In the face of obvious wrongdoing
In the midst of shattered covenants
I want to judge.
I want the guilty to receive their due as I determine it.
Vengeance is mine, says the Lord.
This Lord heals the thankless and rewards those who show up late for work.
This Lord forgave a blatant wrongdoer from the cross.
The mercy of this one offends my [...]
Entries from June 2008
June 28, 2008
Tempted to judge?
June 28, 2008
Intercession
The posture of the priest as intercessor: Lord, I am a person of unclean lips in the midst of a people of unclean lips.
The hope of the intercessor: The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounds in steadfast love. As far as east is from the west, so far does God remove [...]
June 26, 2008
The Necessity of Call; The Call of Necessity
What does it mean to be a pastor? From this desk, I am tasked differently than I was while in the more traditional role of a congregational leader. At times I wonder if I can recover that part of the call. Today I know it is not dead but is still the energy the fires my [...]
June 9, 2008
Tradition!
“Traditio” is the biblical word to which our word tradition is related. It does not mean that which we desire to keep, be it the Latin Mass, the 1926 Book of Common Prayer,the old brown hymnal, or the Mother-Daughter banquet. Traditio is a verb and refers to the act of handing on. What is it [...]
June 8, 2008
New Pastors/New Congregations/New D.S.
Bishop Middleton regularly reminds the Annual Conference that each pastor deserves a new congregation each year and each congregation deserves a new pastor each year. Let me say that all deserve a new D.S. each year!
It’s easier said than done, but is ultimately liberating and is the only way to truly become all that God intends [...]
June 4, 2008
Serving the Present Age
Remember the old hymn? To serve the present age…
That would be today! June 2008.
How can the people of Jesus Christ be proactive in this time?
Gas prices curtail all but necessary travel for many.
Gas prices joined to other economic realities are forcing difficult choices in many homes.
Maintaining church facilities will be a severe challenge when winter comes [...]
June 2, 2008
Merging Churches?
Someone placed before our Annual Conference the idea that churches that are within a 10-mile radius of each other should combine and create one congregation. This will never happen via legislation, nor should it. However, I think that the author of the resolution had good intentions.
Why should churches stay small?
Some small congregations have healthy and [...]
