Some people are good at waiting. I have never claimed to be among them. I have many gifts. Patience is something I'm glad many consider a virtue, but not something others use to describe me. Waiting At the start of 2018 my wife and I moved into our new home. One day later we expected to receive the delivery of a refrigerator. We purchased a new fridge because our old fridge would not fit in the space in our new home. Anything that could go wrong with this experience Read More …
Discipleship
Spiritual Entrepreneurship (#1720)
"What do you do?" One of the simplest ways people interact with others is by asking polite questions that are normally considered safe in nearly any social setting. And, one of the most popular of these questions is to ask about the kind of work someone does. Many Answers For many years I did like most people did during that era and worked in one professional capacity at a time. Most of the jobs I held had titles that provided a new conversation partner with a general concept of Read More …
Every Day is MLK Day (#1719)
This year I did not use Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as an opportunity for furthering the important work Dr. King began. Instead, I occupied myself with the task of unpacking boxes as my family settled into a new home. I did, however, manage to see many familiar quotes attributed to Dr. King on my social media feeds. I also saw a few recommendations that the work these quotes spoke of is a way of life rather than merely the exception to be noted once a year. John Lewis John Lewis Read More …
Faith Palm Banners Go Viral (#1715)
Until a few days ago I had never heard anyone use the term "faith palm." Thanks to a tweet by Daniel Dale, a Washington D.C. correspondent for the Toronto star I not only learned the term, but also was introduced to a unique marketing campaign by a progressive Episcopal congregation in D.C. The President Said What? The image at right is one of four banners on a chain link fence outside of a construction area on the campus of St. Thomas' Parish Episcopal Church. Each banner contains Read More …
Did I Reach My Goals for 2017? (#1713)
After many years of making calendar year resolutions (or in some years resolving not to make these annual goals), this past year I opted for goals based on the church year rather than the calendar year. This means that my 2017 goals actually started in November of 2016 and end this week. My Goals As I first shared a year ago, my goals follow: Join (and be actively involved in) a local community of faith Labor to make real on earth God’s realm of justice and peace Write about matters of Read More …
A Common Dream (#1709)
Imagine a common dream capable of uniting people of varying faiths and perhaps also people who do not frame the experience of life through faith lens. I am not aware of many attempts to craft such a vision, however, I find much wisdom worthy of consideration in a benediction written by the Unitarian Universalist minister and author Gary Kowalski. The benediction proposes that our common dream is Homes and schools where children thrive, Neighborhoods that are safe and Read More …
Living the Jesus Ethic (#1708)
Robin Meyers is the type of pastor and teacher who makes good teaching great by incorporating a strong call to action. In a recent video interview on being a follower of Jesus he explained that being a follower of Jesus is always about getting out of heads and into our whole beings - so that when we are doing things in the world people see that we've integrated the thoughts that we have about the Jesus' ethic, and that we are practicing it in the world. So Read More …
World Communion Sunday (#1705)
Today is World Communion Sunday. Over the years, taking Communion / Lord's Supper / Eucharist on this day has been especially meaningful to me. Rather than seek to say something novel or new, I have collected some wisdom from posts I have written over the years. 2010: I wrote a series of blog posts sharing one big lesson I learned from each of the many denominations that have played a major role in my faith journey. In my post on the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), I 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 …
An Update on My 2017 Religious Resolutions (#1699)
In November of 2016, I established 5 religious goals for the 2017 church year (Advent 2016 until the arrival of Advent 2017). Four months later I shared my progress. With Advent now just 14 weeks away, I offer a final check-in. Original Goals During this church year I resolve to Join (and be actively involved in) a local community of faith Labor to make real on earth God’s realm of justice and peace Write about matters of faith that matter (primarily here on this blog) Read More …