The feelings and emotions that change stirs in your heart and mind are expected and understandable. You’re sad, anxious; disappointed, angry. Change challenges truths and understandings once regarded as absolute and unquestionable. Long-held assumptions start to feel flimsy and paper-thin. Time-honored bedrock suddenly feels like all-enveloping quicksand. Like it or not – mostly not, you’veContinue reading “Connecting the Dots”
Category Archives: Sermons
Sing Along with Moses
When your mind’s made up, you don’t often change it, because, well, change is hard. Our history as individuals and communities proves the point. Yet look back even a mere handful of decades in our lived experience to discover that certain beliefs are changeable and attitudes do change: Many for the better, others not soContinue reading “Sing Along with Moses”
Wet Feet
Advent is a season of new beginnings, and Scripture is inviting us to see ourselves in two particular biblical stories of new beginnings – both tales briming with hopeful expectation and debilitating fear. In last Sunday’s opening scene of Luke’s Gospel, an angel surprises a faithful priest, Zechariah, with word that he and his wife,Continue reading “Wet Feet”
Not Now, Not Yet
One of Scripture’s many blessings comes its invitation to see ourselves in its story. With the insight of the Holy Spirit, you see yourself in a character, living in a community, having a conversation with another. Maybe even with the Lord himself! The poetry of ancient psalms lifts your heart to God in praise andContinue reading “Not Now, Not Yet”
A Voter’s Guide
Uncomfortable as it often is, naming the elephant in the room can be a risk both faithful and fruitful. I thus climb out on the limb of preaching to bring you a Word about Tuesday’s election – a voter’s guide, if you will. Please know that I share from the heart of a pastor notContinue reading “A Voter’s Guide”
Hang in There, Parents
So apparently, being a parent is hazardous to your health. A few weeks ago, the U.S. surgeon general declared the ailing mental health of parents be an urgent public health issue. “Being a dad is the toughest and most rewarding job I’ve ever had,” Dr. Vivek Murthy wrote in his health advisory to the nation.Continue reading “Hang in There, Parents”
An Oily Beard
During his 1860 run for the White House, then-candidate Abraham Lincoln received a letter from an 11-year-old girl that some believe helped get him elected president. As the tale is told, the girl urged Mr. Lincoln to grow a beard because she surmised that whiskers would hide the drab homeliness of his face and improveContinue reading “An Oily Beard”
He Said What?
In the lead-up to this morning’s Scripture lesson, the Gospel of John records Jesus likening himself to bread and telling people to eat his flesh and drink his blood. The Lord’s graphic language is turning some people off. Anything that smacks of cannibalism tends to do that. We’ll shortly learn that some of the Lord’sContinue reading “He Said What?”
There Was a Wedding …
There was a wedding, in Cana of Galilee. Jesus and his chums were on the guest list. Being average men, I tend to think that – under their breath, in low, grumbly tones – the apostles were muttering in complaint, “Oh great! We have to go to a wedding.” Let’s be honest guys, few ofContinue reading “There Was a Wedding …”
Good Kids
The anguished conversations all begin with an eerily similar lament from a heartbroken parent: “Tyler (or Natalie) used to be such a good kid. I just don’t know what went wrong.” It’s a new era for parents and their young adult children. The baton-pass from one generation to the next is taking longer than itContinue reading “Good Kids”