnancy while unwed would normally have brought a public stoning Harper said The vehemence of Joseph ner betrothed in the situation and estrangement from her family is depicted An example of the artistic license taken in the play is exhibited in a character Harper plays that of Zina described as Mary’s cousin and the mother of Barabas That makes for an ironic twist since in the biblical account of the crucifixion when offered a choice by the Romans Israelites chose to have Barabas freed Instead of Jesus Christ Zina also is portrayed as jealous of Mary and as wishing that she eould be the mother if the prophesied Jewish savior Except for opening night each performance of “Mary" has sold out the Heritage Theater Harper Mid The east is the biggest ever to perform on the Heritage stage she said The play this year is dedicated to it’s author the late La Rae Kenner Garfield who died Sept 28 of this year She was a writer actor and radio personality in several cities around the country before spending her final years in Brigham The play by a grant from the Utah Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts ends Saturday For ticket information call 8 or all Box Elder County numbers 155-se- at 723-839- 723-575- 744-51- 09 'i ’ |