Monthly Archives: May 2022

   I grew up in North Central Florida, near Gainesville.  The terrain there is flat.  Very flat.  As a child and teenager, I grew up longing to live in the mountains.  So, for college, I moved to Shawnee, Oklahoma…which also … Continue reading →

This is one of those passages we’re supposed to read metaphorically, right?   Jesus didn’t really mean to turn the other cheek when someone strikes us, did he?  He didn’t mean that when someone takes our coat we should actually … Continue reading →

So…hi.  How good it is to be gathered this morning…just worshiping together…you not checking me out….me not checking you out…  Isn’t that nice? Who are we kidding?  Of course, we’re checking each other out…because the relationship between a pastor and … Continue reading →

Scripture is full of call stories.  When God has ideas for bringing healing to the world, who’s God gonna call?  No.  Not those guys.  Or women.  God’s gonna call some human beings. In the 6th century BCE, the people of … Continue reading →

The last couple of weeks, we’ve spent time with the troubled church at Corinth.  Though they “had all things in common” and were trying as hard as they could to create beloved community, they’d lost their way.  Some spiritual gifts–and … Continue reading →

I know.  Potato Heads to illustrate Paul’s letter to the Corinthians?  That’s a child’s toy!  It kind of makes sense, though, when you think about what Paul was trying to communicate to the divided church at Corinth. The church had … Continue reading →

In an essay titled, America is Falling Apart at the Seams, New York Times columnist David Brooks worries over the sharp decline in civility in our country.  Wreckless driving is on the rise.  Instances of violence on airplane flights are … Continue reading →

There’s a new trend in Italy:  de-baptism.  By the time they reach young adulthood, many people who grew up in the Catholic Church are ready to leave.  In September 2019, 25 year old Mattia Nanetti had reached that point.  He … Continue reading →

Whew!  We made it to 2022!  Remember where we were this time last year?  At home.  Unvaccinated.  Working to stay connected as a community without meeting together.    Last year, you received your star words by mail.  In this relatively new … Continue reading →

Will it still be Christmas?  If all the things we’ve ever believed about Christmas turn out not actually to have happened?  Are we having Christmas here tonight?  Or are we simply going through the motions? The answer is…yes.  Yes, we … Continue reading →