The Blawenburg Beacon

Holy Scripture tells us we're going on a journey someday, and when we reach our destination we'll receive new bodies. The seeds of these new bodies, which is spiritual, are planted in the ones we have on this earth and we can tend to them every bit as much as we tend to our physical selves. In fact, spiritual fitness requires following the same regimen as those who try to stay physically fit. Here it is.

1) Recognize your need to get in shape. Are you worried, stressed, grieving, embroiled in turmoil or strife, unable to sleep, angry, or just plain depressed? If so, chances are you are spiritually undernourished. In small doses all of these things are natural, but if any of them consumes more than a few moments in a day, you need help.

2) Make a decision to begin. Once you've accepted your need for help, your next step is to take action. In a spiritual sense this means turning to God and asking for help in prayer, what the Bible calls "repentance." Like your first day in the gym, you may not see any immediate results, but most likely you'll feel better instantly. No earthly exercise can match the sense of well-being found in that first prayer.

3) Seek out professional guidance. If we're serious about physical fitness, we join a health club and consult a personal trainer. They know better the foods and exercises that are best for us. Likewise, Christian clergy are educated professionals in the field of spiritual health. Whether it's in worship, Bible studies or conversation, we can show you where to concentrate your efforts to guarantee the greatest return in the smallest amount of time.

4) Start eating a healthy diet. Most of us like some form of junk food, but we also know our need of the good stuff, like vegetables, fruits, plenty of water, etc. Similarly, we gravitate toward junk in our spiritual lives, most of it coming from toxic conversation and whatever screen we happen to be watching at the moment. While few find themselves able to cut out junk altogether, we can minimize it's unhealthy effects by reading scripture, attending worship and Bible studies, reading and viewing Christian oriented material, and socializing with spiritual people.

5) Exercise regularly. We build muscle to look and feel better and also to enable ourselves to carry heavier burdens. The more weight we lift, the stronger we become; the more cardio-vascular training we undergo, the greater our stamina. Spiritual exercise can be summed up in one word: prayer. The more we exercise our spirits, the greater burdens we can carry in life, and the more we can help others with theirs. Prayer also gives us the strength to endure any trial that life throws our way, because we know it will pass and be explained someday.

With so much help available it makes no sense to continue in a valley of depression or despair. A simple prayer, "God help me!" can start all of us on the road to wellness. Why wait any longer?

(I decided to develop this inspiration further with a series of sermons under the heading of "Spiritual Fitness" that began on August 31, 2008. In this and the next Beacon, at least, I'll summarize the contents of these sermons. You can hear them in their entirety on the Sermon Archives page of our church's website, www.blawenburgchurch.org.)

August 31, Spiritual Fitness: Human Things vs. Divine Things. Our Lord Jesus reminded his disciples (and constantly reminds us) that there is a difference between human things and divine things. What is great and respectable in the eyes of other people is not necessarily great and respectable in God's sight, and vice versa. When Jesus disclosed to them that he was the Messiah, the disciples reacted with great joy, but self-centered joy. They believed great earthly rewards awaited them for being part of the "inner circle." They envisioned fame, fortune and boundless earthly power. But our Lord quickly shattered that dream when he told them of the fate which awaited him in Jerusalem. The Son of Man must "undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders, chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day raised."

The Messiah tortured and crucified?! That's insane! No, not insane, but certainly different from what we expect. And therein lies the first step toward spiritual fitness. God's values and expectations are different from human ones, and true spiritual fitness becomes possible only when we recognize this fact. Whereas most humans perceive a life well lived to include financial security, the praise of others and a long, healthy life, one who embodies a perfect godly life is penniless, reviled by others and nailed to a cross.

Human things feed the ego, but we can only access divine things through humility.

After much prayer and contemplation I was given this mantra: "ego is the enemy." Not only does ego inhibit or block utterly our relationship with God, it is the cause of all human misery. Unfortunately, ego is basic to our natures. We cannot overcome it entirely. It is, as the Apostle Paul puts it, the constant, self-destructive "downward pull of the flesh" - "the tares" that surround "the wheat" in our Lord's parable, so thoroughly enwrapping our spiritual selves that it cannot be pulled without uprooting the whole plant (killing us, in other words).

So we must endure our self-destructive egotistical tendencies for as long as we live here.

