Last week during Youth Sunday school, we ended up on the topic of compassion in the midst of justice. I don’t know that we got to the scripture, but we were engaging in a conversation that could easily be supported through Jesus’s teaching of “turn the other cheek.”
Read MoreThe United Methodist Church (UMC) is not traditionally a creedal faith tradition, nor do we subscribe to particular dogmas or statements of faith. The UMC has often been celebrated as a “big tent” church with a wide spectrum of theologies allowing for diversity of thought, diversity of faith, and diversity of community. John Wesley once said, “Though we may not think alike, may we love alike.”
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.)
As we prepare for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I’ve been thinking a lot about family expectations and social expectations. Holidays often come with a wide variety of internal voices telling us “you should do this” or “you should’ve said that.” It’s hardest when these internalized voices now come in our own voice instead of those who introduced those family and social expectations. I have a friend that says it’s me “should-ing all over myself.”
Read MoreBefore we go very far, I want to thank Abby, DJ, Tim, Donna, Steve, and Bob for leading worship last week. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to return from Nebraska last Saturday due to wind and subsequent road closures. We spent the night with friends and colleagues who graciously fed us and gave us a place to sleep. I’m sure there is a sermon in that story somewhere, I just can’t put my finger on it.
Abby and DJ enthusiastically took the lead and rumor has it was a wonderful worship service.
