Rev. Drew

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• Commented on Interview an Atheist at Church Day
  Good point. Just because you believe that religion is poison does not mean that you are an atheist....
• Commented on Interview an Atheist at Church Day
  Never said I was poor. I work with poor people daily, and know better than to say that. My wife is not on the payroll(although what she does is even LESS of your business). I should take it that you...
• Commented on Interview an Atheist at Church Day
  Never said I was poor. I work with poor people daily, and know better than to say that. My wife is not on the payroll(although what she does is even LESS of your business). I should take it that you...
• Commented on Interview an Atheist at Church Day
  Not that it's really any of your business, Stan, but my Presbytery (which governs the congregation)sets a minimum salary at about $45k for a full time pastor. My salary is very close to the minimum. I give away about 10%...
• Commented on Interview an Atheist at Church Day
  Not that it's really any of your business, Stan, but my Presbytery (which governs the congregation)sets a minimum salary at about $45,000 for a full time pastor. My salary is very close to the minimum. I pay the employee and...
• Commented on Interview an Atheist at Church Day
  If it makes you feel better, Stan, this event was founded by an atheist, not an irrational, homophobic, child-abusing clergyperson like me....
• Commented on Interview an Atheist at Church Day
  Thanks. I'm happy to go be the Christian for an "Interview a Christian" event, but I would have to say that the faith as I understand it does not give license to kill....
• Posted Interview an Atheist at Church Day to Buffalo Rising
  This Sunday, Lafayette Ave. Presbyterian Church's services will feature a conversation that I will be having with Sarah Kaiser(at the 10am service, which meets at the church) and  Cody Hashman (at the 6pm service, which meets at Ashker's Juice Bar), both of whom identify as atheists and work at the Center for Inquiry, as part of  "Interview an Atheist at Church Day".We live in a simultaneously pluralistic and polarized world.  There are nearly as many belief (or non-belief) systems as people, and yet many of us only get to know people who think like us.The idea of this day is not for me to convert...
• Commented on Sounds of Buffalo: Theresa Quinn
  What a rockstar!...
• Posted Give Away Day! to Buffalo Rising
  Our Church is about to undergo a major renovation (see here) and we have over 60 years of accumulated stuff. So on April 6, from 9am to 1pm, we'll have our doors open, and we will give away our stuff.  (Non-profit organizations can come by on the 5th, between 8am and 1pm, or at 8am on Saturday.)This is not a garage sale, because nothing will have a price tag. We're not going to "stage" items.  We're just going to open up the doors.  Think of it as a treasure hunt. There is a lot of junk in our church, but...
• Posted The Bells toll for thee to Buffalo Rising
  Lafayette Church will host a concert of The Handbell Choir of Wiedensahl, Germany on Tuesday, March 19 at 7pm. The Handbell Choir of Wiedensahl is one of the biggest and most active of the only 25 bellchoirs in Germany. The ringers perform on 66 handbells and 61 handchimes, both made by Schulmerich Bells of Pennsylvania. The home of the choir is a small village in North Germany near Hanover. Since 1987 the ringers have performed on numerous German handbell festivals and concerts that took them to all parts of the country. The choir has toured the USA (2003) and South Africa (2006)....
• Posted Theological Thursday: Election Day Communion? to Buffalo Rising
  Election Day Communion, a national movement of Christian Churches to reaffirm their unity in light of a bitterly contested presidential campaign, is coming to Buffalo at the Loretto Ministry Center, next Tuesday, election day. What started with a single church service four years ago has grown into a grassroots movement of churches from nearly every state. So far, more than 425 congregations have chosen to participate in Election Day Communion, with more being added every day.  "Election Day Communion is an opportunity for Christians from all political backgrounds to reaffirm their first allegiance to Christ," says pastor and co-organizer...
• Commented on Theological Thursday: Fewer believers, greater division
  The short answer, whatever, is that it does look like I have done a little bit of projection. I depended more on Murray's analysis than the Pew numbers....
• Commented on Theological Thursday: Fewer believers, greater division
  @PaulBuffalo I would acknowledge that belief in a "personal God" is fading, although the study shows that many of the "nones" still believe in something, they simply don't want to belong to a community of faith. The phrase "personal God"...
• Posted Theological Thursday: Fewer believers, greater division to Buffalo Rising
  The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has announced that, for the first time in the United States, less than half of us identify as Protestants.  The "mainline" has been in decline for some time, but they are not alone;  Evangelicals, Fundamentalists, and Pentecostals all have had their numbers decline sharply.Roman Catholics have held steady.  A decrease in American-born Catholics has been offset by immigrant Catholics.  The third largest religious group in the US is neither religious nor a group.  They are the "nones," people who may or may not believe, but do not claim any religious affiliation.Some of...
