One of the first lessons I have learned on this renewal leave: just because you think you are helping doesn’t mean you actually are. You have to ask. You have to find out what they really need. You have to probe beyond their own discomfort and go a little deeper. You have to listen. For…
Salvaging Faith in 2020
It’s been a while. A long time since I just sat down to write without a deadline looming. Without it being someone else’s project. Without the pressure to say just the right thing for a specific audience. It’s been a long time since I wrote just for me. I started this blog in the summer…
Recognizing the Messiah
Text: Isaiah 49:1-7, John 1:29-42 It only takes a spark… As I’ve shared with you in the past, my extended family has often been to Hawaii together. My grandpa and grandma were fairly blessed in their life and made the decision long ago to spend their money bringing us together than leave money to be…
Renew Our Whereabouts
Text: Isaiah 42:1-9, Matthew 3:13-17 This weekend, I’ve been gathered along with our confirmation students and mentors and teachers for a retreat. Our focus has been what makes us distinctly United Methodist. We’ve talked about our church structure, the way of discipleship, how we discover wo God is, and what we believe about grace. Along…
Renew the Journey
Text: Isaiah 60:1-6, Matthew 2:1-12 Gracious God… May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts and minds be acceptable to you O Lord, our Light and our Salvation… Amen. We find ourselves in a transitional time. It is a transition between the season of Christmas and the ordinary time…
An Altogether Joy
Text: Psalm 30:2-3, 5; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 One of tasks of preaching is to take a part a text, study it, let the Holy Spirit do her work, and then share the good news back with all of you in bite-sized, easy to digest nuggets of helpful information. So imagine my dismay when I dive…
An Altogether Peace
Text: Ephesians 4: 1-4, 21-32 Often when I’m writing a sermon there is an audience in mind. I ask God what it is that we, as the people of Immanuel, need to hear. Sometimes the sermon is only for a portion of our community… meaning sometimes it’s a teaching sermon meant to challenge those who…
An Altogether Hope
Text: 1 Peter 1: 3-6, 9-15,22 Keep awake! Get ready! Prepare yourselves! These are the words that fly at us from the scriptures for this first Sunday of Advent. But get ready for what? Get yourself ready for the future that God has already prepared for you. Get ready to embrace the life that Christ…