Author: njumcadmin

Matthew 21:33-46 Literature can be dangerous.  Words are already powerful, and when those words are expertly crafted to deliver a point they can cut deep.  When those cutting words are directed to critique or shame the powerful and comfortable there will often be consequences and retaliation.  This last week a lot of libraries marked and … [Read more…]

It used to be that Halloween was the one day a year that we got to dress up in elaborate costumes.  However, that has changed in recent years.   Dressing up in costumes is now a hobby in its own right.   It is called cosplay, and it is popular enough that national craft stores will often … [Read more…]

Scripture:  Matthew 20:1-16 A number of years ago, I took a group of teenagers to Plainfield United Methodist Church to volunteer with a ministry they ran that provided food to homeless communities in downtown Indianapolis.   I ended up doing this a number of times over a year long period, and it really opened up my … [Read more…]

In 1990 a new show premiered on TV with the following opening, “In the criminal justice system the people are represented by two separate but importantly equal groups the police who investigate the crime, and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders.  These are their stories (dun-dun).”  This show was Law & Order, and it … [Read more…]

Scripture:  Matthew 18:10-14 One of my go-to hobbies is reading.   However, my hobby is reading a specific kind of book.  This will not be a surprise to many, but I specifically like to read Star Wars books.  There are a lot of them.  By the end of 2020 there will be seven new Star Wars … [Read more…]

Scripture:  Romans 12:9-21 It was 2006 and the house we were living in had a small back porch.   As spring turned into summer we were able to buy a bench on sale to put back there.  It came from Wal-Mart, so it was a piece of flat box furniture, which means it comes in a … [Read more…]

For decades now doomsayers have been proclaiming “print is dead.”   First, it was an increase in TV channels and the rise of personal computers that would do away with printed materials.  The explosive use of the internet seemed to be proof of these cries.  Then it was a sure thing that e-readers like the kindle … [Read more…]

Scripture:  Romans 12:1-8 Eddie Collins is a name that does not really stand out to most people.  In fact, only the most ardent baseball fans are probably familiar with him.   Collins never earned the star status of a player like Babe Ruth or the notoriety of a player like Shoeless Joe Jackson.   However, Collins was … [Read more…]

Scripture:  Matthew 15:10-20 Winston Churchill earned his place in history.  During the darkest days of World War II, he came to represent Britain’s fighting spirit.   While Churchill did have a military background, by the time he was prime minister is soldiering days were behind him.  Yet he still fought.   Churchill had exchanged the rifle for … [Read more…]

Scripture:  Romans 10:5-15 My parents introduced my brother and me to Star Wars at a very young age.  Some of my absolute earliest memories are playing with Star Wars toys. I remember when my parents took my brother and I to see Return of the Jedi in the theaters when I was three years old.   I … [Read more…]