Blogs and Articles
To encourage worshipful, generous-hearted living
For the most recent blog or to see articles by dates, look down the list on the right.
Jesus Christ came to show God’s love for us all, with no exceptions! Despite the devastating decision of the recent United Methodist General Conference, thousands, even millions of us United Methodists gladly welcome LGBTQ people into every aspect of the church and ministry. In addition, there are currently 973 Reconciling Congregations across the U.S., and…
Read MoreI often picture God’s grace as a multifaceted jewel, reflecting God’s Light from different angles, each in a different way from the vantage point of a person’s unique life and circumstance. Just think of all the facets, all the rays of light, for all of us human beings! It may shine amethyst in a person’s…
Read MoreBeing God’s stewards of the land is a year-round enterprise, even if we don’t have to be useful, making a profit on crops or livestock. There’s a lot to trimming off dead limbs from trees, for example, especially ten-story oaks. Whether oaks or pines, trees depend upon their interlaced roots, and can fall on their…
Read MoreA sense of belonging is essential. Even for our “I Did It My Way” culture, almost all of us need to have a feeling of connection with others, that we’re not out in life all alone. More than that, most of us need to know that we come from somewhere, that our personal history has…
Read MoreHave you ever noticed how often, when the angels showed up in the Bible, the first thing they said was “Fear not”? I admit I’ve had some direct encounters with the Living God over the years, but I haven’t seen an angel so far. I mean the wings-and-light kind. If I had, I might be…
Read MoreCommunion Sunday always inspires me, as I try to pray for everyone who comes forward to receive the host: parents with children mostly in hand, senior singles, teens in their social bunches, and the less mobile waiting to be served in their seats. But yesterday was also Epiphany Sunday, celebrating the Magi coming to the…
Read MoreBeing. Focusing on being versus compulsive doing. That’s what prompted me several years ago to start writing my book, Growing Generous Souls. I had experienced dozens of years of well-meaning doing in the church, dotted with periodic moments sensing our being in the presence of the Living God. My study of the spiritual disciplines…
Read MoreThere was so much more to Rev. Eugene Peterson, the author of The Message, a version of the Bible, than I had known about him, despite years spent with that volume in daily devotions. I knew he was a Presbyterian clergyman who had pastored a church for decades, but I didn’t know he…
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