• Commented on Politics Are Brewing at 7-Eleven
  At "my" 7-11 (Grant and Auburn), Blue Cups were gone on Friday before 9. People used regular 7-11 cups for their coffee. A big stack of Romney cups remained. Their going to have to ships those cups out to Clarence...
• Posted Two films and many dogs. to Buffalo Rising
  The first week of October will be a busy one at Lafayette Church.On, October 2, the church will screen, along with organizations, across the nation, in the premier of "The Line" a documentary about life below the poverty line, followed by a simulcast round table discussion with leading scholars, policy advisers, and religious experts.On Friday, October 5, we continue our new "Lunar Cinema" series, screening Silent Films outdoors, with live music.  Lunar Cinema II features "The General," and music from Saxophonist Nelson Rivera.  If it rains, the event will move indoors.The next day, Saturday October 6, is our annual blessing of the animals.  Bring your pet by at...
• Commented on Instead of "Rock the Lakes . . ."
  Thanks. I know that we have all been "lost," but the people hearing it haven't. I never said anything about Islam, except that I wish F. Graham hadn't said what he said. Regardless of the truth (or mistruth) of the...
• Commented on Instead of "Rock the Lakes . . ."
  There actually aren't all that many people that go to Lafayette Church. The number is growing, thankfully, but mostly my theology appeals to non-Christians, and they don't go to church much. Trying to please Christians is a much better way...
• Commented on Instead of "Rock the Lakes . . ."
  Thanks for giving me a chance to cross-promote yoisthischristian.com Ask there....
• Commented on Instead of "Rock the Lakes . . ."
  Each of those articles come from the time period where many suspect that somebody else was writing in Billy's name. It's impossible to know for sure, but the second link is especially inconsistent with what Billy has said throughout his...
• Posted Instead of "Rock the Lakes . . ." to Buffalo Rising
  This weekend, Franklin Graham will come to Coca-cola field with a roster of musicians to "Rock the Lakes."  Many of my friends and colleagues are promoting the event and attending.  I wish them well, but I will not be there.  The first reason I will not attend is the things Mr. Graham has said away from events like this.  At the event, Graham will tell people about Jesus, and invite people to consider turning their lives over to him.  I've got no problem at all with that.  In fact, I like it.However, he simultaneously continues to stand by his statement calling Islam...
• Posted Lunar Cinema: Friday Night at Lafayette Church to Buffalo Rising
  Two silent films will be screened on the lawn of Lafayette Ave. Presbyterian Church this Friday, "A Trip to the Moon" and "Modern Times".  Both films will be accompanied by live, original music from Ironside.Bring a lawn chair and/or blanket, and come at seven if you or your children would enjoy painting a paper mache moon. The music and films will begin as soon as it is dark enough, between 7:30 and 8pm.The event is free, but donations to compensate musicians and pay for art supplies are welcome.A Trip to the Moon or Voyage to the Moon (French: Le Voyage dans...
• Posted Lafayette Church Presents: "Leaps and Bounds" to Buffalo Rising
  The Affording Hope Project and Lafayette Ave Presbyterian Church will present Leapsand Bounds, a theatrical production, at Lafayette Church on Friday, September 7, at7pm.Leaps and Bounds, a one woman show produced and performed by Tevyn East istouring faith communities and institutions of higher learning across the United States in2011. Written in collaboration with Ched Myers, renowned biblical scholar and teacher,this show is about the interconnection of faith, ecology, and the global economy.Weaving biblical and personal narrative, dance, song, music, and a touch of economictheory, Leaps and Bounds wrestles with the driving factors of our ecological crisis whileawakening the imagination to...
• Commented on Location needed for building bocce court(s)
  I have to have some conversations to see if they would mess up our historic tax credits, but I would definitely love to have courts at Lafayette Church....
• Commented on Please THIS IS NOT A BIKE RACK
  I would love to bolt on another sign that says: Please Do Not Hang Signs on this Post...
• Posted Theological Thursdays: Corasanti and Justice to Buffalo Rising
  I have no doubt that the jurors were faithful to their task, and that each attorney did the best possible job.I also have a general faith in the system.  It may not be perfect, but I doubt anybody could create a better one.I'm even comfortable with the idea of risking that a guilty person go free, rather than a innocent person be punished.That said, I have serious doubts about the verdict rendered last night.  I think it is clear that Corasanti was drunk, and hit Alix Rice while driving.  He knew he had hit something, left the scene of the...
• Commented on A simple solution to relieve the Elmwood Village Parking woes.
  I completely agree, even if it looks in the pic like Ward is proposing a change to 2pm. Where are the council members on the idea? I'm calling mine (Rivera) today....
• Commented on PARK(ing) Day
  I want to have a church service, with communion, in a parking spot. I hope I can bring some spot sized pews....
• Commented on Lloyd Taco Truck(s): You Can Help Get Another Lloyd Rolling
  I would buy shares. Many shares....