Show The Herald Journal Logan Utah Thursday ' By Leanne Ubb Scripps Howard News Service s sermon: Rock comedy and oidhymns” he said “There are 500 ' do it well" In fact Roberts wanted to do away with that church staple the organ all the Beatles’ “Help!" John Roberts steps onto the dance floor On his right a mirrored wall reflects his image a young man in faded jeans and a neatly pressed button-dow- n shirt On his left framed posters show glamorous ladies whose dresses reveal a lot of leg those legs being in the midst of perhaps a a mambo perhaps a On this night' however Roberts is leading the crowd gathered at Fonzie’s Dance City in Corpus Christi Texas in a performance of a different sort: Fonzie’s is home to services at the ' Living Water Church where Roberts mixes comedy and contemporary music with what he likes to call “relevant" reli- gious messages Roberts 30 is like many young ' professionals his age He doesn't together “You don't go to your car and turn on ‘Greatest Organ Hits"' he said :f8j 1"' Scripps Howard photo Pastor John Roberts lights a candle to begin his' ministry at Living Water Church: group is meeting at Fonzie’s Dance City The - for bucking the corporate system and finding ways to run their own show it shouldn't come as a surprise that a' minister of the same era has the same feelings It's not easy however to start from scratch in this business Roberts toed the line as a traditional Methodist minister for three years He would look out at his parishioners and sjee more than a few' glazed eyes Pew potatoes he called them He didn't blame them though Heck even he was bored There had to be a better way he thought ' settle down with one employer (well exceptthe Big Guy) for the length-ohis career He's energetic full of ideas about how to do his job differently If he were the MBA type Roberts would probably be running an Internet start-u- p right now Roberts however is a MOiG type: Man of God And he's in the trench- es running a religious start-u- p With Generation reputation f X-c- rs' Maybe he just needed a change of scenery So he resigned his position as associate pastor at St: John’s United Methodist Church in Corpus Christi packed up his belongings and moved to Pennsylvania with his wife Renee and their infant son Jacob Same hymn different coast Members of his Corpus congregation would call to say they missed him Roberts looked at the fix he was in and saw' an opportunity “I didn't want to start something where we'd play the organ and sing returned to Corpus Christi Goodbye $60000 a year including housing ' and retirement account Hello $9 an hour at a burger joint He and his wife sold one car and now share the other one They dip into their savings They don't go out" much It is humbling he said but it pays the bills He began the work of building a church from faith to finish Roberts and several leaders of his new flock secured a meeting place at Cullen Middle School ' Someday they will buy land and build their church but they are a group of meager means right now and a school suits them just fine Before and after the service it's much like being at a neighborhood block party Men and women from age to in mingle comfy weekend apparel asking about each other and getting the latest news During the service' the atmosphere is like an intimate bar Local band Scarecrow People has1 high-scho- : m near-retireme- nt ol Road to reconciliation opens By Stephen Huba Scripps Howard News Service “Through cyberspace they can approach the way and the church can approach them in a A Web sjte launched recently by St Anthony Messenger Press based in Cincinnati seeks way” ’ first-of-its-ki- the church Already the Web site has received hits from as far away as Australia “The Internet is providing a new way for people to minister to each other" said John' Bookser Feister editor of the site “We're able to reach out to people everywhere”' St Anthony Messenger Press a Franciscan publishing house began work 'on the Web site last fall soliciting information from the US bishops about local “Come Home” programs “The genius of this site is that it is designed to plug an inactive Catholic into a church community as soon as possible” said Dan Andriac-c- o ' - ' What's more each discussion area is staffed by a team of pastoral ministers called “companions" who specialize in that area of out--rea- ’ ' rainbow-stripe- d of God's light to be with us tonight" he launches into a joke about a boy who insisted on washing his dog with Tide despite the shopkeeper's warning that the strong stulf might kill the candle “as a symbol canine Sure enough the dog dies But it wasn't the Tide the boy reports He thinks it was the rinse cycle The punchline is a launching point for Roberts to talk about the rinse cycles in our lives and how these trials are tests of faith that make people stronger He delivers a sermon but he consults note cards not