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 …
United Church of Christ
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 …
Preaching God is Still Speaking (#2101)
This morning I served as guest pastor at Central Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Dallas, Texas. It was a joy to be with them for a second time (last year I joined them for worship as a guest preacher). Central Lutheran Church is among the founding member churches of White Rock Center of Hope. It was also WRCH's founder, Donagene Christian's church. I'm thankful for their continued strong support of WRCH and for Rev. Veronika Czutor's invitation to step in this morning while she is Read More …
Happy New Year! Celebrating Visits to 12 Churches (#2093)
Happy New Year! Or, more precisely happy new church year. For those in liturgical traditions, Advent starts a new year in the life of the church. Advent is about preparing for what's to come. And, in many traditions, today started with an emphasis on hope. In the year that just ended, I found much to be hopeful for in my experiences with many local communities of faith, especially the 12 congregations located in the greater Dallas Fort Worth metropolitan area that are profiled below. Read More …
Giving Thanks – 10 Experiences in 2023 (#2089)
I am thankful for all of the life experiences I’ve had since last Thanksgiving. Today, I highlight 10 that are particularly memorable and provide links to additional writing related to those experiences: Being ordained to ministry in the United Church of Christ (My Ordination & Installation)Celebrating my 25th wedding anniversary with a trip to New Orleans, Louisiana and Navarre, FloridaStarting my 3rd year at White Rock Center of Hope (Starting Year 3 at White Rock Center of Hope) and Read More …
My Ordination (and Installation) #2087
Yesterday, I was ordained to ministry in the United Church of Christ and installed as the CEO of White Rock Center of Hope through a four way covenant. My Journey Toward Ordination I received a call to vocational ministry as a teenager and have sought to live that out ever since. That quest started with earning an undergraduate degree in ministry and then a seminary degree (M. Div.). And, it has continued in the 22 years since finishing those foundational theological studies. I've Read More …
It’s Happening & You’re Invited: Ordination Update #14 (#2084)
I'm pleased to share that I'll be ordained to ministry in the United Church of Christ at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 5, 2023! If you are in or near the Dallas area, you are invited to attend the service, which will be held at Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ. Please help spread the word. About the Process If you are familiar with my story at all you likely know that I started in ministry in a very traditional manner by completing academic preparation (an undergraduate Read More …
Preaching and Ordination Update #13 (#2079)
I'm current seeking ordination in the United Church of Christ. And, I've been sharing updates as I progress through the discernment process that I hope will culminate in ordination. My last update was about two months ago: My Ministry in the United Church of Christ – Ordination Update #12 (July 2022). In that post I shared parts of the third section of my ordination paper, which focuses on my experiences in the United Church of Christ and plans for ordained ministry. Preaching One Read More …
UCC: 1 Out of Every ____ Americans (#2075)
Most data related to Mainline Protestant decline focuses on one of two measures: Absolute decline (how many fewer members are in the denomination today as compared to a specific year in the past)Percentage decline (how much smaller the denomination has become as understood by expressing the membership decline as a percentage) In this post, I'll consider these before exploring what I find to be a more helpful measurement of decline. This new measure is also an easier way to understand the Read More …
My Ministry in the United Church of Christ – Ordination Update #12 (#2070)
In this series on my journey to ordination in the United Church of Christ, I’ve shared some of my experiences as a Member in Discernment. In the last update, I shared that I submitted the final item requested from my by the North Texas Association Committee on Ministry: an ordination paper. The paper consists of three sections: My Theology (an exploration of what I believe)My Understanding of the History and Polity of the United Church of ChristMy Ministry in the United Church of Christ Read More …