On the social media site Tik Tok right now, there’s a burning question going around: how often do you think about the Roman Empire? Men are asked the question by their partners, who are amused to learn that their man thinks about the Roman Empire several times a week, if not every day. When I … read
Good morning, Westminster Presbyterian Church! Since I have the floor, I want to begin by thanking everyone for your support of the work I’ve been doing in a remote corner of Ethiopia where my parents went under the United Presbyterian Church when I was five years old. I went back five years ago and started … read
People really do not like this parable! It flies in the face of everything we think is fair; it negates our belief that hard work pays off; it convicts us with that last line “…are you envious because I am generous?” If Frederick Buechner and Lindsey are right, and parables are like jokes that Jesus … read
Our text picks up where we left off last week, so I want to give you additional context for where we were in worship last week, too. You all did an excellent job welcoming me with a thoughtful litany, since my full-time contract started this month; thank you for that. However, if you were here … read
An oyster makes a pearl because some sort of irritant has entered the shell, so that irritant must be covered with nacre, that luminous coating that we string into necklaces. A child enters the world only through the painful contraction of muscles and the expulsion from the comforting, safe waters of the womb into a … read
“Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” Earlier in June, Westminster took some of our high schoolers and went to S.L.A.M. Trips, run by and hosted by an indigenous organization on the Yakama Reservation. The goal was explicitly to learn from Native folks and reverse … read