1 Praise the Lord! How good it is to sing praises to our God; for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting. 2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel. 3 He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. 4 He determines the number of the stars; … Continue reading “Lent 13 – Give ear to my words…”
Category: faith
Lent 2 – Whom Shall I Fear?
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?~Psalm 27.1 (NRSV) Fear is a powerful motivator in so much of my life, more than I am often willing admit to myself. I am afraid of letting people down: my family, my parishioners, my friends. I am afraid of letting God down (and … Continue reading “Lent 2 – Whom Shall I Fear?”
A Pope Resigns with Wisdom and Grace
There is wisdom in knowing one’s limits. There is wisdom in knowing one’s abilities. The news this week is that Pope Benedict XVI is resigning, the first to do so in 600 years. There have been numerous times in my career as a pastor when I have felt the need to counsel someone on their … Continue reading “A Pope Resigns with Wisdom and Grace”
…On Gratitude as a Way of Life
As most of you know I have begun studies toward earning a Doctor of Ministry degree through McCormick Theological Seminary. In a little over one week I will be flying to Chicago for my first class (Nov. 11-16) called, “Where Three or More Gather.” The focus of the class is how we live in community: … Continue reading “…On Gratitude as a Way of Life”
Hope for Redemption?
One of the books I’ve been reading for my D.Min. program is by Mary McClintock Fulkerson called Places of Redemption: Theology for a Worldly Church. She follows a southern multiracial congregation through its trials and triumphs as they seek to be multicultural. Her book starts with this small United Methodist congregation as a dying white … Continue reading “Hope for Redemption?”