But there is a way to reduce their effect, in fact many ways, and the Bible describes them all - spiritual exercises that hold our egos in check and strengthen that part of ourselves which will live for eternity. Here are only a few that I'll be dealing with in the next several weeks: praise, confession, thanksgiving, supplication, service, sacrifice and trust.

Few if any of these things come to us naturally. We need reminding of them, which the Bible does on almost every page. If we make a conscious choice to incorporate divine things into our daily prayers, we'll see mind boggling benefits.

September 6, 2008, Spiritual Fitness: Where and Why? Jesus advises us to seek a quiet place to be alone in order to maximize the effects of our spiritual exercises. Elijah, Moses and our Lord all journeyed into the wilderness to be alone with their thoughts and the "still small voice" of God. For those of us who do not have a wilderness nearby our Lord says, "whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (Mt. 6:6). Many of us rarely enjoy "alone time" at home or on the job, but we often overlook those moments when we have a place to ourselves without human distraction. I find those moments immediately after waking to be a perfect time to ask God for blessings on the day, to see the possibilities that this day holds. Some connect in prayer with God while showering. Still others see that daily commuter traffic tie-up, not as a provocation to frustration and anger, but an opportunity to take inventory of the Lord's blessings and thank him accordingly.

And don't forget the abovementioned "reward." God won't drop money into our laps, but prayer may lead to imaginative, insightful ways of earning it.

The far greater rewards are these. Spiritual fitness leads to 1) personal power, 2) eternal life, and 3) the salvation of our species.

In John 10:10, our Lord Jesus says, "I came that they may have life and have it in abundance." In this case our Lord referred to our lives in this world. Faith in Jesus Christ that grows through prayer banishes fear, which compromises and destroys the joyfulness of every single day. Fear weakens us, too, and is grounded in our egos. We fear losing things: our health, our money, our family and friends. We fear God's judgment of our lives. As we become spiritually fit these fears diminish, because we accept more and more our absolute dependence on God who "keeps our lives" and "will never let us stumble or fall." Repeatedly, Jesus reminds us that we have a God who is eager to instill in us the same gifts and powers that he himself demonstrated during his ministry: the power to heal, to raise the dead, prophecy and persuade others. All of this follows in direct proportion to the amount of time we are willing to invest in our spiritual fitness. Most of all we grow in the knowledge that God loves us, no matter how far we wander from his path.

God loves us so much he sent Jesus to show us the way to eternal life. This very idea is vague, shadowy, since no one other than Jesus has ever returned from the dead to reassure us - and we must believe in Jesus to truly accept it. As we exercise our spirits, we grow in certain knowledge of the truth of scripture. Death becomes less a foreboding enemy that separates us from our loved ones forever, and more of a joyful celebration and reunion day that we anticipate with hope.

And finally, there is the matter of our fellow human beings. No one has to tell us that the average person shies away from spiritual matters, perhaps even ridicules them. Statistics prove that the average American places church attendance quite low on the Sunday morning priority list. The Bible clearly teaches that the health and well-being of a nation depends entirely on the degree of its spiritual faith. If a nation loses its faith, it is "no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot" (Mt. 5:13b). According to our Lord Jesus, if the fig tree continues to produce no fruit (which is spiritual faith), God "can (and will) have it down." Leviticus 26 states clearly that God will remove protection from the nation that ceases to "obey (him) and observe all (his) commandments." (14) So, those who commit to spiritual fitness are also doing their patriotic duty, because without us, regardless of the strength of our "chariots," our nation would be destroyed.

Next week, I'll deal with the first of seven basic spiritual exercises: praise. How does it help us get out of ourselves, refresh the day - and save our world.

Exercise #1: Praise. In Philippians 4 the Apostle Paul writes, "whatever is worthy of praise, think about these things . . . and the God of peace will be with you." Peace of mind and heart still stands as the most sought after condition of the human spirit - and it can be ours with a little bit of priority adjustment. Instead of focusing on those things that aggravate us or cause us worry, we are advised by scripture to think about the limitless blessings of life on this earth: the magnificence of creation, the wonder of a newborn baby, the extraordinary achievements of humankind, for example.

Praise helps us in obvious and subtle ways. First, it gets us out of our ego-centered selves, and guides us into positive thoughts. Praising other people, especially those we don't like, lifts our hearts and makes us feel better emotionally. We conform more closely to the spirit of God, who is always looking for reasons to love and praise us.

