Last week I found the press release below in the local media. I've omitted the true identities by substituting "Company XYZ" along with other particulars so as not to single out any one person or organization.

Actually, this is a story about us all. And, I mean, the folks back of this effort are surely good-hearted and downright sweet, but... well, read on...

Since I was 17 or 18, I've spent almost every New Year's Eve in church at what we in the African American Church refer to as Watch Night Service. My father, who was also a pastor, introduced me to it (we never had it at my grandfather's church).

I've always found it fascinating and refreshing. It was a tradition that I continued when I became a pastor, eventually holding joint services with him and alternating sites between his church and mine. While there are varying explanations for the origin of the Watch Night tradition, the history is pretty interesting.

"The Watch Night Services in the Black communities we celebrate today can be traced back to gatherings on December 31, 1862, also known as 'Freedom's Eve.' On that night, Blacks came together in churches and private homes all across the nation, anxiously awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation actually had become law. Then, at the stroke of midnight, it was January 1, 1863, and all slaves in the Confederate States were declared legally free. When the news was received, there were prayers, shouts and songs of joy as people fell to their knees and thanked God. Black folks have gathered in churches annually on New Year's Eve ever since, praising God for bringing us safely through another year."

The Urban Institute released six new reports on the current recession and various aspects of any recovery we might anticipate. Consider these "facts and forecasts" from their analysis...

Visionary leadership should anticipate the rebound of the economy and prepare to take advantage of any proposed stimulus that will allow public projects that strengthen our city's economic stability. Why are we talking about or thinking about anything else?

I am almost always optimistic when facing a new year. But its no surprise we face tremendous challenges as we look forward to 2009.

Last year more than 36 million people were classified as food insecure. That means that these were 36 million people whose economic condition was such that they had to resort to skipping meals. For our math wizards out there that's more than 10% of the country. That figure includes 690,000 children and 780,000 seniors. If our experience at Central Dallas Ministries is any indication, no one rushes proudly to announce themselves as a part of this demographic. Nor are there statistically a significant number of people who are so iniquitous as to try and fraudulently be included in this number to get food for their families. I think its safe to say that the numbers have some meaning.

That was last year. The New York Times reports that this year, in September, more than 31 million people (a million more than last year) filed for food stamps. The reason for the increase?

In the past two days US backed Israeli bombs have killed more 300 people, injuring 900 in Gaza, where the humanitarian crisis was already building because of a blockade which has prevented food, cooking gas, and medical supplies from entering Gaza. This is a city of 1.5 million people and these bombs are paid for with US tax dollars. 56% of the population of Gaza are children.

The Bush administration’s response to this violence is inadequate. The US funds the Israeli military (last year alone, $2.5 billion) and is therefore complicit in this violence. We must demand a change in US foreign policy. Please read on for analysis by middle east policy expert Phyllis Bennis for analysis of the current crisis:

On December 10, 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The following 48 countries voted in favour of the Declaration: Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Thailand, Sweden, Syria, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela. Eight abstained (all Soviet Bloc states [i.e., Byelorussia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Ukraine, The USSR and Yugoslavia], South Africa, and Saudi Arabia).

Think you'd like to have a copy of Food For Thought: The 1st Annual Central Dallas Ministries Family Cookbook? I've got a free copy of this great collection of recipes to the first person who emails me asking for it at ljames@CentralDallasMinistries.org. Be sure and provide your complete mailing address and I'll be sure to get it out to you right after the first of the year.

Speaking of recipes. Here's one for the Dallas Cowboys...

Dana Jennings is a New York Times editor and writer who is chronicling his battle with prostate cancer.

It is a honest, challenging account of the fear, doubt and uncertainty that men face when living with this disease and going through treatment.

What Dana says about the fears and discoveries of new strength through the support of family, friends and even medical professionals is both refreshing and sobering.

It is a strange text, but then, there are many in the Hebrew Bible's first entry. Genesis, or "beginnings," seeks to introduce us to some of the first people on earth.

Reading from my new copy of The Poverty and Justice Bible, I came across it all marked up in bright orange:

Lamech said, "I'll name him Noah because he will give us comfort, as we struggle hard to make a living on this land that the Lord has put under a curse. (Genesis 5:29)

Dallas County's first African-American District Attorney Craig Watkins has been selected as the Dallas Morning News' Texan of the Year. This is significant recognition, not only for D.A. Watkins' attempts to provide the County with a professional and trustworthy prosecutorial office, but his pursuit of justice which has led to the exoneration of 19 men, wrongly convicted and incarcerated.

