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When I was in seminary I was the youth minister at a church in Indianapolis.  This church had a wonderful group of people called “the stitchers” who did some really great work.   Among other things they made turbans for cancer patients and blankets for premature babies.   This group was very open about accepting new people, … [Read more…]

Scripture:  Mark 4:26-32 Perhaps you have noticed this, but preachers tend to talk about what they know.  The sports fan makes a lot of baseball analogies.   The veteran finds illustrations in war stories.  The geek makes a lot of Star Wars references.  In trying to reach a deeper understanding of God’s great grace, incredible love, … [Read more…]

1 Samuel 16:1-13 There is a really good chance that if you have a child in your life, then at some point in the past few year you have sat through a conversation where they talked to you with great excitement about all that they were doing in Minecraft.  There is also a really good … [Read more…]

Scripture:  1 Samuel 8:4-20 We were fortunate over the last week that as a family we got to go Disney World.  One of the things this really reminded me of is just how much Disney is obsessed with royalty.  In the Disney movies that do not feature animal characters, two thirds of the female leads … [Read more…]

While we are not quite there yet, it seems that we can finally see a light to the end of the COVID tunnel.  Some of the things in our lives that have been on pause for over a year might be able to resume within the next few months.  I know one of the things … [Read more…]

Scripture: Acts 1:15-17; 21-27 Earlier this year, I observed something that I thought I would never see happen.  I saw long time Colts fan give Tom Brady begrudging respect.   While there overall opinion of him might still be slightly deflated, winning his seventh super bowl with Tampa Bay Buccaneers this year caused even his toughest … [Read more…]

Scripture:  Acts 10:44-48 Several years ago religious humor website shipoffools.com wanted to find the funniest religious joke.  They had 951 jokes submitted and after bringing that list down over 10,000 people voted on the finalists.  This was the winner of the funniest religious joke:  The story goes a man was walking across a bridge one … [Read more…]

Scripture:  Acts 8:26-40 When the very first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896, fencing was one of the sports included and it has been part of every Olympiad since.   Fencing only really coalesced as a sport shortly before those first Olympics.   The first officially recognized fencing tournament was not held until 1880, and it … [Read more…]

It seems that Spring might finally have arrived.  The signs are all around.  Grass is growing and needs to be mowed.  More and more bugs are out buzzing, and dandelions are starting to burst out of the ground.   To most people dandelions are weeds.   They are botanical pests that are very hard to get rid … [Read more…]

Scripture:  Acts 4:5-12 The late John Lewis, ordained Baptist minister and congressman, once famously said, “Never be afraid to make some noise and get into good trouble, necessary trouble.”  Lewis was speaking from experience.   As a young man inspired by Martin Luther King, he became extremely involved in the civil rights movement. He found himself … [Read more…]