What we choose to see reflects our souls, the very core of our being. If we choose to see good, our feelings, our attitudes, our behavior will reflect that good. That's what our Lord meant when he said, "The eye is the lamp of the body."

Like reaching for a barbell, we have to make a conscious choice to reach for praise.

Exercise #2: Confess. Life is tough. It throws in our direction an endless series of powerful temptations that lead us away from God and into thoughts and behavior that hurt others as well as our selves. We become like the air conditioner filter I used as a children's sermon illustration, so clogged with impurities the machine begins to malfunction. We malfunction as human beings when we fall into despair about ourselves, or channel our self-loathing into mean-spiritedness.

Confession, and the knowledge that God forgives us, cleans the system, lifts up our hearts and ultimately saves our species.

When we consider the perfect human life, exemplified in Jesus Christ, we are reminded of how God wants us to live. While we cannot follow in the footsteps of our Lord, we know we shirk countless opportunities to show love to others. These conscious refusals, more than the perpetual temptations of the flesh, require our most devoted attention. Confession may not lead to immediate action, but it clearly improves our spiritual well-being over time.

Exercise 3: Give Thanks. While similar to praise, thanksgiving involves a closer inspection of the blessings we personally enjoy every day: good health, food on the table, a warm place to sleep and loved ones, for example. Even if we lack one or more of these things, we Americans are still blessed for more richly than just about anyone else on earth.

Whenever I allow my temporary, daily problems to get me down I think of the billions of people who would give anything to change places with me. Then, thanking God becomes easy.

In my children's sermon on this subject, I asked the young people why "thank you" was a magic word. They understood better, perhaps, than we adults. First, it made the person who gave you something feel good; second, if spoken sincerely, it made that person want to give you something else in the future; and third, it made you feel better for saying it.

When we thank God the same things happen. God is far more ready to give us good things when we thank him than when we don't.

Example 4: Pray Humbly (Supplication). If pride goeth before a fall, humility goeth before our rise into heaven. Scripture states repeatedly that God only hears the prayers of the humble. To grasp true humility we need to analyze some of the parables of our Lord. In "the widow and the apathetic judge" Jesus identified our relationship with God. We are not equals. In fact, next to God we are utterly powerless. God owns everything, including our lives. If we want something from God - healing for a loved one, an end to a conflict - we have to get down on our knees without expectations and ask as one who has no power to bring about the desired result.

Furthermore, we need to accept our relationship to other human beings. The parable of "the Pharisee and the tax collector" shows the tax collector, the most despised member of that society, going down to his home justified, because he admitted his guilt, did not compare himself to anyone else, nor explain away his behavior. The Pharisee, on the other hand, who proudly listed his achievements and visible examples of righteousness, went down to his home having made no connection at all with God.

Humble prayer ultimately empowers us. In conforming to the spirit of our Lord Jesus, we share more mightily in his divine gifts and feel more keenly the merciful, loving presence of God.

Raise Your Joys and Triumphs High! A hymn sing hosted by the Charles Wesley Society. Come and sing the great hymns of Wesley to the music of Bach, Handel, Tallis, and Lampe, and also to newly composed tunes from Asia, Europe, North and South America, the Caribbean, and Africa.
Friday, October 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the Miller Chapel at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Admission is free; No tickets necessary. Questions? Call the chapel office at (609) 497-7890.

The Joe R. Engle Organ Concert An evening of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs for organ and choir, and congregational singing in the Moravian ‘Singstunde’ tradition. The event will be led by organist Rebecca Kleintop Owens with the Princeton Seminary Choir.
Friday, October 24 at 8:00 p.m. in the Miller Chapel at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Admission is free; No tickets necessary. Questions? Call the chapel office at (609) 497-7890

A Consistory Nominating Committee has been formed to nominate two Deacons to fill the positions of Eric Haaijer and Sharon Stevens. They have both stepped down from Consistory because of job commitments. The Nominating Committee is Maitland Van Nostrand, Rick White and Ethel Terhune.

The Reformed Church in America publishes a magazine for its members called The Church Herald. This magazine is now available for free in a digital format. If you would like to receive The Church Herald online, please send your email address to The Church Herald at herald@rca.org and they will supply you with a unique link to the next issue.

