Nearly every parent has a story of purchasing an expensive gift for their child, only to have them find the box and packaging more fun to play with. It seems easy for children to miss the main point of the gift as they focus on what was meant to be discarded. On one level, this is a great affirmation of child-like creativity, but it also […]
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart – Luke 2:19 Mary often gets overlooked. This woman chosen by God to bear the Savior of the World and nurture him to adulthood barely gets more than a nod at Christmastime by many people. Of all the women throughout history, she is the one chosen by God to be the means […]
I have an extra large umbrella, partially because it keeps me drier, but mostly because it is fun to share. It does not happen often, but there are those special times when my wife and I are together while the rain is falling I can bring out the umbrella and we can walk together. It is a pleasure to share my covering with her and […]
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 […]
I received a note on Facebook yesterday from a young woman we met on our last trip to Brazil. It was great to reconnect after two years. It is wonderful how technology allows us to keep connected over great distance. What struck me most in her note, was her word of thanks for the bag of marshmallows we left with her family. It brought back […]
This will just take a little time. The truth is, everything takes time and sometimes it takes quite a lot of it. All of us receive the same 24 hours and we are charged with the responsibility of choosing how we will spend those precious moments. This week, I returned from a post-Christmas vacation. Our family enjoyed a relatively quiet week together. We ate, watched […]
The story of the first Christmas is filled with images to remember and celebrate. The drama around Elizabeth’s pregnancy and the birth of her son John, the annunciation of the coming King to Mary and then to Joseph, the stable in Bethlehem, and the host of angels declaring good news to shepherds, these are some of the images the season brings to mind. One important […]
One of our family’s favorite traditions is decorating the Christmas tree. Like everyone else who has a tree for the holidays, we like to make it look pretty, but it is the activities that surround this traditional event that make it so special. When we first married, my wife and I had no ornaments for the tree, and we also lacked the finances to purchase […]
Have you ever stumbled upon a quote, a scripture, a hymn or prayer that suddenly exploded with significance to you? It is amazing how amid all of the words and images of each day, something of deep meaning can break through. It is one thing to find those treasures while on retreat or in a time of intense reflection. It is something even more amazing […]
Today, is the culmination of our congregation’s annual stewardship campaign. On this Consecration Sunday, we ask people to reaffirm their commitment to be stewards of all God gives them. Yes, this involves a financial pledge, but in includes so much more. Stewardship can be an unpopular topic. We like our privacy. We tire of the media voices inundating us with requests for money, and honestly, […]