The flowers guy was right. And we should start planting flowers every time an act of violence ruins our day. The idea is to resist ugliness by adding beauty. Honestly, I want as much gun control legislation as you can get. But the counter-arguments are probably somewhat true: bad guys don’t care about laws, etc., etc. Furthermore, I have limited confidence in legislation. I am … Continue reading A Spirituality of Peace in an Age of Violence
TEXT Luke 1:8-20 Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense. Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. Then there appeared to him an angel of … Continue reading Bible Leads: Luke 1:8-20
Sometimes I feel like I ought to wear my collar during the week, just to better illustrate the things I do as a pastor. This week I just did a lot of seeing other people in various capacities. So this we, as a pastor, I … ate a ton of Thanksgiving food, almost 2 weeks before the actual day. stumbled over praying for Paris, then wrote … Continue reading This Week in Ministry
This past week I: Thought about Jesus as a bad Thanksgiving guest Got to drive a MAX train Rediscovered the challenge of talking with teenage boys Learned a lot about Salt Engaged racial disparities in my county Prayed contemplatively…twice Got paid to eat pancakes…twice I also got back in the learning to run groove. A very busy but good week. Continue reading This Week in Ministry
This week’s Humpday Devo is about Veteran’s Day, known originally as Armistice Day. Scripture Matthew 8:5-13 When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him and saying, ‘Lord, my servant is lying at home paralysed, in terrible distress.’ And he said to him, ‘I will come and cure him.’ The centurion answered, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my … Continue reading Humpday Devo: Veteran’s Day/Armistice Day
This is an excerpt from some brainstorming writing I did for a recent clergy gathering… “My contribution conceptually in the group has been to help them see the opportunities before them…I told [them] that PNW and O/I needed to get over themselves and realize the blessing of NOT having cultural Christianity breathing down their necks all the time…Ministry up here to our “None brothers & sisters” … Continue reading Ministry in the Great Northwest
TEXT Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. 7 Crazy things you can do with salt Tour Inside the Wieliczka Salt Mine in Poland (pictured below) History of Salt We throw out an insane amount … Continue reading Bible Leads: Matthew 5:13
This week I: welcomed two new members into the congregation, commemorated 20 saints, joined 45 others in a really great Harvest Party, learned about my top 5 leadership themes (Connectedness, Strategic, Empathy, Intellection, Responsibility), learned a lot about industrial motors on my first Take Your Pastor to Work visit, contemplated the earthiness of the Holy Spirit, studied Jesus’ series of dinners with the Pharisees in … Continue reading This Week in Ministry
TEXT Luke 14:1-14 On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. Just then, in front of him, there was a man who had dropsy. And Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, “Is it lawful to cure people on the sabbath, or not?” But they were … Continue reading Bible Leads: Luke 14:1-14
This week ministry included… holding a baby…feeling him produce oxytocin in my brain. conversations about ministry in the midst of gentrification, in which I felt especially competent. persevering in a public presentation that required 32 pitchers…we found enough. sharing a personal pain somewhat publicly and finding it to be okay. talking about and preparing for All Saints’s Day…a really great holy day. It’s been a good … Continue reading This Week in Ministry
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