The Blawenburg Beacon is a publication of the

Blawenburg Reformed Church

424 Route 518; P.O. Box 266

Blawenburg, NJ 08504

e-mail address: brc2001@msn.com

Website: blawenburgchurch.org

Phone: (609) 466-3108, Fax: (609) 466-8237

Our 2008-2009 school year is off to a great start! There are 88 students enrolled in various classes and they’re all happily enjoying the wonderful activities which the teachers provide everyday. The new piece of playground equipment has been a place for climbing, jumping, hiding, and exploring. A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who supported the auction last spring! It’s great to see that all the hard work and donations has made so many children happy.

The students at BVS will be very busy during the month of October. The will be visiting Norz Hill Farm on Oct. 2^nd and 3^rd. They will be given a tour of the working farm, where they will see many animals; they will also take a hayride and pick pumpkins from the pumpkin patch. Bible Stories will also begin in October and the month will end with Halloween festivities.

Please feel free to join the fun at anytime. Just give a call or stop in, as volunteers are always welcome.

CROPWALK for the Hungry: Sunday, October 19^th, at 1:30 PM! We will walk from St. Charles Borromeo this year. Plan to walk with us and sponsor walkers with donations. Envelopes are available now: in the back of the Sanctuary, at coffee hour and in the office. 25% of the $$ raised goes to SHIP and the Somerset County Food Bank Network – needed now more than ever. You have two weeks to solicit donations/sponsors for this worthy cause. Your asking friends, co-workers and neighbors for their support helps spread the word about the mammoth job Church World Service does to help solve the causes of hunger worldwide through local agencies as well as to respond to disasters! If you are unable to walk with us on the 19^th, a walk suitable for all ages, you are still encouraged to take an envelope to solicit support for CWS and we will designate a walker for you; otherwise, please sign up to sponsor one of our walkers. Again, as a sacrifice to defeat hunger, we are asking that you donate what you might spend instead on a dinner out for your family. For more information, see Gracie Johnson, Sonya Hunt or Susie Van Doren. Thank you in advance for your support.

Before the CROPWALK, we will once again be collecting jars of peanut butter to go to the Somerset County Food Bank Network. Please bring in what you can by Sunday, the 19^th.

Church World Service Gift of the Heart Kits: An updated list of items needed to complete our kits will be available on the back table, at coffee and in the office each week or you can email me and I will send it to you: gtuckerbj@msn.com . Please complete your donations by November 2^nd, so we may purchase what is still needed to pack these up on Sunday, November 16^th. As of now:

We Have: We Need:

Hygiene Kits (Value $11. Processing Cost $2.)

Baby Kits (Value $39. Processing Cost $2)

School Kits (Value $13. Processing Cost $2.)

Operation Christmas Child: You will have more information about this wonderful Mission of Samaritan’s Purse in November, but for now, here are ideas to also look out for while shopping for the above kits or otherwise.

1. SHOE BOX: Use an empty shoe box (standard size, please) or a small plastic container. You can wrap the box (lid separately), but wrapping is not required. Most importantly, pray for the child who will receive your gift.
2. BOY OR GIRL? Determine whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl, and the child’s age category: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14.
3. FILL WITH GIFTS: Fill the box with a variety of gifts that will bring delight to a child.

TOYS small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, small Etch A Sketch®, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky®, etc.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES pens, pencils and sharpener, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc.

HYGIENE ITEMS - toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth, etc.

OTHER - Hard candy and lollipops (please double bag all candy), mints, gum, T-shirts, socks, ball caps; sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries)

A PERSONAL NOTE In a separate envelope, you may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself or your family. (If you include your name and address, the child may write back.)

DO NOT INCLUDE Used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; chocolate or food; out-of-date candy; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers; aerosol cans

Heifer Project: Count on this as a gift-giving idea once again during the Advent/Christmas season.

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE! In this spirit, as well as in support of our BRC Preservation Fund, please join us for the Village Community Yard Sale this Saturday, October 11^th.

Did you know there is a 226-acre farm in northwest New Jersey that was founded by Dominican nuns in 1980 and is dedicated to earth studies? It is called Genesis Farm and the purpose is to “focus on the connections between the health of our global commons of air, water, land and nature, and the health of our local communities.” The caretakers of Genesis Farm are rooted “in a spirituality that reverences Earth as a primary revelation of the divine.” (quotes from the Genesis Farm website).

