FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF CCA-USA

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We welcome our new members! After receiving input about raising our lifetime membership to $175.00, it seems to be a good price. We need to also remember that it costs more for postage when it comes from the UK.

The pastor at my Mom’s church talked about how all animals praise the Lord. ‘Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Alleluia’ (Psalm 150:6). How can we ‘let’ everything praise the Lord? At the conference last June, Judy Carman brought a tape of crickets ‘praising the Lord’. The tape was slowed down and the crickets actually sounded like angels singing a most holy song to their Creator! It was truly amazing. There is a world we’ve yet to listen to!

We can all do something to help animals ‘praise the Lord’. We are their caregivers, whether the animals are domestic, farmed or in the wild. We need each other in this work. A member recently wrote a letter to the Pope (in German) about our relationship with animals, and a committee member helped write a Proposition in Arizona (which was passed) to give confined farm animals more room.

Lent and Easter is upon us once again, when we examine our consciences and celebrate Jesus’ resurrection and our new life in Him. Is God really pleased with our celebrations? Are the traditions such as buying eggs to color necessary? Are we supporting animal cruelty? Can we celebrate new life by letting ‘everything that has breath praise the Lord’? We can apply what St Paul wrote to the Corinthians to guide our daily decisions: ‘So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God ... just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved’(1Cor 10:31,33). We can, by our actions, allow animals to praise the Lord and give life to people. May God be glorified in us, the Body of Christ.

Jan Fredericks

P.S. The DVD ‘Christian Concern for All God’s Creatures’ is available for $15.00. Debbie, our Editor, is in it (among several others) and I believe speaks for us all. When you read this, the DVD will have been sent to some bishops and seminaries. It’s great to give to pastors, youth group leaders and adult education teachers. It has many questions for discussion and research.

[Jan has worked very hard on this DVD and it would be good to support her by buying as many copies as possible and distributing them widely, Editor]