THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 2001

 This was a year that began with a focus on dimpled chads in Florida and ended with a focus on a maze of caves in Afghanistan.  As the year began, people openly wondered how long our nation’s experiment in democracy can continue.  As the year ended, people of all colors and vocations proudly displayed the stars and stripes, and declared in unison, “United We Stand.”

This was the year that Bill Clinton stepped aside--finally--with the swearing in of George W. Bush as our 43rd President.  Our new President’s first major challenge was an economic slump, after an unprecedented ten years of economic expansion.  His response was to introduce the largest tax cut ever, the first tax cut in a generation.  Along with Alan Greenspan’s eleven interest rate reductions in a year, it seemed we might avoid a full blown recession.

Then came September 11.  Inspired by Osama bin Ladan, al-Qaeda terrorists aimed passenger jets into the twin towers of the World Trade Center and into the Pentagon.  The attack killed over 3000 people from some 60 nations, and sent a shock wave of layoffs through the airline industry and beyond. Assembling an international coalition, President Bush led the world in an attack on the Taliban in the mountains of Afghanistan, and executive ordered military tribunals for terrorists at home. Meanwhile anthrax took the lives of five Americans, and mobilized our home security.  So this is what it takes for America to realize, and publicly admit, that we need God.

This was the year that Republican Senator jumpin Jim Jeffords became an independent, resulting in a mid-term change in Senate leadership.  And in the House, Congressman Gary Condit tried to appear innocent in the disappearance of intern Shandra Levy.  Oklahoma City terrorist, Timothy McVeigh was executed; the Peruvian Air Force shot down a missionary plane; the United States Navy rammed and sank a Japanese fishing boat; the first mechanical heart was successfully implanted; and Advanced Cell Technologies announced they had created a human clone.

This was the year that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone made it big in Hollywood’s biggest box office hit ever.  George Harrison of the Beatles died of cancer; Tiger Woods won the Masters, holding an unprecedented four major titles at once; Barry Bonds hit 73 home runs; Milwaukee Brewer batters struck out a Major League team record 1399 times; Michael Jordan returned to the NBA; the Milwaukee Bucks made it to within one game of the NBA finals; the Shoebox Scandal rocked the UW Madison basketball and football seasons; and after a one year delay, Miller Park opened up, and County Stadium tumbled down.

Closer to home, the Interstate gateway to Oostburg was widened and lined with trees; and the first buildings were constructed in the Oostburg industrial park.

As a church family, we bought a Grand Piano, and approved a part time Youth Ministries Coordinator position.  We witnessed the baptism of 11 infants, 8 professions of faith including 1 adult baptism, and 7 marriages, while we mourned the death of 5 members of the First CRC family.  This was the year of our Lord, 2001.