Congregational Stewardship
With real-world events getting more and more terrifying and dystopian, I am drawn to the lure of hope and wistful for a sense of joy. With mounting human injustice, my first response is to remember the 1970s song by Jim Strathdee.1 It says, “What we do while we wait depends on what we’re waiting for.”…
I didn’t grow up with official “saints,” but if I had, St. Benedict of Nursia (in Italy) would be one on my list. For those Christian denominations that do have saints, July 11th is the day to commemorate him. He lived about 480 to 550 C.E., when much of Roman society was breaking down. He…
I found many highlights at our Annual Conference Session this year, when ministers and lay leaders of all our United Methodist churches in CA-NV gathered for worship, visioning, and planning for this year ahead. Bishop Sandy’s sermons were empowering, inspiring, and on the mark as our Christian call to action in this political world. We…
Why weren’t great artists and activists like James Weldon Johnson in my school textbooks years ago? James Weldon Johnson (whose birthday is June 25th) was a musician, poet, civil rights leader in the early 20th century, and more. He wrote several poetry collections including “God’s Trombones: 7 Negro Sermons in Verse” (1927) and also books…
I read a devotion recently by a former music minister. He said that with certain passages of Scripture, “the music makes the words come to life, and I descend to a deeper level of consciousness that tunes my soul to the frequency of the Holy Spirit’s song.” That’s so beautiful. In my post-pastor life, I…
For United Methodists and members of other Wesleyan Communions around the world, each year on May 24th is Aldersgate Day. That’s when John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, felt his “heart strangely warmed” by God the Holy Spirit. Wesley had been on a ship returning to England from the American colonies, when a huge storm…
November 25th is Lewis Thomas’ birthday. He was an American essayist, poet, physician, and more. Two of his books, “Lives of a Cell” and “Medusa and the Snail” were both subtitled “Notes of a Biology Watcher.” They sparked greater wonder in me, as he wrote about the amazing life and development of our natural world.…
Today is a great day to honor the life of Rt. Rev. Richard Allen, founder and first Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He was one of the most active Black leaders of the U.S., as a n abolitionist, pastor, educator, writer, and conductor on the Underground Railroad. Born a slave in Delaware in…
Do you ever watch the Nutcracker Ballet for Christmas? Maria Tallchief was the ballerina dancing with George Ballanchine at its premiere in 1954. Tallchief (1925-2013) was America’s first Native American prima ballerina. She revolutionized and popularized American ballet, and spoke on behalf of her Osage heritage all her life. She was known for known for…
Who knew? The classical composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart did breakthrough work, creating the underpinning for much of the music we know today. Yes, music for orchestras and chamber music, but also for rock, pop, and even electronic music. For example, his quick key changes and complex harmonies inspired the music of Beatles star Paul McCartney.…