Offerings: 8-16

8/16/2014
BLADE STAFF

Priest's 50th jubilee

The Rev. Nicholas Weibl, who served at St. Wendelin Parish and School, Fostoria, as assistant pastor and school principal from 1967-72 and as pastor from 2007 to the present, as well as diocesan vicar of priests from 2000 to 2007, celebrates his 50th year as a Roman Catholic priest Sunday at the church, 323 N. Wood St., with an 11 a.m. Mass and a reception after. In a press release, he said, “There has been a wonderful progression in the learning curve in my service as a priest. Being principal helped me in dealing with parishes that have schools. Having different assignments has helped me to understand the various challenges of priests when I served as their vicar. It has been a real joy to come back and be welcomed by the folks here at St. Wendelin and the entire Fostoria community.”

Meal and music for free

Reformation Lutheran Church presents a free afternoon of gospel music and dinner August 30 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the church, 4543 Douglas Rd. On the bill, along with the This Far by Faith gospel choir, are Joan Moore-Mobley and Gina Moore who, despite that common “Moore” in their last name, are called the Browne Sisters, and Devonna and Shane Lawrence, a duo from Los Angeles by way of Evansville, Ind. Reservations are required by Friday for the dinner, and can be made by calling Sherri Wagner at 419-423-3664 or emailing her at sherri.wagner@nwos-elca.org. No meal tickets will be available at the door.

A healthy church

Spring Street Baptist Church celebrates its 81st anniversary with a checkup, of sorts. The church, at 601 Spring St., takes a back pew to the Chester Zablocki Senior Center, 3015 Lagrange St., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 23 to sponsor a free community health fair at the senior center. Screenings for balance, blood glucose, blood pressure, and body mass index will be given, and education on common chronic illnesses including ddiabetes, hypertension, obesity, osteoarthritis, and stress will be available. For more information, call the church at 419-726-3263.

What he meant to say

Bishop David Maxwell of Eliezer Temple Church in Lansing, Mich., acquired a reputation as a same-sex marriage ally ahead of the current curve of same-sex marriages being declared legal in many states; in Michigan, though same-sex marriage is banned at present, arguments were made before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Wednesday. Bishop Maxwell was quoted in 2012 as agreeing with President Obama's support of same-sex marriage. The bishop said then, “Many of my comrades in the faith community have a struggle and cannot separate the theology with the civics of the president executing fairness and equity for all persons. It's a civil right. The sad thing about it is: You would have thought that the African-American pastoral or theological community would have sensitivity when they themselves have struggled civil rights-wise.”

According to Christian News Service, which obtained a position paper the bishop wrote in May, Bishop Maxwell might have lost some sensitivity. In the paper, the bishop wrote, “Let me say unequivocally, that I am against same sex marriage. My understanding of scripture forbids not only same sex marriage but condemns the entire practice of homosexuality and depicts it as vile affections.” He labeled sexual behavior as a choice, and he distinguished behavioral rights from civil rights.

“We must be mindful not to morph the historical tolerance of African Americans toward groups who are wrongly and inequitably treated as a monolithic acceptance of same sex marriage,” Bishop Maxwell stated. “To place sexual preference on the same platform of civil rights is an affront to the civil rights movement and its pioneers.”