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 …
American Well-Being is Declining (#1726)
Overall, the world has been becoming a better place for quite some time (for an in-depth consideration I encourage you to read Steven Pinker's latest book: Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism and Progress). As someone who has always lived in America, however, I'm troubled by the decline in well-being that happened in the United States in 2017. Troublesome Year According to the Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index, 2017 was a bad year. In fact, it was Read More …
Now Open! (#1725)
Last summer, I started a new role as the first ever Director of Social Enterprise at the Wesley Mission Center in Mansfield, Texas. Over the last seven months I've helped this young (est. 2013) , community oriented, justice focused, faith-based non-profit scale its largest funding source and flagship social enterprise: a Thrift Store and Boutique. Learning For many years before the Wesley Mission Center became its own separately incorporated 501(c)3, it was the Community Outreach Read More …
Ministry Opportunities: Search or Surprise? (#1724)
I had a very positive seminary experience, and graduated well prepared for pastoral ministry within a congregational context. When I reached my final semester of my M.Div. program I began to seek my first pastoral position. The search process went very much like I expected it would, and I secured a role as Associate Pastor. I managed to navigate similar discernment processes to secure positions in congregations affiliated with multiple mainline denominations for both permanent Read More …
Take Another Look (#1723)
This evening while watching the Olympics I encountered the Dunkin Donuts commercial, "The Usuals," which features several regular customers ordering "the usual." I realize that having the usual beverage at your favorite coffee place or usual lunch at the restaurant you frequent regularly is common behavior. So is driving the same route to reach your workplace each day and sitting in the same pew (or chair) for worship each weekend. Something Else I'm not against enjoying the usual elements of Read More …
Waiting (#1722)
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 …
Stuck in the Past? (#1721)
Boston Logan aka General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport or BOS is "the largest airport in the New England region and 17th-busiest airport in the United States." It is also home to the bank of pay phones shown at right. Pay Phones I traveled to the airport with colleagues, and arrived at my gate well before it was time to board the plane. When I sat down I immediately noticed the pay phones, and had to take a picture. I positioned myself in a Read More …
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 …
New Year, New Home (#1718)
Happy New Year! To start 2018 my wife and I purchased a home in downtown Fort Worth and started the process of relocating. This is the ninth place we have called home during the first nineteen years of our life together, and the eighth we have owned. Our first four homes were in Texas, and appear below on the first row and the first image on the second row. Our next three homes were in Florida, and are depicted in the remaining images on the second row and the Read More …