Easter Day is over, but the Easter season continues on. Not only are there another 49 days to this year’s season, but our lives are shaped by Easter. In the hymn, Easter People Raise Your Voices, the songwriter declares, “Every day to us is Easter with it’s resurrection song.” Indeed, we are an Easter People with the power of the resurrection singing through us all […]
Life occasionally presents us with interesting juxtapositions, times when we become aware of our great diversity and the infinite creativity of God. Today is one of those times for me. Yesterday, I met with a friend who offered his consulting services to our church. We spent a couple of hours looking at ways to enhance the audio/visual system in our Sanctuary. We discussed difference between […]
It is springtime in Western New York and its arrival was marked by cold winds and yesterday, a snow storm. I found myself in that storm as I made hospital visits and a few meetings. I was amazed just how much snow we received. Now, I chose to live here and I enjoy winter and its snow, but this year, I am looking forward to […]
“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return.” The words are stark, but this traditional phrase, spoken at the imposition of ashes during the Ash Wednesday service, is a powerful entrance to the meaning of the Lenten season. Lent began yesterday, and once again we embarked upon our 40 day journey toward the joy of Easter. These precious days give us an […]
Ash Wednesday is fast approaching and with it, the beginning of Lent. As the first signs of spring make their appearance, we give our attention to a season of reflection and repentance. But why do we give six-and-a-half weeks to such somber reflection, put ashes on our foreheads, and take on special Lenten disciplines? There are many things that we would enjoy more, and if […]
During my time as a student at Houghton College, there was a praise chorus that was very popular. Occasionally, I still hear it sung. The words were simple, yet very profound. After celebrating our unity as believers in Christ, the chorus declares, “And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.” The words […]
In the beginning, God created all that is. For six days He crafted the heavens, the earth and all that is in them. On the sixth day God created humanity and then on the seventh day, He rested, and while the initial creation was complete the story was far from over. There would be sin, brokenness and pain, yet the creating, restoring power of God […]
How much is your relationship with God worth? What are you willing to exchange for the blessing God has for you? What issues and agendas are you willing to pursue in spite of the effect on your faith, your witness, and your life? We all have something, or some-things, that we get so attached to that we let them affect the meaningful parts of our […]
“Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” – Luke 2:15 How far would you go to celebrate Christmas? More than mileage, what would you be willing to do to experience the full meaning of this special season? What is Christmas worth to you? The Gospel of Luke tells the story […]
Where will you be when Christmas finds you? It happened to me tonight in a most unexpected way. This morning, I was in the office commiserating with someone who shared my sense that it just did not feel like Christmas. Sure, many of our presents are already purchased, and yes, the carols have been playing in the stores and in our car. There is even […]