This morning I attended the 10:00 am worship service at Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ. As a long-term member of CoH (for more on my experiences in this vibrant. inclusive, and progressive community over the last eight years check out Long-Term Church Membership) and as a LGBTQ+ ally it was important to me to be present for Pride Sunday. 55 Years of Faithful Ministry Cathedral of Hope will soon celebrate its 55th anniversary. From humble beginnings as a small Read More …
United Church of Christ
Returning to Naples United Church of Christ: Where My UCC Journey Began (#2233)
Greetings from sunny Naples, Florida where I'm currently vacationing! Earlier today I visited the church that introduced me to the United Church of Christ: Naples United Church of Christ. Toward the UCC I've written extensively about my journey of faith, including my denominational transitions Initial Experience Prior to visiting Naples UCC I had not visited many churches on Sunday morning as an adult because I had spent my entire adult life to that point serving in full-time Read More …
Spiritual Forecast: Sustained Winds (#2232)
This morning at Advent Lutheran Church (ELCA) we celebrated Pentecost and Confirmation. Sermon My message, “Forecast: Sustained Winds” is based on Acts 2:1-21, 41. You can watch below or read the manuscript. Excerpt The Life-Giving Wind is always blowing – sometimes as a breeze and sometimes at gale force. Wherever the Life-Giving Wind blows, the church is about renewal not repetition. Churches that do the same thing over and over again often see Read More …
Long-Term Church Membership (#2201)
Somehow I've managed to do what I once assumed impossible: become a long-term member of a local congregation. I've been part of several congregations for three years and one congregation for four years, however, those medium-term experiences included both church membership and paid service on the church staff. And, in the case of my four years at Naples United Church of Christ not only was I both a church member and a member of the church staff, I was not present for worship on Sunday mornings Read More …
Giving Thanks: Remembering the 10 Congregations I’ve Served (#2174)
A little over a year ago I reflected on the first 9 congregations I served and on the 10 denominations that have shaped my theology. Today, on the final day of the month of thankfulness, I pause to give thanks for the 10 congregations I've served (I started serving #10 in June 2024). In chronological order: Denominations I've served congregations affiliated with five denominations: Location These communities of faith are located in the Dallas - Arlington - Fort Worth area Read More …
Where’s Greg Worshipping in 2024? 12 Congregations in 3 States (#2131)
In recent years I've worshipped in more than 75 Dallas - Arlington - Fort Worth area congregations (see Visiting 75 Churches in the Dallas – Fort Worth Metro Area). Last year, I reflected on some of those congregations as well as my worship experiences in congregations outside of Texas in June (Where’s Greg Worshipping? 8+ Congregations in 3 States) and December (Happy New Year! Celebrating Visits to 12 Churches). A few days ago I announced that I'll be returning to parish ministry later this Read More …
My Religion is Dying: A Deep Dive into Mainline Decline (#2128)
Confession: I am a lifelong Mainline Protestant. While I've switched denominations many times - from Presbyterian (PCUSA) to Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to Lutheran (ELCA) to Presbyterian (PCUSA) to United Church of Christ to Presbyterian (PCUSA) to United Church of Christ - I've never left this religious tradition. Stating the Obvious For my entire lifetime, Mainline Protestant denominations have all been experiencing a numeric decline in membership. The narrative of decline Read More …
My Visit to Mosaic Community Church (#2126)
This morning, I was a first time guest at Mosaic Community Church (a United Church of Christ affiliated congregation) in Oklahoma City. My wife and I attended their sole Sunday morning service, which begins at 11:00 a.m. When we arrived in the parking lot fifteen minutes before the hour, we were surprised to find a few dozen vehicles already in place. Since the lot in use was located adjacent to the sanctuary, no exterior signage was needed to help us find our way. Once inside Read More …
Preaching in the 2000s (#2114)
I preached my first sermon nearly 30 years ago in May 1994. This "mini-sermon" was delivered as part of youth led service at First Presbyterian Church in Arlington, Texas. Getting Started I did not preach again until the year 2000. By then, I'd completed an undergraduate degree in ministry and was two-thirds of the way through seminary where I was working toward a Master of Divinity degree. This time, I spoke at First Presbyterian Church in Duncanville, Texas. I had the opportunity to Read More …
My Visit to Mayflower Congregational UCC (#2103)
I've been sharing some of my experiences as a first-time guest in worship in a variety of congregations since 2010, including Last week, I was the guest minister at Central Lutheran Church in Dallas. Today, my wife and I visited Mayflower Congregation United Church of Christ in Oklahoma City for the first time. While we had never attended before, we felt we knew this congregation a bit through their former Senior Minister (1985 - 2020), The Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers. He has been Read More …