I learned this fascinating information from an internet article on “15 Green Religious Leaders.”* The depth and breadth of the various religious traditions represented in this list is very encouraging – Evangelical Christian, Roman Catholic, Buddhist, Anglican, Muslim, Mainline Protestant, Jewish and Orthodox Christian. It is extremely encouraging to learn that this concern for God’s creation is shared by so many around the world and that religious leaders are taking action. Patriarch Bartholomew I put it rather bluntly: “Crime against the natural world is a sin.” The Archbishop of Canterbury has endorsed a booklet called, “How Many Light Bulbs Does It Take to Change a Christian?” that includes some practical actions that we can do to reduce our use of the earth’s resources, such as carpooling to church (or walking to church if you live nearby) and helping a church yard become a ‘green lung’ for the community by setting aside a ‘wild area’ that will not be mowed or landscaped. The Rev. Sally Bingham of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco heads The Regeneration Project which is an interfaith ministry “devoted to deepening the connection between ecology and faith.” Their goal is “to help people of faith recognize and fulfill their responsibility for the stewardship of creation.” Fazlun Khalid founded the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences and publishes a monthly newsletter called “ecoIslam.” Last month’s issue focused on the global food crisis, exacerbated by climate change.

We encourage you to learn more about the work that is being done by people of all faiths to care for God’s creation. In these difficult times, it is uplifting to know that we can work together on such a critical shared concern as the health of our planet.

* “15 Green Religious Leaders” is found on grist, an environmental news and commentary website (http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2007/07/24/religious/.

Hallelujah! The painting is almost finished. Querec Painting has only the steeple and finishing touch-ups for completion by the end of October. Thank you one and all who have contributed to the Preservation Fund. Following an inspection of our attic we found that some insulation needs to be added to a few areas and that will be done soon. Unfortunately, we also found that our slate roof can no longer be ignored. With a slate life-expectancy of 75-100 years, some of our slate roof has been on for 175 years! Over the years many repairs have been made. We are in the process of gathering recommendations and estimates.

Thanks to Jim Beachell for replacing & repairing the wood framing on the cellar doors.

Unfortunately one of the four trees in front of the Church must be removed because it is a hazard. It is hollow thru the center, while it appears OK to casual observation. The other trees will be inspected to assure safety, but if we don’t have to, we do not want their removal at this time.

Following all the changes and moves this summer, it is obvious that a comfortable seating area needs to be set up downstairs in fellowship hall. And we will work on this.

In the event that you haven’t heard; Nancy’s office has been moved, and our Secretary’s new location is in the East end of the building, across from the boy’s room. Pastor Rich’s office remains in his same location. The remainder of the main level will be used by our Village Pre-School. With input from others, Consistory thought these relocations would be the best solution for the time being, and do regret any inconvenience this may cause.

Two dead trees will be removed. The wood trim around the windows needs to be painted, both inside and out. After checking with finance, we do not have funds available at this time for this project. Is there any one willing and able to volunteer to help paint interior window trim? Call Nancy, or talk with any on Properties if you can help.

The fire escape has finally been painted, after the many years of need. Thank you to Mike Gurzo for scraping & painting, Joe Pavlicek for pressure washing and Don for repairs.

Our Church budget has always been a challenge, especially in the area of capitol improvement & maintenance for our property. Now with recent happenings in the financial world it is certainly going to be more of one. Are there any among you who may have time to become personally involved in helping do various chores or tasks to help lower our costs, or keep them from increasing? If so, please call Ethel at 359-6027. Properties Committee: Jean Beachell, Ginny Doremus, Mark Fritzinger, Sonya Hunt, Don & Ethel Terhune.

Our church and the historic village of Blawenburg will host its first annual community yard sale on Saturday, the 11^th, from 8 AM – 2 PM. Breakfast and lunch items will be available to enjoy under a tent at the Blawenburg Reformed Church or to take with you as you stroll along Route 518 on the lovely new sidewalk in Blawenburg Village. Lisa Hunt and Sharon Fritzinger will be hosting the food tent.

