Kindlings Winterfest highlights rebels of the Christian faith

When Dick Staub was a student at Berkeley, there was one man who helped him understand his faith: reverend Earl Palmer.

By Colleen Smith • January 26, 2011 2:30 pm
Photo courtesy John Keatley
Photo courtesy John Keatley

When Dick Staub was a student at Berkeley, there was one man who helped him understand his faith: reverend Earl Palmer.

“Earl was the first guy who made intellectual sense of the Christian faith,” said Staub, who is a pastor at Orcas Island Community Church.

Palmer is the featured lecturer at the winter version of Kindlingsfest, a summer event organized by Staub that brings renowned writers, artists, and musicians to Orcas Island.

Kindlings Winterfest, Feb. 11-13, is a joint venture between the community church and Staub’s group “Kindlings,” a grassroots movement that hosts a Web site (www.thekindlings.com) and podcasts.

Winterfest a very scaled down, lecture only version of KindlingsFest.

“We wanted to host a winter event that would bring visitors to the island,” Staub said.

He is expecting close to 150 off-island participants – locals are highly encouraged to attend as well.

Rev. Palmer is a pastor, scholar, and master of textual exposition. He is a graduate of University of California Berkeley and Princeton Theological Seminary. His ministry has taken him to The International Church in Manila, Berkeley Presbyterian, University Presbyterian in Seattle and the National Presbyterian Church in Washington D.C.

The four-part lectures is centered around individuals that Staub calls “defiant rebels of the Christian faith.”

On Friday, Feb. 11, Palmer will present “Karl Barth Act and Being Are Inseparable (From Dogmatics in Outline)” at 7 p.m.

On Saturday, Feb. 12 at 10 a.m., he will offer “Chesterton Good News is both Heavy and Light (From Orthodoxy). At 7 p.m., he is presenting “Dorothy Sayers, The Bible Can Be Trusted, Faithful Dogma and Exciting Drama (From The Whimsical Christian).”

The series will finish on Sunday, Feb. 13 with “CS Lewis The Oldest Truth Makes the Most Sense In The Newest Place (From (Miracles)” at 9 and 10:30 a.m.

All lectures will take place at Orcas Island Community Church at 176 Madrona Street. All lectures are free; sign up at www.thekindlings.com.

Staub has maintained a close friendship with Palmer. He is also a regular on the “Earl Palmer Show” at the University of Washington.

“Earl is a man with a warm pastor’s heart and a keen intellect,” Staub said.