March Issue

The sermon this time is brought to us by Rev. Stephen Dandridge Cole. We can think of the Lord's glorification states when He walks on water, as associated with Easter. We have here the short version. The full length sermon is available on Audio

The sermon brought an immediate response in the article directly following it, entitled Reflections, by Kenneth and Janet Briggs of Langhorne, Pa. They joined the New Church seven years ago, and have studied at Harvard and Duke, as well as taken courses in our Academy Theological School MARS program. Their book on marriage, entitled Experiencing the Light: the Power of 2² came out recently.

Bound on Earth, Bound in Heaven is another reflection, this time on Katrina, still in the news as New Orleans is reconstructed. Could a modern day Jonah warning of Katrina's devastation have made a difference? How does the Lord operate, or give warning signs, before disaster strikes? Don Brandis from Washington State makes us reflect on our own roles as well.

There are several announcements, and exciting pictures of the future of the Bryn Athyn College Campus, to which so many of you have come, or sent your teenage students. The move announced by President Eric Carswell and Communications Director Bruce Henderson, definitely looks towards University status.

Don't miss Don Rose's reminder regarding Heaven and Hell, first published in 1758, exactly 250 years ago! Several first editions as they came off the press in London that year can be inspected in Swedenborgiana, Swedenborg Library, or seen on the web (see Bayside Swedenborgian Church site). Note the title page reproduced in this issue.

Have you attended Eldergarten? A great report by Forest Dristy recaps the event with a picture as well, and ends up attracting you all to next year's event.

Rev. Stephen D. Cole has been serving as a Teacher in Bryn Athyn College since 1999, and from 2002 also took on the Head of the Religion and Sacred Languages Division at the College. Stephen was inaugurated into the first degree of the priesthood in 1977, and ordained into the second degree in 1978. He first served as the minister for the Ohio District, resident in Cleveland in 1977, and then as pastor of the same district in 1979, resident in Cincinnati. In 1987 Rev. Cole answered a call to be Assistant to the Pastor in the Oak Arbor Society, Michigan, and then in 1993 as Pastor of the San Diego Society, California. Stephen resides with his wife Jennifer (Smith) and family in Bryn Athyn, Pa.