Catherine A. Caimano's latest post suggests the church should be more like a gym. As a clergyperson who serves as a denominational executive for the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, she regularly participates in the worship life of a number of congregations. Based on the dissonance between her observations of how Sunday morning worship focused most local congregations are and her understanding of what a local community of faith should be, she suggests a shift Read More …
Discipleship
Most Popular Sermons of 2015 (#1593)
I preached around forty sermons this year at Fort Myers Congregational United Church of Christ (Fort Myers, FL). According to YouTube views, the most popular messages are That's the Book for Me – watch / read - a 16 min. message on the Bible (warning: this is the first and only sermon I have ever preached that includes singing) Titleless – watch / read – a 13 min. message on humility Surprising Salaries – watch / read – a 12 min. message on generosity Personal Read More …
In Search of a Church (#1592)
Transition is the word that best describes my year so far. In March my wife, Susan, relocated from Naples, Florida to Denton, Texas for her dream job. This summer we sold our three homes in Florida and bought one in Texas (where we plan to live after extensive renovations are completed) . Last week I relocated to Texas to join Susan and to begin my new role overseeing employee education for a healthcare company. We are officially in search of a church (along with good Read More …
Sermon: 1967 Sundays and Counting (#1589)
Sermon Text: 2 Corinthians 13:11, 14 Sermon Excerpt What in the name of God is going on here? What in the name of God is going on with Fort Myers Congregational United Church of Christ? Nine months ago I started my first sermon as your Transitional Pastor with that same question. After journeying with you for some time, I can begin to answer the question. FMC UCC is doing a lot, and all we are doing we do in God’s name. While it would be impossible to share all that has happened Read More …
Topical Tuesdays (#1588)
Last Tuesday I facilitated the final session of an educational event I called "Topical Tuesdays." When I started my current transitional (interim) ministry I learned that the previous pastor conducted a mid-week Bible study using the Sunday lectionary texts from which he would develop his sermon. Since I opted to preach more topically, I substituted a topical conversation for Bible study. This year's sermon series included: Fruitful Practices (inspired by Five Practices Read More …
Sermon: A Sin Problem? (#1587)
Sermon Text: Mark 2:16-17 Sermon Excerpt A few years ago Stephen Prothero, a bestselling author and professor of religion at Boston University, wrote a fascinating book titled God is Not One. In this text he explores the eight world religions he thinks are currently the most important. For each religion he presents the problem that religion is trying to solve, the solution to that problem, and techniques that can be used to move toward the solution. Professor Prothero proposes that Read More …
Sermon: Stating Our Faith (#1585)
Sermon Text: Colossians 1:15-20 Sermon Excerpt As a resident of Southwest Florida for the last several years, I have been blessed to expand my horizons in many ways – including learning from many of you about what everyday life was like before I was born. I understand many of you grew up in a time I call “BT” – Before Television. In the world before every home had a television and every television had the ability to receive dozens of channels, there was radio. Perhaps Read More …
Sermon: That’s the Book for Me (#1583)
Sermon Text: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (The Message) Sermon Excerpt The B-I-B-L-E yes, that’s the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God. What a song! I know many of you sung it years ago, but I don’t even know how to begin to respond. Huh? What? How? Stand alone? Word of God? The Bible may be the best-selling book of all time, but it is certainly not a book in the traditional sense. It is a collection of 66 “books.” It is a sacred text for those of us who seek Read More …
Sermon: Personal Transformation + (#1581)
Sermon Text: Acts 16:25-34 Sermon Excerpt Are you saved? Maybe that is a question you have not heard in a long time. Maybe it is one you have heard far too often. Are you saved? Earlier this week when a group gathered for a Topical Tuesday conversation about salvation we had more stories to tell than time allowed. One participant remembered a time when as a young mother she had allowed a stranger into her home simply because she craved interaction and conversation with Read More …
Embracing New Perspectives (#1579)
My wife and I have been homeowners as long as we have been a couple with a small gap between the sale of one home and purchase of another years ago. Normal for us has been owning one home, except for temporarily owning two while in the process of relocating. When the housing bubble burst and our primary residence was so far underwater we could no longer see the surface, we chose to buy then to buy again in hopes that when the market started to rise again we could Read More …