When Words Fail You (Or Me)

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.

EpistleTechnology TeamMarch 7, 2020Louisville United Methodist ChurchLuke

Simple But Not Easy

If you have read any articles about the state of religion in the last ten years, there are a few trends that may have jumped out at you that simply do not resonate with the understandings of religion from the 20th Century. One of those trends is the category “Spiritual but not Religious.” It is a category, in my opinion, for people who are uncomfortable (for any number of reasons) to decline a belief in God but are comfortable recognizing they lack a relationship with organized religion.

EpistleTechnology TeamFebruary 29, 2020Louisville United Methodist ChurchEcclesiastes

Paradigm Shifts Are Rarely Easy

When I was growing up and a pastor used sports metaphors all the time, I would often roll my eyes when he got started. That’s how I feel on your behalf anytime I start a conversation with “parenting has taught me.” I guess what I want you to know is these lessons are available in many walks of life, these lessons just seem to slap me upside the face when there’s a little human on the other side of the lesson.

Sometimes these lessons coming from the mouths of babes are straight from their classrooms. And, while relational and psychological lessons can be a challenge, there’s nothing like my educational blocks being proverbially kicked out of my mental foundation.

EpistleTechnology TeamFebruary 21, 2020Louisville United Methodist ChurchMatthew

Why We Gather

We have a choice when we claim the Christian faith about how to live it out. How will we allow the teachings of Jesus to permeate our day-to-day lives? How will we embrace the symbolism and tradition? How will we educate ourselves to better understand the religion that informed Jesus and the lessons he espouses to his disciples and the crowds that gathered to hear his messages? What choices will we make when looking deep within ourselves and identifying that we are Christian?

EpistleTechnology TeamFebruary 14, 2020Louisville United Methodist ChurchPsalms

What if I answer the call and ignore the voices…

Last week’s letter was heavy on talk about internal voices. That may be because of a new study coming out about not everyone having an internal narrative. That’s fascinating to me, but it’s not the point of my letter today.

EpistleTechnology TeamFebruary 7, 2020Louisville United Methodist Church1Corinthians

The Story That I'm Telling...

I write this on a plane flying over the Rocky Mountains spanning from the Canadian border to our neck of the words and then far beyond us. I can see tree lines highlighted with snow. I can see waterways and tributaries. Then the earth fades away under a blanket of thick billowy clouds holding the stories below a secret for me to imagine.

EpistleTechnology TeamFebruary 1, 2020Louisville United Methodist ChurchPsalms, Job

Notes from the pastor