He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ’s followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ. Ephesians…
News and Events
Following the Call
But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow…
When Welcome isn’t Enough
Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” (Matthew 4:19 The Message) A couple weeks ago I was looking back through some of the old newsletter articles I’ve written. I came across…
Give me that old time religion?
You know the old gospel song, right? There are many different variations of the verses that can be sung with this chorus, from “It was good for our mothers,” to “It was tried in the fiery furnace.” But the chorus doesn’t change all that much: Give me that old time religion, Give me that old…
Living Easter
Easter is just on the horizon as I sit down to write this article. No matter when this holiday falls in the calendar, it seems like it sneaks up on me. In these final days before Easter morning there is a lot to be accomplished. Several services to organize, sermons to write, phone calls to…
Covenantal Relationships
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.” Genesis 17:1-2 (NRSV) You may have noticed that I think about most things through…
“Transformed” a sermon for 2/11/2018
With Lent beginning on Wednesday, and the icy conditions keeping us from gathering for worship, I decided that it may be helpful if I posted the audio of the sermon for 2/11. It is especially important, I believe, in light of some new understandings I have gained about what the Transfiguration may mean for us…
Calendar of Events for Lent – 2018
Lent is what is known as a “moveable feast.” In other words, the dates are not set by our calendar, but by other events which can cause the actual dates to shift. (If you want to think about how complex this can be, look up how the date for Easter is determined!) At any rate,…
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is a quiet, reflective service that allows us to confront our brokenness and encounter God’s grace and mercy. It is a moving time of worship with the chance to begin clearing space in our lives to encounter God in a new, fresh way in the coming weeks. Please join us for this service,…
Back to the Beginning
If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you. If he listens, you’ve made a friend. If he won’t listen, take one or two others along so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again. If he still won’t listen, tell the church….