The Blog: Ministry, Music, Media
Peace Around the Planet posted on September 21, 2009
Today is the United Nations, Million Minutes for Peace, project.
At 12 noon, people all over the planet will take a minute to pray for peace, We at Common Good Radio invite you to join them. We have partnered with our friends at Odyssey Networks to bring you this peaceful message of peace, love and prayer.
Music: We play music to support the prayer of peace in our programming everyday and every night. As an example, Listen for Peter Brogg’s song, Peace and Love, and Linda Arnold with, Find a Peaceful Thought.
Talk with your children about what peace means to you. Even better, sing and pray with them about how your faith invites you to a way of life that speaks, peace.
Blessings for the common good,
Pastor Robin
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Media in Your Children’s School? posted on September 13, 2009
School’s in session for most the children in your life and I wonder if you could comment on what media is used to teach them in the classroom and communicate with you at home or work? 
I did a quick search for media in elementary schools and found this website on the top of the list. The Rose Tree Media school district in Pennsylvania has Media Elementary School! And, it has a pretty nice website. Is your school district like this one?
Is the media your school district uses effective and useful to you?
Music: listen for songs that will help your children think about how they communicate with you and one another, like, Alunde and the Story of Ono by Sweet Honey in the Rock, I Want To Be More Like You by Sing-a-Long Praise.
Looking forward to your comments or emails,
with blessings for the common good,
Pastor Robin
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Remembering a Reason to Hope posted on September 11, 2009
It might be difficult to remember a reason to hope on a day that remembers the violence of an attack on the US World Trade Center in NYC, and the Pentagon outside of Washington, DC.
People of faith, what will you tell the children?
How will you explain all the media coverage, the pictures of crashing planes and burning buildings 
with the implicit understanding that people were in the buildings and on the planes who died? Does forgiveness enter the picture in your head or heart, at all? Ask yourself if the media you are watching reflects your values of forgiveness, reconciliation and peace?
In order to model to the children what forgiveness is do you have to be able demonstrate, articulate and live into the power of it? For some, the task is easier than others whether they have been through loss, war, violence or other circumstance that made the journey a real part of their world and prayer. For others, it will be new. Have you asked to be forgiven for that which you knew what a mistake you made?
Forgiveness is important for many reasons, not the least of which that we may move into loving living. This is to say, we are called by the God of creation to be the presence of love and hope by our presence, prayer and actions. There is much more to say on this topic (and we will get into it) but for now as your remember where you were 8 years ago and pray for all those who lost their lives, pray also that violence like this, will end in the name of love.
Music: Listen for Christopher Ames, PIctures of Us, as he speaks of love in his family. Also, songs of hope to help us remember that we live on, in the music of Jars of Clay, Love Song for A Savior.
Blessings for the Common Good,
Pastor Robin
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President Obama talks to the kids posted on September 7, 2009
I have been watching with interest the passion people have been sharing over President Obama’s upcoming chat with school children this week. I have actually been sort of stunned.
Can it be okay for the President to address children? 
There are quite a few opinions darting around about the subject. After you have read one or two, let us know where you stand on whether or not the President of the United States should be able to speak to, have something to share with, the children of the country.
Music: To have a conversation about respect, listen for: Freddie MacGregor’s, Black and White, and Global Praise, Put Your Arms Around the World.
Is there a way to be respectful and not agree all the time? What is civil discourse? How do we explain to the children what peaceful disagreement might be between folks who visit different ideas? Can we have passionate feelings and logical thoughts in the same arguments? Do you find the press/media is exaggerating the President’s intention? How to explain all this to the children?
I look forward to hearing from you!
blessings for the common good,
Pastor Robin
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Whitney Houston sings again posted on September 2, 2009
Lot’s of press and hoopla-la over the new Whitney Houston CD, I Look To You.
This is not a review of the project - just a look at what press can do to spin ideas around in our heads as we reject or support media’s offering.
I wonder what you think of the singer’s voice? 
I have enjoyed her music since the mid-80’s and was sad that her life seemed to hurt her. There is press on her upcoming interview with Oprah Winfrey where she talks about drug addiction, divorce, motherhood etc., and I wonder if that matters to you in the enjoyment of her music?
I do not know her personally and have never met her family. I do know many folks who have struggled and suffered with divorce in their families. I do not understand what it is like to be in possession of millions of dollars and the weight of what that is, get a big, public divorce and find ways to cope, raise a child and live a life in this context. Ms. Houston says her faith and the love and support of her family brings her to her music and fans, once again. I wonder how much we need to know about her life, in order to enjoy her gift of song interpretation? The lines become blurry - because the partial stories of folks who trade privacy for public celebrity and use that to sell product, become commonplace in our media culture.
And so I witness how tied we are to the artists who bring us the music that helps express our love, fear, concern, sorrow, faith and joy. I can have compassionate appreciation for any person who brings excellence in art, especially music - but how much do you want to know on the surface of the backstory? Can they just bring the art or do we crave this other stuff about the private life of an artist? And, what does that stuff you learn about an artist, mean to you?
In our Faith Parenting podcast this week, Rev. Dr. Roland Martinson talks about his mother and how important she was in shaping his view of the world and the faith he was called to live into. Is this a reality of your parenting? In the press on Ms. Houston’s release, her daughter and mother play a role in this new CD release that this love of God and family saved her life.
Are you loving today in a way that will save a life, someday?
blessings for the common good,
Pastor Robin
