A group of our members will be confirming their faith in worship on October 3, and during that celebration, each of them will be asked to respond “yes” to reaffirm the three questions of baptism. In baptism and confirmation, we first say “yes” to turning away from sin, then “yes” to the lordship and salvationContinue reading “Do You Reject Sin and Evil?”
Author Archives: First Presbyterian Church
King of the Road
Oskar Schell is the lead character in Jonathan Foer’s novel, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. The 9-year-old boy’s father has just been killed in the 9/11 terrorist attack, and Oskar is understandably heartbroken over losing his dad. In the days after the attack, Oskar is poking around his father’s closet and discovers a small keyContinue reading “King of the Road”
Like Glass Before God
The very thought of being known for who you really and truly are as a person cuts like a double-edged sword of bane and blessing. On the one hand, 94 percent of respondents to a recent poll agreed with the statement, “Nobody really knows me.” While some folks might take clandestine comfort in such anonymity,Continue reading “Like Glass Before God”
From the Pastor: Leaving the Nest, and Learning to Fly
Two years have passed since Julie and I sent our oldest child off to college. So last week , when it came time to send No. 2 down the same path, I expected letting go and saying goodbye would be easier this time around. But it wasn’t.
Thirsty for God
Last week found me living the bachelor life. My wife and sons were out at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake to attend Synod School, the annual educational and fellowship gathering of Midwest Presbyterians. Alone at home, I felt no need to prepare any meals from scratch. The refrigerator held scads of leftovers, so IContinue reading “Thirsty for God”
In Perfect Harmony
Native Americans of the Cherokee Nation tell a story called “The Wolves Within.” In it, a grandfather tells his grandson, “A fight is going on inside me. It’s a terrible fight between two wolves. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority andContinue reading “In Perfect Harmony”
When Wounds Are Deep
When heartbreak and tragedy strike our lives, the pages of Scripture come alive with fresh meaning and new power. The Bible tells the story of God’s interaction with God’s people, and that story is rife with heartbreak and tragedy: Slavery in Egypt, wandering and grumbling in the wilderness, life under the jackboots of depraved andContinue reading “When Wounds Are Deep”
Walking a Tightrope
It’s mighty tempting to forget that God rules the world and we do not. Instead of praising God and giving thanks to the Lord for the merciful, loving order that he brings to Creation, human inclination – more often than not – is to pat ourselves on the back for being so great, and toContinue reading “Walking a Tightrope”
Funeral meditation: What’s in a Name?
One of the occupational hazards of being a pastor is sometimes only getting to “meet” people in death. And so it goes with Kenny and me. Due to his death, I’m just now coming to know who Kenny was and what he was all about. And that saddens me. Because I’ve come to realize something that all of you already know: Kenny was one mighty special guy who made a difference in the lives of many others.
A Raw Deal
In January of 2004, the carcass of a dead, 56-foot-long whale washed up on a beach along the southwestern coast of Taiwan. The decaying remains lay on the sand for two weeks until authorities finally decided to haul the dead whale to a lab for an autopsy. According to news reports, it took 50 workersContinue reading “A Raw Deal”