Burning the Midnight Oil

Scripture:  Matthew 25:1-13 There is a general belief that attentions spans are getting shorter.  A survey from earlier this year reported that more than half of adults are concerned that their attention span is not what it used to be.  It is conventional wisdom that our attention span, especially for younger generations, is getting shorter.   … [Read more…]

Before the Throne

Scripture:  Revelation 7:9-17 The story goes is that once there was a border patrol agent who had worked his way up through the system, and he got assigned to be the head of a crossing along the U.S./Canadian border.  While not exactly remote, this was a less busy crossing point.  It was the kind of … [Read more…]

Called Out

Scripture:  Matthew 23:1-12 Charles Houston is not a name that many of us know.  He tends to mostly be remembered in detailed history books that document the civil rights movement or perhaps 20th century legal developments, but Charles Houston is proof that one person can make a profound difference.  He was an African American man … [Read more…]

Properly Rendered

Scripture: Matthew 22:15-22 My brother is sixteen months younger than me.  Being that close in age meant that once my sister was born, my brother and I had to share a room which we did for about twelve years.   Being so close in age as children we tended to like a lot of the same … [Read more…]

Hidden Treasure

Scripture: Philippians 3:4-14 In 1998 a man in Michigan bought a farm, as he was touring the property, the old farmer told a story about an old rock next to a barn.  According to this farmer, the rock was found in a small crater on the property in the 1930s and it was a meteorite.   … [Read more…]

Pixie Dust

Scripture:  Philippians 2:1-13 In 2017 Abigail and I took a trip to California and while there we went to Disneyland.  I had been to Disney World in Florida previously, but this was my first time to the California location.  I was looking forward to this because Disneyland has a couple of rides that are not … [Read more…]

October 2023 Pastor’s Article

This year we are joining LaCrosse and Hanna United Methodist Churches in a joint mission project called Operation Christmas Child.   In September, two people from Hanna UMC came to share this project with us, but in case you missed it or wanted more information, I wanted to make sure we are all on the same … [Read more…]

Until the Final Whistle

Scripture:  Philippians 1:21-30 I am not the biggest football in the world, and honestly it is fairly rare for me to watch a full football game.  However, of all the games that I have watched over the years there is one that stands out in my memory more than any other.  While I am not … [Read more…]

No True Scotsman

Scripture:  Romans 14:1-13 Back in 2019 I was able to attend the Star Wars celebration in Chicago, which was kind of like a dream come true for me.  However, I was a little anxious about going, and one of the interactions I had on the second day showed why.  I was in line to be … [Read more…]