In November, my monthly column in DMN detailed the reasons I thought he was worthy of the recognition and I'm glad the editorial board of the News agreed!

On December 17, Robert Redford joined members of Congress and a coalition of environmental, preservation and business groups in an effort to stop the Bureau of Land Management from auctioning Utah wilderness to oil and gas companies. The attempt failed.

On Dec. 22, Tim DeChristopher an economics student at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City had just finished his last final exam before winter break. One of the exam questions was: If the oil and gas companies are the only ones who bid on public lands, are the true costs of oil and gas exploitation reflected in the prices paid? This question drove DeChristopher to quickly finish the exam; then head off on an inspired mission to the highly contested Bureau of Land Management land auction that was being touted as “the Bush administration’s last great gift to the oil and gas industry,” by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

Rather than opting to join the typical protest being held outside, DeChristopher registered as a bidder; then successfully proceeded to bid on and win 22,000 acres of public land located near the Arches and Canyonlands, National Parks and Dinosaur National Monument, and other pristine areas with a price tag totaling more than $1.7 million.

So, last Saturday evening, Texas Stadium hosted its last regular season NFL Football game involving the Dallas Cowboys. Hard core fans held out hope that there would be future games during the playoffs, but after the loss to Baltimore, any chance for future home field advantage evaporated. This game saw the final curtain drop on the historic stadium.

ESPN invited Dallas sportswriter and legend, Frank Luksa rank the Top 10 greatest moments in the history of the stadium that involved the Dallas Cowboys.

"Men can starve from a lack of self realization as much as they can from a lack of bread."

Richard Wright, Author, 1908 - 1960

I just got word that another friend from my youth died. I don't know the cause or when the funeral is, but I have found out as I get older, that news like this comes with increasing regularity.

Eventually, news like this comes not as an announcement, but more like a personal message. It drives home increasingly the vulnerability and brevity of life. We don't all get to be old men and women and we are not all destined for rocking chairs and retirement homes.

Ironically, this yule tide season carries with it its own message.

First let me wish you a very Happy Merry Mistletoe and other such things! If you're looking for a family escape by pretending to read the blogs today, or write blogs, or pretend to do work as a means of ignoring that same story about the odd shaped moles on your relatives, then I'm happy to provide some interesting factoids along with your eggnog.

Now that the election is over I can go back to doing things that require more reading, like books. So I finally picked up The Fall of the Evangelical Nation: The Surprising Crisis Inside the Church by Christine Wicker, an x-evangelical who discovered she'd been duped.

One thing you see 'round these parts of America are megachurches. You know, those giant buildings filled with pristine carpet and that always smell like new construction and chlorine. Driving south on the 35 from Kansas City into Oklahoma City, I'm always faced with what I lovingly refer to as the big-damn-cross, displaying the perfect marriage of Jesus and an one of the wealthiest cities in Oklahoma displaying their support of another excessively wealthy church.

According to Wicker, while these churches are flourishing under such wealth and power, their pews and/er stadium seats are increasingly empty.

It is a very good question, and more than worthy of our reflection.

Over the years I've come to the conclusion that grappling with this question is especially important as we consider both our own understandings of this person named Jesus and, even more so, as we consider how he is to be understood by our children (the next generation).

Moreover, the answer to this question will be extremely important to those of us who are concerned for the health. well-being and just development of our communities. Of course, I realize that not everyone who works in the arena of community development comes at the task from a faith perspective.

"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

When I heard about the Madoff scandal, I was irritated. It bothers me that people are so greedy. It bothers me that our capitalistic society has driven people to "capitalizing" in order to benefit themselves. It bothers me that we take so much pride in this capitalization.

My dad asked me if I knew of anyone who had lost money and was hurt due to Madoff. (I assume he was asking about wealthy people.) At this point, as far as I know, no one I know invested with Madoff and our non-profit was not affected by that... as far as I know. But as I was driving home last night, I heard something very troubling. Dallas County's Innocence Project has been affected by his panzi scheme.

Anyway, with the economy six feet under and Christmas running on about three and a half reindeer, it's nice to know that one of the best presents you can give is still absolutely free.

Hope.