Whether or not you have ever heard of the Social Readjustment Rating Scale also known as the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale, you are likely familiar with the idea that people who experience many significant life changes in a relatively short period of time are at an increased risk for illness. This scale is a well known and frequently utilized way to self-assess the amount of change a person has experienced. Each life change has a numeric score associated with it, and the total of 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 …
Leaving Parish Ministry (#1586)
For the last fifteen years I have served in a variety of parish based ministry positions in Mainline Protestant congregations ranging in size from a few hundred to a few thousand. My job titles have included Director of Ministries with Children and Families Youth Director (and Youth Minister) Associate Pastor Interim Senior Pastor Transitional Pastor Director of Education (and Director of Adult Education). The job title I have held the greatest number of times is 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 …
Twitter: My First 6 Years (#1584)
I started my social media journey in 2009 by launching this blog, opening a Facebook account, and beginning to tweet. At that time, I realized I was anything but an early adopter of Facebook (stats show around 300 million active users by the time I joined) or blogging (stats show around 125 million active bloggers started blogging before I did). I was, however, a part of Twitter before it really took off (stats show only about 15 million active accounts at the time I 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 …
The Irrelevant Church (#1582)
A week ago I wrote about The Obsolete Church. In that post I suggested that while the little c church (local congregations or communities of faith) remains vital the big C Church (denominations and other institutional expressions) have become obsolete. That post generated more feedback in a variety of forums than any piece I wrote all summer. Apparently "obsolete" is not as clear of a word as I thought it was. As a result, I will try to build on what I said in that piece by 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 …