Too Quiet

So have you noticed that the blog has been quiet lately? Well that's mostly because it is Lent and that means that probably more than any other time at church things are busy. Not busy in the hundred different things fying around kind of way, busy in a routinized, mellow way. So Wednesday evenings are filled with people eating supper, worsiping, and studying the Book of Acts; Thursdays see our group meeting to unravel "The Screwtape Letters", worship, and share our lunch together and of course Sunday mornings we come together again. I am always suprised by how this rhythm enhances my prayer life and opens my spirit up to new insight and feeling. One of those moments has come to me as I have become increasingly troubled by the people being held at Guantonomo Bay, Cuba. I will spare you details, except to say that our government has detained about 500 men for many years without any charges or opportunity to have legal defense. There is anecdotal evidence that they have been subject to torture and Amnesty International has called this facility a "gulag" comparing it to the camps that the Soviet Union ran in which millions were killed. I am not suggesting that they be released but I do think that moving them to Levenworth Prison where they would be secure and subject to American laws and a review of their cases is a reasonable and humane alternative to their continued detention outside the U.S. I will be having a meeting at the church on Sunday, March 19 at 1:30 p.m. to discuss what role our church might play in this important human rights issue. I do not believe this is an issue about conservative or liberal, democrat or republican, it is rather a response to Jesus' commandment to "love our neighbors as ourselves."