Last Sunday I was not able to attend a worship service as I spent the day in meetings for my primary employer. This Sunday, I was determined to attend worship and to be a part of World Communion Sunday. First Presbyterian I participated in the 11:00 a.m. service at First Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in downtown Fort Worth. While this congregation normally celebrates Communion on the first Sunday of every month, this service had a clear emphasis on World Communion from the Read More …
Presbyterian
We Say Yes (#1750)
I'm often discouraged by individuals, congregations, and even denominations who define themselves more by what they are against than what they are for or what they say "yes" to. Saying Yes Earlier this summer the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) approved the following statement as part of its consent agenda. As confessing Christians, we trust God, whom we know through Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray as others pray in other names. We are obligated to declare our Read More …
My Last Day at WFPC (#1727)
Today, I concluded four months of service as visiting minister at West Fork Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in Grand Prairie, Texas. Unique Experience This opportunity was unique for me in several ways, including starting as a surprise first role that was neither permanent nor interim shortest duration in a parish based role smallest congregation I've served first congregation I've served that is located in an industrial district first time to preach 15 Sundays in a row in the Read More …
Connecting with Historic Congregations (#1704)
A year ago I was in Connecticut preaching and leading a Day of Discovery for leaders of Westchester Congregational Church (founded in 1728) . Yesterday I was in Grand Prairie, Texas preaching at West Fork Presbyterian (PCUSA) Church (founded in 1870). Fifteen years ago I was preaching or assisting in leading worship at Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which claims to be the oldest continually meeting Protestant congregation in Dallas, Texas (founded in Read More …
Politically Partisan Pastors (#1689)
Over the last week I have seen one red, gray and blue graphic more than any other. It seeks to tell the complex story of pastoral political affiliation in the United States in a single image. The widely shared graphic comes from Kevin Quealy's June 12 New York Times article "Your Rabbi? Probably a Democrat. Your Baptist Pastor? Probably a Republican. Your Priest? Who Knows." Quealy's article reports on the most ambitious research of its kind, which was undertaken by Eitan D. Read More …
The Immigrants Creed (#1672)
I have heard about immigrants more often this year than any year since I worked in the field of refugee resettlement in the 1990s. As a student of history, I know that the country I have called home for my entire life - America - is a land of immigrants. Without immigration, I would not reside here today. As a person of faith, I am committed to welcoming, valuing, and loving all people. As a Christian love of neighbor is a fundamental faith practice. The United Church of Read More …
Where’s Greg Worshipping? (#1649)
Over the last twelve and a half months, I have attended 45 worship services in 34 different congregations. Denominations The chart at right illustrates the number of churches I have visited by denominational affiliation (green), the number of services I have attended in congregations affiliated with each denomination (blue), and the percent of all worship services I have attended by denomination (yellow). 75% of all of my worship experiences have occurred in congregations affiliated with four Read More …
View from the Pew: 8 Sacred Spaces (#1602)
Soon after relocating to Texas in September of 2015, I wrote "In Search of a Church," explaining a bit about the process my wife and I were undertaking to find a new community of faith to call our own. During this process, I have posted a "view from the pew" photo most weeks on Facebook and Twitter. As someone who has spent most of his life working in a church and a good deal of that time in pastoral leadership, my ability to visit other congregations has been limited (and Read More …
Church Shopping: Not Happening Today (#1597)
Almost a month ago I preached my last sermon as a Transitional Pastor before relocating across the country to start a new job in healthcare. This change led my wife and I to begin our search for a church near our new home. The first Sunday we did not attend church as I was busy moving. The next Sunday my wife and I visited a nearby Lutheran congregation (ELCA). The third Sunday we visited a local Presbyterian (PCUSA) congregation. Today we will not be in church Read More …
Mainline: Lacking Racial Diversity (#1573)
Race related topics have been featured in the news more in recent months than any time I can recall. Mainline Protestants generally tend to have healthy perspectives on race. Such philosophical and even theological understandings do not necessarily translate into action (for example: read my summary and reflection of Bradley Wright's recent research showing that Mainline Protestant congregations had the highest rate of discrimination to prospective visitors) nor do they Read More …