This was the existential question that haunted my middle-school days. Every morning, as I stepped onto the bus, I braced myself: Who was going to punch me in the arm for no reason? What will I do if a group of boys circle me and grab my backpack and start tossing it around so I … read
During this Advent, who or what needs a “yes” from you? How might your “yes” change things beyond you? Sometimes you hear the same story again and again, but then one day, it strikes you in a different way. That’s what happened to me as I read the scripture for today. Though I’ve always before … read
It is my hope that this sermon will serve as an invitation to you to experience, or consider, or maybe even enjoy the season of Advent. So… To pretend to have a sense of Elizabeth and Zechariah’s world, we’re going to try a little experiment and observe 30 seconds of silence—or as much silence as … read
There is a lot of humor to be found in the end of world—just ask cartoonists or writers of sitcoms. Maybe we find humor because it’s so ridiculous to think that anyone can predict when the world will end. Or maybe it’s more of a gallows humor—so much is crashing down around us that we … read
What will you leave behind after you finish your earthly life? On this Sabbath when we observe our All Saints Remembrance, we’re going to look at the idea of how our faith shapes our legacy, what we leave after we go, and what those who follow us will receive as an ongoing gift from us. … read
One of the many wonderful things you all as congregation do for us pastors is give us study leave, time away from e-mails and phone calls and meetings so that we can delve into something without the usual things buzzing around us. Last week while on study leave I had the opportunity to delve into … read