Roots of Peoples United Methodist Church
Part 63 The World Enters a New Millenium
Fear seemed to grip the world as a new millennium approached. We were fast becoming a digital world and in what way and how would the year 2000 effect records and the way people were doing things. As the minutes and seconds ticked down to 12:00 Midnight on December 31, 1999 what was going to happen? Other than a few minor glitches it seems that life on this planet went on much as it had for as long as man has been on this earth.
In the few days that followed January 1, 2000 President Bill Clinton became the first President to visit Viet Nam since Richard Nixon had done so in 1969 under much different circumstances. This was also the first year that a Pope, John Paul II had visited Israel since Paul VI had in 1964. It was the one of many trips that this most admired Pope of modern times throughout the world took to talk with political and religious leaders of all different backgrounds. Everywhere the Pope would travel he was greeted by common people of all religious affiliations. It was a gray day indeed for the world when this great Patriarch of the church died in 2005 as a result of declining health and the flu.
In 2001, George W. Bush, the son of a previous President, was narrowly elected to his position over Democratic Senator Al Gore. An era of what some would say was controversial decision making was ushered in brought on by changing mores and morals as well as difficult world situations for the United States and all the other countries of the world. It wasn’t the fault of any single person that controversy arose for it seems that Americans seem to thrive on controversy.
Many of those issues were superseded by a single day of events, the magnitude of which was unlike any other that had ever taken place in the history of the United States. The date, September 11, 2001 was the day when Terrorists hijacked four American commercial jets. The terrorists piloted two of them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York killing thousands in the building and bringing the towers down in a pile of rubble all in a matter of minutes. Shortly after that a third plane was flown into the Pentagon in Washngton, DC. The fourth plane was to fly into the Washington area as well, but because of some extremely brave folks on this doomed plane it was retaken and crashed with all lives lost in a Pennsylvania grain field. The Portland area’s connection to this day of modern infamy as one team of hijackers began their flight to New York on a flight out of Portland.
Patriotism and support for America was at a high. Flags flew everywhere. Support for the troops who were to fight against terrorists within and without the country was at an all time high. Recruiting for military service also increased. Memorials were erected for the fallen and both fire departments and police received encouragement and blessings from people of the country as well as other countries. "God Bless America" became a second national anthem and both "America" and "America the Beautiful" joined the "National Anthem" in all sorts of group events. Prayer was for a time encouraged in any sort of gathering, not just in a church, a synagogue or a mosque. While many had lost their lives and the nation mourned their loss it was also a time when Americans felt good to be Americans and were supportive of each other. There were instances of where attacks on some Americans took place because of the belief that because someone professed in a particular religion that they had a connection with the terrorists. As time has passed most Americans are of the belief that is not so and attempts at interfaith dialogue has increased.
Involvement in the affairs of both Iraq and Afghanistan increased by 2003. An offensive was launched against Sadam Hussein and his administration because the American government felt he was developing and storing Weapons of Mass Destruction. Within the year Sadam was captured and put in prison. Later he was executed and one would think that some form of peace would be restored. No weapons of the type mentioned were ever found, but certainly the record of people being put to death by Hussein’s regime could easily be noted. What was thought to be a quick end to Iraqi problems was not so and even at this writing in 2008 the difficulties linger on. Afghanistan, a country whose serenity had been broken by the movement of Russian troops into the country would also experience destruction and upheaval for a number of years. Into the breach American troops were sent originally for advice only. Again, in 2008 American troops are still committed to try and locate the hideouts and bases of Al Quida terrorists in or near that country. Tribal warfare has long caused difficulty in this region of the world and one of the Afghani groups that are presently "the enemy" are called the Taliban.
Weather was in the news in 2004 with both a series of hurricanes that plagued especially the state of Florida and a Tsunami that hit the coasts of several Indonesian Islands. Several help groups, many based in the United States provided aid of all kinds to the disaster struck areas. Methodism’s own disaster relief program, UMCOR, rushed assistance to these areas. Local churches were quick to replenish some of the assistance that had been stored for such events. There were other natural disasters that would take place both in the United States and abroad. Perhaps one of the disasters most noted in 2005 was the results of Hurricane Katrina that raked the Gulf Coast of Alabama, Mississippi and especially Louisiana. Locally Peoples United Methodist Church became the hub of an UMCOR collection effort for food, cleaning supplies, and school supplies among other items. More on the local effort will be forthcoming in a future edition of the Roots series of articles.
While for many years many folks have warned of Global warming and other destructive environmental practices, it was the former Senator Al Gore in 2006 who helped produce and release a film titled, "An Inconvenient Truth". This film brought to the attention of folks around the world the necessity to work now toward developing a greener, more environmentally friendly, world. The film insisted that if we fail to begin that effort soon, the result would end in increasing catastrophe and destruction of the sustaining of life on this planet. Senator Gore won a Nobel Prize as a result of his efforts in this realm.
What is the legacy of the past century in relationship to where the world and America is today? What must we as people do to preserve the world that we insist that we love? How are we to work, play and associate with people who may be different from ourselves
in the way we look, the way we think, the activities we love and the beliefs we have? Some of what we have brought into this century can and possibly will create more difficulty but there is ample evidence and knowledge that was developed in past history that can, should and will, if we let it, guide us to a more harmonious and peaceful world.
Let us not forget that God above provides us with what we have and have developed. He has given us the power to develop, but he has also given us the power, if we choose to use it, to preserve!
