MLK 2018
There are many good reasons to have a national holiday to honor the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. As a clarion voice in a time of civil revolution, he shaped our conversations around race and justice. As a political activist, he promoted a nonviolent approach to protest and forced action by those who were in power. As a speaker, he painted with his words a wondrous…
A Christmas Thank You
Yesterday was a busy day. The choir led the 11am worship service with the Christmas Cantata they’ve been working on for months. We assembled later to share a meal together and to be amused and touched and lifted by the Pageant put on by our young people (and some very patient volunteers). It was a great day, and I bet if you were there you enjoyed it all, too. But if…
Peace on Earth, Can It Be?
Since we’re talking a lot about music this Advent season, let me mention one of my personal favorite songs of the season. A few years ago, someone mentioned in jest a duet of Bing Crosby and David Bowie singing a version of Little Drummer Boy. Initially, I laughed because in what version of history would that ever happen? It turns out that it’s this version of history…
Another…
I probably ought to just write an article about the new sermon series. Or I could write something about Advent coming up. But I’m not going to. On Sunday, a church, First Baptist Church, in Sutherland Springs, Texas was attacked by a young man with a high-powered, semiautomatic, assault-style rifle. At least 26 people are dead. They were in worship, just like we were on…
Dressing Up
I’ve spoken before of my fondness for Halloween. It’s a Christian holiday at its core – connected to All Saints’ Day when we remember our sisters and brothers who have passed beyond the veil before us. I will be speaking about that subject more this Sunday. But for this article, since we’re all friends here, I thought it might be fun to consider the more commonplace…
Pumpkins
The pumpkins are here! That phrase can encapsulate a variety of emotions. For the community, I think it’s a wonderful sign that Fall is here which means the leaves will start to change, the weather will cool off, and some holidays are approaching. For us in the church, it can mean a lot of work. There’s the unloading, which is no small feat. Many thanks to all who helped…
Moses: A Life Lived with God
Moses is a powerful figure in our Scriptures. He’s a prototype, in many respects. He’s the model leader, an agent of God’s will in human history, and the original prophet. There are traits, as I spoke of Sunday, that he got from somewhere, handed down in his family tree, yet Moses is special. His life is the example of a Life Lived with God. I wanted to spend some time…
We’ve Got a Problem
Last Sunday I was speaking about the dangers of locking ourselves away in our own little Christian world. I’ve heard some call it a “Christian bubble” and that’s as good a term as any. We may feel safe there, and you might argue that we are, but our mission is not safety. Our mission is goodness. Jesus called his followers the salt of the earth, the light of the world.…
Summertime
There’s a lot happening this summer and all of it shows up in various announcements and whatnot, but I’d like to tell you about it this way. First, Vacation Bible School approaches. VBS is an interesting phenomenon in church. It’s a time when we lay down all of our usual manners and formalities and we intentionally gear everything toward the next generation. To put in…
We Need Both
I’ve never experienced Holy Humor Sunday before. I liked it! For me, the beauty in the liturgical year, following the seasons in the Church calendar, is in the balance. The darkness and anticipation of Advent is met in the brightness of Christmas and the fulfillment of Epiphany. Likewise, the somber fasting of Lent gives way to the joyous abundance of Eastertide. Holy…