Julie and I are looking forward to a couple of weeks off beginning next week. Vacation means extra time for reading! Here are some of the books I’ll be enjoying this summer. How to Survive a Shipwreck, by Johnathan Martin. This book is getting a lot of buzz among my clergy friends. Read More...
by Rev. Monica Lewis, Minister to Children, Students and Families During my second interview for the Minister of Children, Students and Families, I met with several groups of people—staff members, personnel committee members, board members, lay leaders. One of those meetings was with the personnel chair at the time, Lesley Holt. Lesley Read More...
by Rev. Carla Aday, Executive Minister “The seventh day is like a palace in time with a kingdom for all” wrote the Jewish mystic Abraham Joshua Heschel. The Sabbath, the seventh day, was distinguished from all of the other days because on this day God created “tranquility, serenity, peace and repose.” Rather Read More...
By Rev. Chuck Pickrel, Director of Student Ministries As the new Director of Student Ministries, it is my job (among other things) to plan and execute spiritually meaningful programs as well as fun activities for 6th- 12th graders throughout the year. Ideally the work we do here will have a positive and Read More...
A man came to see the great German theologian, Martin Luther. The young adult was afraid that he might be committing a sin and end up being punished and sent to eternal fire for something he didn’t even realize he was doing wrong. He was overwhelmed with worry. Luther could hardly contain Read More...
Last Sunday as the KU Chamber Singers combined with our own Chancel Choir filled the rafters of our sanctuary with the overwhelmingly beautiful sound of the final anthem for the day, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” my vision was momentarily blocked by the tears pooling in my eyes. I could barely Read More...
by Rev. Monica Lewis, Minister to Children, Students and Families As Mother’s Day approaches, my heart is with all women. All of them. The mother who is so fortunate to have the family she’s always dreamed of. The mother who has struggled with her own fertility or the fertility of her partner. Read More...
Tim Hansel, in his book You Gotta Keep Dancin’, tells how his faith grew following a hiking accident. He had fallen and broken his back. After years of physical therapy he was still in pain. He recovered and was able to move around, run, and exercise, but the constant ache never left. Read More...
When have you have grown the most in your faith, in your search for something holy and sacred? When have you discovered that pearly ache for something beyond your own simple desires? Was it at a time when everything was perfect and wonderful and there was nothing to worry about or did Read More...
The singular truth that guides our Easter celebrations is this: if there is no death there can be no resurrection. Too often we want to skip Good Friday, making our way to the bunnies and the flowers and the chocolate without facing the ugliness of that terrible day. When we do that Read More...
In a modern translation of Mark 3, Jesus says, “Listen to this carefully. I’m warning you. There’s nothing done or said that can’t be forgiven.” The key word in that statement from Jesus is “nothing.” Paul said something similar in his letter to the church in Rome, “There is nothing that can Read More...
The most common criticism I hear about preaching is this: it is offered as though nothing is at stake. Sermons are delivered as though nothing really matters. I asked folks a few years ago to explain why they were not church goers. One said, “Church is nice but it is not for Read More...
The season of Lent for many is a time to give something up. Many folks will refrain from eating chocolate or meat. Others will not watch television. I’ve seen posts on Facebook from a few friends relating that they are taking a social media sabbatical in order to help them focus on Read More...
Last Tuesday the weather report called for flurries and maybe an inch of snow around 5:00 p.m. However, by 2:45 p.m. there was a thick and slick coat of ice forming on the sidewalks and parking lots at the church. After a brief meeting with Carla and Jason we decided to close Read More...
I’m working on a sermon series for later in the year or early in 2017 titled “Did Jesus Really Say That?” As a result, I’ve been reading through the gospels, trying to listen to the teachings of our Lord in a fresh and new way. This morning I was struck by the Read More...