Part 63 The World Enters a New Millenium
Fear seemed to grip the world as a new millennium approached. We were fast becoming a digital world and in what way and how would the year 2000 effect records and the way people were doing things. As the minutes and seconds ticked down to 12:00 Midnight on December 31, 1999 what was going to happen? Other than a few minor glitches it seems that life on this planet went on much as it had for as long as man has been on this earth.
In the few days that followed January 1, 2000 President Bill Clinton became the first President to visit Viet Nam since Richard Nixon had done so in 1969 under much different circumstances. This was also the first year that a Pope, John Paul II had visited Israel since Paul VI had in 1964. It was the one of many trips that this most admired Pope of modern times throughout the world took to talk with political and religious leaders of all different backgrounds. Everywhere the Pope would travel he was greeted by common people of all religious affiliations. It was a gray day indeed for the world when this great Patriarch of the church died in 2005 as a result of declining health and the flu.
In 2001, George W. Bush, the son of a previous President, was narrowly elected to his position over Democratic Senator Al Gore. An era of what some would say was controversial decision making was ushered in brought on by changing mores and morals as well as difficult world situations for the United States and all the other countries of the world. It wasn’t the fault of any single person that controversy arose for it seems that Americans seem to thrive on controversy.
Many of those issues were superseded by a single day of events, the magnitude of which was unlike any other that had ever taken place in the history of the United States. The date, September 11, 2001 was the day when Terrorists hijacked four American commercial jets. The terrorists piloted two of them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York killing thousands in the building and bringing the towers down in a pile of rubble all in a matter of minutes. Shortly after that a third plane was flown into the Pentagon in Washngton, DC. The fourth plane was to fly into the Washington area as well, but because of some extremely brave folks on this doomed plane it was retaken and crashed with all lives lost in a Pennsylvania grain field. The Portland area’s connection to this day of modern infamy as one team of hijackers began their flight to New York on a flight out of Portland.
Patriotism and support for America was at a high. Flags flew everywhere. Support for the troops who were to fight against terrorists within and without the country was at an all time high. Recruiting for military service also increased. Memorials were erected for the fallen and both fire departments and police received encouragement and blessings from people of the country as well as other countries. "God Bless America" became a second national anthem and both "America" and "America the Beautiful" joined the "National Anthem" in all sorts of group events. Prayer was for a time encouraged in any sort of gathering, not just in a church, a synagogue or a mosque. While many had lost their lives and the nation mourned their loss it was also a time when Americans felt good to be Americans and were supportive of each other. There were instances of where attacks on some Americans took place because of the belief that because someone professed in a particular religion that they had a connection with the terrorists. As time has passed most Americans are of the belief that is not so and attempts at interfaith dialogue has increased.
Involvement in the affairs of both Iraq and Afghanistan increased by 2003. An offensive was launched against Sadam Hussein and his administration because the American government felt he was developing and storing Weapons of Mass Destruction. Within the year Sadam was captured and put in prison. Later he was executed and one would think that some form of peace would be restored. No weapons of the type mentioned were ever found, but certainly the record of people being put to death by Hussein’s regime could easily be noted. What was thought to be a quick end to Iraqi problems was not so and even at this writing in 2008 the difficulties linger on. Afghanistan, a country whose serenity had been broken by the movement of Russian troops into the country would also experience destruction and upheaval for a number of years. Into the breach American troops were sent originally for advice only. Again, in 2008 American troops are still committed to try and locate the hideouts and bases of Al Quida terrorists in or near that country. Tribal warfare has long caused difficulty in this region of the world and one of the Afghani groups that are presently "the enemy" are called the Taliban.
Weather was in the news in 2004 with both a series of hurricanes that plagued especially the state of Florida and a Tsunami that hit the coasts of several Indonesian Islands. Several help groups, many based in the United States provided aid of all kinds to the disaster struck areas. Methodism’s own disaster relief program, UMCOR, rushed assistance to these areas. Local churches were quick to replenish some of the assistance that had been stored for such events. There were other natural disasters that would take place both in the United States and abroad. Perhaps one of the disasters most noted in 2005 was the results of Hurricane Katrina that raked the Gulf Coast of Alabama, Mississippi and especially Louisiana. Locally Peoples United Methodist Church became the hub of an UMCOR collection effort for food, cleaning supplies, and school supplies among other items. More on the local effort will be forthcoming in a future edition of the Roots series of articles.
While for many years many folks have warned of Global warming and other destructive environmental practices, it was the former Senator Al Gore in 2006 who helped produce and release a film titled, "An Inconvenient Truth". This film brought to the attention of folks around the world the necessity to work now toward developing a greener, more environmentally friendly, world. The film insisted that if we fail to begin that effort soon, the result would end in increasing catastrophe and destruction of the sustaining of life on this planet. Senator Gore won a Nobel Prize as a result of his efforts in this realm.
What is the legacy of the past century in relationship to where the world and America is today? What must we as people do to preserve the world that we insist that we love? How are we to work, play and associate with people who may be different from ourselves
in the way we look, the way we think, the activities we love and the beliefs we have? Some of what we have brought into this century can and possibly will create more difficulty but there is ample evidence and knowledge that was developed in past history that can, should and will, if we let it, guide us to a more harmonious and peaceful world.
Let us not forget that God above provides us with what we have and have developed. He has given us the power to develop, but he has also given us the power, if we choose to use it, to preserve!
posted by Arthur Tordoff | 4:39 AM
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