Many neighbors will place items for sale in their front yards. Anyone interested may rent tables and chairs at the Church for $10 each and the church asks those vendors to contribute 10% of their proceeds to the “Blawenburg Reformed Church Preservation Fund”. Those with tables at home are invited to do likewise. The Church will also accept donated items for sale at their tables (call first-no clothing). Mike and Deedee Gebhardt and Jean Beachell will be hosting these tables. Cars will be invited to park at the Church and walk through Blawenburg to shop all of the great sales. We need some people to help with parking as well as tent and parking sign set-up Thursday/Friday.

Clean out your closets and join us for a fun day of fellowship and bargain treasure hunting! Let the church know ASAP if you want a table at church! (In case of rain, tables for all will be available in Memorial Hall, #416 Rte. 518.) Contact the church office (609-466-3108) or Gracie Johnson (609-466-1862).

On September 13^th the Youth washed cars and our 3^rd Breakfast was served for the Preservation Fund. Everyone had a great time, the kids got nice and wet with the hoses, and nobody left hungry. We served pancakes, omelets (who knew Scott Magliochetti was such a great cook), coffee cake, fruit, and breakfast meats. Our next event will be a Spaghetti Dinner on November 15^th - seatings at 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Our next breakfast will be on December 6^th – we will be looking for breakfast casseroles for this breakfast.

Nearly 100 people in higher education were arrested for selling grades in Croatia’s capital city this past week.

Dubbed “Operation Index” for the official grade books each student is required to keep, this investigation has touched on one of the biggest societal problems Croatia faces: rampant corruption.

Twenty-one university professors, three assistants, four clerks, several students and 60 more unnamed people were arrested for the selling of exam grades and enrollments at three schools at the university in Zagreb.

According to the press conference on the day of the day of the arrest, the investigation has been going on for more than a year. However, allegations of grade-selling have been around for at least a decade. In fact, it is but one instance of what ordinary Croats dub a “public secret.” It is as common knowledge as it is plain wrong.

The European Union is pressuring Croatia to do something about its corruption problem, but this is not an easy task as the taint of bribery and nepotism touches so many disciplines it is hard even to know where to begin. And when some action is taken, it can be scuttled by the sheer brokenness of the institutions designed to deal with it. For example, even if the academics arrested were brought to trial with solid evidence against them, the legal system here is so shaky that it would take years to present the criminal case, not to mention gaining a conviction that would hold up on appeal.

The professors targeted are from three colleges: economics, transportation and engineering. The allegation is that students were forced to pay the equivalent of $600 to $3,000 for passing exam grades or $13,500 for enrollment in the schools which have limited openings. Among those arrested was a woman who is a law professor at the economics school and is the president of the country’s Committee Against Conflicts of Interest. Another professor who teaches the business finance classes is one of several who have had their departments sealed in the ongoing probe that focuses on blue envelopes of cash passed from students to intermediaries to professors.

Deans at the affected schools effuse shock and dismay that such things could be happening on their watch, as if this is the first they have heard of such a scandal. Meanwhile public allegations have abounded for years that many politicians, police officers and army officials (including three prominent generals) have bought their diplomas at one of the colleges under investigation. Students say they have been aware of price lists for courses for more than 10 years.

One hundred arrests and evidence seized from lavish homes and cars seem like a thorough probe, but even casual observers think it is but the tip of the iceberg. So far, this investigation only touches three colleges in the capital city. Journalists have reported talking to students in other colleges, such as medicine, dentistry and law, and finding even listings of prices by grade for certain exams, with a “D” going for $300 and an “A” costing $750. In addition, there are universities in several other Croatian cities, including Osijek, where we work. Students here are glad that something official has been done but wish the investigation would extend to Osijek as price lists are also known to exist here as well.

Added to this generally gloomy view, is another common Croatian saying, “The little fish falls while the big ones stay,” indicating that the corruption at the top remains while the little guy pays for it. It is a breeding ground for disillusionment in the hearts of the people.

Of course, our little seminary isn’t plagued with professors charging for grades. But we have other problems to attend to, including how to teach a godly and just reaction to a society that is so thoroughly broken in so many areas. Pray with us that we can be effective witnesses of and ministers for Christ’s kingdom amid the rampant corruption that God simply calls sin – whether in society or even in our own hearts as well.

Eric and Nancy Titus are RCA missionaries in Osijek, Croatia, where they work at the Evangelical Theological Seminary and with the Reformed Christian Church in Croatia. They have three children: Samuel, Valerie and Penny.