This morning I saw a friend post that they have engaged in more digital meetings than face-to-face meetings prior to the 'Stay At Home' orders. I think it may be safe to assume that you feel similarly about the number of emails you're receiving from me. I feel it's necessary to warn you that I anticipate the number of emails to increase this coming week. I want to be sure to offer an opportunity to walk through the vast array of theological experiences Holy Week offers.
Read MoreFor the last few days, I have spent time imagining the courage, adventure, and sheer naivety of the adventurers in history that hopped on a ship or climbed onto a horse or strapped into a rocket to explore a place no one else had visited before. I mean, there always seems to be people who have gone before us, but I think the failure to recognize that is part of the naivety it takes.
Read MoreGood afternoon community of Louisville United Methodist Church,
Did you know indoor plumbing was invented in the 1840s, but it wasn’t in popular use until the 1940s? By ‘popular use’ I mean still only in 50% of homes and buildings. Similarly, the television was invented less than 100 years ago (1927) and not popularized until the 1950s. What we’re learning is that while the Earth continues to rotate and orbit the Sun at the same pace as 100 and 200 years ago, the reality is that humanity and life are moving much faster than they used to. Today we send short messages, letters, voice calls, and video calls through the air without anything but handheld computers. It’s mind-boggling if you let your imagination run with all the ways the human body, scientific discoveries, and inventions have progressed.
Much of being a pastor is being a writer. We write sermons. We write prayers. We write liturgy. We write curriculum. We write emails. We write newsletters. We write letters of recommendation. We write reflections on events, news stories, ministry opportunities, flyers, journal entries, blog posts, books, and more. When we aren’t writing, it feels like we’re talking. It is a constant stream of thought processing scripture, pastoral situations, books we are reading, conversations people are introducing, and then living our personal lives in between.
Read MoreAlmost all casinos have a few things in common: no windows, plenty of lights and mirrors, and a significant amount of noise. Once you walk in the doors, the establishment wants you to feel a sense of excitement, hope, and high energy. And so, they pump it at you artificially from the moment you enter to the moment you leave.
On Sunday, December 22nd, we had the joy of celebrating the ritual of baptism. There was song. There was crying. There was water. Overall, I thought it was wonderful even if the baby cried a little because he woke up in the arms of a stranger putting cold water on his head. (There are some fairly amusing comics and memes online about this aspect of baptism.)
