Sunday 5/20 Had an okay worship: preached on Pentecost with a German + audience participation rendering of the scripture. Lots of people away. Welcomed Jennifer Beeks (Family Community Resource Center Director at Orchards Elementary School) to speak at our potluck. Shared about her work and the kids that will be coming to us through Project Transformation. I am amazed at the work FCRCs do and … Continue reading This Week in Ministry
or What the Council of Jerusalem can tell us about General Conference 2019. Introduction After Easter, I’ve been exploring Acts with my congregation. The concept was ‘let’s see what people did with the news that Jesus rose from the dead’. The second understanding was that Pentecost gave the Holy Spirit-the fiery courage to take the gospel to all the world, but the resurrection of Jesus … Continue reading Council of St. Louis?
The best part of my work week was spending 40 minutes with a principal in my church’s school district. Her school has no church partners and I was there to see if we could be a potential partner for them. She’s been principal for 11 years and is a solid leader. She told me a ton about her school. They have adopted 1-to-1 technology where … Continue reading Schools are for Learning
We aren’t going to let any mace stop us. We are masters in our nonviolent movement in disarming police forces. They don’t know what to do. I’ve seen them so often. I remember in Birmingham, Alabama, when we were in that majestic struggle there, we would move out of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church day after day. By the hundreds we would move out, and … Continue reading Martin Luther King, Jr: Sacramental Theologian
Roy Moore fashions himself a Christian. His Christianity includes literally making an idol out of the Ten Commandments and doing all he can to harass and malign non-straight people. Now he’s one election away from the US Senate. Four women have subsequently come forward to accuse him of sexual improprieties when they were teenagers and he was a high powered state lawyer. One of those … Continue reading What to do if Roy Moore comes to your Church
You can read the Bible better. It doesn’t take a degree in religion. It does require some skills that too often are relegated to the academy. Those skills can be acquired and practiced by everyday people. You probably suspect that there are layers of meaning in the text. You hear great preachers and teachers reveal these layers. Maybe you think that level of understanding is … Continue reading Reading the Bible Better
An Evangelist is someone who brings a message of good news. This is the opposite of that. Gun violence and mass shootings like the one in Las Vegas are not going away. We can’t even call them the new norm anymore. They’re just the norm. And the norm is increasing gun violence. President Obama famously noted that we have a routine for mass shootings and their … Continue reading Gun Violence Will Not Go Away
This is part two of a series of reflections on Charlottesville via Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last speech “I See the Promised Land” (text and audio here). See the Intro here. I can remember [applause], I can remember when Negroes were just going around, as Ralph has said so often, scratching where they didn’t itch and laughing when they were not tickled. [laughter, applause] But that … Continue reading How are Non-White Americans forced to live today?
This is part one of a series of reflections on Charlottesville via Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last speech “I See the Promised Land” (text and audio here). See the Intro here. The nation is sick, trouble is in the land, confusion all around. That’s a strange statement. But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. (All … Continue reading Where is God’s Hand in Today’s Struggles?
On September 1st, I began my 3rd year in ministry with you here at Orchards. It has been an honor to have been with you for 2 good years. I just want to briefly mention my love for you and this congregation. You may not realize it, but 2.5 years ago I was looking for work outside of the church. I am glad that circumstances … Continue reading Now Loading: Year Three at Orchards
