Beautiful and Terrible Things: A Christian Struggle with Suffering, Grief, and Hope is out and available from the publisher and all the usual places where you buy words on pages (and words in pixels and spoken, the Kindle and audio versions are available too!). The description from the publisher: Bible […]
Easter Sunday, Year C “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Twelve years ago we joined my parents for […]
“In the face of death, I realized that it was not love that kept me clinging to life but unresolved anger. Love, real love flowing from me or toward me, sets me free to die. Death would not undo that love. To the contrary, death would deepen it and strengthen […]
This is an entry in the “Acrostic Contemplations.” See “Q is for ‘Quails’” Manna is a word that remains fairly well known in the English language and most people will even recognize an echo of the Exodus in its usage. The term is actually the Hebrew phrase meaning “What is it?” […]
This is an entry in the “Acrostic Contemplations.” Lent, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, cones from Old Dutch and Old German, meaning “long” or “lengthen.” It is a reference to the lengthening of days in the spring and in some Old English texts, the term is synonymous with spring. […]
Sermon for the Seventh Sunday after Epiphany, Year C (February 23, 2025) “The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, […]
Elizabeth’s collection of essays by this title was published by Sunbury Press in November 2024. It is a beautiful and powerful set of reflections upon suffering and grace. She worked with the press to design a small book that can easily fit into a pocket or purse. The book is also available […]
Update: Sadly, this solution is not consistent. It works more often than otherwise, but we still need an OS based solution. I have found a 99¢ app called “Clean Text” that does the work and more, so… we still need an OS based solution, but in the meantime I recommend […]
Today’s your birthday. Just one day.Just one day. That’s all it is. Just one day. That’s all it took. Just one day. To take you from us. Just one day. And a lifetime is gone. In just one day. Today, 16 January 2025, is Mack’s 21st birthday. Or would be, if […]
Sermon for Christmas, Proper I, 2024. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness–on them light has shined.” Happy Christmas! What a warm and wonderful time and place to be together. The opening of our service in darkness […]
Reflections for my sermon on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 22, 2024. My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. Amen. The Gospels tell us surprisingly little about Mary. (And in point of […]