Thoughts on Life and Worship

  The week of April 11-17 was horrendous for our country in terms of violence.  There were multiple mass shootings along with riots in several of our cities.  I am writing and submitting this piece early in the following week because of my personal schedule.  I fear the week of April 18-24 may be even worse.  Lord, have mercy on our foolishness! Certainly, there are very real factors contributing to the violence that we are experiencing. Systemic racism is pervasive and a reality for far too many in our culture.   But despite all of the campaigns and slogans, racial divisions seem to be growing among us rather than healing.   And to be sure, the necessary shut-downs and stay-ins that were proper mitigations to stop the spread of the corona virus have only raised the heat on our disaffections with each other.   We need another way to try and live together. In Jesus’ day, Jewish society was awash in injustice.   The wealthy Jewish religious...

  I am a “middle-child,” the youngest of three brothers with a sister five years behind me.   It’s in my nature to negotiate and try to get along.   I suppose that’s why I get so easily disheartened by the polarized culture in which we find ourselves today.   The lack of civility and courtesy seems most often apparent on social media where you can say whatever you want without the threat of getting smacked in the face.   Because I am very interested in cultural matters, I will read and occasionally comment on a post that is political in nature.   I am rarely encouraged by the feedback that I receive.   I often wonder why I even bother to engage.   Let me share where I’m coming from… When offering my thoughts regarding cultural or political matters (theological matters as well), I state them as my opinion rather than fact.   The use of “IMO” (in my opinion) can be very helpful in diffusing heat in a political discussion, allowing it to con...

  We have finally put 2020 in the rear-view mirror!   We never saw it coming, but the year “that will live in infamy” ran us over like a Mac Truck. 2020 has been very painful.   We’ve been isolated with shut-downs to “flatten the curve” and quarantined folks who may not be sick but may have been exposed.   Some people have lost their jobs and many businesses have closed their doors, never to open again.   Worst of all, many of us have loved ones or friends who have succumbed to the virus.   We’ll never see them again or hear their voice this side of heaven.   Too many of us have felt that grief. I’m sure you’re as glad as I am to move on down the road into 2021.   The question remains, what will this new year bring for us? We’ve got lots of questions, to be sure.   Now that we have effective vaccines available, how long will it take until we’ve reached “herd immunity” so that we can return to some sense of normalcy?   2020 was a year...

COVID-19 has hit us hard.   I’m writing this column from home where I am convalescing from the virus which I contracted over four weeks ago.   Fortunately, my symptoms are abating and I am regaining my energy.   Not everyone has been so fortunate.   A colleague our mine succumbed to the virus two days before Thanksgiving.   Even in my small world, I’m aware of loved ones who have passed and others who are in very serious trouble because of CV-19.   I don’t even want to imagine what the coming weeks and months might bring with the virus-friendly conditions of winter and the strong possibility of another surge because of holiday festivities.   But hope is on the horizon.   Just this week, Britain approved the use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.   Approval for the two vaccines that have been submitted to our own FDA seems immanent.   Within weeks, front-line health care workers and residents in long-term care should begin to receive the...

  Join us this Sunday night on Zoom for prayer meeting.  Here's the invitation.  Make sure you have Zoom uploaded to your device and click on this link.  Hope to see you at 6:00 P.M.  (And hopefully, this link will work!) Join Zoom Meeting https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78940725608?pwd=V25CaGhzRGtrTE9MbHVzNGtJdWxwZz09 Meeting ID: 789 4072 5608 Passcode: URBm6t

November 19, 2020 Dear church family,  I’m writing this letter from home as I’m still warding off the effects of COVID, twelve days after my first symptoms.   I have been blessed by your many expressions of prayer support and concern that I have received since first becoming ill.   And it has been necessary because my case nearly took a turn towards pneumonia.   So, in this season of Thanksgiving, I am very grateful for your love and support and God’s mercy towards me.   And it’s not just me, while the results of a test for one church staff member remains pending, but likely positive, all of us have been infected.   That reality, of course, has raised concerns and the question of when we should resume in-person worship.   In the meantime, the Governor has issued Level 3 Mitigation Strategies for the entire state to begin on Friday, November 20.   The trajectory of infection and danger is clear.   This is a good time to pull back to reco...

As I write this, it is several days after our national election and we still don’t know who won the presidency.  A lot of Americans are on edge while we wait the outcome in a handful of critical states.  Law enforcement departments in large cities are wondering if the outcome will trigger a violent reaction in their streets.  In the run-up to this election, I have pondered a fascinating question: how would Jesus have voted if he were an American citizen today?  There are many Christians who would quickly wave the question away, doubting that Jesus would even bother to vote. They reason that Jesus wasn’t concerned with political matters.  He was singularly focused on the Kingdom of God.  And I would certainly agree with them.  But I don’t think the question of political engagement for Jesus-followers is that simple.  After all, Jesus did say that people should “render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s.”  I take that to mean that since we ...