the Bible and there's not one formal prayer not one “amen" ' But there are more jokes and many analogies like the one about the' signs warning heavy trucks that the bridge won't hold their weight God has a sign on each one of us Roberts said that certain burdens are too much and he won't give you what 7 you can't handle ch Visitors can post their question anonymously in a public discussion area or seek a personal answer via Rev McCloskey said these “conversation corners" are different from chat rooms because' the information is posted only after it is approved by the companion All sped UPZtt bl LDQAm ££?nat i Automated ?! Mailing Solutions I llniu ImIi IU linil: ltlii Hi tlHitinlill nli LI ii We REDUCE your Postage Costs Daily Mail Bulk Mailing Addressing Metering Inserting Printing Folding Daily Pickup SAMElDAYlDElllVERYiTO SHfRROVOiMTCIfiP Have your care package to us byOiOO am and we will Mfchave it to your missionary that same Service starts May k a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati whose new book “Screen Saved" (St Anthony Messenger $995) includes a section on Catholic Internet outreach “A lot of people who are inactive Catholics may be so embittered' or embarrassed that they don't feel comfortable going to a representative of the church" Aridriacco said The Rev Pat McCloskey an initiator of the project said the Web site's inspiration comes from St Francis of Assisi the 13th century Franciscan founder “We're doing what Francis did — but with new technology" Rev McCloskey said “Francis himself dealt with a lot of people who were alienated from the Catholic Church of his day He took the gospel to people in settings where it was not being taken” The home page of OnceCatholicorg has eight categories reflecting the main reasons people leave the church — “Marriage Issues" “Drifted Away" “AbortionPostrAbortion” “Church Teaching” and others Clicking on one of the categories allows visi- tors to access information related to their own issue- table After lighting a 'SJZttO'j'JrlJ-W-i church in a to bring prodigal sons and daughters back home to the Catholic church: : The Web site (http:wwwOnceCatholicorg) is a Internet version of the "Come Home" programs found at many parishes and dioceses It offers online discussion areas educational materials and resources for reconnecting with ' Roberts is more like a emcee than a minister He lights a match and leans down to what looks like a living room end 40" long-ter- truth stage-hoggi- So Roberts packed up again and cha-ch- (435) day!"m 1 i 792-329- 6 90 North 100 East Suite 4 Logan UT ences to people or places are removed to Celebrate National TV-TuOff Week with ensure confidentiality rn City sued because of monument Herald Journal Bridgcrlathl's Daily Niiivftafvr K GRAND JUNCTIONCbio — The American Civil Liber- ties Union has filed suit against Grand Junction saying the city is endorsing religion by displaying a granite monu- - V' ment with the Ten Commandments at the main eotrance to its new City Hall In the lawsuit filed in US District Court in Denver the ACLU said the stone tablet is an unconstitutional violation ' of the First Amendment The amendment protects religious freedom and prohibits govbm- -' ment from establishing and ' advocating religion ' '' Do something besides TV All About You! Objective: Use The Herald Journal to locate information of importance to you Directions: Using today's Herald Journal find the following Bv Scripps Howard News y : v items that tell about you ' Jay Baker' who filed the lawsuit on behalf of five resi- dents who are ACLU mem- - ' bers said the monument sends the message that people who adhere to its principles “are the inside favored group" in : the city and people with other beliefs are outsiders “The ACLU wants the city to stop endorsing religion” said Mark Sil verstein ACLU legal director “Moving' the monument is the simplest and clearest way’’ The legal group contacted the City in September spark- ing an emotional debate that led to a vote in March to keep the monument d you gef a lot of mower It has deck far quid efficient mulching and a smooth steel uixleiside b) prevent grass buildup and With the john Deere JS60 a stamped dumping And youalso get folddown handlebars to make it easy to store AD for much less than you'd expect Nothing Runs Like A Deere V P90GXO1 IPAGO mu 555 N 1000 W Logan 753-154- 2 EXTENDED DllMMED HOURS Mon-F- rt BdlO-5:3- - ( f (§ mwAmcm 0 Bat BdD4dD V A y 21 the keyboard “You know how many people are studying organ in this country right now? 26 2001 — Page a new gig here The band known for singing popular dance music in local bars plays secular music for the congregation thaf matches the theme of the service They also play backup for the praise singer Renee whose musical roots run to classical plays churches that do that here and they As the band completes a cover of want-t- April i :: ' |